This week : Paris

[Tournament website]

[Main draw singles]

[Main draw doubles]

[Photo Gallery updated :: 2012 Pictures]

Video : 1st double match, the first game

Video : Match point first double match

[highlights of the match - To download]

Warm up against Youzhny

Video : Second double match

[Interview to download - Oct. 28th ]

02.11 - I have updated the blog. A lot of personal pictures and official pictures, so now the gallery has more than 2000 pictures. Also, videos have been added. Regarding Fernando in Shanghai, he has one foot in, now, we have to support Rafa Nadal against Youzhny. It’s a bit stressy but I’m sure Rafael will make a good job. It would be so great to see Feña in Shanghai, he deserves to be there, and he’s great for the game, always exciting to watch, playing with his heart.

31.10 - Full update will be made tomorrow evening, with videos, photos, reports. I just wanted to thank Fernando for his double match today. Thanks for fighting, you made me happy today You’ll always have my support in the good and in the bad moments !! You’ll go to Shanghai, I’m convinced !!

Fernando’s reaction after his defeat vs Youzhny (30.10)

[From la Tercera.cl, translation by the webmaster]

“Before knowing if I’d go to the Masters Cup, I’ll have to wait until the defeats of some players. And, there are a lot. I don’t know, tomorrow, I’ll play doubles. I’ll try to win some matches in the doubles and I’ll wait because there’s nothing I can do at the moment”

“The level is very competitive. There are a lot of players who have the possibility to go to Shanghai, whereas there’s still one tournament to play, and this is very good”.

“Today, I played a good match, but it was not enough. Youzhny played a good match as well. I served well until the half of the second set, then, I lost the rythm, and Youzhny took the control”.

“The balance is positive because I’m number 7 in the ranking of the year. I don’t think a lot of the tournaments where I lost in the first round, I took it positively”

30.10- Feña González vs M. Youzhny, Center Court, 4th match of the day. Head to Head 3-0 for Feña Buena suerte !! Only one victory to go to Shanghai !!! We’ll support you !!!

29.10- I saw Fernando’s first double match this afternoon. It was great to see him play doubles, he was always smiling during the match. If you have never seen Fernando play, please for your first time, watch him play in the doubles, that’s how I discovered him, he was playing doubles with Roddick in Paris-Bercy (2002). the good news of the evening is that Fernando and Willy Cañas defeated the french pair Benetteau/Mahut in straights sets 6/4 6/2. The first set was tough but they won easily the second. It’s a good practrice for tomorrow. I don’t understand how both can play tomorrow afternoon, they have finished their match at 8 pm !! Personal pictures from the match are available in the photo gallery, if you want to use them for your personal website/blogs/fotologs, please mention my blog
I’ll be at Fernando’s match tomorrow, don’t forget to check the blog. A video from today will follow

28.10 - I saw Fernando this afternoon going to the practrice. I didn’t talk to him but I was happy to see him. Tomorrow, he’ll play his first double match on the court 1. I bought my ticket and I’ll be there. The match is scheduled at 5pm. I’ll post pictures, videos and report when I’ll be back at home. Vamos Campeón !!

27.10 - The french organisers changed the draw and swapped Robredo and Fernando, so Fernando will now face in the second round, the French Clement or Youzhny, it’s more complicated than the other draw I think Fernando will need to win that match and counts maybe on the losses of his direct opponents. I really hope he won’t face Clement because of the French crowd. I’ll be again the only one in the crowd to support Fernando lol and I remember last year. The head to head with Clement is 3-3, last meeting was in Metz in 2003, so Fernando wasn’t the top 10 player he is now. And, with Youzhny, Fernando leads 3-0, last meeting, was in 2006 in Rome, but on hard court, they only met once. Fernando is in the main doubles draw, he’s playing with Willy Cañas again and they’ll face in the first round the french pair Mahut/Benneteau. Good luck to Feña and Willy !!!

26.10 – The BNP Parisbas masters’ draw is now available. Fernando is the seed number 7, has a “bye” in the first round and will face in the second round, the winner of the match Simon/Storace. Fernando has never won a match in Paris, so I hope this year, he’ll break the Bercy curse. He can do it, we’ll be there to support him !! He deserves to go to Shanghai !! He’s a fighter !!!

I’ll go to Bercy this week, so I’ll try to post a report when it will be possible with pictures. Don’t forget to check the blog often !!

VAMOS FERNANDO !!!

