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Bartoli Nixes Plans for Comeback, Expresses Interest in Coaching
The 2013 Wimbledon champion has abondoned her plans to play professionally. Former World No.7 and Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli has decided to abandon her plans to come back to professional tennis, due to shoulder issues that have restricted her training.
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"To my dismay I must unfortunately stop my attempt to comeback,” Bartoli posted in French on social media. “In effect, the necessary increases in doses of workouts to try and find my best level caused pain to my right shoulder again.”
A mon grand désarroi je dois malheureusement arrêter ma tentative de comeback. En effet l'augmentation nécessaire des doses d'entraînements pour tenter de retrouver mon meilleur niveau, entraînent des douleurs à nouveau à mon épaule droite pic.twitter.com/pFnubgrmTe
— Marion bartoli (@bartoli_marion) June 13, 2018
Bartoli announced comeback plans last year and had targeted the Miami Open as her first event. After playing against Serena Williams in an exhibition at Madison Square Garden in early March she delayed her plans to have more time to reach peak fitness.
Bartoli expressed plans to stay involved in the game as a mentor or coach in the coming years.
“Nevertheless, I have a profound desire to convey the high level I have learnt, and so I would like to invest this into training a player, to help her exploit her full potential."
Bartoli, 33, earned eight WTA titles and won 490 matches in her career. The Puy en Velay, France native reached the quarterfinals of all four majors and was also a runner-up at Wimbledon in 2007.
Federer Debuts New Pro Staff
Wimbledon champion armed with new accomplice in Stuttgart return.
Roger Federer returned in Stuttgart armed with a new-look accomplice.
More: Get Wilson Pro Staff RF97 on Sale at Tennis Express
The 20-time Grand Slam champion debuted the new cosmetic on his classic Wilson racquet.
Watch: Federer on Motivational Fuel
Previously, Federer's Pro Staff RF97 Autograph Wilson racquet was an all-black stick.
This version of the Pro Staff RF97 Autograph has white highlights on the hoop of the racquet. The brand's name also appears in ivory on the throat of the racquet.
Published reports say Federer is considering signing a new apparel pact with Uniqlo that could triple his now expired contract with Nike.
Federer has a lifetime endorsement pact with Wilson.
Here's a closer look a the new cosmetic for the Pro Staff RF97 Autograph.
Photo credit: Wilson
Czechs Choose Prague and Hard Court for Fed Cup Final vs. U.S.A.
The Fed Cup final will take place at the O2 Arena in Prague on November 10-11. The Czech Republic has set the venue and surface for this year’s Fed Cup final in Prague. The 2018 Fed Cup Final between U.S.A. and the Czechs on November 10-11 will take place at the 10,700-seat O2 Arena in Prague on a temporary indoor hard court.
Prague's O2 Arena will host its 4th #FedCupFinal in November as 10-time champions 🇨🇿 Czech Republic take on 18-time champions 🇺🇸 USA!
Full story here 👉 https://t.co/KWVLDJoPDr pic.twitter.com/LsTciLf8G4
— Fed Cup (@FedCup) June 12, 2018
The Americans are the defending Fed Cup champion and are gunning to win back-to-back Fed Cup titles for the first time since 1999-2000. The U.S. is 10-2 all-time vs. the Czechs and defeated a young Czech squad in the 2017 Semifinals in Tampa, Fla., en route to winning its record 18th Fed Cup title.
The Czech Republic has been quite the juggernaut on the international stage over the last decade however. Led by Petra Kvitova, the Czechs have won five Fed Cup titles over the last seven years, four of which have come on a hard court inside the O2 Arena in Prague.
The Czechs took out Germany 4-1 in Stuttgart on indoor clay in April, led by by two singles victories from Kvitova. The Americans edged the French in their semifinal tie in Aix-en-Provence, thanks to two singles victories from Sloane Stephens.
