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Australian Open Women’s Final 2011

January 29, 2011 by · Comments Off on Australian Open Women’s Final 2011 

Australian Open Women’s Final 2011, (AP) – Andy Murray does not have to worry about Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal this time. It is hardly clear, however, as he goes for his first major title.

Murray won his semifinal at the Australian Open by beating David Ferrer 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1, 7-6 (2). Next in line is 2008 champion and longtime friend Novak Djokovic in Sunday’s final.

There is also, of course, so long ago, the British long drought. Fred Perry was the last British man to win four majors – way back in 1936. More than 270 Grand Slam tournaments were contested in almost 75 years since the victory of Perry, when England had a king and an empire.

“Firstly, it looks more like a personal dream or a personal goal of mine, Murray said.” The historical thing, it’s not something I’ve thought it, but some thing obviously for me personally, I want to try to win. But I do not want me motivated until I play a bstard of a game. ”

The women’s side, there will be a winner for the first time the Australian Open. Kim Clijsters goes for her fourth Grand Slam title Saturday, but first outside the United States. She takes on China’s Li Na, who can become the first Asian to win a Grand Slam tournament.

Li has already brought innovation to the first Chinese to reach a Grand Slam singles final. Now she is hoping to do better after eliminating top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals.

Women’s team senior Gisela Dulko of Argentina and Flavia Pennetta of Italy rallied from a set and 4-1 to win the doubles final over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Russian Maria Kirilenko 2-6, 7-5, 6-1.

Andy Murray goes to his first Grand Slam tournament. Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are the finalists of the 2011 Australian Open where they are both survivors of Melbourne Park this season.

Murray is back for the finals after losing last year to Roger Federer while Novak Djokovic is a former champion from Melbourne Park after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of 2008.

Murray goes into the final with a 0-2 record in Grand Slam title matches while Djokovic enters with a 1-2 record, but having recently lost the U.S. Open final.

Face to face Djokovic 4-3 against Murray, but they are 3-3 against the other on the surface of hard ground. It is important, Murray has won the last three times they faced another and the Scot won two championship finals they played head to head.

Li Na Tattoo

January 29, 2011 by · Comments Off on Li Na Tattoo 

Li Na Tattoo, (CP) – After making history, Li Na turned her cell phone and found 44 text messages. Friends, family, fellow tennis players, sports officials and the media applauding her achievements at the Australian Open as a major step for the 28-year career and perhaps a giant step for China.

When Li walks on center court at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday for the championship game will be the first time a Chinese player will play in a Grand Slam singles final. A victory would give Li major boost tennis in China, where the sport has long struggled for recognition alongside tennis, badminton and table.

Before lifting the trophy, but Li will face Kim Clijsters, a three-time Open champion United States has long aspired to win in Melbourne. The Belgian 27-year-old extra motivation to win this year, which she said could be her last Australian Open.

Bright-eyed, full of humor and enjoy her moment of glory, Li said she was amused by the flurry of messages on her phone. She also said she was not fully aware of the reaction at home, and never reads the news to see it to avoid negative comments that might make him “angry or sad.”

There is not much bad news at the moment.

Li Na made history entering the Australian Open final “applauded the front page of Beijing News. Inside, read the tabloid ran nearly two pages of coverage on the semifinal upset over Li No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki on Thursday. Li saved a match point against Wozniacki and rallied from a set and a breakdown of winning in three sets.

Chinese tennis federation head Sun Jinfang has been widely hailed as quoted Li as the new China International sports star, joining the ranks of Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and the Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang.

“There is always a pioneer in pushing things to the times and Li is a pioneer in sports of her time,” said Sun.

Li could be a pioneer, but she is also a little rebellious at times has had its differences with the state system of sport. Li has rarely taken the initiative to break with the state system in 2008 and hire her own coach. In late 2010, she replaced former coach Thomas Hogstedt with her husband, Jiang Shan.

She has her own style, too. Li has two upper ear piercings and a tattoo on the breast of a rose in a heart, which she proudly displayed at the Australian Open tennis with a scoop neck shirt. She said that the child she was inspired by the young Andre Agassi when he had long hair and bureaucracy outraged tennis game in denim shorts.

One of Li received text messages came from China boss’s tennis federation.

“She said:” Bravo (when) you come back; I pay (for) dinner. “- To which Li replied:” What is the only dinner ”

Another message came from her mother, who did not watch the matches of Li, because it makes him too nervous. But someone sent the good news. “She sent me a text message. She said:” Good. I expect you home. “Yeah, that’s it,” Li said, laughing.

