Launching a line: Martina Hingis is. The former world no. 1 said today that she hoped folks had heard about the line, which debuts in March of 2012. Above, the landing page for Tonic. Click the image or here to check it out. | TSF Vault: Martina Hingis
(Screen grab via Tonic)
Novak Djokovic‘s been having this courtship with a squirrel over at Wimbledon. So far he’s still finding a way to get close to the darned rodent. (“How should I call her?” he tweets.) Don’t play with fire, Nole! We’re pretty sure rabies won’t help you win a major… | More: Djoko fights for dog to get onto SW19 grounds
So… Apparently Rafael Nadal is on the cover of the current WebMD magazine, on newsstands now. TSF contributor and screenwriter/director Tobin Addington (who also alerted us to Slate‘s amazing grunt quiz) sent this picture with the commentary, “…WebMD magazine?!” Our thoughts, exactly, Tob.
The article, Rafael Nadal’s Secrets for Success, dives into how Rafa balances his health and his game and all the goings-on that the WebMD crowd would want to know about. Check out a crisp cover shot here.
TSF Vault: More city spottings here | Have a sighting of something tennis-esque? Send it to us!
(TSF image by Tobin Addington)
Do you have that in decaf? While Wimbledon gets unending press on the tradition of strawberries and cream, plenty of tennis fans need a little pick-me-up throughout the day, and we don’t mean an Andy Roddick serve in the gut. Enter Lavazza, the Italian coffee maker who teamed up with The Championships this year to bring the folks of rainy London a little bit of a bright spot in their day: caffeine.
While you can’t make it over the Atlantic to try some of Lavazza’s creations at SW19, sip some espresso goodness and try to act as jazzed-up as Marcos Baghdatis‘ Cypriot fans while you watch/listen to/pretend to play in Wimbledon at home. Lavazza has two recipes for make-at-home goodness. And while they recommend using a Lavazza A Modo Mio machine (with a custom Wimbledon covering) — we say just wing it! Or grab some espresso from the closest local cafe and then DIY at home! We have faith in you!
Buy: A Modo Mio, online for $270
Lavazza Wimbledon | To make your own Lavazza Iced Latte, you will need:
A all glass + ice + milk + a single serving of Lavazza espresso + sugar to taste + a blender + syrup (vanilla, chocolate or strawberry as desired — or all three?!) + straw (for sipping!)
Method: (Use a cream whipper while making)
1. Whisk together the whipping cream, Amaretto Disaronno and sugar syrup in a jug
2. Pour the combined mixture into the cream whipper
3. Load the cream whipper with nitrous oxide charge, shake vigorously and then put in the fridge to chill
4. To serve, brew a single shot of espresso per person and pour into a regular coffee cup, then simply top with the chilled Amaretto Disaronno mouse and serve immediately
Can you nab a perfect score? Last week we told you how the mainstream press had a heyday over the news that a Wimbledon official had decried the grunting in the women’s game. Well, they’re not quite done yet, folks. The team at Slate has put together this hilarious, brilliant and inspiring quiz where you click through ten (short!) clips of grunts and must choose the correct grunter out of four players offered. TSF East recorded a nine out of ten (so close!). What was your score? Click the image above to play the game and then tell us your results below.
Flashback: As Bernard Tomic became the fourth youngest Wimbledon (male) quarterfinalist of all time today by beating Xavier Malisse in the fourth round, we thought it appropriate to look back at the Wonder Boy himself, Mr. Boris Becker. The 1985 champ was just 17 when he won at the All England Club and Tomic joins the German, Bjorn Borg and Johnny Mac in the category of teenage quarterfinalists. A good omen?
Next up? Tomic has Novak Djokovic in the quarters
(Getty Images photo)
SMASH!-tastic: For all the attention it gets for being a tennis town, New York hardly has a lot to claim when it comes to tennis that happens on the island we all (well, most of America, that is) think of first when we think about the city: Manhattan. Courts are hard (and expensive) to come by, and availability — good luck, tookums. But a couple of weekends ago, downtown Manhattan not only got its tennis on for the day, it did so in fashion. Gargyle and United Bamboo fashion, that is.
The boutique (Gargyle) and fashion line (United Bamboo) teamed up to host SMASH!, a day-long tournament, for a second straight year, this time venturing a bit west from the East River Park courts to those at Seward Park, on the fringes of Chinatown. SMASH! is what you would expect tennis in Chinatown to be like: fun, quirky, oh-so hipster-esque, relaxed and above all — cool.
