UNO News Net: August 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

LONDON 2012: Anuncian que próximos Juegos Olímpicos serán transmitidos en 3D

Anuncian que próximos Juegos Olímpicos serán transmitidos en 3D

Acuerdo entre Panasonic y el Comité Olímpico Internacional (COI) permitirá ver con esta tecnología el evento deportivo que se realizará en Londres el próximo año.

Gracias a un acuerdo entre Panasonic y el Comité Olímpico Internacional (COI), los próximos Juegos Olímpicos que se realizarán en Londres en 2012 serán los primeros en ser transmitidos en 3D.

El anuncio fue realizado en una conferencia de la multinacional japonesa previa a la inauguración oficial de la feria de electrónica de consumo IFA, donde el gerente ejecutivo de Panasonic, Takumi Kajisha, aseguró que esta difusión "va a cambiar" la forma en que los telespectadores disfrutarán este evento deportivo.

Las transmisiones incluirán las ceremonias de inauguración y clausura, el 27 de julio y el 12 de agosto, respectivamente, así como pruebas de atletismo, gimnasia y natación.

"No hay duda de que los Juegos Olímpicos proporcionarán algunos de los mejores contenidos para el mercado 3D en el futuro, y que la televisión en tres dimensiones cambiará radicalmente la experiencia de estos grandes eventos deportivos en nuestras salas de estar", señaló el directivo de Panasonic, compañía que fabrica las cámaras que se utilizarán en las retransmisiones y que patrocina las olimpiadas desde hace 20 años.

US OPEN 2011 LIVE: Sharapova Sparkles Under the Lights

Sharapova Sparkles Under the Lights

Maria Sharapova takes the stage against Anastasiya Yakimova after a tight four-setter where Andy Roddick prevailed against Michael Russell. Watch all AT

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/index.html

live

Women's Singles

Round 2, First Set

(-)

A.Yakimova

(3)

M.Sharapova

Arthur Ashe Stadium

US OPEN 2011: Venus Williams withdraws from the 2011 US Open

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Two-time US Open champion Venus Williams announced her withdrawal from this year's tournament just before she was due to play her second round match against No. 22 Sabine Lisicki of Germany on Wednesday, August 31. Williams had missed much of the 2011 tennis season with a hip and abdominal injury and then was hit with a virus late in the summer. In a statement regarding her withdrawal, Williams said she has finally received a diagnosis for her illness.

“I’m really disappointed to have to withdraw from this year’s US Open. I have been recently diagnosed with Sjögren's Syndrome, an autoimmune disease which is an ongoing medical condition that affects my energy level and causes fatigue and joint pain. I enjoyed playing my first match here and wish I could continue but right now I am unable to. I am thankful I finally have a diagnosis and am now focused on getting better and returning to the court soon," she said.

Canada's economy shrinks for first time in 2 years

31/08/2011

Canada's economy recorded its first quarterly decline in two years, after the real gross domestic product fell 0.1 per cent in the three-month period ending June 30, according to Statistics Canada.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Wednesday that the decline in second-quarter growth was not a surprise considering the current uncertainty in the global economy.
"As we all know global economic growth has been softer in recent months and this impacted Canada as part of the global economy," Flaherty said in Toronto.

These conditions made it harder for Canadians to sell their goods and services to customers abroad, with StatsCan reporting a drop in export volumes of 2.1 per cent.

Energy exports, in particular, were hard hit in the second quarter, falling 6.7 per cent and the export of goods was down 2.7 per cent.

Wildfires in northern Alberta and maintenance shutdowns hampered domestic oil production in the second quarter, which also contributed to the decline in energy exports.

While the government was pointing to global forces for the drop, the Liberals' interim leader put the blame on Flaherty and the Conservatives.

"The focus for the country, the focus for this government has to be jobs and not cuts," said Bob Rae, adding that the government has been too naïve.

Rae also said that the government should hold plans to cut $4 billion from the federal yearly budget. He stressed that new infrastructure spending and stimulus should be on the table to battle against recessionary forces.

With fewer goods being exported, Canadian businesses saw more stock sitting in storage, which StatsCan said amounted to business inventories increasing $19 billion across the quarter.

BNN's Marty Cej said a build-up of inventory is an issue for the economy, as it makes businesses more reluctant to spend money, whether on staff or saleable goods.

"If that stuff is still on the shelves, that means that companies won't be spending more to bring more goods in and put on their own shelves," Cej said.

"It also means hiring plans might be put off for a little while. So we could see a bit of a slowdown persisting."

But Flaherty and economists remained optimistic that the economy would make some modest gains after the second quarter of 2011.

TD economist Diana Petramala said that while the bank does not expect the Canadian economy to contract in the third quarter, the growth that takes place will "not be robust."

The latest StatsCan data "is a reminder that Canada is not an island, and is vulnerable to external economic shocks," Petramala told The Canadian Press in an interview.

StatsCan said consumer spending was up 0.4 per cent during the second quarter as Canadians spent more on furniture, car repairs, recreation and restaurant food.

The same period saw a 2 per cent decrease in consumer spending on new and used vehicles, following a 1.7 per cent drop in the previous quarter. Canadians also spent 0.5 per cent less on clothing and footwear.

NDP finance critic Peggy Nash conceded that Flaherty can't control global trade winds, but she said the finance minister can do more to spur growth at home.

"He can't control consumer demand or business demand in the U.S. or in Europe, but what he can do is invest strategically in Canadian infrastructure for example to increase demand here in Canada to take up some of that slack," she said.

