Tag Archive: Serena Williams

1. What Do You Give 7 Top Tennis Stars for Christmas?

   December 15, 2015 1:19 pm Comments Off on What Do You Give 7 Top Tennis Stars for Christmas?

    

   It’s that time of year again folks – but what do you give tennis stars who already have everything?

   It’s a tough one, but here are a few ideas:

   1/ NOVAK DJOKOVIC

   CHRISTMAS PRESENT: A PERSONAL SET OF KEYS TO ROLAND GARROS

   We all know this guy has a perfect life. World number one…beautiful family…but there’s one thing missing. The French Open.

   Against the odds, Stan Wawrinka blasted Djokovic off the court in the 2015 final and robbed him of a career Slam.

   So let’s give Novak a secret set of keys to Roland Garros for Christmas – and let him practise on the Philippe-Chatrier Court to his heart’s content between now and May.

   Let Roland Garros become his kingdom…even his secret obsession.

   Private access to the famous old club might just make the difference when Djokovic tries once more to make his professional life complete in the early summer of 2016.

   2/ ANDY MURRAY

   CHRISTMAS PRESENT: IVAN LENDL

   Sure, Andy led GB to Davis Cup glory in 2015, and a very fine achievement it was too. But the opposition wasn’t exactly the very best of the best. And let’s face it, Murray hasn’t been the same on the big occasions against the likes of Djokovic and Roger Federer since splitting with his coach, Ivan Lendl in March 2014.

   So let’s wrap Lendl up in gift paper and give him right back to Andy for Christmas.

   Lendl might take some persuading before he allows himself to be gift-wrapped in this way and agrees to embark upon another year of demanding travel. But this is a time for special generosity, nothing is impossible!

   With Lendl back on board, watch Murray start winning Slams again inside a year, inspired once more by the aggressive edge Ivan always gave him.

   3/ ROGER FEDERER

   CHRISTMAS PRESENT: DINNER WITH BORIS BECKER

   Yes, Roger, it’s all very well appointing Ivan Ljubicic to your coaching team, and Stefan Edberg was a tough man to try to replace…but how is a Croatian former world number three going to help you beat the one man who keeps crushing your dreams – Novak Djokovic?

   Let’s face it, Novak handles the big moments better than Federer in their most important matches these days. Why does this happen?

   One man knows the answer – Novak’s coach, Boris Becker. So let’s buy Roger a charity dinner date with Becker, give the fun-loving German as much booze as he can take, and see if Federer can persuade him to give away a few of Novak’s steely psychological secrets.

   4/ STAN WAWRINKA

   CHRISTMAS PRESENT: A BOOK ON HOW TO ENJOY SUCCESS

   Every year Stan Wawrinka does something stunning – and then struggles to hit similar heights again due to the shear strain.

   He won the Aussie Open in 2014. Then in 2015 he shocked Djokovic to take Roland Garros. Stan has hated the trappings of his success.

   He explained: “When you win a big title like the French it’s tough. The emotion in doing this is really up and down. Afterwards, you feel a bit lonely, a bit of depression mentally. Because it’s so much stress and emotion and so many people around you – and then it’s completely empty.”
   OK Stan, we get it, life can be tough at the top. But there are plenty of books out there to help you enjoy your success. We’ll buy you one.

   5/ RAFA NADAL

   CHRISTMAS PRESENT: BIONIC KNEES…AND BACK…AND WRISTS…AND…

   You get the idea. Nadal has been a wonderful warrior and he can still beat the very best on his day. Yet you feel that his body needs a little help now he’s pushing 30.

   There used to be a TV show about Steve Austin, the $6 million man. He was pretty much bionic from head to toe

   So how about we spend a few million turning those weary Nadal joints into sparkling new triumphs of bio-technology?

   Let’s face it, we all love Rafa when he is playing at his most powerful. Who wouldn’t want to see his body restored to its former glory, so that we can savour more bruising classics between Nadal and the finest players in the world?

   An expensive present, admittedly…but surely worth it?

   6/ SERENA WILLIAMS

   CHRISTMAS PRESENT: A 2-YEAR PROMISE FROM PATRICK MOURATOGLOU

   Two more years together. That’s what it could take, realistically, to see Serena Williams become the undisputed, greatest tennis queen of all time. And her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, is surely the key to making that a reality.

   Some say that Serena is already the best there has ever been, given the demands of the modern women’s game. But Steffi Graf won 22 Slams and Margaret Court 24, albeit mostly secured when the sport was much less gruelling for women.

   Serena has 20 Slams, but she was so distressed when she failed to secure a 2015 Calendar Slam that she didn’t talk to Mouratoglou for two weeks.

   That complex relationship must stay strong for a little longer. Patrick’s unfailing support will be crucial in 2016.

