Saturday, December 17, 2011

Novak Djokovic ends year with record in prize money

Current number one Novak Djokovic has made not only big waves on the tour this year, but also in prize money rankings.

He has earned a record $12.6 million just during this season not including endorsements. This is an all-time record for a single season, surpassing the $10.1 million record that was shared by Roger Federer for his 2007 season and Rafael Nadal’s 2010 season.

Djokovic won 10 titles this year, including 3 Grand Slams at Wimbledon, US Open and the Australian Open. This record is truly impressive for someone so young and we hope to see some great tennis from him in 2012. Will Novak reach the legendary status of Federer and Nadal if he continues to play the way he played this year?

Comment below!

ATP World Tour Finals 2011: Line-Up

We have reached the last tournament of the ATP season featuring the 8 best players of the year competing for the ultimate honor in men’s tennis. Let’s take a look at the two groups and who will feature in each one.

Group A:

1. Novak Djokovic

3. Andy Murray

5. David Ferrer

7. Tomas Berdych

Group B:

2. Rafael Nadal

4. Roger Federer

6. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

8. Mardy Fish

Play is due to start on Sunday November 20, 2011 at 7 am Eastern time with coverage being streamed on the Tennis Channel in the US. First up is Group B with Federer vs Tsonga and later on Nadal vs Fish. There should be some very good tennis up on display during the week and it will be exciting to see which of the Top 4 will hold up best, or if a dark horse should emerge from the shadows to claim the title at this year’s year-ending championships. Stay tuned!

Murray uses excuse for his loss to Berdych in Paris

After losing to Tomas Berdych in the Paris Masters quarterfinals, Andy Murray complained that his opponent should not have been given three new balls during the third set of their match. While facing two break points, the umpire Fergus Murphy gave Berdych new balls because he complained that those were too soft. Here is what the Brit had to say:

“Tomas decided that the balls were too soft—which they weren’t,” asserted Murray. “The umpire gave him three brand new balls to serve with … I wasn’t aware that they were just changing three brand new balls. Then that totally changed the way the ball plays and the court plays. That was what happened. I just asked, ‘Is it not normal to let the opponent also see the balls?”

Murray then also received a warning for his behavior towards the umpire, ”Actually I said bollocks to the chair umpire and that got me a warning. I have been to watch a lot of football matches and you say a lot worse than that and you don’t get yellow card,” he said.

Despite all the commotion, Berdych won the match with a score of 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 and Murray went home the loser. If you ask me, Murray is just wasting his time complaining about this and should think about his next tournament. What happened, happened and no excuse is going to help him win the match. Both players played with the new balls and Berdych was the one who handled it better, end of story.

Novak Djokovic claims first US Open title in 2011

Whether or not this was the best match of the year, it definitely was the most entertaining in my memory. When the two biggest players in the world are playing at the biggest venue in tennis, you are bound to see one of the greatest spectacles in sport.

Both players had high expectations coming into the final of this year’s US Open. Novak Djokovic was going in with his top ranking and his prominent win-loss record of only 2 losses for the whole year. Nadal came in as the defending champion with plenty on the line. The winner of this match would be determined by the level of their concentration and the true-ness of their grit.

The first set was marked by great athletic ability with both players running around the court like wild horses on a field. Retrieving every ball as if their life depended on it, most rallies lasted more than 10-15 shots. And surprisingly, the quality of play didn’t disappoint the crowd for the rest of the match. It was hard to believe how these two could get to so many balls back in the court, which really emphasizes the importance of physical readiness and how it could help you be a better player.

After crushing Nadal in the first two sets, when Nadal was leading 2-0 in both of them, it looked as though Rafa had no more gas in his tank. But just when you think he is down, he got back up and took Djokovic to a tiebreak which he eventually won with a score of 7-3.

In the fourth set, Djokovic started receiving treatment for his back, sending the crowd into a wave of whispers and ultimately giving us the question if Djokovic will have a vulnerability that will work to Nadal’s liking. Nadal however did not deliver as expected and Djokovic took his chance to become this year’s US Open champion.

Throwing his racquet in disbelief and sinking to his knees, Djokovic’s box erupted into a frenzy. The ceremony was then quickly set up and we heard a few words from both great champions. Nadal stepped up to take his finalist plate and humbly admitted that Djokovic was just too good for him today. Djokovic also congratulated Nadal for his run to the final and gave a message of salute to his box and of course to the fans. Both players also said a few words about the incident that has rocked New York and the whole world for the last 10 years and commemorated those who have fallen and are still affected by this tragedy.

