US OPEN TENNIS

Gilles Simon was called to the tournament after the No. 1 Rafael Nadal announced he will withdraw the tournament due to injury and fatigue. The 13-time Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer had an injury on his back and withdrew a couple weeks ago at the Paris Masters to rest and prepare for this final tournament. However his lack of serve in this match against Simon and his interminable errors, gave the French an easy way to achieve the victory. Federer had 50 unforced errors compared to 38 from Simon, and the Swiss serve was more slow than usual, that gave the Frenchman an advantage in the game. Although, at the beginning of the match, the Swiss seemed comfortable and ready to play as he defeated the Frenchman 6-4 in the first set and was winning 3-2 in the second set. Nevertheless Simon got back on track by breaking some points and minimizing his errors and at the end, the French played almost perfectly in the last two sets and Federer finished with fatal errors. The Swiss expressed t …

She made two particularly obscene line calls between the irritating comments, causing my partner and I pretty high levels of angst. As the match continued, there were many opportunities for us to pull ahead, because we were the stronger team. There were numerous multiple deuce games and many long points. Both women on the other side had a maddening habit of hitting the balls that had rolled off the court high up in the air first to one side and then to the other without aim…causing the server to run back and forth along the back fence in between points. We actually discovered after the match that they had been doing this on purpose and were laughing as we ran. In the second set, we were up 4-1 but continued to let our annoyance beat us. Each time we gave them a point through an unforced error, the more offensive of the two women would say, “Yes!” and pump her fist in the air…as if they had slammed down a putaway shot. Pumping your fist in Spring, Sunday afternoon recreational tenn …

While women athletes have long since been idolized and respected, very few female sports stars have claimed the mantel of being popular due to their looks. Much of this has changed with the arrival of Anna Kournikova on the professional tennis scene. Yes, she has many fans who love her for her performances on the tennis court. Then, there is the multitude of males who never watched tennis matches in their life; but, they become attentive spectators when an Anna Kournikova match is on television. They also show their fervor by searching for online Anna Kournikova pictures with great abandon as well! Yes, Anna Kournikova’s popularity and superstar status is deeply based on her looks and sex appeal far more than her accomplishments on the tennis court. Let the truth be told, Anna Kournikova is a solid yet not spectacular tennis star. Her overall ratings in singles tennis peaked at #8 and her main success has been primarily in doubles matches. Again, this is a decent career but no where n …

Tennis is such a physical game, but as you certainly know, it is even more a mental game. By learning tennis mental techniques and tips that will give you the advantage, you will always have the upper hand in a big match. How to control your nerves You always want to remember that although you may be nervous, your opponent may be just as nervous as you are, if not even more nervous than you. This is especially true if your opponent is ranked higher than you are. He is expected to win and is thrust into the spotlight in this way. So, he has everything to lose, and you have everything to gain. By being aware of this simple mind shift, you can become less nervous and hopefully your opponent’s nerves will go haywire. Remember that your opponent is struggling just as you are. He even might be worrying about things you couldn’t even imagine. You never know when they might be dealing with a nagging injury, or having an off day or whatever else he might be dealing with. Remember that it’s not …

You will find that no matter what your experience level is with tennis, everyone can win in this low risk form of trading. So just why should you consider trading tennis on Betfair? Well if you look at other forms of sports trading you will notice that the risks associated with them are actually quite high. It can be almost impossible knowing which horse will win a race or whether a football team will win, lose or draw. However in tennis the two players will either win or lose, giving you a fairly high chance of predicting which player is going to lead the match at some stage. In fact, with Betfair trading tennis you often have more than a fifty percent chance of winning because you can bet throughout the match. This is advisable if you are just getting started with tennis trading as it is the most low risk form of trading that you can partake in. By watching the match you get to see how the players are playing on the day and it is then easy to make a bet on who you think will win. No …

What good does a rule do for a sport where favouritism abounds towards seeded or famous players? Not much, I shall say. There were times when fitness counted in tennis and cramps were a sign of being unfit to play or the lack thereof sufficient grounds for elimination. Yesterday, Serena Williams in her match against Daniela Hantuchova, was unfit to play and should have been disqualified.”The umpire, the trainer, Hantuchova and several other official as gathered round as the injury break became longer, and a tearful Williams shrieked in agony when ice was applied to her calf.” Of course I understand Serena s pain and suffering, but who is being treated unfairly? Daniela Huntuchova, who is fit and ready to play. What happened thereafter is irrelevant, all the heroics from Serena for me amount to nothing, because the rule was stretched out unfairly in her favour, when she should have been eliminated on the spot.A three-minute time out is a three-minute time out, period. Any time past the …

Whether it’s been a match from the well established stars on the tour to the new up and coming talents, this season has given all tennis fans something to smile about. Who can forget THAT Wimbledon men’s singles final? In years to come, we may look back at the history books and determine that it was on Sunday 6th July that signaled the changing of the guard for the title of world’s greatest tennis player, as Rafael Nadal finally became the first man to beat Roger Federer on grass, and end his 59-match unbeaten run. It was truly a Wimbledon epic and worthy of any Grand-Slam tournament final, and will live long in the memory for many years to come. With all this excitement, tennis is set to be one of the hot sports of the summer and not just for the British who suddenly find themselves with both ladies’ and men’s hopefuls for the future. We can look forward to more thrilling matches from Andy Murray and his brother Jamie, who are competing together in the men’s doubles in the upcoming B …

