tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47200551994806188312024-03-13T05:25:46.309+01:00Ski&TennisAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-44425794399081779952016-09-20T11:19:00.001+02:002016-09-20T11:28:32.558+02:00Every end is just a new beginning <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MvrF9hBamxI/V-D8AOYQuLI/AAAAAAAACnk/R2xnsSof5-EI-MY4UgnADpHaSaDzbkq8ACLcB/s1600/13600192_10209586133311640_5898324370029832304_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MvrF9hBamxI/V-D8AOYQuLI/AAAAAAAACnk/R2xnsSof5-EI-MY4UgnADpHaSaDzbkq8ACLcB/s320/13600192_10209586133311640_5898324370029832304_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't like leaving businesses unfinished, yet, for everyone who had been checking on this page from time to time (and surprisingly it was more people than myself!) during the past year and a half it looked as if this page suffered a sudden and abrupt death. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am the one to blame and I somehow feel like this web page is but what my favourite plush used to be in my childhood: my best companion when I most needed it, when the world was big to my eyes, but little I had seen and little it had seen me. I struggle to say I am known to the world now, because I am very far from that, but looking at the ground covered in these 5 years, I feel like the journey has reached the point of no return and though scary it is the kind of thrill that makes you smile and look forward to the next steps of this adventure. The world got bigger than some writing from my desk at home, now I get sent to big sports events and I am more often on a plane than I would have ever thought.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I cannot see too far ahead of me, actually, I can't really see too well what I am going to have for lunch in a couple of hours (and yes, I am the one cooking!), so let alone what the future will bring, but there are many irons in the fire and I am absolutely thrilled by the idea of what these could bring. I know I am talking foggy here, but I don't want to say too much about these, yet I can tell you it is a great feeling when some big companies come to you and ask if you'd be interested in working with them, rather than being the other way around.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But enough with all these praises, I am still alive and I am making this seem like an eulogy! Even though, thinking about it carefully, it kind of is, because the main idea behind this stream of consciousness you are currently reading is to put a formal end to this page. As it is said at the very beginning the unfinished businesses really hurt my sensibility and for that I want to try and give a much deserved burial to this blog, whom I will always be grateful to as nothing I did by now would have been possibly without the hours I spent exercising my early reports, interviews and all sorts of skills here. Probably, looking back at what I did at the very beginning I would blush in embarrassment for the errors, the naivety in some mistakes, the complete inexperience... all of the faults are a part of the process and it is a never-ending one as this is the beauty of journalism: it is a never static job, things change quickly and one needs to learn new skills, adapt to new styles and technologies. For example, I am working a lot in social media to day and never would I have thought to as I consider myself primarily a writer.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QGXWDbagow0/V-D8wNRbvAI/AAAAAAAACno/7YX87dI9rKwusvY2gt64LKUGXB6cBF4LgCLcB/s1600/14264120_10210191569327162_3022779639049950299_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QGXWDbagow0/V-D8wNRbvAI/AAAAAAAACno/7YX87dI9rKwusvY2gt64LKUGXB6cBF4LgCLcB/s320/14264120_10210191569327162_3022779639049950299_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But even if I am writing less (I am still finding some space for written journalism though, especially in Italian thanks to Il Tennis Italiano magazine and Sportface.it), it has been a year now that I took back an old dream of mine: writing a novel. I am saying that because it is part of this idea of mine of leaving nothing unfinished. I started it some 11 years ago or so, it was early in the days of high school and it all started as I was drawing maps and characters on the desk of my "neighbour" in class. I had been going on with random writing for years, even though never constantly, until the pages sank deep in one of my drawers during university. I meant to restart for long and I have even dreamt that the protagonist dragged me to his world to finish his story (which, for instance, I still don't know how it will end!), then last summer I suddenly decided to give it another go. I read the first chapters and decided that it was too badly written to only need some editing before going on, so I isolated myself in my mountain house and for a week I did not use social media, nor personal connections (bar a few of them to keep my sanity to a decent level) and started the writing the story from the very beginning. For someone who swims deep into the waters of sports writing, this book is far from my usual world, in fact, it is a far away world that nobody is familiar with apart from my characters: a fantasy world which is finding its reality and details through the pages of this absurd idea of mine. I am close to page 400 now, so fingers crossed I can bring it on to finally give an ending or I fear the protagonist could haunt me again! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So what will be of this page now? I don't know, but I want to keep it, just like I still keep my wolf-plush in one of the shelves in my bedroom. Lately it came useful as I had my little nephew coming over to play but rain did not allow outdoor activities, so similarly I might come back to this place in a few months, a year, or more, just to write some more nonsense someone might find it interesting, though I highly doubt. But as for now, this is the end.</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
All the best,</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
Giulio</div>
<br />
p.s. I believe most of you follow me already on the social medias, but just in case you don't and you want to know what's happening in my life, or only if my novel finds an end or what the job opportunities I am being mysterious about are, give a follow to my <a href="https://twitter.com/GiulioGasparin" target="_blank">twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gaspace/" target="_blank">instagram</a> profiles.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com133170 Pordenone PN, Italia45.962639800000012 12.65513620000001545.962639800000012 12.655136200000015 45.962639800000012 12.655136200000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-52991186568001428902015-03-19T14:47:00.001+01:002015-03-19T14:47:17.820+01:00On the topic of comebacks<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Or how did
I end up giving another go</span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I have
always thought that when an athlete calls it a career it should be once and for
all. I have always believed that whenever a professional athlete was announcing
a comeback it was because he, or she, could not adapt to a normal life, I
thought it was a mistake, I thought one should have not retired in the first
place, if so. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I could not
be more wrong.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is hard
to put yourself in another one’s shoes, but on this topic especially. Things
change in life, that is a fact, situations change and sometimes our plans for
the future take sudden twists that were not foreseeable. One thing does not
seem to change with the time, like a friend of mine told me when I admitted him
that I was missing some slalom gates earlier this year: “once a racer, always a
racer!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He could
not be more right.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10991264_10205733778765184_143269196058774774_n.jpg?oh=57f1fa3102411183f6e8d7a9ef3e5ab7&oe=55BD80F8&__gda__=1438215080_06ed58b2287517f103a698e3eff91dcd" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10991264_10205733778765184_143269196058774774_n.jpg?oh=57f1fa3102411183f6e8d7a9ef3e5ab7&oe=55BD80F8&__gda__=1438215080_06ed58b2287517f103a698e3eff91dcd" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Vail 2015 with my Eurosport colleague De Tessieres</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">You might
remember the piece I wrote more than a year ago about my official retirement
from professional skiing due to my choice of moving to the UK and chasing my dream
of becoming a journalist (if not, well, <a href="http://ski-and-tennis.blogspot.it/2013/11/dont-dream-its-over-calling-it-career.html" target="_blank">here you can refresh your memory</a>).
Well, ever since many things have happened indeed and my career took off much
better than I expected: in January I flew downunder to follow the Australian
Open swing for tennis, then I flew all the way to the Rocky Mountains of
Colorado, where for 20 days I worked in the mixed zone of the FIS Ski World
Championships of Vail.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This last
event was somewhat of an epiphany for me, because after almost three weeks
watching all the best skiers in the world challenging themselves and each other
for the crown of ski world champion, I realised how much I missed competing,
training and challenging myself. It is hard to explain how this all came about,
but if I was to pick one moment, I guess it was when I saw some of my old time
friends and rivals going down that slope and stopping by my box for interviews.
They convinced me to go back to some training sessions once back home and, why
not, giving it a go to some races, if I felt ready.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My decision
to be a freelancer is giving me a lot of time between one event and another, so
I thought I could really use this time to do something I love, something I
missed, something that makes me feel good. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/11041762_10205909638401565_7169398208570257061_n.jpg?oh=b4484f1ef7a5f51582b68ef54b7ae5d6&oe=55813C6F" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/11041762_10205909638401565_7169398208570257061_n.jpg?oh=b4484f1ef7a5f51582b68ef54b7ae5d6&oe=55813C6F" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I called my
coach and organized a training session: we were both shocked, it was almost two
years since the last time I did any gates, yet everything seemed to comeback
after the first couple of turns. I know I am not as well prepared physically
and the difference between good sections and bad sections is immense at the
minute, but I am enjoying it all as if it was the first time again. I did a
couple of local races and I finished second in the first, despite only one
training day, and won the second one a few days later. There was not much
competition, to be honest, but I loved the feeling of being back in a racing
event, so I decided to push it forward and enter two FIS races.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My comeback
to international races was not as good as planned: I fell in the first run on
the first day when I was skiing very well, whereas I straddled a few gates from
the end on the second day, but I was not skiing any good either. But what
mattered to me is that I missed everything, I missed the tension when going to
the start, the disappointment when you see the ground getting closer as you
fall, the amazing feeling of skiing well…I know my comeback is not meant to be
an effort to become a full-time pro, it is more of a hobby during my breaks
from work, but this changed my prospective totally on the comebacks of
professional athletes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Of course,
I still believe that one should not give up easily and then try a comeback
whenever things are favouring it again, but I finally realize what pushes a
professional athlete of whichever sport to call it a career and eventually
change his mind. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Kim_Clijsters_(7898172854).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Kim_Clijsters_(7898172854).jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim Cljisters made one of the most successful comebacks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I realized
that you can feel old while being in your 20s, you can feel your body hurting
every day on the training grounds and during your everyday life, you can feel
that your mind is blocked and no matter how much effort you put on your
trainings, races do not go as planned. I realized that when you are 22 you are
likely to have been training for your dream for about 10-15 years and suddenly
you could find new interests, “distractions” and your mind starts to fight
against your will of working harder and harder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I realized
that when you surrender to these, you cannot give up to your love for the
sport: you can fake indifference, but you cannot erase the feelings. I have
felt this and I have seen it in most of my friends and former rivals: when I
told my friends I was going back to some races I expected some jokes, but all I
got was respect and some words of encouragement because they would love to do
the same.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So what? Well, I think this experience taught and is teaching me lots and for my future as a journalist it gave me a deeper understanding on a topic that is always relevant and difficult to understand. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-47548704174403485472014-12-08T18:14:00.002+01:002014-12-09T15:20:37.122+01:00Patricia Mayr-Achleitner and her truth about the tour<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.spaziotennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mayr3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.spaziotennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mayr3.jpg" height="224" width="400" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br />
<span class="5yl5">When we think of Austria and sport, it is a natural
association to think of winter sports, especially Alpine skiing. But the nation
we all should be eternally grateful for the invention of some of the most
amazing desserts ever created (Sacher and Linzer torte, Krapfen, Strudel and
croissants!) has had a good tradition of tennis not to be forgotten. Thomas
Muster is the clearest example, but other good players like Barbara Schett,
Sybille Bammer and Tamira Paszek are all Austrian.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="5yl5"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Today, the number one of this nation in the WTA tour is Patricia
Mayr-Achleitner, even if the rankings have her second, but Yvonne Meusburger
has recently retired. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="5yl5"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The 26 year old athlete from Tyrol has
always been a strong character in the tour, well known for her sincerity, the
kind of person that does not restrain her opinions. I could come to appreciate
this quality in an interview I have done with her only a few days ago.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="5yl5"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After many years spent looking for clay events all around the world, in
this 2014 she has reached three times the last eitght at a WTA event (Shenzen, Kuala Lumpur and Luxembourg) and all of them were on
hard courts. She has also won an important ITF for her, as it is only the second and first in six years, on the same surface in Winnipeg. I was wondering
how this transformation came to happen and so this was my first question. That
was the moment I immediately realised and appreciated her honesty.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“<span class="5yl5">I started to play more on hard courts two years ago, because
it's useless to count on the clay season,” she said. “Because the clay court
season is too short at WTA level. Also this year I missed most of the clay
court tournaments because of an injury.</span><br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“<span class="5yl5">I also never played on hard court before the age of 22, so I
am happy that I am playing better now on Hard Courts and maybe I can improve
more and can reach three semifinals next year!”</span><br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Mayr-Achleitner would be no new to the later stages of a WTA event, as she
reached the final match once before, like she told me:</span><span class="5yl5"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> “It was nice to play pretty well at a home tournament in 2011, but I am
always playing well in Bad Gastein. Of course I believe that I can win a title,
but more important for me is to stay fit. This year I played some really good tennis
until Madrid
and then I got an injury and I have been hampered for three months. So the most
important thing for me is to play a whole season fit.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="5yl5"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.spaziotennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mayr2-300x168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.spaziotennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mayr2-300x168.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="5yl5"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Austrian’s game is a solid baseline game, her backhand is her best
shot, but the quality that strikes the most of her tennis is the ability to
lean easily on her opponent’s power. I personally was stunned when I saw her
playing and upsetting Sabine Lisicki on the fast indoor conditions of Linz.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“<span class="5yl5">Difficult to say (how I play),” she told me. “I started to play more
aggressively this year and my service is now also better. So I think I want to
try and play a more active game. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="5yl5"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“Against opponents like Lisicki it's easier for me, because I tried to
make less mistakes than them. And it worked out well.”</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Even before
her new focus on hard courts, the Tyrolese played many good matches in the
indoor conditions, testified once more this year when she challenged Genie
Bouchard in Linz.<br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“<span class="5yl5">I don't know why my game works indoor,” she admitted. “I just
play two tournaments indoors and mostly it works good. Maybe I am used to it,
because in Austria
you have to practise 6 months indoor cause of the snow.”</span><br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">And about that match with the Canadian, Mayr-Achleitner was very vocal on
social media when, after the first round win against the Austrian, Bouchard
retired from Linz and saved some energy for Singapore (even though it must be
said that she looked far from her best there.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="5yl5"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“Of course I am not happy with this, because it's unfair...” she told
me, reinforcing the words she posted on her Facebook profile when this incident
happened.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br />
But she is not the kind of girl to live for the past and I had another reason to
believe in that when I asked her about her favourite win of the career (she has
wins over Yanina Wickmayer, Simona Halep and Elina Svitolina).<br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.spaziotennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mayr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.spaziotennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mayr.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“I don’t<span class="5yl5"> really have one,” she said. “I am happy about every
good result. We are all very close.</span><br />
<span class="5yl5">There is not a big difference among players from WTA 20 to 100.
