http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php An online community for tennis lovers. Tennis Forum, News, Exclusive Articles and Photos, Contests. en Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:38:50 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=318 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:24:30 GMT Roger Federer hopes coach Paul Annacone is the man to help fire him to success in the coming months.

The world number three teamed up with the Lawn Tennis Association man has he looks to address the problems which seem to be creeping into his game.

In the past Annacone has worked with Pete Sampras, and Federer obviously hopes some of that magic will rub off on him.

Speaking about the appointment, the 16-time Grand Slam winner said: "As Paul winds down his responsibilities working for the Lawn Tennis Association, we will explore our relationship through this test period. Paul will work alongside my existing team and I'm excited to learn from his experiences."

Quite how long this trial period will last remains to be seen, but it's probably fair to say Federer will be looking for quick results. It would probably be unfair for him to ask Annacone to solve all his problems ahead of the US Open, but he will no doubt be looking for some sort of impact.

He is second favourite in the US Open tennis outright betting, and anything other than place in the final could be considered a failure.

It may be that he wants Annacone to address the mental side of things, the fact he wants to learn from the coach's experiences would certainly seem to indicate that. After all, Annacone's former charge, Sampras, was renowned for his sheer determination and toughness.

Federer hasn't gambled here, either appointing a new coach will pay off and he reaps the benefits or it doesn't and they go their separate ways. Don't expect the move to have a dramatic impact on his tennis odds though.

Still, in the long-term, Annacone could do his game some serious good. ]]> tennisblogger http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=318 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=317 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:24:05 GMT Andy Murray has parted ways with another coach, and there's no doubt all eyes will be on him as the tennis season reaches its climax.

Contrasting stories have appeared in the press on the nature of his split with Miles Maclagan, although the line from both camps was that the decision is an amicable one.
There's certainly no reason to dispute this but, whatever has happened with Murray's game, it's fair to say he's disappointed after a bright star to the year.

He made it to the Australian Open final back in January and his performance had many claiming this would be his year. However, he has largely failed to impress and has lost to several players he should be beating comfortably.
Injury problems haven't helped, and the Scotsman can look fragile at times. He had an adequate, although not overly impressive, Wimbledon but once again he has failed to push on. Anyone looking to bet on US Open action should bear this in mind.

His preparations for the US Open haven't been entirely smooth, either. In the Farmers Classic, his first tournament since the British Grand Slam event, Murray has looked rusty at times and is clearly in need of some match practice.

Of course, his world ranking still reflects the fact he is one of the best players around, but there are still several flaws in his game and he really needs to address these soon, or risk fading away. The US Open betting suggests Murray will have a chance of winning, but in reality he has done little to justify this belief.

At just 23, he is far too young to be written off but, as Tim Henman would tell him, it's a massive jump from good to great. Unless he shows signs of kicking on soon, he may struggle to achieve his full potential and that would be a real shame. ]]> tennisblogger http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=317 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=316 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:43:54 GMT An untimely ankle injury has cost in-form American Mardy Fish the chance to win a third successive ATP Tour title at this week’s Farmer’s Market Los Angeles Open. Fish has found his stride since returning to the United States, winning the Hall of Fame Championship on the grass-courts at Newport and following that up with victory to defy most Tennis odds in the Atlanta Tennis Championships on a harder surface. Victory had been a long-time coming for Fish, who had only won one tournament since his success in the US Clay Court Championship all the way back in 2006, but both of his recent titles were well-earned. Although the injury was the main reason for Fish’s withdrawal from the California event, it would be no surprise if he was absolutely shattered after his three-set Atlanta final showdown with king of the marathon match John Isner. The two went at it in quite ridiculous temperatures (readings on the court surface itself read 50+ degrees centigrade) for three long sets before the 28-year-old finally won through 4-6 6-4 7-6. Fish had suffered the injury in the second round but battled through the rest of the week to take the title and improve his record for the season to an impressive 28-11, as he compiles his best campaign since all the way back in 2003. It has led some to claim that Fish is now the leading player in America ahead of Andy Roddick and, although that might be wide of the mark in general terms, Fish did prove with a 7-6 6-3 win over Roddick in the semi-finals in Atlanta that he appears to reaching the levels of talent that were expected of him before a run of regular injury problems afflicted him. However tennis analysts in the United States claim that Fish’s form merely serves up another nail in the coffin for the sport in the country, where the overall talent level is as low as it has been in the last couple of decades. With the US Open only a month away, Fish will hope to be back to top form in time to be in contention with US Open tennis betting odds at Flushing Meadows where 2009 was a disaster home fans will want to forget – only Isner made it as far as the fourth round before losing to Fernando Verdasco. An untimely ankle injury has cost in-form American Mardy Fish the chance to win a third successive ATP Tour title at this week’s Farmer’s Market Los Angeles Open.

