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Tag: Wimbledon

  • Brie Larson: Will She Replace Emma Stone and Play Billie Jean King in Upcoming Film?

    Brie Larson is reportedly in talks to play the role of tennis legend Billie Jean King in an upcoming film called Battle of the Sexes. Emma Stone was initially cast in the leading role, but had to back out because of a scheduling conflict.

    Steve Carell is set to play Bobby Riggs in the film.

    The story of Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs was a defining event back in 1973, when the 29-year-old number 2 ranked female tennis star rose to the challenge and beat the 55-year-old retired former Wimbledon champion Riggs.

    Brie Larson appears in the recent Amy Schumer film Trainwreck. She also played the role of Rachel for two seasons of Community.

    Battle of the Sexes is just one of three upcoming projects based on the infamous tennis match. The other two are the HBO and Playtone film Proof, starring Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti. Chernin Entertainment and Gary Sanchez’s Match Maker featuring Steve Conrad’s as writer, with Will Ferrell signed on to play Bobby Riggs.

    Billie Jean King is an intricate character. Does Brie Larson have what it takes to portray her accurately?

    And how about her tennis skills? Brie Larson not only must learn about Billie Jean King’s persona, but she needs to be at least a fairly decent tennis player, too.

  • Lindsey Vonn Looking Sexier Than Ever Following Tiger Woods Split

    Lindsey Vonn has been spending a good deal of time since her split from Tiger Woods concentrating on herself–and she looks sexier than ever as a result.

    The American World Cup alpine ski racer is clearly doing much better than Tiger Woods is these days, too. While he is being accused of cheating on her with
    Amanda Boyd–she is looking fabulous on the cover of CNET Magazine.

    Lindsey Vonn spoke recently with Entertainment Tonight, and preferred to dish about her role as an athlete rather than her role as Tiger Woods’ ex.

    “Hopefully in the future they can come up with something that will help me improve my training,” she told the publication.

    It was via Facebook that Lindsey Vonn announced her split from Woods, and she did explain her reason for that decision.

    “I think social media is a really good platform to be able to communicate with fans,” she said.

    Lindsey Vonn just returned from London where she cheered on Lewis Hamilton as he won the 2015 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

    Just a day ago Lindsey Vonn cheered on Roger Federer at Wimbledon.

    “Love this place! #GoFed #wimbledon,” she captioned an Instagram photo.

    A photo posted by Lindsey Vonn (@lindseyvonn) on

    Yes, Lindsey Vonn appears not only sexy and fit, but also to be doing much better than Tiger Woods.

    Kudos to the athlete and American beauty for holding her head and her standards so high.

  • Lindsey Vonn Talks Life After Tiger

    Lindsey Vonn was out and about this past weekend and didn’t seem to be too heartbroken anymore over her breakup with Tiger Woods.

    On Saturday and Monday, Lindsey Vonn was at Wimbledon in England cheering on her two friends, Caroline Wozniacki and Roger Federer, as they played tennis.

    In an interview for USA Today Sports, Lindsey Vonn revealed what she loves about the game and why she likes to watch it.

    When asked what makes it so special, she said, “I love it. It’s one of my favorite sporting events to go to. It’s the whole experience and the atmosphere. It’s different. It’s very classic and elegant. You have your strawberries and cream and watch Roger [Federer] … I don’t know, it’s pretty perfect.”

    Lindsey Vonn also talked about her friendship with Caroline Wozniacki.

    She said, “I met her before on the golf tour. We text a lot. This is the first time that I’ve actually been able to watch her because I haven’t been at any tournaments since I got injured.”

    Lindsey Vonn explained a bond that all women in sports share.

    She said, “Females in sports, we have a lot in common. It’s nice to have a friend that understands the difficulties of being in the spotlight and training hard and competing.”

    The day is not over yet! #10pmworkout #grinding #iwillwhatiwant

    A photo posted by Lindsey Vonn (@lindseyvonn) on

    And of course, she was asked about Tiger Woods and that whole ordeal.

    If you’ve been under a rock, Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods broke up after nearly three years. Many assumed that Tiger had been cheating since, you know, he has a history.