Some of them just play on tour, so they focus more on ranking. For me, I play
more league matches ( Austria,
Germany,
France...) and Fed Cup, because there you can make more money for your future.
I played now 6 of 7 years in the Top 108, so this is the most important thing.”</span><br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Nonetheless, she is a frequent flyer and has travelled many countries and
continents for tournaments, so I asked her about this new wave of Chinese
tournaments and her answer had no political correctness.<br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“<span class="5yl5">I don't like to play in China,” she admitted. “It's pretty
far for the European players and there are a lot of tournaments there nowadays,
so it's tough for us to stay a long time there: different food, different
culture. Not easy. And of course it's very expensive to stay a long time there.</span>
That’s why <span class="5yl5">I prefer South America and Europe.
</span><br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As my home country is just southern from the border of the Alps, I asked her
about Italy.<br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“<span class="5yl5">I like to play in Italy
and Italy
is one of my favourite countries,” she said. “I am a big fan of AC Milan. So I
would prefer to play more there, but there are no more higher tournaments and
so it's difficult to play more there.</span>”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images05.oe24.at/mayr-achleitner_dirndl.jpg/consoleMadonnaNoStretch2/34.574.766" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images05.oe24.at/mayr-achleitner_dirndl.jpg/consoleMadonnaNoStretch2/34.574.766" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">However,
she sees little hope for the tennis movement in her home country too: “<span class="5yl5">Austrian tennis has a poor future. Hopefully Dominc Thiem is doing
well at ATP for a long time and maybe something changes for the Austrian
tennis.”</span><br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The woman from Rum is one of these players that ended up in a relationship with
their coaches. In her case, the two happily married four years ago, but she
does not rely on her husband only as a coach.<br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“<span class="5yl5">My husband (Michael Achleitner) is still my coach,” she said.
“But Vladimir Platenik (former D. Cibulkova's Coach) is also working with me 25
weeks. I always need new impulses...”</span><br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So, as she admitted that she does not know what her life will be when she
retires from tennis, all I can wish her is the best for the next season.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">(originally written by me in Italian for SpazioTennis www.spaziotennis.com/2014/12/mayr-achleitner-patricia-intervista-wta ) </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com1Rum, Austria47.2830598 11.45361720000005347.196903299999995 11.292255700000053 47.3692163 11.614978700000053tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-72860832653234543082014-11-03T11:47:00.001+01:002014-11-03T11:47:25.508+01:00I am still aliveYes, I know, this blog has seen better days. I have not put any new entry since July, which is a hell of long time ago, however, I think I have never been more productive than in the past few months.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://scontent-a-mxp.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/r270/10433308_10203923781036372_6337090902777000961_n.jpg?oh=7bbc6c6e5e620e2586f5141e2adffe9c&oe=54EB9BD1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://scontent-a-mxp.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/r270/10433308_10203923781036372_6337090902777000961_n.jpg?oh=7bbc6c6e5e620e2586f5141e2adffe9c&oe=54EB9BD1" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Truth is that in the past year I started writing for a few Italian and international tennis websites and this is taking a lot of time. Come to think that during the WTA Finals, I was writing some four articles every evening in two different languages...it is quite a challenge, though I love it.<br />
<br />
In the time between my latest post and this one, I have done lots: I finished my MA in sports journalism in London at the Saint Mary's University of Twickenham, with a final project which was a documentary on the media pressure on the growth of a sports talent. Here's a sneak peek of the final work on Alessia Trost (athletics):<br />
<br />
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</div>
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/orWPP6n0csM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
I have also attended WTA Linz, where I had the chance to interview a few players, including Camila Giorgi and Karolina Pliskova. With that, I got accreditation for four events this year, with another event coming up next week in Brescia, a number I will try to improve in 2015!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10354724_10204763631792116_6452977080082884260_n.jpg?oh=e575ce7652a3cefda21204168dc6c355&oe=54F1974D&__gda__=1423675483_76f6716f942e4069b1aa3da41fab2517" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10354724_10204763631792116_6452977080082884260_n.jpg?oh=e575ce7652a3cefda21204168dc6c355&oe=54F1974D&__gda__=1423675483_76f6716f942e4069b1aa3da41fab2517" width="320" /></a>I promise I will try to keep up with the Alpine skiing on this page, for which I have not started writing on any other publication, but I am basically full time busy writing about tennis nowadays, which makes it quite hard to come back here and write about tennis more.<br />
<br />
If you please to keep up with my writing, however, you can follow me on twitter here <span class="DashboardProfileCard-screenname u-inlineBlock u-dir" dir="ltr"><a class="DashboardProfileCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex u-linkClean" href="https://twitter.com/GiulioGasparin">@<span class="u-linkComplex-target">GiulioGasparin</span></a> and/or keep an eye on the other publications I write for. For the international readers of this page, I write often on the English page of ubitennis.com and here you can keep track of my latest pieces: <a href="http://www.ubitennis.com/english/author/gasparin/">http://www.ubitennis.com/english/author/gasparin/</a></span><br />
<span class="DashboardProfileCard-screenname u-inlineBlock u-dir" dir="ltr"><br /></span>
<span class="DashboardProfileCard-screenname u-inlineBlock u-dir" dir="ltr">For the Italian readers, well, I picked up my Italian after a whole year in London and increased the number of articles in my native language, so you can read my pieces on <a href="http://www.ubitennis.com/">www.ubitennis.com</a> and <a href="http://www.spaziotennis.com/">www.spaziotennis.com</a></span><br />
<span class="DashboardProfileCard-screenname u-inlineBlock u-dir" dir="ltr"><br /></span>
<span class="DashboardProfileCard-screenname u-inlineBlock u-dir" dir="ltr"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Pordenone PN, Italia45.962639800000012 12.65513620000001545.874329300000014 12.493774700000015 46.050950300000011 12.816497700000015tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-69263044667434811592014-07-30T21:00:00.000+02:002014-07-30T21:00:01.284+02:00Tamarine Tanasugarn: "I want to be top 100 again"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thirty-seven years of age and still
the smile of a newbie at her first event, Tamarine Tanasugarn has never lost
her joy on the tennis courts, even during the difficult past seasons of
injuries, and now she is planning to comeback as strong as ever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In 2008, at the age of 31 she amazed
the world with one of her best seasons, capturing her first grand slam quarter
finals’ appearance at Wimbledon, right after winning a title on the Dutch grass
of Den Bosch beating the world number 1 Dinara Safina in the final.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Six years later, she dropped out of
the top 450 in the world, but she still enjoys every moment out there and she said
not to be ready for calling a career.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I guess it’s me, I like to
challenge myself, you know, and especially now at my age, right now, it’s more
challenging with my body,” she told me. “You know, the girls right now are a
lot stronger, physically as well… it’s really more challenging and I like to do
that. So, I keep enjoying the challenge and, you know, see how can I cope with
this, you know.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Right now I’m just enjoying my
tennis, but I don’t really plan, like, two or three years ahead,” she admitted
with an excited voice. “So, most important thing, I hope I’ll be injury free… so
right now I’m kinda like enjoying it all… but you know, every day has to be ‘improve,
improve, and doing better’.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">At the age of 37 and in a sport
where girls are often breaking through in their teen years, she often plays
against opponent that can potentially have half her age.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But she takes even this detail with
a relaxed and positive attitude.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Tamarine_Tanasugarn_(THA)_US_Open.jpg/1024px-Tamarine_Tanasugarn_(THA)_US_Open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Tamarine_Tanasugarn_(THA)_US_Open.jpg/1024px-Tamarine_Tanasugarn_(THA)_US_Open.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="mw-mmv-source-author"><span class="mw-mmv-author"><span class="st">Ⓒ </span>Robbie Mendelson</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“When that happens, actually, I am, you
know like, ‘wow! She’s young’,” she said with a warm smile. “But luckily I
don’t really pay attention to the numbers of the age, because, you know, I like
challenging with their styles, you know, cause every girl has a different
style,. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I’m looking more at the game
instead of, you know, who I’m playing or something like that, so I think it
feels good for me if I don’t concentrate on their age but enjoy the tennis.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Having been for many years one of
the few faces of Thai tennis, she is now enjoying the company of up and coming
girls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“It’s good, you know, they are such amazing
girls, both of them, like Noppawan (Lertchewakaarn) and Kumkhum,” she said. “They
are very nice girls and we are in the same FedCup team together. They are great
and they are fun, you know, and I’m kind of happy because during my time I was
the only one, me <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and also Paradorn
(Srichapan), one of each side, you know, women and men, so it was kinda like
not fun to travel alone with none speaking the same language, from the same
nation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“But now we are more girls with
talent, so it’s kinda more fun, we hang out together, go out for dinner. It’s
more fun and they are nice, you know, we are like sisters and we are pretty
close, yeah.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Tammy has been a very accomplished
player on grass and fast courts in general, thanks to her flat strokes and low
balls, she welcomed very positively the news that from 2015 the grass season
will be one week longer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Definitely it is very good to have a
longer grass court season,” she admitted. “And I was like ‘well, I wished that
it could have been earlier, when I was, you know, like in a good shape’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“But anyway, it’s very great for
tennis cause we have longer clay courts’ season and longer hard courts’ season,
so it should be longer on grass to be, how to say…equal. I know it’s kinda
tough because French Open and Wimbledon are close, but it’s a good news, so,
you know like, it’s a beginning to have one week longer grass season. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“It’s already, you know, a good
start, so I don’t know maybe it might have more longer season or maybe more
tournaments in those three weeks before.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It comes as no surprise then that
her favorite tournament of the year happens at the end of these soon extended
three weeks, in London.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Wimbledon.
Yeah, because I’ve always kinda done well there, in that Grand Slam,” she added
trying to contain her smiles. “I think the organizers and the people… it’s very
very nice. They don’t really go for the big names, you know, they look for the
tennis game, they cheer for underdogs.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I love that atmosphere because some
places are just like, you know, ‘oh, big names’, so they go for the big names. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Anyway, it’s overall great as in London there is
summer-sale as well and there’s good shopping in the city, so it’s everything
in the same week. So I think I’m always enjoying Wimbledon
for different reasons.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This year she did not manage to
enter the Wimbledon draw, but this is only a
motivation to try harder for the next season.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“For sure, you know, because at the
end of last year I didn’t play much in singles, so I dropped my rank a bit, so
my next challenge is, you know, to be back to the top100 again with my singles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I know it’s not easy but it’s
really challenging and it is exciting to do that again, yeah, of course, you
know, either way, singles and doubles, cope with my rankings in top100 again.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is an ambitious goal for her,
when her best ranking, at number 19 in the world, arrived 12 years ago. But she
is not afraid of trying.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 398.7pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Just don’t underestimate me with
the age. The age is nothing so I try to enjoy and have fun in the court though.
But actually I have Kimiko Date as my idol so… if she is still fighting I can
still play too!”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-8729575475848513272014-07-15T18:34:00.000+02:002014-07-15T18:34:46.939+02:00The Ethics and Hard Work of Sharon Fichman<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While most tennis fans are probably associating
Canada
with the rising star of Eugenie Bouchard, the Canadians are witnessing the
constant improvement of a former very promising junior, who is now proving
herself in the big tour: Sharon Fichman.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/14388166563_471e341fe0_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/14388166563_471e341fe0_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The 23 year old girl from Toronto has this year reached her career’s
best ranking at world number 77, confirming once again her constant improvement
over the years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She made her top 100 debut during this 2014 and
she clearly means to stay, as her results keep improving week after week. In a
lovely and relaxed chat, she explained me how this all could happen:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“It’s a lot of things, you can’t just pin point
one thing,” she said. “You know, I work really hard and I know a lot of girl on
tour do too, but I just try to be one of the hardest workers and every day I
like to look back and make sure that I did my absolute best with whatever I had
and I think that’s probably the biggest factor in the way my tennis is going,
in my attitude.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“My team is great, you know, I love working with
my coach: he is fantastic, he believes in me, I believe in him and, you know,
he is not here with me this week, I have someone else with me and he is doing a
great job. You just plan you work and work you plan and that’s it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/14366817154_58447db97c_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/14366817154_58447db97c_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fichman has a great defensive game,
characterized by a remarkable footwork and fast movements, but what has
improved a lot over the years is her anticipation and how much flatter her
shots are. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Despite being 1.63m tall (5ft4), her serve has
improved dramatically and so the power of her groundstrokes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This combination of defensive and offensive
abilities has led to results equally as good on all surfaces and against a
variety of opponents.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“The biggest thing for me is that, you know, I
have my game style, I have my objectives and my goals when I’m playing, no
matter the surface,” she explained to me. “You know, you still stick to your
core values when you are playing; of course you have to make some few
adjustments, a few tweaks, that’s natural, and I do that at the best of my
ability. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“But in the end I focus on myself because that’s
all I can control, that’s really all I can ask out of myself today.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Earlier this spring, as an epitome to this
improvements, she won her first $100,000 event in Cagnes-sur-Mer and then came very
close to upsetting Jelena Jankovic at Roland Garros. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Despite the loss, she took lots of positives
out of that match and, like you would expect from such a fierce personality, an
additional motivation for the future.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“It’s great to have had that experience, I’m
very disappointed still, that I lost, I thought that it was close and I had my
chances,” she admitted. “At 3-3 in the third, I had a break point I didn’t
convert, I learnt from it and next time I’ll just be more prepared, be ready.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3892/14364986221_cffe45924c_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3892/14364986221_cffe45924c_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I look forward to playing her and other top
players again and learning from my mistakes and correcting it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I’m always looking forward, how can I get
better, how can I improve and I know that one of the things that comes along
with improving is you have better opponents. Obviously every single person you
play on every given day, you know, anything can happen, everyone is out there
to win and compete hard and fight, but of course as you play bigger events
you’re gonna play players that are more accomplished in their careers and I
expect a tough battle every time I’m gonna play such players.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite
her lovely Canadian accent when speaking and her undeniably big love for her
home country –as much as she named “making history with the Canadian team” as
one of her best memories on a tennis court-, if you happen to follow one of her
matches, you will soon realize that her way of cheering for points comes from
somewhere else.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“My family, my background is eastern European:
they are Romanian and Hungarian, so “haide” is “c’mon” in Romanian, so… I don’t
know, it’s something that, growing up with my parents coming to matches
supporting me, sometimes they would just say something in another language and
I guess it just stuck with me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3918/14388135003_7d52d2596b_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3918/14388135003_7d52d2596b_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I don’t speak other than English, well, my
French is decent, my Hungarian is decent, you know, my Romanian ehmmm…” and she
paused herself with a funny face.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So where does she go from here?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I don’t like putting numbers on things because
you can’t control numbers,” she said. “You know, it’s such a cliché-answer but
I just want to keep improving every day and I want to get more confident. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I’m confident on my ability but I just want to
keep doing it every time I’m on court and keep pushing myself, you know, and
put myself in tougher situations and come out of it the best I can. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I just want to keep playing bigger tournaments
and improving and learning and getting better and I think that, at the end of
the day, it is the most important thing. I think that is gonna get me to the
numbers and, you know, the ranking and the seeding and all that stuff that
comes with them.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Surely tennis fans will look for her names
during the American summer on hard courts, including the home event of the Rogers
Cup in Montreal.
