July 31, 2009
July 27, 2009
Jordan Cox signs a contract with IMG
Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy student Jordan Cox has signed with IMG for wordlwide management and marketing representation.
BRADENTON, Florida, July 24, 2009—IMG Tennis, a division of global sports entertainment and media company IMG, today announced that rising American tennis star Jordan Cox selected IMG for worldwide management and marketing representation.
Cox, 17, from Duluth, Georgia recently reached the finals of the 2009 Wimbledon Junior Championships, and competed in the Main Draw of the Lexington, Kentucky Challenger this week. Cox will continue to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy (NBTA) at IMG Academies, while beginning his career on the professional tour. The NBTA, viewed as the world’s foremost sports and educational training facility, has produced many of the world’s top tennis players including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Tommy Haas, Monica Seles, Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova, and Nicole Vaidisova.
When talking about Jordan, Nick Bollettieri, his coach and Founder and President of IMG Academies, said, “He reminds me a lot of Jim Courier. He is a bulldog on the court. He grinds, fights, and does everything in his power to come off the court as a winner. We all know what a fantastic career Courier had, and if Jordan keeps the attitude he has been showing, it can carry him a long way.”
“I am delighted to become part of the IMG family and use their worldwide resources and expertise to my advantage,” added Jordan. “I look forward to taking my game to the next level and I am thrilled to be doing it under the guidance of IMG.” Jordan is currently ranked No. 37 in the ITF Junior World Rankings. In addition to playing a number of professional events this summer, he is also set to compete in next month’s U.S. Open Junior Championships.
About IMG Sports & Entertainment
Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment’s diverse businesses include: product and brand licensing; consulting services; event ownership and management; collegiate marketing, media and licensing; fashion events and models representation; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world’s largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year. More information is available at www.imgworld.com.
     
July 8, 2009
July 6, 2009
Sabine Lisicki at Wimbledon 2009
Two young Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy students, Sabine Lisicki and Michelle Larcher de Brito, continued to move up in the rankings after solid performances at Wimbledon. Lisicki, 19, reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career at Wimbledon, beating seeds Anna Chakvetadze, Svetlana Kuznetsova (2009 French Open champion) and Caroline Wozniacki. She is now ranked a career high of #26 in the world and is primed to continue advancing up throughout 2009!
Also making strides is 16-year old Portuguese sensation, Michelle Larcher de Brito. She moved up 15 spots from #91 to a career high of #76 and is the youngest player ranked in the top 100. After qualifying for the French Open, she reached the third round and beat #15 Zie Jheng along the way. She then received a wild card into Wimbledon and won her first round match against Klara Zakopalova before falling to Francesca Schiavone in two tough tiebreak sets.
Congrats to both girls and good luck in the future!
     
From The Independent Newspaper by Nick Bollettieri
Men’s Final
Holy cow! Another five-set final on the glorious lawns of Wimbledon and another stunning match. I find it almost unbelievable that Andy Roddick, who put up a Titanic fight, lost the title because he dropped his serve once. Once! Think about that. The kid played fantastically for the whole fortnight, goes into the final as the underdog but takes the Greatest Of All Time to five, holds his serve for 37 consecutive games in that final, but drops one, and it’s over. Ouch.
At the same time, massive respect must go to Andy for his role in the final, to the crowd who were respectful beyond words, and to the sportsmanship of the whole occasion. It was a day with multiple winners: Roddick, the Championships, even Andy Murray, whose performance in the semi-final can be viewed in even more of a flattering light now. Andy M, you have nothing too much to worry about in losing to Andy R in the form of his life.
And then there’s Roger, the GOAT in my view, as regular readers will know.
What a champion. And what a way to take the outright record for winning the most Grand Slam singles titles. He endured. He didn’t have his very best day yesterday. But it was still way, way better than most mortals can aspire to.
And he held his nerve, and he stayed the course, and his serve was as terrific as the near faultless Roddick. Yes, there were some errors in there too, but the shot selection was brilliant at times.
This was an appropriate way for Roger to win his sixth Wimbledon and his 15th Slam; with a real test against a guy playing out of his skin, with all the pressure of expectation that even a steely competitor like Roger cannot be immune to.
I mean, hell! You already had Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver and Manuel Santana, three greats, sitting in the front row of the Royal Box when the match started. So no pressure there! And then at 2-1 in the first set, in comes “Pistol” Pete Sampras!
And the crowd acknowledge him there and then. That’s pressure, and yet when the heat was on, Roger came through.
Not easily, though. He was broken mainly through his own errors in the 12th game of the first set. Andy’s awesome consistency with serve hurt Roger. Roger might also have got a bit confused out there and thought he was playing on clay – by the end it was real dirt ball.
But then in the breaker in the second set, as Andy felt the weight of the world on his shoulders to let slip a 6-2 lead, we must credit Roger’s Zen- like calm in taking advantage. Same thing in the third set, when Andy came back at him but Roger swatted the set home with crashing forehand volley.
Back came A-Rod, in the fourth, to set up the epic fifth. Something had to give and it wasn’t Roger, saving two break points in the 17th game. If Andy was serving superbly (27 aces), then Roger was beating him in numbers (50 aces! His most ever. Holy Mackerel!) if not in power. And when it mattered, in that last set, he just got cooler and cooler. I thought we might even see that roof after all, and still be playing today.
I always thought Roger would win, throughout the fortnight, as I kept writing, and through the match. But I didn’t envisage it would be so easy to get to the final and then so hard when he got there. What a spectacle. What a show. Roll on 2010.
Serena and Venus Williams were the other big weekend winners, Serena in the singles and both sisters in the doubles. Well done, girls, I’m proud to know you and you’re a credit to your family, to America and to your sport. Another of the fortnight’s winners was my boy Tommy Haas, who reached the semi-final against the odds with a spring in his step. Sabine Lisicki also did well at 19 to reach her first Slam quarter-final. The future’s so bright I gotta keep on my shades.
     
