C’est la première fois que j’en vois un comme ça sur un court de tennis… 

Normalement c’est plus chez les footeux qu’on voit ce genre de fan stupide… Mais drôle!!

J’aime aussi cette pseudo pudeur qui empêche les chaînes de TV  de montrer ces images… Pour être certain de ne pas encourager d’autres fan au QI assez bas…

So….I grew up watching great tennis players such as Lendl, Edberg, Agassi, Sampras and Becker…..Well Becker always sticks out as one of the unique people in the world who inpregnated somebody after receiving “oral pleasure” in a restaurant toilet…while his wife was in hospital with labour pains. Classy. 

Each one of those players had something about them. Lendl and Edberg- nice guys who played the game in the traditional way. When their time was up Sampras and Agassi came along to take over. Sampras, a monkey like creature who had no personality and married Adam Sandler’s girlfriend from the cult movie “Billy Madison”. Sampras won a lot of money and  tournaments being “mister nice guy” but not a lot of fans. Agassi on the other hand had the wild “David Lee Roth” hair style, wore fluoro cloured shirts and sweatbands, plus he was always agressive and fought over every call he disagreed with. Agassi also married Brook Shields (before his current wife Seffi Graf….What amazing tennis playing children they will produce). Agassi was that wild boy next door the fans loved.

With a few pretenders coming and going such as Jim Courier, Pat Rafter, Leighton Hewitt, Gustavo Cuertin, Juan Carlos Ferrero but to name a few we now find ourselves in the “Federer/Nadal” generation. Roger Federer, again is our Mr Nice guy who has no weakness against a fiery sex symbol in Rafael Nadal who plays every point as if it’s his last. 

It brings us to the eternal question…..Is he the greatest ever tennis player? Like football has the great Maradona vs Pele debate, tennis now has a pool of a few to choose from. Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer are just some of the names that always come up. Borg left on such a high and nobody got to see whether he had the prowess to come back after going on an inevtible downward slide like all tennis greats. Sampras never really had the fan base for anybody to go “wow” about him. Federer on the other hand now has finally won his first Grand Slam on Clay .Winning in straight sets against Robin Sodderling of Sweden thus becoming only the 6th male ever to win all 4 grand slams. Is he the greatest ever though?

The debate will always continue I suppose, even when he over-takes Sampras to win his 15th grand slam and becomes the only male ever to do so.

Records are made to be broken, and history is always in the making. With Federer it seems like just another day at the office……

Leave your thoughts

Jordiboy

from www.gazzetta.it

Lo svizzero travolge in finale Soderling e si aggiudica per la prima volta il Roland Garros dopo tre sconfitte consecutive contro Rafa Nadal. Partita senza storia con lo svedese mai in gara: 6-1 7-6 6-4 il punteggio

PARIGI (Francia) 7 giugno 2009 – Roger Federer è nella leggenda. Il campione svizzero ha vinto il suo primo Roland Garros battendo in finale Robin Soderling in un’ora e 55 minuti per 6-1 7-6 6-4 e ha agguantato Pete Sampras a quota 14 slam.

Roger Federer. Reuters

LA PARTITA — Federer ha vinto il sorteggio e ha scelto il campo mandando in battuta Soderling che ha perso subito il servizio. E lo svedese si è ripetuto poco dopo cedendo nuovamente la battuta per il 4-0 Federer. Giocando il miglior tennis delle ultime due settimane lo svizzero è volato liscio fino al 6-1 con una percentuale di prime di tutto rispetto (69%, un solo punto ceduto al servizio). Sul 2-1 Federer, con Soderling alla battuta sul 15-0, un invasore è entrato in campo avvicinandosi a Federer con tanto di divisa del Basilea, bandiera del Barcellona e cappellino della Rivoluzione Francese. L’invasore non è un personaggio nuovo a simili imprese. L’uomo, che si presenta come ‘Jimmy Jump’, vanta un curriculum molto ricco: nel 2004 ha invaso il campo durante la finale degli Europei di calcio in Portogallo ed è entrato in pista durante il Gp di Spagna di Formula 1. Nel 2005 ha scavalcato le recinzioni durante Real Madrid-Barcellona. Il servizio di sicurezza ha impiegato lunghi interminabili secondi prima di placcare il pazzo che ha deconcentrato lo svizzero.

IN SCIOLTEZZA — Nonostante il calo, Federer ha mantenuto con disinvoltura i propri turni di battuta senza però più impensiere Soderling che si è aggrappato con relativa facilità al tie break. Ma nel gioco decisivo del secondo set Federer ha giocato in modo impressionate aggredendo Soderling e mettendo a segno 4 ace in 4 mini turni di battuta per il decisivo 7-1. Nel terzo Federer è tornato grande, ha subito strappato la battuta a Soderling difendendo con in i denti un mini break nel quarto game e uno difficilissimo quando è andato a servire per il match sul 5-4. Soderling ha steccato un dritto, Federer è salito al match point e quando Soderling ha messo in rete la risposta, Federer si è incinocchiato già con le lacrime agli occhi. Federer è il sesto uomo della storia a vincere in carriera tutti i tornei dello slam. Prima di lui Fred Perry, Donald Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi.

COMMOSSO — Durante la premiazione lo svizzero si è lasciato andare anche a qualche lacrima: “È la vittoria più bella di sempre. Non ho più pressione addosso, finalmente ho vinto il Roland Garros. Non se nemmeno io se merito il calore del pubblico”. Nessuna recriminazione per lo sconfitto: “Roger mi ha dato una lezione. E’ il miglior giocatore della storia”.