It was a great match and a great finish to the last Grand Slam of the year, but the year is still not over and there is still more great tennis to come!

Congrats to Novak for his amazing win and year so far. He goes home with the trophy and a prize of US$2.3 million dollars because of his position in this year’s Race to the US Open. Nadal on the other hand goes back to the drawing board to work on what went wrong today and how he could dismantle Djokovic in their next meeting.

Novak Djokovic claims first US Open title in 2011

Whether or not this was the best match of the year, it definitely was the most entertaining in my memory. When the two biggest players in the world are playing at the biggest venue in tennis, you are bound to see one of the greatest spectacles in sport.

Both players had high expectations coming into the final of this year’s US Open. Novak Djokovic was going in with his top ranking and his prominent win-loss record of only 2 losses for the whole year. Nadal came in as the defending champion with plenty on the line. The winner of this match would be determined by the level of their concentration and the true-ness of their grit.

The first set was marked by great athletic ability with both players running around the court like wild horses on a field. Retrieving every ball as if their life depended on it, most rallies lasted more than 10-15 shots. And surprisingly, the quality of play didn’t disappoint the crowd for the rest of the match. It was hard to believe how these two could get to so many balls back in the court, which really emphasizes the importance of physical readiness and how it could help you be a better player.

After crushing Nadal in the first two sets, when Nadal was leading 2-0 in both of them, it looked as though Rafa had no more gas in his tank. But just when you think he is down, he got back up and took Djokovic to a tiebreak which he eventually won with a score of 7-3.

In the fourth set, Djokovic started receiving treatment for his back, sending the crowd into a wave of whispers and ultimately giving us the question if Djokovic will have a vulnerability that will work to Nadal’s liking. Nadal however did not deliver as expected and Djokovic took his chance to become this year’s US Open champion.

Throwing his racquet in disbelief and sinking to his knees, Djokovic’s box erupted into a frenzy. The ceremony was then quickly set up and we heard a few words from both great champions. Nadal stepped up to take his finalist plate and humbly admitted that Djokovic was just too good for him today. Djokovic also congratulated Nadal for his run to the final and gave a message of salute to his box and of course to the fans. Both players also said a few words about the incident that has rocked New York and the whole world for the last 10 years and commemorated those who have fallen and are still affected by this tragedy.

It was a great match and a great finish to the last Grand Slam of the year, but the year is still not over and there is still more great tennis to come!

Congrats to Novak for his amazing win and year so far. He goes home with the trophy and a prize of US$2.3 million dollars because of his position in this year’s Race to the US Open. Nadal on the other hand goes back to the drawing board to work on what went wrong today and how he could dismantle Djokovic in their next meeting.

Novak Djokovic using new method of healing himself after shoulder injury

After enduring a shoulder injury against Andy Murray in the final of the Cincinnati Masters and having to retire at 6-4 3-0 down, Novak Djokovic used a method of healing that is highly unorthodox for most athletes.

He has stated in the WSJ that he is using a a machine called the hyperbaric chamber in which, a person stays inside in order to compress the muscles at rhythmic intervals. The machine does this by simulating an environment that has high altitude.

The machine in question is called the CVAC Pod which is made by CVAC Systems. It costs $75,000 and the company which makes it, claims that a mere 20 minutes in the pod three times a week can boost athletic performance by drastically improving circulation, boosting red-blood cells, removing lactic acid and maybe aid in stem-cell production.

CVAC Systems CEO Allen Ruszkowski also claims that the technology may be twice as effective at helping the body absorb oxygen as blood doping, which we all know is banned as a performance enhancement. Strangely enough, other athletes are said to use the pod. Ruszkowski said they do so “because they feel it’s a competitive advantage.”

During the current US Open tourney in New York held for the next two weeks, Novak is said to be staying at the New Jersey home of former pro Gordon Uehling, who apparently houses this futuristically innovative machine. Some current clients of another former touring pro Geoff Grant, who have tried the machine “say it’s like a drug. It’s weird—it’s definitely something from the future.”

Current number one in the world Novak Djokovic had this to say about the new miracle-working gadget. ”I think it really helps—not with muscle but more with recovery after an exhausting set,” Djokovic said. “It’s like a spaceship. It’s very interesting technology.”

