Home Blog Page 698

JUSTIFIED Ep 610 Recap: Not A Lot of Trust

Shane Mclendon
-
0
JUSTIFIED Ep 610 Recap: Not A Lot of Trust

 

There is very little trust in Harlan this week despite the title of episode ten of Justified. Ava shouldn’t have trusted Raylan, who convinced her to be a snitch. She had little choice however. Boyd shouldn’t have trusted Ava after finding out she was a snitch sent to put him in a cage. Even tennis enthusiast Mikey betrays his tanning buddy. The only person who did what they promised was Markham, who went peaceably to give duffel bags full of cash to Boyd.

Giving $100,000 to Limehouse for new identities for himself and Ava was classic Boyd. He is so sure he is going to get away with all of Markham’s money that he is willing to give up the stacks of green that he already has. Limehouse does a day’s worth of work and gets $100K. I’d say he is the one of the brighter criminals ever to appear on Justified. Dewey Crowe’s gator teeth necklace, available on Amazon I am sure…without even checking, is finally noticed and taken by Ava. This is her ace in the hole or so she believes.

I wish Boon had been in a couple more episodes this season. This whacko is quite the entertainer. His use of the word buckaroo in the diner this week made my night. Seeing Raylan eating an ice cream cone at said diner while dealing with Markham and the whacko was quite pleasing as well. What lawman is so relaxed around dangerous criminals? Markham doesn’t want to believe Raylan about Katherine Hale being after his money. But his phone call went just like the Marshal said when she asked about the moving of his money pile.

Boyd and Duffy are mapping out plans to rip off the money. It turned out that was just a decoy making the Marshals chase their tail. Mikey is seen suspiciously texting someone and his employment with Wynn Duffy is about to come to an end. Working for a rat just isn’t sitting well with Mikey.

Boyd got more and more amped up as he got closer to snatching the money. You would have thought it was opening day of hawg season again! Carl had betrayal in his eyes, but he is still sticking with Boyd even though Boyd has shown how little regard he has for his goons. Boyd knows Raylan is setting him up with the supposed movement of Markham’s money pile. Boyd seems smart at times, but really dumb in other moments, like last week when he tried to blast a building knowing Raylan was upstairs.

I think Raylan was pretty disturbed at the casual manner in which Assistant U.S. Attorney David Vasquez said Ava was headed back to prison no matter if Boyd was indicted or not. Raylan isn’t much for injustice, especially coming from folks who are supposed to uphold the law. He has already been leaning toward giving Ava a chance at freedom in my opinion. Vasquez’s callousness may have pushed the envelope over the edge.

justified 610 trust recap 2015

Boyd’s real plan to get Markham’s money is better than using dynamite. Kidnapping Katherine Hale is much simpler. I didn’t figure such a plan would work after Markham knew she was acting suspicious on the phone call from the diner, asking about the money. I think we got to see Boon kill Loretta’s great aunt just so we don’t forget what these characters are capable of doing. Boon is a comical guy, but a killer nonetheless. Markham, for reasons I don’t get, agreed to meet Boyd and just hand over all that hard earned cash in exchange for the backstabbing Hale.

Mikey must have had a lot of resentment built up from years of driving the old Winnebago. He took out that frustration on Duffy’s face finally and made a call to Katherine Hale. Mikey may be a lot of things, but he is no snitch. This betrayal will end up costing him his life or freedom. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, even if that hand belongs to a loon like Wynn Duffy.

Ava is all set to leave Harlan behind. She has her papers from Limehouse and is just waiting on word from Boyd. I’m sure she wasn’t counting her chickens just yet. Boyd has failed to deliver so many times before. Raylan paid Ava a visit and told her that she is likely headed back to jail no matter Boyd’s fate. All those chances she took. All that deception and stress for nothing! She should be pissed and is. She tries to play the murder card, telling Raylan about Dewey Crowe’s necklace. That is too weak to matter apparently. No body or real evidence of a crime even being committed won’t play and no one really minds Dewey being dead anyways. Ava does convince Raylan that she can get Boyd to confess to the murder. He knows better than to keep this going. Ava is very convincing so he goes along with it.

Markham must be truly in love with Ms. Hale. Handing over 10 million dollars to Boyd for her safe return seems insane. But he does just that and Boyd loves telling him, “It was her idea from the jump”, as Crowder speeds off with millions loaded in an $800 truck. Boyd is elated, but as usual his good fortune turns to shit very quickly. Ava made the smartest play available. She went full blown Judas, shooting Boyd as Raylan waited in the woods. Her bet that Raylan wouldn’t put her down paid off too as she left out with Boyd’s ill gotten cash. There’s no way Givens is going to just let Ava get away cleanly, but I think he will give her some kind of head start for a puncher’s chance at freedom. I hope she gets away with all that cash. If anyone in Harlan is gonna benefit from all these shady deals I’d like for it to be Ava Crowder.

Besides Sam Elliot’s awesome voice, Avery Markham’s character has not been that impressive.

His crew of jarheads were very ineffective. He simply hands over his money for a backstabbing, past her prime cougar, when he could have rented an Ava-level lady for much less. Maybe he is not meant to be an overpowering character so that the Boyd and Raylan showdown got the main spotlight. I’ve enjoyed all the moments between Givens and Crowder over the entire run of the series. Boyd always loses, but the battle isn’t exactly fair. Raylan has all the backup in the world with the Marshals Service and unlimited resources. Oh, and a badge that gives him the authority to do whatever the hell he deems necessary. Boyd has been a lovable underdog from the start and it looks like he will never reach next level gangster.

Celebrity Gossip Roundup: Zayn Malik Wolverine Bye & Jon Hamm Dried Out

Curt Johnson
-
0
Celebrity Gossip Roundup: Zayn Malik Wolverine Bye & Jon Hamm Dried Out

celebrity gossip roundup zayn malik wolverine bye and jon hamm dried out 2015

This week’s celebrity gossip includes a loss to One Direction fans, the end of an “X” traordianry run, the TV show resurrection of the 1990s and much more. First up, One Direction fans felt like something was missing from the group’s most recent concert….former band member Zayn Malik. This was the group’s first concert since Malik suddenly quit the group last week. Fellow band member Harry Styles thanked the fans that turned out for the One Direction concert in Johannesburg, South Africa and thanked the fans for all their love and support.

zayn malil leaves one direction fans 2015 gossip shirtless

 

Speaking of One Direction, current band member Liam Payne recently took to Twitter to publicly mock everybody’s favorite target, Justin Bieber. After a tweet stated that Justin Bieber is more famous than Liam Payne ever will be, he shot back with his own tweet where he mockingly inquired as to the number of times he has been arrested, a dig at Justin Bieber’s ongoing problems with the law. After Justin Bieber fans all over the world bombarded Payne he retracted his tweet mocking Bieber. And they say that women are the catty ones.

liam payne goes after justin beiber on twitter 2015 gossip

Once again, proving he can’t catch a break, Vogue Magazine recently declared that Bieber is part of today’s Hollywood Brat Pack. In response, Bieber stated that it was possible he had recently had too much free time on his hands but that has now changed because he is working on a new album. Not surprisingly to anyone who pays attention to celebrity gossip, Kendall Jenner was also included in the modern Brat Pack.

liam payne goes after justin beiber on twitter 2015 gossip

As if the public isn’t having a rough enough week with the shrinking of One Direction fans of the X Men movies and Hugh Jackman now have to swallow the fact that the actor has announced the next X-Men movie will be his last. Much to the chagrin of fans, Jennifer Lawrence has also announced her intention to make the upcoming X-Men movie her last one as well. It remains to be seen if more X-Men movies will be filmed following the departures of Hugh Jackman and Jennifer Lawrence.

hugh jackman packing wolverine away in 2017 gossip

On a positive note, fans of the 1990s TV sitcom “Coach” are happy to hear that a sequel TV show is now in the works. It will feature original star Craig T. Nelson and may or may not reunite the rest of the original Coach cast. Another 1990s TV show that is getting a comeback is the X Files. The show will, once again, air on the Fox network and co-star original cast members Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. Filming is set to start over summer 2015.

x files coach coming back to tv 2015 gossip

In a weird and completely unnecessary move Leonardo DiCaprio is offering to rent out rooms in his mansion to any guest who is willing to pay the hefty price of $4,500 for one night…and guests must stay at least two nights in a row to be able to rent one of his rooms. The mansion has six bedrooms and also 7 ½ bathrooms. Guests also get to use the tennis court and gym located on the property as well.

leonardo dicaprio renting maliub beach home for big bucks 2015 gossip

Keepin’t it classy as always, Miley Cyrus is once again making gossip headlines for her behavior. The latest incident from the Cyrus camp involved Miley calling out Indiana Governor Mike Pence on her Instagram account. The erstwhile singer posted that Pence is an a**hole and that there as many idiots in politics as there are on Instagram. While she is probably right, perhaps she needs to learn when to keep her opinions to herself. She’s starting to give the impression she’s “achy break heart-less.”

