HEATHER WATSON looks to have an uphill task if she is to extend her run in Paris, with Estonian 16th seed Kaia Kanepi up next today.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Video: Ball boy miscue angers Troicki
A ball boy who errantly ran onto the court during a point cost Viktor Troicki during his fourth-round match against Andy Murray.�(NBC Sports)
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/43228040#43228040
Schiavone wins
Defending champion Francesca Schiavone came back to beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 and will face Marion Bartoli in the quarterfinals.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43224457/ns/sports-tennis/
Austrian player banned for life for match-fixing
Austrian player Daniel Koellerer has been banned for life and fined $100,000 by tennis authorities for attempting to fix matches.
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43225416/ns/sports-tennis/
Murray rallies to force Tuesday fifth set against Troicki
PARIS (AP)?The fourth-round match between Andy Murray and Viktor Troicki at the French Open was suspended Monday because of darkness after the fourth-seeded Briton evened the score at two sets apiece, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The 15th-seeded Troicki was in control during the first two sets but Murray, who injured his right ankle in the previous round, broke in the eighth game of the third set and held his serve to get back in the match.
Troicki dropped serve again when Murray produced a stunning forehand return to lead 3-2 in the fourth. Murray broke again in the seventh game with two consecutive winners and served out the set before the chair umpire said it was too dark to continue.
The pair is expected to finish the match on Court Suzanne Lenglen on Tuesday.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/aUdoPTV89Ss/
Cricket: Glamorgan missing injured bowling duo for Twenty20 opener
The Glamorgan Dragons start their campaign in the Friends Life t20 competition by welcoming the Middlesex Panthers to the SWALEC Stadium on June 3rd with the floodlit contest due to start at 7.30pm.
Cricket: England captain Andrew Strauss revels in shock Test victory in Cardiff
Andrew Strauss declared England’s dramatic innings-and-14-run victory over Sri Lanka as “one of the most extraordinary cricket matches any of us have played in”.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Nadal having confidence issues
Tennis.com: Rafael Nadal, No. 1 in the world and defending champion here at the French Open,�is having a crisis of confidence?
Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43218347/ns/sports-tennis/
Zen Out: Two Northeastern Tennis Retreats To Try
Now that winter is behind us and you?re back on the courts, are you feeling rusty? Instead of making yourself crazy by trying to cram in extra practice time, why not try working on what could be the bigger problem: your mind. Even when you play on a regular basis, bad habits can creep into your game; trying to resist them can be a frustrating experience.
This spring and summer, two Northeastern health and wellness centers are offering programs that help eradicate those bad habits through an emphasis on the mental game. The Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, N.Y., offers two tennis-related programs this summer. The first, Tennis Without Tension, is a three-day program being held July 2-4. Designed for intermediate and advanced players, Tennis Without Tension teaches you to calm your nerves and tough out even the worst case of the yips by employing Eastern techniques such as Japanese aikido and Chinese tai chi. The instructor, Gary Adelman, also focuses on stroke improvement through the optimization of natural body rotation and alignment.
We all want to experience ?the zone? when we?re playing a match. Unleashing the Tennis Player Within, the second Omega program, slotted for August 8-13, will try to help you play at your highest level while keeping your focus?effortlessly. Intended for players of all levels, the program focuses on mind/body awareness, relaxation and maintaining concentration. Tai chi, yoga and on-court practice help players learn how to ?stay in the now.?
Both programs at Omega include optional yoga, dance movement and other classes as well as swimming and kayaking. For details including cost, housing and meal plans, check out Omega?s website.
Located in Massachusetts? Berkshire Mountains, the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health offers a weekend program based on Tim Gallwey?s best-selling book, ?The Inner Game of Tennis.? (Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is a Gallwey disciple.) Designed for advanced beginners, the June 25-27 clinic is taught by former pro Sean Brawley. Over the course of the three days, players get 12 total hours of on-court instruction on maintaining a consistent level of play while breaking patterns that lead to frustration and loss. Kripalu recommends that participants read ?The Inner Game of Tennis? before attending. Students can also take advantage of Kripalu?s hiking trails, yoga classes, fitness center and three organic meals each day.
Though I?ve never taken a tennis clinic there, last summer I did spend a few days at Kripalu over Fourth of July weekend for an Anusara yoga retreat taught by Elena Brower. Although much of the schedule focused on yoga with Brower, I also took a number of other classes with Kripalu teachers, and found them to be very challenging and enjoyable. If you?re concerned that ?good food? and ?yoga retreat? are mutually exclusive, don?t worry?the meals were delicious and varied.
In addition to the classes, I hiked and swam, had a great massage (for an extra fee) and overall found myself feeling relaxed and refreshed. That isn?t to say I was completely cut off from my life. Without a television set or my computer, I was forced to text with a friend during the men?s Wimbledon final between Andy Roddick and Roger Federer. Even while sitting on a bench overlooking the Berkshire Mountains, I could feel the stress started building within me as the match went deeper and deeper into the fifth set. I missed my final yoga class because I couldn't tear myself away from the updates. Next time, I?m leaving my phone at home, too.
David Rosenberg is TENNS magazine?s photo editor and a frequent contributor to The Daily Spin.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/Tenniscom-Travel/~3/iksgVgB9J-w/
French Open: Elena Baltacha crashes out in the second round of the tournament
ELENA Baltacha's French Open campaign came to an end in the second round of the French Open with a 4-6 6-1 6-4 defeat by Vania King.
Novak Djokovic closing on No.1 spot
NOVAK DJOKOVIC can become world No.1 for the first time with victory in the Rome Masters this weekend.
