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Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic (R) shakes hands with Swiss opponent Roger Federer after their mens semi-final singles match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, 25 January 2008. Djokovic won 7-5.6-3.7-6

THE tennis world has been yearning for someone to challenge Roger Federer's record-breaking domination and Novak Djokovic is being touted as the one in today's Australian Open semi-final.

The peerless Swiss rules his contemporaries like no other. He secured the No 1 ranking for an unprecedented 209th week after sweeping into a record 15th consecutive grand slam semi-final.

Federer is approaching the all-time grand slam record of 14 titles held by Pete Sampras and if he wins here it will be his 13th major.

But all eras must end eventually.

Some believe there are signs that Federer's grip on men's tennis is loosening and the 20-year-old Serb may be the one to inflict his first defeat in a hardcourt grand slam in three years.

Djokovic hasn't dropped a set in reaching his showdown with Federer for his fourth consecutive grand slam semi-final appearance.

The third seed gave promise of things to come when he diced with Federer at last year's US Open final, squandering seven set points only to lose two tiebreakers on the way to a straight sets loss.



Djokovic did beat Federer in the ATP Masters Series final in Montreal last year and trails 5-1 overall in their matches.

The confident youngster has talked up his chances of preventing Federer from carrying off his fourth Australian crown, especially after compatriot Janko Tipsarevic took the top seed to 10-8 in the fifth in a third round fright.

"I'm feeling really, really good at the moment, physically and mentally," said Djokovic.

"I'm showing all my strength and I've made some changes. I have been working on my skills in the past couple weeks. I'm playing with a lot of confidence."

Federer has seen it all before and says he is not put out by Djokovic's confidence.

"It's like reliving this whole thing, but this is the way you're supposed to think out there," he said.

"You are not coming here to lose in the first round. You're coming here to do well and then win the tournament if you're one of the top 10 guys.

"That's reality. That's nothing new. That's not cocky. That's confidence. That's just a normal tennis player." - AFP

posted by Abu71 @ 8:01 AM, ,



Manchester United profit doubles

Manchester United Plc said its annual pre-tax profit doubled on increased sponsorship and after it expanded its stadium and won the League title.

Pre-tax profit in the 12 months to June 30 rose to 59.6 million pounds from 30.8 million pounds in the year-earlier period, the club said on Friday.

The 2006-2007 Premiership winning club, owned by U.S. billionaire Malcolm Glazer, said annual revenue surged 27 percent to 210 million pounds from 165 million pounds.

Interest in the world's richest soccer League and new sponsorship will keep pushing income higher, Chief Executive David Gill said.

"I am confident that the uplift in the Premier League television deal, together with our new sponsorship sales structure will enable the club to continue to increase its revenues and profitability," Gill said in a statement.

Britain's Barclays Premier League is followed in more than 200 countries as fans in Africa or Asia want to see stars such as Wayne Rooney or Christiano Ronaldo, both at United.

More seats at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium helped the club lift its match day revenue by 30 percent to 92.6 million pounds, the club said.

Reaching the semi-finals of the lucrative UEFA Champions League competition and the final of the domestic FA Cup helped the Reds increase their media revenues by more than a third to 61.5 million pounds, the club said.

Replica shirts, shirt sponsorship by American International Group and other commercial revenues rose 15 percent to 56 million pounds. The club said it has about 333 million followers around the world.

At a time of soaring players' salaries, the club managed to cut its wages-to-turnover ratio to 43.6 percent from 51.6 percent.

By contrast, players' agents were paid more: 2.1 million pounds last season from 1.8 million pounds during the previous one, Manchester United said.

posted by Abu71 @ 7:51 PM, ,



Toyota F1 Team



Toyota unveiled their new TF108 car here on Thursday at the team's pre-season event which also featured drivers Jarno Trulli, Timo Glock and Kamui Kobayashi.

The Japanese outfit placed a disappointing sixth in last year's Constructors Championship after which veteran Ralf Schumacher was replaced by the reigning GP2 Series champion Glock, a 25-year-old German.

Trulli will compete for Toyota for a fourth straight season, while Kobayashi joins as the third driver graduating from the Toyota Young Drivers Programme.

Toyota chairman Tadashi Yamashina said of the forthcoming new season: "Our ultimate target is the middle step of the podium. We are in Formula 1 to win and we want to do that soon.

"Our clear target in 2008 is to make a big improvement in our results because we were not satisfied with our performance last year.

"We expect to have a truly competitive car so our drivers should be aiming to finish in the points regularly and challenging for the podium."

Toyota said that the TF108 was significantly different to its predecessor, on the outside and the inside, as a result of the team's research as well as regulation changes.

"The aerodynamic concept of this car has changed," said General Manager Chassis Pascal Vasselon.

"The TF107 was an evolution of the TF106 but this time the new package is a departure from recent Toyotas."

