Niemand won in 2009 meer wedstrijden dan Novak Djokovic. De Serviër bereikte vijf keer de finale van een Masters Series-toernooi en heroverde onlangs de derde positie op de wereldranglijst van Andy Murray. En dus kan de Australian Open kampioen van 2008 terugkijken op een geslaagd seizoen, toch? Op de Baseline vindt van niet.

Novak Djokovic is deze week in de ogen van veel kenners de grootste kanshebber op de titel bij de ATP World Tour Finals in Londen. De titelverdediger kende een droomherfst, met eindzeges in Peking, Basel (met winst op Roger Federer) en bij het Masters Series-toernooi van Parijs (met winst op Rafael Nadal).

Hoe succesvol Djokovic ook geweest mag zijn na de US Open, elke liefhebber weet dat reputaties gebouwd worden rondom de Grand Slam-toernooien. En aangezien Djokovic aan het begin van 2008 zijn eerste major wist te winnen, was het logisch om te verwachten dat hij dit jaar zou schitteren tijdens de vier grote toernooien. Maar dat kwam er niet van.

Djokovic voldeed in 2009 niet aan de verwachtingen bij de Grand Slams

In Australië maakte Djokovic een onprofessionele indruk, door in de kwartfinales op te geven tegen Andy Roddick vanwege uitputtingsverschijnselen. Het is algemeen bekend dat de temperatuur in Melbourne tijdens de Australian Open hoog op kan lopen, maar daar bereidt elke tennisprof zich op voor. Djokovic is wat dat betreft nalatig geweest en dat is hem – terecht - op veel kritiek komen te staan.

In het voorjaar presteerde Djokovic sterk op het gravel met finaleplaatsen in Monte-Carlo, Rome en winst in Belgrado, maar tijdens Roland Garros liep de Serviër in de derde ronde tegen een onverklaarbare nederlaag op tegen de Duitser Philipp Kohlschreiber. Enkele weken later weerhield diens landgenoot Tommy Haas de naar plaats vier afgezakte Djokovic uit de halve eindstrijd van Wimbledon.

Op de US Open bereikte Djokovic dan wel naar verwachting de laatste vier, maar de manier waarop hij zich in de halve finales gewonnen gaf tegen Roger Federer was pijnlijk om te aanschouwen. Djokovic geloofde geen moment in zijn kansen. Toen hij een break voorsprong nam in de eerste set speelde hij direct zijn slechtste servicegame van het toernooi. Wanneer de spanning toenam aan het einde van de sets, was het telkens de Serviër zelf die met onnodige fouten de punten aan Federer schonk.

Djokovic leek in New York, en voor het grootste deel van het jaar, in niets meer op het talent dat in 2007 en 2008 fanatiek de strijd aan ging met iedereen, en altijd geloofde in zijn winstkansen. De pitbull van weleer was verworden tot een schoothondje.

Maar terwijl Federer, Nadal, Andy Murray en Juan Martin del Potro het rustig aan deden na het afsluitende Grand Slam-toernooi van het seizoen, begon Djokovic weer te winnen. In Parijs won hij op de valreep zijn eerste Masters Series-titel van 2009, na vier eerdere finales verloren te hebben. En daarmee eindigt de 22-jarige man uit Belgrado zijn seizoen toch nog met een positieve noot.

Eén halve finale op Grand Slam-niveau, vier verloren Masters Series-finales en één grote titel, naast vier kleinere toernooioverwinninkjes. Is dat echter genoeg voor een nummer drie van de wereld die een jaar ervoor zijn eerste Slam veroverde en altijd heeft gezegd dat hij de beste wil worden? No way Nole. Zelfs een overwinning in Londen deze week kan daar niets meer aan veranderen.

Foto © Niels de Water

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Crema tenisului mondial masculin a descins in Londra, cu ocazia barclays ATP World Masters Tour. Primii opt in ierarhie, duelandu-se in grupe parca importate din competitii sportive pe echipe, si cu un britanic printre ei. Andy Murray, un fiu al Scotiei.

Tabelul competitiei masculine domina curtea interioara de la Wimbledon, intre Central Court si Court 1.

Care a si dat la o parte cortina turneului, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, dupa ce demarase cu un 5-0 in 22 minute, in fata argentinianului Del Potro, locul 5 mondial. Un insular in varsta de 22 ani, dispunand de un sud-american de 20, nu intr-o reeditare a razboiului Malvinelor…

Ce-i interesant despre aceste zile de tenis la cel mai inalt nivel tine insa si de localizarea evenimentului. Nu la All England Lawn&Tennis Club, sediu situat in sud-vestul Londrei, in inverzitul si traditionalul Wimbledon, ci la O2 Arena, acea labartata cupola cu tepi din ecranizarea cu James Bond, campata aidoma unui cort extraterestru, undeva pe malul sudic al fluviului, in tuguiul peninsulei Greenwich.

Ce aduce nou aceasta repozitionare a tenisului, de pe iarba Wimbledonului in sala complexului cu nume de furnizor de servicii de telefonie mobila? Beneficii atat pentru spectatori, cat si pentru jucatori.

Pentru jucatori!? Cum asa? Ei bine, e o lege nescrisa partizanatul in favoarea simpatiilor gazdelor de la Wimbledon de a oferi Central Court si in general terenurile principale celor mai bine clasati dintre britanici. Avantajul de a juca pe iarba proprie. Asta pe cand alde Dinara Safina, la vremea verii numarul unu mondial intre femei, era azvarlita pe terenurile periferice ale complexului de inalta tinuta. Un Murray probabil nici nu mai stie prea bine cum arata alte terenuri decat cel Central.

In O2 in schimb, fiecare tenisman isi asteapta randul si democratia e impartita si pentru purcei, si pentru catei. Pe acelasi teren de sub o cupola atat de mult blamata, atat de nefunctionala in opinia multora, la ora cumpenei dintre milenii, cand, intr-adevar, megainvestitia parea a fi devenit un “elefant alb”, un proiect muribund din fasa, miliarde aruncate pe malul Tamisei.  

Iata insa ca i s-a gasit utilitatea, fiind de fapt multifunctional. De la concerte de muzica, incluzand cel al Madonnei, pana la recentele Campionate Mondiale de gimnastica, iar acum, o noutate, tenisul.

Madonna, "aterizata din spatiu", intr-o coreografie scenica de exceptie, in timpul concertului din vara in O2 Arena

E bine si pentru spectatori. Putini muritori de rand isi permiteau luxul de a prinde un bilet la Wimbledon, ale carui destule meciuri se derulau si cu suficiente locuri lasate libere, pentru ca angajatii sau simpatiile ori prietenii angajatilor ori simpatiilor diverselor companii ce-si asigurasera pe cai comercial-corporatiste locurile lor in jurul dreptunghiurilor verzi nu catadicsisera finalmente sa onoreze cu prezenta.

In plus, Wimbledon e cochet, capsuni cu frisca si sampanie, bonomie de moda veche, dar nu intr-atat de extins. E oarecum exclusivist. O2 in schimb e pentru norod, mai mare, cu 17.500 locuri, si extrem de putine dintre acestea de un alt rang. Uniformitate si incluziune prin diversitate. Si un baietel dintr-o familie nevoiasa, de pe-acolo, din estul Londrei, dar de pe malul nordic, atat de “mai altfel” decat inverzitul Greenwich, poate prinde cu taticul sau un loc, inspirandu-se din arta cu racheta a urmasului lui Henman si intrebandu-si parintele cand incepe si el orele in preajma fileului.

Indirect, un imbold pentru regenerarea tenisului la nivelul juvenil si in general al maselor, in Regatul Unit. Atat de zgarcit in oferta de campioni pe scena mondiala. Atat de optimist acum, cand intre aspirantii la glorie suprema se regaseste si un britanic, fie el scotian si nu englez.

