Tennis: Rafa back to winning ways

Rafael Nadal at the 2011 Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal won his first title since last year at the French open, as he defeated David Nalbandian in straight sets in the final of the Brazil Open.

The Spaniard, playing only his second tournament following a seven-month absence with a knee injury, beat Nalbandian 6-2 6-3 in Sao Paulo.

“I don’t have any problem playing against better rivals because I accept that I can lose”, Nadal said.

Nadal broke twice in the first set and recovered from 3-0 down in the second to win in one hour and 18 minutes.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion has chosen to return to action on the clay courts he favours, making the final in Chile last week before losing to world number 73 Horacio Zeballos.

And while his form remained some way short of his best in Sao Paulo, the 26-year-old was well satisfied at ending the week with his 51st tournament victory.

“I’ll definitely enjoy this one because of all the problems that I’ve gone through with the knee,” said Nadal, who also won the Brazil title in 2005.

“When the knee is feeling better like today I feel like that I can do more of the things that I used to do my entire life,” he said. “If the pain is bearable like it was today, then it’s fine.”

Asked whether he feels ready to compete with the top three of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray, Nadal said: “We are going to see how the knee responds and then take stock.

“I don’t have any problem playing against better rivals because I accept that I can lose. Losing is not a problem for me. I just need time to continue improving and return to a more competitive level.”

Nadal will be targeting an eighth French Open title in June, but for now his goals are simple: “I am going to think about Acapulco and nothing else.”

F1 – Perez aims targets title

Sergio Perez (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

New McLaren driver, Sergio Perez, said he aims to fight for the Formula 1 championship in his debut season with McLaren.

Perez is to replace former McLaren veteran, Lewis Hamilton – now at Mercedes.

He had admitted that it is not a simple task to replace Hamilton, but that they should remain competitive from the start.

“I don’t feel the pressure but obviously you have to deliver here in McLaren,” said Perez.

“You are coming here to deliver results, to win championships. This is the target when you come to McLaren, the best team in F1, you have to really deliver the results.”

Perez promised to “do my very best, give my very best to McLaren”.

“I think we will work very well together (with team mate Jenson Button) for the team but obviously the target is to beat him and all the others. But I think myself with Jenson, we are a very good team.”

 

F1 – Title wins affecting prep – Newey

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Red Bull design chief Adrian Newey says Sebastian Vettel’s title campaign in 2012 has affected the team’s preparations for next season.

Vettel edged Alonso in a dramatic thriller in the finale showdown in Brazil.

Newey told Autosport: “We were introducing developments to the car right up to the penultimate race.

That has made it difficult to introduce all of those and simultaneously develop the next car.”

The 54-year-old said that the challenge of running dual programmes and the necessity to keep developing the 2012 car to the end of the season had delayed work on the 2013 car, the RB9.

“If I’m honest, this has compromised the timescales of the new car more than we would have liked,” he said.

“It was the right trade at the time, because we managed to get the job done but it means a busy winter trying to catch up again.”

Newey said 2012 had been “one of the toughest seasons I’ve been through”.

Team boss Christian Horner paid tribute to Newey, saying that after leading Williams, McLaren and now Red Bull to multiple world titles the Englishman had established himself as a legendary figure in F1 to compare with any of the great designers.

“What he’s achieved is quite phenomenal. He is now arguably the best ever designer in F1. I think he surpasses what even [Lotus founder] Colin Chapman achieved,” Horner said.

“He is absolutely relentless in his desire for excellence and his desire to keep improving the car.”

Vettel’s team-mate Mark Webber added: “To get three world constructors’ titles on the bounce, your mind does drift to Adrian because he is such a powerful influence.

“All those micro decisions he makes along the way; you can see him ticking away asking Seb and I questions and then three months later something pops out and you’re like, ‘Oh that’s what he was on about then.’”

Vettel said he was still motivated to achieve more, despite becoming only the third man in history after legendary drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher to win three consecutive titles.

“Stop now [and] it is still a lifetime achievement,” he said, “but I hope there is still so much more to come – things on the race track but there is also a lot of things off the track.

Cricket : KP signs new contract

Pietersen signs new contract

Kevin Pietersen’s international future was in doubt last year after he was dropped in August for sending “provocative texts’ ” to South Africa players.

The 32-year-old batsman was not initially picked for the winter tour of India but later agreed a four-month contract.

He displayed his skills scoring a whopping 186 in Mumbai and made two half centuries, helping England beat India in the series 2-1, the first away win on Indian soil since 1984-1985.

Despite wanting to not play all three formats, he is now eligible in his new contract to do so, playing for England.

Last May, the South-African born batsman announced his retirement from one-day internationals, which the England board (ECB) insisted that would also have to apply to Twenty20 internationals.

However, Pietersen effectively made a U-Turn on his decision by pledging his full commitment to all three England formats.

In August, Pietersen was dropped to a huge suprise to cricket supporters around the world as details emerged of texts in which he was alleged to have criticised then England captain Andrew Strauss and offered tactical advice to South Africa during the middle of a series against them. This came after scoring a century against the Proteas in Headingley.

