I always wonder if these shots are real but it looks impressive.
Courtesy: Sportsvibe
Friday, 29 October 2010
Tennis in Cambodia
This is so humbling. So sad but then so inspiring that the country is slowing rebuilding. And a big round of applause to Tep Rithivit & Leander Paes. Click the "courtesy" link below for a video.
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The brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge during the 1970s brought Cambodia to its knees. Pol Pot and his cadres persecuted anything they regarded as middle-class or intellectual -- from pop musicians to tennis players.
Former tennis coach turned journalist Robert Davis told CNN of the extremes to which the Khmer Rouge were willing to go.
"When the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh and Cambodia, anyone who was elite or academic was exterminated," said Davis.
As a child, Tep Rithivit learned tennis with his father at Le Cercle Sportif club, which now houses the U.S. embassy. His father was captain of the national tennis team. When the Khmer Rouge seized Phnom Penh in 1975, the family fled into exile.
It would be nearly 20 years before Tep returned to his homeland to embark on a mission to reintroduce the game he loved to his compatriots.
"As everyone knows Pol Pot wanted to start at year zero; we started at year zero back in 1993 as far as tennis was concerned," Tep told CNN's Open Court.
"It was a painful, difficult process -- we had no equipment, we had no money to do this but we had one thing, this determination. From my part and also from the kids, they wanted a better place in the sun."
Now, in his role as head of the Tennis Federation of Cambodia, he has established a national tennis center and introduced the game into schools.
"We basically rebuilt it from scratch. I went to get a lot of young talent and found it in the ball-boys. I personally took all the ball-boys and started giving them a tennis lesson."
In 1997, Tep saw his hard work pay off as Cambodia entered its first international competition, the South East Asian Games (SEAG) in Indonesia.
Though the team came away without a single win to its name, it had made an important step on the road to recovery.
And, 10 years later, young Tan Nysan achieved something that many would have never dared imagine was possible. Nysan won a bronze medal at the SEAG, and then repeated the feat in 2009.
"That day everything changed for Cambodian tennis, everything changed for our players and everything changed for me," recalls Tep.
"It was worth gold or platinum for us, everybody was cheering, most of the people were crying and our player was delirious."
Cambodia's tennis revolution will be complete in 2012, when the country proudly makes its Davis Cup debut.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge during the 1970s brought Cambodia to its knees. Pol Pot and his cadres persecuted anything they regarded as middle-class or intellectual -- from pop musicians to tennis players.
Former tennis coach turned journalist Robert Davis told CNN of the extremes to which the Khmer Rouge were willing to go.
"When the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh and Cambodia, anyone who was elite or academic was exterminated," said Davis.
As a child, Tep Rithivit learned tennis with his father at Le Cercle Sportif club, which now houses the U.S. embassy. His father was captain of the national tennis team. When the Khmer Rouge seized Phnom Penh in 1975, the family fled into exile.
It would be nearly 20 years before Tep returned to his homeland to embark on a mission to reintroduce the game he loved to his compatriots.
"As everyone knows Pol Pot wanted to start at year zero; we started at year zero back in 1993 as far as tennis was concerned," Tep told CNN's Open Court.
It was basically ethnic cleansing. Tennis is considered elitist and anyone who had anything to do with tennis was killed
Now, in his role as head of the Tennis Federation of Cambodia, he has established a national tennis center and introduced the game into schools.
"We basically rebuilt it from scratch. I went to get a lot of young talent and found it in the ball-boys. I personally took all the ball-boys and started giving them a tennis lesson."
In 1997, Tep saw his hard work pay off as Cambodia entered its first international competition, the South East Asian Games (SEAG) in Indonesia.
Though the team came away without a single win to its name, it had made an important step on the road to recovery.
And, 10 years later, young Tan Nysan achieved something that many would have never dared imagine was possible. Nysan won a bronze medal at the SEAG, and then repeated the feat in 2009.
"That day everything changed for Cambodian tennis, everything changed for our players and everything changed for me," recalls Tep.
"It was worth gold or platinum for us, everybody was cheering, most of the people were crying and our player was delirious."
Cambodia's tennis revolution will be complete in 2012, when the country proudly makes its Davis Cup debut.
It will be the ultimate accolade for Tep Rithivit, the man who made it his mission to pull Cambodian tennis out of the killing fields and put it back onto the world stage.
Courtesy: CNN
IMG betting scandal - update
I have a feeling this one is going to run and run and run :(
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The smear campaign is working and Jim Agate appears to be scum, financially desperate and baselessly suing one of the richest men in the world. After all, Teddy Forstmann, CEO of IMG, is a billionaire and one of the most powerful men in the sports world. Agate, who filed a lawsuit claiming he was the go-between for Forstmann with Costa Rican gambling houses, is not.
