Chair Umpire

Djokovic On Murray Following A Similar Diet

2012-02-10T09:25:00.003+08:00

Novak Djokovic has warned Andy Murray that he will have to find his own path to the top rather than trying to imitate his rivals.

World No. 1 Djokovic was crowned Laureus World Sportsman of the Year on Monday in recognition of his stellar 2011 season, winning ten titles and rising to the top of the world rankings.

Born just a week apart, Murray and Djokovic have been friends since they played together on the junior circuit, but Djokovic has left the Scot trailing in his wake, winning four of the last five majors to firmly establish himself as world No. 1.

Djokovic credited much of his physical superiority to a new gluten-free diet, prompting Murray to follow suit, but the Serb believes Murray needs to discover his own ways to hone his physical and mental game.

"I've never liked comparisons because everyone's different, especially in tennis, which is an individual sport," Djokovic said. "So everybody has a different path and everybody has a different structure of the body and different minds.

"I think you have to adjust to it and find the best possible way to benefit. For me, it was a learning process in the last couple of years. I'd been No. 3 in the world for three or four years in a row and Andy Murray was No. 4.

"What changed for me was the mental stability and strength and experience that I got over the years playing at the top level and just believing I can win the major tournaments, believing I can win against the biggest rivals at the later stages of major events."

Djokovic's latest victory, a grueling six-hour victory over Rafael Nadal to defend his Australian Open crown was a feat of endurance, but he claims it underlines the need to reduce the schedule.

"I respect everybody's opinion but I think that everything in life is change, is evolving and tennis is no different," Djokovic said. "It's become a lot more physical than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago. Considering that fact, I believe that there should be some changes for the good of the sport, for the good of tennis players.

"We have seen a lot of injuries lately, and this is not good for anybody. There is no use in top players being injured and so we're all already working towards finding a solution to that issue. It's not going to be easy because you have to consider tournaments and the tradition of the sport. But we sincerely hope to have better scheduling so we can have healthier lives after we finish our careers."

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Double Ranking: Will It Really Help?

2012-02-09T10:00:00.000+08:00

Rafael Nadal is pushing hard for the ATP to change its rankings formula by counting two years' worth of results instead of one, similar to the current golf system. For a while now, Nadal has said the change would lengthen careers by allowing big names to play less often and better protecting injured players. The idea seems to have recently gained more traction. Many other players support the move, says Nadal, and though Roger Federer remains a prominent exception, there's even talk about the issue at an official level. Now here's one more reason for Nadal to like the two-year system: It would mean he'd still be No. 1.

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Is Rafael Nadal's two-year rankings reasoning good for the whole of the game when you consider all the factors?

Say what? Yes, expanding the current rankings system to stretch over two years instead of one would mean Nadal would still lead Novak Djokovic, despite all his recent losses to the Serb. To get a glimpse of what the idea might look like in practice, a list was obtained for this story calculating what last week's rankings would have been under a two-year system. It uses the ATP's current rankings formula and applies it to the past year and also the year before that, showing what the rankings would look like if there were no tweaks to the system in between.

What's more, it looks like Djokovic would have yet to be No. 1 at any time. Nadal would have maintained his hold on the top spot all of last year and would still have been No. 1 even after losing his seventh final in a row to Djokovic at the Australian Open a couple of weeks ago. That may not make much sense if thinking back over the past year, but it does when looking at the past two years. Currently, Djokovic holds three Slams and five Masters tournaments while Nadal has one Slam and one non-mandatory Masters, Monte Carlo. But over the past two years, both Nadal and Djokovic have won four Slams each, and Nadal has four Masters titles and five Masters finals (including the World Tour Finals) against Djokovic's five Masters victories. Put all that together and out comes a new -- or rather, old -- No. 1.

But with most of Nadal's wins coming in 2010 and Djokovic currently dominating the tour, there's little debate about who deserves to be considered the best player right now. And the best player label has come to be seen as almost synonymous with the No. 1 ranking. When the two don't match, as recent history on the WTA shows, it's not pretty.

So is Nadal just looking out for No. 1? It's unlikely his support of a two-year system is merely self-serving. Remember, he would have had to wait a lot longer to get to No. 1 himself in the wake of Federer's years of dominance. And even though it would have extended his time there last year, continuing to push for it now doesn't really benefit him. Under a two-year system, he would be facing considerably more pressure this season because he would have to defend all the wins he recorded during 2010, leaving him little chance of catching up to Djokovic in the months ahead. Instead, Nadal says, the tour as a whole would benefit from having players around for longer so they can build up rivalries like the current big four of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray are doing. So how does the two-year system do in achieving Nadal's declared objectives? The numbers are mixed.

It certainly does seem to give injured players more of a buffer. Robin Soderling, who has been out with mononucleosis and dropped to No. 14 in the regular rankings, would still be up at No. 7.Andy Roddick, despite his continuing spate of injuries, would be at No. 9 instead of No. 19, and Sam Querrey No. 31 instead of No. 89. David Nalbandian would be at No. 39 instead of No. 86.

But what happens once injured players start trying to make their way back?

Their climb looks a lot longer. The most obvious example is former U.S. Open champ Juan Martin del Potro, now more than a year into his road back from wrist surgery. He would be at No. 27 instead of No. 10, which is bad news for him and the high seeds, who would stand to meet him in earlier rounds.

There's also Kei Nishikori, who has rebounded from back troubles but would still be No. 34 instead of No. 20. That lends weight to critics who have argued that existing injury-protected rankings rules do a better job of cushioning the pros from this problem.

More questionable is the two-year system's tendency to support players whose struggles are due to form rather than injuries. There's Fernando Verdasco, who would be up at No. 11 instead of No. 24; Marcos Baghdatis at No. 30 instead of No. 45, despite being more famous for his racket-smashing than his results these days; and finally, Ernests Gulbis, who would be sitting at No. 40 instead of No. 86.

Should these talented head cases be cut a bit of a break, or do they richly deserve their lowly squandered rankings? The two-year system would indeed make the rankings less volatile, keeping the familiar faces around for longer, even if they didn't play as much or as well. But opinion could be divided on when it becomes time for them to give way to someone who has been posting better results.

For similar reasons, the biggest knock against the two-year system has been that it slows the climb of up-and-comers. Federer cited this as a major reason for opposing the change, and the numbers bear this out. The two biggest young breakouts of the past year are both significantly lower in the two-year rankings -- exactly 20 spots for Milos Raonic, who would be at No. 48 instead of No. 28, and more than 30 spots for Bernard Tomic, who would come in at No. 67 instead of his current No. 34.

Generally, it's not like the two-year system produces completely wild results. Even the current rankings system throws up various anomalies from time to time. The central problem is the lag between performance and ranking. Seeing the two rankings side by side shows how hard it would be for a tennis community, trained to think in 52-week rotations, to adjust to going back two years. Some feel even now the rankings don't always reflect changed perceptions quickly enough -- hence the ATP's hare-brained attempt to switch to a week-by-week "Race" several years ago. Look at last summer, when some wondered why Djokovic didn't become No. 1 straight after winning Wimbledon. Now imagine the uproar if the Serb were still waiting. For all the reasons Nadal and his fellow supporters argue for changing the system, they might find it a lot harder to explain the results.

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Sketch On Rafael Nadal Proves Costly!

2012-02-09T09:48:00.002+08:00

The sketch from the show Les Guignols, or The Puppets, shows a life-size likeness of Nadal filling up his car's gas tank from his own bladder before being pulled over by traffic police for speeding.

"Spanish athletes. They do not win by chance," is flashed on the screen surrounded by the logo of the RFET and several other Spanish federations, including football and cycling.

In a statement published on Wednesday, the RFET said it planned to sue Canal+ France for "publishing a video in which, as well as containing unacceptable and damaging insinuations, the federation's emblem and anagram were used". The federation would be demanding that the video is withdrawn, the logo is not used again and that Canal+ pays damages for its unauthorized use, the statement added.

Like all tennis players, Nadal is regularly tested in and out of competition and has a completely clean record.

"On this occasion intolerable limits have been exceeded and we at the RFET cannot ignore such discredit and slander towards our athletes," federation president Jose Luis Escanuela said.

Canal+ broadcast the sketch after Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador was banned for two years on Monday for failing a doping test during the 2010 Tour de France.

It was the latest French attack on Spanish athletes following comments from former French Open tennis champion Yannick Noah in November in which he accused them of using "magic potions".

Henman Confident About Murray

2012-02-07T14:19:00.002+08:00

Tim Henman has told Andy Murray that, if Novak Djokovic can suddenly become the most dominant tennis player in the world, then so can the Scot.

Djokovic took his third Australian and fifth Grand Slam title last Sunday after a five-set thriller against his nearest rival, world No 2 Rafa Nadal, to strengthen his grip on the No 1 ranking after wins in four of the last five Grand Slam events.

Murray, beaten by Djokovic in the semifinals, still seems unable to get past the world's top three to break his Grand Slam duck.

But Henman, Britain's previous No 1, is convinced Murray is close to fulfilling his dream.

'Until the Australian Open last year, Djokovic was very much the bridesmaid behind Federer and Nadal,' said Henman, who will be at the Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony tomorrow night in London, where Djokovic is hoping to win the Sportsman of the Year Award for the first time.

'He'd won a single Australian Open but was mainly in the position Andy finds himself in now, as world No 3 or 4, and a perennial losing finalist or semi-finalist in the Slams. Now it seems he was simply serving his apprenticeship.

'It all changed when he played a massive part in Serbia winning the Davis Cup last year. In a pressure situation in front of a massive crowd, he delivered and from that point onwards he has never looked back.

'There are obvious similarities here with Andy, who finds himself behind Djokovic, Nadal and perhaps Federer. Being behind the other two players motivated Djokovic to find the solutions. Murray has to do the same.

'I've said for some time that I don't think Andy will win just one Slam, but quite a few. 'I am more convinced than ever after the way he played in Melbourne, especially against Djokovic.'

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Djokovic Targets Both Roland Garros & Olympics Gold

2012-02-07T14:17:00.004+08:00

The French Open title and an Olympic gold medal are the only major prizes in tennis to have eluded Novak Djokovic, and for the Serb, there is no point discussing which he would rather win this year.

"Why not both?" the confident Serb shot back when asked to choose, looking dapper in a suit and bow tie after collecting his Laureus sportsman of the year award in London Monday.

As with most of the five-times grand slam winner's public appearances, the 24-year-old's swagger is tempered with a smile, suggesting he is not getting too carried away with his huge success over the past 14 months.

In December 2010, Djokovic spearheaded Serbia to their first Davis Cup triumph then went on to win three of the four major titles in 2011, before outlasting Rafa Nadal in the longest grand slam final played to defend his Australian Open crown last month.

Jokes and smiles aside, when Djokovic addressed the question seriously, his response was ominous.

"I've learnt how to handle my schedule, how to handle myself on and off the court and to prepare for the biggest events. That is going to be the case this year," he said.

"I will try to set up my form for Roland Garros first of all, where I want to get the title and go all the way through, and then I'll start thinking about Wimbledon and the Olympics."

Djokovic has honed his craft alongside two of the game's most successful male players in 16-times grand slam champion Roger Federer and Nadal, a 10-times major winner.

The Serb's dominance in 2011 was briefly interrupted by Swiss Federer at Roland Garros, who snapped his 41-match winning streak in the semi-final.

Djokovic has never made it past the last four in the year's second grand slam and would likely have to beat Nadal to claim the title in Paris, where the Spaniard has reigned supreme in six of the last seven tournaments.

Should he come out on top on the red dust in June, Djokovic would join an elite crew of players to have won all four grand slams, comprising Federer, Nadal, Americans Andre Agassi and Don Budge, Briton Fred Perry and Australians Rod Laver and Roy Emerson.

Out of his contemporaries, though, Federer's record haul of 16 grand slam titles remains the benchmark, while Nadal holds the coveted Olympic gold medal from Beijing four years ago.

Djokovic has beaten Nadal in seven consecutive finals, including the title match at Melbourne Park, and is also set on taking the Spaniard's gold in London, despite some worries the Wimbledon surface may not be in great shape after the year's third grand slam in June and July.

"It's going to be interesting to see how the grass will recover, but I'm informed already that they have everything prepared," said Djokovic, who chewed on a piece of the turf after winning last year's final against Nadal.

If Djokovic's demeanour and play carry on in this vein, he will be taking a bite out of a gold medal come August.

