For those of you that have simply no idea who I’m talking about… That was simply the match-up for the Australian Open Final that finished last night. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the greatest tennis players in the world today. Their rivalry far exceeds any kind of tennis rivalry that I have ever seen or heard before. Pete Sampras vs Andre Agassi…Gimme a break..it doesn’t even come close. A lil’ bit of info…
Roger Federer: The current world no. 2. Classy, cool and humble. He is probably the greatest player to have ever played the game having been the number 1 in the world for a record 237 weeks from February 2004 to August 2008 till that annoying Spaniard came into the picture. 13 Grand Slams titles, 14 ATP Masters Cups, 4 Tennis Masters Cup titles. From my rose-tinted glasses, I don’t think any player in the last 20 years can match Federer…most definitely not John McEnroe! If only mononucleosis didn’t strike, he’d probably still be number 1 in the world today. Oh not to forget..also voted Laureus World Sportsman of the year from 2005 - 08. All information courtesy of wikipedia. Plays tennis with a touch of class. No brutality involved..just pure class….=p
Rafael Nadal: The current world number 1, a nice and humble guy too but still annoying nevertheless cause he just doesn’t know when the point is lost! Just when you think you’ve killed him with a winner, he charges like a Spanish bull and whips the ball back. Some of his defensive returns are just out of this world and he definitely has the edge over Fed at the moment. Based on my limited tennis knowledge, I think he plays a hard-hitting baseline game where he makes few errors and uses pure muscle to hit winners from behind the baseline. Plays tennis very much like a “grinder”. According to some respected tennis professionals, this genre of player does not enjoy a long career due to the physical nature of their play. Not even 23 but already a 6 time Grand Slam winner. He has a 13-6 record against Federer although it was way much closer until Fed got struck down by the illness at the beginning of 2008.
The Final and the tournament in review..: A thrilling 5 setter that was worthy of a final with Nadal coming on top 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7), 3-6, 6-2. It was one of those rare games that Federer was on the back foot for quite abit of the game. It was such a heart breaker for Roger as he broke down in tears and had difficulty giving his runner-up speech after….Such a heartbreaker…….Nadal is unbelievably fit as we all know..Who on earth plays a 5 hour 14 min game in the semi-final less than 2 days before and then plays a 4 hour 5 setter with Federer and still wins??? It’s just sheer phenomenal…..
It’s been a great tournament with many great matchups and many great players bowing out. We had Fernando Verdasco who lost to Nadal in the longest match in Australian Open history (5 hours and 14 mins) where every shot was like this swinging pendulum where the rally refused to end. Enthralling to say the least…we also had Andy Roddick who shed 7 Kgs before the tournament and played unbelievably till he met…… Federer and not to forget Serena Williams who was actually on the verge of a 4th Round knockout till her opponent retired due to illness. Williams subsequently went on to win the entire tournament winning her final in less than an hour against Dinara Safina of Russia. I guess the biggest match of the whole tournament had to be the final where Federer and Nadal both wrote another chapter of their storied rivalry.
Unlike other sports such as football where managers tend to blame the ref and the linesman for not giving a penalty, not blowing for offside etc etc and of cos blaming other factors that allow the other team to win..We should give Rafael Nadal the due credit. He was brilliant and is a deserving winner of the 2009 Australian Open. See you at Roland Garros…..
Blessed week,
Dan
According the Soccernet.com, it seems that Newcastle winger, Charlies N’ Zogbia, who just for all those trivia fanatics is actually the cousin of French tennis star Jo-Wilfred Tsonga (the current World number 7 i think..), said he would never play for his manager, Joe Kinnear again because he forgot his name while giving a press conference after Newcastle’s defeat (what’s new?) to Manchester City. Oh the horror! I wonder what must be going through his tender little heart…Well we do have alot of princesses in our ranks these days don’t we? Another prime example on how pathetic some elite sportsman are…You are not exactly the best player in the world mate…and you don’t save lives…so just be abit more humble and get on with it.
