Commonwealth success, and Asian leg tennis

Two lots of tennis at once, like those buses I've heard about but never actually expereinced- I think they only turn up in London?  But there's the China Open (for the boys and girls, but theyve only been showing the women's matches on Eurosport), as well as the Commonwealth games in Delhi which wrapped up its tennis in a week (take that grand slams).  I'm afraid Ive missed much of the China Open, our TV remote broke and while we waited for the replacement (which arrived looking entirely black, sleek, and sexy) I found flicking from Commonwealth games on channel 101 (BBC one) to China Open on 521 (Eurosport) manually somewhat time consuming, thus defeating its purposes as quick flicking.  So I opted the the games- seeing lots of swimming, athletics, and all those other sports that no one really cares about but then England wins a bunch of medals so we kinda do, like archery.

Tennis from Delhi wasn't shown much but I did get to see lovely Jamie Murray (sigh, soon to be married :( ) win his first round singles match to a largely empty crowd (literally about 8 Scottish team mates), but alas he lost his second round match and all his doubles.  I'm sure I had a screen capture of him playing, but I can't find- it's ok though because he wasn't smiling at all, even after he won.  Hope he isn't getting a touch of the Andys?  Scotland did have success in the mixed doubles- Colin Fleming (AKA the cute one) and Joss Rae (started off as 'some girl' ended up as 'really good player who held it together') won the gold. Woo, and England won silver in the men's doubles- Skupsi and Hutchins.  Sania Mirza won in the women's doubles but only took Silver in the women's singles.  The stadium that had been almost entirely empty in previous rounds was packed full and super noisey as Mira played. 

She's the Indian superstar you see, young, pretty, and talented she represents India almost single handedly.  She's also a Muslim who wears sexy dresses, and says that sex before marriage is ok as long as its safe, and married a divorced Pakistani cricketer.  Erm you remember that story right? She was engaged to someone else, that ended and a few months later she was engaged to Shoaib Malik.  He, it turned out, was already married to a woman he had never met and had married over the phone.  He claimed she had lied to him and he had married another woman over the phone.  Well that's ok then Shoaib.  Anyway, one quickie divorce later, he and Sania were married.

Men go a little more casual it seems.

As well as the intensity of the crowd, the heat, and the opposition (Australian Rodionova) there were bugs.
Lots of bugs.  Yuck.

This is the surface of the court, as the bugs fall out of the sky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Back to China (in our hearts, we never left), and really like to make stuff shaped like stuff huh? The bird's nest staduim for athletics, and bubble cube thing for swimming, and the lotus flower National Tennis Centre.  I think the Bird's Nest is best, but still its a nice thought imo.  And Wozniaki (who becomes world nu,ber one today) is up against Zvoarava (this year's Wimbledon and US Open finalist).  The rain stopped play yesterday, after the Bryan brothers had won their doubles final.  So Djockovic had to wait until today to beat Ferrer in straight sets- goodo Djocko- and Woz and Zvon are in a third set even as wel speak.  Its a good little match from two players who have played so well this year they both have something to prove, if that makes sense.  For Wozniaki it would look bad to lose a match the same day she becomes number one, and for Zvonarava it would help her confidence muchly to actually win in a final.  Also there's the small matter of $750,000 for the winner.   It's currently a set all, but 3-0 to Woz in the third.  Not a true reflection on the match imo as Wozniaki, despite being a grown woman, and world number one, doesn't seem to be able to complete a set without calling for her daddy.  Yes, he is also her coach, and yes players on the WTA are allowed to call their coaches on during matches for advice, but still.  She was down a break in the first set until he talked some sense into her and she won the set, simalr story in the second only his advice obviously wasn't as helpful as she lost that set.  I think figuring out strategy,  adapting to changing circumstances in matches, and making split-second decisions is an important part of being a professional tennis player- of course your coach helps to prepare you before the match but you wouldn't expect him to come on court and play your backhands for you if they were giving you a bit of bother that day.  Would you?
If you're the one that's gonna walk home with a $750,000 cheque in your back pocket, then you should be the one that actually plays the match.  The commentators disagree of course, its a wonderful addition to the game, mainly because it made Wozniaki play better (hmm so might performance enhancing drugs or a three hour mid match kip, doesn't mean it's a good idea).  Oh jeepers- she's 4-1 up and he's still coming on.  tbh, I'm not sure she asks for him as much as he justs walks on, which is what you get if your dad coaches you I guess.  Also, shes got a new ugly dress which is almost the same as the last one but with sheer arms.  Just odd.

