Former world number one Martina Hingis has denied that she will be
returning to tennis to partner Roger Federer at the London Olympics.
Script:
A lesson from the most famous couple in tennis is one thing.
But,
if you are not satisfied with Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, what about
throwing Goran Ivanisevic and Martina Hingis on to the same court?
With
36 Grand Slam singles titles between the former players, children were
treated to a tennis masterclass during a coaching clinic in Taiwan.
At
31 years old, Hingis could still be playing professionally - Roger
Federer certainly thinks so after asking her to play doubles with him at
the Olympics?
SOUNDBITE: (English) Martina Hingis
It
wasn't exactly like that. We had a long chat. I think, for him, he
finished the season so well last year so I am sure he was thinking about
playing 100 per cent his single this year. Being at the Wimbledon,
being on the grass, so that's one thing that he hasn't won yet is the
Olympic game. Being a defending double championship as well, I think two
events is a lot of him within days. Plus, I haven't played for give
years so it is a bit crazy, two things together. So we decided together
that we are not going to play".
Agassi won all four Grand Slam titles, including the French Open in 1999.
This
year's edition gets underway on Sunday with Rafael Nadal looking to
maintain his dominance on the Parisian clay with a seventh title in
eight years.
The former greats could be watching history be
created in Paris - if Nadal is victorious again, he will match Pete
Sampras' record of seven titles at a single slam.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Martina Hingis exhibitoin fun in Taipei Taiwan
Goran Ivanisevic, Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, right (Reuters)
Tennis legends Martina Hingis, Goran Ivanisevic,
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi entertained crowds in an exhibition match
in the Taiwanese capital.
The former tennis
stars, who are in Taipei to coach young Taiwanese players, took to the
court to display their skills to some 7,000 tennis fans.
In
the battle of the former world number ones, Hingis of Switzerland beat
Graf of Germany 7-6 in the ladies' match before eight-times grand slam
winner Agassi of the United States trumped one-time foe Ivanisevic 6-4
7-6.
Agassi teamed up with his wife Steffi Graf for the doubles but they were beaten by the Swiss-Croat pairing.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Hingis/Ivanisevic win against Graf/Agassi in Taiwan Exhibition
Taipei, May 26 (CNA) Tennis greats
visiting Taiwan for a series of exhibition matches said Saturday that
they were feeling nostalgic after playing in front of an enthusiastic
crowd.
After a laughter-laden mixed doubles, in which Martina Hingis and Goran Ivanisevic beat Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi 6-3, the foursome joked about their rivalry of the old days but did not forget to recognize one another's achievements.
Asked in a post-match press conference how she compared Saturday's showdown against Graf with the one at the 1999 French Open, Hingis jokingly shifted the spotlight to Ivanisevic.
"I cried in 1999, did you cry at Wimbledon?" the Swiss asked, referring to both their unsuccessful bids in Grand Slam championships against their rivals -- the "golden couple" who were sitting right nextto them.
In 1999, Graf conquered Hingis in Paris to claim her last major title, while Agassi won his first Grand Slam in the 1992 Wimbledon final, beating Ivanisevic in five sets.
"There were so many great memories," said the Croatian, adding that he felt great pleasure playing again with Agassi, especially in front of exuberant local fans.
Likewise, Agassi and Graf said they had had a great time in Taiwan, picking up old memories with their former foes and enjoying Taiwanese hospitality.
"It has been incredible," said Graf, who promised fans earlier on court that her stay in Taiwan "will not be the last time."
The audience were treated to a hilarious 40-minute mixed doubles, bursting into laughter whenever an impromptu act took place.
At one point at the match, Agassi and Graf exchanged a kiss over a winner. Hingis also jokingly chased Ivanisevic around the court for an error he made.
The stellar line-up even helped one local fan propose to his girlfriend, with Agassi playfully suggesting that the girl should turn him down.
Attendance at the event was reported by the organizers to be 7,000 --only around 60 percent of the capacity of the Taipei Arena. Tickets prices ranged between NT$800 (US$27) and NT$10,000.