Acest turneu la O2 e in pas cu tendintele evidente ale globalizarii, tenis pentru mai multi, o nivelare prin devalorizare, sapand incet la temelia unui emblematic Wimbledon, atat de inradacinat in malul de care incet-incet ne indepartam.

Iar in crema jocului se va remarca Roger, ce ne zambeste cu crema pe fata si Gillette la purtator, nu ca Napoleon, cu o mana folosind racheta de tenis si cu cealalta ingrijindu-se de aspectul sau facial, aparandu-si concomitent amicul din reclama TV cu cei trei muschetari, Thierry cel cu mana pe lama de ras dar si pe minge.

Vom afla curand cine va triumfa, cine va lua potul, acolo unde recent si Marian Dragulescu sfida legea acceleratiei gravitationale si dadea Romaniei si mai mult aur. Unii aduc aur, cu sudoare si repetitie, altii iau aerul romanilor intr-o tara cu munti ca ai nostri care aur poarta. Iar noi?

Cladirea terenului principal de la Wimbledon, Centre Court, vazuta dinspre poarta 5. Wimbledon inseamna traditie, istoria jocului dar si emfaza. Nu e multora accesibil... De aceea Murray se poate astepta in O2 sa fie incurajat de un spectru mai larg de suporteri

I thought I underestimated how sick I was on Sunday and that my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw the score of the Tottenham/Wigan match in the bus on my way to camp this morning.

“9-1?! No way! Holy Shit!”

I want to be part of the crowd.
Anfield. Emirates. Wimbledon. British Grand Prix.
Next year. Can’t wait. Hell yeah.

I had the pleasure of joining the Tooting Labour Party team canvassing with local MP Sadiq Khan today. We canvassed around the Hazelhurst Estate area and again, the results were pretty positive. Most people in the area I meet suggest they will vote Labour, with only a few previous Labour voters suggesting they are wavering.

This is obviously good news, and I think that in the not to distant future, probably early in the New Year, the focus of canvassing will change from purely trying to convince people to vote Labour, but to also make sure they actually get out and vote. I think that is one of the big challenges for Labour, ensuring people who may become slightly more apathetic, that they have to get out and vote.

The Hawkeye system is used extensively at big pro tournaments such as Wimbledon, US Open and the WTA Finals in London. See how they set the camera system up.

Andy Roddick announced that he would not be competing in the years Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.  He injured his knee while playing in the Shanghai Masters tournament about a month ago.  

“I am really disappointed to miss the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. I love playing in London and I’ve heard so many good things about the venue. However, I have not fully recovered from my knee injury and I won’t be able to compete. One of my goals in 2010 will be to qualify for this event again.”

Number 6 in the world, Roddick was the runner-up in last years Wimbledon tournament but has not been able to even practice since hurting his knee.

Roddick will be replaced by Swede Robin Soderling who was the first alternate in line to replace any of the 8 players competing in London.

I have been thrilled to hear today that I am the Annabel Williams Contemporary Photographic Training “Photographer of the month” which is a great honour for me as they have many photographers visit them each month.

As previously mentioned, I went on a course to help me with my marketing and sales for my business and it was a great time to contemplate and plan where I need to go next.

I met Catherine Connor and Jane Breaknell  2 years ago and they have been trying to encourage me to go on the course and I am so glad I did.  One of the things that I came away with was the encouragement that they gave me and this has given me a huge boost!

The newsletter was sent out today mentioning about me being “Photographer of the month” and this is what Catherine said,

“Annie recently attended Realise your Potential at Annabel Williams CPT where she spent a day with me on marketing and business development, a day with Jane learning a tried and tested sales process which will maximize her revenue and a day shooting with Jo De Banzie.

What drew me to Annie was her grit and determination to succeed.  My message in all seminars is to LOVE your clients just as much as you can.  Annie does this and so much more – she represents everything that a photographer in business should be.  She is certainly one to watch in the future!”

Annie Armitage – Photographer

Annie Armitage is a photographer who specialises in producing timeless images.  She is a contemporary, lifestyle family photographer and produces images of pregnancy, newborn, babies of all sizes, families, teen (seniors) and also has a commercial side to her business which is predominantly  headshots as well as formal but approachable portraits for annual reports or PR purposes.

Nursery photography is also amongst Annie’s portfolio and for details of her wedding business that she has in partnership with Geraint Davies please go to www.armitagedavies.com

Annie is based in Kingston upon Thames but is available for commission throughout the UK and Ireland.  Her main working areas within London are:- Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Thames Ditton, New Malden, Wimbledon, Wandsworth, Putney, Richmond upon Thames, Barnes, Fulham, Chelsea, Clapham, Hampton, Twickenham, Teddington, St Margarets and throughout Surrey including Guildford, Godalming, Woking, Cobham, Weybridge, Esher.

Annie has a “Annie Armitage Photography” page on Facebook – www.facebook.com/anniearmitagephotography

and on Twitter come and follow her – anniegolightly

To contact Annie about your requirements – please go to the contact form on her website or alternatively email her at  annie@anniearmitage.com or call her on 07711 391919

All images and text are copyright Annie Armitage. All rights reserved. Please do not copy.

For a great romantic comedy to work, you have to have four basic film elements work for you. One is that you need a story that encompasses the couple and eventually brings them together.

The second is that you need one of your primary characters to be unlucky in love or has given up on love. The third is that you need the audience to like the characters, get involved with them and eventually cheer for them to get together.

The fourth and sometimes most crucial is that you need good music to set the scene and to enhance the yearning between the two lovers. Wimbledon was very close to getting all these elements right.

Wimbledon stars Paul Bettany of “Master and Commander” and “A Knight’s Tale” as Peter Colt, an aging tennis star shuffled down to the backside of the tour and Britain’s dark horse for bringing the Wimbledon crown home. Colt has problems at home and with his game.

His only salvation seems to come when he mistakenly walks in on female tennis phenom Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst). There is an immediate attraction between the two players and a romance develops much to the dismay of Lizzie’s father (Sam Neill).

This is Colt’s last Wimbledon and he could just go all the way if he could just get Lizzie out of his head. Lizzie also seems to be having problems with her game. Can the two lovebirds get their games back on track long enough to win their matches? And how is Peter going to do when he has the weight of a rabid country on his shoulders?

Wimbledon’s biggest flaw is that it really never makes the audience yearn to see these the characters fall in love. It starts off their romance as an affair to distract them from the pressures of the game. Then snowballs into a film more focused on the game with a little romance. By the time the third act rolls around, the film has forgotten what the score is in the bedroom and on the court.

The film’s saving grace is British actor Paul Bettany, whose performance as the aging tennis star is utterly flawless. The more precious moments are when the audience is allowed to get inside the athlete’s head and we hear his thoughts. I loved those moments.

I also really liked Bettany’s calm demeanor in the character even when he is doing outlandish things to see his lady love one more time. This is a brilliant performance and hopefully a recognizable one for people not familiar with the actor.

I did have a lot of problems with Kirsten Dunst. Her performance is all over the map and as a viewer it was hard to read the girl. When she does eventually confesses her feelings, you almost think she is about to break into laughter.

The film never lets us know what was going on in her head and think that reluctance distances the audience from Dunst’s character. I think the film should have explored both her character and Bettany’s in the same way. Maybe through that we could have liked Lizzie more.

I really liked the tennis moments and finally seeing tennis portrayed in such a way on the silver screen. I am not sure that North American audiences know what it is like for a British star to win Wimbledon. Poor British tennis star Tim Henman has been trying to make that a reality for eons.

As a sports film, Wimbledon does have a lot going for it but as a romantic comedy it is just plain hard to get into.

3 out of 5

So Says the Soothsayer.

