Francesca Schiavone News

After showing a recent liking for clay, rising Australian tennis star Ashleigh Barty has been handed a wildcard into this month's French Open.

There were no women's seeded upsets at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia Monday in Rome, but former No.

The player field has been announced for the Aegon Classic, staged on the grass courts of the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham from June 9-16. Joining the previously-named British number one Laura Robson, British number two Heather Watson, and France's world number 14 Marion Bartoli are Italians Roberta Vinci, who rose to a career high of world ... (more)

He refused to renounce his Jehovah's Witness faith to win his freedom but was eventually released, weighing just 28 kilograms , on condition that he agree to spend the rest of his life working as a slave agricultural laborer.

At the age of 32 and having slid from a career-high of fourth to her present position at 37 in the WTA rankings, it might seem safe to assume that Francesca Schiavone's best days are behind her.

Bartoli, seeded first and playing the day's first match, was defeated by Peng Shuai 6-0, 1-6, 6-4. Cibulkova, seeded second, dropped a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 decision to Urszula Radwanska in the final match on Tuesday's schedule.

The conference is going with "East" and "West" instead and switching to a nine-game scheduling format after presidents and chancellors approved the moves on Sunday.

Sandwiched between busy weeks in Stuttgart and Madrid is a lovely smaller event between Lisbon and the ocean.

The sixth-seeded Schiavone was dominant in the first set, breaking the Spaniard twice and not facing a single break point.

Sixth-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy defeated Chanelle Scheepers in straight sets in the semifinals of the Moroccan Grand Prix Saturday.

Francesca Schiavone of Italy moved into the semifinals of the Grand Prix SAR by defeating third-seeded Alize Cornet of France 6-4, 6-4 on Friday.

Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa routed Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor 6-2, 6-1 on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Grand Prix SAR.

Australian Open finalist Li Na said Monday she is pleased her on-court success has triggered a tennis boom in her native China as she prepares to launch her clay-court season at Stuttgart's WTA tournament.

Palermo, April 22 - Italy beat two-time defending champion Czech Republic 3-1 Monday to reach their fifth Fed Cup final in eight years.

Roberta Vinci will face Petra Kvitova on the opening day of the Fed Cup semifinals between Italy and the two-time defending champion Czech Republic.