Los dotes de Svetlana Kuznetsova en el tenis no están en duda desde que ganó el Roland Garros ante una rival consagrada como Dinara Safina. Lo que nadie se ha dado cuenta es que la campeona del segundo Grand Slam del año también podría jugar al fútbol.

Así lo demostró hoy, cuando ya casi tenía el resultado en la bolsa, su rival, Dinara Safina, no podía siquiera acortar distancias. Fue entonces cuando Kuznetsova recibió una pelota de tenis con el taco, le dio dos patadas sin que esta caiga al piso y la ‘mató’ con la rodilla para luego enviarla al costado con un puntapié.

En este video de sólo 10 segundos podemos ver su destreza con la pelotita.

FUENTE: ELPAIS.com
La tenista rusa Svetlana Kuznetsova se ha apuntado hoy el segundo Grand Slam de su carrera al vencer en la final de Roland Garros (6-4 y 6-2) a la número uno del mundo y gran favorita Dinara Safina, que aún no conoce lo que es levantar una copa de campeona en un Grand Slam, pese a haber jugado esta temporada también la final en el Abierto de Australia. Kuznetsova, séptima cabeza de serie del torneo, se redimió de su derrota en la misma final en 2006 ante la por entonces número uno del mundo, la belga Justine Henin. Por la parte masculina, el suizo Roger Federer derrota en la final a Robin Soderling (6-1, 7-6 (1) y 6-4), consigue su primer Roland Garros e iguala la marca de Sampras en torneos ‘Grand Slam’.
En las imágenes a la izquierda Svetlana en un torneo Open y a la derecha Federer celebrando el tútulo.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Video discurso de Federer

LE TENNIS AVANT…APRES

Autre habitude des français, le Tournoi international de tennis qui se déroule tous les ans au mois de mai à Roland Garros.

Le site officiel de Roland Garros

Tout d’abord, une chose que j’ai découverte en faisant cet article. L’origine des sports à raquette (tennis, badmington, squash, pelote basque…) remonte au XIIIème siècle avec le Jeu de paume en France. (voir article “Le Jeu de paume – ancêtre du Tennis“).

Le 1er championnat de tennis en France s’est tenu à PARIS, en 1891. A cette époque, il était  réservé aux français, seulement aux hommes, et personne ne s’intéressait à ce sport. Un dizaine d’inscrits seulement !

En 1897, le championnat ouvre ses portes aux femmes – peu nombreuses – 3 -. Il devient un peu plus populaire grâce à un joueur Max Decugis qui va gagner 8 fois le tournoi…

Les mousquetaires en 1927

Ce n’est qu’en 1925, que le tournoi va ouvrir ses portes aux étrangers et va devenir “Les internationaux de France”. C’est la belle époque pour le tennis français avec un groupe de bons joueurs que les français vont appeler “les mousquetaires” (comme “les trois mousquetaires” -roman d’Alexandre Dumas- ils sont 4). Il y a Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet, René Lacoste,  Jean Borotra. N’oublions pas aussi Suzanne Lenglen qui va, avec les “3 mousquetaires” faire des merveilles en tennis.

C’est en 1928 que le “Stade Roland Garros” va être construit pour accueillir un public de plus en plus nombreux. Contrairement à ce que l’on pourrait croire Roland Garros n’est pas connu comme joueur de tennis (il était passionné par ce sport et le pratiquait). Les autorités de l’époque ont donné son nom à ce stade pour lui rendre hommage en tant qu’aviateur. Je vous invite à regarder quelques minutes d’une émission télé de 1978 réalisée pour fêter les 50 ans du stade “Il était une fois Roland Garros”.

Rapidement, on ne parle plus des “Internationaux de France” mais de “Roland Garros” tout simplement. Il va devenir un des 4 tournois du Grand Chelem les plus difficiles à réussir en matière de tennis (c’est le plus récent aussi). Les autres tournois majeurs étant :

- WIMBLEDON (Royaume Uni) – en juillet – (depuis 1877)

- L’U.S OPEN (USA) – fin août – début Septembre – (depuis 1881)

- L’OPEN d’AUSTRALIE – fin janvier – (depuis 1905)

(- ROLAND GARROS  – mai – depuis 1925)

Dick Norman, 38 ans, et son partenaire sud-africain Wesley Moodie, ont réussi hier l’exploit de se hisser en finale du double messiurs des Internationaux de France de tennis.  Ils ont éliminé en demi-finales les frères américains Bob et Mike Bryan, 2e tête de série.  Ils seront opposés samedi en finale au duo composé du Tchèque Lukas Dlouhy et de l’Indien Leander Paes, tête de série n° 3.

O humorista francês Gonzague, vestido como um jogador profissional, com o saco e as suas raquetes às costas, entrou no recinto do Roland Garros em Paris, assinando autógrafos, conseguindo fazer-se passar por um jogador profissional.

