FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Ana Ivanovic has spent recent weeks recharging and has turned to a familiar face -- coach Sven Groeneveld -- to restart her quest to return to the top 10. Coming off a disappointing season in which she finished with a 24-13 record, including a 3-4 mark in her last seven matches, Ivanovic has reunited with Groeneveld to prepare for the 2010 season. "I feel rested and like I am about to re-start everything. The most important thing is to stay injury free and to train in the right way," Ivanovic told the Serbian newspaper Sportski Zurnal. "I will be working again with Sven and it gives me confidence to think how well we worked together during the off-season two years ago." The 22-year-old Ivanovic reached only one final, falling to Vera Zvonareva in the Indian Wells final in March. She failed to reach a quarterfinal since Indian Wells, a streak of nine consecutive tournaments.

Tennis Week

> Comment

It must be a scary thought to the other players on the ATP Tour that Roger Federer thinks he's only "midway" through his career. In an interview with Londay's Sunday Times, Federer said that he plans to play past the 2012 Olympics and hopes to extend his playing days long enough so that his infant twin daughters can see him play.

Yahoo! Sports

> Comment

[Roger] Federer overcame his French Open neurosis to win his 14th grand slam while, three weeks later, he achieved his record-breaking 15th victory at Wimbledon. "It was a hard moment for me," [Rafael] Nadal admits. "I can't play Wimbledon and it's my favourite tournament. I also lost at Roland Garros and I have a few personal problems. So everything coming together made it hard." Nadal's gaze remains steady as he recounts the source of that turmoil. "My parents' divorce made an important change in my life. It affected me. After that, when I can't play Wimbledon, it was tough. For one month I was outside the world." Nadal looks terribly young amid that quiet admission. "I am OK now," the 23-year-old says of his parents' divorce, "but you need time to accept. And it's more difficult to accept when you are outside home and don't know what's happening. At least the injury gave me time to be with my friends and family." Severe tendinitis and the collapse of his parent's marriage undermined Nadal's composure at Roland Garros. "I played with less calm. One of the reasons was the pain in the knees. And I was down because of the divorce. Soderling played really well and he beat me. But I wasn't ready, mentally or physically, this year."

The Guardian

> Comment

[Marat Safin] was once regarded as one of the world's most spectacular players and will also be remembered for his rebellious spirit and dry humor. The rise of Roger Federer, then Rafael Nadal, and a string of injuries meant, however, that the hugely talented Safin could not live up to high expectations. "I was a decent player," he said. "Just in general, I've been great to everybody, even if I had a few fights with chair umpires." Safin said he was not sure what he would do next but was delighted to be freed from the grueling routine of competitive tennis. "Now I have no schedule, no practices, no nothing," he said. "I belong to myself. Tomorrow I'll wake up and see what I want to do."

Reuters

> Comment

Rafael Nadal says tennis is clean, but believes the sport's drug-testing policy is too restrictive. "I am the first who wants a clean sport, more than anyone, believe me, but the way it (controls) are being done is, in my opinion, not right," Nadal told the media at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris. Reiterating comments he made two weeks ago and echoing remarks made by WTA Tour CEO Stacey Allaster yesterday, Nadal said the anti-doping whereabouts policy is too tough and makes unrealistic demands players who travel the world throughout a long season. "Sure, I would love to have a few changes," Nadal said. "I think that's too much to have to say every day of your life where you are." The second-ranked Spaniard said tennis is a clean sport. "I'm always going to be with the players and I will always defend them," Nadal said. "I have confidence in my colleagues. I believe they are clean and if the (testing) results don't tell me something else, I will defend my friends."

Tennis Week

> Comment