Tennis Magazine has a online article about "2006 fashion trends"
http://www.tennis.com/backcourt/general/backcourt.aspx?id=56620
Makes an interesting read.
and dont forget to read about Radek!
quote"Radek StepanekWhen did Foot Locker salesmen learn toplay so well?"
Technorati Tags:radek stepanek , tenis magazine
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Monday, January 01, 2007
Hingis and Radek at WTA Championship in Madrid
Here are the pictures: Hingis with fiance Radek Stepanek at the WTA Madrid Championships in 2006
http://forum2.hingis.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=22566
Technorati Tags:hingis
The Stepanek In-Laws like her too
The proud parents-in-law, Article in Blick about the parents of Radek Dec. 31, 2006
Thanx again to Hilarius for translations
I think this is the last translation in 2006 (Central European Time)
Text by Barbara Lienhard publ. in “Sonntagsblick” of Dec. 31, 2006
Proud parents-in-law: There couldn’t be a bigger pleasure”
Vlastimil Stepanek trained formerly his son Radek and Martina Hingis. Now they want marry.
A visit to the happiest parents-in-law in the Czech Republic.
“You better sit down first, , otherwise you will fall dawn” Radek Stepanek advised his parents Vlastimil (60) and Hana (55). He tenderly held the hands of Martina and announced: “ We shall marry!”
When Vlastimil remembers this moment in November he still gets moved: “We cannot wish a better wife for our son”. Mama Hana is overjoyed about the engagement of her son with the Swiss tennis champion. “I like Martina very much, she is a girl with humour” she says. “We know each other for a long time”. In contrast to her husband, the educated librarian is not surprised about the proposal. “The relation is good, both have a similar character”.
No wonder, the two tennisplayers know each other since early childhood. The beginning of her love was 22 years ago on a claycourt in the town of Prerov. At this time pro trainer Vlastimil Stepanek trained not only his son, but also the four years old Martina, born in Slovakia , as the daughter of tennis player Karoly Hingis and the player Melanie Molitor. Vlastimil remembers that Martina came daily with her mother Melanie to play tennis. Her exceptional talent could already be seen. “She was so good, that she didn’t find an equal partner among the girls and she even beat the boys” says the future father-in-law. “When there was any boys doubles, she played with Radek”. He shares with the former number 1 the passion for tennis: “Radek grew up more or less on the courts. He had tears when he should go home in the evening, even he was so tired that he couldn’t play”, says the proud father.
In 1998 Karoly and Melanie Hingis divorced and Martina went with her mother to Switzerland. But the friendship between the two tennis-children lasted on. At the Australian Open in 2006 Cupid threw a dart and Martina and Radek fell in love. For the Stepaneks the nicest gift: Parents can’t have a bigger joy”.
Technorati Tags:martina hingis , hingis , hingis radek , radek stepanek
Thanx again to Hilarius for translations
I think this is the last translation in 2006 (Central European Time)
Text by Barbara Lienhard publ. in “Sonntagsblick” of Dec. 31, 2006
Proud parents-in-law: There couldn’t be a bigger pleasure”
Vlastimil Stepanek trained formerly his son Radek and Martina Hingis. Now they want marry.
A visit to the happiest parents-in-law in the Czech Republic.
“You better sit down first, , otherwise you will fall dawn” Radek Stepanek advised his parents Vlastimil (60) and Hana (55). He tenderly held the hands of Martina and announced: “ We shall marry!”
When Vlastimil remembers this moment in November he still gets moved: “We cannot wish a better wife for our son”. Mama Hana is overjoyed about the engagement of her son with the Swiss tennis champion. “I like Martina very much, she is a girl with humour” she says. “We know each other for a long time”. In contrast to her husband, the educated librarian is not surprised about the proposal. “The relation is good, both have a similar character”.
No wonder, the two tennisplayers know each other since early childhood. The beginning of her love was 22 years ago on a claycourt in the town of Prerov. At this time pro trainer Vlastimil Stepanek trained not only his son, but also the four years old Martina, born in Slovakia , as the daughter of tennis player Karoly Hingis and the player Melanie Molitor. Vlastimil remembers that Martina came daily with her mother Melanie to play tennis. Her exceptional talent could already be seen. “She was so good, that she didn’t find an equal partner among the girls and she even beat the boys” says the future father-in-law. “When there was any boys doubles, she played with Radek”. He shares with the former number 1 the passion for tennis: “Radek grew up more or less on the courts. He had tears when he should go home in the evening, even he was so tired that he couldn’t play”, says the proud father.
In 1998 Karoly and Melanie Hingis divorced and Martina went with her mother to Switzerland. But the friendship between the two tennis-children lasted on. At the Australian Open in 2006 Cupid threw a dart and Martina and Radek fell in love. For the Stepaneks the nicest gift: Parents can’t have a bigger joy”.
Technorati Tags:martina hingis , hingis , hingis radek , radek stepanek
Hingis reasons why Radek is right for her
Thanx to Irinska & Hilarius
Radlek gefiel mir schon vor 22 Jahren,
a new article where Martina explains why Radek is the right man for her
Translation of an article in Sonntagsblick of Dec. 31, 2006 by Barbara Lienhard.
I hesitated to translate the article as there are more or less no new facts, but an order by Irinska is an order to be obeyed.
“ I took a fancy at Radek already 22 years ago“
Q: Congratulations to the engagement, Mrs. Hingis. How do you feel?
Martina: I am overjoyed that Radek proposed to me. Thank goodness it was a month ago. Now I am clear-headed again after this surprise So I can focus on playing tennis.