Pentru prima oara in Cupa Angliei un joc a fost difuzat video in direct si exclusiv pe pagina de internet a federatiei dar mai putin surprinzatoare a fost eliminarea inca din turul intai a 6 cluburi profesioniste de catre “buturugi mici”.

Dupa 6 tururi preliminare, The F.A. Cup a strans la start in First Round Proper, turul intai, si cluburile profesioniste din ligile a treia si a patra, editia cu numarul 129 intrandu-si astfel cu adevarat in drepturi. In cele 40 de meciuri s-au regasit asadar si dueluri intre David si Goliath, si nu doar jocuri intre echipe amatoare, ca pana in runda precedenta. Iar recompensa a crescut pe masura, la 18.000 lire sterline din partea federatiei pentru calificarea in runda secunda.

Iar cine asteapta turul trei din primul weekend al lui 2010 pentru intrarea in cursa a prim-divizionarelor, sa ia aminte totusi ca in primul tur s-au aliniat la centrul terenului 8 castigatoare ale Cupei Angliei. Ca traditia, palmaresul ori esalonul superior nu inseamna totul au aflat si cateva dintre triumfatoarele din trecut, eliminate fara mila.

In uvertura, vineri, au fost programate 3 jocuri in nocturna, Sven-Goran Eriksson si a sa Notts County, o castigatoare a competitiei in 1894, mergand mai departe in dauna unei alte grupari din liga a patra, Bradford City, la randul ei triumfatoare in 1911. Southampton, retrogradata in primavara in esalonul trei si pornind la drum cu 10 puncte penalizare datorita unor nereguli financiare, si-a indulcit amarul din campionat cu un 3-2 in Cupa Angliei la Bristol, pe terenul lui Rovers, o colega de esalon, in fata a 6.446 spectatori.

Sambata la amiaza, in meci televizat, o aparitie in premiera in turul intai pentru Paulton Rovers, un club vechi de 128 ani din comitatul rural Somerset, undeva la piciorusul insulei sub forma de iepuras, activand in Zamaretto League Division One South and West, un fel de esalonul opt. Dar surpriza nu s-a produs, “Canarii” abia cazuti si ei in liga a treia spulberandu-si amfitrionii: 7-0 pentru Norwich City. Cu Delia Smith presedinta, renumita autoare de carti culinare, si scotianul Paul Lambert la timona, preluata de fostul mijlocas al Borussiei Dortmund in aceasta toamna, “galben-verzii” au regasit ingredientele care le-au realimentat pofta de gol…

Apoi, in grosul jocurilor, respectand ora traditionala de start, cincisprezece, s-au regasit altele 3 purtand doar pecetea ligii a treia, Coca Cola League One. Tragerea la sorti fiind complet aleatorie, fara capi de serie ori diferentieri in privinta gazduirii intalnirii, asemenea imperecheri ale unor potentiale favorite ale turului I sunt inevitabile.

Iar un asemenea meci l-a inceput si romanul Adrian Patulea, in atacul lui Leyton Orient Londra, ce-l aducea in vara de la Lincoln City. La Liverpool, in fieful lui Tranmere Rovers, ce-l demitea recent de la carma pe John Barnes, The O’s au scapat cu fata curata, 1-1, intr-una dintre cele 7 remize ale rundei, ce sunt rejucate in aceasta seara de marti 17 noiembrie. Patulea, inlocuit in minutul 67, o fi gasind poate pe teren propriu drumul spre gol si calificare.

Dar surprizele nu s-au lasat totusi asteptate. Staines Town, trupa din urbea lui Sasha Baron Cohen alias Ali G, venind din seria sudica a ligii a sasea, s-a calificat pe terenul lui Shrewsbury, o pretendenta la promovarea in esalonul trei: 1-0. Colega de divizie a lui Staines, Bath City, reprezentand un oras universitar prolific in rugby, a invins si mai clar, 2-0, la Grimsby Town, din Coca Cola League Two, liga a patra. Diferenta de doua esaloane n-a contat in alte doua cazuri, micuta Kettering calificandu-se si ea cu un 1-0 in deplasare, la profesionista de liga a III-a Hartlepool, iar Oxford United, candva o prim-divizionara, scufundata acum in divizia a cincea, bucurand peste 6.000 de fani cu un 1-0 in dauna lui Yeovil Town, la randul ei o “buturuga mica” pana mai ieri.

Ca liga a cincea are nucile ei tari a dovedit-o si York City, ce a intors in ultimele 5 minute rezultatul la 3-2 in fata profesionistei Crewe Alexandra. Tragand linia si adunand, cinci grupari profesioniste au fost trase pe dreapta de echipe dinafara Football League.

Iar apoi, sambata dupa-masa, in premiera absoluta in Cupa Angliei, un joc a fost difuzat video in direct pe pagina virtuala a federatiei engleze, www.thefa.com. Un meci de fapt de liga a treia, intre Oldham Athletic si Leeds United, colege de esalon si in 1992, cand oaspetii, pe-atunci cu Cantona, Strachan ori McAllister, cucereau ultima editie in elita inaintea lansarii Premier League. Dar semifinalele de Cupa Angliei cu remize si rejucari pierdute in fata lui Manchester United, in 1990 si ’94, cand si retrograda din prima liga, nu i-au tinut acum de cald lui Oldham: 0-2. Leeds s-a calificat in experienta in direct pe internet.

Daca n-ar fi falimentat Setanta, canalul prin satelit irlandez ce avea drepturile de difuzare, nici Football Association n-ar fi apelat la o asemenea solutie. Iar duminica onoarea televizarii i-a revenit canalului terestru ITV1, ce a mirosit surpriza langa Manchester, la Northwich, locul 16 datorita unei penalizari de 10 puncte in seria nordica a ligii a sasea, ce a eliminat-o intr-o surpriza-soc pe Charlton Athletic, o prim-divizionara pana in 2007. Riley, un barman de 20 ani cu jumatate de norma, a marcat in minutul 81 in dauna castigatoarei din 1947 a F.A. Cup!

Cu un nume predestinat, Northwich Victoria a fost inclusa in urna tragerii la sorti a turului doi, cu premii de calificare de 27.000 lire sterline, derulata in transmisiune directa pe acelasi ITV1 imediat dupa jocul surpriza. Iar ca emotiile sa-i fie iute curmate, a iesit prima din urna, pentru jocul din 28 noiembrie, acasa cu Lincoln.

Insa turul intai s-a incheiat abia luni seara, odata cu derbyul londonez Millwall – Wimbledon, colege in 1990 in prima liga, cu “Leii” acum in esalonul trei iar oaspetii in cinci. Dar ce mai oaspeti, blazonati cu cucerirea Cupei Angliei in 1988, in fata favoritei Liverpool! De asemenea succes n-a avut parte Millwall, in finala din 2004, 0-3 cu Manchester United, dar derbyul de pe The Den a fost inedit mai ales prin faptul ca a fost preluat de 31 posturi TV, printre care si Sportklub, insa niciunul din… Albion. Paradox ce mi-a amintit de exclamatia unui amic, fan Wimbledon, pe cand erau afisate pe Sky Sports rezultatele din ligile “mici”, dupa ce fusesem la jocul de liga a saptea cu Leyton, 0-0 in decembrie 2005: “Ha, ha, uite-ne numele la teve! Asta-i marele pas, intr-o buna zi sa fim si televizati, de exemplu intr-un joc de turul I al Cupei Angliei, pentru ca nu suntem fiste cine, ci urmasii unei castigatoare”.

Viziunea lui Nick s-a conturat, dar pentru telespectatori din Albania ori aiurea. Aici, jocul l-au vazut doar cei 9.500 spectatori, dintre care 3.339 fani oaspeti, prezenti la Millwall – Wimbledon 4-1. Inegalabila F.A. Cup in forma pura.

