Top Runners for the 2011 Golf Masters Tournament

09 April 2011

The Masters Tournament, held in Augusta, Georgia in the United States is just around the corner, kicking off in the first full week of April. But who are the favourites for this year’s tournament?

Although Tiger Woods has had a bit of a dry spell in recent years, he is still the favourite for the 2011 Masters Tournament. Since his last championship win at the US Open in 2008, Woods has been plagued with rumours about extramarital affairs, and a car accident in 2009 which left him with facial injuries. Since then, he has won the WGC Bridgestone Invitational but no majors. But bookies think he is now almost back on top form and that we will see a comeback in April. Tiger is at the top of the Official World Rankings and has been given odds of 5-1 to win.

Other top runners include Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson, Anthony Kim and Padraig Harrington.

Phil Mickelson is an American professional golfer who has won four major championships and 38 PGA Tour events during his professional career. He was born in June 1970 and he was the winner of the Masters Tournament last year in 2010. Mickelson started his golfing career during college, when he began a golf scholarship at the Arizona State University. He graduated from college in 1992 when he turned professional. He won his first Masters Tournament in 2004, the second in 2006 and the third last year.

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Who Should You Bet On for the 2011 Masters and Why?

02 April 2011

The 2011 Masters Tournament is almost upon us with just over a month left to go. This article aims to explore the contenders to help you choose who to bet on for this year’s tournament. Essentially, the two to bet on are Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson after last year’s play off at the Masters.

First of all, as you might have guessed, Tiger Woods is still the bookie’s favourite, and is still ranked the number 1 player in the golf Official World Rankings in spite of a career break in recent years due to issues in his personal life. It’s clear that he’s working his way back up to fill his rather large boots again, as he made it to the finals at last year’s Masters Tournament, but took place as runner up to Phil Mickelson. The odds for Tiger Woods to win this year are 5-1.

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A Quick Visitor Guide of Augusta National Golf Club for 2011 Masters Spectators

01 April 2011

The Masters Tournament is the only major golf tournament to be held at the same location every year, and its home is the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia in the United States.

The Augusta National Golf Club was commissioned in 1931 by Bobby Jones who also established the Masters Tournament. Clifford Robert, an American investment dealer and golf administrator of the time also became the chairman, and the club was then built by Alistair McKenzie and completed in 1933 when it was opened for play.

A Guide To Augusta National Golf Club

 As you enter the main gates of the club, you walk along to the main plaza area. There is an indoor area here where there is an exhibit area, where you have the opportunity to look at previous Masters Tournaments. There are displays with information of each Masters Tournaments and the winners of significant tournaments, showing photos, text information and even clothing from the previous winners including a display of Tiger Woods’ historic Masters win in 1997.

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Guide to Hotels For the 2011 Masters Tournament

28 March 2011

The Masters Tournament is less than a month away, and if you’re planning on going to watch the tour then you’ll more than likely want to find a hotel to stay in during your time in Augusta.

Where you stay will really depend on your budget. As you can imagine the hotels in close proximity to the Augusta National Golf Club will be expensive during the time of the Masters Tournament, so we’ve picked out hotels for every budget so that you can make the best decision for you.

Budget Hotels

If you don’t mind a bit of a drive to the clubhouse, the Western Motel is 11 miles away and costs just $35 per night for a queen room. It’s located on Deans Bridge Road, and although it has a two star rating it is still a great place to stay if you’re on a budget.

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Do Ferrari Have The Car to Win the 2011 Grand Prix?

28 March 2011

Ferrari were the first team to reveal their new car for this year’s Grand Prix back in January this year. The Formula One rules have changed for this year’s race and so many of the teams have had to make adjustments to the cars to comply with the regulations and be allowed to drive in the races. The new rules will also mean that the drivers will have to change the way that they work.

The Ferrari car for the 2011 Australian Grand Prix is the F150, and it was unveiled on 28th January 2011 at the team’s Maranello factory. This year’s drivers have also been announced as Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa - and the pair took the red cloth off the car at the unveiling.

Last year, Ferrari didn’t manage to make the title for the 2010 Grand Prix which was held in Abu Dhabi but this year the team feels confident with their new car that they have a better chance of winning the Grand Prix. And the new F150 looks extremely smart too. It’s the usual Ferrari red and looks so sleek and aerodynamic.

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What are the Fundamentals of a Good Boat Race Team?

27 March 2011

The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races are due next month, so we’re looking into what makes a good boat racing team in preparation for the exciting rowing event.

In September every year, a number of hopefuls enter in for trials. Those who get through the trials can be involved in the boat races on Race Day. Three months later, each of the clubs (Oxford and Cambridge) have 24 hopefuls left.

The coach of each team then split their team into two and begin test racing them along the race course to see how they measure up. Over time, the strong candidates become clear and the teams and reserves are officially announced approximately a month before the race day.

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Will Oxford or Cambridge Win the 2011 Boat Races?

27 March 2011

The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races take place in just over a month, so who is most likely to win this year’s races. Well first off, let’s look at the recent wins.

From 2004 - 2009, Oxford won four out of the five boat races, with Cambridge winning on the 2007 race. That year Cambridge had help from the German world champions Thorsten Englemann and Sebastian Schulte, as well as Kieran West MBE who is an Olympic gold medal holder, and GB medal holder Tom James, so it’s not surprising that they won. 2008 and 2009 were won by Oxford again, but Cambridge pushed on to win last year’s race although it was still very close. Oxford were in the lead most of the way but came from behind and overtook Oxford towards the end, finally winning the race by 1 1/3 lengths.

Since the beginning of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race in 1829, Oxford have won 75 races and Cambridge have won 80, so as you can see from these figures it’s very close with not one team taking a huge lead over the other.