Fish has found his stride since returning to the United States, winning the Hall of Fame Championship on the grass-courts at Newport and following that up with victory to defy most Tennis odds in the Atlanta Tennis Championships on a harder surface.

Victory had been a long-time coming for Fish, who had only won one tournament since his success in the US Clay Court Championship all the way back in 2006, but both of his recent titles were well-earned.

Although the injury was the main reason for Fish’s withdrawal from the California event, it would be no surprise if he was absolutely shattered after his three-set Atlanta final showdown with king of the marathon match John Isner.

The two went at it in quite ridiculous temperatures (readings on the court surface itself read 50+ degrees centigrade) for three long sets before the 28-year-old finally won through 4-6 6-4 7-6.

Fish had suffered the injury in the second round but battled through the rest of the week to take the title and improve his record for the season to an impressive 28-11, as he compiles his best campaign since all the way back in 2003.

It has led some to claim that Fish is now the leading player in America ahead of Andy Roddick and, although that might be wide of the mark in general terms, Fish did prove with a 7-6 6-3 win over Roddick in the semi-finals in Atlanta that he appears to reaching the levels of talent that were expected of him before a run of regular injury problems afflicted him.

However tennis analysts in the United States claim that Fish’s form merely serves up another nail in the coffin for the sport in the country, where the overall talent level is as low as it has been in the last couple of decades.

With the US Open only a month away, Fish will hope to be back to top form in time to be in contention with US Open tennis betting odds at Flushing Meadows where 2009 was a disaster home fans will want to forget – only Isner made it as far as the fourth round before losing to Fernando Verdasco. ]]> tennisblogger http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=316 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=315 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:44:27 GMT The forthcoming Bank of the West Classic marks the starts of the US hard court season on the women’s tour. Preparations for the US Open betting start in earnest at this event, with plenty of top players entering to get in the groove for Flushing Meadows as quickly as possible. It is therefore one of the most important Premier 700 tournaments and will have a special competitive edge due to Serena Williams’ injury that threatens to keep her out of the US Open. Her main rivals have an extra incentive to arrive in New York in peak condition and a victory at Stanford would be a good confidence-builder. Nine top 20 players are confirmed entrants, with world number five Sam Stosur the top seed. The Australian’s meteoric rise in the rankings this year suggests she will be a major force at Flushing Meadows, but her dismal record at the event – four first round defeats and two second round finishes in her six appearances – means she will want prove herself capable on American hard courts at Stanford. Reigning champion and 2008 runner-up Marion Bartoli will again be a player to watch. Most of her tour final appearances have come on hard courts and her heavy two-handed ground strokes make her an awkward opponent whose consistency often results in decent runs in tournaments. Elena Dementieva and Maria Sharapova are on the comeback trail after injury and will be worth monitoring in the winner’s tennis betting market, whilst Vera Zvonareva will be keen to prove her Wimbledon exploits were no fluke. Yanina Wickmayer and Shahar Pe’er are decent outside bets for a final appearance. The event is notable for being the venue of the comeback of California native and three-time Bank of the West Classic winner Lindsay Davenport in tour singles events. The former world number one showed she still has plenty to offer in the Wimbledon mixed doubles, but she would nonetheless be a surprise winner. The forthcoming Bank of the West Classic marks the starts of the US hard court season on the women’s tour. Preparations for the US Open betting start in earnest at this event, with plenty of top players entering to get in the groove for Flushing Meadows as quickly as possible.

It is therefore one of the most important Premier 700 tournaments and will have a special competitive edge due to Serena Williams’ injury that threatens to keep her out of the US Open. Her main rivals have an extra incentive to arrive in New York in peak condition and a victory at Stanford would be a good confidence-builder.

Nine top 20 players are confirmed entrants, with world number five Sam Stosur the top seed. The Australian’s meteoric rise in the rankings this year suggests she will be a major force at Flushing Meadows, but her dismal record at the event – four first round defeats and two second round finishes in her six appearances – means she will want prove herself capable on American hard courts at Stanford.

Reigning champion and 2008 runner-up Marion Bartoli will again be a player to watch. Most of her tour final appearances have come on hard courts and her heavy two-handed ground strokes make her an awkward opponent whose consistency often results in decent runs in tournaments.

Elena Dementieva and Maria Sharapova are on the comeback trail after injury and will be worth monitoring in the winner’s tennis betting market, whilst Vera Zvonareva will be keen to prove her Wimbledon exploits were no fluke. Yanina Wickmayer and Shahar Pe’er are decent outside bets for a final appearance.

The event is notable for being the venue of the comeback of California native and three-time Bank of the West Classic winner Lindsay Davenport in tour singles events. The former world number one showed she still has plenty to offer in the Wimbledon mixed doubles, but she would nonetheless be a surprise winner. ]]> tennisblogger http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=315 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=314 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:39:51 GMT I bought Jeanne WTT tickets for her as an early birthday present. I was excited myself to be able to see not only Lindsay but also Jarka. We made the five hour drive from Stillwater to Kansas City Sunday morning so that we could explore the Power and Light District in down town KC and locate the venue.



