Tennis News

Rafael Nadal is set to play his first competitive match on grass since winning the 2008 Wimbledon title at the Queen's Club tournament in June.

Tim Henman rules himself out of taking over as Great Britain's Davis Cup captain, saying "it doesn't feel like the right time".

First round: Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) beat Anne Keothavong (Britain) 2-6 6-3 6-1; Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland) 7-6(4) 6-7(5) 6-1; Polona Hercog (Slovenia) beat Ioana Raluca Olaru (Romania) 7-5 6-4; Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) beat Edina Gallovits (Romania) 6-2 6

First round: Elena Baltacha (Britain) beat Alexa Glatch (US) 6-3 6-7(3) 6-4; Kimiko Date Krumm (Japan) beat Melinda Czink (Hungary) 6-2 6-2; Vania King (US) beat Christina McHale (US) 7-5 6-3; Virginie Razzano (France) beat Kristina Barrois (Germany) 6-3 6-4

Former No. 1 Justin Henin beat Magdalena Rybarikova 6-2, 6-2, in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday.

LONDON (AP)—Kim Clijsters and Caroline Wozniacki will begin their grass-court seasons at Eastbourne.

Clijsters celebrated her return to professional tennis following a two-year layoff with victory at the 2009 U.S. Open, where the 26-year-old Belgian beat Wozniacki in the final.

Clijsters, who won the title at Eastbourne in 2005, said the tournament would provide her with solid preparation for Wimbledon.

The fourth-ranked Wozniacki won her first grass-court title in Eastbourne last year. The 19-year-old Dane said she's looking forward to defending her title at Devonshire Park.

The event begins June 12.

First round: Sorana Cirstea (Romania) beat Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-7(1) 6-3 6-4; Justine Henin (Belgium) beat Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) 6-2 6-2

First round: Vera Dushevina (Russia) beat Jelena Dokic (Australia) 6-0 6-3; Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat Tathiana Garbin (Italy) 6-1 6-2; Olga Govortsova (Belarus) beat Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 6-0 4-6 7-6(8); Alicia Molik (Australia) beat Tatjana Malek (Germany) 6-1 6-3

LONDON (AP)—Rafael Nadal will return to Queen's this year after he was unable to defend his title at the grass-court tournament in 2009.

In 2008, Nadal was the first man to win at the French Open, Queen's Club and Wimbledon in the same year, but his persistent knee problems prevented him from defending his titles on grass at Queen's and Wimbledon last year.

He says there is now more motivation for him this year because he could not defend those titles. Nadal also says not being able to play at Wimbledon in 2009 was one of the toughest decisions of his career.

U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has also announced his intention to play in June at Queen's, the traditional men's warm-up event ahead of Wimbledon.

After trying out the role in Zagreb last month, Goran Ivanisevic will continue to coach Marin Cilic at selected events this spring.

Former Wimbledon champ Ivanisevic spotted Cilic as a teenager and sent him to train at former coach Bob Brett's academy in San Remo, Italy.

"Bob is still his coach but in Miami and Madrid I am going to be his replacement while he is not there," Ivanisevic told the ATP Champions Tour. "I will be like a mentor to Marin.

R Schuettler (GER) d A Bogomolov Jr. (USA) 6-4 6-3; D Kindlmann (GER) d I Klec (SVK) 76(4) 6-1; G Lapentti (ECU) d S Gonzalez (MEX) 75 75; J Witten (USA) d [WC] B Battistone (USA) 3-6 6-2 6-4

R Sweeting (USA) d R de Voest (RSA) 6-4 6-2; V Millot (FRA) d C Ball (AUS) 6-4 6-3; R Mello (BRA) d D Norman (BEL) 6-3 6-1; L Cook (USA) d M Yani (USA) 6-3 6-4

B Reynolds (USA) d D Istomin (UZB) 6-4 3-1ret.; N Lindahl (AUS) d R Kendrick (USA) 2-6 6-4 6-4; T Alves (BRA) d [WC] V Spadea (USA) 6-1 6-7(4) 6-0; B Phau (GER) d [WC] J de Armas (VEN) 6-2 76(4)

A Amanmuradova (UZB) d P Mayr (AUT) 6-2 6-0; T Tanasugarn (THA) vs N Llagostera Vives (ESP); E Gallovits (ROU) d P Parmentier (FRA) 6-3 6-1; T Pironkova (BUL) d A Morita (JPN) 6-0 6-1