Maria marches but snow stalls A-Rod’s plans

Dec 28, 2010 |

Melbourne, Dec. 27: Bad winter weather is hampering plans of some top players to travel from North America to the southern hemisphere as the 2011 tennis season revs up from this weekend. One player who escaped the wintery blast which enveloped Europe in recent days was Ana Ivanovic, who has arrived in Australia where she will team with Novak Djokovic at the Hopman Cup mixed team event starting in Perth Saturday. “It is a big change from Europe,” the Basel-based player told local media.

Meanwhile, three-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova is set for her first appearance in New Zealand as the she heads for next week’s WTA event in Auckland. Sharapova posted on her Facebook page: “I had such a great day of great food and amazing presents and two really hard practices. We are leaving tonight for Auckland so I am really excited to start the season.”

In the US, Andy Roddick and wife Brooklyn looked to be snowed in at her family’s home , with Roddick messaging that his flight to Australia was looking to be delayed due to a massive snowstorm in the eastern US. Roddick called his chances of getting out on his scheduled flight “pretty dicey.” The American is due to headline next week in Brisbane to start his season.

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