South Carolina - Serving Up Sothern Hospitality
Palmetto State pride inspires a thriving community and rich southern culture. Numerous historical sites, culinary wonders, and miles of crystal white sand are just a few reasons South Carolina lives up to its reputation as an enchanting destination. The region boasts an endless array of world-class resorts with top-notch Tennis amenities, including 6 resorts who garnered notable recognition in TENNIS Magazine?s Top 50 U.S. Tennis Resorts of 2008. There?s even more fun to be had in this seaside state ? professional tennis is where the action is. In April the WTA Tour?s hottest ticket, the Family Circle Cup, puts you courtside just outside Charleston for some of the best tennis in the world. Make this grand slam retreat your next getaway and see
for yourself all the comforts and cultural treasures South Carolina has in store.
FAMILY CIRCLE CUP
Experience the best in women?s professional tennis during 9 action-packed days of the Family Circle Cup, April 11 ? 19 in Charleston, SC. Enjoy breathtaking tennis, on-site shopping, dining and special events and explore one of our nation?s most charming cities. Visit FamilyCircleCup.com/ travel to learn about travel packages, which combine great tickets with amazing accommodations for the ultimate tennis vacation. Or, gather your tennis teammates and enjoy one of our Team Getaway Packages, which are perfect for groups of 6 or more. Mark your calendar and make plans now to attend!
(800-677-2293 or www.FamilyCircleCup.com)
PALMETTO DUNES RESORT
Nestled along a pristine three-mile stretch of beach on Hilton Head Island, Palmetto Dunes Resort features 25 tennis courts, has been consistently ranked one of the ?50 Greatest U.S. Tennis Resorts? by TENNIS Magazine since 1975, and was named the ?#1 Family Resort in the U.S. and Canada? by Travel + Leisure Family. Tennis Resorts Online recently named the resort?s award-winning tennis instruction program one of the ?World?s Best Tennis Centers.? Off-court adventures abound at this 2,000- acre family-friendly vacation destination, including kayaking, biking, golf, fishing, nature tours, dining, shopping and much more. For golf lovers, Palmetto Dunes features three award-winning layouts by legendary course designers. Luxury homes and villas are available for rental with spectacular golf, lagoon and beach views.
(866-846-2799 or www.palmettodunes.com)
KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT
There?s an abun dance of forehands, backhands, serves and volleys at Kiawah Island Golf Resort on gorgeous Kiawah Island, a true tennis lover?s paradise. Under the direction of Hall of Fame tennis pro Roy Barth, Kiawah Island Golf Resort has been ranked a No. 1 Best Tennis Resort by TE NNIS Magazine. With eight pros and 41 clinics every week, including a signature three-day, eight-hour Adult Doubles Mini-Camp, it?s no wonder Kiawah Island Golf Resort is a perennial Top 10 resort. For the golfers in your group, there are five great courses to choose from, one of them designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
(800-576-1570 or www.kiawahresort.com)
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/Tenniscom-Travel/~3/dnTVfpcZIW8/
Three to See: 2011 French Open, Day 2
Each day during Roland Garros, we'll select three of the most intriguing matches on the schedule and offer our predictions.
Roger Federer [3] vs. Feliciano Lopez (Court Philippe Chatrier, Third Match)
Federer's matches at the majors have always been must-see, but the question surrounding them has changed. Instead of, "What will he do?"?serve a triple bagel? Hit a new, trademarked shot? Wear an ascot??it's now, "How will he do?" Not that I expect the 16-time Grand Slam champ to go down in round one, but I think we can read more into Federer's first match than the openers involving the other top men. If this goes long?say, five sets?I'm thinking Federer could be in for a short stay in Paris. If it's a quick dusting on the dirt? Maybe it's the start of the the most under-the-radar run in Federer's career.
Another reason to tune in: Lopez nearly (and should have) beat Federer a few weeks ago in Madrid. I think we saw the Spaniard at his peak there, in a best-of-three set format, away from the intense spotlight of a Slam, with the home crowd supporting him. But with a serve like his, you just never know?Lopez took a set from Darth Federer at the 2007 U.S. Open, while the Death Star's forcefield was still intact.
The Pick: Federer in four sets.
Juan Martin del Potro [25] vs. Ivo Karlovic (Court 1, First Match)
I don't recommend this one for the quality of tennis?most of the points should be over after one shot (Karlovic service winners) or five, tops (del Potro baseline winners and/or Karlovic baseline errors). It's more about seeing where del Potro, who appeared to be back near full power just a few weeks ago, is at physically. Now, you might say that facing Dr. Ace isn't a fair litmus test, as the points will be shorter. In some respects, I agree. But del Potro must show patience if he's to win this shootout, so we can definitely learn something about his mental strength. Karlovic is a tough opponent under any circumstances, let alone if returning from injury. And should del Potro prevail? He'll almost certainly see Novak Djokovic two rounds later. But I don't see that marquee third-rounder transpiring.
The Pick: Karlovic in five sets.
Sabine Lisicki vs. Akgul Amanmuradova (Court 16, Second Match)
Another player returning from injury, Lisicki is an undeniable threat on any surface with her weapons. Ranked No. 121, she had to qualify to reach the main draw and did so convincingly, winning all six sets she played, none by a score closer than 6-4. The German has had some good results on clay this year?defeating Marion Bartoli in Charleston and Li Na in Stuttgart?so there's reason for optimism. Her opponent, Amanmuradova, is a 26-year-old who's steadily creeped up the rankings (she's now No. 75) and is playing more main draws at tour-level events. Both players have a lot to gain from this one.
The Pick: Lisicki in two sets.
Ed McGrogan is the online editor of TENNIS.com.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-features/~3/oQqQonkin-U/
Federer into record 28th straight Slam quarterfinal
PARIS (AP)?Roger Federer set another record by reaching the French Open quarterfinals Sunday, and Novak Djokovic closed in on a pair of his own.
Federer extended his quarterfinal streak at major tournaments to 28 with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Olympic gold medal doubles partner Stanislas Wawrinka.
?Twenty-eight quarterfinals in a row, that?s great,? Federer said. ?But that?s another opportunity for me to go one step further.?