The sound of birds drifted through my window as a late morning wake up call. The sun was shining, the skies were free of the usual shroud of cloud and having sweated like I was attempting a marathon in a sauna the night before, the prospect of a day if relaxation seemed like heaven. No plans, just a load of junk food and beer. Perfection almost achieved. This day was to go a little different to the normal routine I have currently found myself in. The afternoon passed by in a flash of balls crossing court as I perched in front of the trusty television with eyes fixed on the annual tennis spectacle that is Wimbledon. My guy was not in action on this day so I didn’t really care who won, though a certain A. Murray was playing (A talented player he may be, but I am no fan….and no this having nothing to do with his various Scotland remarks and wanting England to lose). Murray walked over his opponent and this neatly bought me onto evening time.

The outside heat had cooled enough that I could take the black coated and thick furred hairy one for a walk. The usual route was taken and the back roads were as quiet as ever. I was busy singing along to Ask The Lonely when a car came up behind me, deeply surprised and caught off guard, I dragged the middle of the road walking mutt to the side. As the car pulled up next to me I heard a familiar voice asking me to “Get out of the bloody road”. We both laughed and the conversation was brief, “Football on Monday?”, “Yes, I certainly will be there”, “Excellent, see you there”, with that he sped off. I popped my headphones back in, just in time for the final chorus and the singing carried on. I managed to get some dogs barking as I passed a house, a man popped out, looked at me and laughed, then walked back. My vocal warblings were obviously a hit with the local community…. Pele had now found another gear and was speed walking back, I think he now knew food was waiting at home and any further prolonged time with me would drive him insane.

I arrived home, gave the beard some water and for myself, sunk a wonderful ice cold glass of coke. Just the ticket. Time was passed until bed in the usual manner, doing very little which could never go down in history as being productive. Leaving Pele asleep on sofa, oblivious to all that went on around him, I climbed the stairs and rolled into bed. The sun had long since packed his bags and left this land.The house was dark, the windows open wide, little winged thespians flew in to chase the small smatterings of light and silence had fallen. Lights out.

Having embraced a sort of state of sleep, my door was opened. My dad leaned in to ask where Pele was….then as an after thought, informed me of a bat in the house. I asked no questions, just wondered if I heard it so. Excited, I raced out of my room and looked down the corridor to my former room where the bat was. All I saw was a dark haze flying in circles round a cupboard that was in the centre of the room. There were the usual parental mutterings about what should be done. The dad way in that it will go eventually and we should all sleep. The mum way of, I am not going to bed till that bat has gone.

At this point, I took a brief trip downstairs to claim my trusty sidekick from his slumber. I gave Pele a little prod to wake him. Not happy was the clear look his sleepy eyes gave me. A good time later, Pele finally got the message and fell off the sofa. Together we clambered back upstairs. Pele had now a new lease of energy and went bounding down towards the bat. Tail wagging and tongue out, Pele approached the bat, gave a brief sniff, turned away and waltzed back towards me. P looked at me, once again his thoughts were clear, “You woke me up for a bat……bastard”, he carried on into my room and the sound of his paws on my wooden floor swarmed around the place.

I was now in a land of fixation, staring at the bat. The bat though, must have sensed something and made a swift change of plan. The light was on in the corridor so I could see all and what I was about to see was not the most delightful of prospects. The bat made a sudden move away from the cupboard and headed for the corridor. Me at one end, the bat at the other. It moved with pace and grace straight towards my noggin. As it approached me, I had two plans, the truly manly way of staying still and letting it hit/miss me, or I scream like a small child and jump out of the way. Skilfully I dodged the first one whilst screaming. Flying back to the other end, the bat again circled back round the cupboard and made another attempt at my noggin. Being next to my door, I opened it wide, flung myself in, shut the door and waited it out. Pele was snoring. I counted myself lucky to have not been battered.

As I lay in bed, I could hear the commotion as the bat had landed in my parent’s room and was refusing to leave; the winged beast eventually left and disappeared. My mum came to tell me the coast was clear. Not long later, when all had gone quiet again, the words “Oh no” rung out. The bat was back, once again circling the cupboard but also making the occasional trip down my way. This time though, the corridor light was off. I though, was safe. There was a door between me and the bat. However, all that coke I had drunk had caught up with my system and a Pat Cash called. What was I to do……. My trusty Wilson tennis racquet was next to my bed, luckily for me. My biggest concern was opening my door, only for the bat to fly in my room and then things would have been interesting. With nerves of steel and leaving the Wilson behind, I headed for the toilet. The light didn’t work. The bat could have been in with me and I would have never known until I felt the flapping of wings upon me. This lack of light meant the other toilet would have to be used….this one was next to my old room, meaning I would be straight in line for a bat attack. I bottled it.

In the light of the following day, a full bat search was done. No little creature resting in any of the rooms, which came as some relief yet also slight disappointment. I suspect that was the most fun the bat had ever had, causing havoc and chaos. Where the bat went, why it circled the cupboard and why it made an arrow for my face will never be known.

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This theme music was played as an intro to grand slams (tennis) on ESPN in 2009. The following clip is an excerpt from a larger piece, but I can’t find the rest of it. If anyone knows what this piece is called, who composed it, or where it comes from, please comment! It really is beautiful music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh9sceO8PcM

If you want to make money online, click here: http://tinyurl.com/yfk7wqj

IBM have developed augmented reality for mobiles, enabling tennis fans at this year’s Wimbledon Championships to see stats related to the current and next match on a particular court, just by pointing their phone camera at it. When they point it at food courts they’ll also get information on what’s on sale.

The tool uses GPS coordinates that trigger content overlays, depending on which way the user is looking (identified by the in-built compass). Take a look at the demonstration below:

Although currently only being tested on T-Mobile’s G1, it’s easy to imagine that this technology could have huge potential in the future, especially when more handsets start to have GPS and a compass built-in as standard.

Marat’s moment

Tennis star Marat Safin played the last match of his professional career today, losing 6-4 5-7 6-4 to Juan Martin Del Potro in the second round of the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris. It was the former two-time major winner’s final appearance in a tournament after announcing his plans to retire at the end of the of season earlier this year.

Safin’s presence on the ATP tour will be sorely missed. The Russian soon became a dominant force when he burst onto the scene at the turn of the century, pulverising shots past his opponents whilst commanding the court with an intimidating wealth of charisma. However despite his immense power he still retained an exciting and unpredictable edge. Fans of Safin would soon learn to expected the unexpected. Whether it be a tirade at an official or even displays of anger towards himself, Marat left everything out on court and did so with an endearing quality that was difficult to dislike.

Therefore it was fitting that his final match was to be filled with many of the infamous ‘Safinisms’ that fans have grown to know and love over his 12 year career. As BBC Radio 5 live’s Jonathan Overend explains: “It took 2 minutes for Safin to have his first argument with Umpire Bernades, 15 minutes for the racket to fly for the first time…classic”.

Despite such antics, Safin’s career was an illustrious one. Perhaps his greatest moment was winning his first Grand Slam title at the US Open against Pete Sampras in 2000 (see left), in doing so he became the first Russian to win at Flushing Meadows and did so as the tallest world number one in history at 6ft 4 inches.  Marat had to wait five years for his second and final major triumph at the Australian Open against Lleyton Hewitt in 2005.  After a succession of injuries and near misses at the tournament (a losing finalist both in 2002 and 2004) the Russian defeated the home town favourite in four sets, just days after putting out world number one Roger Federer in an epic 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 9-7 semi-final encounter. Four years on it remains his last tournament victory in singles competition.

However Safin’s actions off the court would hit the headlines as often as his achievements on it. A brutally honest and outspoken figure on tour, Safin has been quick to share his views on hawk-eye: “I am totally against it. I think it will destroy the game.” Wimbledon: “I don’t like how they treat the players.” and recently on Andre Agassi’s drug-use: “He is completely stupid…There are times you need to be able to shut up.” No, Safin was never going to be the shy retiring type.

