A snap of Roger Federer who is the spokesperson for the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, IYSPE 2005, at a press conference at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday.
I love Martina Hingis. Hope she comes back for summer tennis here.
Hell, bring back Jelena as well. We need some good sports people at the moment so we can stop losing at everything. Luckily New Zealand are not in the world cup soccer.
But tennis is great. The women's is best because they at least have longer rallies. It's not so much slam and win. They are nice (mostly) to look at too!
Bit too much grunting and moaning going on as well at the moment. Blame Monica Seles for starting that trend. She might be coming back too. Even though Lleyton dumped her, I still like Kim Clijsters as a player too.
So whats the story behind Dokic's return to Australia? Did she finally leave her father? And how long has she been mole free? Its about time she had it removed!
David Nalbandian led Argentina to their first Davis Cup final in 25 years with victory over Australia in Buenos Aires overnight.
Nalbandian partnered Agustin Calleri to a straight sets win over Paul Hanley and Wayne Arthurs in the doubles to give Argentina a decisive 3-0 semi-final lead and knock Australia out of the tournament for the second year in a row.
The world number four, dubbed arrogant by Australian media when he confidently predicted an easy win for his team before the tie, had set the ball rolling on Friday with a straight sets win over Mark Philippoussis in the opening rubber.
Nalbandian and Calleri won the doubles 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to end Argentina's frustrating run of three semi-final defeats in the previous four years.
"I wasn't surprised by this 3-0 win," Nalbandian said.
Coach Alberto Mancini said: "Argentina has had a strong Davis Cup team for a long time but a lot of things have to work out for you to get to a Davis Cup final.
"A fundamental aspect has been the unity of the team, another is the quality of the players we have."
Australian captain John Fitzgerald was generous in defeat and declined to complain about the crowd.
"The court was pretty slow and tough for us. It's difficult to come here and win in these conditions because Argentina have a world class team," he said.
"We understand the culture here is different. The local people have looked after us very well and we feel we've made a lot of friends.
"The second rubber was the one we were closest to winning. Lleyton's record in five-setters over the past three years has been phenomenal, he doesn't lose many.
"That was difficult for us to recover from."
The South Americans will face either Russia or the US in the final as they attempt to win the trophy for the first time.
A team featuring Guillermo Vilas lost to the US in their only previous final appearance in Cincinnati in 1981.
Wild celebrations
The result prompted wild celebrations in the 14,000 crowd which included Diego Maradona.
Thousands of pieces of paper rained down onto the court, resembling the ticker tape celebrations which greeted teams at the 1978 World Cup soccer tournament held in the country.
The match had created huge expectations because of the presence in the Australian team of Lleyton Hewitt, who has clashed with several Argentine players in the past.
The turning point proved to be Hewitt's five-set defeat to Jose Acasuso in the second singles, which began on Friday and finished Saturday morning (local time) after being interrupted by rain and fading light.
Acasuso needed only 12 minutes to polish off a 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win after holding a 4-0 lead in the fifth set overnight and maintain a 100 per cent record in three Davis Cup singles rubbers.
"I didn't play my best tennis but I won the match and that is the most important thing," Acasuso said.
"I've beaten higher-ranked players in the past, but to win at home in a Davis Cup semi-final with 14,000 people watching me here... makes it one of the most important wins of my career."
Hewitt, who was jeered by a group of fans waiting outside the media centre, said he was surprised how long organisers took to suspend play on Friday as the light faded and the rain began.
"I don't think I've ever played in those kind of conditions," he said.
"I didn't get offered (a suspension), we asked for it and they said no. I couldn't see the ball out there."
Hewitt said the turning point came early in the fourth set when he squandered three break points and had his serve broken in the next game, before Acasuso went on to reel off eight games in a row.
"It was not taking those half chances which made the difference," Hewitt said.
"I had quite a few of them in the third, fourth and fifth sets. He's a player who has hot streaks and cold streaks.
"Once he got confident, he came up with a lot of winners."
Argentina dominated the doubles from the moment that Arthurs had his serve broken in the fifth game.
Arthurs was also broken at the start of the second set, Nalbandian producing a superbly-executed lob to finish the first game.
The third set went with serve until Hanley, after surviving three break points, was broken in the 11th game. Nalbandian comfortably held his serve to spark the celebrations.
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i rather watch the hopman cup, i think that is the best tournament here in austraila. love the way men and women play together and the fun and joking around the players do. it is a wonderful tournament and love mrs hopman she is amazing to fly to perth every year from the usa for this tournament. she is a lovely elderly lady, don't remember her husband though, must be before my time. i started following the tennis with tony roach and newcombe and the maccas, don't make then like that anymore. i think good australian tennis players are hard to find now and sadly i think hewitt has peaked and just hasn't got it anymore.
