PICTURE THIS: Steffi Graf‘s photographs depicting the slum-life in Eritrea were featured in the German-language edition of National Geographic, accompanying an article entitled “The Children of Asmara.”
TO A COURT OF A DIFFERENT KIND: Just two days after a Belgian court ruled against the one-year bans they had incurred for violating anti-doping rules, the ITF opened the door for Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse to get back on the tennis court. According to an official statement, “The ITF has removed both Mr. Malisse and Ms. Wickmayer from the list of suspended players, and both are eligible to participate with immediate effect.”
SAFINA’S STRUGGLES: Dinara Safina — who missed the WTA Championships due to a back injury — will also skip January’s Brisbane International, leaving her status for the Aussie Open up in the air.
NEW TRAINING GROUNDS: Jelena Dokic is expected to begin training at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Paris.
YEAR-END HONORS: Serena Williams was named AP Female Athlete of the Year…Juan Martin Del Potro was voted Argentina’s Sportsperson of the Year…Nicolas Lapentti was named Sportsman of the Year in his native Ecuador.
HEADLINES
Tennis Player Gasquet Ain’t No Dope
THE NUMBERS
890: Aces served up by Ivo Karlovic in 2009.
QUOTEBOOK
“Justice has been done.” — Richard Gasquet after being cleared of doping charges by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
“I was feeling alone. I didn’t know who I was any more. I didn’t know what to do with myself. It was difficult.” — Justine Henin on her time away from tennis
“It was all maybe too much for my body, but I can’t blame anyone for that.” — Dinara Safina reflecting on 2009