Despite his unreserved nature, the 29-year-old was well liked on tour and often carried himself with a jovial and sincere warmth off court. The affection for Safin within the dressing room became clear earlier today when the likes of Novak Djokovic, Gilles Simon and Ivo Karlovic joined a post match ceremony to celebrate Safin’s career. Several other leading players expressed their sadness at his retirement in a video package shown soon after the match.

It was Safin’s philosophy on tennis that helped win him so many admirers, he felt passionately about entertaining the audience and ensuring that fans were satisfied. “You have to make the people happy and hopefully they go home happy. You have to do everything that is possible to satisfy them. This is my job.” he said. “It’s part of the show. The people that come to tennis know what they want. They want tennis. Of course they don’t want to see robots, but they want to see some emotion, some nice matches, some nice points.”

His views always offered fans and reporters alike a fascinating insight into the psyche one of tennis’s most intriguing stars. Safin will be remembered as a great player, a great character and now sadly a great loss to the game.

In July every year, as the sun sets on the first week of Wimbledon, British tennis gets its annual post-mortem. The results are rarely positive.

For years it was Tim Henman proudly flying the Union Jack, now it is Andy Murray, but it has been a long time since more than once home grown player made it through to the latter stages of the world’s greatest tennis tournament.

And every year when all our wild carded players are knocked out before they even make it into the car park, the Lawn Tennis Association promise that next year or at some point in the future it will be better.

But they have been saying that for as long as I can remember in my 22 years on earth, and so far they have not delivered on the promise that I have believed in for so long.

Fundamental problems with the LTA

Women’s tennis in this country, as I have already blogged about, is looking healthier than it ever has in my life time. But if you pretend Andy Murray does not exsist, then the men’s game is not at all healthy, with our next best player, Alex Bogdanovic, ranked at 186 in the world.

Some have said that Bogdanovic epitomises everything that is wrong with British tennis and its governing body the LTA.

Once thought to be the next big hope in this country, Alex has failed to capitalise on any of his eight consecutive Wimbledon wildcards.

The LTA finally withdrew his funding last year, because of his distinct lack of improvement, but many said they should have done so sooner.

Recent reports have suggested that the LTA have an annual budget of £43m, £14m of which is spent on the funding of elite players such as Bogdanovic.

I’m sure no-one would mind if they saw the fruits of this money in the player’s results but the British public rarely do. This isn’t necessarily any of the player’s faults but the fault of the LTA who clearly don’t know how to spend their money correctly.

Other Solutions

Tony (back right) coaching at the site in Morden with some of the adults who reguarly play there

Comedian Tony Hawks has made no secret of his disapproval of the governing body of the sport he loves so much.

He has argued, quite convincingly, for a complete overhaul of the way that the organisation runs itself as at the moment it is not accountable to anyone but itself.

He says that the LTA has no place in wasting money finding the next big star or on their coaches as this is not what successful tennis bodies in Europe, such as the Federation Francais de Tennis, have done.

He has drawn up his proposals alongside the Tennis For Free initiative, which promotes anyone from any background getting involved in the game. But despite having the backing of the Sports Minister, the LTA are not keen to implement the scheme.

Having read through all of Tony’s ideas I have to say that I hugely sympathise and agree with what he is trying to do. It seems so obvious that if more people play tennis and enjoy it, then more young people will start playing and eventually we will have a bigger pool of elite players to choose from in this country.

And then maybe we wouldn’t keep losing to teams that we should easily beat, such as Poland who our Davis cup team were defeated by a couple of months ago.

Tony himself said there is no “quick fix” for this particular Davis Cup team but if a similar situation is to be avoided in the future then “the LTA need to stop trying to run before they walk”.

Well from what I have seen Tennis For Free is the reverse.

Trying out Tennis For Free

I went down to Tony’s coaching session at Joseph Hood recreation ground in Morden this morning to join in with the children and adults who play there every Saturday morning. For free.

Upon arriving at the courts I was expecting to see a load of unruly children screaming and shouting and not really interested in learning how to play, but only in the end result and playing “Hollywood shots”, as my former coach used to describe them.

Well there were some kids who in Tony’s words are a “bit difficult” but mostly the youngsters there seemed keen to learn. Most surprisingly of all the majority of the group were teenagers and adults who played to a pretty decent standard.

Hopefully the scheme is also helping to debunk the myth that tennis is an elitist white middle class sport that you have to have a lot of money to enjoy.

On a winter’s day (all be it a nice and sunny one) these public courts were full. Full with people wanting to play tennis. The only time I have ever seen people playing at my local fee paying tennis club is in the two weeks of Wimbledon, and maybe for a couple after.

It was a great sight to see and all I hope is that the initiative can be broadened across the country, with the help of the relevant funding and governing bodies, in order for everyone to have the opportunity to give tennis a go.

As a teenager I had tennis coaching but I was never as good as I wanted to be and always craved the chance to play more often. All I can say is that I wish Tennis For Free had existed when I was younger and I hope that young people today make the most of it.

And you never know. Britain’s long awaited Grand Slam champion may just be starting out on one of these courts in a town near you…

British heavyweight boxer David Haye faces a mammoth task in Nuremberg tonight as he attempts to wrest the WBA Heavyweight title from the mountainous champion Nikolai Valuev. The Hayemaker is dwarfed by his 7ft 2in opponent to such a degree that the fight couldn’t possibly be billed as anything other than David vs Goliath.

The idea of the overmatched underdog taking on and beating an opponent with superior strength and talent is one of sport’s most compelling dreams. But it doesn’t always work out that way. And there’s more to the David and Goliath concept than seemingly mismatched individuals, sometimes it can relate to entire teams.

To mark David Haye’s world heavyweight title challenge, the Sports Bloke has compiled a short list of the most memorable David vs Goliath moments in sport.

1) Nate Robinson rejects Yao Ming
November 2006, Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks defending their homecourt against the Houston Rockets. Rockets all-star, 7ft 6in Yao Ming receives the ball in the low post and prepares to make a jump shot. From the weakside, the Knicks ever-energetic sixth man, 5ft 7in Nate Robinson goes airborne to swat Yao’s shot away, poking the “Great Wall” in the eye for good measure. You’d like to think Yao’s teammates ensured he never lived this down. Winner: David
Watch: Nate Robinson rejects Yao Ming

2) Jonah Lomu dominates Tony Underwood
New Zealander Jonah Lomu burst onto the world sports scene courtesy of his dominant performances at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Left-winger Lomu, described by England captain Will Carling as a physical “freak”, was the size of most forwards but with pace that would shame most backs. You had to feel for the opposition right wing who directly faced him.
When New Zealand faced England in the tounament’s semi-finals, Tony Underwood had this onerous task. He was dwarfed by Lomu’s size and destroyed by his strength. Lomu ran rings around him for 80 minutes, running in four tries as New Zealand cruised into the final. At one point, Lomu actually ran over Underwood and teammate Mike Catt before crossing the line. Winner: Goliath
Watch: Jonah Lomu destroys England

3) The ultimate act of FA Cup giantkilling
The 1988 FA Cup final proved beyond doubt that David can defeat Goliath in a team game. In the red corner, Liverpool, the finest team in the country, league champions with international class players throughout their squad. In the blue corner, Wimbledon, the team known as the Crazy Gang, a team of wind-up merchants renowned for their long ball tactics, who, 10 years previously, had been playing in non-league football.
For Goliath, read John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and Alan Hansen. For David, read John Fashanu, Dave Beasant and Dennis Wise. In TV terms, it was the equivalent of the University Challenge episode of the Young Ones where Vivian, Neil, Mike and Rik represent Scumbag College against a team of Oxbridge toffs.
However they managed it, the Dons got under Liverpool’s collective skin. They had the temerity to take the lead when Lawrie Sanchez flicked Wise’s free kick inside Liverpool’s far post. When Beasant saved a John Aldridge penalty (the first in FA Cup final history), the game was up for Liverpool. They were the victims of the most famous FA Cup giantkilling. Winner: David