    In particular, rumors suggested he had an affair with the ex-wife of a fellow pro golfer, Amanda Boyd.

    However, he and Lindsey have both denied those allegations.

    In fact, in a statement to Golfweek, Tiger’s agent said, “I couldn’t deny this more vehemently. There is less than zero strand of truth to it. They are not even acquaintances.”

    That all seems to be behind Lindsey Vonn now. When asked how she was doing, she said, “I’m doing really well. I’m feeling good. I have a good support system around me and we ended on good terms. It just didn’t work. That happens: Two adults, sometimes, it just doesn’t work. But yes, we do (keep in touch).”

    What do you think? Are you glad Lindsey Vonn is moving on after her breakup?

  • Serena Williams to Play Swedish Open After Wimbledon Early Exit

    Serena Williams has confirmed that she will play the Swedish Open, according to tournament director Nina Wennerstrom.

    On Tuesday Williams exited her doubles match at Wimbledon mid-match due to a viral illness that left her shaky and feeling faint.

    In what was widely referred to as a “strange” scene, Williams appeared to be disoriented during warm-ups, having difficulty picking up, tossing, and hitting balls.

    After sitting on the sideline with her sister Venus, with whom she was to play the doubles match, and Wimbledon personnel, Williams began the match but withdrew following the third game.

    “I am heartbroken I’m not able to continue in the tournament. I thought I could rally this morning because I really wanted to compete, but this bug just got the best of me,” she said in a statement later that day.

    Williams says she’s getting better, albeit slowly:

    The Collector Swedish Open opens July 14 in Bastad, Sweden.

    Williams will be defending her title in the upcoming tournament. Last July she defeated Sweden’s tennis darling Johanna Larsson in the final round, marking her first international-level title.

    Following her 2013 win, Williams said:

    “It’s been such a great experience here … when I wake up I see the ocean – it reminds me a little bit of home … it’s just a really, really good feeling to have such a great city at your fingertips, and everything a player could possibly need is at your fingertips as well.”

    Bastad is located on the southwest coast of Sweden near the straits of Kattegat, midway between the cities of Halmstad and Helsingborg.

    Indeed Williams is no stranger to coastal towns. When she was an infant her family moved from her birthplace of Saginaw, MI to Compton, CA which is located just south of Los Angeles. When she was nine-years-old they relocated to West Palm Beach, FL.

    Image via YouTube, Tennis World

  • Serena Williams Exits Doubles Match At Wimbledon Due To Ailment

    Serena Williams was out of her game on Saturday. During the warm up for her doubles match against Kristina Barrois and Stefanie Vögele, she looked disoriented and had trouble picking up the tennis balls.

    On Saturday, Williams said that she did not know what she did wrong, referring to her loss to Alize Cornet. “Usually I do. Usually I know I did this, this and that.” Lindsey Davenport told BBC that talks in the locker room are different now. “The general consensus in the locker room is they have a chance now, and it wasn’t like that a few years ago,” she said.

    Serena Williams seemed wobbly and disoriented on the court.

    Soon after the warm-up, doctors visited Williams on the court to check her blood pressure. A shaky and teary-eyed Williams said that she felt faint. Her sister Venus was by her side looking concerned. Despite her condition, Williams decided to play. In the middle of the match, however, an announcement came saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, Miss Williams has to retire.”

    According to the referee’s office, William’s reason for withdrawal was a viral illness. In a statement, Williams said, “I am heartbroken I’m not able to continue in the tournament. I thought I could rally this morning because I really wanted to compete, but this bug just got the best of me.”

    Williams also thanked her fans for the support they gave her despite her withdrawal. “From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of the fans for their cheers and understanding. I look forward to returning to Wimbledon next year,” she said.

    Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou said that he did not know what Williams’ ailment was and he said that he had not seen her for two days before she entered the court.

    Nearly two hours after her withdrawal, Williams was seen walking to a tournament van with Mouratoglou.

