Month: April 2009 (Page 23 of 53)

      Nadal wins Monte Carlo Masters

      April 19, 2009 /

      nadal

      I took a lot of heat for wondering whether or not Roger Federer would ever capture another Grand Slam. I came to the conclusion that, yes, Federer would win at least one more, but this occasion would likely happen at the U.S. Open. My primary reasoning was that Nadal is entering the prime of his career while Federer is exiting his. Case in point: while Federer is skipping tournaments to gear up for the French Open and Wimbledon, Nadal is racking up heaps of points winning tournament after tournament. Earlier today, Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic to become the first player to win five straight Monte Carlo Masters titles.

      Nadal extended his winning streak at Monte Carlo to 27 matches and won his 21st straight victory on clay since losing to Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in the second round of the Rome Masters in May 2008.

      Nobody has matched Nadal’s performance at the Monte Carlo tournament since tennis turned professional in 1968.

      Reggie Doherty won the event six times overall between 1897-99 and 1902-04, while five-time winner Anthony Wilding of New Zealand won four times in a row from 1911-14 and got his other title in 1908.

      Nadal broke Djokovic immediately for a 2-0 lead, but he was struggling to hold and dropped serve on his third break point in the third game to let Djokovic back in the match.

      But Nadal improved and won the next five games – just like he did at 3-1 down in the first set – as Djokovic went for extravagant winners that landed out.

      The guy has the potential to win a Calendar Grand Slam. Nadal has failed to win the U.S. Open in his career, but that can be attributed to his body breaking down at the end of the ATP season, given the fact that he plays in so many tournaments. If he can manage his playing schedule a tad better, he might have the energy he needs to win all four Grand Slams. We already know he has the skill.

      Tennis

      Garnett contemplating knee surgery

      April 19, 2009 /

      The Boston Three Party is beginning to look like one all-star (Paul Pierce), one struggling shooter (Ray Allen), and one injured player (Kevin Garnett). And any lingering hope of a Garnett return in these playoffs should come to an end soon. According to the Boston Herald, The Big Ticket is seeking a confirmation date for the surgery to repair his injured right knee.

      According to sources with knowledge of the situation, Garnett had sought opinions from non-Boston Celtic medical personnel on types of rehabilitation that would allow him to play in the postseason. And it seemed the program of rest and rehab was working until soreness and increased pain inside the knee had returned.

      Injuries like this are really a tricky thing,” one medical person who has worked on NBA players said. “Most of the time you just need to rest it and let the area calm down, but sometimes it’s different.”

      Surgery seems to be a good investment option for the Celtics, as Garnett is signed through 2012 season. Their plan for next season should be to acquire another quality big man to help out on the frontline and cut down on KG’s minutes.

      The Celtics can regroup and make another push for a ring. But it will tougher, as the key components will be one year older and their championship window will continue to close.

      NBA

      White embarrassed by UFC 97

      April 19, 2009 /


      Despite chants of “boring” and boos that echoed inside the Bell Centre, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight champ Anderson Silva entered the record books with a unanimous decision over Thale Leites at UFC 97:Redemption in Montreal on Saturday evening.

      Silva posted his ninth-straight victory in the octagon that broke a tie he held with MMA legend Royce Gracie and Jon Finch. This was overshadowed by the lack of action generated in a less-than-stellar main event, as the two fighters avoided contact for the first minute of the fight and they often went for long stretches without exchanging blows.

      This didn’t sit well with UFC President Dana White, and he didn’t mince words in the post-fight press conference.

      “I can honestly tell you that I’ve never put on an event that I was embarrassed to be at until tonight,” White said. “I want to publicly apologize to all the fans.

      “Watching that was hard. That was tough to take. It was embarrassing, honestly. It was really and truly embarrassing.”

      The fans booed throughout the match and started a “boring” chant at the beginning of the final round. They also cheered for UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre, who was sitting at ringside. The Canadian star is rumored to be the next opponent for Silva.

      Mixed Martial Arts

      Is Celine Dion eyeing the Montreal Canadiens?

      April 19, 2009 /

      A group comprised of singer Celine Dion, Seagram heir Steven Bronfman, and Quebec media giant Pierre Karl Peladeau are considering making a bid to purchase the Montreal Canadiens away from current owner George Gillett. The franchise was recently valued at $335 million by Forbes magazine, and Gillett has stated he will only sell the team for the right price.

      An investment banker close to the negotiation told the Toronto Globe and Mail that this group has been given full access to all financial data on the Canadiens.

      “There is a group bid being discussed, and it’s clear that Gillett is very willing to sell if the price is right,” said the investment banker, who is helping line up financing for potential bidders.

      However, the banker and other sources familiar with the possible sale of the team cautioned it will be difficult to strike a partnership that satisfies the strong personalities of Dion and husband René Angelil, Bronfman and Péladeau, the dominant player in Quebec media.

      Dion is already considered French royalty in Canada, and her image could move to savior status if she bought the Canadiens back from an American. (Gillett is a Denver-based entertainment promoter.)

      Bank of Montreal has signed confidentially agreements with 10 potential suitors who have until Thursday to submit a formal bid on the team. The potential buyer will also acquire the Bell Centre in Montreal as well.

      NHL

      Tribe sets record in dismantling of Yankees

      April 19, 2009 /

      Thanks to a record breaking 14-run second inning, the Indians absolutely smoked the Yankees 22-4 in New York on Saturday.

      The Indians merely tied their franchise record for runs in an inning; they also scored 14 in the first inning against the Philadelphia A’s on June 18, 1950. It’s also the most runs in an inning by any team since Boston lit up Florida for 14 runs in the first on June 28, 2003. (A certain right-hander named Carl Pavano gave up six of those runs.)

      Now, an inning like the Indians’ second does not happen without some horrific pitching, and you have to figure now that something is wrong with Chien-Ming Wang. His earned run average actually rose, from 28.93 to 34.50. He has allowed 23 earned runs in six innings over three starts. That is staggering.

      One other point: it is an absolute jet stream to right center field at the new Yankee Stadium. The dimensions are the same as the old place, and the weather is unseasonably warm (75 degrees at game time). But in the last 11 innings, there have been nine homers to right. Wow.

      ‘You have to figure now that something is wrong with Chien-Ming Wang.’ You think? In just three starts, the guy has been hit more times than a freaking piñata and it would take a football team scoring five touchdowns to match his ERA. He’s throwing gopher balls and batters are knocking them out of the park – it’s as simple as that.

      And if there is a jet stream in right center field, then Mark Teixeira should lead the majors in home runs by the end of the year. There’s no excuse to give up 14 runs in one inning – jet stream or not.

      MLB

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