Olympic Times - Sports Daily

Wembley is poised to play a much bigger role in the organisation of the 2012 Olympics than originally planned.
BBC London has learned that London 2012 officials have been looking for some time at scrapping their original plans to build a temporary arena near to the 02 to stage badminton and rhythmic gymnastics.
There had been proposals to move the two sports to ExCel indoor arena, which is already staging a variety of 2012 events, but there is not enough space.
Now officials are seriously looking at taking badminton back to the Wembley Arena, a spiritual home for the sport. The prestigious All-England championships were staged at the arena - which is right next to the outdoor stadium - between 1957 and 1993.
Given the currently financial crisis, it is clear that London 2012 needs to save money. This temporary arena was due to cost around £40 million. There are a few problems with limited space for back-of-house facilities which the Olympics needs but the Arena is perfect for sports like badminton because it holds around 6,000.

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When she bounced into the “big girls” league at 14 and the hordes descended on Florida to such an extent that the tournament on which her potential was revealed was renamed “The Virginia Slims of Capriati”, the scene that unfolded was so overhyped, it took the breath away. Jennifer Capriati went on to rise and rise, to fall heavily from grace, to become a grand-slam champion, to retire early because of injury and, at the US Open last month when the cameras focused on her in the crowd, the reaction was - “is that really our Jen-Jen?”
Quite what will befall Laura Robson, who can tell, but if its senior birth pangs are an indication, the ITF women’s tournament of Robson - aka a $75,000 event at the Welti Tennis Centre in Shrewsbury - is a remarkable introduction for a girl who needs to play another tour event before she can qualify for a world ranking.
Every time this 14-year-old sets foot on a court, Robson looks the part, plays the part and exemplifies the attitude and technique required of a leading player, which is something few of the game’s shrewdest judges doubt she is destined to become.
The Wimbledon girls’ champion of 2008 defeated Urszula Radwanska, the 2007 champion, 6-3, 6-3 yesterday to reach the quarter-finals and make British observers go wobbly at the knees. Radwanska, three years older than Robson and ranked No128 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, was beaten 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of the Wimbledon main draw this year by Serena Williams, who said that she thought the Pole was one to watch.

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Spain’s Rafael Nadal underlined his dominance of men’s tennis with a three-set win over Novak Djokovic to reach the Olympic Games final on Friday.
Nadal, who will face Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez on Sunday, overcame a second-set lapse to win 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 in two hours and 10 minutes.
A horrendous error from the third-ranked Djokovic sealed it for Nadal when the Serb missed the open court with an overhead on match point.
Nadal, who becomes world number one the day after the final, is now just one match away from adding the gold medal to this season’s seven-trophy haul including the French Open and Wimbledon.
“For me it’s a dream have be in this final,” he said. “When I arrived here, I didn’t expect be in the final. I was very tired, with a lot of matches and not playing my best tennis.
“But during the week I’ve felt better and better. So today was very important. Even if I lose the final I’ll have one medal for me and for my country.”
The high-energy 22-year-old started with a bang, breaking at 1-0 and again at 3-1, before Djokovic picked up the pace.
He struck again in the decider when Djokovic was serving to stay in the match, returning the Serb’s hardest forehand and retrieving a drop shot. Djokovic fired his smash wide on the second match point.
Earlier a blazing row overshadowed the other semi as beaten American James Blake accused Gonzalez of lacking sportsmanship.
In the women’s draw, Russian sixth seed Dinara Safina won 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 to hand Jelena Jankovic her first defeat as world number one.
And Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson won a marathon 59-game doubles match — the longest men’s three-setter in Olympic history.
Blake and Gonzalez’s semi-final was not much shorter at 42 games, and bitter controversy erupted after the 2004 bronze-medallist’s 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 win.
US number one Blake, who stunned top seed Roger Federer in the quarters, claimed the Chilean touched a ball which went out but didn’t admit it to the umpire.
Blake said he had lost “a little faith” in the 2004 bronze medallist and doubles champion over the incident, which happened at a crucial moment in the deciding set.
“Playing in the Olympics, in what’s supposed to be considered a gentleman’s sport, that’s a time to call it on yourself. Fernando looked me square in the eye and didn’t call it,” Blake said.
“That’s a disappointing way to exit the tournament when you not only lose the match, but you lose a little faith in your fellow competitor,” he added.
Gonzalez, who saved three match points, denied any wrongdoing and said if he was sure he touched the ball, he would have said so.
“If I’m hundred percent sure about it, I will give it. But I’m not sure,” he said.
Safina will meet China’s Li Na in the women’s semi-finals while Vera Zvonareva and Elena Dementieva go into an all-Russian clash.
Jankovic was pleased with her run to the quarter-finals despite being plagued by a calf injury.
“You cannot expect miracles to happen when you have some problem. I’ve been taking injections before I went on court just to be able to perform, otherwise I couldn’t play,” she said.
Meanwhile, Aspelin and Johansson beat Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra of France in the longest three-set men’s match in Olympic history.
The eventual scoreline of 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 19-17, played over four hours and 46 minutes, added up to 59 games plus a tie-break, beating the previous record of 53 games.
Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka upset top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan to reach the final, assuring the 12-time Grand Slam winner of his first Olympic medal.
Ukraine’s Alona Bondarenko and Kateryna Bondarenko reached the doubles semis with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 win over Italians Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone.

