Neues » ring at any time and be eligible

NEW YORK -- Lindsay Davenport was in the middle of another major life milestone when she found out she had been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The three-time Grand Slam champion got the call when she was in a hospital about to give birth to her fourth child in early January. With daughter Haven nearly 2 months old now, Davenport can start to reflect on the honour. "Growing up playing tennis, getting to the Hall of Fame was never even in my dreams," she said on a conference call on Monday after the class of 2014 was announced. "It seemed a little bit too big for me." The 37-year-old Davenport is thrilled that at the enshrinement ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island, on July 12, her 6-year-old son Jagger will get to learn about the sports history. He plays tennis, too. Davenport will be joined by five-time Paralympic medallist Chantal Vandierendonck of the Netherlands in the recent player category, coach Nick Bollettieri, executive Jane Brown Grimes and British broadcaster John Barrett in the contributor category. Davenport won the 1998 U.S. Open, 1999 Wimbledon, 2000 Australian Open and 1996 Olympic gold medal to go with three major doubles titles. The American held the world No. 1 ranking for 98 weeks in her career. That first major championship, at her home Grand Slam event, always will be special. "For any player who has ever played with insecurity, not sure where theyre supposed to be, how good they are, that really was a huge moment, not just in my career but for me personally," Davenport said. Bollettieri, now 82, has coached 10 players to the No. 1 ranking, including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles and Boris Becker. In 1978, he founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, the first full-time tennis boarding school. At a news conference in New York, Bollettieri acknowledged this was one of the few times in his life he felt at a loss for words. "To be standing aside some of the players Ive helped achieve what they are," he said, "is a dream that even Nick Bollettieri cant comprehend." Vandierendonck was a top Dutch player before she was injured in a car accident in 1983 and went on to become a pioneer in wheelchair tennis. Brown Grimes is a former managing director of the Womens Professional Tennis Council, now known as the WTA Tour Board; president of the U.S. Tennis Association; and president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Barrett was the "Voice of Wimbledon" on the BBC from 1971-06. His wife, former top-ranked player Angela Mortimer Barrett, was inducted into the Hall in 1993. Agassi and Steffi Graf are the only other married couple in the Hall. Davenport wishes shed done a better job during her career of following Billie Jean Kings advice to "enjoy the process." 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Wholesale Shoes Black Friday . The same for both the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers.FRANKFURT - Vitali Klitschko is leaving boxing to concentrate on Ukrainian politics and his role as an opposition leader, and that should give Canadian Bermane Stiverne a shot at becoming a world heavyweight champion. Klitschko vacated his WBC heavyweight title on Monday and said he doesnt expect to fight again as he pursues a presidential bid in his home country, where citizens have been protesting for weeks in Kyiv over President Viktor Yanukovychs decision to shun closer ties with the European Union and push his country toward Russia. The World Boxing Council proclaimed Klitschko a "Champion Emeritus," a move that would allow him to challenge the new champion directly should he wish to resume his career. "This offer makes it theoretically possible to return to the ring, which I cannot imagine at all happening as things stand now," Klitschko said in a statement. "I am now concentrating on the politics in Ukraine, I feel people need me there." Stiverne (23-1-1), a Haitian-born Montrealer based in Las Vegas, is the WBCs top-ranked contender and has been waiting for Klitschko to make a decision on his future. It is expected that Stiverne will face No. 2-ranked American Chris Arreola for the title. On April 27, Stiverne scored a convincing unanimous decision over Arreola in Ontario, Calif. to win the WBC Silver belt, an unofficial interim title. Stivernes Montreal-based manager Camille Estaphan hopes to meet with WBC officials Tuesday in Los Angeles to confirm a title bout between his fighter and Arreola, which he hopes will take place in March or April. Estaphan said Klitschkos retirement may also help Stiverne financially. "If we had fought Klitschko, the champion would get 70 per cent of the purse, while now, that will be in our favour," said Estaphan. "Were hoping theres a little present under the tree for us just before Christmas.dddddddddddd" Klitschko is a lawmaker and chairman of the opposition party Udar (Punch) and intends to run for president in 2015. Klitschko has taken an active part in the rallies, urging his countrymen to continue their fight to turn the ex-Soviet republic into a genuine Western democracy. "This is not a revolution. It is a peaceful protest that demands justice," Klitschko told The Associated Press in an interview earlier this month. "The people are not defending political interests. They are defending the idea of living in a civilized country." The 42-year-old Klitschko has a 45-2 record, with 41 KOs. His younger brother Wladimir holds the other significant heavyweight belts. "My brother Wladimir will be responsible for further sporting successes," the older Klitschko said Monday. Vitali has not fought since September 2012, when he made the 10th defence of his belt with a fourth-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Manuel Charr. "With the current extreme and delicate political situation in Ukraine, Vitali has answered his countrys call to fight for human rights and equality. Accordingly, Vitali will not be able to provide the WBC with a predictable time-frame to return to the ring," the WBC said. "In other words, under his new distinction (Champion Emeritus), Klitschko will, in essence, retire with the option of being able to return to the ring at any time and be eligible to fight for the title against the reigning belt holder." The WBC said it will soon determine the top two fighters to participate in an eliminator bout that will yield the successor to Klitschkos vacant title. ___ With files from Canadian Press reporter Marc Tougas in Montreal and AP writer Maria Danilova in Kyiv. ' ' '