miley cyrus called out mike pence for gay laws 2015 gossip

Mad Men’s Jon Hamm was recently released from a rehab facility where he successfully beat an addiction to alcohol after a 30-day stay. Upon leaving rehab Hamm did an interview where he stated that he has had his family and friends’ support throughout his ordeal.

jon hamm out of rehab for alcohol 2015 gossip

In typical Kardashian gossip, in an Insagram post, Rob stated that Kim (who, keep in mind, is his sister,) is the same as Amy Dunne, better known as the “Gone Girl” killer. He then referred to her as a b*tch and stated that while she likes to give the impression she cares about him that he feels ignored. Kim shot back that Rob was in a funk and he needed to stop being in one. She also said that he is in a dark place and has been avoiding the public after coming under fire by the media for gaining too much weight.

rob kardashian kim rant for gone girl 2015

Many who regularly watch the BCC network are not pleased with the news that Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has been removed from his job due to his recent assault on the show’s producer that sent the man to a hospital for treatment. Clarkson is being accused of both physical and verbal abuse against the producer. The network plans to continue the show with Clarkson at the helm.

jeremy clarkson fired from top gear bbc 2015 gossip

Angelina Jolie recently took a step that might have saved her life when she chose to voluntarily have her fallopian tubes and ovaries removed. The reason for this is that breast cancer is prevalent in her mother’s family and Jolie felt this was the best way to prevent herself from dying from the cancer that took her mother. It wasn’t until 2013 that Jolie found out she had a gene that makes a woman more likely to suffer from cancer. This is one of the causes of her decision to have this major surgery on an elective basis.

angelina jolie cancer fight 2015 gossip

In a recent interview on the Late, Late Show, Mila Kunis confessed that she always had her baby daughter in her mind, even when she is making love to husband Ashton Kutcher. She admitted that though she thinks about her baby during sexual intercourse she and Ashton don’t talk about the baby during that time.

mila kunis thinks of baby when ashton kutcher inside her 2015 gossip

That’s it for this week’s celebrity gossip. Next week will bring more tales of Hollywood’s hottest stars doing what they do best, making the gossip headlines.

Andy Murray Makes British History With 500 Wins: 2015 Miami Open Masters

Jackie Warner
-
0
Andy Murray Makes British History With 500 Wins: 2015 Miami Open Masters

andy murray makes british history with 500 wins tennis 2015

Andy Murray was determined to make British history at the 2015 Miami Open Masters with his 500th tennis match win, and he did after defeating Kevin Anderson on Tuesday.

“It means a lot,” Murray told Sky Sports. “There’s not a whole lot [of players] that have managed to get to 500. It’s very nice to have done that. To do it here in Miami was quite fitting. I’ve done a lot of hard yards on this court, put in a lot of work here.

“I hope it’s not the last match I win! I hope I’ve got a few more in my career. There’s a certain number I’d like to get to before I finish playing. Hopefully my body will hold up and give me the opportunity to get there.”

andy murray biting into 500 tennis wins cake 2015

Andy Murray became the first Briton to reach the landmark of 500 career wins after defeating Kevin Anderson to earn his place in the Miami Open last eight.

The third seed required all three sets to despatch South Africa’s Anderson, seeded 15, winning 6-4 3-6 6-3.

Murray becomes the 46th man to reach 500 wins since the open era began. Of those, only nine are still playing.

The Scot, 27, has reached the landmark in just under 10 years, having made his professional debut in April 2005.

Murray told BBC Sport it was “fitting” to record his 500th career win in Miami where he spends a lot of time training.

“I’ve been through quite a lot of pain on that court in the last few years,” he said.

“I hope I can use this as motivation to win some more and hope today’s match wasn’t the last one”.

“There’s different ways of judging the success of someone’s career, but winning 800-900 matches is something that’s happened very rarely and a difficult thing to do – so it gives you something to aim at.”

andy murray beats kevin anderson for 500th match win 2015 miami open

Murray set a new record for open-era wins by a British man earlier in March, beating Feliciano Lopez at Indian Wells to surpass Tim Henman’s 496-victory mark.

In Miami he was aggressive from the outset, breaking Anderson’s serve in the first game of the match and attacking even the most challenging of shots to sustain his advantage throughout the first set.

Anderson, 28, was slow to start but recovered well to twice break serve and open a 4-0 lead on the way to the second set, as Murray appeared to be fading.

But the Scot broke serve again early in the deciding set and with the landmark in sight, rediscovered his best to claim victory and a place in the quarter-finals of a tournament he has won twice before, in 2009 and 2013.

He will now face Austria’s world number 36 Dominic Thiem, 21, on Wednesday.

Roger Federer, 33, is the current player with most matches won with 1,012, while five-time US Open champion Jimmy Connors, who retired in 1996, has the most career wins of all-time with 1,253.

Rafael Nadal has won 721 matches while Novak Djokovic has 625.

andy murray beats kevin anderson at 2015 miami open masters

Djokovic, 27, won his 500th match at the French Open in 2013, nine years after playing his first professional game on the tour circuit in July 2004.

Nadal, 28, reached the landmark in 2011, beating Croatian Ivan Dodig in the semi-finals of the Barcelona open, nine years on from making his debut aged 15.

Federer also made it 500 wins nine years after turning pro, beating David Ferrer in Monte Carlo in April 2007.

 

Do you really need that new smartphone?

David Silvester
-
0
Do you really need that new smartphone?

samsung galaxy s7 folds 2015

The smartphone is one of the most successful pieces of consumer tech and has been for quite some time. Despite the original intention for the mobile phone being a very simple one, the device has evolved into its current form and is a necessity for the average adult. So much so that in a recent survey of 170,000 adult internet users across 32 markets, a staggering 80% owned and used smartphones on a regular basis.

Where the primary role of the smartphone used to be making phone calls it has since moved on to other things including browsing the internet, partaking in social media chat, gaming as well as many other uses. In fact it is estimated that making phone calls from a smartphone is actually the fifth most popular use.

Mobile phone providers really appreciate this demand for the smartphone and in order to monopolise the situation as much as possible they are constantly bringing out new devices always trying to cram in new features or update existing ones, seemingly to make the smartphone just that little bit smarter. This tactic really does work and despite smartphones having remained relatively similar over the last couple of years, every time Apple or Samsung or one of the other top phone manufacturers bring out a new model, everyone flocks to buy it. This model is of course enforced by the latest and greatest marketing strategies as well as the resellers who wrap each new model up in an attractive, low cost (but long) contract deal.

The question still remains though – as a consumer, why do we always need the latest smartphone? Surely the previous model was just as good as the latest one to hit the shops?

samsung smartphones new models 2015 tech

Latest Features

The obvious answer would be the new features – when the latest smartphone models are released there are normally improvements such as a better quality camera, longer talk time, larger memory as well as new features that simply weren’t available on the previous model. These features could include a fingerprint reader, voice activation or the ability to link with a wearable device such as a smart watch.

The reality though is that if you put the latest few smartphones side by side and compared features, they are actually going to be quite similar with only minor improvements between each model.

Importance of the Smartphone

There is another reason why the smartphone is so popular and having the latest one is a necessity for many. The reason is more subtle but just as important and it revolves around the fact that the smartphone is such a necessity in our modern lives – if you own a smartphone you will be well aware of how important that phone is to you and how little you are ever apart from it. If you don’t own a smartphone you are probably amazed when you see people in public ignoring each other, preferring to be buried deep in concentration whilst staring at their mobile phone.

The reality is that our smartphones are the gateway into our digital lives – we can perform every action on them from shopping, communicating with our friends, turning on our heating ready for when we arrive home and literally hundreds of other actions.

It is this extreme functionality of the smartphone that makes the device very important to us, and as a result of this, despite the high price (in one form or another) of having the latest smartphone and the minimal improvements over the previous model, the small beneficial increase is very important to us because it is magnified by the usefulness of the smartphone as a whole.

Similar to our clothes or our car the smartphone really is so fundamental to our daily lives that having the best device on the market, allowing us to gain the most from it really is very important.

Fashion Statement

Setting aside functionality for a moment, there is also another reason why we hold our smartphones so dearly and why we are always eager to have the latest and greatest model. Some might be reluctant to admit to this fact but smartphones have become partly a fashion statement. Like the clothes that we wear the smartphone is such an intrinsic part of our daily lives that it really does form part of a statement about who we are.

Whether it is to show off the fact that you have the newest smartphone model or to instil your preference between Apple or Samsung to your friends there is an undeniable element of fashion entangled in the smartphone and it spans all ages.

