Dementieva!

With the world of women's tennis ripe for a spot of domination, it is time for the grown-ups to take charge.

When Australian Open 2009 began, any one of four women could have ended the tournament as the world No. 1. Now that Jelena Jankovic has been sent packing, Elena Dementieva and Serena Williams have their chance to depose the Serb if they reach the final, while Dinara Safina only has to get to the semifinals to claim that top spot.

The second week of the tournament has begun, and there is a new atmosphere around Melbourne Park. After a few rounds to get a feel for the courts and find their bearings, those with serious ambitions to lift the trophy are looking more focused, more determined and as mean and hungry as demure ladies of the WTA can look.

Dementieva, for one, has a new steely look in her eye. The 27-year-old Russian swept into the quarterfinals, clobbering poor Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 6-2 in 76 minutes. It was awfully nice of Cibulkova to turn up, but the 19-year-old from Slovakia was not to be allowed anywhere near the business end of the tournament - not if Dementieva had anything to do with it.

When, a few years ago, the waves of new names from Russia began climbing the rankings, the media was taken by surprise. "The Russians are coming!" screamed every third tennis headline (so proving that there is no such thing as an original feature idea) but, actually, the Russians had been there for some while.

Dementieva first showed that she was a potential world-beater when she was just 18. It was back in 2000, and on her preferred hard courts at the US Open, she powered her way through to the semifinals. It was only then that she made the schoolgirl error of looking down and discovering that she was flying high without the aid of a safety net. When a little voice whispered in her ear "Are you sure you are ready for this?", Dementieva gulped and replied: "Er, not really, no”.

"When I look back on my tennis career, I realised that the year 2000 was the greatest year of my career," Dementieva admitted with refreshing honesty. "I was 18 years old; I was in the semifinals of the US Open; I was in the semifinals of the Championships and I won a silver medal at the Olympic Games, but it just came too quickly to me, too fast.

"I was under pressure all the time. I was top-10, but I didn't feel like a top-10 player and that was a really hard time for me. I start to lose in first round because I didn't have enough confidence; all the people were pushing me and saying ‘you have to win this one, you are a big player now’, and so it was a very difficult time for me."

To compound her confidence issues, Dementieva was plagued with injury problems until in 2004, she came back with a bang to reach the final of the French and US Opens. Better still, she managed to get there without the aid of a first serve (the legacy of an old shoulder injury). Unfortunately for her, Dementieva met her old friend Anastasia Myskina (whatever happened to Myskina huh?) in the Roland Garros final and Svetlana Kuznetsova in the New York final. Against Myskina, she was a tight as a drum. Against Kuznetsova, she was simply overpowered.

"When I was playing my first final at the French Open," she explained, "I was too nervous and I couldn't hold all this pressure on me. I had been waiting for this moment all my life. I was too nervous. I couldn't play my game; I couldn't breathe on the court and something was wrong with me. In my next final, at the US Open, I was more calm and I was playing better than I was at the French Open, but I couldn't quite make it.

"I didn't expect for myself to be in the US Open final because the goal for the year was to play well in Athens [Olympics] and I was preparing all year for that and thinking about the Olympic Games. After I lost in the first round I was so disappointed, I was so down, that I didn't want to play tennis anymore. This relief in the US Open really helped me to be as strong as I am."

Five years down the line, Dementieva is even more experienced, even more mature, and she is playing like a dream. The younger women who have grabbed the attention in the first week may have done awfully well, but now it is time for the grown-ups to have their say.

Look No Further
Dido

I might have been a singer who sailed around the world
A gambler who wins millions and spent it all on girls
I might have been a poet who walked upon the moon
A scientist who'd tell the world I discovered something new

I might have loved a king
Been the one to end a war
A criminal who drank champagne and never could be caught
But among your books
Among your clothes
Among the noise and fuss I've let it go

I can't stop and catch my breath
And look no further for happiness
And I will not turn again 'cause my heart has found its home

Everyone I'll never meet and friends I won't now make
The adventures that there could have been and the risks I'll never take
But among your books
Among your clothes
Among the noise and fuss I've let it go

