TENNIS.com - The Spin

The players' favorite NYC spots

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 21:00:00 GMT

The city that doesn't sleep is about to wake up in a major way. In Cincinnati this week, I asked a lineup of the world's best players what they like doing and where they enjoy going when in New York City. Here, in their own words, is a roundup of those favorites—from the likes of the Williamses, Federer, Djokovic, Li Na, Kerber, Kvitova, and Wawrinka. And as you'll see, del Potro might take exception with Li's answer.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: "We stay in New Jersey at a friend's place, so not spending a lot of time in the city. At the majors you really try to save as much energy as possible in order to perform your best on the court. That's the goal. That's why we're there. New York offers a lot. I mean, basically everything you can do throughout the day, night, whatever you want to do. I mean, I like Broadway. I went last year with my girlfriend."
(Follow up: What show?) "I went to see Mamma Mia!. This year I might use the opportunity of having couple days off and just try to see another show."

PETRA KVITOVA: "Shopping."
(Follow up: Where?) "Everywhere." (Laughs) "No, I mean, the New York is for me like for tennis, and then if I lose and I have a flight in the night I go shopping and buy some present for my family and for my friends. That's it what I'm doing there."

ANGELIQUE KERBER: "I go shopping." (Laughs)
(Follow up: Where to?) "Tiffany's. ... No, I mean, New York, everything starts there for me last year ..." [She arrived at her first Grand Slam semifinal.]

LI NA: "Fifth Avenue. You know what that mean?" (Laughs) "For the girls."

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: "Well, go shopping maybe."
(Follow up: Where to?) Fifth Avenue. It's nice to go there. (Smiles)

VENUS WILLIAMS: "It used to be Barney's, but now I would say like private-room karaoke."
(Follow up: What song?) "Well, strangely enough, I sing this song 'White Rabbit' by Jefferson Airplane. It's actually really hard to sing now. But I only sing that after I've warmed up a little bit, my voice is all nice, after some tea. But more than anything I just try a lot of new songs. I'm not a professional singer. It just lifts your spirits. It's so fun."

SERENA WILLIAMS, after I noted that Venus spoke of private-room karaoke: "It's so funny she said that, because I was just talking to my physio today about how the first thing I do when I get to New York is I'm going to karaoke. I hadn't karaoked in, gosh, since like February or January. I'm a karaokier; normally I karaoke every day. I haven't been able to karaoke since February. Now I'm just overwhelmed. I have so many songs I want to sing. Venus is excellent, though. She walked in someone else's room session and started karaoking with them. They must have been so excited."

(Follow up: What's your favorite song to sing?) "It depends. Right now I'm in this really '90s moment, so I'm in this whole Air Supply kind of thing, bit of Irene Cara. Right now I'm really into 'Making Love Out of Nothing At All' by Air Supply. I don't know why. It's really random. Yeah, so I honestly ... might miss Venus' match and go directly to karaoke."

(Follow up: You sound a little hoarse. Does your voice need some rest?) "That's another thing. I have had—I call it the Adele syndrome. Not that I have an Adele voice. (Laughs) My voice is so terrible, but for whatever reason, you know, it gets hoarse a lot. I don't think I could have been a rock star because my voice would never have lasted more than an hour."

ROGER FEDERER: "Well, I have a lot of fans coming over to New York, and I know a lot of people now in New York over the years, so it's always exciting just spending time with those people. Going out to nice restaurants with my wife. Just walk in the city a bit, see the hustle and bustle, you know. Don't want it every day, but while I'm there I love it and enjoy it so much. The New Yorkers are very special people, so I think it's always a thrill for me and my team and my family to go back there. There is many things to do. Sometimes just don't have the time, but one day I will come back to New York and do all the museums, all the art galleries. I have done some of them, but I like to get around a bit. It's a lot of fun."

STANISLAS WAWRINKA: "Oh, yeah, I'd like to go around the city, to make some shopping, to go to the nice restaurant, too. You have so many choice. It's really a great city to be there for two or three weeks. I really enjoy to be there."

Full the full player interviews out of the Cincy combined event, visit the Western & Southern Open's website.

[Thanks to Spin friends Erwin Ong of Tennis Now and Megan Fernandez of Tennis Panorama News for contributing to this roundup.] http://www.twitter.com/erwincong http://www.twitter.com/meganfernandez7

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Li Na already ribbing new coach Carlos Rodriguez

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 08:30:00 GMT

When asked about rendezvousing with her new coach Carlos Rodriquez, Justine Henin's former mentor, Li Na had this to say in the Cincinnati media room: "First time so skinny." (laughter) "Yeah, I know now he's living in China so I was asking he speak Chinese, but he say it's very tough to learn Chinese. Yeah, and also we talk about like why he come to my team, why I need him to help, blah, blah. I think it was very good, because we know each other a lot right now."

This from the woman who has quipped time and again about her husband (this clip):

And then touchingly offered tribute to him: "Fat or skinny, handsome or ugly, I will follow you forever." Jiang Shan (or "Dennis") was replaced by Rodriguez in a subtle fashion. Li said earlier this week in Cincy that she called her agent after Wimbledon and asked for a coaching change. Her agent affirmatively responded with Rodriguez, and player and coach emailed and texted after her ensuing matches before he joined her on Thursday in Mason, Ohio, at this Western & Southern Open.

