WIMBLEDON 2011: The return of the Williams sisters

Venus Williams, Champion of Wimbledon in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008


Serena Williams Champion of Wimbledon in 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010

All eyes will be on the mercurial Williams sisters, Serena and Venus when the grass-court Wimbledon Grand Slam 2011 tournament begins Monday, 20 June 2011.

These 2 sisters have an astonishing 20 Grand Slam singles titles between them.

They faced each other 8 times in Grand Slam women singles finals, including 4 times in the Wimbledon finals with Serena winning 6 times and Venus winning 2 times.

Serena and Venus have won the Wimbledon titles a record 9 times in the past 11 years with Venus winning 5 times and Serena winning 4 times.

That unprecedented achievement made Wimbledon looks like their second home, their own backyard playground as well as favourite hunting ground for more success in the women tennis world.

For Serena, 29, the younger of the Williams sisters, it will be her first Grand Slam tournament this year 2011 and only the second event—since she took home a second consecutive title from the All England Club in July 2010.

Her nearly yearlong absence resulted from a series of health issues, including two foot operations and blood clots in her lungs, that she said left her depressed and “on my deathbed.”

The long absence also dropped her world ranking from world no.1 to world no 26 as of today.

Serena holds 27 Grand Slam titles, which include 13 Grand Slam singles titles, 12 in the women doubles, all the time partnering sister Venus and 2 in the mixed doubles.

She completed the career Grand Slam or better known as Serena Slam in 2002 and January 2003 when she won the 2002 French Open, Wimbledon and US Open Title as well as the 2003 Australian Open title, each time she beat her sister, Venus in the finals..!!! What an achievement!!

All in all, in singles, Serena won the Australian Open 5 times, the Wimbledon 4 times, the US Open 3 times and the French Open, 1 time, the sole victoy came in 2002.

Venus, 31 and curently world number 33, meanwhile, was sidelined by a hip injury from January 2011 until June 2011.

She has 21 Grand Slam titles which consist of 7 in singles, 12 in women's doubles, partering younger sister Serena and 2 in mixed doubles.

Her 7 Grand Slam singles titles include 5 Wimbledon titles and 2 US Open titles. Venus has never won the French Open and Australian Open.

So, can we see a repeat of the Serena vs Venus in the 2011 Wimbledon final?

Other interesting facts at the 2011 Wimbledon.


Can 6 time Wimbledon champions Roger Federer make a real run at a seventh Wimbledon title?


Can 2 times Wimbledon champions and 6 times French Open champions, Rafael Nadal extend his recent excellence to 5 titles in a span of 6 Grand Slam tournaments?



Can Novak Djokovic recover from the end of his 43-match winning streak in 2011 to win a major title other than the 2 Australian Open titles in 2008 and 2011?


Can Britain's Andy Murray finally—and mercifully—put an end to the locals’ 75-year wait for a British male champion at the All England Club?



Can world No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki win her first Grand Slam title?



Could China’s Li Na win her second Grand Slam singles titles in a row after her surprise 2011 French Open title?



Will the Russian beauty Maria Sharapova end her 3 1/2 -year major drought to win a 4th Grand Slam title? Sharapova won the 2004 Wimbledon, 2006 US Open and 2008 Australian Open.

My guess is as good as your guess. Thanks for reading and Cheers!!

World tennis legend - Margaret Court visits Sabah, Malaysia

World tennis legend – Margaret Court of Australia was in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia today, Saturday, 17 October 2009 to conduct motivational and tennis clinic session.

The historic event was held at the Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu from 2 pm to 4 pm, attended by almost 200 tennis enthusiast as well as budding tennis prodigy from around Kota Kinabalu.

The presence of Court – the living legend is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for Sabahans and Malaysians.

It was Court 2nd visit to Sabah, but it was the 1st time that she conducted a tennis clinic.

Margaret Court ruled the women tennis world between 1960 till her retirement in 1977.

She won 92 titles in singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

She is the winner of most Grand Slam titles – 62 overall in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

2nd was Martina Navratilova with 59 Grand Slam titles overall.

Court won 24 singles Grand Slam titles – 3 more than her closest rival – Steffi Graf and 9 more than The Great Roger Federer - the current world no.1 who has only 15 Grand Slam singles titles todate.

Court further won 19 Grand Slam doubles titles and 19 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

The 24 singles titles include 11 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 5 French Open and 3 Wimbledon.

Margaret Court is one of only 3 women to ever win the calendar Grand Slam, that is winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year.

She achieved that in 1970.

She also completed 2 mixed doubles Grand Slam in 1963 and 1965 with 4 different tennis partners.

Court retired from the sport in 1977 as the most successful tennis player to ever live in this planet.



One strange thing is - Margaret Court is a right handed tennis player, but notice the pictures when she is signing autographs - she is left handed!!!

