Serena Williams back in the swing

STANFORD, Calif. -- Apparently, lounging in the Croatian sun and catching ice cream scoops in her mouth was just what Serena Williams needed to get her game back.

Four weeks after her disturbing exit in a Wimbledon doubles match -- and a couple weeks after a relaxing and Instagram-ed Croatian vacation that included video of her catching ice cream at a shop -- Serena took the court at the Bank of the West Classic to a roar from the supportive crowd Wednesday evening. She bounced the ball easily. She tossed the ball up in the air without a problem. Her first serve went -- gasp! -- over the net.

And for the next hour, the world's top-ranked player looked much more like her usual self, rather than the woozy, baffling Serena who struggled just to bounce the ball and double-faulted weakly four consecutive times in a Wimbledon doubles performance that left the world wondering what was wrong.

Serena maintains that it was a viral illness that was worse than she realized -- 'I was really scared'' -- and that she has recovered. She certainly appeared recovered Wednesday when she beat No. 45-ranked Karolina Pliskova 7-5, 6-2 in a match that took one hour and four minutes.

Despite the awful doubles performance at Wimbledon, plus early exits in singles there and at the French Open, plus several weeks away from tournaments while the world speculated, Serena said she felt completely normal on the court Wednesday. No rust. No nerves. No worries.

'I wasn't really feeling too nervous. I was just feeling good,'' she said. 'I didn't feel any extra nerves. I just felt that I wanted to do what I've been working on.''

Williams got off to a slow start. Serving in the first game, she double-faulted to fall behind 30-love and was at a 40-15 break point before coming back to win. 'I just made some silly errors,'' she said, denying the sluggish start was due to nerves or rust. 'I should have been on my toes a little more.''

She definitely played better as the match wore on, as did Pliskova in a close first set when neither player could break the other until the 12th game. Every time Serena won a game, Pliskova came back and won the next -- 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5.

'I thought it went pretty well the first set but I knew I was playing a player who was going to be very difficult to break so mentally I knew I had to really, really hold onto my serve, even more so,'' Williams said. 'That was really important to me to be super focused on my serve.

'It worked out. I had some chances in the very first game that she served but she took advantage of a few errors and she served really well after that. I knew I had to serve really to hang in this and from there I just tried hanging in there.''

Serena had six aces in the first set (nine overall) and finally broke Pliskova in the 12th game, when the Czech player double-faulted and didn't win a point. The match turned there. Serena won the first three games of the second set and cruised to a convincing victory.

Asked whether she hoped the match would end the questions about her strange Wimbledon performance and allow her to move on, Williams said, 'I've already moved on. I'm just doing things that I do best.''

What she does best is tennis, though she was better at it last year.

After one of the best seasons of her career in 2013, this has been a somewhat disappointing year for Serena, who turns 33 in September. She has won three lesser tournaments but has struggled in the Slams, failing to reach the quarterfinals in any and getting eliminated in the second round of the French Open and the third round at Wimbledon. But now she's back on hard courts and ready to move on.

'I think it's always a reset after the French and Wimbledon,'' she said. 'I think every player almost takes a deep breath and gets ready for the last stretch of tournaments.''

The U.S. Open starts in less than four weeks. Hopefully, there will be no baffling and disturbing viral illnesses there and Serena is back on track to successfully defend her 2013 title. And if not, well, who wouldn't mind another side trip to Croatia?

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'Rejuvenated' Serena Williams 'raring to go' post mystery Wimbledon viral malady

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World No 1 Serena Williams prepares to return to action at the WTA's Stanford tournament, and has said that the commotion caused at Wimbledon by her viral illness had taken her by surprise.

Williams had left everyone in a shock, as the 17-time grand slam champion was disoriented, unsteady on her feet and unable to serve properly on Court No 1 at Wimbledon. Williams' doubles match alongside her sister Venus lasted just three games, with the world number one unable to get the ball over the net when it was her turn to serve.

But now, as she prepares to return to action at the WTA's Stanford tournament, Williams said that they just said that she was really ill, and really under the weather and just wasn't doing very well, CNN reported.

Williams said that she was really scared after because she didn't realize how she felt until later and it's just like she has to keep her time, she would have the rest of her life to keep playing tennis hopefully.

The American tennis ace said that she heard a lot of the response weeks and weeks later because she didn't leave her house or her bed for a few days. But, she added that by the time that happened when she read or heard about it from other people she felt like she had already really moved on.

Williams will face the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday at the WTA's Stanford tournament.

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Venus Williams addresses Azarenka, Serena's Wimbledon retirement

Tennis

STANFORD, Calif. - Venus Williams kicked off her summer hard court season with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Paula Kania in the first round of the Bank of the West Classic on Tuesday night. The win sets up a blockbuster second round match against No. 10 Victoria Azarenka on Thursday.

'In terms of match play I'm probably just a little bit ahead,' Williams said.

Azarenka was sidelined with injury for much of the season and has played just 17 matches to Williams' 27.

'Hopefully that will work in my advantage,' Williams said. 'But [Azarenka] is always a tough competitor. I'm sure she's hitting the ball well so I have to be focused and on my toes.'

Williams has never lost to Azarenka, and the Stanford conditions have always suited her well. She has made the final seven of the eight times she has played the tournament since it moved to Palo Alto.

Williams also addressed her sister Serena's bizarre retirement from their second round doubles match at Wimbledon last month. Serena said she was ill before she took the court but didn't realize she was unfit to play until the match began.

'That was really challenging,' Venus said. 'I shouldn't have let her play. It's hard when you're in the moment because I know how I am and I don't want anyone telling me not to play. I wanted her to put the racket away, but I tried not to be bossy. It was just a tough situation I think for both of us. She kept saying 'I wanna try, I wanna try, I wanna try.' So she tricked me into letting her try. I'm just glad she walked off the court. Sometimes you have to have courage to walk on and sometimes you have to have the courage to walk off too.'

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Serena Williams fighting fit after Wimbledon illness scare

(CNN) -- It was one of the most disturbing sights Wimbledon has witnessed.

Serena Williams, a 17-time grand slam champion, disorientated, unsteady on her feet and unable to serve properly on Court No. 1.

Her doubles match alongside sister Venus lasted just three games, with Serena unable to get the ball over the net when it was her turn to serve.

But now, as she prepares to return to action at the WTA's Stanford tournament, the 32-year-old says the commotion caused by her viral illness had taken her by surprise.

Read: Serena retires with illness

'They just said I was really ill, and really under the weather and I just wasn't doing very well,' Williams told reporters prior to the Bank Of The West Classic in California about her turn at Wimbledon.

'I was really scared after because I didn't realize how I felt until later and it's just, you know, 'Serena, keep your time, you will have the rest of your life to keep playing tennis hopefully.'

'I heard a lot of the response weeks and weeks later because I didn't leave my house or my bed for a few days.

'But by the time that happened when I read or heard about it from other people I was just like, 'Oh really, I already moved on.' I was working out and starting to try to play again.'

Williams will take on the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday saying she feels 'very good' but that she will have more medical tests once the season has finished.

Her sister Venus suffers from Sjogren's syndrome, a poorly understood autoimmune disorder that causes joint pain and can deplete energy levels.

Serena skipped a tournament in Sweden after her Wimbledon illness but is now focusing on preparation ahead of the U.S. Open.

She has won the title at Flushing Meadows two years in a row and needs to claim a hat-trick next month to avoid a first season without a slam title since 2011.

'After Wimbledon I stayed around in Europe because I was going play in Bastad, and I feel so bad about not being able to play there,' she said.

'I ended up going on what I called 'vacation,' which is like when you have fun in the sun but you practice in the day, in the morning. I tried to practice very early so I can have fun later.'

Venus is in action on Tuesday, facing Poland's Paula Kania, while the standout clash sees the No. 5 seed -- Ana Ivanovic, take on Sabine Lisicki, from Germany.

Read: Serena suffers early exit

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Serena Williams finally speaks about the Wimbledon Women´s Doubles fiasco

Tennis: The World No.1 was unable to stand properly and could not serve or hit the ball

Serena Williams 30 Jul 2014 - 04:18 / by Andre Terry / reads 114.Source: http://ift.tt/1n1m8Sz

Tennis: World No.1 Serena Williams has finally talked about her viral illness which caused her to retire in the women's doubles at Wimbledon, after serving four double faults in a single game.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams was partnering her elder sister, another former world No.1 Venus Williams and was unable to stand properly or hit a ball.

Serena told that she was scared and she did not realize how she felt at that moment.

