barcelona fc
barcelona fc
barcelona fc
|
|
|---|
Danica Patrick No. 7 Team GoDaddy.com
Danica Patrick No. 7 Team GoDaddy.com
ST. PETERSBURG - Maybe Danica Patrick had some vocal supporters sitting directly behind her pit, and she treated them to a solid performance Monday in the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The IndyCar Series' most popular driver overcame a 21st-place starting spot, avoiding mistakes on a track that was slick for the first few laps, and finished seventh.
That tied for her second-best effort at St. Pete (she was sixth in 2006), and it was best among the four drivers entered by Andretti Autosport (formerly Andretti Green Racing).
Danica Patrick
"At the beginning of the day, I said if I can finish in the top six, that would be an awesome day," Patrick said. "We almost did. Dario (Franchitti) was definitely fast. He passed me and left with no problem, so that was going to be a hard one to hold off.
"I managed to hold off the rest of them. I know there are probably not a lot of people leaving this track really pleased, because I'm sure they felt held up, but if I was on 'blacks' (tires), I think it would have been different."
Patrick had to run the last 28-30 laps of the race on red-sidewall tires, because there were no caution flags over the last 22 laps. The "reds" provide extra grip but wear out faster.
Danica Patrick
"The last 12 laps or so, they were a handful," Patrick said. "I was just hoping time would go much quicker than what it felt like out there. So when I heard four to go, I was like, 'grab it girl, and go.' ... I was doing everything I could."
Franchitti, the defending series champion, overcame a spin on the first lap and had one of the fastest cars on the track late in the race. He passed Patrick with a few laps to go and wound up fifth.
Patrick's full-time teammates, Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti, finished 10th and 12th. Ryan Hunter-Reay, who has five-race deal with the team and is hoping to land full-time sponsorship, finished 11th.
Team owner Michael Andretti said Patrick's team did the job of the organization's four cars.
"She did a good job," he said. "That team did all the right things on the strategy and everything. They got her up there, got her track position, and she was able to keep most of them (back), so it was good."
Danica Patrick
Teammate trouble
Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti had a run-in on Lap 33 that team owner Michael Andretti said "ruined both of their races." Each had to make an unscheduled pit stop afterward, and they finished 10th and 12th.
"I don't really know what happened when Marco and I got together," Kanaan said. "He slowed down in front of me, and I hit him. ... Nowadays, you just can't afford any mistakes. The series is too competitive."
Marco Andretti didn't comment. Kanaan said he didn't want to talk about the incident further without first watching the video with Andretti.
The two teammates had a disagreement in the 2008 Indianapolis 500. Kanaan was leading just past the halfway point when he was passed by Scott Dixon and Andretti. Kanaan spun and was blindsided by Sarah Fisher.
Danica Patrick
Afterward, Kanaan said Andretti didn't give him enough room to race.
Asked Monday if the teammates need to communicate better, Michael Andretti said that wasn't the issue.
"They needed to take care of each other out there, and they didn't," he said.
Odds and ends
St. Petersburg's Dan Wheldon finished 10th after a right suspension failure led to a crash during the middle of the race. He started 15th and moved into the top 10 early before the incident. ... Graham Rahal, who won the Grand Prix two years ago at age 19, was never a factor, but by finishing ninth, he gave lower-budget Sarah Fisher Racing its first top-10 finish. The race marked the first time Fisher watched the car she normally drives from the timing stand. "Graham did an exceptional job," she said.
Maria Sharapova boyfriend
Maria Sharapova and her boyfriend
Life happens when you are not on the court ALL the time. Blogs are reporting that Maria Sharapova dates Charlie Ebersol, the son of NBC sports chairman Dick Ebersol and actress Susan Saint James. According to New York Daily News, Sharapova joked that “my boyfriend will probably outbid you” before putting herself up for auction at the Bryan Brothers’ All-Star Tennis Smash charity event last weekend. However, one lucky guy won a date with the Russian tennis star - for $10,000. Charlie first received media attention when he and his father survived a 2004 charter plane crash that took the lives of two crew members and Charlie’s younger brother. Since then, Charlie has become a film producer, collaborating with Ashton Kutcher on the documentary Ithuteng (Never Stop Learning). The film debutes on HBO on Dec. 3.
victoria beckham hot pics
victoria beckham hot
victoria beckham hot
victoria beckham hot pics
victoria beckham hot pics
victoria beckham hot pics
victoria beckham
victoria beckham
victoria beckhammalanie adams
malanie adams
malanie adams
malanie adams
malanie adams
malanie adams
malanie adams
malanie adamsdavid beckham
david beckham
david beckham
david beckham hairstyle
david beckham
david beckham
david beckham
david beckham
david
david
david beckhamricardo kaka best football player
ricardo kaka
ricardo kaka
kaka
best player
ricardo kaka
kaka
the kaka
kaka
kakaANDY RODDICK RELISHING QUEEN'S RETURN
Andy Roddick will attempt to win a record fifth AEGON Championships title at Queen's Club in June. The American - champion in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007 - is the latest top-10 star to sign up after Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin Del Potro confirmed their entries earlier this month.
