Team Europe reunited for a dinner together in Shanghai

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal together with their Laver Cup Team Europe mates and captain were pictured together having dinner in Shanghai this week. The picture was shared by Marin Cilic in his Instagram account.

Amazing time with great guys. #TeamEurope gathering in Shanghai. #Tomasgetwellsoon @rogerfederer @rafaelnadal @domithiem @alexzverev123 #bjornborg

A post shared by Marin Čilić (@marincilic_official) on Oct 9, 2017 at 10:40am PDT

Federer and Nadal who share one of the most intense rivalries in tennis history are obviously became teammates for the first time and they were even paired up as doubles partners at the inaugural Laver Cup.

Team Europe which was also featuring Dominic Thiem, Marin Cilic, Tomas Berdych, Alexander Zverev and captain Bjorn Borg took the championship after thrashing Team World 15-9 in Prague.

The victorious team, unfortunately without Berdych, was reunited on Monday as the dined together ahead of the Shanghai Masters.

If you're a big fan of online betting for ATP tennis matches, do follow up on the performances of the players in the Shanghai Masters during this period.

Source: Laver Cup website

Zverev who sat next to Nadal, also posted a similar group photo on Instagram with the caption: "Awesome dinner back with my #teameurope teammates".

Federer reposted the picture, alongside the words: "We all missed the Laver Cup so much that we had to have a reunion in Shanghai... Tomas Berdych we saved you a seat!"

Berdych exited the China Open in the last 16 courtesy of a shock defeat at the hands of Andrey Rublev. Nadal has better luck, beating Nick Kyrgios on last Sunday's final in Beijing.

Federer, meanwhile, did not enter the ATP 500 tournament, instead opting to save himself for this week's ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament.

Five legends boasting 60 Grand Slam singles titles gather for Laver Cup

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal say they plan to play doubles together when the Laver Cup debuts at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic next year.

With a combined 31 Grand Slam titles, Federer and Nadal have committed to the inaugural event, which is an attempt to create a tennis version of golf’s Ryder Cup. The tournament will be played from 22-24 September.

Named after Australian tennis great Rod Laver, a team of European players will face off against a group from the rest of the world. Future Laver Cups will rotate between major cities across the globe. The three-day Laver Cup will be scheduled two weeks after the U.S. Open each year, except for Summer Olympic years.

Former rivals Bjorn Borg (representing Europe) and John McEnroe (representing World team) were announced Wednesday as captains.

Images by Laver Cup/Ben Solomon

Rafael Nadal clinches 7th French Open title

Vamos to all Rafael Nadal fans!

After the match was halted the night before because of rain, Nadal didn't want to delay the match further. He defeated Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 when the Serbian and world no.1 double-faulted.

Nadal now goes into the history books by becoming the first man ever to win seven French Open titles, surpasses Bjorn Borg's record.

Nadal also moved level with Borg and Rod Laver on 11 Grand Slam titles.

"It's an honour but the most important thing is this tournament. It's unforgettable, one of the most special moments in my career," he said of overtaking the great Swede.

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Rafael Nadal wishes close pal Fernando Llorente good luck for the Euro Cup

Rafael Nadal met up with his close pal Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente at the locker room after his first round win at the French Open against Italian Simone Bolelli.

Nadal said he would like to put a little more time aside for his friend. However both of them are too busy at the moment - Nadal is chasing to surpass Bjorn Borg's six titles in Paris while Llorente has to get ready for Euro 2012.

(Via AFP; Image via Rafael Nadal's Facebook fan page)

ATP pays tribute to Roger Federer, named 'living legend'

ATP saluted Roger Federer's feat of winning a 15th Grand Slam and placed him on top of legends like Pete Sampras, Roy Emerson (why he's not at Wimbledon?), Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver.

Check out the tribute web page here.

If you want to join the celebration, why not place these desktop wallpapers on your computer screen or on your iPhone?

It's available for download here (scroll down to the bottom of the page).


(Images by Getty Images, ATP)

Chengdu Open: Goran Ivanisevic, Sergi Bruguera, Thomas Enqvist complete star-studded event

The names are in and the field is now set.

Tournament organisers of the Chengdu Open has announced the final three players to join John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Michael Chang, Mats Wilander and Marcelo Rios.

Tournament Director Nick Freyer said Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, French Open champion Sergi Bruguera and Australian Open finalist Thomas Enqvist will complete the eight-man field.

