Nadal and Sharapova - Winners of BNP Paribas Open

Rafael Nadal won his first major tournament after his comeback from a long injury layoff... in a tournament which fared the entire fab four group of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray. It is an amazing comeback by Nadal and looks like he is a force to reckon with again...

Rafael Nadal staved off quite a challenge by the tall Argentinian Juan Martin Del Potro beating him 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the finals of the BNP Paribas Open 2013 men's championships.

Rafael Nadal with Indian Wells BNP Paribas trophy celebrating his big victory after a long injury layoff...

Pic courtesy: Getty Images

Rafael Nadal wins Indian Wells Open beating Juan Martin Del Potro in a hard fought victory

Pic courtesy: Getty Images

In the BNP Paribas Open women's championships, Maria Sharapova beat Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 for an easy victory. This is the Russian’s first title of the season and 28th overall.

Maria Sharapova with her BNP Paribas trophy after beating Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark in the finals at Indian Wells

Pic courtesy: Getty Images

Russian top seeded Maria Sharapova with her Indian Wells BNP Paribas trophy poses for a photograph in front of WTA 40 Love campaign

Pic courtesy: Getty Images

A good start for both Sharapova and Nadal.. hope they continue their form for the rest of the season too!
The men's season looks quite promising with Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray in the race... plus Del Potro, Berdych and Tsonga giving a good fight too.. tight and fighting tournaments ahead for the mens :) 

Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Azarenka & Ivanovic at Indian Wells expansion program

Getting Roger Feder, Rafael Nadal, Victoria Azarenka and Ana Ivanovic all under one frame is pretty rare. But, it did happen earlier this week at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the home for BNP Paribas Open.. which is a pretty popular tennis event outside the four grand slams. 

Top tennis stars came to lay the foundation for the expansion of Indian Wells tennis garden with Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle and co-owner of the BNP Paribas event....

From left - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Larry Ellison, Ana Ivanovic, Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden expansion event

Pic coutesy: Nadal's facebook page

Some of the expansion ideas shared by Larry Ellison includes a court-side Sushi and a new 8,000 seat stadium. 

Take a look at some of the pictures taken during the ground breaking ceremony of the expansion program at Indian Wells Tennis Garden headed by Raymond Moore, the CEO of BNP PARIBAS Open.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Ana Ivanovic, Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic serve during the Indian Wells expansion program ground breaking ceremony

Pic courtesy:  Azarenka's facebook page

"How cool is this!? Roger, Rafa, Ana, me and Djokovic serving at the photographers!! Sorry guys ;)," said Vika Azarenka on her facebook page

Ivanovic, Nadal, Federer, Azarenka and Djokovic does the ground breaking formalities at the Indian Wells expansion site with Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle and partner at the BNP Paribas Open

Pic coutesy: Nadal's facebook page

Azarenka shares a light moment during the photo shoot of the BNP Paribas Indian Wells event expansion program

BNP Paribas Open expansion ground breaking ceremony conducted at Indian Wells and attended by the tennis stars Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Azarenka and Ivanovic

Pic credit: Billie Weiss/BNP Paribas Open

Players with Legends - Djokovic with Pete Sampras

Another one in the Players with Legends series - World Number one tennis player Novak Djokovic met the legendary Tennis star Pete Sampras... one of all time bests in tennis...

Novak Djokovic shared this picture with his fans in facebook... was so happy to see these two players in one frame...

Legendary tennis star Pete Sampras of US with Novak Djokovic, the current World No.1 tennis player

Pic courtesy: Novak Djokovic's facebook

Rafael Nadal's Bacardi "Mix with Rafa" event..

Rafael Nadal is back in action.. this time off court as the global social responsibility ambassador of Bacardi's "Champions Drink Responsibly" campaign. 

Bacardi Limited's “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign offers the chance to “Mix with Rafa” in a new online promotion to meet him in person. 

Rafael Nadal poses for Bacardi Limited's Champions Drink Responsibly campaign

@championsdrinkresponsibly

Fans who successfully answer three questions relating to responsible drinking behavior will go into a free prize draw to win a trip to “The Champions’ Party.” 

