Tag Archives: Serbia

“Such a beautiful sense of his own body…”

5 Sep

…says former tennis champ and commentator Jim Courier today, in an unusually aesthete-minded observation of Nole’s physicality during his match with Swiss Stanislas Wawarinka, as he continues to breeze through the U.S. Open and advances to the quarterfinals.  I’m now ashamed I ever doubted him.

Roger got closed out of quarterfinals by Berdych, which kinda sucks because I wanted the world to see Nole beat Federer.  So no clue who it’ll be in the end.

The Los Angeles Times‘ Adam Weinberger has four reasons why Djokovic will successfully defend his Open title: “4 Reasons Why Djokovic Will Repeat as Champ,” though the condensing of the Open’s schedule into daily matches with no days off in between, due to the rain delays of typical New York summer swamp weather, has me a little worried about the physical toll it’ll take on the athletes.  Nole goes up against Juan Martin del Potro tomorrow and hopefully will get some satisyfing compensation for the humiliating loss of the Bronze to del Potro in London.  All in all looks good.

Meanwhile, fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic, who I never knew was was as highly ranked as no. 8 seed, isn’t doing so badly himself, also advancing today to the quarterfinals.  Though he goes up against Ferrer tomorrow, which is kind of scary.

Janko Tipsarevic

And an undated photo of the two paesani, below, that I love:

On another Balkan tennis front, Andy Murray turns around initial losses (“Andy Murray Asserts Himself After Poor Start“) and defeats Croat Marin Cilic (below).  Oh, well.  Them’s the breaks…

And then there was a hard-core, great match between Maria Sharapova and Marion Bartoli,  from which the Russian powerhouse emerged victorious, but not without being given a serious run for her money.

 

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Nole’s back: “My game was great from the start to the end…”

29 Aug

From The New York Times:

Djokovic took just an hour and 13 minutes to blitz Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi 6-1 6-0 6-1 in his first-round match under the lights on a cool evening at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The charismatic Serb’s win was so one-sided that it was difficult to tell if the 2011 U.S. Open champion was that good or Lorenzi had perhaps the worst evening of his life on a tennis court.

“My game was great from the start to the end,” said the second seeded Djokovic, who won three of four majors last year.

“It’s also important for me to try to be as economical with the time I spend on the court as possible, but obviously not underestimating any opponent.

“I played really focused, tried to get to the net also. It was great all in all.”

 

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Serbia Wins Bronze

12 Aug

But against Montenegro, a sad victory.  And Italy played like they did against Spain in the Euro final (or like they fought in WWII), so now we have to put up with the Croats’ gloating for an eternity.  See: “History has made lawyers of the Croats, soldiers and poets of the Serbs. It is an unhappy divergence.” — Rebecca West.

Serbia’s Filip Filipovic reacts after scoring on a penalty against Montenegro goalkeeper Milos Scepanovic, back, during the men’s water polo bronze medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

 

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“History has made lawyers of the Croats, soldiers and poets of the Serbs. It is an unhappy divergence.” — Rebecca West

10 Aug

This is a disaster…and infuriating!  “This is another revenge for what they have done to us during the war,” said Mate Bacic, a Croatian fan in the nearby ancient Croatian city of Dubrovnik. “We are defeating them in peace.”

Croatia beat Montenegro in the Water Polo semi-finals, 7-5.  Italy beat Serbia 9-7.  Not staggering losses, but losses nonetheless, which means that Croatia will get the silver, possibly gold!  And the most infuriating thing is the Western medias repetition of the same lame cliches at the end of AP piece: Serbo-Montenegrins blamed, without examination, as the villains and the quote from the mean, whiney, vindictive Croat: “This is another revenge for what they have done to us during the war…” — playing the role of peace-loving victim, getting away scott-free with his own crimes, which include starting the war itself.

No Serb, even Montenegrin, would have made a statement to a journalist so smugly vengeful and niggardly and bitter.  He may have smashed a few things or pulled a knife or punched somebody out, but never copped that hypocritical  “wasn’t-me” pose of innocence.

And now we have to watch what would always have been the painful game between Serbia and Montenegro tomorrow for only the bronze.

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Published August 10, 2012

Associated Press

KOTOR, Montenegro –  When the Red Sharks lose, Montenegro mourns.

The water polo team of this tiny Adriatic Sea country, the pride of Montenegrin sports, lost 7-5 to Croatia, its wartime Balkan adversary, in the Olympic semifinals Friday, triggering despair in the ancient walled city of Kotor.