Incredible line-up, huh?

Never before have eight greats of the game played a Champions Tour event in China but from November 5 to 8, 2009, the Sichuan International Tennis Center is going to be abuzz with excitement and entertainment.

“Between them they had won a total of 26 Grand Slam crowns, now with Goran, Sergi and Thomas part of the group that amazing tally has increased to a staggering 29 Grand Slam titles," Nick Freyer said.

“It is indeed an incredibly unique situation for any host city to be in and Chengdu and its sporting fans is privileged to be able to watch tennis from some of the most iconic players ever. The four days at the Sichuan International Tennis Centre will be something to remember.”

Every one of the eight players reached a career high ranking of at least four in the world while four of the eight players reached the absolute summit: world no. 1: Borg, McEnroe, Rios and Wilander.

Personally, Ivanisevic is one of the popular player which I remembered most.

He was one of the most unpredictable stars on the court because no one ever knew what they were going to get.

Ivanisevic even suggested that he had a split personality (appropriate enough since he came from the city of Split) and did not know himself if the “good Goran or the bad Goran is coming on the court”. That was part of his charm.

“I am looking forward to be in China again; I was in the final one time in Shanghai when Michael Chang beat me,” Ivanisevic said.

“It was a very good experience with the tennis fans in China and I am looking forward for the chance to play Michael again in China."

“This is an incredible draw … to have John and Bjorn and the others coming to Chengdu. It will be a fantastic experience for everyone who comes and watches. It will be a lot of fun.”

Bruguera meanwhile was considered the Rafael Nadal of his time. He was almost unbeatable on the red clay courts.

“This is my first time to play an official tournament in China because when I was playing there were no tournaments here so I am very excited to come to Chengdu,” the Spaniard said.

“To play alongside the guys that are coming is very exciting for me. I have been playing on the Champions Tour for only a short time so to see it expanding so quickly with new cities like Chengdu being part of it is very good.”

Enqvist was another tough opponent for anyone and was so typically Swedish with his persona and attitude during a match. He was always so cool and calm and it never seemed as though anything bothered him.

“I’ve loved being back playing tennis and seeing all my friends again but I will still be like the rookie at the Chengdu Open because I am just starting my new career on the Champions Tour,” Enqvist said.

“This is a new experience for me and to be playing alongside Bjorn and Mats my fellow Swedes is an honour for me and one that I am looking forward to. I didn’t think I would ever be playing a tournament with Bjorn Borg.”

The full order of play for the four days was announced by Freyer who commented that “every match is like being at a Grand Slam final”.

THURSDAY 5 NOVEMBER:
Start at 4:00 pm Group B : Rios vs Bruguera
Start not before 5:30 pm Group A : Borg vs Ivanisevic
Start not before 7:30 pm Group B : Chang vs Enqvist
Start not before 9:00 pm Group A : McEnroe vs Wilander

FRIDAY 6 NOVEMBER:
Start at 4:00 pm Group A : Borg vs Wilander
Start not before 5:30 pm Group B : Rios vs Enqvist
Start not before 7:30 pm Group A : McEnroe vs Ivanisevic
Start not before 9:00 pm Group B : Chang vs Bruguera

SATURDAY 7 NOVEMBER:
Start at 4:00 pm Group A : Ivanisevic vs Wilander
Start not before 5:30 pm Group B : Bruguera vs Enqvist
Start not before 7:30 pm Group A : McEnroe vs Borg
Start not before 9:00 pm Group B : Chang vs Rios

SUNDAY 8 NOVEMBER:
Start at 2:30 pm Group A 2nd vs Group B 2nd
Start not before 4:00 pm Group A 1st vs Group B 1st

Tickets will be available soon at www.ChengduChampions.com.

Michael Chang, John McEnroe to lead star-studded line-up in Chengdu

From November 5 to 8, 2009, eight tennis legends will assemble at the Sichuan International Tennis Center for the Chengdu Open, Asia's only event on the 12-leg ATP Champions Tour circuit.

“Chengdu is part of an elite group of cities to host an ATP Champions Tour event and I am thrilled to say that the first five players we are announcing today are John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Michael Chang, Mats Wilander and Marcelo Rios,” Tournament Director Nick Freyer said.

The other three players will be announced soon.

The eight players will be divided into two groups for round-robin play, the top two players from the groups will meet in the final while the runners-up from each group will play-off for third and fourth place.

