~*I got a FeVer*~

February 3rd, 2010 • nando "slut" verdasco • 3 comments

Fernando Verdasco for Calvin Klein.

Ahem, as you wish.

(picture via fuckyeahfernandoverdasco)

ETA: MOAR, MOAR, MOAR.

No way I’m going to tag this post (FED CUP PICTURES!)

February 3rd, 2010 • failed cup • No comments

Are you sad? Are you angry? Are you depressed? Look at Fed Cup pics here and here. All your problems will go away.

TEAM UKRAINE (= The Bonds + their adorable puppies + some people I do not care about)

TEAM ROMANIA (= LOLWUT?)

TEAM GB (= twitter addicts)

TEAM SERBIA (= Ana + Serbian journalists + MAYBE Serbian Warrior Princess JJ)

TEAM RUSSIA (= the unattractive rssns the greatest people you’ll ever meet)

TEAM POLAND (= I-like-to-think-I’m-fashionable!Aga + men-love-me!Marta +  more people I don’t care about)

Summing up, my feelings on this:

1) I can’t be arsed to post the pictures of all teams.

2) I would really appreciate more pics of FAB RSSNS in action and pictures from TEAM GB that don’t come from twitter. Get on it, Fed Cup website.

3) Vika and Caro seem to use to Fed Cup as an opportunity to flirt on twitter. Like every other thing in the world. (NEVAH STOP, LADEES.)

4) I wish Fed Cup lasted all year long. Literally. Fed Cup all weekends!

I’m one of the five people in the world that care about Fed Cup

February 2nd, 2010 • failed cup • 1 comment

I really wish I was there right now.

Four days of exciting Fed Cup tennis, the chance to watch some of the new kids up close (Michelle Larcher de Britto, Elle Allgurin), players coming back from injuries (Anne Keothavong, Patty Schnyder) and some of the brightest young talents on the circuit at the moment (#3 Caroline Wozniacki, #6 Victoria Azarenka). The cherry on the top is that the pass to all 4 days costs just 40€ (can be bought here) and the seats aren’t numbered.

Take me to Lisbon, please. I promise I’ll behave.

On the weekend, we’ll have the first round of the World Group.

I REALLY WANT TO RUSSIA TO TAKE THE TITLE THIS YEAR. I’d lie if I said I wasn’t still gutted about that loss to Italy last year. What can I say? I’m very attached to that team. Caro cheers for Liverpool, I cheer for the Russian Fed Cup team. We’ve all got our quirks.

(The pink matches my layout. ♥)

My thoughts on the final a.k.a. why I think Mandy failed to capture his first Slam title

February 1st, 2010 • muzzah, roger failderer • No comments

I suppose that, as a “tennis blogger”, it is my job to write about the final. Fucking hell.

Before Sunday, I would have said Murray was the favourite. The quality of the tennis he had been playing up until the final was higher than Federer’s. He was moving well (Rafa well, The Flash well) and playing very consistently. He was even coming up with some magical passing shots that we counterpunching fans love so much. But what was really making Andy clutch his wins has the ability to transit from defense to attack. It’s what made him dominate Rafa Nadal. He was coming to the net at unexpected moments, making his opponent feel at a constant unease.

In the final match, Murray had a few (understatement, oy) problems. We could start by the serve. In the first set, he had a first serve percentage as low as 45% and no aces at all. Not only he wasn’t being able to do damage with his first serve, but he could hardly get it in. In that same set he did 11 unforced errors, which in the Mandy scale of UEs, is enough for a whole match. He was playing solely on the defense and made only 5 winners. “It’s ok, it’s the nerves, he’ll wake up in the second set.”

Well, he didn’t. But it did get better. He made the same number of UEs and winners — which, for a player with Mandy’s playing style, is a quite shitty stat.

Third set, the serve improved. 60% in and 8 aces. With that, he managed to get a lead. He served for the set at 5-3 but was broken at love. The set went to the tiebreak: game, set and match, Mr. Federer.

I’d like to show the stat that, for me, defined the match. No, it wasn’t Mandy’s awful serving.