Once again the smartphone manufacturers are well aware of this fact. So much so that they will play on this element heavily in their marketing campaigns, especially within TV advertising where these believes are mirrored to the consumer. The manufacturers are always keen to enforce the rivalry between brands as well because it drives the belief that loyal customers have in their preferred provider.

samsung lg new smartphones do you really need it 2015

The future of the smartphone

If you look at how the smartphone has evolved over the last 10 years it’s easy to see the trends that have been prevalent. The smartphone has evolved over the years into a very advanced piece of technology; it has shrunk into a convenient size and then grown again in size along with functionality.

Despite the current rivalry between smartphone brands and the strong entanglement with fashion, as the smartphone fully evolves and becomes the extremely functional device that it is meant to be, it is possible that the smartphone as we know it will become standardised. It may become so functional that it bypasses all of its superficial attributes of today and simply becomes a commodity of need – the same design and features across the board, the cost being driven down as the demand plateaus out and the smartphone just becoming a device that everyone owns but all take for granted and a consumable that can be replaced like a spare tyre on a car.

Is Kevin Love Not Happy With Cleveland Cavaliers?

Chris Maurice
-
0
Is Kevin Love Not Happy With Cleveland Cavaliers?

kevin love not happy with cleveland cavaliers movie 2015 nba

Before the 2014-2015 NBA season began, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves agreed on a blockbuster trade which sent superstar forward Kevin Love to the Cavs in exchange for two former 1st overall picks—Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett—and Thaddeus Young. If it weren’t for LeBron James’s decision to return to Cleveland, this trade would have been the Blockbuster of the offseason.

The Cavs really got an amazing deal on this one: Wiggins was the 1st pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, so there was no guarantee he would be great. Bennett, the 1st pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, was pitiful in his season with the Cavaliers, managing only 4.2 points per game.

Kevin Love on the other hand is an established All-Star. Love averages a double-double for his career, and he finished the 2013-2014 season with 26.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. The only thing holding Love back before was his team, as Minnesota isn’t exactly the best road to the NBA Finals.

Since arriving in Cleveland, Love has received much the same treatment Chris Bosh did during his first season with the Miami Heat—people harp on one or two bad games while ignoring the large positive effect that he has had on the team as a whole. Love is a fantastic shooter, scorer, and rebounder. His 16.5 points and 10 rebounds per game this season cannot be ignored. Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider that he has been sharing the court with LeBron James.

Nonetheless, Love is not used to all the negative publicity. In Minnesota, he was the go-to guy and the only true superstar on the roster. Now, there are multiple reports coming out of Cleveland that Love “doesn’t fit in” or “doesn’t like LeBron.” Love’s recent comment that Russell Westbrook should win MVP this season only worsened the media onslaught.

kevin love working nba cleveland cavaliers 2015

“What people don’t understand is that this is not a place that requires you to be best friends,” said Cavaliers center Kendrick Perkins when asked about the ‘beef’ between Love and LeBron. “I think sometimes people don’t realize that this is work for us. So when you go to work every day, that doesn’t mean your co-worker has to be your best friend. This is our job. You don’t have to be best friends to come out here and work together.”

“I turn on ESPN and I see ‘No Love for K-Love,’ or something like that, and it’s kind of silly to me,” continued Perkins. “I haven’t seen anything to the point that it’s drama…I don’t think Ray and KG were best buddies in Boston. I was best friends with Rondo. I hung out with KG a little bit, but I wasn’t best friends with him.”

I mean come on, people. Even Shaq and Kobe won three championships in a row together, and I know Love and LeBron aren’t nearly that bad. Of course, LeBron is involved; so the sports media has to blow this whole thing out of proportion.

Now we have to deal with the multiple rumors circulating around. Although Love has made it clear that he will not opt-out of his contract and will be with the Cavs come the 2015-2016 NBA season, people like to speculate about where he will land if he does leave. Right now, the leading candidate (behind the Cavaliers, of course) seems to be the Los Angeles Lakers. In fact, there are multiple reports that Love and his MVP-candidate and former UCLA teammate, Russell Westbrook, will team up in La next season.

When asked if winning a title would affect where he plays basketball next season, Kevin Love kept the answer concise: “I plan on being a Cavalier either way.”

Stop blowing things out of proportion. Just appreciate the greatness that Love brings to the court night after night.

Tomas Berdych Reaches 2015 Miami Open Quarterfinals

Jackie Warner
-
0
Tomas Berdych Reaches 2015 Miami Open Quarterfinals

tomas berdych beats gael monfils at 2015 miami open masters

Eighth Seed Tomas Berdych moved into the 2015 Miami Open Masters quarterfinals after beating Gael Monfils on Tuesday in two sets. It didn’t help Monfils when he took a nasty tumble while playing and hurt his hip. That injury pretty much decided the game.

Tomas Berdych advanced Tuesday to the quarterfinals of the Miami Open when Gael Monfils fell and hurt his hip.

The No. 8-seeded Berdych was leading 6-3, 3-2 when Monfils retired. Monfils, seeded 17th, said he bruised his hip but hopes to be able to play in his next scheduled tournament in Houston.

Berdych, the runner-up at Key Biscayne in 2010, remains in title contention after saving four match points against Bernard Tomic in the third round.

Unseeded Dominic Thiem of Austria advanced by beating No. 28 Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5.

No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray had fourth-round matches.

gael monfils loses to tomas berdych after hip injury 2015 miami open masters

Known for his athletic and entertaining style of play, Gael Monfils is no stranger to sacrificing his body for his craft.

Unfortunately for the Frenchman, that strategy ended painfully on Tuesday at the Miami Open presented by Itaú, as he fell while lunging for a wide forehand in his fourth-round match against World No. 9 Tomas Berdych.

Perhaps remembering their last meeting in Rotterdam where Monfils crossed the net to assist Berdych after a painful fall, the Czech returned the favour on the hard courts of Miami. Within seconds, he was there to lend Monfils a helping hand as he got back on his feet.

Despite the act of sportsmanship, the World No. 19 was able to play just one more game before retiring from the match due to his injured hip. Berdych, who led 6-3, 3-2 when Monfils was forced to withdraw, will next face the winner of Fernando Verdasco and Juan Monaco.

Eighth seed Tomas Berdych reached his sixth quarter-final in six tournaments this year on Tuesday as he advanced at the Miami Open presented by Itaú. The Czech was leading 6-3, 3-2, when Gael Monfils was forced to retire after falling heavily in the fifth game.

Berdych has a 22-5 match record in 2015, highlighted by runner-up showings in Doha (l. to Ferrer) and Rotterdam (l. to Wawrinka) and a semi-final run at the Australian Open, where he defeated Rafael Nadal before falling to Andy Murray.

The 29-year-old Berdych reached the final at this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 in 2010, falling to Andy Roddick, and was a semi-finalist last year. For a place in another semi-final at Crandon Park, he will face either Juan Monaco or Fernando Verdasco.

Novak Djokovic & Andy Murray Headlining 2015 Miami Open Masters Day 7

Jackie Warner
-
0
Novak Djokovic & Andy Murray Headlining 2015 Miami Open Masters Day 7

novak djokovic headlines tuesday 2015 miami open masters images

After seven days at the 2015 Miami Open Masters, Novak Djokovic is showing no signs of slowing down as he readies himself to go up against Alexandr Dolgopolov today. Djokovic has easily been playing his best tennis ever this year, and with each open, he seems to be gathering more strength and agility on the court. He was never at a loss with self confidence, but it does seem like he’s been able to hone it with this open.

Andy Murray, who’s also making up for the last open is going up against Kevin Anderson today.

andy murray headlining 2015 miami open masters

SWEET 16: It’s a blockbuster Day 7 at the Miami Open, with the remaining 16 players all featuring on the schedule, including six of the world’s Top 10. Headlining the action are World No. 1 Novak Djokovicand No. 4 Andy Murray, who have combined to win six of the last eight Miami titles.

GLOBAL GAME: Five continents and 13 countries are represented in the Round of 16: France (3), Spain (2), Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Japan, Serbia, South Africa, Ukraine, United States.

BIG FOUR DOMINANCE: At the last 44 ATP Masters 1000 tournaments (since 2010 Monte-Carlo), the Big Four have accounted for 40 titles. The only exceptions came at Paris-Bercy in 2010 (Soderling) and 2012 (Ferrer) and last year in Monte-Carlo (Wawrinka) and Toronto (Tsonga). During that stretch, Djokovic has won 16 titles, Rafael Nadal 12, Roger Federer 7 and Murray 5. The quartet are also among the Top 6 in ATP Masters 1000 titles won.

MILESTONE WATCH: Murray will be bidding for his 500th tour-level win (499-155) when he takes on Kevin Anderson today. He is looking to become the first British man, the ninth active player and the 46th man in the Open Era to achieve the feat. The Brit has beaten six players at least 10 times:Gilles Simon (12), Roger Federer (11), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (10), Marin Cilic(10), Feliciano Lopez (10) and Fernando Verdasco (10).

