Forty Deuce

Andy Murray, PR Guru?

Nice article in the Guardian UK on Andy Murray's charm offensive (as opposed to offensive charm).

An excerpt:

From being pretty well known, Murray can probably now be classified as famous. 'Yes, this year, especially towards the end of the year, I've been recognised a lot more,' he says. 'But I don't really go out that much. I spend a lot of time walking the dog on the common. Pretty dull, actually.' He makes no attempt to hide his identity on these outings. 'I don't really wear hats. I just wear normal clothes and try to mix in. People do stop me for photos or an autograph, and everyone's been very supportive.'

There is a lot of fan mail now, too, he says. Mostly from girls? 'Careful,' Higgins interjects, which may account for what sounds suspiciously like a canny reply. 'I do get a lot from older people - 65 to 70,' he says, giving what is surely a fact too far. 'It's a mixture, but it's surprising that I get so many from grandparents being very supportive of everything I've done over the past few years.'

The unsupportive letters, which multiplied when he made an ill-judged joke about supporting 'anyone but England' during the 2006 World Cup, have largely dried up. 'It's started to get better the last year or so. Around the time, the reaction wasn't abusive - it wasn't swearing or whatever - it just wasn't particularly nice. People don't mention it to me so much, but my fitness trainer and others around me have a lot of friends who think that I don't like English people, which is obviously not true.' Exhibit one in this respect is his English girlfriend Kim Sears, although he stops short of mentioning her by name.

Criticism of his on-court behaviour is also on the wane. He explains the process by which he has curbed his anger, while still managing to become very visibly pumped-up: 'I always said that I wanted to get better at around this time in my career and that when I did work on it, it would definitely improve. The physical side of things is what has made such a huge difference. I find playing a tennis match much easier than I did before because the work off the court is much harder. The angry moments come out in the gym and on the running track now rather than when I'm playing. It's made a big difference, especially in the long matches in the grand slams.'

Good for Andy.  I'm rooting for the kid in 2009. 

More on Andy (seriously, there are like 5 articles a day on him in the British press):

A Gentleman and a Scholar
Murray Goes From Scowling Teen To Grannies' Favorite

Will Russia Roll In Hong Kong?

Here are the details for the JB Group Classic, which is set to take place in Hong Kong on January 7-10:

Global Team Event headed up by Stars – Jankovic, Sharapova, Williams & Zheng Jie

(Hong Kong, November 27th, 2008) Organisers announced today a star-studded line up to take part in the J B • GROUP Classic 2009, a World Team Challenge.
 
The Hong Kong Tennis Patrons’ Association (HKTPA) recently created a new concept for their January Event. The J B • GROUP Classic will feature teams from four regions of the globe, Team Europe, Team Russia, Team Americas and Team Asia Pacific. There are 3 players to each team and full details of each team and the format were announced today.
 
Team Europe
Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) – World No. 1
Agnes Szavay (Hungary) – China Open Champion 2007
Michelle Larcher De Brito (Portugal) – Portuguese No. 1

Team Russia
Maria Sharapova (Russia) – Australian Open Champion 2008
Vera Zvonareva (Russia) – World No. 7
Alexandra Panova (Russia) – Star of the Future

Team Americas
Venus Williams (USA) – Wimbledon Champion 2008
Gisela Dulko (Argentina) – South American No. 1
Coco Vandeweghe (USA) – US Open Junior Champion 2008
    
Team Asia Pacific
Zheng Jie (China) – Wimbledon Semi finalist 2008
Sania Mirza (India) –Indian No. 1
Zhang Ling (Hong Kong) – Hong Kong No. 1

The Hong Kong Tennis Patrons’ Association released details of the Tournament Format and Draw for the J B • GROUP Classic 2009 World Team Challenge.
 
The Semi Finals
Team Russia play Team Asia Pacific 
AND
Team Americas play Team Europe
 
Each semi final will consist of 2 singles matches and 1 doubles match. Winners of the two semi finals go into the J B Gold Group Final and Losers go into the J B Silver Group Final where they will play to determine the Champions of both groups.
 
In the J B Gold Group, the winners of the J B • GROUP Classic 2009 will be determined by a round of 5 matches consisting of 4 singles matches and a doubles match, just like the Davis or Federation Cups.

That's a damn strong Russian team.  They should steamroll Asia into the final.

The most intriguing match-up?  Venus/Coco vs. JJ/Burrito.  That should be a fun one to watch if only for JJ's reaction upon hearing Burrito's epic squeal/grunt/scream.  I can hear her in my head saying "Oh my God.  You gotta be kidding me.  What the hell is that?"

UPDATED: Was It Something I Said?

It's being reported by TennisReporters.net that the ATP has renewed its interest in Larry Scott for the ATP top job:

The rumor has been flying about who might take the ATP top job and guess whose name has re-emerged? WTA chief Larry Scott, who the ATP has shown serious interest in. Sources say that Scott might be interested if it looks like a merger between the two tours is really in the works, but it might be too soon to pull that off. Plus, where is the ATP going to get the money to satisfy Scott’s high salary demands?

I know I give El Larry a lot of shit but he has done a great job promoting the game.  He's made some hard choices that I don't necessarily agree with (Doha?  REALLY???) but I see his logic and can't really blame him. 

All this is to say I'd be kinda bummed if he did leave the WTA for the ATP.  I don't think that will happen but it's disconcerting that his name is still floating around.

UPDATED: More from ESPN.com:

The leading insider candidates are Brad Drewett, head of the international group, and Mark Young, head of the Americas, while a top external possibility is former French Open head Patrice Clerc, the article added.

A source within the ATP told ESPN.com that, to the best of his knowledge, the three were indeed being considered.

