Not just a pretty "va".

There is just something about the "va"s.

There was Anna Kournikova, more recognized for her talent off the tennis court than on it, then there was Maria Sharapova the true princess of tennis who is super glamorous off the court but shrieks unglamourously on it.

There is the lesser known Daniela Hantuchova who will look at home on the fashion walkway just as she is on the hard courts of tennis.

Now there is another Russian lady with a distinct similarity... only that she is driving and strutting her way down the fairways of golf courses instead of burning her soles across tennis courts... the equally stunning and may I say talented, Maria Verchenova.

Seriously, there is something about the Marias and the "va"s.

Class is forever.

When you've got it, you've got it. That's a line taken from the pages of one American Idol judge by the name of Randy Jackson. Despite all his 'yo yo"s and "what's up dawg?", Randy makes a point that few can argue with. When you've got talent, you are set up to be great.

But of course, that is just one half of the story, the other half is all blood, sweat and tears in becoming the best there is in your arena.

When you talk about Roger Federer and Justine Henin, the line "class is forever" applies beautifully. To be really candid about it, the mere mortals in tennis can only watch in awe when Roger and Justine steps onto the court and do their thing. Sublime backhand winners, powerful forehands and instinctive volleying displays, Roger and Justine are whom I believe make tennis such a grand sport to watch. Sure, they have worked their way to near perfection but it is that ability to overshadow the rest in the field, that mental aspect of strength and assuredness in their capabilities, that raw talent that shows up on big points which make them a class above the rest.

In the Australian Open 2010, we saw the classic examples of this class we talk about. Despite Lleyton Hewitt and Niko Davydenko's workman like attitude and solid defensive play, they were sliced apart in spectacular fashion by Roger. Its almost like you feel sorry for Davy and Hewitt when you see the Swiss master torturing their game, but above all that you still yearn to see Roger whip those balls effortlessly from side to side and watch Hewitt and Davy chase them down to no avail. Its like a classic fantasy film in progress, the mere mortal against a god of sorts except the audience is on the side of the god, the god of tennis that is.

On the woman's side, the fans who cheer on a very recognisable display of poise with controlled agression in Justin Henin's courtplay show just how much she has been missed in the last two years by the tennis world. That free flowing backhand is so unique in the game, especially in the women's game and she displays such grace wielding that single-handed backhand, its ridiculous sometimes to suggest that the double backhand is a more solid stroke for female players. Today, she had no problems disposing of a hardworking Chinese player in Zheng Jie. Zheng Jie is your typical Davydenko and Hewitt in the women's game, solid baseliner and quick footwork but lacks the powerful service and front court game. You watch almost in sympathy as she was quickly wiped off the court by Justine 6-1, 6-0. She was literally outclassed. No amount of hard work she put in was going to be enough today against an inspired Henin. Justine was just too strong in every department, she is the complete player in the women's game.

Roger and Justine are what I believe stands for the beauty of this game. Their displays of grace and poise stands in sharp contrast to the guile and aggressive baseliners that define the majority of the pro tour today. And above all, they have proven that tennis is not a game about "forcing it". Its a game of "letting it flow". And when you have got talent and the strokes to back it up, it doesn't matter how long you are out of the game, or how long you have failed to live up to expectations, with work... when you've got it, you've got it.

Class is Forever, indeed.

Rafa Nadal and Phil Mickelson

Rafa Nadal and Phil Mickelson. If Roger Federer and Tiger Woods represent Superman in their sport... Rafa and "Lefty" represents their greatest nemesis. Like every hero, they have their arch rival... that someone who pushes him to his limits, tests his boundaries and in the event extend the gap at the very top beyond the mere mortals that can only try catching their tracks.

Rafa and Lefty are the undisputed top rivals to Tiger and Roger. And since Tiger and Roger has been getting all the glory for having dominated the honours in their sports, Rafa and Lefty has seldom been featured for their fierce rivalry with the most recognizable figures in golf and tennis.

In tennis, Rafa Nadal represents the guile and tenacity that contrast the elegance and precision that the Swiss master Roger is remembered by. The Spanish bull as they call him is the fiercest rival on the tennis courts in his generation, and maybe in the sport's history. It was his determination and physical prowness that saw him claim so many French Opens, Roger had to depend on his off-year to claim just one French open out of so many Grandslams he has in 2009. This is one athelete who doesn't know how to give in, a counter puncher who forces his opponents to play extra shots, and better shots to beat him. He is the athlete who developed a fearsome left forehand that topspins heavily and disturbs the Swiss master's rhythm. Its almost as if God created Nadal to stunt Federer's dominance, that one Achilles heel that Roger will always encounter. Number two on the tennis tour behind Roger for many years now, the King of Clay is the worthy challenger to the Fed's throne.

