Paradorn Srichaphan Retires From ATP Tour

Paradorn Srichaphan, who inspired a whole generation of Asian tennis players, has announced his retirement from professional tennis at the age of 30.

Away from the Tour since 2007, Srichaphan recently hurt himself in a motorcycle accident which solidified his decision to retire for good.

See the following article on the ATP website for more details.

Srichaphen Dating Former Miss Universe

And in non-Australian Open news...whatever happened to Paradorn Srichiphan's tennis game?

From Reuters: Thai tennis ace dating ex-Miss Universe

Thai tennis star Paradorn "Ball" Srichaphan, the first Asian to make it into the Top Ten world rankings, is dating Russian-Canadian former Miss Universe Natalie Glebova, his father said on Thursday...

Paradorn and Patty Blogging This Week

Paradorn Srichaphan (News/Posts) and Cincinnati defending champ Patty Schnyder (News/Posts) have picked up the keyboard this week for the ATP and WTA. So far neither one can touch Tursunov.

Paradorn's Blog / Patty's Blog.

Lynn at Off the Baseline has a hilarious post about Patty, the Crazy she brings, and her blog.

Goldfine to Coach Paradorn Srichaphan

So Paradorn Srichaphan (News/Posts) scoops up Roddick's old coach. This will be a part-time arrangement for Paradorn, who's really been struggling of late. Let's hope it helps.

Wimbledon Day 2 Upsets

21st seed Gael Monfils was ousted by Russian Igor Kunitsyn in 4 sets.

Augustin Calleri, the hotheaded (and adorable) Argentine who almost came to blows after a match over a mistranslation, took out 29th seed Paradorn Srichaphan on his favorite surface.

Mark Philippoussis took out 32nd seed Paul-Henri Mathieu in a 4th set tiebreak 14-12. How'd he do it? In style, with over 35 aces.

Veteran Jonas Bjorkman took out close friend and 12th seed Thomas Johansson, who's still on the comeback trail from a freak eye injury.

20th seed Dominik Hrbaty, he of the questionable vented pink shirt, fell to Italian Daniele Braccialli 2, 4 and 4.

ETA: Australian Open Venus-Slayer Tzvetana Pironkova took out seed 13th seed Anna-Lena Groenfeld in 6-1 in the third.

17th seed Maria Kirilenko ousted by Japanese veterna Shinobu Asagoe 6-2, 7-6(1).

Wonder who else will fall today...

FO Rematches at Queen's: Blake v. Monfils; Nadal vs. Hewitt, Tim vs. Dmitri

Well, this should be an interesting set of quarterfinals. I'm going to say that revenge takes the day and Henman, Blake and 3-time Queen's champion Hewitt win. What do you think? Does Nadal have a chance?

Also: Roddick over Srichaphan in a straight sets after a tiebreak first set, and Monfils upset Ljubicic. Up next, Roddick's got this week's ATP blogger, super-friendly Chilean Fernando Gonzalez.

Don't forget to check out the video highlights from the Queen's website.

Srichaphan Answers Fan Questions

It's Paradorn Srichaphan's turn to answer fan questions for the BBC: Srichaphan Q & A

You often struggle on clay, yet you are a baseline player. How difficult is clay to master if you've not grown up on the surface?
Andy Stevenson, UK

I didn't play on a clay court until I was 17 which was pretty late. If I'd grown up playing on clay I'd be a lot better. I grew up on hard courts so that's my best surface.

Nadal Not Expecting to Return to Last Year's Form Immediately

Rafael Nadal is back, he's not feeling any foot pain and isn't planning to ease up in his playing style, but he's still working on perfecting that new tennis shoe with the orthotics.  Let's hope they figure in out before he gets injured again.

From Reuters:  Nadal practices patience in cautious recovery

World number two Rafael Nadal is prepared to be patient in only his second tournament since recovering from a career-threatening foot injury...

Nadal acknowledges it may be some time before he can return to the level he reached last year when he won 11 titles including the French Open.

"I don't feel at my best level yet, but that's normal after not playing for three months," he said.

Srichaphan Back as Monk

We've got everything else on tour, so why not a monk too?

From the AP: Paradorn uses time off to visit Buddhist temple, adopts name

Answering the call to alms is something Paradorn Srichaphan thinks will help him on and off the tennis court.

Asia's leading player spent time as a Buddhist monk last month, adopting the Buddhist name Mahaviro, which means "great and brave," for his seven days in a temple outside Bangkok.

He had his head shaved in a traditional ceremony prior to donning the monk's saffron-colored robes, and still has short-cropped hair.

"It was pretty interesting for me that week, my time away from tennis," Paradorn said. "It was a really calm week. Everything I have -- the phone, the family -- I just cut it, left it behind, walked into the temple and became a monk.

"It feels good after that."

It is customary for Thai men to serve in the monkhood for at least one period in their lives as a way of showing their religious devotion.

Srichaphan Begins Monkhood

Fairly safe bet that Paradorn Srichaphan is the only ATP player spending his off-season this way.

From The Nation: Paradorn to get ordained Saturday

Tennis star Paradorn Srichaphan exchanges his racquet for an alms bowl as he begins a seven-day period as a monk Saturday morning at the Thung Sethi Temple.

Hundreds of well-wishers - including relatives, neighbours, fans and friends as well as his sweetheart, top model Odette Henriette Jacqmin - attended Paradorn's "hair shaving" ceremony, a traditional pre-ordination rite, held at his home in Prawet Friday.

Thailand's tennis ace has adopted the name "Maha Viro" ("the great brave") for the week of soliciting alms around the temple in accordance with the monkish vow.

"I will spend the next seven days practising monkhood, especially meditation, which is something I can make use of when I return to tennis,'' Paradorn said.

After the hair-shaving ceremony, the Srichaphan family threw a celebratory feast featuring 100 tables laden with Chinese dishes. Soap opera actor Chaiya Mitchai and his ensemble provided the live entertainment.