Helmut Marko accused the famous Italian team of trying to buy its rival’s “spirit”. Luca di Montezemolo has hit back at Red Bull by suggesting the Austrian team doesn’t know “how to behave” as F1′s new champions. After Ferrari poached Red Bull’s strategy chief Neil Martin and made offers to other staff members, Helmut Marko [...]
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The 2011 Australian Open Men’s singles main draw begins on Monday 17 January and concludes with the Men’s Singles Final on Sunday 30 January. Roger Federer is the defending champion and is striving to win his 5th Australian Open crown. Rafael Nadal is going for his fourth consecutive Grand Slam to complete a *SuperRafa Slam.
Juan Martin del Potro, Novak Djokovic, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt are all Grand Slam singles champions who are entered into the 2011 tournament. Del Potro who won the 2009 US Open title used his protected ranking to gain entry into the main draw after being injured for almost the entire 2010 season. In fact, every man who is ranked in the Top 100 is entered to compete in the 2011 event making it the strongest possible field.
The men’s singles trophy is called the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup. 25 different men have won the Singles title during the past 41 years in the Open-era, which began in 1969. The most recent Australian to win this title was Mark Edmondson in 1976. This January will make that 35 years ago, a record which Australians would not be proud of.
Can anyone become a first-time Grand Slam champion in January? Absolutely yes! There a many players who have the ability to be a potential winner. One of the really interesting things to watch will be whether any of these potential winners has made any significant progress into learning how to maximise their likelihood of success in a Grand Slam.
The last man to win the his very first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open was Novak Djokovic pictured above just after making contact with the ball during his service motion. Djokovic was the runner-up at the last Grand Slam tournament – the 2010 US Open.
For more details about the 2011 Australian Open, the prize money and ranking points awarded for each round and the schedule of play for the entire tournament click
The highest ranked men at the end of 2010 who have not won a Grand Slam singles title are:
The following is the list of Open-era men’s singles champions at the Australian Open:
*SuperRafa Slam is the name first given to the possible non-calendar Grand Slam by Rafael Nadal by www.OnCourtAdvantage.com.
Stay tuned to this tennis website for full coverage of every Grand Slam tournament and every major women’s and men’s tennis tournament on the WTA Tour and ATP Tours. Click this link for further details about the Australian Open 2011: January 12-30.
© OnCourtAdvantage.com 2010
photo credit: mbevis
The 2011 Australian Open Women’s singles main draw begins on Monday 17 January and concludes with the Women’s Singles Final on Saturday 29 January. Serena Williams is the defending champion and was going for 3 straight Australian Open victory. Serena has won 5 of the past 8 Australian Open singles titles but officially withdrew from the 2011 event on November 25 due to a second operation on her foot.
Of the Top 100 world ranked women, Serena Williams is joined by Agnes Szavay as the only 2 players unable to compete for the title. This means that the excitement factor should increase and the ferociousness of the competition by the players should be very high, making for a great women’s event. Only Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova have won the Australian Open before from the 2011 field.
Can anyone become a first-time Grand Slam champion in January? Absolutely yes! There a many players who have the ability to be a potential winner. One of the really interesting things to watch will be whether any of these potential winners has made any significant progress into learning how to maximise their likelihood of success in a Grand Slam.
The last woman to win the her very first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open was Amelie Mauresmo in 2006 pictured above just after making contact with the ball with her single handed backhand return of serve. Mauresmo achieved the World No.1 ranking and won Wimbledon as well before retiring. The following women will be leading the pack to win their first Grand Slam singles title at the 2011 Australian Open:
The above 4 women will have plenty of competition with Grand Slam singles champions Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams, Francesca Schiavone, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova all looking to add to their Grand Slam collections.
The women’s singles trophy is called the Daphne Ackhurst Memorial Cup. Only 19 different women have won the singles title during the past 41 years in the Open-era, which began in 1969. The most recent Australian to win this title was Chris O’Neil in 1978. This January will make that 33 years ago, a record which Australians would not be proud of.
For more details about the 2011 Australian Open, the prize money and ranking points awarded for each round and the schedule of play for the entire tournament click here.
The following is the list of Open-era women’s singles champions at the Australian Open:
Stay tuned to this tennis website for full coverage of every Grand Slam tournament and every major women’s and men’s tennis tournament on the WTA Tour and ATP Tours. Click this link for further details about the Australian Open 2011: January 12-30.
© OnCourtAdvantage.com 2010
photo credit: brewz
Andrew Ranger gets the ”Most Popular Driver Awards” in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
In a place where NASCAR history is on display, its future was celebrated as six champions in NASCAR’s developmental series were honored during the Night of Champions Touring Awards Gala in the Crown Ballroom at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
The festivities featured the champions and top drivers from all of NASCAR’s North American regional touring series, who gathered for the special year-end celebration in the heartland of stock-car racing.