Article reproduced from http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/why-not-win-both-roland-014550078.html

Nadal On His Way To Conquer His Demon

2012-02-02T07:28:00.002+08:00

You're Rafael Nadal and you're in hell. Your hell is knowing that Novak Djokovic, the man in front of you, the man who took your No. 1 ranking from you, has now beaten you seven straight times, all of them in finals, the last three in Grand Slams. Your hell is knowing that the old conventions, which were good enough to beat back Roger Federer and Andy Murray, and won you 10 major titles, do not work against this one opponent. Your hell is knowing that today Novak Djokovic is a better tennis player than you.

When there was the elegance and precision and dominance of Federer with which to deal, Nadal was unaffected. Federer could beat everyone consistently, except him.

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AP Photo/Mark BakerBest way to characterize Rafael Nadal's responses to Novak Djokovic's game lately: anguished.

When there were the better tools of Murray -- a better serve, a better backhand, an equally strong return, terrific movement and defense -- with which to deal, Nadal knew he would still win. He was in superior shape, always tougher, always secure in the knowledge that when the marathon reached its final miles, Murray would break physically and mentally when Nadal made his kick.

Even when there was Djokovic (the oldDjokovic), Nadal knew the game plan that worked against Murray would work as well against the Serbian because Nadal's toughness was the difference in their previous meetings. Nadal would not be the one who blinked on rallies. He would punish with the forehand and break his will by getting to that one more ball, by keeping the point alive. The old Djokovic eventually would collapse, mentally or physically, with his serve or his forehand.

When Djokovic suddenly began beating him last year, first on the hard courts at Indian Wells and Miami, then on clay in Madrid and Rome, then on grass at Wimbledon, and finally on the U.S. Open hard court, Nadal regrouped. He admitted that Djokovic was in his head, admitted he needed a new strategy, admitted he was going to have to work harder to overcome this opponent.

Now, after the Australian Open final last weekend, perhaps the greatest match either of them has ever played, five hours and 53 minutes of spectacular shot-making and heart, Nadal faces his hell: the recognition that Djokovic can handle everything he has to offer on a tennis court. And it's the best thing that could happen to Nadal and to tennis.

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AP Photo/Ryan Pierse,PooAny doubt now that Djokovich is fit enough to take on Nadal?

The darkness at the bottom, which is where Nadal clearly is with Djokovic right now, is exactly the place he needs to be to begin the return back into the light. Despite the exhausting nature of his defeat in Melbourne, Nadal can know now that he is closer to beating Djokovic than he's been in over a year, if he chooses to believe. And if he does believe, and learns from the millimeter-width margin of his defeat in Melbourne, the next several matchups between the two -- potentially the two American Masters 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami in March, followed by the clay season and the French Open in May -- could be even better than the great tennis of recent years.

When Djokovic last lost to Nadal, in the 2010 U.S. Open final, his own epiphany, his own hell moment, came. In that match, Djokovic realized how close he was, how his best could beat anyone else's best except Nadal -- a belief realized when Djokovic carried Serbia to its first Davis Cup victory. Djokovic knew Nadal was in better shape, and that had to change. He knew he needed to be more precise with his shots, more mentally tough, more convinced. He knew Nadal's aura rested in the Spaniard's unbending belief in his game, knew that Federer held the same power, and knew that he was destined to be the greatest No. 3 player of all time if he did not recalibrate.

He did, and in the process produced one of the greatest seasons in the history of the sport. Djokovic beat Murray in the 2011 Aussie final, and Nadal throughout the past year. The wins were close at first; and as 2011 went on, became more lopsided. At the U.S. Open, Djokovic easily handled Nadal in four sets, not because Nadal stopped fighting but because Djokovic cruised through easy service games while Nadal struggled just to hold serve. Djokovic exposed Nadal's susceptibility to the wide backhand in the deuce courts -- a Nadal weakness first exposed by Federer at the Barclays Masters in 2010, but a weakness Federer has been curiously uncommitted about exploiting extensively in their subsequent matches both on serves and in rallies. Djokovic exposed Nadal's lack of return depth by punishing him with the backhand and forehand. Djokovic exposed Nadal's lack of a backhand weapon while simultaneously developing his down-line backhand as one of the devastating shots in the game.

Djokovic frustrated Nadal the same way Nadal frustrates everyone else: by getting to balls that no human being has a right to reach, by forcing Nadal both to play another shot and overcompensate in future rallies by trying to hit the ball harder and faster to break Djokovic's impregnable defenses -- a recipe for fatal mistakes.

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AP Photo/Andrew BrownbillAt one point, Roger Federer seemed to have Nadal's number. But no longer.

By the end of 2011, it was clear that Djokovic had become everything Nadal already was and more. He was just as tough, just as fit and just as hungry, but with a better serve, a better return game, a better backhand and the mental edge of having been perfect against him in head-to-head meetings.

After winning the first set in Sunday's finale, Nadal appeared to make the mistake of believing his old game was going to be enough to beat Djokovic. Where he hammered at the Djokovic forehand in the first set, he returned balls back short to the middle of the service line in the second and third while Djokovic battered him with forehands and backhands down the line. Where he powered serves nearing 120 mph in the first set, Nadal spun in some serves weakly as the match progressed, and Djokovic broke his serve easily. Nadal was pushed so far behind the baseline by Djokovic's assault that the match looked over.

The old patterns returned, and continued into the fourth set -- when Nadal saw his hell moment, seized the opportunity and returned to produce some of the greatest tennis of his career.

The hell moment came with Nadal serving, down four games to three and 0-40, about to go down 5-3 and likely lose the match in four uneventful sets, as he did to Djokovic in last year's Wimbledon and again in the U.S. Open final. Nadal realized that everything else in his tennis game was dead -- killed by Djokovic -- and only the fighter in him remained. It was then that the rivalry returned, and the formula to beat Djokovic revealed itself.

He blasted forehands to Djokovic's forehand with precision and focus, kept the ball from the center of the court, didn't allow Djokovic to set up the backhand. He pushed Djokovic off the court with the forehand and served hard -- with variety in the ad court, to the body in the deuce. He fought with such concentration that he might have missed opportunities to attack Djokovic down the line; but when he and his coaches review the fourth and fifth sets, they will see the opportunities were available.

Nadal found, also, that his ferocity wore down Djokovic, made him look human, made him look vulnerable -- and he was. Had Nadal implemented such focus and strategy in the second and third sets instead of too late in the fourth and fifth, he might have been the one hoisting his 11th major title. He won the tiebreak in the fourth and was the stronger player in the fifth until, serving 4-2, 30-15, the fatal missed backhand.

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Greg Wood/AFP/Getty ImagesNadal still has time to turn his rivalry with Djokovic back to his favor.

Like last year's U.S. Open against Federer, when Djokovic was down two match points at 5-3 and then made the return of his life and didn't lose another game, Djokovic took the sliver of sunlight and kicked the door down on Nadal, losing only one more game the rest of the way.

Nadal must remember that he is still in the early chapters with Djokovic, who may become his greatest rival. In his history with Federer, Nadal has always been in control. Federer has never beaten Nadal more than three consecutive times. But with Djokovic, the rivalry is more cyclical, more streaky. Nadal beat Djokovic in 14 of their first 18 meetings, including five straight from 2008 to '09. Now, Djokovic has beaten Nadal in 10 of their past 13. Their streaky rivalry mirrors that of John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl, where each enjoyed win streaks over the other of at least five matches.

The next act begins now. As the season moves forward, Nadal has a choice: He can lament and agonize over the missed opportunities in the second and third sets last weekend when he lost his way. He can writhe over the infamous missed backhand in the fifth set that would've put him a point away from 5-2, to think about the forehands that just clipped the tape. If he does that, Djokovic will steamroller him on his way to the first Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.

Or, he can embrace his hell moment and realize that even in defeat, he is now liberated from Djokovic. He knows he can win. He knows Djokovic had to become fitter, more mentally tough, to catch him. If he didn't know it before, Nadal learned late in the final that his current backhand, serve and his return depth are not enough -- but the increased power he applied in the final two sets were sufficient to beat Djokovic. Through his stirring comeback, he slew the mental edge Djokovic had over him. The rest is work, and the blueprint for doing it was revealed in the epic fourth and fifth sets. Nadal is closer than it may appear.

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Baghdatis Rages! Nalbandian Demands Action Against Umpire!

2012-01-19T09:32:00.004+08:00

Crowd favourite Marcos Baghdatis turned bad boy last night after smashing four racquets during an extraordinary outburst at a change of ends.

A frustrated Baghdatis vented his anger on his equipment after falling two sets down to 21st seed Stanislas Wawrinka on Margaret Court Arena.

The Cypriot, who was runner-up at the 2006 Australian Open, destroyed the racquet he'd been using and then turned his attention to the brand new ones from his kit bag while he sat at his chair.

It proved to be a masterstroke as Baghdatis' game went up a notch following the outburst and he clawed back into the match, taking the third set 7-5.

But Wawrinka showed his class getting an early break of serve in the fourth set and never gave Baghdatis another look-in, taking the victory 7-6 6-4 5-7 6-1.

A FURIOUS David Nalbandian yesterday demanded action against umpire Kader Nouni after a controversial end to his second-round match against John Isner at the Australian Open. After an epic struggle reached 8-8 in the deciding set and with Nalbandian on break point, Nouni overruled a linesperson who had called out an Isner ace.

Not only did television replays show Nouni had made a mistake – the ball was indeed wide – he then compounded the error by refusing Nalbandian the right to challenge via Hawk-Eye due to the time taken by the Argentinian to make the decision amid the confusion.

Isner duly held and then broke a clearly livid Nalbandian in the next game to complete a 4-6 6-3 2-6 7-6 (7/5) 10-8 victory.

“I asked for Hawk-Eye as he made an overrule. I say ‘okay, I see the mark, I challenge’, not a big deal, but he didn’t want to do it,” said Nalbandian. “How many times do we check the mark and ask for Hawk-Eye? So somebody from the umpires or ATP can explain this situation. I mean, what is this? This is a Grand Slam.

“I haven’t seen the video but I don’t think it was too late to call. John said, ‘yeah, ask’. It’s ridiculous playing this kind of tournament with this kind of umpire.

“Eight-all, break point. Can you be that stupid to do that in that moment? What does the umpire need, press, the name, his picture (in the paper) tomorrow? Incredible.”

Asked whether he felt Nouni was incapable of taking charge of this kind of match, Nalbandian said: “Absolutely. No doubt ... I have never seen something like that. The ATP have to check what they (are) doing for the umpires. Do they practise? I don’t know.”

Nalbandian ruled out making an official protest, though, believing the evidence was already out there. “It’s on the TV, on the video,” he added. “But every time we talk to the ATP, it’s like nothing, so what is the ATP for, the players or for somebody else?”

Isner, who plays Feliciano Lopez in round three, said afterwards: “I didn’t know what was going on as I was towelling off. I guess I was just a little luckier out there.”

Davydenko Takes A Dig At Federer!

2012-01-17T14:15:00.000+08:00

Hitting out ... Nikolay Davydenko. Photo: Reuters

Nikolay Davydenko became the second man to object to Roger Federer's non-interventionist stance over players' grievances in his role as president of the Player Council yesterday.

Earlier yesterday, Rafael Nadal attempted to defuse the controversy that he triggered on Sunday, when he accused the Swiss of ignoring the complaints of the majority of tennis professionals.

But Davydenko - the Russian who was formerly ranked No.3 in the world - became the second man to object to Federer's approach.

I don't know why Roger is not supporting the players," Davydenko said. "Because he don't want ... any problems. He's nice guy. He's winning grand slams. He's from Switzerland. He's perfect. He don't want to do anything, he just try to be an outsider from this one."Davydenko's take on the issue was very similar to the one Nadal delivered on Sunday, when he was asked about Federer's non-interventionist stance.

He replied: "It is very easy [for Federer] to say, 'I am not going to say anything, everything is positive' and come off as a gentleman and burn the rest."

However, Nadal made an attempt at a rapprochement at his post-match press conference yesterday, where he explained that "I feel sorry for what I said" and promised that he would not talk about anything but tennis over the rest of the Australian Open fortnight.

But even if Nadal - who had his right knee heavily taped during his 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 win over Alex Kuznetsov, although an MRI scan later showed no damage - has really said his last word on the matter, he is not the only man to feel irritated by Federer's refusal to consider change. His outburst has started a debate that could roll on through the rest of this tournament.

Federer was the last man to speak yesterday, as his match was scheduled in the night session on Rod Laver Arena, but once he had arrived in the interview room he gave a thoroughly diplomatic press conference that reminded everyone why he is the president of the Player Council.

Asked for his response to the criticism from Nadal, who is the vice-president of the same body, he replied: "We can't always agree on everything. But for me, obviously nothing changes in terms of our relationship. I'm completely cool and relaxed about it, and [when we talked about it] he seemed the same way."

