MUTUA MADRILENA MASTERS MADRID MADNESS!
Tennis at last...
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
On networking and worldworking
Life is about bringing people together and seeing what happens. Just because someone is powerful, rich, or famous doesn't mean they are better than you -we are all equal.
Don't think in terms of connecting with people to get what you want; think about how you can help them. Look for people to develop relationships with. How can you be a connector? Where is there an information gap that you can plug? Try to get to know the person you're talking to. Ask them about their business, their ideal customer, or their goals. Ask what they do for fun and find out what they care about. Seek out these stories and you'll gain valuable insights and maybe even lessons.
Don't be afraid to talk to people--simply strike up a conversation. Offer a compliment - be sincere about it. As you meet people, relationships will follow. Find mentors, advisors, and friends to share goals with. By networking, you will be empowered to find the people who can help you achieve a specific goal. The reason to network is so that you can put yourself out there to meet those people. In the end, it's those relationships that matter - they will make the journey worthwhile.
As you network, you will better understand how aspects of the world work, which will result in your ability to effect change, and ultimately your realization that you really can do anything.
Don't think in terms of connecting with people to get what you want; think about how you can help them. Look for people to develop relationships with. How can you be a connector? Where is there an information gap that you can plug? Try to get to know the person you're talking to. Ask them about their business, their ideal customer, or their goals. Ask what they do for fun and find out what they care about. Seek out these stories and you'll gain valuable insights and maybe even lessons.
Don't be afraid to talk to people--simply strike up a conversation. Offer a compliment - be sincere about it. As you meet people, relationships will follow. Find mentors, advisors, and friends to share goals with. By networking, you will be empowered to find the people who can help you achieve a specific goal. The reason to network is so that you can put yourself out there to meet those people. In the end, it's those relationships that matter - they will make the journey worthwhile.
As you network, you will better understand how aspects of the world work, which will result in your ability to effect change, and ultimately your realization that you really can do anything.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
F&N - Is it love, hate or something else entirely?
source: http://tennistalk.com/en/blog/Cheryl_Murray/20080808/Federer_and_Nadal_-_Is_it_love,_hate_or_something_else_entirely_-_Part_1
source: http://tennistalk.com/en/blog/Cheryl_Murray/20080818/Federer_and_Nadal_-_Is_it_love,_hate_or_something_else_entirely_-_Part_2
Federer and Nadal - Is it love, hate or something else entirely?
(part 1) 2008-08-08 08:51:52
I have long been fascinated with the ongoing dynamic between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. How could I fail to be otherwise? They are inextricably intertwined with each other, perhaps more so than any two single sportsmen ever have been before. I have never witnessed two men that seemed destined to break each others' hearts and steal each others' dreams as Roger and Rafa. Forget about Pete and Andre – they were an appetizer to the banquet that is Federer and Nadal.
Unlike Sampras and Agassi, the appeal is not due simply to the frequency of their meetings. That is far too pedestrian for Roger and Rafa. They've met roughly half the number of times (18) as their rivalry predecessors (34). No, Nadal-Federer is more complex, more subtle and infinitely more interesting than anything we have seen before. It's as though every meeting is a proverbial life or death encounter.
They have already met in six Grand Slam finals, more than any other duo in history. Each time they look across the net at each other, history is at stake. Not every match they play is a great match – in fact, some of them probably don't even qualify as good. Without mincing words, the French Open final this year was a complete embarrassment. For some reason this just adds to the allure. Perhaps it is the ever-present threat of looming disaster that draws us in so completely.
While Rafa hoisted that fourth trophy in Paris this year, I watched Roger. The image that came to my mind distinctly (and quite uncomfortably) was of a man who had come into the match with a half-healed wound; one that Nadal ruthlessly, efficiently and without remorse clawed open again. I thought (not for the first time) that Federer must have hated him just a little bit right at that moment, no matter how much they are reputed to like each other.
Whether it is fabrication or real, we ARE fed a steady diet of Rafa and Roger as the consummate gentlemen, full of nothing but admiration, respect and casual friendliness with each other. And make no mistake, there is plenty of evidence to suggest this to be the case. Rarely are they ever anything but scrupulously polite to each other. Nadal was quick to leap to the defense of Federer this year, when the press began murmuring about a drop in form. When asked which player he would like to see succeed him as the number one player in the world, Federer named Nadal without a moment's hesitation. They have shared a private jet (from Montreal to Cincinnati last year) and formed a united front against the Big Bad Wolf (also goes by the name "ATP President Etienne de Villiers").
