Speaking of choice words, Caroline Wozniacki had some of her own for the WTA and tourney director of Beijing.
The US Open finalist caught a virus while in Tokyo and had to retire from her opening round match against Aleksandra Wozniak on Tuesday, September 29th. However, she was scheduled to play her first round match in Beijing on the following Sunday, October 4th, but requested a Monday start with hopes getting more rest.
Wozzi discussed what happened in her latest blog:
In Beijing, I still was not feeling close to 100%, so I asked the tournament director and WTA for a Monday start (instead of playing my first round on Sunday), but it was very frustrating to learn on Saturday that I was scheduled to play my first match on Sunday. I really needed every hour of rest to get over this virus and ready for my first match, but the WTA or tournament director did not seem to care at all and take this into consideration. The WTA Tour is supposed to be a players union, but I certainly don’t think they represented my best interest this week in Beijing and it was very disappointing. In my first round, I ended up playing Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, and I played a good first set which I won close 7-5. In the second set, it was really close again but I lost it in a tiebreaker and then in the third set I just completely ran out of energy and ended up losing the match.I'm actually very surprised the WTA and the tourney directors didn't give her an extra day considering she's a Top Tenner and just reached the US Open final. Plus, Wozzi doesn't consistently abuse rules (like some lady ballers we know.)
Losing my first round in is Beijing was exactly what I was worried about since I have not practiced for more than one hour in the past week. I was hopeful that if th WTA were to give me a first round start on Monday that I could’ve had a much better chance of winning and feeling better as I were to advance through the tournament. I am never one to make excuses because Martinez-Sanchez did play a good match, but I really feel the WTA and tournament director could’ve helped me and they chose not to.
Ana Ivanovic's "disappointing" 2009 season came to an abrupt end when she was forced to pull out of Beijing with illness today.
The Serb discussed her feelings about the season in her latest diary entry and also revealed some little known information about her physical health:
I guess having to withdraw from Beijing is an appropriate ending to a very disappointing season. This trip to Asia has been a big disappointment and I have struggled with my health pretty much since I arrived. I am sorry to my supporters who were hoping to see me play here in Beijing. It's very disappointing for me as well, to come here, see the amazing facility they have and not have the energy to be able to step onto court. I can only look forward to coming back here next year.The former top lady baller also revealed the addition of a new member to the Team Ana fold:
It's especially disappointing because I was hoping to be able to see some improvements before the season ended. I have gone through a lot of training and physical changes over the past few months, which have mostly remained private until now... My body is quite fragile at the moment, because I over-trained during the first part of the year. This was, I think, what caused me to have many small injuries this season.
Instead of being patient and accepting that my best form was almost impossible due to physical limitations, I was always over-thinking things, and I never dealt with it very well. The season was a continuation of going from one disappointment to another. If I had dealt better with these setbacks, I would have had a lot more success.
I have appointed a new fitness coach, whom I will tell you more about later. Over the next month or so I can have a great break. I can rest without thinking about any future tournaments, then train and practise hard for the new season.She and former strength + conditioning coach Scott Byrnes parted ways back in July.
Maria Sharapova has traveled to Tokyo, Japan for the Toray Pan Pacific and also to launch her Cole Haan Collection.
The 3-time Grand Slammer discussed the trip in her latest Weekly Doodle:
Hi everyone, I landed in Tokyo last night and looking forward to playing my last two events of the year!! I have had a good, positive 3 weeks of training and ready to play some matches!
I can't believe that I haven't been here in over 2 years! That should never happen! It never ceases to amaze me how interesting this country is! Just when you thought they had the best toilets, they get even better! Haha
Just took a run in the park and happened to pass by a group of 20 children which were clearly fascinated by my height. I don't speak much Japanese (none at all as a matter of fact) but I thought I overheard them say "ooooh giant" Made me laugh.
Just heading out to practice, but wanted to let you know that all is good! Oh and we're launching the Cole Haan collection tonight... it just hit stores here a week ago. Apparently one of my shoes is the # 1 selling shoe in all of Cole Haan stores back in the States. Pretty Exciting!! Not as exciting as its going to be to get back to #1 though!!:)
Serena Williams, who released a statement through the WTA yesterday, has offered an apology via Twitter and also penned a new post on her blog amending the aforementioned statement:
Hey guys!!!