I can't stop and catch my breath
And look no further for happiness
And I will not turn again 'cause my heart has found its home

9:50 PM
sadikin

-

the family walk

haha. well, this is totally deserving of a blog post! (:

okay, basically, after the family had dinner at Changi Village (yes, the one with the famed nasi lemak stall), daddy dearest decided to go for walk around the Changi coastal area, in search of the 2.4km boardwalk he read about somewhere. and since we had nothing better to do and shopping wasn't really a favoured option by the patriach (and besides, it was cny eve!), off we went! =D

so we crossed the bridge near the ferry terminal (which brings you to Pulau Ubin and some other island - Pulau Penyengat is it?) to the camping area where we had our RI Pupil Leaders' Camp in Secondary 4 (omg, the memories, shawn!) and where i had one or two scouts camp and overnight cycling with the 02 scouts. yeah, totally brings back the memories man! (((:

then, we walked further down to the area where we stopped by for the night during the overnight cycling, where i still remembered we struggled to sleep while keeping warm and dry in the rain and really cold weather. =/

and after around half an hour or so, the family stopped to take a breather as well as to find out where the hell we were going, since it didn't seem as though the boardwalk was anywhere in sight. -.-" dad, in all his eagerness, even asked a random guy who seemed to be a regular there but unfortunately, didn't know about the boardwalk at all. ohwell.

AND THEN, IT HIT ME! but of course dad was talking about the Changi Boardwalk which i've actually set foot on quite a number of times! during the Pupil Leaders' Camp hike on our way to the end-point, and during the RIPB Chalet (at Fairy Point, was it?) back in 2006, if i'm not wrong. where we played on the rather dirty beach beside a random restaurant. haha, yes, those were the days! (:

so we backtracked all the way to Changi Village, and proceeded to the real boardwalk, passing by the rather familiar sights of the beautiful terrace-like chalets and even more chalets. and after slightly over half an hour, we finally reached the kelong walk, the one which dad was so interested about! xD

exciting much!
(credits: fotograf by imran)

but well, it was a pity that we came at night, cos there really wasn't much to see, unlike in the photo above. ohwell, another time perhaps.

and so that ends the Jailani family's adventure for the day. xD which took us around two hours in all, from walking from one end of the Changi coast to eventually walking on the Changi boardwalk (minus the sunset walk, unfortunately).

here's a map of the Changi boardwalk:

(click to enlarge!)

so it was quite an exciting (and not to mention healthy!) though sweaty family day out (or night out, rather) .

well, let's end this post with peektures! (:

(pardon the poor resolution owing to the limitations of the mobile phone camera under night conditions -.-")

at kelong walk feeling all accomplished! (:

eldest sis

bro

elder sis

yours truly

and since that family photo doesn't really do justice to our beautiful faces, here's another one taken earlier this month after the maternal relatives get-together at east coast! xD

the family! (:

haha, alright, nights y'all!
and to my Chinese friends, Happy Chinese New Year! (:

12:54 AM
sadikin

- Sunday, January 25, 2009

ode to the fallen

and so Jelena Jankovic crashes out of the Australian Open, losing to rodent-faced Marion Bartoli. (okay, i don't mean to be mean, but seriously, she looks like a freaking rat!)

while Roger Federer lives to see another day as a competitor on the Rod Laver Arena, bouncing back after being two sets down in his fourth-round match against Tomas Berdynch. and fortunately so. (: and Andy Roddick continues his on-form performance to beat Tommy Robredo in straight sets to reach the quarters. (:

and so did they:
- Safina's great escape
- Zvonareva wins all-Russian encounter
- Del Potro first man into quarters

and i'm predicting (and hoping for) a semis meet-up between Federer and Roddick, which should be an exciting one to watch. well, i'm equally happy if either of them reaches the finals, though i'd prefer for Federer to get his much-needed confidence boost for the season ahead.



well, have a wonderful Sunday y'all! (:

4:44 PM
sadikin

- Saturday, January 24, 2009

let's blog!

well, since some of you have evidently missed me, i've decided to blog (yes, finally right!) after around two weeks of hiatus of sorts. (: but, as always, i'm not really into talking about my life or my thoughts, so about some music updates!