Tennis politics are notoriously hard to get a grip on, because no two players have exactly the same priorities. But the key issues being debated are two-fold: prize money for lower-ranked players at grand slams and the number of tournaments the leading players have to appear in.

When asked to discuss these subjects yesterday, Federer declined. "I choose not to talk about those issues with you guys in the press room because unfortunately it can create negative stories," he said.

And yet, as the conversation went on, his natural instinct was to support the status quo. "I thought the game was healthy. We're in a golden era right now. Everybody is happy, talking positive," he said.

This last comment seems an odd thing to say when the Association of Tennis Professionals players' meeting held on Saturday night was full of angst and anger. The upshot of their debate was summarised yesterday by the Ukrainian player Sergiy Stakhovsky, who said: "Some of the players were suggesting that we're not really going to play here. [They] got quite a lot of votes for that, too. But it was just not right, because we're here and the Australian Open would have no chance to change anything."

Although the new ATP chief executive, Brad Drewett, does not have any direct influence over the central issue of grand slam prize money - which the players feel should be higher than the current 12 per cent of the tournaments' total income - he is clearly under pressure to respond to the players' dissatisfaction.

As Davydenko put it: "The ATP should try to do something between now and Indian Wells [the California tournament in the second week of March]. All the top 100 players will go there and just see what will be changed."

Article reproduced from http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/davydenko-has-a-dig-at-perfect-federer-as-row-rumbles-on-20120117-1q3no.html

More On Nadal..From Uncle Tony

2012-01-15T08:57:00.003+08:00

Rafael Nadal has achieved more than the average 25-year-old – even Mark Zuckerberg is two years older. The Spaniard has amassed 10 Grand Slam titles and starts his hunt for an 11th this week in Melbourne. (It’s already Sunday here, of course.)

: AFP/Getty Images; Rafael Nadal shows off his left-handed forehand in a match against Roger Federer in November.

But his career may never have escalated had he not developed his left-handed game which has confounded the tour’s best for just under a decade.

From the time he picked up a racket age 4, Nadal played with a two-handed forehand and backhand, but led with his left foot when playing soccer.

“I am not so intelligent, I thought he was left-handed, now I know he is right-handed,” coach and uncle Toni Nadal told more than 300 delegates at the Australian Grand Slam Coaches’ Conference on Saturday, adding that his nephew moved to a single-handed forehand age 10.

“The only thing Rafael does now with his left hand is play tennis,” Toni Nadal said. The Australian Open’s second seed signs autographs, brushes his teeth and plays golf with his right hand. He even uses his right hand to pick at his underwear between most points, a habit developed as a junior to abate nerves, according to Toni.

The coach again brought up golf when dishing out advice about efficient training. He pushed the idea that if players put in enough intensity during on-court practice, they shouldn’t need to do as much physical work in the gym.

“It’s like a golfer who takes a cart around the course but goes home to walk on a treadmill,” he analogized.

To an audience hanging on every translated word, Toni also reflected on his experience at the 2009 Australian Open.

Nadal had squeezed past countryman Fernando Verdasco in the semifinal to win a close five-setter that included three tiebreak sets.

Ahead of the final against Roger Federer that Sunday, the then 22-year old complained of sore calves, a sore shoulder, blisters on his hands and a headache. He wanted to call the training session off.

“I told him in two hours when you play the final, you won’t be better, you’ll probably be worse but I know that you’ll never be as close to winning the Australian Open as you are today,” Toni said.

“One thing I’m sure of is if you had a person in a firing range with a pistol pointing at you, you wouldn’t stop running, so it all depends on you, that you look for the motivation to win and don’t think of the problems you have in this moment.”

Nadal went on to defeat his rival 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2 and doing so, claimed his first Grand Slam title on a hardcourt.

The Spaniard leads off the Open against American qualifier Alex Kuznetsov in the first round in a career-first meeting.

Article reproduced from http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2012/01/14/australian-open-rafael-nadal-part-time-southpaw/

Nadal Declare He's Injury Free

2012-01-13T11:52:00.005+08:00

WORLD No.2 Rafael Nadal has few problems with his left shoulder injury, no issues with his passion for the game, and a determination not to be too concerned by his recent losing record against Novak Djokovic before next week's Australian Open.

Nadal last night declared his shoulder troubles behind him, after warming up for this year at an exhibition in Abu Dhabi and then reaching the Doha semi-finals on the way to Melbourne, where he has practised without pain for the past three days.

''I had a little problem on my shoulder during December, after the Davis Cup final, so I have been away off the tennis court for around two weeks, that breaks a little bit my preparation,'' Nadal said at a responsible-use-of-alcohol promotion in Melbourne.

But for the last three weeks I am practising in perfect conditions, so that's fantastic news and then practising here very hard, three hours every day, with no problems on the shoulder and that's what I need and I'm very happy for that.''

The 10-time major winner and 2009 Australian Open champion was also keen to correct reports that he had lost his motivation for tennis after a seven-year residence in the world's top two.

''A lot of talk about this and I didn't say that, I want to explain that, I didn't say that I lost motivation to play tennis,'' he said. ''I say that I played a few matches at the end of last year with less passion than usual - not saying that I am not any more motivated to play tennis. I am doing well. I played with fantastic passion the last two matches of the year in the Davis Cup final, and I had a very good tournament by the way in Doha last week [after] arriving with no preparation.''

Nadal said he practiced more than usual for a tournament week, extending his warm-up from 30-40 minutes to 90 to try to log the extra on-court hours he needs before the year's first grand slam. Last year, Nadal defended his French Open title but won only two others from another nine finals - losing six times to the rampaging Djokovic.

Asked if he felt he would be better equipped to combat Djokovic this year after having so many problems in recent finals against the Serb, the Spaniard said: ''I didn't have problems, I lost! I will try my best as usual and I'm working hard to try to be a better player than last year. The problem is I didn't have a lot of time to practice during the time off, but I'm working hard and I think I'm in the right way. Djokovic stays there [at No.1], but there's a lot of fantastic players around, too, so I have to compete against everybody, not only against Djokovic.

''Last year I lost six finals, six important finals, against him, but I have been there, so I played those finals, and to be there is something really difficult, too … Last year I had the chances; I converted only three of 10. This year I have to keep creating chances.''

Article reproduced from http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/practice-is-making-nadal-feel-perfect-20120112-1pxlc.html

Nadal & Federer Same Half Of Draw!

2012-01-13T11:47:00.003+08:00

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are in the same half of a grand slam draw for the first time in seven years in the selection made Friday for next week's Australian Open in Melbourne.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic will have world number four Andy Murray in his top half of the men's singles draw, while world number two Nadal and third seed Federer were placed in the bottom half.

It is the first time since the 2005 French Open that 16-time grand slam champion Federer and 10-time major winner Nadal have been pitted in the same half of a grand slam draw.

Djokovic, who won three of the four grand slams and five Masters titles in 2011, will begin his Australian Open title defence against Italy's Paolo Lorenzi.

Nadal and Federer will start against qualifiers, while Murray, bidding to become Britain's first male major-winner since Fred Perry in 1936, takes on American Ryan Harrison.

Djokovic is drawn to face Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer in the quarter-finals and Murray could face former finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the French sixth seed in the last eight.

Federer could play American eighth seed Mardy Fish in the quarters, while Nadal is drawn to face Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych.

The Australian Open gets under way on Monday.

Article reproduced from http://sg.news.yahoo.com/federer-nadal-same-half-australian-open-draw-002548500--spt.html

Djokovic In Everybody's Cross Hair

2012-01-11T09:27:00.001+08:00

NOVAK Djokovic says nothing is impossible as he sets out to repeat his jaw-dropping performances of last season, starting with the Australian Open from Monday.

The Serbian world No 1 won three of the four grand slams and five Masters titles in 2011, became the top-ranked player, put together a 70-6 winning record and banked a record $US12.6 million ($12.2m) in prizemoney.

Last year's Australian Open final triumph over Andy Murray was the first of seven straight tournament victories in a 41-match winning streak that was finally ended by Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the French Open.

"My success gives me a reason to believe that I can win again. Why not?" Djokovic said. "I think it doesn't make any sense to be anything other than optimistic. I need to believe in my qualities and my abilities and I need to believe that I can repeat the success.

"Of course it is going to be an incredibly difficult task to achieve, but you never know -- nothing is really impossible."

Djokovic, 24, dominated men's tennis last year, winning a career-best 10 titles in 11 finals. He defeated world No 2 Rafael Nadal six times and overall was 21-4 against top-10 opponents.

But his incredible season now marks him as the hunted as his top rivals -- Nadal, Federer and Murray -- will be out to prevent him sweeping all before him again.

"What he (Djokovic) did, (is) very difficult for him to do again," former US Open champion and world No 11 Juan Martin del Potro said this week. "I think Roger and Rafa will be going after Novak because they don't want him to repeat the year he just had."

Djokovic's landmark season took its toll, with a combination of back and shoulder trouble, but the Serb said he was finally injury-free. "Injuries are past at this moment," he said. "I am happy to announce that it has been a couple of weeks since my last match and I have had enough time to recover physically and mentally and to get back into shape."

Nadal, 25, finished last season with a sore left shoulder and was not sure whether he would be at his peak during the Australian Open. "I know I am working well, with a much more positive attitude than I had during the second half of last season, especially in the final stretch," he told Catalan sports daily Sport.

The 10-time grand slam champion has a chequered record at the Australian Open, winning in 2009 but failing to make the semi-finals in three of his past five visits.

World No 3 Federer, 30, withdrew from last week's Qatar Open with back spasms but is confident of playing in Melbourne.

"Although it's not very good, it's not crazy-bad," Federer said of his injury. "I feel that without play and with the right treatment, I will get through it."

World No 4 Murray, 24, will be in the mix again in Melbourne, and will hope to show he has the mettle to break his 0-3 record in grand slam finals.

"A year wiser, and I have a year's more experience," he said. "I think I've improved a few things in my game."

Article reproduced from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/novak-djokovic-believes-he-can-maintain-his-great-success/story-fnbe6xeb-1226241204638

Nadal Worried About Form For Aussie Open

2012-01-10T09:16:00.004+08:00

Rafael Nadal admits he is unsure of his form ahead of the Australian Open.

The former world number one has been troubled with a shoulder injury since the end of last season and crashed out of the Doha tournament to Gael Monfils last week.

And while he says that he is feeling positive at the beginning of the 2012 season he is not certain that he will be able to bring his best at the first Grand Slam of the year.

Speaking to the Catalan sports daily Sport the Spaniard said: "I know I am working well, with a much more positive attitude than I had during the second half of last season, especially in the final stretch.

"I see myself capable of having a good tournament but you never know. I am happy with the level of my game, of how I am doing things and I think I am sowing seeds that will bear fruit. But maybe not in Australia."

Nadal, who is currently ranked at world number two, plans to take a month off after the Australian Open in a bid to get his shoulder problem sorted ahead of the clay court season.

But the tournament in Doha gave Nadal some good court time as he got use to the new and heavier racket he will be playing with over the coming season.

Nadal made it to three of four Grand Slam finals last year - picking up one title at the French Open.

Article reproduced from http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/sport/tennis/Rafael+Nadal-4588.html

Australian Open Seeding Released

2012-01-10T09:14:00.001+08:00

The seedings for this month's Australian Open have been released, with Novak Djokovic and Caroline Wozniacki receiving top billing.

Djokovic, after his superb 2011 season that saw him become world No1, tops the men's side of the draw from Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, with Britain's Andy Murray the fourth seed.

Spain's David Ferrer is seeded fifth, ahead of Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Czech Tomas Berdych, the American Mardy Fish and the Serbian Janko Tipsarevic, with the Spanish clay-court specialist Nicolás Almagro completing the top 10.

Wozniacki, who heads to Melbourne still searching for an elusive grand slam title and in danger of relinquishing her No1 ranking to the Czech Petra Kvitova, is the top women's seed, with Kvitova second, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus third and Maria Sharapova fourth.

Last year's the Australian Open runner-up, China's Li Na, is seeded fifth, with the US Open champion and local hope Samantha Stosur sixth.

Russia's Vera Zvonareva is the seventh seed, in front of Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, with Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli and Andrea Petkovic of Germany.

With the seeding of players in the year's first grand slam tournament based solely on their places in the ATP and WTA rankings, there were no surprises in the list revealed today, but the placing of defending champion Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams could see fireworks earlier than anticipated.

Clijsters, who is still battling back to full fitness after an injury-ravaged 2011, is seeded 12th, with Williams, the champion at Melbourne Park in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010, the 13th seed, meaning they could face a top-10 player as early as the last 16.