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The 2011 Oxford Cambridge Boat Race The Course and River

26 March 2011

The 2011 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is just over a month away, and if you want to watch the race on race day, you’ll need to know the course.

The course only stretches across a small part of the River Thames in London, 4 miles to be exact, and as it’s close to the sea the water is tidal there, which can sometimes make the race harder for the teams. The start line is in Putney, close to the Putney Bridge. You can catch buses 14, 22 and 74 from the centre of London to Putney, or the 220 Bus which goes via Putney Bridge. There is a rail station in Putney as well as a Putney Bridge and East Putney tube stations, so you can easily get there on race day.

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What Does the 2011 Grand Prix Have in Store For Us?

25 March 2011

The 2011 Grand Prix in Australia is set to be just as exciting as always, with plenty of events to keep you entertained.

It all kicks off on Thursday 24th March with the practice races and qualifying races. The first practice is at 11:20 with the V8 Supercars Prizewinners Hot Laps. We’ll then also see the Shannons Histrorics Demonstrations on that day and the Red Bull Practice race, the Lexus Celebrity Practice and the V8 Supercars Albert Park 400 Practice.

After lunch there is the Formula 5000 Tasman Cup Revival, Porsche Carrera Cup Championship, and Ultimate Speed Comparison practices. These should all be good fun to watch to ‘warm up’ the event.

The afternoon then moves onto the qualifying races: first off is the Lexus Celebrity Challenge qualifying, then Porsche Carrera Cup Championship qualifying, Ultimate Speed Demonstration qualifying, followed by the Formula 5000 Tasman Cup qualifying and finally the V8 Supercars Albert Park 400 qualifying to finish off the day.

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Key Players in the 2011 Cricket World Cup

19 February 2011

The 2011 Cricket World Cup is set to be a very exciting tournament indeed, with some fantastic players in the pickings. This year the Cricket World Cup will be held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India.

As always, the Australians are pretty much the favourites to win this year’s world cup. Hussey is their left handed specialist batsman and is a real asset to the batting line-up so it’s certain he’ll do a good job as he always does.

Shane Watson is another great team member for the Aussie’s, with his excellent right-handed batting and fast medium bowling skills. Of course it’s also important to mention Mitchell Johnson who is a renowned fast bowler for Australia. His bowling attacks are second to none and he’s sure to give the opposition a run for their money when he’s in charge of the ball.

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The Contenders of the 2011 Cricket World Cup

18 February 2011

The largest world cricket championship is just around the corner. The contenders for this year are all very strong so it would seem it will be a good fight between them all. The Cricket World Cup 2011 is due to be the biggest sporting event of 2011, and it is anticipated that there will be approximately one billion spectators worldwide, the majority of which will be supporting India who are co-hosting this year’s event.  But who can win the title?

Australia are the clear leaders of international cricket. Their achievements are phenomenal. In the last 15 years  they have worked their way to the finals eveyr single year without fail and only ever been beat once in the finals. However this year, Australia look weaker than usual with some of the good players lost. They do on the other hand still have plenty of good players left on the team. This will be Ponting’s last world cup so he’s sure to put on a good show.

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2011 Cricket World Cup Venue Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

18 February 2011

The Wankhede Stadium is in the Indian city of Mumbai, and will be host to the 2011 Cricket World Cup.  The stadium was built after  a dispute between two other cricket grounds in India over ticket allocations. The stadium is named after a politician, SK Wankhede, who was the secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association.

He instigated the build of the stadium, which was commissioned by the Mumbai Cricket Association. The building work was completed in 1975 just in time to host the final test between India and the West Indies. Since its erection, it has become the main cricket ground in Mumbai, taking over from Brabourne Stadium. The architect for the building of Wankhede Stadium was Shashi Prabhu.

The ICC approved Wankhede Stadium at the end of January as the host stadium after the Eden Gardens ground was ruled as inappropriate earlier. Wankhede Stadium has recently undergone extensive renovations in preparation for the 2011 World Cup.  The renovation has included a set of brand new seats, hard pitching, new toilets and better lighting.

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The History of the Cricket World Cup

10 February 2011

The Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men’s cricket. It is a One Day International event, also known as an ODI. The first international cricket match was in 1844 played between the US and Canada, but the first credited test match was not until 1877 between Australia and England.

In the 1900 Olympics in Paris, cricket was included as an Olympic sport and England won against France, winning the gold medal. In 1912, the first Triangular Tournament was played which was a tournament involving all three of the test playing countries of that time which were England, South Africa and Australia. This was not very successful and so in the following years only two teams played in a tournament until 1999, when the next multilateral tournament was played called the Asian Test Championship.

Over time, the number if international test cricket teams increased. In 1928 West Indies became a test team, followed by New Zealand in 1930, India in 1932 and Pakistan in 1952. However, throughout this time international test matches continued to be bilateral (two countries).

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Seeded No1 Caroline Wozniacki: Will She Crack the 2011 Australian Open?

31 January 2011

Ranked the world’s top player in women’s tennis, Caroline Wozniacki is obviously keen to keep her title but can she do it?

In the first match of the Australian Open, Wozniacki was thrilled at her triumph over Gisela Dulko after a shaky start to the match. But what about the other players that she will have to face later in the tournament?

Wozniacki critics claim that her No.1 title is false and believe that she won’t last long in the open, but she is showing determination and with Serena Williams out due to injury, perhaps she has a chance to make it through and prevail.

She has been plagued with nasty comments and doubt about her abilities, but she says that she does not care about any of that and will do her best. She recently said “I’ve won six tournaments, and my friends and family are the ones who mean the most to me”.