Gimelstob didn't name names, so he didn't comment, either, when asked if Larry Scott, WTA chairman and formerly the ATP's COO, was in contention. Others have been linked with the post, including: John McEnroe Sr.; Arlen Kantarian, the USTA's outgoing CEO of professional tennis; and Butch Buchholz, chairman of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.

Scott reportedly said during the U.S. Open that he wouldn't consider the job unless he had a position allowing him to oversee both bodies. Under his stewardship, the WTA Tour has flourished financially, aided by a six-year deal worth $88 million with title sponsor Sony Ericsson. Scott couldn't be reached for comment.

Is That Your Racquet Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

Rafa is in Moscow at the Moscow Millionaire Fair to schill some luxury homes in Ibiza. 

What?  There's a millionaire convention?  My invitation must have been lost in the mail.  I guess I'll have to wait until next year to find my sugar daddy.

While in Moscow he said hi to fellow Millionaire Marat, who somehow makes Rafa look like a dorky fan-girly dwarf:
 

He'll also play an exhibition against fellow Madridian Iker Casillas, the goalie for Real Madrid:

Nothing says inordinate and unnecessary wealth and fortune than oversized sporting equipment.

Nothing.

No Rest For The Weary

Three weeks is all it took for JJ to rest up, roll around in a bikini with her hunky boyfriend, and restart her training for 2009.  She's already in Mexico training in the high altitude of San Luis in preparation for Australia. 

Seems a little early to me but what do I know.  Good for her.  Hope it doesn't effect her later though.

U.S. Economy So Bad, Nike Uses Discount Models

According to some posters at Tennis Forum, Nike has released a preview of Masha and Serena's Australian Open dresses.

Masha:

Serena:

One word: Huh?

And another sign of the pending financial apocalypse, looks like Nike scrapped their "designer" budget and is just going to copy Adidas from now on:

This is apparently Masha's post-AO dress. 

I guess it's official: Asymetrical boobs are in.

Baby E Buys A Zen Love Shack in Mallorca

Looks like Baby E dropped 4.5M Euros for a 5 bedroom, 4 bath modern villa in Palma Son-Vida in Mallorca.  The current house is 950 square meters sitting on a 5900 square meter lot. 

Here's the translated version of the article:

Ana Ivanovic finds his paradise
Serbian tennis, Roland Garros champion and chosen the most beautiful sportsman, has purchased a villa in Son Vida whose price is 4.5 million

Ana Ivanovic, winner of Roland Garros this year, now number 5 in the world and elected the most beautiful sportsman in the world, has bought a house in Son Vida. This is a villa built on modern lines in 1998. The total plot occupies about 6,000 square meters, of which currently built-up area is 950. The property includes a project to a spa and a house east of additional guests, who can add other 750 m2 to the surface and habitable. The villa has two levels: the ground floor consists of a room of about 130 m2, open kitchen with breakfast area, master bedroom with dressing room and bathroom. On the first floor are 4 bedrooms with terrace and three bathrooms, two of which are en suite. It also includes a separate staff apartment with bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen. Ever since last summer Ana Ivanovic was a few weeks on holiday in Majorca, the Serbian tennis player fell in love with the island and searched a house to buy. During that first visit, Ivanovic made a choice to purchase a villa, also in Son Vida, through the real estate Kühn & Partner, but negotiations not fruitful. On this occasion, the tennis player has done the operation with another real estate agent.

Ana Ivanovic has spent several days this week in Mallorca monitor some reforms on his property. In addition, it has not neglected its preparation, despite being on vacation, and has trained in Palma Racket. Apparently, Ivanovic went yesterday to Mallorca to meet in Madrid with her boyfriend, also a tennis player Fernando Verdasco, and starting from there headed to Miami.

These pics are supposedly from the real estate listing:



The paps are going to have a tough time climbing those trees to get pics. 

Well done, team Ivanovic.

Thanks to babypanda for the head's up.

Updated: Happy Black Friday

I'm going to be braving the crowds in SoHo on Friday in search of some good deals (already lucked out on $900 Prada boots I got for $250 at Saks).  But here are some tennis related Black Friday deals collected by On The Baseline.

In addition, if anyone is interested, Midwest Sports, which is my favorite place to buy tennis stuff online because it's tax free, usually has free shipping, and has good discount pricing, is also offering an additional 10% off on everything in the store.  Just use this code: TNIS112708.  The offer ends on Saturday.

I highly recommend perusing their Nike and Adidas sale items.  A lot of the stuff from this season and last season are over 50% off.  You can totally have fun and buy Ana's cursed outfit for like, $40, and then burn it in hopes of ridding her of all that horrible mojo.  $40 well spent if you ask me.

Updated: Fixed the On The Baseline link.

The Couple That Shops Together, Stays Together

AnaFer shopping in Madrid last week before the DC Final.  Is she wearing a long grey
sweater with a cropped brown motorcycle jacket and tan purse? 
That's one way to go, I guess.

They're already dressing alike!

Gobble Gobble, Time To Wobble

Well it's Thanksgiving here in the States, the day in which Americans gather around a roasted bird and pretend to forget that in exchange for the generous hospitality the indigenous peoples occupying this great land offered, white settlers gave them disease, war, subjugation, and casinos.  So you know, win-win!

Putting all that aside, it is the day where we gather around the table with people we may or may not like and give thanks for the blessings bestowed upon us.  This year I'm spending it in NYC with my sister and it looks like I'll be attending a very Felicityesque T-Day with a bunch of NYC transplants.  I'm genuinely looking forward to it.  Well, the mulled wine at the very least.