We ate at the Pizza Bar for lunch and walked to the venue early in the afternoon to check things out. The court itself was in the middle of down town KC. After a quick nap at our hotel, we ventured back to the Power and Light District for dinner and then walked the remaining three blocks to the court.



Jeanne wanted to arrive early in hopes of locating a souvenir booth that sold the gigantic USO tennis balls. As we entered the gate, we heard people on the court warming up. There were no ushers or guards at the entrance of the court so I stepped out on to it to see who was playing. Andrei Pavel and Liga Dekmeijere were on the far side. I heard Jeanne say "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God" and looked to my left to see Lindsay herself a mere five feet from me. I let Jeanne stare for a moment before dragging her off the court in search of the autograph ball.



We watched the rest of the Aces' warm-up and waited as the rest of the fans finally arrived. I was thrilled when Jarka and the Explorers took the court. It is so amazing to see one of your favorites in person.


Jarka Groth


Sam Groth


Lindsay Davenport


Andrei Pavel

Jeanne was so giddy. She was fidgeting and cheering for Lindsay despite the KC fans around us. To put in perspective how crazy she was, Jeanne actually asked for and drank water. Yes...water. She asked me to take a picture as physical evidence for jjnow because she knew he nor anyone who knows her well would believe either of us.


Jeanne drinking water :shocked:

We caught Lindsay on a very good night because she exhibited every feature that Jeanne loved about her. Hitting horrible volleys, serving up aces, arguing with the umpire, bossing people on her team, and flashing her wonderful smile. There were so many times that Jeanne screamed "Epic Lindsay!!!" I couldn't keep count. Jeanne was not alone in the crowd, however. The Aces had four painted and extremely loud fans cheering for them and Jeanne joined in from across the court. They would drop to their knees and scream "We're not worthy" and bow every winner an Ace hit. And keeping with the theme of this year's sporting events, the four Ace's fans were armed with vuvuzela. They also had a sign to poke fun at Sam's volleys which left much to be desired.



Unfortunately, Jeanne and I's unlucky talent of sitting near annoying people continued in Kansas City. We were plagued by a woman who knew enough about tennis to being irritatingly wrong. Within one set, she declared that the "other girl" on the Aces' team was Maria Sharapova despite Dekmeijere having her name on the back of her shirt, announced the score as 5-all to everyone in the vicinity even though there is no 5-all in WTT, and went one for ten on naming the songs between points correctly. It was physically painful to listen to this woman. However, she was not the only one. An extremely drunk KC fan thought she would take on cheering for the Explorers all on her own. As the event progressed, she got louder, drunker, and at one point blatantly hit on Sam which elicited a glare from Jarka.

Afterward, Jeanne and I made our way on court to meet both teams and get autographs. I feared for the young children and elderly couples in Jeanne's path but we made it to the autograph line without incident.




Prepared with her sharpie and her autograph ball, Jeanne kept jumping up and down and asking "Can you see her?!" until she had Lindsay in her sight. At one point, Lindsay glanced over to our section of the line and Jeanne nearly fainted. To our surprise Lindsay stood up from the autograph table and began walking along the line and signing autographs. I am happy to report that Lindsay knows every word to Grease Lightening and could easily stop singing, take a picture, and return to the song without a hitch. When Lindsay got to our section of the line, Jeanne was absolutely besides herself. Lindsay gave us her autograph and then posed for a picture with Jeanne. While waiting for Lindsay to position herself low enough to get in the frame with Jeanne, I said "Jesus, Jean, you're too short." Lindsay thought this was hilarious provided and a wink before taking the final picture. When Lindsay had moved on, Jeanne declared that she didn't want to wash her tank top because Lindsay had touched it.



We continued along the line where we met the KC Explorers and got all of their autographs. When I asked Sam if I could have a picture with him and Jarka, he replied, "Really? You want one with us?" I realized then that most people were leaving the line after getting Lindsay's autograph and picture. I felt bad for the rest of the players but was thrilled that I had the opportunity to get a picture with Jarka and Sam. Jarka said hello and thanks for the picture. On court and on TV she doesn't seem shy but in person you could really tell that she nervous being around that many people.



Jeanne could barely walk down the stairs as we left the venue and headed for the car. Because I am nearly seven inches taller than Jeanne, I often have to stop and wait for her to catch up when we are walking long distances. At one point, when I stopped to wait for her, I turned around to find her bawling and hugging her autographed ball. We were so so hyped up after the evenings event, we couldn't fall asleep until 2am. It was an awesome trip and I recommend visiting Kansas City and any WTT event! ]]> Jtdrum10 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=314 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=313 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 23:28:14 GMT A post for your casual fan friends. Also posted at http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/.

