http://www.gototennisblog.com Tennis blog. Tennis news. Tennis gossip. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:16:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/02/required-reading-the-untouchable-mirka-federer/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/02/required-reading-the-untouchable-mirka-federer/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:27:45 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=16842
We’ve often chatted here at GTT about Mirka – her cardigans, her stamina in the players’ box, her addiction to chewing gum. Today it was The Oregonian’s Douglas Perry, author of quite a few recent pieces on Roger Federer, who decided to take up the GOAT’s better half.  He correctly points out that she’s a [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/02/required-reading-the-untouchable-mirka-federer/feed/ 31 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/12/the-great-federer-vs-nadal-debate-asterisk-averse/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/12/the-great-federer-vs-nadal-debate-asterisk-averse/#comments Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:41:50 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=16377
Tennis.com’s Peter Bodo wrote a piece this week about the Federer vs. Nadal rivalry called “Homeless Rafa.” To summarize, Bodo thinks that Rafael Nadal’s ongoing injury issues have allowed Roger Federer to loosen up to his current dominating form, proving just how much the Spaniard was in Fed’s head before his knees gave out last [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/12/the-great-federer-vs-nadal-debate-asterisk-averse/feed/ 39 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/09/30/required-reading-the-martina-hingis-defense/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/09/30/required-reading-the-martina-hingis-defense/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:46:57 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=12899
Today is Martina Hingis’s 29th birthday and the last day of her two-year drug suspension. Jon Wertheim has an interesting interview with her posted on the Sports Illustrated website. Click here to read it if you haven’t already (yes, she answers the comeback question.) Here’s what really got to me: The amount (of cocaine metabolite found in [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/09/30/required-reading-the-martina-hingis-defense/feed/ 8 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/09/29/required-reading-has-roger-federer-brainwashed-the-atp-tour/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/09/29/required-reading-has-roger-federer-brainwashed-the-atp-tour/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:45:12 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=12834
Steve Tignor wrote an interesting viewpoint piece at tennis.com with the title “Excessive civility muting the men’s game?” Have you read it already? If not, click here. If you have, can you please explain it to me? Here’s what I’ve figured so far. . . Tignor begins by comparing two US Open semifinal handshakes – this year’s [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/09/29/required-reading-has-roger-federer-brainwashed-the-atp-tour/feed/ 37 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/08/24/twin-tales-the-bryan-brothers-in-the-new-york-times-magazine/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/08/24/twin-tales-the-bryan-brothers-in-the-new-york-times-magazine/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:42:10 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=11709
Photo by Dewey Nicks for The New York Times The Bryan Brothers got the Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer treatment in the latest New York Times Magazine. The lengthy article by Eric Konigsberg is called Unseparated Since Birth and is filled with the kind of freaky/sweet identical twin anecdotes that will make this required reading for [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/08/24/twin-tales-the-bryan-brothers-in-the-new-york-times-magazine/feed/ 6 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/08/07/roger-federer-baby-news-identical-twins-private-jets-and-eating-for-two/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/08/07/roger-federer-baby-news-identical-twins-private-jets-and-eating-for-two/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:05:48 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=11141
An amazing article in the New York Times reveals a number of intimate details about the newly formed Federer family. Obviously, click here and read the whole thing. This post is just an excuse to marvel, gush and worry (just a little bit.) Factoid #1: Myla and Charlene are identical. Random thought #1: Here’s hoping the Bryan brothers [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/08/07/roger-federer-baby-news-identical-twins-private-jets-and-eating-for-two/feed/ 13 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/26/love-matches-tennis-player-couples-heating-up-off-court/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/26/love-matches-tennis-player-couples-heating-up-off-court/#comments Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:11:08 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=9803
Roger & Mirka and Steffi & Andre may have formed the ultimate tennis love-matches, but there are many more tumultuous examples: Kim Clijsters & Lleyton Hewitt, Jimmy Connors & Chris Evert and Radek Stepanek & Martina Hingis broke off their engagements, for example, while Verdasco & Ivanovic, Pennetta & Moya and Stepanek & Vaidisova experienced [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/26/love-matches-tennis-player-couples-heating-up-off-court/feed/ 21 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/21/american-twist-the-amazing-life-of-wimbledon%e2%80%99s-triple-crown-queen/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/21/american-twist-the-amazing-life-of-wimbledon%e2%80%99s-triple-crown-queen/#comments Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:56:13 +0000 Alice Marble http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/21/american-twist-the-amazing-life-of-wimbledon%e2%80%99s-triple-crown-queen/
Winner of Wimbledon’s triple crown in 1939, American Alice Marble was the tennis world’s original Glamazon. Living a life as big as her game, the 18-time Grand Slam champ shagged balls with Joe DiMaggio, survived a Nazi bullet, and fought racism on tour. Writer Margaret McArthur (a.k.a. “Alice Marble” at GTT) tells her extraordinary story. Alice [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/21/american-twist-the-amazing-life-of-wimbledon%e2%80%99s-triple-crown-queen/feed/ 7 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/15/roger-federer-tells-us-almost-everything/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/15/roger-federer-tells-us-almost-everything/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:50:46 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=9292
Don’t duck! Don’t take cover! A MAJOR Roger Bomb is about to explode!!! Winning his 14th Major has evidently put Roger Federer in a gregarious mood, judging from the extensive Q&A he did for the Basel-based newspaper, Basler Zeitung. The 55 question interview was given at his parents’ house in Switzerland, five days after V-day in [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/15/roger-federer-tells-us-almost-everything/feed/ 25 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/13/the-times-andy-roddick-isnt-all-bad/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/13/the-times-andy-roddick-isnt-all-bad/#comments Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:16:54 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=9247