Above: a wall of celebrating. TSF contributor and fashion extraordinaire Troy Venechanos and I ventured to the day’s worth of events to check things out. Troy snapped some TSF-worth shots while I chatted with Don Vu of Gargyle about the event, which the store has approached a bit like throwing a dinner party at their house. “Tennis is one of the inspirations for Gargyle and you can see that in a lot of the lines that we pick,” Vu told me while we took in some of the round robin tennis. “We decided to take that part of us and make a tournament out of it. For fun. It’s pretty casual, but once you get on the court it’s pretty competitive. It’s relatively mellow overall, though.”
All you need is you: The mixed doubles teams (15 of them total) were all told to dress up for the occasion, some going all out and others choosing toned-down looks. But this is no Wimbledon folks: these outfits are colorful. The teams were broken into groups of five, playing one another in a best-of-three match-tiebreak format (first to 10 points) where the top team from each group would advance to the semifinals and one wild card (Team Lisicki?) would be chosen to participate as well.
TSF Vault: Gargyle | Gargyle wraps up SMASH! on its blog
“There are similar events [around New York],” Vu told me. “For the most part there is nothing like this for tennis. It’s a social event. We’re not raising money for anything — it’s just to hang out and have fun. It’s friends and friends of friends who are playing. We run Gargyle just down the street.” While Gargyle operates a few blocks away, the Hester Street Fair was happening just next door, so Troy and I trotted over a couple times throughout the day to snack on donuts (from Wonder City) and a specially-made macaroon called the SMASH! Sandwich. The guys at Macaron Parlour and Melt Bakery knocked heads (at Gargyle’s nudging) to create a tennis-ball looking macaroon that was downright delicious. This pup below is drooling over the thought of such things.
See the SMASH! Sandwich and more on the Gargyle event after the cut. (more…)
Here hunny, you sit here. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, better known to us as Kate and Will, made their first visit to Wimbledon today as a married couple. The two took in Andy Murray‘s rather straight-forward match against Richard Gasquet, the Scotsman winning 7-6 (3) 6-3 6-2. Kate looked stunning in off white (don’t you love that shoulder pattern, too?) and Will looked regal in a classic navy suit with a patterned red tie. Billie Jean King joined them in the royal box, as well.
More Murray: The world no. 4 has Kubot or Lopez in the quarterfinals
(Getty Images photo)
Or maybe just nerves? OK guys, we all know that’s not urine! (But is it?!!) Just a hard-working, sweaty Andy sweating it up on Middle Sunday before what is to be the biggest week of his life. (Getty)
Jelena Rustic approves of this podcast. No, really, she loves us! (Getty)
On the airwaves: After going silent on the radio front for a couple of months, the TSF team is back to check in on Middle Sunday talking about Venus Williams fashion, Bethanie Mattek-Sands “fashion,” the big noise about grunting (we’re over it! — the arguing, that is), the tennis bags for SW19, the return of the Williams sisters and more musings from both TSF East and West in this installment of our podcast series. | TSF Vault: More podcasts
Strawberries for Domi and the men get classic green from Dunlop this year at Wimbledon. (Photo provided)
Any cream, too? There’s been plenty of talk around Andy Murray‘s chic white HEAD bag that has been sprinkled with his favorite messages from fans through a creative Facebook campaign his racket maker has put on. But for Dunlop, it’s going the traditional — but fun — route with Dominika Cibulkova‘s bag for this year’s Championships, making her a colorful bag adorned with miniature strawberries for Domi, and Domi only. The bag isn’t for sale, Dunlop told TSF, but it looks great strapped over the diminutive Czech’s shoulder. The next scalp she’d like to throw in that bag? That’d be world no. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. The two are second on Court No. 2 (after Sharapova) on Monday. | More: Women’s draw
TSF Vault: Dunlop | Dominika Cibulkova
Sister act, 2011: Venus and Serena have both made their way through the first week of Wimbledon with their respective bumps — we’ll call it “character building” — and are currently on track to meet in the championship match at Wimbledon for the first time since 2009 (they met in the finals in 2002, 2003, 2008 and 2009). While both would have to win an impressive three more matches each to get to the finals, they certainly have proven to be unpredictable before, and long layoffs for each has put their games into a realm of unknown.
So, what do you think: which Williams can win Wimbledon? Tell us below.
(Getty Images photo)
Best dressed? Sort of cheesy, we know. But, like any slam, Wimbledon has plenty of color in its crowds — even if the players have to sport all white on the courts. The WTA has this video on fans around the grounds, and we dig the characteristic tennis-savvy folks on screen/in the stands.