A similar event last year featuring Agassi and Russian great Marat Safin attracted more than 9,000 people.
focustaiwan.tw
*groan* That 1999 Graf final is gonna haunt her for the rest of her life. But it's good to see she's got a sense of humor about it all.
After a laughter-laden mixed doubles, in which Martina Hingis and Goran Ivanisevic beat Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi 6-3, the foursome joked about their rivalry of the old days but did not forget to recognize one another's achievements.
Asked in a post-match press conference how she compared Saturday's showdown against Graf with the one at the 1999 French Open, Hingis jokingly shifted the spotlight to Ivanisevic.
"I cried in 1999, did you cry at Wimbledon?" the Swiss asked, referring to both their unsuccessful bids in Grand Slam championships against their rivals -- the "golden couple" who were sitting right nextto them.
In 1999, Graf conquered Hingis in Paris to claim her last major title, while Agassi won his first Grand Slam in the 1992 Wimbledon final, beating Ivanisevic in five sets.
"There were so many great memories," said the Croatian, adding that he felt great pleasure playing again with Agassi, especially in front of exuberant local fans.
Likewise, Agassi and Graf said they had had a great time in Taiwan, picking up old memories with their former foes and enjoying Taiwanese hospitality.
"It has been incredible," said Graf, who promised fans earlier on court that her stay in Taiwan "will not be the last time."
The audience were treated to a hilarious 40-minute mixed doubles, bursting into laughter whenever an impromptu act took place.
At one point at the match, Agassi and Graf exchanged a kiss over a winner. Hingis also jokingly chased Ivanisevic around the court for an error he made.
The stellar line-up even helped one local fan propose to his girlfriend, with Agassi playfully suggesting that the girl should turn him down.
Attendance at the event was reported by the organizers to be 7,000 --only around 60 percent of the capacity of the Taipei Arena. Tickets prices ranged between NT$800 (US$27) and NT$10,000.
A similar event last year featuring Agassi and Russian great Marat Safin attracted more than 9,000 people.
focustaiwan.tw
*groan* That 1999 Graf final is gonna haunt her for the rest of her life. But it's good to see she's got a sense of humor about it all.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Legends Agassi, Graf, Hingis help out youngsters in Taiwan
Taipei, May 25 (CNA) Four tennis legends in Taiwan for Saturday's "Rise of Legends Taiwan 2012" exhibition held a clinic Friday morning for Taiwan's up-and-coming stars and said they were impressed by the group's talent.
Grand Slam title winners Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Goran Ivanisevic and Martina Hingis showed both their charisma and skill in coaching the 32 players during the 40-minute session.
Seemingly unaffected by jet lag after having arrived in Taiwan on separate flights Thursday and Friday, the tennis greats appeared lighthearted as each of them took a corner of the court to critique each player close up.
Former No. 1 Agassi kept urging the young players -- who seemed content to rally from far behind the baseline -- to move up to the baseline to take the ball earlier, one of Agassi's greatest strengths.
"Go! Go! Hit it," the American cried from time to time, acting frustrated whenever the players hit the ball into the net.
Standing on the other side of the court, Ivanisevic couldn't resist playing up to his stereotype of being occasionally ill-tempered.
Twice the Croatian jokingly slammed his racket to the ground to show his "dissatisfaction" with the youngsters' performance and even approached the net to shout at them to get them to play with more energy.
Hingis and Graf, on the other hand, preferred positive reinforcement and gently offered advice to the players, reminding them to stay down.
"Come stand by me," Hingis told an obviously nervous young girl, demonstrating a technique to improve her serve.
The superstars' enthusiasm proved contagious and helped the youngsters pick up the session's pace, to the point where they began firing fierce returns that had Agassi playfully asking for mercy.
Chen Pei-hsuan, a 12-year-old who traded balls with the four tennis legends, said she was most impressed by their geniality.
Chen said that although she did not have a chance to witness the stars play in their prime, it did not prevent her from being a huge fan of theirs.
"I like Graf the most because she played just like Caroline Wozniacki," she said, referring to the current world No. 9.
The foursome were to attend a welcome cocktail party later in the day before taking part in the exhibition at Taipei Arena Saturday.