Q: Where and when did Radek Stepanek proposed to you?
Martina: On November 24, quite romantically in a restaurant under the Karls bridge in Prague.
Q: Why do you know that Radek is the right one?
Martina: Love you cannot define by the intellect. I simply feel that he is the right one. We know each other already since 22 years and I took always a shine to him.
Q: How did this friendship developped suddenly to love?
Martina: Cupid simply threw his dart. This too I cannot explain. The attraction between us was always so big, that I never forgot him, even when I was dating other men.
Q: How important is it for you, that your future husband is a tennis pro?
Martina: Radek knows the tennis circus and has an understanding of my life. Therefore we match perfectly.
Q: The tennis-princess and her tennis-prince: This sounds like a fairytale wedding.
Martina: We are engaged, because we form a pair and as I want to spend my future with Radek. For both of us this decision is important. About the details of the wedding we have not yet talked.
Q: Even not about the date?
Martina: No. We just do not know it.
Q: Do you want to have children?
Martina: At the moment this is no theme. But who knows, what will be in five, ten years.
Q: Do you leave now Switzerland and will you go to live with Radek in the Czech Republic?
Martina: Surely not. I shall always stay in Switzerland, where I have my family, my roots(sic!), my horses. Probably we shall commute between Switzerland and the appartments of Radek in Florida, Monte Carlo and Prague. Where we live is not important, the main point is that we are together.
source: http://www.blick.ch/sonntagsblick/aktuell/artikel52618
Happy New Year 2007!!!
Wishing Hingis-Radek Happy New Year: Two birdies in love.
Coming back to...
Heh so we had a blast yesterday at our place wherein the kids of our colony organised a grand celebration with lots of cool dances to the latest songs.
and Dhoom 2 was the theme of many songs. lol
the programs went till 2.00 a.m. with the entire 80 families being awake!!!
The only bump was the smell of burning rubber towards the end of the program. From our building, since the electricity to the stage, speakers & lighting was taken from our supply.
Damn everyone got scared cause only last to last Wednesday was a major electrical fire in our adjoining building and everyone came running down to douse the flames then. All the women and kids there were stuck up on the terrace since the fire was burning on the ground floor passageway.
the entire electrical casing got thoroughly burnt!!!
with those memories we were left afraid. in the end it turned out the rubber burning smell was from the shoes that were put on the doll we burst to celebrate the passing of 2006. heheee
quite comic.
so i have been smsing and calling friends and people. ;)
and to all my friends reading this "Wishing you all the best in 2007"
tag:happy new year 2007
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Hingis Marriage: bloom or doom
Martina Hingis and Radek Stepanek romance : bloom or doom
The fans are going gaga over the engagement and their compatibility. With almost daily articles especially from the Swiss press and Hingis’ & Stepanek’s own sound bites fielding queries about when they first met, proposed etc. to contend with, fans are already saying its taken that this will last for ever.
Firstly some things in perspective. Hingis has never been short of men in her life. She has had a string of known relationships, any unknown we wouldn’t know. From tennis players Alonso, Heuberger, Norman to ice hockey player Pavel Kubina, to golfer Garcia, lawyer Calkin and ski-instructor Stefan Egger just to name a few, she has had many past relationships.
Her recent statement that she always had Radek in her mind and never forgot him even when she was with other men, is both shocking and revealing. Shocking because its unkind and not sincere to her ex-boyfriends. For the record she also made statements in the past when she was with many of them, how special they were!
So either those statements were false or this one is. She could also be trying to charm and win over the skeptics. Indeed Radek will be the most happiest to read that he was always on her mind.
His parents have already been won over by her with both showering their blessings on the couple and eulogizing about their future daughter-in-law.
She did date him when aged 14, i read on the hingis.org forums.(i dont remember topic.)
Plus i remember an interview she was asked "do u think u will end up marrying a tennis pro?" and she said "i dont think so. but because of the circumstances its the easiest to date them" lol.
And now she is engaged to a tennis player!!! funny reversal from her statement...
She also said "it the same issues and understanding (abt her tennis life)" regarding dating/being with other tennis pros like Julian, Heuberger etc. Yet for those very reasons those relationships didnt last.
Quite confusion in her head in my opinion.
While this all sounds like a fairy tale, some glaring points about Radek remain. Firstly Radek is already 28, at 2 years older than Martina. He was 10 years on the tour since turning professional and his break through year was 2006 with him reaching the top ten in the world for the first time. (highest ranking number 8th) Only to injure his neck vertebra.
Career Review:
http://www.atptennis.com/5/en/players/playerprofiles/?playernumber=S694
Singles Record: 151 - 113
Singles Titles: 1
Doubles Record: 136 - 89
Doubles Titles: 12
Prize Money: $3,630,518
And he made his return from injury at the Adelaide International on Tuesday but was beaten in two sets 6-4 6-4 by Vince Spadea of the US in his first match of the round robin event. Stepanek has been the focus of media attention recently, after becoming engaged to Martina Hingis; Hingis's mother is Czech and the former world number one lived in Moravia for a short period as a child. Third-seeded Radek Stepanek will need to defeat Russian Evgeny Korolev in his next round-robin match to have a chance of progressing to the final eight. The 32-player Adelaide tournament is the first to try the ATP Tour's new round-robin format in 2007.
Hingis ex-boyfriends have all slid down their career paths after hooking up with her! Alonso, Heuberger, Norman got injured to see their fledging careers perish. Some call it the ‘curse of chucky’ cause of Hingis’ nickname ‘chucky’.
