my ajumma notes

What a guy, what a career, what fun we had watching him!   I’m not sad to see him go as I thought for years that his body had had enough.  He pushed on for more, and the last few years were still exciting, the highlights for me being   - the very unexpected and wonderful AO 2022 win [sorry Medvedev, don’t know how the match turned around the way it did] tennisworldusa - the big four playing at Laver Cup 2022  Getty - Federer playing his retirement match with him Getty - playing doubles with Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics afp - final match at Davis Cup 2024 for Spain -- but of course! Well done, he who fighted to the end! atptour Who else regrets not getting this when it was available?   People are re-selling it for a few hundred... 

Has it been 20 years already?! still feel sad looking at this picture The 2004 Roland Garros final was memorable because it was painful to watch Coria disappear in that match, and sadly, after a while, he disappeared from tennis.  Couldn’t have been too many who would have bet on Gaudio becoming RG champion. To his credit, he reached round 4 the next year, where he lost to 23-year-old Ferrer , in the early stages of his career!   2005 turned out to be the turn of tides and times, memorable as the 19-year-old boy’s year, and who would have known then that it would be the start of  HIS  illustrious 14-RG-trophies – and more besides – career.   we're just pleased to see him play 2024, then, becomes memorable, when the inevitable happens.  Everyone knows a body will be worn out at some point and pity it had to be Zverev who got to deal the final blow (Zverev supporters will think it is poetic justice).  Still, it was Nadal’s match and ...

Based on the final results, it was the tournament for the banned, ostracised, disliked and such.     I did not plan to watch either final but caught the prize-giving ceremony for the ladies’ final.  Rybakina and Sabalenka sound like level-headed, forthright sorts.    What I would have liked to see: - Swiatek and Garcia doing better than they did - Tsitsipas winning   Oh well.   I think Swiatek and Garcia will continue do well this year.  As for the men, we are probably headed for boring times, just like when Federer was winning everything in sight due to the lack of competition.   The best parts of AO 2023 for me: - Murray's two five-setters! winning against Berrettini (Getty Images) - Nadal’s baby’s Australia trip! in Sydney for United Cup (Daily Mail) Baby says goodbye to Melbourne : how effortlessly his father manoeuvres his stroller.

My, my, doesn't he look so 'spring fashion trends 2011'? Like so (Miu Miu!): And so: Even the other Spaniards are in rather 'safe' colours. Like so: And some other people who really, badly need a haircut!

The start of the clay court season is not as exciting as I thought it was going to be, after all. Djokovic is not playing at Monte Carlo so we'll have to wait till I don't know when to see Djokovic versus Nadal on clay. To get back into the tennis mood, let's look at what some dudes have been doing off court, while, obviously, also watching their bank accounts grow. Nadal in Bacardi's don't-drink-and-drive ad. Ferrer in Bovet's intellectual ad. I don't know why but I find his Bovet pictures slightly amusing. But he doesn't look too bad, does he? Lu Yen-hsun appeared with Rainie Yang for an Adidas thing. The 'Adidas is all in' pictures are nice. Andy Murray is there. And, although they aren't dudes, so are Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki.

So, here we are at one of my favourite topics - bags! First bag, the NS backpack. Rather expectedly, ST ran an article linking the maid-NS backpack thing to the daily maid-schoolbag scenario we see all over Singapore. I would like to suggest that the root of it goes a little deeper than just the expectations of many parents and children that their maids should carry their bags. The start of all this, as I see it, is the fact that schoolbags are too heavy ( that used to be one of my favourite topics). If the schoolbags were a reasonable weight, nobody would see the need for maids, parents or grandparents to carry them. I will shamelessly declare that I shamelessly carried the boy's bag for him when he was in lower primary. If you compare the weight of the bag with the size (and weight) of the child, it would be the logical thing to do. So then, when and how you wean the child off this bag-carrying business is another story altogether. Obviously, if weaning is not done succes...

Sad for Nadal about his heartbreaking match. But I'm not actually sad about Ferrer playing in the semi. Wouldn't it be lovely if he, in an unlikely scenario, won AO? Said Nadal: But if he keep playing like this, hopefully he can have a good chance to be in the final or win the tournament. I would love. Is a fantastic person. Is a close friend of mine. So I wish him all the best. And, I'm sure no one really minds if Kim wins the AO but wouldn't it be great if Li Na was this year's champion? Of course, they still can't get her name right... Pictures from AO website

Carrying on with my best tennis moments for the year... Off tour Carlos Moya's babe There is a picture of Nadal carrying this same little girl but I kind of like better this picture of Juan Monaco carrying her. USO Ha. Nice to see people chummy and not sobbing and spoiling other people's moments. Finals! Top 8 dudes in London Ferrer: Eh, how come you all sabo-ed me! I thought you all said grey, what. All nicely posing with the PM. I think Nadal and Ferrer are the shortest of the lot? That nice little retirement thing for Moya. And just what is Andy Roddick wearing? Davis Cup Oh, Serbia! I watched and cheered Spain winning it in 2009 and 2010 but Serbia winning this year's was special. How special it must have been for Victor Troicki, who joins Verdasco and Ferrer as dudes with Davis Cup magic moments. Though every time I hear his name, I cannot help but think of him and Djokovic doing their 'Gypsy' thing... Year-end entertainment Roger vs Rafa Off-court, no matte...

Tennis 2010 is almost over. Time to assemble some probably-not-front-page-type pictures for my favourite moments of the year. Australian Open Hit for Haiti S o funny and so fun... The Retirement I saw the retirement 'live' but I didn't realise till recently that Murray looked like he was in tears. Monte Carlo 2010 Finally... Nadal breaking his torturous 11-month drought French Open 2010 Then getting his Roland Garros trophy back. Ballkids with the dude of the season Wimbledon 2010 The Championships took place during our hospital days so Wimbledon practically became my staple nightly stoning-in-front-of-the-TV-after-coming-back-from-hospital viewing. Murray and Nieminen bowing to the Queen. Cool, dudes. Isner and Mahut after 3 days together. Nadal : Your plate bigger than my trophy, no? Your hair looks different from on the court, no? Serena : Just smile at the cameras, dude... (nice dress!)

A momentous occasion calls for at least a short post. Well done, both! (understatement) Hope to see more of you! Meanwhile, I am busy, busy, busy...