    Image via YouTube

  • Maria Sharapova Blazes Into Fourth Round of Wimbledon

    Maria Sharapova, winner of the French Open this month, is on a roll after reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon yesterday. The Associated Press reported that even though she fell behind at first (3-1 behind her opponent 44th ranked Alison Riske of the United States), she managed to win the last 11 games claiming a 6-3, 6-0 victory. No rain pelted on the two since they were located on the roofed Centre Court. Those outside were less fortunate, as rain outside held up the tournament.

    Last year, Sharapova lost Wimbledon in the second round.

    “I made a slow start but I felt better as the match went on,” Sharapova said about the victory to BBC Sport. Commentator and former tennis star Lindsay Davenport explained she thought, “this Wimbledon, Maria has come in very relaxed. She is happy after winning the French Open and has settled in nicely here. When she gets the one-two combination going either from serve or return it is very hard to stop her.”

    According to Reuters, one of the most difficult transitions to make for players coming off the French Open to Wimbledon is the transition from clay court to grass. The transition is just as difficult for Sharapova as it is for the other players. “Well, this is only my second time trying to do that,” she explains, “of course, the transition, it’s no secret, it’s very difficult.”

    Her happy personal life doesn’t seem to hurt her ability to adapt and play either. This year Sharapova is dating fellow tenis player Grigor Dimitrov. He has apparently earned the nickname “Mr. Sharapova”. Having him around helps, apparently. “It’s definitely nice to feel like you’re mentally happy out there when you’re on the court,” Maria Sharapova explained to Reuters.

    Image via Wimbledon, YouTube.

  • Venus Williams Loses in Third Round at Wimbledon

    While she has not experienced much success in recent years, many thought that this year was potentially the year Venus Williams would once again prove why she is one of the greatest to ever play the game of tennis. Battling Sjogren’s Syndrome and various illnesses and injuries over the past three years, Venus had finally gotten in playing-shape once again. And what better time to do so than Wimbledon, a place where she has won the singles and doubles titles five times each. Unfortunately, though, this was not to be Venus’s year to shine.

    Earlier today, Venus lost in three sets to No. 6 ranked Petra Kvitova, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-5.

    However, there was no shame in defeat. Many had thought that Venus would never reach this level of play again. On Thursday, she went toe-to-toe with one of the world’s best in perhaps the most entertaining match of Wimbledon 2014 yet.

    Venus started the first set strongly, committing only three unforced errors in the set and never facing a breakpoint. Toward the end of the second set, though, one could see the fatigue set in, with Venus giving Kvitova the tie-break with a double fault.

    It would be Venus’s serve which would once again fail her in the third set, giving Kvitova match point. An unforced error coming from a backhand eventually gave Kvitova the victory.

    “It was definitely a very tough battle. I was preparing for this because I know Venus can play very well on grass. I’m just happy I’m through. When I lost the first set I was a little bit down mentally but I knew I could come back. In the third set anything can happen. It was hard to break her. I was just trying to push her and finally I did it. I was just lucky in the end,” Kvitova humbly assessed.

    As for what the future holds for Venus, only time will tell. If tennis should fail her, she always has the back-up option of becoming a nude model – a practice in which she recently dabbled.

    Image via Twitter

  • Martina Hingis Invited Back to Wimbledon

    In 1996, Martina Hingis shocked the tennis world for the first time by becoming the youngest player to ever win a Grand Slam title, partnering with Helena Sukova at Wimbledon to take home the women’s doubles title. At 15 years old, many expected Hingis to dominate the world of women’s tennis for quite some time. However, due to ligament injuries in her ankles, Hingis was forced to an early retirement at age 22. Since that time, Hingis has experienced mild success and had also had her career tainted somewhat by testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon in 2007. Thanks to the All England Club, however, Hingis has another chance to achieve tennis superstardom this year in London.

    Wednesday, Hingis will make her return to the grass courts of Wimbledon for the first time since 2007. Hingis’s return comes after the All England Club granted her a wild card spot in the women’s doubles tournament, where she will partner with Vera Zvonareva, who lost to Serena Williams in the finals of the singles tournament in 2010.

