Australian Open Day 6: A star is born (maybe)

Madison Keys, then 18, practices during the 2013
Bank of the West Classic at Stanford. In her only
appearance in the tournament, she upset No. 8 seed
Magdalena Rybarikova in the first round before losing
to qualifier Vera Dushevina. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Upset of the day -- Maybe there's hope for U.S. women's tennis when the Williams sisters retire, after all.
   CiCi Bellis of Atherton stunned 12th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova in the first round of the U.S. Open last August. Sofia Kenin won the Orange Bowl in December. Left-hander Taylor Townsend in 2012 became the first American in 30 years to end the year with the No. 1 girls ranking.
   And 19-year-old Madison Keys, perhaps the brightest prospect of all, outslugged fourth seed and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-4, 7-5 today in Melbourne to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. 
   In addition to her tremendous power, the 5-foot-10 (1.78-meter) Keys displayed remarkable composure as she held serve at love to close out the biggest victory of her career. She's ranked 35th.
   Keys began working with International Tennis Hall of Famer Lindsay Davenport late last year. 
   Match of the day -- No. 18 seed Venus Williams defeated Camila Giorgi of Italy 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 in the third round in Melbourne. Giorgi, ranked 33rd, served for the match in the second set but was broken at love.
   Giorgi, 23, was trying to become the second Italian in two nights to pull off a big upset. Andreas Seppi stunned Roger Federer in the third round.
   The 34-year-old Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, reached the round of 16 in a major for the first time since being diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome, which can cause joint pain and saps energy, in 2011.  
   Notable -- Gilles Muller, a 31-year-old left-hander from Luxembourg, toppled 19th-seeded John Isner of Tampa, Fla., 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6), 6-4 in the third round. Muller is best known for reaching the quarterfinals of the 2008 U.S. Open as a qualifier.
   Victoria Azarenka, unseeded in the Australian Open for the first time since 2007, outplayed 25th-seeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4. Azarenka won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013 but missed most of last year with foot and knee injuries.
   Both defending men's doubles champions, Lukasz Kubot and Robert Lindstedt, were eliminated in the second round. They played with separate partners this year. Nothing like breaking up a winning combination ... 
   Men's seeded winners -- No. 1 Novak Djokovic, No. 4 Stan Wawrinka, No. 5 Kei Nishikori, No. 8 Milos Raonic, No. 9 David Ferrer, No. 12 Feliciano Lopez.
   Men's seeded losers -- No. 18 Gilles Simon, No. 19 John Isner, No. 31 Fernando Verdasco.
   Women's seeded winners -- No. 1 Serena Williams, No. 6 Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 11 Dominika Cibulkova, No. 18 Venus Williams, No. 24 Garbine Muguruza.
   Women's seeded losers -- No. 19 Alize Cornet, No. 25 Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, No. 26 Elina Svitolina, No. 30 Varvara Lepchenko.
   Stars and stripes -- Four U.S. women, all in the top half of the draw, reached the round of 16: the Williams sisters, Keys and Madison Brengle. The two Madisons will meet for the second time. Keys won 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying for the 2012 U.S. Open. 
   The only other remaining American man in the Australian Open, Steve Johnson, lost to fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori 6-7 (7), 6-1, 6-2, 6-3. Nishikori is coming off his first Grand Slam final, a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 loss to Marin Cilic.
   Northern California connection -- Davenport, a lifelong Los Angeles-area resident, practically made Northern California her second home as a player.
   Davenport racked up a whopping nine titles (three in singles and six in doubles) in the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford. All of her doubles crowns came with a different partner (Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Mary Joe Fernandez, Martina Hingis, Natalia Zvereva, Corina Morariu and Liezel Huber), and four came consecutively (1996-99).
   Davenport also played for the now-defunct Sacramento Capitals in World TeamTennis in separate stints as an unknown 17-year-old, a budding star on the WTA tour and a 31-year-old mother. She was named the WTT Female Rookie of the Year at 17 in 1993 and helped the Capitals win three of their record six league titles (1997, 1998 and 2007).
   Top-ranked Bob and Mike Bryan, 36-year-old former Stanford stars, defeated Carlos Berlocq and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 in the second round. The Bryans seek their seventh Australian Open men's doubles title.
   Lindstedt played at Fresno State before transferring to Pepperdine.
   Fast fact -- Giorgi committed 16 double faults in her loss to Venus Williams.
   Quote -- ESPN2 commentator and International Tennis Hall of Famer Pam Shriver on Keys: "She has a chance to win the Australian Open based on the way she played tonight."

Young and restless highlight top stories of 2014

CiCi Bellis, 15, meets the press after stunning Australian Open runner-up Dominika
Cibulkova in the first round of the U.S. Open in August. Photo courtesy of USTA

   It will be remembered as the year of youth in Northern California.
   Everywhere you looked -- in the professional, college and junior ranks -- teenagers either from NorCal or playing in the region starred in 2014. And no one shone brighter than 15-year-old CiCi Bellis of Atherton.
   Bellis became an overnight sensation in the U.S. Open, overshadowing the rest of her phenomenal year.
   Naomi Osaka, 16, of Japan pulled off a major upset in the Bank of the West Classic on the elite WTA tour at Stanford.
   Stefan Kozlov, Jared Donaldson and Michaela Gordon broke through in NorCal Challengers. Kozlov, 16, and Donaldson, who turned 18 on Oct. 9, are pros from Florida and Rhode Island, respectively. Gordon is a 15-year-old amateur from Saratoga, near San Jose.
   Unseeded Lynn Chi reached the NCAA women's singles final in May as a 19-year-old Cal sophomore.
   Sacramento's Collin Altamirano gained the final of the USTA Boys 18 National Championships for the second straight year.
   Sam Riffice, 15, of Roseville achieved a rare double. His neighbor, 14-year-old Keenan Mayo, and Katie Volynets, 12, of Walnut Creek won USTA national titles.
   Marring an otherwise glorious year were the depravity of Deepal Wannakuwatte, the demise of the Sacramento Capitals in World TeamTennis and the loss of the legends tournament in Sacramento.
   Here are the czar's top 10 stories of the year, followed by honorable mentions, in NorCal tennis: 
   1. Bellis stuns Cibulkova in U.S. Open -- Bellis shocked 12th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the first round at Flushing Meadows.
   Bellis, then the second-ranked junior in the world, overcame a 3-1 deficit in the third set to become the youngest player to win a main-draw match in the U.S. Open since Anna Kournikova, also 15, in 1996.
   Cibulkova, only 5-foot-3 (1.61 meters), was the runner-up to Li Na in the Australian Open in January and won last year's Bank of the West Classic at Stanford.
   Bellis' hometown of Atherton is adjacent to Stanford, and she grew up attending the tournament.

Mike, left, and Bob Bryan of the visiting Texas Wild and their
father, Sacramento Capitals coach Wayne Bryan, watch
players warm up before a World TeamTennis match in 2013.
Photo by Paul Bauman

   2. Bryans win U.S. Open for 100th career title -- Appropriately, top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan outclassed 11th-seeded Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez of Spain 6-3, 6-4 at Flushing Meadows for their 100th men's doubles title.
   The Bryans, 36-year-old identical twins and ex-Stanford stars from Southern California, extended their record to 16 Grand Slam men's doubles crowns. Five have come in the U.S. Open, tying Richard Sears and James Dwight in the 1880s. The Bryans surpassed Bob Lutz and Stan Smith for the record in the Open era, which began in 1968.
   3. Wannakuwatte sentenced -- Wannakuwatte, the Capitals' owner, was sentenced in November to 20 years in prison for orchestrating a massive Ponzi scheme. Wannakuwatte, a 64-year-old native of Sri Lanka, will be eligible for parole in 17 years.
   Wannakuwatte was arrested on Feb. 20 in Sacramento on charges of defrauding banks and individual investors in his medical supply business of more than $100 million.
   4. Bellis ends year as world's top junior -- Bellis clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking by reaching the quarterfinals of the prestigious Orange Bowl in Plantation, Fla., this month after previously top-ranked Shilin Xu of China lost in the first round.
   The second-seeded Bellis fell to 13th seed and eventual champion Sofia Kenin, 16, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., in the Orange Bowl semifinals.
   Bellis, however, won the doubles title with Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic.
   5. Bellis wins USTA 18 title -- Bellis, seeded second, drubbed fifth-seeded Tornado Alicia Black, 16, of Boca Raton, Fla., 6-3, 6-1 in San Diego to become the youngest winner of the USTA Girls 18 National Championships since Lindsay Davenport, also 15, in 1991.
   Bellis, who won 12 of the last 13 games after trailing 3-0 in the first set, earned an automatic wild card in the women's main draw of the U.S. Open.

