The end of former world No.3 Ivan Ljubicic’s career is over. After losing to fellow Croat Ivan Dodig, the 33-year old broke down into tears. “I felt like it could end up emotional, but I didn’t expect it this big, this emotional,” he told reporters. “Obviously, it’s the end of something beautiful for me. I knew my mind was everywhere else but on the tennis court.”
During his tennis career, Ljubicic served as the Vice President and President on the ATP Player Council, and his best result in any singles Grand Slam was a semifinal run in the 2006 French Open.
“Really to feel also now walking into the locker room, all the guys standing and clapping, it’s something beautiful to see how guys respected me and the way I represented them for many, many years.”
Good luck in the future, Ivan, and may you be happy without your favorite sport!
After years of journalists and fans alike commenting on his receding hairline, Andy Murray has chopped off his curls and gone for a buzzcut!
Andy has until now defied his hair loss and bald patch by simply letting the hair grow, but now has embraced a shorter hairstyle. On arrival in Monte Carlo for the third masters 1000 tournament of the year, the world number fours hair was the talk of the town. Andy is no stranger to drastic hair changes in Monte Carlo either as he turned up to Monte Carlo this time last year with a surprising amount of hair :
It was this afro that took Andy to the semi finals of Monte Carlo last year where he lost in a very tight battle with Rafael Nadal, this year he is drawn to meet Djokovic in the semis and will play Serbian Viktor Troicki in the second round tomorrow after being byed through the first round. I am one of the apparent few who love Murray’s new cut though I suppose that’s because I have a receding hairline myself I just hope he keeps it, at least until Wimbledon as I would love to see the British publics reaction to his “muzzcut”!
The American number one, Mardy Fish has continued his poor form in 2012 with a second round loss to Michael Russell in the Houston clay court championship.
Fish was the number one seed at the event and despite his recent disappointments, was expected to come through his encounter with his compatriot. Russell, who came through qualifying, did play some inspiring tennis but if Mardy was playing even half as good as he is capable of he would have won, it seemed as if his first serve had deserted him in the second set and his backhand failed to penetrate the court, with unforced errors flying off his racquet.
If this had been a continuation of the hard court season then although it would have been disappointing it wouldn’t be as bad whereas this is the beginning of the clay court swing! Mardy has a chance to prepare well for the clay season but it seems as if he is determined to slide down the rankings and ruin all the hard work from 2011, whats worse is that he has chosen not too participate in the Monte Carlo Masters in the coming week. Luckily Fish has hardly any points to defend in Madrid, however he will need to be playing well by Rome and of course Roland Garros as he has a lot of points to defend and if he crashes out early, he will be looking at dropping outside the top 10!
John Isner has been playing some great tennis of late, but he just announced he will be pulling out of the Monte Carlo ATP Masters event next week.
“I will go back home [to Florida after Houston] and work with my coach, Craig Boynton,” Isner told reporters. “I need to get in better shape if I want to do good in these next two majors coming up and Masters events [in Madrid and Rome]. I need to be in better shape, put my head down, go back to work and get my body right.”
The stadium in Hamburg is scheduled to be pulled down in 2013, regional media are reporting. There has been a lot of buzz on Twitter about this report, and if true it would mean the end of the ATP500 Masters event in Hamburg.
@NeilHarmanTimes @TennisReporters Stadium in Hamburg should be pulled down 2013, regional media reporting. Would be the end for the ATP500
Kirsten Flipkens will be taking a break from tennis because she has blood clots in a calf muscle. I was really hoping to see Flipkens in some good form this year, but I guess that will just have to wait for a little while.
It has been announced that their will be an exhibition match between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at the Bernebeu stadium. The aim of this exhibition match is to set a new attendance record for a tennis match.
“The aim of this exhibition match is to establish a new attendance record of more than 80,000 spectators for a tennis match,” Real Madrid said on their website.
According to the ATP World Tour website, the current attendance record stands at 35,681 for a match between Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams in Brussels in 2010.
This is going to be a dream for Rafael Nadal who is also a big support of Real Madrid.
Lots of American tennis players stopped by the White House on Monday for the 134th annual Easter Egg Roll, celebrating the theme “Let’s Go, “Let’s Play, Let’s Move”.
Tennis players who attended included Andy Roddick, Michel Chang, Taylor Dent, Jack Sock, along with Chris Evert, Chanda Rubin, Vania King and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, assisted with the USTA’s 10 and Under Tennis on-court activities, supporting First Lady Michelle Obama’s
“Incredible day at the white house!” tweeted Sock, the US Open Mixed Doubles champion. “Great experience and atmosphere with all the athletes! #eastereggrollisawesome”
Andy Murray has committed himself to play the AEGON championships at Queens club until 2016.