Fernando in the Glamour mag for Spain :-)

Fernando was in the Glamour mag for Spain

To see all the article, just click

Here’s Fernando’s page

Translation (by the webmaster)

- Fast like the wind-

Thanks to his powerful forehand and his fast hits, this chilean is known as “Speedy González” or “El bombardero de la Reina”, name of the club when he played when he was young. When he doesn’t play tennis, he likes to stay with his family, with his friends, and enjoy his free time. “The positive side of the fame is the amount of people who admires you, including the ones who loves you, whereas the negative side is that you lose all your private life”

This week : Basel

[Tournament website]

[Doubles draw]

[Singles draw]

[Photo Gallery updated :: 1983 Pictures]

26.10 - Fernando lost to Nieminen, 3/6 5/7. World No. 29 Nieminen converted three of four break points to record his first win over Gonzalez in one hour and 30 minutes, having lost all four of their previous meetings. It was his second win over a Top 10 player this year (his first coming over Tommy Robredo at AMS Cincinnati). Now, Fernando will go to Paris to play the last tournament of the season and to qualify for the Masters Cup.

25.10 – Fernando defeated Karanusic in straights sets 6-4, 7-6(5), in one hour and 45 minutes. Fernando improved his chances to qualify for the Masters Cup. Fernando is now qualified for the quarters. He will face Jarkko Nieminen tomorrow. In the doubles tournament, Fernando and Willy Cañas lost.

24.10 – Fernando and Willy Cañas won their first match in the doubles tournament, they defeated the pair Berhend/Kas in straights sets 7/5 6/2. Fernando will play tomorrow his second match vs Karanusic, from Croatia. It will be the first match on the center court at 12.30. Later in the afternoon, Fernando will play with Willy Cañas his second match in the doubles draw, they’ll face the pair Hanley/Ullyett, tough match, they are number 3 in the world.

[From la Tercera]

“It’s always complicated in the first round. The conditions are very different from Madrid and the good thing is that I won. Unfortunately, I could not take advantage of the breaks in the first and in the second set “.

The bombardero de la Reina hopes to continue to advance into the competition. “Of course, I have great memories here. I’ve played there during 4 years and I’ve been 3 times in final. Hopefully, I can obtain something similar.

About Karanusic : “I saw him a little bit play in Vienna, because they called up to play. He has the advantage to have played 4 matches in the tournament, and me, only one, but I have more experience and I’m having a good moment”

23.10 - Fernando def. Haenhel in straights sets 7/6 6/4, not easy first round, but he did it. Congratulations. Next match against another player from the qualifyings : Karanusic. Fernando will enter in the doubles tournament tomorrow with Guillermo Cañas, they’ll play on the court 2, third match. Buena suerte !! Fernando’s second match will be scheduled on thursday.

22.10 – Fernando will face the French player Jerome Haenhel in the first round in Basel. Fernando will play tomorrow his first match, on the centre court, at 8 pm. Buena suerte !!

Rankings update : ATP Ranking this week : 8 – Race : 7

This week, Fernando will participate to the tournament of Basel, the hometown of Roger Federer, in Switzerland. Fernando won the tournament in 2005 and was finalist last year beaten by Roger Federer.

Main draw available : Fernando will play a qualifier in the first round, and if he wins, will face another qualifier in the second round, then, it could be more difficult for him. Good luck to Fernando, he can go far and wins his ticket for Shanghai, vamos !!

The doubles draw is available and Fernando will play with Guillermo Cañas the tournament, they’ll face in the first round, the pair BEHREND/KAS. Fernando faced them in Madrid last week. VAMOS !!

Good luck to Fernando this week !!! VAMOS !!

This week : Madrid

[Website]

[Main draw singles]

[Main draw doubles]

Hola, I was in Madrid for a couple of days at the beginning of the week. I spent a great moment there and I saw Fernando at his practrice on monday. Unfortunately, I had to leave on tuesday and wasn’t able to see him play. Due to the light and to a problem with my battery, I wasn’t able to take many pictures of Fernando, only one and I made two videos. After his practrice, Fernando went outside the courts to sign autographes and to give an interview to a tv, I took pics at that moment but it was with my friend’s camera, so I hope to share them with you next week

- Fernando’s results –

1st round : Bye

2nd round : Fernando def. Almagro, 7/6 7/5

3rd round : Fernando def. Monaco, 6/4 6/2

QF : Kiefer def. Fernando, 6/7 2/6

All the main Fernando’s opponents in the race lost very early so Fernando won crucial points for Shanghai.

Doubles tournament

1st match : Fernando/Sa def. Nadal and Lopez

2nd match : they lost to Bjorkman/Myrni

[From la Tercera - Translation from the webmaster]

“This final part of the season, I am playing well but today it was not a good day. Kiefer knew how to play me. Everything went well in the first Set although I wasn’t fresh with my forehand. I’ve never had something like that. He responded to all my strokes “, said the Bombardero.

“I fell bad after the loss of the tie break, especially by the way it happened. He took a small advantage, he won the set and he began again “, said the national tennis player.

