Super Sunday

Last weekend was a blockbuster weekend with a smorgasbord of exciting major events which made me glued to the tv set whole day and night, changing channels back and forth. It was a 3 in 1 plus 1 weekend. I couldn't ask for more. The first made me feel great, the 2nd was a big big disappointment and the 3rd decided only an hour ago Monday night as rains delayed its final conclusion.

It actually started last Saturday evening when my favorite, Maria Sharapova, completed a big big comeback from years of injury and frustration to enshrine herself as the Queen of Tennis by capturing the French Open. It was the only title absent in her three major titles, thus capturing the rare Grand Slam in tennis; Wimbledon, US Open, Australian and French Open. rare because only 10 women  before her achieved it. And with her French Open title came a bonus, the world's No. 1 ranking. Nothing can beat that.

Sunday morning, we have the Game 7 of the NBA East finals between the revered Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. Before the season began last year, I said I would bet on the Heat. And indeed, they won the East and now flies to Oklahoma for the most coveted NBA finals. It's time, Lebron James gets his championship ring. But they are up against the Thunder, a team bannered by young talented players led by Kevin Durant and Westbrooke. I thought Durant and Westbrooke are still young; they can wait for their time. I also predicted this match up in the finals.

Right after that game, came the most awaited event. Our national boxing hero, Manny Pacquaio against an undefeated but unheralded young challenger. Timothy Bradley. Shock, disbelief, disappointment, anger, sadness. Our Pambansang kamao lost by a split very controversial decision. It was a rub-out. How they could do it to a universal boxing icon is beyond me. Las Vegas boxing has seen many of such trash but victimizing our own Pacman? It's national tragedy in the Philippines. Even the international community was dismayed. This will be talked about for a long time. Now, the Filipino nation is cring out for revenge; Rematch.

Came the evening and there's Novak Djokovic, the world's No.1 and the top seed going against his great rival, the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, world's no. 2 and 2nd seeded. In both ways, history is at stake. For Djokovich, it's the distinction of becoming the only man after more than 30 years to hold the four major titles at the same time. It started last year at Wimbledon, then US Open, then Australian Open last January. It's no coincidence that in all these tournaments, his opponent in the finals was... Nadal. Now for Rafa, which considers the clay of the Roland Garros his kingdom and turf, it's the unprecedented 7th title, breaking from 6 titles he jointly holds with one of tennis greats, Bjorn Borg. Alas, after 3 sets, with Nadal leading 2-1, the match was postponed due to rain. When play was resumed, nadal reigned supreme in 4 sets.

Remembering Ground Zero While Watching US Open 2011 Semis

I was watching the semis of US Open 2011 and heard Rafa Nadal's brief dedication to the victims of 9/11 after his winning match against Andy Murray.

It took me back to New York and World Trade Center now Ground Zero 25 years ago.

Here's my story.

Roger Federer's Matchpoint: Mirka

Mirka at the Davidoff Swiss Indoors games

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Mirka. She is of course the wife of Roger Federer and mother of their two year old twin daughters. They got married in 2009 although they have been together for quite sometime now, ever since they met at the 2000 Sydney Olympics where they both represented their country, Switzerland, in tennis. Hers is the face that regularly and constantly graces Federer's player's box in all his matches, especially during the tennis majors. No other woman, wife, girlfriend, or companion or whatever could match that adoring presence, much less survive the suspense, thrill, and excitement, in victory and defeat, every game her man played. Her "stamina" in the player's box for almost ten years now has the media describing her as "the most courageous woman" in tennis. I've seen and watched her perhaps since 2002 because the TV cameras have always focused on her. You could sense her joy when Federer scores and wins but likewise feel her pain and agony in those difficult moments and defeats of her man. We ourselves watching on TV could hardly bear those moments because we are Federer's big fans. How many times has he gone through tie breaks, 5 setters, etc.; those classic encounters with Rafa Nadal in Wimbledon and Australian Open where Federer broke down during the awarding ceremony . She's a major presence indeed in the tennis world but the significance of that presence was best described by Federer himself when he said, "Thanks to her, I have been very calm in the important moments of my career."

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Miroslava Vavrinec, a.k.a. Mirka was born in Bojnice, Slovakia (formerly Czechoslovakia). At age 2, her parents migrated to Switzerland. When she was 9, she watched tennis legend Martina Navratilova (also from Czechoslovakia but later acquired American citizenship) play in Germany. It was here that Navratilova took fancy on her, discovering a potential champion. Thereafter, she sent her a racket and gave her a trainer. At age 15, Mirka became Switzerland's Girls Junior champion. She attained her highest ranking in the ATP tour at No.76 in 2001 but recurring foot injury forced her to retire in 2002. Since then, she went with Federer with a role as Press and Public Relations Manager. It is said that in those years that Federer didn't have a coach and manager, she also acted as one because being a professional player herself, she knows tennis. Her addiction to chewing gums is famous and you could see her continually chewing during the games. And unlike most wives, celebrities, etc, she doesn't have a blog nor a twitter account.

Mirka, called Federer's secret weapon by The Independent

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She has a beautiful face that still looks the same after 10 years. She may have gained weight but it is still that face that launched 200km/hr serves and aces in Roger Federer's arsenal. Federer is arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, having won the most number of tennis major titles at 16 at all four Grand Slam tournaments, the Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open. And perhaps still going. But many agree that he couldn't have accomplished everything he has in his career without the "constant, loving, sympathetic, and knowledgeable" presence of Mirka. German tennis legend Boris Becker aptly described their relationship: "So this is it. Match point for eternity."  

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Tale of Two Rookies

They are outstanding players from the junior ranks of basketball and tennis.

