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Roger Federer

Record-Breaking Performances by Roger Federer and Serena Williams – Mondays with Bob Greene

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Mondays with Bob Greene

 

STARS

Australian Open

Men’s Singles: Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal 6-3 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3

Women’s Singles: Serena Williams beat Venus Williams 6-4 6-4

Men’s Doubles: Henri Kontinen and John Peers beat Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 7-5 7-5

Women’s Doubles: Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova beat Andrea Hlavackova and Peng Shuai 6-7 (4) 6-3 6-3

Mixed Doubles: Abigail Spears and Juan Sebastian Cabal beat Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig 6-2 6-4

Junior Boys Singles: Zsombor Piros beat Yshai Oliel 4-6 6-4 6-3

Junior Girls Singles: Marta Kostyuk beat Rebeka Masarova 7-5 1-6 6-4

Junior Boys Doubles: Hsu Yu Hsiou and Zhao Lingxi beat Finn Reynolds and Duarte Vale 6-7 (8) 6-4 10-5 (match tiebreak)

Junior Girls Doubles: Bianca Andreescu and Carson Branstine beat Maja Chwalinska and Iga Swiatek 6-1 7-6 (4)

Men’s Wheelchair Singles: Gustavo Fernandez beat Nicolas Peifer 3-6 6-2 6-0

Women’s Wheelchair Singles: Yui Kamiji beat Jiske Griffioen 6-7 (2) 6-3 6-3

Men’s Wheelchair Doubles: Joachim Gerard and Gordon Reid beat Gustavo Fernandez and Alfie Hewett 6-3 3-6 10-3 (match tiebreak)

Women’s Wheelchair Doubles: Jiske Griffioen and Aniek Van Koot beat Diede De Groot and Yui Kamiji 6-3 6-2

Quad Wheelchair Singles: Dylan Alcott beat Andy Lapthorne 6-2 6-2

Quad Wheelchair Doubles: Andy Lapthorne and David Wagner beat Dylan Alcott and Heath Davidson 6-3 6-3

 

OTHER

Uladzimir Ignatik beat Andrey Rubley 6-7 (6) 6-3 7-6 (5) to win the Open de Rennes in Rennes, France

 

SAYING

“Tennis is a tough sport, there are no draws in tennis, but I would have been happy to accept one tonight and share it with Rafa.” – Roger Federer, after outlasting Rafael Nadal in five sets to win the men’s singles title.

“It was a great match and I think Roger probably deserved it a little more than me.” – Rafael Nadal.

“Thank you, Venus, for inspiring me to be the best player I can be and inspiring me to work hard.” – Serena Williams, after beating her older sister, Venus, to win her 23rd Grand Slam tournament title.

“Serena Williams, that’s my little sister, guys. Congratulations Serena on No. 23. I have been right there with you. Some of them I have lost right there against you. It’s been an awesome thing, your win has always been my win, you know that. All the times I couldn’t be there, wouldn’t be there, didn’t get there, you were there.” – Venus Williams.

“I will never ever ever forget this day. This has truly made my life and everything bad that happened, it has made it OK.” – Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, after losing her semifinal match to Serena Williams.

“I have a lot to give to the game. I feel like I have a lot of great tennis in me. So, any time you feel that way, you continue. Why not? I have nothing to lose, literally.” – Venus Williams, following her 6-4 7-6 (3) quarterfinal win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

“At the end of the day, it really helps me to realize that you have to always go for your dreams.” – Serena Williams.

“Everyone knows that both Serena and Venus, they’re like legends in tennis.” – Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

“I try to believe. Should I look across the net and believe the person across the net deserves it more? This mentality is not how champions are made. I’d like to be a champion, in particular this year. The mentality I walk on court with is: I deserve this.” – Venus Williams.

“This is what I’ve been dreaming about, this is what I’ve been training for. At 34 years old, I have a wonderful home. I’m happily married. I would be perfectly OK being at home enjoying my family. But I really knew deep down in my soul that I have these results in me. To now be here and actually live these moments, it’s incredible.” – Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, after reaching the semifinals.

“What I will say about sport, I think why people love sport so much, is because you see everything in a line. In that moment, there is no do-over, there’s no retake, there is no voice-over. It’s triumph and disaster witnessed in real-time. This is why people live and die for sport, because you can’t fake it. You can’t. It’s either you do it or you don’t.” – Venus Williams, following her semifinal victory.

“I don’t have anything to prove. I don’t have to win another match as long as I live. I just have to have fun and do what I do best. That’s what I’ve been doing this tournament.” – Serena Williams, after winning her semifinal match.

 

SENIOR POWER

Talk about reviving the past! The 2017 Australian Open provided a flood of memories as past champions took over almost every event. The men’s and women’s singles finals brought together players who had won 60 Grand Slam titles between them – not counting this year’s haul. And only the two 25-year-old semifinalists – Grigor Dimitrov and CoCo Vandeweghe – have yet to play in a Grand Slam tournament final. The other losing semifinalists were 34-year-old Mirjana Lucic-Baroni and 31-year-old Stan Wawrinka.

Then there were the losing finalists in the men’s doubles, 38-year-old twins Bob and Mike Bryan. And only one player under the age of 30 appeared in the title matches in both the women’s doubles and the mixed doubles, that being 29-year-old Lucie Safarova. She turns 30 in February.

 

SWISS MASTERFUL

It was a blast from the past, and it didn’t disappoint. In a five-set thriller, Roger Federer outlasted rival Rafael Nadal to win his record-extending 18th Grand Slam tournament title – his first since 2012. And it was the first time in four Australian Open meetings that Federer had triumphed over his Spanish foe. “I would have been happy to lose, to be honest, the comeback was as good it was,” said Federer, who had not played since Wimbledon last year until this month. “I hope to see you next year, but if not then it was a wonderful year here and I couldn’t be happier tonight.”  Federer took the opening set, only to have Nadal match him by grabbing the second. The repeated that scenario in the third and fourth sets, bringing up a decisive fifth set. And it was Nadal who struck first, taking a 3-1 lead. He didn’t win another game. “I played a great quality of tennis,” Nadal said. “That’s great news for me. I believe that if I have my body in the right condition, I can have a great year.” Like Federer, Nadal had missed a large part of last year with an injury. “Now it’s time to celebrate in a massive way,” Federer said. “(But) at 35 years old, I don’t like to say it, but I’m so old and so the body hurts, it aches.”

 

SISTER ACT IX

The women’s singles final was a family affair. And in their ninth meeting in a Grand Slam tournament title match, it was Serena Williams who bested her older sister, Venus. The victory was Serena’s seventh Australian Open crown – the most in the Open era for both men and women – and her 23rd major title, the most of any player in the Open era. Yet Serena, in her post-match comments, wanted to talk about her sister. “I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus, she’s an amazing person. She’s my inspiration,” Serena said. “There’s no way I would be at 23 without her. There’s no way I would be at one without her.” Venus was playing in her first Grand Slam tournament final in 7½ years, and her seventh loss to her sister in a major final. The win also boosted Serena back into the top spot in the WTA rankings. It was the oldest major tournament final in the Open era with the Williams sisters combining for 71 years, 11 months.