Men's seeds for the 2012 Australian Open

1. Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

2. Rafa Nadal (Spain)

3. Roger Federer (Switzerland)

4. Andy Murray (Britain)

5. David Ferrer (Spain)

6. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France)

7. Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic)

8. Mardy Fish (US)

9. Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia)

10. Nicolás Almagro (Spain)

11. Juan Martín del Potro (Argentina)

12. Gilles Simon (France)

13. Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine)

14. Gaël Monfils (France)

15. Andy Roddick (US)

16. John Isner (US.)

17. Richard Gasquet (France)

18. Feliciano López (Spain)

19. Viktor Troicki (Serbia)

20. Florian Mayer (Germany)

21. Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland)

22. Fernando Verdasco (Spain)

23. Milos Raonic (Canada)

24. Kei Nishikori (Japan)

25. Juan Mónaco (Argentina)

26. Marcel Granollers (Spain)

27. Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina)

28. Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia)

29. Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic)

30. Kevin Anderson (South Africa)

31. Jürgen Melzer (Austria)

32. Alex Bogomolov Jr (US)

Women's seeds for the 2012 Australian Open

1. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

2. Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic)

3. Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)

4. Maria Sharapova (Russia)

5. Li Na (China)

6. Samantha Stosur (Australia)

7. Vera Zvonareva (Russia)

8. Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland)

9. Marion Bartoli (France)

10. Andrea Petkovic (Germany)

Article reproduced from http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jan/09/andy-murray-australian-open-seedings

Raonic Wins A Thriller - Take Home Chennai Title!

2012-01-09T09:46:00.000+08:00

A couple of hours after Kenny, the lead singer of a local rock band called 83 Miles Per Hour, blasted at the top of his voice the band's signature song which was the same as their name, Janko Tipsarevic was left to deal with something which was fired at him at around 140 miles per hour for more than three long hours.

At the end of it, Milos Raonic, his 21-year-old opponent was the one who threw his hands in the air to celebrate, but Tipsarevic, the top-seed had done everything he could, to stop the Canadian fourth seed in the final of Aircel Chennai Open.

The 6-7(4),7-6(4),7-6(4) victory for Raonic after 35 aces in his name, 36 service games without a single break and three tie-breaks treated Chennai to three hours of glorious high-quality tennis, perhaps the best witnessed here. While Raonic, who came as a qualifier here last time, goes to Australian Open with a title in the first tournament of the year, his second overall, Tipsarevic's wait for a Chennai crown will continue.

But this was a match the Serbian gave his all. He blocked the ball, sliced it, served aces and returned with aplomb. He also scampered, ran like a maniac and defended with all his heart, but Raonic and his power game was a bit too much for the World No. 9 at the SDAT Stadium Nungambakkam.

After the first three games went relatively eventless, the fourth game was test of Tipsarevic's character and the 27-year-old passed it in flying colours. Down 2-1, the World No. 9 was in deep trouble as Raonic's ground strokes gained him the upper hand and four break points in the game. But the Serbian got out of the jail thrice with aces, and once with a backhand winner down the line.

Raonic held his serve easily, and put Tipsarevic's serve under pressure again. With Tipsarevic not ready to give in and Roanic's serve too hot for the Serb, the set inevitably went to a tiebreak.

After the first seven points went with the serve, Tipsarevic had a mini break when, after a rally, Raonic put his volley onto the net. That was enough for the Serbian to close the tiebreak at 7-4 and thereby win the set 7-6.

Tipsarevic's serve was immediately under pressure in the second set and like always, he found his way out. All the games went with serves and it was tie-break again. But this time the story was slightly different. Raonic had a mini break with the Serbian's first serve and eventually won it 7-4 to level.

The third set went exactly like the first two sets with no player being able to break each other. Raonic started with an ace in the tie-break and raced to a 5-0 lead. The fighter in Tipsarevic was never going down like that. He fought back but serving to stay in the match at 5-6 in the tie-break, his return hit the tape, and fell back into his own court.

Article reproduced from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/top-stories/Raonic-wins-thrilling-Chennai-Open-final/articleshow/11415021.cms

Tsongs Takes Home Doha Title!

2012-01-08T10:26:00.002+08:00

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga shrugged off a slow start and beat Gael Monfils 7-5, 6-3 in an all-French final at the Qatar Open on Saturday, giving himself a confidence boost for the Australian Open.

The sixth-ranked Tsonga, who reached the final when Roger Federer withdrew with an injury, fell behind 3-1 before finding a rhythm, coming to the net more often and reeling off the final four games to win the first set.

The momentum carried over into the second set, when Tsonga kept Monfils off balance with his powerful forehand and occasional drop volleys. Tsonga broke Monfils to go up 4-2 and won the match when Monfils hit a backhand into the net after a long rally

"At the beginning, it was bit difficult. He broke me very early and it was tough," Tsonga said. "But in my head, everything was right, OK, I'm one break down. I will continue to play my game and make him run a lot. I think it was good solution. After that, he was bit tired of that and I was better than him."

Tsonga improved to 3-1 against Monfils.

His eighth career title also came in his third successive final. The previous two were at the end of last year, in the Paris Masters and ATP Finals, when he lost to Federer each time. The Swiss star pulled out of their Friday semifinal because of back spasms, hoping to be ready for the Australian Open starting on Jan. 16.

Tsonga said he was counting on his Doha success to carry over to Melbourne, where he was a finalist in 2008. He refused to predict how deep he can go in the tournament, partly because he didn't face Federer, Rafael Nadal or No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic in this tournament.

"You know, my target is to go as far as possible, of course. If I can win it, I will," he said. "I think of it, and I really want it, like I think most of the other players. So I do everything for that, and this is why it's exciting, because I don't know if I will do it one day or not. But anyway, I work for that, and my ambition is to win a Grand Slam."

The 16th-ranked Monfils didn't show the same range and firepower he demonstrated in his semifinal win over second-ranked Nadal. He also hurt himself by racking up 27 unforced errors.

Monfils said he would take away a lot of "positives" from this week even though he admitted he ran out of energy in the final. He was especially upset with himself for fading in the first set, allowing Tsonga to break him to tie the set and break him again to win it.

"Today, I was maybe less powerful than I was during this week, because I think also Jo played different," Monfils said. "He was playing a bit soft and then changed the rhythm, like a bit hard and mixed it up with some slice. I had some opportunities in the first set, and I was maybe a bit less aggressive tonight to finish the first set."

The match was delayed for 35 minutes after the first game by a fog which made the hard-court too slippery for the first time in the tournament's 20-year history.

Article reproduced from http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/7435700/jo-wilfried-tsonga-dispatches-gael-monfils-claim-qatar-open

Federer Withdraws, Nadal Beaten By Monfils In Doha

2012-01-07T09:01:00.003+08:00

Gael Monfils stunned Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals of the Qatar Open on Friday to line up an unexpected all-French final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga after Roger Federer pulled out of the tournament with back spasms.

By Karim Jaaraf, AFP/Getty Images
France's Gael Monfils will play countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Qatar Open after upsetting Spain's Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4.

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By Karim Jaaraf, AFP/Getty Images

France's Gael Monfils will play countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Qatar Open after upsetting Spain's Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4.

Monfils, who had only beaten Nadal once before in nine meetings, started well with a strong first serve and an ability to chase down nearly every shot.

The 25-year-old Frenchman broke Nadal to go up 4-2 in the first set. Nadal recovered to lead 4-1 in the second set but Monfils stepped up his game. He won 16 of 21 points — including several jump volleys — and broke twice to go 5-4 up before closing out the match when Nadal hit a return wide.

"I just played my game," said Monfils, who swept aside Viktor Troicki of Serbia to reach the semifinals. "I think last night I played a good match and felt very good about it. I knew today if I did it in same spirit against Rafa it would be great because you need to take advantage of every shot you can make. So I just focused on my game and be aggressive. Then today everything worked."

Nadal praised Monfils for his performance, saying he had "fantastic shots with very good backhands, good forehands, his movements were fantastic." But he also blamed his defeat on being too aggressive in the first set and then some poor play — losing two serves in a row — and some bad luck in the second.

"I didn't play the right way tactically in the first set, in my opinion. I wanted to play more aggressive than usual, playing more inside, don't wait," he said. "So to play against him, I know that I cannot play like I did in the first set. I need to wait a little more. I need to play a little bit, you know, slower and wait my chance."

The second-ranked Spaniard said the second set turned when he had the chance to go up 5-3, but hit a forehand into the net to allow Monfils to break and even the set at 4-4. He said he "lost his concentration" after it appeared Monfils was going to challenge the previous shot but then returned it instead.

"He stopped playing, and, yeah, I lost the concentration, because (it) seems like he was trying for a challenge, no, at that moment," he said. "That was a big mistake for me, because with 5-3 on serve, the normal thing is that I hold the serve, and once I do that, I feel confident to win the match."

The match was overshadowed by Federer withdrawing only 30 minutes before his match against Tsonga. The 16-time Grand Slam winner said his back had not improved since beating Andreas Seppi in three sets on Thursday.

Federer, who was looking for his fourth title in Doha, apologized to organizers but said he didn't want to risk further injury ahead of the Australian Open, which starts Jan. 16.

It is only the second time the 30-year-old Swiss has pulled out of a tournament due to injury in his illustrious career. He withdrew from the quarterfinals at the 2008 Paris Masters, also because of a back injury.

"I don't feel a whole lot of improvement for today, and I just don't think it's the right time to risk anything more right now," said Federer, who has tried several treatments. "I still have pain and that's why it was the only right decision, a difficult one for me … so it's a sad moment for me and for the tournament and for the fans, but health goes first.

"It came throughout two points against (Grega) Zemlja in the beginning, 2-1 in the first set (of the second-round match), and then I wasn't able to serve properly anymore. Had the same thing yesterday. I was really playing with the hand brake on, and I was just trying to manage the situation, really. So it wasn't very easy to deal with."

Federer plans to fly out of Doha on Saturday as scheduled and is hopeful he will recover with rest and further treatment by the end of the week.

"For Australia, I'm optimistic, just because it's not very good but it isn't crazy bad," Federer said. "I have had bad backs in the past. This is definitely not very good, otherwise I would be playing. But I feel without play and the right treatment, I will get through it in the next few days."

The 16th-ranked Monfils is showing signs he may be rediscovering the form that saw him reach a career high of No. 7 last year.

Among the most athletic players on tour with a willingness to dive and slide, the Frenchman's lapses in concentration has often let him down in big matches, such as losing to Nadal at the U.S. Open two years ago despite leading by a set.

Monfils said what was key to Friday's win was never becoming rattled, even when down 4-1 in the second set.

"It was just a break, so I was just trying to adjust the way I played," he said. "I was just thinking it's one break and I know I can break him."

Nadal, for his part, dismissed suggestions that the loss was a setback to his preparations for the Australian Open and his bid to put behind him a year in which was lost to Novak Djokovic six times including the U.S Open and Wimbledon finals and gave up the No. 1 spot to the 24-year-old Serbian.

"I go to Australia very happy about what I did here. For sure I would love to win the tournament, win today, have another match tomorrow," Nadal said. "I am not lying to you, and my feeling is very positive… So seriously, the only negative thing of today is to lose. For the rest of the things, I am satisfied."

Monfils said that Tsonga, one of his good friends, had been a "bit lucky" in getting the walkover and worried about the two having such contrasting styles. Tsonga has won two out of three matches against Monfils.

"It's really always tough to play against Jo because he have a powerful game and kind of game, you know, it's tough to manipulate him from the baseline," he said. "So I need just to focus also on my game and focus on my mind."

Article reproduced from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/tennis/story/2012-01-06/roger-federer-withdraws-from-qatar-open/52411740/1

Cahill To Assist Murray - Occasionally!

2012-01-06T10:39:00.003+08:00

While Andy Murray was insistent he wanted Darren Cahill to remain an occasional part of his support team at events, when adidas and ESPN commentating commitments allowed, the Australian has decided the best policy is to give the world no.4 and Ivan Lendl the opportunity alone to forge their new relationship.

Cahill will still be available to counsel Murray on request via the telephone but believes it would be wrong to actually sit alongside Lendl in courtside players boxes and share a practice court.

“Getting a good person alongside like Ivan is crucial is for Andy,” said Cahill. “It’s time for them to get to know each other and they need their space.”

Cahill, previously coach to Lleyton Hewitt and Andre Agassi is insistent he is not in a position to take a full time appointment with any player. He turned down the offer of permanently coaching Murray full-time in the same way he did with Roger Federer and is more than content to split his time between various adidas players and commentate alongside Patrick McEnroe and Brad Gilbert for ESPN.

Speaking to The Times newspaper, Cahill continued: “I was there at the first meeting in Miami last month. We sat down for three hours talking about tennis and I thought Ivan was inspiring.