“My best friend just called me. She was crying on the phone,” Li said, pretending to cry and hyperventilate at the same time. “I was like, ‘OK, take it easy. What do you say? Calm down. ”

“I felt, maybe special day for friends, for my family, for me,” Li said.

The WTA is banking on success of Li to help stimulate the growth of tennis in China.

“Exceptional performance Li Na will propel the popularity of women’s tennis ahead exponentially in the Chinese market,” chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster WTA said in a commentary sent to The Associated Press. “Women’s tennis is already one sports the fastest growth in China thanks to the celebrity and success of Li Na and its countrymen. ”

Last year, Li and her fellow Chinese player Zheng Jie reached the semi-finals in Melbourne, marking the first time two Chinese players had advanced so far at a Grand Slam tournament.

The WTA has launched a website in Chinese, has opened an office in Beijing and has elevated the status of the China Open in one of the biggest tournaments on the tour calendar. The WTA said it was in talks with Beijing authorities on increasing the number of professional tennis tournaments in China in 2012.

Clijsters beat Li in four of their six games, but Li has won the latest match two weeks ago in the Sydney International final. Li rallied from a 5-0 deficit in the first set to beat Belgium in straight sets and winning the Australian Open tuneup tournament.

“I beat her the last time,” Li said, but “did not mean anything here. I know it’s a tough game. ”

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Associated Press Writer Christopher Bodeen contributed to this report from Beijing.

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Kim Clijsters

January 29, 2011 by · Comments Off on Kim Clijsters 

Kim Clijsters, (AFP) – Kim Clijsters Belgium come together to fight a Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 and win her maiden Australian Open title Saturday, dashing Chinese hopes of a first Grand Slam win.

After a weak first set, Clijsters three times U.S. Open winner, fought her return in a thrilling final in front of 15,000 spectators at Rod Laver Arena, including a Chinese contingent vote.

“I finally feel like you guys can call me” Aussie Kim “because I won the title,” Clijsters told her Australian fans, which gave him the nickname when she was engaged to Lleyton Hewitt.

Clijsters the 27-year-old won her fourth Grand Slam title and her third since the end of a long career break to give birth to her daughter, Jada. She is now considering reducing its schedule again.

Clijsters went into the tournament as the favorite, but was made to battle all the way by Li, who hoped to end her own fairytale by becoming the first Chinese player – to win a Grand Slam tournament – or Asian.

Li and I played some incredible games a number of years – it is a hard competitor, “said Clijsters. “It was a great effort to share these two weeks and hopefully we can play many more Grand Slam finals in the future.”

Li had been on the cover of many major newspapers in China as most populous country in the world turned to the 28 years from Wuhan to create a piece of tennis history.

But despite looking the likely winner in the first set, Li faded in the third and becomes increasingly agitated as the match escaped complain about comments and flash photography from the crowd.

“Tell the Chinese (the fans) do not teach me to play tennis, she smoked the chair umpire after being broken in the second set.

Clijsters had opened in a style as she won the first eight points of the match, but once installed and Li found her range with her groundstokes dominant, and especially her forehand, she took control consistently.

She broke Clijsters three times in the first set as she repeatedly forced her opponent on the defensive, with power and precision of her shots.

Clijsters has tried to stay with her, but every time the pair toe-to-toe in the baseline, Li always had the upper hand.

“(The first series) was going too fast for me,” Clijsters said. “She did everything so well, she hit on both sides, forehand and backhand, and it served well.”

But after convincingly winning the first set, Li began to struggle on her serve and Clijsters took her chance to drag their way back, to change tactics by taking much of the pace of the ball.

Li tried to counter by hitting harder, but only managed to increase its number of errors and delivery points Clijsters at low prices.

“I tried to serve a little better, to slow down and put spin on it, and I tried to loop a few balls,” said Clijsters. “She missed some of them and I saw that made her nervous. ”

The Belgian was Li four times in the second set and twice in third to complete a final tense 2h 5min, immediately bursting into tears as she realized what she had achieved.

Clijsters is now back-to-back Grand Slam titles after also winning the U.S. Open last year.

Meanwhile Li, 28, is happy to become the first player from China to reach a grand final in singles, which made her a superstar overnight and saw her report to idolized basketball player Yao Ming and hurdler Liu Xiang.

“It does not matter if I won or lost today,” Li said. “I played my best tennis.”

Li, whose stories of her husband snores and shopping trips have delighted fans in Australia, also reached last year in Australia in the semifinals before being defeated by eventual winner Serena Williams Open.

It should achieve a number of seven career World rankings next week, while Clijsters will move to second behind Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

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