Tuesday, April 07, 2009

#696 - Tennis

ENGLISH

For this past few months, I have been even more in to tennis. Well, not necessarily playing the sport tho, since I don't have the equipments here in Bandung, but simply just keeping updated with what happen on the tennis professional world, haha.

So, last week, another big tournament in tennis (even called the unofficial fifth grandslams) was concluded, the Sony Ericsson Open, or the Miami Championships. It was of course held in Miami, Florida, and was sponsored by Sony Ericsson. I personally supported Andy Murray on the men's single and the Williams sisters (Serena and Venus) on the women's singles.

Well, since Serena and Venus met in the semifinals, I supported Serena on that stage, simply so that she could defend her world number 1 title. Had she lost that match, Dinara Safina would have taken over the title eventho she was lost in the third round. In the final, Serena met teenager Victoria Azarenka who is now peaking up. She has accomplished a really great achievement this season so far. Eventually, Azarenka defeated Williams 6 - 3, 6 - 1 in the final, making it her best achievement ever. Serena wasn't in her best form tho since she was suffering an injury on the macth, and Azarenka smartly made use of it for her advantage. This caused Serena failing to create a history by winning this tournament for the sixth time. Her record now ties with Steffi Graff's, winning five times. I think Victoria Azarenka now is a player to watch. On BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells), she was one semifinalist.

On the women's side, my thought about Jelena Jankovic as a 'middle class' player is proven. She lost in the second round (after receiving a bye on the first round), twice consecutively (also on the previous big tournament, the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, two weeks prior). She needs to prove herself tho since she was crowned as world no 1 by the end of 2008 but her achievement so far in 2009 is kinda disappointing.

One channel on my TV actually aired the men singles's matches of this tournament (but not the women's, damnit, haha). In the final, Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic 6 - 2, 7 - 5 after Djokovic lead 4 - 1 on the second set. Yea, Murray played better than Djokovic in the final, no wonder he won. This is getting interesting, Andy Murray is also peaking up and now is just 170 points away to take over Djokovic's world no. 3 title.

I'm kinda bored with Federer's and Nadal's domination on the men tennis this last few years. Well, eventho they played a really super great match on Wimbledon 2008 last year. That's why I'm really excited to see some players seem to peak up and stir everything to be more exciting to watch, hehe.

Anyway, top ten men players as of this Monday: 1. Rafael Nadal; 2. Roger Federer; 3. Novak Djokovic; 4. Andy Murray; 5. Juan Martin Del Potro; 6. Andy Roddick; 7. Gilles Simon; 8. Fernando Verdasco; 9. Nikolay Davydenko; 10. Gael Monfils.

Top ten women players as of this Monday: 1. Serena Williams; 2. Dinara Safina; 3. Elena Dementieva; 4. Jelena Jankovic; 5. Venus Williams; 6. Vera Zvonareva; 7. Ana Ivanovic; 8. Victoria Azarenka; 9. Svetlana Kuznetsova; 10. Nadia Petrova

::: Tennis Court (Stadium) at Miami, where the Sony Ericsson Open was held

BAHASA INDONESIA

Beberapa bulan belakangan ini, koq aku makin tertarik dengan tenis yah. Yah, bukannya bermain tenis sih, soalnya emang ga ada perlengkapannya di Bandung, tapi ya sekedar mengikuti berita terbaru yang terjadi di dunia profesional tenis, haha.

Jadi, minggu lalu, turnamen besar di tenis (bahkan dikatakan sebagai grandslam tak resmi kelima) selesai, the Sony Ericsson Open, atau the Miami Championships. Tentu saja turnamennya dilaksanakan di Miami, Florida, dan disponsori oleh Sony Ericsson. Aku pribadi sih mendukung Andy Murray untuk pemain single pria dan Williams bersaudara (Serena dan Venus) di single wanita.

Yah, karena Serena dan Venus bertemu di semifinal, aku mendukung Serena waktu itu, ya cuma supaya dia bisa mempertahankan gelar pemain nomor 1 dunianya. Andai dia kalah di pertandingan itu, Dinara Safina akan merebut posisi nomor 1 dunia walau dia sudah kalah di babak ketiga. Di final, Serena bertemu dengan remaja Victoria Azarenka yang sedang naik nih prestasinya. Dia beneran lho berprestasi baik sekali sejauh ini musim ini. Akhirnya, Azarenka mengalahkan Williams 6 - 3, 6 - 1 di final, prestasi terbaiknya sejauh ini. Serena tidak dalam kondisi terbaiknya karena lagi cedera waktu pertandingan, dan Azarenka kayanya pinter tuh memanfaatkannya. Ini membuat Serena gagal menorehkan sejarah memenangi turnamen ini enam kali. Rekornya kini imbang dengan Steffi Graff, memenangi turnamen ini lima kali. Aku rasa kini Victoria Azarenka adalah pemain yang perlu diwaspadai. Di BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells), dia juga jadi semifinalis.

Di bagian pemain wanita, pendapatku bahwa Jelena Jankovic adalah pemain 'kelas menengah' rasanya masih tak tergoyahkan. Dia kalah di babak kedua (bahkan setelah mendapat bye di babak pertama), dua kali berturutan (juga di turnamen besar sebelumnya, BNP Paribas Open di Indian Wells, California, dua minggu sebelumnya). Dia perlu membuktikan dirinya neh soalnya dia kan dimahkotai pemain nomer 1 dunia akhir tahun 2008. Namun, prestasinya tahun 2009 ini bisa dikatakan mengecewakan sejauh ini.

Satu channel di TV-ku sebenarnya menayangkan pertandingan yang pria dari turnamen ini sih (tapi yang wanita engga, sial, haha). Di final, Andy Murray mengalahkan Novak Djokovic 6 - 2, 7 - 5 setelah Djokovic memimpin 4 - 1 di babak kedua. Yea, Murray memang bermain lebih baik sih kali itu daripada Djokovic, nggak heran dia menang. Ini menjadi menarik nih, Andy Murray sedang naik-naiknya dan sekarang tinggal 170 poin dari merebut posisi pemain nomor 3 dunia dari Djokovic.

Aku agak bosan nih dengan dominasi Federer dan Nadal di dunia tenis pria akhir2 ini. Walau mereka main dengan sangat keren waktu final Wimbledon tahun lalu. Makanya aku menjadi sangat tertarik untuk melihat beberapa pemain lain yan sedang naik dan berpotensi meramaikan pertandingan, hehe.

Ngomong2, pemain 10 besar dunia pria Senin ini: 1. Rafael Nadal; 2. Roger Federer; 3. Novak Djokovic; 4. Andy Murray; 5. Juan Martin Del Potro; 6. Andy Roddick; 7. Gilles Simon; 8. Fernando Verdasco; 9. Nikolay Davydenko; 10. Gael Monfils.

Pemain 10 besar dunia wanita Senin ini: 1. Serena Williams; 2. Dinara Safina; 3. Elena Dementieva; 4. Jelena Jankovic; 5. Venus Williams; 6. Vera Zvonareva; 7. Ana Ivanovic; 8. Victoria Azarenka; 9. Svetlana Kuznetsova; 10. Nadia Petrova

No comments:

Post a Comment