Shortly after Federer?s match on Court Philippe Chatrier, Djokovic maintained his perfect season and stretched his overall winning streak to 43 matches by beating Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
?I?m definitely playing the best tennis of my life,? Djokovic said, ?and I?m trying to stay focused on each game and we?ll see how far I can go.?
Federer and Djokovic could meet in the semifinals.
Also Sunday, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova knocked out the highest seeded player remaining in the women?s draw, beating No. 3 Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. Defending champion Francesca Schiavone later advanced by defeating No. 10 Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Federer, a 16-time major champion who completed a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros in 2009, improved on the mark he shared with Jimmy Connors. The last time Federer failed to reach the quarterfinals at a major was at the 2004 French Open, when he was the top-seeded player but lost to Gustavo Kuerten in the third round.
Federer again dominated with his serve Sunday. He was broken once early in the third set, but broke back twice to remain one of four players to have won every match in straight sets.
?I was playing with the wind against me, and it was a bad game because all of a sudden there was more wind, and I had the feeling that I was playing against the wind and not against Stan,? Federer said of the third set. ?So in the end I made wrong decisions.?
Federer also beat Wawrinka, his Davis Cup teammate, in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. In 2008, the Swiss pair teamed up to win the doubles gold at the Beijing Olympics.
?In the third set I had a few openings, and if I had managed to serve a little better and hold on to my break, maybe anything could have happened,? Wawrinka said.
Besides his record 16 major titles, Federer also set a record of 23 straight Grand Slam semifinal appearances. That run ended at last year?s French Open, when he was beaten in the quarterfinals.
Federer set his quarterfinal streak in 28 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, while Connors skipped some in his run.
In the next round, Federer will face either No. 7 David Ferrer or No. 9 Gael Monfils. Their match was suspended because of darkness with Monfils leading 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, 0-2.
Djokovic is 41-0 in 2011, including a pair of clay-court final wins over top-ranked Rafael Nadal. If he beats unseeded Fabio Fognini in the quarterfinals, he will match John McEnroe?s record for the best start to the season.
?To beat him you need to produce the perfect match and not make any mistakes. You need to play like Nadal, hit the ball really strong, to make him run. But only a few guys can beat him at the moment,? Gasquet said. ?Even Nadal struggles to organize his game when he plays against him.?
With three more wins, Djokovic will equal Guillermo Vilas? overall Open era record of 46 consecutive wins.
?Actually, I think I?m playing really well at this moment,? said Djokovic, whose winning streak dates back to last year?s Davis Cup final. ?And this match today I think I even increased a level since the last match, which makes me even happier.?
Fognini, the first Italian to reach the quarterfinals at Roland Garros since 1995, overcame a cramping left leg and five match points to defeat Albert Montanes of Spain 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 11-9.
The third-seeded Zvonareva followed No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and No. 2 Kim Clijsters out of the tournament after losing to Pavlyuchenkova, at 19 the youngest player still in the tournament. Wozniacki and Clijsters both lost in the third round.
No. 4 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus is now the highest seeded player left.
It is only the third time that none of the top three seeded women has reached the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament in the Open era, which began in 1968, and the first time at the French Open. It also happened at Wimbledon in 2008?when the top four were eliminated by the end of the fourth round?and at the Australian Open in 1997.
Zvonareva reached the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals last year and the Australian Open semifinals in January. She saved two match points in the final game against Pavlyuchenkova before hitting a forehand long on the third.
The fifth-seeded Schiavone reprised her postmatch ritual from 2010 after beating Jankovic, kneeling down and giving a kiss to the clay court.
Jankovic?s loss means she will fall out of the top 10 in the WTA rankings released after the tournament ends. She?s been there since February 2007, the longest active stay in the top 10.
Marion Bartoli also reached the quarterfinals. The 11th-seeded Frenchwoman advanced when Gisela Dulko retired with an injury while trailing 7-5, 1-0.
Bartoli will next face 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. The 13th-seeded Russian defeated Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-2.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/vTHCr_tQngE/
Andy Murray happy to earn place in French Open third round in "brutal conditions"
Andy Murray was back in the old routine last night, the only Brit left standing at a Slam.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Slideshow: Slideshow: Best images from French Open
Take a look at the best shots from Roland Garros in 2011.
Andy Murray wins through to fourth round of French Open but injures ankle
Scot beats Michael Berrer in straight sets
Safina takes indefinite break due to back pain
Former top-ranked tennis player Dinara Safina says she is taking an indefinite break from tennis in hopes of recovering from chronic back pain.Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=6532907&campaign=rss&source=TENNISHeadlines
Djokovic runs winning streak to 40 matches
Novak Djokovic felt "more nervous than usual" as he faced his first serious test at the French Open today but continued his amazing unbeaten run by knocking out Juan Martin Del Potro to reach the fourth round.
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/tennis/5070741/Djokovic-runs-winning-streak-to-40-matches
Pavlyuchenkova ousts 3rd seed Zvonareva (AP)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova hit winners all over the place and was rewarded for her high-risk tennis, reaching the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time on Sunday. The 19-year-old Russian defeated third-seeded Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 on center court at Roland Garros and will next play either defending champion Francesca Schiavone or Jelena Jankovic.
Djokovic-del Potro match suspended for darkness
PARIS (AP)?Novak Djokovic?s match against Juan Martin del Potro in the French Open?s third round was suspended because of darkness Friday night with the players tied at a set apiece.
Djokovic won the first set 6-3, and del Potro took the second 6-3. As they went to the sideline, the chair umpire announced play would stop for the day.
Two-time Australian Open champion Djokovic is 39-0 in 2011 and has a 41-match winning streak dating to December. Del Potro won the 2009 U.S. Open and was a semifinalist at Roland Garros that year.
They played for 1 hour, 37 minutes before Friday?s match was halted at 9:15 p.m.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/eINx9HGeDwg/
Horse racing: The Cheka to score at Haydock
THE Cheka can arrest a lengthy losing run and gain a richly-deserved success at Haydock today.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Williams sisters slated to play World TeamTennis
NEW YORK (AP)?Venus Williams, John McEnroe and Melanie Oudin will be featured among five live broadcasts of World TeamTennis matches. Serena Williams also is scheduled to play this summer.
