News

25/06/12

17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 started today at 8:30 with presentation of 106 tennis talents from over 30 countries...

Early this morning the talents started to gather for their Smrikva Bowl beginning…

With the new countries Smrikva Bowl has reached 57 countries represented on the tournament over the years…

… and on the 17th annual there are 33 countries represented and many more nations because many Smrikva Bowl kids do have more than one passport :)

The draws were ready early this morning and the first matches started…

Tomorrow at 7:00 PM 17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 players will be nominated Ambassadors and will plant as per tradition an Olive Tree.

The creation of the Smrikva Bowl Library started last year and the Smrikva Bowl players brought new books representing the culture of the places they are coming from and tomorrow at 7:00 PM each book will be presented… and the century old olive tree of the 17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 generation will be planted…

Please visit www.smrikve.com to learn more about Smrikve, Istria from Smrikve, Smrikva Bowl, one of the most important under 10 tennis tournaments in the World, and Villa Smrikve, for your accommodation with swimming pool in Stinjan (Pula – Pola) if you decide to spent your holiday in Istria, Croatia.

24/06/12

17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 players list

World in Smrikve ... there are four new countries from which we expect to have new Ambassadors nominated this year: Philippines, Greece, Northern Ireland and Thailand thus with the new countries Smrikva Bowl Ambassadors will be spread in 57 countries and all the continents after this year nomination.

The level of the players is expected very high again this year… there are many talented players among 106 registered participants... and probably this year we have the highest concentration of tennis talents in an annual since 1996…

Historically around 30 players were formally #1 in their countries over the last five years… but this year for the first time there are over 40 players being #1 in their countries… in addition to that there are also winners and runner ups of prestigious International touraments such as “Little Mo” International and Lemon Bowl present on this year Smrikva Bowl…

The creation of the Smrikva Bowl Library started several years ago and the Smrikva Bowl players brought new books representing the culture of the places they are coming from…

The names of the players that honoured us with their arrival to Smrikve this year are the following:

Girls

Noa Krznarić (CRO)
Marion Leski (AUT)
Senka Deletić (SRB)
Demin Tess (NED)
Živa Falkner (SLO)
Maja Dodik (BIH)
Sarina Reinertsen (NOR)
Kristyna Lavickova (CZE)
Francesca Costin (IRL)
Iva Divac (SRB)
Fiona Arrese (ESP)
Katarina Čališ (CRO)
Luisa Meyer Auf der Heide (GER)
Zoe M Kruger (RSA)
Francesca Curmi (MLT)
Nađa Nonković (SRB)
Danielle Lescrauwaet (NED)
Marieta Duplančić (CRO)
Andrijana Dragić (BIH)
Avelina Sayfetdinova (RUS)
Weronika Baszak (POL)
Mia Jelić (BIH)
Sara Paunovic (SUI)
Tia Jakus (CRO)
Iva Nišavić (MNE)
Nadia Serageldin (EGY)
Matilde Paoletti (ITA)
Himari Sato (JPN)
Kristina Kofol (SLO)
Anastasia Dimitrijević (AUT)
Marija Petrović (SWE)
Kornelia Hunčak (CRO)
Alexandra Melnikova (CZE)
Anja Lujić (BIH)
Julie Belgraver (NED)
Melanie Pajas (CRO)
Julie Sappl (SUI)
Teodora Vujičić (SRB)
Camilla Bedolo (ITA)
Ena Rako (BIH)
Charlotte Owensby (USA)
Helene Pellicano (MLT)
Anita Bertoloni (ITA)
Anđela Vidović (SRB)
Lora Kralj (CRO)
Maria Timofeeva (RUS)
Clara de Santiago (ESP)
Mille Elsborg (DEN)
Emina Husković (BIH)
Saffron Dowse (ENG)
Staša Vasić (SRB)
Dora Sindičić (CRO)
Pia Lovrič (SLO)
Jovana Tričković (SRB)

Boys

Borna Devald (CRO)
Oskar Weber (SLO)
Flavio Cobolli (ITA)
Alexa Marđonović (SRB)
Fans van Sambeek (NED)
Dorijan Biondić (CRO)
Piotr Pawlak (POL)
Ajdin Muharemović (BIH)
Uroš Jović (SRB)
Patrick Brady (THA)
Kristijan Selchanec (MAK)
Marko Ehman (CRO)
Angel Guerrero Melgar (ESP)
Michael Francis II M.Eala (PHI)
Filip Kaljević (SLO)
Franek Krotowski (POL)
Aley Ehab Shokeir (EGY)
Lorenzo Tarabugi (ITA)
Ryotaro Koshiba (JPN)
Thymen Loof (NED)
Lav Dašić (SRB)
Felix Nordby (NOR)
Fedor Popović (BIH)
Adriano Hunčak (CRO)
Daniel Triantafyllou (GRE)
Goran Životić (SRB)
Sebastian Gima (ROM)
Samuele Pieri (ITA)
Aleksander Borzych (POL)
Dražen Petrović (BIH)
Liam Liles (NED)
Đani Ivičić (CRO)
Samuel Pate (SLO)
Sean Kamyshev (ISR)
Mikolaj Lorens (ESP)
Milan Macura (SRB)
Vuk Vuksanović (MNE)
Alan Bojarski (POL)
Aibek Kachmazov (RUS)
Luciano Darderi (ARG)
Alberto Orso (ITA)
Lovro Suevich (CRO)
Leo Puljić (BIH)
Martin Grilj (SLO)
Viktor Jovic (UAE)
Efe Comu (TUR)
Gabrijel Kajić (CRO)
Frank Jonker (NED)
Peter Alam (ENG)
Alessio Mauri (SUI)
Konstantin Todorović (SRB)
Lorenzo Mussetti (ITA)

The openning cerimony is scheduled for 8:30 AM this morning while, tomorrow at 7:00 PM 17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 players will be nominated Smrikva Bowl Ambassadors that will be followed by the Olive Tree planting cerimony…

24/06/12

17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 players final registration process started in Smrikve...

Yesterday we started the registration process for the 17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 edition…

... and as per tradition every player to register for the tournament has to bring a book representing the culture of the place he or she is coming from thus contribute to create the Smrikva Bowl Library.

During the Ambassadors nomination cerimony on Tuesday the book they brougth will have their Ambassadors’ certificates in it :)...

During the final registration process the players get the final instructions and tips that should help them in understanding the weekly program… to remember to wear the t-shirt and cap they get for the openning cerimony that is scheduled for tomorrow morning 8:30 AM…

... and not to forget the racket during the Ambassadors’ nomination cerimony when they will plant their Olive Tree… :)

Every book that they bring is signed… thus the special Smrikva Bowl library is the library with names… the little talent names that will have the opportunity to exchange ideas on talents on the Smrikva Bowl Forum that will be held on Wednesday evening with some grill that Miro and Dario will prepare :)

The courts are also full of talents that are tasting the clay courts… for some of them coming from far away it is the first experience on clay thus something to remember… :)

22/06/12

First 17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 players arrived and started to practice in Smrikve... Michael Francis II M.Eala, Maria Timofeeva, Marija Petrovic, Ryotaro Koshiba, Himari Sato, Sean Kamyshev, Jovana Trickovic - JOKA...

Few days ago the first Smrikva Bowl players of the 17th annual started to gather in Smrikve…

Philippines, Russia, Israel, Sweden, Japan, Serbia… are already in Smrikve… and all the other little new Smrikva Bowl Ambassadors are attended to reach Smrikve for their Smrikva Bowl in the following few days…

The first player who reached Smrikve with his family was Michael Francis II M.Eala... Micha is one of the best players in Philippines in his age group and is the first player from Philippines in the Smrikva Bowl history…

I’ve heard about him for the first time two years ago from Katie Swan’s mother and it was a pleasure to get to know him in person, his large family, his sister Alex, and his shadow coach how I like to call his grandfather who is teaching him the art of tennis :)...

I had pleasure to spend some nice days with him and his sister Alex on the court too… Micha is extraordinary boy but also his 7 years old sister I do beleive is another rising star of tomorrow ;)... sho plays two hands forehand and backhand… she still did not know who was Monika Seles but I am sure growing she will learn it soon ;)...

This morning I enjoyed a music lesson with Alex and two girls from Russia… Yulia and Maria Timofeeva...

Maria Timofeeva is from Moscow and is training at the Tennis Club Spartak… I like a lot the way she plays…

I learned about this school reading a book written by David Coyle… named The Talent Code, Greatness isn’t born. It’s grown. Here’s how…

He was traveling around the world trying to understand if talents are born or are helped to develop… and also tennis was among the sports he looked at…

Today I enjoyed watching the way Maria hits her forehand and backhand… and I would be pleased to recall just few pages from David’s book because I beleive Larisa left traces in that school…

In his book… David was impressed by results made in Tennis Club Spartak in Moscow… in particular by Larisa Preobrachenskaya... she passed away few years ago but I am pleased to share part of that book again because reading that paragraphs and learning about Larisa’s method… could be inspiring to those who help kids to develop their talents…

... it is a book worth having in the library for those who like talented kids and for those who are dedicating their life to develop talents in any field thus also in tennis…

ABSORB THE WHOLE THING.... This means spending time staring at or listening to the desired skill – the song, the move, the swing – as a single coherent entity… it basically amounts to absorbing a picture of the skill until you can imagine yourself doing it…

...Some of the most fruitful imitation I saw took place at Spartak Tennis Club in Moscow, a freezing junkpile that has produced a volcano of talent: Anna Kournikova, Marat Safin, Anastasia Myskina, Elena Dementieva, Dinara Safina, Mikhail Youzhny, and Dmitry Tursunov. All in all, the club produced more top-twenty-ranked women than the United States did from 2005 to 2007, as well as half of the men’s team that won the 2006 Davis Cup, and it’s done all that with one indoor court. When I visited in December 2006, the club resembled a Mad Max movie… An abandoned eighteen-wheeler was parked out front. Walking up, I could see shapes moving behind clouded plastic windows, but I did’t hear that distintive thwacking of tennis racquets and balls. When I walked i, the reason become evident: they were swinging all right. But they weren’t using balls.