Phil "Lefty" Mickelson is by far one of the most entertaining golfers on the pro tour. His ability with the short game is what makes him that extra special with golf fans worldwide. Mickelson is also often the one man whom if any could take out Tiger Woods at the sport of golf. It was Mickelson that caught my attention when he did the amazing flop shot over his own head to find the green. To call it genuis was an understatement. Together with Woods, they are undisputedly the most consistent golfers on tour, having been the 1-2 pairing in the modern era.

Both Rafa and Mickelson are incidentally right handers. They however honed their skills using their left hand. Rafa strikes a wicked left forehand but his backhand is just as effective, with his right hand equally dominant. Phil Mickelson while usually dominating the fairways with his left hand has hit shots at weird angles with his right hand stance before, especially after wayward drives which he can be prone to.

Both have overcame and are still overcoming private issues in their own life. Rafa's parents are going through divorce while Phil's wife and mother have both struggled with cancer. Both have admirably came through much of this untimely discourse by their impressive showings and professionalism with the sport they love. Rafa is of course going through a bad time with injury recovery and has lost some of that pace that made him such a feared player. But you never bet against Rafa Nadal bouncing back. Even at his tender age, he is a colossal figure in sports when it comes to professionalism and dedication. Phil Mickelson similarly has displayed extreme determination by delivering two major tournament wins at the end of 2009 despite the pressures at home. He is an example of grit and confidence in his abilities.

So if Roger and Tiger are cult figures in their sport, Rafa and Phil are the two that almost unequivocally are the heroes for the underdogs. For they lead those who can only watch Roger and Tiger build their legacy while they struggle with their mortaility. There are many pretenders to the throne of "biggest rival" to Roger and Tiger, talented players like Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic in tennis, and gifted players like Ernie Els and Vijay Singh in golf but only Rafa and Mickelson are recognized to be true blue rivals with an attitude and mental capacity to match the top men. All these makes for great entertainment and creates the biggest buzz in sports.

Rafa and Mickelson attract me just as Roger and Tiger do. Their similarities enthrall me for I can draw many comparisons in two of the fiercest rivalries in modern sports. While Tiger and Phil, Roger and Rafa might be the greatest rivals, they also have the greatest respect for each other as competitors, understanding that the greatest challenges motivate them to even greater greatness. They push each other to their limits, and that in itself can only be a great plus to fans of tennis and golf.

Serena ought to be ashamed

Serena Williams made headlines during her semi-final clash which left her disqualified and gave Kim Clijsters the victory and eventually Kim being crowned US open Champion following her return to professional tennis.

Serena was obviously in bad shape and form, conceding defeat to Clijsters in every aspect. But her form and her play on the day is not the interesting bit. Rather, its her sickening outburst at the line umpire which has left a bad taste on everyone's mouth after witnessing it.

Clearly, Serena should be banned from the sport for at least a few months for her tirade at the line umpire. Spewing vulgarities and cursing at the umpire, threatening her like how a bully will to his/her victim, Serena displayed public outrage in front of a live audience of hundreds of American tennis fans and millions more on television. The vile remarks that she made were hideous and derogatory to the point of being censored on many replays in sports reviews.

Without a doubt in my mind, such bad and may I say "un-lady-like" behavior need no explanation and no excuses can and should be given. ATP should consider a more serious punishment for what is the most outrageous behavior I have seen in sports from any sportsman/woman. Just because you did not have a good day in the office does not grant you the right to insult and berate another. Imagine the thousands of tennis fans, including young children who are watching their favourite player on the court, what will they learn from such a bad example?

Absolutely disgraceful for a beautiful sport like tennis. Serena as one of the top players and representative of her generation ought to be ashamed of herself.

Murray Out, Return of Nadal to No. 2

Looks like good things just don't come the way of Andy Murray at GrandSlams. Despite being touted as favourite to win the US Open, the Scot and when he is winning, a Brit could not cross his mental barrier at the crucial stage, this time round falling short of the quater-final.

Unable to beat Marin Cilic who has never beaten him in a previous match before, Murray bowed out to a hard-hitting Croat whom he should have an answer to based on his kind of game. That is counter punching tennis for you, sometimes the risk of an attacking game pays off better as compared to a passive approach.

Rafa Nadal meanwhile held his head up high by sweeping aside Frenchman Gael Monfils to advance to the quarterfinals. Rafa signals his return to the big stage in pretty much the Rafa way we know him for, all willpower and guts. Monfils has no answer for the determined Spainard.

