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March 2009
March 14, 2009
She's just gettin' some sun in.
Probably listening to Hot and Cold.
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NOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Missed it.
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Gettin' Ready
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Perfect timing.
Right when Baby E should be on court.
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Drumroll...
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Apparently We're BIG Fans Of The Deschanels
Installment #2 of the roadtrip series, wherein I try my best to keep us talking about tennis. I fail miserably.
Not A Sex Toy (I Don't Think....)
The new BNP Paribas Open trophy.
Sniff. Sniff.
Air Quotes: Sigh. He Sounds Like A Very Lonely Kid.
“It certainly isn’t pleasant when something isn’t right and people are talking about something which isn’t true, but I’m tired of proving whatever I need to prove. I’m just playing tennis for myself and I always have put my health as a priority to everything. Tennis is probably my life at this moment, but it’s not the only thing in my life. It’s just that this reputation which has been going around, I don’t think it’s right. But everybody has a right for their own opinion.”
-- Novak Djokovic, on being labeled a quitter.
IW: Business As Yoosh For the Boys, Drama For the Ladies
Let's face it, when the highlight of the schedule on the men's side is doubles, you've got yourself a slow day.
ATP Main Draw Singles - First Round
[Q] M Berrer (GER) d [WC] K Anderson (RSA) 63 63
[Q] T Widom (USA) d I Navarro (ESP) 64 76(4)
[Q] D Koellerer (AUT) d M Zverev (GER) 26 75 62
[WC] R Sweeting (USA) d [WC] W Odesnik (USA) 16 64 76(5)
A Seppi (ITA) d J Chela (ARG) 62 41 ret. (illness)
S Querrey (USA) d G Canas (ARG) 76(2) 62
J Chardy (FRA) d V Hanescu (ROU) 64 36 62
T Haas (GER) d O Hernandez (ESP) 63 63
[Q] M Russell (USA) d G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 75 62
[WC] T Dent (USA) d D Junqueira (ARG) 61 76(3)
[Q] R Kendrick (USA) d [Q] B Phau (GER) 75 62
B Reynolds (USA) d F Fognini (ITA) 46 60 62
V Troicki (SRB) d M Youzhny (RUS) 75 21 ret. (right foot)
M Vassallo Arguello (ARG) d [Q] R de Voest (RSA) 75 76(3)
[WC] J Isner (USA) d C Rochus (BEL) 61 64
N Massu (CHI) d E Schwank (ARG) 76(1) 67(5) 64
ATP Main Draw Doubles - First Round
[3] M Bhupathi (IND) / M Knowles (BAH) d I Kunitsyn (RUS) / D Tursunov (RUS) 75 63
M Llodra (FRA) / R Stepanek (CZE) d [7] J Coetzee (RSA) / W Moodie (RSA) 63 63
R Hutchins (GBR) / A Murray (GBR) d T Berdych (CZE) / N Kiefer (GER) 64 06 10-7
F Gonzalez (CHI) / T Robredo (ESP) d R Schuettler (GER) / R Soderling (SWE) 63 61
D Ferrer (ESP) / A Montanes (ESP) d I Karlovic (CRO) / D Vemic (SRB) 64 64
[WC] M Lopez (ESP) / R Nadal (ESP) d F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) 76(2) 46 10-7
M Fish (USA) / A Roddick (USA) d J Chardy (FRA) / G Simon (FRA) 63 64
But on the ladies' side we had some drama. Sveta got bounced in the final match of the day, losing to U-Rad in three sets. The headcase rolls on, I suppose. Dina had a tough first set against Pironkova, eventually eeking it out 10-8 in the tiebreak. She cruised from there. Vika had herself a bit of an adventure and from what I understand she may have lost some fans based on some of her on-court antics. But a win's a win and she's the one that got it.
Meanwhile, in addition to Sveta, six seeds went out today: Mono, Patty, AMG, A Bond, Iveta, and Sorana. But they for the most part they went out to serve some interseting storylines. Shahar is having herself a solid tourney, taking out Mono and proceeding in doubles as well. Na Li continues her return from injury by beating Patty in straights, and hold the phone, NIKKI V WON TWO MATCHES!