At Spartak it’s called imitatsiya – rellying in slow motion with an imaginary ball. All Spartak’s players do it, from the five-year-olds to the pros. Their coach, a twinkly, weathered seventy-seven-years-old woman named Larisa Preobrachenskaya, roamed the court like a garage mechanic tunint an oversize engine. She grasped arms and piloted small limbs slowly through the stroke. When they finally hit balls – one by one, in a line (there are no private lessons at Spartak), Preobrazhenskaya frequently stopped them in their tracks and had them go through the motion again slowly, then once more. And again. And perhaps one more time…

I hope you enjoyed the above story :)... and…

Another big pleasure of the day was to meet Mr. Toru... the coach from Japan I met for the first time via internet several years ago who helped bring years ago first kids from Japan to the Smrikva Bowl… Arakawa, Rimpei Kawakami...

...and it was a pleasure to meet him in person today with new talents from Japan Ryotaro Koshiba, Himari Sato... and thanks to these two extraordinary kids I already learned few new Japanese words :))...

... Sean Kamyshev is one of the best players from Israel… and remind me for a little Yshai Oliel and Omer Artsi… I enjoyed his joke while we were taking a drink :)... “one beer please”... and he also remind me the world ice cream I learned from Yshai years ago ;)...

Marija Petrovic is one of the best players from Sweden… and is in Smrikve thanks to the few years ago nominated Ambassador living in Norway Andreja Petrovic…

... and at the end of the day Jovana Trickovic – JOKA from Pirot, her sister Katarina and their little brother reached Smrikve… They both played Smrikva Bowl last year and Smrikve is already a little bit their home too ;)... it is a great pleasure to meet them again…

Jovana Trickovic is one of the best girls in her generation in Serbia and she was already a top performer last year thus I am looking forward to see her excellent tecnique in both footwork and strokes on the Smrikve courts again…

... they all has been living in Austria for years and has grown there… but the place where they live today is famous for the hand made carpets… and Jovana made a special artwork dedicated to the Smrikva Bowl you can see below :)... it remind the carpets from that area but this is a painting…

... and just one more thing… I promissed to Joka that I would have looked at the picture with her friend from Malaysia made during her last year Smrikva Bowl… his name is Stefan Gligorov… and here it is JOKA ;)...

Tomorrow more players are expected to reach Smrikve…

17/06/12

In a week time the 17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 edition will start...

A week before the 17th annual start I am pleased to recall the story of the Ambassadors’ old olive trees, the cricle of life story… and to do that I am pleased to help me with the Liong King cartoon :)…

Today I placed the stone inscription with the roman number XVII neaby the 17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 generation olive tree and the below story, as Rafiki would say, is worth saying again ;)….

The Lion King cartoon is an artwork to me, and most of the life messages that one can find in it are in line with the Smrikva story…

There are in line with the message of the Ambassadors’ Olive Tree; there are in line with the values of friendship and love; there are in line with empathy…

Love, friendship and empathy are all Cosmopolitan values per excellence, as far as people and humanity are concerned…

The relationship between Mufasa, Sarabi and Simba reminds me of both: parents and family love, but also the intergenerational responsability.

Timon, Pumbaa and Simba relationship reminds me about love between friends. Pumbaa also makes me think abuout empathy, intuition and loyalty.

The relationship between Simba and Nola reminds me again about the importance of love. Rafiki, the wise old baboo, with his many centuries old tree reminds me about the importance of knowledge and experience of the older.

There are many other particular moments that every person on its own, based on his or her own life experience, discover by watching these artworks.

You might be interested to know that most of the characters’s names in this cartoon have a particular meaning in Swahili language: Simba means “lion”…

Nala means “gift”, and love is for me one of the greatest gifts that people can receive and give during their life…

Sarabi means “mirage”; Pumbaa means “dull-witted” or “stunned”; and Rafiki means “friend” :).

These names with their meanings make me think of the American Indians and the way they used to give the names to their people.

Every person is born without knowing anything about life on this earth and it is the responsibility of every generation to understand and to learn, to preserve all that each of us is born with…

When Mufasa was explaining to Simba that is not easy to be the King… because a good King should know that everything around us lives in a delicated equilibrium and with intelligence we should try to understand it and respect it.

The intergenerational responsibility alone allows future generations to enjoy the beauty of life, the sunsets and the seasons of the earth…

I am pleased to repeat words of a Nobal Prize for Peace who was guest speaker to one of Ambrosetti’s Young Leader Group meetings. It is a tradition that every guest dedicate few words to the Group and he wrote down the following

“The future is always in a minority. Yet the history of the future is more important than the history of the past. It is for the old to remember the past. It is for the young to build the world of tomorrow…”

Everything around us lives in a delicated equilibrium and with intelligence we should try to understand it and respect it…

It is true that every generation face new challanges but there are many examples in the past how the old generations managed and solved particular problems and this is why knowledge, human curiosity and will to learn are important.

10/06/12

Top Smrikva Bowl and "Little Mo"/Smrikva Bowl players on ATP, WTA, ITF, USTA and European under 14 and 16 ranking lists (update June 2012)

Former top Smrikva Bowl players that reached certain results on the professional ranking list are mentioned below and the top Smrikva Bowl players that are still competing…

As of 12th of June 2012 the ranking summary of the very TOP former Smrikva Bowl boys and girls is the following:

• 1 player TOP 50 WTA (Petra Martic – 2001 winner)
• 1 player TOP 200 ATP (Javier Marti – 2002 winner)
• 7 boys and 10 girls… in total 16 players are in TOP 100 ITF
• 3 boys and 2 girls are in TOP 10 ETA under 16
• 5 girls are in TOP 10 ETA under 14

IN 1996 SMRIKVA BOWL GATHERED TOP PLAYERS FROM ISTRIA AND KVARNER (1st Smrikva Bowl)

BOYS
Vilim Visak, 1st Smrikva Bowl 1996 winner, from Croatia. Vilim’s best ranking was #612 in March 2006.

IN 1997 SMRIKVA BOWL GATHERED TOP PLAYERS FROM CROATIA (1997 – 2nd Smrikva Bowl)

GIRLS
Ivana Lisjak, 2nd Smrikva Bowl 1997 winner, from Croatia. Ivana’s best ranking was #95 on WTA list in June 2006.

IN 1998 SMRIKVA BOWL STARTED TO BE INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT (3rd Smrikva Bowl)

1999 – 4th Smrikva Bowl

GIRLS
Astrid Besser, 4th Smrikva Bowl 1999 winner, from Italy. Atrid’s best ranking was #356 on WTA list in March 2009.

2000 – 5th Smrikva Bowl

GIRLS
Tereza MRDEZA, 5th Smrikva Bowl 2000 winner, from Croatia, is currently ranked #203 on WTA list.

2001 – 6th Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Marin Draganja, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 winner, from Croatia, is ranked #1159 on ATP ranking list.
Dino Marcan, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #293 on ATP ranking list.

GIRLS
Petra MARTIC, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 winner, from Croatia, is ranked #42 on WTA list (TOP 100 WTA). Petra’s best raning is #42 on WTA list as of June 2012.
Indire Akiki, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #443 on WTA list.

IN 2002 SMRIKVA BOWL STARTED TO BE A EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

2002 – 7th Smrikva Bowl and 1st”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Javier MARTI, 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002 winner, from Spain, is currently ranked #186 on ATP list.
Giacomo Miccini, 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002 runner up, from Italy, was ranked #1047 on ATP list in May 2009.

GIRLS
Martina Caregaro, 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002 winner, from Italy, is ranked #420 on WTA ranking list.
Ajla TOMLJANOVIC, 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #213 on WTA list.
Ema BURGIC, ranked 3rd on 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, best ranking was #505 on WTA list in July 2010.

2003 – 8th Smrikva Bowl and 2nd”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Dominic THIEM, 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003 winner, from Austria, is ranked #502 on ATP ranking list. Junior ROLAND GARROS 2011 finalist, Eddie Herr International and Junior Orange Bowl under 18 winner.
George MORGAN, 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003 runner up, from Great Britain, is ranked #651 on ATP ranking list. Junior US OPEN 2011 semifinalist.
Ciprian PORUMB, ranked 3rd on 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003, from Romenia, was ranked #1615 on ATP ranking list.

GIRLS
Jennifer Ren, 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003 winner, from Great Britain, not currently ranked on WTA list.
Silvia NJIRIC, 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #497 on WTA list.
Ajla TOMLJANOVIC, ranked 3rd on 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003, from Croatia, is ranked #213 on WTA list.

“Little Mo” TEAM
Emmett EGGER, played 2nd “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked yet on ATP list.

2004 – 9th Smrikva Bowl and 3rd”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Ivan Levar, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 winner, from Croatia, is ranked #588 on ITF ranking list.
Miki JANKOVIC, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 runner up, from Serbia, is ranked #881 on ATP ranking list.
Filip VEGER, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 semifinalist, from Croatia, is ranked #99 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF) and is ranked #903 on ATP ranking list.
Danil ZELENKOV, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 player, from FYR Macedonia, is ranked #138 on ITF ranking list and is ranked #1373 on ATP ranking list.

GIRLS
Saska GAVRILOVSKA, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 winner, from Serbia, is ranked #559 on WTA ranking list.

“Little Mo” TEAM
Mitchel POLNET, played 3rd “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #722 on ITF ranking list.

Blair SHANKLE, played 3rd “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #114 on ITF ranking list.
Anna MAMALAT, played 3rd “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #839 on ITF ranking list.

