уторак, 27. новембар 2018.


понедељак, 26. новембар 2018.


50 YEARS, 50 HEROES: DONALD DELL, 1969


50 YEARS, 50 HEROES: DONALD DELL, 1969

уторак, 20. новембар 2018.

APPRECIATING AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: A ONE-OF-A-KIND SHOTMAKER RETIRES





by: STEVE TIGNOR | November 18, 2018


With most players, even legendary players, I struggle to remember the first time I saw them in action. That’s not the case with Agnieszka Radwanska, the former world No. 2 and Wimbledon finalist who retired from tennis on Wednesday at age 29.

My first sighting of this cagey Krakow native is etched vividly in my mind. In the fall of 2005 or 2006, Tennis Channel was broadcasting a small indoor tournament from Europe. This wasn’t the type of event that would normally leave me glued to the TV, but there was something about the teenager who was on my screen that day. More specifically, there something about the way she hit the ball.

Radwanska, who had a fuller face and curlier hair in those early days, didn’t look or play like any of the WTA’s stars of that moment. She wasn’t a towering ball basher bent on intimidation, like her more famous fellow teen Maria Sharapova. She wasn’t a whirling athletic dynamo in the mode of the world No. 1 back then, Justine Henin. She didn’t even have especially elegant strokes, the kind that normally catch the eye. Hers were short slaps rather than long sweeps, and she made a lot of them from a painful-looking crouched position, like a hockey goalie.




But none of that mattered, because with this kid, it wasn’t about how she hit the ball; it was about all the different things she could make it do, and all the different places she could make it go. The swing was simple, but the contact was precise, and the result was almost always a surprise.

So I kept watching, and found that her demeanor was just as surprising, and appealing, as her game. For the most part, Radwanska walked calmly from one point to the next; her nickname, Ninja, came later, but she already had a knack for carving her opponents up with quiet élan. When Radwanska did get mad, her way of expressing it was just as unassuming, and just as unique. After missing a shot, she would wrinkle her nose and stamp her foot. Then she would move onto the next point, and onto her next silently vicious piece of racquet work.

I learned soon after that Radwanska had won the Wimbledon juniors in 2005 and the French Open juniors in 2006. Agnieszka and her younger sister, Urszula (Aga and Ula for short), were coached by their father, Robert, and they were pioneers of Polish tennis; in 2007, Aga would become the first woman from Poland to win a WTA event. As kids, Robert had Aga and Ula practice with balloons, which helped explain the velvet touch she could impart on a tennis ball.

Still, back then it was difficult to believe that Aga could thrive at the pro level. She weighed 125 pounds, and had the 75-m.p.h second serve to match. Her way of playing, which relied on consistency and creativity, seemed to have gone out of style with Martina Hingis. Radwanska appeared destined to be a cult player, an aficionados’ favorite, a side-court secret. So I did what any cultist lucky enough to go to tournaments would do: I trekked out to those side courts to watch her play. From there, it was easy to see how much athleticism and raw physical effort went into her game. Aga may have made it look easy on TV, but it was hard, scrambling work in reality.



It was also easy to see that Radwanska wasn’t going to remain a secret for long. She had an uncanny knack for controlling rallies without needing to overpower opponents, and she quickly rose in the rankings: From No. 57 to No. 26 and into the Top 10 by 2008, which is where she mostly stayed until 2017. Once there, Radwanska’s cult grew to include just about everyone who liked tennis. She won the WTA Fan Favorite Award each year from 2011 to 2016, and the Shot of the Year Award each year from 2013 to 2017.

That’s what she was known for: shots. There were the drop shots that she flipped crosscourt while running in the other direction. There were the volley-lobs that she turned from a circus shot into a reliable weapon. There were the short-angle volley winners carved within an inch of the net, and the no-look winners she hit while spinning around and plucking the ball out of thin air. There was the fake drop shot that she shoveled into the corner instead, and there was the squat shot that she hit from a near-sitting position. No player came up with as many ways to make fans shake their heads and laugh. Radwanska herself developed a suitably unassuming celebration after these hot shots: She laughed, raised her racquet above her head, and walked back to play the next point.