I want to amend my press statement of yesterday, and want to make it clear as possible - I want to sincerely apologize FIRST to the lines woman, Kim Clijsters, the USTA, and tennis fans everywhere for my inappropriate outburst. I'm a woman of great pride, faith and integrity, and I admit when I'm wrong.
I need to make it clear to all young people that I handled myself inappropriately and it's not the way to act -- win or lose, good call or bad call in any sport, in any manner.
I like to lead by example. We all learn from experiences both good and bad. I will learn and grow from this, and be a better person as a result.
Xxxx,
S
Rafael Nadal is blogging again for The Times Online during his US Open campaign and discusses the "stolen kiss" incident from the other night in his latest entry entitled "That fan was funny - although I didn't like his kiss!". We figured, but anyway...
Hello everyone,
Hope you all are good. I am great and feeling very good. Yesterday it was very late when I posted my blog. I think that it is the first time ever I have done it after coming back from the tournament so late. I ended up going to sleep after 4 am. It is quite late even for a Spaniard... Specially if you are a tennis player and have to play.
Many people asked me today about yesterday's match. I said to everyone who asked me that I found I played better, starting to feel good. But when I was elaborating on my game I was immediately cut and asked not about the match but about the incident of the guy jumping on court and kissing me and everything you've seen on TV.
To be honest, I didn't see the guy coming. I'd just taken my shirt off to change it when I saw a guy coming to me, kissing me and saying that he loved me... Then I saw the security jumping to him. I didn't think it was important, not serious, and tried to stop the security at some point to leave the guy. You can actually read my lips saying "it's OK". Not that I know a lot of English to explain to them that it was OK, that he was cool and that for me it was OK. Not that I liked the kiss... :-)
So I didn't really give too much importance to it. I just thought, as I say it was funny.
I understand that the tournament's security got nervous, but I was cool with it. As a matter of fact, when I was in the locker room, one of the main guys of the tournament, David Brewer, came to the locker and asked me if I was OK and if the guy had hurt me. I told him I was fine and to please not to do anything to the guy. Jokingly I said "One fan I have tonight - please leave him". I was told that the guy was going to be prosecuted (I think it is the correct way to say it). Hope he is OK.
I understand it is a delicate issue but I have to say that this tournament really takes good care of me. They are really, really nice with me and have lots of attentions with me and my team. From my side no complaints whatsoever, on the contrary I have to thank them for everything they do. Maybe the only complaint is the scheduling... We'll talk another day about that...
Hope this whole thing is taken positively and no one suffers for something like this.
So thanks US Open staff for everything.
Ana Ivanovic hasn't played a competitive match on the WTA tour since her tearful exit from the Wimbledon fourth round - a gate she hasn't passed at a major since winning at Roland Garros last season. Ouch.
But the slumping Serb has taken a mini-break and is ready to rejoin the rest of the lady ballers during the North American hard-court swing. She even said so in her latest Diary entry below.
SIDE NOTE: Isn't fun to read between the lines especially in these baller-penned blog posts? Well, it is for me...
Recharged and raring to go / July 27, 2009
I feel refreshed after an enjoyable holiday. I think it is a great idea to have this mid-season break, as part of the Roadmap, and it has given me time to rest and reflect on my game (read: I've been obsessively picking apart my game with surgical precision to the point where no improvisation or creativity is even possible. It keeps me up at night, though.) More importantly, of course, it has allowed me to get fit again after my injury.
Wimbledon seems like a long time ago. I did some fitness work during my holiday in Scotland (read: I got busy with my manpiece Hottie Scottie. I mean, LOTS of busy) and I've been training this past week in Spain. I am now on my way to America for what should be a six-week stay at least. I will play tournaments in LA, Cincinnati, Toronto and then the US Open.
It's quite some time since I played three tournaments in three weeks and it's definitely a challenge physically, but I am up to it for sure. Actually, someone told me that the last time I played three tournaments in three weeks was three years ago, when I won the US Open Series (read: I didn't have much left then for the U.S. Open so I figured let's do it again.) That was nice to hear!
Having a short break from tennis like this gives me even more hunger to compete. (read: I think I want it too much and I can't stop myself. WTF?!) I really can't wait to get back on the court, so I am very much looking forward to the Los Angeles tournament starting next week.
Love
Ana
As promised, Serena Williams finally went under the needle. Well, more like her website did, that is.
