Mesh Tennis

Here’s Nathalie playing mixed doubles.

IMG_7391
Originally uploaded by William Kwan

Here’s James Blake serving against Roger Federer.

IMG_7880
Originally uploaded by William Kwan

IMG_7938
Originally uploaded by William Kwan

Looks like this photo is from the James Blake match. I can’t stand the black socks look.

MARIA Sharapova’s camp has taken the unprecedented step of preparing for the squeaky footwork of rival Ana Ivanovic.

The Russian’s hit-up partner Michael Joyce spent 30 minutes loudly shuffling his feet yesterday in the final practice session before today’s “Shriek v Squeak” women’s final.

Joyce squeaked loudest as Sharapova was about to serve, in an obvious ploy to simulate match conditions.

Ivanovic is entering the final amid a cheating cloud, sparked by vanquished semi-final opponent Daniela Hantuchova.

A furious Hantuchova complained to the umpire about Ivanovic’s tactic of loudly squeaking her shoes to put off the server.

“That’s ridiculous, I think,” Hantuchova said after the match. “I was really surprised with that. I think it’s unfair. It’s a distraction to the server.

“I don’t think that was very nice.”

Long-time watchers at practice sessions quickly noticed that the new Plexi-Cushion surface produced more squeak than the court it replaced, Rebound Ace.

But no one expected the squeak to become such an issue that it has overshadowed the volume of Sharapova’s infamous shriek.

For several years, Sharapova has had to deflect criticism for putting off her opponents by shrieking every time she puts strings on ball.

The squeaking coming from Ivanovic’s shoes also annoyed Venus Williams, Ivanovic’s previous opponent, but the American stopped short of criticising it.

After sealing a place in the final, Ivanovic denied she was cheating. She was quick to place the blame with Plexi-Cushion.

“I just tried to move my feet, to return the ball, so it really was not intentional,” Ivanovic said.

It has become a fascinating sub-plot to a glamorous match-up. But given Sharapova’s form, all the squeaking on the planet will probably not be enough to distract Sharapova from the cause. Herald Sun

Don’t let her fly if she is still on all those painkillers!

…she had taken the controls of a chopper with her family in the back last year in New Zealand.

And the 22-year-old plans to do it again in Melbourne.

“I have a lot of friends here, and they keep telling me they want to take me on a helicopter, and they want me to drive them. I don’t know how safe is that,” she said.

“Actually, I did it last year in Auckland and I drove my mum and some friends in the back. They turned so pale, they were so scared.

“They couldn’t wait until they landed, but it’s so much fun. I love doing that, and I want to see Melbourne from the top.”

She didn’t say whether she has a pilots licence or has ever taken flying lessons. If not, aviation authorities might want a word with her. AFP

Rafael Nadal has declared himself unavailable for Spain’s first Davis Cup tie of the season - against Peru on the clay courts of the Jockey Club in Lima, starting on the 8th February - on the grounds that he wants to continue his personal hard court preparations.

Juan Carlos Ferrero has withdrawn for the same reason.

As a result, Nicolás Almagro has been called up for the first time with Tommy Robredo, Fernando Verdasco and David Ferrer completing the line-up. Think Spain

Q. How are you feeling, 24 hours to go?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Really good. I feel really excited. I’m glad I get the chance to go out there again in the final and give myself another opportunity to be the champion here.

Q. You’ve won two Grand Slams. What has your match preparation been like for this one compared to the others? Much the same?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Pretty much. It always goes the usual routine: you know, a little practice, just a little nap, the day’s over before you know it, in between the semis and final.

But, you know, this is a Grand Slam that I obviously have not won, and one that I’d love to win. One match away from it. So, you know, it’s a great opportunity for me.

Q. Do you have any superstitions?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Not really, no. I have a few, but I don’t really think about them any more (smiling).

Q. What are some of those?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, I don’t know (laughter). I don’t talk about them.

Q. In your previous Grand Slam finals, you always faced a player older than you. This is the first time you’re facing a player that you’ve got more experience than. Is that going to feel different?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: It’s hard to say until I actually go out there. She’s already been in a Grand Slam final. You know, who knows. When you go out there, it really depends on how you feel you’re playing. Her chance is just as good as mine. We’re both Grand Slam finalists. We’re here. We’ve had a great two weeks of tennis.

You never know until you actually go out there. I hope that I can perform as well as I have throughout the tournament here.

Q. Do you still have burning disappointments from the French Open last year?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, not really, because I wasn’t a hundred percent when I was playing there. You know, I wasn’t serving past 90 miles per hour. I think that was my average serve speed. So, I mean, it’s gonna be pretty difficult to win a Grand Slam semifinals when that’s your average serve speed.