Sabine Lisicki uncorks a record 131-mph (210.8-kph)
serve in the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford.
Photo courtesy of Bank of the West Classic.

   6. Lisicki blasts world's fastest women's serve -- Sabine Lisicki of Germany unleashed a 131-mph (210.8-kph) rocket in a 7-6 (2), 6-1 loss to fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic in a first-round day match in the Bank of the West Classic.
   Venus Williams, who held the previous mark of 129 mph (207.6 kph), overpowered qualifier Paula Kania of Poland 6-3, 6-2 in the featured night match at Stanford.
   7. Serena wins BOW again -- Top-seeded Serena Williams captured her third Bank of the West title, beating third-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 7-6 (1), 6-3.
   Williams, who overcame a 5-1 deficit in the first set and two set points at 5-2, also won the tournament in 2011 and 2012. She did not return last year.
   8. Kozlov reaches Challenger final -- Kozlov, a wild card, stunned No. 2 seed Tim Smyczek of Tampa, Fla., 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (1) in the semifinals of the $100,000 Sacramento Pro Circuit Challenger at the Natomas Racquet Club.
   Kozlov recorded his first victory over a top-100 player -- Smyczek (pronounced SMEE-check) was No. 99 -- and reached his first Challenger final in only his third attempt.
   Top-seeded Sam Querrey ended Kozlov's amazing run in the final, 6-3, 6-4, but predicted his young countryman eventually would crack the top 10 in the world.

Serena Williams won her third Bank of the West title, beating
Angelique Kerber. Tri Nguyen/TriNguyenPhotography.com

   9. Riffice wins back-to-back major junior titles -- Riffice joined Grigor Dimitrov as the only players to sweep the boys 16 singles titles in the Eddie Herr International Championships and the Orange Bowl. The tournaments were held back-to-back this month in Bradenton, Fla., and Plantation, Fla., respectively.
   Dimitrov, a 23-year-old Bulgarian and the boyfriend of Maria Sharapova, is ranked 11th in the world after ascending to a career-high No. 8 in August.
   10. Capitals move after 28 years, then fold -- The Capitals, the longest-running and most successful WTT franchise, announced in February that they were moving to Las Vegas. However, the team disbanded five weeks later after Wannakuwatte was charged.
   The Capitals won a record six WTT titles during their 28 years in Sacramento. Kolleen McNamee, the team's general manager, cited the lack of a permanent tennis facility as the reason for the move.
   Honorable mention -- Davenport, a former Capital, was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
   -- Northern California was omitted from the 2015 PowerShares Series schedule after a stop in Sacramento last February. Recently retired James Blake won the four-man Champions Shootout over Hall of Famers John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Jim Courier.

Stefan Kozlov, 16, falls onto his back to celebrate his victory
over No. 2 seed Tim Smyczek in the semifinals of the
$100,000 Sacramento Challenger. Photo by Paul Bauman

   -- Raquel Kops-Jones, a San Jose resident and former NCAA doubles champion from Cal, reached the doubles semifinals in the Australian Open with regular partner Abigail Spears of San Diego.
   -- Osaka, a qualifier playing in her first WTA main-draw match, shocked unseeded Samantha Stosur, the 2011 U.S. Open champion, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5 in the first round of the Bank of the West Classic. Stosur held a match point at 7-6 in the tiebreaker and led 5-3 in the third set.
   -- Maria Sanchez, who was born and raised in Modesto, won her first WTA title. Unseeded Sharon Fichman of Canada and Sanchez edged third-seeded Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 2-6, 6-0 [10-4] in the doubles final of the $250,000 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.
   -- Querrey swept the singles titles of the Napa, Sacramento and Tiburon Challengers in consecutive weeks in late September and early October.
   -- Bellis won back-to-back $25,000 Challenger singles crowns in Rock Hill, S.D., and Florence, S.C., reached the girls doubles final in the French Open (with Vondrousova), helped the United States win the Junior Fed Cup in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and captured the girls 18 singles title in the prestigious Easter Bowl in Indian Wells.
   -- Donaldson reached the semifinals of the $50,000 Napa Challenger and quarterfinals of the Sacramento Challenger at 17.

Lindsay Davenport, a former Sacramento
Capital, was inducted in the International Tennis
Hall of Fame. 2012 photo by Paul Bauman

   -- Gordon advanced to the quarterfinals of the $25,000 Redding Challenger before losing to Alexandra Stevenson, a 1999 Wimbledon semifinalist and the daughter of basketball legend Julius Erving, in a third-set tiebreaker.
   -- Chi fell to Danielle Collins of Virginia 6-2, 7-5 in a matchup of unseeded sophomores in the NCAA women's singles final in Athens, Ga.
   -- Paul Goldstein, a Stanford alumnus and former pro who climbed to No. 58 in the world in singles and No. 40 in doubles, was named the Cardinal's third men's coach since 1967. Goldstein, who turned 38 in August, replaced John Whitlinger, who announced his retirement at age 60 after Stanford's second consecutive first-round exit from the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinal has won 17 NCAA men's team titles, second to USC's 21, but none since 2000.
   -- The injury-plagued Sacramento State women suffered their first Big Sky Conference losses in 13 years.   
   -- Jessica Willett, a junior at San Jose State, saved 11 match points in a 6-2, 0-6, 7-5 victory over Suzy Tan at No. 5 singles to clinch the Spartans' 4-2 victory over Dartmouth in San Jose.
   -- Altamirano, the fifth seed and defending champion, lost to third-seeded Noah Rubin of Rockville Centre, N.Y., 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the USTA Boys 18 National Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich. Rubin had won the Wimbledon boys singles title the previous month.
   -- Riffice, Mayo and Milpitas' Andrew Ton won boys titles in the USTA National Clay Court Championships. Riffice captured the 16 doubles in Delray Beach, Fla., Mayo the 14 singles in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Ton the 14 doubles in Fort Lauderdale.
   -- The top-seeded Volynets won the USTA Girls 12 National Championships, dominating sixth-seeded Sedona Gallagher of Henderson, Nev., 6-0, 6-3 in Alpharetta, Ga.   

Former Capital Davenport enters Hall of Fame

Lindsay Davenport, playing for the Orange County Breakers
against Sacramento in a 2012 World TeamTennis match,
starred for the Capitals in the 1990s. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Lindsay Davenport, who starred for the now-defunct Sacramento Capitals in World TeamTennis, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday in Newport, R.I.
   Davenport, 38, was enshrined with five-time Paralympic medalist Chantal Vandierendonck, coach Nick Bollettieri, executive Jane Brown Grimes and British broadcaster and announcer John Barrett. They bring the membership of the Hall of Fame, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, to 235 people representing 20 countries.
   Davenport, 6-foot-2 (1.89 meters), reached No. 1 in the world in singles and doubles. The resident of Laguna Beach in Southern California won six Grand Slam titles -- three in singles (1998 U.S. Open, 1999 Wimbledon and 2000 Australian Open) and three in doubles (1996 French Open with Mary Joe Fernandez, 1997 U.S. Open with Jana Novotna and 1999 Wimbledon with Corina Morariu). Davenport also earned the singles gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
   With the Capitals, Davenport was named the WTT Female Rookie of the Year at 17 years old in 1993 and the Female MVP in 1997. She competed on three of Sacramento's record six WTT championship teams -- in 1997, 1998 and 2007.
   Down to earth and unfailingly cooperative with the media, Davenport also was one of the most popular players in tennis.
   Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school, in Bradenton, Fla., in 1978. Alumni include Hall of Famers Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Monica Seles, future Hall of Famer Maria Sharapova and former doubles No. 1 Anna Kournikova.
   The Capitals announced on Feb. 4 that they were moving to Las Vegas after 28 years in the Sacramento area because management no longer wanted to spend $125,000 annually to set up a temporary stadium.
   WTT disbanded the team one month later after Capitals owner Deepal Wannakuwatte was charged with conspiracy and mail, wire and bank fraud. He was accused of orchestrating a $150 million scheme while recruiting investors for his medical supply business.
   Wannakuwatte, 63, pleaded guilty in May to one count of wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24. Under terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend 20 years in prison, the maximum allowed.
   Wannakuwatte bought the Capitals in 2012 after previous owner Bob Cook went bankrupt.