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Australian Open Tennis Stars Rally for Relief To Help Flood Victims

30 January 2011

Many of the tennis players from the Australian Open 2011 gathered a day before the starts of the tournament  to raise money for the victims of Australia’s flood disaster. Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick,  Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Kim Clijsters and Sam Stosur  are among the popular stars who were involved.

Thousands of people in 43 towns across Australia have had to move away from their homes and others have died in the recent floods. The floods which originally caused havoc in Queensland are now also threatening the people of Victoria.

The fund raising event consisted of tennis matches where the world’s top tennis players played against one another in doubles. The group was first split into two teams, and they later split further into doubles matches, with one match even having 3 players on each side.

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The History of the Australian Open

28 January 2011

The Australian Open is getting underway this week, but do you know about this history of the Australian Open? If not, read on for some interesting facts about the Australian Open in the early days.

1880 was the year of the first Australian tennis tournament and it was held in Melbourne. It was the Championship of the Colony of Victoria. Until 1905, all states in Australia and New Zealand held their own championship tournaments.

Then in 1905, the ‘Australasian Men’s Championships’ kicked off at the Warehouseman’s Cricket Ground in Melbourne. This was later renamed the Australian Championships in 1927, and by 1969 it had been given the name that it goes by today: The Australian Open.

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Can Rafael Nadal Win The 2011 Australian Open?

27 January 2011

Rafael Nadal is ranked 1st in the world in the singles rankings, but can he win the Australian Open this year?

Rafael Nadal, known as ‘Rafa’, is close behind the heels of Rod Laver. If Rafa wins the Australian Open of 2011, he will have won four consecutive grand slams, and will be the first player after Laver to do so. He will also be the youngest player ever to have achieved it. But can he do it?

The only thing that is certain is that Rafa will have to fight hard to keep his number one title. He will have to triumph over some of the world’s top players to get there including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

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Odds Watch: The Bookmakers Opinion of the 2011 Australian Open

26 January 2011

Here we take a look at the 2011 Australian Open predictions in Melbourne.

Quarter One of the Australian Open 2011

It would seems that Rafael Nadal, currently raking 1st in the world, has a pretty easy path cut out to the semi-finals. The first quarter will be brimming with Spanish players that he has easily beaten in the past, including Lopez and Ferrer, as well as players that he should have a relatively easy time with in the first few matches such as Cilic and Youzhny.

A possible third round match against Marin Cilic may be a difficult one for him to grasp, but it’s unlikely that Rafa will trip up before he gets to the final four. Nadal is fevoured to be the semi finalist from this quarter.

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Life on the Tennis Tour: Pressure and Stress as the Australian Open Begins

25 January 2011

As the Australian Open begins in Melbourne, pressure is mounting for some of the key players.

Rafael Nadal no doubt carries the biggest pressure as he will be fighting to keep his place at the top. He is also attempting to hold all four Grand Slams at once, and if he succeeds, he’ll be only the third player ever to have done it.

Rod Laver, whom the arena at Melbourne Park was first named after, and Don Budge are the only two other players who have ever managed such a massive triumph. So of course this is a huge stress on Nadal as a victory will go down in history. And he’s only 24.

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Venus Williams Talks About Sexier Outfits For Australian Open

24 January 2011

Venus Williams caused a bit of a stir at the 2010 Australian Open, and she has promised that there is more to come. Last year she shocked spectators when she wore a skimpy outfit and appeared to have no underwear on. She commented on Twitter that she designed the outfit herself, and wanted to create an illusion by wearing shorts that were the same colour as her skin.

Venus has worn many risqué outfits in her time, including a saucy black and red number that looked like something out of an underwear catalogue. She wore the black lace costume at the French Open early in 2010. Something that is for certain is that her outfits never fail to turn heads and it is something Venus will always be remembered by.

She did it again at the US Open in 2010, when she wore a short tennis dress with sequins and flesh coloured shorts underneath. She told her fans that she wanted to wear outfits that represented the cities that she plays in, and this one was for New York.

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Is Andy Murray Prepared For the Australian Open as Rain Dampens His Preparations?

20 January 2011

Andy Murray is Britain’s number one player and is seeded 5^th for the Australian Open, but is he prepared enough to play well in the tournament?

Murray was due to play a warm up match last week against Marin Cilic in Melbourne, but as heavy rain fell and cancelled an entire day’s play, the whole four day event was totally ruined and it is leaving much speculation over whether Murray will be prepared enough for the big matches.

Cilic, who Murray was due to be up against in the warm ups, was beat by Andy Murray in the 2010 Australian Open at the semi finals. He triumphed his way to the finals, but lost the end match against Federer with scores to Federer of 6-3, 6-4 and 7-6.

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A Review Of The 2010 Australian Grand Prix

31 May 2010

The 2010 Australian Grand Prix was the second race of the F1 season and was held on March 28 in Melbourne, Australia at the famed Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. Before the Grand Prix became part of the World Championship circuit, drivers still raced courses at different venues throughout Australia. The race became permanent in 1985 and moved to Melbourne in 1996.

The qualifying round was held the day before the race itself and Sebastian Vettel, driving for Red Bull-Renault, won pole position with an impressive lap time of 1:23. Due to wet conditions during the remainder of the weekend, no driver during the race was able to beat this time.

Race day started off slowly. Due to rainy weather, the track was declared “wet” and drivers first had to change their tires before the racing started. With intermediate tires on their fast cars, the F1 drivers were having control problems from the onset. Eventual winner Jenson Button tangled up with Fernando Alonso in the first turn. Schumacher’s car was also damaged in the incident.

