It used to be a spring ritual. When the tour headed to Europe on a 7 week clay excursion, most players were playing for second place. Rafael Nadal would typically play four clay events heading into the French: Monte Carlo (an optional Masters 1000), Barcelona, Rome, and Madrid (this used to be Hamburg, until Hamburg
Fernando Verdasco, who reached his first Master 1000 semis last week in Monte Carlo, continues to play well in Barcelona. Verdasco, apparently, had not planned to play Barcelona but was given a wildcard. He faced talented but erratic, Ernests Gulbis, in the quarter finals and won, 6-2, 7-6(4). Gulbis has been having a solid, if
Andy Zodin is back on the Essential Tennis Podcast to lend his expertise on the topic of anticipation during singles competition. He discusses with Ian things to look for on the court during your matches such as your opponents balance, court positioning, and stroke technique. Did you know that playing smart tennis is very much
For those of you who doubted Nadal was back, he's back with a vengeance. Verdasco started off nervous, then had few answers for Nadal. Everytime he'd come back and tie things up, Nadal would win another point, get another break. Nadal wins over Verdasco, 6-0, 6-1. The question is how his form will hold up
I was perusing a website that was making predictions about the Monte Carlo semifinals which pitted Novak Djokovic against Fernando Verdasco and Rafael Nadal against David Ferrer. The thinking went something like this. Given that Nadal had easily mowed through his first two rounds, dropping one game each, and given that he dropped 6 games
From what we get, we make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. Arthur Ashe Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World (HBO Sports DVD, 2005)(7 Chapters, Apx. 60 Minutes). Written by Frank Deford, Narrated by Ossie Davis, Directed by Julie Anderson. Year 2010 represents the 35th anniversary of Arthur Ashe's victory in 1975
Rafael Nadal showed that he's still master of clay dispatching fellow Spaniard, David Ferrer, 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals of Monte Carlo. He will face fellow Spaniard, Fernando Verdasco in the finals. Verdasco had a surprisingly easy match over number 1 seed and number 2 ranked player, Novak Djokovic, winning 6-2, 6-2 showing Djokovic has
Although the event is held in mostly French-speaking Monte Carlo, the tournament has taken on a Spanish flair. Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Juan Carlos Ferrero met in the quarterfinals. Nadal finally got something more than a token challenge against Ferrero, but still won rather handily, 6-4, 6-2. David Ferrer edged Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5, 7-6(1). The
Today marks 3rd round action in Monte Carlo and the Spaniards are having a great day. Rafael Nadal, despite his prowess on clay, has apparently never double-bageled an opponent. He came close to doing this in his route over German, Michael Berrer, up 6-0, 4-0 in less than an hour. Berrer managed to win a
Written by Danny Haro. Sports Illustrated named Pancho Gonzalez one of the top 20 favorite athletes of the 20th Century. SI said of Pancho, “He could have been the Marlon Brando of tennis…” “If earth was on the line in a tennis match, the man you want serving to save humankind would be Ricardo Alonzo
