PHOTO OP: The 2014 China Open Player Party

The China Open Player Party has come a long way. So long traditional garb, hello sometimes questionable fashion choices. But I have to say, for the most part [SPOILER ALERT] these looks aren't screaming, "Wait, what the hell were you, or your stylist, thinking?!"

It's safe to say our ballers have come a long way, too.

THE GUYS

Novak Djokovic. The Serb usually goes for relatively safe, classic looks for these events and this outfit is no exception. First of all, I love the blue, but Nole's bordering ever so slightly on game show host here.

Rafael Nadal. I wasn't kidding when I said they've come a long way, especially Rafa. Back in the day, he would never show up wearing anything that actually fit him well. That's no longer the case. Aside from the slicked back hair, I think he looks quite good here.

Tomas Berdych. I'm not a huge fan of denim made to be distressed. I much prefer either raw denim or denim that has been distressed naturally and over time. In this case, Big Berd's jeans give his look some edge and make it less conservative than Rafa's. As we've seen on-court with his H&M kits, the Czech isn't afraid to be bold.

THE LADIES

 

Serena Williams. She dares to be different and this striking dress is no exception. It's certainly in the theme of the evening. But if ReRe's trying to out-Milos Milos Raonic with her one-sleeve number, SHE WINS.

Ana Ivanovic. I'll keep it short here and say she looks lovely. It feels like, on-court and off, she's coming into her own this year.

 

Caroline Wozniacki. What I just wrote for Ana? Ditto for Woz. Great look.

Simona Halep. If this haircut is a new one, it's fantastic. Plus, the pops of yellow against the simple black dress are just right.

Genie Bouchard. You really can't go wrong with a great pair of jeans, a simple white blouse and black heels, and easy flowing hair. Smart, classic look.

Andrea Petkovic. Head-to-toe black is easy and always looks chic. Petko gives the outfit a little kick with these fantastic shoes.

Heather Watson. Fine, she's still very young as this outfit shows. It's a little casual for this event, in my opinion, but at least she's not trying to look older.

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images]

(UPDATED) +NETCORDS: Stephens and Annacone split, Neil Harman caught plagiarizing, and Vaidisova practicing again

Busy day in the tennisphere...

- Soooooo lookie (up) there. If it isn't our old friend, the ex-Worm loving Czech lady baller who retired at the age of 20, Nicole Vaidisova. She was hugely talented, although I always thought her backhand technique was, er, funky. But Vaida had big wins and was on her way up before calling it quits. Then there was the marriage to Radek Stepanek. Let's not relive that one. Apparently she's back to practicing and feeling good: These last couple weeks Im finally able to serve with less pain then i have in over 3 years, it makes me hopeful and happy to see progress after struggling the last couple years with repeated surgeries,rehabs and setbacks..its one step at a time but finally getting a step closer..

- Remember when I mentioned there would likely be more baller-coach partnerships ending? Well...

Sloane Stephens splits with coach Paul Annacone via release from her management company. #wta
— Douglas Robson (@dougrobson) July 23, 2014

Release calls split after 8 months “amicable.” Annacone said they couldn’t get “desired consistency” which caused “doubt” & confusion."
— Douglas Robson (@dougrobson) July 23, 2014

You can read more here. 

- Speaking of coaching partnerships, Ana Ivanovic, who recently split with Nemanja Kontic, will be working with former baller Dejan Petrovic on a trial basis through the North American hard-court season. Here's an all-black look she posted on Instagram today for a photoshoot in Napa Valley. Innnteresting.

- Ben Rothenberg on what Neil Harman said to him after being busted for plagiarism: “As you can imagine, I’m utterly, utterly shocked by the whole thing. It’s left me numb.” He said he “had no idea of the extent to which I have unfairly used other people’s words.” Um, I'm not even going to go into how lame Neil's explanations are and how disingenuous his remorse feels. He's clearly in deep denial and reaching for any excuse to save face. There was no public apology when he was first confronted with the evidence - only when it was about to go public. What I really want to know is who at the All England Club will be held responsible for trying to keep it all quiet; for allowing the Wimbledon Yearbook to still be sold even though they knew sections were plagiarized; and for still giving Neil media access at Wimbledon this year even after the plagiarism was discovered? Somebody has some explaining to do. A MUST READ OBVI.

- Genie Bouchard covers the August issue of Elle Quebec

- John Tomic is disputing news from IMG Tennis that both parties agreed to end the partnership with his son, Bernie. On July 16, the sports agency tweeted that they "mutually ended" their relationship with Bernie and wished him "great success." Papa Johns was no having any of it. He told Fairfax Media that they had been looking to leave IMG for the last year-and-a-half, but the agency wanted compensation to cover any losses they would incur from losing Bernie. Uh-huh.