About calling her coach to the court after she rolled to a 6-1, 3-0 lead against Agnieszka Radwanska on Friday night, Li added, "I think he's sitting too long. I need him to move a little bit." Li was also asked by a media member afterward whether she would try to convert her "skinny" new coach to the Chinese diet. She balked at that, saying that she'd just seen him on TV to date. This is all amusing in light of the fact that this writer and another journalist covering the Cincy event, after 10:30 p.m. on Thursday night, saw Li Na's husband getting takeaway food at Mason, Ohio's Waffle House restaurant. (What Chinese diet?)

In any event, the coaching change has apparently done Li good, as she capably marched to the Montreal final last week and pushed Petra Kvitova there. She's now in a Cincy semi against Venus Williams. Footage of Li's Friday press meeting here:

She has had some success against Venus, including in their 2010 Australian Open quarterfinal, won by Li in dramatic fashion, 2-6, 7-6, 7-5.

Two and a half years ago, and two distinctly different players now.

What do you expect from these women's semifinals, Li versus Venus and Angelique Kerber against Petra Kvitova?

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Let's Get Regional: Midwest makes most of tennis stars

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 20:00:00 GMT

It's just my first day here this year in Mason, a suburb of Cincinnati, and I can say that Cincy knows how to host a party. The match schedule is taut, though not yet lean with round-of-16 action in play. Volunteers are patient but firm. And the stars seem to line up in their praise for the upgraded, multi-million-dollar facilities, notably Sloane Stephens today. ("I really love being in Cincinnati.") All of this goes to show, coming to you now from a fellow Midwesterner, that our patented of hospitality holds up. This is noteworthy in light of the Western & Southern Open operating as a tricky combined event for the globe's male and female pros.

Kindness is key, and kills 'em, as has been said, but Midwest dwellers are proud to boot. "We're kind of a big deal," says Cincinnati magazine of the W&S Open. "A cut-rate version of the U.S. Open later this month," chimes in sister publication Indianapolis Monthly, marveling that the world's best players' "open practices take place on courts as intimate as a high school’s." Indy itself boasts a hometown boy, Rajeev Ram, in singles and doubles action in Cincy. Ram and partner Brian Baker, himself one of the ATP's best-ever resurrection tales, posted a doubles upset of Olympic bronze medalists Richard Gasquet and Julien Benneteau this week. Ram is sporting his best season in his singles career to date, largely opting out of doubles (to the non-chagrin of partner Scott Lipsky, so successful with him in 2011).

Indy's ATP event—long on names like Sampras, McEnroe, Agassi, Roddick, Rafter, and more over time—fell off the calendar in 2009, with the tournament dates picked up by Atlanta's like-new tour stop. Cincinnati is doing so much more than compensating since, upping the ante, in truth. As for the players, names including Viktor Troicki rave about nearby Kings Island amusement park.

And twins Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan take to the infield at the stadium of my favorite baseball team since childhood, the Cincinnati Reds, to throw out opening pitches with aplomb. "Everyone is so polite here," I overheard a spectator say to another all but incredulously today.

That we are, ma'am. And we'll be here all week.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Lit Hits: After the Titanic sank, a survivor rose—and to Olympic glory

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Until Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka won the mixed-doubles gold medal at these London Games, that division of tennis competition hadn't appeared at the Olympics since 1924. That year, the one who claimed the prize was actually a survivor of the Titanic disaster at sea in 1912. Little did Dick Williams know that he would board that cursed ship, meet his new ally and future tennis foe Karl Behr, and be destined not just to survive but to flat-out thrive.

Indeed, Williams found himself powerless at sea, but when it came to the land, when it came to the dimensions of a solitary tennis court on any given day, he found himself entirely unencumbered, even capable of amazing things. Just two short years after the Titanic sank, Williams and Behr faced off in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Nationals, a precursor to the beloved U.S. Open event stateside since then.

Author Lindsay Gibbs, a Brooklyn, New York–based writer and film-school graduate, takes acknowledged liberties with facts to fill in the holes in a story that is based entirely on a huge, gaping hole, that in the side of a behemoth cruise ship. Gibbs's story has been attacked to date by family members of the two true-life lead characters, but others themselves served as guides and sources for the material. As always in life and in nonfiction literature, two sides exist to any one book. That said, it's no small feat to make this a believable tale, in light of sartorial and environmental details unique to the eras involved, among other mitigating factors and variables. In this game attempt, the author succeeds with aplomb.

Gibbs's writing is crisp and spry, rolling along like the tides that powered beneath that so-mighty Titanic cruiser. Her prose is alternately grave and jouncy, when it needs to be, as it needs to be. In that she should be well pleased with this first outing as an author. As for the creators of such monstrous machines as the Titanic and its ill-fated sisterhood, the proverb says it best: "Pride comes before a fall."

That's not just a warning for ambitious architects and leaders. That's a lesson that a good many tennis pros should learn as well.

Passing Shots:
Titanic: The Tennis Story, by Lindsay Gibbs

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Donald is Young—but subtly growing old

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:35:00 GMT

The 2012 ATP season became a decrescendo and then an all-out nosedive for Donald Young, the relatively diminutive but crafty southpaw from Atlanta. He had a sterling 2011 campaign by his standards, ducking into the Top 30 in the world, beating Andy Murray at Indian Wells, upsetting Stanislas Wawrinka in the U.S. Open, reaching his first ATP final and signing on with USTA coaching.