Depois de ter conseguido treinar no court no. 1 com Jelena Jankovich, o humorista dirigiu-se ao local onde se deveriam afrontar dois dos jogadores presentes no torneio, conseguindo fazer-se passar por um destes, até o jogador verdadeiro chegar para começar o jogo e o árbitro lhe perguntar se não estaria enganado de campo.

from www.gazzetta.it

Terremoto al Roland Garros: lo spagnolo battuto in quattro set da Soderling, la serba sconfitta da Victoria Azarenka. Eliminato anche Verdasco. Safina, Sharapova e Murray ai quarti

PARIGI, 31 maggio 2009 – Come aveva resistito all’assalto di Federer a Wimbledon, Bjorn Borg si è alleato oggi al connazionale Robin Soderling che ha fermato l’avanzata di Rafael Nadal al Roland Garros. E’ la sorpresa più grande nella storia di questo torneo, forse la più grande da quando venti anni fa Michael Chang superò Ivan Lendl servendogli più volte da sotto. Rafael Nadal, il tetracampeon del Roland Garros, l’Ercole imbattibile e insuperabile da quattro anni a questa parte, è fuori dai giochi. Si pensava che solo Federer o Djokovic avessero le chiavi per stanare Nadal sul rosso, ma invece oggi c’è riuscito Zoderling, 24enne numero 25 del mondo che mai in carriera era riuscito a superare il terzo turno in uno slam. Il successo di Soderling si deve a una condotta di gara esemplare contrapposta a un Nadal molto falloso e quasi immobile. Lo svedese ha servito costantemente oltre i 210 chilometri all’ora con il 64% di prime palle. Ma è stato con i colpi dal fondo che Soderling ha scardinato Nadal giocando costantemente sulle righe, cercando spesso il rovescio di Nadal con il suo dritto molto liftanto e dal rimbalzo molto alto.

Rafael Nadal è nato il 3 giugno 1986. Ap

il match — Nadal è andato in confusione già durante il primo set che ha perso per 6-2, poi nel secondo Soderling è stato avanti 4-3 e servizio ma Nadal ha reagito da campione consumato trascinandolo al tie break che ha conquistato di prepotenza per 7-2. Nel terzo si pensava che Soderling potesse cedere da un minuto all’altro, invece è stato Nadal a soffrire di più. Le gambe dello spagnolo non rispondevano più come dovevano agli assalti dello scandinavo e gli errori dal fondo, soprattutto con il dritto, si sprecavano. Anche quando Soderling ha vinto il terzo set per 6-4, molti credevano che Nadal ce l’avrebbe comunque fatta a vincere la sua prima partita al quinto al Roland Garros. Ma così non è stato perchè Soderling, dopo essere stato sotto 2-0 a inizio set, ha reagito subito e al tie break ha schiantato Nadal, chiudendo per 7-2 dopo essere stato avanti 6-1. Nell’ultimo punto Nadal si è trovato a rete, Soderling ha tirato un passante e la volèe di dritto di Nadal è finita larga in corridoio. E’ il punto che ha fatto la storia (risultato finale 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6 in 3 ore e mezza).

precedenti e altri — Soderling non aveva mai battuto Nadal nei tre precedenti confronti diretti. Nel primo turno del Roland Garros 2006 aveva perso 6-2 7-5 6-1, due anni fa a Wimbledon Nadal aveva sprecato un match point al terzo prima di vincere per 7-5 al quinto e infine tre settimane fa a Roma aveva subito un pesantissimo 6-1 6-0. Viene naturale ora pensare allo stato d’animo di Roger Federer che non ha più tra i piedi nè Nadal, nè Djokovic. Chissà se la pressione accumulata riuscirà a smaltirà subito nel match di domani contro il tedesco Haas (troppo leggero per impesierirlo) o se la trascinerà più avanti quando potrebbe incontrare i colored transalpini Monfils e Tsonga. Vanno avanti anche Andy Murray (7-5 7-6 6-1 a Marin Cilic) e il cileno Fernando Gonzalez che ha battuto il rumeno Victor Hanescu (6-2 6-4 6-2). Mano di Pietra è stato superlativo perchè ha commesso appena 16 errori a fronte di 50 colpi vincenti e zero palle break concesse. Esce anche un altro spagnolo, Fernando Versasco, battuto in tre set dal russo Nikolay Davydenko. La terra non è certo la superficie migliore per Verdasco che a gennaio scorso era stato ad un passo dall’eliminare Rafael Nadal nelle semifinala dell’Open d’Australia persa per 7-5 al quinto dopo oltre 5 ore di battaglia

Dinara Safina è nata il 27 aprile 1986. Reuters

donne — Campione in carica fuori anche nel torneo femminile; la bella Ana Ivanovic, senza mai entrare in partita, è stata messa al tappeto dalla bielorussa Victoria Azarenka che si conferma, assieme alla Safina, come la migliore dall’inizio dell’anno. Ana ha perso 6-2 6-3 e questa sconfitta le costa la permanenza tra le prime 10 giocatrici del mondo (sarà al massimo numero 13). E il singolare femminile è sempre più nel segno di Dinara Safina. La numero uno del mondo è approdata ai quarti di finale spazzando via tutte le rivali con punteggi e tempi molto severi. Zero game ceduti e 61 minuti di gioco al primo turno all’inglese Anne Keothavong, due game persi in 55 minuti contro la russa Vitalia Diatchenko al secondo turno, due game regalati in 67 minuti alla russa Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova al terzo e ora un game ceduto in 53 minuti alla francese Aravane Rezai negli ottavi. I sei game ceduti tuttavia non costituiscono un record assoluto perchè al Roland Garros del 1994 la francese Mary Pierce ne perse solo 4 per approdare ai quarti (uno alla Provis, uno alla nostra Bentivoglio, nessuno alla McNeil e due alla Coetzer). Ora nei quarti la Safina è attesa proprio dalla Azarenka. Va avanti ancora con mille difficoltà Maria Sharapova. Masha si è ancora complicata la vita contro la cinese Na Li che le ha strappato il secondo set per 6-0. Poi però si è ripresa e ha avuto la meglio chiudendo il terzo e decisivo set per 6-4 in 2 ore e 13 minuti.