Tradition

Tennis was born on the grass lawns of England and to England the game returns every summer. Wimbledon is, of course, the world's most prestigious tournament. One could argue about the relative merits of the four Slams but the fact is, if you wanted to cement your legacy in the sport by winning only one tournament, this would be the one.


Grass Court

Switching from the clay of Paris to the grass of Wimbledon is one of the most abrupt and dramatic transitions on the world sport calendar. The two surfaces, as discussed in regards to Roland Garros, benefit very different players. Grass is for the gunslingers. Big serves and booming ground strokes are rewarded by the low bounce. If you like the power game, sit back and enjoy. Also, from an aesthetic stand point, there is something very satisfying in seeing the summer sunshine on green grass. Neither red dirt nor concrete can quite compare.


Champagne and Strawberries

Looking for a weekend brunch idea? Watch the tournament over the traditional treat served on the grounds: champagne with strawberries and clotted cream. Don't forget, though, that the tournament takes the middle Sunday off. Not that you couldn't have brunch anyway.


No Vuvuzelas

Don't get me wrong. I'm going to have to make tough choices with Wimbledon and the World Cup running concurrently. But I think I can promise you that the tennis coverage will be quieter without the senseless drone of the vuvuzelas. However, should Andy Murray falter for even a point or two in a given match, I can virtually guarantee that comparisons will be made to Robert Green, England's unfortunate goalkeeper. Especially if Murray is facing an American at the time. Never mind the fact that Murray is actually Scottish. This will happen. Count on it!


Serve and Volley

If you watch tennis at all, you've surely heard the old guard (John McEnroe and friends) complaining about the fact that players don't come to the net enough anymore. At Wimbledon, you will hear references to the fact that the grass on the court wears differently from how it did in the good ol' days. You'll see comparison shots of the court in 1979 and the court now. There is now far less wear near the net, far more at the baseline.

The old guard really needs to let this one go. The fact of the matter is that modern racket technology better enables the baseliners to fire soul-crushing passing shots by any would-be volleyers. Johnny Mac wouldn't be quite so gung ho about coming to the net himself if he had Nadal staring him down from the other end of the court, AeroPro Drive in hand.

But if you like serve and volley tennis, Wimbledon is the most likely place to see it.


Federer vs. Nadal

In the story of tennis's greatest rivalry, the best chapters have been written at Wimbledon. Who knows what this year's edition will bring? Federer's brilliant career seems to be trending downward. Nadal has bounced back from his injury-plagued '09 and has returned to the top of the rankings. They are the top two seeds so the possibility of their meeting in the final is there.


The Williamses v. The Belgians

The Williamses have owned Wimbledon. Over the past decade, Venus has won the title 5 times, Serena 3. They've met in the final 4 times. They've also won the doubles together 4 times. Neither Kim Clijsters nor Justine Henin has ever won a singles title at Wimbledon.


Women on the Rise

Sam Stosur's big serve and strong showing in Paris make her a serious dark horse at Wimbledon. One wonders how she will react emotionally to her loss in the final at Roland Garros. Francesca Schiavone, the surprise RG champ, is unlikely to replicate the feat in England but as was her motto, nothing is impossible.


Andy Murray

He is not my favorite player but I have to admit that I feel for Britain's #1 when Wimbledon rolls around. It will be such a relief when a British player finally wins here again. Then we can stop hearing about how long it's been!


