Roger Federer: 2015

Thứ Sáu, 6 tháng 11, 2015

Roger Federer downed by John Isner, Rafael Nadal lucky to survive at Paris Masters

A long season took its toll on Roger Federer on Thursday as the Swiss was knocked out of the Paris Masters following a 7-6(3) 3-6 7-6(5) third-round defeat by big serving John Isner.

The third-seeded Swiss held serve throughout but lost two tiebreaks against his American opponent, who will face Spain's David Ferrer in the quarter-finals.

Federer, who won the Basel title last Sunday, seemed to be cruising after breezing through the second set, but Isner pushed him to another tiebreak, using his devastating serve to prevail in the deciders.

Isner, who fired down 27 aces, ended the contest on his fourth match point with a service winner.

"It's tough to get out of the tournament not having lost your serve but that's how it can go against John," the former world number one told reporters.

"At the very end of the season, going two tournaments in a row after playing a lot of tennis in Basel the week before... there's maybe a bit of a letdown after Basel."

Federer's defeat was the first upset at Bercy after world number one Novak Djokovic and second seed Andy Murray were joined by Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals.

Nadal saved a match point before subduing South African Kevin Anderson 4-6 7-6(6) 6-2.

The seventh seeded Spaniard appeared to be on his way out but a risky forehand winner allowed him to save match point at 5-6 down in the second set tiebreak.

Anderson, who served 20 aces, cracked in the final set as Nadal secured a meeting with fourth seed Stan Wawrinka after the Swiss eased past Serbian Viktor Troicki 6-4 7-5.

Djokovic's serve suffered a second-set malfunction against Gilles Simon but the Serb stayed on course for a third consecutive title on the banks of the River Seine with a 6-3 7-5 victory.

He dropped serve four times in the second set but Simon could not capitalise as Djokovic set up a quarter-final against Tomas Berdych, who defeated local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 6-4.

Djokovic, however, will need to raise his game if he is to win a fourth title here as his possible final opponent, Murray, looked in ominous form.

The Scot put a marker down for the Davis Cup final when he dismantled Belgium's David Goffin 6-1 6-0 in awe-inspiring fashion to advance into the last eight.

Three weeks before Britain and Belgium face off in the Davis Cup final on clay in Ghent, Murray had just too much pace for the 16th seeded Goffin on the Bercy hard court.

Goffin can only hope the red dust will slow down world number three Murray in the Nov. 27-29 tie after the Scot had the Belgian chasing from corner to corner throughout.

An unforced error gave Murray the opening set and the Olympic champion was relentless in the second, closing it out with a backhand winner down the line having allowed Goffin only eight points on his service games.

Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori retired with an abdominal injury in his third-round match against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, a scare with the ATP World Tour finals 10 days away.

Nishikori was trailing 7-6(3) 4-1 when he threw in the towel against Gasquet.

The Japanese is one of eight players qualified for the World Tour finals, which will be played at the O2 Arena in London from Nov. 15-22. Djokovic, Federer, Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Rafa Nadal, Berdych and Ferrer are the others.

Gasquet, who is currently ninth in the ATP Race to London standings, is first reserve.

Arm-wrestling, teen angst and Roger Federer: What you don't know about Malala Yousafzai

A new documentary film, He Named Me Malala, aims to shed light on the life of Malala Yousafzai behind the headlines. Radhika Sanghani sums up her key learnings.

Malala Yousafzai among Nobel peace prize nominees

Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman on October 9 for promoting girls' education in Pakistan Photo: AFP

Malala Yousafzai is one of the most famous teenagers in Britain - if not the world. At the age of 18, she has given speeches to presidents, won the Nobel Peace Prize, had a day named after her (Malala Day – 12 July) and co-written a memoir.

Her story is well-known. She was shot in the head by the Taliban aged 15 after blogging about girls’ rights to an education for the BBC. She was taken to the UK to recover and has since become a worldwide activist for women’s rights.

But there’s more to Malala than the face we see on our TV screens, on her book covers and on the UN’s homepage – underneath the politics there is a normal teenage girl growing up in Britain.

