Coincidence

Andy Ram is allowed to play in the Dubai Open but Israeli Shahar Peer is not allowed.  Is it coincidence that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal pulled out of this tournament shortly after Peer was not granted entrance into the tournament.  This is one of the highest paying tournaments of the year.  Unusual coincindence, I don't think so.  You gotta love this game.  It's not always about the money.

USTA FLORIDA

Tennis Life Magazine and USTA Florida Join Forces! 

Circulation tops 180,000

TAMPA, FL --- Tennis Life Magazine with the USTA Florida Section has entered into an agreement to be the official magazine of the USTA Florida Section. Beginning in May 2009, members of USTA Florida will receive a regionally customized edition of Tennis Life for the nearly 50,000 Florida members. This solidifies Tennis Life Magazine as the second largest tennis magazine in America and the World’s Number One tennis magazine. 

Through Tennis Life Magazine’s new partnership, Florida tennis players will now receive the most sought after tennis magazine over the past seven years. Tennis Life is very excited to partner and reach the most desirable and influential tennis market in the World.

“Tennis Life continues to grow in the fastest growing sport in America. As well, tennis players have continued to show an interest in quality print publications that can bring them the news and information they are looking for,” stated Publisher Todd Goldman. 

With this new partnership, Tennis Life can bring to bear the most important market in tennis, the Sunbelt.

“We’re excited about our new partnership with Tennis Life Magazine,” said USTA Florida President Donn Davis. “In these difficult economic times, we’ve been able to structure a partnership that will allow us to continue to provide a key benefit to USTA members in Florida and an additional benefit with an online version at no additional cost for our members.”

“From Florida to Texas to the Southwest, marketers can now easily reach the most active tennis communities with no waste - this we believe is significant for the tennis marketers,” added Goldman. “Additionally our staff is excited to work with the Florida Section (2005 and 2007 USTA Section of the Year) and its staff.”

Tennis Life: Founded in 1994, Tennis Life Magazine is also the official publication of the USTA Texas, Northern, Florida and Southwest Sections and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, and has a growing base of subscribers nationwide. It is also one of only two tennis magazines found on newsstands and in bookstores throughout North America. Tennis Life Magazine publishes Tennis Life en Espanol, Tennis Life UK and Tennis Life Ireland.

The US sales and editorial offices of Tennis Life Magazine are located at PO Box 270, Lutz, FL 33559. For more information, please call 813-949-0054 ext. 222 or email: todd@tennislife.com.

Living The Dream

Rafael Nadal chillin with his new Aston Martin. 

Living the Dream.

Tennis Week Again

Help Wanted? Website For Florida Tennis Jobs

BY TENNIS WEEK

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

An illuminating employment presence has come to the Sunshine State.

If you're looking a job in the tennis industry — or seeking to hire —www.floridatennisjobs.com is a one-stop shop for tennis employment opportunities in Florida.

"There are more job listings on this site than any other on the internet ranging from court maintenance, to directors of tennis, to sales of tennis clubs,"  www.floridatennisjobs.com founder Andrew Saltman says.  "Florida is the tennis capital of the world and so it should have a sole site that offers a listing of the current employment opportunities for tennis pros around the world because tennis pros must stick together.  It offers all the opportunities on one single site instead of having to jump around from job site to job site."

Tennis Life Magazine

The winds of change have shifted.  Tennis Life Magazine has become the official magazine of the USTA Florida Section.  Publisher Todd Goldman (Yes, Bob Larson there is only one "n" in his name, its not like Ted Forstmann of IMG), will gain control beginning in May 2009, members of USTA Florida will get a regionally customized print edition of TL for the 50K Florida members.  TL becomes officially the second biggest magazine in the USA.

Good Work TG.  A couple years back I got to work with Todd at TL and we were fighting and clawing for that contract but missed out to Jax Tennis.  I was not sure why, but I guess the end justifies the means.  Congratulations and Good Luck.

Tennis Week

We finally got a spot yesterday in Tennis Week Magazine.  Things are looking up!  Here is the link to go see it.  We are hoping to score a page in the actual tangible magazine too.  

http://www.tennisweek.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=6626823

Just copy and paste that link.  Yee Haw!