IN 2005 SMRIKVA BOWL GATHERED TOP PLAYERS FROM 3 CONTINENTS

2005 – 10th Smrikva Bowl and 4th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Matteo DONATI, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 winner, from Italy, is ranked #40 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF) and is ranked #1244 on ATP list.
Laslo DJERE, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 runner up, from Serbia, is ranked #51 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).
Gianluigi QUINZI, ranked 3rd on 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005, from Italy, is ranked #2 on ITF ranking list (TOP 10 ITF) and is ranked #1011 on ATP list.
Nikola MILOJEVIC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 Consolation tournament winner, from Serbia, is ranked #7 on ITF ranking list (TOP 10 ITF).
Borna CORIC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Croatia, is ranked #21 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF) and is ranked #1355 on ATP list.
Luka ILIC, , 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Serbia, is ranked #111 on ITF ranking list.
Franko MIOCIC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Croatia, is ranked #84 on ITF ranking list.

GIRLS
Saska GAVRILOVSKA, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 winner, from Serbia, is ranked #559 on WTA ranking list.
Olga IANCHUK, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 runner up, from Ukraine, is ranked #452 on WTA list.
Irina Maria BARA, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Romania, is ranked #67 on ITF ranking list.
Donna VEKIC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Croatia, is ranked #234 on WTA list and is ranked #89 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).
Iva MEKOVEC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Croatia, is ranked #722 on WTA list and is ranked #57 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).
Camilla ROSATELLO, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Italy, is ranked #82 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).

“Little Mo” TEAM
Jeffrey Schorsch, played 4th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked on ITF ranking list.
Jose Gracia, played 4th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked on ITF ranking list.
Yale Goldberg, played 4th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked on ITF ranking list.

Dorothy Tang, played 4th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked on ITF ranking list.

2006 – 11th Smrikva Bowl and 5th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Gianluigi QUINZI, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 winner, from Italy, is ranked #2 on ITF ranking list (TOP 10 ITF) and is ranked #1011 on ATP list.

GIRLS
Eleanor DEAN, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 winner, from Great Britain, is ranked #76 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF) and #743 on WTA ranking list.
Ilka CSOREGI, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 semifinalists, from Romania, is ranked #24 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF)
Belinda BENCIC, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006, from Switzerland, is ranked #17 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF)

“Little Mo” TEAM
Daniel Maese, played 5th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked on ITF ranking list.
Aries Wong, played 5th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is still not ranked on ITF ranking list.

Christina MAKAROVA, played 5th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #43 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).
Gabriella Umoquit, played 5th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked on ITF ranking list.

2007 – 12th Smrikva Bowl and 6th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Sacha MERZETTI, 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007 winner, from Italy, is ranked #259 in Europe in under 16 cathegory.
Bogdan BORZA, 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007 runner up, from Romania, is ranked #9 in Europe in under 16 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U16).
Gonzalo MORELL, ranked 3rd on 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007, from Spain, is ranked #241 in Europe in under 16 cathegory.
Sergiu BUCUR, ranked 4th on 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007, from Romania, is ranked #132 in Europe in under 16 cathegory.

GIRLS
Ana KONJUH, 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #2 in Europe in under 16 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U16) and is ranked #40 on ITF ranking list.
Nina POTOCNIK, ranked 3rd on 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007, from Slovenia, is ranked #59 in Europe in under 16 cathegory and is ranked #217 on ITF ranking list.
Ivana JOROVIC, 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007 player, from Serbia, is ranked #12 in Europe in under 16 cathegory, and is ranked #95 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100).

“Little Mo” TEAM
Eduardo NAVA, played 6th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #785 on ITF ranking list.
Tommy PAUL, played 6th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #1080 on ITF ranking list.

Ndindi NDUNDA, played 6th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #984 on ITF ranking list.
Domonique Garley, played 6th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #1996 on ITF ranking list.

IN 2008 SMRIKVA BOWL GATHERED TOP PLAYERS FROM 5 CONTINENTS AND TURNED INTO A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

2008 – 13th Smrikva Bowl and 7th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Luka PANIC, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 winner, from Switzerland, is ranked #176 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.
Mihnea TURCU, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 runner up, from Romania, is ranked #291 in Europe in under 14 european ranking list.
Grega KOKALJ, ranked 3rd on 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008, from Slovenia, is ranked #117 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.
Andrea Guerrieri, ranked 3rd on 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008, from Italy, is ranked #254 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.

GIRLS
Katarina JOKIC, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 winner, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, is ranked #21 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.
Maia LUMSDEN, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 runner up, from Scotland, is ranked #5 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).
Viktoria KUZMOVA, ranked 3rd on 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008, from Slovakia, is ranked #1 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).
Estela Perez-Somarriba, ranked 3rd on 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008, from Spain, is ranked #516 on under 14 european ranking list.
Olga FRIDMAN, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 player, from Ukraine, is ranked #3 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).
Nikolina JOVIC, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 player, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, is ranked #7 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.
Gabriella PATRICIA TAYLOR, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 player, from UK, is ranked #12 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).
Marija CURNIC, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 player, from UK, is ranked #10 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).

“Little Mo” TEAM
Justin LEE, played 7th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.
William BLUMBERG, played 7th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.

Ingrid NEEL, played 7th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.
Paulina Ferrari, played 7th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.

IN 2009 SMRIKVA BOWL HAD 6 NEW COUNTRIES AND 1 NEW CONTINENT THUS REACHED THE TOTAL OF 40 COUNTRIES AND 6 CONTINENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOURNAMENT SINCE ITS FOUNDATION

2009 – 14th Smrikva Bowl and 8th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Alvaro REGALADO PEDROL, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 winner, from Spain, is ranked #218 in under 14 european ranking.
Samuele RAMAZZOTTI, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 runner up, from Italy, is ranked #27 in under 14 european ranking.
Karlo SUEVICH, ranked 3rd on 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009, from Slovenia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Alejandro DAVIDOVICH, ranked 3rd on 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009, from Spain, is ranked #393 in under 14 european ranking.
Miomir KECMANOVIC, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 quarterfinalist, from Serbia, is ranked #33 in under 14 european ranking.
Alexei POPYRIN, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 Consolation Draw
winner, from Australia, is ranked #62 in under 14 european ranking.

GIRLS
Katie SWAN, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 winner, from United Kingdom, is ranked #102 in under 14 european ranking.
Jovana VUKOVIC – JOKA, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 runner up, from Serbia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Inci OGUT, ranked 3rd on 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009, from Turkey, is ranked #35 in under 14 european ranking.
Arianna CAPOGROSSO, ranked 3rd on 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009, from Italy, is ranked #87 in under 14 european ranking.

“Little Mo” TEAM
Noah SCHACHTER, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.
Alex GEE, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.

Michaela GORDON, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.
Ashley LAHEY, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.

IN 2010 SMRIKVA BOWL HAD 9 NEW COUNTRIES AND REACHED THE TOTAL OF 49 COUNTRIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOURNAMENT SINCE ITS FOUNDATION

2010 – 15th Smrikva Bowl and 9th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Nicola KUHN, 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 winner, from Spain, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Karlo SUEVICH, 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 runner up, from Croatia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Yshai OLIEL, ranked 3rd on 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010, from Israel, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Andrei Taica Radu, ranked 3rd on 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010, from Romania, is too young for under 14 european ranking.

GIRLS
Jovana VUKOVIC, 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 winner, from Serbia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Paula Arias Manjon, 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 runner up, from Spain, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Neli SUNJIC, ranked 3rd on 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010, from Croatia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Kristina NOVAK, ranked 3rd on 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010, from Italy, is too young for under 14 european ranking.

“Little Mo” TEAM
Max Motlagh, played 9th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.

Claire LIU, played 9th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.
Alexa Butera, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is too young for the ITF ranking list.

IN 2011 SMRIKVA BOWL HAD 4 NEW COUNTRIES AND REACHED THE TOTAL OF 53 COUNTRIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOURNAMENT SINCE ITS FOUNDATION

2011 – 16th Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Duje AJDUKOVIC, 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011 winner, from Croatia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Mihailo POPOVIC, 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011 runner up, from Serbia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Alejandro SERRANO OSOBA, ranked 3rd on 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011, from Spain, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Stipan Madzar, ranked 3rd on 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011, from Croatia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.

GIRLS
Olga DANILOVIC, 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011 winner, from Serbia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Ksenija TMUSIC, 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011 runner up, from Serbia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Emilija KOJCIC, ranked 3rd on 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011, from Serbia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Betina TOKAC, ranked 3rd on 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011, from Turkey, is too young for under 14 european ranking.

07/06/12

17th Smrikva Bowl 2012... "Smrikve theatre stage" is entering the phase of final preparations...

... When I think of Smrikva Bowl I try to imagine it as a theatre where every year we work hard to set the stage where the world’s talents can gather… Every year we gather all this different actors, great talents, very special kids, arriving from different cultures, having different dreams,...

We set the stage and later on they are in charge with their will, dreams and hard work… they are the ones who write the most different stories…

Smrikva Bowl is still very young tournament but I would like to think that some of these kids will write… inspiring stories in most different professional fields.

I also know that according to the statistics only few of the kids participating Smrikva Bowl will make it to become top professional tennis players, but I like to think that they will make it in other professional fields they choose in their lives.

I read Andre Agassi’s book and throught the whole book he was repeating to friends and people meeting… that he doesn’t like tennis thus it seems to me that he never had the option to choose, but in end he ended up being the Champion and according to Luke Jensen a person with big heart and very good friend.

I will never know how many kids playing Smrikva Bowl are playing it because their parents would like them to become professional tennis players and how mutch of them play it because they enjoy the game.

What I do know is that any kind of sport can help kids in their growth and I also know that people that do excel in any field require total dedication and a lot of sacrifice to reach the excellence.

