Andy Murray has been seeded fourth for the Wimbledon men's singles championship. The world No1 and defending champion, Novak Djokovic, is first seed while Maria Sharapova heads the women's draw.
The women's seedings follow the WTA world rankings, which means the defending champion, Petra Kvitova, is seeded fourth. The only changes to the seedings reflect the absence of world No16 Kaia Kanepi and No18 Andrea Petkovic through injury.
The men's seeding system, meanwhile, takes into account performances on grass. This means the top five seeds follow the world rankings but David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych, ranked No6 and No7 respectively by the ATP, swap places for Wimbledon. Mardy Fish, the world No12, is seeded 10th. Bernard Tomic, who reached the quarter-finals last year, climbs from 27th to 20th.
Britain's Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins are No13 seeds in the men's doubles, while Andy Murray's brother Jamie is seeded No14, alongside his American partner Eric Butorac.
Seedings for Wimbledon men's singles (top 16)
1) Novak Djokovic
2) Rafael Nadal
3) Roger Federer
4) Andy Murray
5) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
6) Tomas Berdych
7) David Ferrer
8) Janko Tipsarevic
9) Juan Martin Del Potro
10) Mardy Fish
11) John Isner
12) Nicolás Almagro
13) Gilles Simon
14 Feliciano López
15) Juan Mónaco
16) Marin Cilic
Seedings for Wimbledon women's singles (top 16)
1) Maria Sharapova
2) Victoria Azarenka
3) Agnieszka Radwanska
4) Petra Kvitova
5) Samantha Stosur
6) Serena Williams
7) Caroline Wozniacki
8) Angelique Kerber
9) Marion Bartoli
10) Sara Errani
11) Li Na
12) Vera Zvonareva
13) Dominika Cibulkova
14) Ana Ivanovic
15) Sabine Lisicki
16) Flavia Pennetta
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Two staff from Asda in Boston meet Prince William - Lincolnshire Echo
TWO members of staff from Boston's Asda met Prince William during an event also attended by the Queen.
Store manager Dawn Belcher and community life champion Stephen Bromby received VIP passes for the Queen's visit to Vernon Park in Nottingham where she unveiled a plaque to rename the site Queen Elizabeth II Field.
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ROYAL INVITATION: Dawn Belcher and Stephen Bromby fro Boston's Asda mingled with the Queen and Prince William during a community event in Nottingham.
The event was part of the Fields in Trust campaign to protect 2,012 outdoor recreational spaces across the country and of which Asda is a principal partner.
The Queen was accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Boston Asda duo were introduced to Prince William who is patron of Fields in Trust.
Mr Bromby told the Target: "The event was a truly special day with the ceremony to mark the dedication of Vernon Park as a Queen Elizabeth II Field along with a series of activities to showcase all the wonderful opportunities outdoor recreational spaces can provide.
"As soon as we were introduced to Prince William he asked for an Asda pocket-tap. It's amazing to think that he knows the Asda thing."
Boston Asda has already built relationships with its local Fields in Trust space, Glen Park at Surfleet, by helping with funding and volunteers for the jubilee party on June 4.
Every Asda store has been challenged to raise £2,012 to help Fields in Trust and the Boston store in Lister Way is holding various events throughout the year led by staff member Sue Jackson.
Source: www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk
Asda workers net £14,000 from Sharesave scheme - Daily Telegraph
Employees who saved the maximum amount of £250 a month will receive £14,008, which is a gain of £5,008 on their original investment of £9,000. Those saving £50 a month will get £2,808, £1,008 more than their original investment of £1,800.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Olympic tennis headed for Wimbledon - San Jose Mercury News
Her memories of the opening ceremonies aren't any better.
"I felt very uncomfortable," Evert says. "I almost felt like an impostor, because the other athletes were looking at us tennis players as if they were saying, 'What are you doing here?' Because we have our Wimbledon and U.S. Open and French and Australian Opens, and we had our million dollars. These were supposedly amateur athletes who only had one chance every four years."
That was in Seoul in 1988, when after a 64-year hiatus and amid considerable scorn, tennis returned to the Olympics as a medal sport. Many thought pros that competed for Grand Slam titles had no place at the Games.
