Well, the game of tennis not only raises temperatures on the court but also off it! Off late, women’s tennis has garnered eyeballs from fans due to some slick play and attractive tennis at the court. Be it the French, Wimbledon or the US Open; women’s tennis stars are the hottest properties in the world of sport as of now.

If Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were thinking of having it ‘their way’, sorry fellas! These 7 sexy sirens of the tennis arena will just set the temperatures searing.

Eugenie Bouchard (Canada)
Canada-born Eugenie Bouchard has surprised everyone with her strokeplay. Currently ranked number seven in the world, Bouchard hit the limelight after she became the first Canadian to win any kind of singles Grand Slam title, winning the 2012 Wimbledon junior title. The year later, she was named in the prestigious ‘WTA Newcomer of the Year’. But at the 2014 Australian Open, Bouchard became only the second Canadian to reach the semis of a Grand Slam. She won her first ATP title at Nurnberg but her breakthrough moment was reaching the finals of the Wimbledon of 2014 eventually losing out to 2011 champion, Petra Kvitova.

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Sania Mirza made her way to the top of WTA doubles ranking yesterday.

She achieved this feat after jumping two spots on her previous career best doubles ranking of No. 3.

Playing alongside Martina Hingis of Switzerland, she won the Family Circle Cup by defeating C. Dellacqua and D. Jurak of Australia and Croatia, respectively. In the process, she also became the first Indian tennis player to accomplish this act.

After her victory and becoming the number one doubles player in women’s tennis, Sania tweeted “I also wanna thank the ppl who didn’t believe in me. You just pushed me harder and made me more determined to fulfil my dreams”.

This tweet is the perfect response to the controversies the Indian tennis star has been involved in since making her debut in 2003. Here we look at some of the storms raised by or at Sania Mirza till date –

Run-in with Jamiat-ulema-e-Hind and Other Muslim Groups

Sania Mirza had a run-in with Jamiat-ulema-e-Hind and other Muslim religious groups

This incident dates back to 2005, two years after Mirza turned pro, when she received flak from several Muslim religious groups including Jamiat-ulema-e-Hind. One of the Muslim scholars questioned her tennis attire (skirt and t-shirt) calling it un-Islamic and debasing. Sania retorted with blaming Jamiat-ulema-e-Hind as being the reason behind her poor form at the time. Ultimately, the entire controversy worked only in her favour, as Mirza got the much-needed protection from the Calcutta police.

The Safe Sex Controversy

Sania Mirza’s public speech about safe sex led to her effigies being burnt

Pre-marital sex has always raised heated arguments in India. When Sania decided to speak about the same, the outcome was not different either. The controversy erupted, again, in 2005 when she spoke about practicing safe sex. When her comments led to people burning effigies in her state of Andhra Pradesh, Mirza decided to provide clarification and quoted, “I would like to clearly say on record that I could not possibly justify premarital sex, as it is a very big sin in Islam and one which I believe will not be forgiven by Allah.”

(Not) Partnering with Shahar Pe’er for Doubles Event

False reports of Sania Mirza not teaming up with Shahar Pe’er on basis of religion raked up controversy

The Shahar Pe’er controversy was the result of perceptive reporting on behalf of the media when several newspapers printed that Mirza had declined to play alongside her Israeli counterpart due to possible protests from the Muslim communities in India. Nevertheless, the two players partnered in the 2007 Wimbledon tournament. Both players know one another since playing as juniors and have remained friends regardless of their religious backgrounds.

The “Resting Feet towards Indian Flag” Controversy

Pictures of Sania Mirza resting her feet facing towards the Indian flag insinuated her lack of respect for the country

During the 2008 Hopman Cup, Mirza was pictured with her feet resting towards the Indian flag during Rohan Bopanna’s match. The photo was immediately circulated within the media after which the Indian women’s tennis player was criticised for showing lack of respect to the country’s flag. In retaliation, the player commented, “I love my country. I wouldn’t be playing Hopman Cup otherwise.”

Telangana Brand Ambassador Controversy

When appointed the brand ambassador of Telangana, Sania Mirza was labelled as Pakistan’s daughter-in-law

Everyone knows what hullabaloo Sania Mirza’s marriage to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik created. Mirza had just broken her engagement to Sohrab Mirza, her childhood friend and millionaire businessman. Thanks to her being one of country’s role models, Mirza was given the honours of being the brand ambassador for the new state of Telangana. Unfortunately, controversy followed her there, too, when she was labelled ‘Pakistan’s daughter-in-law’ by Telangana BJP leader K Laxman. She retaliated with saying, “Hurts me that so much precious time of prominent politicians and the media is being wasted on a petty issue”.

Regardless of the controversies that have surrounded Sania Mirza, the Indian women’s tennis player has been nothing short of a role model to the country’s youth.

Her conquering the number one status in WTA doubles ranking clearly sends a message to all her haters that she is above them all and a genuine person to idolise.

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Swiss tennis and Davis Cup fans, here’s one bad news. Stanislas Wawrinka and Roger Federer will not be part of the Switzerland team for their first round match against Belgium in Liège.

Wawrinka and Federer will not play against Belgium in March

Both players, ranked 7 and 2, respectively, in the ATP ratings were responsible for taking their nation all the way in last year’s Davis Cup tournament.

In a recently released statement, the Swiss Tennis Federation confirmed that the pair has decided to make themselves unavailable for the bout against Belgium scheduled from March 6-8.

The 2015 edition of the Davis Cup will be its 104^th. Switzerland has been named as the second seed for the tournament.

Rene Stammbach, who is the Swiss Tennis Federation president, claimed to understanding the plight of the two players. “I’m the first to understand that priorities change in the year after a Davis Cup victory and that it isn’t that easy to get back into the fray,” Stammbach was quoted as saying.

Federer and Wawrinka with the Swiss Team post 2014 Davis Cup victory

At present, Wawrinka is competing in Rotterdam in an ATP event, where he has reached the semi-finals.