All this is a roundabout introduction to my list of the 10 Tennis Related Things I'm Thankful For:

10.  JJ -- Shocker, right?  But seriously, I'm thankful for JJ.  She keeps it fun and interesting.  After all, who else would we talk about if she wasn't around?  The girl gives good quote, hilarious picture, and non-stop glitter-infused drama.  To that, I raise my glass of Aqua Viva water.

9.  My Wilson KFactor kTour Racquet -- Sigh.  It was love at first strike with this puppy, which I got about 8 months ago.  I resisted it for so long because it was Lindsay and Justine's racquet of choice, two players I didn't like that much.  But I demoed Masha's Prince 03 White, Ana's Yonex RQiS 1, Nole's Wilson kBlade, and even JJ's Prince Speedport White and couldn't find one I loved.  At my wits end I finally demoed the kTour, and it was absolutely perfect.  For anyone who's interested, try it out with Wilson Sensation strings at 57 lbs.  It's just a pure and clean hit.

8.  The First Half of 2008 -- It was fun while it lasted.  My girls (Masha/Ana) and boys (Rafa/Nole) were winning, they were looking good, and my life as a tennis fan was all rainbows and handbags.  And then we all stepped on the grass of Wimbledon and it all (well, almost all) went to shit. 

7.  Crazy Eyez Fed -- I love this guy.  He needs to come back, ASAP.

6.  Crazy Russians -- What is it about the home of Stalin, Rasputin, and Vodka that it keeps rolling out the crazies?  Hmmm...I think I may have answered my own question.  Between CrazySexLostHisCool and his  potty mouth of a baby sister, Casper The Melting Ghost, Underachieving Kuz, NoServe McGee, Angry A-Chak, and of course, their greatest export, Maria "Fuck The French" Pova, they really keep things interesting.

5.  New Pretty Faces -- Hot Crazy Elf Train, Gilly, Jo, and Ernie.  Not only are they new cute boys to fawn over, but they actually have game and are exciting to watch.  Sometimes God does give with both hands.

4.  Davis Cup -- Sure, maybe this is inflated given the events of the past week, but still.  Even if Spain hadn't won the Cup in the manner in which they did, Davis Cup was awesome this year.  And looking forward to next year it can only get better, what with TMF agreeing to grace us with his presence.  So for all the HoYay! awesomeness that Davis Cup brings on a quarterly basis, I bring thanks.  Now, if only the ladies took Fed Cup as seriously. 

3.  Rafa -- Sure, I love my Nole, but Rafa's ridiculous 2008 drew me back into men's tennis.  I love his fight, his competitive spirit, his strut, his ADD, his humility and grace, and his perfectly bulbous ass. 

2. Baby E -- Come on, this one's obvious, right?  She single-handedly brought me back into tennis, as it had been a long time since I had a WTA player that I genuinely rooted for.  She's a breath of fresh air in the diva world of the WTA.  And on this day of overeating let us never forget: She's a nerdy fat girl stuck in a hot body. 

1.  You guys -- I really didn't know what to expect when I started this blog in July.  It all came down to the fact that I had all these stupid and immature tennis thoughts running in my head all the time that it was distracting.  So I started the site just to get these ideas "on paper" so I could move on.  I never expected a an international coaltion of like-minded tennis fans, who love the sport and the players but don't put them on a pedestal, would come together to create the rad community that we have going here.  Seriously, you guys make me check my own site on a quarter of an hour basis to keep up with your hilarious comments and insights.  So on the serious, with no sense of cynicism or or irony intended, thanks.

Alrighty, off to get drunk now.  If you see a drunken Asian girl stumbling the streets of Spanish Harlem, steer clear.  I can't promise the turkey is staying down.

I Guess It's Just Like Being There. Kind of.

Take a Journey Through The Slams with Bonnie Ford. 

It would be pretty darn cool to complete the Grand Slam in my lifetime.  It's definitely on my to do list. 

Last Davis Cup Tidbits

• Tennis Week article summarizing Nalby's press conference.

• From Tennis.com:

• Leading candidates to replace Alberto Mancini as Argentine Davis Cup captain are Martin Jaite (David Nalbandian's coach), Hernan Gumy and Gabriel Markus (a former Nalbandian coach).  The leading candidate to replace Emilio Sanchez as Spanish Davis Cup captain is Albert Costa, who Sanchez has called his 'natural successor.' David Ferrer also voiced his support for Costa, and Rafael Nadal has done so in the past. Another name in the mix is Alex Corretja.

• Argentine press report that financial conflict also affected the Davis Cup team that lost last weekend's final against Spain. Nalbandian was originally due to receive half of the $2.8 million the Argentine tennis association was playing the team, but del Potro, after rising into the Top 10 during the second half of the year, was asking for a more equal distribution.

• Bodo gives a 10 turkey club salute to the Armada

Nope, I'm Not Sick Of Them

Rafa finally reunited with the Boys and the whole Armada was in Madrid today wearing suits and looking pretty to be received and congratulated by the Spanish Prime Minister.

Sigh.  I'm still on a high.
 

 

A Little R&R In Doha

Rafa, Roger, Muzz, and A-Rod are confirmed to start their seasons in Doha at the Qatar Open on January 5th.  Muzz is the defending champion.

I would think the top players would want to get to Australia as early as possible.  After all, winning Doha didn't help Muzz last year.  He lost in the first round of the AO.  Sure, he lost to Jo, but still. 

25,000 Texans vs. 1 Fed. This I Gotta See

According to Boyfriend Jon, the contenders to host the March Davis Cup tie between the U.S. and Switzerland are San Antonio, Birmingham, and Greenville.

