Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Watch Your Facebook Posts

Michael Russell walks back a Facebook post.

I hope Michael has learned to never give anyone authority or access to post on his page under his name if that is what happened.

Watch How you Pose if You are a Tennis Star


Radwansksa poses nude for ESPN.

Catholic Youth group dumps Radwanska.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Tennis is a Sport for Life

79 Year Old Says You Can Play Into Your 90's Easily

I love these stories and I can remember  few of my own that I've witnessed.  I had a friend named Rufus who played tennis into his 90's.  One day I didn't see him on the court any longer and I knew he was gone because there was simply no way he would stop playing otherwise.

The USTA Tournament Categories go up to age 90 and over.

It is almost never to late to get into the game.  I've had students in their 70's and a few in the 80's.  I've got one right now that is 87 years old.

Get started.


Sunday, July 7, 2013

Andy Murray Earned It

I have to say that he earned this one.  This was a struggle and the last game was fantastic.

Murray Wins

The 77 year drought has come to an end.

Murray Wins Title 

Murray in Blur

Hardest moment in his life

Tennis fans fired up over Murray

Andy Murray on Video

Wimbledon Men's FInal 2013

Murray vs Djokovic

If Murray is ever to win this this should be his year.  The stars are aligned for him in terms of momentum.  Djokovic had a tough 5 setter against Del Potro and this should be a help for Murray.

2 All Games

9:43 Murray has to step it up and be aggressive.

9:45 Djokovic up 3 to 2 - Murray tentative.

9:49  3 All - Murray holds serve by serving well and taking the initiative.

9:53  Murray breaks Djokovic serve at love.  Djokovic temporarily rattled.

9:56  Murray double faults love 30, it goes to deuce, bad line call,

10:05 Long game and Murray saves a break and now goes to AD and takes game on a Djokovic error.

10:06  Djokovic serving make  weak angled volley that was telegraphed to Murray who runs it down and angles it past him.  Novak double faults to love 30 and Murray loses a chance to be up 40 in the game.  A bad net shot gives Novak the edge but a slip on the court coming up to the net to volley brings it back to deuce.  Novak holds.   Murray up and serving 5 to 4 first set.

10:15 Murray wins final serve game of the first set at love.  If Djokovic stays at this level and Murray does as well it may be a win for Murray.  Djokovic has to raise his level.

It is easier to type Novak than Djokovic so from now forward I will type a first name for this.

Murray Wins The First Set 6 to 4

10:40 Novak breaks and is up 3 to 1 second set.  Novak up 4 to 1.

11:24  Murray breaks back and wins the second set.  Sorry I was enthralled by the points and couldn't spend time writing about the match and each point.


11:25  Murray Wins the Second Set 7 to 5

12:11  Murray bring it to 5 to 4 all with a serve break.  He will serve for the match.  Amazing.  I think he earned it if it goes his way.

12:12 Murray serves for the match.

First point Novak hits a shot long.

Murray 1st serve fault.  Murray wins point on a Novak drop shot.

30 Love Murray Serving

Novak Returns long on a first serve

40 Love Murray - Triple Match Point

Novak wins a point at the net and Murray ran down two near unreachable shots.

40 to 15 

1st serve long.   Novak hits a winner on the 2nd serve return

40 to 30

Murray hits it long  - this is painful

Deuce - Novak saved 3 championship points.

Ad Out - Murray nets a ball.  Not good.

Good first serve - Novak hits it long

Deuce Again

Novak gets a net ball winner, bad luck for Murray, great luck for Novak

Ad Out

Murray hits an angled winner after a ball hits the line and Novak thinks it was long

Deuce

Novak hits a perfect angled pass from a Murray drop shot

Ad Out

3r break chance

Murray hits angled volley winner for back to Deuce

Deuce  12:23

Murray wins a point running down a short volley from a Novak cover of a great Murray passing shot.  

Ad In - Match point

Novak returns good and hits a long ball after an exchange.

Match to Murray 

Congratulations Andy Murray 12:25 






Thursday, July 4, 2013

Wimbledon 2013

Wow.  What a week this was to see so many great players go down from either injury or defeat.


Update:  Bartoli Wins  Against Lisicki- No Surprise after her demonstration against Flipkens.
Saturday 9am Lisicki vs Bartoli
Lisicki Beats Radwanska to get in final and for a time it looked like she didn't want to win it.
Bartoli beat Flipkens in a pure demonstration of power and will.

Sunday 9am Djokovic vs Murray
If Murray is ever going to win this it will be this year.  I think he deserves one but Novak is still an amazing power on the courts.   Murray has the foot speed to match Djokovic but we will see if he can match Novak in weaponry on the court.

I have a personal nickname for Novak after watching him stretch at the U.S. Open. 2 years ago.   He reminded me of Gumby and he stretches like him.  I just ran a search to see if anyone else came up with this and this is not just me thinking this.  I hear he doesn't like it though.  One thing is certain is that his flexibility is one of his biggest assets in play.  It is amazing to see him contort and stretch to retrieve shots and attack from these positions where most would be simply defending.  No one can match him on the men's side for this.  He is like Gumby.

Murray has improved his demeanor on the court and that has made me more respectful of his talents and his acquisition of Lendl as a coach has helped make him a much more dominant player than he ever was.  I still remember Lendl crushing his flat forehands for winners and deep punishing groundstrokes when I went to see him play at the Washington Star Tournament in D.C. back in the 80's.

Nadal in Stunning Exit

Nadal went down to defeat but shows his supreme character by maintaining his gentlemanly approach to interviews after the match

Dutch Player continues to a  17 match losing streak in main draw of tournaments

Azarenka and Darcis out of Wimbledon by Injury

Ivanovic out

Federer out but plans to come back again.

The field is changed with relatively unknown faces taking down many of the regulars

Lisicki downs Williams

Djokovic and Murray reach quarter finals

Radwanska bests Li Na

The Polish Wimbledon

Murray Stages Comeback against Verdasco

Irish tennis hard to find at Wimbledon

Mac pleases crowd at senior invitational

China and Taiwan Team Up at Wimbledon

Head Youtek Radical Pro OS

This is a great racket for someone who wants a flexible frame (56-57) stiffness rating, and yet still can deliver power on serves and overheads.

I tried a demo with the new IG designation and honesty can't tell any difference in the frames other than the color scheme.  So if you are worried that they stopped making them I think you're in good shape as both the old and new are available.  I think the original one is selling for less so I'd opt for that one if you intend to go with this frame.  You can get a Demo for $6.95 from Midwestsports.com

Here is the old model on Amazon.