Well, Margaret Court presence was indeed a historic one for Sabah as well as Malaysia.

We love you Margaret….

Viva Roger Federer.... and play Tennis, not Badminton

The moment Roger Federer lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires as the new French Open Men Single Champion on the 7th of June 2009, I was beaming with joy in my seat, 10,000 kilometres away, in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

And millions of Federer or Fed-ex fans around the globe also cherished that moment of glory.

Hail to Roger Federer, you have just won your 14th Grand Slam titles and your very 1st French Open title.

Another title, your 15th, will come soon, perhaps at the Wimbledon in 2 weeks time.

Go home Rafael Nadal, Go home to Mallorca.

And Thank You Very Much Robin Soderling, Thanks for making Federer dreams a true reality.

Thank You Soderling for sending home Nadal early in the 4th round!!!

With that 6-1, 7-6 and 6-4 win over Soderling in 1 hour and 55 minutes, Federer has finally equalled the great Pete Sampras record of winning 14 Grand Slam Titles..!!!



Federer joins Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Andre Agassi as the only men to have won all four Grand Slam titles.

"It was probably my greatest victory, I was under big pressure," said Federer. "I did it and it's phenomenal. It was great to be on the podium as a winner for a change." Federer said at the Cup presentation.

To me Federer is the greatest male Tennis player of all time with due respect to Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver and co.



He beat Sampras – the 7 time Wimbledon champion in the 4th round of the 2001 Wimbledon Open.

Federer won the Wimbledon 5 consecutive times in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.







Federer won the US Open 5 consecutive times in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Federer won the Australian Open 3 times in 2004, 2006 and 2007.

And now Federer is the 2009 conqueror of the French Open.

He almost completed the Grand Slam – winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year in 2004, 2006 and 2007 (3 times!!!)

However on those 3 occasions, The French Open title eluded him..

And no thanks to Nadal too..





But now Federer is the best in the world.

During the recently concluded French Open, what puzzled me was the length of time taken for the 2 men singles semifinals match to finish.

The 1st semifinal won by Robin Soderling, dismantling Fernando Gonzales took exactly 3 hours and 28 minutes.

The 2nd semifinal won by Federer against Juan Martin Del Potro also took exactly 3 hours 28 minutes.

So you lottery freaks out there, no harm in investing a dime for a big win – Buy this number – 3280 or 0328!!! Who knows!!

And if you have to pick between these 3 racquet games – Tennis, Badminton and Squash - then pick Tennis as your choice.

First and foremost, Federer received 1.06 million Euro as Men Singles Champion.

Soderling pocketed 530,000 Euro as runners-up and finalist.

If you enter the French Open in the Men or Women single and you lost in the 1st round – you will still take home 15,000 Euro!!!

For the 2009 edition of the Wimbledon, It was announced that the prize money has been increased.

Men and Ladies Singles champion will each receive 850,000 pound sterlings!!! (more than 5 million Ringgit Malaysia)!!!

1st round losers in the Men and Ladies Singles will still get 10,750 pound sterlings!!!

But the 2009 All England Badminton reportedly only offered a total of USD 200,000 prize money!!!

Poor Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan, Taufik Hidayat, Peter Gade, Chen Jin, Tina Rasmussen, Julia Wong, Wong Mwe Choo, Koo Kien Kiat & Tan Boon Heong, Lee Young Dae, Park Sung Hwan and co..

Also in Badminton, the players need to judge for themselves wether the shuttle is out of court or not, during play !! They have no luxury enjoyed by Tennis players where 6 to 7 persons (the line judges) will tell them wether the ball has gone out or in.

And in badminton, you have to pick up the shuttles yourself, around the court.

In tennis, there is always 10 ball boys to help you!!

Still, badminton shuttle cocks can travel up to 200 km per hour, just like Tennis balls.

Plus, Professional tennis players get more media coverage than Professional Badminton Players!!

So, Morale of the story – Play Tennis… and Viva Roger Federer!!!

Whatever happened to you Nadal???

Men Tennis World No. 1 Rafael Nadal has many nicknames - The Matador of Spain, King Of Clay, Rafa, The Spaniard, The Conquistador, Gladiator, etc.

But on Sunday 31st of May, 2009, The Matador of Spain lost to the Matador of Sweden, Robin Soderling in the 4th round of the French Open at the Philip Chartier court.

Virtually unknown Soderling, had done in 3 hours what 13 times Grand Slam titles holder and former world no.1 Roger Federer and the rest of the world top players failed to do in 4 years - that is to defeat Nadal at the Rolland Garros.


Robin Soderling - The Matador of Sweden!!!

Soderling 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 and 7-6 defeat of Nadal is perhaps the greatest upset in the history of the 118 years old tournament.

