Before I go on with re-capping tonight's show can I just say how much I hate that the one prediction I was actually right on all season sent one of the better couples home.
Brandy really did deserve the spot, she was the only contestant left who could have really given Jennifer a run for her money (not that Kyle won't), but with Brandy it would have been a much more closely contested affair.
Kyle & Lacey started things off tonight with what the judges called the redemption dance (a dance which they have previously done badly on).
For Kyle the judges chose the Foxtrot. As per customary of the finals each judge popped into rehearsal to give one of the competitors some pointers.
Kyle got none other then Mr. fuddy-duddy himself Len Goodman. Who helped Kyle with his posture and feet placement.
I must say Len's advice seemed to help him quite a bit. He did look like a very poised confident gentlemen.
At the end of the dance Len concluded it was still not perfect, but it greatly improved since the first time he did the routine.
He thought Kyle went from messy Massey to marvelous.
Carrie Ann complemented him on the footwork, but said she likes the unrestrained Kyle better which is why she was looking forward to the free-style. 27/30 was their total.
Bristol & Mark were up next with the redemption Jive. This time mercifully without the monkey suits. Bruno was her mentor in rehearsal, I got a real kick out of watching Bruno cut loose :D.
The man can shake it like nobody's business! :D. All the Bruno shenanigans seemed to help relax her a bit in the end though, and we actually saw more of her personality in this dance then we have in the entire season.
Carrie Ann thought it was more fun and vibrant.
Len found it a vast improvement from gorilla to thriller. I don't know if I would go that far, it was nowhere near as exciting as it could have been.
A jive needs to be fast paced, with snappy kicks. This wasn't even at half speed. Good, but not great kind of like she has been all season. 27/30 was their score.
Jennifer & Derek did the Paso Doble as their redemption dance. Which was the one dance that knocked Jennifer off the leader board and which Carrie Ann found hectic.
So it made sense for her to be the one mentoring Jennifer in rehearsal. It was the only performance which I was truly disappointed by as well.
This time everything worked great right down to the music. It was full of emotion, power and control. All the things that were missing the first time around. The judges were in complete agreement.
Len thought it was fantastic, and lovely mix of expression and aggression. He was so happy in fact that he give Jennifer a standing ovation.
Which by his standards is the biggest complement one can get. So naturally, and unsurprisingly she ended up with the perfect score of 30/30 once again.
Next it was time for my absolute favourite the free-style round.
Kyle & Lacey did a rap free-style number to "Tootsie Roll". This dance was so perfect for him it allowed his personality and charisma to shine.
Len admitted that although he doesn't like the boogaloo style (whatever that means:D) he found the whole thing to be great fun and entertainment.
Bruno thought Kyle was in his element. And Carrie Ann dubbed him the "Fresh Prince" of DWTS
He received 29/30. An overall total of 56/60 putting him in second place again.
Bristol & Mark free-styled to Chicago's "Cell Block Tango". Which really is one of those ideas that looks good on paper, but not practicality.
I don't know what Mark was thinking whenever you do something iconic like this it will undoubtedly always be compared to the original.
And well, in this case there really is nothing better. As Carrie Ann herself pointed out it was a good attempt, but not quite at the level this particular song requires.
She was however proud of her for being bold enough to dance in a cage. Len actually disagreed with Carrie Ann and thought Bristol did a really good job with it. I found parts of it enticing, but kind of bland overall.
And zero on the excitement scale. Which as we all know is the most important aspect of a free-style. 25/30 was the total for a grand total of 52/60 putting them at the bottom of the leader board once more.
Jennifer & Derek closed the show with their free-style set to Dirty Dancing's "Do You Love Me".
I have to say I really lowered my expectations for this one because I figured Jennifer would play it safe, so as not to re-injure herself.
Boy, was I wrong!. She went full out with some crazy flips and tricks. Once again Derek proved he is the king of choreography.
Also is it me?, or did the judges table get a bigger work out in this final then it has in all 11 years *lol*. Tom Bergeron thought the same thing.
Carrie Ann was at a loss for words she just called it perfect and amazing. Bruno thought she did the 2 dances equally well. Len called Jennifer a consistent, persistent, irresistible force.
Yep that pretty much sums her up. With comments like that it was no surprise she ended up with a perfect score of 60/60.
I just hope it's enough. I swear if Bristol Palin somehow manages to win this thing despite being in last place. I am never watching this show again.
