ITF launches Olympic Book at Wimbledon

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) yesterday announced the publication of its official Olympic Book Aspire, Inspire: Celebrating Tennis at the Olympics 2012. 

Roger Federer at the photo shoot

Thirty-six of the world’s leading tennis players took part in the ITF project to help promote the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Tennis Events.

Andy Murray during the photo shoot

The 140-page publication features a series of specially commissioned photographs of the game’s top names posing with pictures of themselves as a child and talking about their sporting heroes. 

Here are some of the pictures:

Rafael Nadal

Juan Martin Del Potro

Kim Clijsters

David Ferrer

Francesca Schiavone

Kei Nishikori

  

Sam Stosur

(Via ITF website)

Weekend winners

Agnieszka Radwanska wins the WTA Brussels Open.

Nicolas Almagro poses with his trophy after winning the Nice ATP tennis tournament.

 

Francesca Schiavonne holds her trophy after winning the Strasbourg WTA tennis tournament.

Serbian Team, Nenad Zimonjic, Janko Tipsarevic, Miki Jankovic and Viktor Troicki celebrate after winning the final of the World Team Cup tennis tournament against Czech Republic at the Rochus club in Duesseldorf, Germany.

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Francesca Schiavone, Ayumi Morita support The Power Over Cervical Cancer

The on-going BMW Malaysian Open 2011 today spread its influence and reach for a good cause as Francesca Schiavone, along with Ayumi Morita, Shuko Aoyama and Chan Chin Wei took time off their busy schedules to support a good cause, ‘The Power Over Cervical Cancer (POCC) – Helping To Protect Every Woman’.

which is an integrated communications campaign on Cervical Cancer Education and Awareness, by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM).

At the NCSM’s headquarters, the players met with the NCSM’s management and staff who run an invaluable service for women in helping and aiding women to discuss with their healthcare professionals (HCPs), on medical problems and issues while seeking protection against cervical cancer with pap smears and vaccinations.

Group photo - tennis players with celebrities and NCSM management and staff

The players were also taken on a tour of the NCSM’s headquarters and facilities, as they met and mingled with cancer survivors, current patients undergoing treatment and medical consultation, as well as local celebrity ambassadors who champion NCSM’s causes and activities, such as Sarimah Ibrahim, Genevieve Sambhy, and the Chong sisters Vanessa and Pamela.

Schiavone with a young patient

Schiavone, who turned up at NCSM despite nursing an injury picked up during yesterday’s match, said, “I am passionate about charitable causes such as NCSM’s POCC campaign as back in Italy, I have friends who are both cancer patients and doctors who treat cancer patients. Off and on, every couple of months I go to a big private hospital near my home and stay there for as long as I can to lend my support and help out in whatever way that I can, as it is a great experience and I will continue to do so as long as I can.”

(Images by Carbon Media Management)

Shockingly 'Sexy' Schiavone in Chi Magazine

Fresh from winning the French Open title, Francesca Schiavone made another headline.

No, it's not about the dress that she wore to meet the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Recently Chi, an Italian based fashion magazine claimed to feature some 'sexy' photos of the tennis player.

Not a bad pic

You sure this is Franny?

Okay, I have to admit she has abs that rock! But why cropped her face?

(Images via tennisforum.com)

Rafael Nadal regains French Open title, world no.1 ranking

It's a sweet revenge for Rafael Nadal and his fans!

After struggling to get back into form since his lost to Robin Soderling at Roland Garros last year, Nadal finally found his way back to the top as the King of Clay again.

Celebrity power couple spotted at RG: Jay-Z and Beyonce

Also spotted at RG: Michelle Yeoh and Jean Todt

Not only that he wins his fifth French Open title and 7th Grand Slam, we also reclaims the top ATP rank from Roger Federer again on Monday.

“I lost last year because I was not well-prepared, and I had very low morale last year, as well,” said Nadal who covered his face with a towel and cried after the match ended.

“But this time, I’m back. I’m back—and I win.”Nadal is 38-1 over his career at Roland Garros.

Now he is only one French Open title shy of Bjorn Borg’s record of 6.This is the second time in three years that Nadal won the tournament without losing a set.

There's no time to celebrate or relax as Nadal plans to fly to London today and start practicing on grass. Of course I hope he'll clinch the second Wimbledon title this year.