“The fact he has never coached before is irrelevant. He understands the sport and the way he used to go about his game was the benchmark of a professional athlete.

“Who knows where the personalities will end up, but what I’m very confident about is, at the end of this, whether it lasts six months or six years, Andy will be a better player and person for it.”

Meanwhile Murray requested a one-off appearance at next week’s AAMI Classic at Melbourne’s Kooyong and will play Argentinean David Nalbandian next Friday.

Kooyong tournament director Colin Stubs said he agreed to stage an extra match after being told Murray was looking for more game time.

Article reproduced from http://www.10sballs.com/2012/01/05/cahill-will-be-occasionally-available-to-assist-murray/

Raonic Blast His Way To Chennai Open Quarters

2012-01-06T10:34:00.002+08:00

The difference in class was all too apparent as the fourth-seeded Milos Raonic blasted his way past Romania's Victor Hanescu in the second round of the Aircel Chennai Open on Wednesday.

Raonic, the ATP's Newcomer of the Year for 2011, slammed down nine aces — the deadliest of which was clocked at 229 kmph — for a 6-1,6-4 win over the 90th-ranked Hanescu on Centre Court at the SDAT-Nungambakkam Stadium here.

The 21-year-old needed just an hour and fifteen minutes to get through, relying on his huge serves and instinctive approaches to the net to disintegrate Hanescu's own big-hitting manoeuvres.

The 31th-ranked Canadian ran up a 3-0 lead, with one break, in the first set and broke Hanescu again for 5-1. Appearing as comfortable in blitzing winners from the baseline as in storming in after a humungous serve, Raonic held to claim the first set 6-1 in 28 minutes.

Hanescu saved a break-point in the first game of the second to get on the board, and managed to stay with his younger opponent all the way to the sixth game, only to be broken, definitively, in the seventh. Raonic went 4-3 up and stuck to his gain to close things out 6-4 in the second, setting up a quarterfinal appointment with Israel's Dudi Sela.

“I can't ask for too much more than what I got today. Everything I worked on during the off-season, especially the returns, worked well.

“I think I can improve a little more in the service games but the most important thing was to win. I just want to focus on my strengths, work on my return stats and keep the pressure on my opponents,” said Raonic later.

Things weren't quite as straightforward for defending champion and third-seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who dropped the first set and took a medical time-out for a strained calf muscle in the third before getting things back on track against ‘lucky loser' Edouard Roger-Vasselin — Somdev Devvarman's replacement in the singles draw.

Matters stood at a set a piece when Vasselin, ranked 106, broke Wawrinka, ranked 17, in the seventh game of the decider. The Frenchman was serving for the match at 5-4 when he developed cold feet and was broken, allowing the Swiss a toe in the door and three successive games that signalled the end.

Wawrinka held, and dismantled Vasselin's serve again to book a place in the last-eight with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win, after almost two and a half hours.

Wawrinka next meets Japan's Go Soeda, who upset the fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia in the second round. Sela, meanwhile, progressed to the round of eight with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Benoit Paire of France.

The 26-year-old World No. 83 survived the loss of the first set, 10 aces from Paire, and six of seven break points to slip through to the next round in exactly two hours.

The results: Singles: Second round: Milos Raonic (Can) bt Victor Hanescu (Rou) 6-1, 6-4; Dudi Sela (Isr) bt Benoit Paire (Fra) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4; Stanislas Wawrinka (Sui) bt Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fra) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5; Go Soeda (Jpn) bt Ivan Dodig (Cro)7-6(6), 6-3.

Article reproduced from http://www.thehindu.com/sport/tennis/article2775242.ece

Nadal vs Monfils, Federer vs Tsonga At Doha!

2012-01-06T10:32:00.000+08:00

Defending champion Roger Federer was tested for the first time on Thursday at the Qatar Open before defeating Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals.

The third-ranked Federer set up a rematch of last year's semi-final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, after the Frenchman cruised past unseeded Albert Ramos of Spain 6-2, 6-1.

Rafael Nadal also reached the semi-finals, playing some of his best tennis this week in dispatching of Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-4. He will face Gael Monfils, who won the last four games in each set to beat Viktor Troicki of Serbia 6-2, 6-3 and ensure that the top four seeds reached the last four for the second straight year.

AP Photo

Nadal is progressing after injuring his shoulder during the ATP finals in November.

"Doing a lot of things very, very well," Nadal said. "For moments, I enjoyed a lot playing tennis tonight.

"I think I am fresh mentally. That's important. But I want to do it well, and I really am motivated to try to play well. I am doing much better than what I felt before this tournament, so that's a really positive thing."

The 30-year-old Federer is aiming for his fourth Doha title. He won his 20th straight match since his US Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic.

Federer, who had never dropped a set against Seppi in seven wins, took a 3-0 lead in just six minutes and appeared en route to an easy victory. But he unravelled in the second set, going down 5-1 after a string of unforced errors coupled with improved returns from the 38th-ranked Italian.

Federer came back to tie the set at 5-all but Seppi took the last two games, evening the match when the 16-time Grand Slam champion hit his return long.

"I definitely think Seppi, he's a good return player," Federer said. "When you give him too many second serves, he can take advantage of that."

Federer recovered in the third, breaking Seppi to go up 2-1. He saved two break points to take control at 5-3 and closed out the match with a blistering forehand winner into the corner which Seppi couldn't reach.

The sixth-ranked Tsonga struggled to three-set wins in his first two matches.

However, he broke Ramos in the first game and was never seriously challenged. He broke again to go up 5-2, and took a 4-1 lead in the second set, repeatedly pumping his fists when he hit winners and dancing as he closed out the match in just over an hour.

"I was very aggressive at the very beginning with my play, so I did well today," said Tsonga, who joked this week that he was normally a "diesel engine" who starts slowly.

Tsonga said he was pleased with his serving, winning 83 percent of the first-serve points.

Tsonga said he looked forward to a rematch with Federer, whom he lost to last year in straight sets. Federer was 6-2 in 2011 against Tsonga, but lost to him in five sets at Wimbledon.

"It's (always) a pleasure and an honour to play against this guy," Tsonga said. "When you beat him, you know you can do it and that's it. So of course when you are going on the court the next time, you are a bit more confident.

"But it's all the time difficult anyway to play against this guy because when he plays his best level, he's better than every player."

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Nadal Won't Cut Down On Power Play

2012-01-05T09:52:00.000+08:00

World No 2 Rafael Nadal’s biggest challenge in the new season, apart from regaining full fitness, will be to get accustomed to his new racquet. The Spanish ace, who has just recovered from a shoulder injury, that saw him miss the latter part of last season, has opted for a heavier racquet to pack more punch.

“Yes, probably a little bit tough now at the start, with the new racquet. So, is it a risk at the beginning of the season?Obviously, yes. You cannot think that everything will be perfect from the beginning, but you make the change thinking it will be better in the future.

“It’s like an investment.I don’t know how to put it. It’s like trying to improve something; few things in my game that we believe we needed, like the winners, the serves,” revealed Nadal.

Nadal revealed, he and his team decided on the switch of racquet after the US Open last year, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the finals.

“We thought about the change after US Open but there was very little time as I had to immediately play in Tokyo and Shanghai. It was only after the Davis Cup final that I had all the racquets prepared at home for the change. I had just one week but I was like if not now, when? So we decide to change,” said the 25-yr-old.

Winner of 10 Grand Slams Nadal, however, revealed that the shoulder injury didn’t allow him enough time to prepare. “I had to stop after Davis Cup finals. So, I finished on Sunday and I started next Wednesday. I didn’t want to stop because the period of time was very short (break between seasons).

So I wanted to keep practicing to be in form for beginning of the season, but I had to stop for my shoulder. I really couldn’t play with my forehand and serve.So I stopped for two weeks. I was working in the gym and didn’t go for holidays.I was working at home but not on court and started practicing one and a half week ago.So the period was not enough, but I am working hard every day here to try to reach my best level,” said Nadal, adding that his shoulder is still is far from perfect.

“The shoulder needs more power, because when you have an injury, the muscles around also lose the power.However, things are better as I was able to play here with no pain; so that’s important.”

Despite injury concerns, Nadal is in no mood to cut down on the power play he is known for over the years. “I answer this question every year and have always said no. Playing with less intensity?That, you know is not my style and I cannot choose that. So I will play like this until my mind and my physical performance say, finish.That’s what I am going to try.”

Article reproduced from http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_rafael-nadal-wont-sacrifice-power_1633107

Nadal, Federer Have It Easy - Move to Quarters

2012-01-05T09:50:00.002+08:00

Spaniard Nadal has been struggling with a shoulder injury in recent weeks

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal eased through to the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open despite unusually windy conditions in Doha.

Defending champion Federer beat Slovenian qualifier Grega Zemlja 6-2 6-3 to set up a meeting with Italian Andreas Seppi.

World number two Nadal beat Germany's Denis Gremelmayr, also a qualifier, 6-2 6-2 and will now meet Mikhail Youzhny.

French seeds Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils also made progress.

Third seed Tsonga saved two set points in the first set and went on to beat Italy's Flavio Cipolla 7-6 (10-8) 6-3, while Monfils, seeded fourth, overcame Benjamin Becker 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

Federer's victory was his 19th in a row - his last defeat came in the semi-finals of the US Open when he was ousted by Novak Djokovic.

I'm trying to play aggressive, I'm trying to return a little bit better, because for me the worst thing I did for most of last year was the return, especially the second half of the year

Rafael Nadal

"It can be tricky when you enter the first tournament of the season and right away you play an incredibly tough three-setter," Federer said.

"The body feels that, and that's why I'm happy to be through into the quarter-finals without too much trouble."

Nadal's win could have been more comprehensive than it was as he spurned 11 of his 15 break point opportunities.

"I'm trying to play aggressive, I'm trying to return a little bit better, because for me the worst thing I did for most of last year was the return, especially the second half of the year," Nadal said.

"I'm so happy with my returns here and happy how a few things have worked well with the new weight of the racket. I'm starting to have good feelings, so that's really important."

Seeded players were well on top as Viktor Troicki (5) beat Matthias Bachinger 7-6 (8-6) 6-1, Youzhny (7) beat Ivo Karlovic 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 and Seppi (8) saw off the challenge of Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-5 6-3.

A full complement of seeded players in the last eight was spoiled as sixth seed Alex Bogomolov Jr withdrew with an ankle injury and Spaniard Albert Ramos, ranked 66 in the world, went through on a walkover.

Article reproduced from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/16419361.stm

Federer Marches On While Nadal Toils!

2012-01-04T11:10:00.002+08:00

Roger Federer staked his claim as one of the favourites for the Australian Open title later this month by romping into the second round of the Qatar Open, while rival Rafa Nadal survived a scare in windswept Doha on Tuesday.

Federer, hoping to win a record 17th grand slam in Melbourne later this month, thumped Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-2 6-2 in less than hour on a blustery evening.

Top seed Nadal, in contrast, battled back from a break down in the deciding set against Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber to triumph 6-3 6-7 6-3 in two and a half hours. Third seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was also wayward in a 7-6 6-7 6-1 win over Tunisian wildcard Malek Jaziri.

Federer said he was glad to get some night-time match practice.

"It was a combination of me playing really well and Nikolay not finding his range like we're used to seeing in the past," Federer told reporters. "This is obviously an important step to get used to the conditions."

The 30-year-old Swiss has failed to win a grand slam title since lifting the 2010 Australian Open trophy but his appetite for tennis remains undimmed.

"If you don't have that (motivation), you will have many losses due to a lack of interest," said Federer.

"Your mindset has to be right and there's a lot of sacrifice during the year and throughout your career, but you get the returns and you just have to remind yourself how lucky you are."

His longtime rival Nadal, who lost the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals as well as the world number one spot to Novak Djokovic in 2011, said he was pleased with his performance in Doha as he recovers from a shoulder injury and switches to a new racket.

"The only moments I didn't play well were the beginning of the second and after the tiebreak. For the rest, I think I played a very solid match," Nadal said.

"My shoulder is fine. I felt something at the beginning of practice, but later, after three, four minutes, when I got warmed up, I feel the shoulder with perfect condition. The shoulder needs days like today to get the power."

Nadal was in imperious form early on, sealing the first set by ending a furious exchange at the net with a simple volley winner.

The German appeared to be heading for his eighth successive defeat to Nadal but stunned the 10-times grand slam winner by racing into a 3-0 lead in the second set.

At 4-2 up, Kohlschreiber netted a backhand to give Nadal a break back. The relentless power of Nadal's shots left Kohlschreiber scrambling but he clung on to take the set into a tiebreak, which the German won 7-2.