Williams is slated to join her sister again on the Washington Kastles team. The WTT website has Serena playing July 7 at home against Boston and July 9 at Sacramento.
WTT spokeswoman Rosie Crews says Thursday that ?Serena talked about being excited about coming back to play World TeamTennis in July? during a recent benefit in D.C.
The 13-time Grand Slam singles champion has been sidelined since Wimbledon because of foot surgery and blood clots in her lung.
Tennis Channel will air live matches on Wednesdays in July.
The nine-team coed league, co-founded by Billie Jean King, opens July 4. The final is July 24 in Charleston, S.C.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/QPA53Qi9xRc/
Slam-seeking Sharapova reaches 4th round (AP)
With the field getting weaker and Maria Sharapova getting better, things are coming together for the seventh-seeded Russian at the French Open. Sharapova played her best match of this year's tournament on Saturday, dominating Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier. "I felt like I was in control most of the match.
Sharapova four wins away from completing Slam
PARIS (AP) -- Maria Sharapova has reached the fourth round of the French Open, beating Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan 6-2, 6-3.
Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/si_tennis/~3/JuqcddtihEM/index.html
Postcard from Portugal: Kleybanova, the top seed
ESTORIL, Portugal?It?s early to have a favorite court at the Estoril Open, but the charm of Centralito is undeniable. ?Little centre,? flanked by colonnades and backed by the slanting pine trees covering the hills of Jamor, is a pleasant place to sit on sun-warmed stone bleachers and enjoy a soft breeze coming off the sea. There?s nothing soft or pleasant, however, about the manner in which Alisa Kleybanova dismantles Olga Govortsova, 6-2, 6-2. The tournament?s top seed has 90 ranking places on her opponent and seems determined to exact revenge for her defeat by the Belarusian in her last two matches.
It?s a match of short points and first strikes. Govortsova hits big, but up close, Kleybanova?s tennis is simply huge. She hits flat and hard, the ball popping cleanly off the strings each time to clear the net by inches. She is clinical and effective at net and willing to forge forward when she can. Type ?Alisa Kleybanova? into Google and the first two suggested search terms you get are ?fat? and ?weight,? but the woman I?m watching looks amazingly fit. Even the sudden jerk of her head as she hits through the ball looks different seen from close-up; more an organic part of her stroke, an expressive flourish that redeems her style from the clean and mechanical.
Kleybanova kept Govortsova waiting at the beginning of the match while she exchanged a few last-minute words with her coach at the top of the Centralito stairs, and keeps me waiting for the best part of an hour for a post-match interview, but she doesn?t waste time when she does arrive. Frank and straightforward, Kleybanova uses the word ?hungry? a lot?she?s hungry for matches, hungry to put her training into practice, hungry for the big tournaments. She doesn?t smile a lot, but when she does?noticeably when talking about her grandmother Zhanna, who is traveling with her for the first time?it transforms her face.
I ask her about the current state of the WTA and the sense that any one of a number of players, Kleybanova included, can win a big tournament or even a Slam if they get their form together. ?I would say that Top 30 is really very close to each other in the level, it?s very strong. So someone who is better shape and has a bit more luck during the week and I don?t know, finds himself [sic] on the court good has a lot of chances to win?Every match now is difficult, I mean for example I?m a top seed or a Top 4 seed, it doesn?t matter, you get a tough match straight away from the first round. Now any match you get, no matter if you?re seeded or not, you have to give everything and be ready for a fight.? As we talk, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, the fifth seed, is losing to Monica Niculescu, proving the point.
When I think about Kleybanova, I think of a player on the verge with all the talent in the world, seeking a way to put it all together. She can beat any player on tour on her day, as she says, but she?s also prone to bizarre losses - most recently a 6-1, 6-0 rout at the hands of Christina McHale in Charleston, a match she refers to as ?a bit of disaster.? It?s useful to remember that despite her imposing physical presence and air of maturity, she?s only 21, her big break coming at Wimbledon 2008 when she made the fourth round. She would love above all things to go further at Wimbledon, she says, and in an age where players are maturing later than they once did, it?s eminently possible.
What?s interesting about Kleybanova on court is how self-contained she is, how unemotional. Her game is premised on rendering the opponent irrelevant by hitting past them if possible, through them if necessary; it?s mirrored by her self-absorbed body language, barely glancing down the other end of the court or looking at her coach, who reclines in his seat like he knows he doesn?t have much to do today. The other day I listened to Eleni Danilidou?s coach yell ?emotions out, Eleni, emotions OUT!? after every other point for three-and-a-half hours, but Kleybanova?s tennis is a world away from the Greek?s choppy, battling style; it?s not about engaging the opponent and breaking them down, as for example Caroline Wozniacki?s game, it?s about executing her own game well and trusting that everything else will take care of itself.
Something that sounds as simple as that has to be very complicated indeed, and Kleybanova gets her most animated when I ask about her inconsistent results. ?It?s not like I don?t know how to play,? she says, sounding for once as young as her years. ?Recently I tried to take my bad losses more quiet like, it?s OK, I know that it happens to me and I just don?t want to focus on it too much. When you can accept that you can play really bad, you go on the court and you just say, OK, I?ll try to do the best that I can. And if it isn?t working, I?ll try to win the match anyways, I?ll try to find the key to win?So maybe like step by step I am trying to make my game more consistent so it won?t be such a big difference between great matches and bad losses. I still have some strange matches going on but I hope it?s going to be less and less and I?m going to have my level more steady.?
It sounds like her biggest competition is herself, something that her childhood spent training as a swimmer alongside tennis has clearly prepared her for. She chose tennis because ?you can express yourself more, it?s more individual?In tennis you can be tall, you can be short, you can adjust to yourself and work on yourself and always find a way to be good.?
