Poo

Yes, I am a sad panda :(

As I have exams, there'll be no posting for the next couple of weeks.

And just when Roland Garros decides to arrive?
Damn. Damn exams. QrFHJF$H)((!(!!#$T^&*F!BH%^^IU%^OJL(*&^YK!!

So.. I shall try to do my best keeping up with the news, but that'll probably fail D:

Toodles for now.
thetennishopper

A fresh start to the week

Here's the refreshed list of rankings going into Roland Garros;

ATP WORLD TOUR RANKINGS
1. Roger Federer (SUI)
2. Rafael Nadal (ESP)
3. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
4. Andy Murray (GBR)
5. Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)
6. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
7. Robin Soderling (SWE)
8. Andy Roddick (USA)
9. Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
10. Jo Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

Notable changes: Because of his recent success in Madrid, Nadal has now overtaken Djoko and regained his no.2 position. Djoko has slipped because of pollen and the Muzza clings onto no.4. del Potro and Davydenko (out with injuries) have lost points because of their failure to defend, Soderling has slightly improved due to playing reasonably on clay and Verdasco leaps into the top 10 during clay season.

SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR RANKINGS
1. Serena Williams (USA)
2. Venus Williams (USA)
3. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
4. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
5. Elena Dementieva (RUS)
6. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)
7. Samantha Stosur (AUS)
8. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
9. Dinara Safina (RUS)
10. Kim Clijsters (BEL)

Notable changes: Venus and Jankovic have moved up to the no.2 and no.4 positions respectively due to great 2010 seasons. Elena still stays at no.5 even though we haven't heard much of her, while Sam goes one better to reach her career best of no.7 (GREAT JOB) following another great run in Madrid. Safina sinks to 6 spots below following her 1st round exit while Azarenka (in a bad mood) has been knocked out of the top 10.

To take note; Expect some VAMOS action, more allergies, Roddick sucking on clay (no offence), Svetlana sucking as well and a sad Safina. Oh, and lots and lots of injuries. Lots and lots and lots.

The big question is -

WHO WILL WIN ROLAND GARROS?

[See, it's so big that I had to make it a super big font and a bright colour...]

At this point, I really don't know.

Oh who am I kidding; it's probably going to be Rafa LOL.

Results, Results and more Results...

While I was out and about, a lot of stuff happened today. So.. let me fill you in.

FIRST OF ALL:

Rafa won. Roger lost. 64 76.


Hah! All I can say is - YESSSSS! Finally, there's a record that Roger hasn't broken.. Rafa is now the record-holder for the most amount of ATP Master's Titles at 18, beating the wighead meth dude - yeah, Andre Agassi. Roger is at 16. Suck. No offence. But it was pretty close too if you don't mind me saying so myself.

SECONDLY:

Aravene Rezai won. Venus died. 62 75.


BIG WIN FOR ARAVENE in the gold. Congrats to her! :) Her 3rd WTA title and the biggest one yet. Suck Venus! But congratulations - you're now officially no.2 behind ReRe. With the notable absence of Svetlana, one has gotta wonder; what's to become of the defending champ and this year's Roland Garros title?

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST:

The Bryan Brothers won. Nestor and Zimonjic lost. 63 64.


The brothers now tie with the Woodies being the doubles team with the most titles - they're now at 61. This is their 3rd Madrid, 5th title of 2010 and 15th Masters title. And now they'll be ranked the no.1 team again. BONUS! :D

I shoulda seen it coming

Nononononono! Why is this happening to me?

While others may like the prospect of another Madrid final match-up from last year (where Roger won)... I DO NOT. Let me list my reasons;

#1. DUDE! My draw is way too stuffed up now it's unbelievable.

#2. Roger has won way too many titles (especially slams) and I personally believe that winning another would be sort of selfish. DUDE! He is chasing his 63rd title. SIXTY-THREE. I'm sorry Roger but what is your problem... you should be leaving the titles for people like him.

#3. I would like to see Rafa win his 18th ATP World Tour 1000's title. Because I think he really deserves it, and he deserves to be known as 'the man who beat Andre Agassi's record of 17' BEFORE Roger does.

#4. It would show Roger that Rafa is totally awesome and that he is totally gonna KICK ASS in Roland Garros after this.

#5. Because Rafa is the King of Clay. Full stop. Period. Whatever.

GOOD LUCK RAFA!

The King of Clay

Maybe it's just Adidas

So. What am I thinking right now? ...Man, his shorts are reallllllly stretchy.

Maybe it's just Adidas? But LOL it's funny anyway.

Found this chuckle on FortyDeuce ;)

Because I love you

...I love you Andy. I really, really do. Especially in that last picture ;)

And I love the way you wear your geeky 3D glasses in this.

Here's to wishing you all the best xx
HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY ANDY!

You'll always have that special place in my heart.

