Forty Deuce

Pong.

She's no longer sponsored by Adidas but that doesn't mean "Impossible is Nothing" doesn't apply. She's had an absolutely stellar year, and if not for that pesky Li Na lady, she'd be holding down the fort for all of China.  She's already won more matches this year than she played last year, only Caro, Bepa, Nails, and Mono have been to more semifinals this year than she has, I saw some unverified stats on Twitter that said she's second in wins this year, and she just cracked the top 20 this week. 

And she gave this great answer to the question of whether Nails' RG triumph gives her confidence:

"I think it doesn't matter if she win Grand Slam or not win Grand Slam to me.  I think I always have to believe in myself because if I don't believe then why I go play, right?"

Word up.

She's got Boom Boom in the semis tomorrow.  First semifinals for Sabine since Luxembourg 2009.  She was, needless to say, happy.

(Pic: Getty)

Seedless.

Of all the weeks to choose to switch bodies, the ATP chooses to do its best WTA impression at the Fifth Slam?  A day after losing Moose and FeVer, Miami said adios to defending champ A-Rod, lost to Pablo Cuevas in straight sets.  A-Rod's been suffering with a bronchial issue all week as well as a few physical niggles.  He said he'll get it all checked out when he goes back to Texas. 

So with a week to go in Miami, the tournament has lost Moose (#5), defending champ A-Rod (#8), hot boy FeVer (#9), and, well, let's just list the rest of the carnage: Melzer (#10), Stan (#12) Marin (#18), Montanes (#20), Marcos (#22), GGL (#24), Ernie (#26), Bellucci (#27), PEHK (#29), and Milos (#31).  The carnage opens up Nole's quarter and Fed's quarter a bit, though it didn't really look like their quarters would be too difficult anyway.

The ladies on the other hand have held up quite nicely.  Other than Nails' second round loss, seven of the top 8 seeds are still in and the top 32 seeds haven't been shaken too badly.  Shahar and Wicky's early round losses were a bit of a shock and Peng, who came in unseeded is just slicing her way through the now Nail-less 1/8, beating Aravane and then ousting Sveta yesterday, 3 and 1.  If she beats Dulgheru tomorrow she'll get the winner of Masha/Sam. 

Thanks for making me sound like I know anything about tennis, Shuai.  Yellow Power!

Isn't this so Chinese?  Jay-Z?  Injured.  Nails?  Slumping.  But it's all about human capital in China and for a country with 593 BAZILLION people, you knew someone would rise up to plug the hole.  I genuinely have no idea how Shuai's doing it.  I've watched her matches and she does everything well but there's gotta be something about her game off the ground that is perplexing her opposition.  Taking the ball super early perhaps?  Super flat?  Super speed?  There's something super going on but my untrained ignorant tennis eye can't pick it up.  All I know is that right now, it's super-effective. 

Do yo think Ping Peng!*

*but not if you play Masha or Sam.  Gonna need you to go down to the big strong white girls there.

(Pics: Reuters, Getty)