US OPEN 2011: Samantha Stosur dismisses young American hopeful Coco Vandeweghe

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

It was youth versus experience in the second-round match between young American Coco Vandeweghe and No. 9 seed Samantha Stosur. And inevitably, it was the experienced Aussie who prevailed, 6-3, 6-4, to secure her spot in the next round and send the American home.

This may have been Vandeweghe's first direct main draw appearance, but the 19-year-old played well beyond her years, firing 10 aces (Stosur had none) and matching Stosur shot for shot in rallies.

But Stosur, eight years Vandeweghe's senior and carrying the experience of playing in a major final (2010 French Open) and eight straight US Opens, proved to be the victor in Wednesday's contest and handed the American an early exit.

Stosur needed only one break of serve to put away the first set, taking a 5-2 lead before closing it out on her serve two games later. But after taking a 3-1 lead in the second, Stosur's grip on the match began to slip, as Vandeweghe broke back with a screaming passing shot to even the score and send the crowd into an uproar.

For a brief moment, the crowd's energy behind the American propelled her through her next service game, giving her a 4-3 edge. But in the critical ninth game, the two women played about a dozen deuce points on Vandeweghe's serve, when Stosur finally managed to convert on a break. It was all she needed to serve out the match.

The 27-year-old Aussie had a breakthrough performance at last year's US Open event, reaching the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Kim Clijsters. She did, however, experience bliss in New York when she won the doubles title with Lisa Raymond in 2005.

The 2010 Roland Garros runner-up is riding a wave of solid tennis this year, after having reached the finals in both Rome and Toronto, two semifinals in Stuttgart and Eastbourne, and two quarterfinals at Dubai and Cincinnati. She breezed past Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden in the first round here, dropping only five games.

The young American, ranked No. 112, did well to advance past the first round at a major in seven tries, and her arsenal of shots indicates she is well on her way as one of America's next hopefuls in women's tennis. She defeated No. 56 Alberta Brianti of Italy, 7-5, 6-3, en route to her second round appearance.

Vandeweghe has had success on the Flushing Meadows hard courts in the past, earning the title of 2008 US Open girls champion. In her previous main draw appearances here, as a wild card in 2008 and 2010, she bowed out in the first round. She notched a solid quarterfinal appearance at Memphis this year, as well as the third round at Carlsbad and the second round at both Indian Wells and Birmingham.

Stosur will meet No. 24 seed Nadia Petrova in Round 3.

Match Facts

- Stosur, a doubles champion, went 7-of-9 at the net, while Vandeweghe was 7-of-17.

- Vandeweghe committed 25 unforced errors, just three more than Stosur's 22.

Louis Armstrong Stadium - Women's Singles - 2nd Round

Coco Vandeweghe USA 3 4

Samantha Stosur AUS (9) 6 6

Match Statistics Serve

US OPEN 2011: Four former champs highlight Day 3 play - Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick and Juan Martin Del Potro

Four former champs highlight Day 3 play

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Round one concludes and round two commences Wednesday on Day 3 of the 2011 US Open, as a stellar cast of tennis’ top talents take to the courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Former US Open champs Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick and Juan Martin Del Potro headline the day’s play, which also features Andy Murray, Vera Zvonareva, John Isner and Christina McHale in starring roles.

Williams, unseeded here for the first time since her US Open debut in 1997, was efficient, if not electrifying, in her first-round win over Russia’s Vesna Dolonts. That’s hardly surprising, considering this is only her fourth tournament of the year, and that the 31-year-old missed the entire summer hard-court season. But in winning her 60th career US Open match, Williams showed she still can dig deep when need be, converting on three of five break opportunities to pull out the win. Even without a number next to her name, no opponent is anxious to see the two-time US Open champ on the other side of the net. Today, that view belongs to No. 22 seed Sabine Lisicki, who has won two titles this year and reached the semis of Wimbledon—her best-ever Grand Slam showing. This should be a good test for Williams, as the two women have split a pair of career meetings. This goes three; Williams goes on.

Sharapova, champion here in 2006, was less-than-spectacular in her first-round match, dropping the first set to Heather Watson before rallying for a three-set win. The No. 3 seed made 58 unforced errors and was broken five times in that match, so she’s going to have to sharpen up considerably if she’s considering slicing deep in this draw. Tonight, she can start honing her edge against 24-year-old Anastasia Yakimova of Belarus, whose appearance here in round two marks her best-ever US Open showing. Yakimova did take a set off Sharapova in their only career meeting—a first-round Sharapova win at the 2009 French Open—but on this surface and in this place, the former champ should be too tough to trump. It’s Sharapova in two.

Playing here this year as the No. 21 seed—his lowest seeding since his first US Open appearance in 2000—Roddick, who turned 29 yesterday, has had a decidedly indifferent 2011 campaign. The 2003 US Open champ has won just one title while compiling a 24-11 match record, including a fourth-round finish at the Aussie Open and a third-round loss at Wimbledon. He did, however, reach the semis of last week’s Winston-Salem event, which gave him some much-needed match play entering the Flushing fortnight. Roddick opens up against fellow American Michael Russell, a scrappy veteran who has ranked as high as No. 60 in the world, but who has yet to win a match here in six tries. This ought to be a good opportunity for Roddick to cement his hard-court feet and work his way into a Slam state of mind. Expect the first set to be tight, then expect Roddick to let loose. In three, Roddick advances.

