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Post by TennisHack on May 16, 2005 18:04:24 GMT -5
Thomas Johansson from Sweden returns the ball to Tommy Robredo from Spain during the first match in the Blue Group of the tennis World Team Cup 2005 between Sweden and Spain in Dusseldorf, western Germany, Monday, May 16, 2005. (AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz) Thomas Johansson from Sweden returns the ball to Tommy Robredo from Spain during the first match in the Blue Group of the tennis World Team Cup 2005 between Sweden and Spain in Dusseldorf, western Germany, Monday, May 16, 2005. (AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz) Thomas Johansson from Sweden returns the ball to Tommy Robredo from Spain during the first match in the Blue Group of the tennis World Team Cup 2005 between Sweden and Spain in Dusseldorf, western Germany, Monday, May 16, 2005. (AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz) Thomas Johansson from Sweden serves the ball to Tommy Robredo from Spain during the first match in the Blue Group of the tennis World Team Cup 2005 between Sweden and Spain in Dusseldorf, western Germany, Monday, May 16, 2005. (AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz) Jonas Bjorkman from Sweden returns the ball to David Ferrer from Spain during the second match in the Blue Group of the tennis World Team Cup 2005 between Sweden and Spain in Dusseldorf, western Germany, Monday, May 16, 2005. (AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz)
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Post by fatboy aphex on May 23, 2005 11:08:10 GMT -5
This is the best paragraph from a loooooooong article in Sw. 'S' magazine on the bygone era of Swedish clay dominance. (Journalist) However you succeded on clay. Why didn't any other of your Swedish contemporaries? (Vinci, Vinci, Vinci? No they only count RG titles and finals ) When there are still as many claycourts in Sweden as back then? (Magnus Norman) -I don't know, but we started playing outdoors as soon as the snow was gone and prepared the courts ourselves with a roller. The club also helped us to get going early. That's lacking today. As soon as it becomes a little cold in the autumn the players go indoors, and they wait until the courts are perfect before they go back outside. We have to go outdoors, really. Put the cap on. It's on clay you become tough. ( tell'em Nors) That's where the ball crosses the net 20 times. Nowadays, the juniors comes to the court with their pants hanging, the cap sideways and shoot from the hip. (yeeeeeeeeeees ) You have to be more professional. Get out on the clay and learn to be tough. I want to see lots and lots of more claytennis. We don't need the extreme grips of the Spanish school, but we should utilise the clay. Doesn't he know that his antithesis Pim-pim is the posterboy of Swedish tennis now? He's right though. Lazy ass juniors
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Post by Francine on May 23, 2005 14:18:51 GMT -5
He is the only one of his generation who was a good claycourter; Enqvist, Johansson and Bjorkman haven't achieved much on the red stuff (Nice diss, Magnus ). Vinciguerra deserved to be mentioned though. There doesn't appear to be a good claycourter among the new players either, if anything they're worse than the former players. Swedish claycourters will be extinct within a few years. If they aren't already
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Post by fatboy aphex on May 23, 2005 14:41:44 GMT -5
Unless Vince comes back, they are for now.
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Post by Francine on May 23, 2005 14:44:30 GMT -5
For now Robin is our new hero
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Post by TennisHack on Jun 18, 2005 2:12:51 GMT -5
Biofile: The Thomas Johansson InterviewBy Scoop Malinowski 06/17/2005 Thomas Johansson's first tennis memory came courtesy of Donald Duck, but the Swede with the solid all-around game is hardly a cartoon character on court. The 30-year-old Swede enters Wimbledon on Monday coming off a semifinal performance at Queen's Club. The 12th-seeded Johansson, who resides in the softest section of the draw, could reach the second week. Stockholm was stomping when Johansson put his foot down with finality today last October. Winless in his prior six meetings with Andre Agassi, the unseeded Swede overcame a one-set deficit to topple the top-seeded Agassi, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) and win his second career Stockholm Open. Johansson never trailed in the third-set tiebreak, reaching match point at 6-3. Agassi drilled a passing shot winner to save one match point. As the crowd stomped its feet and clapped in unison, Johansson calmly stepped up to serve and delivered an ace down the middle to capture the tournament title for the first time since 2000. "This was probably my best match ever," said Johansson, who has won eight career championships. "I can't remember when I played this well. Even if I had lost, I would have said this was one of my best matches." Scoring tournament victories over Xavier Malisse, compatriot Robin Soderling, Andrei Pavel and Michael Ryderstedt to reach the final, Johansson won all five tiebreak sets he played during the week. Johansson's greatest career victory came in 2002 when the 16th-seeded Swede upset Marat Safin, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the Australian Open final to become the first Swede since Mats Wilander in 1988 to win the Australian Open and the second-lowest seed in history to claim the championship. The self-effacing Johansson, widely respected for his sportsmanship and competitivness, celebrated that monumental victory in a Melbourne bar with a throng of enthusiastic Swedish fans. Status: 2002 Australian Open champion. Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 165 pounds. Born On: March 24th, 1975 in Linkoping, Sweden. Childhood Hero: "Mats Wilander." Hobbies/Interests: "I really like to play golf. I really like to go to the movies. I really like to go and watch concerts, ice hockey games. And spend time with my friends, of course." Early Tennis Memory: "I played a tournament called Donald Duck Cup. It's very famous in Sweden. It's like the first big one that you play. I think I was eight or nine. And I played a guy that was four years older than me, and he was a top-seeded guy. So my dad said, If you get a game from this guy, I'll buy you ice cream. And it was like 6-0 and 4-0 and then I got the first game. So that was good." Favorite Movies: "Would be...I really like Scent of a Woman, Good Will Hunting, Shawshank Redemption is probably the number one." Musical Tastes: "I really like U2, Depeche Mode and a Swedish group called Kent." Me, too, ToJo ;DPre-Match Feeling: "Just try to focus on my game. That's the most important thing. And then it doesn't really matter who you play — it's just try to go out there and do your best. And try to focus on your strokes." Greatest Sports Moment: "When I won Australian Open 2002 (vs. Safin 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6). (What moment in particular? Match point?) Match point was very strange. It was a lob that went over me that I thought for sure was gonna go in. It went like 5 centimeters out. And then, of course, the celebration in the evening with all the Swedish fans. It was in a bar — Lotus, in Melbourne. That was a thing that I'm probably not going to experience again." Most Painful Moment: "Was when I decided to have an operation on my left knee. That was February 2003. After that, I did not think I was gonna be able to come back, 'cause it hurt a lot. And it took a while before I could even walk on my knee. So that was very tough." Favorite Meal: "I really like, of course, Swedish meatballs. But I really like Japanese and Chinese food." Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Haagen Dazs cookies and cream." Closest Tennis Friends: "I have a good relationship with the Swedes...Enqvist, Magnus Norman, Jonas Bjorkman, Mikael Tillstrom — though he's not playing anymore. Those are probably my best friends." Funniest Players: "A player that I really liked to watch was (Marcelo) Rios. And Agassi is always a lot of fun to watch. But outside of court, all the guys have different humors. Rios...I think he was one of the best players, ever. Because I remember one year when he was gonna play Thomas Muster in Rome. And I saw the press conference before the match. And they asked Rios, How are you gonna be able to beat Muster, because he only had lost one or two matches on clay so far. And Rios said [smiles], The guy should be happy if he gets like a couple of games. And he went out there the next day and killed (Muster). 1 and 2. And that's, for me, unbelievable. I really like to watch him. I didn't like to play him though. But I really liked to watch him. (Why? Why was he so hard to play?) He could make you feel like it was the first time you were standing on a tennis court, you know [smiles]? So, I hated to play him. You could get killed by him easily, 1 and 1 or something like that. And you could have played a good match, you know [smiles]?" Toughest Competitors: "Well, I haven't been able yet to beat Federer. I've played him, I don't know, seven or eight times. And Agassi is very tough." Favorite Vacation Spot: "South Africa." Funny Tennis Memory: "A lot of things made me laugh. In Davis Cup we have a lot of fun together. I think that's the most fun you have in the year, when you go out with your friends and you're trying to compete for your own country. We have a lot of fun when we're traveling together." People Qualities Most Admired: "Honesty. I really like guys that are down-to-earth. Not arrogant. And nice people, of course."
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Post by Brinyi on Jun 18, 2005 5:22:09 GMT -5
Thanks, Hack. TJ is such a good chap. And I love to hear players talk about Chino.
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Post by fatboy aphex on Jun 19, 2005 16:38:12 GMT -5
Unless Vince comes back, they are for now. And here he is!!! www.svt.se/texttv/328.html NOTISER 19 juni 2(6) TENNIS Andreas Vinciguerra vann en sommartourtävling i Åmål och ställer förmodligen upp i Swedish Open i juli. -Jag har fått tillbaka glädjen i min tennis, säger han till Sydsvenskan. TENNIS Andres Vinciguerra won a tournamnet on the Swedish Summer Tour (very minor money tour) in Åmål(as in the film Fucking Åmål ) and will probably participate in the Swedish Open this July. -I'm enjoying my tennis again, he said to the 'Sydsvenskan' newspaper. The last of the Swedish claycourters is back!