The divisions went from the 40’s age group through the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 100’s. There were 4 competitors in the women’s 100’s doubles. I don’t think anyone in that age group plays singles. It was fascinating to observe these athletes of all ages, still trying hard in many ways, not only to win a match or championship, but to just stay in shape, to stay vertical and mobile. It was truly heart-warming to see so many happy faces and fairly fit bodies. I had not played a senior event in many years and only entered this tournament because it was local and a friend wanted to participate. We agreed to be cannon fodder for the better players in the draw. But it was really fun. It showed me how out of shape I was and how important it is to stay in shape, no matter what age. I used to compete regularly in these events and even traveled all over the country to play. Naturally, I had to be in shape to be at the winning end of these tournaments. And I was. It really doesn’t matter w …

Whatever your reason to win is, you will want to know how to prepare yourself properly in order to have the edge against your opponents. You know that practicing your skills with the paddle and the ball is important. However, have you ever considered the fact that ping pong is also a mental game? You also need to be mentally prepared in order for you to bring out the best in your game. By being mentally prepared, you will be focused, and your decision making skills will be a lot better. You have to remember that table tennis isn’t just about quick reflexes and good skills with the paddle. It is also about knowing what to do and being able to strategize. Ping pong will require you to think of the moves you need to do in order to win a point and you need to think fast. So, here is an example of a mental workout that you might want to do the day before your match. It will only take you about 5 to 10 minutes to do this exercise. The first thing that you need to do is focus on the game. Cl …

It really is a beautiful sport. It is the perfect marriage of the body and the brain, physical and mental. I guess that is where I have missed the boat. I would work endlessly on my chops, out on the practice court hitting serves or forehands off the wall and nausea. I work out regularly and stay in shape so I can outlast my opponent on those brutal August afternoons. So when I see programs like Tennis Mind Game I am intrigued. Can Tennis Mind Game be that coach in my head? You remember how Boris Becker said that in a five set match, the fifth set is not about tennis, it’s about heart (i.e. head)? But we cannot fathom just how complex our brain works, and when we interfere in the process is when we induce errors. The mind is clearly the most important part of our game. And if we have issues in our head, they usually manifest during a match, where the pressure of competition exposes our fears, egos, and inner conflicts. Is this a Zen-like approach to tennis? Well, sort of. It’ …

GAME-SET-MATCH TENNIS Appliqued Flag 28″ X 48″

Over the six years of professional play since the 23-years old Wawrinka began his tennis career; he has escalated from the 171 position in 2003 to the 54th place in 2005 to a 36th ranking in 2007, while reaching the top ten in the current ATP Tour. He also holds a singles career record of 105-91, one title to his name and a doubles Olympic medal. Despite his hard and constant work his game has suffered major setbacks due to a knee injury. Nevertheless, the young Swiss has proved his talent against players such as: the Argentinean Juan Ignacio Chela, the Russian Marat Safin and the Croatian Ivan Ljubicic. Only this past Saturday at the indoor Malley stadium both Swiss players teamed up to play against the Belgium group made up by; Xavier Malisse and Oliver Rochus for a Davis Cup entry for the 2009 competition. There was indeed a lot of pressure on the players, as we witnessed what they were capable of doing at the Olympics, but during the match it was clear that Federer and Wawrinka we …

The divisions went from the 40’s age group through the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 100’s. There were 4 competitors in the women’s 100’s doubles. I don’t think anyone in that age group plays singles. It was fascinating to observe these athletes of all ages, still trying hard in many ways, not only to win a match or championship, but to just stay in shape, to stay vertical and mobile. It was truly heart-warming to see so many happy faces and fairly fit bodies. I had not played a senior event in many years and only entered this tournament because it was local and a friend wanted to participate. We agreed to be cannon fodder for the better players in the draw. But it was really fun. It showed me how out of shape I was and how important it is to stay in shape, no matter what age. I used to compete regularly in these events and even traveled all over the country to play. Naturally, I had to be in shape to be at the winning end of these tournaments. And I was. It really doesn’t matter w …

Tennis is also one of the few sports that uses most of the muscles on your body, which means you get a very good overall workout, and it’s great for your cardio. For these reasons, tennis is ideal as a beginners’ sport, even for those who have never been active in sports. Tennis is also a very sociable game. It takes at least two to play tennis, just like it takes two to tango. You can chit chat with your partner in between sets. Unless you’re in a competitive match, you can even trade jokes during the game! For even more fun, when you’re more confident in your game, you can invite an additional two players to make it a “doubles”. What do you need? A tennis racquet A pair of tennis shoes (or track shoes) Some tennis balls A tennis court And a partner! What you need to know? Here are some of the things you need to know before getting on the court. 1. How to hold the tennis racquet Assuming you’re right handed, hold the tennis racquet on your left hand. Then open up the palm of your rig …

The women’s side has produced the biggest upset at the time I wrote this. Top seed Jelena Jankovic lost her fourth round match and received a straight sets thrashing from Frenchwoman Marian Bartoli, 1-6, 4-6. Jankovic’s exit follows the path of fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic who was the fifth seed and Venus Williams who was the sixth. But unlike the two, Jankovic’s conqueror has better credentials, someone who can beat the top seed at any given day as long as she plays her best tennis. Marion Bartoli, the 16th seed, gained prominence last year at Wimbledon when she reached the final and played against eventual winner Venus Williams. But what made her feat remarkable was the road she took in reaching the finals. She beat the then third seed Jankovic 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a match that was stopped many times because of the weather. Her most notable conquest was when she came from behind a set down and defeated the then top seed Justine Henin in the semi-final 1-6, 7-5, 6-1. Dinara Safina battled re …