 

SINGULAR ACHIEVEMENT

Henri Kontinen became the first player from Finland to win a Grand Slam tournament title when he teamed with John Peers to beat American twins Bob and Mike Bryan. Peers also became the first Australian to win a Grand Slam doubles title since 2001. “I was looking through some of the names on the trophy,” Peers said. “To be alongside some of the guys and idols I looked up to in the past is something that hasn’t sunk in yet.” Kontinen and Peers teamed up for the first time at last year’s Australian Open. They won five titles together in 2016, including the Paris Masters and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The Bryans were seeking their 17th Grand Slam tournament doubles crown, including a seventh Australian Open title.

 

SECOND STRAIGHT SLAM

Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucid Safarova have found the winning touch. The two won their second straight Grand Slam tournament women’s doubles title, this time besting Andrea Hlavackova and Peng Shuai in a tight three-setter. “We were celebrating like 5-year-old kids out there,” Mattek-Sands said. “I mean, it still feels amazing to win it. It’s a Grand Slam. When we got the trophy, we saw our names written on it. … It’s just special.” Since last summer, Mattek-Sands and Safarova have dominated the doubles, winning their third Grand Slam title at the US Open and taking an 18-match winning streak into the final of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals. “We played a lot of great teams to get to the finals,” Mattek-Sands said. “Part of it is really enjoying the journey, enjoying each match. Really, the celebrations kind of go quick. We’re going to make sure we enjoy this moment for a little bit.”

 

SEIZING THE MOMENT

American Abigail Spears and Colombia’s Juan Sebastian Cabal can finally call themselves Grand Slam tournament champions. The two won the mixed doubles by stopping Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Sania Mirza of India in straight sets. Spears and Cabal won the first four games of the match, losing just six points, then grabbed the title by winning the last five games to rally from a 1-4 deficit. Until now, Cabal’s best Grand Slam tournament finish was in 2011 when he and Eduardo Schwank reached the French Open men’s doubles final. Spears was runner-up with Santiago Gonzalez in the 2013 and 2014 US Open mixed doubles.

 

SIMPLY AWESOME

After reaching the junior girls final, winning the title became a secondary thing for Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. “I was more excited yesterday when I got through the semis,” Kostyuk said after knocking off top-seeded Rebeka Masarova for the title. Then there was the picture she took with Roger Federer. Kostyuk has been working with Ivan Ljubicic since last spring. “He did a lot,” she said of Ljubicic, who also coaches Federer. “He gave me a bit of his experience and big tennis. And I met finally Roger today. He congratulated me. And I took a photo with him, so I was very excited.”

 

SENT HOME

Maria Vittoria Viviani was disqualified from the Australian Open junior girls’ singles when a ball she hit in frustration struck a ballperson. After sailing a forehand long on set point, the 17-year-old Italian hit her second ball in frustration. The ball reportedly hit a ballperson in the chest. Viviana immediately raised her hand in an apologetic fashion, but the chair umpire disqualified her and awarded the match to Wang Xin Yu of China.

 

SKIPPING DAVIS CUP

Milos Raonic will miss Canada’s first-round Davis Cup tie against Great Britain after suffering his fourth abductor muscle injury in 12 months. Ranked third in the world, Raonic was hurt during his quarterfinal loss to Rafael Nadal. Raonic said the injury will sideline him for several weeks. He was replaced on the Canadian Davis Cup squad by Peter Polansky. The tie will be played in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

 

SUCH A GENTLEMAN

When Jo-Wilfried Tsonga noticed a ballgirl trying to hold back tears, he went to check on her. It turns out the girl was in pain, although she was trying to contain herself so as not to interrupt the match. Tsonga determined that she wasn’t OK, so he wrapped his arm around her and escorted her off the court to the cheers of the crowd. The Frenchman tweeted later that he had received a letter from the ballgirl, apologizing “for the times when you asked for the ball but I did not service it to you or acknowledge you. I had picked up a virus which I was unaware of and it caused me to become dizzy and lightheaded. This also affected my vision and hearing. I apologize for not being a le to perform my duties as a ball kid to the high standards that are expected.”

 

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Rennes: Evgeny Donskoy and Mikhail Elgin beat Julian Knowle and Jonathan Marray 6-4 3-6 11-9 (match tiebreak)

 

SURFING

St. Petersburg: http://wta.formulatx.com/en/

Taipei: www.taiwanopen.com.tw/

Dallas: www.tennischampionshipsofdallas.com/

Davis Cup: www.davisup.com

Fed Cup: www.fedcup.com

Midland: www.dowtennisclassic.com

Quito: www.ecuadoropen.com.ec/

Montpellier: www.opensuddefrance.com/fr/home

 

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

MEN

$125,000 RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA, hard

WOMEN

$710,900 St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy, St. Petersburg, Russia, hard

$226,760 Taiwan Open, Taipei, Taiwan, hard

$100,000 Dow Tennis Classic, Midland, Michigan, USA, hard

 

DAVIS CUP

World Group

First Round

Argentina vs. Italy at Buenos Aires, Argentina, clay

Germany vs. Belgium at Frankfurt, Germany, hard

Australia vs. Czech Republic at Melbourne, Australia, hard

United States vs. Switzerland at Birmingham, Alabama, USA, hard

Japan vs. France at Tokyo, Japan, hard

Canada vs. Great Britain at Toronto, Ontario, Canada, hard

Serbia vs. Russia at Nis, Serbia, hard

Croatia vs. Spain at Osijek, Croatia, hard

Group I – First Round

Americas Zone: Ecuador vs. Peru at Guayaquil, Ecuador; Dominican Republic vs. Chile at Santo Domino, Dominican Republic, hard

Asia/Oceania Zone: Chinese Taipei vs. China at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, hard; Korea vs. Uzbekistan at Gimcheon, Korea, hard; India vs. New Zealand at Pune, India, hard

Europe/Africa Zone: Bosnia/Herzegovina vs. Poland at Zenica, Bosnia/Herzegovina, hard; Belarus vs. Romania at Minsk, Belarus, hard; Portugal vs. Israel at Lisbon, Portugal, clay

Group I – Second Round

Europe/Africa Zone: Slovakia vs. Hungary at Bratislava, Slovakia, hard

Group 2 – First Round

Americas Zone: Paraguay vs. Barbados at Asuncion, Paraguay, clay; Guatemala vs. Mexico at Guatemala, Guatemala, hard; El Salvador vs. Bolivia at San Salvador, El Salvador, hard

