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Have You Ever Hung Up a Photo as Motivation?

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

I haven't yet cracked a copy of Andre Agassi's new tell-all, Open, but I have been reading reviews and can't help but be fascinated by the revelations about the tennis star, his equally talented wife, and his ex, Brooke Shields. I especially love this tidbit:

In preparation for her wedding to Agassi, Shields embarks on an exercise regimen and hangs an inspiration photo on the refrigerator door. The photo is of the woman who Shields thinks has perfect legs. The woman is Agassi’s future second wife, Steffi Graf.

Growing up, my mom often put a photo of her younger self on the fridge when she was trying to lose weight. Have you ever done anything like this?

Serena Williams Named Woman of the Year

FitSugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:30:37 -0800

Looks like having a potty mouth won't hurt you too much. Serena Williams is one of 11 outstanding ladies Glamour magazine has chosen for its Women of the Year issue.

Glamour cites Williams's competitive spirit and drive as a testament to her success, even in the face of hardships like the tragic murder of her sister Yetunde and her rise through the rankings after suffering injuries in 2006. This year it all came full circle for Williams when she captured the Wimbledon victory against her sister, Venus - whom she credits as being a major force in motivating her to work the hardest and become the best.

Besides her Wimbledon victory, Williams has 11 Grand Slam titles, two Olympic gold medals, and has earned more prize money than any female athlete in history. But her trophies and bank account aren't the only reason Glamour thinks Williams is tops. Between winning matches, she's managed to start her own clothing line, pen an autobiography, and open a school in Kenya through her Serena Williams Foundation.

Who else did Glamour name as Women of the Year? Some of the other notables Williams holds court with are Michelle Obama, Maria Shriver, Rihanna, and poet Maya Angelou.

Guess Who's Watching the US Open?

FitSugar — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 05:50:17 -0700

Tennis fans abound in Hollywood, and the celebs are flocking to the stands at the US Open. The tournament wraps up today, but the last two weeks at Flushing Meadows have been grand. Can you guess the celebs watching the action from the stands?

Question 1 of 5

Can you guess which blonde actress is in the stands?

Courtly Fashions: Looks From the US Open

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:00:21 -0700

Readers, you might be wondering why fashion maven Anna Wintour is gracing the pages of FitSugar. It is because this shot of her, with her hair slightly askew, is from the US Open. Anna is a tennis fan, and the style and sport intersection doesn't end there, so check out this US Open fashion slideshow. After all, what's not to love about short skirts and fierce athletes?

View Slideshow ›

US Open News: Meet "Little Miss Upset"

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 03:00:45 -0700

American Melanie Oudin has been christened with the nickname "Little Miss Upset" and this is not because of whiny antics on the court.

The nickname is inspired by Oudin's unexpected wins. The unseeded 17-year-old beat champion Maria Sharapova earlier last week as well as many seeded players, most recently Nadia Petrova in three sets. Of her Labor Day match, Oudin remarked: "It was tough because she (Petrova) was all over me. I could have easily lost. I just kept fighting."

Melanie hails from Marietta, GA and learned the game, alongside her twin sister, from her grandmother. Sharapova and Serena Williams both gave high compliments to Oudin, who is considered short in stature reaching only five foot six inches. Williams, who won her first major title at the US Open at 17, said, "I love how she’s a real big fighter and she never gives up." I like that she is adding some excitement to the game. Are you watching the Open? Who are you rooting for?

Tennis Anyone? Getting Into the US Open

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:30:25 -0700

Over Labor Day weekend, I tend to watch a lot of the US Open. It inspires me to head to the court and play a set or two. Here are some posts that might inspire you to pick up your racquet. Tennis anyone?

What to Expect From Your First Tennis Lesson	Warm Up Before You Play	Test Your US Open Knowledge
How to Keep Score	Tennis Etiquette 101	Do I Need Tennis Shoes?

Tennis 101: How to Score

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:00:03 -0700

Welcome back to Tennis 101. While Maria Sharapova is showing us how it's done during this week's riveting US Open tournament, I'm offering a primer for the rest of us.

Now that you know what to expect from your first lesson and how to behave on the court, it's time to tackle the more complicated stuff: scoring a tennis match. I'm not going to deny that learning how to keep score can be confusing at first. But once you learn the basics, it's actually pretty simple. Here's what you need to know to get started scoring in singles.

