TENNIS in DEPTH.

National selectors have opted for a blend of youth and experience for the upcoming Asia Oceania Zone Group One Davis Cup by BNP Paribas tie against Chinese Taipei at Melbourne Park from March 5 to 7.

Experienced campaigner Peter Luczak has been named alongside 17-year-old Bernard Tomic, Davis Cup regular Carsten Ball and doubles specialist Paul Hanley.

In making his debut Tomic becomes the youngest Australian to be named in the four-man Australian team.

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Top seed Tommy Haas suffered a surprise opening-round defeat to unheralded Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships.

The German veteran suffered his third consecutive first-round exit in Florida as he succumbed 7-6 (7/3) 7-5 to the world number 104.

Last year’s runner-up Evgeny Korolev recovered from a mid-match slump to overcome Nicolas Lapentti 6-2 1-6 6-1.

Korolev, the fifth seed, won just six points on serve in the second set but fought back strongly to ensure his progress with an impressive third set.

Floridian Wayne Odesnik secured a 6-3 6-2 win over Rajeev Ram despite twisting his ankle early in their match.

Odesnik suffered the injury at 3-1 ahead in the opening set although it did not prevent him moving through.

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Former world number one Ana Ivanovic has hired Steffi Graf’s old coach Heinz Gunthardt.

The Serbian reached the top of the rankings after winning the French Open in 2008 but has struggled since then and is currently down at 23rd in the world.

The pair’s first event together will be the BNP Paribas Showdown exhibition in New York next week, where Ivanovic has replaced injured world number one Serena Williams and will face US Open champion Kim Clijsters.

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For the past 12 years, the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ITC) has seen many stars come through its pearly, white gates at the Delray Beach Stadium and Tennis Center. In 2010, the event is going to amp it up even more, hosting the world’s first nine-day ‘Super Event’ featured tennis champions past and present—exploding into a combined professional men’s ATP World Tour and ATP Champions Tour event, and running simultaneously over the course of February 20-28, 2010.

And yet, even tennis’ most-revered legends could not charmingly court the ITC grounds like its charismatic promotional team—the VolleyGirls. The ITC’s VolleyGirls are the ambassadors and spokespersons of the event—the iconic figurines of the ITC both on-site at the tournament’s sponsors’ private parties, PR engagements with players on-air in TV and radio, as well as appearances in the Delray Beach community and Palm Beach County. The VolleyGirls must be at least 21 years of age, sporty, electric, engaging and charming. The ‘Girls’ colorfully diverse backgrounds appropriately adorn the International Tennis Championships, as some past and current ‘Girls’ hail from Colombia, Brazil, Morocco, Germany, Romania, Yugoslavia, and are home to South Florida’s playgrounds in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

“When we started the VolleyGirl campaign in 2007, we thought it would be popular, but never realized the extent to which these girls became the iconic figures of the event they did,” said John Butler, Executive Director of the Delray Beach ITC. “Now they’ve received national recognition, endorsement deals with incredible fashion boutiques and make-up lines…It’s all just exploded in such a fantastic way. They’ve become an ideal representation of the event.”

I wonder if any of these girls is named Pamela? Maybe they should all abide by the drug testing rules just as the players are required to do! Fortuneately Richard G. is not entered!

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“Tiger is a good friend of mine,” tennis No 1 Federer said.

 ”What’s happened to him has been hard to watch over the last three months right down to when he made his apology. I am sure he’s headed in a better direction now. The worst has passed.

“I hope that he can also work things out with his wife Elin because they are very nice people – obviously for the sake of their kids as well.”

Federer has not spoken to Woods since the November car crash which preceded the revelations about his private life, but insists they remain friends.

“I have supported him, but I haven’t had any contact with him,” added the Swiss, who was forced to withdraw from this week’s Dubai Tennis Championship due to a lung infection.

“He has been where he knows he has been (in therapy) but my support does not change. I wish him the best.

“It’s been hard to watch from far away but I would love to see him back on the golf course. It is what he does best.”

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By the time the first Masters 1000 event of the year rolls around, the ATP will have formalised the full extent of the 5½-year deal with Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s foremost beer manufacturer, which has won the right to replace Mercedes-Benz as the lead sponsor. Unlike Sony Ericsson, whose $80 million (about £52 million) package with the WTA expires at the end of the year, Corona Extra will not be the tour’s title sponsor, but will become its most visible brand — on nets and stadium backdrops.

And so, what of an alcoholic beverage becoming the main partner of such a high-profile sport? Adam Helfant, the ATP’s chairman and president, said last night: “Beers have been associated with different sports before. This is nothing new, and we are happy that it is a great fit both for the company and the tour. Corona’s motto is ‘relax responsibly’ and we are very pleased with the nature of our conversations with their representatives. They will bring an exciting new creativity and marketing experience to the game.”

Helfant, who expects to make further announcements within weeks on additional sponsorship deals, confirmed that attendances at tour level in 2009 topped 4.4 million, a 7 per cent increase over the previous year, and that 14 tournaments set crowd records.

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Second seed Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain claimed his second ATP Tour title in as many weeks on Sunday by beating top-seeded compatriot David Ferrer in the final of the ATP Copa Telmex in Buenos Aires.

Ferrero, who also triumphed at the Brasil Open last weekend, battled from a set down to overcome Ferrer 5-7 6-4 6-3 in a match which lasted more than two and a half hours.

The 30-year-old’s victory made him the third Spaniard to claim the Copa Telmex crown since the tournament started in 2001, following Carlos Moya (2003 and 2006) and Tommy Robredo (2009).

Ferrero was thrilled to have clinched his 14th ATP title so soon after the 13th.

“I feel unbelievable after winning two weeks in a row,” he said. “It is a great feeling.

“I think the key to my current success is the physical work I have done. I have been working very hard and I know that I can be on the court forever. That helps my game a lot because I get to the ball much early and can be more aggressive.

“This also helps me mentally. I feel very strong and know that I have more resources now when playing important points.”

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