Martina Hingis still regrets not winning the French Open

Martina Hingis has conquered tennis courts the world over but missing out on clay at the French Open still rankles. “I have played tennis for a very long time to have some regrets and some really special moments.

But the one that’s right up there is not winning the French Open,” the five-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion told this newspaper in an exclusive interview.

“In the final of 1999 when I played Steffi Graf, I thought I had a fair chance to win the title. There were some decisions that should have been in my favour. Back then there were no referral system and the match referee was a little sluggish. The replays showed the ball was in and so did the ball mark (referring to the third game of the second set when Graf went 30-0 up). I should have won that final,” Hingis recalled.

Asked if Rafael Nadal nine-time French Open men’s singles winner would have helped her with some of his expertise, she candidly said, “what Nadal does is something really unbelievable. He plays with such power and is blessed with a strong physique. I am more of a Roger Federer kind of a player. It’s more of class and elegance than power. I don’t have a physique that would have helped me play his style of tennis.”

A lesser-known fact about the Swiss star is that she was born in Czechoslovakia and she had to move to Switzerland after her parents had separated. It was difficult for her to adapt to a new country at age seven. “When we moved, it was difficult as a kid. Had to leave my friends behind, make new ones and adjust to the situation. It was not easy but I had to move on. In a way it helped me grow stronger,” she said.

Speaking about the 209 weeks she spent as the no.1 ranked women’s singles player, Hingis said: “When you are in it, you don’t have the time to look back and think if it was a dream or reality. You just have to look ahead and ask yourself what’s next. But now that I have retired (from international singles) I have the time to think about it and say, ‘wow’ that was something. I am really proud of it.”

If not winning the elusive French Open was something that Martina regrets, her three back-to-back Australian Open titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999 are something she cherishes.

“The Australian Open has been my favorite hunting ground. The tournament began at the start of the year and I was always up for it.

“I have always enjoyed playing there and the surface is so similar to the one we built back home which helped in preparing for the event,” she said.

theasianage.com

Why I want Novak Djokovic to win on Sunday

Before you say anything, I would just like to make one thing clear. I love Rafael Nadal, I have great respect for the player and the man, because he is without question the most polite world no.1 we have ever seen. For each of his six matches this year at Roland Garros, I was delighted that he won. And I’m sorry to annoy the countless Rafa fans among you, but I can’t help hoping that Novak Djokovic wins the title.




Why? Well, quite simply because Nole deserves it, for a start. Like Andre Agassi and Roger Federer before him, he could complete his Grand Slam collection at Roland Garros and enter the hallowed halls of those who have won them all. Let’s be honest: the Serb would have done it long ago if he hasn’t been born into a generation with two exceptional champions – Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, competing for the title of the greatest player in the history of tennis. Djokovic isn’t quite at their level, but his talent, his style of play and the work he has put in to get to where he is make him worthy of raising the Coupe des Mousquetaires.



Djokovic is the only one to have caused Nadal to stumble at Roland Garros. He was even a break ahead in the fifth set of their incredible semi-final last year. Though I have no intention of taking anything away from Soderling’s victory in 2009, don’t forget that at that time, Rafa’s knees were not at their best. Djokovic has also beat Nadal four times on clay, a feat which no one else can claim. And Djokovic is good for tennis. A win for the Serb at the French would be a win for tennis.




I’m not saying that a ninth victory for Nadal would be bad for tennis, but a first for Djokovic at Roland Garros would have a greater impact. It would be seen by tennis fans as a major achievement, and rightly so. As he said himself, Nole is facing his greatest challenge: attempting to defeat Nadal on clay, over five sets. If he does it, it could be a match for the history books. He could succeed where Federer has failed.




Djokovic also has a very appealing personality. Some say he overdoes it, but I am certain that his words come naturally. He makes an effort to speak in French, he is expressive on the court, he is good-natured in front of the microphone, and he is a natural entertainer.


The video of him chatting with a ball boy during a rain break has been seen all around the world. I really think that Nole is a nice guy. He’s a great tennis player and a battle-hardened champion who has not shied away from self-criticism. He is always trying to progress, even after he became world No.1, opting for a gluten-free diet for example or with his interesting choice of hiring Boris Becker. 

So sorry, Rafa, but if you lose on Sunday for the second time in your career at Roland Garros, I’m afraid I won’t be shedding any tears!


rolandgarros.com

I couldn't have said it better myself!.  Go Nole!.