Ex-Capital Davenport elected to Hall of Fame

Lindsay Davenport was named the World TeamTennis
Rookie of the Year at 17 in 1993 and Female MVP in
1997 as a member of the Sacramento Capitals.
2012 photo by Paul Bauman

   Former Sacramento Capitals star Lindsay Davenport was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the organization announced Monday.
   Davenport, 37, will be enshrined on July 12 in Newport, R.I., with five-time Paralympic medalist Chantal Vandierendonck, coach Nick Bollettieri, executive Jane Brown Grimes and British broadcaster and announcer John Barrett.
   They bring the membership of the Hall of Fame, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, to 235 people representing 20 countries. The Hall revealed its latest inductees on World Tennis Day, marked by events and celebrations around the globe.
   Enshrinement requires at least 75 percent of the vote from an international panel of tennis journalists and authors. Falling short of election were former players Mary Pierce and Conchita Martinez.
   Davenport, 6-foot-2 (1.89 meters), reached No. 1 in the world in singles and doubles. The resident of Laguna Beach in Southern California won six Grand Slam titles -- three in singles (1998 U.S. Open, 1999 Wimbledon and 2000 Australian Open) and three in doubles (1996 French Open with Mary Joe Fernandez, 1997 U.S. Open with Jana Novotna and 1999 Wimbledon with Corina Morariu). Davenport also earned the singles gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
   Playing for the Capitals of World TeamTennis, Davenport was named the league's Female Rookie of the Year at 17 years old in 1993 and Female MVP in 1997. She competed on three of Sacramento's record six WTT championship teams -- in 1997, 1998 and 2007.
    Davenport also was known for her down-to-earth personality and unfailing cooperation with the media.
   Bollettieri founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school, in Bradenton, Fla., in 1978. Alumni include Hall of Famers Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Monica Seles, future Hall of Famer Maria Sharapova and former doubles No. 1 Anna Kournikova. 
    Pierce, 38, of France captured four Grand Slam titles, two in singles (1995 Australian Open and 2000 French Open), one in doubles (2000 French Open with Martina Hingis) and one in mixed doubles (2004 Wimbledon with Mahesh Bhupathi).
    Martinez, 41, remains the only Spanish woman to win Wimbledon, having stunned nine-time champion Martina Navratilova in 1994.

Ex-Capital Davenport nominated for Hall of Fame

Lindsay Davenport, playing for the Newport Beach Breakers
against the host Sacramento Capitals in World TeamTennis
last year, reached No. 1 in the world in singles and doubles.
Photo by Paul Bauman

   Lindsay Davenport, a former Sacramento Capitals star in World Team Tennis, and six other luminaries were nominated Thursday for enshrinement in the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport, R.I., next year.
   Also on the ballot are former players Mary Pierce and Conchita Martinez, wheelchair player Chantal Vandierendonck, coach Nick Bollettieri, executive Jane Brown Grimes, and British broadcaster and author John Barrett.
   Voting will take place over the next several months, and the Class of 2014 will be announced early next year. An international media panel, consisting of tennis journalists and authors, will cast ballots on the players. An international masters panel, comprised of Hall of Famers and tennis historians, will vote on the contributors. Candidates in either category must receive 75 percent affirmative votes for induction.  
   Davenport, 6-foot-2 (1.89 meters), reached No. 1 in the world in singles and doubles. The 37-year-old resident of Laguna Beach in Southern California won six Grand Slam titles, three in singles (1998 U.S. Open, 1999 Wimbledon and 2000 Australian Open) and three in doubles (1996 French Open with Mary Joe Fernandez, 1997 U.S. Open with Jana Novotna and 1999 Wimbledon with Corina Morariu). Davenport also earned the singles gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
   Playing for the Capitals, Davenport was named the WTT Female Rookie of the Year at 17 years old in 1993 and the Female MVP in 1997. She competed on three of Sacramento's record six WTT championship teams -- in 1997, 1998 and 2007.
    Davenport also was known for her down-to-earth personality and unfailing cooperation with the media. 
    Pierce, 38, of France captured four Grand Slam titles, two in singles (1995 Australian Open and 2000 French Open), one in doubles (2000 French Open with Martina Hingis) and one in mixed doubles (2004 Wimbledon with Mahesh Bhupathi).
    Martinez, 41, remains the only Spanish woman to win Wimbledon, having stunned nine-time champion Martina Navratilova in 1994.
   ITA to honor Crawford -- Roger Crawford, 52, of Granite Bay in the Sacramento area will receive the 2013 Intercollegiate Achievement Award today in New York.
   Crawford, a renowned motivational speaker and author, was born with four impaired limbs. He has one finger on his right hand, two fingers on his left hand, three toes on his right foot and a prosthetic left leg. Yet he played Division I college tennis at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles.    

Graf, others in SAP exhibition; TV schedule; calendar

   The SAP Open in San Jose added considerable star power Wednesday for a mixed doubles exhibition.
   Stefanie Graf, Lindsay Davenport, Andy Roddick and Justin Gimelstob are scheduled to compete on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. A singles semifinal will follow.
   The SAP Open will be played for the 125th and final time Feb. 11-17 at HP Pavilion. The second-oldest men's professional tournament in the United States will be replaced on the calendar by Rio de Janeiro beginning in 2014.
   The singles draw features two-time defending champion Milos Raonic of Canada, the top three Americans (John Isner, Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish), 2002 titlist and former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, and 2010 champion Fernando Verdasco of Spain.
   Headlining the doubles draw are top-ranked Bob and Mike Bryan, who starred at nearby Stanford and won an Olympic gold medal last year in London. 
   Graf,  43, won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, second all-time behind Margaret Court's 24. Last year, Tennis Channel ranked Graf the top female player of all time and No. 3 overall behind Roger Federer and Rod Laver.
   Roddick, 30, reached No. 1 in the world in 2003 and won the SAP Open in 2004, 2005 and 2008. He retired in September.
   Davenport, 36, climbed to No. 1 in singles and doubles. In singles, she won three Grand Slam crowns and an Olympic gold medal.
   Gimelstob, 35, gained the singles semifinals of the 2003 SAP Open. He won 13 ATP World Tour doubles titles and two Grand Slam mixed doubles crowns (both with Venus Williams).
   Here's the schedule of play for the evening sessions, beginning at 7 p.m., from Monday, Feb. 11, through Thursday, Feb. 14:
   Feb. 11 -- Fish (first-round singles) followed by another featured main-draw match.
   Feb. 12 -- Bryan brothers (first-round doubles) followed by Verdasco (first-round singles).
   Feb. 13 -- Isner followed by Alexandr Dolgopolov (both second-round singles).
   Feb. 14 -- Raonic followed by Querrey (both second-round singles).  
   Ticket packages and group tickets to the SAP Open are available by calling (408) ACE-2121. Individual session tickets will go on sale later this month. For more information, visit www.sapopentennis.com. 

TV SCHEDULE

(All times PST)

   Thursday -- Doha (men), quarterfinals, Tennis Channel, 4:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (live), 8 p.m.-midnight (delay); Hopman Cup (men, women), Tennis Channel, 12:30-6 p.m. (delay); Brisbane (women), quarterfinals, Tennis Channel, 6-8 p.m. (delay).
   Friday --Brisbane (women), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 1-5 a.m. (live); Doha (men), singles semifinals, Tennis Channel, 5:30-9:30 a.m. (live), doubles final, 9:30-11 a.m. (live); Auckland (women), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 3-7 p.m. (delay); Chennai (men), quarterfinals, Tennis Channel, 7-11 p.m. (delay).  
   Saturday -- Brisbane (women), final, Tennis Channel, 1-3 a.m. (live), 9-11 a.m. and 5-7 p.m. (repeat); Brisbane (men), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (delay); Shenzhen (women), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 3-7 a.m. (repeat); Doha (men), final, Tennis Channel, 7-9 a.m. (live) and 7-9 p.m. (repeat); Auckland (women), final, Tennis Channel, 3-5 p.m. (delay); Chennai (men), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Sunday (delay).
   Sunday -- Shenzhen (women), final, Tennis Channel, 3-5 a.m. (delay); Hopman Cup (men, women), final, Tennis Channel, 5-10:30 a.m. (delay), 5-10:30 p.m. (repeat); Brisbane (men), final, Tennis Channel, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (delay); Chennai (men), final, Tennis Channel, 1-3 p.m. (delay); Doha (men), final, Tennis Channel, 3-5 p.m. (delay).

