Forty Deuce

Required Reading

• Matt Cronin looks at #1 wrestling fan John Isner's 2011 prospects. 
• Sam is Cosmo Australia's Sportswoman of the Year.  Her reward?  Getting dwarfed by Asian ladies.  Corgis be short, y'all.
• It's been a surprisingly (at least to me) rough year for Masha.  I wouldn't be surprised if she drops Mike in the off-season.
• FUCK YOU, CANCER.
• I mean, really, did any of us have any idea what we were getting ourselves into when we developed a nascent attraction to yellow felt?
• Serena and Common: On again?
• Grunters win, but is it really "cheating"?
• Tough times at Tennis Magazine. 
• Thoughts on espnW?
• Non-Required Reading: I was blessed to have amazing secretaries when I was a lawyer.  But if hadn't, I really would have been tempted to do crap like this.  I'm an a-hole like that.
• Non-Required Watching: Best wedding video ever?  Or a scene from Breaking Dawn?  I honestly don't know.

Required Reading

• Serena's lost $1M for missing too many mandatory events. So if she pops off in pressers about the effects of the recession, I will be setting my stun guns to blast.
• Bloggers vs. Journos.  Sure, that's hockey, but let's not pretend there's no tension in tennis either.  We're just more gentlemanly about it.  Kinda.
• I just can't say enough about Uncle Jamie's ode to the sexy-awesomeness of this game we love.  Warning: Do not drink any liquids by your computer while you read it.
• Brits are pissed at the LTA.  I get it, but man, I'd be stoked if there were two American players I liked as much as Muzz and Robbie.
• Loved Boyfriend's response on the question re male reporters in female locker rooms.  Wish people took the time to understand that "equal" ain't "equal" when you ignore the issue of power dynamics.
• If you haven't heard of this book you should look into it.  Depression is an oft-ignored subject in the world of sport.  Here's a really interesting excerpt from the book.
• Non-Required Reading: If you haven't heard of the "It Gets Better" project, you should spread the word.  One of the simplest, extraordinary, and heartwarming thing I've heard about in a while.
• Non-Required Reading: An oldie but a goodie: Caring For Your Introvert.
• Non-Required Watching: JT really can do no wrong.
• Non-Required Watching: In the interest of equal time, how bout that Heather Morris, huh?  As an added bonus, that's Mark from SYTYCD fame (Bleeding Love, anyone?) as a background dancer.

Required Reading

• Nick at TSF tries to out-bestie me.  Sure, you secured an exclusive interview with Robbie, Nick.  But does she, despite your declarations of bestie-dom, completely ignore you on Twitter to the point that you consistently make a complete ass of yourself?  Yeah, I didn't think so.  Your friendship bracelet is in the mail, Laura.
• The Commonwealth Games are officially a complete clusterfuck.  Also, I had no idea Elena Baltacha had a compromised immune system.  Quite remarkable.
• If you're Rafa's knee doctor, I suspect that's a pretty good gig.  So why would you talk to the press?
• Show me numbers, Mrs. Landingham.  No seriously.  I want to start seeing more numbers.
• Do. Not. Move. It. To Euro Fucking Disney. 
• Great mailbag from Boyfriend.  Loved the "ball man's" Andy story towards the end.
• Another post-USO piece on Rafa, this time from S.L. Price.
• Awww...Dinara got some some coaching advice from a two-Slam underachiever.
• Non-Required Reading: Do you follow Kanye on Twitter?  If so, this is, what we in the internetz biz call, a gamechanger.
• Non-Required Watching: This has been my absolute favorite thing for two weeks now.

Required Reading

• Wise words from Uncle Jamie for everyone who jizzed their pants at this news.
• An amazing story about an Iraqi wheelchailer.
• Lots of quotage from Muzz this week.
• The Andy Murray Experience.
• More awesome blogging from Bethanie.
• An oldie but goodie: Lisa Raymond's 2007 article about Sam's lyme's disease.
• Don't piss off tennis fans.  We have caps-lock and we're not afraid to use it.
• Non-Required Reading: Even at its worst, tennis journalism pwns the crap that other sports journos put out.  And let's be doubly thankful that the boys behind Fire Joe Morgan still take the time, even if it's once a year, to remind us of that.
• Non-Required Reading:  Mindy Kaling is the shit.  Full stop.
• Non-Required Looking: Look, I take great unjustifiable pride in my ability to caption a good photo.  I'm pretty much an arrogant asshole about it, actually.  Please understand that when I say this:  I bow down to this set of 59 photos/captions of Blake Lively's rack.

