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Swinging wrinklies Jimenez and Watson defy the years
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsSwinging wrinklies Jimenez and Watson defy the years
Miguel Angel Jimenez and Tom Watson, boasting a combined age of 106, silenced golf’s young guns in the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic.
Spaniard Jimenez, 46, won the event with a par at the third extra hole after he and last year’s European number one Lee Westwood ended regulation play tied on 11-under on Sunday.
Miguel Angel Jimenez (R) of Spain, winner of the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, chats with first runner-up Lee Westwood of England, in Dubai February 7, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]
The 60-year-old Watson, making a rare European Tour foray, finished his debut appearance in the tournament with a four-under 68 to snatch a share of eighth place.
“Like good wines, with age (golfers) get better and better,” Jimenez told reporters after climbing 30 places to 30th in the world rankings.
“It’s difficult with these new guns like Rory (McIlroy), (Alvaro) Quiros, Westwood … all of these guys are long off the tee and it’s an advantage for them. But I’m still healthy and strong and can still play with the ball.”
Jimenez has always enjoyed himself off the course and likes to relax with an expensive cigar and a glass of Rioja but is also aware he needs to be as fit as a fiddle to keep up with the modern generation of golfers.
“The last three weeks I’ve been in the gymnasium almost every day,” said the Ryder Cup player.
“I used to work a little in the winter at home but this winter I did nothing so I brought my trainer here with me.
WATSON PRAISE
“I work a lot on the cardiovascular side and some abs and on the lumbar, that is the trick of the gym. Then the recovery afterwards I sit at the table and have a nice steak, a nice bottle of wine — you need to keep the balance.”
Jimenez, who has captured nine of his 16 European Tour victories since turning 40, spoke in glowing terms of Watson’s performance.
“He played impossible golf,” said the Spaniard. “It’s unbelievable. He is a great inspiration for professional golfers.”
Watson, who came close to achieving a golfing miracle when he lost to fellow American Stewart Cink in last year’s British Open playoff at Turnberry, felt he could have fared even better than eighth with some more local knowledge of the Emirates Golf Club.
“Looking back on the week there were a couple of holes that, if I had known just a bit better, I would have fared a little bit better,” said the eight-times major winner.
“But I also got some good breaks too. It was a learning experience in Dubai.
“To see this type of economy is spectacular … the amount of construction and the belief this is going to be an economic centre in the world. I enjoyed it very much.” -
Czech Republic draws 1-1 with Germany in Fed Cup
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsCzech Republic draws 1-1 with Germany in Fed Cup
The Czech Republic drew 1-1 with Germany after the first day of the women’s team tennis event Fed Cup World Group I first round held in Brno on Saturday.
Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic, bt Andrea Petkovic, Germany, 6-4, 6-4.
The first singles:
Lucie Safarova, Czech Republich lost to Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Germany, 2-6, 3-6. -
Injured Serena Williams out of Paris Indoor Open
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsInjured Serena Williams out of Paris Indoor Open
World number one Serena Williams has pulled out of next week’s Paris Indoor Open, due to a leg injury, organisers said here on Saturday.
Williams sustained the injury during her victory in the Australian Open.
The American won the Paris trophy twice in five appearances in 1999 and 2003. -
Zheng finds out size not a problem
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsZheng finds out size not a problem
Being thrashed by former world No 1 Justine Henin 6-1, 6-0 in the Australian Open semifinals in Melbourne showed China’s Zheng Jie not only the gap between herself and the world’s elite but also that smaller women can dominate the game too.
“I have given up on the idea of growing taller but playing against Henin, I realized that a player of moderate height can also play good tennis,” said the 1.64m Zheng on the sidelines of the celebration party held by the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on Wednesday.
“Henin is slim and not very tall but plays strong tennis. I should work hard toward it as well. Of course, I have to make more of an effort than others.”
In a sport where height can play a huge role in success, the petite Zheng was never regarded as a “real” tennis prodigy, but the 26-year-old has proven herself to be one of the big names in China by repeatedly making breakthroughs.
