Former French Tennis Champion Marion Bartoli to Run 2016 TCS New York City Marathon

Marion Bartoli, the 2013 Wimbledon Singles Champion and former top-ten player in the world, announced today that she will run the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon as a New York Road Runners Team for Kids runner on Sunday, November 6, 2016.

Image via Team For Kids/Marion Bartoli's Fundraiser

Bartoli will raise funds for NYRR’s Team for Kids, the TCS New York City Marathon’s largest charity running team that raises funds for NYRR’s free youth running programs in New York City and across the country, by using NYRR’s partner fundraising platform, CrowdRise. Donations to Team for Kids on behalf of Bartoli’s run can be made at www.crowdrise.com/marionb.

Bartoli, 31, born in Le Puy en Velay, France, reached the highest ranking of No. 7 in the world during her career. Throughout her 13-year professional career she reached the quarterfinal stage of each of the four Grand Slams and was runner-up at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships before prevailing in 2013.

“It is an honor to announce that I will run my first marathon this fall, and it is with great excitement that I will do so at the TCS New York City Marathon in November,” Bartoli said. “After recently falling ill from a terrible virus and embarking on a long road to recovery, I have set my sights on the TCS New York City Marathon as my next goal.”

Since retiring from professional tennis, Bartoli has turned to broadcasting and fashion design. She is currently a broadcaster for Eurosport at the 2016 US Open and has graduated with a degree in fashion print from the prestigious design school, Central Saint Martins in London.

As a Team for Kids runner, Bartoli will be a part of a committed group of more than 1,700 adult runners from around the world who add meaning to their miles by raising funds for NYRR’s free youth running programs. These programs serve more than 215,000 kids locally and nationally, including more than 115,000 in New York City’s five boroughs.

Bartoli hopes that her story of setting an ambitious goal such as running a marathon after a severe illness will be an inspiration to kids in NYRR’s programs letting them know that nothing is impossible.

Press release

Rafael Nadal, Ana Ivanovic to play in Richard Branson's event this week

While Novak Djokovic is back to Belgrade to play in the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic this weekend, Rafael Nadal is already in the Caribbean for Richard Branson's Necker Cup.

Nadal with girlfriend Maria Francisca and baby Kristian Kriek in a car ride to the hotel in Necker Island

The Necker Cup is an exclusive Pro-Am event held on Sir Richard Branson’s private island Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands held on November 12-16th. If the Necker Cup is not exciting enough for you, then it has to be Super Bowl to be held in February next year in New Orleans. To get yourself prepared for more winning moments, visit Super Bowl XLVIII Bets.

Cirstea and Ivanovic on a private flight to the Necker island

Back to the Necker Cup, some of us may not be too familiar with the event. Sixteen (16) ATP/WTA Tour Players/Legends are paired up with sixteen (16) amateur teams of all levels to compete in the fun tennis event. A handicapped scoring format is implemented to make it competitive for every player. Each team consists of one pro and up to two amateurs. Teams will compete to win their bracket and earn a chance to play in the Necker Cup Finals.

Of course besides playing tennis, participants also get to do a lot of island activities.

(Images via Facebook, Instagram)

Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli announces retirement from tennis

Marion ‪‎Bartoli‬ shocked the tennis world by announcing her retirement from the sport at the age of 28. She just won a Wimbledon title weeks ago and has tweeted her anticipation for the US Open 15 hours before she made that tearful announcement!

After a second round loss to Romanian Simona Halep at the Western and Southern Open, Bartoli walked into the media room and said she just can't do it anymore.

"My body was really starting to fall apart and I was able to keep it together, go through the pain - with a lot of pain - throughout this Wimbledon and make it happen. That was probably the last little bit of something that was left inside me."

"I've been playing for a long, long, long time, and it's time for me now. It is."

The French player has won eight WTA titles in her career.

"Everyone will remember my Wimbledon title. No one will remember the last match I played here."

We wish her all the best. She'll be missed!

(Image via Quqster)

BMW Malaysian Open: Dinara Safina, Marion Bartoli among players announced

The BMW Malaysian Open official website was updated yesterday.

The tournament organiser has posted the main draw list but we have no idea who are the players that will receive wildcard this year.