4) When Goliath squashed David
Whether or not you consider professional wrestling a sport, there’s no denying that Wrestlemania 3 provided the WWF’s ultimate David vs Goliath moment. And I’m not talking about the Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant main event. Cast your eye further down the card and you’ll see a six-man tag team match featuring King Kong Bundy and two midgets vs Hillbilly Jim and two midget partners.
Memorably described by commentator Gorilla Monsoon as “a condominium with legs”, the 440-pound Bundy made an ultimately forgettable (and possibly bad taste) match memorable when he was disqualified for body-slamming the 4ft 4in, 60-pound midget Little Beaver and followed it up with his trademark giant elbow drop. Winner beyond doubt: Goliath
Watch: King Kong Bundy marmelises midget at Wrestlemania 3

Veertig jaar geleden zette Rod Laver (71) een van de grootste prestaties in de tennisgeschiedenis neer. Nadat de Australiër in 1962 al de vier grootste tennistitels had veroverd in één jaar, kon hij op de US Open van 1969 dat succes evenaren. Met de eindzeges van de Australian Open, Roland Garros en Wimbledon op zak bleek Laver uiteindelijk ook in New York de beste. Zo slaagde hij er als enige tennisser in de geschiedenis in, om twee keer in zijn carrière een Grand Slam te winnen, in de traditionele betekenis van het woord. 

Vraag een willekeurige tennisser naar de term ‘Grand Slam’ en hij zal beginnen over Wimbledon, de US Open, Roland Garros of misschien de Australian Open. Elk van deze toernooien is immers een ‘Grand Slam’, toch? Nou… nee. Althans, officieel gezien niet. “De toernooien zijn zichzelf na verloop van tijd onterecht zo gaan noemen”, schrijft de legendarische Amerikaanse tennisjournalist Bud Collins in zijn eigen boek The Bud Collins History of Tennis. “De toernooien zijn majors. Door deze alle vier te winnen bereik je een Grand Slam.”

Oorsprong
De term Grand Slam werd voor het eerst voorzichtig geïntroduceerd in de tennissport in 1933. Jack Crawford had de kampioenschappen van zijn eigen Australië, Frankrijk en Groot-Brittannië gewonnen, toen hij naar New York afreisde om te strijden voor de Amerikaanse titel. Deze vier majors worden samen ook wel de ‘Big Four’ genoemd, een reputatie die is ontstaan uit het Davis Cup succes van de betreffende landen (tot 1974 was er geen ander land dat de trofee wist te winnen).

Crawford bereikte de finale, maar ging na een 2-1 voorsprong in sets toch nog onderuit tegen de Brit Fred Perry. Een columnist van de New York Times, John Kieran, schreef over Crawford: ‘Als hij had gewonnen, dan zou zijn succes iets zijn geweest als een ‘grand slam’ in bridge.’ 

Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York: met 23.000 zitplaatsen het grootste tennisstadion ter wereld

Geheime missie
De Amerikaan Don Budge zette vijf jaar later op 23-jarige leeftijd wél die laatste stap. Toen Budge met de Verenigde Staten de Davis Cup won in 1937, kreeg hij het aanbod om professioneel tennisser te worden. Dit betekende echter dat Budge niet meer zijn land mocht vertegenwoordigen en in de belangrijkste toernooien kon spelen.

Tennis was officieel nog altijd een amateursport en professionals werden geweerd uit het circuit. Zij speelden alternatieve evenementen waar meer geld verdiend kon worden, maar minder eer te behalen viel. Gedreven door vaderlandsliefde besloot Budge nog één jaar als amateur door te gaan, omdat hij graag de Davis Cup-titel wilde verdedigen. Als extra uitdaging nam Budge zichzelf voor om in zijn afscheidsjaar de titels van de Big Four winnen. Het was een missie waar niemand vanaf mocht weten, behalve zijn dubbelpartner Gene Mako.

Ironisch genoeg was precies Mako de laatste horde voor Budge in de finale van de Amerikaanse kampioenschappen. Budge behaalde zijn Grand Slam – de benaming werd wederom geopperd door de New York Times en sloeg aan – met een vier sets overwinning en veroverde met de Verenigde Staten opnieuw de Davis Cup. Hij kon met een gerust hart overstappen naar het proftennis. 

Eerste vrouw
Het duurde tot 1953 voordat Maureen Connolly de eerste vrouw werd die een Grand Slam behaalde. Een glorieuze carrière leek in het verschiet te liggen voor de pas 18-jarige Amerikaanse – ze verloor in haar eerste vier jaar slechts vier partijen -, maar haar leven nam al snel een tragische wending. Het aansluitende jaar raakte ze betrokken bij een ernstige aanrijding, terwijl ze aan het paardrijden was. Connolly liep onherstelbare schade op aan haar been en overleed uiteindelijk op 34-jarige leeftijd aan kanker. 

Margaret Smith Court (1970) en Steffi Graf (1988) waren de twee andere vrouwen die de vier grote titels in één jaar wisten te winnen. Met totaal respectievelijk 24 en 22 gewonnen majors zijn zij de twee absolute recordhouders van het vrouwentennis. Het succesjaar van Graf in 1988 werd nog extra aangekleed met een olympische titel in Seoul, waarmee de term Golden Slam was geboren. 

De Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne; Federer en Nadal in actie tijdens de Australian Open finale 2009

Twee Grand Slams
De meest opmerkelijke Grand Slammer van allemaal is echter ongetwijfeld Rod Laver. Nadat hij in 1962 als amateur de vier grootste prijzen in de wacht had gesleept, herhaalde de Australiër dit kunstje in het eerste volledige jaar van de Open Era (de samensmelting van amateur- en proftennis) in 1969. 

“Don Budge was ongetwijfeld de beste tennisser ter wereld in zijn tijd, ondanks dat hij amateur was”, schrijft Laver in zijn autobiografie The Education of a Tennis Player.”Ik kon mijzelf echter onmogelijk de beste noemen in 1962, terwijl er zulke geweldige spelers als Pancho Gonzales, Ken Rosewall en Lew Hoad in het profcircuit rondliepen.”

Laver werd vervolgens zelf ook prof en kreeg gelijk het deksel op zijn neus. “Van mijn eerste dertien wedstrijden won ik er twee”, memoreert hij in zijn boek. Laver verloor zeven keer op rij van landgenoot Hoad en won slechts twee uit zes ontmoetingen met die andere Aussie, Rosewall. 

Het had er alle schijn van dat Laver zijn jaren zou slijten in de anonimiteit van het profbestaan, tot in 1968 de sport werd opengebroken en hij de kans kreeg de kroon te zetten op zijn carrière. Als enige speler ooit veroverde de linkshander een tweede Grand Slam in 1969 en ditmaal waren alle toppers van de partij. “Dit jaar was een stuk moeilijker dan 1962”, zei Laver na zijn afsluitende overwinning op de US Open. “Ik kwam er pas achter wie de besten waren toen ik in 1963 professional werd en er gehakt van me werd gemaakt gedurende de eerste zes maanden.” 

Wimbledon finale 1969: Rod Laver verslaat landgenoot John Newcombe

In zijn begin jaren ’70 verschenen biografie zegt de man die in totaal 11 majors won: “Ik vraag me af of er ooit nog iemand zal zijn die een Grand Slam zal behalen. Ik betwijfel het.” Vooralsnog zat hij er niet ver naast. Bij de mannen is het veertig jaar na dato nog altijd wachten op een opvolger, maar Court en Graf hebben namens de vrouwen wel Grand Slam-succes mogen vieren.