When I think of Andre’s words of not loving what he was doing for most of the time of his life I start thinking of other 90% of people around the World that make for living doing jobs they do not like, but “La vita e’ bella” Roberto Benigni would say and tennis helped Andre to grow up.

There is one part in the book that I liked a lot… it is about inspiration, faith and what does it mean to be a good coach... to have the right word in the right moment… this part is related with Gil… and is about people that do beleive in other people and help them to write their life stories and to write their own one…

Here are Gil’s words reported by Andre in his book when he accepted to caoch him:

“I’m not one of those people who expresses or articulates feelings very well, but from now on, just know this: It’s on, man. It is on.

You know what I’m saying? We’are in a fight, and you can count on me until the last man is standing. Somewhere up there is a star with your name on it. I might not be able to help you find it, but I’ve got pretty strong shoulders, and you can stand on my shoulders while you’re looking for that star. You hear? For as long as you want. Stand on my shoulders and reach, man. Reach.”

In every life there are people that influence what we do and how we do it.

The Smrikva Bowl festival would like to inspire its players and Ambassadors to beleive in their dreams and work hard to reach them.

Sport and music are in general good educators and the vision of sport prefered in Smrikve is the one Nelson Mandela once said:

“Sport has the power to change the world, the power to inspire and the power to unite people in a way little else can – it is an instrument of peace.”

03/06/12

Smrikva Bowl players on Junior Roland Garros 2012... 11 Smrikva Bowl players played this year Junior Roland Garrros...

There were several Smrikva Bowl players that I noted competing in the Main Draw of this year Junior Roland Garros 2012… actually the exact number is 11… six boys and five girls… :)...

In the following you can read more detailed results related to former Smrikva Bowl players on this year Junior Roland Garros 2012 played in Paris this week:

Boys:

Gianluigi Quinzi (ITA) – 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 winner
1st round: Gianluigi Quinzi – Alexios Halebian (USA) 1:6,7:6,6:3
2nd round: Gianluigi Quinzi – Herkko Pollanen (FIN) 7:6, 6:4
3rd round: Gianluigi Quinzi – Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6:7, 6:1, 4:6

Matteo Donati (ITA) – 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 winner
1st round: Matteo Donati – Laurent Lokoli (FRA) 6:4, 6:2
2nd round: M.Donati – Frederico Ferreira Silva (POR) 1:6,6:2,9:7
3rd round: Matteo Donati – Luke Saville (AUS) 4:6, 3:6

Filip Veger (CRO) – 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 player
1st round: Filip Veger – Pedja Krstin (SRB) 4:6, 6:3, 6:4
2nd round: Filip Veger – Quentin Halys (FRA) 3:6, 5:7

Borna Coric (CRO) – 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player
1st round: Borna Coric – Luke Bambridge (GBR) 5:7,6:2,4:6

Nikola Milojevic (SRB) – 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 consolation draw winner
1st round: Nikola Milojevic – Hyeon Chung (KOR) 2:6, 3:6

Laslo Djere (SRB) – 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 runner up
1st round: Laslo Djere – Filip Peliwo (CAN) 6:4, 3:6, 4:6

Girls:

Donna Vekic (CRO) – Smrikva Bowl player
1st round: Donna Vekic – Ilona Kremen (BLR) 6:2, 6:3
2nd round: Donna Vekic – Rebecca Peterson (SWE) 3:6,7:6,4:6

Ilka Csoregi(ROU) – 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 semifinalists
1st round: Ilka Csoregi – Mayar Sherif (EGY)
2nd round: Ilka Csoregi – Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) 6:3,0:6,2:6

Camilla Rosatello(ITA) – 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player
1st round: Camilla Rosatello – Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 2:6,2:6

Belinda Bencic(SUI) – 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 player
1st round: Belinda Bencic – Francoise Abanda (CAN) 6:7, 6:7

Iva Mekovec(CRO) – 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player
1st round: Iva Mekovec – Oceane Dodin (FRA) 3:6, 6:7

30/05/12

Petra Martic, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 winner, defeated Marion Bartoli in the second round and Medina Garrigues in the third round of Roland Garros

Petra Martic, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 winner, is the best ranked former Smrikva Bowl player on WTA ranking list… currently she holds #50th place on WTA list…

This week she made a historical victory… a victory over the TOP 10 player at a GRAND SLAM Tournament… Marion Bartoli

Few days ago she defeated also Anabel Medina Garrigues from Spain and entered the fourth round…

… and in the fourth round she lost to Angelique Kerber from Germany…

In total… this week Petra defeated the #8 WTA player Marion Bartoli… #31 WTA player Anabel Medina Garrigues…

This year Petra also defeated few top 20 players and the picture below shows the emotions felt after the match and her victory over the TOP 10 player at the FRENCH OPEN… Marion Bartoli.

Petra’s road towards the third round of the Main Draw of ROLAND GARROS is the following:

1st round: Petra Martic – Michaella Krajicek (Ned) 6:2, 7:5
2nd round: Petra Martic – Marion Bartoli (Fra) 6:2, 3:6, 6:3
3rd round: Petra Martic – Anabel Medina Garrigues (Esp) 6:2, 6:1
4th round: Petra Martic – Angelique Kerber (Ger) 3:6, 5:7

Ranking of the players that Petra played and will play is:

Michaella Krajicek (Ned) – #71 on WTA list
Marion Bartoli (Fra) – #8 on WTA list
A. Medina Garrigues (Esp) – #31 on WTA list
Angelique Kerber (Ger) – #10 on WTA list

Bravo Petra!

27/05/12

Blažka Tratnik visited Smrikve this weekend...

Blažka Tratnik from Slovenia visited Smrikve last time at the end of April with the Matic Podlipnik and his friends… and this weekend she visited Smrikve again… :)

It was a nice morning spent on the court with Dasha, Ari and Silvia…

... and it was also an opportunity to play the afternoon match with her new friend Dasha :)...

... but it was not only tennis… Blažka had the opportunity to see how some elements she helped to choose for the Lounge at the end of April incorporated into the new building… and she liked the outcome :)...

... bye bye… with the sunset from the Smrikve Lounge terrace till the next visit…

26/05/12

Gianluigi Quinzi, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 winner, won the prestigious 53rd edition of TROFEO BONFIGLIO 2012 played in Milan

Trofeo Bonfiglio is one of the most prestigious under 18 tournaments in the World played at Tennis Club Milano Alberto Bonacossa in Milan – Italy… and Gianluigi Quinzi, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 winner, won the finals…

Ivan Lendl, Guy Forget, Jim Courier, Goran Ivanisevic, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Gabriela Sabatini, Anna Kournikova are just some of the illustrious names on the honour role of the Italian Open, Trofeo Bonfiglio…

There were several former Smrikva Bowl players in the Main Draws:

BOYS:
Borna Coric (semifinals), Laslo Djere (quarterfinals), Nikola Milojevic (2nd round), Matteo Donati (2nd round), Antonio Masterlia (1st round)... and Gianluigi Quinzi and Borna Coric are in the semifinals…

GIRLS:
Cristina Makarova (3rd round), Iva Mekovec (2nd round), Giulia Pairone (3rd round), Angelica Moratelli (3rd round), Ilka Csoregi (1st round), Blair Shankle (2nd round), Ana Konjuh (2nd round)...

The road of Gianluigi Quinzi towards the victory of the 53rd edition of TROFEO BONFIGLIO 2012 is the following:

Gianluigi QUINZI (ITA) – 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 winner
1st round: Gianluigi Quinzi – Stefan Kozlov (Usa) 6:4, 6:0
2nd round: Gianluigi Quinzi – Brayden Schnur (Can) 6:4, 6:3
3rd round: Gianluigi Quinzi – Hyeon Chung (Kor) 7:6, 6:2
Quarterfinals: Gianluigi Quinzi – M. Krueger (Usa) 6:3, 3:6, 7:5
Semifinals: Gianluigi Quinzi – Borna Coric (Cro) 6:1, 6:0
Finals: Gianluigi Quinzi – Temur Ismailov (Uzb) 6:2, 6:7, 6:1

Borna CORIC (CRO) – 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player
1st round: Borna Coric – J. Walendowsky (Bra) 6:1, 6:4
2nd round: Borna Coric – Filippo Baldi (Ita) 4:6, 6:3, 6:0
3rd round: Borna Coric – Tomas Papik (Cze) 6:4, 6:0
Quarterfinals: Borna Coric – W. Montgomery (Rsa) 7:5, 7:5
Semifinals: Borna Coric – Gianluigi Quinzi (Ita) 1:6, 0:6

21/05/12

Daria Solovyeva - Dasha and Ariana Rabac - Ari are the winners of the 7th Smrikva Rekreacija 2012 Tournament

In 2009 we established the Spring and Autumn Smrikve Tennis Club Tournament for the recreational players and since last edition we included also our young tennis school competitors in the Draw. This weekend the Spring edition was played.

16 Smrikve Tennis Club members participated in this 7th Smrikve Rekreacija 2012 Tournament… the days were sunny… and it was the first time that we had doubles on Rekreacija… nice experience :)...

