What It Takes To Become A Champion

As written in my very first post, I started a Fan Blog about Alize out of all other players on WTA Tour, for I saw in Alize the play, style, grace and looks of a champion, alike Martina Hingins once just Alize being much tougher.

To become a champion is not in the muscles, then champions would be titled after the medical tests based upon physical endurance. It takes body and mind be in the unity, healthy spirit, positive attitude, passion for the game, skills..

Mental toughness, willingness to give all you've got to tennis, dedicate yourself to success, stay hungry for wins and the aplause, have the spell in you to make the sports magic happen on the courts when you play, be invincible, undeniable, special.

Along side a fan blog about Alize, I begun to write blogs about Ana Ivanovic WTA World #2, Jelena Jankovic WTA World #3 and Novak Djokovic ATP World #3, since I come from the same country they do and am familiar with their winning mentallity.

Ana, Jelena and Novak come from the same city, small country with not too great tennis tradition, they climbed up the WTA/ATP list together, became world celebrities, earned first $million and now target World #1 positions at ralatively the same time.

Like a team work found in running or cycling, as one of them would achieve a career high, the other would follow, one would take the lead, the other overtake it and so on, mutually progressing to where they are now, within the WTA/ATP World Top 3, on their way to #1 position.

They helped each other prove dreams are achievable when you train and work hard enough to make it happen, while sharing the same passion and will to succed. Last month, when Ana won the Master Series tournament in Indian Wells, Jelena talked what she needs to improve in her game (even though she was already World #3), Ana took a step forward, now Jelena feels it's on her to keep up.

At the following Masters Series tournament in Miami, Jelena reached the Final and Ana talked about what she needs to work on to win the Grand Slam. Them being at WTA #2 and #3 position means a step away from #1 position, no satisfaction with the second best or joy in the thrill of Top 10 fame, they created winning mantality parallel.

I hope Alize will have, or already has, the team and atmosphere built around her for her ambitions to be nothing less than those of a champion. I apologize to Alize for not knowing she missed Indian Wells with a wrist tendonitis injury (as later announced on the WTA Official website). I thought she took time to rest, for herself as an 18 year old.

Alize is a highly polite, positively modest, well-mannered young lady, I got the impression her family is not the one who would preasure Alize to make it in the sports, but motivate her to invest her time and will in things like education even at the cost of her tennis career suffering...

..to take time for a normal psychological development as an average 18 year old, not to run like a machine from tournament to tournament, continent to continent, hotel to hotel, city to city...

.. like top-pro tennis player needs, a gladiator tougher than all the rest, live life of constant training, sacrifizes from personal life, for the chance to be the champion to whom children admire, crowds come to stadiums, opponents feel honored to play against. So one day no one forgots you as a sports legend.

Breaking career records once in a month or two is not fast enough for Alize, some success may be too small, she needs to strive to the highest goal at each tournament against every player and not live in the glory of reaching beyond the Round 3, whether it's Tier III, II, I or Grand Slam, or WTA Top 40.

Maria Sharapova was World #1 at Alize's age, time proves there are many ITF young prospects but not all of them reach WTA Top 10. Inn France Rezai, Monfiels... were predicted a great future but their line of success saturated before becomings seeded players at Grand Slams.

Champion in one is there from the beginning, it's not something one figures out after a surprising year in its 20ies. Alize path of success oughts to be a straight line to the #1 position, not stairways with ups and flat spaces. Alize has what it takes, the polite girl she is needs her gladitor side to become a champion.

Due to a number of reasons, I take a pause in writing blog. I hope for Alize to fulfill her dreams wherever they take her, to World #1 or simply to life enjoyment on the WTA Tour and in personal life.

Alize After A Week To Remember In Amelia Island

Alize lost in career first Tier II Semifinal against Dominika Cibulkova in an exciting 3 sets match, 2:6 6:2 4:6, on Sunday April 12th. The match was a really long one played under the hot Florida Sun, eventually Alize seemed physically too exhausted after a long week and playing on the heat.

At the end of the 3rd set, Alize took every moment between the points to catch a breath of fresh air, after Alize's unsuccessful drop shot attempt in 10th game, the match was over.

Alize, Alize's mom and coach attending the match, her fans watching it in front of the TV screens have all the reasons to file Alize's last week as highly successful. Alize achieved a news career high when Amelia Island results were added and is now WTA World #40, a great 8 places improvement from previous career best ranking.