But in the years since, tennis has gradually gained acceptance as an Olympic sport, in part because the world sees how much the players value a medal.
Andre Agassi ranked his 1996 gold medal as the pinnacle of his career. Roger Federer cried when he lost a second-round Olympic match. The Bryan brothers angrily grabbed the first flight out of Athens after their upset loss at the 2004 Games.
This year, virtually all of the top players plan to compete at the Olympics. And the world is sure to pay attention, because the event will be held at Wimbledon.
"The buzz is going to be phenomenal," said Patrick
McEnroe, the coach of the U.S. Olympic men's team in 2004. "The All England Club has been preparing for this for a long time. It will be awesome to see."The profile of Olympic tennis has been raised considerably since tennis came back into the Olympics in the '80s. In my mind, that will just continue. Having it at Wimbledon is a huge boost to the event."
Olympic tennis bolstered the popularity of the sport in such host countries as China and Greece, and now tennis returns to its birthplace.
Competition will begin July 28, three weeks after Wimbledon. The grass will be the same but the look will be different, with Wimbledon's all-white dress code waived, and Olympic logos replacing the traditional dark green backdrops.
"It will be surreal," 2004 Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova said. "It will be a completely different experience. I don't know what I will feel when I'm out on the court playing on grass at Wimbledon and knowing that it's not Wimbledon. It's just a unique opportunity for all of us, but I'm extremely thrilled that it's at Wimbledon. It's my favorite place to play tennis."
Fans can expect some colorful tennis, and not just because of the clothing and setting:
—Three-time Olympian Federer has won a record 16 Grand Slam titles, including Wimbledon six times, but is seeking his first medal in singles. He and Swiss teammate Stanislas Wawrinka did win the gold in doubles in 2008.
"As you can imagine, with the history I have at Wimbledon, it's going to be super exciting," Federer said.
—Serena Williams, winner of 13 Grand Slam singles titles, tries for her first singles medal. She teamed with her sister Venus to win the gold in doubles in 2000 and 2008.
—Venus Williams, who won the gold in singles in 2000, mounted a career comeback after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and made the Games her top priority.
"It's just, you know, the pinnacle of sports," she said. "So for me, any medal in any event, even if it was the javelin, that's a medal."
—Sharapova, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning this year's French Open, can become the second woman to claim a career Golden Grand Slam if she wins the Olympics, joining Steffi Graf.
Olympic tennis has come a long way since Seoul. Gold medalists in singles have included such surprising winners as Marc Rosset, Nicolas Massu and Elena Dementieva, an indication top players didn't always put a priority on the event. Second-generation Olympian Agassi took part just once, and then only reluctantly, but came to cherish his victory.
Today, many top players appreciate the rarity of an Olympic opportunity—and speak of the unique pressure that comes with it. Bob and Mike Bryan have teamed to win 11 major titles in doubles, but they've come up short twice trying for a gold medal.
"The pressure is big," Mike Bryan said. "Some of the players buckle, and some of the players respond well to it."
John Isner didn't qualify for the 2008 Games, but he's now the highest-ranked American on the men's side, and his big serve on Wimbledon's grass makes him a medal contender.
So it's no surprise he's eager to make his Olympic debut.
"This is something that I've been looking forward to for a very, very long time," Isner said. "To have it at the Mecca of tennis, really, at Wimbledon, makes it a lot more special, in my opinion. It's really like the fifth Grand Slam this year."
That's becoming the case every quadrennium.
———
Medal projections:
Men's Singles
Gold: Roger Federer, Switzerland
Silver: Novak Djokovic, Serbia
Bronze: Andy Murray, Britain
Women's Singles
Gold: Serena Williams, United States
Silver: Maria Sharapova, Russia
Bronze: Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic
Men's Doubles
Gold: Mike and Bob Bryan, United States
Silver: Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland
Bronze: John Isner and Andy Roddick, United States
Women's Doubles
Gold: Dominika Cibulkova and Daniela Hantuchova, Slovakia
Silver: Angelique Kerber and Sabine Lisicki, Germany
Bronze: Serena and Venus Williams, United States
Mixed Doubles
Gold: Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka, Belarus
Silver: John Isner and Serena Williams, United States
Bronze: Tomas Berdych and Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic
Source: www.mercurynews.com
Top Summer Holiday Destinations in 2012 - msnbc.com
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — A number of people are preparing to go on holiday this summer. As low cost airlines make it easier to see the world more than ever before, there are a vast number of prime locations which are now easily accessible.