MARTINA Hingis has been banned for two years for testing positive to a metabolite of cocaine at Wimbledon last June.
The International Tennis Federation's Anti-Doping Tribunal rejected Hingis' submission after a two-day hearing last month.
The independent tribunal rejected Hingis' claims that there were doubts about the identity and/or integrity of the sample attributed to her.
She was therefore found to have committed a doping offence.
Hingis, 27, protested that it had not been shown how the cocaine had entered her system, but the tribunal found that did not clear her of significant fault or negligence.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Hingis was suspended for two years from October 1 last year and her results from 2007 Wimbledon and all subsequent events disqualified.
Hingis will forfeit all ranking points and must repay the $US129,481 she won before announcing her positive test, and retirement, in November.
Roger Federer beats Robin Soderling in French Open Article from: Agence France-Presse By Dave James June 08, 2009 12:00am ROGER Federer has completed a career grand slam by capturing a first French Open title, and a record-equalling 14th major, beating Swede Robin Soderling.
The 27-year-old world No.2 finally won a Roland Garros crown 6-1, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4at the 11th attempt and in his fourth successive final having come up heartbreakingly short in the last three showdowns against Spanish nemesis Rafael Nadal.
His victory over the Swedish 23rd seed who shocked four-time Nadal in the last 16 took him level with great friend Pete Sampras as the holder of 14 Grand Slam titles.
He also moved into a select group made up only of Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi as men who have won all four of the Grand Slam events.
"It was probably my greatest victory, I was under big pressure. I did it and it's phenomenal," said Federer who broke down in tears after being presented with the trophy by Agassi, the 1999 champion, and while the Swiss national anthem was played.
"It was great to be on the podium as a winner for a change. Andre said it was my destiny to win this and that I deserved it.
Federer, who sent down 16 aces in the final, added: "Until the end of my career, I can play peacefully knowing that I will never again hear it said that I never won Roland Garros."
Soderling, who has now lost 10 times in 10 meetings with Federer, admitted the Swiss was a deserving winner.
"Roger was too good for me today, he played much better. He is a worthy winner and for me he is the best player in history," said Soderling.
"He gave me a lesson in how to play tennis."
Any doubts over Federer's ability to overcome his Paris jinx were quickly dashed as the Swiss star, playing in a record-equalling 19th Grand Slam final and riding a tidal wave of support, dominated Soderling.
He broke the first game on a Soderling double fault and was soon a second break to the good to lead 4-0 when a sweetly-timed drop shot left the Swede stranded behind the baseline.
Soderling, the first Swede in the Roland Garros final since his coach Magnus Norman finished runner-up to Gustavo Kuerten in 2000, stopped the rot with a hold to trail 4-1, but Federer quickly nipped further ahead to 5-1.
Soderling's uncompromising forehand, which was a dagger to the heart of Nadal, was looking more like a blunt instrument in the damp and chilly conditions.
His service game crumbled again in the seventh game as Federer claimed the opening set.
It had taken just 23 minutes with the Swiss losing just two points on serve.
The final was then delayed by a worrying security breach during the fourth game of the second set with Federer ahead 2-1.
A spectator, dressed in red, waved a flag of the Barcelona football club in the world number two's face before he was wrestled off Court Philippe Chatrier by security guards.
But the Swiss star wasn't disrupted from his elegant stride, either by the intruder or the rain which started to steadily fall.
Although Soderling slowly rediscovered his service power, it was Federer who was comfortably dictating the points and he fired down four aces in the tie-break to open up a two-sets lead.
He was a break ahead in the third set to lead 1-0 before Soderling carved out, and squandered, his first break point of the match in the fourth game.
Federer then sent down his 16th ace of the tie to stretch to 4-2.
He came out to serve for a place in history but faltered to 30-40 with a wild, running forehand.
With pregnant wife Mirka looking anxiously on, he averted the crisis and went to match point with a confident volley and claimed victory when Soderling netted a service return after 1hr 55min on court.
A tearful Federer slumped to the Paris clay in celebration as he secured his place as arguably the greatest player of all time.
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Lleyton Hewitt wins in five and earns Rafael Nadal meeting at French Open By Tom Wald May 29, 2010 Lleyton Hewitt thrust himself back in the firing line by booking a French Open third round clash against clay king Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.
Hewitt managed to overcome an error-riddled performance to prevail 1-6 6-3 6-4 2-6 6-2 over Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan in three hours and eight minutes in Paris.
Following his impressive opening round win over Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, Hewitt struggled to land his first serve and needed all of his renowned fighting qualities to subdue the world No.74.