On the road of success, today, Tuesday April 15th, Alize won over Michaella Krajicek in 3 sets, 6:3 3:6 6:4, in first round of Charleston Tier I tournament played this week on clay surface. Alize will play in Round 2 against Sara Eranni who is #23 places lower ranked and Alize has good chances to make it to the career first Tier I Round 3.

Eurosport did not broadcast Alize's Semifinal match against Dominika even though it was announced. By the time I found the match live on 'True Sport 3' TV channel on the internet, 3rd set was already underway.

I took digital camera to record the screen (later I found there's a buttom in Soapcast that can do it automatically:) and made ultimate amateur videos (with low resolution picture of True Sports 3 through Soapcast, shaky camera as I held it in the air, memory card being full 5 seconds right after the match point:) so I'll better pass uploading it.

With the best wishes to Alize at Charleston, this post will be followed with 'What it takes to be a champion' post I promised to write some time ago.

Amelia Island: Alize Cornet In Career First Tier II Semifinal

Alize Cornet won against Virginie Razzano in two sets, 6:4 6:2. Alize will play in career first Tier II Semifinal (previous best WTA results not including Grand Slams was Acapulco Tier III Final back in February).

This is how the match went: First 3 games I passed searching for the match on Eurosport as announced but for some reason they broadcasted swimming with no explanation why there is no Amelia Island Quarterfinal match.

1st set started with Virginie winning service game, Alize won her service game, againt Virginie won hers for 1:2 for Virginie...
1:3 Alize's service game, 0:40, second serve, Virginie made a break
1:4 Virginie serve, 15:40, Alize won a break
2:4 Alize won service game with 0
3:4 Alize led 0:40, 30:40, and won a break
4:4 Alize's serve, 30:15, 40:15, won
5:4 Virginie's serve, 40:0, 40:15, alize won a break
6:4 Alize serve, 15:0, 15:15, 30:15, 30:30, 40:30, Alize won game/set

2nd serve, Virginie serves:
1:0 Alize won break with 0
2:0 30:15, 30:30, 40:30, second serve, Alize service game
2:1 Virginie serves, 0:15, 15:30, 30:30, Virginie won
3:1 Alize's serve, 40:15, second serve, 40:30, second serve, Alize won
3:2 I believe Virginie led 40:15 and used first game point but I'm not sure as I was writting email sorry:)
4:2 Alize serve 40:15, advantage Alize, second serve, deuce, Alize won service game
5:2 Virginie serves, 30:15, second serve, 40:15, Alize won
6:2, 15:30, ace for 30:0, 30:30, double fault Alize za 30:40, advantage Alize, second serve, deuce, match point #2 and Alize is the best WTA tennis player there is :)

Alize will play today, Saturday April 12th, against Dominika Cibulkova who won against Amelie Mauresmo in 2 sets, 6:1, 7:6(6). Dominika in brief: born May 1989 (7 month older than Alize) in Slovakia, height: 161cm (12 shorter than Alize), weight: 55 (5kg lighter than Alize), currently in Sinles World #34, #23 in Race, in Doubles #461, career high in Singles #34 on April 7th 2008.

Dominika's recent results include: Miami R32 where she won against T. Tanasunarg (World #84), F. Schiavone (World #22) and lost to Elena Dementieva (World #11) in 3 sets, in Indian Wells reached R32 after a win against S. Arvidson (World #65) and lose to S. Kuznetsova (World #3).

Dominika reached Quarterfinals of Doha in March after beating Lucie Safarova (World #39), Patty Schnyder (World #12), Venus Williams (World #7) and lose to Agnieszka Radwanska (World #20) in 3 sets. Lost in Antwerpen R32 against Na Li (World #33), in Paris R32 against Marion Bartoli (World #9). At Australian Open lost to Flavia Penneta (World #34) in 3 sets. Reached R32 in Sydney and Quarterfinals at Gold Coast, entered the year of 2008 at #51 position.

Dominika is in a great form, like Alize she is becoming a new star on WTA tour going fast forward toward the Top 20. Alize and Dominika never played against each other. The match will be a battle of two young and highly talented players fighting for their career first Tier II Final.

It's been great seeing Alize on front page of WTA official website today along with the names of other Amelia Island Semifinalist: Maria Sharapova (Former World #1), Lindsay Davenport (Former World #1) and Dominika Cibulkova (who won in the Quarterfinals against Amelie Mauresmo Former World #1).