Asda Finance reveals the top summer destinations for 2012.
Turkey
Over the last decade, Turkey has captured the hearts of European and international tourists. It has now become a highly sought after holiday destination which offers sun, sea and culture at reasonable prices. The southern regions of the country are particularly popular with tourists offering a gold coastline with a range of high quality accommodation.
Spain
Spain is the most popular holiday destination for families, according to one travel operator. (i)Spain has something to offer all holidaymakers; from extreme party paradise islands such as Ibiza, to family fun in Barcelona and relaxing retirement properties in Alicante.
Majorca is also a popular hot spot for British tourists. The island is easily accessible and bustling with summer holiday activities.
Portugal
Portugal is another popular holiday destination for British tourists. There are a number of fantastic places to visit within the country, from the cultural capital of Lisbon to the sunny shores of Algarve.
Italy
Italy is bursting with culture and great cuisine. From the historic Vatican City to the romantic city of Venice, there is a lot to see and do.
Milan is typically considered the fashion capital of the country, attracting some of the world's most prestigious designers and clothing shops, making the city ideal for a summer shopping trip.
When travelling overseas it could be worth considering taking out travel insurance before you go.
Notes to editors
(i)Association of British Travel Associations (ABTA) 2011 report Fiesta for families - Spain tops UK families' getaway choices. http://www.abta.com/about/news/view/424.
About Asda Travel Insurance
Asda Travel Insurance is sold and underwritten by ACE European Group Ltd, a leading global insurer protecting over 7 million people in the UK.
-- Unlimited medical expenses -- 20% online discount -- Single Trip or Annual Holiday Insurance -- A choice of 3 cover levels -- Worldwide or European Travel Insurance
Asda Financial Services Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative of ACE European Group Ltd. This means that Asda Travel Insurance policies are sold, administered and underwritten by ACE European Group Ltd who is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), reference number FRN 202803. Full details can be found on the FSA's Register by visiting www.fsa.gov.uk/register/home.do or by contacting the FSA on 0845 606 1234.
© Marketwire 2012
Source: www.msnbc.msn.com
Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova Named as Wimbledon Top Seeds - Bloomberg
Defending champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia and French Open winner Maria Sharapova of Russia were named as the top seeds at Wimbledon.
Rafael Nadal of Spain, who won his 11th major at Roland Garros last week by beating Djokovic, was seeded second, according to an e-mailed statement today from Wimbledon organizers. Six-time champion Roger Federer of Switzerland was third, followed by Britain’s Andy Murray.
Defending women’s champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic was seeded fourth, with Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus second and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska third.
Four-time winner Serena Williams of the U.S. is at No. 6 while her sister and five-time champion Venus wasn’t given a seeding. Venus Williams is ranked 55th on the WTA Tour and has not been playing a full schedule since being diagnosed with energy-sapping Sjogren’s syndrome last year.
Kim Clijsters, a four-time Grand Slam champion who missed the clay-court season because of a hip injury, also isn’t seeded. The Belgian is ranked 53rd on the WTA tour.
The seeding order in the women’s draw at Wimbledon followed this year’s WTA rankings, while the men’s seeds were based on the ATP World Tour rankings and performance on grass courts over the past twelve months.
Andy Roddick of the U.S., a three-time finalist, was seeded 30th, three spots higher than his ranking. Mardy Fish is the highest-seeded American man at 10, one place above John Isner.
Wimbledon starts June 25 at the All England Club in London.
To contact the reporter on this story: Danielle Rossingh on the London sports desk at drossingh@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Elser at at celser@bloomberg.net
Source: www.bloomberg.com
Wimbledon 2012: Andy Murray loses warm-up at The Boodles - BBC News
Andy Murray feels he is still in good shape ahead of Wimbledon despite suffering another warm-up defeat.