No. 4 seed Murray seems forever on the verge of a major breakthrough, but despite remarkable talent, the 2008 US Open runner-up has remarkably never been able to string seven matches together at a Slam. Murray comes here fresh off a win at the Olympus US Open Series event in Cincinnati, where he beat both Mardy Fish and Novak Djokovic, and he’s absolutely at home on the hard floor of Ashe. But “potential greatness” is one of sport’s most obvious oxymorons, and Murray—one of tennis’ most tenacious competitors—has surely had his fill of runner-up trophies. He’ll get a good early test against India’s No. 1 player, 26-year-old Somdev Devvarman, who won back-to-back NCAA singles titles while at the University of Virginia, beating Isner in the collegiate final in 2007. Devvarman is not in Murray’s class, but he’ll hustle, get a lot of balls back and make the No. 4 seed work hard for points. In an entertaining three, Murray moves on.

The 19-year-old New Jersey native McHale is enjoying a career-high ranking of No. 55 on the heels of a career year in which she’s recorded victories over some of the game’s biggest names, including Daniela Hantuchova, Caroline Wozniacki and former US Open champ Svetlana Kuznetsova (twice). At just 5-foot-5, McHale plays a big game and has an equally large heart, and she’ll need both today against No. 8 seed Marion Bartoli of France. Bartoli, who this year reached the semis at Roland Garros and the quarters at Wimbledon—knocking out Serena Williams en route—is a major talent, but as McHale has shown, you need to bring more than your name when you’re facing her. I like McHale’s grit and I like her game, so I like her chances here. In three, the American plants a seed.

Vera Zvonareva Bio

Venus Williams Bio

Maria Sharapova Bio

Andy Roddick Bio

Andy Murray Bio

Christina McHale Bio

Sabine Lisicki Bio

John Isner Bio

Juan Martin Del Potro Bio

Del Potro serves his way into second round

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina cruised into the second round of play of the 2011 US Open on Wednesday, handily defeating Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 on Louis Armstrong Stadium in just under an hour and a half.
“It was a short match, you know, against Volandri, but I served well,” Del Potro said after the match. “I was improving my game during the match. And to be playing here after win[ning] here, it's special. It's my favorite tournament, so I'm really happy to take the opportunity to play here again.”

The veteran Volandri got a taste of del Potro’s signature serve early, when he watched three del Potro aces blow by him in the fourth game of the match, one of which clocked in at 130 mph. The 18th-seeded del Potro relied on his serve throughout the match, notching 18 aces.

After both players held serve twice in the first set, del Potro earned his first break, taking a 3-2 lead and holding serve throughout the rest of the set. Volandri’s one-handed back hand failed him repeatedly in the first set as he sent many returns into the net or off the court entirely.

Del Potro allowed Volandri to hold serve only once in the second and third sets, as he played lights out tennis, unleashing more aces and powerful overhead slams on his opponent, who didn’t have an answer for the shots he was bombarded with.

Though Del Porto’s serve was in top form, his powerful groundstrokes weren’t always there for him as he watched several powerful backhands and forehands slam into the net. He had 24 unforced errors in the match and despite the score on the board, looked frustrated at times when he missed easy returns.

Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, has had a rocky past two years. In 2010, he was sidelined for eight months due to a right wrist injury, for which he had surgery last May, but he is in the process of staging a long climb back to the top. He has battled back from dipping to 485th in the world in January to his current rank of 18. In each Grand Slam he has competed in this year he has advanced one round further than in the previous tournament. He started the year in Sydney at the Australian Open and exited in the second round in a loss to Marcos Baghdatis. At Roland Garros, he lost to Novak Djokovic in three sets in the third round, and at Wimbledon in July, he eventually fell to then defending champion Rafael Nadal in a five set barn burner in the fourth round.

“I keep improving very slowly, that's important,” Del Potro said of recovering from his injury. “I think I'm serving much better than two years ago or in the beginning of this year. I know that other players are playing much better than me at this moment, especially the top 10 players. But, to be here playing this tournament, for me it's a great signal for my future. I know I'm getting closer to my best level, and that's important.”

Del Potro will face fellow Argentine Diego Junqueira in the second round.

Match Facts

- Voldrani has never made it past the second round of the US Open. His best Grand Slam performance to date was making the fourth round of Roland Garros in 2007.

- Del Potro is on an eight match winning streak at the US Open. His last loss at Flushing Meadows was in 2008 to Andy Murray in the quarterfinals.

- This was del Potro and Volandri's first meeting.

Louis Armstrong Stadium - Men's Singles - 1st Round

Juan Martin Del Potro ARG (18) 6 6 6

Filippo Volandri ITA 3 1 1

US OPEN 2011: Vera Zvonareva survives second-round test with Kateryna Bondarenko

Vera Zvonareva survives second-round test

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

No. 2 seed Vera Zvonareva was tested in her second-round match Wednesday at the US Open, before prevailing 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 against Kateryna Bondarenko.

Zvonareva, last year’s runner-up, started slow with a slew of forehand errors, enabling the Ukranian to break for a 3-1 lead. Bondarenko, a quarterfinalist here in 2009, relinquished the advantage in the following game to put the set back on serve.

With Bondarenko serving at 5-5, 15-30, the Zvonareva set up two break points with a backhand-swinging volley winner. After missing the first opportunity, Zvonareva earned her second break with a punishing forehand down the line and closed out the set with a routine service game.

Leading 3-1 in the second set, the Russian’s level of play took a downward turn. Though proficient coming forward in the first set, winning all 14 points at net, Zvonareva won just 4 of her 10 net approaches in the second set, and committed 11 unforced errors to just four winners en route to losing five straight games.