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Post by Brinyi on Jun 19, 2005 16:42:38 GMT -5
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jun 20, 2005 6:11:51 GMT -5
Vinci has put on some weight, he must have been eating at his dad's pizza place too much, just hope he plays in Båstad.
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Post by fatboy aphex on Jun 29, 2005 16:08:53 GMT -5
www.svt.se/texttv/323.htmlVinciguerra makes come-back in Båstad. Andreas Vinciguerra makes his come-back at a higher level in Båstad in July. The last time he played on the ATP-tour was in autumn 2003 when he entered the Stockholm Open. -This feels good, Båstad has been a stop I've looked forward to since I became healthy and started training in full. I feel strong and if I can play at the same level in a match situation as I do in practise I'll be dangerous, says Andrea Vinciguerra. Viniguerra has received a wild-card to the Swedish Open, the tournament where he was runner-up in 1999 and 2000. I wonder if it's a main-draw or qualies WC?
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 3, 2005 4:33:27 GMT -5
Vinci will play Ryderstedt in the first round and he has a big show of winning this match.
Finally the return of a Swede who can play on clay. I wonder who'll be his coach Larsson, Hageskog or Simonsson.
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Post by Brinyi on Jul 4, 2005 19:34:44 GMT -5
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Post by Brinyi on Jul 4, 2005 19:35:49 GMT -5
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Post by The Chloe on Jul 4, 2005 21:29:52 GMT -5
I had failed to notice the Vincy talk in this thread. Thanks for the updates everybody, even if I'm a month late reading some of them
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Post by vaiva on Jul 5, 2005 13:36:28 GMT -5
In Swedland this week: J. Vanek def. the Evil Johansson 6-7 7-6 6-2
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 5, 2005 13:52:07 GMT -5
Vinci will now pound Youzhny into the dust and make the quarters.
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Post by Brinyi on Jul 6, 2005 9:57:51 GMT -5
Vinci up a set and a break over Youzhless!
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Post by Brinyi on Jul 6, 2005 10:33:15 GMT -5
Argh! Vinci lost his break and lost the tie-break. He'll probably lose in three because of fatigue.
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Post by Brinyi on Jul 6, 2005 11:29:03 GMT -5
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Post by fatboy aphex on Jul 7, 2005 0:23:54 GMT -5
I wonder who'll be his coach Larsson, Hageskog or Simonsson. They were all there. Both Larsson and Simonsson were interviewed as his coach.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 7, 2005 4:37:02 GMT -5
They were all there. Both Larsson and Simonsson were interviewed as his coach. Hehehe, at least he has some good people around him.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 7, 2005 4:37:48 GMT -5
How is PimPim and Rosengren having an argument at one of the training sessions? Good to see the press wanted to talk about that instead of PimPims match.
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Post by fatboy aphex on Jul 7, 2005 18:16:13 GMT -5
Rosengren has quoit as Pim-pim's coach. Didn't you know? He cited "age difference" as the main reason. There must be another real reason though. Has Pim-pim kept on to a coach for more than six months since his acrimonous split from Team Catella two years ago?
He's the new Safin when it comes to replacing coaches as often as he changes shirts.
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Post by Patrik Sjöberg on Jul 7, 2005 22:15:15 GMT -5
Rosengren has quoit as Pim-pim's coach. Didn't you know? He cited "age difference" as the main reason. There must be another real reason though. Has Pim-pim kept on to a coach for more than six months since his acrimonous split from Team Catella two years ago? He's the new Safin when it comes to replacing coaches as often as he changes shirts. What happened with Team Catella again? Well Rosegren probably wanted PimPim to improve on clay.
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Post by The Chloe on Jul 7, 2005 22:36:32 GMT -5
Vincy, so close to beating Misha Oh well, hopefully he is able to keep playing and grind week in, week out now. Obviously he still has game, so that much is okay
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Post by fatboy aphex on Jul 8, 2005 0:59:01 GMT -5
Rosengren has quoit as Pim-pim's coach. Didn't you know? He cited "age difference" as the main reason. There must be another real reason though. Has Pim-pim kept on to a coach for more than six months since his acrimonous split from Team Catella two years ago? He's the new Safin when it comes to replacing coaches as often as he changes shirts. What happened with Team Catella again? Well Rosegren probably wanted PimPim to improve on clay. Pimpim thought Team Catella coach Peter Carlsson gave Robin Söderling, who was more successful at that timr, too much attention.
