Novak Djokovic defends his Rogers Cup title and his third one.
PHOTO CREDIT // CHRISTOPHER SA’D

Toronto, ON –Novak Djokovich just joined Andre Agassi as a three-time Rogers Cup champion.

He still trails six-time champ Czechoslovakian legend Ivan Lendl, but he is young and on track to one day, maybe, approach the distant success of Lendl. It showed after a solid 6-3, 6-2, finale performance over French Richard Gasquet.

It was Djokovic’s 12^th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, but in order for him to seal the prestige, he faced his own obstacles; he had to tweak a thing or two from of his game, he said.

“I’ve been working on the efficiency of my first and second serve, but also trying to be more aggressive in the first ball,” Djokovic said. “I’m not one of the biggest servers in the game, that’s for sure, but I always try to focus on obviously the second shot after the serve.”

It was a trial and error process for Djokovic and it took some time before it settled in, considering at first, the match seemed to grow into a tight affair.

“The opening couple of games of the first set were quite close,” he said about the first set at 3-3. “I wasn’t trying to force my first serve speed-wise too much… I was really aggressive coming to the net, so I’ve achieved what I planned to do tactic-wise before the match.”

The biggest scare was the thought of another rain delay, which can always ruin a player’s momentum and carve a bumpier road to the prize.

“The rain delays and interruptions weren’t making my life easier, that’s for sure, but I was really committed to do anything in my power that will make me more ready.”

It also didn’t help that Djokovic just rode an emotional roller coaster after losing the Bronze medal game to Argentinian Juan Martin del Porto.

“The losses in the Olympic Games were more difficult for me emotionally than Wimbledon, but I still played some great matches,” Djokovic explained. “The two losses that I had in three days in Olympic Games gave me more desire to come here and perform my best and try to win a title.”

Instead, it inspired the second world ranked player.

“So it’s actually a huge confidence boost for me. I haven’t won a title since Miami and played lots of finals. This is a great hard court season start.”

This was one title Djokovic fought for and needed, considering is recent drought. It definitely helped that the other three top four adversaries dropped out of the tourney.

But, missing Andy Murray, Roger Federer, or Rafael Nadal didn’t lessen any pressure for Djokovic he said. He prefers the pressure, it’s a good sign about his own play.

“Look, pressure is always present. Pressure is a privilege in a way. It’s a challenge. When you have pressure, that means that you’ve done something in your life that matters… it’s normal.”

Surely, more pressure will arise with the U.S. Open creeping up.

In turn, he looked more comfortable on the hard court and adjusting to the hard court season is exactly what he needed before the next stretch.

Gasquet, Rogers Cup’s 14^th seed and the man with a slamming backhand, was not slouch himself. He beat three higher ranked players to reach the finals; No. 4 Tomas Berdych, No. 11 Mardy Fish, and No. 8 John Isner.

When it came to top dog, the Frenchman just couldn’t do it anymore.

Gasquet, in his third career ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final, lost the first game, but retaliated with winning the next. It was a back and forth match until they tied 3-3, with long rallies through the promising matchup.

Soon after, Djokovic heated up after smashing the ball with his forearm and pumping his fist for the 4-3 break. It was the sign of fatal mortality –for his opponent that is.

Not long after, Gasquet ran out of gas as Djokovic ended the first set with a thunderous ace.

After, the story wrote itself as he finished the game in only one minute above an hour.

“I had a very bad game at 4-3, and it made the difference,” Gasquet said about the finale. “After he took confidence, and me, my level was down. Then when you are losing to a guy like him, it’s very difficult to come back… I want to play better, but I tried my best.”

For Djokovic, expect him to return to the Rogers Cup, next year in Montreal, to defend his title for a second time.

“I will be coming back definitely. It’s one of my favourtite events… I love playing in Canada. Just very glad to be winning this trophy.”

American John Isner knocks out Tennis Canada poster boy, Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals.
PHOTO CREDIT // MICHAEL RYBINSKI

Toronto, ON –Milos Raonic stood in the centre stage spotlight during the 2012 Rogers Cup quarter-finals and Toronto fans embraced it.

There was one problem in front of him, 6-9’ American, John Isner, who could also serve one mean heater and he proved it by beating Raonic 7-6, 6-4; despite playing a match earlier in the day.