Een jaar lang heeft ze geen wedstrijd gespeeld. Het trage gravel ligt haar voor geen meter. En zelf wilde ze  slechts kijken of ze een paar rondes kon overleven. Maria Sharapova. Ze staat inmiddels in de kwartfinale en begint een serieuze bedreiging te vormen voor de favorieten. De comeback van de queen of scream is er één om bang van te worden!

Okee. Tot nu toe heeft ze alleen maar drietsetters gespeeld. Maar ze won al wel van geplaatste speelsters Nadia Petrova en Na Li (of is het Li Na? Bij Chinezen is dat nooit zo duidelijk). Vooral haar vechtlust bracht Maria de overwinningen. En dat heeft haar tot nu toe al een plaats bij de laatste acht (!) opgeleverd.

In die kwartfinale speelt ze tegen Dominika Cibulkova, iemand met een vergelijkbaar speltype. En dat is zeker geen onmogelijke klus. Een plek bij de laatste vier zou voorMaria geweldig zijn, zeker met het oog op Wimbledon. Op gras is ze namelijk nog veel sterker.

In de halve finale zou ze Dinara (number uno) kunnen 0ntmoeten. Die lijkt momenteel onverslaanbaar, maar spelen tegen Maria Sharapova brengt altijd een extra druk met zich mee. De andere serieuze kanshebsters, naar mijn smaak, zijn nog Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic en Serena Williams.

Morgen beginnen de kwartfinales. Die kunnen nog wel eens bloedstollend spannend worden!

PALME D’OR 2009

C’est le réalisateur autrichien Michael HENEKE qui a remporté la Palme d’Or de la 62ème édition du Festival de Cannes 2009 avec le film “DAS WEISSE BAND” (“LE RUBAN BLANC”).

TOURNOI DE TENNIS À ROLAND GARROS (PARIS)

En tennis, les internationaux de France ont commencé hier le 24 mai 2009. Pour suivre cette actualité, et aussi voir les matchs en direct je vous propose de cliquer sur le site officiel du Tournoi de Tennis à ROLAND GARROS

Todos ya sabiamos quien ganaba Roland Garros este año, pero ahora hay una pizca de duda.
Cinco finales tuvieron que pasar para que Roger Federer pudiera ganarle a Rafael Nadal. Y lo hizo con todos los condimentos posibles: sobre polvo de ladrillo y en su propia casa. Así, la victoria en Madrid del suizo y número dos del mundo le sirve para tomar aliento de cara a Roland Garros, el único Grand Slam que le falta.

Es verdad: Federer no pudo recortar demasiado el puntaje en el ranking, liderado por el español. Pero logró sacarse la mufa y sumar la primera victoria del año. Y demostró que él puede terminar con la hegemonía de Nadal en tierra.

“Es un placer ganar. Pero estuve a punto de ganarle en el Open de Australia y en Wimbledon, así que no me digo Por fin, lo conseguí. Siempre he estado muy cerca de Rafa. Incluso después de mis derrotas siempre he seguido creyendo y eso al final resulta”, explicó Federer, ex número uno mundial.

“Pero es cierto que esa victoria llega en buen momento tras las malas derrotas que he sufrido esta temporada”, añadió el suizo, derrotado seis veces en 2009.

Esta victoria levantó la moral a Federer de cara a Roland Garros, donde Nadal le ha ganado las tres últimas finales. “Sí, siempre supe que iba a ir mejorando semana a semana. He trabajado muchísimo y éste es el resultado. Ahora estoy impaciente por ir a Roland Garros”, comentó el suizo.

“Hace algunas semanas podía preguntarme si era capaz de ganar el French, ahora, obviamente, todo ha cambiado”, agregó Federer, que donde no ve grandes cambios es en el juego de su gran rival, del que dice “saberlo todo”.

“Tampoco ha cambiado muchas cosas. Es sólido como una roca. Hace lo que tiene que hacer de forma excelente. Es el que mejor se desplaza en esta superficie y también es un gran competidor, lo que hace más difícil vencerle. Sabes lo que debes hacer contra él pero no es tan fácil lograrlo porque es buenísimo”, explicó.

Pese a todo, Nadal sigue sacando 4.490 puntos al suizo, mientras que el británico Andy Murray mantiene la tercera plaza en detrimento del serbio Novak Djokovic.

El único cambio en el ‘top ten’ es la entrada  en la décima posición del ruso Nikolay Davydenko, que arrebata el puesto al francés Gael Monfils.

Clasificación mundial:
.1. Rafael Nadal (ESP)          14.960 puntos
.2. Roger Federer (SUI)         10.470
.3. Andy Murray (GBR)            9.020
.4. Novak Djokovic (SRB)         8.830
.5. Juan Martín Del Potro (ARG)  4.830
.6. Andy Roddick (USA)           4.220
.7. Gilles Simon (FRA)           4.050
.8. Fernando Verdasco (ESP)      3.830
.9. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)     3.430
10. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)      3.205

15. David Nalbandian (ARG)       2.455
48. José Acasuso (ARG)           1.210
51. Martín Vasallo (ARG)         1.181
52. Juan Mónaco (ARG)            1.180
77. Máximo González (ARG)          916
79. Diego Junqueira (ARG)          875
80. Eduardo Schwank (ARG)          872
89. Agustín Calleri (ARG)          825
93. Leonardo Mayer (ARG)           821
100 Sergio Roitman (ARG)           785
Lunes 18 de Mayo de 2009 06:53

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roland garros diseno 01. … roland garros diseno 01. roland garros diseno 01 by quintohache. To take full advantage of Flickr, you should use a JavaScript-enabled browser and install the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player. …[More..]

