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On clay and off, Nadal making his charge
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:19:57 GMT

Clay specialists haven't had much luck off the red courts recently. Matthew Cronin says Rafael Nadal may be bucking the trend.

Federer wins 500th match, reaches semifinals
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:57:03 GMT

Roger Federer earned his 500th career win and Rafael Nadal extended his clay-court winning streak to 65 in the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals on Friday. Nadal, who beat Federer in the Monte Carlo final last year, beat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-2, 6-3. Federer beat David Ferrer of Spain 6-4, 6-0.

Federer to play Nadal in clay-grass exhibition
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:03:45 GMT

Roger Federer will face Rafael Nadal next month in an exhibition match played on a court that is half grass and half clay. Federer, a four-time Wimbledon champion, is the world's best grass-court player. Nadal has won the last two French Open titles and has a 64-match winning streak on clay.

Williams says she's ready for Fed Cup
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:41:18 GMT

Serena Williams said the groin injury that forced her to retire from a match last week has healed and she'll be able to play for the U.S. Fed Cup team this weekend against Belgium.

Jankovic captures Family Circle Cup
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:21:43 GMT

Jelena Jankovic made quick work of Dinara Safina on Sunday to capture the Family Circle Cup championship and her first Tier I title.

Ailing Murray pulls out of Monte Carlo
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:21:43 GMT

Eighth-seeded Andy Murray pulled out of the Monte Carlo Masters Tuesday after injuring his back during a doubles match. Murray was playing doubles with brother Jamie on Monday when he felt spasms of pain. "It's better today than it was yesterday, but I still find it hard to walk - it's a little bit frustrating," Murray said. "The pain was getting worse and worse by the end of the (first-set) tiebreak. I could barely stand up.

DirecTV to start carrying Tennis Channel
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 03:02:41 GMT

The Tennis Channel will be carried by satellite provider DirecTV beginning this summer under a multiyear distribution agreement that was to be announced Monday. The deal will nearly double the number of households that get The Tennis Channel, which went on the air in 2003 and is currently in about 10 million U.S. homes. "This is a watershed moment," network chairman and CEO Ken Solomon said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Agassi inadvertently hits Graf with racket
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 03:02:41 GMT

Steffi Graf required three stitches Sunday after husband Andre Agassi inadvertently hit her in the face with his racket during a fundraiser that followed the final of the U.S. Clay Court Championships. Graf and Agassi were holding hands - her left to his right - while rallying with a couple of youngsters when Agassi's follow-through struck his wife in the face. Agassi held his racket in his left hand.

Karlovic captures first title
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 03:02:41 GMT

Unseeded Ivo Karlovic captured his first ATP title when he beat qualifier Mariano Zabaleta 6-4, 6-1 in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships final on Sunday. The 2.09-meter (6-foot-10) Croat closed his second match point on a 140-mph (225-kph) ace. He arched his back and clenched his fists before going over to shake hands with his coach, who was courtside. Karlovic broke Zabaleta in the second game of the final set and again three games later to go up 5-1.