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World's Most Spectacular Events - Dakar Rally 2010

29 May 2010

The 2010 Dakar Rally took place in South America on a route from Argentina to Chile. This two-week event is one of the largest in the world, and until 2009, the Dakar was held in Europe. Organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation, the Dakar Rally is a rally raid off-road event, featuring various types of all-terrain vehicles.

Dakar started in 1979 and has proven to be one of the sport’s most grueling endurance races. Hundreds of competitors enter the 16-day event, but only around half the field manages to finish.

The South American Dakar began on New Year’s Day in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The idea is to race an all-terrain course to Chile and back again. In total, 362 teams showed up to compete in the endurance race. 134 cars, 42 trucks and 176 motorcycles and ATVs launched from the podium in hopes of winning the race.

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Soccer City, Johannesburg - Stadium for South Africa's World Cup 2010 Final

21 May 2010

Johannesburg, South Africa is playing host to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The city is so incredibly humbled by this honor that they’ve renamed their FNB Stadium in Soweto and are now calling it Soccer City. Unlike most of the usual sports stadiums around the globe, football (soccer) stadiums are a bit larger - Soccer City in particular seating 94,700 fans.

Soccer City is a beautiful stadium and up to par in terms of being football-ready. However, it wasn’t always suited to play host to the world’s biggest sporting event. In order to provide a home to the World Cup, FNB needed an extreme makeover. To consummate proud football fans, South Africa’s authorities sprung into action quickly to revamp the stadium.

Basically, FNB Stadium was transformed from the ground up to become Soccer City. The stadium is an extremely important landmark to the South African people. It’s where Nelson Mandela first gave a public speech after his release from prison, and also where Chris Hani’s funeral took place.

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The Story of Silverstone Formula 1 Circuit

22 April 2010

Located in Northamptonshire, England, the Silverstone Circuit is globally known as being the home of the British Grand Prix and hub of all British Formula One racing. This legendary track has been hosting car races since 1948 and continues to be one of the more formidable tracks drivers race on to date. Since 1987, Silverstone has been a fixture in the F1 circuit.

The track crosses borders, with half of it located in Northamptonshire and the other half located in Buckinghamshire, and takes its name from the RAF Silverstone bomber base on which it was built. It’s a huge track, stretching out for an impressive 5.1 kilometers, and its 17 turns ensure that only the most skilled drivers in the sport stand a chance at beating this English beast.

Like many old and famous tracks, Silverstone offers much more than an annual F1 Championship Grand Prix race. Apart from hosting FIA Formula One and British Grand Prix races, Silverstone also hosts FIM MotoGP, Formula Three, FIM Superbike, Le Mans Series, Touring Car and Superleague Formula races among others.

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The Upcoming Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010

13 January 2010

Games are as much as part of world history as our oceans or even breathing. Ancient Egyptians are rumored to have participated in a variety of competitive games, and in the 8th century BC, the Greeks began competing in sporting events during the Olympic Games.

The games held in Olympia, Greece were stopped during the 5th century AD, after a span of over a millennium, and they were once again revised in the 19th century by Baron Pierre do Coubertin. Today’s Olympic Games take place every two years - winter and summer games - and bring the entire world together to compete for medals.

2010’s Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and this will mark the third time Canada has hosted the event as a country, but only the first that British Columbia has had the honor.

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Stefan Edberg is one of professional tennis's greatest legends

05 September 2009

Born in Vastervik, Sweden on January 19, 1966, Stefan Edberg is one of professional tennis’s greatest legends. Throughout the course of his illustrious career, Edberg accumulated over $20-million (USD) in prize money. He accomplished this large sum by holding a career record of 806-270, for a winning percentage of 74%, and winning 42 titles, including 6 Grand Slam singles and 3 Grand Slam doubles. Edberg was one of the foremost advocates of the serve-and-volley style in the game; a style which is popular in today’s tennis.

Stefan Edberg first caught the world’s attention in 1983. Still a teenager, Edberg was a force on the junior circuit. He won all four major Grand Slam events that year, and immediately decided to turn pro. Throughout his young career, Edberg had taken a liking to playing doubles as well as singles. Not many tennis players are accomplished at both games, but Edberg was intent on playing both the singles and doubles bracket in tennis. This paid off immediately after Edberg won his first doubles title in 1983, the same year he turned pro.

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Perhaps the greatest all time race driver, Michael Schumacher

27 January 2009

Famous Formula One racecar driver Michael Schumacher was born January 3, 1969 to parents Roth and Elisabeth. A young Michael became infatuated with racecars after the family’s move to Kerpin-Manheim, a town outside of Cologne, Germany. The entire family became involved in the sport of karting, and soon Michael would prove to have a knack for making hairpin turns on fast tracks. Only four-years-old at the time he was given his first kart, Michael slowly began to build what would later become a World Championship career.

Go-karts were an obsession for the entire family in the 1970s, and no one in the family loved it more than Michael. Rolf began work as a go-kart repairman, due to his mechanical talents, and Michael always had one of the best karts on the track. In 1980, Michael and his family make the trek to Belgium for the World Karting Championship. It is here that Schumacher first met his idol, Ayrton Senna. It wasn’t long after when Schumacher began making a name for himself, winning the German Junior Championship in 1984 and the European Championship in 87.

When Schumacher made the jump to Formula racing, he was in desperate need of sponsorship. He found sponsors in Germany, including Jurgen Dik, and thus began racing in the Formula series. His first year of competition and Michael had impressively won nine of ten rounds. Schumacher’s future manager, Willie Weber, was impressed with Michael’s abilities and gave him a test run in a Formula Three car.

