tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86670404082489311382024-03-05T12:35:12.076+02:00Let, Second ServeA blog about anything and everything tennis - ATP, WTA, Grand Slams, interviews, translations and more.Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-10862141422845374102018-12-27T18:38:00.000+02:002018-12-27T18:38:10.510+02:00The 2019 Tennis CalendarHave you ever felt the need to integrate the tennis calendar with your own? Well, now you can! Just like in previous years, the importable ATP and WTA calendars for the 2019 season are finally here.<br />
<br />
The calendar you see below has all the ATP and WTA tournaments for 2019.<br />
<br />
If you're using Google Calendar, you can add these calendars (ATP and WTA separately, for those who only want one of them) to your schedule with a couple of clicks (in fact, if you've already added a previous version to your Google Calendar, the 2019 events are already there!).<br />
<br />
If you're using a different calendar, you can import the calendars separately in <a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">iCal</a> format for the ATP, and the same for WTA (<a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">iCal</a>). Or, you can just use the calendar in this post, if you wish!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
Anna<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="800" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?title=Tennis%20Tournaments%202019&height=500&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23060D5E&src=4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23711616&ctz=Europe%2FPrague" style="border-width: 0;" width="650"></iframe><br />
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-71402215877648739712018-01-05T21:35:00.000+02:002018-01-05T21:35:56.442+02:00The 2018 Tennis CalendarHave you ever felt the need to integrate the tennis calendar with your own? Well, now you can! Just like in previous years, the importable ATP and WTA calendars for the 2018 season are finally here.<br />
<br />
The calendar you see below has all the ATP and WTA tournaments for 2018.<br />
<br />
If you're using Google Calendar, you can add these calendars (ATP and WTA separately, for those who only want one of them) to your schedule with a couple of clicks (in fact, if you've already added a previous version to your Google Calendar, the 2018 events are already there!).<br />
<br />
If you're using a different calendar, you can import the calendars separately in <a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">iCal</a> format for the ATP, and the same for WTA (<a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">iCal</a>). Or, you can just use the calendar in this post, if you wish!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
Anna<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="800" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?title=Tennis%20Tournaments%202018&height=500&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23060D5E&src=4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23711616&ctz=Europe%2FPrague" style="border-width: 0;" width="650"></iframe><br />
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-21263286423648568082016-12-31T12:53:00.000+02:002016-12-31T12:53:30.160+02:00The 2017 Tennis CalendarHave you ever felt the need to integrate the tennis calendar with your own? Well, now you can! Just like in previous years, the importable ATP and WTA calendars for the 2017 season are finally here.<br />
<br />
The calendar you see below has all the ATP and WTA tournaments for 2017, including information about tournament category (250/500/M1000/GS for the men, International/Premier/P5/PM/GS for the women) and dates (including Sunday starts or Saturday finals).<br />
<br />
If you're using Google Calendar, you can add these calendars (ATP and WTA separately, for those who only want one of them) to your schedule with a couple of clicks (in fact, if you've already added a previous version to your Google Calendar, the 2017 events are already there!).<br />
If you're using a different calendar, you can import the calendars separately in <a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">iCal</a> format for the ATP, and the same for WTA (<a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">iCal</a>). Or, you can just use the calendar in this post, if you wish!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
Anna<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="800" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?title=Tennis%20Tournaments%202017&height=500&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23060D5E&src=4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23711616&ctz=Europe%2FPrague" style="border-width: 0;" width="650"></iframe><br />
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-20973110607512981812015-12-06T00:04:00.001+02:002015-12-06T00:09:08.977+02:00The 2016 Tennis CalendarHave you ever felt the need to integrate the tennis calendar with your own? Well, now you can! Just like in previous years, the importable ATP and WTA calendars for the 2016 season are here.<br />
<br />
The start/end days of the ATP tournaments weren't published yet, so I'm basing this version on the 2015 calendar - info about Sunday starts and Saturday finals might still change.<br />
<br />
The calendar you see below has all the ATP and WTA tournaments for 2016, including information about tournament category (250/500/M1000/GS for the men, International/Premier/P5/PM/GS for the women), surface, and dates (including Sunday starts or Saturday finals).<br />
<br />
If you're using Google Calendar, you can add these calendars (ATP and WTA separately, for those who only want one of them) to your schedule with a couple of clicks (in fact, if you've already added a previous version to your Google Calendar, the 2016 events are already there!).<br />
If you're using a different calendar, you can import the calendars separately in <a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">iCal</a> format for the ATP, and the same for WTA (<a href="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics" target="_blank">iCal</a>). Or, you can just use the calendar in this post, if you wish!<br />
If, for some reason, you want to get only the 2016 events (the current calendars include all events from 2013 to this day), you can download the 2016-only calendars from <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/em1u6o03ia7eai8/AAD-LdxdLt_vkIU3T86P_ZLCa?dl=0" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="800" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?title=Tennis%20Tournaments%202016&height=500&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23060D5E&src=4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23711616&ctz=Europe%2FPrague" style="border-width: 0;" width="650"></iframe><br />
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-30260771070292637672015-11-18T00:23:00.001+02:002015-11-18T00:28:06.632+02:00World Tour Finals 2015 - Qualification Scenarios (Group Stan Smith)Ah, the yearly tradition of "Who the hell qualifies from each group?!" that comes without fail every time the World Tour Finals roll around.<br />
<br />
Here are the scenarios for Group Stan Smith, after Roger Federer beat Novak Djokovic, and Kei Nishikori defeated Tomas Berdych on Tuesday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1pjXkldBSYBUcNs25DORs6lPEf3ffmuCsu1lEiVWbIiwfDVNPrOu_dDf93oxVY9UGOrURzd5HZrJtIzRUenstFy5sYupzmPme3LRU7LAsSyjdVaV5v7LLhJgwWtcll_7JrQ8KCVKC237/s1600/WTF+2015+Group+Stan+Smith.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1pjXkldBSYBUcNs25DORs6lPEf3ffmuCsu1lEiVWbIiwfDVNPrOu_dDf93oxVY9UGOrURzd5HZrJtIzRUenstFy5sYupzmPme3LRU7LAsSyjdVaV5v7LLhJgwWtcll_7JrQ8KCVKC237/s1600/WTF+2015+Group+Stan+Smith.png" /></a></div>
<br />Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-37353663316155372042015-07-09T22:20:00.000+03:002015-07-09T23:11:54.466+03:00"There are definitely no gays in the ATP top-100" - Sergiy Stakhovsky [Translated]<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i>The following is a
translation of excerpts from an <a href="http://xsport.ua/tennis_s/news/esli-doch-zakhochet-vyyti-zamuzh-za-tennisista-zastrelyu-nemnogo-o-sergee-stakhovskom_149727/" target="_blank">interview</a> Sergiy Stakhovsky gave to Ivan
Grachev for XSport.ua. To sum up the parts I haven’t translated word for word:
Stakhovsky’s contract with Fabrice Santoro is currently in place until after the 2015 US Open, he appreciates Santoro’s advice as a coach a lot, his goal for this season –
to get into the top 30. He was also asked about fighting between doubles partners, and said that when players play doubles you usually don’t know if
they’re fighting (but Nestor and Zimonjic, for example, were hardly talking to
each other outside of matches when they were no.1 in the world). <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i>What follows is a full
translation from Russian of the rest of the interview. - Anna<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>*********************************************************</i></div>
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<b>Q: You’re known for your openness
and readiness to discuss any subject, even the most uncomfortable ones. Let’s
talk about a subject that’s usually avoided. Are there any representatives of
sexual minorities on the tour?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A: I think not.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b>And yet I have my doubts…</b><br />
Give me a name?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b>This isn’t about a specific
person – I can’t judge or support him – but about the general picture.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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You see, on the ATP – we have
a normal atmosphere. If there was anything, we’d know about it, because it’s a very
closed circle. Earlier there used to be talk about Gasquet, about Nadal. Even
about Federer. I won’t sacrifice my hand for the whole tour and the new guys,
who are just joining, but in the backbone of the top-100 there are definitely
no gays.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Martina Navratilova, for
example, thinks differently.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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She can think that in the
women’s locker room. She has no clue at all what men’s tennis is. And she’s has
nothing to do with it [men’s tennis]. On the WTA tour, almost every other
player is a lesbian. Can you imagine – half of them! So I for sure won’t send
my daughter to play tennis.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Let’s change the subject a bit. Tell me, wouldn’t you want to see
Taisia Stakhovsky in professional sports?</b><br />
Why not<span lang="RU">? </span>In golf – of course (laughs). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Let’s imagine that in 25
years, Taisia comes to you and tells you: “Dad, I’m going to marry a tennis
player”. Your reaction?</b><br />
I’ll shoot! In the beginning, as soon as our daughter was born, I understood
that I need to get a gun, arm myself (laughs). Seriously though, I will always
respect my daughter’s choice. I think that a lot in that matter depends on the
parent. I mean, if Anfisa and I raise her well, she’ll pick someone worthy. Of
course, love can be cruel, but I don’t intend to fight with my daughter because
she fell in love with someone. I looked at my father in law, and saw how
difficult it was for him to let his two daughters go, so I understand that
something similar will happen to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-78195407711590464192015-05-18T19:55:00.000+03:002015-05-18T19:55:00.113+03:00Amir Weintraub: "I was in a good place and then the injury hit me" [Translated]<i><a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=AmirWeintraub">Amir Weintraub</a>, who will be playing in the Roland Garros qualifying draw starting tomorrow, has given an interview to Uri Talshir in <a href="http://www.haaretz.co.il/sport/other/.premium-1.2637265" target="_blank">Haaretz</a>, speaking about his return from injury. The interview, brought here, was translated by <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNighIsDark" target="_blank">TheNighIsDark</a>. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Amir
Weintraub: "I was in a good place and then the injury hit me"<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">"It
all happened simultaneously - the inflammation, the divorce, the fall in the
rankings... And at some point life just stopped. It's very weird, I never
thought that at the age of 28 I'll be divorced and injured". After eight
months that turned his life around, Amir Weintraub is slowly rebuilding himself
and aspires to become a "Davis Cup beast" once again.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Amir Weintraub almost never had it the easy way. At the age
of 21 he was already done with tennis and was about to leave for UCLA, but
eventually stayed in Israel. The tennis coach Shlomo Tzoref took him under his
wing and groomed him and when Noam Okun and Harel Levy retired, Weintraub
became Israel's No. 2 racquet. He had
some inconceivable wins in Davis Cup and positioned himself inside the top-200
on the tour, but then came the twist that tore everything apart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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It happened in April last year, on the clay in Slovenia
versus Blaz Kavcic. At the end of the fifth set Weintraub made an intentional
slide on the surface and then, during the motion for the next shot, came the
signal from the groin. "I'll never forget it", he remembers, "I
felt this sort of click and knew something bad happened. I could barely walk
but went on to win the match. A day later I couldn't stand on my right
leg."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The severe inflammation forced Weintraub to take a break,
but he never thought it will last so long and even prevent him from playing the
important Davis Cup tie vs. Argentina. "There's nothing harder than
sitting on the bench, I was with the team in Miami and even thought of playing
with an injection but there was no point in that" he says, "I've
never sustained such a severe injury. I was in a very good place in life,
ranking-wise, mentally, the Davis Cup team and everything else. The injury came
like a shock, at a very critical stage."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Belgian doctor Prof. Marc Martens assumed the recovery
process will last three months but eventually Weintraub had to go through two
surgeries and more than eight months of absence from the tour. Every day he
went through three hours of physiotherapy, another hour of hydrotherapy and
countless massages and drills to try and get back in shape. Half the day went
into rehabilitating the leg and the rest he spent on reading, watching movies
and following young tennis players.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"The weeks go by and it's frustrating. You see everyone
playing while you're sidelined with pain. You try to play, the first couple of
days everything's fine and then it all comes back. You never know where it
ends. Time goes by and you mentally break down." During this period,
Weintraub saw his ranking drop and his Davis Cup team relegated to the bottom
of the Europe-Africa group I. His sponsors left him and the depression seeped
into his personal life as he and his wife, whom he married only two months
before the injury, decided to separate. "It all happened simultaneously"
he shares, "The injury, the divorce, the fall in the rankings... And at
some point life just stopped."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last month, a year after that match in Slovenia, Weintraub
tried to return to the tour. In the Raanana challenger the pain returned. Prof.