CALENDAR

   Jan. 14-27, 2013 -- AUSTRALIAN OPEN, www.australianopen.org. 2012 champions: Novak Djokovic, Victoria Azarenka, Leander Paes-Radek Stepanek, Svetlana Kuznetsova-Vera Zvonareva.

   Jan. 15 -- Sacramento State men at Stanford in spring season opener for both teams, 1:30 p.m, www.hornetsports.com, www.gostanford.com.

   Jan. 18 -- Stanford women open spring season at Freeman Invitational in Las Vegas and at NCTC Classic in Indian Wells, Calif., times TBA, www.gostanford.com. UC Davis women open spring season vs. Northern Arizona in Tempe, Ariz., 1 p.m., www.ucdavisaggies.com.

   Jan. 19 -- UC Davis men at Santa Clara in spring season opener for both teams, 10 a.m., www.ucdavisaggies.com, www.santaclarabroncos.com.

   Feb. 1 -- Sacramento State women open spring season at Arizona, 12:30 p.m., www.hornetsports.com.

   Feb. 1-3, 2013 -- Davis Cup, first round, United States vs. Brazil in Jacksonville, Fla., www.daviscup.com.

   Feb. 9-10, 2013 -- Fed Cup, first round, United States at Italy, www.fedcup.com.

   Feb. 11-17, 2013 -- SAP Open, HP Pavilion in San Jose, www.sapopentennis.com. 2012 champions: Milos Raonic, Mark Knowles-Xavier Malisse.

   March 4-17, 2013 -- BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Calif., www.bnpparibasopen.com. 2012 champions: Roger Federer, Victoria Azarenka, Marc Lopez-Rafael Nadal, Liezel Huber-Lisa Raymond.

   April 26-28 -- Big Sky Conference men's and women's tournament, Gold River Racquet Club, Gold River, Calif., www.bigskyconf.com.

Sad but memorable year: Top 10 stories of 2012

Milos Raonic of Canada serves to Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan in the 2012
SAP Open final in San Jose. Raonic won his second straight title in the
tournament, which will be held for the 125th and last time in 2013.
Photo by Paul Bauman

   It was a bittersweet year in Northern California tennis. 
   Officials announced that the second-oldest tennis tournament in the United States will leave after 2013, and a legend died at 76. But two former Stanford All-Americans, who happen to be twins, tied an all-time record and won an Olympic gold medal.
   Following are the top 10 stories of 2012, plus five honorable mentions:
   1. Bay Area to lose SAP Open — Northern California fans suffered a crushing blow when it was announced that next February's SAP Open will be the last after 125 years.
   Rio de Janeiro, the site of the 2016 Summer Olympics and a co-host of the 2014 World Cup soccer tournament, will replace San Jose on the ATP World Tour calendar beginning in 2014.
   Past champions include legends Don Budge, Jack Kramer, Rod Laver, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. But the tournament has struggled to attract top players and big crowds in recent years.
   2. Bryans tie Newcombe-Roche — Bob and Mike Bryan won the U.S. Open for their 12th Grand Slam men's doubles title, tying the all-time record of Australians John Newcombe and Tony Roche.
   The 34-year-old sons of longtime Sacramento Capitals coach Wayne Bryan have won five Australian Opens, four U.S. Opens, two Wimbledons and one French Open. And they easily could play another five years.
   3. Bryans win Olympic gold — The Bryans earned their first Olympic gold medal, the only significant men's doubles honor to have eluded them, in London. They took the bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Games.
   4. MacKay dies — Barry MacKay, a Northern California legend, died in San Francisco after a long illness.
   MacKay left an indelible mark as a player, tournament director, promoter and commentator. Nicknamed "The Bear," he was among the friendliest and best-liked members of the tennis community.

Top-seeded Serena Williams won the Bank of the West Classic
at Stanford for the second year in a row. Photo by Paul Bauman

   5. Serena repeats — Top-seeded Serena Williams saved a set point and beat lucky loser CoCo Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-3 to win the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford for the second straight year.
   It was the first all-American final on the WTA tour in the United States since Lindsay Davenport routed Williams 6-1, 6-3 in Los Angeles eight years ago.
   6. Raonic repeats — Dropping only four points on his serve, third-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada wore down unseeded Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 7-6 (3), 6-2 in San Jose for his second consecutive SAP Open title.
   The 6-foot-5 Raonic won 28 of 31 points, including 17 straight, on his serve in the first set and 16 of 17 in the second set. He never surrendered more than one point in a service game.
   7. Ex-Capitals among top 100 players ever — Tennis Channel's list of the top 100 players of all time included three ex-Capitals: No. 12 Agassi, No. 43 Lindsay Davenport and No. 100 Michael Chang.
   The top 10 in the rankings, chosen by an international panel of experts, were Roger Federer, Laver, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Bjorn Borg, Margaret Court, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King.

Mark Knowles, right, of the Bahamas won the 55th and last ATP World Tour
doubles title of his career with Xavier Malisse, left, of Belgium in the SAP Open.
Knowles was 40 at the time. Photo by Paul Bauman

   8. Knowles retires — The longtime Capital retired from the ATP World Tour just before his 41st birthday with 55 men's doubles titles, fourth among active players and tied for 15th in the Open Era (since 1968).
   The Bahamas native won three Grand Slam crowns in men's doubles and one in mixed doubles. He reached No. 1 in the world in men's doubles in 2002 and 2004.
   9. Gibbs sweeps NCAA titles — Stanford sophomore Nicole Gibbs became the first woman to sweep the NCAA singles and doubles titles in 17 years and the first Cardinal woman to do it in 27 years.

Stanford's Nicole Gibbs, losing to Serena Williams in the second
round of the Bank of the West Classic on Gibbs' home court,
became the first woman in 17 years to sweep the NCAA singles
and doubles crowns. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Gibbs, seeded third, outlasted doubles partner Mallory Burdette, seeded fifth, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in Athens, Ga., after trailing 4-1 and 5-2 in the second set. Then, in a match moved indoors because of rain, second-seeded Burdette and Gibbs defeated unseeded Nadja Gilchrist and Chelsey Gullickson of host Georgia 6-2, 6-4.
   10. McDonald wins Easter Bowl — After sitting out for eight months last year with a blood disorder, Mackenzie McDonald of Piedmont won the boys 18 singles title at the prestigious Easter Bowl in the Palm Springs suburb of Rancho Mirage.

   McDonald, seeded third, beat No. 4 Alexios Halebian of Glendale in the Los Angeles area 6-4, 6-1 for his second singles title in the tournament. He also won the singles title in the 14s three years ago. McDonald will be a freshman at UCLA next fall.
   Honorable mention — The Capitals came within a tiebreaker of extending their record to seven World TeamTennis titles as Venus Williams edged Vandeweghe 5-4, giving the Washington Kastles a 20-19 victory in Charleston, S.C. It was Washington's 32nd consecutive triumph, the fourth-longest streak in the history of U.S. team sports. ...
   Mardy Fish, a former top-10 player, was plagued throughout the year by an accelerated heartbeat but reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and played two matches for the Capitals. ... 
   Raquel Kops-Jones, a San Jose resident and former NCAA doubles champion from Cal, climbed to a career-high No. 13 in women's doubles. ...  
   Sam Querrey, a San Francisco native and part-time Capital this year, defeated Novak Djokovic en route to the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters. ...  
   Maria Sanchez of Modesto won the inaugural Gold River Women's Challenger in the Sacramento area.  