Step onto the legendary clay of Roland-Garros in the official mobile game of the 2009 tournament! Face the acutest tennis matches of your life against advanced opponents that fight their hardest for key points in the Mousquetaires and …[More..]

Federer has just broken back for the second time in the first set! It’s 5-all and he is serving, but it is advantage Nadal.

That last point was more than a little lucky when Nadal’s passing shot clipped the net to go out. Federer’s nerves are tingling as he moves to serve. He goes for it, and the ball is way long. Damn. Just then a gnarled little green fellow with long pointy ears tugs at his consciousness.
“I have something to say….”
“Please! – crucial moment here Master Yoda, could you call back?”
“…It is better to burn out than fade away…”
“…Master?”
“Time have I stopped in this moment, young Jedi apprentice. A better player than your foe, you are. Frustration against him, does this cause you. Win, you know you should.”
“This is not helping. This is worse than when I was a boy.”
“Peaceful thoughts, young one. Something important, I have to say to you…”
“What is it Master Yoda?… the Sock Stealing Elves are real, aren’t they? I knew it. Those bastards have been looting my socks for years…”
“…I sense great disappointment in you…”
“Was it you in cahoots with the Elves then?”
“…Listen! When play you he first did, that match he won convincingly. He had the advantage.”
“What – Nadal did? How do you mean?”
“So sure of yourself you were, grown accustomed had you, to facing timid opponents. Impetuous did you become. Dragged you back down to earth, did he. Unaware, were your allies, of the extent of the boy’s power.”
“Is he the one, though, Master – does he bring balance to the force?”
“Hmmm. Matters it does not, only that you believed it to be true. His side made you believe it. Accomplished on that day, the later damage to you was. A long time had his acolytes spent, dissecting your game… your style… and… your mind: how to thwart you did they teach him for years. Realise at that time, he did not. Matches from your junior years onwards did they watch with him. As he grew into a man – instilled in him a sense of control over you they did. Fear you, he did not.”
“Then haven’t I lost already?”
“Fear is no lifelong ally. He feared you not, but much anger I sensed in him that day. They told him there was no shame in defeat. Powerful he became. Inspired tennis did he play. Knew, you did not. Win, you could not. Unprepared, you were. And then this year, your most prized Wimbledon did you lose…”
“Is this supposed to make me feel better?”
“… yet through those final sets, yourself did you find. Cast aside doubt, you did, played the game, not the player. Trust your instincts! Strong, they are and win, you can.”

The TV cameras have focussed in on Federer’s face as he snaps out of a curious moment of reverie and tosses the ball. He curves his body into the most natural serving motion known to mankind. Struck thus, the ball simply slides towards the far corner of the service box and spins off into the ether. Taking out an inattentive cameraman’s stray pinky. Second serve ace. Deuce.

Never taken aback either by impressive displays or failures of his challengers, Nadal moves to the deuce court, preparing to receive in his intense manner. Federer serves well, Nadal retrieves the wide angled ball with a fast-paced backhand return down the middle, Federer’s there, he’s moved in and takes a half volley, daring Nadal to pass him again. Nadal does, and it’s in. What did he expect? It’s punishing. Federer though is smiling a little, he can’t help it. Witnessing that this boy is so great, so strong in mind, body and heart – accepting it, testing it, and enjoying the tennis – thinking back, those were the greatest matches he had against Nadal, and some of those he even won.

He goes back to the ad-court – this is not a hellish rocky ride and this is not the bottom of the barrel. Win or lose, this is life at the very peak of his calling. He will enjoy this, the greatest challenge of his life. The reason he was born stems from a precious few minutes on a dusty court under the watchful eyes of millions of people all over the planet. Whatever he can do with his legs, his arms and the racquet extending from his hands, he must do without hindrance of mind, nor reluctance of spirit, but wholeheartedly and without fear. He aces Nadal, he then plays like Roger Federer was meant to play on clay, like he did in the old days. He wins his serve. He returns Nadal’s first serve, it is not too hard to do as he has faced down thousands faster from Karlovics, Djokovics, Murrays – he returns it with vigor, and they rally, and he feels keenly the massive spin that Nadal bestows on the high, deep balls arriving on his side, and he counters each ball with precision.

The countless hours of training on a court when he was young seep out through his pores, into the racquet, into the very air surrounding him. He takes control of the rally – leading 0-30 on Nadal’s serve now – he seeing it well, he is moving in, Nadal is hitting the balls hard – that is all he notices – he does not see or care what Nadal is doing or not doing, or thinking, or how loudly he is grunting – he just takes the ball and nothing else in the world matters other than the correct way that is ingrained in him of hitting a ball that turns up each particular way. There is great variety! Soon in this rally he lifts a stroke up in a semi-lob to the very reach of Nadal’s forehand and again it comes back, but through instinct he had anticipated the natural wrong-footing attempt so his move to the left was merely a feint. Thus with no strain he has moved to the right and is taking the ball early that is coming down his forehand line, and he’s sending it blistering back across to Nadal’s backhand – and Nadal just cannot reach it.

