DJOKOVIC ENDS FEDERER'S WINNING STREAK

you'll raise your head up again, soon


(Sob)An upset was created at the Rod Laver Arena as Roger Federer lost to Novak Djokovic in three straight sets in the men's semifinals at this year's Australian Open. (Sob)

Well, that's tennis. Even the greatest of the great have to lose sometime. I agree to what Federer said that he pays a steep price for all his success. One by one, players aim to knock him off. And with each match, the crowd always expects a victory in his name.

"Of course, I've created a monster," he said. "So I know I need to always win every tournament."

Thus, on that rare night, the monster was tamed.

He's been seeking his third straight Australian Open crown, and a victory would have pulled him withing one championship of Pete Sampras' 14 Grandslam titles.

Two unseeded will battle for the men's final as world no. 2 Rafael Nadal of Spain lost to frenchman Wilfried Tsonga. So there's fresh names on this year's title.

Next up for my idol is the Wimbledon come spring.


Meanwhile, congratulations to the lovely Maria Sharapova for winning his third Grandslam by beating Ana Ivanovic in two sets.



it's now three for Maria

BEAUTIES BATTLE AT THE AUSSIE OPEN WOMEN'S FINAL

SHARAPOVA vs IVANOVIC


Maria Sharapova is looking unstoppable on her quest for her third Grand Slam crown as she outdid Jelena Jankovic in the semifinals. It was a year after she lost to Serena Williams at the Australian Open final and this year might be her sweet revenge.

She will take on Ana Ivanovic in the Saturday's final at the Melbourne Park.

The two have plenty in common. Both stand over 6 feet and hit right-handed with two-handed backhands. Both moved from their home countries to train elsewhere -- Sharapova from Siberia to Florida and Ivanovic from Belgrade to Switzerland.

Maria proved to be hotter than Ivanovic as her last win is her sixth straight set wins, including her victory over world no. 1 Justine Henin Harden. Go Maria!

WHAT'S UP AUSTRALIAN OPEN 08?

the wonderful aussie crowd clad in yellow

I'm kinda late posting this entry coz the Aussie Open started last Monday, Jan. 14, but I think it's a good follow up to my second post. To start the year, the name that everyone's chanting is the great Roger Federer, this year's two-time defending champion & my idol (that's why I love Switzerland-- cheese, chocolates & the tennis genius). Not to mention that it's a great nation to retire to.

His first two games proved to be a piece of cake for him as he beat his opponents easily. But at his third match, Federer took more than four hours to shake Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic before a stunned and vocal Rod Laver arena crowd.

The Swiss sensation eventually winning 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/1), 5-7, 6-1, 10-8 to move into the last 16 of the tournament. But the world no. 1 is adamant that his exhausting five-set struggle against Tipsarevic on Saturday night will not slow his push for a third straight Australian Open crown.

Good luck also to my Maria!

Left: Federer shakes hand with his Serbian opponent after the grueling 5 set match

Right: Maria Sharapove celebrates after winning a point

MON AIMER POUR LE SPORT TENNIS

Pardonnez moi pour mon mots, monsieur dammes. J'ai etudier la langue du Francais a la moment, et je ce aimer!

So much for that. Aside from badminton, bowling, volleyball & basketball (well, actually I stopped playing basketball as soon as I found out that I look awkward in playing, as they said I play like a kangaroo--those jerks), tennis is one sport that really caught my interest. I love it as much as I'm addicted to food & chocolates. And I swear that if I win at the lottery, I'll have a tennis court built in my house. All four surfaces of them--hard, clay, grass & shell!

My love for tennis started roughly 4 years ago. I have to credit Tito Rain for having influenced yours truly to play the strenuous but more exciting sport.

It wasn't easy learning to play it. The grip, footwork, forehand & backhand swing (be it single or double-fisted), volley & some physics of the ball. Admittedly, I have no formal training of the sport and Tito Rain acted as my trainor during those times that I was trying to learn the basics.

Back then I was always up against the wall...hitting, receiving & missing those out-of-control Slazenger & sometimes Wilson balls. It pissed me off when I can't hit the ball even for two consecutive times. Darn! I was hopeless then.

I didn't give up coz my being hopeless was overpowered by my great interest to play the sport. I continued playing, studied the motion of the ball & memorized where the ball went everytime I hit it. From there I adjusted my every hit & swing. I tried & tried to figure out how I will hit the ball if I want it to go that way. The whole thing was trial & error. But every error had helped me learn to play the sport & was all worth the try.

It delighted me to discover that I was hitting the ball 2, 3, to 4 times consecutively. Finally, I was in the groove. And it wasn't long before I started to try my backhand. I prefer to use the single backhand (Federer style). I applied the same strategy and focused on anticipating the ball so I can hit it properly, and where I want it to go. The only thing that's lacking is the chance to test my skills on court (plus my very own racket, hope I could buy my very first in 2 months). Sadly, I never played on real court in recent years.

THE START OF MY BLOG

I was long before planning to start a blog, several months after it was introduced as a new feature for social networks on the Internet. Although I have a handwritten blog in the form of my journal, I must say that I was permanently infected by the e-virus.

Yes, journal writing is much more intimate and sentimental. But computers are the 'in' thing today, and even resumes now are in video format. And this move provided me an excuse to be able to use the skill I will forever be thankful that I have learned during my first year in college, which is the 45 wpm typing speed (my average).

And today, I'm officially starting my first ever blog here at blogspot. But my journals won't be left behind.

Since I started my first journal in college (which was a project in a religion subject), I didn't stop writing. but most of the time, I am not writing on it which explains why my journal's content is still on my high school days! Pardonez moi, ami(e)s! I'm also worried that I might forget some precious events that happened. I must really do a lot of catching up. That's a promise I made to myself.

But for the meantime, let me indulge in the gift of blogging!

Till my next post! (I wonder when it's gonna be??)