Maria Sharapova towers over Floyd Mayweather at the ESPY Awards

No one upstages Maria Sharapova. Unless you're Floyd Mayweather.

The diminutive boxer was given the royal treatment during his introduction at last night's ESPYs by host Drake, including a rolled out red carpet. But the Russian was having none of it. She walked out in front of Mayweather, took over the podium, and then asked, "Wow, where was my introduction?" Maria then used the 5' 6" boxer to prop herself up. Drake isn't making many friends in tennis.

Sharapova won for Best Female Tennis Player and Rafael Nadal picked up the ESPY for Best Male Tennis Player.

Grigor Dimitrov and Sloane Stephens attended the show along with Maria.

We even got a peek into the shoe collection the 5-time Grand Slammer got to choose from for the night's festivities.

Shoe choices are a girls very good friend... @ESPYS #ESPYS pic.twitter.com/PmOSqHniSs
— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) July 16, 2014

And, an awards show wouldn't be complete without some selfies, right?

Red carpet selfie with @LisaLeslie #ESPYS2014 pic.twitter.com/vqGIbvBLTW
— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) July 17, 2014

Another quick pic with @NickSwagyPYoung #ESPYS2014 pic.twitter.com/mQKR5k6eeV
— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) July 17, 2014

Look who we found backstage @chrissyteigen pic.twitter.com/bdPbT1CJzm
— Grigor Dimitrov (@GrigorDimitrov) July 17, 2014

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images]

VIDEO VAULT: Bonnie D. Ford breaks down Serena + Andre

(Edit: To view the video click on the headline to open the post.)

One of my fave tennis journos, Bonnie D. Ford, talks to ESPN.com's Jennifer Williams and gives some good insight on two of the sports biggest and most controversial figures.

Bonnie discusses the effect of Serena Williams' Doha win on women's tennis and how it will effect her image after the US Open debacle.

She also talks Andre Agassi, who will give his first interview since the controversial admissions from his autobiography "Open" were released on 60 Minutes this Sunday. Set the DVR peeps.

(video via espn.com)

+ WEDNESDAY NETCORDS: Who told Fed to work cap sleeves (not cute)?

* Joel Drucker, who's been covering Indian Wells since 2001, provides a intriguing timeline of happenings and interviews surrounding the decision by Venus + Serena Williams to boycott the tourney. After reading it I only have one thing to say: see what you started Lena? [ESPN]

* Remember that supposed moment of tennis giving back by the ATP World Tour? More like "tennis talking smack". It seems the execs may be pulling the old "robbing Peter to pay Paul" scheme by offering tourneys a return since no Tour-wide sponsor has been secured yet. If a tourney opts for the rebate now, they won't receive monies once a global sponsor is signed. Damn you ATP...damn you! *raises fists of fury* [Doug's Sports Dish]

* Steve Tignor gives his previews + predictions for the BNP Paribas Open boy's and ladies' draws, choosing Rafael Nadal + Dinara Safina as champs and ending the men's preview by saying "you bet against Rafa at your peril these days." Good thing our boy Van wasn't listening! [TENNIS]

(image via nytimes.com)

VIDEO VAULT: Serena sits down with Jim Rome, excited about "fantabulous" G2 campaign

Serena Williams took a break from the Gatorade G2 event in Hollywood yesterday to sit down for a pretty insightful interview with ESPN's Jim Rome for his show "Alone with Rome".

The top lady baller discussed a number of topics including the new G2 campaign that features a "fantabulous" backstory, winning her 10th major in Oz, her rivalry with sister Venus, her upcoming "memoir", and the Dubai controversy including whether she and her sister considered a boycott (she claims timing of the UAE's decision was the biggest factor in not boycotting.)

She also mentions her website, SerenaWilliams.com, is planning a relaunch soon - phew. It surely could use a few botox shots here and there.

My fave quote from the interview: "...when I play [Venus] it's, like, I really want to win. I have to bring my best game and she really has to bring her ultimate best game."

I wonder what V thinks of that observation?

