Great Tennis Photos

Photos: Masha shows off the ring!!

Posted by Lana On October 24 2010

Newly engaged couple Maria Sharapova and Los Angeles Laker Sasha Vujacic were looking lovey in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday as they walk hand in hand while out for lunch. Sharapova could be seen wearing a rather large engagement ring while out and about with her future husband.

Serena Williams on the Cover of August 2010 Harper Bazaar

Posted by Lana On July 04 2010

Serena Williams is featured on Cover of August 2010 Harper's Bazaar, which hits newsstands July 20th. In the photo spread, Serena showcases her stylish self in a Fendi dress and sports a swimsuit by Eres. Inside the monthly magazine, Serena talks about how she came to accept her body, about the difficulties, and importance, of accepting her own physical differences, and dating, revealing the reason behind breaking up with rapper Common.

Photos: Shakira Attends Nadal vs Mathieu Match

Posted by Lana On June 29 2010

Shakira was spotted out at the All England Club in London on Monday afternoon watching Rafael Nadal and Paul-Henri Mathieu during their fourth round match for the Wimbledon Championships. Here are the photos, enjoy!

Photos: Brooklyn Decker, Kim Sears, Bec Cartwright and Mirka Vavrinec on Day Seven at Wimbledon

Posted by Lana On June 29 2010

Here are the photos of Brooklyn Decker, Kim Sears, Bec Cartwright and Mirka Vavrinec supporting their husbands/boyfriends on Day Seven of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 28, 2010 in London, England. Enjoy!

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Roland Garros 2010: Novak Djokovic's 28. May Interview

Posted by Lana On 5/29/2010 10:07:00 AM

Novak Djokovic

N. DJOKOVIC/K. Nishikori
6-1, 6-4, 6-4

Q. Watching the match, I turned to the guy beside me and said, Is he ever gonna serve and volley? Would you think about, even on a second serve, just the element of surprise? What's the hesitation for not doing it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, it's not that easy as it seems. For you to say probably easier for me to do it. I'm not a typical serve and volley player. My game is based on the baseline. I have a good groundstrokes. That's where I feel most comfortable.
I agree that changing the tactics sometimes and the rhythm and the pace and being able to surprise the opponent with serve and volleys is the right play. But as I said, you know, it's not easy. It's gonna come with the time, I guess.

Q. Two years ago Kei Nishikori, your opponent, beat James Blake. After that match when James was asked, Was there are any top players who plays similar to Kei Nishikori, at the time James said it might be you in terms of a play style. You played him today. What do you think about James' statement?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there is some similarity in our styles. I would agree in some way, because we both play from the baseline. We both like to keep the control over our opponent, be aggressive on the forehand side. He's very fast, and he's able to play both styles of the game, being defensive and offensive at the same time. He has a solid serve.
I don't think that clay courts is his most preferred surface. I think it's hardcourts. But today he has shown that he can play equally well on clay.
It was a tough two sets, second and third. The first set I won quite comfortably, and then the second and third took one hour each set.
So you couldn't really say even though he was 6 4, 6 4, can't really say that it was, you know, a cruise for me, because I was facing a lot of break balls on my service games. He was playing well. He's a very talented player, and I think he was struggling with injuries lately.
Now he's coming back, so I wish him all the best.

Q. I would like to know if you choose your balls when you play. Is it important for you to choose your balls, used or not?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Before the serve, you mean?


Q. Yes.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. Well, this is one of the rituals that I think every player has a different way of focusing himself before the serve, and, yeah, I like to have a ball that is a bit more fresh, new, so I can be able to serve faster.
It doesn't really make a difference when you look at my serve, but it's just mental, I guess.

Q. It's a nice, sunny day, not too high a temperature. You've had some problems with allergies and stuff. Is this a good day for you to play?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, lately I have been facing that problem, and it has been a struggle, definitely. I think it was obvious for the people who have seen my matches in Indian Wells, Miami, and then Monte Carlo, Rome. I really could not feel physically 100% ready on the court, and it reflected on my game, on my results.
You know, this is a way of is a part of my life, part of my genetics, and I will have to prepare better for next year. Because the reaction, allergic reaction was very strong this year. I didn't expect it, really. I never faced that before.
But next year is gonna be better, I'm sure, and that period has passed a little bit now. I don't feel as strong a reaction as it was in last two months.

Q. Do you know anything specific about which pollen it was or what it is that...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's pollen and dust, and clay courts is not the best surface for my allergy. You know, I have to go through it. I have learned how to go through the difficult periods, how to put that aside and just focus to play my best.