This is the side to Malala that millions of people will be able to see in the filmHe Named Me Malala which is out today.

It’s a striking film that explores not just what it’s like to be Malala but what it’s like to be her mother, father and two younger brothers.

Here’s a hint of what it shows us about Malala that we didn’t know before:

1) She has teenage insecurities

It’s hard to remember that Malala is a teenager who has just taken her GCSEs (she’s in a class two years below her age group because of her English) but that’s exactly what she is.

Meeting Barack Obama at the White House in 2013 Photo: GETTY

Though she’s hung out with President Obama and delivered speeches to thousands of people, Malala isn’t immune to insecurities. In the film she talks about how she isn’t comfortable showing her real self to her classmates and how she feels different to them, having spent most of her life in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.

2) She fancies Roger Federer

In the documentary Malala is asked whether she would ever ask out a boy. She collapses into giggles but then Googles images of Roger Federer – her celebrity crush (her brother concedes that the tennis star has good hair). She also admits she fancies the cricketer Shane Watson.

3) Her brothers are amazing

Malala has two younger brothers: 15-year-old Khushal, who she calls “the laziest one” and 11-year-old Atal who definitely wins best supporting act in the film for his comedy. He tells the camera the truth about Malala: “She’s a little bit naughty.”

Photo: GETTY

The film shows her teasing them, and being teased back. She arm wrestles Khushal (her mum’s 'favourite child') and she wins. Naturally.

4) Her name came from a warrior

The film explains Malala’s name. She was named after a warrior called Malalai who is often known as the Afghan Joan of Arc. When the British were attempting to colonise Afghanistan in 1880, Malala rallied the local Pashtun fighters leading to the Afghan victory at the Battle of Maiwand.

It is telling that this is the name Malala’s father chose for his daughter. But she says: “My father only gave me the name Malala, he didn’t make me Malala.”

5) She’s really close to her dad

One of the most touching parts of the film was witnessing Malala’s relationship with her dad. She rests her head on his shoulder in the car, asks him for advice and travels with him across the world.

He says in the film: “We came to depend on each other, like one soul in two different bodies… It was attachment from the very first moment I saw her."

6) Her mum is impressive too

Malala with her mother, Toor Pekai Photo: GETTY

Though Malala’s mum prefers to stay out of the limelight, the film shows what it was like for her growing up. It was rare for girls to go to school when she was a child but she was sent there aged five. However it was so discouraged that when she sold her books for sweets, no one ever told her to go back. Only now is she having the education she missed out on.

7) Malala is a perfectionist

In her GCSEs she received all As and A*s. It’s unsurprising considering Malala’s strong work ethic. She stresses out over a 61 per cent score in Physics and thinks it’s bad to get between 60-70 per cent at school – though she still tries to avoid homework when she can.

8) Her strength comes from her family

Malala sums up the importance of her parents and family when she says that if it wasn’t for their focus on her education – her father used to teach her in his secret school for children in Pakistan – she’d be an uneducated mother in her home country.

“I’m still an ordinary girl but if I had an ordinary mother and an ordinary father then I would have two children now,” she says.

Thứ Sáu, 11 tháng 9, 2015

U.S. Open 2015 live stream, semifinals times, TV: Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic to play

Venus Williams, Serena Williams U.S. Open

After the U.S. Open tennis women's semifinals were delayed a day Thursday due to rain, Friday shapes up to be a day to remember -- with men's and women's semifinals matches that include Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams.

The U.S. Open tennis semifinal times for today (Friday) includes:

Women's semifinals singles 10 a.m. central/11 a.m. eastern: Flavia Pennetta vs. Simona Haslep, followed by Serena Williams vs. Roberta Vinci.

Men's semifinals singles 4 p.m. central/5 p.m. eastern: Novak Djokovic vs. Marin Cilic, followed by Roger Federer vs. Stan Wawrinka.

TV channel: ESPN.

To watch the U.S. Open tennis semifinals online via live stream, visit Watch ESPN. You will need a cable subscription or access to someone's cable subscription sign in to watch.