She regrouped to start the third set, breaking Bondarenko in the second game. Though Zvonareva dropped serve leading 4-2, she broke Bondarenko again to move ahead 5-3. Bondarenko made Zvonareva work for the victory, holding break point in an intense final game before the Russian sealed the win on her third match point.

Zvonareva improved to 2-0 against Bondarenko and advances to play No. 30 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues, who eliminated British teenage qualifier Laura Robson 6-2, 6-3.

Match Facts

- Zvonareva commited 46 unforced errors, to Bondarenko's 42

- The two combined for 11 breaks of serve in 13 break point opportunities

- Zvonareva won 22 of her 28 net approaches

- Zvonareva won their previous meeting in the 2005 Memphis quarterfinals

Arthur Ashe Stadium - Women's Singles - 2nd Round

Kateryna Bondarenko UKR 5 6 3

Vera Zvonareva RUS (2) 7 3 6

An Interview With: Vera Zvonareva

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Q. The first one might have been a bit easy, but this one was a little testier out there today. Talk about that.

VERA ZVONAREVA: Definitely. It was a good test for me. You know, I know Kateryna for a long time and I knew she was a dangerous player, so I expected a very tough match. And it was.I think I didn't play my best tennis, but I managed to go, to get through this one. I gave myself another chance to go out there and next time and try to do a little bit better.

Q. Are you pleased with the way you played today?

VERA ZVONAREVA: I wouldn't say I'm pleased with the quality of tennis I showed, but I'm pleased the way I handled the match. It wasn't easy for me out there and she's a tricky player. I was trying to find my ways. You know, I had the lead in the second set and she was able to turn it around. I think she just went for her shots.You know, it was difficult for me in the second set, but I started well the third set and then I was able to, you know, to play some good rallies when I needed it in the tight moments. Still, I'm not happy about that I gave her chances in the second set, that I gave her chances to get back into the match. You know, still I was leading in the third set, and again I gave her chances a little bit. But overall, I'm happy. You know, I was trying to get adjusted to the conditions and the court. You know, on one side you play against the wind; on the other side you play with the wind. The center court is definitely different from the courts that we practice on. So overall, I think it was good for me to be out there today and to get through this match.

Q. Can you talk about the challenges of the next match coming up? Medina Garrigues is you're going to be playing.

VERA ZVONAREVA: Yeah, I think she won already today. She's very dangerous player, you know, tough opponent. I haven't give given it a thought yet, but definitely going to be a tough one. I don't recall playing her in a long time. Last time we played I think it was maybe four years ago, and I think it was red clay. So it's going to be a new day. I will think about it, but definitely it's going to be a tough one.

Q. First set you won all 14 points at the net, but you seemed to like abandon that strategy. You run out of gas?

VERA ZVONAREVA: No, I think, yeah, I should have taken more risk in second and third set, but I felt like I was a little bit off my rhythm. You know, with the wind I could have gone to net a bit more, and against the wind maybe I, you know, should have tried. Sometimes I felt like I was trying at the wrong times. She would give me deep ball, and I tried to attack it, come into the net, and she would hit a good passing shot. And the next time I have a shorter ball and I don't use that opportunity. I just felt like, you know, was a bit wrong timing. So I was going to the net but at the wrong times. Then when I needed to go to the net I wasn't using it. So it was just, yeah, mistiming. That's something that I need to work on a little bit more.

Q. When you have a match like this where you don't play your best, do you just look at it and say, Well, I advanced to the next round; I'll worry about it later? Does it kind of bother you that here's a Grand Slam, you made the finals a year ago, and you didn't play very well today?

VERA ZVONAREVA: Well, if I look back, you know, I always don't play my best tennis in the first or second round. Never happened. And the same was last year. I'm not worried about it. Most important is to get through those matches. These kind of matches, they give you confidence that you advance, so now you have another chance. You know, I try to handle the situation the way it is on the court, and I don't play my best tennis every week. It's not like this. But still, I managed, you know, to win couple of tournaments this year without playing my best tennis. You know, you have to handle the situation. You're in this moment. That's what it is. You are facing those challenges and I'm just dealing with them. I don't care about the rest, you know. And once I walk off the court and I start thinking afterwards, later, tomorrow about my next match, I will think about it, but at those moments if I give myself space to think about overall game, well, I will not win that match.

Q. You said on Monday that, you know, the first round match is always a period of adjustment, getting a feeling for the court and the atmosphere and the tournament itself. Where in a Grand Slam fortnight do you generally find that you really hit your stride?

VERA ZVONAREVA: Hard to say, but usually I'm there by the fourth round. That's where I really pick it up. In any tournament, like starting the quarterfinals, that's where I feel like I'm really picking up the level of my game.

Q. Is there a difference for you between matches in the morning and the evening, maybe with the crowd or something like that?

VERA ZVONAREVA: Not really. You know, I think I'm quite experienced and quite mature already. I played a lot of morning, a lot of night session matches, so it doesn't really matter to me at the moment. The most important is to try to stay focused on that match, and that's it.

Q. Why do you think you get off to these slow starts in the Grand Slams, first couple rounds?

VERA ZVONAREVA: I think, you know, I'm all around the court player and I can do a lot of things, but it takes time for me to get adjusted to new surface, new conditions. It's always been like this. I can play very well on any surface, but I just need some time. And I think that's why also, you know, it takes for me couple of two, three matches to really get to that level where I want to be.

