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Congratulations to Spain for winning their maiden world cup after beating the Netherlands in an action packed final :) Great play by Casillas and the gang!!! Too bad for our Liverpool hero Fernando Torres though, who had to be stretched out after injuring his hamstring (again) during a ball chase.

Anywayz... celebrations in their locker room was accompanied by another Spaniard, whose jack of trait is on the tennis court. Yeps, it's Rafael Nadal... nephew of Miguel Angel Nadal (once played for Spain also). A few weeks back he took a bite out of the Wimbledon trophy. Yesterday... he tasted gold again as they allowed him to get a bite out of the coveted World Cup trophy. Tapi takpe la kot... dah trademark dia :D

Picture from: http://www.hcfoo.com/2010/07/rafael-nadal-gets-to-bite-world-cup.html

Anywayz... again, congrats to Spain!!! Meanang gak korang ek? Kira double la ni... Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010!!! :D

The men's ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings has recently changed. The reign of Roger Federer has come to and end (and I am slowly coming to accept that... sob sob)... and somehow, I see the resurrection being very difficult. It is now the time of dominance for the never-tiring Spaniard... Rafael Nadal :D He has shown great improvement in his game... after playing second fiddle for so long, he is now (finally) on top of the world. And with those crazy forehands and backhands of his (which from my point of view, would be very difficult to be hit out-of-play due to the amount of spin applied),  I see his dominance lasting for many more good years.

Anywayz... I think we all know that Nadal is now No.1 :) The reason for this post is  to share something interesting I just found out about our champ :) He is naturally a right-hander! I mean, he basically does everything using his right hand. Activities such as brushing teeth, writing, drawing, eating, catching, throwing etc... All he does with his right. But for tennis? A leftie?

I don't quite know the history (but am quite eager to investigate)... but I believe he started tennis with his right hand. But then he shifted to the left... and the rest is history. I mean, look where he is now? A right-handed guy... who apprently chooses to play tennis with his left hand... and now, somehow ends up as World No. 1. Hehehehe... Menarik dan Interesting :)

Anywayz... I just thought of putting this YouTube video about Nadal's story... Rafa: From Right to Left :D Tres interresant, non?... Enjoy :)

Oraite.... Back to work :D

(From: http://www.gulf-times.com/mritems/images/2009/2/2/2_270411_1_248.jpg) 

Yesterday evening (~ 4:30pm), I started to watch one of the best displays of tennis skills ever to be captured on TV. It promised to be an epic match between  Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The world number 2 (Fed) was out looking for his 14th Grand Slam to match Pete Sampras' record, and also to prove a point that he is still worthy of the title as best tennis player ever (even though he himself does not say this... all tennis fans and Federer fans know this :D).

Nadal on the other hand... is just starting. Finally I think, he has his engines all warmed up and totally REVVED! Before the match even started, I sort'a knew that the match was going to be Nadal's. The only thing I was kinda hoping for was for Fedex to give the Spaniard a good fight! :) Which Alhamdulillaah... he did.

Nadal's game has improve so much over the years... and I have to say that his forehand..... is a definite KILLER! I mean.... you almost can't hit an out-ball with that forehand! 

Backhand dia pulak? Ish... memanjang dapat tangkap angle yg amat2 cantek. Whenever FedEx gave him a tight angled shot... he answered with another shot a few degrees tighter! Dayem!

IN all... the game was great. Was a bit dissapointing to see Federer lose his composure in the fifth set. He was tired by then I think, both mentally and physically (the top spin single handed backhand was almost reaching it's expiry hour)... Nadal prevailed, even after playing (also) an epic 5-hour match agains compatriot Fernando Verdasco.  Now, I can see that Nadal will be the ma to beat... Or more appropriate... the BOY to beat. I mean, he's just 22! :P And still ada muka2 budak2 jahat sket sket. hehehehe.

Anywayz, congrats to Nadal... and happy hunting for more grand slams ahead. Of course, I preferred if you lost, as I am a Federer fan. Hahahaha! But, congrats are due when they're due, and I now truly recognize you Mr Rafa... as being (and further becoming) one of the best tennis players the world has to see!!!!

Oraitey... teeing off... and of course, also crying with Federer :P

Cheerios!

Hmmm... if this is the $$$ involved in Grand Slams, might as well as my daughter to start playing. I mean, almost AUD$20K for just playing in the first round? Dat's like almost RM60K mate!!! More than what I make in a year!!!!! :o ... Now only need to come up with a TUTUP AURAT and GEGAR PROOF outfit... Hmmmmm :-?

Assalaam aleykom my dear readers!

Tennis is a lovely sport. If you're good at it, you can make more than 10-of-millions of USDs from just a few good years (like Justine Henan... who's already retired whilst still holding the world number 1 spot).

But if you're not good, but still would like to play... macam saya dengan ex-roomate saya Encik Azrul Hazri Jantan... then the best thing to do is to invest in a ok/good tennis racket, a few tennis balls... and of course, get some coupons from the pak guard office for the USM tennis courts ;) Kat sini, for 1 hour of play, kena guna kupon 50 sen (student rate). Tapi kalau malam, RM1 per hour... sebab dia orang pasang lampu.