- Caroline Wozniacki's dog, Bruno, has its own jersey courtesy of adidas. Because dogs are awesome.

- Andy Murray has been posting a bunch of training photos and videos on his Facebook page (I found the vid below on drills without actually hitting a tennis ball particularly fascinating). You can see Amelie Mauresmo in some of the photos which some believe signifies Muzz's intention on keeping the partnership intact. Perhaps. There hasn't been a formal announcement yet, but according to The Telegraph "the fact that Mauresmo has travelled to Miami, breaking her habit of holidaying in Biarritz in late July, suggests that she is committed to the project over the longer term." Solid reporting, y'all. 

Post by Andy Murray.

UPDATE: According to Matt Cronin of Tennisreporters.net, Sloane has brought on Thomas Hogstedt as coach. He has worked with Maria Sharapova, Li Na, and Caroline Wozniacki among others. Speaking of others, wasn't he just with Daniela Hantuchova at Wimbledon? What happened - was it just for the grass-court season?

Kvitova crushes Bouchard for second Wimbledon title

I admit it. I didn’t believe Petra Kvitova would win Wimbledon.

Not because I didn’t think she had the goods. She's won the title before, but since then the sometimes fragile Czech has been the epitome of inconsistency. She came into Wimbledon having lost in the third round of Roland Garros and first round in Melbourne. Between the Slams, it wasn’t much different.

Even after the three-set classic against Venus Williams in the third round where she was only broken once, I thought she still might succumb to a few of those typical “P3tra” matches – first set: blow opponent off the court; second set: cue internal turmoil and lose lead; third set: lose match. But to my surprise, she kept winning and playing strongly. With each match, the 24-year old got more confident. By the final, where she faced first-time finalist Eugenie Bouchard, her game and mentality were on point. But would she be able to play another solid match, the biggest one of them all, from start to finish? That she did.

The way Petra won today was extraordinary. Her 6-3, 6-0 victory over the Canadian was a devastating display of power grass-court tennis. I wrote that it would come down to holding serve, quality returns, and first-strike tennis. Petra landed 68% of her first serves and won 82% of those points. She also won 58% of her return points and had 28 winners to only 12 errors. The consistency of the attack was the biggest surprise today. It’s a tough proposition for any opponent when she has these numbers. Just ask Genie.

For the entire fortnight, the 20-year old was able to step inside the baseline and control the tempo of matches; she fought mightily to play them on her terms. Genie hadn’t lost a set en route to the final. But today, like us, she became an observer of the type of explosive tennis we’d come to expect from Petra. Winners flew past in a flash and serves were pummeled back at her shoe strings. Genie's usually stoic expression melted into confusion and helplessness. All she could do was watch and hope for a let down. It never happened. Unfortunately for Genie, Petra saved her best for last.

Today, Petra made a believer out of me again. I happily accept it.

[Photo(s) credit: Wimbledon twitter]

WIMBLEDON: Kvitova and Bouchard for the ladies' title, Li and Rodriguez split, and Fognini in the flesh (NSFW)

It’s Petra Kvitova versus Eugenie Bouchard for all the strawberries, cream, Pimm’s, and what the hell else? Both of today’s ladies’ semifinals mirrored each other in the way the sets played out. The first of each match were tense affairs with Petra and Genie eeking out the match lead in tiebreaks. The second sets seemed more like formalities when each of them broke early and led the rest of the way. Petra beat Lucie Safarova 7-6(6), 6-1 and Genie ousted Simona Halep 7-6(5), 6-2. But, that’s where the similarities end.

Where Lucie was simply outclassed in the second, Simona was dealing with the lingering effects of an ankle injury she picked up in the beginning of the first set. Credit the Romanian for keeping it close initially (she led 4-2 in the tiebreak) but her movement, a core part of her game, was hampered, as was her serve. What sets Genie apart is her ability to shut everything else out and focus on the work ahead – no matter an injured opponent, a fan who fainted in the stands during the tiebreak, a questionable call from the chair on her first match point, or a dapper TV star in her baller box. She’s all about the biz.

Petra has been to this dance before, and she’ll be looking to prove that the first time wasn’t a fluke. She and Lucie are friends and that added more pressure in their match; but in the end, her quality and belief got her through. To me, when Petra is healthy and in a positive mindset, her game is deadly on the slick stuff. DEAD-LY. At the start of the tourney, I didn’t have my eye on the Czech because her results this year have been pretty sketch (hello first-round loss in Oz to Luksika Kumkhum). But coming to Wimbledon where she’s had her greatest success, and beating 5-time champ Venus Williams in an absolute classic, clearly gave her the boost she needed.