I'm not a Bristol hater, or anything I just think it would be incredibly unfair for her to win this being the most inconsistent one of the 3.
Despite having a good couple of good weeks I think the performance should be judged on an overall basis and let's face it overall her performance has been marginal.
Tomorrow night the couples will be doing two more dances for some additional judges scores that will help determine the winner.
pop culture, tennis, celebrities, music, news, geek related stuff and anything else I fancy
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
ATP to extend players offseason in 2012
LONDON (AP)—The ATP is extending the offseason in men’s tennis from five to seven weeks, starting in 2012, without reducing the number of tournaments.
The decision, announced Sunday at the ATP World Tour Finals, was approved by the ATP Board ahead of the season-ending event at the O2 Arena in London.
“Our 2012 and 2013 calendars each provide for the seven-week offseason, meaning that our players will have an additional two weeks to spend away from the rigors of life on tour before taking up the cause again in the following year,” ATP President Adam Helfant said.
“I’m happy to say that these new calendars and the expanded offseason reflect the broad consensus among our members that the players, and really the sport as a whole, needed a longer break. It didn’t take long to find that consensus.”
The men’s tour has gone on vacation from the end of the ATP Finals in November until the start of the following season in early January at the Brisbane International, Chennai Open and Qatar Open.
But the seasons will end sooner in 2012 and ’13 with the rescheduling of four late-season events along with the removal of the off-week between the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.
For years, players have complained that the season was too long, and that the wear-and-tear of playing so many matches and so many tournaments was causing injuries.
“The health and well-being of our players is a tour-wide issue and preserving and extending the playing careers of our top players is critical for the long-term good of the game,” Helfant said.
This year, the final week of the season—the ATP Finals—started Nov. 21. But in 2012, the final week will begin on Nov. 5.
The Davis Cup, however, would still be scheduled for after the ATP Finals.
The season-ending ATP Finals, a tournament for the top eight players in the world, will be in London at least through 2013. If the tournament goes back to Asia or another venue that could cause difficulty for travel from Paris, more changes could be made.
“We have not even begun to think about what post 2013 could start to look like,” Helfant said. “When we start to have those conversations, which could be next year, we can of course look at our calendars.”
Took them long enough!.
This will no doubt help to prevent injuries many players suffer as they near the end of the season, and hopefully throughout.
Now if only they could do the same for the WTA.
The decision, announced Sunday at the ATP World Tour Finals, was approved by the ATP Board ahead of the season-ending event at the O2 Arena in London.
“Our 2012 and 2013 calendars each provide for the seven-week offseason, meaning that our players will have an additional two weeks to spend away from the rigors of life on tour before taking up the cause again in the following year,” ATP President Adam Helfant said.
“I’m happy to say that these new calendars and the expanded offseason reflect the broad consensus among our members that the players, and really the sport as a whole, needed a longer break. It didn’t take long to find that consensus.”
The men’s tour has gone on vacation from the end of the ATP Finals in November until the start of the following season in early January at the Brisbane International, Chennai Open and Qatar Open.
But the seasons will end sooner in 2012 and ’13 with the rescheduling of four late-season events along with the removal of the off-week between the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.
For years, players have complained that the season was too long, and that the wear-and-tear of playing so many matches and so many tournaments was causing injuries.
“The health and well-being of our players is a tour-wide issue and preserving and extending the playing careers of our top players is critical for the long-term good of the game,” Helfant said.
This year, the final week of the season—the ATP Finals—started Nov. 21. But in 2012, the final week will begin on Nov. 5.
The Davis Cup, however, would still be scheduled for after the ATP Finals.
The season-ending ATP Finals, a tournament for the top eight players in the world, will be in London at least through 2013. If the tournament goes back to Asia or another venue that could cause difficulty for travel from Paris, more changes could be made.
“We have not even begun to think about what post 2013 could start to look like,” Helfant said. “When we start to have those conversations, which could be next year, we can of course look at our calendars.”
This will no doubt help to prevent injuries many players suffer as they near the end of the season, and hopefully throughout.
Now if only they could do the same for the WTA.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Roger Federer Mercedes Benz commercial
I honestly don't know which is prettier the car, or the man. Judge for yourselves.
Something tells me we'll be seeing this ad a lot come January 2011 during the Aussie Open :).
Something tells me we'll be seeing this ad a lot come January 2011 during the Aussie Open :).