Joining Rafa and Cilic are giant forehander Fernando Gonzalez and the ever consistent Argentinian Number 1 Juan Martin Del Potro. They join the big boys Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Spanish hearthrob Fernando Verdasco as well as Roland Garros finalist Robin Soderling for the full quarter finalist line-up.

All the matchups will be interesting. I fully expect Roger to beat Soderling again, even if its at a lesser stage than in Roland Garros. Djokovic and Verdasco will be a close call, but I reckon Nole will pull through this one.

Rafa should overcome Fernando's big hitting and get to the semis where he will likely meet Del Potro whose consistency should have him an edge over the a relatively less experienced Cilic on the big stage.

Hardly any surprises if this is indeed the outcome but tennis is often unpredictable from hereon.

The Enigma that is Safin

At the US open, the world of tennis says goodbye to Marat Safin who has played his last Grandslam match of his career at the US open after being defeated by Austrian Jurgen Melzer. The man himself is a wonderful entertainer both on and off the court (who can forget the black eye he sported on court because of a fight he had in a bar in Moscow?) and his press conference after the match at Flushing Meadows was a fantastic reminder of the dry humor and easy charm of a tennis star who burst onto the scene at a young age and took on a bumpy ride ever since.

Marat Safin is the classic example of a tennis player who never lived up to his great potential. Despite claiming two Grandslams in a career that saw him took the world by storm at a young age, Marat Safin was a enigma. Nobody understood the burly Russian's mind and especially his tendency to self destruct on the tennis court.

Safin has the total package for a tennis player. He has an overwhelming physique. *The Head Prestige he holds in his hands look more like a badminton racquet than one for tennis. That physique alone gives him great power in his serves and groundstrokes. Many have commented that Safin has the complete game when at his prime. A big server, solid on both forehand and backhand and a natural volleyeur.

You know the Russian has talent when in 2000, at a tender age of 20, he outmuscled the best player on the planet then, Pete Sampras at the US open final, in front of Sampras's home crowd. Safin lived in great expectation ever since. He was touted the next big thing. But the Russian never went on to dominate as he was supposed to. Perhaps the attention plus the huge expectations took a toll on the huge shoulders of the Russian hero.

Since then, Safin won the Australian Open in 2005 and cemented his place as a gifted player. But again, as fate will have it, Safin has numerous setbacks with injuries and he had never found his top form again.

These days, Safin is a pale shadow of what he once was. He makes more unforced errors than winners and his mental game is always a major crux on his performance. Despite the fire that makes him a intimidating opponent on the court, he never quite got a hold of his game when things don't go his way. For one, Roger Federer managed to curb that mental aspect early on in his career and as we all know it, Roger has since become the best player in the world. Safin never found a way beyond that part of his game despite having arguably bigger potential than Federer.

Personally, I will miss Marat Safin. Its that unpredictability in his game that makes it so entertaining for tennis fans all over the world. You just never knew which Safin will come onto the court. The genius or the loser. But one thing is for sure in every Safin game, he is bound to surprise you, whether a powerful backhand down the line or an angry decapitation of his racquet on the tennis court.

Although the season is not yet over, Safin has officially said goodbye in his last game at a Major. And while people might never mention his name that often again as perhaps the name of Sampras or Agassi, Marat Safin will forever be remembered as an engima, a tennis genius that never did quite fulfill his potential... ...

Andy Murray is World Number 2

Andy Murray has become the highest ranked Brit in history by earning the rank of World Number 2 on the ATP tour rankings.

What is more impressive is his ability to wedge between Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, two of the most dominant players in modern tennis. Between the Fed and Rafa, that is a total of more than 20 Grandslams. Its the fiercest rivalry and the most intriguing one tennis fans know of, with both players distinct in style yet widly successful amongst all players.

Murray has proven himself consistently now for the past 2 years. He had won major tournaments at ATP 1000 level, and has established himself as a top five player by appearing in major semi-finals at Grandslams. Unfortunately, he has not win a Grandslam to which many will not bet against him doing soon. Most comfortable on the hard court, Murray will be poised to challenge Federer the defending champion for the US open this year.

Not to mention that Federer has found Murray to be one of his toughest opponents on the court. Murray is one of the few who hold an impressive head-to-head record against the World Number One. On his day, Murray is a tough nut to crack.

But just as Murray has earned his way to the top, he still has some way to prove that he is no flash in the pan. While Rafa and Roger has established their legacy with Grandslams, Murray knows that he needs to attain at least one Grandslam at the highest level to establish his place amongst tennis royalty. Novak Djokovic, widely tipped to come between Rafa and Roger has faded since his exceptional Australian Open victory in 2008. Will Murray turn out better?

