Forty Deuce

Queens: Fancy McFancerpants

So...Queens.  It's basically everything you've heard and seen and more.  Easily the shwankiest tournament that I have ever been to (yes, I'm looking at you, Madrid).  Normally that would annoy the shizz out of me, but given my general love of all things British, meh, it didn't bother me at all.  I give credit to the tournament for being able to balance the *heavily* corporate nature of the tournament with still giving hardcore tennis fans what they want: good seats, a great draw, and awkwardly close practice court access. 

Not that this doesn't come cheap.  I went on the first day and had to shell out 50 pounds for the cheapest Center Court ticket.  With the blockbuster lineup on Tuesday I dropped 72 pounds for a second row ticket in a corner sideline.  So...yeah.  THAT'S FUCKIN' EXPENSIVE, YO.  That said, I don't regret any of it.

More like "Out Train The RAIN" amIright?

This is the walkway to the practice courts.  They're on the other side of the bushes.  If you suck it up and squeeze through the random group of people just standing there and clogging up the entrance (move or leave, people!), then you're practicaly standing on the courts.  It's a bit nutty. 

Pic This: A Final Look at Madrid.

This hostel's internet is blazin' and I'm abusin'.  Here we go.

That is some incredible CoachFace.

Now *that* is quite the combination.

I Almost Forgot What Y'all Look Like.

Lots of notables back on court this week in Belgrade, Munich, and Estoril.  Delpo took to the clay for the first time this year and was pushed to three sets by Pedro Sousa, inventor of the sousaphone.  Stick to the tuba, dude.  We don't need that kind of drama in Delpoland.

LOOK AT THIS GUY!!!!

Gonzo took to the court for the first time in six months in Belgrade and won a match!  No word on how many racquets were broken but I have no doubt they were broken spectacularly.

And in Munich, Tommy Haas took to the court in doubles with Steps but they lost.  He thinks he can play two more seasons.  Whatever he's smoking it better be medical grade.  You's needs to heal, boy.

Oh, and he's back to playing for Germany again.  Germany's way hip these days.

(Pics: Getty, Serbia Open Site)

"Revenge is a dish best served immediately and relentlessly."

Oh, ATP.  You're so cute.  You make us pretend to care in the early rounds, only to give us the juicy goods regardless. 

The men's semifinals at the BNP Paribas Open will feature two revenge match-ups between the four players to have won ALL the Slams since 2005.  First up at 11:00am is the newly maybe, hopefully, let's pray he's healed DelPo vs. a not-so-scintillating-this-week Rafa.  Rafa's lost three straight times to Delpo, perhaps most memorably (at least to me) in Miami 2009, where I saw Rafa unravel emotionally in a way that I had never seen nor seen since.  Delpo has been fighting off a cold/virus all week, but he got a walkover on Thursday over Tommy, which had to have helped. 

I regret to say that I haven't had a chance to see Delpo play live all week, so I can't really comment on his form.  But I feel like all I need to know is this:  He came back from 1-6 down in a tiebreaker against PEHK by simply deciding to hit the shit out of the ball.  It worked.  So...I'm guessing he's finding his power game.

I'm going to go ahead and tip Delpo here, simply because Rafa hasn't been all that impressive this week.  But hey, he competes, and 90% of the time, that's enough to notch the win.

The Battle of Vamos will be followed by the Battle for Number 2, as Fed and Nole clash for the third time this year, the winner getting the distinct honor of staring at Rafa's perfect ass.  Nole had a bit of a hiccup today against Reeshard, which only means that he was a few ticks below untouchable.  He fell behind in both sets and but shored up and reeled off a string of games in response.  Janko said it best:  He's got confidence falling out of his pockets.

Fed's had a pretty easy draw, especially after Stan rolled over today in a 2 and 4 drubbing in an hour.  Want to know how much Fed is in Stan's head?  Andrew Burton, who is here writing for Tennis.com, observed that Stan completely abandoned his usual ritual of taking 5 balls on his last service game.  He just took the first one the ballkids tossed to him and served.  That's an owned man right there.