Andy Roddick retired from his semifinal match against James Blake at the Queen’s Club tournament on Saturday, after he rolled his ankle on court. It was bad news for tennis fans looking for an Andy vs. Andy final (and Roddick fans hoping he’d win his 5th title at Queen’s) but the good news is he [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/13/the-times-andy-roddick-isnt-all-bad/feed/ 6 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/15/uncle-toni-to-rafael-nadal-federers-so-much-better-than-you/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/15/uncle-toni-to-rafael-nadal-federers-so-much-better-than-you/#comments Fri, 15 May 2009 13:00:38 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=7584
 I admit it, the Fedophile in me ran screaming from S.L. Price’s Sports Illustrated article based on its title alone: “How Nadal humbled Federer.” But boy, am I glad I talked myself into reading it, because it’s chock-full of fascinating facts and anecdotes that even the most avid tennis fanatic may have missed along the [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/15/uncle-toni-to-rafael-nadal-federers-so-much-better-than-you/feed/ 4 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/07/the-mysterious-nadal-vs-the-approachable-federer/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/07/the-mysterious-nadal-vs-the-approachable-federer/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 18:07:03 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=7203
There is a terrific article by Danielle Rossingh and Alex Duff in yesterday’s Bloomberg.com entitled: “Federer Fails to Deter Nadal in Fight to be Richest Tennis Star.” It’s about the two players’ earning powers and Nadal’s ever-increasing marketability. It’s chock full of fascinating details about the Nadal family’s business and personal dealings. (Click here to [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/07/the-mysterious-nadal-vs-the-approachable-federer/feed/ 6 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/05/the-federer-nadal-rivalry-two-players-passing-in-the-night/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/05/the-federer-nadal-rivalry-two-players-passing-in-the-night/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 12:13:40 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=7090
Peter Bodo recently posted an interesting article on the evolution of the Federer/Nadal rivalry (if it can still be called that.) I suggest you check out the entire thing (click here) to follow Bodo’s train of thought all the way from Pancho Gonzalez and Rod Laver, through the eras of Bjorn Borg/McEnroe, Sampras/Agassi and, finally, [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/05/the-federer-nadal-rivalry-two-players-passing-in-the-night/feed/ 6 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/24/groucho-marx-gestapo-dashing-man-tennis/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/24/groucho-marx-gestapo-dashing-man-tennis/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:28:58 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=6412
Roger, who? I’m a Gottfried von Cramm-iac! Yes, I’m doing two posts in two days on a German tennis player from the 1930s that even Boris Becker didn’t know about when he won Wimbledon for the first time. I can’t help it – like everyone else who ever knew him, I’ve simply fallen in love with [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/24/groucho-marx-gestapo-dashing-man-tennis/feed/ 4 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/23/greatest-tennis-match-federer-nadal/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/23/greatest-tennis-match-federer-nadal/#comments Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:00:35 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=6286
This is one of those unbelievable true stories that you hear and think, “why didn’t I know about this, before?” The public radio show, “The World” had an absolutely fascinating interview with Marshall Jon Fisher, author  of the new book A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and the Greatest Tennis Match [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/23/greatest-tennis-match-federer-nadal/feed/ 9 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/21/1-dinara-safina-marat-god/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/21/1-dinara-safina-marat-god/#comments Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:30:14 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=6068
As of Monday, Dinara Safina is the No. 1 female tennis player in the world.  She and her brother are the only brother and sister to have been world No. 1s in tennis, a remarkable feat for themselves and also their parents, who have had a big influence on their careers. The Independent, U.K. has [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/21/1-dinara-safina-marat-god/feed/ 8 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/10/atp-wta/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/10/atp-wta/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:00:28 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=5017
Simon Barnes wrote a provocative article in the Times, U.K., today, about the difference between male and female athletes and men’s and women’s sports. This tends to be one of those toxic, hot-potato topics, and one tennis-folk often tip-toe around while discussing the ATP vs. the WTA tours. So I give Mr. Barnes credit for [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/10/atp-wta/feed/ 3 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/09/paul-annacone-federers-slump-daunting-daunting/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/09/paul-annacone-federers-slump-daunting-daunting/#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:10:12 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=4964
There is a great piece by Christopher Clarey in today’s NYT, titled “Federer Struggles With His Altered World.” Some sensitive types might want to avoid it, thinking that it’s just another obituary for Roger’s career. But it isn’t. It brings perspective to Roger’s current slump and includes some great quotes from Paul Annacone, Pete Sampras’s ex-coach. Here [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/09/paul-annacone-federers-slump-daunting-daunting/feed/ 4 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/02/novak-hawkeye-djokovic-tops-challengers/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/02/novak-hawkeye-djokovic-tops-challengers/#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:30:47 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=4533
The Hawk-eye system debuted three years ago at the Sony Ericsson Open. Since then, players have challenged 9,972 times, with the WTA tour enjoying a slightly higher success rate than the guys. Here’s more from Douglas Robson’s fun piece in USA Today (click here for the article): Overall, the men have a success rate of 35% [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/04/02/novak-hawkeye-djokovic-tops-challengers/feed/ 1 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/03/24/larry-scott-leaving/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/03/24/larry-scott-leaving/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 02:36:47 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=4069
Larry Scott, WTA CEO, announced his resignation today, and will soon become the commissioner of the NCAA Pac-10 Conference. Tennis journalist Charles Bricker offers a clear-eyed summation of Scott’s accomplishments, failures, and the state of the tour that he’s leaving behind (including a schedule that likely won’t include a Dubai tournament after 2010.) He also [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/03/24/larry-scott-leaving/feed/ 0