I point out that she?s doing pretty well in her chosen sport.
?So far,? she says, smiling. ?So far.?
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-features/~3/ePEto-OS2qo/
Postcard from Portugal: Gajdosova seeks refuge on court
ESTORIL, Portugal?Home is a tricky concept for the increasingly international tennis community. With a tour that embraces the globe and a punishing schedule, home is perhaps best defined as the place that a tennis player spends most of their time away from. Players leave their home towns to train in big cities, leave their home countries to train elsewhere, move to Monte Carlo or Switzerland for tax reasons; sometimes they even change nationalities. Such is the case for Jarmila Gajdosova. Born in Bratislava, living in Australia, training in Turkey, and so newly separated from her husband that her official website and Twitter both still carry her married name, she?s here in Portugal playing singles and doubles and attempting to ease in to the clay season.
Fresh from winning both of her Fed Cup singles rubbers for her adopted country, Australia, Gajdosova is the second seed at a tournament where she has twice been a quarterfinalist. She has been to the fourth round at Roland Garros, so the surface transition should pose no problems, but the first set against Czech Renata Voracova is a battle from start to finish. After missing multiple break point opportunities in the second game of the set, Gajdosova spends much of the set down a break with an unhappy look on her face, scuffing the toes of her trainers in the clay in a desultory fashion. At one point, after another chance to get back on serve goes begging, I apologize for blocking the view of the man sitting behind me. He responds that he?s not sure he wants to look. It turns out he?s her coach.
Still, if her background and her accent are a melange of influences and inflections, her tennis isn?t. It seems to come from her hips and thighs, solid and aggressive. Her coach for the week, David Gaves of the Club Istanbul at Enka International Tennis Academy, where Gajdosova trains, refers to her as ?born on clay? and once she gets herself in hand to break back the rest is a formality. Gajdosova wins the next nine games to cruise to a 6-4, 6-0 victory. I notice that she plays her best when she?s up against it, at one point coming back from 0-40 with two clean winners and an ace. ?That?s one thing you always have to do, to fight,? she says afterwards. ?It doesn?t matter how bad or how great you?re playing, so then you can be happy with yourself and walk off the court with your head held high.?
Despite the sunny disposition that Gaves rhapsodizes about, life right now isn?t easy for Gajdosova. She relocated from Slovakia to Australia at the age of 15 after she fell in love with the country, leaving her family behind. After seven years living there, she qualified for citizenship in September 2009. Under such circumstances, it?s reasonable to ask where ?home? is.
?I will never say that I?m not Slovakian any more. I was born and spent 15 years of my life there. So then I?m obviously Australian, I lived there for nine years and kind of grew up there since I was fifteen. So I think there?s a bit of both in me, they both have very special meaning for me?one that I?ve been born to and one that I?ve kind of grown up living there, and the people took me as Australian, so of course it was very special to me and it?s going to stay that way.?
Later in the interview she repeats the sentiment??I?m Australian and always will be??with a faint note of defiance. The news of her separation from her husband of just over two years, Australian tennis player Samuel Groth, came as a shock when it broke over the weekend. Gajdosova doesn?t go into details, other than to say it was ?very recent,? but the fact that she is competing under her maiden name speaks volumes. As do the updates to her personal Twitter, when she posted a number of angry assertions shortly before her match: ?I didn't need get married to become aussie citizen-check the facts!!and check the law!!!? and ?I got married because I loved sam and did it from my heart not because I am from poor country or I need it him for passport!?. She married Groth in February 2009 and they have both spent time training in Istanbul, but since that time Gajdosova?s star has risen while Groth continues to struggle with form and injuries. ?It was a big change in my life but it?s all I can do, just try to get on the court and do my best,? she says. ?I enjoy what I do and every match I get to play, it?s really exciting and it?s the good thing about my job, you get rewarded for playing well.?
I think the moment I like her the best comes immediately after the end of her win over Voracova, when three small girls run up to her for autographs. She asks each girl?s name and shakes her hand, saying ?Hi, I?m Jarmila? with a beaming smile. Later, asked about whether her difficult personal life makes it difficult to focus on the court, she says, ?tennis is at least one thing I have. It?s kind of a happy place.?
Maybe that?s the paradox for all those who make their living in tennis; never at home and yet never away from it when they?re on the court. As for Jarmila Gajdosova, formerly Groth, she?s still the stubborn girl whose old coach punished her with sit-ups in an attempt to cure her addiction to drop-shots. The drop-shots are largely gone, but the determination remains.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-features/~3/QxVDMzHv_u4/
2011 French Open: Editors' Picks
The editors of TENNIS magazine and TENNIS.com predict this year's French Open champions and give their dark horse picks.
Champions:
| Peter Bodo |
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Novak Djokovic: We ink-stained wretches have a habit neatly summed up in the quip, ?I?m rooting for the story.? That is, we want to see a result that makes for the most juicy story, and can there be a more flavorful one this time around than Djokovic emerging as champion? Beyond that, I believe Djokovic has earned the right to be considered the favorite based on his remarkable results thus far in 2011. |
| Steve Tignor |
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| Richard Pagliaro |
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| Ed McGrogan |
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Caroline Wozniacki:
Kim Clijsters:
Rafael Nadal:
Victoria Azarenka:Dark Horses:
| Peter Bodo |
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| Steve Tignor |
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| Richard Pagliaro |
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| Ed McGrogan |
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Jelena Jankovic:
Juan Martin del Potro:
Maria Sharapova:
Robin Soderling:
Petra Kvitova:
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-features/~3/DJJIbAd8eug/
Williams sisters slated to play World TeamTennis
NEW YORK (AP)?Venus Williams, John McEnroe and Melanie Oudin will be featured among five live broadcasts of World TeamTennis matches. Serena Williams also is scheduled to play this summer.