The British number one, who made an early exit from Queen's last week, lost 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 7-10 to world number eight Janko Tipsarevic at the Boodles.
"Janko is a top 10 player so it was a good, good test," said Murray, 25.
"I moved much better than I did a week ago at Queen's. I wasn't slipping around as much, so that's going to be important for Wimbledon."
Murray suffered his second straight loss with Wednesday's defeat to Serb Tipsarevic at the Buckinghamshire exhibition event.
He was also beaten by Nicholas Mahut in the second round of the Aegon Championships at Queen's.
But the Briton, named as the fourth seed by the All England Club, is unworried by his recent results ahead of the 126th Wimbledon Championships, which run from Monday 25 June to Sunday 8 July.
"I'm hitting the ball very well, practice has been good the last few days and I've got some good quality matches in," added the world number four.
"I get another one here and then go back over to Wimbledon to spend two or three days there before the tournament starts.
"You want to do better every year you play there. It's going to be tough.
"There's a lot of tough, tough players around, a lot of dangerous floaters as well, big servers with big games that are very tough early on, especially on the grass courts. So it's going to be challenging.
"My fitness is fine. You slip and slide on the grass fairly often but I'll be fine on Monday."
Murray continues his preparations when he faces world number one, and defending SW19 champion, Novak Djokovic at the Boodles on Thursday 14:30 BST.
Wimbledon - What makes a champion?
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Andy Murray seeded fourth for Wimbledon - The Independent
Both players will top the pile at the All England Club for the first time in their careers, with Djokovic having guaranteed the number one ranking by reaching the final 12 months ago.
Sharapova won the title as a 17-year-old eight years ago but her career has been disrupted by injury and Wimbledon will be her first tournament as world number one for four years after she won the French Open earlier this month.
The women's seedings match the rankings exactly, with Victoria Azarenka in second, Agnieszka Radwanska third and defending champion Petra Kvitova, who beat Sharapova in the final last year, seeded fourth.
US Open champion Sam Stosur is fifth, one place ahead of four-time champion Serena Williams, while last year's top seed Caroline Wozniacki is seventh this time.
The only changes to the seedings reflect the absence from the tournament of world number 16 Kaia Kanepi and number 18 Andrea Petkovic through injury.
In the men's draw, Djokovic is followed by the man he beat in last year's final, Rafael Nadal, who is fresh from winning a record seventh French Open title.
Six-time champion Roger Federer is seeded third, one place ahead of British number one Andy Murray, while last season's semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is sixth.
Former finalist Tomas Berdych swaps places with David Ferrer, the Czech seeded sixth ahead of the Spaniard, while Mardy Fish is promoted to 10th ahead of John Isner and Nicolas Almagro.
Other climbers include three-time quarter-finalist Feliciano Lopez, who is elevated from 17th to 14th, and Marin Cilic, the winner at Queen's Club last weekend, who is seeded 16th.
The biggest leap is made by Australian teenager Bernard Tomic, who reached the quarter-finals last year and climbs from 27th to 20th, while three-time finalist Andy Roddick is seeded 30th.
PA
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Murray admits feeling Wimbledon pressure after defeat to Tipsarevic at Stoke Park - Daily Mail
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Andy Murray insists the weight of expectation shrouding his Wimbledon performance remains despite Britain's busy sporting calendar this summer.
Murray's unconvincing preparations for SW19 continued on Wednesday when he was beaten 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 7-10 by Janko Tipsarevic at The Boodles tournament.
It was only his second match on grass following his first-round exit from the AEGON Championships last week and he will return to the grand setting of Stoke Park on Thursday.
SW19 preparations: Andy Murray in action against Janko Tipsarevic at the Boodles Tournament at Stoke Park
Wimbledon begins on Monday and the 25-year-old insists he will feel the pressure as acutely as ever, even if the likes of Euro 2012, London 2012 and The Open are competing for the public's attention.
'Every year it makes no difference to me whether a big football competition or the Olympics is on,' Murray said. 'It's the same because I always put pressure on myself to do well.
'Every time you play at the big events you want to prove you're at the top and I'll try to do that at Wimbledon.