DAY 7 FEDEX ATP HEAD2HEADS


STADIUM
tomas berdych on sunday 2015 miami open masters[8] Tomas Berdych (CZE)        vs            [17] Gael Monfils (FRA)

FedEx Head2Head: Berdych leads 4-1
2008     Dubai (U.A.E.)                Hard    R32    Tomas Berdych    6-3 6-2
2012     Montpellier (France)            Hard    F    Tomas Berdych    6-2 4-6 6-3
2012     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid    Clay    R16    Tomas Berdych    6-1 6-1
2013     Roland Garros (France)            Clay    R128    Gael Monfils    7-6(8) 6-4 6-7(3) 6-7(4) 7-5
2015     Rotterdam (Netherlands)            Hard    QF    Tomas Berdych    6-1 6-4

•    Berdych saved four MPs to clinch a 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-1 victory over the in-form Bernard Tomic in the 3R. The Czech notched his 20th match win of the season in his opening match, overcoming teenager Hyeon Chung 6-3, 6-4.
•    Berdych’s win over Tomic put him level with Jim Courier (506) in 43rd place on the Open Era wins list, moving him past Tommy Robredo in 44th (505).
•    Berdych is returning to Miami for the 11th time. He was a beaten finalist here in 2010 (l. to Roddick) and a semi-finalist in 2008 (l. to Nadal) and 2014 (w/o vs. Nadal).
•    Berdych arrived in Florida after a QF defeat to Roger Federer at Indian Wells.
•    Berdych finished runner-up in Doha in the opening week of the season (l. to Ferrer) before putting together a SF run at the Australian Open, where he defeated world No. 3 Nadal in the QF, ending a 17-match losing streak against the Spaniard (l. to Murray).
•    In February, Berdych advanced to the final in Rotterdam (l. to Wawrinka in 3 sets) and the semi-final in Dubai (l. to Djokovic in 3 sets).
•    All five of Berdych’s losses this season have come against Top 10 opposition.
•    In 2014, Berdych finished in the Top 10 for the fifth year in a row, winning two titles – Rotterdam and Stockholm – in a career-best five finals.
•    Monfils saved four of the five BPs he faced as he advanced to the 4R with a 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The world No. 19 returned from a three-week injury lay-off with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) win overFilip Krajinovic in his opening match.
•    Monfils is making his eighth appearance at the Miami Open. The Frenchman, who has reached the 4R here twice, fell to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in his opening match last year.
•    After a 2R loss to Jerzy Janowicz at the Australian Open, Monfils reached the QF-or-better at all three tournaments he contested in February: Montpellier (l. to Gasquet in SF), Rotterdam (l. to Berdych in QF) and Marseille (l. to Simon in final).
•    Prior to this week, Monfils’ last competitive outing came at the beginning of March, when he defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber in France’s Davis Cup World Group 1R win over Germany.
•    Monfils has a 26-55 career record against Top 10 opposition. His most recent Top 10 win came over world No. 2 Roger Federer in last November’s Davis Cup final.
•    Since the beginning of 2012, Monfils’ only appearance in an ATP Masters 1000 QF came in Shanghai in 2013 (d. No. 7 Federer in 3R; l. to Djokovic).
•    In 2014, Monfils finished in the Top 20 for the first time since 2011 and fifth time overall, winning a fifth career title in Montpellier (d. Gasquet). Also advanced to QFs at Roland Garros and US Open.
andy murray going for 500th win at 2015 miami open masters images[15] Kevin Anderson (RSA)        vs            [3] Andy Murray (GBR)

FedEx Head2Head: Murray leads 3-1
2010     Australian Open (Australia)        Hard    R128    Andy Murray    6-1 6-1 6-2
2011     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada    Hard    R32    Kevin Anderson    6-3 6-1
2014     Wimbledon (Great Britain)            Grass    R16    Andy Murray    6-4 6-3 7-6(6)
2014     Valencia (Spain)                Hard    QF    Andy Murray    6-7(3) 6-4 6-4

•    Anderson advanced to the 4R in Miami for the first time in four years after seeing off Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-4, converting on all three of his BP opportunities. The South African battled back from the brink to beat Sam Querrey 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-4 in his opening match. Querrey had served for the match at 6-5 in the second set.
•    Anderson is back at the Miami Open for the seventh time. His best showing here was a QF appearance in 2011 (l. to Djokovic).
•    Anderson arrived in Florida after a 3R loss to John Isner at Indian Wells.
•    Anderson reached a ninth ATP World Tour final last month in Memphis (l. to Nishikori, falling to 2-7 in finals). He lost to Nishikori again in the Acapulco SF later that month.
•    On Jan 19, Anderson rose to a career high No. 15 in the Emirates ATP Rankings after advancing to the SF in Auckland (l. to Vesely). He went on to reach the 4R at the Australian Open (l. to Nadal).
•    Anderson has a 7-40 career record against Top 10 opposition with his most recent win coming against then world No. 4 Stan Wawrinka at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris last October.
•    In 2014, Anderson became the first South African to post back-to-back Top 20 seasons since Wayne Ferreira (1994-96) after reaching the QF or better eight times during the year.
•    Murray won 85% of points behind his first serve as he saw off Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 6-4 in the 3R to capture the 350th hard court win of his career. He opened his account with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Donald Young.
•    Murray is making his 10th appearance in Miami. He has reached the final three times, winning the title in 2009 (d. Djokovic) and 2013 (d. Ferrer) and finishing runner-up in 2012 (l. to Djokovic).
•    Last week at Indian Wells, Murray advanced to an ATP Masters 1000 SF for the first time in two years with wins over Vasek Pospisil, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Adrian Mannarino and F. Lopez (l. to Djokovic).
•    Murray’s victory over Lopez last week was the 497th match win of his career, giving him sole ownership of the British Open Era match wins record, putting him clear of Tim Henman (496).
•    Murray opened his season by reaching the Australian Open final for the fourth time (l. to Djokovic). He fell to 2-6 in Grand Slam finals.
•    In February, Murray lost in the QF of Rotterdam (l. to Simon) and Dubai (l. to Coric).
•    In 2014, Murray finished in the Top 6 for the seventh year in a row after extending his run of winning at least one title to nine straight years. He advanced to the QF or better 15 times, winning three titles.

novak djokovic hittings balls hard for 2015 maimi open masters
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB)        vs            Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)

FedEx Head2Head: Djokovic leads 3-0
2011     US Open (U.S.A.)                Hard    R16    Novak Djokovic    7-6(14) 6-4 6-2
2012     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo     Clay    R16    Novak Djokovic    2-6 6-1 6-4
2013     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (Italy)    Clay    R16    Novak Djokovic    6-1 6-4
Alexandr Dolgopolov taking on novak djokovic balls for 2015 miami open masters•    Djokovic continued his quest for a fifth Miami title with a 6-0, 7-5 defeat of Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis. The Serb clinched his 20th win of the season in his opening match, beating Martin Klizan 6-0, 5-7, 6-1.
•    Djokovic is back at the Miami Open for the 10th time. He is a four-time champion, winning the title in 2007 (d. Canas), 2011 (d. Nadal), 2012 (d. Murray) and 2014 (d. Nadal). He finished runner-up in 2009 (l. to Murray). The Serb’s last loss in Miami came against Tommy Haas in the 4R in 2013.
•    Djokovic clinched a fourth Indian Wells title last Sunday, bringing his career haul to 21 ATP Masters 1000 crowns and 50 titles overall. He became the 11th player in the Open Era to win 50 titles, surpassing Rod Laver and coach Boris Becker, who both finished their careers on 49.
•    Djokovic is bidding to become the first player to complete the Indian Wells-Miami title sweep three times. Since 1991, seven players have achieved back-to-back success at these events – Jim Courier (1991), Michael Chang (1992), Pete Sampras (1994), Marcelo Rios (1998), Andre Agassi(2001), Roger Federer (2005-06) and Djokovic (2011, ‘14).
•    Earlier this month, Djokovic helped Serbia reach the Davis Cup World Group QF with victory over Croatia. He beat Mate Delic before teaming up with Nenad Zimonjic to clinch the doubles points.
•    In January, Djokovic became the first man in the Open Era to win fiveAustralian Open titles, defeating Murray in the final. It was his eighth Grand Slam crown, putting him level with Agassi, Connors, Lendl, Perry and Rosewall in eighth place on the all-time list for most major titles.
•    Djokovic also reached the Dubai final last month (l. to Federer in final).
•    This is Djokovic’s 140th week at world No. 1. He is now just one week from tying Nadal for the sixth-most weeks at the summit of the Emirates ATP Rankings (since Aug 23, 1973). Federer leads the way with 302 weeks spent at the top.
•    In 2014, Djokovic finished the season at No. 1 for the third time in four years, winning an ATP World Tour-high seven titles in eight finals. His season was highlighted by capturing a second Wimbledon crown, four ATP Masters 1000 titles and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.
•    Dolgopolov took 88 minutes to overcome Thomaz Bellucci in the 3R, defeating the Brazilian 7-5, 6-4. The Ukrainian saw off Ricardas Berankis in straight sets before posting a 6-7(1), 6-3, 7-5 upset win over No. 16 seedTommy Robredo in his opening two rounds. His win over Robredo was the 100th hard-court win of his career.
•    Dolgopolov is making his fifth appearance in Miami. He reached the QF for the first time last year (d. No. 3 Wawrinka in 4R; l. to Berdych).
•    After opening the season with a 1-3 record, Dolgopolov began to string some results together, reaching back-to-back QFs in Delray Beach (l. to Young) and Acapulco (l. to Nishikori) and advancing to the 3R at Indian Wells (l. to Raonic).
•    Dolgopolov dropped 24 places in the Emirates ATP Rankings last Monday after failing to defend his SF points at Indian Wells.
•    In 2014, Dolgopolov finished in the Top 25 for the third time in the past four years, advancing to the QF or better six times.
milos raonic beats jeremy chardy 2015 miami open masters[22] John Isner (USA)            vs            [5] Milos Raonic (CAN)

