Passing Shots

• Raonic wins Chennai in a tiebreaker fest. 
• Ana thinks that everyone has a chance to win in Melbourne. 
• You might have you eye on the wrong thing Caro. 
• How will Scotland benefit from the Olympics?
• Possible Denver 2022 Winter Olympics bid has a very large price tag. 

Passing Shots

Laura Robson wants you to watch the Australian Open qualifying tournament starts Jan. 10. 

• Federer gives Tsonga a walk-over in the semifinals of Doha with a back issue. Monfils upsets Nadal for a spot in the final as well. 
• Clijsters retires from her semifinal in Brisbane with a hip injury against Hantuchova. While Kanepi continues her solid run upsetting Schiavone for a spot in the final.  
• Pennetta and Zheng are to meet in the Auckland final. Flavia will also be in the doubles final with Julia Goerges. 
• More ticket sale issues for London organizers. Ticket resale had to be suspended today. 
• The Roland Garros facebook wants you to play Guess Who. 

Passing Shots

• Sycronized Swimming tickets were double sold for  London. Yikes. 
• The number one British Elena Baltatcha women does not think that tennis at the Olympics will suffer because of its close proximity in the calendar to Wimbledon. Neither do I even the Wimbledon Finalists will have two entire weeks in between events. 
• Andy Murray did it the hard way again defeating Gilles Muller in 3 sets. 
• Serena won her match. But as she was serving for the match she sprained her ankle and had to withdrawal from the tournament. Hope she heals up and is ready to go in Melbourne. 
• Seeds fall in Auckland but top-seed Lisicki advances to the Quarterfinals.
• A torch used in the 1996 Atlanta Games was stolen the sold to a pawn shop. 

Passing Shots

Maria Sharapova and her lime shoe laces get first dips at Rod Laver Arena

• Serena's comments about how she doesn't love tennis made Sports Center today. Brad Gilbert gives his opinion on it. 
• Andy Murray opened his season in dramatic fashion with a come from behind 3-set victory in Brisbane. 
• Judy Murray names her first Fed Cup team for Great Britan. Which will be Elena Baltacha ,Anne Keothavong, Heather Watson and Laura Robson. The tie is in February in Israel. 
• The Spanish team of Fernando Verdasco and Anabel Medina Garrigues is one win away from the Hopman Cup Final. 
• Check out the ITF's Olympic Tennis page. 
• The International Olympic Committee Olympic Athlete Hub. Every Olympic Athlete ever. 
• Serena dropping a perspective bomb on twitter.
• How Sabine Lisicki's comeback is still ongoing. 
• Fed & his zit, Rafa and Tsonga all advanced to the second round in Doha. 

Passing Shots

• Sabine Lisicki, Flavia Panetta and other advance in Auckland. 
• Rafa is working hard but apparently unprepared in the adjustment to his new racket specifications. 
• Serena claims she "never actually liked sports" and prefers shopping. 
• When pop culture and the Olympic meet. The stand for Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy who was a Olympic Fencer died. 
• Record attendance at the Brisbane International. 
• Schedule of games for US Women's National Soccer team Olympic qualifying tournament. 

Passing Shots: Video Edition

Happy Olympic Year Everyone!

Serena is ready to start the year in Brisbane

• Rafa and Roger play tennis on a candle lined court in Doha to launch the ATP season. No burns were reported. 
• A study shows that Olympic performance and National Pride are linked. Interesting although not surprising. 

Sam Stosur leaves Lacoste for Asics. 

• Kim Clijsters wins her first match of the year. 
• Verses becomes NBC Sports Network. Expecting lots of awesome Olympic lead up on this channel starting with the US Women's National Soccer teams attempt to qualify for London. 

• A look back at 2011 in the world of gymnastics. 
• After an amazing 2011 Ryan Lochte say 2012 is his year. 

Passing Shots

Andy rides down the Brisbane River.

• Beating the reigning all around World Champion, becoming National Champion then becoming all around World Champion. This year Jordyn Weiber lived up to every expectation placed on her. Can she do it again in London? 
• A trip down memory lane to Roland Garros. 
• Will they have matching Argyle Tracksuits? If not I will be disappointed. 
• What happened in Abu Dhabi. 
• TV Schedules for ATP in Doha, Brisbane and Chennai.
• Brisbane was not kind to the home town girl. Serena, Kim and Ana are all in Sam's half.
• Auckland OOP
• Brisbane OOP
• Rafa changes his racket specifications. 

Passing Shots

Sam speaks to the media

• Aly Raisman hopes to keep living the dream to London. 
• Stosur hopes she can handle the pressure at home. 
• In Abu Dhabi, Roger Federer was wearing his watch. He lost to Djokvic today and will play Nadal who lost to Ferrer in the third and fourth place match. 
• Sharapova and her scarf are off to Oz! 
• I love stories like this: I was at London Olympics in 1948 - I can't wait to see them in 2012
• United States Olympic Committee's Best of 2011 featuring the Bryan Brothers, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, Jordyn Wieber and more.

Passing Shots

Pasty Petko Preps for Brisbane.

• Top 20 Gifs of 2011- 20,19,3,2,1 are my favorites
• Rafa says he is going to take February to rest. The BBC and other media freak out. Even though he first said this at the World Tour Finals. 
• OMG more freaking about about Febuary. Rafa is not going to play Dubai. But I didn't think he was ever going to play it so, moving on. 
• Brisbane Qualifying Draw including- Ash Barty (2011 Jr.Wimbledon Champ playing her first pro match) , Vania King, Sloane Stevens
• Murray is in Brisbane with his groin intact. 

Passing Shots

These are the articles I read out of my reader that I would like to share.

• Petko thinks that Serena is the one to beat in Brisbane.
• Alex Corretja adds pretty to the Davis Cup bench as the new Captain. He also thinks he can convince Rafa & Ferru help out even though they said otherwise.
• Heather Watson sprains ankle will miss Auckland.
• Rafa leaving for Abu Dhabi.
• Hopman Cup schedule (Please don't get hurt Petra)
• Abu Dhabi Schedule (Please don't get hurt Rafa)