Tennis Guru

Rafael Nadal attempts to win back Queen’s title this year

Tennis Guru — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:00:14 +0000

World number three Rafael Nadal will attempt this year to regain the Queen’s Club title he won in 2008. He was unable to defend this grasscourt tourney last year due to knee injury.

Nadal made history in 2008 when he won the French Open, Queen’s Club tournament and Wimbledon on the same year. However, he was unable to defend both the grasscourt tournaments last year and he lost in the fourth round of the French Open as well.

“I always look forward to coming to England to play at The Queen’s Club and Wimbledon but this year there is even more motivation because I could not defend my titles last year,” Nadal was quoted as saying.
The Spaniard said that not defending these tournaments was one of the most difficult career decisions he had to make. However, he said that what’s important now is that he’s capable of playing this year and regain the titles once more.

The Queen’s Club tournament takes place from June 7 to 13, 2010.

Clijsters confirms participation at Eastbourne grasscourt tourney

Tennis Guru — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:46:05 +0000

US Open 2009 Champion Kim Clijsters has confirmed that she will be taking part at the Eastbourne grasscourt tournament later this year. This event takes place prior to the grasscourt Slam of the year – Wimbledon.

Also confirming her participation is defending Caroline Wozniacki who won her first career grasscourt tournament last year.

Last year, these two players have contested the US Open title with Clijsters prevailing. The win was an impressive one for the 26-year old Belgian who just played her third tournament since her comeback late last year.

On Wednesday, Clijsters picked up the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award after her stunning run to the US Open win in 2009.

“I’m really excited about playing at Eastbourne, it’s one of my favorite events,” Clijsters said on Thursday.
“I won it in 2005 and can’t wait to play there to come back to challenge for the title again. It’s a really well-run tournament, in a laid-back atmosphere, providing the perfect preparation ahead of Wimbledon,” she added.

The Eastbourne tournament starts on June 12 and ends on June 19.

Watch BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells 2010 Online (Free Live Video Stream)

Tennis Guru — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:37:33 +0000

The BNP Paribas Open takes place this week at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden with the world’s best men’s and women’s players flocking in California to battle for glory and get the biggest share of the combined $9 million prize money.

Here are the top eight seedings for the men’s event: [1] Roger Federer (SUI), [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB), [3] Rafael Nadal (ESP), [4] Andy Murray (GBR), [5] Nikolay Davydenko (RUS), [6] Robin Soderling (SWE), [7] Andy Roddick (USA) and [8] Marin Cilic (CRO).

Here are the top eight seedings for the women’s event: [1] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), [2] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN), [3] Elena Dementieva (RUS), [4] Victoria Azarenka (BLR), [5] Jelena Jankovic (SRB), [6] Vera Zvonareva (RUS), [7] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) and [8] Marion Bartoli (FRA).

Watch the BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells 2010 Online Free Live Video Stream HERE.

Murray makes waves in Dubai

Tennis Guru — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:58:02 +0000

Andy Murray upset a few people in Dubai last week as he confirmed that his season was solely based on big performances in the Grand Slams when admitting that he was only using the Dubai Open as a training exercise.

Murray, runner-up in the Australian Open to Roger Federer, fell in the second round of the Doha event to Janko Tipsarevic to leave sponsors, who had also parted with a decent appearance fee to the Scot, open mouthed.

Murray claimed that his performance levels against the tricky Serbian player, who beat him 7-6 4-6 6-4, would have been different had it been a major tournament, bringing into question what can be expected from him in the run-up to the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open later in the summer.
The Scot’s early season efforts have been very encouraging on the back of a year plagued by injury, but British fans hoping for that elusive Wimbledon champion now have to hope that he has not put his foot in it and ramped up the pressure he will suffer in SW19 even more.

Appearing lackadaisical in Grand Slams is one thing he will not be able to afford over the rest of the year, at Wimbledon in particular, where the local media will be looking at even the smallest of soundbytes and doing their best to turn them into something bigger.

Murray also claimed to be lacking in preparation for the Dubai event after also upsetting organisers in Marseille with a late withdrawal from their event, but maybe the public backlash to his latest comments will see him knuckle down and prepare well for the forthcoming Masters Series events…and perhaps think before he speaks.

Marseille organiser Jean-Francois Caujolle even went as far as suggesting Murray should be banned after letting him down for the second year running, and maybe the reaction to him when he does go to France next will be a little more extreme than normal for a British player.

But, if he avoids censure and sticks to just playing his games, Wimbledon Betting suggests that Murray would have to be looking at his best chance to secure a Grand Slam in 2010, with former No 1 Rafael Nadal still struggling with his knee problems, and where better than Wimbledon for that to happen.

Of course, when it comes to Men’s wimbledon betting , there is still Federer in the way, but Murray would have a decent chance at securing the second seed for Wimbledon if he actually goes to as many tournaments as he can before June and takes them seriously. A repeat of the final in Melbourne on centre court on a blazing hot summer day would be something to behold.