from: afp.google.com

Roger Federer’s bid for his first Olympic singles medal has ended with a loss to American James Blake. With the sort of lackluster performance that was once unthinkable for Federer, he was eliminated in the quarterfinals on Thursday night. Meanwhile, Serena and Venus Williams both lost as well.

The Federer upset was a stunner in that Blake had won only a single set in their previous eight matches. But the top-seeded Federer is battling a yearlong slump that has left him stalled at 12 major titles, two shy of Pete Sampras’ record.

Federer’s latest defeat means no rematch in Sunday’s final against Nadal, who won in epic fashion when they met for the Wimbledon title.

Serena Williams lost her quarterfinal match at the Olympics to Elena Dementieva of Russia.

Dementieva, who won a Silver in Sydney in 2000, beat Williams 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in their singles match Thursday night.

Williams now pins her medal hopes on doubles. She was to play a second-round doubles match later with sister Venus. They won gold in doubles in Sydney.

The fourth-seeded Serena tried to rally from a 5-0 deficit in the final set against the No. 5-seeded Dementieva.

Williams overcame two match points during an 18-point game to hold for 5-3. But Dementieva held at love in the next game, sealing the victory when Williams pushed a volley wide.

Venus Williams was another upset victim in Olympic tennis, losing to Li Na of China in the quarterfinals.

Williams, who won gold medals in singles and doubles at the 2000 Games, was beaten 7-5, 7-5. She followed to the sideline her sister Serena and top-seeded Roger Federer, who both lost earlier Thursday.

A wayward forehand plagued Williams, and she sent one long to lose serve and fall behind 6-5 in the second set. The reigning Wimbledon champion had three more forehand errors in the final game, and when Li hit a service winner on match point, the crowd responded with the biggest roar of the tournament.

Williams remained in the doubles competition and was to play with her sister in the quarterfinals later Thursday.

from: ap.google.com

World No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland defeated Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6(4) in the third round of the Men’s Singles Tennis event at the Olympic Green Tennis Center on Wednesday, August 13.

Federer lost to Berdych in the second round at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

“I’m happy with the way I play. I haven’t lost to him [in six matches] since the [Athens] Olympic Games. He’s always dangerous. You can see how hard he hits the ball,” commented Federer after his third round match with Berdych.

“I don’t think he served his best today, which gave me quite a few opportunities to get into his second serve. I just tried to play tough and compact and not give him much. I did well today,” added Federer.

Federer will face James Blake of the United States in the quarterfinal match at the Olympic Green Tennis Center on Thursday, August 14.

source: beijing2008.cn

The top three seeds in the Olympics men’s singles, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, all moved easily into the third round with convincing wins here on Tuesday.

The women’s draw also saw dominant performances from the Williams sisters and Serbian world number one Jelena Jankovic.

Swiss top seed Federer breezed to a 6-2, 6-4 win over inexperienced but game Rafael Arevalo of El Salvador, ranked 447th in the world and only playing in the Games because of his country’s small number of competitors.

“To be playing a player with a very low ranking in a very big pressure situation for me, I have nothing to win, only (everything) to lose,” said Federer.

“It was all a matter of getting through: hopefully not getting a fright or anything, which I didn’t.”

Nadal crushed Lleyton Hewitt 6-1, 6-2, while Serbian third seed Djokovic beat German veteran Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-2.

Nadal, who will take over from Federer as world number one next week, was always in full control against the Australian former number one now ranked 38.

