Novak Djokovic ends Rendy Lu Yen-hsun's fairytale run

Rendy Lu Yen-hsun's incredible run at the Wimbledon has finally come to an end.

He lost to Novak Djokovic 3-6, 2-6, 2-6 in the quarterfinal match yesterday.

But here's the good news. Rendy, the no.1 player in Asia has won so many new fans for the past two weeks.

His Facebook fanpage has soared from 600+ to more than 3000+ in just a couple of days.

A visit to his profile page on the Wimbledon tournament's official website, by scrolling down and counting the number of comments made by fans and then comparing him to popular players like Roger Federer (432), Rafael Nadal (423), Novak Djokovic (94) and Andy Murray (125), you'll know Rendy (713) is the hottest guy in SW19 right now!

Now the greatest news of all is that Rendy could have reach a career-high no. 42 in the world rankings next week! I'll keep you guys posted once the official rankings are available.

All the best to Rendy in upcoming tournaments.

I'm definitely looking forward to meeting him again in Malaysia (if he plays here at the ATP250 Malaysian Open) in September.

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Join Rendy Lu Yen-hsun's Facebook Fanpage

If you're already a fan of Rendy Lu Yen-hsun after his magnificent win over Andy Roddick at Wimbeldon yesterday, do show your support for him in his Facebook fanpage here.

Before his win last night, the number of fans were only 600+. The number has increased to more than 1700 in the last few hours =)

Rendy Lu talks about win, dad and chickens

Here's Rendy Lu Yen-hsun's round 4 post match Wimbledon interview.

Q. You played him twice before. What was the difference?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I think for me I know he's very tough on grass because he has big serve. And I don't think I'm doing different than last time. But I just show my serve when I was in trouble or when I in tough situation, I don't overplay.

So I have to stay with him because last two match, sometimes in the pressure, I overplay because I want to make a winner.

But today I just take a time, serve regular, and stay with him, try to find a chance and to win the set, set by set, set by set, until end, I shaking hand and I win. Yeah, I just don't think.

Q. When it was leveled at two sets each, was it psychologically tougher for you then?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I mean, yes. This question, for me, the fourth set I have a chance. I have 3‑1. The dropshot, I come in. I still thinking when I was going to the final set. I just tell myself, I have to fight. Because I know in the fifth set, there is no tiebreak, and he has better serve.
So I just tell myself, If I can stay longer, longer, longer, then probably something happens. And finally then I waited last chance to close the match.

But I tell you, fifth set, I don't believe I can win because he's better server than me.

Q. You didn't believe?
YEN‑HSUN LU: No, I mean, for chance, I don't believe. But I just tell myself, Even I don't believe, I have to fight, yeah.

Q. What were the emotions like for you after the match? You won, sat down in your chair. What was going through your mind after the victory?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Yeah, I mean, for me, because I really thankful for my family. Also because I'm really upset because my father's already pass away. I make this result. I'm really proud myself to share this victory with him in the sky. I hope he see this match.

So in that moment, I just sit and tell myself, I done it. I done for my father. I done for myself also. I done for all the people support me, yeah.

This one is for Dad who is watching up there...

Q. May we ask when your father passed away?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Is 2000, when I turned professional, that year.

Q. So now having achieved the best result of your career, how far do you think you can go here?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Right now, I just want to say I want to have good sleep tonight. I know the next opponent is Djokovic. Also is very great players. I don't know how far I can play. I cannot tell you. But I can tell you if I have a chance to step on the court, I will fight in the end, yeah.

Q. Is it true you call yourself Randy because your English teacher could not pronounce your name?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Yeah, you know, because in Taiwan is difficult. Is not difficult, my name, to pronounce. But the English teacher, they want us to get American style, have the English name, to go into the English class feeling. So that's why they ask us to pick out the name from English.

So that's why I pick. But I don't know the meaning, actually (smiling).

Q. Do you want to know?

YEN‑HSUN LU: No. Better not, yeah (smiling).

Q. How long have you been working with Mark Woodforde and how much has he helped your game?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I mean, had very good experience with him last year. I mean, last year I have really bad virus with me for one‑and‑a‑half months, and also my immune system, even after I recover, I still really not in the good shape.

