Tennischick's Articles – August 2010 Archive (13)

Already deeply regretting my decision

May 11, 2010 - Madrid, C. A. Madrid, Spain - MADRID, 11/05/2010.- Italian tennis player Flavia Pennetta regrets after missing a point against German Andrea Petkovic during their Madrid Masters 1000 tournament's second round match played at the Magic Box Tennis Center in Madrid, central Spain, 11 May 2010. Petkovic won 7-6 (7/3) and 6-4.

I can’t believe I’m not going to the US Open this year. What was I thinking? Why did I allow my secretary to book me solid with patients on September 7th, which is normally the day I reserve for recovery and recuperation from a Labor Day weekend of tennis? Can I really, truly make it through the year… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 26, 2010 at 7:05pm — No Comments

Big Babe Tennis vs. Hitting the Ball Hard

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 03: Serena Williams of USA serves during the Ladies Singles Final Match against Vera Zvonareva of Russia on Day Twelve of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 3, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

...But what made me take the email more seriously was when I got to the end where my friend closed by pointing out an apparent inconsistency in my position. How come, she wrote, you say that you’re a fan of Big Babe Tennis and yet you have so little good to say about one of the biggest babes… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 25, 2010 at 8:21pm — 2 Comments

Which wife of a tennis pro may be cheating?

Fresh on the heels of her soon to be ex-husband, the Dream's infidelity scandal, Christina Milian goes out for a ladies only night in West Hollywood, CA on July 26, 2010 with friend Serena Williams where the young singer and new mom looked like the extra dramatic baggage hasn't worn her down at all, or the weight of her wedding ring which was noticeably absent. Fame Pictures, Inc

I didn’t start the rumor. I’m only repeating it. I read it today on dlisted.com which copied it from a gossip blog called “Crazy Days and Nights” that specializes in sending out vaguely-worded clues about celebrity hook-ups. A… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 19, 2010 at 6:07pm — No Comments

Pull her wide and the point is over

CINCINNATI - AUGUST 15: Kim Clijsters of Belgium hits a forehand return during her singles final match against Maria Sharapova of Russia on day seven of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open on August 15, 2010 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

...I watched the match yesterday between Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova. Other than big-serving, this was the single strategy each woman deployed against the other. Pull her wide and the point was over. Wide to the forehand and then wide to the backhand. Over and over. Rinse and repeat. And it worked.… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 16, 2010 at 7:05pm — No Comments

Please, not another baseline-banshee

CINCINNATI - AUGUST 13: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia serves during her quarter final match with Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium on day five of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open on August 13, 2010 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

...My point is that I have never struggled like this with transitions before. I think that factor may be the improved amount of depth on both sides of the tour. It’s become exceedingly hard to pick clear leaders and dominators. Sharapova could just as easily have been beaten by Anastasia… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 15, 2010 at 10:24am — No Comments

Well that was a quick hello goodbye

CINCINNATI - AUGUST 14: Ana Ivanovic of Serbia receives medical attention after suffering a foot injury causing her to retire during her semifinal match against Kim Clijsters of Belgium on day six of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open on August 14, 2010 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

I try not to get excited about Ana Ivanovic. It’s not that I don’t enjoy watching her play, because I do. It’s just that I don’t like investing myself emotionally in players about whom I am uncertain of their level of commitment to tennis. Consequently I have avoided becoming emotionally invested in Ana… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 14, 2010 at 7:06pm — No Comments

Do you know Akgul Amanmuradova?

Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan reacts to her missed shot against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in their third round match of the 2010 Cincinnati Women's Open tennis tournament in Cincinnati, August 12, 2010. REUTERS/John Sommers II (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT TENNIS)

...I am totally impressed with (and have recently written about) the level of diversity that currently exists on the WTA tour. Of course this makes for some embarrassing moments of tennis commentary as ESPN talking heads struggle to pronounce some players’ names and often only know as much about them as can… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 13, 2010 at 6:37pm — No Comments

Can Davydenko be coached by his wife?

DOHA, QATAR - JANUARY 09: Nikolay Davydenko of Russia kisses his wife Irina Davydenko following his victory over Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Final match of the ATP Qatar ExxonMobil Open at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on January 9, 2010 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

Some have wondered what exactly qualifies her for this role. My response is that in the same way that I suspect that Richard and Oracene learned a thing or two from their years of paying others to coach their daughters, then… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 12, 2010 at 6:30pm — No Comments

As yet, no shame or scandal in tennis

Feb. 28, 2010 - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - epa02059812 A sign in the ski stadium at Whistler points the way to the doping control at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, Canada, 26 February 2010.

Like many others, I’ve been following the scandalized outpourings regarding the

allegations against Lance Armstrong and some of his team-mates, when it occurred

to me that we seem to be going through a spate of shame and scandal involving a… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 11, 2010 at 5:30pm — No Comments

Sex and diversity in women’s doubles

CARLSBAD, CA - AUGUST 8: Maria Kirilenko of Russia (R) and Jie Zheng of China hug after match point against Lisa Raymond of the USA and Renae Stubbs of Australia during the doubles championship match in the Mercury Insurance Open at La Costa Resort and Spa on August 8, 2010 in Carlsbad, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Zheng Jie and Maria Kirilenko were probably among the prettiest entrants in the doubles draw in San Diego last week. Not that this has anything to do with the awesomeness of their tennis talent, but I would have expected that the sports media would at least have picked up on the sex appeal angle and… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 9, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Trying to appreciate Radwańska

CARLSBAD, CA - AUGUST 06: Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland hits a backhand to Shahar Peer of Israel during their quarterfinal match in the Mercury Insurance Open at La Costa Resort and Spa on August 6, 2010 in Carlsbad, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

I’m probably going to lose the handful of Polish fans who currently read this blog. And that would be too bad, but I would also get it. After all, ever since Wojtek Fibak famously made it to the quarterfinals of the 1980 French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, Poland has not seen as high a tennis achiever as… Continue

Added by tennischick on August 8, 2010 at 7:37pm — No Comments

The resurgence of Davide Nalbandian?

WASHINGTON - AUGUST 06: David Nalbandian of Argentina returns a shot against Gilles Simon of France during their quarterfinal match on day 5 of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on August 6, 2010 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

I apologize for the question mark. It’s meant to indicate that I am not sure. After all, we’ve been here before, haven’t we? And no, I am not being biyatchy. Truth is, I have always had a thing for Davide Nalbandian. And

I myself can’t believe that this is the first time I’m actually writing about…

Continue

Added by tennischick on August 7, 2010 at 6:23pm — No Comments

The motivation question

June 30, 2010 - Wimbledon, United Kingdom - epa02230950 Roger Federer of Switzerland gives a post match press conference following his defeat by Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in their quarter final match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 30 June 2010.

Check out my 3-part series on motivation and on why I believe that Federer is still motivated to play great tennis:

Part One…

Continue

Added by tennischick on August 7, 2010 at 6:29am — No Comments

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