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Post by TennisHack on Jul 12, 2003 19:18:59 GMT -5
It is the artistry we will remember, but if he really wants to know how he did it, the cold statistics reveal the true, astonishing answer. He won his last 35 service games of the Championships; he served 21 aces to Philippoussis’s 14 in the final and won 89 percent of the points when his first serve went in. Oh, and in the final of all finals, he made just nine unforced errors. It’s called game, set and match … with a Wimbledon title attached.
Overall it was a fascinating Wimbledon, blessed with 10 days of sunshine before the rains came and some attractive matches with plenty of backcourt play on courts that remained as hard as they were the year before. The higher bounce helped the European clay courters, but the two men who made it to the final could not have been more different from their predecessors of 2002. Hewitt and David Nalbandian come from a different school.
Hewitt’s first-day exit was quite extraordinary. Only Manolo Santana in 1967 had suffered a first round defeat as defending champion, but he went out to Charlie Pasarell, a big serving fast court player who had already attained the heady status of U.S. No 1. Ivo Karlovic was not in Pasarell’s league. This giant from Croatia — the tallest man ever to play professional tennis — had toiled on the tour with such lack of success for five years that his ranking had never risen above 165. And after he lost the first set 6-1, one could see why.
But then something very strange happened. Hewitt, whose form had been poor in the previous weeks, missed a couple of break point opportunities at the start of the second set, and suddenly, Karlovic shed the nerves that were hobbling his beanstalk legs and decided he might as well enjoy himself. He was transformed into a highly effective serve-and-volley player and virtually blew the champion off court. After winning the second set tie-break, Karlovic took total control, crashing down his huge serves from the rooftops and loping in to punch away unanswerable volleys. By the end of his 1-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory, Hewitt looked very small indeed.
Karlovic managed one more win against a qualifier, but then bowed to the greater experience of the powerful Max Mirnyi 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6. With no bonus points awarded any more, Karlovic’s ranking will not have improved that much, but he is worth a wild card or two; so tournament director’s should look out for him, just in case this quiet giant with a slight speech impediment is too shy to ask.
Agassi played a delightful Centre Court match with Younes El Aynaoui, the Moroccan who continues to light up the circuit with his exciting tennis and happy personality, but once again, Younes ended up the loser, this time by 5-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6, as Agassi moved on to a fateful clash with Philippoussis. The biggest surprise was the fact that Agassi was not able to capitalize on a two-set-to-one lead. Two games in the fourth set settled the outcome of the match. In the second, Agassi eventually failed to hold serve after saving five break points, and then in the seventh, he allowed Philippoussis to escape from 0-40. Not that it was entirely Agassi’s fault. Philippoussis came up with five first serves, including two aces at 129 mph. Even Andre’s return was unable to handle that.
In the fifth, Agassi seemed a fraction slow getting himself in position, and as the rallies became more taxing, the big Australian started to dominate. The decisive break came in the seventh game as Philippoussis pounded huge forehands to the former champion’s backhand flank. And the Aussie’s answer to two double faults that left Agassi with two break back chances at 4-3 was to conjure up two more aces. In the end, power won, but Agassi insists he will be back to try again.
Apart from Roddick, the surprise American success story was Justin Gimelstob, who gained some measure of revenge for compatriot Robby Ginepri by beating Arnaud Clement 6-1 in the fifth to reach the third round, after Clement had squeezed past the young American in a marathon 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 6-7, 10-8. For James Blake, however, there was the bitter disappointment of losing in the second round to Armenia’s crafty Sargis Sargisian in straight sets in front of some of his British fans and relations. (Blake’s mother is British.)
Talking of Britain, Greg Rusedski, having proved his fitness by winning Nottingham, blew his stack in a cloudburst of expletives when a spectator called “Out!” from the crowd during his second round match against Roddick and totally lost concentration. Tim Henman, however, made the most of an easy draw to prove himself the most consistent Wimbledon performer of recent years, apart from Sampras, by reaching the second week for the eighth consecutive year and the quarterfinals or better for seven of them.