In his statement, the No.7 ranked player said, “After long weeks of reflection, I have unfortunately decided not to play in this match.”

Stanislas Wawrinka has been part of the Swiss Davis Cup team for eleven years now and has never missed a single Cup tournament. 2015 will be the first time he skips a match.

Wawrinka, who also won the 2014 Australian Open, in his justification, said that 2014 was a long year that combined rich and emotional moments.

Stan Wawrinka won the 2014 Australian Open

Though the two players will not be available only for the opening round, the Swiss team as well as the fans would be hoping for them to return for the subsequent matches.

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Rafael Nadal, undoubtedly, is one of the modern day tennis greats.

Nicknamed “The King of Clay”, Nadal has won 14 Grand Slams and is three titles shy of equalling the record of 17 Grand Slams by his Swiss adversary Roger Federer.

On his road to achieving people’s respect and all the glory that are attached to his name, Nadal had several records to his name.

These records are highly impressive and might take a person of equal calibre as Nadal or a superhuman to topple them of the charts. Let us look at the records Held By Rafael Nadal In Tennis–

Teenager to Win Most Singles Titles in a Year

Rafael Nadal in 2005

Till date, Nadal has had the best phase in his career in the year 2005, where he won an astounding eleven titles. 2005 was also the year he won his first Grand Slam when he defeated Roger Federer in the French Open final. On his course to winning eleven titles as a teenager, Nadal overtook the previously held record of nine titles by Mats Wilander. It is true that teens are playing their best tennis in the current tennis circuit, but surpassing the record of eleven titles appears daunting.

Best Career Wins Percentage

Nadal has the best career win percentage in tennis

Though Rafael Nadal is known for playing the best on clay court, he has won all Grand Slams at least once in his career. This proves that he has the ability to dominate on every surface and his overall career winning percentage verifies it. Nadal’s overall win-loss record is staggering leading his winning percentage to an impressive number of over 80%.

Best Win Percentage on Clay Court

The King of Clay has 92.9% wins on clay court

Nadal has dominated the Open era when it comes to clay court since making his debut. From defeating Roger Federer to claim his first French Open title as a teenager to winning the title eight more times, he has done it all. He is rightfully called ‘The King of Clay’ with a win percentage on clay court being 92.9%.

Best Win Percentage at the French Open Tournament

At French Open, Nadal’s win percentage is 98.5

At French Open tournament, Nadal averages highest with a win percentage of 98.5. His 66-1 win-loss record is implausible. The only loss he suffered at the French Open came against Robin Söderling at Roland Garros in 2009.

Youngest Person to Complete Career Grand Slam

Nadal is the youngest tennis player to complete a career grand slam

As mentioned earlier, Rafael Nadal has won all four Grand Slam titles at some point of time in life. He is also the youngest person in tennis history to achieve this feat. He was 24 at the time when he completed a career Grand Slam in the open era.

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Tennis is a gruelling sport; the matches are long, yet close enough to keep us coming back for more.

Over the years, it has given us some of the most intensifying rivalries and the modern generation promises to keep that trend going.

If you have enjoyed rivalries such as Sampras-Agassi, Federer-Nadal, the Williams sisters and Sharapova-Azarenka, wait till you watch the young guns of the game up the ante with their play.

January 2015 marks the beginning of the Australian Open followed by three other Grand Slams and several ATP tours spread around the year.

You can definitely expect some new rivalries to set the tennis court on fire – 

Kei Nishikori – Milos Raonic 

Nishikori of Japan and Raonic of Canada are both young players and have so far met six times in their career. The former holds an advantage over the latter with four victories to two. Both individuals have played long matches against one another. In 2014 alone, they faced off four times with Nishikori winning the combat thrice.

Caroline Wozniacki – Maria Sharapova 

Caroline Wozniacki had a tough 2014, majorly because of the events transpired in her personal life. Though she initially struggled after her broken engagement to golfer Rory McIlroy, she came back strong at US Open where she lost in the final to her best pal Serena Williams. Maria Sharapova, on the other hand, ended the year as World #2 in the WTA ranking, in the process winning the French Open.

Roger Federer – Gael Monfils 

We have seen Federer play some of his best matches against top seeds Nadal and Djokovic time and again. Gaël Monfils is known to be athletic and his on-court antics have impressed many players and the audience alike. Though the Swiss leads head-to-head against his French adversary, Monfils is indeed a force to be reckoned with. In 2014 US Open, Monfils let Federer take charge of the match after winning the first two sets comfortably which resulted in his defeat.

Simona Halep – Eugenie Bouchard 

Halep and Bouchard were the two breakout stars in tennis last year. Both individuals had their share of wins and losses and even combated one another thrice where Halep emerged triumphant on two occasions. Bouchard, however, did not have a bad year. She became the first Canadian player to reach the final of the 2014 Wimbledon Championships and finishing the year ranked 7. If these two manage to meet multiple times in 2015, audiences would definitely get their money’s worth.

Grigor Dimitrov – Andy Murray 

Andy Murray is currently sixth in the ATP rankings and Dimitrov is not low in the ranking either. The latter entered the top ten ranking in August last year, but slipped to eleven by the end. The Scot Andy Murray holds a lead over the Bulgarian with four victories against the latter’s two. Nevertheless, their matches have been highly competitive and promise to be the same should the two meet again in 2015.

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Roger Federer is in the news again and for the right reason, as always.

The Swiss ace displayed his prowess when he won the Brisbane International title against Milos Raonic. This, however, was not just any other finals triumph, but Federer’s 1,000^th career victory.

At 33, Roger becomes only the third tennis player to achieve this feat. Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl are the two other tennis professionals to secure 1,000 wins in the ATP circuit.

Playing on the Pat Rafter Arena, Federer beat Canadian Raonic 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-4.