Tennis magazine already christened Hingis “the black widow” for her over riding bad luck bestowed on her lovers! While that is unkind there seems to be a grain of truth in it. The timing of the article was indeed a strange coincidence with her announcing her engagement to the Aussie media around the same time.
Already Radek dropped to number 19th in the ATP rankings. Curse working already!???
He has already contended he has some ‘ideas’ about fixing the wedding date and he could very well tell her and she will oblige. The wedding seems very much on the cards this year itself!
That would mean a grand wedding, party, honeymoon, media frenzy and a ton of distractions. There is also the possibility of an unplanned addition to the family album. And it has happened before on the tennis circuit. Recently Davenport has been visited by the stork and is all but retired now. If ‘it’ indeed happens Hingis will very retire for good. She has always said how much she would like to have a dream relationship plus children plus marriage.
She stands much to loose though on the career front if she really wants her second career to take off and fly. Winning the slams wont be a cake walk especially with other priorities.
Radek wont play too long, he is already said he might learn to ride her horses (“horses are noble animals”), ski with her and as at the Madrid WTA Masters he went as a coach too. Melanie has been glaringly absent. Hingis was all praises and made statements about how important his presence in Madrid was to the media.
Promptly she lost winning only 1 of 2 group matches. So the coaching didn’t work nor did his presence except as a disruption.
If he plans to quit and tour her around like Mr. Pierre-Yves Hardenne who thankfully doesn’t coach Justine, it might not serve her cause so well. Indeed for Justine her marriage meant a clear upswing in results. (factors included were her early marriage not the same age as martina is now, her own work ethic and tough guy coach Carlos. Radek, a lover first wont be able to be tough with her and push her). If the past is any indicator, Hingis wont fare as well. (She lost to Seles in the semis of Rolland Garros in 1998 after going out with her then beau Alonso for an overnight date)
Radek hasn’t much to look forward to professionally but Hingis does. Plus his coaching credentials can never match Melanie’s who knows & reads the game best. Plus she is hard driven something Hingis herself isn’t and Radek doesn’t appear to be either.
Also Radek proposed to Hingis before she could have any chance to change her mind or move on to someone else. Which she has done in the past. By her own admission she was surprised! Indeed everyone is if not shocked.
So now that the ‘ring of commitment’ is around her finger, she will have a hard time letting go. Perfect for Radek. I am not saying Radek has ulterior motives but the timing seems a little suspect.
And then there is the length of time they have known each other. 22 years is indeed long! She is now 26. 26-22 = 4. Hingis said she took a fancy/liking to him since age 4!!! He was 6 then. All I can say is wow, that early.
And seemingly they will be happy ever after.
Another of her ex’s the ski-instructor and restauranter Stefan Egger was known to her since age 7! And she was with him for a year before she dumped him for Sol Campbell. (He got to know through the media which is a shame)
So knowing a guy for long isn’t a factor at all.
Plus this story sounds to perfect for now. Perfect romance, proposal, ring, seems like a nice guy… etc etc. And since nothing in life is perfect, it could all wind up fast. Life as also in sports, the bigger and richer you are, the more you have to lose.
Give it another year or so. Most want this to end in the mould of Steffi-Agassi but Martina is no Steffi nor is Radek an Andre! Steffi & Agassi have indeed kept their lives under wraps. But Martina loves a good show off. And has been keen to show of her love interests in the past as well. In 2006 she was seen with Radek a lot. Radek to seems to enjoy the attention and globe-trotting shows and social graces. But it all has a prize as can be seen with other failed tennis romances notably Evert-Llyod (who toured around with her after marriage) and recently Hewitt-Clijsters.
And ever since I read about it I have a feeling something is wrong somewhere. Even if I get flak from fellow fans, I say my intuition tells me this will end sadly for Martina. This year will be good even the best. But I feel the next one wont be. Either ways her heart will break.
Hopefully it wont happen but not all wishes come true. I think she will marry, win a slam, get pregnant and retire soon. Braveheart Radek is really sticking his neck out too soon.
This poster has said:
being hingis' boyfriend = injured
being her husband = dead
http://www.deadspin.com/sports/martina-hingis/martina-hingis-set-to-marry-and-end-the-career-of-radek-stepanek-225205.php
Other thoughts from Tennisreporters.com
"The new year is about to ring in and it's almost as if there's false spring during the Down Under summer: love is in the air, with Martina Hingis and Radek Stepanek confirming their engagement, and Aussie Mark Philippoussis confirming that he has broken off his year-and-a-half long engagement to Florida's Alexis Barbara.
Hingis and Stepanek are, of course, thrilled. Of course, the sputtering Philippoussis says that he needs to focus more on his career now than his love life. He has little time left to make a major impact on tour, so maybe it was a good choice, but why is it that so often we hear athletes/celebrities say that they must sacrifice love for career?
Part of becoming successful in any pursuit is learning to become a fuller person and living a more expansive life. Sure, some maintain that every waking moment has to be about their career (that's what Ivan Lendl told Vania King), but look at the tennis players who have managed to flourish while still maintaining positive romantic relationships: Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Justine Henin-Hardenne are just a few that come to mind.
But enough of that. A quick prediction though on Hingis and Stepanek on court: the elation they are feeling that is emanating from their impending nuptials should aid them this year on court. But I suspect that Stepanek's results will fall off quicker than Hingis' will, simply because she is a more demanding person. That's not a criticism, but my guess is that it will take her a good decade before she can truly see herself in a 50-50 partnership."
http://www.tennisreporters.net/hingis_stepanek_123006.html
Technorati Tags:hingis , martina hingis , radek stepanek , hingis engagement
The fans are going gaga over the engagement and their compatibility. With almost daily articles especially from the Swiss press and Hingis’ & Stepanek’s own sound bites fielding queries about when they first met, proposed etc. to contend with, fans are already saying its taken that this will last for ever.