In 2004, she became the first Chinese player to reach the last 16 at the French Open. Two years later, she and partner Yan Zi were crowned Grand Slam doubles champions at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
She had stellar season in 2008 as she rebounded from injury-marred 2007 to reach her first Grand Slam singles semifinal, at Wimbledon, before being beaten by Serena Williams 6-2, 7-6 (5).
To achieve even better results, Zheng changed her serve during winter training sessions last year with renowned American coach Nick Bollettieri and the efforts have paid off.
“For anyone who has played tennis for 20 years, any change of technique is a big challenge but I think it was worth it for me to do that,” Zheng told China Daily. “The coach not only helped me in serving but also gave me confidence.
“He always told me ‘you like to play the key points very much and you can do very well in the key point’, which boosted my confidence. Although he only worked with me for about 10 days, he followed each of my matches on TV or the internet and emailed me after each one. At the end of each message he always wrote that I could play even better. I’m very grateful to him.”
Zheng boasts a powerful baseline game and sharp play at the net but had struggled with weak and inconsistent serves, which she feels prevented her from moving higher in the rankings.
Her determination to improve that facet of her game has won her a lot of respect from those who work with her.
“Zheng has no great physical advantages but her hardworking spirit has impressed me very much,” Chen Fangcan, who has helped Zheng with physical therapy, told China Daily. “In order to change her serve she had had to strengthen her leg and waist muscles. The practice is very tough but she manages to do it all the time. Her fighting spirit is the key to her success.”
Reaching the semis at Melbourne Park – with compatriot Li Na, Zheng, whose highest world ranking is 15, has broken into the top 20 again and now the next steps are to reach a Grand Slam final and win the crown.
“Those last two steps towards winning a Grand Slam will be very difficult and require even harder work,” Zheng said.
“If we can reach more quarters and semis in those competitions we will be more confident in our matches. Reaching the semis for the second time, I have got much more belief in myself. I know I can do that.”
Zheng is now recovering from a pulled thigh muscle and may be absent from China’s first-round Fed Cup match in Slovakia this weekend.
Her next competition is likely to be the Dubai Championships, which start on Feb 15. -
We do not claim a cent of Li or Zhengs prizemoney: says Sun
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsWe do not claim a cent of Li or Zheng’s prizemoney: says Sun
China’s tennis chief, Sun Jinfang, said the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA) did not make a cent from Australian Open semifinalists Li Na and Zheng Jie and the other self-managed players and used their contributions to support the nation’s youth players.
The top four Chinese women players, who include Li and Zheng, left the state-support system to manage their own careers at the end of 2008, thanks to a groundbreaking “flying away” move. According to the contract reached between the players and the CTA, they still have to give eight percent of the prizemoney on the WTA tour or 12 percent of their marketing profits to the association. Previously, the portion was as high as 65 percent.
“The CTA does not want a cent from the players. The money they gave us previously went towards tennis development in China and is now being used to help young players train and develop,” said Sun (pictured) during a party on Wednesday organized by the WTA tour to celebrate Li and Zheng’s semifinal appearances at the Australian Open last month.
Sun revealed most of the self-managed players stopped giving money to the CTA after the move. Surprisingly, Sun, who used to take a tough line on the money issue and once blasted world No 51 Peng Shuai for complaining about handing over too much, said with a smile she and the CTA did not intend to push the players to handover earnings.
“It’s up to them (to give or not) and we will never push them to do that although we know how much prizemoney they earn from the WTA tour. As for the marketing profits, they just gave me a figure.
“The reason for having such an item (concerning giving money to CTA) in their contracts is that we hope they can show gratitude and return something to the sport.”
Li and Zheng received cheques amounting to almost 2.5 million yuan (US$360,000) each for reaching the last four at Melbourne Park.
Sun also lavished praise on Li and Zheng and put them in the same class as national sporting heroes Yao Ming and Liu Xiang.
“NBA, track and field and tennis are all mainstream sports. Li and Zheng’s success has put China firmly on the world tennis map. Their achievements are equivalent to what Yao (basketball) and Liu (hurdles) have done.”