But, as she said, there is one event that cannot compare with others for her:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I love playing at home, but I think my
favorite, the one that I enjoy, you know, I always look back on - and I think
it’s just the city and everything - I love the Us Open, I love New York City. It’s super
fun, it’s just a great place." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The most remarkable aspect of this tenacious
girl came about in the very last question I asked. There are lots of players
that have great work ethics, but it is not as frequent to see such a great
passion for the sport and yet respect for the opponents as she honestly
expressed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3882/14364643061_dd8ce8fbe7_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3882/14364643061_dd8ce8fbe7_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She named many girls when I asked about her best
friends on tour: Maria Sanchez, Johanna Konta, Olga Savchuk. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Then she added: “I mean, let me be honest with
you, this is such a tough career path and I respect everybody that chooses to
do it. You know, because it is such a difficult career path, you needs some
remarkable people along the way and I’m fortunate to know a lot of people that
kinda are on the same path as me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I hope they see me in that way too and it’s
hard to just pinpoint a handful of people, but overall there are great people
on tour, guys and girls.”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Nottingham, Regno Unito52.954783199999987 -1.158108599999991452.801723699999989 -1.4808320999999913 53.107842699999985 -0.83538509999999144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-79894423123368126192014-06-24T14:15:00.004+02:002014-06-24T14:15:56.880+02:00Christina McHale's way back to the top<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After a
difficult 2013 when injuries and the recovery from mononucleosis held her back,
Christina McHale is finally bouncing back in this 2014, looking as determined
as never before.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A small
injury slowed her preparation for Wimbledon, as in the last training session
before the ITF event of Nottingham, she slipped during sprints, falling heavily
on her hand, which did not let her play for a couple of days.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The healing
took a few days, but she managed to compete the following weeks, coming to Wimbledon with a bunch of matches played on green.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“It is
definitely going in the right direction,” she said: “I think it was the right
decision to pull out of Nottingham, because I
was in quite a lot a pain, but I think it’s slowly getting better again.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Having
proved to be an all-round player with several good performances in each slam
and on every surface, the girl from New
Jersey has her worst wins-losses ratio on grass.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Christina_McHale_Wimbledon_2012.jpg/684px-Christina_McHale_Wimbledon_2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Christina_McHale_Wimbledon_2012.jpg/684px-Christina_McHale_Wimbledon_2012.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <b>©</b> Carine06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I mean, I
think part of the reason is ‘cause there are not many tournaments on grass,”
she explained: “So I feel like by the time I get really used to it, it’s over.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“But, well
two years ago, I did make a third round in Wimbledon,
so I do feel I have had good matches on the grass, probably just not enough
matches.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Since that
2012 when she reached the third round in three consecutive slams, she had been
struggling with a serious form of mono, that seemed to arrest her improvements.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“It was
tough…it’s really like something some people don’t really realize, that once
you actually get over it, then the time you need to get back in full strength
takes a long time,” she said with a slightly trembling voice, a sign of how
hard it has been for her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“So, I
think I’m so happy to be over that and I think also I’m back now working with
my old coaches again it is making many differences as well.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And the
difference is that this year she came very close to capturing her very first
WTA title, as she reached her first final in Acapulco, losing in three sets to Australian
Open runner-up, Dominika Cibulkova.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“ I think
I’m getting closer, that was definitely a very close match, it was a really
good week for me,” she acknowledged.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“And then,
you know, like in Strasbourg,
I made the semis and almost made the final as I had a match point. I’m putting
myself in more opportunities and I think the more I’ll do that, it’ll just
naturally come on its own.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Not only
the first title is coming closer, but her old habit of upsetting big names –she
has wins over Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki and Svetlana Kuznetsova- is
about to come back too, as testified by her match against Maria Sharapova in
Madrid, when she was a break up in the decisive set.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I
definitely took a lot away from that match even though I lost,” she admitted:
“It was disappointing. But it reassured myself that I can compete against the
top girls, and it gave me confidence and in my next matches in Rome I carried that over. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“So I took
a lot from that and hopefully, yeah, I can just keep building and improving my
game and hopefully get there, one day.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After her
big battles this year and the surprising results of many up and coming youngsters
at Roland Garros, more and more players believe that beating the top names is
not impossible after all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I think,
when you see someone, you know, like the top seeds pulling out against players
that are around my age or that I’ve played against. So you think, if they can
do it, then I can do it too. So it’s really inspirational to see them doing
such things,” she said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Christina_McHale_Mercury_Insurance_Open_2012_(2).jpg/800px-Christina_McHale_Mercury_Insurance_Open_2012_(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Christina_McHale_Mercury_Insurance_Open_2012_(2).jpg/800px-Christina_McHale_Mercury_Insurance_Open_2012_(2).jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>©</b></span> Christian Mesiano</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Moreover,
the new wave of American youngsters doing well is a great support.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I
definitely think so, there is a lot of us, who are trying to push through right
now,” she admitted: “A lot of the Americans girls we practice together in Boca,
in Florida…so it’s really a competition, we push each other every day, so I
think that has really helped us and, yeah, I think especially Sloane, she is
really doing well a lot, Madison, Lauren, me… so I think it’s like kinda
pushing each other.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But it is
not just a matter of training, there is also a good relationship that grew
stronger with the years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I think
that American girls in general get along really well,” she said: “I think we,
you know…obviously if we play each other it’s a different story, we are rivals.
But I think that off the court we get along pretty well, I mean, we see each
other all the time, so it’s nice to have, you know, friendships with them.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Having
achieved the same success in all the slams and so in all surfaces, one would
expect her to find it hard to pick a favourite one, but she has no doubts about
it:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“It’s
hardcourt. I just feel the most comfortable on it cause I grew up playing on
hardcourt. But I mean, yeah, I’d say clay it’s my second and then maybe grass
is my third for right now, but it could change.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Also tournament
wise, the choice was easy:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“The Us
Open! Yeah, I don’t have to think about it. I actually live really close to
that, like 20 minutes away. So I used to practice there all the time, so for me
it’s like my home tournament. I really love it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Around the
world is very common for players whose native language is not English to
communicate with coaches in that language, but not so for the 22 year old, who
speaks a beautiful Spanish during the changeovers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“My mum is
Cuban,” she explained: “My physio is Argentinean and my coach is also
Argentinean, so yeah, I speak Spanish a lot to them and to my mum.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She also
told me that speaking Spanish, even in the world of tennis, can come in hand
very often:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Yeah, I
mean, it was useful in Madrid, like, I just communicate in Acapulco and Mexico,
like I just communicate with everyone and all the people there or also many
players speak Spanish, so that’s really helpful and all in that aspect.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Despite the
young age, she has had a great deal of experiences, but there is one that so
far is her most memorable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8145/7105323393_70c406e673_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8145/7105323393_70c406e673_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>©</b></span></span> Aleksandr Osipov</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I would
say I go with the Olympics. That was really really cool, like nothing has
compared to that, like the opening ceremony and just being with all the other
athletes, it was unreal, yeah.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So after a
look back, it is time to look ahead and what lies in her future plans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I mean, I
definitely would… I want to try and win a WTA tournament, that would be a good
goal for me.” She admitted: “But I mean, if I just keep on working on the same
way I’ve been working, just really focus on what I need to improve and get more
power in my game, things like that. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I feel
like naturally the results will start coming. So, yeah, that would be like my tournament-wise
goal, but on a more day to day basis it is just doing the right things, my
fitness, my tennis every day.”</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Londra, Regno Unito51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-17042984184026145462014-06-06T23:29:00.000+02:002014-06-06T23:29:02.112+02:00Postmatch interview with Marcos Baghdatis - Nottingham QF<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">-How are
you feeling today?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHnEWUTSnH4/U5IxCj7eJuI/AAAAAAAAArM/TNAKOQ3Xpf4/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHnEWUTSnH4/U5IxCj7eJuI/AAAAAAAAArM/TNAKOQ3Xpf4/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Great, I
mean, I’ve had to good matches today, the first was not as good, but the second
was the one that I have got the rhythm after the first one. So now I am feeling
great.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">- Is everything
alright after your fall in one of the last few games? You slipped on the grass
and then hold your thigh…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I was only
scared a bit, but nothing </span>serious and now I am feeling good, so that is the
most important thing.<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">- After
going through many physical problems in the past few years, how are you feeling
right now?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Great, you
know, I’ve had some troubles lately, in the past year…and a half I can say, you
know, some health problems, but now I am feeling good and you know, what is in
the past is in the past, so I am looking forward to the future and I am feeling
everything is fine with my body, so it is great!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">-How does
it feel to be back in the ATP Challenger tour after having been at the top of
the game?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ErKfGli2GA/U5IxsiABtLI/AAAAAAAAArU/6UDOW_Cn6M8/s1600/IMG_0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ErKfGli2GA/U5IxsiABtLI/AAAAAAAAArU/6UDOW_Cn6M8/s1600/IMG_0244.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, you
know, matches are matches. For sure this is a tough challenger, one of the
toughest, but I decided to come here at the last minute, just to play matches,
especially because on grass we don’t really have that many tournaments on
grass. So, I can’t but say I am happy because I am winning matches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">-So what is
coming next for you?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Queens!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Nottingham, Regno Unito52.954783199999987 -1.158108599999991452.801723699999989 -1.4808320999999913 53.107842699999985 -0.83538509999999144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-3943400599196509062014-06-06T11:08:00.000+02:002014-06-06T11:08:33.058+02:00Post-match interviews with Melanie Oudin and Michelle Larcher de Brito<h3>
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<h3>
</h3>
<br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Post match
Interview with Melanie Oudin</span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-Congrats
for your win today! How does it feel to be back on grass, where you have done
so well in the past?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-miUYohHMAkM/U5GCsaJYVKI/AAAAAAAAApg/yykvp0XSSBE/s1600/IMG_0404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-miUYohHMAkM/U5GCsaJYVKI/AAAAAAAAApg/yykvp0XSSBE/s1600/IMG_0404.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s good,
I mean, I love the grass. Obviously I’ve done well in past but every year it is
tough…this is the first tournament of the year on it and I have never done well
here actually. I had some tough rounds here in the past, plus I played Heather
(Watson) last year in the first round. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I think I’m
really solid so far, I’m serving really well and returning well, I mean that’s
the most important thing on the grass. I’m so far so good, I mean, I’m really