“This is a disaster,” Mladen Martac said as he watched the game at the Vardar cafe in the city center. “If it was football, basketball, or some other sports, it would hurt … but this is water polo, our beloved game.”

Montenegro reached the semifinals at the London Olympics along with Italy and two other former Yugoslav republics, Serbia and Croatia. Serbia faced Italy in the other Olympic semifinal later Friday.

The quarterfinals demonstrated the region’s power in water polo. Montenegro, population 625,000, beat Spain, population 47.2 million. Croatia, 4.7 million, beat the U.S, 312 million. Serbia, 7.3 million, beat Australia, 22.6 million.

Many doubted that after the bloody 1990s breakup of Yugoslavia, which won three Olympic water polo titles, the states that emerged could carry on the glory of the old communist country.

But many were wrong. Serbia has won three world and European championships since 1991. Croatia has captured one world and one European title in that time. Montenegro won the 2008 European crown.

The phenomenon of water polo dominance is nowhere more striking than in Montenegro, a picturesque southern European country nestled between pristine rocky mountains and the turquoise of the Adriatic.

Out of 13 Montenegro players on the Olympic roster, 12 come from two small coastal towns, Kotor and the summer resort of Herceg Novi, on the border with Croatia, where water polo grounds are cordoned off in the waters that dot nearly all villages.

On Friday, old wooden goalposts and plastic line markers swayed in the hot breeze and the waves of the Adriatic.

“It’s real rarity that so many world-class players come from such a small area inhabited only by some 60,000 people,” said Dusan Davidovic, a former player for Primorac Kotor, the 2009 European club champion.

He attributed the success to the “old Yugoslav water polo school.”

“That’s the school of improvisation, fitness and discipline,” he said, adding that the tradition of tall and muscly Balkan men has something to do with it.

“The ex-Yugo teams play with a lot of contact,” he said, describing a sport that often includes brutal underwater wrestling unseen above the surface of the water, and to referees.

War broke out in Croatia after it declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, and 10,000 people died in the conflict. Montenegrin troops took part in the fighting around the walled city of Dubrovnik.

Lingering rivalry among the former Yugoslav republics is perhaps best seen in water polo, which triggers national pride and emotion.

“This is another revenge for what they have done to us during the war,” said Mate Bacic, a Croatian fan in the nearby ancient Croatian city of Dubrovnik. “We are defeating them in peace.”

 

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O-k-a-y….

9 Aug

Our man keeps the Rogers in Montreal, little subdued, more thoughtful game…  Keep my advice anyway.

 

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Montenegro and Serbia advance to semis!!!

8 Aug

And the closer each team gets to medals, the more I dread the emotion of the game between them…

Montenegro’s Drasko Brguljan (R) and the bench celebrate a goal against Spain during their Men’s Quarterfinal water polo match during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 8, 2012. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes

(From Reuters)

By Sarah Young

Aug 8 (Reuters) – Gold-medal favourites Serbia joined their Balkan neighbours Montenegro in the semi-finals of the Olympic water polo tournament on Wednesday, after staging a decisive turnaround in the second half of their match against Australia.

Serbia, who won their group and were playing the lowest seed from the opposite pool narrowly avoided a huge upset. They trailed Australia right until the final four minutes of the match, before winning 11-8.

Montenegro beat Spain 11-9 in an earlier quarter final clash to book into the semis, giving the country a shot at winning its first Olympic medal as an independent nation.

“I was afraid,” admitted Serbia’s Filip Filipovic said of how he felt when they were behind, but he said he took confidence from the team’s ability to turn the match around.

“I think that this team showed spirit. When we play badly like in the first two quarters, we can rise up again, and we can play the most beautiful water polo.”

The team roared back to life in the second half of the match with a torrent of goals from their three top scorers, Andrija Prlainovic, Filipovic and captain Vanja Udovicic, in a display which saw Serbia’s famed defence recover to put a stop to Australia’s run.

Filip Filipovic — scored three goals to pull Serbia ahead over Australia, and into the semifinals

Serbia, who won bronze in Beijing, have spent the past four years on a roll, winning every major title on offer and are favourites to win the tournament after an unbeaten run so far.

MEDAL QUEST

Montenegro cruised through the middle periods of the game before letting a four-goal lead slip in a tense fourth quarter as Spain capitalised on their extra-player situations.