Ex-Capital Davenport makes winning return

CoCo Vandeweghe, left, of the Sacramento Capitals, visits with
close friend and mentor Lindsay Davenport of the visiting Orange
County Breakers before Tuesday's World TeamTennis match.
Photo by Paul Bauman 

   Lindsay Davenport had a humorous flashback when she arrived at the Marriott hotel in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova on Tuesday afternoon.
   The Marriott was her home away from home as a 17-year-old rookie with the Sacramento Capitals of World TeamTennis in 1993.
   "We lost in the playoffs, and one guy on the team was so mad, he was breaking rackets in the parking lot," the 36-year-old legend recalled before her Orange County Breakers defeated the Capitals 19-16 Tuesday night in a Western Conference showdown at Sunrise Mall. "I'm 17 at the time, and I'm thinking, Oh, God."
   Davenport would not name the perpetrator.
   "I'm not outing him," she said with a laugh.
  Despite a star-studded lineup, Sacramento lost for the fourth time in five matches and fell into a first-place tie with Orange County at 5-6 in the Western Conference. The teams meet again Wednesday night in Irvine. The top two clubs in each of the four-team conferences advance to the playoffs, Sept. 14-16 in Charleston, S.C.
   The trim, 6-foot-2 Davenport won 5-1 in the opening set (mixed doubles) and 5-2 in the fourth set (women's doubles with former Cal star Jana Juricova). But she lost both games she played as a substitute in the second set (women's singles).

The Capitals' Kevin Anderson, a 6-foot-8 South African
ranked 33rd in the world, made his WTT debut Tuesday.
Photo by Paul Bauman

   Kevin Anderson, a 6-foot-8 South African ranked 33rd in the world, and Vania King, ranked 56th in singles and fifth in doubles, made their WTT and season debuts, respectively, for the Capitals.
   King, who has played the last two seasons for Sacramento after being named the 2009 WTT Female MVP for Springfield,  won 5-0 in women's singles to get the Capitals back in the match. Sacramento led 11-9 at intermission, but Davenport and Juricova defeated King and CoCo Vandeweghe in women's doubles to give Orange County a 14-13 lead entering the last set.
   Vandeweghe, 20, played her second match for the Capitals after reaching the final of the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford as a lucky loser to reach a career-high No. 69 in the world. She is a close friend and protege of Davenport.
   John-Patrick Smith, a 23-year-old Australian left-hander, beat Anderson 5-3 in men's singles to wrap up Orange County's victory.
   At first glance, Anderson was the heavy favorite in the set. He has 91 match victories on the ATP World Tour to none for the 217th-ranked Smith, who turned pro last month following his senior season at Tennessee. But this wasn't the ATP World Tour. Having played all season for the Breakers, Smith was much more accustomed to WTT's lightning-fast pace. Plus, he's left-handed, another adjustment for Anderson.
   "It was tricky playing my first (WTT) match against a lefty," Anderson conceded. "He was serving well, and the format goes so quickly."        

Davenport, 36, is a lock to be inducted into the Inter-
national Tennis Hall of Fame when she becomes
eligible, probably next year. Photo by Paul Bauman

   Davenport, in contrast, is in her 10th WTT season. She won the league's Female Rookie of the Year award in 1993, plus Female MVP honors in 1997 for Sacramento and 2010 for St. Louis. She helped the Capitals win three of their record six league titles -- in 1997, 1998 and 2007.
   On the regular tour, Davenport reached No. 1 in the world in singles and doubles; won 55 career titles in singles, including three Grand Slam crowns, and 37 in doubles; and earned the singles gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. She is a lock to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., probably when she becomes eligible next year. Her down-to-earth personality, unfailing cooperation with the media and generally impeccable character don't hurt her case.
   "Of course, I had a great career, but I don't miss it," Davenport said. "It's not like injuries took me out in my 20s. I'm 36 now. My first Slam (title) was in 1999. I've had a lot of years to appreciate my career ... so I enjoy going back now. I never got to enjoy those tournaments. I felt a lot of anxiety and pressure to win."
   Davenport winced when asked whether her Olympic gold medal or one of her three Grand Slam singles titles means the most to her. She won the U.S. Open in 1998, Wimbledon in 1999 and Australian Open in 2000.
   "It's so tough," she said. "The Olympics is the one event I have the least clear memory of. It was literally so surreal. The U.S. Open was a really big deal. I felt a lot of pressure because I hadn't won a Grand Slam title. It was definitely the most important. It came at a needed time. I was 22. It felt the best."
   Davenport reached four other Grand Slam finals and 11 other semifinals in singles.
   "Shoulda, woulda coulda won more Slams," she lamented. "I got close a couple of times. That's the way it went. Some days, I say, Gosh, I won three Slams. Other days, I say, I should have won five."   
   Davenport will be watching when the London Olympics begin Friday.
   "The Olympics are such a great event," she said. "I love the opening ceremonies. For me, it was almost like a blur winning in Atlanta. It happened so fast; it was almost like a dream. I'm excited to watch what happens in London."
   Davenport's father, Wink, played volleyball in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Vandeweghe's mother, Tauna, swam in the 1976 Games in Montreal and was an alternate on the U.S. volleyball team in 1984 in Los Angeles.
   That's just one of many similarities between Davenport and Vandeweghe. Both are tall (Vandeweghe is 6-foot-1), grew up in Southern California, won the U.S. Open girls singles title at 16 and made their WTT debut with the Capitals the following year.
   Comparing herself at 20 to Vandeweghe, Davenport said: "She's by far a better server; I was a better ball-striker. For both of us, our movement will never be our strength. I'm so proud of her being a (finalist as a) lucky loser. I'm very fond of her. We're close.
   "I want her to do more. I think she can be a much better player by doing a few subtle things. She hits a heavy ball and can build points better off the ground; she pulls the trigger too soon. She has a great serve and can use it better. She can build points better."
   Vandeweghe said Davenport "has been a great friend to me. She put me in touch with (former Capital) Robert Van't Hof, who coached me for a while. She let me stay at her house (in Laguna Beach) when I came up (from Carlsbad in the San Diego area) to hit with my coach. Anytime I need advice, she's always there for me. To have my idol there for me is pretty cool, I have to say."
   These days, Davenport spends her time taking care of her three young children with husband Jonathan, commentating for Tennis Channel and playing WTT and a few exhibitions. Broadcasting gives Davenport a chance to stay close to the pro tours.
   "I legitimately love tennis," she said. "I didn't necessarily love the pressure and playing in front of people. I was self-conscious. If I could have played on a club court, I would have played forever."
   ATP World Tour in Los Angeles -- Paolo Lorenzi of Italy defeated qualifier Bradley Klahn, the 2010 NCAA champion who completed his eligibility at Stanford in May, 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 in the first round of the Farmers Classic. 

WORLD TEAMTENNIS

Orange County 19,Capitals 16

In Citrus Heights, Calif.

   Mixed doubles -- Lindsay Davenport-John-Patrick Smith (Breakers) def. Vania King-Mark Knowles (Capitals) 5-1 (Knowles substituted for Kevin Anderson at 0-1).
   Women's singles -- Vania King (Capitals) def. Lindsay Davenport (Breakers) 5-0 (Davenport substituted for Jana Juricova at 0-3, 0-2).
   Men's doubles -- Kevin Anderson-Mark Knowles (Capitals) def. Travis Parrott-John-Patrick Smith (Breakers) 5-4 (5-2 tiebreaker).
   Women's doubles -- Lindsay Davenport-Jana Juricova (Breakers) def. Vania King-CoCo Vandeweghe (Capitals) 5-2.
   Men's singles -- John-Patrick Smith (Breakers) def. Kevin Anderson (Capitals), 5-3.

TV SCHEDULE

(All times PDT)

   Thursday -- Los Angeles (men), early rounds, Tennis Channel, 2-6 p.m. (live), 7:30-9:30 p.m. (live).
   Friday -- Kitzbuhel (men), semifinals, Tennis Channel, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (delay); Los Angeles (men), quarterfinals, Tennis Channel, 2-6 p.m. (live), 7:30-9:30 p.m. (live).

