Happy birthday!

[Hoergren]

Today 25th of February it's double up - well two lovely ladies are celebrating their birthday today! Let's start with the youngest Eugenie Bouchard also named Genie turning 20 today. She was the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam in singles with her 2012 Wimbledon girls' title. Eugenie started playing tennis at the age of five. Her best year until now has been 2013 and she started well in 2014 reaching the semi final in AO. Let's give her thumbs up and hope for a good 2014 for this popular Canadian with the lovely smile:

The next player is a bit older but well known Flavia Pennetta having her 32nd birthday today. She became Italy's first top-10 female singles player on 17 August 2009 and also the first Italian tennis player to be ranked No. 1 in doubles on 28 February 2011. Pennetta has won nine career WTA singles titles,Pennetta has defeated multiple Grand Slam singles champions, such as Justine Henin, Mary Pierce, Martina Hingis, Amélie Mauresmo, Venus Williams, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Victoria Azarenka, Samantha Stosur, and Maria Sharapova. She reached the US Open semifinals in 2013, her first grand slam semi final. We saw her play a good week in DUbai. Member of the Italian FED cup team. Seems a good start of 2014.

Cheerio Flavia. Both ladies may have a very nice birthday with lots of fun and a good and healthy 2014

 

[Hoergren]

A very well known Chinese is celebrating her 32nd birthday today - Li Na - the new #2 in the rankings. Li, Na was born on February 26, 1982 in Wuhan, Hubei, China. Her father was a professional badminton player - a sport which must be the Chinese national sport together with ping pong - which also was Li Na's first sport so she didn't start playing tennis before she's 8. Through the years she's been a Chinese first in tennis - first to win a slam (with a Danish coach by the way), first to be #2 and so on. One of the things we all appreciate (or not?) is her arguing with her husband who has been yelled at in many situations and even has had to leave his place during a match because she let all her frust over him. One of the most memorable victory speeches was made this year by Li Na in AO and if you missed that - here it is - listen to what she says about her husband:
[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zNIvsce-tc[/video]
Runner up 2 times in AO before she won this year.

Congratulation Li Na. May your day be nice, funny, cosy and peaceful together with your patient husband

 

[Hoergren]

Beware - a drama queen is on the loose. Well perhaps she'll celebrate too. Who - Jelena Jankovic - She was ranked world no. 1 for seventeen consecutive weeks until she was overtaken by Serena Williams on 2 February 2009. She was the year-end world no. 1 in 2008, the second player in the history of the WTA tour to do this without winning a Grand Slam title, after Kim Clijsters. Actually she HAS won a slam title but not in singles. She won the wimbledon mixed double title in 2007 with her British partner Jamie Murray. SHe has a fiery temper - which has been little better in control during her comeback to top 10. Today it's her brother who is scolded during the matches. She's 13 wTA singles titles and 2 in doubles and the mix slam title in WImbledon:

Have a nice February 28th. Have a nice birthday and spoil your brother so he's ready for Indian Wells Congrats with the 29 today and may you have a good injury free 2014

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Beware - a drama queen is on the loose....

JJ is better than lots of slam winners I know, she will get one!
I hope...

 

[Hoergren]

Agnieszka Radwańska - a well known and well liked tennis player - I think we can all agree in that. Born 6 March 1989. Radwańska achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 2 in July 2012 and is currently ranked World No. 3 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Known for constructing points and making intelligent use of the court, she has won thirteen career singles titles.

Radwańska holds a number of tennis accolades. She is the first Polish player in the Open Era to reach the singles final of a Grand Slam (the 2012 Wimbledon Championships), the first Pole to claim a WTA singles title (the 2007 Nordea Nordic Light Open), and the winner of the longest three-set match played at the WTA Tour Championships. In addition, she won the WTA Award for Most Impressive Newcomer in 2006.

Radwańska has been voted the WTA's most popular player for three consecutive years (2011–2013) in polls held by WTATennis.com. For her accomplishments in sport and for representing her country with distinction, in 2013 she was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit by Polish President Bronisław Komorowski.

What we like most is her unpredictable play. She's been making some of the best shots in tennis and below you'll see a row of shots - especially her turn around shot was spectacular - enjoy.
[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JpvTzA0C_k[/video]
Hope she'll celebrate together with her best friend Caroline Wozniacki and they'll have a lot of fun. Happy 25th Aga may you have a nice and injury free 2014.

 

[tented]

Happy 25th Aga may you have a nice and injury free 2014.

Well said. I hope for the same.

 

[Hoergren]

The "Polish gang" celebrating Aga's birthday - nice

 

[Si Si Simona]

The "Polish gang" celebrating Aga's birthday - nice

There is a Czech and a "half German" on the right side

 

[Hoergren]

ANother biggie having birthday on March 8 - Petra Kvitova - the roller coaster player if I may say so. She can play some of the best tennis on tour one day and the next she is playing next to herself. She's turning 24 today and she's playing her second round match and able to give herself a nice little present winning her match.

