everybody isaSuperstar | Isabelle Chrun

Marat Safin and Ai Sugiyama Hang Up their Tennis Racket

To put it euphemistically, I’d say 2009 was an interesting tennis year. Roger Federer made history, Serena Williams shout at a line judge, Andre Agassi confessed he used crystal meth, Robin Soderling upsetted Rafael Nadal on clay, Andy Roddick stepped up on Wimbledon’s turf, Kim Clijsters made a stunning comeback at the U.S. Open, etc.
Notwithstanding, [...]

It Must Be Love @US Open

Since my magical match at the Rexall Centre, I wondered if I could top my month of August where I met so many Montreal Rogers Cup’s stars and where I won the National University Tennis Championships? Fortunately to satisfy my hunger for tennis, one of the greatest event, the US Open, was on the menu [...]

CARABINS Wins the University National Tennis Championships!

Toronto held the first edition of the University and College National Tennis Championships. The Carabins of Université de Montréal (my team) had to face University of Victoria, University of Toronto and Simon Fraser University at the Rexall Center York University.

During each face-off, 11 matches are played:

3 men’s singles
3 women’s singles
2 men’s doubles
2 women’s doubles
1 mixed [...]

Carabins Tennis Training for the Canadian Championship

The big week has arrived, the Carabins tennis team of Université de Montréal is going to Toronto to compete for the Canadian championships at the Rexall Center York University (Yes! we’ll play at the same time as the Women Rogers Cup). I am proud of my teammates, we all have been training hard these past [...]

Can You Beat My 170 km/h Tennis Serve?

At the Montreal Rogers Cup, there is this stand where we can measure the speed of our tennis serve. I am disappointed that on that day, I couldn’t serve faster than 104 mph (167 km/h). I don’t want to make up excuses here, but you have to agree with me that I would serve better [...]

Bob Bryan Gave Me His Adidas Cap!

Because Bob and Mike Bryan were so cool when I chatted with them after their practice on Tuesday, I went hunting some tickets for their first game at the Montreal Rogers Masters. At first, I was pessimist, because I knew it was sold out for Thursday’s night session on Center Court since King Federer was [...]

Andy Murray Rises Above Rafael Nadal for ATP No. 2

With his win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga today at the Montreal Masters semi-finals, Andy Murray guarantees he will reach the ATP World Tour No. 2 spot over Rafael Nadal. The Scot will in this way bust the four-year Federer-Nadal supremacy.
Throughout this past week, Murray has been magnificent. He didn’t even drop a single set until now. [...]

Top 8 Fight at the Montreal Masters Quarterfinals

Since the ATP rankings existed in 1973, it is the first time that we witness the top eight ranked reach the quarterfinals of a tournament. Today’s match-ups feature tennis stars from eight different countries
No. 1 Roger Federer (Switzerland) VS No. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France)
No. 2 Rafael Nadal (Spain) VS No. 6 Juan Martin del Potro [...]

David Ferrer and Tommy Haas Forfeited in Montreal’s 2nd Round

Long-awaited singles return of Rafael Nadal attracted thousands of spectators. The Montreal Rogers Cup 2009 even sold tickets for “stand-up places”. Unfortunately, the crowd just got 36 minutes of Nadal’s action, since his opponent David Ferrer retired due to a knee injury. I suspect David to have trained too much in the past days, I [...]

Igor Andreev Training at Montreal Rogers Cup

I have spent a lot of time around the practice courts of Stade Uniprix. During this ATP Masters 1000 event in Montreal, one of the players that I have noticed is Igor Andreev. He trained for hours on the courts and he impressed me with his hard work.

Don’t we like Igor Andreev’s forehand? Moreover, I [...]

Frederic Niemeyer’s Last Match in Montreal: Roger Federer

I will always remember the time when Frederic Niemeyer came to play at the tennis courts where I spent several summers as a kid. Parc Bon-Pasteur used to have a cool turf surface with a bit of sand. Frederic probably wanted to prepare for the grass season. At that time, I asked him to autograph [...]

Travis Parrott: Tennis, Blog, Guitar Hero

Tennis players don’t enjoy rain, because unlike some other sports (like soccer), we just can’t (well we shouldn’t) play on slippery courts. During this late afternoon, as Travis Parrott arrives on court 3 to practice with his doubles partner Filip Polasek, the rain started pouring down. They didn’t even have the time to take out [...]

Bob and Mike Bryan’s Music Band

Not only they are the best doubles team in the world, but these cute twins also perform on music stages. FYI: the BryanBrosBand.com will be launching soon.
Meanwhile, I had the opportunity to watch Bob and Mike practice on the courts of Stade Uniprix at the Montreal Rogers Cup today. After a solid training, they were [...]

Glamorous Monday Night at the Montreal Rogers Cup

Like I said in my previous post (Safin, Monfils, Simon, Dancevic on Centre Court in Montreal), I was lucky enough to be invited in the Platinum Club Center Court Box. Needless to say how ecstatic I was to enjoy the show from the second row. I even wore my green Adidas Originals Tournament Edition dress [...]

Safin, Monfils, Simon, Dancevic on Centre Court in Montreal

On this Monday, first round of Montreal Rogers Cup 2009, the schedule is sick (as my friend Andrzej would say). Indeed, Marin Cilic, Igor Andreev, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray & cie will play a singles or doubles match on this opening day of the Masters 1000 event at Stade Uniprix.
As for [...]

Longshot Milos Raonic Makes Canada Proud

On the first day of the Montreal Rogers Cup 2009, Milos Raonic knocked off fourth seeded Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili at the first round of the qualifying 6-7 (7), 6-2, 7-5
He then became on Sunday the first Canadian since 1986 to qualify for the Rogers Cup main draw after defeating 11th-seeded Michael Llodra 6-4, 7-6(3)
Only seven [...]

Montreal Rogers Cup 2009

The Montreal Rogers Cup 2009, third oldest tournament on tour after Wimbledon and the US Open, welcomes the best tennis men in the world with more than $3 million in money prize. Now imagine what happens when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick & cie come to Stade Uniprix in Montréal. [...]

Carabins undefeated during this OUA tennis season

It is with an extreme pleasure that I’m sharing with you how my teammates and I won this year Ontario University Athletics tennis title.  It is with absolute pride that I am wearing the blue colors of the Carabins tennis (Montreal University sports teams).  I have succeeded to win my 18 matches without even dropping [...]

Bloody Tennis: Youzhny Reacts Badly To Losing Point

You know when your parents tell you the most important thing is to have fun? Let me tell you that I never believed those words, I really hate to lose. But I guess Mikhail Youzhny hates it more than me. Blood on the tennis court, geez!

James Blake: Do not give up, you should be…

… breaking back! I have heard many courage stories, but this one about JAMES BLAKE who lost everything and succeeded to win back his life particularly touched me.
This great tennis player impressed me a lot during the US Open. His forehand, his quickness to run all over the court are some of the reasons why [...]

Novak Djokovic is a Superstar

You all know how much I adore Andy Roddick. Believe me, I still love him. The thing is that I find myself quite interested in another tennisman also. He may not be as sexy as Andy but damn he has a great personality. How can I say that without meeting him in person? well TV [...]