var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(320,230,623343,”http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css”)}catch(ex){}}()
On February 16th, tennis legend John McEnroe turned 50. Happy Birthday John!
I was just reading an article that talked about how much he has changed over the years. Here’s how they described him then and now:
He was once the raging, wild-haired, enfant terrible of men’s tennis who blew like a hurricane into the All England Club, sending shivers down Wimbledon’s genteel spine.
Now he sports well-tailored, conservative suits, deals in modern art and is an articulate, widely-respected father of six. And he still plays.
 

I love the description of him from his early days, lol. But it’s …read more

var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(420,628,557580,”http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css”)}catch(ex){}}()

As mentioned here, retired tennis star Pete Sampras currently holds the record with 14 Grand Slam titles. On Saturday, January 31st, Roger Federer has the chance to tie that record. If Federer wins the 2009 Australian Open final, that will give him his 14 titles.
Sampras thinks that not only will Federer tie his record, but he’ll break it with as many as 18 or 19 titles.
“I really thought that 14 would be a number that would be very tough to tie and break,” Sampras tells the AP, “but Roger just came along and dominated the …read more

On Thursday, January 15th, women’s tennis legend Monica Seles was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Seles’s career consisted of nine Grand Slam singles titles and the stabbing incident that anyone who follows tennis remembers. She returned to the tour after being stabbed.
During a conference call, Seles said, “It was just a lot of highs and a lot of lows. One of the things that always kept me going was my love of the game.”
Other achievements of Seles’s include winning 53 singles titles. She won four at the Australian Open (which starts in just a few days!), …read more

Dutchman tennis player Martin Verkerk has announced his retirement from professional tennis, effective immediately. 30 year-old Verkerk is currently ranked number 263rd in the world.
In autumn of 2003, he reached a career high ranking of number 14, but says he cannot get to that point again. "I do not think that I can return to the highest level," Verkerk told Dutch television station NOS.
Martin Verkerk was actually doing well this season, but suffered an ankle injury over the summer. Injuries are something that plagued him during his 2004 season.
Well, we wish Verkerk all the best!
Source: CNN
Image Credit: Newscom

Sydney’s 2000 Olympics tennis venue received a new name on Tuesday. Australian tennis legends were there to welcome the naming of the arena in honor of eight-time Grand Slam champion Ken Rosewall. (Pictured above.)
The 10,000 seat stadium will now be called the "Ken Rosewall Arena". Tennis New South Wales president Stephen Healy said,"Ken Rosewall is one of Australia’s sporting legends and without question one of the greatest tennis players of all time".
Rosewall played in Grand Slam tournaments from the 1950’s until he retired in the 1970’s. Fellow Australian legends had nothing but good things to say about Rosewall. Rod …read more

var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(420,616,325517,”http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css”)}catch(ex){}}()

Pete Sampras is definitely dominating the court at the Black Rock Masters tournament. On Wednesday, Sampras defeated John McEnroe 6-3, 6-4.
"To be retired six years and still play in front of good crowds is an honour," the 37-year-old Sampras said. "It was a fun night of tennis."
Sampras served 19 aces during the Wednesday match and 49 year old McEnroe said, "That serve is just scary". McEnroe was very impressed with Sampras and said that he thinks he has the ability to still be competing and play the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federrer. He said, …read more

Before the opening of the BlackRock tournament, tennis legend Pete Sampras was asked about the current top male tennis stars. Sampras said that he believes the number one British player, Andy Murray, is close to winning a Grand Slam Title.
Here’s what he had to say about Murray:
"He is one notch below Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal," said 14-time Grand Slam winner Sampras.
"He’s right on the edge of breaking through and winning a major. He’s got the game. He’ll do it, I really believe that. He’s the real deal." Sampras went on the say that he thinks all Murray …read more

(In the picture above, Sampras presents a tennis racket to Czech President Vaclav Klaus, left, during their meeting at Prague castle in Prague, Czech Republic on December 1, 2008.)
The BlackRock Masters Tennis tournament started yesterday, December 2nd. It’s now time to watch tennis legends in action. Out of the 8 players involved in the singles tournament, Pete Sampras is favored to win. YES!
The eight tennis masters in the singles event are Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Stefen Edberg, Pat Cash, Greg Rusedski, Jeremy Bates, Cedric Pioline and Guy Forget.
The tournament goes until December 7th at The Royal Albert Hall …read more

Watching Pete Sampras play tennis is what got me hooked on the game in the first place. I loved to watch him play. I miss those days!
Well, Pete Sampras fans, the tennis legend will return to London for the BlackRock Masters on Tuesday, December 2nd, for the first time in 6 years. The last time he made an appearance in London was back in 2002 when he only made it to the second round in Wimbledon.
You will never believe who Sampras will play in the group stages. It’s someone so completely opposite of him, it’s like night and …read more

German tennis player Boris Becker was recently broken up with via text message. Sandy Meyer-Woelden, Becker’s 25 year-old fiance, reportedly broke off her wedding with Becker.
Becker said, "I suddenly got an SMS from Sandy… saying that this was it, that this was over. To make sure how serious she was she sent me five others saying the same thing. I was completely surprised"
He also said that the break-up ‘trampled his soul’. Ouch! How painful and over a text message. What the heck was she thinking?! Sometimes technology is not a good thing. Remember the days when men and women …read more