* Not to be outdone by Andy Murray + Jelena Jankovic, 2-time Grand Slammer Amelie Mauresmo has been posting images of her off-season training intensive with new coach Hugo Lecoq on her website. The Frenchie looks to be in typically great physical shape but isn't the question with Amelie always, "How is the mind?" Stay tuned...
* Roger Federer has been nominated again for the United States Sports Academy's 2008 Athlete of the Year Award which he won in '06 + '07 along with top baller Rafael Nadal. Other nominees include Usain Bolt (track and field), Kobe Bryant (basketball), Brian Clay (decathlon), Haile Gebrselassie (marathon), Ryan Howard (baseball), Jimmie Johnson (auto racing (NASCAR)), Eli Manning (football), Rafa, Michael Phelps (swimming), Tim Tebow (college football), Tiger Woods (golf). Tough crowd so vote your fave here!
* Speaking of the Swiss Maestro, his Gillette ad with golf's Tiger Woods and football/soccer's Thierry Henry has been named the worst TV advertisement of the year by industry mag Campaign. Ouch - I guess his midas touch is getting a bit rusty...
* So long and farewell oh retired ballers
* Marion Bartoli has been nominated for the 2009 Femmes En Or award which is intended as a tribute to women who help women to change society.
* Anando, who are currently hanging in Spain, posed for ANOTHER photo while taking in ANOTHER Real Madrid match. Do these two love the spotlight or what? It's exhausting, and I just blog about them.
* Tennis participation in the US grew to 27 million, a 7% increase this year, which is the highest number in 15 years. Dave Haggerty, president of the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) said in a statement, "By almost every key metric and based on the trends the sport remains poised for growth in the coming years."
* Lindsay Davenport has entered the Aussie Open draw, putting to rest all the retirement talk...for now
* TENNIS's Tignor gauges the influence of two German giants
* You can call her Dr. Sania Mirza now. The Indian lady baller will be receiving an honorary doctorate from Dr. MGR University in Chennai on Thursday. "I am delighted. Good that my achievements are being recognised. It is a great feeling to be honoured with a doctorate," Sania told The Hindu.
* Add these Nike Air Zoom Trainers ($80) to your "must...buy" list boys and bring some streetwear into your tennis life. They're an updated version of the cross trainers Johnny Mac wore back in the day and features include "soft synthetic leather upper offers a secure, glove-like fit, while the phylon midsole and Zoom Air units in the heel and forefoot add a low to the ground, cushioned feel." LOVE.
(images via ameliemauresmo.com, tenniswarehouse.com)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
+ THURSDAY NETCORDS: Fed "honored" in more ways than one...US tennis on the upswing...The ever-posing Anando
Labels: media, tennis, tennis blogs
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oh yeah, they're now officialy booooring!anado that is!pics with fernando's family were really over the top, it's to soon!they like highschool lovers considering the amount of action between them (supposedly), but she hangs with his whole family like they're engaged or something!so not direction in what i hoped this is gonna go!it's all a lil creepy!someone put a spell on fernando!he's all changed!and i can see this burning out fast.
ReplyDeleteSo JJ is working her ass off and Ana is going to football matches...hmmmm I am excited for 2009.
ReplyDeleteTessa + anon 2:47: Right? I find it so strange that they've only been "dating" supposedly since the US Open and she's all super friendly with his fam, taking photos with them, etc. It seems really fast to me. Maybe it's because she's a big tennis star and Nando's, well, not and they're hoping he sticks it out with her?
ReplyDeleteAnd now they're posing at the Real Madrid match? Anon, you're so right. JJ is really working her ass off right now and being very professional while Ana is in lala land with some guy who, honestly to be quite honest, she DOESN'T REALLY EVEN KNOW!
I guess we know which Serb is the serious baller right now. And if Ana starts the year off poorly (and she has tons of points to defend in Australia) I hope she doesn't blame "pressure" - she'll just have to look back at her off-season "vacation".
Fernando is a hell of a talented player, that unfortunatley isn't focused on tennis enough.During his matches he doesn't give 100%, he doesn't leave his heart out there, and when things get tough he is first to back off then to be brave and go for it!So his talent and game are very good, need to work on mind and priorities.Yeah, Ana is so into lala land!!And everything seemed so good and sweet to me untill those familiy pics.I mean just weird.Nor is Fernando supposed to be like that introducing his new girl so fast to his fam, cause he's a womean-eater, so what's up with that seriously!Maybe they insisted to meet Ana, probably so, and maybe his lil sis is a fan.But Anando should just buy themselves a little style and just go out of the spotlight, they're making me wanna throw up on every new possing picture.And Ana better get on tennis court!She's so much more then to get trown out of her pat for some partime hunk!
