NEW YORK – Ever wonder how Billy the Kid would have done with a tennis racket instead of a shotgun? The Kid, known as a withdrawal artist to the bankers of Lincoln County, New Mexico, showed his quick, greedy hands to advantage in practicing his craft in the neighborhood of the Tombstone’s infamous OK Corral. Who knows? Maybe the Kid might have preferred serving aces … [Read more...] about FLUSHING MEADOWS – A LATTER DAY OK CORRAL
Rafael Nadal
NADAL/FEDERER LOCK ON WIMBLEDON BROKEN AS DJOKOVIC TAKES THE TITLE
LONDON – When Novak Djokovic – certainly the first citizen of Serbia now – was but a 12-year old, he was more concerned about the bombing of his hometown than what happened on its few scruffy tennis courts. “But I had this dream about a place called Wimbledon. And hoped. The [NATO] planes usually bombed at the same times, and we went to cellars then. But it was still … [Read more...] about NADAL/FEDERER LOCK ON WIMBLEDON BROKEN AS DJOKOVIC TAKES THE TITLE
HIS MAGIC NAME WAS HEARD – IN PAIN – ROGER COULDN’T GET OFF THE CANVAS
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – Roger Federer has heard his name shouted appreciatively in arenas across the world. But it was different this time as the full-house crowd at Crandon Park vocalized a tsunami of sound – “ ROGER! ROGER! ROGER!” over and over so boisterously it may have been heard in Switzerland. They were mighty roars from most of the 13,800 throats, but not the usual … [Read more...] about HIS MAGIC NAME WAS HEARD – IN PAIN – ROGER COULDN’T GET OFF THE CANVAS
A PAIR OF HORRENDOUS AUSSIE LOSSES – RAFA, JUSTINE, SHE SADLY FOREVER
MELBOURNE — Call it Woeful Wednesday. It was the day the Australian Open lost its leading man very unexpectedly – Rafa Nadal. And professional tennis lost one of its most appealing champions. For good, this time – Justine Henin. Put them together and it was a huge, staggering hit for the game. There would be new champions. Roger Federer would fall to a confident Novak … [Read more...] about A PAIR OF HORRENDOUS AUSSIE LOSSES – RAFA, JUSTINE, SHE SADLY FOREVER
THE PARTY IS OVER FOR THE AUSSIES BUT TOMIC CREATES BUZZ
MELBOURNE – It was inevitable. After only the sixth day the last Australian bodies were carted away, and the once-proud Aussies were once again shut out of their own championship. This is hardly news. Chris O’Neill, 1978, and Mark Edmondson, 1976, are the most recent home-grown winners of the Australian Open, and Lleyton Hewitt, 2005, the last finalist. But record crowds … [Read more...] about THE PARTY IS OVER FOR THE AUSSIES BUT TOMIC CREATES BUZZ