The world number two, who is also the 17-time Grand Slam champion, has now played an unbroken 15 seasons since 2001 and at least won one tournament every year.

Federer won the first set comfortably and was leading 2-0 in the second when Raonic broke back and earned seven straight points in the tiebreaker to take the second set.

The third set, too, could have gone any way as Roger warded off five break points of his opponent’s service resulting in the eventual match outcome.

After the match, even Raonic commended Federer’s efforts. “It’s great to see because you know how much he’s done for tennis. He turned pro I think it was like 10 years before me,” said the Canadian.

Even the Swiss master was overwhelmed by the reception he received. He said, “I’ve played a lot of tennis over the years so to get to 1,000 wins means a lot to me. It is a special moment, no doubt about that. I will never forget this match”.

Australian legends Rod Laver and Roy Emerson presented Federer with a special trophy for his 1,000^th win to which the 33-year-old said, “To get to 1,000 wins in front of you two greats means a lot to me”.

During the post-match presentation, the ball boys present on the court held up “1,000” big-sized numerals by the net.

For over a decade, Federer has given the tennis world numerous memories to cherish over and over again. It was only fitting that he won an ATP title before one of the four Grand Slams commenced.

About his chances of winning the Australian Open later in January, Roger said, “Clearly I do believe I have a shot in Melbourne; otherwise, I would go home.”

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Since its inception, the game of tennis has radically evolved.

There have been modifications to the rules, the courts styles have changed in certain Grand Slams. However, the outfits worn by both women and men take the cake.

Where Wimbledon Championships still follows the traditional full-white regulation, the other three Championships – Australian Open, French Open and the US Open give players the liberty to experiment with their attire.

Where most players have managed to shine with the clothing worn by them, some raised quite a few eyebrows with the outrageous attire they wore on the court.

Here are a few instances where outfits worn by tennis players were considered the worst –

Bethanie Lynn Mattek-Sands of USA is renowned for her eccentric fashion styles she displays on the tennis court. She is also dubbed as “Lady Gaga of the tennis world” and rightfully so. What did she wear, you ask?

The Russian belle Nadia Petrova chose to wear this blue outfit at the 2011 Australian Open that made her appear as telling herself that she was in the cool waters rather than the warm climate Down Under.

Swiss player and 17-time Grand Slam Champion Roger Federer is known for being a fashion conscious individual. Thanks to his creative stroke play, he earned the moniker “King of the Court”. At 2009 Wimbledon, he seemed to have taken the title seriously, as he showed up wearing a gold accented waistcoat and his kit bag emblazoned with gold Nike swoosh.

After beating her elder sister Venus in Wimbledon 2009 final, Serena Williams attended the press conference wearing a white t-shirt that read “Are you looking at my titles?”

Greg Rusedski was a Canadian-British tennis player who turned pro in 1991. In the 1995 Wimbledon, he decided to play for Britain and his union flag bandana clearly sent the message across very clearly.

Maria Sharapova is one of the female tennis players, who attract massive attention from the commentary box as well as the audience. At the Wimbledon event in 2008, she decided to wear a tuxedo-style outfit – top and shorts. She lost early in the tournament; her opponent, Russian Alla Kudryavtseva, was quick to remark, “I was pleased to beat her – I didn’t like her outfit.”

Venus Williams created massive controversy when she wore flesh-colored underwear at the 2010 Australian Open. Wearing the risqué outfit, she also received quite a few wolf-whistles from the audience.

John McEnroe, the American tennis legend, preferred wearing Sergio Tacchini during his playing years. Although the brand successfully generated sharp cuts and produced outfits in crisp colours, this one would certainly send tears rolling down the cheek of the modern generation.

The Argentine player Guillermo Vilas is renowned for wearing tight t-shirt and bottoms that made him appear beefy on the court.

At the 2010 Medibank International, Aravane Rezai preferred wearing a gold dress. Wearing the outfit, she looked like a character that just came out of Star Trek: Next Generation.

Julia Goerges: Is there any need to say more?

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The year 2014 has seen many sporting events take place with the one most notably being the FIFA World Cup in Brazil as well as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Athletes with huge reputations behind them made their presence felt with quality gameplay and also raked in the awards.

There were also some of them who just for the sake of it, couldn’t muster up the hits even with the fan following and previous glories attached to them. The year 2014 was an unforgettable one for these sports stars who would not want to look back at all.

The below stars did disappoint this year and that’s the reason why we rank them in our 2014’s Duds of the Year category. 

Sebastian Vettel (Formula One)
Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel will want to forget the 2014 season as soon as possible. The German driver came into this season as a strong contender to win yet another championship but the former failed to win a single race this season, raising doubts about his authority. Red Bull finally let go of Vettel at the end of this season as the German will now drive for the Ferrari Scuderia.

Mario Balotelli (Football)
Another dud is none other than Italian forward Mario Balotelli. The former AC Milan striker switched to Liverpool in the summer transfer window this year with a 16 million pound tag but failed to hit the ground running. A single goal in the FIFA World Cup and was also dropped from Antonio Conte’s Italy squad for Euro qualifiers, Balotelli is having a catastrophic time this year.

Rafael Nadal (Tennis)
Besides winning the French Open this year, Spaniard and former world number Rafael Nadal had an underwhelming 2014 on the tennis court. After a heartbreaking loss in the finals of the Australian Open early this year, Rafa went on to win his ninth French Open title only to lose in the fourth round of Wimbledon to an unseeded Nick Kyrgios. Injury worries, poor form plagued the Spanish star thus forcing him out of the US Open as well.

Cheteshwar Pujara (Cricket)
Many former Indian cricketers predicted Cheteshwar Pujara as the next ‘Rahul Dravid’ of Team India but the Rajkot-born had a poor outing in the Test arena. In 8 matches played, Pujara could only muster up 376 runs at an average of 23.50 with only 2 half-centuries in the bag. The England tour was a washout for Virat Kohli and Pujara himself where the duo had a torrid time scoring runs off the bat.