FedEx Head2Head: Isner leads 2-0
2012     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada    Hard    QF    John Isner    7-6(9) 6-4
2013     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati    Hard    R16    John Isner    7-6(5) 6-4

•    Isner fired down 15 aces in a 7-6(2), 6-2 upset win over No. 9 seedGrigor Dimitrov in the 3R, clinching the 250th win of his career. The American overcame junior world No. 1 Andrey Rublev in his opening match, winning 6-3, 6-4.
•    Isner is yet to have his serve broken. He is also four for four on BP opportunities of his own.
•    Isner is making his eighth appearance in Miami. He has reached the 4R here twice, in 2011 (l. to Anderson) and 2014 (l. to Berdych).
•    Isner arrived in Florida off the back of a 4R loss to Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells.
•    Isner went into Indian Wells on a four-match losing streak having fallen in the Memphis QF (l. to Querrey), the 1R at Delray Beach (l. to Matosevic) and in both his singles rubbers at Davis Cup (l. to Ward 15-13 in the 5th, Murray).
•    Isner ended 2014 as the top-ranked American for the third straight season, finishing in the Top 20 for the fifth year in a row. He won two titles in Auckland (d. Lu) and Atlanta (d. Sela).
•    Raonic hit 39 winners en route to a 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(3) defeat of Jeremy Chardy in the 3R. The Canadian had served for the match at 5-4 up in the second set. In his opening match, he breezed past Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-1, 6-4 without facing a BP.
•    Raonic is back at the Miami Open for the fifth time. His best showing was a QF appearance last season (l. to Nadal in 3 sets).
•    At Indian Wells, Raonic saved three MPs en route to a first win over Rafael Nadal, putting the Canadian into a fifth career ATP Masters 1000 SF (l. to Federer). He was the first player from his country to beat Nadal.
•    Raonic has reached the QF or better at eight of his last 10 ATP Masters 1000 events. He is looking to make it nine in 11 today.
•    Raonic opened his season with a run to the Brisbane final (l. to Federer). He also reached SFs in Rotterdam (l. to Wawrinka) and Indian Wells, and the QF at the Australian Open (l. to Djokovic).
•    Five of Raonic’s six defeats in 2015 have come at the hands of Top 10 opposition. His only defeat that didn’t was a three-set loss to Simone Bolelli in his opening match in Marseille.
•    In 2014, Raonic became the first player from his country to end a season in the Top 10 after winning a personal-best 49 matches and capturing a sixth career title – and first at ATP 500 level – in Washington (d. Pospisil in first all-Canadian ATP final).

GRANDSTAND

[28] Adrian Mannarino (FRA)        vs            Dominic Thiem (AUT)

FedEx Head2Head: First ATP World Tour meeting

•    Both Mannarino and Thiem are looking to reach an ATP Masters 1000 QF for the first time.
•    Mannarino posted the first Top 10 win of his career to reach the 4R, overcoming world No. 8 Stan Wawrinka 7-6(4), 7-6(5) in two hours and 13 minutes.
•    Mannarino got his tournament under way with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win over Albert Ramos-Viñolas. The rain-interrupted match was played across Friday and Saturday.
•    Mannarino is back in Miami for the third time. This is the first time he has gone beyond the 2R.
•    Mannarino reached the 4R at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time at Indian Wells with wins over Mischa Zverev, Fabio Fognini and Ernests Gulbis (l. to Murray).
•    Mannarino rose to a career-high world No. 32 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on Monday.
•    Mannarino opened his season in Auckland where he reached a maiden ATP World Tour final (l. to Vesely). He also reached the Delray Beach SF in February (l. to Karlovic), dropping to 1-3 in SFs.
•    In 2014, Mannarino finished in the Top 50 for the first time, winning 16 tour-level matches during the year – the second-most in his career.
•    Thiem booked his place in the 4R with wins over Diego Schwartzman, No. 10 seed Feliciano Lopez and Jack Sock.
•    Thiem returns to Miami for the second year in a row. Last season he came through qualifying to reach the 3R (l. to Robredo).
•    Thiem fell to James Duckworth in his 1R match at Indian Wells. He went on to contest the Irving Challenger in Texas where he lost in the 2R to eventual champion Aljaz Bedene.
•    Thiem’s best showing this season was a QF appearance in Marseille (l. to Bautista Agut).
•    Three of Thiem’s six defeats this season have come against Roberto Bautista Agut.
•    In 2014, Thiem ended a season as the No. 1 Austrian for the first time. He was the youngest player to finish the year in the Top 50 after compiling a breakthrough season, which saw him reach a maiden ATP World Tour final and qualify into a tour-high seven main draws in eight attempts.
fernando verdasco knocks rafael nadal from 2015 miami open mastersJuan Monaco (ARG)            vs        [29] Fernando Verdasco (ESP)

FedEx Head2Head: Monaco leads 6-4
2004     Palermo (Italy)                Clay    R16    Juan Monaco    6-4 5-7 6-3
2005     St. Petersburg (Russia)            Carpet    R16    F Verdasco    7-5 6-3
2006     Sydney (Australia)            Hard    R32    Juan Monaco    6-3 6-2
2006     Roland Garros (France)            Clay    R64    Juan Monaco    4-6 6-4 6-4 6-1
2007     Kitzbuhel (Austria)            Clay    SF    Juan Monaco    7-5 7-5
2009     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid    Clay    R16    F Verdasco    7-5 6-2
2009    Båstad (Sweden)                Clay    QF    Juan Monaco    6-1 3-1 ret
2010     Acapulco (Mexico)            Clay    QF    Juan Monaco    7-5 6-3
2011     Roland Garros (France)            Clay    R128    F Verdasco    6-2 7-5 4-6 6-4
2012     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai    Hard    R32    F Verdasco    6-4 6-2

Other Meetings:
2001     Spain F6 (Spain)                Clay    R32    Juan Monaco    7-5 6-3
2001     Spain F8 (Spain)                Clay    R16    F Verdasco    6-2 6-3

•    Monaco booked his place in the 4R with a 7-5, 6-4 upset of No. 23 seedGuillermo Garcia-Lopez. The Argentine opened his campaign with a 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-4 win over qualifier Ruben Bemelmans before upsetting No. 14 seedErnests Gulbis 6-2, 6-4 in the 2R.
•    Monaco is returning to Miami for the 12th time. He reached the SF here in 2012 with wins over world No. 14 Gael Monfils and No. 8 Mardy Fish (l. to Djokovic).
•    Monaco’s run to the Miami SF in 2012 was the last time he advanced to an ATP Masters 1000 QF.
•    Monaco posted his first hard-court wins of the year at Indian Wells, edging past Teymuraz Gabashvili before upsetting Marin Cilic on the Croat’s return from injury (l. to Kokkinakis in 3R).
•    Monaco advanced to his 20th ATP World Tour final in Buenos Aires last month (l. to Nadal). He also made the QF in Rio de Janeiro (l. to Ferrer). The Argentine opened the season 0-4.
•    In 2014, Monaco finished a season outside the Top 50 for the first time since 2006.
•    Verdasco clinched a second straight win over Nadal, upsetting the No. 2 seed 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 to reach the 4R. Verdasco had lost his first 13 matches against his compatriot. The Spaniard opened with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory overJames Duckworth, ending a three-match losing streak in Miami.
•    Verdasco last reached an ATP Masters 1000 QF in Madrid in 2012, when he posted his first ever win over Nadal in the 3R before losing to Berdych.
•    Verdasco is making his 13th appearance at the Miami Open. He is a two-time quarter-finalist here, reaching the final eight in both 2009 (l. to Murray) and 2010 (l. to Berdych).
•    Verdasco’s best showing of the year came at the inaugural event in Quito last month when he made the SF (l. to F. Lopez in 2 TB sets). He also reached the 3R at the AUS Open (l. to Djokovic).
•    In 2014, Verdasco finished in the Top 40 for an 11th year in a row with a sixth career ATP World Tour title in Houston in April (d. Almagro), ending a four-year wait for a trophy.
david ferrer hitting ball for rafael nadal at 2015 miami open masters[12] Gilles Simon (FRA)            vs            [6] David Ferrer (ESP)