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Biography of Sir Jackie Stewart from Formula 1

13 January 2009

Born June 11, 1939 in Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, John Young Stewart - also known as "Jackie" - is a former Formula One racecar driver. Considered by most fans and fellow sportsmen to be a true legend of the track, Jackie is the winner of three World Drivers’ Championships, 27 races, 15 fastest laps, and 17 Pole Positions. His career spanned a short 8 years - where he only started 99 races - from 1965 to 1973, but Stewart etched out his own mantle in those few years. After racing, his fame grew as an announcer for the sport in the United States.

In his early life Jackie Stewart was involved with cars via his family’s business, Dumbuck Garage in Dumbarton. He worked as an apprentice mechanic, and eventually chose to follow in his brother Jimmy’s footsteps as a racecar driver. In 1953, Jackie’s brother drove in the British Grand Prix for Ecurie Ecosse. However, after his brother was injured in a severe car crash, Jackie’s parents urged him to take up shooting instead of driving. Stewart quickly displayed a talent for target shooting, finishing a competition a shot’s worth away from making it to the 1960 Olympics.

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Maybe Jack Nicklaus is the best all time golfer?

08 December 2008

Born January 21, 1940, in Columbus, Ohio, Jack Nicklaus is a former professional golfer. Better known as "The Golden Bear," Nicklaus is considered by many to be the greatest golfer to ever life. This is a title heavily disputed, as modern golf fans and enthusiasts single out Tiger Woods as the greatest to ever play.

As it stands now, Nicklaus has won more events and more majors than any other golfer in the world. So if anyone wishes to dispute his status as the best ever, they need to start topping his gargantuan numbers in order to disprove it.

Nicklaus picked up the golf clubs when he was just ten-years-old, and immediately people started to notice that he was a prodigy in the sport. The first he tournament he ever entered, the Scioto Country Club Juvenile Championship, he won easily. Shortly thereafter, Nicklaus began lessons with a local professional golfer named Jack Grout.

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The nastiest tennis player ever, John McEnroe?

20 November 2008

Born February 16, 1959, in Wiesbaden, Germany, John McEnroe is a former professional player. Known as the bad boy of tennis, McEnroe was a hot-headed, quick-tempered player who was just as great as we was short-fused.

He is one of the most successful players in the history of tennis, and has won seventeen Grand Slam titles, seventy-seven career single titles, and seventy-seven double titles in his long and storied career. Since retiring from tennis, John has proven himself to be a very talented tennis broadcaster, and quite the funny man in various movies - where he always seems to poke fun at his hot temper.

John was the oldest of three sons and moved from Germany to Queens, New York in 1963 with his family. He showed tremendous hand-eye coordination and athletic ability at a young age. At only two years of age, John could strike a ball with a plastic bat. This uncanny coordination soon translated into talent on the tennis court.

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Master golfer Fred Couples mini bio

11 October 2008

Fred Couples was born October 3, 1959, in Seattle, Washington. Nicknamed "Boom Boom" and "Freddie Cool," Couples is one of professional golf’s calmest customers. Couples is also known as "King of the Silly Season," a nickname he earned after winning 5 Skins Games and a host of other playful golf events.

On the serious side of the sport, Couples took a Masters victory in 1992, the same year he earned honors of PGA Player of the Year, and has a total of 46 professional Tour victories. He was also the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 1991 and ’92, and won both the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award the same years.

Couples grew up around golf in Seattle. His father worked for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, and a young Freddie was a caddy for local players. In fact, it was a local golfer who gave Couples his first set of golf clubs: a small set of irons, a putter and a driver.

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Can anyone serve 5 Aces like Boris Becker

02 October 2008

Boris Franz Becker was born November 22, 1967, in Leimen, West Germany. He is a former World No. 1 ranked professional tennis player. Becker is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, as well as an Olympic gold medalist.

Becker also held the record for the youngest tennis player to ever win Wimbledon, at 17 years of age. Becker has secured an impressive number of career titles with 49, and is heralded for his exciting one-handed backhand play. Upon his retirement in June of 1999, Boris Becker had accumulated over $25-million in prize money.

Becker is the only son of his architect father. Skilled at his profession, Boris’ father built the Blau-Weiss Tennisklub in Leimen, where Boris learned the game. His childhood years were spent on the courts, perfecting his game. And in 1984, Becker turned professional and won his first doubles title in Munich the same year.

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The King of Horse Races at Royal Ascot

13 September 2008

The Royal Ascot is the Kentucky Derby of England. Held over a five-day period in June, this British race is one of the most popular in the world, and definitely tops the English charts. The origin of the Ascot goes back to Queen Anne, daughter of King James II, who was an enthusiastic horse lover.

In the village of East Cote (which would later become known as Ascot), she spotted a beautiful flat field. Only a few miles south of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, Queen Anne felt this location would be ideal for a racecourse. The land was immediately turned into a racetrack, and the inaugural race was held on August 11, 1711. Queen Anne planned and attended the festivities.

The races at Ascot thrived for decades to come, but they weren’t the most popular races in England. In 1760, when George II was on the throne, the Royal Ascot was transformed and subsequently became the second most popular race in England. The most popular race in England at the time was the race at Epsom, which started back in the 17th century. With George II overseeing the annual event, the Royal Ascot gained a reputation for being the race of royalty.

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King of serve and volley Pete Sampras

11 September 2008

Born August 12, 1971 in Washington, D.C., Pete Sampras is a former professional tennis player. Sampras is the third son of Sam and Georgia Sampras, Greek immigrants, and often considered to be the greatest tennis player in history. From a very early age, Sampras displayed signs of outstanding athletic ability.

A young Sampras would discover a tennis racquet in his parents’ basement, and spend hours a day hitting the balls against the wall. At only 7 years of age, Sam and Georgia moved the entire family to Palos Verdes, California, so their son could develop his talent for tennis in a warmer climate.