Then came the flood. A deluge of errors, but also a return to the primitive normalcy of his parents' tutelage and scope. Young is in the midst of a precipitous slide at present, with 17 straight ATP-level match losses. It's four short of Vince Spadea's record mark for futility, and it's not abating anytime soon, as evidenced by his 6-4, 7-6 defeat to qualifier Jesse Levine in the first round of Cincinnati's Western & Southern Open on Moday.

And yet, stories like Young's are many. Indianapolis-based phenom Brooke Austin, 16 years old and winner of many junior championships and the national girls' under-18 championship in March, a month after turning 16 and more than four months after suffering stress fractures in her foot, has opted out of turning pro in favor of playing college tennis. It's not necessarily a damning move for a potential future pro career but also not an inspiring choice. And the accounts of more previous phenoms, some saddled with the weight of entire nations or families (Jelena Dokic, Mirjana Lucic, dozens more), pour in year after year.

Young should take heart. He's come close in a few desultory three-set losses to notching that coveted victory, the one that will have him cocking his cap to the side with the familiar bravado again, with confidence that is true and even desirable from him, whether one is a fan of his game and his personality or not. He just brought on Roger Smith, who formerly worked with another young American shining star, Sloane Stephens, to assist his parents with his ongoing development.

Maybe New York City will be Don Young's saving grace, as it has been before. Maybe that's his oasis. Time will tell, and time is short.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Olympic doppelgangers & Cincy players drop like flies

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 21:25:00 GMT

Here, the latest out of London (isn't the tennis over?) and incoming in Cincinnati (some ATP and WTA pros are already there for qualifying).

DOPPELGANGSTER: Buzzfeed is killing it (figuratively speaking) at these London Games, and this is another example of that: the 21 best Olympic doppelgangers. Do stick it out to the end, not that the early ones don't amuse. But Nos. 20 and especially 21 are uproarious. I dare you to not "LOL," as today's youth say. Sideline: Let's also consider how ridiculous it is that women's beach volleyball is photographed in the way it is.

BLACK WIDOWER: I'm heading to Cincinnati next week to cover the Western & Southern Open. (If you'll be there, let me know @jonscott9, and hopefully we can tweet up sometime.) But Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova are all MIA at the event so far, blast it. Starting to feel like poison. No joke, though, in Tsonga's case. Hope he feels better soon after his Toronto accident.

After their eyesore of a final in Cincinnati last year, it's "Sharap-over" now, and the event becomes Jelena Jankovic's to lose. Or something. I not-so-fondly recall the eyebrow-raising comment from an ESPN commentator who shall remain nameless during that match in 2011, when he said, in so many words, "It's amazing how someone so beautiful can play so ugly." Just, wow. It went three sets, and it wasn't pretty, but those are hard words. Still, you decide:

See you in Cincy, Spin friends!

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Let's Get Physical: From London to Toronto

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Here's the latest from London to Toronto, with a not-quite-Olympian "featured" at the end. Enjoy.

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED: Andy Murray has cemented his place in British society with his very own stamp. His mum Judy Murray fittingly announced the news. See it here. The Spin is no source for stamp critiques, although its keeper formerly collected in them another life (a.k.a. an ultra-nerdy childhood), but says here that the plum background and overall composition of the postal piece is elegant. Now the lowbrow take on it: Wow, Murray's forearm veins are popping.

LET'S GET PHYSICAL: Jockeying for position hardly happens just in the tennis rankings. Check out this well done piece in the New York Times.

YOUR TURN: What Olympic sport do you most enjoy watching when the tennis is over? Spin says: gymnastics. Or just about anything elevated above what the New York Times notes is an obvious Olympic pastime of late: national whining. Tweet me with your answer or leave it in the comment section below this column, and I'll highlight what I find to be the most witty and/or pithy response about a reader's other beloved sport in my next post.

PARTING SHOT: Of course there are the Olympic-level golden men and women (Murray, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, and Max Mirnyi among them) ... and then there are the also rans among us. Poor guy:

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Serena talks Sharapova and more in sublime interview

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:00:00 GMT

"Our past few matches have been pretty ... one-sided. Her game matches up really well against mine, so I think sometimes you just get that player."

That's Serena Williams, speaking to NBC Sports Network's Michelle Beadle about Maria Sharapova on the heels of her 6-0, 6-1 thrashing of the Russian. See the full interview here in which Serena also addresses her "C-walk" celebratory dance, Grand Slams vs. Olympic Games, and more.

Serena has since been criticized in a few corners for her post-final strutting, to which she has not surprisingly said, "I don't care." The Spin's take: Leave her alone. It was an in-the-moment move that's hardly associated with gang warfare anymore. Let's all get over ourselves.

Sharapova has since revealed that a stomach virus hampered her in the gold-medal match. Still, she acknowledged her opponent's stellar play: "If I sat here and thought there was nothing I could do, that would probably be very disappointing. ... There are certainly things I could have done better but she was playing really good tennis." That's remindful of Sharapova's statement a few months back that it can't really be called a rivalry, Serena versus Maria, until she starts winning a few matches. In reality, she has won all of nine games in their last three clashes and hasn't beaten the 14-time Slam champ since 2004, when she shocked her in the Wimbledon final and then topped Serena also at the year-end championships.

Spin friend Nick McCarvel worked doggedly during these Olympics to bring tough-to-find (and tough-to-see-live) London clips to the tennis-centric corner of the Twitterverse. Good on him. You can follow McCarvel here.