Pink - Please Don't Leave Me

who doesn't love Pink? =D she's been releasing quality singles all the time, so there surely ain't any reason not to like her!

her latest single Please Don't Leave Me is quite reminiscent of Who Knew, but more ballady. which is precisely why i had expected a sappy (omg, char!) music video along with it, like how the video initially started. but true to Pink's spunky and unpredictable (and kinda crazy) nature, she had quite an interesting though sick and twisted concept for it. i think she's possibly on a creative high, what with the highly controversial Sober music video and now, to this. that said, i must say that it's a very clever video and haha, what a poor guy! xD

Sugababes - No Can Do

finally, Sugababes is back with new material! and i mean, really fresh and new material, which is a departure from their signature ballads and pop tunes. with an interesting music video concept as well. (:

yay, let's hope this will the single/album that'll bring them to greater success, which they haven't managed to achieve with Catfights and Spotlights.

James Morrison feat Nelly Furtado - Broken Strings

a lovely collaboration between James Morrison and Nelly Furtado! (: the song's got really meaningful lyrics.

but well, the music video started really promising, but eventually became simply a-okay, what with animations and all that jazz. which don't really add much meaning to the video. -.-" and to top it all off, it's pretty reminiscent of Snow Patrol feat Martha Wainwright's Set The Fire To The Third Bar. do i sense some creative copyright infringement?

ohwell, lovely song nonetheless. (:

Leona Lewis - I Will Be

hmmm. o.O i tremendously enjoyed her cover of Snow Patrol's Run (though i still think her voice is overrated at times), but this cover of Avril Lavigne's I Will Be? not so much.

i guess i'm used to hearing Avril's vocals on the track instead of hers. and besides, this song somehow doesn't really suit her. like a person commented on the video, she seems to be trying so hard to channel Avril in the video. and the whole concept of it is silly, to be honest. from the really amateurish acting with the British accent to the cameo by Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford (which doesn't really help), the video seems to be trying too hard in my opinion. oh btw, you can strike out acting from your list of possible career options, Miss Lewis. just keep everyone happy and continue your awesome job at singing. (:

not the best choice of single, really. i'd rather she promote Run instead of this in the US. ohwell.



next, tennis updates! (: or more specifically, the first Grand Slam of the season - Australian Open 2009.

so, after six days of tournament and a number of shocking exits from the Women's Singles draw notably by Venus William and Ana Ivanovic, here are the remaning draws:

Men's Singles Draws

Women's Singles Draws

well, just so you know, i'm rooting for Federer and Roddick, and of course the gorgeous Dementieva, and Jankovic! (: yay, GO THEM!

and finally, with all the buzz about Obama's inauguration (and the S$20.5b Resilience Package presented during the Budget, which i haven't really read up on), allow me to comment on a very pressing matter, which is quite an eyesore, regarding that whole issue:

the Isabel Toledo shift dress

the Jason Wu gown

what in the world was Michelle Obama thinking?!?!

honestly, the lemongrass Toledo shift dress paired with the green Jimmy Choo kitten heel pumps don't make a bad ensemble, but the J. Crew gloves just totally kill it. =/ and as for the gown, i had expected something more elegant, like Michael Kors' vision in vivid blue or Monique L’Huillier’s smashing red gown or if she had wanted a white number, Diane Von Furstenberg's regal white gown. so it was quite a disappointment ah. there's just too much going on in that Jason Wu gown, making it seem a tad tacky to me. -.-" so, for me, unfortunately, she didn't quite deliver on the fashion front on Inauguration Day.

ohwell, enjoy this amusingly ridiculous video:

Barack Obama covers Single Ladies! xD

9:39 PM
sadikin

- Tuesday, January 13, 2009

resilience

so, the first day of school (i.e. yesterday) was the worst in the history for first days. and i've ranted and whined to quite a few friends already, so i shall spare you the details. and of course, spare myself the agony of reliving it in my mind. =/ still, it's quite a bad start to the academic year, no? ):

well, anyway, today wasn't so bad, so that's good. (:

and hey, at least there's Open House to look forward to tmr! =D

in the meantime, enjoy the official video of Lucky by Jason Mraz (who's coming to Singapore on 5th March! xD) featuring Colbie Caillat. (:

