Huge chimp mauls woman in Conn.

At the time of the 2003 incident, police said the Herolds told them the chimpanzee was toilet trained, dressed himself, took his own bath, ate at the table and drank wine from a stemmed glass. He also brushed his teeth using a Water Pik, logged onto the computer to look at pictures, and watched television using the remote control, police said.

Click here for more.

What a player really feels when his opponent retires.

Sequence of thoughts not expressed aloud:

1. Hey, I won. Even if I did not get the shot at celebrating the usual way, it’s nice that I didn’t have to expend the unnecessary energy to just complete the formality against an injured opponent.

2. Oh, crap. Now I have to start thinking of the speech to pretend how sorry I am and how no one really wants to win this way and blah blah blahbaty blah.

And what’s the sequence for the vanquished?

1. The injury is not bad, but I am NOT winning this. So why waste my energy?

2. Oh, wait. Everyone will attack me for being a quitter. Who freaking cares. People will all get bent out of shape for a while and then everyone forgets it anyway.

Who amongst the top four had most to gain at Dubai?

If you are just crawling out from under that rock, Federer was eliminated in the first round by Murray last year.

The only other similar ‘points grabbing’ event left for Federer is Montreal now. Simon took him out in the opening round there.

At Dubai last year:

Nadal lost in quarters to Roddick.

Djokovic lost in the semis to Roddick.

Murray lost to Davydenko in quarters.

The ONE shot responsible for Federer’s back trouble.

It’s the ‘running around the ball for the forehand’ shot, don’t you think?

Of course there are many factors leading up to the injury, but our body will allow most natural movements to slide for enough time for a normal human being to complete a full sports career, dictated by history and past players.

But to contort your body with unnatural movements over and over again will not get the passage from mother nature. And that includes movements in the bedroom with a less mobile and dangerous partner unless missionary is the password.

As opponents have made a bee line to attack Federer’s backhand so unashamedly over the years, Federer’s only response, other than some improvement, has been to run around the ball to close the point quickly.

While most players may come on the court against Federer with that strategy, not  many are able to execute it to where Federer HAS to use the backhand. For two reasons: Pace and placement.

Nadal, Djokovic and Murray are obvious exceptions with varying degrees of success amongst them. Last couple of matches against both Murray and Nadal are exhibit A.

Add to all that the advanced age of nearing 28 alongwith the five some years of compacting the sport has ever seen and you have a ripe case of the back giving way.

Sampras faced the same dilemma so much so that he started standing so far to his left that the open court was just too much of a temptation for his opponent. But Sampras had one of the best running forehand the game has ever seen to not lose much with that lopsided move. In fact it at times proved to be a trap.

No matter how completely the injury heals, Federer, from now on, will have to pull back on that run around shot if he wants to first extend his career to where he wants and secondly to avoid a relapse of the back problem.

ATP: Height ceiling? WTA: Weight ceiling?

 

 

 

 

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Federer on his back. From Louise. Thanks.

LOUISE

Federer not to play in dubai and davis cup

Today I am disappointed to announce that I am withdrawing from both Dubai and the Davis Cup tie in the United States. This was a hard decision to make as I am missing not only one of my favorite events on tour in Dubai but I am also missing out on an opportunity to help my country try and move on to the next round of Davis Cup. After injuring my back last fall, I did not have enough time to strengthen it completely. As a precautionary measure, I will use the next few weeks to make sure the back injury is fully rehabilitated and I am ready for the rest of the 2009 season.

Photos.

 

Woman freaks out after missing a flight.

Why people hate Federer?

Jealousy: How about professional jealousy? You think every clown on the tour worships Federer? Are you freaking kidding me!!!!! There are many who just outright hate Federer, but due to his strong and loyal fan base and the Djokovic’s mom’s experiment, they are forced to zip it for fear of being declared an outcast.

Can you think of some who might fall in that category? Sure you can!!! Heard of Roddick and Nadal? Oh, what did you say? They are always so respectful and congratulatory etc. etc.?

You know I have heard people say ‘So and so has a good heart’. That’s such bullcrap. No one knows what the other person is REALLY thinking and what he or she will do under any given circumstances no matter how stellar a reputation they enjoy.

Don’t believe it? Take for example your own miserable life. You think you are an upstanding citizen, right? Now go back into your messed up life and think of all the infractions you have committed directly in conflict to your goody goody image.

Translation: Even if you could go for that despicable behavior / activity, anyone else will too. No one is a saint and the last criteria to base your opinion of anybody is what they say or how they move in public. That’s all acting.

Remember the criteria I gave you to find the real person?

-You have to be a neighbor, or ask a neighbor.