Graf will face Hingis and Agassi will face Ivanisevic before the four play mixed doubles.
focustaiwan.tw
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Martina Hingis wins against Steffi Graf in Taiwan Exhibition
Taipei, May 26 (CNA) Martina
Hingis beat Steffi Graf 7-6 and Andre Agassi overcame Goran Ivanisevic
6-4, 7-6 in fun-filled exhibition matches that drew some 7,000 tennis
fans to Taipei Arena on Saturday.
First on court were the ladies, who pumped up the crowd with a mixture of playfulness and intense action.
At one game all, after two nail-biting deuce games, Graf handed her racket to a ball boy -- a strategy Agassi adopted last year in Taipei against Russia's Marat Safin -- and asked him to play a point against Hingis.
Far from getting stage fright, the boy actually caught Hingis, known as the Swiss Miss, off-guard and stole a point for Graf, causing the crowd to erupt into cheers.
In retaliation, the five-time Grand Slam winner immediately handed her racket to a ball girl. Despite a valiant effort, the young girl however failed to take a point off the German star, who is married to Agassi.
"This is my first time in Taipei, and I am sure it will not bethe last time," Graf said after the match.
Andre Agassi and Goran Ivanisevic, meanwhile, lived up to their stellar reputations by producing wide-angle returns and fierce aces.
The playful duo did not miss a single chance to joke around and create a humorous atmosphere.
Agassi, who hails from the U.S., teased the Croatian about his outside balls, while the latter jokingly countered by grumbling andsmashing rackets, in keeping with his trademark bad temper.
At one point in the match, Ivanisevic roared and basked in the crowds' cheers after winning a lengthy rally when he was trailing by one set.
At the end of the match, Agassi thanked the crowd in Chinese and then said:“I love Taiwan.”
focustaiwan.tw
First on court were the ladies, who pumped up the crowd with a mixture of playfulness and intense action.
At one game all, after two nail-biting deuce games, Graf handed her racket to a ball boy -- a strategy Agassi adopted last year in Taipei against Russia's Marat Safin -- and asked him to play a point against Hingis.
Far from getting stage fright, the boy actually caught Hingis, known as the Swiss Miss, off-guard and stole a point for Graf, causing the crowd to erupt into cheers.
In retaliation, the five-time Grand Slam winner immediately handed her racket to a ball girl. Despite a valiant effort, the young girl however failed to take a point off the German star, who is married to Agassi.
"This is my first time in Taipei, and I am sure it will not bethe last time," Graf said after the match.
Andre Agassi and Goran Ivanisevic, meanwhile, lived up to their stellar reputations by producing wide-angle returns and fierce aces.
The playful duo did not miss a single chance to joke around and create a humorous atmosphere.
Agassi, who hails from the U.S., teased the Croatian about his outside balls, while the latter jokingly countered by grumbling andsmashing rackets, in keeping with his trademark bad temper.
At one point in the match, Ivanisevic roared and basked in the crowds' cheers after winning a lengthy rally when he was trailing by one set.
At the end of the match, Agassi thanked the crowd in Chinese and then said:“I love Taiwan.”
focustaiwan.tw
Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf & Andre Agassi Taipei exhibition
Taipei, May 23 (CNA) Grand slam winners Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis and Goran Ivanisevic will arrive in Taiwan Thursday and play exhibition matches and coach young talents over the following two days, organizers said Wednesday.
The arrival of the stars, who have bagged 36 grand slam singles titles between them, is expected to boost awareness of Taiwan's tennis scene, said Integration Sports Inc., the organizer of the second Rise of Legends event.
On Friday, the players will coach a group of teenage players at Taipei Arena and attend a welcome banquet later that day.
The following day there will be three exhibition matches at the same venue, including Agassi vs. Ivanisevic, Graf vs. Hingis and a mixed doubles contest.
This will be Agassi's second visit to Taiwan in two years after playing in the first Rise of Legends event in January 2011 against Russian great Marat Safin.
After an entertaining match in Kaohsiung City, where he beat Safin 3-6, 6-3, 10-8 in a super tiebreaker, the 42-year-old American promised the cheering crowd that he would try to convince his wife to come to Taiwan with him next time.