Personally, I think you're an idiot to bet against Nole these days.  Having had the opportunity to observe him quite a bit in Perth, Melbourne, and now Indian Wells, I can tell you this:  The boy got swagga out the yin yang.  Never underestimate that.  The way he walks into the room these days, strutting around the player cafe, accomodating fan requests and soaking in the adulation, he just oozes that "it" factor.  I suppose some will say that he's always had it.  You'll get no argument from me.  But the difference in 2011 is that he *knows* he has it. 

On the difference between 2008 and 2011:

"Just inexperience, you know, a young tennis player who has made an incredible achievement winning a Grand Slam and then a couple of other major events, it maybe happened too fast for me and I was confused and didn't know what to do.  But now it's different."

It is.  You can see it.

Anyway, can't wait to see how this shakes out. 

(Pics: AP, Reuters, Getty)

 

It's Always Something. And It's Always Sad.

Vika was forced to retire against Caro a mere three games into their match this morning due to a left hip injury sustained when she slid for a ball.  That's three straight retirements in North American tournaments for Vika, but it was a smart decision to pull the ripcord and retire.  She played through much of last year's clay court season injured and it's just not worth it.  Good on Sam Sumyk, who came down during a coaching time out to talk her out of continuing.  I have no doubt that Vika would have kept playing if not for his wise words.

Vika wouldn't be the only player to pull out today.  Tommy gave Delpo a walkover after he pulled out before their match with leg strains.  He said the physio told him he'd risk muscle tears if he took the court.  Good news for Delpo given that he's been under the weather this week.  He'll need all his energy to take on Rafa on Saturday for a spot in the finals.

(Pic: Getty)

Psst! He's Still Winning.

He took out Lubey and he took out Dolgo.  He's on an eight-match win streak.

Just pointing out facts. 

(Pic: Forty Deuce)

Jolly Green Giant. Ok, Jolly Is Taking It a Bit Far.

 

Aw.  Give him some love.

Delpo practiced early this morning and was mobbed by a slew of ballkids.  I just can't help but smile at that fact.  His popularity among tennis fans and kids, given his quiet and reserved nature, just cracks me up and warms my heart. 

Thankfully he'll live to fight another day.  He absolutely rocked Steps, a player he had never beat, 64 60.  He's got a tough draw here and I'm not expecting much from him results-wise, but you have to like his form coming out of Delray Beach.  He's got Old Man Ljube Job next.

Would it be too much to ask for a Delpo/Sod fourth rounder?  Yes, yes it would.  But I'm greedy and take great joy in tempting the gods.

(Pics: Forty Deuce)

That's Just His Face.

He's happy!  I promise!  Either that or he, much like the rest of the world, has no fucking clue what's been handed to him.  Why do tennis tournaments insist on buying their trophies at Good Vibrations?  I hope they sterilized it first.

Delpoooooooooooooooo!

He won!  I can't believe he won.  He did so without dropping a set in Delray Beach.  This is obviously his first title since USO 09 and he's now 4-0 in finals on US soil.  We love you, Delpo.  Please stay.

The win rockets the big man back into the Top 100 at #89.  Three weeks ago he was ranked #484.  How's that for a climb?

(Pics: AP)

Extra Salt, Extra Butter, Please!

A-Rod beat Lleyton, Delpo beat Russell.  They'll play each other for a spot in the Memphis final.  An interesting fact of note: If Delpo wins the title he's back in the top 100.

The other semifinal sees Legs McGillicuddy vs. Mardy Fish.  I won't be watching that one but I will be rooting for Milos, even if the hype has gotten way out of fucking control.  Slow your roll, people.  Let the Kid build a career before igniting the fan backlash because y'all insist on talking about him like he's Joseph Smith. 

(Pics: AP)

Delpo Gewinnt!

Beats Isner 64 63 in 74 minutes.  That sounds pretty damn clean to me. 

He's got the ever-surging Dodig tomorrow.

(Pic: Memphis Tourney Site)

Pic This: Looking Back at the Wet 'n Happy Slam.

It's been almost a week since the last ball skid across the blue courts of Melbourne Park and, to be honest, I'm still in a complete daze.  So much happened and yet, given the gut-punch of Sunday night, it's taken me a while to even remember all the awesome stuff from this year's Aussie Open. 

Thank GOD for pictures.

Don't worry.  That's just how ninjas recharge.  It's meditation, homes.

I hear ya, Fran.  I totes hear ya.

Hey.  Remember when Andy looked good in white and was also pretty good at tennis?