Roddick was forced to withdraw from his semi-final against James Blake last year with an ankle injury but went on to put in his best performance at Wimbledon, losing to Roger Federer in an epic five-set final after beating Queen's champion Andy Murray in the last four. The 27-year-old has carried that form into 2010 and has won 20 matches already - more than anyone else on the ATP World Tour.
Roddick said: "I love the whole month in London. Over the years I've had a lot of success at The Queen's Club and I still say it's the best grass court in the world.
"It plays perfectly and so the AEGON Championships is a great way to prepare for Wimbledon."
Last year's heartbreaking SW19 defeat was the third time Roddick had been beaten by Federer in the final, but the world number eight believes 2010 could finally be his year.
"If you look at my grass court season (in 2009) as a whole, it went well," he continued. "Wimbledon was a very good event for me. I would have loved to have changed the last five minutes of it but I look forward to another opportunity.
"The more you distance yourself from it, the more you start remembering the better things about it.
"I promise you, I wish more than anything that I would have won that tournament but I'm still going to move on and keep going with the plan that we've set in place, because I feel like it is working.
"I'll always want to win that tournament and I view last year as something to build on.
Roddick was forced to withdraw from his semi-final against James Blake last year with an ankle injury but went on to put in his best performance at Wimbledon, losing to Roger Federer in an epic five-set final after beating Queen's champion Andy Murray in the last four. The 27-year-old has carried that form into 2010 and has won 20 matches already - more than anyone else on the ATP World Tour.Roddick said: "I love the whole month in London. Over the years I've had a lot of success at The Queen's Club and I still say it's the best grass court in the world.
"It plays perfectly and so the AEGON Championships is a great way to prepare for Wimbledon."
Last year's heartbreaking SW19 defeat was the third time Roddick had been beaten by Federer in the final, but the world number eight believes 2010 could finally be his year.
"If you look at my grass court season (in 2009) as a whole, it went well," he continued. "Wimbledon was a very good event for me. I would have loved to have changed the last five minutes of it but I look forward to another opportunity.
"The more you distance yourself from it, the more you start remembering the better things about it.
"I promise you, I wish more than anything that I would have won that tournament but I'm still going to move on and keep going with the plan that we've set in place, because I feel like it is working.
"I'll always want to win that tournament and I view last year as something to build on.
WTA CHIEF CALLS FOR BRITISH STAR
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour chief Stacey Allaster believes it would be "fantastic" for British women's tennis to have its own Andy Murray, but has warned of the dangers of placing a burden of expectation on Laura Robson.
While the rise of Murray has served as a great boost to the ATP Tour, the British women's game has lacked a true star since Virginia Wade and Sue Barker enjoyed great success in the 1970s.
Fellow Grand Slam countries such as Australia, France and the United States all have athletes ranked inside the WTA Tour top 20, and while 16-year-old Robson has shown the potential to become a future star, Allaster has insisted she needs time to develop.
"It would be fantastic for Laura Robson and it would be fantastic for British tennis if she could make the step up," WTA Tour chairman and CEO Allaster said on www.thesportbriefing.com.
"However we don't want to put too much pressure on her. She is young, but is performing very well for her age.
"But if we just look to the transformation of British tennis that Andy Murray has provided there is no doubt that Brits love their tennis and love their own. It would be fantastic for women's tennis to have our own version of Andy Murray."
Allaster has also hit back at criticism of a perceived lack of depth on the Tour.
Last year saw critics line up to attack the Tour for poor quality matches, while Dinara Safina enjoyed a lengthy spell at world number one without a grand slam title to her name.
However, the returns of Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters to the Tour, allied to the emergence of several new stars, has left the WTA chief positive as she enters her first full year at the head of the women's game.
"I completely disagree with these accusations of a lack of depth," Allaster said.
"If anything the Tour has more depth now than at any point in the history of the sport. I think what is happening is every day a top 10 player can be beaten - and that's depth.
"What Kim Clijsters has said is that on her return she can see the difference in the quality of play in a first or second-round match compared to two or three years ago.
"So the athletes themselves are taking care of the depth issue, while the Tour has to help with the promotion of these great players.
"Whether it be Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, who's now number two in the world, Agnieszka Radwanska or Li Na, we have more global diversity of our top players.
While the rise of Murray has served as a great boost to the ATP Tour, the British women's game has lacked a true star since Virginia Wade and Sue Barker enjoyed great success in the 1970s.