And if there is something odd (read – not 100% genuine) about Nadal claiming that Federer is "still number one on clay" we give it a pass - despite the fact that Federer has beaten Nadal once in nine tries on the dirt. Such statements are attributed to the fact that he is a humble champion, a nice guy and a host of other things that are probably true. Rest assured that the condescension which licks at the edges of those statements is not lost on Federer, though. I don't necessarily think that Nadal does it on purpose, but the net effect is the same. Tomorrow I will continue the article. We'll look at the patented Federer Thinly Veiled Insult and how this year's Wimbledon has now completely thrown the relationship off-balance.
(part 2) 2008-08-18 17:38:43
Roger Federer always seems to be at the giving end of… we'll call them "less than gracious" comments between the two men. To my knowledge, in fact, Nadal has never said anything uncomplimentary about his rival. Federer? Not so much. There will be some who claim that Roger is simply more candid in interviews than Rafa. And that's true to some extent – Nadal is hardly known for laying it all out there when he talks to the press. On the other hand, I recall Roger claiming that Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick were his biggest competition – at a time where he had beaten each of them upwards of nine times in a row. He must save his honest moments for Rafa.
And what moments they were. My own personal favorite was Roger calling Rafa one-dimensional throughout the clay court season in 2006. The first incidence was before they played the final in Monte Carlo (which Nadal won). Roger said it several more times and lost several more times. Later, Roger claimed that he was actually COMPLIMENTING Nadal, because he executed his single dimension so well. It's amazing how a round of consecutive losses can change one's perspective... That still makes me chuckle.
The "big one", of course, is the accusation of cheating Federer issued after losing that heart-breaker in Rome (also in 2006). Federer had two match points in the fifth, but couldn't convert. Nadal went on to win in a tie break and Federer, incensed at losing, claimed that Toni Nadal was coaching his nephew during the match. Several US commentators claim they saw nothing untoward from the Nadal camp; either way sour grapes was not a good look for Roger. Since then, Federer's barbs have been more carefully concealed, so that they are more back-handed compliments than anything else. After his loss at Wimbledon this year, the Swiss man was full of compliments for his opponent – until somebody asked him about the playing conditions. There Federer said "It's rough on me, obviously, to lose the biggest tournament in the world over maybe a bit of light." He must have forgotten that the guy who won played in the same conditions.
In the end, though, Federer's position is understandable. He's the one who has been on the losing end of this rivalry. The clay season has been Nadal's for four years and Roland Garros, the only Grand Slam to elude Federer, is slipping further away from Federer, not getting closer. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, Federer took Nadal to four sets – this year he took four GAMES. His claims that he has "figured out Nadal's game" on clay is not much more than posturing at this point.
Nadal has been gracious, but then again he has been given little reason not to be. Except for the 2006 and 2007 Wimbledon losses, Federer has not taken anything from Nadal. Roger's held that number one spot, but there has always been a sense that Rafa would get there eventually anyway. It has been Nadal's own hard court form that has been his biggest issue, so why wouldn't he gladly shoulder the role as "the good guy"?
The balance of the relationship has been maintained up until this point because, although Nadal has won most of their matches (12-6), Federer has followed up his Roland Garros loss with a Wimbledon victory. They basically took turns stealing the other's dreams. And Nadal could maintain his sense of humility by saying "Roger is still the number one player in the world, so he's the favorite". None of those things is true anymore; the dynamic as we've known it for three years now is in shambles and Federer is at the bottom of the rubble.
source: http://tennistalk.com/en/blog/Cheryl_Murray/20080818/Federer_and_Nadal_-_Is_it_love,_hate_or_something_else_entirely_-_Part_2
Federer and Nadal - Is it love, hate or something else entirely?
(part 1) 2008-08-08 08:51:52
I have long been fascinated with the ongoing dynamic between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. How could I fail to be otherwise? They are inextricably intertwined with each other, perhaps more so than any two single sportsmen ever have been before. I have never witnessed two men that seemed destined to break each others' hearts and steal each others' dreams as Roger and Rafa. Forget about Pete and Andre – they were an appetizer to the banquet that is Federer and Nadal.
Unlike Sampras and Agassi, the appeal is not due simply to the frequency of their meetings. That is far too pedestrian for Roger and Rafa. They've met roughly half the number of times (18) as their rivalry predecessors (34). No, Nadal-Federer is more complex, more subtle and infinitely more interesting than anything we have seen before. It's as though every meeting is a proverbial life or death encounter.
