Tuesday, June 30, 2009

BUSINESS NEWS

The Federers Will Travel to Switzerland, Not Dubai, After Wimbledon

Roger Federer wants his son to be born in Switzerland, so after Wimbledon the Federers will return to Switzerland until the baby is born. He is not planning to play any events until Montreal, which begins August 10.
So no travel to Dubai, his usual training site, is planned before the US Open Series.
Is it only an interesting coincidence that in the most prestigious private tennis club in Zurich – Grasshoppers Zurich, their old concrete court (they have 9 beautiful clay courts otherwise) is being updated and is becoming US Open-like Decoturf surface these days? The entire reconstruction costs around $90-100,000.  Federer is not a member of the club, but trains there sometimes.
When he is in Switzerland, he mostly stays in his luxury apartment in low-tax Wollerau village above Lake Zurich (North Shore) and uses for practices private tennis clubs in the area here (on the highway, Wollerau is 15 minutes from Zurich city line, based on traffic, he needs some 30-45 minutes to Grasshoppers, which is in Zurich-Seefeld (South Shore) – on other side from center of Zurich then when you get in coming from Wollerau). So, he mostly uses clubs on the North Shore. They all have clay and he mostly trains between 11am and 2pm when courts are mostly free and clubs let him use them. He did so before the French Open.
He switches the clubs after 1 or 2 days so that fans and photographers don’t find him. After Paris before Wimbledon, he did some sessions indoors in Adliswil where they have fast indoor rubber surface. This is also very close to Wollerau. So, with the new Decoturf, he will have it all here; it’s just the driving distance to this one is a bit longer, but not more than from Manhattan to the US Open in Flushing Meadows.
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All England Club is Downplaying any Threat of Swine Flu

Swine Flu may have struck at Wimbledon. Some members of staff have reported sick and have been asked not to report to work, but the All England Club is keen to downplay any threat.
"A small number of our Championships’ personnel have reported a flu-like illness and consequently been asked to stay at home," said Ian Ritchie, AELTC Chief Executive, in a statement. "Having consulted closely with the Health Protection Agency, we have been reassured that since the incidence is entirely in line with the wider London community, there is no particular extra risk to all those connected with the event, be they players, media, staff or spectators, and we are able to continue with The Championships as usual."

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Ivanovic’s Injury Not Serious

Ana Ivanovic injury is not that dangerous as it might have looked when she retired after the second set first game of Venus Williams’ fourth round match.
The former French Open champion and number 1, has a micro tear in her left thigh muscle and must rest one or two weeks. Although very painful, the injury is not so serious as feared. Ivanovic’s WTA Tour schedule will stay intact, since she plans to resurface in tournaments in a month time in Los Angeles, beginning August 3. In the meantime, she will rest in her home on Spanish island Mallorca.
“After a serve, I felt sharp pain in my leg», explained Ivanovic after her retirement against Venus who was up 6:1, 0:1.” The score was deuce when she received medical help. She went to win two more points and the first game in second set. Then she burst into tears and the match was over.
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Federer is Enjoying Good Health and Good Mental Spirits

So far, so good for Roger Federer as he heads towards yet another historical milestone. He has been pushed a little, but not enough to make him feel uncomfortable. He certainly feels better than he did a few months ago.
"Just being relaxed out on court," he said after reaching the quarterfinals. "You know, no signs of panics, what I maybe had, you know, six months ago when I played. I would just feel uneasy. I wouldn't be exactly sure what the right plays were. Now I feel perfect. I think I'm moving well, serving well. My rhythm from the baseline is well. So, you know, I'm just really, really pleased from this aspect."
Federer showed he is human after all as he began to doubt himself earlier in the season, and he was relieved that he was still good enough to pull through it.
"The rankings sometimes don't tell the truth, you know. Even though I guess at the top they do, but in the back, I'm just saying between 10 and 50, there is so many good players that it's so hard to really get the edge over every single player. It's just difficult. Once you maybe start off feeling that great, very quickly you fall into maybe that hole where it's kind of hard to get out of. I mean, I didn't have the problem, you know, to lose first and second rounds. So thank God for me I made it to the semis and finals almost every tournament I played so I still had enough confidence. I guess I'm just a good enough player, you know, that I don't need to worry too much about losing in the early rounds. But still, the danger's always there, and that's why I play well."
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Germany May At Last Have a Successor to Steffi Graf