Williams is slated to join her sister again on the Washington Kastles team. The WTT website has Serena playing July 7 at home against Boston and July 9 at Sacramento.
WTT spokeswoman Rosie Crews says Thursday that ?Serena talked about being excited about coming back to play World TeamTennis in July? during a recent benefit in D.C.
The 13-time Grand Slam singles champion has been sidelined since Wimbledon because of foot surgery and blood clots in her lung.
Tennis Channel will air live matches on Wednesdays in July.
The nine-team coed league, co-founded by Billie Jean King, opens July 4. The final is July 24 in Charleston, S.C.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/QPA53Qi9xRc/
Friday, May 27, 2011
Racquet thrower gets French Open berth
American Ryan Harrison was unexpectedly thrown into the French Open first round Tuesday, after launching his racket into a tree during qualifying last week.
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/tennis/5051139/Racquet-thrower-gets-French-Open-berth
Best Tennis Resorts in the Caribbean: Contact info
Below you?ll find contact information for the Caribbean resorts featured in the January/February issue of TENNIS magazine. Many of these resorts fit in more than one category, so mix and match when you?re checking them out. Also, check out special discount tennis deals, like Four Seasons Resort?s Avid Player package ? unlimited court time for $210 a week (regularly $55 per day per player).
The rates below are for two people, from the lowest published rate in the low season (LS) for a room to the highest in the high season (HS) which is probably a suite; villa rates are higher. Check the websites and you?ll probably find seasonal specials that can chop 10% or 20% off the published rates.
? Almond Morgan Bay Resort, St.Lucia: 800/425-6663, www.almondresorts.com; 340 rooms, 6 courts; $400 LS to $863 HS all inclusive.
? Caneel Bay, St.John: 888/7673-9663, www.caneelbay.com; 176 rooms, 11 hard and Omni courts; $375 LS to $1,600 HS.
? Carlisle Bay, Antigua: 800/628-8929, www.carlisle-bay.com; 80 rooms, 9 courts; $725 LS to $2,800 HS
? Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic: 800/877-3643, www.casadecampo.com; 450 rooms, condos, villas, 13 HarTru courts (10 with lights); $178 LS to S345 HS.
? Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: 800/258-2633, www.clubmed.com; 543 rooms; 10 hard courts; $593 LS to $651 HS, all inclusive.
? Couples Swept Away, Jamaica: 800/268-7537, www.couples.com; 212 rooms, 10 courts; $530 LS to $725 HS.
? Curtain Bluff, Antigua: 888/289-9898; www.curtainblulff.com; 72 rooms, 4 hard courts (all with lights); $695 LS to $1,695 HS, all inclusive.
? David and John Lloyd Tennis Village at Sugar Hill, Barbados; 866/360-5292, www.aaltman.com; 40 rooms, 4 courts; $150 LS to $350 HS.
? Four Seasons Resort, Nevis; 800/819-5053, www.fourseasons.com; 196 rooms, 12 courts; $325 LS to S950 HS.
? Grand Lido, Negril: 877/467-8737, www.superclubs.com; 150 rooms, 4 courts (2 with lights); $440 LS to $820 HS.
? Half Moon Rose Hall, Jamaica: 866/648-6951, www.halfmoon.com; 250 rooms, suites and villas, 13 courts; $205 LS to $1,650 HS.
? Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands: 888/767-3966, www.littledixbay.com; 7 courts, 2 with lights; $395 LS to $1,700 HS.
? Malliouhana Hotel & Spa: 800/835-0796, www.malliouhana.com; 4 courts, all with lights; $345 LS to $1,440 HS.
? Peter Island Resort, British Virgin Islands: 800/346-44521, www.peterislandresort.com; 4 courts; $560 LS to $1,600 HS with meals.
? Raffles Resort Canouan, St.Vincent-Grenadines: 784/482-2145, www.rafflescanouan.com; 156 rooms and suites, 4 courts, with lights; $475 LS to $1,610 HS. ?
? Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, Puerto Rico: 877/636-0636, www.wyndhamriomar.com; 13 Har-Tru and hard courts (4 with lights); $250 LS to $465 HS.
? Ritz-Carlton Cancun, Cancun: 800/542-8680, www.ritz-carlton.com; 365 rooms and suites, 3 courts, with lights; $279 LS to $939 HS.
? Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands: 800/542-8680, www.ritz-carlton.com; 365 rooms and suites, 4 courts (clay and grass); $249-$1,349.
? Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Jamaica: 800/972-2157, www.roundhillhotel&villas.com; 74 rooms, 27 villas, 5 courts (2 with lights); $370 LS to $1,180 HS.
? St.James?s Club, Antigua: 800/858-4618, www.eliteislandresorts.com; 250 rooms and suites, 6 courts (all with lights); $275 LS to $605 HS.
? Sandy Lane Hotel, Barbados: 866/444-4080, www.sandylane.com; 112 rooms, 9 courts (all lighted); $950 LS to $4,900 HS.
? The Buccaneer, St.Croix: 800/255-3881; www.thebuccaneer.com; 8 Laykold courts (2 with lights); $265 LS to $945 HS.
? Tryall Club, Jamaica: 876/956-5660, www.tryallclub.com; 13 suites, 69 villas, 9 courts (2 with lights); $393 LS to $943 HS.
? Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa: 787/863-1000, www.elconquistadorresort.com; 4 courts, all lighted; $195 LS to $413 HS.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/Tenniscom-Travel/~3/_OXBGk_SxRU/
Rosewall hospitalized in Rome but feeling well
Tennis great Ken Rosewall is feeling well and talking to staff after falling ill at the Italian Open, a Rome hospital said.Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=6555400&campaign=rss&source=TENNISHeadlines
England v Sri Lanka: Live
Follow all the action from the Swalec Stadium as England take on Sri Lanka in the first Test of the summer.
Andy Roddick in first round Italian Open exit
ANDY RODDICK made a first-round exit at the Italian Open in Rome, losing 6-3 6-3 to France’s Gilles Simon.
