Feña : “In Wimbledon, I’ll go with more desire”

[Article from Radio Cooperativa, translation by the webmaster]

The number 5 tennis player returns to Chile after his disappointed stay in Roland-Garros, said that he’ll prepare better to look for a good result in England. Fernando González will arrive in the next few hours to our country with several things in mind.

First, forget his stay in Roland-Garros, to rest and recover his tennistic shape to face the second part of the season, the closest challenge will be Wimbledon, where the world number 5, will try to erase his poor image left in Paris.

“The idea is just to stop a little bit and to return to start everything. I only return to play in Queens and I’ll stay training the previous week of Wimbledon”

The Queens will start from June 11th, whereas Wimbledon will start on June 25th.

“I came with much illusions to this tournament since I did all these years and I had a big deception, but maybe it’s going to be good, cause it hurt me so much to be eliminated so early”"Now another Grand Slam comes and obviously I am going to arrive with many more desire “

Regarding his possibilities of making a good tournament in the third Grand Slam of the season, the Chilean trusts on his capacities, in spite of the difficulties to play on grass.

“When you have two Grand Slams in a row, and after a so intense tour perhaps many players relax, but I relax a little bit, so on grass, I’ll play very well”.

Roland-Garros : no mixed doubles for Fernando

[Roland Garros website]

[The draw]

[Source : tvn]

Fernando and Gisela withdrew from the Mixed doubles. Fernando will come back to Chile on thursday evening (arrival in friday morning in Santiago). Fernando will have a one week rest in Santiago and will come back to Europa to prepare Queens and Wimbledon.

Have a safe trip to Chile Fernando and take care !!!

We’ll always support you !!!!

Roland-Garros, my photos

[Pictures from Roland-Garros : practrice and match vs Stepanek]

[1595 Photos, in the Photo Gallery]

ROLAND-GARROS, Feña lost in the first round

[Official website]

[Main draw]

Feña lost in the first round in Paris against R. Stepanek in straights sets 2/6 2/6 4/6

I knew that it would be a tough match for Fernando but didn’t think he’d lose in straights sets.

Fernando practriced on Court 18 (one no available), the problem yesterday is that all the practrice courts were not available because there were matches, there were two practrice courts available and Fernando practriced on the worst one (with Lopez, Nalbandian and Grosjean), we couldn’t watch him or take pictures. We found a place to see him, but from far, but at least, we saw him a little bit. He’s practriced for 30 minutes, left the court, took some pictures.

After the lunch, we decided to go to Court 13 just to have good seats, the problem is that we had to watch Benetteau’s match (which was very long) and Ferrero’s match (we don’t like JCF), so when Feña entered on the court, we were very very happy

Stepanek played very well, he didn’t miss many points, and all the balls he hitted, most of the time they were in the court, it was unbelievable. Stepanek played many times Fernando’s backhand. I don’t think that it’s the worst match of Fernando on clay, to be honest and objective, it’s just that Stepanek played a great match, Fernando couldn’t do any thing, maybe because Hingis was there (3 rows behind us I think)or maybe Stepanek played the match of his life in Roland-Garros and was motivated to play a top 5 player. We were so sad with Fernando. The evening I think was difficult for him, he was one of the outsider of the tournament and he lost in the first round.

Hopefully, there’s still the mixed doubles to play, Fernando will be better, he’ll play with Gisela, and will send us his greatest smiles, as always in the doubles.

We’ll still support you Fernando !!!

[A few quotes from Fernando, from Radio Cooperativa]

“He played very well, he played the best he could do and maintained his level during all the match. I have never had the chance to take the control of the match.