TIRED OF BEING TIRED: Jelena Gencic, Novak Djokovic's junior coach, says he's extremely fatigued in some way and not admitting it. See here her appearance in CBS's 60 Minutes piece on the world's No. 2 player, who hasn't won a title since March and didn't garner a medal in London.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

NBC's top Olympic tennis points: Lots of Roddick

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 22:15:00 GMT

NBC serves up a nifty if surprising quintet of the best men's tennis points from the London Olympics. It's a highly debatable countdown, but good points abound. See them here, remarkably including three rallies that involve Andy Roddick, a second-round loser.

The Spin's favorite things about this three-and-a-half-minute clip: Juan Martin del Potro's heat-seeking forehand drive that led to a bronze medal and the absurd, maddening beauty of Andy Murray's gold-winning defense.

What's your own favorite feature among the top ATP men?

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Spinning the Olympics: Top 9 Notes from London

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 23:00:00 GMT

I was born on September 9. That's 9/9, and if I must, my birth year was 1981. Nine times nine is 81. Thus, what we have here, Spin mates, is the perfect birth date. And long story long, that is why I offer to you now my top 9 notes from the Olympic tennis finals weekend. Enjoy, and let me know what your addendum would be to make it a solid top 10 list.

In entirely arguable order of importance, as ranked by your Spin keeper ...

[9] She still gets drummed up, and not for the best reasons: About Lolo Jones' media marketing blitz: “'It reminds me of Anna Kournikova,' said Janice Forsyth, the director of the International Centre for Olympic Studies at the University of Western Ontario. This was a reference to the former Russian tennis player whose looks received far more attention than her relatively meager skills."

[8] Serena Williams remains an outsized personality and headline grabber. Her on-court dance after claiming her first Olympic singles gold medal incited a riot of response online. The oh-so-technical title for that move is the "C-Walk," or the Crip Walk, and, much to Venus Williams's delight, here's her go at it:

(Disclaimer: It's probably a matter of minutes before NBC and the International Olympic Committee yank that clip offline.)

[7] While not so often in the broadcast booth to call matches, though they did take to Centre Court for the men's and women's singles finals, John McEnroe and Mary Carillo have been doing fine work elsewhere during these London Games, notably for NBC's evening and late-night programming. And Mary may join Twitter yet. Here's hoping, as what does she have to lose, really, aside from her heart and soul? Memo to NBC: The pairing of Johnny Mac and ginger-domed Olympic gold-winning snowboarder Shaun White isn't on par with, say, Regis and Kathie Lee. Cease and desist. It's awkward, just as that word itself looks ... awkward.

[6] Wonder who's more torn up about this Olympic showing, Novak Djokovic or the doubles tandem of Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond. All lost their bronze-medal matches, with the latter two (at ages 35 and 38) potentially playing in their final Olympic Games.

[5] Credit where due: Juan Martin del Potro has never played better on grass than in taking Roger Federer to 19-17 in their semifinal's last set before bowing out. Also, Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova bounced back from a fairly tight loss to the Williams sisters and snagged Olympic bronze in women's doubles, topping Huber and Raymond.

[4] Per Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch, "The Serena Williams-Maria Sharapova gold medal match drew 7.9 million viewers on NBC." Now just imagine the ratings haul had that match actually been good and close in lieu of Serena serving Maria an unkind carb basket. Bagel, meet breadstick: 6-0, 6-1. It's a good thing that no one—okay, someone did, somewhere—played a drinking game based on every time that NBC shot to Sharapova's players' box for a look at her not-so-new friend, the comedienne Chelsea Handler. Whoever did imbibe like that must have been rendered under the table and dreaming by the first set's end. (Here's Maria's six minutes of infamy on Handler's Chelsea Lately show in February.)

[3] V-V-Vikary: Victoria Azarenka should be well pleased with her Olympic showing, despite the setback of Serena's onslaught in the women's singles semifinals. "Vika" weathered a 6-1, 6-2 Williams win and returned to take bronze over Kirilenko. The Belarusian then partnered with Max Mirnyi for a 3-6, 6-2, 10-8 victory in the gold-medal round. She certainly made the most.

[2] Andy Murray exorcised his grass-court demons (maybe even just his big-time match demons) and drubbed Federer in the men's gold-medal match. The Spin would like to thing our own preview on this Wimbledon-Olympics about-face for Murray was prescient, even catalyzed his championship form. Here again is your Spin doctor's take on Murray pre-Olympics for the New York Times. Andy did well to doff the "grousing louse" label and show exquisite play in every round of these Games—and, it should be mentioned, in the mixed doubles draw to boot, ultimately ceding the gold-medal final with Laura Robson to Azarenka and Mirnyi, no doubles slouches themselves.

[1] Venus and Serena claim gold in doubles, this for the third time. First came 2000, and then 2008. Now it's 2012, and SI's Jon Wertheim says that, unsolicited, Venus is talking about the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016. With this display of power, aggression, and chronically under-credited court sense—not to mention having snatched a fifth Wimbledon doubles crown a month ago—what, really, says that she can't be an Olympian at age 36? That's the Huber-Raymond realm, and they're still doing it (and doing it well). What's more, Venus played some sensational singles matches before succumbing to her own snatch-defeat-from-the-jaws-of-victory ways against Angelique Kerber. She must be quite heartened by her showing—and if Venus is happy, tennis fans the world over should also be.

YOUR TURN: What was your favorite 2012 Olympic tennis moment?

