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Federer Reflects On Weekend With Bill Gates

  • Posted: Jun 10, 2017

Federer Reflects On Weekend With Bill Gates

Jun102017

Swiss maestro opens up in latest issue of ESPN The Magazine

Ahead of his return to the ATP World Tour next week in Stuttgart, Roger Federer recently spent time with Bill Gates in the Microsoft co-founder’s hometown of Seattle. ESPN The Magazine chronicled their enlightening and entertaining weekend together for the World Fame 100 issue, in which Federer came in 4th on the list. Below is an excerpt of the feature.

[Roger Federer] is in Seattle because of Bill Gates. A Federer superfan and dedicated rec-level player, Gates watched his favorite player at Indian Wells. They bonded there over tennis and philanthropy. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has spent billions on improving living standards in Africa. Federer’s foundation also focuses on Africa, especially education for children. They decided to organize an exhibition at the KeyArena in Seattle — Federer vs. John Isner, the tall, big-serving American — as part of a fundraiser for Federer’s charity.

A couple of days before the exhibition, Federer, wife Mirka and a few others from his team visited Gates’ 66,000-square-foot compound on the shores of Lake Washington, called Xanadu 2.0. Before courses of halibut and steak, they spoke about physics and Leonardo da Vinci and his audacious, open-minded genius. Growing up, Federer wasn’t focused on being a student, he says. He stopped going to school at age 16 to play tennis full time. Over the years, he’s tried to soak up knowledge where he can. The night at Gates’ estate was a career high point. “It was so inspiring,” he says. “It was surreal.”

Gates invited his guests into his library. He and Federer paid special attention to a notebook in a glass case — the Codex Leicester, filled with Leonardo’s drawings, theories and thoughts. Gates paid $30.8 million for it in 1994.

Federer stared in amazement. “He tells you that Da Vinci wrote upside down and from right to left — Leonardo da Vinci! — and he was not only great at one thing but he was also great at other things, and you realize how broad somebody’s mind can be. Bill Gates is one of those people too. You can feel it. He makes you — not because he wants to in any way, because he’s super humble — but he just makes you feel so small, in the sense that I know so little. Everything he says just seems really important, and you try to absorb it. I tried really to put my antennas up.”

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Over the course of a long weekend, Federer and Gates had two dinners and a lunch together. They practiced tennis in front of an exclusive audience of deep-pocket donors, and Federer presented Gates with a new racket similar to his own, a matte-black Wilson RF97. It was inscribed on the throat with Gates’ profile and renamed the BG97.

Gates was struck by Federer’s curiosity, and, of course, by his grace. “You know, tennis, it’s sort of physics,” he says. “But it’s also artistic, particularly the way Roger appears to move so effortlessly.” Practicing with Federer, noticing his attention to detail, his meticulous approach, Gates was reminded of a software engineer’s painstaking efforts to make computer programs easy to use. “You’re making impossible things actually look fairly easy because you’ve done so much behind the scenes to understand it,” he says.

The ESPN World Fame issue is on newsstands until June 16. Read the full Federer story here.

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Anything is possible, says surprise French Open champion Ostapenko

  • Posted: Jun 10, 2017

French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko believes “anything is possible” with the all-out attacking style which brought her a first Grand Slam title.

The Latvian, 20, hit 54 winners on her way to a “dream” 4-6 6-4 6-3 win over Romania’s Simona Halep.

“I always had the possibility I could hit the ball really hard,” said Ostapenko. “If I have a chance to go for a shot, I’m trying.”

She is the first unseeded woman to win the French Open since 1933.

  • Unseeded Ostapenko fights back to win French Open
  • Relive Ostapenko’s win over Halep as it happened
  • Live scores and schedule

It was only her eighth appearance at one of the four tennis majors, the fewest by a champion since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004.

A 100-1 outsider at the start of the tournament, she will rise from 47th to 12th in the world rankings following her spectacular victory.