With all due respect to the good folks of Alabama and South Carolina, you have to think San Antonio is the best option. You have a huge arena -- the Alamodome -- in a major city, barely an hour from the home base of the top American player. I was told that, potentially, this could be the largest crowd ever to attend a sanctioned match in the U.S. When Federer signed on to play Davis Cup in 2009, we suspect he didn't envision himself performing before 25,000 Texans!

Does anyone know how these sites are selected?  Because no offense to Alabama and South Carolina, but WTF? 

I Know I Keep Harping On It But They Were Such Good Sports.

Thanks to rafadoc for posting this over at TW. 

In a nutshell the video is by a satirical show on Spanish TV that sent a "reporter" to ambush the Armada at the Madrid airport on their way to Argentina.  He interviews each of the players by rambling on about Rafa for most of the interview and then give each player three gifts for good luck: (1) a picture of Saint Rafa, (2) a newborn's wrist band so that they don't get lost, and (3) New York Magazine with Rafa on the cover to read on the plane.

And yes, I think I just fell in love with Daveed even more.  He was so quick to laugh and go with the joke.  And he really is a good looking dude when he's not dripping in sweat and walking like a turtle on the court. 

Also, much love for FeLo, who offers to hold the dude's microphone so that he can properly tie the bracelet on.

Not Even Tignor Will Cut Him A Break

After rifling a forehand winner on match point, Verdasco first fell to his knees and then planted his face on the court. I wondered if he had had a similar reaction when Ivanovic said she would go out with him.

-- Steve Tignor, from his great write-up of the Davis Cup weekend.

Oh, It's On Like Donkey Kong

According to her agent, Maria's doing well and is looking forward to a January comeback.  He said that she's "on track" to play a scheduled exhibition in Hong Kong on January 7-10, and then defend her AO title starting January 19th.

So get your Glam Slam tickets now.  Here's hoping he's right.

Looking Ahead to DC 2009

Kamakshi breaks down Davis Cup 2009.  It's gonna be a cracker for the get go.

Air Quotes: Let's Buy The Man Another Round

"When Ferrer found out he was not playing, he took it well. He immediately offered his support to Fernando which helped him come out on court."

-- Emilio Sanchez, Daveed "The Tank" Ferrer's reaction to being replaced by Nando for the fourth rubber on Sunday.  I highly recommend you read the Tennis Week article linked to this quote.  More details on all the weekend drama, and an interesting comment made by a mysterious former (hot!) Argentine standout.  She would know class and grace.

Maybe That Extra Weight Is Just His Ego?

Pete weighs in on Nalby.  And it's not pretty. 

Baby E Vows To Save Kids, One Teddy Bear At A Time

Everytime I get to the point where I think "maybe my Ana love is unjustified" I read something new that just reminds me why I love the girl:

Ana is the figurehead of UNICEF’s Christmas gift campaign in Serbia. Together with basketball legend Sasha Djordevic, Ana is appearing in print advertising to promote the items, which are sold on a 100 per cent charitable basis.

“When I was a kid I used to receive UNICEF cards,” said Ana. “Now, I am sending them. It is a special pleasure to know that each UNICEF card and product, apart from making a person who receives it happy, directly helps at least one child.”

Items for sale in Serbia include teddy bears, greeting cards and toys such as the “Brio Ant”. Visitors in Serbia can buy the items by visiting the UNICEF Shop.

Funds raised through the gift campaign are used within Serbia to fund UNICEF’s priority programmes, which are aimed at promoting a rights-based approach to the survival, development and inclusion of all children from conception through adolescence.

There is a particular focus on the rights of those children who are excluded due to ethnic background, disability, poverty, violence, abuse or exploitation. Ana fronts the “School Without Violence” programme and she visited a Belgrade school earlier this month.

Sure, the program is cool and it's a nice excuse to post adorable pictures of Baby E with teddybears:

But really gets me is her non-chalant "When I was a kid I used to receive UNICEF cards".  Sometimes I forget that she grew up in the midst of all that bombing.  And though she, Nole, and JJ have all helped create this new rejuvenated image of Serbia, it's still a battered, war torn country with a lot of issues.

Here's a video ESPN did that actually addressed the NATO bombings.  Click forward to 3:40ish.

How Can You Not Love These Guys?

Davis Cup Dinner
Toreros
Rafa Looking Good
Yo Soy Espanol!
A Hilarious, But Failed, Attempt

After Much Cake, Fat Dave Opens Up

Finding himself in the center of the intense media storm surrounding Argentina's crushing Davis Cup loss, Fat Dave voluntarily held a press conference to discuss the rumors and innuendo regarding the internal team strife that many are blaming for the loss.  ESPN Deportes has the best write up and the translated version can be found here.

[Begin rant]

Sorry, dude.  Way too little, way too late.  And if anything, this just pisses me off more.  You are officially my least favorite Argie.  Losses are emotional and no one wants to deal with the press afterwards.  But it's part of your job.  I don't get a free pass from my bosses when I skip out on work obligations just because "I didn't feel like it".

And, you hold this press conference presumably to clear the air and "keep it classy" but you clearly take digs at Elf in the process?  You could have been the bigger man here (and seriously, based on weight class, you are) and swept any dispute you had with him under the rug.  But you chose not to.  You're trying to dodge the blame by placing it elsewhere ("Juan knows what he did", "Mancini made the decisions").  Weak sauce, Nalby. 

You want to be treated like a professional?  Then act like one.  Otherwise we'll treat you like the egomaniacal only child with an unfound sense of entitlement that you've always been. 
[End rant]

Pic This: "Yes We Can."

Last set of pics from Day 3 of the Davis Cup.  Sniff.  I'm going to miss it.

I have this unjustified fear/hatred of Spiderman.  So I screamed a little when I saw this one.

"Frank the Tank!  Frank the Tank!"