'It was interesting and I was scared after,' Williams said. 'I didn't realize how I felt until later. In the moment I didn't realize how sick I was. It's weird but that's the fight in me. I never know when to say when.'

Serena also added that Venus ordered her to leave the match but she was reluctant.

'She kept saying, 'Walk off the court, I'm the older sister and I say you have to leave,'' Williams said. 'I'm feeling really good right now and I'm happy to be here.' Williams said she will undergo a series of tests at the end of the season.

'I was really ill,' she said. 'I got to thinking about a lot of things and because of family history, I'll get the tests done and we'll go from there.'

TENNIS WORLD MAGAZINE - Issue 17 - FREE READING

In this issue you can find:

- Roger is training as if he is a happy child ( here)

- An Interview With Garbine Muguruza Blanco ( here)

- The greatest game ever played ( here)

- The rise of Taylor Townsend ( here)

- Sports Parents - Can It Work? ( here)

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Raonic using "anger" from Wimbledon semifinal defeat

Milos Raonic says anger from his Wimbledon semifinal loss has motivated him for the hard-court season. (AP Photo)

Milos Raonic is drawing on his defeat in the Wimbledon semifinal as he begins his hard-court campaign.

Saying he is 'still pretty angry' about his performance while going down in straight sets to Roger Federer, the 23-year-old is also looking to use that experience to good effect during this portion of the season.

'It's been a lot of frustration, anger and disappointment, specifically to that semifinal, and it's actually sort of transformed into a lot of energy to do better, to work harder and now it's got me really excited,' said Raonic, who is seeded second at Washington, DC. 'It makes me want to play that much more badly and get through these next tournaments.'

Now ranked No. 7, the big-serving Raonic has a better sense of his game following his work with coaches Ivan Ljubicic and Ricado Piatti.

'I can make guys feel uncomfortable whether they're ranked No.1 in the world or No. 50. I don't think anybody enjoys playing me so I have a lot more understanding of that and how to use that to my advantage,' he said.

Raonic reached the semifinals of Rome on clay as well as Wimbledon on grass. His performances on the two surfaces, where he is less comfortable, provide encouragement for the hard-court season.

'After spending four months of tennis where I'm adjusting to playing the surface, this is a surface where I'm comfortable,' he said.

Like other players, he wants to take advantage of the opening in the rankings behind Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

'The biggest threshold and the biggest barrier,' he said, 'Novak and Rafa have on the one-two spots. But I think that the rest of the parts, this year specifically, are up for grabs. ''

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Serena Williams fighting fit after Wimbledon scare

Toby Melville/Reuters

It was one of the most disturbing sights Wimbledon has witnessed.

Serena Williams, a 17-time grand slam champion, disorientated, unsteady on her feet and unable to serve properly on Court No. 1.

Her doubles match alongside sister Venus lasted just three games, with Serena unable to get the ball over the net when it was her turn to serve.

But now, as she prepares to return to action at the WTA's Stanford tournament, the 32-year-old says the commotion caused by her viral illness had taken her by surprise.

'They just said I was really ill, and really under the weather and I just wasn't doing very well,' Williams told reporters prior to the Bank Of The West Classic in California about her turn at Wimbledon.

'I was really scared after because I didn't realize how I felt until later and it's just, you know, 'Serena, keep your time, you will have the rest of your life to keep playing tennis hopefully.'

'I heard a lot of the response weeks and weeks later because I didn't leave my house or my bed for a few days.

'But by the time that happened when I read or heard about it from other people I was just like, 'Oh really, I already moved on.' I was working out and starting to try to play again.'

Williams will take on the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday saying she feels 'very good' but that she will have more medical tests once the season has finished.

Her sister Venus suffers from Sjogren's syndrome, a poorly understood autoimmune disorder that causes joint pain and can deplete energy levels.

Serena skipped a tournament in Sweden after her Wimbledon illness but is now focusing on preparation ahead of the U.S. Open.

She has won the title at Flushing Meadows two years in a row and needs to claim a hat-trick next month to avoid a first season without a slam title since 2011.

'After Wimbledon I stayed around in Europe because I was going play in Bastad, and I feel so bad about not being able to play there,' she said.

'I ended up going on what I called 'vacation,' which is like when you have fun in the sun but you practice in the day, in the morning. I tried to practice very early so I can have fun later.'

Venus is in action on Tuesday, facing Poland's Paula Kania, while the standout clash sees the No. 5 seed -- Ana Ivanovic, take on Sabine Lisicki, from Germany.

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Serena Williams addresses Wimbledon incident

Posted: 07/28/2014 01:14:46 PM PDT

Updated: 07/28/2014 11:42:03 PM PDT

STANFORD -- Even as she wobbled on the court in a frightening display that sparked worldwide attention and concern, Serena Williams kept trying to play.

'That's the fight in me,' Williams said Monday, publicly addressing her bizarre exit from Wimbledon for the first time. 'I am always go, go, go. I never stop. I never want to give up. I never know when to say when.'

Suffering from what officials later called a viral illness, Williams spent the next three days in bed as many, including some of the sport's legendary names, speculated whether the world's No. 1-ranked player was dealing with something other than a virus.

Williams, 32, seemed recharged Monday as she prepares for her opening match Wednesday night at the Bank of the West Classic, her first since withdrawing from the now infamous Wimbledon doubles match July 1. The Bank of the West's top seed did not give a specific diagnosis but said she would undergo more medical tests after the tennis season.

She vacationed in Europe after Wimbledon, mixing in sun and fun with early-morning practices.

'I am feeling pretty good about my game,' Williams said. 'But as you know, I am never feeling great about it.'

Nobody felt great about Williams' game when she struggled on the Wimbledon grounds to do the most basic tennis tasks, such as tossing the ball for her serve.

Playing alongside her older sister, Venus, who will play at the Bank of the West on Tuesday, Williams lasted three games before officials stopped the match.

Venus earlier told her sister to walk off the court. 'I think she almost punched me,' Williams said.

But Williams continued because, in doubles, she needed to cover only half the court.

It was not until later, Williams said, that she realized the seriousness of the situation.

'I was really, really sick,' Williams said. 'Literally the next three days I couldn't get out of bed. Usually when you lose in a tournament, you just leave. I literally stayed until the tournament ended because I was not allowed to leave. Doctors told me you've got to stay.'

In 2011, the 17-time Grand Slam singles champion had blood clots in both lungs and a hematoma in her abdomen.

'It kind of reminded of when I had my other illness a while ago,' Williams said. 'I didn't realize how sick I was until my dad came over and we were walking outside for no more than three minutes and I said, 'OK, I've got to go inside.' I slept the whole day.

'After this happened, I kind of had that flashback where you're in this moment and you don't realize how sick you are. You kind of step back and look at everything and picture everything.'

The Wimbledon incident prompted widespread speculation.

'I find it distressing,' Martina Navratilova told ESPNW later that week. 'I think virus, whatever they're saying it was, I don't think that was it. I think it's clear that's not the case. I don't know what it is, but I hope Serena will be OK. And most of all, I don't know how she ended up walking onto the court.'

Williams said she heard about the speculation weeks later.

Her response: 'Oh really?'

Angelique Kerber, the Bank of the West's third seed, watched Williams practice Monday and walked away impressed.

'She was back, for sure,' Kerber said.

Williams won the tournament at Stanford in 2011 and 2012.

'I feel really good about this event and this tournament and being here,' Williams said. 'It's always been a special place for me.'

Williams meets the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday in the second round. Pliskova beat Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm, 6-1, 6-3, on Monday. In other first-round matches, eighth-seeded Andrea Petkovic downed Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1, 6-4; Coco Vandeweghe got by recent Stanford grad Kristie Ahn 6-2, 7-5; qualifier Sachia Vickery topped Shuai Zhang 6-1, 6-2; qualifier Naomi Osaka defeated Samantha Stosur 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5; and Varvara Lepchenko defeated Caroline Garcia 6-4, 6-3.

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Ana Ivanovic vs Sabine Lisicki – Ivanovic has the form to beat Lisicki at the ...

Ana Ivanovic (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Will the second half of Ana Ivanovic's year live up the first half? After splitting with her coach, the Serbian bids for her fourth title of 2014 at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford where her first-round opponent is Sabine Lisicki. The pair are meeting for the third time in 2014. Watch Ivanovic vs Lisicki live:

It's not often that a Grand Slam champion and finalist can meet in the first round of a tournament, but that's the Bank of the West Classic - and the up-and-down careers of Ana Ivanovic and Sabine Lisicki - for you and nobody's complaining when it results in a first-round match this watchable.

