Wishing NINA (Gracie’s sister) all the best from freaks.

Obscure facts on players: Isner.

-As of March 2010 is the number-two ranked American tennis player with a career high rank of 20.

-Lives in North Carolina, USA.

-Full name John Robert Isner.

-Father, Robert, is a builder; mother Karen, is a real estate agent.

-Has two older brothers, Jordan, 26, who is a teaching tennis pro and Nathan, 28, who is a builder and works with his father.

-Hobbies include playing poker, golf, basketball and watching ESPN.

-His favorite TV show is “Curb Your Enthusiasm”.

-Says if he wasn’t a tennis player he would probably be a basketball player. Idol was former NBA star Karl Malone.

-Wears a size 15 shoe.

Haas in photos.

B Phau, Federer’s opening round opponent @ Estoril has already defeated Federer once.

Name: Bjorn Phau.

Country: Germany.

Height: 5’9″.

H2H: 1-1. Federer beat him in ’07 @ the AO 7-5, 6-0, 6-4. Phau beat Fed in ’99 @ Washington 6-2, 6-3.

Turned pro: ’99. Fed did in ’98.

Career titles: 0.

What happened last time Federer played @ Estoril in ’08.

He dropped a set in his opening freaking match to Oliver freaking Rochus, then a 77th ranked midget at 5’6″ and 140 lbs.

He straight setted the next two opponents before dropping another set to Denis Gremelmayr, then a 104th ranked whose current ranking is 324th.

In both cases, the opening set was dropped forcing Federer to come from behind to win the matches.

In the finals the score was 7-6(5), 1-2 before Davydenko retired.

Lesson from Del Potro’s wrist injury.

For rock people, Del Potro is now slated to miss the rest of the season if not more. For some, it may not have come as some massive surprise given the bombs he unleashed on his way to winning the US Open title. Unlike Federer who is able to clock about the same reading on the radar gun by calling on the sweet spot for help, Del Potro has used raw brute force as a major ingredient in his quest to throw down winners.

He is just another Nadal who is sacrificing ONE body part unlike Nadal who has to engage his entire body and some, to get by. The key is attempt to seek balance so you can avoid overloading the circuitry at few critical junctures. While it’s tempting to just use your naturally ‘easy to master’ forehand as the go-to shot, the restriction of the rectangle’s real estate, current technology, quicker, stronger and more athletic players, the dumbing down of surfaces etc. are some factors making it nearly impossible to let that shot go much further compared to what it has been able to achieve in the past.

Players who can now sustain a consistent run at the top of the chain will have to be far more crafty and manipulative with not just the shots in their quiver but also many other factors that may include pacing through the season, added help in their corner from a mental doctor to ‘No’ man to person trained to channel deviant sexual tendencies to basic etiquette teacher to wardrobe selector to how to look human etc.

There’s just ONE way to neutralize the physical advantage that is most likely to become a norm in the years ahead: A humongous variety of shots. Federer and Justine are perfect specimens of what can shine through regardless of how much other more ostensibly dominant logs are poured in the mix.

Bottom line: The days ‘one trick pony’ or even a ‘two trick one’ are OVER. It may still get you to see the light of the day but that term is heavily momentary. Does that mean we are entering a phase where no one will exceed five Slams for the career due to infighting largely attributed to incompetence? Probably.

Portugal.

Photos.

Uncle Toni confirms Rafa will play Madrid. From M. Thanks.

M

Uncle Toni confirms Rafa will play Madrid.
The confirmation is in the La Razon article (which is in Spanish), but there’s a feature in the NY Times that also alludes to it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/sports/tennis/05iht-ARENA.html
http://www.larazon.es/noticia/6929-toni

Juan Martín del Potro faces long lay-off after wrist surgery. From M. Thanks.

M

Juan Martín Del Potro Faces Long Layoff After Wrist Surgery

Click here.

Federer takes children to Estoril Open, remembers his youth. From M. Thanks.

M

This is too cute

FEDERER TAKES CHILDREN TO ESTORIL OPEN; REMEMBERS HIS YOUTH
Click here.
pictures