Quote For The Day

"Petkovic herself seems to realize that her novelty was wearing off. She said after her win over Wozniacki that she wouldn’t do her post-win Petko-dance anymore. This is a positive development—champs are known for winning, not dancing. But she couldn’t help herself when that last backhand found the line against Jankovic. Good for her. I’m happy she’s not a sideshow anymore, but I wouldn’t want her to lose her sense of fun along her way up the rankings. The WTA needs winners, it needs players with guts, but it needs personalities, too." --Steve Tignor

Quote For The Day

"We lived through a decade of Carlos Rodriguez coaching Justine Henin after every single point and nobody called it on them."

--Lindsay Davenport, Tennis Channel commentary during the Maria Sharapova, Samantha Stosur match on Monday, March 28, 2011.

Apparently, Sharapova was called out for on-court coaching from the stands during a previous match in Miami. Davenport seemed to be underscoring a double standard. Or maybe she was simply stating her perception of a widely known "fact."

I put fact in quotations for I remember Carlos and Maria being called out once. But only once. Back in 2004 during Justine's quarterfinal against Svetlana Kuznetsova in Indian Wells. I remember being surprised by the call out, but not by the coaching, which only the blind couldn't see. Those in denial wouldn't admit. Carlos was telling his charge to charge the net more in order to turn around the second set. Sveta was leading 5-4 or 5-3, according to my memory. Justine took her coaching advice and won the last 3 or 4 games to take the match in straights.

Quote For The Day

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Not a quote, exactly, but a passage from an article last year about Alexandr Dolgopolov.

"I have this problem from birth—some blood problems. Sometimes, I don't feel so well, especially when I change time zones a lot: Australia, Europe to the U.S. . . That's why I don't like to fly. Sometimes it affects my game, and I just have to deal with it. I couldn't have the usual [medical] treatment before the U.S. Open Series because I played Umag and then had just five days before I came to the U.S."

"And what exactly is that treatment?"

"They do intravenous blood stuff. They just put some medicine in, and I have to take some pills and change my diet, take some time [two weeks] off."

I had to ask, what is this disease officially called?

"I don't really want to say a lot. . . I just have it. It affects my stomach. I feel ill all the time. I don't want to eat. So for four tournaments now, I couldn't play my game. "In Cincinnati, I felt a lot better. I was more consistent in my game. Here in New York, I didn't even practice before the tournament. I practiced today for 20 minutes, just to hit the ball. I'm feeling really bad.

"So today I risked what I could, got a few games, but pretty well that was the maximum of what I can do. I couldn't run. I couldnt serve. I was feeling dizzy. I just had to go for it because the more I played the worse I felt. So I just play like I could, and with David you have to play really soild, because he's running so good, and he's getting all the balls back. I couldn't let him play a lot."

I felt badly for the guy. I reminded him he still managed to pull an impressive number of rabbits out of his hat.

"Well, it's my style, too. I don't wait for the other guys. I don't run like crazy on the baseline. I like to play a lot of risk—attacking tennis, serving fast, going to net, drop shots. . .And now, with my health, I don't have a choice. I can't imagine running and working out points."

Quote For The Day

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Venus Williams of the US reacts in pain after hitting a return against Andrea Petkovic of Germany during their round three women's singles match on the fifth day of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 21, 2011.

::

"I had the TV volume turned down to a minimum when Venus made a distinctly different noise -- one of excruciating pain. She'd strained her right hip flexor and said later it was "the most acute injury I've ever had." After a lengthy treatment, she returned to the court, composed herself and scored a tremendously self-satisfying win without the benefit of her all-court range.

"By the time Venus took the court for her third-round match against Andrea Petkovic, she knew her tournament was over. The pain had only intensified when she attempted to run, and she lasted only seven points before surrender. It was the first time in 258 career Grand Slam matches that she had retired, a number that speaks to class, professionalism, and respect for the sport. One can only hope this injury isn't a portent for 2011, and that we haven't seen the last of Venus on the majors' grand stage."--Bruce Jenkins

::

How nice that a writer for a mainstream publication could get something so devastating so right.

Quote For The Day

“He sticks to his job. He's out there to try to make me better in different aspects of the game. I think that his experience can definitely help me, a new voice. I worked with Michael [Joyce] and my dad for so many years, I think it's just really positive to bring someone in.” --Maria Sharapova, on her new coach Thomas Hogstedt

Quote For The Day

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"That's [Tomas Berdych's] game. He took a lot of chances, you know. I tried to slice it; I tried to play aggressive. You know, first you just want to try to make the returns.