July 4, 2009
Every day throughout Wimbledon Nick’s Picks will bring you the latest analysis and predictions. We are also teaming up with The Independent Newspaper in London to cover the event!
Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Andy Roddick (USA)
Haas pushed Federer in the semis, but it was Federer that was able to take his game to the next level and reach the finals of Wimbledon for the seventh consecutive time. Federer didn’t face a single break point on his serve and committed just 15 unforced errors (compared to 31 from Haas). He also won close to 90% of the points on his first serve and came to the net 43 times (converting 88% of the time). Federer demonstrated why he is the most versatile player in the game.
Roddick continued his fantastic play with a dramatic four-set victory over Andy Murray in the semis. He served exceptionally well (getting in 75% of his first serves) and his movement was superb. Roddick also came into the net much more than Murray (75 times to 20 times) and this really put pressure on his opponent. This is Roddick’s third Wimbledon final and first since 2005. He is also looking for his second career Grand Slam title having not won one since the 2003 US Open.
Match-Up:
Federer is 18-2 against Roddick and has beaten him three times already this year. This is their fourth meeting at Wimbledon and their third in the finals. Federer has won all of those matches, while dropping only one set. There would be no better place for Federer to break Pete Sampras’ Grand Slam title record than at Wimbledon. When you combine Federer’s history there with the ambiance of Wimbledon, you couldn’t ask for a better situation if you are a sports fan.
This will not be an easy match for Federer with the way Roddick is playing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Roddick serve so well over a period of this many matches and he is forcing the issue as well. He’s played two very difficult matches (Hewitt and Murray) and is in the best shape of his life. There is no doubt that his coach, Larry Stefanki, will have him ready for Federer both mentally and physically. The question is, how will he handle Federer’s variety?
Watching Federer is like watching a magician. He hits shots that leave you scratching your head trying to figure out how he just did that. You saw that look from Tommy Haas a couple of times during the semis. He has only dropped one set in the entire tournament (to Kohlschreiber in the third round) and has looked very comfortable on the court. It is just amazing to watch how easy the game comes to Federer and it is simply beautiful.
I definitely feel that Roddick can put pressure on Federer enough to make this interesting. He needs to continue serving well and coming in when he can (and when Federer doesn’t expect it). There is no doubt that you have to give the edge to Federer, but don’t count Roddick totally out until the match is over!
Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets
     
