Nadal downs Murray in thriller to reach ATP final

Saturday, November 27, 2010


LONDON — Rafael Nadal clinched his first appearance in the final of the ATP World Tour finals after a thrilling 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 7-6 (8/6) win over Andy Murray on Saturday.

Nadal has won nine Grand Slam titles during his astonishing career but the Spaniard has never triumphed at this prestigious end-of-year event featuring the world's top eight players.

Now he has a golden opportunity to end a remarkable season with one last triumph at London's O2 Arena.

The world number one, who has already won Wimbledon and the French and US Opens this year, will play Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final.

Defeat was hard on Murray, who led 4-1 in the final set tie-break, and even the consolation of taking part in one of the best matches of the year is unlikely to ease the Scot's frustration at a missed opportunity to win the biggest prize of his career.

Nadal has been in terrific form this week, a complete contrast to the forlorn figure who lost three successive matches here last year.

Murray knew he had to improve his serving to compete with Nadal and the early signs were good there, too, as he fired down seven aces in his opening four games, losing only four points in the process.

Neither player was prepared to give an inch and the set proceeded smoothly all the way to the tie-break, which Nadal took after a gruelling battle for supremacy.

Murray faced two break points early in the second set. Now was the time for the Scot to show his fighting spirit, and he did, with a brave second serve saving one before a backhand winner took care of the second.

The crowd sensed that could prove a big moment and in the seventh game Murray got his chance.

A gift from Nadal was followed by two terrific points from the home hope to take him to 0-40.

Nadal saved all two of those break points but he then missed a backhand to give Murray a third chance, and this time he took it, leaving his opponent standing with a searing cross-court backhand.

Serving to stay in the set at 3-5, the Spaniard was left helpless as Murray blasted his way to 15-40 and then drilled a backhand winner cross-court to level the match.

Early in the third set, Murray turned to the drop shot, but it let him down badly and, out of nothing, Nadal broke serve.

Murray created two more break points at 2-3 only for the world number one to serve his way out of trouble, and at 3-5 Nadal had match point.

For once the Spaniard could not find the shot for the occasion, overcooking a forehand return, but he still had a chance to serve for the match.

In a contest as dramatic as this, it was inevitable there would be another twist, and so it proved as Murray moved to break point, which he took with a stunning backhand pass.

That sent the match to a decisive tie-break and Murray who made the early move, two mini-breaks putting him 3-0 ahead.

Back came Nadal though and at 5-6 the Spaniard had another match point.

Murray saved that one but on Nadal's serve moments later, after three hours and 11 minutes, the match was finally decided with a superb winner from the Spaniard.

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6 Secrets Show You How Not to Get Ripped Off When You Buy Fake Silver American Eagles

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A large number of fake Silver American Eagle bullion coins that are being produced in China are sold as the "real thing" around the world. With a little bit of knowledge you can avoid becoming the victim of these crooks. This article shows you five things to look for so you won't be ripped off when you buy American Silver Eagles and where you can buy authentic coins at the lowest prices.

Listen to the Sound

Hold the silver eagle in a white-gloved hand and gently tap it with another coin. If it's the real thing it will sound like a bell when you tap it. However if it sounds a bit tinny - sort of like a dink - when you tap it, you can be sure that it isn't made out of silver.

Look at the Coin

Even very experienced coin authenticators often won't be able to tell you exactly why a coin is a counterfeit. For some reason, though, it just doesn't seem to look quite right. Real American Silver Eagles have sharp relief and a lovely luster. They definitely don't look gray and dull. If your gut feeling tells you that it's a fake you should go with your instincts.

Check the Date

What's rather amazing is that a large number of the Chinese American Silver Eagle forgeries are dated 1906. How could the forgers not know that the first Silver Eagle was minted eighty years later? If you see a coin with the wrong date don't think you've come upon an ultra-rare error. What you've found is a fake. Save yourself some money and do not buy it.

What does the Edge Look Like?

Look at the edge of the coin. If it does not have a reeded edge it is not an authentic Silver Eagle. Most likely it's one of the fake Chinese coins. Now, even if it is reeded you'll need to examine it a bit more carefully because although some of the fakes have a reeded edge they also have a seam running around the edge.

