¡La passion de ma vie!

Lately, I've been doing a lot of practice for the upcoming Spring season. In fact, I've been so focused on tennis, that I've been neglecting my other passion - photography. Both art forms require a reasonably dry day and good, clear vision. Unfortunately, in Seattle, a dry day in the middle of winter is an extremely rare thing. It just happens that late last week, Seattle was blessed with the ideal tennis/photography day. Not too cold, some cloud coverage, with a good amount of sunlight. Perfect naturally diffused light! I took my camera and rackets to the court, practiced some serves and inside-out forehands, and took some pictures during my usual sit-down breaks to zen out and meditate. It was one of those fulfilling days. You know the kind. Where you feel like you've satisfied several of your life's passions at the same time. I'm going to incorporate this new "artistic" pairing a lot more nowadays. Of course, I went home later, completely famished and hungry for some good chow down. The following picture is the calm (sink) before the storm! ~ Jocko

The Other Jelena!

(This is the last game of from the Dokic v Kleybanova match. Enjoy!)

What an incredible match! I became a fan instant fan of Jelena Dokic after seeing her play her 1st round match against the upcoming Tamira Paszek. Check out this picture of Jelena's concentration during the Kleybanova match last night. Amazing! Only the very best players display this kind of focus. Inspirational!

Watching her play, you can't help but love her. She has this uncanny way of sucking the viewer in, drawing them into her side of the court. And with all that she's been through over the years, it's as if the rest of the world is willing her on to win. We love a comeback story, don't we? During her match with Kleybanova, I saw glimpses of her former Top 10 form. Shots that you thought were over, weren't. Just when you thought she was out of that 3rd set, she'd come up with this amazing passing shot that simply took your breath away. Exhilarating match. One player would seize the upper hand, only to have it take away moments later. Talk about drama. This was a match worthy of a final.

There was this one moment of the 3rd set where Kleybanova made this incredible crosscourt shot. It was too good! ESPN pans to see the expression on Jelena's face. Instead of rolling her eyes or getting mad, she has this look on her face that reads, "Damn that was good!" All done with a big smile. I love it! She has it all. Personality, concentration, drive, determination, power, grace, timing. Wow! (Now, let me say, I'm re-watching that match as I compose this blog.)

Let's go, Jelena! I predict that she will regain her Top 10 ranking soon. You now have one new, undying fan. :)

Side note: Kleybanova should hold her head high after that match. I saw signs of a future champion watching her play. She showed a lot of courage and spirit. I look forward to seeing her tennis future unfold.

Lights Out!

Marion Bartoli is through to the Quarterfinals of the Australian Open, as she dispatches Jelena Jankovic in 2 very convincing sets - 61 64. The flat-hitting French woman was on fire the entire match, putting it to the current #1 in fashionable style. She's sporting a new, streamlined physique as well. She actually looks like a tennis player (despite her balletesque serving stance). Jelena is likely to lose her #1 ranking following the Aussie Open, and will have to fend off the media wolves regarding her validation as #1. In order for her to stay at the top, either Serena, Safina, or Dementieva will have to lose in their Quarterfinal matches. I doubt that all of the remaining top seeds will fall before the Semifinals.

Side note: Perhaps Jelena should challenge the line calls a little less. In the second set alone, she challenged 3 times, losing each of those challenges. And that was at 2-2! After that, she had no challenges remaining for the entire set. I read somewhere that Serena consciously decides not to challenge often, preferring to stay in the moment and not be sidetracked by the minor details. Seems to work for her!

Life after tennis is BORING, that explains all the Comebacks!

Have you ever wondered why tennis has more comebacks than any other sport? More comebacks than Madonna could possibly spice up?

Listen to this, a former Tennis star (at age of 35) is thinking about making a comeback in 2009. He's gotten into shape and is now asking for Wild Cards into ATP Events.

Rusedski confirms surprise comeback

A comeback in a sport where 17-25 is the prime age? Hmmm....

2009 Projections - Part II

WTA HEADLINES

Injured, Injured, Mono

Three interesting comebacks to watch for on the WTA:
Maria Sharapova – will her nagging shoulder injury indefinitely suspend her return to the top of the game? Her recent announcement to withdraw from the Australian Open only fuels the doubtful fires.
Amelie Mauresmo – can she regain her fitness and form in 2009, or does she face retirement?
Nicole Vaidasova - once touted as a future Top 10 elite player, can she recover from a dismal 2008 season to realize her true potential?