Roland Garros Wild Cards

The wild cards for Roland Garros have already been announced - the men's singles and women's singles wild cards are below:

MEN'S SINGLES:

- Carsten BALL (AUS)*
- David GUEZ (FRA)
- Nicolas MAHUT (FRA)
- Gianni MINA (FRA)
- Josselin OUANNA (FRA)
- Laurent RECOUDERC (FRA)
- Edouard ROGER-VASSELIN (FRA)
- Ryan SWEETING (USA)*

WOMEN'S SINGLES:

- Stéphanie COHEN-ALORO (FRA)
- Claire FEUERSTEIN (FRA)
- Stéphanie FORETZ (FRA)
- Jarmila GROTH (AUS)*
- Mathilde JOHANSSON (FRA)
- Christina McHALE (USA)*
- Kristina MLADENOVIC (FRA)
- Olivia SANCHEZ (FRA)

* Agreements have been reached with the Australian and US Tennis Federations saying that there is now a wild card availiable for a male and female player from both Australia and the US for Roland Garros - as well as a male and female French wild card being available during the Aus and US Opens.

SCHWEET!
I'm excited :D

DAMN

I am an avid, avid fan of the ATP World Tour Fantasy League.

...And when I found out that SOME were starting to suck, while OTHERS were actually playing well [because I'm going to be honest here; I don't take notice of OTHERS except during the slams]...

I was very, very pissed.
DAMN.

Going... going... gone!

Sorry. I apologise for my lack of keeping up-to-date with things. I haven't exactly been very busy either... in case you hadn't noticed I've been staring at this website now for days on end. Sad, my life, I know.

Anywho, here’s the latest tennis stars to say goodbye.





Also out; Elena Dementieva, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (yes, that's right - the recent Rome champion) and Bartoli.

Flashback!

Ana's best moments.

Too true, too true. It's really a nicely done slideshow; certainly brings back all the memories doesn't it...

& NGAWWWWW DOESN'T SHE LOOK SO CUTE WITH BRACES?! I guess it even shows that incredibly beautiful people also have to sometimes go through the whole braces thing.
Sorry, just had to put that out there.

Love.
thetennishopper

Maybe I should be paying more attention...

Hmm. Yes.
While other tennis blogs and tour sites around the world may be focused on other events this week (like, ahem, the Madrid Masters for example?)...

...I will be on temporary lockdown and instead I will spend my days and nights just staring at this website for the next 11 or so days.

In other words, HECK YEAH! I'M EXCITED.
ROLAND GARROS ALL THE WAY.

Except I don't like the bit where they predict that the 2 Andys will suck this year. Well... they didn't exactly say that, but I'm sure that's what they meant.

But other than that, HECK YEAH!
ROLAND GARROS ALL THE WAY.

thetennishopper

Helping out

So we should be rooting for Na Li this week. Apparently (according to Forty Deuce) she will be donating all her prize money from Madrid towards helping the victims of the Yushu earthquake, a 6.9 quake that struck China on April 14th.

Her donation will help Yushu earthquake victims where 2,200 people died, 70 are missing and were 12,135 injured. Aww what a great cause; good on you Li :D YOU'RE AWESOME... but yeah, I'm pretty sure that was already obvious.

News on Wimbledon 2010

Now, according to the Telegraph and New Balls, Please, Laura Robson and Jamie Murray have requested for a Wildcard into the Mixed Doubles' event of Wimbledon this year. There's nothing wrong with this, but... Jamie? Uh, L-Rob... maybe the wrong brother you got there?

Anywho, Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis are also planning to play the veterans’/seniors’/legends’ doubles at Wimbledon this year...


No way.
BRING. IT. ON.

Munich Players' Party

For all the goss, see this. That is all.

The three musketeers

Heck I have no idea what is going on here.
But whatever it is... ... cool?

AJDE!

UN. FREAKIN'. BELIEVABLE.

What. a. beast.

Ana Ivanovic defeated Elena Dementieva. And I'm being serious. Straight sets. I'm so happy for her that I don't even care about the scoreline.

GOOO ANA!! I'm really starting to warm up to this girl... she seems to have had it tough after Roland Garros in '08 but hey, whaddaya know - after all that hurt and humiliation she's now beaten 2 back-to-back top 10 players!

First Vika, now Elena. I'm impressed - even if they weren't at their best.

Good for her. And even if this quality tennis is only temporary... I'm still gonna say;

AJDE!!

Once in a blue moon...

Oh thank the tennis gods.

Would you believe. Ana Ivanovic actually won a match. She actually WASN'T humiliated in this match. She wasn't broken once, and she beat someone 26 ranks above her. Probably one of the biggest wins of her season.

Well, congrats Ana! You know I wouldn't want to dream too far ahead but it would be pretty cool if she could knock out Vika in this tournament too [her next opponent] ... but hey, let's not get tooo ahead of ourselves eh. Love.

thetennishopper