RUSSIAN TO JUDGEMENT: World No. 1 Dinara Safina lost 7-6, 4-6, 7-5 to Taiwanese qualifier Chang Kai-chen at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. “It’s not an easy moment,” said the freefalling Russian.
LAWSUIT DENIED: French prosecutors have dismissed a lawsuit filed by Richard Gasquet in an attempt to further clear himself from his positive cocaine test.
DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA: Sergio Roitman, who reached a career-high No. 62 in ’07, has called it quits. Said the Argentine, “It is a strange moment for me, but the time has come for me to leave professional tennis.”
THE NUMBERS
21,000: Pounds of food donated by the USTA and Levy Restaurants to City Harvest following the U.S. Open.
38: Age of Kimiko Date Krumm, who on Sunday became the oldest player to win a WTA tournament since Billie Jean King when she defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3, 6-3 to claim the Korea Open.
3: Sets needed by John Isner to edge Thai wildcard Kittipong Wachiramanowong 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) in Bangkok.
4: Years between titles for Frenchman Gael Monfils, who on Sunday ended the dry spell by capturing the Open de Moselle via a 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-2 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber.
QUOTEBOOK
“I’m here to announce the end of my second career. Just joking.” — Kim Clijsters, who held a press conference to announce that she’ll put family first and play a limited schedule in 2010
“I honestly don’t know where I get the energy from at my age.” — Kimiko Date Krumm
“It’s not a mystery — we haven’t cured cancer over here. We’re plugging away at implementing the best practices that work.” — Andre Agassi on his La Vegas-based public charter school, which this year celebrated its first class of high school graduates
“It’d be great to have three Belgian girls in the top 20.” — Kim Clijsters on the prospect of USO semifinalist Yanina Wickmayer and the no-longer-retired Justine Henin joining her in the WTA’s top 20
“I felt like an ant in a hay field.” — Aleksandra Wozniak‘s coach, Rob Steckley, on New York City and the U.S. Open