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

An inspired Venus Williams can have one of the best seasons of her veteran career. For the past three years, her performance has shown steady improvement. Will 2009 be the year of Venus? If little sister Serena has anything to say about it, 2009 will more likely be the year of Serena. Whatever the outcome, their newly found commitment towards their careers and legacy will inspire both to show up to win. We predict, however, that Venus will outlast Serena in the game and produce better tennis for a longer duration of time. This could very well be the year that Venus puts herself first, leaving baby sister Serena behind.

Anando 2009

Ana Ivanovic's off season was as busy as ever with vacationing, buying a new $4.5M mansion in Mallorca, and ,of course, Nando. With Ana being completely smitten by Fernando Verdasco, will her focus on winning be a little clouded? And imagine what would happen if their relationship were to end!

We think that Ana's results this year will be less than stellar. But who needs a Grand Slam when you have love!

The Return of the Queen

The WTA Tour is keeping a close watch for any signs of a Justine Henin return. If rumors do surface, they are likely to occur after Wimbledon.

Confessions of a teenage drama queen
Watch as the young stars of the WTA tour continue their climb up the world stage of tennis.

Bank your deposits on Caroline Wozniacki and Dominika Cibulkova. One of these young talents will work her way into the Top 10 for 2009.

American tennis fans will become more familiar with the name Coco Vandeweghe, as this feisty teenager begins her promising journey up the pro-women's tour.

Retirement Roll Call
Who will make the official announcement first: Amelie Mauresmo, Lindsay Davenport, Patty Schnyder, or Mary Pierce?

2009 WTA Thread to follow

Jelena Jankovic will be tested, out-gunned and hunted by the competition as she attempts to validate her #1 ranking with a Grand Slam title. She said a lot during the off season, and will have to back those words up with a ton of action. Is she up to the challenge? We think so.

Sharapova withdraws from Australian Open

BREAKING NEWS: Sharapova announces Sunday that she will withdraw from the Australian Open.

“I am very sorry to announce that I am not going to be able to defend my title at this year’s Australian Open. My shoulder is doing great, but I just started training a few weeks ago and I am just not near the level I need to be to compete at the highest levels

Read more here!

2009 Projections - Part I

ATP HEADLINES

Long live the king!

2009 is sure to be a year plastered with highlights surrounding the Swiss maestro Roger Federer, and his ultimate quest of breaking the all-time Grand Slam record set by Pete Sampras. Securing a Grand Slam title in 2009 will be much harder than in past years, as pressure from the top players continue to mount. Despite 2008 being one of his worst seasons to date, Federer still has much to defend in 2009: a semi-final appearance at the Australian Open, runner-up at both the French Open and Wimbledon, and the US Open title. From where we stand, it seems unlikely that he will regain the coveted No. 1 position from Rafael Nadal.

¡Vamos Rafa!
And while we’re on the topic of Rafa, let’s talk about his chances of remaining at the apex of men’s tennis. After a near perfect 2008 season (French Open & Wimbledon Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist), the current “King of the Hill” will have a lot of ranking points to defend. If Rafa can manage to stay healthy and strong, it is our prediction that he will remain at the top of the men’s game.


Musical chairs anyone?
Novak Djokovic is now a tested player. And like Nadal and Federer before him, he will have to contend with the hungry new talent nipping at his Adidas wearing heel. Although we predict some success for the Serb, he will not reach No. 1 in 2009. Instead, sit back and watch as Federer, Murray, and Djokovic trade ranking positions throughout the season, engaging in a proverbial “musical chair” exchange. A very exciting spectacle for fans to follow (I’m already frothing at the mouth)!

The Roddick/Blake effect

With the Americans now on a downward spiral, Andy Roddick and James Blake will be forced to produce killer results this year to remain in the Top 10. If Blake’s recent result at the Hopman Cup in Australia is any indication of his longevity at the top of the sport, his fans are in for a disappointing season (he lost in 3 sets to Dominik Hrbaty, currently ranked 250). These one-time elite players will manage to hold on for just a bit longer before making their way towards the veterans’ lounge.

