Hurray for Spain football team!

I've said this during Spain's first game on World Cup 2014. They've got the hottest players! Not a fan of all these guys but I'd say Gerard Pique is cute, Fernando Torres looks so boyish (it's sooo cute) and Xabi Alonso always looks debonair. He seems shy but really more of just a quiet type, classy, and you will always find him reading when they travel. I think that is just sexy

What I've learned from Australian Open 2014

Not a very happy day for me as a tennis fan but you always have to look at what you learned from events that come your way. After watching the finals, here are the lessons I learned:

1. I can't always expect my fave tennis player to win all the titles. It just doesn't work that way.

2. Repeat to self that not all things I pray for will come true. God has reasons.

3. I prayed so hard for Rafa's good comeback. Which actually happened when he won 2 grand slams last year and landed on Top 1 at the end of 2013. I think that is already a lot. Too much greed is bad.

4. There are nice Djokovic fans who don't trash talk and actually uses their head to converse and make comments. I'm happy to have met one.

5. As a fan, you have to love and support your fave athlete even when he is losing not just when he is winning and has his shirt off.

Nadal and Djokovic clash in Roger's Cup 2013 Semis

Rafael Nadal eased his way to the Roger's Cup 2013 semis by beating the Australian Marinko Matosevic in the quarterfinals ending the match in 6-2, 6-4. While Novak Djokovic, last year's champ, was triumphant in his quoted "almost close to perfection" win against 7th seeded and last year's runner-up, Richard Gasquet, 6-1, 6-2.

The last time Nadal and Djokovic played against each other was during the semis of Roland Garros 2013 where Nadal won a tight match of 5 sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7. The stats were of course in favor of Rafa then since he lead head to head against Djoko 19 - 15 before the semis and he has more wins on clay court.

But since the Roger's Cup is on hard court, the stats are in favor of Djokovic. Let's look at their head to head:

NADAL 20 - DJOKOVIC 15

Grass Court:  Nadal 2 - Djokovic 1
Clay Court:  Nadal 13 - Djokovic 3
Hard Court:  Nadal 5 - Djokovic 11

This is also the second time they'll be playing against each other in Roger's Cup. The first one was in 2007, also the semis, and Djokovic won in 2 sets, 7-5, 6-3. 

As a Rafa fan, I'd say I'm seriously worried (like always anyway). But I'll keep my faith and hope that Rafa emerge victorious in this match. 

VAMOS RAFA!!!!

Mercedes Cup - Stuttgart Open 2013

I have fallen asleep thinking about chocolate croissants and when will Fernando Verdasco reach the finals of a tournament and finally win it again. I was too tired that I didn't get to finish checking out the Mercedes Cup final online.

Fabio Fognini has finally claimed his first ATP Title in the Mercedes Cup winning against Phillip Kohlschreiber in 3 sets 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 making him the 6th player to win a first title this ATP season yesterday, July 14, 2013.

He reached the top beating first seeded Tommy Haas in the quarterfinals and in the finals, second seeded Phillip Kohlschreiber. Ah finally, something to make me smile :) Though I hate the idea that these games are not shown on the sports channels available on my TV when Fernando Verdasco was playing in Swedish Open and Fabio Fognini on Stuttgart. But still, so happy for him.

Fabio Fognini with his trophy and new Mercedes Benz (wohoo!)

Photo: Paul Zimmer

Fognini will be the the last or second to the last (not sure) Mercedes Cup champion/champions to win on clay surface since Stuttgart is already in transition to grass on 2015. The tournament will be moved with the other ATP Tour 250 games in between the slams Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the efforts to put an additional week for players to prepare from clay to grass surface.

SkiStar Swedish Open 2013

It was time for grand slam rest. After the wonderful Roland Garros results (yes I am biased) and the upset-maker-slam Wimbledon, a day not seeing any tennis game on tv feels a little bit off.

I know I'll be seeing my super fave (yes super fave 'coz there are other simple faves) Rafa Nadal on US Open and maybe some other ATP Tour. So I am aware I need to just patiently wait because it was not mentioned that he will play in Bastad Sweden, Stuttgart Germany or Newport USA.

So yesterday when I just couldn't really bear the silence of it all, I decided to check out the SkiStar Swedish Open website and their twitter account. This tournament is part of the ATP Tour 250 Series. Matches here are played on outdoor clay and the courts are near the sea! What a view! Last year's champ was David Ferrer but he withdrew this year due to ankle injury.