Pietersen, who made his international debut in 2004, was dropped for the final match of the series, which the South Africans won 2-0, left out of the squad for the World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka and overlooked for a central contract.

He later apologised directly to Strauss about the comments he made. He apologised to Strauss, who retired from all forms of cricket after the South Africa series, and a series of meetings with England senior players and officials followed, with Pietersen subsequently offered a four-month contract and shortly afterwards aplace in the squad to tour India.

England coach Flower said of the turmoil over the texts: “We did move on from it as soon as we had our meetings and everyone made a commitment to do so.

“We don’t all always get on with people all of the time – any of us, in any walk of life – and everyone has made an effort to make it work.

“It’s been really good fun and he should be very proud of the way he’s operated out here, both as an individual and as a player.”

Pietersen is preparing for England’s ODI series in India but will be rested for the three one-day matches and three Twenty20 internationals in New Zealand in March as part of the policy of rotating senior players.

Former England spinner Ashley Giles is in charge of the team in India in his new role as limited overs coach and he said: “Kevin has now signed up fully.

“He is fully back on board. It is great news. Whatever happened in 2012, we’re moving into a new year now. It’s great for me to have him here. His experience in this side in this part of the world is invaluable.”

 

 

 

 

Football: Why are Spurs and Man Utd after Zaha?

There’s recently big intrest from a few Premier clubs about Wilfred Zaha.

But who is he?

Instead of writing an article about him, we’re showing you his talent, how you like to see it.

Football : Well done Messi

After Messi won the Ballon D’or recently, beating off big competition from Ronaldo, we wish to share with you a small clip commemorating Messi’s highlights. Enjoy.

Football : Villas Boas hits back at Redknapp

Andre Villas-Boas, when coach at Chelsea. (Photo credit: thesportreview)

QPR manager and former Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp, recently said ‘You’d have to be a real dope to mess it up with [the likes of] Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Frank Lampard.” in regards to the Chelsea job.

However, Villas Boas, current Spurs coach replied, ‘You have to be able to access a club like that to experience it.’

Redknapp’s QPR outfit face Spurs tomorrow. Tense.

Redknapp, who spent four successful seasons at Tottenham before being sacked in June, made his comments about the current Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez before QPR’s 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on 2 January.

Some people also though this was in reference to Villas Boas who was sacked at Chelsea before joining Spurs.

Whilst not having the perfect start to the season, Villas Boas guided Tottenham Hotspur to third in the Barclays Premier League with 7 wins out of the last 9 matches played. Not bad, eh?

“I was booed,” Villas-Boas said of his time at Stamford Bridge. “It’s a consequence of the demands of the job.

“Chelsea is a high-profile club where media attention is high and everything is scrutinised and it’s a different type of environment.

“This is a high-profile club but with different circumstances, different players, and different objectives and not so much media attention.”

Villas-Boas was still at Chelsea when the Blues drew 1-1 with Redknapp’s Spurs in December 2011, but asked if he has had any discussion with his predecessor he said: “I’ve never spoken to him.”

Asked for his opinion on the 35-year-old Portuguese, Redknapp said: ”I have no problems with him, good luck to him, he’s doing excellent. I will shake his hand and invite him in for a drink after the game, he seems a nice guy.”

What do you think? Post below.

Cricket : Ricky Ponting tribute

As part of Ponting’s decision to retire, here at homeofsports we wanted to reflect the achievements of Ponting’s career.

Cricket : Kallis first double hundred

Cricket : Kallis reaches Milestone

South Africa veteran all-rounder, became the fourth batsman in test history to pass 13,000 runs.

Kallis reached the mark during the first test against New Zealand at Cape Town

He joins India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Raul Dravid, and ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting in passing the figure.

“I’m probably batting as well as I’ve ever batted in my career,” said Kallis, who had got out for 60.

Kallis achieved the milestone having played the fewest Tests of the four (159).

However, Tendulkar, who tops the standings with 15,645 runs, managed to reach the 13,000 mark in fewer innings (266 to Kallis’s 269).

Cape Town-born Kallis, who celebrated the milestone on his home ground at Newlands, has also taken 282 Test wickets in a 17-year Test career.

Having needed to score 20 to reach the 13,000 figure, he completed his 57th Test fifty in 68 balls, before departing for 60 when he edged seamer Trent Boult to keeper BJ Watling.

“I love playing at Newlands so it was nice that I could get that achievement here,” said Kallis.

“The public have been fantastic to me. To get an ovation like that certainly means a lot to me, and these are very special moments that will live with me forever.”

Kallis, now on 13,040 runs, may struggle to overtake Tendulkar at the top of the list but, with no thoughts of retiring from Tests, should pass the retired Ponting (13,378) and Dravid (13,288).

“When I feel that I’m not contributing to the team in the way that I think I should be, or holding some youngster up, then I’ll definitely start thinking about it (retirement),” he added.

“But that’s certainly the furthest thing from my mind at the moment.”

Earlier in the day, New Zealand were bowled out for 45 - their third lowest all-time Test score – in only 68 balls, while the Proteas finished day one on 252-3, with Alviro Petersen 103 not out. Not a bad day’s cricket for South Africa.