Monday, November 15, 2010
DWTS 11: Week 9 Semi Finals
And then there were 4. Time really does fly by we're almost at the end of the competition.
Only 2 more weeks left. Tonight the couples did 2 dances each one Ballroom and one Latin.
Brandy & Maks danced the Paso Doble. The judges really enjoyed it, and all agreed that despite a couple of missteps the performance was very strong.
I thought it was good, but it just didn't have the wow factor of last week's. 27/30. Their 2nd dance was the Argentine Tango.
All the judges praised the performance so it was not a surprise that the score was a perfect 30/30. For an overall total of 57/60.
Again I thought it was well done, but the best Argentine Tango of the season still belongs to Jennifer and Derek.
Over the years I've noticed an interesting pattern that seems to occur almost every time we reach the semi finals.
That being the fact that the judges seem to lower the scores of the 2nd highest scoring couple. Until last week Brandy was neck and neck with Jennifer (she was on the top of the judges leader board for 4 weeks in a row).
And now that we're nearing the end of the competition, the judges all of a sudden picked a new favourite. That's not to say that Kyle doesn't deserve it, he absolutely does.
But still, it just seems like they intentionally want to shake their confidence just when they need it the most.
Jennifer & Derek danced a sultry Cha-Cha that was done to perfection 30/30. Bruno called it luminous and vibrant, I couldn't agree more.
It's like now that we're nearing the end Jennifer found renewed energy and joy. It was almost infectious at times.
Watching her dance just makes me so glad she decided to do this in the first place. The competition just would not be the same.
Her second dance was a simplistically elegant Waltz that brought Carrie Ann to tears. It was technically and stylistically beautiful, and at times looked as if she floated on the dance floor.
Another perfect score, for an overall total of 60/60. Can't ask for better then that (if she does not make it to the finals I'm never watching this show again).
Kyle & Lacey danced a Samba that Bruno dubbed as the 'bouncing bundle of joy' :D. That really is the best way to describe it and him :D. Len on the other hand complimented Kyle on his bionic bum :D.
And I'm with Lacey please keep Kyle around I wanna see him do the free style!. He received his first 10's of the season as well as his highest score 29/30.
Next it was Kyle's turn for an Argentine Tango after which Bruno dubbed him as season 11's Mr. Charisma (well duh *lol*).
In all 11 season's I don't think there has ever been a contestant more charismatic and charming then Kyle. I love his continued unbridled joy, and would love to see more of it in the finale so vote!.
Overall total 58/60 putting him in second place on the judges score board.
Bristol & Mark did a Paso Doble that earned her a hug from Carrie Ann for finally coming into her own, or coming out of her shell as she put it.
Bruno thought she was a lamb that turned into a tigress. Both Bruno and Len thought she had beautiful lines. Len called it her best dance. 27/30 her highest score of the competition.
Her second dance was the Waltz. Carrie Ann thought she once again drifted in and out of the dance (character-wise).
Len liked the vulnerabilty and both he and Bruno found it beautifully haunting.
Bruno also complemented her on her great journey. 26/30
With 53/60 overall she once again finds herself at the bottom of the score board.
While I completely agree with all of them that she has made leaps and bounds in terms of progress since first coming on the show, I'm just not sure that all that is deserving of a spot in the final.
Because when you get right down to it she really isn't the best dancer especially when compared to the other 3.
Also while she's made giant improvements over the past 9 weeks, she has been the least consistent.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that while I do actually like her as a person, and appericiate all her effort, I think she should be the one to go home. But something tells me that won't happen.
Only 2 more weeks left. Tonight the couples did 2 dances each one Ballroom and one Latin.
Brandy & Maks danced the Paso Doble. The judges really enjoyed it, and all agreed that despite a couple of missteps the performance was very strong.
I thought it was good, but it just didn't have the wow factor of last week's. 27/30. Their 2nd dance was the Argentine Tango.
All the judges praised the performance so it was not a surprise that the score was a perfect 30/30. For an overall total of 57/60.
Again I thought it was well done, but the best Argentine Tango of the season still belongs to Jennifer and Derek.
Over the years I've noticed an interesting pattern that seems to occur almost every time we reach the semi finals.
That being the fact that the judges seem to lower the scores of the 2nd highest scoring couple. Until last week Brandy was neck and neck with Jennifer (she was on the top of the judges leader board for 4 weeks in a row).