CHECK IT:

(video via ESPN.com)

THE LOW DOWN: Bodo backs down from ESPN comments, kisses ATP booty in a bad way

Well it seems TENNIS mag's Peter Bodo was taken to task after the scribe lambasted the currently vacant ATP CEO role in a recent blog for ESPN.com aka Bodo's now infamous "Negative Nancy" moment.

Apparently the ATP's main flack, Kris Dent, had some words with Bodo about the blog and, in particular, his remarks regarding the ATP in-house staff. In the blog Bodo writes, "Senior employees might be intractable and exacting, and often at cross-purposes" but recently backtracked on his comments saying,

I want to make clear that I was playing around and meant "employees" metaphorically - as a reference to the top players, agents and tournament promoters, all of whom loosely can be said to work for or under the ATP CEO. This was an obtuse and ill-chosen device, because it sure reads like a criticism of ATP staff - which is an extremely professional, diligent and cohesive unit. It's always been a great pleasure to work with them.

Okay - bad enough. But in today's Tennisworld post called "An Open Letter..." Bodo bends over for Dent again and gives the flack an open space to push his image-saving agenda for the ATP. Here's just an excerpt of the very lengthy letter:

Indeed many of the positive changes that have been made to the men's game in recent times have come about because both the tournaments and players have been represented at the ATP Board table, and they have been able to find ways of moving the sport forward to the benefit of all in the men's game.

Innovations like Hawkeye and the changes to Doubles scoring, for instance, have been introduced successfully and have become huge fan favourites. Similarly, having both groups represented at Board level has allowed the calendar changes for next year to be made - positives such as creating a healthier schedule for players to plan their season from, the creation of a new, dedicated Asian swing post-US Open, and the less congested spring clay and autumn indoor seasons are good examples. The increases in investment into new stadia ($800m worth) and the record prize money levels on offer next year only came about because both tournament and player representatives worked at a Council and Board level to create them, together.

Something smells fishy and a bit lame here. I mean, since when does a journalist hand over their column to a PR flack intent on pushing their own agenda? Aren't journalists supposed to cut through all the fat and "spin" to try and give an unobstructed view of current events and happenings to their readers?? At least, that's supposed to be the intention but what's developing here is the exact opposite.

I'm getting the feeling someone's in the back pocket of the ATP and we, as fans, will need to be more vigilant about what we're hearing and, most definitely, what we're reading.

Peter Bodo rails against ATP CEO role, gets all "Negative Nancy" on our ass

Either Peter Bodo's having a tough go-of-it in the hallowed halls of TENNIS mag or he's just plain over it. But someone's having a temper tantrum.

In his blog for ESPN.com, Bodo discusses the prospects of the new ATP CEO and does his absolute worst at selling the "thankless" position to anyone with intelligence or, at the very least, someone with good intentions:

If you're hoping some new messiah will emerge to bring bliss to the ATP and tennis fans worldwide, I have news for you: It ain't gonna happen. That's because no hard-charging boy wonder (or corporate veteran) would want this job. As Etienne de Villiers learned, the ATP tribe is a restless one, constantly bickering and feuding. It is more inclined to burning its leaders at the stake than to adopting the discipline of a highly trained work force that will march toward a better future in lockstep.

Wow, bitter much? I know Bodo has been around the sport since it was invented (say the 19th century) so he's seen the ups, downs, and nasty in-betweens and knows a lot of what he speaks about. But is this editorial, which will most likely have a wider audience on ESPN.com than his spindly one at TENNIS.com, helping the situation at all? Or is that the point??

Bodo ends by peering into his crystal tennis ball:

I'm predicting that the ATP won't hire a strong visionary leader, because I'm not sure any person who fits that description would want the job. The next CEO will be an "insider" who is most acceptable as a negotiator among self-interested parties. Let's be frank about this: It's a job for an I-dotter and a T-crosser, not a visionary.

We get it Bodo. It's a tough role with complex challenges and separate, sparring international entities all wanting their interests accounted for and questions answered. But do you have to be such a "Negative Nancy"? It's the holidays dude. Cheer up.

