The level of the examination being administered in Dubai this week goes up significantly tomorrow. Mardy Fish was the only seed not to make the quarterfinals, losing to Mikhail Youhzny. Fish has to either get better on winning second serve points or get a much higher percentage of first serves in. He dropped to 50% 1st serves in this match and paid the price. I didn’t have much to say about Mardy in the last piece. It’s been disappointing to see him miss so many opportunities to push his ranking a little higher. Now he will start to face the pressure of hanging on with 360 points to defend in Miami. I hope he finds the form he was displaying so masterfully last summer before he falls out of the top 10.
Youhzny has won just 3 sets in 11 meetings with Federer including losing to him in straights 3 times in Dubai. He is a more complete player than either Llodra or Lopez whom Roger dispatched in the first two rounds and he has to be considered dangerous, especially since he isn’t expected to challenge here, but a loss would be a big disappointment for Federer. [READ MORE].
*****
Hey all, just want to start off by saying it’s great to be back in California, back to my routine and back to my good habits. I feel like the trip in Hawaii was good in terms of opening up other avenues of my life, but I really missed my scheduling/practices here in Santa Barbara/Los Angeles/Orange County. I think I lost track of the fact that people will notice you more if you’re doing the right things consistently instead of constantly jumping around in different lanes. I want to develop a world class backhand by early summer, I want to get more ATP points, and the only way I can do that is by playing tournaments and doing the right things.
Today I hit with Olga Govortsova on a clay court. I think we had a solid hit, just did groundstrokes the entire time and a few serves at the end. [READ MORE].
*****
There are many ways to protest. Some choose violence, the history of the world is packed with bloody revolutions and civil wars. Some choose other means, realising that one cannot always supplant a culture without destroying all that is good along with the bad. Sometimes all one can do is highlight an issue in the hope that an intelligent discussion will be had, and a democratic solution will be found.
Edward Ricardo Braithwaite, born in 1912 in what was then British Guiana, could have imagined that his semi-autobiographical novel ‘To Sir, with Love’ would still be very much of relevance in Britain today. Perhaps it is the most disheartening of realisations for a man who wrote of his own experience, that the attitudes and prejudices which existed in post-war London, still exist today.[READ MORE].
*****
By: Nathan M. Cuny
Roger Federer isn’t only a great tennis player and fan of tennis but also a fan of basketball. The current world No.3 and 16 time Grand Slam champion is a big fan of the New York Knicks, and their rising star Jeremy Lin. The term coined for Jeremy Lin’s growing fan-base has been termed Linsanity, and Federer’s taking part in it.
On Linsanity and the New York Knicks, Federer commented, “I have [heard of him]. Actually I’ve heard a bit about [Linsanity].” Federer said, “It’s quite an incredible story. I hope he can come to the exhibition. This is why, I think, we all follow sports, because of great stories like this when all of a sudden somebody breaks through that you didn’t know or didn’t expect to come along, to be able to help the Knicks come through. I love the New York Knicks. Having played in this arena, I wish the team well and I hope to meet him when I come to New York soon.” [READ MORE].
*****
Delray Beach International Tennis Championships – Tennis Update
ABIERTO MEXICANO TELCEL – Acapulco Open Update
________________________________________________________________________
“10s Whenever” Newsletter, Vol. 52 – RARE Leap Year Issue
Here’s an amazing treat packed with the latest buzz about Tennis. You won’t have another Newsletter on February 29th for another four years, so enjoy this one on us!