Over two days there were many nice and competitive matches of very similar level in both Main and Consolation Draws… but Rekreacija is also always an opportunity to relax with the family ;)... and Nera… :)

There were as usual unexpected surprises… the young Smrikva players are getting every tournament stronger and stronger… and the older generation never give up :)... for Alen it was an opportunity to reach the finals in doubles with Igor…

Karlo used his forehand very well in the first match… and was very closed to reach the finals in doubles with Max…

Marjan did his best… and enjoyed playing La Bottega di Smrikve guest girl Dasha :)... after meeting her in the bank… I defind him as “tennis lover”... this is how I explained to Dasha the Recreational tennis tournament we will have… Dasha enjoyed the tournament and Marjan was able to take some games to Dasha and was happy for that!... the same as Slaven…

Max surprised Car in the semifinals… and obtained his major victory of the weekend…

... and Dasha surprised everybody… Slaven enjoyed playing her, the same Marjan… and Igor, one of the best our Recreational player, was surprised by Dasha in the third set… a great match was played by both of them…

... Igor did his best… and he always play his best…

In the doubles finals Car and Milan were just a little better than Igor and Alen… but all of them enjoyed the competitive match… and also the public enjoyed it…

... Max and Dasha trained together over the last weeks and played some training matches… and for 3 times they played one set… and Max was able to take all 3 sets… twice with very tiny difference… but yesterday Dasha played THE MATCH for the trophy and she did her best… she played over 20% better than in the training…

... and she played her best tennis both with Max and Igor, both very strong players…

... and in end, with her friend Ari she took the trophy… Ari won the Consolation Draw defeating Edi in the finals… and Dasha the Main Draw trophy…

Smrikve Rekreacija Main and Consolation Draw winners since its foundation in 2009 are the following:

MAIN DRAW – CONSOLATION DRAW

1st Smrikve Rekreacija 2009
• Tomislav Bozovic – Ariana Rabac

2nd Smrikve Rekreacija 2009
• Igor Dobranovic – Patrik Chiavalon

3rd Smrikve Rekreacija 2010
• Slaven Ferencic – Miodrag Bozovic

4th Smrikve Rekreacija 2010
• Deni Zmak – Tomislav Bozovic

5th Smrikve Rekreacija 2011
• Deni Zmak – Damir Car – A Group
• Slaven Ferencic – Milan Granda – B Group
• Patricija Orlic – C Group

6th Smrikve Rekreacija 2011
• Silvia Brgic – Neven Stok

7th Smrikve Rekreacija 2012
• Daria Solovyeva – Ariana Rabac
• Damir Car – Milan Granda – doubles winners

It was a very nice week end… and I am pleased to say thanks to the members who played and acted sportly over the weekend for the nice tournament and special congratulations to the winners and finalist of this Spring edition!...

See you again in Autumn… :)

18/05/12

Smrikve c Code...

Smrikve, October 2010

The Star Wars “Return of the Jedi” is the first film I remember seeing with my dad at the cinema… it was 1983 and I was 10… the cinema was named “Istra”… I was the same age as the Smrikva Bowl players we host every year in Smrikve :)…

In the introduction of this article I would just underline that I like the way Jedi use the lightsabers and I like the way Smrikva Bowl kids use their rackets :)… Smrikve c Code is a story about virtue created by training and wish to learn…

My dad was pilot and for me watching The Star Wars with him at the cinema was a particular experience … I had many questions and he, as usual, with smile and pleasure answered to each of my questions…

Dad used to take me with him on the airport when I was little… and I remember him entering the cockpit of the plane with pilot helmet watching towards me and giving me the sign that he was ready to fly… than he turned on the engine of the plane and watched towards me again with smile in his eyes…

I stayed about 100 meters from the airplane with his colleagues and watched him taking his plane towards runway…

From the place where I stayed only part of the runway was visible because of the wood and he took the plane in the area that was invisible to me to prepare for the takeoff… I was able to hear the force of the engine… and when the sound of the force started to increase I knew that my dad will be visible soon… his colleagues were telling me “be ready soon your dad will come”… and when he started to be visible on the back of the plane there was the fire… almost half length of the airplane had the fire extension formed by his engine and I just noticed his helmet in the cockpit and followed by my kids eyes his airplane reaching the sky…

The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe bound to a code of morality and justice and are trained in the use of the light side of the force. They learn to use the Force, and weapons, known as lightsabers, which emits a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, to serve and protect their Republic and the galaxy from conflicts or government instability…

Since long time ago I started to note the ability of Smrikva Bowl kids using the racket and thinking at the same time on Jedi’s ability to use the lightsaber :)…

Some of my students use Wilson’s ying & young damper… known as Tao sign… they like the symbol but are still too young to have an idea about it ;)… I will try to use this symbol to help me explain how little the difference could be in forming a balance in anything we do… every action has a reaction in our World… in the first classes of physics we learn Newton’s third law…

Tao is an abstract concept found in Taoism, Confucianism, and more generally in ancient Chinese philosophy and East Asian cultures.

While the word itself translates as “way”, “path”, or “route”… it is often used philosophically to signify the fundamental nature of the World we are used to living on Earth… it is often referred to as “the nameless”, because neither it nor its principles can ever be adequately expressed in words.

While the Tao cannot be expressed, Taoism holds that it can be known, and its principles can be followed. Much of Taoist writing focuses on the value of following the Tao – called Te (virtue) – and of the ultimate uselessness of trying to understand or control Tao outright. This is often expressed through yin and yang arguments, where every action creates a counter-action as a natural, unavoidable movement within manifestations of the Tao.

I used the above short explenation to introduce the Codes used in the Star Wars universe…

As in the Tao symbol there were knights trained to use the dark side of the force and the light side… this is the way how mankind functioned since the human written memory goes back…

For new ideas people have to go beyond… out of the known patterns by using their imagination… the kids are many times Master in this…

“Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.”… :)

DARK SIDE (The Sith Code)

• Peace is a lie. There is only passion.
• Through passion, I gain strength.
• Through strength, I gain power.
• Through power, I gain victory.
• Through victory, my chains are broken.
• The Force shall free me.

LIGHT SIDE (The Jedi Code)

• There is no emotion, there is peace.
• There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
• There is no passion, there is serenity.
• There is no death, there is the Force.

The Jedi Code was rewritten by Grand Master Luke Skywalker upon reestablishing the Jedi Order:

• Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.
• Jedi use their powers to defend and to protect.
• Jedi respect all life, in any form.
• Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy.
• Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training.

Smrikve c code is the code…

…and… just one more thing…

… “La guerra no le hace a uno grandioso.”… ;)

I am pleased to close this article with Dire Straits and their Brothers in Arms song… starting with the sound of the thunder… The concert was made in 1988 to honour Nelson Mandela…

*BROTHERS IN ARMS *

These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me
But my home is the lowlands
And always will be
Some day you’ll return to
Your valleys and your farms
And you’ll no longer burn
To be brothers in arms

Through these fields of destruction
Baptism of fire
I’ve whittnessed your suffering
As the battles raged higher
And though they did hurt me so bad
In the fear and alarm
You did not desert me
My brothers in arms

There’s so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Now the sun’s gone to hell
And the moon’s riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it’s written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We’re fools to make war
On our brothers in arms

Miodrag Bozovic

14/05/12

Top Smrikva Bowl and "Little Mo"/Smrikva Bowl players on ATP, WTA, ITF, USTA and European under 14 and 16 ranking lists (update May 2012)

Former top Smrikva Bowl players that reached certain results on the professional ranking list are mentioned below and the top Smrikva Bowl players that are still competing…

As of 15th of May 2012 the ranking summary of the very TOP former Smrikva Bowl boys and girls is the following:

• 1 player TOP 100 WTA (Petra Martic – 2001 winner)
• 1 player TOP 200 ATP (Javier Marti – 2002 winner)
• 7 boys and 9 girls… in total 16 players are in TOP 100 ITF
• 3 boys and 2 girls are in TOP 10 ETA under 16
• 5 girls are in TOP 10 ETA under 14
• 1 boy is in TOP 10 USTA under 14
• 1 boy and 2 girls are in TOP 10 USTA under 12

IN 1996 SMRIKVA BOWL GATHERED TOP PLAYERS FROM ISTRIA AND KVARNER (1st Smrikva Bowl)

BOYS
Vilim Visak, 1st Smrikva Bowl 1996 winner, from Croatia. Vilim’s best ranking was #612 in March 2006.

IN 1997 SMRIKVA BOWL GATHERED TOP PLAYERS FROM CROATIA (1997 – 2nd Smrikva Bowl)

GIRLS
Ivana Lisjak, 2nd Smrikva Bowl 1997 winner, from Croatia. Ivana’s best ranking was #95 on WTA list in June 2006.

IN 1998 SMRIKVA BOWL STARTED TO BE INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT (3rd Smrikva Bowl)

1999 – 4th Smrikva Bowl

GIRLS
Astrid Besser, 4th Smrikva Bowl 1999 winner, from Italy. Atrid’s best ranking was #356 on WTA list in March 2009.

2000 – 5th Smrikva Bowl

GIRLS
Tereza MRDEZA, 5th Smrikva Bowl 2000 winner, from Croatia, is currently ranked #217 on WTA list.

2001 – 6th Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Marin Draganja, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 winner, from Croatia, is ranked #1181 on ATP ranking list.
Dino Marcan, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #315 on ATP ranking list.

GIRLS
Petra MARTIC, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 winner, from Croatia, is ranked #49 on WTA list (TOP 100 WTA). Petra’s best raning was #47 on WTA list in September 2011.
Indire Akiki, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #453 on WTA list.

IN 2002 SMRIKVA BOWL STARTED TO BE A EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

2002 – 7th Smrikva Bowl and 1st”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Javier MARTI, 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002 winner, from Spain, is currently ranked #174 on ATP list.
Giacomo Miccini, 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002 runner up, from Italy, was ranked #1059 on ATP list in May 2009.

GIRLS
Martina Caregaro, 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002 winner, from Italy, is ranked #423 on WTA ranking list.
Ajla TOMLJANOVIC, 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #197 on WTA list.
Ema BURGIC, ranked 3rd on 7th Smrikva Bowl 2002, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, best ranking was #505 on WTA list in July 2010.

2003 – 8th Smrikva Bowl and 2nd”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Dominic THIEM, 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003 winner, from Austria, is ranked #620 on ATP ranking list. Junior ROLAND GARROS 2011 finalist, Eddie Herr International and Junior Orange Bowl under 18 winner.
George MORGAN, 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003 runner up, from Great Britain, is ranked #657 on ATP ranking list. Junior US OPEN 2011 semifinalist.
Ciprian PORUMB, ranked 3rd on 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003, from Romenia, was ranked #195 on ITF ranking list in March 2010.

