Australian Open 2013: The heat is on

Last year I had the opportunity to attend my first Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne. Everything was great except the crazy weather. Although I only spent one day at the Australian Open due to a packed schedule but I thought I had enough of the heatwave. I only managed to sit through a game where Stanislas Wawrinka was playing and that was it.

While I look to bet on march madness online, the same month Rafael Nadal is scheduled to be back on court in Indian Wells, I'll still be following up closely with the AO tournament despite the absence of Nadal. I believe the competition is going to be very tight this year (isn't that happen every year?).

Here are some training pictures from Melbourne before the tournament kicks off next week.

Ana Ivanovic (she looks too skinny these days)

Novak Djokovic

Andy Murray

Victoria Azarenka

Lleyton Hewitt

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Serena Williams

Roger Federer

(Images via Sina Sports)

I missed Rally For Relief...

On the eve of the Australian Open, Pat Rafter, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, Victoria Azarenka, Vera Zvonareva, Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters, Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, Justine Henin, Caroline Wozniacki, Roger Federer, Sam Stosur and Jim Courier spent 90 minutes of their time to come together in an exhibition to raise money for the flood victims in Queensland.

The ATP and WTA stars entertained 15,000 fans at Rod Laver Arena and raised $1.8m within hours on Sunday.

Here's the highlight of the sold-out charity event if you've missed it too.

(Image by by Julian Finney/Getty Images AsiaPac via zimbio.com)

2010 Malaysian Open Tennis Tournament

We're just 1.5 months away from the 2010 Malaysian Open Tennis Tournament!


I was at the press conference recently to witness the launching and players announcement.



So far Robin Soderling, Nikolay Davydenko, Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer, Mikhail Youzhny, Nicolas Almagro, Marcos Baghdatis, Lleyton Hewitt and Rendy Lu Yen-Hsun are the confirmed line-up who will headline the USD947,750 prize money tournament.

I've uploaded the players message video which features Baghdatis, Youzhny, Soderling and Ferrer.

The ATP 250 tournament is scheduled to take place from September 25 to October 3, at Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil.

Tournament director Nick Freyer makes a brief intro of Rendy.

I'm looking forward to meeting Rendy Lu again.


Together with some fans, we're planning to make a banner to welcome him when he arrives in Malaysia and of course to support him throughout this tournament.


The line-up are strong but who knows he will grab his first ATP 250 title here ;-) Drop me an email if you're interested to join us!

With Lina Teoh the emcee of the Malaysian Open. She's a reason not to miss the tournament.

Giant sized buntings at the presser.

To purchase your tickets soon you can get it from Ticketpro's website:
http://www.ticketpro.com.my/jnp/sports/tennis/435460-atp-2010.html


Here's the official website of the tournament: http://www.malaysianopentennis.com/2010/



(Photos credit to HSFoo of hcfoo.com)

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Federer & Friends stage fundraiser for Haiti victims

Roger Federer is the one who initiated the fundraiser for the earthquake victims in Haiti last Sunday.

Dubbed "Hit For Haiti", the event raised more than $185k on the eve of the Australian Open.

In this event, Federer teamed up with Serena Williams, Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur.

Their opponents were Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters.

In the end, Federer’s so-called Red Team beat the rival Blue Team 7-6 in their one-set match that lasted an hour and a half.

The teams were named according to the colours of Haiti’s flag.

(Via AP; Image by William West/AFP/Getty Images)

Sake barrel cracking ceremony without the REAL Samurai

It only takes one player to complete this group.

The REAL Samurai, Sam Querrey!

However the rising son of America has been sidelined for four-to-six weeks after injuring his right forearm in a freak accident in Bangkok.

He could have joined Gael Monfils, Kimiko Date Krumm, Ayumi Morita, Juan Martin Del Potro, Lleyton Hewitt, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, to crack the sake barrels during a welcome reception on Day 2 of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis tournament at Hotel Grand Pacific Le Daiba yesterday.


(Images by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images)

Pre-US Open: Pretty practice photos

Now that the US Open draw is out, let's see who has been practicing hard on court over the week.

Here are some eye candies for your viewing pleasure...

Juicy Jo-Willy

Flawless Ferrer

Mikhail Youzhny and Andy Murray

Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic


Lleyton Hewitt and James Blake

Cuddly Cilic


Mighty Monfils

Rusty Roddick

(Images via US Open official website)

TENNIS WATCH: The Hewitts, ATP & WTA's marriage in Cincinnati, Ivanovic's cutting cost, Safina's coconut, comeback Kim wins again

Australian weekly magazine New Idea has apologised to Lleyton Hewitt's wife Bec for labelling her brother Shaun Cartwright as her 'new lover' in an April news story.

The magazine surely have no idea that the Hewitts are still very much in love.

*******

The ATP and WTA events in Cincinnati will become a combined tournament in 2011 and will be held two weeks before the U.S. Open.

The current WTA and ATP events in Toronto and Montreal will remain in separate cities, but will occur during the same week, three weeks before the U.S. Open.