ReplyDeleteThey've become the "Speidi" of tennis. Not good.
ReplyDeleteanon : hahahah omg exactly!Yuck!
ReplyDeleteAnon 3:31: You're right, it's getting totally lame. And what a shame because they're both so hot...unlike Speidi.
ReplyDeleteanon: Speidi creeps me out. Like Anando they look like they could be related - super blonde and toothy. Plus their "marriage" was prob a sham to make $$$.
ReplyDeleteCould it be there are other motives for Anando, say PR for him? He needs it more than Ana so it wouldn't surprise me. And look, it's so working. Hmph!
Fernando goes almost everywhere with his family, despite the man-whore reputation that doesn't really go with that. They follow him a lot. So it really is no surprise that he took her to meet his parents.. and it actually happened in november when she first was in Madrid.
ReplyDeleteBut I agree that its getting a bit tiresome. The picture of them was especially taken for Real Madrid's website, who had them as guests. And paparazzi in Spain are worst than in LA.. that's quite something! They follow people around everywhere..
Ana is going to Belgrade today and to Australia on Monday.. so don't worry.. no more Anando pics at least until Brisbane.
Yeah I thought they were a cute couple but it's getting a bit annoying now. I mean was that family portrait necessary, it's so awkward. I want ana to be focused on tennis, sure having a boyfriend is really fun and nice but it seems like she loves the attention for her love life more than practicing.
ReplyDeleteAna is still very young and inexperienced in love. I only hope she keeps her focus on tennis and not on parading with her boyfriend all the time.
I am just happy to see Amelie's site is so great. I hope she does well in 2009, but she is definitely in need of my (or any) therapist.
ReplyDeleteRich, maybe we can follow her around with a camera and give her pep talks at the same time. Kill two birds, ya know?
I miss a cute dog from the family pictures! Dogs and children are necessary for good ratings and success!
ReplyDeleteOh my, I really didn't think Anando could get any more annoying to me, but it just did!
ReplyDelete"Parading" is the exact word for what Ana's doing right now. She's SO forgotten she's actually a tennis pro. Sorry, but I've always hated her attitude. She's so immature and she will so come a cropper if she doesn't get herself together soon.
Aside from that, I'm really happy for Sania.
And the Gillette ad really was SOOO lame. Totally agree.
Anando are beginning to annoy me now, and it looks like I'm not the only one. They do seem to be rushing things a fair bit and as though they're milking this for all it's worth. But then again, I suppose they're hanging out as much as possible before they're on tour again and have zero time again.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that it's a PR thing- it certainly feels like it. But Nando has done well for himself wrt Davis Cup. He has the game, just needs to stop mucking about so much and begin to focus as someone already said.
Speidi comparison was spot on, by the way.
And yes; JJ does look like she's taking this seriously- thank all things bright and shiny! I do hope she has a good year and keeps those injuries at bay!
Amelie, Amelie. She is incredibly talented, I wish her brain would somehow stop imploding on court. Maybe Rafalet could have a word?
I am going to sound like a bitter, bitter cow..but it really pisses me off when people are handed honorary degrees. Good on you and everything..that's fantastic for you. But! Sania and I are the same age and here I am busting my brain and wilting over writing scores of research papers and dying over every other word of my master's thesis... and she just gets handed a honorary doctorate! Yeah, I'm bitter.
nadalfan: yeah they both may want to focus on tennis at this point. it sucks the off-season isn't super long but they've had a holiday already. it seems they'll practice wherever, whenever they can but they need to be together regardless.
ReplyDeletei haven't seen any images of sven groenefeld with ana - who is she working with right now? is she just doing it on her own?? are they coaching each other???
we'll see how it all plays out in a few weeks - i can't wait.
Ana spent 2 weeks in Mallorca without Fernando working non stop with Scott Byrnes on fitness and Melle Van Gemerden. Melle is a former ATP player and Ana's new team member. She usually would get someone from where she was to be her hitting partner, but now he will be traveling all over the world with her. He will also serve as a coach while Sven is not with her. She left Spain yesterday and will be traveling to Australia on Monday to prepare for AO.. this time already with Sven on hand.
ReplyDeleteI agree that she might have left her preparation a bit aside with all this Fernando love.. but first loves can mess a with one's head. Let's hope she learns how to deal with it rather fast.
Aw, nadalfan, I am sorry for you. That really sucks to have to work so hard when others are handed things just because they have some celebrity. I don't like it, either. Hopefully she was studying and was just a few credit hours short of a degree.
ReplyDelete