tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42056952120263398182012-01-25T17:34:43.280-08:00Your First Stop On the Road to Tennis NirvanaThe Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.comBlogger343125TheFanChildsTwoCentshttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-55719696208939216042012-01-25T17:26:00.000-08:002012-01-25T17:34:43.320-08:002012-01-25T17:34:43.320-08:00===Just wanted to throw a quick shout out to all readers. If you miss me, please come over to Tennis Now to read some of my Australian Open coverage. There's a lot to read, and there will be a lot more by the end of what promises to be a fantastic weekend! -- The management a.k.a The Fan Child a.k.a Chris Oddo <br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=Zukrny2wCLw:_uIOhJWYi3Y:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=Zukrny2wCLw:_uIOhJWYi3Y:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=Zukrny2wCLw:_uIOhJWYi3Y:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/Zukrny2wCLw" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/australian-open-angry-happy-slam.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-68353132133910257092012-01-17T15:06:00.000-08:002012-01-17T15:54:33.484-08:002012-01-17T15:54:33.484-08:00===One of the more highly anticipated first-rounders in Melbourne did not disappoint, as Andy Murray outclassed youngster Ryan Harrison on Hisense. Here are five quick thoughts on what the match might mean for both participants. ***Editor's Note: You can find my work at Tennisnow.com throughout the Australian Open. I'm posting 3-4 pieces a day...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=RKpBfsOE3Ds:75-J8GfIKpU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=RKpBfsOE3Ds:75-J8GfIKpU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=RKpBfsOE3Ds:75-J8GfIKpU:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/RKpBfsOE3Ds" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/5-thoughts-on-andy-murray-ryan-harrison.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-94089343876084032012-01-15T14:47:00.000-08:002012-01-15T15:53:26.710-08:002012-01-15T15:53:26.710-08:00===They say that confidence is half the battle on a tennis court, and if it's true then Australian 19-year-old Bernard Tomic is half way there. Tomic, who played last year's Australian Open with a ranking of 199, enters this year's tournament firmly entrenched in the ATP's top 50, at No. 38. Furthermore, the Queensland native is fresh off an...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=_KROe0s43Nk:Wvs-w6LuyDI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=_KROe0s43Nk:Wvs-w6LuyDI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=_KROe0s43Nk:Wvs-w6LuyDI:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/_KROe0s43Nk" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com1http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/tomic-confidently-assumes-australias.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-65403292655663675402012-01-15T11:56:00.000-08:002012-01-15T12:21:53.655-08:002012-01-15T12:21:53.655-08:00===Welcome to Quotable Quips, where we scour the internet, the pressers, the match recaps, and whatever else we can get our hands on to get a handle on who said what, why who said what, and what who might have meant when who said what. “I am always surprised to see professional players searching for former professional players in order to solve...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=GgOCNRRZKYM:8U1DT1WbNjs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=GgOCNRRZKYM:8U1DT1WbNjs:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=GgOCNRRZKYM:8U1DT1WbNjs:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/GgOCNRRZKYM" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/quotable-quips-this-week-in-tennis_15.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-51520088503196243732012-01-15T07:15:00.000-08:002012-01-15T09:54:02.462-08:002012-01-15T09:54:02.462-08:00===You knew it would have to happen sometime. The always congenial and typically amicable rivals are finally experiencing a modicum of tension. Or, at least, it's what you will read and hear. Now, before we try to make a mountain out of molehill of Rafael Nadal's thoughts on Roger Federer's lack of support for the player's movement with regard to...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=eProYYR-eAY:vv1_cx5_bwY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=eProYYR-eAY:vv1_cx5_bwY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=eProYYR-eAY:vv1_cx5_bwY:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/eProYYR-eAY" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com2http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/federer-nadal-rivalry-bubbles-over.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-60148808963189087072012-01-14T11:05:00.000-08:002012-01-14T12:15:44.833-08:002012-01-14T12:15:44.833-08:00=== Yesterday on The Deuce Court, we looked at some of the most mouth watering men's first round matchups. Today, we'll flip the dial and look at what's happening on the women's side in the first round. Click here for the day 1 Australian Open Order of Play 1. Lucie Safarova vs. Christina McHale: American tennis fans might be surprised to know...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=xbyxWIdS4m8:fSvvKCLfrnI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=xbyxWIdS4m8:fSvvKCLfrnI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=xbyxWIdS4m8:fSvvKCLfrnI:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/xbyxWIdS4m8" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com2http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/deuce-court-8-womens-must-see-first.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-52033109034683801392012-01-13T13:27:00.000-08:002012-01-13T14:01:39.895-08:002012-01-13T14:01:39.895-08:00===Make no mistake, watching Roger Federer in an empty Rod Laver Arena is exciting, but when Monday rolls around, Melbourne Park will be packed with throngs of the tennis-mad and an air of electricity will be pumping through the venue. Here are eight matches that are sure to keep the energy of the crowd high throughout round 1: 1. Radek Stepanek...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=yE-PFcu46YA:ZTLAVHpHWbk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=yE-PFcu46YA:ZTLAVHpHWbk:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=yE-PFcu46YA:ZTLAVHpHWbk:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/yE-PFcu46YA" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com2http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/deuce-court-8-mens-must-see-first.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-13951005354335096802012-01-12T01:36:00.000-08:002012-01-12T11:47:46.958-08:002012-01-12T11:47:46.958-08:00===There are much bigger matches to come in the next few weeks, but after tonight's semifinal victory Li Na is officially ready for them. Now, that doesn't necessarily that she's guaranteed to make the Australian Open semifinals for a third straight time, or make the finals like she did last year, or win her second Grand Slam, but what it does...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=0blQLskQLS0:OxHMMbiFmow:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=0blQLskQLS0:OxHMMbiFmow:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=0blQLskQLS0:OxHMMbiFmow:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/0blQLskQLS0" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/li-to-press-yeah-im-back.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-87385015753589578152012-01-11T13:18:00.000-08:002012-01-11T13:22:35.991-08:002012-01-11T13:22:35.991-08:00=== She's not only a world-class server, she's a world-class scene-stealer as well. Check out the new Wilson adds featuring Sabine Lisicki. There's more footage where that came from on this facebook page. <br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=0n6bREOUDLQ:tnVrYvuFdb0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=0n6bREOUDLQ:tnVrYvuFdb0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=0n6bREOUDLQ:tnVrYvuFdb0:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/0n6bREOUDLQ" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/good-morning-sabine.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-4740027393782777912012-01-11T11:09:00.000-08:002012-01-11T13:49:20.433-08:002012-01-11T13:49:20.433-08:00===The Deuce Court is about to go crazy. Australian Open qualifying is underway. Petra Kvitova is playing Li Na today. Ivan Lendl photos are more popular than Scarlett Johansson photos on the Internet right now. And everything I see is fuzzy, yellow, and pops off the strings. In other words, life is good. Deuce #1: Baghdatis? Check the...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=9XQh5bvWA98:y4bXwbuk76o:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=9XQh5bvWA98:y4bXwbuk76o:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=9XQh5bvWA98:y4bXwbuk76o:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/9XQh5bvWA98" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/deuce-court-aussie-aspirations.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-39798980070676252852012-01-09T11:29:00.000-08:002012-01-09T13:00:20.919-08:002012-01-09T13:00:20.919-08:00=== Just like the Australian summer, the tennis is heating up down under. But not all tennis players are created equal, and the first week of 2012 gave incontrovertible proof of that very fact. Some, like Milos Raonic, Bernard Tomic and Andy Murray were fast out of the gate, while others, like Samantha Stosur, Stan Wawrinka and even Rafael Nadal,...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=XqCx52ntVCo:yiImV_R98x0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=XqCx52ntVCo:yiImV_R98x0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=XqCx52ntVCo:yiImV_R98x0:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/XqCx52ntVCo" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com5http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/week-that-was-7-likes-3-dislikes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-21949992541296162122012-01-08T14:06:00.000-08:002012-01-08T16:32:41.615-08:002012-01-08T16:32:41.615-08:00===Welcome to Quotable Quips, where we scour the internet, the pressers, the match recaps, and whatever else we can get our hands on to get a handle on who said what, why who said what, and what who might have meant when who said what. Let's start with a 3-pack from the queen of quotes, Serena Williams: 1. Referring to her ankle injury,...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=YK3gTAQkNOk:aM1Mswq0RYw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=YK3gTAQkNOk:aM1Mswq0RYw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=YK3gTAQkNOk:aM1Mswq0RYw:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/YK3gTAQkNOk" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/quotable-quips-this-week-in-tennis.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-83185180057625097882012-01-06T12:21:00.000-08:002012-01-06T15:42:33.797-08:002012-01-06T15:42:33.797-08:00=== Each Friday at The Fan Child's Two Cents, we will tap the archives and take a look back at a classic tennis memory. === Marat Safin and Pete Sampras met four times in Grand Slams, and, strangely, this nail biter in the 4th round of the 2002 Australian Open was the only meeting that went beyond three sets. With Sampras 30 years of age and...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=uXHELgfFdSI:4ygqlwnL8RE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=uXHELgfFdSI:4ygqlwnL8RE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=uXHELgfFdSI:4ygqlwnL8RE:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/uXHELgfFdSI" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/flashback-friday-safin-sampras.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-83263325078101664142012-01-05T15:58:00.000-08:002012-01-05T16:14:13.505-08:002012-01-05T16:14:13.505-08:00=== Holy hilarity. When I posted this piece about who is trending up during the first week of the tennis season, I regretted that I didn't leave space to mention Zheng Jie, who has reached the semifinals of the ASB Classic in Auckland, and will face Svetlana Kuznetsova for a spot in the final. For the former Wimbledon and Australian Open...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=GdYxpL4o0gM:MUUxNpKlAu0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=GdYxpL4o0gM:MUUxNpKlAu0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=GdYxpL4o0gM:MUUxNpKlAu0:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/GdYxpL4o0gM" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com1http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/jay-z-in-house.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-9785762120405767142012-01-05T12:06:00.000-08:002012-01-05T13:04:42.864-08:002012-01-05T13:04:42.864-08:00=== It's been a tumultuous week of tennis, and today I'm going to try to make sense of some of the madness by attempting to quantify the early achievements that we've witnessed in Brisbane, Perth, Auckland, Doha and Chennai. In keeping with the spirit of making sense of the madness, I've elected to go with a nice easy bullet format, so, without...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=yjP0nRijcCU:VF-vaZprL6M:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=yjP0nRijcCU:VF-vaZprL6M:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=yjP0nRijcCU:VF-vaZprL6M:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/yjP0nRijcCU" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com1http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/reading-tennis-tea-leaves-who-is.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-25715004142194453412012-01-03T13:38:00.001-08:002012-01-03T23:42:29.726-08:002012-01-03T23:42:29.726-08:00===The Deuce Court is The Fan Child's soapbox. Today we discuss Serena Williams eye-opening comments about her lack of love for tennis and Rafa's heavier stick. Deuce #1: Serena Said What? Everybody and their mother's cousin has already posted takes on Serena's latest attention-grabbing remarks to the press, but if you haven't read or heard...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=lJ35BpAK0wQ:MKeRH8aNQgI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=lJ35BpAK0wQ:MKeRH8aNQgI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=lJ35BpAK0wQ:MKeRH8aNQgI:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/lJ35BpAK0wQ" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com1http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/deuce-court-serena-said-what.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-11510457869590139602012-01-01T22:46:00.000-08:002012-01-01T23:05:53.671-08:002012-01-01T23:05:53.671-08:00===Just came across this clip (via @wta and @brisbanetennis) of the new Petko celebratory stomp, which occurred after Andrea Petkovic's three-set victory over the always feisty Shahar Peer. Unlike the original Petko dance, which set the bar rather high, and the second incarnation, which brought it down a bit but opened the door for break dancing,...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=F7ln2yUFp4I:gQs-DzQW43M:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=F7ln2yUFp4I:gQs-DzQW43M:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=F7ln2yUFp4I:gQs-DzQW43M:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/F7ln2yUFp4I" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/petko-channels-her-inner-hoopster.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-7169035436292289102012-01-01T15:46:00.000-08:002012-01-01T18:51:00.972-08:002012-01-01T18:51:00.972-08:00===Join The Deuce Court as we preview week one of the Australian Summer. Deuce #1: Murray-Lendl Buzz The spotlight will be on Andy Murray in Brisbane, that you can be sure of. Just a few days after making news by hiring eight-time Grand Slam title winner Ivan Lendl as his new coach, Murray will enter Brisbane as the only top ten player in the...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=t93di3tyz04:TGNflnk1vfU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=t93di3tyz04:TGNflnk1vfU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=t93di3tyz04:TGNflnk1vfU:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/t93di3tyz04" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2012/01/deuce-court-previewing-week.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-37157888134573113172011-12-31T15:28:00.000-08:002011-12-31T16:04:48.973-08:002011-12-31T16:04:48.973-08:00=== I honestly don't know how much of a correlation you can make between the winner of this weekend's exhibition in Abu Dhabi and who is going to make some noise at the upcoming (yes, really) Australian Open, but if there is any correlation, all signs are pointing to Novak Djokovic being in fine form once again in 2012. He was dominant in Abu...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=CwIhQQNelxo:gR6FtrHH-is:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=CwIhQQNelxo:gR6FtrHH-is:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=CwIhQQNelxo:gR6FtrHH-is:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/CwIhQQNelxo" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2011/12/prince-of-abu-dhabi.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-42386743900412933702011-12-13T14:21:00.000-08:002011-12-13T19:10:18.158-08:002011-12-13T19:10:18.158-08:00I've spent the last few days curling up with Rafa's recently published book "Rafa," by Rafa himself and writer John Carlin. It's been a surprisingly entertaining read about one of the most compelling personalities of the sport, and I must say, it has only made me appreciate all of Rafa's remarkable character traits even more. There are a lot of...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=d8dopQDz1Kc:Ur1A6Y0nbVM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=d8dopQDz1Kc:Ur1A6Y0nbVM:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=d8dopQDz1Kc:Ur1A6Y0nbVM:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/d8dopQDz1Kc" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com5http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2011/12/rafa-book-uncle-tonis-profound.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-9476953367729413652011-12-08T12:24:00.001-08:002011-12-09T12:58:17.917-08:002011-12-09T12:58:17.917-08:00=== A lot has changed with regard to Ryan Harrison's coaching situation in the last nine months; then again, a lot hasn't. For Harrison, the coaching carousel continues to spin. He's beginning a relationship with Grant Doyle as of this week. That's great news for Doyle, who did some fine coaching work with Sam Querrey and has also made a name for...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=hEauEw_8y0o:KGQQdgSARFw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=hEauEw_8y0o:KGQQdgSARFw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=hEauEw_8y0o:KGQQdgSARFw:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/hEauEw_8y0o" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2011/12/perspective-harrison-needs-stabilizing.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-90339379975016745852011-12-07T12:26:00.000-08:002011-12-07T12:39:06.964-08:002011-12-07T12:39:06.964-08:00===Now that there are finally no tennis scores to check on livescore, I've been spending my time perusing the voluminous YouTube tennis library a bit more than usual. You know what? It's pretty damn fun. Okay, okay...REALLY DAMN FUN! Look at this clip of Boris Becker, having a terrible time of it in a match against Andre Agassi in Florida. Becker...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=Vz9jCruYUOU:0HKD2pCVy04:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=Vz9jCruYUOU:0HKD2pCVy04:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=Vz9jCruYUOU:0HKD2pCVy04:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/Vz9jCruYUOU" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com1http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2011/12/droppers-becker-asks-ballgirl-to-sub.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-59123564265910935492011-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:002011-12-07T00:09:04.546-08:002011-12-07T00:09:04.546-08:00===Was doing some late night tennis viewing on YouTube, and came across this hilarious video of Lendl nearly decapitating Emilio Sanchez in a mixed doubles match. Even when you watch it on slo-mo, it looks like the ball is traveling at light speed. It's a good thing that Sanchez took that first split step backwards or it might have been worse....<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=qoSzZdTKzyw:25dlJuaS8VQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=qoSzZdTKzyw:25dlJuaS8VQ:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=qoSzZdTKzyw:25dlJuaS8VQ:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/qoSzZdTKzyw" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com0http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2011/12/droppers-nice-video-of-lendl-almost.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-1067316611175403682011-12-05T10:30:00.000-08:002011-12-05T11:41:04.140-08:002011-12-05T11:41:04.140-08:00===Wow. Next time you hear me calling for a drastic revamping of the Davis Cup format, just tell me to kindly shut my trap. After this weekend's rousing final between Spain and Argentina, it's painfully clear that if anything needs to be wiped off the men's tennis calendar, it certainly isn't an emotionally gratifying event like La Copa Davis....<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=2V2MgKlvDxs:e9WAzlcO0YE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=2V2MgKlvDxs:e9WAzlcO0YE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=2V2MgKlvDxs:e9WAzlcO0YE:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/2V2MgKlvDxs" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com2http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2011/12/second-serving-looking-back-at-spains.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205695212026339818.post-37989502154008947902011-12-02T21:11:00.000-08:002011-12-03T08:52:11.321-08:002011-12-03T08:52:11.321-08:00David Ferrer's five set win over Juan Martin del Potro was replete with emotional gravitas. === After the final ball of David Ferrer's 6-2, 6-7(2), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Juan Martin Del Potro was struck today in Seville, Spain, I found myself resonating emotionally with the players as they went to their respective chairs, one crying in...<br/> <br/> The Fan Child thanks you for checking his feed out. Please clink the link to continue reading...<div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=IK8znAmmf68:SEtQjmYdhGY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=IK8znAmmf68:SEtQjmYdhGY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?a=IK8znAmmf68:SEtQjmYdhGY:63t7Ie-LG7Y"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/TheFanChildsTwoCents?d=63t7Ie-LG7Y" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheFanChildsTwoCents/~4/IK8znAmmf68" height="1" width="1"/>The Fan Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06910420047118245818noreply@blogger.com2http://thefanchild.blogspot.com/2011/12/singing-hearts-bleeding-hearts-ferrer.html