Montenegro narrowly lost out on the bronze to take fourth place in Beijing, when it competed in its first Olympics as an independent country since it separated from Serbia in 2006.

“I don’t want to be one more time fourth, I want to take a medal. It’s very important for us to take a medal,” Montenegrin captain Nikola Janovic said after the win.

The team was cheered on in the stands by Prime Minister Igor Luksic earlier on in the tournament, who spent his holiday in London watching the country’s teams compete in water polo and handball, such is his desire for a medal for Montenegro.

“We must be a little crazy. It’s the moment. It’s one moment (of) inspiration,” said Janovic when asked how his team will win their next match and guarantee a shot at the gold medal.

Nikola Janovic of Montenegro

Montenegro will play either Croatia or the U.S., who meet in a quarter final match later on Wednesday, in the semi-finals scheduled for Friday, while Serbia will meet either Hungary or Italy.

The Serbians have already overcome defending champions Hungary, looking to win a fourth consecutive Olympic gold, in the group stages.

“Doesn’t matter. Semi-final, tough game, everybody comes here to win,” Serbian coach Dejan Udovicic said when asked which team he would rather meet in the semis.

The former Yugoslav nations of Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia all play a similar style of water polo, which has to date help them dominate at this year’s Games.

For Spain, who last got a medal in the water polo in 1996 when they took home gold, the loss was a painful repeat of 2008, when they were also defeated in the quarter-finals. (Editing by Alison Williams)

 

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Brother

7 Aug

Do something.

Good luck here at the Open.  I wish you the best.  But then you gotta do something.

Get the fuck out of Monaco.  Monaco is for Russian mafiosi.  You’re not a Russian mafioso.  Stop acting like a movie star and a super model.  Put your pants back on.  And start acting like an athlete again.

And a Serb.

Go home.  I dunno: go to Chilandar for a while if you want.  Then go up to Durmitor or somewhere and get a cabin by yourself – or better, a cave.  Don’t play.  Run on the trails up there.  Your knees will be fine.  What do you need high-tech oxygen low barometer chambers or whatever the fuck they are for?  Run at high altitudes.  Grow a beard, eat stale proja and raw meat.

When the snows melt come down at Easter and find a court.  Does the one you first learned on still exist?  Go play there.  Do something for others; you’re a generous guy.  Help Marko with his game.  Or just give free lessons to anyone who wants them. “The giver’s glance gleams like gold,” Nietzsche says.  “You have a golden child,” your first trainer told your parents.  The problem isn’t your game or your body; it’s the spirit.

You let a couple of losses drag your ego down into a vicious cycle.

Be a Serb instead.

Your fans all love you like you don’t know.

NB

Durmitor (click)

 

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wow…man…n-o-b-o-d-y talk to me right now…

5 Aug

Novak Djokovic of Serbia scrambles back to his racket after falling while playing against Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in the men’s singles bronze medal match at the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon, in London, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Juan Martin del Potro wept after losing to Roger Federer in the Olympic semifinals. He wept again Sunday, this time with joy after winning the bronze medal.

The Argentine beat Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-4 in a rain-delayed match at Wimbledon and fell to the grass, covering his face with his hands.

“I don’t have the words to explain,” Del Potro said. “It’s similar to winning a Grand Slam (title) or maybe even bigger. It’s amazing.”

Del Potro had lost 3-6, 7-6 (5), 19-17 on Friday to Federer in the longest best-of-three set match in men’s tennis in the Open era – 4 hours, 26 minutes.

“I think I’m the most happy of the world at this moment,” Del Potro said. “After a really sad day two days ago, it’s not easy to recover and to play these kind of matches.”

Djokovic said he failed to capitalize on his chances, and that Del Potro deserved to win.

“Disappointing end, but I enjoyed it,” the second-seeded Serb said. “It was a pleasure playing for my country.”

From left, silver medalist Switzerland’s Roger Federer, gold medalist Andy Murray of Great Britain, and bronze medalist Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina stand during the medal ceremony of the men’s singles event at the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon, in London, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

 

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Da! Da! Da!: Serbia beats U.S. 11 – 6

4 Aug

(Getty Images)

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To Murray, man?! To Murray?!

3 Aug

To Murray?!  Are you shitting me, Nole?!

Get your bronze and get out of England.  Don’t nobody even talk to me right now.  I’m the angry man.  Beating Murray would’ve gotten Novak’s No. 1 ranking back and an Olympic Djok-Roger fight could’ve been the match of all our lifetimes.

 

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