Wimbledon 2010 Preview

It's that time of the year again. You know the feeling. The sun is starting to come out more, the air is warmer, jobs are ending, people, in general, are happier. Oh, and Wimbledon, too.

Wimbledon 2010 - the tournament that is doomed to be forgotten. Why do I say that? Because the last two years at Wimbledon have been spectacular, offering the best Tennis has to offer. Two five set epic finals in a row, with one resulting in all time grand slam record? You can't beat that. At least not three times in a row.

That being said Wimbledon 2010 should still be enjoyable and entertaining.

Wimbledon 2010 Tournament Stories:

• Roger is going for his 17th grand slam title. 17. Say that out loud. Say it again. It's an unbelievable number. The fact is, though, that Roger is past his prime. He's almost in his thirties and his not hitting his forehand like he was when he was twenty-six. But it's Wimbledon 2010. It's Roger. It's a grand slam. It's on grass. He is still, without a doubt, the favorite going in.
• The Return of Rafa. The king of clay is back and he's swinging for the fences. After his dominating win at the French Open, Nadal retook the number one ranking for Federer. Of course, that didn't matter to Wimbledon who still seeded Roger as number one and Nadal as number two. The question for Nadal is if his game is able to compete on grass. He won this tournament two years ago against Roger, and wasn't able to defend it last year. Will there be revenge in mind for Roger if the two meet in the final?
• The will of the Andy's. Andy Roddick and Andy Murray. They met in the semi finals last year with Roddick playing one of the best matches of his career. Roddick then went on to play an even better match in the finals against, you guessed it, Roger Federer. He lost to one the greatest player of all time in the longest mens final in history, losing 16-14 in the fifth. Murray on the other hand is coming off a Australian Open final loss to Roger Federer and is England's great hope. Is it his time to shine?
• One last surge of Hewitt? The truth is Hewitt was a player perfect for his time. He was a transition player, playing in the era that was the slow downfall of Sampras and Agassi, and the rise of Roger and Rafa. He's won his two grand slams by working hard and having the heart of a lion. If he's to make another run its going to have to emphasize those two traits, with the addition of a little luck.
• The other guys. Theres also a few surprises at Wimbledon (Look at Roger beating Sampras a decade ago), and its safe to say that Wimbledon 2010 will be no different.

Check out some tips on how to save yourself from Tennis Elbow.

Does Roger Federer Have a Lack of Motivation?

Does Roger Federer Have a Lack of Motivation?

There comes a point in every great champion’s life, when he or she hits a new kind of road block. This one isn`t physical, and it`s not really mental. Instead it`s one of the intangibles, it’s the fire that drove them there, that made them champion and pushed them to their own and others limits.

It`s motivation.

Roger Federer has it all. He`s one sixteen grand slam single titles – the most of all time – and has been number one in the world for over two-hundred and fifty weeks. At one point he held the number one spot for two hundred and thirty seven consecutive weeks, something that is unparalleled in any other sport. As many people put it: he is simply the best there ever was.

Lately, however, the sheer dominance and brilliance of Roger`s game has been lacking. After winning the Australian Open in January he has lost before the quarter finals in four consecutive tournaments. His most recent loss came in the first round of the Rome Masters, and it came to player below the top forty. During the match his timing was off, his deadly forehand spraying on many occasions. For Roger that almost never happens, especially in a first round of a tournament.

Many people can analyze his game and say that his recent slide is that he`s just not physically up to the challenge anymore to compete like once did; or that the new players in the game are becoming more skilled and that his once dominant strokes don`t have the same impact. In reality, it comes down to one thing, and that`s motivation. Rogers has it all; he`s won it all. He is the best and everyone knows that. For a champion like that the little tournaments don`t mean anything to more; he has nothing to prove, so why bother trying.

The hardest part for Mr. Federer over the next couple years will not trying to stay physically fit, or how to hit more aces. The hardest part will be finding the motivation that made him that good in the first place, and finding a new kind of fuel to keep that fire burning a little longer.

On that note, who is the greatest tennis player of all time?