Isner battled through three sets against German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, in a third round match before facing Raonic later in the night. The rain-out from last night postponed Isner’s match to today.

Isner says despite playing a match earlier in the day, he felt alright and that he had the advantage.

“The way I looked at it is, I was at a bit of an advantage, in my opinion, because he hadn’t played in a few days,” Isner said when asked if he was tired after only two hours of rest in-between matches. “I played a match earlier, a match I could have lost, 6-4 in the third set. Any time you win a match like that, it sort of gives you confidence, so I went out there telling myself I had nothing to lose.”

Isner said although Raonic seemed a little fresher, after a day rest, Isner felt he was more in-tune with the tournament at that point.

Isner also spoke with honesty, no sugar coating about how his opponent played.

“He sort of let me back in that first set,” Isner said. “He was serving up a break and he didn’t play a good game at all… He played a crappy game, to be honest. So I was very lucky there.”

There was no doubt that Raonic agreed with Isner about his play.

“I think in general, he played better than I did,” Raonic claimed. “I didn’t do that many things –my serve was not there by any means, which is a big part.

“He was able just to chip and sort of play, and then I would give away a lot of free points. I double faulted a lot more than I normally do.”

Raonic says he was disappointed about his lost, but not because he lost on home soil. He says you only feel  a one to two percent additional edge when playing at home.

He was just more frustrated that he played poorly in general.

Either way, he loved the support, especially from the crowds during this match he said.

“I’m going to take this match and try to learn as much as I can from it…It’s pretty much trying to do the things I can over the next day or two or three and prepare as best I can for the next tournament.

“Just have to do a few things better than I did today.”

Isner battles France-born Richard Gasquet for the first semi-final match on Saturday.

Rained out on Thursday at Toronto’s Rexall Centre.
PHOT CREDIT // MICHAEL RYBINSKI

Toronto, ON –Misery filled the Toronto air on Thursday, and that’s not including rain, which drenched the courts of Rexall Centre practically all day.

After hearing Gold medallist Andy Murray withdrew from the 2012 Rogers Cup, due to a knee injury, the day worsened with another cancelled matchup;  because of rain: Novak Djokovic versus American Sam Querrey for a quarter-final jump.

In such tournaments like these, it’s tough to say that rain was the highlight of the night.

So, to stay safe, we won’t.

Murray’s news is what turned heads, after he arrived to Toronto from his exciting play against Roger Federer in the 2012 London Olympics games.

Murray said he hurt his left knee during his match against Italian Flavio Cippola, which after much consideration, he decided to drop out from the race.

“I decided this morning.  Obviously it was a bit sore yesterday, then had some treatment and stuff after the match,” Murray said. “I saw the physios, they did some work on it, and it’s still a bit sore.”

Murray says that hard courts are usually the hardest on his body and it takes some time for him to get used to it.

“Normally when I move on to hard courts, you have ten days or so practicing and you feel things like this, but you can work round it by doing the right training… I don’t want to go full out and possibly do anymore damage,” Murray said.

He continued by saying he never had any issues with his left knee, so it’s something precautionary to his career.

Until he recovers to what he needs, Murray might not even compete in Cincinnati he said.

“Over the next few days, we’ll come up with a plan and strategy to either get myself ready for Cincinnati, or if not, then plan for the best way to prepare for the US Open.”

Canadian “star” Milos Raonic, also Tennis Canada’s marketeer, draped around and across Rexall Centre, advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time in the ATP Masters 1000 tour.

He automatically moved into the quarter-finals, waiting on either American John Isner or German Philipp Kohlschreiber, who play on Friday.

Murray says he looked forward to the match, thinking it was going to be a fun one. He also wished Raonic success in the tournament.

He says it’s only a precaution after hurting his left knee during his match against Italian Flavio Cipolla. Competing in Cincinnati and the U.S. Open are also questionable, he said.

Canadian and Thornhill native,  Milos Raonic advances to his first quarterfinals in a ATP Masters 1000 event. The No. 16 seed only played one match thus far.

This leaves Novak Djokovic the only top four ranked ATP player left.

PHOTO CREDIT// Christopher Sa’d

Toronto, ON –It’s surely whimsical at Toronto’s Rexall Centre this time around for the 2012 Rogers Cup.