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Olympic Gossip: Spotted Stars, Stat-tastic Finalists & Sad Omissions

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Here, another rollicking edition of that Olympic gossip that you've come to relish, Spin Nation. And if you've a desired topic or tip for the Spin to opine on, please post a comment or tweet this page's keeper at @jonscott9.

SPOTTED AT SW19: NBA star Kobe Bryant, a U.S. Olympic basketballer fluent in Italian, and Alex Ovechkin, boyfriend to Maria Kirilenko, on the grounds at the All England Club and present at the Roger Federer-Juan Martin del Portro marathon, a semifinal boxing match that finished 19-17 in the third set with Fed as victor.

ROYAL WATCH: First, Princes William and Harry sat among "the people" at the Olympic gymnastics competition, watching Team Great Britain take the men's team bronze medal. (By the by, Spice Boys?) Then Will and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate, sat in the so-called cheap seats to watch Andy Murray's demolition of Nicolas Almagro in the London Games, ahead of their guy's edging of Novak Djokovic to again face (of all people) Roger Federer in the Olympic final. Tennis stars aside, these suddenly-of-the-people royals are themselves worth cheering for, says the Spin. Now let's see if the host nation again cries a river over Murray's spilled ilk in front of Federer.

STAT TIME: According to the WTA, Serena Williams has won 33 of her last 34 matches. And Maria Sharapova: 32 of her last 35. All that to say this: It's the Olympic women's singles final that NBC craved. And it's here. Come what may, tennis for the win.

HE HAAS A POINT: Lest we forget so soon, German pro Tommy Haas, a grass-court title winner in Halle, Germany, ahead of Wimbledon against some upstart named Federer, was left off of his nation's Olympic team due to a truly silly decree from the German federation that anyone outside the top 24 in ATP rankings couldn't compete. Never mind that Haas is 34 and playing some of the best tennis of his life. Forget that he topped Federer six weeks ago. And pay no heed that he's a former Olympic medalist. The Spin will just say it: Whoever concocted the rule that kept him off the squad is a flat-out Deutschbag.

Thoughts about any or all of the above, Spinmeisters? I say, enjoy these finals!

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Mary Carillo: To Tweet or Not to Tweet?

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Indeed, 'tis the question for one of tennis commentary's most out-sized personalities and authoritative voices. (Yea, that voice—so firm and soothing at the same time, like the slightly deeper spoken version of Natalie Merchant's own vocal instrument.) Carillo's colleague for NBC's late-night Olympic coverage, Tamron Hall, again tried to coax her into join this frayed web, saying that she'll have Mary on the medium by the end of these London Games. Hall responded affirmatively to Twitter catalysts later as well.

What say you, Spin fans: Do you like the idea of Carillo taking to Twitter, or does that make you think "mute"? Feedback to date indicates that tennis fans are quite divided about her personality and opinions, but it surely wouldn't be boring. Says here that's all we can ask of anyone who tweets.

Meanwhile, Carillo's turning into a downright froggy Bond girl in the United Kingdom during these Olympics:

If "brevity is the soul of wit," as Bill Shakespeare said, Carillo would do fine on Twitter. She has a thick skin, and a penchant for well timed, smartly worded barbs:

Her knack for making memorable statements ("Big Babe Tennis™," anyone?) is akin to how Sarah Palin invented buzz phrases such as "death panels." Only it's not like that at all.

Memo to Mary: Please, by all means, tweet.

Special thanks to legendary photographer Ed Goldman for the Mary Carillo photo.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Olympic & D.C. Dramatics

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:28:00 GMT

Near and far, in Washington and in London, tennis is being played—and tension fills the air. Here's the latest on- and off-court scuttlebutt.

QUOTABLE: NHL star Alex Ovechkin doesn't have much patience when girlfriend Maria Kirilenko struggles during matches: "... I get nervous, because you think, 'Jesus Christ. Come on. Do something better.' "

BIPOLAR SCORES: The Citi Open in Washington, D.C. is a combined ATP/WTA tournament this week, and yesterday's score lines reflect a wonky trend early at the event, at least in the women's draws. Exhibit A: Sloane Stephens beats Michelle Larcher de Brito 6-2, 0-6, 6-1. And then Exhibit B: Irina Falconi and Chanelle Scheepers defeat Melanie Oudin and Edith Gallovits-Hall 0-6, 6-1, 10-1. Some explaining to do there, ladies.

MEL-O WILL SOCK IT TO 'EM: Per @TennisRomi, Melanie Oudin confirms that she and partner Jack Sock will defend their U.S. Open mixed doubles title in a few weeks. The pair beat Gisela Dulko and Eduardo Schwank in the 2011 final.

YOU GOT IT BAD: A gang of Olympic badminton players gave all racquet sportsmen a poor name this week in London. That, Spin friends, is the price to be paid at times when round-robin formats are involved. What's your take on this scandal?

TENNIS ASIDE: This year marks the 25th anniversary of Indianapolis' own Pan Am Games. "What Games?" you might ask. Held well before Indy's Super Bowl coup this past February—where Andy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker showed up—the Pan Am Games featured gymnastics and much more, with the world's best appearing. And as the photos show, 1987 gymnasts were just as powerfully built as today's stars.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Serena craves more than medals; Janko shows off; Roger's still regal

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:58:00 GMT

Hope you're enjoying these Olympic Games out of London, Spin Nation. Now enjoy these morsels from around the grounds at Wimbledon and beyond.