"But, you know, I mean, I had my chances. I don't think I needed to change much. The way I returned, this match I could have won as well, you know.

"But, uhm, I was just not playing well enough. And when he had to, he was able to come up with some good stuff, you know. But I definitely gave away this match, I feel." --Roger Federer

::

Guess I watched a different match, because the match I saw, Berdych took the victory, Raja didn't give it away. Certainly not the way Alejandro Falla gave away the match in the first round.

But what do I know?

Quote For The Day

"Well, I think I started the match playing pretty well in the beginning. Later I had the match, well, under control in the first set with my serve. Later in the second set Andy was serving well. No, I didn't have a lot of chances on the return. He play very aggressive game and started to play more aggressive in the game where he did me the break. It was a change, and it was surprise for me." --Rafael Nadal

It was a (welcome) surprise for me, too. Like him or not, men's tennis is simply more interesting when Andy is playing well.

Quote For The Day

“Thankfully [Serena and I] won't be walking into the sunset too soon. Hopefully that will give some bumper time. It's just definitely strange because of the unbelievable tradition we've had with tennis for Americans since the beginning. I think that's what makes it so odd.

"But I've got hope. There are a lot of players who are very good, but getting to that level isn't easy for anyone. So hopefully there will be someone coming along soon with the tools and the traits and who will build that in their game to get there."--Venus Williams on the state of women's tennis at home

Quote For The Day

"There's nothing worse than that. That's just plain cheating, and they should throw him out of tennis. There's just no room for it." --Andy Roddick on Wayne Odesnik getting busted for carrying eight vials of HGH into Australia back in January

(Thanks, Savannah)

Quote For The Day

by Craig Hickman


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"She's like a ball machine. She hits a lot of balls back, hits them hard and deep.

"I mean, I'd say I should have done a much better job on her serve, because her serve is definitely one of her weaker parts of the game, but… "

--Maria Sharapova, after her loss to Zheng Jie at Indian Wells yesterday.

::

Women's Singles - Third Round
(2) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (32) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 60 63
(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 64 62
(5) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (31) Gisela Dulko (ARG) 61 60
(18) Zheng Jie (CHN) d. (10) Maria Sharapova (RUS) 63 26 63
(11) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Jill Craybas (USA) 62 60
(16) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Peng Shuai (CHN) 61 75
(19) Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. (15) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 67(4) 76(2) 64
(WC) Alicia Molik (AUS) d. (Q) Elena Baltacha (GBR) 60 62

Women's Doubles - Second Round
(2) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) d. Dulko/Pennetta (ARG/ITA) 75 76(4)
Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova (CZE/CZE) d. (5) Kleybanova/Schiavone (RUS/ITA) 57 75 10-1
(6) Mattek-Sands/Yan (USA/CHN) d. (WC) Garbin/Jankovic (ITA/SRB) 64 46 10-5

Singles - Third Round
[29] V Troicki (SRB) d [5] N Davydenko (RUS) w/o (broken left wrist)

Men's Singles - Second Round
[1] R Federer (SUI) d V Hanescu (ROU) 63 67(5) 61
[4] A Murray (GBR) d A Seppi (ITA) 64 64
[6] R Soderling (SWE) d E Korolev (KAZ) 62 64
[7] A Roddick (USA) d [Q] Y Lu (TPE) 64 64
[9] J Tsonga (FRA) d [Q] M Matosevic (AUS) 61 63
S Greul (GER) d [12] G Monfils (FRA) 16 62 63
J Blake (USA) d [13] D Ferrer (ESP) 61 64
D Sela (ISR) d [14] R Stepanek (CZE) 64 16 62
[18] T Robredo (ESP) d S Stakhovsky (UKR) 36 63 75
[22] J Melzer (AUT) d [WC] D Nalbandian (ARG) 64 61
N Almagro (ESP) d [23] I Karlovic (CRO) 75 76(5)
[24] A Montanes (ESP) d [Q] R Mello (BRA) 36 64 64
[27] M Baghdatis (CYP) d A Clement (FRA) 76(7) 61
[28] F Lopez (ESP) d P Mathieu (FRA) 36 63 64
T de Bakker (NED) d [30] J Tipsarevic (SRB) 32 ret. (abdominal strain)
M Russell (USA) d [32] I Andreev (RUS) 46 63 62