Poor puppy.  And good on Elf for consoling him. 


On the serious, I'm really happy for Nando.


Yup.  Pretty much.  Will Nalby be on the team next year?  We gonna see.


"NOOOO!!!!  NOT THE HAIR!!!!"


FeLo goes for the jewels.


Sigh.  Perfection.  I'm gonna miss you the most, Sugar Daddy.

This Is Going To Make Googling Baby E Much More Difficult

Great.  Now when I google "Ana Ivanovic" I get all these Tabasco articles.  Luckily, that's not such a bad thing today.

Some great Davis Cup reading:

A Dream Come True For Verdasco
Unlikely Davis Cup Win For Fernando Verdasco
Spain Lift Davis Cup Without Rafael Nadal
"Something Spectacular" For Spain

I just love the Spanish team.  You stay classy, Spain.

Not Even A Dog Pile Disturbs The Hair

Beauty Saves The World. Well, At Least Spain.

Well, holy crap.  They did it, they actually did it.  Against all odds when pretty much everyone was writing them off, they pulled it out.  It wasn't pretty and Lady Luck was on their side, but you know what they say, you make your own luck.

Who would have thought that the heroes of the team that would bring home Spain's first Davis Cup won on foreign soil would be FeLo and Nando?  The boys better known for the their looks and their black books (and more than occasional HoYay) sealed this one up for Spain.  FeLo with his gutsy win over Elf on Friday, both of them for their doubles win yesterday, and Nando, whose win today avoided a deciding tie between FeLo and Nalby.  And let's face it, Nalby would have taken that one.

But boy, it wasn't easy.  Because of Elf's leg injury, Mancini subbed in Acasuso and Emilio responded by tapping Nando over Farquaad.  I was streaming the match from my hotel room and at the airport and I was one tense mothercrapper.  Fer came out of the gate firing on all cylinders and clearly overmatched a very nervous Chucho, taking the first set 64.  But then the serving yips (one of the few things he has in common with his girlfriend) hit him and the second and third sets were just ugly.  Fer and Chucho broke each other back and forth, and just when one seemed to have the momentum they would go on stretches of gutless play.  It really was infuriating.

But Nando righted the ship in the fourth, and as I predicted, Chucho just didn't have anything left in the tank.  They guy hadn't played a match in weeks and he was clearly not match fit.  By the time the fourth set was over, Chucho was on the Argentine bench begging his abs rubbed down for something, and he was barely there in the deciding fifth set.  Nando would eventually win 6-3, 6-7 (3), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Yeah, he was pretty excited. 

Get ready, Ana.  You better start stretching now.  Daddy's coming home and he had a pretty big day.

Not enough can be said about the fantastic job Emilio did with this team, especially in contrast with Argentina's Mancini.  People will always second guess Argentina's choice of surface (indoor over clay).  The supposed infighting within the team, with reports of Fatty being pissed at Elf for going to Shanghai instead of focusing on Davis Cup, allegedly coming to blows with Calleri after their doubles loss, and blowing off the post match presser and getting fined.  All this should have been nipped in the bud early.  I feel bad for Mancini.  He got dealt a shitty hand with the injuries and what not.  But a huge part of being a good captain is managing your personnel.  I get that Fat Dave wanted this more than anyone, but dude, it's a team competition and you have to be a good teammate.  So immature.  I hope you enjoy your Twinkies.  Just remember, they're food, not feelings.

In contrast, Emilio, much like Patrick McEnroe last year, built a team that put country first.  They were true teammates.  They liked each other (some might say they *more* than like each other).  It was a smart move from him to tell Rafa to stay home.  Genius to tap FeLo over Fer in the second rubber against Elf.  Nando and Fer clearly took their doubles roles seriously, as they had been entering tournaments all year to hone their teamwork.  And then, tapping Nando to face Chucho instead of the slumping Ferrer.  So smart.

Unfortunately Emilio announced that he'll be stepping down as Captain after this.  So no more hottie McHottie pics of Emilio.  Sad face.


This is a hard one for Argentina and their fans to swallow.  They came in as such presumptive favorites.  But really, their chances pretty much went out the window the minute Elf pulled up lame on Friday.  I think the assumption has always been that Spain would taket he doubles tie but Argentina would dominate in singles.  So without Elf, it was an uphill battle.  I really really really thought they were going to pull it out though.  I didn't think Nando had the balls to gut it out against Chooch.

Pic This: Donde Estan Mis Pantalones?

DC Doubles Highlights

In case you missed it.  Click through to watch in high quality.

Adidas Goes All WTA With Photoshop

Baby E, C-Woz, and Dina's Australian Open outfits:

What is the obsession with Photoshop?  You have three athletic, fit, gorgeous women, and you 'Shop them until they're unrecognizable?  Ridiculous.

(Pics from WTA Women's Tennis Blog)

Pic This: Advantage, Armada.

 More pics from Day 2:

Heh.  Heh heh.

 
The High Flying Armada.  Love it.


Heh heh heh.


LOL.  Look at Farquaad.

 
Sigh.  So pretty.

The Girl Just Doesn't Breathe When She Speaks

Ana's interview on a private plane from Madrid to Belgrade last week.  I think it's awesome that she keeps eye-contact with her interviewer the whole time.  Not a lot of people do that, especially athletes.  Here' the translation from her site:

Mira Adanja-Polak: You were ill, sweetheart?
Ana: Yes, I got ill when I came to Doha. I had pain in my throat, then it came to my stomach and I completely didn’t have any energy, especially after tough matches against Jelena and Zvonareva in three sets, I was so weak…

MAP: Ana, when I just met you at the runway in Madrid, I had the impression that that smile was somewhat bigger, broader, more joyful. Do you always have that feeling like you are coming back to Belgrade?
Ana: When I come back to Belgrade?