Firstly some things in perspective. Hingis has never been short of men in her life. She has had a string of known relationships, any unknown we wouldn’t know. From tennis players Alonso, Heuberger, Norman to ice hockey player Pavel Kubina, to golfer Garcia, lawyer Calkin and ski-instructor Stefan Egger just to name a few, she has had many past relationships.
Her recent statement that she always had Radek in her mind and never forgot him even when she was with other men, is both shocking and revealing. Shocking because its unkind and not sincere to her ex-boyfriends. For the record she also made statements in the past when she was with many of them, how special they were!
So either those statements were false or this one is. She could also be trying to charm and win over the skeptics. Indeed Radek will be the most happiest to read that he was always on her mind.
His parents have already been won over by her with both showering their blessings on the couple and eulogizing about their future daughter-in-law.
She did date him when aged 14, i read on the hingis.org forums.(i dont remember topic.)
Plus i remember an interview she was asked "do u think u will end up marrying a tennis pro?" and she said "i dont think so. but because of the circumstances its the easiest to date them" lol.
And now she is engaged to a tennis player!!! funny reversal from her statement...
She also said "it the same issues and understanding (abt her tennis life)" regarding dating/being with other tennis pros like Julian, Heuberger etc. Yet for those very reasons those relationships didnt last.
Quite confusion in her head in my opinion.
While this all sounds like a fairy tale, some glaring points about Radek remain. Firstly Radek is already 28, at 2 years older than Martina. He was 10 years on the tour since turning professional and his break through year was 2006 with him reaching the top ten in the world for the first time. (highest ranking number 8th) Only to injure his neck vertebra.
Career Review:
http://www.atptennis.com/5/en/players/playerprofiles/?playernumber=S694
Singles Record: 151 - 113
Singles Titles: 1
Doubles Record: 136 - 89
Doubles Titles: 12
Prize Money: $3,630,518
And he made his return from injury at the Adelaide International on Tuesday but was beaten in two sets 6-4 6-4 by Vince Spadea of the US in his first match of the round robin event. Stepanek has been the focus of media attention recently, after becoming engaged to Martina Hingis; Hingis's mother is Czech and the former world number one lived in Moravia for a short period as a child. Third-seeded Radek Stepanek will need to defeat Russian Evgeny Korolev in his next round-robin match to have a chance of progressing to the final eight. The 32-player Adelaide tournament is the first to try the ATP Tour's new round-robin format in 2007.
Hingis ex-boyfriends have all slid down their career paths after hooking up with her! Alonso, Heuberger, Norman got injured to see their fledging careers perish. Some call it the ‘curse of chucky’ cause of Hingis’ nickname ‘chucky’.
Tennis magazine already christened Hingis “the black widow” for her over riding bad luck bestowed on her lovers! While that is unkind there seems to be a grain of truth in it. The timing of the article was indeed a strange coincidence with her announcing her engagement to the Aussie media around the same time.
Already Radek dropped to number 19th in the ATP rankings. Curse working already!???
He has already contended he has some ‘ideas’ about fixing the wedding date and he could very well tell her and she will oblige. The wedding seems very much on the cards this year itself!
That would mean a grand wedding, party, honeymoon, media frenzy and a ton of distractions. There is also the possibility of an unplanned addition to the family album. And it has happened before on the tennis circuit. Recently Davenport has been visited by the stork and is all but retired now. If ‘it’ indeed happens Hingis will very retire for good. She has always said how much she would like to have a dream relationship plus children plus marriage.
She stands much to loose though on the career front if she really wants her second career to take off and fly. Winning the slams wont be a cake walk especially with other priorities.
Radek wont play too long, he is already said he might learn to ride her horses (“horses are noble animals”), ski with her and as at the Madrid WTA Masters he went as a coach too. Melanie has been glaringly absent. Hingis was all praises and made statements about how important his presence in Madrid was to the media.
Promptly she lost winning only 1 of 2 group matches. So the coaching didn’t work nor did his presence except as a disruption.
If he plans to quit and tour her around like Mr. Pierre-Yves Hardenne who thankfully doesn’t coach Justine, it might not serve her cause so well. Indeed for Justine her marriage meant a clear upswing in results. (factors included were her early marriage not the same age as martina is now, her own work ethic and tough guy coach Carlos. Radek, a lover first wont be able to be tough with her and push her). If the past is any indicator, Hingis wont fare as well. (She lost to Seles in the semis of Rolland Garros in 1998 after going out with her then beau Alonso for an overnight date)
Radek hasn’t much to look forward to professionally but Hingis does. Plus his coaching credentials can never match Melanie’s who knows & reads the game best. Plus she is hard driven something Hingis herself isn’t and Radek doesn’t appear to be either.
Also Radek proposed to Hingis before she could have any chance to change her mind or move on to someone else. Which she has done in the past. By her own admission she was surprised! Indeed everyone is if not shocked.
So now that the ‘ring of commitment’ is around her finger, she will have a hard time letting go. Perfect for Radek. I am not saying Radek has ulterior motives but the timing seems a little suspect.
And then there is the length of time they have known each other. 22 years is indeed long! She is now 26. 26-22 = 4. Hingis said she took a fancy/liking to him since age 4!!! He was 6 then. All I can say is wow, that early.
And seemingly they will be happy ever after.