   7/ MARIA SHARAPOVA:

   CHRISTMAS PRESENT: A COURSE OF HYPNOSIS

   No disrespect to Maria, who is a superb tennis star, always full of fight and hardly short of success. But when your record against your main rival (Serena Williams) is 2-18 and you haven’t beaten her since 2004, then your renowned warrior qualities simply aren’t cutting it against the very best.

   No disgrace there, because Serena is of course as formidable as they come. But could there be something deep inside that Sharapova mind these days, telling her that whatever she tries, she simply cannot prevail against the best in the world?

   What’s the answer?
   Hypnosis.

   If she hasn’t already tried it, Maria should give it a go. And if she has already tried it, she should give it another go.

   And if she is bought this as a Christmas present, how can she politely refuse?

   So there you have it; Wimbledon Debenture Holders answer on what to buy top 7 tennis players for Christmas!

   If you’re struggling for inspiration on what to buy your loved ones whether it’s for the festive holiday or a birthday or anniversary, Contact the experts today for an exclusive Wimbledon experience.

   Wimbledon 2016 Tickets make excellent presents and better still, they come beautifully presented with a Gift Certificate.

2. Top Ten Tennis Romances

   April 28, 2015 2:27 pm Comments Off on Top Ten Tennis Romances

   The life of a professional tennis player can be busy and demanding. Finding time for romance isn’t always easy. No wonder so many players look for love inside the bubble of the tour.

   But it’s tough to be a tennis couple when the spotlight is so relentless. And many players will envy the simple stability of Rafael Nadal, who will celebrate ten years with his shy hometown girlfriend, Xisca Perello this year.

   While Xisca doesn’t seek the limelight, others can’t escape it. With that kind of close attention, tennis romances have had varying degrees of success over the years.

   Here are our top ten tennis romances:

   10/ BJORN BORG AND MARIANA SIMIONESCU

   In the 1970s and early 1980s it seemed there was barely a woman in the world who didn’t dream of being with Bjorn Borg, the sexy Swede who won 11 Grand Slams between 1974 and 1981.

   Shortly before his retirement in his mid-twenties, Borg married Romanian player Mariana Simionescu. Sadly, the couple divorced in 1984.

   9/ GAEL MONFILS AND DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA

   The flamboyant French star has made waves in the tennis world for the last five years, with his career-best World No 7 ranking in 2011 cementing his place as one of the most entertaining performers in tennis. Monfils briefly dated the Slovakian pocket rocket, Dominika Cibulkova, though the explosive combination didn’t last long. Cibulkova is now engaged to Miso Navara while Monfils has been dating French student Chelsea Altman.

   8/ FERNANDO VERDASCO AND ANA IVANOVIC

   The years 2008 and 2009 were good to Fernando Verdasco and Ana Ivanovic. The Serbian became the world’s number one woman in 2008 and the following year Spaniard reached a career-high World No 7. These two high-profile players began dating around the time of the 2008 US Open, but broke up again within a matter of months rather than years. The split seemed to be an unhappy one because they were reported to have stopped speaking to each other.

   7/ ANDY MURRAY AND KIM SEARS

   Andy Murray didn’t exactly step outside the tennis bubble when he began to date Kim Sears all those years ago. Kim is the daughter of British professional tennis coach Nigel Sears, so she has grown up understanding the demands of the game at the highest level. This seems to have stood the couple in good stead in the long run. Despite a rocky patch or two, Kim was at Andy’s side when he completed a dream triple of US Open, Olympic and Wimbledon success. At the last Australian Open she was caught on camera using some rather colourful language to describe one of Murray’s opponents, Tomas Berdych. A calmer Kim finally tied the knot with Andy this spring in his native Dunblane, Scotland.

   6/ ROGER AND MIRKA FEDERER 

   Some may forget that before she became Mrs Federer, Mirka Vavrinec was a tennis player herself and a good one at that, with a career-high ranking of World No 76 before a foot injury forced her out of the game. Roger Federer met her at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and it didn’t take long for romance to blossom. They didn’t marry until 2009, however, and twin girls were born the following year. Twin boys arrived in 2014 to complete the happy family. Mirka created controversy not long ago when she was caught heckling Roger’s fellow Swiss, Stanislav Wawrinka during a match between the pair at the ATP World Tour Finals. Roger acted as peacemaker and the marriage remains as strong as ever.

   Now we come to our top five tennis love affairs. They didn’t all end happily, and how some might develop or end still isn’t clear. But for drama, intrigue, heartbreak and sheer romance, these are either the most topical or memorable in our eyes. See if you agree.

   5/ LLEYTON HEWITT AND KIM CLIJSTERS

   Australian superstar Lleyton Hewitt wasted no time becoming the World Number 1 – the youngest ever at 20 years of age, with US Open and Wimbledon triumphs to his name by 2002. At the start of the previous year, the 19-year-old Hewitt began dating Belgian player Kim Clijsters, apparently at the Australian Open. They told the world of their engagement in 2003, by which time she was already known as “Aussie Kim,” the romance having captured the imagination of the entire country. Unfortunately they separated in late 2004, with a tearful Clijsters seemingly heartbroken. More happily, they both married other people within five years of the split.