“I have made a lot of mistakes, but I don’t think that it’s the worst match of the year I played”

“It’s a pity but I’ll have more opportunities, later, it’s Wimbledon and I can change all this”

[From the French newspaper - L'Equipe -]

“I was not catastophic, but he played a so good match. I tried to change my strategy, but against somebody who always surprise you, who goes to the net when you don’t expect it, who plays flat and who serves well, it was difficult. To lose this way makes me sorrow”

“Yes, I had great expectations for this tournament. But, I lost ten minutes ago, how do you want me to say, how I’ll cope with this defeat”

[Photo Gallery updated : total 1581 pictures]

ROLAND-GARROS – Benny Berthet day -

[Official website]

[Main draw]

The main draw is now available and Fernando (seed number 5) is not very lucky, in the first round, he’ll face Radek Stepanek. They only faced once, it was in 2004, in Dusseldorf and Fernando won Stepanek is at the moment, ranked number 57, he didn’t have a good season on clay, his best result was a second round in Monte-Carlo and Rome. It’s of course possible for Fernando, but not easy, his week in Dusseldorf gave him much confidence so he should win the match.

May 26th, 2007

Today was my first day in Roland-Garros, I saw Fernando at the practrice in the morning and at his exhibition match against Roger Federer. Fernando lost 6/7 but it was a good match and Fernando broke Roger once.

Here are some pics of the practrice and of the match (please mention the name of this blog if you use the pictures on your blogs, thank you)

More pics ? [Photo Gallery, total pictures : 1575] 

World Team Cup Party

Some pics during the World Team Cup Party in Dusseldorf

[Photo Gallery updated : total 1563 photos]

More pics of the WTC party, here

WTC : Chile out

[Arag World Team Cup Official Website]

Chile didn’t qualify for the final on saturday in Dusseldorf. They lost against Argentina 0/3.

Here are a summary of the results this week :

Chile def. USA (2-1)

González df Blake, 6/4 7/5

Massu df Fish

USA won the doubles

Chile def. Sweden (2-1)

Massu def. Björkman

Fernando González vs Robin Soderling, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4

Sweden won the doubles

Argentina def. Chile (3-0)

Chela def. González, 4-6, 5-7

Acasuso def. Massu

Argentina def. Chile

Hamburg : Fernando’s interview

Fernando’s interview after his defeat against Nadal (From Emol deportes)

González : “I played correctly but Nadal doesn’t give points” 

“Nadal is human, but he has a great game for this type of surface”

“This time was different than the final in Roma, because I was closer. In Roma, I attacked from the beginning and it didn’t work. Here, however, it is possible to play from the bottom of the court, because the surface is slower”

“Nadal def. me twice in 5 days, but today I played correctly. The key is that he doesn’t give you any point in the most important moments”.

About Federer, González thinks that Roger is also “human”. “He got two incredible years, it’s difficult to always be at the nivel he played”

About the Chilean press : “I have learnt that I don’t have to read the papers, I only look at the header and the pictures. When you win, they’ll always want you to win. Sometimes, they raise you and sometimes, they low you”.

WTC : Chile in the Red Group

[Arag World Team Cup Official Website]

The WTC draw is now available. Chile is in the red group with : USA, Argentina and Sweden

Argentina and Sweden will face on sunday and Chile and the USA will face on monday, González & Blake will play the first match.

The Chilean team is composed of : Fernando González, Nicolas Massu, Julio Peralta, and Jorge Aguilar. “La Tercera” announced the name of the 4th player today.

BUENA SUERTE CHILE !!!

Hamburg : Another defeat against Rafa

[Official website of the tournament]

[Main draw]

The TMS Hamburg is over for Fernando, he lost for the second time in a row, and in two weeks, against Rafael Nadal in straights sets 6/4 6/4. I was surprised by Fernando’s shape today especially after his marathon day of yesterday. As always, he gave 100 % and fought till the end of the match. The match was very interesting to watch with some great points from Fernando, but Rafa was the best

I can’t compare with the Roma final cause I haven’t watched the match yet. All I can say, it’s that it’s a positive week for Fernando, he finally defeated Mathieu after their third meeting this year, and he defeated Melzer, a player against whom he has problems to play with. He only lost against the best player in the world on clay. Fernando is not lucky, he always has in his draw Federer or Nadal.

Let’s hope that in Roland-Garros, Fernando will have a good draw for once, he’d deserve to go far in Paris.

Next week : the world team cup in Dusseldorf. A good practrice for Fernando. Buena Suerte Chile and can’t wait to see you in Paris !!!

[Photo gallery updated : Total 1554 pictures]