Another of her ex’s the ski-instructor and restauranter Stefan Egger was known to her since age 7! And she was with him for a year before she dumped him for Sol Campbell. (He got to know through the media which is a shame)
So knowing a guy for long isn’t a factor at all.
Plus this story sounds to perfect for now. Perfect romance, proposal, ring, seems like a nice guy… etc etc. And since nothing in life is perfect, it could all wind up fast. Life as also in sports, the bigger and richer you are, the more you have to lose.
Give it another year or so. Most want this to end in the mould of Steffi-Agassi but Martina is no Steffi nor is Radek an Andre! Steffi & Agassi have indeed kept their lives under wraps. But Martina loves a good show off. And has been keen to show of her love interests in the past as well. In 2006 she was seen with Radek a lot. Radek to seems to enjoy the attention and globe-trotting shows and social graces. But it all has a prize as can be seen with other failed tennis romances notably Evert-Llyod (who toured around with her after marriage) and recently Hewitt-Clijsters.
And ever since I read about it I have a feeling something is wrong somewhere. Even if I get flak from fellow fans, I say my intuition tells me this will end sadly for Martina. This year will be good even the best. But I feel the next one wont be. Either ways her heart will break.
Hopefully it wont happen but not all wishes come true. I think she will marry, win a slam, get pregnant and retire soon. Braveheart Radek is really sticking his neck out too soon.
This poster has said:
being hingis' boyfriend = injured
being her husband = dead
http://www.deadspin.com/sports/martina-hingis/martina-hingis-set-to-marry-and-end-the-career-of-radek-stepanek-225205.php
Other thoughts from Tennisreporters.com
"The new year is about to ring in and it's almost as if there's false spring during the Down Under summer: love is in the air, with Martina Hingis and Radek Stepanek confirming their engagement, and Aussie Mark Philippoussis confirming that he has broken off his year-and-a-half long engagement to Florida's Alexis Barbara.
Hingis and Stepanek are, of course, thrilled. Of course, the sputtering Philippoussis says that he needs to focus more on his career now than his love life. He has little time left to make a major impact on tour, so maybe it was a good choice, but why is it that so often we hear athletes/celebrities say that they must sacrifice love for career?
Part of becoming successful in any pursuit is learning to become a fuller person and living a more expansive life. Sure, some maintain that every waking moment has to be about their career (that's what Ivan Lendl told Vania King), but look at the tennis players who have managed to flourish while still maintaining positive romantic relationships: Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Justine Henin-Hardenne are just a few that come to mind.
But enough of that. A quick prediction though on Hingis and Stepanek on court: the elation they are feeling that is emanating from their impending nuptials should aid them this year on court. But I suspect that Stepanek's results will fall off quicker than Hingis' will, simply because she is a more demanding person. That's not a criticism, but my guess is that it will take her a good decade before she can truly see herself in a 50-50 partnership."
http://www.tennisreporters.net/hingis_stepanek_123006.html
Technorati Tags:hingis , martina hingis , radek stepanek , hingis engagement
Hingis wins round one at Gold Coast 2007
Hingis v Bammer 1st round, Mondial open 31-12-06 in Australia pictures
Technorati Tags: hingis at gold coast , hingis , martina hingis , hingis pictures , gold coast , tennis gold coast , mondial womens tennis
Hingis Engagement Ring closeups
Martina Hingis at Gold Coast 2007 press conference with her engagement ring with Radek Stepanek on display.
Heh we hingis.org guys n gals cant get enough. Now see the ring close ups. lol
tags: hingis , martina hingis , hingis engagement , hingis gold coast
Hingis wins at A.O. Hardcourt Championship
Hingis comes full circle with win, BBC Article with some Martina quotes
Martina Hingis capped off her first full year back on the WTA circuit with an easy win in the Australian Women's Hardcourt Championships first round.
The Swiss star, who began her comeback at the event in 2005, eased past Austria's Sybille Bammer 6-0 6-2.
She said: "Now I'm number seven in the world, I've won a couple of events and played some great matches so I know I can handle myself out there.
"I'll have a day off and I can probably toast the win at midnight."
Hingis added: "I was very focused and didn't have ups and downs. That was quite surprising after a six week break."
The 26-year-old, now faces a second-round clash with either Russian Elena Bovina or Australian wildcard Nicole Pratt.
She made the semi-finals in her comeback at the Gold Coast tournament despite it being her first tournament for three years.
Hingis announced this week that she is engaged to marry Czech tennis player Radek Stepanek.
* Australian wildcard Sophie Ferguson caused the first upset of the event when she beat eighth seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
Technorati Tags: hingis , martina hingis , Australian Hardcourt Championship , Gold Coast Tennis , mondial womens open , Sybille Bammer , hingis in australia
Martina Hingis capped off her first full year back on the WTA circuit with an easy win in the Australian Women's Hardcourt Championships first round.
The Swiss star, who began her comeback at the event in 2005, eased past Austria's Sybille Bammer 6-0 6-2.
She said: "Now I'm number seven in the world, I've won a couple of events and played some great matches so I know I can handle myself out there.
"I'll have a day off and I can probably toast the win at midnight."
Hingis added: "I was very focused and didn't have ups and downs. That was quite surprising after a six week break."
The 26-year-old, now faces a second-round clash with either Russian Elena Bovina or Australian wildcard Nicole Pratt.
She made the semi-finals in her comeback at the Gold Coast tournament despite it being her first tournament for three years.
Hingis announced this week that she is engaged to marry Czech tennis player Radek Stepanek.