Asian leg

So to the last bit of the year- actually important tournaments, only for the super high rankers, but also no one quite cares because the last Grand Slam of the year (the US Open) has been and gone and everyones getting a bit tired of this tennis malarky.  Its all gone Asian though, which is nice cos the main tour doesn't seem to swing by this neck of the woods during the rest of the year, although shame to see that not many people in Tokyo seem to care as the large staduim is left mainly empty.  I know its hard to get people on a weekday daytime to come to tennis, and I do think its good for tournaments to be in Asia, but it should be the responsibility of the tournament to ensure a good crowd. 

It must be awfully demoralising for the players to play in front of so few people, especially as these tournaments are dominated by top players, it creates a lame ass atmosphere and looks pretty rubbish on the ole TV.  I feel this is more of a problem on the womens tour, I don't get to see the mens much so I may be wrong, but I don't trust tournament organisers to advertise 'women's tennis' (some different creature from regular tennis) as well as mens.  And if you're gonna have a tier one event (the biggest apart from grand slams) which top players are often required to play, then you should show you deserve it.

Woz after winning. Nice Plate imo.

Anyway, Wozniaki (blonde, Danish, millionaire, talented, and annoyingly pleasant, although she did say that her short US Open dress was good as it got her male fans which is obviously a dumb thing to say, not least because she was wearing what looked like a dress made out of a scuba suit, or perhaps rubber tubing) just won her 11th title by beating Dementiava in Tokyo.  Date Krumh excited home fans as the 40year old beat defending champ Sharapova and Hanuchova before falling to Schiavone.  And British child Laura Robson managed to qualify (winning three matches) before losing to Greta Arn (dunno).  So that's sort of a good result.  I was disappointed for Zvonerava who lost to Dementiava in the semis, after losing the US Open it was pleasing to see her play so well but after losing the first set 7-5 her form slipped and she started to look tired.  Another reason why no one likes this part of the year.

If Wozniaki gets to the quarter finals in Beijing next week shell be world number one.  Which will probably bring forth much talk of you-shouldn't-be-world-number-one-unless-won-major which is dumb.  Jankovic and Safina also both number ones without winning a major and Safina in particular had to deal with a lot of bollocks about it.  Safina btw went out in the first round of Tokyo, still plugging away trying to get back to the top following her back injury, shes about 49 now.  But welcome to the new breed of world number ones, they are not like Serena Williams (who is the current world number one) who wins majors and little else and is a tennis star rather than a tennis player, but they are extremely consistent at a very high level which, one assumes, is not that easy.  Wozniaki has won 5 titles this year, which aint bad.

Lopez

 On the mens side current world number one (and worry not fans, no one can catch up with him right now) Nadal just lost in the semi-final of the Thailand Open beaten by world number 53 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, I didn't see it so I don't know what went down but apparently Lopez (who has one career title to Nadals 42) played great ground shots in the second set and Nadal failed to take his chances in the third (only winning 2 of 26 break points).  He'll play Jarkko Nieminen in the final, and I struggle to care.  (See first para) Not sure what the rest of the men are up to, last years US Open winner Juan Del Potro lost in the first round but he hasn't played since February due to a bad wrist. 


Meanwhile various athletes are getting ready fot the Commonwealth games which start tomorrow, reports were flooding in about substandard accomodation including pictures of unsanitary rooms.  In fact Elena Baltacha (and others) has pulled out of the tournament due to health fears.  She has a liver condition and has been side lined with it in the past, and didn't want to risk anything when she's doing so well (got into the top 50 for the first time recently).  But here's a nice picture of Jamie Murray in a kilt to cheer us all up.

He needs to smile more in pictures imo, lights up his whole face. The games are being held in Delhi if you were wondering about the shirt Indian men next to him, although I can not explain the hats.
Until next time...

Finals

Well, I stayed up last night until around midnight watching the score updates of the mens semi-finals (and about an hour later 'getting ready for bed', am starting to think that staying up til 1am, and getting up at 11am may not be great for my skin if nothing else) and today I watched the hightlights on the ole TV.  But I decided not to watch the live score for the womens final and wait entirely for the tv highlights (it is a final afterall), which meant I had to occupy myself until 6:15pm for the highlights programme to start.  I did go into town and bought a newspaper, and agonised over whether to read the sports section for a sillyly long amount of time, since we all know I have no will power and so I read it.