The top lady baller has just relaunched her site and left a message for her fans while in New York for Monday night's BJK Cup:
Hey everyone!!
I'm so excited for my new site to be up. It's been a long, withstanding effort to get it just right. I hope you all enjoy it!
I am in NYC, having a fantastic time. I loved playing the Billie Jean King exhibiton at Madison Square Garden. I'm soooooo happy I won! It was a blast, and I absolutely love the fans in New York. I have been going from photo shoot to photo shoot. Long days, but so much fun. I love being involved in fabulous fashion spreads. It has been bitterly cold here, but the SNOW is amazing! I got in a snow ball fight with my assistant, Nikki and slipped and fell! LOL! I'm more sore from that, than playing tennis. I will post a video of it soon!
Thanks for coming to my new site. I would love to hear your feedback.
XXX S
Apparently Roger Federer's Aussie Open final loss and now infamous post-match moment has fired up the Fedophiles.
The 13-time Grand Slammer penned a new note to his fans via his website thanking them for their avalanche of support post-Oz:
Dear FansUh-oh. Could it be possible that the loss and his subsequent pool of tears put fire in their belly and has given him and his fanbase new life?!
I would like to thank you for the overwhelming amount of messages and letters you sent me this past week. Losing the Australian Open final certainly hurt, but it is important to move on and focus on the challenges lying ahead. I feel fine and fit and am eager to get back on court. I have enjoyed a few days off, which was great, and will soon be training again.
Thank you once again for supporting me and giving me such a lot of positive input! A lot of you have noticed that my website was slow after the final Down Under. The reason for that was the enormous amount of traffic – more than we had ever experienced before. New hardware for the server has been ordered and will be installed as soon as possible so that you can enjoy rogerfederer.com without hassles in the future!
Kind regards
Roger
Thanks to DtL reader (and def rabid Rafanatic) Meri again for a new behind-the-scenes video featuring Rafael Nadal!
A day after getting mobbed at the airport, the world's top baller was spotted back in Palma shooting a TV spot. I'm not sure what it's for or what the newscaster is saying here (feel free to add translation in the comments section) but does it really matter?
Rafa looks great and def in a relaxed, happy mood.
Ah, to be 22-years old, loaded, and on top of the (tennis) world.
*hides face from Starbucks patrons, cries into backpack*
BONUS: The Aussie Open champ posted one last blog for The Times after his big win on Sunday. Here it is in case you missed it:
HI everyone, I am writing this last blog from the Australian Open. I say from the Oz Open and not Melbourne since I am writing it on the plane on my way back home. There are many questions that you can ask me and most of them have been answered at the press conference. I just want to say a few more things... First that I didn't have that much time to celebrate. Let me explain why:
I got to the hotel at around 3.30 am. The work doesn't finish on court with the prize giving ceremony... After that a lot of things are still happening: TV interviews, Anti-Doping Control, press conference, more TV interviews, radio interviews, live interviews with some radios in Spain and finally back to the locker room to celebrate with my team. We had some sparkling wine there and we celebrated a bit. We also brought in the Spanish media reps tha travelled all the way to Melbourne and stayed there these weeks with us.
As I say I got back to hotel at around 3.30am and I know that Benito, my PR guy, had a party ready at a local club. We thought about going but I had something to eat and had to do massage or I would have been really tired. So we decided to stay in the room. It as around 4.30am and anyway the club was closed then. So we stayed and watched some football on TV. There was nothing we could do. It was too late!!! We ate and simply stayed there.
I had to wake up pretty early since had to do more press. The Spanish media came to the hotel and I talked to them. Also to Neil Harman from this newspaper. Then the official photo with the trophy that you have probably seen in the paper. Then more one on ones. After that we went back to the hotel and had lunch at my favorite restaurant. We ate Japanese and then went back to the room to get all the luggage ready. Lots of bags, lots of them. Got to the airport and here I am. I am getting back home after 30 hours traveling...
Anyway, it has been an amazing tournament. I am very, very happy as you can all imagine and I am also happy I have now 2/3 days at home before going to Rotterdam to my next tournament. I didn't play well there last year and I would love to do well.
Thanks all for reading this blog, for all your questions, for all your support and for following this. I also have a great time although I missed a couple of blogs... Apologies for that.
Bye and thanks.
Rafa
Team Ana have released more images of Ana Ivanovic doing her modeling, sex kitten thing in an ad campaign for sponsor Rolex.