Kohlschreiber broke in the first game of the final set, hammering a forehand winner down the line, but that stirred Nadal from his slumber and the Spaniard broke back immediately before surging into a 4-1 lead that he never looked like relinquishing.

Tsonga traded tiebreaks with the bulky Jaziri in the opening two sets of an error-riddled match.

The Frenchman then broke early in the final set and eased home as his Tunisian opponent tired.

Article reproduced from http://af.reuters.com/article/tunisiaNews/idAFL3E8C37PG20120103?sp=true

Nadal To Make Racquet Adjustment

2012-01-02T14:15:00.002+08:00

Man on a mission: Nadal is making changes in his quest to once again rule the tennis world.

World No.2 Rafael Nadal is taking some drastic measures in a bid reassert himself as the preeminent force in men's tennis in 2012.

The Spaniard may have won the French Open for a sixth time and reached the final of two other Grand Slams last season, but his achievements paled into insignificance when compared to those of Novak Djokovic.

The Serb enjoyed a year described by both John McEnroe and Pete Sampras as the "greatest ever" as he picked up 10 titles in all, including three of the four majors on offer - the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Worryingly for Nadal the Mallorcan failed to register a single win over Djokovic ALL season long, losing the six finals in which he met the 24-year-old which contributed to him relinquishing his world No.1 spot to the all-conquering Serb.

But as Nadal fine-tunes his game ahead of the first Slam of the season Down Under he has revealed he has made a small adjustment to his racquet for the new season, adding slightly extra weight at the top, in a bid to generate more power.

While the 10-time Grand Slam winner was quick to stress the minor amendment was not a knee-jerk reaction to his batterings at the hands of Djokovic in 2011, he did concede that the change could help him in readdressing the balance of power in the men's game.

“It’s a change that I consider will help me in the future but not immediately," said Nadal in the UAE capital. "Every change at the beginning is something new, and you go a little bit down before you go up.

“We are trying to have a little bit more power with the racquet. Trying to find a little bit more winners. We believe that can help but when you are able just to practice for five, six days, that’s not enough."

Article reproduced from http://www.sport360.com/article/rafael-nadal-makes-racquet-adjustment-he-looks-challenge-novak-djokovic-2012

Doha Open Preview

2012-01-02T14:13:00.001+08:00

While ATP Chennai and ATP Brisbane are stretched relatively thin when it comes to headliners, no one can really say the same thing about ATP Doha.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are all part of the Doha draw as the 2012 season kicks off. Chennai, though not without top 10 talent, only has Janko Tipsarevic and Nicolas Almagro in its field, while Brisbane only features Andy Murray as far as top 10 players go.

Federer, in his first-round match, has drawn Nikolay Davydenko, a matchup that favors the world No. 3. Davydenko is a tough veteran, however he has almost always failed when matched up against the Swiss Maestro in the past.

In 17 previous meetings, the Russian has just two wins against Federer, although one of those victories did come in Doha as the two players met in the quarters of the tournament in 2010. The two players met again in the tournament's final last season, a match that Federer won to take the title down.

Barring an upset in the match in favor of Davydenko, the Russian is at risk of falling out of the top 50 when the rankings update next week, as he has 150 ranking points at risk in the event.

Nadal, in his opening match, will face Philipp Kohlschreiber, a matchup that is highly favorable to the Spaniard. Nadal has won all seven of their previous meetings regardless of surface and he will have the confidence when the two meet in their eighth head-to-head appearance.

Kohlschreiber can ground some hope in the fact that Nadal is not at 100 percent, as there is talk of a shoulder injury with the Spaniard. However, Kohlschreiber's victories over top five players are few and far between, and Nadal will be looking to put a poor performance in Abu Dhabi behind him.

Tsonga is on the same half of the draw in Doha as Federer, a circumstance that sets up a possible semifinal clash between the two. The Frenchman has an incredibly light quarter in Doha and he should walk all over Tunisian wild card Malek Jaziri in the first round and Italy's Flavio Cipolla in the second round.

Gael Monfils and Viktor Troicki are considered peripheral threats for the title in Doha and they are in one another's way for a spot in the semis on Nadal's side of the draw. But if the Spaniard's shoulder injury does turn out to be a factor in Doha, then perhaps Monfils or Troicki will be making an appearance in the tournament final instead of the world No. 2.

Article reproduced from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1005931-roger-federer-rafael-nadal-and-jo-wilfried-tsonga-headline-atp-doha-tournament

Djokovic Takes Abu Dhabi By Storm!

2012-01-01T19:40:00.004+08:00

Novak Djokovic brought the curtain down on his stunning 2011 season with a 6-2, 6-1 thrashing of Spain's David Ferrer in the final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event on Saturday.

Having already crushed Roger Federer by the same score in the semi-finals, world number one Djokovic looked on top of his game at the International Tennis Complex as he eased past world number five Ferrer to claim the $250,000 winner's prize.

The Serbian concluded the match with consecutive aces, signing off for 2011 in fitting fashion after 12 months in which he won 11 tournaments, including the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

"It's been a fantastic experience the last couple of days," said Djokovic.

"I had a great preparation here in Abu Dhabi. Everyone was very kind, and the crowd makes this tournament even better. We had a lot of fun and I hope (the spectators) did, too."

Asked if he could repeat his 2011 successes next year, Djokovic said: "I think, yes. Nothing is impossible, if you believe.

"I think the crucial couple of weeks is now, for me to prepare for Australia. We'll see. It's a long year and a difficult task, but I'm looking forward to it."

Ferrer had beaten France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a three-set quarter-final before downing compatriot Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the last four, but he had no answer to Djokovic's athleticism and poise.

"It was difficult," admitted Ferrer. "I know why Djokovic is number one in the world. He plays a really good game, and he was better than me.

"I made the semi-finals the first time I was here (in 2010) and the final this year, and maybe I can come back next year and win."

Earlier on Saturday, Nadal defeated Federer 6-1, 7-5 to claim third place.

The match was a repeat of the final of the last tournament, played in January this year, which Nadal also won in straight sets to claim his second consecutive title at the event.

"There's no better place to prepare for the season than here," said Nadal.

"A great stadium and great weather. I haven't had a lot of time to prepare for the season, so these matches are important. Next week in Doha will be another week of preparation."

Federer, 30, said he was happy with the overall standard of his play, despite his two defeats.

"I struggled throughout the weekend because I played some really good players," he said. "It was a great field."

Both Nadal and Federer will now travel to Qatar, to compete in the Doha tournament that marks the start of the 2012 ATP season.

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Mubadala Open: Federer vs Djokovic : Nadal vs Ferrer

2011-12-30T11:24:00.003+08:00

World number 1, Novak Djokovic defeated French star Gael Monfils 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 on the opening day of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis Stadium on Thursday.

Earlier in the evening, world number five David Ferrer downed World No 6, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2-6, 7-6, 6-2.

Djokovic will face Roger Federer in the semi-finals on Friday, world number two and defending champion Rafael Nadal will meet fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.

The first semi-final will start at 3 pm.

Nadal returns to Abu Dhabi with his sights set firmly on a third successive Mubadala World Tennis Championship title while Federer arrives on a 17-match unbeaten run having finished the year in ominous form with a record-breaking sixth victory at the ATP World Tour Finals held in London.

Nadal To Rest After Australian Open

2011-12-30T11:22:00.005+08:00

RAFAEL Nadal plans to take several weeks off after the Australian Open to recover from a nagging shoulder injury.

The second-ranked Nadal said overnight the injury surfaced before the ATP World Tour Finals in November and that he was still “not 100 per cent”.

He only decided three days ago to defend his title at the World Tennis Championships, a two-day exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi.

“I had a problem before London with my shoulder and I had to stop for about 10 days before the (ATP) finals,” Nadal said.

“It felt better but again it resurfaced. In December, I did not have enough time to practice because of that.”

Nadal will play the winner of a match between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and David Ferrer in the semi-finals tonight (AEDT).

He is hopeful his shoulder will hold up in Abu Dhabi where he will attempt to win the tournament for the third year in a row and in Doha where he plans to play at the Qatar Open next week.

After competing at the Australian Open beginning January 16, the 25-year-old Spaniard said he would take February off to rest and practice.

While praising the dominance in 2011 of No1 Novak Djokovic, who won three grand slams, Nadal blamed himself for allowing his play to become “too predictable” at times. But he insisted he wasn't going to overhaul his game despite losing to Djokovic in six finals.

“This is not the time to change many things. This is the time to keep playing well, to keep improving my tennis,” Nadal said. “I will just try and be competitive in all the tournaments. I was competitive in all the tournaments (in 2011) and was in three grand slam finals.”

Rafael Nadal: Change Is The Only Constant

2011-12-30T11:20:00.003+08:00

For half a decade, men's tennis belonged to Roger and Rafa. Or Rafa and Roger. It was a bipolar world order, and they regularly met in the finals of major events to sort out the technicalities of who would be No 1 at any given moment.

Then came Novak Djokovic and the magical 2011 season that vaulted the Serb to No 1, and the cosy company of two had become the crowd of three. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, each knocked down a peg, are learning to cope.

"I can't speak for Roger, but I can accept the situation and congratulate Novak," Nadal said yesterday at the International Tennis Complex. "But Roger is not going to be there forever. I won't be there forever. Novak won't be there forever. Tennis changes; the sport changes.

"It's good to have players in the top for a long time, because that's good for the fans. But at the same time it's good to have new people coming in. Not that Novak is anything new; he was No 3 for several years, and he deserved to be there."

Federer said he has had a good rivalry with Djokovic, but agreed that it will never be seen in the same light as his epic duels with Nadal, which included meetings in both the French and Wimbledon finals for three consecutive years through 2008.

"Novak and I have had many exciting matches, but because he usually was 3 or 4 and I was 1 or 2, we often played in the semi-finals," he said. "The rivalry never got to the point that it was with Rafa, and it never will because we were 1-2 for so long. But Novak is a great player, and I respect what he has done."

Like Nadal, he was keen to point out that Djokovic did not materialise from thin air. "Rafa was my main rival, but Novak and [Andy] Murray announced themselves several years ago. It wasn't like he wasn't one of the best.

"He was able to put together a quite extraordinary season. I expect from the three of them, Novak, Rafa and Murray, another extraordinary season. We all played every well in 2011."

Despite Djokovic's 10 championships in 2011, including three slams, and his 41-match winning streak to open the season, Nadal and Federer each are convinced they had very nice seasons - circumscribed only by one man playing out of his mind.

Nadal won three tournaments, including the French Open, and reached seven additional finals, losing six of them to Djokovic. "I was happy. I wasn't perfect, but I was playing really good, not perfect," Nadal said. "Against Djokovic last year I had to be perfect and I wasn't."

Federer won four championships, handed Djokovic his first defeat, at the French, and won the final three tournaments of the season, including the Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour Finals.

Aside from a rocky beginning, "I was very solid all the way through," Federer said. "I haven't lost to someone outside the top 20 for a long time. What was missing was that last breakthrough.

"For me, it was about keeping my cool, keeping sane, not going crazy over multiple tough losses. My reaction since losing to Novak in the US open is what I like.

"I didn't go into a hole and say, 'Oh, my God, I'm terrible. What is happening to me?' Face the fact that you're playing guys who are going well. I haven't lost a match since, and I've been very pleased since."

Nadal and Federer, and the tennis world, are waiting to see if Djokovic can produce another season like he did in 2011.

"Novak will be the favourite to finish at No 1," Federer said. "The question will be whether he can have the same kind of year, which no one expected form him."

Both Nadal and Federer said they would like to return to No 1 this season. If Djokovic stumbles, and they pass him, we might yet see a few more Roger-Rafa finals.

Article reproduced from http://www.thenational.ae/sport/tennis/rafael-nadal-admits-the-only-constant-in-world-of-tennis-is-change

Federer, Nadal Receive First Round Bye, Djokovic To Play Monfils

2011-12-28T13:37:00.001+08:00

The former World No. 1 Roger Federer and his best rival Rafael Nadal has received opening round bye, while World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will take on Frenchman Gael Monfils in the first round at the 2011 Mubadala World Tennis Championship this month ending in Abu Dhabi.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will battle against the winner of Novak Djokovic or former World No. 7th Gael Monfils in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship semi finals, which will kick off from 29th December at the Abu DhabiInternational Tennis Complex at the Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. Federer is looking hot favorite to clinch the fourth consecutive title of the season atAbu Dhabi, before entering into the new season at Qatar Open in Doha.