Required Reading

• Great interview with Stubbsy and RayRay.
• I got ya, Tignor.  Reacclimating is weird.
• Thanks to TSF, I now know what I missed when I was nose deep in Honey Deuces.
• I laughed out loud at Strawberries and Scream's assessment of Fed's kit.
• More shredding of CBS/ESPN's coverage, which got crap ratings, to no one's surprise.
• A nice take on Rafa and Nole from Pete Bodo.
• The best part of this piece from Shane Bacon at Busted Racquet?  The last line.
• I 100% agree with Chris Chase's take on why Ashe doesn't need a roof.
• Ravi Ubha's best and worst of the Open.  Thanks for giving Sam and Elena some love.  Speaking of which, isn't it fun when people lament the lack of quality women's matches, yet admit in the same breath that they didn't bother to see the one everyone was talking about?
• Greg Couch shows D-Young's parents P-Mac's book.  Hilarity (and a fun article) ensues.
• Non-required required reading: A great piece on the whole "women in locker rooms" business.

Required Reading

• Read this fantastic takedown of CBS/ESPN's "coverage" of the men's final.
• Some really great stuff in Boyfriend's post-USO Mailbag.
• It's not a matter of "when", but "if" my man will ever win a Slam.
• 50 thoughts on the US Open from Boyfriend.  Kind of have to agree with his Sam assessment.
• Interesting piece on the actual cost of these fucking rain delays.
• Tignor's report card.  I think he's pretty fair with his assessments.
• And of course, some Rafa ink here and here. 

Required Reading

• Novak gets a shitload of print and deservedly so.  I still think people should fess up and post their pre-written Fedal pieces.
• Cute stuff about Sam's childhood time capsule, but does she seriously have an outside shot at #1?
• Uncle Toni doesn't believe in being muzzled.  He is also still awesome.
• Roger who?
• If you have never seen wheelchair tennis, you really need to try.  Saw some at the USO and it's absolutely phenomenal.
• Always love the Global Sports Forum.
• You know why it sucks to be a British tennis player?  Because you have to read crap like this.
• Not really reading, but helloooooooo, Dima!
• Some post-final stuff on Kim.
• Apology accepted.
• Linked to this before, but it still cracks me up.
• Having now been to the USO, I find it difficult to argue with Tignor's take.
• This Open has provided some beautiful moments.  But there were also some heartbreaking ones.  And Uncle Jamie recounts the Top (or bottom) 10.  (Scroll down to his Day 12 entry -- GET SOME PERMALINKS, MAN!)

Required Reading

• If you hate tennis players being shoved down your throat, like FD Podcaster Christina, you better get your jaw wired:  CaroMania is in full effect, y'all.
• If you walk around the USO during juniors matches, you'll see a bunch of creepy dudes hanging out in small groups, with pads of paper, sunglasses, and a Blackberries, chatting quietly as they peruse the action.  It's creepy (especially when it's the girls), but they're just doing their job.
• Nick McCarvel at Tennis Served Fresh offers his formula for the MomoGlow.
• Holy crap.  Venus speaks!  About race!  Like...actually!
• Petko's last blog for ESPN.  Pour one out. 
• The American Men: A class below.  But just you wait.  Ryan Harrison's the real deal.  Seriously.
• I thought it was pretty well-understood that Fed talked about how he and Mirka don't have sexy times anymore, but ESPN's explanation is hilares. 
• So long as Rafa's on top, I just don't see anyone enforcing the "shot clock" rule.