IMG has aggressively said that Agate tried this lawsuit once before and it was "thrown out,'' and that Agate later sent a letter to Forstmann apologizing for "falsely attacking'' him. IMG even sent me a copy of that letter.
But documents FanHouse obtained this week from sources close to the situation show Forstmann apparently paid Agate $575,000 in hush money over the past 18 months as part of a legal settlement to make that first case disappear.
And the apology? Term No. 6 in the settlement says this: "Agate will deliver a letter to Forstmann in which Agate apologizes for his conduct directed at Mr. Forstmann ...''
Did Agate's apology show a mentally unstable man, as IMG portrayed, or one cutting a deal with a rich guy who wants his problems to go away?
"Bought and paid for,'' a source said about the apology.
Forstmann's attorney, Mike Sitrick, responded via email, "There was no hush money because there was nothing to hush."
Sitrick said Forstmann did pay Agate an undisclosed sum to avoid the cost of further litigation, and that the original lawsuit "contained none of the false allegations concerning betting, racism or any of the other nonsensical claims that are in the 2010 lawsuit."
Sources also played me a scratchy voice mail message of what sounds like Forstmann asking Agate to place a $2,000 bet on Vijay Singh, an IMG client, to win the British Open. Forstmann has said he has bet on sporting events but hasn't acknowledged betting through Agate. Agate and his attorneys declined to comment, but the lawsuit lists a copy of that tape for evidence.
And this sports gambling scandal is about to start mushrooming, a disaster for tennis -- as Agate claims Forstmann got inside information from his client, Roger Federer -- but also for golf, NCAA basketball and possibly other sports, too. In court documents from the current lawsuit, Agate lists nearly 600 bets he claims to have placed for Forstmann, including more than $150,000 on the 2007 NCAA basketball tournament alone.
"Any bets that Mr. Forstmann may have made on college sports would have been made before IMG acquired the business in 2007 that put IMG into the college sports business,'' Sitrick said. "He has made none since that time."
Nowhere in there is a denial that Forstmann bet on college sports.
IMG is huge in the sports world, and its CEO has power and access. He compromises the world's most famous athletes, and their sports, by placing bets.
An IMG vice president told FanHouse that Forstmann did, as Agate claimed, bet $40,000 on Federer to beat Rafael Nadal in the 2007 French Open final. IMG seems to say that betting for Federer, instead of against, makes it OK.
Agate's suit also claims that Forstmann bet on Singh in a head-to-head bet over Tiger Woods, another IMG client. IMG denies that.
Forstmann has access to information that others don't have.
When someone has that much power over a sport and that much control, you start wondering if his betting is going to influence the outcome. That's why it's against the rules.
A sport depends on its credibility, that games are played fairly and that players are playing by the rules. Forstmann is a big player, whether on the court or off, and isn't playing by the rules. He is putting suspicion in the minds of fans, and once that suspicion is there, it's hard to get past it.
But Nadal is also an IMG client. More importantly, the Tennis Integrity Unit said it is a violation of tennis rules for a tournament owner -- IMG owns and operates several tournaments -- to bet on the game at all.
Forstmann has given one interview since Agate filed a lawsuit again. He told the Daily Beast that he did lose $40,000 on that match, but that it's a small sum for someone as rich as he is. He also referred to Agate as a "scumbag lowlife'' and "shakedown artist.'' The VP, Jim Gallagher, called Agate a "whackjob.''
But here's a question: if Agate is scum, then why did Forstmann hang around with him for at least 10 years, traveling him around the world on his private plane, placing him in his Huggy Bear charity tennis tournament in the Hamptons, golfing with him in some of the world's most prestigious courses and putting him together with some of the world's beautiful people?
Here's another question: if Forstmann didn't think there was anything wrong with his gambling, then why was he having someone else do it?
Agate might just be the kind of guy willing to do the dirty work for someone who wants to keep his hands clean.
The sports world has a huge problem on its hands, as Forstmann so recklessly and arrogantly has placed himself above the rules, and above conflicts of interest.
IMG serves as the management firm for many of the world's most famous athletes, including Tiger Woods. Its college division is the self-described leader in NCAA licensing and marketing. It has tentacles worldwide in soccer.
Federer has said he had nothing to do with Forstmann's bet. It's hard to believe Federer would be involved, as he has taken seriously his responsibility to the game. But Forstmann has now put Federer in a position to have to defend himself.