It's unknow whether Eurosport will broadcast Alize's match, it's not in Eurosport and Eurosport 2 schedules on their official website. Maybe they will surprise us just like yesterday when they announced Alize's match will be broadcasted but it was not to be

During this week at Amelia Island, Alize made a great step towards Top 40. Alize fans knew Alize will be World #1 one day, at the times of her success like these it becomes more clearer for everyone that Alize is the future World #1 :)

In the first Semifinal Lindsay Davenport withdrew due to injury and Maria Sharapova will play in the Final. Alize's match will start.. ups Alize's match seems to have already started with the first Semifinal cancelled...

Amelia Island: Winning Is Easy When Your Name Is Alize Cornet

Alize Cornet won in 1/8 of Amelia Island against Elena Vesnina in 2 sets, 6:1 7:5. If Tier II Quarterfinal is a better achievement than Tier III Final, then (not including Grand Slams), Alize has achieved career's biggest success on WTA tour after win over Elena.

This is how the match went by the number: Alize started with a stellar performance, I sat back and didn't make notes of the points in what seemed to be Alize's convincing match win, 1st set Alize won easily 6:1.

2nd set started with Alize winning her service game and Elena hers for 1:1 in games, in 3rd game Alize lost service game after double fault for 1:2 and I did start making notes.

2:2 Elena served, 0:15, 15:15, second serve, 15:30, double fault, 30:30, 30:40, Alize won
2:3 Alize lost service game again after 0:30, 0:40, 0:50
3:3 Elena's serve, 0:40, second serve, 15:40, double fault #5, 40:40, advantage Alize, Alize makes a break
4:3, 30:0 after ace #3 for Alize, Alize won
4:4 Elena's serve, 0:15, double fault #6 for 15:15,30:15, 30:30, second serve and 40:30, deuce, advantage Alize, deuce, ace for Elena's advantage, Elena won
5:4 Alize's serves, 30:0, 30:15, second serve and 30:30, 40:30, deuce, alize won
5:5 0:15, 15:15, 30:30, 30:40, 40:40, advantage
6:5 15:15, 15:30, second serve and 30:30, ace #4 for alize,
7:5 Elena served, 30:0, 40:0, second serve, 40:15, second serve and 30:40, second serve, Alize uses #3 match point.

Not to be ungrateful to Alize, but win over Elena was at some extent expected, Alize was a slight favorite before the match against Elena, this is surely something to be noted, Alize was a slight favorite in a Tier II event against a player better ranked than her.

It's Alize's favorite clay season and everyone expect and predict her doing well. As a matter of fact, Alize is given the equal chance for a win in the upcoming Quarterfinal match against World #27. In all, everyone expect Alize to show plays of a Top 30 player and to see Alize be a Top 30 player before the end of the clay season.

World #27 in the upcoming Quarterfinal match against Alize is Virginie Razzano. Here are brief facts about Virginie: 24 years old from France, turned pro in 1999 (when Alize was 9 years old), she is the same height as Alize and +4kg in weight.

Virginie is currently in Singles World #27, in Race #34, in Doubles #867, with a career high in Singles at #24 in February 2008, in Doubles at #82 in February 2001. Virginie reached Round 3 of Australian Open 2008.

At tournaments prior to Amelia Island, Virginie lost in first match (R64) at Miami Open against Ashley Harkleroad (World #60) in 2 sets, 4:6 4:6, in Indian Wells lost in first match (R64) against Evgeniya Rodina (World #121) in 3 sets, 0:6 7:6(2) 2:6, at Doha lost in R32 against Shahar Peer (World #17), at Paris lost in Quarterfinals against Marion Bartoli (World #9), at Australian Open lost against Jelena Jankovic (World #4), at Sydney (R16) against Ana Ivanovic (World #4), at Gold Coast (R32) against Dominika Cibulkova.

Through the year of 2008, Virginie made averagely good but not great results, it seemed 2007 was the year of her best tennis when she finished within the Top 50 (at #28) for the first time in her career, Virginie on North American Tour seem to be out of form losing in first matches in Indian Wells and Miami against players that are out of Top 50.

According to the results in 2007, Virginie does not produce best results on clay surface where Alize is strongest at. In two previous head-to-head matches, Virginie won them both, in 2004 in R32 at Saint Raphael (hard surface) 6:1 6:3 and at Paris (carpet) in February 2008 in R16 6:4 7:5.