Ivanovic, the fifth seed in Stanford, is ranked no. 11 at the moment after her very good 2014 season, putting her 28 places above Lisicki - ranked no. 29 after a not-very-good season. Oddly enough, it's the third time in 2014 those trajectories will collide after Ivanovic and Lisicki met in Stuttgart and Wimbledon.

The question for Ana Ivanovic, really, is whether the second half of 2014 can match up to the first. The hype surrounding Ivanovic's return to form has been somewhat muted since her French Open campaign ended in a meek defeat to Lucie Safarova in the third round - admittedly, Safarova played well and her game matches up brilliantly against Ivanovic's, but the Serbian player and her team didn't seem to have come up with much of a tactical plan to counter those disadvantages, relying on executing her usual hit-and-hit-harder approach. Whether that counted towards the latest Ivanovic coaching split - she parted ways with Nemanja Kontic, who had lasted a year, after Wimbledon - it's hard to say. Kontic did seem to help Ivanovic relax more, which has been a huge factor in her strong 2014 results - titles in Auckland, Monterrey and Birmingham as well as defeats of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova - but the lack of a real game plan was painfully evident in her losses to Safarova at the French Open and to Lisicki at Wimbledon.

Of course, Lisicki is not big on having a game plan either. A semifinalist in Stanford in 2011, it's been another injury-riddled and fairly woeful season for Lisicki with the one, magical exception of Wimbledon, where she made a decent fist of defending her 2013 run to the final and reached the quarterfinals (courtesy of defeating Ivanovic in three sets). Wimbledon aside, Lisicki has won back-to-back matches at just one tournament - Madrid - and while a healthy Lisicki should never under any circumstances be written off, as the German possesses some of the biggest and most imposing weapons on the WTA Tour, her 2014 form indicates that the scoreline in this Stanford meeting could be a lot closer to Ivanovic's 6-1, 6-3 defeat of her in Stuttgart than Lisicki's three-set win at Wimbledon.

What Ivanovic failed to do with any frequency or consistency, at that Wimbledon meeting which stretched over two days, was mix up the rhythm of play against Lisicki and disrupt the German's relentless pursuit of short balls which can be hammered for winners. Given that Lisicki plays better at Wimbledon than she does anywhere else - and that grass is not Ivanovic's best surface, Birmingham title or no - Ivanovic might not need to do that in this Stanford meeting: She comes into this match, or should do, with all the form and confidence Lisicki is lacking. On the other hand, if there is one player whose confidence is fragile, it's Ivanovic and a split with her coach might have knocked her off balance. In that case, look out for a long grueling battle of big forehands and unforced errors.

Ivanovic and Lisicki are scheduled on Centre Court in Stanford at 2.30pm (10.30pm GMT)

2 16 2

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How Wimbledon Makes a Profit on Its Own Terms

NewsweekHow Wimbledon Makes a Profit on Its Own TermsNewsweekThe club is the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and the tournament is Wimbledon – an annual miracle of commercial enterprise during which the AELTC tears up large sections of the corporate rule book as it puts propriety ahead of profit, clinging ...

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Milos Raonic using Wimbledon loss as motivation for hard

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WASHINGTON - Milos Raonic has had nearly a month to digest his Wimbledon semifinal loss to Roger Federer. But even after all that time, the sting still lingers.

'I'm still pretty angry about it,' Raonic said of the straight-sets loss to the Swiss star.

It was the first Grand Slam semifinal for the hard-serving player from Thornhill, Ont., who reached a career-high sixth in the world rankings. Now ranked seventh, he says the disappointment of not advancing to the final at the All-England Club has left him with extra incentive heading into the hard-court season.

'Out of all the ranking climbs that I've made over the past three years that have been significant to me, it's probably the one that I enjoyed the least because I felt that I could have done much better in that situation,' said Raonic, who returns to the court this week at the Citi Open.

Raonic arrived in Washington last Friday - five days ahead of his opening match - rested and rejuvenated but with the July 4 loss to Federer still fresh in his mind. The Canadian is seeded second, behind only fifth-ranked Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.

'It's been a lot of frustration, anger and disappointment, specifically to that semifinal, and it's actually sort of transformed into a lot of energy to do better, to work harder and now it's got me really excited,' said Raonic. 'It makes me want to play that much more badly and get through these next tournaments.'

The Citi Open is the first of three straight hard-court events for Raonic, who returns home to Toronto next week for the Rogers Cup before playing in the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati the week after.

That Raonic is heading into the hard-court season with extra motivation and a newfound confidence is a potentially scary thought for the rest of ATP Tour.

'I have more belief in what I can do and the kind of damage that I can make,' said Raonic, who has won 82 per cent of his first-serve points this year, second-most on tour, and is third with 567 aces in 34 matches.

'I can make guys feel uncomfortable whether they're ranked No.1 in the world or No. 50. I don't think anybody enjoys playing me so I have a lot more understanding of that and how to use that to my advantage.'

Prior to his semifinal run on the grass courts at Wimbledon, Raonic also reached the quarter-finals on the clay courts of the French Open. Overall, the 23-year-old compiled a 16-7 record on grass and clay this spring, after going 8-8 over the same stretch a year ago.

Combine the recent success in Europe with Raonic's past performances on hard courts and he says 'this is the most eager' he's ever felt heading into his favourite time of year.

'It's the best thing for my game,' he said of the hard courts and the typically hot and humid playing conditions that accompany the North American summer schedule. 'After spending four months of tennis where I'm adjusting to playing the surface, this is a surface where I'm comfortable and where I don't have to worry about 'OK in this situation, I have to hit this kind of shot.' (On hard courts) I have that stuff ingrained in myself naturally.'

Raonic's coach, former world No.3 Ivan Ljubicic, also sees the hard-court season as a tremendous opportunity for Raonic to close the gap with the game's elite and to potentially breakthrough with his first career Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open.

'His level is much higher than at this time last year,' said Ljubicic, who challenged Raonic last August to 'save' his 2013 season with a strong tournaments in Montreal, Cincinnati and New York.

'He's shown recently that he's better able to handle certain situations - the pressure situations - very well,' he said. 'He's got the type of personality and character where he feels more comfortable with a higher ranking, where he doesn't feel the pressure. If anything, he has more hunger to do better.'

Raonic now has his sights set on defending his ranking points at the Rogers Cup - he reached the final in Montreal last year before falling to Rafael Nadal - and building towards a strong U.S. Open. He is also eyeing his first career top-5 world ranking.

'I think there's a big opening,' Raonic said of joining Nadal and Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic among the top-5. 'The biggest threshold and the biggest barrier or wall to pass is the one that Novak and Rafa have on the 1-2 spots. But I think that the rest of the parts, this year specifically, are up for grabs.'

© The Canadian Press, 2014

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'Takeover will kill studios'

'Takeover will kill studios' - Piers Read, boss of Wimbledon Studios, resigns in row over multi-million pound takeover

Updated 11:11am Monday 28th July 2014 in News By Becky Middleton, Chief Reporter

Piers Reed who has resigned from Wimbledon Studios today

The boss of Wimbledon Studios has resigned today in the latest twist as part of an ongoing debate about a multi-million pound takeover of the business.

The announcement today that Piers Read, founder and managing director of the studios in Deer Park Road, Wimbledon, is leaving with immediate effect comes after months of negotiations with potential investors.

He said a planned takeover would 'kill' the studios and his position has become untenable.

A statement from Mr Read said he has been working to secure the investment and funding needed for an ambitious expansion.

David Smith, company secretary and financial controller has also resigned and will be leaving.

The spokesperson said: 'Despite Mr Read having secured funding from multiple interested parties, parent company Panther Securities PLC has resisted making a decision on his £10m offer for the freehold, leaving the future of the studios still in doubt and his position untenable.'

The news follows months of negotiations with potential investors for the internationally recognised studios to fund a £6m refurbishment and upgrade of the facilities which played host to dozens of television and film projects over the years.

In a statement today, Mr Read said: 'I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together in establishing Wimbledon as a leading studio facility in the UK, but we feel that our position has become increasingly untenable in recent months.

'We fundamentally disagree with the direction our parent company and freeholder, Panther PLC wishes to proceed.

'We believe this direction will kill Wimbledon Studios as it is known today, and we have no desire to be party to that.

'We feel this not only undervalues the work and success that has been achieved by the staff over recent years, but also fails to take advantage of the huge opportunities that currently exist.