Time Machine
Nadal was not the only man in 2008 to have a tremendous year. After the Wimbledon Championships, Andy Murray had, what can only be called, a breakthrough year. Since then, he has matured both mentally and physically, and we predict that he will continue to ride the momentum he created in the later part of 2008. This will be the year Andy Murray wins his first Grand Slam, taking with him multiple titles and inching his way closer to the top of the world.

Starlight, starbright…oh the future burns so bright
Tsonga has finally proven his worth, and will continue to grow throughout the 2009 season. However, we believe it will be Juan Martin del Potro who will end 2009 in the Top 5. The true youngsters of the ATP tour, Japanese sensation Kei Nishikori and Latvian teenager Ernest Gulbis, each possess tremendous talent; their quality will soon be measured.

Last Cheers

Watch and cheer for your perennial favorites, Safin and Hewitt. These tried-and-true veterans will shimmer ever-so-brightly, sending their devoted fans into a heighten frenzy, giving us a temporary glance into their former glory. In the end, however, their brilliance will fade just as quickly as it sparked.

Final Bow
Who will make their retirement announcement first: Marat Safin or Fabrice Santoro?

Thread to Follow

Will Federer chase down the Pete Sampras Grand Slam record? We predict he will match the all-time record. But will he surpass the great mark of 14 in 2009?

We can hardly wait to see how 2009 will unfold!

Black eye for Safin!

Safin is sporting a brand new, fresh out-of-the-box black eye. Rumor has it that sister Safina planted one on him during a training session for the Hopman Cup. Could the rumors be true? Let the powers that be stand witness, when you put two hot heads on the same side of the court, what you end up with is a big o' black eye. You've seen the guns on Safina, haven't you? Like brother, like sister.

Let the madness begin!

With the Australian Open just under a month away, the excitement is building for what is likely to become one of the most intriguing and memorable seasons to date!

To the devout tennis enthusiast, the Australian Open is a welcomed reprieve from their dampened winter holidays. The heat and drama of Melbourne can be felt worldwide! To increase the intensity of the drama, fans are ever-so-loud at predicting who will triumph and who will fail. For the players, it is the start of a new season, a clean slate, a chance to show off their new found fitness and to start the new year with a big bang. The defending Champions have much to prove, as a fleet of fiery and enthusiastic newcomers fight to climb the standings and win that elusive 1st grand slam. Will the Champions prove their mettle, or will an up-and-comer steal the show? Here are our predictions for this years championships down under.

Men’s Champion: Roger Federer

Women’s Champion: Venus Williams

Why a tennis community?

We've been standing around the water cooler and have heard your concerns regarding tennis, especially in relation to finding local hitting partners and meeting new tennis friends. Being involved at the grassroots level of tennis has given us additional insight concerning the difficulties tennis players face daily. We, too, struggle with the same problems. At its most basic level, tennis requires two (or more) people, standing opposite one another, hitting a little green ball across a low net. When asked about the main deterrent to playing tennis, despite owning a racquet, the response seems universal: "I have no one to play with at my level!" According to the USTA, there are nearly 85 million tennis fans in the US, while only 5.2 million people play tennis regularly. That speaks to the importance of establishing an online platform where you can find local players at your level to schedule more matches and to play more tennis. Tennis FANS would be converted into tennis PLAYERS, no longer allowing their racquets to collect dust in the closet!

But finding a hitting partner isn't the only problem that needs to be addressed in the tennis community.

Unite
With one community platform, we can better unite local tennis organizations and make better use of these valuable resources. This will help to create a more knowledgeable tennis player while at the same time increasing access to more hitting opportunities.

Share
The gift of tennis is one of sharing. The sharing of information, the sharing of time, the sharing of the court. There are numerous ways in which tennis players can share the game with one another. Whether that be through a gear review, or the sharing of information regarding injuries and therapies, creating a silo of community knowledge that can be easily shared with the masses is a much needed aspect of the tennis community.

Manage
Tennis players need tools to manage their tennis lives. Whether you need to manage a team, or your individual tennis activities, our tools will make it easy and fun to manage your tennis life.

Have Fun
Fun is at the core of the tennis game. And the fun doesn't just include your time on the court. It involves a variety of things: playing, reading and writing stories about your tennis experiences, commenting on pictures and videos, reading about your favorite tennis superstars, and much, much more.

So, why a tennis community? To give you more access to other tennis players, and to increase your level of fun in the wonderful sport of tennis.