So when I work with him, my body's not really ready for it. But he give me a lot, you know, come to the net, and also some strategy, slice, approach. I mean, also he tell me some experience what he done before, when you play in a match, what you think. So is really help for when I work with him for two months, yeah.

Q. What was his advice? Did you speak to him today?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Actually, I meet him, like we went to the practice court, he is also practicing for this week. I was just say hi. He tell me, Well done. But we didn't really spoke about the tournament match.

Q. Did your father teach you to play tennis? Was he involved in tennis?

YEN‑HSUN LU: He start to learn together. We learn tennis together. When I was going to high school, also he spending a lot of time, too. He's not real coach, but he spend a lot of time to drive me to the coach, to the tennis coach, to the school. He's take care everything.

And also when I was ‑‑ before he was always planning which direction I should go, I should go to school or keep going professional. In the moment, he pass away.

So I'm just upset that I done, and he didn't with me. That's why I'm just very sad about this. But today I think he's here and he also very happy for me, yeah.

Q. When you beat Andy Murray at the Beijing Olympics, he said later that he was jetlagged and did not prepare properly. Does that make this win the best of your career?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I think every win is different in my career. I mean, of course, Andy's ‑‑ they're both Andy. Andy Murray's good players. But probably he has some problem. I knew I play good tennis against him, and I beat him.

I cannot tell you next time I play him, I have to win, I have to beat him, because he's very good players. I just find the chance to beat him.

And today the match, also in the match, I tell my coach, I say, I don't care about if win or lose, but I just want to fight in the end. Then things happened.

Q. How difficult is it to play tennis in Taipei? Did you have economic support only from the family?

YEN‑HSUN LU: The beginning, family supporting. After, when I play till now, there's some sponsor to support us. But when I kid, family support.

Q. What was your family doing, your family business?

YEN‑HSUN LU: My father doing, he's selling the chicken, not the meat, but the live chicken. So they sell the chicken, send it to the farm or something. After, they kill and become the meat. So I can catch a chicken. I can show you. Yeah, serious. I can catch a chicken (smiling).

Q. Can you elaborate on that? Was this like a chicken farm where your dad worked? Did you work with him there?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I tried few times. But I don't really like because smell really bad. But I know is very tough work. They always working between 1:00 in the morning to 6:00 in the morning, like very early. That time the chicken cannot run away because they cannot see.

Q. They were wild?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Yeah. No, but still they can run. They just put in the box or something. You have to catch them into the box. If the people want some kind of chicken, you need to separate.

Q. Roddick talked about how your serve seemed a lot tougher for him today than when you've played him in the past. Is that a part of your game you've worked on specifically? How might you be a different player today?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I mean, I think these tournaments improve my serve, especially like in the tough situation I make more first serve in. And also doing good serve is also physical‑wise because, like before the tournaments, I hire Argentina condition coach.

We training really hard for three‑and‑a‑half weeks to prepare these tournaments. And also he used the new system, it is different training program, that make me for my leg a little bit stronger.

So I can jump higher, I can serve better. That I think is better than last few times I play him, yeah.

(Via Wimbledon website)

ESPN Star Sports Sucks!

I just want to vent out my anger and disappointment with ESPN Star Sports.

It's a shame that you're an Asian based sports TV broadcaster but you don't show the historical match between Rendy Lu Yen-hsun and Andy Roddick.

Congrats to Rendy again for making Asia proud! Jia you in the quarterfinal!

(Image via Yahoo! Sports)

Rendy Lu Yen-hsun rocks Andy Roddick's world

Sorry for not updating this blog for awhile.

Instead of staying up late at night for World Cup, I caught up with tennis. After all, it's Rendy Lu Yen-hsun's important match against Andy Roddick, last year's Wimbledon finalist, in round 4.

Congrats to Rendy who sent Andy Roddick packing with an impressive 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (5/7), 9-7 win!

The unseeded Rendy become the first Taiwanese to make the last eight of a Grand Slam.

Currenly ranked 82nd in the world, he also became the first Asian man to make the last eight at the Wimbledon since Japan's Shuzo Masuoka back in 1995!