They have already met in six Grand Slam finals, more than any other duo in history. Each time they look across the net at each other, history is at stake. Not every match they play is a great match – in fact, some of them probably don't even qualify as good. Without mincing words, the French Open final this year was a complete embarrassment. For some reason this just adds to the allure. Perhaps it is the ever-present threat of looming disaster that draws us in so completely.
While Rafa hoisted that fourth trophy in Paris this year, I watched Roger. The image that came to my mind distinctly (and quite uncomfortably) was of a man who had come into the match with a half-healed wound; one that Nadal ruthlessly, efficiently and without remorse clawed open again. I thought (not for the first time) that Federer must have hated him just a little bit right at that moment, no matter how much they are reputed to like each other.
Whether it is fabrication or real, we ARE fed a steady diet of Rafa and Roger as the consummate gentlemen, full of nothing but admiration, respect and casual friendliness with each other. And make no mistake, there is plenty of evidence to suggest this to be the case. Rarely are they ever anything but scrupulously polite to each other. Nadal was quick to leap to the defense of Federer this year, when the press began murmuring about a drop in form. When asked which player he would like to see succeed him as the number one player in the world, Federer named Nadal without a moment's hesitation. They have shared a private jet (from Montreal to Cincinnati last year) and formed a united front against the Big Bad Wolf (also goes by the name "ATP President Etienne de Villiers").
And if there is something odd (read – not 100% genuine) about Nadal claiming that Federer is "still number one on clay" we give it a pass - despite the fact that Federer has beaten Nadal once in nine tries on the dirt. Such statements are attributed to the fact that he is a humble champion, a nice guy and a host of other things that are probably true. Rest assured that the condescension which licks at the edges of those statements is not lost on Federer, though. I don't necessarily think that Nadal does it on purpose, but the net effect is the same. Tomorrow I will continue the article. We'll look at the patented Federer Thinly Veiled Insult and how this year's Wimbledon has now completely thrown the relationship off-balance.
(part 2) 2008-08-18 17:38:43
Roger Federer always seems to be at the giving end of… we'll call them "less than gracious" comments between the two men. To my knowledge, in fact, Nadal has never said anything uncomplimentary about his rival. Federer? Not so much. There will be some who claim that Roger is simply more candid in interviews than Rafa. And that's true to some extent – Nadal is hardly known for laying it all out there when he talks to the press. On the other hand, I recall Roger claiming that Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick were his biggest competition – at a time where he had beaten each of them upwards of nine times in a row. He must save his honest moments for Rafa.
And what moments they were. My own personal favorite was Roger calling Rafa one-dimensional throughout the clay court season in 2006. The first incidence was before they played the final in Monte Carlo (which Nadal won). Roger said it several more times and lost several more times. Later, Roger claimed that he was actually COMPLIMENTING Nadal, because he executed his single dimension so well. It's amazing how a round of consecutive losses can change one's perspective... That still makes me chuckle.
The "big one", of course, is the accusation of cheating Federer issued after losing that heart-breaker in Rome (also in 2006). Federer had two match points in the fifth, but couldn't convert. Nadal went on to win in a tie break and Federer, incensed at losing, claimed that Toni Nadal was coaching his nephew during the match. Several US commentators claim they saw nothing untoward from the Nadal camp; either way sour grapes was not a good look for Roger. Since then, Federer's barbs have been more carefully concealed, so that they are more back-handed compliments than anything else. After his loss at Wimbledon this year, the Swiss man was full of compliments for his opponent – until somebody asked him about the playing conditions. There Federer said "It's rough on me, obviously, to lose the biggest tournament in the world over maybe a bit of light." He must have forgotten that the guy who won played in the same conditions.
In the end, though, Federer's position is understandable. He's the one who has been on the losing end of this rivalry. The clay season has been Nadal's for four years and Roland Garros, the only Grand Slam to elude Federer, is slipping further away from Federer, not getting closer. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, Federer took Nadal to four sets – this year he took four GAMES. His claims that he has "figured out Nadal's game" on clay is not much more than posturing at this point.
Nadal has been gracious, but then again he has been given little reason not to be. Except for the 2006 and 2007 Wimbledon losses, Federer has not taken anything from Nadal. Roger's held that number one spot, but there has always been a sense that Rafa would get there eventually anyway. It has been Nadal's own hard court form that has been his biggest issue, so why wouldn't he gladly shoulder the role as "the good guy"?