I have to say the above image is the best one out of the bunch - she looks stunning and she seems relaxed and comfortable. The bottom two? Meh - trying too hard for sure.
Could it be she's not comfortable showing a bit of skin? Or maybe she feels better having a big stick near her face (not that I know ANYTHING about that)??
Anyway the Serb, who slipped to World No.8 this week after falling in the Oz Open third round, also discussed the rumors that the year's first major might move it's location from Melbourne saying:
I’ve made no secret of my love for Melbourne or this tournament. I was therefore concerned when I heard reports that its long-term future is not entirely safe.The fact that Ana's publicly discussing the possibility of a move makes me think it's definitely a concern for Tennis Australia and the rumors aren't unfounded. Very interesting indeed.
For me, it simply isn’t even a question: the Australian Open should remain in Melbourne. I am very young and admit I am no expert on the history of the game, but for me as a player I feel that this tournament belongs here as much as any of the other three Grand Slams belong in their current locations. To move any of them would be unthinkable.
I would not move this tournament from its current calendar position either. I always spend up to a month training in Australia beforehand, and I can feel the public’s holiday spirit during the summer months. It also ensures that we get great crowds.Eh, did you forget you just got embarrassed by Alisa Kleybanova and lost early in Melbourne, Ana? I certainly wouldn't say you were in "great form" and "prepared well". You may want to rethink that last part of your blog because you def looked like you could've used a bit more prep time.
It makes sense to keep it in January, when so many people are on holiday. Moving it to February, to allow players more warm-up tournaments, is an interesting idea, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Looking at the matches this year, it’s clear that the players are already in great form, because they prepared well.
Like Rafa, Serena Williams has been blogging during her time at the Aussie Open but for USA Today and she just posted her lastest entry for the paper's website.
The 3-time champ discusses the shock and hilarity that ensued when a streaker took the court during her doubles match with sister Venus:Well I was shocked, and quite confused. I did not know what to do. I did not know if I should try some of my new left jab, one, two, three combos that I learned in boxing class or if I should throw him my towel. In the end I decided against the left jab, remembering what the french say Gardez votre sang froid— meaning remain calm. That was a full task in itself! The whole crowd was roaring with laughter, as was I and the people we were playing against in doubles. In the end we laughed it off and finished with a memorable win.
Off the court I have a new goal. I love writing, and for quite some time now I have wanted to write a screenplay. Before, I wanted to write a script for a movie, but now my goals have changed. I have decided I would love to write a "dramedy" — a mixture of a comedy and a drama. I think my goals changed because of my recent obsessions with Desperate Housewives, Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle. I spend most of my spare time on my HP computer surfing the Internet. I figured I should trade in my remarkable ability to waste time into my ability to write. I have nothing to lose. Don't laugh, because one day I will be at the Golden Globes accepting an award. I am currently reading this booked called Writing a TV drama Series. Venus bought it for me! I'm so excited!!!Did ReRe just say she's going to be writing more and not less or am I having a nightmare? Good grief. She promised she would stop scaring us with her self-styled "prose" and do more vlogging and here she is winning a Golden Globe. It was all a lie damn it.
Rafael Nadal, who battles French kisser Gilles Simon in the Oz quarterfinals, is still answering reader questions for The Times.
In his latest Q&A, the Mallorcan Matador was asked about Nole's sketchy mid-match retirement during his quarterfinal match against Andy Roddick:
What do you think of Djokovic's retirement? How do you train yourself to play in the extreme heat of Australia? Miho, San Francisco
RN: I don't know well what happened. I didn't see all the match and haven't been able to speak to him so I prefer not to comment. It is tough though to see a player retire and it is obvious it was very hot today. Too bad but I am sure he had good reasons.
Hi everyone,Believe me Rafa, that's more than enough time to get that meat well into your body.
Once again I am here writing this blog, that more than a blog is a diary. Maybe blog means that... or it should have been named digital diary... or maybe I am just not right. In any case I am good at doing this if I have to write about what I did during the day and a few thoughts, but not more...
So today I went pretty early to the tournament site. I practiced for over an hour and 30 minutes and tried to stay very little on-site. I think today it has been the day I have gotten back earlier to the hotel in many years. At 2pm I was back at the hotel and rest all day long. I did go to the gym a bit with my physio Rafa Maymo but not much.