Henman finally got the better of Nalbandian in a tense Centre Court battle full of service breaks, but could do little about the sheer brilliance of Sebastien Grosjean during a match that was, inevitably, interrupted overnight by rain. Grosjean, having lost to Roddick in the final of the Stella Artois at Queen’s Club, was looking a better grass court player with every round, and the speed of his hands, as he flicked backhands past Henman from every imaginable angle, was amazing. There was a smash, too, which vied for the shot of the tournament. Forced to race into his backhand corner by a great Henman lob, Grosjean swiveled and hit it down the line off the bounce with such speed and accuracy that Tim and the entire crowd just gasped.
Grosjean had emerged victorious after an intriguing No. 1 Court battle with reigning French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, who came close to fighting his way back from the brink when he saved match point at 5-6 in the fourth set and broke back when the tactically astute Frenchman made a very rare mistake with a choice of stroke, going for a poorly executed drop shot to allow Ferrero to force another tie-break. But Grosjean, covering acres of turf at incredible speed despite a strapped right thigh, took the breaker 7-3 to win 6-2, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6. Ferrero, however, had shown some of his absent Spanish colleagues that progress is possible now on these harder grass courts.
It was a great achievement for Grosjean to reach the semifinals, but the Philippoussis serve proved too big a weapon even for Sebastien’s fine return, and the Boca Raton-based Frenchman went down in straight sets.
But so, too, did Philippoussis in the final when faced with Federer’s game, too beautiful, if not too big, for any mortal measure.
Senior Correspondent Richard Evans is president of the International Tennis Writers’ Association. His previous article for Tennis Week chronicled Juan Carlos Ferrero’s first Grand Slam tournament title: 2003 Roland Garros.
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 12, 2003 19:24:46 GMT -5
More stuff! Comment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tennis fans rogered after Wimbledon Now Wimbledon is over, we are stuck with bikes and squash Will Buckley Sunday July 13, 2003 The Observer It was a memorable end to Wimbledon as Roger Federer, playing tennis that has been compared variously to Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Ilie Nastase and Manuel Santana, completed his fourth consecutive straight-sets victory to win the title. He dropped to his knees, spoke to Sue Barker, and then burst into tears. Some have suggested that these tears were as crocodile as the trademark for Lacoste but it seems unlikely. Far more likely that they were in memory of the Australian coach, Peter Carter, who coached Federer since boyhood and died in a car crash last summer. Far more likely that they were brought on by seeing his wonderfully amiable coach and friend, Peter Lundgren, and his refreshingly unplastic girlfriend, Miroslava Vaurinec, looking so joyously happy. Far more likely that they were tears of relief as he realised that perhaps he was as good a tennis player as everyone had always told him he was. The last person to find out that Roger Federer was a tennis player touched by genius was Roger Federer himself. A sporting hero was born. A hero, moreover, who far from being in thrall to corporate interests had given them the elbow when he terminated his contract with the International Management Group and decided to make the control of his career a family affair. A hero who, until Wimbledon, was that rarity in tennis - a player who played better for the team than himself (he has won 20 consecutive sets in guiding Switzerland to the Davis Cup semi-finals). A hero who will be tested and defined in the future by his battles against Andy Roddick, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Lleyton Hewitt. Men's tennis has purpose again. And then it disappeared. The BBC might have followed Federer but instead switched sports and concentrated on the Scottish Open golf. It is all anticipation and no aftermath within the BBC sports department. Bags of foreplay, extensive and exhaustive coverage of the main event, and then straight to sleep for the next 50 weeks. Yesterday they might have shown Federer's semi-final against Gaston Gaudio at the Swiss Open in Gstaad, instead they screened Steve Ryder trying to look enthusiastic as he said, 'then it's the bikes. British superbikes from Rockingham'. Then it's the bikes - as enticing a