Alternatieve ‘Slammers’
En dan waren er nog drie gevallen waarbij een speelster alle vier de grote titels tegelijk op zak had, zij het niet in één kalenderjaar. Meest recent was dat Serena Williams, die na het winnen van de Australian Open in 2003 kampioen was van alle Big Four toernooien. Gekscherend werd er gesproken over een ‘Serena Slam’. Martina Navratilova en ook Graf hebben een vergelijkbare prestatie geleverd. Maar zij komen daarmee niet op een speciale plaats in de recordboeken. Er is namelijk maar één echte definitie van een Grand Slam.

Tijdlijn van het Grand Slam: van introductie tot de winnaars

Dit artikel verscheen oorspronkelijk in Tennis Magazine.

Most will concede that Italians have a natural propensity to talk. That said, when it comes to describing their love for their cuisine – their quest for perfection, their passion for local producers and ingredients, their respect for family traditions and culinary secrets – the dictionary doesn’t seem to contain the right words, or enough of them, to truly express their feelings anymore and even the most loquacious among them is reduced to humble awe.

Ask Ghigo Berni, co-owner of San Lorenzo Fuoriporta in Wimbledon, to describe Italian cuisine and, within two hours, you’ll believe that only now will you be able to enjoy a plate of pasta as it should be.

Ghigo grew up in his parent’s well-established Knightsbridge trattoria, San Lorenzo, walking in the shadows of the ‘60’s cinema stars, refugees of the infamous Cinecittà strike. However, this world of wonders and celebrity didn’t make the boy forget his first passion for food, though, and when he moved to Wimbledon to open the South Western cousin of San Lorenzo (Fuoriporta meaning “outside the walls”), he made a point to always look for what he calls: the perfection of simplicity.

“This simplicity comes from necessity and poverty. When peasants had the chance to enjoy a piece of meat, they wanted to make the most of it; a dish that would bring out all the flavours. All the basic ingredients used in Italian cuisine – garlic, oil, rice, tomatoes, mushrooms – come from the ground, the earth. They carry with them a spirit and every Italian dish is elaborated to celebrate what nature gives us.”

The starters were an apt introduction to that idea of simplicity. The Bufala, avocado e pomodoro – Buffalo mozzarella, plum tomatoes and avocado – was the essence of Italian cuisine itself: fresh and tasty ingredients, a pinch of black pepper and salt with just a drop of seasoning. By mixing the three, this light dish was the perfect preamble to Italian cuisine in national colours.

The Melanzane Alla Fuoriporta was intense; the grilled aubergines melted in the mouth with the buffalo mozzarella, while the Parma added a salty overtone, even though it could be enjoyed just as well with the delicious homemade Foccacia bread served on the table.

The Polenta taragno con calamari is spring dish celebrating the natural combination of calamari and peas. Although it looked quite heavy, the polenta with buckwheat was actually quite light.  The texture was enhanced by the tender braised calamari, tomato sauce and green peas.

We soon moved on to the definition of food and how what used to be a primary need became a way of life. “Food is comfort, memory, emotion, history, culture. Food has always been at the centre of discussion, a component of a relationship that brings people together.” Things seemed to have changed with the generations, though. “Now cuisine has become a cult, an elitist thing, a sign of sophistication. People discover food with culture and emancipation.”

The conversation lead to interesting redefinitions, and metaphors: “Food is following the same evolution as music. Like classical musicians, looking for the original perfection of a piece of music, people usually start cooking classical, practicing to achieve that same perfection they first tasted. But very quickly, they want to add their own touch, to create something new. Experimentation is important but it can become too confusing. It is important to go back to where we come from and where the food comes from. As the French in Indochina, they tried to create something that will reflect their national identity while using local ingredients. And that’s how the whole French Asian trend started.”

We returned to true Italian dishes for the main course, though; traditional risotto, fish and meat which Ghigo described with love and passion.

The Gamberoni alla Fuoriporta – grilled Indian Ocean king prawns with wholegrain risotto. Having grown up in seawater, the prawns are juicy and generous in taste. Fried with a drop of oil and lemon before being placed under a grill, the prawns are placed on wholegrain risotto and served with a delicate sauce of stock, white wine and garlic. The dish was properly balanced between the rice and the copious amount of king prawns, avoiding any frustration in terms of quantity.

The Salsiccia piccante con Lenticchie – Spicy sausages grilled and braised with Italian lentils, garlic and white wine, served on mashed potatoes – was a first experience of Italian lentils. The dish was rich with flavours and yet not too spicy. The lentils were first cooked with garlic, rosemary, stock and olive oil, while the sausages grilled with pork fat, salt, chilli, garlic and wine. Once done, the sausages were braised with the lentils and then topped with olive oil before serving onto the mashed potatoes. The sausages were delicious, spicy and not too greasy. The lentils had absorbed the grease of the sausages, infusing the lentils with a nice spicy taste. A simple and comfortable dish with many flavours that worked well together.

An elegant and soft Valpolicella Superiore 2007 was served to pair with these very different dishes. “Italian wines are regionally connected to the dish you eat. Italy has very rustic and diverse wines coming from grapevines that grow up on very specific volcanic soils. This makes the wines only appropriate to the regional food: a merlot with Sicilian food doesn’t make sense. Wine should always be married with food and the variety has to match.”

After a long discussion, it was time for dessert. What else but Tiramisu? Meaning ‘pick me up’ in Italian, this most popular of Italian desserts is aptly named as it combines ingredients among which everybody is bound to find a favourite: chocolate, espresso coffee, mascarpone, sugar, sponge cake and rum. Tiramisu is one of the only desserts that marries sombre strength of coffee with the purity of vanilla. Even though I prefer a creamier Tiramisu, this one had a pleasant density to it and coffee lovers would appreciate the sensation of having had a sip of true coffee with every spoonful.

The Italian experience wouldn’t have been complete without a glass of Grappa Di Nebbiolo by Sibona. Originally made to prevent waste by using leftovers, wine producers cook the pomace and second pressing of the grapes to create a potent brandy. One bottle of grappa requires the equivalent of ten bottles of wine. To drink with moderation!

As the talented food blogger, WorldFoodieguide, once told me, “enjoyment of food and individual dishes is such a personal and subjective thing. Even being in a bad mood can affect the entire meal.”  I would add: the enjoyment of food can only be multiplied by the time we spend learning the history of each dish or cuisine, and listening to the passion of those who cook them. Salute!

San Lorenzo Fuoriporta
38 Wimbledon Hill
London SW19 7PA
020 8946 8463

Review by Ahmed Olayinka Sule, CFA

On the Line (Queen of the Court-UK Edition)
By Serena Williams with Daniel Paisner
Grand Central Publishing

Hardcover: 272 pages

Determination, determination and determination. These three words come off each and every page of Serena Williams’ autobiography entitled ‘On the line’, which was released in September 2009 during the US Open Championship. The autobiography is an honest account of Serena’s journey, from her humble beginnings as a three year old struggling to grip a standard sized tennis racquet on the Compton tennis courts, to her triumph as an eleven times Grand Slam winning tennis icon.

The youngest of five children, Serena grew up along with her other sisters in Compton in Los Angeles. Her father Richard and her mother Oracene were hardworking African Americans who had a desire to make a better life for their children. As parents, they instilled in their children strong values and motivated them to believe in themselves.

Serena’s journey to the game of tennis began three years before her birth. In 1978, after watching the French Open champion Virginia Ruzici collect a cheque of $40,000, Richard Williams, who was surprised at the amount of prize money, became determined that he would produce daughters that would become global tennis icons. He told his wife: “we need to make two more kids and make them into tennis superstars”. Serena began her tennis training at the age of three, playing alongside her sister Venus under the watchful gaze of her self-trained father and mother. Her training regime involved training several hours a day on the dilapidated courts of Compton.