Here's the complete list:

• Marion Bartoli FRA
• Alisa Kleybanova RUS
• Lucie Safarova CZE
• Kimiko Date-Krumm JPN
• Shuai Peng CHN
• Bojana Jovanovski SRB
• Tamarine Tanasugarn THA
• Akgul Amanmuradova UZB
• Ayumi Morita JPN
• Dinara Safina RUS
• Alberta Brianti ITA
• Shuai Zhang CHN
• Magdalena Rybarikova SVK
• Maria Elena Camerin ITA
• Junri Namigata JPN
• Regina Kulikova RUS
• Kai-Chen Chang TPE
• Zuzana Kucova SVK
• Kurumi Nara JPN
• Xinyun Han CHN
• Misaki Doi JPN
• Tatjana Malek GER
• Jelena Dokic AUS
• Michaella Krajicek NED
• Plus 4 qualifiers and 4 wild cards

Li Na who came here last year will most likely miss this small tournament.

I'm quite impressed with the quality and number of sponsors this year. And because of that fans get to enjoy affordable ticket prices this time around. I suggest you get your season passes before February 25, 2011 as a single pass only costs you RM100.

To grab your tickets, go to Ticketpro website.

Australian Open 2011: Crown's Tennis Players' Party

Every year, tennis players will show up at the luxurious Crown Casino for its annual players' party prior to the Australian Open.

Among the players who turned up this year were Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Robin Soderling with girlfriend Jenni Moström and David Nalbandian.

Rafael Nadal in his Emporio Armani wear and Richard Mille watch.

Marion Bartoli seriously need a haircut.

That transparent top with inner black tube on Maria Sharapova is just so wrong...

The usual laidback David Nalbandian...

Sweet sweet Sorana Cirstea...

I admit Robin Soderling and girlfriend Jenni Moström do look lovely together.

(Images by Graham Denholm/Getty Images AsiaPac via zimbio.com)

Weekend winners: Quick update

It's been days without updates... but nevertheless here are the winners last weekend.

Sam Querrey, who made headlines with his Samurai gang (Querrey's fan club members), won his second tour title, ending qualifier Carsten Ball's run 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in Los Angeles.

Nikolay Davydenko won his second title in two weeks, defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-0 in Umag.

Qualifier Thomaz Bellucci won his maiden ATP title, rolling through Andreas Beck 6-4, 7-6(2) to win Gstaad.

Vera Dushevina taking her first WTA title in easy fashion, winning 6-0, 6-1 over Lucie Hradecka in Istanbul.

And lastly, Marion Bartoli brushed off Venus Williams in the Stanford final, winning 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and 43 minutes.

(Via tennis.com; Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Victoria Azarenka wins title in Brisbane; yikes, the ponytail!

Seriously, Victoria Azarenka's phython-sized braided ponytail is very distracting. The other braided ponytail that I dislike is Mary Pierce's.

Put the hairy issue aside, the good news is, Azarenka earned her first WTA title, defeating Marion Bartoli in the final at the Brisbane International.

Belarus’ Azarenka, the no. 2 seed, cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 triumph over the third-seeded Frenchwoman in the second career meeting between the pair.

“Everybody says the third time’s the charm but for me it is the fifth one - I’m just glad I got it,” Azarenka said.

“I just go out and play no matter what happens. That probably helped me. It was like playing a regular match - that is what helped me finish it so quickly.”

Azarenka defeated Bartoli in just 71 minutes.

(Via Yahoo! Sport)

Pan Pacific Open: Marion Bartoli, Nadia Petrova and Chuang Chia-Jung attended sushi demonstration

Marion Bartoli, Nadia Petrova and Chuang Chia-Jung attended a sushi demonstration and tasting in Tokyo.

Here are the photos of the event.

Chuang Chia-Jung, Marion Bartoli and Nadia Petrova learn how to make sushi from a Japanese sushi chef.

Nadia Petrova tastes her self-made sushi.

Chuang Chia-Jung and Marion Bartoli still haven't get their sushi into their mouths.

Chuang Chia-Jung is not even biting her sushi.

By the way, based on the Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis tournament results today, Petrova won the second round after beating Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.

Bartoli lost to Agnieszka Radwanska 2-6, 3-6.

In the women's doubles, Chuang and partner Su-Wei Shieh made it through to the semifinals in a walkover win against Maria Kirilenko and Flavia Penneta.

(Images via Toray PPO official website)