'With studio space in London now at a premium, following the closure of a number of our closest competitors, the UK TV and film industry is in desperate need of exactly the type of facilities that Wimbledon could offer.'

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Serena Williams on Wimbledon Behavior: 'I Was Just Really Under the Weather ...

Serena Williams on Wimbledon Behavior: 'I Was Just Really Under the Weather' [VIDEO]

Give Serena Williams credit for one thing: Even if she is less than forthcoming about aspects of her tennis or personal life, she never has let anything affect her game for very long.

Serena Williams says she feels rejuvenated as she finishes a vacation in Croatia, tells coach Patrick Mouratoglou to 'get ready'

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So it should come as no surprise that Williams stuck to her story about her bizarre behavior in her doubles match with sister, Venus, that led to a withdrawal, not to mention a video of the event that went viral in a matter of minutes.

SFGate.com reported that Williams appeared to be her normal, calm and breezy self during a news conference as she prepares for the Bank of the West Classic this week in Stanford, Calif.

'I was just really under the weather,' she said during a 15-minute news conference, SFGate.com reported. 'I still have to go through a series of tests. Not right away - I'm right in the middle of the season - but eventually. Just to make sure it wasn't connected to anything that runs in my family, that sort of thing.'

Serena Williams' coach Patrick Mouratoglou says his pupil is going through a 'difficult phase'

As if anyone was buying her explanation, Serena expanded on what happened at Wimbledon. In doing so, she did try to take some pressure of Venus, who also drew criticism for failing to stop her sister from walking out onto the court for the doubles match.

'I didn't feel great walking on the court,' she said. 'I didn't even warm up for the match (on a practice court). Venus didn't want me to play, but that's the fight in me. I'm always go-go-go, don't stop, never want to give up. At one point she was like, 'Walk off the court!' She almost punched me (laughter). But I figured, it's just half the court, I can do it.'

Serena was unable to catch balls thrown from ball boys or ball girls, couldn't bounce the ball off her racket and then threw up serves that barely reached the bottom of the net.

Yet, she went on to explain that it wasn't until later in the day that 'I realized how sick I was, and I got really scared,' she said. 'I slept the rest of that day and night. I know people were talking about me, but I didn't hear any of that until much later, because I wasn't allowed to leave my (rental) house or my bed for a few days. Once I was able to travel, I didn't meditate on it too long. I'd already moved on.'

Angelique Kerber, who saw Serena practice, said she witnessed the Serena of old.

'From what I saw, she's back for sure,' said Kerber, the world's No. 8-ranked player who, like Serena, has drawn a bye into the second round. 'We'll see, but I think she'll be the favorite here.'

Serena likely knows she has to make a deep run here to at least temporarily put a halt to the Wimbledon questions. But for now, everything's fine.

Really.

Do you think Serena Williams will win the Bank of the West Classic? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.

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State of Serena still unknown

STANFORD, California -- I'm going to go wayyyyy out on a limb here. When Serena Williams returns to competition here Wednesday, the world's top-ranked player will serve the ball powerfully over the net.

That definitely was not the case during her last, unsettling performance at Wimbledon four weeks ago. In what was termed a viral illness, Serena was so dizzy and weak that day she struggled just to bounce the ball on the ground while trying to serve in her doubles match with sister Venus. When she did manage to toss the tennis ball in the air and hit it, she double-faulted four times in a row.

Apart from an endurance runner stumbling with dehydration and extreme fatigue in high heat, I do not recall seeing an athlete so dizzy, off-balance and incapable of performing as Serena that day at Wimbledon. And those few endurance athletes were like that only at the end of a draining race. This was at the start of the match. If you were feeling that woozy, why even play?

Serena said she did not feel good walking onto the court that day, but did not appreciate how sick she really felt until after she left the court -- she said Venus told her repeatedly to stop playing. 'I'm your big sister, I'm telling you -- you have to leave.' Serena said it reminded her of when she was sick several years earlier, presumably referring to the embolism that hospitalized her in 2011.

'After this happened I kind of had that flashback,' she said. 'When you're in this moment, you don't realize how sick you are.'

Monday marked Serena's first meeting with reporters since that disturbing performance, but her replies did not fully answer all the questions about what happened. There was a lot of speculation about Serena's condition that day at Wimbledon, with Martina Navratilova expressing doubt that it really was just a virus.

Serena maintained that it was a viral illness and that doctors required she stay at Wimbledon several days to recover, but she offered no specifics beyond saying she would undergo further tests when the 2014 season ends.

'I heard a lot of the response weeks and weeks and weeks later,' Serena said of speculation and rumors regarding the illness. 'Because I didn't leave my house or bed for a few days. By the time I read about it or heard about it from a few people, I was just like, 'Oh, really?' I had already moved on; I had just started working out and started to play again.'

After having taken some vacation time in Croatia -- by which time she had recovered enough to post videos of herself catching ice cream in her mouth -- Serena will try to get her groove back in the Bank of the West Classic here.

Angelique Kerber said she watched Serena practice Monday and that she looked like she was in her usual top form.

'She was back, for sure,' Kerber said. 'She plays good. So let's see.'

Serena had perhaps the greatest season of her life in 2013, winning the French and US Opens, plus nine other WTA titles while losing only four times the entire year and regaining her No. 1 ranking. She won 78 matches overall, 20 more than any other year in her career. This year has not gone so well. She has won three tournaments -- take that, Sloane Stephens -- but no majors and lost in the third round at Wimbledon and the second round at Roland Garros.

She is still ranked No. 1 -- next week would be her 200th week in the top spot -- and only four players have ever been ranked No. 1 more than that. She has 17 career Grand Slam titles, one shy of Martina and Chris Evert. Can she tie them? Pass them?

'I got stuck at 13 for a while. And I was really depressed about it. I'm never going to get to 14!' Serena said when asked about the numbers game. 'And I think that was before I got ill. I was stuck at 13 and I was there for a while. I thought about that just a week ago. And I was like, 'Serena, don't put pressure on yourself.' I keep saying that I won't think about the numbers, but everyone is talking about it; everyone is thinking about it and maybe subconsciously it started to twirl in my mind and fester in my brain.

'I just need to relax and remember that time and that I've been in this position before. If it doesn't happen this year there is always next year.'

Well, maybe. Serena turns 33 in two months and after the past seven months -- as well as that one day at Wimbledon -- the question is whether age is beginning to catch up with her.

As Kerber said, we will see how she does here, where Serena won the past two times she played this tournament. My guess is she will answers questions about where her current game stands more directly than the questions about that disturbing day at Wimbledon.

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'Takeover will kill studios'

'Takeover will kill studios' - Piers Read, boss of Wimbledon Studios, resigns in row over multi-million pound takeover

Updated 11:11am Monday 28th July 2014 in Wimbledon By Becky Middleton, Chief Reporter

Piers Reed who has resigned from Wimbledon Studios today

The boss of Wimbledon Studios has resigned today in the latest twist as part of an ongoing debate about a multi-million pound takeover of the business.

The announcement today that Piers Read, founder and managing director of the studios in Deer Park Road, Wimbledon, is leaving with immediate effect comes after months of negotiations with potential investors.

He said a planned takeover would 'kill' the studios and his position has become untenable.

A statement from Mr Read said he has been working to secure the investment and funding needed for an ambitious expansion.

David Smith, company secretary and financial controller has also resigned and will be leaving.

The spokesperson said: 'Despite Mr Read having secured funding from multiple interested parties, parent company Panther Securities PLC has resisted making a decision on his £10m offer for the freehold, leaving the future of the studios still in doubt and his position untenable.'

The news follows months of negotiations with potential investors for the internationally recognised studios to fund a £6m refurbishment and upgrade of the facilities which played host to dozens of television and film projects over the years.

In a statement today, Mr Read said: 'I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together in establishing Wimbledon as a leading studio facility in the UK, but we feel that our position has become increasingly untenable in recent months.

'We fundamentally disagree with the direction our parent company and freeholder, Panther PLC wishes to proceed.

'We believe this direction will kill Wimbledon Studios as it is known today, and we have no desire to be party to that.

'We feel this not only undervalues the work and success that has been achieved by the staff over recent years, but also fails to take advantage of the huge opportunities that currently exist.

'With studio space in London now at a premium, following the closure of a number of our closest competitors, the UK TV and film industry is in desperate need of exactly the type of facilities that Wimbledon could offer.'