Required Reading

• Why Spain is kicking our ass at tennis: Because they actually play tennis.
• Brian de Villiers has no idea what he's talking about.
• Nice try, but show me numbers, Querrey.  Until then, shut your trap.
• I tend to take this for granted but it's a good question: Why *are* injuries allowed to be kept on the DL in tennis?
• I cackled when Uncle Jamie told me Dunlop was going to do an interview with Bud Collins.  I cackled more when I actually read it.  And don't miss his hilarious Q&A with Bethanie.  Those two are glittery, hot pink PB&J.
• Turning the corner on C-Woz.  I think Tignor hit it right: You don't have to like her game, but you have to appreciate what she's able to do with it.
• Tennis players:  They're so emo.
• Sam's win over Elena D (which no one actually watched) was huge.  And everyone (who watched the match) knows it.
• Mikey Llodes had to retire with a migraine (I think it was a migraine).  But before he did he got some much-deserved ink for his highly entertaining style of play.
• Quite the breakout tourney for Petkorazzi.  Just remember, kid.  We knew you before you were famous.

Required Reading

• Dolgo gets some well-deserved ink.  Keep an eye on him.
• Obligatory Courage obituary.  
• Ana Ivanovic: Relevant.  Maybe.
• Kevin Fischer of the WTA does some number crunching on WTA hold rates.  Not surprisingly, Serena and Sam top the list. 
• Should Vika have taken the court?  Probably not but hindsight is 20/20.  I've received a few emails and tweets on it.  This isn't football.  You don't need physio clearance to take the court.
• Finally.  Details on Serena's foot.
• Best.  Picture.  Ever. 
• Rafa's least favorite subject?  History.
• I was in Cincy when a journalist was asking a bunch of players about the benefit of hitting second serves like first serves.  Here's the write up.  I don't think he changed any of their minds.
• Nice read on Gigi Fernandez's long road to motherhood.
• 'Lil Wayne.  RafaKADding in prison.
• Women are fragile.  I know this because J-Mac told me so.  And a bunch of whores respond.
• I saw Nicolas Mahut walking the grounds, tennis bag on shoulder, completely ignored and unaccosted.  Amazing how a match can change, or not change, a career.
• John Isner: The Accidental American.
• Uncle Jamie is blogging from the US Open.  And he's doing it right.
• Love that the USO is posting full video of the pressers.  Read and watch them here.

Required Reading

• Interesting stuff on the sponsorship issues hanging over the New Haven tournament, with added Ana and PetKo content.
• Check out A-Bond's wedding gallery.  Cute.
• I was going to attend the Evian blogger roundtable with Masha in NYC yesterday, but the way the New Haven OOP worked out, it would mean missing Sam.  Here's what I missed.  I think it was a draw.
• An absolutely must read whether you agree or disagree on power in the women's game from the NYT.  It's long form magazine writing about tennis.  You have to like that.

Required Reading

• Bruce Jenkins calls out ESPN on their idiotic "coverage" of the USO Series.  (It's at the very end.)
• Some really great stuff this week in Boyfriend Jon's mailbag.
• Let Melanie Be Melanie.  Seriously, can we all just ignore her for a while?  That's what I've been doing.
• Did you miss the Rendy Lu drama in Cincy?  I know I did.  Talk about a complete and utter cock-up.
• I also missed the Dinara party in Montreal.  Thankfully Brodie was there and he was elated, as he should be.
• Ah the life of a tournament director.  I seriously do not envy them.  At all.
• Colors!  At Wimby!
• I think it's really cool that Ana has a woman as her fitness trainer.  Here, she talks about why it makes a difference.  One of the reasons why I'm really bummed she pulled out of New Haven is that I wanted to ask her more about it.

Required Reading

• Enjoy insight into what it's like to cover a tournament as press?  Loved this piece from Tignor.  Also liked this piece on whether Muzz is all up in Rafa's head.
• Bethanie's blogging from Montreal.  Which makes you REALLY wish she beat Kim last night.  But seriously, she's easily the best tennis blogger out there.  And yes, that's a shot over the bow, Petko.
• Nice stuff from blogger Maria about tennis player Maria.
• SamTracker5000: She's in a parking lot.
• Uncle Jamie is lovin' on Judy and decides to write Andy Murray a creepy letter.  I'm pissed he beat me to it.
• My friend Jackie was in Toronto covering the guys for Tennis.com.  Great write-ups.
• If you're one of the five Muzzard fans that read FD, these quotes give you a lot of hope.
• Sorry for the Muzz heavy post (the dude won a tournament convincingly, he earned some ink), but I loved this from Rich at Down The Line.