Even with Virginie not producing results equal to her 2007 year and being out of form lately, the match will be really though for Alize with Virginie being highly experienced and defending her French #4 female tennis player behind French Top 3 female tennis players who are in the WTA Top 20.

Alize is the youngest of 3 young French WTA prospects, along with Pauline Permentier (World #48) and Aravane Rezai (World #50, Alize is World #49), trying to break free in the Top 30 and be French WTA #4 ranked player.

The match between Alize and Virginie will be the 'Battle for France', where Alize is to prove she is one of Top 5 French players, along with M. Bartoli (World #11), T. Golovin (#18), A. Mauresmo (#24) and Virginie at #27, a great company to be in.

The match will be more than just a Tier II Quarterfinal match, it will be a match where Alize proves herself as a Top 5 French player, proves she can win against WTA Top 30 players, just like all recent Alize's matches are, constant provement and improvement.

Great great news is that the match Alize - Virginie will be televised on Eurosport and ESPN for everyone's, especially Alize fans', enjoyment with not having too many matches to see Alize live on TV in previous 3 months of the season.

Alize's fans will be there with their hearts and souls through TV screens cheering for Alize's biggest success on Tier events and hopefully a place in the Tier II Semifinal, Alize's career first. The match will start at 11am local time (EDT, 5pm Central European Time).

Music: Alize Cornet Fan Blog Hymn

Amelia Island: Alize Island

Alize Cornet has won against Sybille Bammer in 2 convincing sets, 6:1 6:3. Alize won against the highest ranked player in her career with Sybille being World #23, the next on target is win against a Top 20 player. This is how the result went:

1st set:
1:0 Sybille on serve, Alize uses first break point
2:0 Alize led 40:30, Alize's second serve, won
2:1 Sybille won service game with 0
3:1 Sybille had break point, Alize won the next 3 points and game
4:1 Alize had break point, Sybille advantage, duece, Sybille advantage, deuce, Alize won
5:1 Alize's service game, 0:30 Sybille, 15:40, Alize won all points and game
6:1 30:30 Alize won a break

2nd Set:
1:0 Alize on serve, Alize wins game with 0
1:1 30-30, Sybille ace for 40:30, deuce, Alize advantage, Sybille advantage,
2:1 Alize wins service game routinely
3:1 Alize wins a break game routinely
4:1 Alize leads 40:15, it feels good being Alize's fan
4:2 sybille service game with 0
5:2 Alize wins a game routinely again and again :)
5:3 30-0 for Sybille, 30:40 #1 match point for Alize, deuce, match point #2, deuce, advantage Sybille, match point #3, deuce, Sybille won
6:3 Alize's service game, 40:15, Alize uses match point #4 :)

To be noted, prior to the match beginning, Alize was recognized as a slight favorite for a win against World #23, it's significant for Alize's best performances on WTA tour to be expected by everyone now that the clay season has started.

The only way is up for Alize and there's no time for celebration after the win over World #23 player (and Alize's new career highest ranking in next Monday's WTA rankings) as Alize needs to progress fast forward with Roland Gaross coming.

Alize gained great momentum of play in Amelia Island ahead of Round 3 match tomorrow against Elena Vesnina. Here is Elena in brief: 21 year old from Ukraine, 3cm taller than Alize with 60kg in weight just like Alize.

Elena is currently in Singles World #45, #42 in Race, in Doubles at #35, with career highest ranking in Singles at #42 in January 2007, in Doubles at #22 in May 2007. Elena reached Round 3 at this year's Australian Open where she lost against Maria Sharapova in 2 sets, 6:3 6:0.

Elena came to Amelia Island after good play in Miami where she reached R16 after wins against Elena Likhovteva (World #124)in 2 sets, Agnes Szavay (World #18) in 3 sets, Ashley Hakleroad (World #60) in 3 sets, eventually losing to Justine Henan in 2 sets, 6:2 6:2.

Prior to Miami, Elena lost in R64 in Indian Wells against Marion Bartoli (World #10) in 2 sets, lost in Dubai in R64 against Jie Zheng (World #226) in 3 sets, in Doha against Ayumi Morita (World #134) in 2 sets.