Rendy will now face Novak Djokovic, the third seed, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Hopefully Rendy will take advantage of this opportunity as Djokovic is said to be unfit due to illness.

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Rendy Lu Yen-hsun to marry longtime girlfriend

Asia's top tennis player and current world no. 78, Rendy Lu Yen-hsun is getting married this year!

Accompanied by his longtime girlfriend Chien Chung-wen at Queen's Club, the couple was said to have confirmed their wedding scheduled for December 4.

The wedding will be held in Taipei and Tainan.

Congrats to the lovely couple! HCFoo is looking forward to those wedding photos.

(Image via chinatimes.com)

Rendy Lu Yen-hsun poses for Adidas photo shoot

Asia's top tennis player Rendy Lu Yen-hsun was at the National Taiwan University today for training plus Adidas promo photo shoot.

Rendy is far from boring when it comes to photo shoot.

Currently ranked at 103, Rendy is looking set to bounce back into the top 100.

He'll fly to Indian Wells tomorrow to play in the ATP Masters 1000 qualifying round.

(Images by Elvis Dai via Facebook)

Rendy Lu Yen-hsun back in Taiwan for X'mas celebration

Just a little update on our boy, Asia's no.1 Rendy Lu Yen-hsun.

Rendy has just completed his off season training in Kenya last Saturday.

He should be back in Taipei by now to celebrate X'mas with his family and friends.

Chennai Open will be Rendy's first tournament next year.

We hope he'll bounce back and achieve better rankings in 2010 after a setback in the second half of this year due to flu.

(Image via Rendy Lu's official website)

Rewind: Unseen before footage from the Malaysian Open '09

I had too much free time last weekend so I decided to put some of the unused footage clips from the Malaysian Open back in September into some sort of a music video.

As usual, I appreciate off court a lot, so you'll only find off court footage in this MV.

Mixed doubles tennis for London 2012

Finally the IOC has approved adding mixed doubles event to the Olympics.

This new category will be part of the lineup for the 2012 London Games, where the tournament will be played on grass at Wimbledon.

Rendy and Hsieh

Asia has some very good mixed double pairs like India's Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi (2009 Australian Open champs) as well as Taiwan's Rendy Lu Yen-hsun and Hsieh Su-wei (Asian Hopman Cup winners).

Proton Malaysian Open: Results and OOP for Day 2

Wild card Marcos Baghdatis pumped his fist with relief as he scores a two hour 49 minute 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) victory over Rendy Lu Yen-Hsun at the PROTON Malaysian Open.

Baghdatis has been struggling with confidence lately and he said the win was an important boost for him.

Earlier, Taylor Dent, also a wild card recipient, fought hard to come back in his match against Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).

I did not follow the earlier session but here's the complete results and OOP for Day 2.

RESULTS - SEPTEMBER 28, 2009
Singles - First Round
[WC] T Dent (USA) d A Golubev (KAZ) 46 63 76(4)
[Q] B Evans (USA) d [Q] M Yani (USA) 63 64
[WC] M Baghdatis (CYP) d Y Lu (TPE) 46 63 76(5)

Doubles - First Round
[WC] R Bopanna (IND) / A Qureshi (PAK) d [4] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) 63 64
S Huss (AUS) / S Lipsky (USA) d C Rochus (BEL) / M Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 64 63

ORDER OF PLAY - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2009
CENTER COURT start 11:30 am
F Lopez (ESP) vs M Vassallo Arguello (ARG)
J Acasuso (ARG) vs [Q] R Bopanna (IND)

Not Before 3:30 PM
I Kunitsyn (RUS) vs [6] T Berdych (CZE)

Not Before 5:30 PM
[7] D Ferrer (ESP) vs M Youzhny (RUS)
[8] L Hewitt (AUS) vs [WC] J Johansson (SWE)
A Golubev (KAZ) / D Istomin (UZB) vs J Acasuso (ARG) / F Gonzalez (CHI)

COURT 1 start 2:30 pm
[1] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) vs J Cerretani (USA) / R Wassen (NED)
[Q] M Kukushkin (KAZ) vs K Beck (SVK)
K Beck (SVK) / J Kerr (AUS) vs I Kunitsyn (RUS) / J Levinsky (CZE) - After Suitable Rest

(Image by IMG)

Rooting for Rendy Lu Yen-hsun at the Malaysian Open

I'll be attending the evening session matches at the PROTON Malaysian Open tonight.