In fact, Forstmann said he might have called Federer the night before the match. What was said? Did Federer know that Forstmann was planning to bet?
Well, Forstmann and IMG have blasted Agate, saying his claims are ludicrous. Yet Forstmann admits to betting on sports. And the voice mail shows it is likely he bet through Agate.
As for whether the first lawsuit was thrown out or settled, it might have been both. First, it was discharged, and then, apparently, Agate was about to file again. Forstmann's attorneys, in the current suit, have filed a motion saying that the first case was dismissed from court over two years ago and then "subsequently settled pursuant to a settlement agreement between James Agate, the principal of Agate Printing, and Theodore Forstmann.'' The attorneys are calling for that settlement to be sealed.
Agate's case makes several claims, mostly based on money he feels Forstmann promised him, or business he promised Agate Printing through IMG or Forstmann's 24-Hour Fitness, through the years without following through. Most of those alleged promises, though, seem to have been made by word of mouth, not signed contracts.
Agate apparently owes more than $1 million to the IRS, and claims that the bulk of that was the result of Forstmann wiring his sports gambling money into Agate Printing's accounts. The IRS then apparently became suspicious of how Agate Printing had so much more money coming into and out of his accounts than his claimed business revenues would amount to. Agate says Forstmann promised to cover any tax liabilities from his gambling.
The settlement says that Agate is not eligible to sue again. The current suit is not filed by Agate, but by Agate Printing.
Documents included as evidence in Agate's filing show multiple e-mails sent from Agate to Forstmann with betting lines.
He has phone records he says show that Forstmann called him, and then that he called betting houses in Costa Rica minutes later. He has documents that purportedly show Forstmann wiring money into his accounts.
And he lists 584 bets he claims in court documents to have made for Forstmann on NFL games, the NCAA basketball tournament, NBA, golf, baseball, tennis, college football and NHL. Most bets seem to be around $2,000 or $3,000.
But tennis and the NCAA have been fighting off image problems from betting scandals, and this one, from such a prominent person, is not going to help.
The IMG campaign says that Agate is making the whole thing up. But Forstmann has already admitted to making at least one big bet that Agate brought to light.
If Forstmann isn't careful, credibility might start swinging from the billionaire to the "scumbag lowlife.''
Courtesy: Fanhouse
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The smear campaign is working and Jim Agate appears to be scum, financially desperate and baselessly suing one of the richest men in the world. After all, Teddy Forstmann, CEO of IMG, is a billionaire and one of the most powerful men in the sports world. Agate, who filed a lawsuit claiming he was the go-between for Forstmann with Costa Rican gambling houses, is not.
IMG has aggressively said that Agate tried this lawsuit once before and it was "thrown out,'' and that Agate later sent a letter to Forstmann apologizing for "falsely attacking'' him. IMG even sent me a copy of that letter.
But documents FanHouse obtained this week from sources close to the situation show Forstmann apparently paid Agate $575,000 in hush money over the past 18 months as part of a legal settlement to make that first case disappear.
And the apology? Term No. 6 in the settlement says this: "Agate will deliver a letter to Forstmann in which Agate apologizes for his conduct directed at Mr. Forstmann ...''
Did Agate's apology show a mentally unstable man, as IMG portrayed, or one cutting a deal with a rich guy who wants his problems to go away?
"Bought and paid for,'' a source said about the apology.
Forstmann's attorney, Mike Sitrick, responded via email, "There was no hush money because there was nothing to hush."
Sitrick said Forstmann did pay Agate an undisclosed sum to avoid the cost of further litigation, and that the original lawsuit "contained none of the false allegations concerning betting, racism or any of the other nonsensical claims that are in the 2010 lawsuit."
Sources also played me a scratchy voice mail message of what sounds like Forstmann asking Agate to place a $2,000 bet on Vijay Singh, an IMG client, to win the British Open. Forstmann has said he has bet on sporting events but hasn't acknowledged betting through Agate. Agate and his attorneys declined to comment, but the lawsuit lists a copy of that tape for evidence.
And this sports gambling scandal is about to start mushrooming, a disaster for tennis -- as Agate claims Forstmann got inside information from his client, Roger Federer -- but also for golf, NCAA basketball and possibly other sports, too. In court documents from the current lawsuit, Agate lists nearly 600 bets he claims to have placed for Forstmann, including more than $150,000 on the 2007 NCAA basketball tournament alone.
"Any bets that Mr. Forstmann may have made on college sports would have been made before IMG acquired the business in 2007 that put IMG into the college sports business,'' Sitrick said. "He has made none since that time."
Nowhere in there is a denial that Forstmann bet on college sports.