come-on as 'coming up after the break, live washing-up. Don't go away.' Sky knocked out their usual conservative 80-odd hours of sport a day, but while Three Sixty Surfing , Rally Fever and squash for goodness sake all made the cut, the tennis didn't. Even, and this is a phrase I doubted I would ever write when discussing coverage of recherché sports, British Eurosport was a let down. When the Tour de France is on, everything else must take a back seat. Nor were the newspapers any more informative. The tennis players moved on to Gstaad, Palermo and Bastad in Sweden, but the only place you could read about them was in the small print of the sport-in-brief section. There was one article about tennis in yesterday's papers, but it centred not on Federer but Queenswood Girls School, having overcome a tense quarter-final against Richard Huish College in Somerset, defeated Woodhouse Grove of Yorkshire in the final. Information you might have thought to have been tailor-made for a sport-in-very-brief section. Tennis, which had dominated everything for a fortnight, was now relegated to the further reaches of Ceefax and the internet. The only place you could see how Federer was progressing was at swissopengstaad.com. where a scorecard informed you that Federer had won the first set in the Roy Emerson arena 6-1 in 19 minutes. How well he played you can only imagine. In some respects limiting the coverage is to be welcomed. Taking an interest in a sport for a fortnight rather than as some football fans do 25/8 every bloody week of the year is probably a sign of sanity. And given the bias in the British press daily coverage of tennis would doubtless revolve around articles as trite as 'Tim handed tough draw in Tashkent' and 'Henman set to miss Doha'. But the problem with ignoring a sport for 25/26ths of the year - Federer has just broken Gaudio to go 2-1 up in the second set, by the way - is that there is an awful amount of catching up to do. Crikey, G Gaudio (Arg) has done something that neither Roddick nor Mark Philippoussis managed and has broken the Federer serve, it's 2-2 at the Roy Emerson Arena - when you wake up to covering it - Federer has blown two break points, it's all happening in Gstaad. Again. You've read the piece, now have your say. Email your comments, be as frank as you like, we can take it, to sport.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk, or mail the Observer direct at sport@observer.co.uk source sport.guardian.co.uk
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Lily
Full Member
Posts: 211
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Post by Lily on Jul 13, 2003 7:18:29 GMT -5
Rogi lost? That's different. Well, Congrats to Novak for finally beating Rogi and winning his first title in two years and good for Rogi for making it past the second rd. Great effort! Now get some rest!
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Post by Partridge In A Pear Tree on Jul 13, 2003 7:42:06 GMT -5
Heard it that Roger lost in 5. Well, he was tired, and i'm sure Novak played his cool and efficient game. Hope he can now finally enjoy a good break and just chill out, he totally deserves it. Just came in from Liechtenstein, it's really a small principality, and when we walked around the main part of town it was a bit quiet. Then drove up to the Malbun mountains. Had dinner in Austria, just across the border, in a Chinese restaurant! That was swell. ;D Talk to you later...and read back. ps. i think Doris was in Gstaad today. She sent me a text message telling me to guess where she was...!
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 8:50:56 GMT -5
Lovely day today! Our poor baby ROGI lost in 5??!! Well, he didn't even think he'd get past the 2nd rd so I'm still amazed at him! Poor ROGI 0-3 in Swiss finals... that will change soon! The most important thing is for ROGI to rest now... he must be exhausted... it'll hit him once he stops playing. Doris, you little fan, you!! Nice trip Mrs. B.! Any news of a Basel celebration yet?? Wow 3 weeks of ROGI!! Will have to check the TSR news and BBC this aft. Now back to work...
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Post by Partridge In A Pear Tree on Jul 13, 2003 9:13:42 GMT -5
Hackie, beautifully written article, thanks. Yeah, RogiFan, Doris HAD to go back there today. Even in the scorching Gstaad sun i'm sure she had fun watching that five setter. Well i'm sure Basel has something special prepared upon his return... Cleaning up some clutter here then i'll make early din and drop by the club later when it's not too hot. It's 29°C here today. I could jump in the river!
