That's how it is with the uber devout lot, unfortunately.


It's not until Wednesday at 6pm. Can't imagine it being anything too major if it's only worthy of a FB post.

thanks. That explains why I couldn't find anything out if it's not for a few more days. New sponsor? New coach?

She's preggers?

Oh, I knew there was something I meant to post.

Thiem has released his first half of the year schedule.

It's busy.

Clearly did not learn anything from playing waaaay too much this year and seems to think this is the way to get and stay in the top: it isn't by playing so many tournaments but by winning//going deep in the ones you do enter!!

I don't get it, if they were so devout they wouldn't have sex before marriage would they? It seems like they pick and choose what to be devout about..... no offence to anyone religious here!

It's weird, people don't even do it in Ireland any more like.



This is basically religion in a nutshell
Personally, the only one I follow is the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Anyway, intrigued by this impending Ivanovic announcement, has she made scheduled announcements like this in advance before? My first thought was pregnancy, but the general consensus seems to be it's just business or coach related. Let's hope it's not a Sharapova style announcement

Maybe she's tested positive for morning sickness pills?

I'll laugh if it's just like that thank you message BMS did that time that got everyone fretting before the announcement.

She's probably just getting an App or something equally boring connected to the business/sponsorship side of things. Can't see it being pregnancy since she was doing pre-season training a couple of weeks ago.

Bloody hell Ana's retired with immediate effect!

(Not pregnancy, just all the injuries finally taking its toll on her body).

Not an huge surprise, she hasn't looked like she's enjoying it all year, and it's not like she needs the money,

Shame, but think she's doing the right thing.

Bit of a shock to see Mrs Schweinsteiger retiring, she was a good player I thought.

To do it on a 90 second, fairly ugly FB stream though... I'd have expected that kind of announcement to have the full bells and whistles press conference treatment. Imagine ending your career at the IPTL.

I think it was slightly odd she put up smiley pics to announce the announcement, but hey she's a smiley person I guess.

I think the reason she didn't achieve more (should have definitely won more FOs) was the old "paralysis by analysis" thing, she always seemed so intense rather then just let it happen when things were going okay. Too much tinkering and changes in personnel, when every little thing went wrong. Her fans made a joke of her constantly saying "it's a process", but sometimes you've just got to do the ol' take it one match at a time, and not overthink it.

She's 29, outside the top 50 and has just got married. I can see why she's not keen on another year punishing her body and travelling around the world.

She also needed wrist surgery to continue at the level she wanted to, so it would've been a season out and trying to restart her career at 30. Easy to see why she couldn't be bothered with that.

She got to no.1 and won a slam, more than most players get. In a way she's probably relieved to no longer be chasing that 8yr burden that's rested on her shoulders ever since. The short video was probably the happiest anyone's ever been at announcing their retirement, which says a lot!

It's a shame about Ana. I think the physical talent is still there but mentally she's got nothing left to give any more. Imagine, from RG 07 to RG 08 she made three of five slam finals, winning the third... and then never being a threat ever again. It must have been something of a sudden decision, she tweeted training photos two weeks ago and was on the Auckland entry list.

Just my supposing but she had an injury layoff for the latter part of this year. Maybe it was thought that her wrist would be ok, did some training and then it was said that she'd need surgery and recovery from the surgery and weighed up that it was time to retire than do all of that.

Sad to see though, Ana was flakey perhaps but she seemed really nice and friendly.

Sad to see Ana leave tennis at a relatively young age. Only last year she reached the SF of the French Open. Always a threat on clay, and a nice game to watch.

Hope she enjoys her retirement.

Silly question perhaps but does winning at Abu Dhabi officially make you world champion?

And the tour is short on former slam winners at present with Petra out and Vika and Maria yet to return.

It's an exhibition event.

Money doesn't buy status.

Good point.

Another addition to the growing, Wedding Tennis Association - Serena's just announced her engagement to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

https://www.reddit.com/r/isaidyes/co...yr/i_said_yes/

In proper tennis news. Naomi Broady is MD for Auckland and Laura's in qualifying.

Ick Reddit, could be worse I suppose could be the founder of 4chan.

Such a weird year, please let the tennis start.

How dare you give us proper tennis news!!!

Fingers crossed for Laura making it through qualies.