IMG is huge in the sports world, and its CEO has power and access. He compromises the world's most famous athletes, and their sports, by placing bets.
An IMG vice president told FanHouse that Forstmann did, as Agate claimed, bet $40,000 on Federer to beat Rafael Nadal in the 2007 French Open final. IMG seems to say that betting for Federer, instead of against, makes it OK.
Agate's suit also claims that Forstmann bet on Singh in a head-to-head bet over Tiger Woods, another IMG client. IMG denies that.
Forstmann has access to information that others don't have.
When someone has that much power over a sport and that much control, you start wondering if his betting is going to influence the outcome. That's why it's against the rules.
A sport depends on its credibility, that games are played fairly and that players are playing by the rules. Forstmann is a big player, whether on the court or off, and isn't playing by the rules. He is putting suspicion in the minds of fans, and once that suspicion is there, it's hard to get past it.
But Nadal is also an IMG client. More importantly, the Tennis Integrity Unit said it is a violation of tennis rules for a tournament owner -- IMG owns and operates several tournaments -- to bet on the game at all.
Forstmann has given one interview since Agate filed a lawsuit again. He told the Daily Beast that he did lose $40,000 on that match, but that it's a small sum for someone as rich as he is. He also referred to Agate as a "scumbag lowlife'' and "shakedown artist.'' The VP, Jim Gallagher, called Agate a "whackjob.''
But here's a question: if Agate is scum, then why did Forstmann hang around with him for at least 10 years, traveling him around the world on his private plane, placing him in his Huggy Bear charity tennis tournament in the Hamptons, golfing with him in some of the world's most prestigious courses and putting him together with some of the world's beautiful people?
Here's another question: if Forstmann didn't think there was anything wrong with his gambling, then why was he having someone else do it?
Agate might just be the kind of guy willing to do the dirty work for someone who wants to keep his hands clean.
The sports world has a huge problem on its hands, as Forstmann so recklessly and arrogantly has placed himself above the rules, and above conflicts of interest.
IMG serves as the management firm for many of the world's most famous athletes, including Tiger Woods. Its college division is the self-described leader in NCAA licensing and marketing. It has tentacles worldwide in soccer.
Federer has said he had nothing to do with Forstmann's bet. It's hard to believe Federer would be involved, as he has taken seriously his responsibility to the game. But Forstmann has now put Federer in a position to have to defend himself.
In fact, Forstmann said he might have called Federer the night before the match. What was said? Did Federer know that Forstmann was planning to bet?
Well, Forstmann and IMG have blasted Agate, saying his claims are ludicrous. Yet Forstmann admits to betting on sports. And the voice mail shows it is likely he bet through Agate.
As for whether the first lawsuit was thrown out or settled, it might have been both. First, it was discharged, and then, apparently, Agate was about to file again. Forstmann's attorneys, in the current suit, have filed a motion saying that the first case was dismissed from court over two years ago and then "subsequently settled pursuant to a settlement agreement between James Agate, the principal of Agate Printing, and Theodore Forstmann.'' The attorneys are calling for that settlement to be sealed.
Agate's case makes several claims, mostly based on money he feels Forstmann promised him, or business he promised Agate Printing through IMG or Forstmann's 24-Hour Fitness, through the years without following through. Most of those alleged promises, though, seem to have been made by word of mouth, not signed contracts.
Agate apparently owes more than $1 million to the IRS, and claims that the bulk of that was the result of Forstmann wiring his sports gambling money into Agate Printing's accounts. The IRS then apparently became suspicious of how Agate Printing had so much more money coming into and out of his accounts than his claimed business revenues would amount to. Agate says Forstmann promised to cover any tax liabilities from his gambling.
The settlement says that Agate is not eligible to sue again. The current suit is not filed by Agate, but by Agate Printing.
Documents included as evidence in Agate's filing show multiple e-mails sent from Agate to Forstmann with betting lines.
He has phone records he says show that Forstmann called him, and then that he called betting houses in Costa Rica minutes later. He has documents that purportedly show Forstmann wiring money into his accounts.
And he lists 584 bets he claims in court documents to have made for Forstmann on NFL games, the NCAA basketball tournament, NBA, golf, baseball, tennis, college football and NHL. Most bets seem to be around $2,000 or $3,000.
But tennis and the NCAA have been fighting off image problems from betting scandals, and this one, from such a prominent person, is not going to help.
The IMG campaign says that Agate is making the whole thing up. But Forstmann has already admitted to making at least one big bet that Agate brought to light.
If Forstmann isn't careful, credibility might start swinging from the billionaire to the "scumbag lowlife.''