Germany has been crying out for a new star since the retirement of Steffi Graf, and now Sabine Lisicki is proving she might be able to fill the gap and perhaps revive Germany’s waning interest and investment in the game. She might be the real deal, because as well as reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals she beat Venus Williams earlier this year on her way to the Charleston final, and she also has 2008 wins over players such as Anna Chakvetadze, Lindsay Davenport and Dinara Safina.
Her inspiration is cyclist Lance Armstrong, after she read his book, ‘The Fighting Spirit’.
"You know, I think it's an unbelievable thing to come back - well, actually get the diagnosis, to get cancer. I think it's a shock for everybody. And, you know, he just fought to get back on track. He wanted to beat the cancer. Then once he beat it he wanted to get back because he loved the sport. You know, it's very inspiring because he never stopped believing that he can beat the cancer, that he can get back on the bike."

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Safina Makes History: The First Winner Under the Wimbledon Roof

It’ll surely be a tennis trivia quiz question. Who was the first player to win a match under Wimbledon’s roof? Fitting, perhaps, that the answer is the world No. 1, Dinara Safina, by defeating Amelie Mauresmo, and both players enjoyed the experience.
"It was really nice atmosphere to play under the roof, because somehow you feel a little bit more the crowd," said Safina. "Even the crowd also wanted the roof, so it was like unbelievable atmosphere on the court. Actually, you know, like I didn't had any problems, you know, to adjust. I felt pretty comfortable."
Mauresmo said the conditions changed after the roof was closed, but it was okay.
"It makes the conditions a little bit different. It does," she said. "I would say the ball is flying a little bit more. That's how I felt. And we both kind of took a little time to adjust. Then was okay. But, yeah, I would say it's flying more. And then visually when the ball is in the air and when you have the overhead or stuff, it's very bright. It's really bright.
"But, no, it's good. It's a plus, definitely, for the tournament to be able to play. Of course, we haven't seen really bad days so far in the tournament. But I remember a few editions of Wimbledon when we would really have needed a roof. So it's a good thing."
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Murray Makes History: The First Winner Under Wimbledon Lights

Another trivia question will be who won the first match played under lights at Wimbledon. That, of course, was Andy Murray, whose five-set battle with Stanislas Wawrinka lived up to the historic occasion. But the Scot found it a challenge to adjust, after preparing outdoors for the match.
"It's very, very heavy and very humid. Sweating so much," he said. "I know it was hot outside today, but sweating a lot. And from the start I noticed it very early. When I finished, it was like, you know, I'd been in a bath. It was very, very, very humid. So it kind of slowed it down a lot, and I struggled to serve because it wasn't coming off the strings that quickly. There was a lot more rallies in that match. I got very few free points from my serve when it did go in. It's very different."
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Murray Was Disappointed About No Warning About the Roof

Although he eventually adjusted to playing under the roof and under lights, Andy Murray was disappointed that he was not told until moments before he went on court that the roof would remain closed after it had been closed during the previous match.
"I was surprised because we'd asked, ‘When are you gonna let us know if we're gonna play under the roof or not’? They said they would let us know as soon as the match was finished," said the No.3 seed. "I like playing indoors. But it's just when you haven't practiced or ever played a match under a roof on grass, you don't know what to expect.
"It was like, you know, the match before us finished, and then they said, you know, You're on now. So it's just tough as a player when you're kind of warming up, getting ready for the match outside and it's dry, and then obviously you get told you're playing under the roof.
“I think the decision, in my opinion, should be made sort of before that match is finished so they can let the players know in a decent amount of time what conditions they're going to be playing under. Because I think in very few sports would coaches and teams be particularly happy if they were told, you know, they don't know exactly what time they're going to kick off, what time they're going to start, or what the conditions are going to be like when they go out there."
Observers suggest that BBC put pressure on the club to keep the roof closed in order to pull in a massive TV audience, which it turned out, it did.
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Dokic Offered Temporary Release for a Fee

There is another twist in Damir Dokic story. His unmarried wife Biljana Bosancic accused yesterday an unnamed official in Sremska Mitrovica jail where he is waiting for a result of his appeal that he asked for a bribe of 300.000 of Euros for Dokic’s temporary release.
Dokic divorced Ljiljana, mother of Jelena Dokic, last year and she immediately moved to Sydney. After that, he started to live with Bosancic in his home in Vrdnik where he has a lot of land, grows fruit and makes brandy.
“His profit from fruit only is estimated to be 300.000-400.000 Euros this year. I think that they know how much money he makes and that is the reason why they put a number on 300.000 Euros”, explained Bosancic, who was Mr. Dokic’s secretary when he was married. “From the first moment, the pressure on us is enormous, I even think that someone wants to get his property under price.”