Required Reading

• Bobby Chintapalli is killing it in Cincy.  Here she gets some time with FD Fave, Andrea Petkovic.  And she talks about the one thing we all love:  Twitter.
• Want some other bloggers' thoughts on MontrealGate?  How about The Double Bagel and Down The Line?
• Strawberries and Scream lists five matches they want to see, and it's hard to disagree.
• TSF's Nick McCarvel blogs about his day at Stanford.
• Bruce Jenkins at SI thinks Americans are in deep poo when A-Rod retires.  Haven't we been saying this all along re: The Williamses?
• Greg Garber looks at the Fed/Annacone coaching sitch.  But really, this is just an excuse to link to the Sam Stosur bit at the end.
• Speaking of Sam (ok, yes, I was the only one speaking of Sam), I love how much support she gets from Oakley.  It's nice to see.
• You can read all the press conferences from Cincy and Toronto.  They're on a next-day embargo but it's always more fun to read the quotes for yourself as opposed to having them digested for you by a journo.
• I'm going to pretend this doesn't exist.  Care to join me?
• Steve Tignor talks Ernie.  Always entertaining.
• Ana gets some ink in The Atlantic.  Uh...here's hoping that's not the only exposure she gets to Atlantic subscribers.
• Boyfriend Jon has a particularly great mailbag this week.  Loved the marketing stuff.  You're getting lucky tonight, boy.

Required Reading

• Sveta was killing it in her pressers all week in San Diego.  Great stuff from her again after she clinched the title.
• Steve Tignor reports from Toronto.
• Jelena Dokic is quietly working her way back to relevance. 
• I still don't know why this took so long, but glad that it finally happened.
• Muzzard on coaching.  Or not coaching.  Or coaching.  Or not coaching.
• Lindsay Davs breaks down Sammy Stones' kick serve.  The whole thing is tennis porn.  Or, if you're me, just plain porn.
• Fed talks.  I suppose we should listen.  But just this once.

Required Reading

• Cronin with some good quotes from Ana, Dinara, and Sveta, re their slumps.
• An extended interview with Ana.
• Kamakshi Tandon has a great piece on the WTA injury problem and player scheduling.
• A collection of quotes from the boys over the past few weeks.
• Uncle Jamie basks in the awesomeness that is Flavia Pennetta.
• Steve Tignor wonders if Vika's fo' real.
• A-Rod has a tired.
• But...WHY?!??!?
• The Hammer finally gets a chance to visit the Oakley factory.  She was a liiiiiiittle excited.

Required Reading

• Panic at the Disco?  Fed's hired Pete's old coach, Paul Annacone, on a trial basis.
• Dude.  Caroline.  I have one word for you: Separates.
• Between the tweeting at Kim Kardashian to the tweeting of shirtless pictures of himself, I'm officially pulling out of the Fernando Verdasco game.  Gross.
• Chris Oddo, aka The Fan Child, is blogging for On The Baseline this week.  He's been my partner in crime in the media center and his posts are well worth reading.
• Masha's USO kit.  I'd prefer it was *Sally* Draperish.
• Brodie, for no apparent reason other than boredom, decided to investigate the many complexies of hard courts.  It's worth a read.
• Nole opened up some courts in Serbia and donated a million bucks to the organization.  WHAT A PRICK!!!

Required Reading

• Not sure why I didn't post this Rafa Q&A after Wimbledon. But I didn't. So now I am.
• Nice piece from Tignor on why tennis movies kind of suck.  And how to fix that. Maybe.
• Tennis Served Fresh collects all the tweeting about Delpo's will he/won't he/when will he/STFU, USTA tweets.
• And don't miss this great find from TSF.  Please note, gentlemen: No woman wants her ladybits plundered for 11 hours.  One word: Chafing.
• Brodie at Mind The Racket offers his thoughts on his countrymen's snubbing of Baby E.  Spoiler Alert: Bros before hoes.

• Non-Tennis Required Reading: Emily Bazelon over at Slate published a fantastic piece of investigative reporting in this week's piece on the Phoebe Prince case in Massachusetts.  The tragic story is way more complex than it seems.