* Australian wildcard Sophie Ferguson caused the first upset of the event when she beat eighth seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
Technorati Tags: hingis , martina hingis , Australian Hardcourt Championship , Gold Coast Tennis , mondial womens open , Sybille Bammer , hingis in australia
Place of Radek Hingis Engagement
Hmm place where he proposed.
Karl (Charles) bridge in Prague. restaurant below. (may be its that one)
Tags: martina hingis , hingis , radek stepanek , hingis radek engagement , martina hingis prague , prague , Charles Bridge , Karl Bridge
Where Hingis got Proposed
The pictures are from June after the French Open in Prague.
Thanx to Hilarius again.
Article by Cécile Klotzbach in Blick of Dec. 30, 2006
Translation, by strict order of Irinska, of an article in Blick of Dec. 30, 2006 by Cécile Klotzbach.
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Gold Coast (Australia).
Yes, Martina Hingis is willing! Radek Stepanek is the happy one. She plans with the Czech the double of her life.
Martina’s number one man seems to be romantic – his proposal looks Hollywood-like.
It happened on the 24th November in Prague. At a tête-à -tête in a restaurant on the peninsula Kampa. Just below under the Karls bridge, the picturesque landmark of Prague. Radek topped of the perfect diner by drawing a diamond-ring.
Yesterday the Swiss discosed her intentions in Australia, where she starts the new season. As she was caught, when she proudly showed to the Swiss Emmanuelle Gagliardi her engagement ring. “In Switzerland I walked around for a month with the ring, and nobody said something” she declares “Here, the people are more attentive”.
“Here” – at the other end of the world, all started. Just a year ago, when the Swiss Miss started her come-back. Her good results faded the rumours into the background. But it could not be concealed: The two spent a lot of time together.
The Czech and the Swiss with Slovakian roots know each other since childhood. Later they met at tournaments. But Cupid threw his darts only later. “Top secret” were the further meetings. Until they were seen whispering sweets nothings at a hockey-match in Florida.
Shortly afterwards the disclosure “We are now a pair, it is no more a secret” Stepanek said to Blick. And he added winking: “We understand each other in many languages”.
The two love each other in Czech and English. Martina emphasizes the mutual understanding for their life as tennis pro: “It is good to have somebody, who understands all. We can support us optimally”.
As Stepanek didn’t play any tournaments since the US Open due to his injured back, he spent a lot of time with Martina. He even accompanied her to the Masters in Madrid as a “coach”. Afterwards the both made holidays in Switzerland, in Austria and in Prague.
Now, our Tennis-Princess will really marry! She, the former no. 1, now again the no. 7. He, who had in last July his best ranking as no. 8, and now no. 19.
When the wedding bells ring is not yet fixed. But the world of tennis gets a new dream pair.
Game, set and match for Martina and Radek!
Here a pic with the text in Czech: Presne rok po prvni schüzce se oba teniste zasnoubili.
Which I translate: Just a year after the first meeting the two tennisplayers are engaged.
When the pic was made I do not know.
Technorati Tags: hingis , martina hingis , radek stepanek , hingis engagement
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Radek Stepanek on Hingis & engagement
Radek in an article in Blick of Dec. 30,2006, From Blesk, a Czech "sister" paper of Blick
Thanx to Hilarius for translation.
Small article in the printed edition of Blick Dec. 30, 2006
Both are in Australia. But Radewk Stepanek will only see Martina at the Australian Open in the middle of January.
The Czech tennis star was talking with “Blesk”. (A Czech paper which is owned by the Ringier group, like the “Blick”).
Q: Where is Martina? Didn’t you fly together?
Radek: We separated in Singapore. She flew to the Gold Coast and I to Adelaide.
Q: How was it with the diamond-ring?
Radek: Such a thing you cannot plan, that you have to feel. It just happened.
Q: After an engagement follows mostly the wedding.
Radek: (laughs). This is usally the next step.
Q: Is the date of the wedding already fixed?
Radek: We are reasoning about it. I have already an idea, but I do not want to say anything at the moment.
Q: You spent a lot of time with Martina. Which are your best memories?
Radek: The week skiing in Austria. Martina is a unbelievable good skier. I ski only for four years, but I tried to keep up with her. Skiing is just great fun. I look forward to do it more, when we shall have more time..
Q: Martina rides too. Do you know how the world looks from a saddle?
Radek: Not yet. I like horses. They are noble animals. When I finished with tennis I shall ask Martina for a lesson. At any rate I shall try it.
Technorati Tags: hingis , martina hingis , radek , radek stepanek , radek stepanek hingis , hingis engagment
Thanx to Hilarius for translation.
Small article in the printed edition of Blick Dec. 30, 2006
Both are in Australia. But Radewk Stepanek will only see Martina at the Australian Open in the middle of January.
The Czech tennis star was talking with “Blesk”. (A Czech paper which is owned by the Ringier group, like the “Blick”).
Q: Where is Martina? Didn’t you fly together?
Radek: We separated in Singapore. She flew to the Gold Coast and I to Adelaide.
Q: How was it with the diamond-ring?
Radek: Such a thing you cannot plan, that you have to feel. It just happened.
Q: After an engagement follows mostly the wedding.
Radek: (laughs). This is usally the next step.
Q: Is the date of the wedding already fixed?
Radek: We are reasoning about it. I have already an idea, but I do not want to say anything at the moment.
Q: You spent a lot of time with Martina. Which are your best memories?
Radek: The week skiing in Austria. Martina is a unbelievable good skier. I ski only for four years, but I tried to keep up with her. Skiing is just great fun. I look forward to do it more, when we shall have more time..