The crazy netplay that Mandy had showed us in his previous match wasn’t present in the final. And don’t let the stat trick you, he didn’t even go to the net “that much”.  Most of them were due to Federer’s dropshots. It seems like, in the final, Mandy forgot what the word attacking meant.

Now, I’ll do something that I love to do: blame the British media. Dear British journalists, how about you guys think why such a rich country like yours haven’t won a slam in 73 years? Did Henman really not have what it takes to win a slam? I mean, even Andy Roddick won one. Was Henman worse on grass than Ferrero, Moya or Gaudio on clay? They all won Slams. It’s pointless to hype up players*. It’s even more pointless to dump a country’s expectations on just one person. I realize the money they invested on this boy is ridiculous — but he’s only human. This is tennis, a sport where the mental part is as important as the physical. If not more.

I hate the idea that all that talent might be waste due to media pressure. Federer himself said these two weeks were perhaps the best of his career. Why? He played loose. Now that he has won all four Slams and already surpassed Sampras‘ record, he says he’s playing without pressure on himself. Let’s recall something here. Federer, last year, didn’t manage to win his 14th Slam at the Australian Open and, in front of Rod Laver and other Slam champions, cracked. This year, Mandy failed to win his maiden title. What happened? Boy crying in the microphone, excusing himself for not being able to win the title for his people.

A lesson learned, ladies and gents: pressure can work as motivation. Or it can do the exact opposite. Cheers.

*PLS LEAVE LAURA ROBSON ALONE.

My take on the Rafa retirement thing

January 26th, 2010 • holy rafa, muzzah • No comments

Let me start by saying the last thing I wish to do is take off Andy’s merit. The first two sets were played brilliantly by the Brit. He showed not only the amazing counter-punching we all know he’s capable of, but also some high quality aggressive tennis. He would slice, hit it deep, flat, serve and volley — completely dominating the match. Amazing tennis and a well deserved semifinal spot for Murray.

Now, can I just come here and worry? Rafa retired, it’s the knee again. Hear me whine for all eternity.

He says it happened in the middle of the second set. Now, would that just happen? And how would he know that thanks to the sting of pain, it was for the best to retire? Was the knee pain that strong? Or considering it hurt, he thought it wasn’t worth to continue playing — after all, he would hardly be able to come back from two sets and one break down. Specially by the way Andy was calling all the shots. But would Rafael Nadal really just give up of a match (in a Slam he was defending, even) like that, if the problem wasn’t serious? I can’t help but think the knee still hasn’t healed and that the whole “I’m all better, it doesn’t hurt at all” talk was bullshit from the Spaniard.

His injuries are a subject that Rafa really doesn’t like to talk about during his interviews. It’s not like you want to warn to your opponent: “Hey, look at me, I’m crippled, just slice all the balls — bending my knees hurts too much.” But Rafa really doesn’t like to talk about it. Enough to refuse to answer over and over.

As a fan, the last thing I’ll be caring right now are the rankings (he’ll lose the #2 position). Maybe he came back too soon. If missing the American spring hardcourt season is what it takes to heal the knee, let it be.

Dear Rafael, if you’re reading this, 1) omg, stop pls, this is really embarrassing, 2) If you continued reading, let me warn you that tennis fans do not want to see an early retirement from you, Sir. How are we supposed to watch clay tennis when you’re injured? IT WILL BE PAAAAIIIIIINFUUUUUUL. (see what I meant when I said “embarrassing”?) Get better soon, we love you.

A tennis court: the most romantic place to propose

January 20th, 2010 • holy rafa, old school • No comments

From Rafa’s 2nd round match yesterday:

And an oldie but a goodie featuring, only the greatest player of all time, Steffi Graf:

Night match preview: Carlos Rodriguez believes Henin can’t defeat Dementieva

January 19th, 2010 • Uncategorized • 1 comment

From a translation over here:

“Practice with Tuesday’s hitting partner is going to be very important,” says Rodriguez. “I want many long rallies. After all, Dementieva can turn the match into a demolition job.”

“The final against Kim gave a wrong idea of the level that Justine can reach at the moment. Justine had to wait for Kim to lapse to get into that match.”