*******

Is Ana Ivanovic cutting cost due to her recent slump?

Speaking about her shrinking entourage, Ivanovic said, "Now I'm actually traveling with my mom mostly, and before I used to have four or five people. So I'm like, Where has everyone gone?"

"No, I feel really good, because also made me realise more thing on my own, what I'm doing and what helps me to play good, these kind of things, rather than relying on people telling me certain things."

*******

Recently Dinara Safina hurt her left hand while trying to open a coconut.

Safina said, "In Los Angeles, I would say I lost a bet with a coconut. I was trying to open a coconut, and actually didn't open very good because the knife slipped and it went straight into my hand.

Safina shoud ask Zeljko Krajan to do it instead.

*******

Kim Clijsters continues her successful comeback win by defeating Patty Schnyder 6-2, 7-5 in Cincinnati.

Clijsters who retired in May 2007 and gave birth to a daughter in February 2008, knocked out 12th-seeded Marion Bartoli in straight sets on Monday.

She is scheduled to meet 6th-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova in the next round. Clijsters has won six of her seven matches against Kuznetsova.

If everything goes well, she will probably meet top-seeded Dinara Safina in the quarterfinal match.

Malaysian Open: One-way ticket to see shirtless players under the equatorial sun

Eight players already announced their commitment to join the Malaysian Open scheduled this September - (pictures in sequence) Lleyton Hewitt, Robin Soderling, David Ferrer, Fernando Gonzalez, Nikolay Davydenko, Gael Monfils, Kei Nishikori and Fernando Verdasco.

Malaysia is located near to the equator, so it's extremely hot and humid throughout the year.

Although the tournament is going to be held indoor, there's still high possibility that you'll see the players shirtless on and off court especially during practice, jogging and changovers.

Here's a preview of what you'll most likely see (I mean hot bods!) between September 26 to October 4, 2009.

If you like what you see, book your tickets now. Go to: http://malaysianopentennis.com/tickets.html

Be fast!

Malaysian Open 2009: Lleyton Hewitt confirms participation

Tournament Director Nick Freyer and President of LTAM Datuk Abdul Razak Latiff watching the video message by Lleyton Hewitt.

Lleyton Hewitt is the latest player who confirmed his participation at the Malaysian Open scheduled to run from September 26 to October 4, 2009.

This will be Hewitt's first visit to Malaysia.

"I have played in many other parts of Asia and I have always had a great time so I am keen to enjoy Malaysian hospitality which I have heard a lot about," Hewitt said.

"To have guys like Verdasco and Soderling and Davydenko playing makes it a very strong tournament and that will make it exciting for all the fans there."

Is Hewitt going to bring along his wife Bec Cartwright and their children Mia and Cruz?

I really hope so!

(Image by IMG)

Wimbledon Day 8: Fans cheer, vintage Hewitt, Haas, Federer, Ferrero roar

Thousands remained transfixed to the giant screen on Henman Hill to join the 15,000 fans inside the stunning arena cheering for Andy Murray to a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3,5-7, 6-3 victory against Stanislas Wawrinka.

Dubbed as Prince of Darkness, Murray survived the five-set sweat-fest against the Swiss no.2 under Centre Court’s new roof.

Earlier of the day, Federer outserved Robin Soderling 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals—three weeks after downing the Swede in three sets in Paris for his first French Open title.

Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Tommy Haas also produced vintage displays at Round 4 at the Wimbledon.

Former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt fought back from two sets down on Monday to defeat Radek Stepanek 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-2 and take his place in the quarterfinals.

Juan Carlos Ferrero swept through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the second time in three years on Monday, downing French eighth seed Gilles Simon 7-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The Spaniard wildcard will face Murray for a place in the semifinals.

Tommy Haas reached the “elite eight club” at Wimbledon for the first time in his long career after beating Russian Igor Andreev 7-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Next he will face off with Novak Djokovic whom he beat in Halle.

Joining Djokovic at the quarterfinals are big servers Ivo Karlovic and Andy Roddick.

In the women's singles, a tearful Ana Ivanovic retired 1-6, 1-0 after a leg injury in her fourth-round match against Venus Williams.

Ivanovic took a 10-minute break during the first game of the second set to have her left thigh taped by a trainer.

She returned for two more points, but after hitting a service winner to take the game, she began crying as she walked to her chair and told the umpire she was retiring.

The new retractable roof over Centre Court was closed for the first time Monday after a light sprinkle halted play during the second set of a match between Dinara Safina and Amelie Mauresmo.

The world no.1 Safina defeated Frenchwoman Mauresmo 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Unseeded German Sabine Lisicki continues her great run at the Wimbledon after defeated Caroline Wozniacki with a 6-4 6-4 victory in the fourth round.

Others who also made it to the quarterfinals are Serena Williams, Elena Dementieva, Francesca Schiavone, Victoria Azarenka and Agnieszka Radwanska.

(Images by Getty Images)