Martens feared another surgery will be required but after a short rest there
was a significant improvement. In the last couple of weeks Weintraub won two
Futures events in Ashkelon and passed on the third as a precautionary measure.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"When I strain my body the groin swells, like a ball on
the tendons that hinders me from returning to the middle of the court. It's
very limiting. I check myself and still do everything very slowly. There's
always this fear of "I'm allowed to, I'm forbidden to, I feel good, I feel
bad, it hurts now, is it serious and should I stop". It goes on after the
matches, you return home with ice and pain, barely walking and the next day you
need to recover somehow. The leg won't be the same but I'll have to learn how
to deal with the pain and adjust myself during matches so I can be as close to
what I used to be as possible. It won't be 100% but I won't cry about it. It is
what it is and I'm finally in a place where I might finally be moving
forward."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In May 2012 Weintraub reached his all-time high ranking of
world no. 161. Now he's ranked 606 but will be using the protected ranking (PR)
the ATP issues players who are coming back from injury. He'll be able to apply
to nine tournaments of his choice with the PR of 224 in the world, including
qualifying rounds of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, which should help him gain
momentum and find his place on tour. Thanks to the ITA (Israel Tennis
Association) and the ITC (Israel Tennis centers), which are holding eighteen
futures events in Israel this year, Weintraub won't have to travel to Nigeria,
Ghana or India to gather some precious ranking points - as he used to in the
past. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Weintraub is an experienced and well known player in Israel but
just like when he was 21, at 28 he finds himself once again at the beginning of
a journey towards fulfilling his potential and re-igniting his tennis career. Again, just like before,
Tzoref is the one who stood by his side and convinced him not to give up.
"When I lost my faith and surrendered, he supported me. Tzoref is the
father who brings it all together for me. He's responsible for half of my
career if not all of it. The ITA also did all it could for me and I hope to be
able to come back and repay this debt."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>How do view the integration of Bar Botzer and Idan Leshem
in the Davis Cup team?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"When I first joined the team it was very hard for me
as well, it's a very tight-knit group with great accomplishments and it's very
hard to become a part of it. Botzer and Leshem are talented players who can
make it. They need to find themselves, grow, evolve mentally and get into it as
fast as possible because we need them badly."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With all due respect to the young guard, the team is anxious
for Weintraub's return, again versus Slovenia, in a Davis Cup tie that will be
held in Israel in two months. "There's no doubt I want to play but it's
not about the tennis but mostly about the leg. I'll do anything to be a part of
the team, just like I did before. When I'm on the team things come together for
me, it feels like I'm not alone on the court and I wish my entire career felt
like that. It brings greater things out of me. A lot of Israelis called me a
"Davis Cup beast" and that's a title I really loved. I very much want
to play in Israel because that's the big moment, in front of your crowd."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What did you miss the most while being at home?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"It's funny because in the past I would've answered
this completely differently. I would've said I miss the flights, the places on
the tour and the good life. Today I mostly miss being healthy, peace of mind
and the tennis. It's what my life's about, my heart and what I've been doing
since I was five years old. My Father's from Mexico and my mother's American,
they immigrated to Israel out of pure Zionism and everything in our house was
always country first and only then you. This is how we grew up and that's how
tennis is for me - I managed to do much greater things for my country than for
my personal career. Unlike other players who also succeeded on the tour, Davis
Cup is the biggest highlight of my life. It gave me a taste of glory and I
think I deserved it."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Do you have the strength to make it all the way back
again?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I won't be able to play tennis forever. As long as I
can play and things go my way, that's what I love to do and that's what I'll
do. These little moments, of winning a Davis Cup match or making the second
round of the Australian Open, are worth it all. Afterwards, if I work in a bank
or anywhere else, I don't think I'll have such experiences nor will I be able
to help my country in a similar manner."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Weintraub reaches his current phase as a much more mature
person. He mainly wants to return to those good old days, when he brought his
team victories in Davis Cup and even qualified for the main draw of a Grand Slam
tournament. "I went through a very deep inner process" he shares
while rain drops fall on his balcony floor in the middle of May. "It's
very weird, I’ve never thought that at the age of 28 I'll be divorced and
injured. Until the age of 27 I had never been in a hospital before and suddenly
I went through three surgeries in one year. It's not simple but the family,
Tzoref, the ITA and also my ex-wife all support me."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alongside the yearning for the racquet, Weintraub is already
thinking of the next chapter. "Today the goal isn't only climbing up the
rankings but also to have a hobby. Perhaps diamonds or real-estate, but
currently I don't have the financial backing for such a thing. I didn't get
rich from tennis but I'm not poor either. Until I was 25 I had a negative bank
balance and at some stage it turned around. I won't be able to retire after
tennis and will have to work for a living but I have my own car and apartment
which I earned by myself."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Are you on some sort of deadline to become fit to play?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Since I was 24 I kept telling myself 'This is my
last year' because I wasn't making enough money. Today the deadline isn't
age or money, it's all about the leg. If by the end of the year I won't be
happy with it, I'll retire. I don't trust my body but I'm learning slowly and
every day I test my boundaries. It's really about learning to trust yourself
all over again but according to recent tournaments I seem to be on the right
track."</div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-46605719773826653922014-11-20T17:21:00.000+02:002014-11-20T17:21:51.138+02:00The 2015 Tennis CalendarHave you ever felt the need to integrate the tennis calendar with your own? Well, now you can! Just like in <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2012/12/the-2013-tennis-calendar.html" target="_blank">2013</a> and <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2013/11/the-2014-tennis-calendar.html" target="_blank">2014</a>, the importable ATP and WTA calendars for the 2015 season are here.<br />
<br />
Both tours are still working out some of the information, so new events will be added as they're announced (like the ATP's recent addition of the Geneva 250 instead of the tournament in Dusseldorf). Additionally, the start/end days of the ATP tournaments weren't published yet, so I'm basing this version on the 2014 calendar - info about Sunday starts and Saturday finals might still change.<br />
<br />
The calendar you see below has all the ATP and WTA tournaments for 2015, including information about tournament category (250/500/M1000/GS for the men, International/Premier/P5/PM/GS for the women), surface, and dates (including Sunday starts or Saturday finals).<br />
<br />
If you're using Google Calendar, you can add these calendars (ATP and WTA separately, for those who only want one of them) to your schedule with a couple of clicks (in fact, if you've already added the 2013/14 version to your Google Calendar, the 2015 events are already there!).<br />
If you're using a different calendar, you can import the calendars separately in <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic">XML</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/ical/934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics">iCal</a> format for the ATP, and the same for WTA (<a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic">XML</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/ical/4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics">iCal</a>). Or, you can just use the calendar in this post, if you wish!<br />
If, for some reason, you want to get only the 2015 events (the current calendars include all events from 2013 to this day), you can download the 2015-only calendars from <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1be2durmkh8cken/AADpbugpp4phPFLdEN8lFOC7a?dl=0" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Enjoy, and let me know if there's anything else you'd like to see here. <br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="800" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?title=Tennis%20Tournaments%202015&height=500&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23060D5E&src=4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23711616&ctz=Europe%2FPrague" style="border-width: 0;" width="650"></iframe><br />
<br />Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-27117867410046330722014-11-12T23:20:00.000+02:002014-11-14T17:46:09.646+02:00World Tour Finals 2014 - Qualification Scenarios (Group A)After 4 days of incredibly one-sided results, Group A looks very similar to <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2014/11/world-tour-finals-2014-qualification.html" target="_blank">Group B</a> in terms of possible scenarios. In fact, the scenarios are exactly the same.<br />
<br />
Friday's matches are Djokovic-Berdych and Wawrinka-Cilic. Here are the qualification scenarios for every possible outcome of those matches (winner + number of sets). Where it says "GR", it means we're going to have to calculate the game ratios (games won out of total played games) of all players to know who qualifies (Cilic can only qualify if he wins in 2).<br />
<br />
<br />
<table border="1" bordercolor="#FFCC00" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" style="background-color: #ffffcc; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td></td> <td><b>Wawrinka in 2</b></td> <td><b>Wawrinka </b><b>in 3</b></td> <td><b>Cilic in 3</b></td> <td><b>Cilic </b><b>in 2</b></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;"><b>Djokovic </b><b>in 2</b></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Djokovic<br />
2. Wawrinka</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Djokovic<br />
2. Wawrinka</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Djokovic<br />
2. Wawrinka</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Djokovic<br />
2. GR</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Djokovic </b><b>in 3</b></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Djokovic<br />
2. Wawrinka</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"></table>2. Wawrinka<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"></table></td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Wawrinka<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody> </tbody></table></td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Berdych<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"></table></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Berdych in 3</b></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Djokovic<br />
2. Wawrinka</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Djokovic<br />
2. Wawrinka</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Berdych<br />
2. Djokovic</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Berdych<br />
2. Djokovic</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Berdych </b><b>in 2</b></td> <td>GR (see below)</td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Berdych<br />
2. Djokovic</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Berdych<br />
2. Djokovic</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Berdych<br />
2. Djokovic</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.quackit.com/html/html_table_tutorial.cfm" target="_top">HTML Tables</a></div><br />
Game ratios for Wawrinka in 2/Berdych in 2:<br />
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Djokovic needs to win 2 games to qualify (and he'll be the first in his group if he does that).<br />
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-23608623736935728912014-11-12T00:03:00.000+02:002014-11-14T16:29:30.241+02:00World Tour Finals 2014 - Qualification Scenarios (Group B)It's that time of the season again! Maths and scenarios and calculations galore.<br />
<br />
Group B of the 2014 World Tour Finals ended its second day of matches, and we can already calculate most of the possibilities for the semifinal qualifications. (Also check out the similar <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2014/11/world-tour-finals-2014-qualification_12.html" target="_blank">scenarios for Group A</a>)<br />
<br />
Thursday's matches are Federer-Murray and Nishikori-Raonic. Here are the qualification scenarios for every possible outcome of those matches (winner + number of sets). Where it says "GR", it means we're going to have to calculate the game ratios (games won out of total played games) of all players to know who qualifies (Raonic can only qualify if he wins in 2).<br />
<br />
ETA: Of course, Raonic's withdrawal changed everything, as Ferrer can't qualify no matter what he does. I'm writing this as the Nishikori-Ferrer match is at 6-4 4-6, so whoever wins, does it in 3 sets. This leaves us with the following scenarios:<br />
<br />
<table border="1" bordercolor="#FFCC00" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" style="background-color: #ffffcc; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td></td> <td><b>Ferrer in 3</b></td> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;"><b>Nishikori</b><b> in 3</b></td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;"><b>Federer wins</b></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr><td >1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody> </tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Murray </b><b>in 2</b></td><td>1. Murray<br />
2. Federer</td><td>1. Murray<br />
2. Federer</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Murray in 3</b></td> <td>1. Murray<br />
2. Federer<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody> </tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.quackit.com/html/html_table_tutorial.cfm" target="_top">HTML Tables</a></div><br />
<br />
The old scenarios, for those curious:<br />
<br />
<table border="1" bordercolor="#FFCC00" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" style="background-color: #ffffcc; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td></td> <td><b>Nishikori in 2</b></td> <td><b>Nishikori</b><b> in 3</b></td> <td><b>Raonic in 3</b></td> <td><b>Raonic </b><b>in 2</b></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Federer </b><b>in 2</b></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. GR</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Federer </b><b>in 3</b></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td>1. Federer<br />
2. Murray</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Murray in 3</b></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl63" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Federer<br />
2. Nishikori</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Murray<br />
2. Federer</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Murray<br />
2. Federer</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Murray </b><b>in 2</b></td> <td>GR (see below)</td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Murray<br />
2. Federer</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Murray<br />
2. Federer</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> <td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 88px;"><tbody>
<tr height="40" style="height: 30.0pt;"> <td class="xl65" height="40" style="height: 30.0pt; width: 66pt;" width="88">1. Murray<br />
2. Federer</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.quackit.com/html/html_table_tutorial.cfm" target="_top">HTML Tables</a></div><br />
Game ratio scenarios:<br />
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<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/letsecondserve/photos/a.253188601379624.67887.250273481671136/858353324196479/?type=1" data-width="466"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/letsecondserve/photos/a.253188601379624.67887.250273481671136/858353324196479/?type=1">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/letsecondserve">Let, Second Serve</a>.</div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-15789388099960281692014-10-19T23:15:00.000+03:002014-10-19T23:15:14.386+03:00Full Translation of Tarpischev's Comments about the Williams SistersShamil Tarpischev, the president of the Russian tennis federation, was recently <a href="http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/4226418/title/wta-fines-suspends-tarpischev" target="_blank">fined and suspended</a> by the WTA for problematic comments he made on a popular Russian talk show regarding the Williams sisters' gender and appearance. Today, the WTA published an <a href="http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/4229839/title/mr-tarpischev-issues-letter-of-apology" target="_blank">apology letter</a> sent by Tarpischev the day before the fine was publicized.<br />