Friday semifinals matches preview

More than three years have passed since Roger Federer last won a Grand Slam title.

That's not to say he hasn't played well in the meantime: As he likes to point out, it takes some doing just to make it to the latter stages of a major tournament, and Federer has managed to continue to do that.

His seemingly effortless trip to the U.S. Open semifinals — Federer has won all 15 sets he's played entering Friday, dropping only 44 games along the way — marks his sixth run to that round in the past 11 majors.

And yet when Federer was asked about being two wins away from grabbing another trophy, he noted that there is plenty of work left.

"Hours of work and sleeps and waits and nerves and all that. It's still a long way," Federer said. "I feel like I'm close, of course. You enter now a territory which is very interesting."

On Friday, the No. 2-seeded Federer will face No. 5 Stan Wawrinka in a matchup pitting a pair of pals who won a gold medal for Switzerland in doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. That will come after No. 1 Novak Djokovic meets No. 9 Marin Cilic, the defending champion.

They form quite a quartet.

It's the first time since 1995's group of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Boris Becker (who now happens to coach Djokovic) that all of the U.S. Open men's semifinalists have won a Grand Slam title.

Federer, of course, leads the way among this year's foursome with a record 17, including five in New York.

Djokovic has won nine major titles, including at the Australian Open and Wimbledon this season, but despite reaching his ninth consecutive semifinal at the U.S. Open, he's only left with a trophy once, in 2011.

Wawrinka is a two-time major champion, including at the French Open in June.

And Cilic's only appearance in a Grand Slam final came at the U.S. Open a year ago.

"These guys that are left in the tournament," Cilic said, "they are very dangerous."

None has looked better, match in and match out, than Federer so far. He has won 67 of his 69 service games, saving 9 of 11 break points. Only one opponent, 29th-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round, managed to break Federer.

Only once before, at the 2011 U.S. Open, has he dropped as few as 44 games on the way to a major's semifinals without getting the benefit of a retirement or walkover.

And only once, at the 2007 Australian Open, has Federer won a Grand Slam title without losing a set.

Now he takes on Wawrinka for the 20th time. Federer is 16-3; all of Wawrinka's head-to-head victories came on red clay, including in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros this year.

"I will, for sure, need to play my best tennis," Wawrinka said about facing Federer. "He's playing really well so far. He loves to play. He knows how to play. ... It's going to be a big challenge. I think I'm ready."

At least he's beaten his semifinal opponent. Cilic has lost every match against Djokovic, 13 in all.

"I'm sure he's not going to start coming to the net after every ball, but I'm sure he's going to try to be aggressive, going to try to take his chances. That's how he won last year's U.S. Open," Djokovic said. "I watched him play. He played great. Best tennis of his life. This is where he loves playing."

Here's what else to watch Friday at the U.S. Open:

WOMEN'S SEMIFINALS

Serena Williams' bid for tennis' first calendar-year Grand Slam since 1988 resumes Friday, when she plays 43rd-ranked Roberta Vinci of Italy in the semifinals. No. 2 Simona Halep faces No. 26 Flavia Pennetta in the other semifinal. Both matches were originally scheduled for Thursday night, but were postponed hours ahead of time because of rain in the forecast. Showers did eventually arrive, a little more than an hour before Williams and Vinci were supposed to begin.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Roger Federer’s new tactic could be difference vs. Stan Wawrinka

If possible, Roger Federer’s tennis is more entertaining now than during his heyday when he won five straight U.S. Opens. In an era when approaching the net is considered passe, here comes the 34-year-old Swiss Maestro, doing it better than ever.

Federer is trying to get back to his first Open final since 2009 and doing it his way — “the SABR’’ one of his inventions that could unlock the door.

Federer faces fifth-seeded Swiss countryman Stan Warwinka in a semifinal moved to smack in the middle of prime time because of the women’s semifinal postponement Thursday. Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, looking for his third major of 2015, will face defending Open champion/afterthought Marin Cilic in the first semifinal at 5 p.m., followed by the All-Swiss affair.

When notching most of his record 17 majors, Federer lessened his net work, letting his baseline game do the damage. He has tried to reinvent himself, going back to his net-loving junior days as he bears down on his first major since 2012.