According to McEnroe, "I am extremely excited to be making my first trip to China in a very long time; this is a country that is fast becoming a major player in world tennis."

"I know that Chengdu and Sichuan Province is already famous as the home to the giant panda."

"It is a great honor for the city to host an ATP Champions Tour event. I understand the field of players is very strong and I am of course happy that my good friend Bjorn Borg will be returning to China. We always have such great matches; which are part of tennis history."

Bjorn Borg meanwhile is returning to China more than 30 years after he first played here.

"I am delighted to be returning to China, this time to the vibrant city of Chengdu, home of the famous giant panda and I really look forward to playing in the Chengdu Open," Borg said.

"It will be all the more special as my good friend John McEnroe will be joining us together with so many other Grand Slam champions."

"I look forward to playing well but also to enjoying the city and the company of the other Champions. Thank you for your vision in making this tournament possible and see you in November."

Of all the players, I believe Michael Chang will get the most attention here when they play in November.

"With the boom in tennis in China, I am happy that Chengdu has taken the bold step to host this tournament which will allow me to return to China to play official ATP tennis once more," the Taiwanese said.

"China has always held a special place in my heart."

"Since I retired from the ATP Tour, China has won medals in tennis at the Olympic Games, won titles at Wimbledon and the Australian Open and now hosts major ATP and WTA events in Beijing and Shanghai, so by hosting one of the 12 ATP Champions Tour tournaments, China now plays host to the full suite of professional tennis events."

"Although the field of players will be exceptionally strong, I will be ready to play my best and really look forward to a successful, enjoyable and high profile tournament in Chengdu."

In addition to the tennis action, the Chengdu Open will also stage clinics with many of the tournament stars to develop grassroots tennis.

The tournament is being co-organized by Chengdu Sports Bureau, Chengdu Sports Industry Co. Ltd and CCTV IMG Sports Management Company.

The tickets are not available for sale yet. But I'll keep you guys informed.

Thanks to Nick of IMG for the press release.

(Via chengduchampions.com)

Macau Tennis Showdown: Roger Federer wraps up Asian exhibition with another win

Roger Federer wraps up his 2008 season in Macau last night as he, James Blake, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe conclude this week's lucrative pair of Asian paydays.

Personally I don't care about the results as these are only exhibition tours.

Nevertheless, here are the final scores:

Kuala Lumpur
Borg vs McENROE 6-7 (11-13)
FEDERER vs Blake 7-6 (10-7)
TEAM AMERICA (McEnroe & Blake) vs Team Europe (Borg & Federer) 7-5

Macau
BORG vs McEnroe 7-6
FEDERER vs Blake 6-4, 6-4
Team America (McEnroe & Blake) vs Team Europe (Borg & Federer) (No results provided)

Here are some photos before and during the exhibition match as well as post match press conference photos in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week.

Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images

Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images

And here are some photos of the players in gondolas during their appearance at the Macau Tennis Showdown at the Venetian resort.

While Roger and Blake have wrapped up their Asian exhibition, Borg and McEnroe will continue to play in Bangkok tomorrow.

(Images via Mike Clarke/AFP/Getty Images)

Federermania hits Malaysia!

Tennis is Malaysia's new favourite sport.

For a country like Malaysia who prefers badminton and football, it's amazing to see fans queuing up for almost 4 hours just to catch a glimpse of Roger Federer and get his autograph.

When Esther and I arrived at the KLCC foyer, we met up with some fans from Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and also from Japan!

As a Rafatard, I must say that Roger is still a King here in Asia, and ASEAN to be specific.

I'm exhausted after covering the event for 2 days, I said to myself, I'm glad I'm just a tennis blogger, not a reporter or photographer.

I'm really happy to meet so many tennis enthusiasts from so many places.

Sorry for those whom I can't return call or couldn't meet up. I've tried to return as much calls as I can but at certain situation, I wasn't convenient to do that.

I hope you guys enjoy the event. Do write to me on how you felt.

Now I believe the WTA Tier II event could be a reality next year.

I'll come back to you guys soon on photos and videos of the activities took place yesterday: James Blake tennis clinic, Roger's meet-the-fans/autograph-signing session, Mirka, at the exhibition match and post match press conference.

I've just called Esther, who's at the Mandarin Oriental now. She said she managed to meet the players and take photos and autographs!

The players will be heading to the Subang airport at 10 a.m. on private jet to Macau for another exho.