Two rounds already kicked off with two Canadians out, Milos Raonic hanging in as the No. 16 seed, and American boy Mardy Fish looking to repeat a finals appearance. American John Isner is also in contention.

Eighth-seeded Isner, 27, debuted on Centre court, outduelling Spain’s Pablo Andujar in three tough sets, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.

At 30, No. 11 seed Fish delivered a fan favourite performance for Toronto, taking out Australian Matthew Edben 6-0, 6-2, in an effortless 53-minute spar. He plays seventh-seeded Argentine Juan Monaco in round three.

Fish, who lost to Novak Djokovic last year in Montreal, is aiming for the Canadian ATP title. With two of the top four of the world, first-seeded Roger Federer (withdrawn) and third-seeded Rafael Nadal (injury) are out of the tournament, the challenge seems more plausible.

Raonic advances to the third round, beating Viktor Troicki, 6-3, 6-2, in one of the main event matches this past evening. It was a quick one for the Thornhill native.

“I converted the opportunities that I created on his serve.” Raonic said. “I felt like I was moving my legs well.”

Raonic made Canadian history landing the No. 24 seed, currently in ATP world rankings. He looks to face one of his biggest challenges with a possible round three play against 2012 London Olympics gold medalist, Andy Murray –if Murray beats Italian Flavio Cipolla.

But with this match in sight and not doubting the strength and success of Murray, especially in this tournament’s history, Canadians must worry about their promising Canadian dropping out. Two already packed their bags from singles competition.

Vancouver-born, Vasek Pospisil, 22, lost to Monaco in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) and Frank Dancveic failed against Kazakhstan-born Mikhail Kukushin, 6-3, 7-5.

However, both Canadians will still see action in doubles.

Ranoic is also in doubles action, paired up with Troicki, his recent round two victim.

Day four takes on another whimsical ride with Murray and Djokovic heeding to the hard grounds of centre court.

Scott Piercy wins his second PGA Tour tournament with a minus-17 in Hamilton at the 2012 RBC Canadian Open and now heads to Akron, OH.
PHOTO CREIT // RBC Canadian Open

Hamilton, ON –It’s over. It was another golfing delight ending in a threatening last stroke on Sunday.

Robert Garrigus and William McGirt both had one stroke left to tie Scott Piercy’s minus-17 at the 18^th hole and in the last round. They came up short by one stroke, crowning Piercy the 2012 RBC Canadian Open champion at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club.

Piercy, 33, snatched the $936,000 US top prize and his second PGA Tour championship, inviting him to Akron, Ohio for the World Golf Championships; the Bridgestone Invitational. Nevertheless, he never thickened his ego after winning such a grand honour.

“Getting into Akron next week is a little change of plans,” Piercy said after winning the 103^rd annual National Canadian Open Championship. “I was supposed to be in Reno defending.  So I have to apologize to Reno.”

The road to the finals wasn’t an easy one for the American; he says it took a couple good breaks to reach this point.

“I’ve been playing good for a while now, and you just need a couple of good breaks here or there and just play solid,” Piercy said. “Whether it’s a putt here, a bounce there, you never really know. If it bounces left instead of right, if it doesn’t catch the lip and lip in the hole, it can lip out.  Just one stroke is huge.”

Piercy believes you need a little luck on your side to win these tournaments. Even the wind catches you in a funny situation at time, he said.

Piercy also didn’t take any glory from Garrigus and McGirt’s play at the 18^th hole, saying you expect these guys to make these putt and head into a playoff.

“You know what, these guys are so good that you have to think that they’re going to make the putt,” Piercy said about both Garrigus and McGirt, who both played as well with a stroke one below. “And you have to prepare yourself to go to a playoff, and you have to prepare yourself to go win the playoff. So in my mind you’re still in a grind mode even when you’re sitting in the clubhouse.”

After winning such a strenuous and rough tournament, Piercy climbed to 13^th in the FedEx Cup rankings, piling 500 points from this tournament alone.

The stress of qualifying is not an issue anymore and he looks forward to the bigger dream, the Masters, he said.

