Richard
Lleyton Hewitt thrives in the "me against the world" role better than anyone I've seen in tennis since Jimmy Connors.
Remember the year Hewitt went into Guga Kuerten's home town in Brazil and beat the French Open champion on red clay in Davis Cup? Remember when Hewitt picked apart the aging Pete Sampras in the 2001 US Open final. Remember how many times Hewitt broke British hearts in dissecting Tim Henman on the grass at Queen's Club and Wimbledon? Continue to read full article...
No tags
Martina Hingis has caught the tennis Buzz again.
Hingis will play a full season of World TeamTennis for the New York Buzz next month and is considering a return to the WTA Tour as a doubles specialist. Hingis may follow up her WTT return with a world-class doubles partnership pairing her with fellow former World No. 1 Lindsay Davenport.
While the 29-year-old Hingis say she's ruling out a return as a singles player, she is in discussions with Davenport about potentially partnering in doubles, in what would be a pairing of Grand Slam champions. Continue to read full article...
No tags
In his two-decade transformation from tennis’ raging rebel to its respected voice of reason, Andre Agassi established a reputation as one of the most charismatic competitors of the Open Era.
He was once the sport’s biggest draw and greatest showman, but one of the most rebellious, reverential and redemptive acts of Andre Agassi’s life came off the court in his career-long quest to transform incarceration into inspiration.
In his autobiography, "Open", Agassi paints a revealing, compelling, entertaining and sometimes self-serving portrait of an ex-champ as ex-con.
The book is much more than Agassi’s admission of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but fright and hate are as central to this story as mom and dad and forehand and backhand.
Continue to read full article...
No tags
Russian reversal of fortune runs through the red clay of Roland Garros.
When long-time friends Anastasia Myskina and Elena Dementieva faced off in the 2004 French Open final they made history in creating the first all-Russian final in Grand Slam history. Dementieva and Myskina were the first Russian women to reach a major final since Olga Morozova, Dementieva's former coach, suffered successive setbacks to Chris Evert in the 1974 Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals. Belarusian Natasha Zvereva, who was annihilated, 6-0, 6-0, by Steffi Graf in the 1988 Roland Garros final, represented the Soviet Union.
The 22-year-old Myskina dispatched a nervous Dementieva, who committed 10 double faults, 6-1, 6-2, to become the first Russian woman to win a major singles championship. Continue to read full article...
No tags
Avid art collector John McEnroe is aiming to create an American tennis renaissance and his hometown of New York City will serve as his canvas.
Shortly after the US Open ends, McEnroe's grand plan comes to life.
The Hall of Famer and life-long New Yorker announced he will open and direct the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, with its inaugural, full-year programs starting just after the 2010 US Open.
The John McEnroe Academy will be housed at the new $18 Million Sportime at Randall’s Island Tennis Center in New York City. Sportime, owner of 13 tennis and fitness clubs throughout New York State, will operate the club and will partner with McEnroe in the operation of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy.
“For many years the United States has struggled to develop its next class of elite players. I believe that I can inspire young players the way that my coaches inspired me. And I plan to create a system, like the one that I learned in, that supports building an all-around person, as opposed to a tennis machine," McEnroe said. "My academy, based here in the world’s greatest city, will provide a balance of world-class tennis and fitness training, along with a New York experience, so maybe our kids will be a little more creative, a little more intense, and will be able to think on their feet a little better, like any New Yorker. Over time and with my guidance and that of our hand-picked coaches and pros, I think our students will see great success." Continue to read full article...
The John McEnroe Academy will be housed at the new $18 Million Sportime at Randall’s Island Tennis Center in New York City. Sportime, owner of 13 tennis and fitness clubs throughout New York State, will operate the club and will partner with McEnroe in the operation of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy.
“For many years the United States has struggled to develop its next class of elite players. I believe that I can inspire young players the way that my coaches inspired me. And I plan to create a system, like the one that I learned in, that supports building an all-around person, as opposed to a tennis machine," McEnroe said. "My academy, based here in the world’s greatest city, will provide a balance of world-class tennis and fitness training, along with a New York experience, so maybe our kids will be a little more creative, a little more intense, and will be able to think on their feet a little better, like any New Yorker. Over time and with my guidance and that of our hand-picked coaches and pros, I think our students will see great success." Continue to read full article...
No tags
The day-long dramatic duel waged on into near-darkness through multiple rain delays into the record books as the longest men’s final in Wimbledon history.
In the end, Rafael Nadal endured the rain and a remarkably resilient reigning champion Roger Federer and took his shot at history on the rise ripping yet another ferocious forehand and realizing his dream lying flat on his back as a Centre Court stadium full of flashbulbs lit up the sky.
Continue to read full article...