Andy Murray's seeking a double
Andy Murray has a double goal as he chases glory at the French Open in Paris - he also wants to become the first man to beat Novak Djokovic this year.
Will Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal meet again in French Open final?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC credits his incredible 32-match winning streak to his gluten-free diet.
Austria ATP event OK despite losing top sponsor
Bank Austria has pulled out as main sponsor of the annual Tennis Trophy tournament, but organizers say their ATP Tour event is not in danger.Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=6539916&campaign=rss&source=TENNISHeadlines
Thursday, May 26, 2011
It'll be ugly and beautiful at Roland Garros
The players are bio machines, the racquets are volcanic rifles, the balls are aerodynamic bullets and yet we live in a rare age of magic.
French Open: Andy Murray hits out as Roland Garros chiefs change balls ahead of Paris major
ANDY MURRAY has hit out at the decision to use different balls for this year's French Open - even though he expects them to boost his chances of success.
Consumers hold back growth, rebound seen muted
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Unexpectedly weak consumer spending hobbled the economy in the first quarter and fresh signs of a slowdown in the labor market pointed to an uphill struggle for the recovery. 
Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/topNews/~3/pfJLIWblDh8/us-usa-economy-idUSTRE7492P720110526
No. 3 Zvonareva saves match point, beats Lisicki
PARIS (AP)?Third-seeded Vera Zvonareva held on to beat German qualifier Sabine Lisicki 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 Wednesday in the second round of the French Open, saving a match point midway through the third set.
Lisicki had a match point while leading 5-2 in the final set, but Zvonreva held her serve and then broke to stay in the match.
Lisicki twice called for a trainer, but each time continued to play. After the match, Lisicki lay on the court sobbing.
?I started cramping at the end of the second set, and this continued in the third,? Lisicki said in a statement released by the WTA. ?From 4-2 in the third set, I began to feel dizzy and had problems seeing the ball clearly. At no point did I think of retiring and I kept fighting until the end.?
Zvonareva reached the final at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2010, and made the semifinals at this year?s Australian Open.
Lisicki missed last year?s French Open because of a left ankle injury and dropped as low as No. 218 in the rankings this year.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/mLCU_mKq7CQ/
Rome Masters: Andy Murray smashes Potito Starace to reach last eight in Italian capital
ANDY MURRAY fed Potito Starace to the lions in the Italian capital last night as he marched into the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters.
Myskina to come to Paris to coach Kuznetsova
Former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina is headed to Paris to help coach Svetlana Kuznetsova, the two-time Grand Slam champion told a small group of reporters on Wednesday. Kuznetsova, who has been through a slew of coaches, will also continue to work with Fed Cup coach Larisa Neiland. Myskina, who won the 2004 French Open?which included a win over Kuznetsova, coming from a match point down?retired in 2007 due to a foot injury. She is currently a tennis commentator for Russian TV, as well as a talk show host. Kuznetsova won Roland Garros in 2009 but has been in a slump this year.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/79EuIgdMSbI/
Marina Erakovic bids au revoir to French Open
New Zealander Marina Erakovic's return to grand slam tennis has been short-lived after being bundled out in the first round of the French Open.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Del Potro next for Novak Djokovic at French Open
Even if Novak Djokovic is tennis' man of the moment, there's a long, long way to go before he'd approach most of Roger Federer's many accomplishments.
Djokovic's win streak reaches 41 matches (AP)
Even if Novak Djokovic is tennis' man of the moment, there's a long, long way to go before he'd approach most of Roger Federer's many accomplishments. So far to go, really, that it's not worth discussing. Still, there is one area in which, as of Wednesday, the two men are equal: Djokovic was credited with his 41st consecutive victory -- matching the best streak of Federer's...
Postcard from Portugal: Verdasco victorious and vocal
ESTORIL, Portugal?This is my eighth day in Lisbon, and I?ve learned three things in Portuguese: obrigada (thank you), desculpe (sorry), and my new favorite thing to say, p�o p�o, queijo queijo. This last literally means ?bread bread, cheese cheese? and it?s the name of a bakery in Lisbon. Apart from it being fun to say (I pronounce it something like pow pow, kesh kesh, which is pretty wrong), there?s just something enjoyable about a metaphor for directness. I?m told it?s a way to describe someone who is straightforward, down-to-earth, someone with whom what you see is what you get. It?s also a way to characterize a situation: this is just how it is. It?s bread and cheese, p�o p�o, queijo queijo.
Somehow this comes to mind listening to Fernando Verdasco talk in his press conference after beating home favorite Frederico Gil, 6-1, 7-6 (5). When Verdasco is leading 6-1, 5-1, reeling off seemingly effortless winners while his opponent is just reeling, it seems like a bread-and-cheese match; last year?s Monte Carlo finalist and Barcelona champion beating the world No. 62 whose biggest achievement is reaching the final of this same tournament last year before losing to Albert Montanes. That?s not to denigrate the career of Gil, who?s rightfully beloved here as the highest-ranked player Portugal has ever had, but Verdasco really should be winning. There?s a gulf in class and it?s surely as simple as that.
Not quite. Serving for the match at 5-2, Verdasco throws in a double-fault, then an unforced error on the forehand. Gil finally gets his jumping cross-court backhand properly flattened out to draw another error, and then Verdasco, presented with a short ball and an open court, smacks it into the net. It?s the kind of error-strewn form that has seen him lose his first match in his last two tournaments, and when Gil survives a suicidal serve-and-volley and a break point in the next game to hold, it seems like Court Central is going to see another miracle. Presided over by two unobtrusive images of Our Lady of Fatima, Estoril?s stadium court resounds with long-drawn out shouts of ?Giiiil, Giiiiil,? unnerving Verdasco to the extent that he is broken to love in the next game. When Gil holds, the second seed has dropped five games in a row.