Q. Was that because of the shoulder?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, yeah.

Q. Who is the favorite for tomorrow’s match, you or Ana?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don’t know. You tell me. I don’t know. I don’t think it really matters who the favorite is.

Q. She’s No. 2.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, on paper she definitely is.

Q. So she is the favorite?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don’t know. I don’t know who is. We’ll see tomorrow.

Q. You’re active in many areas, art, sport. Have you ever had a chance to be into an emotional sport like free‑style motorcross?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: No, but I love cars and I love speed, anything from racetracks to jetskis, I’m all over that. I love that. When I used to train in Spain a couple times a few years ago, we’d always go on the four‑wheelers, those low sports cars. We would race. I love that adrenaline rush.

Q. Trying to erase last year’s bad memory of last year’s final, does it give you more energy for tomorrow’s final?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I’m not going to worry about that. I forgot that final a long time ago. I think I was just more glad to be in the final after almost being down and out in the first round. You can look at it both ways.

I think I’m just more excited about having another opportunity to get the chance to win.

Q. It looks like you’re on a mission. From your first match, you’re so impressive. Is that because you had a disappointing or frustrating year last year?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uhm, not ‑‑ it was frustrating, but it was a great learning experience. I think it made me stronger because I didn’t give up. When I did have the opportunity to train and wake up in the morning feeling really good, you know, with my body and my shoulder, I was just so excited about going on the court. And I missed it.

And when I had the opportunity to train in the off‑season for about five weeks, really with high intensity, you know, working really hard, playing in the morning, having lunch, going back out on the court, it was hard work. But looking back, I really enjoyed that work.

Once you know that you’ve had that and you’ve given it your all, when you come to a tournament, you know, you hope that that work transitions into the match court. I’ve done it before, you know. Not always is it going to come so soon. But, I mean, the hard work will always pay off. If it’s not next week, maybe it’s next year. You never know.

Q. It’s something you hear from many players that have been injured for a long time, they’re more hungry and realize how important tennis is for them.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You sometimes forget when you’re healthy how fortunate you are to actually be healthy because when you’re not, you’re sitting at home, and it’s that feeling like something is limiting you to doing what you actually love to do. It’s a terrible feeling. I mean, there’s no doubt about it. Every athlete goes through it. You just realize how lucky you are. You put so many things into perspective.

Q. Coming into this event, did you feel you were going to be performing at this level? If you didn’t, when did you feel like your game started to click?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I felt like I was hitting the ball good. I had a few matches in Asia where, you know, I worked on a few things. I worked through the matches, you know. Even though I was playing exhibition matches, I was still training, I was practicing before them. I didn’t take it as a tournament; I took it as practice weeks.

I felt ready. I physically felt good. I was hitting the ball good. So, yeah, there was no doubt in my mind. Of course, you never know what can happen. On any given day, anything can happen. So you’re just fortunate that you are able to bring that good performance on the court.

Q. So you haven’t surprised yourself at all these two weeks?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I know what tennis I’m capable of producing. I’ve shown it before. I’ve done it in my career already. I’ve won two Grand Slams. I’ve been No. 1 in the world. I didn’t do it just by waking up and eating ice cream all day. I’ve worked for all the things that I have achieved. I know that I’m capable of achieving more.

That’s what drives me to go back on the practice court, because I know I can be a better player and I will be a better player.

Q. Do you become more reflective closer to a final of the journey you’ve taken to get here?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: You mean, do I look back on it?

Q. Do you consider your whole tennis career, your whole life, when you get close to these big moments?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Definitely, these moments are what you play for. You know, the finals. Also, look, the match against Lindsay, although it was a second‑round, I think the buildup to the match, the excitement when the draw came out, that was one of the most exciting early rounds in a Grand Slam. It’s great to be a part of. I know there’s always going to be a loser at the end of that day.

But as than athlete, I mean, you’re also an entertainer. People buy tickets to see you perform. Although it’s very competitive, you also feel like you’re an entertainer. It’s wonderful to be a part of these days where everyone’s really excited about the matchups and the situations. The whole buildup is great.

Q. What do you think of what’s been written about the glamorous matchup, two beautiful women playing each other? What do you think about it when people talk that aspect of it?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I think the reason why we got to the final was because of our tennis and our performance. And I think that’s something people should be looking at, yeah.

Q. Can you relate at all to what she’s going through the last six months, rising very quickly, getting a lot of attention for off‑the‑court stuff?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I mean, you know, it’s interesting, everybody rises in different stages in their career. I mean, I think she’s the same age as I am, right? It’s definitely great to see because, you know, not only do you have to get up there and kind of prove yourself that you’re one of the top players, but you have to maintain that level.