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 9:26:13 GMT -5
Poor ROGI, he was disappointed cos he had chances... it has been quite the run for our Rogi though, hasn't it?! Still unbelievable!! Sunday, 13 July, 2003, 12:40 GMT 13:40 UK Novak ends Federer run Roger Federer was going for his sixth title of the year Roger Federer saw his five-week unbeaten run come to an end in front of his home crowd as Jiri Novak fought back to claim the Swiss Open title. Federer came into the final on the back of a 15-match unbeaten streak that included titles at Halle and Wimbledon. But Novak, who won the Gstaad title two years ago, recovered from dropping the opening set to come through 5-7 6-3 6-3 1-6 6-3. "I must be one of the happiest men in the world right now," said Novak. "I've won the title here twice and won my fifth ATP title. Roger played excellent but I was maybe a little better." Federer came straight to Switzerland on Monday following his victory at Wimbledon as he looked to win his first title on home soil. It's very disappointing and frustrating Roger Federer But, in contrast to last week, the 21-year-old made numerous unforced errors and hit as many double faults as aces. A comeback in the fourth set, when he twice broke Novak's serve, gave the Swiss crowd hope. But the decisive break came from Novak in the sixth game of the final set, and the Czech player held on for a deserved win. "It's very disappointing and frustrating, even if it was a great week," said Federer. "It's the third final I've lost at home. "I did all I could, but it was not enough. His return of serve is one of the best out there on the tour and today he returned very hard. "It's a pity because I had a chance to win here and I didn't take it. "This was a marathon for me, playing matches every day or every other day for the last several weeks. Luckily I've got vacation time now." And Novak paid tribute to the efforts of his opponent in recent weeks. "I have to congratulate Roger," said Novak. "It's not easy stringing all those matches together, nor changing from grass to clay." source news.bbc.co.uk
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Post by Lee on Jul 13, 2003 9:58:55 GMT -5
Heard it that Roger lost in 5. Well, he was tired, and i'm sure Novak played his cool and efficient game. Hope he can now finally enjoy a good break and just chill out, he totally deserves it. Just came in from Liechtenstein, it's really a small principality, and when we walked around the main part of town it was a bit quiet. Then drove up to the Malbun mountains. Had dinner in Austria, just across the border, in a Chinese restaurant! That was swell. ;D Talk to you later...and read back. ps. i think Doris was in Gstaad today. She sent me a text message telling me to guess where she was...! That's the beauty of living in Europe. When I was still in Alberta, Canada, I could drive all day on highway and still in Alberta. ;D ;D
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Post by TennisHack on Jul 13, 2003 10:27:51 GMT -5
Just came in from Liechtenstein, it's really a small principality, and when we walked around the main part of town it was a bit quiet. Then drove up to the Malbun mountains. Had dinner in Austria, just across the border, in a Chinese restaurant! That was swell. ;D Talk to you later...and read back. ps. i think Doris was in Gstaad today. She sent me a text message telling me to guess where she was...! Mrs. B! Sounds like you had fun. Liechtenstein sounds just lovely. Now all you have to do is going to Luxembourg, and you will have lived my dream, LOL I hope Doris had fun, even though Roger lost. What in the world can Basel give him that could top the cow?
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Post by Partridge In A Pear Tree on Jul 13, 2003 11:51:29 GMT -5
Mrs. B! Sounds like you had fun. Liechtenstein sounds just lovely. Now all you have to do is going to Luxembourg, and you will have lived my dream, LOL I hope Doris had fun, even though Roger lost. What in the world can Basel give him that could top the cow? lol, Now, now, Hackie. Luxembourg is too way up far from here, it has to wait. Roger was guest on Swiss sports tv tonight. Flew by helicopter from Gstaad to the Zürich studio. He's in the big league now, our boy...and they showed a footage of his warm reception in Liestal, Baselland. He wore his black & white gear... The moderator gave him a video of his Wimby finals match, and a poster pic of him kissing the trophy, and the local govt. of Baseland gave him a small cherry tree to plant in his garden!