I'm extremely excited about this as the tournament has one of the fastest tennis court surface.

Wild cards recipients Taylor Dent and Marcos Baghdatis will begin their first round match at 5PM.

Dent will face Andrey Golubev first and followed by Baghdatis against Rendy Lu Yen-hsun.

I attended the pressers held for Dent and Baghdatis yesterday. Dent was super confident of his chance and said he was 100% fit.

Meanwhile, it didn't look too good for Baghdatis who refused to think much about his opponent.

Earlier I was at the practice court and saw Rendy practicing with another wild card Joachim "Pim Pim" Johansson.

I asked Rendy to comment about his first round match against Baghdatis (they never play each other before) after his practice. So check out this video.

(Photo credit to HSFoo/hcfoo.com)

Welcoming Rendy Lu Yen-hsun to Malaysia (updated)

I was at the airport today to welcome Asia's no.1 player Rendy Lu Yen-hsun to Malaysia.

This is the first time in 8 years that Rendy visits Malaysia, the last time was for the Davis Cup tournament.

I'm going to conduct a casual interview with him and watch him practice tomorrow. So, do stay tune.

In the meanwhile, hope you'll enjoy these pictures.

(Photo credit to HSFoo/hcfoo.com)

10th Annual BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis

I've been out of town for the past couple of days so I haven't been able to update some of the pre-US Open events that took place over the weekend.

In a quick update, let's start off with the 10th annual BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis, which is famous for its food, drink and celebrities.

Held at the W Hotel, and the Food Bank for New York, it has some of the biggest names in tennis including Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Billie Jean King, Sam Groth, Vera Zvonareva, Fernando Gonzalez, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, David Ferrer and Asia's very own Rendy Lu Yen-hsun.

Roddick mixing drinks with Natural Food Chef Bethany Frankel.

Left to right - Chef Ariane Duarte, Jo-Willy, newscaster Hannah Storm and chef Carla Hall.

HCFoo's favourite, Rendy Lu serves up a tennis-themed cake :D

David Ferrer

Vera Zvonareva

Fernando Gonzalez

(Images by Donald Bowers/Getty Images North America)

Novak Djokovic stripped to his briefs in Montreal, again!

It seems like the Canadians enjoy watching Novak Djokovic stripped to his undies. He did it in Montreal back in 2007.

And he did it again last Sunday.

As he strutted down the catwalk in an oriental-style jacket, the Serbian was mentioned in the ATP website to have "provocatively teased the crowd as he made his way around the stage, before dropping the jacket to pose in just his underwear, much to the enjoyment of the audience".

I'm better on the catwalk than I'm in the court these days!

Tadaaaa!! Here's the proof!

Other ATP World Tour stars who made their appearances on the catwalk (no striptease, though) were Tommy Robredo, Jurgen Melzer, Jeremy Chardy, Mark Knowles, Yen-Hsun Lu, Simon Aspelin, Paul Hanley, Teimuraz Gabashvili, Milos Raonic and Mischa Zverev.

Rendy Lu Yen-hsun

Tommy Robredo

Jurgen Melzer

Jeremy Chardy

(Images by Arturo Velazque via ATP World Tour website)

Rendy Lu Yen-hsun serves up some love & chicken instead of pork

It's been awhile since I blog about Rendy Lu Yen-Hsun.

All_is_onUSA from menstennisforums.com scanned a recipe card that he got at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships recently.

These recipe cards were supposed to be printed in book form and published under the title "Serving Up The Love".

Now, in the end, the publisher only printed 3 cards - featuring Rendy, Robby Ginepri and Devin Britton and their favourite recipes.

So, not only that the recipe book project failed, it seems like the publisher not serious in getting their recipe correct too.

Rendy was supposed to share his favourite "Sweet and Sour Pork" recipe but he ended up serving chicken!


(Images by All_is_onUSA via menstennisforums.com)

Roger Federer stumbles but not fall; The GOAT praises Rendy Lu

Ouchhhhh!