And it was the 299 winners she hit over the course of seven matches that captured the imagination of the Roland Garros crowd, who roared her to victory on Saturday.

“Nobody taught me, it’s just the way I play,” said Ostapenko. “And also I think my character is like that. I want to really hit the ball.”

Ostapenko beat Olympic champion Monica Puig, former finalist Sam Stosur, former number one Caroline Wozniacki and two-time semi-finalist Timea Bacsinszky on her way to the final.

But it was not until the closing moments of her win over third seed Halep, the 2014 runner-up, that the Latvian contemplated winning the title.

“I think I was up in the third set 5-3, then I realised I can win the match,” she said. “Not before that. I was just taking it step by step.”

Having earned a total of £1m in her professional career before Roland Garros, Ostapenko, who turned 20 on Thursday, will take home £1.65m for Saturday’s victory.

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“I wasn’t even thinking about it,” she said. “I was thinking about winning the title.”

The junior Wimbledon champion in 2014, she will now head to the All England Club next month among the contenders.

Ostapenko begins her grass-court season in Birmingham at the Aegon Classic, along with eight of the world’s top 10, and will then head on to Eastbourne for the Aegon International.

“Of course I will probably now will have more pressure and attention, but I’m going to try to deal with that,” she said.

“I think it’s going to be little bit difficult but I chose to be a tennis player, so that’s my career. I should be fine with that.”

Five facts about Ostapenko

She made headlines last year because of a bust-up with British player Naomi Broady in Auckland. The pair argued at the end of their match after Broady claimed Ostapenko should have been disqualified for throwing her racquet at a ball boy.

Ostapenko chose a tennis career over ballroom dancing, something she still practises four times a week – her favourite dance is the samba.

She is coached by her mother Jelena, with father Jevgenijs taking fitness trainer duties.

Spanish player Anabel Medina Garrigues has also been helping with coaching as she recovers from an injury.

President Raimonds Rejoins called to wish her luck after the semi-final, and a giant screen in Riga showed the final.

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Roland Garros Final Preview: Stan vs. Rafa

  • Posted: Jun 10, 2017

Roland Garros Final Preview: Stan vs. Rafa

Jun102017

ATPWorldTour.com looks ahead to the championship match in Paris

Another gripping fortnight on the terre battue of Roland Garros is nearly in the books, with two former titlists set to square off for the Coupe des Mousquetaires. There have been no shortage of storylines throughout the first 14 days of the tournament and the same can be said for Sunday’s championship between third seed Stan Wawrinka and fourth seed Rafael Nadal.

Nadal has been careening towards a date with destiny, marching into a 10th final in the French capital without dropping a set. As ruthless as the Spaniard had been in streaking to the titles in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid, he has been arguably even more impressive at Roland Garros, relinquishing just 29 games – an average of just five games lost in six matches. It is the second-fewest number of games dropped in reaching a Grand Slam final in the Open Era, behind only Bjorn Borg’s run to the 1978 Roland Garros final.

Nadal secured his place in his 22nd major final (14-7 record) with a convincing 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 victory over an in-form Dominic Thiem in Friday’s semi-finals. Now on the precipice of a historic, extraordinary achievement, the King of Clay is just one win from etching his name in the Grand Slam history books. He is bidding to not only become the first player in the Open Era to lift 10 trophies at a single tournament, but also become the oldest in history to claim his 15th major title. The Manacor native would pass Pete Sampras for solo second on the all-time list.

With his quest to complete ‘La Decima’ hanging in the balance, Nadal will face a formidable and familiar opponent in Sunday’s final. Two of the game’s deadliest, most feared weapons will be on display as Nadal’s heavy topspin forehand clashes with Wawrinka’s majestic, mammoth backhand. Both competitors will look to generate great depth on their preferred wings, taking time away from their opponent and opening the court for finishing blows. Firepower meets firepower on Court Philippe Chatrier, with No. 2 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on the line.