CONSTANT CRAVING: Once upon a time—let's say June 2008—I backpacked through Europe with two university chums, relishing in my virgin voyage to that continent. Among the stops: London, Paris, Rome, and Vatican City. Yes, some of the obvious or major spots. In any case, on the final night of our two-week European vacation, my friends and I reached a quandary: To eat at McDonald's in London's Picadilly Circus or not? We had eaten local and fresh over the fortnight to date, and yet our bellies yearned for that old-fashioned, bazillions-served quasi-burger. The question that I posed to them: "Is it a better story to say that we wielded self-control to the very end, or to say that we caved?" Ultimately, we caved.

All that to say this: Should she win a medal, Serena Williams knows what she wants when this Olympic tennis event is over, and it's a filet-o-fish at McDisease:

GOD BLESS JANKO: It's hardly a first for him, but from his Olympic digs, Janko Tipsarevic regaled his Facebook fans with footage of him playing a game of charades with Viktor Troicki and others from the Serbian national team. Oh, and did we mention that he performed this in his knickers? You're welcome, dear reader.

FED SEEING RED: As greatness is never tiresome, here's a 24-minute clip of Roger Federer's highlights from that wee Wimbledon tournament played not long before these Games:

Fed's form has held well into these Olympics since claiming that Wimbledon crown and assuming the No. 1 ranking again. Julien Benneteau gave him trouble a month ago at SW19, and would have won were it a best-of-three-sets bout, but Federer has dispatched that Frenchman and more foes already at the All England Club this time around.

TENNIS ASIDE: You simply must see this Kristen Wiig-esque video clip of U.S. gymnast Aly Raisman's mother writhing around in anxious agony while her daughter performs a routine. Too bad that the SNL funnywoman just departed the show in May, as that is ripe for parody, or maybe trumps any parody possible, as it is real life.

Seriously, Olympians' parents should all have TUMS endorsements.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Olympic gaffes abound

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:17:00 GMT

The All England Lawn and Tennis Club (AELTC) markets some phantom 2102 Olympic Games on the umpire's chair, a giggle-inducing snafu noted by Yahoo's Chris Chase.

That unforced error can't be chalked up to the "beauty" of real time in these notoriously tape-delayed Olympics (in the States, on NBC). Nor is there an excuse when a TV channel has a backstory piece in the can well ahead of the Games and yet can't discern the difference between "fiancé" and "fiancée." But hey now, numbers are hard. English is hard.

QUOTABLE: "Another gold medal would be amazing. I can't even imagine the feeling. I think my head would be too big, and no one would even like me anymore."
—Venus Williams, for whom a fourth gold medal would make her the most decorated Olympian in tennis history

Obviously Venus was having a good day, as Sjogren's syndrome goes. And she had another, dispatching Aleksandra Wozniak 6-1, 6-3 today on Centre Court. Let's see if such days continue when she gets to the big hitters in this bunch. Still, it's encouraging to see that this regal champ still has quite the fuel left in her metaphoric tank. And lest we forget, she's beaten Petra Kvitova and Samantha Stosur this year, too. We will see what the rest of this week holds, as, due to rain (naturally), she has to play every day moving forward.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Fedhead journalists, flag bearers get a break & more

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:00:00 GMT

On the heels of the British Olympic tennis team being instructed to skip the opening ceremonies, the London 2012 Games got off to a rollicking, feel-good start courtesy of all the flags, athletes, and famous folks who appeared for the event's grandiose celebration. When Queen Elizabeth II, David Beckham, and Mr. Bean are in one place, you know it's a wondrous occasion.

Maybe one of the Brits should have been made the flag bearer for his or her nation, as the eight tennis-playing Olympians at this installment of the Games are all sitting out from Saturday's opening-day competition.

FEDHEADS: Meanwhile, in the press room this week, some "journalists" have taken to gushing over Roger Federer. And it's rather pathetic at that. The Spin would gladly take on their surrendered credentials and take the jaunt across yonder pond to survey and report on these games. This is a story that's being reported and regurgitated all over, and it gives the fine line of work that is journalism a bad name.

All right, Spin readers, the time has come: Who do you see taking these singles, doubles, and mixed medals? If we're honest, and we at the Spin are always honest, here's the drill-down: Federer, Serena Williams, Bob and Mike Bryan, and Serena and Venus Williams. We will stave off calling the mixed-doubles winners until we see the impending draw.

Not imaginative picks, no, but nonetheless, tried and true. Enjoy these Games!

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Li Na ready to torch Olympic foes

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 08:48:00 GMT

Four years removed from the Beijing Olympics, Li Na continues to be a darling of the Games. Today, she told her 63,000-plus Facebook followers—how are they that few?—that her sponsor scored her a turn on the torch-bearing relay. And that she feels "exited" about the impending competition. Winsome as she is, here's hoping that she doesn't in fact make an early exit in these grass-court Games. Good quotes need to stay in the mix, and she's had a tough year.

Maybe the Chinese No. 1 shouldn't feel too special about her torch passing, though: Even "Patsy" and "Eddy" from the underrated UK comedy Absolutely Fabulous (or Ab Fab to true fans) got into that act.

NEWS OF THE LEERED: It doesn't really matter, but Buzzfeed honored tennis with some media play, offering a debatable list of 10 "hottest" male tennis pros. The Spin keeper is still scratching his head at the inclusion of that Stanislas Wawrinka picture at No. 3 on the apparent countdown.

[Thanks to Spin friend @acpollen218 for the Buzzfeed lead.]