Erm, this is how they prepare for a final, US style.

But was saved by the fact that all the newspapers had gone to sleep before the womens final too, it was a sign that I should keep waiting and I defo did not want the result ruined by turning on my iGoogle page and having the score flashing up.  And so (understanding my lack of will power) I havent turned my laptop on all day, possibly the first time since I bought it, apart from the several times it was broken.   And was the match worth it, erm no, predictably not.  Clijsters beat Zvonarava 6-2 6-1 ouch, poor Zvon who lost the wimbledon final too and is starting to become the new Safina (playing great, getting to a final, then crumbling under nerves).  But as Clijster's herself put it, it took her '7 or 8' finals before she won her first.

Moving on then to the mens semis, Nadal up first againts Youzhny and I dont have any pictures.  Nadal has boring hair and shirts now and Youzhny was creamed 6-2 6-3 6-3 or something.  Nadal has not dropped a set yet, been a little lucky with the draw, but still looking ominous for his final opponent.  But who would that be?

Federer against Djokovic in the second semi was gonna be the big one- Fed with the winning record against Djo (his shirt says Nole and apparently thats his nickname but without a good understanding of Serbian language or culture I'm gonna work the surname, okay?), but Djokovic has won 3 of the last 6 (which to me doesnt sound that impressive but whatevs).  It was a super close first set, both having break points in the first three games, it stayed on serve though until 5-5 when Djo was broken and Federer took the first set.  But the man previously known as the Djoker, and with a record for inconsistency was being far more balanced and mature than Captain boring (Federer). And once Novak was on top in the second set Feds faded away, 1-6.  Then they decided to do it all again and the next two sets went 7-5, 2-6.

And so it would come down to a crucial 5th set, which again was super close. Until about 3-3 when Djoko had a few chances on Feds serve but he held him off, then at 5-4 up (I think Fed served first in every set lucky ducky) Federer had two match points on Djo's serve.  But he saves them masterfully.  Mature and brave, if you wanted to sum it up.  It goes to deuce a few times but Novak holds.  And Federer...doesn't!!! Djokovic breaks fairly comfortably.  And Djo serves for the match. And Fed has a break back point.  And misses.  And now Djo has a match point.  And wins.
And for the first time since 2003 Federer will not be in a US Open final, which just seems a crazy thing (that he has been in 6 finals, and won fve, I just looked it up to check).

Roger Federer's father wears an RF outfit, Novak's follow the theme to a rather more insane degree.

And so to the men's final.
Well, after a fashion, a rainy fashion not a sartorial one as Federer was remarkably absent so was Anna Wintour, who on examination appears to have been at everyone of his matches, you would think she has more to do?   Anyway, the rain stopped play before the final on Sunday and it was postponed to Monday, where it interrupted the match at the end of the second set, which is when I went to bed.   In fact the spectators were told to leave the stadium as thunder and lightning was expected.  Nadal had just won the first set 6-4 (broke Novak in the first game of the match), and Novak had been 4-1 up in the second but had been broken back to 4-4.   By good fortune I saw the final in unscheduled highlights today whilst flicking around as my mother strove to find a film to watch on her day off sick.  (We settled on a Miss Marple once the tennis had finished)  Novak did take the second set with some lovely tennis, 7-5.  But Nadal broke early in the third and took it 6-4, and in the fourth erm Nadal took it 6-2 but Novak had a chance to break back at 4-1 but didnt quite happen for him.  And Nadal has now won all four of the grand slams, the seventh man to do so, which is impressive. And he's won three of the four of this years.

No more live...all highlights

Well youll be pleased to hear that after replacing my Laptop's hands (touchpad), mouth (keyboard), heart (motherboard), and brain (delete harddrive, and reboot from disc... twice) it is working perfectly...although the speaker is still clogged up with yoghurt.  And so to the blog, after a mediocre interview showing I was looking forward to some live evening tennis the other day to discover that, of course, Eurosport no longer shows the live tennis (expensive rights, also I guess its hard to tell what time the matches will start as there are less senior singles matches and they surround them with juniors and doubles and they dont think anyone would want to see that), and I have to wait until 12pm the next day to watch the highlights.