It is 5-6 and Federer has set point. No thoughts. Nadal serves a spinner down the middle – it’s not fast at all, and the timing should be difficult to adjust to after the last few serves, but it occurs to Federer not to be surprised because he has hit a ball just like this one before. Every shot is just like some other. And he has the time, so he switches to forehand and strikes it from up high, down to the ad-court, deep: Nadal, moving incredibly well, utterly resolute to the last, reaches the speeding ball and sends a staggeringly accurate forehand back down the line again. Federer though has moved effortlessly in to take it early – again, and sends a colossal forehand, deep into Nadal’s backhand territory – again. It’s powered back to his own backhand side… but it’s only like a million high-velocity tennis balls that have shot at his backhand from walls, from machines, from coaches, from other players, from this very man. He knows exactly how it should feel as it hits the sweet spot of his racquet, the power that must be applied to catch and hold the ball for a split second, then release it on a new trajectory so that it spins head-over-heels through the air so economically tight across the net on the right hand side that it’s into no-man’s land. Nadal reaches it at such a stretch to find that at 0-40 in the final game of this set, he simply cannot make the ball go back over the net more times than Federer can.

It’s so confusing for a moment, for Federer, for anyone watching. For him to have won the first set against this man in more than a year. He had forgotten it was possible, and clearly he almost believes he has won the match. His adversary is no longer Rafael Nadal, it never was. This game is all being played in his mind. Who has ever seen Yoda during a tennis match anyway?

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“Why can it never go my way against this enemy, Master Yoda?”
“Predict the future, you can? Hee hee. It has not happened yet – remember this, young apprentice. Patience. You need to accept it and fight back, play to your strengths. Things may still not go your way. But if you focus on your strengths, you give yourself a fighting chance. Use the force.”

The players have just completed their short warm-up after the rain delay – the skies are clearing slightly overhead, it’s lighter. Nadal pops off court to grab a quick swig of his drink, keeping Federer waiting on court to serve. When Nadal arrives back at his receiving spot, the crowd is hushed, expectant. They know there isn’t a bookie in town who would back Federer if he loses the first set against Nadal in Roland Garros…

He goes down the middle at Nadal’s forehand with his first serve, but faults. Second serve is a high spinner up to Nadal’s backhand, a rally ensues, pleasing to the eye. Nobody is quite sure why but it appears Federer has loads of time to get to each ball, and finally he moves Nadal to a corner and comes into the net to put the volley in the opposite corner, in classic finishing play.

Again he serves down the middle, fast, yet Nadal’s backhand response is that difficult off-return again, a conspicuously confident shot. It is just wide, not through lack of effort. Clearly Nadal was attempting an outright, demoralising winner and Federer wouldn’t have reached it, but with a little luck he’s now up 30-0. A relatively gentle serve out wide has some real kick, and almost tricks Nadal, but he places it back in with a cross-court backhand, so there’s another rally from the baseline. Nadal is powering every ball back with the massive flick of his wrist and accompanying grunt, while Federer’s strokes look calmer and sound much softer although they loop quite high and land deep, splaying the white lines in the clay. He wins the rally when Nadal nets it. Nothing spectacular and slightly lucky. Seems like one of two things – either Federer’s bored and running out of motivation to play already, or he has surrendered himself to serendipity and is playing loose. Whatever, he serves a steady one down the middle from the ad court yet again – it throws Nadal slightly but a rally ensues. Yes, Federer is striking the ball well, gracefully moving Nadal from side to side until he manages to set up a killer angle, and there’s a love game as dividend. Surprising really.

As always against Federer, Nadal’s thinking is crystal clear. Despite his apparent supremacy over this man he never makes the mistake of underestimating him. He will never allow Federer a mental edge, so when he returns from the break at the change of ends, he does not simply intend to hold his serve, he intends to bludgeon Federer with a hold to love.

So, after the break Nadal takes his time preparing to serve for the set. He faults on the first serve. But the second is quicker than usual and out really wide at Federer’s forehand – he is there ready though, and slings it straight down the line. Nadal apparently didn’t like the call, and challenges immediately. It is out. Watching the screen, Federer is a touch crestfallen, because in that moment felt and looked just like a rosy start. But his thinking remains positive. Nadal faults. Crowd murmurs expectantly. Second serve is very good, it comes right to Federer’s body. A voice in his head says determinedly, “Do, or do not! There is no try”. He skips out of the way of the ghostly little green man as well as the ball, and takes the forehand, straight down the line again. This time it is clearly out. 30-love.

“Master Yoda, am I just too relaxed against this guy? Am I wrong to just keep biding my time until it runs out. Is he playing me for a fool every time I play him? Why can’t I make two returns in a row off his second serve?”
“Stop thinking young one. Be in the moment, trust your instincts, feeel the force flowing through you!”

Nadal serves fast, it’s in first time this time, straight at the body again, after all it worked well last time. Federer sidesteps it and flicks the ball with his topspin forehand across court to Nadal’s backhand for a short ball, and Nadal is forced to come into the net to return the ball, which Federer loops high over Nadal’s head into the deuce court. Nadal runs backwards and not only gets to it but batters it with an impossibly brutal cross-court backhand deep to Federer’s forehand. The swiss reaches this in good time though, and with adroit touch sends a short, down the line half-volley. Nadal’s got to run again but makes it, and luckily for him Federer has moved slightly to the centre of the court so he goes down the line, but Federer flips direction and just reaches it, putting it away with a less-than-crisp, nerve-wrackingly deep volley. 30-15. The next point, Federer’s return is comfortable though, and there is a rally, several shots traded during which nobody looks a winner, then as Federer moves to take the fifth or sixth consecutive backhand, he hits over the high ball with massive topspin but a gentle touch, pushing it down-the-line on Nadal’s backhand side, and short. Nadal rushes to the net taking it as a half-volley quite low on the bounce, gathers it up over the net and sends it back to the middle. Federer again loops a lob over him onto his backhand side. In an almost identical sequence Nadal reaches it and sends a savage cross-court backhand, but Federer anticipates it well, collecting it mid-court with a stupendous volley to the ad court, well out of Nadal’s reach. 30 all.