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Post by vaiva on Jul 27, 2005 9:22:25 GMT -5
The news on the Evil Swede:
Johansson out for eight months
Sweden's Joachim Johansson will be out of action for up to eight months after a shoulder operation, the daily Goteborgs-Posten reported. "During the rehabilitation I'll work on building up my body," Johansson was quoted as saying in the paper's web edition.
Eurosport - 27/07/05
What will happen to his ranking after the USO?
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Post by Brinyi on Jul 27, 2005 9:33:33 GMT -5
Hi Vaivita -- thanks! I am not a Pim-Pim fan as you know but I wouldn't wish shoulder surgery on anyone. Well, almost anyone. ;D
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Post by TennisHack on Aug 5, 2005 0:27:55 GMT -5
Norman Returns As Swedish Federation Coach By Tennis Week 08/04/2005
Five years ago, Magnus Norman reached the Roland Garros final and attained a career-high rank of No. 2. Nagging hip and knee injuries forced the owner of 12 ATP tournament titles and $4.5 million in prize money to officially announce his retirement at a press conference during last October's Stockholm Open.
Recently, Norman returned to the court — as a coach for Sweden's 14-and-under boys' squad that competed in the European Championships.
The 29-year-old Norman spends more time hitting the books rather than balls these days as a student studying marketing and economics at a business school in Stockholm. Norman, who works for an investment company in Stockholm, also spends time working with juniors as a coach for the Swedish Tennis Federation. In an interview with Tennis News Europe.org, Norman said he's enjoying being back out on the court in a coaching capacity, though hip pain prevents him from playing daily.
Both Norman and Gustavo Kuerten, who needed 11 match points to beat the stubborn Swede in the 2000 French Open final, underwent arthroscopic hip surgery performed by the same surgeon within two years of that final. Norman underwent surgery on both hips on January 23, 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee. The surgery was performed by Dr. Thomas Byrd, the same surgeon who operated on Norman on August 21st, 2001 and on Kuerten in February of 2002.
Despite his chronic hip pain, Norman has shared valuable advice to Swedish juniors.
"I have a lot of experience that the Federation wants me to chare with the junior players — how I practiced, how I thought, so on," Norman told Tennis News Europe.org. "I think that by being there and providing these services, I can help them a lot. I'm also working with my home club, again with the younger guys, so I'm still very involved with tennis. I do coach, but not every day, as I have many other commitments and also because I cannot be on the court too much as I still have problems with my injuries and it can be too painful at times."
Though Sweden's boys have been successful in European junior events, Norman conceded the quality of play has dipped slightly in Sweden, causing concerns about the country's future success on the pro circuit. "The competition is very tough and so the two best boys that ultimately get selected for the European Championships are usually very good players," Norman said. "But the level of play has dropped slightly in Sweden recently, and people are starting to worry that after me and after Joachim Johansson there may be a few years before we see a really outstanding players coming."
A long line of Swedish men from Bjorn Borg to Mats Wilander to Stefan Edberg to Thomas Johansson have raised Grand Slam title trophies. Norman said the lack of Swedish success on the WTA Tour is due, in part, to the fact Sweden has not produced a top-ranked woman.
"I think a lot of it has to do with role models," Norman said. "In Sweden we have never had a woman player at the very top of the game whereas boys have had a series — first Borg then Wilander and Edberg, Enqvist, me and many others — so there was always someone to look up to. What we need now is a female player who could compete regularly against the likes of Justine Henin-Hardenne and Venus Williams."
Nearly one year removed from his official retirement from tennis, Norman envisions returning to the sport — possibly as an agent, coach or administrator — in the future. "I definitely want to be involved with tennis. I don't know whether that will be as a coach, or in the business side of the sport," Norman said. "I've been involved with tennis since I was eight years old, so it's difficult to leave."
The man who was briefly Martina Hingis' beau jokingly admits that acquiring a college education has taught him a valuable lesson in number crunching.
"I'm learning economics and getting used to count higher than 40, which is as much as you need in tennis, so maybe I can help some players as an agent or something like this," Norman said. "We'll see what happens, but I'll still be involved with tennis, as it's given me a very good life."
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