Venezuela vs. Bahamas at Doral, Florida, USA, hard

Asia/Oceania Zone: Pakistan vs. Iran at Islamabad, Pakistan, hard; Vietnam vs. Hong Kong-China at Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, hard; Philippines vs. Indonesia at Manila, Philippines, clay; Kuwait vs. Thailand at Meshref, Kuwait, hard

Europe/Africa Zone: Tunisia vs. Sweden in Tunis, Tunisia, hard; Cyprus vs. Turkey in Nicosia, Cyprus, hard; Lithuania vs. Madagascar in Siauliai, Lithuania, hard; Georgia vs. Finland in Tbilisi, Georgia, carpet; Latvia vs. Norway at Jelgava, Latvia, hard; Denmark vs. Morocco in Aarhus, Denmark, carpet; South Africa ccs. Estonia in Centurion, South Africa, hard; Slovenia vs. Monaco in Maribor, Slovenia, hard

 

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$540,310 Ecuador Open, Quito, Ecuador, clay

$577,748 Garanti Koza Sofia Open, Sofia, Bulgaria, hard

$577,748 Open Sud de France, Montpellier, France, hard

$100,000 Kunal Patel San Francisco Open, San Francisco, California, USA, hard

 

FED CUP

Group I

Americas Zone in Metepec, Mexico, Round-robin, hard: Pool A: Canada, Bolivia, Paraguay, Venezuela; Pool B: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mexico

Asia/Oceania Zone in Astana, Kazakhstan, Round-robin, hard: Pool A: Thailand, Kazakhstan, Korea; Pool B: China, India, Japan, Philippines

Europe/Africa Zone in Tallinn, Estonia, Round-robin; hard: Pool A: Poland, Austria, Georgia; Pool B: Croatia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Hungary; Pool C: Great Britain, Latvia, Portugal, Turkey; Pool D: Bulgaria, Estonia, Israel, Serbia

 

Serena Williams
Serena Williams

Roger Federer’s 18th Major, Serena Williams’ 23rd Make 2017 Australian Open Most Historic Grand Slam Ever

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Roger Federer’s historic Australian Open championship capped what may go down as the most historic Grand Slam tournament ever held. Here are five moments that made this event stand out from all the rest (soon to be added to my “On This Day In Tennis History” mobile app (www.TennisHistoryApp.com)

Jan. 29, 2017: Roger Federer wins his 18th major singles title with an historic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory over arch rival Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open. The win incredibly comes in Federer’s first tournament back from a six-month sabbatical to heal his knee after a semifinal loss at Wimbledon. Federer, seeded No. 17, trails Nadal 1-3 in the final set, but wins five games in a row to extend his men’s record for most major singles titles won, but also stave off Nadal, a winner of 14 career major singles titles, from closing the gap on his record. The 35-year-old Federer becomes the oldest man to in a major singles title since Ken Rosewall wins the Australian Open at age 37 in 1972. Federer wins three straight five-set matches to take the title, his fifth at the Australian Open, beating No. 5 Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals, No. 4 Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals and No. 9 Nadal in the final. Federer’s win is his first major title since he won at Wimbledon in 2012 for his 17th major. Despite the loss, Nadal still holds a 23-12 head-to-head advantage over Federer in their careers, including 6-3 in major finals. It marks the first time that Federer beats Nadal in a major final since the Wimbledon final in 2007.

Jan. 28, 2017: Serena Williams wins her 23rd major singles title, breaking the Open Era record of Steffi Graf with 22, beating older sister Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 to win the Australian Open. Williams becomes the oldest woman to win a major title in the Open Era at the age of 35 years, 124 days and the final against her 36-year-old sister marks the oldest combined age in a major final. The victory, her seventh career singles title at the Australian Open, also returns Williams to the No. 1 ranking. It marks the 28th time that she and sister have played in their first professional career, Serena holding the 17-11 advantage in their career head-to-head as professionals that started at the 1998 Australian Open. Says Serena of her historic championship, “My first Grand Slam started here, and getting to 23 here, but playing Venus, it’s stuff that legends are made of. I couldn’t have written a better story.”

Jan. 22, 2017: Mischa Zverev, ranked No. 50 in the world, upsets No. 1 seed and five-time finalist Andy Murray 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Later in the night session, American Coco Vandeweghe upsets world No. 1 and defending champion Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-3 in the fourth round. The losses by Murray and Kerber mark the first time since the 2003 U.S. Open where the world No. 1 men and women lose on the same day at a major championship when Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Andre Agassi in the semifinals and Justine Henin defeated Kim Clijsters in the women’s final.

Jan. 19, 2017: Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan registers one of the biggest upsets ever at the Australian Open and tennis history upsetting six-time Australian Open champion and world No. 2 Novak Djokovic 7-6 (8), 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in four hours, 48 minutes in the second round of the Australian Open. Istomin, ranked No. 117, was only into the Australian Open field after winning the Asia-Pacific wild card tournament, where he saved three match points in the semifinals against India’s Prajnesh Gunneswaran. “All the credit to Denis for playing amazing,” Djokovic says. “He deserved to win. No doubt, he was a better player in the clutch moments.” Writes Chris Clarey in the New York Times “It was also the latest blow to Djokovic’s battered aura of invincibility. In June, after winning the French Open for the first time, the elastic Serb held all four Grand Slam singles titles at the same time. Now, he is the reigning champion only in Paris.”

Jan. 17, 2017: Ivo Karlovic re-writes the Australian Open record book in defeating Horacio Zeballos from two sets to love down 6-7(6), 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 22-20 in the first round. Karlovic, 37, fires 75 aces in the five hour, 14 minute victory, breaking the previous Australian Open record of 51 set by Joachim Johansson in 2005, while the 84-game match also breaks the tournament record of most number of games in a match since the introduction of the tie-break in 1972, surpassing Andy Roddick and Younes El Aynaoui‘s 2003 record of 83 games. The 42-game fifth set is also the longest fifth set in Australian Open history, breaking the 21-19 fifth-set scoreline of Roddick – El Aynaoui. “This match is what I will, after my career, remember,” says Karlovic. “If it was easy match or I lost easily, I wouldn’t remember it. But this one I will definitely remember forever.

Roger Federer
Roger Federer

Roger Federer Is Rolling Back The Years At The Australian Open

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Roger Federer rolled back the years to reach his 28th Grand Slam final, defeating Stanislas Wawrinka to secure his place to compete for the Australian Open crown. With a victory at the Rod Laver Arena, the Swiss would clinch his 18th major title, taking him four clear of Pete Sampras and his great rival Rafael Nadal in the all-time standings.

The 35-year-old’s career at the top of the spot looked to be at an end last season, as injuries and a decline in form prevented him from reaching a Grand Slam final in a calendar year for only the second time since his breakthrough in 2004. However, he has capitalised on the shock defeats of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, producing excellent tennis in the process to earn a shot at the crown for the fifth time in his career.