CALENDAR

   Wednesday -- World TeamTennis, Sacramento Capitals (with Kevin Anderson, Vania King and CoCo Vandeweghe) at Orange County, 7 p.m.
   Friday -- Philadelphia (with Mark Philippoussis) at Capitals (with Anderson and Vandeweghe), Sunrise Marketplace Outdoor Pavilion, Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, 7:35 p.m., http://www.saccaps.com/.
   Saturday -- Boston at Capitals (with Anderson and Vandeweghe), Sunrise Marketplace Outdoor Pavilion, Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, 7:35 p.m., http://www.saccaps.com/.
   Saturday-Aug. 5 -- OLYMPIC TENNIS TOURNAMENT, Wimbledon, www.london2012.com.

All-time top 100 includes two ex-Capitals (so far)

   Tennis Channel's list of the top 100 players of all time so far includes two former Sacramento Capitals of  World TeamTennis, with one more coming.
   As if ranking players of different eras isn't difficult enough, an international panel of experts is combining men and women and active and retired players. Good luck with all of that. In any case, Lindsay Davenport is ranked No. 43 and Michael Chang No. 100. Andre Agassi will be the third ex-Capital when the top 20 are revealed.
   Davenport won six Grand Slam titles (three in singles and three in women's doubles) and an Olympic singles gold medal in singles and played on three Fed Cup championship teams for the United States. She was ranked No. 1 in singles and doubles.
   Chang remains the youngest man to win a Grand Slam singles title after capturing the 1989 French Open at 17. He reached three other Grand Slam singles finals and played on one Davis Cup title team for the U.S.
   Tennis Channel has broadcast three one-hour shows -- on Nos. 100-71, Nos. 70-41 and Nos. 40-21 -- this week. Nos. 20-11 will premiere Thursday at 4 p.m. PDT and Nos. 10-1 Friday at the same time (see the full schedule below).
   Agassi played part-time for the Capitals from 2002, when they won their fifth of a record six WTT titles, to 2004. Chang competed part-time in 2009 and 2010.
   Davenport has a long history with the Capitals. She earned WTT Female Rookie of the Year honors at 17 years old in 1993 and helped Sacramento win WTT crowns in 1997 and 1998. Davenport also played one match during the Capitals' 2007 championship season six weeks after giving birth to her first child. Now 35 with three children, she is scheduled to play for the Orange Country Breakers against the Capitals on July 24 at Sunrise Marketplace Stadium.
   Chang was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008, and Agassi joined him last year. Davenport undoubtedly will join them when she becomes eligible next year.
   Here's Tennis Channel's top-100 schedule for the rest of the week (all times PDT):
   Tonight -- Nos. 40-21 at 10 o'clock (repeat).
   Thursday -- Nos. 100-71 at 1 p.m.; Nos. 70-41 at 2 p.m.; Nos. 40-21 at 3 p.m.; Nos. 20-11 at 4 p.m. (premiere), 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.
   Friday -- Nos. 100-71 at noon; Nos. 70-41 at 1 p.m.; Nos. 40-21 at 2 p.m.; Nos. 20-11 at 3 p.m.; Nos. 10-1 at 4 p.m. (premiere), 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.         
   Following are Tennis Channel's No. 100 through 41:

100 - Michael Chang, Male, USA

99 - Ann Haydon Jones, Female, GBR

98 - Henry Bunny Austin, M, GBR

97 - Pat Cash, M, AUS

96 - Manuel Orantes, M, ESP

95 - Thomas Muster, M, AUT

94 - Andy Roddick, M, USA

93 - Nicola Pietrangeli, M, ITA

92 - Svetlana Kuznetsova, F, RUS

91 - Shirley Fry Irvin, F, USA

90 - Bill Johnston, M, USA

89 - Dorothea Lambert Chambers, F, GBR

88 - Amelie Mauresmo, F, FRA

87 - Mary Pierce, F, FRA

86 - Tony Wilding, M, NZL

85 - Yannick Noah, M, FRA

84 - Norman Brookes, M, AUS

83 - Jan Kodes, M, CZE

82 - Yevgeny Kafelnikov, M, RUS

81 - Vic Seixas, M, USA

80 - Marat Safin, M, RUS

79 - Gabriela Sabatini, F, ARG

78 - Ashley Cooper, M, AUS

77 - Molla Mallory, F, USA

76 - William Renshaw, M, GBR

75 - Pauline Betz Addie, F, USA

74 - Tony Roche, M, AUS

73 - Jaroslav Drobny, M, CZE

72 - Gottfried Von Cramm, M, GER

71 - Maria Sharapova, F, RUS

70 - Patrick Rafter , M, AUS

69 - Louise Brough , F, USA

68 - Helen Hull Jacobs , F, USA

67 - Fred Stolle , M, AUS

66 - Bobby Riggs , M, USA

65 - Pancho Segura  , M, ECU

64 - Ellsworth Vines , M, USA

63 - Lleyton Hewitt  , M, AUS

62 - Hana Mandlikova , F, CZE

61 - Neale Fraser , M, USA

60 - Virginia Wade , F, GBR

59 - Margaret Osborne Dupont, F, USA

58 - Alice Marble , F,  USA

57 - Jennifer Capriati , F, USA

56 - Stan Smith, M, USA

55 -  Gustavo Kuerten, M, BRA

54 - Manuel Santana, M, ESP

53 - Tracy Austin, F, USA

52 - Jack Crawford, M, AUS

51 - Doris Hart, F, USA

50 - Tony Trabert, M, USA

49 - Ilie Nastase , M, ROM

48 - Frank Sedgman, M, AUS

47 -  Jean Borotra, M, FRA

46 -  Henri Cochet, M, FRA

45 -  Kim Clijsters, F, BEL

44 -  Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, F, ESP

43 -  Lindsay Davenport, F, USA

42 -  Jim Courier, M, USA

41 -  Guillermo Vilas, M, ARG

Capitals land Fish again; Young upset in SAP Open

   Mardy Fish will try again.
   The Sacramento Capitals protected Fish, the top-ranked American at No. 8 in the world, with the seventh pick in Tuesday's World TeamTennis marquee draft.
   Fish was scheduled to play one match for the Capitals last year but withdrew with an abdominal injury. This year, the 30-year-old Los Angeles resident is set to play two matches, both at  home, for Sacramento during the July 9-29 regular season. Dates for all marquee player appearances will be announced when the league schedule is released next month.

   Visiting Capitals Stadium at Sunrise Mall will be 35-year-old retired stars Lindsay Davenport, chosen third by the Orange County Breakers, and Mark Philippoussis, picked first by the Philadelphia Freedoms. 
   Davenport, a Laguna Beach resident formerly ranked No. 1 in singles and doubles, was named WTT's 1993 Female Rookie of the Year at 17 and 1997 Female MVP as a member of the Capitals. Philippoussis, an Australian living in Las Vegas, reached the singles final at the U.S. Open in 1998 and at Wimbledon in 2003. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 8 in 1999.
   Returning marquee players are former Stanford stars John McEnroe of the New York Sportimes and Bob and Mike Bryan of the Kansas City Explorers, Serena and Venus Williams of the defending champion Washington Kastles, Martina Hingis of the Sportimes and John Isner of the Boston Lobsters. Also, James Blake will play for Philadelphia. The Springfield (Mo.) Lasers did not make a selection, and the St. Louis Aces folded after last season.
   Team lineups will be finalized in the WTT roster draft on March 13.  Marquee players typically play a limited schedule, while roster players play the full season.  Additional marquee players could be added before the start of the season. 

   Young upset in SAP Open -- Thirty-three-year-old Michael Russell, 5-foot-8, upset fellow American Donald Young, seeded seventh, 6-1, 7-6 (6) Tuesday night in the first round of the $531,000 SAP Open at HP Pavilion in San Jose.
   Young, 22, made his ATP World Tour debut seven years ago in the SAP Open as the future of U.S. men's tennis. The gifted left-hander from Atlanta has failed to achieve stardom, although he did soar from No. 127 to No. 39 in the world rankings last year.
   Russell could meet another American, Sam Querrey, in the second round. Querrey, 6-6, beat Russell 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the 2010 SAP Open.
   In a matchup of former SAP Open semifinalists, 29-year-old wild card Robby Ginepri of Kennesaw, Ga., dismissed 31-year-old Xavier Malisse of Belgium 6-1, 6-2. Ginepri has fallen from No. 15 in the world in 2005, when he reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open, to No. 235. The right-hander broke his left elbow in a bicycle accident in September 2010 and missed 10 months.
   In a battle of 19-year-old American prospects, qualifier Denis Kudla of Arlington, Va., outlasted wild card Jack Sock of Overland Park, Kan., 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3. Kudla, who avenged a loss to Sock in the 2010 U.S. Open junior final, is scheduled to meet second-seeded Andy Roddick, a three-time SAP Open champion, tonight at 7 in the second round.
   Ex-Cal star advances in doubles -- Raquel Kops-Jones, a former NCAA doubles champion from Cal, and fellow Californian Abigail Spears dominated Eleni Daniilidou of Greece and Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the $2,168,400 Qatar Ladies Open in Doha.