Radwanska carried that laugh with her off court, too. One year I was scheduled to interview her at Indian Wells; when she went down to a brutally quick defeat, I expected our chat to be canceled. Instead, she greeted me with a sleepy, sheepish smile and seemed happy to talk. Radwanska was an artist, but she was also a road warrior, and there was always another tournament for her. She had friends on tour, like Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber, who attended her wedding last year. But she also wasn’t afraid to criticize fellow players, like Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, when she thought it was warranted.



Her career reached its peak, and its limit, at Wimbledon in 2012 and 2013. The first year, she made the final and lost to Serena Williams in three sets; that month she also ascended to a career-high ranking of No. 2. But it was at Wimbledon in 2013 that she had her best chance at a major title, and when she suffered her most bitter defeat.

Most of the top seeds, including Serena, went out early that year. Radwanska survived the carnage, and a series of three-set matches, to reach the semifinals. There she faced Sabine Lisicki, a player she had beaten easily in their most recent match. Waiting in the final would be Marion Bartoli, a player who Aga had beaten in all seven of their previous meetings. When Radwanska went up a break in the third set against Lisicki, she must have felt as if the Wimbledon title was hers. But she couldn’t hold the lead, and she couldn’t bring herself to look Lisicki in the eye when she (briefly) shook her hand afterward.


Radwanska would win 20 WTA titles, including the season-ending championship in 2015. But while other players have continued to thrive into their 30s, she knew she had gone as far as she could at 29.

“Unfortunately, I am no longer able to train and play the way I used to,” she wrote in her retirement announcement, “and recently my body can’t live up to my expectations...[I] have to concede that I’m not able to push my body to the limits required.”

Radwanska won’t be remembered as an all-time champion, and she probably won’t make the Hall of Fame. She’ll be remembered instead as one of those idiosyncratic talents who make the sport richer and more surprising; there haven’t been many players, man or woman, who could crack us up with their creativity the way she could. Radwanska pushed her body to the limit, but her shots went beyond.
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2018/11/agnieszka-radwanska-retirement-tennis/77992/

среда, 18. јул 2018.

Prolećno prvenstvo 2018







OD BRANKO ĆIRIĆ DATUM JUL 13, 2018 DEŠAVANJA

Na teniskim terenima „Akademije Obradovic“ na Adi Ciganliji, okoncano je 40. jubilarno prvenstvo novinara – tenisera Srbije. Na neki nacin bilo je medjunarodno, jer je u zenskoj konkurenciji, kao gosca, nastupila, i to sa velikim uspehom, Zagrepcanka Senka Kosanovic. Gosca je bila i medju najuspesnijim akterima dvodnevnog nadmetanja. Osvojila je prvo mesto u zenskom singlu i drugo mesto u mix konkurenciji.

Na ovom prvenstvu ucestvovao je veliki broj nasih kolega, ali i gostiju. Takmicenje su, svojim ucescem na visi nivo podigli i bivsi selektor Dejvis kup reprezentacije Srbije Bogdan Obradovic, koji je sa partnerom Kikijem Lesandricem nastupio u dubl konkurenciji, kao gost. Ipak, novinari su pokazali svoje tenisko umece. Kombinacija Dzomba/Borovic pokazala je svoju snagu, ali i veliku zelju, pa je eliminacija para Obradovic/Lesandric bila ravna senzaciji.

Dvodnevno takmicenje proteklo je u izuzetno fer i dinamicnim borbama, a pored gosce iz Zagreba medju najuspesnijima su bili Aleksandar Sale Beric, Miodrag Debi Maletic, Jelena Stamenkovic i Cedomir Soskic.