Fantasy Tennis

- Tennis Channel bracket challenges for men and women

- Wimbledon suicide pool ]]> ikanouta http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=313 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=312 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:55:32 GMT I sold my house. After finishing the verbal negotiations, I sat in my chair and finally let the whole moment engulf me. For there was too much to feel, and those feelings were certainly conflicting. Because if there is one feeling that I am not confused about is the fact that I love my house. I still remember the craziness when I bought it, still halfway under construction. I had set out to buy a centrally located apartment, only to end up buying a small house in the outskirts of the city. Located almost in a jungle, with many cons, I just saw it and fell in love with that little, underwhelming box. Later on, when I started remodeling, I would find out that calling it a rectangle was improper; after I got to know it and measure it, I realized that the original builders had not done a very good job with the geometry, and the house, in reality, had not one single 90 degrees angle, but was rather a collection of bends between 88 and 92 degrees. It mattered little, as I tore down some walls and opened it more and more, with glass panes that let me see the bush outside my windows. It was the enjoyable action of building it, or rather, finishing it, with my friends. One of them, Gabo, an architect that took it to heart to make a simple, elegant design, was in charge of construction, and although we had known each other for a while, the building of my house bonded us, like brothers. He left the country a while back, but we always joked that the house was as much his as it was mine. A joke that was only legally not true, because we always shared the feeling of having created this little space together. For the next years, this house became my castle. Small, simple, elegant, it was a place where I loved and was loved, a place where my friends could come and share my food and drinks. Another joke developed: they always complained that the house was too far away whenever I invited them, only for me to have to kick them out when they had stayed way over reasonable hours. I shared my house with lovers, enjoying its ambiences. The kitchen was the central place, designed so because we always ended up there, cooking something on Sundays or making some cocktails on a Saturday night. I shared this house with my family and there always were small details that still make my eyes wet. My father, dealing with the initial stages of Alzheimer, came with my brothers on several occasions, days which Dad would share with his boys. One day my mom told me that, because of the disease, he was really unaware it was “my house”. He had simply told her his sons had taken him to a beautiful restaurant, where he had eaten and been treated well. If it was a restaurant for him, I am glad I was his host. My six year old nephew would regularly request to come here, and roam the garden. My mom and sister would look slightly worried about him running amok the grass, me chasing him or him climbing the small walls of the designed landscape. I remember him climbing through a section where I had seen a beautiful snake one day, but being daytime and since I was there, I simply followed him as he opened trail and climbed through the bushes to the upper terrace. Mom and Sis did not need to know about the abundance of fauna in that quiet green acre. It took me a while to realize that the noises I heard at night on my roof were a colony of bats that had taken possession of the hollow steel beams. Birds of many colors and sizes started flocking to my wood deck after I put a feeding plate and later a feeding house for them. One night, amid pouring rain that I thought could clog the storm water drains, I walked out with a flashlight and was rewarded with the sight of a beautiful Anaconda, still a baby at barely 5 feet long (I gather), hunting amid the rain. It was the explanation of why I seldom, if ever, saw rodents in my garden. I will always remember watching the rain falling on my garden, the almost monsoon like thunderstorms that would come every now and then, and the feeling that my house was there, protecting me like a mother protects a child. Thunder and lightning would strike all around us and she would shelter me, withstanding all elements and caring for me, like a woman caring for a lover in the middle of the night. I must leave all this now. As my country descends into chaos, I have chosen to move. I have arranged for everything and logically and emotionally I am glad I am leaving. The country is not a place where I want to spend the rest of my life, surrounded by fear and progressive poverty. I want to leave all this behind. But not my house. Not this place. Whenever I have gone abroad, on work, I made the small, silly ritual of locking my house and then, placing my hand on the wooden door, I always whispered the same to her: “Goodbye house, you have been good to me”. It has taken care of me for five years, and that is the reason I love it. I can leave, but it will not leave me. I will remember those torrential tropical rain. The endless sky with stars that you can not see in many places because of light pollution. The perfect stillness of the night before sunrise, and the colors of the flowers that bloomed in the garden, some planted by me, others simply intruders I got to enjoy. My memories remain here, as do the bones of my dog (buried under bushes that have grown tall and green) and the ashes of my grandmother, under 6 Capachos that bloom in savage reds and yellows after a few days of rain. In a few days, I will finish the sale, and I will pack all my stuff in a truck and start moving to a new apartment, 2,000 Kms away. I love it too, but it is not the same. And no other place will ever be the same, for the simplest of reasons: This house, my house, is and always will be my first house. Like a first lover that you can never forget. In a few days, I will hand out the keys to my house to somebody else. I will lock my door for one last time, I will whisper for the last time that same farewell, and turn my back on a place that had treated me kindly. I will walk away. And I will cry. I sold my house.
After finishing the verbal negotiations, I sat in my chair and finally let the whole moment engulf me. For there was too much to feel, and those feelings were certainly conflicting.
Because if there is one feeling that I am not confused about is the fact that I love my house.
I still remember the craziness when I bought it, still halfway under construction. I had set out to buy a centrally located apartment, only to end up buying a small house in the outskirts of the city. Located almost in a jungle, with many cons, I just saw it and fell in love with that little, underwhelming box. Later on, when I started remodeling, I would find out that calling it a rectangle was improper; after I got to know it and measure it, I realized that the original builders had not done a very good job with the geometry, and the house, in reality, had not one single 90 degrees angle, but was rather a collection of bends between 88 and 92 degrees. It mattered little, as I tore down some walls and opened it more and more, with glass panes that let me see the bush outside my windows.
It was the enjoyable action of building it, or rather, finishing it, with my friends. One of them, Gabo, an architect that took it to heart to make a simple, elegant design, was in charge of construction, and although we had known each other for a while, the building of my house bonded us, like brothers. He left the country a while back, but we always joked that the house was as much his as it was mine. A joke that was only legally not true, because we always shared the feeling of having created this little space together.
For the next years, this house became my castle. Small, simple, elegant, it was a place where I loved and was loved, a place where my friends could come and share my food and drinks. Another joke developed: they always complained that the house was too far away whenever I invited them, only for me to have to kick them out when they had stayed way over reasonable hours.
I shared my house with lovers, enjoying its ambiences. The kitchen was the central place, designed so because we always ended up there, cooking something on Sundays or making some cocktails on a Saturday night. I shared this house with my family and there always were small details that still make my eyes wet. My father, dealing with the initial stages of Alzheimer, came with my brothers on several occasions, days which Dad would share with his boys. One day my mom told me that, because of the disease, he was really unaware it was “my house”. He had simply told her his sons had taken him to a beautiful restaurant, where he had eaten and been treated well.
If it was a restaurant for him, I am glad I was his host.
My six year old nephew would regularly request to come here, and roam the garden. My mom and sister would look slightly worried about him running amok the grass, me chasing him or him climbing the small walls of the designed landscape. I remember him climbing through a section where I had seen a beautiful snake one day, but being daytime and since I was there, I simply followed him as he opened trail and climbed through the bushes to the upper terrace. Mom and Sis did not need to know about the abundance of fauna in that quiet green acre.
It took me a while to realize that the noises I heard at night on my roof were a colony of bats that had taken possession of the hollow steel beams. Birds of many colors and sizes started flocking to my wood deck after I put a feeding plate and later a feeding house for them. One night, amid pouring rain that I thought could clog the storm water drains, I walked out with a flashlight and was rewarded with the sight of a beautiful Anaconda, still a baby at barely 5 feet long (I gather), hunting amid the rain. It was the explanation of why I seldom, if ever, saw rodents in my garden.
I will always remember watching the rain falling on my garden, the almost monsoon like thunderstorms that would come every now and then, and the feeling that my house was there, protecting me like a mother protects a child. Thunder and lightning would strike all around us and she would shelter me, withstanding all elements and caring for me, like a woman caring for a lover in the middle of the night.