“I think I’ve worked on my game moving forward, taking the ball earlier,’’ Federer said. “I think I’m volleying better than I have in the last 10 years. I was volleying well coming up on the tour when I was young. Now because my serve is working quite well, you put those two things together and standing in on the [service] return, it has changed the dynamics.’’

Federer came into the Open on a roll and with a new shot — rushing to the service line to take early an opponent’s delivery and following it to the net. His exquisite play in winning in Cincinnati and downing Djokovic, who beat him in the Wimbledon finals, had many predicting a sixth Open title.

Federer already was envisioning a new silver trophy, suggesting to tournament officials the past winners should be engraved on each new chalice.

“I love tennis history and I like to see who has won in the past,’’ Federer said. “I would like to have another one.’’

Federer traces a rebirth to finally mastering the change to a larger racket frame he made more than a year ago. He found himself hitting his backhand more cleanly.

“I think I’m taking the right decisions at the right times,’’ Federer said. “I think the racket is helping me, easier power. Now having played with it for over 1 ½ years, I feel like I’m really finding the zones, where to hit them. I can place it more accurately right now than I ever could.’’

The late-blooming Wawrinka, who has as many major titles as Andy Murray (two), beat Federer at the French Open and knows his buddies’ game well. Wawrinka’s girlfriend, Donna Vekic, in the middle for the Nick Kyrgios controversy, has attended Wawrinka’s matches. But she may not be rooting for a winner, considering Federer’s 16-3 record against her boyfriend.

“It took him a while to figure out exactly what his possibilities are,’’ Federer said. “I don’t think he’s a guy who had enough confidence. He definitely is a big test and big challenge for me. Subconsciously you know [that] he knows what your preferences are.’’

In the undercard, Cilic takes a 12-match Open winning streak into the Djokovic showdown but has never beaten the Serbian (0-13), including a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat in July at Wimbledon. Cilic, from Croatia, is a heavy underdog.

“It’s the toughest matchup,’’ Cilic said. “I had close matches last few years, but I haven’t found the right formula to win.’’

But they haven’t met at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“This is where he loves playing,’’ Djokovic said. “He loves the conditions on Arthur Ashe. I’m going to try to use that advantage and having success against him in the past and to my favor.’’

Thứ Hai, 17 tháng 8, 2015

Andy Murray nouveau no 2 mondial

Andy Murray (Source d'image: PC )

LUNDI, 17 AOÛT 2015. 08:58

Andy Murray a gagné une place dans la hiérarchie mondiale (2e), passant devant Roger Federer, selon le classement ATP publié lundi au lendemain de sa victoire au Masters 1000 de Montréal face à Novak Djokovic, toujours confortable no 1 mondial.

Federer n'a pas joué le tournoi canadien.

Rafael Nadal progresse encore d'un rang cette semaine après sa défaite en quarts à Montréal face à Kei Nishikori. Le Japonais, qui a été éliminé par Murray en demies, conserve sa 4e place.

Milos Raonic a quant à lui maintenu sa 10e place malgré une élimination rapide alors que Vasek Pospisil a perdu deux rangs (47)

Le Français Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, battu en quarts du Masters 1000 canadien où il défendait son titre, progresse néanmoins de 5 places et réintègre le top-20 en 19e position.

Son compatriote Jérémy Chardy, éliminé en demies par Djokovic, bondit de 22 places au 27e rang mondial.

Classement ATP au 17 août 2015 :

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 14 265 pts

2. Andy Murray (GBR) 8660 (+1)

3. Roger Federer (SUI) 8065 (-1)

4. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 6385

5. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 5575

6. Tomas Berdych (RÉP. T.) 5140

7. David Ferrer (ESP) 3695

8. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 3680 (+1)

9. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3505 (-1)

10. Milos Raonic (CAN) 2925

11. Gilles Simon (FRA) 2765

12. John Isner (É.-U.) 2270

13. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 2105

14. David Goffin (BEL) 2090

15. Kevin Anderson (RAS) 1955(+1)

16. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 1930 (-1)

17. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1690

18. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 1655

19. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 1645 (+5)

20. Viktor Troicki (SRB) 1594 (-1)

...