And now that we're nearing the end of the competition, the judges all of a sudden picked a new favourite. That's not to say that Kyle doesn't deserve it, he absolutely does.
But still, it just seems like they intentionally want to shake their confidence just when they need it the most.
Jennifer & Derek danced a sultry Cha-Cha that was done to perfection 30/30. Bruno called it luminous and vibrant, I couldn't agree more.
It's like now that we're nearing the end Jennifer found renewed energy and joy. It was almost infectious at times.
Watching her dance just makes me so glad she decided to do this in the first place. The competition just would not be the same.
Her second dance was a simplistically elegant Waltz that brought Carrie Ann to tears. It was technically and stylistically beautiful, and at times looked as if she floated on the dance floor.
Another perfect score, for an overall total of 60/60. Can't ask for better then that (if she does not make it to the finals I'm never watching this show again).
Kyle & Lacey danced a Samba that Bruno dubbed as the 'bouncing bundle of joy' :D. That really is the best way to describe it and him :D. Len on the other hand complimented Kyle on his bionic bum :D.
And I'm with Lacey please keep Kyle around I wanna see him do the free style!. He received his first 10's of the season as well as his highest score 29/30.
Next it was Kyle's turn for an Argentine Tango after which Bruno dubbed him as season 11's Mr. Charisma (well duh *lol*).
In all 11 season's I don't think there has ever been a contestant more charismatic and charming then Kyle. I love his continued unbridled joy, and would love to see more of it in the finale so vote!.
Overall total 58/60 putting him in second place on the judges score board.
Bristol & Mark did a Paso Doble that earned her a hug from Carrie Ann for finally coming into her own, or coming out of her shell as she put it.
Bruno thought she was a lamb that turned into a tigress. Both Bruno and Len thought she had beautiful lines. Len called it her best dance. 27/30 her highest score of the competition.
Her second dance was the Waltz. Carrie Ann thought she once again drifted in and out of the dance (character-wise).
Len liked the vulnerabilty and both he and Bruno found it beautifully haunting.
Bruno also complemented her on her great journey. 26/30
With 53/60 overall she once again finds herself at the bottom of the score board.
While I completely agree with all of them that she has made leaps and bounds in terms of progress since first coming on the show, I'm just not sure that all that is deserving of a spot in the final.
Because when you get right down to it she really isn't the best dancer especially when compared to the other 3.
Also while she's made giant improvements over the past 9 weeks, she has been the least consistent.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that while I do actually like her as a person, and appericiate all her effort, I think she should be the one to go home. But something tells me that won't happen.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
DWTS 11: Week 8 Instant Dance
Once again my elimination prediction was way off, I did not see Rick & Cheryl going home.
I'm starting to think that this year is once again more about who has the biggest fan-base as opposed to who's the better dancer.
This week also introduced another brand new dance challenge called Instant Dance. Which basically meant the celebs and instructors were given a second dance style but no music.
The music was given to each of them shortly before the dance. Some had 45 minutes (to practice), some 20 and some even less.
Which made it challenging not only for the celebrities who had to find the beat as soon as they hit the dance floor, but also for the instructors who usually have a couple of days to choreograph a routine to a given song.
I must admit when I first heard they were doing this I thought the night would turn into a total and complete disaster. But for once I am so happy to say I was wrong.
In fact this was by far my favourite night of the competition this season. But let's get to the dancers themselves.
Tonight I'm going to do something a bit different instead of talking about each pair in the order they danced. I'll talk about both their dances (saves me from having to write their names twice in one post).
Kyle & Lacey were up first with a Viennese Waltz. Looks like all of Lacey's yelling during training is paying off. Kyle came out looking like a real gentleman leading his lady around the dance floor.
Just like Bruno and Carrie Ann I found myself charmed by the whole thing. It was just lovely. Even Len was impressed with Kyle's ability to take their criticism and improve upon it. 27/30.
He followed that up with a Jive so exuberant it got the audience up on their feet for a standing ovation. Dancing to Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly" fit him like a glove.
Forget what I said about last week being his best effort, tonight was by far his best dance of the competition!. Dude was on fire!.
The judges thought so too he got 29/30 for a total of 56/60 putting him in 2nd place on the leader board.
Jennifer & Derek were out second with the Quickstep. I'm really impressed with Jennifer's desire and commitment.
I mean she's soldiering on despite having tendonitis in her knee ( I just hope she doesn't regret it, and that her knee holds up).