July 3, 2009
(2) Roger Federer (SUI) vs. (6) Andy Roddick (USA)
Haas pushed Federer in the semis, but it was Federer that was able to take his game to the next level and reach the final of Wimbledon for the seventh consecutive time. Federer didn’t face a single break point on his serve and committed just 15 unforced errors (compared to 31 from Haas). He also won close to 90 percent of the points on his first serve and came to the net 43 times (converting 88 percent of the time). Federer demonstrated why he is the most versatile player in the game.
Roddick continued his fantastic play with a dramatic four-set victory over Andy Murray in the semis. He served exceptionally well (getting in 75 percent of his first serves) and his movement was superb. Roddick also came into the net much more than Murray (75 times to 20 times) and this really put pressure on his opponent. This is Roddick’s third Wimbledon final and first since 2005. He is also looking for his second career Grand Slam title having not won one since the 2003 US Open.
Match-Up:
Federer is 18-2 against Roddick and has beaten him three times already this year. This is their fourth meeting at Wimbledon and their third in the final. Federer has won all of those matches, while dropping only one set. There would be no better place for Federer to break Pete Sampras’ Grand Slam title record than at Wimbledon. When you combine Federer’s history there with the ambiance of Wimbledon, you couldn’t ask for a better situation if you are a sports fan.
This will not be an easy match for Federer with the way Roddick is playing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Roddick serve so well over a period of this many matches and he is forcing the issue as well. He’s played two very difficult matches (Hewitt and Murray) and is in the best shape of his life. There is no doubt that his coach, Larry Stefanki, will have him ready for Federer both mentally and physically. The question is, how will he handle Federer’s variety?
Watching Federer is like watching a magician. He hits shots that leave you scratching your head trying to figure out how he just did that. You saw that look from Tommy Haas a couple of times during the semis. He has only dropped one set in the entire tournament (to Kohlschreiber in the third round) and has looked very comfortable on the court. It is just amazing to watch how easy the game comes to Federer and it is simply beautiful.
I definitely feel that Roddick can put pressure on Federer enough to make this interesting. He needs to continue serving well and coming in when he can (and when Federer doesn’t expect it). There is no doubt that you have to give the edge to Federer, but don’t count Roddick totally out until the match is over!
Nick’s Pick — Federer in 4 sets
(2) Serena Williams (USA) vs. (3) Venus Williams (USA)
Serena had to fight her butt off to get by Elena Dementieva in the semifinals, but she hung tough and demonstrated what a great competitor she is. Dementieva played fantastic tennis and if it was anybody else across the net from her, she probably would have won. Serena is looking for her third Wimbledon title and her first since 2003. If she wins the title she will have won three out of the last four Grand Slams!
Venus blasted Dinara Safina off the court in 51 minutes, beating the top-ranked Russian 6-1, 6-0. Venus broke Safina five times in five chances and only made one unforced error in the match! She hasn’t dropped a set at Wimbledon since the third round back in 2007 when she needed three sets to beat Akiko Morigami. If she wins it will be her third consecutive Wimbledon title and the sixth of her illustrious career.
Match-Up:
Serena and Venus are 10-10 against each other and have split the two matches they have played this year. This is the second straight year they have faced in the finals of Wimbledon, and last year Venus won 7-5, 6-4. This will also be their eighth meeting in the finals of a Grand Slam and Serena is 5-2 in their previous seven.
It is great to see two Americans facing off in the finals. It is fantastic for the sport, especially in the USA. We don’t have too many players ranked in the top 100 (currently there are 4) and without Venus and Serena we wouldn’t have any women ranked inside the top 50! They are certainly carrying the load for America right now and doing a superb job of it!
Based on the history of the last couple of years, you have to give the edge to Venus. She has played unbelievable on the grass and has won the title the last two years. On the other hand, you can never count out Serena in the finals of a Grand Slam. Both girls have big serves, great groundstrokes and are excellent movers. Both are comfortable at the net and both will fight to the bitter end. I don’t think the match Serena played against Dementieva will have any bearing on this one because when the sisters play it is different than anything else in the sport.
Having traveled with the girls and worked with them both since they were little, I just cannot choose one over the other. The one thing I can guarantee is that this is going to be an excellent match. Send in your pick and let’s see who can get closest to the actual result!
Nick’s Pick — You pick the match!
Every day throughout Wimbledon Nick’s Picks will bring you the latest analysis and predictions. We are also teaming up with The Independent Newspaper in London to cover the event!
Serena Williams (USA) vs. Venus Williams (USA)
Serena had to fight her butt off to get by Elena Dementieva in the semifinals, but she hung tough and demonstrated what a great competitor she is. Dementieva played fantastic tennis and if it was anybody else across the net from her, she probably would have won. Serena is looking for her third Wimbledon title and her first since 2003. If she wins the title she will have won three out of the last four Grand Slams!
Venus blasted Dinara Safina off the court in 51 minutes, beating the top-ranked Russian 6-1, 6-0. Venus broke Safina five times in five chances and only made one unforced error in the match! She hasn’t dropped a set at Wimbledon since the third round back in 2007 when she needed three sets to beat Akiko Morigami. If she wins it will be her third consecutive Wimbledon title and the sixth of her illustrious career.
Match-Up:
Serena and Venus are 10-10 against each other and have split the two matches they have played this year. This is the second straight year they have faced in the finals of Wimbledon, and last year Venus won 7-5, 6-4. This will also be their eighth meeting in the finals of a Grand Slam and Serena is 5-2 in their previous seven.
It is great to see two Americans facing off in the finals. It is fantastic for the sport, especially in the USA. We don’t have too many players ranked in the top 100 (currently there are 4) and without Venus and Serena we wouldn’t have any women ranked inside the top 50! They are certainly carrying the load for America right now and doing a superb job of it!
Based on the history of the last couple of years, you have to give the edge to Venus. She has played unbelievable on the grass and has won the title the last two years. On the other hand, you can never count out Serena in the finals of a Grand Slam. Both girls have big serves, great groundstrokes and are excellent movers. Both are comfortable at the net and both will fight to the bitter end. I don’t think the match Serena played against Dementieva will have any bearing on this one because when the sisters play it is different than anything else in the sport.
Having traveled with the girls and worked with them both since they were little, I just cannot choose one over the other. The one thing I can guarantee is that this is going to be an excellent match. Send in your pick and let’s see who can get closest to the actual result!
Nick’s Pick – You pick the match!
     
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