Courtesy: Fanhouse
Friday previews
Montpellier - ATP
Nice line-up today, especially the last match. Ljubicic going for win #400 and Isner looking for ace #1000 of the year. Then we have the battle of the Frenchmen. Simon getting back some form after injuries and Tsonga still hoping for an appearance at the O2.
Vienna - ATP
I might try and catch the Melzer v Kohlschreiber match
St Petersburg - ATP
Nothing catches my eye here
Nice line-up today, especially the last match. Ljubicic going for win #400 and Isner looking for ace #1000 of the year. Then we have the battle of the Frenchmen. Simon getting back some form after injuries and Tsonga still hoping for an appearance at the O2.
Vienna - ATP
I might try and catch the Melzer v Kohlschreiber match
St Petersburg - ATP
Nothing catches my eye here
Alma Award 2010
The Foundation Real Madrid next Thursday will celebrate, in the Theaters of the Canal, its annual gala, in which delivery of 2010 Alma awards will be done, among the ones that are awarded will be the tennis player Rafa Nadal.
Through these awards, the Foundation wishes to acknowledge the work of individuals or entities that represent an example for society and directly or indirectly have a link to the world of sport.
Thus, the awards will be presented in four categories, Lifetime Sports, to Solidarity, the National Collaboration Project, the International Cooperation, and an extraordinary one, given the five-time Roland Garros champion "in recognition of his work, values and social commitment.
Courtesy: Rafaholics
A Rafa video
A collection of great moments from Rafa. I still love seeing the look on Sebastian's face when Rafa won Wimbledon for the first time - 04.55
Courtesy: BrilliantTennis
Courtesy: BrilliantTennis
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Jamie Murray ties the knot
Congratulations to Jamie and his bride Alejandra.
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The wedding between the 24-year-old - older brother of world number four Andy Murray - and Alejandra Gutierrez took place at Cromlix House.
Andy Murray was best man at the service which was a "small, private gathering" attended by close friends and family.
Jamie Murray, who won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2007, met Ms Gutierrez two years ago.
Courtesy: BBC
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Tennis player Jamie Murray has married his Colombian girlfriend at a ceremony near his hometown of Dunblane.
Andy Murray was best man at the service which was a "small, private gathering" attended by close friends and family.
Jamie Murray, who won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2007, met Ms Gutierrez two years ago.
Courtesy: BBC
Revamped Roger website
Roger Federer has relaunched his official website.
The popular platform for fans and people interested in Roger currently counts more than 310,000 members and almost 3.5 million visitors in 2010. "It is fantastic to have such a great fan following in the 'real' world as well as on the web. It is because of this that I decided that it would be important for me to give my loyal fans something new and exciting," Federer said.
The focus of the revamped website is a classic and clear design with more images and content as well as improved usability and interactivity. Fans will find current information as well as details on Roger's career, statistics, images and videos about the 16-time Grand Slam champion. New functions also include RSS feeds as well as the option to create a connection between a user and a facebook account.
Courtesy: ATP
Rafa update on Facebook
Not much and not new news but it is always good to hear from Rafa. Even whilst he is busy making his final preparations for Paris he has time for his fans.
"Hi all, I am sure you already know we announced a match and dinner on Dec. 22nd with Roger in Madrid. Thanks all for your support because on that day we play for the kids that need help."
"Hi all, I am sure you already know we announced a match and dinner on Dec. 22nd with Roger in Madrid. Thanks all for your support because on that day we play for the kids that need help."
12 players the "Big 4" should watch out for
In the world of tennis, 'The Big Four' – namely Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have built up a legend for themselves. The legend convinces almost every player on the Association of Tennis Professionals that while these players are in the game, winning a Grand Slam is nothing more or less than a pipe dream. It is as Robin Soderling said about winning a Grand Slam in this decade, “It’s not easy today. I wish it were a lot easier.”
However, this mindset is precisely what keeps some A-grade players from playing their best tennis and introducing new talent to dethrone the top four tennis players who seem to have made a permanent niche for themselves at the top of the ATP Rankings.
12 players who could, with the right training and mental preparation, win Slams in the next few years are analyzed below:
1. Robin Bo Carl Soderling:
Ranked World Number 5 by ATP, this Swedish player seems like he could go both ways; he may make one more charge to defeat one of the champions and climb up the rankings, or he may fizzle out and leave the sport, having reached his limit.
His performance this year has been remarkably consistent. The 26 year old player has reached the French Open Final and the quarters of both Wimbledon and US Open in 2010.
While he holds wins over both Rafa and Federer at the French Open, his combined win record against them is 3-19. He lost to Nadal at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and was beaten by Federer at Flushing Meadows.