Hewitt had played a gruelling doubles match that stretched into the early hours of Tuesday after going to 18-16 in the third set and his tiredness was noticeable as he crumbled under Nadal’s relentless attack.

“I played very well. It was one of the best matches I have played,” said Nadal.

The Spaniard will play Russian Igor Andreev in the third round, with Federer meeting Czech Tomas Berdych, the 17th seed, who knocked him out in Athens four years ago.

Djokovic faces a tricky tie against Russian 13th seed Mikhail Youzhny.

Defending Olympic champion Nicolas Massu of Chile was dumped out by number seven seed David Nalbandian, while Russian fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko went down 7-5, 6-3 to Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Mathieu is joined in the next round by French compatriots Gilles Simon, the 10th seed, and Gael Monfils after their respective wins over Guillermo Canas of Argentina and Romanian Victor Hanescu.

In the women’s draw, the Williams sisters and Jankovic were in blistering form.

World number one Jankovic, the top player in the absence through injury of compatriot Ana Ivanovic, brushed aside Ukraine’s Alona Bondarenko 7-5, 6-1.

The 23-year-old from Belgrade was wearing a strapping on her troublesome right calf and did not look completely at ease but said she hoped it would continue to get better.

“I took some painkillers to be able to play, otherwise it’s quite sore,” Jankovic said.

The Williams sisters both confirmed their status as among the hot favourites for gold in the singles, which has been hit by a raft of withdrawals.

Fourth seed Serena took just 44 minutes to dispatch Australia’s Samantha Stosur, reeling off the last 10 games to love.

“It was clean,” said Williams, who missed the 2004 Games in Athens through injury. “My way of improving on it is to keep it up.”

The 2000 doubles winner’s third round opponent is French 15th seed Alize Cornet, who subdued a vociferous home crowd in outclassing China’s Peng Shuai 6-2, 6-2.

Serena’s sister Venus, the seventh seed, demolished Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-4.

But three other women’s seeds were knocked out.

Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova, the 10th seed, was thrashed by Danish teen Caroline Wozniacki, Polish eighth seed Agnieszka Radwanska went down to Italian Francesca Schiavone, and Swiss number 13 seed Patty Schnyder was beaten by Austrian Sybille Bammer.

Home hopes will be carried into the next round by Zheng Jie and Li Na, who play Dinara Safina and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia respectively.

from: afp.google.com

Novak Djokovic takes to the court in his first round match against Robby Ginepri.

The world number three, Novak Djokovic, has the weight of his country on his shoulders at these Beijing Olympics. The world number three has stated that he is expected to medal for Serbia, especially since his emphatic defeat of Rafael Nadal just one week ago in the semifinals of Cincinnati. Djokovic went on to lose in two tiebreakers to Brit Andy Murray in the final.

Djokovic has had his best year yet in 2008, the pinnacle of which was winning his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open back in January. Since that time, he added two Masters titles to his collection(Indian Wells and Rome) and he also made the semifinals at the French Open, where he lost for the third year in a row to Rafael Nadal. Wimbledon would turn out to be his biggest disappointment of the season so far. He lost in the second round to Russian veteran Marat Safin.

The Serb’s opponent is the American hard courter, Robby Ginepri. Ginepri has had inconsistent results in 2008. He had a great start to the year, reaching three semifinals in a row in Delray Beach, San Jose and Las Vegas. Since then, his single good result came at the French Open, where he managed to work his way to the round of 16. Two weeks ago in Cincinnati, Ginepri served for the match against Roger Federer in the second round, but lost serve, and went on to lose the the third set at love.

Djokovic has never lost a set to Ginepri in three meetings. Monday should be no different - Djokovic in straight sets.

source: tennistalk.com

The Russian Tennis Federation announced on August 1 that Vera Zvonareva will take the place of Maria Sharapova, who is out with a shoulder injury, in the Women’s Singles Tennis competition at the Beijing Olympics.

A medical examination found two small tears in the right shoulder tendon of World No. 3 Sharapova after she won at the Montreal Cup on July 30.

Zvonareva is currently ranked World No. 11 in singles play. She defeated Jelena Jankovi? of Serbia (World No. 2) and her compatriot Elena Dementieva (World No. 6) at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina en route to the final, but lost to World No. 5 Serena Williams in the March championship.