GIRLS
Jennifer Ren, 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003 winner, from Great Britain, not currently ranked on WTA list.
Silvia NJIRIC, 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #466 on WTA list.
Ajla TOMLJANOVIC, ranked 3rd on 8th Smrikva Bowl 2003, from Croatia, is ranked #197 on WTA list.

“Little Mo” TEAM
Emmett EGGER, played 2nd “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, was ranked #76 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).

2004 – 9th Smrikva Bowl and 3rd”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Ivan Levar, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 winner, from Croatia, is ranked #582 on ITF ranking list.
Miki JANKOVIC, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 runner up, from Serbia, is ranked #206 on ITF ranking list and is ranked #887 on ATP ranking list.
Filip VEGER, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 semifinalist, from Croatia, is ranked #81 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF)
Danil ZELENKOV, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 player, from FYR Macedonia, is ranked #138 on ITF ranking list

GIRLS
Saska GAVRILOVSKA, 9th Smrikva Bowl 2004 winner, from Serbia, is ranked #578 on WTA ranking list.

“Little Mo” TEAM
Mitchel POLNET, played 3rd “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #717 on ITF ranking list.

Blair SHANKLE, played 3rd “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #119 on ITF ranking list.
Anna MAMALAT, played 3rd “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #832 on ITF ranking list.

IN 2005 SMRIKVA BOWL GATHERED TOP PLAYERS FROM 3 CONTINENTS

2005 – 10th Smrikva Bowl and 4th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Matteo DONATI, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 winner, from Italy, is ranked #36 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF) and is ranked #1257 on ATP list.
Laslo DJERE, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 runner up, from Serbia, is ranked #72 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).
Gianluigi QUINZI, ranked 3rd on 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005, from Italy, is ranked #4 on ITF ranking list (TOP 10 ITF) and is ranked #1200 on ATP list.
Nikola MILOJEVIC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 Consolation tournament winner, from Serbia, is ranked #6 on ITF ranking list (TOP 10 ITF).
Borna CORIC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Croatia, is ranked #37 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF) and is ranked #1371 on ATP list.
Luka ILIC, , 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Serbia, is ranked #121 on ITF ranking list.
Franko MIOCIC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Croatia, is ranked #80 on ITF ranking list.

GIRLS
Saska GAVRILOVSKA, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 winner, from Serbia, is ranked #578 on WTA ranking list.
Olga IANCHUK, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 runner up, from Ukraine, is ranked #572 on WTA list.
Irina Maria BARA, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Romania, is ranked #62 on ITF ranking list.
Donna VEKIC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Croatia, is ranked #283 on WTA list and is ranked #81 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).
Iva MEKOVEC, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Croatia, is ranked #737 on WTA list and is ranked #32 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).
Camilla ROSATELLO, 10th Smrikva Bowl 2005 player, from Italy, is ranked #73 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).

Dorothy Tang, played 4th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked on ITF ranking list.

2006 – 11th Smrikva Bowl and 5th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Gianluigi QUINZI, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 winner, from Italy, is ranked #4 on ITF ranking list (TOP 10 ITF) and is ranked #1200 on ATP list.

GIRLS
Eleanor DEAN, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 winner, from Great Britain, is ranked #82 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF) and #746 on WTA ranking list.
Ilka CSOREGI, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006 semifinalists, from Romania, is ranked #34 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF)
Belinda BENCIC, 11th Smrikva Bowl 2006, from Switzerland, is ranked #16 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF)

Christina MAKAROVA, played 5th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #41 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100 ITF).
Gabriella Umoquit, played 5th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is not ranked on ITF ranking list.

2007 – 12th Smrikva Bowl and 6th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Sacha MERZETTI, 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007 winner, from Italy, is ranked #427 in Europe in under 16 cathegory.
Bogdan BORZA, 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007 runner up, from Romania, is ranked #10 in Europe in under 16 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U16).
Gonzalo MORELL, ranked 3rd on 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007, from Spain, is ranked #241 in Europe in under 16 cathegory.
Sergiu BUCUR, ranked 4th on 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007, from Romania, is ranked #123 in Europe in under 16 cathegory.

GIRLS
Ana KONJUH, 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007 runner up, from Croatia, is ranked #3 in Europe in under 16 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U16) and is ranked #102 on ITF ranking list.
Nina POTOCNIK, ranked 3rd on 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007, from Slovenia, is ranked #56 in Europe in under 16 cathegory and is ranked #217 on ITF ranking list.
Ivana JOROVIC, 12th Smrikva Bowl 2007 player, from Serbia, is ranked #16 in Europe in under 16 cathegory, and is ranked #95 on ITF ranking list (TOP 100).

“Little Mo” TEAM
Eduardo NAVA, played 6th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #808 on ITF ranking list.
Tommy PAUL, played 6th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #1347 on ITF ranking list.

Ndindi NDUNDA, played 6th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #1161 on ITF ranking list.
Domonique Garley, played 6th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #1997 on ITF ranking list.

IN 2008 SMRIKVA BOWL GATHERED TOP PLAYERS FROM 5 CONTINENTS AND TURNED INTO A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

2008 – 13th Smrikva Bowl and 7th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Luka PANIC, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 winner, from Switzerland, is ranked #155 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.
Mihnea TURCU, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 runner up, from Romania, is ranked #256 in Europe in under 14 european ranking list.
Grega KOKALJ, ranked 3rd on 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008, from Slovenia, is ranked #103 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.
Andrea Guerrieri, ranked 3rd on 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008, from Italy, is ranked #357 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.

GIRLS
Katarina JOKIC, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 winner, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, is ranked #18 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.
Maia LUMSDEN, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 runner up, from Scotland, is ranked #6 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).
Viktoria KUZMOVA, ranked 3rd on 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008, from Slovakia, is ranked #4 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).
Estela Perez-Somarriba, ranked 3rd on 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008, from Spain, is ranked #484 on under 14 european ranking list.
Olga FRIDMAN, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 player, from Ukraine, is ranked #1 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).
Nikolina JOVIC, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 player, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, is ranked #7 in Europe in under 14 cathegory.
Gabriella PATRICIA TAYLOR, 13th Smrikva Bowl 2008 player, from UK, is ranked #10 in Europe in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 TE U14).

“Little Mo” TEAM
Justin LEE, played 7th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #43 in the USA in under 14 cathegory.
William BLUMBERG, played 7th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #3 in the USA in under 14 cathegory (TOP 10 USTA U14).

Ingrid NEEL, played 7th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #107 in the USA in under 14 cathegory.
Paulina Ferrari, played 7th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #57 in the USA in under 14 cathegory.

IN 2009 SMRIKVA BOWL HAD 6 NEW COUNTRIES AND 1 NEW CONTINENT THUS REACHED THE TOTAL OF 40 COUNTRIES AND 6 CONTINENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOURNAMENT SINCE ITS FOUNDATION

2009 – 14th Smrikva Bowl and 8th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

BOYS
Alvaro REGALADO PEDROL, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 winner, from Spain, is ranked #203 in under 14 european ranking.
Samuele RAMAZZOTTI, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 runner up, from Italy, is ranked #39 in under 14 european ranking.
Karlo SUEVICH, ranked 3rd on 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009, from Slovenia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Alejandro DAVIDOVICH, ranked 3rd on 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009, from Spain, is ranked #354 in under 14 european ranking.
Miomir KECMANOVIC, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 quarterfinalist, from Serbia, is ranked #18 in under 14 european ranking.
Alexei POPYRIN, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 Consolation Draw
winner, from Australia, is ranked #49 in under 14 european ranking.

GIRLS
Katie SWAN, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 winner, from United Kingdom, is ranked #99 in under 14 european ranking.
Jovana VUKOVIC – JOKA, 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009 runner up, from Serbia, is too young for under 14 european ranking.
Inci OGUT, ranked 3rd on 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009, from Turkey, is ranked #58 in under 14 european ranking.
Arianna CAPOGROSSO, ranked 3rd on 14th Smrikva Bowl 2009, from Italy, is ranked #77 in under 14 european ranking.

“Little Mo” TEAM
Noah SCHACHTER, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #6 in the USA in under 12 cathegory.
Alex GEE, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #18 in the USA in under 12 cathegory.

Michaela GORDON, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #4 in the USA in under 12 cathegory (TOP 10 USTA U12).
Ashley LAHEY, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #30 in the USA in under 12 cathegory.

IN 2010 SMRIKVA BOWL HAD 9 NEW COUNTRIES AND REACHED THE TOTAL OF 49 COUNTRIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOURNAMENT SINCE ITS FOUNDATION

2010 – 15th Smrikva Bowl and 9th”Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl

“Little Mo” TEAM
Max Motlagh, played 9th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #63 in the USA in under 12 cathegory.

Claire LIU, played 9th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #5 in the USA in under 12 cathegory (TOP 10 USTA U12).
Alexa Butera, played 8th “Little Mo”/Smrikva Bowl, from the USA, is ranked #54 in the USA in under 12 cathegory.