FedEx Head2Head: Ferrer leads 6-2
2007     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo     Clay    R64    David Ferrer    6-3 6-1
2007     Bastad (Sweden)                Clay    QF    David Ferrer    6-1 6-0
2011     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati    Hard    R16    Gilles Simon    6-4 6-7(3) 6-4
2011     ESP vs. FRA WG SF (Spain)        Clay    RR    David Ferrer    6-1 6-4 6-1
2012     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (Italy)    Clay    R16    David Ferrer    6-0 7-6(5)
2013     ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Paris    Hard    R16    David Ferrer    6-2 6-3
2014     US Open (U.S.A.)                Hard    R32    Gilles Simon    6-3 3-6 6-1 6-3
2015     Australian Open (Australia)        Hard    R32    David Ferrer    6-2 7-5 5-7 7-6(4)

•    Simon needed three sets – 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-0 – to get past Mikhail Kukushkin in his opening match before sweeping past Alejandro Falla 6-3, 6-4 to reach the 4R.
•    This is Simon’s 10th consecutive visit to the Miami Open. He reached the QF here in both 2011 (ret. vs. Federer) and 2013 (d. No. 9 Tipsarevic in 4R; l. to Haas).
•    Simon arrived in Florida after a 4R loss to Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells.
•    Simon captured a 12th ATP World Tour title in Marseille last month (d. Monfils in a 3rd set TB). The win put him into second place, behind Yannick Noah (23), on the all-time French title leaders list. He also reached the SF in Rotterdam (l. to Berdych) and QF in Montpellier (l. to Janowicz).
•    In 2014, Simon finished in the Top 25 for the sixth time in seven years after reaching a second career ATP Masters 1000 final in Shanghai in October. The Frenchman came in ranked No. 29 and defeated No. 4 Wawrinka and No. 7 Berdych en route to the final (l. to Federer in 2 TB sets).
•    Ferrer took one hour and 33 minutes to book his place in the 4R, overcoming Lukas Rosol 6-4, 7-5. The Spaniard swept past Federico Delbonis6-1, 6-1 in his opening match.
•    Ferrer is making his 13th appearance at the Miami Open. He has reached the SF-or-better three times here, with his best showing a runner-up finish in 2013 (l. to Murray).
•    Ferrer is looking to bounce back this week after a 3R loss to Bernard Tomic at Indian Wells.
•    Ferrer has won three titles this year, bringing his career haul to 24. He captured the Doha title in the opening week of the season (d. Berdych), before posting back-to-back tournament wins at the ATP 500 events in Rio de Janeiro (d. Fognini) and Acapulco (d. Nishikori). He became the first player since Ivan Lendl in 1985 to win back-to-back tournaments on two different surfaces.
•    In 2014, Ferrer finished in the Top 10 for the fifth year in a row and sixth overall, reaching the QF or better 17 times, while clinching a lone title in Buenos Aires (d. Fognini).
kei nishikori hot for 2015 miami open masters
[4] Kei Nishikori (JPN)            vs            [18] David Goffin (BEL)

FedEx Head2Head: First ATP World Tour meeting

•    Nishikori dropped just four games as he saw off Viktor Troicki 6-2, 6-2 to clinch his 20th match win of the season and advance to the 4R. The world No. 5 got his campaign under way with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Mikhail Youzhny.
•    Nishikori has broken serve 10 times in his opening two matches.
•    Nishikori returns to Miami for the sixth time. He reached the SF last year for the first time with wins over world No. 4 David Ferrer and No. 5 Roger Federer, but was forced to withdraw ahead of his clash with Novak Djokovicdue to a groin injury.
•    At Indian Wells, Nishikori fell in straight sets to Feliciano Lopez in the round of 16.
•    Nishikori advanced to the QF or better at his first four tournaments this year, winning an eighth career title in Memphis (d. Anderson) and reaching the final in Acapulco (l. to Ferrer), the SF in Brisbane (l. to Raonic 7-6 in the 3rd) and the QF at the Australian Open (l. to Wawrinka).
•    Ahead of Indian Wells, Nishikori defeated Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonicin Davis Cup in Vancouver but couldn’t prevent Japan falling 3-2 to Canada in the World Group 1R.
•    Nishikori rose to a career-high No. 4 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on March 2. He is the highest-ranked Asian player in ATP history. He has since dropped back down to No. 5.
•    In 2014, Nishikori ended the season at a year-end best No. 5 after registering a career-high 54 wins. His year was highlighted by four titles and maiden final appearances at Grand Slam and ATP Masters 1000 level (US Open and Madrid).
•    Goffin has yet to drop a set this week, seeing off Borna Coric and Jerzy Janowicz to reach the 4R in Miami for this first time. This is his fourth appearance at Crandon Park.
•    Goffin opened his season with a SF run in Chennai (l. to Wawrinka). He failed to win back-to-back matches at his other five tournament outings this year.
•    Goffin has a 1-14 record against Top 10 opponents with his lone victory coming over world No. 9 Milos Raonic in the Basel QF last October.
•    In 2014, Goffin finished as his country’s highest-ranked player with a year-end high No. 22, rising 91 places from 2013. After compiling a 3-11 mark from January to the middle of July, he closed the season with a 22-4 record, winning his first ATP World Tour titles in Kitzbühel (d. Thiem in first ATP final featuring 2 players born in 90s) and Metz (d. Sousa). Won ATP Comeback Player of the Year.

Sam Dekker: University Of Wisconsin’s Unheralded Golden Child

Rick Bouch
-
0
Sam Dekker: University Of Wisconsin’s Unheralded Golden Child

sam dekker university of wisconsin basketball play images 2015

As a senior at Sheboygan Lutheran High School, six-foot-seven-inch Sam Dekker was the best basketball player in the state of Wisconsin. He averaged 35.2 points a game and led his team to a state championship. In the state final, Dekker hit a 3-pointer over two defenders for the game-winner with just two seconds on the clock. It is the stuff of legend. You can check out that shot just below where it has been viewed on Youtbue with over 600,000 times.

Dekker is now a somewhat unheralded star on a University of Wisconsin team that has made its way to the Final Four for the second consecutive season. The Badgers feature National Player of the Year candidate and leading scorer Frank Kaminsky. The talented 7-footer averaged 18.2 points per game during the regular season and has been a force for head coach Bo Ryan during his career in Madison.

But, it’s Dekker who has really come into his own during this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Now at 6-9, Dekker opened the tourney with 20 points against Coastal Carolina and 17 in a rematch with Oregon. It was against North Carolina in the Sweet 16 where Dekker may have played the best game of his career.

The Badgers junior shot 10-of-15 from the floor, grabbed 10 rebounds, scored a career-high 23 points, and led Wisconsin to a 79-72 win over the Tar Heels to advance to the Elite Eight. All Dekker did in his next outing was up his career high to 27 on 8-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range, in an 85-78 win over Arizona. It was Wisconsin’s second consecutive defeat of the Wildcats in the Elite Eight.

sam dekker university of wisconsin unheralded basketball player 2015

For the tournament, Dekker is on top of his game averaging 20 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting 57 percent from the field and has helped make Kaminsky and the rest of his teammates better. At the beginning of the 2014-15 season, it didn’t appear that Dekker would live up to his billing as a superstar.

When Wisconsin started its preseason practices in October, Dekker went down with an ankle injury. It was nothing serious, but it was enough to keep him from getting to the level he would have liked to have been. At the beginning of the Badgers season, Dekker got off to a slow start by any standards. He scored four points against Boise State, five against UAB, five against Duke, and just two against in-state rival Marquette.

Fans across the state wondered what was wrong with their golden child. Dekker had been a Big Ten All-Freshman team selection after averaging 9.6 points per game and becoming just the fourth freshman to ever start a game for Ryan. Dekker followed his first season up by averaging 12.4 points per game as a sophomore and earning All-Big Ten second team honors.

sam dekker hottest basketball players university of wisconsin bulge boy 2015

Still to many fans across the state, he was not the same player who was the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Sheboygan Lutheran. Dekker was to Wisconsin fans what the fictional Jimmy Chitwood was to Hickory HS and the state of Indiana in the movie Hoosiers. Many UW fans believed Dekker would make an immediate impact, similar to that of Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor, who was selected the ACC Player of the Year this season after averaging 17.5 points and 8.7 rebounds a game. When Dekker didn’t have that kind of success or impact on the Badgers program, it was “what’s wrong with Sam?”