When I asked Verdasco later what happened, his answer is, like all the others, disarmingly honest: ?What happened was I didn?t play as well as I played before.? It?s also full to the point of rambling; Verdasco likes to talk, going through games point by point to recall exactly the mechanics of who did what and where the momentum was flowing at any one time. Simultaneously, he makes it all sound very simple: ?I just take this match, the positive part, that it was like a tough second set and maybe it?s gonna help me more for the next match or the next matches to win 6-1, 7-5 than 6-1, 6-2. But it?s not I think like a real thing, because he?s playing good tennis and I think it was not a real score to beat him today 6-1 6-2.?
In the end, it is pretty simple. Gil takes a minibreak but is unable to hold it and Verdasco is that little bit calmer, holding out for a 7-5 victory in the tiebreak and the match. Perhaps a tough win is what he needs right now to give him confidence and settle his game, and he?s cheerful in his press conference, even laughing about his beloved Real Madrid?s defeat to Barcelona. (?I didn?t watch it. I didn?t?No, I?m lying. I didn?t want to watch but I watched, unfortunately.?) It?s one of the uneasy negotiations in trying to cover a tennis tournament when you?re a fan; it?s so easy to be favorably prejudiced towards someone when they look you in the eye and try their best to give you a good answer to your question. It?s not easy necessarily to tell it how it is, to be bread-and-cheese about it. It?s tempting to get lost in a collaborative relationship, to believe that everyone?fans, players, press, tournaments, tours?is working together happily to make the tennis world a better place.
To a certain extent, that?s true. But there are also conflicts of interest and behind-the-scenes dramas that are difficult to decipher. The elephant in this press room is that Verdasco is partly playing this week in Estoril because he didn?t play last week at the Barcelona Banc Sabadell Open, an ATP 500 tournament where he is the defending champion. Verdasco had previously made a statement regarding his reasons for not defending the ranking points he earned last year: ?"The reason I?m not going Barcelona?ask the tournament officials who decide who they want to play [?] Nadal is coming back and there?s a person whom I?m not going to say who it is, but who has had no interest in me playing.? The tournament responded that Verdasco didn?t sign in to play the tournament but was welcome to take a wild card.
Asked to clarify the matter, Verdasco tells it like he sees it. ?If I didn?t play the tournament it is because Fernando Soler, the guy from IMG that a lot of people know, a lot of players know, he?s the guy who speaks with the top players and decide which top players they want to play. They [Real Club de Tenis Barcelona] want me to play. Costa, he wants me to play. I want to play. But if this guy treat me without respect after I won last year the tournament, I will not play. I don?t care if they give me guarantees, they give me money. It?s just I think one thing of respect, not one thing of money.?
Appearance fees, or as they are sometimes known, guarantees, are a thorny subject in the tennis world. It?s widely known that the top players often get paid a flat fee to play in optional, smaller tournaments, but no-one talks much about it. Questioned by several reporters as to the details of the lack of respect shown to him by Soler, Verdasco does not elaborate, but vehemently insists it?s not purely a question of money. ?It?s not about the money and I said many times no to tournaments when they give me a big guarantee. Why? Because it was not the right week or the right tournament or I think that it was better to train. It?s not about the money, it?s about the points and to be a better player. Of course, money?s good, you know?? He smiles. ?I will not lie?But I, you know, my reason to play a tournament is not because they give me [a] guarantee. It?s because they are good for my calendar, and to make me a better player and to have a better ranking.?
More worrying perhaps is the suggestion that he is not the only Spanish player to have been treated badly by Soler. He goes out of his way to be respectful towards Nadal, who is an IMG player but ?he?s the one that everybody respects, they respect Rafa the most and he deserve everything, so he plays. But after Rafa many other players, they play Barcelona and I don?t think they treat them well?Then it?s fine and I respect everyone but I don?t know the reason to play in that conditions. I prefer like I said to rest, to train that week and play in other tournaments. Even if I lose the points, that is what is most important for a tennis player, the points and the rankings. I lost a lot of ranking right now just because I couldn?t play that tournament.?
It?s true that the loss of his ranking points from Barcelona is a major factor in Verdasco?s slide out of the top 10 to no. 13. Yet the Spaniard seems free from bitterness. He?s discussing the situation, it?s true, but because he?s been asked to and in a remarkably guileless way as if ignorant of any trouble it may cause for him in the future. He?s telling it like it is; he?s p�o p�o, queijo queijo. ?I?m so sorry because I would love to play, and I am so sorry for my fans in Barcelona, for my friends in Barcelona. [I] have a lot of people think that because I?m from Madrid I don?t like to play in Barcelona. That?s bullshit, that?s not the truth. I love to play in Barcelona, I love to play in Spain, and I would love to play in Barcelona every year but if they don?t treat me like they?re supposed to do, I will not play.?
It all sounds very simple. Tomorrow, when his comments are repeated?apparently he goes even further in the Spanish-language section of the press conference?it might not seem so simple.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-features/~3/fy6ciAH_JzU/
Querrey downs Kohlscreiber to reach second round
PARIS (AP)?Sam Querrey of the United States beat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 Tuesday to reach the French Open?s second round for the first time.
The 24th-seeded Querrey entered this year?s tournament with an 0-4 career record at Roland Garros.
Querrey?s best showing at any Grand Slam tournament were fourth-round appearances at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/BblG3CGHWYU/
Li advances past Zahlaova Strycova in three sets
PARIS (AP)?Australian Open finalist Li Na advanced to the second round of the French Open by beating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 Tuesday.
The sixth-seeded Li, who became the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final, made the semifinals at the clay-court warm-up tournaments in Madrid and Rome.
Li trailed 3-1 in the first set, but then won 10 of the next 12 games to lead 5-2 in the second before her Czech opponent forced the tiebreaker. She led 4-0 in the third set.
Li has advanced to at least the quarterfinals at the other three Grand Slam tournaments but her best result at Roland Garros is reaching the fourth round.ln
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/97Prnh6A_y0/
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