Tiger Woods (Golf)
Former world number one in golf, Tiger Woods disappointed this year with some poor strokes and there might be a case of stiff competition. The rise of Rory McIlroy in the Golf arena has seen a sharp fall for Woods who played 7 PGA tourneys this year but failed to win in any of them

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The term ‘underrated’ is never easy to define especially when it comes in the world of sports.

This year there were many top names who took the numero uno slot of heralding in success and glories in their bags but there were some that did that with a low key attitude.

These players have been just ‘too good’ this season even without any serious attention from the media or social butterflies.

The key is that their rise has at the same time boosted their similarly underrated teams or franchises to a whole new success.

Who are these players and what did they achieve to bag the award.

We tell you who:

Lewis Hamilton:
For most of the past four years, F1 was under the dominating force of Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull team but this season, Brit Lewis Hamilton broke all the shackles as he came undeterred and clinched the Formula One Championship under the noses of his teammate and rival, Nico Rosberg at Abu Dhabi. Even if Hamilton may have a pop-singer girlfriend by his side (Nicol Scherzinger), the former keeps a very low-key profile and so does his Mercedes F1 team.

Eugenie Bouchard:
20-year old breaking into the top 10 in the year 2014 is just good news to tennis. Introducing Eugenie Bouchard, the Canadian tennis sensation that took the tennis world by storm; not just by her style of play but mesmerizing looks and calm composure on the court. She became the first Canadian woman to land a spot in the Grand Slam final (Wimbledon) and had also earned a spot in the semis of the Australian and the French Open this year.

Manuel Neuer:
Germany won the FIFA World Cup this year and most of the credit goes to their star stopper, Manuel Neuer. The Bayern Munich goalie who is pitted against Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the race to win the Ballon D’Or, is one of the most underrated players in the world of football. Even as the star strikers and midfielders hog the limelight, Neuer’s determination and grit shows on the field when the former puts out some mind-blowing saves that are laudable!

David Warner:
David Warner in ODIs and T20s is just another beast but when the southpaw donned the Test whites this year, the runs poured like silver coins. The left-handed opener has amassed 959 runs at an average of 73.76 in seven Tests – the most by an Australian batsman in 2014 and moreover, Warner shares the record with Pakistan’s Younis Khan to have recorded five hundreds each this year.

Marin Cilic:
When the tennis world saw the fall of the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as well as Novak Djokovic at this year’s Australian Open, none expected Stan Wawrinka to close in his first ever Grand Slam. But wait there was more in store, when Croatian Marin Cilic bagged the US Open title this year under the noses of many stalwarts like Federer, Djokovic and Andy Murray.

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The year 2014 heads towards the finish as we near a brand new 2015.

But before we could call in the New Year, this year has been a whirlwind to say the least – in the world of sports.

Controversial calls, controversies, statements, feuds etc. 2014 has given us fans memories that will last a lifetime.

Even as we speak on controversy, this year was not the most shocking year in sports history but it certainly gave us news that set the social media buzzing and raking the TRPs on the news channels. 

And since the below names are one of the biggest sports figures, there had to be some mention about these guys and gals who were not just surfacing on magazine front covers but also behind-the-scenes hooplas!

So, without further ado, here are the sports figures that were deemed as the most controversial of this year 2014:

Oscar Pistorius –
South African-born blade runner Oscar Pistorius hogged the limelight for most of the 2014 due to his involvement in murdering model-girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at former’s home in Pretoria. A year later, South African court announced that the double-amputee Paralympian receive a five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide and a concurrent three-year suspended prison sentence for a separate reckless endangerment conviction. Even as the Steenkamp family finally found ‘justice’ for their daughter’s demise, Pistorius’ clan remained calm and accepted the punishment.

Donald Sterling –
Who would have thought a basketball team owner would land himself in hot water! After the release of an audio recording between former LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his girlfriend back in May, it was revealed that the American was recorded in a racist chat. One line included, “You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games.”

As soon as the clip broke, the authorities at the NBA acted promptly in mending off the situation at the earliest and so finally, the league banned Sterling from the league for life, fining him 2.5 million dollars and forced him to sell the team which, ultimately, happened a few months after the tape was released.

Luis Suarez –
Never shy away from controversies, Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez attracted yet another when the former bit opponent defender Giorgio Chiellini in a Group D match between Uruguay and Italy at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The episode went on and on until the FIFA body came to a conclusion of announcing a four-month ban for Suarez that included not playing football and even entering a stadium.

Ernests Gulbis –
Women’s tennis is mostly enjoyed the world over but unlike Ernests Gulbis. The Latvian star made a promising start in this year’s French Open but instead of his game, the comments took the centrestage. He stated, “Hopefully they (his sisters) will not pursue professional tennis careers. Hopefully. Because for a woman, it’s tough. … I wouldn’t like my sisters to become professional tennis players. It’s a tough choice of life. A woman needs to enjoy life a little bit more. Needs to think about family, needs to think about kids.”

Gulbis attracted criticism from major female players and men alike and that was that!

Kevin Pietersen –
After leaving the field (basically exterminated) former England cricketer found life in the IPL and other leagues around the world. And amidst that, the South African-born cricketer took timeout to write an autobiography titled ‘KP’ that played around his controversial cricketing career most firmly the Ashes defeat. In the book, Pietersen attacked his former mates including Graeme Swann, Alastair Cook and also former coach Andy Flower.

Nico Rosberg –
Even as teammate Lewis Hamilton walked away with the title in this season F1 Championship, Nico Rosberg was left eating sour grapes. The Mercedes drivers set the boiling point to the maximum when it all began in Bahrain before it reached its climax at the Belgian GP when the two drivers collided on lap two on which later Rosberg admitted he did not try to prevent the crash.

The post Sports Figures That Controversially Owned The Year 2014 appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer is in line to play for the Micromax Indian Aces at the Indian league of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL).