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'Takeover will kill studios'

Breaking news 'Takeover will kill studios' - Piers Read, boss of Wimbledon Studios, resigns in row over multi-million pound takeover

Updated 11:11am Monday 28th July 2014 in News By Becky Middleton, Chief Reporter

Piers Reed who has resigned from Wimbledon Studios today

The boss of Wimbledon Studios has resigned today in the latest twist as part of an ongoing debate about a multi-million pound takeover of the business.

The announcement today that Piers Read, founder and managing director of the studios in Deer Park Road, Wimbledon, is leaving with immediate effect comes after months of negotiations with potential investors.

He said a planned takeover would 'kill' the studios and his position has become untenable.

A statement from Mr Read said he has been working to secure the investment and funding needed for an ambitious expansion.

David Smith, company secretary and financial controller has also resigned and will be leaving.

The spokesperson said: 'Despite Mr Read having secured funding from multiple interested parties, parent company Panther Securities PLC has resisted making a decision on his £10m offer for the freehold, leaving the future of the studios still in doubt and his position untenable.'

The news follows months of negotiations with potential investors for the internationally recognised studios to fund a £6m refurbishment and upgrade of the facilities which played host to dozens of television and film projects over the years.

In a statement today, Mr Read said: 'I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together in establishing Wimbledon as a leading studio facility in the UK, but we feel that our position has become increasingly untenable in recent months.

'We fundamentally disagree with the direction our parent company and freeholder, Panther PLC wishes to proceed.

'We believe this direction will kill Wimbledon Studios as it is known today, and we have no desire to be party to that.

'We feel this not only undervalues the work and success that has been achieved by the staff over recent years, but also fails to take advantage of the huge opportunities that currently exist.

'With studio space in London now at a premium, following the closure of a number of our closest competitors, the UK TV and film industry is in desperate need of exactly the type of facilities that Wimbledon could offer.'

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Wimbledon semis run angers and motivates Raonic

Washington (AFP) - Reaching his first Grand Slam semi-final earlier this month at Wimbledon left seventh-ranked Milos Raonic disappointed in his effort and more motivated to capture his first major title.

The 23-year-old Canadian begins his push to the US Open, what he calls 'a very important Slam for me', this week at the $1.9 million (1.4m euros) ATP and WTA Washington Open.

'I felt I could have done much better in that situation,' Raonic said of his 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon semi-finals.

'It has been a lot of frustration, anger and disappointment with the semi-final. It has been transformed into a lot of motivation.

'I hate losing. The stinging stays with me.'

That pushes Raonic, the second seed at Washington behind fifth-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych, as the huge server looks forward to the US Open on his favorite hardcourt surface and coming off his best Slam efforts, his Wimbledon breakthrough and a French Open quarter-final run.

'I can play better than I did at Wimbledon,' Raonic said. 'That doesn't put me very far away from being able to win the tournament (US Open).'

Raonic has taken the positives from his grass-court success during a break that included a mini-fitness camp.

'It was great for a lot of reasons,' he said. 'It gave me a lot of new highs, great experience, a lot of confidence.

'I understand better how to win matches, how to deal with situations, how to deal better with big moments.

'I feel very eager to get going with the summer hardcourt swing.'

Raonic looks forward to testing how his game has evolved and how to better exploit his tremendous serve, which has him ranked second in ATP first serve points won on 82 percent and third in aces with 567.

'I believe I have a better understanding of the damage I can do,' Raonic said. 'People don't like to play me. I better understand how to use that to my advantage and get more wins from it.

'I have improved in a lot of areas, whether that be technically in shots or as an athlete.'

Raonic sees a major chance to make a jump into the top five for the first time in his career, although he admits French Open winner Rafael Nadal and Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic remain a class apart.

'I think there's a big opening,' he said. 'The biggest barrier is the threshold that Novak and Rafa have on the 1-2 spots. The rest I think, specifically, are up for grabs.'

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Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard seeded sixth at next month's Rogers Cup

TORONTO - Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard will be the sixth seed at the upcoming Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament while fellow Canadian Milos Raonic will be seeded seventh in the men's event.

Top-ranked Serena Williams of the United States is the top women's seed and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia is the top men's seed. The women will play Aug. 1-10 at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal and the men will play Aug. 2-10 at Rexall Centre in Toronto.

The seedings follow the official ATP World Tour and WTA rankings released Monday. Each tournament features 15 of the top-16 ranked players.

The top eight seeds in each draw will receive first-round byes. Williams won the women's tournament last year while Spain's Rafael Nadal beat Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., in the men's final.

Nadal is seeded second this year, ahead of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland and Czech player Tomas Berdych. The women's top five is rounded out by Li Na of China, Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland and Russia's Maria Sharapova.

World No. 8 Juan Martin Del Potro has withdrawn due to his ongoing recovery from wrist surgery. Wimbledon semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria replaces him as the No. 8 seed and will get a first-round bye.

Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., reached her first Wimbledon final earlier this month before losing to Kvitova. Raonic reached the men's semifinals at the All England Club before falling to Federer, who lost to Djokovic in the final.

The Rogers Cup tournament draws will be held Friday.

© Copyright Times Colonist

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Wimbledon semi

WASHINGTON - Ninth-ranked Grigor Dimitrov, coming off a Wimbledon semi-final run, pulled out of next week's ATP Washington Open after doctors diagnosed him with the flu and a sinus infection.

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov leaves the court after losing to Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon semi-final in southwest London on July 4, 2014

Dimitrov, linked romantically with WTA superstar Maria Sharapova, had been seeded third in the $1.9 million ATP and WTA hardcourt event behind world number five Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and sixth-ranked Canadian Milos Raonic.

'We will miss having Grigor as a part of this year's tournament, but his health is priority number one,' said tournament director Jeff Newman on Sunday. 'We hope he gets better quickly and wish him great success for the rest of the year.'

Dimitrov, who also reached the last eight at this year's Australian Open, has won three of his four career ATP titles in 2014.

The 23-year-old Bulgarian took titles at Acapulco on hardcourt, Bucharest on clay and Queen's on grass. His first tour crown came last year at Stockholm.

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'Cover

A leading tennis journalist with The Times of London has admitted to being a plagiarist, with additional reports claiming his behaviour was known about for some time.

Neil Harman has been chief tennis correspondent with the newspaper since 2002, but has been exposed as an individual who has been passing off other journalists' work as his own, reports deadspin.com.

Harman sent a letter to the International Tennis Writers Association with a full confession.

READ MORE HERE: Unforced Errors READ MORE HERE: Prominent British tennis reporter admits to plagiarism

Harman had been producing the yearly edition of Wimbledon: The Official Story of The Championships since 2004, but - after the cat was let out of the bag - admitted ripping off the work of fellow writers to finish the book saying 'there was no excuse for such shoddy work'.

'It has been brought to my attention that I have severely compromised my position as a member, having used unattributed material to form part of my writing of the Wimbledon Yearbook,' he said.

'There can be no excuse for such shoddy work, which I deeply regret. I did it without malice aforethought, but that I did it at all is simply inexcusable.

'I sincerely had no idea the extent to which I had let the Club, myself and my colleagues down and feel it is only right that I relinquish my membership. This is a marked stain on my reputation and (I hope) good name.

'When Wimbledon first informed me that they had been made aware of this lack of professionalism, I immediately told those British writers who were attending the Davis Cup tie in Naples. Since then, I realise that I had made several errors which are unconscionable. It is far better for all concerned that I resign my membership.'

Deadspin.com printed an anonymous email that said Harman had been engaged in 'rampant plagiarism' while writing his books on Wimbledon.

The email read: 'Neil Harman, tennis correspondent for The Times, has engaged in rampant plagiarism. He was commissioned by Wimbledon to write the Wimbledon annual (a book which summarises that year's tournament) for the last 10 years or so. Significant portions of these annuals were plagiarised from The Guardian, Sports Illustrated, and The New York Times.

'Only the Americans appear to take this sort of thing seriously. All you need is a copy of the 2013 Wimbledon annual and Google and you'll find hit after hit of stolen material. Check every annual Harman has ever written and you'll find the same. My American colleagues tell me that if any of them got caught in the States doing something like this they'd be sacked on the spot and publicly shamed (by websites like yours, no less).

'In Britain we think if we just ignore something it will go away. There is something fundamentally broken about our system and our lack of ethics. It needs to stop. He's been known to plagiarise his colleagues' work and steal exclusive quotes without attribution for his own paper.

'His 35.5k Twitter followers (the most of any tennis journalist) seems to have inflated his insufferable ego to the point that he believes he is the most important tennis journalist in the world. Players and agents believe it as well (he was hired to ghost-write Andy Murray's book after he won Wimbledon). In fact, he is nothing but a deceitful operator who has built a career on the wrong side of the ethics line.