(Images via Yahoo! Sport)

Showdown of Champions: Roger Federer, James Blake, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe in Malaysia!

Tennis legends Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe together with Roger Federer and James Blake are already in Malaysia!

Thanks to the management and media team at LD Sports and Media 247, I had the opportunity to attend the press conference today at Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

I arrived early hoping to catch a glimpse of the players' arrival at the official hotel, Mandarin Oriental.

I missed the opportunity to witness Blake, McEnroe and Borg's arrival although I reached the hotel at about 10.30 a.m.

Roger and Mirka arrived almost at approximately 4 p.m. Mirka is so much prettier in person!

Together with my Sis, Nick and Jamie who are hardcore Roger fans, we had the opportunity to welcome them from afar (as we were brushed off by the huge and not-so-friendly bodyguards who are just doing their job :D).

Roger and Mirka were lead to their suite while Blake, Borg and McEnroe were nowhere to be seen. They must have been locking up themselves (or by the organizer) in the suites since morning.

I quickly registered myself for the press conference and Jamie was brave enough to ask for a permission to join the press conference as a representative from Roger Federer's Malaysia Fan Club :D.

Then I humbly joined the other photographers (with big huge DSLRs and video cameras) to go outdoor shooting at the bridge near the park overlooking the proudly erected Petronas Twin Towers.

According to Jamie back at the hotel, Roger managed to grab some bites before heading to the photoshoot location.

(Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images)

I gotta admit that I took bad photos as I can't fit in the players and the towers together into my sis's humble Sony digital camera. Not to mention that I had to 'wrestle' with the other professional photographers who know exactly what they are doing.



After that I was back to the hotel waiting for the press conference to start. My Sis, Jamie and Nick joined me in the conference room.

The press conference was moderated by Mahadzir Lokman, who will also be the MC for tomorrow's Showdown of Champions. (At the end of the press conference, Mahadzir asked the players to do the thumbs up gesture and he chuckled when they did!)



The players were really ecstatic about the exhibition match tomorrow. According to Bjorn Borg, who is 'missing' from the video, said he wished the exhibition match is tonight!

Roger Federer said he is recovering fast from his back injury and is really looking forward to team up with Borg for the first time.

John McEnroe is as usual, funny and yet serious-looking while Blake is simply a gorgeous guy (drooling!).

I managed to ask two questions, one for Blake and one for Roger (which the question was suggested by Rizal of LD Sports).

1. Blake, you'll be teaming up with Serena Williams at the Hopman Cup early next year. What do you think of the brother and sister team, Marat Safin and Dinara Safina?



2. You are a big fan of the FC Basel. What is your plan after retiring from tennis? I mean are you going to buy a football club or something?



:D tennis legends, Borg and McEnroe have retired long, long time ago and yet still involved with so many activities (be it tennis or non-tennis related) so I guess it was appropriate to ask Roger what he's looking forward when he decides to hang his tennis racquet.

The press conference ended at about 5.30 p.m.

Fans were already outside waiting for the players (Roger to be exact) to come out. The bodyguards were trying to do their job brushing away fans but Roger was so sweet to stop and take pictures with rogerfederer.commers! At this time I had the opportunity to get Blake to sign his autobiography and took a picture with him, thanks to my Sis.

(Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images)

(Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images)

I bet Roger fans who were there today will be having sweet dreams tonight (or maybe they can't sleep tonight). Glad you guys had the opportunity to meet and took photos with him. Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines fans united!

Stay tune for more.

(All photo credit should read HCFoo's Tennis Blog except those stated by Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images)

Roger Federer is ready for Showdown of Champions tomorrow night

Yesterday evening, I had an opportunity to attend a press conference call with Roger Federer from Shanghai organised by the guys at LD Sports.

Well, I tried to load my video but it seems that the connection in Bukit Jalil is painstakingly slow.

But thanks to Nazz for giving me a link to a video on TV3's Berita Utama.



In that press conference call, Federer talked about looking forward to play doubles with tennis legend Bjorn Borg, whom he never play together before.

He also assured fans that he's recovering fast from his back injury.

Federer, James Blake, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe will be touching down Malaysia today. They'll be staying at the official hotel, Mandarin Oriental, next to KLCC.

So are you ready for Showdown of Champions? This is the second year Federer is here in Malaysia and I don't think you'll have a chance to see him here for the third time. Grab this opportunity to watch the players play.