The king of clay Nadal will step out as a defending champion at Abu Dhabi International TennisComplex, where he has clinched last year title beating Federer in straight sets. Spaniard is aiming to win the title for the third time, but his appearance in Abu Dhabi championship is still doubtful. Nadal will clash against the winner of opening round World No. 5 David Ferrer and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The four-time Grand Slam Novak Djokovic will make his debut in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, where he has been working hard to return back to top form, ahead of 2012 season. Serbian is one of the hot favorite to life the title for the first time at Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex.

Federer, Nadal Opposing Views On Two Year System

2011-12-22T15:05:00.001+08:00

World’s top seeded rivals, Roger Federer is the president of Player Council and Rafael Nadal is the vice president of the player council. However, the seeded players in tennis era have got a different opinion on the rankings systems.

Spaniard, Rafael Nadal is supporting the Two- year’s rankings systems, while the Swiss Maestro, Federer is not interested in the 2-years rankings systems.

So here is what the seeded players, Federer and Nadal have in their minds about the Two-years Ranking systems:

President of Players council, Roger Federer has stated that he is not a big fan of the two-years ranking system and added that, it would be boring and said that, as a players council president, I think it’s not a good thing for the lower ranked players, to be quite honest. I think it’s going to be a struggle for them to make a big breakthrough. It’s going to take them multiple breakthroughs. So the dream of having one great tournament, then making a move, in my opinion, is never going to happen. If we have a two year ranking, things would be so slow and nothing would really move. I can’t support it as a president of the Player Council and I have to look at all the players in the eye.

Meanwhile, Spaniard, Rafael Nadal, a big of fan of the Two years ranking system has said that, Federer has his ideas as the council president; I have other ideas as vice-president. It’s not that my or his ideas are bad. We need to justify them. Why one does not like the two-year ranking and why one does, why one does not want to stage a boycott…And I don’t want to, either, there will not be any kind of a boycott, at least now, it’s very far away…I’m not the only one who likes the two-year ranking. There are many other players who also do, and the two-year ranking has a clear side, which is to protect all players, not just the top ones.

The 10-times grand slam champion also stated that, it’s a protection for the players who are injured, that will not last until the end of their careers. It’s true that when you get injured today with the one-year ranking you can go up faster, but you also have to comeback from No. 700 in the world, like what happened to Juan Martin Del Potro. It’s more important not have to come back from such allow ranking and to play with less pressure when returning.

Article reproduced from http://www.livetennisguide.com/2011/12/21/roger-federer-rafael-nadal-on-two-year-rankings-system/

LLeyton Hewitt: Hungry As Ever

2011-12-22T15:02:00.004+08:00

LLEYTON Hewitt has given the strongest hint yet that he has no immediate plans to retire.

Ranked 186th in the world after another injury-ravaged season, Hewitt has indicated he wants to compete beyond next year.

The former world No.1 has told Hopman Cup organisers he wants to contest the Perth round-robin event in 2013 at the event's new stadium.

"I enjoy playing at the Burswood and staying here is great for the players," he said. "The chance to play in any new stadium is exciting and I certainly hope I can be back again next year (2013)."

Hewitt, who turns 31 in February, had only nine wins from 20 matches in a season blighted by foot problems.

"Frustrating is probably a bit of an understatement," he said. "It is very tough to have the desire and focus but have an injury prevent you from doing your best."

Hewitt admitted he was not fully fit, and may never be so again, because of his left foot injury, but he hoped the problem could improve.

"If not fully 100 per cent, then I expect to be pretty close. Either way most people know I will always give 100 per cent on court," he said.

Hewitt said he intended competing indefinitely unless injury forced his hand.

"I am excited about this year because I am hungry and motivated and hope the injury problems I have had will be left behind and I can play at the level I know I can," he said.

"If I play my best tennis, then the results will take care of themselves, so my best is what I hope to achieve.

"I can't wait to get back out on court and compete, and playing for your country in Hopman Cup raises the bar of intensity as well."

Hewitt will partner Jarmila Gajdosova at the Hopman Cup, where he will play Spain's Fernando Verdasco (January 1) and France's Richard Gasquet (January 3).

"Yes, they will be tough matches, as they are quality players," he said. "But that is the advantage of playing this event: you get tough guaranteed matches and it is a great way to start the year."

Article reproduced from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/lleyton-hewitts-hunger-remains/story-e6frf9if-1226227935249

Will History Repeat Itself Against Djokovic in 2012?

2011-12-22T14:56:00.003+08:00

We know that the calendar-year Grand Slam is the Holy Grail of men's tennis. It's such a rare feat, having been accomplished just once during the Open era. Forty-two years ago, Rod Laver pulled off the remarkable accomplishment, and since then, the true mark of all-time single-season excellence has been the three-major year. In the past four decades, the feat has been accomplished six times, by five different players -- most recently, of course, by Novak Djokovic in 2011.

Because this is a "what have you done for me lately" world, the question now is whether Djokovic can keep up his Grand Slam pace in 2012. If we use history as a guide, it's going to be exceedingly difficult. Only one of the previous four tri-Slammers has repeated, while two of them went 0-for-4 the following year. Which is the most likely direction for Djokovic? Let's roll a little videotape.

Jimmy Connors pulled off the first triple after Laver, in 1974. The only one he didn't win was the French Open, but he didn't lose it, either; Connors was banned for playing World Team Tennis that year. Connors had his revenge when he steamrolled an aging Ken Rosewall in the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals. By the end of the year, some observers believed he would dominate for the next decade.

By the following Wimbledon, Connors may have believed it himself. Despite a leg injury, he demolished Roscoe Tanner in the semifinals while strutting like a "miniature Tarzan," in the words of one writer. Unbeknownst to Jimbo, though, his opponent in the final, Arthur Ashe, was watching all of it from the locker room. He knew what he couldn't do against Connors: Beat him with pace, the way Tanner was trying to do. So Ashe went in the other direction, frustrating Connors with dinks and slices in the final, and in the process setting the template for how to play Connors for the rest of his career. Manolo Orantes did the same in the U.S. Open final. One year after his three-Slam season, Jimbo had been figured out, and shut out.

This seems like an unlikely scenario for Djokovic in 2012. Although he has had his mental and physical struggles, as well as problems with individual shots like the serve and forehand, he doesn't seem vulnerable to any one style of play. Djokovic is solid all around, from both wings and with the return especially. He doesn't win with weapons as much as he does with lack of weaknesses. It's hard to see an Ashe-like kryptonite on the horizon.

It took 14 years for another man to match Connors' feat. Mats Wilander's miracle year came in 1988, when he added a backhand slice, edged Pat Cash in a five-setter in Melbourne, topped Henri Leconte at the French, and finally tracked down and passed Ivan Lendl at the U.S. Open. But that was basically it for Wilander. He said he felt like he had accomplished all of his goals that season, and was unable to muster up the desire and discipline to do it again. He never reached another Slam final.

Wilander's 1988, as fabulous as it was, now looks like the sport's biggest one-off. Greater champions than Wilander -- Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi -- never matched what the Swede pulled off that season.

At first glance, Djokovic's 2011 could end up being something similar. Before this year, he was an entrenched third in the ATP's pecking order, with just one major on his résumé. Is he the Wilander of his era? I don't think so. Mats lost because he lost motivation. He had done what he came to do. Djokovic was raised to believe he was going to be No. 1. He hasn't done all he came to do, and a decline in motivation seems unlikely.

The past two tri-Slammers were Djokovic's main rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. If Djokovic is looking for inspiration, he should look to Federer. He followed up his first three-major year, 2004, by going 81-4 the next season. The second time he won three, 2006, he did it again in 2007, despite the presence of Nadal. This is the standard that Djokovic labors under in 2012.

Is he the next Federer, the next long-term dominant champion? Eighty-one and four is a lot to ask; that's an even better year, record-wise, than Djokovic had this season. And having to do it with both Federer and Nadal still at his heels will make it doubly tough. Djokovic is not Wilander, but I don't think he's going to match Federer's peak four-year run, either.

Finally, there's the example of Nadal himself, who won three majors in 2010. The Spaniard didn't match it, for a very different reason than Connors or Wilander. Nadal was nearly as good in 2011, but he was surpassed by one player, Djokovic, who took his Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns.

Is this a likely template for Djokovic? Well, there is this guy out there who was one point, and a couple of inches, from taking him out of the U.S. Open this year …

Article reproduced from http://espn.go.com/tennis/blog/_/name/tennis/id/7377997/history-novak-djokovic-2012

Milos Looking To Devastate Chennai Open With Serve!

2011-12-22T14:54:00.001+08:00

He could not even make the main draw in the last edition of the Aircel Chennai Open but this year Milos Raonic is optimistic of putting up a strong show at India's only ATP event as he has progressed immensely in the last 12 months.

Raonic had become the first qualifier to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam since 1999 at the Australian Open, two weeks after he bowed out of the Chennai Open qualifiers.

In 2011, Raonic also became the first Canadian to win an ATP World Tour title at SAP Open in 16 years and climbed from 156 to a career-high 25 in the rankings.

"I am very optimistic and looking forward to it. I hope I can make more of an impact on the tournament than last year and start the year strong," Raonic, who is now ranked 31, said.

Raonic's biggest strength is his power-packed serve and he says he will make full use of his serve at Aircel Chennai open, starting January 2.

"It's my biggest weapon. I try to construct my game around it. It also helps on my returns, because it puts a lot of pressure on my opponents," the 20-year-old said ahead of the 17th edition of Chennai Open.

Elaborating further on his dramatic rise, he said, "The progress has been amazing and fast. My tennis has improved so much and only keeps getting better.

"I know the more I play on tour the better I will get and the more experience I will pick up. I hope to be a fixed stature in the top rankings in the world and to be aggressively competing for big tournaments with the top guys.

"The high point was winning my first title in San Jose at the SAP Open. The low point was getting injured at Wimbledon and having to miss 3 months of competition," he added.

Article reproduced from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/top-stories/Raonic-looks-to-improve-his-record-at-Chennai-Open/articleshow/11169662.cms

Djokovic Leaves Injuries Behind - All Set To Go!

2011-12-20T10:40:00.002+08:00

Novak Djokovic has already begun preparations for what will be a pressure-filled 2012 season. Speaking to reports in Abu Dhabi, where he’ll participate in an exo tournament at the end of the month, Djokovic said that the injuries that plagued him the last quarter of the season are healed.

“Injuries are past at this moment,” Djokovic told the Gulf News on Saturday. “I am happy to announce that it has been a couple of weeks since my last match and I have had enough time to recover physically and mentally and to get back into shape.”

A year ago Djokovic was still a player with unfilled potential. Now, he’s coming off one of the greatest seasons ever by a tennis player and he’s not changing a thing. “I’m sticking with the same regime and same diet,” the World No. 1 added. “Same way of practising. Nothing has changed. The approach is as simple as it was. “I am dedicated and motivated in the sport, I am only 24 and there are many years to come and to have lots of success.”

However, Djokovic is already changing his schedule - he did not play Abu Dhabi last year. The $250K, 3-day Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi begin on December 29. The field also includes Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Gael Monfils, David Ferrer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Djokovic finished with 10 titles including three Grand Slams. But sputtered the final two months of the season in part due to an ailing shoulder and fatigue.

Article reproduced from http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2011-12-19/8439.php

Nadal Sells Real Madrid Shares

2011-12-20T10:30:00.000+08:00

Tennis world number two Rafa Nadal and his uncle Miguel Angel Nadal sold their 10 percent shareholding in Spanish football team Real Mallorca on Monday, the club said in a statement.

German businessman Utz Claassen bought the shares to increase his stakeholding to 20 percent.

Nadal, a Real Madrid fan who lives on the Mediterranean island, had joined a consortium that invested in financially troubled Mallorca in 2010.

His uncle Miguel Angel, a former Spain and Barcelona defender, became then coach Michael Laudrup's number two, but when the Dane resigned in September Nadal openly criticized the board's handling of the matter.

Mallorca, now coached by Joaquin Caparros, are in financial administration, lie 14th in La Liga and trail 1-0 going into Tuesday's King's Cup last-32 second leg at Sporting Gijon.

Article reproduced from http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCATRE7BI21620111219

The Flat-Spin Maneuver

2011-12-18T17:51:00.000+08:00

When the first chunk of chocolate in peanut butter, oh what a glorious day that was. In tennis, wouldn't it be good to have your cake and eat it, too. Historically, tennis players have had to choose between either hitting a flat ball, with very little spin, or hitting a ball with heavy top spin. Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to choose; if you could have the best of both worlds?

Traditional topspin is hit by contacting the tennis ball near the bottom and rubbing the ball upward and forward. The upside: you have a license to hit the ball hard and it will stay in play. The downside: it is hit with a loopy motions that clears the net high, bounces high when it lands, and gives your opponent time to run under your shots.

