Idle Chit Chat

by Savannah

So the Belgian press is reporting that Justine Henin is training to appear in two exhibition matches and that her former coach is saying he doesn't think she'll return to the tour.Let's see, there's a new WTA head, Kim Clijsters is back, is it the end of a "suspension" for some unnamed and highly speculated upon reason? Did I mention Kim Clijsters is back?

I mean really people. I've dogged the present #1 ranked woman for being surgically attached to her coach and totally unable to think on her own on court so why would I be excited about the return of the woman who pioneered in that area? Not to mention Justine's total lack of sportsmanship. There is no way in hell Justine is coming back unless Rodriguez is free to coach her. At the present time he's working with Yanina Wickmayer, also of Belgium.

I could go on and on about why Justine's return has been encouraged from so many quarters and how it has to do with those Williams women being the true Queens of Tennis no matter what the rankings say but that would be boring and repetitive wouldn't it?

I hope that Craig, while working on his farm, breaks into his version of the "I Told You So" dance. The above link is in French.

This and That

After a totally gangster campaign waged by Tennis Channel Cablevision has managed to find a way to add it to it's lineup beginning this Friday. The print ads were one thing (see above) but the radio ads were stunning in their ferocity. Good for them. Now if we could get BBC America so I don't have to scour the internet for "Torchwood" I'd be totally cool with Cablevision again.

(courtesy of "RawUncutTennis")
A couple of years ago Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal played a street exho as part of the hype for the US Open. Today the Monogram and Rafa played at different times near the iconic Flat Iron building. I'm just starting a new medical regimen so there's no way I could stand in ninety degree fahrenheit heat to watch either event.

Why is so much attention being paid to what the top men will be wearing at the US Open? Yesterday there were a gazillion pictures of Andy Murray in his Fred Perry wear. Today Nike released this little blurb:

Roger Federer’s contemporary style is embodied in the details and craftsmanship of his US Open day and night looks. These looks are modern, consisting of bold red and black. Federer’s in-game polos are constructed of knit Nike Dri-FIT fabric in the body and a woven Nike Dri-FIT collar for comfort and moisture management. The body of the shirt has an embossed dot pattern inspired by the subway signs of New York, and the button placket features Roger’s black RF monogram logo, applied using bonded innovation and laser cut detailing.

Needless to say The Monogram wouldn't dare wear a Liberace outfit to the US Open. He'd be laughed off the court.

As long as Rafa isn't wearing that pink shit I'm cool with whatever he puts on his body.

Miscellany

Serena Williams has almost 1,000,000 (one million) followers on Twitter. How much of that is bots and porn I don't know but that is pretty impressive for a sports figure. She's going to hold some kind of celebration when the magic number is reached.

Haruka was out at BJK yesterday and got to see some qualie play as well as some practice. Stan Wawrinka was having trouble keeping the ball in the court she reports. She also got to watch Nicole Vaidisova play. Nicole is very thin and after fighting back to win the second set she went on walkabout and lost the third. Haruka said she appears to have the "yips" and not to have been practicing much at all. If Latisha Chan was better focused she would've won the match in straights. Too bad. Meanwhile her fiance is still managing to win matches.

She also got to see Daniela Hantuchova practicing with Darren Cahill. Dani is hitting the ball very hard but she seems to have some mental issues as well. Cahill is said to have been pleased by what he was seeing though.

The US Open Series

So if Sam Querrey defeats Bjorn Phau at New Haven today he wins the US Open series. I'm still a fan of the Series in concept but the limitations of it's appeal become more glaring each year. The WTA has to force it's top players to play the Rogers Cup and the newly combined event at New Haven, by being made a Premier event for the women has drawn a somewhat decent field thanks to WC's. The ATP used wild cards as well so that the field would be more fleshed out.

With Canada refusing to reconsider it's place in the calendar and aiming for a "virtual" joint event in 2011 as well as back to back Master's Series events for the men in brutal summer heat and humidity I don't see how the smaller tournaments will draw the best. American tennis officials always whine about the Europeans who currently dominate the sport don't come until they have reason to do so. Meanwhile the European Spring clay swing is well populated by top players but there is nary an American to be found. The attacks on the Spring clay court season by American tennis officials has not gone unnoticed by the Europeans. Throw in James Blake's nasty little comments at the end of the clay season in Europe and you have the reason the European men come for the Master's events and the women for Stanford and if forced, Canada. I see no change in the foreseeable future.

US Open

The Main Draw will be unveiled on ESPN2 at noon Eastern time Thursday August 27.