Kim Clijsters posting selfies with some tennis legends in Paris

Tennis - Former world no. 1 Kim Clijsters, now a mother-of-two, is back in Paris this fortnight where she will be competing in the Legends event alongside Martina Navratilova. Clijsters has also been working with Belgian no. 1 Yanina Wickmayer in recent months.


Clijster has been posting several pictures on her social media accounts from Paris and here we bring you some of the best ones!!

tennisworldusa.org



Rain or no rain! #hardwork photobomb by @samverslegers1






Here it is





Greatest dubbelspartner ever! Tomorrow on 1st on court two!






He is so cool!

Who wants to be a Federer?

Roger Federer's opponent Ernests Gulbis thinks women should not play tennis

Outspoken tennis player Ernests Gulbis is in the news again for all the bad reasons.

This time around, he has asked women to stay away from professional tennis as they would be better served having children instead.

Gulbis had even accused Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray of boring tennis fans with their successes in Grand Slams.

Gulbis was asked if his sisters would take up the game. This is what he had to say.

"Hopefully they're not going to pursue a professional tennis career. Hopefully. Because for a woman, it's tough. I wouldn't like my sisters to become professional tennis players. It's tough choice of life. A woman needs to enjoy life a little bit more. Needs to think about family, needs to think about kids. What kids you can think about until age of 27 if you're playing professional tennis, you know. That's tough for a woman, I think."

Elina, sister of Gulbis, has a law degree-she should have a discussion with him about biological clocks and how 27 is still prime time.

Or better, let's have a panel discussion with Kim Clijsters, Steffi Graf and Lindsay Davenport and moderated by Pam Shriver about how tennis careers interfere with having children. Of course, we would need to provide child care for the 10 biological children they have between them.

Frenchman Gilles Simon had asserted that women don’t deserve to be paid at par with men in Grand Slam events.

Asked to respond to Gulbis, WTA players offered smirks and tepid responses.

"I don't think we can take everything serious when he speaks," Maria Sharapova said, laughing.

"I mean, let's be honest with that. I think he's great entertainment and we love to listen to what he has to say."

C'mon, Gulbis, get your head in the game. You have to do better if you want to evoke more than chuckles from the future mothers you are trying to offend.

"In a way, I think he was joking, but he's playing the sport, so how bad can it be?" Sharapova continued, gamely mustering a serious response.

"If he felt so bad about it, and even if he's a male, I don't think he'd be playing it. I think the sport brings so many opportunities to women. I mean, it's brought me so many things into my life and my career. I don't regret any step that I have taken.

But then, on the other hand, sometimes I wake up and think, 'Well, I don't wish this on my kids.' But then when I'm playing the matches, I'm in front of thousands of people and the experience that this sport brings, I think, 'Of course I want my kids to do this, this is such a huge lesson in life.' ''

You know what else Sharapova can do when she has kids? Actually spend time with them and enjoy the buckets of money she has earned as a professional tennis player. It's a formula that's worked for men for millennia — working like crazy while amassing your fortune and then having a family.

20-year-old Garbine Muguruza also dismissed Gulbis’ comments.

“You play tennis until you want, when you feel you want to make another things, have babies or have a family, then you can do it. You play until you want to play.”

Gulbis, 25, has reached the last 16 of a major for the first time since he made the quarter-finals in Paris in 2008.

"I made a lot of bad decisions, career-wise," Gulbis said.


"But now I am jumping on the last train. I'm 25, so this is my last opportunity to be really successful."

Anyway, thanks to Gulbis for restarting the clock on the next insensitive comment. Hopefully, men on the tour have been monitoring the response here and realize they need to come up with something better if they want to become the next irrelevant footnote in Slam history.

By the way, Gulbis will face Roger Federer, father of four, in the fourth round. Teach him a lesson, Fed.


sportskeeda.com


I mentioned in an earlier post that I really don't like this guy, well this is one major reason why.

I don't like guys that say things like these in press conferences just to garner attention or try to be provocative for whatever reason.

I'll take "boring" Federer any time thank you very much. And really, way to offend not only women players but women in general, just when you think attitudes like that are disappearing. 

Disappointing and sad.

Roger Federer loses another 5 setter exits early at Roland Garros

Roger Federer failed to reach the French Open quarter-finals for the first time since 2004 as he lost in five sets to Latvia's Ernests Gulbis.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion led by a set and a break, but went down 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 4-6 6-3.

Fourth-round victory would have taken the 32-year-old Swiss into a record 42nd major quarter-final.