<br />
The full content of the talk show, "Vecherniy Urgant" (Evening Urgant), is available on YouTube, and I bring here the full translation of the relevant part, in which Ivan Urgant, the show's host, talks to Tarpischev and Elena Dementieva about the Williams sisters, seemingly for no other purpose than to make fun of their physique. The translated part starts at 8:04.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CVT2nllAaWQ" width="480"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Urgant:</b> "I want to share with you my personal observation... for the first time in my life I was in a big tournament, it was the olympics - which is important - unfortunately not THAT olympics, Lena, where you became an olympic champion... It was the olympics where Masha Sharapova played with one [female] of... with one [male] of... those... "</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Tarpischev:</b> "- the Williams brothers -"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Urgant:</b> "... the Williams brothers, because my tongue gets twisted, I can't understand how - look at ours, our [female] tennis players, how they're all slender and elegant - and then when [somebody like that] comes out... It's just that... Well, a *sister* passed by me - [laughter] - we went under the tribunes, and one of the sisters passed by me, and I have huge respect for these outstanding sportswomen, but... when she went by, I was covered in shade, and only after 40 seconds the shade disappeared, all this power... Lena, wasn't it scary to play against one of the Williams sisters?"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Dementieva:</b> "Vanya, it was scary, but what could I do?"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Urgant [interjects]:</b> "What could you do?"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Dementieva:</b> "What could I do? You weren't there to help me, I was all alone by myself" [smiles]</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Urgant:</b> "I don't think I could have helped much! I don't think so... And what do you think, Shamil Anvarovich? When... when they come out, they're such incredibly physically gifted sportswomen, I understand that against other players the game is more or less on the same level, from a physical point of view, but this... what is this, they can just go like this with the racquet [mimics bending a racquet]."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Tarpischev:</b> "It's scary, really, only when you look at them [laughs]. But Lena had to play ball - when a sportsman comes out on court, if he's focused only on the ball, he doesn't see the stands, the opponent, nobody. It's a question of performance, what you're doing with the ball, then you forget about everything. It's a question of concentration."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Urgant:</b> "So basically, you're not paying attention to who's behind the net, only to what's flying over the net?"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Dementieva</b> [trying to deflect]: "Shamil Anvarovich?"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Tarpischev:</b> "Yes, only to what's flying away [laughs]"</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Dementieva:</b> "I think tennis players pay attention to everything, just like good hockey players, yeah? They need both to play and to see the blonde in the stands"</blockquote>
Urgant and Dementieva talk a bit more about how she paid attention to everything that happened around the court, he congratulates her on the birth of her daughter, and finally the conversation veers elsewhere (the upcoming Kremlin Cup).Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-30564049757002684622014-08-09T21:51:00.000+03:002014-08-09T21:51:45.541+03:00The Israel Tennis Association appeals the ITF decision on the Israel-Argentina Davis Cup tieThe ITF's Davis Cup Committee has recently <a href="http://www.daviscup.com/en/news/182066.aspx" target="_blank">announced its decision</a> on the location of two Davis Cup ties scheduled to take place on September 2014. While Ukraine is currently allowed to host Belgium in Kiev, it was determined that Israel wouldn't be able to host Argentina in the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, the ITA (Israel Tennis Association) submitted an official appeal to the ITF. <br />
<br />
The Israeli appeal quotes several precedents which the ITA feels should affect the decision regarding the tie's location. First, it quotes the parallel decision on holding the Ukraine-Belgium tie in Kiev.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"The tie in Ukraine is confirmed to be played in Kiev despite the civil unrest and an ongoing war in the East of the country.<br />
[...] the ITF has approved the home match being staged in Kiev, based on the fact that it is believed that secure environment may be provided for both teams. <br />
[...] We agree that the fighting is away from Kiev, and we totally support the Ukrainian Tennis Federation in their ability and knowledge to provide the required arrangements for the tie."</i></blockquote>
Similarly, the ITA is suggesting to move the tie with Argentina from Tel Aviv to Haifa, since <br />
<blockquote>
<i>"a) The Haifa Area is far away of the Gaza Strip and life in Haifa continued as normal even during the difficult days of the military activities in Gaza.<br />
b) Israeli security is one of the best in the world, and "arranging necessary needs" would be an understatement regarding the security measures to be taken."</i></blockquote>
Next, the ITA brings examples of ties which were held on different dates than their original schedule. Specifically, there are ties being played on October 24-26, and there is the week of the Davis Cup Final in November. The ITF, in its original decision, stated that the tie can't be moved to November, due to several reasons - there's no guarantee that the security situation will be different; it will hurt the players' rest period; it clashes with the Davis Cup final; finally - it will delay the draw for the 2015 season and will prevent proper preparation for the new season by all the other countries.<br />
<blockquote>
<i>"Even if the ITF decides that playing in Israel in September is not possible - there are another OFFICIAL Davis Cup weeks during 2014. All national [associations] must make themselves available during these designated weeks and it is an integral part of the tennis year."</i></blockquote>
The ITA add that the 2nd Round Play Off in <a href="http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/group-i/europe-africa.aspx" target="_blank">Europe/Africa Group I</a> or in <a href="http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/group-i/asia-oceania.aspx" target="_blank">Asia/Oceania Group I</a> are both played on October 24-26, which is an alternative to playing during the Davis Cup final. To support their request to postpone the tie, the ITA bring an example of a rescheduled tie between China and Vietnam.<br />
<blockquote>
<i>"'The ITF Davis Cup Committee approved the change of dates based on the vast social significance of Chinese New Year in both countries and the operational difficulties it would create for the host National Association, players, public and sponsors if the ties were played over the weekend of 31 January-2 February 2014.' <br />
This is a quote from the Davis Cup Website about postponing China vs. Vietnam tie early in 2014.<br />
This is a great proof of one of the Davis Cup values: 'To strive placing people in the heart of everything they do' (BNP Paribas and Davis Cup values - ITF website)"</i></blockquote>
The ITA adds that moving the tie to a neutral ground <br />
<blockquote>
<i>[... involves] not just the operational difficulties (as described in CHN vs. VIE tie) - it is a forced cancellation of all activities including crowd's experience, players' attitudes, huge financial losses for the national association and local sponsors.</i></blockquote>
The final paragraphs of the appeal say:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>"We call upon the Board of Management to review the inconsistency and discrepancy of the decisions made in the above two cases and request that reconsideration be given to return the hosting of the tie to Israel, either in Tel Aviv or Haifa, and either in September, October or November.<br />
<br />
To sum up I would like to emphasis how extremely important it is (especially during these tough times), for Israel as a country, for the Israeli people in general and for the sport in Israel in particular, to host this prestigious event at this time or at a later date.<br />
<br />
Sincerely yours<br />
Shlomo GLICKSTEIN<br />
CEO, Israel Tennis Association"</i></blockquote>
A decision on the appeal will be made by the ITF on August 12, 2014. Meanwhile, the ITA has until August 14 to submit an alternative venue (on neutral ground) for the ITF's consideration. If Israel doesn't choose a neutral venue, the ITF can decide to hold the tie in Argentina or in a neutral venue of its own choice. If the tie is held in Argentina, Israel will have choice of ground in the next two ties between the countries.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">All the aforementioned quotes are direct excerpts from the official appeal submitted by the ITA to the ITF. The Hebrew translation of the full appeal can be found on the <a href="http://www.ita.co.il/news.php?extend.3088" target="_blank">ITA website</a>.</span>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-18791129812140258952014-07-15T18:39:00.000+03:002014-07-15T18:39:36.743+03:00Completing the Career Fan Slam - Wimbledon 2014<a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2011/06/sunset-in-roland-garros.html" target="_blank">Roland</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.250369034994914.67241.250273481671136&type=3" target="_blank">Garros </a>2011, US Open <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2011/09/us-open-extra-day.html" target="_blank">2011</a> & <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2012/08/us-open-2012-qualifying-day-1.html" target="_blank">2012</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.703274823037664.1073741826.250273481671136&type=3" target="_blank">Australian</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.704747472890399.1073741827.250273481671136&type=3" target="_blank">Open</a> 2014, Wimbledon 2014 - my Career Slam as a tennis fan is now officially complete!<br />
<br />
My trip to Wimbledon started back in February, when I got an email telling me I won the famous Ballot, and had a chance to buy two tickets to the 2014 Wimbledon Ladies Semifinal day on Centre Court. After a few days of hesitation (London is not cheap), I decided that this might be a once in a lifetime chance, and bought the tickets. The rest of the trip was built around that.<br />
<br />
The problem with going to Wimbledon, as opposed to all the other slams, is the inability to plan much in advance. Other than the ballot tickets (where you also don't have the choice of which or how many tickets you get), you have to either queue to get in - sometimes for long periods - or be one of the lucky few who manage to buy online tickets the day before. In all other slams, it is much easier to buy multiple tickets both in advance and on short notice, not to mention ground passes which are often readily available on the day of play (with a possible exception of the French Open, where I didn't try to get a grounds pass).<br />
This system is undoubtedly very frustrating - you can't really plan anything in advance, and you heavily depend on the level of attraction of a particular order of play, which determines the size of the queue on each day. On the other hand, you can buy tickets according to the players you actually want to see, and don't need to guess well in advance which tickets to get in order to watch your favourites play.<br />
<br />
Those two feelings - frustration and flexibility - stayed with me throughout my London vacation. I traveled with my brother, who's 14, and we got incredibly lucky at first - on the day of our flight, we managed to buy Court 3 tickets on Ticketmaster for each of the next two days. This was a tremendous relief, as we were assured two consecutive days of play (Thursday and Friday) with no queuing during the first week. In addition to that, we queued for a grounds pass on "Manic Monday", which was less manic than usual due to schedule delays caused by the Saturday rains, and then queued from Tuesday noon for Wednesday's quarterfinals. This was also easier than expected, since the scheduling changes still dragged on, and both Tuesday and Wednesday featured a mix of men's and women's matches instead of the regular separation of quarterfinal days by gender.<br />
<br />
So, how does Wimbledon stack up against the other slams?<br />
To tell you the truth, at first the comparison wasn't favorable. You get the feeling that you're queuing all day just to queue some more after that - to get into the grounds, for a court, for a place to sit, for anything really. On second Monday, for example, we started queuing at 7am, got into the grounds around 11:30, had to wait for a long time until we could get two seats on court 18 (the grounds open at 10:30, and all the available seats on the outside courts get taken very quickly), and then... it started raining. So we waited out the rain on the court, because there's no way we're giving up our seats, right? Of course, right. By the time the sun came out (cue a cheering crowd), we were so hungry that we watched for maybe another 45 minutes before leaving our cherished seats to get some food. Then we waited for a while around the practice courts, which was when our patience was finally rewarded, as my brother got an autograph and a photo with one, Mr. Roger Federer. Around 5pm we joined the resale queue, and stayed there for two more hours of waiting, during which rain confined all play to the Centre Court. As soon as Murray beat Anderson, the queue started moving and we were able to get ourselves resale tickets for Centre Court and watch the last two sets of Djokovic - Tsonga.<br />
To sum it up - this day was long and tiring, but you get rewarded for waiting a lot.<br />
<br />
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The reward for waiting became even clearer during the next couple of days. We joined the queue on Tuesday, hoping for a Wednesday schedule that would put both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on Court 1. We survived the full queuing experience, with a tent and sleeping bags and all, and were cranky and sleepy on Wednesday morning - both because we had a cold and slightly sleepless night (mostly cold), and because my brother was very disappointed to miss Nadal, who lost to Nick Kyrgios the day before. As my brother's other goal was to get as close as possible to the players (and hopefully catch a little souvenir when matches end), imagine our excitement when we realized that we could choose the seats closest to the players' entrance on Court 1. After getting our tickets, we spent our first hour on the grounds near the practice courts, where my my brother received a signed wristband from none other than Novak Djokovic himself. When we finally got to Court 1, it turned out that our seats weren't exactly near the players' entrance - but rather, front row, directly behind one of the players' chairs. Specifically, Djokovic's chair during his match with Cilic.<br />
<br />
During the 5 sets that followed, we were Novak's personal cheering squad. I'll talk more about the Wimbledon crowd and their cheering habits later, but I think it would be fair to say that we were the ones who cheered the most and loudest, especially when he was close to us. We couldn't be sure if he heard us, or if he did - whether he knew where the cheers were coming from, yet we persisted. Thankfully, from two sets to one down, Novak changed his slippery shoes and generally started to play better, and finally won the match. After celebrating his win, and as he came to his chair, we tried to call him - but as it turned out, it wasn't necessary. Novak took his (clean) towel, sought us out, and threw the towel straight into my brother's arms. He then picked up his faulty shoes, threw one of them to us and another to another fan behind us, and proceeded to the exit and to sign dozens of autographs. There was no doubt at all that he heard our cheers and appreciated them, and made sure to personally thank us in this small way.<br />
<br />
To illustrate how close we were, here's the same scene from two opposite sides of the court:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://38.media.tumblr.com/fb05528bdf3aa078bccdac0ce4bfe7d8/tumblr_n8rd1ljCuj1qmf3olo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://38.media.tumblr.com/fb05528bdf3aa078bccdac0ce4bfe7d8/tumblr_n8rd1ljCuj1qmf3olo1_500.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's one of the photos I took of Novak's celebration (a better one is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/letsecondserve/photos/a.794331420598670.1073741828.250273481671136/794332893931856/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">here</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/10427683_10152560981911942_3599549316869600426_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/10427683_10152560981911942_3599549316869600426_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's me in the [bottom right] corner,<br />