SAP OPEN

In San Jose

First-round singles

   Dimitar Kutrovsky, Bulgaria, def. Dennis Lajola, United States, 6-7 (7), 6-3, 7-6 (3).
   Gilles Muller, Luxembourg, def. Tim Smyczek, United States, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
   Denis Kudla, United States, def. Jack Sock, United States, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3.
   Steve Darcis, Belgium, def. Steve Johnson, United States, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5).
   Robby Ginepri, United States, def. Xavier Malisse, Belgium, 6-1, 6-2.
   Michael Russell, United States, def. Donald Young (7), United States, 6-1, 7-6 (6).

   First-round doubles

   Kevin Anderson, South Africa, and Frank Moser, Germany, def. Lukas Dlouhy, Czech Republic, and Igor Zelenay, Slovakia, 6-2, 6-3.
   Defending champions Scott Lipsky and Rajeev Ram (2), United States, def. Julien Benneteau and Gael Monfils, France, 6-3, 7-6 (6).  

Today's schedule

(First-round matches unless noted)

Stadium Court

(Beginning at 9:30 a.m.)

   Matthew Ebden, Australia, vs. Dudi Sela, Israel.
   Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan, vs. Sam Querrey, United States.
   Ryan Harrison (wild card), United States, vs. Olivier Rochus (8), Belgium.
   Julien Benneteau (5), France, vs. Ryan Sweeting, United States
   James Cerretani, United States, and Matthew Ebden, Australia, vs. Robby Ginepri and Travis Rettenmaier (wild cards), United States.

(Beginning at 7 p.m.)

   Denis Kudla (qualifier), United States, vs. Andy Roddick (2), United States, second round.
   Defending champion Milos Raonic (3), Canada, vs. Tobias Kamke, Germany, second round.

Courtside Club in Los Gatos

(Beginning at 1 p.m.)

   Santiago Gonzalez, Mexico and Christopher Kas (1), Germany, vs. Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, and John Paul Fruttero, United States.
   Kevin Anderson, South Africa, and Frank Moser, Germany, vs. Paul Hanley, Australia, and Jamie Murray (3), Great Britain, quarterfinals.
   Mark Knowles, Bahamas, and Xavier Malisse (4), Belgium, vs. Mikhail Elgin, Russia, and Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan.
   Gilles Muller, Luxembourg, and Olivier Rochus, Belgium, vs. Carsten Ball, Australia, and Treat Conrad Huey, Philippines.

  To be arranged

  Sam Querrey and Jack Sock (wild cards), United States, vs. defending champions Scott Lipsky and Rajeev Ram (2), United States, quarterfinals.

Capitals ousted from WTT playoffs

   The Sacramento Capitals have a strong mixed doubles team.
   But the St. Louis Aces have a better one.
   Liezel Huber and Jean-Julien Rojer beat Vania King and Mark Knowles 5-3 in the final set Saturday to give St. Louis a 20-19 victory in the Western Conference finals of World TeamTennis in Charleston, S.C.
   The Aces (9-6) will meet the Washington Kastles (15-0) today for the WTT title. Washington will try to become the first team in the league's 36-year history to complete an undefeated season.
   St. Louis and Sacramento finished second and third, respectively, in mixed doubles in the regular season.
   Huber was named the WTT Female MVP this season and Rojer the Male Rookie of the Year. Knowles has won three WTT Male MVP awards (2001, 2005 and 2007), and King was named the league's Female MVP in 2009 as a member of the Springfield (Mo.) Lasers.
   The Capitals (8-7) won three of the five sets (men's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles), but St. Louis' Tamira Paszek dominated King 5-1 in women's doubles.
   Paszek, a 20-year-old Austrian who reached the Wimbledon singles quarterfinals early this month, did not play for St. Louis during the regular season. The Aces' Lindsay Davenport, the WTT Female MVP in 2010, missed the season because she is pregnant with her third child.
   Mark Philippoussis, who played part-time for St. Louis during the regular season, was not available Saturday. The powerful Australian, 34, reached two Grand Slam singles finals and a career-high No. 8 in the world before retiring from the circuit with bad knees in 2006.
   St. Louis 20, Capitals 19

   Men's singles -- Dusan Vemic, Capitals, def. Roman Borvanov, Aces, 5-3.

   Women's singles -- Tamira Paszek, Stl., def. Vania King, Capitals, 5-1.

   Men's doubles -- Mark Knowles and Vemic, Capitals, def. Borvanov and Jean-Julien Rojer, Stl., 5-3.

   Women's doubles -- Yasmin Schnack and King, Capitals, def. Liezel Huber and Paszek, Stl., 5-4.

   Mixed doubles -- Rojer and Huber, Stl., def. King and Knowles, Capitals, 5-3.

Capitals' playoff opponent has plenty of Aces

   Now that the Sacramento Capitals have reached the World TeamTennis playoffs for the first time since 2008, they face a daunting challenge.
   Sacramento faces the star-studded St. Louis Aces in the Western Conference finals today at 2 p.m. in Charleston, S.C.
   Both teams finished the regular season 8-6, but St. Louis will have part-time marquee player Mark Philippoussis and new addition Tamira Paszek, according to Capitals coach Wayne Bryan.
   Philippoussis, a 34-year-old Australian, reached two Grand Slam singles finals and a career-high No. 8 in the world before retiring five years ago with bad knees. Paszek, a 20-year-old Austrian, advanced to her first Grand Slam singles quarterfinal at Wimbledon this month.
   St. Louis also features this year's WTT Female MVP, Liezel Huber, and Male Rookie of the Year, Jean-Julien Rojer. The awards were announced Friday.
   The Aces lost Lindsay Davenport, last year's WTT Female MVP, just before their season opener because she's pregnant with her third child. Her doctor told her to skip the 2011 campaign.
   Leading the Capitals is Vania King, who ranked third among nine WTT regulars in women's singles and third among 19 in women's doubles. She was named the 2009 WTT Female MVP for Springfield (Mo.) and won two Grand Slam women's doubles titles last year.
   Awaiting the winner of today's match is the Washington Kastles, who improved to 15-0 with a 25-13 victory over the Boston Lobsters on Friday in the Eastern Conference final in Charleston. In Sunday's WTT Finals, the Kastles will try to become the first undefeated team in WTT's 36-year history.
   Washington swept the other three WTT awards this season. Leander Paes was named the Male MVP for the second time in three years, Arina Rodionova was chosen as the league's Female Rookie of the Year, and Murphy Jensen received Coach of the Year honors.
   Rodionova is the younger sister of ex-Capital Anastasia Rodionova.
  
