He likes a chuckle on court, does Novak Djokovic. Affectionately known as The Joker, one of the Serb’s favourite crowd pleasers – which he was cajoled into performing at the Rome Masters in 2009 – is an unerringly accurate impression of Rafa Nadal’s laborious pre-service routine. But Nole, as Djokovic is also known, has said there will be no more impressions: a shame, as he also does a brilliant Maria Sharapova. The reason is simple; after a seven-year Nadal-Federer hegemony over the top two ranking spots, number two Djokovic has emerged as the most likely contender to dethrone the kings of the courts since the Swiss usurped Andy Roddick in February 2004. Djokovic is unbeaten this … [Read more...] about Djokovic the joker gets serious about number 1
Sports
Torres’ patchy form hints at world champions’ decline
Whisper it quietly, but not all is fresh in the state of Spain. When Vicente del Bosque's team lifted the World Cup in 2010 –adding to the European Championship title La Roja won in 2008 under Luis Aragonés– the world prostrated itself at the feet of the slickest passing side in history. Among Spain's players, there was a consensus that the tournament in Austria and Switzerland had proved an epiphany. Aragonés had largely removed the cult of idolatry by removing Raúl from the squad; he had, as Xavi put it recently, taken a gamble by betting on the bajitos –himself, Andrés Iniesta, Cesc Fàbregas, Davids Villa and Silva, for example– and Spain finally beat its bête noire, Italy, and the … [Read more...] about Torres’ patchy form hints at world champions’ decline
Athletic Bilbao’s local lions belie football’s global trend
Athletic Bilbao’s selection policy is both its strength and an obvious demographic weakness: only players born in the area known as the “historic” Basque Country, encompassing Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa, Álava, Navarre and three French regions –or who were schooled in its youth ranks– are strictly eligible to pull on the red-and-white shirt. While this policy has been relaxed just slightly in recent years, the only sides in Spain to operate a policy anywhere near as defined by region are fellow Basques Real Sociedad and Barcelona, which currently fields a number of Catalans but also has players brought into the fold at an early age, such as Andrés Iniesta and Leo Messi. But Barça also has a … [Read more...] about Athletic Bilbao’s local lions belie football’s global trend
Mourinho’s latest outburst betrays signs of strain
A few weeks ago, Iberosphere put forward the theory that José Mourinho’s recent controversial outbursts had been due to a combination of genuine anger and calculated politicking. That may indeed be the case, but his latest verbal broadside, launched during a press conference on the eve of Real Madrid’s league game against Málaga on March 3, shows very little in the way of calculated pot-stirring, and a good deal in terms of thin-skinned delusion. In the last few weeks, the Real Madrid coach’s obsession has been the league calendar, and how it purportedly favours the likes of Barcelona and works against his team. “The calendar is set by people who know what they are doing,” Mourinho … [Read more...] about Mourinho’s latest outburst betrays signs of strain
Contador in the clear, but under a cloud
Alberto Contador, taking his place at the start line of the Volta ao Algarve last week after the Spanish cycling federation had overturned a proposed one-year ban for doping, described his mere presence at the race as “a real victory.” The Spanish cyclist’s last competitive victory had come at the 2010 Tour de France, where riding with the Astana team Contador won the race for a third time. In August, a month after the Tour ended, it was announced that Contador had tested positive for a banned steroid, clenbuterol, during the race. He was placed under provisional suspension by the International Cycling Union, leading to a six-month period of claim, counter-claim and profound … [Read more...] about Contador in the clear, but under a cloud
2011: Grand Slams, Liga intrigue and drugs
Last year was a pretty remarkable one for Spanish sport, doping scandals aside. With the World Cup win in South Africa the obvious pinnacle, there was glory for Spain in football, tennis, swimming and basketball. But what does 2011 hold in store for the country’s athletes and national teams? In tennis, world number one Rafael Nadal has opened his campaign at the Australian Open, seeking to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slams. Nadal already ranks seventh in the list of overall Grand Slam winners with nine, is one of three players in the open era to hold a Golden Slam, one of only seven in history to have achieved the career slam and the only player to … [Read more...] about 2011: Grand Slams, Liga intrigue and drugs
What’s eating José Mourinho?
“I’m too old to receive messages through newspapers. These little messages don’t reach me. I make the team. The decisions are mine.” We’re used to hearing José Mourinho fire broadsides at his opponents. We’re less used to hear him do it at his own employers. But his above remarks, made on January 19, were clearly aimed at Real Madrid’s Sporting Director Jorge Valdano. Valdano sparked the Portuguese’s ire after a 1-1 draw with Almería when responding to a television journalist’s question about Madrid’s possible signing of a new “number 9” -or striker- in the coming days, something Mourinho has expressly requested of the club. “We had a number 9 on the bench,” said Valdano, in reference to … [Read more...] about What’s eating José Mourinho?
Spain’s doping habit threatens to sully golden year
Another Civil Guard doping bust and another sports star is suspected of having cheated their way to the top. This time, it is Marta Domínguez, the world steeplechase champion, whose house was raided on December 9 to reveal enough illegal doping products, including EPO, for her to be suspected of supplying other athletes, Spanish media has reported. Domínguez was one of 14 people, mainly from the world of athletics, who were arrested as part of “Operation Galgo” (she was later released pending investigation). Others included her trainer César Pérez, the highly regarded coach Manuel Pascua and former 3,000m runner Alberto García. But it is the apparent fall from grace of Domínguez, 35, … [Read more...] about Spain’s doping habit threatens to sully golden year
Barça thrashing reminds Mourinho of his Madrid challenge
Had John Cleese’s Basil Fawlty voice been applied to José Mourinho’s post-match press conference after his Real Madrid side was humbled 5-0 by reigning champion Barcelona at Camp Nou, it wouldn’t have sounded entirely out of place. “Humiliation?” asked Mourinho rhetorically. “Not a bit of it… just don’t mention the result.” It was the Portuguese schemer’s heaviest defeat in a glittering career that has made him the most valuable manager in the world by any measure. However straight a bat Mourinho plays when under the cosh, a five-goal thrashing at the stadium of Real’s archrival is not going to sit well with a man used to winning. Unfortunately for Mourinho, he has little time to lick … [Read more...] about Barça thrashing reminds Mourinho of his Madrid challenge
Farewell to football’s crunching tackle?
The debate over bad tackles in football has shifted in recent weeks from Spanish shores to the island where the sport was invented, with a recent spate of incidents eliciting comment from all corners of the game. A man who has played in both La Liga and the English top flight, Mark Hughes, held forth on the matter after one of his Fulham players, American international Clint Dempsey, was scythed down by Chelsea’s Michael Essien, who received a red card for his troubles. “Years ago, I think there were a lot more fouls and it was refereed in a different way,” the former Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea forward said. "Certainly in my day, I had the reputation -possibly wrongly, I … [Read more...] about Farewell to football’s crunching tackle?