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Bryans, Roddick & Harrison: Olympic stylin'

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Ever the top-notch tweeter, Bob Bryan posted a photo of himself, twin Mike Bryan, Andy Roddick, and Ryan Harrison in some classic all-American attire ahead of the London Olympics. Quite the dashing quartet in these styles. Their rounded collars are trendy for button-ups, and the caps are a fine touch. The Spin also loves the well-tailored white pants and fitted blazers, especially on Harrison.

No surprise then that the uniforms were made by Ralph Lauren, although it was quite the surprise to many that they were made in China. Commence scandal. Said Ralph Lauren, in a statement: "We have committed to producing the Opening and Closing Ceremony Team USA uniforms in the United States that will be worn for the 2014 Olympic Games" in Sochi, Russia.

These threads, though controversial, are hardly dated. Via Sports Illustrated's photo vault on Twitter, here are what U.S. Olympians wore to the opening ceremonies in 1948.

What do you think of this "Made in China" hubbub? Big deal or minor matter?

SIDELINE: Everyone is aware that Bob Bryan's infant daughter Micaela is "on" Twitter, right? And that "her" posts are delightful? Okay, good. Thought so.

[Credit to @ccrainato for the sartorial tip about the Bryans; photo courtesy of @BryanBros]

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Departed astronaut Sally Ride nearly became tennis pro

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:36:00 GMT

The first American woman to enter space, Sally Ride, died yesterday at age 61. She was a trailblazer as an astronaut, but what's not so widely known is that she nearly pursued a career in professional tennis. Ultimately, she opted out: "But fortunately, I took a long, hard look at my forehand and realized that I was not going to make a fortune with that forehand," she said in a 2006 interview for Achievement.org. Here's a bit of that Q&A:

You were also a tennis player, weren't you?

SR: "I was a good tennis player. I really enjoyed being outside. I really enjoyed playing sports and started playing tennis when I was about 11 and really got hooked on it, played in tournaments, first locally in Southern California, and then later, nationally, and spent every summer playing pretty serious tennis"

Did you ever consider that to be a career?

SR: "Actually, I did, much to the dismay of my parents, I think, although they were both very supportive of tennis. When I headed off to college, I made the decision that tennis wasn't going to be the central point in my life."

ThePostGame.com reports that Ride was just that, serious about tennis:

"At age 10, Ride began being coached by Alice Marble, the former world No. 1 player who won the U.S. Open four times and Wimbledon twice. ... Ride even received personal encouragement to turn professional at age 22 by Billie Jean King."

That article includes a photo of BJK and Ride at the 2006 California Hall of Fame event. Billie Jean herself took to Twitter yesterday to speak to the loss of Ride:

Sally Ride,an icon,a friend who will be missed.She has been making a difference with Sally Ride Science Academy.
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJKing) July 23, 2012

Here's to you, Ms. Ride. Forever flying high.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Room for Debate: Andy Murray & the Next Great UK Hero

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Great news, Spin fans: I am a glad participant in the current conversation, op-ed style, for The New York Times' Room for Debate page. At issue: Is Bradley Wiggins Britain's best athlete? He became the the U.K.'s first Tour de France champ late last week, but others loom large, be it in tennis, soccer, cricket, or other arenas. Without further ado, here is my piece on—who else?—Andy Murray, post-Wimbledon and ahead of these London 2012 Olympic Games.

What say you, tennis aficionados the world over? Does Murray have the goods to win a Grand Slam (or a few of them), or must Britain wait insofar as tennis is concerned? Sound off below, and thanks always for reading.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Jankovic keeps the hits coming

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:25:00 GMT

As off-court news goes, Jelena Jankovic remains a gold mine. She's like Serena lite. She hits with LMFAO singer Redfoo, she makes absurd New Year's resolutions, and the beat goes on. Take this latest bit about her forthcoming "dream home" in San Diego.

The best quote from a San Diego Union-Tribute article about her impending digs: "It’s too big for my own good. The good thing is if I have guests, I don’t have to see them. We’ll need walkie-talkies.”

From the JJ archives, near and far:

+ A few fellow tennis stars quipped about their love of makeup in an espnW piece about WTA players' on-court appearance. It's amazing that she hasn't parlayed that well-known fact into a cosmetics endorsement.

+ She suffered a near-attack by a bee in Birmingham ahead of Wimbledon. After much fanfare, her foe double-faulted.

+ "Local Woman Makes Good": The Los Angeles Times said, "Jankovic, of course, is about as local as Antarctica."

Hard to believe that Jankovic is just 27 years old, as she has provided so much fodder both on and off court over time. With that said, what's your all-time favorite slice of JJ news?

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Midweek Volleys: Blake's baby joy & Olympic mug shots

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Here's a potpourri-style recap of the latest off-court news and gossip:

IT'S A GIRL: James Blake is experiencing baby love, but not the Diana Ross kind. Here's a photo of him with baby girl Riley. Her name is also Blake's middle name, and the child's mother is Blake's fiancée, Emily Snider. Word is that the couple will marry on November 9 in San Diego. If you want to send the happy brood a gift, this would be a rather literal present. The Spin always has a musical mindset, and so of course this invites a reference to Blake's high school buddy, John Mayer, and his ditty "Daughters." (Please forgive me.) Blake speaks to the occasion of Riley's June birth toward the end of this ATP World Tour interview.