“I’ve always wanted to go there [Masters]. I always told myself I’m not going unless I’m in the tournament.  So now I can go,” Piercy said. “You know, not only to be in the Masters, but I think to be in all the majors and not have to worry about qualifying is definitely a goal, but obviously the Masters has the history and everything around it.  And I look forward to it.  I really do.”

Piercy looks to compete more as even though this tournament doesn’t present the largest check, it presents a big win for him on the tour.

“I’m really excited to be the champion.”

Garrigus’s post round conference, sits comfortably after leading round three with a minus-16 score at the 2012 RBC Canadian Open at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club.
PHOTO CREDIT // CHRISTOPHER SA’D

Hamilton, ON –Robert Garrigus absorbs every experience he can to grow into a better player.

He especially said his time competing in Memphis, at the St. Jude Classic, taught him a lesson, and possibly the best thing attributing to his career.

“I could have won that tournament and not known how to deal with this failure,” he said about Memphis. “But I think winning a golf tournament outright, that would be easy. And what I had to do was hard, just dealing with all that and having to man up… you know, that really helped me in my career for sure.”

Garrigus notched a minus-16 lead in round three of the RBC Canadian Open at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, and said Memphis contributed to this outcome.

With a minus-10, one behind former share leaders William McGirt and Scott Piercy, after the second round, he still had fire equipped in his arsenal to compete with, but it looked like it would take some endurance to keep the heat up. He says, physically, he’s not even close to the same player he was before.

“My fitness level is off the charts from where it used to be,” he said after a long hot and competitive day. “I rarely find myself sweating on the golf course, and if you remember Memphis, I was sweating like a pig.

“And, I just think I’m more mature.”

It showed that maturity alone helped him gain more awareness to his game. When he’s in the lead, now he exactly knows what not to do if he wants to keep it, he said.

“I actually like to know where I’m at on the 18^th hole instead of just being an idiot and not knowing I have a three-shot lead and blowing it in the bushes to the right where I could have hit it,” he said. “I hit so many shots in Memphis and I had one bad hole. And that’s what I took out of it.”

It’s an empowering enlightenment for the power hitter, who stole Arnold Palmer’s 54-hole scoring record for this tournament.

Apart from his effective third round, his success thus far seems to stem from his positive and friendly attitude, ones outside of his ability to golf and physical condition.

“I like playing golf. I love being a professional. I like thanking the fans. I like thanking the volunteers,” he said. “You know, because they come out to watch us on their dime, and I’m very blessed.”

It’s romantic to see Garrigus’s show his appreciation to the volunteers, which breeds a different type of golfer.

“I’ve been doing it for seven years,” he said when asked about how he thanks volunteers after a hole. “I don’t look for the accolades of thanking volunteers, but every single time I thank one, they come to me the next year and they say you’re the only guy that thanked me that week.”

He says it also helps him to take his mind off those bogies, by showing gratification to them.

“A lot of guys out here don’t lean that way to thank the volunteers, and I’ve had hundreds of volunteers come up to me and say thanks for saying thank you. It means a lot to me.”

I guess good guys don’t finish last, so far.

Check below for video.
CREDIT // Michael Rybinski

The Andretti Autosport team landed in Toronto on July 6, 2012, with their  Honda Indy Kick-off party. Sport Bomb took full advantage to bring the highlights of this night to the racing fans across the city from the Corus building in Sugar Beach.

Michael Andretti hosted the night with partners BOOM Marketing arranging the necessary beverage consumption stands, mouth-watering chow down tables, and a night of endless music by The Midnite, and mingling with fellow Torontoians.

Andretti Autosport drivers, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Michael’s son, Marco, and hometown boy and 2011 Indy Car rookie of the year, James Hinchcliffe were showcased through the night. Some of Toronto’s celebrities such as former Toronto Argonauts’ quarterback Damon Allen, and NBA TV Canada Analyst, Sherman Hamilton also appeared through the jumbling crowd.

Thanks to cinematographer Mike Rybinski and his great camera work and post-production, delightfully allowing Sport Bomb to hand to the fans a video filled with highlights from the “extravaganza.”

Sb’s Editor-in-chief, Christopher Sa’d, conducted all interviews.