That's me in the spotlight,<br />
Losing my religion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now, the Wimbledon crowd... is a weird thing. They're so overly polite, that it becomes ridiculous. I get clapping politely for both players (at any match, I'm not being specific here). I get not interrupting the players, this is great behaviour. I even get not cheering on errors, even though from my experience - that's a bizarre reaction from a tennis crowd. Occasionally, there'd be a good rally, but if it ended on an unforced error, maybe two people in the whole stadium clapped, one of them being the player's coach. When you're actually cheering for a specific player, you start feeling bad for cheering on him after winning such a rally... Anyway, what I don't get at all is only really cheering for a player when he's deep into the third set and the match might be getting to its end. Where were you earlier? A perfect example of this was the Cilic-Berdych match, for which we were lucky to have front row seats. For two and a half sets, the crowd politely clapped for any decent point, and stayed quiet on errors. There were small groups of Czech and Croat supporters who made a bit more noise on the more crucial points. But the crowd, as a whole, only got into it deep into the third set, as the sky was getting darker to the point of Hawk Eye not being able to function. On a side note, the crowd never realized that the players can't use Hawk Eye anymore, and kept urging Berdych to challenge the calls he was unhappy about. On the whole, though, this match - which was really of great quality from start to finish - completely lacked in atmosphere until it was too late to matter. While I appreciate a well-behaved crowd, it does dampen the mood when you feel you can't even properly cheer on a player, because you would be one of a select few who do it.<br />
<br />
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A similar effect of an overly-polite crowd is seen around the practice courts. While we can't complain about it at all (since we benefited from it), it's a bit funny how those who wait for an autograph hardly try to call the players or do anything other than get their ticket, ball or program autographed. My brother was almost the only one who asked the players for a photo, and this is also how he got Djokovic's wristband and Federer's bandana, both signed by the players. The large majority of players go by unrecognized - I was literally the only one who tried to call Andrea Petkovic to come over ("after practice," she said), and I don't think anyone recognized players such as Kristina Mladenovic, Max Mirnyi or even Martina Hingis.<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">They did recognize him, though.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Federer in practice.</span></div><br />
Despite what might seems as a post full of complaints, we had a great time in Wimbledon. While the constant queuing was tiring, the site has great courts, with excellent seats all over the place (especially if you're willing to wait for them). The resale system is a fantastic idea, letting people buy returned tickets for the big show courts at a silly price which goes to charity, and enabling ground pass holders making the most out of their day at the venue. All the queues are incredibly well organized, there are a lot of helpful stewards around and the facilities are convenient. Additionally, and this might seem like a minor point, but I think the Wimbledon food courts are the best among the four Grand Slams.<br />
<br />
Finally, and this is perhaps the most important thing of all - the tournament has great champions!<br />
<br />
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Check out the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.794331420598670.1073741828.250273481671136&type=3" target="_blank"> blog's Facebook page</a> for more photos from the different matches we've seen in The 2014 Championships.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">My apologies is this post seems somewhat disjointed, I've written it over a few days while plagued by a nasty ear inflammation which made it hard to focus on anything.</span>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-14085532195227227812014-05-26T16:38:00.000+03:002014-05-26T16:38:38.275+03:00'Let It Go' - The Tennis Version<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Where there's tennis, there's a rain delay"<br /> - old Chinese proverb</i></blockquote>
The 2014 edition of the Roland Garros barely started, and we're deep into a rain delay already. And what's a better way to spend a rain delay than to listen to a <a href="http://videos-a-14.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-frc/10417852_406028226204334_1343015487_n.mp4" target="_blank">tennis player singing Let It Go</a> at the top of his lungs?<br />
<br />
I'll tell you what - writing a new set of lyrics for Let It Go, tennis themed of course! Thanks so much to <a href="https://twitter.com/triplebagel/status/470907966552825856" target="_blank">@triplebagel</a> for the idea and the corrections.<br />
<br />
When you read the song, think... Maria Sharapova.<br />
<br />
<i>The clay shines red on the court tonight</i><br />
<i>Not a ballmark to be seen</i><br />
<i>A kingdom of tennis matches</i><br />
<i>Which player is the Queen?</i><br />
<i>The wind is howling and the forehand lands outside</i><br />
<i>Couldn't keep it in;</i><br />
<i>Heaven knows I've tried</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Don't let them win,</i><br />
<i>don't let them see</i><br />
<i>Be the best, just like you have to be</i><br />
<i>Conceal, with feel</i><br />
<i>The slice goes low</i><br />
<i>Well now they know</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Let it go, let it go</i><br />
<i>Don't hit it short anymore</i><br />
<i>Let it go, let it go</i><br />
<i>Ace away, smash like before</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>I don't care</i><br />
<i>What they're going to say</i><br />
<i>Let the crowd rage on</i><br />
<i>The noise never bothered me anyway</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>It's funny how some backhands</i><br />
<i>Make this court seem small</i><br />
<i>And opponents that once controlled me</i><br />
<i>Can't get to me at all</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>It's time to see what I can do</i><br />
<i>To test my limits and break through</i><br />
<i>No LET, no OUT, no rules for me</i><br />
<i>I'm free!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Let it go, let it go,</i><br />
<i>I am one with the court and sky</i><br />
<i>Let it go, let it go,</i><br />
<i>You'll never see me cry</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Here I stand </i><br />
<i>And here I'll serve</i><br />
<i>Let the crowd rage on...</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>My power hitting through the air into the ground</i><br />
<i>Sends the ball spiraling to lines and corners all around</i><br />
<i>And every forehand is unanswered, like a blast</i><br />
<i>I'm never losing now, the past is in the past</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Let it go, let it go</i><br />
<i>And I'll rise at the break of dawn</i><br />
<i>Let it go, let it go</i><br />
<i>Those errors are all gone</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>Here I stand</i><br />
<i>In the light of day</i><br />
<i>Let the crowd rage on</i><br />
<i>The noise never bothered me anyway!</i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/L0MK7qz13bU" width="560"></iframe></div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-29860625143926360572013-12-07T20:43:00.001+02:002013-12-07T21:15:53.187+02:00The return of #AskRFFollowing his <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2013/10/roger-federers-best-twitter-answers.html">first #AskRF hit</a>, Roger Federer did another Q&A session on twitter today. Some of his answers surely didn't disappoint!<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/shankerer">@shankerer</a> A hashtag<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409375858634137600">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/v_for_viviana18">@v_for_viviana18</a> At least i made you and my nose look good <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NoseSelfie&src=hash">#NoseSelfie</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409376531920592896">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/ltc8ruis">@ltc8ruis</a> i think it’s a really good draw for us.. i’m really excited for the world cup <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GOSwitzerland&src=hash">#GOSwitzerland</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409377714080980992">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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This one should be hashtagged #humble:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/mikebn77">@mikebn77</a> yes but every since i hit 1000 matches on tour.. it seems like it's getting more blurry <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409378113944965120">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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So is this one:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/bktinoco">@bktinoco</a> believe it or not, as we speak i'm getting a new passport because mine is full of stamps. Been to ~55 countries so far! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409379872864493568">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/ccoughlin720">@ccoughlin720</a> I'm terrified of roller coasters.. it's a joke. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GottaGetMyActTogetherForMyKids&src=hash">#GottaGetMyActTogetherForMyKids</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409378306467692544">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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Is this fanboying, Roger?<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsTennis">@ChampionsTennis</a> Let's talk about it in Australia John. Hope you're enjoying the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23DidJohnMcEnroeJustAskMeAQuestion&src=hash">#DidJohnMcEnroeJustAskMeAQuestion</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23askRF&src=hash">#askRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409380362997862400">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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Federer's Christmas tree is very pretty...<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/rafasmile">@rafasmile</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a> <a href="http://t.co/6w5s9ZCaS8">pic.twitter.com/6w5s9ZCaS8</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409381468595441664">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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... and the twins helped decorate it!<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/MGLovesTennis">@MGLovesTennis</a> they helped decorate it <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23helpfultwins&src=hash">#helpfultwins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409383288084500481">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/crazyfedfan">@crazyfedfan</a> Seve is the funniest looking <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23FunnyGuy&src=hash">#FunnyGuy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409382397294022656">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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Phone problems. Don't we all have them?<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/fan_federer">@fan_federer</a> I have 4,500 unanswered questions in the last 45min. It slows my phone down. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23HEEEEEEEEELP&src=hash">#HEEEEEEEEELP</a>!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409383030260637697">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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I'm sure everyone can agree with that<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/limo251">@limo251</a> I used to think they were the good guys, until they hurt you <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23PainfulDentist&src=hash">#PainfulDentist</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409384504575275008">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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#LifeMade<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/ParadiseFranco">@ParadiseFranco</a> Yes <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23LifeMade&src=hash">#LifeMade</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409384953185452032">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/LinaMahfoud">@LinaMahfoud</a> What do you think I'm from Switzerland or <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23JellyCountry&src=hash">#JellyCountry</a>? <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409385381436465152">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/BlessTheGOAT">@BlessTheGOAT</a> Yes, very often <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23epicMustache&src=hash">#epicMustache</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23throwback&src=hash">#throwback</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409387044717088768">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/Abhi422">@Abhi422</a> I was once in a glass maze. I thought I had it at one point, so I started walking quickly towards the exit and then <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BOOM&src=hash">#BOOM</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409390094001668096">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/coycoymartin">@coycoymartin</a> Are you sure you want to go to prom with an old swiss guy? <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Sketchy&src=hash">#Sketchy</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409391686343593984">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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Guess we shouldn't wait for him now?<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/Lord_Kartz">@Lord_Kartz</a> Good question there pal. Let me start counting. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23brb&src=hash">#brb</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409392060261613568">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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Ah, he's back!<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/NateHuggett">@NateHuggett</a> Easy. Bob's a righty and Mike a leftie <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AreTheyTwins&src=hash">#AreTheyTwins</a>?? <a href="https://twitter.com/Bryanbros">@Bryanbros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a></p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409393557510688768">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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And... he's jealous?<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/HagorHassan">@HagorHassan</a> Careful there guy! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RFAlwaysWatching&src=hash">#RFAlwaysWatching</a></p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409393960872706048">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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Perhaps it's Mirka tweeting<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/SamLouiseG">@SamLouiseG</a> She's the chief <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23hashtagerer&src=hash">#hashtagerer</a> of the family.</p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409394553783721984">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>. <a href="https://twitter.com/MariaRF_fan">@MariaRF_fan</a> How's this for a santa outfit? <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a> <a href="http://t.co/sOXhdpBaGW">pic.twitter.com/sOXhdpBaGW</a></p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/409398230045061120">December 7, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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Also, Federer's <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/409379125044842497">favourite pizza</a> is a "Fat Tony", he <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/409381216870076416">can't draw</a>, he really liked <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/409382863277015040">Casino Royale</a> and his <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/409376874763005953">favourite fruit</a> are strawberry, apple and mango. The more you know!Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-1846185598196624352013-11-21T16:09:00.000+02:002013-12-11T20:16:17.759+02:00The 2014 Tennis Calendar<i>If you liked <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2012/12/the-2013-tennis-calendar.html" target="_blank">last year's tennis calendar</a>, and couldn't wait for the 2014 version - wait no longer!</i><br />
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Have you ever felt the need to integrate the tennis calendar with your own? Well, now you can! The calendar you see below has all the ATP and WTA tournaments for 2014, including information about tournament category (250/500/M1000/GS for the men, International/Premier/P5/PM/GS for the women), surface, and dates (including Sunday starts or Saturday finals).<br />