Gulbis, seeded 18th, goes on to face sixth seed Czech Tomas Berdych in the last eight.

The temperamental 25-year-old gave a typically unpredictable performance, big serving and brilliant shot-making interspersed with racquet smashing and verbal exchanges with spectators.

There was no doubt where the crowd's affections lay on Court Philippe Chatrier, with 2009 champion Federer given the support of a home player.

The Swiss looked in control when he served for a two-set lead, but he inexplicably failed to put away a smash on set point, and the afternoon took a very different turn.

Gulbis came back to win the tie-break and broke serve twice to move into the lead in the third.

Chants of "Roger, Roger" rang around the stadium as the crowd tried to lift their man, and Federer responded by taking the fourth set.

He was made to wait at 5-2 while Gulbis left the court for a medical timeout, though, and the Latvian almost recovered two breaks as he regained the momentum.

Federer slipped to 0-40 in his first service game of the decider and, after saving two break points, he hammered the third wide.

Try as he might, and urged on by the crowd, Federer could not not recover the deficit.

Gulbis held him off brilliantly under pressure at 4-2 with two huge serves and a deft drop shot, and coolly served out the win after three hours and 42 minutes.


bbcsport.com


Ugh, have I mentioned how much I don't like Ernests Gulbis?. Well let me just say, I don't like the guy at all (more on that in a different post).

I didn't really expect Roger to win Roland Garros this year but I certainly didn't expect him to have another early exit again either.

Reading headlines where Roger loses I can always only think of one thing, this just plain sucks.

Guess I'm cheering for Novak Djokovic to dethrone the king of clay now. Bring on the grass I'm ready to move on to Wimbledon.

Roger Federer survives tough battle into 4th round at Roland Garros

Roger Federer completed a record-breaking win at Roland Garros on Friday, reaching the fourth round for the 12th time. It bettered the record set by Guillermo Vilas, the 1977 champion, who reached the Last 16 on 11 occasions.

"At the start of my career, clay was not my favourite surface," said Federer. "I got my best results in indoor courts or hard courts, so people thought at that time that I was only a fast-court player. But that's not the case, so I'm very happy with this record, and I'm enjoying it."

Fourth seed and 2009 champion Federer extended his record to 5-0 against No. 31 seed Dmitry Tursunov with a 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-4 victory in three hours and seven minutes. He is now three match wins shy of 200 clay-court victories (197-60 overall).

Tursunov saved three set points from 0/40 at 5-6 in the second set, before going on to seal the tie-break. He led 4/1 in the tie-break and missed a backhand down the line at 6/5. Federer did not convert a set point opportunity at 7/6, before Tursunov levelled at one-set all at 8/7 with a forehand winner.

Tursunov called it a "fairly even battle" prior to suffering a groin injury after the changeover of the second set. "Good for him that he was able to figure out what bothers me and kind of build his game plan around that," he said. "He's a tough player to play against when you're healthy, so definitely makes thing a little bit tougher."

Federer, who reached the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters final (l. to Wawrinka) last month, will now compete against No. 18 seed Ernests Gulbis on a clay court for a third time. Federer leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-1. Gulbis won their last clay meeting, 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 at the 2010 Internazionali BNL d'Italia.

"Clearly he has to be confident after winning a tournament last week and now backing it up again here this week and cruising through, really," said Federer. "I'm aware of the challenge ahead of me, and difficult match I think because I have had some tough matches with him in the past."

Gulbis maintained his record of never having lost to Radek Stepanek by posting a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 win, in just under two hours.

Gulbis lost three of his first service points and hit 19 aces for his 30th match win of the year. His best Grand Slam championship result came at 2008 Roland Garros, when he fell in the quarter-finals (l. to Djokovic).

“It’s [the] first time in like six years [that] I have been in this room as a participant, not a spectator,” said Gulbis, smiling. “It is that long.

“I'm very pleased. Today, I served well. He had only one break point. I served, [on] average, one to two aces a game. Any opponent is going to have trouble with that."

On Saturday, he improved to 6-0 in ATP World Tour finals by lifting the Open de Nice Côte d'Azur crown (d. Delbonis).

When asked how he would play against Federer, Gulbis kept his cards close to his chest.

“Game plan? I don't want to tell all my cards. But I have a game plan. I know how I'm going to play him.”


atpworldtour.com

Kim Clijsters to play Legends event at Roland Garros

PARIS – The immovable force meets the unstoppable object, and something has to give.