Federer is currently backed at 10/11 in the latest tennis betting odds to win the title, although he will be forced to overcome Nadal one final time to lift his 18th Grand Slam crown. Given that both players’ time at the top looked to be over last year, it is a great treat for the game to see two of its finest competitors battle it once again.

It has almost been five years since the Swiss tasted success at a Grand Slam. His last major title came in 2012 when he bested Murray in four sets at Wimbledon, earning his seventh crown at the All England Club. The rise of the Scot and Djokovic have stopped the veteran from extending his dominance on the biggest stage towards 20 titles, with the Serb denying him twice at Wimbledon and once at the US Open in 2015.

His resurgence at the end of 2015 suggested that Federer could make one last surge in 2016 towards Grand Slam glory. However, the brilliance of Djokovic held him in check as he mastered one feat the Swiss never achieved by holding all four majors at one time. Injuries also began to take hold as his ageing body could not withstand the intense workload on the tour, forcing the Swiss to miss the French Open and the US Open along with the Olympics towards the end of the year.

The time off to recuperate has held him in good stead and has shown that he has the durability to match the best on the tour, despite his age. His five-set victory over Kei Nishikori gave him plenty of confidence as he went stroke-for-stroke with the Japanese – eight years his junior – to advance beyond the round-of-16 in Melbourne.

Federer’s best was yet to come as he raced into a two-set lead over Wawrinka, displaying the pedigree that helped him dominate the game from 2004 to 2010. He also proved that his resilience has not waned with age, fending off a ferocious comeback from his compatriot to clinch the fifth set 6-3 and book his place in the final.

It would be fitting for the Swiss to secure one last Grand Slam crown against his old foe Nadal, bringing back memories of their epic battles of the late 00s. Here’s hoping for another cracker at the Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.

Roger Federer
Roger Federer

Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic Have Work To Do For Remaining 2017 Season

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Andy Murray’s elimination in the fourth round of the 2017 Australian Open means it is the first time since the 2004 French Open that the top two seeds in the draw for the men’s singles Grand Slam tournament have failed to make the quarter-final stage.

Murray was beaten by world No. 50 Mischa Zverev to deny him the opportunity to lift the trophy in Melbourne for the first time in his career after finishing runner-up on five different occasions. It is only the second time the British player has fallen before the last eight in his last 25 Grand Slam appearances.

The world No. 1 lost the opening set 5-7 but looked to have taken control of the match when he sealed the second set 7-5 to level the match. Zverev, who picked up the biggest win of his career, dominated the third set 6-3 where he over overpowered Murray, while he sealed the victory with a 6-4 scoreline in the final set. The German, however then lost to 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in the quarter-final in Melbourne after the former world number beat number five seed Kei Nishikori.

Although Murray would have been very disappointed with his exit in the Australian Open, he still went two stages further than his rival Novak Djokovic. The Serbian was eliminated in the second round by qualifier Denis Istomin who is 117th in the world rankings.

Murray and Djokovic both falling early leaves the Australian Open wide open and a great opportunity for the No. 3 seed Milos Raonic, who was tipped up by Oddschecker to win the tournament, to win his maiden Grand Slam title this month, while Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka will fancy their chances of improving their tally in the big four events.

The results in Melbourne go to show the top two players aren’t going to have it all their own way in 2017. They will now have time to work on their game before the next Grand Slam in May when they travel to Paris to take part in the French Open at Roland Garros.

With the absence of an ATP Masters event in February, the top two stars of the sport are unlikely to play too much tennis next month. They could appear at the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands and/or the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship which carries 500 ranking points.

The next two big tournaments on the men’s calendar are in March, when the world’s best players arrive in the USA. Firstly they are in action at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California and then they travel across to the east coast to feature in the Miami Open. Djokovic was successful in both of those tournaments in 2016 as he dominated the early stages of the season on the hard courts.

The winner of the Australian Open could emerge as a serious threat to Murray and Djokovic in 2017 but both men are likely to return with something to prove which could signal bad news for the rest of the players on the ATP Tour.

Andy Murray
Andy Murray

The Happy, Unpredictable Slam – The Australian Open

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The Australian Open has earned the moniker of “the Happy Slam” as it is the most laid back and relaxed of the four Grand Slam tournaments.

It is also known as “the Unpredictable” Slam

The Australian Open has a long history of long-shots advancing deep into the tournament and also claiming the men’s and women’s singles titles.

The tournament has produced more than the normal unpredictable singles champions, finalists and semifinalist. Since the tournament begins in the third week of the tennis season, the Australian Open is an early – albeit major – test of players form. It often reveals which players worked the hardest during the short winter off-season and who could have trained more.

On the men’s side,  some most recent surprise performances have been champions Petr Korda (1999), Thomas Johannsson (2002) and also Marcos Baghdatis, Fernando Gonzalez and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who made their only major singles final appearances in 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively. Since then, winners and runners-up have been among the elite of the elite – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray – with the lone exception being Stan Wawrinka, who was ranked No. 9 when he won his first major title in Melbourne in 2014.

Top-seed and five-time runner-up Murray and No. 2 seed and six-time champion Novak Djokovic appear as the heavy favorites to meet again in the final (for a fifth time) in 2017, but could a surprise finalist again be a spoiler?

Many expect Canada’s Milos Raonic, the world No. 3, to be the next player to break through and win his first major title. In 2016, he reached his first major final at Wimbledon and lost a five-set semifinal in Melbourne (losing both times to Murray). Austria’s Dominic Thiem, ranked No. 8, and Germany’s Alexander Zverev, ranked No. 24, are also poised for greatness. Australia’s immensely talented Nick Kyrgios, ranked No. 13, could put his temperament aside and rise the tide of local support to fulfill his massive potential. Jim Courier, the U.S. Davis Cup captain and commentator, says American Jack Sock could be a break-out player.

On the women’s side, Angelique Kerber was the Australian Open surprise in 2016, winning her first major title with a final-round upset of world No. 1 Serena Williams. Now in 2017, Kerber has replaced Williams at No. 1 and Williams comes into the Australian Open – as she almost always does – with a question mark as to her form and fitness having only played two matches (reaching the second round in Auckland in the year’s first week) since the U.S. Open and her off-season engagement to be married.

Agnieszka Radwanska, ranked No. 3, could prove to the Australian “surprise” and could throw off her distinction of perhaps being the best player in women’s tennis who has not won a major title. Karolina Pliskova, who was the surprise finalist at the U.S. Open last summer, is ranked No. 5 and fresh off a title in Brisbane in the first week of the season. Johanna Konta of Britain, ranked No. 9, is also entering the event having won the title in Sydney and was a surprise semifinalist in Melbourne last year. Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova was a surprise runner-up in Australia in 2014 (falling to Li Na) and could be a surprise winner with a No. 6 ranking and having won the year-end WTA Championships in Singapore to end 2016.

