Tennis Players Of 2011: August 2011

Marat Safin and Dinara Safina

I have never been a big fan of Maria Sharapova’s tennis. I prefer fellow Russian Dinara Safina, who I like to nickname ‘Marata’ (her brother being Marat Safin).

Many men will prefer Sharapova for reasons other than tennis but Safina can be more enjoyable to watch on court, especially when it’s clay.

But I have to say I have become fond of Sharapova since Roland Garros started last weekend.

Her commercial approach and the new Tiffany earrings she wears just for the tournament are not to everyone’s liking but there is so much more to Sharapova and it’s not on www.mariasharapova.com.

She may live in the U.S. but she still has some hard-working Russian blood running through her veins and that’s exactly what she has been showing in Paris for a week.

Sharapova, wearing a pretty blue dress, has battled past Anastasiya Yakimova of Belarus, compatriot Nadia Petrova, Kazakh Yaroslava Shvedova and China’s Li Na.

Whatever happens in the quarter-finals, her tournament will be a success. Back from a nine-month injury layoff, she discovered what it was like to start a grand slam as world number 102.

Marat Safin and Dinara Safina
Marat Safin and Dinara Safina
Marat Safin and Dinara Safina
Marat Safin and Dinara Safina
Marat Safin and Dinara Safina
Marat Safin and Dinara Safina

David Nalbandian Fat

Flashback. On May 13, 2009 David was wheeled to the operating room at the Clínica CIMA in Barcelona (sorry, I think I initially typed Buenos Aires out of sheer habit), wondering whether after the hip surgery he was about to undergo he'd be able to leave the hospital on his own two feet. Knowing that this kind of surgery had ended tennis careers before but also knowing that it was his only chance of continuing to play. The surgery was a success, there were no complications, and immediately afterwards David was able to start with the first exercises. Taking the first steps - on crutches but on his own two feet - down the long road towards his comeback on the Tour.
But although his hip surgery was successful and would eventually enable David to move, train and play matches without the pain that had previously tormented him for over a year, it was also clear that this operation was going to have an impact on the rest of his career. It just wasn't clear how that impact would manifest itself.

By now, it is. Only 58 matches over the course of one and a half seasons, a total of 15 tournaments missed (including four out of seven Slams) due to physical problems, ranging from exhaustion to hernia and the double surgery he had in March. On average, David gets to play less than 10 matches between one injury pause and the next. The majority of which, including the current one, have been caused by muscular injuries, hamstring and especially adductor problems. So far, those injuries occurred when David played on clay (Buenos Aires 2010, Monte Carlo 2010, Davis Cup R1 2011). Now it has also happened on grass, and after the surgery in March that was supposed to put an end to injuries like that. I can't tell whether any mistakes were made, be it by the doctors or by David's team. But what's obvious is that they still haven't found a way of keeping these injuries from happening.

David Nalbandian Fat
David Nalbandian Fat
David Nalbandian Fat
David Nalbandian Fat
David Nalbandian Fat

David Nalbandian

Paris - Holder David Nalbandian reached his second straight final at the Paris Masters on Saturday, edging closer to a qualifying spot in the ATP season-ending event in China which begins in eight days.

The Argentine spent just over two hours in claiming a battle of champions as he stopped 2006 winner Davydenko at the Bercy arena.

Nalbandian, who beat Rafael Nadal for the title a year ago, will face off on Sunday against the winner from fellow Shanghai Masters Cup contender James Blake and France's Gael Monfils, also in the chase.

David Nalbandian
David Nalbandian
David Nalbandian
David Nalbandian
David Nalbandian
David Nalbandian
David Nalbandian

Caroline Wozniacki Liverpool

"I am a huge Liverpool fan. I watch almost every match because I really like football and when I have time off I always watch Liverpool matches."

One player Wozniacki was disappointed not to see on the grass against Carlo Ancelotti's men is fellow Dane Daniel Agger.

"I know Daniel a little bit too," said the 20-year-old. "I've been following him as well. I like to follow the Danish athletes so I've been watching what he's been doing."

Caroline Wozniacki Liverpool
Caroline Wozniacki Liverpool
Caroline Wozniacki Liverpool
Caroline Wozniacki Liverpool
Caroline Wozniacki Liverpool
Caroline Wozniacki Liverpool
Caroline Wozniacki Liverpool