MAP: Yes.
Ana: When I come home, “sarma” at my grandparents’ is mandatory and “Pinokio” pancakes as well!

MAP: What does a “Pinokio” pancake look like?
Ana: (Laughing) “Pinokio” pancakes, the best in the world! “Eurocrem” (similar to Milky Way) and “plazma” (popular Serbian biscuits)!

MAP: Is it hard to keep in shape with that menu?
Ana: (Laughing) Yes, maybe that’s why it is good that I don’t spend so much time in Belgrade! When I return home for a couple of days, I can treat myself.

A clip is shown of Ana playing Maria Sharapova in the 2007 French Open semi-finals

Ana: It’s all different from what everyone sees, because they see us only when we compete. Tournaments and preparation periods are very intense, we work a lot, we have doping tests frequently, which may occur when we don’t compete, so there are lots of obligations, and the hardest thing for me is that I can hardly find some time for myself, to relax, read a little, go shopping, watch a movie… It is something I have to work really hard on, to organize a little spare time for myself, because there are a lot of obligations towards sponsors and the media.

MAP: Speaking of doping, do they jab you with a needle and take out blood? Describe it for me; it must hurt?
Ana: (Laughs) I don’t like needles, so it is never pleasant. Concerning blood, not every time, but it often happens that they take out blood.

Ana: We have to take great care of what we consume. Even for an ordinary influenza, we have to consult the WTA so that they can give us the medicines we are allowed to consume.

MAP: I have noticed something: at times our environment is full of enthusiasm when a person is going up. But when the smallest set-back happens and you are a bit lower on the list, people are no longer very appreciative. Do you have that impression that we are not grateful, we simply aren’t?
Ana: I think that it also happens elsewhere in the world. I noticed that, as I had a couple of difficult months behind me being injured and it was very hard for me, so when I hear things like that, it is even more difficult. But you simply realize that it is their guessing as they do not know what is going on behind all of that, and how much you keep trying and you personally don’t want to be in that situation, to have bad results, to be injured. However, I realize that it is a part of sport and we as top athletes live life in the core of attention and people follow our every step and everything that is going on in our lives. People close to me understand it and know what I am going through and I have their total support which means a lot to me.

A montage is shown of Ana during a Verano photo shoot, winning the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells this year, and as a child

MAP: What I spotted is the name “Ana Ivanovic” and then how much money you earned in figures. How do you see that? Is there record-keeping of how much money you earned? Can it hurt a little bit that some people might only observe how much someone earned?
Ana: Believe me, I don’t know that myself, as I play tennis because I love it and enjoy it and it is really something that comes with what I do, but I don’t concern myself much with it; I simply play tennis because I love it.

MAP: When you played against Jelena Jankovic, was it in your head that Serbia was watching? Some people support one player; the others support the other one.
Ana: I think that people should appreciate what we achieved and it is very rare – we were the two top players at one moment, Novak was also at the very top. Between Jelena and me it is something like Partizan and Red Star. There are people who support me and some others support her and it is completely normal, a kind of a positive rivalry.

MAP: You were chosen as the most beautiful tennis player of the year by a German magazine. Is it a big burden?
Ana: No, it’s not. It really flatters me. And every girl likes to get a compliment, so I really enjoy hearing something like that.

MAP: You have got a huge pool of sponsors. Remember signing the first contract with Zira. Remember it? Is it hard to keep the deal with a Serbian company now when world companies are chasing you?
Ana: I have great co-operation with Verano. It was more than an endorsement deal from the beginning, more like a friendship deal, so it is my big pleasure, whenever I am in Belgrade, to go to Zira or to drive my Peugeot, so it means a lot to me and also in Belgrade and Serbia to represent such a huge company, and that we have a mutual interest of going to the top together.

A clip is shown of Ana celebrating a point at the French Open this year

Ana: I have been a UNICEF ambassador in Serbia since last year and it is a great honour for me to help kids, because it has always interested me and when I had the chance to become an ambassador last year, I quickly accepted it.

Ana is shown entering the school hall and children are chanting “Ana, we love you”

MAP: And going to Baric, I think the name of the school is “14th October”, what is it that you will offer as a help?
Ana: I have already given some financial help to schools in Serbia, but I am always glad to see kids because I think that they need help, and if I can inspire them somehow, I started playing tennis because of Monica Seles and if I can give them a contribution, to inspire them to play sport, it doesn’t have to be on a professional level, but only to inspire them to become active, it is a great honour and satisfaction for me.

A clip is shown of Ana addressing children at the school in Baric

Ana: It is a great pleasure of mine to be here with you today and that the “14th October” school is one of 15 schools I helped and which joined the UNICEF programme “School without violence”.

Ana is shown lifting the Roland Garros trophy

Ana: This year was one of the best in my career. I won my first Grand Slam and became No.1 in the world, and I learned a lot about myself, my goals and the things I want to do in the future. I set a goal for the next year to win another Grand Slam and I think it is possible. Simply, I have the game and the talent, but I have to work hard of course, as there are hundreds of players who want the same thing, but I know I have got the potential. I did it once and I can do it again, so all I want is to continue working really hard and enjoy in all matches. I want to compete, because in the past few months I really missed competition and fighting for the titles, so I hope to have the possibility for that the next year.

Masha Bends Over For GQ

She may not have played in months, but Masha's still relevant.  And looking good.

And here's a behind the scenes video with Mash:

Que Es Mas Macho? Feli Es Mas Macho

Hat off to ya, boys.

How can you not love Davis Cup?  Wheel that big ass trophy out and men transform right before your eyes.  Rankings and reputation go out the window.  The boys just whip em out and measure. 