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If you're using Google Calendar, you can add these calendars (ATP and WTA separately, for those who only want one of them) to your schedule with a couple of clicks (in fact, if you've already added the 2013 version to your Google Calendar, the 2014 events are already there!).<br />
If you're using a different calendar, you can import the calendars separately in <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic">XML</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/ical/934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics">iCal</a> format for the ATP, and the same for WTA (<a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/feeds/4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic">XML</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/calendar/ical/4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics">iCal</a>). Or, you can just use the calendar in this post, if you wish!<br />
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Enjoy, and let me know if there's anything else you'd like to see here. <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="800" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?title=Tennis%20Tournaments%202014&height=500&wkst=2&bgcolor=%23FFFFFF&src=934cfu0it737s8boi3f9merugo%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23060D5E&src=4gjg37lp715tp3udov8lbgvbo0%40group.calendar.google.com&color=%23711616&ctz=Europe%2FPrague" style="border-width: 0;" width="650"></iframe><br />
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<br />Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-455088589789318992013-11-08T00:10:00.000+02:002013-11-10T19:13:49.380+02:00World Tour Finals 2013 - Qualification Scenarios (Group B)Group B of the 2013 World Tour Finals - including <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=NovakDjokovic">Novak Djokovic</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JuanMartinDelPotro">Juan Martin Del Potro</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RogerFederer">Roger Federer</a> and <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RichardGasquet">Richard Gasquet</a> - ended its second day of matches with similar results to those of <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2013/11/world-tour-finals-2013-qualification.html" target="_blank">Group A</a> (check the link for scenarios). We have player who won his two matches, two players with one win, and one player who lost both his matches and won't be able to qualify, no matter what.<br />
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Saturday's matches are Djokovic-Gasquet and Del Potro-Federer. Here are the qualification scenarios for every possible outcome of those matches (winner + number of sets):<br />
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<table border="1" bordercolor="#FFCC00" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" style="background-color: #ffffcc; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td></td> <td><b>Del Potro in 2</b></td> <td><b>Del Potro in 3</b></td> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;"><b>Federer in 3</b></td> <td><b>Federer in 2</b></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Djokovic in 2</b></td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Del Potro</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Del Potro</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Federer</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Federer</td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;"><b>Djokovic in 3</b></td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Del Potro</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Del Potro</td> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;">1. Djokovic<br />
2. Federer</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Federer</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Gasquet in 3</b></td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Del Potro</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Del Potro</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Federer</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Federer</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Gasquet in 2</b></td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Del Potro</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Del Potro</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Federer</td> <td>1. Djokovic<br />
2. Federer</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">
<a href="http://www.quackit.com/html/html_table_tutorial.cfm" target="_top">HTML Tables</a></div>
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So really, there are only two scenarios and it's all super simple:<br />
<ul>
<li>Djokovic already qualified from the 1st place.</li>
<li>The winner of Federer-Del Potro will qualify from 2nd place. The number of sets doesn't matter!</li>
</ul>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-52396523216086322912013-11-07T10:34:00.002+02:002013-11-09T00:09:45.448+02:00World Tour Finals 2013 - Qualification Scenarios (Group A)The 2013 ATP World Tour Finals are midway through the Round Robin stages, and if there's one thing that's certain about any big tournament with a round robin format - by the end of day 3, everybody's head hurts from scenarios and calculations. So... let's keep it simple, shall we?<br />
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There are two matches left in Group A - <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RafaelNadal">Rafael Nadal</a> vs <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=TomasBerdych">Tomas Berdych</a> and <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=StanislasWawrinka">Stanislas Wawrinka</a> vs <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=DavidFerrer">David Ferrer</a>. Here are the possible scenarios for the group in terms of who wins and in how many sets: <br />
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<table border="1" bordercolor="#FFCC00" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" style="background-color: #ffffcc; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td></td> <td><b>Nadal in 2</b></td> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;"><b>Nadal in 3</b></td> <td><b>Berdych in 3</b></td> <td><b>Berdych in 2</b></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Wawrinka in 2</b></td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Wawrinka</td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Wawrinka</td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Berdych</td> <td>1.Berdych<br />
2.Nadal</td> </tr>
<tr> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;"><b>Wawrinka in 3</b></td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Wawrinka</td> <td style="background-color: #99ff99;">1.Nadal<br />
2.Wawrinka</td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Berdych</td> <td>1.Berdych<br />
2.Nadal</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Ferrer in 3</b></td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Berdych</td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Berdych</td> <td>1.Berdych<br />
2.Nadal</td> <td>1.Berdych<br />
2.Nadal</td> </tr>
<tr> <td><b>Ferrer in 2</b></td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Berdych</td> <td>1.Nadal<br />
2.Berdych</td> <td>1.Berdych<br />
2.Nadal</td> <td>1.Berdych<br />
2.Nadal</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: verdana,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">
<a href="http://www.quackit.com/html/html_table_tutorial.cfm" target="_top">HTML Tables</a></div>
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So, to put it simply:<br />
<ul>
<li>Nadal already qualified.</li>
<li>Wawrinka only qualifies if he wins <b>and </b>Berdych loses.</li>
<li>Berdych qualifies if he wins <b>or </b>if Wawrinka loses.</li>
<li>To finish first in the group, Berdych must win. If he wins in 3, he needs Ferrer to win as well.</li>
</ul>
Stay tuned for Group B scenarios later today! ETA: <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2013/11/world-tour-finals-2013-qualification_8.html" target="_blank">Group B scenarios</a>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-70077503658478857712013-10-08T15:44:00.003+03:002013-10-08T18:28:42.077+03:00Roger Federer's best twitter answers #AskRFRoger Federer decided to do a Q&A session on twitter today. He absolutely killed it. And he had so much fun, that he came back for more. I'll let his tweets tell the story (check his <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/with_replies">twitter feed</a> for more, really):<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SamLouiseG">@SamLouiseG</a> I have but they don't listen to me! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BadCoach&src=hash">#BadCoach</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23askrf&src=hash">#askrf</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387512165730500608">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/logelfedelel">@logelfedelel</a> I loved watching LOST, Prison Break, Entourage and Heroes. And then I had kids. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cyaTV&src=hash">#cyaTV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23askRF&src=hash">#askRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387512949733982208">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/liamshood">@liamshood</a> good genes <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23thanksmum&src=hash">#thanksmum</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387513577399418880">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">. <a href="https://twitter.com/logelfedelel">@logelfedelel</a> I'd be honored if <a href="https://twitter.com/LeoDiCaprio">@LeoDiCaprio</a> played me in a movie <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NotGonnaHappen&src=hash">#NotGonnaHappen</a> :)<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387515100317241344">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/leewsalex">@leewsalex</a> his return but don't tell anyone! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23public&src=hash">#public</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387515964993970176">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/rihanthony">@rihanthony</a> focus. i don't check my phone during matches :)<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387516587994927105">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/fanerer">@fanerer</a> peRFect <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387517670234419202">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/SamLouiseG">@SamLouiseG</a> I have heard rumors<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387518776813821953">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I'm BACK. I couldn't get enough of you guys. Shall we do some more <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a>?<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387546430417543169">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/Taversham">@Taversham</a> Always fun playing with the man <a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka">@stanwawrinka</a> and my good friend <a href="https://twitter.com/yvesallegro">@yvesallegro</a> back in the man & <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyHaas13">@TommyHaas13</a> was awesome this yr<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387547161639919616">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">. <a href="https://twitter.com/einlele">@einlele</a> I sort of write half cursive half not, which is kind of awkward.<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387547850600488960">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/Bema8">@Bema8</a> Awesome. I'll try to be there too<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387548758428225536">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/ClareHellings">@ClareHellings</a> Yes. No. Yes.<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387549114826629120">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/debzhang">@debzhang</a> hello <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23theregoesamonth&src=hash">#theregoesamonth</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387551126217687040">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/k_prosk">@k_prosk</a> LION. or Swiss cow<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387551389863251968">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">. <a href="https://twitter.com/Furoufushi_tw">@Furoufushi_tw</a> i'm no <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ">@shaq</a>. just a size 12<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387551810228989952">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/FedererGal">@FedererGal</a> say hello to my little friend<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387553611989143552">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/julianavrc">@julianavrc</a> Reply. Chillax.<br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387556655212158976">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">. <a href="https://twitter.com/Saskaurrr">@Saskaurrr</a> In space we'd need only 1 ball <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cyaLaterBall&src=hash">#cyaLaterBall</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AskRF&src=hash">#AskRF</a><br />
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387557285376978944">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>. <a href="https://twitter.com/Dan23Phillips">@Dan23Phillips</a> I don't drink and tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23responsibleRF&src=hash">#responsibleRF</a></p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387560442890944512">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadalFC">@RafaelNadalFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal">@RafaelNadal</a> My spanish is not so good but i will start following him.</p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387560779978772482">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/Oli_viaRN">@Oli_viaRN</a> I think your puppy needs a friend <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23woofwoof&src=hash">#woofwoof</a></p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387561081285001217">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/danieljamesgil">@danieljamesgil</a> confused.</p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387562090598105088">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>. <a href="https://twitter.com/goderer">@goderer</a> He's sitting next to me. Let me hug him real quick <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bromance&src=hash">#bromance</a></p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387562518928838657">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/_rafanadalfanbr">@_rafanadalfanbr</a> well i think you should change your twitter account name <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23deal&src=hash">#deal</a>?</p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387562941626585089">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/returnwinner">@returnwinner</a> My serbian is worse than my spanish. But sure, i will.</p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387563127757225984">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/WimbledonRoof">@WimbledonRoof</a> You certainly are <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23helpfulroof&src=hash">#helpfulroof</a></p>— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) <a href="https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/statuses/387569209015668737">October 8, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br />
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#CyaLater with more tweets!Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-85243973740707038192013-10-05T00:36:00.003+03:002013-10-12T17:39:35.510+03:00Racing to London 2013<blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>"Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the Race To London<br />
</i><i>I'll show you something to make you change your mind"</i></blockquote><br />
The 2013 ATP World Tour Finals will start exactly a month from now, on November 4th. Traditionally, the eight best players of the year get the honors of playing in the season finale of the ATP. This year, however, tradition might be broken for the second straight year running. <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RafaelNadal">Rafael Nadal</a> and <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=NovakDjokovic">Novak Djokovic</a> have comfortably qualified for London with a wide berth from their competitors, and will look to compete for the future No.1 ranking, which will pass to the Spaniard in a week or two. However, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=AndyMurray">Andy Murray</a>, who's qualified as well, is currently out of competition after undergoing a back surgery. This puts a question mark on Murray's participation in the event, and opens the door for the year's 9th best player to play in the prestigious tournament.<br />
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Joining these three is <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=DavidFerrer">David Ferrer</a>, who already ensured himself a spot in the tournament, despite the lack of official announcement so far. His fans have no reason to worry, though - Djokovic's participation was officially acknowledged only weeks after it was actually confirmed. At any rate, four - or five, depending on Murray - spots are still up for grabs and there's no shortage of pretenders.<br />
