Suddenly second best: Can you caption this better than us? We kinda dare you to… Here’s our Mollly-Shannon inspired effort: “Sometimes, when I get really nervous, I grab a towel and pretend to pinch my nipples during a change over. It helps with holding serve.”
TSF Vault: The shirtless diaries really never fail us
(Getty Images photo)
A (now) familiar picture: Who could have guessed that this is how the men’s pro tennis book would have been written so far this year? Novak Djokovic is an unprecedented 37-0 going into Roland Garros, now having beaten Rafael Nadal in four straight Masters Series finals, two of them on Rafa’s beloved clay. Djokovic’s 6-4 6-4 win in Rome on Sunday sent out another warning cry to the rest of the tour: watch out, boys.
Doubles drama: Roddick, Fish pull out of dubs final against Querrey, Isner
More Nole: The Djoker is ‘Uncovered’ by ATP video crew
It’s beginning to feel good to be Maria: Could the Russian be headed for the Sharapova Slam? Maria won her 23rd career title on Sunday, capping a big week in Rome with a 6-2 6-4 win over Sam Stosur. Next up for Maria: a title in Paris? She holds three majors and now has a legit shot to nab a fourth in three week’s time at Roland Garros. Two more shots of the title-winners after the cut.
Colorful weekend: Doesn’t Erwin look good in pink?! OK, we joke.
On this Sunday, the TSF West and East teams have swapped coasts — Erwin is in New York City taking part in the annual AIDS Walk, while I find myself in San Francisco for an extended visit that includes the 100th running of the Bay to Breakers. Jealous? You should be. If you want to sound off on any topic (the unbeatable Djoko! Maria’s run in Roma… ) feel free! Otherwise, we’ll be back with you full force come tomorrow.
(Image by David Kevitch via Flickr)
Grigor Dimitrov barters tennis lessons for some turntable tips from Chicago-based DJ duo Crossfader King. Playlist: The McQueen-loving Bulgarian listens to a lot of hip-hop (Lil Wayne and 2Pac, he mentions). How’d Grigs do? Check out the video.
Watch: Wilson’s Breakout Sessions – Grigor Dimitrov and Crossfader King.
As if we needed one more reason to restart our Tennis Channel subscription (since we got rid of our cable sports package during a “break” from blogging over the winter): first we had to twiddle our thumbs while that Nole/Nadal Madrid final was bowling everyone over (including Rafa!) and now it’s going to be the only place to hear the wacky commentary of Mary Carillo.
After ending her run with ESPN in 2010, she’s signed on with TC for both the French and U.S. Opens to work the tourney desk, conduct interviews, offer analysis, and occasionally handle play-by-play commentary during select matches. She’ll also get to do the human interest segments we’ve come to know her for. (What antics will she get into when they let her loose in Paris?)
For Roland Garros, Carillo’ll join a roster of on-air talent including John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Lindsay Davenport, Justin Gimelstob, and Corina Morariu. Mary will also work with Bill Macatee on “French Open Tonight.”
(screengrab by Nick via NBC)
Former Cincinnati Bengals suit Vince Cicero has been appointed the new tournament director for the Western and Southern Open. The hiring is still subject to approval by both the WTA and ATP Tours; those decisions are expected to come before the start of the tourney in August 2011.
Full release after the cut.
Who needs color? Of the 80+ looks that Karl Lagerfeld sent down the runway during for Chanel‘s Resort 2012 presentation, our faves were definitely the black and white bikinis. That, and Brad Koenig. One can never have enough Brads. Collect them all.
Flashback: Chanel’s stab at tennis racquets.
Browse: See the entire collection at style.com. Oh, right — the bikinis: See them after the cut…
Potito Starace got tangled in Andy Murray‘s medusa at this week’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. Potito went down 2-6, 3-6 to the fourth seed, who next faces Florian Mayer. The other six quarterfinalists are Nadal/Cilic, Gasquet (who beat Federer in three with two tiebreaks going his way)/Berdych, and whomever wins these third-rounders: Soderling vs. Almagro and Djokovic vs. Wawrinka. (Draw: Rome Men’s Singles)
Tattoo watch: We hadn’t seen that one on his upper right arm before. Archives: Potito’s shoulder.
