Tebbutt Tuesday - Favourite Photos from 2016

Félix Auger-Aliassime was down on the grass at Wimbledon but he did reach the quarter-finals of the junior boys singles as well as the doubles final with Denis Shapovalov. There were bigger things ahead for him at the US Open. [caption id="attachment_62835" align="alignnone" width="1100"] Click to enlarge[/caption] Milos Raonic did a photo shoot during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March for the August issue of Vogue magazine. If you look closely you can see a clasp on his back holding his sweater in place. [caption id="attachment_62829" align="alignnone" width="1283"] Click to enlarge[/caption] The popularity of adidas Stan Smith tennis shoes has gone viral. The 70-year-old Smith, a US Open (1971) and Wimbledon (1972) champion, can be seen here on the left in his eponymous footwear talking to old rival Rod Laver during the French Open. Here is a tweet from ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell about the shoes. https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/803773663459807232 [caption id="attachment_62827" align="alignnone" width="2041"] Click to enlarge[/caption] The lettering on the large iron gate just off the sidewalk on the way to Roland Garros reads, “Etablissement Horticole – Ville de Paris.” At the rear of this verdant oasis, with its many old greenhouses, is where Roland Garros wants to expand much to the displeasure and resistance of local residents. [caption id="attachment_62832" align="alignnone" width="1100"] Click to enlarge[/caption] The ball hockey game is a fixture of the Rogers Cup events in Toronto and Montreal. Above in Toronto this past summer are (left to right beginning with the player in a white jersey and reverse ball-cap) Dominic Moore of the Boston Bruins, Novak Djokovic, Félix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Kudla and Denis Shapovalov. [caption id="attachment_62834" align="alignnone" width="1100"] Click to enlarge[/caption] This group of Canadians – one guy with Vasek Pospisil affixed to his T-shirt – was basking in the antipodean sunshine last January as they watched Pospisil play Gilles Simon on Show Court 2 at the Australian Open. [caption id="attachment_62833" align="alignnone" width="1100"] Click to enlarge[/caption] This was the day before the 2016 US Open began and shows the walkway from the new Grandstand arena back toward Arthur Ashe Stadium with its now functioning retractable roof visible at the top in the background. [caption id="attachment_62830" align="alignnone" width="1983"] Click to enlarge[/caption] This bunch of nattily-attired gents were on Court 12 at Wimbledon supporting Genie Bouchard (on court in background) during her first-round match at Wimbledon last June. [caption id="attachment_62828" align="alignnone" width="1446"] Click to enlarge[/caption] Denis Shapovalov is an exuberant young guy who likes to show his emotions on court as he does in this shot from the 2016 French Open. [caption id="attachment_62823" align="alignnone" width="2289"] Click to enlarge[/caption] During a changeover in Genie Bouchard’s first and only match at the 2016 US Open a ballboy can be seen in the background filling up the courtside cooler with Evian water. [caption id="attachment_62824" align="alignnone" width="1932"] Click to enlarge[/caption] This picture was taken in the media room before the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris in late October. It shows French journalists gathered around Radio Monte Carlo reporter Eric Salliot as they watch Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at match point against Ivo Karlovic in the semifinals of the ATP 500 event in Vienna. [caption id="attachment_62819" align="alignnone" width="1905"] Click to enlarge[/caption] What a surprise! The camera lens was pointed at Genie Bouchard on a lower level of the practice courts at Wimbledon when somehow Ernests Gulbis made an unlikely appearance in the frame. [caption id="attachment_62820" align="alignnone" width="2531"] Click to enlarge[/caption] Wimbledon spectators are constantly passing by and paying their respects to the legendary Fred Perry. And they’re careful not to “sit on the plants.” [caption id="attachment_62822" align="alignnone" width="1895"] Click to enlarge[/caption] There’s always hype when the players enter show courts at the US Open – in this case it’s Milos Raonic heading out onto Court 17 for his opening-round match this year against Dustin Brown. [caption id="attachment_62836" align="alignnone" width="1100"] Click to enlarge[/caption] A random shot of a woman pushing a baby carriage at Wimbledon – with the members enclosure and players facilities buildings in the background – turned out to include a smiling 2015 US Open champion Flavia Pennetta walking along casually. Co-incidentally, it was learned recently that Pennetta and husband Fabio Fognini are expecting their first child. [caption id="attachment_62818" align="alignnone" width="1943"] Click to enlarge[/caption] Andy Murray practiced with Rafael Nadal on Court Philippe Chatrier before the start of the 2016 French Open. There’s always a relaxed informality about those sessions and here coach Jamie Delgado approaches Murray while his support team is seated on the left. That’s ‘Uncle Toni’ walking toward Nadal (hidden behind the umpire’s chair) with physio Rafael Maymo standing on the right. [caption id="attachment_62825" align="alignnone" width="1733"] Click to enlarge[/caption] You gotta love the unabashedly Canadian guy in the crowd behind Milos Raonic during a match on the second show court during the Paris indoor event last fall. [caption id="attachment_62826" align="alignnone" width="900"] Click to enlarge[/caption] This is the famous “La Fontaine Stravinsky” in Paris near the Pompidou Centre. It’s a whimsical tribute to Russian composer Igor Stravinsky featuring 16 moving works of sculpture that spray water. Those two young children in the lower right just happened to be in the picture. HAPPY NEW YEAR – back next Tuesday with our first blog from Australia.