He was America’s top male tennis player for so many years but Andy Roddick’s career has ended after a valiantly fought, rain delayed, four set match against Juan Martin del Potro.
It was a great champion who finally ended Andy’s emotional run at the US Open as the great American fought to go out respectably, and on his own terms Read more
Posted in Andy Roddick, Juan Martin Del Potro, Media, US Open
An emotional Andy Roddick has bought himself another match and a third round spot at the US Open after thumping Bernard Tomic 6-3, 6-4, 6-0.
While Andy was delighted to have the crowds support and to have moved into the next round of the final tournament of his career Bernard was accused of deliberately not trying by John McEnroe. Read more
Posted in Andy Roddick, Bernard Tomic, Fabio Fognini, John McEnroe, Media, US Open
The 2012 US Open has quickly become the stage of two high profile retirements. Kim Clijsters has long been expected to retire for the final time at this years USO. Unfortunately for Kim fans that day came all too soon when she was beaten by Laura Robson 6-7, 6-7.
Clijsters has struggled with almost constant injuries over the last 12 to 18 months as she tried to enjoy the twilight years of her career before leaving to grow her family. Having 3 USO grand Slam titles under her belt and a 22 match winning streak in New York, it seemed only appropriate that Kim retire in NYC. Read more
Posted in Andy Roddick, Bernard Tomic, Injury, Laura Robson, Media, US Open, Wimbledon
Roger Federer has equaled Rafael Nadal’s record of 21 Masters 1000 titles after comfortably handling Novak Djokovic 6-0, 7-6. This is Federer’s fifth title in Cincinnati.
Djokovic struggled on serve, handing over a break with a double fault to give Federer an early 3-0 lead. When the Serb eventually held serve in the second set the crowd loudly supported what they hoped would be a comeback for a more competitive match. Read more
Posted in Cincinnati Masters, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, US Open
Over the last few days there has been plenty of speculation about the state of Rafael Nadal’s knees since he withdrew from the US Open. Quotes from his PR agent denied an injury and state he simply wasn’t fit. Other stories indicated he should be fit for Davis Cup in September, while others revealed a more worrying story (apparently from Uncle Toni) that they were trying to manage Rafa’s knees conservatively to avoid surgery.
It has long been my view, and many other peoples, that Nadal needed an extended break to not only lengthen his career but to preserve the long term health of his knees. It appears that is finally what is happening. Read more
Posted in Clay courts, Davis Cup, Hard courts, Injury, Media, Rafael Nadal, Toni Nadal, US Open
The issues Rafael Nadal has had with his knees, and his treatments and injury time outs, have been well documented over the years. It seems with each injury period the media starts talking retirement – but I have to say it is an unusual situation and even Federer has said it’s “big surprise, these two pullouts. I’m sad for him. I hope he’ll be back for the Open.”
Nadal made no secret that his goals for the 2012 season were Roland Garros and the Olympics. Ultimately, after losing early at Wimbledon, Rafa went home for some R&R – and apparently another PRP injection. Read more
Posted in Body Watch, Cincinnati Masters, Injury, Media, Olympics, Rafael Nadal, Roland Garros, Toronto, US Open, Wimbledon, Xisca Perello
As Nadal fans everywhere mourn the loss of the Australian Open final and struggle to manage their disbelief at a seventh consecutive loss to Djokovic with extreme fatigue on a Monday morning there are two important points to take away:
1) He almost won
2) The crippling depth of the Djokovic return can only be combated by more effective serving from Nadal Read more
Posted in Andy Murray, Australian Open, Injury, Physio Perspective, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, US Open, Wimbledon
Andy Murray was hoping to try and change the statistic that 26 of the last 27 Grand Slams have been won by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic, but it was not to be. The strange almost five hour match was won, eventually, by Novak 6-3, 3-6, 6-7, 6-1, 7-5. Defending champion Novak will now face Rafa for the title.
In his quarterfinal Novak had been clutching at his hamstring and struggling to breathe but initially looked to be OK, but not at his best, in his match against Murray. Despite an early break Murray stayed unusually positive even after Djokovic took the first set despite increasingly struggling to breathe. Read more
Much is being made of Rafael Nadal’s recent comments towards Roger Federer’s attitude toward changing and improving the tour to preserve the bodies of the players. Nadal sees the changes as necessary to ensure that when they retire the players bodies are still healthy enough to allow them to enjoy all the things they avoided to stop them from voiding their professional insurance policies.
It reignites the argument of the thoroughbred vs the work horse – Federer being the thoroughbred and everyone else being the work horses. Read more
Posted in Andy Murray, Australian Open, Hard courts, Injury, Media, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, US Open
Serena Williams has won her first match of the season beating Chanelle Scheepers 6-2, 6-3 at the Brisbane International on today. She may have needed just 68 minutes to cruise to victory, only being broken in her first service game, but Serena needed only moments to create a stir.
Serena appeared at a press call in yellow cut off shorts and a zipper jumper that left little to the imagination. But who hasn’t seen Serena’s booty before?! Read more
Posted in Brisbane, Chanelle Scheepers, Media, US Open