A flat shot is hit with a fairly level swing that contacts the middle of the ball. The upside: you hit a ball that stays low and penetrates through the court so that your opponent is left without time to run under it. The downside: a flat shot must be hit fairly exact; if it is hit too high or too hard it goes out and if it it hit too low it is into the net.

Flatspin is a hybrid between the two shots. You swing level at the ball like a flat shot, but right before you contact the middle of the ball you perform a rising socket maneuver( a one shoulder shoulder shrug that lifts the hand and elbow quickly and simultaneously)to generate wicked forward topspin. The result is a shot that crosses low over the net and very fast speeds. Yet it has enough topspin to bring it down into the court. The ball, when it bounces, stays low and his hard to run under. It is like a tennis version of a Reece's peanut butter cup! A very powerful weapon for the tennis power seeker!!

Article submitted by Eric Clayton: tennisfromanobody.blogspot.com/

Novak Djokovic Spotlight

2011-12-16T09:29:00.000+08:00

Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty ImagesDjokovic has been No. 1 since July 4, when he switched spots with Nadal.

This story appears in the Dec. 26 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

FROM HIS GLUTEN-FREE DIET to the CVAC pod he reportedly used to jack up his red blood cells, Novak Djokovic spent the past two years re-engineering himself. The result? A 70-6 record in 2011 that made everyone else look slow. While Djokovic credits confidence, not training, for his wins, the real question is whether his rebuilt game is built to last. The Serb staggered to the end of his historic year, pulling out of the Paris Masters in the quarterfinals with a bad shoulder in November and then losing in the ATP World Tour Finals to David Ferrer two weeks later. "My body says it's overloaded," he conceded. Less sliding and taking returns a little later can save Djokovic some wear and tear, but he will have to fight to keep his top spot, especially if his rivals can make a few key adjustments.

Roger Federer (No. 3 in the world) has the best record against Djokovic (14-10) and the least respect for his style of play. After Djokovic returned a match point against in the U.S. Open with a cross-court crusher that led him to victory, Federer was almost haughty in defeat. "Are you kidding me?" he balked. Djokovic is a master of redirecting apparent winners, so Federer will need to match him surprise for surprise, wrong-footing Djokovic wherever he can. He also has to find the serve that made him No. 1 for 237 straight weeks, not the one that trailed from weary legs in Flushing. A word of warning to Novak: Federer took six weeks off after the Davis Cup in September and is taking a 17-match winning streak into 2012.

Rafael Nadal (No. 2) has 10 Grand Slam titles courtesy of his topspin bombs that force opponents back and make them hit short returns. In response, Djokovic spent 2011 stepping closer to the baseline and putting Nadal on the defensive. It worked. Djokovic spent last year sending balls where Nadal has never seen them go, defeating the Spaniard six times. Nadal spent November talking about getting his motivation back, but he'll need to shorten points against Djokovic. In that high-torque matchup, the best shoulders and knees will win.

Andy Murray (No. 4) appeared to be on a roll with one Slam final (Australian) and three semis (French, Wimbledon and U.S.). Emulating Djokovic, he went gluten-free in August. He then won 13 matches in 18 days on the Asian leg of the ATP Tour, only to pull out of the World Finals with a groin injury. The buzz now is who will be his new coach. Ivan Lendl and Jimmy Connors were names being floated. Both can teach Murray what he really needs to copy from Djokovic -- confidence.

Yes, Ferrer (No. 5) beat Djokovic at the World Finals, but credit Djokovic's 33 unforced errors as much as Ferrer's speed and consistency. Against a fresher Djokovic, Ferrer will have to make his serve a weapon instead of the start of a long point.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (No. 6) is a crowd favorite for his high-risk, high-reward attack. He fell to Djokovic at Wimbledon, but adding just 10 percent more consistency to his return game will make him trouble for the Serb -- assuming that Djokovic hasn't already rebuilt himself again.

Article reproduced from http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/7348219/tennis-roger-federer-rafael-nadar-andy-murray-target-cracks-novak-djokovic-body-game-espn-magazine

Nadal Targets No.1 Ranking

2011-12-16T09:22:00.001+08:00

Rafael Nadal has targeted a return to the top of the world rankings, but admits he cannot aspire to win anything in 2012 if he cannot stay fit and healthy.

Nadal was overtaken as world No. 1 by Novak Djokovic in July following the Serb's barnstorming start to the season, picking up seven titles on the bounce before winning his second slam of the year at Wimbledon.

While Nadal retained his French Open title to equal Bjorn Borg's record of six titles at Roland Garros, it was the first time since 2004 that he had failed to win a title away from the clay courts.

After admitting to fatigue at the end of the season, Nadal enjoyed a brief break following Spain's Davis Cup victory in Seville, before turning his focus to the new season.

He will kick off his season at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, before heading to the Qatar Open to complete his warm-up for the Australian Open which starts on January 16. And while he will have his sights on regaining the title he won in 2009, the world No. 2 insists his fitness remains his top priority.

"For sure you have to set yourself some goals in the short term, but the long term goal is always to keep improving my tennis and try to keep having chances to challenge for the big titles to compete for the first position in the rankings," Nadal said.

"But if you are not healthy the rest of the things are impossible so I'm always crossing my fingers to stay healthy."

Article reproduced from http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/126420.html

Djokovic And Kvitova Take Honors

2011-12-14T07:42:00.000+08:00

Djokovic was a clear winner of the men's award having won three of the four Grand Slam titles and finished the year as world number one.

The women's award was a closer fight, but Wimbledon champion Kvitova, who also helped the Czech Republic win the Fed Cup, beat year-end number one Caroline Wozniacki to the crown.

Djokovic, who ends a seven-year domination of the award by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, said: "I am proud to have been named the ITF world champion for 2011.

"Starting with victory in last year's Davis Cup final, this has been an almost perfect 12 months for me. I have always dreamed about becoming the best in the world, and to have won three Grand Slam titles and finished the year as number one is very special."

Kvitova, whose win at the season-ending WTA Championships saw her finish the year as world number two, said: "I will cherish this award, which is the cherry on top of a wonderful year. It was a dream year and something I will never forget."

Outstanding

ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said: "Both Novak Djokovic and Petra Kvitova have managed to combine strong performances for their country with outstanding individual records.

"Novak's achievements this year are remarkable in such a strong era for men's tennis, while Petra has made a major breakthrough on the women's tour."

The men's doubles award went to Bob and Mike Bryan for the eighth time, while Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik took the women's honour for the first time.

Article reproduced from http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/7376146/Djokovic-Kvitova-crowned

Abu Dhabi Throws Up Big Prize Money!

2011-12-14T07:39:00.001+08:00

Novak Djokovic will get the first chance to see if his runaway 2011 season was a fluke or a habit when the No. 1 makes his debut in just over a fortnight at the rich Abu Dhabi exhibition, the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.

Joining the Serb will be tournament regulars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, with bags of money doing the talking to the Top 3 in the world as they start the 2012 campaign less than a month after ending 2011.

With the draw already sorted out at the six-man event, Djokovic will play his first match of the new season – or one of his last of 2100 – against Frenchman Gael Monfils, a fellow debutante at the Gulf exhibition.

Also along to make up the numbers are Spain’s No. 5 David Ferrer,, who faces off first against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, beaten by Federer in the London year-end final.

Federer and Nadal, as longtime honored guests of organizers, happily receive first-round byes, with the Swiss going against the Djokovic v Monfils winner and Rafael Nadal facing either Ferrer or and Tsonga.

The event runs through December 31, allowing players to get into position for the ATP start in nearby Doha on January 1.

Article reproduced from http://www.10sballs.com/2011/12/13/big-prize-money-exhibition-set-for-abu-dhabi-djokovic-nadal-federer/

Federer VS Nadal Clash Expected At 2012 Gerry Weber Open

2011-12-14T07:32:00.002+08:00

The 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and king of clay Rafael Nadal are likely to clash in the Gerry Weber Open championship next year in Halle.

The greatest rivals in tennis history Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are set ready to clash head-to-head again in the 2012 Gerry Weber Open championship, an ATP World Tour 250series on the ATP Tour schedule, being played on four outdoor grass courts in Halle. Nadal has withdrawn from the Queen’s Club ATP Championship next year, after strict UK tax regulations came into action. Spaniard said it’s a fantastic ATP tournament and very excited to play in front of German fans here at Gerry Weber Open in Halle and loves to play on lawn court.

The former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal said playing at Halle Open event is very crucial for him, before heading into the Wimbledon and Olympics games in London in 2012. Federer, who has clinched Gerry Weber Open title for five times in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008, where he has withdrawn from groin injury last year. Swiss star could meet Nadal in the Gerry Weber Open final next year June, as they will face a tough competition from 2010 Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych and Frenchman Gael Monfils in group stages.

The World No. 2 Rafael Nadal leads with a 17-9 win loss head-to-head record in overall, but Federer leads 2-1 win loss record on grass court. Both the players last meet in the 2008 Wimbledon final on grass court, where Nadal clinched victory in tough five sets with a 6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10 and 9–7 to lift the championship for the first time in his career.

Article reproduced from http://www.livetennisguide.com/2011/12/13/roger-federer-likely-to-meet-rafael-nadal-at-2012-gerry-weber-open/

Nadal Determined To Overcome Mental Barrier In 2012

2011-12-14T07:29:00.002+08:00

Mental strength, tolerance of suffering, and passion - Rafael Nadal feels all that was missing from his game in 2011, and he wants to recover it in three weeks, when the 2012 season begins.

"I am looking forward to rising above the past few months, which were not positive," the Spanish tennis player said in an interview with dpa.

"I have lacked a bit more passion for the game, intensity in my strokes, strength in my legs and mental strength. But the most important thing that is missing is mental strength, which makes all the rest possible."

Unlike some other elite athletes, Nadal feels no need for a psychologist.

"I have never used one and I'm not planning to use one. I obviously respect the work of psychologists, but not for playing tennis."

This year was a strange one for Nadal. He played 10 finals, but lost seven, six of them to Serbian Novak Djokovic, something that had never happened to him with any other player in a single year.

However, the world No 2 says his motivation for 2012 is not based on trying to get even with Djokovic, on trying to win Olympic gold in Wimbledon or on reconquering the No 1 ranking.

"This will be a year for bettering myself internally. Not for beating Djokovic or anything like that. It is a question of going beyond myself personally, all the rest is secondary. The problem is internal, it is about personally wanting to take a step further, again."

It seemed this year as if Nadal was drained of energy, perhaps victim of an ambition and a pressure which no human can overcome.

"Nothing is enough, is it? Nothing is enough, not for the others, but for oneself. One's demands on oneself surpass even one's own reality," admits the six-times Roland Garros champion, who rejects the theory of German former tennis player Boris Becker.

The three-times Wimbledon champion believes Nadal played in 2011 tactically well until the finals, but then made the error of using his forehand against Djokovic's backhand, the Serbian's best stroke.

"That is too simple. I think it is not like that. I have not been up to it sometimes this year, and against him, I have not played at the level at which I played at other times, that is the reality."

At 25, Nadal has been a tennis professional for almost a decade. But he plans to play several seasons more. "I trust that I still have years left."

The Spaniard has recurrent problems with his knee and foot, but he downplays them. "Over the last seven years, it has often been said that I had injuries, or whatever. It is true I have obviously had physical problems, but if I had had some serious physical problem, I could not have been among the top two players in the world for the last seven years."

Despite his intense rivalry with Federer, Nadal has a notably good relationship with the Swiss player. "I am fond of him," the Spaniard says, without abandoning his dream of one day playing a doubles tournament with Federer.

"I think it will happen one day, but obviously, time passes."

In addition to being rivals on the tennis court, Nadal and Federer disagree about the future of tennis, including the choice of Adam Helfant's successor at the ATP.

Federer chairs the players' council, with Nadal as vice-president. They did not discuss their disagreements in public until the London Masters, when the Swiss player expressed views that differed from Nadal's.

Before the Spaniard flew to Seville for Davis Cup finals against Argentina, the two met to speak about their disagreements concerning the ranking system and complaints about extending the season, which prompted some players - including Nadal - to propose a boycott at the recent US Open.

"He has his ideas as the council president, I as the vice-president have other ideas, obviously. It is not that my or his ideas are bad. We need to justify them. Why one does not like the two-year ranking and why one does, why one does not want to stage a boycott...And I don't want to, either, there will not be any kind of a boycott, at least now it is very far away."

On a different note, Rafael Nadal also says he feels "ashamed" of having a bodyguard in public places. "It is true that sometimes, it is necessary to be accompanied by people who protect you, but it is nevertheless exaggerated and makes me feel embarrassed."

Article reproduced from http://www.supersport.com/tennis/atp/news/111213/Nadal_determined_to_recover_mental_strength