Dmitry Tursunov of Russia has registered his first win in four years on the Barcelona clay courts. He defeated Kevin Anderson 6-3 6-4.
The reason I choose to begin my blog with Tursunov's success is because it brings back pleasant memories from two years ago at Estoril.
The ATP website in 2006 began a Player's Blog section. The first player to blog was Ivan Ljubicic from the Chennai Open. Thereafter different players wrote about their experiences at tournaments around the world. It was an attempt to bring fans across the world closer to their favourite tennis players. It was an attempt that would have remained lackluster had it not been for Tursunov's blog from Estoril. The blog added a new dimension to the otherwise dull section. Players, before the landmark Estoril blog, would talk about what they ate, who they played, massages and other reportings of their more mundane activities. Tursunov's blog finally opened the gates to allow a more personal, intimate look at a player's life. It was humorous and gave an all round view of the tennis world.
The blogs on the ATP website have since become more and more sporadic and have now ceased. Today's tennis player has their own blog hosted on their own websites. While blogs on player websites have been popular - like Andy Murray's - they have not managed to have the same impact as the ATP blogs. One of the reasons of course is the fragmentation of readers as only fans of that player are likely to give it a read. Another is the lack of regularity of the individual player blogs.
If you visit the ATP website there is still a link to the blogs. Tursunov Tales, a separate section for ATP's appointed resident blogger, heads the page. I still visit Tursunov's original Estoril blog when I need a laugh. And the beginning of the clay court season is when I am most often reminded of the blog. After all, this is where Tursunov proclaimed, "“Clay is for girls!”
As we head into Mr. Nadal's home turf, let's hope we have a good season this year. Let's hope Tursunov and other clay-haters (the Americans) manage to salvage some pride on the red courts of Roland Garros. And let's hope for another cracking final at the French Open. After all Mr. Federer just won his first title of the year on this surface. So maybe we can expect an encore of last year's final.
The reason I choose to begin my blog with Tursunov's success is because it brings back pleasant memories from two years ago at Estoril.
The ATP website in 2006 began a Player's Blog section. The first player to blog was Ivan Ljubicic from the Chennai Open. Thereafter different players wrote about their experiences at tournaments around the world. It was an attempt to bring fans across the world closer to their favourite tennis players. It was an attempt that would have remained lackluster had it not been for Tursunov's blog from Estoril. The blog added a new dimension to the otherwise dull section. Players, before the landmark Estoril blog, would talk about what they ate, who they played, massages and other reportings of their more mundane activities. Tursunov's blog finally opened the gates to allow a more personal, intimate look at a player's life. It was humorous and gave an all round view of the tennis world.
The blogs on the ATP website have since become more and more sporadic and have now ceased. Today's tennis player has their own blog hosted on their own websites. While blogs on player websites have been popular - like Andy Murray's - they have not managed to have the same impact as the ATP blogs. One of the reasons of course is the fragmentation of readers as only fans of that player are likely to give it a read. Another is the lack of regularity of the individual player blogs.
If you visit the ATP website there is still a link to the blogs. Tursunov Tales, a separate section for ATP's appointed resident blogger, heads the page. I still visit Tursunov's original Estoril blog when I need a laugh. And the beginning of the clay court season is when I am most often reminded of the blog. After all, this is where Tursunov proclaimed, "“Clay is for girls!”
As we head into Mr. Nadal's home turf, let's hope we have a good season this year. Let's hope Tursunov and other clay-haters (the Americans) manage to salvage some pride on the red courts of Roland Garros. And let's hope for another cracking final at the French Open. After all Mr. Federer just won his first title of the year on this surface. So maybe we can expect an encore of last year's final.
http://www.atptennis.com/en/blog/2006/tursunov.asp
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