Mesh Tennis

In Beijing, China opened up a 2-0 lead over a weakened France side to put themselves just one rubber away from a first ever appearance in the semi-finals.

China need only to win one more match from the two reverse singles and the doubles on Sunday to clinch a place in the last four against Spain or Italy as they look for a morale-boosting victory on home soil ahead of the Olympics.

China’s number one Li Na beat 18-year-old Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-1 in the first rubber before number two Peng Shuai then ran out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Virginie Razzano.

Li who is back from a rib injury that sidelined her for most of last year, said she was nervous at the start against Cornet, who is making her Fed Cup debut.

“I made mistakes at the start but after that it was pretty comfortable,” she said. She predicts it could also be comfortable for China on Sunday.

“I think China has the best chance ever to get into the last four. Against France, you can’t take anything for granted. But Sunday could be our big day.”

France came into the match without their top three - Amelie Mauresmo, Marion Bartoli and Tatiana Golovin - but captain Georges Goven said that all was not lost.

“We can still win three out of three games,” he said. “I am not saying it is easy, but it is not impossible.” AFP

Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova beat Israel’s Tzipi Obziler, making up for a poor start from her team in their Fed Cup first round match with Israel Saturday.

Shahar Peer beat Dinara Safina 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 earlier in the day, giving Israel a lead.

Sharapova, beat Obziler, ranked 85 in the world, 6-0, 6-4, drawing the overall standings at one all.

The Russian told Reuters, even though the crowd was against her it was something she reveled in.

“I love it… it actually gives me energy, as an athlete this is what I play for and it drives me to do better,” she said. RIA

American Serena Williams has pulled out of the Paris Open women’s tennis tournament starting on Monday because she needs dental surgery, organizers said on Friday.

The former world number one, who won the event in 2003, will be replaced as the second seed in the draw by Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova. Washington Post

One-time world number nine Swede Joachim Johansson has packed in his career after a long struggle with shoulder problems. The 25-year old told Stockholm media that he still could not make progress after three surgeries and three or more years of dealing with the career-threatening problem.

“It will be too difficult to reach my goals when I have to rest every now and then, and this makes it impossible to continue”, the player nicknamed Pim-Pim said.

“There is no other except quitting. During the last month, I underwent many examinations. Doctors say that even another operation will not help me.” Earthtimes

Serena Williams has withdrawn from next week’s WTA Tour Paris Indoor event, saying she will undergo surgery but would not specify the injury.

Williams lost to Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open complaining of a hindrance that she would not identify. Williams looked to be bothered by a knee injury, and she has previously undergone knee surgery. Play Tennis

So it’s a show…she doesn’t want to star in?

AUSTRALIAN Open queen Maria Sharapova has looks made for Hollywood - now the glamorous starlet wants to create a US television drama based around life on the professional tennis circuit.

Forget Mark Philippoussis’s tacky foray into reality television, Sharapova’s dream revolves around a tell-all insight into the cut-throat world of tennis stardom.

The Sunday Telegraph understands that Sharapova’s agent Max Eisenbud wants to hold preliminary discussions with major US networks.

But the IMG Tennis vice-president was swift to try to water down the potential blockbuster yesterday, citing the current US writers strike as an obstacle.

“Way too early, TV strike, email me in a few months,'’ Eisenbud said.

Celebrity agent Max Markson and Australian television powerbrokers Brian Walsh and Steve Crawley all suggested Sharapova’s star power alone would make the show an instant hit.

Never one to shy away from centre stage, Sharapova’s concept is understood to mirror the hit cable TV show Entourage.

Starring Adrian Grenier, Entourage is a comical insight into the fast-lane lifestyle of Hollywood’s A-list produced by actor Mark Wahlberg.

The concept behind the show involves Wahlberg drawing on his numerous entertaining experiences behind-the-scenes in the volatile playground of Hollywood’s rich and famous.

Under Sharapova’s vision, the Australian Open tennis champion would be involved in penning and producing the show but would refrain from starring in it.

“It’s got legs that are better than Maria Sharapova’s,'’ Markson said.

“It’s an exciting concept. The same as people want to see what’s happening behind the scenes in Hollywood, people would love to see what’s going on behind the scenes in sport.

“The opportunity to do a show like that for tennis are limitless. It could be screened all around the world.

“It just sounds like fantastic fun.'’

Potential episodes could cover a variety of topics including crazy parents, behind-the-scenes cat fights, lavish international lifestyles and A-list parties.

Foxtel executive director of television Walsh described the potential project as tailor made for pay television.

“If it was a project that came to fruition Foxtel would be ideally placed to acquire it given the expansive range of general entertainment channels we have,'’ Walsh said.

“From the sounds of things, it would make great viewing and it’s certainly the type of project that we would be very interested in.'’

But Channel Nine head of sport Steve Crawley warned Sharapova the world of television production is no easy caper.

“Maria Sharapova’s a ratings success so if the production team’s a success, she’s a star,'’ Crawley said.

“But she’s a tennis player. I think the idea’s good and she’s a star, but you do what you do best and she doesn’t understand television.

“If she wanted to work behind the scenes I don’t understand that.'’ Daily Telegraph