A viciously spinning wide serve from Nadal is then met by a wily cross court short ball – again, bringing Nadal in – again, although he gets it back and starts running back to his backhand side. But this time, this time Federer sends an exquisite down-the-line drop shot to the ad-court and Nadal is forced to make a rapid directional change. He makes it, just, and attempts a delicate slice-drop-shot across court, but it hits tape. Slight frustration at 40-30. This isn’t how Nadal wants to play, these little pattering shots around the court. His next serve is solid, down the middle at Federer’s backhand. The crisp response is a sight to behold, sending the ball to Nadal’s backhand, yet somehow very short. A very low percentage shot, like Nadal’s similarly incredible off-kilter return earlier in the match to break Federer’s serve for the first time. Providence? This shot drops abruptly though, where Nadal’s had gone deep, and for the third time this game Nadal is running furiously into the net on his backhand side. He reaches it of course and his backhand is stunningly quick and extremely angled cross-court to Federer’s forehand side, but apparently Federer has discovered his own on-court time machine to transport him to the ball and simply tap it down the ad-court line once again. He’s not been the most creative of players in this game, the purist in him laments. But with a willful and single-minded ploy carried out three times in succession he has taken Nadal by surprise and broken back to 3-5. More to the point, Federer feels like he knows what to do to win. He’s got that look. At 5-3 down in the first set of the 2009 Roland Garros final, Federer actually looks like a winner. And maybe, he thinks to himself, it all just comes down to execution.

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Roland Garros 2008

Bring the world’s most intense tennis tournament to life with the official mobile game of Roland Garros.

Experience the thrill of the most popular tennis tournament in the world with the official mobile game of Roland Garros. Start your tennis training with Junior Wimbledon in the hope of serving your way up the ranks to compete in the real Wimbledon Championships. As you play on Centre Court, striving to win The Challenge Cup or Challenge Trophy, you’ll experience the intensity of matches only the grass court can provide. No matter if you choose to play in the women’s or men’s tournament, this is one tennis match you’ll definitely want to download to your mobile phone.

- Plunge into Roland Garros: play on Centre Court as you struggle on the grass to win the Challenge Cup.
- Increase your odds of becoming unbeatable with knowledge from the Roland Garros Championships history section.
- Improve your skills and have fun with 5 training mini-games.
- Participate in a professional tour with the career mode: train, play tournaments and increase your rank.
- Play singles or doubles on the 3 main surfaces (clay, grass and synthetic).
- Accessible controls allow for easy play with only one thumb.

Sony Ericsson K300 (128×128)
Sony Ericsson K800 (240×320)
Sony Ericsson T700 (240×320)

Por años Nadal ha vivido a la sombra de Roger Federer, sus títulos se han ido a un segundo plano mientras los de Federer ocupaban las primeras páginas. Por años Nadal ha sido el número dos del ranking South African Airways, o ranking mundial. Eso está por cambiar.

Nadal lleva ya 12 títulos en lo que va del 2008, encabezados por los dos Grand Slams de mayor prestigio; Roland Garros y WImbledon. Lleva cinco títulos consecutivos, y 29 victorias sin conocer la derrota. Hamburgo, Roland Garros, Queens, WImbledon y Canadá son los torneos que lleva de forma consecutiva, y lo más importante es que su juega ha evolucionado, ha dejado de ser un especialista de arcilla para convertirse en tal vez el jugador más completo de la actualidad. Al ganar Queens logró su primer conquista en pasto, la cual confirmó al ganar Wimbledon dos semanas después en el mejor partido de la historia. 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7, ese fue el marcador del partido más emocionante jamás presenciado. Cuatro horas con 48 minutos duró el encuentro épico, que el mismo McEnroe calificó como el mejor, y cuando la oscuridad se apoderaba de la cancha vino el momento de gloria, una derechazo de Federer se estrelló en la red y Nadal tiró su raqueta al aire, incrédulo, atónito. Nadal siempre se creyó capaz de ganar Roland Garros, pero Wimbledon, eso sólo era un sueño, algo que parecía imposible con el dominio que el suizo había ejercido por años en el pasto sagrado de la capital del tenis. Algo que parece ser olvidado todo el tiempo es que Nadal es el tercer jugador más joven de la historia en llegar a 30 títulos. Está por arriba de Sampras, de Federer, de Agassi, McEnroe, Becker, Laver… en fin, está por arriba de todos los grandes, excepto Borg y Connors.

Nadal, a sus 22 años, ya tiene cinco trofeos de Grand Slam en sus manos, más que los que Federer podía presumir a la misma edad, y si Nadal logra mejorar sus actuaciones en el US Open y el Australian Open, la historia del tenis puede cambiar por completo. Nadal es probablemente el mejor jugador de arcilla en la historia del juego, 28 victorias y ninguna derrota en Roland Garros, cuatro títulos, y parece que seguirá con esa racha impresionante. Nadal hoy está a 300 puntos aproximadamente de Federer, y probablemente lo habría superado ya de no haberse perdido un torneo la semana pasada por lesión. La semana que viene, probablemente marque un momento histórico. Federer defiende 500 puntos, mientras que Nadal defiende sólo 5 en Cincinatti. Todo marca para un cambio en el liderato mundial, es algo inevitable, cuestión de días.

No solo es Federer quien debe preocuparse. Sampras, Laver, Borg, McEnroe, Agassi, todos estos grandes jugadores, históricos tenistas con muchos titulos de Grand Slam deben estar muy preocupados. Nadal es joven, es el mejor jugador del mundo, y lo mejor está por venir. Y tal vez, en unos años, ¿por qué no?, convertirse en el mejor jugador de la historia.