'His editors at The Times know about all this and have done nothing to censure him. Wimbledon learned of the plagiarism and continued to sell the plagiarised book in their store. They hired him for this year's Wimbledon programme. He got an exclusive invite to the Wimbledon Champions' Dinner. Quite the cover-up by the All England Club.'

The UK magazine Private Eye reported that employees at Wimbledon had known months earlier that chunks of the book had been copied, but it was on sale during this year's tournament, writes Ben Rothenberg on slate.com.

Harman was not commissioned to write this year's book, but did contribute a feature on Andy Murray.

He was also allowed to keep his media accreditation, and attend the Champions' Dinner.

Most worryingly, the All England Club did not notify the writers whose work had been copied and reproduced without their knowledge.

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Nick Kyrgios story: From Wimbledon to Bundoora

Laid-back: Nick Kyrgios in Melbourne on Friday. Photo: Penny Stephens

It was almost 7pm last Wednesday in Melbourne's northern suburbs and Nick Kyrgios was restless. 'Anyone wanna chill in bundoora tonight? # bored' tweeted the teenaged toast of Wimbledon and conqueror of 14-time major champion Rafael Nadal to his 72,800 global followers.

Someone did. Someone named Tim, a student at nearby La Trobe University, who quickly rustled up a group of his mates. Within a few minutes, the 21-year-olds were stunned when the world's most exciting young tennis player and his friend and training partner Harry Bourchier arrived at their door.

And Kyrgios said, what, exactly? 'Yeah, hey, I'm Nick, what's goin' on?'' he recalled with a laugh during a wonderfully frank interview with Fairfax Media on Friday at Melbourne Park. 'They couldn't believe it. They were just standing there, and I was like 'you can just act normal.'

'We just talked, and then played a couple of games, just normal stuff. They asked me a lot of questions about Lleyton [Hewitt] and how the top guys were and that sort of stuff, so they were really eager to just find out what Wimbledon was like.

'But then I pretty much just said 'can we just stop talking about this stuff? Let's just talk about normal stuff. I'm just a 19-year-old kid, I don't really want to talk about all that other stuff'.'' Normal stuff being, like? ''Just literally like cards, just literally normal stuff. You know, not much.''

Kyrgios and Bourchier stayed for about 90 minutes. 'It was pretty cool. They actually came here yesterday and watched me practise, so I think we've got like, a new friendship sorta going on.'' They will be at the Australian Open, too; a new, and well, like, random fan club has just been formed.

If there are shades of the New York party invitation issued by Pat Rafter's brother, Peter, to the Aussie backpackers who had driven to Flushing Meadows to see the Queenslander win his first US Open in 1997, in what was the genesis of the 'Fanatics' fan club, then not since Rafter has Australian tennis welcomed a new tennis talent with such irresistible star power.

So open and engaging is Kyrgios that he bears precious little resemblance to the over-managed robots who populate so much of the sporting world while just taking it one week/match/yawn at a time. He is as he plays: free, natural, without inhibition.

The main memory of his outrageous surge to the Wimbledon quarter-finals: 'Um, probably going to Chipotle Mexican grill every night with my friends and family. Every. Single. Day,'' he grins. Not shaking hands with the world No.1 after you crushed him on centre court? 'Nuh. Just Chipotle. It's the best place in the world.''

Canberra, though, is home, and it was there to his Malaysian mother Nill, Greek father George and lawyer brother Christos that Kyrgios retreated once Canadian Milos Raonic ended his extraordinary debut at the All England Club in four sets, the fuel gauge having teetered close to empty during his third best-of-five-set match in as many days.

There would, he thought, be a low-key welcome in the national capital, then some time to relax with his mates, shoot some hoops, play on his beloved X-Box. Some of that occurred; some did not.

'I was expecting just to come home to quiet Canberra and just chill out for a week, but it was nothing like that at all, which I was actually quite disappointed with, really,'' he admits. 'I got to the airport and there were about 800 people there, cameras everywhere, so it was pretty full-on. And even when I was at home, I was getting ... not to say pestered ... but it was pretty full-on.'' Translation: there were strangers knocking on his door, more demands and intrusions than he had wanted.

Indeed, the recognition has been the biggest change to a life that he has acknowledged will never be the same again. Last week, after training, Kyrgios was photographed wearing his signature pink headphones waiting for the tram outside Melbourne Park. Resolution one: never take public transport again.

The 19-year-old admits that despite the fact his phone had been 'blowing up' with the volume of messages, he almost needed to return to Australia to fully realise the impact he had made. 'In Canberra it was really crazy, but even in Melbourne it's pretty full-on.

'I can't really go anywhere without being noticed, so that's probably the biggest difference,'' he adds, before considering whether that is a good or bad thing. 'It can be a bit of both. I don't really mind it too much. I get to meet some new people and I'm only young, so I really enjoy that sort of stuff.

'It's been positive support. [People are] really happy for me, I've been told numerous times that I did them proud and all that sort of stuff, so it's good. But I've been brought down to earth just coming down here and getting back to the hard work.

'Your dream is to win Wimbledon, win a grand slam one day and become No.1 in the world, so I'm not even close at all, I made quarter-finals, and it's all good, it's just motivation to keep getting better. That's that way I've looked at it.''

But perhaps not that far away. Not nearly as far as it was. One of the images on the home page of his official website juxtaposes photos of an anguished Nadal with a bellowing Kyrgios, and another records their handshake at the net, while the scale of the monster breakthrough is illustrated elsewhere on nickkyrgios.org.

In the achievements section, he is, yes, the '1st wildcard in 10 yrs to make Qtr finals; 1st player ranked outside top 100 to defeat a no.1 at a grand slam since Andrei Olhovskiy beat Jimmy(sic) Courier at Wimbledon in the 3rd round in 1992''. Scroll down further, though, and you will see that it was not so long ago he was also 'Winner - Taralgon (sic) Grade 1 ITF''.

And now, here he is, preparing to depart for the US hardcourt circuit, with a bullet beside his name as a player to watch, having already been on the front page of the International New York Times and hailed by all who watched the Nadal slaying, two rounds after saving nine match points against Richard Gasquet.

Now battling a cold, after a heavy training bloc, the achievement has finally sunk in, but Kyrgios keeps the fourth-round match on his ever-present mobile phone, and admits he has watched it over and over. 'It was a really good two weeks and I'm just reflecting on it, you know, it's something that's not going to go away quickly at all.

'When you get a bit sad or lonely, just watch it. It's just good for confidence and when you're sitting around just analyse how you played, and all that sort of stuff. I don't go looking on YouTube and watching myself play, but when I just want something to do it's always an option.'' And that outrageous between-the-legs winner? 'Yeah,'' he beams. 'That's pretty cool.''

That, and more like it, have also been making more frequent appearances on the practice court of late. 'Yeah, the boys have noticed that I'm going for more trick shots and stuff now, and they're starting to, as well. But it's just good to keep it fun out there. That's why you play the sport in the first place.''

Yet perhaps it is his hunger to reach the pinnacle, combined with the belief that he will get there, that is even more significant. Kyrgios took only a few days post-Wimbledon rest from practice, because he knew he had to, before resuming with his reinstated junior coach Todd Larkham - who replaced the unfortunate Simon Rea - because he wanted to. The motivation for Kyrgios was that he could not bear the thought of wasting time he could be using to keep improving.

Next stop is Toronto, then Cincinnati, for what at this stage will be the qualifying rounds of the Masters 100 double, then a training week before the US Open, his favourite grand slam, and the loudest, most chaotic and in-your-face of the Big Four. Which suits Kyrgios perfectly. Of course it does.

The expectations now will be far greater, he acknowledges, but not a burden, for he knows what is possible, having recently managed what even his beloved mother had doubted was achievable so soon. He expects to perform, and hopes to make another big impact, a world ranking of 65th having earned him direct main draw entry at a grand slam for the first time.

Meanwhile, back in Bundoora, a dozen or so La Trobe uni students are sure to be watching, having spent a cold Wednesday night getting to know the young man who just wanted a few new mates to 'chill with'', while getting used to his own status as the hottest young property in the game. As Nick Kyrgios might ask: 'What's goin' on?'' So far, there's an awful lot to like about the answer.

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Real People: Wimbledon reignites competitive spark in former tennis ace

Cynics may say no good deed goes unpunished, but they would get an argument from Amy Bernstein, founder and president of Bernstein Realty.