Australian Open
Australian Open

What Will 2017 Behold For Roger Federer, Andy Murray and… Boris Becker

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By Bob Stockton

If the second half of 2016 is anything to go by there are going to be big changes at the top in tennis this year. Over the last decade, the status quo have dominated the ATP tour but things are changing and now a new era is approaching fast. Below are my 2017 men’s tennis predictions.

Roger Federer

One of the best Bookmaker Offers, in my opinion, is to back Roger Federer to win his 18th ATP title. The former world number one is still hungry for success which was on show after making his comeback match after being out for half a year. The player was extremely emotional after the match and loved every second of it. With such passion, it would be stupid to not back one of the greatest of all-time to make the impossible. His left knee is fully recovered after undergoing surgery and with a few games under his belt, he will be a force again.

Andy Murray

2016 was Andy Murray’s year and he was head and shoulders above everyone. After taking the top stop from Djokovic he will be looking to cement his place at the very top of the ranking and it is hard to see him not achieving it. In his way are Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka but the Scottish player should be able to win enough games to keep up his spot at the world number one.

ATP Masters

Since 2011 the ATP Masters Series has been dominated by the top four players. Out of 54 tournaments, the titles have been won by the same big four players and the last time someone won the title was back in 2014. Both Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Wawrinka managed to win one each and this year I predict that one will be won by a player that is not ranked in the top four places.

Boris Becker

It would be a surprise not to see Boris Becker back coaching one of the world’s best players once again. It is likely that the German superstar will be back coaching before the start of Wimbledon. He was great at coaching former world number one Djokovic for three years and during this time he helped him to amass six Grand Slams.

There are many world-class tennis players who would jump at the chance to have Becker as their coach Djokovic may even be tempted to hire his services again to try to get back to his dominant form. They parted ways on good terms and it makes sense that they would once again join forces to help him try to regain the world number one ranking. If that does not come to fruition then one player that would be perfect for Becker’s coaching is 19-year-old Zverev. The fellow German is now ranked 24th in the world and has the potential to make great things in the sport. With Becker’s coaching, it would help improve the player and he would stand a great chance of breaking into the top five under his tuition.

 

Andy Murray
Andy Murray

Predictions For The 2017 Tennis Season

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by Bob Stockton

No one predicted the shocks that happened in the world of tennis during in 2016 and 2017 has the potential to be even more unpredictable. With the changing of the old guard at the top of the rankings it is all to play for this season. There are many battles that will take place. Here are some predictions.

Serena Williams

At the start of 2016, no one would have backed against Serena Williams not to finish the year in the number one spot. She has completely dominated women’s tennis and during 2015 the American player was the first female to win the top four major titles in the same year since 1969. It is why it was such a surprise to see Angelique Kerber take the number one ranking from her at the end of the year thanks to her winning two of the major titles.

Williams will be desperate to win back the number one ranking and beat Steffi Graf’s record of winning 22 grand slams. She managed to draw level with her by winning Wimbledon last year when she beat Kerber and will be determined to do the same again in 2017.

Andy Murray

It is going to be hard for Andy Murray to top last year as it was a magical year for the British and world number one. It looks like 2017 is going to be a two-horse race between the Scotsman and Novak Djokovic with both players way ahead of the chasing pack. The closest rivals are Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka who will all have a say on who comes out on top come the end of the year.

Djokovic is not the type of player that is going to roll over without a fight and he will be determined to get off to a great start again by defending his Australian Open Title. If he can keep the title and improve his performances for the second half of the year this time around, it is going to be a very close battle between the two.

Rafael Nadal

It was an extremely disappointing 2016 for tennis legend Rafael Nadal and he will be looking to make up for it in 2017. He was the favorite to win the French Open for a record tenth time last year but had to withdraw due to injury. The player is now 30 years old and will be wanting to get clay-court grand slams and if everything goes to plan he could win the French Open once again.

Roger Federer

At 35 years old time is running out for Roger Federer but he has the class and determination to get back into the top five. He had major injury setbacks in 2016 but he will be ready for the first grand slam of the year in Australia. It may take him until the middle of the season to get back to his best but all the top players will want to avoid been drawn against him as he can beat anyone when on form.

If you fancy putting money on your predictions for 2017 make sure to visit gamblingwebsites.org.uk for the best tennis odds and offers.

 

Roger Federer
Roger Federer

For The Holidays, Consider “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” by Steve Flink

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Having trouble thinking of the proper holiday gift for the tennis player in your life? Consider the book “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” by Steve. Flink.

“The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” features profiles and rankings of the greatest matches of all time dating from the1920s featuring Bill Tilden and Suzanne Lenglen up through the modern era of tennis featuring contemporary stars Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Flink breaks down, analyzes and puts into historical context the sport’s most memorable matches, providing readers with a courtside seat at these most celebrated and significant duels. Flink also includes a fascinating “greatest strokes of all-time” section where he ranks and describes the players who best executed all the important shots in the game through the years. Other champions featured in the book include Don Budge, Maureen Connolly, Rod Laver, Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf among many others.

The book is published by New Chapter Press, the premier global publisher of tennis books.

The hard-cover book, that makes for a centerpiece of a coffee table or at your local tennis club, retails for $28.95, and can be purchased here on Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257936/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_Qj-rybVBRK7ZW or at www.NewChapterMedia.com and where ever books are sold.

Flink, one of the most respected writers and observers in the game, is currently a columnist for TennisChannel.com. A resident of Katonah, N.Y., he is the former editor of World Tennis magazine and a former senior columnist at Tennis Week.

The book has received high praise from some of the most respected names in the sport, including Chris Evert, a winner of 18 major singles titles in her career, who wrote the foreword to the book.

Said seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras, “Steve Flink was there reporting on almost every big match I played in my career. He has seen all of the great players for the last 45 years. I encourage you to read this book because Steve is one of the most insightful writers on the game that I have known and he really knows his tennis.”

Said former U.S. Davis Cup captain and player Patrick McEnroe, “As a writer and a fan, Steve Flink’s knowledge of tennis history and his love of the sport are second to none, which is why you should read his book.”

Said ESPN’s Cliff Drysdale, “To see tennis through the eyes of Steve Flink is to wander through a wonderland. These are not fantasies because Steve captures the essence of tennis matches in graphic detail. There is no one more passionate or caring about his subject. In this absorbing book, I can relive matches that I have called on television.”

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins (a new third edition published in late 2016), “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker, “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “The Lennon Prophecy” by Joe Niezgoda (www.TheLennonProphecy.com), “Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Susan Anson, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According To Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin, “People’s Choice Guide Cancun” by Eric Rabinowitz, “Lessons from the Wild” by Shayamal Vallabhjee among others.