 

And today was all about FeLo and Tabasco.  Sure, they got a little headcasey in the third set, blowing a 5-1 lead and having to gut out a tiebreaker to take the set.  But in the end they got it done, beating Nalby and the useless Calleri 5-7 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.  They're now one win away from clinching the DC.  You have to believe this is huge for the Rafa-less Armada.  FeLo and Tabasco in particular, given that no one really takes them seriously for their tennis during the year and they are obviously always in Rafa's shadow.  A win here would clearly make them national heroes

And how about FeLo?  The Pretty One has clearly emerged as the leader of the Armada in Rafa's absence.  If he can beat Nalby tomorrow they're going to be erecting beautiful statues of him all over Spain.  Then again, knowing his luck, Farquaad will win his rubber first, rending FeLo's rubber meaningless.  I don't think FeLo would mind though.

Pic This: 1-1

More pics from today's Davis Cup action:

Peek a boo!

What.  Is he.  Doing???


Can I start calling him Crazy Fat Dave now?  Dude was lit up.


Hee.


"How pretty am I?  SAY IT!!!"
 

WTA Backspin High's Class of 2008

Todd Spiker over at the awesome WTA Backspin has his picks up for the Class of 2008.  Looks like WTA Backspin High isn't all that different from Forty Deuce High. 

I'm still mulling over stuff but I'll have my post up on my Class of 2008 picks next week.

Baby E Is In Seattle!

Just kidding.  She's not.  But I am, and the Seattle Adidas Store has her prominently displayed.

And as a side note, there is nothing more disconcerting to Seattle passerbys than an Asian girl in a suit taking a picture of a display window with her Blackberry.

Whatever.  Everyone knows Asians love taking pictures of random shit.  Deal with it.

Even The Elf Is Human

Sad face.

FeLo is such a diva.  You know he loves the big stage.  He likes to fling his locks in the spotlight and stares of thousands of people.  How else can you explain the fact that he actually stepped up and held his nerve against Crazy Train?  Now, granted, the Elf looked like he was hobbling because of that jacked up toenail of his.  And yes, just as FeLo looked like he might lose his nerve in the fourth set, Elf started cramping and could barely continue.

But for two sets, FeLo stood strong and played two fantastic tie-breakers.  All credit to him.  I hope Elf's injuries don't detract from this win.  This was huge.

He'll need to recover quickly though.  He's got to play doubles tomorrow with his "good buddy" Nando.

Seriously, I'm all for dudes hugging, high fiving, goosing each other, etc.  But interlacing fingers?  I'm glad Ana wasn't there to see that.

Fat Dave Beats Up Lil Dave, Then Eats His Sandwich

So Nalby's pretty fired up for this one, huh?  Seriously, WHERE IS THIS GUY FOR 8 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR?  He absolutely pwned Daveed, winning 63 62 63.  Just as important as the win itself is the fact that Nalby didn't have to work too hard to get it, which means that he should be fairly fresh should he be tapped for the doubles match tomorrow.

Since Hot Crazy Injured Foot Elf lost today to the Belle of da Ball (more on that later), I'm pretty sure Mancini's going to call on Dave to play doubles, especially if he can't coung on a physically unfit Elf on Sunday.

Looks like this Davis Cup will rest on the fat shoulders of Large.

Pic This: "Yes, FeLo, You're Playing Singles"

Is FeLo PMSing?  He's been awfully emotional this week.

Boyfriend Jon Nominates Rafa as SOY

 

Boyfriend Jon puts his hat in the ring for SI's Sportsman of the Year, and he's not exactly going out on a limb by nominating Rafa.  I would love love love to be a fly on the wall to hear Jon's impassioned stumping for Rafa at SI's offices as all the sports editors meet to discuss this issue. 

For 2008 Sportsman of the Year, I hereby put forth the candidacy of Spanish swashbuckler, Rafael Nadal. First the cold, rational facts: In 2008 Nadal became the first man since Björn Borg to win on both the clay of the French Open and the grass of Wimbledon, an extraordinary feat of versatility. Nadal beat his rival Federer each of the four times they played this year -- including their positively spellbinding Wimbledon final -- wresting away the No. 1 ranking in the process. He won titles on every surface and clinched Spain's spot in this weekend's Davis Cup final by beating Andy Roddick of the defending champion U.S. squad in September. To date he has won 82 matches this year against just 11 defeats, a Federerian winning percentage of .822.

What's that you say? In 2008 a prerequisite for the Sportsman of the Year consideration ought to be an Olympic gold medal? We almost forgot: Nadal won one of those too, taking the men's tennis event in Beijing.

Now the subjective: Nadal, 22, singlehandedly shatters the tired perception of the tennis player as a pampered, elitist pinhead. With a body that belongs in an NFL backfield (if not a UFC Octagon) he is all muscle, both bulk and fast-twitch, and, accordingly, his game is a devastating mix of power and speed. He doesn't stroke the ball so much as he pummels it, unfurling a lefty game that simply has no precedent. Yet his real strength is the mental variety. Nadal is that rare athlete whose game moves in lockstep to the stakes. In the fifth set of that episodic Wimbledon final, as darkness enveloped the court, it was Nadal who hit the biggest shots. ¿Como se dice: refuse to lose?

Just as important, Nadal, drawing on Federer's example, is good people. He competes honestly. He treats his colleagues with respect and humility. His next on-court tantrum will be his first. When he's off the tennis caravan he lives on the island of Mallorca with his folks and tools around in a Kia. In Beijing, while Federer lodged at a luxury hotel, Nadal stayed in the Olympic Village and was spotted lugging his dirty clothes to the laundry facility. "I don't think of myself as any better than anyone else," he said. "Why should I, because I can hit a tennis ball over a net well?"

