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LINUS FERNANDES
Rafael Nadal: How Our Disbelief Obliterates His Many Achievements
Now that Rafael Nadal has staked his claim to being the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT), let us examine the reasons why tennis aficionados are still leery of anointing him the heir to Federer’s not yet vacated throne.
Is it that he is a Spaniard not too familiar with the nuances of the English language?
Is it that he does not typify the usual tennis player? Is it that he appears to be a muscle-bound hulk?
Is it that he’s built more like a boxer or a sprinter?
Is that what blinds us to his ever improving court craft?
Or are we just peeved with the alleged illegal coaching by his Uncle Toni from the sidelines?
2010 US Open: The Dad Versus The Uncle
A rain-delayed Monday US Open final dawns.
Can Djokovic repeat his moment of magic against the top seed, Rafael Nadal?
Nadal is the overwhelming favourite going into the Flushing Meadows final.
But Djokovic should look no further than his own box, more specifically his father wearing an extraordinarily loud T-shirt with the Joker’s mug smiling back at him for awesome motivation.
Djokovic’s dad , Srdjan Djokovic, dares to look ridiculous just so his son Djokovic can feel that he’s not alone struggling on that blue quad.
Roger Federer: Now A Fish Out Of Water
The writing is on the wall.
We’ve dismissed suggestions that Federer is fading and have hoped against hope to be rewarded with another Slam this year but we were destined to be disappointed.
Federer has lost his aura of invincibility. We just failed to recognise it for what it was.
We believed that it was only Nadal who stood in his way. How we have demonised that man from Mallorca!
But we forget that our Gods are human too. We forget that they age too.
That they succumb to their mistakes.
That their creaking bones may no longer withstand the rigors of a gruelling tour.
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2010 US Open: The Ladies’ Final Preview
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Who would have believed it?
Vera Zvonareva gets to her second successive Grand Slam final.
She’s flown under the radar. She allowed Wozniacki and her shorter-than-short dress steal the limelight; she warms up in sweatpants and a jacket despite the sweltering heat and now she has knocked out the Danish sweetheart without so much as a by-your-leave.
Vera Zvonareva, you are going places and how!
Caroline Wozniacki found the pressure of expectations too much to handle and caved in to a much calmer, much hotter (in terms of the tennis) Vera on a day of one upset and two disappointments at the US Open 2010.
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The US Open 2010: The Ladies Fab Four
All good things must finally come to an end and so must this year’s US Open.
But before the tennis concludes , there’s just enough time for the artistes to hit the high notes and close the Flushing Meadows symphony on a crescendo.
The final three days will bring fans more mouth-watering, lip-smacking , engrossing wizardry, not to mention coquetry.
A quick dekko at the women’s singles semi-finalists.
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A Gallery Of Roguish Quotes At The US Open 2010
What they said, what they really meant and what they definitely didn’t.
Our beloved tennis players are eminently quotable. They can rise to the occasion and serve up wonderful sound bytes – some terrific , some terrible – when accosted at their press conferences and when grilled at interviews.
A sampling from the articulate geniuses.
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Federer Vs Nadal: Beauty Against The Beast
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Nadal and Federer, Federer and Nadal, can we mention one without naming the other?
Once upon a time, there was Roger Federer and the many dwarves. Then arrived Rafael Nadal like a light bulb whose incandescence just shone brighter and brighter. But not so much to eclipse a dwindling Federer but enough to illumine and bathe the ATP tennis courts – each taking turns at being sunbeam and moonbeam.
We have all heard talk about how graceful Federer is on the tennis court, how he is balletic , fluid of motion and a purist’s delight.
We have also lauded Rafa for his continually improving game, noted how his serve has become much more faster and accurate, and exclaimed how he keeps adding facets to his game.
But if you and I were to single out one defining characteristic of these two outstanding protagonists of the modern game, what would it be?
Quote of the day:
In great affairs men show themselves as they wish to be seen; in small things they show themselves as they are. – Nicholas Chamfort
Llodra slips a mickey to a doubting Tomas
The Has!
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Serve and volley? Ha!Ha! Ha! Serve and volley is dead!
Net play? Ha!Ha!Ha!
Are you nuts?
A woman coach? Amelie Mauresmo? Ha! Ha! Ha! You must be crazy!
These are the kinds of barbs , taunts, scorn and scathing attack you would imagine that Michaël Llodra endured when he decided to seek coaching from his compatriot Mauresmo.
Changing your game plan is never easy. Remolding and remodeling it is even harder, especially late in your career. The trick lies in not changing a lot of stuff, just a few things.
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Can Samantha Stosur Go Far At The US Open?
Samantha Stosur cuts a striking, even imposing figure on court with her trademark baseball cap and dark shades.
She brings to the tennis court her unique persona and style.
She started out as a doubles player and was ranked No. 1 in the world with Lisa Raymond.
Samantha Stosur is the Australian No.1. She goes into the US Open ranked No. 5, her highest ranking ever at Flushing Meadows.
If 2009 marked the rebirth of Stosur in her singles avatar, 2010 confirmed her status as a challenger to beware of.
2009 saw her reach the French Open semis and 2010 saw her go one better reaching the finals only to cave in to an uninhibited Schiavone. Ironically, it was Schiavone she knocked out in the first round at the 2009 edition of the French Open.
2010 has been her best year ever on the WTA tour. Her career high-ranking of five has come on the back of her stupendous showing at the French Open. This period also includes seven successive quarter-final appearances, a record of sorts.
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Four Reasons Why It Could Be Federer All The Way At Flushing Meadows
The Poached Egg
The hiring of Paul Annacone as coach appears a masterstroke in hindsight. Federer’s results and ranking since have shown an upward trajectory.
He has reached two consecutive finals: The Rogers Cup and Cincinatti Masters, winning the latter.
A new resilience and a willingness to slug it out with the best of them exemplify Federer’s ascendant star. He expects no easy wins and is willing to stay the course. This was so not the case earlier when Federer’s opponents were overawed by his reputation and gifted away easy victories.
The mortality of Federer has unlocked a new stream of consciousness in his opponents that there is life in professional tennis despite his looming presence.
As to how Annacone has added luster to Federer’s glory, the answer is still in the realm of speculation.
Roger, what is it? Is it validation? Is it motivation? Is it technical? Or is he a trophy coach?
Either way, Annacone is there to egg Federer on to his sixth US Open title.
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Make Time For Sports. 