My interest in watching the English Premier League is already at an all time low. After reading several books on the lifestyles of most of these guys and seeing their pathetic behaviours on and off the field. Is there really a point in giving much heart and soul supporting most of these guys? Of course not all footballers are like that. For example, we have Kaka as a shining example but it’s all those washouts in the game that need to be kicked out. We have people like Joey Barton, who stubbed a cigarette in a youth player’s eye, was in jail for assaulting Ousmane Dabo, a former team mate where he left him with head injuries including a suspected detached retina….And the worst part of the whole story..He’s still playing! Like as if he did nothing wrong! Ban him? Why ban the prick? You see..there is simply no morality in the authorities as well. You should just sack him!
The problem with the game and sport in general is that people blindingly support their team and players without even considering whether he is right or wrong. Sports fans are continuously in their own fanatical bubble, unable to discern the correct and the incorrect. We always just try to justify one of our heroes. Such hero worship is useless. These guys may be talented but they are just men like everyone else. Everybody has issues…and so do they. Being a sports star doesn’t exempt them from doing wrong. The familiar excuses are always “We need him to play cause he’s the heart and soul of the team”, ”He’s passionate about the games so he got upset”. What a load of rubbish. People seem to give Wayne Rooney the benefit of the doubt everytime he goes berserk and starts mouthing off his verbal crap at the referees. Is that the way you want your kids or your friends to behave? As a Manchester United fan, I’d be the first to say that that boy needs to go for inner healing and anger management classes. Should he be banned? Of course he should! These so-called role models are currently an absolute disgrace and a bad example to kids watching the game. Of course needless to say, he’s not the only one….There are just too many bad examples in the game at the moment….. Next up..the aussie open…
After missing 3 straight reunion dinners with my immediate family, this has got to be the one that has really kicked in…hard! Whatever the case is, I definitely want to spend Chinese New Year 2010 in Singapore for sure. After saying repeatedly that it’s no big deal, I guess I have to confess…. I miss EVERYTHING about Chinese new year in Singapore. I miss the “ba kwa”, the pineapple tarts, all the lil’ sinful titbits that my sweet tooth would love, the visiting of relatives, the annual dinners at my secondary sch friends’, the steamboats, the checking out of how ex-teachers are doing……
ahh well. Till then, life has to go on…
On the bright side, I celebrated Australia Day at King’s Park with a few wonderful friends from church. Had a nice day (err..i mean evening) waiting for the skyworks to electrify the atmosphere. It was well worth the wait although I wouldn’t be able to describe much of it in this blog as I don’t quite have any pictures. I do however of some pictures of the evening…
Aussie Aussie Aussie...Oi Oi Oi
This definitely wasn't my idea!
Just one photo of the skyworks....
We came to the realisation that wearing the straw hats for the entire duration wasn't quite working out...
Watching the big game at Durty Nelly’s in Marina Square did provide me with a beer (not that I drink much to start with) and the company of some wonderful friends. It helped heaps that nobody really supported United and that they were just giving me a really hard time =p. In addition, the waiter told me that I couldn’t have a beer because I didn’t support Chelsea! Charming to say the least but of course, if you want to give pple crap, you better learn to take it yourself. =) I must confess that I relish dealing with the Anything but United crew. I mean what fun is there if everybody supports the same team? There would be nothing to bicker about… Apparently, my friends were extremely insistent that it’ll be a draw tonight. Needless to say, 2 of them were Liverpool fans, which confirmed that their predictions were extremely “unbiased” opinions! I, on the other hand, took the fair approach (as usual) and predicted a United win just before the kick-off. I should have been more bold about my prediction. I knew Chelsea were playing badly, but I didn’t think it was that bad!