happy with how I played my past two matches, so hopefully I can get some
momentum and be able to play the same again tomorrow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- Obviously
it is not easy for you after the bad injury during the off season. How are you
feeling right now?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Good, I
mean, it was a long time out so I just need to play a lot of matches. I mean,
this is the best consistent I have played, these past two matches, like I just
need the match to play, you know, I mean for being out for so long, I mean,
everyone is playing the whole year so I’m pretty fresh and I’m definitely
looking forward to playing a lot of matches in this grass season.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olM6w1F8Bt4/U5GCzEk1sfI/AAAAAAAAApo/BjQDnspTir4/s1600/IMG_0409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olM6w1F8Bt4/U5GCzEk1sfI/AAAAAAAAApo/BjQDnspTir4/s1600/IMG_0409.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-What is
next on your schedule now?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Birmingham</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> and then Wimbledon in the qualies, so, you never know, I mean if you
win this tournament or you do well on the grass, like I know Wimbledon
has WCs to give away. So yeah, I mean, it would be awesome if I could do well
enough to get one maybe, but if not playing Wimbledon
qualies is fine, like I said, I just need the matches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-What about
the goals for the rest of the season?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Right now I
just need to be patient with myself and, you know, getting into tournaments,
like really get my focus back, because I played so up and down lately, but,
yeah I mean, my goal is to get back in top100 again, you know, I want to try by
the US Open to be top100 again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nVTcmHMgNUk/U5GC2al8RSI/AAAAAAAAApw/hYeVkormjds/s1600/IMG_0429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nVTcmHMgNUk/U5GC2al8RSI/AAAAAAAAApw/hYeVkormjds/s1600/IMG_0429.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-Are you
optimistic about a WC for the home slam?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I don’t
know, last year I didn’t get one, so I’m not sure, I mean, I think honestly for
me right now it’s better to play qualies, like I need to earn my way again and
just get those matches, you know, and might be ready for those top players in
the main draw.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Post match
Interview with Michelle Larcher de Brito</span></h3>
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-Congratulations
for such a big fight today, how are you feeling?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iby0IE3ldwU/U5GDC_e6C3I/AAAAAAAAAp4/34CZfxvpyFs/s1600/IMG_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iby0IE3ldwU/U5GDC_e6C3I/AAAAAAAAAp4/34CZfxvpyFs/s1600/IMG_0465.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So far so
good. I’ve had two tough matches and I am just glad I’ve past two rounds and,
you know, it gets better every day and I start feeling more comfortable on the
grass.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- You have
done well on this surface in the past, do you like it a lot?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yeah, it’s
nice and fast, so it really suits my game, you know, I play very flat and it
helps me, playing on the grass. It is little tricky obviously cause you are
kinda nervous about falling and getting injured. I once fell and I was out for
three months, so it’s a little scary to play but it’s very nice surface and I
think it suits my game.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-After
breaking through so young, like you did, how hard it is to confirm your status
and stay on the top of the game?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I don’t
know, it’s like, you come out and you are the underdog, nobody knows you and
it’s kinda easy, you know, to win few matches because nobody really knows you
at first, but once people get to know you, they study your game, they get to
know you better so then obviously players come up more prepared knowing your
weaknesses. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But you
know, it’s ok, I mean, it’s part of tennis, a lot of people have ups and downs,
and you know, I’m just trying to keep my best and stay happy . I’ve just got to
stay positive and keep going and stay happy no matter what happens.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UUTodYQLm4A/U5GDFuKEVsI/AAAAAAAAAqA/9UbO_5SvrEA/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UUTodYQLm4A/U5GDFuKEVsI/AAAAAAAAAqA/9UbO_5SvrEA/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">- The match
was very tough, you’ve been up 5-2, Coco
(Vandeweghe) seemed out of the match, but on every match point she came up with stunning
winners. How hard is it to stay focused when such things happen?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’ve just
tried to stay as calm as possible, it was really hard at one stage. You know,
even though you’re winning, you know, it’s tough to close it out, it’s always
the hardest part of the match, the end, you know. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’ve got
really nervous but I’ve just tried to stay as calm as possible and keep
fighting. And it was very nerve wracking but, you know, I’ve just wanted things
start working, you know, tried to stay calmer. Sometimes you let out the
frustration a little bit but, you know, I’m glad, I’m very glad… you know, I’m
not happy that happened but sometimes I’m glad that such things happen because
I’m teaching myself to remain calm, I don’t need to freak out ‘cause, you know,
I’m in the winning end, so stay calm and walk through.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">-What are
your goals for this season on grass then?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c9lhUjlivDA/U5GDOcjfZWI/AAAAAAAAAqI/jcHLx6qx1HI/s1600/IMG_0593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c9lhUjlivDA/U5GDOcjfZWI/AAAAAAAAAqI/jcHLx6qx1HI/s1600/IMG_0593.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I don’t
know, you know, just win as many matches as possible, I was here trying to get
as many points as possible before Wimbledon,
also because I have so many points to defend there. So, you know, I’m just
trying to get confident on the grass and feel better about my game and just do
my best.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 193.55pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 193.55pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>-What about the rest of the season?</b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><b> </b> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You never
know what is gonna happen, I’m just trying to work on my game and trying to do
my best,. You know, I’d love to… I’m really close to be in the top 100 so it
would be nice to get back there but, you know, I’m just trying to work on
everything and just, you know, do my best. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There’s
nothing else you can do, you know, tennis is such a tricky game, so you have to
just get, you know, remain as confident as possible and get out all you can do
and that is it all.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Nottingham, Regno Unito52.954783199999987 -1.158108599999991452.801723699999989 -1.4808320999999913 53.107842699999985 -0.83538509999999144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-54875450944601840462014-06-06T02:32:00.000+02:002014-06-06T02:34:09.266+02:00The ITF Nottingham experience: Day 2<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My second
day at ITF Nottingham was absolutely great: a lot of action, some nice
interviews and a bit of drama.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">If by any
chance you can read Italian or trust google translate for the job, you might
find a more serious and longer piece on the day <a href="http://www.spaziotennis.com/2014/06/diario-di-bordo-da-nottingham-2/">here.</a></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RfiyYVcVVd0/U5EH5V08rPI/AAAAAAAAAng/UU1fdKly6Rc/s1600/IMG_0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RfiyYVcVVd0/U5EH5V08rPI/AAAAAAAAAng/UU1fdKly6Rc/s1600/IMG_0049.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moore vs the rain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">To summarise
the day quickly, because it is well past midnight and tomorrow I have another
long day to cover, the day was smashing. It started with the weather being a
bit dodgy, but it definitely improved later on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As for me
it started with a nice chat-interview with Christina McHale, which will be out
soon –I’ll keep you updated with that-, who told me that she had finally
started hitting again and despite the pain, she is happy and confident for the
upcoming weeks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I then
watched Madison Keys hitting with Lauren Davis and it was nice, though Keys was
not very centred, but her forehand was absolutely stunning at times. Davis is also nice to
watch as her shots seems to be always landing in the last 20cm of the court.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pISHZK_xUQM/U5EIFhqHrmI/AAAAAAAAAno/7EvtTxHuXPw/s1600/IMG_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pISHZK_xUQM/U5EIFhqHrmI/AAAAAAAAAno/7EvtTxHuXPw/s1600/IMG_0072.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cox has some great game for grass!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That was on
some hardcourts, funnily enough, on the courts next to them, British Tara More
was trying to dry the concrete with not much success, so that after some nice
15 minutes of work she gave up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">From actual
tennis matches, I watched the first set between Daniel Evans and Daniel Cox. Though
Evans won in two 7-5 sets, I was not very impressed by his game, not as much as
Cox’s at least.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Cox could
be the unknown underdog to make a (small) surprise if he is given a WC in one
of the next grass events, including Wimbledon.
Nice solid from the back, good serve and obviously very used to the surface.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Who really
needs a lot more training on grass is Nick Kyrgios, who lost to Australian
qualifier John-Patrick Smith in straights, looking completely unable to move
nor adjust to the low bounces.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agxoUEBp-SM/U5EI6-lKidI/AAAAAAAAAoA/AYRLFYHhYCc/s1600/IMG_0306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agxoUEBp-SM/U5EI6-lKidI/AAAAAAAAAoA/AYRLFYHhYCc/s1600/IMG_0306.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnson vs the net</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thumbs up
for Steve Johnson instead. He won his opening match in two comfortable sets
against crowd favourite James Ward.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The American
has a massive serve, good forehand and his backhand slice works perfectly on
grass, his movements need some work on, as he kept slipping and once even
crashed into and almost over the net trying to get to a dropshot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On the women’s
tournament I will give just a few flashes for each of the match I followed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Kristyna
Pliskova is clearly finding wins again on grass because it is the only surface
where she does not have to move much, nor use her backhand a lot. She generally
needs to hit her first serve in and she can definitely do that. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C1ttKOXXkgA/U5EIYG5c3QI/AAAAAAAAAnw/b7q9HgtvSUU/s1600/IMG_0125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C1ttKOXXkgA/U5EIYG5c3QI/AAAAAAAAAnw/b7q9HgtvSUU/s1600/IMG_0125.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dunne and her Vika-vibe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Her opponent,
the young Katy Dunne was a nice surprise: despite looking 15, she actually is
19. She reminds me of a young Azarenka, because of her look, her game and her
on-court tantrums. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Her biggest problem is that she is some 20cm shorter and way
thinner, she has a nice game and could develop in the future.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Both
Melanie Oudin and Sharon Fichman impressed me in a positive way: they both won
their matches easily against good grass-courters and they both played some very
inspiring tennis.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Oudin was
radiant as we talked after her match. After the physical problems she is truly enthusiastic
of winning matches again, playing some nice too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I think I’ve been really solid so
far,” she said: “I’m serving really well and returning well, I mean that’s the
most important thing on the grass. I’m so far so good, I mean, I’m really happy
with how I played my past matches so hopefully I will be able to play like this
again tomorrow.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Fichman,
who is the highest seed left, played very well as well and it looked very
confident out there in dealing with the powerful shots of Vesna Dolonc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Canadian
closed in two showing how her flat strokes can do a lot of damage on grass,
despite their speed may not be as high.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kC6q8PEimD4/U5EIsMA_s9I/AAAAAAAAAn4/xanEdqxcA8k/s1600/IMG_0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kC6q8PEimD4/U5EIsMA_s9I/AAAAAAAAAn4/xanEdqxcA8k/s1600/IMG_0175.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fichman vs Dolonc</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The lowest
quality, but one of the greatest intensity was reached by the match between
Irina Falconi and Eleni Daniilidou. The American easily got the first set for
6-0, then she suffered the return of the Greek and finally disappeared mentally
especially. 0-6 6-4 6-0 the final score for the former champion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The last
match of the day for me was an epic three set battle between Coco Vandeweghe
and Michelle Larcher de Brito.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SRlYE7v_Ba0/U5EJNWW1cdI/AAAAAAAAAoI/j53bcJ5PnY4/s1600/IMG_0356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SRlYE7v_Ba0/U5EJNWW1cdI/AAAAAAAAAoI/j53bcJ5PnY4/s1600/IMG_0356.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did not write that, but Kontaveit looks like young Masha!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was epic
in many senses, but ultimately for the horrible and yet entertaining attitude
showed by the New Yorker in the third set, when things were going in favor of
the Portuguese. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Let’s make
it clear, I like Vandeweghe and I do believe that her strokes are genuinely
among the most beautiful of the WTA tour in terms of smoothness and aesthetics.