I must leave all this now. As my country descends into chaos, I have chosen to move. I have arranged for everything and logically and emotionally I am glad I am leaving. The country is not a place where I want to spend the rest of my life, surrounded by fear and progressive poverty. I want to leave all this behind. But not my house. Not this place. Whenever I have gone abroad, on work, I made the small, silly ritual of locking my house and then, placing my hand on the wooden door, I always whispered the same to her:
“Goodbye house, you have been good to me”.
It has taken care of me for five years, and that is the reason I love it.

I can leave, but it will not leave me. I will remember those torrential tropical rain. The endless sky with stars that you can not see in many places because of light pollution. The perfect stillness of the night before sunrise, and the colors of the flowers that bloomed in the garden, some planted by me, others simply intruders I got to enjoy. My memories remain here, as do the bones of my dog (buried under bushes that have grown tall and green) and the ashes of my grandmother, under 6 Capachos that bloom in savage reds and yellows after a few days of rain. In a few days, I will finish the sale, and I will pack all my stuff in a truck and start moving to a new apartment, 2,000 Kms away. I love it too, but it is not the same. And no other place will ever be the same, for the simplest of reasons:
This house, my house, is and always will be my first house. Like a first lover that you can never forget.
In a few days, I will hand out the keys to my house to somebody else. I will lock my door for one last time, I will whisper for the last time that same farewell, and turn my back on a place that had treated me kindly. I will walk away.
And I will cry. ]]> ponchi101 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=312 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=311 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:50:09 GMT http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/2010/06/roland-garros-day-12-some-love-for.html http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/20...-love-for.html ]]> ikanouta http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=311 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=310 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:04:52 GMT Enough of this SP Torture. I demand changes to this game. Mind you, I don’t mean to say that it is not fun. Or fair. Bear in mind that this has been written by a person that lost because he (allegedly) did not submit a pick. I know, I know, you have your beautiful system, but who are you going to trust more, me or some high faluting technological website that would put BIG BLUE to shame? I rest my case, it was your fault and I forgive you for that. Which doesn’t mean I don’t want changes. Red and you are dead? C’mon, why don’t you pour more salt on the wounds? Insult to injury, snobbery towards the humbleness of those that have fallen. RED? Why RED? I demand that we switch that color to something that will be less insulting. Purple. Fuchsia. Magenta. Windows 08147234 (look it up, it is really pretty, really). But no more of that RED and you are DEAD. And also, let’s get this thing straight: bandwagons must go through. Why are you going to penalize 73 people because, for example, Feliciano simply sucks? Get on with it, it is a DEMOCRACY, my fellow TATeurs, and if 73 people thought Feliciano was going to win, we should take it at face value and accept that Feliciano simply must have won, regardless of the life scores, the news reporting his loss or even our own eyes. It is a simple issue: what is easier to believe, that he is stupid or 73 TATeurs are numbskulls when it comes to picking up winners? And we also must have different pools, all at the same time. Let’s allow people to decide the level of risk they want to face, and also, let’s allow people some practice. We should have something like the “I slipped over the soap in the shower and broke my neck” Pool. You pick up the winner OF THE FINAL. IN THE THIRD SET. AFTER HE IS UP ONE BREAK! Am I asking for too much? Other possible games could be “My Little Boy Left His Skateboard At The Top of the Stairs” Pool, or for those who also hold NRA memberships, the “Ah Wuz Kleening Mah Low Dead Gawn” Pool. Take you pick. But let’s give us a few Mulligans. At least one round of “I am really scared of all these picks”. Heck, maybe we all need a BYE round, and then this would be fairer. Last, I also want something else. When somebody wins the SP, they get a medal. But what about all the others? Can we get a small icon to go with our losses? A band-aid, a walking cane, a neck brace, a traction bed or even a respirator will do. But this dismissal that we suffer, as we limp (you see, how about a little Icon that would look like Crutches?) towards the LL, is just simply so disrespectful. So I demand a little Icon to go with my loss. Because if I am so stupid as to be out of the SP because I FORGOT TO MAKE A FLIPPING PICK, the least TAT could do for me is put Ginkgo Biloba Flowers in the verifiable empty space that is my medal chest, I say! Enough of this SP Torture. I demand changes to this game.
Mind you, I don’t mean to say that it is not fun. Or fair. Bear in mind that this has been written by a person that lost because he (allegedly) did not submit a pick. I know, I know, you have your beautiful system, but who are you going to trust more, me or some high faluting technological website that would put BIG BLUE to shame? I rest my case, it was your fault and I forgive you for that.
Which doesn’t mean I don’t want changes.
Red and you are dead? C’mon, why don’t you pour more salt on the wounds? Insult to injury, snobbery towards the humbleness of those that have fallen. RED? Why RED? I demand that we switch that color to something that will be less insulting. Purple. Fuchsia. Magenta. Windows 08147234 (look it up, it is really pretty, really). But no more of that RED and you are DEAD.
And also, let’s get this thing straight: bandwagons must go through. Why are you going to penalize 73 people because, for example, Feliciano simply sucks? Get on with it, it is a DEMOCRACY, my fellow TATeurs, and if 73 people thought Feliciano was going to win, we should take it at face value and accept that Feliciano simply must have won, regardless of the life scores, the news reporting his loss or even our own eyes. It is a simple issue: what is easier to believe, that he is stupid or 73 TATeurs are numbskulls when it comes to picking up winners?