There was one moment in the fourth game of the third set, when Rendy Lu Yen-hsun manoeuvred Federer around the baseline so effectively that a disguised forehand winner down the line had the unofficial-GOAT (Greatest of All Times) sprawling as he tried to change direction.

However that wasn't enough to stop Federer.

It was a frustrating loss for Rendy but nevertheless he was "excited" playing at Centre Court against the GOAT.

Yen-Hsun Lu already did his best before losing the first round match 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.

During the press conference after the match, Laura raised this question to Federer:

Q. Can you make some comments on Lu's game?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I thought he played excellent, you know. He's a wonderful player. He has got a nice forehand, a nice backhand, very sound game all around. He's good all around. Seems like can he play well, especially on the quicker courts, hard courts and grass courts. I knew the danger today. He's beaten good players in the past. I knew that as well, too, obviously. That was a tough first set. He actually remained tough throughout the match, which was good to see, in a way.

Rendy's journey does not end there.

He will play in the doubles event partnering with German Bjorn Phau. Their first opponents in the first round are Russian hotties Igor Andreev and Evgeny Korolev.

(Via AP, buzzle.com; Images Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images)

Jude Law, Jonny Lee Miller spotted at Wimbledon

Actors Jude Law and Jonny Lee Miller were spotted among the crowd at the stands during the men's singles first round match between Roger Federer and Rendy Lu Yen-hsun on Day 1 of the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

(Images by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Roger Federer disappointed with Rafael Nadal's withdrawal

With Rafael Nadal forced to withdraw from the Wimbledon tennis tournament, Roger Federer is expected to retain the title he lost in an epic final against the Spaniard last year.

Unlike the French Open, this time Federer said he is sad for not able to play against the world no.1.

Federer said, "It (referring to Nadal's withdrawal) didn't come as such a big surprise to me, but it's obviously very disappointing for the tournament, and also for myself. It's a little bit similar to Paris — we played the last four years against each other in Paris, the last three years here at Wimbledon, so we won't see the same finals again."

"It's disappointing for me because I'd love to play him. He's my main rival and we've had some wonderful matches over the years, and especially the one here last year that obviously stands out. It just shows me how lucky I've been that I haven't been injured over all those years."

However it doesn't mean this Wimbledon is without any pressure.

Federer admits he felt the weight of history on his shoulders if his bid to break Pete Sampras's record for Grand Slam victories goes the distance at Wimbledon.

"The focus is on the first round and the first point," said Federer, whose match against Rendy Lu Yen-hsun is first on Centre Court on Monday, "but also trying to regain my Wimbledon crown, so that stands over trying to beat Pete's record right now."

"Once I come down to the semi-finals or finals, hopefully, then that's also going to start creeping into my mind, but right now, just trying to regain my Wimbledon crown would be a dream come true."

Federer could also be facing the biggest threat from Andy Murray.

When asked about Murray, Federer said, "He's a very gifted player. He has wonderful feel, he's a great tactician — I always said that, and he's finally proved it."

"It took him some time, and that was the disappointing part. I expected him to do better a few years ago, but everything is coming together for him now and he's been rock solid for almost two years now."

"The [British] media seems be making something of our recent matches. When I lost to him in Shanghai [at the Masters Cup in November 2008], for example, I was ill and suffering with my back, and I still almost beat him, so I'm not about to say that he's the best player in the world all of a sudden."

Well, of course the only person who could claim to be the best player in the world is Federer himself.

(Via Wimbledon official website; Image by AELTC)

Rendy Lu Yen-Hsun to open against Roger Federer in Wimbledon

Rendy Lu Yen-hsun, the only Asian in the Wimbledon men's draw will play everyone's dream match on Monday.

C'mon, who doesn't want to play against Roger Federer, the newly-but not officially-crowned Greatest Of All Time?

Rendy will be making his Centre Court debut, but it will be his sixth Wimbledon where his best performances remain second round runs in 2004 and 2005.

Rendy who often dubbed as "the guy who beat Andy Murray at the 2008 Olympics" has beaten Federer in two sets during a practice match back in 2003. The score was 6-1, 6-3.

Wishing Rendy all the best!

(Via chinapost.com.tw; Image by mlkj24.pixnet.net)