Fewest Games Dropped In Winning Major Title

Player Games Lost
 Tournament
Bjorn Borg 32 1978 Roland Garros
Bjorn Borg 38 1980 Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal 41 2008 Roland Garros

**Nadal has dropped 29 games entering the final**

“For me, being in the final is always a very positive result,” said Nadal. “Now remains one match against a very tough opponent, so he will be full of confidence for Sunday. And he’s a very dangerous player because he can hit the ball very hard. I need to play aggressive, I need to play long, I need to try to not let him play from easy positions. If not, I’m going to be in big trouble.

“It’s true that when he hits hard, he hits really hard. Stopping him can be difficult… I will have to do everything I can to keep him from playing aggressively. If I can play long balls, if I can hit hard, if I can do that, I think I will be able to control him. I know he’s dangerous when he plays aggressively, so I need to limit his possibilities.”

Nadal leads the FedEx ATP Head2Head 15-3, but Wawrinka has history on his side as well. The 2015 champion will look to extend his perfect mark in Grand Slam finals, entering his second Roland Garros title match with a 3-0 record.

“To play Rafa on clay in the final of the French Open is probably the biggest challenge you can have in tennis,” said Wawrinka. “He’s the best player ever on clay. He’s going for his 10th Roland Garros, so it’s something really impressive, something tough.”

All-Time Grand Slam Titles List

Player Titles
Roger Federer 18
Rafael Nadal 14
Pete Sampras 14
Novak Djokovic 12
Roy Emerson 12
Bjorn Borg 11
Rod Laver 11

One of the biggest clutch performers in today’s game, the Swiss is also no stranger to denying dates with destiny. In the 2014 Australian Open final, he stopped Nadal’s quest to become the first player in the Open Era to win all four majors twice. One year later, he momentarily halted Novak Djokovic’s bid to complete the career Grand Slam at Roland Garros with a near-flawless performance in the final.

The 32-year-old Swiss is looking to write his name in the history books as well, seeking to join elite company as just the third player to win three or more Grand Slam titles after turning 30. Only Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall have done so. A win would also secure him a career-high  No. 2 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, becoming the oldest to make his Top 2 debut in more than 40 years.

Wawrinka enters the final after surviving a grueling five-set battle against top seed Andy Murray on Friday. He notched his fourth win over a World No. 1 after nearly five hours, rallying from two-sets-to-one down to extend his win streak to 10 straight. The champion on home soil in Geneva two weeks ago, the Lausanne native is vying for his fifth straight win in a clay-court final.

Most Grand Slam Titles At 30 & Over (Open Era)

Player Titles Won At 30 & Over
 Years
Rod Laver 4 1969
Ken Rosewall 4 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972
Stan Wawrinka 2 2015, 2016
Roger Federer 2 2012, 2017
Andre Agassi 2 2001, 2003
Jimmy Connors 2 1982, 1983

“It’s going to be really difficult,” Wawrinka added. “But again, in the end of the day, it’s the final. The pressure is on both players. No one goes on the court thinking he has no pressure. We both want to win the title and we are both going to give it our all on the court.

“He’s for sure going to be the favourite with what he’s done in the past, but also this season already he’s playing so well. So I will have for sure to play my best tennis. But again, I did that in the past, so we will see what’s going to happen on Sunday.”

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Hewett wins historic French Open wheelchair singles title

  • Posted: Jun 10, 2017

Alfie Hewett became the first British player to win a French Open wheelchair singles title after saving two match points at Roland Garros.

The 19-year-old won 0-6 7-6 (11-9) 6-2 against Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez to claim his first Grand Slam title.

Later on Saturday, Hewett lost in the men’s doubles final alongside fellow Briton Gordon Reid.

They were beaten 6-4 6-3 by French pair Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer, who also beat them in the Rio 2016 final.