 

"The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time"
“The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time”

Tennis Fans Deserve A Wider Range of Games

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When it comes to sports and games, they usually go hand in hand. The popularity of sport means that they have a wide audience and many players who would play their favorite sports as games. Think FIFA 17, NBA, F1, the list goes on. However, one sport that doesn’t get the levels of gaming recognition it deserves is tennis.

Despite huge crowds, there is relatively little for tennis fans to get stuck into with gaming, and even more reason to do it, is the golden era that the sport is in the middle of. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have strong claims to be considered the best ever, with Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray not far behind. There’s even the odd controversial characters that you don’t find in the sport, with Nick Kyrgios regularly attracting headlines. That’s without covering the women’s game, and can you get better than the Williams sisters?

So, we think there should be some games that are brought out. The first that springs to mind is Top Spin 5. The previous, Top Spin 4, was released in 2011, and a follow up should be a necessity. The issue was that the licensing wasn’t sorted for all of the players, nor Wimbledon, and so the gaming can lose credibility. Despite that, the control and gameplay was impressive and ensured that’s why the game was well received by critics.

Yet it’s not all bad news, and there is something to look forward too. VR Tennis Online is fairly new on the market and of course, is a virtual reality game, the first sports title from Oculus Rift. It doesn’t have the recognised players, but at least gets tennis games out there. Incorporating VR, which could be a major player in the future, will give players the chance to test it out in what should be a fun game.

As well as that, you’ll be hearing more about Lucky Nugget Casino who offer Centre Court Slot amongst many entertaining games. It’s a tennis themed slot and the beauty of it is you can play anywhere as it’s on their app. Open it up from your sofa, your bed, or even the tennis court, and you’re ready to go!

Overall, the lack of games in the industry for tennis fans is concerning. Fans don’t have the same options to play as mot other sports do, but there are signs that it’s changing. The VR game could be a gamechanger, if it picks up, because it’s an alternative option. Likewise, the mobile casino option – hopefully it’s the start of change.

 

 

Roger Federer
Roger Federer

 

 

Most Memorable Tennis Moments from Previous Olympic Games

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No one knows what the Olympics will bring to the table this season. However, it is difficult to imagine the tennis matchups in Rio delivering moments capable of matching these top 10 occurrences from previous Olympics games, though you can bet on Tennis to try and exceed expectations:

1). Steffi Graf’s 1988 Seoul Games Golden Slam

A teenager from West Germany at the time, Graf had barely recovered from her U.S Open victory. Inspired by other Olympians, though, Graf won the Singles competition, becoming the first Tennis player to achieve the Golden Slam of Scoring four majors and the Olympic Singles title in a single season.

2). Andy Murray’s 2012 Olympic Win

Murray defeated Novak Djokovic and then Roger Federer in the semifinals and gold medal match (respectively) in straight sets, making memories during the 2012 Olympic Games in London in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

3). Roger Federer VS Juan Martin Del Potro

It was hardly surprising that Federer failed to defeat Murray in the 2012 Olympic finals, especially considering his epic bout with del Potro in a match that lasted three hours of intense play. This was the longest Men’s three-set match of the Open era.

4). The Serena Williams/Maria Sharapova Final

Serena Williams didn’t simply beat Sharapova. She dominated her in the final of the 2012 London Olympics. Sharapova’s silver medal was no consolation for her one-sided match against the clearly superior Serena, who was determined to complete a career Golden Slam.

5). Nicolas Massu’s Double Gold Win

Massu had to contend with sleep deprivation to win two gold medals at the 2004 Athens games, finishing his match alongside Fernando Gonzalez in the doubles so late that he fell asleep after 4:00 a.m.

A few hours later, he played against the United States’ Mardy Fish, somehow coming out of the match victorious. To Massu, these were the two best days of his life.

6). James Blake’s Fury at Fernando Gonzalez

When Blake’s shot supposedly brushed Gonzalez’ racket before being called out, he thought Gonzalez should have admitted it. Gonzalez stayed quiet, and sufficing to say, Gonzalez’s victory didn’t go down well with Blake, whose fury was palpable.

7). Andre Agassi Swearing

Andre Agassi’s victory run to the Olympic gold medal is remembered, not for the touching moment when two generations of Agassi family Olympians embraced on the court, but the Course language Andre unleashed during his match against Wayne Ferreira.

Ferreira thought Andre deserved a harsher punishment than the penalty point he received for swearing and cussing.

8). Jamie Murray Runs from the Court

Following a disappointing performance by Jamie Murray and his brother Andy during the 2008 Beijing Games, Jamie bolted from the court at such a speed that he left his racket and bag behind. Andy was already reeling from a loss in the first round of the singles.

9). Roger Federer and Mira Vavrinec

Federer and his future wife met at the 2000 Olympic Games, Federer kissing her for the first time at the games. They married nine years after and currently have two children.

10). Rafael Nadal’s Washing Foibles

People are still recounting the story Bradley Wiggins (a British Cyclist) told when he met Nadal in the Athletes’ village in Beijing and grew concerned about the way he was mixing his whites and colors.

Nadal won the singles gold medal during those games.

 

Roger Federer at the 2008 Olympic Games
Roger Federer at the 2008 Olympic Games

 

Novak Djokovic, Simona Halep Are Rogers Cup Winners – Mondays with Bob Greene

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Mondays with Bob Greene

 

STARS

Novak Djokovic beat Kei Nishikori 6-3 7-5 to win the Rogers Cup in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Simona Halep beat Madison Keys 7-6 (2) 6-3 to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Evgeny Donskoy beat Konstantin Kravchuk 6-3 6-3 to win the Presidents Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan

Federico Gaio beat Thomaz Bellucci 7-6 (5) 6-2 to win the Thindown Challenger in Biella, Italy

 

SAYING

“I don’t need to explain that every athlete dreams of being a part of the Olympic Games. I’m competing in singles and doubles. Hopefully I’ll get at least one medal.” – Novak Djokovic, saying he will be playing in the Rio Olympics.

“I tried just to keep the ball away from her and to make her run. I think I did it pretty well, and she missed shots.” – Simona Halep, after beating Madison Keys to win the Rogers Cup women’s singles.

“The love I have for tennis, the competition, tournaments and of course you, the fans, remains intact. I am as motivated as ever and plan to put all my energy towards coming back strong, healthy and in shape to play attacking tennis in 2017.” – Roger Federer, announcing he will not play the rest of this year in order to completely recover from knee surgery.

“Her first serve was definitely slower than normal. But it was funny. Her second serve was a lot slower, but because of the court it was bouncing a lot higher than normal. So while her first serve was a little easier to return, her second serve was really tough.” – Madison Keys, following her 6-1 6-7 (2) 6-3 third-round Rogers Cup win over Venus Williams.