(image via Getty)

ESPN's Tandon provides "WTA's Roadmap 2010 Guide for Dummies", a tool for confused tennis fans everywhere

Kamakshi Tandon is on it. The ESPN scribe, who is following the controversy surrounding WTA Tour's Roadmap 2010, has made a valiant attempt to break down the supremely confusing Roadmap into 10 major highlights - a "WTA's Roapmap 2010 Guide for Dummies" which is something I can understand, at least I think so.

Most of the Top 10 is pretty understandable: No. 4 - a longer off-season! No. 5 - more prize money!! No. 9 - Bye bye to first round byes!!!

But here's where the confusion and controversy lie:

1. Premier tournaments

The WTA tournaments below the Grand Slams are currently divided into four groups: Tier I, Tier II, Tier III and Tier IV. Officially, there will be just two next year -- premier and international events.

Unofficially, however, the premier events will consist of four distinct types: mandatory (all eligible players must play), premier five (seven of the top 10), premier (two to three of the top six marquee players), and open (no minimum or maximum commitment because the events are a week before a Grand Slam or the year-end championships -- expect a feast-or-famine situation).

Mandatory events: Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Beijing
Premier five: Dubai, Rome, Canada, Cincinnati and Tokyo
Premier: Paris indoors, Charleston, Stuttgart, Stanford, Los Angeles and Tokyo
Premier open: Sydney, Berlin, Eastbourne, New Haven and Moscow

2. International tournaments

These will be a minor league of sorts for the tour, as only one of the top 20 will be allowed to participate in each event. Top players will be able to play only one international tournament during each half of the season. This would allow a player like Radwanska to play her home event in Warsaw but would limit her to premier events for the rest of the summer and fall.

There also will be a year-end event in Bali for the top eight performers in international events -- a poor woman's Sony Ericsson championships, as it were.

Essentially, the WTA Tour is being split into two tribes: the big ballers vs. the baby ballers and rarely the twain shall meet.

So a top-20 lady baller is only allowed to play one "international" minor league tourney huh? I guess the days of entering these lower-tier tourneys to grab confidence-building wins and quick cash for gracing the masses with their appearance are over.

(image via Getty)

WTA gets cranky, "expressly prohibits" top lady ballers from hurting Tour's rep

The controversy surrounding the WTA's Roadmap continues. However, the Tour and the top lady ballers will be sitting down during the WTA Championships in Doha to work towards common ground on next season's schedule.

But according to Kamakshi Tandon over at ESPN the ladies better voice their concerns now or risk a penalty for doing it later:

There will be more meetings between tour officials and players at the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar, next week to hammer out the final details. Perhaps the players should take the opportunity to make their objections known, because another new rule will take effect next year -- one that "expressly prohibits" them from making "public comments that a player knows or should reasonably know will harm the reputation or financial best interests of a tournament player, sponsor, official or the WTA."

The ATP already has a similar rule with a $100K fine which is rarely enforced.

Whatever - I don't think this rule will stop Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, or Maria Sharapova from voicing any objections about the WTA Tour and it shouldn't; it's important to keep the process open to discussion and change.

But, I do hope it makes the lady ballers think twice before going public without correct information, a firm point of view, and a strongly written statement.

(image via Getty)

Quote of the Day: ESPN's Ford on Las Ventas bullring

It's equipped with a skinning room, a chapel and an emergency medical area, none of which, hopefully, will be necessary this weekend. It's almost impossible to imagine what the decibel level will be like when the arena is packed. In quiet moments, the acoustics are said to be so good that spectators can hear the bull's breath in the ring.

- ESPN's Bonnie D. Ford on Plaza de Toros de las Ventas, the venue for the US-Spain Davis Cup semifinal

Wow - that's intense and I'm not talking about Rafa's breath. Good luck US and, if anything, just enjoy the experience.

(image via GOTOTENNIS.com)

THE LOW DOWN: Will "Road Map 2010" stop the WTA's bleeding? TENNIS mag's Martin is hoping so...

James Martin penned a searing essay for Tennis.com's ESPN blog on the "train wreck" that is the WTA Tour's US Open Series.

