Nadia Petrova is many things to many people. She is one of those players on the tour that other players dread to see across the net.

Now that the first week – and the opening three rounds – of the 2010 Australian Open are over, it’s time to examine what seasoned hands call the “business end” of the tournament, a time when the summer charms of Australia take a back seat to the pursuit of a major championship and some hefty [...]

Justine Henin is evidently a magnet for two things at the 2010 Australian Open: the best efforts of worthy challengers, and great tennis theater. Ever since she escaped a routine first-round match against a tomato can opponent, Henin’s had to spill every ounce of energy in her small but willful frame in order to progress [...]

If the bottom half of the women’s draw at the 2010 Australian Open could be viewed as a battle of two nations, the one country that has created as much newsworthy activity as Belgium is clearly Russia. While Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin and Yanina Wickmayer caused much ink to be spilled after their Friday exploits, [...]

In the bottom half of the women’s draw at the 2010 Australian Open, two clear storylines are emerging after a fateful Friday in Melbourne. While Serena Williams and Venus Williams do battle in the top half of the draw, en route to a potential semifinal showdown, the bottom half of the women’s field has proven [...]

Two experienced veterans have brought Brisbane alive! In dream-come-true finals, two former tour headliners have emerged from retirement to give tournament organizers and tennis fans a match many feared would never be played again. 26-year old Kim Clijsters and 27-year old Justine Henin will have another go at it in the Brisbane finals. At this [...]

While Venus Williams enjoys a heaven-sent draw in the top half of the ladies’ singles bracket at Wimbledon, the bottom half of the draw is about to have its heavyweight encounter. On the best day of the entire tennis calendar–when every round of 16 match is played in both the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles fields [...]

The official public record indicates that Maria Sharapova has played four women’s singles matches at the 2009 French Open. For all intents and purposes, however, it sure seems as though the three-time Grand Slam champion has played only one match during her stay in Paris. The key, though, is that the globally-recognized figure has found [...]

After ten months away from the WTA Tour, Maria Sharapova might be in the midst of re-learning the finer points of tennis technique, but while her groundstrokes still need polishing, there’s one thing the Russian superstar never forgot how to do: fight like hell. Displaying the mental toughness and combative spirit that made her a [...]

The last time Maria Sharapova stepped on court at a Grand Slam event, the biggest name in women’s tennis was drummed out of the second round of the 2008 Wimbledon championships. Eleven months later, the internationally recognized Russian star returned to the realm of the rectangle in a major tournament, as she entered the French Open [...]