Nadal's "Mix with Rafa" contest poster to meet him personally at the Champions' Party

@championsdrinkresponsibly

This competition is open till 8 April 2013, and legal drinking age consumers can enter the competition via the “Champions Drink Responsibly” Facebook page. “The Champions’ Party” will be hosted by multiple Grand Slam winner and tennis champion Rafael Nadal. The Bacardi Limited Global Social Responsibly Ambassador has taken a personal interest in this new promotion and helped the “Champions Drink Responsibly” team select the location, entertainment, music, food and drink for the one-of-a-kind party. The undisclosed venue will be spectacular, with international DJs and world-class Bacardi mixologists preparing cocktails and mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails) for the lucky winners and their guests.

"I try to beat everyone at tennis, not at drinking", says Rafa Nadal in the Champions Drink Responsibly campaign by Bacardi Limited 

@championsdrinkresponsibly

Rafael Nadal in Champions Drink Responsibly campaign for Bacardi Limited

Rafa saying "I'd always tell my friends where the line is"

@championsdrinkresponsibly

Rafa Nadal, the the global social responsibility ambassador of Bacardi Limited

@championsdrinkresponsibly

Rafael Nadal with a social message for Bacardi Limited Champions Drink Responsibly campaign

@championsdrinkresponsibly

Keep it together says Rafa Nadal in this poster for Bacardi Limited's Champions Drink Responsibly campaign

@championsdrinkresponsibly

The “Champions Drink Responsibly” campaign was first introduced by Bacardi Limited in April 2008 and featured seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher with the message “Drinking and Driving Don’t Mix.”

This is an important campaign and the message that these stars are trying to convey shouldn't be lost in the race to meet Nadal. But yeah.... try your luck in the contest @championsdrinkresponsibly and see if you can meet Rafa at the Champions' Party. 

WAGS: Rafael Nadal and girlfriend Xisca

Rafael Nadal and Maria Francisca Perello - One of my favourite tennis celebrity couple. Nadal and Xisca (as Maria Perello is fondly called) are seeing each other since 2005 and the relationship is almost 9 years old. The key to their strong relationship - trying to stay away from public eye and maintain their private life as quietly as possible.

Rafael Nadal and his girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello dressed for an event

Nadal has been dating Maria Francisca Perello who is an insurance company employee from Palma, Majorca. Xisca has also got a degree in Business Administration.

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal and his longtime girlfriend Xisca

In October, 2012 Maria Francisca Perello "Xisca" was appointed the Director for Social Integration of Rafael Nadal Foundation, in what appeared to be a big step into the future state of their relationship. 

Here are some more pictures of Nadal and Xisca.... some which I liked....

All pictures are taken from the public domain and I don't own the rights to any of them. 

Maria Francisca Perello and boyfriend Rafael Nadal 

Rafael Nadal's cute girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello or Xisca as she is fondly called giving a beautiful smile

Rafael Nadal and Xisca keeping their relationship low profile

Nadal's girlfriend Xisca cheering him in the tennis court

Rafael Nadal's beautiful girlfriend Maria 'Xisca' Perello

 Rafael Nadal's mother Ana Maria Parera (L), his sister Maria Isabel Nadal (R) and his girlfriend, Maria Francisca Perello, sit on Centre Court for Nadal's men's singles final match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London July 3, 2011.

Pic courtesy:  Reuters 

Spanish tennis start Nadal's girlfriend Xisca attending an event

Xisca, Nadal's girlfriend, posing for the camera

Nadal and girlfriend Xisca holidaying

Nadal and his cute girlfriend Xisca's picture taken during their initial years of relationship

Nadal's longtime girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello "Xisca" was appointed the Director for Social Integration of Rafael Nadal Foundation

Hope we see Nadal and Xisca tying the knot soon enough... this is one couple I like to see go a long way... 

Roger Federer's family - Mirka and twins Myla Rose and Charlene Riva

Arguably the greatest tennis player ever - Roger Federer of Switzerland has has an amazing support from his family.... mainly from his wife Mirka Federer who has been by Federer's side since they started seeing each other during the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Roger Federer and Mirka Federer are blessed with two beautiful daughters - twins Myla Rose and Charlene Riva.

Roger Federer, wife Mirka Federer with twin daughters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva

Federer says that his twin daughters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva want to pick-up their dolls instead of a tennis racket for playing and he is happy with that too :)

Mirka and the twins are seen photographed here watching Federer during his matches on the court, and also off the court holidaying or shopping.