Yeah, me neither.

pleasebeokpleasebeokpleasebeopleasebeok

Delpo's gone, out in four sets to Baggy.  But that's not the point.  He called the trainer to check his right wrist.  THE WRIST.  He ended up playing fine afterwards, cranking serves and hitting through his forehand.  And he said afterwards that it was just to be safe and that he was fine.

But...augh.

(Pic: Getty)

On To Melbourne. Who Knows, Really.

It was a weird match, really, but Mayer's slicing and dicing in the wind won out.  Delpo said he wasn't tired from Monday but his footwork was definitely off (though that could have been a result of Mayer keeping him off balance with slices and droppers).  He unleashed a handful of solid forehands but he just didn't have it today.  Mayer's game prevented him from getting into a good rhythm on his shots. 

Still loveable though.

Oh so.

(Pics: Forty Deuce)

1-0.

del Potro d. Lopez, 67 76 76 in 3 hours and 20 minutes.

That's the first win in almost a year for the Big Fucking Giant, and the match somehow seemed closer than the scoreline even indicates.  The good news:  He was able to play a 3+ hour match and win, and he was generally able to hold easily (he sputtered toward the end a bit), and he has no pain in his wrist.  The I-wouldn't-quite-call-it-bad-just-expected: he's rusty. 

On his forehand, "Yeah, sometimes going in; sometimes going very far."  In fact, he hit one that went into the upper deck in the third set.  "But I need matches and matches, practice, and work.  Maybe four, six months I'm ready for to play again a good tennis."

So there we go.  Be happy, be excited, but be realistic, guys.

Hey Dude. 'Sup?

Every time I look at this pic I feel like hot chocolate is coursing through my veins. 

Delpo stopped in to give a relatively quick presser and the one thing he made clear was that his expectations are, results-wise, low.  "I don't care about results.... I just want to play.  To play safely."

He said he definitely feels the pressure to prove himself after his USO win, and the goal this year is to try and play 20 tourneys and, of course, stay healthy.  He admitted that after his USO win his goal was to be #1, but right now he just wants to play well.

To paraphrase the big lug, last year pretty much blew chunks.  "I feel everything.  I had very bad moments last year."  The most difficult time was actually before his surgery because no one knew what was wrong.  But once he was diagnosed and had the surgery, he felt relieved.  He spent 5-6 months without hitting a tennis ball.

It was hard not to sit through that presser with a big goofy grin.  It was just so nice to see him.

He'll play Feli in the first round.  We'll see how it goes.  He said that right now, any match against the top 200 hundred players is very difficult.

Bonus shot: Delpo Hands!

(Pic: Forty Deuce)

TAKE IT *ALL* OFF, YOU LANKY BASTARD!

Tears. Love. Delpo.

Ventaja, Sydney.

Confirmed.  See you there, boy.

(Pic: AP)

Thank God for Protection. #twss

Do not adjust your television screens.  Delpo dropped 224 spots in the rankings and ends the year at #259, behind the likes of Chucho, Kristof Vliegen, and that off-the-charts asshole, Daniel Koellerer. 

KRISTOF VLIEGEN, YOU GUYS.

The bright side?  After an intense amount of thorough research (read: I asked Uncle Jamie on Twitter), I can confirm (kinda) that Big Juan should have a protected ranking that will get him into the main draw at the Aussie Open. The absolutely hilarious side?  The first round match-up possibilities.

Fed vs. Delpo, 1R, AO11. 

Oh, Jesus.  I'm laughing so hard I'm crying. 

Or...wait.  Maybe it's the other way around. 

Pic This: Well This Is Awkward.

I have that shirt.  I wore it a few days ago.  I can't seem to find it today.

I'm not saying anything.  I'm just sayin'.

Also, this is the best picture ever.

The End.

He Was There. It Happened. I Have Proof.

Brodie watched it all go down.

And Gauloises said it best:

I don't have a signed affidavit, so this will have to do:

"Most important for today is my wrist – and it’s perfect."

WIN.

"My heart is totally bursting!" "I know! I'm kvelling!"

So I keep fondling this heavy chess piece I just happen to carry with me all the time.  This is real, right?  He's really going to step out on to a tennis court in front of people, wearing tennis clothes, and swinging a tennis racquet?  I'm not making this up?