The judges all seemed to appreciate her effort as well, and encouraged her to stop worrying and keep going because she is good. 27/30.
Their other dance was a sexy and sensual Rumba which included some amazing leg stretches by Jennifer.
Carrie Ann said it best there's nothing more beautiful then watching someone reclaim their power. The dance earned them a perfect 30 (and their first 10's of the season).
For a total of 57/30 putting them on top of the leader board once more.
Kurt & Anna did the Waltz and although Carrie Ann thought he's not on the same level as everyone else she appreciated the effort. 24/30.
Earlier in the night Bruno mentioned that the Instant Dance seemed to bring out the best in everyone. This was exactly the case in Kurt's Cha-Cha.
He danced with total abandon, and actually looked like he had finally found some musicality in his movement. He also looked the most relaxed that I've ever seen him throughout the show.
As Bruno said he let loose, had fun and as a result the performance was good. 48/60 was their overall total.
Bristol & Mark did an Argentine Tango. The first dance of hers I truly enjoyed, I actually saw some emotion and intensity as opposed her usual blank slate.
Len didn't agree he thought it lacked intensity, but was technically sound. Bruno still thought she went in and out of the dance at times.
Carrie Ann found the leg flicks to be week and suggested she work on them. 24/30.
They also danced the Samba which failed to impress Carrie Ann who thought it had plenty of personality and not enough musicality.
I have to agree, while on the surface the dance looked really good, a Samba should really pop with energy and hip movement in particular (as Len himself pointed out).
There was plenty of shaking but that only went so for on the entertainment, or technical scale.
Plus a Samba is supposed to be smoldering and I just didn't feel that and neither did the judges who give her 23 for a grand total of 47/60. Putting them on the bottom once again.
Maks & Brandy dressed in white told a beautiful story through an elegantly soft Waltz. Earning herself 29/30.
The Cha-Cha was next. Len thought it had flare, rhythm and performance, while Carrie Ann found issue with the fact they took 3 beats too long to start the dance.
I really like Brandy and I'm rooting for her but I gotta agree with Carrie Ann on this. As a viewer I found the cutesy we have chemistry let's milk it for all it's worth part annoying.
Seemed like Maks got a bit too confident.
28 was their score for a total of 57/60 another tie with Jennifer for first place. And the top spot for the 4th week in a row.
Once again it's becoming pretty clear who the real contenders of the competition are.
If Jennifer and Brandy along with Kyle don't make it to the semi-finals next week, I will be shocked and outraged.
I'm starting to think that this year is once again more about who has the biggest fan-base as opposed to who's the better dancer.
This week also introduced another brand new dance challenge called Instant Dance. Which basically meant the celebs and instructors were given a second dance style but no music.
The music was given to each of them shortly before the dance. Some had 45 minutes (to practice), some 20 and some even less.
Which made it challenging not only for the celebrities who had to find the beat as soon as they hit the dance floor, but also for the instructors who usually have a couple of days to choreograph a routine to a given song.
I must admit when I first heard they were doing this I thought the night would turn into a total and complete disaster. But for once I am so happy to say I was wrong.
In fact this was by far my favourite night of the competition this season. But let's get to the dancers themselves.
Tonight I'm going to do something a bit different instead of talking about each pair in the order they danced. I'll talk about both their dances (saves me from having to write their names twice in one post).
Kyle & Lacey were up first with a Viennese Waltz. Looks like all of Lacey's yelling during training is paying off. Kyle came out looking like a real gentleman leading his lady around the dance floor.
Just like Bruno and Carrie Ann I found myself charmed by the whole thing. It was just lovely. Even Len was impressed with Kyle's ability to take their criticism and improve upon it. 27/30.
He followed that up with a Jive so exuberant it got the audience up on their feet for a standing ovation. Dancing to Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly" fit him like a glove.
Forget what I said about last week being his best effort, tonight was by far his best dance of the competition!. Dude was on fire!.
The judges thought so too he got 29/30 for a total of 56/60 putting him in 2nd place on the leader board.
Jennifer & Derek were out second with the Quickstep. I'm really impressed with Jennifer's desire and commitment.
I mean she's soldiering on despite having tendonitis in her knee ( I just hope she doesn't regret it, and that her knee holds up).
The judges all seemed to appreciate her effort as well, and encouraged her to stop worrying and keep going because she is good. 27/30.
