Saturday, June 2, 2007

Heard Around Roland Garros - Weekend Edition

Biggest Rumor

BJK herself along with Zina (just call me Serena) Garrison are in Europe to work with Venus Williams. Reportedly they are among the only people Venus will listen to. If this is true (Venus is reportedly playing an exo in Sheffield England on grass next week) can we look forward to seeing Venus lifting the only plate in tennis that you can’t serve petits fours on?

Best 6-1 Set You’ll Ever See

If you get a chance make sure you see the first set of Montanes vs Nadal from 6/2/07. The game that featured 13 deuces and took 32 points to settle is one where you see just what it takes to win on clay. When it was over Carillo, PMac and whoever else was in the booth said that a game like that shows why Americans can’t win on clay.

Last Women Standing

Marion Bartoli is the sole French player remaining. Serena Williams is the only American. Serena has whipped herself into shape. What would Marion’s ranking be if she dropped just twenty pounds? What if she dropped 40?
An article posited the following about Ms Bartoli.

Bartoli is not unfit.
She's strong, in the mould of a mini Serena Williams. It's her way of doing what the diminutive former world No.1 Martina Hingis has struggled to achieve since her return last year from retirement: matching the firepower of the Williams sisters and Sharapova.

Uh, no. But here’s the rest of the article.

Marion Follows Doctor's Orders



Sharapova’s comments on facing Patty Schnyder.


Q. So if you play Schnyder and she's in a tough match right now --

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Mm-hmm.

Q. That's a long, drawn-out kind of tricky match on clay, on a surface that's obviously not your favorite surface and it's one of hers. So how do you approach that kind of battle?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I'm ready for any battle. It's definitely not an easy match. She's also a lefty, also likes the clay, and I got through that just fine. I'll need to be patient. It's going to be my mindset going into the match. But I also need to be playing my game.

I mean, I've played her on clay before. I think last time I did before was in Rome a couple, few years ago, and I lost in three sets. But, you know, it's a different situation. I mean, I've got to do the things that I still do best and compete and fight, and hope that, you know, I don't have any letdowns. Because, obviously, she has more experience than the girl I played today, and she's not going to let you get away with that.


Mary Pierce Update


Bonnie deSimone reports for ESPN that Mary Pierce feels she’ll be ready to play in the fall.

Where's My Lotto Ticket?

In case you were keeping track Roger Federer is now the third highest paid athlete in the world. Here are the Top Ten.
Yuri must be devastated that his, I mean his daughters income has fallen. And poor Michael Ballack. How does he get by on a mere $20 million?

1. Fernando Alonso
Auto Racing
Spain
Last Year's Rank: 15
$35,000,000

2. Ronaldinho
FC Barcelona (Soccer)
Brazil
Last Year's Rank: 3
$32,700,000

3. Roger Federer
Tennis
Switzerland
Last Year's Rank: 7
$31,343,885

4. Valentino Rossi
Motor Sports
Italy
Last Year's Rank: 2
$30,000,000

5. David Beckham
Real Madrid/Los Angeles Galaxy (Soccer)
Great Britain
Last Year's Rank: 5
$29,700,000

6. Yao Ming
Houston Rockets (NBA)
China
Last Year's Rank: 13
$27,455,000

7. Ichiro Suzuki
Seattle Mariners (MLB)
Japan
Last Year's Rank: NR
$24,000,000

8. Maria Sharapova
Tennis
Russia
Last Year's Rank: 4
$23,799,501

9. Thierry Henry
Arsenal (Soccer)
France
Last Year's Rank: NR
$21,400,000

10. Michael Ballack
Chelsea (Soccer)
Germany
Last Year's Rank: NR
$20,900,000

The entire list is here: The Billionaire Boys and Girls Club

I know I put that Lottery ticket down somewhere…
And BTW where is Tiger?

Worst of All Time?

Thomas Blake has been nominated by some fans as the worst broadcaster ever. PMac, Cliffy and Dick Enberg must be breathing a sigh of relief.

Brass Balls

Mats Wilander has once again commented on the lack of testicular fortitude in the ATP. Wonder how he knows this?


Pics of the Week

Shots that made us smile, and shots that made us scratch our heads. Others we're dying to caption but some things are best left unsaid.

Maria Sharapova


Juan Carlos Ferrero


Janko Tipsarevic


Jonas Bjorkman


Justine Henin


That Famous Ass

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