Whether or not this thing really works, which will be quite interesting to examine especially with Novak’s US Open campaign getting started this week, it is a very interesting concept of another step being taken in medicinal technological advances and only time will tell whether or not the “pod” is going to be a more favorable method of healing injuries and recovering from strenuous hours of work on the playing field for other top athletes.

What do you think about this revelation from Novak? Will it become the new go-to trend for athletic therapy? Comment below.

Novak Djokovic using new method of healing himself after shoulder injury


After enduring a shoulder injury against Andy Murray in the final of the Cincinnati Masters and having to retire at 6-4 3-0 down, Novak Djokovic used a method of healing that is highly unorthodox for most athletes.

He has stated in the WSJ that he is using a a machine called the hyperbaric chamber in which, a person stays inside in order to compress the muscles at rhythmic intervals. The machine does this by simulating an environment that has high altitude.

The machine in question is called the CVAC Pod which is made by CVAC Systems. It costs $75,000 and the company which makes it, claims that a mere 20 minutes in the pod three times a week can boost athletic performance by drastically improving circulation, boosting red-blood cells, removing lactic acid and maybe aid in stem-cell production.

CVAC Systems CEO Allen Ruszkowski also claims that the technology may be twice as effective at helping the body absorb oxygen as blood doping, which we all know is banned as a performance enhancement. Strangely enough, other athletes are said to use the pod. Ruszkowski said they do so “because they feel it’s a competitive advantage.”

During the current US Open tourney in New York held for the next two weeks, Novak is said to be staying at the New Jersey home of former pro Gordon Uehling, who apparently houses this futuristically innovative machine. Some current clients of another former touring pro Geoff Grant, who have tried the machine “say it’s like a drug. It’s weird—it’s definitely something from the future.”

Current number one in the world Novak Djokovic had this to say about the new miracle-working gadget. ”I think it really helps—not with muscle but more with recovery after an exhausting set,” Djokovic said. “It’s like a spaceship. It’s very interesting technology.”

Whether or not this thing really works, which will be quite interesting to examine especially with Novak’s US Open campaign getting started this week, it is a very interesting concept of another step being taken in medicinal technological advances and only time will tell whether or not the “pod” is going to be a more favorable method of healing injuries and recovering from strenuous hours of work on the playing field for other top athletes.

What do you think about this revelation from Novak? Will it become the new go-to trend for athletic therapy? Comment below.

Roger Federer turns 30

It is August the 8th and guess what day it is? It’s Roger Federer’s birthday! Yes, the 16 time Grand Slam champion has passed the threshold of becoming 30 years old and he had this to say about his milestone: “Birthdays happen. They’re part of life. I’m happy I’m getting older. I’d rather be 30 than 20, to be honest.”

That seems pretty logical since you are as young as you feel and at 20, he didn’t have as much success as when he reached 30.

Many are questioning whether he will win another Grand Slam and he very well might since there were plenty of Grand Slam champions in the past who had won Grand Slams after reaching 30. For example, Andre Agassi won the Australian Open when he was 32 and then even Francesca Schiavone won her first Grand Slam when she was 30, so there are plenty of chances for him to claim his victory on the big stage in the coming years.

He will be competing at the Rogers Cup Masters Tournament in Montreal this week, and he is in the same half as world number 1 Novak Djokovic as well as some other big guns such as Juan Martin del Potro, Bernanrd Tomic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

I also found a video from Roger, giving his thanks to his fans after turning 30. Happy Birthday Roger and good luck for many years to come.

Andy Roddick and Robin Soderling withdraw from Montreal Masters

Former world number one Andy Roddick has withdrawn from the Rogers Cup which is also known as the Montreal Masters. Andy has cited that he has an injured oblique muscle, making it the second week in a row that Roddick withdrew from an event. Roddick has been bothered by injuries over the past two years, and was forced to pull out of Roland Garros about two months ago with a shoulder injury.

A local Montreal newspaper also reported that world number five Robin Soderling has also withdrawn from the event with a wrist injury. Among others who have opted out of the tournament include Jurgen Melzer (quad), and Xavier Malisse (personal).

After losing in the 3rd round of Wimbledon to Feliciano Lopez and then playing Davis Cup, Roddick has not played since and was forced to withdraw from this week’s tournament in Washington. Luckily, he hasn’t got any points to defend at Montreal since he has also pulled out from from the tournament last year. He should be able to compete at the Cincinnati event the week after Montreal and has sent a message about his return on Twitter: ”Hopefully I’ll be ready for cincy in 10 days or so…. Fingers crossed.” Let’s hope Andy will make it to the Cincy event since he does have 360 semifinal points to defend there, and also will make an appearance at the new tournament in Winston-Salem, NC just before the last Grand Slam of the year (US Open).

