Juan Martin del Potro thinks he'll be better when Federer, Nadal, Murray retire...

Either he is lack of confidence or he's humble...

Read this excerpt taken from the post-match interview with Juan Martin del Potro after he defeated Austrian Daniel Koellerer.

Q. Djokovic said a few weeks ago that with all these great players coming around maybe he came around at the wrong era. Do you feel that way?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Yeah, my feeling is I have very good players from me to the No. 1. For sure, Roger, Rafa, Murray, they are two or three step more than me. I working hard every day hard to be like them.

But if I play for many years in this level, then they gonna retire and I gonna be much better, so...

(Via US Open website; Image via Yahoo! Sports)

Royal treatment awaits Rafael Nadal in Bangkok

As you've already know, Rafael Nadal will be playing at the PTT Thailand Open this month.

The official hotel sponsor, Intercontinental Hotel, has opened the door and let fans take a glimpse of Nadal's luxurious Royal Suite Room.

Remember his face... Mr. Warachai, Nadal's butler

(via PTT Thailand Open website)

Congratulations to the winners of the "We Love Malaysian Open" contest

Here are the winners for the "We Love Malaysian Open" contest. Judges' decisions are final. Winners will be contacted via e-mail.

Grand Prize #1
Gold Semifinals Seat (Day session) x 2
Winner: Joash Wee
Rafa: I hear you're heading to South East Asia for a tournament! So am I! Is it the Thailand Open?
Richard: Unfertunetely i enters zee Maleesien Open.
Rafa: Oh.
Rafa/Richard: Anyways...

Grand Prize #2
Gold Semifinals Seat (Evening session) x 2
Winner: Freddy Kwa, Puchong, Malaysia
Richard: So, how's Xisca?
Rafa: She's HOT, no? Hehhe... so, how's Pamela*?
Richard: Hmmmppphhh!
Rafa: Ooops....
(*the chick who kissed Richard and landed him in drug controversy)

Second prize
Australian Open "mini tennis ball" keychain x 1
Malaysian Open notebook x 1 (not laptop, okay)
Official Guide To Professional Tennis x 1
ATP World Tour 2009 season book x 1
Malaysian Open car sticker x 1
Wilson socks x 1
Wilson cap x 1
Winner: Pt, Ampang, Malaysia
Seeking to break the monotony that is training, Rafa and Richard resort to a fun game of mirroring each other's movements and expressions, and soon come to realise that in the event of the relentless pursuing of a certain Mr Tendinitis or Miss Pamela, they could very well retire into mime.

Third prize
Malaysian Open notebook x 1 (not laptop, okay)
ATP World Tour 2009 season book x 1
Malaysian Open car sticker x 1
Wilson socks x 1
Wilson cap x 1
Winner: ReliableRaf, Philippines
Rafa: Did you watch my game against Fed last week? I totally butchered him. I'm quite shock but great hahaha
Richard: Yeah i saw that match, i was surprise how helpless he was on that match.
Rafa: shhhhhhhhhh....quiet Fed's coming. He might hear us, pretend to wonder hehe
Richard: oh ok...as you say ;-)

Consolation prize
Malaysian Open poster x 1
Malaysian Open car sticker x 1
Winner: arvy harahap, Cyberjaya, Malaysia
RQ: Hey Rafa, how's your knee man?
RN: It's holding up pretty well..haha
RQ: Good! then i can't wait to play against you in the Malaysian Open!
RN: HAHAHAHA...same here...if its possible
Q: What? I thought that you are playing in the tournament
RN: Hmm...hmm....nope, i am going to Thailand.
RQ: What! but you said you gonna go, that's why i entered the tournament!
RN: hmmph..sorry...
RQ: SHUT UP!

Thank you for all your entries.

I know some said this contest was hard. So I'm amazed by a few entries which I think are pretty creative.

To those who won, congrats... and to those who didn't win, don't give up as I'll be organising more contests in the near future.

Thanks again to the tournament director of the Malaysian Open for sponsoring 4 tickets to the semifinals!

Have a good weekend!

TENNIS WATCH: Malaysian Tennis Classic, Serena living On The Line, Oudin & Querrey at NASDAQ, Uncle Toni lookalike

Great news for fellow Malaysians!

Next year, we'll be having both ATP and WTA events! What a dream come true!

Officially announced in the Sony Ericsson WTA website, the Malaysian Tennis Classic sanctioned by LTAM will begin on February 22, 2010, right after the Chinese New Year :D

Thanks to Hamdan for the tips!

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Serena Williams memoir already hit the bookstore.

For more info regarding the content of the autobiography, read it from Black Tennis Pro's.

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No... giant-killer Melanie Oudin did not get arrested for defeating Elena Dementieva and Maria Sharapova.

Together with fellow American Sam Querrey they were at the NASDAQ earlier this week to ring the opening bell at the stock exchange.

Check out Querrey's nerdy look...

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Am I the only one who think Jesse Witten look like Uncle Toni?

By the way, I enjoyed Witten's performance at the US Open. He proves chubby guys can play good tennis too :D