If you are really a hardcore Roger Federer's fan, don't miss the opportunity to see him at the autograph-signing session at KLCC foyer at 11.45 a.m. on Tuesday, November 18, 2008.

The foyer is actually in between the two towers, near Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. Ask the information counter if you are not able to find the place. They should be able to help to direct you.

(Via tv3.com.my)

Showdown of Champions Tennis: 10 x 1 pair of tickets to give away to bloggers

It's simple.

You just have to blog about Showdown of Champions, the players (Roger Federer, James Blake, Bjorn Borg or John McEnroe), your experience from Clash of Titans, last year's tennis exhibition match, or anything regarding about tennis.

Just make sure your post link back to this post. Then inform me by posting in the comment box.

The first 10 bloggers who submit their posts will walk away with 2 tickets to the Showdown of Champions on November 18, 2008. The venue is Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil and the event will start at 7.30 p.m.

Winners will be announced tomorrow (Sunday Nov 16, 2008) at 8.00 p.m. I will also personally contact you via email on prize collection.

Happy Blogging!

Kings of Tennis is cancelled; Showdown of Champions draw near

Unfortunately, the first ever team event featuring former world no. 1 players, Kings of Tennis, will not be realized in Penang.

The event dubbed as Big Bang Penang is confirmed canceled today.

In their e-mail, the press officer at Kings of Tennis explained that the event has to be canceled due to the current financial crisis and the uncertainty of the world economics which resulted in the pulling out of some of their key sponsors.

As what SK Boey has predicted, Big Bang Penang has blown up.

P/S Anyone who wants to comment about this part of the post can try answer my doubts in this post too: What is going on with Kings of Tennis / Big Bang Penang? Arianna Teoh, Penang Government, please answer.



However the good news is, Showdown of Champions which is going to be held on the 18th in Stadium Putra KL is going strong!

In the past few days, there are quite a lot of visitors dropping by this blog searching for news regarding this exho.

I was informed that James Blake will be conducting a tennis clinic for LTAM junior players on Nov 18.

There will also be an autograph-signing session at KLCC, which I'll let you know the time, date and place in the next few days.

Drop me an email if you are interested to meet Roger Federer, James Blake, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe.

If you still haven't get your tickets to the showdown, which is priced between RM108 and RM498, go to Ticket Axcess outlets or call +603 7711 5000 for enquiries. The official Showdown of Champions website is at www.showdownkl2008.com.

Updates:
Click here to read about the event which is now officially cancelled.

Showdown of Champions KL: Have you bought your tickets?

You are definitely not going to get any seats at the Venetian Macao Tennis Showdown by now.

The showdown in November will features Roger Federer, James Blake, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe going head-to-head in a one-night exhibition match in Macao and also another in Kuala Lumpur.

You might want to drop by in Kuala Lumpur instead as tickets are still available here but I doubt you'll get any good front seats either.

My tickets are on the L6 section (silver category) and 6th row from the front. To get your tickets, you can purchase online from the Axcess website.


For local fans, if possible, buy your tickets from the Axcess outlet instead (offline purchasing) so that you don't have to waste time queuing up for ticket collection on event day (Ticket collection for online purchase is at venue only on the event day, 2 hours before the show time).

Here's a bit of the itinerary on that day:

• Live musical entertainment (I hope not some stupid boy band performance like last year! We need some class in a tennis event)
  
• Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe - 1 Set
• Roger Federer vs James Blake - Best-of-3 Sets (Yahooooo!)
• Roger Federer and Bjorn Borg vs John McEnroe and James Blake. - A Ten Point Doubles Tie Breaker

For a diehard fan like me, this event is way beyond my dream. Honestly, this is better than meeting Rafael Nadal in person! How often can you get to meet tennis legends like Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe?

Recently I have been reading Blake's autobigraphy, Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life. Blake who overcame a broken neck and shingles, which paralysed half his face, is one of the greatest comeback stories ever. If you are an Oprah fan, you'll probably catch the episode where Oprah interviewed Blake about what he had gone through. So for me, the urge to meet James Blake is huge!

I'll come up with more post on this event in the next few days providing info like places to stay and go in KL, how you can get there at the Putra Stadium, etc.

In the meanwhile, you might want to drop by Showdown KL official site and participate in the auction and do a bit of charity.

Have a good weekend!

