Depending on which tennis player you ask, the new drug-testing regime for top international athletes is either too intrusive or a necessary evil. The main issue of the system, which became effective in tennis on Jan. 1 after being adopted by the International Tennis Federation at the Beijing Olympics, is a provision requiring players to say where they are going to be for an hour each day, every...

When Pete Sampras called it quits after winning his 14th Grand Slam singles title, he was certain that record would stand for quite some time. Enter, Roger Federer. "I really thought that 14 would be a number that would be very tough to tie and break," Sampras said Friday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, "but Roger just came along and dominated the game much more than I ever...

All those winner's checks for Serena Williams add up: By reaching two finals at the Australian Open, she broke golf star Annika Sorenstam's record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million. Williams was busy Thursday, first beating Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-3, 6-4 in the singles semifinals, then pairing with older sister Venus for a victory in the doubles semifinals.

Funny Tennis !

Fernando Verdasco has advanced to his first Grand Slam semifinal in 23 attempts, beating last year's Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France. The 14th-seeded Verdasco, who upset Britain's Andy Murray in the fourth round, beat Tsonga 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Jimmy Connors is heading back to the TV broadcast booth. Tennis Channel plans to announce Wednesday that the eight-time major champion will be a lead analyst for its telecasts from this year's U.S. Open, The Associated Press has learned. Aside from cameos, Connors hasn't been a TV announcer for a U.S.

Here is less than a minute of more than 3 hours of footage edited for the Tennis Channel.

Adam Helfant has a reputation as a good listener. It's a trait he'll have to draw on as the new boss of men's tennis. The challenge of satisfying players, tournament officials and sponsors is big in its own right. Now a reeling global economy, with everyone looking to cut costs, has been thrown into the mix.

Dinara Safina had just advanced to the Australian Open semifinals, staying on track for her first Grand Slam title and a chance to become No. 1. But she thought an apology was in order -- to the 15,000 partisan fans that had cheered every point for her opponent, Jelena Dokic, in Tuesday's quarterfinal at Rod Laver Arena.

This year's Australian Open can be added to James Blake's list of Grand Slam disappointments. Blake lost 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (3) Monday to last year's runner-up, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in the fourth round, continuing the 29-year-old American's run of majors without reaching a semifinal. In 28 Grand Slams, Blake has advanced as far as the quarterfinals just three times -- at last year's Australian Open and...

20 Essential Drills to Volley Like a Pro - Tennis -- Championship Productions, Inc. Essential Drills to Volley Like a Pro have the correct version ...

It sounds like Dinara Safina might be a chip off the old family block after all. The 22-year-old sister of temperamental Russian star Marat Safin has often been compared with her older sibling because she tosses rackets, turns easy-looking wins into tight battles and generally looks like her mind is somewhere else during her matches.

Top-seeded Jelena Jankovic is out of the Australian Open, beaten in straight sets by 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli of France. Bartoli beat the Serbian star 6-1, 6-4 in the opening match Sunday at Rod Laver Arena. Jankovic lost last year's U.S. Open final to Serena Williams and has not won a Grand Slam title.