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Sacramento Capitals, Washington Kastles trade former League MVPs in pre-season deal
The Sacramento Capitals and the Washington Kastles announced a four-player trade this afternoon, just days before the start of the Advanta World TeamTennis Pro League season.  The teams swapped their 2009 second and third round draft picks with Sacramento sending 2008 Female MVP Rennae Stubbs and Olga Puchkova to Washington for 2006 Female MVP Angela Haynes, 17-year-old CoCo Vandeweghe, and financial compensation.
Stubbs' new team includes another doubles standout in 8-time Grand Slam doubles champion Leander Paes, giving the Kastles one of the most formidable mixed doubles teams in the League.  Stubbs is a WTT veteran, returning for her 10th season.  She led the League in women's doubles last season and finished second in the mixed doubles rankings.
The 2009 Advanta WTT Pro League season runs July 2-26 in 10 U.S. markets, and concludes with the Advanta WTT Finals on July 26 in Washington, D.C.
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Federer Remembers Michael Jackson

Roger Federer is one of many to have his own special memories of Michael Jackson, and he revealed after his third round victory that he once went to one of his concerts. Kind of.
"I remember, I don't know, back maybe in '88 or '89, he came to Basel. I was outside of the stadium, because there was such excitement that he would come. I was still very young. I think I went there with my sister, and we just listened from the outside, you know. Yeah, always listened to his music. And, yeah, it's sad. You know, it really is.
Sure, a very sad moment I think in the music world. You know, he touched many people. Same for me. But I'll obviously still listen to his music for many more years to come."

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With Wozniacki it Was Swimming or Tennis, and Tennis Won Out

Caroline Wozniacki loves the grass. She’s won the Wimbledon junior championship, she’s won Eastbourne. But she might not have taken up tennis professionally at all. When she was a kid she was involved in a whole range of different sports.
"I did a lot of things," she said. "I was playing football, I was playing the piano, I was swimming a lot, I was playing handball, I was doing gymnastics. Swimming actually I was pretty good. I had to choose in the end between swimming and tennis. I was swimming until I was like maybe 10, 11. 10 maybe. I mean, I was good. Yeah. In the end always the competitions were on the weekends, and I had to choose.
My swimming coach was getting upset with me that I was choosing the tennis instead of the swimming, but I thought that was more fun. It's the right decision. I think it's important that the person decides what they think is fun, what really interests them. For me it was very good (to try) all different kinds of sports. And also you learn the coordination, a lot of new motions, and you develop your body from a very young age, and I think that's very important."
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Murray Says Just Because it’s Wimbledon We Shouldn’t Change Habits

Wimbledon is a Very Big Deal to the entire tennis community, but most of all for the players, of course. Winning the title can be and often is life-changing. Boris Becker? Maria Sharapova? So there is a temptation, perhaps, to do something a little bit different when the tournament comes around, to change your normal routine. But Andy Murray believes it is important to do exactly the opposite.
"The thing that's important at these tournaments is to do what you do every other week of the year, not to just change things because it's Wimbledon," he said. "So, you know, you just try and act like you do every other week. We do that when I'm playing in Doha or, you know, whenever. That's just something we do. We play football to warm up. Going to do the same thing here. You know, we'll do forfeits, you know, and joke around and have fun like we always do. 'Cause I think when you start changing things is when, you know, you start to worry about everything that's sort of going on around you. If you just act normal, I think you deal with things better."
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Robson Realizes She is Becoming a Celebrity

Laura Robson has begun the defense of her Wimbledon junior title this week, and after her first round victory she revealed that when she signs autographs now people actually know who she is. That wasn’t always the case.
"Last year I think there were still quite a few people, just like, ‘Oh, it's a tennis player, might as well get her autograph’. But this year, hopefully they know who I am," she said. "I got a letter, as well. A young guy slipped me a letter."
What was in it?
"Don't know. Didn't read it. My coach took it and I don't know what he's done with it. But I think it all goes into a pile, which I might read and I might not. They don't usually personally give them to me. They usually just send them in the mail because the assistants came up to me with a massive pile after I played Daniela, and they were like, ‘Please, take it, it's just loading up the whole mail area’. There was like some with little stickers on them. People get quite into it."
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We Hear---
--that hard questions will be asked today at Wimbledon about the policy of when to open the covered court for a new match when it isn’t raining.
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THIS WEEK
MEN
Wimbledon
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Wimbledon
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NEXT WEEK
MEN
Davis Cup
Newport
WOMEN
Bastad
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