Here’s a change. Lindsay Davenport, after beating Emilie Loit, 6-0, 6-2, commended Venus Williams and Serena Williams – and even Anna Kournikova – for bringing life to the women’s game. Kournikova has been injured with a foot problems most of the year.

“The Williamses have had a huge impact, just in the amount of attention she’s brought to all the players,” Davenport said. “It was Sports Illustrated who wrote ‘Is Tennis Dead?’ and that was like [six] years ago. Look at the difference now.

“I think the majority of the credit goes to the Williams sisters and probably Kournikova. They’ve made the biggest difference in the amount of publicity.”