The balance of the relationship has been maintained up until this point because, although Nadal has won most of their matches (12-6), Federer has followed up his Roland Garros loss with a Wimbledon victory. They basically took turns stealing the other's dreams. And Nadal could maintain his sense of humility by saying "Roger is still the number one player in the world, so he's the favorite". None of those things is true anymore; the dynamic as we've known it for three years now is in shambles and Federer is at the bottom of the rubble.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Wish I had this teacher
This is a real NTU lecturer's feedback that he got over the years.
Too funny, I laughed my head off~
Too funny, I laughed my head off~
Monday, July 28, 2008
To be an A or to be a B, that is the question
Discovery Health Tools: About Type A and Type B Personality
According to scientific literature, Type A behavior is characterized by an intense and sustained drive to achieve goals and an eagerness to compete. Personalities categorized as Type A tend to have a persistent desire for external recognition and advancement. They are involved in various functions that bring about time restrictions. Such personalities have a tendency to speed up mental and physical tasks with extraordinary mental and physical alertness. These characteristics make for super-achievers and high-powered people.
Type A individuals can get a lot done and have the potential to really move ahead in the world. But there is a high price to pay. Certain components of such a personality can inhibit happiness and even threaten health. For example, the goals that Type A folks set are often poorly defined and therefore hard to achieve—a perfect recipe for misery.
Type A is also characterized by a general discontentedness and the impulse to be overly critical and demanding, even contemptuous of imperfection, in the self and others. This focus on negative aspects and the accompanying bursts of hostility and impatience result in guilt, remorse and anxiety.
Type A personalities are motivated by external sources (instead of by inner motivation), such as material reward and appreciation from others. Type A folks experience a constant sense of opposition, wariness, and apprehension--they are always ready for battle. And anyone can imagine how this constant (and very exhausting) existence would deplete reserves of contentment and happiness and disrupt personal equilibrium.
Although the literature is somewhat inconsistent because of problems with the conceptualization and definition of Type A behavior pattern, it has been linked to higher risks of cardiovascular diseases. The risks seemed to be reduced with intervention aimed at reducing Type A behavior. Indeed, those with a high Type A score would be happier and healthier if they were to file down the jagged edges of their personality. By learning how to control the negative behavior patterns while preserving their drive, Type A people can be successful without sacrificing their emotional well-being.
Type B behavior is usually defined as the absence of Type A behavior. Type B personalities are relaxed and have a laid-back attitude and posture. They are friendly, accepting, patient, at ease, and generally content. They are at peace with themselves and others. They show a general sense of harmony with people, events, and life circumstances. They tend to be trusting. They focus on the positive aspects of things, people and events. Type B folks are self-encouraging, have inner motivation, are stable and have a pleasant mood. They are interested in others and accept trivial mistakes. They have an accepting attitude about trivial mistakes and a problem-solving attitude about major mistakes. They are flexible and good team members. The Type B person is able to lead and be led.
Results of Your Type A/B Personality Test
What does your score mean?
You seem to be in the middle between the Type A and Type B personality. In this case, the middle ground is good. Your attitude to life is more of the "smell the roses" kind and you know how and when to relax. Nonetheless, you realize that picking up a challenge and competing a little bit for your place in the sun can add some spice to your life. The equilibrium is important, so don't let your hostile, aggressive, and competitive alter ego take over too often. Generally, you are easy to be around, and people tend to feel relaxed and comfortable in your presence. Yours is a very healthy attitude towards life.
Want to know what type you are? Take the test here.
According to scientific literature, Type A behavior is characterized by an intense and sustained drive to achieve goals and an eagerness to compete. Personalities categorized as Type A tend to have a persistent desire for external recognition and advancement. They are involved in various functions that bring about time restrictions. Such personalities have a tendency to speed up mental and physical tasks with extraordinary mental and physical alertness. These characteristics make for super-achievers and high-powered people.
Type A individuals can get a lot done and have the potential to really move ahead in the world. But there is a high price to pay. Certain components of such a personality can inhibit happiness and even threaten health. For example, the goals that Type A folks set are often poorly defined and therefore hard to achieve—a perfect recipe for misery.
Type A is also characterized by a general discontentedness and the impulse to be overly critical and demanding, even contemptuous of imperfection, in the self and others. This focus on negative aspects and the accompanying bursts of hostility and impatience result in guilt, remorse and anxiety.