“But you don’t get a chance like that every match. I would like to see Justine get the victory herself against Dementieva. But I think it’s too early for that. Give us another two months.”

“The expectations are too high. No, I don’t think it will end well against Dementieva. Except for Kim, no one can currently reach her level of play.”

If I were to bet on this match, I’d say whoever takes it, will win 2-0. I think it all depends on Elena’s head. If she (or them, her + her special lil’ head) shows up to play, she can easily win, just like she did with Serena last week at Sydney. If she’s in one of her, let’s say, “inspired” days, I think this match could easily go to a rusty Henin.

The match will take place at Rod Laver Arena at 7pm Melbourne time. Should be a good one.

BOMBSHELL: Nikolay Davydenko is NOT Paris Hilton

January 19th, 2010 • kolya • 1 comment

Q. Do you enjoy scaring people?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Enjoy which people?

Q. Has Del Potro taught you to play PlayStation?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes. Like in London, everyone just start to talking about me like I’m like PlayStation player. Like if you play against me in PlayStation, the same level. I’m moving fast, play fast.

That’s what is good. Everybody thinking I am very fast on the court. And I want to practicing like this. I want to keep this level, like PlayStation.

Q. Since you won the Masters, are you more recognized in the street? Do you sign more autographs?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I hope not. Then is not so many like say celebrity guys. I am not Paris Hilton. I don’t want to be like this. I don’t want to be like Nadal, Federer. These guys I never see by breakfast. They stay in the room and take room service.

For me better go downstairs, you know, take breakfast, or dinner to go somewhere, not to be so much famous.

What a rockstar.

Upset of the day: Andreev wins a set off Federer.

January 19th, 2010 • kiri's bf, roger failderer • No comments

Q. Your boyfriend plays Federer. Have you had a word about how to take down the big guns?

MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, he had Federer and I have Sharapova. I think before the matches he said that we can start the year like loud, you know (laughter). And I already start the year loud, I think. So now his turn. Of course is going to be tough, but, you know, in the first round, you know, never know what’s gonna happen.

Q. Yesterday your friend Miss Kirilenko said you had urged her to make a loud noise to enter the year. She said she did that and now it was your turn.

IGOR ANDREEV: She put too much pressure on me. (Laughter.) Like after she win the match she said, Okay, now it’s your turn. No, I was happy she won yesterday. She won because ‑‑ not only because she won, but she played very good match. Very good tennis.

The last time Federer and Andreev played before yesterday’s match, it was the 2008 U.S. Open. To say it was similar would be an understatement. It was the same thing, one set less. They played in an equal level during the first sets but, in the end, Federer mentally prevailed 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

In Melbourne, Igor had three set points to take the third set and lead 2-1, he wasted in such ways I still find unbelievable. I’m sure he had nightmares about one of these forehands.

That being said, I congratulate Igor. By the way he was playing Hopman Cup, I didn’t imagine him putting a fight here. It was a brave effort, let this show him how he can play tennis and inspire him to FUCKING DEFEAT FEDERER NEXT TIME. All right, Iggy? Awesome.

Oh yeah, and also Sodermort was ousted in the first roud. What a pity. SEE YOU AROUND, DUDE.

A few quick links!

January 18th, 2010 • ace ace andy, holy rafa, off-topic, squeaky shoes ivanovic, the radwanskas, wags • No comments

• Australian Open’s website in their mobile version. Very good for checking scores when you’re in the movies or simply away from the computer.
• Free AO livestreams: ATDHE.net, FromSport, LiveScoreHunter.

And “news”:

• Andy Roddick’s wife Brookly Decker in a suit for Elle Magazine. Oh, oh-kay.
• Rafa Nadal om nom nom. I have a feeling he’ll be stripping more to tone down the ridiculousness of his outfit.
• Doesn’t Aga Radwanska clean up nicely? Gracing the cover of magazines and rocking some great hair.
• Ana’s blogging from Melbourne.
• The Guardian’s “Australian Open Day 1 in Pictures“.

28-year-old? Amazing how fast time goes by when you’re having fun.