For years Bernstein has worked tirelessly with friends and colleagues to raise more than a million dollars for breast cancer research and education through the Nancy Owen Memorial Fund. The 15-person committee puts on two events each year honoring the late Realtor.

Tennis icon Martina Navratilova spoke at the recent luncheon, detailing her victory over breast cancer. Bernstein said the tennis legend was gracious and personable - and invited Bernstein to join her at Wimbledon.

As a former junior tennis standout, Bernstein immediately saw a bucket list possibility and started putting together her travel group.

'It was the trip of a lifetime,' Bernstein said. 'Just to see those gates, that grass and those courts met and exceeded all my expectations.'

Wimbledon was her goal as a ranked junior player, but she dropped the game years ago.

'I came home very rejuvenated and ready to pick up tennis again,' she said. 'When you compete you realize what a great game tennis is, I'm ready to get back to playing now.'

The group included her daughter-in-law Wendy Bernstein, Peggy Kohpert of Keller-Williams, Jennifer Hernandez of Legacy Mortgage and others. The group arrived back to Houston to watch the final Wimbledon round on television - knowing so much more about the event than the small screen could show.

The spring luncheon benefited research at Baylor, M.D. Anderson and an independent researcher - and brought Bernstein back to the passion of her youth.

The Clear Lake office of Coldwell Banker United, Realtors took a shot at a new fundraiser and scored a bull's eye.

'It takes a keen hand and a steady eye to implement a new idea,' said , vice president of marketing and communication for Coldwell Banker United, Realtors. Patrons and guests practiced their safety skills with firearms at the 'Shootout at the CB Corral.'

'Sheriff' Marilyn Burt, vice president and Clear Lake branch manager, said she was extremely proud of her deputies and the event they put together to benefit the American Cancer Society's 'Making Strides' program. Supporters came from far and wide to test their gun skills and etiquette at The Arms Room. Guests enjoyed the music of Snoring Gorilla and stepped away from the range to play 'bra pong,' Alban said. This columnist did not ask for details about the game.

On June 23, John Daugherty, Realtors, Thebe Warren received a call from her daughter informing her she was at Baylor Hospital in Dallas, where she was about to have a C-section.

'I threw some clothes into a bag and rushed to Dallas, where my first grandchild was born two weeks early, weighing 6 pounds 8 ounces,' Warren said. 'When I arrived at Labor and Delivery all I could say was 'take me to that baby'.'

Baby Campbell and her mother are doing well as are Warren's clients.

'Thanks to modern technology, I was able to stay in touch with my clients and close a home as scheduled five days later,' Warren said. 'I spent the next week holding that precious baby and watching the World Cup. It was wonderful.'

Another John Daugherty, Realtors' grandmother, Sharon Dreyer, aka Go-Go, recently hosted her five granddaughters for their summer 'Houston Camp' with an schedule that would exhaust anyone less motivated.

'We saw The Little Mermaid. What a great production with beautiful costumes and a subject the girls loved. Who doesn't dream of being a mermaid?' Dreyer said.

Her two youngest granddaughters came in from San Antonio to join their Houston cousins enjoying activities such as a pasta class followed by a pasta dinner and ice skating at the Galleria. The wind didn't cooperate for a scheduled sailing class, so they enjoyed the rides on the Kemah Boardwalk.

'I recently moved to a hi-rise, which I am thoroughly enjoying,' Dreyer said. The girls couldn't wait to swim in Go-Go's big pool.' Once again the weather had other plans, so pizza and a movie became the afternoon's entertainment. It's little wonder why the girls call her Go-Go.

Your columnist is leaving the idyll of Lake Erie (where we still haven't run the air conditioner in the cottage) this week for four days and three nights for the St. Louis Cardinals' baseball games in the Windy City. A lunch with team personnel and private tour of Wrigley Field is on tap as part of this year's birthday celebration for the world's most patient husband. Keep your real estate community news coming in to realnewshouston@gmail.com and be sure to include a phone number for follow-up questions.

Judi Mohn Griggs is a writer who spent much of her professional career in the real estate industry in Houston; Buffalo, New York; and Sea Island, Georgia. She welcomes Real People column submissions at houstonrealnews@gmail.com. Check out her current project at bigbroadsjourney.com.

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John Isner and Nicolas Mahut pose next to the scoreboard after finishing the ...

Tennis

How great is this? Andy Samberg and Kit Harington will star in an HBO sports mockumentary called 7 Days In Hell about tennis players who battle it out in a seven-day match at Wimbledon.

If that plotline sounds somewhat familiar, well, it is. The project is loosely based on the longest match in tennis history between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010, which took three days to complete. Isner won 70-68 in the fifth set out on Court 18 (where the mockumentary is set to take place), and a plaque hangs to commemorate the 11-hour match.

The mockumentary has some strong comedic pedigree. Along with Samberg, Lena Dunham, Fred Armisen and Will Forte have signed on to the project. Based on the write-up from Deadline, this is going to be -- to steal a phrase used in nearly every write-up of that historic Wimbledon match -- epic.

'Based on breakdowns I've seen, Samberg's Aaron Williams is tennis' superstar bad boy, while Harington's Charles Poole is channeling Andy Murray, a tennis prodigy and certified truck driver. Adding to their rivalry is Gillan's supermodel Lily, Charles' childhood friend who made a sex tape with Aaron. Steenburgen plays Charles' psychotic and controlling mother, while Forte plays a tennis historian.'

WAGs, controlling parents and Andy Murray -- so far, they've captured tennis in a nutshell. We can't wait.

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Andy Samberg and Kit Harington to Team Up In HBO's Wimbledon Mockumentary

Tennis, anyone?

Andy Roddick and Andy Murray are about to be joined by a new tennis-playing Andy: Andy Samberg. The comedian will not be playing at the U.S. Open any time soon, but he will be honing his backhand to play a tennis bad boy opposite Game of Thrones star Kit Harington (a.k.a. Jon Snow) in an upcoming HBO mockumentary called 7 Days in Hell.

Samberg will play 'tennis' superstar bad boy' Aaron Williams, who is up against Harington's Charles Poole, 'a tennis prodigy and certified truck driver,' facing off during a legendary seven-day match at Wimbledon, according to Deadline. While the story sounds far-fetched, it has roots in reality. Back in 2010, Wimbledon hosted an epic match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, who battled it out for 11 hours over three days, with Isner eventually winning, 70-68 in the fifth set.

Rounding out the cast of the mockumentary will be Fred Armisen, Lena Dunham, Karen Gillan (as a supermodel and Charles's childhood best friend), Howie Mandel, Soledad O'Brien (as herself), Michael Sheen and Mary Steenburgen (as Charles's crazed mother). Nebraska stars Will Forte and June Squibb will reunite on screen as well, with Forte playing a tennis historian.

The HBO original was written by Girls and American Dad! writer Murray Miller and is based on a concept by Miller and Samberg. SNL and Funny or Die's Jake Szymanski will direct.

MORE: A Conversation with Andy Samberg: Cops, Cuckoos and Comedy

MORE: The Best Theory About Jon Snow's Mother

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10 questions for Serena Williams

Last time we saw Serena Williams, in the second round of the women's doubles at Wimbledon, she looked as if she had just taken a ride on the Tilt-A-Whirl. The weaving and wobbling from the No. 1 player in the world was both baffling and frightening.

Williams, who blamed the incident on a 'viral illness,' will play on Wednesday night for the first time since pulling out of that Wimbledon match on July 1. 'I am heartbroken I'm not able to continue in the tournament ...' Serena said in a statement after the match. 'But this bug just got the best of me.'

Here are 10 questions we'd like answered before she takes the court at the Bank of West Classic at Stanford University.

1. What, exactly, happened at Wimbledon?

The No. 1 player in the world and the owner of 17 major titles could scarcely bounce and catch the ball, let alone get her serve over the net. She whiffed, she wavered, she double-faulted on all four of her service points before defaulting while trailing 3-0. So what caused that? And please don't stop at 'viral illness.'

2. Did the symptoms come on suddenly?

Many people have wondered how Williams made it onto the court in the first place. Where was her support system? Why didn't her doubles partner and sister, Venus, step up? And why, after she made her way onto the court and was obviously not right during warm-ups, did she even attempt to play?

3. Had Serena taken any medication for her illness before taking the court?

Look no further than your own medicine cabinet and you'll probably find bottles with warning labels that contain words like 'dizziness' and 'drowsiness.' An adverse reaction to medication is certainly one plausible explanation for Serena's inability to play.

