Author Archives: Howard Fendrich

PARIS (AP) — The last time Serena Williams left the French Open after an early loss, in 2012, she went on to win the next two Grand Slam tournaments — and four of the next six. So what might the tennis world see from Williams now that she was beaten in the second round at […]

Serena Williams likes to make one thing clear: She is never satisfied, no matter how many matches and tournaments she wins. Driven as ever, Williams won plenty this year. She went 78-4 with 11 titles, including at the French Open and U.S. Open, raising her Grand Slam championship total to 17. She compiled a 34-match […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Fussing with her skirt and flubbing her shots, Serena Williams was troubled in the U.S. Open final by the swirling air and the strong play of Victoria Azarenka. After one miss, Williams declared, “I can’t play in this wind.” After blowing a big second-set lead, Williams chucked her racket toward the […]

NEW YORK (AP) — From an ace on the first point to a stinging return on the last, Serena Williams was close to perfect in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. The score said it all: 6-0, 6-0. Yes, Williams is looking better and better with each match at the year’s last Grand Slam tournament. With two […]

(Updated 09/01/2013) NEW YORK (AP) — The question posed to Serena Williams was rather simple. Is it fair to say Sloane Stephens has emerged as a rival heading into their fourth-round showdown Sunday at the U.S. Open? Stephens is, after all, one of only three women to beat Williams this season. She’s also one of […]

NEW YORK (AP) — From the earnest explanation of why Gary the Snail is her favorite “SpongeBob SquarePants” character to the name-check of rapper Lil Wayne, Victoria Duval made quite clear that she is very much a 17-year-old kid. One who just so happened to stun 2011 champion Sam Stosur in the first round of […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams was so dominant in the first round of the U.S. Open, her opponent really wanted a hug. So midway through the second set of defending champion Williams’ 6-0, 6-1 victory Monday night, Francesca Schiavone wandered behind the baseline, found a ball boy and enveloped him in a full-fledged embrace. […]

PARIS (AP) — A point from losing the first set of his French Open quarterfinal, Roger Federer shanked a routine forehand, sending the ball 10 feet beyond the opposite baseline. The Court Philippe Chatrier crowd roared with approval, then loudly chanted the last name of Federer’s opponent, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. That shot was a clear […]

Finally tested, even trailing, at the U.S. Open, Serena Williams turned things around just in time. Two points from defeat, Williams suddenly regained her composure and her strokes, coming back to win the last four games and beat top-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 on Sunday night for her fourth championship at Flushing Meadows and […]

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Serena Williams wins with so much more than serving, of course. Her groundstrokes are as intimidating as they come. Superb speed and anticipation fuel her court-covering defense. Her returns are more than solid, too. When that serve is on-target, though, it sure is something special, quite possibly the greatest in the […]

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Thanks to a bit of advice from her big sister and a bunch of aces from her big serve, Serena Williams is back in the Wimbledon semifinals. With two more victories, Williams will be holding a Grand Slam trophy for the first time in two years. The thud of racket-against-ball reverberating […]

In a series of recent interviews with The Associated Press about head injuries, 23 of 44 NFL players — slightly more than half — say they would try to hide a concussion and stay in a game rather than pull themselves out. Players generally indicated they are more aware now of the possible long-term effects […]