With his performance thus far in the NCAA Tournament, Dekker has answered the question. After the season’s final weekend – the Badgers face another rematch with unbeaten Kentucky – Dekker will have some thinking to do. He is coming up high on almost everyone’s NBA draft prospects list.

sam dekker bulge shows for university of wisconsin hottest unknown players 2015

With great size, Dekker can stretch defenses with a phenomenal 3-point shot and the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim. He possesses a tremendous basketball IQ, which more than makes up for the fact that he is not an elite athlete. Dekker does run and jump well, surely well enough to be a very good NBA player.

sam dekker shooting bare basketball loads into college men 2015 images

There are still two questions to answer. First, where would Dekker go should he enter the draft? Is he, as many think, a first-round pick? Some believe that Dekker could be a lottery pick although most draft pundits see the Badgers swingman taken later in the opening round.

sam dekker playing with ncaa balls for college wisonsin hottest 2015

The other question that needs answered has to do with Dekker himself. Will he even enter the draft? For a young kid who grew up in Wisconsin, Dekker loves being in Madison. He loves the college life. Will the lure of riches pull him away before he has a chance to finish school and the college experience? Only time will tell. For now, Wisconsin’s fortunate son is focused one thing: beating Kentucky in the national semifinals and winning a national championship.

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE 704: Spoof Shocks With Trixie Exit

Julie Wein
-
0
RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE 704: Spoof Shocks With Trixie Exit

rupauls drag race season 7 spoof winners losers 2015

On this week’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race the drag queens commented on the fact that it was so quiet now that Jasmine has been eliminated. Then RuPaul announced that for this week’s Maxi challenge the drag queens had to create a parody of any RuPaul song. The drag queens were then told they would be divided into three teams and each had to write the lyrics for a parody song and then make a music video for the song. They were allowed to team up with whoever they wanted rather than RuPaul dictating it.

Rupauls drag race spoof recap 2015 images

Trixie said she felt good about the challenge because she can write song lyrics and sing them. During the planning process Max said that Violet often gets bitchy during challenges. Trixie said that Pearl needed to recharge her batteries when preparing for this performance because during the rehearsal of the song she was very rigid. Violet was having problems getting along with Lucian, who was helping the teams get ready to perform their music videos. Miss Fame said she was the strongest voice on her team but that she had to help out her fellow team members in order to be able to win the challenge. Max commented that Miss Fame was very outspoken about her potential to perform well even though she doesn’t have much experience doing so. When Violet performed in her costume for the video Max said that she just looked like Violet with a a wig on and that wasn’t going to be good enough.

rupauls drag race speedo spoof 2015

Katya said her group’s performance just looked disorganized and she was worried about what RuPaul and Michelle would think about that.

On Elimination Day, Kennedy talked about her “sister” Sahara, and how they met in high school, since both of them were interested in being a drag queen. She then confessed that her “sister” had gotten sick and passed away and Kennedy wasn’t able to attend the funeral.

rupauls drag race spoof runway 2015

Jessica Alba was introduced as one of this week’s guest judges, joining fellow guest judge Lucien as well as the panel of regulars. For the runway competition the drag queens had to dress all in green. Each drag queen came out and walked the runway in their green outfits and Pearl said that she was slithering rather than strutting because her costume had a snake like quality to it, which included very few green elements. Katya was the first drag queen to walk the runway in a dress that was 100% green. Jaiyden came out in a green camouflage type outfit in bright neon green. Violet came out in a very skimpy outfit with a lime green feather wrap and RuPaul compared her to a “roadrunner showgirl.”

After each drag queen walked the runway the music videos each team did were shown for the judges. RuPaul then announced Kennedy Davenport had won the challenge for the week. Pearl was told by the judges that she needed to loosen up and Trixie was told she wasn’t standing out from the other drag queens. After the judges deliberated on the remaining drag queens RuPaul announced that she had made her decision. She then brought the drag queens back out and stated that Pearl and Trixie were up for elimination. RuPaul give Pearl and Trixie their last chance to impress her by battling to see which one could lip sync the best. Afterwards RuPaul eliminated Trixie from the competition.

This came as a shock to everyone, especially her. “I was literally shocked,” Mattel admitted. “My parody video was funny- I came up with the concept and wrote a lot of the lyrics- my green runway was beautiful, and I slayed in my lipsync! So even after watching the episode, I still don’t understand it. Maybe I stumbled into some unflattering fluorescent lighting.”

Mattel was up against Pearl for elimination in the last episode, which may have been extra surprising since Pearl is another critically acclaimed contestant. So when it came down to the two of them, Mattel admitted that she didn’t want things to go down like that especially since she and Pearl are friends.

“It was rude. It shouldn’t have happened,” the former contestant said. “I don’t even understand why I was in the bottom.”

Check out the full episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked Spoof below:

George State Guard R.J. Hunter Leaving Dad Behind To Chase NBA Dream

Chris Maurice
-
0
George State Guard R.J. Hunter Leaving Dad Behind To Chase NBA Dream

rj hunter leaving father ron behind for nba dream 2015

The time has come for R.J. Hunter to leave the nest. Georgia State’s junior guard has decided it’s time for him to take a shot at the NBA Draft. The choice to leave Georgia State could not have been an easy one for Hunter; after all, Hunter has had the privilege of playing for head coach Ron Hunter the past three seasons—his father.

“The plan was always for me to be a four-year guy,” said Hunter when asked about his decision to declare for the 2015 NBA Draft. For all this to happen, it’s almost like a dream. I felt like the time was right. I did everything possible I wanted to do. The way it ended with the NCAA tournament was a storybook. It was like it happened for a reason.”

As a three year starter for the Panthers, Hunter got better every season. This past season Hunter helped led Georgia State to the NCAA Tournament, averaging almost 20 points per game during the season to go along with 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

rj hunter leaving georgia state for nba 2015

 

Hunter really made a name for himself in the tournament appearance. If the name R.J. Hunter sounded familiar to you, it’s probably because he busted your bracket with his game-winning shot to upset Baylor in the first round. Hunter also managed 20 in the round of 32 during Georgia State’s loss to Xavier.

Although he didn’t have an overly high shooting percentage this season, Hunter is considered a solid three-point specialist and long-range shooter. When asked where he thought he would go in the NBA, Hunter claimed that’s he’s heard everything between 15th overall and early second round.

At least now his dad can go watch without having to worry about leading the team to victory. “The next time he plays a game, I can go cheer,” said Hunter’s father.

Hunter also stressed with his decision that he believes the Panthers are prepared to go even further without him:

“They don’t need me here. Seriously. There are some good players here.”

We’ll see you in the NBA, R.J. where we can see your NBA dream come true.

Novak Djokovic Makes Short Work Of Steve Darcis: 2015 Miami Open Masters

Jackie Warner
-
0
Novak Djokovic Makes Short Work Of Steve Darcis: 2015 Miami Open Masters

novak djikovic beats steve darcis at 2015 miami open masters

Novak Djokovic showing that he has truly earned his number one world tennis ranking looked to have an easy start at the 2015 Miami Open Masters against Steve Darcis with a 6-0 win. Darcis gave him a little bit more fight in the second and last set, but just wasn’t able to make a dent in the Serbians game. At this point, I don’t think anyone will be able to as he’s playing some of the best tennis of his career.

Novak Djokovic moved one step closer to retaining the Miami Open presented by Itaú title with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Steve Darcis on Monday. The top seed continued his quest for a fifth crown in Miami as he beat the Belgian qualifier to set up a Round of 16 clash againstAlexandr Dolgopolov.

steve darcis tries to feel novak djokovics balls stroke at 2015 miami open masters

“I know his game pretty well,” Djokovic said of his next opponent. “I know what to expect. Hopefully I’ll be able to start as well as I did in the first two matches, but then end it in a bit different way [and] keep the concentration going all the way through.”

Djokovic quickly snatched the first set in 26 minutes, facing no break points and dropping just 14 of 45 points in the process.

Darcis challenged the World No. 1 in the second set, breaking for a 5-4 lead. But the Serb went on to level the set, and eventually broke again to clinch the victory in 88 minutes.

“I managed to come back in the right moment,” said Djokovic. “I elevated the intensity and started playing a little bit more with depth on the ball.

“I was handling it really good for first 30 minutes, then [I] started to make some unforced errors and started to play a little bit more neutral, a little bit slower, and he got into the match. [I] complicated my own life in the second set, but in the end of the day, it’s a win.”

novak djokovic returning steve darcis balls for 2015 miami open masters

The four-time champion (2007, ’11, ’12, ’14) is bidding to complete the Indian Wells-Miami sweep for a second straight year and third overall, after clinching a fourth BNP Paribas Open title last Sunday. The Serb brought his career haul to 21 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns and 50 titles overall, becoming the 11th player in the Open Era to join the ’50 Titles Club’.

kei nishikori beats viktor troicki during 2015 miami open masters

Fourth-seed Nishikori had even less trouble as he crushed Serbia’s Viktor Troicki 6-2, 6-2 in 63 minutes.

Troicki, who needed medical treatment to his left side during the match, struggled to cope with Nishikori throughout with the 25-year-old converting five of his six break points.