PASSING (MUG) SHOTS: Across yonder pond, players are gathering for the Olympic Games, which sadly won't feature Rafael Nadal as of today's news. Fear not, we still have the nonstop amusement that gazing at tennis Olympians provides. See the full directory here, and note the standouts. Looking great, as always: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Feliciano Lopez, Daniela Hantuchova, and more. And looking, shall we say, troubled, are Andy Roddick, Stephanie Dubois, and more. Sara Errani appears to have starred in Avatar, while Serena Williams couldn't be bothered. (In truth, she's just getting over there due to her World Team Tennis commitment.) We can safely assume that Annie Leibovitz had nothing to do with these shoots. It really looks like each pro stepped into a stateside Bureau of Motor Vehicles office, where officials tell you to avoid showing teeth or overtly smiling when being photographed. Unintentional hilarity ensued.

Whose mug shot profile picture is your favorite? Do set your television recording now: The opening ceremonies are in just seven days!

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Baghdatis and Sprem make it a true mixed-doubles marriage

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:15:00 GMT

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis and Karolina Sprem married in Trakoscan castle in her native Croatia on July 14. This news arrived after Sprem revealed to the BBC whilst sitting in Baghdatis' players box during his Wimbledon match against Andy Murray that she is pregnant with the couple's first child.

Now two years into their relationship, both pros are 27. Sprem went blonde awhile back in lieu of her natural dark-brown locks. At her wedding, her hair fell beautifully in curls that must have taken an hour or two to accomplish. The pair used umbrellas to block the paparazzi from infiltrating their delightful day. It's proof that, even in Croatia when traveling to and fro with a 13th-century castle as the site for your nuptial, decidedly uninvited photographers will be there. Oh, to be Euro-famous.

All the best to this wonderful couple. Whatever catalyzes more mile-wide grins on Baghdatis' face on the tennis court, the Spin is all for that. (Photo courtesy of baghdatis.com)

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

Venus won't campaign for Obama, but First Lady watches her WTT match

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:00:00 GMT

A year after taking in Serena Williams' play for the Washington Kastles in the American capital city, First Lady Michelle Obama regarded Venus Williams' matches in World Team Tennis play at the same venue. First daughters Sasha and Malia were on hand again as well.

Their appearance came on the heels of an interview with freshly christened Jamba Juice franchise owner Venus in which, put on the spot, she noted the Olympics and the U.S. Open as a priority for her over campaigning for President Barack Obama's re-election.

In the WTT match, Venus played attacking tennis to share in 5-1 victories in both mixed and women's doubles play, but lost 5-0 to the Boston Lobsters' Irina Falconi in women's singles. (Falconi's blog on that here.)

What's more, and I'm late to this, Venus sat down on the "CBS This Morning" show with Charlie Rose and Erica Hill directly after Wimbledon. Venus was the consummate pro during the interview, which ranged in topics from sister Serena's serve to Sjogren's syndrome, from their parents' ambitions for them to being a raw vegan. Not shockingly, grunting came up, and Venus also slipped in a Jamba Juice plug during the sometimes-awkward exchange:

"As a professional athlete, if you have fatigue, that's tough!" Venus noted and nearly joked, with an almost exasperated laugh. The rest of the six-minute interview is quite insightful if not earth-shattering news to those who have followed Venus' journey for the past year or 20.

The Olympics are huge to Venus, of course. What are your thoughts on her tennis future?

—Jonathan Scott (Talk to me on Twitter @jonscott9.)

Video: Federer's 17 Slams, plus Quotes of the Weekend

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 11:44:00 GMT

It was splendid to see Jennifer Capriati joined by Monica Seles on stage this past Saturday at the former's induction to the International Tennis Hall of Fame (photo here). Meanwhile, on the men's side of the court, the ATP has compiled footage culled from coverage of all 17 of Roger Federer's Grand Slam singles title matches. It's inspiring and staggering at the same time:

Without further ado, this past weekend's quotables:

Pete Sampras, on Roger Federer topping his record of 286 weeks at No. 1: "The hardest thing to do in sports is the ability to stay on top. Roger has been able to do so by great play and durability." (link)

Jennifer Capriati, on herself and Monica Seles, who introduced her at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony: "We both started so young. We were both tennis prodigies. We both faced challenges both on and off the court." (link)

Gustavo Kuerten, on playing on clay: "I believe it's the surface you have to suffer more. You have to be out there for many hours. You have to use every weapon you can and fight like a warrior. It's fun to try." (link)

Kuerten once more, on Capriati: ''Jennifer, I don't want to compare my career to yours. Otherwise they'd think about having me."

Rajeev Ram, on Newport semifinal foe Lleyton Hewitt, winner of the 2001 U.S. Open and Wimbledon in 2002: "I hope I'm still playing when he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame because that's going to happen someday." (link)

Ram again, on his split from doubles partner Scott Lipsky: "...We decided that the summer is hot and tough and I really wanted to focus on my singles. It's a tough situation because doubles takes practice as well and it’s hard for me to spend the time on court with him, and that’s unfair, so we are taking a little break." (link) (More on Ram via his hometown magazine here.)

Serena Williams, on returning to the U.S. Open after her final matches in 2009 and 2011 ended with flare-ups: "If someone makes me really angry I might have to get into a little bit of an argument, but my goal is to try to stay calm if I can. If not I’m going out with a bang as I did the past two years." (link)

What were your favorite words from the weekend? Or did someone's racquet speak the loudest?

—Jonathan Scott (Talk to me on Twitter @jonscott9.)