But in the third set, she would have got a good use of a cold shower or alike.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She played
very erratic and brainless points just for the sake of implementing her
negative aura, just to save several match points with sensational winners.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KQk83GUV35s/U5EJdQ2XLGI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/s_kHBtgai4A/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KQk83GUV35s/U5EJdQ2XLGI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/s_kHBtgai4A/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">very nice to see Mel back!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She came
back from 5-2 down despite throwing tantrums including a smashed chair, a
flying visor and a out-of-the-blue second serve ace probably faster than any
other serve of her match, just after she had netted the slowest of her second
serves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As said
above, she came back to 5-5, but then surrendered again, this time for good,
especially in the last service game, where she hit two double faults and
basically refused to chase the other two returns.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Massive credits
to Larcher de Brito though, she was the only one believing she could turn the
match around after the first set and so she did, playing a very solid and yet
aggressive game.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b11pWkaAMCQ/U5EJzesHNfI/AAAAAAAAAoY/RnDDiWU46sk/s1600/IMG_0521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b11pWkaAMCQ/U5EJzesHNfI/AAAAAAAAAoY/RnDDiWU46sk/s1600/IMG_0521.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larcher de Brito </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After the
match she said: “I’ve just tried to stay as calm as possible, it was really
hard at some stages. You know, even though you’re winning, it’s tough to close
it out, it’s always the hardest part of the match, the end, you know.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I’ve got
really nervous,but I’ve just tried to stay as calm as possible and keep
fighting. And it was very nerve wracking but, you know, I’ve just wanted and tried
to stay calmer.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Tomorrow it
will be a big day with both the quarters and the semis being played. Stay
tuned!</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7_yzfD4fnJk/U5EKGTb7v5I/AAAAAAAAAog/YRgOB4VQtkE/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7_yzfD4fnJk/U5EKGTb7v5I/AAAAAAAAAog/YRgOB4VQtkE/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice tantrum by Coco</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Nottingham, Regno Unito52.954783199999987 -1.158108599999991452.801723699999989 -1.4808320999999913 53.107842699999985 -0.83538509999999144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-8141847183772096932014-06-05T00:02:00.001+02:002014-06-05T00:02:19.437+02:00The ITF Nottingham experience: Day 1<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The grass
season is finally to kick in. I have been waiting for this moment ever since I
moved to London
in September. Why? Because it means five weeks of tennis and tennis only for
me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Furthermore,
it is my first time watching grass tennis live and there absolutely is
something magical about.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vq9ttWmD2vA/U4-U_vZLT5I/AAAAAAAAAlk/eUSvdfIIdQY/s1600/IMG_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vq9ttWmD2vA/U4-U_vZLT5I/AAAAAAAAAlk/eUSvdfIIdQY/s1600/IMG_0206.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The venue in one, rare, rain-free moment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Reaching
Nottingham was not bad, or better, once I managed to travel across London it was very fine,
but before that I had to face <b>what Londoners call the “morning commute”, or as
I call it, the first nightmare of the day.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For the
ones who are not familiar with it, at around 7.30am everyone in the city goes
out of his homes and starts his trip to whichever place they have to go. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
natural results are crazy traffic jam and extremely packed trains and tube.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In all
these months, I came to accept it, but I think there will be no way I will ever
stop hating Vauxhall station in these moments.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But in the
end, after the <b>morning tradition of having my name massively badly spelled on
my Starbucks’s coffee</b>, I got on my train to Nottingham
and the journey finally became pleasant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Sadly the dark
clouds travelling with me were not promising anything good for the day outdoor
and even more miserably they kept their promise and it stopped raining for good
only about now, 10pm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My “debut”
on grass will be postponed to tomorrow, but my day did not go wasted, because
the tournament officials decided to play as many doubles’ matches indoors as
possible.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kkoJETP6fSo/U4-UkQL47GI/AAAAAAAAAlU/ZP-7x2TQKz4/s1600/IMG_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kkoJETP6fSo/U4-UkQL47GI/AAAAAAAAAlU/ZP-7x2TQKz4/s1600/IMG_0173.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very pleased by how Sanchez plays</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The funniest
and most intense match of the day was surely the continuation of Coco
<b>Vandeweghe</b>-Olivia <b>Rogowska</b> against Sharon <b>Fichman</b>-Maria<b> Sanchez</b>. The second
team was leading one set to none when the match was resumed, but it was clear that
the American-Australian duo was not to give up easily.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On 5-4 <b>the New
Yorker faced a match point behind her serve</b>, but she was gutsy in saving it
with a tricky second serve, that found Sanchez off the balance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The shadow
of the wasted chance bothered the Californian, who was broken for the first
time in the set to give Rogowska the chance to serve it out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Australian
did it with personality and the match went to a deciding super-tie, where
Fichman fired up, showing great personality and charisma.<b> The Canadian led her
mate into a comeback, which resulted in the final 13-11 for them</b>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The winning
team later on played again, but this time their win over Saisai Zheng and Magda
Linette was easier: 6-4 6-4.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">From the
ATP Challenger, I had the chance to watch the practice and later the doubles’
match of one of the most intriguing American promises:<b> Ryan Harrison</b>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After the
very first few minutes of his training, one can see why he has received so much
attention: <b>all the talent is there</b>, but what really impressed me was a much
calmer attitude and a great dedication to his training.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RdyATnaEtB0/U4-UQHYR0LI/AAAAAAAAAlM/UfZRYT3JDYk/s1600/IMG_0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RdyATnaEtB0/U4-UQHYR0LI/AAAAAAAAAlM/UfZRYT3JDYk/s1600/IMG_0047.JPG" height="183" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harrison showing courage, also for the clothes wearing in practice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">His volleying
was by far the part with the biggest need of work, but overall he looked very
focused and centred. Unsurprisingly a few hours later I’ve seen him and his
partner Kevin King upsetting the third seeds.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I was not
the only one watching him, as sitting next to me there was <b>Christina McHale</b>,
who was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury occurred while
training in Nottingham on Sunday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She told me
that she slipped on the grass doing sprints and fell badly on her wrist. She said
the<b> x-rays showed no fracture and she is healing fast,</b> but up to date she has
not hold the racked yet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She told me
she is confident she will be ready for Birmingham
anyway and she might even do a hitting session tomorrow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
<b>funniest moment of the day award goes definitely to Fichman</b>, who in the middle
of her match against Zheng-Linette was forced to hit four consecutive volleys,
but the last one never left her racket as the ball got stuck in the V. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxmDen4DxWw/U4-UpNtwGVI/AAAAAAAAAlc/JBbOQSup4nI/s1600/IMG_0126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxmDen4DxWw/U4-UpNtwGVI/AAAAAAAAAlc/JBbOQSup4nI/s1600/IMG_0126.JPG" height="224" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fichamn looked very determined in both her doubles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She looked
around for a second and then commented very loudly “<b>seriously</b>?!”, which
provoked a general laugh.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The <b>loudest
of the day award goes to Naomi Broady</b>, who in the last 10 minutes of her
doubles’ loss to Anne Smith and Jocelyn Rae completely lost her cool and start
to shout at the umpire after every single dubious call.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My day
ended with a great interview with Fichman and then a massive pizza, which in
all honesty was not that great, but I was hungry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The interview
will be up as soon as possible. <b>Good night and good tennis</b> for tomorrow, with
the hope that sun will shine and finally I will see some grass tennis!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Nottingham, Regno Unito52.954783199999987 -1.158108599999991452.801723699999989 -1.4808320999999913 53.107842699999985 -0.83538509999999144tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-85161989657010313242014-06-03T11:03:00.000+02:002014-06-03T11:03:08.446+02:00Romana Tabak and her new faith in future <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Romana
Caroline Tabak is a name that does not sound new to tennis experts and many
fans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MZbl8UZbK8A/U42Ot4WzSvI/AAAAAAAAAes/cxXlUU5MQ7Y/s1600/20140531_194437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MZbl8UZbK8A/U42Ot4WzSvI/AAAAAAAAAes/cxXlUU5MQ7Y/s1600/20140531_194437.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Slovak,
born in 1991, is a former junior Wimbledon
semi-finalist, her career best ranking as a professional player came a couple
of years ago, when she reached the number 240, but ever since she has almost
disappeared.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Having
conquered the hearts of many fans –and not only, as many remember a rumoured
story with Grigor Dimitrov- thanks to her beauty and aggressive tennis, Tabak
played her last ITF match in September 2012, but her problems had begun way
before.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The 23 year
old had struggled with injuries in her first few years as a pro and when things
started to pick up, she contracted a severe form of Lyme disease during a successful
series of tournaments in America.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The fall in
the ranking and the struggle to heal properly left her with no sponsors and so
playing tennis became more and more hard for her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“As I was
forced to deal with a high stage of Lyme disease and no sponsors, my
parents have been more for studying on college after all those injuries,” she
told me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zn_GnpK6D1s/U42OsRxqy-I/AAAAAAAAAek/27-yqXnRh-s/s1600/20140530_183614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zn_GnpK6D1s/U42OsRxqy-I/AAAAAAAAAek/27-yqXnRh-s/s1600/20140530_183614.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Pictures credits to: Martin Halik</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“I am
currently studying in New York, where I play
college matches against other schools and we travel a lot, so I had time to
explore New York
and other states.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She was not
too sure when she left for the States, but she told me how things suddenly
changed in her life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“Now I feel
great,” she said: “I see life from different perspective. After I stopped playing
tennis, God blessed me and I started to believe in Jesus Christ for this
blessing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“I’m so
thankful my life is so much easier and full of joy. After studying maybe I will
return to professional tennis, depends on how I will feel and how the situation
will be.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0oFykAc_8dk/U42OwHeEPyI/AAAAAAAAAe0/AHZW0YotScg/s1600/20140601_122005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0oFykAc_8dk/U42OwHeEPyI/AAAAAAAAAe0/AHZW0YotScg/s1600/20140601_122005.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She added:
“With God everything is possible, sky is the limit. I was really surprised how
many successful people such as Michael Chang, Bono from U2, American football
team Seattle Seahawks, who won Super Bowl this year, Johnny Cash and many
others are true believers...it’s amazing!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“To all my
friends who are coming to visit New York, I
recommend to come to Times Square
Church and see the
amazing sermons.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She used
her free time for charity too. She said: “I had the chance, last year in India,
to be part of a mission trip, where we served and helped sick and poor people.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Does that
mean that we will never see her fighting for her childhood dream of becoming a
top tennis player? Maybe not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“I am
missing competitive life and co-operation with my coach Martin Zathurecky,” she
said: “Tennis is pure joy for me since I was a young girl. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“Tennis taught
me what love is, tennis gave me the ability to travel around the world and
explore other cultures. Tennis keeps me living my dream and kept me from living
the life that any other teenager did.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She know
that a comeback would be hard, after many injuries she knows what it is like: “The
hardest thing is the lack of confidence and on top of that you are scared that
you may get injured again.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LCcNzBThOGI/U42OqkgG9lI/AAAAAAAAAec/B6MHndJWZEg/s1600/20140530_110044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LCcNzBThOGI/U42OqkgG9lI/AAAAAAAAAec/B6MHndJWZEg/s1600/20140530_110044.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is not a
comeback, but the past weekend she came back to Europe and played in the German
Regional-liga for the <span class="null">LTTC Rot-Weiß Berlin, where she won her
debut match over Carolin Schmidt, world number 1263, 6-1 6-1.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“I enjoyed
every moment in my tennis career, even when I was up or down,” she said: “So
now I would like to graduate and after my studies, maybe, I will return to
tennis, but for sure at some point I would like to be in charge of charities,
serving and helping people and for sure one day to have a big family.”</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-41134138678838790212014-05-17T15:17:00.001+02:002014-05-17T15:18:12.987+02:00How I got duped by a top tennis player<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“This is so disrespectful” has been probably
the catchphrase of last year’s WTA season. The story behind it is famous, but
tension at times is not only between players.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Respect is more than a word, it is one of the
main teaching I was given in life: always respect the others and their work.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/XiHN4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i.imgur.com/XiHN4.gif" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am not saying it is easy to do, but one should
always try to respect others, especially in their professional life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Some people manage to remain faithful to this “naïve”
attitude, even when they reach success and wealth, but for others apparently it
is hard to and success leads to forgetting this principle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This article may be seen as a rant, which
probably is not far from true, but as in my view it is a way to make something
of months spent chasing a top player, who deceived me in a very unkind manner.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The life of a young and unknown sports
journalist is far from easy, as you may guess. It is hard to access big names,
which means it is hard to get your name on the pages of papers or big websites. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Making money out of your work is as hard, if not impossible, at the beginning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Passion supplies for all the sacrifices and I have
to admit, the majority of players are well aware of your struggle, so they are
extremely kind and helpful. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Truth is that the relation between journalists
and players is quite a strange one, as it runs on the edge of a knife because
of its nature of professional interests.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">However, both sides should and generally do
respect the other part and that’s how the all system works.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1544483_10154065994430468_1121233154085038154_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/1544483_10154065994430468_1121233154085038154_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a hard job, but passion is the fuel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When a top tennis player agreed for an
interview with me, I got extremely excited and fast organised everything, in
order to meet her: plane tickets, hotel and such.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Once on the place, she fulfilled her official
duties of press conferences, but for the whole time of my stay asked to
postpone the interview to another moment, because of different personal
reasons.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I always agreed, after all, she was doing me a
favour in sitting for a chat for some 15 minutes, but when the last day of the
event arrived, she texted me saying she did not feel well and had to rush to
the next tournament.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She gave me her email address, though, and
asked if we could do the interview via email. As I had no other chances, I reluctantly
agreed, because interviews via email are not as good as a one-to-one, but that
was it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I wrote her introducing myself and she kindly
replied very soon asking for a few more details about myself and the interview,
but after that email it was silence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t31.0-8/q73/s720x720/1009196_10202183705575573_325535275_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-a-cdg.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t31.0-8/q73/s720x720/1009196_10202183705575573_325535275_o.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">thankfully most players are not like that</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I sent her the questions several months ago and,
after that, a few emails congratulating her for the results she achieved and
asking for when I would get the answers back, because I had editors ready to
pay me for this interview.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Needless to say I never got a single word back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Let us ignore the money spent for the trip
organised last minute for her, let us ignore the income I will not be taking
thanks to this interview and the horrible situation I was put in as I had to
tell these editors I will not have the interview I was promised.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">What I feel the most is the classless lack of
respect this player gave me in return of the kindness I gave throughout the
months.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I will not name her, because I think it would
not be fair, not until I know her reasons behind this, the fact remains though.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thankfully, most of the players are not like
that.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Londra, Regno Unito51.508515 -0.1254871999999522851.192402 -0.77093419999995227 51.824628000000004 0.51995980000004771tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-77114167834877967072014-02-10T18:31:00.003+01:002014-02-10T18:31:58.618+01:00A chat with rising Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Still to
turn 20, <b>Anna Karolina Schmiedlova</b> has reached this week her career highest
ranking at number 73 in the world, but there is a lot more to expect from the
young Slovak.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Collecting the interview in Bratislava</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Having been
a very successful junior –she reached the final at Roland Garros in 2012- she
quickly translated her game to the professional tour with success.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Despite being
part of the Slovak team for the Fed Cup tie against Germany, she did not have
the chance to hit the court there, but nonetheless found the time for a short
talk between her team-mates’ matches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She told me
she was very happy about how things are going, but as well recognizes it has
been a difficult start of the season, because thanks to her new top 100 status
she has played more WTA tournaments, where the level is higher from the very
first rounds.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“It is
different to play WTA: they are very tough and I had to play some very good
players, while before I was playing in the ITF’s.” She said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“It is much
different because I can play in the first round against a top 20 or top10, like
this year in Pattaya, I got to play Sorana Cirstea, she is top 30, in my first
match…so it is difficult.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She sounded
very positive nonetheless and said to be ready for the challenge, but with a
touch of irony added:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“I hope to
get some better draws though, so I don’t always have to play against such good
players immediately. In round two or three is much better!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Anna_Schmiedlova_(SVK)_(9720876294).jpg/749px-Anna_Schmiedlova_(SVK)_(9720876294).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Anna_Schmiedlova_(SVK)_(9720876294).jpg/749px-Anna_Schmiedlova_(SVK)_(9720876294).jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credits to: <a class="external text" href="http://www.flickr.com/people/30595457@N00" rel="nofollow">robbiesaurus</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Having won
good matches on every surface, she has proven to be a all-round players, but