  
 

Capitals midseason analysis

   Against all odds, the Sacramento Capitals sit atop the Western Conference midway through their World TeamTennis season.
   The Capitals (4-3) should not get too giddy, though. They came within a Supertiebreaker on Wednesday of being 3-4 and trailing by 1 1/2 matches in the conference.
   After losing three of its first four matches, Sacramento has won three in a row.
   The Capitals opened the season with two road matches, then faced future International Tennis Hall of Famers Martina Hingis and Serena Williams in consecutive matches. Also, half of Sacramento's full-time roster joined the team late.
   Vania King, a two-time Grand Slam women's doubles champion and the 2009 WTT Female MVP for the Springfield (Mo.) Lasers, sat out the Capitals' first five matches to rest after Wimbledon. Dusan Vemic, who plays men's singles and doubles for Sacramento, missed the first two matches because of visa problems in Serbia.
   With a full roster for the first time, the Capitals routed the WTT defending champion Kansas City Explorers 23-12 in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights on Tueday night. Kansas City's roster featured three reigning Wimbledon doubles champions (Bob and Mike Bryan and Kveta Peschke).
   Less than 24 hours later, Sacramento met the Aces in St. Louis with first place on the line. The Capitals prevailed in a thriller, 20-19 (7-2 Supertiebreaker).
   Fortunately for Sacramento, St. Louis' Lindsay Davenport, the reigning WTT Female MVP and a former Capitals star, announced on the day of the Aces' opener that she's pregnant with her third child and under doctor's orders to skip the season.
   Meanwhile, WTT rookie Yasmin Schnack and substitutes Christina Fusano and Nick Monroe filled in capably for King and Vemic. Schnack, in her first full year as a professional after an All-America career at UCLA, and Fusano, a 30-year-old doubles specialist, are from the Sacramento area and part-time doubles partners on the women's circuit.
   Schnack, who now plays women's doubles only for the Capitals, ranks fourth among 10 WTT players in women's singles and ninth among 17 in mixed doubles.
   Overall, the Capitals rank second in the nine-team league in women's singles, third in women's doubles, third in mixed doubles, sixth in men's singles and a surprisingly low eighth in men's doubles.
   The latter figured to be one of Sacramento's strongest events with Mark Knowles and Vemic. Although Knowles will turn 40 in September, he is a three Grand Slam men's doubles champion (most recently in 2007) and former world No. 1 in men's doubles. Vemic, 35, has reached two Grand Slam semifinals in the event (most recently in January 2010).
   Knowles and Vemic ended a four-set losing streak with a 5-1 victory against St. Louis on Wednesday.
   It doesn't get any easier for Sacramento. Four of the Capitals' next five matches are on the road, beginning tonight against the Bryan brothers in Kansas City and including Monday's contest at 7-0 Washington. Sacramento ends the regular season with two home matches.
   The top two teams in each conference advance to the WTT playoffs, July 22-24 in Charleston, S.C.
   Sacramento figures to lose to Kansas City and Washington, so the Capitals probably must win four of their other five remaining matches to have a chance of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The winners of a record six WTT titles will face Newport Beach (3-5) twice, Springfield (2-5) twice and Boston (4-4) once.
   The Capitals conceivably could reach the WTT Finals, but they would be heavy underdogs to Washington or New York (6-2).

Capitals edge St. Louis, take conference lead

   After starting 1-3, the Sacramento Capitals find themselves in first place in the Western Conference halfway through the World TeamTennis regular season.
   Sacramento beat host St. Louis 20-19 in a Supertiebreaker on Wednesday night for its third straight victory and wrested the conference lead from the Aces.
   Mark Knowles and Dusan Vemic won 5-1 in men's doubles, ending a four-set losing streak, to give the Capitals (4-3) a 13-9 lead at intermission. But St. Louis (4-4) won 5-3 in women's doubles and mixed doubles to tie the score 19-19 after regulation.
   Knowles and Vania King then beat Jean-Julien Rojer and Liezel Huber 7-2 in the Supertiebreaker.  
   Knowles, a 39-year-old Bahamian, and Huber, a 34-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from South Africa, formerly were ranked No. 1 in doubles. All but Rojer have won Wimbledon doubles titles.
   Huber and Rojer served for the match at 4-2 in the final set, but Knowles and King broke serve to give Sacramento a 19-18 overall lead. Huber and Rojer then held serve to force the Supertiebreaker.
    King, the 2009 WTT Female MVP as a member of the Springfield (Mo.) Lasers, was playing in her second match since joining the Capitals on Tuesday for her second season with the team. She rested the week after Wimbledon.
   St. Louis suffered a blow on the day of its season opener when reigning WTT Female MVP Lindsay Davenport, 35, announced she was pregnant with her third child and under doctor's orders to skip the season.
   Sacramento will face identical twins Bob and Mike Bryan, the No. 1 doubles team in the world, and WTT defending champion Kansas City (3-4) for the second time in three days tonight in Kansas City, Mo.
   The Explorers will try to avenge a 23-12 loss Tuesday night to the host Capitals, coached by Wayne Bryan, Bob and Mike's father.

Capitals 20, St. Louis 19 (STB)
   Men’s singles – Roman Borvanov (Aces) def. Dusan Vemic (Capitals) 5-3.
   Women’s singles – Vania King (Capitals) def. Maria Sanchez (Aces) 5-3.
   Men’s doubles – Mark Knowles and Dusan Vemic (Capitals) def. Roman Borvanov and Jean-Julien Rojer (Aces) 5-1.
   Women’s doubles – Liezel Huber and Sanchez (Aces) def. King and Yasmin Schnack (Capitals) 5-3.
   Mixed doubles – Rojer and Huber (Aces) def. Knowles and King (Capitals) 5-3.
   Supertiebreaker – Knowles and King (Capitals) def. Huber and Rojer (Aces) 1-0 (7-2).

On Serena, cheeseburgers and a bold statement

   The first time Wayne Bryan saw Venus and Serena Williams, they were 8 and 6 years old, respectively.

   Bryan, who will coach the host Sacramento Capitals against Serena and the Washington Kastles in a World TeamTennis match tonight at 7:30 at Sunrise Mall, was conducting a clinic at UCLA.

   “There were 300 or 400 kids and a lot of coaches and parents in the stands,” recalled Bryan, a longtime resident of Camarillo, Calif. (between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara). “I noticed two skinny little girls. I said on the microphone, ‘Who’s the parent of these girls?’ A man said, ‘I am.’

   Bryan continued, "These girls have a lot of talent. They’re welcome to come out to Camarillo and hit.”

   Richard Williams and his daughters subsequently made the 90-minute drive from their home in Compton in the Los Angeles area to Camarillo.

   “They came in a tan van held together by coat hangers and tape,” Bryan said. “The girls hustled and hit the ball well, and I bought them all cheeseburgers.

   “Every time I see Richard, he says, ‘Thanks for the cheeseburgers.' I don’t know if they came for the clinic or the cheeseburgers.”

   Did Bryan, the father of doubles stars Bob and Mike Bryan, predict stardom for the Williams sisters?

   “The first thing I look for is passion,” he said. “They had that. Then I look for athletic ability. They had that. Then I look for dedicated parents who are positive with the child. They had that. Those are three pretty big ingredients. Nobody can predict athletic greatness at 6 or 8, but they certainly had a lot going for them."
   Serena, who turns 30 in September, will return to her home state (although she was born in Saginaw, Mich.) tonight to make her first appearance in the Sacramento area. Venus played for the now-defunct Delaware Smash against the Capitals at the same site in 2005.

   After Serena won Wimbledon last year, Sports Illustrated proclaimed her the greatest female player ever. Even though she ranks sixth with 13 Grand Slam singles titles, SI argued that:
   --Serena plays in a far more competitive era than Margaret Smith Court (24), Steffi Graf (22), Helen Wills Moody (19), Chris Evert (18) and Martina Navratilova (18).
   --The serve is the most important shot in tennis, and everyone from Navratilova to former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport agrees that Serena's is the best in history.
   Tennis journalist and historian Bud Collins is unwilling to anoint Serena as the best ever, saying it's impossible to compare players of different eras. But in an exclusive interview at the BNP Paribas Cup in Indian Wells, Calif., in March, the 82-year-old International Tennis Hall of Famer called the Williams sisters "the two most remarkable players in history. I don't think there's any doubt about that.
   "They came from a difficult background, they didn't play junior tennis, they said what they were going to do (become the top two players in the world), and they did it. There's never been anyone like them."
   Serena, though, endured a nightmarish 11 months following her fourth Wimbledon singles title last year. She underwent two operations on her foot after stepping on broken glass at a restaurant in Munich and was hospitalized in February with life-threatening blood clots in both of her lungs. 
   Serena returned to the tour last month, reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in the second tournament of her comeback. Normally stoic, she cried after her first-round victory over Aravane Rezai of France.
   "It was so emotional for me," Serena said afterward, "because I've been through a lot of things throughout the last 12 months that aren't normal, things you guys don't even know about. It's just been a long, arduous road. To stand up still is pretty awesome."
   On Thursday, Serena helped Washington beat the visiting Boston Lobsters in her first sanctioned match in the United States in almost two years. First lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia attended the match.    
   Now it's on to Sacramento to face her old friend, Wayne Bryan.