Maria Sharapova Slow Motion Service Action

You know what Sharapova does to warm up her arm and to improve her serve?? She throws a football back and forth with her coach. The throwing motion is just like a serving motion...which is why as girls, our serves are not as strong! We need to practice throwing. This weekend - play some catch!!

MY INSPIRATION......

What are your life passions? What makes you tick? We can have many passions. Many trends in our lives that persuade us from time to time. However a true passion is steady. It doesn't come and go. I have had a few rock solid things in my life....my faith, my family and of course, tennis. For the sake of this blog, lets talk about tennis. It has been tennis since I was eight. Since I saw Venus Williams in her debut pro tennis match. Since I realized that I could play for hours and hours and not get bored. Since I gave up other sports to devote time to this thing I loved. Since I gave up all my weekends in high school to go to tournaments. Since I realized how cute those little tennis outfits were. Since I met great friends and eventually my best friend, my husband! 

Now I get to teach this game. Something that has been pivotal in my life. I am blessed to spend my days outside and spreading the love I have. My favorite age group to work with, are my girls! These 10 - 16 year old girls (plus or minus a few) who have style, strength, sass, and they remind me of myself at that age. Except they are such better tennis players then I was at their age...trust me I am not kidding! Tennis is a unique sport in the sense that the female athletes are still girly. They show off their beauty and their strength every time they step onto the court. Off the court, they shine! Feminine, fashion, Hollywood, family, kids, college, normalcy, acting, and wives. They are trying to be the best they can at every thing they do.

I want this web site, and my example, be a light to all these girls I teach. A tribute to the professional athletes we admire and look up to. I hope that we can learn from following the best in the game. By seeing how athletic yet girly they are. I hope that I can do my best to encourage those I am surrounded by and myself, to be the best we can. Lets sparkle on and off the court!

Shara-power

Well who would have thought on day one that Sharapova would have won the championships. I didnt! But so far with my predictions, whatever I think, the opposite will happen. Sharapova played out of her mind this entire tournament. Her opponent played tough and won more games than any of Maria's other opponents, in the end Sharapova's composure and experience won! 

Her and Ivanovic are only 20 years old. I always enjoy listening to the post match interviews. These two girls truly understand competition and how truly blessed they are. They gave the credits to the other person and thanked others for making the opportunity possible. You can always tell a true champion by their words after they compete. These two girls are both champions! They handled the moment gracefully and with lots of personality! 

Congrats to Maria Sharapova! Her first Australian Open title! 

Fist Pumps....

How about the fist pumps of these two?? Sharapova with the thumb through the pointer and middle finger. Then there is Ivanovic with the bicep curl fist pump. (My husband can't stand it....ha). 

Got to love the personality! Tonight these personalities take center stage....Who will get the final fist pump?? 

Finals Friday

Well it is still raining in Santa Barbara....In fact there is snow on the mountains! (The day my husband and I got married the mountains of this beach town were covered with snow!!) With the weather and a lot of great tennis on t.v. I have been staying up late watching the live matches and enjoying the Australian Open. Tonight live at 6:30 is the women's final! Sharapova verse Ivanovic....... A contest of strength, loud grunts, squeeky shoes, beauty and the two cutest tennis outfits (besides Kirilenko). My husband and I will be tuning in for sure. I bet most guys will be tuning in to this match!!! 

Now I have no idea who will win. Struggle has brought out the best in Ivanovic and she improves with each match. While Sharapova steam rolled, playing her best tennis ever, until the semifinals. At that point she was lucky enough to be on the same court while Jankovic self-destructed! This is Ivanovic's pursuit in winning her first Grand Slam...Can she stay composed? Can Sharapova keep her streak alive without dropping a set? What do YOU think? 

Final Four

Sharapova vs. Jankovic!

Ivanovic vs. Hantuchova!

Who do you think will be in the finals?? 

CHECK IT OUT!

My mom is an amazing photographer. Her emphasis is newborns and maternity but she rocks at everything! 

www.reneewhiting.com

www.reneewhiting.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

Rainy Tuesday

Well so far with my semifinal guesses I have been totally WRONG! Lets see if Venus can pull it off tonight against Ivanovic. (Both sporting really cute outfits). So cheer on the American!! She has her work cut out for her. Apparently the more we think we know, the less we actually do! The players who have not been playing well, played incredibly in the quarters. I am shocked!