Gavin Rossdale

With two adorable baby boys, Gavin Rossdale needs to stay in shape to keep up.
And by the look of things, he's doing just that! Gwen Stefani's hubby was spotted yesterday enjoying a game of tennis in Beverly Hills. At 41-years-old, Gavin really knows how to stay in shape. Zexy!!! PEREZHILTON

PerezHilton.com has followed tennis a lot lately....I guess it is for the greater good.

Great Sports Weekend

This past weekend was one of the better sports weekends I can remember with a classic Australian Open mens final between top rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer and a really exciting Superbowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. The womens final was pretty anticlimactic but still good nonetheless with Serena Williams reclaiming the top spot on the WTA Tour by dismantling Dinara Safina.The Aussie Open final was the first time that Nadal and Federer had met on a hard court grand slam final. Federer was sure to have the advantage with his experience on hard courts and the fact he was trying to tie Pete Sampras’ record of 14 grand slam titles. However, it was not to be as Federer blew several chances, especially in the third set. Federer had three break points at 4-4 in the third set and Nadal was able to fight them off and then Federer had another two break points at 5-5 in the third and was still unable to capitalize and he went on to lose the tiebreaker after no doubt-suffering mentally.
Watching Federer playing Nadal is one of the most frustrating things to watch if you’re a Federer fan. It’s as if Federer forgets how good he is and Nadal totally has the mental advantage over him as he just wilts under the pressure. Roger had so many opportunities to win Saturday night and just played tight when it mattered the most. He never plays like that against any other player except for Nadal who to his credit played brilliantly and is an exceptional talent and the strongest mental player I’ve ever seen-perhaps in any sport with the exception of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. He is also amazing in 5 setters, having won so many memorable matches in the past few years and he currently deserves to be number one in the world. He has now beaten Federer in 5 grand slam finals on three different surfaces and again, to his credit, he has been the underdog at both Wimbledon and the Aussie Open.

The thing about Nadal is it’s just tough to beat the guy. If you watch him play, he just gets to every ball and makes very few unforced errors. Where do the points come from? It’s amazing to watch the guy play. It must be incredibly frustrating for a guy like Federer to hit amazing shots and repeatedly have Nadal run them down and come up with amazing shots time after time. Nadal is just so tough to beat on the biggest points, he is so focused.

Nadal now has six grand slam titles at the age of 22. Federer had zero at age 22 so perhaps in the end it will be Nadal to supplant Sampras’ record afterall or perhaps Federer’s if he eventually gets the record. I don’t see anyone but Nadal winning at Roland Garros and Federer obviously has a great chance at Wimbledon and the US Open but again if he has to play Nadal-the advantage is always with Nadal mentally.

On the other end of the sports spectrum, the Superbowl was a great game last night with a very exciting fourth quarter and one of the most improbable interception returns I’ve ever seen and certainly the best and longest in Superbowl history which was the difference in the game.
Santonio Holmes was also excellent while winning MVP. Big Ben Roethlisberger was as good as he had to be as usual while Larry Fitzgerald showed why he is the best receiver in the NFL. Kurt Warner also played very well but that interception at the end of the half will go down in Superbowl history as one of the biggest blunders by a Quarterback in history. I still can’t believe he threw that pass under pressure like that on the goal line. That pick six was a 14 point turnaround and eventually would become the difference in the game and cost Arizona a shot at their first Championship.

Pittsburgh set themselves apart from every other NFL team by picking up their 6th Superbowl Championship and second in the past 4 seasons. Congratulations to the Steelers because as is their way, they just find a way to get it done. It’s not always pretty or in fact never, but they find a way to get it done. Luckily for me of course, I had Arizona at +6.5 so I was happy either way!

LEE ABBAMONTE

Don't you just love rafa's shoes?

DOWN AND OUT

Spanish tennis whiz Rafael Nadal handed Roger Federer ANOTHER loss on Sunday.
Rafa beat Roger in 5 sets to win the Australian Open men's single title. The Swiss tennis great has been trying to equal Pete Sampras' 14 major titles, but Rafa keeps getting in his way!
Federer has lost the last three times they've met in Grand Slam finals. The Anna Wintour fave couldn't hold back the tears at the awards presentation. He said, sobbing, "Maybe I'll try later. God, it's killing me… (to Rafa) You deserved it. You played a fantastic final." A sportsmanly Rafa turned to Rog and said, "Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now. Remember, you're a great champion, you're one of the best in history." Better luck next time, Roger!

A P-HILTON.com EXCERPT

[Images via AP Photo.]

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