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 12:02:18 GMT -5
lol, Now, now, Hackie. Luxembourg is too way up far from here, it has to wait. Roger was guest on Swiss sports tv tonight. Flew by helicopter from Gstaad to the Zürich studio. He's in the big league now, our boy...and they showed a footage of his warm reception in Liestal, Baselland. He wore his black & white gear... The moderator gave him a video of his Wimby finals match, and a poster pic of him kissing the trophy. That's nice! Now Rogi needs some serious rest and relaxation at last... sound like Bugs Bunny exc he says west and wewaxation at wast...
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Post by ILR on Jul 13, 2003 12:10:37 GMT -5
Hey girls pity about the loss huh? Oh well I guess its OK he can lose a final once in a while, as long as thats all it is! Sounds like you had a great time Mrs.B! Mmm Chinese food too! Excellent stuff ;D
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Sue
Full Member
Posts: 225
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Post by Sue on Jul 13, 2003 12:11:34 GMT -5
Glad to hear you had a nice day Mrs. B....and I bet Doris did too! RF- don't work too hard! Pity about Roger today....but like we all said ...he must be shattered the poor lamb...and now he can sit back and chill, and begin to really appreciate what it means to be Wimby Champion. So what shall we do with ourselves whilst our boy is taking a rest?? How about thinking up a design for a T-shirt that we could wear whenever we go to support him..like the Fanatics had for Pat ( the yellow ones...if you remember? In fact I know they presented Pat with a couple and he was thrilled and wore them quite a lot) They'd have to be red of course.......ideas anyone??
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Post by Partridge In A Pear Tree on Jul 13, 2003 13:20:46 GMT -5
Glad to hear you had a nice day Mrs. B....and I bet Doris did too! RF- don't work too hard! Pity about Roger today....but like we all said ...he must be shattered the poor lamb...and now he can sit back and chill, and begin to really appreciate what it means to be Wimby Champion. So what shall we do with ourselves whilst our boy is taking a rest?? How about thinking up a design for a T-shirt that we could wear whenever we go to support him..like the Fanatics had for Pat ( the yellow ones...if you remember? In fact I know they presented Pat with a couple and he was thrilled and wore them quite a lot) They'd have to be red of course.......ideas anyone?? how about Roger's Ravers?
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Post by TennisHack on Jul 13, 2003 13:42:40 GMT -5
lol, Now, now, Hackie. Luxembourg is too way up far from here, it has to wait. Roger was guest on Swiss sports tv tonight. Flew by helicopter from Gstaad to the Zürich studio. He's in the big league now, our boy...and they showed a footage of his warm reception in Liestal, Baselland. He wore his black & white gear... The moderator gave him a video of his Wimby finals match, and a poster pic of him kissing the trophy, and the local govt. of Baseland gave him a small cherry tree to plant in his garden! LOL!!! All right, I guess I'll have to visit Luxembourg myself ;D So Roger had no time to mourn his loss in Gstaad, he had to go on being a national celebrity? I'm sure he's having he time of his life, no doubt. So now he has a cow and a cherry tree -- I guess they don't want him to starve!
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Post by TennisHack on Jul 13, 2003 13:53:58 GMT -5
Federer has no plans to leave Switzerland, says father 2003-07-13 09:29:59 GMT (Reuters) By Knut Engelmann
ZURICH, July 13 (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Roger Federer has no plans to leave his native Switzerland in search of lower taxes or to avoid military service.
"The goal is to remain in Switzerland," Federer's father Robert said in a telephone interview from the family's home in Bottmingen, near Basel, on Sunday.
"We don't want to go to Monaco. Roger wants to stay in Switzerland."
His remarks came after reports in the Swiss Sunday press suggested the 21-year-old, the first Swiss man to win a grand slam singles title, may relocate abroad because Swiss military authorities refused to excuse him from serving in the country's civil defense forces.
According to SonntagsZeitung, Federer has been declared unfit for military service but ordered to serve instead in the civil defense militia force.
Swiss law requires all Swiss males between the ages of 20 and 50 to serve either in the military or the 300,000-strong civil defence force, which is tasked with "protecting the public in the event of armed conflict".