As the youngest of her siblings, Serena was used to having her way and was very naughty and rebellious. She sometimes struggled with her self-image as a youngster, as she did not feel she was on a par with her other sisters in terms of style, fashion and flair. Her sisters, however, were always caring and treated her like a princess.

The Serena story is incomplete without discussion of her relationship with her sister and tennis double partner Venus, who she describes as her best friend. Serena writes that in spite of her family’s belief in her capability during her formative years, outsiders, including players and the media, focused their attention on Venus. As a result Serena lived under Venus’ shadow for a long time. However, the underestimation of her abilities only motivated Serena to prove her detractors wrong. When a journalist suggested that Serena would only amount to a ‘footnote in Venus’ career’, Serena kept it the article, later stating: “I promised myself I’d never forget that article, that one day I’d prove the reporter wrong. It was a cruel thing to say, but I turned it into some more of that silent fuel”.

In spite of the one year and three months age difference between the two sisters, Serena describes Venus as being very protective of her. This is still evident today, as demonstrated in the recently concluded 2009 US Open in which Venus rose to Serena’s defence in response to the media questioning Serena’s outburst against the umpire during her semi-final game with Kim Clijster. Besides seeing Venus as a protector, Serena also sees Venus as a motivator. She writes: “Without Venus to lead the way, it would have taken me longer to get to where I wanted to be”.

If there is one defining characteristic that defines Serena, it is her resilience in the midst of adversity. For instance, during the final of the Indiana Wells tournament, despite being jeered by a hostile crowd throughout the match, Serena was able to overcome their verbal taunts to win the championship. “If Althea Gibson could fight her way through far worse, I had an obligation to fight through this. And not just fight – I had an obligation to prevail”, she writes with regards to her feelings during the match.

I had the opportunity to see a sample of Serena’s resilience in the midst of adversity during the 2007 Wimbledon Championship when she defeated Daniela Hantuchova despite collapsing in pain earlier in the match due to a serious calf injury.  What really amazed me in that match was her will power and determination to win the match even when the odds were against her.

When her boyfriend jilted her in 2002 she felt dejected. However, rather than play the sympathy card, she channeled her energy into her game, which resulted in her achieving her legendary Serena Slam between 2002 and 2003, winning the French, Wimbledon, US and Australian Championships in succession.

She also had to overcome a personal tragedy in the form of the loss of her elder sister Yetunde who she describes as having a giant heart.  This loss, coupled with a career threatening injury, resulted in a lack of motivation to play the game of tennis, culminating in a spate of inconsistent results between 2004 and 2006.

After entering the tennis wilderness for the first time in her career, Serena experienced a Damascus Road encounter during a trip to West Africa in November 2006. Like Obama, Mohammed Ali, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X before her, the visit to Africa enabled her to appreciate her heritage. “It put me in full mind of my heritage and my responsibility to that heritage”, she notes. Her visit to the notorious Cape Coast Slave Castle in Ghana was very meaningful to her. “I came away thinking I was part of the strongest race in human history. Someone else might have been depressed by what I’d just seen, but I chose to find the power in it, to be lifted by it”, she states regarding her experience at the castle.

Her return from the trip marked a turning point in her life both on and off the court. As she puts it, “Really, my entire mind-set changed as a result of that trip… there nothing that can break me. On the court. Off the court. Anywhere”. Since the trip her career has continued on an upward trajectory both on and off the court.

So, what lessons can be we learn from Serena? First, the road to success is often marked with sweat, blood and tears. Second, focus and determination are key ingredients to success.

Angie Pimpin Sesi Coaching Clinic

NUSA DUA – Coaching Clinic menjadi sesi rutin perhelatan Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions 2009, di tiga tahun terakhir. Sama seperti sesi tahun lalu, coaching clinic kali ini kembali dipandu petenis Indonesia, Angelique Widjaya.Coaching clinic terbagi menjadi dua sesi. Pertama, yang dilakukan sore ini diikuti anak-anak yang berasal dari Pelti dan Cangguk Club di Bali, serta pada ball boy. Sementara sesi kedua, digelar esok (Rabu pagi) yang akan diikuti rekan-rekan media dan wanita dari Cangguk Club.

Pada sesi coaching clinic yang bertajuk Commonwealth Bank “Serve up two aces” tadi, Angie dibantu seorang mantan petenis dunia Todd Woodbridge yang sempat mengecap kampiun Wimbledon di nomor ganda, pada era 90an.

Kedua sosok ini pun terlihat antusias mengajarkan beberapa teknik dasar seperti serve, smash dan backswing kepada anak-anak. Sifat bersahabat yang ditunjukkan keduanya pun praktis membuat anak-anak antusias mengikuti sesi demi sesi, ditengah teriknya matahari sore di Nusa Dua.

“Sesi ini kali kini sangat menyenangkan. Kualitas anak-anak pun lebih baik di banding dua tahun lalu. Mereka hanya perlu diarahkan mengenai teknik yang benar dalam bermain,” papar Angie ditengah-tengah sesi.

Ditanya mengenai even CBTC yang pertandingannya akan dimulai pada Rabu, esok, Angie mengaku, turnamen bakal berlangsung sengit di setiap pertandingannya, kendati ajang ini bisa dibilang kelas dua.

“Yang namanya event master, setiap pertandingannya pasti bakal seru. Ini memang turnamen kelas dua, tapi ini even kelas dua dari yang terbaik dari seluruh dunia,” papar Angie kepada okezone, Selasa (3/11/2009).

“Saya aja sebagai orang Indonesia bangga, pemain master bisa tampil di Indonesia. Sebab, untuk bisa lolos kualifikasi di ajang ini benar-benar tidak gampang. Jadi, turnamen ini pasti seru,” tandas dara cantik asal Bandung ini.

The London Underground has made more creative use of poster art than any other commercial organisation in the world. It all goes back to the early 1900’s. Frank Pick was Head of Publicity for the London Underground in 1908 and commissioned hundreds of posters by both popular artists and relatively unknown ones too. Man Ray, David Hockney, Edward McKnight Kauffer and Paul Nash are amongst the many artists who have produced artwork for the tube.

Therefore much of early and even current London Underground posters show how far you can travel on the tube and show the wonderful places you can travel to, particularly when you are not doing your normal 9 to 5 daily commute.

It’s beautiful posters which are so awesome in their ways and art. I miss the old days…

Click here for all the posters in order from 1908-1933. Enjoy!

See the world’s best right here in the Bay Area Oct. 2-4, 2009. The Esurance Tennis Classic is celebrating its fifth year of presenting exciting world-class tennis to the Bay Area and will host a star-studded field that will include tennis legends and Bay Area sports personalities. They will be joining Grand Slam winners Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf who will be appearing in the festivities on Sunday only, October 4, along with French Open champion Michael Chang, U.S. Open winner Tracy Austin, French Open Doubles winners Murphy & Luke Jensen, Wimbledon winner Conchita Martinez, Wimbledon Doubles winner Corina Morariu, ESPN Tennis analyst Brad Gilbert & NCAA Singles & Stanford University graduate Amber Liu-Chang, who will all be participating through-out the three-day event.

This annual fundraiser takes place at the Harbor Point Tennis Club (475 E. Strawberry Dr., Mill Valley) and raises funds for To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation, Us Too Prostrate Cancer Education & Support and the Youth Tennis Advantage. Tickets are affordably priced at $25 per day for adults (18 yrs +), or a two-day adult pass for $40. Junior tickets are $10 (ages 6-18), kids under 6 are FREE. Discounted group tickets are available.

Produced by The Harbor Point Charitable Foundation and Rosie Casal’s Sportswoman Inc., past events have delivered over $300,000 to it’s beneficiaries To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation, Youth Tennis Advantage and Us Too Prostate Cancer Education and Support.