Four former champs highlight Day 3 play

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

US OPEN 2011: Christina McHale looks to keep up a great summer at the US Open, upsetting Marion Bartoli

Christina McHale looks to keep up a great summer at the US Open, upsetting Marion Bartoli

After her three-set first round victory over Aleksandra Wozniak in the first round of the 2011 US Open, Christina McHale called it her best win of the summer, which is not a trivial label, considering her victories over world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and No. 17 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the last few weeks.

However, the ‘best victory’ label for that win was short lived.

On Wednesday, McHale, 19, upset No. 8 Marion Bartoli 7-6 (2), 6-2 to advance to the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her soaring career, at her favorite tournament, the US Open.

McHale is from nearby Englewood Cliffs, N.J. and trains year-round at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the home of the US Open.

The crowd was considerably in McHale’s favor in her first two matches, including a bunch of family members who still find it extremely exciting to see the 19-year-old on the big stage. They will become more and more used to it, however, as McHale has taken her game to another level this year and surged up the WTA rankings to a career-high No. 55, and hopes to keep her US Open run going.

“It is still weird and exciting for them and for me,” McHale said of her family watching her play in the US Open. “It is still super exciting to be here. It is so nice, after a long day, I can go to my own bed, wake up and have breakfast at my house. I am enjoying it so far and hopefully I can keep it going.”

McHale earned her first career Grand Slam main draw victory at the 2009 US Open, defeating Polona Hercog in the opening round, earning her a night match in Arthur Ashe Stadium against Maria Sharapova. But now has played in the main draw of all four Grand Slams in the same year for the first time in her career and this is surely just the first year of many.

As she moved up the WTA rankings, she was able to enter more tournaments and credits the increased match experience, as well as increased strength, as reasons for the improvement in her game.

“I feel like I am playing well, I have played a lot of matches, I am feeling match ready and excited to be in the next round,” she said. “I have more experience now. I think that is the biggest thing. The nerves are still there but I am getting better at handling it.”

She trains at the tennis center at the USTA National Training Center East when she is at home with general manager of USTA Player Development Patrick McEnroe and USTA coaches Jay Gooding and Jorge Todero. When she was 14, she moved from her home in New Jersey to live and train at the USTA Training Center Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla. McHale had been splitting time between Boca and a club in New Jersey for awhile but earlier this year, made the decision to just train at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where she will be close to home. Although now it is a switch to see the tennis center filled with hundreds of thousands of people for the US Open.

“It is so weird, just a couple weeks ago, nothing was up,” she said of the tennis center’s transformation. “I train here and everything just changed around for the Open. The best part is getting to stay at my house.

"I wanted to be home more, and they have a really good set-up. I just went there to practice for a few days when I was home and it felt right," McHale said of her training change. "Everything just feels good now, to be able to be home and have good training there.”

The coaches are working with McHale on increasing her aggressiveness to go with her increased strength, including coming to net more and taking the ball early, and have been a tremendous support system for her.

She earned her second career Grand Slam main draw victory at Wimbledon this year, defeating Ekaterina Makarova 8-6 in the third set in the opening round, which turned into a springboard for her summer. She reached the third round in Carlsbad, the third round in Cincinnati (where she defeated Wozniacki) and the quarterfinals in New Haven.

Just a year ago, however, McHale was thinking of putting off playing professional tennis after graduating from high school. She had been forgoing all prize money in tournaments in order to maintain her amateur status for NCAA eligibility, should she want to compete in college. She had been thinking of going to college for at least a year, although her tennis career was going very well, including reaching the round of 16 in Charleston and won a USTA Wild Card Playoff to earn her first main draw entry to Roland Garros.

But after her first match at Roland Garros, she changed her mind. Even though she lost, she decided she had to give pro tennis a try.

"It was just when it felt right," she added of the timing of her decision last year. "When I went (to the French Open), I didn’t go there with the intention to turn pro. It was just after the tournament, we decided to. My parents wanted me to do whatever I wanted to do, and they would support my decision.”

It has turned into a great decision for the player who first started hitting tennis balls as a four-year-old child when the McHales lived in Hong Kong. The family relocated to Hong Kong from New Jersey for her father John’s job in international finance when Christina was a young child and stayed for six years.

Her mother, Margarita, who is originally from Cuba, had started playing tennis when her older sister Lauren was a baby, and loved it, competing in a league with a few other women. When they moved to Hong Kong, Margarita wanted to keep playing tennis and when Christina was four and Lauren was six, she started letting them hit balls with her, figuring it would be something entertaining and something for them all to do together. She did not know she was building two future tennis stars. Lauren is a successful collegiate player at the University of North Carolina.

The girls took to the game right away, but also were excellent swimmers, and when the McHales returned to New Jersey, their swim and tennis coaches recognized their talent and recommended they focus on one sport, where they could really excel. Lauren picked tennis, and Christina, wanting to play with her sister, did too.

And she is now the fourth-highest ranked American woman in the world, although she tries not to think too much about her ranking, knowing how it can fluctuate. Next she plays No. 25 Maria Kirilenko, but whoever the opponent, she will keep focusing on each point and playing well on the big points and hopes it will not be her last singles match this tournament.

“I just tried to do my best on every point and I hope I can keep it going,” McHale said.

Women's Bios

Christina McHale

Country: United States of America

Birth Date: 11 May 1992

Birth Place: Teaneck, NJ, USA

Residence: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA

Height: 5 ft. 5 in. ( 1.65 metres )

Weight: 108 lbs. ( 49.1 kilos )

Plays:

Turned Pro: N/A

An Interview With: Christina McHale

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Q. You said the first round win was the best of your summer. Did that now top that one?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah. I'm so excited to have beaten a player like Marion, especially have it happen here at the US Open.

