Tennis News

Cover picture for Radek's biography: "Czech-Mate".
Should be a bestseller!

Elena Baltacha, 30, died from cancer yesterday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/27280549

I was just about to create a post about her.

Very sad. Dying so young, just married and so quick after learning about the illness.

RIP!

Yes, so sad. Died just when life was about to start in fulness. This beautiful sunny day makes it even more poignant.
I hope she was prepared.

.......

For some reason I kept thinking about Elena all day yesterday.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7C55ljHMJfI

You might see me again today on SkyNews...but not talking but playing this time. They came to interview us but I turned it down....saying they did not want a French guy to talk about their former number 1.

Tenez wrote:You might see me again today on SkyNews...but not talking but playing this time. They came to interview us but I turned it down....saying they did not want a French guy to talk about their former number 1.

Oh, T!!!   
What time?

Not sure....even if they'd show us.....but apparently it might show in loop....I will have a look at the end of each snooker frame.

Really weird!

I'll translate tomorrow...if need be.

http://www.purepeople.com/article/james-blake-une-famille-assassinee-et-carbonisee-chez-l-ex-star-du-tennis_a140986/1

Tenez wrote:Really weird!

I'll translate tomorrow...if need be.

http://www.purepeople.com/article/james-blake-une-famille-assassinee-et-carbonisee-chez-l-ex-star-du-tennis_a140986/1

I saw that earlier today. Very weird, indeed. It's hard to believe it was an accident.

It turned out the father first shot his wife in her sleep, then the 18 year old son, 16 year old daughter, set the house on fire and then finally killed himself.
Apparently, financial troubles.
This happens very often in Switzerland (minus the fire) as all men have a gun at home. Part of Swiss Defence policy to give it to them after serving compulsory 2 year national service.

Sad! How money can get into people's mind. Thinking that life needs to stop, not only for him but for his relative because he is broke is really absurd.

I can only think it's because this is the era of spineless people.
Selfish and unused to hardship. Instant society in which patience and sacrifice are becoming extinct.
Smallest bit of trouble - they crack.

One of the reasons I think gun licence in today's day an age is not a very good idea.

Another bit of weird tennis news...

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/05/paes-reportedly-missing-french-open-gets-support-custody-battle-retiring-bhupathi/51448/#.U3PKycu9KSM

noleisthebest wrote:Another bit of weird tennis news...

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/05/paes-reportedly-missing-french-open-gets-support-custody-battle-retiring-bhupathi/51448/#.U3PKycu9KSM

Nice from Bhupa!

Never a fan of Inverdale but shame he has to lose his job for a silly mistake like that. I understand the BBC must have been under lots of pressure because this potical correctness has become so big now that large organisations are given 0 tolerance on sexism and racial comments. What I find annoying about this is that we all know what human nature is and as much as one wants to reprieve and hide that sexism and racial side of ours, the fact it is still there and chances are  it will always be.



https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/inverdale-sacked-bbc-over-sexist-bartoli-comments-balding-094359294.html

Political correctness is Anglo-Saxon (media being their mighty tool) gagging prison of free speech and free thinking.
One needs to stand up to it.

I feel deeply sorry for the young generation who know no better, so it is our duty to educate them to be brave and fight for their right to be free.

I've just read that Marion has landed a commentating job with ITV during Roland Garros.
I hope sacking Inverdale wasn't one of the conditions for accepting it.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Tennis/status/469461669676974080/photo/1

I don;t think so. I read that she did not mind Inverdale's remark. I actually was not a fan of Inverdale anyway so I won;t mind his leaving....just the the way it was done.

I don't have a TV so don't even know what he's like...but know that Marion herself said a similar thing about herself several years ago, so it's a shame they dealt with the guy in such a heavy-handed fashion...as if commentators weren't handcuffed already not being allowed to discuss doping and many other aspects of the game.
Tennis TV has Robbie, Lester and Goodall usually, Mercer only for Dubai, so I rarely listen to commentary as it's so pro-Nadal every time.
They seem to talk more and more and say less and less these days.

Boodles have announced their players' list for the season.
I go on Thursday as that's the day Nole plays.
Some really good entries. I wish they could tempt Fed just once!!!!!
Would be interesting to see Raonic's serve from up close and have a chat.
Will say hello to him on behalf of his biggest fan here
Last year I saw Nole-Dimi, apparently that was the best match in Boodles history.
After them it was Dolgo- Cilic. Dolgo's serve was inspirational and jaw-dropping!
Saw Hantukova practising, as well, and she looks twice as thin in real life!!!!

http://www.theboodles.com/2014-players-confirmed/class-of-2014-at-the-boodles.html

Very proud of Nole:
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/05/djokovic-reunites-yugoslavia-flood-aid-campaign/51512/#.U34nnsu9KSM

It's lovely to see nations once engaged in terrible bloodbath united through an act of love.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

Heh, the latest news is 
"Gulbis just interviewed by BBC radio 2 re Mauresmo appointment. Said he's hoping to be coached by Sharapova or Ivanovic, can't decide which" (@Spellman_Katie, twitter)

Hi Ryan - Welcome on board. Yes Gulbis is a funny character.

Top 10 though! that's a very good achievement when many thought he woudl never do anything......including me.

