It wasn’t inevitable, certainly wasn’t guaranteed, and at times seemed downright impossible. Having climbed back to the top of the ATP World Rankings, for what can surely be a last hurrah (but maybe not) as the game’s top dog, Roger Federer has surpassed one of the last remaining records the former “Greatest Player of All Time” Pete Sampras still owned. Having held onto the record for over a decade, Pistol Pete’s 286 accumulative weeks as the world top player has now been superseded by Roger...
After two weeks of almost non-stop rain and two singles Champions so familiar, that they’re almost a cliché, the Wimbledon’s ground crew now begins scrambling to get the grass ready for the Olympic Games due to begin in just three weeks, giving us a little time to look back over what we learned from one of the best fortnight’s of tennis drama in recent memory. 1. Nadal is susceptible to distraction Swinging his racket from side to side like a bad Pete Sampras impersonator, Lukáš Rosol managed to...
While Britain eagerly awaits their first homegrown finalist in the Gentlemen’s singles since before the second World War, those of us who do not ascribe to the ironic sense of entitlement those in the UK feel about winning Wimbledon doubt heavily that Andy Murray can go one step further and lift the trophy. It’s simply too hard to conjure up any legitimate athletic reasons why Andy Murray should, could or will beat the 16-time Grand Slam Champion Roger Federer in the final, and a quick look...
It’s that time of year again. Cue the miserable rainy English mid-summer weather, the strawberries and cream and more importantly, the over-hyped unrealistic expectations towards a certain Brit. Outside the main stadium courts at the All England Club resides a big screen and a relatively small picnic area. A patch of grass once known as Henman Hill (or on occasion Rusedski Ridge) has been for the best part of a decade, Murray Mound. And there sits Wimbledon’s fair-weather tennis fans expecting – nay demanding – Murray...
By winning the French Open, Maria Sharapova added the Roland Garros title to her Wimbledon, Australian and US crowns, thus completing the Career Grand Slam, and in doing so becoming a member of one of the most exclusive clubs in women’s sport. In the open era, only Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams and now Maria Sharapova have won all four major Championships. The first six are widely regarded as the best female players of all time, corroborated by...
Rafael Nadal very nearly got an unexpected Birthday present, as his only two legitimate challengers in his way to an unprecedented seventh French Open Men’s Singles title, teased the Spaniard by pretending they were going to crash out of Roland Garros before the start of the second week. As World Number One Novak Djokovic began his fight back from two-sets-to-one down against Andreas Seppi, Roger Federer went a set, and very nearly two sets as he stared at break points late in the second,...
While the tennis world was busy debating the merits and flaws of Madrid’s new blue clay courts, one of the game’s most prestigious and coveted records was being broken. Correction: smashed. Samuel Groth, best known for…… err….. who you may remember as……. err……. Actually, I’d go as far as to guess that no-one has ever heard of this guy. Not even that one friend of yours who always nods knowingly trying to appear to already know everything you tell them, but deep down you...
Roger Federer – the new World Number One? What may have seemed impossible just a few short months ago could now be a distinct possibility. After winning the Mutua Madrid Open title on the contraversial Blue Clay, Roger Federer has reclaimed the World Number Two ranking ahead of Rafael Nadal for the first time in 14 months. A feat almost unimaginable when he fell to fourth in the rankings back in October of last year. You may ask what motivation the 16-time Grand Slam Champion...
Who doesn’t love the vibrant look of the US or Australian Open? The bright yellow of ball contrasting against the vivid blue plexicushion courts. And who doesn’t love the French Open? The long intense physical battles from the baseline. Displays of courage, endurance and the will to win. Well, the Madrid Masters has found a way to combine the two by unveiling Blue Clay courts for the 2012 Mutua Madrid Open which begins this week. According to the tournament website, the decision to go...
Hello friends, how have you all been? It’s been a busy week for me so let’s get caught up with some fun old sports talk. Did you know there is a sport called “tennis“? Yes, it’s true and people play it! The Golf Exec and G Slim entered the doubles draw of the Santa Barbara Open and finished with a respectable (not respectable) 0-2 mark. In fairness the matches were closer than the final score indicates (which is not close at all) as they...