Well, it is a pity that some of the best players in the world have cancelled their appearance at Montreal but there are still plenty more great players who should make up for it.

UK Mailman convicted for Graffiti campaign against Andy Murray

A mailman in England was convicted of launching a graffiti campaign against British tennis star, Andy Murray and was in return fined and made to do community service.

A Scottish newspaper reported that 45 year-old Darren Swain was responsible for putting up dozens of posters at a Royal Mail sorting office in Coventry with offensive comments, two of which featured “racist slurs.” He called Murray a “useless Jock”, and the word Jock is a slang term for a Scot.

The culprit was eventually caught after officials installed hidden cameras and hired a team of handwriting experts to uncover who the perpetrator was.

He was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid community service at the Coventry Magistrates Court and ordered to pay 3,000 pounds for being found guilty of three counts of criminal damage and two of racially aggravated criminal damage.

It is not clear however why Swain would target Andy Murray in his pejorative messages.

Michael Chang surprised at his depiction in Andre Agassi's book

Former French Open champion Michael Chang has voiced his surprise at how he was depicted by Andre Agassi in his autobiography titled Open.

In the book, Agassi made some comments about Chang’s devotion to Christianity which sort of made Chang scratch his head a little bit. Chang was also flustered at the fact that Agassi let another tennis legend, Jim Courier know about the contents of the book before its release but never spoke to him about it at an exhibition with only a week left for publication of the book.

“I read the excerpts, and it’s hard for me not to shake my head a little bit,” Chang said. “I wonder if, to some degree, whether some of the stuff he wrote was more or less to sell the book… It was kind of odd. Andre was very harsh on me for my Christian faith, but at the same time, I believe he understands where I am as far as my faith. We actually used to have Bible studies together early on in our careers. He was upset that I would go and thank the Lord for my matches, which, back then, was probably not as commonplace as you see today. I would have thought that he would know me better than that; that me going out and expressing that has nothing to do with saying, ‘I’m better than you, or ‘God loves me more than he loves you.’ That’s not the case.”

Chang did say that Andre was pretty harsh on everyone, and it’s just the way he is; but he has had a pretty good relationship with him for the most part.

Andre Agassi inducted into Tennis Hall of Fame

On July 9, tennis legend Andre Agassi has formally accepted his invitation to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

The 8-time Grand Slam champion has achieved so much throughout his career and went through some tough times as well as some great moments. He was joined at the induction ceremony by long-time tennis supporter and WTA pioneer Fern Lee “Peachy” Kellmeyer. The ceremony was one of the largest ever get-togethers at the event, with 200 people in Agassi’s support group who attended the Class of 2011 ceremony. Agassi’s wife, Steffi Graf and their two children were part of the crowd as well.

“I’m thrilled and humbled and quite honestly a bit terrified to be here standing in front of you today,” said Agassi. “At age five, my father told me to win Wimbledon. At age seven, he told me to win all of the Grand Slams. And more times than I can remember, he told me to get into the Hall of Fame,” Agassi humorously explained. “Later, at age 29, he told me to marry Stefanie Graf. Dad, don’t every stop telling what to do.”

This is a great day in tennis history and I want to thank Andre personally for giving us all that he has given, from the wacky outfits to the great championship memories. You are now a legend for all time and I’m glad that the Tennis Hall of Fame has recognized all that you have done for the sport and everything you are still doing for the sport, because it is people like you who strive for tennis to be the sport that it is today. Thank you so much for everything, Andre.

Roger Federer hits tennis balls into his coaches' Mercedes

I came across this cool video on YouTube that shows Roger having some fun hitting balls into his Mercedes. Oh, and make sure to watch the ending, it’s awesome. Roger is the master of the fuzzy ball for sure!

Djokovic Wins Dream Title over Nadal at Wimbledon

The biggest stage at Wimbledon was set for Sunday and the men’s title was on the line between two of the greatest players in men’s tennis. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal went out onto Centre Court this afternoon in London with immense calmness and ready to compete for the greatest title in tennis.

The first set was marked with great consistency from both players as well as some tight points that showed us that each player is not here to play around. The crucial point in the first set came at 4-5 with Nadal on serve, when Djokovic had a set point at 30-40 and he capitalized on it with an error from Nadal, who hit a ball wide.