The first one has a sports pedigree; a father who was a former UE Red Warrior and a PBA star and a mother who was a former varsity volleyball player at UST. He was schooled in an elite school down Katipunaan Road in Quezon City. Surely, he was honed by formal training sessions. The other boy's background is almost a complete opposite. He comes from a poor family in far away Iligan City in Mindanao. His father works as a janitor with National Power Corporation (NPC)  in Ditucalan, Lanao del Norte, near the famous Maria Cristina Falls. A "pulot boy" (ball retriever), he was discovered playing tennis using a soft drink bottle as his racket.( I know the place. In the early 80's when we were first hooked to tennis, we would travel here, some 20-30 minutes from the city proper, to play in these courts. Our pulot boys then were using flat wood as racket until we lent or gave them real rackets. In a short time, they become unbeatable.)

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Keifer Ravena, the son of fomer PBA star Ferdinand "Bong" Ravena of the Purefoods Hotdogs team was recently promoted to the Ateneo Blue Eagles Senior basketball team after graduation from high school this year. He was expected to be a vital cog in their quest for a 4-peat championship. As a Junior stand-out, he led the Eaglets to 3 consecutive championships in the UAAP. He was also a mainstay of several national junior teams that competed in several international tournaments. We watched the UAAP opening basketball games  last Sunday, staying at the Big Dome for the 2nd game where Keifer would play. All told, his very first game as a senior was a flop, a disappointment. He was uncharacteristically scoreless on a single field goal attempt. I really don't know what happened. Coach Norman Black said he switched him to the No. 2 guard position which he was not comfortable. Whatever. Rookie jitters. For sure, he'll bounce back after this.

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The other rookie is Jeson Patrombon, the pride of Iligan City. After his discovery by his ever supportive coach, mentor, etc, Manny Tecson, he was brought to Manila and trained under the Jalosjos Alabang Tennis Club. This is the tennis club founded, financed and supported by former Zamboanga congressman Romy Jalosjos while he was in jailed Muntinlupa Bilibid prison. After dominating the local juniors tournaments, he campaigned abroad, earning him the top ten ranking at the end of last year. Significantly, he played in all the majors, Austaralian, US, French and the latest Wimbledon. Last week,for the first time, he formally joined the Philippine Mens team that played against New Zealand in their Asia-Oceana Davis Cup tie. Jeson played in the reverse singles in the last day of the tie ( by that time, the Philippines already lost the tie, 0-3). He won the first set but lost the next two sets and the match.


To these young rookies, their first game was their baptism of fire. But they hold a lot of promise. Watch them from now on. They'll soon dominate the headlines.

Saturday's Sports Special

The local sports scene is buzzing.

From the Azkals date last week to a full load weekend. The biggest and most talked about is the UAAP Season 74 opening today at the Marikina Sports Complex. An innovation which is a first in its history, it will open a la Olympic style with some 3,700 athletes from all 15 sports in the calendar expected to march.

Ateneo is this year's host and  Blue Eagle and PBA legend Olsen Racela will carry the torch and light the cauldron signalling the opening of the games. In the real Olympics, the identity of the who will do this lighting honor is the best kept secret of the opening and is only known or revealed when his moment of glory comes.

Tomorrow, the most prestigious event, basketball unfolds at the Big Dome and expect a full raucous crowd in attendance of the double header; FEU vs. La Salle in the 1st game and defending champion Ateneo against Adamson in the 2nd game.

News from Down Under of the Philippines
New Zealand Davis Cup tie looks bleak. Our Cecil mamiit and Ruben Gonzales lost their opening singles matches putting the Philippines i a 0-2 deep hole. Gonzales succumbed in 3 straight sets, 6-4,6-4,6-4 while our top netter Mamiit put in a good fight in 5 sets, 6-7(6), 7-6(4), 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. They now face the tough task of winning their crucial doubles match today and win the reverse singles matches tomorrow.

As a trivia, do you know that Cecil Mamiit is currently the hitting partner of the darling of women's tennis, my idol, Maria Sharapova?

Davis Cup: Philippines vs. New Zealand

Today, our tennis national team embarks on its own journey, for country, for tennis, and perhaps for recognition they long deserved.

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It's Philippines vs. New Zealand in the 1st round of the Asia-Oceana Davis Cup Zone to be held down under in the "land of the sheep." The Davis Cup is the Olympics of tennis where even top tennis stars, like Rafael Nadal, play for their country.

Victory over the Kiwis will send our team to the next stage of the elimination while a loss will put it in a delicate knock-out stage with Chinese-Taipei. Another loss would relegate the team from the higher seeding of Group I to Group II.

In recent years, our players struggled but successful in placing our standing one notch higher to Group I, so this game is crucial. Our team will be bannered once again by Fil-Am Cecil Mamiit, who since 2005, was at the forefront of our tennis victories, not only in Davis Cup competitions but also in other international events like Asian and SEA Games.

During his prime years in the US, Mamiit was considered one of the rising young top stars of the US and holds the distinction of having once beaten tennis great Andrei Agassi in a US tournament. Our strength will somehow be dampened by the absence of veteran doubles specialist, Fil-Am Treat Huey who is competing in a US tournament, hoping to improve on his world rankings.

The rest of the team is composed of the most veteran Johnny Arcilla, journeyman Ruben Gonzales, and teenage sensation pride of Iligan City, Jeson Patrombon, the country's No.1 Juniors champion and currently ranked in the top 10 of the junior world rankings.

The Kiwis, on the other hand, have a revamped line-up, putting in more younger players in their team. If it's any consolation, the Philippines holds a 4-1 head to head advantage, the last two victories scored just in recent years.

Go go go Team Philippines!