As Hewitt made life difficult for himself out on court 7, Nadal destroyed Argentina's Horacio Zeballos 6-2 6-2 6-3 on centre court.
It will be the Australian's fourth meeting in five years with Nadal at Roland Garros.
"Lleyton is a very dangerous guy and he plays at a very high level. He's going to do his best to win,'' said Nadal.
Samantha Stosur inspiring a generation of Aussie tennis hopefuls: Nicole Pratt By Max Abbott foxsports.com.au June 04, 2010 Samantha Stosur will deliver herself personal glory and Australian tennis a huge shot in the arm if she wins the French Open final, says Fox Sports tennis expert Nicole Pratt.
Stosur is one match away from becoming Australia's first women's grand slam winner since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980 after crushing Jelena Jankovic 6-1 6-2 in their semi-final at Roland Garros.
Pratt, a former Australian No.1, said the ramifications for a new generation of tennis players in Australia would be enormous should Stosur beat Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the decider.
"Its massive, you can’t quantify what it would mean," Pratt told foxsports.com.au.
"Even the buzz around Europe at the moment with all the Australian girls playing, we are all watching, all supporting.
"I'm sure if that level of excitement is travelling through to our younger generation then it will provide that whole sense of self-belief that we can win a grand slam."
"I think it is really significant for Australian tennis."
Standing in Stosur’s way of a maiden grand slam title is a 29-year old opponent whom Stosur boasts a 4-1 caeer record over - including two victories on clay - and whom she has beaten in straight sets in their past four encounters.
Interestingly, the last time the pair met was in the first round of this tournament in 2009, when Stosur went on to make the sem-finals.
While the stakes will be a lot higher this time, Pratt can’t foresee a form reversal in the final.
"I just can’t see how she (Schiavone) will be able to match Sam," Pratt said.
"One of Schiavone's strengths is her defensive skills but trying to use those defensive skills against someone like Stosur who is so aggressive makes it very difficult.
"The only way I think she has got a chance is if she comes out and is ultra aggressive but that isn’t really her game."
Stosur has thus far utilised her two biggest weapons - her serve and forehand - to skittle Justine Henin's 24-match winning streak in Paris and end Serena Williams's hopes of a rare calendar-year slam.
With that in mind, Pratt doesn't see any need for Stosur to change her approach.
"I definitely think Sam will look to get a lot of serves up high to Schiavone's single-handed backhand then look to step around and hit forehands to open up the court.
"She has a better chance of winning this one than her last three matches," Pratt said.
With her performance in this year’s French Open set to send Stosur into the top five of the world rankings, Pratt sees no limit on how far the Queenslander can go.
"I think Sam has got a realistic shot at finishing No.2 in the world at the end of the year and if she can get a few more good results at the grand slams then why not knock Serena Williams off her perch," she said.
FOX SPORTS will again be at the forefront of Australian television innovation, screening the nation’s first tennis broadcast in 3D.
Wasn't sure where to put this news story Since it involved Jennifer Capriati and an accidental overdose recently.
Capriati's ex-boyfriend says his return to porn compounded her depression By staff writers From: NewsCore June 30, 2010 4:35PM
*Capriati "horribly depressed" when Grand Slam events played *Says his return to porn industry is linked to overdose *Capriati's life "a tough story"
THE former boyfriend of Jennifer Capriati says her recent drug overdose was linked to his return to work in the porn industry and her depression over being forced out of tennis by injuries. The 34-year-old former international tennis star was reportedly rushed to the hospital early Sunday from her 19th floor luxury condo in Riviera Beach, Florida, just north of West Palm Beach. Her father claims that an accidental overdose of prescription medication was to blame. Her former boyfriend Dale DaBone told TMZ that Capriati got horribly depressed when Grand Slam events were being played, and that she was also upset about his recent return to working in porn. DaBone had worked in 443 films, the entertainment website reported, and recently signed on with Vivid Entertainment to star in Batman XXX: A Porn Parody. Meanwhile on CBS's The Early Show today, Justin Gimelstob, a former tennis star and a friend of Capriati's, said he heard from Jennifer's mother, who told him she is doing well physically and is resting. Mr Gimelstob added her major shoulder surgeries haven't hampered her aspirations to play, "but she's in tremendous pain physically and mentally. She struggled with depression, and it's a tough story". The US teen prodigy won three Grand Slam singles titles - the 2001 and 2002 Australian Open, and 2001 French Open - and the women's singles gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. After turning professional at the age of 13, she won 14 singles titles and one doubles title. Struggling with the pressures of the professional tour, Capriati took a break from competitive tennis in late 1993.
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Since it involved Jennifer Capriati and an accidental overdose recently.