Their other dance was a sexy and sensual Rumba which included some amazing leg stretches by Jennifer.
Carrie Ann said it best there's nothing more beautiful then watching someone reclaim their power. The dance earned them a perfect 30 (and their first 10's of the season).
For a total of 57/30 putting them on top of the leader board once more.
Kurt & Anna did the Waltz and although Carrie Ann thought he's not on the same level as everyone else she appreciated the effort. 24/30.
Earlier in the night Bruno mentioned that the Instant Dance seemed to bring out the best in everyone. This was exactly the case in Kurt's Cha-Cha.
He danced with total abandon, and actually looked like he had finally found some musicality in his movement. He also looked the most relaxed that I've ever seen him throughout the show.
As Bruno said he let loose, had fun and as a result the performance was good. 48/60 was their overall total.
Bristol & Mark did an Argentine Tango. The first dance of hers I truly enjoyed, I actually saw some emotion and intensity as opposed her usual blank slate.
Len didn't agree he thought it lacked intensity, but was technically sound. Bruno still thought she went in and out of the dance at times.
Carrie Ann found the leg flicks to be week and suggested she work on them. 24/30.
They also danced the Samba which failed to impress Carrie Ann who thought it had plenty of personality and not enough musicality.
I have to agree, while on the surface the dance looked really good, a Samba should really pop with energy and hip movement in particular (as Len himself pointed out).
There was plenty of shaking but that only went so for on the entertainment, or technical scale.
Plus a Samba is supposed to be smoldering and I just didn't feel that and neither did the judges who give her 23 for a grand total of 47/60. Putting them on the bottom once again.
Maks & Brandy dressed in white told a beautiful story through an elegantly soft Waltz. Earning herself 29/30.
The Cha-Cha was next. Len thought it had flare, rhythm and performance, while Carrie Ann found issue with the fact they took 3 beats too long to start the dance.
I really like Brandy and I'm rooting for her but I gotta agree with Carrie Ann on this. As a viewer I found the cutesy we have chemistry let's milk it for all it's worth part annoying.
Seemed like Maks got a bit too confident.
28 was their score for a total of 57/60 another tie with Jennifer for first place. And the top spot for the 4th week in a row.
Once again it's becoming pretty clear who the real contenders of the competition are.
If Jennifer and Brandy along with Kyle don't make it to the semi-finals next week, I will be shocked and outraged.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Martina Hingis/Anna Kournikova exhibition match in Argentina in December
Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi will face off in an exhibition on 16 December in Argentina.
The great duel between the archrivals of the 90 will be in the parking lot of the Tigre train station, where they built a stadium for 8,500 people (outdoor cement.)
Be the first time in the country for Sampras and Agassi second. As a preliminary, will play Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova.
imcordoba.com.ar
Ooh fun!. I hope it's televised.
The great duel between the archrivals of the 90 will be in the parking lot of the Tigre train station, where they built a stadium for 8,500 people (outdoor cement.)
Be the first time in the country for Sampras and Agassi second. As a preliminary, will play Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova.
imcordoba.com.ar
Ooh fun!. I hope it's televised.
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Roger Federer back on top on home turf
BASEL, Switzerland (AP)—Roger Federer reclaimed his hometown title from Novak Djokovic, beating the defending champion 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in the Swiss Indoors final on Sunday.
The top-seeded Federer broke the Serb’s serve early in the first, and twice in the deciding set to cruise to victory in under two hours. Federer’s 65th career singles title moved him past Pete Sampras into sole possession of fourth on the list in the modern era. Jimmy Connors leads with 109.
The Basel-born Federer was watched courtside by his parents, his wife, Mirka, and their 15-month-old twin daughters, Myla and Charlene.
“It’s very emotional winning at home, it makes it extra special. Because I live here and because the fans are behind me,” Federer said.
A former ballboy at the tournament, Federer won three straight Swiss Indoors titles from 2006-08 before Djokovic broke the streak when they met in last year’s final.
“It’s great to have won it after losing last year. It reminded me of last year’s match, but (this time) I got off to a great start in the third set,” he said.
Djokovic said he lost “a little bit of balance and focus” in the decider.
“You don’t get many chances against Roger when he is on top of you. There was no way back,” Djokovic said.
Federer is 4-4 in finals this year after winning titles at the Australian Open, Cincinnati Masters and the Stockholm Open.