For all of his populist sensibilities, Nadal, my SOY for 2008, still managed to inhabit rarefied air.

I'll be shocked if SOY doesn't go to Michael Phelps.  Part of that is the SI tennis bias.  Jon's nominated Fed for the past few years and we've seen how far that got him.  But if there was a year where the editors might give Jon the nod, it would be here.  Sure, Phelps' performance was ridiculous, but we're talking about a performance over one week.  Hell, if that's the metric, I'd give it to Tiger for his superhuman performance at the US Open (seriously, I have never cried watching golf and I cried watching him gut that out).

But in Rafa's case, he not only put together a Federer-like year in terms of his performance, he also ran down and took out his nemesis and ripped from his cold mono hands those two things that meant the most to Fed: Wimbledon and the #1 ranking.  Phelps and Woods were front-runners who stood up to the pressure of the moment.  While their performances were amazing, they were expected. 

Rafa put his head down and doggedly went after the front-runner and succeeded.  He did something that really, none of us thought he could do.   He's changing the face and perception of tennis and he's doing it with tremendous class and humility.  A true sportsman he is.

SI likes to be contrarian in their SOY picks, particularly when it's close.  I'm hoping they buck the trend and put tennis on their cover for, SHOCKER, the second time this year.  But I doubt it considering that they didn't bother publishing an essay in favor of Phelps' nomination.  I guess we'll just have to wait to read that one on December 2nd.

"Some of you may die, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make."

It's been killing me for a while now.  Daveed Ferrer looked like somebody and I could not for the life of me figure it out.  Until now:

Booyah!

Good Luck, Spain. You're Gonna Need It.

Well, that picture pretty much sums it up, don't you think?

The draw took place this morning.  Nalby and Daveed will kick things off in the first match on Friday.

Spain has officially tapped FeLo for the second singles match, and he'll face Crazy Shaven Hot Train in the second singles rubber.

As for doubles, interestingly, Nalby hasn't been tapped for that right now, but that can change depending on Friday's results (he could be subbed in up to an hour before the start of the match).

So no Granola and Spains hopes rest on the beautiful shoulders of FeLo.  Yeah, if I were Ana, I'd stay home too.

Pic This: "I Gotcha Balls Right Here, FeLo."

Gah. He's Adorable.

Hot Crazy Elf Train is in a new Nike ad thanking Argentina for their support. Again, no idea what he's saying.  But he's so cute with his pensive staring at the ground and "aw shucks" shrugging. 

The Ladies Get All Marked Up

Kamakshi Tandon gives her Top 10 overview. 

Petey Sampras: Weird Kid, Great Champion

I'm making my way through A Champion's Mind, which so far, is really great and I highly recommend it.  It's fun to see how this guy was hard wired, and the anecdotes are relevant even today because you can see how Rafa and Roger are very similarly built.

But if you want the Cliff's Notes version, here's a great article on Pete from today.  Thanks to mkeller for sending it along.

Ta Ta To Tati's Ta Tas

French media are reporting that Tati is calling quits on tennis.  Maybe she should call it quits on the ciggies first, but who am I to judge.

But on the serious, it looks like Tati has some blood disease that is forcing her out.

It's really odd to think that there was a time when Tati, Nicole, and Ana were hailed as the future faces of tennis.  Now one is out, the other is who knows what, and Ana, to her credit, is keeping her end of the bargain.  But she really doesn't have anyone in her generation (the 02-03 class) standing alongside of her.  All her compatriots are either gone or significantly lower ranked.

The future of Pastry tennis now rests on the shoulders of one Cone.  Good luck, kiddo.

Boyfriend Jon Loves DFW. Thus I Love Boyfriend Jon.

Boyfriend Jon's weekly mailbag is up, and this is particularly interesting:

Since there has been a lot of chatter about who's really No. 1 in women's tennis, I took everyone who finished the year in the top 10 and divided their total number of points by the number of tournaments they played. Here are the results:

1. Serena Williams 297.38

2. Venus Williams 233.71

3. Maria Sharapova 228.63

4. Jelena Jankovic 214.09

5. Elena Dementieva 192.79

6. Ana Ivanovic 192.05

7. Dinara Safina 181.76

8. Svetlana Kuznetsova 143.47

9. Vera Zvonareva 118.08

10. Agnieszka Radwanska 95.25

If you were to ask tennis fans to rank the top 10 players of the year, I would bet that their lists would adhere more closely to this list than the official rankings. I'm not being pro Serena or anti Jelena, but these rankings seem to be a little more representative of quality rather than quantity. What are your thoughts?
-- Frederick, West Hollywood

• First, thanks for taking the time to do the math. I agree that the rankings pretty much conform with "popular opinion." The dilemma is this: for tennis to attract sponsors and promoters and television partners, it needs to keep up the pretense that it wields some control over the players and their schedules. One way to assert this is through the ranking system.

To use a non-word, you "incentivize" the stars to play a lot; and you punish them when they play a little. It's really the lesser of two evils. Simply divide tournaments played by points and you lost the carrot that encourages a player such as Jankovic to play 85 matches. Reward (over)playing, and you have a ranking system that doesn't always reflect merit.

The most sobering truth revealed by that list?  Dinara had a ridiculous second half and a shitty first half.  I mean, to be #7 based on per tournament performance?  That's surprisingly low.  That anomaly aside, I would generally tend to agree with this "screw the marketing aspect of playing tourneys" ranking system.  I think you have to take Masha out of the running given her lack of play, but otherwise, it's about right. 

Though, I would argue that a Slam final and a Slam win is still better than an Olympic gold.  Just sayin.