The 23-year-old was already set to play in the Women’s Doubles competition in Beijing. Now she will join Dementieva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Dinara Safina in representing Russia in the Women’s Singles event as well.

from: beijing2008.cn

Russia’s Maria Sharapova withdrew from the Rogers Open in Toronto after her second-round victory Wednesday because of a shoulder injury, possibly jeopardizing her participation in the Olympics.
Sharapova beat Marta Domachowska, 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. She will have an MRI today.
Trailing 3-4 in the second, the third-seeded Sharapova had the trainer look at her right shoulder, an injury that might have contributed to 17 double faults.
She said her presence at the Olympics and the U.S. Open, which begins in late August, will depend largely on the results of the tests.
“I’m too good of a player to go out there and try to fight through something that I think can eventually become something serious,” Sharapova said.
Nike swimmers can wear Speedo: Nike will allow its swimmers to wear Speedo’s sleek LZR Racer instead of its suit at the Olympics.

Nike spokesman Dean Stoyer said the company felt it was fair to extend the offer it made in June, when it allowed its swimmers to wear Speedo’s suit at the U.S. Olympic trials.
Four swimmers who signed with Nike, which has some of the industry’s tightest controls on athlete contract agreements, will head to Beijing, including breaststroker Brendan Hansen and backstroker Aaron Peirsol.
Speedo’s LZR Racer has had a major impact this year. Since its launch in February, swimmers have broken dozens of world records and athletes not sponsored by Speedo have clamored to wear it.
Iraqi rowers heading to Beijing: Two Iraqi rowers will be allowed to take part in the Olympics, the International Rowing Federation said.
Haidar Nozad and Hamzah Hussein Jebur were allowed back in the men’s double sculls because their places had not been given to competitors from other countries, Smith said.
North Korea declined to take the spots after the spots were offered last week, IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said.
The IOC readmitted Iraq to the Olympics Tuesday, six days after the deadline to enter athletes for the rowing, judo, archery and weightlifting competitions had passed.
FIFA frees up under-23 players: FIFA ruled that professional clubs must release players age 23 or younger for the Beijing Olympics, clearing the way for Lionel Messi to play for Argentina despite opposition from FC Barcelona, which said in a statement it would appeal the decision.
“Barcelona continues with its stance of not wanting to let me go and I understand it,” Messi said on Barcelona’s website before the ruling. “But I also think they have to understand that my dream is to take part in the Olympic Games.” … The U.S. men’s soccer team was held to a 0-0 draw by Ivory Coast at a four-nation tournament in Hong Kong. … Tour de France runner-up Cadel Evans of Australia withdrew from the Olympics road time trial because of a knee injury. … Mate Parlov, the 1972 light heavyweight gold medalist boxer from the former Yugoslavia, died. He was 59. … Former world triple jump champion Charles Friedek of Germany won’t compete at the Olympics after losing a court appeal. Friedek, 36, argued he qualified by leaping 55 feet, 9 1/4 inches and didn’t need to jump that distance twice as required.

source: courant.com

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will be chasing more than gold at the Beijing Olympics with the coveted world No 1 place suddenly at stake following the Spaniard’s stunning Wimbledon triumph.

Federer has occupied the top spot in the rankings for 232 weeks while Nadal has had to be content with life in the Swiss star’s slipstream for 155 of those.

But the tournament in China could witness the latest dramatic switch in tennis’ balance of power, which seemed impossible just a few weeks ago.

Ahead of the French Open, where Nadal cruised effortlessly to a fourth successive title, the Mallorcan was too busy looking over his shoulder at the imminent danger posed by Novak Djokovic who was poised to take over his No 2 slot.

But after becoming the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to complete the elusive Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, Nadal is now poised to knock Federer off his perch if a complicated series of scenarios work in his favor.

The defining moment could come on the north American hardcourts, in Beijing or at the US Open where Federer is the defending champion.

Either way, the 22-year-old Nadal is eager for the Olympics to get underway.

“To play in the Olympics is very special, because when you’re very young you always see the Olympic Games on television,” said Nadal who’ll be making his singles debut in Beijing having played doubles with Carlos Moya at Athens four years ago.

“You represent your country, that’s the same as the Davis Cup, but at the same time it’s completely different. When I play Davis Cup I always have this big motivation and I think in the Olympics I am going to have the same.”

Despite Nadal’s triumphs at Wimbledon and at Roland Garros, Federer doesn’t take kindly to suggestions that he should be preparing to hand over his No 1 spot to his Spanish rival.

