"Sometimes I tell people that I'm the best bad tennis player of all time."Yes, I'm guilty of criticizing A-Rod recently so a big "congrats!" to him on one impressive week. Now, can he keep this form through the upcoming Indian Wells + Miami Master Series?
- Andy Roddick answering the never-ending criticism about his game after his Dubai championship run
Novak Djokovic was spotted hitting the slopes at Ski Dubai, the world's largest snow park to match the soon-to-be world's tallest building Burj Dubai, before his first match against Marin Cilic at the Dubai Tennis Championships this week. The Aussie Open champ won his match against the rising Croat 6-4, 6-3 without facing a break point and will face the French magician Fabrice Santoro in the next round.
Nole's no stranger to the ski slopes of course - his father Grdjan was a champion skiier back in Serbia. "I took up skiing before I learnt to play tennis at the age of four,” said Nole. “Skiing is a great sport, it’s a lot of fun and it’s my biggest passion."
(images via dubaitennischampionships.com)
Building confidence: Rafael Nadal is looking to get his tennis game in gear this week after disappointing losses at the Aussie Open and in Rotterdam. The Spaniard is the No. 2 seed at this week's Dubai Tennis Championships, which will also feature World No. 1 Roger Federer and Aussie Open champ Novak Djokovic.
Rafa was spotted doing a photo op at the construction site for the Burj Dubai, which will become the world's tallest building when completed. He's also working a new + interesting black and white Nike-designed graphic pocket-tee.
Does anyone out there have more info on his shirt?
(images via AP Photo/Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, HO + e-architect.co.uk)
Change isn't the only constant: In yesterday's + NETCORDS I mentioned Matt Cronin's article for FOXSports.com in which he wonders aloud whether Andy Roddick's missing mojo will be helped by his "maturity" (read: old age + experience) and will benefit the former US Open champion in the latter half of his underwhelming career (and I reiterated an overwhelming "No" to his query.)
In the piece, Cronin highlights a hopeful sign in the 25-year old's '08 schedule and remarks,
Roddick has made one significant change to his winter and spring schedule this year. He decided to skip next week's tournament in Memphis so he can get on the plane and go to Dubai, where he will face off against the world's best in Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, instead of trying to beat up on his U.S. buddies in Tennessee once again, which he doesn't think has a lot of value anymore.A-Rod is even quoted as saying,
If I'm going to get a crack at those guys, sometimes that means you have to chase them around, and if that means going to Dubai, that means going to Dubai, [...] The field is just so strong there and I feel like you have to go after it sometimes, and that's what I feel I have to do.If he was being sincere with his feelings, why did he just take a wildcard into Memphis this week? Is it because he gets a top seed confidence boost at the tourney with the next highest seed being a recovering, World No. 26 Tommy Haas (James Blake was the No. 2 seed but pulled out with an injury)??