Hewett, seventh in the rankings, said: “I had a good feeling about this week. This time last year I was outside the top 10, hadn’t really won anything.

“A year on, I’ve got two [Paralympic] silver medals, [I am] Wimbledon doubles champion and now singles Grand Slam [champion] at Roland Garros – I can’t believe it.”

Fernandez had two match points during the second-set tie-break, but Hewett said he remained confident of victory.

“I played him a week and a half ago in another final and I was 6-0 3-0 down, and when it went 6-0 2-0 this time I was thinking, ‘Oh no, here we go again’,” Hewett added.

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“But I remembered coming back that time so I knew I could come back, and when it got to that tie-break, it was very up and down, he had match points, I had set points.

“Mentally that was a big positive for me to keep in there and hold out. I felt good after I won that second set and knew I needed to get off to a good start in the third and when that happened I grew in confidence.”

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Unseeded Ostapenko fights back to win French Open

  • Posted: Jun 10, 2017

Unseeded Jelena Ostapenko fought back to stun third seed Simona Halep and become Latvia’s first Grand Slam champion at the French Open.

The 20-year-old trailed by a set and was 3-0 down in the second to Halep – who would have become world number one with a win – but prevailed 4-6 6-4 6-3.

Ostapenko, ranked 47th, had never won a Tour-level title before and was playing in only her eighth Grand Slam.

She is the first unseeded woman to win at Roland Garros since 1933.

Halep, 25, was playing in her second French Open final, after losing in three sets to Maria Sharapova in 2014.

She had been the tournament favourite this time in the absence of Serena Williams, but again missed out on a first major title.

  • Relive Jelena Ostapenko’s win over Simona Halep as it happened

Attack beats defence for Ostapenko

Ostapenko’s carefree attacking tennis ultimately proved too strong for the consistency and experience of Halep, with the favourite helpless by the closing stages.

The difference in approach was clear in the final statistics, Ostapenko ending with 54 winners and 54 errors, to Halep’s eight winners and 10 errors.

Halep looked to have ridden out the storm after twice coming back from a break down to take the first set, with Ostapenko giving it up with her 23rd error and swiping her racquet in frustration.

The Romanian had played the percentages, with just one winner and two errors, and she looked set to end her wait for a major title when she moved 3-0 up in the second.

A large contingent of Romanian fans was now chanting her name with confidence, but her run of six games in a row came to an end, and Ostapenko grabbed the momentum.

She tore into the Halep second serve, stepping inside the baseline and attacking off both sides, and her power was simply too much for her opponent’s defence.

A forehand down the line brought up Ostapenko’s 36th winner, and with it a huge roar from the captivated home crowd, as she drew level at one set all.

Halep took charge again early in the final set, getting the break at 3-1 after taking some pace off the ball and drawing an error, but again Ostapenko came straight back.

A fortunate net cord gave her the crucial break of serve at 3-3, prompting Halep’s coach Darren Cahill to look to the sky in disbelief, but the Latvian was on a roll.

She stormed through the last five games in a row, apparently free of nerves, to clinch victory and grab her place among the elite of women’s tennis.

“I always had the possibility I could hit the ball really hard. If I have a chance to go for a shot, I’m trying for it,” Ostapenko said.

“Nobody taught me. It’s just the way I play. And also I think my character is like that. So I want to really hit the ball.”

‘It is my dream, I’m so happy’ – what they said

Jelena Ostapenko: “I cannot believe I am champion at 20 years old. I love you guys. It’s so amazing to be here.

“I have no words, it is my dream. I’m so happy. I knew Simona was a great player, but I tried to play aggressively and everything turned my way. I fought for every point. I’m glad it finished my way.”

Simona Halep: “I’m sad I couldn’t win it, but it was a great experience.

“Now I want to congratulate Jelena – it’s an amazing thing. Keep it going because you are only a kid.

“I would like to thank my team, my parents. It’s a tough day, but let’s keep working and let’s believe.