she still feels her best feelings are with clay:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“I change
surface a lot, but I think clay is my favourite. <b>Roland Garros is my favourite</b>
because I played final in the juniors and the clay there is very fast so it is
good for my game and I hope this year it is going to be the same as the years
before.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Her next
stops are in the Americas as
her schedule includes <b>Florianopolis</b> in Brazil and then the big events of <b>Indian Wells</b>
and <b>Miami</b>, but
before focusing on her future I asked her about her past and which were the
matches she was particularly proud of.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“Probably
last year at the Roland Garros, I beat <b>Yanina Wickmayer</b> and before that match
the qualification was really tough too.” She said surprisingly as I expected
her to mention her win over <b>Alizé Cornet</b> in Katowice, her first ever WTA main draw match
and best win in terms of ranking.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“Oh, yes…that
was a really good match as well, maybe I played even better than against
Wickmayer. I served really well and I feel this was one of my best matches
ever.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credits to: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sirobi/" id="yui_3_11_0_3_1392053464367_454">si.robi</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As she is
ready for many weeks away from Europe shortly
after the Australian swing, I ask her how does she feel about all the
travelling it is required to be a top tennis player.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Well, <b>I
like travelling, but some times it is just too much for me</b>, like I live in
Kosice so it is 5 hours from here, so it can be tough as I have my brother and
father there, which makes it even more difficult to stay here in Bratislava and
then all the travelling for tournaments as well can be just so tough.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She still
finds a familiar environment when training in the Slovakian capital as with her
lives her younger sister, who is also a promising name for the future.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“It is
really good because she lives here with me in Bratislava and we practice together and of
course support each other, so it is important for me to have her. Lately she
has been injured so it is not a great moment for her, but now she is coming
back so…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There is no
doubt that we will hear from her again in the future, because she has
everything it takes to keep improving in the years to come.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Bratislava, Slovacchia48.1458923 17.10713729999997747.8067913 16.461690299999976 48.4849933 17.752584299999977tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-39534224402450142372013-12-07T20:24:00.001+01:002013-12-07T20:27:00.564+01:00Why “pushers” are good for WTA?<br />
<br />
How many times have we heard tennis experts complaining about overly defensive players getting to the top of the world rankings?<br />
<br />
<br />
Solidity takes you to the top, but will not make you win slams. Or so they say.<br />
<br />
But is this really a bad thing for women’s tennis?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Radwanska_Reaching_a_Forehand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Radwanska_Reaching_a_Forehand.jpg" width="269" /></a>Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki have been world number ones for 85 weeks combined, Agnieska Radwanska has reached a slam final and peaked at world number two, Sara Errani has been a solid top 10 player with a slam final in Paris.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, thevmedia seems to crucify them and describe them as being one of the worst plagues in the history of tennis, but they are very wrong, and this is why:<br />
<br />
<br />
Let us take the Pole as an example.<br />
<br />
The older of the Radwanska sisters constantly receives a great amount of criticism by the press and yet she has won the Fans' Favourite award held by the WTA for three consecutive seasons.<br />
<br />
The 2012 Wimbledon finalist does not have the power to out-hit her physically stronger opponents, but her smart reading of the game and the variety of shots in her game-plan, often set her in a position of advantage against the one-dimensional ball strikers.<br />
<br />
<br />
Probably the hottest potato is Caroline Wozniacki though.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-01Us2N2HrqU/UqNzlsi238I/AAAAAAAAAS4/v_l4hAI0A0Y/s1600/Wozniacki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-01Us2N2HrqU/UqNzlsi238I/AAAAAAAAAS4/v_l4hAI0A0Y/s320/Wozniacki.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="caption">© Hillarie</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Dane has reigned on the top of the rankings for 67 weeks, finishing the season as world number one for two consecutive years. Amazing stats, but she has never won a slam title.<br />
<br />
The beautiful blonde player from Odense has probably attracted the most criticism a world number one has ever faced.<br />
<br />
Curiously, whenever she steps on court, the crowd, more often than not, sides with her, even now that she has fallen from grace and struggles to remain in the top 10.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Flickr_-_Carine06_-_Angelique_Kerber_wins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Flickr_-_Carine06_-_Angelique_Kerber_wins.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="caption">© </span>Matanya</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Wozniacki has got career wins against all the players currently in the top 10, but for most of the experts there is little merit in those wins, which were “handed to her by the errors of her opponents.”<br />
<br />
What often goes under the radar is the fact that the amazing defensive skills of the likes of Wozniacki force their opponents to always hit one or more additional balls.<br />
<br />
This consistency and athleticism exposes the weaknesses of most of the hard hitters and makes the matches more mentally demanding.<br />
<br />
One could say that they make their opponents play badly, which is not far from the truth. Their defensive game is the key to forcing opponents’ errors and at the end of the day, is that not just as much of a weapon as a massive forehand or deadly slice?<br />
<br />
Another argument in support of the “pushers” is given by their long-term consistency. Their rankings are based on numerous solid results and a level of play that may not peak as high as many other players on tour, but rarely sinks as low.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/SVhUZGnc5i8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe> Last, but not least, they provide a spectacle.<br />
It may seem a
paradox just after my point on their ability to make others play badly,
but when watching their matches, the intensity of their rallies and the
variety of solutions to turn defence into attack is what keeps the crowd
on the edge of their seats.<br />
<br />
A flashing return winner may result
in loud applause, but a long and intense rally, ending with a winner on
the run, makes the public jump and scream.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Originally posted on <a href="http://sportsgazette.co.uk/section.php?aid=991&sid=16" target="_blank">Sports Gazette</a> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Londra, Regno Unito51.511213899999987 -0.1198243999999704151.195100899999986 -0.7652713999999704 51.827326899999989 0.52562260000002958tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-414286506534050272013-11-16T19:43:00.000+01:002013-11-16T19:45:31.794+01:00Don't Dream It's Over - Calling It a Career<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On tv I see
the best athletes of the world, painting with their edges lines on the snow as poetic
as the verses of Shakespeare.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It has been
seven months since the last time I did the same. Maybe my edges were not
painting like Michelangelo and my moves not as smooth as Baryšnikov’s, but my
passion was there, as big as theirs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Today I am
in London,
miles away from the closest hint of snow, my skis are at home, sharpened and
waxed as if tomorrow there was another race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Tomorrow there
will be none, nor the day after, nor the one ahead…truth is that there won’t
ever be another.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is very
hard to come to this conclusion, because since I was as tall as a bonsai I’ve
dreamt of being one day the best of the world and bringing home an Olympic gold
won in downhill in front of home crowd in Tarvisio.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Childish? Yes,
but it was a strong desire, as strong that I decided to grow up early and once
15, move out of home and live and study in a ski college.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But I still
remember the time I broke into skiing, I was far from being good, I was quite a
disaster actually. My brother was the champion, I was more the likes of a mascot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SpyOh4422fY/Uoe6JEQJGVI/AAAAAAAAAQE/4YSSlOfL930/s1600/Campionati+regionali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SpyOh4422fY/Uoe6JEQJGVI/AAAAAAAAAQE/4YSSlOfL930/s400/Campionati+regionali.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks better than it actually was back then.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Yet, even
when results were not there, even when no one else was believing in my chances,
my brother would. He has always thought I had what it takes, even though he
would have never told me straight, he is not the kind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Soon I started
to believe in that too and fast from closing the rankings I started collecting
my first podiums and being talked not only for being “his brother”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The first
year on the international scene has been something I will always remember. It was
a mess, one of the most horrid winters I’ve ever seen: warm, rainy and
chanceless. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We all
beginners had no ranking first and whenever we could make it to an entry list,
bibs were always with 3 numbers and more often than not the first was a 2. Even
the very best of my age were struggling to make a breakthrough.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I hit some
form late in the season, I always did, no idea why. But in training things were
going well, I was feeling like never before and when the regional team called
me to go and race with them in Austria
for some speed events I was higher than cloud nine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I forgot to
tell, ever since I moved my first steps in the world of snow I was classified
as a “slittone”, meaning sledge, Italian skiers’ slang for gliding specialist. Maybe
because of my big body, maybe because of some natural talent, I’ve always
produced my best whenever the slope would go fast and the gates further.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For this
reason I was sure to be speed racer, for this reason my dream was an Olympic gold
in downhill.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h75ohSnHb7s/Uoe6_9FPUgI/AAAAAAAAAQU/Ev9ZrtU-Gj8/s1600/IMG_0610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h75ohSnHb7s/Uoe6_9FPUgI/AAAAAAAAAQU/Ev9ZrtU-Gj8/s400/IMG_0610.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With some school mates training.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I couldn’t
believe how ironic could my weekend be that time in Innerkrems. In 48 hours my
career somehow began and crumbled. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We had a
superg the first day, I was euphoric, I can’t remember much of that race, I remember
only a massive and horrible mistake on a very flat section, the rage in my
heart trying to make up for that in the last gates and the surprise watching my
time. I was one of the best of my age in that race, despite the error, despite
my being a no-one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The fairytale
lasted short though and it ended in 24 hours, when on the same slope we were
all doing the last training run before the downhill race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It was
snowing and it was quite dark, I was overconfident and decided not to give my
100% in the last two gates.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Isn’t it
ironic? The day before I gave my heart and soul on the same section, that day not
even half of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Suddenly something
happen, an edge grips on the fresh snow, the ski follows and so does the rest
of my left leg, while the right one and my body still aims at the finish line.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I scream. I
can’t even cry, I feel too much pain to cry while my body rolls down crossing
the finish line. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The time is
great, my knee is not. I am flight to the nearest hospital, where a while later
a doctor tells me a few words that I won’t ever forget: “A part from the meniscuses,
there’s not much safe in your knee.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Then later,
while my dad is helping me out of that place, the same doctor adds: “Don’t despair,
Herman Maier could come back, you can do it too.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Eventually,
further tests showed that the damage was not as big, but my recovery was far
from easy anyway.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Same day,
March the third, one year later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am at the
start of another speed race, National Junior Championships. My bib is good,
despite the season has been far from exciting.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_ZwyONb-ps/Uoe6il97_CI/AAAAAAAAAQM/Ge6pKPzL9ys/s1600/campionati+italiani016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_ZwyONb-ps/Uoe6il97_CI/AAAAAAAAAQM/Ge6pKPzL9ys/s400/campionati+italiani016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I said I couldn't just, I didn't lie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Still, I know
I can make it, my brother knows it as well and this time he tells me. For this
reason he has taken his car and came all the way up to watch me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A rival of
mine tells me at the start: “You know which day is it today? Some things happen
over and over again, remember!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I shout him
up and add to my motivation list a new point: ‘I want to see his face at the
end of this.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I love the
slope and the setting, there’s only one passage, one jump, for the rest I feel
terribly confident.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am a
terrible jumper, but I know I can do it, I’ve done it already, 20 meters, I can
do it, 10 meters, I will do it. 5 meters, I…am flying, without control. I am
scared to death. In few seconds I see the ground far below me, I remember the
helicopter, I remember the doctors, the pain and all the effort to come back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Not again.’
I think while I do not know how I avoid crashing against the ground and after
almost 40 meters from where I departed, I land and continue my race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My mind is
elsewhere and when I cross the finish line I am still in a status of shock. It
is not the podium I dreamt of, but the result is quite good, but I cannot
realize it. I am shacking, can’t really speak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My brother
comes and all I can say is ‘I am fine’ before crying on his shoulder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That evening
in Falcade, while doing my jogging I stopped in the church and fired my first
and last candle ever for something related to skiing. For stupid it may seem, I
was glad I was still on my legs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Once back
from this experience, on a random afternoon I show a friend the video, while
the coach of the women team passes by. He looks at me and says: “I don’t know
why you keep thinking you are a speed racer, in my opinion you are more
suitable for slalom.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I basically
laugh at his face and so do most of the people I told this, funny enough a few
later he will be my coach and he proved me how right he was.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The following
season is ok, nothing amazing, but I had a couple of nice runs here and there
and I feel like I am ready to step up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ile6DmjxLok/Uoe7YExgsGI/AAAAAAAAAQc/zLwCAE_Pc5Y/s1600/Super.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ile6DmjxLok/Uoe7YExgsGI/AAAAAAAAAQc/zLwCAE_Pc5Y/s320/Super.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I change
brand of skis and for every step I thought of doing ahead, I do two backwards. Nothing
works and my body refuses to collaborate as well. I am found a genetic problem
at the back, I am forced to retire often, I am training little and my mood falls
as low as my world ranking.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As the last
slap in the face, I fail to pass the ski instructor selection, while most of my
friends go through.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">‘Enough is
enough, I quit.’ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am sick
of trying for nothing, my results are worse than in my first year, my body
feels like the one of a man in his 80s and I can not find any reason why I should
go on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My brother
then tells me: “take the spring and the summer off, if by August you don’t feel
like skiing any more, that’s it.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am out of
my ski college, I got my highschool diploma and soon I will start the uni, but
in July I take a trip around Europe with two of my best friends and out of
nowhere one of them, Ele, tells me she has joined my ski-club as her coach has
now signed with them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He is
Sandro, the guy who told me about being a slalom specialist. For some obscure
reasons I feel like skiing again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Without trying
it, I get a new brand of skis for the season and train little in the autumn,
but most of those days were the best of my life. I don’t remember whether I was
skiing well or not, but I was having some of the greatest fun ever on snow. It suddenly
was like when as a kid I was racing with my brother and dad during holidays. Skiing
was fun, again.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iyW3iog4u7E/Uoe7nbc3vrI/AAAAAAAAAQk/u8DiClFvr0E/s1600/img007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iyW3iog4u7E/Uoe7nbc3vrI/AAAAAAAAAQk/u8DiClFvr0E/s400/img007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suddenly I can do things I thought I never could</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The first
race of the season I am set to be a forerunner. After the horrible season just
passed, my world ranking is not good enough to enter the field. But I do not
particularly care, I have trained seventeen days only in the past four months
and I am up there only to do a bit more training.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Sandro
comes back from the jury meeting late. A guy called sick at last, so I got a
last minute number for the next day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am barely
top eighty of the race and the snow is soft, meaning that I will race luge
rather than skiing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At the
bottom of my run I am not happy with myself, I know I have been skiing better
in the previous days. Then a team mate calls me to reality, I am almost top
ten.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am
shocked, but I don’t feel the pressure going for the second run, I find the
whole thing extremely funny. Not long ago I did not even know if I would have
raced anymore and now I was as high as never in slalom!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The second
run is again a good one, I finish eight and I crush my best ever result, not
only in slalom, but in whichever race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The second
race follows almost the same track and immediately my world ranking sets me as
one of the best of my area.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The season
goes on like in a dream, a fairytale that brings me to three achievements that I
never thought possible before: I beat my brother’s career best ranking, I become
the first skier from my city to race under 40 points FIS and finally I win my
first international race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Suddenly everything
works and I score amazing results even in the hated Giant Slalom, where I end
up collecting the most of my podiums.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l1Y0YLHnOv4/Uoe7pHqHzcI/AAAAAAAAAQs/KZ1ZOuSZito/s1600/podio+4+-+all+masc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l1Y0YLHnOv4/Uoe7pHqHzcI/AAAAAAAAAQs/KZ1ZOuSZito/s320/podio+4+-+all+masc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the podium of my first FIS win</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The season
ends in a bittersweet taste as I completely screw my chances at the Italian Championships
in slalom, while in downhill, my second in over three years, the possibly amazing
result has been diminished by the warm temperature and so a slower track on the
latest part. I was 18<sup>th</sup> at the last intermediate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I end the
season thrilled anyway and as an addition I finally pass the ski instructor
entry test.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The following
season is solid, it lacked the peaks of the amazing one just passed, but it is
expected…I am tired and not fully focused having my time divided among ski
races, ski instructor course and university. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The best moment was definitely representing Italy at the World Citizen Championships in Garmisch Partenkirchen, despite racing not at my best.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Last season,
my last season I can really call it now, feels strange. I immediately feel
tired, but differently from ever before. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I suddenly
feel old. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">At the
races I am almost always one of the oldest, I am not a junior anymore and I have
to travel alone for half Europe to race. I am
not skiing badly at all, but results fail to come and it always feel more and
more tiring to train, to travel, to race.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am not
giving up though, but I sign a bond with myself: ‘I have a shot at the next
Winter Universiade, it is not the Olympics, but this will be my make it or
break it.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Then in February
something happen. In my favourite ski race of the year, the night slalom of
Zoldo, Citizen Ski World Cup, I feel like two years back in time and in my eyes
there’s fire while racing down the first run.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am first.
