I would love him to win but...

Who will play in the French Open final?

I'm kind of bored (not sick yet though) with all these talks about Roger Federer achieving a career Grand Slam, tying Pete Sampras all-time record of 14 major titles and being the people's choice.

"I feel it since a few years now, to be honest with you," Federer said.

"But this year even more extreme."

"When I walk on the streets or drive in the transportation or I go for dinner, everybody is like, 'This is your year. You've got to do it.' They're screaming from their scooters and out of the car. They even get out at the red lights and want me to sign an autograph or take a picture."

"It's quite incredible this last couple of weeks."

Alright maybe I'm saying that because I'm a Rafatard.

Or maybe I just want people to stop talking about it.

We all know very well that Federer has his best ever chance of winning the French Open, the only Grand Slam which is missing from his resume.

Hopefully Juan Martin del Potro will surprise us tomorrow, or at least put up a good fight against his idol.

In another semifinal, Fernando Gonzalez will face off with Robin Soderling,

I'm glad that Gonzalez is confident about his chance in the final.

He said, "This is a big moment in my career and I want to make the most of it. I want to think I'm a favourite because I feel fit to win my next match, and that is what I want to focus on."

(Image via BBC Sport/Getty Images)

Who wants to attend Nadal Tennis School?

Well done to Rafael Nadal for setting up a tennis school at the Anantapur Sports Village (ASV) in the southern Andhra Pradesh town.

This announcement was made recently by his mother Ana Maria Parera, who is the President of the Fundacion Rafa Nadal.

"We don’t want mega projects, but to keep our feet on the ground and do our bit,” she said of the venture, work on which will begin in September.

Nadal Tennis School is a collaboration with Fundacion Vincente Ferrer (FVF), the Spanish arm of the Rural Development Trust (RDT), an Anantapur-based NGO.

Four international class clay courts are to come up by New Year day while the academy is expected to become functional by June next year.

"There have been 135 registrations so far for admission to the academy, which will be restricted to children above eight years” said Moncho Ferrer, Associate Programme Director of RDT.

"The facility will host District, State and National-level tournaments."

"Training will be year-long as also monitoring of the progress by the academy’s inmates," he added.

The magnificent Mallorcan’s well-known fondness for children prompted him to embark on this project, Ana Maria Parera said.

Equal emphasis will be laid on education in the scheme, which it is hoped, will become residential over time.

“It is easier to teach a child through sport than without it, because children are real sponges and learn faster when having fun,” she reasoned.

(Via hindu.com)

Tennis chicks in bikinis: Cibulkova, Azarenka, Bondarenko, Chakvetadze in FHM mag

I totally missed this one out until I read it at GTT.

Perhaps in conjunction with the French Open, Dominika Cibulkova, Victoria Azarenka, Alona Bondarenko, and Anna Chakvetadze agreed to pose in June's French edition of FHM, one of men's best lifestyle magazine.

I'm telling you, I totally dig Cibulkova here!


(Via gototennisblog)

Happy Birthday Rafa!

It's Rafael Nadal's birthday today!

And for the first time in so many years, Nadal has the pleasure to celebrate his birthday away from work, from Roland Garros.

There's no better video to celebrate the 23rd birthday of the great champion than this one posted on his official website.