IN 2011 SMRIKVA BOWL HAD 4 NEW COUNTRIES AND REACHED THE TOTAL OF 53 COUNTRIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TOURNAMENT SINCE ITS FOUNDATION

2011 – 16th Smrikva Bowl

13/05/12

Daria Solovyeva and Yshai Oliel visiting Smrikve and La Bottega... :)

La Bottega di Smrikve is a natural development of the story started in 1996 when the Smrikva Bowl tennis talents story began…

...and after Matic Podlipnik, the under 12 Slovenian Champion, visit with his tennis friends few weeks ago… I was pleased to see in Smrikve… both winners of this year TE Europe under 12 Cakovec 2012 edition with trophies of both single and doubles: Yshai Oliel and Daria Solovyeva... Dasha

... TALENTED PLAYERS THAT WE ACCEPT DURING THE YEAR FOR SHORTER PERIODS OF TIME AS GUESTS OF OUR SCHOOL ARE LINKED TO THE SMRIKVA BOWL NETWORK… and the preference of the accepted players always go to the talents we had opportunity to meet during Smrikva Bowl or players recommended by the Smrikva Bowl Ambassadors… traditionally they have good understending of the Smrikve philosophy…

During the Renaissance period La Bottega (the art and craft workshop) was the nursery site for the formation of the artists… and was probably the source of the Renaissance itself…

... and I like to think of La Bottega… as a tennis island for Smrikve friends… :)... and was very pleased that Yshai and Jan came from Cakovec to Smrikve just to say hello and I was so pleased to see Yshai and his game development two years after his Smrikva Bowl… I was impressed with what I saw… and I enjoyed the same way Jan’s thoughts on various issues… I beleive Jan is a great Master of tennis talent development…

I will never know how many kids playing Smrikva Bowl are playing it because their parents would like them to become professional tennis players and how mutch of them play it because they enjoy the game… and I do not know that neither for any “La Bottega” di Smrikve friend…

What I do know is that any kind of sport can help kids in their growth and I also know that people that do excel in any field require total dedication and a lot of sacrifice to reach the excellence.

There is one part in Andre Agassi’s biography book that I liked a lot… it is about inspiration, faith and what does it mean to be a good coach… to have the right word in the right moment… this part is related with Gil… and is about people that do beleive in other people and help them to write their life stories and to write their own one… and looking at the following Dasha’s picture I would like to report his words for both Dasha… Yshai… two extraordinary kids loving this game and trying their best to maybe write one day their names on one of the stars…

Here are Gil’s words reported by Andre in his book when he accepted to caoch him:

“I’m not one of those people who expresses or articulates feelings very well, but from now on, just know this: It’s on, man. It is on.

Smrikve Lounge is entering its final preparation phase… the same as 17th Smrikva Bowl 2012 edition…

Lounge will be a special place to relax… Dasha already left her traces in Lounge garden… and Yshai liked it a lot too…

... in 3 weeks time we should have this new Smrikve “ship” built and ready to host the stars of tomorrow…

“Quand tu veux construire un bateau, ne commence pas par rassembler du bois, couper des planches et distribuer du travail, mais reveille au sein des hommes le desir de la mer grande et large.” – Antoine de Saint Exupéry

04/05/12

25 Smrikva Bowl players out of 64 were in the Main Draws of the Croatia CUP - TE under 12 tournament played in Cakovec. Still in the Main Draws are 4 out of 4 players... SOLOVYEVA, KARANUSIC, OLIEL, SUEVICH... and the winers are Yshai and Dasha...

This week an important under 12 TE Europe tournament was played in Cakovec in Croatia named CROATIA CUP and I was pleased to recognize a lot of the Smrikva Bowl names in the Main Draws…

...and I was pleased to see in Smrikve both winners of this year edition today with trophies of both single and doubles: Yshai Oliel and Dasha Solovyeva...

... and Dasha won doubles with Kristina Novak :)

Out of 64 players in both girls and boys Main Draws I recognized 25 former Smrikva Bowl players and La Bottega guests… and in the quarterfinals there were 10 out of 16 players:

Anja GAL (Slo)
Daria SOLOVYEVA (Rus) – La Bottega di Smrikve 2011
Jovana VUKOVIC (Srb)
Lorena GAVRIC (Cro)
Andja KARANUSIC (Cro)
Kristina NOVAK (Slo)

Yshai OLIEL (Isr)
Duje AJDUKOVIC (Cro)
Karlo SUEVICH (Cro)
Bodin ZARKOVIC (Srb)

in the semifinals there were 7 out of 8 players:

Daria SOLOVYEVA (Rus) – La Bottega di Smrikve 2011
Jovana VUKOVIC (Srb)
Andja KARANUSIC (Cro)

Yshai OLIEL (Isr)
Duje AJDUKOVIC (Cro)
Karlo SUEVICH (Cro)
Bodin ZARKOVIC (Srb)

in the finals there were 4 out of 4 players:
Daria SOLOVYEVA (Rus) – La Bottega di Smrikve 2011
Andja KARANUSIC (Cro)

Yshai OLIEL (Isr)
Karlo SUEVICH (Cro)

... and THE WINNERS of both single and doubles were: Yshai and Dasha…. :)

GIRLS:

Daria SOLOVYEVA (Rus) – La Bottega di Smrikve 2011
1st round: Daria SOLOVYEVA – Tamara LUZIJA (Cro) 6:1, 6:1
2nd round: Daria SOLOVYEVA – Lana SIPEK (Cro) 6:3, 6:0
Quarterfinals: D.SOLOVYEVA-O.OLIYNYKOVA (Ukr) 4:6,6:1,6:1
Semifinals: Daria SOLOVYEVA – Ariella CURCI (Ita) 6:2, 6:1
Finals: Daria SOLOVYEVA – Andja KARANUSIC (Cro) 6:4, 6:1

Andja KARANUSIC (Cro) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Andja KARANUSIC-Sophie MUNTEAN (Fra) 1:6,6:2,6:4
2nd round: Andja KARANUSIC – Iva ZELIC (Cro) 6:3, 6:3
Quarterfinals: Andja KARANUSIC – Kristina NOVAK (Slo) 6:3, 7:6
Semifinals: Andja KARANUSIC – Jovana VUKOVIC (Srb) 6:3, 6:3
Finals: Andja KARANUSIC – Daria SOLOVYEVA (Rus) 4:6, 1:6

Kristina NOVAK (Slo) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 semifinalist
1st round: Kristina NOVAK – Emma ZAKORDONIEC (Pol) 6:3, 6:1
2nd round: Kristina NOVAK – Karla KILIC (Cro) 6:3, 6:2
Quarterfinals: Kristina NOVAK – Andja KARANUSIC (Cro) 3:6,6:7

Jovana VUKOVIC (Srb) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 winner
1st round: Jovana VUKOVIC – Lea JURKOVIC (Cro) 6:1, 6:1
2nd round: Jovana VUKOVIC – Neli SUNJIC (Cro) 6:0, 6:1
Quarterfinals: Jovana VUKOVIC-Lorena GAVRIC (Cro) 6:3,5:7,6:0
Semifinals: Jovana VUKOVIC – Andja KARANUSIC (Cro) 3:6, 3:6

Lorena GAVRIC (Cro) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Lorena GAVRIC – Liliana KONCZ (Hun) 6:0, 6:0
2nd round: Lorena GAVRIC – Arabella KOLLER (Aut) 7:6, 6:3
Quarterfinals: Lorena GAVRIC – J.VUKOVIC (Srb) 3:6,7:5,0:6

Anja GAL (Slo) -15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Anja GAL – Domenika TURKOVIC (Cro) 7:5, 6:1
2nd round: Anja GAL – Iva KRIVIC (Cro) 6:0, 6:4
Quarterfinals: Anja GAL – Ariella CURCI (Ita) 6:3, 4:6, 0:6

Snezana STEVIC (BiH) -16th Smrikva Bowl 2011
1st round: Snezana STEVIC – Leonarda JANKO (Cro) 7:6, 6:1
2nd round: Snezana STEVIC – O.OLIYNYKOVA (Ukr) 4:6,6:2,6:4

Neli SUNJIC (Cro) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 semifinalist
1st round: Neli SUNJIC – Alejandra RUFFINI (Cro) 6:1, 6:3
2nd round: Neli SUNJIC – Jovana VUKOVIC (Srb) 0:6, 1:6

Iva ZELIC (Cro) – 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011
1st round: Iva ZELIC – Adela JOLDIC (BiH) 6:4, 6:3
2nd round: Iva ZELIC – Andja KARANUSIC (Cro) 3:6, 3:6

Karla KILIC (Cro) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Karla KILIC – Klara ONDREJCEKOVA (Svk) 6:2, 7:5
2nd round: Karla KILIC – Kristina NOVAK (Slo) 3:6, 2:6

Andjela SKROBONJA (Srb) -16th Smrikva Bowl 2011
1st round: Andjela SKROBONJA – Iva KRIVIC (Cro) 7:6, 6:7, 0:6

Lea JURKOVIC (Cro) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Lea JURKOVIC – Jovana VUKOVIC (Srb) 1:6, 1:6

Adela JOLDIC (BiH) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Adela JOLDIC – Iva ZELIC (Cro) 4:6, 3:6

Emma ZAKORDONIEC (Pol) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Emma ZAKORDONIEC – Kristina NOVAK (Slo) 3:6, 1:6

BOYS:

Yshai OLIEL (Isr) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 semifinalist
1st round: Yshai OLIEL – Mark KEKI (Hun) 6:3, 6:2
2nd round: Yshai OLIEL – Goran TUFEKCIC (Ger) 6:1, 6:0
Quarterfinals: Yshai OLIEL – Raphael LAMBLING (Fra) 6:0, 6:0
Semifinals: Yshai OLIEL – Duje AJDUKOVIC (Cro) 6:2, 6:0
Finals: Yshai OLIEL – Karlo SUEVICH (Cro) 6:0, 6:2

Karlo SUEVICH (Cro) – 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011 finalist
1st round: Karlo SUEVICH – S.S.KEUSCHNIG (Aut) 6:1, 6:3
2nd round: Karlo SUEVICH – Stipan MADZAR (Cro) 6:0, 6:0
Quarterfinals: Karlo SUEVICH – O.GALIMARDANOV (Rus) 6:1, 6:2
Semifinals: Karlo SUEVICH – Bodin ZARKOVIC (Srb) 6:4,5:7,6:1
Finals: Karlo SUEVICH – Yshai OLIEL (Isr) 2:6, 0:6