Type A personalities are motivated by external sources (instead of by inner motivation), such as material reward and appreciation from others. Type A folks experience a constant sense of opposition, wariness, and apprehension--they are always ready for battle. And anyone can imagine how this constant (and very exhausting) existence would deplete reserves of contentment and happiness and disrupt personal equilibrium.
Although the literature is somewhat inconsistent because of problems with the conceptualization and definition of Type A behavior pattern, it has been linked to higher risks of cardiovascular diseases. The risks seemed to be reduced with intervention aimed at reducing Type A behavior. Indeed, those with a high Type A score would be happier and healthier if they were to file down the jagged edges of their personality. By learning how to control the negative behavior patterns while preserving their drive, Type A people can be successful without sacrificing their emotional well-being.
Type B behavior is usually defined as the absence of Type A behavior. Type B personalities are relaxed and have a laid-back attitude and posture. They are friendly, accepting, patient, at ease, and generally content. They are at peace with themselves and others. They show a general sense of harmony with people, events, and life circumstances. They tend to be trusting. They focus on the positive aspects of things, people and events. Type B folks are self-encouraging, have inner motivation, are stable and have a pleasant mood. They are interested in others and accept trivial mistakes. They have an accepting attitude about trivial mistakes and a problem-solving attitude about major mistakes. They are flexible and good team members. The Type B person is able to lead and be led.
Results of Your Type A/B Personality Test
What does your score mean?
You seem to be in the middle between the Type A and Type B personality. In this case, the middle ground is good. Your attitude to life is more of the "smell the roses" kind and you know how and when to relax. Nonetheless, you realize that picking up a challenge and competing a little bit for your place in the sun can add some spice to your life. The equilibrium is important, so don't let your hostile, aggressive, and competitive alter ego take over too often. Generally, you are easy to be around, and people tend to feel relaxed and comfortable in your presence. Yours is a very healthy attitude towards life.
Want to know what type you are? Take the test here.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Post-Wimbledon Woes and Wows
Woes: Roger
It's been a week and a day since that devastating final. Yet still no word, no picture of him or how he's been doing since. Zero. Nil. Nada. Zilch.
Sure there've been so-called articles (negative, mostly) flying around, but no one's even caught a glimpse of him post-Wimbledon... it's as if he's disappeared off the face of the tennis planet.
Roger, where are you? :-(
Wows: Rafa
- Has been enjoying himself at the beach. And golf course. And beach again. And - guess what? More beach. (That's girlfriend 'Xisca', btw.)
- Was apparently 'gifted' some bad PR by Bloomberg. Comes with the fame I guess. Read it here.
- Is a STAR. Literally. Astronomers have NAMED A STAR AFTER RAFAEL NADAL.
What more can this guy ask for, really?
---
STILL. A. BUNDLE. OF. MIXED. FEELINGS.
It's too late to apologize!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Future of Federer...
Where to now Mr. Federer? Coach Gilbert? Coach Sampras?
Posted by Steve Host on July 15th, 2008
What does the world’s best tennis player do after losing one of the greatest tennis matches ever played on his favorite surface? Get better.
Every sports writer under the sun is writing about how Federer has fallen from grace and Nadal is the new world No. 1. Nadal pulled out of the Stuttgart tournament the week after Wimbledon, thus losing him 250 points as he had previously won the title in 2007, in other words winning Wimbledon only put him 50 ranking points closer to the No. 1 ranking.
You do not get to No. 1 in the world and dominate a sport like tennis without being one of the most competitive human beings on the planet. I believe that Federer and his team are looking at every possible way that he can get better; from a new coach to different training regimes to different string patterns and equipment. Does this sound crazy, yes but at this level of professional sport any edge could mean the difference between winning and losing.
I believe Federer will hire a full time coach before the U.S. Open. Candidates that would be able to fill this position are, Brad Gilbert, who is a real strategy guru and when combined with Federer’s talent and array of skills, could take Federer miles ahead of the competition again. Pete Sampras could be another candidate, yes he has not coached but let’s be serious - the guy knows what he is doing on the big stage! Could you imagine Federers next opponent looking over the net and seeing Federer and then looking over to his box and seeing his coach, Pete Sampras? That’s pretty intimidating!
Federer has been the catalyst for taking men’s professional tennis to another level over the past four years and he was years ahead of the competition. He has dragged his competition to new heights. They are now starting to catch him but he still has the fight and talent to take his game to another new level.