Shortly after the move in 1978, The Sampras’ joined the Peninsula Racquet Club, where young Pete’s talents would become evident to everyone. At the ripe young age of 11, Sampras had already learned the solid serve and the volley tactic, which would become the trademark of his tennis game.

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The background history of the FIFA Soccer World Cup

04 September 2008

The FIFA World Cup is an international association football competition played between the men’s national teams of the members of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the governing global body of the sport. The tournament officially began in 1930, and the championship has been awarded every four years, except 1942 and ’46, due to WWII.

Whether you refer to the sport as soccer, footy, futbol, or football, it is an international phenomenon which attracts more viewers than any other worldly event. The tournament consists of two parts: qualification phase, final phase. And 32 teams participate for the World Cup championship (Final). In 2006, the World Cup attracted 715-million viewers, shattering numbers put up by other sporting events such as the Super Bowl.

FIFA was founded in 1904 as a way to arrange an international football tournament between nations outside of the Olympic network. At first, the attempts were utter failures, and FIFA was on the brink of disbanding multiple times.

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What gave the roar to Tiger Woods

01 September 2008

Tiger Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California. Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, began teaching him the game when he was just 1-year-old. At only 2 years of age, Tiger’s skills were so evident that he was featured on the Mike Douglas show in 1978. Woods appeared alongside Bob Hope in a putting contest. At only 3-years-old, he shot an impressive 48 over 9 holes at a hometown golf course and eventually appeared on the TV show "That’s Incredible" and was featured in Golf Digest Magazine when he was 5.

After winning 6 junior championships between the age of 8 and 15, Woods went on to become the youngest U.S. Junior Athlete Champion in the country’s history. He repeated the following year, making him the only player to ever receive the honor twice. The following year, he won it for an unprecedented third time.

At age 16, Woods competed in the Nissan Los Angeles Open, his first PGA Tour event. And at 18, Tiger won the U.S. Amateur Championship, becoming the youngest player to accomplish this feat. He went on to win the Amateur Championship for 2 more years, winning 3 consecutive.

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A little about The Melbourne Cup, the leading horse racing event in Australia

20 August 2008

The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s largest annual thoroughbred horse race. It is one of the world’s top races, and completely brings Australia to a standstill. All three-year-olds and over are eligible to compete in the race, and it covers a distance of 3,200 meters. It is regarded as the most prestigious 2-mile handicap in the world, and is held on the first Tuesday in November by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.

The race was originally held over two miles, but after Australia’s adoption of the metric system in the 1970s; the current race distance is 3,200 meters, knocking off the extra 18 which equaled the 2-mile mark. The record is presently held by Kingston Rule, who ran the race in 3:16.3.

The inaugural race was held in 1861 and was comprised of 17 horses competing for 170 in cash and a gold watch. It is rumored that the winner of the race, Archer, walked over 800km to participate in the race from Nowra, New South Wales. A crowd of over 4,000 watched the opening race, and the numbers would have been larger had it not been for the untimely death of explorers Burke and Wills.

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The significance of the date and time for the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony

13 August 2008

In any history book you’ll ever lay eyes on, the Chinese are in there, and always a step ahead of the game. When it comes to evolution, the Chinese were eating with utensils while the rest of the world was still using their fingers to chow down. When steel and copper was forged into shields and weapons, the Chinese set fire to arrows and employed the use of gunpowder to make for heated battles.

In a sense, the Chinese were the originators of a lot in the world. Even the Italian staple, pasta, was rumored to come from China. So it stands to reason that China would have played host to the Olympic Games numerous times. Contrary to their legendary status, August, 8, 2008 will be the first time China has hosted the event. The Chinese people place great emphasis on the number 8, and on 8.8.08, at 8:08pm, the summer Olympics will be held in Beijing.

In Chinese culture, this simple numbers holds a great meaning. The Chinese word for 8 (Fat) sounds similar to words for wealth and prosperity, thus the Chinese feel this number to be lucky. On Chinese New Year, it is common for the Chinese people to greet one another with the saying "Fat Choy," which is wishing someone good fortune and prosperity, more precisely, it means, congratulations and get rich. There were also the Eight Immortals: Chinese deities, the Eight Princes, and Eight Principles of Yong.

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Roger Federer is probably the worlds greatest ever tennis player

11 August 2008

Born on August 8, 1981, Roger Federer is a Swiss tennis player. This 6 foot 1 inch prodigy has some of the most impressive stats you’ll ever find on an athlete. Not only is he compared to greats of the game like Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, and Arthur Ashe, he’s considered better than the lot.

There’s no way to properly explain the natural ability showcased by Federer on a match-by-match basis. His dominance is something of legend. At only 26 years of age, he may in fact be the youngest man in history to reach greatness of this magnitude. The only athlete who comes close to Federer’s skill on a world level is professional golfer Tiger Woods. You can find the two featured together in commercials. Tennis isn’t the most popular sport out there, but Federer is undoubtedly its most popular participant.

Federer started playing tennis at six years of age. He also played football for a while. The grueling practices of dual-sports seemed to fuel his drive and natural ability, and by the age of 14, he stuck true with tennis and became the Swiss champion for all age groups and was hand-selected to train as the prestigious Ecublens’ Swiss National Tennis Center.

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The magnificent Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games

10 August 2008

From the synchronized beats of 2008 drummers to the 2008 Tai Chi masters to the beautiful over-sized picture painted by dancers and the feet of thousands of Olympic Athletes, the Beijing Olympics began with a beautiful program that incorporated thousands of artists from across China.

