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/2010/03/16/roger-federer-a-member-of-the-roger-vs-rafa-appreciation-society/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/16/roger-federer-a-member-of-the-roger-vs-rafa-appreciation-society/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:05:20 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=17394 “This rivalry is intense!” Roger Federer joked at Indian Wells on Friday night, after Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi engaged in some verbal (and in Pete’s case, non-verbal) crossfire during their Hit for Haiti charity doubles match. It was a valiant attempt to break the tension and a subtle reference to the more mellow relationship [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/16/roger-federer-a-member-of-the-roger-vs-rafa-appreciation-society/feed/ 17 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/14/photos-backstage-at-hit-for-haiti/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/14/photos-backstage-at-hit-for-haiti/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:00:59 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=17327 Some nice behind the scenes photos from Hit for Haiti. I’m guessing that these were all taken before the guys played their match on Friday. I’m basing this on Rafa’s t-shirt, which he changed once he was on court. Also, everyone seems to be getting along! “I know my fabrics, Rafa, and this is not 100% [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/14/photos-backstage-at-hit-for-haiti/feed/ 7 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/13/indian-wells-report-day-3-justine-bounced-andre-agassi-bombs-at-hit-for-haiti/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/13/indian-wells-report-day-3-justine-bounced-andre-agassi-bombs-at-hit-for-haiti/#comments Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:26:00 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=17234 I thought I was witnessing the most awkward part of Day Three at Indian Wells when Maria Sharapova went down 1-5 in the first set to Vera Dushevina on Stadium 2. The crowd was groaning and wincing as she hit serve after serve into the bottom of the net. But then I heard a collective [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/03/13/indian-wells-report-day-3-justine-bounced-andre-agassi-bombs-at-hit-for-haiti/feed/ 48 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/18/hit-for-haiti-at-indian-wells-million-dollar-exhibition-with-federer-nadal-sampras-and-agassi/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/18/hit-for-haiti-at-indian-wells-million-dollar-exhibition-with-federer-nadal-sampras-and-agassi/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:42:03 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=16514 It’s great to see this exciting Hit for Haiti exhibition come together for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Pete Sampras and Roger Federer will play doubles against Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal, all former champions in the desert. That’s a whopping 44 Major titles on the court at one time. They also added [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/18/hit-for-haiti-at-indian-wells-million-dollar-exhibition-with-federer-nadal-sampras-and-agassi/feed/ 13 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/09/pete-sampras-at-the-sap-open-its-all-good-with-agassi-for-now/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/09/pete-sampras-at-the-sap-open-its-all-good-with-agassi-for-now/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:58:48 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=16249
Pete Sampras took to the court at the SAP Open in San Jose last night to play an exhibition match vs. Fernando Verdasco. Verdasco beat Pete 6-3, 7-6 (2), and the 38-year-old admitted afterwards that he felt “a little old” compared to the strapping 26-year-old Spaniard. (Via Guardian) Perhaps next time Nando should play in [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/02/09/pete-sampras-at-the-sap-open-its-all-good-with-agassi-for-now/feed/ 9 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/01/15/disappointed-pete-sampras-wants-to-meet-man-to-man-with-andre-agassi/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/01/15/disappointed-pete-sampras-wants-to-meet-man-to-man-with-andre-agassi/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:20:25 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=15386
Thanks to Judy for passing this story along to me! Sports Illustrated reports that Pete Sampras is not happy with the “shots” that Andre Agassi took at him in his newish autobiography, Open. Sampras told reporters via a recent conference call that he’d like to meet “man to man” with his rival and hash things out. [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2010/01/15/disappointed-pete-sampras-wants-to-meet-man-to-man-with-andre-agassi/feed/ 16 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/10/14/video-pete-sampras-on-roger-federer-bitterness-and-being-no-1/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/10/14/video-pete-sampras-on-roger-federer-bitterness-and-being-no-1/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:13:37 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=13281