About Kiefer : “Kiefer is a great player. It’s not a surprise that he’s in the semi-finals”

Finally the player of Santiago announced his real goal, “It’s to maintain the level that I have maintained and to qualify for the race for Shanghai, that is the authentic challenge until the end”.

[To download -Interview in english with Fernando in Madrid]

[To download - Interview in spanish with Fernando in Madrid]

[Photo Gallery updated = 1959 Pictures]

This week : Vienna

[Tournament website]

[Singles Draw]

[Doubles Draw]

[A few minutes of the match + one sentence of Fernando]

[Article about the match - Lun]

[Photo Gallery updated :: 1936 Pictures]

October 06-14

Place : Vienna

Surface : indoor

13/10 – González and Chela lost in the semi-finals in the doubles tournament against the pair Berhend/Kas in three sets.

12/10 – Juan-Carlos defeated Fernando González in the quarters, 6-3 4-6 6-4 in two hours but Fernando is still in the doubles tournament

10/10 - Fernando will face in the quarters, the spaniard, JC Ferrero. Vamos !!

[From atp tour website] - With seven rivals within 17 points of his ATP Race total, 7th-placed Fernando Gonzalez boosted his Tennis Masters hopes with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Jiri Vanek on Wednesday to reach the Vienna quarterfinals.

The second seed and top-ranked Chilean did not face a break point and dropped just nine points on his first serve. He next faces the winner of former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero and Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

Despite hot competition from his rivals for a Shanghai berth, Gonzalez’s chances remain strong. The Chilean will be able to add all the points he earns this week in Vienna – and two weeks from now in Basel – because he has two ‘zero pointers’ in his ‘Best 18′ points tally.

9/10 - Fernando will play tomorrow his second match against Vanek, on the Centre Court, at 15.00. Vamos y buena suerte 8/10 - Fernando and Chela won their first match in the doubles tournament, they won 7/6 6/2. We know Fernando’s opponent in the second round, it will be Vanek. They only met once and Fernando won their only meeting, it was in 2006 at the US OPEN. Fernando is not scheduled for tomorrow, so he’ll play on wednesday. VAMOS

7/10 - Fernando won his first match against Volandri in three sets : 3/6 6/1 6/3. Congrats & good luck for the next round

Fernando will play tomorrow his first double match with Chela, on Court B, it will be the second match of the day. A good practrice for Fernando !! The name of his opponent will be known tomorrow afternoon.

6/10 – The draw is now available. Fernando is the seed number 2 and will face in the first round, the Italian, Volandri. Fernando is also in the doubles draw, he’ll play with J.I Chela (Argentina), they’ll face in the first round, the pair Pala/Skoch, from Czech Republic. Good luck to Fernando this week !!

From Radio Cooperativa (4/10)

“I didn’t calculate, I know that I’m number 7 and we are all very close, but the most important is that there remain 4 tournaments and I have to give the best. If I want to go to Shanghai, I have to have good results and this is what concerns me the most”

“This year, they changed the surfaces of the indoors courts and this is very good. Last year, one played on a slow surface, then, we moved to a fast one and no time to adapt to, but this year will be good for everyone, because we’ll see a better tennis”

“I had a good year, and I’m very happy with that, but the tennis is demanding more and also I want to have better results”

 

Interview in La Tercera

During his week off, Fernando gave an interview to the Chilean newspaper “La Tercera”.

[Translation by the webmaster]

Fernando González took advantage of his last days off to have a rest. Even if he didn’t touch his racket and thought to do it this week to start to prepare the last 4 tournaments of the season, crucial for his qualification for the Masters Cup, in Shanghai. The recently defeat against Israel which lead Chile to the Zone 1 South America, used to be part of the past. Nevertheless, there always remain traces of this defeat which is defined as “a bad year for us in Davis Cup”.

At the start of the season, it seemed obvious that you could do something important in this 2007 Davis Cup, with a favorable draw thinking that the final could be played at home ?

It was a bad year, no doubt. In this competition, you have opportunities, and we didn’t take advantage of them. You lose and you don’t have more chances until next year. The losses cost a lot.

Who is responsible ? The loss which lead to the relegation ?

The responsabilities are individuals. I lost matches that I shouldn’t have lost and this cost us a lot. Because the group and the team are working well. Hans is doing his job well, and the players, are the ones who enter on the court

As you are concerned, you didn’t win against Igor Andreev, in the match against Russia, in La Serena, and against Dudi Sela, in Israel ?

This shows that in tennis, as in the other sports, the favourite is still on the paper and in the statistics. And, those who are not favourites on the court, with a lot of desire, it’s a great opportunity they have. We, had a lot of desire to stay in the world group, more than anyone, but it didn’t work.

 

The difficulties in 2007

It took two years to Fernando González to qualify for the Masters Cup at the end of the year. In 2005, after the withdrawals of several players, he participated as a substitute and played two matches. Last year, he was close to qualify directly, he was a substitute but decided to not participate.