Middle (American) weekend: Mardy Fish moves on | Serena, too
(WTA video)
“An Evening With Betty White” Coming To Farmers Classic Presented by Mercedes-Benz
A bit of a stretch, but we’ll go with it. (Hey — it’s all good press, right?) Betty White will be at UCLA’s Royce Hall on the Friday before the start of the Farmers Classic, also held on campus. She’ll give a talk about her career (including a Q&A portion!), moderated by her “Hot in Cleveland” co-star Wendie Malick.
She’s not cheap: Ticket info here to see Betty; you’ll have to fork over $50 for the nosebleeds.
More: Full release after the cut…
There’s no doubt that the British press has a heyday when Wimbledon comes around. From the Monica Seles-inspired Grunt-0-Meter to headlines screaming (desperately) for a British champ. It really is the people’s Slam. But Stateside, it’s always nice to see the mainstream folks picking up on the secret we’re all privy to: tennis is damn cool. Below a collection of week one’s rumblings across the non-tennis media.
The grunting! Doesn’t this happen every year? Sure, this was a British-inspired headline. But The Daily Beast kept with it for a solid morning on Wednesday, even putting together a gallery of grunters themselves. We think they left off a key founding mother: Monica Seles.
More: The Daily Beast‘s “perfect matches” tennis couples
(AFP image)
Can’t quit smiling: That would be Sabine Lisicki, who saved a match point en route to her 3-6 6-4 8-6 upset over French Open winner and Australian Open runner-up, Li Na. Lisicki, a 21-year-old German wild card, smashed 17 aces in the match.
Draw: Next up for Sabine? Misaki Doi | Countrywoman Petkovic falls
(WTA video)
No Fruit of the Loom? Lleyton Hewitt goes for Calvin Kleins under his Yonex garb, so it would seem. But the Aussie’s trendy undies and backcourt game were not enough to get him past no. 5 seed Robin Soderling, even after the veteran led two sets to none. The final in favor of the Swede 6-7 (5) 3-6 7-5 6-4 6-4.
TSF: Chris has Sod going to the QFs | More undies
(Reuters image)
That’s no sound stage. Behind that HSBC classic? A grass tennis court — in Manhattan. (TSF photos)
HSBC‘s “Wimbledon 2011 at Rockefeller Plaza” bestowed Manhattan with its only grass tennis court — even if it was just for one week. The yearly event has run this entire week while Wimbledon itself rocks out across the pond, the real-grass playing court sitting nicely between 50th and 51st making the city that hosts the down-and-dirty U.S. Open feel a little dignified for a few days.
On Monday, TSF took the trip down to Rock to check out the set-up, which only begins at the grass court. The Wimbledon experience is in full-force, with a big screen set up to watch the week one action, Prince stringers available to re-tune your racquets, Wii tennis to play and strawberries and cream (but no Pimm’s!) served up by period-dressed Wimbledon fashion folks (see pictures below) to round out the SW19 feel.
While the court will disembark as of Friday, Monday saw Monica Seles and Jim Courier kick off the event with a little hit and giggle together and with ogling fans. Before the two hit the court, TSF (full disclosure: I was there covering the event for TSF and TennisWire.org) caught up with Courier and Seles both.
More: Our off-the-cuff interview with Monica
TSF: The Davis Cup tie against Spain on July 8-10 in Austin is huge for you guys. Tell us what about that.
Jim Courier: I’m not going to Wimbledon but I went to the Queen’s Club tournament for three days and I got to see the guys play on the grass there. I’m disappointed that Sam Querrey has an elbow injury that he had to have surgically repaired and he won’t be an option for us. We have five good options, though. We have Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, John Isner and Bob and Mike Bryan. We’ll have four of those five players on the court ready to do battle with the Spaniards.
TSF: Do you guys hope to have a big, raucous crowd there?
JC: Tickets sold out in about two and a half hours … 15,000 seats for three nights. 45,000 tickets! We’ll play on a fast indoor court that will meets ITF specifications and it’s going to be high energy and high passion.
TSF: What about tennis? Where do you play?
TSF: What big plans have you made for your one-year wedding anniversary? [Courier married former tennis player Susanna Lingman in August, 2010.]
TSF: You’ll leave the plans to her then?
TSF: OK, I have to ask: who are your picks for Wimbledon?
TSF: And for the ladies? That’s a little more difficult to pick.
Check out more shots of “Wimbledon at Rockefeller Plaza” after the jump.
I cannot tell you how many thousands of hours I have spent hitting a tennis ball against a wall. Recently, I moved to Harlem in Manhattan and have discovered that there are hand ball walls just two blocks away from my new place. My afternoons? Now often spent hitting the ball against the wall, with curious walkers by baffled that I’m not playing hand or racquet ball.