Did you know?

https://fr.news.yahoo.com/simona-halep-r%C3%A9duction-mammaire-chang%C3%A9-231200505.html

Simona Halep says she owes her recent success to a breast reduction operation!

Tenez says: "oh that's a real shame".

Yes, I did know.
Didn't realise it was worth mentioning....

That's Yahoo news! for you....the most trivial pieces of information make the headlines......And I can't help but read them!

Maybe that's what's slowing me down recently too!

Tenez wrote:That's Yahoo news! for you....the most trivial pieces of information make the headlines......And I can't help but read them!

Sorry, I didn't mean to be the killjoy

Nole getting married this weekend!!!!!
http://inserbia.info/today/2014/06/novak-djokovic-and-jelena-ristic-getting-married-this-weekend-in-montenegro/
Way to put RG loss behind him....maybe that explains all the recent closing out nerves

Hehe

Haase 5 - Nadal 1!!!!!
 
GP must be over the moon!

And now.....the moment you've been waiting for all summer!



http://novaknole.tumblr.com/post/91735890055/serbian-hello-magazine-published-some-photos-and#notes

Serena Williams is in ‘difficult period’

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/17/serena-williams-difficult-period-patrick-mouratoglou

I feel sorry for her

I read somewhere (probably just rumours & gossip) that she is pregnant with her coach, Patrick M.

Former world number 15 Robby Ginepri claimed his first ATP Tour win in over a year to advance into the second round of the BB&T Atlanta Open.
http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/news/12040/9391335/atlanta-open-former-us-open-semi-finalist-robby-ginepri-grabs-rare-victory

Did you guys see Harmon- the tennis writer- has been suspended/fired for plagiarism. Apparently it's snowballing and they are finding he did it for years.

He's also bragged about a close personal friendship with nadal!! Lol- cheaters flock together!

Nadal is officially gutless now!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/29884997

Come on nitb, he's just had surgery! 
Bit of compassion?

I thought it was quite amusing actually

Good news is the surgery went well (if not then perhaps I'd not be so happy with NITB hah); and he should be out of hospital soon.

That made me laugh, the crazy BigMac as a coach of Fogna. That would be a BigTheater 

translation will not be accurate, but here it is:

http://www.tennis-arena.cz/mcenroe-trenovat-bych-mohl-jen-fogniniho-4346cz/

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/mayweather-on-top-of-world-with--105m-for-72-minutes--work-114749186.html

Interesting to see how poor tennis players are compared to other athletes. Federer is by far the most talented across all sport...as far as I know.....yet he only makes 7th on that list...and Djoko 17th!!!!

Just saw this...nominations for the best athlete of 2014.
I was taken aback a bit with Nadal's name there...really? athlete of the year who can't compete even 6 months!!!!
The world has gone mad...

Male Athlete *
Michael Wardian (Marathoner, U.S.)
Floyd Mayweather Jr. (Boxing, U.S.)
Manny Pacquiao (Boxer, Philippines)
Viktor Ahn (Short-Track Speed Skater, Russia)
Rafael Nadal (Tennis, Spain)
Lionel Messi (Football, Argentina)
Novak Djokovic (Tennis, Serbia)
Rory McIlRoy (Golf, Northern Ireland)
Peyton Manning (Football, U.S.)
Bubba Watson (Golfer, U.S.)
Dennis Kimetto (Marathon, Kenya)
Clayton Kershaw (Baseball, U.S.)

It doesn't bother me. I am not sure what they mean by "best athlete".

Another example of a former multi million ($60M) tennis star getting bankrupt pretty quickly:

https://fr.news.yahoo.com/arantxa-s%C3%A1nchez-vicario-ruin%C3%A9e-173952042.html

For you and I, this seems crazy to throw away so much money but obvisouly this is not an isolated case so it shows that holding on to money is harder than it seems.

Interesting article, but to be honest, seems like total BS. If really he was thinking this way, he would behave differently and looking at Fed and Nole, would already have had kids...

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/02/nadal-wants-have-kids-values-court-relationships/54198/#.VPXtXfkRC-1

The mixture of venom and ignorance in Nadal haters is quite a sight. ^

For someone who claims not to be a Nadal fan , you sound a lot like the other "blind" and ignorant Nadal fans we can see commenting on that article.

Why don't you try and forget your "blind" love for the guy and look at it from an objective observer viewpoint? Wasn't Federer at his age already a father? Isn't Nole, who is a year younger already a father? Even Murray is married. I could understand Nadal's fear or getting married as his parents were getting separated at some point and Nadal is known to have a lot of fear a lot of the time, but still...

I am not saying Nadal is a bad guy, don't get me wrong. I just think he is the least credible of the top tennis players as what he says almost always is in contradiction with how he behaves, no?

I was being facetious, I never claimed not to be a Nadal fan... 
He said after he retires he wants to have a family. You have no evidence either way, but are simply speculating to try and have a dig at his personal life. 
Pretty poor, but what do we expect from Nadal haters, the standard just gets lower every day.

OK, Andy Murray got married.

Two things I don't understand:

Why the self-proclaimed brave-hearted men in Scotland wear skirts?
Why so many people stood in miserable weather to catch a glimpse of a couple getting married?

This celebrity culture is depressing.

Ahh relax nitb, it's a wonderful day for them.