The future of tennis is a tough 19 year old Spaniard named Rafael Nadal. I used to be a huge fan of tennis but in recent years football & ice hockey took complete control of interest. Then ofcourse WWE and it seemed that tennish took a back seat. Also the lack of real characters in the sport plus the fact that most of my favourites have retired by the mid to late 1990's pushed tennis from No.2 to No.4 in my list. Anyway back to Nadal, the powerhouse from Mallorca, who stunned a seemingly invinsible Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the French Open in Paris on Friday and later today meets Mariano Puerta in the final. Puerta himself is a successful comeback story, having spent 9 months out of the game, suspended due to a drugs scandal. The 26 year old Argentine is keen to redeem himself for the controversy and crown himself king of the Paris clay courts. However Nadal is firm faourite now and whatever happens in the match, he is surely the future of tennis.



DANIEL BRIERE No:48; Postition : Center; Height : 5' 10"; Weight : 179; Shoots : Right; Born Oct 6, 1977; GATINEAU, QC, CAN. Plays for the Buffalo Sabres & Captains the side. When they noticed Briere scored 167 points in 67 games for the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL in 1995-96, the Phoenix Coyotes suspected they might have spotted the future anchor for their top line. The Coyotes used a first-round pick (24th overall) in 1996 on Briere, and in 2001-02, Briere became a full-time NHL center. That came after Briere finished a successful junior hockey career that included 416 points in 198 games. In his first professional season, Briere finished fourth in the AHL in scoring, netting 92 points in 68 games for the Springfield Falcons. That garnered rookie of the year honors and qualified as a first-team All-Star. In 2001-02, Briere recorded 60 points in 78 games for the Coyotes. On 10-Mar-2003 the Buffalo Sabres traded Chris Gratton and a 4th round selection in 2004 to the Phoenix Coyotes for Daniel Briere and a 3rd round selection in 2004. 22-Jun-96: Drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1st round (24th overall) in 1996.



AWARDS:
2004 IIHF - Gold Medal with Canada at the World Championships (in Prague)
1997-98 AHL - Dudley "Red" Garret Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
1997-98 AHL - First All-Star Team
1996-97 QMJHL - Second All-Star Team
1995-96 QMJHL - Jean Beliveau Trophy (Leading scorer)
1995-96 QMJHL - Second All-Star Team
1994-95 QMJHL - Michel Bergeron Trophy (Top Rookie Forward)





Song for the day - "Room Service" - BRYAN ADAMS