“Every time I play against Agnieszka it’s 7-6 in the third, or something.” – Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, after upsetting Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 6-7 (4) 6-1 in Montreal.

“In tennis, unless you’re the guy winning the tournaments most of the weeks, which there’s very few guys that are doing that, you’re losing quite a bit. So it’s very important to make the most of those, try to learn, try to be better from those situations. That’s my next objective.” – Milos Raonic, after losing to Gael Monfils in Toronto.

“Jeez, that’s pretty bad. I need to practice a little more.” – Nick Kyrgios, after double-faulting 18 times in a three-set loss to 17-year-old Canadian wild card Denis Shapovalov at the Rogers Cup.

 

STARRING IN TORONTO

Novak Djokovic is back, and it’s like he never left. Playing for the first time since being upset in the third round at Wimbledon, the top-ranked Serb had no problems knocking off Japan’s Kei Nishikori to win the Rogers Cup for the fourth time. He also won the Canadian tournament in 2012, 2011 and 2007. Ivan Lendl holds the tournament record with six titles. “I raised the level of my game as the tournament progressed and today was the best performance of the tournament at the right time, so hopefully I can carry this win and this confidence into Rio as well,” Djokovic said, noting he will be seeking Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro. The victory was Djokovic’s 30th ATP Masters title. The world’s top-ranked player raced through the opening set in just over 30 minutes. Nishikori, ranked sixth in the world, refused to cave in and forced Djokovic to raise his game. “I really enjoy playing tennis and I was looking forward to competing again because I needed that break and that early loss at Wimbledon has allowed me to have an extra week where I can recuperate, spend time with the family and think about something else,” Djokovic said. “As soon as I recharged my batteries I was up and running and I’m really glad to start off the hard court season with a win.”

 

SIMONA HAS HELP

Simona Halep probably didn’t need it, but she had help winning the Rogers Cup women’s singles. Her opponent in the title match, American Madison Keys, produced a bundle of errors as Halep claimed her 14th career singles crown. “It was not my best tennis because I couldn’t play my best tennis,” Halep said. “I cannot hit stronger than her because she’s very strong. I tried just to keep the ball away from her and to make her run.” The tactic worked as Keys repeatedly plowed balls into the net or long. In fact, Halep only had four winners in the match while Keys, playing in her first career hard-court tournament final, finished with 45 unforced errors and had her serve broken five times. “I wish today went a little bit differently,” Keys said. “Sometimes it happens. Just take the positives from that and move on.” It was the second straight year Halep has reached the Rogers Cup final. Last year the Romanian became ill in the third set and was forced to retire, giving the title to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic.

 

SEASON ENDED

Roger Federer has called it quits on 2016. That means no Rio Olympics and no US Open as the Swiss star opted to fully recover from the knee surgery he underwent earlier this year. “The doctors advised that if I want to play on the ATP World Tour injury free for another few years, as I intend to do, I must give both my knee and body the proper time to fully recover,” Federer said. “It is tough to miss the rest of the year. However, the silver lining is that this experience has made me realize how lucky I have been throughout my career with very few injuries.” In February, Federer underwent surgery for the first time in his career after tearing the meniscus in his left knee. He skipped the French Open with a back problem before reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon he lost to Milos Raonic in a thrilling five-setter. “I’m extremely disappointed to announced that I will not be able to represent Switzerland at the Olympic Games in Rio and that I will also miss the remainder of the season,” Federer announced on his Facebook page. The 17-time Grand Slam tournament singles champion won the doubles gold medal in Beijing in 2008 alongside Stand Wawrinka. He captured the silver medal by finishing runner-up to Andy Murray at London in 2012.

 

STAYING HOME

Bob and Mike Bryan will not be defending their men’s doubles gold medal at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Saying as “husband and fathers our family’s health is now our top priority,” the American twins announced their withdrawal from the Olympics. The 38-year-old brothers won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London and a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games. In announcing their withdrawal from the Games, the Bryans did not mention the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects and been cited by several athletes who have opted to skip the Summer Games in Brazil. The Bryans have won 16 Grand Slam tournament titles, a record in men’s doubles.

Rajeev Ram has been named by the United States Tennis Association to replace the Bryans on the American Olympic team. Ram, 32, is ranked 25th in the world in doubles and will team with Brian Baker, who is already set to compete in men’s singles.

 

STAYING HOME

Belinda Bencic is the fourth female tennis player ranked in the Top 20 and the second Swiss player to pull out of the Rio Olympics. The 19-year-old Bencic, ranked 16th in the world, said she withdrew from the Games because she is behind in training following a wrist injury suffered at Wimbledon last month. Her withdrawal came one day after Roger Federer withdrew, citing a knee injury. The withdrawals have left Martina Hingis in somewhat of a quandary. She had been scheduled to play doubles with Bencic and mixed doubles with Federer. Hingis is not playing singles in Rio.

Alexander Zverev has withdrawn from Germany’s Olympic team due to fitness concerns. “During my last two ATP matches in Washington and Toronto I did not feel 100 percent, and after several consultations with doctors and my team we have decided that I must withdraw from the Olympics,” the 19-year-old said. Zverev upset Roger Federer at Halle, Germany, before losing to fellow countryman Florian Mayer in the final. “I hope to be back in full form for the ATP Masters 1000 in Cincinnati and wish my German teammates all the best in Rio,” said Zverev, who is ranked 25th in the world.

 

STOPS ALL PLAY

All professional tennis tournaments in Turkey have been cancelled until mid-September following the attempted coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) decision affects a total of 15 tournaments on the men’s and women’s Futures circuits in Antalya, Buca Izmir, Erzurum and Malatya. “The Turkish Tennis Federation has been a really strong partner of ours, so this is not a decision we have taken lightly,” said Jackie Nesbitt, executive director of ITF Circuits. “But player safely has to be our priority.” The ITF said it will review the eight-week suspension decision in mid-August.

 

SURPRISE

Nick Kyrgios came up with another problem at the Rogers Cup. This problem was Denis Shapovalov, a 17-year-old Canadian wild-card who upset the 11th-seeded Australian 7-6 (2) 3-6 6-3 in a first-round match. It was just the latest let-down for Krygios, who committed 18 double-faults in the match. At one point during the match Krygios was caught by the court microphones telling a member of the crowd that he did not want to be on court, adding: “I’m going straight home after this.” Shapovalov won the junior boys’ singles at this year’s Wimbledon. “I think the atmosphere really carried me forward today,” Shapovalov said. “It’s tough playing the first time on center court, but by the end of the match I felt like the crowd really liked it when I was getting pumped up.”

