Wristband tan chic: The folks at Nike released these pictures of Li Na wearing pieces from the company’s Spring 2013 Women’s collection. The Chinese superstar is still recovering from the ankle injury she sustained during that tense 2013 Australian Open final, which she lost to Victoria Azarenka. As such, Li did not participate in this week’s Dubai Duty Free Championships. Other ladies have fallen out, too: Vika withdrew because of a foot injury, and Serena Williams bowed out before her second round match against Marion Bartoli because of a lower back issue. The semifinal match-ups will pit Sara Errani against Roberta Vinci and Petra Kvitova with Caroline Wozniacki. (Draw: Dubai Women’s Singles) More: See the rest of the photos from Li Na’s Nike Women’s Spring 2013 shoot.
li na in nike women’s 2013 looks
February 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Wristband tan chic: The folks at Nike released these pictures of Li Na wearing pieces from the company’s Spring 2013 Women’s collection. The Chinese superstar is still recovering from the ankle injury she sustained during that tense 2013 Australian Open final, which she lost to Victoria Azarenka. As such, Li did not participate in this week’s Dubai Duty Free Championships. Other ladies have fallen out, too: Vika withdrew because of a foot injury, and Serena Williams bowed out before her second round match against Marion Bartoli because of a lower back issue. The semifinal match-ups will pit Sara Errani against Roberta Vinci and Petra Kvitova with Caroline Wozniacki. (Draw: Dubai Women’s Singles) More: See the rest of the photos from Li Na’s Nike Women’s Spring 2013 shoot.
ita men’s indoors: virginia takes down usc
February 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Cavalier Tennis: The second-seeded USC Trojans were no match for top team Virginia at this past weekend’s 2013 ITA National Men’s Team Indoor Championship, hosted in Seattle by the University of Washington. Virginia won the final 4-2, taking the doubles point and the top three singles points. USC gets top clothing marks, though, especially with this retro kit from the earlier rounds and the all-black Nike outfit (seen above on Emilio Gomez), which reminds us of the Darth Federer outfit, also by Nike, worn by Roger Federer at the 2007 U.S. Open.
Also noted is the change of Pepperdine‘s kits from Quiksilver to adidas (Seen here on Finn Tearney.
(Photo Credit: ITA Facebook)
nike tops ‘fast company’ list of most innovative companies
February 19, 2013 By 4 Comments
Sightings in the (news)stands: Serena Williams and Nike CEO Mark Parker are on the cover of Fast Company‘s March 2013 issue, which profiles the company’s rise to the top of its list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies with the introduction of FuelBand, an electronic bracelet used for athletic training, and the super-light Flyknit shoe.
The article also mentions that Serena will be releasing her core workout as part of the Nike Training Club app.
Serena, on the need to innovate her “brand” more:
“I’m not disrupting my brand enough. I need to do it more. Nike always tries to improve. They never say, ‘I’m No. 1, and I’m happy.’ They always say, ‘How can we get better?’ … What can I do to be better?”
Right track: Serena must be doing something right; she became the oldest No. 1 on the WTA Tour since computerized ranking system came into being in 1975.
(Photo Credit: photo by TSF)
roger federer ousted from rotterdam by benneteau
February 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Roger Federer made waves at the ABN AMRO WTT event — one of the ATP stops this week, in Rotterdam — with a quarterfinal loss to Julien Benneteau 6-3, 7-5. This was Benneteau’s 200th career win, his first win against Federer since 2009 (Bercy), and Federer’s first loss to a player outside the Top 20 in 28 consecutive quarterfinal match-ups.
Nike: Roger’s continuing with the same Nike kit he used as the 2013 Australian Open day session ensemble (he had that grey polo with pink placket — and matching shoes with neon pink laces — for his Melbourne night session outfit). Buy: Nike Spring 1 Premier RF Polo (Neo Turq w/ White; Stadium Grey w/ Polarized Pink), $90.
Rotterdam: “Baby Roger” Grigor Dimitrov will play against second seed Juan Martin del Potro, while Benneteau will play fifth seed Gilles Simon. (Draw: ABN AMRO WTT Men’s Singles Draw)
(Photo Credit: ABN AMRO WTT Facebook)
rankings: while in doha, serena williams becomes the oldest no. 1
February 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Breaking Records: American Serena Williams beat Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Total Open, being contested in Doha this week, and with that returns to the No. 1 spot in the WTA rankings. When the list is released on Monday, February 18, Williams will become the oldest woman to hold the top spot since the computer rankings came into being in November 1975. This is the sixth time that Serena’ll hold the No. 1 spot, and nearly 11 years since she first reached the top, in July 2002.
“I never thought I would be here again,” said Williams following her win over Kvitova. “I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to get back to No.1. It has been a long road back and it’s a great feeling. It has been a lot of hard work but I don’t want to stop here.”
Serena’s Dress: Serena’s still wearing the same colorblocked Nike Grand Pleated Knit Dress that she wore during the Australian Open; the colorway is grand purple with electro orange and ultraviolet. Note the zigzag stitching in the upper portion of the dress. (Buy: Nike Grand Pleated Dress, $90)
Doha: The other three Qatar quarterfinals were Azarenka defeating Errani, Sharapova downing Stosur, and Aga Radwanska beating Caroline Wozniacki — all in straight sets. Serena’s was the only match that went to three sets. Tomorrow’s semifinals pit Vika against Radwanska and Sharapova against Serena. (Draw: Qatar Total Open 2013 Singles)
More stats: At 31 years, 4 months, 24 days, Williams becomes the oldest woman to hold the world No.1 ranking since the introduction of computer rankings in 1975. Previously, Chris Evert was 30 years, 11 months, 3 days when she last held the No.1 ranking the week ending Sunday, November 24, 1985.
SERENA’S WEEKS AT NO.1:
July 8, 2002 – August 10, 2003 – 57 weeks
September 8, 2008 – October 5, 2008 – 4 weeks
February 2, 2009 – April 19, 2009 - 11 weeks
October 12, 2009 – October 25, 2009 - 2 weeks
November 2, 2009 – October 10, 2010 - 49 weeks
February 18, 2013 – current No.1 - 1 week
OLDEST PLAYERS TO HOLD WORLD NO.1 SINCE 1975:
Serena Williams 31 years, 4 months, 24 days
Chris Evert 30 years, 11 months, 3 days (Nov 24, 1985)
Martina Navratilova 30 years, 9 months, 29 days (Aug 16, 1987)
Lindsay Davenport 29 years, 7 months, 8 days (Jan 29, 2006)
Serena Williams 29 years, 0 months, 14 days (Oct 10, 2010)
Steffi Graf 27 years, 9 months, 16 days (Mar 30, 1997)
(Photo Credit: Qatar Total Open 2013)
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