Safina contradicts retirement talk

Former World No. 1, Dinara Safina of Russia, says she has not made a final decision on her tennis future, contradicting her brother’s announcement that she had retired.

Safina told her followers on Twitter that she hasn’t made any official announcement and asks her fans to please give her some time and she’ll let everyone know.

Her brother, Marat Safin, said earlier that his younger sister had decided to quit the sport at 25 years old because of chronic back pain.

Safina has been on an indefinite break from tennis since May after two years of back problems.

Clijsters works through rehab, plans for 2012 season

Australian Open defending champion, Kim Clijsters, is planning to try to defend her title in Melbourne in 2012.

Clijsters has not played much since winning her first Australian Open title last January. She has been hampered by foot, shoulder and abdominal injuries. She dropped out of the top 10 this week, marking the first time since May 2007 that Clijsters, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams were not in the top 10.

Clijsters is back on the practice courts preparing to play in an exhibition in Belgium in December, trying to get on track for the 2012 season. Clijsters wrote in her blog on Tuesday:

Dinara Safina’s career appears to be over

Former World No. 1, Dinara Safina of Russia, appears to be calling it quits for her tennis career, according to her older brother, Marat Safin.

“Dinara was injured two years ago, in Beijing, remember?” Safin was quoted by Russian Eurosport as saying at a press conference in Beijing, where he was promoting a match against Pete Sampras. “She left, but never recovered completely. She tried to return, but only aggravated the crisis. Now she needs to keep her back to be able to walk normally and live a normal life. [Her back] will continue to be treated, but she will play no more…She will make an official statement herself, but as her brother, I believe that there is no chance of return.”

Former No. 1 Safina calls it quits for the year

Dinara Safina of Russia, former World No. 1, has called it quits for the year because of chronic back pain.

“I’m sorry to report that my back is still acting up and I will not be able to play until at least the end of the year,” she said on her official website (www.dinarasafina.com).

The 25-year-old, who has not played since early May, will miss her third successive grand slam tournament – the US Open – after also pulling out of the French Open and Wimbledon.

Davenport pregnant, will miss World Team Tennis

Lindsay Davenport of the USA is pregnant with her third child and will not play in the World Team Tennis Pro League this summer.

Lindsay plays for the St. Louis Aces, and was scheduled to play her first match Tuesday, July 5 in Newport Beach, but was placed under travel and activity restrictions by her doctor. She was to be replaced by Aces teammate Maria Sanchez.

Lindsay gave birth to a boy, Jagger Jonathan, on June 10, 2007, and then she gave birth to a girl, Lauren Andrus, on June 27, 2009.

Patty Schnyder retires from tennis

Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder is calling it quits after a 17-year career which started in 2003 and brought her 11 titles and 59 Grand Slam appearances.

The 32-year-old, currently ranked No. 55, made her first majors appearance at Roland Garros in 1996, and appropriately chose her 16th successive French Open to announce her retirement decision.

“It’s time to close this chapter of my tennis career. It’s very emotional,” said a tearful Schnyder at a news conference. “I had always wanted to win a Grand Slam title, but that will have to remain a dream.”

Serena Williams has emergency treatment for blood clot in lungs

Serena Williams received emergency treatment for a blood clot in her longs on Monday at a Los Angeles hospital, then returned to her home in the city.

Nicole Chabot, a spokeswoman for Williams, said that the tennis star “underwent emergency treatment for a hematoma suffered as a result of treatment for a more critical situation.”

This latest medical scare comes roughly a week after Williams suffered a pulmonary embolism, which was discovered while she was in Los Angeles.

Serena Williams withdraws again, announces a new start-up date

Serena Williams is at it again, and it is getting old. She withdrew last week from the Nike Clash of Champions exhibition March 8 in Eugene, Ore. It was going to be the first time she had played publicly since July. She has been out with a still mysterious foot injury for which she has given varying explanations.

Justine Henin disputes doping rumors

Justine Henin has recently announced her retirement, and is now challenging doping rumors.

In a farewell press conference, the newly-retired former World No. 1 from Belgium rued her bad luck and confronted those who spread rumors of her allegedly doping.

Henin, Clijsters might play doubles together at the 2012 London Olympics

Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters are exploring the possibility of playing doubles together at the 2012 London Olympics.

The two comeback kids from Belgium said at a press conference on Thursday that they are open to the idea but need to overcome scheduling difficulties. Both reached the No. 1 ranking before retiring and making comebacks. Clijsters is currently ranked No. 3, while Henin has dropped to No. 12 due to being sidelined with an injury the last part of last season.

They teamed up once before, losing in doubles to Russia in the 2006 Fed Cup quarterfinals.