At Amelia Island 2008, Elena won in Round 1 against Milagros Sequera (World #97) in two sets, 7:6 6:0, in Round 2 against Patty Schnyder (World #12) after 98 minutes in 3 sets, 6:2 2:6 6:2.

Important thing is that Elena is more of a Doubles player where she is more successful, at Amelia Island she plays Dubles with Victoria Azarenka and it may distract her a bit from the Singles match. Elena says her favorite surfaces are clay and hard. Elena and Alize never played against each other.

The winner of the match will have the chance to play against the winner of Virginie Razzano (#13 seed) and Olga Govortsova. Alize have good chances for a win on her favorite surface against a player that is close to her rankings, plus Elena plays in Doubles at Amelia Island as well.

There wouldn't be nothing more pleasing than seeing Alize play in top form on TV but Eurosport did not broadcast matches from Round 1 and 2 at Amelia Island, still Eurosport is on 'on TV' page of Amelia Island tournament official web-site and it's likely that it will broadcast Quarterfinals/Semifinals/Final starting from Friday.

Amelia Island tournament official web-site writes that "ESPN/ESPN2 will domestically (on American market) televise" the matches but Round 1 and 2 matches were not in the ESPN/ESPN2 TV schedules.

Maybe ESPN will start televising Amelia Island from the Quarterfinals and hopefully we will see Alize playing live on TV then :) Alize win tomorrow, Thursday April 10, and give us the chance to see you on TV on Friday :)

Amelia Island: Alize Cornet Is Back With A Vengeance :)

Alize Cornet won in Round 1 of Amelia Island tournament today, Monday April 07, against Michaella Krajicek in two convincing sets, 6:1 6:2. It's been over a month (last time in February) since Alize won a match, it was a harsh period for Alize's fans and Caroline Wozniacki doing tremendeously well made it no easier.

It's that little unusual saying Alize 'demolished' or 'brushed off' someone considering Alize's neat appearance but she did just that in a match against Michaella.

Michaella, World #36 at #211 in Race, had a disasterous year up to now, losing in Round 1s of 4 tournaments she participated in, including last two in Indian Wells and Miami against Galina Voskoboeva World #113 and Marina Erakovic World #101 respectively.

For Alize this was a must win match at the start of Alize's favorite clay season after the month of March where Alize did not participated in the first Tier I event and lost in the second one in Round 1.

Alize will now play against Sybille Bummer who is #9 seed, the only reason why I won't call Sybille a veteran is because she's my age :) Anyhow, Sybille is 27 year old, WTA pro from 1997, she is +1cm and +3kg in compare to Alize.

Sybille is World #23, #22 in Race, with a career high #19 in December 2007, Sybille is one of two moms in WTA's Top 50 (along with Lindsay Davenport; Kim Clijsters just got a baby boy, Vera Dushevina is pregnant..)

Sybille won in Round 1 match against Wild Card Anna Orlik from Belaruss in two sets, 6:3 7:6(2). Prior to Amelia Island, Sybille lost in Miami in Round 32 against World #13 Dinara Safina 1:2, in Indian Wells against World #67 Yung-Jan Chan 0:2, in Bangalore in Round 16 against World #86 Anastasia Radionova...

Sybille reached R64 at Australian Open where she lost against #158 Su-Wei Hsieh, this year's high-light presents February's Doha Quarterfinal where she lost against Vera Zvonareva #27 after beating Svetlana Kuznetsova World #2 in previous round, one of 2 Top 40 players she won against this year.

On the way to the Amelia Island Final, Alize could play against #2 seed Anna Chakvetadze, #4 seed Marion Bartoli, #5 Patty Schnyder... Alize's match against Sybille is on schedule on Wednesday, April 09.

Brief facts about Amelia Island tournament: place Amelia Island, Florida, USA, from April 07-13, clay surface, Tier II event, prize money - $600.000, last year's winner Tatiana Golovin winning against Nadia Petrova, this year's #1 seed is Maria Sharapova (current World #5).

On this morning's WTA rankings, Alize kept #49 position, now with 584 points, ualine Parmentier is at #48 with 587 points while Aravane Rezai is at #50 with 561 points, as for the players close to Alize's age, Tamira Paszek is at #44 with 640 points, Caroline Wozniacki at #39 with 706 points, Victoria Azarenka at #28.

I cheer for Alize with all my heart to win tomorrow's Round 2 match at Amelia Island so I can entitle the next post 'Alize Island', help me out with the post title Alize :)