As many Indian fans wait patiently to see the Swiss ace in action on desi shores, the latter has received some words of praise from his former coaches and well wishers.

His former coach Tony Roche praised the Swiss Master stating, “I think he can play as long as he wants to on the mental side. Physically, I think he can play for another four-five years without any problem. “Roger is the most talented player to ever play the game. Working with Roger was a little bit different. I introduced Roger to harder practice sessions to not only rely on his talent but to put in the hard work. We worked a lot on his second serves and volleys.”

Toni Nadal, coach and uncle of Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, too praised the veteran tennis star from Switzerland.

Toni said, “I think he is (the best of all-time), the numbers say so. Federer is the best in the history of the game alongside Rod Laver and, unfortunately for us, it is like that.”

With India and especially ‘good friend’ Sachin Tendulkar waiting in the wings for this phenomenal man to turn up, here’s how WE feel ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’ will welcome Roger Federer:

Chicken Tikka and Nan:
Well, if Switzerland is known for some sweet ‘Swiss chocolates’, well it’s about time the 17-time Grand Slam winner tried a hand at Indian style food which is known to be spicy. Federer could try out some Mughlai dishes like ‘Chicken Tikka with Butter Nan’. Surely, the Swiss Ace and his wife Mirka Federer will fall in love with the Indian delicacies.

Traffic snarls:
Yes, the irritating traffic of Indian roads. Us Indians are use to be welcomed by these snarls on day to day basis and it’s time they welcomed the former world number 1 in tennis, Roger Federer. Not to mention, the bumpy roads as well!

Cutting chai:
Forget the top of the order, royale termed tea of the 5-star hotels, ‘Fedex’ it’s about time you got served from our very own, cutting chai! Perhaps, the aroma and the taste of the local tea could cheer up the mood and might help in his future endeavours.

Grazing cows and buffaloes:
Time to hit the courts and wait a second, there’s a cow in the backyard! A cow or a grazing buffalo could be the perfect welcome for Roger since the former is termed holy by many Hindus across the country.

Pan spit:
Last but not the least, the ‘pichkaaris’ of those beloved pan lovers that could bring forward the colour and dynamism of India’s image to Federer. The Swiss ace could try one too, and give it a ‘shot’!

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Injury, a terrible scenario for any sports personality who is seeing a high in his/her career.

An injury blighted career often backtracks the player’s willing to play again and is mentally scarred. But there a few who have seen their careers lost in premature fashion but have used the injury as a driving force for bigger and better things.

These exceptional players came back from injury better than ever and created history the world over. While every athlete experienced different types of success, the below list of players thrived under similar circumstances and gained power in the eye of a defeat. What resulted are success and many more success!

Aaron Ramsey (Football)
Arsenal and Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey was signed by manager Arsene Wenger under the noses of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2008. The French manager predicted some great things for Ramsey back then and even though his initial year started slow, year 2010 was a dreadful one for the player. Playing against Stoke City, opposition defender Ryan Shawcross sent in a flying tackle that was so horrific that it broke Ramsey’s leg.

Ramsey was supported by fans, players and management in the recovery process and after out for 10 months, the Welsh player soon made a strong comeback on the football field. His 2013/14 season with the Gunners where he scored 13 goals including a winner in the FA Cup final against Hull City was truly spectacular and Ramsey went on to become one of the best midfielders in Arsenal folklore.

Niki Lauda (Formula One)
Even though Niki Lauda went onto lose the 1976 F1 title to opponent driver James Hunt in that season, the former was far from being counted off from the being hailed as the champion. Lauda began the season with a bang recording four wins and two second-place finishes in the season’s first six races but until the German Grand Prix.

On just the race’s second lap, Lauda lost control of his Ferrari car, fell off the track and slammed into a wall. Upon collision, Lauda’s vehicle was caught up in flames, one from which the driver couldn’t escape. Though he was eventually pulled out from the car, Lauda suffered severe burns to his face and head, toxic gases that damaged his lungs and blood and was in coma. With life at stake, Lauda’s racing career seemed all but over somehow gaining courage and vigour, Lauda returned. Six weeks and two races after the fiery crash, Lauda miraculously returned to the track but eventually lost out to Hunt. A true champion!

Rafael Nadal (Tennis)
Former world number one, Rafael Nadal is another entrant to this list of players. The year 2012 was one to forget for the Spaniard. After winning his seventh French Open title earlier in the year, ‘Rafa’ hit rock bottom after losing to Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon and then had to withdraw from the 2012 Olympics, citing tendinitis of the knee.

Further embarrassment arrived when he also pulled out from Rogers Cup and Cincinnati Masters, and most importantly the US Open as well. Fans and experts worried for the Spanish ace and predicted leaky career ahead.

But the year 2013 turned out to be a watershed moment for Rafa Nadal even after pulling out from the Australian Open, the former battled injuries and form as he conquered yet another French Open title and finished runners up at the US Open 2013. With fight back in the stride, Nadal ended 2013 as the new number-one and portrayed a true fighting spirit from the Spanish champion.

Sachin Tendulkar (Cricket)
History maker and record breaker! Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has been there and done that for the game of cricket but in 2004, it could have been just the opposite. A tennis elbow injury (never heard off back then) struck the ‘Master Blaster’ a year after an exceptional World Cup in South Africa where the former was adjudged the ‘Man of the Tournament’ as India ended up runners up. Sachin said, “It took four-and-a half months to recover after the surgery on my tennis elbow. The doctor asked if I would be able to play competitive cricket at all. I hit the balls hard but the kids were able to stop them within 10-15 yards. I thought I cannot play anymore.”

But the Mumbai-born made a swift comeback in the Indian side during the 2005 India-Australia Test series and since then recorded more than 10,000 runs in both formats.

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Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova on Indian soils!

Now that’s magnanimous for any Indian tennis fan who would like to see these greats descend on our ‘desi’ soil and light up the day.