Because I keep thinking this might all be a dream.  Like, let's say a level 2 dream.  Stick with me here and think about it: Of course I would have him coming back to a tournament in Southeast Asia and the people populating my dream would be other Asians.  Let's even extend this out.  I would not put it past my subconscious to construct a dreamworld wherein Sam shows up to a presser dressed as a lumberjack, JJ is a samurai, Rafa joins in on some Buddhist chants on a beach, and Masha spins around for no reason. 

THESE ARE THINGS I WOULD TOTALLY PUT IN MY DREAMS.

I mean, Sam's eating a tiny-ass crab.  HOW FUCKING SURREAL IS THAT???

So seriously, I don't know what to believe.  I have no idea when I'm going to kick out of this.  Or maybe I don't want to kick out of it.  Maybe this is my happy place.  Maybe it's ok that I stay in this all-too-perfect dream world and continue to live in ignorant bliss ignoring the harsh complications of the real world, floating amidst the clear blue sk-- What?  Who?  She...aw, bummer.

Ok, nevermind.  After an impressive qualifying run, Robbie lost in the first round of Tokyo to Greta Arn.  So this is real life, where every good thing that happens to me has to be accompanied by a horse kick to the face.

Pic This: Melt Your Heart.

Whee!

This Is Happening.

Holy shit.  He's playing Bangkok.

I expect nothing from him other than to be tall, lanky, mopey, and to carry a big stick.  But is there anyone in the tennis world that isn't excited to see him back?

Let Chaos Reign.

It's official.  On the injured heels of Serena's announcement that she's not going to play the Open due to her foot injury, DelPo has made it official:  There will be no defense of the title.

Disappointing but not shocking news.  I actually find Serena's announcement more nuclear than DelPo's sparkler firecracker.   But at least it's official and we can all move on grieving the best way we know how.  Mine involves hard liquor and cookies.  

With Serena's withdrawal, Caro will be the top seed in New York.  Hee!  With DelPo's non-defense, he'll drop out of the top 30.  Boo!

Let It Be A Lesson To All.

So for shits and giggles I decided to read the articles from yesterday and today touting Delpo's return at the US Open.  If you Google "Juan Martin del Potro" and go to "News", the first article that pops up is "Can del Potro Defend His US Open Title", written by some dude who I've never heard of before.

The second paragraph of that article:

As few as two weeks ago, del Potro's prospects for playing at Flushing Meadows looked dim. But now, the news out of Argentina is that del Potro has recovered from the surgery on his right wrist, is hitting tennis balls and is on track to defend his title in late August.

This was published seven hours ago.  If you read that you can't help but think, "Wow, this story must be kinda legit because this reporter is citing some sources out of Argentina for the fact that (1) JMDP has recovered from surgery, (2) is hitting tennis balls, and (3) is on track to defend his title in NYC.

But if one' s bullshit meter were turned on, one would wisely click on the link that purports to support those three propositions.  And what one would find is another ESPN article that says this:

"Del Potro is working and hopefully he will be back soon," his agent, Ugo Colombini, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

That's it?  *That's* the basis for the three-part broad statement in the initial article?  That can't be.  Reporters would never infer information from a quote without, you know, saying that they were inferring something from that quote, right?  They wouldn't just turn an inference into a fact, right?

Nah.  Never.  Perish the thought. 

Personally, I'm always very wary of articles that don't link sources.  And if the article does state a fact that sets off the BS meter, I immediately source the fact, either by linking to the source or Googling myself.  Maybe it's the lawyer in me who spent many a sleepless night either cite checking other people's articles or briefs and finding that 80% of the time, their cite didn't support their assertion.  The lesson drilled into me by the partners at my firm was the four-corner rule:  The fact has to fit within the four-corners of the document you cite.  If it doesn't, you either find a new source that does or you dial back your assertion.  Sure, nine times out of ten the reader isn't going to double check your cite.  They'll take it for face value.  But the one time they do you will get caught.  And your reputation goes down the drain.

The problem is exacerbated in the media when news outlets are constantly trying to "break" news first and also get page views.  The pressure to get something out leads to laziness and, inevitably, mistakes, whether intentional or not. 

So, you know, take everything you read in the interwebs with a grain of salt.  As if you needed a reminder.

Are We Done Now?

Making Love Out Of Nothing At All.