(image by Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images)
Baby steps: We’re trying to make sure that we don’t OD on Brad Goreski when his Bravo reality show, documenting his adventures in launching a styling business, finally hits our DVR. How not to binge? Have a little bit everyday.
Slideshow: We expected a meatier (and it can be done) set of pics, but we’ll take what we can get. Refinery29 hung out with Goreski in his room at the Mercer and snapped some glamour shots.
(photo via Refinery29)
The Serbian flag served as inspiration for the latest Sergio Tacchini kit on Novak Djokovic. The red, white, blue, and yellow are reworked into a rainbow-esque version of the Tacchini stripe. It’ll also appear in a black colorway for night matches.
Keepin’ on: Djokovic’s winning streak is still alive at the kit’s debut in Rome’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia. He beat Lukasz Kubot 6-0, 6-3 in the opening round. Up next is a match against Wawrinka with a potential quarterfinal against Soderling. (Draw: Rome Men’s Singles)
(match photos by the wandering lens of Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)
Hockey (player) for homos: As New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo amps up his serious push for a marriage equality bill in Albany, the Human Rights Campaign scored a big win in the fight for equal rights: a major sports league male. Sean Avery of the New York Rangers is known as fashion-conscious (check out the glasses) and the 31-year-old NHL veteran isn’t shying away from being the first New York professional athlete to campaign from the cause. And this shouldn’t surprise anyone: he’s Canadian. The former Chelsea resident now lives in SoHo.
Gilty of it: One of our fave online shopping outlets, Gilt, is getting rather giant, actually. The member-based site was valued at $1 billion recently, according to a New York Times article. A new investor in the fashion-savvy site? Goldman Sachs. Guess the big boys are finally getting serious about this online shopping thing, eh? More: Venus’ EleVen on Gilt
Tattoo watch hide your eyes: We think it better to close your eyes on this one. The Utah Jazz’s Andrei Kirilenko (he’s Russian, but not related to Maria as far as we know) reveals his latest body art. And… are there any words? Nope. None at all. Just… nothing. TSF Vault: The (classier) tattoos of the tennis tours
Yanina Wickmayer‘s fallen out of the new-It-Girl conversation, but we’re pretty sure no one told her. At this week’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, she handed Ana Ivanovic the Serbian’s latest clay defeat. (Last week, it was in the hands of Bethanie Mattek-Sands in Madrid.) Wicky next plays top seed Caro Wozniacki, who started out the dirt season strong — she won Charleston — but lost to Goerges twice after. (Draw: Internazionali BNL d’Italia Women’s Singles)
Erke: Not a lot of new moves from the Erke camp as far as Yanina’s clothes are concerned. Same silhouette (keyhole in the back), different colorway.
(images by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)
Rolex? Check. Visa emblem? Check.
Looks like two-time 2011 titlelist Juan Martin del Potro is making the most of his sideline time, having signed up to be one of the mascots for Visa‘s sports sponsorship program. (But JFTR, that muscle tear in his left thigh leaves participation at this year’s French up in the air. TSF wishes him a speedy recovery.)
Here’s the Visa landing page.
…and the image on the campaign’s Facebook. (Rough translation: “He’s not controversial, he doesn’t complain, he’s not into gamesmanship, yet he doesn’t go unnoticed.”)
Next time: They can do better than an embroidered dress shirt. How about snapping some papp pics of him shopping with a Black Card?
Visa Deportes: On the Twitter and the Facebook.
(image by Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images)
Gluttons we are, so there’s still room in our hearts for wanting after this: it’s refreshing to see a sleeveless jacket to go along with the pieces from adidas‘ Barricade line, which includes Andy Murray‘s polo. Speaking of, the man survived his opening match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win over Xavier Malisse. Up next is the winner of Troicki/Starace. (Draw Internazionali BNL d’ Italia Men’s Singles)
Buy: adidas Barricade Track Jacket; green and blue; $92.99; Tennis Express.