Men's Doubles - Second Round
M Llodra (FRA) / A Ram (ISR) d J Tipsarevic (SRB) / V Troicki (SRB) w/o (Tipsarevic - abdominal strain)

Men's Doubles - First Round
[1] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) d E Butorac (USA) / R Ram (USA) 63 64
T Berdych (CZE) / P Kohlschreiber (GER) d [2] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) 76(4) 75
[WC] M Lopez (ESP) / R Nadal (ESP) d [3] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) 64 36 10-6
[6] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) d J Kerr (AUS) / F Polasek (SVK) 75 63
F Lopez (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) d [WC] M Ancic (CRO) / M Fish (USA) 76(9) 63

Quote For The Day

"So the Tennis Hall of Fame, with its selections today, is trying to reorient our thinking on the matter. The days of the top singles players also regularly playing doubles are over, probably forever. But that doesn't mean doubles is without merit. It's not a coincidence or from lack of effort that the best singles players, when they do play doubles, almost never walk away with the trophy (Williams sisters excepted). You don't need the athleticism that the singles game requires, but your technical and strategic skills must be well-honed."--Douglas Perry

Quote For The Day

by Craig Hickman


Reuters

Tennis champion Serena Williams laughs during her visit to the Serena Williams Wee Secondary School in Emali, east of Kenya's capital Nairobi February 23, 2010. Williams is in Kenya to oversee her humanitarian projects in her capacity as a global ambassador for Hewlett-Packard.

::

"Kids ran in the streets with palm branches chanting my name saying "Yes we can Serena, Yes we can!" Thousands of people have traveled 15miles by foot - most without shoes. One girl said it was 2 weeks before it was her bath day. But she cleaned up and took a bath 2 weeks early. This was an occasion for them. This was also an occasion for me.

"This time for this school we added more. We added a hearing impaired class with a teacher to work with the deaf students. My heart was moved, and my eyes became swollen with tears when one boy named Maythia as he frantically signed to me. "I will finally be able to talk and speak all the things that are in my head!!" --Serena Williams


Reuters

Welcomed by Akamba traditional dancers upon her arrival.


Reuters

Arriving to present a talk on technology at the Strathmore University in Nairobi.


Reuters

Showing the children how to use a laptop computer in the classroom.

(Thanks, Pamela)

::

Related Posts
Serena Williams In Kenya
Serena Williams: Humanitarian

Quote For The Day

"Britain's Andy Murray has received such a big clothing contract from adidas — around £15m over five years — that the brand have ditched Novak Djokovic, Marcos Baghdatis and the Bryan brothers to help fund it. So there was understandable meltdown within adidas when Murray turned up for a photoshoot last week at Dubai’s new racecourse wearing a distinctive Hugo Boss-branded polo shirt. Jim Latham, head of adidas tennis, will be making clear his disappointment to the Murray camp." --Charles Sale

Quote For The Day

“Some people have that drive more than others who’ve been number one. Rafa doesn’t seem like he cares as much for number one, or he doesn’t show it.”--Roger Federer

(Thanks, Savannah)

Quote For The Day

"By February’s end, after the guarantees have been paid and the results have been totaled up, nothing historic or memorable will have happened. But if it doesn’t mean much for the Nadals and Henins of the world — neither of whom are going to play until March — February isn’t a complete waste. It has already allowed Marin Cilic, who won in Zagreb, to consolidate his Melbourne gains, and given Melanie Oudin, who won two Fed Cup matches this weekend, some much-needed positive energy. It has also, naturally, left Gael Monfils injured again." --Steve Tignor

Quote For The Day

"I planned to return to Beijing quietly and I booked a very early flight. So I was a surprised when I saw the cameras at the airport and doubted they had come to see me at the beginning. It felt different but I won't change. I'm still myself."--Li Na

Quote For The Day

“[Serena Williams] could have been the greatest ever (record wise) and I still think that when she plays her best, that she is the best ever. She's smarter, and has the power and the speed. But what I really appreciate is how much she's grown up. She's so much better now at recognizing the other players now. There's life after tennis and you want to be well adjusted when you retire.” --Billie Jean King

Quotes For The Day

“I've known Rafa since I was 13 or 14 and he is somebody I have always looked up to. He is my favourite player to watch because of his energy and I am gutted for him.”--Andy Murray

“For Andy, I think he deserves to win his first Grand Slam. And I think he’s going to do it There’s a very good chance for him. First thing, he’s playing very well. Second thing, he’s already in the semifinals. He’s only two matches away.”--Rafael Nadal

Quote For The Day

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“It's important when you're playing a local girl to not let the crowd get too involved or else they'll kill you. That was the plan: to not let them get involved. I knew she was capable. She beat me last time and anything can happen. So she's a really, really good player and so dangerous. I was like, you have to be focused when you're playing Sam[antha Stosur], for sure.”--Serena Williams

And focused she was. Like a laser.