“You write what you want,” he snapped after losing the five-set thriller at the All England Club, his 12th defeat in 18 matches with Nadal.

“I’m going to try and win the Olympics and the US Open and then we can talk again.”

The Federer-Nadal rivalry will be one of the most fascinating at the Games with commercial backers and the game’s rulers licking their lips in anticipation.

If TV viewing figures are any guide, a gold-medal clash between the sport’s heavyweights will be big box office.

In the United Kingdom, more than 13 million viewers watched the culmination of the Wimbledon final, a huge 47.6 percent of the TV audience.

Federer finished fourth at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and was knocked out in round two at Athens by Thomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.

from: chinadaily.com.cn

New Zealand tennis number one Marina Erakovic played her way into the Olympic team for Beijing, the New Zealand Olympic Committee announced on Monday.
New Zealand will send its youngest-ever Top 100 tennis player to Beijing 2008 after Olympic selectors named her to the Olympic team on Monday.
Erakovic, 20, is a rising star on the international tennis circuit and has moved from a world ranking of 160 to 64 in just months.
New Zealand top 16 selection criteria is tough and while Erakovic has not yet met this standard, Olympic selectors believedher rapid improvements will continue and a favorable draw at Beijing could see her finish within the top 16.
As Erakovic has rocketed up the rankings, she’s recorded some significant wins, including beating world number 13, Vera Zvonareva, in January 2008. With Wimbledon this week, her place inthe ranking could rise.
The selectors made a recommendation to the New Zealand Olympic Committee board that the selection be considered favorably. The board decision to select Erakovic was unanimous.
Only four other tennis players have competed for New Zealand at Olympic level, including Anthony Wilding who won bronze at Stockholm in 1912.
Final selections to the New Zealand Olympic Team will be made in the next three weeks with nominations expected for rowing, cycling, shooting and equestrian.
Beach Volleyball continue to seek IF qualification and Men’s basketball will have their final qualification event on July 20. Squads for Men’s and Women’s Hockey, Football and Women’s Basketball will be named by June 30.

from: xinhuanet.com

Although the 2008 tennis season is barely four months old, Swiss world No 1 Roger Federer and other leading players are already turning their thoughts toward the Beijing Olympics in August.
For Federer, the Olympic Games is close to the Grand Slams in importance while Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic believes they might rank even higher because they take place only once every four years.
American Lindsay Davenport will never forget the stirring memories of her triumphant debut at the Atlanta Games in 1996 and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova says she would prefer to win an Olympic gold medal this year over any of the Grand Slams.
“For me, it’s a big priority of the year,” Federer, a winner of 12 Grand Slam titles, told reporters during the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells last month.
“The (ATP) Tour actually bases its entire schedule around the Olympics Games and I follow that scheme. I want to play in this year’s Olympics and I’m going to be there.
“I’ve already had two great experiences,” the 26-year-old Swiss added, referring to Sydney in 2000 when he lost the bronze-medal match to Frenchman Arnaud Di Pasquale and Athens in 2004 when he lost to Czech Tomas Berdych in the second round.
“For me it is already, but maybe some players and some fans need more convincing that the Olympics is big for tennis.”
Serbian world No 3 Djokovic, who clinched his eighth ATP title by beating American Mardy Fish in the Pacific Life Open final last month, agrees.
“I rate them (the Games) probably on the top, one of the tops for sure,” the 20-year-old said. “I mean come on, it’s the Olympics.

Once every four years
“You get to play Grand Slams every year, four Grand Slams. The Olympics you get to play one time in four years and who knows what will happen in four years for us?
“So I will not risk that and I’ll be very honored and privileged to participate in such an event, an event with the most tradition in sport.”
Russian former world No 1 Maria Sharapova has long cherished competing at the Olympics.
“It’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl, so it’s been one of my priorities for a very long time,” the 20-year-old said.
“The Olympics comes around only once every four years and the US Open is there every single year.
“One of the things I’m really looking forward to is the opening ceremony and walking with all the athletes from my country in front of thousands of people.”
WTA Tour veteran Davenport was a gold medalist in the women’s singles at the 1996 Atlanta Games, two years before she clinched the first of her three Grand Slam titles.
“It was the first big thing I won and a huge honor,” the former Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open champion told Reuters.
“When I won the US Open in 1998, it seemed to give me more validity as a player. Those two were certainly big turning points in my career and it’s hard to compare them.
“I can’t wait to go back in early August. It’s been on the calendar for my family for a long time. My aspiration is to do my best to win any medal. I really don’t care.