Introducing the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) that brings the modern-day maestros from the men’s tennis and astounding talents of the women’s joining forces alongside some of the past icons as tennis mania goes to a whole new level.

Initiated by Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi, IPTL can be compared to the glitzy cricket affair of the IPL as four teams in four Asian cities showcases supreme tennis players of not one, but two, generations in a first ever tourney.

Just as the cricket’s shorter format T20 has its set of rules, IPTL will also bend the rules of tennis for this format as we see some new regulations being introduced.

In this adventurous format, we will see the four teams battling out on the court that will consist of five one-set matches, with no advantages and the first to reach 6 games, wins the tie. Also introduced is a 20-second shot-clock between points that will guarantee quick play and if a set is tied at 5-5, players will be allowed to go in a timed shoot-out in which they must gather the most points before time is up.

Furthermore, there’s more on the way as well with players also giving the advantage of a “power point” once per set, which means the next point will be doubled.

Even as many fans and some players might get time to acclimatise to the rules, former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has given his thumbs up to the new and adjusted rule.

He said, “The shot clock is a great idea and will speed play up and make tennis even more exciting for the fans with the shorter breaks between points. The fact that every game counts toward the team score is also a great idea, you’re not just playing for yourself, you have to think about your team mates as well and put them in as strong a position as possible at the end of your own set in the match,” he said.

Besides, if a fan is still not ‘full’ with the addition of Federer and Djokovic; well there’s Caroline Wozniacki, Tomas Berdych, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Maria Sharapova to fill up the ‘oomph’ factor.

Indian fans GET ready!

Just when the fanatics of IPL and the CLT20 were reaching its peak, this IPTL will get you out of the seat. The great Roger Federer has never arrived on Indian shores before but thanks to IPTL, every fan in India will see the 17-time Grand Slam winner lead the country to glory.

What more, the grunts of Maria Sharapova and the antics of Novak Djokovic will also be a fun addition! So here’s cheers to the IPTL and let’s get set to slam some aces.

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Indian batsman Rohit Sharma recorded history by becoming the first player in the history of ODI history to score two double tons and also record the highest individual score (264) against Sri Lanka recently.

So, to take that into perspective, there were other sporting records as well that were ‘unbreakable’ or ‘unbeatable’.

Rohit Sharma’s score of 264 was 18 runs more than the average total posted by teams batting first in one-day internationals this decade. Now that’s a feat!

Thus taking that into account, here are some of the sporting moments and individual performances that were labelled as historic:

John Isner v Nicolas Mahut – the longest tennis match
Who said tennis matches were boring! American John Isner and French player, Nicolas Mahut played out one of the most remembered games in tennis and Wimbledon history back in June 2010. A match of the equals as Isner closed out the final set 70-68 against his French opponent. In the end, both the players went back with a smile as the duo were presented with a crystal bowl and crystal champagne flutes by the All England Club to mark the longest match in tennis history.

‘The Invincibles’ – Arsenal Football Club’s Unbeaten era
Even as current statisticians and pundits are relying on Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea to repeat this feat, very few people would have suspected Arsenal would go ‘unbeaten’ in the 2003-04 campaign of the English Premier League. The Gunners had gone 37 games unbeaten through the season as they were labelled the ‘Invincibles’ and became the first English club since Preston North End in 1889 to go a full league campaign without losing a single game. Untimely, their run was halted at Old Trafford in the corresponding EPL season.

Michael Phelps, Olympian record holder
American swimmer Michael Phelps clinched four gold medals in the 2012 London Olympics taking his tally to career 18 golds – double the number held by any other sports player. At his first ever Olympics in Athens 2004, Phelps won six golds and two bronze medals and since then, the former has won a record 22 medals in all. During the 2008 Games in Beijing, Phelps bagged eight gold medals, which was the most in a single Olympics by one athlete.

Brian Lara 400 Not Out
There will be flat tracks and tons of runs scored but Test cricket won’t see a special innings by Brian Charles Lara who scored a monumental 400 not out in 2004. Prior to this knock, Lara held the same feat of highest score in Test cricket with a scintillating inning of 375 against England. He also holds the record for the highest first-class innings – a 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994.

Miroslav Klose, most World Cup goals
Germany striker Miroslav Klose has been a recurrent member for his national side, appearing in 4 World Cup campaigns, with also holding the feat of being the top scorers at the last three tournaments. But in their 7-1 demolition of Brazil in July, Klose capped one of the amazing feat in footballing history with his 16th goal moving him to the top of the all-time World Cup scoring charts.

Rugby star Jonny Wilkinson nets most World Cup points
English rugby champion Johnny Wilkinson has been the key player for his country on many occasions in Rugby World Cups. But in the 2003 campaign, Wilkinson helped England win the tourney and send the country into raptures. By doing so, Wilkinson recorded the most points (277), drop goals (14) and penalties (58) scored in Rugby World Cup championships.

Usain Bolt, fastest man alive!
Jamaican Usain Bolt holds the feat of being ‘the fastest man on the planet’ when the former won gold in the 100m and 200m in 2012 London Olympics and was just 0.05 seconds off beating his own record of 100m time of 9.58, set in Berlin 2009.

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When it’s time to discuss the most entertaining athletes in the world of sports; the topic is a very subjective one.

There are helluva names out there on the field who possess the quality and talent which makes deducting this list to a marginal.

But there’s always a challenge and choosing these names was one! As we read the word, ‘entertaining’, the qualifications required here are – loved by all fans, dashing, respected by his teammates as well as opposition and electric on the field!