Duje AJDUKOVIC (Cro) – 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011 winner
1st round: Duje AJDUKOVIC – Gabriele BOSIO (Ita) 6:4, 6:1
2nd round: Duje AJDUKOVIC – Antun KATANEC (Cro) 6:0, 6:0
Quarterfinals: Duje AJDUKOVIC-M.DROBNJAKOVIC (Srb) 6:1,7:6
Semifinals: Duje AJDUKOVIC – Yshai OLIEL (Isr) 2:6, 0:6

Bodin ZARKOVIC (Srb) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Bodin ZARKOVIC – Leon KOS (Cro) 6:1, 6:2
2nd round: Bodin ZARKOVIC- S. BERBEROVIC (BiH) 6:0,6:0
Quarterfinals: Bodin ZARKOVIC – Tobias PUERRER (Aut) 6:1, 6:3
Semifinals: Bodin ZARKOVIC – Karlo SUEVICH (Cro) 4:6,7:5,1:6

Jan KUPCIC (Slo) – 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011
1st round: Jan KUPCIC – Alessio SAVOLDI (Ita) 6:3, 4:6, 6:1
2nd round: Jan KUPCIC – Oscar GALIMARDANOV (Rus) 1:6, 3:6

Stipan MADZAR (Cro) – 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011 semifinalist
1st round: Stipan MADZAR-Leonhard KEHRBEIN (Ger) 6:4, 6:1
2nd round: Stipan MADZAR – Karlo SUEVICH (Cro) 0:6, 0:6

Mark KEKI (Isr) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Mark KEKI – Yshai OLIEL (Isr) 3:6, 2:6

Ivan BRAJKO (Cro) – 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011
1st round: Ivan BRAJKO – M.DROBNJAKOVIC (Srb) 6:3,1:6,0:6

Andreja PETROVIC (Nor) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Andreja PETROVIC -Yan BONDAREVSKIY (Rus) 2:6,3:6

Nemanja MALESEVIC (BiH) – 16th Smrikva Bowl 2011
1st round: Nemanja MALESEVIC – Antun KATANEC (Cro) 3:6, 1:6

Borna SEATOVIC (Cro) – 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010
1st round: Borna SEATOVIC-O.GALIMARDANOV (Rus) 4:6,1:4 ret.

26/04/12

Matic Podlipnik, 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 player, with his tennis friends Blažka Tratnik, Žan Gorenec Diemat, Luka Miklavčič, Jan Vehovec and Gašper Topčič completed their second workshop at La Bottega di Smrikve and returned home...

La Bottega di Smrikve is a natural development of the story started in 1996 when the Smrikva Bowl tennis talents story began…

... and the following are few pictures of the story that we wrote in our memories with Matic Podlipnik and his friends... Jan Vehovec, Žan Gorenec Diemat, Blažka Tratnik, Luka Miklavčič and Gašper Topčič over the last week during their second workshop at La Bottega… for Gašper this was his first time at La Bottega…

... scientists agree that to create long term memories you need to do things with heart and combine them with emotions… thus Rovinj… pizza at Sergio restaurant in the old downtown… Smrikve courts… and all the actors present at our second workshop were helping to add little things that may help our little talents in their growth… there is a say that the seeds of today may be the flowers of tomorrow… ;)... you never know… :)

When I look at the above picture taken on our road to Sergio Restaurant… the mind can create infinitive thoughts… kids looking at the same direction… sharing similar dreams… being and developing friend(SHIPS)... and among infinitive thoughts I decided to take out a saying…

“If you want to build a (friend)SHIP, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea…” and growing one can learn and agree that… “”love does not consist of gazing at each other but looking outward in the same direction”... :)

... at Sergio Restaurant… kids hearts were with Barcelona and mouths enjoyed Sergio’s pizza :)... while jokes shared by Gašper were more than funny for everyone ;)...

... we try not to miss the ice cream on Brioni seaside… the spring… the wind… the sun… and after the walk… the ice cream seems increadibly good :)...

... exploring… and going towards the limit is something each of us does while we try to learn something…

... and on the courts each of them had the role… or part… Blažka was runing this part…

... and here would be hard to gues what Žan was doing… that was practicing some cawboys dancing steps :)...

Five months ago me and Miro shared our time with Matic and his friends… and this second workshop was dedicated in adding some new little building blocks identified for each student during their first stay… and elements that are valid for all of them…

Good bye… and best wishes kids! :)

23/04/12

World Book Day... Smrikva Bowl Ambassador's Library... at La Bottega...

Today is World Book Day…

…and this morning I received a friend’s note “Lets celebrate your love for books and share your knowledge… For that I will do nothing but just reading books… :)”

“… reading and books are just so important because it falls a day after the Earth day. This is what I think about how important reading is… no matter what kind of books u are reading …. a few pages a day… keep your brain damage away…”

In 2009 we started the building of the Smrikva Bowl library. Each Smrikva Bowl player is requested to bring with him a cultural book that will remember his stay in Smrikve and will represent his culture of origin that one day guests of Smrikve will be able to consult, enjoy and discover.

… and combined with the Ambassador’s donated book La Bottega di Smrikve has another tennis book and video library :)…

Phisically Smrikva Bowl Library was arranged in August 2011 and is used both as Library space and “La Bottega” teaching room too… thus in our Library you can find in addition to Ambassador’s donated books the following tennis books and DVDs…

Smrikva Bowl Ambassadors are today spread in 53 countries and all the continents. Historically their task was to search the talented kids in their countries of origin and invite them to play the Smrikva Bowl but from this year they are also our Cultural Ambassadors.

The old olive tree Smrikva Bowl Ambassadors plant every year is a symbol of friendship and intergenerational responsibility and Smrikva Bowl’s idea of children, sport, music and culture that are able to pass all frontiers are incorporated in the creation of this Smrikva Bowl Library.

I used to write in my first book on European Union and Cosmopolitan Democracy that we are those who represent the current civilization.

This is an important concept. Today people live an average of about 80 years. What we call civilization is mostly made up of the human knowledge we have accumulated until today, which our institutions pass onto future generations.

The books represent the greatest human memory that can help us understand what we see combined with cumulated personal experience of our daily lives. But given the fragility of the circle of life it is very easy for people to ignore these facts and lose sight of our human knowledge. It takes just a few generations to lose this great heritage.

We have gotten used to rapid technological progress, but social and civil progress is slower and more complex. Humans learn throughout their whole lifetime, from books and schools, but we also mostly learn from our personal experiences.

Smrikva Bowl mission is to develop and spread cosmopolitan values. Love, friendship and empathy are cosmopolitan values per excellence for people and humanity…

22/04/12

Matic Podlipnik, 15th Smrikva Bowl 2010 player, with his tennis friends Blažka Tratnik, Žan Gorenec Diemat, Luka Miklavčič, Jan Vehovec and Gašper Topčič are at La Bottega di Smrikve for their second workshop...

Some years ago I started to dedicate more and more time to the Smrikve Tennis School development… it was a natural development of a the story started in 1996 when the Smrikva Bowl tennis talents story began…

TALENTED PLAYERS THAT WE ACCEPT DURING THE YEAR FOR SHORTER PERIODS OF TIME AS GUESTS OF OUR SCHOOL ARE LINKED TO THE SMRIKVA BOWL NETWORK…

… the preference of the accepted players always go to the talents we had opportunity to meet during Smrikva Bowl or players recommended by the Smrikva Bowl Ambassadors… traditionally they have good understending of the Smrikve philosophy…

… and this is the story that we started to develop with Matic Podlipnik and his friends… Jan, Žan, Blaška, Luka and Gašper that are doing these days their second workshop at La Bottega… actually for Gašper yesterday was his first day at La Bottega :)…

WHY LA BOTTEGA IN THE NAME OF A TENNIS SCHOOL…

During the Renaissance period La Bottega (the art and craft workshop) was the nursery site for the formation of the artists… and was probably the source of the Renaissance itself…

Inside La Bottega you should try to imagine pupils, still children, that began to take their first steps into the world of art… growing their talent side by side with greatest artists…

… and the work of art was never result of a single artist but always of an entire workshop although the teacher worked personally doing parts to make the work uniform and close to perfection…

Five months ago me and Miro shared our time with Matic and his friends… that are among the most talented players of their generation in Slovenia… and this second workshop is a dedicated in adding another little building block that was identified for each student during their first stay…

Matic played Smrikva Bowl in 2010 and today is one of the most talented players in his age group in Slovenia and his friends are all dedicating a lot of time into developing their tennis talent thus to me and Miro it is an honour and fun to be their hosts…

Kids are special… and as Yoda would say: “Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.”… and every time there is a possibility to work with kids… if you try… you can feel it :)

14/04/12

Petra Martic, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 winner and #57th player on WTA list, played semifinals against Carolin WOZNIACKI at E-Boks open 2012 in Denmark

Petra Martic, 6th Smrikva Bowl 2001 winner, is the best ranked former Smrikva Bowl player on WTA ranking list… currently she holds #57th place on WTA list…

This week she played the semifinals of the E-Boks Denmark Open 2012 USD 220.000 worth tournament…

Her road towards the semifinals of the Main Draw was the following:

1st round: Petra Martic – Annika BECK (Ger) 6:4, 6:4
2nd round: Petra Martic – Johanna KONTA (Aus) 6:2, 6:3
Quarterfinals: Petra Martic-Bojana JOVANOVSKI (Srb) 6:4,4:6,6:3
Semifinals: Petra Martic – Caroline WOZNIACKI (Den) 6:3, 6:2

The ranking of the players that Petra played is the following:

Annika BECK (Ger) – #185 on WTA list
Johanna KONTA (Aus) – #234 on WTA list
Bojana JOVANOVSKI (Srb) – #106 on WTA list
Caroline WOZNIACKI (Den) – #6 on WTA list