Sam Querrey Ties the Knot with Buddies and Lou the Frenchie in Attendance
The American and his bride made sure Lou the Blue Frenchie played a part on their big day. Sam Querrey has tied the knot to Abby Kate Dixon. The pair were wed over the weekend in Fort Pierce, Florida, at a ceremony attended by fellow Americans John Isner and Steve Johnson. The 30-year-old American joins Johnson on the list of top American men that have completed their vows in 2018. Johnson married Kendall Bateman in April in Southern California.
Roland Garros Wrap: Simona's Maiden Title | Nadal's Growing Empire | Federer on Nadal | Nadal on Nadal
Playing a starring role in the ceremony was Lou the Blue French Bulldog, who will celebrate his second birthday at the end of June.
Azarenka Joins Star-Studded Field at San Jose
The former champion is coming to California again! 2010 tournament champion and former World No.1 Victoria Azarenka has committed to playing the 2018 Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, strengthening an already stacked lineup that now includes three Grand Slam singles champions and former World No. 1 ranked players.
“I have played this event several times and have always had an enjoyable experience,” said Azarenka. “The tennis fans in California are always supportive, and the player field will be quite challenging. I am also excited to see what the new venue will be like in San Jose.”
Did we add another Grand Slam champion to this summer’s #MubadalaSVC lineup?
Yes. Yes, we did — @vika7!
So what are you waiting for? Get in on the action already!
Tickets: https://t.co/Ty7AuT6sgM pic.twitter.com/zcVWSSVNLk
— Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic (@MubadalaSVC) June 11, 2018
Azarenka joins 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, 5-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova, defending champion and 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys, and last year’s singles finalist CoCo Vandeweghe as early tournament entries. The tournament’s full player field will be announced on June 19.
Formerly known as the Bank of the West Classic in Palo Alto, the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic is a weeklong WTA Premier event to be held at a new venue at San José State University.
20 Majors? Nadal Isn’t Going to Lose Sleep over it
The Spaniard says there's more to life than chasing Roger Federe's major title count.
As the GOAT of tennis debate rages on with no end in sight, Rafael Nadal is more than happy to drop out of the arms race—at least for the time being.
More from Tennis Now: Queen's Player Field | Federer Bows to Nadal | Federer, Nike to Split?
After winning his 11th Roland Garros and 17th major title on Sunday Nadal says he has no interest in chasing Roger Federer’s record of 20 major titles. Now that doesn’t mean he won’t chase down titles with the same ferocity that he won Roland Garros with on Sunday—it simply means that the Spaniard isn’t obsessed with the numbers, and the numbers have zero impact on his quality of life.
"I have never been crazy about this kind of stuff," said Nadal in Paris on Sunday. "You can't always be frustrated if somebody has more money than you, a bigger house than you, if somebody has more Grand Slams than you.”
Nadal says that envy isn’t in his arsenal the same way that a banana forehand and wicked crosscourt backhand are.
"You can't live with this feeling,” he said, adding: “Of course I would love to have 20 like Roger in the future or even more but it's not something that is on my mind."
Nadal, who turned 32 at Roland Garros, is more than four years Federer’s junior. The Swiss will turn 37 in August and he has won four majors since he turned 30. Nadal has already won three majors behind his thirtieth birthday, which leads some to believe that he could be in line to one day catch Federer.
But time keeps marching on, and Grand Slam titles will not get any easier to win for Nadal. He knows this and he’s at peace with whatever the future may bring.
Hello everybody. You can imagine the happiness today. Now back at home in Mallorca and will post later some pictures on my Instagram account from these weeks at @rolandgarros thanks all for your support pic.twitter.com/mXcyz1m5TO
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 11, 2018
"You can't fight against age and you can't fight against the watch,” he said. “The watch keeps going always. So that's it. If you tell me seven, eight years ago that I will be here at 32 years old having this trophy with me again, I will tell you that is something almost impossible, but here we are.”
There’s more to life than racking up major titles, says Nadal. He’s a man who enjoys his fishing and boating and family time with equal zest. Long after the last ball is struck, Nadal will still be content with his lot in life, and that’s part of what makes him so special.