Q. You change clothes during workouts and practices, and sometimes even during matches. How much laundry do you generate that you then submit at the end of the day?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That's the first time I got this question. Interesting.

Q. That's good.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In the juniors I used to wash the laundry by myself, with my hands. Then, you know, every Euro meant a lot, so I didn't want to spend too much on that.
But right now, since we have good conditions, good organizations with the tournaments, so they organize the laundry service for us. We do give them our laundry and we have to wait two days.
But, yeah, we have well, we change a lot of shirts. I guess I get at least, in average, three shirts a day.

Q. So do you ever try to sneak stuff in to have maybe your friends' shirts or maybe some other clothes done while you're here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't want to be fined or punished by the tournament, because it's not allowed. I think it's only players. But I do sneak in sometimes.

Q. In a semiserious question about that, one reason it comes up here is because of the clay. Do you have any issues with getting stuff back going, Oh, jeez it's still all red here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I think they have a quite good laundry service. It's all quite white and clean when you get it back. When you wash it with hands then it stays red, but...

Q. Which surface do you think asks more and says more about a great player? Roger Federer said the other day that you don't need a great serve, a great volley for a player to play on clay. What do you think about this?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, again, every player is different, has a different approach to the matches, a different style of the game.
I think it's very individual. Each preference has some difference. I do agree that in a way you have to adjust to each surface. The clay, as the slowest surface, requires a lot of rallies, physical strength, and endurance on the court. You have to be ready to play long matches, especially if you have a Spanish or South American guy across the net who are able to play for hours and hours and produce a lot of spin and get they're getting all the balls back.
Sometimes in those situations serve is not the crucial element in the game, but it is important. You know, serve is very important. In my case, I have been struggling with that shot in last year or so, but I'm working on it. Because I know that in those tough situations you need to have advantage over your opponent and to serve well and to open up the court for you.

Q. How much did you enjoy your karaoke with your buddy? I was wondering who came up with that idea to sing like a gypsy?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Gypsy. Oh, my God. I've seen it. My brother sent me. I've seen it last night, or it was this morning before the match. It make me relax a little bit. You know, I was nervous before the match, and then I was laughing unbelievable for two minutes.
What we have done? It's just crazy. Sometimes I'm not aware of the things that I'm doing. I think you have to ask Troicki, as well, my partner in that video.
We are very proud. I haven't spoken to Nadal still what he thinks about it. I think he would be proud of my performance of Shakira. I really put a lot of energy and effort into that. I've tried to, you know, impress my partner who was sitting on the chair and playing a little guitar. I was shaking whatever I had in there.
Yeah, it was fun.

Q. Although you haven't played there today, do you have any difference between Philippe Chatrier and the rest of the courts here in terms of size, ability to retrieve balls in some sense?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it is a big mental difference when you are playing on Chatrier, which is the biggest court, center court. It's very wide on the sides and behind, and so it's a different feeling from playing on the other courts, as well.
I think speed wise, Court No. 1 or 2 are very fast comparing to the two big ones. And especially the Chatrier, I think it's a little bit slower.

Q. Would you say it favors players like Nadal, for example, who has had great physical ability and can be running and trying to retrieve balls?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think Nadal really cares too much if it's fast or slow. He plays on clay he plays amazing.

Q. We all know you're a big football fan. Of course we have Wimbledon at the time, and they will be playing World Cup. Are you going to watch the match, your country?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I'm gonna watch. Not live, unfortunately, because we have grass court season going on. I would go. If it's a little bit closer, I would go to watch live. But it's still a long trip to South Africa, so I will have to support them next to the TV.

Q. World Cup is gonna steal the spotlight from Wimbledon, of course, and other sports.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, I mean, football is a most respected and most important sport worldwide, I think. World Cup is something special, happens every four years. Everybody watch, you know.
I mean, I don't blame World Cup for stealing the spotlight from tennis. I'm just excited to see my country play in that competition.

Q. I just want to know, what do you need to do after a long match on the clay to take care of your body? I mean, maybe with your physio or...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I prefer woman, but unfortunately I have to stay with physio (laughter) for two hours. Yeah, I'm just getting back. I did some work now stretching, and now I have to go back to massage and regular stuff we do after the match.
But I'm playing already tomorrow, so it was good to win in three sets today.

Q. A lot of people think that this year is Nadal's year, and also think that the final will be against Nadal and Federer. Do you have a chance to be in the final this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody has a chance in a way, you know. You have to believe that you can go all the way through. Only with that thinking you can beat those guys. Of course, they're two biggest favorites to get to the next Sunday.
But it's a long way through, you know. You never know. I mean, it's support sport. It's tennis.


(via Roland Garros)


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