Best memory
“My best memory is winning the gold but I always think back to the opening ceremonies in ‘96. The United States was the last country to come out and I was with Mary Joe (Fernandez) and Monica (Seles), two of my best friends on the Tour.
“It was a moment I’ll never forget. We were so excited and giddy and, like, pure joy. Sitting there, we were all crying when Muhammad Ali lit the torch. I always kind of think back to that moment.”
Kuznetsova was brought up in a family where the Olympic Games represented the ultimate in sport.
Her father, Alexandr Kuznetsov, coached six Olympic and world cycling champions, including her mother, Galina Tsareva, a six-time world champion.
“For me it’s very important,” said the 22-year-old, who won her first Grand Slam title at the 2004 US Open. “It’s like a Grand Slam or even maybe more important than that.”
Asked whether she would prefer to win Wimbledon or an Olympic gold medal this year, Kuznetsova replied: “Olympic gold medal. No question.”
Pressed if she would change her mind if the French Open was the alternative, she said: “It would come very close, you know. I hope I don’t need to choose this one.
“Well, if I have one Grand Slam and I would have one Olympic medal it would be good. I have chances to win (Grand Slams) next year, you know, but then there is no Olympics.”

from: chinadaily.com.cn

Tennis greatness is measured in Grand Slam triumphs, but that doesn’t make the game’s best players immune to the lure of Olympic gold.
Top US player Andy Roddick has decided to skip the Beijing Games in August in order to prepare for a run at the US Open, but for most of the top players on the ATP and WTA tours, the Games remain a key event in the 2008 calendar.
Maria Sharapova, who captured the third Grand Slam title of her career at the Australian Open in January, is eager to soak up the Olympic atmosphere.
“The Olympics comes around only once every four years and the US Open is there every single year,” she said.
“It has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl.”
Part of the appeal, Sharapova said, is that the Games will be so different from the events that tour professionals encounter week after week.
“Usually, you have sort of an idea of what things are going to be like, but I’m really clueless,” she said.
“One of the things I’m really looking forward to is the opening ceremony and walking with athletes from my country in front of thousands of people.”
Sharapova said she would love a chance to attend another sport, especially gymnastics or rhythmic gymnastics.
“When I was younger I wanted to be a rhythmic gymnast,” she said.
“In Russia, rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating are an art form and I was always intrigued by that,” added Sharapova, who recalled rollerblading with a makeshift ribbon as a youngster.
“I’d be rolling around my garage,” she said. “I’d just be rollerblading and waving the ribbon. I thought I was in the Olympics.”
American Lindsay Davenport, who won the Olympic singles gold in front of home fans at the 1996 Atlanta Games, has more concrete memories to draw on. According to Davenport, Sharapova’s youthful imaginings are not far off the mark.
“Obviously, my best memory is winning the gold, but on top of that I always think back to the opening ceremony in ‘96,” Davenport said.
“It was in Atlanta, and the US was the last country to come out. I was with Mary Joe (Fernandez) and Monica (Seles), two of my best friends on the tour at the time, and it was just a moment I’ll never forget.
“We were so excited, giddy - like pure joy.
“Normally you don’t really see that from professional athletes, and we just thought we were the luckiest people in the world. We were all crying when Muhammad Ali lit the torch. I wish I could go back and feel the happiness that the three of us felt at that time.”
Tennis was one of the original nine Olympic sports when the modern Games were inaugurated in Athens in 1896.
But tennis withdrew from the programme after the 1924 Games, only being reintroduced as a medal sport in 1988.
Roger Federer, who has reigned as the No 1 player in the world since 2004, has made two Olympic campaigns and says he is looking forward to another chance to add a gold medal to his resume.
Federer finished fourth in 2000 and was knocked out in round two at Athens.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged, however, that for many the major tournaments of Wimbledon, Roland Garros and the Australian and US Opens remain the benchmark of success.
“You’re going to be judged on the Grand Slams you win and number ones,” Federer says. “The Olympics are a new thing to tennis.
“That’s one of the reasons I understand decisions like Andy’s. Maybe in 50 years’ time it will also become one of the big tournaments to win. For me it is already, but maybe some players and some fans need more convincing that the Olympics is big for tennis.”
While the overall experience, including bonding with teammates from more traditional Olympic sports, is part of the attraction of the Games, stars such as Federer face the problem of being celebrities in the Olympic Village.
Federer has said he will consider foregoing the village in order to prepare better for his matches.
American Mardy Fish, who captured the men’s singles silver in Athens, said he wasn’t surprised.
“We had Venus Williams on the team at that time and she stayed in the hotel,” Fish recalled.
“But she came one afternoon and ate lunch with us in the the athlete’s lunch place, and she was having a hard time walking around without having to sign an autograph every 10 seconds.
“I read that he (Federer) probably wants to stay in a hotel - I imagine that would probably be a pretty good idea for him.”ù