With more than half a second of gap on the rest of the field.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Like that
day when my new career started I don’t feel any pressure, I find it funny and
when I start the second run it feels like my night. I know it’s my night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am fast, I
know I am faster than anyone before me, it is just few gates…I can see the
finish line, I can feel my family counting the seconds, I can feel my coach
holding his breath.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Suddenly there
is a sense of emptiness in my stomach, as if I was falling. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I am
falling. My boot hit on a bump and is dragging me to the white hard ground of a
defeat. The biggest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I get back
on the course, I know it is too late, but I want to finish the race. I want to
see the first run’s time next to my name.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O4YAZK1L2cw/Uoe7-zp5LgI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/dtlIaEC6cL0/s1600/Zoldo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O4YAZK1L2cw/Uoe7-zp5LgI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/dtlIaEC6cL0/s400/Zoldo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That night in Zoldo, I felt great again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I don’t
stop at the finish line, I just want to disappear, I want to be anywhere else. One
should not, but I feel, I know that I have just wasted my last chance and
suddenly it’s over.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I try to
laugh at my bad luck as I go back on start to get dressed, then I reach my
coach and expect him to shout at me, I wish he does. But he knows I have been
punishing myself enough, he feels as torn as I do. He probably knows, like I know
that this was the last call.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">If I have a
regret in all my career, that night I got one and no, it is not my mistake in
the race. I regret not having hugged my coach and told him that he has been
amazing, over the years like that night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In a few
weeks I am called upon my last train for my pact with myself, the Italian
University Championships, but as a deciding last epitome to my career my left
knee decides not to hold together anymore. I collapse on the side of the race
as my knee swells.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I try a few
more races with a kneepad, but it is useless, it is not only my body crying for
a break, my mind too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Half a year
has passed now, over the summer I have become a ski coach, now I am in London studying sports
journalism. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I don’t
dream of winning the Olympics anymore, but I still dream of going, as a
journalist this time. I am happy of my choice and when looking back at all
those years I am proud of what I achieved and I feel lucky having had so many
amazing persons on my side.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But before
definitely going on I felt the need of writing the words “the end” and despite
my status on the FIS site says active, I officially am calling it a career.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/GBh0lQV1JAs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Londra, Regno Unito51.511213899999987 -0.1198243999999704151.195100899999986 -0.7652713999999704 51.827326899999989 0.52562260000002958tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-7253776980153144242013-11-13T00:47:00.001+01:002013-11-13T00:51:33.836+01:00Rafael Nadal, the Man Behind the Champion<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
“This is a sport, and you can have victories or defeats. No one remembers defeats in the long run. People remember victories.”<br /><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Rafa_Nadal_australian_open_2009.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />It was 2009 and Rafael Nadal was giving his first press conference after a defeat at the Roland Garros. First time, sole time. In nine appearances he has lost only once on the French clay.<br /><br />11 November 2013, he has just lost the year ending final to his biggest rival of the past few years, Novak Djokovic. After his best season ever in his career, the Spaniard has failed to grab the only title missing in his palmarès: the ATP World Tour Finals.<br /><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Rafa_Nadal_australian_open_2009.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Rafa_Nadal_australian_open_2009.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />His voice is still the same as usual in the press conference and despite the loss he says: “The only thing that I can say is congratulate my opponent and at the same time congratulate my team because all the achievements, all the success that I had this year, without my family, all my team, it was impossible to have; all the special feelings, the special moments.”<br /><br />Arguably the best clay courter ever in the history of tennis, surely one of the best tennis players of all time, and yet, Nadal feels like he is the same guy as always and his life outside of tennis reflects that as well.<br /><br />Humbleness and humility are clearly the most suitable words to describe the left-handed from Majorca. Contrary to what the spectator can see on court, there is no loud grunt, nor noisy “vamos!” once his matches are over.<br /><br /> “[My] ambition is to be a very, very normal guy. A very humble guy. To play tennis, which I love and want to be the best. And, when I'm done, I just want to be at home with my friends.”<br /><br />His look may resemble the one of the Spanish “macho”, long hair, sculpted muscles and massive biceps well showed by the sleeveless t-shirts. But in reality Nadal is not a party boy and his values are well-rooted in the sense of family.<br /><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3813/9595118195_8729df90fe_b.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3813/9595118195_8729df90fe_b.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />Whereas many of his rivals found love on the fashion catwalks or in the music studios, Nadal is living a relationship far from the spotlights with his childhood love, Maria Francisca Perello.<br /><br />In 2009 the equilibrium of his family was broken by the separation of his parents: "My parents' divorce made an important change in my life. It affected me. For one month I was outside the world. I am OK now but you need time to accept.” <br /><br />As a proof of the importance of the family bonds in his life, the Spanish champion still lives with his family and as he once said he is still chastised by his mother if his room is untidy.<br /><br />In the same flat, a whole level is occupied by another member of the family, whose bonds with the eight-time-French-Open Champion are as strong as with no-one else: uncle Antonio Nadal, better known as Uncle Toni.<br /><br />“Everything I have achieved in the game of tennis, all the opportunities I have had, are thanks to him.” Says the nephew. “I’m especially grateful to him for having placed so much emphasis from the very beginning on making sure I kept my feet on the ground and never became complacent.”<br /><br />The left-handed recalls one precise episode in his childhood to explain how the rough methods of the uncle in the end were always justified by a lesson he would never forget later in his life:<br /><br />“One very hot day I went to a match without my bottle of water. I’d left it at home. He could have gone and bought me one, but he didn’t. <br /><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/9597784566_c1212fdf1f_o.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/9597784566_c1212fdf1f_o.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />“So that I’d learn to take responsibility, he said. Why didn’t I rebel? Because I enjoyed tennis, and enjoyed it all the more once I started winning, and because I was an obedient and docile child. My mother says I was too easy to manipulate. <br /><br />“Maybe, but if I hadn’t loved playing the game, I wouldn’t have put up with my uncle. And I loved him too, as I still do and always will. I trusted him, and so I knew deep down that he was doing what he thought was best for me.” <br /><br />And he surely knew that as Nadal seemed to become more and more of a all-round player, completing his career Grand Slam in 2010 and showing how he could step ahead in his game over and over again, despite new hurdles, new opponents, new injuries.<br /><br />“In your career you have a lot of good moments and bad ones. The important thing is to have enough motivation to keep working all the days with humility and trying to be a better player than before. I am going to try to continue doing this."<br /><br />Fans are divided when it comes to his play style, but surely he is a great example to follow when it comes to behaviour and values.<span class="null"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Twickenham, Greater London, Regno Unito51.444581000000007 -0.3352459999999837251.404997000000009 -0.41592699999998373 51.484165000000004 -0.25456499999998372tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-15163755772746791622013-11-07T11:11:00.001+01:002013-11-07T11:11:14.915+01:00Food Poisoning ends Watson’s difficult season<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Heather
Watson was forced to retire from her quarter-final match of ITF Barnstaple
against Johanna Konta due to food poisoning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This match
signed the end of the season for the British number three, who has had far from
a lucky one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--wrqhf96-jg/UntmaSEh3zI/AAAAAAAAAPg/JO-S0uOT9_I/s1600/Watson+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--wrqhf96-jg/UntmaSEh3zI/AAAAAAAAAPg/JO-S0uOT9_I/s400/Watson+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Watson came
to Barnstaple after a promising week in Poitiers,
where she reached the semi-finals, and so her mood and attitude were high after
the difficult season she had just left behind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Despite
starting the season by collecting her best ranking, Watson was soon forced to
stay away from the tennis courts due to glandular fever, something she found
out only thanks to a blood test. However, she pushed her comeback too early and
hence results failed to arrive, leaving her in a state of unhappiness and
disbelief.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The week in
Poitiers came
at the right time though and earlier this week she said: “I am feeling good and
after having a good week last week, with some very tough matches in three sets,
I am feeling a lot happier, a lot more confident and just enjoying tennis more.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">She looked
very positive also on court both during training and her matches, but sadly
yesterday a bout of food poisoning hit her during her second-round match
against Vrlijc.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Nonetheless,
she overcame the sickness and Vrlijc in order to snatch a three set win, which
allowed her to meet her compatriot and friend Konta today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a4kGu_6z9U4/UntmhkEv-II/AAAAAAAAAPo/oY39pQW2SkI/s1600/Watson+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a4kGu_6z9U4/UntmhkEv-II/AAAAAAAAAPo/oY39pQW2SkI/s400/Watson+4.jpg" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The
challenge was too big this afternoon though, and Watson immediately looked
fatigued and unable to produce a quality of tennis good enough to challenge
Konta. As a result, instead of risking further injuries, she decided to retire.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The warm
hug to the net proved the friendship of the two, who are supposed to play
together in the doubles semi-final tomorrow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The food
poisoning might have ended her season a few days earlier than hoped, but Watson
is a hard worker and she has said she is willing to be ready for the next
season.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“It just
came up being a terrible season, but I am glad I can finish it on a high note
and inspired again and motivated to play and work hard.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Barnstaple, Devon, Regno Unito51.0781599 -4.058338000000048951.0382594 -4.1390190000000491 51.118060400000005 -3.9776570000000486tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-47327227065339952552013-10-28T20:42:00.000+01:002013-10-28T20:42:23.791+01:00A normal day in the office<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Alarm at
5:20am to go down to Devon for a tennis
tournament, of course it's the day of the biggest storm of the year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I check
trains to see if they are running and I see they go, all of them but one. The
first of my awfully long series. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">F*ck.</span></div>
<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://scontent-a-mxp.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1379406_10153375961955468_239002465_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://scontent-a-mxp.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1379406_10153375961955468_239002465_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">My garden after the storm</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Think fast,
easy to say, but it's damn 5am...ok, if I take a bus, then the tube I can make
it to the station I need. Run.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A quick
look outside and I see that there is a tree where yesterday I had my clothes
drying in the wind...oh well, ain't no time for that.</span></div>
<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://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FPlMkwEQzlY/Um67L5C18sI/AAAAAAAAAOE/oYlSS8QuRKU/s1600/IMG_0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FPlMkwEQzlY/Um67L5C18sI/AAAAAAAAAOE/oYlSS8QuRKU/s320/IMG_0003.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Everyone is waiting for news</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I make it
to the station, on time, but of course everything is getting cancelled or
delayed...thankfully my train is not cancelled, but it will run or, better,
walk slowly through the storm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">I reach my
last coincidence city 45 minutes late only to find out that the railway it's
flooded, so they are trying to organize a bus. Don't ask me why but I found it
hilarious.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">During the
travel I get to know an Italian tennis player, Giulia Gatto Monticone, she's
very cool and she as well agrees to have an interview tomorrow.<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://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xxN08SU_dGA/Um66YDcyLlI/AAAAAAAAAN8/uu2Ixq1fQQU/s1600/IMG_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xxN08SU_dGA/Um66YDcyLlI/AAAAAAAAAN8/uu2Ixq1fQQU/s320/IMG_0009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Quite a little water</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The green
valleys of Devon are flooded and at times it's almost scary to look out of the
window, but eventually I reach Barnstaple.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It's almost
1pm. Time for my job to start, on court, taking pics and contacting players for
interviews.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A normal
day in the office.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q66D4eIfLu8/Um67RcwT7CI/AAAAAAAAAOM/aBPze_LpV_A/s1600/IMG_0037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q66D4eIfLu8/Um67RcwT7CI/AAAAAAAAAOM/aBPze_LpV_A/s320/IMG_0037.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Barnstaple, Devon, Regno Unito51.0781599 -4.058338000000048951.0382594 -4.1390190000000491 51.118060400000005 -3.9776570000000486tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-57619328895231106082013-10-28T20:07:00.001+01:002013-10-28T20:07:39.205+01:00Ligety makes it three in a row in Soelden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uJn9g-7UmiY/Um61oc40i6I/AAAAAAAAANs/PpwMjwUzbxs/s1600/ligety.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uJn9g-7UmiY/Um61oc40i6I/AAAAAAAAANs/PpwMjwUzbxs/s1600/ligety.jpg" /></a></div>