    Hingis, who was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame last year, has experienced much success at Wimbledon in the past, winning doubles championships in 1996 and 1998 and splitting those wins with a singles championships in 1997.

    Unfortunately, Hingis was not able to continue her partnership with Germany’s Sabine Lisicki, to whom Hingis served as coach for some time. In March of this year, Hingis won her first tournament since her second retirement in 2007 with Lisicki at the Sony Open.

    Since that time, however, Hingis and Lisicki have mutually decided to part ways, with each tennis star seeking to better her own respective career:

    It is yet to be determined at what time Hingis will take the court at this year’s Wimbledon.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ivan Lendl and Andy Murray Parting Ways

    Ivan Lendl, described as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, has parted ways with Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray. During their two-year coaching partnership, Murray won Wimbledon, as the first Briton to do so in 77 years.

    Murray commented on his blog, “I’m eternally grateful to Ivan for all his hard work over the past two years, the most successful of my career so far. As a team, we’ve learned a lot and it will definitely be of benefit in the future. I’ll take some time with the team to consider the next steps and how we progress from here.”

    Lendl, once a four-time Grand Slam runner up, went on to win eight major titles, and once spent 270 weeks as the world’s top player. Murray, also a four-time Grand Slam runner up, was able to win two major titles and an Olympic gold, under Lendl’s tutelage.

    Watch Murray nail Lendl with a tennis ball during a doubles match:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4H8r3cPuhE

    Lendl commented on the split in a statement, “Working with Andy over the last two years has been a fantastic experience for me. He is a first-class guy. Having helped him achieve his goal of winning major titles, I feel like it is time for me to concentrate on some of my own projects moving forward including playing more events around the world which I am really enjoying.”

    Lendl has recently opened courts at the Ivan Lendl Junior Tennis Academy in Bluffton, South Carolina, and has been giving lessons in the Canary Islands. He’d shied away from the sport for almost two decades before coming on as Murray’s coach. Lendl has been credited with helping Murray with his second serve, as well as learning how to better traverse the mental aspects of the game.

    Lendl added, “I will always be in Andy’s corner and wish him nothing but great success as he too goes into a new phase of his career.”

    Image via YouTube.

  • Ivan Lendl and Andy Murray End Coaching Relationship

    Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and coach Ivan Lendl parted ways after a two-year working relationship, the two announced on the British player’s blog Wednesday.

    “I’m eternally grateful to Ivan for all his hard work over the past two years, the most successful of my career so far,” said Murray, who returned from back surgery this season.

    “As a team, we’ve learned a lot and it will definitely be of benefit in the future. I’ll take some time with the team to consider the next steps and how we progress from here,” continued Murray, who is prepping to compete at the Sony Open this week in Miami.

    The partnership took Murray, who hired Lendl in 2012, from a four-time Grand Slam runner-up to winning an Olympic Gold medal in London in 2012 and a US Open title later that same year. Murray also took Wimbledon while working with Lendl, and became the first British man to take the title in 77 years.

    On working with Murray, Lendl said:

    “Working with Andy over the last two years has been a fantastic experience for me. He is a first class guy. Having helped him achieve his goal of winning major titles, I feel like it is time for me to concentrate on some of my own projects moving forward including playing more events around the world which I am really enjoying.”

    “I will always be in Andy’s corner and wish him nothing but great success as he too goes into a new phase of his career,” continued Lendl.

    Murray had back surgery in September 2013 and has not made it to a final eight since he won Wimbledon. The 26-year-old player is defending his title at the Sony Open this week.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Eugenie Bouchard: Now Serving at the Adult Table

    Eugenie Bouchard, the 19-year-old tennis sensation hailing from Westmount, Quebec has a great chance of reaching the Australian Open Semifinals if she defeats Ana Ivanovic.

    This is record-breaking stuff for Canada; Patricia Hy-Boulais has been the only other Canadian able to make it into a Grand Slam Tournament, and that was way back in 1992. In Bouchard’s lifetime, she’d be the only Canadian to accomplish this feat in the professional women’s realm. Bouchard has already won the status as the first Canadian to win a Junior Grand Slam in singles at Wimbledon, and has proven herself to be a dominant youth player. Now it’s time to prove once and for all that she can run just as well with the big dogs.