Resumen de la final de Wimbledon 2008 entre Nadal y Federer:

Sorry for the shitty quality there’s no better options.6/July/2008. This is by FAR the best game of tennis I’ve ever watched and one of the best sports matches EVER. The significance of winning the most important Grand Slam wasn’t all of it as Federer was aiming to break Borg’s record of 5 straight championships in the All England Club as well as tying Renshaw’s 6 straight championships (though those were easier to get back in the 1800’s). Nadal in the other hand was aiming to win his first Grand Slam outside of Roland Garros and start solidifying as the greatest thing in tennis right now.First set: Nadal starts controlling Federer and breaks him early to hold on 6-4.Second set: Federer breaks Nadal early and finds himself 4-2 on top but Nadal fights back and breaks Federer twice to take the set 6-4.Third set: All the pressure was now on Federer who had never recovered from a two-set deficit in Wimbledon. At 5-4 in favor of Federer the game was delayed more than an hour because of rain and after returning Federer won a tiebreaker to make it 7-6 in the third.Fourth set: Nadal was starting to feel the pressure and again in a tiebreaker Federer fought off after falling 5-2 to win 10-8 one of the craziest tiebreakers I’ve ever seen.Fifth set: Everything seemed like Federer would get his sixth straight crown and at 2-2 the rain delayed the game again. Coming back they continued to defend their service with ease and went on to 7-7. Nadal finally broke Federer’s service and after adding a little suspense with a deuce in the next game he managed to pull it out and win 9-7 the fifth set and the match.So in the end the score was 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7. This was the longest Wimbledon final ever taking 4 hours and 48 minutes to finish plus more than two hours of rain delays taking into account the delay before the game for a total of over 7 hours of intrigue. Nadal is now the champion and first since Borg in 1980 to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year. Now there’s an open road ahead for Nadal to become number one a new seed has been planted at Wimbledon’s sacred grass….

Roger Federer pierde rar un set pe iarbă, iar Rafael Nadal este imbatabil pe zgură. La Wimbledon, spaniolul vrea să detroneze “Regele”. El Clasico al tenisului, care insipră generaţii întregi de tineri în acest sport.

De patru ani de zile tenisul mondial masculin are în prim-plan două nume. Roger Federer şi Rafael Nadal. Elveţianul a supus tenisul din 2003 când a câştigat primul său titlu de Grand Slam la Wimbledon. Până acum Federer a strâns 12 titluri în cele 4 mari turnee de Mare Şlem. Dintre acestea 5 au fost consecutive pe iarba londoneză. Aşa şi-a atras porecla de Rege al Ierbii. Şi totuşi Federer a suferit în fiecare an un insucces major. La Roland Garros. În Openul Franţei, elveţianul în vârstă de 26 de ani n-a reuşit să se impnă. Pentru că la Paris există un alt rege, al zgurii. Rafael Nadal a câştigat de 4 ori la rând Roland Garros-ul. Inclusiv în acest an când Federer i-a luat în finală doar 4 game-uri.
Acum la Wimbledon toată lumea aşteaptă ca istoria să se repete, dar cu elveţianul în rol principal. Federer merge ca un ceas, produs în ţara sa. Până în semifinale nu a pierdut nici un set şi este principalul favorit la câştigarea turneului pentru a şasea oară consecutiv. Nadal în schimb a pierdut unul. Dar mai mult ca oricând Rafa a arătat că poate să îşi facă jocul şi pe iarbă. Federer trebuie să se întrebuinţeze serios pentru a intra în istorie. Elveţianul mai are nevoie de două titluri pentru a egala recordul lui Pete Sampras, care are 14 titluri de Grand Slam în vitrină. Dacă nu va câştiga Wimbledonul în acest an, Federer va rata şansa de a deveni cel mai bun jucător de tenis din istorie. Şi asta la o vârstă la care alţii abia se remarcă în câteva turnee. Probabil că va deveni oricum într-o zi. Dar dacă Nadal va câştiga pe iarbă spaniolul poate visa să îl detroneze pe Federer de pe tron. Regele Ierbii împotriva Regelui Zgurii, pe teritoriul primului poate avea un final aşteptat. Sau poate nu!
Pentru ca disputa dintre Nadal şi Federer să fie egală ar trebui ca terenul de tenis să fie jumătate cu iarbă, iar cealaltă jumătate cu zgură. Ideea a fost pusă în practică pentru un meci caritabil. Dar ar trebui adoptată oficial pentru că nu pot fi doi regi pe tron în acelaşi timp.

Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal în “Bătălia Suprafeţelor” (teren jumătate iarbă, jumătate zgură)

Fourth beating in French Open by Nadal, the worst ever indeed… 6-1, 6-3, 6-0!!! Maybe one of the worst defeat for Federer since he dominated the Tennis world in 2004. Will he ever win the trophy is the eternal question, will the last defeat makes him crumble is the latest question. He’s so dominant against other players and previous meetings against Nadal never been this shocking. Arguably the best tennis player ever, with only Rolland Garros to confirm him as the BEST, the latest lost will really be a proof of his greatness. Hopefully he can prevail and regain his dominance for at least another two or three years before the physique is going down.

Never written any tennis entry before, but this blog, although martial arts dominated, is still one of my thoughts dumping ground so please don’t be surprised if one or two of other things popping out once in a while. Furthermore, I was still very much shocked by the way Nadal trashed Federer.