The new layout is finished! Hope you guys like it! Raahima from RainonMe.net who did the last header did this one too. I wanted something that highlighted Fernando’s best victory last year in Barcelona, and I’m really happy with what she designed, and the brightness of the header provides a nice contrast to the dark of the layout.

There are still a few small details I need to sort out, but the overall renovations are finished! The site is viewed best in browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera, so if you use Internet Explorer, I recommend upgrading to one of these to view the site (and most other websites) better. If you notice any weird errors or missing images or links, please leave a comment below, as well as one letting me know what you think of the new re-design. The priority is to make things accessible for you guys, the fellow fans, so feedback is always welcome and wanted!

Glenn asked if he could do a guest blog with some reflections about Fernando’s 2010 season. Hope you enjoy :)
—–
It happens so quickly….
Life can change in the blink of an eye…  
Important careers can develop… 
New motivation can be found…
A long lost hope can be rekindled…. 
Still, we should be thankful for whatever changes life throws at us… 
Because all too soon, the day will come when there are no more changes left…

It has been another eventful year for Fernando and his countless fans.   After a long 6 months, Fernando rewarded us with another trophy, this time in San Jose.  The solid win (3-6, 6-4, 6-3) did not only mean his fourth  ATP title, it was also a milestone for Spanish players. It had been over 45 years since a Spaniard had won in the Bay Area, but Fernando did his country proud when he won the tournament.

Just two months later, he reached the finals of Monte Carlo by beating another top five player–and top seed in the tournament–Novak Djokovic.  Fernando was not victorious in the finals, but he was determined to win another title.  Just one week later, he did himself and all of his fans proud.  He won the Barcelona tournament earning him another 500 points and the infamous Godó trophy.  This was his second title in Spain and his first 500 title.  He, rightfully so, called it ‘the best moment in my career’.

Not to mention all the quarterfinals and semifinals he reached!  His year started undoubtedly as well as any player could want.  He rekindled hope for those who were beginning to lose it and his ranking went up to equal his career high.  We hope that 2011 may bring even more titles and an even higher rank.

There is a lot to be afraid of in this world…
But what we are afraid of has nothing to do with scary monsters or the dark…
No.  It’s the thoughts in our mind that terrify us the most.
What if I lose this game? …
What if I lose this set?  …
What if I lose this match?  …
And how do we overcome these terrifying thoughts?
We begin by reminding ourselves that what does not kill us, just makes us stronger.

In 2010, many people saw the Fernando they knew from the  2008 DC rubber against Argentina.  Just like then, he proved he can do it.  He can overcome stress and doubts and turn them into victory.  Just like in 2008, Fernando is not defined by what people expect from a match, but he is defined by what he expects.  By what he wants.  By the determination and the effort he wants to put in.  The countless hours of training in the gym and on court pay off, but ultimately it is about what goes on in Fernando’s head.  He knows he can overcome his own demons.  He has shown us, and more importantly: himself, what he can do.  Not just in 2008, but yet again this year!

We here at Verdasco News want to wish you all happy holidays and a great new year.  Hopefully a new year with a lot of victories by a certain man.  A man who is willing to put in effort to get what he wants.  A man who shows that his determination will always be stronger than the doubts of the public.  A man who gets energy and will, not only from his fans, but from deep within.  A man called…. Fernando Verdasco.

To put it in his own words: ‘Es tu cancha, es tu torneo.’  We want to add: ‘Es tu año!’

On another note… There has not only been on-court news this year.  There has been a lot of off-court media attention as well.  Therefore, I’d like to add some final words.  Some words to think about for the new year.

Gossip…
It’s just a harmless form of pasttime…
It’s careless talk that is often just biased fiction. 
It’s speculation that is based on unproven information. 
How can we protect ourselves from the venomous sting of such idle gossip?
The best way is to just speak the truth….
And to wait for people to start talking about…someone else.

http://fernando-verdasco.com/

There’s not much content at the moment, just a video, but hey, it’s a start! I have no clue when it launches or anything like that, but it’s great that Fernando finally has something official! Don’t worry though, I’ll still be updating here and probably once it launches too, considering lots of times, official sites just do minor updates and stuff.

Hi guys :) This is just me letting you know that I’m still here but that the site will be on a mini-hiatus until the tennis season kicks off again next month. Right now, Nando is recovering and getting ready for next year, so there isn’t going to be much in the way of news and updates.

However I’ll be a busy little bee this off season working on getting the rest of the site all put together. I’ve still got a lot of work to do on the results pages and I’m constantly adding new pictures to the gallery (click the link to the right or click here to check those out.

Fernando will be playing in Kooyong for his Australian Open tune-up, and isn’t defending his final appearance in Brisbane as far as I know. You can check out his tentative schedule for the coming year here.

So in conclusion, you might not see updates on the main page here, but keep checking back, as I’ll be constantly adding new stuff to the site in preparation for the new year! Vamos Fernando and good luck :)

- Lynsey

http://verdasconews.com/gallery

Hi kids. I’ve decided to open up a site gallery here at Verdasco News. Partially because I have a hard drive full of photos of Fernando that I need someplace to put and partially because uploading the photos directly to WordPress is a bit of a headache when I forget to label certain pictures from certain rounds correctly and get confused about what tournament certain pictures came from. Plus, it’s an easier way for you guys to view the pictures. I may also expand it to share video clips of Fernando from various sites for you to watch :)

The layout is sort of bland and the gallery itself will be by no means comprehensive of Nando’s entire career, mostly stuff from 2008 onward, but it’s there and I’ll be slowly adding pictures during the off-season in order to have something to do here while we’re all mourning no tennis on TV!

Be sure to check the site twitter for updates on new uploads. I’ve got a couple albums added to the gallery already, including pictures of both of Fernando’s WTF matches, so you can poke around a bit and check those out. Enjoy!

Lynsey :)

Have got things all set up here. Feel free to poke around the site, although some bits are still under construction. If you notice anything wonky, please let me know :)