Federer indicated the family was negotiating with military authorities to find a solution for the tennis star, who would be unable to keep up his strict training regime if he was drafted to serve in the defence force.
"We'll be able to find an agreement," he said. "The military issue is always a problem in Switzerland, not just for Roger, but for other athletes as well."
Federer also denied that his son was looking to move abroad in a bid to save taxes, but said he may move within Switzerland in search of a lower income tax rate.
"Certainly we're trying to check on the tax situation," said Federer senior, who works for a chemical company and helps manage his son's affairs in his spare time.
Federer, who plays in the final of the Swiss Open in Gstaad later on Sunday, has won around $6 million in prize money in his career so far, a figure that is expected to increase drastically now that he has bagged the Wimbledon title.
Income tax rates in Switzerland differ widely across cantons (states) and even between communities within a given canton. Towns like Zug, in German-speaking central Switzerland, are famous for their low tax rates.
Other sports stars, such as German-born Formula One champion Michael Schumacher who lives in the western canton of Vaud, have clinched individual agreements with local tax authorities that provide for sharply lower tax rates.
But this option is only open to foreigners -- or to Swiss who have been living abroad for at least 10 years.
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 13:56:13 GMT -5
btw did you notice I updated my sig RF? Hey, you ARE efficient, ILR! Let's hope you can keep adding to that sig!!
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Post by ILR on Jul 13, 2003 14:05:14 GMT -5
Hey, you ARE efficient, ILR! Let's hope you can keep adding to that sig!! Oh yes ever since you reminded me about Halle Ive always remembered new titles since!
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Post by Partridge In A Pear Tree on Jul 13, 2003 14:26:48 GMT -5
Federer has no plans to leave Switzerland, says father2003-07-13 09:29:59 GMT (Reuters) By Knut Engelmann ZURICH, July 13 (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Roger Federer has no plans to leave his native Switzerland in search of lower taxes or to avoid military service. "The goal is to remain in Switzerland," Federer's father Robert said in a telephone interview from the family's home in Bottmingen, near Basel, on Sunday. "We don't want to go to Monaco. Roger wants to stay in Switzerland." His remarks came after reports in the Swiss Sunday press suggested the 21-year-old, the first Swiss man to win a grand slam singles title, may relocate abroad because Swiss military authorities refused to excuse him from serving in the country's civil defense forces. According to SonntagsZeitung, Federer has been declared unfit for military service but ordered to serve instead in the civil defense militia force. Swiss law requires all Swiss males between the ages of 20 and 50 to serve either in the military or the 300,000-strong civil defence force, which is tasked with "protecting the public in the event of armed conflict". Federer indicated the family was negotiating with military authorities to find a solution for the tennis star, who would be unable to keep up his strict training regime if he was drafted to serve in the defence force. "We'll be able to find an agreement," he said. "The military issue is always a problem in Switzerland, not just for Roger, but for other athletes as well." Federer also denied that his son was looking to move abroad in a bid to save taxes, but said he may move within Switzerland in search of a lower income tax rate. "Certainly we're trying to check on the tax situation," said Federer senior, who works for a chemical company and helps manage his son's affairs in his spare time. Federer, who plays in the final of the Swiss Open in Gstaad later on Sunday, has won around $6 million in prize money in his career so far, a figure that is expected to increase drastically now that he has bagged the Wimbledon title. Income tax rates in Switzerland differ widely across cantons (states) and even between communities within a given canton. Towns like Zug, in German-speaking central Switzerland, are famous for their low tax rates. Other sports stars, such as German-born Formula One champion Michael Schumacher who lives in the western canton of Vaud, have clinched individual agreements with local tax authorities that provide for sharply lower tax rates. But this option is only open to foreigners -- or to Swiss who have been living abroad for at least 10 years. Yeah, Zug is famous for their lower tax rates. But so is Muri, here in Bern. Roger could move in next to Michel and i'll do his laundry, for free, of course! ;D Ordered my tickets for Basel today online but Thursday, QF, is already sold out! So like last year, we're going on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 14:29:16 GMT -5