WTA Main Draw Singles - Second Round
[1] D Safina (RUS) d T Pironkova (BUL) 76(8) 62
[4] V Zvonareva (RUS) d Y Chan (TPE) 62 62
[8] V Azarenka (BLR) d [Q] Y Shvedova (KAZ) 46 75 63
[9] C Wozniacki (DEN) d T Bacsinszky (SUI) 61 61
S Peer (ISR) d [10] M Bartoli (FRA) 16 64 75
N Li (CHN) d [13] P Schnyder (SUI) 75 62
J Craybas (USA) d [16] A Medina Garrigues (ESP) 75 36 64
[17] A Mauresmo (FRA) d A Groenefeld (GER) 57 63 64
[19] A Chakvetadze (RUS) d E Makarova (RUS) 63 75
[18] K Kanepi (EST) d V Razzano (FRA) 76(2) 10 ret.
[28] S Peng (CHN) d O Govortsova (BLR) 63 36 64
[WC] A Glatch (USA) d [29] C Suarez Navarro (ESP) 63 61
N Vaidisova (CZE) d [24] A Bondarenko (UKR) 63 61
P Kvitova (CZE) d [26] I Benesova (CZE) 63 61
E Vesnina (RUS) d [32] S Cirstea (ROU) 57 62 63
[WC] U Radwanska (POL) vs [6] S Kuznetsova (RUS) 62 46 63
WTA Main Draw Doubles - First Round
[4] S Stosur (AUS) / R Stubbs (AUS) d K Jans (POL) / A Rosolska (POL) 76(6) 61
A Kleybanova (RUS) / M Niculescu (ROU) d F Schiavone (ITA) / C Wozniacki (DEN) 67(5) 64 12-10
R Kops-Jones (USA) / A Spears (USA) d N Dechy (FRA) / M Santangelo (ITA) 64 36 10-5
G Dulko (ARG) / S Peer (ISR) d C Chuang (TPE) / S Mirza (IND) 61 64
March 13, 2009
I Always Forget How Horrible This Drive Is.
That said, it's not all bad. First, I got me some In n Out. Second, you guys are in for some podcast hilarity. And I'm not even punchy yet!
I saw CSN is out. And Vika dropped the first set? Crazy.
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Air Quotes: Not Sure I Like Zen Masha
“My main goal for here was to just get out into that atmosphere and crowd again. There's
so many things I didn't know about the doubles match: I didn't know
about no ad at 40 at all. It's pretty bad when you don't know that the
game is over; and that coaching between games — I can't even keep a
straight face. It was definitely not an upset … I was just happy to be there.”
“I am just glad that I have the opportunity to be here again. I don’t think I am going to throw my racket anymore, or be mad. We are very fortunate.”
-- Maria Sharapova, on her goals for Indian Wells.
“I am just glad that I have the opportunity to be here again. I don’t think I am going to throw my racket anymore, or be mad. We are very fortunate.”
-- Maria Sharapova, on her goals for Indian Wells.
Air Quotes: Riiiiiiiiight.
“Thinking about beach, mountain, Sun, happy place.”
-- Ana Ivanovic, on what she thinks about when she's in bed.
-- Ana Ivanovic, on what she thinks about when she's in bed.
Pic This: More On The Return Of The Mash.
"Yeah, bitches. Suck it."
UPDATED: Oh, No. You Did Not.
So Ana spends the whole week getting spa treatments and new earrings and Fer shaves his hair to get a pretty nutty mohawk going.
Yeah. That shit is over.
UPDATED: What. The Fuck.
UPDATED: Marco! Polo!
So with all my speedy posting over the past few days I just now came to realize that we've seen nothing of Nole. No pictures, no practice videos, no interviews, nothing. A bit odd. No reason he should get here any later than Rafa and DEFINITELY no reason he shouldn't be hitting the practice courts at the site. I sure hope he's not pulling a Brisbane. Maybe he's staying at a hotel that has courts and he's practicing there. Maybe he's working on some Speed Lessons. Still, he really needs to be playing on the Indian Wells Tennis Center courts.
UPDATED: Pfft. Nevermind.
Pic This: I Hope He Didn't Find Out Like This
I'm pregnant!
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It Was Not A Good Day For Hotness
Well, it was fun while it lasted. You could have been cool and hung around so that I could stalk you like last year. I'll just remember the good times. LIke that time you were 200 feet away from me with your back turned? Sigh, so great. But I get it. You're just not that in to me. Your loss.
Other sad news: Special K, FeLo, Tipsy, Goth Bols, Oudin, and MaKiri all bit the dust. And on the doubles sides the seeds went tumbling as Dani/Ai and Medina Guarigues/Ruano Pascal both lost.