Na zalost, zbog obaveza, ili povreda, nisu nastupili asovi i visestruki pobednici novinarskih nadmetanja, Branislav Pralica, Nebojsa Viskovic, Igor Miklja, Gradisa Katic, Aleksandar Gajsek, Milan Boskovic, Ivan Stefanovc Piki… Posebno raduje veliki broj prijavljenih koleginica. Ovoga puta se prijavilo cak deset, sto je za svaku pohvalu.
Pored “ Akademije Obradovic“ organizaciju turnira pomogli su TS Srbije i TS Beograda.
Jesenje prvenstvo odrzace se 13. i 14. oktobra 2018. godine, najverovatnije u Sremskoj Mitrovici.
Rezultati:
Kategorija -50 (polufinale): I. Jovanovski – I. Vasovic 9:2, S. Beric – C. Soskic 9:5. Finale: I. Jovanovski – S. Beric 9:4.
Kategorija +50 (polufinale): C. Soskic – D. Ciric 9:7, B. Ciric – S. Borovic 9:2. Finale: B. Ciric – C. Soskic 9:6.
Dame su bile podeljene u dve grupe i igrale su svaka sa svakom. U finalu su se sastale i to je bio kuriozitet, Jelena Stamatovi’ i njena bratanica, gosca iz zagreba Senka Kosanovic. Bolja je bila mladja, Senka – 7:5.
Muski dubl (polufinale): S. Soskic/ M. Maletic – S. Stojanovic/ I. Vasovic 9:3; S. Ljuboja/ S. Beric – D. Dzomba/ S. Borovic 9;1. Finale: S.Ljuboja/ S. Beric – S. Soskic/M. Maletic 9:1/
Mix (polufinale) M. Maletic/J. Stamatovic – S. Ljuboja/D. Dimitrovska 9:3, S. Stojanovic/R. Panajotovic 9:4, Finale: M. Maletirc/ J. Stamatovic – C. Soskic/ S. Kosanovic 9:4/

Izvor:TENNIS PRESSS CLUB









понедељак, 16. јул 2018.

Masterly Novak Djokovic wins fourth Wimbledon title

A grand return

Ah, there you are again, Novak. It’s been too long.
At the Wimbledon men’s final of 2018, tennis celebrated the return of a wonderful old friend. These last couple of years have featured an unfamiliar doppelganger bearing Djokovic’s name, with none of his old invincibility; but as of the semi-finals here, the awkward stranger is banished.
It’s been a long, uncomfortable road, but the superstar is back, rocking the Centre Court, nibbling its grass in victory, and racking up the Grand Slams once again.
CENTRE COURT
GENTLEMEN'S SINGLESFINAL
RSA
K. ANDERSON
8
2
2
63
PTS
1
2
3
4
5
SRB
N. DJOKOVIC
12
6
6
77
DURATION: 2:19COMPLETED
If this Championships decider fell short of an all-time classic, then the story it framed will go down in the history books nonetheless. Here was 32-year-old Kevin Anderson, the giant who no one saw coming, bidding to become the oldest first-time Wimbledon champion since the game turned professional 50 years ago, and the first South African to lift the famous gilt trophy. Opposite him was the 12-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who has endured two very long years of turmoil, injury and decline.
Each had fought breathtaking battles through earlier rounds to reach this shootout, but only one man could complete his personal odyssey with the ultimate prize – and it was Djokovic, delivering at times a near error-free display to capture his fourth Wimbledon crown 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3).
Just months ago – weeks, even – such an idea was inconceivable. Yet having slumped to the world No.21 spot, he has become the lowest-ranked man to win Wimbledon since Goran Ivanisevic did it as the world No.125 in 2001.
Djokovic came into this Fortnight on his humblest-ever seeding here, No.12, carrying the knowledge that this was the first season since 2006 that he has failed to win a Tour-level title before Wimbledon. But if a chap is going to capture his first tournament victory of 2018, he might as well make it the greatest prize of all.