2. Tomas Berdych:
Similar to Robin Soderling, this 25 year old Czech player seems to have really settled into the game this year. He managed to defeat both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic at the Wimbledon Championships to become a finalist, losing the title match to Rafael Nadal.
He also reached the semi finals at Roland Garros, where he fell to Robin Soderling. Although, he was once considered a weaker player with not enough consistency, he seems to be more grounded now, and may make something of his success.
3. Fernando Verdasco:
There are only two Spaniards on the ATP Top Ten as of right now, and one of them is World Number 7, Fernando Verdasco. He has participated in a great number of events this year, playing a total of 25 tournaments and 61 singles matches.
This is the most that any player in the top ten has played this year. However, he may have burnt out due to this excess involvement, and went down 0-3 on the Asian circuit. He may also not qualify for the ATP Finals next month.
Verdasco showed signs of promise at the US Open, beating David Nalbandian and shattering David Ferrer in the fourth round before falling to Nadal.
4. Juan Martin del Potro:
This 2009 US Open champion may just be the contender needed by the tennis world; unfortunately, a stroke of bad luck left him injured and unable to exercise any potential this year.
He may have been able to challenge the Top 2, but he will be beginning from the bottom once again now.
5. David Ferrer:
This 28 year old Spaniard’s career highlight was probably his appearance in the 2007 US Open semi finals; this same year, he also made a break into the top five players of the world. However, he has had a slow year, and by and large his best results have been on clay courts.
He also went further at Wimbledon, reaching the fourth round, than he has ever been before. Ferrer also produced good hard court results, and may have what it takes to progress past his position of World Number 8 – however, his age is definitely a factor and may hold him back.
6. Mikhail Youzhny:
The 28 year old Youzhny is another player who may end up limited by his age. The Russian has had a consistent, impressive year; he won ATP events at Munich and Kuala Lumpur, reached the quarter finals of the French Open and made an appearance at US Open semi finals.
Youzhny, when in form, has one of the trickiest and hardest to manage games on the tour, but he also has his limitations. Now that his compatriot Nikolay Davydenko is on a downward spiral, he is Russia’s best; although, somewhat improbable hope for a Slam.
7. Andy Roddick:
This American player is another superb 28 year old tennis pro on the tour. As with every other player – even Federer’s age seems to be catching up to him – he also lacks the agility to succeed at this age.
He has suffered far more injuries this year than he normally does, which usually means that a player’s body is ready to break down. What Roddick has going for him is that he is both smart and competitive, and may be able to make the most out of his last few seasons.
He did reach one Slam quarter final in 2010, and was out-hit on all his losses.
8. Marin Cilic:
This 22 year old is a mystery. He won the Chennai Open and was a semi finalist at the 2010 Australian Open. For a brief period of time, he was regarded as a fresh new talent on the ATP. But, the Croatian seems to have disappeared in the past seven months entirely.
He possesses height, balance and firepower; although critics were sure that he would be the breakout player of this year, he hasn’t won any consecutive matches since August.
9/10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils:
Both of these players have more than just nationality in common; they also have a great fault which debilitates them from making further progress in the field of tennis. Both players are enigmas who play exceptionally well, displaying terrific athleticism and potential; however, both of them fall apart at crucial moments in their careers, letting hesitation and lack of focus dominate their play.
Tsonga, who is 25 years old, is a former Australian Open finalist. His main problem is that he remains injured, and his body may be giving up on him earlier than that of most tennis players. Tsonga also requires work on his backhand and return serve, but his most urgent need is a regime which builds his body back and keeps on the tour for a full year. He is still young enough and talented enough to take over one of the Grand Slam champion slots if he focuses himself.
Meanwhile, compatriot Gael Monfils, who was a semi finalist at the French Open, has immense difficulty with a workable game plan. He falls apart and lacks consistency, engineering his failures by his own hand. Although, his offense and defence are superb – a rare combo – so far, he refuses to utilize them to the maximum potential. Monfils recently reached the US Open quarters and the final in Tokyo, where he was upset by Nadal.
11/12. Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey:
28 year old Mardy Fish, Number 18, has had an impressive summer, and looked confident while entering the US Open – however, Nole managed to rip the American player apart in the fourth round. However, he may still be the one to watch at the Slams; though he may not win, he will, nevertheless, make progress in 2011.
Sam Querrey at Number 22 has been winning smaller titles, but has as of yet been unable to move past a victory at the third round of a Masters Series or Majors event. His biggest advantage, perhaps, is his age; he is 23, and unlike Fish, he can afford to take his career with gradual improvement. He has won tournaments on all four surfaces, and that increases his chances of adaptability for a Grand Slam. This young player will definitely bring improvement to his already great forehand and serve in the New Year, but his chances of a Majors' victory are quite variable, depending on consistency and training.