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The race is extremely close this year - here's a look at the next players on the list, as they stand on Friday night (before the Beijing and Tokyo semifinals), along with the information about the players' next tournaments and available points.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/7e61015d3b09dbe262e5e6870c17647e/tumblr_mu5x8sN3SQ1qmf3olo3_r1_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/7e61015d3b09dbe262e5e6870c17647e/tumblr_mu5x8sN3SQ1qmf3olo3_r1_1280.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">* Players still participating in Beijing (Nadal-Berdych, Djokovic-Gasquet) or Tokyo (Del Potro-Almagro, Raonic-Dodig). A semifinal win will add 120 points to the player’s Oct 7 expected total; winning a title will add 320 points to that column.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
So far, neither Beijing nor Tokyo changed the position of anyone in the race - the next in line are <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=TomasBerdych">Berdych</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JuanMartinDelPotro">del Potro</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RogerFederer">Federer</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=StanislasWawrinka">Wawrinka</a> and <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RichardGasquet">Gasquet</a>. Both Berdych and Del Potro improved their positions this week, reaching the semifinals in their respective tournaments and keeping their distance from the players behind them. It's the next group of players that's so close right now - only about 100 points separate Federer (#7) from Gasquet (#9), with Wawrinka in the middle. <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JoWilfriedTsonga">Tsonga</a> and <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=MilosRaonic">Raonic</a> are about 300 points behind - a gap both could easily eliminate in the coming weeks (especially Raonic, who might catch up in the next two days in Tokyo). <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=TommyHaas">Haas</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JohnIsner">Isner</a> and <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=NicolasAlmagro">Almagro</a> are ~500 points behind Raonic, but one good tournament might be enough to get them closer in contention.<br />
<br />
What does the future hold for these players? On paper, everybody but Murray is playing Shanghai and Paris, the two mandatory tournaments offering the largest amount of points to the field. Shanghai will be of special importance to Federer, Wawrinka and Gasquet, each of whom will want to get ahead of the others. Wawrinka and Gasquet might then clash head to head in the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, where they're the top seeds, while Tsonga will try to overtake them at the same time in Vienna.<br />
Basel has an extremely strong entry list this year, much like Beijing - interestingly enough, none of the major race contenders but Almagro plays in Valencia, where most would be able to pick some much needed points. We might have a much clearer picture of the situation after Basel, which could determine a lot in terms of the final standings, but if not - the final hurdle would be Paris. Since Paris and London are, once again, played back-to-back, we can expect many of the players who qualify by then to withdraw entirely or lose early in Paris. The rest will battle it out to get a final ticket to the big show.<br />
<br />
Last year, most of the players who threatened to take the #8 or #9 spot lost early in the lead up to London. With the race being as tight as it is, I expect it to be quite different this year - who do <i>you </i>think will deliver?<br />
<br />
Keep track of this post for all the race updates, or like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/letsecondserve">us on Facebook</a>!<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/M2r97Fo_HWE" width="459"></iframe></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-46096184075958612272013-08-20T23:56:00.000+03:002013-08-21T10:42:49.485+03:00Sergiy Stakhovsky: "After Wimbledon they started recognizing me in Switzerland" [Translated]<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 18.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=SergiyStakhovsky">Sergiy Stakhovsky</a> gave a long and extensive </i><a href="http://www.eurosport.ru/_blog27/blogpostfull_post271085.shtml"><i>interview</i></a><i> to Eurosport Russia’s writer, </i><a href="https://twitter.com/ThreeSportsOnly/status/369732044453998593"><i>Ilya Minskiy</i></a><i>. I’ve translated excerpts from the interview, and I’m posting them here in order, with short descriptions of the parts I’ve omitted – if a topic seems interesting to you, let me know and I’ll try to fill in some of the missing parts later on.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the second Stakhovsky interview I’ve translated; <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2012/04/translated-interview-with-sergiy.html" target="_blank">the first</a> was published about a year ago, and touched some of the points which he’d discussed here too. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Disclaimer: English is not my first language. I tried to translate as closely to the origin as I could, any mistakes are mine, and so are any irregularities in language. </i><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">–Anna </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>Sergiy Stakhovsky: "After Wimbledon they started recognizing me in Switzerland"</u><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Chasing <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RogerFederer">Federer</a>’s conqueror for a while, I finally caught up with him when he played at the challenger event in Kazan. Sergiy is finally doing well - he </i><a href="http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.co.il&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://www.eurosport.ru/tennis/story_sto3888578.shtml&usg=ALkJrhjSFxkNGLjHUWFmIaK5qmjcmrPFVg" target="_blank"><i><span new="" none="" roman="" style="color: windowtext;" text-decoration:="" text-underline:="" times="">won the tournament</span></i></a><i> without losing a single set, thus interrupting a series of setbacks that began immediately after the most resounding victory of his career.</i><br />
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<b>- Kazan uses the "Rucourt" surface, which causes many complaints during the Kremlin Cup.</b> <b>How is it for you?</b><br />
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- I can also complain. It is uneven, or more precisely, not the same across the entire surface. There are lines which are faster, some that are slower, as a result the kickbacks are different, and sometimes the ball bounces as it wants. But in terms of speed, it is quite comfortable.<br />
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<b>- You're a prominent opponent of the widespread slowdown of the courts.</b> <b>Who supports you in this matter?</b><br />
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- Well, it’s not that I’m looking for support. It’s just that everyone has a view of their own on this issue. I think Federer is also not really happy about the courts slowing down. That is my position, but I did not collect signatures, although I'm sure I would’ve found support from a couple of dozen people for sure. At the time, it was made clear to us that the choice of surface is the prerogative of the tournament organizers. Tennis players can bang their heads against the wall, but it won’t help. They will choose the court surface for their tournament, even more precisely, in most cases for the player that they’re buying for their tournament. For example, if they buy <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RafaelNadal">Nadal</a> – you can expect the surface to be very slow. And so on.<br />
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<b>- You want to say that the ATP has nothing to do with it?</b><br />
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- No, it's all from the organizers. They wanted more spectacular tennis with long rallies - that's what happened.<br />
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<b>- You are a permanent member of the ATP Player Council.</b> <b>Do you see any real benefits from its activities?</b><br />
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- I see, but in the first year there were more benefits than there are now. Everyone achieved the goals that they wanted, calmed down a little bit, and each one is more focused on his tennis than on solving global issues. However, I think that during the US Open we’ll go back to work. We have a council meeting there - on Friday, if I'm not mistaken. We will dive into the work over the next season.<br />
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<b>- You said that many of the goals have been achieved.</b> <b>Can you elaborate?</b><br />
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- Initially, we faced a challenge - to raise the prize money in the Grand Slam tournaments. It was the number one goal, and we achieved it, I think. Although, perhaps, we could do even better, and have it raised even more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were nuances around the Olympics, the calendar, breaks in the season. For example, the issue with the tournaments in Latin America: they wanted the tournaments to take place from the beginning of December and almost until the New Year. In that case, we would have an endless season. I am pleased that the Council dealt with this responsibly, and we left the tournament system as it is, retaining a certain off-season, when one can rest, other - play exhibition matches, if it’s beneficial and necessary.<br />
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There’s an entirely different issue - the system of commitment to tournaments. That's where we haven’t been able to go deep. As you know, there are a number of tournaments which are declared mandatory. For tennis players from the top 30 that's almost all "Masters" (except for Monte Carlo), four ATP 500 tournaments and two ATP 250 tournaments. The bottom line is that those who finished the year in the top 12 and went to all these tournaments, receive a bonus. It would be logical to give it to others, as well – those who went to all of these mandatory tournaments just the same, and there are about 40 of those players. However, only the first 12 are given the bonus; therefore the players' council doesn't see the point in everyone going, for example, to the tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami, which are absolutely not popular. Very few people want to go there for such a long period, but they are required to. Even those who are around the 70-80 rank, who can never dream of getting this bonus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>- Why are Indian Wells and Miami so unpopular?</b><br />
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- Well, while at Indian Wells the conditions for players are improving somehow, and prize money rises every year quite rapidly, in Miami, on the contrary, it’s a different situation in terms of accommodation, courts and all the facilities for the players. The stadium is ancient, and there’s nothing to say about the prize money - it is the lowest of all the Masters series tournaments. Plus, there's a large draw there. We get roughly the same money at [Paris] Bercy, but there it’s a draw of 48 players, and here - 96, and respectively, every round gets a lesser cut. There are talks going on about it, but what it will lead to, I don’t know, it’s going slow for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>- You mentioned some nuances about the Olympics.</b> <b>What was it about?</b><br />
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- The organizers of each event, who see themselves in the week before or the week after the Olympics, understand that it will be difficult enough to fill the draw with good players. Therefore, each tournament is trying to get away from these weeks, find somewhere to move to. But, of course, it’s difficult to do, because there are a lot of tournaments, you can’t just move that easily. We are forced to think of a solution. There’s progress: for example, in Washington DC in the Olympic year they’ve introduced an increased prize fund, reduced the number of participants. Usually there are 48 players there, but in the Olympic year there were 32.<br />
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Generally, it’s a difficult process. We have to find a compromise, because the tournaments want to reduce their risk - and very strongly so. For example, Rogers Cup - they wanted to move to an entirely different week, and on a permanent basis. However, the idea seemed impractical, and the Council didn’t approve it.<br />
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<b>- Speaking of prize money.</b> <b>Why is the Australian Open continually in front of everyone?</b><br />
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- To be precise, in the US Open the prize money is higher, but if you take into account the ratio of the tournament’s profit and the players’ compensation, then Australia is really ahead with a huge margin. Their treatment of players has always been different: they’ve always wanted to be the players’ Grand Slam. They constantly consult with us on the subject of what we would still like to see there, which courts to build, indoor or not, gyms and so on. There is constant progress, so they remain the leaders. Therefore many of the players say that the Australian Open is the most enjoyable Grand Slam.<br />
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<b>- The US Open also has progress this year – they finally decided to build a roof.</b><br />
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- Decided ... Previously there was so much talk about it being impossible, and then suddenly they found the money that makes it possible. Unfortunately, the US Open is much more directed at commerce than at the development of tennis. Factually, their profits are twice as much as those of the Australian Open, only where does all that money go afterwards? Now, apparently they saved it for the roof.<br />
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<b>- Here the most remarkable thing is that the first estimate was announced as five hundred million dollars, then it was suddenly reduced to a hundred.</b> [<i>I believe this is a misunderstanding – the roof’s cost is $100M, but the overall renovation project, including ground expansion and larger stands for show courts, will cost a total of $500M. –Anna</i>]<br />
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- One hundred million? Their yearly profit is 2-3 times greater than this. They can not only afford to build a roof, but also a swimming pool beneath it. In any case, players will have it easier when at least one court will have a roof, as for several years already the US Open final is played on Monday. Moreover, in this season it has already been officially scheduled for Monday; thank God, it is only up to 2015, then everything will be back on Sunday.<br />
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<b>- How is the story of your rebuke about the introduction of equal prize money in the ATP and WTA developing? Did you have conflicts with the girls?</b><br />
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- I never had any conflicts with the female players. Especially with our tennis players, I'm in normal relations with everybody. I never said that women should get less. The message was this: men should earn more. I still think so. It's not even the physical cost - five sets or three, this issue is marginal.<br />
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The main point is different. There is a certain product. This product is us, since we’re the ones people come to watch. We put up a show, and one show is very popular. So, I do not really understand why another show that’s going in parallel, should earn the same - with less attendance. I, in principle, do not know any other kind of work, where women earn as much just because they are women.<br />
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Take the modeling business. Do male models get as much as girls? No, but have you heard the men screaming about discrimination? In football and basketball – it’s all clear. Athletics? Does Isinbayeva get the same as Bolt? No, because what Bolt does is a higher quality and therefore more popular product. So explain to me why the ATP, which is a better product than the WTA, should have equal prize money with them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>- <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/wplayer.cgi?p=MariaSharapova">Sharapova</a> didn’t agree with you, as far as I remember.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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- She may or may not agree, it’s her right to do so. Yes, if she will play on Centre Court, and at the same time I'm going to play on another show court, more people will come to watch her. That’s not the essence, but rather the total number of spectators attending matches for men and women at all stages. And the men's matches have a larger attendance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Here, of course, there are different and very serious reasons. I do not want to argue. I'm not a misogynist, as some describe me, it's not true. I very much love my wife. There just isn’t anything wrong in the fact that some things work this way and not otherwise, because that’s the way the world works. Why do football players make millions as compared to other athletes? Because hundreds of thousands of people come to watch them.<br />