So, kot2 la sapa2 nak tau, how much to invest... well, we'd say... put in a few hundred bucks. Takde la sampai thousands macam golf tapi :) 

Myself and Azrul, we both bought an ok brand racket (I bought Prince... Azrul got himself a Wilson). Price range... mine was a pre-strung (dah ada tali...) RM199.00. Azrul's one... ntoh. Berapa ek mat? Lebih kurang ye dok? For us beginners... this would be an ok price for an ok racket. Not to shabby while at the same time not to advanced :) Ye la kan... baru lajar nak pukul, takkan nak beli racket Roger Federer yg harga 600-800 ringgit :P Maghah bini den aihhh....

For the balls? In the range of RM15-RM20 per container (3 balls in each container). There are balls priced at RM10, but we think that those ones might not last long. So beli yang mahal sikit ok la kot? (Ntah betul ntah tidak deduction kita orang ni. Hehehehe :P).

Kasut? Lupa pulak nak mention kasut. Also, we got the not so expensive type. RM169.90 was mine. Azrul nye RM159.90 kot? Brand TER-sama la pulak, walaupun beli dalam 2-3 bulan apart. Hahahaha! Cuma saya punya lagik cun la.. kueng kueng kueng :P cah je tu.

Anywayz... overall.... RM199 + RM18x2 (dua tin sorang baru ok sket...) + RM170 = RM405. So lebih kurang dalam area tu la. RM400-500... 

Tapi tak la beli semua in one go. Kami tutor lagik... so RM405 sekali harung tu banyak oooo. Benda2 ni pon kami beli in the course of a few months. So one month tu max keluar dalam RM100 la kot. Hehehehe....

So, basically this is the break down. Insya-Allaah, if we get better, akan upgrade equipment. Kot2 la ada duit lebih jatuh dari langit ke 9... hehehehe. Buleh angkat reket ala2 Nadal atau Federer ye dok. Annywayz....

Okes. Sekarang, mari kita layan gambaar :) Sapa2 ada tips yang lebih berguna... especially for those who are more experienced in tennis... silalah kemukakan :D I am all ears! :D 

Oraitey then... Adios dan selamat ber tennis :D

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My Prince racket... lampu tu buat cam dia display item la  plak...

Oversized frame... so that ball hit is guaranteed (cuz i beginner meh... kang pukul tak kena susah :P)

Additional info, which I only realized AFTER purchasing the racket

Dunlop balls. RM19.50.

Wilson balls. RM18.50 (another shop sells this at RM16.50. Tipah tertipu bang!)

Rupa bola DUNLOP

Rupa bola WILSON

Belakang bola WILSON tu ada tulis Australian Open... rasa macam Lleyton Hewitt plak aku. 

The whole set. Ni buleh buat display item ni... Supermarkets! Hire me nowww....

A very fierce rivalry... between two SOCS TENNIS 'GREATS'!!!

Evenly matched on the playfield... play-court more like it. Swerving serves of 155 miles per hour, dashing forehands, masterfully crafted backhand passes, the most delicate of drop shots... ATP rankings are nothing to these warriors of the USM hard court...

The battle continues... even as we speak (write... or read for you guys)!!!

The stats shows equally matched magicians! Illusionists!!! Mesmerisers that surpass that of Roland Garos greats! Even John McEnroe himself bows down in shame... he himself now is of no temperament... McEnroe is now tamed...

Ten meetings! 5-5 record... an illustrious DRAW!!!

6-4, 6-3, 7-5 (AHJ def. TF)

7-5, 6-4, 6-3 (TF def. AHJ)

6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 (TF def. AHJ)

6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 (AHJ def. TF)

6-4, 6-3, 7-5 (AHJ def. TF)

6-1, 6-1, 6-4 (AHJ def. TF)

6-4, 6-2, 6-1 (AHJ def. TF)

7-5, 6-4, 6-3 (TF def. AHJ)

6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 (TF def. AHJ)

6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 (TF def. AHJ)

Who will prevail in the next USM grand slam final... whose first round competitors will surely be easily swept aside, with less than minimal effort!!! Be like the dried leaves of Nethergard will they... The hard court has never seen such history being made!!!!!!!

WHO WILL PREVAIL!!!!

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RIIINNNGGGGGGG!!!! RINGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!! RINNNGGGGGGGGGG!!!!

(Jam tepat menunjukkan pukul 6:15 AM. Bangun Subuh wahai Alpyan dan Azrul)

Chaits... terjaga pulak dari mimpi. Ternyatalah, all the above adalah khayalan semata-mata. Cerita rekaan yang dicipta oleh blogger kerna berkeinginan terel main tenis. But becuz I and my roomate pon baru baru belajar... dengan bercikgu-kan ASTRO Channels 811/812/813/814.... so skill kami mmg baru tahap cipan baru merangkak :D Yang kat atas tu just angan2 semata-mata. Hehehehe....

Dayem... this must be PhD effect :D Hehehehe. But takpe...

All we have to do now is to try to get our serves in :P Nak serve pon tak reti2 sangat lagi. Backhand dan Forehand pon like kid standard 2 : Tapi takpe... will try some more...

Maat!!! Minggu depan men lagik tenis. Esok (Jemaat) takleh kot, pasal orang rumah soh balik awal... ada hal sket :D hehehe.

Orait. tq for reading :D

Assalaam aleykom WBT

Troxion Federer ace-ing off...