This instalment completes the list of players who may make it big in 2011. All that remains to be done now is to sit back and wait for January to roll around.
Courtesy: Bettor
However, this mindset is precisely what keeps some A-grade players from playing their best tennis and introducing new talent to dethrone the top four tennis players who seem to have made a permanent niche for themselves at the top of the ATP Rankings.
12 players who could, with the right training and mental preparation, win Slams in the next few years are analyzed below:
1. Robin Bo Carl Soderling:
Ranked World Number 5 by ATP, this Swedish player seems like he could go both ways; he may make one more charge to defeat one of the champions and climb up the rankings, or he may fizzle out and leave the sport, having reached his limit.
His performance this year has been remarkably consistent. The 26 year old player has reached the French Open Final and the quarters of both Wimbledon and US Open in 2010.
While he holds wins over both Rafa and Federer at the French Open, his combined win record against them is 3-19. He lost to Nadal at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and was beaten by Federer at Flushing Meadows.
2. Tomas Berdych:
Similar to Robin Soderling, this 25 year old Czech player seems to have really settled into the game this year. He managed to defeat both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic at the Wimbledon Championships to become a finalist, losing the title match to Rafael Nadal.
He also reached the semi finals at Roland Garros, where he fell to Robin Soderling. Although, he was once considered a weaker player with not enough consistency, he seems to be more grounded now, and may make something of his success.
3. Fernando Verdasco:
There are only two Spaniards on the ATP Top Ten as of right now, and one of them is World Number 7, Fernando Verdasco. He has participated in a great number of events this year, playing a total of 25 tournaments and 61 singles matches.
This is the most that any player in the top ten has played this year. However, he may have burnt out due to this excess involvement, and went down 0-3 on the Asian circuit. He may also not qualify for the ATP Finals next month.
Verdasco showed signs of promise at the US Open, beating David Nalbandian and shattering David Ferrer in the fourth round before falling to Nadal.
4. Juan Martin del Potro:
This 2009 US Open champion may just be the contender needed by the tennis world; unfortunately, a stroke of bad luck left him injured and unable to exercise any potential this year.
He may have been able to challenge the Top 2, but he will be beginning from the bottom once again now.
5. David Ferrer:
This 28 year old Spaniard’s career highlight was probably his appearance in the 2007 US Open semi finals; this same year, he also made a break into the top five players of the world. However, he has had a slow year, and by and large his best results have been on clay courts.
He also went further at Wimbledon, reaching the fourth round, than he has ever been before. Ferrer also produced good hard court results, and may have what it takes to progress past his position of World Number 8 – however, his age is definitely a factor and may hold him back.
6. Mikhail Youzhny:
The 28 year old Youzhny is another player who may end up limited by his age. The Russian has had a consistent, impressive year; he won ATP events at Munich and Kuala Lumpur, reached the quarter finals of the French Open and made an appearance at US Open semi finals.
Youzhny, when in form, has one of the trickiest and hardest to manage games on the tour, but he also has his limitations. Now that his compatriot Nikolay Davydenko is on a downward spiral, he is Russia’s best; although, somewhat improbable hope for a Slam.
7. Andy Roddick:
This American player is another superb 28 year old tennis pro on the tour. As with every other player – even Federer’s age seems to be catching up to him – he also lacks the agility to succeed at this age.
He has suffered far more injuries this year than he normally does, which usually means that a player’s body is ready to break down. What Roddick has going for him is that he is both smart and competitive, and may be able to make the most out of his last few seasons.
He did reach one Slam quarter final in 2010, and was out-hit on all his losses.
8. Marin Cilic:
This 22 year old is a mystery. He won the Chennai Open and was a semi finalist at the 2010 Australian Open. For a brief period of time, he was regarded as a fresh new talent on the ATP. But, the Croatian seems to have disappeared in the past seven months entirely.
He possesses height, balance and firepower; although critics were sure that he would be the breakout player of this year, he hasn’t won any consecutive matches since August.
9/10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils:
Both of these players have more than just nationality in common; they also have a great fault which debilitates them from making further progress in the field of tennis. Both players are enigmas who play exceptionally well, displaying terrific athleticism and potential; however, both of them fall apart at crucial moments in their careers, letting hesitation and lack of focus dominate their play.