11:38 PM
sadikin

- Sunday, January 11, 2009

off the top of my head

OH MY GOD. school starts TOMORROW. =O

i am so terribly dreading school! which will happen in slightly over a day. =/ and it doesn't help that assignments and tutorials are due on the freaking first day of school. and to top it all off, we have a chem test to end the homecoming week. simply awesome. -.-"

well, i know it's the year of the As (and have been freaking out every time that realisation hits me) and it's high time we should get serious about our studies. BUT seriously, how to do that when Open House and Orientation and Take 5 aren't even over yet.

which reminds me - DRY RUN II which spanned four days from the 6th to 9th has been awesomely tiring. fun, exciting, enjoyable (well, mostly) but just terribly draining. oh, and i gained a tan as well, haha! yeah, it's quite exciting to see myself having a more Malay complexion. xD and i still think the sunlight somehow kills/clears the bacteria/dirt/oil on your face such that you have slightly clearer and better complexion. or so i think. okay, what a vanity-inspired theory, i know right!

oh, and OPEN HOUSE PREP just now was just as draining, considering the four days of OTeam stuff right before it.

oh, but ISLE BBQ at Isis' was quite fun and enjoyable, i must say. (:

oh, and so was HOUSED PARTY (haha!) at Koo's, and the sleepover at Louis'. xD haha, it's always oh-so-enlightening to reminisce your friend's past with them. =P

[ okay, i totally owe a mega large photo update SOON ]

anyway, i seriously haven't dreaded the first day of school as bad as this before. i am so totally freaking out at the amount of school work i've yet to complete and which i have barely 24 hours to do so from now. SUCKS BIG TIME. ):

ohwell, but for what it's worth, i'll get to see lovely classmates and schoolmates whom i haven't seen in ages.

AND I HAVEN'T CAUGHT UP WITH AMERICAN TV SHOWS FOR THE WEEK. ):

2009's starting to stink. cannot like that ah! ))):



and by the way, sorry for the whiny nature of this entry. and thanks to people who have been such wonderful listening ears of late. Y'ALL ROCK. (:

and WHY ARE RELATIONSHIPS SO COMPLICATED. both in the platonic, and the romantic kind. AHHH. ):

oh, and as i was telling someone just now, i always wonder if i am taking the best possible path in life i can. which led me to another train of thought - how can some people actually say that they wouldn't change the slightest bit in their lives, not even those seemingly small and insignificant regrets? i sure know i have quite some (actually quite a lot, haha) that i'd probably would've done differently if i were given the chance to.

AHHH, SO MUCH NEGATIVITY. what a way to start the new year man. =/



okay, i'm just so tired and drained to complete this entry now. i'll just turn in now and forget everything, and when i wake up later, i'll start freaking out about everything else again. sounds like a plan to me!

so well, NIGHTS! (:

1:53 AM
sadikin

- Friday, January 02, 2009

hello 2009

though it's already the second day of the new year, for what it's worth - HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL! (: here's wishing you an awesomely fantabulous 2009 ahead, filled with joy, peace, laughter and love, and everything else positive.

and what a way to celebrate the first day of the new year than with FAMILY! (: well, it was simply a lunch date with the maternal relatives yesterday afternoon at the east coast of the island. so i suppose you could consider that as a good start to the new year. so, let's hope this paves the way for even more good things to come. (: after all, we all live in hope, don't we?

and um, my resolution for the new year? as usual, nothing sums it up better than simply to be a better me. (: which translate to being a better person, Muslim, son, brother, relative, friend, student (ohmy, this needs lots of work), and the list goes on.

okay, i really need to catch up on sleep. though i've already had a 12-hour shut-eye last night, to make up for the lack of it on the last night of Council Retreat (which was simply AWESOME, to say the least; thank you EXCO! =D), when i was up with Latha (and partially Hiok, Tiddy and Char) doing our share of good things on the last day of 2008. (:

alright, NIGHTS! xD

2:47 AM
sadikin