The new TF108 will make its first official test at Jerez in Spain on January 14 and there will be a further five tests before the start of the season in Australia in March.

The 33-year-old Trulli said that he had played a major role in the development of the new car which he believed would be competitive in the new season.

"I think that the team has got the potential, the resources, the people and everything necessary to bounce back to the position where we belong," he said.

"Obviously it was a difficult season in terms of results and performance but we are all committed to making a significant improvement.

"I know the team very well and they know me very well - we understand each other's potential and I am sure sticking together will be an advantage."

posted by Abu71 @ 7:48 PM, ,



Improve Your Golf Swing by Focusing on Your Finish Position


Watch the pros on Tour and notice how in-control they look at the finish position of the their golf swing. Why? Because they are!

They are in perfect balance. Even the pro who might look a little “crooked” at the end of the swing has a balanced swing. Vijay, who is slightly bent to the side at the finish position of his driver, is still in perfect balance.

How often do you think an amateur practices or even thinks about his or her finish position? Probably never. I would surmise that once contact has been made with the golf ball, most amateurs’ thoughts shift to the ball flight rather than where our body is finishing the swing.

Why is the finish position so important to a successful golf swing? And beyond that being in a balanced finishing position?

The finish position is directly related to two very important concepts involved in the golf swing. Number one is swing plane and clubhead is number two.

The swing plane is defined as the path on which the golf club should travel upon during the swing.

A quick review of the swing plane tells us that beginning with the address position, into the backswing, onto to the downswing, into impact, to follow through, and completing with the finish position, the golf club is intended to travel on a specific arch. This arch is a result of the biomechanics of the golf swing sequencing properly. In other words, everything working with the correct timing.

Think of the club traveling in a circle during the swing.

This imaginary circle is your swing plane and it dissects your back shoulder on the backswing and transition phases of the swing.

Returns to the same position as you started at impact with the ball, and dissects your front shoulder during the follow through into the finish position.

If the golfer maintains the clubhead on this path during the swing this is an indication that the mechanics of the swing are being performed properly.

What does a balanced finishing position have to do with the swing plane?

A balanced finishing position is yet another indicator that, number one, the golf club is following the correct swing plane, and number two, the golfer is performing the mechanics of the swing in the correct sequencing with proper timing.

Secondly, the finish position is directly related to what is referred to as “feeling” the clubhead.

Ask any Tour player they will tell you that they can “feel” the clubhead at any moment during the swing.

Completing the swing in a balanced finish position requires you to be “tension” free and feeling the club head through the entire swing.

Now the bigger question is, how does the amateur golfer get to a balance finish position?

Easier said than done. To develop “feel” in the swing, maintain the proper swing path, and develop a balanced finish position requires mastering three principles.

Principle number one is proper swing mechanics. In order to develop “feel” and correct swing path requires the golfer to develop the correct mechanics of the swing.

Not only do you need to learn the different fundamentals of the swing, you need to train yourself to put these fundamental in proper sequence.

Principle number two is the body. The body swings the club. Your body must have the flexibility, balance capabilities, strength, endurance, and power to perform the mechanics of the swing.

If the body is unable to take the club on the proper swing plane because of a lack of flexibility or lacks the power to develop clubhead speed. The ability to maintain a proper swing path, and finish in a balanced position will be compromised.

Principle number three is practice. In order to develop the proper swing plane, create “feel” for the club, master the mechanics of the swing, and develop a body to support the swing, you must practice the swing and train the body. Over time this will result in the development of components of a proper golf swing.

The amateur will often leave out one of the three principles. If the golfer does not practice, train the body, or develop swing mechanics, it is unlikely ou will keep the clubhead on the correct swing plane.

Bottom line, a balanced finish position is a very good indicator that particular swing was efficient. It also should tell you that your body is flexible, strong, and powerful.

posted by Abu71 @ 6:18 PM, ,



Veteran Brazilian coach Jose Claudinei


Veteran Brazilian coach Jose Claudinei has been handed the task of steering Zimbabwe to the finals of the 2010 football World Cup in neighbouring South Africa.

Claudinei, 60, commonly known as Valinhos, was unveiled at a ceremony in the capital Harare by Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) patron vice-president Joseph Msika, before signing his contract.

The former coach of Brazil's under-20 team replaces Charles Mhlauri who was sacked after the Warriors failed to qualify for the African Cup of Nations due to start in Ghana next week.

Valinhos has also coached in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco as well as his native Brazil.

Zimbabwe, who have never qualified for the World Cup finals, have been drawn against Guinea, Namibia and Kenya in the qualifying rounds for the 2010 tournament.

Claudinei adds to the Brazilian flavour in the region with the World Cup-winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira now in charge of South Africa.

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posted by Abu71 @ 8:50 AM, ,



Nike to release 23rd Air Jordan



No other basketball shoe has changed the face of business, athletics and marketing like the Air Jordan. This month, Nike releases the 23rd edition, and it is expected to be just as venerated as its predecessors.