Watch out world! Federer Part 2 is coming soon.
Link: http://www.tennisgrandstand.com/archives/1394
Posted by Steve Host on July 15th, 2008
What does the world’s best tennis player do after losing one of the greatest tennis matches ever played on his favorite surface? Get better.
Every sports writer under the sun is writing about how Federer has fallen from grace and Nadal is the new world No. 1. Nadal pulled out of the Stuttgart tournament the week after Wimbledon, thus losing him 250 points as he had previously won the title in 2007, in other words winning Wimbledon only put him 50 ranking points closer to the No. 1 ranking.
You do not get to No. 1 in the world and dominate a sport like tennis without being one of the most competitive human beings on the planet. I believe that Federer and his team are looking at every possible way that he can get better; from a new coach to different training regimes to different string patterns and equipment. Does this sound crazy, yes but at this level of professional sport any edge could mean the difference between winning and losing.
I believe Federer will hire a full time coach before the U.S. Open. Candidates that would be able to fill this position are, Brad Gilbert, who is a real strategy guru and when combined with Federer’s talent and array of skills, could take Federer miles ahead of the competition again. Pete Sampras could be another candidate, yes he has not coached but let’s be serious - the guy knows what he is doing on the big stage! Could you imagine Federers next opponent looking over the net and seeing Federer and then looking over to his box and seeing his coach, Pete Sampras? That’s pretty intimidating!
Federer has been the catalyst for taking men’s professional tennis to another level over the past four years and he was years ahead of the competition. He has dragged his competition to new heights. They are now starting to catch him but he still has the fight and talent to take his game to another new level.
Watch out world! Federer Part 2 is coming soon.
Link: http://www.tennisgrandstand.com/archives/1394
Friday, July 11, 2008
Tennis @ Olympics!
Finally, something to be excited about!
ITF announces direct acceptance list
The ITF has announced the direct acceptance list for the 2008 Olympic Tennis Event in singles and doubles. For both men and women, this is the strongest field ever to enter the Olympic Tennis Event since tennis returned as a full medal sport in Seoul 1988.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Articles on Wimbly 08
Interviews:
Nadal & Federer On-Court Interview
R. Federer Post-Match Interview
R. Nadal Post-Match Interview
---
By Journalists/Writers:
The Spin Master
Imposing his game on grass, Rafael Nadal ripped powerful topspin and sidespin shots to dethrone Roger Federer in a Wimbledon marathon that was the greatest match of all time.
L. JON WERTHEIM for Sports Illustrated
The Green Clay of Wimbledon
Congratulations to Wimbledon. I hope the tournament officials of the All-English Club are happy. Sunday they got a nearly five hour tennis match that, for the television viewer who began watching at eight a.m. promptly, took up their entire morning and most of their afternoon.
D.K. WILSON for The National Sports Review
Final drama provides special ending
Just when you thought this tournament had seen everything – and it had seen a lot of things: Venus Williams winning her fifth title; the top four ladies’ seeds all eliminated by the end of the first week; the resurgence of Marat Safin; a first British girls’ winner since 1984 – this topped it all.
BYRON VALE for Wimbledon.org
Nadal, new king of Centre Court
Wimbledon has a new king. Rafael Nadal dethroned Roger Federer after a five-year reign by winning the longest-ever Wimbledon men's final.
RONALD ATKIN for Wimbledon.org
Sublime Spaniard stretches the imagination
So now we know. For 65 matches spanning six years we have wondered who could possibly be the man to stop Roger Federer on grass, and at Wimbledon. Did such a player exist, or was Federer's elegant supremacy such that the mere idea was the stuff of ridiculous imagination?
KATE BATTERSBY for Wimbledon.org
Roger unravels on Centre Court
As the light faded over Centre Court, an era faded with it. Roger Federer's grasp on the Championships was finally loosened by Rafael Nadal in a final that will be remembered forever by all who saw it.
ALIX RAMSAY for Wimbledon.org
Darkest hour for Federer
After his epic five-set battle, Roger Federer was due in the press interview room at 9.55pm, with the newly minted champion Rafael Nadal next up at 10.20pm. Perhaps to make sure that he would only have to do the 10-minute minimum as the world waited for him to dissect his defeat, the beaten finalist eventually appeared, red-eyed and disconsolate, at 10.10pm on the dot. What followed was as much of a roller-coaster as the match itself.