    It won’t be easy running– although she’s fortunately been able to sidestep the most dominant player in the league right now in Serena Williams, she now has the task of taking down the victor of that intense match. Ana Ivanovic is obviously on a roll with the epic triumph under her belt, so Ivanovic will undoubtedly serve up some work for Bouchard– even though she has already decimated Ivanvoic in straight sets at the Wimbledon just last summer.

    A lot can change in a year, however, and Bouchard is not taking this upcoming match lightly. She also has to forgo resting up for the match– she has a doubles round with Vera Dushevin on Monday.

    Although Bouchard tells a Canadian newspaper that “she’s just happy to be playing,” we can be sure that the gravity of her appearing in the Grand Slam tournament is not lost on her. It is a sure bet that Bouchard will take advantage of the injury issues that likely slowed Serena Williams down to cause her defeat, allowing Bouchard to sidestep the number one tennis player in the world.

    Be sure to check your local listings to see when the Monday match airs on your network. You can also read about her bathroom struggles,

    her New Year greeting gripes

    and more by following her Twitter.

    Image via Twitter

  • Andy Murray Gun Scare: 4 Arrested In London

    As reported by the Huffington Post, four men were arrested in West London after they were suspected of brandishing a “gun” at Wimbledon champion Andy Murray only to realize that the four men were Andy’s fans hunting for an autograph with a tennis racket.

    The incident occurred on Wednesday evening at around 5 PM. The two men supposedly stepped out of their car and knocked on the window of Murray’s car. They attempted to ask him to sign a tennis racket, but Murray swiftly drove off.

    As if that was not enough disappointment for the autograph hunters, a member of the public mistakably believed that the men were holding a gun and phoned the police.

    A Scotland Yard police spokesman confirmed they received a report of a man with a firearm in a Mercedes car in Swiss Cottage, Avenue road. The search for the car started immediately, and the car was stopped on Tadema Road in Chelsea. “A search of the car was conducted, and no trace of a firearm was found.” Said the Spokesman.

    Nonetheless, the four men aged 21, 26, 27 and 31 were arrested on suspicion that they were carrying firearms and taken into custody. The men were later bailed until late January pending further inquiries.

    Murray, who is currently recovering from back surgery, is the first British man to win the Wimbledon for 77 years. Unfortunately, he missed the better part of the season due to the surgery.

    See Andy Murray win Wimbledon 2013

    (image via Wikimedia)

  • David Nalbandian Retires Amid Injuries

    David Nalbandian Retires Amid Injuries

    2002 Wimbledon runner-up, David Nalbandian, has made a life-changing decision this week – one that places a stark sense of finality on his professional tennis career. Tuesday, October 1 was a day that Nalbandian classified as ‘difficult,’ given his untimely announcement, declaring his retirement from professional tennis. However, the decision wasn’t solely voluntarily, as his current shoulder injury leaves him no choice, New York Times reports.

    The 31-year-old, former No. 3 expressed his gratitude to Wimbledon for the tenure of his career, stating that he was ‘super grateful’ for the Wimbledon tournament, as well as the sport itself. He also explained that his shoulder “did not respond well to treatment.” The Argentine athlete concluded the conference by stating that he ‘could not compete.’

    Nalbandian reached the height of his career at No. 3 in the 2006 rankings after spending five years of continuity in the top 10. He traveled the ATP tour for a total of 13 years, reaching all four of the Grand Slam semi-final tournaments. However, in 2002, Nalbandian suffered defeat at the hands of Australian tennis player, Lleyton Hewitt.

    As a top contender for Wimbledon in 2012, Nalbandian was fined and disqualified due to the injury of a line judge. He forcefully kicked an advertising board during the Queen’s Club final tune-up tournament. A portion of the barrier from the advertising board hit the judge in the left shin, causing bloodshed. Nalbandian was fined roughly $70,000, in addition to being placed at fault for the line judge’s injuries. Nalbandian additionally suffered further consequences in the form of forfeiture in ranking points. He also wasn’t seeded that month, due to the incident, which equated to him losing a chance to face a more competitive opponent in the first round. The turn of events were major factors to Nalbandian losing his opening match.