And we also must have different pools, all at the same time. Let’s allow people to decide the level of risk they want to face, and also, let’s allow people some practice. We should have something like the “I slipped over the soap in the shower and broke my neck” Pool. You pick up the winner OF THE FINAL. IN THE THIRD SET. AFTER HE IS UP ONE BREAK! Am I asking for too much? Other possible games could be “My Little Boy Left His Skateboard At The Top of the Stairs” Pool, or for those who also hold NRA memberships, the “Ah Wuz Kleening Mah Low Dead Gawn” Pool. Take you pick. But let’s give us a few Mulligans. At least one round of “I am really scared of all these picks”. Heck, maybe we all need a BYE round, and then this would be fairer.

Last, I also want something else. When somebody wins the SP, they get a medal. But what about all the others? Can we get a small icon to go with our losses? A band-aid, a walking cane, a neck brace, a traction bed or even a respirator will do. But this dismissal that we suffer, as we limp (you see, how about a little Icon that would look like Crutches?) towards the LL, is just simply so disrespectful. So I demand a little Icon to go with my loss. Because if I am so stupid as to be out of the SP because I FORGOT TO MAKE A FLIPPING PICK, the least TAT could do for me is put Ginkgo Biloba Flowers in the verifiable empty space that is my medal chest, I say! ]]> ponchi101 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=310 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=309 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:56:21 GMT http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/2010/06/roland-garros-day-11-almagro.html http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/20...1-almagro.html ]]> ikanouta http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=309 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=308 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:55:42 GMT Also posted at http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/.

Curtain Call

Player: Nadia Petrova
Nation: Russia
Age: 27
Current Ranking: 20
Notable Conquests: Venus Williams (2nd seed, USA) and Aravane Rezai (15th, France)
Tour Page
Today's Result: loss to Elena Dementieva (5th, Russia) in three sets


It's been a great tournament for Petrova. She always seems to be around in these middle rounds. The quarters is a big improvement on her 2nd round finish last year. She'll have more points to defend at Wimbledon: 4th round last year.


But, what oh what could today's big story be? I had the Slamtracker scoreboard up on my computer at work and the Federer-Soderling match finished just as my next class was about to arrive. I haven't yet had enough time to digest what is the biggest tennis upset in a very long time. I put this above the Nadal-Soderling match last year. Ending a six-year streak tops ending a four-year one. Amazingly, the same guy won both matches.


It's worth noting that Federer still has a quarterfinal streak to build on - 24 straight Slams. The more interesting question to me, though, is can Soderling keep another streak alive. Over the last 23 Slam tournaments, Federer has either won the title or lost to the man who did. Can Soderling do it? His record against Berdych, his semifinal opponent, is 4-3 in Soderling's but he lost their only match on clay. But then what is history worth? This was his first time beating Fed in 13 tries.