‘I was almost perfect on the court. It is so exciting that I am playing well here,’ said Nishikori. ‘Maybe he was hurting a little bit but I was still putting him under pressure with my return.”’ Raonic also moved into the fourth round after a hard-earned 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (7-3) win over French 31st seed Jeremy Chardy.

Raonic was broken when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second and then Chardy went on to force the third set.

‘He started playing more freely and I sort of went the other way,’ said Raonic. ‘He played well in the second set and I think he played better than I did in the third.’

Belgian 18th seed David Goffin beat Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 6-3 while Spain’s David Ferrer, the sixth seed, got past Czech Lukas Rosol 6-4, 7-5.

David Ferrer Continues Moving Ahead At 2015 Miami Open Masters

Jackie Warner
-
0
David Ferrer Continues Moving Ahead At 2015 Miami Open Masters

david ferrer powering balls at 2015 miami open masters

David Ferrer is easily playing some of his best tennis in years as he continues advancing forward at the 2015 Miami Open Masters after defeating Lukas Rosol in two sets.

Sixth seed David Ferrer advanced to his ninth Round of 16 in Miami after defeating No. 26 seed Lukas Rosol 6-4, 7-5 on Monday.

The Spaniard, who turns 33 years old on Thursday, saved six of seven break points faced in his 92-minute third-round victory at the Miami Open presented by Itaú. He will next face No. 12 seed Gilles Simon.

david ferrer hitting ball for rafael nadal at 2015 miami open masters

Ferrer is making his 13th appearance at this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, and has reached the semi-finals or better three times. His best showing was a runner-up finish in 2013 (l. to Murray).

With the win, Ferrer improved his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Rosol to 4-0.

Frenchman Simon got the better of Alejandro Falla in their third-round match, beating the qualifier 6-3, 6-4.

The 30 year old converted on three of his four break point opportunities in the 82-minute match to reach the fourth round at this Masters 1000 tournament for the fifth time.

His best result in Miami was a quarter-final showing in 2011 and ’13 (l. to Federer and Haas, respectively).

david ferrer tennis bulge at 2015 miami open mastesr

If you happen to be a professional tennis player plying your trade at the same time as arguably the most dominant quartet in men’s history, you’re going to be overshadowed. But in the case of 32-year-old David Ferrer, the term takes on additional meaning.

Standing 5-foot-9, the unassuming Spaniard from Xábia – a small coastal town near Valencia – has frequently been the shortest member of the elite in men’s tennis, a sport where the ideal height is thought to be somewhere between 6-foot-1 (Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal) and 6-foot-3 (Andy Murray). Tellingly, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic splits the difference at 6-foot-2. Yet despite that, Ferrer, currently ranked seventh in the world, has flourished. He’s made a Grand Slam final, won 24 titles overall, contributed to three Davis Cup titles for his country and cashed prize-money checks that total nearly $26 million. He’s finished six seasons in the Top 10, and was once as high as Number 3 in the world.

That should clue you in to the fact that Ferrer is a phenomenally gifted player – there are no hacks in the Top 10, after all. But he wasn’t endowed with a huge serve or a forehand (or backhand, for that matter). Rather, his incredible talents reside in other, less appreciated facets of the game. Ferrer might end up being one of the great returners of serve in history: His career numbers for return games won (32 percent)stand toe-to-toe with those of Agassi, Djokovic, Murray and Nadal. Ferrer has also been gifted with incredible speed off the ground, and he’s not only fast: he can run forever and gift you very few free points, due to his remarkable consistency. That’s why he commands the respect of his peers, who know that they’ll be drawn into a war of attrition if they are to overcome the man whose friends lovingly call him “the Shark.”

The one time French Open runner-up has begun 2015 in spectacular fashion: his 20 wins and 2 losses this season have brought him three titles already (ATP 500s in Acapulco and Rio de Janeiro and an ATP 250 in Doha). Ferrer won his opening match on Saturday at the Miami Open presented by Itaú, a Masters 1000 event on the ATP World Tour, and before he took the court Monday against Lukas Rosol, he spoke to about the heights he’s already reached.

You made your first Masters 1000 semifinal at Miami in 2005, and again in 2006. Then there’s the 2013 final, which got away from you by mere millimeters. What is it about this tournament that inspires you to get such good results?
Well, Miami is always good, because there are many other Spanish people, many people who speak Spanish and it is very easy, it’s almost like being at home. I have such fond memories of Miami: my first Masters 1000 semifinal in 2005, and ever since I’ve had a good time here. I hope to play this event many more – well, not many more years, but a few more for sure.

20 wins, 2 losses and 3 titles in 2015 – how do you feel about your start to the season?
I am happy with how the year has started, and happy about my first match in Miami. After that, nothing, just rest and get ready for the next match. I think motivation, desire and tranquility are important. 2014 was a good year, I actually got a lot of points but there were also some anxiety. And this year, with my new coach Paco Fogués we’ve been focusing on maintaining that motivation for tennis.

2014 was a transition year for the tour, or so it seemed. Do you think that trend will continue in 2015?
Yes. This year there are very good players, you have [Nick] Kyrgios, [Bernard] Tomic, [Grigor] Dimitrov. [Kei] Nishikori is there, and he’ll likely consolidate himself near the top, [Thanasi] Kokkinakis, too. It’s very tough, no? It will be very hard to stay near the top of the rankings in the next two-or-three years, because a lot of good players are coming up.

You’re starting your 16th season as a professional. What has changed in tennis since you began your career back in 2000?
Well, now nobody has a bad shot. Everyone has a good backhand, a good forehand, a good serve. It’s much more of a power game, without as much of an intellectual component as before. Off the court, Nadal and Federer have marked an era. A very good period for the game, which has seen Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray come up, each of whom would’ve been World Number Ones for a long period of time had they played in different eras.

Where do you think tennis is heading in the next 5-10 years?
I don’t know. I would guess that you will have to be at least between 5-foot-11 or 6-foot-3 to play tennis. I think players like me, around my height, are going to be extinct. People have evolved physically, and they hit the ball a lot harder than before.

Speaking of, is there a young player out there that reminds you of yourself?
Right now I can’t tell, since they’re all tall. But hey, they’re good. Strong players like Kyrgios, Tomic, Dimitrov. But if I’m honest, no, nobody reminds me of myself.

What element of your game has been the hardest to develop over the years? And what has come naturally to you?
Well, the mental aspect, of course. I have evolved a lot mentally. It’s hard to learn to have good routines and be consistent on a tennis court. Naturally? My timing, the fact that I can always hit the ball well. That was never a problem.

When you look at career return-of-serve numbers, you show up as one of the best not only in the present, but in history – at least since 1991, when the tour started keeping match stats. So in your opinion, who is best returner of serve of them all?
Well, I do not know because my career hasn’t overlapped with many great players who came before me. But in the last 15 years, I would have to say Novak Djokovic. He has everything: intuition, he’s very fast and he times the ball so well. The ball comes off his racquet with a lot of pace.

How have you developed your ability to return serve?
It’s harder now, without a doubt. Because people have bigger serves these days, the equipment has changed, so the ball flies faster than before. Since I’m not a great server, I felt like I had to compensate with my return. Ever since I was a kid I always tried to stand up there, close to the baseline to return serve. Which I still do to this day. You can always improve things. It is a matter of training. However, returning serve well depends a lot on intuition, which is something that’s not so easy to work with.

What are the two favorite moments of your career?
Well, my first French Open final, which I did not win, and the 2011 Davis Cup final in Seville, especially the match against Juan Martin del Potro.

What were the two most difficult moments in your career?
2008 was a difficult year. Because well, I had a few personal problems. And then at the end of that same year, in the Davis Cup final in Mar del Plata against Argentina, I played a match with David Nalbandian. It was a very complicated match, and I simply didn’t step up to the occasion. So even though Spain ended up winning the final, it was a tough time.

If you could travel back in time to when you started your career as a pro, what advice would you give to yourself?
I could change many things, given my experience and maturity now. Mostly I’d talk about staying calm and knowing how to face every match. But really, this scenario is not real – it’s impossible. And the difficult times I’ve had have unquestionably made me better as a player and as a person. If I’m honest with you, I wouldn’t change a single day of my life.

1...697698699...770Page 698 of 770

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Latest movie tv news, celebrity gossip, sports tech news for geeks from the Movie TV Tech Geeks crew. ALL NAMES, TRADEMARKS AND IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. AFFILIATE LINKS USED WHEN AVAILABLE. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. You can learn more here: https://movietvtechgeeks.com/movie-tv-tech-geeks-privacy-policy/ethical-conduct/ If you feel an image was used without consent, please use our Contact Us section to let us know. All images used are sent to us by marketing departments at agencies, movie studios and people we interview. Copyright trolls need not bother us.

Contact us: curt@movietvtechgeeks.com

© Indie Genius Productions 2021