Required Reading

• More on SerenaGOAT.  And Tignor weighs in.
• Uncle Jamie gives tennis tweeters some tips.  Can I get a shot of "Amen!" and a "Hallelujah!" chaser? 
• Nice piece in the NYT on Querrey California's comeback from shredding his arm.
• Gauloises over at New Balls, Please does a cautious happy dance: Delpo could be back in September.
• More discussion over Ana's non-wildcard sitch, from Stephanie Myles and Tom Tebbutt.
• Sammy Stones did some interviews down under.
• Boyfriend weighs in on Serena's foot.

• Non-Tennis Required Reading: This piece from the New Yorker.  A fantastic long-form piece of creative non-fiction on the science (or not) behind art authentication.

Required Reading

• The New Yorker ponders "Why aren't there more assholes in tennis?"
• Boyfriend says Serena's the GOAT.
• A lot of other people say "Bitch, please."
• Stephanie Myles has an amazing photo montage bordering on stalkerazzi (and I mean that as a compliment) on Mikey LLodes.
• Fierce Tennis breaks down Masha's decision to play doubles at Stanford with Yanina.  Yanina Wickmayer.  Like...the Belgian chick.  
• Tignor's thoughts on how we watched the ATP get flipped on its head over the course of 4 weeks.

Required Reading

• According to the NY Times, players are so over Davis Cup.
• Players set a good example in the Serbia/Croatia tie.  And the NYT is really obsessed with it.
• And people say she's a cold hearted bitch?
• There's losing a bet and then there's what happened to A-Rod. Ew.
• As expected, Rafa's ready to Vamos on Sunday.
• An awesome interview with our favorite Mini-Marat, Ernie.
• Haasi a Daadi.
• Getting to know Anastasija Sevastova.

Required Reading

• Spaniards agree: Rafa's the most inspiring Spanish athlete.
• Appreciating Masha's newfound maturity.
• Thoughts on that whole "time violation" business.
• I don't think there's any better term for Navs/Evert than "rivalship".
• Is the Fed-Era over?  Is it?  IS IT??? IS IT!!!?!?!??!?!?!?  (Translation: I liked those articles)
• "Mr. Nadal is also known to be a great fish eater."  Heh.  Sure he is.
• J-Mac's interesting quotes on Rafa, Muzz, and Fed.
• Janko got married and now the Serbs are in Split.  Enjoy the view.
• Corina's engaged!

Required Reading

• Huh?  People thought Sam and Nads didn't get along?
• 12 records went down yesterday.  Not only did they go down, they're untouchable.
• The buzz around the grounds and in the locker rooms re Isnut.
• Serena and Stifler: A match made in heaven.
• You'd think with all the news coming out of the AELTC the past four days, the British journos would just focus on the tennis.  Nope.  But at least it was an entertaining read.
• Nice interview with Martina.  The woman is kick-ass personified.
• Credit to Judy.  Instead of just pissing on British tennis she offers some suggestions.
• Blah looks like he's on the way out.
• 10 Questions with Killer Cahill.
• Momo's loving retirement.
• Stubbsy's blogging from Wimbledon.  And she's got a bone to pick with the organizers.
• What if you had to live blog the Day 2 of Isnutpalooza?  What if you had never live blogged a tennis match before?  You'd undoubtedly do a way shittier job than this guy.  Hats off!
• An ode to tennis.
• Steve Tignor's thoughts on the LMOAT.

Required Reading: Killin' Time

Emilio has some advice for Moose.

Wimbly pest control.

Justine talks about Wimbledon.  Or something.

Wimbledon appoints the first female umpire in charge.

The Telegraph tells us what we already know.

Christopher Clarey makes you feel even worse for A-Rod, if that was possible.

These excerpts from P-Mac's new book that are really worth reading.  Here, here, and here.

Tignor talks grass.

Required Reading

A great pre-semifinal profile on Sammy Stones. 

Ravi Ubha makes his case on why Sods is the real deal.  And Tom Perrotta profiles him.

One day later, Franny looks to the grass.  Sam too.

The real winner at RG10?  Babolat.

Kamakshi Tandon goes all Nancy Drew in The Curious Case of Victoria Azarenka.

Required Reading

• Say what you will about Andre, but his analytical acumen when it comes to tennis, and particularly when it comes to Fed/Rafa is second to none.
• Sad you're not in Paris?  Steve Tignor does his best to get you there.
• Momo for HOF!
• Mr. Krumm speaks.