How can we all be staying the same age and yet the senior players – the legends, as they like to call them – keep getting younger and younger at Grand Slam events?

The newest entry into the "barely retired but already out there with the fogies" department is Kim Clijsters, who has been around the grounds supporting countrywomen Yanina Wickmayer and BFF Kristen Flipkens this week.

She's 30.

But Clijsters will be back on court for real as a legend. And she's playing doubles with Martina Navratilova.


That's a treat.

Here are the teams scheduled to compete during the second week, when the singles dwindle down but the courts of Roland Garros continue to buzz with doubles, juniors and former stars.

American Lindsay Davenport has often played these events with Martina Hingis in recent years but as we know, Hingis is a little busy on the kid's tour these days. Davenport teams up with old (not OLD old, but former) partner Mary Joe Fernandez in a Tennis Channel/ESPN2 cooperative effort.


sports.yahoo.com


Kim Clijsters (BEL) / Martina Navratilova (USA)
Iva Majoli (CRO) / Anastasia Myskina (RUS)
Conchita Martinez (ESP) / Nathalie Tauziat (FRA)


Lindsay Davenport (USA) / Mary Joe Fernandez (USA)
Nathalie Dechy (FRA) / Sandrine Testud (FRA)
Natasha Zvereva (BLR) / Jana Novotna (CZE)


Yeah I do feel old considering I'm almost 3 years her senior :D.

Roger Federer dismisses qualifier to reach 3rd round at Roland Garros

Roger Federer has become the first man in tennis history to record 60 or more match wins at all four Grand Slam championships.

Fourth seed Federer extended his winning streak to 20 matches against qualifiers at Grand Slam championships on Wednesday when the 2009 Roland Garros champion beat Diego Sebastian Schwartzman.

Federer notched his 60th match win at Roland Garros with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win against the World No. 109, who was making his first appearance at a major, on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

“I think it was kind of tough all the way through for me," said Federer. "I didn't feel relaxed for the entire match… He managed to put pressure on me and keep the pressure on me.”

The 32-year-old Federer is 73-11 at the Australian Open, 60-14 at Roland Garros, 67-8 at Wimbledon and 67-9 at the US Open.

Elsewhere, eighth seed Milos Raonic advanced to the Roland Garros third round in a 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-1 victory over Jiri Vesely, who received the 2013 ATP Star of Tomorrow Award presented by Emirates. He will next face No. 29 seed Gilles Simon.

Two weeks ago, Raonic equalled his best clay-court result in a semi-final run at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia (l. to Djokovic). Vesely, 20, advanced to his first ATP World Tour semi-final last week at the Dusseldorf Open (l. to Karlovic).

Last year’s semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the No. 13 seed, entertained French support by beating Jurgen Melzer 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.

Jerzy Janowicz, the No. 22 seed, will next face Tsonga after a 7-6(4), 7-6(4), 6-4 win over Jarkko Nieminen.

“Jerzy is a difficult player,” said Tsonga. “You never know exactly what to expect on court. He's rather unpredictable. He's very tall, he strikes hard. So you have to find a way to neutralise him and it's not always that easy.”

atpworldtour.com

Roger Federer's twin girls love watching their daddy play at Roland Garros

menstennisforums.com

Don't they look like little Parisian Mademoiselle's with their polka-dot dresses & sunglasses. So cute ♥. And very stylish too Mirka knows her fashion.

Roger Federer's French Open campaign off to good start

menstennisforums.com


PARIS -- With his twin daughters watching from the stands, Roger Federer moved into the second round of the French Open after a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Lukas Lacko on Sunday.


Federer has played in only two clay-court tournaments this season. He reached the final in Monte Carlo but missed the Madrid tournament when his second set of twins, boys Leo and Lenny, was born.


His first match after their birth was a loss in Rome.


On Sunday, with the clay court hard and damp due to days of rain and overcast skies, the fourth-seeded Federer was back to himself, winning five of his 11 break points.


"I was happy seeing, getting early signs out of the match that I was actually playing well and I was going to get my chances I was looking for," Federer said. "My personal life, as we know, it's all great, so I'm happy the family is here."


Federer's twin girls, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva, will turn 5 in July. They were sitting in Federer's box along with his wife Mirka at the start.


The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament to start on Sunday, and Federer played the second match on Court Philippe Chatrier, the main stadium at Roland Garros.


