Fernando Verdasco, hero of Spain’s Davies Cup triumph against Argentina has has a colourful few months. The world number 16 who lost to Britain’s Andy Murray in the semi finals at St Petersburg has been seen escorting Ana Ivanovic. This picture of the couple who got close in Beijing when Ana dropped out of the Olympics but stayed on slipped through the main news wires because ther caption was wrongly attributed to Jelena Jankovic which patently it is not. Fernado looks happy enough and was also spotted as a spectator at the Doha end of season jamboree supporting his new friend…whose fortunes alas on court have not been as favourable as his.

Off court Maria Sharapova has been posing for Spanish GQ men’s magazine, just in case anyone thought the supernova was not a diva…in fashionable black and white too

Serena Williams has said that when she has finished with the tennis Doha she is off to Africa to open a school in Africa. The US Open winner has restritced her schedule this year to telling effect while rivals like Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic have seen their success disappear in a spate of minor injuries. She skipped the Moscow tournament pleading injury but was pictured surfing on the beach at Hawii with boyfriend rapper and actor Common, born Lonnie Rashid Lynn.  Serena plays Venus this afternoon in what could be a key game. On balance Serena has looked the stronger. Get the Doha tennis betting here

Swirling desert winds threatened to turn the round robin opening rounds of the Qatar tennis into a mockery. Worst hit were the Russian pair  where Zvonareva out hit Svetlana Kuznetsova decisively.  6-2, 6-3.

“Of course, it’s tough,” Zvonareva said. “But I played here earlier this year and it was very, very windy and I made it to the final. So I would say I don’t mind the wind.”

There were also further injury concerns over Ana Ivanovic in her match against  current world No. 1, Jelena Jankovic. Ivanovic, who leas 6-1 in games between the two,  struggled from the beginning against the tour’s most consistent performer. Her big forehand, which usually anchors the aggressive nature of her game, never tamed the wind, and errors flowed freely

Clawing back from 1-3 to 3-3 in the second set offered a brief glimpse of a comeback, but when Ivanovic called for the trainer it was clear she had physical problems as well. Jankovic was ruthless and broke again to win 6-3, 6-4.

Venus Williams fought off a stirring start from Dinara Safina, who was leading 5-2 before succumbing  7-5, 6-3.

This event, as with the Shanghai Masters for men next week, operates on a different format to othert tournaments, with players grouped together and the top two in each group go through to the semi finals.

The chap in the middle with the smile on his face is Qatar tennis President Abdulrahman Al Shathri, as the western angels gather in the desert for the showdown for €4.6million being respectful, although not overly to Mulsim traditions of dress - three out of eight showing knees,  two out of eight shoulders and modestly at least four cleavages, Respect comes more obviously from the Williams sisters.

Get live tennis betting from Doha and all the odds here

Rafael Nadal has backed out of the $3.6million citing fatigue after a long season aswell as a suspect knee. Roger Federer is also a doubt. The retirees could leave he way open for a suprise wqinner in Andy Murray or French Masters winner Wilfred-Jo Tsonga. Get the latest betting here