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Saturday, February 25, 2006
Pages: No, Maria! Yes, it’s Pete vs. Roger
By John Pages
Matchpoint
Want to see some pictures? Sexy?
Each year, in full color and full of bodies, Sports Illustrated unleashes the sexiest women on earth. Just last week, the 2006 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition was bared open. Some girls are top-less (well, not exactly), some are spread on a white sand paradise sprinkled with ocean water, some are in a two-piece, polka-dot, or in nothing but a white shirt as cover.
Some, like Elle Macpherson, are known; others, like Oluchi Onweagba, Rebecca Romijn and Yesica Toscanini, are not.
There are 26 supermodels. One stands out. Literally. Figuratively. She towers at 6-foot-2. She has silky blonde hair, pouty lips, a cover-girl complexion, and charming green eyes like Wimbledon grass. And yes, at 18 years old, she knows how to hold a tennis racket.
Maria Sharapova.
A total of 22 pictures of her were shot in the Caribbean island near the Bahamas called Turks and Caicos. Behind the virgin beach backdrop adorned with splashes of blue water and white waves lies Maria — sexy, with twin tower legs, and a silver necklace with an “M” hanging off her chest.
Check it out at www.si.com.
TWINS. Pete Sampras is the greatest ever player in tennis shoes. He owns the record 14 grand slam singles titles, seven of those at the holy grail, Wimbledon. He was world’s no.1 for six consecutive years (1993-98). He won over $43 million in prize money. He’s the greatest. Ever. Forever.
Forever, that is, until Roger Federer breaks his record five years from now. I visited the official website (www.rogerfederer.com) and unearthed this “Pete vs. Roger” comparison (taken before Roger’s recent Australian Open win). Study their careers, precisely 10 years apart. Amazing!
Birthdate Pete: August 12, 1971.
Birthdate Roger: August 08, 1981.
Height, weight Pete: 6-foot-1, 175 lbs. Height, weight Roger: 6-foot-1, 177 lbs.
Winning percentage Pete: .773 (437-128). Winning percentage Roger: .765 (391-120).
Titles Pete: 36 Titles Roger: 33 .
Reign Pete started: 1993 Wimbledon (5th Wimbledon and 17th major entered) Reign Roger started: 2003 Wimbledon (5th Wimbledon and 17th major entered).
Peak period Pete: Won 6 out of 10 majors (’93 Wimbledon to ’95 US Open)
Peak period Roger: Won 6 out of 10 majors (’03 Wimbledon to ’05 US Open)
Majors Pete: 1 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledons, 2 US Opens
Majors Roger: 1 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledons, 2 US Opens
Wimbledon Pete: 1993-1995
Wimbledon Roger: 2003-2005
Major stumble Pete: Roland Garros, 3 QF. Major stumble Roger: Roland Garros, SF, QF, 4th round.
Masters Cup Pete: 1991, 1994. Masters Cup Roger: 2003, 2004.
No. 1 Pete: 109 weeks. No. 1 Roger: 100 weeks.
Roger says: “Seriously, I saw this report where they put our careers next to each other, and we were almost born on the same day, just a few years apart.
Exactly 10 years ago, he had maybe one or two tournament victories more. The same amount of Slams. Just a couple more weeks at No. 1. It’s quite scary, actually, if you compare it. … I’m on the same road. But I’ve obviously got to maintain it. He already did everything. I’ve got to do everything still. It’s a long road. It will be great just to challenge it.”
(john@brightacademy.edu.ph)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 25, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
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