The latest in the ATP’s “uncovered” series features a nice interview with ex/co/forever GOAT Pete Sampras. He talks about his drive to be No. 1, his feelings on Roger Federer breaking his record and his “unbiased” opinion that tennis players are the best athletes in the world. (I agree, Pete!) Look out for the Marat [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/10/14/video-pete-sampras-on-roger-federer-bitterness-and-being-no-1/feed/ 13 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/28/photo-album-pete-sampras-and-marat-safin-at-the-la-tennis-open/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/28/photo-album-pete-sampras-and-marat-safin-at-the-la-tennis-open/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:00:13 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=10721
Pete Sampras and Marat Safin celebrated the start of the LA Tennis Open on Monday with a spirited exhibition, called the “Millenium Challenge.” (I think this references the year 2000 – when a 19 year-old Safin stunned Sampras in the U.S. Open final) Safin also won last night’s highly-competitive match in a deciding tiebreak: 6-4, 3-6, [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/28/photo-album-pete-sampras-and-marat-safin-at-the-la-tennis-open/feed/ 8 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/28/the-unbearable-lightness-of-pete-sampras-on-federer-goathood-and-the-good-life/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/28/the-unbearable-lightness-of-pete-sampras-on-federer-goathood-and-the-good-life/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:29:19 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=10709
To the die-hard Pete Sampras fans who are mourning the loss of his greatest record – stuck down by Roger Federer at Wimbledon this year – you have reason to cheer! Pete Sampras, at age 37, is still a great champion: humble, thoughtful and just a touch melancholic. Oh, and Sampras can still S&V with [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/28/the-unbearable-lightness-of-pete-sampras-on-federer-goathood-and-the-good-life/feed/ 7 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/15/pete-sampras-thinks-roger-federer-is-the-greatest-maybe/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/15/pete-sampras-thinks-roger-federer-is-the-greatest-maybe/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:00:48 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=10369
It’s not easy choosing the G.O.A.T. Like American Lit exams, it’s more essay question than multiple choice. And even if you’re tennis’s answer to Mark Twain, those snarky Sartre-types can always blow smoke in your eyes and snarl: “What a futile exercise. It’s obvious that the G.O.A.T. is a media construct and not reality.” Can you [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/15/pete-sampras-thinks-roger-federer-is-the-greatest-maybe/feed/ 26 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/05/wimbledon-blockbuster-roger-federer-beats-andy-roddick-but-everybody-wins/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/05/wimbledon-blockbuster-roger-federer-beats-andy-roddick-but-everybody-wins/#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:57:40 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=10045
I said it on Twitter and I’ll say it again: If last year’s Wimbledon final was Shakespeare, this year’s was Die Hard. That’s what you get when Andy Roddick plays Rafael Nadal’s understudy. And I say understudy not out of disrespect, but because until a few weeks ago, Rafa was the favorite to make the [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/07/05/wimbledon-blockbuster-roger-federer-beats-andy-roddick-but-everybody-wins/feed/ 60 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/10/roger-federer-equation-sampras-tastic-nike-ad/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/10/roger-federer-equation-sampras-tastic-nike-ad/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:47:55 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=9169
At some point this blog will stop obsessing over Roger Federer (at least for a post or two!) But right now the mainstream media is making it really hard to stop. Here’s a funny, strange, Nole-esque, ad from Nike celebrating Federer’s 14th Major: Hope Pete doesn’t mind. . . ]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/10/roger-federer-equation-sampras-tastic-nike-ad/feed/ 15 http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/08/roger-federer-is-the-goat-any-questions/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/08/roger-federer-is-the-goat-any-questions/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:15:31 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennisblog.com/?p=9037
There were so many questions going into the French Open this year, like “will Rafa lose a set?” and “which half will Djokovic be in?” and “Roger’s win in Madrid was a fluke, wasn’t it?” Only the bravest Fed Fanatics were willing to raise their hands and ask, in embarrassed tones usually reserved for asking teacher [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/06/08/roger-federer-is-the-goat-any-questions/feed/ 5 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/2006/08/08/497/ http://www.gototennisblog.com/2006/08/08/497/#comments Wed, 09 Aug 2006 06:21:00 +0000 freakyfrites http://www.gototennis.org/2006/08/08/497/ About a week ago I told my tennis teacher at the Y that I had scored some free tickets to the Courier/Sampras exo that was taking place at the Home Depot Center on the first night of the JP Morgan Chase Open in Carson. I looked at him expectantly, thinking he would say “Cool, I’ll [...]]]> http://www.gototennisblog.com/2006/08/08/497/feed/ 1