Plus add to that, some game-winning shots, extraordinary moves, astonishing skill sets and much, much more. All said and done, here now is the list of the 10 most entertaining names in sports that we bring out:

Lebron James (Basketball)

NBA is one of USA’s topmost sport and their numero uno player, at the moment, is none other than Lebron James. Besides being the best player around, Lebron also holds the tag of the ‘entertainer’. In his 11-year career, the lanky player has amassed countless MVP awards, two shiny NBA championship rings and some breathtaking plays that one should see it to believe. Be it the Cleveland Cavaliers or Miami Heat, James has always pleased his fans. In a time where the likes of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant hogging the limelight, Lebron James remains a spectacle in the NBA with some eye catching displays!

MS Dhoni (Cricket)

A T20 title, ICC Champions Trophy, number one rankings and then the mega prize, the ICC Cricket World Cup – MS Dhoni has been there and done that. Indian cricket no more rests on the laurels of the great Sachin Tendulkar as skipper ‘Mahi’ has taken over! One of the most electrifying batsman in modern cricket, his ‘helicopter’ shot in cricket drives the spectators and the ones watching at homes, wild. This man is a genius!

Novak Djokovic (Tennis)

After a long thought, Novak Djokovic could have been hardly missed this list. The ‘Djoker’ of the tennis world, his antics on the court matched by his aggressive and free-flowing play is just sheer class that blows away the opposition.

Luis Suarez (Football)

Coming out of the ‘ordinary’ Messi-Ronaldo, our pick from the footballing world was a difficult one. So many names to pick but alas, how could an EPL fan forget Luis Suarez! The Uruguayan stirred up controversy at the World Cup recently not before setting ablaze the Premiership with some tantalising goals. Sadly, Suarez is now at Barcelona but the former remains one of the most entertaining stars in world football.

Chris Gayle (Cricket)

Cricket and Chris Gayle – a match made in heaven! One of the world cricket’s top entertainers, Chris Gayle’s bat works like a magic wand once set into play. Sixes, sixes and just sixes can be expected from the southpaw and one cannot get bored watching this man, over and over again!

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The International Premier Tennis League has yet to kick off but it’s praising tunes has already begun!

None other than Andy Murray has spoken about his excitement for the mega tennis tourney that will see Tennis stars descend on Indian shores.

Looking forward, the British number one Andy Murray will lead the Manila Mavericks in Mahesh Bhupathi’s league, starting November 28 in Philippines.

“Attracting new fans to the sport is important and I’m looking forward to helping take tennis somewhere new. The IPTL format is something that has never been done before and there are many different aspects that make it interesting,” Murray in a press release. He adds, “The shot clock is a great idea and will speed play up and make tennis even more exciting for the fans with the shorter breaks between points. The fact that every game counts toward the team score is also a great idea, you’re not just playing for yourself, you have to think about your team mates as well and put them in as strong a position as possible at the end of your own set in the match.”

With a superstar roster lined up for the tournament, expect this league to be as competitive with the likes of IPL or the English Premier League. Not before has tennis seen such a great surge with a league based format. Even thought the ATP Masters does see the top 8 play out for the mega trophy, the IPTL is a ‘different’ format altogether.

Murray’s teammates in his side would be Russian heartthrob Maria Sharapova, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kirsten Flipkens, Daniel Nestor, Carlos Moya and Treat Huey.

This year has been a rough one for the 2013 Wimbledon champ who has appointed Amélie Mauresmo as his coach. Even though the Scot has not won any Major Grand Slam this year, Murray will be satisfied with his victory over Tommy Robredo in the Valencia Open. But with the IPTL fast approaching, fans especially in India are eagerly waiting to get a glimpse on Roger Federer but Andy Murray’s side could just be a party pooper!

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The world is at her feet! Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza is right back where she belongs- at the numero uno spot in the Tennis world after landing the Final trophy at the WTA Finals in Singapore with doubles partner Cara Black.

The Hyderabad-born had decided to prolong her career in doubles arena and with the recent accolades in her bag, there’s no stopping the 27-year old.

Not too long ago, Sania amidst a political controversy when the former was appointed the brand ambassador of Telangana and was questioned the Grand Slam winner’s patriotism towards the country (since Sania is married to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik). But a determined Sania Mirza revealed that she is past those recent political remarks which questioned her patriotism and is currently concentrating on her game.

Speaking to the media in Hyderabad on Tuesday, the Indian tennis star even stated about hanging up the boots way back in 2010. “In 2010, I thought I was going to retire. And here I am in 2014, playing the best tennis of my life. You never know what’s going to happen in an athlete’s life. Hopefully, I can get to my goal of becoming No. 1 next year and keep this form going. My present is good and I don’t live in the past. I did get a bit emotional earlier when my patriotism was questioned but there are a few silly people out there that we must ignore.”

Who will forget her ‘weeping face’ on national news channel where the former cried her heart out stating the love towards her country. It was Telangana BJP leader K Laxman who had described the 27-year old as “non-local” and “daughter-in-law” of Pakistan that really sent the eyeballs rolling. She cleared, “I was really sad yesterday. It is really upsetting for me. I don’t know if it happens in any other country. I don’t know how many times I will have to justify my Indianness, prove my patriotism.”

“I am married to Shoaib Malik, who is from Pakistan. I am an Indian, who will remain an Indian until the end of my life,” Sania said in a statement to the press.

With the current WTA achievement, Sania is basking under the glory of success and clearly shut those murky mouths that questioned her patriotism.

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After suffering yet another painful exit at the hands of a unseeded Tennis player, former world number one, Rafael Nadal has ended his 2014 tennis sojourn as the Spaniard will go under the knife come November.

The French Open champion suffered a 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) loss in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors to a teenager Borna Coric that wrapped up his tennis season as the former will undergo appendix surgery.

The nine-time French Open champion and 14-time Grand Slam title winner later went on to confirm that there was no logic in him competing at either next week’s Paris Masters or the eight-man World Tour Finals in London from November 9. With a serious injury threatening his playing career, ‘Rafa’ has hardly played on the court this season with only the French title to his name.

