A birthday cake for Novak Djokovic

World no. 1 Novak Djokovic was presented with an impressive multi-tiered tennis-themed birthday cake that came with edible tennis balls and a miniature racquet on the first day of the French Open tournament on Sunday. He also received a towel embroidered with his name by France's Davis Cup captain Guy Forget as his birthday present.

Djokovic who was upset by Stan Wawrinka in last year's French Open final, will begin his campaign against Taiwanese qualifier Rendy Lu Yen-hsun today. Overall, the Serb has a comfortable draw until the semifinals where he is scheduled to play nine-time champion Rafael Nadal.

Nevertheless, pressure is mounting on Djokovic to win the only major that has eluded him. While, Nadal is still finding his best form on clay surface, Andy Murray has risen and poses serious threat after defeated Djokovic at the Italian Open two weeks ago.

"Of course I anticipate myself, as everybody else (does), to try to get my hands on this title this year," Djokovic said.

"Even if my career was done tomorrow, I made some achievements that I must be proud of. So that's how I approach things. I don't try to approach them from a point of view of being obsessed with this tournament or with any other tournament, for that matter."

Should he win the French Open, Djokovic will become only the eighth player in history to complete a career Grand Slam of Australian, French, Wimbledon and US titles.

(Via ESPN, Images via Daily Mail Online)

Angelique Kerber gets birthday wish and a cake

It's Angelique Kerber's 25th birthday today.

She described that she had one of the most beautiful moments that she could ever experience on a tennis court on her Facebook.

Right after she defeated 17-year-old Madison Keys in the third round earlier today, a cake was immediately presented to her at Rod Laver Arena and the crowd sang her a birthday song.

(Images via Dailymail.uk.co)

Fernando Verdasco buys dad a bike for birthday

Fernando Verdasco has been spending a lot of quality time with his family, girlfriend Jarah Mariano and friends lately.

Yesterday Verdasco celebrated his dad Jose's birthday by getting him a bike.

The Spaniard has yet to kick off his grass court season as he has withdrawn from Halle, where Roger Federer is going to play this week.

(Images via Fernando Verdasco's Twitter page)

Rafael Nadal's 26th birthday celebration

Rafael Nadal turns 26 today!

However, just like every other year, it falls on the French Open tournament week and he has little time to celebrate.

"I'd like to focus for the round of 16, and I'll practice, as usual. I will have my treatment, as usual," Nadal said. If "something has been prepared for me, a cake or a very quick celebration ... If this is the case, I'll be very happy."

(Images via Sina tennis)

Birthdays of top 100 ATP & WTA tennis players

I've just added a list of October birthday babies on the sidebar.

From now onwards, every beginning of the month, I'll put up a list of tennis players who will be celebrating their birthday on that particular month.

Currently, I only have the database for ATP and WTA players in the top 100 rankings for men's singles, women's singles and men's doubles.

I'll update the women's doubles list very soon.

So hope you don't miss your favourite player's birthday anymore.

By the way, today is Jose Acasuco 26th birthday!

Oct 2, Cerretani, James(27)
Oct 2, Bartoli, Marion (24)
Oct 3, Meusburger, Yvonne (25)
Oct 4, Rybarikova, Magdalena (20)
Oct 6, Dushevina, Vera (22)
Oct 7, Ginepri, Robby (26)
Oct 7, Querrey, Sam (21)
Oct 8, Bolelli, Simone (23)
Oct 10, Massu, Nicolas (29)
Oct 20, Wickmayer, Yanina (19)
Oct 20, Cipolla, Flavio(25)
Oct 10, Mertinak, Michal(29)
Oct 12, Arnold Ker, Lucas(34)
Oct 15, Dementieva, Elena (27)
Oct 15, Levine, Jesse (21)
Oct 16, Kohlschreiber, Philipp (25)
Oct 19, Navarro, Ivan (27)
Oct 20, Acasuso, Jose (26)
Oct 26, Kerr, Jordan(29)