I forgot that Swiss boys must do military service... when I was studying in France I met a German Swiss lad who had to do his service... I must dig up that letter and photo he sent me of him sitting atop the Alps somewhere in his hiking gear!! Poor Rogi was mad during his match today... he thought he could have won this thing... on the SUI news they interviewed him while showing the match... he was so gracious even though you could see he was still miffed... he looked lovely as usual... this was live fr Zurich. Then they talked a bit to Mirka at the tourney -- she spoke English. They showed Rogi signing autographs and all these girls looking at his pic in the newsletter... sigh! The guy asked him about his well-earned little vacation -- saying it will probably be a holiday w Mirka "en amoureuse"!! I think Rogi tried to avoid that one by saying yes I'll go w my GF "copine" but that nobody will find out where!! Wow they spent 9 mins on ROGI! BBC has also had some news on Gstaad. Pretty soon off to Portugal, eh, ILR? S be nice and hot and sunny there!! Mind you, the weather in Europe is v hot... everywhere it seems, esp in Gstaad!! Hot and sunny! P.S. Thanks for your message! OK everyone, time to send those messages! Did I tell you I got a couple of regular-sized red envelopes? Also got a b'day card too!! Getting ready already... must try on my clothes... hope they still fit!
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Post by TennisHack on Jul 13, 2003 14:38:37 GMT -5
Yeah, Zug is famous for their lower tax rates. But so is Muri, here in Bern. Roger could move in next to Michel and i'll do his laundry, for free, of course! ;D Ordered my tickets for Basel today online but Thursday, QF, is already sold out! So like last year, we're going on Wednesday, Oct. 22. LOL, you'd love to get your hands on his laundry, wouldn't you ;D I didn't know Switzerland had compulsory military service. How do other athletes get out of it? What does civil service entail? Surely they think he's doing service enough for his country . . . !
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 14:51:33 GMT -5
I see Rogi's doing an exo on Tue in Grone, Valais. He hasn't lost since May 26 at RG... He has won 15 matches in a row now... The SUI papers say he'll return Jul28 Washington... we'll see if he's changed his sched.
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Post by ILR on Jul 13, 2003 14:51:43 GMT -5
Oh yes Im going on thursday! Its been so hot here I burnt my face! Oh how embarrasing lol. Im glad you got my message! I was reading my e mails before and thought Id better send RF my message! Ohh yes thats what else Id forgotten! Can you just add "have a very happy birthday!" on my message please?
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Post by Partridge In A Pear Tree on Jul 13, 2003 14:54:12 GMT -5
LOL, you'd love to get your hands on his laundry, wouldn't you ;D I didn't know Switzerland had compulsory military service. How do other athletes get out of it? What does civil service entail? Surely they think he's doing service enough for his country . . . ! They do military service for 15 weeks the first time, followed by 3 weeks annually till they do 300 days. I don't know about athletes, but some men here need a certain certificate from their doctors to get an exemption, for example, my husband didn't have to do it cuz of his bad knees (he had an operation once from a football injury) but has to do civil service, usually for about 3 days... heck, they should exempt Roger ala Paradorn Schirapchan. The Thais are so proud of him he even gets a diplomatic passport! ;D
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Post by TennisHack on Jul 13, 2003 14:58:14 GMT -5
They do military service for 15 weeks the first time, followed by 3 weeks annually till they do 300 days. I don't know about athletes, but some men here need a certain certificate from their doctors to get an exemption, for example, my husband didn't have to do it cuz of his bad knees (he had an operation once from a football injury) but has to do civil service, usually for about 3 days... heck, they should exempt Roger ala Paradorn Schirapchan. The Thais are so proud of him he even gets a diplomatic passport! ;D Ah, okay. Another one of those traditions, I suppose. LOL, exemption is what I was thinking, as it appears that Switzerland is going as crazy over Roger as Thailand was for Paradorn last year. I remember hearing that Paradorn was a cultural ambassador (had my own thought about that, but whatever). Sometimes it's amazing what tennis can do for you when you think about stories like Srichaphan or now Roger. Especially when here, you're more or less laughed at for playing a "sissy sport"
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 14:59:32 GMT -5
Oh yes Im going on thursday! Its been so hot here I burnt my face! Oh how embarrasing lol. Im glad you got my message! I was reading my e mails before and thought Id better send RF my message! Ohh yes thats what else Id forgotten! Can you just add "have a very happy birthday!" on my message please? Will do, ILR!! This fr the ceremony in Liestal source de.sports.yahoo.com/
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Post by ILR on Jul 13, 2003 15:04:39 GMT -5
Whew! Thanks RF!
