Top 8

The roster is out. top 8 ATP players battle for the year-end tournament at London O2.

Group A
Rafael Nadal
Novak Djokovic
Tomas Berdych
Andy Roddick

Group B
Roger Federer
Robin Soderling
Andy Murray
David Ferrer

Prince Tennis: Team Athletes - Juan Carlos Ferrero & David Ferrer 2010

My former Prince's mates Juan Carlos Ferrero and David Ferrer talking about the Prince Ozone Tour MP racquet and their respective goals for the year.

Gael Monfils new Talent

Looks like Gael Monfils excellent defensive play works well with table tennis too.

America has lost another sweetheart

This post might come a little overdue. But better late than never. So another player bites the dust. Another sad retirement. This is one man whom we like to reference to whenever there is a tennis joke. He is one of the last remaining serve and volley specialist in this dying genre of tennis players. I can't help but wonder, why does he always make it into video games, over higher ranked players? He never made it to the Top 20 ranking in his entire career. He has only managed a meagre 4 ATP titles and always gets his ass whooped by Federer. The answer is simple. Because he is YOUR AMERICAN SWEET HEART. He is TAYLOR DENT!

Soderling - Pretender or Contender

At the tail-end of 2010 ATP season, one player has made the headlines. He is Robin Soderling. No one could ever forget he is the first guy to beat Rafael Nadal in Roland Garros (not even the Great Roger Federer could do it) and he of course dispatched Federer in this year Roland Garros in the quarter finals. Federer has at least made it to the 23 consecutive grandslams semifinals before this.

So is this man with the vicious forehand and powerful groudstrokes and serve will be the next best big thing. After all, he recently captured his first 1000 series masters in BNP Baripas Paris and has risen up to the no 4 in ranking overtaking the talented Andy Murray.

No doubt, he is a good player and consistent and has the belief that he can go all the way. Yet is he suddenly going to be like how Federer and Nadal dominate the tennis world and to a lesser extent ala Djokovic and maybe Murray?

I doubt so. He sure can beat any of the players mentioned above but not on consistent level. He belongs to the second tier players (Nalbandian, Davydenko etc...) Nalbandian has won 2 1000 Masters Series title and a ATP world title and has been to at least the semi finals for all the grandslams, Davydenko has 3 1000 Masters Series title and a ATP world title. both players have proven that they can beat the big boys yet had not been able to dominate nor win a grandslam.

Additionally compare to Andy Murray, Soderling record against the top 3 player is a mere 4-24 while Andy Murray stands at 15 -17.

Like a tennis critic recently commented, he is ROBIN not BATMAN.

I say he will play great tennis and beat great players along the way but will not win a grandslam in his career but will finish with a great amount of cash winnings. However, stranger things have happen in tennis like Nizlan changing to Dunlop after pledging allegiance to Prince!!

Birthday, Bali & Victory

Tennis beauty queen Ana Ivanovic celebrate her 23rd birthday (6 November) by returning to the top 20 after capturing her 2nd title in 3 weeks. She was ranked as low as 65th back in July.

She closes her season with a bang, capturing the Tournament of Champions final held in Bali beating Russian's Alisa Kleybanova in straight sets 6-2, 7-6.

We wish Ana a happy belated birthday and let's hope we get to see more from the sweet lady from Serbia next season!!

The End of the Road

Last week women's tennis has lost one of its most well liked player Elena Dementieva. She is offensive baseliner with powerful groundstokes from both wings as well as an excellent defender. She official retired on 29 October 2010 in the year ending 2010 WTA Championship.

She delivered a short emotional farewell speech after her last match against Schiavone. Zvonareva, fellow Russian player also added a short tribute speech. Many of her peers were quick to pay their tributes to her as one of the best player off court. This is a testament that she is well liked by the fans and players alike in a women's tennis world where not everything is sweet off court.

She has reached at least the semifinals in all the majors but failing to win any. However, she did capture the Olympic gold medal in 2008(she won silver in 2000). She is arguably one of the best player not to capture the grandslams. Many argue its her weak serve as one of the main cause.

Elena states that she plans to start her private family life soon. We wish her all the best and that she will be missed sorely by the players and fans alike.