ATP Main Draw Singles - First Round
Y Lu (TPE) d [Q] M Lammer (SUI) 75 62
I Ljubicic (CRO) d K Nishikori (JPN) 63 63
E Gulbis (LAT) d [Q] K Kim (USA) 63 64
T Gabashvili (RUS) d J Acasuso (ARG) 62 46 63
I Kunitsyn (RUS) d V Spadea (USA) 63 64
S Darcis (BEL) d M Granollers (ESP) 50 ret. (right shoulder)
P Starace (ITA) d D Gremelmayr (GER) 76(6) 61
A Montanes (ESP) d F Serra (FRA) 63 60
P Kohlschreiber (GER) d J Benneteau (FRA) 63 62
N Lapentti (ECU) d [Q] S Giraldo (COL) 46 61 75
M Llodra (FRA) d F Lopez (ESP) 64 63
[Q] T Bellucci (BRA) d J Tipsarevic (SRB) 57 75 62
J Nieminen (FIN) d N Devilder (FRA) 76(6) 61
L Hewitt (AUS) d J Hernych (CZE) 76(3) 63
S Stakhovsky (UKR) d [Q] B Evans (USA) 26 63 60
M Gicquel (FRA) d S Bolelli (ITA) 75 63
WTA Main Draw Singles - First Round
[Q] A Yakimova (BLR) d [Q] V Lepchenko (USA) 64 61
B Mattek-Sands (USA) d T Garbin (ITA) 64 64
[Q] A Haynes (USA) d [WC] A Tomljanovic (CRO) 75 62
[WC] S Mirza (IND) d M Koryttseva (UKR) 26 63 62
V Dushevina (RUS) d [Q] P Martic (CRO) 64 63
R Vinci (ITA) d A Morita (JPN) 63 64
Y Wickmayer (BEL) d M Rybarikova (SVK) 63 62
[Q] P Cetkovska (CZE) d [Q] S Foretz (FRA) 62 75
S Stosur (AUS) d F Schiavone (ITA) 61 64
L Safarova (CZE) d [WC] M Oudin (USA) 63 61
E Gallovits (ROU) d M Kirilenko (RUS) 36 75 75
[Q] K Barrois (GER) d K Zakopalova (CZE) 61 62
N Llagostera Vives (ESP) d B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 76(5) 76(9)
T Paszek (AUT) d M Santangelo (ITA) 63 62
K Knapp (ITA) d [WC] V King (USA) 62 61
A Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d M Domachowska (POL) 61 63
WTA Main Draw Doubles - First Round
[1] C Black (ZIM) / L Huber (USA) d J Craybas (USA) / T Tanasugarn (THA) 62 63
[WC] S Kuznetsova (RUS) / A Mauresmo (FRA) d [2] A Medina Garrigues (ESP) / V Ruano Pascual (ESP) 62 76(5)
A Kudryavtseva (RUS) / A Rodionova (RUS) d [5] D Hantuchova (SVK) / A Sugiyama (JPN) 64 46 16-14
[7] M Kirilenko (RUS) / F Pennetta (ITA) d A Groenefeld (GER) / P Schnyder (SUI) 62 62
I Benesova (CZE) / B Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) d [8] Y Chan (TPE) / T Sun (CHN) 62 46 10-7
Z Yan (CHN) / J Zheng (CHN) d V Dushevina (RUS) / Y Shvedova (KAZ) 64 26 10-3
A Bondarenko (UKR) / K Bondarenko (UKR) d L Hradecka (CZE) / V Uhlirova (CZE) 63 60
E Makarova (RUS) / T Poutchek (BLR) d [WC] M Sharapova (RUS) / E Vesnina (RUS) 61 46 10-7
Y'all Thought I Was Kidding...
If I actually get this signed by Baby E it will be Legen...waitforitandIhopeyourenotlactoseintolerantcuzthenextwordis...dary.
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March 12, 2009
Sigh. Oh, Ana.
I don't know what to even say anymore:
Prior to coming out to Indian Wells, Ana Ivanovic spent some time in Las Vegas, where she said she attempted to gamble. Apparently, she did pretty well.
"I was so lucky. I put $5 on a number, and it was the right number, so I won $200," Ivanovic said excitedly.
Pic This: Masha Hits The Practice Courts. Looks Really Confused.
Yikes! Sorry, Charlie.
Sorry, Reeshie, There's A New Baby Fed On The Way
Congrats to Fed and Yoko. I speculate the baby will be adorable. That's totally based on hearsay, BTW.
Roger Federer
and girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec are expecting their first child this
summer, Federer has announced on his website. "Mirka is pregnant and we
are so happy to be starting a family together," he said. "This is a
dream come true for us. We love children and we are looking forward to
being parents for the first time. Mirka is feeling great and everything
is going well."
I don't mean to be all prudish or whatever, but does it strike anyone else as odd that these two aren't married yet?