Much of this fascination is due to the fact that when I was just 12 I read Monica Seles‘ From Fear to Victory, the book that chronicled her life into tennis — including her love of hitting the tennis ball against a wall in a parking lot below her family’s apartment.
This last Monday I got the chance to talk to Monday for the third time in my short, young career as a journalist. I was visiting HSBC‘s “Wimbledon at Rockefeller Plaza,” a week-long event that the Wimbledon-partnered bank has put on for several year that allows Manhattan to boast a grass court in the city — even just for one week.
It was here that I (full disclosure: I was on a media pass both for TennisWire.org and TSF) got to talk to both Monica Seles and Jim Courier. For more on the HSBC event and it’s details, see the Courier post here (or scroll up).
TSF: Monica, what about social media? Why aren’t you tweeting up a storm?
Monica Seles: I don’t think anybody would care what Monica Seles is eating or what she’s doing.
TSF: [Laughing.] Monica, are you kidding?! I think you’d be surprised.
MS: I’m an old dinosaur. [Twitter] is more all of these reality show stars that everyone watches. This is how this generation that has shifted. We didn’t have reality TV when I was growing up and now they’re the biggest stars. I really enjoy [my time away from the computer] because I’m on it a lot for work, but you kind of have to. My 10-year-old godson is tutoring me on the computer of how to navigate everything.
TSF: But you did Dancing With the Stars, so you’re sort of a reality star. What about trying Skating With the Stars?
MS: I couldn’t even [dance on] dry land! [Laughing.]
TSF: But you skated as a kid, right?
MS: Yeah, I skated for about a year and a half. That’s what I wanted to be. I loved it. I loved the costumes and all the glamor stuff. But I haven’t been on ice skates since I was 8 years old. I think being on Dancing With the Stars was enough. [The show] was more about art and how you look and how you present yourself. In tennis I didn’t have to worry about where the camera was or what angle to smile at. I loved [Dancing] because it was so out of my comfort zone.
TSF: What about favorite figure skaters. Do you have any?
MS: I always liked Kristi Yamaguchi in skating and she was on Dancing with me. And I always liked Nancy Kerrigan, too.
TSF: So you didn’t get to design figure skating costumes, but you still love fashion. Do you ever see yourself diving into it like Venus Williams or Maria Sharapova have?
MS: [Fashion] is something I enjoy looking at, but I don’t know. Tennis is really hard because all of the big companies have kind of taken over. I love it when you see the girls come out [for the players’ parties] and you want to see what everyone is wearing. Now, it’s going to be more and more daring. At Wimbledon all the girls got all dressed up and it allows the fans to see the girls in a different light — I like that.
TSF: Did you see Bethanie Mattek-Sands’ dress?
MS: [Laughing.] No… but I heard about it. I saw Maria’s and Ana Ivanovic‘s. Ana was very classy.
TSF: What is one thing that you must do when you’re in New York in the summer?
MS: I love Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. It’s really nice to just sit and be outside — I love being outside. You can sit there on a nice day and just have your friends eat with you — that’s my favorite.
TSF: Do you ever think there’s going to be a young star again? WTA success seems to be coming at an older age these days.
MS: Oh yeah. The tour has their age regulations, but there are always going to be young girls coming up who are powerful. Martina was powerful. And then Stefani. And then me. Then the Williams sisters came along. I think the sport always evolves. Maybe age mentally — how you manage success and fame and money — but otherwise, I think we’ll always have young players coming up.
(tsf photo)
Andy Murray stars in yet another chapter of the abusive and frustrating UK-wants-a-local-to-win-Wimbledon saga. This year, there might be a fighting chance: though Murray has not been a part of the Roger/Rafa/Nole conversation that we’ve all been having for most of 2011 so far, the Scot did make some noise by taking the AEGON grasscourt warm-up. He followed that up with a vintage Murray performance in his first-round match at Wimbledon against Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver: a slow start, but an eventual 4-6 6-3 6-0 6-0 victory. (Prediction: Chris has Andy making it all the way to the semis.)
Perhaps those inspirational messages — printed onto his Head racquet bag — helped him out? FYI: comments posted on Head’s FB page are chosen by a team (including Andy) and printed on a limited-edition racquet bag that Murray’ll use throughout the fortnight. (Short and inspirational blurbs are encouraged.) More will be added for every round he plays. The bag will be signed after the tourney’s end and will be raffled off to a fan. Nifty idea, but next time, let’s take the design to the next level, ok? Think Stephen Sprouse.
Do you like me? Check “yes” or “no”: Pass your note to Andy using this Head FB app.
More: Two more pics of the bag after the cut…
tennis served fresh 