We just came back from dinner where we were a few of us. My whole team Toni my uncle, Carlos Costa my manager, Rafa Maymo my physio, Benito Perez-Barbadillo my PR Manager, Tuts Robert from Nike, my father, Feliciano Lopez and his team Jose Perlas and his physio Marc.
We had a nice dinner at a place with excellent meat. It is funny since I normally don't eat meat the day before a match. I try to eat something lighter. But tomorrow I am playing at night so it is OK if I would play at 3 or something like that I would not have eaten it. I will go to the site at 4 to warm up around 5.30 and be ready for the match at 7.30. So plenty of time to get that meat well in my body.
Hope I can be with you writing again in 2 days...
Thanks
Rafa
Serena Williams, who scraped past Gisela Dulko in the Aussie Open second round, posted a new blog for USA Today in which discusses the inauguration of Barack Obama, surviving the heat from her first round match, and a couple of her major off-court activities:
You see I am doing so many things it's simply crazy. I don't know how I manage it. I love to write, and I am in the middle of writing a book about my life. Now wait — this is not a memoir with a "capital M," it is actually a mix with a motivational piece. I have gone through so many things in my yet-young life, but I love helping people and I would love to have the opportunity to motivate others. So just this week I got a package of 500 pages of the book redone that I have to reread, re-mark up and rewrite. I love to be 100% hands on, but it's so much that I think that it's intimidating me! I want people to read my book and be motivated and laugh their hearts out when they read. So every night I write a bit more and correct more of the work. It's hard work, but in the end I hope it will be worth it.So you went to fashion school for a whole two years?! Now I understand why that Nike outfit you wore in the first round was so *cough* well designed by you.That is just one of the things that I am doing. Also this week I got a massive package from my new clothing line which I will be debuting in April on HSN called the Serena Williams Signature collection. I just did a photo shoot, and I have to go through all of the photos which is over 2,000 of the ones I like, dislike, what to use, where and more! What a task!
I am debuting a jewelry collection, a handbag collection and some apparel. I am so excited to be doing this because I love fashion and I love clothes. I went to fashion school to learn to be a better designer for more than two years! Finally it seems like my diligence is paying off. What I love most about this collection are the price points. I want them to be competitive so everyone can look good, and not pay thousands of dollars to do so!!
I feel so blessed and so honored to have the opportunity to do different things.
Rafael Nadal, who won his first round Aussie Open match in style, posted his latest blog for the The Times UK:
Hi everyone,
Sorry for sending this blog late, very late but as you might well know I played the last match tonight and that means I get to the hotel pretty late. Today it wasn't too bad since the matches didn't go that slow and so I could jump on court before 10 pm.
On the other hand I also played a god match and finished pretty fast. Still I got to the hotel by midnight and by the time I finished eating dinner and every thing it has gotten pretty late.
I actually was lucky since the women's match before didn't go to a 3rd set. If it would have happened I would have probably gotten to the court at 10.30 or later. This is why the night matches are difficult, you really finish late and by the time you go to bed it can be really late.
I remember 2 years ago that some times I went to bed around 4 or 5. One day it was even daylight! Why so late, why go to sleep so late if the match was over, like today, at 11 pm. or so? Well, we have to do press conference after the match. I normally take around 30 minutes to go to press if everything is well, meaning that if I have pain or need to check something it can take me up to an hour or more to go to press.
Then, after press, we normally go to the hotel and since it is late I normally do room service. You know it takes 40 minutes or more to get the food to the room so in the mean time I make some phone calls or play some games at the PlayStation. We did this today. By the time I get on the massage table to get my physio to work on my body doing stretching and massage it can be very late. So imagine if the match finished later...
I am very happy with the way I have started this tournament. I really felt great on court and very confident. Already when I hit to warm up at 5.30 I felt well.
I know the beginning of the tournament, the first match is complicated but today it went very well and i think I played some great and powerful tennis. Again, I am happy, but there is a long road still ahead.
Also the court was packed full and that's a great thing. First round, night and full house in the stadium.
Great feeling.
Many thanks for following.
Hasta mañana!
Rafa also answered a few more reader questions for the site. My fave?
Q: Do you normally sleep on your side, stomach or back? Do you snore? Marty, Cincinnati
RN: I don't think I snore... I sleep on both but I go to bed on my back.
Hmmm - so on your back, like La Monf?
(image via TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/Getty Images)