 

SHOULDER PROBLEMS

Minutes before she was to take to the court for her opening match against Britain’s Naomi Broady, French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza withdrew from the Rogers Cup, citing a gastrointestinal illness. “I’m pretty disappointed, I practiced a lot for this tournament,” the world’s third-ranked player said. “Since yesterday I have kind of been feeling weird and I spoke with the doctor and everything. I thought today I was going to feel better, but in the last moment I didn’t feel good enough to go on court and give my best.”

 

SALE

For a mere USD $8.9 million you can purchase the gated-community home of Pete Sampras and his wife, actress-singer Bridgette Wilson-Sampras. After buying the house in 2009 for USD $5.9 million, the two renovated and expanded the home, customizing the interiors and adding a swimming pool to the estate. The home is surrounded by mature redwood trees and lawns, while running streams and gardens fill the acre of park-like grounds. The 6,900-square-foot house has a library, theater room and wine cellar. There are a total of six bedrooms and 6½ bathrooms.

 

STOPS SCHOOL’S PLANIS

St. Cloud University’s plan to eliminate the women’s tennis program has been put on hold, thanks to a preliminary injunction issued by US District Court Chief Judge John R. Tunheim. The judge said that the tennis players would suffer irreparable harm if the program is eliminated while the players’ Title IX lawsuit against the university is pending. Five tennis players sued the university and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, alleging Title IX violations and saying the university for years has offered more athletic opportunities for men than for women. In his decision, Tunheim wrote: The Court finds that the status quo should remain the status quo for the duration of this case, or until the Court decides otherwise.” He stressed that his order didn’t mean that the tennis players will win or have won their lawsuit or that St. Cloud State is, or will be, out of compliance with Title IX. In assessing another factor – the balance of harms – Tunheim wrote that the players face more harm than the university. The judge said that continuing the status quo wouldn’t cost St. Cloud State that much because the tennis team brings in more revenue than its operating costs.

 

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Astana: Yaraslav Shyla and Andrei Vasilevski beat Mikhail Elgin and Alexander Kudryavtsev 6-4 6-4

Biella: Andre Begemann and Leander Paes beat Andrej Martin and Hans Podlipnik-Castillo 6-4 6-4

Montreal: Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina beat Simona Halep and Monica Niculescu 6-3 7-6 (5)

Toronto: Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo beat Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares 6-4 6-4

 

SURFING

Rio de Janeiro: www.itftennis.com/olympics/home.aspx

Atlanta: www.bbtatlantaopen.com/

Granby: www.challengerbanquenationale.com/

Florianopolis: www.brasiltenniscup.com.br/

Los Cabos: www.abiertoloscabos.com/es/

Aptos: www.seascapesportsclub.com/

 

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

 

MEN AND WOMEN

Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hard (first week)

 

MEN

$693,425 BB&T Atlanta Open, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, hard

$125,000 2016 International Challenger Chengdu, Chengdu, China, clay

$100,000 Challenger Banque Nationale De Granby, Granby, Quebec, Canada, hard

 

WOMEN

$250,000 Brasil Tennis Cup, Florianopolis, Brazil, hard

$250,000 Jiangxi Women’s Tennis Open, Nanchang, China, hard

 

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

 

MEN AND WOMEN

Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hard (second week)

 

MEN

$808,995 Abierto Mexicano Los Cabos, Los Cabos, Mexico, hard

$125,000 China International Challenger, Qindao, China, clay

$100,000 Nordic Naturals Challenger, Aptos, California, USA, hard

 

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer, Wilson Unveil New Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph Tennis Racket

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Roger Federer and Wilson Sporting Goods have unveiled the new Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph racket. The racket is the result of an 18-month collaborative, co-creation process between Roger Federer and Wilson Labs, the innovation hub at Wilson. Together with Roger Federer, Wilson sought to radically change the current design standards in performance tennis rackets.

“Nearly two years ago, we set out to change the design DNA of our performance tennis rackets and elevate design to an equal level of appreciation as technology,” said Hans-Martin Reh, General Manager of Wilson Racquet Sports. “In that process, we deconstructed today’s racket and reimagined every element from the inside out. With Roger’s help and insight, we removed unnecessary components and meticulously created a new look and feel for tennis rackets not seen before in the industry.”

“To be involved with any design process with a brand is exciting, however, with Wilson, it is extra special because I’ve played with a Wilson racket my whole life,” said Roger Federer. “I remember going to the shops as a kid and pointing to the Wilson rackets, hoping my dad would buy it for me. And now, I’ve been able to help design my racket to look and feel like me. This racket is truly special and I hope it inspires every player who holds it in his or her hands.”

The new 2017 Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph racket has been designed with sleek, modern elements to communicate Roger Federer’s elegant playing style and boldness on the court. The racket’s look is grounded in two, high quality paints, Black Velvet and Tuxedo Black. The matte Black Velvet paint provides a smooth, soft, light-absorbing finish that has been engineered to create a “feel”, or tactile experience, for attacking players like Roger Federer. These types of finishes and paint have not been previously used in the tennis industry.

The outside throat of the racket features the Pro Staff logo as individual sliver chrome letters that are laser etched into the racket, which required the Company to develop a new manufacturing process to support this textural element. Small pops of red include a Wilson-branded butt cap.

The inside of the racket’s throat carries Roger Federer’s signature and an image of his face for added personalization. These features are accompanied by the language “Designed with Roger in Switzerland.  Engineered in Chicago.” And a special feature of the new racket design is a simple, elegant-looking chrome grommet medallion that seamlessly connects the grommet strip to the racket frame.

The new Wilson Pro Staff line includes the RF 97 Autograph and four other models designed for a variety of attacking players. Importantly, Roger Federer requested Wilson produce two lighter weight versions of the racket – the Pro Staff 97 LS and Pro Staff 97 ULS – in his signature black on black design specifically for young tennis players.

“As someone who deeply cares about the future of this sport, we created this new Pro Staff franchise so it would appeal to everyone,” added Federer. “These two lighter weight models are designed to be very playable for young kids. This is the group of athletes I will watch and cheer on many years from now, and I want them to feel like this racket is every bit theirs as it is for the adult player.”

Hallmark technology features of the new 2017 Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph are similar to Roger Federer’s previous racket, including a wider racket beam providing a significant boost in power and larger headsize than on previous generations of the racket, which produce a larger sweet spot. The racket uses braided graphite to maintain the pure, consistent feel that players have come to know and love in the Pro Staff line.

The 2017 Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph racket will be available for pre-sale via tennis specialty retailers (in-store and online) and on www.wilson.com on August 18. The racket will be available for purchase starting on August 27, exclusively at the Wilson US Open tennis store on the US Open grounds. The racket will be available for purchase in-store and online worldwide on September 1. The MRP for the new Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph is $249.00 (US).

Wilson intends to introduce additional products which have been co-designed with Roger Federer and that compliment his new Pro Staff racket. Those products will be introduced over the next six – 18 months.

 

Roger Federer
Roger Federer