Although the children’s choir was used several times, no other dancer or musician was used twice in the beautifully choreographed program. Each element of the Opening Ceremonies included precision and beauty testifying to many hours of practice on the part of the Chinese. Enacting a program of color and variety, the Chinese sought to bring years of tradition into the 21st century and their hopes for the future.

The Living Palette was drawn by artists as they danced on the canvas. They used the choreographed dance to the well-performed music to write ancient symbols on the canvas and draw a silhouette of the mountains, the sky and the sun.

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10 of the most watched Olympic Events

05 August 2008

Over the years, the Olympic Games have drawn in viewers from every corner of the world. There are only a few nations on our planet who aren’t represented in at least one sport. And if a person owns a television, then their eyes are probably tuned to the tube for the summer or winter Olympics. Of all the Olympic events out there, some have to be the most watched. Though it varies from year to year, simple polls give us an idea of what the public likes and what they don’t. Since they do vary so, it’s hard to give them in any set order 1-10. The fact is, people will always change what they like, just like the athletes will always change.

The first to make the list is volleyball. Indoor volleyball is popular, but beach volleyball received astronomical numbers in the 2004 Olympics. On both the men’s and women’s side, the athletes dueled like gladiators in the sand, giving their blood, sweat and tears for their chance to stand on the podium. A fast-paced, exciting sport, volleyball will remain a top-watched sport for years to come.

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A quick history of the Olympic Games

29 July 2008

If you’re a fan of the Olympic Games, you may wonder how it all started. In ancient Olympia, Greece, the Olympic Games were held every four years. The first Olympic game was recorded in 776 B.C. almost 3,000 years ago.

At the time, this festival was a great gathering that took place in order to honor the Greek gods. Olympics were held during this festival period. Though multiple Gods were thought to be appeased by the festival, the most important among them was Zeus. It was thought that if the gods weren’t pleased, children died, lands were conquered, crops didn’t grow, and civilization couldn’t flourish. The Greeks called their festival Olympiad.

In the first 13 Olympic Games, there was only one event that took place: the sprint. The sprint event was about 108 meters long at the time, and only the finest Greeks were allowed to compete. The games were allegedly suspended for some 9 centuries. Upon returning, the Pentathlon was added, and it had different events. There was the discus throw, javelin toss, jumping, running, and wrestling.

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What are the top ten horse races in the world

28 July 2008

10) The Cheltenham Festival. This race matches Ireland against Britain in a race for pride. The Cheltenham Festival is the most prestigious meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar.

9) The Melbourne Cup. Since 1861, this Australian race has brought the country to a complete standstill. Said to be the most prestigious 2-mile handicap in the world, this race brings out crowns from every corner of the continent, and even some interested tourists.

8) The Dubai World Cup. A newer race than others on the list, the Dubai World Cup takes place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates annually. Since 1996, this race has been building a loyal following. Like the Kentucky Derby and Royal Ascot, the Dubai World Cup is as much about fashion as it is horseracing.

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Some background on the Hong Kong Jockey Club

17 July 2008

One of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, the HKJC (Hong Kong Jockey Club) was founded in 1884 to promote horse racing. The club enjoyed royal patronage under colonial rule, and operated under the name, "The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club." This not-for-profit organization promotes and provides horse racing, sporting and betting entertainment in Hong Kong.

It holds a government-granted monopoly in providing pari-mutuel betting on racing, lotteries, and fixed odds betting of football. Apart from being the largest taxpayer in all of Hong Kong, the HKJC is also the largest private donator of charitable funds, contributing over a billion dollars (HK) every year for the past 10. The HKJC also provides dining and recreation facilities to around 20,000 members.

When the HKJC began in 1884, it was an exclusive club for the ruling class. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were very few Chinese members in the group. Three other top colonial clubs at the time, the Jockey Club, Victoria Recreation Club, and the Amateur Dramatic Corps, didn’t have one Chinese member between them. In 1971, the club changed its status from amateur to professional. They then organized annual races which took place around the Chinese New Year.

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A little bit of Formula 1 Grand Prix history

07 July 2008

Formula One is the highest class of open wheeled auto racing defined by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), motorsport world’s governing body. The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules which all participants and cars must conform.

The F1 world championship season consists of a series of different races, known as Grand Prix, held usually on purpose-built circuits, and even on closed city streets in some cases. The Most famous of these races is the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo.

The results of each race are combined to determine two annual World Championships, one for the drivers and one of the constructors.

The cars race at extremely high speeds, travelling up to 225 miles per hour, and are capable of pulling up to 5g (g= g-force which is a measurement of an object’s acceleration. 1g is the force of Earth’s gravity which holds us to the ground) in some corners.

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The dream Grand Prix location of Monaco

23 June 2008

The Grand Prix of Monaco has been around in one form or another since 1929 when Prince Louis II sponsored the event through the Automobile Club of Monaco. The first event was organized by Anthony Noghes, son of the founder of the Club, Alexandre Noghes.

The original intent was for the local rally by the ACM to be granted national status. The application, submitted to the international governing body of motorsport was denied since there was no extant major national event held within the principality of Monaco.

In order to gain status as a national event, Noghes urged the creation of a Grand Prix event located completely within the streets of Monte Carlo. The support of Prince Louis II and the top level driver Louis Chiron, a native of Monaco and a well known driver in the European Grand Prix circuit.

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Casino Monte Carlo and the Famous Casino Square

16 June 2008

The Casino Monte Carlo is built for and used by tourists only. In fact, citizens of Monaco are not allowed inside the gaming rooms of the facility. The royal family of Monaco can attend opera and ballet performances, but they do use an alternative entrance.

Other individuals must display a passport and pay the entrance fee before being allowed entrance to the building. Individuals wearing military uniforms are also prohibited from using the facilities of the casino. The casino is arguably the most famous of Monaco’s tourist draws.