The other upset being Arantxa Sanchez Vicario 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 defeat of Steffi Graf in the 1989 Women's final. Prior to that match, Graf was the holder of all 4 Grand Slams titles - the 1988 and 1989 Australian Open, 1988 French Open, 1988 Wimbledon and 1988 US Open, plus the 1988 Olympic single Gold medal.

And maybe that Soderling-Nadal match is even greater than Michael Chang triumph in 1989 to become the youngest ever Men's Single Champion at the Rolland Garros, defeating Stefan Edberg.

Perhaps that Soderling-Nadal encounter is even more shocking than Steffi Graf's easy 6-0, 6-0 win over Natalia Zvereva in the 1988 final..!!

Prior to his match against Soderling, Nadal never tasted defeat in the French Open since winnning the title here in 2005. He won the title for the 4th consecutive times with ease and in style, demolishing Roger Federer 6-1, 6-3 and 6-0 in the final last year.


13 times Grand Slam titles winner - Roger Federer


11 times Grand Slam titles winner - 6 French Open and 5 Wimbledon - Bjorn Borg

Nadal dreams of becoming the greatest ever French Open champion is now in tatters. He only equalled the great Bjorn Borg feat of 4 consecutive titles..

Nadal has this bad habit also - he likes to pinch his ass during matches - shown live all over the world!!!


(Nadal can be seen pinching his ass several times during this match - at 1.10, 1.57, 2.25, 3.20, 4.18, 4.39 and 6.04 of this video)

Nadal also loves to eat banana during match breaks - and on one occasion, a piece of banana got stuck in his throat and he was temporarily unable to resume the match!!!


Nadal Banana incident

Will Roger Federer at last win the elusive French Open title this time in 2009?

Federer has won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open for a total of 13 times but never the French Open. Federer qualified 3 times in the French Open final in 2006, 2007 and 2008 but each time losing only to Rafael Nadal.

Or will it be Robin Soderling who will be crowned champion of the Rolland Garros in 2009??

Soderling has qualified for the semi final, after dismantling Nikolai Davydenko
6-1, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarter final yesterday..

After his epic win against Nadal, Soderling received an SMS from Bjorn Borg -"`Congratulations, and thank you for not letting Nadal break my record,'" Soderling said. "It was very big for me to receive an SMS from him. He's maybe the best player of all time."

A new women's champion will also be crowed, the rusty and inconsistent 2008 champion Ana Ivanoic had been shown the exit by V. Azarenka on Sunday in the 4th round.

Nadal beat Federer to win 1st Australian Open title

Damn, it's Nadal again.......... Oh Come on Federer, i am your biggest fan from Malaysia... where is your magic Fedex??? Did you lost it????

Spain's world no. 1 Rafael Nadal wins his 1st Australian Open title, after beating world no.2 and 13 time Grand Slam winners - Roger Federer of Switzerland.

Its Nadal vs Federer again for the 7th time in a Grand Slam final, yet Nadal won again.

Nadal is now the current holder of the Australian Open as well as the French Open and Wimbledon he won last year..

And Federer ?? oh how frustrating....

Nadal played a total of 9 hours and 36 minutes in 2 matches - the semifinal and final to win this title.

This is the full report from Melbourne today 1st February 2009, which is truly heartbreaking for millions of Federer fans out there around the globe...!!!

MELBOURNE, Australia – Rafael Nadal held off Roger Federer in another five-set Grand Slam final, keeping Pete Sampras' record of 14 major titles intact for now.

Nadal became the first Spanish man to win the Australian Open, beating Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 in a momentum-swinging, 4-hour, 22-minute final that finished just after midnight on Sunday.

Federer, trying to equal Sampras' record, sobbed at the trophy presentation.

"Maybe I'll try later. God, it's killing me," Federer said, crying.

He returned to congratulate Nadal within minutes, saying: "You deserved it. You played a fantastic final."

Top-ranked Nadal, who has won 5 of the 7 Grand Slam finals they've contested, now has a major on hard courts to go with his titles on clay and grass.

He's the only man capable of a Grand Slam this season, 40 years after Australian great Rod Laver last won all 4 majors in one season.

"Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now," Nadal said. "Remember, you're a great champion, you're one of the best in history. You're going to improve on the 14 of Sampras."
Nadal collected the trophy from Laver, on the court that was named in the great Australian's honor, and put his arm around Federer.

"To receive this trophy from Rod Laver is a dream for me," he said. "Rod, thanks very much. It was an amazing 2 weeks for me."

Nadal advanced to the final after holding off fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco on Friday in 5 hours, 14 minutes — the longest match in the tournament's history.

Federer had a straight-sets win over Andy Roddick the previous night, but said the difference in preparation had no influence on the final.

He said the fact he'd missed the Sampras record at a tournament he's won 3 times didn't make the loss any worse or easier to take.

"Honestly, no," he said. "I mean, it's more like, in the first moment you're disappointed, you're shocked, you're sad, you know, then all of a sudden it overwhelms you.