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<b>- In recent years, the ATP consistently reports new attendance records.</b> <b>It is clear that we are talking about the Grand Slam tournaments, but still.</b> <b>Do you, from your side, somehow feel increased excitement around tennis?</b><br />
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- It’s mainly about the Grand Slams, of course. Over the recent years a pool of players was formed who show a very high level: Federer, Nadal and company. For two weeks they are on fire - where, if not in the Grand Slams, can you see that? Of course, I would like the increased interest to be in lesser tournaments - the 500 and 250 categories, and so on. There, too, is a very high level of tennis, in spite of all the difficulties, but often it goes, I’d say, unnoticed.<br />
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<b>- It’s probably not worth it to even talk about challengers.</b> <b>You just played in Kazan – how’s the attendance there?</b><br />
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- Empty-ish. Very much so.<br />
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<b>- Irishman <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JamesMcgee">James McGee</a>, from the third hundred of the world rankings, recently very vividly described tennis behind the scenes, providing details about </b><a href="http://jamesmcgeetennis.com/2013/06/24/financing-the-tour/"><b>how players that don’t belong to the top have to survive</b></a><b>.</b> <b>In particular, he said that many tennis players from the top 100, top 50 even, are forced to go play the tennis leagues, to somehow survive.</b><br />
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- I know James, I’ve even played with him. Tennis leagues - yes, there is such a thing. Many play there, even some of the guys from the top 20. There are three popular leagues: the German Bundesliga club, the French league and one in the United States. The pay is really not bad there. I myself have played in Germany and France last year and the year before.<br />
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The situations are really difficult sometimes. When I was young I came to play Futures, won - and earned three ranking points. I found it absolutely unacceptable. In the qualifying for challengers you go through three matches - four or five points, I don’t remember exactly. All <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Avi" datetime="2013-08-20T23:07"> </del></span>in all, I played a career total of seven Futures, and then decided that even being the 500 and 600 in the world, I’ll go to challengers’ qualifications - and I played them quite successfully. I won often, so financially it didn’t get me down. However, there was one important point. I was living in Slovakia then, and the dollar at that time was crazy - 50 crowns per dollar. Given that the prices in the country were low, I earned enough money in challengers to keep training.<br />
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<b>[Taken out: Several questions about the tennis situation in Ukraine – lack of younger players, complete lack of government funding, comparison of Russia’s and Kazakhstan’s situations. –Anna]<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b>- Your younger brother, Leonard, still has thoughts about a tennis career?</b><br />
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- My brother has just finished his first year of college; there are still three to go. He will always be able to return to tennis as soon as he graduates. So did many players: <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=KevinAnderson">Kevin Anderson</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JohnIsner">John Isner</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JamesBlake">James Blake</a>. They were all at some point in college, and then went on to play professional tennis.<br />
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To be honest, in my opinion, the education system in America, especially the sporting part, is simply fantastic. If you're 18, you finished school, and you play great tennis, but you don’t have the financial abilities - I advise you to take the exam and make your way into an American college. I came to see my brother in Ohio and was just stunned: in all our country there isn’t a single center like they have. I won’t even talk about the enormous gym for all students. They've got eight basketball courts, 25-meter swimming pool and a jogging track for 400 meters. Indoors. Plus, the on-site gym, a lot of rooms for yoga, aerobics and so on. And that's just the general areas: each sport has its own separate hall, its own facilities. The athletes themselves don’t need to pay for anything, they have full equipment. Stringing, physical therapists, balls, meals – it’s all included in the scholarship. You just have to study well and train - which is the essence, and of course, it's very hard, especially if you pick a serious major. However, in light of the fact that it gives the opportunity to train in a country with normal specialists and plush conditions - I think this is a very good way to go.<br />
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<b>- How then to explain the fact that in the last five years, the U.S. does not have a really successful younger generation?</b> <b><a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RyanHarrison&f=o1" target="_blank">Harrison</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JackSock">Sock</a>, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=DonaldYoung&f=o1" target="_blank">Young</a> - all well and good, of course, but they've been around for more than a year, and just like before, still no results.</b><br />
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- It's simple: if you drive through the colleges, you will see that only a small number of scholarships go to the Americans. There are a huge number of visitors, a mass of immigrants from Europe, including those of our part of the world. These are people who are willing to work really hard.<br />
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<b>- It turns out that the Americans, with their own hands, train tennis players for other countries.</b><br />
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- It does. Then there is another point. I played with Harrison, I think, in the 2010 US Open, and even then said: the guy has yet a lot to work on, don’t hype him, because that’s how you ‘buried’ many of your juniors, making a star out of them before they’ve become one. The American federation, USTA, earns a fortune, and this results in such a luxurious environment that is, in a sense, even to their detriment. Young players are getting huge media support, but they have not yet reached those heights where it’s indeed justified. On the one hand, I understand why the USTA is doing that - they need American players, so they can market them, to attract viewers to local tournaments, so that they could support their local players. On the other hand, to go too far in this matter is also wrong, and the players themselves, as we can see, don’t benefit from it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=MarinCilic">Marin Cilic</a> got a three-month suspension for having illegal substances found in his blood, which got in his body from a drug purchased at a pharmacy. You, being a professional tennis player, can you go to the drugstore across the street and buy a cough syrup?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- I never do that. I have all my medicines with me, there are only two: Brufen and Flector. I know that a lot of drugs for various illnesses are forbidden, because there is something wrong in them. You know, people who work in pharmacies, they don’t know what tennis players can take. Lists of allowed and prohibited substances change with time, and to expect for the seller to know all these details, is to deceive yourself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- How do you then treat yourself, if you have only two drugs: anti-inflammatory, and something else? Say you are sick, for example, cough, runny nose – what next? Carry on and ignore it? Wait until it goes away by itself?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- It’s better to be in bed, of course. With tea, honey. Something like that.<br />
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<b>[Taken out: Several questions about Stakhovsky’s anti-cancer charity, “Ace the Cancer”. It was approved as a non-profit and it’s also supported by WTA player <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/wplayer.cgi?p=LesiaTsurenko">Lesia Tsurenko</a>. –Anna]</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <b>- You seem like a socially active person. Do you think about going into politics when you retire? Like <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=MaratSafin">Marat Safin</a>.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- You know, I think that politics has the wrong effect on the psyche of people, so I won’t go there. Of course, I would like to somehow stay in the sport, to help its development in Ukraine. Maybe try to get to the National Olympic Committee. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really like the future of Sergei Bubka [Sr.]. I’ve known him and his family for a long time, since his son Sergei and me, we often played doubles since the age of 12 or so. All of their family, the education they gave to their children, the moral values practiced - all this is an example for me. They realize that in this world you need to do some things not only for yourself but also for others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- By the way, </b><b><span new="" none="" roman="" style="color: windowtext;" text-decoration:="" text-underline:="" times="">how is <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=SergeiBubka" target="_blank">Sergei Bubka Jr.</a></span></b><b> now?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Sergei Jr. trains at full speed. He still has about four months until full recovery, maybe five, as there are certain nuances with his leg. However, he’s already standing on court, hitting the ball, which is pleasing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- You are friends with Bubka Jr; <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=MikhailYouzhny">Mikhail Youzhny</a> – is your best friend on tour. How can you combine friendship and professional rivalry, where the stakes are money and ranking points? <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=AndyMurray">Murray</a> and Federer, for example, said that you cannot truly be friends on the Tour.</b><br />
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- It is possible. If your characters agree, if you share certain moral values, you may be friends, regardless of whether or not it’s sports. To be honest, the most difficult matches in my career have been specifically against Youzhny and Bubka. Psychologically, there was nothing more difficult. During a match, you need to maintain a certain passion, but to do it, competing with a man whom you know and respect, is incredibly tough. You cannot really get mad at him, I’d say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>[Taken out: A couple of questions related to Youzhny: Stakhovsky explains he’s not that much into alcohol, despite Youzhny once saying (in a Roland Garros quiz) he’s the guy with whom he’d share a bottle of vodka; also expands on his cooperation with Youzhny’s coach Boris Sobkin. –Anna]</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- At Wimbledon you reminded us about your old rank. Tell us the secret, what did you mean by saying that when you play against Federer at Wimbledon, you fight two rivals: Roger and his own ego? You then took those words back.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- It’s not that I took them back, it’s just that I said it the wrong way. The bottom line is this: when you see Federer on the other side of the court, in the key moments of the match thoughts start climbing in your head about who you’re really playing now. This is the same man who won Wimbledon seven times on this very court, seven times! Three defeats in ten years! That’s even if you don’t think about the rest of his titles. That's what I wanted to say then. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- So, shall we say, Federer’s cool handshake after the match has nothing to do with it?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- No, of course not, what are you talking about. I meant the scale of his persona - as an athlete and as a person. Honestly, I don’t even know what I could say after that match. My head was full of fog. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- After defeating Roger did you get recognized more?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Yes. I was recently at Zurich airport; so many people came to me. And many of them were Swiss, but no one expressed any negativity. It was nice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- So people probably don’t confuse you with <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=PhilippKohlschreiber">Kohlschreiber</a> anymore.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- I wish. They still do. And not only with him - with Soderling too. Lately, however, it’s less so - probably because Robin hasn’t been playing for a long time. I don’t understand how we can look alike, but here it is, nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.blog-wp.eurosport.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/27/files/2013/08/%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%88%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%80-%D0%A1%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B32.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.blog-wp.eurosport.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/27/files/2013/08/%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%88%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%B1%D0%B5%D1%80-%D0%A1%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B32.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken from the original blog post on eurosport.ru</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>- On twitter, replying to a question about who is the funniest player, you said, "<a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=BenoitPaire">Benoit Paire</a>."</b><br />
<b>Why?</b><br />
<br />
- Basically, there are two of them: Paire and <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=MichaelLlodra">Michael Llodra</a>. They’re both absolutely crazy, I think, they often have very entertaining matches. Llodra I like because of his style of play: his aggressive approach to the net, crazy feeling of the ball in volleys - it is something special. Paire’s matches often are different in terms of entertainment, I suppose. He has such demonstrative slackness, he plays for the public. The result sometimes is something truly amazing. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Taken out: A couple of questions about Stakhovsky’s love of snooker and football. He likes Ronnie O’Sullivan and is a fan of Dinamo Kiev. –Anna]</span></b><span 10.0pt="" arial="" font-size:="" imes="" minor-bidi="" mso-ascii-theme-font:="" mso-bidi-font-family:="" mso-bidi-theme-font:="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" mso-hansi-theme-font:="" new="" roman="" sans-serif=""><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-26172908158180197692013-06-27T01:29:00.001+03:002013-08-09T16:20:38.763+03:00Biggest Surprises of Wimbledon's Wacky WednesdayThere were many things that went wrong or weird in Wimbledon today, including (but not limited to) <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RogerFederer">Roger Federer</a>'s 4-set loss to <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2012/04/translated-interview-with-sergiy.html">Sergiy Stakhovsky</a>, seven (SEVEN!) withdrawals or retirements, and a slew of seeds losing unexpectedly. Here are my top surprises from this day (and the two that preceded it):<br />
<br />
<ul><li><b>Viktor Troicki</b> won two straight matches in a Grand Slam without dropping a set. Such a wonder hasn't happened since the 2011 Roland Garros, where he won his first two rounds in 3 sets, won the third in 4 sets, and then lost in a very painful R4 match to a hobbled <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=AndyMurray">Andy Murray</a> in 5 sets. <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=ViktorTroicki&f=ACareerqqC0o1" target="_blank">His Grand Slam results</a> since then? Won in 4, lost in 3, lost in 5, won in 5, lost in 5, won in 5, lost in 5, won in 5, won in 5, won in 3, lost in 3, lost in 4, lost in 5, won in 3, won in 5, won in 3, lost in 3, and finally in 2013 Wimbledon - won in 3 and won in 3.<br />
Troicki will next meet <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=MikhailYouzhny">Mikhail Youzhny</a>, in a match that I can't see ending in straight sets to anyone. I smell a 9-7 in the air.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>There were no rain delays, no darkness interruptions, no roof debates, no scheduling disasters. While the <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisGods/status/349972212222144514">Tennis Gods</a> might have wrecked the results, <b>Mother Nature</b> treated this Wimbledon very kindly so far. Of course, it's only day 3, but doesn't it already feel like we've been watching this tournament forever?<br />
<br />
</li>