"I wasn't nervous actually going into the match. It's more just like those hints of fear, maybe yesterday, maybe this morning at one point, just for like five seconds, `Oh, I really hope I don't have to pack my bags today,' that kind of feeling," Federer said.


Eighth-seeded Milos Raonic of Canada also advanced, beating Nick Kyrgios of Australia 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-3.


Raonic is the youngest man in the top 10 of the tennis rankings, and Kyrgios was the youngest man in this year's French Open draw at 19.


"I was a bit nervous going out in the first set. That's normal, I think," said Kyrgios, a former top-ranked junior player who won the junior Australian Open in 2013.


Tenth-seeded John Isner hit 23 aces and got the only break of serve he needed in the third set of a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4), 7-5 victory over 130th-ranked Pierre-Hugues Herbert to also reach the second round.


The 6-foot-10 Isner, best known for playing the longest match in tennis history at Wimbledon in 2010, took 2½ hours to eliminate Herbert, a wild-card entry from France.


Isner saved both break points he faced and converted the only one he earned.


The American's best showings at Roland Garros were a pair of third-round finishes in 2010 and 2013.


Other men's winners included No. 6 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, No. 15 Mikhail Youzhny of Russia and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic.


espn.go.com

Roger Federer feeling stronger and ready for Roland Garros

Roger Federer might have two sets of twins to look after now, but that hasn’t stopped him from training hard for Roland Garros, which begins on Sunday. In fact, the extra responsibility made him stronger.

“[Leo and Lenny] sleep that much that I don’t feel bad yet [about] going out of the room and coming back,” admitted Federer on Friday. “Because I was [at] home and it gave me more time to train, I think I have become a touch stronger in the last few weeks and months really.

“Things are fairly normal. Clearly, there is a bit more happening… but Mirka takes care of most of it. I hold them as much as I can, but I clearly also want to go out and about with the girls [Charlene and Myla Rose].”

Despite a loss to Jeremy Chardy in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia second round last week, Federer insists that he is confident of a strong performance in Paris. His run to the final at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters is still fresh in the memory.

“Playing well in Monaco [in April] was helpful in the sense that when I went to training I knew what I needed to work on,” said Federer. “I feel like I'm in good shape. I feel very strong.

“After Rome, it was more just staying in the rhythm and relaxing again before Paris, Halle and Wimbledon. It's an important stretch now for me, and I don't want to come into this tournament uninspired or tired… For me it's really about being fresh mentally more than anything at this point.”

Federer, who picked up the 2009 Roland Garros title (d. Soderling), has been drawn to face Lukas Lacko in the first round. 

“I know he likes having a good rhythm,” said Federer, looking ahead to the clash. “He hits early. I practised with him several times.

“I'm very confident if I need to go deep in a match or play tough matches in a row. We'll see also how it's going to be with the weather. I heard it's going to be quite difficult, especially the first week.”

atpworldtour.com

Roger Federer has 'every intention' of playing the French Open in a few weeks

Exhale, Fed Fans.


Even with the birth of his second set of twins on Tuesday, Roger Federer expects to play the 2014 French Open later this month. His agent Tony Godsick told Christopher Clarey of The New York Times:

“Assuming that everything goes well and the kids are healthy and Mirka is doing well, he has every intention of playing Roland Garros. The question is what he plays before that, if anything. Time will tell. He is training and hasn’t missed a beat in training.”

Federer has played in every Grand Slam since the turn of the century. An appearance at the French Open would be his 58th in a row, extending his all-time record.


Mirka Federer gave birth to twin boys on Tuesday evening. Her husband withdrew from this week’s tournament in Madrid earlier in the day. Last month, he said he’d miss the French Open to be with his family.


Given the timing, it appears that won’t be necessary. The year’s second Grand Slam begins May 25 in Paris, 19 days after the birth of Leo and Lenny.


Godsick didn’t say whether Federer would play in next week’s Rome Open, which is the final major French Open tune-up. Federer’s first match wouldn’t be until Tuesday or Wednesday.


If he doesn’t play Rome, there are two tiny events the week before the French Open in Dusseldorf and Nice. Federer would have to weigh the need for another clay-court tuneup (he’s only played one such event this year) against competing in a tournament the week before a major.


When Mirka had the couple’s first set of twins in 2009, Roger returned to the court two weeks later in Montreal. He lost in the quarterfinals of that event before rolling to a victory in Cincinnati. Six weeks after the birth of the twin girls, Federer was in control of the 2009 U.S. Open final against Juan Martin Del Potro, but would go on to lose the match.


usatoday.com