No home comforts: Murray was unable to post his first grass court win of the year in Buckinghamshire
'I reached the semi-finals last year and you want to do better every year you play at Wimbledon.
'It's going to be tough, there are a lot of tough players around, big servers with big games that are very tough early on, especially on grass.'
Murray hopes Britain will be celebrating a summer of sporting excellence.
'The whole summer will be exciting because there are so many big events on like Euro 2012 and the Olympics,' he said. 'Hopefully a lot of the teams and individuals can perform well over the next few months because it will be great for British sport.'
Murray, who is installed as Wimbledon fourth seed, was subjected to a challenging afternoon by Tipsarevic. The Scot welcomed the work-out against the Serbian world No 8.
Power game: Murray serves to his Serbian opponent during his three-set defeat on Wednesday
'It's always good to get matches in before a big event, especially against a top 10 player so it was a good test,' he said. 'I was moving much better than I was a week ago at Queen's, I wasn't slipping around as much which will be important for Wimbledon.
'I'm hitting the ball very well and practice has been very good over the last few days.
'I've got another match here tomorrow and then I'll spend two or three days at Wimbledon before the tournament starts.'
Heading for the beach, Janko? A relaxed-looking Tipsarevic was too strong for Murray
Reigning and deposed champions, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal respectively, have been installed as first and second seeds, but Murray is unable to choose between the two.
'I don't think there's a clear favourite. They've both done unbelievably well and have been so consistent at the Slams,' he said. 'Rafa's won the last few matches against Novak, but Rafa's always found it very against about him, especially over the last couple of years. I can't pick one.'
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Venus Williams, Clijsters unseeded for Wimbledon - YAHOO!
LONDON (AP) Five-time champion Venus Williams and four-time Grand Slam winner Kim Clijsters are unseeded at Wimbledon for the first time in more than a decade.
The seedings were announced Wednesday for the Grand Slam tournament that starts Monday, with top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic heading the men's list and Maria Sharapova leading the women's - both for the first time.
The women's list follows the WTA rankings, while the men's has minor changes to reflect a player's prowess on grass.
Williams, who played in eight Wimbledon finals from 2000-09, is unseeded for the first time since her debut at the All England Club in 1997. She has dropped to 55th in the rankings while dealing with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain.
Williams has played only five tournaments this year, last appearing in the French Open, where she bowed out in the second round. The last time she won Wimbledon was in 2008. Sister Serena, a four-time Wimbledon champion, is seeded sixth in line with her WTA ranking.
Clijsters, ranked 53rd, is unseeded for the first time since 2000. The Belgian has never reached the final at Wimbledon.
Since her Australian Open title defense ended in the semifinals in January, Clijsters has been limited by ankle and hip injuries. She has played only in the Key Biscayne Masters in March, and this week's Unicef Open, where she has reached the quarterfinals.
Twice a Wimbledon semifinalist, Clijsters intends to retire after the U.S. Open.
The most notable unseeded man was former champion Lleyton Hewitt who, because of a ranking of 202, received a wild card for the 10th anniversary of his victory at the All England Club. He hasn't won consecutive matches this year since the Australian Open.
Andy Roddick, a three-time Wimbledon finalist, was ranked outside an automatic seeding but was lifted by the club to No. 30.
Djokovic is followed in the men's seedings by two-time winner Rafael Nadal, six-time winner Roger Federer and Andy Murray. The rest of the top 10 is rounded out by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer, Janko Tipsarevic, Juan Martin del Potro and Mardy Fish.
Fish was promoted two places above his ranking to 10th, one above fellow American John Isner, despite not having played since late March because of a heart problem.
Also promoted for good results on grass courts were Spain's Feliciano Lopez (14), Croatia's Marin Cilic (16), Italy's Andreas Seppi (23) and Mikhail Youzhny (26). Bernard Tomic of Australia, a quarterfinalist last year, was bumped up seven places to 20th.
Sharapova was seeded only 13th when she won Wimbledon in 2004. She was runner-up last year to Petra Kvitova, who will be fourth this year. Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka is seeded No. 2 and Agnieszka Radwanska No. 3.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
Bill...........I second that
- jack, newport, 20/6/2012 22:51
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