Analysing his game, Murray's counter punching style is largely reliant on his supreme fitness and ability to swing from side to side with fantastic footspeed. Murray's innate talent allows him to hit sweet backhands down the lines and serve with good force and precision. But to stay at the top, Murray needs to improve his big game mentality. He still tends to lose concentration on key moments. Being too defensive is also a key weakness in Murray's overall game. While the game he adopts is frustrating for his opponent since he gets more shots back in court, not knowing when to increase the agressiveness of his game makes Murray too passive at times to be of any threat to top 10 calibre players. And in a game which kills off knees, ankles and backs in a matter of months, Murray's physical game might mean the likelihood of a major injury to the key joints which will shorten his time at the top. Rafa's knee injury is now a niggling issue. We don't know if he can ever remain as aggressive as he was at his prime.

While not being a big fan of his game, I don't doubt that Murray has what it takes to challenge Federer and Nadal. The man has an insatiable desire to be the best. The challenge for him is whether he can sustain such high levels with outrageous consistency that Federer and before his injury, Nadal has been able to do so for the past 4-5 years.

"Scream"apova !!

Wimbledon just saw one of its past champions eliminated in Round 2. Maria Sharapova the belle of world tennis was defeated by the equally stunning Argentinian beauty Gisele Dulko, or better known as Fernando Gonzalez's girlfriend.

There was a lot of a hype over the screaming of Sharapova in recent times. The great Martina Navratilova equates the shrieking in women's tennis to cheating of sorts. I suppose what she meant was that it kinda disrupts the opponents' attention everytime the ball was struck on the other side.

To get an idea of how loud Sharapova's shrieking is,her loudest to date is 71.5dB, almost the level of a power drill in close quarters, and that measurement by golly... was from a distance of 30m. So you could kind of imagine how the opponent will have heard it.... freaking LOUD... and for a torturous 2 hours.

Well, I haven't really been quite disturbed by Sharpova's screaming until this hooha occured, and in a way, it made many more sensitive viewers like myself feel slightly irritated now even when watching her on TV. The match commentators sounded out that the crowd probably got behind Gisele Dulko just because of the incessant shrieking of Maria.

Like it or not, Maria is not the only one. The Williams sisters and many of the other girls in tennis have an overwhelming scream. The question is should the tennis federation ban shouting or screaming and list it as a disruptive force to fairplay?

Fact is, tennis is a pretty demanding sport. And it certainly requires some strength to hit the ball aggressively, lest to say the amount of endurance and energy required in a 2 hour period of furious hitting and heart-pumping runs. Breathing out after every strike is but one of the techniques that is being emphasized in the game by the maestros of the sport. Somehow, it has gotten louder and has translated into screaming.

In a way, letting out a sound also works on the mental aspect. Shouting and being loud has always boosted the ego of the competitor and intimidates the opponent to a certain extent. A quick look at the All Blacks who do the Haka war dance before every rugby test match. The dance which consists of shouting and making big sounds intimidates and boosts the team's self confidence.

In tennis, letting out a sound sometimes help the player focus on the ball striking, knowing that the right breathing technique is being used. The world number one Rafa Nadal grunts louder at every crucial point he needs to win. It pushes him on and eggs him on to fight harder. Without the grunting, we could possibly see a lesser Rafa Nadal. Maybe his technique will remain, but the fighting spirit coupled with the miraculous comebacks and hard earned rallys might not be so prominent in his game anymore. Those characteristics in itself define Rafa.

So if you ask me, I will prefer "No shouting please" in an ideal world. But I seriously doubt those who think that the ideal scenario will happen really understand how competitive tennis is. It is a battle out there on the court, it is sweat and blood (though not literally)... you could liken it to a duel between two warriors or two lionesses for that matter. The competive world tour is tough mentally and physically. And I say tennis less the passion and emotion being put into it would just be another charity match played by retired tennis greats.

For all due respect to the amount of hours and sacrifices that these professionals put behind their practices and the fine honing of their skills, we shouldn't really harp on issues such as these and just move on to enjoy great tennis being played out. Afterall, the real tennis nut knows that the tennis is the most important thing in the tennis match.

Real Men wear Pink

I remembered this line on my friend's fun badge which he used to pin on his Nike bag.

It said "Real Men wear Pink". Yup, he was a big fan of hot pink.

I could imagine some tennis enthusiast fan of Nadal buy the Nike outfit he is wearing at Roland Garros and strut it on the tennis courts of our proud Singapore condominiums.

To potential copies of Nadal... urm... not questioning your choices but not really a good sight unless of course you're a world number one, with huge biceps, pectorals and runs around grunting like a Spanish bull without sounding too sissy.