As it stands the top five point leading lady ballers are Dinara Safina, Aleksandra Wozniak, Marion Bartoli, Flavia Pennetta and Jelena Jankovic. These women are all deserving of their places in the Series' standings and whatever prize money they earn from playing, but these are clearly not the marquee names the USTA was hoping for with the exception of JJ and possibly Dinara.

According to Martin,

...the U.S. Open Series is quickly devolving into a bit of a joke, proof yet again that the WTA is powerless when it comes to delivering its talent for the summer hard-court season and the USTA's principle marketing vehicle leading into the U.S. Open.

Agreed. But will the WTA's new fangled "Road Map 2010" cure these ills? Let's take a look-see:

• 40% increase in prize money from $63.6 million in 2006 to $84.4 million
  
• 26 Tier I + II tourneys will be combined into 20 Premiere tourneys with a minimum baller commitment of 10 that they will play
  
• Four $4.5 million tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Beijing will be mandatory for all players who qualify
• Five $2 million stops in Canada, Dubai, Rome, Cincinnati and Tokyo of which the top-ranked players must play at least four. The WTA must have at least seven of the world's top 10 ballers at each of these events.
• Ballers will complete their schedules by playing in at least one or two $700,000 events
• Zero tolerance for withdrawals from tournaments ballers have committed to playing. If a baller does pull out, even because of injury, she will forfeit bonus money ($5 million available to the top 10 ranked players) and receive zero ranking points for that event

WTA president Stacey Allaster stated that the Tour balanced the ballers' requests with the needs of the Tour itself and the tourneys:

They asked to put the best events in the right dates and we've done all of that. We've given them breaks. Now we're saying, there's going to be a little less flexibility on where you play and if you don't play, then there's going to be really significant ramifications.

Ouch - the zero tolerance policy is pretty tough. But I do agree wholeheartedly that the WTA needed to figure out a way to stop the bleeding and get these top lady ballers to play the premiere tournaments or at least get them to show up and try.

Why do some of the men, like Andy Roddick in Cincinnati, attempt to play with an injury even if he ends up pulling out during the warm-up? The same goes for Andy Murray who dealt with a knee injury in Toronto but is still competing in Cincinnati. Of course injuries are part of any sport, some more serious than others, but it's the effort the fans what to see.

So they get some extra cash in their pockets - but will it get the ladies to show up?

(image via Getty)

Alexandra Stevenson blogs for ESPN.com, still relevant for some reason

Hey - remember Alexandra Stevenson? Yeah exactly, but she and ESPN.com are hoping we'll still care.

The sports site has given the oft-injured baller, who made headlines in 1999 when it was revealed her father was NBA legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving during her run to the Wimbledon semifinals, a prime assignment to blog about the trials and tribulations of the low-paying Challenger circuit. (Geez - I hope she's getting something for this.)

In her second post for the site Alexandra, apparently the "It Girl" of the Challengers, discusses the media circus that swarms her every move saying,

Most players don't have a press contingent come around at Challengers events after they lose. I've lost count of how many reporters show up in small towns and big cities to interview me, win or lose. My mother, Samantha Stevenson, a journalist, tells me, "Feel flattered that they care about you."

True. Still, nice one Momma Stevenson!

The world no. 205 even waxed poetic (literally) about what it's like to constantly lose for a class at the University of Colorado. Here's an excerpt:

A feeling of despair, her muscles twitching
The player's racket dangling by her side
The actress inside forcing a cool appearance on her face
But she is thinking, "My God, not again."

Wow. Maybe if her racquet was doing more than "dangling" she might be winning more matches.

But Alexandra wants to make sure she clears the air with tennis fans about her delayed progress when she asks aloud,

You might wonder why it's taking me longer to get back than it took Martina Hingis during her comeback or Lindsay Davenport following the birth of her son?

Actually, I'm not. In fact, it makes perfect sense to me.

Now, can we get a real baller who's actually won something to blog for the site or, at the very least, a true up-and-comer?