Tsonga, who is 25 years old, is a former Australian Open finalist. His main problem is that he remains injured, and his body may be giving up on him earlier than that of most tennis players. Tsonga also requires work on his backhand and return serve, but his most urgent need is a regime which builds his body back and keeps on the tour for a full year. He is still young enough and talented enough to take over one of the Grand Slam champion slots if he focuses himself.
Meanwhile, compatriot Gael Monfils, who was a semi finalist at the French Open, has immense difficulty with a workable game plan. He falls apart and lacks consistency, engineering his failures by his own hand. Although, his offense and defence are superb – a rare combo – so far, he refuses to utilize them to the maximum potential. Monfils recently reached the US Open quarters and the final in Tokyo, where he was upset by Nadal.
11/12. Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey:
28 year old Mardy Fish, Number 18, has had an impressive summer, and looked confident while entering the US Open – however, Nole managed to rip the American player apart in the fourth round. However, he may still be the one to watch at the Slams; though he may not win, he will, nevertheless, make progress in 2011.
Sam Querrey at Number 22 has been winning smaller titles, but has as of yet been unable to move past a victory at the third round of a Masters Series or Majors event. His biggest advantage, perhaps, is his age; he is 23, and unlike Fish, he can afford to take his career with gradual improvement. He has won tournaments on all four surfaces, and that increases his chances of adaptability for a Grand Slam. This young player will definitely bring improvement to his already great forehand and serve in the New Year, but his chances of a Majors' victory are quite variable, depending on consistency and training.
This instalment completes the list of players who may make it big in 2011. All that remains to be done now is to sit back and wait for January to roll around.
Courtesy: Bettor
Serbia - The land of tennis talent.
For the past two or three years, Serbia has steadily produced some outstanding tennis players. The exceptional thing about these pros is, in addition to their high ranking on the charts, the country has produced good singles and doubles players, as well as both male and female athletes.
Here’s a list of the five best Serbian players on the field today:
Novak Djokovic, this 23 year old Serbian is currently ranked World Number 3, and is without a doubt one of the best tennis players of the Open Era. He is the first Serbian to win a Grand Slam title, with his 2008 success at the Australian Open.
He is all the youngest player of this era to reach the semi finals of all four Majors events. He was a finalist at the 2007 and 2010 US Open tournaments, and will now lead his country into the Davis Cup match against France in Belgrade, after putting in an appearance at the ATP Tour Finals in London.
Djokovic is also known as a genuine sportsman, often applauding an opponent for an exceptional shot and possessing the ability to make light of his failures. This has endeared him to his fans, thereby giving him a great following.
Jelena Jankovic, right-handed tennis player Jelena Jankovic is another Serbian player, who seems determined to leave her mark on the game. When she began playing, her style was erratic and generally difficult to watch. She would lost control during matches and lost both fans and points due to this fault.
However, she has completely revised her mental attitude now. Jankovic, currently ranked World Number 7, has become a joy to watch on court, with both fans and critics empathising with her and supporting her game. She is a former World Number 1 (one of the three WTA players to reach the position without winning a Grand Slam) and was a semi finalist at the 2008 US Open tournament.
Janko Tipsarevic, this Serbian player’s highest career ranking is World Number 33, achieved in 2008. His current ranking is Number 37. The 26-year old player has won two Futures events, and nine title matches of the ATP Challenger Series. His first achievement was his success at the 2001 Australian Open, where he seized the junior title. Tipsarevic is the second highest ranked Serbian male on the ATP, after Djokovic.
Nenad Zimonjic, this Serbian pro-tennis player is currently ranked World Number 3 in men’s doubles, and is the second man from Serbia, after Slobodan Zivojinovic, to hold the Number 1 men’s doubles rankings.
While doubles may not be considered as difficult or challenging as singles, Zimonjic is still a class act. He is also a valuable asset to the Serbian Davis Cup team. Zimonjic, 34, recently split from his doubles partner Daniel Nestor, due to a poor tournament record this year. Together, the pair won 21 career titles, including Wimbledon in 2008 and 2009, and the 2007 French Open over a period of three years.
Ana Ivanovic, this 22 year old tennis player is a former World Number 1 champion. Although, her current ranking is Number 26, the right-handed Serbian has still proven herself to be an exceptional player, by winning the 2008 French Open, and putting in finalist appearances at Roland Garros in 2007 and the Australian Open in 2008.
Although a wonderful player, Ivanovic seems to be off her stride lately. She suffers with movement around the court, fitness and unforced error issues, but her mental attitude is of far greater concern. She loses concentration far too easily and lacks focus. To succeed at the game, Ivanovic needs a better coach and a new approach. She may still stand a chance of dominating the rankings.
Courtesy: Bettor
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