Showdown of Champions in KL: Federer, Borg and McEnroe LIVE in Malaysia

World no. 1 Roger Federer and two tennis legends, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe has confirmed their participation for the Showdown of Champions 2008, to be be held at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur on Nov 18.

However the fourth player will either be the newly crowned Wimbledon champion and world no. 2, Rafael Nadal, or American hottie James Blake to complete the cast of this 'chance of a lifetime' star-studded show.

The reason why Nadal might not be able to make it is due to the clash with the Davis Cup final.

“The decision as to who will play in Malaysia will hinge on the outcome of the Davis Cup semi-final clash between Spain and the United States (US) in Madrid on Sept 21,” said Nick Freyer, senior vice-president and head of tennis of IMG Asia, the event organisers, at a news conference, here today.

Freyer said if Spain were to lose, Nadal will travel to Kuala Lumpur but if the US were to lose the clash, Blake, who is currently world no. 8, will make his way here. Personally I don't mind because Nadal will have a chance to grab the Davis Cup for his country and I'll get to see Blake, who is also one of my favourite player.

“We will watch the lively battles between the 80’s stars, Borg and McEnroe followed by Federer and the fourth player. Then the final set will be Federer and Borg against McEnroe and the other star,” Freyer said.

Three matches with one ticket, wow, that's worth enough to pay for the best seat.

Tickets for the showdown, priced between RM108 and RM498, are on sale at all Ticket Axcess outlets from yesterday or call +603 7711 5000 for enquiries. The official Showdown of Champions website is www.showdownkl2008.com.

Nadal vs Federer and McEnroe vs Borg LIVE in Malaysia?

Thanks to Nazz for this tips from The Star:

Fans in for a double treat in November

KUALA LUMPUR: Tennis fans are in for treat in November with exhibition matches featuring Roger Federer against Rafael Nadal and Bjorn Borg against John McEnroe.

Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM) executive secretary Jaafar Abu said yesterday that the four had confirmed participation in the “Countdown of Champions”, set for Nov 18 at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

“Last year, we had Pete Sampras and Richard Gasquet along with Nadal and Federer,” he said.

World No. 1 Federer will get another chance to avenge his defeats by world No. 2 Nadal in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon this year.

Borg, 52, and McEnroe, 49, will take the fans a chance to walk down memory lane, remembering the highs and lows of their bitter rivalry, typified by the 1980 Wimbledon final won by Borg in five gruelling sets. – AFP

OMIGOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could this be real? Let's wait for more updates.

Updates: This exhibition match was mentioned in Tennis Week. Just got to know that this exho is known as "Showdown of Champions".

Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: Rivals Reunion

Once again, we will see the two top seeds meet in the final again. Let me tell you, I've never get bored watching both players play against each other, every time. And tonight's match is extremely an important one.

Another Wimbledon trophy in waiting, no?

As a Rafael Nadal's fan, I've heard and read quite enough about people having doubt in Nadal's ability in beating the world no. 1, Roger Federer, particularly on lawn. Yes, Federer is still the best player on this surface, but you have got to see how much Nadal has improved on grass court this year. Better slice, better backhand and better control on the court. And mentally, he is still the man with the mind of steel!

Bjorn Borg seems uncomfortable with Federer and Nadal breaking his records.

It's funny to read that tennis legend Bjorn Borg changes his mind about who's going to win at the championships, veering towards Federer instead of Nadal.

After the French Open when Nadal thrashed Federer in the final for the loss of only four games, Borg, the last man to win both tournaments in the same year, said he thought Nadal would win Wimbledon for the first time.

Not many tennis legends see what Nadal is seeing.

But after watching both men play “unbelievable tennis” to reach the semi-finals he told reporters: “Roger is playing perfect tennis.

“Before the tournament I picked Nadal just to pick someone else… Nadal has improved his game a lot since last year but if Roger is playing the way he has until the semi-finals it’s going to be tough to beat Roger,” Borg said.

After winning the claycourt French Open, the Spaniard quickly adjusted to the slick surface by capturing the Queen’s Club title a week later.

“Nadal looked like he had been practising on grass for a month… for me it was impossible to get used to the grass that quickly,” Borg said.

In Paris, Borg said Federer had a bad match. “But this is his home field.”

Well, whatever, Borg. We'll see if you make another wrong prediction, again. Same goes to Vijay Amritraj who seems not very good in making 'precise' prediction.

(Image by AFP/Carl de Souza/AP Photo/Kevin Lamarque/Alastair Grant)