27. Jérémy Chardy (FRA) 1275 (+22)
47. Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 950 (-2
)

Rested Roger Federer tries for seventh Western & Southern Open title

Roger Federer has spent the past few weeks in Switzerland, practising and resting for the final push of the season. He’s back on the ATP Tour at one of his favourite stops.

The 34-year-old Swiss star is trying for an unprecedented seventh title in Cincinnati this week while getting his game in shape for the U.S. Open. The time off has helped.

Federer decided to sit out the Rogers Cup last week, avoiding back-to-back tournaments. Last year, he was the runner-up at the Rogers Cup, flew to Cincinnati and beat David Ferrer in three sets at the Western & Southern Open.“I’m fresh and obviously eager to play and can’t wait for the tournament to start, really,” Federer said after practice Sunday morning. “But practice has been going very well. I’m very happy with how I’m feeling.”

Federer is 6-0 when he reaches the finals in Cincinnati, where he’s very comfortable with the courts and has a good feeling because of his career success. This time, he’s also rested.

“Last year I came in tired from five straight matches in Toronto, arrived late, wasn’t sure if I was going to play, decided to play and thankfully I did,” Federer said. “I ended up winning here. Now I have had plenty of time.”

Novak Djokovic is the top seed. He has never won in Cincinnati, the only Masters tournament title that has eluded him. Djokovic has lost in the finals at Cincinnati four times, most recently to Federer in 2012.

John Isner, the top-ranked American, is trying to extend his summer success. He won in Atlanta, lost in the finals in Washington and dropped a three-set match in the quarter-finals in the Rogers Cup on Friday in Montreal, losing to Jérémy Chardy. He’s won 11 of his 13 matches on hard courts.

“I’m holding up pretty well, actually,” Isner said. “It’s amazing what just one day off can really do. I’ve been used to playing a match every day, pretty much.”

“It feels like there’s a laundry list of things that’s bothering me. I served a lot, so my arm was hurting. But I think the most important thing is I’m not injured per se, just pretty worn out. But it’s a good problem to have, rather than the other way around.”

He’ll play American Sam Querrey in the opening round, a match that both players would rather avoid because it means a quick exit for one of them.

“Aw, I guess it was bound to happen,” Isner said. “We’ve played these Masters events for years now, but never played each other in the first round. In my mind, it kind of stinks.”

The tournament began Sunday with Slovakia’s Martin Klizan beating Dominic Thiem 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (4) in a match that lasted 2 hours 32 minutes. The top players get first-round byes.

On the women’s side, Serena Williams is trying for her second straight Western & Southern Open title. She was 0-5 in the finals before breaking through last year with a two-set win over Ana Ivanovic.

Williams has extra motivation to play well in Cincinnati. She was upset by 18-year-old Belinda Bencic in the semi-finals of the Rogers Cup on Saturday night in Toronto. Williams double-faulted a dozen times and described her play as amateurish.

She wants to get her game smoothed out heading into the U.S. Open, where she’ll be trying to become the fourth woman to win all four Grand Slam titles in one year.

“It would be amazing,” Federer said. “I think it’s great what she’s been able to achieve throughout her career, especially now this late. This dominance is incredible, so I wish for her that she can do it. She still has time, a few more weeks, and she knows what it’s all about and I think it’s going to be a huge focus during New York.”

Chủ Nhật, 2 tháng 8, 2015

Delhi delight: Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal on December 12

The second edition of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) will provide Indians with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of savouring the grand rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

The New Delhi leg of the Mahesh Bhupathi-promoted extravaganza will take place from December 10-12 with 14-time Grand Slam champion Nadal set to lead defending champions Indian Aces in his debut season. His face-off with record 17-time Grand Slam champion Federer, of the UAE Royals, will take place on December 12.

"Everyone is talking about IPTL on the Tour this year and I know all the players are going to practise harder. This year, the event will be bigger with Nadal playing for Aces. Indian sports lovers have a lot to look forward to in Delhi," Bhupathi said on Saturday.