Anyway, heres a catch up:
Nadal plays Verdasco in the quarter finals (6 of the last 16 men were Spanish), Wwarinka (who beat Murray and Querry, remember) plays Youhzny who one time hit his head on the racket so much he was ordered off the court to get a medical time out, as he was bleeding so much.  In the other half, in the semis Federer beat Soderling (who beat him at the French Open remember) and will play Djockovic which could be an awesome match, although Ive been saying that a lot recently (Ivanovic vs Clijsters, Wozniaki vs Sharapova, Federer vs Soderling, Djockovic vs Monfils, and all have kinda fizzled).
In Monfils vs Djockovic Monfils showed why people like him and why he never wins matches he should when he jumped 6 feet in the air and attempting to hit the ball between his legs:

He missed.

In the Womens, its Wozniaki vs Zvonarava (Woz got to the final here last year, and Zvon the Wimby final), and Venus against Clijsters, okay one of those matches has to be a bit good?  So Im hoping for a Zvonerva victory not sure about the other semi, Venus has a 7-1 record over Zvon, and Clijsters 5-2 but Zvonarava has won theyre only matches in 2010 (theyre first since 2006 when Clijsters retired).  Laura Robson's lost in her quarter final match if you were interested, which I doubt you were since shes annoying and southern.  Anyway, Ive got live match stats to eagle eye...until next time.

More on Murray, and dress stress.

Theres something about Murray, most of the time hes talked up as the new sliced bread that can walk on water, then he loses a match and suddenly hes wasting his talent and ripe for the taking.  Rather exemplary of the attitude towards British tennis: win a round at wimbledon and youre the new hero, lose in the next and we always knew you would.  I take the opposite approach, most of the time I hate him, then he loses and people are mean to him and feel sorry for him and notice how nicely symetrical his face is these days (his nose is such a nice halfway divider), and he cant be happy with that annoying hair girl really, and ooh lets check how much money hes won shall we (gazillions).   As you may guess, he lost. 

To Stanislav Wawrinka (the good looking womble guy, who apparently has a baby now which is nice), you remember him he lost to Murray at Wimbledon that time.   I watched the live text updates and the highlights, Stan was firing winners a-go-go during the first set and took an early break.  He had 7 aces and about 20 winners to 7 unforced errors, Murray has 0, 6,5 respectively.  Murray broke back though and it went to a tie break which Murray won.  And he broke early in the next set, and it seemed like he would run away with it (this is when I disliked him), but it was a funny topsy turvy game, both having chances in the second set it eventually went tie break, which Stan won.  And the next two sets.  But it was up and down for both, Stan playing more consistently despite needed time out for a thigh cramp.  Murray sounded his usually misery self in press conference although being mpre appropiate than usual this is where I felt sorry for him.

In other news my touchpads broken, but Dell are sending an engineer out tomorrow and have extended my warranty another year (for £60 natch), but theyll also replace my keyboard and so Ill be with T key once more.  I couldnt bring myself to mention the yoghurt in my speaker so Ill leave that for a surprise for the engineer.  Anyway not have a touchpad is highly aggravating, and I feel my blogging productivity has suffered at least 27%.   In other tennis news, Dementiava lost about 15 match points against Stosur before Stosur took it in a third set tie break, shame for Dem (she won the olympic gold medal, but not slams), good for Stosur (she got to the French Open final and was the favourite but rather underperformed).  Shell play Clijsters I believe who beat Ivanovic quite easily, in fact I didnt see any of it because it was over before Eurosport went to air (oh it says its on from 4:45 but its been 5pm all week thankyou very much).  

Today Sharapova (who beat the young American who took out 20th seed Rezai 6-0 6-0) takes on Wozniaki, and Djockovic takes on Fish (not sure who to root for, Fish is playing great and does some nice net work but Djocko has the most awesome hair in tennis).

Its so round.  And the Murray pic is old but a useful comparison IMO.



In other pictures I found a snap of Monfils snazzy shorts, and Venus' other dress (has 7, one for each match apparently, and this year her outfits have been representing a different city for some reason according to the commentators, this time its New York- makes sense).  Its just the sparkly one in pink (ran out of ideas V?). 

Snazzy shorts and snazzy shots.  He totally does this for the cameras.