The second set looked like Nadal just didn’t have the skill to keep up with Djokovic and so Novak finished off the second with a quick and simple score of 6-1. People probably thought that this would be the end of Nadal’s reign, but just as they started to doubt his chances, Nadal fired back with a confident third set score of 6-1. The match wasn’t over yet and Djokovic never under-estimated his opponent from the start. Novak then picked up his rhythm and Nadal kept up with him until 4-3 in the fourth, when Djokovic commandeered his way to 5-3 with himself on serve. 40-30…match point, and Djokovic took his time by bouncing the tennis ball many times before serving the ball in and working the ball into the court, Nadal then went for too much on a shot and missed it long. Bang… Djokovic has won it with a score of 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3.

That was it, Djokovic had become the new Wimbledon champion and did it in the greatest fashion possible. His family all hugging each other in a huddle and smiling with joy, they couldn’t witness a more special moment in Novak’s career. At the trophy presentation, Novak couldn’t be more humble when he was presented the trophy and had his little speech. He stated that he always wanted to win Wimbledon since he was very little and that it was just a dream to hold the trophy up in victory since Wimbledon was the very first tennis tournament he saw on television and also his favorite. Nadal was also very polite and gave all credit to Novak. There was also a little trouble with the microphones, so the presenter had to use two of them at a time so folks at home and at the stadium could hear the players speak :-).

On Monday, Novak Djokovic will become the new world number one as well, and what better way to do it than to hold the title at Wimbledon and still holding his winning record of matches at 48-1 for 2011.

Novak, you are the player of the year so far, so enjoy your celebration!!!

Federer into 28th Grand Slam quarterfinal

While Novak Djokovic is making history with his record setting run this season, Roger Federer has also made history by making it into his 28th straight Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Federer defeated Stanislas Wawrinka with a score of 63 62 75 in order to achieve this accomplishment and has said that it’s great, but he can still go further and surpass that record, as well as go further in the tournament.

Good luck Roger!

Djokovic will face Del Potro in 3rd round of French Open

Novak Djokovic who is the favorite going in to the French Open this week, will face former U.S Open champion Juan Martin del Potro when they meet on Friday.

This is only the third round, but it should be good for spectators to see a star-studded match so early in the tournament. The Argentine has won the Estoril Open a couple of weeks ago but had to withdraw from the Madrid Masters due to a hip injury. He only made the decision to play in Paris in the last week before the tournament and so far has defeated Ivo Karlovic of Croatia and Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia. Let’s hope we will see a good match from these two great champions and that we won’t be disappointed in the end by the on-court action.

You can catch the action on the Tennis Channel from 5 AM (EST) to 12 PM, and also on ESPN2 from 12 PM to 6:30 PM (EST). In Europe, the tennis will be shown on Eurosport.

Djokovic will face Del Potro in 3rd round of French Open


Novak Djokovic who is the favorite going in to the French Open this week, will face former U.S Open champion Juan Martin del Potro when they meet on Friday.

This is only the third round, but it should be good for spectators to see a star-studded match so early in the tournament. The Argentine has won the Estoril Open a couple of weeks ago but had to withdraw from the Madrid Masters due to a hip injury. He only made the decision to play in Paris in the last week before the tournament and so far has defeated Ivo Karlovic of Croatia and Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia. Let’s hope we will see a good match from these two great champions and that we won’t be disappointed in the end by the on-court action.

You can catch the action on the Tennis Channel from 5 AM (EST) to 12 PM, and also on ESPN2 from 12 PM to 6:30 PM (EST). In Europe, the tennis will be shown on Eurosport.

Novak Defeats the Raging Bull

Novak Djokovic went into the final of Madrid with an unbeaten record of 33-0 for the season. He was facing the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal for the title. And the fact that Nadal was playing on his home turf also gave him a bit of an advantage going into the match. Both players looking cool and calm from the first point started off the match with some lively points, but to the surprise of everyone it was Novak who was in control from the first point. He quickly ran ahead with a 4-0 lead, leaving Nadal no choice but to fight for each point and hope for the best. Eventually Nadal got his act together to make the score 5-4 to Djokovic. Both players then went for as much offense as possible to try and finish off the set but after some long points that left the crowd on the edge of their seat, Djokovic finally captured the first set with a score of 7-5. The second set was more consistent from both players, with both Djokovic and Nadal winning their serves comfortably until 4-4, when Djokovic got that crucial break and having a 15-40 lead on Nadal’s serve he finished it off when Nadal hit a shot out wide.