I think she’s done a good job of that, of getting to a Grand Slam final again and giving herself another opportunity to win a Grand Slam for the first time.

You know, it’s definitely great to see. It’s always good when you see ‑‑ I’m saying she’s younger, but we’re the same age (laughter). It’s great to see new names coming up that are doing well, that are bringing excitement and whatever it is, glamour, to the sport. Even to bring fans that are not just tennis fans, but other fans into the sport, is wonderful.

Q. How about off the court, how do you feel she’s handling all the off‑the‑court attention?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don’t know. I think you’d have to ask her that.

Q. What do you say to people who say they don’t like the noises you make when you play tennis?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Oh, I’ve done it for so long. I’ve done it since I was four years old. That’s just the way I am.

Q. Are you going to watch Djokovic and Federer tonight?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: The day before my match is usually movie night. We select like a comedy and watch it. So I don’t know. I might stop it and watch a few games, then watch my movie, yeah.

Q. Who is your favorite to win tonight?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don’t know. It’s going to be a great match. I mean, it’s a semifinal of a Grand Slam. But, you know, Novak has given him trouble in the past. But, of course, you’ve got to go with the favorite, which is Roger.

Q. With 24 hours to go, how are you feeling?

ANA IVANOVIC: Uhm, yeah, I feel good. I had a good practice this morning, all the stretching and recovery. So I’m really excited for tomorrow’s match. I think it’s going to be a great one.

Q. Do you think a lot about the match? Do you look back on last year’s Roland Garros final and try and take something from that?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yes, for sure, because, you know, I was in that situation once before and I know I was very emotional and I experienced lot of things during that final.

You know, that’s something I have to take from it as a positive. You know, tomorrow, when I walk on the court, I know a little bit what to expect. So in that way I can deal with it.

But, you know, I just don’t want to get emotional. I want to just focus on my game and what I have to do, you know, to play like I played my previous matches and just think tennis and tactically.

Q. What was the most difficult thing for you last year during that Roland Garros final?

ANA IVANOVIC: During the whole tournament, I really took it match by match, and really tried to enjoy each match separately. You know, then in the final, I was thinking more, Oh, my God, maybe I can win a Grand Slam. I start thinking more emotionally. It was very overwhelming. Whole atmosphere, everything, was just too big to that moment.

So, you know, that’s something I definitely have to learn from and this time hopefully deal with it better.

Q. Are you confident you will react in a different way tomorrow?

ANA IVANOVIC: You know, I just want to go out there and try to perform the best I can because, you know, it’s another experience for me and I just want to go for it and enjoy it. I’m sure I’ll have plenty opportunities in future tournaments, as well.

Q. You said you reacted too emotionally. But you’re an emotional player who also uses energy and positive emotions, celebrating. How do you balance that with trying to keep calm at the same time?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, emotions are definitely not a bad thing. It’s something that actually got me where I’m here today. It’s just important to learn how to make it work for you instead of against you. And that’s something I’ve been working on really hard because, you know, sometimes if I make a few mistakes, in the past, I used to get very upset about it and sort of got on that bad roll.

But now, you know, I can control my emotions a little bit better and just to direct them in a positive way. I really hope I can be mentally strong out there tomorrow and do the same thing.

Q. We see a lot more fist pumping. Is that part of it?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely, I try to support myself and just be positive. You know, even if I make a mistake, just try to have short memory and forget about it and move on to the next point because, you know, in the tennis, you get opportunities every time. It’s just important to stay alert and, you know, realize that opportunity and make that step to take it.

Q. Maria’s performance, is this the best you’ve seen her play?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, she’s definitely in a good shape and she’s been playing some good tennis this last couple of weeks. Yeah, she improved her movement. And her serve, it’s very high percentage, really strong.

So, you know, it’s going to be interesting match. We are 2‑All in victories. I managed to beat her before, so that’s something I have to look for and try to perform like I did that time.

Q. Have you been enjoying writing your newspaper column here in Melbourne the past couple weeks?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, definitely it’s just a way to make fans aware of what we do in our off time. It’s very interesting, like, in the mornings, when I go to get juice, they always come up and say, Oh, we read your columns, it’s great.

You know, it’s just I think a nice thing, a nice thing to do, and I’ve been enjoying it a lot.

Q. Do you think it’s created more attention about you?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, it’s so exciting. Yesterday, when I was in the court, I was so surprised to see how many people, you know, supported me. They helped me so much to win that match yesterday. It’s obviously a great feeling because I feel so comfortable out here, you know, just having so many fans. It’s another positive thing.

Q. No doubt you get nerves before a big match like this. When do they take effect? How do they affect you? How do you control them?