   Ever since 2004 I’ve been trying to come to terms with Kim Clijsters’ and Lleyton Hewitt’s split. I’m not closer to getting over it today

   4/ SERENA WILLIAMS AND PATRICK MOURATOGLOU

   No one saw it coming, no one has ever confirmed that it has been happening, though few in the tennis world are in any doubt that intimacy between the world’s best female tennis player and her French coaching assistant has spilled over into romance at some stage or other. The sheer mystery surrounding the relationship is romantic in itself. Last year they were…then they weren’t…and then at the beginning of this year people said they were again. Were what? No one is quite clear, and that is why the relationship between the feisty Serena and her much older man continues to fascinate.

   3/ JIMMY CONNORS AND CHRIS EVERT

   Two more intense tennis players you couldn’t have wished to meet back in the 1970s, both with an iron will. On court, Jimmy was volatile and Chris ice-cold. It made for an interesting chemistry, particularly in 1974, when both won Wimbledon. They were arguably the most high-profile sporting couple of their era, the most written-about and celebrated. Unsurprisingly, Connors and Evert decided to marry at the end of 1974. The big shock came when they called the wedding off at the last moment. Perhaps two such strong characters were always destined to clash. They were uncompromising on the tennis court, and it appeared that compromise didn’t form a big part of their romance off the court either.

   2/ GRIGOR DIMITROV AND MARIA SHARAPOVA

   Few gave the glamorous Russian and handsome Bulgarian much of a chance at the start of their romance, when even Serena Williams warned Maria that Grigor had “a black heart.” Even so, the romance blossomed and the couple helped each other cope with the relentless pressures of being a top ten tennis player. They have often had to put up with rumours of a split, including in the last few days because their form had taken a dip and their clay-court training schedules seemed to allow for time apart. But whatever happens in the future, the beautiful couple did prove over the last two years that a romance in the most intense of spotlights can thrive against the odds.

   1/ ANDRE AGASSI AND STEFFI GRAF

   No one saw this romance coming either. They seemed such different people, with Andre so flamboyant and Steffi so clinical. They had been on the circuit together for more than a decade. Then, with their careers virtually over, a passion exploded between them, which quickly turned into a deep, enduring love. They married in 2001 and they are still together in 2015, proving that some tennis romances really can go the distance. They’re often spotted together at various tennis and charity events, still revelling in each other’s company. Agassi and Graf have two children and live in the Las Vagas area. For the shock their union caused initially, combined with the time they’ve been together, Steffi and Andre take our prize as the most romantic couple the game of tennis has produced.

   What are your thoughts? Have we missed out your favourite couple? Do let us know.

3. Survey Reveals Brits back Murray and Serena Williams

   May 15, 2014 9:05 am Comments Off on Survey Reveals Brits back Murray and Serena Williams

   An extraordinary 37% of those polled in the WimbledonDebentureHolders.com survey believe that Murray can reproduce last summer’s heroics. Even though the Scot has achieved little since winning Wimbledon in 2013.

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   The patriotic British public are backing Andy Murray to retain his Wimbledon title.

   For the Men’s Singles title, both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal received just 22 per cent of the votes. While multiple-champion Roger Federer’s share was only 11 per cent.  Call it patriotic fervour or sheer love for Murray. But the Brits really seem to believe their man can overcome the world’s tennis greats to win Wimbledon and raise the trophy once more.

   

   The 500 UK-based participants in an exclusive WimbledonDebentureHolders.com survey were also asked to name the most likely Wimbledon Ladies Singles champion for 2014 and the resounding favourite was Serena Williams, with a commanding 40% of votes.

   No surprises there!

   Remarkably Li Na, the world number two and Australian Open champion, was only backed for Wimbledon glory by 9% of those questioned.

   But the results of the poll for the Women’s Singles champion was even more surprising, once you look beyond the UK’s clear chosen favourite, Serena Williams.  The next most likely Wimbledon winner, according to those polled, was Serena’s sister Venus, even though it has been a couple of years since she looked capable of winning a Slam. Venus Williams claimed an amazing 17 per cent of the UK vote.

   

   Therefore the Brits seem to believe that Venus Williams is almost twice as likely to win Wimbledon this summer as the impressive Li Na.

   Such an assumption cannot be based on recent form. So we can only conclude that the Chinese charmer has failed to make the same impact on the British sporting consciousness as she has elsewhere in the world.  Perhaps all that will change at Wimbledon this year. But the British, controversially, seem to doubt Li Na’s ability to collect a third Grand Slam title.

   Want to be there in person, to see whether the UK public are correct, or whether your own favourite prevails at the home of tennis instead? 

   Click here to buy tickets and see the action first hand.