Game started well with both teams having their fair share of possession. There were periods during the first half where Chelsea had quite abit of the ball but couldn’t create a clear cut chance. I think they’ve really lost alot of their edge after Jose Mourinho (the current Inter Milan manager and still a prick) left. I still remember during their short glory spell, they really struck fear into me when I was watching games like these. I also remember having my heart in my mouth for most of the game. I guess my interest levels in the English league have also wilted considerably over the years. There are more important things in life than getting all worked up over a team half the world away who’s country I’ve never visited. I enjoy writing about these things though…
After Vidic scored the first goal on the stroke of half-time, I was relatively confident that the game was won, although I didn’t want to be counting my eggs too quickly. Rooney and Berbatov chipped in with one apiece in the second half to hand Chelsea their worst defeat at Old Trafford in 15 years. 3-0 was the score and it wasn’t too flattering. I think United are going to win their 3rd straight title. I might be wrong but after a negotiating a tough fixture list in the earlier part of the season, it’s definitely a strong possibility. I did manage to shake hands with the waiter who said that he’ll graciously accept defeat. I replied jokingly that there was only one team in it. Well there might actually be some truth in that….. =p
Durty Nelly’s did remind me alot of Perth at certain points with a large percentage of caucasian patrons and the ambience of an Irish Pub. Did remind me alot of Paddy Maguire’s at Subi…hopefully, I’ll get to visit it again before I leave. Have a blessed week. God Bless..=)
Cheers,
Dan
I have been so carried away that I have completely forgotten that I did actually have a blog. Now that I have finally come to my senses, I must say that it’s high time I put something for my ever decreasing (or increasing) wave of readers. 2009 err..i mean 8 has been an awesome year with many things that I have picked up along the way. I hope to continue growing in the good Lord even more so during this year and look forward to the development of even healthier relationships with the ones I love and care about.
I have also actually extended by short stay in Singapore by an extra week. I never thought that I would actually enjoy my stay so much while being back in Singapore, it does tempt me a little to come back to work ;-). Have been leading a busy life with meetings with friends of old and some people that I haven’t even caught up in years. I pray that this week will be a fulfilling one and an awesome time. Will be blogging more in the coming week and even more enthusiastically so after I watch Man Utd crush Chelsea in a few hours time..=p. Have a blessed week.
God Bless,
Daniel
It’s amazing what a difference a year makes. Being away for a year from Singapore has completely messed my bearings when navigating around the island. It doesn’t help when I did not get my licence here and have spent the majority of the last 5 years in Perth. Couldn’t find my way from Tampines to Boon Keng and again from Boon Keng to Sengkang. Geez..I feel like a tourist sometimes. The first few days has been a pretty pacy period with lots of meetings and catchups with old friends. It’s been a pretty fruitful time of catching and it’s good to see everybody in good shape. Well most of them at least..=p.
The maddest day of my short trip back has to be Sunday, where I had to play and watch a total of 4 soccer matches and most importantly, go to church in between. Nice to win both games on the return back but scored the first own goal of illustrious career with a brilliant back-flicked header that dumbfounded my poor goalkeeper. Even Drogba would have struggled to better that.
The saddest result of the day has gotta be Singapore’s unfortunate loss to Vietnam. What made it even more disappointing was the fact that we were the better side and had the stadium packed to almost full capacity (55,000). Was good to see a good section of away support cheering for the Viets which spiced up the evening. The quality of play was decent but the amount of diving and feigning from the Vietnamese was really a lil’ too much for my liking. Simulation and diving is relatively normal in soccer these days but what they did that night was really a little bit over the top. South-East Asian Soccer will not be able to progress if you get incidents like this and others like:
1) The Myanmar keeper getting a one match ban from running half the length of the pitch to push the ref in an earlier group match in Singapore which akins to assault
2) Indonesia deliberately scoring an own goal to lose to Thailand in the final group game of the 1998 edition so as to get a preferred opponent in the semi-finals.
3) Thai players walking off the field just because they were unhappy with a penalty that was given against them when they took on Singapore in the last Asean Cup final at the National Stadium.
That being said, all the best to the Viets in the final and kudos to them for coming up with an effective counter attacking strategy to win the game against a hostile crowd.
On the flip side, the most interesting thing that I’ve seen so far in the last few days has to go to the NEWPAPER for changing its logo from blue to brown. I spent a good 10 minutes at the newspaper stand looking for it not knowing that it changed its logo before the “uncle” at the stand finally asked me what I wanted. After hearing my request he then pointed to a newly formatted paper that was actually right in front of me. I’m pretty sad and will miss the old logo but have got a picture with me and the new one just for the memories…..
The New Newpaper...
God Bless,
Dan
and I’m ready to go to Singapore for a short 3 week holiday. Will be nice to see my folks and the friends that I haven’t seen over the past year. As much as I like to play it cool and deny it to myself, I would confess that I always get these feelings of anticipation and excitement as I prepare to board the plane to the little red dot. It’ll be interesting to see the many changes and seeing the issues that I read on the online Straits Times come to life over the next 3 weeks.
