Serena Still Hanging in Australian Open Three-time Australian Open champ Serena Williams has advanced to  face No. 8-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in the quarterfinals after he opponent withdrew Sunday after an apparent battle with heatstroke. Victoria Azarenka, the 19-year-old from Belarus, started the match strong, defeating the normally powerful Williams 6-3 in the first set. “I feel so bad; she was playing so well,” Williams said in a brief interview with Australian television. “She can’t risk it, so I hope she did the right thing. She’s obviously playing really well and has so many other Australian Opens out there for her.” Azarenka began to cry, covered her face with her left hand as she walked toward the net and retired from the match. Williams was there to meet her as the crowd cheered supportively. Azarenka was then helped off court, still distraught, by two officials. No details of her condition were immediately available, although the tournament director, Craig Tiley, said that she had been ill the night before.

It’s a Philly Affair in Memphis Former 76ers guard Lionel Hollins, who took over as head coach of the Grizzlies after replacing another former Sixer Marc Ivaroni, attempted to have two other former Philadelphia Sixers join him on the bench as coaches: Johnny Davis, a former Sixers coach, and Maurice Cheeks who was Hollins backcourt mate back in the day and the most recently fired Sixer head coach. Initially, Cheeks indicated that he would join Hollins, but he recently declined the offer. “But he decided he wanted a little more time to himself,” Hollins said. “I certainly understand that. He’ll have opportunities later.” The Philadelphia Daily News reports that Hollins said he wanted two experienced men with him ”who will have huge responsibility, who have the right to stop a practice and coach because they know what to look for. I’m not egotistical. I know basketball, but I also know the value of having good people around you.”

TAGS: 76ers, Australian Open, Grizzlies, memphis, philly, Serena Williams, Svetlana Kuznetsova, tennis

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