Tennis fans in the Capital had the opportunity to witness another classic clash between Federer and World No.1 Novak Djokovic in 2014.

Nadal will have hard-hitting Frenchman Gael Monfils, fiery Polish star Agnieszka Radwanska (part of the Champions Tennis League last year like Leander Paes), on-court magician Fabrice Sontoro, 2015 French Open doubles champion Ivan Dodig and two of India's highly successful doubles stars, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna.

Bhupathi, however, said that he won't be able to play for the next few months due to his engagement in hosting IPTL. "For the next four to five months, my complete focus will be on IPTL."

When asked if he will be competing next year at the professional circuit, Bhupathi quipped: "Your guess is as good as mine."

23-10
Though their rivalry is considered one of the greatest in tennis history, Rafael Nadal has a massive 23-10 lead over Roger Federer in their overall head-to-head record

Roger Federer pulls out of Montreal tournament

MONTREAL Roger Federer pulled out of next month's Rogers Cup hard-court tournament on Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for Tennis Canada, Valerie Tetreault, wrote in an email to The Associated Press that Federer "wants to make sure he will be (in) top shape for" the U.S. Open, the year's last Grand Slam tournament, which begins Aug. 31.

"I am disappointed that I won't be playing in Montreal because it's a tournament and a city that I really enjoy and has incredible fans," Federer said in a statement released by Tennis Canada. "I hope to be back in the future."

Federer, owner of a record 17 major championships, has not competed since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final on July 12.

Federer, who turns 34 on Aug. 8, won the Rogers Cup twice, in 2004 and 2006, and he was the runner-up a year ago.

"We are obviously disappointed to have Roger withdraw as it is always a privilege to watch him play," tournament director Eugene Lapierre said in a statement. "We also understand his decision because, above all, he has always been very loyal to our event and we would love to see him play tennis for many more years to come."

Play begins Aug. 10 in Montreal. Federer will be replaced in the main draw by Jerzy Janowicz, a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2013.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/article29447299.html#storylink=cpy

Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal duel to spice up IPTL-2

Roger-Rafa is the marquee match-up. Slated for December 12.

That will add spice to the Indian edition of IPTL.

IPTL, Indian premier league tennis, iptl tennis, mahesh bhupati, mahesh bhupati tennis, rafael nadal, roger federer, federer, nadal, nadal vs federer, federer vs nadal, tennis news, tennis

IPTL founder and managing director, Mahesh Bhupathi , co-owner Indian Aces Gulshan Jhurani (C) during the launch of IPTL season 2 2015 in New Delhi on Saturday. (Source: PTI)

A Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal clash is always a treat for tennis fans. What began in 2004, during the third round of the ATP Miami Masters event in which an 18-year-old Spaniard defeated the Swiss, the then world No. 1, has become part of tennis folklore.

Now, in a little over four months, tennis fans in the country will witness two of the best players slug it out in New Delhi during the second edition of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL).

Their’s is the marquee match-up — slated for December 12 — that will add spice to the Indian edition of IPTL.

Nadal, who had withdrawn from the inaugural edition last year, will represent the Indian Aces, while Federer, who was part of the Indian team last year, will be a part of the UAE Royals. Meanwhile, reigning world No. 1 Novak Djokovic will be turning out for the Singapore Slammers after appearing for the UAE team last year.

The switch took place during the Player Draft that was held in April this year, where Japan Warriors was unveiled as the fifth franchise in the tournament which already has defending champions Indian Aces, the UAE Royals, the Singapore Slammers and the Manila Mavericks.

Giving Nadal company at Aces will be Gael Monfils, Agnieszka Radwanska and Fabrice Santoro. This year’s French Open doubles champion Ivan Dodig and India’s doubles stars Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna complete the line-up.
On the upcoming second season, IPTL founder and managing director Mahesh Bhupathi said: “The first season has brought some of the world’s biggest tennis stars to cities in Asia for the first time in an all-new format. This year, we have added Japan, and with both Nadal and Nishikori in the mix, it will surely be an exciting prospect.”