The Air Jordan XX3 will be released in three hyped-up rounds from January to February, starting with a limited edition to be sent to only 23 retailers to be sold for $230 and concluding with the national launch at $185.

There had been talk at Nike about retiring the shoe at No. 23, because of his iconic jersey number. But company officials won't say whether this will be the last of the line. Neither will Jordan.

"You'll just have to wait and see," Jordan said in an e-mail to The Associated Press, responding to questions about the upcoming release.

Before launching the first shoe in 1985, Nike had just signed Jordan for $2.5 million over five years. Nike won't say what Jordan's current contract with the company is worth.

Jordan's deal with Nike opened the door for sneaker manufacturers to chase after athletes, signing them up -- sometimes just out of high school-- for multimillion-dollar contracts in hopes of being able to cash in on the next superstar. It sent sneaker prices to new heights, which has since generated a backlash against selling pricey shoes to basketball-loving kids.

"The Air Jordan franchise created the most coveted basketball footwear in the world and changed the basketball landscape forever," said Nike Brand President Charlie Denson.

Unlike most basketball shoes to date, which were often white and utilitarian, the Air Jordan was a shock of black and red. It was initially banned by the NBA for not conforming with other players' shoes.

Jordan continued to wear them and was fined $5,000 a game, which Nike paid.

"Nobody expected the mass hysteria created by its release," Jordan, who has been a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats since 2006, said in his e-mail to The AP.

A new edition was launched each year, and release dates had to be moved to the weekends to keep kids from skipping school to get a pair.

The frenzy got dangerous. People were mugged and even killed for the shoes.

The Air Jordans helped spawn a subculture of collectors, who line up at stores to buy the shoe's latest edition.

Jordan said he never expected that the shoe would become an icon.

"Like every kid growing up, I dreamed of making winning shots at the buzzer and I was fortunate to live out that dream, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever entertain the idea of the success of the Air Jordan franchise," he said.

The Air Jordans moved basketball shoes from true high-tops or low-tops to a middle range and used unheard of styles, such as patent leather toes and elephant print.

As Jordan's success grew on the courts, so did Nike's in the shoe industry.

People from the streets to the suburbs were wearing $100-plus basketball shoes, which was unheard of at the time.

That price is the norm today, but it has launched a backlash, such as the partnership between New York Knicks player Stephon Marbury and the Steve & Barry's store chain to sell basketball shoes for $14.98 -- a direct stab at pricey sneakers like Air Jordans.

At that time, the Air Jordan captured a mix of design, marketing, athleticism and player charisma that hadn't been seen before in the industry -- everyone wanted to "Be Like Mike."

"Athletes had been endorsing products for years prior to this," said Tinker Hatfield, Nike's Vice President of Innovation Design and Special Projects.

"But they were just signing their name to the shoe. I think there was a very understandable difference...Michael's personality and even the changes in the game and inspiration from other walks of life were all sort of being designed into this product and that made it more interesting."

Jordan and Hatfield work together on the design and function on many of the Air Jordan shoes. Jordan has final say on design matters.

Air Jordan was the lightning in the bottle that every company hopes for.

Advertising images of Jordan soaring across the sky were ubiquitous. Spike Lee could be heard hollering "It's gotta be the shoes" on television. And Jordan's outstretched arms with the swoosh nearby adorned walls across the country.

Nike quickly moved from a running company and newcomer to the basketball category to the market leader. Some industry estimates put Nike's current share of the basketball shoe market at about 85 percent. Far behind are Adidas and Reebok.

The idea of adding such unusual style to a product or so closely aligning with a personality was novel at the time, but it paid off.

Other companies tried to follow suit but it was like trying to come up with the next Harry Potter or iPhone for basketball.

The relationship completely changed the idea of sports marketing. Companies now make athlete sponsorships the centerpiece of their business, spending millions signing them and designing product lines and marketing platforms around them.

Jordan's original deal seems like a pittance compared to multimillion-dollar contracts inked these days, such as Nike's $90 million agreement with LeBron James.

"The beginning of the Jordan era marked a new and more sophisticated approach to leveraging an athlete," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.

Like any bet, athletic companies take their risks -- some pay off, like Tiger Woods or LeBron James. But some don't, a la Michael Vick. Nike terminated its contract with Vick last August after his plea agreement on dogfighting charges.

Jordan was spun off into its own division in 1997, a move that some high up in Nike questioned when Jordan retired.

But the business is a key component, with new players signing on under the brand. Nike has spun that Jordan swagger into performance and luxury apparel for men and woman.

The Air Jordan remains the pinnacle piece for shoe collectors. The original Air Jordan 1 can sell for thousands of dollars, depending on various factors.

Jordan said: "It blows my mind that even after five years removed from the game the shoe would be stronger than ever and I would still be greeted by fans as if I had just won a championship all over again."

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posted by Abu71 @ 8:32 AM, ,