Photo Credit // Michael Rybinski
The Majors travelled further than expected after trading some of their star veteran forwards. Riley Brace, Stuart Percy, and mid-season acquisition goalie Brandon Maxwell, led the team to the first round of the 2011-12 playoffs, losing out to the Barrie Colts.

For original source, click here.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (Examiner.com/Toronto) –The offseason wonderland hasn’t begun yet for the double blue, nor should fans see many moves.

But, there was on drastic move for the club that fans should recognize and that is the switch of ownership –Eugene Melnyk does not own the team anymore.

Mississauga businessman, Elliot Kerr, purchased the club from the Ottawa Senators owner, in search to support his hometown club. In turn, we take time to remember Melnyk’s 11 year ownership tenure and his ravaging success with three division titles, three top seed finishes in the Eastern Conference, one Easter Conference championship in 2010-11, and ten playoff qualifications in 11 years.

“I would like to take this opportunity to extend my personal thanks to the fans and the many sponsors and businesses from Mississauga and Toronto who have supported the Majors during my 11 year tenure as owner of the team,” Melnyk said in a Majors press release. “Together we have grown junior hockey in Ontario.”

Without a championship, Melnyk ran a successful tenure with this OHL club and by passing the torch, Kerr seeks to link that missing piece.

First thing on his agenda, re-branding the club’s image –with eager eyes waiting for the dawn of the new jersey.

And with re-branding, sometimes comes re-staffing, populating the next question: is Kerr happy with the Majors’ staff?

Head coach and General Manager, James Boyd, has no wince of fear after qualifying for the post-season with a club that watched many of their top talents fly away because of trades, OHL eligibility, or called up by their NHL clubs.

Anaheim Ducks stole Devante Smith-Pelly for the season, who was eligible to play for the club and expected to lead the double blue.

After, Boyd traded long-standing goalie, J.P. Anderson, for picks and Sarnia Sting goalie, Brandon Maxwell; who ended up starring for the Majors in the first round of the playoffs.

Jordan Mayer and Joseph Cramarosa followed suit with Boyd regaining more draft picks from their transactions.

In the toughest division in the OHL, the Majors still competed and surprised the league, despite their garage sale.

No worrying for Boyd and in turn, Assistant Coach, Brad May, and Assistant General Manager and Coach, Kelly Harper, are also unhooked from any despair.

There’s a reason a local Mississauga businessman purchased the club and it’s because of their success since coming to Mississauga.

Boyd drafted well, with a good arrangement of young and talented players. The club attracted Kerr.

The only thing Kerr needs to focus on now, which I’m sure he is, is putting those fans into the seats.

Their weakness: low attendance.

Let’s wait to hear what the Majors new owner has to say.

However, the people who do not receive help are the young females trying to make it in the business.

Some media professionals seem they aren’t taking young females seriously while at an event. They live in the past when only males controlled the sports media realm.

Females receive a bad reputation based on select female reporters “hooking up” with professional athletes. In hockey, the “puck bunny” status is automatically placed on every girl in media.

I was privileged to work alongside some great females in the industry and the fact that they have to work twice as hard to gain shred of good reputation is beyond me.

Certain players (especially in Junior) do not aid the females reputation by attempting to take them out (among other things); usually done through social networking –without even meeting them.

Females work twice as hard to only get half as far seems ridiculous.

Many women embrace more talent and more desire in their position than many men in the field, yet they can not seem to push ahead because their reputation is always at risk.

If watched when talking to a player off camera, questions arise about their professionalism simply for talking to that player.

It’s obvious it is a double standard and unwarranted for many of the females in media.  Lay the blame on the select females who actually flirt with a player for inside information, or done worse things with pictures and stories somehow leaking to the media.

With stories like Brett Favre and Ron Artest leaking through the media, about them showing their “stuff,” just adds a reason for people to question the validity of a female reporting and sports.

However, it all falls on the athlete which many people do not think about.  It is always the athlete initiating things and because they are a professional athlete (or on the verge of becoming one), it is overlooked. The blame falls on the media, they should be “more professional”.

Athletes are role models, why don’t they exhibit it?

Female media members deserve the same amount of respect as males in the sports media industry. They overcome more obstacles than a male, especially when dealing with hockey.

It is the “puck bunny” mentality held by players and males in the media that ruin female reporter’s reputations, not the female herself.