In an emotional announcement, Amélie Mauresmo has retired from competitive tennis. Ms Mauresmo indicated that the demands of professional tennis were arduous:

“… “I don’t want to train anymore,” Mauresmo said in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, after shedding tears about the decision. “I had to make a decision, which became evident in the last few months and weeks. When you grew older, it’s more difficult to stay at the top.”

link to the article from The Associated Press

additional link:  Mauresmo bows out after rising above jibes

[Photo by Corinne Dubreuil/Cameleon/ABACAPRESS.COM Photo via Newscom]

After the turmoil of steroid use during a track and field career, Marion Jones is considering a comeback. She is considering a return to competition as a basketball player:

“The former track star Marion Jones was released from federal prison about 15 months ago, but her comeback officially began Monday at the Antioch Community Center when the she announced her intentions to return to competitive athletics. The 34 year old former world class sprinter and mother to three young children looks to be in great shape, something she credits, in part, to her time in prison. But this time, she isn’t returning to the track. She is aiming to sign on with an WNBA team.”

link to the article by William C. Rhoden for The New York Times

[Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images]

The verbal outburst by Serena Williams at the 2009 U.S. Open may be settled finally. She will be fined:

“Serena Williams was fined a record $82,500 for her U.S. Open tirade and could be suspended from that tournament if she has another “major offense” at any Grand Slam in the next two years.

Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock’s ruling was released Monday, and he said Williams faces a “probationary period” at tennis’ four major championships in 2010 and 2011. If she has another “major offense” at a Grand Slam tournament in that time, the fine would increase to $175,000 and she would be barred from the following U.S. Open.”

link to the article by Howard Fendrich

[Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images]

It was a serious knee injury for Leanne Smith. She has recovered to the point where she is back on the slopes and back on the World Cup circuit:

“US Ski Team member Leanne Smith is rebounding from the torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee suffered in last January’s Cortina downhill and will get her first World Cup start since the injury in Saturday’s Aspen giant slalom.

“I’m feeling really good and was really lucky that even though it was a serious injury I had the resources to get back together,” she said.”

link to the article by Marty Basch for The Boston Globe

[Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]

Lauren Jackson will not be playing in Russia. She has changed her plans after the recent murder of the Spartak Moscow owner:

“… In the wake of the assassination of team owner Shabtai von Kalmanovich, Jackson announced Tuesday that she would not return to Spartak Moscow, opting out of a two-year contract. Jackson teamed with Sue Bird and Diani (sic) Taurasi to win the Russian A Super-league with Spartak in 2007 and 2008.

Jackson will instead finish the season with the Canberra Capitals of the Australian Women’s Basketball League…”

link to the article for the Seattle PI

[Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images]

This is Jordan Hasay’s freshman year at the University of Oregon. Many track and field fans are watching to see how she makes the transition to stronger competition at the collegiate level. She is doing very well:

“… Hasay, an Arroyo Grande native, ran the 6K women’s race in 20 minutes, 23.1 seconds, earning All-America honors by posting the Ducks’ best time and leading Oregon to a ninth-place team finish with 276 points at the event hosted by Indiana State.

“When I first finished, I was pretty disappointed,” Hasay said. “My goal was to get in the top 10 as an individual, and obviously, I wanted to do much better. It wasn’t my best day, but I hung in there the best I could, and to finish 18th in my first race (in Terre Haute), I’ll take it.”

link: Jordan Hasay earns All-America status for Oregon

Congratulation to Jordan Hasay. It is a stellar freshman year.

Catherine Forsythe

[Photo via Newscom]

In a longitudinal study of exercise results for men and women, the men have a decided advantage when it comes to stroke risk:

“Moderate-to-high intensity exercise such as jogging, swimming or tennis may help reduce stroke risk in older men but not in women, researchers report.

The study included almost 3,300 men and women, average age 69, in Manhattan who were followed for about nine years. During that time, there were 238 strokes among the participants. At the start of the study, 20 percent of the participants said they did regular moderate-to-high intensity exercise, while 41 percent said they did no physical activity.”

link to the article in U.S. News & World Report

Rain shortened the LPGA Tour Championship to three rounds. In the final round, Anna Nordqvist shot a seven-under sixty five to claim the win and two hundred twenty five thousand dollars ($225,000):

“… Nordqvist, meanwhile, earned her second career victory and made it through the season without missing a cut in 15 starts. She also won the LPGA Championship this year.

Shin and Nordqvist played in the day’s final group, right behind Ochoa. The Houstonian Golf and Country Club was still soggy after more than an inch of weekend rain and players were allowed to lift, clean and place their balls.”

link: Nordqvist wins LPGA Tour Championship

And congratulations to Lorena Ochoa for winning the Player of the Year award.

Catherine Forsythe

[Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images]

Anna Meares has dominated at the Melbourne World Cup of cycling. Against elite cyclists, Anna Meares clearly demonstrated she has recovered from her previous injuries:

“Track cycling star Anna Meares won her third gold medal at the Melbourne World Cup with the same move that nearly killed her.

Caught out of position, Meares launched a scorching charge from the rear of the field with two laps left in Saturday night’s keirin final.

No-one could follow her and she stayed clear for an outstanding win.”

link to the article by Roger Vaughan for the Sydney Morning Herald

[Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images]

It is wet in Richmond, Texas. Rain and a wet golf courses has forced the LPGA Tour Championship to switch to a fifty four hole event:

“… The tournament now is scheduled for a Monday finish, and the tour’s season-ending event has been shortened to 54 holes.

“Rather than forcing people’s hands and probably forcing them to stay on Tuesday to finish, we felt it was in the best interest of this event and for our players and everyone concerned to now shorten this event to 54 holes,” Doug Brecht, the LPGA’s vice president of rules and competition, said.”

link to the article by Jerome Solomon for the Houston Chronicle