"So I am not much worried about the future,” he said. “Tennis is a very important part of my life, without a doubt, but is not everything."
Djokovic Takes Wild Card to Join Star-Studded Field at Queen’s Club
Novak Djokovic has taken a wild card into the Fever Tree Championships.
Novak Djokovic has decided to play on grass this season after all. The Serb was famously quoted as saying he didn’t know if he was going to play on grass at all this season after his loss to Marco Cecchinato. Those quotes caused quite a stir when the Serb made them, but many were wise to recognize that Djokovic was in no mood to talk about anything after a loss that clearly stung him–in no mood to look ahead, he was simply avoiding the question.
More from Tennis Now: Queen's Player Field | Federer Bows to Nadal | Federer, Nike to Split?
Question answered…
On Monday the Fever Tree Championships announced that the Serb has taken a wild card into the main draw for the ATP 500 event at Queens Club that begins next week.
“I’m very excited to be playing the Fever-Tree Championships again,” said Djokovic in a statement. “I have happy memories of reaching the final at the Queen’s Club 10 years ago and also winning the doubles title.”
"After the exciting events in Rome and Paris, I'm ready for new challenges,” the Serb added. “Grass is very special, it is the rarest of surfaces so I'm happy I'll have the opportunity to compete at this strong tournament, which will also be a great preparation for Wimbledon. Marian Vajda and Gebhard Phil-Gritsch will be with me in London, and this makes me happy.”
Djokovic: "I am very excited to be playing the Fever-Tree Championships again. I have happy memories of reaching the final at The Queen’s Club 10 years ago and also winning the doubles title. The atmosphere is always great." pic.twitter.com/bJanSGqf9b
— Fever-Tree Championships (@QueensTennis) June 11, 2018
Djokovic owns four grass-court titles and a 77-17 lifetime record on the surface. He owns a 6-3 lifetime record at Queen’s Club, and played the final in 2008 where he lost to Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic has played the final at four different grass events, triumphing at Eastbourne last season and Wimbledon in 2011, 2014 and 2015.
Djokovic joins a singles line-up led by World No.1 Rafael Nadal, 5-time champion Andy Murray, and fellow Grand Slam title winners Juan Martin del Potro, Marin Cilic and Stan Wawrinka.
Halep Hopes to Inspire Next Romanian Champion
The Romanian hopes her hard work sends a message to young girls in her country.
Simona Halep hopes that her maiden major title will serve as an inspirational moment for the youth of Romania. Backed by full-throated support of many Romanian fans in attendance at Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris on Saturday, the 26-year-old battled her way past Sloane Stephens to become the first Romanian to win a Grand Slam since Virginia Ruzici in 1978.
More #RG18: Nadal's Undecima | Celebrating Simona | 11 Stats, 11 Titles | Cutest Moment of #RG
Fellow Romanian groundbreaker Nadia Comaneci, who helped foster a gymnastics boom in Romania after she won three gold medals in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, and another two in 1980 in Moscow, knows of the power of a seminal achievement in sport.
“Every 40, 50 years, there comes somebody who breaks the rules, and they make history,” Comaneci told Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times. “I think it’s great. It’s amazing for Romania, for sport in Romania, because you always have a young generation who look up to someone and say, ‘If she can do it, I can do it.’”
Halep’s effort was particularly inspiring because it was a work of perseverance. After dropping her first three major finals–including a heartbreaker at Roland Garros last year–and enduring a trying 2017 that saw her lose three times when a win would have taken her to No.1 in the world for the first time, she has picked herself off the canvas to realize her childhood dream.
Halep, who won the Girls’ singles title at Roland Garros in 2008, became the first Romanian to ever finish a season as World No.1 in 2017, but her heartbreak wasn’t over—she lost a grueling Australian Open final to Caroline Wozniacki in January and had to be hospitalized for dehydration later that evening. But the struggle and the associated doubts are all behind her now—all that’s left is immense relief, and pride.