DREW LILLEY for Wimbledon.org
Nadal delighted with amazing win
Over the past two weeks Rafael Nadal has had a number of evening matches, culminating in very late press conferences. Tonight, the clock had ticked past 10.35pm when the 22-year-old emerged for his post-match interview, but the bleary-eyed journalists let him off, engaging in a rousing round of applause when the new men's singles champion stepped in the room.
HELEN GILBERT for Wimbledon.org
Nadal triumph means Federer faces greatest ever challenge
The five-times Wimbledon champion will need every ounce of his fighting spirit if he is to maintain his position on top of the men's game after his defeat on Sunday.
PAUL NEWMAN for The Independent
Federer rocked by hardest loss
Roger Federer admitted losing his Wimbledon crown to Rafael Nadal was the toughest defeat of his career.
The Press Association
Federer still No. 1 in tennis rankings
Many tennis observers now regard Rafael Nadal as the top men's player after his stirring five-set Wimbledon victory on Sunday, but the computer says the honour goes to the man he conquered. Roger Federer of Switzerland is No. 1 in the latest ATP rankings, released Monday, the 232nd consecutive week he has been in the top spot.
CBC Sports
Federer's Creaky Future?
Farewell, Roger Federer? Sonny Bunch, an assistant editor for The Weekly Standard who blogs for the magazine Doublethink, thinks Federer’s loss to Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon is evidence that "Federer is done."
CHRIS SUELLENTROP for The New York Times
The baton passes, no?
Few matches live up to hype. This one did.
AKSHAY SAWAI for Hindustan Times
Match of the century marks dawn of a Spanish Rafa-lution
Rafael Nadal's epic triumph in the most extraordinary of Wimbledon finals is the best advertisement for tennis since... well, since Roger Federer arrived as a grand slam champion five years ago with a game to die for.
LiveNews.com
VIEW: It could be the start of a new era
The score line - 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 - said it all. In one of the most dramatic and tense Wimbledon finals in many years, Rafael Nadal edged Roger Federer out to win the Wimbledon title. But more than the result, the game could well be a turning point in men's tennis.
The Times of India
COUNTER VIEW: One swallow does not a summer make
In the longest Wimbledon men's final in history, Rafael Nadal finally succeeded in defeating world number one, Roger Federer, on a grass court. But does Nadal's victory indicate a changing of the guard, as many have suggested? Is the loosening of Federer's vice-like grip on the Wimbledon trophy a portent?
The Times of India
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From Other Players:
Henman on Nadal's Wimbledon Win
Rafael Nadal's victory over Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon men's final is the best match I have ever seen.
TIM HENMAN for BBC Sport
Fish to Fry
I spoke with Pete Sampras yesterday, and he says "Hi' to all his fans at TennisWorld. We talked mostly about the Wimbledon final, and his pal and hitting buddy, Roger Federer.
Peter Bodo interviews PETE SAMPRAS for TennisWorld
Roger Federer not a spent force for Fitzgerald
One lost Wimbledon final doesn't mark the end of Roger Federer's tennis dominance, according to respected Australian David Cup captain John Fitzgerald.
JOHN FITZGERALD, Australian David Cup captain
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Looking Ahead:
Beijing the Fifth Grand Slam
THE Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. And this year, a fifth grand slam: the Beijing Olympics.
TALEK HARRIS, Hong Kong, China
Nadal & Federer On-Court Interview
R. Federer Post-Match Interview
R. Nadal Post-Match Interview
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By Journalists/Writers:
The Spin Master
Imposing his game on grass, Rafael Nadal ripped powerful topspin and sidespin shots to dethrone Roger Federer in a Wimbledon marathon that was the greatest match of all time.
L. JON WERTHEIM for Sports Illustrated
The Green Clay of Wimbledon
Congratulations to Wimbledon. I hope the tournament officials of the All-English Club are happy. Sunday they got a nearly five hour tennis match that, for the television viewer who began watching at eight a.m. promptly, took up their entire morning and most of their afternoon.
D.K. WILSON for The National Sports Review
Final drama provides special ending
Just when you thought this tournament had seen everything – and it had seen a lot of things: Venus Williams winning her fifth title; the top four ladies’ seeds all eliminated by the end of the first week; the resurgence of Marat Safin; a first British girls’ winner since 1984 – this topped it all.
BYRON VALE for Wimbledon.org
Nadal, new king of Centre Court
Wimbledon has a new king. Rafael Nadal dethroned Roger Federer after a five-year reign by winning the longest-ever Wimbledon men's final.
