Tennis News Blog

Venus, Serena win Olympic doubles gold (AP)
Venus and Serena Williams kept up a family tradition Sunday, playing together in the Olympic doubles tournament and walking away with the gold medal. Slugging winners from the baseline and slamming shots at the net, the American sisters overpowered Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 6-2, 6-0.

Hewitt out of U.S. Open field following surgery
Former champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia has withdrawn from next week’s U.S. Open after undergoing hip surgery. Hewitt said in a statement published on his Web site on Wednesday he is frustrated at not being able to play but had exhausted every possibility besides surgery “Surgery was always the last resort, but unfortunately that’s what it came down to,” the former world No. 1 said.

Williams sisters win gold in Olympic doubles
Venus and Serena Williams teamed up to win the Olympic doubles final Sunday, beating Spanish duo Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2, 6-0. The American sisters, seeded second, shrieked when Ruano Pascual sent the championship point long. Then they jumped for joy and hugged each other. The win improved the sisters’ Olympic record to 10-0 and gave them their second gold medal. They won the doubles event at the Sydney Games but didn’t play Athens because Serena was hurt.

Mauresmo struggles to victory at Pilot Pen
Amelie Mauresmo continued her slow struggle back to form with a 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-2 victory over Kaia Kanepi of Estonia in a first-round match Tuesday at the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament. “Overall it was a good fight,” Mauresmo said. “It is always good to go out of these kinds of matches with a win. I am happy physically because I am fine coming out of this match.” The former No.

Nadal, Ivanovic draw top seeds at U.S. Open
Rafael Nadal was seeded No. 1 for the U.S. Open on Tuesday, making it the first time since January 2004 that a man other than Roger Federer holds that top spot at a Grand Slam tournament. Ana Ivanovic is the No. 1 seed on the women’s side. The tournament begins Aug. 25, and the draw will be announced Thursday. The U.S. Open followed Monday’s rankings for its seedings, and Nadal replaced Federer at No. 1 for the first time this week.