Q. You rank it higher than the Wozniacki win?

CHRISTINA McHALE: I think they're different wins. I had never really, at the Grand Slams, made it past the second round. Yeah, that was a good win for me, too, but I think to have it happen here at the Grand Slam is exciting for me.

Q. When you get ahead in the second set against a big name player like Bartoli, in your mind what do you know you have to do to not letdown?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I knew that like I had to try. I couldn't let her I couldn't play like any sloppy games. I had to try and compete really hard in the second set because I knew she was going to try even harder, too, to get the second set because she lost the first. Yeah, when I went from 3 Love to 3 2, I was like, C'mon, Christina, don't let it get back to 3 All. That game was a big game to get it to 4 2.

Q. What shots did you play in that game?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Uhm, I was serving. I think we had a couple rallies. There was not one particular shot in that game.

Q. The net cord point.

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, yeah, I got lucky there.

Q. How significant was that, in your mind?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, for sure. It put me up 40 15, so... Yeah, it definitely helped.
Q. How big was the one before that where she shouts, C'mon, you get the ball back?

CHRISTINA McHALE: That's actually happened to me before. What happened to her happened to me. I knew that I would get the point because I'd had the opposite happen to me where I lost the point.

Q. You actually yelled out in the middle of a point?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I thought the person wasn't going to get it. I thought it was a winner. I had the same thing where I said, C'mon, too early, and you automatically lose the point.

Q. You don't seem to say a lot on the court. How would you describe yourself and your demeanor?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I think it's my personality not to show too much, I guess, not to show too much negative or positive. I try to stay in the middle.

Q. What have you learned since Paris that helps you get through games like that?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I think like that was a really, really tough loss for me, but I think it's helped me to learn how to close out matches earlier.

Q. Marion was impressed with your movement today. Do you feel you were moving better today than you were in other matches?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Uhm, I felt like I was yeah, I had to constantly, because she just hits the angles really well and takes it early. I felt like I constantly had to move that way in order to have a chance.

Q. Have you tried the egg that Novak is using or has used?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I've tried it before.

Q. Did you think it helped?

CHRISTINA McHALE: I don't think I did it enough to be able to say.

Q. What was it like?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Uhm, it's different. But, yeah, I didn't do it enough to be able to comment on it.

Q. There's obviously a kind of a lull in American women's tennis, in tennis overall for young players. In your dreams, do you imagine you could fill that void and become the next great player that we have?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Uhm, yeah, that's what I'm working towards. I think there's a lot of American players, young American players, right now that are all kind of pushing each other. So I think it's exciting.

Q. Talk about that process. How does it help to have kind of an ensemble?

CHRISTINA McHALE: We all push each other to want to do better, yeah.

Q. When you did this egg, as we call it, was it last year or this year? Is it like being inside an oven? What is it like in there?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I tried it last year just a couple times. And, yeah, it feels like you're on an airplane.

Q. The pressurized air?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Uh huh.

Q. You did it the same place that Novak did it, the same house?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah.

Q. How long were you in it?

CHRISTINA McHALE: I mean, it's like little sessions. I don't even remember, like seven minute sessions.

Q. When I get off an airplane I feel terrible.

CHRISTINA McHALE: I didn't do it enough to be able to give you like an expert opinion on it. I don't know.

Q. You're the hometown favorite. How does it feel to make it to your first third round of a major championship here?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, it's huge. I mean, I'm so excited right now. I've been working really hard, uhm, you know, on the practice court. So, yeah, it's exciting to have it happen here especially.

Q. How has your family been doing and how have you been doing post hurricane? Were you hit at all?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Oh, yeah, I am staying at my house. We were lucky. We just had like really bad winds that night. But, no, we had no damage to our house. The houses around us as well were fine. We were lucky.

Q. The move in February to come back here and train here and live at home, how much has that made you happier or been better for you?

CHRISTINA McHALE: It's so nice to be able to be home. With all the traveling that I do, it always feels amazing to come home and be able to train at home. I get to spend more time here. It's huge for me.

Q. How would you describe this place a couple weeks ago?

CHRISTINA McHALE: It's so different seeing it when no one is here, nothing is set up. Now it feels completely different.

Q. Has it helped to make you feel really comfortable here?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah. I mean, I'm getting to stay at my house while I'm here. I'm sleeping in my own bed and all that. Yeah, it's weird, but it's so nice to have that.

Q. You saw what happened to Melanie a couple years ago here. Do you have a sense of how much the American public wants to glom onto someone?

CHRISTINA McHALE: I try not to think about that too much. I mean, when I go out there every time on the court, I'm going to try my best, try to compete really hard.

Q. Patrick McEnroe said he's hit with you a bunch of times here. What do you get out of that?

CHRISTINA McHALE: It's so nice having him around. We've hit a lot throughout the year when I've been here. Yeah, I mean, it's really nice having someone like him around to hit with and give advice.

Q. Most kids who grow up in the Metropolitan area have a favorite US Open story when they were young. Do you have something you recall coming here the first time?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Someone asked me this the other day. I don't remember a particular match. I just remember we'd all get here when the gates opened and we'd literally spend the whole day here, all of our friends, running from court to court, trying to get an autograph, a picture. It was so much fun for us.

Q. I know you said you like to stay even keeled. Today you were pumped up. Was that a response to the crowd, what she was doing?

CHRISTINA McHALE: No. I think, yeah, I was the crowd was definitely helping me. No, I just knew like I had to try to pump myself up to stay like engaged in the match, yeah.

