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Nadal Launches Tennis Centre in Mexico
Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre scheduled to open in November 2018 in Costa Mujeres, Mexico.
The King of Clay is bringing his expertise to Mexico.
Rafael Nadal is launching the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre, a new line of sports complexes in Mexico.
The new centres will complement the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, located near his Mallorca home.
The 16-time Grand Slam champion has partnered with Palladium Hotel Group for the first Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre, currently under construction, that's scheduled to open its doors in November 2018 in Costa Mujeres, located north of Cancun.
The centre will be part of the facilities of both hotels TRS Coral Hotel and Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa that the chain is building.
Photo credit: Rafa Nadal Academy
The centers are located near high-class resorts and vacation complexes and will offer tennis programs for guests and area residents so they can play and take tennis lessons with the highest of standards.
Nadal, who is in Mexico to play this week's Acapulco tournament, visited the construction site last week and said he's excited to see the finished complex.
Photo credit: Rafa Nadal Academy
"I am happy to present this new project in Mexico," Nadal said. "This country is a nearby country in every respect and to open here the first project this year is great news. With the experience we have with tennis and following in the same line from the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, located in Spain, we feel it will be an important attraction right now for the places where the projects are going to be located.
"In this case, with my friends at Palladium in Costa Mujeres, where I had the opportunity to visit the construction last week. I am eager to see the project finished and come to see it in person”.
The 31-year-old Spaniard has spoke for years about the importance of training and playing on natural surfaces.
Photo credit: Rafa Nadal Academy
With that in mind, the Rafa Nadal Tennis Centre Costa Mujeres with feature eight red clay courts, a soccer field 7, one paddle court, a gym for warm-ups, stretches and basic training, an exhibition of objects and clothes from Rafa Nadal, a store with exclusive premium sports products, and a bar/cafeteria with TV screens so guests can watch tennis and other sports.
The Rafa Nadal Academy opened its doors in May 2016 in Mallorca and more than 2,000 players have already attended the academy.
Kyrgios: Inspired By Better Half
Reconciling with girlfriend Ajla Tomljanovic has been revitalizing for Nick Kyrgios.
Nick Kyrgios credits his better half for bringing out the best in him.
The Aussie No. 1 launched his Australian Open cranking 16 aces in a commanding 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Rogerio Dutra Silva.
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The 17th-seeded Kyrgios opened the season winning the Brisbane International—his first career title on home soil—and attributes his strong start to the support of his girlfriend, Ajla Tomljanovic.
"I had my girlfriend’s company in the room so it’s been all right," Kyrgios told Roger Rasheed after his opening-round win. "It’s just good to have her back on tour. Obviously, she’s been out with injury so it’s good to have her back.
"I’m just excited to be back in Melbourne. A couple of years ago on this court I made the quarterfinals so I’m just hoping to emulate that and hopefully go a little bit further."
Reconciliation has been revitalizing.
Kyrgios and Tomljanovic split after Wimbledon last summer. After images of Kyrgios partying with women in a London night club emerged online, Tomljanovic deleted him from her social media.
The pair reconciled late last year.
Tomljanovic, who fell to Lucie Safarova, 7-5, 6-3, in her first major playing officially under the Australian flag, has been a calming influence on Kyrgios in the past.
"Obviously it's been good to have her back just on tour," Kyrgios said. "She was away from the game for a while, with injury. That's never easy. She's come back now. She's playing some pretty good tennis again.
"But just to have her around at these events, feels normal again. Yeah, it's good to see her back."
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Halep: I Buy Match Clothes Online
Without an a clothing sponsor, world No. 1 shops on web.
Simona Halep started the season without a clothing sponsor.
The world No. 1 didn't scour her closet for tennis apparel.
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Instead, she hit the Internet.
Halep, whose clothing contract with adidas ended at the end of 2017, bought her current competitive apparel online from a Chinese seamstress.
"I sent a picture," Halep said at her Australian Open press conference. "Was a site, in China actually, and one of my managers helped me, and in 24 hours I had the outfit, and were perfect. I was lucky."
In China, red is often used as a bridal color and can symbolize joy, luck and happiness.