Mirka Federer with daughters Charlene Riva and Myla Rose watching Federer oncourt

Charlene Riva and Myla Rose with mother Mirka Federer watching their father Roger Federer during a tennis match

A more recent picture of Roger Federer's daughters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva with mother Mirka Federer

Pic courtesy: Elder Ordonez/INFphoto.com

Roger Federer, Mirka and twin daughters holidaying in the beach

Roger Federer, Mirka and daughters vacationing in Corsica

Another picture of the twins Charlene Riva and Myla Rose by the court side watching their father Federer play

Roger Federer and family shopping

A cute picture of the twins Myla Rose and Charlene Riva with mother Mirka Federer

These are some of my favourite pictures taken from the world wide web... All pictures credit goes to their respective owners..

Lets hope Federer's twin daugthers live upto their father's expectations.. its a tough one isn't it :)

Djokovic completes Hattrick Australian Open Champion

Novak Djokovic completes a record hat-trick Australian Open Championship by beating Andy Murray in a tough four setter.

Novak Djokovic winner of Australian Open 2013 Championship

Pic courtesy: Ben Solomon and AustralianOpen.com

"Winning it three in a row, it's incredible," Djokovic said after his 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 victory over his friend Murray. "It's very thrilling. I'm full of joy right now. It's going to give me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season, that's for sure."

Novak Djokovic reacts winning his third consecutive Australian Open title in Melbourne

Pic courtesy: Ben Solomon and AustralianOpen.com

Nine other men had won consecutive Australian titles in the Open era, but none three straight years. One of them was Andre Agassi, who presented Djokovic with the trophy.

Novak Djokovic's previous three Australian Open Titles and with the 2013 title, Djokovic also completes a first hat-trick of Australian Open championship

Pic courtesy: Novak Djokovic's facebook page

Serbian Djokovic also captured the Aussie Open title in 2008, which means four of his six career major titles have come Down Under.

Novak Djokovic proudly displays his Australian Open trophy in Melbourne

Pic courtesy: Ben Solomon and AustralianOpen.com

Serbian Djokovic with his Australian Open trophy at the locker room in Melbourne

Pic courtesy: Ben Solomon and AustralianOpen.com

This year seems to be promising for Djokovic but with Nadal coming back soon, its going to be a four-some  (Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and the FedEx) race for the rest of the grandslams this year. Gonna be mouthwatering :D

Andy Murray wins his first grand slam - US Open 2012 winner

Andy Murray was fifth time lucky... winning his first grand slam title playing in his fifth finals at a grand slam.

Britain's Andy Murray beat Serbian Novak Djokovic in a gruelling 5-setter to clinch his first grandslam at the US Open 2012 championships. Murray outlasted defending champion Djokovic 7-6 (10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 after nearly five hours to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam title since Fred Perry captured the Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships in 1936.  Wimbledon 2013 waiting??

 

Andy Murray with US Open 2012 trophy after beating Novak Djokovic to claim his first grand slam

Pic courtesy: Getty Images

 

Andy Murray reacts surprised after he won the US Open 2012 grand slam championship for the first time beating Djokovic 

Pic courtesy: Rob Loud/USTA

 

Scottish player Murray kisses his first grand slam in the form of US Open 2012 at New York 

Pic courtesy: Getty Images

 

Novak Djokovic hugging and congratulating Andy Murray after his victory in the 2012 US Open Men's Singles Final. 

Pic courtesy: Rob Loud/USTA

 

Andy Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears capturing the moment Murray won his first grand slam

Pic courtesy: Rob Loud/USTA

 

Andy Murray of Great Britain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia - finalists of the US Open Men's championship

Pic courtesy: Getty Images

 

Murray becomes the first British player to win a grand slam since Fred Perry won in 1936

Pic courtesy: Rob Loud/USTA

With his grand slam winning credentials put to rest, Murray will be looking to add more to his collection. 

2012 Australian Open Champion - Novak Djokovic
2012 French Open Champion      -  Rafael Nadal
2012 Wimbledon Champion         -  Roger Federer
2012 US Open Champion            -  Andy Murray

Do we see the pattern here :)  2013 looks to be mouth watering with all the top four men's tennis players being in good form....  hope Nadal recovers fully from his injury and hope Federer still has the hunger in him to win more.. also hope Djokovic comes back to his usual form again.... hope Murray carries forward this victory march.... hoping lots ain't I :D