Agents Say The Darndest Things
Nice write up on Vika, though her connection to Nikolai Khabibulin is cracking my shit up right now.
All that said, I cannot think of a more gross job than being a sports agent. The things you have to say to pump up the "market value" of your clients is just ridiculous. And that's coming from a lawyer!
Case in point:
"Out of all the clients we represent, including Andy Roddick, including Justine Henin . . . I believe that Victoria Azarenka has the most upside."
It's one thing to throw Andy in there. But Justine? I know he's defining "upside" as potential, but still. That's kind of a nutty thing to say. Not that he cares, but that's one of those comments that is going to make the tennis community hate her a bit.
Air Quotes: Ruh Roh.
The fact that she is No. 2 in the world — her highest ranking ever —
and that a good showing here would go a long way toward moving her up
to No. 1 is not lost on Safina.
“I'm just going to focus on myself at this tournament but (the No. 2 ranking) is the reward from the success that I've had this year. I've played in three tournaments and been in two finals,” she said. “There is only one person in front of me, and this is something big.”
“I'm just going to focus on myself at this tournament but (the No. 2 ranking) is the reward from the success that I've had this year. I've played in three tournaments and been in two finals,” she said. “There is only one person in front of me, and this is something big.”
Air Quotes: True Dat.
"I don't have a problem on clay. I have a Rafa problem on clay."
-- Roger Federer, on his shot at the next Slam.
Also interesting? This, in response to life after tennis:
"Five years ago, had you asked about that I would have told you about how I was No. 1 and was still winning Slams. I would have been defensive. Now, that is a fair question. This is a transition time in my life. I'm still competitive, still trying to win Slams, but I think about what comes next. It might be the foundation, it might be something with one of my longtime sponsors. I hope it is something still connected to tennis. That's been my life."
-- Roger Federer, on his shot at the next Slam.
Also interesting? This, in response to life after tennis:
"Five years ago, had you asked about that I would have told you about how I was No. 1 and was still winning Slams. I would have been defensive. Now, that is a fair question. This is a transition time in my life. I'm still competitive, still trying to win Slams, but I think about what comes next. It might be the foundation, it might be something with one of my longtime sponsors. I hope it is something still connected to tennis. That's been my life."
Bepa's Pursuit of Peace and Perfection
Bepa's getting some much deserved press:
Zvonareva, the No. 4
seed at the BNP Paribas Open this year, has been enrolled in the
Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the
hopes of some day working with the United Nations.
“I got to know and meet a few ambassadors around the world and a few influential people and a few people who work for the U.N.,” Zvonareva said. “It's great to be involved in something like this and also to give me a lot of different knowledge outside the court. I'm really enjoying it.”
Zvonareva enrolled in the school in 2007, when a wrist injury forced her off the tour for half the season. The 24-year-old Zvonareva, who already had a university degree in physical education, is studying international economic relations and international affairs.
Having played on the WTA Tour since turning pro in 2000, Zvonareva said the change of pace has been refreshing.
“What I like about that school, everyone has a first education already,” Zvonareva said. “It is a second education for everyone. You meet a lot of people who travel around the world and most of them speak a few languages. It's different and interesting. I wouldn't say it was a usual school. It is different for me.”
...
As well as things are going for Zvonareva, she doesn't plan on sitting on her laurels.
“I think I have to keep working hard, like right now,” Zvonareva said. “I have to try to improve every aspect of my game. It will be stupid to be satisfied with what I'm doing right now. I know I'm not perfect. I'm going to try to get to the perfect point as much as I can. I'm trying to improve everything I can.
“Even
some shots I have in my game that I feel are very good, I'm trying to
make perfect. I think that is what every player is trying to do and
that's what I have to do as well to improve.”
I just love so much that her "undergrad" degree is in PE, and she's going to grad school to study international economic relations and international affairs. Uh, ok. That's almost as jarring as Dina's desire to open a beauty shop.
You rock, Bepa. So hard.
Pic This: New BFFs?
Posing sopping wet in bikinis together will do that to you.
Air Quotes: Baby E Gets Her Learn On
“I had a great 2008 and, despite the last six months, I still rate it as the best year of my career. I won my first grand slam and I became the number one in the world. I learned a lot about myself, even though the last six months were very frustrating and very disappointing for me. I learned a lot about my game and I learned it’s not all about rising. It’s also about learning how to fall and learning how to lose without being truly defeated and that’s something that I want to take as a positive from last year and try to build up. I have been working really hard ever since I recovered from injury and the results were not there. I know that good results are just around the corner for me.”
-- Ana Ivanovic, on her epic (for better or worse) 2008 season.