In her first tournament wearing her all-red Chinese-made apparel, Halep enjoyed a double dose of good fortune sweeping both Shenzhen singles and doubles titles wearing this outfit she calls "plain."
Photo credit: Shenzhen Open/IMG
"I chose the model. But it's plain, come on," Halep said. "Nothing special there. It looks good, in my opinion. I like it."
The two-time French Open finalist is reportedly close to signing a deal with Nike, which inked US Open champion and former Under Armour endorser Sloane Stephens earlier this month, though Halep told the media discussions are ongoing.
"My people are working for me on this stuff. They are talking," Halep said. "But the conversation has just begun. I have no contract now. I'm still with no brand clothes. I just want to make sure that I will choose what I like, and also the brand to like me. It's really important to have a nice outfit and to feel good in the clothes. So I'm not rushing. I will wait what future gives me."
Former world No. 1 Pete Sampras once played the Australian Open wearing shirts bearing an American flag logo instead of the Nike swoosh when his deal with Nike had expired. Sampras wound up re-signing with Nike.
Halep is a unique position set to start her first Grand Slam as world No. 1 without a big-name brand sponsor on her apparel though she was wearing her old black adidas baseball cap and a generic black tank top while practicing at Melbourne Park last week.
"Yeah, it's an interesting period, to be honest," Halep said. "For the moment, are many brands, so I don't know which one is going to be. For sure is going to be one. But we will see in the future.
"I really want to have something nice, to have nice feeling with the future brand that I will wear."
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Photo Gallery: Pumping Up For Australian Open
Focus, fire and fun of Melbourne practice through the lens of Mark Peterson.
The Australian Open celebrates its 30th anniversary at Melbourne Park this month.
The stars have been busy tuning up on the practice court this week.
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Our man in Melbourne, Tennis Now photographer and Corleve creator Mark Peterson, has been busy shooting champions, contenders and challengers on the practice court and at Tie Break Tens.
Here's the fire, focus and fun of training times through Mark Peterson's lens.
All Photos By Mark Peterson/Corleve
Fila Issues Australian Open Fashion
Karolina Pliskova will sport the brand’s iconic red, white and navy palette.
Karolina Pliskova will sport classic Fila fashion at the Happy Slam.
Fila released the apparel its stars will wear at the Australian Open.
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The sixth-ranked Czech will wear the Fila Heritage collection featuring the brand’s iconic red, white and navy palette. Stripes, color blocking and pleats highlight the Heritage collection. The full Heritage line features an assortment of tops, with four tank top styles, a polo shirt and a long sleeve shirt.
The range also includes versatile pieces like the Heritage Jacket and Heritage Pant, designed to take wearers beyond the court. The Heritage collection retails from $28 to $90.
Former US Open champion Marin Cilic, John Isner and Sam Querrey will each wear Fila's Set Point collection.
The men’s range uses bold colors and striking graphics, as well as performance-focused features like ergonomic side seams, deep pockets and self-locking zippers.
The Set Point collection consists of five tops, including three crew neck shirts and two polo shirts. The shirts include design elements like a unique galaxy print, stripes, and a vibrant blue shade that will stand out on court.
The Set Point Short pairs back to the tops and is offered in black and white. The matching Set Point Jacket and Set Point Pant complete the collection.
The Set Point collection retails from $45 to $90.
Photo credit: Fila
Djokovic Attends Lacoste Show in Paris
Former French Open champion makes attentive fashion fan.
Novak Djokovic isn't playing tennis points, but did score some style points in Paris today.
The former French Open champion and Lacoste brand ambassador turned up to attend the Lacoste Spring-Summer 2018 Collection show by Felipe Oliveira Baptista that featured smooth jazz and sport-inspired style.
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Earlier this month, Lacoste posted video of the blue polo shirt the 12-time Grand Slam champion would have worn in New York for the US Open.
The two-time US Open champion missed the Flushing Meadows major for the first time in his career resting an elbow injury he's endured for about 18 months.
Djokovic has reached the US Open final in six of the last seven years, including falling to Stan Wawrinka in the 2016 final.
Djokovic, who announced Andre Agassi will return as his coach in 2018, has said he plans to play at least five more years.
"It’s completely new circumstances for me," Djokovic said. "I’m trying to look at it from a brighter side… God knows I really want to play professional tennis for many years to come.”