(image via tennisserver.com)

THE LOW DOWN: Evert publicly responds to Richard Williams' controversial comments

Chris Evert recently spoke with ESPN.com's Bonnie D. Ford about the tennis season so far and her predictions for Roland Garros. The 18-time Grand Slammer also publicly responded, for the first time, to the controversial comments made by Richard Williams which included remarks directed towards herself:

Ford: Chris, there was a controversy earlier this year -- Richard Williams made some comments and you were included in those [at a tournament in India, Williams said his daughters were still not "accepted by tennis" and referred to Evert and Tracy Austin as "little white no-good trashers.''] I know your history with the family is a bit complicated, but did that bother you, or did you try to tune it out?

Evert: This is my history with the family. When Venus was, like, 9 years old, her father called my dad and said, "Could we come to your house, Venus would love to see Chrissie's trophies." She came to the house with Richard, walked around, looked at my trophies, had her picture taken with my Wimbledon trophy. The first year I had my Pro Celebrity [charity event], I invited Venus and Serena to play, they were like 9 and 11 and nobody knew of them. They came and they played a little exhibition.

They went on to be No. 1 in the world. Then when Serena was having some difficulty with her tennis and that beautiful game she has and her dominance, I wrote that letter, one of my columns in Tennis Magazine. I thought I was very positive in that article, encouraging her to dedicate herself and be the player she was meant to be, and all her other interests could wait a few years, and sometimes you have to devote yourself if you want to be No. 1. You could be the best player who ever lived. Everybody was rooting for her. I don't think they took it that way.

As far as Richard, the quotes, I don't know what to say. I kind of feel sorry for him if he is that angry and bitter about tennis players and about white tennis players. When people lash out like that, they must be miserable people. I'm not going to compound it. I think it's unacceptable. If my parents had come out with quotes like that, I think people would make a bigger deal about it. He has a history of saying things that are unacceptable. And I don't really think many people in tennis listen to him anymore. So if I make a stink about it, it's just going to draw attention to it. That's why I didn't say anything.

Yes, you can't justify comments from a person that's clearly off his rocker.

(image via Getty)

ESPN may get US Open coverage, end Michael Barkan (and our) misery!

After grabbing coverage of Wimbledon through 2013, ESPN is in talks with the USTA to televise the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open. No agreement has been reached yet.

Cable channel USA Networks, which has televised the major for years, will be ending their coverage after this year.

Does that mean we won't have any more of roving reporter Michael Barkan's awkward and, frankly, embarrassing celebrity interviews? Awwww....

(image via espn.com)

ESPN to televise Wimbledon through 2013 - can they steal coverage back from FSN?

ESPN agreed to a six-year extension with the powers-that-be at The All-England Club to televise Wimbledon through 2013. ESPN2 will broadcast 100 hours of the grass-court Slam and matches will also be available online.

Dear ESPN: Can you please wrestle away all tennis coverage from the bumbling FSN Network before the Masters Cup at the end of the year? Pleeeease?!

(image via espn.com)

PREVIEW: Video from ESPN's upcoming match-fixing segment

As we wrote about yesterday, ESPN's Outside the Lines is set to air a segment on the match-fixing scandal involving Russian Nikolay Davydenko. Here are some outtakes from that upcoming show, including part of the interview with Nikolay:





(video courtesy of ESPN.com)

BREAKING: ESPN to broadcast Sopot match-fixing story, interviews accomplished gambler who bet on match

Details: ESPN's Outside the Lines is set to disclose the results of a 4-month in-depth investigation of the Sopot match-fixing controversy involving Russia's Nikolay Davydenko, who has been at the center of the firestorm since August 2007.

According to Bob Larson's Tennis News:

After four months of investigation by the ESPN Enterprise Unit, Sunday’s Outside the Lines (9:30 a.m. ET, ESPN; noon ET ESPNEWS) will show how a suspicious betting pattern on an August 2007 match in an obscure Sopot, Poland tournament prompted the ATP to launch an investigation amid pervasive reports of widespread gambling in the sport.

The British gambling website Betfair, which handled more than $7 million in wagers on the match between No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko of Russia and No. 87 Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina, noticed that despite easily winning the first set against his little-known opponent, Davydenko became a bigger and bigger underdog. When Davydenko retired early in the third set after receiving treatment for his foot, Betfair took the unprecedented step of voiding all bets and contacted the ATP.