“I felt sick in the stomach to play in this final, so maybe I wasn’t ready to win it, but maybe next time.”

Analysis

Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent:

“Ostapenko was a teenager before Thursday and had never previously featured in the second week of a Grand Slam.

“She was playing an opponent who had experienced the 2014 French Open final and was one win away from becoming world number one, and yet the 20-year-old seemed from the start to have the ability to control the match.

“She goes for broke and misses a lot, but when it really mattered – when she was a set and 3-0 down – she had the power and nerve to take the match away from Halep.

“Can she become a serial Grand Slam champion?

“Time will tell, but she certainly has the game and the presence of mind. She kept Halep waiting on the baseline for nearly a minute as she rearranged her towels and her bag at the start of the match.”

‘A star is born’ – reaction

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French Open 2017: Rafael Nadal wary of Stan Wawrinka's shot-making

  • Posted: Jun 10, 2017
French Open men’s final
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Date: Sunday, 11 June Time: 14:00 BST
Coverage: Live radio commentary and text coverage on BBC Radio 5 live, the BBC Sport website and app.

Rafael Nadal must overcome the spectacular shot-making of Stan Wawrinka if he is to win a record 10th French Open title on Sunday.

The Spaniard, 31, will become the first player in the open era to win a Grand Slam title 10 times if he wins.

Swiss third seed Wawrinka hit 87 winners as he beat world number one Andy Murray in the semi-finals.

“It’s true that when he hits hard, he hits really hard. Stopping him can be difficult,” said Nadal.

  • Live: French Open women’s final – Simona Halep v Jelena Ostapenko

“I know he’s dangerous when he plays aggressively, so I need to limit his possibilities.

“I will play very aggressively, and I don’t want him to take control – easy to say, but it may not be that easy to do.”

Revenge is not part of my vocab – Nadal

Nadal has yet to drop a set in Paris, reaching the final for the loss of just 29 games over six matches.

His record at Roland Garros now stands at 78 match wins and two defeats since he won his first title in 2005.

However, injury problems hampered his chances in recent years and he has not won a major title since his last French Open triumph in 2014.

Victory would bring Nadal his 15th Grand Slam title, moving him above Pete Sampras into second on the all-time list, behind Roger Federer on 18.

It would also deliver the French Open for the 10th time; only Margaret Court, with 11 Australian Open titles, has won one of the Grand Slam trophies more often.

Nadal has been keen to talk down any pressure surrounding the possibility of a 10th triumph at the tournament, saying: “I think I don’t make more history, it’s enough. Nine are more than good.”

He can take confidence from a record of 15 wins from 18 meetings with Wawrinka, but the Swiss has won three of the last six, including his first Grand Slam win in the 2014 Australian Open final.

“Revenge is not part of my vocab,” said Nadal. “I don’t think it would be the right thing to do to see it as a revenge.”

Mentally when I’m there, I’m tough to beat – Wawrinka

Wawrinka has continued his habit of peaking for at least one Grand Slam tournament a year since that breakthrough win in Australia in 2014.

The Swiss then won the French Open in 2015, and last year added the US Open, leaving him tied with Murray on three majors and within reach of a career Grand Slam at Wimbledon.

It has been a remarkable transformation in the latter years of his career.

“Mentally, when I arrive on a big tournament or in a big match, it’s like closing, switching off everything in my body except my brain, which I put in winning mode,” he said.

“Of course, I can lose, but I think I’m extremely confident about what I do, about how I feel, about all the hard work I have accomplished over the past days, weeks, months, years.

“I know that mentally when I’m there, it’s difficult to beat me.”

Wawrinka is on an 11-match wining streak, having defended his title at Geneva prior to Roland Garros, but knows he faces a different examination on Sunday.

“I think to play Rafa on clay in the French Open in a final is probably the biggest challenge you can have in tennis,” said Wawrinka.

“He’s the best player ever on clay.