The clay version of Maria Sharapova‘s Statement Tank from Nike — the blue version of which was on Juia Goerges in her shot to prominence these last few weeks — makes it second appearance after Maria’s quick exit in Madrid. At this week’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, Masha got ‘er done by surrending only one game per set against Ekaterina Makarova. (Makarova ousted defending champ Martinez Sanchez in the opening round.) Maria will face the winner of Kleybs vs. Peer (Draw: Internazionali BNL d’Italia Draws)
Buy: You can pick up the Tank and Skirt in Gridiron (grey), both $60, at Tennis Express.
Bonus: Maria talks about her experiences going into Rome and the French — how she adapts her game, how she takes that into the grass season, and what she gets to do in Italy when it’s not about the tennis. (Video)
(interview photo by Robin Fenlon; product images via tennisexpress.com; match image via Getty Images)
If looks could kill: Check out these pics Marat Safin shot by Erez Sabag for the May 2011 issue of Russian InStyle. When not left to his own devices, the man cleans up. (I’ve already forgiven him for all the contrast collars he picked up in bulk this past winter.) Cowlneck and stripes? The man — or at least his stylist — knows the way to my heart.
Wise words: The Q&A accompanying the spread has Safin recounting his early tennis life (living in Spain, being an indentured junior, being ignored by the ladies), offering his thoughts relationships (alas, for a tennis pro, the ladies have to play second fiddle), and explaining his preference in clothes (he likes it simple). It’s actually a good read; translation at MTF.
Gawk: Rest of the pics below. Enjoy!
(src; InStyle photos by Erez Sabag; red carpet image by Fotonoticias/Getty Images)
A notch for each win? How cool is the Ion Tiriac trophy at the Mutua Madrid Masters in Spain? Sure, the home crowd wanted their boy Rafael Nadal to pull through in this one, but Novak is hot right now. H-O-T hot. 32 straight matches? No prob. The world no. 2 now takes his unblemished 2011 record to Rome after beating Rafa 7-5, 6-4. Look: Rome draw
Before we step away from the men, this between-the-legs lob winner from Rafa might be one of the best shots you’ve ever seen. We’re serious. Click. Play.
Bracing for a win. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a big winner sporting some metal on her teeth on the WTA. Great to see Petra Kvitova, the Czech who had a phenomenal 2010, rise above the rest in Madrid. Will she be the Aravane Rezai of 2010 and slump for the rest of the season? We hope not. Here, she smiles after a 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Victoria Azarenka.
It’s no Rome for the new member of the top ten. Kvitova will forego the top tier WTA event for a smaller ITF event in Prague. No, we’re not kidding. Draws: Ladies in Rome | Prague (… ?)
After the cut? Nole cuddles with the ballkids after his Madrid W. (more…)
But we’ll gladly pass it along: Contrary to the evidence, we had nothing to do with this one.
Pic taken while the ATPers visited the Avala Tower in Belgrade before the start of the Serbia Open.
(via MTF)
Andy Roddick‘s strong start to 2011 — with deep runs into Brisbane, the Aussie Open, and Memphis — did nothing for him at Indian Wells and Miami, and it’s translated into more weak performances on clay. Last week’s flameout against Flavio Cipolla now sits alongside another first-round “L” against Gilles Simon, who took out the 12th seed 6-3, 6-3.
Draw: Sharing that quarter with Simon are Melzer, Troicki, Kolya, and Murray, among others. Who’s going to be the last man standing? (Browse: Internazionali BNL d’Italia draws)
Striped: The Spring 2011 Adipure line’s all about the collegiate look, putting these plain stripes on the Traditional Pattern Polo (in varying navy/green/white combo’ed colorways). There’s also some argyle and a faux cardigan. Our pick: The Traditional Cotton Tennis Polo — complete with a crest (img) — $42.99, tennisexpress.com. The rest: adidas Adipure Spring 2011.
(Image by AFP PHOTO/Alberto Pizzoli)
Tattoo Watch: Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in her first-round match against Ekaterina Makarova at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. She lost 0-6, 7-5, 4-6. Makarova faces seventh seed Maria Sharapova in the second round; they’re both in the same quarter as Vika and Pavs. (Draws: Internazionali BNL d’Italia)
Archives: Browse through the rest of the TSF Tattoo Watch blotter.
(image by Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images)