from: chinadaily.com.cn 

Although the 2008 season is barely three months old, Swiss world No. 1 Roger Federer and other leading players are already turning their thoughts towards the Beijing Olympics in August.
For Federer, the Olympic Games are close to the grand slams in importance while Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic believes they might rank even higher because they take place only once every four years.
American Lindsay Davenport will never forget the stirring memories of her triumphant debut at the Atlanta Games in 1996 and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova says she would prefer to win an Olympic gold medal this year over any of the grand slams.
“For me, it’s a big priority of the year,” Federer, a winner of 12 grand slam titles, said.
“The (ATP) tour actually bases its entire schedule around the Olympics Games and I follow that scheme. I want to play in this year’s Olympics and I’m going to be there.
“I’ve already had two great experiences,” the 26-year-old Swiss added, referring to 2000 Sydney when he lost the bronze-medal match to Frenchman Arnaud Di Pasquale and Athens in 2004 when he lost to Czech Tomas Berdych in the second round.
Serbian world No. 3 Djokovic, who clinched his eighth ATP title by beating American Mardy Fish at the Pacific Life Open final last weekend, agrees.
“I rate them (the Games) probably on the top, one of the tops for sure,” the 20-year-old said. “I mean come on, it’s the Olympics. You get to play grand slams every year, four grand slams. The Olympics you get to play one time in four years and who knows what will happen in four years for us?
“So I will not risk that and I’ll be very honoured and privileged to participate in such an event, an event with the most tradition in sport.”
Russian former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova has long cherished competing at the Olympics.
“It’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl, so it’s been one of my priorities for a very long time,” the 20-year-old said. “One of the things I’m really looking forward to is the opening ceremony and walking with all the athletes from my country in front of thousands of people.”
Davenport was a gold medallist in the women’s singles at the 1996 Atlanta Games, two years before she clinched the first of her three grand slam titles.
“It was the first big thing I won and a huge honour,” the former Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open champion said.
“When I won the US Open in 1998, it seemed to give me more validity as a player. Those two were certainly big turning points in my career and it’s hard to compare them. I can’t wait to go back in early August.
“My best memory is winning the gold but I always think back to the opening ceremonies in ‘96. The US were the last country to come out and I was with Mary Joe (Fernandez) and Monica (Seles), two of my best friends on the tour.
“It was a moment I’ll never forget. We were so excited and giddy and, like, pure joy. Sitting there, we were all crying when Muhammad Ali lit the torch. I always kind of think back to that moment.”
Kuznetsova was brought up in a family where the Olympic Games represented the ultimate in sport. “For me it’s very important,” said the 22-year-old, who won her first grand slam title at the 2004 US Open. “It’s like a grand slam or even maybe more important than that.”
Asked whether she would prefer to win Wimbledon or an Olympic gold medal this year, Kuznetsova replied: “Olympic gold medal. No question.”

from: xinhuanet.com 

The highest-ranked American tennis player is skipping the Beijing Olympics, choosing instead to focus on preparing for the U.S. Open by playing at the hard-court Legg Mason Tennis Classic.
“My goal every summer is to win the U.S. Open,” Roddick said in a statement released by Legg Mason organizers. “I have won the Legg Mason Tennis Classic three times and feel defending my title in Washington best prepares me for another Grand Slam title.”
The Washington tournament runs August 11-17, the same dates as the Olympic tennis event. The U.S. Open begins August 25.
Roddick, ranked No. 6 by the ATP tour, won his lone major championship at the 2003 U.S. Open. He won Legg Mason titles in 2001, 2005 and 2007.
Roddick has been a regular on the U.S. Davis Cup team, which won the championship last year.
He lost in the third round at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and said at the time: “Some guys really don’t care that much. I cared a lot. It’s not the biggest thing in our sport, but it’s the biggest thing in sports.”

from: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-03/13/content_6534215.htm