Garden Sport Court
As the US Open gets underway, AD takes a look at the very grounds that host this centuries-old sport, from cliffside clay to sky-high lawns
Ironically last weekend I tried to take the kids to the snow, which was about 2hrs away and we couldn’t get there because the traffic was crazy. This weekend it looks like the snow level in Ventura & Santa Barbara counties are going to get as low as 500’. So living in an area with citrus orchards, fields of blooming flowers and other surf-culture, you know I’m going to have a blast photographing the contrast between warm and cold. Here’s a photo I set up for the local Park & Rec to use as cover art for an upcoming magazine, showcasing our city’s recreational opportunities in a beautiful location. I can’t wait to do something similar with snow, it’s been a few years since the last time.
Anyone who knows me even a little bit already knows I'm a huge fan of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole Peanuts gang. I'm also a collector of Peanuts memorabilia. Lately, I've been going back and re-reading a lot of the comic strip collections that I own. Doing so has reminded me time and time again that Peanuts is not just humorous, it's also packed full of wisdom and life lessons. Some things I've culled from these comics are simple, everyday truths, while others are amazingly profound and thought-provoking. Here's a smattering of nuggets of wit and wisdom from the greatest cartoonist who ever lived (is that really up for debate?) with accompanying images of the beloved Peanuts characters who originally "spoke" these words. Enjoy! 1) "I need plenty of rest in case tomorrow is a great day. It probably won't be, but if it is, I'll be ready!" 2) "Yesterday I was almost happy. For one brief moment I thought I was winning in the game of life. But there was a flag on the play." 3) "Subtraction is the awful feeling that you know less today than you did yesterday." 4) "My life is going by too fast...My only hope is that we go into overtime." 5) "The sins of the stomach are visited unto the body." 6) "When you have to get up at 7:00, 6:59 is the worst time of day!" 7) "When no one loves you, you have to pretend that everyone loves you." 8) "When you're depressed, it helps to lean your head on your arm and stare into space – if you're unusually depressed, you may have to change arms." 9) "As soon as I get up in the morning, I feel like I'm in over my head." 10) "If no one answers the phone, dial louder." 11) "Never lie in bed at night asking yourself questions you can't answer." 12) "There's nothing more embarrassing than barking up the wrong tree!" 13) "There's a difference between a philosophy and a bumper sticker." 14) "Life is easier if you only dread one day at a time." 15) "Feet should stay awake in case you have to go some place in a hurry." 16) "No matter how hard you try, you can't build a rainman." 17) "I'm always sure about things that are a matter of opinion." 18) "It's impossible to be gloomy when you're sitting behind a marshmallow." 19) "Sidewalks always win...knees always lose!" 20) "'Quiet beauty' is nice to have, but it should speak up now and then." 21) "A thumb tastes best at room temperature." 22) "I would have won, but I got off to a bad finish!" 23) "Life is like an ice cream cone: You have to learn to lick it!" 24) "The secret to life is to be in the right room!" 25) "Life is full of choices, but you never get any!"
Monday, June 1st 2009 - Paris Juan Martin Del Potro vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-1; 6-7 (5/7); 6-1; 6-4
After a few bouts of tennis in my friend’s tennis court (yes, he’s rich), I decided that the game was a lot of fun and that I’d like to start learning it for myself. Once I’ve gotten the gist of it, who knows, I may even place a few bets if I’m feeling lucky. Here’s a few terms that I’ve learnt on the way: Ball boy One of my other friends was conscripted into this role, as he only wanted to watch our game. This is usually a kid’s job; it’s typically a child who’s task it is is to retrieve any stray balls that have left the play area, as well as supplying fresh balls to keep the flow of the game running smoothly. There’s usually two per player, so four in total in bigger games. We just had to make do with one. A small, but vital role. If you’ve been examining the ATP tour odds, or even just watching tennis on television, watch out for these little guys. Backhand This is is probably a little self-explanatory, but here goes: a backhand is a type of strike in which the player uses the reverse side of the racket to hit the ball. It’s usually an involuntary movement that’s used as a last resort, when it’s just to late to use a standard stroke. My friend was using a lot of these, and very well too, much to my annoyance. The Aussies seems to love this technique and tend to punish the opposition, which you’ll soon notice if you’re into watching professional tennis tournaments, or even Australian open betting. Cross-over This one is a little iffy in that it can invoke a foul if done incorrectly. It literally means crossing over the net into the other player’s zone, which can be done in a non-threatening manner, in which it is not seen as a foul. If, on the other hand, you cross over with hostile intent, then you will be penalised with a foul and punished accordingly. This is, of course, up to the umpire’s discretion.
Photographer: Fabrizio Raschetti
Swiss player Roger Federer returns the ball to French player Adrian Mannarino during the men's single at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Tennis Club, in southwest London on June...
Favorite tennis gear for a beginner
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