Thursday, January 29, 2009

dinara vs serena

Interesting women's singles finale set up: Dinara playing Serena. Both are giant ladies and both have an older sibling who is also pretty much successful. Dinara Safina is Marat Safin's sister, and Serena shares her many winning trophies at home with Venus Williams, who apparently will be playing together side by side in the women's doubles final match. Quite a consolation for Venus and rather kind of Serena to ensure that both sisters will be coming home loaded with trophies in their cargo luggage. They did it before too in Wimbledon 2008 and that time it was Venus who marched on to become the women's singles champion and took her sister along in the doubles to score another winning trophy.

Dinara has yet to play a mixed doubles with her older bro , the handsome man Marat but that could be arranged as one of the ways for Marat to lift up a trophy once more. His sister has been a finalist in Roland Garros 2008 and a semi-finalist in 2 grand slams of late and Marat has not been seen bagging one since his last win at Australian Open 2005. And recently, he was ousted by Federer in the 3rd round match in a straight set.

We will see who will be facing Federer in the final soon: Fernando Verdasco or Rafael Nadal. Both Spaniards were team mates winning the Davis cup last year. One prefers a Serbian lady over his own kind (thus sharing the same fascination as Fed) and defeated the runner up of the Australian Open 2008 in 3 sets to 1 while the other has been crowned the 2008 men's world champion winning two grand slams out of four and a semi-finalist in the remaining two grand slams. The latter has been noted as the only man so far who has outwitted Federer with a record of 12 winnings over 18 matches to date.

They say its a mind game. Federer probably has sent a very important message and a warning to Nadal the day he beat Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro in the quarter final in a straight set 6-3, 6-0, 6-0, thats 2 bagels already. He's older but he aint gonna give it up that easily just to meet Nadal once again (if Nadal wins in the semi of course), repraising their infamous rivalry on tennis court in hopefully another mindblowing match come Sunday February 1st, 2009. Whoever will the opponent be, Federer sure is hungry to snatch the first place again and perhaps redeeming himself from his dismal achievement in 2008.

And I am actually glad Djoker could not make it to the final despite his presumably initial target to repeat the same success he had in the same grand slam last year. He chose to retire at the 4th set having lost 2 sets to his new "bitter" rival, Andy Roddick in the quarter final complaining of insufficient rest and trouble to get used to the hot weather (yadiyadiyada). He is a great player no doubt but his presence can be a bit dull. He should learn a trick or two from Andy Murray on how not to bore the audience in the stadium and in front of the tv screen.

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Thanks to Sales09 who has informed me that Dinara did play a mixed doubles with her bro at Hyundai Hopman Cup Perth prior to the Australian Open tournament what was touted as the most volatile pairings. They took the runner up place in the final.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Australian open 2009 season

Is it that Nadal is what Federer was? Is Federer gradually becoming a has been (probably due to age factor) and will soon join the tennis legends playing as veterans and invited as a regular for a friendly match world tour? He might start thinking of fatherhood and that would mean inflating impregnating his lady mirka and do family picnic with Agassi-Graf Clan.


First seeded Jelena Jankovic had to bow down to Marion Bartoli who has beaten her in straight set. Andy Murray gone too, overpowered by Fernando Verdasco, the Ana Ivanovic's squeeze. Ana herself was sent out in the 3rd round having lost to Alisa Kleybanova in 2 set to 1. Federer has to play 5 sets against Tomas Berdych to qualify himself into the quarter finals and chances for him to win the 1st grand slam of the year is lessening but it aint over till its over. We still have people like Jo-W Tsonga, Djoker, Nadal , Roddick and Del Potro who are all advancing rather well relative to Fed's achievement so far had it not be the full support from the audience. We have also said goodbye to Venus Williams who lost her battle against a plainer than plainjane new comer from Spain, Carla Suarez Navarro. Kudos to the latter who was not fazed or faltered against a giant (she's a six footer lady) like Venus.


Whats new then? Me watching from me own home theatre set that is...It sure gives another dimension when it comes to s0und system and projected through a 32 inches LCD screen.

To those especially my Chinese friends,

GONG XI GONG XI GONG XI NI, GONG XI FA CAI

and to the rest of us malaysians, happy holidays.


Thursday, January 01, 2009

2009 begins with a smile

May we all have a wonderful and fruitful new year 2009 and 1430H filled with so many good things and that many sincere prayers and wishes will be granted by Him. Lets all join in our prayers to ask God for his blessings and protection from all evil doings and harms. And may we be better than the previous year and continue to do good for the mankind and the earth itself.

And I shall also be praying so that all my angers and jealousies that I felt to be channeled to improving myself and as the main drive to achieve what I desired for the betterment of myself and will continue to be inspired by so many successful people I have come across.




Photo taken on an annual dinner invitation at the Legend Hotel grand ballroom, KL, 13 December 2008



We had makan2 at my first brother's place on the new year's eve. And we waited for the countdown 10 minutes before 12 midnite in front of the telly.

In 2008:

1. I managed to complete my 6 days Shawal sunnah fasting - for the first time in my life.

2. Lost a few kg of my weight but I put them all back by November....

3. Started liking the aerobic regime, took a break from it on Ramadhan, thats the whole September and by October till early December too busy to spare time to go back to the usual regime causing the weight gain.

4. Learned so many things on becoming the head of an international conference secretariat and met and befriended with so many esteemed ademicians across the Asia Pasific

5. Broke up the relationship and resuming it again on my birthday.

6. Managed to initiate the house project in December

7. Relationship with the Mother went on better but did not talk much to another two members of the family

8. Received 2 new nephews last July

9. Co-supervise 2 PhD students and 2 Masters students and as the main supervisor to another Masters student

10. Publication number increases mainly on international proceeding papers but yet to produce a journal paper.

11. Made new baju kebaya and kurungs from 2 different tailors and their shops are just stone throw away from each other. Before that, has been loyal to the another tailor who has been making clothes for us since my primary school years. Unfortunately , her health began deteriorating by the end of 2007.

12. Had my first ever facial in July and have since continued having it on a few occassions and so far liking the results

13. Managed a subject on my own for 2 programs for the first time.

14. Had my first laptop

15. Bought a digicam and a mobile phone for the first time in Malaysia




I hope to do better especially on:

1. Losing weight and keeping myself healthier and more energetic

2. Producing journal papers

3. Expanding the research network

4. Supervision skills

5. Time management

6. Money management

7. Work management

8. Research management




I also would like to:

1. Complete my first round of the house project with the help of the personal loan. The house will be equipped with the most necessary items only so as to make it habitable.

2. Move into the new house

3. Get back to the fitness regime and thinking whether to stick to the old fitness centre or moving to another place.

4. Assist him to secure a job in a nearby university by the time he finishes his viva so we could take things to another level

5. Learn how to swim in a proper swimming lesson session after 3 -4 months of fitness regime to improve on my stamina level

6. Taking a short break across west and east malaysia every other month or so be it on my own or with family /friends. Basically travel more!


7. Go to Cairo to meet my maternal relatives by the end of the year. I have not seen them for 27 years.


8. Read more journal papers, and finish reading those books on my shelf before I start to find or buy new reading materials


9. Read more.....quran, and many more books!!

10. Try not to go to sleep again after subuh except if I am very tired or could not sleep well at night.




Wishing that:

My silent wishes will also come true. Ameen