-You have to travel long distance with the subject, or ask someone who has.

-You have to have done some business, or ask someone who has.

Freaking point is this: Roddick and Nadal may be the ones to hate Federer the most despite what all comes out of their mouth and elsewhere. Don’t they have the most legitimate reasons to be in possession of those feelings? Sure they do!!!

Country of origin: It’s easier for everyone to take the beating if the dominant bully is from the traditional big cat nations of USA, Australia and the UK. But when a guy from a tiny country not known for any sport, forget about tennis, starts to beat you up again and again, that malaise knows no boundaries.

You think Roddick, Hewitt and Murray go to other countries with a sense of superiority just based on which country they are from? You bet!!!! Big part of the problem Djokovic is facing today is not realising that delicate rule on the tour.

Djokovic left his country early to train outside, forcing him to think he is one of them when the big cats always have looked at him as a kid from Serbia.

Sampras may have attracted some of that wrath from the locker room but the root was never grounded on where he is from. In fact it deflected lot of that flak.

Huge female following: Do I need to say anything here? No male wants to admit being so far behind amongst the opposite sex, even if there’s a very reasonable and legitimate reason for it.

Accepting Safin or Roddick as the leader in that category is far more ‘stomachable’ than Federer with his average looks and features. Even Nadal with his muscular build has an edge.

‘Sorest loser in the history of sports’ label: It’s now official. Federer is largely assumed to be the most ungracious loser in the history of sports. From long faces at award ceremonies to berating his victors (Nadal, Djokovic and Murray) to actually crying like a little girl at the AO, it’s more than enough fodder to justify that new crown.

Nothing can bag you the wrath of fans faster than being a jerk every time you lose. It’s now happened so many times from Roland Garros to Wimbledon to Cincinnati to Dubai to the AO that even his own fans are turning on him.

Why don’t these ATP clowns standardise on the court color, for crying out loud?

Rotterdam was freaking red. When will the one with sparkles make the debut? Geeezz, lewis!!!!!

Considering the huge majority of fans watch the matches on TV and the computer where reception and stream quality is suspect to the extent that you can at times hardly see the ball, isn’t it time to choose ONE freaking color to make the ball as visible as possible?

Even clay should be mixed with color to conform to this guideline, don’t you think? 

Even on their own website these ATP clowns have the highlights where half the time you are going by the movement of the players to solve the mystery.

If you don’t want to invest in better electronic equipment for fear of shelling out money earmarked for your deep pockets, why not at least use the right color on the court to make up for your cheapness. 

If I see one more match with moronic court color I am going to lose it. Why? Because I just realised, you cannot just replace the screen you have to buy the whole TV or computer.

Was back responsible for the miserable first serve %age from Federer at the AO final?

How else can you explain plummeting to 37 percent in the second set to close the match at 52? Oddly Federer won that set. Go figure.

Translation: Federer felt the back injury coming in the middle of the five setter in the final, if not while closing out Berdych in the fourth round. But the magnitude of the occasion and what was at stake forced him to either ignore or not feel the pain at all.

Those serve numbers with six double faults (one in the final game to go down 0-30) and just 11 aces in a five set match further cements the claim that the back had started acting up right then, if not earlier. Federer typically dishes out about that many aces in two sets. Add the fact that historically every freaking cucumber surpasses his ace count against Nadal routinely and you know something was amiss.

This news comes a day after I touted Federer’s superior conditioning as the ONLY real advantage he has over the younger opponents today forcing me to recant any perceived advantage Federer may now have.

While many players have come back to play their usual game at any sport after nursing many injuries, but there are just a handful of them who were able to return to their form after a debilitating back injury.

This could also be the result of messed up scheduling to start this season, considering the signs were pretty obvious at the year-ending TMC event last year. Federer opted to play at three events before the AO, when he usually goes for just one.

Additionally, Federer is now not dishing as many bagels (how about none?) on one hand while getting into protracted battles routinely to produce four and five setters, on the other. The amount of perspiration, compared to just a year ago on his body further underscores the point.

Federer is now clearly forced to put out more even when he is winning in straight sets, comparatively speaking, taxing his already burdened body and mind.

Just that Roddick was able to take Federer to three close sets AFTER a whitewash of Del Potro, a more decorated warrior at least for the past eight months, could also be a pointer in the direction Federer is headed today.

However, I feel the back problem has flared up largely because of two clowns: Murray and Nadal. The stifling defense these two produce not only just frustrates Federer, it also makes Federer work much harder for every point, sometimes producing upto five ‘out of world’ shots to barely win a point.

Wasn’t this back trouble given birth at a match against Murray at TMC last year?