Organizers said they expect 8,000 of the 12,000 tickets -- on sale at prices ranging from NT$800 (US$27) to NT$10,000 -- to be sold before Saturday's exhibition games, adding that initial sales have been slow but have been picking up recently.
Local tennis fans will also be out in force, with 250 individuals volunteering to help with the exhibition matches.
"We hope to build up public interests in the sport through more interactions with fans," said event promoter March Che.
focustaiwan.tw
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Kim Clijsters confirms retirement after this year's U.S. Open
REUTERS - Former world number one Kim Clijsters has confirmed that she will bring down the curtain on her second career at the end of this years U.S. Open, Belgian news agency Belga has reported. The 28-year-old came out of retirement in 2009 after more than two years out of the sport, winning three more grand slam titles to take her career tally to four.
Injury, which has hampered the Belgian throughout her career, has already forced her to pull out of the upcoming French Open and on Tuesday she said the August 27-September 9 U.S. Open would be her last tournament.
'In principle, I will stop after the U.S. Open. Thats the tournament where I have had my greatest triumphs and it is therefore very special to me,' she told a news conference at the headquarters of her sponsors Galaxo in Paal, Belgium. 'The (Flushing Meadows) stadium is about 45 minutes from our house in the United States and so my in-laws can be there.'
Clijsters won her first U.S. Open title in 2005 and marked a sensational return to tennis with a second in 2009 before successfully defending the title the following year. She also won the Australian Open in 2011.
ibnlive.com
I'm still bummed she couldn't participate in her last French Open tournament. Would have been great, perhaps even won it with her sliding ability on clay (would have been fun to see).
Instead just like with Martina Hingis, I'm enjoying it all while it lasts and before she leaves again for good.
Injury, which has hampered the Belgian throughout her career, has already forced her to pull out of the upcoming French Open and on Tuesday she said the August 27-September 9 U.S. Open would be her last tournament.
'In principle, I will stop after the U.S. Open. Thats the tournament where I have had my greatest triumphs and it is therefore very special to me,' she told a news conference at the headquarters of her sponsors Galaxo in Paal, Belgium. 'The (Flushing Meadows) stadium is about 45 minutes from our house in the United States and so my in-laws can be there.'
Clijsters won her first U.S. Open title in 2005 and marked a sensational return to tennis with a second in 2009 before successfully defending the title the following year. She also won the Australian Open in 2011.
ibnlive.com
I'm still bummed she couldn't participate in her last French Open tournament. Would have been great, perhaps even won it with her sliding ability on clay (would have been fun to see).
Instead just like with Martina Hingis, I'm enjoying it all while it lasts and before she leaves again for good.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Djokovic & Federer 25th meeting in Rome semis
ROME, ITALY - World No. 1 and reigning champion Novak Djokovic, Swiss icon Roger Federer and five-time winner Rafael Nadal were a trio of quarterfinal victors Friday at the $3.145 million Italian Open -- the fifth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event of the year.
Djokovic straight-setted fifth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-5, 6-1 in a rematch of the 2008 Australian Open final, which was also won by the super Serb.
The reigning Aussie Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion Djokovic dismissed Tsonga in 1 hour, 23 minutes with the help of five service breaks on Day 6.
The two-time Italian Open champion Djokovic beat Nadal in last year's finale and lost to Nadal in the 2009 title tilt here.
Djokovic will meet Federer in Saturday's semifinals.
Fresh off his big Masters title in Madrid last week, a third-seeded Federer handled Italian Andreas Seppi 6-1, 6-2 in just 54 minutes.
The former French Open champion and 2011 Roland Garros runner-up Federer improved to 9-0 all-time against Seppi.
The two-time Rome runner-up Federer moved up to No. 2 in the world on Monday after prevailing on the unusual blue clay surface last week in Madrid for his ATP-record-tying 20th Masters title.
The Italian favorite Seppi was a surprise titlist in Belgrade two weeks ago.
torontosun.com
The Fed man is on fire, and there's no stopping him. Hope he can give Djokovic the boot (I'm biased;).
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