“It’s really rewarding, from our perspective to come to an event like tonight, at a facility like the NASCAR Hall of Fame, in a great city like Charlotte, to recognize so many NASCAR champions,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president for racing operations. “This year’s championship lineup is impressive to say the least.”
The 2010 champions included Ryan Truex (NASCAR K&N Pro Series East), Eric Holmes (NASCAR K&N Pro Series West), DJ Kennington (NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1), Germán Quiroga (NASCAR Mexico Series), Bobby Santos (NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and Burt Myers (NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour).
“We are proud we can call you six drivers NASCAR champions,” O’Donnell said. “You’ve earned it.”
· Truex, of Mayetta, N.J., collected his second straight NASCAR K&N Pro Series East crown giving him two championships in his only two full seasons of competition in the division.
· Holmes of Escalon, Calif., captured his third NASCAR K&N Pro Series West title having also won championships in 2006 and 2008 and becoming the seventh driver in West
Series history to win three or more titles.
· Kennington of St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, earned his first NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship after finishing second in 2007 and 2009 and third in 2008.
· Quiroga of Mexico City, Mexico, picked up his second consecutive NASCAR Mexico Series championship and became the first driver in series history with multiple titles.
· Santos of Franklin, Mass., won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title and is the youngest champion in the 26-year history of the Tour at 25 years of age.
· Myers of Walnut Cove, N.C., won his first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour with a thrilling win in the season’s final race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
In addition to the championship awards, the Most Popular Driver Awards for each series were also presented during the ceremony. The five drivers honored with the prestigious award were Ted Christopher in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Burt Myers of the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, Andrew Ranger in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, Moses Smith of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and Ryan Truex from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. It was the third consecutive year in which Christopher and Smith earned Most Popular Driver honors.
The top 10 drivers and car owners from each of NASCAR’s developmental series also were recognized during the gala event – which featured Mike Joy and Dr. Dick Berggren of NASCAR on FOX as master of ceremonies. The awards banquet was streamed live online at www.nascarhometracks.com – the official online home of NASCAR’s developmental series.
The awards celebration capped a week of festivities in the Charlotte area aimed at providing the top drivers and track operators in NASCAR’s weekly and touring series an up close and personal look at the hub of stock-car racing. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet on Friday honored champions from across North America in the series that is NASCAR’s grassroots foundation.
source: Jason Christley, NASCAR Public Relations
Kevin Fylan is joined by Owen Wyatt, Mark Meadows, Jon Bramley and Martyn Herman for a look at the week’s Champions League matches. Will Real Madrid be too much for AC Milan? Our panel seems to think so.
Here’s a not-so-bold prediction: MLS will have a team in the 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals.
The prediction isn’t so bold because it’s now guaranteed by the draw; MLS sides Real Salt Lake and Columbus Crew will play in the quarterfinals. And, without a Mexican club on their side of the bracket, there’s a reasonable chance we’ll have an American CCL finalist come April.
CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals
Feb. 22-24
Monterrey (MEX) at Toluca (MEX)
Santos Laguna (MEX) at Cruz Azul (MEX)
Real Salt Lake (USA) at Columbus Crew (USA)
Olimpia (HON) at Saprissa (CRC)
March 1-3
Toluca (MEX) at Monterrey (MEX)
Cruz Azul (MEX) at Santos Laguna (MEX)
Columbus Crew (USA) at Real Salt Lake (USA)
Saprissa (CRC) at Olimpia (HON)
The downside of the draw is that MLS loses the possibility of putting both teams into the semifinals. But with the League’s track record in this version of the tournament, it’s a trade worth making; one guaranteed semifinalists is certainly better than a very real chance of none. That the Mexican clubs are grouped together on the other side is a bonus; get through all-MLS match-up, and RSL or the Crew have the less daunting challenge of playing Saprissa or Olimpia to get to the final.
With MLS teams facing off in February, the issue of pre-season form is no longer a concern. Both sides will be at the same disadvantage.
February in Salt Lake and Columbus will be just a bit chilly. Both clubs may find it difficult to sell those games in what is sure to be uncomfortable weather. While the matches are meaningful, it would be foolish to expect much fan enthusiasm during the winter.
But the timing also benefits the MLS winner. With the semifinals set for March, whomever prevails will have a weather advantage over the Honduran-Costa Rican winner. A possible MLS finalist won’t have much of an advantage against a Mexican side in April.
The draw sets up perfectly for MLS to finally breakthrough in the Champions League, with a Club World Cup birth and a bit of MLS notoriety should they complete the task.
If MLS ever had a chance to win this tournament, this is it.
This week the podcast panel discuss the clash of European aristocracy at the Bernabeu, where nine-times winners Real Madrid host seven-tiems champions AC Milan, plus the Wayne Rooney saga and the plight of Liverpool.
Kevin Fylan is joined by Owen Wyatt, Mark Meadows, Jon Bramley and Toby Davis