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 16:14:37 GMT -5
Whew! Thanks RF! You're welcome! I still say to ROGI: MORE fr Mirka Artikel vom 13. Juli 2003 / Quelle: Blick Mirka Vavrinec: «Wimbledon war schlimmer» VON ILONA SCHERER ZUSCHAUERREKORD Federer und Wetter retteten Gstaad ROGER ENDLICH daheim gefeiert Mirka feuerte ihren Rogi an, holte während des Spiels ein neues Racket – und ist stolz! FOTO: SVEN THOMAN GSTAAD – Im Final des Suisse Open drückte Mirka Vavrinec (25) auf der Tribüne ihrem «Rogi» die Daumen. Sie munterte ihn auf, versuchte ihn zu beruhigen und holte zwischendurch sogar einen Schläger im Hotel. Vergebens – aber stolz ist sie trotzdem auf ihren Schatz. Platz Nr. 175 in der ersten Reihe der «Gstaad Box» liegt gerade noch im Schatten, als Mirka die Roy Emerson Arena betritt. In den kommenden Stunden kann ihr Freund erneut Tennis-Geschichte schreiben. Bald brennt die Mittagssonne, aber Mirka ist entspannt: «Rogi hat schon so viel geleistet in den letzten Wochen.» Im ersten Satz läufts gut, ab und zu ruft Mirka ihrem Schatz ein aufmunterndes «Allez, Rogi, chumm!» zu. Federer gewinnt 7:5. Doch dann begeht er plötzlich Fehler. «Allez, Rogi, das chunnt scho wider», muntert ihn Mirka auf. Bald sucht Federer Blickkontakt. Dann die Bitte: «Mein Schläger ist kaputt. Kannst du einen neuen im Hotelzimmer holen?» Im Laufschritt eilt Mirka ins Grand Hotel Bellevue hinüber, und für die Rückfahrt wartet bereits ein Wagen auf sie. «Hoteldirektor Ambühl hat in dieser Woche wirklich alles für uns getan», lobt Mirka. Ungeduldig steht sie danach hinter der Absperrung. Auch die Freundin des Wimbledonsiegers muss warten, bis das Game zu Ende ist. Dann reicht sie einem Balljungen den Schläger: «Kannst du den zu Rogi bringen?» Im zweiten und dritten Satz leidet Federer – und flucht. «Nicht aufregen, Rogi», mahnt Mirka. Am Ende nützt alles nichts, Jiri Novak gewinnt. Und sie applaudiert lächelnd. Hat sie gelitten? «Wimbledon war schlimmer», versichert Mirka. Roger sei mental müde gewesen. Aber stolz auf ihn ist sie natürlich trotzdem: «Alle haben gesehen, dass er gewinnen wollte. Es war wahnsinnig schwierig für Rogi. Ich ziehe meinen Hut vor ihm.» Eine aufregende Woche geht zu Ende, und Mirka verabschiedet sich mit einem Wunsch: «Ich hoffe, dass Roger nächstes Jahr wieder nach Gstaad kommen kann.» Auch wegen dem guten Service im Bellevue: Die Direktion hatte im BLICK gelesen, dass sie gern Olivenöl zum Kochen verwendet – und schenkte ihr 10 Liter! source www.blick.ch
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Post by RogiFan on Jul 13, 2003 16:17:40 GMT -5
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Post by ILR on Jul 13, 2003 16:23:51 GMT -5
oooh I love that piccie of him in the car! ;D very nice thanks!
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