Step by brutal step

All year Djokovic has shown increasing glimpses of the tennis which formerly made him the best player on the planet; but somehow the results he strung together – a semi-final in Rome, a quarter at Roland-Garros, the final and even a match point at Queen’s – served only to highlight the chasm between that form and the insuperability of old.
Yet he had set himself the towering task of somehow mapping a route back to the player he used to be, and having done so there was no other way to go about it other than step by brutal step.
How easy it is for those of us who have stood witness to announce now that Djokovic’s belief never flagged. That cheap summation surely does him a vast disservice, so evident was his frequent bewilderment at the loss of his former powers.
But still he kept going, and with that marvellous display against a superb Rafael Nadal in the semi-final here, he was reborn – the player he used to be and more, wiser for all that he has endured.
WATCH: DJOKOVIC WINS HIS FOURTH WIMBLEDON TITLE
Anderson, for his part, could not rise to the occasion. Having famously beaten Roger Federer 13-11 in the final set of an epic quarter-final, he backed it up with that magnificent mega-duel to defeat John Isner, but the final was a test too far.
Ten years after he last defeated Djokovic, he was hobbled both mentally and physically by the incalculable demands of so many hours on court. It was only in the third set that he began to play as he would have wished.
Even in the first set his service arm was suffering with the cumulative effect of so many power deliveries in so short a timespan, and he received attention from the trainer. At a set and 2-5 down he at last commanded a break point, but under relentless fire from Djokovic the forehand which has served Anderson so well could not deliver.
Throughout it all, the South African chattered away to himself in encouragement, deploying all the newly-learned mental tricks which have helped him to two Grand Slam finals in the last year. He will leap up to No.5 when the latest rankings are released after The Championships, and his achievements at Wimbledon 2018 will not be forgotten.
But as the Centre Court surface temperature touched 40 degrees, Djokovic was hot stuff on a hotter day. With the heavy cloak of doubt cast aside, unburdened at last, Djokovic ensured that the legendary lawn was left scorched by more than just the summer sun.
For two sets his serve delivered time after time, and Anderson could scarcely touch it. Only when the prize drew near did Djokovic misfire, and he repelled five set points. Up ahead, triumph waited patiently.
The Serb took a step towards it with a delicious forehand pass; and soon after that, victory’s kiss left him on his haunches, as if in prayer. Minutes later, the ancient trophy was in his hands again, a sight applauded by his three-year old son Stefan in the arms of his mother, Djokovic’s wife Jelena.
“It feels amazing – the first time in my life I have someone screaming ‘Daddy! Daddy!’,” smiled Djokovic. “I’m very emotional with him being there, and my wife and whole team. I cherish this moment.

BUT THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE IN THE WORLD TO MAKE A COMEBACK. I ALWAYS DREAMED OF HOLDING THIS TROPHY AS A BOY. THIS IS A SACRED PLACE FOR TENNIS.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
“I would like to congratulate Kevin. I was quite lucky to get through. I’m very grateful to everyone who has been supporting me. The last couple of years haven’t been easy, facing for the first time a severe injury. I had many moments of doubt and didn’t know if I could come back. But there’s no better place in the world to make a comeback. I always dreamed of holding this trophy as a boy. This is a sacred place for tennis. It’s very special.”
And then he laughed, gazing in wonder at the trophy – and so much else – restored to him once more. Novak Djokovic is the champion again, at Wimbledon, the place which matters to him the most. Welcome back, friend. Seems like old times.
source:http://www.wimbledon.com

петак, 15. јун 2018.

WATCH: FILIPINO BOY PLAYS ON MUD COURT WITHOUT SHOES




A little boy video-taped playing on a bumpy mud court in the Philippines without any shoes has captured the world's attention.
Grigor Dimitrov posted the clip to his Instagram page, calling attention to how lucky everyone is to "have a flat court, tennis shoes, new balls, fresh strung rackets."
It really puts things in perspective. It's also hard not to notice that the boy is quite good, despite the circumstances fighting against him.


The next time you're having a bad day and moping around on the court after a missed shot, be grateful for what you have.

среда, 13. јун 2018.

Беноа Пер у главној улози


Беноа Пер, кога смо имали част и  лично да упознамо на АТП турниру у Београду пре неколико година, осим тениског талента, има и веома занимљив карактер...




понедељак, 11. јун 2018.

Zahvat na kukovima: Zimonjić operisan


Selektor Dejvis kup reprezentacije Srbije je danas u Garmiš-Partenkirhenu operisan i moraće da pauzira najmanje tri meseca
SELEKTOR Dejvis kup reprezentacije Srbije Nenad Zimonjić (42) operisan je danas u Garmiš-Partenkirhenu. Naš legendarni dubl igrač podvrgnut je operativnom zahvatu na kukovima i moraće da pauzira najmanje tri meseca.
Iskusni teniser poslednji put je igrao na turniru u Minhenu krajem aprila, a ove godine dobio je samo jedan od deset mečeva.

Zahvat na kukovima: Zimonjić operisan