James Blake Tennis Player Profile,Biography And Images

James Blake Profile:
Singles Ranking: 103
Doubles Ranking: 510
Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 28 December 1979
Birth Place: Yonkers, New York, USA
Residence: Tampa, Florida, USA
Height: 1.85 metres (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight: 83.2 kilos (183 lbs.)
Plays: Right Handed

Biography:

James Blake was born on December 28, 1979, in Yonkers, New York, into a tennis family. His father, Thomas, and his mother, Betty, met on the public tennis courts of New York. Thomas Blake learned to play tennis during his tenure in the United States Air Force, while Betty Blake picked up the game as a grade school student in Banbury, England. The Blakes played tennis regularly at the 369th Armory in Harlem and they took their young children with them. By the age of five James began playing tennis with his older brother Thomas, Jr.

When Blake was six years old, his family moved to Fairfield, Connecticut. His father worked as a salesperson for 3M Worldwide, a technology company, while his mother worked as a secretary at the local tennis club. Both Thomas and James took lessons at the Trumbull Tennis Club in Connecticut. It was at this club that Blake met Brian Barker, who began coaching Blake at age 12.
Yet the Blakes ties to Harlem remained strong. They continued to play tennis in Harlem on a regular basis and volunteered at the Harlem Junior Tennis League, a program aimed at introducing tennis to inner-city children. As a result of their parents' involvement in the Harlem program, Blake and his brother participated in the League's tennis clinics. As a biracial child, Blake moved comfortably between the very different worlds of middle-class Fairfield and inner-city Harlem with tennis as a bridge between them. It was at one of the tennis clinics in Harlem that James first heard the famous African-American tennis player Arthur Ashe speak. Ashe was the first black man to reach the number one rankings in international tennis. He was a pioneer for African Americans in a sport that has been dominated by whites. Ashe's passionate speech and his reputation as both a great tennis player and a well-respected person inspired Blake to consider a career in tennis.

Images:

 James Blake

 James Blake

 James Blake

 James Blake

Tommy Haas Tennis Player Profile,Bio And Images

 Tommy Haas Profile:
Country:    Germany

Birth Date:    3 April 1978
Birth Place:    Hamburg, Germany
Residence:    Bradenton, Florida, USA
Height:    6 ft. 2 in. ( 1.88 metres )
Weight:    195 lbs. ( 88.6 kilos )
Plays:    Right
Turned Pro:    1996

Biography:

Thomas Haas moved to Bradenton, Florida to attend Nick Bollettieri Academy at age 11 and has been there full-time since he was 13. Finished high school there in May 1996.

He is a professional tennis player, reaching a career-high ranking of #2 in 2002. He broke his right ankle in December 1995 (surgery on January 10 1996) and his left ankle in December 1996, which also required surgery. Missed entire 2003 season due to 2 shoulder operations.

Earned silver medal in singles in 2000 Sydney Olympics

Images:

  Tommy Haas

   Tommy Haas

   Tommy Haas

   Tommy Haas

  Tommy Haas

Ivan Ljubicic Tennis Player Profile,Biography And Images

Ivan Ljubicic Profile  Australian Open Tennis
Singles Ranking:    16
Doubles Ranking:    129
Country:    Croatia
Birth Date:    19 March 1979
Birth Place:    Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovin
Residence:    Monte Carlo, Monaco
Height:    1.93 metres ( 6 ft. 4 in. )
Weight:    91.8 kilos ( 202 lbs. )
Plays:    Right Handed

Biograohy:

Ivan Ljubicic was born on 19th March, 1979 in Banja Luka, SR Bosnia -Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia as the son of Hazira and Marko Ljubicic. He started his tennis career at the age of nine. In 1995, he won his first junior championship and won his first ATP points. He was played in the final of junior Wimbledon and in the semi final at Australian Open in 1997. Ljubicic turned into the professional tennis player in 1998 and until now, he has won nine ATP titles, but not a single Grand Slam title. His gained his first title at the Lyon tournament in 2001 by defeating Younes El Aynaoui in the final. His career best is that he reached in third rank in 2006 and in that year, he defeated every player in tennis except the world number one player Roger Federer. He won bronze doubles medal at Athens Olympics in 2004. He started 2010 season with a lost in the third round of the ‘Australian Open’ and another lost in the quarter final of the ‘Dubai Tennis Championships. Now, he won ‘BNP Paribas Open’ Championship by defeating American eighth seed Andy Roddick in the final. It was his first ever Masters Series trophy. By winning this trophy, he became the first Croatian to win the tournament, became the third 26th-ranked player to win this tournament, became the second-oldest winner and become the oldest first time winner of a Master Series 1000 event. In addition , his ranking position is risen into World No. 13 on today. He is married to Aida Shalabi, and they have a son Leonardo.

Images:

 Ivan Ljubicic

  Ivan Ljubicic

  Ivan Ljubicic

 Ivan Ljubicic

Ma Long Table Tennis Player Profile And Images

Profile:

First nameLong
Last nameMa
NationalityChina PR
Date of birth26 February 1990
Age21
Country of birthChina PR
Place of birthQingdao
Height177 cm
Weight71 kg

Pictures:

  Ma Long

  Ma Long

  Ma Long

  Ma Long

  Ma Long

 Ma Long

Wang Hao Profile And Images

Profile:
Wang Hao (born December 15, 1983 in Changchun) is a Chinese table tennis player. He won the silver medal in men’s singles at the 2004 Summer Olympics Games. He lost to Korean penhold player Ryu Seung Min. He is now the world’s highest ranked player.


Career Update: Since Wang Hao's dominance during the 2008 to mid 2009 era, Wang hasnt been at his best. Its belived he has had a lot of private issues and he had gained a lot of weight since his Olympic Final match in Beijing 2008.

However! Wang Hao is back better then ever and fighting, determined fit. His new rise to World Rank 2 may give him that belief to regain the 1 spot again.


Playing Style: Wang Hao is a right handed penhold player who bought a new style in the game table tennis. It was once thought, penholders had no backhand, but had exceptional forehands. Ryu Seung Min is a clear example of this having one the Olympics in 2004 with only a backhand block.

Wang Hao bought a new shot into the sport known as the RPB. Reverse Penhold Backhand!
This shot was first introduced by head team coach of China, Liu Guoliang. This shot allows Wang Hao to really have a great impact on the ball by both wings.

Hao's compact style and ruthless aggression allows him to dominate his player with his killer forehand and with one of the best backhands in the world. Wang has shown using the reverse side of a penhold bat can really get you places in table tennis. He was ranked 1 on the World rankings between Febuary 2008 to July 2009. Hao regained this postion in May 2009 but then lost it again due to the rise of Ma Long. A record of 27 consectuttive months Wang Hao stayed at the top for.

Pictures:

 Wang Hao

 Wang Hao

 Wang Hao

Wang Hao

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