Q. You didn't come from tennis parents. Do you think that's been good for you? Were you aware of some of the reputations out there growing up?

CHRISTINA McHALE: My parents have always been really supportive. My sister played, too, so, yeah, they've been always so supportive. So it's nice.

Q. What's it like being on the road with your mom?

CHRISTINA McHALE: It's great. I always like having someone with me, whether it's my sister, my mom, or my dad. It's nice.

Q. Do you remember the Maria match two years ago?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yes.

Q. Was that spotlight almost too bright, and do you have any idea how...

CHRISTINA McHALE: I didn't have as much experience then. I think, yeah, now I'm more experienced. But still, I mean, I still have, yeah, a lot more experience that I have to learn still.

Q. Do you have any idea what this ride might be like going forward now?

CHRISTINA McHALE: No. I'm just going to get ready for the next match, yeah.

Q. How well do you know the other young Americans, Coco, Sloane, Irina, Madison?

CHRISTINA McHALE: How well do I know them?

Q. Yes.

CHRISTINA McHALE: Uhm, yeah, we've all grown up together playing juniors and stuff. We all know each other.

Q. Did you get an autograph on that afternoon?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Which one?

Q. You were talking about your friends looking for autographs. Did you get any?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah. We got everyone, I think.

Q. Such as?

CHRISTINA McHALE: I think I got Rafa's autograph. That was exciting for us. We got Agassi, too. Yeah, so...

Q. Does it feel weird knowing you're the one whose autograph they're seeking?

CHRISTINA McHALE: It still feels weird, yeah.

Q. Marion said it seemed like you knew where she was going all the time. She didn't know if you were reading her or you were just having a good sense of anticipation. What was it today?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Uhm, well, I just knew how to always be on my toes and ready to react to her shots because she takes the ball really early. I guess it was a combination of both maybe. I started anticipating better as the match went on. Or I just reacted when I saw it, yeah.

Q. With you and Novak Djokovic having a relationship with Gordon, anything you've been able to glean from that?

CHRISTINA McHALE: I don't train over there anymore.

Q. Since you started training with this new team, can you talk about how they've helped you, maybe any changes you've made?

CHRISTINA McHALE: Yeah, I mean, from when I first came here they were all really supportive, all the coaches. The kids, too. It's nice being in an environment training here. Yeah, it's really good training for me and they're all so supportive.

Q. Are you at the point where when you step on the court against anybody you think you can beat them?

CHRISTINA McHALE: No, I don't I try not to before the match think about the result when I'm going out there. I just try and focus on each point.

BAFONA IN TORONTO: National Folkloric Ballet of Chile at Sony Centre on October 19

BAFONA EN TORONTO

Ballet Folklórico Nacional Chileno

Miércoles 19 de Octubre de 2011, 7:00 pm

Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

1 Front Street East (esquina Yonge), Toronto, ON M5E 1B2

Como parte de su primera gira canadiense, el Ballet Folklórico Nacional chileno, BAFONA, presentará en Toronto todo su talento y maestría artística, en uno de los principales escenarios de la ciudad.

La gira de BAFONA a Canadá suma a su despliegue cultural una importante faceta de solidaridad, en apoyo de la reconstrucción, por Habitat for Humanity, de la Escuela Básica Nóbeles de Chile, en la localidad de Marchigüe, en el centro-sur del país, afectada por el terremoto de Febrero de 2010.

Disfrute del baile, la música y el color de un espectáculo folklórico chileno de clase mundial y súmese al esfuerzo a favor de los niños de una escuela rural chilena. No se pierda a BAFONA en Toronto, el 19 de Octubre, en función única. ¡Compre sus entradas ya! Visite

www.sonycentre.cawww.ticketmaster.ca (busque por National Folkloric Ballet of Chile)

Tickets desde $31 a $62

Organiza Together for Chile, con el patrocinio del Gobierno de Chile y un selecto grupo de auspiciadores . Más detalles en www.bafonatour.com

BAFONA IN TORONTO

National Folkloric Ballet of Chile

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011 7 p.m.

Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

1 Front Street East, Toronto, ON; M5E 1B2

As part of its first Canadian tour, the National Folkloric Ballet of Chile (BAFONA) brings to one of Toronto’s premiere venues all the artistry and skill of its dancers and musicians.

BAFONA’s Canadian tour pairs culture and solidarity, since its proceeds go towards Habitat for Humanity's project of rebuilding the Nobeles de Chile School, in Marchigue, a community located in the south-central area in Chile, which was affected by the earthquake in February 2010.

Enjoy a stunning evening of vibrant Chilean folk dancing and music performed by a world class ensemble and join this initiative that benefits the children of a rural elementary school in Chile.

Do not miss out on BAFONA in this spectacular and only show in Toronto on Wednesday, October 19th. Buy your tickets today by visiting:

http://www.sonycentre.cawww.ticketmaster.ca/ (search for: National Folkloric Ballet of Chile)

Tickets from $31 to $62

This event is organized by Together for Chile, with the sponsorship of the Government of Chile and the support of a select group of valued partners and sponsors. For more information, please visit: http://www.bafonatour.com/

Our Mission

Together for Chile was formed by Canadian citizens after the Feb 27th, 2010 earthquake and tsunami, with a common purpose of long term rebuilding projects for the residents of Chile. Together for Chile proudly brings you The BAFONA Tour which will help with these efforts, by rebuilding a school in Chile. This event provides world class entertainment while fundraising for the rebuilding of Chile.

