David Ferrer has made a career, not to mention a lot of money, out of his fighting qualities.

Ball girl Beatrice Smit took a 231km/h serve from John Isner in the shoulder yesterday, but the American star says "she was as tough as nails - she didn't flinch".

She may be a full-fledged Wag, but Madison McKinley wasn't there to make the courtside look pretty.

Marinko Matosevic cautiously admits playing Sergiy Stakhovsky today for a place in the Sydney International semifinals is far more appealing than facing the great Roger Federer.

Mark down day three of the Heineken Open as the day of the US onslaught.

If ball kids were paid, they might get danger money when John Isner is playing.

Agnieszka Radwanska insists she can still contend for Australian Open honours despite carrying a worrying shoulder injury.

Maybe it's the beer, the bagels or the baseball but it's fair to say John Isner likes the comforts of home.

Lleyton Hewitt has pulled out of the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, saying the toll on his ageing body could have spoiled his Australian Open bid.

Rubin Statham was ousted from the Heineken Open today by Lukas Lacko in 69 minutes, leaving the singles draw shorn of any Kiwis midway through the first round.

Watching tennis from their own apartment with a never-ending beer supply, a 24-hour concierge and six of their closest friends wasn't a bad way to ease in.

The parlous state of New Zealand tennis was laid bare on the opening day of the Heineken Open, with all three Kiwi hopes outclassed in the qualifying rounds.

Professional sport is becoming an increasingly younger athlete's business but it doesn't seem to be the case in tennis.

There is probably as much chance of a home-grown male singles champion at the Australian Open as there is of Lleyton Hewitt arriving at Melbourne Park.

Three New Zealand players have failed to reach the main draw of the Heineken Open after losing in qualifying matches today.

Flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils has withdrawn from this week's Heineken Open, citing fatigue after reaching the final of the Qatar Open in Doha.

A unique phase in NZ tennis will come to an end in the next few weeks, as Kiwi GD Jones ends his coaching association with world No20 Kevin Anderson.

Heineken Open tournament director Karl Budge expects John Isner to play this week, despite an ankle injury that forced the American out of the Hopman Cup.

It took some time to get going but Ana Ivanovic and Venus Williams eventually delivered a final worthy of two former world No 1s.

One Williams was a coup for the ASB Classic tennis tournament this year but organisers are hopeful of a Williams double-act for 2015.