Tennis Tour Tidbits – Williams, Federer, Agassi and more…

Written by: Staff on 20th May 2013

Tennis Tour Tidbits - Williams, Federer, Agassi and more... |

Madrid and Rome champion Serena Williams hasn’t won Roland Garros since 2002 and says it’s her biggest challenge, but says she won’t be mentally overwhelmed. I don t feel any pressure not but in the past I have and I have always said, I have won every Grand Slam and perhaps only once but I don t feel the pressure, she said. . .

Roger Federer took issue with a reporter in Rome who suggested that his service speed had gone down. The reporter told Federer that people on Twitter were saying that his service speed is now only average. Jerzy Janowicz serves at 225 [KPH] but I am not that guy and I work my points differently and the radar is not always the story, Federer said. Ask Rafa if I served slow and he will silence the Twitter world. . .

Former US Open singles finalist Greg Rusedski, who is working as a coach with the LTA, accompanied young Briton Kyle Edmund at the $10,000 SorensenRealEstate.com USTA Futures of Vero Beach. Edmund won the title. . .

Maria Kirilenko says her father and coach Yuri is actually a very good player. “My dad plays tennis, and he is much better than many of the coaches that I’ve had.” . . .

Former top 10 player Gael Monfils is looking for a new coach, but says that he is willing to play Roland Garros without one. France s Monfils took a wild card into Nice, as did Aussie Lleyton Hewitt. Americans John Isner and Sam Querrey are competing there. . .

Not many US women are resting prior to Roland Garros. The Brussels Open includes Coco Vandeweghe, Varvara Lepchenko, Sloane Stephens, Mallory Burdette, Melanie Oudin, Madison Keys and Jaime Hampton. Strasbourg features Christina McHale, Lauren Davis and Shelby Rogers, as well as top seed Marion Bartoli of France, who is in a slump. . .

Caroline Wozniacki, who has lost four matches in a row, has taken a wild card into Brussels

Another great tennis book is just out. Jimmy Connors great new book “The Outsider” was just released. It’s fantastic. It’s a real inside the guys head type read. Jimmy is honest and raw and sensitive and as always a fighter and honest . So go buy ” The Outsider ” I Just read the London Times . They did 2 full pages of an excerpt and review of the London times own Neil Harmon’s new book . Neil’s just released his much awaited book from an insiders point of view for the year 2012. I’ve heard It will remind us of Hardcourts . Neil is a brilliant tennis journalist and a really super guy. He is adored amongst his colleagues. At this years BNP Paribas in Indian Wells Neil received their highest award for excellence in journalism. The press crps all left their desks and gave him a standing “0” from the balcony. The book is called Court Confidential. It can be ordered online :thetimes.co.uk/bookshop.
Still can’t get over Andre Agassi going back to Nike. Nike had treated him and his family and his posse like gold forever. He was huge with them. Then he says adios. Adidas treated him so royally it wasn’t funny. Now he says aloha to them. So basically he only appreciates what you’ve done for him lately ? And Steffi must be called Stefanie.
Rafa jetted home , already in Mallorca with a huge smile on his face that won’t go away .

Topics: Gael Monfils, Greg Rusedski, Lleyton Hewitt, Maria Kirilenko, Neil Harmon, Roland Garros, Rpger Federer, Serena Williams