Contact Us

Office: 403-770-6590

E: events@togetherforchile.com

School Rebuild

Together For Chile’ is a community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to provide better and safer communities for the catastrophe stricken children and families of Chile, so that they can thrive and build a better future for generations to come.

Together for Chile was formed by Canadian citizens after the Feb 27th, 2010 earthquake and tsunami, with a common purpose of long term rebuilding projects for the residents of Chile. Together for Chile proudly brings you The BAFONA Tour which will help with these efforts, by rebuilding a school in Chile. This event provides world class entertainment while fundraising for the rebuilding of Chile.

How Together For Chile is helping.

We have a series of events planned for the next year to meet our goal of raising $300,000. And in order to do this we have formed a partnership with The Calgary Foundation who is able to provide our donors with tax receipts (for donations over $25) and directly administers all the donations collected.

Once we have reached our goal The Calgary Foundation will transfer the funds directly to our second partner, Habitat for Humanity who will manage the construction and implementation of the school and community centre we intend to build in an area devastated by the earthquake.

It’s important to know that Together For Chile is exclusively run by volunteers. People who are passionate about working together to ensure that the children of Chile who endured the earthquake will have their schools rebuilt and their hope restored.

‎100% of the Tour proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity’s project to rebuild the Nobeles de Chile School, in Marchigue, Chile.

Tour Schedule

Performance Date & Times

•Edmonton, September 30th, 7pm @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, ticket sales through Ticketmaster, 1-855-985-5000. —— Please click on the link to the right for tickets ——

•Calgary, October 3rd, 7pm @ EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, ticket sales through EPCOR Centre Box Office, 403.294.9494. —— Please click on the link to the right for tickets ——

•Vancouver, October 6th, 7pm @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre, ticket sales through Ticketmaster, 1-855-985-5000. —— Please click on the link to the right for tickets ——

•Quebec City, October 10th, 8pm @ Palais Montcalm, ticket sales through Billetterie du

Palais Montcalm, 418 641-6040. —— Please click on the link to the right for tickets ——

•Montreal, October 13th, 7pm @ Place des Arts – Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, ticket sales through Place des Arts Ticket Office, 514-842-2112. —— Please click on the link to the right for tickets ——

•Ottawa, October 17th, 7pm @ Centrepointe Theatre, ticket sales through Capital Tickets, 613-580-2700. —— Please click on the link to the right for tickets ——

•Toronto, October 19th, 7pm, @ SONY Centre for the Performing Arts, ticket sales through Ticketmaster, 1-855-985-5000. —— Please click on the link to the right for tickets ——

Workshop/Events Date & Times

•September 29th – BAFONA Community encounters, Cultural exchange meetings, University-level Workshops and/or minor performances.

•October 2nd – BAFONA Community encounters, Cultural exchange meetings, University-level Workshops and/or minor performances.

•October 4th – BAFONA Community encounters, Cultural exchange meetings, University-level Workshops and/or minor performances.

•October 7th – BAFONA Community encounters, Cultural exchange meetings, University-level Workshops and/or minor performances.

•October 9th – BAFONA Community encounters, Cultural exchange meetings, University-level Workshops and/or minor performances.

•October 12th – BAFONA Community encounters, Cultural exchange meetings, University-level Workshops and/or minor performances.

•October 15th – BAFONA Community encounters, Cultural exchange meetings, University-level Workshops and/or minor performances.

•October 18th – BAFONA Community encounters, Cultural exchange meetings, University-level Workshops and/or minor performances.

The BAFONA Tour

Together for Chile – BAFONA Canada Tour 2011.

Overview

Formed by Canadian citizens, Together for Chile`s efforts to raise funds have always been guided by a strong desire to give something back to the Canadian society. Whether through a Wine and Cheese event, representing Chile on Calgary`s Global Fest or Latin American Film presentations, Together for Chile has shown its commitment to generate spaces of cultural exchange while pursuing its plans to lend a hand to those who need it the most in Chile. Uniting to create a bigger impact is what brought the individuals of Together for Chile together. By supporting fundraising efforts in the community and planning for a longer term rebuilding project, as a collective group we can make a bigger difference.

During Together for Chile`s Executive Coordinator, Mr Patricio Herrera`s trip to Chile on June 2010, several meetings with Government officials were held, while introducing Together for Chile to Chilean Officials valuable information was provided. After Mr Herrera`s return, the idea of generating a major event in Canada was quickly analysed by the Executive members and Volunteers. By the end of July, formal communications with the National Folkloric Ballet of Chile were already advanced.

The idea of a major event was then pursued and contacts with a number of Chilean Institutions were initiated, in the following months and working in close cooperation with:

•Chilean Ministry of Culture. (www.cnca.cl)

•Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs DIRAC (Cultural Affairs Directorate, www.minrel.cl).

•Fundación Imagen de Chile (www.thisischile.cl).

•Embassy of Chile to Canada.

•Chilean Consulates to Canada.

This is how the Together for Chile BAFONA Canada Tour 2011 became a reality.

The Ballet

National Folkloric Ballet of Chile (BAFONA)

Overview

Since 1965 BAFONA (National Folkloric Ballet of Chile) has delivered world-class performances to more than 13 million spectators in over 600 cities in Chile, Latin America, United States, Europe, Russia, China, Malaysia and Japan.

The Canadian Tour will be composed of 19 Dancers, 15 Musicians and 4 Tech Staff Members with a repertoire of 45 choreographic pieces. Given that is BAFONA’s debut performance in Canada, you will experience the extraordinary!

Watch this video from 2010 about BAFONA;

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Wednesday, August 31, 2011