The Brit has used Queens as preparation for his Wimbledon campaign ever since he joined the mens tour, having won the tournament in 2009 and last year. Andy will be joined by last years beaten finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin Del Potro and American Andy Roddick, who Murray brutally pummeled in their semi final encounter last year. Currently Andy looks likely to enter the tournament as the top seed with Frenchman Tsonga opposite as number 2. Andy Said “Ever since I got my first ATP World Tour match win at the tournament seven years ago, I have always loved playing at The Queen’s Club, I’ve won the tournament twice, and I’m looking forward to trying to win it many more times in the years to come” a successful defence of his title will definitely give him a lot of confidence heading into Wimbledon.
On the same day the BBC have announced they are extending their partnership with AEGON to broadcast the championships until 2017!
Richard Lewis has been named as the new Chief Executive of The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. Lewis is the current Chairman of the Rugby Football League (RFL) and Chair of Sport England.
He will start at the All England Club on 1 May 2012.
Richard Lewis said: “I am delighted to be taking up the role of Chief Executive at the All England Club. As a former tennis professional, the prospect of helping shape the future of the Club and the premier tennis tournament in the world is one to be relished. I leave the RFL after ten fulfilling years during which the sport has grown and prospered. I am extremely grateful to all the colleagues with whom I have had the privilege to work. I shall enjoy continuing my role at Sport England albeit with less time commitment.”
It seems like winning the Family Circle Cup wasnt enough for Serena to do in a days work. After winning the final Serena appeared on the Home Shopping Network to help sell her corset leggings (Over 17,000 sold).
p.s. Im really surprised Serena isnt selling some sort of workout fitness gear or some body shaping products
Here is the first picture of Amelie Mauresmo working with Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka wanted Mauresmo in her team and her coach Sam Sumyk made it happen.
We would be making a mistake if we were to deprive ourselves of her kind of experience and ability. Amelie is Vika’s choice and from the moment she expressed that wish, I have tried to make it happen.
Here’s how the former No.1 Mauresmo commented on her new cooperation:
Some news from Monaco where I started a work period of 2 weeks a couple days ago with Vika Azarenka! I’m sure it’s gonna be a great adventure and that I can help her by sharing my experience… All the team is amazing and very open with me so thanks to them!
Here are the highlights of the Davis Cup match between Australia’s Matthew Ebden and South Korea’s Suk-Young Jeong. Ebden won in straight sets 6-3 6-3 6-4.
Here are the Davis Cup highlights between Australia and South Korea. This is the doubles rubber that gave Australia the win 3-0. Chris Guccione and Marinko Matosevic defeated Suk-Young Jeong and Jae-Min Seol in four sets.
It was another great win for Serena Williams at the Family Circle Cup. Serena Williams defeated Lucie Safarova 6-0 6-1 in the final. This was by far the most dominant tournament I have ever seen from Serena.
I know the Clay courts in Charleston are a lot different to those in Paris, but this will hold her in good sted for a French Open 2012 push.
With both sisters ranking and stamina dropping, how long will they attempt to keep playing the WTA Tour?
Venus, the elder of the two sisters fell ill during 2011 and missed the majority of the season, causing her ranking to drop to 103rd in the world. Making her come back at Miami this year, Venus did well to beat reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, but Venus was shaky at best and looked exhausted after playing the first set of her matches. In tennis years Venus is old, an incredible player in her time but her time is up, I hope she competes in the Olympics and then retires from tennis.
Serena Williams is simply an embarrassment to tennis, over the last several years she has put in zero effort and expected to turn up and be the best player at every tournament she plays! Serena hasnt dealt with being overtaken very well, arguments with umpires, lack of respect for her fellow players and unrealistic boasting like “I probably played 20%” We have seen players like Azarenka, Clijsters and Stosur overtake Williams and she cannot take it. Hopefully promising young American talents like McHale and King can start a new generation of women’s tennis in America, a generation that shouldnt include Serena Williams.
While the sisters are able to make finals and semi finals at the moment, what happens when they are falling at quarter finals? If the Williams sisters are still playing professional tennis in 2013, god help American Tennis!
Janko Tipsarevic just defeated Radek Stepanek in a marathon Davis Cup match. Tipsarevic won 5-7 6-4 6-4 4-6 9-7. However, it was not without incident as Stepanek didnt shake hands at the end of the match and their were some choice words said.