Gauloises has a good summary of the Delpo brouhaha that took place over Twitter yesterday. 

Basically the story is this: Delpo confirmed via Twitter that he's planning on playing the Thailand Open, which is set for September 24.  Ok, nice news but that's no big deal, right?

Well then the USTA released their "provisional entry list", lighted some fireworks, and went screaming naked down 5th Avenue that ZOMG!!! DELPO'S PLAYING THE US OPEN!!!

Now, it seems to me that anyone who's seasoned in the goings on of the tennis world would have just shrugged this news off.  I mean, duh, he hasn't withdrawn from the USO.  Ok.  But that doesn't mean he's playing.  So the news, well, isn't news at all.  Everyone go about their business.  Nothing to see here.  Move along.

But no.  That shit lit up the sports world.  All of a sudden there were like, 15 articles in my Reader feed about how Elfie is planning to play the US Open.  As if the fact that he's on the provisional list is news.  That's like Montreal announcing "Maria Sharapova's playing our tournament!!!"  Fucking, duh, it's a mandatory tournament, dingleberries.  This isn't newsworthy.

Of course, the USTA smells blood in the water and starts running it's mouth.  Not only is he confirmed for the USO, HE'S HITTING AGAIN!  You know, because the first organization JMDP's gonna call when he swings a racquet is the USTA.  And then other reporters were like, "Bitch, please.  I talked to his camp and they say he isn't."

What the fuck ever.  The upshot: No one knows when Delpo's coming back. So...nothing's changed.  But he tweeted.  So don't worry, you guys.  He's still alive.

Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart

Delpo will not defend his US Open title. 

And, no joke or hyperbole, I am really sad.

It's A Thin Line

Oh, man.  Tignor nails it. 

I can relate to del Potro, and, as I’ve written here before, I can also relate to Ivanovic, both in her inability to hit a specific stroke, and the total loss of confidence that comes with it. When I competed for real, I went through periods where it felt like I was finding a way to lose, that even if I played well for a few games, or a set, in the back of my mind I was waiting for the truth to come out. The truth being that I couldn’t win a tennis match. Are you surprised that I didn’t win a whole lot of matches with this mindset?

Watching Ivanovic this year, I recognized similar signs in her attitude. If something went wrong in the first game, she was quick to pull her visor down over her eyes in embarrassment and anxiety, as if to say, “I knew this was going to happen,” or “I know what’s coming, and I can’t look.” It’s a terrible feeling to believe that you can’t win. When I’m in that state, the beginning of a match can feel like I'm standing at the bottom of a mountain, with no clue where to start climbing. Errors confirm the truth about yourself, good shots seem like pathetic mirages, delays before the inevitable.

Does this sound overly dramatic, or a little depressing? I’d say it’s the nature of tennis. If your basketball team or baseball team or soccer team is losing, there’s some distance between that failure and yourself. It’s not fun, and it will get to you, but it’s a little like your company not doing well. You may not be good at your job, but it’s still a job, it’s not you. That distance doesn’t exist in tennis. The sport is you.

Today Ivanovic’s run of strong play in Rome ended in the semifinals. Over the course of the week, she’d gone from giddy in victory to quietly satisfied, as if she was beginning to expect to win again. The upside of the personal nature of tennis is that it doesn’t take long for you to start thinking good things about yourself, just like it doesn’t take long to believe the worst. It’s an intensified and compacted version of the swings—from joy to despair and every irrational point in between—that we all go through in our heads each day.

Near the end of her match, Ivanovic did a brief visor clutch after a lost point. The despair had, for the moment, returned. That’s what you get when you’re brave enough to play a sport where you’re never more than two points from changing your entire opinion about yourself. In tennis, you're always poised, hanging, dangling—two points from hope, two points from doom. You never know which way you're going to go.

Great article.  There's stuff on DelPo as well.

Pic This: Can I Sign Your Cast?

Sigh.

For more on Elf, be sure to read James' new post.

I Refuse To Hear It. I Simply Refuse.

At first I was like this...

 

And then I was like this...

And then I did this...

 

And now I'm like this.

I has an extreme sadz and I want to give Gauloises a hug and a pint.  Or 14.

False Start

Delpo took to the practice courts.  His wrist still hurts. 

Delpo is no longer on the practice courts.

Aaaaaaand I'm Sad Again.

