Sharapova's beloved one!

During a recent press conference, while in Israel playing for the Russian Fed Cup team, one of the reporters was persistently asking Maria Sharapova about her love life and having a boyfriend or not, but the tennis player refused to comment:
MSh: Why are you so interested in my personal life? You want to take the vacant post?
Nosy Reporter: Well, you are always on the road. It must be very hard alone..
MSh: I am not alone. My dog is with me. And sorry, but you cannot replace her.
Well, she surely told him off;)

Anyway we got a little bit interested in the doggy subject and did some research, the result of which is a statement that Sharapova seems to be in love with dogs!
In a recent interview for German Vanity Fair issue Maria said:
"If I ever love a man as much as my dog, the guy will have a real problem, because I am all over that dog".
Apparently any suitors will have it though.. ;)

We've also found last year's Canon commercial featuring Maria and her doggy Dolce..
well... not exactly... cause the dog you see in the commercial is not actually Sharapova's real pet! It's a stand-in!
makes you wonder.. did the real Dolce demand too high a fee for the ad???

Here's the commercial with not-the-real-Dolce and -hopefully- the real Maria:

and here's a photo of the actual pet:

~mlc

Marriage? Kids? No, thank U!

Former Top ten player Anna Kournikova and popsinger Enrique Iglesias are already five years together. Last year there appeared a rumour, that the couple secretly married. Everyone was wondering if they did that, buy lately Enrique made the amounting speculations disappear.

“I honestly don’t believe you need to be married and, at this point, I don’t think it would make a difference. In fact, the only difference is going to be a piece of paper. As a couple, you go through your ups and downs, but it has been fine without marriage. And I think it can also save you a lot of problems in the future.

“I’m not ruling it out one day. It’s not that I don’t believe in marriage, it’s just I don’t think I need it now.” On starting a family, he adds, “Children change everything. I don’t think I’m ready for that yet. Maybe when I turn 40, it will be a good time for kids. I’ve just turned 32 and I know a lot of people have kids this age. But Anna is only 25.”

Well Anna, it won't be easy to settle Enrique. Just get some news about his playboy daddy and you might realize, that you're could be in for a Mission Impossible here...

~jachal

Federer & Baghdatis looking for new coaches

It appears like Roger Federer is looking for a coach once again. After splitting with Tony Roche, the world No.1 has been coachless and it seemed like he was better off without a coach. Federer is aware, that he doesn't really need someone to change his game, but after a disappointing start to the season (falling to Djokovic in straight sets in the Aussie Open semis) he looks like being on the verge to hire someone.

“I don’t think I can change my game drastically, and I don’t think I should,” the world No. 1 said. “I have the possibility to vary my game, and that’s my big strength. In today’s game, it’s the details, so that’s what I have to keep working on. That’s maybe the reason why I have to look for someone else.”Federer's been linked with the likes of Paul Annacone and Darren Cahill, but they could get a dump, as the Fed-Express might be in for a partnership with his longtime friend Reto Staubli. Reto Staubli, a former swiss top ten, travels frequently with Roger Federer on the road. He is an excellent hitting partner and a childhood interclub friend from the Swiss leagues.

***

Also looking for a new coach is former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis. His coach, Yiannos Hadjigeorgiou quit on Wednesday after less than a year in the job.

Hadjigeorgiou will remain as Cyprus' Davis Cup Captain but will no longer be able to work with Marcos due to personal reasons.

"This decision, taken after much thought, is owed to clearly family reasons. The decision I have taken is the most appropriate,'' Hadjigeorgiou said on the Cypriot tennis federation's Web site.

"I impressed upon (Baghdatis) that I would always be by his side, as in the past, for whatever he may need.''

Hadjigeorgiou started coaching Baghdatis in May 2007. No replacement has been named.

~jachal

Murray shocked about Murray

Jamie Murray criticised his younger brother Andy for pulling out of the Davis Cup rubber against Argentina in Buenos Aires. The british number one withdrew explaining he has concerns about the condition of his knee. The doubles specialist was shocked about his younger brother's decision.

"It kind of affects the way we feel about him," Jamie said. "I think it's disappointing he chose not to come.

"From what I have been reading he hasn't come out and said he's injured, it's more a prevention thing. I think if he had really wanted to push himself he could have come here for the match.
It was a shock for me and for the team. I was not aware he had a problem.

"From his point of view, I guess he doesn't have anything to apologise for as he's taken the decision not to come. If he had come here, he would have caused them problems because he has the ability to win singles matches, he's a world-class player. He's been in the top 10 and not by fluke. I think he would have liked to come here and had the crowd against him, he plays better in those circumstances."

The british team is now left with Alex Bogdanovic, who's number 188 in the world. This pretty much leaves the Britains standing without any chance against the argentinian armada lead by world No.9 David Nalbandian.