The 29-year-old Swiss improved to 12-6 lifetime against Djokovic, and 3-1 this year. His only loss to the 23-year-old Serb this season came in a five-set U.S. Open semifinal in which he wasted two match points.
Both players had to save two break points in their opening service game.
Federer broke in the next when a stretching Djokovic netted a backhand, then held for a 3-1 lead.
Federer set up a set point with an ace at 124 mph.
Djokovic stayed alive with a backhand then wasted a break chance by firing a forehand long. Federer clinched the set with a service winner and celebrated by punching the air and shouting.
Djokovic started the second set strongly and broke for a 2-0 lead when Federer’s topspin backhand sailed wide.
He was handed a set-point chance at 5-2 when Federer double-faulted, but the Swiss’s serve got him out of trouble.
Serving for the set, Djokovic saved a break point with a service winner then delivered another to level the match.
Into the third, Federer made uncharacteristic errors at the net, but led 3-1 after Djokovic double-faulted.
Federer broke again on his third chance in his opponent’s next service game.
He held three match points with a deft volley winner at the net, then clinched the win with a backhand winner down the line.
“Results-wise, Roger is the best player ever to play the game,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview.
Federer will take a 57-12 season mark—and No. 1 seeding in the absence with a shoulder injury of top-ranked Rafael Nadal—into the Paris Masters, which began Sunday. It’s the last event before the eight-man ATP World Tour Finals being held Nov. 21-28 in London.
Djokovic dropped to 2-2 in 2010 title matches, with wins in Dubai and Beijing and a U.S. Open final loss to Nadal.
yahoo sports
Note to the rest of the sports press. I don't know about you but this doesn't look like a guy who's slowing down, or on the brink of retirement :P.
The top-seeded Federer broke the Serb’s serve early in the first, and twice in the deciding set to cruise to victory in under two hours. Federer’s 65th career singles title moved him past Pete Sampras into sole possession of fourth on the list in the modern era. Jimmy Connors leads with 109.
The Basel-born Federer was watched courtside by his parents, his wife, Mirka, and their 15-month-old twin daughters, Myla and Charlene.
“It’s very emotional winning at home, it makes it extra special. Because I live here and because the fans are behind me,” Federer said.
A former ballboy at the tournament, Federer won three straight Swiss Indoors titles from 2006-08 before Djokovic broke the streak when they met in last year’s final.
“It’s great to have won it after losing last year. It reminded me of last year’s match, but (this time) I got off to a great start in the third set,” he said.
Djokovic said he lost “a little bit of balance and focus” in the decider.
“You don’t get many chances against Roger when he is on top of you. There was no way back,” Djokovic said.
Federer is 4-4 in finals this year after winning titles at the Australian Open, Cincinnati Masters and the Stockholm Open.
The 29-year-old Swiss improved to 12-6 lifetime against Djokovic, and 3-1 this year. His only loss to the 23-year-old Serb this season came in a five-set U.S. Open semifinal in which he wasted two match points.
Both players had to save two break points in their opening service game.
Federer broke in the next when a stretching Djokovic netted a backhand, then held for a 3-1 lead.
Federer set up a set point with an ace at 124 mph.
Djokovic stayed alive with a backhand then wasted a break chance by firing a forehand long. Federer clinched the set with a service winner and celebrated by punching the air and shouting.
Djokovic started the second set strongly and broke for a 2-0 lead when Federer’s topspin backhand sailed wide.
He was handed a set-point chance at 5-2 when Federer double-faulted, but the Swiss’s serve got him out of trouble.
Serving for the set, Djokovic saved a break point with a service winner then delivered another to level the match.
Into the third, Federer made uncharacteristic errors at the net, but led 3-1 after Djokovic double-faulted.
Federer broke again on his third chance in his opponent’s next service game.
He held three match points with a deft volley winner at the net, then clinched the win with a backhand winner down the line.
“Results-wise, Roger is the best player ever to play the game,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview.
Federer will take a 57-12 season mark—and No. 1 seeding in the absence with a shoulder injury of top-ranked Rafael Nadal—into the Paris Masters, which began Sunday. It’s the last event before the eight-man ATP World Tour Finals being held Nov. 21-28 in London.
Djokovic dropped to 2-2 in 2010 title matches, with wins in Dubai and Beijing and a U.S. Open final loss to Nadal.
yahoo sports
Note to the rest of the sports press. I don't know about you but this doesn't look like a guy who's slowing down, or on the brink of retirement :P.
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