The casino complex includes more than just the gambling facility. The Grand Th��tre de Monte Carlo is situated in the complex, as well as the opera and ballet house. The gardens behind the casino offer a glimpse of Bordighera in Italy.

The theater was not part of the original facility, but was added in 1910. The Ballets de Monte Carlo headquarters is also located in the complex. The entire facility is part of the Monte Carlo quarter.

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European Football Championships - Euro2008 kickoffs

12 June 2008

Every four years, the football teams of the European nations square off in a championship series known as the European Soccer Championship. The 2008 version is the 13th playing of the tournament. The first games in the tournament this year were played on June 7 and will be completed in Vienna on June 29, according to schedule.

The sixteen teams competing this year include fourteen who won their places during preliminary matches begun in 2006 while the joint host teams from Austria and Switzerland gain an automatic place in the tournament. The teams are separated into four groups for the preliminary games so that the top ranked teams are not expected to face each other until the final stages of the games.

Group A consists of Portugal, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Turkey. The June 7 games placed the Czech Republic over Switzerland by 1 goal and Portugal over Turkey by 2 goals. On June 11, Czech Republic will play Portugal and Switzerland will play Turkey. On June 15, Switzerland will play Portugal and Turkey will play the Czech Republic.

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Intertops Gets an A for Customer Service from Leading Sportsbook Watchdog

28 May 2008

After an anonymous test, Intertops.com/Sportsbook has been recognized by a leading sportsbook watchdog for its quick and thorough answers to customers’ online betting questions.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s NBA Finals, SportsbettingReview.com asked several prominent sportsbooks about NBA overnight lines. Intertops.com was the first to respond and gave the most thorough and informative answers.

In an anonymous customer email inquiry, SBR asked sportsbooks a simple question: Do you have overnight lines on the NBA playoffs? While many of those contacted took days to answer, replied with incomplete answers or - amazingly - didn’t bother replying at all, Intertops.com’s Customer Service replied within 30 minutes with a very positive and complete answer.

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Hammers value at 9/2 to cause shock

11 May 2006

Liverpool v West Ham - Saturday May 13th, 3.00pm ko, live on BBC1 / Sky Sports 2
Is the final piece of domestic silverware looks destined for Merseyside? Liverpool are red-hot outright favourites at 2/7 here at bet365 to lift the trophy (West Ham 5/2 outright), and those odds are not surprising considering that the Reds are on fire right now, having 11 straight wins in all competitions (their best run for 17 years!). Not forgetting that they knocked out Chelsea and Man United on their route to Cardiff, and did the double over West Ham in the league.

The evidence for backing Liverpool is compelling and I wouldn’t put anyone off from taking bet365’s 8/13 for them to win in 90 minutes. But if you’re looking for bigger odds, then why not take a crack at their Correct Score market, where a bet on 2-0 and 2-1, at 11/2 and 7/1 respectively, could reap dividends. The bet365 First Goalscorer market is also a good source of value, as they’ll give you your money back if your selected player scores the last goal in the game instead. Unsurprisingly, Liverpool players dominate this market but, as with most Liverpool games, it could pay to look beyond the strikers, and Steven Gerrard looks a decent punt at 11/2 and even better value at 6/4 to score at anytime.

However, while Liverpool are the most likely winners, whether they’re entitled to win like 8/13 shots is another matter, and West Ham (9/2) must have a better chance than their current odds suggest. The Hammers are on a good run of their own having won six of their last 11 matches in all competitions and arrive here on the back of confidence boosting 2-1 win over Spurs last weekend. So, with a shock due (it’s been 11 years since a clear underdog won!), the value call has to be West Ham to win in 90 minutes at a tasty bet365 price of 9/2.

Much bigger odds on West Ham can be found in bet365’s Double Result market, where the Hammers can be backed at 11/1 to be drawing at half time and winning after 90 minutes, compared to 3/1 for Draw / Liverpool. As with all Cup finals, both sides will be playing with a degree of caution leading up to the interval, so (whichever side you fancy) it makes sense to include the half time draw in all such bets. For those of you who fancy the draw in 90 minutes, then bet365’s quote of 13/5 is standout!

The game should be a cracker, and even better odds might be available once the match kicks off via bet365’s Live In-Play Console - up to 14 dynamic markets available. For example, Middlesbrough were as big as 25/1 In-Play during each of their amazing UEFA Cup comeback wins, which just goes to show that big odds (and wins!) are available for those of you who keep the faith and choose this exciting form of betting.

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GRAND NATIONAL HIGH FIVE FOR bet365

07 April 2006

If recent money at bet365 is anything to go then the 2006 Grand National result will read, Clan Royal first, Garvivonnian second. The latter has been well-backed all week and is now 16/1 from 20/1, while Jonjo O’Neil’s runner looks sure to go off favourite - currently 5/1 joint with Hedgehunter. Garvivonnian landed the Becher Chase back in November, the form of which amounts to little, but at least it shows he can handle the National fences. His latest run behind Forget The Past has been franked by the winners’ run in the Gold Cup, and he must have sound each way prospects, especially as we’re paying out down to five places here at bet365.

bet365 - each way � odds, 1.2.3.4.5 on the Grand National!

5/1 ROYAL - THIRD TIME LUCKY ?
As for Clan Royal, it could be a case of third time lucky in the National for the eleven-year-old, but he now looks very short in the betting considering his tendency to pull hard in his races. Besides, it’s debatable whether he would have beaten impressive winner Hedgehunter last year if he hadn’t been carried out by a loose horse, so there has to be better value further down the bet365 betting list.

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