4. Was Serena drug-tested after the match? If so, what were the results?

The International Tennis Federation is in charge of drug testing at Grand Slam tournaments. The organization will not discuss specific cases but does say that 'samples are collected on both a random and targeted basis. There is no rule which specifies when a player may [or may not] be tested.'

5. What did Venus say to Serena after the match?

It was hard to read Venus' reaction as Serena was bouncing serves into the net and floating them well beyond the service box, but it must have been both scary and frustrating for her as well. The best chance for Venus to add to her Grand Slam haul is with Serena in doubles, so it had to be a bummer to see another chance come and go.

6. Was Serena feeling ill during her third-round singles loss to Alize Cornet?

The woman known for her fierce competitiveness looked tentative during her 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to the No. 25 player in the world, and her shots seemed to lack the bite they normally deliver. She admitted afterward to not really knowing what happened after coming into the tournament feeling well prepared. 'Right now, I don't really know what I did wrong,' she said after the match. 'Usually, I do.'

7. What's going on with Serena and coach Patrick Mouratoglou?

Mouratoglou said at Wimbledon that he hadn't seen Serena in the two days prior to the doubles debacle. Last week he told France's Tennis Magazine that despite rumors to the contrary, they were still working together but that Serena was going through 'a difficult period.'

8. Was there an emotional component to what happened at Wimbledon?

After the doubles loss, Williams' sister Isha Price told USA Today that Serena had been feeling 'sad' and 'emotional' since her loss to Cornet. We know she's a sensitive person. You wonder how much that early Wimbledon exit, on top of losing in the fourth round of the Australian and second round of the French, played into it.

9. Is Father Time playing a role?

Williams has always been able to bounce back from low points and restore her confidence. But what will it take this time? Serena turns 33 on Sept. 26, and she hasn't advanced past the fourth round of a Grand Slam this year. After losing in the second round of the Family Circle Cup in April, she said she was flat-out spent. 'I'm really just dead,' she said. 'I need some weeks off where I don't think about tennis and kind of regroup.' Since Wimbledon, Serena has posted photos online of herself vacationing in Croatia. May she did just really need a vacation.

10. How big a part does Serena's pride play in all of this?

Serena has been ranked No. 1 now for 74 straight weeks, the longest streak since Martina Hingis held the top spot for 80 weeks in 1997 and '98. Serena still has a pretty significant lead (2,271 points) over No. 2 Li Na, but she also has a lot of points to defend, having won the US Open a year ago. You wonder how long she would continue if she was playing decently but not winning Slams, or even losing her No. 1 ranking.

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Andy Murray to Retain Amelie Mauresmo as Coach Despite Wimbledon Failure

Andy Murray is set to confirm that Amelie Mauresmo will remain as his coach despite limping out of Wimbledon in the quarter-finals.

Murray lost to Grigor Dimitrov in three straight sets at SW19 in a manner that was barely recognisable from the form he showed last year when he won the tournament, the first Briton to do so in 77 years since Fred Perry.

The Scot was on an incredible 17-match winning streak at the All England Club and was looking to reach his sixth consecutive semi-final before crashing out.

The 27-year-old's appointment of Mauresmo, who was an Australian Open winner during her career, came as a surprise to sports pundits and observers. The coach even said she was 'surprised' when Murray called offering her the job.

But eyebrows were raised after Murray's Wimbledon exit, with some pointing the finger of blame at his new coach.

However, Murray will put an end to speculation after Mauresmo was seen putting him through his paces at a training camp in Miami.

Mauresmo pledged not to make any major changes to Murray's game ahead of the defence of both his Queen's and Wimbledon titles but Murray admitted his game needed to change following the straight-sets defeat by Dimitrov.

Murray's move for the 34-year-old French native originally came after his split with former coach Ivan Lendl shocked the tennis world.

The pair had clinched both the US Open and Wimbledon titles as well as Olympic gold at London 2012 during their successful two year partnership.

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Wimbledon doubles champion Sock advances at Atlanta Open

Reuters, 23/07 06:55 CET

(Reuters) - Rising U.S. talent Jack Sock eased past Colombian Alejandro Gonzalez 6-2 6-4 but Uzbek Denis Istomin put a dent in the large home field in the first round of the Atlanta Open on Tuesday.

On a day for the local contenders, 21-year-old Sock, who teamed up with Canadian Vasek Pospisil to win a surprise Wimbledon doubles crown earlier this month, underlined his promise by swatting aside Gonzalez in just over an hour.

Ranked fourth in the U.S. men's pecking order behind world number 12 John Isner, Sam Querrey (61) and Steve Johnson (64), Sock has carried his stellar doubles form into singles in recent weeks, reaching the last four at the Newport International.

Sock's quarter-final upset of Isner at Newport shot his ranking to a career-high 69, three places above his current 72, and the highly-fancied Nebraskan will be eager to maintain his form ahead of next month's U.S. Open.

Americans Robby Ginepri and Tim Smyczek advanced, but sixth seed Istomin was too strong for Rajeev Ram, winning 6-1 6-4.

The 27-year-old Uzbek number one has yet to crack a maiden ATP title, though has come close in America, reaching the final at San Jose and New Haven in years past.

'I'd like to get that first title and I'd like to get it here,' he told reporters.

The Atlanta Open is the start of the U.S. Open Series, a set of tournaments that are a prelude to the year's final grand slam starting on Aug. 25.

In other first round action, hotheaded Australian Marinko Matosevic topped Dominican Republic's Victor Estrella Burgos 6-0 6-2.

(Writing by Ian Ransom; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

euronews provides breaking news articles from Reuters as a service to its readers, but does not edit the articles it publishes.

Copyright 2014 Reuters.

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Have your say on Wimbledon to Sutton Tramlink extension as four possible ...

Have your say on Wimbledon to Sutton Tramlink extension as four possible routes are revealed

Updated 3:27pm Tuesday 22nd July 2014 in News By Mike Murphy-Pyle, Chief Reporter

A map showing the possible routes

Four new routes a tram link between Sutton and Wimbledon could take have been revealed - and you can have your say on them.

Click here for a larger version of the map

Sutton and Merton Councils have come up with plans to extend Tramlink to connect Sutton with South Wimbledon Station.

The long-running ambition has been to have a straight link between Sutton town centre and South Wimbledon underground station going via the St Nicholas Way, Angel Hill, Rosehill, St Helier Avenue, Morden underground station and Morden Road.

But now the councils have come up with four adjusted proposals, one of which would remove a direct link to St Helier Hospital and another would take the route straight through the pedestrianised section of Sutton High Street.

Neighbours and businesses have been invited to tell the councils what they think of the proposals at a series of events coming up next month.

Councillor Colin Hall said: 'An extension to the Tramlink could provide quicker and cleaner public transport links for Sutton as well as boosting local business and creating jobs.

'This would of course be a major development and it is important that our residents have their say on the proposed extension. Their views will be shared with Transport for London before deciding the next steps.'

Merton Council cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration Councillor Andrew Judge added: 'An extension to Tramlink, connecting a significant area of the borough to the major transport hubs of Wimbledon and Sutton could provide quick, easy and clean public transport for many people.

'We want to hear from residents and businesses about what they think of the proposals. We will then ensure that residents' views are shared with TfL and taken into account in deciding on where a Tramlink extension would go.

'Our preferred route would run mainly on-road between the existing Morden Road tram stop, along Morden Hall Road, St Helier Avenue, up to Rose Hill and on to Sutton town centre.'

Sutton Council has come up with two proposals and Merton Council has done the same. Sutton's two proposals are the removal of the direct link to the hospital, which would cut journey times, costs and traffic disruption, and taking the route directly along the High Street, which would also cut costs but would affect the shopping area.

Merton's two suggestions are linking the tram route to South Wimbledon station, which would add costs, and taking the route through Nursery Road playing fields and Abbey Recreation Ground, which would be less expensive but would impact on open space.

The scheme is dependent on Sutton Council and Sutton businesses coming up with a funding programme that would attract matched funding from Transport for London. Other areas, including Crystal Palace, are also bidding for funding to extend the Tramlink, which already serves Croydon and part of Merton.

The consultation events will take place on Thursday, July 31, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm at Merton Civic Centre in London Road, on Saturday, August 2, from 10am to 1pm at the David Weir Leisure Centre in Middleton Road, Carshalton, on Wednesday, August 6, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm at Sutton Civic Centre in St Nicholas Way and on Thursday, August 7, from 10am to 1pm at Sutton Salvation Army Church and Community Centre in Benhill Avenue.

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