It’s no wonder that all his losses this year have come to these jokers. Is this just another cry for help from his body now that mono is history to beg for mercy and rest? Will it eventually go away like mono if ignored or is break time here?

This injury in a way evens the playing field amongst the top four to an extent that even Roddick may get emboldened to step up and reach for the spoils.

With an already hurting Murray and an exhausted Djokovic left of the quadruplets, Dubai is up for grabs.

Federer will have no one to blame other than himself if he messes up with this injury to jeopardise not just this season but his entire career, whatever is left of it. Margin of error is non existent given the fast closing window and the proximity to promised land.

Will someone with a brain step in to counsel Federer this time since his own decisions have not delivered at least on these issues, or will it be same old same old?

Murray, minutes after visit from Serena?

Players with asterisk to their career.

Steffi Graf: Seles?

Agassi: Won his last three Slams after Sampras went into hibernation / retirement.

Federer: Unfair ‘too much talent’ advantage.

Nadal: Unfair ‘too much do or die’ attitude advantage.

Photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will Federer’s future Slam(s), if any, be grounded in what’s outside his box now?

I mean, except for the last two Slams Federer has won, all of his majors were largely won due to his superior talent and skill. He was by far the better player at each one of them and deservedly held the trophy high on that Sunday.

The last two were not as pure in that respect. While you cannot fault Federer for his finalist clown to be green and awed by the occasion to the extent that his real game deserts him, it was nevertheless a clear departure from what had been the norm for Federer at every Slam.

Add to it the fact that on both occasions, the finalist at the last two US Opens eventually beat Federer the very next time they met, further strengthening the argument on how handcuffed they were on the big stage for their first time there.

Djokovic’s may have some mono BS spun into it but with Murray there appears no doubt where the rivalry is headed.

Although Djokovic never beat Federer after that AO semifinal, giving credence to the mono BS, but part of the reason was Djokovic’s own decline in focus and consistency evident from the fact that he failed to win a hard court title since March of last year. That TMC title was won more out of default than his own showing.

Translation: Evidence points to complete paralysis of both opponents in the final as a very possible reason Federer won No. 12 and 13, more than Federer’s superior skill and talent so conspicuously obvious in all of his other 11 Slams. Unable to duplicate that win on both right after that match up stands as a strong exhibit to prove the point.

But there’s nothing unique or alarming about the trend. Every great has gone through that phase to extend his career beyond the standard window to break the barrier between mortals and legends.

Kobe Bryant is at it now. He just won the MVP at the All-Star game yesterday despite Le Bron’s equally intense desire to win it for himself. You think Kobe is using his experience and greater understanding of the game to hold off a determined effort from a younger and extremely hungry Le Bron? You bet!!!!

But that intangible edge over a younger opponent can only take you so far. That bridge can extend only that much before youth and the hungrier mindset takes over.

However, with the way things have opened this season, Federer may have another huge advantage that may potentially determine ALL of his future Slam wins. Have a clue? No, you don’t!!!!

It’s the injuries that have plagued all three of his top adversaries. Nadal, Djokovic and Murray are all hurting so early in the season. Federer’s superior conditioning may turn into a weapon his talent and skill was once, to produce another streak of Slams just enough for him to sail past Sampras.

His talent alone now appears insufficient to consistently win over the upstarts. With No. 28 approaching and the field getting more experienced and seasoned, this may be the opening that can tilt the scales in Federer’s favor before the cats stabilise the ship.

Every great in any sport has won some of the big prizes this way. They themselves were surprised by the outcome, given how sup-bar their own performance was.

It’s called being lucky AFTER you have paid the dues or what do they say ‘Luck favors the one who works hard’ or something like that.

Federer should rally to convince ATP to move the other three Slams of the year to March. Does he really have to give a reason for it?

Injuries / illnesses to all three clowns are recurring ones, ones each has fought for sometime now opening the door for Federer just enough to finish his job.

Not getting to No. 14 for Federer is like Jordan never winning a championship. Everyone has unanimously acknowledged Federer as the greatest to ever pick up a racket, but if stats don’t stand behind that claim, specially the gold standard ones, the whole accolade loses its thunder.

With the other gold standard of most straight years as No 1. already toast, Federer needs this as badly as he once needed the Roland Garros title. He can then retire content and satisfied, despite the Roland Garros blot. If not, it will haunt him for the rest of his life, more than Lendl is haunted by his 11 Slam final defeats.

Solution to tracking players 24/7 for doping.

How about providing a GPS phone players carry everywhere?

Isn’t it that simple or I am missing something?

Photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One phrase not likely to be used too often in tennis circles.