American Ted Ligety has won his third consecutive race in Soelden earlier this afternoon, proving once again his dominance in the discipline.<br />Ligety showed immediately his amazing condition when in the first run he collected a gap over the rest of the field of nine tenth of a second.<br />Youngsters Pinturault (second) and Hirscher (third) were the immediate followers and then the gap rapidly widened, especially due to the difficult conditions caused by the strong wind and the mild temperatures.<br />As proof of that it is enough to notice how, for the second run, only two racers in the top 30 did not qualify and one of them can blame a crash for that.<br />Surely one of the most interesting and surprising runs was given by one man starting out of the elite group: bib 32, Bode Miller.<br />The American star was starting a World Cup race after more than a year of absence and there was a lot of interest about this comeback.<br />The excitement of seeing his return immediately raised eyebrows as his known-to-be crazy technique appeared to be as effective as prior his injury. No-one around his starting number had done anything alike, but he attacked the slope and bumps with the usual brave attitude and it paid off as he finished 13th (19th after the second run).<br />The second run appeared to follow the pattern given by the yesterday’s Women’s race, as the worsening of the snow conditions favoured the comebacks from behind, like Defago who rose from 27th to 14th place as he ended up with the second best time of the second run.<br />The best time was scored by French Steve Missilier, 13th after the first run, and with this amazing second leg he could challenge the podium as he finished 4th, tied with Norwegian Aksel-Lund Svindal.<br />The French assault was not big enough to move any of the first-round best three names and nothing changed on top, with Ligety once more showing his class even under pressure.<br />The podium was then sealed by the same drivers who finished at the top of last year’s Giant Slalom cup, a clear statement that they will be once again the ones to beat.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com06450 Sölden, Austria46.9654469 11.0077979999999821.443412400000003 -30.30079600000002 72.487481400000007 52.316391999999979tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-46876167352059914662013-10-28T20:04:00.001+01:002013-10-28T20:04:14.652+01:00Simply too Gut!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gk5BHTDmtrk/Um6zU4fpkWI/AAAAAAAAANg/OwtK70zMvtg/s1600/gut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gk5BHTDmtrk/Um6zU4fpkWI/AAAAAAAAANg/OwtK70zMvtg/s1600/gut.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Lara Gut wins the first race of the season in Soelden and conquers her first world cup win in Giant Slalom.<br /><br />
The Swiss was already in the lead of the race after the first run with a margin of over Eight tenths of a second on Viktoria Rebensburg and Anna Fenninger.<br /><br />The biggest surprise of the day came from Tina Maze, though. The Slovene, winner of last year’s overall and Giant Slalom globes, was surely one of the favourites for the win today. Nonetheless she looked quite slow and her preparation may have changed from last year, when she was unstoppable in the early races. She seemed to be in far from her best form and finished sixth after the first run, before plummeting down to 18th position at the end of the race.<br /><br />In the second run the rise in the temperature caused a big change in snow conditions and the course deteriorated constantly. That situation helped the comeback of athletes like Nadia Fanchini, second at the start in the final run, who scored the best partial time finishing 14th.<br /><br />
Right before the disastrous second run of Maze, another Tina, Weirather, scored an amazing run to secure a place into the top ten. Liechtensteiner Weirather qualified for the second run despite her high bib -37- and in the second run she tamed the bumps and waves on the course like no one else could within the top ten.<br /><br />Her run let her gain two more positions and she scored her career best result in the discipline, a great accomplishment after the long series of injuries she has suffered in recent years.<br /><br />The fight for the podium was a contest of four skiers, with Kathrine Zettel the only one close to the best three girls of the first run.<br />
<br />The Austrian skied a terrific second leg, painting great lines down the steep middle section of the Rettenbach glacier. Neither compatriot Fenniger, nor German Rebensburg could finish ahead of her.<br /><br />In contrast to this, Lara Gut went down with the sole idea of winning and her performance did not fail her expectations. Despite a couple of mistakes in the middle section, the Swiss never stopped trying to accelerate after every turn and in the end this paid off with a terrific win. Her first in Giant Slalom.<br /><br />As usual, women’s skiing goes break and will come back in three weeks time with the Arctic race of Levi’s slalom, Finland.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com06450 Sölden, Austria46.9654469 11.0077979999999821.443412400000003 -30.30079600000002 72.487481400000007 52.316391999999979tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-5347725049680814602013-10-21T17:41:00.001+02:002013-10-21T17:43:07.698+02:00Video Preview of WTA Finals<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/uSNeS4Mrrr4" width="459"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Istanbul, Turchia41.00527 28.97695999999996340.621820500000005 28.331512999999962 41.3887195 29.622406999999964tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-77387726515613548212013-10-21T17:24:00.000+02:002013-10-21T17:24:21.713+02:00 Wozniacki Ends Her Season With A Triumph<div id="storySummary">
Caroline Wozniacki defeated German rising star
Annika Beck 6-2 6-2 in the WTA Luxembourg final to grab her 21st career
title - her first of the year. </div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r7kWwWTxoCc/UmVFo52cEyI/AAAAAAAAANE/P0NzeTHR9oo/s1600/10335392293_c522620185_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r7kWwWTxoCc/UmVFo52cEyI/AAAAAAAAANE/P0NzeTHR9oo/s320/10335392293_c522620185_b.jpg" width="280" /></a> The Dane came to the final as the heavy
favourite because of her top-seeded ranking and experience, while Annika
Beck, at the age of 19, was at her first final on the tour. Moreover,
the quality showed by the former world number one in the previous rounds
enforced her status as favourite, having defeated tricky opponents en
route to the final.<br />
<br />Wozniacki looked pretty gloomy and
unfocused in the first two rounds despite the wins in straight sets over
local Wild Card Mandy Minella and last year’s finalist Monica
Niculescu.<br />
<br />In her quarter-final match, Wozniacki was
challenged by Serbian Bojana Jovanovski, who had defeated the Dane twice
this year already. The Serb pushed Wozniacki to a third set, but there,
Wozniacki was too solid and in the end she could seize the win showing a
different and more focused attitude on court.<br />
<br />In the previous
round, Annika Beck conquered her best career win by defeating fifth
seed and world number 28 Lucie Safarova in a tight three-set match,
where she had to come back from a break down in the decider. The
German’s run needed another massive effort to continue when in the
quarter-final she had to face Polish qualifier Katarzyna Piter in a
three-hour match, ending in a heart- breaking tie-break.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fx7CMpN9T2Y/UmVFoQ3cV-I/AAAAAAAAAM8/gmMKaajo7w8/s1600/10331729124_c7a6bb186a_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fx7CMpN9T2Y/UmVFoQ3cV-I/AAAAAAAAAM8/gmMKaajo7w8/s320/10331729124_c7a6bb186a_b.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Beck
could then take advantage of the retirement of her semi-final opponent,
Stefanie Voegele, who had defeated the second seed, Sloane Stephens, in
the round before.<br />
Wozniacki had a tougher semi-final to face, as
her opponent, Sabine Lisicki, was the Wimbledon runner-up and her game
is particularly suitable for the fast conditions of the indoor courts of
Luxembourg.<br />
<br />
The match was close in the first set, but in the end
Wozniacki nailed it down by being aggressive whenever she had the chance
of clinching the key points. Lisicki seemed to suffer from losing the
first set as she quickly fell behind in the second, and her reaction
came too late as Wozniacki closed the match in straight sets.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x9_7kP0dIQA/UmVFocGYBLI/AAAAAAAAANA/WakQDOPIlrM/s1600/10278537456_b050e25543_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x9_7kP0dIQA/UmVFocGYBLI/AAAAAAAAANA/WakQDOPIlrM/s320/10278537456_b050e25543_b.jpg" width="320" /></a>The
final match was expected to be one-sided, but Beck put up a fight,
showing probably the best tennis of her repertoire in the early games of
the match, forcing Wozniacki to go for her shorts more and in the end
it was the experience of the Dane that decided the first set.<br />
<br />
Despite
the situation, Beck kept fighting and Wozniacki needed great resolve to
win most of the long and intense rallies of the match.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Once
again it was the lack of experience that betrayed the young German, who
in the end had to surrender to a very focused Wozniacki 6-2 6-2. This
title is the 21st in Wozniacki’s career and allows her streak to
continue as this is her sixth consecutive year in which she has won at
least one title.<br />
<br />
With this title, Wozniacki has qualified for the
Sofia Tournament of Champions, but her dad and coach Piotr said she
won’t be involved.<br />
<br />
Originally written for the <a href="http://sportsgazette.co.uk/section.php?aid=859&sid=16" target="_blank">Sports Gazette </a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Lussemburgo49.815273 6.129583000000025149.1595375 4.838689500000025 50.471008499999996 7.4204765000000252tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-80370857151228223752013-10-13T22:53:00.000+02:002013-10-13T22:53:14.411+02:00Kerber wins Linz and qualifies for Istanbul<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Angelique
Kerber defeated the former world n°1 Ana Ivanovic in just two sets to conquer
her first title of the year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Her run to
the title has been impressive; after the first set lost to Monica Niculescu in
her opening match, ‘Angie’ didn't drop a single set all the way through to the
title.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nk9l-Mw6YVM/UlsGRzsarMI/AAAAAAAAAMc/L0nnHJJQO5k/s1600/Kerber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nk9l-Mw6YVM/UlsGRzsarMI/AAAAAAAAAMc/L0nnHJJQO5k/s320/Kerber.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="caption">©Jimmie48</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The world
n°9 showed great attitude throughout the week, ignoring the major media
attention gathered by her last-minute entry, to the detriment of Austrian WC
Lisa-Maria Moser (for more on this story<a href="http://sportsgazette.co.uk/section.php?aid=790&sid=16" target="_blank"> click here</a>).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In addition
to that, there was much pressure on her shoulders, since any result better than
a Quarter Final would have meant the mathematical assurance to be qualified for
the year-ending masters in Istanbul.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As a result,
her QF match against local WC Patricia Mayr-Achleitner was tougher than the
score line would suggest. Furthermore, the Austrian was playing some brilliant
tennis heading to the match and had her chances in the first set, but Kerber
reacted well and finished the match in total control.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The semi-final
was a complete dominance by the German, who gave only two games to the world
number 18, Spaniard Carla Suarez-Navarro.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This result
and the great show of form and consistency in the past weeks set Kerber as the
favourite in the final as well, despite trailing 3-1 in the head to head with
Ivanovic.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The final
resulted in a rollercoaster. Kerber started with the right mindset, taking the
initiative whenever possible and exploiting her terrific defence to neutralise
Ivanovic’s initial shots, especially off her forehand. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Suddenly
the Serb’s shot increased in speed and accuracy, so in a blink of an eye, she
won three games in a row to tie at 4-all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It was then
another big reaction from the German who broke Ivanovic for the third time of
the set and went on serving the set out 6-4.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The second
set witnessed a bit of everything, with the Serb starting with a ten-point-in-a-row
streak, before surrendering to the massive comeback of Kerber, which led to a
5-4 40-0 lead on her serve. Swiftly, Ivanovic noticed the more passive attitude
of her opponent and took advantage of it, saved all the match points, and broke
back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0YvCRdO40gI/Uc4dLcE_K6I/AAAAAAAAJ6g/564X0rtcGRE/s960/968971_619961458034586_1726685499_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0YvCRdO40gI/Uc4dLcE_K6I/AAAAAAAAJ6g/564X0rtcGRE/s320/968971_619961458034586_1726685499_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On 6-5 for
the Serb, Kerber suffered a bad call that helped Ivanovic gain two set points,
but instead of arguing, the German decided to fix the situation with a massive
serve and a huge forehand down-the-line winner, to clear the set points and go
to the tiebreak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Once again
Ana Ivanovic started strongly and went up 6-4, but similarly to the previous game,
Kerber could find her best focus on the important points, while the Serb melted
fast once those two more set points were gone. The fourth match point, the
first in the tiebreak, was the final one, gifted by the Serb with a backhand
error, which cost her the match and gave to Kerber the first title of year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Originally posted on the <a href="http://sportsgazette.co.uk/section.php?aid=821&sid=16" target="_blank">sports gazette</a> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Linz, Austria48.30694 14.28583000000003348.137916 13.963106500000032 48.475964 14.608553500000033tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4720055199480618831.post-2486306761781509712013-10-12T11:04:00.000+02:002013-10-12T11:05:28.126+02:00Jaziri forced to withdraw for political reasons, Tunisians can't play against Israeli<div id="storySummary">
<b>Malek Jaziri</b>, world number 169, couldn't step on
court this morning to play his quarter-final match in Tashkent's
Challenger against Israeli Amir Weintraub. </div>
The Tunisian tennis player was forced to
give a walkover to his opponent as a consequence of the pressure done
from the Tunisian Tennis Federation and especially by the Minister of
Sport, Tarak Dhiab. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Malek_Jaziri,_Nice_2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Malek_Jaziri,_Nice_2012.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
The reason behind this lies in the political
stance of Tunis, which doesn't sustain any diplomatic relation with
Israel. Hence, Minister Dhiab prohibited any match between Tunisian and
Israeli athletes in every sport.<br />
Furthermore, Malek had no way out
because the Tunisian federation is also one of his biggest sponsors,
and so he had to surrender to their decision.<br />
On Tunisian radio
station Shems FM later on during the day, Amir Jaziri, Malek's brother,
stated that his sibling tried to make the federation aware of the
possible sanctions that would follow his withdrawal, but the Tunisian
Federation didn't give up. The International Tennis Federation (ITF)
might indeed take serious measures on the matter in the future.<br />
<br />
“Malek
received an email from the Federation telling him they’ve met with
people from the Ministry of Sport and they ordered Malek not to play
this match." He said, “Now we are hoping that this will not affect his
future. We hope the ministry can give us assurance that nothing will
harm Malek but I guess they can’t."<br />
<br />
The possible sanctions Malek
might suffer include radiation from the upcoming tournaments and the
loss of the ranking points gained in this one.<br />
<br />
Originally written for the <a href="http://sportsgazette.co.uk/section.php?aid=811&sid=16" target="_blank">sports gazette</a> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860234415546158771noreply@blogger.com0Toshkent, Uzbekistan41.266666699999988 69.21666670000001940.884765699999988 68.571219700000015 41.648567699999987 69.862113700000023