It’s been a fruitful and wonderful year in Perth on all fronts and I certainly look forward to an even more fruitful 2009 in this land that I now call my home. I thank God for all the wonderful people that He has brought in my life from the people in church, the wonderful stint that I had at Sonshine FM (which came to an end in October) and the people at my soccer club (Subiaco United). Perth is certainly one of those places that really grows on you as time passes and it’s a wonderful and uplifting place to be in. This, despite the fact that people that come here from overseas to study do complain that it’s utterly boring with nothing to do. I sincerely beg to differ.
I learnt two valuable lessons over the past year. Firstly, to make the best of what you have and not complain of what you do not have. People (I do not want to generalise from which place but I think most of you will know who and what I’m getting at) always have this annoying tendency to focus on the material things they do not have and almost never on the wonderful blessings that they already have in their life. Secondly, living simply so that others can simply live. Leading a simple life in Perth has enabled me to be contended with the things I have and not on the things I don’t. I also understand that 4 billion people in this world live on less than 2 dollars a day and it is almost audacious that I should be complaining.
Good to see our indoor team, Football FC finish off the first half of our summer league in style with a convincing victory. That’s 8 wins out of 8 for us. Hopefully, we keep flattening teams when the season re-starts after the Christmas and New year holidays.
I’m also anticipating an exciting Sunday this week, with Singapore playing Vietnam at the National Stadium in Kallang @ 8 pm. Since the first leg ended 0-0, something has to give in this second leg, will be hopeful that the Lions can pull through and finish off the Viets. It will be such a shame if we do not win, since we supposedly escaped with a draw from the first leg. I also read a comment by a Vietnamese in the Staits Times who claimed that the Vietnamese population in Singapore will turn this second leg into a home game due to their overwhelming support. Obviously, our friend has never heard the Kallang Roar in his life. Heck, even the best teams in Asia struggle at our ground. Japan with Nakata, only beat us 2-1 at our ground some years ago. We shall give them a night to remember…. I can feel a sense of overwhelming passion being stirred right now. I am pumped!!! Have a great weekend people.
God Bless,
Daniel
Convincing to say the least, Singapore has done the nation proud with a convincing 2-0 win over Indonesia in front of a partizan, boisterous Indonesian crowd. Good to see a polished, professional performance through the beauty of streaming all the way from Western Australia. Now for Vietnam in the semis where I’ll definitely be there rooting for the boys for the second leg on Dec 21st. Hopefully we’ll have a reasonable advantage after the first leg. C’mon Lions!!
Dan
Singapore are through to the semi-finals of the Asean Cup after two consecutive wins against Cambodia (5-0) and Myanmar (3-1). However, there would be no resting of laurels for our world class Lions as we take on mighty Indonesia in half an hour’s time. A draw with Indonesia would be good enough to ensure top spot avoiding a potential meeting with fierce rivals Thailand who are widely tipped to finish top of Group B. Although, we are two-time defending champions, let’s be honest, the Thais are better than us in most aspects. A good reason for this is because the EPL seems to mean more to us than our local team. Anyway that aside, more importantly, we need a win so that I’ll be able to watch my beloved Lions live at the National Stadium on Dec 21st.
Elsewhere, Perth Glory recorded a rare victory over the Melbourne Knights with a convincing 3-1 win. Nice to see we did not concede any last minute goals for a change! Glory’s 4th win of the season lifts us to within 4 points of 4th spot. You see, in Australia, the system goes like this, there are 8 teams in the A-League, if you finish in top 4, you would play a semi final where 1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd. It’s a great system because as long as you are in the top half of the table, you actually stand a chance to win the league! I think it’s a great system. Great to see Eugene Dadi score a brace in that game too…as the crowd always says “Who’s your Dadi!” More reports to follow….
Dan
While doing some random surfing, I stumbled upon this video on Nick Vujicic. According to Wikipedia, he was born without limbs and only has one small foot with two toes protruding from his left thigh. I’ve attached two videos on this wonderful individual who has been used mightily by God.
Nick Vujicic
1) Be inspired!
Praise the Lord!
Dan