Photo credit: Stephane Cardinale for Lacoste
Fila Remixes Heritage For US Open
World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova will bring colors to Flushing Meadows.
World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova will bring a vivid color palette to the US Open.
Fila mixes new colors into his Heritage collection that 2016 US Open finalist Pliskova and fellow Fila endorsers Marin Cilic and John Isner will wear.
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Fila's top players have been styled in Heritage designs throughout the season and the story continues with a new range of apparel incorporating fresh hues, bold graphics and performance-driven updates.
The women’s Heritage collection consists of seven different tops, including five tank tops, a cap sleeve top and a long sleeve top. The designs boast bright colors and vibrant patterns. Rounding out the collection are the Heritage jacket and pants, meant to take wearers from gameday and beyond.
The women’s Heritage line retails from $54-$90.
Marin Cilic, John Isner, Sam Querrey and Andreas Seppi will sport Fila's men's Heritage collection.
Wimbledon finalist Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion, will wear apparel incorporating the brand's iconic color palette of navy, red.
The traditional bamboo F-box logo remains, while F-buttons appear with a new 6-hole design.
Self-locking zippers, fabrication with UV protection and moisture-wicking abilities give the Heritage collection technical updates.
The men’s Heritage collection retails from $45-$75.
Photo credit: Fila
Wimbledon Secures Loan For Roof
Grass-court Slam secures $224 million loan for roof over Court Number One.
A cap is coming to Court Number One.
The All England Club has secured a $224 million loan from HSBC to fund a retractable roof over Wimbledon's Court Number One as well as other Master Plan projects.
The new retractable roof will cost about $91 million and is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2019 Wimbledon.
In addition to a retractable roof, the All England Club also plans to add two additional tiers of about 900 seats to Court Number One, which would join Centre Court as Wimbledon's second stadium with a retractable roof, ensuring daily uninterrupted play for about 27,000 spectators on the two show courts regardless of the weather.
The All England Club made about a $42 million profit last year, according to Eurosport, which helped pay off an earlier loan to pay for the Centre Court retractable roof.
The roof is phase one of the Master Plan, which also proposes:
- Repositioned Court 12 with permanent stands and views to Centre Court
- A new southern garden with a potential for an entrance gate
- A new indoor courts building
- New clay-courts south of Somerset Road
- An expanded Aorangi Terrace with views over the courts and Wimbledon Park
- A proposed new public plaza outside the newly refurbished Court No. 1 with retractable roof
- A new entrance plaza from the north of the site, including new planting along Church Road to strengthen a tree-lined boulevard
The Club released new Master Plan images of how Court No. 1 and Centre Court will look under the proposal.
Photo credit: Wimbledon
Adidas Unveils Wozniacki US Open Dress
Bright colors, seamless structure highlight Stella McCartney design.
Caroline Wozniacki owns an apartment in New York City and will bring a bit of the Manhattan skyline on court at this month's US Open.
Adidas unveiled the new Adidas by Stella McCartney Barricade FW17 dress the two-time US Open finalist will wear a the Flushing Meadows major.
Navratilova Wimbledon Watch Released
Luxury Wimbledon watch comes with major strings attached.
Now you can own a personal piece of Martina Navratilova's Wimbledon history—and it comes with major strings attached.
Luxury watch-maker Avantist unveiled the Martina Navratilova Wimbledon 1987—a limited-edition watch—in the Fairway Village at the All England Club.
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The string from the match-winning racquet Navratilova wielded defeating Steffi Graf in the 1987 Wimbledon final is now set into the dials of the limited edition timepieces.
Avantist says only 30 of the Navratilova Wimbledon 1987 watches will be made. Each watch is numbered and signed by Navratilova.
In 1987, Navratilova raised the Rosewater Dish for the sixth straight year.
These are the first of the brand's Legend Series to be presented to the public.
Of course, Grand Slam history comes at a significant cost.
The Martina Navratilova Wimbledon 1987 retail price starts from about $10,400 (£8,000) with customers offered the option to personalize their watch through enhancements including the addition of precious stones around the bezel and strap options.
Avantist says a pre-order sale "generated the purchase of 20% of the watch stock."
Photo credit: Avantist