Meanwhile, in the women's singles, Francesca Schiavone defeated Samantha Stosur in Saturday’s final, 6-4, 7-6 (2), and celebrated by kissing the clay.

Yikess!

At 29, Schiavone became the oldest woman to win her first Grand Slam title in 41 years.

In the men's doubles final, Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic beat Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy 7-5, 6-2 on Saturday to clinch their third grand-slam title together.

The William sisters earned their 12th Grand Slam title by beating Katarina Srebotnik and Kveta Peschke 6-2, 6-3 in the women's doubles.

Now the clay season has officially ended. Let's look forward to the grass surface.

(Images via Yahoo! Sports, Sina Sports)

Weekend winners: Youzhny, Schiavone, Baghdatis, Bacsinszky

Mikhail Youzhny beat Janko Tipsarevic to win 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-4 at Kremlin Cup to earn his fifth career title and extend Russia’s winning streak at the home event to six straight years.

In the women's final, Italian Francesca Schiavone defeated Olga Govortsova 6-3, 6-0 to win her second career title.

Meanwhile in Stockholm, Sweden, Marcos Baghdatis beat Olivier Rochus 6-1, 7-5 for his third career ATP Tour singles title just a week after learning he had gained the event’s main draw.

Baghdatis was playing a Challenger event in Tashkent when he got the news.

At the Luxembourg Open, unseeded Timea Bacsinszky won her first WTA Tour title, beating sixth-seeded Sabine Lisicki 6-2, 7-5.

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Weekend winners: Jeremy Chardy, Robin Soderling, Sybille Bammer, Flavia Pennetta

Frenchman Jeremy Chardy won his first career ATP Tour title on Sunday, beating Victor Hanescu 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Mercedes Cup final in Stuttgart, Germany.

Chardy swigged down a bottle of champagne at the victory ceremony and then took a brief spin behind the wheel of a new Mercedes E350, a prize given by the sponsor.

It was Chardy’s second career final. He finished as runner-up in Johannesburg in February.

In Bastad, Sweden, Robin Soderling beat Juan Monaco 6-3, 7-6 (4) to win the Swedish Open for his fourth ATP Tour title and first on clay.

The second-seeded Soderling became the first Swedish winner of the tournament since 2000 when his coach, Magnus Norman, won the title.

Austrian Sybille Bammer has beaten top-seeded Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (4), 6-2 to win the Prague Open in Czech Republic.

Flavia Pennetta routed Sara Errani 6-1, 6-2 to win the Palermo Open in an all-Italian final.

It was Pennetta’s seventh career title, with six of the seven having come on clay.

(Via AP; Images Yahoo! Sports)

Wimbledon Day 9: Girls, Girls, Girls... But surprisingly no drama...

Boring day, I should say?

And the results were predictable too...

Besides Dinara Safina, who was made to sweat by Sabine Lisicki, other favourites easily sailed through to the semifinals.

Safina who thought she was a Santa Claus on court yesterday, served 15 double-faults!

However, the top-ranked Russian reached the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time after a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1 victory of unseeded Lisicki.

Venus Williams, the favourite to win the Wimbledon again seems too hot for Agnieszka Radwanska to handle.

Venus won 6-1, 6-2.

Venus's baby sister Serena who was out on a revenge against Victoria Azarenka with a 6-2, 6-3 win.

Serena admitted that the heavy defeat inflicted on her by Azarenka earlier this year in the Miami final did much to fuel her victory.

Finally Elena Dementieva also performed a "Williams" demolition job on Francesca Schiavone, winning 6-2, 6-2.

Tonight the gentlemen will play for places in the semifinals.

(Images by Getty Images)

Now HCFoo takes Serena Williams seriously

Serena Williams really mean it this time.

After blasted the WTA Tour over its policy for dealing with players who pull out of tournaments through injury, Serena Williams 'had no choice' but to play at the Madrid Open Tennis only to retire after the first set citing a right leg injury.

Francesca Schiavone was leading 6-4.

Although her participation was cut short, at least Serena had fun yesterday hanging out with Juan Martin del Potro test-driving a new Toyota Lexus.

Serena likes blogging, twittering and now fangirling.

Serena is no.1. Del Potro gives a cynical smile.

Take it easy, Serena!

(Images by Photo Agency via zimbio.com)