“I am getting closer to beating _____”.

Two clowns have made enough fool of themselves over it, to ensure no one in the history of the sport ever dares to utter this phrase, don’t you think? – Federer and Roddick.

Will these three clowns make me look good?

Nadal, Serena and Sharapova. Click here for more.

This knee problem in the second month of the season from Nadal must have ignited a severe case of salivating from Federer. No matter what the reason is for this latest flare, the fact that it’s right where the hammer has knocked for the past three years is enough for Nadal camp to shift to panic mode.

Is this how Federer is destined to become a GOAT? At this point just getting there is more than enough, even if it’s Roddick in the final at Roland Garros.

But if this turns out the way I think it will, Nadal may not be as regretful as he would have been if this would have happened the same time last year.

After all he did manage to dislodge the few huge monkeys off his back, ones that were threatening his very legacy as a tennis player - from No. 1 rank to hard court Slam title to Olympics to Wimbledon.

But as Uncle Tony has deservedly cornered the glory after navigating Nadal through troubled waters both on and off the court to unleash this great run for the past nine some months, he will have to take the brunt of the blame for not addressing this problem sufficiently enough to allow Nadal to complete a full tennis career.

Or maybe, after reviewing all options, this WAS the plan out of default considering Federer’s presence. Maybe it was now or never to get those monkeys off and the price was the real possibility of an abrupt end to the career.

If this was discussed after the knee injury started worsening two years ago, Nadal may be able to walk away from the sport with lot less regret and remorse than Borg.

And if that leads to Federer winning that elusive title, it may become the classic case of  ‘All’s well that’s ends well’.

Nadal, unlike Federer, cannot pull off anything without being close to 100 percent even on clay. He is just not as talented and versatile as Federer. Every freaking cucumber knows that.

Are we looking at another case of ‘what if’ or will Uncle Tony step up to vindicate himself by pulling off a miracle?

Australia’s worst bushfire disaster. From Dee. Thanks.

DEE

Here is a bit of news from Victoria, Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/08/2485648.htm

If any of you like to contribute to Australia’s(Victoria) bushfire appeal-
http://www.redcross.org.au/vic/services_emergencyservices_victorian-bushfires-appeal-2009.htm
thanks
Dee

Mom’s song. From Dee. Thanks.

DEE

For All mums, this is for you!

Roche as Federer’s coach? From Gerard. Thanks.

GERARD

This is a timely thread to bring up again TP. Hindsight is a wondrous thing of course. You wrote this original article in 2007 ….. but when you read response 5 by Duncan, 6 by Michael and 7 by Brad they seem to be almost prophetic. I too have sensed the error in judgement Federer made since he ‘fired’ Rochey and suggested myself back then that that was a big mistake by him and it is a shame that Federer’s results started to misfire not long after he parted company with the great Roche.

It is time that Federer realised this too and that is – if he genuinely wants to unshackle his bridesmaid role that he has gifted to Nadal – which he has now had virtually imprinted on his psyche for the last 2 years, which funnily enough coincides with his departure from Rochey. Roche and only Roche can get Federer to dig inside himself and reinvent his mercurial talents and bring his ‘A’ game back to get Nadal, and Federer knows it. Is he just too proud or stubborn to request it though? Gilbert is without question definitely not the man and maybe the next best is Darren Cahill. But Federer needs a coach without question and the longer he resists making that call to Tony Roche the sadder the final epithet on his career will become which prior to his rather mediocre 2008 season by his standards, was almost a certainty that he was a serious contender for GOAT status, but sadly this cannot ever be so now with such a dismal h2h (6 – 13) with his nemesis and no seeming way to correct it. Nadal owns Federer’s head on court and all credit to Nadal and his Uncle Tony for masterminding and maintaining this stranglehold over Federer. If Federer can secure Rochey on a full-time basis as his coach (not the ridiculous part-time role he had him engaged on previously) then he could reverse this domination Nadal has over him. Roche is a genius coach and together he and Federer can displace Sampras’s records which is so tantalisingly close but at the same time a gorilla not a monkey on his back and he should have passed this record well and truly by now, and he would have almost certainly done so I’m certain if he had kept Rochey in his corner. An all out assault to secure Roche on a full time role by Federer should be made post-haste and definitely before the clay court season begins.

When you see the statistics in the thread posted in Tennis Planet of how many grand slams have been won by players past the age of 28, other than Spongebob’s six, Only Agassi has negotiated father time with aplomb with his amazing 4 grand slam titles after his 28th birthday. Only Lendl, Connors and Sampras each managed to win 2 Grand Slam titles after the age of 28 this sort of tells us that time is now also a huge enemy of Federer’s not to mention, the hungry lions; Djokovic, Murray, Gulbis, Tsonga, Simon, Verdasco and others chomping at his heels and Nadal’s. Federer’s next birthday in August this year he turns 28.