Elf is out for 8 weeks with a wrist injury. 

So I'm guessing he won't be at IW.  [/lip quiver]

Sigh. I Wish You Talked To Andy.

Nice piece on the big man. I still forget sometimes that he's a Slam champion. I also forget that he's 20 YEARS OLD.

Pic This: Day 6 and 7

The Australian Open Diving Championships, which are taking place this weekend, are really fucking up my photo searches.

Looks like Aunty Pam hired herself a local beer boy.  Wise, that one.

Anyone know what the ribbon's about?  I'm guessing her ankle ligamenture.

"Manny Delgado is a man of action."

Wonder who she's looking at...

Damn.  Tax got hops.

Whoa, honey.

Looks like Tax was doing everything except trying to avoid the bagel in her match.

Impressive work, Halpert.

Lleyton would make an amazingly angry Goth Kid.  Some eyeliner, a lip wring, one of those big holey piercey things?  A dog collar?  Which is ironic seeing as how he's the most douchey jock on the scene.

Hell of a week for China.  Pick up some racquets, Beijing!

Nole is like, crazy obsessed with his guns.

Yes, Pico, everyone's been doing that for Kolya.  If you relax it'll hurt less.  So I hear.

Bad racquet.

Because I haven't posted a picture of Vika yet.  And if I'm going to be accused of jinxing people, well, here's my chance to use my powers for good and not evil.

P-Raft is hot.  You can't blame Henri.

Good tourney for you.  Proved the USO run wasn't a fluke.

Still useless to me when it counted.

"Where's Your Head At at at at at at..."

She's just not that into you, Dani. 

Hmmm...you look familiar.

Jo.

Not Jo.


Ah, the classic "head stuck up your ass" MTO.  Didn't help, Tommy.

MaKiri with sympathy pains.

They. Were. Adorable.

Welcome To The Big Time, Marin.

I feel like I've waited for a year for Marin to finally break through in a Slam.  Sure, he beat Muzzard last year at USO, but that didn't count.  Muzz played horribly.  But I thought Elf, though a bit niggled by injury, played well enough to win today had Marin not upped his game.  So good on the lanky Croat for getting it done.

He'll face A-Rod next, who withstood a strong challenge from Gonzo.  Should be an interesting one, though Andy should be able to serve his way into the semis.

Pic This: AO Day 5

Guys like MaKiri?  Weird.

Well done, photog.

G'day, you hot hunkin' piece of mate!

Stupida testa.

And then the seas parted...for Justine.
(stole that from Brodie)

Forrest Gump is in the draw?  Ruh roh.

Pardon me, Florence, but why is your shirt on?

Because this is sexy to someone out there.  And who am I to judge?

You go, girl.  But what's with the leg?

Who?

Ah, him.  You know, the pastiest guys in the top 10 are having the easiest go so far. 

Muzz and Kolya are cruising.

Not exactly the elegant Mr. Federer.

Pleated shorts: Ur doin it rong.

[FacePalm]

"Illusions, Dad.  Tricks are things whores do for money."

Focus on the tennis, Dina.  The bodybuilding career will always be there.

Ah yes.  The patented Joey Tribiani "Smell the Fart" acting method. 

I wish WTA players could take Hugging Time Outs.

I could name a number of players who would benefit greatly from HTOs.

Oh, John.  No.

It's official: Nothing good comes from Asian people being on court.

Grinders

It wasn't easy, but they're through.  Some in spectacular fashion (Johnny!) and some in grinding fashion (Elf and Andy) and some in "last woman standing" fashion (Justine and Jay Z).  

67(4) 64 46 76(3)

Florence played a fantastic match against A-Rod, but this not being Davis Cup, he faltered at the key moments.  A-Rod played passively and refused to get anywhere near an attacking mode, and Feli took advantage.  But in the end, it wasn't enough.  He definitely gave A-Rod a scare though.

61 46 76(4) 76(5)

This was the match of the day for me, as Gael and Halpert played a fantastic three sets after Gael finally woke up after the first.  This match pretty much came down to Halpert playing two *amazing* tiebreaks.  He showed tremendous poise and guts, and its clear that he's improved in all aspects of his game: groundies, net, and movement.  Gael played well, Halpert was just better.  Really happy for him. 