It was a serving display like none I've seen from anyone before, woman or man. 10 aces. 1 double fault. Three breakpoints saved with aces. Seven points total lost on serve, only two in the first set. She remains the only player left in the draw, woman or man, to not have her serve broken.

Breathtaking.

Notice served.

With the victory, Serena will remain world No. 1 no matter what happens this weekend.

Women's Singles Fourth Round
(1) Serena Williams (USA) d. (13) Samantha Stosur (AUS) 64 62
(16) Li Na (CHN) d. (4) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 64 63
(6) Venus Williams (USA) d. (17) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 36 62 61
(7) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (9) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 46 64 60

Reuters

Nicolas Almagro and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga played this year's surprise epic. After the first two sets, it appeared to be a routine beatdown. But Tsonga started doing what Tsonga does, while Almagro became a player I hardly recognized.

Men's Singles Fourth Round
[1] R Federer (AUS) d [22] L Hewitt (AUS) 62 63 64
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) d L Kubot (POL) 61 62 75
[6] N Davydenko (RUS) d [9] F Verdasco (ESP) 62 75 46 67(5) 63
[10] J Tsonga (FRA) d [26] N Almagro (ESP) 63 64 46 67(6) 97

Men's Doubles - Third Round
[3] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) d J Isner (USA) / S Querrey (USA) 63 75
F Gonzalez (CHI) / I Ljubicic (CRO) d [11] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) 64 63
M Kohlmann (GER) / J Nieminen (FIN) d S Bolelli (ITA) / A Seppi (ITA) 46 76(3) 76(6)

Women's Doubles - Third Round
(15) Kirilenko/A.Radwanska (RUS/POL) d. (3) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) 61 62
(6) Raymond/Stubbs (USA/AUS) d. Chan/Niculescu (TPE/ROU) 75 63
(8) Mattek-Sands/Yan (USA/CHN) d. (9) Vesnina/Zheng (RUS/CHN) 64 64

Mixed Doubles - Second Round
(1) Cara Black (ZIM) /Leander Paes (IND) d. Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB)/Rik De Voest (RSA) 64 62
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)/Jaroslav Levinsky (CZE) d. (2) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)/Daniel Nestor (CAN) w/o
Chuang Chia-Jung (TPE)/Filip Polasek (SVK) d (3) Bethanie Mattek-Sands/Bob Bryan (USA) 75 76(4)
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE)/Oliver Marach (AUT) d. (6) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS)/Max Mirnyi (BLR) 36 63 10-7
(8) Elena Vesnina (RUS)/Andy Ram (ISR) d. Anna-Lena Gronefeld/Christopher Kas (GER) 36 75 10-6
Flavia Pennetta (ITA)/Marcelo Melo (BRA) d. (WC) Jarmila Groth/Samuel Groth (AUS) 62 63

Mixed Doubles - First Round
Raquel Kops-Jones (USA)/Dick Norman (BEL) d. (5) Maria Kirilenko (RUS)/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) 63 36 11-9

Quote For The Day II

Reuters

Marion Bartoli of France wipes her face during her match against China's Zheng Jie at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 22, 2010. Zheng won 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.

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"I am number 11 and I have no sponsors. I buy all my sport clothes. As 11th in the world I go and buy my clothes myself. Sometimes when I am in Switzerland where I live people are surprised to cross me in the stores and see me buying my sport clothes myself! This is sponsor’s strategy, they give out 15 million dollars sponsoring on [Maria] Sharapova who lost by the way in Wimbledon against [Gisela] Dulko, in US Open against [Melanie] Oudin and in [Australian Open] against [Maria] Kirilenko. But this is not my business. I don't think I am going to buy the wedding dress of Sharapova because I have enough personality to wear what she wears, and to shout less than she does!"--Marion Bartoli