“When you play Rafa in the French Open, you’re never the favourite.

“If you lose, it’s almost normal. But of course you don’t want to lose a Grand Slam final, do you?

“So I’m going to look for solutions, and I’ll have to be physically and mentally present and be strong.”

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Maria Sharapova expected to pull out of Aegon Classic in Birmingham

  • Posted: Jun 10, 2017

Maria Sharapova is to pull out of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham because of injury.

The five-time Grand Slam champion has not played since retiring injured from her second-round match at the Italian Open with a thigh problem on 16 May.

Sharapova, who returned from a 15-month drug ban in April, had been offered a wildcard for the event from 17 June.

The Russian, 30, is due to contest the Wimbledon qualifying competition in Roehampton, which begins on 26 June.

A source told the BBC that official confirmation of Sharapova’s Birmingham withdrawal is expected in the next few days.

She is currently ranked 178 in the world, having fallen out of the top 500 since testing positive for heart disease drug meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.

Sharapova was denied a wildcard for the French Open, with tournament officials saying her doping suspension counted against her.

Lawn Tennis Association chief executive Michael Downey previously acknowledged the decision to grant Sharapova a wildcard for Birmingham would divide opinion.

But he had argued it would “generate more funds” and boost a tournament which has “for too long lived under the shadow” of the men’s Aegon Championships at The Queen’s Club, which takes place in the same week.

Sharapova signed a two-year deal to play in the Birmingham event last month.

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Thiem: 'Good Clay Season, Bad Ending'

  • Posted: Jun 10, 2017

Thiem: 'Good Clay Season, Bad Ending'

Jun092017

Austrian looks for answers after Nadal loss at Roland Garros

What was supposed to be a blockbuster semi-final battle on Friday at Roland Garros ended up being a disappointing blow for Dominic Thiem, but the loss doesn’t erase his accomplishments on clay this season.

The Austrian found himself overpowered against Nadal and suffered a straight-sets defeat. But while Thiem was upset by a third loss to the Spaniard this season, he was more disappointed with his performance. The sixth seed hit 34 unforced errors and faded out in the final set, only winning nine points as Nadal cruised to victory.

“I think he played a good match today. I was not on top of my game and that was the result everybody saw,” said Thiem. “It’s nice to be in the semis again, but now I’m really disappointed because I just couldn’t play the way I wanted to. I don’t know why yet, so I have to find some reasons. It was a good clay-court season, but a very bad ending for me.”

Despite the loss, there are still plenty of positives for Thiem to take from his Roland Garros run. He repeated his semi-final run from last year at this event, but did so this time without losing a set. Thiem also picked up his first victory in six attempts against Novak Djokovic in their quarter-final match.

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The progress in Paris has extended to his results throughout 2017. He’s already scored wins this year over every player currently ranked in the Top 4 of the Emirates ATP Rankings and has been exceptional on clay. The 23 year old prevailed this February in Rio de Janeiro (d. Carreno Busta) for his first ATP World Tour 500 title, reached the final at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and Mutua Madrid Open (both l. to Nadal) and handed Nadal his only loss on clay this year in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia quarter-finals.

Thiem will remain in the Top 4 of the Emirates ATP Race to London and is well on track to qualify for the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals for the second straight year. Given his victories over all of the world’s best players over the past 12 months, his huge game continues to have fans touting him as a future World No. 1.

Next up for the Austrian is the grass-court season. Having already competed in 14 tournaments this year, Thiem will extend his ironman status with more ATP World Tour events in Halle and Antalya before heading over to Wimbledon. It remains the only Grand Slam he hasn’t reached the second week of, but Thiem is confident he can achieve that milestone and more this year.

“It’s always nice to play on grass. It’s not a long period of the season, so it’s always special,” said Thiem. “It’s completely different than clay because I think you can lose to far more opponents if they have a good day or a big serving day. It’s going to be completely different than the last few weeks.”

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