Fellow Grand Slam countries such as Australia, France and the United States all have athletes ranked inside the WTA Tour top 20, and while 16-year-old Robson has shown the potential to become a future star, Allaster has insisted she needs time to develop.
"It would be fantastic for Laura Robson and it would be fantastic for British tennis if she could make the step up," WTA Tour chairman and CEO Allaster said on www.thesportbriefing.com.
"However we don't want to put too much pressure on her. She is young, but is performing very well for her age.
"But if we just look to the transformation of British tennis that Andy Murray has provided there is no doubt that Brits love their tennis and love their own. It would be fantastic for women's tennis to have our own version of Andy Murray."
Allaster has also hit back at criticism of a perceived lack of depth on the Tour.
Last year saw critics line up to attack the Tour for poor quality matches, while Dinara Safina enjoyed a lengthy spell at world number one without a grand slam title to her name.
However, the returns of Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters to the Tour, allied to the emergence of several new stars, has left the WTA chief positive as she enters her first full year at the head of the women's game.
"I completely disagree with these accusations of a lack of depth," Allaster said.
"If anything the Tour has more depth now than at any point in the history of the sport. I think what is happening is every day a top 10 player can be beaten - and that's depth.
"What Kim Clijsters has said is that on her return she can see the difference in the quality of play in a first or second-round match compared to two or three years ago.
"So the athletes themselves are taking care of the depth issue, while the Tour has to help with the promotion of these great players.
"Whether it be Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, who's now number two in the world, Agnieszka Radwanska or Li Na, we have more global diversity of our top players.
HAT-TRICK FOR SERENA WILLIAMS
World number one Serena Williams has been named 2009 WTA player of the year and shared doubles team of the year with older sister Venus.
Serena, 28, won last year's Australian Open and Wimbledon singles titles, while also reaching the US Open semi-finals and French Open quarter-finals.
Serena, 28, won last year's Australian Open and Wimbledon singles titles, while also reaching the US Open semi-finals and French Open quarter-finals.
"2009 was one of the best seasons of my career and winning the player of the year award for the third time is a great achievement for me," she told the WTA website after the ceremony in Miami.
"It will always be memorable for me not just for my singles accomplishments, but because Venus and I won four titles together and I am thrilled to be sharing the doubles team of the year award with my sister."
Alongside Venus, Serena captured the 2009 US and Australian Open and Wimbledon women's doubles titles.
"I love playing doubles with Serena as we have so much fun on the court together," said Venus.
"At the beginning of the 2009 season Serena and I decided to put a lot of emphasis on doubles and I am thrilled that we were able to achieve so much together."
Belgium's Kim Clijsters took comeback player of the year honours after her US Open title and won her seventh sportsmanship award from the WTA.
US teen Melanie Oudin, a 2009 US Open quarter-finalist, won newcomer of the year, while Belgian Yanina Wickmayer took most improved player honours and American Liezel Huber won her fourth career player service award.
Russian Elena Dementieva won fan favourite singles player of the year in an internet fan vote.
"It will always be memorable for me not just for my singles accomplishments, but because Venus and I won four titles together and I am thrilled to be sharing the doubles team of the year award with my sister."
Alongside Venus, Serena captured the 2009 US and Australian Open and Wimbledon women's doubles titles.
"I love playing doubles with Serena as we have so much fun on the court together," said Venus.
"At the beginning of the 2009 season Serena and I decided to put a lot of emphasis on doubles and I am thrilled that we were able to achieve so much together."
Belgium's Kim Clijsters took comeback player of the year honours after her US Open title and won her seventh sportsmanship award from the WTA.
US teen Melanie Oudin, a 2009 US Open quarter-finalist, won newcomer of the year, while Belgian Yanina Wickmayer took most improved player honours and American Liezel Huber won her fourth career player service award.
Russian Elena Dementieva won fan favourite singles player of the year in an internet fan vote.
Tiger should let media take their shots:Palmer says
Tiger Woods wasn't within earshot on Wednesday, but Arnold Palmer, whose handling of the media has set the gold standard for decades, offered some counsel for the beleagured world's No. 1 golfer.
"I suppose the best thing he could do would be open up and just let you guys (media) shoot at him," Palmer said in his annual gathering in the press room on the eve of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, which has attracted 14 major champions and nine of the 13 winners on the PGA Tour this season, including Ernie Els, Camilo Villegas, Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk. "Someone said, 'Move on.' Well, that might be the best way to move on.
"It's up to him to do and say whatever he feels he needs to do to redeem the situation, put it in the proper place," Palmer said. "My opinion, as I said ... I was going to keep to myself. But I suppose the best thing he could do would be open up and just let you guys shoot at him. And that's just my thought.
john obi mikel
john obi mikel
john obi mikel
mikel
john
john obi mikel
john obi mikel
john obi mikel
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)