In addition to extensive interviews, ESPN has obtained never-before-released details of the wagering on the match, which, until now, were known only to those close to the ATP investigation.

Correspondent John Barr details how the suspect betting unfolded and interviews an accomplished gambler who says he bet on the match and is certain that the fix was in that day in Poland

ESPN The Magazine senior writer Shaun Assael obtained a never-before-published internal ATP email that details the suspicious betting activities of Martin Fuhrer, a gambler accused of knowing the outcome of some matches in advance. Assael traveled to Vienna to interview Fuhrer, who acknowledged having friendly associations with some of the players on whom he has won money. In 2003, Fuhrer had a 100-percent win record on Irakli Labadze of Georgia to lose with one betting website, documents say. In one of those matches, Labadze was fined $7,500 for showing "a lack of effort."

Now, do we think this will prove one way, or another, that the Russian was involved in the betting? No, of course not. But this story certainly won't help his image nor that of tennis.

(image via Getty)

+ TUESDAY NETCORDS: Venus, Amelie, Martina vs. Anna...ESPN grabs Bud, Ana remembers and more

(image courtesy of rampant_media)

- Power play: The WTA Tour introduced the "power index" at last week's Acura Classic to rate the hardest hitters on the women's side. The index takes into account a player's fastest groundstroke (forehand or backhand), first serve, second serve, first-serve return, second-serve return and overhead or volley. Rankings at the Acura Classic: No. 1? Venus Williams. No. 2? Maria Kirilenko - they may need to check their meter.

- Talking to the press in Carson, CA for this week's East West Bank Classic Serbian World No. 5 Ana Ivanovic described the bombings in Belgrade, saying "I still remember the first night we went into a cellar because we didn't know what to expect," [...] "At first we were very scared because we didn't know what to expect, but later they explained that they were aiming only at military targets. Still, there was quite a bit of collateral damage, but we still tried to live as normally as possible."

- Double vision: Swiss Martina Hingis definitely sees similarities between her game and Russian Anna Chakvetadze saying, "She’s very smart around the court and she has good vision. You don’t see anything specific that she’s winning matches [with] so I definitely see some similarities." We agree and we like.

- Take that NBC: Sports network giant ESPN gave struggling NBC the proverbial finger by hiring legendary sports writer (and tennis Hall of Famer) Bud Collins after Collins was unceremoniously dumped by the peacock network during this year's Wimbledon. Gotta love it...

- Frenchie Amelie Mauresmo, who's having a less than stellar year as it is, has pulled out of the upcoming Tier I Rogers Cup in Canada and the Pilot Pen in New Haven, CT to recover from her appendectomy in March. You can scratch her from your US Open office pools this year.

Venus' Signature Shot

I caught this clip of Venus Williams during yesterday's Wimbledon coverage on ESPN. Venus gives her advice and shows her technique on her signature shot - the return of serve - all the while looking like she just left a photoshoot.

Clearly Venus put her own advice to good use in yesterday's near loss to a 19 year old Russian qualifier in the first round. Her champion mettle came shining through - lookin' good V!



(clip courtesy of ESPN)

Who's Now?

ESPN is running a sports fan-based contest finding the biggest sports star in the world. It's called Who's Now and it runs throughout July and will be featured daily on SportsCenter. See their description below:

Throughout July, "SportsCenter" will air "Who's Now," a daily series in which fans and ESPN.com users will help "SportsCenter" determine the ultimate sports star by considering both on-field success and off-field buzz. Based on fan nominations, ESPN Research will select the 32 finalists, who will then square off in a single-elimination bracket. Before then, however, we need to hear who you think should be in the bracket. Check out the Page 2 list and then discuss in the ESPN Conversation pages.

ESPN's initial, but unofficial, list includes 2 tennis stars in the Top 10: Roger Federer (#6) and Maria Shriekapova (#10).

For what Fed has done the last few years, I think #6 is too low - he's being robbed! Go to ESPN.com and make this travesty known!!