As I checked their website...voila! One of my few faves and one of ATP's scorching Spaniard, Fernando Verdasco was kicking some ass on the semis! He competed with the cute (some people call him the Casanova of ATP) and of course famous bf of Maria Sharapova, Grigor Dimitrov. Fer won the semis 7-6, 5-7, 7-5.

But that's not just what made me so happy last night. I had fun tweeting and it's not even about Rafa hahaha Well, whoever is handling the Swedish Open twitter account last night sure is very nice. They have been responding to people's queries and retweeting some posts (like mine!).  

After Verdasco's win in the semis, he tweeted a pic of  this mouth watering bucket of chocolate croissants from Swedish Open. 

Swedish Open also tweeted:

 

Ok, you gotta love this tournament. Seriously! It's all Yum! Yum! To all the people working for this tourney, you guys are... hmm how should I describe you... 'comfort foods' in human form. Whether a player wins or loses, you guys have these stuffs. Why, oh why did I ever stop practicing tennis?!! Oh before I forget, thank you SkiStar Swedish Open Twitter, had fun talking to you guys.

Meanwhile, as I finish this blog post, Fernando Verdasco lost his chance of winning another ATP title. He lost the finals against Carlos Berlocq on straight sets 7-5, 6-1 (did Fer ate tons of croissants?! *shaking my head*). This guy is really good but I think he doesn't have that push to finish the match in his favor. During his Wimbledon game against Andy Murray, not sure if I read this on Twitter or heard this from the commentator, it was said that, Verdasco is good but he doesn't have that belief or mental strength that he can win (something like that). 

Congratulations to Carlos Berlocq for winning his first ATP title. In the midst of the heartache of people rooting for Fer, it is also nice to somehow celebrate such victories like Berlocq's. Players winning their first titles.

    
*Will now look for croissants and pizza as comfort food for my heartache on Fer's loss.

Wimbledon 2013: Men's Single's Final - N. Djokovic vs A. Murray

Yes it is real. Andy Murray has finally ended Britain's drought for a Wimbledon title, ending the match with straight sets 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

Celebrities, political figures, former tennis champions and players were present at the Centre Court. Too bad the queen wasn't present during the epic match. Her last visit to Wimbledon was 2010 to watch the 2nd round match of Andy Murray and Jarkko Nieminen.

Wimbledon 2013: Ladies' Singles Final - M. Bartoli vs S. Lisicki

An exciting 2013 finals for Wimbledon Ladies' Singles. After Serena Williams' lost on the 4th round, some tennis fanatics got excited with the idea of having a new Wimbledon champ. Last year's runner-up Agnieszka Radwańska was still on the running but lost her chance when she was defeated on the semis.

Sabine Lisicki from Germany who is currently ranked  #24 in WTA is competing against Marian Bartoli from France who is ranked #15 today at the Centre Court. To those who have consistently watched the matches, we all know that Lisicki  is the lady responsible for the elimination of last year's champ and runner-up. 

H2H, Lisicki leads over Bartoli, 3-1. Both ladies have never won a Grandslam title so this match is definitely a big one.

*****

2:40 P.M. London Time
Bartoli leads the match by winning the first set. She looks so fierce and Lisicki, of course, looks worried.

3:13 P.M London Time
Score is 5-1 with Bartoli leading the 2nd set. She looks composed while Lisicki is getting frustrated that she actually had tears in a while. The Frenchwoman is a few minutes away from winning this match... and claiming the title.

3:20 P.M. London Time
Lisicki held on to win the game and extend the match. Score is 2-5 in favor of Bartoli. Lisicki needs to endure and push to catch up with the score and win this set.

3:50 P.M London Time
Ok, so I got lost watching Marian Bratoli win the title hahaha Sabine Lisicki won 2 more games to score 4-5 but Bartoli finished it with 6-4.

Obviously, the crowd's fave was Lisicki. Can't blame the people. She has beaten the 2012 champ and runner-up. We can't always have everything. It would be an epic story if she got the title though. But I also think she expected too much by talking to so many people about the Wimbledon title and all. Oh well...

Congratulations to Marian Bartoli for winning her first Grandslam title.

Leaving a quote from Marian Bartoli...

"To become Wimbledon champion with ace I couldn't have dreamed it. Been practicing my serve so long I saved it for best moment"

 Bartoli and Lisicki with their Silverware.

Credits: Wimbledon on Twitter

             Women's Tennis Association