Today in Santa Barbara it rained all day. Unfortunately it shows rain through next Tuesday. While we need the rain, as a tennis pro, it equals time off! Which is fun for a day but after awhile the work is good. I have been thinking about this blog a lot and how I would love to get junior high and high school girls everywhere following my blog.  If anyone has any suggestions about marketing, or even just pursuing your ideas and dreams, I would love to hear from you! With not a lot of on court time the next week, I am going to commit myself to bettering myself and others off the court. How can we sparkle better off the court? Love to hear from people! Enjoy the final few days of the Australian Open and the cold rainy days!

The Elite Eight

So it is week two at the Australian Open.... There are eight women left. Tonight a big match up between Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic, and Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova. Tomarrow, Venus Williams takes on Anna Ivanovic, and Hantuchova plays the young Radwanska. These quarterfinal matches are worthy of being finals! Who do you think will make the semifinals? I am going to go with the Williams sisters, Henin, and Radwanska. Henin vs. Serena, and Venus vs. Radwanksa are my picks for the semis. Who are yours???

On a less exciting note, while teaching a clinic today and running for a forehand I rolled my ankle on a ball.... Ouch! It was not the most graceful of falls and needless to say, I am resorting to ice and Advil for a couple days!! 

Nicole Vaidisova Signature Shot

Venus Williams Signature Shot

Wimbledon Trip

Wanted to show these picture. Some of my favorites from our Euro 07 trip. The first a picture of center court at Wimbledon. Unfortunately it rained on the day we were given incredible tickets. We still enjoyed the day. There is a buzz in the air as you walk around the grounds!! 

The second picture, I think is so funny! In this small beach town in Ireland where most of the people were at the beach, we saw a few kids running down the roads with racquets, so I wanted to see where they were off to. These kids were happy as ever playing tennis on a court that in my opinion was more than a little beat up. But they didn't know any better. We should be so grateful for every chance we have to play tennis especially at our nice country clubs!! 

Quality Tennis!

So yesterdays tennis at the Australian Open will go down in history. First lets talk about the mens draw....Roddick loses in five, Blake wins in five, Federer wins in five and as I write Hewitt has his fifth match point in a four and a half hour match. They are playing at four am in the morning! What an incredible shape you have to be in to last that long. Not only fast and quick but you must be able to endure, to be the stronger person late in the match. 

Now the girls! Kirelenko took out Chakvetadze in a tough three set match! By the way, Kirelenko might be the most fashionable player out there. The young Radwanksa took out Kuznetsova. Anna Ivanovic won in two sets moving her on to the next round. Love that blue Adidas dress.....And Venus Williams playing under the lights won in two sets!!! 

On todays line up I am really excited about Serena Williams taking on Nichole Vaidasova. That has the makings of a being a hard hitting battle. Jankovic, who has barely scraped by, is taking on the hot young Australian Dallacqua. Going to be entertaining!

Yesterday I worked out hard in the gym (tried to be my own Jillian Micheals, ha) and then last night my husband and I played tennis. We played a set and a game of twenty one. Of course he won the set (guys serves!) and I won the next. But we were spent. Think about the quality of play and length of the matches the pros are having! I think I need a little more off court work and to play alot more tennis to be able to hit that intensity for as long as they do. 

I would love to inspire you today to get outside and play tennis! Grab your boyfriend, bestfriend or mom.... Trust me you will have FUN and get a workout!! 

First Thoughts

As I write this I am watching the Australian Open. The Williams sisters, Sharapova, Henin, Davenport, Ivanovic....The list goes on. These women are professional athletes, where normally not so feminine, these tennis players embrace who they are! They show off there strength and beauty. There are role models to younger up and coming tennis players. What more can I say besides Lindsey Davenport? New wife, new mom and still just an incredible tennis player and athlete. Or Serena Williams, who said this week that Lindsey Davenport is her ultimate role model. Or Venus Williams who just graduated from fashion school and one of Wimbledons greatest champions. 

I am a teaching pro who tries to leave the same mark on my lessons. I want my lessons to be athletic, fit, smart, beautiful girls. I try to be an example to them....Through my own tennis career, my own tennis fashion wardrobe, to my relationships. 

I hope this blog grows to be a tribute to what I just have talked about. To tennis, to "sparkling on and off the court", to being athletic and girly!

With the Australian Open upon us, I will give updates here about the women's draw. Go Serena!