Leander Paes will be another addition this year. Like Nadal, Paes too had turned down the offer to be part of IPTL’s inaugural edition.

In the second edition, however, Bhupathi’s former doubles partner will play for Japan Warriors, who will have the company of Kei Nishikori.

With the presence of Nadal, Nishikori and now the 42-year-old Paes, Bhupathi is confident the second edition of IPTL will be bigger and even better.

“It’s obviously great to have him this year around. There are very few players on the tennis court who can entertain like Leander, and this format is tailor-made for his style of play. When it comes to net-play he is easily the fastest player in the world, so it will be exciting to watch him in action,” Bhupathi said.

Since it’s inception last year, the format, the style of play and the franchise-based league’s viability was under the scanner. Bhupathi, though, quashed all criticism saying, “Yes, there was scepticism last year, but the manner in which players embraced the concept and the level of competition was such that we have managed to tick off all the boxes.”

The second edition will begin in Japan (December 2-4) and then proceed to Philippines (December 6-8), India (December 10-12), Dubai (December 14-16) and will finally round off in Singapore (December 18-20), with tickets for the India leg going on sale from August 2.

Going forward, Bhupathi admits India face a tough fight when they take on Czech Republic at the Davis Cup world group play-offs in Delhi next month.

“I have just got a call from Berdych (Tomas) last night asking me about hotel details… so they (Czech) are coming in full strength and we need nothing short of a mini-miracle if we have to beat them in Davis Cup,” he said.

Bhupathi’s advice

Sumit Nagal may be on cloud nine after bagging his junior Wimbledon doubles crown last month, but his mentor Mahesh Bhupathi has a word of caution for him.

“Winning the Wimbledon at 17 is a confidence booster no doubt, but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves… the transition from the juniors to the seniors is not going to be easy. It’s like taking 200 steps and he has to take them one step at a time. So the next 3-4 years will be crucial for him. We can give him all the support in terms of training that he requires,” Bhupathi added.

Chủ Nhật, 26 tháng 7, 2015

Roger Federer visits Malawi for charity work, opens preschool

JOHANNESBURG -- It's a long way from Centre Court at Wimbledon for Roger Federer, who has opened a preschool in impoverished Malawi as part of his charity work.

The tennis star traveled to Malawi to see firsthand the impact of funds from his foundation, which contributes to education programs in half a dozen countries in southern Africa. Federer, who turns 34 next month, described his philanthropic outreach as gratifying in a different way from the exultation of lifting a Grand Slam trophy.

"It's like meeting a friend you haven't seen for 20 years," Federer said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday in an airport hotel in Johannesburg.

The Swiss player's mother is South African, and he retains a South African passport. His foundation has withdrawn from operations in Ethiopia and Tanzania to focus on southern Africa. It aims to help educate 1 million children by 2018, an ambitious goal that Federer, the No. 2-ranked player in the world, attributes partly to his drive as a tennis player.

"You can get very sentimental and sad" about extreme poverty in places such as Malawi, he said. But he remarked on the positive attitude of the children he met, even though they have limited opportunities.

Federer who lost on July 12 to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, said he plans to start training again soon ahead of the American summer season of tournaments leading to the US Open.

Reflecting on Wimbledon, he said: "After a tournament like that, you take away the good things, but then you also take away the things that maybe you could have done better, because you can always do better."

Federer, who has won 17 Grand Slam titles, including seven Wimbledon titles, said he was disappointed at the loss to Djokovic. But he also said the media and others sometimes had high expectations and failed to fully recognize that reaching the final of a Grand Slam tournament was a stellar achievement.

"I think sometimes you need to adjust the mind of the people because it's actually a great result, being able to play a final or a semis for that matter," Federer said. "Thankfully, in tennis, we have a lot of highlights during the year, which make it actually easier to digest a loss like that."

As for his charity work, Federer said he would pursue it "way past my playing days in the years to come."

Charity the best antidote for Federer's Wimbledon woes

"It's like meeting a friend you haven't seen for 20 years."