Speaking to the press after the game Rafa stated, “This is the day to say goodbye for the season. It`s the day to say I had a good first six months this year. But it was hard after that with back and (three-month summer) wrist problems and now the appendix. I`m not going to play Paris or London, I`m not competitive enough to do that. I need to do the surgery; I need to work on my back next week before the operation. Then I need five weeks to recover.”

The appendix surgery has disappointed most of his Indian fans as well with him pulling out from the much anticipated ITPL (International Tennis Premier League). Nadal, who had been taking antibiotics to treat appendicitis, wants to return to action by December as soon as soon as the physical problems are healed.
He further added, “If I play the last two tournaments, I would not be competitive and would have no chance to win. It is better for me to recover. I hope to be back at the start of 2015 ready for anything.”

Rafael Nadal has been the centre of many injuries ever since he took the court. The Spaniard is on the recovery process and if fit again, the former world number one will be an unstoppable figure if regained full fitness.

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2014 has seen some remarkable talent emerge in the sporting arena. Skill, quality and presence of mind on the track have kept these guys going ahead and reach the pinnacle of glory.

With some of the big names fading with time, it’s time for the younger lot to take over and rule the roost.

It’s a matter of time when the world will see no Cristiano Ronaldo, Leo Messi or Novak Djokovic. But they will surely see some bright, young talents who are taking the steps of supremacy. Here’s taking a glance through these starlets who could earn BIG in years to come:

Martin Odegaard (Football)
Norwegian football scripted history when countryman Martin Odegaard became the youngest player in the history of the European Championship to take field in competitive sport. Aged 15 years and 300 days, Odegaard beat the previous record held by Sigurdur Jonsson of Iceland, who had held it since playing in a Euro 1984 qualifier aged 16 and 251 days. Touted as the ‘Norwegian Messi’, Odegaard is being tracked by a host of top clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester United. With a big career lying ahead of him, Odegaard can go onto become one of Norway’s brightest talent ever produced.

Max Verstappen (Formula One)
F1 has seen some of the biggest stars take centrestage with the likes of Michael Schumacher and the late Aryton Senna amongst many but here’s another teen sensation who could join in that elusive list – Max Verstappen. 16-year old Dutchman has joined F1 team Torro Rosso and will become the youngest Formula One driver in history next season. He is son of the former F1 driver Jos Verstappen and has been racing this season in the European F3 Championship. Verstappen will break the record held by Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari, who made his debut with Torro Rosso in 2009 at the age of 19 and 125 days.

Kuldeep Yadav (Cricket)
When BCCI announced the 15-man squad for the West Indies ODI team, the name Kuldeep Yadav also made the cut in the list of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. The Uttar Pradesh-born is a specialist chinaman bowler, an art in spin bowling which is a rare breed, made his name in the U-19 World Cup this year as well as with the IPL 2014 Champions, Kolkata Knight Riders.

Catherine Bellis (Tennis)
Catherine Cartan “CiCi” Bellis has made a jumpstart in the world of tennis. With Serena Williams reaching the prime of her career, US tennis might see a sensation in ‘CiCi’ Bellis. On Tuesday, the 15-year-old stunned the world in the US Open this year by beating world number 12 Dominika Cibulkova, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. With that, Bellis became the youngest player to win a U.S. Open match since Anna Kournikova in 1996 and is touted for bigger days ahead. In coming months, watch out for CiCi who could send a forehand swinging down the net!

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Often sports stars are marred with injuries, fractures and broken backs that hamper their playing careers.

Many a times, the players are forced to take a ‘break’ full time or shorter one to recover from the life threatening injury. But not always the player gets what he/she wished for.

The following players are the ones who started brightly, won many accolades but unfortunately, had to force retirement due to various reasons:

Bjorn Borg
Tennis legend Bjorn Borg is one of tennis world’s finest players ever with an impressive 11 Grand Slams including 5 Wimbledon and 6 French Open titles in the bag. But unfortunately, the Swede forced an early retirement at the age of 26 but made a comeback in the 1990s but hardly found the same rhythm going.

Michael Jordan
Without a doubt, Michael Jordan was the face of American basketball and remains the greatest basketball player of all time in the NBA. But in October 1993 at the age of 30, Michael hanged up his boots and soon after decided to enter minor league baseball in 1994 with Chicago White Sox. But basketball never left as the iconic player came back on the basketball court with the Chicago Bulls but untimely retired with the Washington Wizards.

Ravi Shastri
Indian cricket produced some world class talent especially from Mumbai and one of them was Ravi Shastri. At the raw age of 17, Ravi Shastri became the youngest player to represent Mumbai when he played during the Ranji Trophy season. Soon after, Ravi went on to represent the country and even led the team in the late 80s and 90s. But sadly, Ravi retired from cricket at the age of 30 following a recurring knee injury. But the cricketer now has taken up commentating role as well as been declared by the BCCI, the team director for the current Indian side.

Eric Cantona
Manchester United and France player, Eric Cantona remains one of the greatest players signed by Sir Alex Fergurson. But Cantona shocked the Old Trafford faithful when the former decided to quit football at the age of 30 in 1997. In his playing career, Cantona went on to score 143 goals in 64 appearances for the Red Devils and 45 goals in 20 appearances for the French national team.

Andrew Flintoff
Considered one of English cricket’s finest all-rounders, Andrew Flintoff, too bid the ‘gentleman’s game’ an early goodbye after a series of injury woes hampered his playing career. After leading his side to a famous Ashes win in 2005, ‘Freddie’, bid adieu to the game at the age of 32 only to return back, but in a boxing ring. This year, Flintoff made a return to international cricket to play the Twenty20 format.

Ian Thorpe
The Aussie swimmer announced his arrival on the world stage during the 2000 Sydney Olympics by clinching a gold medal at the age of 17. Since then, Thorpe went on to win 4 more Olympic gold medals but the 11-time World Champion, gave up the sport at a very young age of 24 after missing out on the 2006 CWG due to a grandular fever.

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