Djokovic then raised his arms in victory and went over to his box to get a big hug from his coach and close ones. He was as always, graceful and full of respect in his speech and received the new tournament trophy with a big smile on his face. As of now, Djokovic is 34-0 for the season and he has ended Nadal’s streak of 37-0 on the dirt.

Congratulations Novak!

Novak Defeats the Raging Bull


Novak Djokovic went into the final of Madrid with an unbeaten record of 33-0 for the season. He was facing the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal for the title. And the fact that Nadal was playing on his home turf also gave him a bit of an advantage going into the match. Both players looking cool and calm from the first point started off the match with some lively points, but to the surprise of everyone it was Novak who was in control from the first point. He quickly ran ahead with a 4-0 lead, leaving Nadal no choice but to fight for each point and hope for the best. Eventually Nadal got his act together to make the score 5-4 to Djokovic. Both players then went for as much offense as possible to try and finish off the set but after some long points that left the crowd on the edge of their seat, Djokovic finally captured the first set with a score of 7-5. The second set was more consistent from both players, with both Djokovic and Nadal winning their serves comfortably until 4-4, when Djokovic got that crucial break and having a 15-40 lead on Nadal’s serve he finished it off when Nadal hit a shot out wide.

Djokovic then raised his arms in victory and went over to his box to get a big hug from his coach and close ones. He was as always, graceful and full of respect in his speech and received the new tournament trophy with a big smile on his face. As of now, Djokovic is 34-0 for the season and he has ended Nadal’s streak of 37-0 on the dirt.

Congratulations Novak!

Novak Defeats the Raging Bull




Novak Djokovic went into the final of Madrid with an unbeaten record of 33-0 for the season. He was facing the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal for the title. And the fact that Nadal was playing on his home turf also gave him a bit of an advantage going into the match. Both players looking cool and calm from the first point started off the match with some lively points, but to the surprise of everyone it was Novak who was in control from the first point. He quickly ran ahead with a 4-0 lead, leaving Nadal no choice but to fight for each point and hope for the best. Eventually Nadal got his act together to make the score 5-4 to Djokovic. Both players then went for as much offense as possible to try and finish off the set but after some long points that left the crowd on the edge of their seat, Djokovic finally captured the first set with a score of 7-5. The second set was more consistent from both players, with both Djokovic and Nadal winning their serves comfortably until 4-4, when Djokovic got that crucial break and having a 15-40 lead on Nadal’s serve he finished it off when Nadal hit a shot out wide.

Djokovic then raised his arms in victory and went over to his box to get a big hug from his coach and close ones. He was as always, graceful and full of respect in his speech and received the new tournament trophy with a big smile on his face. As of now, Djokovic is 34-0 for the season and he has ended Nadal’s streak of 37-0 on the dirt.

Congratulations Novak!

Novak Defeats the Raging Bull




Novak Djokovic went into the final of Madrid with an unbeaten record of 33-0 for the season. He was facing the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal for the title. And the fact that Nadal was playing on his home turf also gave him a bit of an advantage going into the match. Both players looking cool and calm from the first point started off the match with some lively points, but to the surprise of everyone it was Novak who was in control from the first point. He quickly ran ahead with a 4-0 lead, leaving Nadal no choice but to fight for each point and hope for the best. Eventually Nadal got his act together to make the score 5-4 to Djokovic. Both players then went for as much offense as possible to try and finish off the set but after some long points that left the crowd on the edge of their seat, Djokovic finally captured the first set with a score of 7-5. The second set was more consistent from both players, with both Djokovic and Nadal winning their serves comfortably until 4-4, when Djokovic got that crucial break and having a 15-40 lead on Nadal’s serve he finished it off when Nadal hit a shot out wide.

Djokovic then raised his arms in victory and went over to his box to get a big hug from his coach and close ones. He was as always, graceful and full of respect in his speech and received the new tournament trophy with a big smile on his face. As of now, Djokovic is 34-0 for the season and he has ended Nadal’s streak of 37-0 on the dirt.

Congratulations Novak!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

ZigZag Movies: Hugo (2011)

ZigZag Movies: Hugo (2011): Martin Scorsese brings a story aimed at children to the silver screen, but you walk out from the theater with an adult's perspective on life...