<li>Out of the seven previous No. 1s who lost today, only one really surprised me, and that was <b><a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/wplayer.cgi?p=MariaSharapova">Maria Sharapova</a></b>. We already knew that <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/wplayer.cgi?p=VictoriaAzarenka">Azarenka</a> got injured; Ivanovic, Jankovic or Wozniacki losing on grass isn't such a shock; <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=LleytonHewitt">Hewitt</a> can beat anyone but can also lose to anyone on a given day; Federer had a sub-par year by his standards. Sharapova, however, has lost only to <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/wplayer.cgi?p=SerenaWilliams">Serena Williams</a> (a fair few times) and to Li Na (AO 2013) this year. She already won a difficult match against <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/wplayer.cgi?p=KristinaMladenovic">Kristina Mladenovic</a> in the first round here, so she wasn't particularly rusty. Moreover, I've seen Maria's opponent, <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/wplayer.cgi?p=MichelleLarcherDeBrito">Michelle Larcher De Brito</a>, live quite a few times during <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2013/02/the-eilat-experience-fed-cup-2013.html" target="_blank">Fed Cup</a>, and while I knew she had the talent to play like she did today, I didn't think she had the mentality for it. Serving out the match after missing 4 match points and facing a couple of break points against a very determined Sharapova was very impressive, in my eyes.<br />
<br />
</li>
<li><b>Nike Tennis</b>. Are you sure you want to brag about it?<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">One Match Wonder. <a href="http://t.co/rbDBu8SWil">pic.twitter.com/rbDBu8SWil</a><br />
— Nike Tennis (@niketennis) <a href="https://twitter.com/niketennis/statuses/349922168164974592">June 26, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>(Just kidding, Federer's loss is most definitely up there) </li>
</ul>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-47624154689563806942013-06-08T22:03:00.000+03:002013-08-09T16:16:27.182+03:00It's the hope that kills youYou start watching a match. You know who's the overwhelming favourite, and you hope for that tiny chance of an upset, but you don't really believe it could happen. And you're OK with that, you've prepared yourself for a loss, and you just want whoever you're cheering for to go out there and not completely embarrass themselves, maybe get a set if they can manage it.<br />
<br />
The opponent wins the first set, and it all goes 'according to plan'. "Ah well, maybe some other time". You're calm. Why wouldn't you be? It's the expected result. It's what everybody predicted. There are no surprises today.<br />
<br />
Then, something changes. A good game, a break, maybe a set. "Is it possible? Maybe, after all?" Naaah, it never goes that way, you tell yourself. There's no point in hoping, you'll just get disappointed afterwards. "But..." No, there are no 'buts' here.<br />
<br />
And the match goes on, and you're still not expecting a win, but against all reason, you're hoping. The longer the match goes, you start hoping more and more, and break points are saved and games are won and you still don't believe it, but maybe you do. Just a bit. Just a lot.<br />
<br />
It's too late now, you're way too invested, and you can see the finish line, can imagine what happens when your rooting interest crosses it. "It will be so good! Everybody will talk about it!" You try to calm yourself down, but what's the point?<br />
<br />
They take a lead, and you tense up, your emotions are already overflowing, the taste of victory there on your tongue, and if they just take that break point, or keep that tiebreak lead, and maybe serve a couple of aces...<br />
But they don't. And the opponents don't double fault, either. Nor do they hit every ball into the net, as you've already magically seen them do in that not-so-deep corner of your mind. By now you're evoking every superstition you've ever had, you promise to do countless things if only this one result goes your way, you're begging your TV to cooperate, you just want it so much!<br />
<br />
So bloody what. The chance is gone, the advantage disappears, and it might not be over yet, but you already feel like it is - but maybe something can still happen? You know it won't, and yet you keep willing that ball to do what you so desperately want, because who knows, right?<br />
<br />
Wrong. It's match point already, it's the wrong match point, and they're not done yet, and maybe somehow...?<br />
<br />
And then it's really over. You refuse to believe it, but what else can you do? You knew it would happen, everybody had known it would happen, so why does it hurt so much?<br />
<br />
In tennis, it's the hope that kills you.<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Dedicated to <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=NicolasMahut">Nicolas Mahut</a>'s Roland Garros 2013 doubles final loss.</span></i>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-91943588840929549972013-06-08T14:47:00.002+03:002013-08-09T16:19:21.292+03:00Wimbledon 2013 Top 5 SeedingsThe clay season leading up to this year's <a href="http://www.letsecondserve.com/2013/04/roland-garros-seeding-scenarios.html" target="_blank">Roland Garros</a> was - among other things - a race for the #2 and #4 seedings in the Grand Slam tournament. Eventually, since Andy Murray has withdrawn from the French Open, it didn't matter. With Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from Halle (assuming it's official - he's still on the entry list at time of writing), the Wimbledon seedings of the top players are now determined, no matter what happens in Queen's or Halle.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Wimbledon is currently the only Grand Slam in tennis that actively departs from the official tour rankings when it seeds players. On the WTA, it is done by a committee, and is therefore more subjective, but on the ATP, there's a clear defined formula. The calculation is done for the top 32 players on the ATP rankings - so anyone who was supposed to be seeded, will be - but not necessarily according to his usual ranking.</div><br />
The formula works this way:<br />
<ul><li>Take the ATP ranking points at 17 June 2013 (a week before the tournament starts)</li>
<li>Add 100% points earned for <u>all</u> grass court tournaments in the past 12 months - that includes s'Hertogenbosch/Eastbourne 2012, Newport 2012, Wimbledon 2012, Olympics 2012, Queen's/Halle 2013.</li>
<li>Add 75% points earned for the <u>best</u> grass court tournament in the 12 months before that (One of s'Hertogenbosch/Eastbourne 2011, Wimbledon 2011, Newport 2011, Queen's/Halle 2012). </li>
</ul><div>Based on that, we can already calculate the possible scenarios for the Wimbledon 2013 seedings. The scenarios are actually quite simple, though the calculations aren't, so we'll start from the conclusions:</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Wimbledon 2013 seedings:</b></div><div><b>#1 <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=NovakDjokovic">Novak Djokovic</a></b></div><div><b>#2 <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=AndyMurray">Andy Murray</a></b></div><div><b>#3 <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RogerFederer">Roger Federer</a></b></div><div><b>#4 <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=DavidFerrer">David Ferrer</a></b></div><div><b>#5 <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=RafaelNadal">Rafael Nadal</a></b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div>If you want to check my calculations, you can read ahead.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u>Andy Murray & Roger Federer</u></b></div><div><br />
</div><div>This calculation is a bit easier, since we already know their Roland Garros results.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Murray currently has 8670 points, and since he didn't play in the French Open, he'll lose his QF points from last year, and will have 8310 points this Monday. Ignoring Queen's 2013 for a second, he'll add 1950 points from the previous 12 months (Wimbledon final and Olympics title). His best result from the 12 months before that is 720 points from the 2011 Wimbledon semifinal, so he'll add 540 more points for that, bringing us to a total of 10800 points. His 2013 Queen's result will be added to that total twice - once as a part of the regular rankings, and once in the "last 12 months" category, so 10800 is the absolute minimum he can get.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Federer has 8000 points. He'll lose the 720 RG 2012 SF points, and will add 360 points for this year's QF, for a total of 7640 points this Monday. Without Halle 2013, his previous 12 months' points are 2450 (Wimbledon title and Olympics final). He'll also add 75% * 360 points for his 2011 Wimbledon QF. As for Halle: On June 17, he'll drop 150 points from the final of Halle 2012, and add whatever he earns in Halle 2013, twice. Even if he wins Halle (thus adding a total of 2*250=500 points), this will bring his total points (for seeding purposes) to 10710 - not enough to overtake Murray in any scenario.</div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div><b><u>David Ferrer & Rafael Nadal</u></b></div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div>If Nadal wins RG, he'll have 6895 points on Monday (just like his current points, since he's defending the title). Halle 2012 is already non countable for him, so he doesn't drop any more points. At the moment, he only has 45 points in that category, for his R2 in Wimbledon 2012. He gets 75% * 1200 = 900 points for the 2011 Wimbledon final. Overall, this gets him to 7840 points.</div><div>Ferrer, in this scenario, will have 7220 points this Monday (current points - 6740, drops 720 for 2012 RG SF, adds 1200 for 2013 RG F). He never plays in Queen's or Halle, so we know exactly that his last 12 months' points are 680 (Wimbledon QF, Olympics R16, s'Hertogenbosch title), and he adds 75% * 180 = 135 points for 2011 Wimbledon R16. Thus, his total points for seeding purposes will be 8035 - ahead of Nadal.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Clearly, if Ferrer wins RG, the gap between his and Nadal's points will be even larger, and he'll be seeded #4 (even an RG win won't be enough to bump him to #3 right now).</div><div><br />
</div><div>By the way, if Nadal did play Halle, he'd have to win both RG and Halle to be seeded #4.<br />
<br />
<b style="color: purple;">June 19 edit: </b>The official seedings for Wimbledon 2013 (both men and women, singles and doubles) can be found on the <a href="http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2013-06-19/201306191371633190432.html" target="_blank">Wimbledon website</a>.</div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667040408248931138.post-30105988617516409272013-05-31T10:27:00.001+03:002013-08-09T16:23:57.413+03:00ATP Uncovered - Roland Garros Ice Bath Edition + PollSocial media often allows us a unique glimpse into the life of tennis players. Whether it's <a href="https://twitter.com/SaraErrani/status/340069697393418240" target="_blank">Sara Errani</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/serenawilliams/status/340072242551603200" target="_blank">Serena Williams</a> discussing Candy Crush Saga, or Andy Murray being <a href="https://twitter.com/andy_murray/status/339514091141992448" target="_blank">bored</a> while not competing - we'd never find out about it without twitter.<br />
<br />
The ATP players, meanwhile, seem to be on some kind of dare which involves them posting semi-naked pictures and videos of them in the Roland Garros locker-room ice bath. <b>Warning: NESFW! (Not Entirely Safe For Work)</b><br />
<br />
The trend started with <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=BlazKavcic">Blaz Kavcic</a>, after his 6-2 6-2 6-2 win over <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JamesDuckworth">James Duckworth</a> in the first round of the French Open.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden">It was easier to play for 2h than to be in this cold water for 8min...;) i am very happy with my game!!!vamoo <a href="http://t.co/wlbLnvWQh0" title="http://twitter.com/blaz_kavcic/status/338642396206223361/photo/1">twitter.com/blaz_kavcic/st…</a><br />
— Blaz Kavcic (@blaz_kavcic) <a href="https://twitter.com/blaz_kavcic/status/338642396206223361">May 26, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLMZdxRCUAA-8ZR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLMZdxRCUAA-8ZR.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
It continued with - how not - <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=FabioFognini">Fabio Fognini</a>, after his 6-2 7-6(3) 2-6 6-1 win over <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=LukasRosol">Lukas Rosol</a> (denying a possible Nadal-Rosol rematch). The pic was posted by Marc Boada, Fognini's physio.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden"><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Fogna">#Fogna</a><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23winorgohome">#winorgohome</a><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23icebath">#icebath</a><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23recover">#recover</a> <a href="http://t.co/XJhJGexNJU" title="http://twitter.com/mcboada/status/340143554242428931/photo/1">twitter.com/mcboada/status…</a><br />
— Marc Boada (@mcboada) <a href="https://twitter.com/mcboada/status/340143554242428931">May 30, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLhuwqvCQAAOWme.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLhuwqvCQAAOWme.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
The best bromance on the ATP tour wasn't far behind - <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=BenoitPaire">Benoit Paire</a> and <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=StanislasWawrinka">Stanislas Wawrinka</a> posted ice bath pics of one another (though much more covered, to the chagrin of many).<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden">Le coach Lio doit forcer @<a href="https://twitter.com/benoitpaire">benoitpaire</a> a rentrer dans le bain froid... C est ça la Team! Hahahahah <a href="http://t.co/iBaAWQfDPJ" title="http://twitter.com/stanwawrinka/status/340201859593678848/photo/1">twitter.com/stanwawrinka/s…</a><br />
— Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) <a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka/status/340201859593678848">May 30, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLijyfFCMAE7IZI.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLijyfFCMAE7IZI.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden">Chacun son style on voit l'expérience de @<a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka">stanwawrinka</a> !!tres facil pour lui de rentrer dans l'eau gelée!!!!ahaha <a href="http://t.co/j3AJW1VV7N" title="http://twitter.com/benoitpaire/status/340207844349583360/photo/1">twitter.com/benoitpaire/st…</a><br />
— paire benoit (@benoitpaire) <a href="https://twitter.com/benoitpaire/status/340207844349583360">May 30, 2013</a></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLipO2DCIAAwlKq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLipO2DCIAAwlKq.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
And finally, the cherry on top - a video! For his Eurosport segment "Tipsy Time", <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JankoTipsarevic">Janko Tipsarevic</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zXR6h0dMhro" target="_blank">filmed</a> <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=ViktorTroicki">Viktor Troicki</a> getting into the ice bath, with a guest appearance by <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=NovakDjokovic">Novak Djokovic</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zXR6h0dMhro" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The only question left to ask... who's next?</div><br />
<b>June 3 UPDATE: </b>Well, apparently the next one is <a href="http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=NicolasMahut">Nicolas Mahut</a>! He gives us two photos for our consideration.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden">Pour faire taire les rumeurs...😉 @<a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka">stanwawrinka</a> <a href="http://t.co/ChKMb0SFol" title="http://twitter.com/nmahut/status/341562742311899136/photo/1">twitter.com/nmahut/status/…</a><br />
— Nico Mahut(@nmahut) <a href="https://twitter.com/nmahut/status/341562742311899136">June 3, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BL15gSRCUAIyDO1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BL15gSRCUAIyDO1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden">@<a href="https://twitter.com/stanwawrinka">stanwawrinka</a> celle la rien que pour toi ... <a href="http://t.co/avhNL4SMNL" title="http://twitter.com/nmahut/status/341563536813744128/photo/1">twitter.com/nmahut/status/…</a><br />
— Nico Mahut(@nmahut) <a href="https://twitter.com/nmahut/status/341563536813744128">June 3, 2013</a></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BL16OiBCYAAzhYV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BL16OiBCYAAzhYV.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
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And now, for the <a href="http://poll.fm/4986d" target="_blank">poll</a> - <b>whose ice bath did you like the best?</b><br />
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<script charset="utf-8" src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/7148965.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
<noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/7148965/">Whose ice bath photo/video did you like the best?</a></noscript>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07742915861101677012noreply@blogger.com1