--Roger Federer, commenting to the Associated Press in Johannesburg, South Africa, following his return to southern Africa, where he resumed his philanthropic endeavors shortly after losing the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic.

The all-time Grand Slam singles champion, while articulate and sometimes even verbose, isn't famous for his poetic phrasing. After all, he is Swiss. But his choice of words suggests just how powerfully Roger Federer feels about the needs of those African children and the work he underwrites with the aim of providing at least a million children with a decent education by 2018.

It's usually like that when any person of conscience visits a place of dire poverty or hardship. Confronted with the reality of how harsh life can be for the less fortunate is like a slap in the face, but to see how gamely so many bear up -- Federer remarked upon the "positive" attitude of the children -- is inspirational. It puts things into an entirely new perspective.

A new perspective may be just the thing a person like Federer needs after staring into the black hole of Novak Djokovic's forehand cannon time after time on the pretty green lawn of Wimbledon.

"I think sometimes you need to adjust the mind of the people because it's actually a great result, being able to play a final or a semis for that matter," Federer said in Johannesburg.

We know what Federer is doing for children in English-speaking African nations (including Malawi, Namibia and Botswana). His eponymous foundation is helping them experience a "better quality of education," as he told the AP.

But let's not forget what this project does for Federer, which is a less obvious and unpublicized mission. It certainly isn't why he does his charity work, but it's a pleasant and useful byproduct.

Most of the places Federer might have flocked to after Wimbledon would have been filled and populated with reminders that he had just blown a chance to add an 18th major title to his résumé.

Federer failed to consolidate a first-set break in the final and lost a first-set tiebreaker, and the rest was history -- a tale of woe that would be reflected in the eyes most everyone he would encounter in the normal course of things in aftermath of Wimbledon.

But there, in those one-room South African schoolhouses where the exteriors were so gaily painted in primary colors, the only thing Federer would read in the large, liquid eyes of the children would be wonder. Not one of them had any real idea who he was, but they were curious. And happy. And they knew he was a friend, as well as a novelty. He might have just dropped in from Jupiter.

It didn't matter whether Federer won an 18th major or even played tennis at all. That's a luxury no amount of money can buy.

Unlike some celebrities who purchase their self-esteem and the public's approval by throwing money at charitable causes (no complaint: the money certainly helps, no matter where it comes from), Federer seems engaged with his charity. It couldn't have been a good feeling to get on a plane headed for South Africa right after he lost that Wimbledon final.

But once in the country for a few days, Federer seemed more grounded. Exposure to poverty is a wake-up call to the soul, even for the innately dispassionate. Federer seemed almost out of his emotional depth when he said, "You can get very sentimental and sad."

True enough. But you can also get out of your own head and come away with a fresh perspective and a new sense of mission. It can make you want to further help impoverished children. Just as they helped Federer.

Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson named the three most marketable athletes in the world

Federer and Woods are no longer at the top of their sports, but that hasn't yet swayed sponsorship interest (Source: Getty)

No one sells like a golden oldie when it comes to sports, according to a new power ranking of the world's most marketable athletes.

Read more: Ronaldo named Europe's "most marketable" footballer

Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are all nearing the twilight of their careers, but have been named as the three most marketable athletes in the world, in a new power ranking put together by the London School of Marketing (LSM).

According to the school's research, companies spend around £500m on the top 100 best paid sports stars in the world, representing 25 per cent of their total income.

Only two women appear in the top 20, something LSM put down to the fact companies use sports to advertise to the traditionally hard to reach 16-30 male demographic.

Read more: Ronaldo beats Messi with $22.5m endorsements

Jacques de Cock, faculty member at London School Marketing, commented:

Despite having passed their peak physically, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are kings. He may not have won Wimbledon this year, but it's Federer's personal characteristics which sponsors find so attractive.

Sports stars can boost a brand’s equity. The values attributed to sportsmen (honesty, hard work, dedication, skill, etc.) can be of significant value to brands that are not naturally associated with this, for instance, banking, insurance and utilities.

Also some brands enhance their glamour factor, this is especially the case for Rolex and its association with tennis with Federer.

See the full list below: