Novak Djokovic - OUT Of Beijing

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next week�s China Open with an injury, the tennis tournament said.

Djokovic, 24, who successfully defended his China Open title last year, pulled out �due to a health problem� which he has yet to specify, organizers of the Beijing event said in a statement on their website.

The Serb won his third Grand Slam title of the season at the U.S. Open on Sept. 12 in New York. Six days later, he was forced to quit during a Davis Cup semifinals match against Argentina at home in Belgrade with pain in his back and ribs.

Courtesy: Bloomberg

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5:14 AM | 0 comments

Palins may file case

Palin Accuses McGinniss of Defamation and "May" File Claim


Publisher’s Lunch reports that Sarah Palin's Anchorage attorney has written to Crown Publishers, claiming that Joe McGinniss's book THE ROGUE has "defamed" the Palins.

It also makes the rather convoluted argument that McGinniss somehow "waived the attorney client privilege" when he made a casual reference in an email to what Random House lawyers told him, hoping to use that to access the publisher's legal correspondence with the author.

The foundation for this is an e-mail dated January 27, 2011, allegedly written by McGinniss to a potential source. The posted text opens, "Legal review of my manuscript is underway and here's my problem: no one has ever offered documentation of any of the lurid stories about the Palins."

Later, it says: "Thus – as Random House lawyers are already pointing out to me – nothing I can cite other than my own reporting rises above the level of tawdry gossip. The proof is always just around the corner, but that's a corner nobody has been able to turn."

Unsurprisingly, in view of this, Palin's attorney claims "it is malicious for your company to publish a book where it, and the author, admit that they were fully aware the statements in the book were false, intended to be false, and were intended to harm." He adds: "There is no evidence that Mr. McGinniss somehow magically discovered 'new sources' between January of this year and the present date. Certainly the book does not report any."

Crown sees it differently, of course. In a statement, the publisher said, "After a thorough and careful examination of the book, including probing discussions with the author about his sources, we are confident that the reporting it contains is solid, reliable, and well-substantiated."

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6:02 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - On The Football Pitch

Hopefully this means that his back is feeling better and he will make the trip to the Far East :)

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12:21 PM | 0 comments

Tim Severin’s pirates

The PIRATE series, the adventures of Hector Lynch

Tim Severin, explorer, film-maker and lecturer, has made many expeditions, from crossing the Atlantic in a medieval leather boat, to going out in search of Moby Dick. He has written marvelous nonfiction accounts of all these expeditions, most of which I have in my collection.

My personal favorites are Crusader, The Spice Island Voyage, and In Search of Moby Dick. This is because I have personally visited the exotic lands described in these books, and always thrill to the acute sense of being there that Severin conveys. But don’t just read those three – all of these travel accounts are well worth the time and effort.

It is no surprise that they have won many awards, including the Thomas Cook Travel Award, the Book of the Sea Award, a Christopher Prize, and the literary medal of the Academie de la Marine. It was a surprise to me, however, that Tim Severin should launch himself into fiction.

The pirate books – Corsair, Buccaneer, Sea Robber – are the first Severin novels I have read. There was a Viking series – Odin’s Child, Sworn Brother, King’s Man – that sold very well, but somehow the set passed me by. Therefore, I was not sure what to expect.

The novels, I found, are picaresque – travel stories without much plot, in which the protagonist goes to exotic places, and has things happen to him. The hero is captured from an Irish village as a teenager, becomes a slave in barbarous Barbary, and progresses from there to pulling a sweep in a French galley, and so on through books two and three to life as a pirate in various guises, often under captains with famous names. It is all stirring stuff, its only drawback being that, l ike Don Quixote, Hector Lynch never seems to be in charge of his own fate, which tends to make him rather colorless.

But I did find the same wonderful background scenes that mark Severin’s travel books, along with the sense of veracity that can only be achieved by a writer who knows the sea intimately, in all its moods. Another plus is Severin’s painstaking research into pirates of various kinds. I thought I knew a lot about the history of piracy before I started the series, but I learned a great deal more. These books will not be given away – I will be keeping them as valued textbooks, to be looked up whenever I want to check details of piracy in the Mediterranean, the West Indies, the Pacific Ocean, and the East Indies.

Despite the lack of compelling plots I recommend this series to anyone interested in the history of piracy, and who would like to know how it felt to sail in those seas in those days. But what I am really looking forward to is Tim Severin’s next exotic adventure, and the wonderful book he will write about it.

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Louisa Gurney Hoare, childhood upbringing pioneer

Ever heard of Louisa Hoare? Neither had I, not until I read her feature on the online Oxford Dictionary of Biography, but she had quite an effect on the way we bring up our children today.

Louisa was born in Norwich, September 25, 1784, the seventh child of Quakers John and Catherine Bell. One of her sisters was the prison reformer, Elizabeth Fry, while two of her brothers, Joseph and Samuel, were famous philanthropists, and a third brother, Daniel, was a wellknown banker.

Their mother died when her youngest child was only three, but the role of matriarch was swiftly taken up by the eldest daughter, also called Catherine, but known as Kitty. There might have been some premonition of this, because Catherine senior left a memorandum concerning the education of her children, and what their daily routine should be like. Reassured by this, Kitty ruled with a light hand, so that her siblings’ childhood was one of lighthearted play, unusually adult debate, and freedom to raid the library for whatever reading material they liked.

All the children were encouraged to keep journals of conscience – diaries in which they recorded their state of mind, as well as the events of the day. Louisa excelled at this, being candid as well as thoughtful by nature. She recorded adolescent passions, her love of nature, her dislike of injustice, and her disgust when her 12-year-old cousin took the liberty of kissing her. Over the years, however, her feelings about the last changed. That cousin, Samuel Hoare (who grew up to be a banker), became her husband.

The family always thought that Louisa had the greatest intellect, energy, and ability of them all. She played a background role in their concerns and campaigns, such as the anti-slavery movement promoted by her brother-in-law Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, and the prison reform movement of her sister Elizabeth Fry, but her own passion, greatly influenced by the memorandum left by her mother, was the education of parents in the art of child-raising. In a word, Louisa Hoare was the Dr. Spock of her day.

Her first book on the subject, Hints for the Improvement of Early Education and Nursery Discipline (published in 1819), claimed to be the “simple result of experience.” In fact, it was an expanded version of a memorandum she had written for the nursemaid who helped care for her firstborn child. A particularly successful book, it sold well in both Britain and in the United States for more than eighty years.

So what did she recommend? Louisa was a great believer in rules and routine, kindness and tolerance. Discipline, she said, was designed to “preserve children from evil, not from childishness” – though regulated, childhood was supposed to be joyful. Parents, she said, should respect their children, and treat them justly, understanding that they, too, had rights. Most importantly, parents should set a good example. Then, when their children imitated their speech and actions (as children do), they would not feel ashamed.

Obviously, she followed her own precept. Louisa died in Hampstead on 6 September 1836, the idol of all of her six children.

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8:17 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - More UNICEF photos

More photos of Novak with the children as part of his work as an UNICEF Ambassador.  He will make a fantastic Father one day.

Found via doartenis

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11:41 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Round-up

Not much happening as we wait for Novak to take to the court again.

Weekend was spent at the wedding of Miljan Amanovic as well as the Christening of his Daughter.

It was then off to school as part of Novak's work on behalf of UNICEF


Novak Djokovic on WhoSay


Novak Djokovic on WhoSay

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4:49 AM | 0 comments

From garden shed to Hollywood

Lost Hitchcock classic found

This week, the earliest known Hitchcock-directed film will be screened in Los Angeles – thanks to a film collector in New Zealand.

The only known print of the 1923 film “The White Shadow” lay stowed in a garden shed in the North Island town of Hastings for several decades, along with hundred of other films from the silent movie era.

It was part of the collection of Jack Murtagh, a cinema projectionist who liked to hoard copies of the films that ran through his spools. Murtagh died in 1989, leaving a rich legacy for film buffs. His collection, which includes newsreels and short features, have been bequeathed to the New Zealand Film Archive.

Now Hollywood is benefiting, too.

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11:22 PM | 0 comments

The most unauthorized autobiography ever?

WikiLeaks founder furious about unauthorized autobiography


Back in March this year, the first draft of Julian Assange’s autobiography was delivered to British publisher Canongate. Of course it was accepted – but between submission and acceptance, Assange changed his mind.

Canongate admit that Assange tried to stop its publication, but said they are proud to publish the “passionate, provocative and opinionated” book.

Assange has condemned their actions, saying that Canongate acted in breach of contract, and, what’s more, had personally assured him that they would not publish the draft.

“This book was meant to be about my life’s struggle for justice through access to knowledge. It has turned into something else,” said Assange.

“The events surrounding its unauthorised publication by Canongate are not about freedom of information. They are about old-fashioned opportunism and duplicity – screwing people over to make a buck.”

The book, based on conversations Assange had with ghost writer Andrew O’Hagain, and called Julian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography, arrived in British bookstores this week.

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11:21 PM | 0 comments

Happy 100th birthday William Golding

The author of Lord of the Flies was born on September 19, 1911, in Newquay, Cornwall.

His father, Alec, was a revolutionary thinker, being an atheist, a socialist, and a rationalist, while his mother, Mildred, was of more Gothic-romantic bent, infamous for terrifying her family with Cornish ghost stories. Both parents were accomplished musicians, and William and his older brother played violin and cello.

While working as a shoemaker, Alec became qualified as a science teacher, and went on to teach at Marlborough grammar school in Wiltshire, where his son, William, was a student. Alec became formally qualified, wrote science textbooks, and was appointed a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. His practical, scientific bent of mind, combined with his atheism, had an enormous effect on his son William’s writing.

In 1930 William left home to attend Brasenose College, Oxford, starting off by studying natural science, and then swapping to English literature. He graduated in 1935, then studied for a diploma in education.

In 1934 he published a small volume of poetry, but this was not a commercial or critical success. The following year he left Oxford to move to London, and became involved in theatre. This, too, was not a success, and in 1939 he took up a teaching post at Maidstone grammar school for boys. In September that same year he married Mabel Ann Brookfield, and settled down to the life of a family man and schoolmaster.

It was the Second World War that decided the course of his life. William volunteered for the Royal Navy, enlisting as an ordinary seaman. When sitting an examination to become an officer, he answered a question on the difference between a propellant and an explosive in such erudite detail that he was sent to a secret research center.

While there, he was injured in an explosion, and after recovery, he asked his bosses “to send me back to sea, for God's sake, where there's peace.” Amazingly, the Admiralty listened. He was sent to a mine-sweeper school inScotland, then to New York to wait for a mine-sweeper that was being built on Long Island. By a quirk of fate, minesweepers were no longer used to the same extent when he returned to Britain, so he was given command of a small rocket-launching craft, instead.

The war changed William Golding’s view of mankind. As he wrote, “Before the second world war I believed in the perfectibility of social man; that a correct structure of society would produce goodwill; and that therefore you could remove all social ills by a reorganisation of society.” The war forced him to decide that “anyone who moved through those years without understanding that man produces evil as a bee produces honey must have been blind or wrong in the head” – that when social controls collapsed, most people would end up behaving with brutality and inhumanity. It was an attitude reflected in all his writing from then on.

In 1945 Golding returned to Bishop Wordsworth's School to teach English and classics, and write several novels, all of which were rejected. Then came a manuscript that he had titled “Strangers from Within.” After being rejected by 21 publishers, in September 1953 it arrived on the desk of Charles Monteith, a young editor at Faber. Monteith recognized its greatness – and also its flaws. Luckily, William Golding was amenable to heavy editing, including the cutting out of several lengthy scenes, and cooperated, too, when Monteith suggested that he find a different title.

Golding’s suggestions were “A Cry of Children” and “Nightmare Island.” It was another editor at Faber, Alan Pringle, who suggested “Lord of the Flies.” The novel was published on 17 September 1954, exactly a year after it had been submitted.

Everyone knows that story that made Golding a household name – the marooning of a group of boys on a desert island, the struggle for supremacy, and the Gothic inevitability of violence and death. It is a grim, doom-laden rewriting of “Swiss Family Robinson” and “Coral Island.” Lord of the Flies received warm reviews, and endorsements by influential writers, including E. M. Forster, C. S. Lewis, and T. S. Eliot, who described it as “not only a splendid novel but morally and theologically impeccable.”

In America it initially made little impression, but by1957 the paperback edition had attracted a huge cult following among university students, and from there it moved rapidly into the mainstream. The novel became a classroom text at secondary and tertiary level in America and Europe, and by the end of the twentieth century it had been translated into over thirty languages, with worldwide sales estimated at over 10 million copies.

In 1983 Golding was awarded the Nobel prize for literature, one of only five British writers to have received the accolade. In 1988 he was knighted.

Golding died suddenly of a heart attack, aged eighty-one, on the morning of 19 June 1993.

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11:20 PM | 0 comments

Davis Cup Draw for 2012

World Group Draw:

 

Spain v Kazakhstan

Austria v Russia

Canada v France

Switzerland v USA

Czech Rep v Italy

Serbia v Sweden

Japan v Croatia 

Germany v Argentina.

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5:43 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - The Very Best Part I - IV

Courtesy: splash2011upload

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Novak Djokovic - Parties Away

Serbia's top male tennis players, although failing to impress on the court of the Belgrade Arena at the weekend, had a great time out together on Monday night in the Belgrade club Stefan Braun.

Popular DJs Junior Jack and Kid Creme were in charge of the music, while the stars of the evening at the club were Serbian players Novak Djokovic, Viktor Triocki and Janko Tipsarevic, accompanied by their significant others. Novak and Janko in particular seemed to be in a great mood and in the first part of the evening chatted with the renowned DJs.

Everyone around Djokovic appeared to be having a great time and laugh. Although many were expecting to see Janko at the turntable and play some of his set lists for the crowd, that never happened.

As the hour got late, Novak and co's mood was even better as they played in the crowd, took photos with their fans as a wide variety of cocktails were being delivered from the bar.

 

As Monday nights are dedicated to charity parties at Stefan Braun and celebrities serve guests from the bar, singer Anabela Bukva, television host Marina Kotevski and Marko Djurovski took time to animate the guests and collect contributions for two abandoned girls from Kragujevac. Also seen during the night was singer Kaja, who is in a relationship with Junior Jack.

Courtesy: Bilc

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11:41 PM | 0 comments

So-called revelations in Sarah Palin biography

The whole USA, it seems, is laughing about the 320-page “tell-all” by Joe McGinnis.

Three particularly lurid accusations:

SEX. During a 1987 NBA event called "The Great Alaska Shoot-out," Palin seduced pro baller Glen Rice. There is a hint of a claim that Palin had a "fetish" for black men.

ADULTERY. Palin had a six-month relationship with her husband's business partner in the mid-'90's.

DRUGS. Palin was once seen snorting cocaine off the top of a 55-gallon drum while snowmobiling with friends. And, oh yes, she smoked pot with a professor while at Mat-Su College.

Worth reading?

I don’t think so.

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7:07 PM | 0 comments

Those bestseller lists

In New Zealand, it is reported that Whitcoulls is no longer going to release sales figures to Nielson data collectors.

Naturally, not having the Whitcoulls figures will damage the reliability of Nielson figures, as I believe the chain accounts for about 40% of the market.

But is it bad news?

The Nielson data is of great value to publishers who want to keep track of book sales -- including those of authors published elsewhere. It has helped editors to make an educated guess about how well a book proposal from a previously published writer was likely to sell.

Writers, however, might heave a sigh of relief. In the past, editors might take a gamble on a great manuscript from a relatively unknown author. Once the hard, reliable figures were out, however, promising writers were all too likely to be doomed by less than wonderful previous sales, particularly of debut books.

Nielson figures are also used to produce a local “bestsellers” list, and so it is possible that the withdrawal of Whitcoulls will spell the demise of these.

Again, would this be bad news?

New Zealand nonfiction will always do well. There seems to be an inexhausible local market for books about Maori culture, biographies of New Zealand personalities, beautiful photographic essays, and cooking books with a New Zealand theme. Plus anything blokey, like rugby, fishing, and bikes. International visitors, particularly during huge promotions like the RWC, carry a lot of nonfiction books away with them, too – as do Kiwis who are visiting friends and family overseas. With such a range of great stuff on offer, and with personal interests so very much in play, bestseller lists are unlikely to be consulted.

As for New Zealand fiction, I have always thought the bestseller list equally irrelevant, but for a different reason. I am told that locally published fiction commands only 5% of the market, as people in general turn to international bestsellers – usually potboilers – for recreational reading. One would expect, however, that New Zealand novels are not so easily discarded after a quick peruse. In my humble opinion, the fact that New Zealand publishers have ensured that New Zealand fiction writing is of reliably high quality is more important than instant sales. Bestseller lists are ephemeral by nature, and the durability of so many of the novels that have been written by New Zealanders and published by New Zealand firms should be a matter of pride.

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7:06 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Signs Up With Mercedes

Courtesy: onthegotennis

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Novak Djokovic - Season Is Not Over

Novak Djokovic has allayed fears that he will miss the rest of the ATP Tour season, but he has cast doubt over his availability for the Shanghai Masters and China Open.

Djokovic has been the stand-out player of 2011, securing the world No. 1 ranking thanks to three grand slam victories. The Serb's season has even been labelled "the greatest year in the history of our sport" by John McEnroe.

However, it is in danger of coming to a premature end after Djokovic attempted to put his tired body through a tense Davis Cup tie with Argentina over the weekend. He was forced to retire injured when trailing Juan Martin Del Potro, citing a back injury.

There were initial fears that Djokovic may miss the unofficial fifth slam of the year at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, but the world's best player plans a quick recovery.

"Not as serious as we have thought," Djokovic revealed Monday. "It's a partial rupture of a back muscle that deserves rest. I carried the injury since the US Open. It gradually got worse through the tournament, and I felt sharp pain in the finals."

Looking ahead into the calendar Djokovic could not confirm his participation in forthcoming Shanghai or Beijing events, but he did state his desire to play if the injury heals quickly. Certainly he intends to be back to 100 per cent fitness for the World Tour Finals, which start at the O2 Arena on November 20.

"I hope I will recover by then," Djokovic said, referring to the October Shanghai Masters. "Anyway, I won't risk the worsening of the injury and that's why it is hard to predict for how long I will rest."

Courtesy: ESPN

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1:06 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Davis Cup Interview

Courtesy: OfficialDavisCup

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6:39 AM | 0 comments

Borders sells off intellectual property rights

Borders held an auction for its intellectual property Wednesday.

Hilco Streambank, which conducted the proceedings and fielded offers from ten bidders, announced they had sold various assets for nearly $15.8 million. Hilco Streambank was vague on exactly who bought what asset, initially naming only Barnes & Noble and Berjaya Books among the "multiple bidders" who each acquired pieces of Borders' IP, including a global portfolio of trademarks, the Borders, Waldenbooks and Brentano's trade names, various domain names, and the Borders.com website. Barnes & Noble paid approximately $13.9 million, but no one has specified yet what they bought.

Berjaya Books owns and operates Borders Malaysia, which licensed the name from the parent company until its liquidation, and they are reported to have paid $825,000 for trademarks in Malaysia.

Among the other purchasers: Pearson Australia bought the Borders name in Australia and New Zealand (to go with the bookselling website under that name, as the physical Borders bookstores in New Zealand will operate under the Whitcoulls banner) for $450,000; Popular Holdings paid $100,000 for the Borders trademarks in Singapore; and Al Maya International paid $500,000 for trademarks in the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.

The bidders evidently included "booksellers, major publishing companies and internet only retailers" who engaged in an auction going 50 rounds before the winners emerged. All sales are subject to approval by federal bankruptcy court and a hearing is set for September 20 on the matter.

In a statement general manager of AlixPartners and last-person-standing Borders ceo Holly Etlin said: "We are very pleased with the successful auction. The participants clearly recognized the significant strategic value in the Borders name and other assets linked to the Borders customer base, and the Borders estate benefited as a result."

A separate sale process for additional Borders internet addresses is underway.

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6:42 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Quotes From The Press Conference

"I feel very disappointed to end the tie in this way, I tried although I was only 60 percent fit and I went into the match knowing there was a risk of aggravating the injury which I first felt at the U.S. Open," Djokovic told a news conference.

"We knew my condition was not good but we believed that even so I would have a better chance against Del Potro than my team mate Viktor Troicki would, at the end of the day it was my decision and it backfired.

"I am not saying I would have won if I had been 100 percent fit because Del Potro played at a very high level today and never in my professional career did I struggle with my return of serve as I did today.

"The important thing now is to determine the extent of my injury and how long it will take me to recover, I was able to battle through the pain in the U.S. Open final but not today."

Courtesy: Yahoo

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8:29 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Davis Cup Ends In Tears

NOOOOOOO, what happened? Is it a chest/rib injury or his stomach?

Whatever it is Novak has quit his match against Del Potro to hand the tie to Argentina.

What a sad way for Serbia's defence of the title to end. I hope Novak is ok and i'll keep looking for any official news of the injury.

Ajde Nole, we still love you :)

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6:53 AM | 0 comments

That Google case

Chin Approves Schedule for Discovery and Motions Moving to Google Books Trial




At today's court hearing to update Judge Denny Chin, the parties to the Google Books case brought no dramatic reports of progress on a settlement (as widely expected), despite the judge's warning the last time around to work out a deal or prepare to litigate. So Judge Chin followed through on his promise and scheduled a pathway to trial.

Attorney Michael Boni, speaking for the Authors Guild only this time, said the authors organization remains in "active discussions" with Google about a settlement as part of a "parallel track" of preparing for litigation. Representatives of the Association of American Publishers thought they had "made enough progress with Google" to believe a new settlement could still be a possibility, but they agreed to adopt the proposed order moving to litigation.

In a brief statement afterwards, the AAP said "today, we informed the court that the Association of American Publishers, the five publisher plaintiffs and Google have made good progress toward a settlement that would resolve the pending litigation regarding the Google Library Project. We are working to resolve the differences that remain between the parties and reach terms that are mutually agreeable.

The judge called for discovery to begin now and run through March 30.

And so the wearisome procedure continues. By Publishers Lunch our reporter Sarah Weinman's count, the weary Judge Chin held his head in his hands three times during the relatively short hearing. The process has already taken so long that the original magistrate who might have helped with the settlement has retired. (And Chin is supposed to have a full caseload on the Court of Appeals; he doesn't even know where a trial would be held, since he is losing his courtroom).

But Judge Chin once again actively encouraged both parties to seek him and the court out to help arrive at a settlement agreement.

When Chin asked attorneys for the Guild and the AAP if their case would still ask him to evaluate whether Google's snippets qualify for fair use, they indicated they have moved on from that argument (as has the world), and would focus on the copying, scanning, storing and distribution of entire books. Boni, for the Guild, confessed that the situation had changed dramatically since their case was first filed -- "books are being distributed in ways we couldn't even envision back in 2005.”

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6:34 PM | 0 comments

A so-English murder mystery

Three Silent Things


One picks up the most surprising books at the public library, occasionally – and sometimes they are most pleasant surprises.

I borrowed Margaret Mayhew’s Three Silent Things (Severn House, 2008) for the simple reason that very good friends have the same surname (happy birthday, Donald!).

I must add that there was some encouragement from a short extract from the Booklist review of one of Margaret Mayhew’s previous books (and apparently the first in this series), called Old Soldiers Never Die, which was featured on the front jacket.

“Recommended to anyone who likes the classic English village mystery,” it read. I love the TV series “Midsomer Murders” simply because of the lovely English houses and gardens, the plots often being best disregarded, and so I felt quite optimistic when I turned the first pages.

I wasn’t let down. Three Silent Things is replete with village greens, atmospheric English pubs, thatched houses, and pretty English gardens. It also has wonderfully eccentric and memorable characters, including a cat with distinct personality, known by the name of “Thursday.” This, it seems, was the day of the week it adopted the protagonist, a likeable and not-at-all-doddery retired colonel.

The murder is understated, and the denouement not unexpected – though I thought the Colonel extremely daring to reveal the identity of the murderer to the murderer himself, alone and with no witnesses. It was quite a step away from the usual assembling of the entire cast of characters before the detective unburdens his carefully thought-out conclusions. But, while it may have undermined credibility a little (as I couldn’t help but wonder why the murderer didn’t simply indulge in another murder), it certainly did not detract from the charm of the book.

I will be reading more from the author. And what were the three silent things? Read the book yourself, and find out.

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6:33 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - OUT of Davis Cup Rubber

Novak has just tweeted that he has withdrawn from match against Nalbandian due to lower back & rib pain :-(

Viktor Troicki has taken Novak's place and is about to start his match now.

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5:12 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Davis Cup Practice

Novak having a relaxed hit on the court :)



Courtesy: CopaDavis ITF

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4:43 AM | 0 comments

Anniversary brings avalanche of 9/11 books

NEW YORK (AFP) - The tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks has unleashed a publishing avalanche, with a crush of new books about the fateful day and new editions of older works like Noam Chomsky's "9-11."

Among the new accounts is "After the Fall: New Yorkers Remember September 11 and the Years that Followed," which sets out to show how New York changed after the attacks that brought down the World Trade Center.

The book presents interviews with hundreds of people from different parts of the city -- first responders, taxi drivers, teachers, artists, religious leaders, immigrants -- by Columbia University's Oral History Research Office.

"The result is a remarkable time-lapse account of the city as it changed in the wake of 9/11," its publisher The New Press says in an introduction to "After the Fall."

Another new book is "The Eleventh Day: The Full Story of 9/11 and Osama bin Laden" by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan Drawing, which publisher Ballantine Books touts as "the first panoramic, authoritative look back at 9/11."

It draws on recently released documents, interviews and "the perspective that can come only from a decade of research and reflection," Ballantine says.

September 11 and its aftermath also have inspired works of fiction like "The Submission," a novel by former New York Times reporter Amy Waldman.

It imagines what would have happened if a jury responsible for picking a proposal for a memorial at Ground Zero had chosen a design by an American Muslim architect.

At least two books are cast as tributes to the victims of 9/11, including "9/11: The World Speaks," which includes more than 200,000 messages from people from around the world who have visited the Tribute WTC Visitor Center, which opened in 2006 near the site of the Twin Towers.

The attack was the deadliest ever on US soil with Al-Qaeda militants in hijacked airliners toppling the New York landmark, smashing into the Pentagon, and crashing into a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died.

The anniversary has also been an occasion to re-release books which some critics consider fundamental to understanding September 11 and the war against terrorism that has ensued over the past decade.

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6:37 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Regis & Kelly Video

Courtesy: EdwinTV11

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12:16 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Inspired By National Pride

On the thickly forested slopes of Kopaonik, in southern Serbia, Jelena Gencic used to host a summer tennis camp. This sprightly 75 year-old recalls one lesson in particular, watched as it was by a little boy staring through the outside fence, studying every move intently.

"I said, 'Hey, little boy, do you like it? Do you know what this is?' 'Yes, I know,' he said. 'You play tennis.' 'What's your name?' 'Novak Djokovic.' Very clear. Very strong."

It was the summer of 1993, just as neighbouring Bosnia became engulfed by conflagration. The children whom Gencic now mentors, on her dilapidated clay court on the outskirts of Belgrade, are too young to remember the Nato bombs that rained down upon the Serbian capital. But when asked who they most want to emulate, they muster an eerily familiar reply. "Novak Djokovic."

On Friday, the US Open champion will deliver the starkest affirmation of his duties as the face of a united Serbia. For he is returning to Belgrade in triumph, ready to put peerless individual glories on hold for this weekend's Davis Cup semi-final against Argentina. In Britain we may deride this competition, reduced as we are to playing Hungary in a Glasgow shopping centre, but for the Serbs it is nothing less than a pillar of nationhood.

Amid fervent scenes at the Belgrade Arena last December, Djokovic inspired his Serbia team-mates to win their first Davis Cup. In his second singles rubber he gave a graphic signal of how much the final against France meant, smashing his racket in fury when he fell a break behind to Gael Monfils. At the point of victory he was similarly unhinged, draping himself in the national colours for a dance.

If you want to identify a trigger for Djokovic's supremacy this season, or for his rapier filleting of Rafael Nadal at Arthur Ashe Stadium, here it is.

Of the 72 matches contested since that Balkan midwinter night, Serbia's slender hero has won 70 of them.

When he brought the Wimbledon Challenge Cup back to Belgrade's Parliament Square, 100,000 turned out to acclaim him. 'Nole!' posters were plastered across the sides of whole tower blocks. Imagine, then, the reception when he presents a third Grand Slam trophy this year for their delectation. At the rate Djokovic is going, there could yet be a groundswell for him to succeed Boris Tadic as Serbia's president.

On the US Open equivalent of 'People's Monday', Djokovic's status as national icon was confirmed. More than a hundred Serbian fans had congregated on the stairwells out of Ashe, unleashing a medley of Slavic anthems and whipping off their tops. "Vamos Nole," they cried, in an attempt at rapprochement with dispirited Nadal fans. Four middle-aged men in water-polo helmets leapt up and down, conducting the mob with gusto, before a security guard barked at them to put their shirts back on. "Fine," he said, when not one obeyed. "Let's go, Serbia!"

No one could deny Djokovic or his entourage such merriment after perhaps the greatest match seen at Flushing Meadows. Granted, it was one-dimensional at times � an orgy of coruscating baseline hitting � but ascended to greatness through its impression that the old order had changed. In the Wimbledon final of 2008, arguably the finest tennis spectacle any of us will see, one sensed that the Nadal era had begun as he outgunned Roger Federer in the Centre Court gloaming. At the end of Monday night's marathon in New York, the feeling formed that Djokovic was out on his own.

From the Ashe loge boxes, the drama directed by Djokovic was mesmeric.

Beyonc�, leaning forward from her seat opposite his chair, applauded as his outrageous drop shots sealed a 17-minute duel early in the second set � and as he came through a 31-stroke rally to defend a break point against Nadal in the third. Poor Nadal was simply pushed around, buffeted by second-serve returns that either came straight back at his feet or whistled past him at preposterous angles. The world's second-ranked player looked just as ineffectual on the attack, at the mercy of a devilish talent with the movement and wingspan to chase down any shot he contrived.

If we believe John McEnroe's assertion that Djokovic is enjoying "the greatest season in the history of our sport," then this was its most vivid exclamation point. Already, it appears, Djokovic is pausing to reflect upon his seismic accomplishments. When I spoke to him at the Empire State Building on Tuesday, he was lost, briefly, in memories of that stern-faced boy who so captivated Gencic.

What did he see? "I see the boy who holds the racket with a lot of love, who plays tennis with passion, who dreams of being the best." His former tutor should be proud of him. As, indeed, should every one of his jubilant countrymen.

Courtesy: Telegraph 

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7:12 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Davis Cup Revealed

The draw has taken place for the semi final and Novak is first up against David Nalbandian.

The 2nd rubber will be between Tipsarevic & Del Potro.

Doubles rubber on Saturday is Zimonjic & Tipsarevic against Chela & Monaco

Reserve singles* finishes off the tie with Novak against Del Potro and Tipsarevic against Nalbandian.

* Line-ups subject to change

Full Tie details can be found here

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4:31 AM | 0 comments

Madonna auditions star via Skype

Madonna signs up Australian actress Abbie Cornish after a Skype interview.

In the search for stars for her new period movie W.E., Madonna has turned to modern technology.

Madonna wanted to speak to Cornish personally, but there was a hitch. The pop idol was in NYC, and the actress was in Australia.

“We had a Skype meeting from my mum’s office,” revealed Abbie Cornish, adding that it was one of her life’s most interesting moments. “Three hours later, I got a phone call that I got the gig.”

Her calm demeanor helped – courtesy of the date line. “I was 24 hours early to my meeting because Australia is a day ahead.”

She had been informed that the meeting was on Wednesday at 1pm. She phoned, and lo, in NYC it was Tuesday. “It took a little while until I realized that I was a day early.”

The inadvertent rehearsal was a big help. “I got a lot of the nerves out of the way.”

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6:41 PM | 0 comments

Australian media groups feel threatened

Australian media groups up in arms


In Australia, the Labor party has launched the first big inquiry for twenty years into print and online media, much to the alarm of major news groups.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy announced that an independent inquiry would be held, in response to government concerns about the blurring of hard news and private opinion in Australian political coverage. This, in itself, was triggered by the privacy issues raised by the News of the World hacking scandal in the UK.

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6:40 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - A Few More Photos

Don't forget to check out my Twitpic Account for more photos

Dancing on the "Live with Regis & Kelly" Show

At the top of the Empire State Building

On The Early Show

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4:52 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Match & Trophy Presentation Photos

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1:39 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - More Media Photos

More photos added to the Twitpic account

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1:17 PM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Press Conference Video

Here is the video of Novak in the press conference with his trophy.



Courtesy: USOpen

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6:10 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Photocalls Around New York

The first photos of Novak are hitting the Internet.

All the pics are being added to the Twitpic account.

Enjoy :-)

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5:48 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Match Reports

Match Reports:

Telegraph

GlobalNews

SportingLife

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1:09 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - Press Conference As US Open Champion

THE MODERATOR: Before we begin, we'll have a word from Gordon Smith, the USTA executive director and chief executive officer.

GORDON SMITH: Novak, to one of the greatest performances in the history of Grand Slam finals, to the US Open 2011, a toast.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Thank you very much. I'll skip the champagne.

THE MODERATOR: First question.

Q. Congratulations. Last year at this time it was obviously a different result. Was there something that triggered in your mind that moment that made you believe that a year like this was possible? And what was it?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, last year I played finals of US Open and I played another great match against Rafa. I had a tournament that could easily end already in the first round when I was two sets to one down and very close to losing to my countryman Troicki.

When I won that match, I overcame the challenge and I managed to come to the finals and win a great match against Roger. So I guess at this level you need those matches, those tough matches against top guys to win in order to get confidence, get self-belief on the court that you can really win majors and win the big matches. So I guess it just clicked in my head. I think that throughout last couple of years I didn't change my game in any major way. I think most of the strokes are the same that they were in last two, three years. It's just that I'm hitting the shots that I maybe wasn't hitting in last two, three years now. I'm going for it, I'm more aggressive, and I have just a different approach to the semifinals and finals of major events, especially when I'm playing two great champions, Rafa and Roger. In last couple of years that wasn't the case. I was always kind of trying to wait for their mistakes or being out there and playing my best tennis and not really having the positive attitude and kind of believing that I can win. So this has changed, I guess, and the US Open 2010 was one of the turning points in my career, definitely.

Q. Was that Tylenol? What did you take when you were having the back problems?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, it was some painkiller. I don't know. They gave me -- yeah, and I had the rib problem and they had to mobilize my back as well, and some cramps in the leg. So it was more than one thing. But it wasn't a surprise, to be honest. You know, luckily for me I had the ability to ask for medical timeout, and it helped me in the fourth set. I was going more -- I felt the most discomfort and pain with my serve, so I tried to go more for the precision rather than for speed. I think that actually helped me to get into the rally better, because he was expecting maybe a bit stronger serve so he was returning short and I was taking my chances. I had to make the points very short, because it's obvious that he is the one that's physically fitter than me on the court today after the third set was done. nI knew that and I had to go for my shots, and I did.

Q. How would you describe your physical and mental accomplishments in beating Federer and Nadal back-to-back to win this championship?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, the result - results - that I had this year are amazing, and definitely something that I haven't expected. But it keeps coming because I think I have a great scheduling this year. I know when to have a little break, when to rest my body, when to get ready and prepare well for, you know, US Open swing, you know, the clay swing, now the Asian swing. So now I learned to get my scheduling right. And with the great team that I have, I guess that helps me to perform my best tennis in the most important events. This is, in the end -- the bottom line is that that's the whole point, to win Grand Slams, because these are the tournaments most important and most valuable in our sport, four Grand Slams. So this is where you want to win. Yeah, this has changed in comparison with last couple of years definitely. Right now I feel drained emotionally and physically and mentally, but it's normal, you know, after such a long year, so many matches. But I have this trophy here, and this is what I was fighting for. I'm going to take some time off, I guess.

Q. The Grand Slam year is obviously over now. No matter what happens, from here on, this is one of, if not the greatest, year a single man has ever had. What does that mean to you considering what your family went through, the bombing? This personally is a great achievement. How does it hit you emotionally?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I guess it takes some time too realize the success that I had this year, especially now, I mean, winning another major. It's going to probably all settle down towards the end of the year when I take some time off and analyze the year. But right now I'm all over positive emotions. It's really hard to find the words that can describe the feeling that I had and that I have still. But I know this couldn't come overnight. It's a long process, as you mentioned. Throughout all my life I've been working, being committed to this sport 100%. That's the only the way you can really succeed: the right balance between private life and life on tour, which is very requiring, demanding. But this is something that I love to do, and it brings me joy every single time I step on the court and make a win. Nothing can replace that feeling.

Q. Similar question: You started off a skinny kid from a little village...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Still skinny kid.

Q. Yeah. You come up in this era with Federer and Nadal and then have had this incredible run. In your private moments when you have time to reflect, what do you say to yourself about this achievement?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I go back in my thoughts in my childhood, all these memories growing up, playing tennis, spending time in Serbia experiencing a lot of different kinds of situations and experiences in the life. That helped actually to become a better person, to appreciate things in life more. You know, I owe my parents a lot, because I think they have done a great job in bringing me up and helping me and supporting me throughout all my career. And couple of other people that have always been there for me. This is individual sport, but it's not an effort of myself. I may be on the court by myself winning or losing, I maybe take the whole credit or all the blame, but it's actually the team, the family, the support, everybody around you that spends their energy as well. They sacrifice their private life as well. I mean, all my team members, they have their own families, they have their own kids, and, you know they go through this with me and they put their energy and effort into my success. That's why it's all team effort.

Q. We know you have changed your diet from the end of last year. I was wondering what you ate last night and what you ate this morning right before the match, and what are you going to do tonight?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'll give you a simple answer: last night I didn't have any gluten, and tonight I will have a bunch of gluten - and alcohol.

Q. Could you tell me what you ate last night?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know, rice. Nothing really exciting, you know. Carbohydrates, protein. That's it.

Q. Tennis on this level is played with very thin margins. Andy Murray had you down on clay; Roger had you down. What do you think makes the difference to make those margin fall on your side and not your opponent's side?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, work, I think self-belief on the court. As you said, we're all working very hard in our off seasons. We're all dedicated, especially the top players to this sport. We all want to improve. You see what Federer and Nadal have been doing the past couple of years. They've been so dominate it's incredible. It's true, especially in the big events and matches, winner is decided by small margins, couple of points. I guess the winner is the one that believes in victory more than the other. That's all there is.

Q. For you, is the next big goal a career Grand Slam?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sure. Why not? There is still a lot of things to prove, you know, to myself, to the tennis world. I still want to win many more events, many more major events. That's something -- as I said, you know, it's not just habit of standing up every morning and being focused on what you do. It's just that love for the sport that keeps me going. And winning on the court, that feeling, as along as it stays with me, I will keep fighting for more trophies. Yeah, so it would be unbelievable to be able to complete the Grand Slam, to win the French Open. It's something that is definitely an ambition, but it's going to take time.

Q. After winning Wimbledon, you said you had a lot of fun with that match. We know how much you like to have fun.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody does.

Q. How much fun you had today?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think I've played a great match really from the start to the end. Even though I lost the third set, I was three times break up in that set. Maybe I should not drop my serve in those moments. Look, when you play that well you must enjoy. You must bring your smile on your face. It's all going well, all going on your side, so... But you're focused and trying to take one point at a time and win in the end. So, yeah, I'm going to have more fun now when I know the match is over.

Q. Specific to Rafa, at the moment, how much do you enjoy facing him and the challenge of breaking down what he does best?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's really hard to say that I enjoy playing Rafa or Roger. It's a challenge. You know, it is on one side an incredible feeling if you win against them; on the other side, it's very disappointing if you lose because they're your greatest rivals. But I definitely enjoy when I'm playing my best tennis, regardless who is across the net. The way I look at it, it takes a lot of mental energy and physical energy to win against these guys, especially Rafa. He never gives up. You could see that today. Two sets and a break down and serving for the match and he's coming back. That's why he's a great champion. So when I lost this third set it wasn't fun, definitely. I knew that I am not physically there. I'm not as fit as I was in the start of the match, so I needed to do take chances, and I did. It was an incredible set for me.

Q. You just said the winner is the one who believes most in victory than the others. Do you believe at this point that you can't lose?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I don't believe anybody is invincible. You know the amount of matches that I lost this year is just incredible. As I was saying, I think that positive attitude is actually something that keeps you on top of your game. Because when you go out on the court, when I had the run that I had in the opening two, three months of the year, everybody was wondering when the streak will end. I was trying not to pay attention on that. I was trying to really take one match at a time, keep things very simple, and, you know, believe that this streak can go forever. But I knew it's not going to go forever. It's logical. You change surfaces, sooner or later you will lose matches. I mean, Roger had years when he was winning three Grand Slams in a year, when he was invincible, 40, 50 matches; Rafa as well last year. So this is you can say my year, or the year where I performed my best tennis at major events. It's something that makes me incredibly happy. It's definitely going to take a lot of effort to try to repeat even half of what I have done this year for next year. Look, I'm trying to enjoy the present, enjoy this moment, and then I will think about future later.

Q. Even though you are the most charismatic player of the tour...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Thank you.

Q. And perhaps best-liked, why would you say that the last couple matches the crowd was not with you really? How are you going to prepare for Davis Cup?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I didn't say that.

Q. I felt most of the crowd was rooting...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think today the crowd was half/half actually. I think in many moments I had the crowd chanting my name, and it was great support. I think, you know, you always try to have crowd support on your side. You cannot influence the people, who they will support. Everybody has their own favorite tennis player. I'm still new in this business.

Q. How will you prepare for the Davis Cup?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, listen, I'm going to go to Serbia now, but I have many commitments now, tomorrow. I will think about recovering the most and enjoying the victory and what I have done so far; Davis Cup comes in couple of days.

Q. Since becoming an ambassador of the game, everybody is getting to know you. What are you mostly excited for them to get to know that they didn't know before?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Um, well, it's very hard to keep the private life quiet and private, keep it away from media and from public, because as a successful athlete, you're followed. It's normal. You're getting attention and people get to know you as a player first of all. This is something that I do for life, and people come to watch me play tennis. Then they get to know you as a person as well. Now with the role that I have, the No. 1 of the world, I know that there is huge amount of responsibility on my back as well to represent the sport in the best way. I'm still learning. Every day I'm learning. I make mistakes. Everybody does. But I try to keep my same personality and enjoy every single moment of my life that I have.