ANA IVANOVIC: Well, it’s very individual. Everyone gets, you know, in its own way a little bit nervous and tight. I tend to stop moving. Just very important for me to get that, you know, good rhythm from beginning and to have a good warmup, to get, you know, a little bit sweating before walking on the court. That’s something I find works for me to help me prevent getting really nervous.

Q. Do you find anywhere Maria is vulnerable? Do you have anything you have to do particularly well?

ANA IVANOVIC: If I say that now, when she reads paper tomorrow, she will know my tactics (laughter).

No, it’s definitely a tough opponent. And I think the first shots will be very important tomorrow. You know, serve return will be one of the key strokes out there. So, you know, I just want to focus on that and, yeah, from first shot on, to be alert.

Q. What would it mean to get a Grand Slam win so early in your career?

ANA IVANOVIC: That would be amazing. It’s a dream coming true. But as I said before, I just don’t want to think about it that way, just as, you know, satisfaction to win another match, that’s how I want to walk out there.

Yeah, it’s going to be a tough competition. But I look forward to the challenge. I love challenges.

Q. Tactically do you feel like you’re a much better player now? If you’re not playing well in the middle of the matches, are you able to think your way through and change things around better?

ANA IVANOVIC: That’s something that I feel more comfortable with, with the way I became fitter. Even if I have a few bad games, I still know I can come back because I have energy to fight through it. That’s something I haven’t experienced in the past. It’s definitely exciting, you know, to realize these new things about myself and my game.

That’s something I can hold back on, too. But I just want to, yeah, try to take basically chances and don’t get in situations like I was a little bit in yesterday’s match.

Q. Maria spoke a lot about her mother yesterday, the relationship with her mother. Can you talk a little bit of your relationship with your mother, how she supports you off court, anything on court? Is it more mother/daughter or is there a little bit of coach/daughter?

ANA IVANOVIC: No, it’s like mother, daughter and friend, because she’s like my best friend, too. It’s so important to have her on the road with me because it’s already a few years now that she travels. If she wouldn’t be with me, it would be much harder.

You know, it’s hard enough already being so much away from the rest of my family. So, you know, whenever I go back, I have someone to talk, not only in my mother language, but also to ask for advice. Because who can give you more honest advice than your mom?

It’s such a great thing to have her there. And she’s also my biggest supporter. You know, she never really, you know, beat me up or gets upset on me (laughter). So it’s great because I feel like she understands me.

Q. What is her advice for tomorrow?

ANA IVANOVIC: Every time I go on the court, she say, Just enjoy, try to play own game. She hates to see me getting upset, hitting my racquet. But, you know, now I’m controlling that a little bit better. So she just say, Be happy, smile and enjoy.

Q. You’ve spoken in the last few days about the improvement in your movement. Other than that, what else have you improved in your tennis and how you approach your tennis?

ANA IVANOVIC: Since I change racquets, I feel my backhand improved a lot. I got much more work on the ball. That’s something I noticed a big change. It obviously gives me a lot of confidence because now, you know, I always had quite a good forehand, but now I feel also very comfortable on that backhand side. It’s definitely just another shot I added.

Q. Is it the racquet or the strings and the racquet?

ANA IVANOVIC: I’m still playing with the same strings, so I think it’s the racquet definitely. Since I start playing, you know, tried it for the first time, straightaway I felt different on my backhand. You know, it helped me with just my swing and my work on the ball. Obviously, that worked well for me, so I was really happy.

Q. Is it stiffer or heavier?

ANA IVANOVIC: Heavier, much heavier. The balls are coming much heavier. Also, you know, on my forehand and serve, I got much more margin and work on the ball.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

I found these lovely photos on FoxSports.com.

The man has made it to 10 straight Grand Slam finals…I think it’s perfectly okay to gloat about this loss a bit.

Tsonga, though, never expected disrespect from his practice partner. On the court that day, Tsonga found Nadal, often regarded as agreeable, to be the exact opposite.

He never spoke, and treated Tsonga more like a wall for rebounds than a fellow player.

Maybe, Tsonga thought, top players always practice with such myopic focus. But the Frenchman still found the approach “disappointing”, and unbecoming of a champion.

“He was rather cold,” Tsonga later said in French.

What’s happened since, in far less than a year, has rocked the hierarchy of men’s tennis.

Tsonga, thanks to his possessed demolition of six straight opponents, Nadal included, at Melbourne Park, now belongs in any conversation about legitimate challengers to Roger Federer’s throne. Daily Telegraph

What’s up with that, Nads? I’ll hope it was just a bad day and not an attitude problem.

…but I am still going to be hoping for Djokovic to win the title…