Q: Martina rides too. Do you know how the world looks from a saddle?
Radek: Not yet. I like horses. They are noble animals. When I finished with tennis I shall ask Martina for a lesson. At any rate I shall try it.
Technorati Tags: hingis , martina hingis , radek , radek stepanek , radek stepanek hingis , hingis engagment
Friday, December 29, 2006
Gold Coast Press conference picture
Here is one with better clarity. (above)
Hingis after her Gold Coast press conference picture.
looking great & happy.
thanx to member Hilarius for posting it on hingis.org
Technorati Tags: hingis , martina hingis , Gold Coast , Mondial womens tennis , hingis picture
I have migrated to new blogger
Hey everyone i have migrated to the new blogger. Hmmm some changes soon. :P
Hingis claims she is far from retiring
Far from retiring
Paul Malone
December 29, 2006 11:00pm
NEWLY engaged Martina Hingis has vowed she will not follow tennis contemporaries Kim Clijsters and Lindsay Davenport into retirement and her priority remains a strong year in 2007 to back up her successful comeback season.
Hingis, top seed for the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourt titles starting at the Gold Coast tomorrow, said she had not changed her views on the longevity of her tennis career after becoming engaged to Czech player Radek Stepanek last month.
Davenport, 30, disclosed earlier this month she has no plans to play tennis again when announcing she is expecting her first child in May.
Another of Hingis's great career foils, 23-year-old Clijsters, has flagged her intention to retire at the end of the year because of her susceptibility to injury and she plans to marry American basketball player Brian Lynch in July.
But Hingis, saying happiness in her private life will lead to success on the court, insists she will be on the tour for as long as she is competitive.
The Courier-Mail revealed on Thursday that Hingis, 26, and Stepanek, 28, had become engaged at the end of a year in which Switzerland's three-time Australian Open champion had ended a three-year absence from tennis to attain a world ranking of No. 7.
"The priorities right now are tennis. There's plenty of time to think about life after tennis," Hingis said.
"I'll try to keep up with the young girls and play at the highest level. if it's not the case any more or I don't want to do it, I'll think about it.
"I'm happy and I was surprised when it (engagement ring) was spotted right away here. I've been walking around (in Switzerland) for a month and no one noticed. People here must pay more attention to things.
"If you're happy in your private life, you are going to do well. You know what you want and I think I'm at that stage right now." Hingis, who became the youngest Australian Open champion at the age of 16, 10 years ago, spoke excitedly of her appreciation of life outside tennis – a far cry from her bitter public spats over tennis with the Williams sisters and Anna Kournikova before her departure from tennis because of foot injuries.
But she retains an unmistakable ambition to do justice to her skills and innate knowledge of tennis.
The former world No. 1 had no ranking when she made her WTA Tour comeback at Royal Pines resort 12 months ago, making the semi-finals before reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open two weeks later.
"I didn't set any goals last year and I won't do that this year," she said.
source: http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20987334-10389,00.html
Technorati Tags: martina hingis , hingis , hingis engagement , Gold Coast , mondial womens hardcourt , tennis , Australian tennis
Martina Hingis confirms Engagement to Radek
Martina Hingis says that Czech tennis player Stepanek Radek proposed to her in Prague last month. The couple are seen here arriving for the Swiss premiere of the James Bond movie 'Casino Royale' in Zurich on Nov. 16.
29/12/2006
Tennis stars Martina Hingis and Radek Stepanek are to get married, the Swiss former world number one has announced.
Hingis told a news conference that the pair had got engaged last month but that no-one had noticed her ring in Switzerland.
"I was surprised when it was spotted right away [in Australia] because in Switzerland I've been walking around for a month and no-one's said anything," she said in reference to her diamond engagement ring.
Tennis stars Martina Hingis and Radek Stepanek are to get married, the Swiss former world number one has announced.
Hingis told a news conference that the pair had got engaged last month but that no-one had noticed her ring in Switzerland.
"I was surprised when it was spotted right away [in Australia] because in Switzerland I've been walking around for a month and no-one's said anything," she said in reference to her diamond engagement ring.
"I guess people here pay more attention to things."
Hingis returned to competitive tennis this year after four years away from the sport and has shown glimpses of her previous dominant form.
She ended the season as the seventh-ranked woman in the world, claiming titles in Rome and Kolkata and reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian and French Opens.
Before her premature retirement in 2002, after a spate of injuries, Hingis has picked up five grand slam titles, including at Wimbledon in 1997 and the Australian Open for three successive years between 1997 and 1999.
Stepanek, 28, has not played since Wimbledon this summer because of a neck injury and is currently ranked 19th in the world.
He caused a storm in his native Czech Republic when he announced his retirement from his country's Davis Cup side earlier this month.
A statement from the Czech tennis federation said he had "unequivocally confirmed that he is completely indifferent to playing for the Czech Republic and that he despises Czech tennis, his team-mates, officials and Czech tennis fans".
Another Report
source: http://www.sportsmediainc.com/tennisweek/index.cfm?func=showarticle&newsid=16360&bannerregion=
Hingis Engaged To Stepanek; No Wedding Date Set Yet
Newly-engaged Martina Hingis is intent on making an Australian Open run; the three-time Australian Open champion has not yet set a date for a walk down the aisle.
Hingis arrived in Australia with a new sparkle and reason to smile. The 26-year-old Hingis hit the practice court in Queensland on Tuesday sporting a sparkling diamond ring that is more than an accessory to her adidas attire.
The former serial-dating Swiss is engaged to boyfriend Radek Stepanek. The couple have not yet set a date for their wedding.