Sun also took a bow for enacting the “flying away” move against “doubts, risks and pressure”.
“You can’t imagine the pressure and risks we faced since enacting that move,” Sun told China Daily. “There were many doubts when we introduced the move in 2008.”
The tennis chief said the initiative would serve as a model for other Chinese sports teams on the road to “professionalization”.
“I think it can work for other sports in China,” she said. “At the athletic level, sport in China is very strong but at the professional level it is poor.
“What we did in tennis could be an example of how to boost professional sports in China.” -
Northern Trust Open PGA golf tournament starts 1st round
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsNorthern Trust Open PGA golf tournament starts 1st round
Stewart Cink tees off on the twelfth hole during the first round of the Northern Trust Open PGA golf tournament at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles February 4, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) -
Li Na sets sights on WTA finals
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsLi Na sets sights on WTA finals
Li Na of China celebrates scoring during the women’s singles fourth round match against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark at the 2010 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 25, 2010. (Xinhua/Wang Lili)
Li Na was more than a little surprised to be greeted by throngs of media, flowers and banners when she arrived back in Beijing from the Australian Open, where she and Zheng Jie made history by becoming the first Chinese women tennis players to reach the singles semifinals of a Grand Slam event together.
After playing the game for almost 20 years, 27-year-old Li said she felt like a star for the first time and she wants that feeling to continue.
Having reached a career-high ranking of 10 in the world, she is eyeing even greater progress this year and wants to compete in the WTA tour finals at the end of the season, an event which features the world’s top eight players.
“I planned to return to Beijing quietly and I booked a very early flight. So I was a surprised when I saw the cameras at the airport and doubted they had come to see me at the beginning. It felt different but I won’t change. I’m still myself,” Li said.
“I hope I can remain in the world’s top 10 and qualify for the WTA finals. If possible, I hope I can reach a ranking as high as possible this season.”
Although she lost to world No 1 Serena Williams 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1) in a two-hour semifinal thriller, Li confirmed her new status in the sport when she upset seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams 2-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5 in the quarterfinals in Melbourne.
“The quarterfinal against Venus was the most memorable match for me. Not only because I won but also as two Chinese players reached the semis. I think it was an exciting point in the development of China’s tennis,” said Li.
“As for the semifinals, I feel a little bit of regret as I just didn’t convert one or two key points. The gap is not that big.”
At the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne, China boasted two players in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time. That’s a feat that has only been matched by the United States, Russia, Belgium and Serbia in recent years.
That success has been largely attributed to the “fly away” policy launched by the Chinese Tennis Association at the end of 2008, when Li, along with Zheng, Peng Shuai and former Australian Open doubles champion Yan Zi, left the state-run sports system and started managing their own back-up teams and schedules.
However, Li said the four had not “flown away” and insisted they were still national team players first and foremost.
“We are not flying away from the national sports system. We have just chosen different ways to develop,” Li said during a celebration party held by the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in Beijing on Wednesday.
“We are still national team players and when the country need us, we will play for China anytime. I would like to thank the sport’s governing body for giving us the opportunity to choose our own ways freely. We are on a professional road now but we are still linked to the national team.”
That clarification eased rumors that Li, who is considered to have a strong personality, was at loggerheads with China’s sports officials and the local system.
“I don’t care much about how others look at me; only my friends,” said Li. “I won’t worry about clarifying any misunderstandings others may have about me.”
For reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open, Li won more than 2.4 million yuan. She joked it was the start of a collection for her future baby. However, that child won’t be coming anytime soon.
“I may consider having a baby after I retire … but I am still young and can still play for now,” Li said. -
Mickelson removes Ping wedge, opposes groove rule
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsMickelson removes Ping wedge, opposes groove rule
Phil Mickelson has decided to leave his controversial Ping wedge out of his bag for this week’s Northern Trust Open but he remains totally opposed to the new grooves rule introduced this year.