This year, thanks to his finals in Australia and in Roma, he’s very close to qualify and the last 4 tournaments (Vienna, Madrid, Basel and Paris) are crucial to reach one of the 5 spots for which there are 12 pretenders.

 

González will go on Thursday on the road of the indoor tournaments. It’s the same tournaments each year. It’s played under a low roof, in indoors. But, we can play tennis very well, but there are no external factors which bother you. As I am concerned, I have always played well (last year, he made the final in Vienna, Madrid and Basel), so I have a lot of confidence, moreover, I play the qualification for the Masters Cup, which i desire the most”

Today, you can qualify for the Masters Cup, nevertheless, the irregularity of the year 2007 could count a lot ?

It’s sure but as Larry said “all you have done, you have done and now, you have new things to do”. Today, the fight to go to Shanghai is entertaining and there are a lot of players who are fighting for the 5 remaining spots.

You had two good years : in 2006, you have been more regular but it didn’t continue in 2007, with the taste to reach a grand slam final. Which season will you choose ?

It’s different. But, to arrive in a grand slam final has been one of my best experiences. I had a tough year, because since Australia, everything changed. Today, everybody expect me to win even during the practrices. I’m happy with that success and I hope to live other good moments.

 

The player from Santiago, has the aim to help the youngs when he retires

After the defeat against Israel, people thought about the renew of the chilean tennis

Do we have to be so pessimistic ?

Everybody is talking about immediate results. I don’t know all the youngs but I know that some are playing well. I don’t know the results we had (Chino Rios, Nico Massu and me) at the same age, and for that reason, we think that there are no renew.

People said that similar years of 1980 could be repeated, when Chile lost in the zone 2

It’s an irresponsability for the youngs to be a tennis player. There are a lot of players who are maybe limited, who maybe need time to explode

What do you think you can do to avoid this hole that everybody is talking about ?

I’d like to help in any manner. To not transmit my experience to other youngs would be egoist

Would you like to create an academy, for example ?

I don’t know, but with a group of youngs, why not an academy. I want to contribute within the limit that I can

 

 

 

From Gonzaleztenis.com

[Translation by the webmaster]

[From gonzaleztenis.com website]

Hello friends,

I can tell you that I almost took one week off and on monday, I started to practrice again. I needed that rest a lot. During three months, I’ve played and travelled without stopping. Unfortunately, I have to quit Chile

You know how much I love to be here, but I have a great challenge ahead. Next monday, I’ll play the tournament of Vienna, which is played in indoors and in one of the prettiest cities in Europe. A lot of people ask me how are my possibilities to qualify for the Masters of Shanghai. Today, I was 7th at the race that means that there are many options but the most important is that I have to play well to be able to go.

Beyond all that, the important thing is that I ‘m very motivated and this helps me a lot during these moments.

Thanks for visiting my website and we stay in contact.

Fernando

Exhibition played in Santiago

Source : La Tercera& Emol

[Picture from Emol]

[video of the exhibition]

[good summary on emol]

Fernando González y Robinson Mendéz (number 1 wheel chair player) played an exhibition on the Paseo Ahumada in Santiago to promote the Telethon 2007 in Chile. About 200 persons were there to support the children. The majority of the persons who came were girls who wanted to be close to the number 6 player in the world

Both players played on an artificial court and Fernando won 6/2 in 45 minutes.

“It’s a good initiative. Before, I practriced with him during the Australian Open”, said Fernando.

About Mendéz :”By all the efforts he gave to surpass himself, he has progressed much in the last months in spite of the difficulty to obtain the support and to develop his discipline

Fernando will travel on October 4th to Vienna where he’ll start to play the last part of the season. After Austria, he’ll go to Spain to play the Madrid Masters Series, then, he’ll play in Basel to finish with the Paris Masters Series

[Photo Gallery updated :: 1920 pictures]

[From ATP Tennis website]

Chilean Fernando Gonzalez played a benefit exhibition against compatriot Robinson Mendez, the world’s No. 20-ranked wheelchair tennis player, at one of the most important streets in downtown Santiago.

With a large crowd of fans surrounding the court set up on Paseo Ahumada, Gonzalez and Mendez played one set, which the Australian Open finalist won 6-2.

The match served as a promotion for the upcoming Teleton, a campaign to raise funds for children with physical disabilities, to be held on November 30 and December 1. Last year’s Teleton raised US$ 23million.

“I practiced with Robinson at the Australian Open and he gave me luck,” said Gonzalez. “He’s a good player. Could you imagine playing in a wheelchair? It’s more difficult than just playing tennis. Here you have to use one arm to hit the ball and the other one to ride the chair.”

Mendez said: “Fernando is a very good player. I hope that people understand that it is my job, not a hobby. I’m a professional tennis player too.”