Venus Williams clinches Billie Jean King Cup

Tennis Guru — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:27:53 +0000

World number five Venus Williams continued her hot streak, this time at the Madison Square Garden, when she won the Billie Jean Cup in the BNP Paribas Showdown by beating US open 2009 champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the final.

Williams was fresh from defending two titles in Dubai and Mexico prior to her appearance in New York. It can be remembered that she lost the final at the Madison Square Garden a year ago to her younger sister Serena Williams. However, the world number one has pulled out of the competition due to leg injury.

“On the way here, I kept thinking, “I’m going to see Serena in New York,” the champion said.

“We talked today, but we didn’t talk about tennis at all,” she added.

Billie Jean King was not at the exhibition because she’s also recovering from an injury and surgery.

The participants of this year’s Billie Jean Cup were Clijsters, Williams, Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Tournament winners (February 21 – 28, 2010)

Tennis Guru — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:16:14 +0000

Tournament winners (February 21 – 28, 2010)

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships (Dubai, UAE)

Singles: Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Doubles: Paul Hanley / Simon Aspelin

Abierto Mexicano Telcel (Acapulco, Mexico)

Singles: David Ferrer
Doubles: Oliver Marach / Lukasz Kubot

Delray Beach Int’l Tennis C’Ships (Delray Beach, USA)

Singles: Ernests Gulbis
Doubles: Mike Bryan / Bob Bryan

Abierto Mexicano Telcel (Acapulco, Mexico)

Singles: Venus Williams
Doubles: Polona Hercog / Barbora Strycova Zahlavova

Malaysia Open (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Singles: Alisa Kleybanova
Doubles: Jie Zheng / Yung-Jan Chan

Watch Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2010 Live Online: Free Video Stream

Tennis Guru — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:04:50 +0000

The $1 million Abierto Mexicano Telcel, one of the elite 11 ATP 500 tournaments this season, takes place this week at the Fairmont Acapulco Princess in Mexico.

Spaniard Nicolas Almagro is a two-time defending champion of the tournament and will aim for a record-setting hat-trick but will have to face tough competition from higher seeded players. Five players from Spain are in the top eight seedings:

Here are the top eight seeded players: [1] Fernando Verdasco (ESP), [2] Fernando Gonzalez (CHI), [3] David Ferrer (ESP), [4] Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP), [5] John Isner (USA), [6] Nicolas Almagro (ESP), [7] Juan Monaco (ARG) and [8] Albert Montanes (ESP).

Watch the Abierto Mexicano Telcel tournament live video stream online HERE.

Watch Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships 2010 Live Online: Free Video Stream

Tennis Guru — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:56:44 +0000

The ladies event of the 2010 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships concluded last week with Venus Williams successfully defending the title with a resounding victory over Victoria Azarenka. This week, the men’s event takes place with defending champion Novak Djokovic leading the pack. Four time champion Roger Federer pulled out of the tournament due to a lung infection.

Here are the top eight seeds of the tournament: [1] Roger Federer (SUI) – withdrew, [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB), [3] Andy Murray (GBR), [4] Nikolay Davydenko (RUS), [5] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA), [6] Marin Cilic (CRO), [7] Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) and [8] Gilles Simon (FRA).

Watch the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships 2010 men’s tournament live online HERE.

Tournament winners (February 14-21, 2010)

Tennis Guru — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:46:15 +0000

Open 13 (Marseille, France)

Singles: Michael Llodra
Doubles: Michael Llodra / Julien Benneteau

Regions Morgan Keegan C’Ships (Memphis, USA)

Singles: Sam Querrey
Doubles: Sam Querrey / John Isner

Copa Telmex (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Singles: Juan Carlos Ferrero
Doubles: Horacio Zeballos / Sebastian Prieto

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships (Dubai, UAE)

Singles: Venus Williams
Doubles: Nuria Llagostera Vives / Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez

Cellular South Cup (Memphis, USA)

Singles: Maria Sharapova
Doubles: Vania King / Michaella Krajicek

Tournament winners (February 7 – 14, 2010)

Tennis Guru — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:51:38 +0000

WTA

Open GDF Suez (Paris, FRANCE)

Singles: Elena Dementieva (RUS)
Doubles: Iveta Benesova / Barbora Zahlavova Strycova

PTT Pattaya Open (Pattaya, THAILAND)

Singles: Vera Zvonareva (RUS)
Doubles: Marina Erakovic / Tamarine Tanasugarn

ATP

SAP Open (San Jose, USA)

Singles: Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
Doubles: Mardy Fish / Sam Querrey

ABN AMRO World Tennis (Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS)

Singles: Robin Soderling (SWE)
Doubles: Daniel Nestor / Nenad Zimonjic

Brasil Open (Costa do Sauipe, Brazil)

Singles: Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)