Golfer Phil Mickelson of the U.S. answers questions at a news conference before the Northern Trust Open PGA golf tournament at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles February 3, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]
Mickelson was among a handful of players who used the 20-year-old Ping-Eye 2 wedge with square grooves at last week’s San Diego Open, prompting an accusation by fellow American Scott McCarron that he had been ‘cheating’.
Under United States Golf Association (USGA) rules implemented on Jan. 1, square or U-grooves have been outlawed but the Ping wedge is deemed legal because of a lawsuit won by its manufacturer over the USGA in 1990.
“I like and respect these (PGA Tour) players out here,” Mickelson told reporters on the eve of Thursday’s opening round at Riviera Country Club.
“Out of respect for them, I do not want to have an advantage over anybody, whether it’s perceived or actual. So this week I won’t be playing that wedge. My point has been made.
“But if these governing bodies cannot get together to fix this loophole, if players stop using this wedge which would stop the pressing of the issue, then I will relook at it and put the wedge back in play.”
The new rules relating to club-face grooves were implemented after research found modern configurations could allow players to generate almost as much spin with irons from the rough as from the fairway.
All clubs, with the exception of drivers and putters, have been affected by the change, which limits groove volume and groove-edge sharpness, effectively replacing U-grooves with V-grooves.
CONSISTENT CRITIC
Three-times major winner Mickelson, who is renowned for his short game, has been a consistent critic of the change.
“It was a ridiculous rule change and even worse timing,” the 39-year-old said.
“It’s cost manufacturers millions of dollars. It continues to cost them money as we now have to hire people to scan, document and store data of every groove on every single club.
“It was unnecessary … and the arbitrary judgment of one (USGA) man can take a conforming club and rule it non-conforming based on his emotion.
“This lack of transparency has got to change. It’s killing the sport. It’s killing the manufacturers and the players.”
Mickelson added: “This rule change is great for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s right. You have to remove yourself as a player and decide what is this good for the game.”
The world number two, bidding this week for an unprecedented third successive victory at Riviera, said he had received an apology from McCarron the previous night.
“We all make mistakes and we all say things we wish we could take back,” Mickelson said. “It’s also not easy to come up and face that person, look them in the eye and apologise.
“He did that and was very sincere and I accepted the apology. I appreciate him being a big enough man to do that.” -
Celebration for Chinas tennis victory
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsCelebration for China’s tennis victory
China’s Li Na and Zheng Jie pose for photos with China Tennis Assoction (CTA) chief Sun Jinfang during an event to celebrate the pair’s success in reaching the Australian Open tennis women’s singles semi-finals, in Beijing February 3, 2010. [Photo/Agencies] -
Barbie unveils Kim Clijsters lookalike at toy fair
Posted on 三月 6th, 2010 No commentsBarbie unveils Kim Clijsters’ lookalike at toy fair
Kim Clijsters’ lookalike sports the same tennis kit, golden hair and blue racquet as the U.S. Open champion but her backhand is somewhat stiffer.
Kim Clijsters of Belgium pauses during a press conference after she lost to Nadia Petrova of Russia in a Women’s singles third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday Jan. 22, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]
That’s because she is a doll — the first Barbie to commemorate a female athlete, unveiled at the world’s largest toy fair in the German city of Nuremberg on Wednesday.
Clijsters, 26, was hailed as the poster girl for working mums around the world last year when she became the first mother to win a grand slam singles title since Evonne Goolagong triumphed at Wimbledon in 1980.
Mattel , the world’s No. 1 toymaker, said it also unveiled a doll of Clijsters’ daughter Jada, sporting the same outfit she wore for the U.S. Open finals.
“I am…deeply honoured and humbled as I today join the ranks of iconic women who represent Barbie’s aspirational value,” the Belgian former world number one said in a statement.
“My family means everything to me, so I was really excited when I found out that Jada would also received her very own Jada Barbie doll.”
Mattel, which last year celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Barbie doll with a string of glamorous parties, also unveiled dolls representing the heiress to Sweden’s throne, Crown Princess Victoria, and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