“The fact that I didn’t give up after [last year's final in Paris] means that I’m strong inside and I do this just because I love this sport,” Halep said, according to Rheem Abulleil of Sport 360. “I love to be competitive on court. And I have learned in those 12 months that if you don’t give up you’re able to do anything. So I hope the kids are taking this and the Romanians will believe more in themselves.”
Romanians will get a chance to see Simona in person on Monday when she will celebrate her new status and show off the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen at the National Arena Stadium in Bucharest, which can hold up to 55,000 spectators.
Simona is presenting the Roland Garros trophy tomorrow night 8PM on the National Arena Stadium in Bucharest. 55k people can fill in the stadium. Time to celebrate her, Romania 🇹🇩🇹🇩🇹🇩 pic.twitter.com/4wRHgy69WH
— Ramona Toderaş (@RamonaToderas) June 10, 2018
Perhaps the next Romanian Grand Slam champion will be in attendance? One can certainly dream, now more than ever.
Video: Nadal Breaks Down in Tears after Winning 11th Roland Garros Title
The King of clay let his emotions flow after another emotional victory. After winning his 11th Roland Garros title, and picking up the Coupe des Mousquetaires, Rafael Nadal let his emotions flow in Paris as the crowd showered him with applause.
ALL the feels for @RafaelNadal. #RG18 pic.twitter.com/SD4f0mKSFa
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 10, 2018
The Spaniard became the first male to win the same major 11 times on Sunday with his 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Austria’s Dominic Thiem.
Nadal now owns 17 major titles which puts him three behind Roger Federer for the all-time lead. The Spaniard joins Margaret Court as the only tennis player to win 11 majors at the same major—Court won 11 at the Australian Open.
Men’s Singles Grand Slam titles, all-time
Federer, 20
Nadal, 17 💪
Sampras, 14
Djokovic, 12
Emerson, 12
Laver, 11
Borg, 11#RG18— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) June 10, 2018
30 & over #GrandSlam champions leaders in Open Era:
.@rogerfederer 4
Rod Laver 4
Ken Rosewall 4
.@RafaelNadal 3
.@AndreAgassi 2
.@JimmyConnors 2
.@stanwawrinka 2— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) June 10, 2018
Video: Mahut and Son Create Cutest Moment of Roland Garros 2018
The French duo had a third when it came to celebrating their first Roland Garros title. Nicolas Mahut had a surprise guest after he and doubles partner Pierre Hugues-Herbert won the Roland Garros title on Saturday: his son!
THE CUTEST THING YOU WILL SEE TODAY:
Nicolas Mahut was greeted on-court by his 6-year-old son after winning the French Open men's doubles title. 😍 pic.twitter.com/71N0bBPa6L
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 9, 2018
His six-year-old Son Natanel raced out onto Court Philippe-Chatrier to join the pair’s victory celebration, creating one of the most memorable moments of the tournaments for Les Bleus.
Mahut and Herbert captured their third Grand Slam title and became just the third all-French men’s doubles pairing to win Roland Garros with a 6-2, 7-6(4) victory over Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic. Herbert and Mahut become the first all-French team to win three major titles in the Open era with the victory, and improved to 3-0 lifetime against Pavic and Marach.
Quel magique! @p2hugz and @nmahut become the third all-🇫🇷team to win the men's doubles title at @rolandgarros! It's their 3rd major title.
The atmoshpher on #Chatrier is incredible! pic.twitter.com/hezuUlz6IJ
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) June 9, 2018
The scene was already charged with electricity before Mahut’s son joined the celebration, and it got even better after that.
.@NMahut's son knows all the right moves for the perfect celebration!@p2hugz approves.#RG18 pic.twitter.com/VhkhskwbZA
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 9, 2018
Hitting the high notes… #RG18 pic.twitter.com/KyJvj6faZj
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) June 9, 2018