36 64 62

If Kleybs was going to pull this off it had to be in straight sets.  Once she couldn't take that second set, eventually losing 4-6, she was gassed and Justine cruised.  But I think she encouraged the field, showing that Justine is still vulnerable to big hitters.  She also clearly suffered physically from her grueling match against Lena.  She was a step slow and off on her groundies during the first set and a half.  So kudos to Kleybs (who seems a good 10 pounds lighter) for making her play a tough 3 sets.  Perhaps the field will tire Justine out as the tourney goes on.  She doesn't have a break in the next round: Bring on Wickmayer.

57 63 60

I'm going to assume that somewhere in the middle of the second set, Mono found out that JJ lost that morning.  And then all motivation left her.  Or, you know, she's Mono and she ran out of gas.  But yay, China!

63 06 64 75

As for Elf, I don't know what's up but he was fiddling with his forearm taping throughout the first set.  Is it injury?  Is it rust?  I don't know.  Hope he figures it out soon.  Those big legs won't have enough left if he keeps this up.

Ball Breaker

Yes, honey.  Your balls are big.  Proven.

Elfie had to gut out a five set 10-8 in the fifth win over an inspired James (64 67(3) 57 63 108).  Both players were hobbling by the end of it, with James suffering from a knee tweak early in the match and then an arm/shoulder injury towards the end.  As for Elf, he suffered a rib/back tweak towards the end and he looked completely exhausted.  Or maybe that's just how his face looks all the time.  Probably that.

But in the end it was his superior (and obscene) shot-making and, get this, *defense*, that won this match.  Elf looked like Nole out there at times, running down everything and desperately getting balls back until he finally got something he could hit.  It was impressive.

Confession: I actually feel bad for James.  I really do.  See?  I didn't even use his nickname.  Because at least for this post he deserves better than that.  He played as well as I've seen him play in years.  His forehand was off the chain.  James didn't give this match away.  DelPo won it. 

Which I suppose makes it worse for James.  For all the questions about his career he actually brought his A game and played the best he possibly could.  He pushed the world #4 and reigning USO champion to five full sets.  And he lost.  Maybe that's the reality check he needs.

This is a match worth watching.  So if you Tivo'd it, at least watch the last set.  Some remarkable stuff from both players.

Pic This: AO Day 1

And so the Slam season begins under a cloud of showers, upsets, and...well, a third thing that would appropriately complete that sentence.

Dina kicked it off as the first player into the second round.  Apparently she didn't play that great, though I think a 64 64 win over a Rybarikova, a player who won tourneys last year, ain't bad. 

Also she looks great, so...sure, why not?

 

Aw, what a cute ball boy.

I'm not looking forward to watching Justine matches in HD. 

The sores.  My GOD the sores.

"Hey, you."

Oh, Chakky.  Why do the tennis gods hate you so much?

Well that would explain why you look like idiots.*

 

No no no, Sveta.  The exo is over.  Please start playing actual matches.

Halt.  Hammerzeit.

 

Wait...which one is nicknamed "Elf"?

Mmmmmovingrightalong.

Heh.  Never gets old.

Even seagulls like a good magic show.

Awes.

Only someone on PED could jump that high.

Kidding.

GO AWAY.

Come Aboard, We're Expecting You!

He doesn't go that deep in tournaments much anymore, so any chance to throw out that karaoke video must be taken advantage of.

The men's tournaments joined the women's in general WTF-itude today as top seeds (Tommy Robredo) fell, people withdrew-- injured-- from exhibitions days before the start of the first Slam of the year (JMDP, Sod), and Marcos Baghdatis won yet another match. This close to the first Slam, it always seems like withdrawls (and even losses) are hard to read-- are you really that injured/playing that badly, or are you just trying to save yourself for the Big Event?  We'll all find out soon enough.