So the equation is simple really, finish his career with some wins over Nadal which through seedings has to be in finals and to do this he needs Tony Roche as his full time coach asap or sooner. Father time and the ‘lions’ will very soon start changing the landscape for Federer in the Grand Slams and his tenure as a perennial finalist or winner in Grand Slams is going to start getting tougher and tougher and his exit earlier unless guided and managed through this under the guidance of a coach of the stature of Tony Roche from now on. Since writing this thread TP, this path you, I and others have sensed and suggested regarding his need of a coach is now a must for Federer and the results since this thread was written has seen the decline in Grand Slam titles he has won …. 3 titles ….. Wimbledon (only just) in 5 sets over Nadal in 2007, The US Open in 2007 and his last was the US open in 2008. His previous 3 years he had won at least 3 Grand Slams a year. He has now lost in his own backyard at Wimbledon (200 and on hard court at this years (2009) Australian open against a clay courter and again Nadal. I hope we get to see Federer challenge his main rival and that his head when playing Nadal, Rochey is the key to this being possible.

Cheers
Gerard

Happy birthday to Schop: February 15.

Hey TP san, sunday 15th of February is my birthday (born @46°40′51″N)!

I would like to have some pictures of ROGER FEDERER and YOU!, TP SAN!

I remember that about 1(1/2) years ago you posted some pictures of you in this freaking blog.
But now, pls take a picture of you which has never been on the net, otherwise we are going to identify you!

Thank you and enjoy your break!

Taking a freaking break.

You should too.

Should be back by Monday, Feb 16th, 2009.

Betting wing at Gitmo?

What would be the most interesting match at Dubai after the AO result?

Federer vs Verdasco, don’t you think?

Guy is a lefty, has defeated Murray and took Nadal, the eventual winner at AO, to five freaking sets.

Is that enough for this match to qualify as the most intriguing match going forward – not just on hard but clay too?

With Djokovic tapering off, can Verdasco fill that fourth slot to keep things interesting? Or Ivanovic has to stup Nadal for that to happen now?

Dubai line up.

2009 Men’s Line Up

Player Name	Nat.	Rank
Rafael Nadal	ESP	1
Roger Federer	SUI	2
Novak Djokovic	SRB	3
Andy Murray	GBR	4
Nikolay Davydenko	RUS	5
Andy Roddick	USA	6
Gilles Simon	FRA	8
Fernando Verdasco	ESP	9
David Ferrer	ESP	12
Igor Andreev	RUS	21
Marin Cilic	CRO	22
Ivo Karlovic	CRO	25
Richard Gasquet	FRA	26
Feliciano Lopez	ESP	28
Dmitry Tursunov	RUS	30
Rainer Schuettler	GER	31
Jurgen Melzer	AUT	32
Simone Bolelli	ITA	37
Philipp Kohlschreiber	GER	38
Victor Hanescu	ROU	41
Julien Benneteau	FRA	44
Viktor Troicki	SRB	49
Janko Tipsarevic	SRB	50
Mikhail Youzhny	RUS	62

Can Nadal average one Slam a year till age 30 to reach 13 career Slams?

What can Nadal do to demoralise Federer even more?

He has taken over the No. 1 rank, won at Federer’s backyard – Wimbledon (despite 25 aces and 65% first serve %age from Federer), has bageled him at Roland Garros, defeated him on hard court and won the Olympic Gold. What’s next?

Winning the US Open with 25 aces and 65% first serve from Federer to put the debate to rest once and for all?

Rafael Nadal proposes to nominate Roger Federer for Spain’s prestigious Prince of Asturias award, which Nadal won himself last year.

This award gesture is coming straight out of his PR team. For Nadal to be still a friend to Federer, despite all the havoc he has caused to the train running smoothly to GOAT station, is testament to how deftly seriously and competently his career has been handled right down to the T.

There appears to be touch of sincerity there. Would it have happened if Federer had not burst into tears after losing? Maybe. But it certainly must have pushed it hard.

Nevertheless it’s a class move destined to pay back many times over both on and off the court.

Slams won after age 28.

Player	Slam
Sampras	2
Agassi	4
Lendl	2
Connors	2
McEnroe	0
Borg	0
Spongebob	6
Wilander	0
Becker	0
Edberg	0

Nadal the ‘storyteller’.

Side burns taking the wrong turn?

Nadal vs Federer AO ’09 final: Last game.