The Framework

Each tennis match is made up of two to three sets. To win a set, you must win at least six games.
The games are scored starting at "love" (or zero) and going up to 40, but that's actually just four points. From love, the first point is 15, then 30, then 40, then game point, which wins the game.

For the details on games, sets, and matches, read more.

Starting the Game

To determine who serves first, you flip a coin or (more likely) spin a racket. Whoever wins the toss gets to decide one of four things: that she wants to serve first, that she wants to receive first, which side of the court she wants to start on (in which case, the opponent chooses who serves first), or that she wants to leave the choices up to her opponent.
Whoever starts serving continues to serve until that game is over. Then the serve moves to the other player.
You serve from behind the baseline, starting on the right-hand side of the court, anywhere between the singles sideline and the center mark on the court.

Scoring the Game

Before serving, you should announce the score, with your score first, then your opponent's. So if you have zero and your opponent has 30, say "love-30."
Every time you serve, you get two tries. The serve must go over the net, land in the service box opposite you, and bounce once before your opponent returns it.
If it doesn't land in the service box, you take a second serve. If the second serve also misses, then you lose the point.
If your serve grazes the net but still lands in the service box, the serve doesn't count, and you must take that serve over. This is called a "let."
If your serve goes in and the opponent returns it, you continue hitting back and forth until someone hits the ball into the net, hits it out of bounds, or misses a shot. If that person is you, then your opponent gets a point. If it's your opponent who hits it into the net/out of bounds/misses a shot, then you get the point.
Whoever is serving continues serving until the score reaches 40, calling out the score before every serve.
If the score is tied at 40 ("40-all"), that is "deuce," which is essentially another word for tie. To break the tie, someone must win two points in a row. If you are serving at deuce and you win the next point, then you say "my ad," which means "my advantage." If your opponent wins, it goes back to deuce, and someone again must win by two points in a row. Yes, this could go on forever.
Once the game is over, the other person serves. After odd-numbered games (so after game one, game three, game five) you switch sides on the court.

Scoring a Set

Before the first serve in each new game, whoever is serving announces the score in sets. Say your score first, then your opponent's. So if you won the first set, you would say "1-0."
To complete a set, someone must win six games; the first person to win six games wins the set.
However, as with "deuce," you must win a set by at least two games. So, if the score is 6-5, the person with 5 must win by two games. If the score ties at 6-6, you play a tiebreaker.

Scoring the Match

The whole shebang is called a match. The match is determined by the best two out of three sets. So if you win two sets, you win. If you each win a set, then you play a third set to determine the winner.

Tennis 101: On-Court Etiquette

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:30:54 -0700

Welcome back to Tennis 101. In honor of the 2009 US Open this week, I'm serving up a series about the sport, from what to expect at your first lesson to trivia about US Open champs.

Today, we'll tackle the topic of tennis etiquette. Tennis has a reputation for being a very polite sport, and while it's less stuffy than it used to be, there are still many niceties you need to know - especially since, as an amateur, you won't have officiates to make the calls. Here are some manners to keep in mind.

If you arrive at a court while other people are playing, wait until the point is over before passing behind to get to your own.
If your ball rolls into the adjacent court, don't run after it. Simply say "thank you" and wait for your neighbor to return the ball when it's convenient. If a ball rolls onto your court, toss it back to the player it belongs to.

For more tips on stray balls and making calls, read more.

Since stray balls are distracting and potentially dangerous, you should call a "let" if a ball rolls onto the court while the point is in play. A "let" is basically a do-over, and the point should be replayed.
When making calls, always speak clearly, loudly, and matter-of-factly to inform your opponents if a ball is out or fair.
If you have any doubt about whether a ball is out, you should make the call in favor of your opponent.
When playing doubles, communicate with your partner when it's unclear who should go after a shot. Simply say "yours," "mine," or "got it!"
Make sure you have two balls when it's your serve, and call out the score before your first serve.
At the end of the game, shake hands with your opponents.

Got any tennis etiquette tips to add? Please share 'em in the comments!

Do You Know Your US Open Champs?

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:00:16 -0700

The first fuzzy tennis ball of the 2009 US Open will be tossed and served in New York today. But as the pros prepare to rally for that sexy singles trophy, let's test your knowledge of winners past. Find out how much you know about the US Open singles champs with my quiz.

Take the quiz

Guess Who?

FitSugar — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:50:05 -0700

Guess who showed up in New York City just in time for the US Open?