She's a Czech professional tennis player. Known for her powerful left-handed shots and variety, she has won eleven career singles titles. She reached her career-high ranking of world no. 2 in October 2011, and is currently ranked world no. 6. Her current clothing sponsor is Nike.
Kvitová won the 2011 Wimbledon Championships and the 2011 WTA Tour Championships singles titles, beating Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka respectively, becoming the first Grand Slam event winner of either gender born in the 1990s, and the third player to win the WTA Championships in her first attempt. She has also reached the semifinals of the 2012 Australian Open and the 2012 French Open, losing on both occasions to Maria Sharapova.
So Petra go and get'm and show you're the best today and may you have a nice birthday dinner afterwards and a good 2014. Happy Birthday.

 

[Hoergren]

Kvitovas first birthday present:

Okay okay - it's a fanmade picture but nice anyway

 

[Hoergren]

One of USA's bright young stars Sloane Stephens - born March 20, 1993 - turns 21 today. She's on homeground being from Plantation, Florida. She started playing tennis at the age of nine. She has 3 junior slam titles in doubles - all in 2010 - with her partner Timea Babos but still she's after her first WTA title. She's won 1 ITF title in both single and double. A little controversial player who sometimes is playing dreamtennis and in other occasions the opposite. When she gets hold on herself she'll have a great career IMHO.

One of her own quotes say it all (how it is at the moment)

“If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good.”

Well Sloane I and all your fans wish you a happy and nice birthday - where you can feel good

 

[tented]

Happy Birthday, Sloane! I'm excited to see how Annacone helps you this year.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Happy Birthday to Sloane and my favorite Tennis twins.

Pliskova Twins.

 

[Hoergren]

Bethanie Lynn Mattek-Sands is our birthday girl today. One of WTA tours most colourful persons. Special dress, sometimes special warpaint always nice to watch turns 29 today. She's living in Miami and will celebrate her birthday on homeground later today. She's is currently #51 in the singles rankings and still hunting her first title on the WTA tour. In doubles she's won 12 titles so far and #67 right now. What she's most kinown for is her "alternate" fashion - have a read: Mattek has achieved extensive publicity as a result of her eccentric fashion sense on the court, and has led to her being dubbed in the press as the 'Lady Gaga of the tennis world'. Notable outfits include leopard print outfits at the 2004 US Open and 2007 US Open, a striped cowboy hat that garnered her a fine at the 2005 US Open, a "soccer theme" at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships that included £10 football socks, chandelier earrings, a tube top worn over a strappy vest top, tiny running shorts and a headband, pink knee-high socks at the 2006 JPMorgan Chase Open, and a loosely draped beige top, with a crocheted waist and split sleeves that resembled a toga and beige knee-high socks at the 2006 US Open. During the 2011 Pre-Wimbledon party in London, Mattek-Sands wore a fluorescent green dress, by designer Alex Noble, that featured tennis balls as components and a Mohican-style hat.

Keep up the fun and have a nice colorful birthday and good luck with hunting down the first WTA title.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I must admit that out fit Bethanie wore to Wimbledon was her best Ever

Happy Birthday Bethanie....your outfits are always Inspiring

 

[Hoergren]

Samantha "Sam" Jane Stosur current #19 has her 30th birthday today. Doubles specialist holding the #1 doubles rankings for 61 weeks with her partner Lisa Raymond back in 2006 and has been as high as #4 in singles a couple of years ago. Won the US open in 2011 defeating Serena Williams and has won 4 other slams - 2 in doubles and 2 in mixed doubles so a worthy woman getting our attention. Maybe a little unknown to most that she's Polish blood in her via her grand father. Today she's strugling with her form and has returned - IMHO - to her earlier weakness her inability to handle the pressure at major matches and being poor at closing out matches. In her first four WTA tour finals, she won the first set only to lose the match. On her off-days, she can hit over 50 unforced errors. She's now partnering with Svetlana Kuznetsova and that looks promising.

Happy birthday Sam and may you have a healthy 2014 on your way back on top.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Happy Birthday to the top Aussie.

 

[Hoergren]

Another tennis beauty - Sorana Mihaela Cîrstea born 7 April 1990 - turning 24 today - second highest ranked Romanian player after Simona Halep. She achieved her career-high ranking of world no. 21 on 12 August 2013 and has appeared in the quarterfinals of the French Open and the final of the Rogers Cup. She's currently #27. Cîrstea is a power player with a deceptively good serve. Her groundstrokes are often erratic with an emphasis on going for a winner leading her to make a high amount of unforced errors per match but with a high number of winners. Cîrstea speaks Romanian, English, Spanish, and French. She's won 1 WTA singles title in 2008 in Tashkent beating Sabine Lisicki and 4 WTA doubles titles. Latest final was in Rogers Cup where she lost to Serena Williams.

Ice cream from your fathers factory

 

[Rose]

This is a great thread which I'm just now discovering! Great work hoergren and a lot of work also! I wanted to give every one of your birthday posts a "like", but thought maybe that would be overdoing it! So I'll do one for Sorana

 

[Hoergren]

This is a great thread which I'm just now discovering! Great work hoergren and a lot of work also! I wanted to give every one of your birthday posts a "like", but thought maybe that would be overdoing it! So I'll do one for Sorana

Thanks Rose - well I started this thread last year on Carolines birthday and I think it's fun to make. I thereby learn a bit about each player and try to pass it on to the rest of you. I have the time now I'm a pensioner - so i'm glad you like it