A Hingis representative told Tennis Week today the five-time Grand Slam champion is engaged, confirming published reports in the Australian media.
"She is engaged," the representative told Tennis Week. "No date has been set for the next steps."
The seventh-ranked Hingis, who is the top seed at the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourt Championships, which start on Sunday, did not speak to the media or publicly comment on her engagement earlier this week, however Wednesday's edition of The Herald Sun reports a happy Hingis "chatted to tour regulars about her engagement."
It is the first engagement for Hingis, who has established a reputation as a tennis temptress. Hingis has dated tennis players in the past including Justin Gimelstob, Julian Alonso, Ivo Heuberger and former French Open finalist Magnus Norman prompting Sports Illustrated, in a 2001 issue, to nickname Hingis "Tennis' Black Widow" as all four of those players suffered injuries after their liasons with Hingis, suggesting she may be to tennis players what the Sirens were to Ulysses: an alluring and perilous presence. Hingis also dated Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia and former Florida prosecutor Chris Calkin, who was the assistant state attorney in Florida's Dade County and presented the case against Hingis stalker Dubravko Rajcevic resulting in his conviction in 2001.
The six-time Australian Open finalist, who was born in Slovakia and is of Czech descent, has reportedly known Stepanek since the pair were junior players.
The 28-year-old Stepanek, who has been sidelined with a back injury since he bowed to Jonas Bjorkman in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, is the fourth seed in next week's Next Generation Invitational in Adelaide. Stepanek will not represent the Czech Republic when it hosts the United States in the first-round Davis Cup tie set for February 9-11
Technorati Tags: hingis , martina hingis , hingis radek , radek stepanek , hingis boyfriend , hingis engagement
Watching Flamingoes
Just contacted the BNHS via telephone. It seems we went late afternoon and that was the wrong time.
Early bird gets to see the early birds cause they come during the high tide/low tide phase!
so 7.30-8.00 a.m. is the correct time!!!
and BNHS will organise the trip on 7th Jan. So i can land up there with binoculars and camera.
Technorati Tags: Sewri , Flamingo , Bombay , Mumbai , BNHS
Early bird gets to see the early birds cause they come during the high tide/low tide phase!
so 7.30-8.00 a.m. is the correct time!!!
and BNHS will organise the trip on 7th Jan. So i can land up there with binoculars and camera.
Technorati Tags: Sewri , Flamingo , Bombay , Mumbai , BNHS
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Watching flamingoes in Sewri
Flamingos return to Sewri for annual visit
Express News Service
Mumbai, November 29: THE feathered visitors are back.
Nearly 10,000 Greater Flamingos and Lesser Flamingos can now be spotted in large groups on the wet and marshy mudflats of Sewri bay.
‘‘No one knows exactly where the flamingos come from at this time of the year. Some experts feel that the birds fly here from the Rann of Kutch, where they normally breed,’’ Isaac Kehimkar, the spokesperson of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), said.
The birds, he said, are annually seen at Sewri from the beginning of November till the beginning of monsoon next year.
Apart from flamingos, numerous other species including gulls, terns and waders can also be spotted at Sewri.
Flamingo Watching
* HOW TO get THERE? The closest railway station is Sewri on the Harbour line. From Sewri station, hail a taxi to Colgate Factory. Close to the factory, is an area from where the birds can be spotted. Barely 1 km away is another good spot, near the Sewri jetty.
* WHEN’S THE BEST TIME? Preferably early mornings, between high tide and low tide.
On December 12, the BNHS is organising an educational trip to Sewri mudflats for bird-lovers. For details, contact 22843421.
After reading this i went to see the birds to the jetty. alas no birds at all. damn what a waste on X'mas day. poof to that.
am planning on visiting again. let see how it works out.
Express News Service
Mumbai, November 29: THE feathered visitors are back.
Nearly 10,000 Greater Flamingos and Lesser Flamingos can now be spotted in large groups on the wet and marshy mudflats of Sewri bay.
‘‘No one knows exactly where the flamingos come from at this time of the year. Some experts feel that the birds fly here from the Rann of Kutch, where they normally breed,’’ Isaac Kehimkar, the spokesperson of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), said.
The birds, he said, are annually seen at Sewri from the beginning of November till the beginning of monsoon next year.
Apart from flamingos, numerous other species including gulls, terns and waders can also be spotted at Sewri.
Flamingo Watching
* HOW TO get THERE? The closest railway station is Sewri on the Harbour line. From Sewri station, hail a taxi to Colgate Factory. Close to the factory, is an area from where the birds can be spotted. Barely 1 km away is another good spot, near the Sewri jetty.
* WHEN’S THE BEST TIME? Preferably early mornings, between high tide and low tide.
On December 12, the BNHS is organising an educational trip to Sewri mudflats for bird-lovers. For details, contact 22843421.
After reading this i went to see the birds to the jetty. alas no birds at all. damn what a waste on X'mas day. poof to that.
am planning on visiting again. let see how it works out.
New Land Rover advert pictures
http://img37.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=73358_06Sharapova_02_122_474lo.jpg
http://img151.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=73363_06Sharapova_03_122_432lo.jpg
Maria Sharapova in new Land Rover advert pictures courtesy of Romania. enjoy!
Technorati Tags:
maria sharapova , sharapova , land rover , sharapova pictures
http://img151.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=73363_06Sharapova_03_122_432lo.jpg
Maria Sharapova in new Land Rover advert pictures courtesy of Romania. enjoy!
Technorati Tags:
maria sharapova , sharapova , land rover , sharapova pictures
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