RONALD ATKIN for Wimbledon.org
Sublime Spaniard stretches the imagination
So now we know. For 65 matches spanning six years we have wondered who could possibly be the man to stop Roger Federer on grass, and at Wimbledon. Did such a player exist, or was Federer's elegant supremacy such that the mere idea was the stuff of ridiculous imagination?
KATE BATTERSBY for Wimbledon.org
Roger unravels on Centre Court
As the light faded over Centre Court, an era faded with it. Roger Federer's grasp on the Championships was finally loosened by Rafael Nadal in a final that will be remembered forever by all who saw it.
ALIX RAMSAY for Wimbledon.org
Darkest hour for Federer
After his epic five-set battle, Roger Federer was due in the press interview room at 9.55pm, with the newly minted champion Rafael Nadal next up at 10.20pm. Perhaps to make sure that he would only have to do the 10-minute minimum as the world waited for him to dissect his defeat, the beaten finalist eventually appeared, red-eyed and disconsolate, at 10.10pm on the dot. What followed was as much of a roller-coaster as the match itself.
DREW LILLEY for Wimbledon.org
Nadal delighted with amazing win
Over the past two weeks Rafael Nadal has had a number of evening matches, culminating in very late press conferences. Tonight, the clock had ticked past 10.35pm when the 22-year-old emerged for his post-match interview, but the bleary-eyed journalists let him off, engaging in a rousing round of applause when the new men's singles champion stepped in the room.
HELEN GILBERT for Wimbledon.org
Nadal triumph means Federer faces greatest ever challenge
The five-times Wimbledon champion will need every ounce of his fighting spirit if he is to maintain his position on top of the men's game after his defeat on Sunday.
PAUL NEWMAN for The Independent
Federer rocked by hardest loss
Roger Federer admitted losing his Wimbledon crown to Rafael Nadal was the toughest defeat of his career.
The Press Association
Federer still No. 1 in tennis rankings
Many tennis observers now regard Rafael Nadal as the top men's player after his stirring five-set Wimbledon victory on Sunday, but the computer says the honour goes to the man he conquered. Roger Federer of Switzerland is No. 1 in the latest ATP rankings, released Monday, the 232nd consecutive week he has been in the top spot.
CBC Sports
Federer's Creaky Future?
Farewell, Roger Federer? Sonny Bunch, an assistant editor for The Weekly Standard who blogs for the magazine Doublethink, thinks Federer’s loss to Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon is evidence that "Federer is done."
CHRIS SUELLENTROP for The New York Times
The baton passes, no?
Few matches live up to hype. This one did.
AKSHAY SAWAI for Hindustan Times
Match of the century marks dawn of a Spanish Rafa-lution
Rafael Nadal's epic triumph in the most extraordinary of Wimbledon finals is the best advertisement for tennis since... well, since Roger Federer arrived as a grand slam champion five years ago with a game to die for.
LiveNews.com
VIEW: It could be the start of a new era
The score line - 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 - said it all. In one of the most dramatic and tense Wimbledon finals in many years, Rafael Nadal edged Roger Federer out to win the Wimbledon title. But more than the result, the game could well be a turning point in men's tennis.
The Times of India
COUNTER VIEW: One swallow does not a summer make
In the longest Wimbledon men's final in history, Rafael Nadal finally succeeded in defeating world number one, Roger Federer, on a grass court. But does Nadal's victory indicate a changing of the guard, as many have suggested? Is the loosening of Federer's vice-like grip on the Wimbledon trophy a portent?
The Times of India
---
From Other Players:
Henman on Nadal's Wimbledon Win
Rafael Nadal's victory over Roger Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon men's final is the best match I have ever seen.
TIM HENMAN for BBC Sport
Fish to Fry
I spoke with Pete Sampras yesterday, and he says "Hi' to all his fans at TennisWorld. We talked mostly about the Wimbledon final, and his pal and hitting buddy, Roger Federer.
Peter Bodo interviews PETE SAMPRAS for TennisWorld
Roger Federer not a spent force for Fitzgerald
One lost Wimbledon final doesn't mark the end of Roger Federer's tennis dominance, according to respected Australian David Cup captain John Fitzgerald.
JOHN FITZGERALD, Australian David Cup captain
---
Looking Ahead:
Beijing the Fifth Grand Slam
THE Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. And this year, a fifth grand slam: the Beijing Olympics.
TALEK HARRIS, Hong Kong, China
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