"The problem is you can't go in the locker room and just take it easy and take a cold shower. You're stuck out there. It's the worst feeling. ... it's rough."

Federer, so dominant when he won 3 of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments in 2006 and 2007, each time losing only to Nadal at the French Open, has now lost Grand Slam finals on 3 different surfaces - hard, clay and grass courts to Nadal.

He hasn't given up hope of beating the 22-year-old Spaniard.

"For sure," he said. "I didn't spend 4 1/4 hours out there (not) believing it."

Nadal has 4 consecutive titles on clay at Roland Garros and beat Federer on grass in a 5-set epic at Wimbledon last year, ending the Swiss 5 consecutive wins as King of Wimbledon.

He is 13-6 overall against Federer and ended the Swiss star's 237-week streak at No. 1 last year after claiming the Beijing Olympic gold medal.

Federer, who turned around that season with a U.S. Open title, saved two championship points from 15-40 in the eighth game of the fifth set but sent a forehand long on the third match point.

Nadal flopped onto his back, then got up and raced to shake hands.

The players put their arms around the other's shoulders at the net as they walked off the court

Its Hot yet its Cold..!! Global warming???

Global warming and Green House effect?

Could that be the reasons for the extreme weather conditions that are now creating havoc in the northern and southern hemisphere?

In the northern hemisphere continents such as USA, Canada and Europe – the weather is extremely cold.

In contrast, it is now terribly hot in the southern hemisphere, for instance Australia….

In the US, at least 23 deaths were reported as a result of a destructive winter storm and the extreme cold, with temperatures dropping to record lows in parts from Minnesota to Vermont.

Some places recorded temperature as low as minus 48 degree Fahrenheit (minus 44 Celsius)...!!!

A glaze of ice and snow caused widespread power failures from the southern and central United States to the East Coast.

Authorities said it could be a week before some communities have electricity again.

Air travelers hunkered down as airports in much of the central and eastern
United States announced flight cancellations or delays.

Tree limbs encased in ice tumbled onto roads and crashed onto power lines
in hard-hit Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma on Tuesday and overnight.

In Arkansas -- where ice was 3 inches (nearly 8 centimeters) thick in some places, people huddled next to portable heaters and wood-burning fires as utilities warned electricity may be out for a week or more.

Northwest Arkansas has been hit hard, all schools and universities were closed throughout state.
In Michigan, a man found in the snow Monday became the eighth person in 9 days to be found dead in that state.

Thomas Pauli, 52, was discovered at an auto salvage business in Grand Rapids.

In Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, more than 300,000 homes and businesses were in the dark as ice and snow coated parts of the states.

In Arkansas, about 300,000 customers lacked power Wednesday morning.

At least 470,000 were in the dark in Kentucky.

That’s pretty cold right.

However in the southern hemisphere, it is totally the opposite.

Australia for instance recorded the highest temperature in a century, up to 43 degree Celsius...!!

Among the most badly affected were the world top tennis players currently taking part in the first Grand Slam tournament of the year – The 2009 Australian Open at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

Serena Williams of the US may have escaped the extreme cold in her country, but she was caught in the sweltering heat in Melbourne.

Serena - a 3 time Australian Open champion and chasing her 10th Grand Slam singles titles, nonetheless reached the final after beating, Elena Dementieva, 6-3, 6-4 today.

In the final, Serena will face Russia’s Dinara Safina who beat another Russian, Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 in the other semi final.

Despite her fine run so far, Serena, like many other players, complained about the extreme heat – which is bad for any outdoor sports.

"Before they closed the roof I was having an out-of-body experience, it was so hot. I felt I was watching someone play in a blue dress, and it wasn't me, because it was so hot out there." She said after beating Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarter final.

“Yeah, absolutely. It was really, really hot today. And, uhmmm, it was really hot today.” She bemoans again after beating Dementieva in the semi final.

A beaten Elena Dementieva gives thanks for the Rod Laver Arena roof as temperatures soar past 40C in Melbourne. “We couldn't survive outside in this temperature."

"It was hot for everyone, you know. They were ready to die, not to survive a day like that." Dementieva expresses her sympathy for the moths which plagued the exposed Rod Laver Arena

"If you tell me now, I will go to the fridge. I will put myself in for few days." Spain’s 15th seed player Fernando Verdasco plans a new way to cope with the Melbourne heat.

Ok, hot or cold – I wish Roger Federer or Fedex good luck…

Please win your 4th Australian Open Titles and 14 Grand Slam singles titles overall – to equal Pete Sampras record......

Federer advanced to the final of the 2009 Australian Open with a straight sets win over Andy Roddick 6-2 7-5 7-5.

Go Federer Go… I hate Nadal…..!!!!!!!!! sorry Nadal fans out there... no hard feelings...