Auckland
Singles - Quarter-finals
J Isner (USA) d [1] T Robredo (ESP) 76(5) 36 64
[5] P Kohlschreiber (GER) d M Gicquel (FRA) 63 61
A Clement (FRA) d [6] J Melzer (AUT) 62 75
[8] A Montanes (ESP) d [Q] M Lammer (SUI) 63 63

Hobart
Singles - Quarterfinals
(1) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. (8) Gisela Dulko (ARG) 61 57 61
(2) Shahar Peer (ISR) d. (5) Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) 46 76(4) 75
(4) Alona Bondarenko (UKR) d. (7) Zheng Jie (CHN) 75 75
Sara Errani (ITA) d. (Q) Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 63 64

Kooyong
Fernando Gonzalez CHI (11) d. Tommy Haas GER (18) 62 64
Fernando Verdasco ESP (9) d Novak Djokovic SRB (3) 61 62
Ivan Ljubicic CRO (24) d. Robin Soderling SWE (8) 64 ret.
Andy Murry SCO d. Sam Querrey USA 61 64

Sydney
Women's Singles - Semifinals
(1) Serena Williams (USA) d. Aravane Rezai (FRA) 36 75 64
(5) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. (6) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 63 61

Men's Singles - Quarter-finals
M Baghdatis (CYP) d [4] L Hewitt (AUS) 46 62 63
M Fish (USA) d [WC] P Luczak (AUS) 76(5) 62
R Gasquet (FRA) d P Starace (ITA) 63 76(7)
J Benneteau (FRA) d [Q] L Mayer (ARG) 64 67(5) 60 

Argie of The Year

Congrats to JMDP, who was named the Olimpia del Oro Argentinian Sportsman of the Year.  Quite the achievement for a country with so many great footballers.

And to top it all off, Elfie will take over the #4 ranking after Doha, bumping Muzz to #5.  How about them apples?  Not sure how much that can change before the draw comes out for AO, but if it holds, that sure will shake up the AO, no?

New Swords

 

I always get really weirded out when players change racquets.  Usually they're just paintjobs, i.e., the same racquet with a new paint job, but even just the pain job changes the player's whole look. 

So buckle up because Fed and Elf are "upgrading".  I am so used to Fed's old K-Six-One.  This black/red/and gold number is tripping me out.

I do like Elf's new one though.  The black and yellow is dope.

Air Quotes: 1-Up

''He's very fast. He plays like PlayStation.''

--Juan Martin del Potro, on Kolya The Hedgehog

Pic This: New Balls, Please

Now we know what Gauloises looks like!

WTF, WTF?

Gauloises at New Balls, Please go to watch the Elf/Fed match from a corporate box at O2.  And her writeup is pretty damn awesome.  So for all your Elf/Fed "WTF was that???" needs, read her post.

And We're Off.

 

Well the hometown boy (not really, I mean, he's Scottish) didn't fuck up on the first day.  So there's that.

The match went pretty much as expected.  Andy was able to control the points early before Elfie got his forehand grooving.  They would split the first two sets and then Andy simply outlasted Elf, taking it 63 36 62.

 

Play on, Playa.

Pic This: The Mad Men Of Putnam, Powell, and Loeb

 

I'd totally watch the spin off.

ATP WTF, Sponsored By Planters Peanuts.

 

But where are the top hats and monocles?  Talk about a missed opportunity.

Either that or this is a brilliant viral marketing campaign by Planters, a la this.

Ok, I'll stop fawning but I love love LOVE the ties the ATP made for them.  The hunter green and grey?  Swoony McSwoonerson over here.

 

Aaaaaand I've stopped swooning.  Thanks, BonerKillerer.

 

I will say this about Fed.  I'm glad he's procreating so that he can pass on that head of hair.  

 

Ahem.  No kids yet for Kolya.  No coincidence I'm sure.

 

I wonder if Simon Fuller, at some point, will drug Muzz, throw him into the back of a van, drive him to some dark alley, and get a one eyed Asian dentist in a wheelchair to fix his teeth.  Because boy, those things ruin a lot of pics.  That said, they're also why I love him.  I know, I'm not right in the head.

 

Aw, perfect. 

 

Rafa looks so different from picture to picture.  Does the dampness of his hair make *that* much of a difference?

 

It's weird to see Andy actually look bigger than Rafa.

Oh yeah.  This guy.

Welcome To The Hogwart's Reunion.

 

If Shanghai made the boys look like Hitmen, London has turned them all into the most mischievous group of prep school kids this side of Manhattan.  And I LOVE it.

  

The battle for Class President begins here.

Nice to see Rafa's hair decided to dry for this pic.

  

The faves.  Or so "they" say.

  

Cute.

 

Not sure why I can't find his stock picture.  Did someone arrive a little late to the party?

 

Lucky Sod.