All Part of My Fantasy

Federer's loss is a huge blow to my bracket, though Nadal, my champ, is still alive. ]]> ikanouta http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=308 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=307 Mon, 31 May 2010 18:56:12 GMT Also posted at http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/20...rican-man.html

Curtain Call

Player: Robby Ginepri
Nation: USA
Age: 27
Current Ranking: 98
Notable Conquests: Juan Carlos Ferrero (16th seed, Spain) and Sam Querrey (18th, USA
Tour Page
Today's Result: loss to Novak Djokovic (3rd, Serbia) in four sets

What a great tournament for the American veteran! Beating Querrey is a bigger deal than one might think as Sam had actually been playing well on clay. But Ferrero was the big prize. Ferrero is not the guy he was when he won this thing in 2003 but he is a former champ and a former World #1. It counts!

It was a day for multi-tasking. I did watch quite a bit of tennis but my parents are coming to visit next week so tidying up was the higher priority. No harm in having the tube on while you're getting the chores done, though!


Catching Up with Old Friends

Gisela Dulko (Curtain Call, Aussie Open Day 9) - Dulko (Argentina) started out great in singles, beating Victoria Azarenka (10th, Belarus) in the first round, but then fell to qualifier Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa). She earns our interest here for her performance in doubles. She teamed with Flavia Pennetta (Italy), garnering the fifth seed in the draw. The pair reached the fourth round before losing to the third seed: Liezel Huber (USA)/Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain).

Justine Henin (Curtain Call, Aussie Open Day 13) - Surely, for a four-time champion, a fourth round finish is very disappointing.But I, for one, think it's appropriate to cut her some slack. For one thing, it's only her seventh event after a long layoff. For another, Samantha Stosur (7th, Australia) is pretty good and was due for a big win. Henin (22nd, Belgium) also gets some credit for taking out a battle-ready Maria Sharapova (12th, Russia) in the third. She'll have some added incentive heading into Wimbledon: it's the only Slam she's never won.


All Part of My Fantasy

My women's bracket took a big hit with Henin's loss. It's tough to make any noise if you fail to pick the champ. At least my finalists on the men's side - Federer and Nadal - are both going strong so far. ]]> ikanouta http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=307 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=306 Sun, 30 May 2010 19:00:27 GMT http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/2010/05/roland-garros-day-8-middle-sunday.html http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/20...le-sunday.html ]]> ikanouta http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=306 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=305 Sat, 29 May 2010 19:48:05 GMT Also posted at http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/


Curtain Call

Player: Anastasia Pivovarova
Nation: Russia
Age: 19
Current Ranking: 187
Notable Conquest: Jie Zheng (25th seed, China)
Tour Page
Today's Result: loss to Samantha Stosur (7th, Australia) in straight sets

Pivovarova is another qualifier in her first Roland Garros. At 19, one expects she'll be around for a while. She was, however, no match for Stosur: 6-3 6-2.

Oh Mix Channel, how I have missed you this week! How wonderful it has been today to channel surf. It is such fun to pop around the grounds and the lower-key commentary is nice, too.

How about Robby Ginepri, the last American man standing? Minnie Driver's one-time boy toy took out a former champ in Juan Carlos Ferrero (16th, Spain) to boot. He draws Novak Djokovic (3rd, Serbia) next: a tall order.

A tangentially related side note: to me, Minnie Driver has always seemed a dead ringer for the woman in Vermeer's The Girl with a Pearl Earring. I thought it unfortunate that Scarlett Johansson was cast for the part in the film, though Driver was probably too old at that point.

The line of the day goes to Mary Carillo who, in response to the assertion that television makes the light of an early evening match appear brighter than it really is, asked "Why can't it make us appear brighter than we are?" Self-deprecation is the highest form of humor, to my mind.Catching Up with Old Friends

Alberta Brianti (Curtain Call, Aussie Open Day 6) - Brianti lost her first round match to Vera Zvonareva (21st, Russia) but, as she didn't play the event at all last year, it still counts as an improvement. She had a slightly better showing in doubles, teaming with Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania) to make it to the second round. She didn't play Wimbledon or the US Open last year either so there are plenty of opportunities for her to build up some points this summer.


All Part of My Fantasy

David Ferrer (9th, Spain) went down today. I had him in the semis. For the moment, all of my finalists are still alive, though Henin's in a fight with Maria Sharapova (12th, Russia) at present. The third set of their match will be played tomorrow. ]]> ikanouta http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=305 http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=304 Fri, 28 May 2010 19:29:45 GMT http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/2010/05/roland-garros-day-6-see-no-ivo.html http://armchairsquid.blogspot.com/20...ee-no-ivo.html ]]> ikanouta http://www.talkabouttennis.com/forum/blog.php?b=304