~jachal

Peer criticised by IOC member

World No.17 Shahar Peer has been criticised by International Olympic Committee member Alex Gilady for inciting the partisan home crowd to try to distract the members of the russian team. "The crowd behaved this way because it was incited ... by Shahar Peer, I think this was unsporting conduct," Gilady said.
He also mentioned the crowd, some of whom had mimicked Australian Open champion Sharapova's grunting sounds as she hit the ball when she played Tzipora Obziler, had portrayed a "primitive" image of the country.

Gilady said he had sent a letter of apology for the crowd's behaviour to Russian Fed Cup captain Shamil Tarpishchev, who is also an IOC member.

The Israel Tennis Association said that it did not accept Gilady's criticism of Peer, although it asked spectators to behave in an acceptable manner.

"The Israel Tennis Association rejects Alex Gilady's attack on Israeli No. 1 Shahar Peer who has shown has sporting abilities and will continue to lead the Fed Cup team in future... the association calls on the spectators to show restraint and respect the rules," they said.

The partisan crowd didn't manage to help Israel, as they lost against Russia 1:4. They will have to fight in order to stay among the top eight. In order to do this, they will have a play-off tie in April which will either give them the right to stay in the elite of women’s team tennis, or relegate them to World Group II.

~jachal

Philippoussis has a new girlfriend

If only Mark Philippoussis would have so much luck on the tennis courts as he has with beautiful women's hearts, he would by now be the number one player in the world. When it comes down to the game of love, the Aussie is unbeaten. Having bounced out of his reality TV relationship with Age of Love winner Amanda Salinas, the ultimate playboy has already a new flame on his side.


Her name is Siobhan Parekh and you could saftely say she's an mirror image of Mark's last girlfriend Alexis Barbara. Because we all got kinda lost in Mark's love choices, let's catch-up with his last few girlfriends, so that you know, who is who in Scud's love-life.
Here they are:

This is Alexis...
and this is Jen...
Meet Mia:This is the new one, Siobhan:
This one is Amanda:

And we all of course remember Delta Goodrem:
Gosh Mark, now we understand, why you don't wanna play tennis anymore... ;)

~jachal

Serena out of Paris Indoors

Serena Williams won't participate in this year's Open Gaz de France edition.
Her french fans may be encouraging the younger Williams-sister to take part in the tournament by saying stuff like: "bite the bullet and play!". The ironic thing is, that the world No.10 can't play, because she can't bite! The organizers said miss Williams pulled out because of a dental surgery.
The 8-time Grand Slam champion will be replaced in the draw by Daniela Hantuchova.

~jachal

Shaza on equal prize money

"Of course it's fair. We were waiting for the men to finish their five sets. God. We should get paid more for waiting around all day long."
- Maria Sharapova after being asked about the fairness of equal prize money.

~shaw

Gonzo wins in Vina del Mar

Everything was set in Chile for a fantastic final of the $462,000 Movistar Open. Perhaps the best two players in the draw were to meet in the final with both coming into it after saving match points. The number 3 seed Juan Monaco had to come from behind in his second round match against Martin Vassallo Arguello. After saving 3 match points he won it 6/3 4/6 7/5. Fernando Gonzalez on the other hand struggled later on in the tournament. At the semi final stage against the useeded Pablo Cuevas he saved 2 match points and the defeated the surprise of the tournament 6/7 7/6 6/2.
Monaco cruised to a 6-2, 6-4 win over Spaniard Santiago Ventura in his semi final, but in that match he sprained his left ankle and couldn't compete in the championship match. The walkover gave Gonzalez his ninth career title and already his third at this event."I'm happy to have won this tournament once again but a little sad for Juan, who wasn't able to play the final," Gonzalez said. "He is a great player and even better person. It's tough for him not be able to play tomorrow's final and probably miss Davis Cup next week. We are good friends and I hope he recovers fast from this injury."

It is the first time a singles final walkover has occurred on the ATP Tour since 2003 in Basel, when David Nalbandian withdrew due to a left wrist injury against Guillermo Coria.

"It's very unfortunate that this happened to me in such a good moment of my career," Monaco said. "I'm sad that I won't be able to play the final here in Vina del Mar and the Davis Cup tie against Great Britain next week. I'm hoping to make a come back at Buenos Aires."

~jachal

Tsonga moving to Switzerland

This year's Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is planning to move to Switzerland. The world No.18 requested residence papers to settle in the village of La Rippe, near the southwestern town of Nyon. The papers have not been signed yet, but the 22-year old player has taken a lease on a studio in La Rippe.

There's some kind of love affair the french players have with Switzerland. Amelie Mauresmo, Marion Bartoli, Fabrice Santoro, Richard Gasquet, Arnaud Clement ang Guy Forget have already moved there.
Yeah, the french recipe for succes is to move to Federer's country and then maybe someday take over his winning habit...

~jachal