Q. Could Serbia beat Argentina in the Davis Cup without you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I think so, but I'm going to be on the team anyway. So we'll see. We'll talk about Davis Cup when I come in Serbia.

Q. You seem to have a smaller margin over Federer than over Nadal, even watching the match tonight, because as a baseliner you can make winners from both sides, forehand and backhand, while he can do it mostly with the forehand.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You're talking about who can do it with forehand mostly? Nadal?

Q. Yes. You have a smaller margin with Federer because he has more variety, where Nadal can hit winners just with the forehand.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I lost many matches in a row against Roger and Rafa last year, 2009, and now I won -- of the maybe five matches I won four against Roger, and against Rafa I won sixes in a row or whatever. It keeps changing all the time. Obviously when you start winning more often against your opponent, whoever is across the net, you feel that you have -- in next match that's coming you have a mental advantage. Maybe I just know what to play, and I get into the court knowing what to do and just, you know, playing my game. Against Rafa you have to be aggressive. You know, you have to try to go for winners, because he's the fittest player around. He's an incredible defender.

Q. May I also ask you if your endorsement Tacchini goes on for a long time. When Sampras, McEnroe all won, after one year they were not anymore with Tacchini.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm still with them. I'm happy. I don't know how long. It's going to go for long, but let's see. I don't know.

Q. How much it affected you when you won in the seventh game of the second set and this fan of your shouted? You remember? You opened your hands after you lost the point.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sorry. I'm really sorry. I don't remember. So many things happened today.

Q. What do you think was the key factor winning the complete Grand Slam in one year? Do you feel capable?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: But I didn't win...

Q. What do you think is the key factor to win the complete Grand Slam in one year? Do you feel you are capable?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: How many players have done that?

Q. You could be the first.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: One guy or two. (Laughter.) Look, if I make half what I've done this year next year I'll be happy. Look, I do have always a huge desire to win every Grand Slam that I'm playing on. I player equally well for each Grand Slam throughout the year. It's a task that you really -- I don't want to say that's not possible. It's possible. Everything is possible. But still, it's such a tough task to ask to win all four Grand Slams in a year. How many players did it in all history?

Q. You played two great matches in a row. Which opponent are you more proud of beating, Federer or Nadal?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm proud of winning US Open. I don't really rate my wins against Roger or Rafa more than -- more one than the other. I just try to win a tournament. That's what is different. So this is something that makes me proud.

Q. Rafa talked about the difference in the match. Talk about the third game of the second, that really, really long, long game.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, he was 2-0 up in both opening sets, and I managed to break back. Yeah, that one side was very -- on one side end you feel that you had very strong backwind. You could play easier on that side than the other side. We both knew that. If you look at the statistics, most of the breaks that came in the match happened from the side where you had the wind in your back. It affects the whole match.

Q. He said he didn't get enough free points on his serve.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was so windy it was hard to find the rhythm and be consistent with serving. I would say definitely that he served better last year in US Open than he did now. But, you know, I tried every time that I had second serve to step in and take my chances.

Q. How would you compare the level of play it took to win versus all of the matches you had to win to get to this point and the satisfaction of achieving this?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you obviously prepare differently for each opponent that you play against. I can't really compare the last two matches with the opening couple of matches, because it's obvious that when you're playing the top players you feel more stressed on the court and your approach is different. It's normal to have, you know, the longer matches, the more difficult encounters where you have to step in and step up and play better than you do in opening rounds of a Grand Slam. If that's what you want to...

Q. What I wanted to get at is, when you were out there today, how did you feel about the way you were playing?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I felt great. As I was saying before, maybe it is the best match I played in the US Open so far this year. I stepped on the court believing I can win, and I was hitting the balls from the baseline really strong and flat. You know, I didn't give him any comfort, any rhythm. I was kind of trying to keep the control of the match; it was working well.

Q. About your public profile, earlier this summer you went out and did the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, you went on the Conan O'Brien show. Do you like those kinds of opportunities? Are they something you feel is important for yourself or the sport?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I think it's fun for myself to be a part of the great shows. Those shows, Jay Leno, Conan O' Brien, they had the shows for many years already, and I was flattered and happy to be invited to be on those shows. I was spending some time in L.A. before the US Open series tournaments started. I was practicing there, so it was fun. I like it. I like the fun TV shows, you know, something that -- somewhere where I can laugh, where I can reveal my personality. Those shows offered me that. I think it's as well very important for my career, for my PR.

Q. Similar question: No one in our game likes the stage more than you. What's it like to perform on the New York stage? Are you proud how in just three years you've advanced from that tough moment a while back to so much acceptance now?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, when you go down the road and when you're on the tour for so long, you experience different situations. You make mistakes in your career, but you learn from those mistakes. It's normal. You cannot be always on top of your game. You cannot be always in the right mood. You play so many matches, and it's always -- as a top player, it's always under radar. Many people watch when you're playing. This is the biggest court, biggest center court we have in our sport, so every time you step out there, it's not only about playing tennis, it's about representing yourself in the best possible way.

Q. You the new world No. 1, and you talk about learning from the other two, Roger and Rafa. You are quite different from those two. How did you manage to learn something from the person who's so different from you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think everybody is different. I don't compare myself to Rafa or Roger or anybody else, but I do take a look on their careers, the way they are handling everything, and I learn. I definitely learn from both of them how to represent myself in public, how to carry the responsibility. I'm open for everything.

Q. Give us an example.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Too many things.

Courtesy: USOpen.org

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12:46 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - US Open Trophy Ceremony

Courtesy: 1387Raffamusic

Check out this channel as the whole match is there but in quite a few parts.

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12:27 AM | 0 comments

Novak Djokovic - US Open Champion 2011

3rd time lucky for Novak and his hands are finally on the US Open trophy.

It is coming up for 2am here and I am falling asleep. I shall post everything tomorrow morning. All the interviews, analysis and photos will be out then so I'll be able to post a great selection.

Ajde Nole

Bad luck Rafa

xx

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5:45 PM | 0 comments