What's the Weight of the Coin?

Genuine American Silver Eagles weigh one troy ounce, which is 31.1 grams. If the coin you're considering buying weighs less or more than 31.1 grams do not purchase it. Even if everything else might seem right, the weight of a coin is something that most every forger gets wrong.

How to Safely Buy Real American Silver Eagles

If you want to buy real American Silver Eagles one of the safest ways of purchasing them is on eBay and here's how:

In addition to finding some of the best prices around on eBay you can also check each of the seller's ratings. What you should look for is a seller who has a lot of positive feedback. The more the better.

Next, take a good look at how the coin is described before you place your bid. If there are any questions at all in your mind contact the seller via email and have your questions answered before you make your purchase.

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12 Effective Tips on How to Get the Most Out of Your Speakers Bureaus Relationships

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Before you call a speaking bureau, do some research to determine which ones match your goals. Just as two snowflakes aren't alike, it's the same with speakers bureaus.

Your best plan (and you'll discover if they are truly interested in you) is to invite the right bureaus to come to a program. Afterwards, go into schmooze mode - take their representatives for lunch or a drink afterwards.

Each of these bureaus is a way for you to get more paid bookings. So the trick is to deal with each bureau individually.

Instead of simply mailing impersonal flyers or press kits, call each bureau first. Call some time in the late afternoon to find out if your market, fees, and topic match the clients of the bureau. Get your information together first so that you can make the phone call quick and efficient.

Use Your Phone Call Time

1. First, find out if the bureau specializes in a certain area. Some bureaus deal with celebrities, sport's figures, or only authors.

2. Talk to the representative about your market, topic, and fees. Some bureaus only work with speakers who are within a certain price range. Don’t ask for the names of clients. If you want to see who they "truly represent," go to their site and scan the categories. More important, you should find out if what you speak on suits the types of clients the bureau works with.

3. Make sure the bureau knows if you’ve worked with another bureau. Believe it or not, bureaus speak to their competitors. They all tend to know one another, and yes, your old bureau can be a good reference for you.

4. If the bureau matches your topic and fees, ask for permission to send them your materials. Inform them of what you will be sending – content sheets, fee schedules, presentation folders, etc. and ask them if there is anything else they need.

5. Be friendly to the bureau ethic by letting them know you’re willing to be part of a team. Inform them that YOU are going to do everything you can to make THEIR bureau look great in the eyes of the CLIENT.

6. Let the bureau know that they can always expect professional behavior from you. They get scared with speakers they have never worked with before. Show them that you will always deliver and that satisfaction is guaranteed!

7. Get to know the bureau’s requirements. They’ll only work for you by invitation, and you will have to go over a contract with them. Most often a bureau will want to see you speak in person before they’ll contract you.

8. A good way to get to know bureaus is to call leads into those you want to work with. Oh, do speaker's bureaus love this. Who wouldn't? You're giving them a chance to earn their 20-25% commission.

9. Make sure you update all your bureaus regularly. Be proactive with your bureau and let them know you are going to arm them with the materials THEY need to promote you. Send a monthly booking schedule and newsletters, and include any new articles written by or about you.

10. Again, do your research. Find out about the owners of the bureaus you’re interested in. Contact the owners with articles you’ve written and postcards from the places you’re speaking. It takes time, but it’s worth building a relationship with bureau owners. Each relationship could turn into tons of potential speaking contracts for you.

11. Always treat bureau representatives respectfully. Don’t nag or use foul language on the phone or in person. Bureaus have tons of choice in speakers on every topic, and they want to know you’ll treat their clients well. Each bureau looks not only for talent and specific topics but also for the ability to work on a team.

12. Remember that bureaus only ever work on commission. They have a big overhead…

One last note: When you work with a speaker agent, they represent YOU. YOU are their focus. A speaker bureau deals with LOADS of speakers. I hate to say this -- but you are a commodity to them that they are selling, that's it. They represent the client's best needs, not yours. If you know that going in, then you won't be thrown by anything else in the relationship. In other words, they are looking out for their own best interests!

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