TennisToday

Roger Federer Breaks Record for Most Weeks at #1

Today Roger Federer break his tie with Pete Sampras for most weeks at #1.

Make it 287 at the top of the pile. That's about 5 1/2 years.

He enjoyed his 1st week at #1 way back in February 2, 2004.

At 31, Rog becomes the 2nd oldest man to hold the top spot: Andre Agassi.

Roger, after he tied the record:

I never stopped believing...it all worked out. I got great momentum...

Great confidence and it all came together. It's a magical moment for me.

I was so close to the record two years ago and...

It is really amazing to be No. 1 again.

I played and won a lot of tournaments since the US Openlast year...

I’m happy that all the hard work I have been putting in has paid off.

***

Roger is only 75 points ahead of Novak Djokovic.

They both have the Olympics as their next tournament.

With no points to defend the race for #1 is on again in London.

Can Roger make it a SW19 double?

Wimbledon to Relax some Traditions for 2012 Olympics

The organizers of Wimbledon have loosened their grip on a few traditions allowing the 2012 Olympics to have an identity of its own. The most major of the changes is that they have decided to lift the rule of all-whites during play. How strange it'll be to see colors on the hallowed courts of the All England Club.

Ian Ritchie, Wimbledon's chief executive said, "We hope to some extent there will be a different type of audience. It is not a repeat of the Championships. It will be its own competition, have its own style and it will play out in its own way."

Smart idea since the Olympics start 20 days after Wimbledon ends.

Other changes include - lower attendance given that only 12 (instead of 17) courts will be in use and the Royal Box will give way to Olympic officials.

One thing that will remain the same - no night matches. Natch.

Rafael Nadal is Pall Bearer at Juan Antonio Samaranch's Funeral Mass in Barcelona

Rafael Nadal, along with several other legendary Spanish athletes, helped carry former International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch's coffin after his funeral mass in Barcelona today.

Samaranch was President of the IOC from 1980-2001. It was during his reign that tennis was reinstated as a sport in the Summer Games. First as a demonstration sport at the 1984 Los Angeles Games (Stefan Edberg & Steffi Graf won) then as an official medal sport at the 1988 Seoul Games (Miloslav Mecir & Steffi Graf won).

A somber day in sports.

Also, Samaranch was in attendance during Rafa's historic win in Monte Carlo last Sunday - it was one of the last (if not the last) sporting events he ever witnessed.

Photo: Getty Images