    Before concluding the news conference, Nalbandian stated his biggest regret, which was not being a contributing factor for Argentina bringing home the Davis Cup. However, he was a standing candidate for runner-up teams in 2006, 2008, and 2011.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Maria Sharapova Denies Engagement Rumors

    Tennis star Maria Sharapova didn’t play in the US Open last week, but she’s managed to stay in the spotlight nonetheless.

    As her official Twitter feed indicates, she’s been making the talk show rounds, and attending New York Fashion week events:

    Sharapova took advantage of her appearance on Larry King Live, to dispel rumors of her recent engagement to boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov: “No I’m not getting married. Not that I know of.”

    Dimitrov is a Bulgarian-born professional tennis player who lives in Stockholm, Sweden. He is currently the No. 29 ranked male tennis player in the world.

    Sharapova, four-time Grand Slam winner, pulled out of the US Open because of a shoulder injury. Rumors have swirled around the Russian beauty since her early exit from Wimbledon in June. Besides being involved in a fairly public war of words with rival Serena Williams, Sharapova made headlines in mid-August when she fired her coach Jimmy Connors a mere 34 days after hiring him.

    She was expected to enter the US Open, which commenced August 26, without a coach.

    Amidst it all, Sharapova launched her Sugarpova accessory line at Henri Bendel in New York City on August 21:

    photo credit

  • Google Glass Goes to Wimbledon (on the Face of Bethanie Mattek-Sands)

    On Tuesday, American Bethanie Mattek-Sands will take the court against Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the first round of the Championships at Wimbledon. The 28-year-old is ranked #58 in the world, and is sporting a blue and green hairstyle for the tournament.

    But that’s not the only reason to watch Mattek-Sand at Wimbledon this year. Or more importantly, to follow her on social media. That’s because Mattek-Sands is sporting Google Glass, the first professional tennis player to sport the technology at a major event.

    The Championships at Wimbledon have always adhered to a fairly strict dress code – so it’s unlikely that she’ll be able to don Google Glass during her match (though it’s not been ruled out completely).

    But Mattek-Sands has already been wearing Google Glass around the All England Club, and has been sharing her experience on Twitter:

    A Google spokesperson had this to say in a statement:

    Glass’s potential in the sports realm is huge, and it can connect athletes, coaches, and fans in new ways. For Bethanie, it’s allowed her to capture her strokes from her point of view during practice and share those with her coaches. It also helps her search recipes and perfect her cooking, something that’s important to a professional athlete with dietary allergies and restrictions.

    If you’re looking to catch some of the action over the next couple of weeks, remember: YouTube is streaming live from Wimbledon.

  • YouTube Is Streaming Wimbledon Starting Monday

    YouTube Is Streaming Wimbledon Starting Monday

    This year, with the help of Rolex, YouTube is set to be your exclusive source for live streaming at Wimbledon.

    The Wimbledon Championships, the world’s oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament, is set to kick off on Monday, June 24th, and YouTube says that they will be there for live streaming tennis as well as a bunch of bonus content.

    As of today, the YouTube Wimbledon channel is packed with interviews, past highlights, and more.

    From YouTube:

    This year, supported by Rolex, Wimbledon’s YouTube channel will have exclusive access throughout The Championships on Live @ Wimbledon.

    Catch the key moments of the tennis, interviews, behind the scenes and press conferences throughout the Wimbledon fortnight. You can also relive all the glory days of Wimbledon’s golden moments, such as one of the greatest matches ever played, the 2008 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer.

    On the men’s side, Roger Federer will be defending his title this year, and on the women’s side it’ll be Serena Williams.

  • Maria Sharapova, No. 1 seed, Knocked Out in the Fourth Round of Wimbledon

    Maria Sharapova has been knocked out of Wimbledon in the fourth round by 15 seed Sabine Lisicki. This unforseen and devestating loss could cost the Russian her rank as the number 1 women’s tennis player.

    Sharapova lost in two sets in a match that was controlled by Lisicki from the beginning. Sharapova was intimidated by Lisicki’s fast serves, that she followed with powerful groundstrokes. Lisicki finished Sharapova off with an ace down the middle on her second match point. Sharapova fell 6-4, 6-3 to the German.

    Although Lisicki is a 15 seed, the grass courts of Wimbledon suit her well. She made the quarters and the semis in her last two appearances, the quick pace of grass consistently playing to her style. So much so that she has developed something of a streak of knocking out French Open champions in Wimbledon. In 2009 she knocked out Svetlana Kuznetsova and in 2011 Li Na.

    Sharapova was coming into Wimbledon on a high after winning her first French Open and completing a career Grand Slam. She was trying to become the first woman since Serena Williams to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.

    “I just went for my shots. Really from the first point on I felt great out there,” Lisicki said to AP after the match. “It’s my favorite tournament. I love playing on grass; I love the crowd here. I just love it.”

    In other Wimbledon news, Grand Slam Champion Kim Clijsters was also knocked out in what she says is her final Wimbledon before she retires this year. Advancing are four time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams and defending champion, Petra Kvitova.

  • Twitter Fun With Wimbledon

    Twitter Fun With Wimbledon

    Apparently, the way to become a Twitter trend, especially if you are a women’s tennis player, is to lose. Just ask Caroline Wozniacki. Coming into Wimbledon 2011, Wozniacki was considered the favorite to win the women’s bracket. And then her match against Dominika Cibulkova happened, in what apparently was a battle of the new generation of attractive female tennis stars.

    Now, Caroline Wozniacki is a trending Twitter topic, thanks to her being upset at the hands of Cibulkova. Both the Williams sisters were ousted as well, but they aren’t burning up the Twitter trends like Wozniacki, although, Venus’ winning opponent, Tsvetana Pironkova, is.

    As expected, the related tweets are filled with surprise that many of the Wimbledon favorites like Wozniacki and the Williams sisters are now out. There is also an interesting statistic, pointed out by ESPN:

    Caroline Wozniacki has been No. 1 37 weeks (through Wimbledon) and has 0 Grand Slams – that’s the most weeks at No. 1 w/o winning a Slam 20 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    Wow. First Serena. Now… RT @BreakingNews Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki loses in 4th round at Wimbledon http://t.co/xbBS3yb 24 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    Wow, #24 Dominika Cibulkova beat #1 Caroline Wozniacki 1-6, 7-6, 7-5. Top seeds are dropping like flies! 25 minutes ago via UberSocial · powered by @socialditto

    Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki both out. Venus Williams is in trouble. Not a great day for the top seeded ladies. 27 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    While tennis may be a little further down on the rung when it comes to popular sporting events when compared to NFL football and the like, there’s still a very savvy crowd keeping up with it, and, of course, social media makes it all that much easier.

    Speaking of easy, Twitter and Wimbledon, someone had better calm Andy Murray’s mom, Judy Murray, down. Apparently, she is quite smitten with potential Murray opponent Feliciano Lopez and has let the world know about it, via — what else? — Twitter:

    Oooooooooh Deliciano……..looking good out there. As always. 3 days ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® · powered by @socialditto

    @alex_willis: Hope you’re ready @judmoo + @andreapetkovic…just seen Deliciano wearing a ‘welcome 2 the gun show t-shirt’” MARVELLOUS 3 days ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® · powered by @socialditto

    @judmoo U absolutely need to share pics with us for that Deli-Andrea mixed dubs…u need to 😉 3 days ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto

    @Sharap_993 as if u needed to remind me…….my camera will probably melt 3 days ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® · powered by @socialditto

    All of this salivating and camera-melting was a little too much for Murray, and so, he chastised his mom through the media:

    “I think it’s about time she stopped that nonsense. Makes me want to throw up. It’s disgusting,” said Murray, who could meet Lopez in the quarter-finals.

    Too bad Murray didn’t go after his mom’s flirtations on Twitter. That would’ve made Judy Murray’s tweet stream all the more epic.