The final will come down to serve and return - who can hold onto their serve, and who can get a high percentage of quality returns in play - and apply first-strike tennis to control the points. I give the edge to Genie.

It was reported today that Li Na and coach Carlos Rodriguez have ended their full-time partnership. He’s under contract with a tennis academy in China, and they have asked him to return. According to her agent, Max Eisenbud, they were essentially “borrowing” him from the academy. While Li is in China, they will work together but no longer on a full-time basis. She was reportedly unaware of the decision and very upset by the news, which was told her after her third-round loss at Wimbledon.

Attached my photo for @CosmopolitanUK to raise awareness of male cancer #ATP pic.twitter.com/QriaE3wgrB
— Fabio Fognini (@fabiofogna) July 3, 2014

Let's see...Venus, Tomas, now Fabio. Sure, why not. Let’s all get BUTT NEKKID! For a good cause, of course. Duh. You'll probably get your pic banned from Instagram, too. But don't worry; Tomas has your back so to speak.

Most importantly, is that one of the Seven Dwarfs on Fabio's hip? Doubt it's Bashful.

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images]

WIMBLEDON: Centre Court is calling, ladies

The Wimbledon draws are out for the gentlemen and the ladies. Here are the lady ballers I’ll be keeping an eye on over this fortnight. I’ll post about the boys this weekend.

Maria Sharapova. The newly reminted French Open champ dug deep in her last four matches on the slippery stuff and willed her way to the title. We’re used to seeing her tenacity and determination in the face of adversity, but this time it was even more impressive. Her fitness is clearly at a ridic level, too. While the clay did favors for one of her biggest weaknesses, the serve, the grass won’t be as forgiving. The Russian’s serve, when it’s off, is much more of a liability on the grass. I don’t think the 5-time Grand Slammer will get away with hitting 12 double faults in any match as she did in the RG final. She can play a bit of defense and find a way back into points on the clay, but on grass it’s much harder when the points are quicker. Her best chance is to be on the offense – at ALL times. After completing the Career Slam in Paris in 2012, she made it to the fourth round at the All England Club. It wouldn’t surprise me if she maxed out there again.

Serena Williams. We’ve seen this one before. ReRe loses in the first round of the 2012 French Open and then goes on an absolute, historic tear on the WTA Tour. She hates to lose, nevermind losing at a Slam to an up-and-comer (see Wimbledon 2004), and early at that. Aside from crashing weddings and posing with Usain Bolt, I’m sure the 17-time Grand Slammer has been practicing her legendary serve since she openly berated it during that second round loss to Garbine Muguruza. ReRe will need it if she’s to match Chris Evert’s and Martina Navratilova’s 18 major titles. It’s not clear whether the loss in Australia (sure, she had a back issue) combined with the defeat to the young Spaniard in Paris were anomalies, or a sign of real demise in the legend’s power game. Wimbledon will give us all a better idea, including ReRe herself.

Simona Halep. What a story Simona continues to write. She wasn’t even ranked inside the Top 50 during last year’s French Open, but seven titles later she reached her first Grand Slam final. Can she make it consecutive major final appearances at Wimbledon? You’d be a fool to bet against her at this stage. The Romanian has made steady progress for the last year, culminating in her inspiring play against the bigger hitting Sharapova. It wasn’t quite enough that day, but she’s on the cusp. The big question is how will she recover from being that close to raising the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen? Will she see the positives in her play, or will she feel a mental, and maybe physical, hangover from the Paris fortnight? Here’s how the last four runner-ups did at Wimbledon a few weeks after their runs: Maria Sharapova (2013) – 2nd round; Sara Errani (2012) – 1st round; Francesca Schiavone (2011) – 3rd round; and Sam Stosur (2010) – 1st round. Hope she’s not a history buff.

Eugenie Bouchard. Genie sure does impress. Making consecutive final four appearances at a major is pretty huge, as evidenced by the fact that she’s the only lady baller on the tour to have achieved the feat so far this year. The 20-year old Canadian is gritty, aggressive, and wants it BADLY. And, she’s not afraid to say so even if it adds pressure, which she seems to thrive on. Like Simona, she played lights out tennis against Sharapova in their semifinal for a long stretch. But, like Simona, she couldn’t sustain it and buckled under the unrelenting power of the Russian’s game. Wimbledon 2013 is where I first realized the size of Genie’s talent. When she easily upended Ana Ivanovic in the second round, I took notice and thought she was beginning to come into her own. But she’s moved faster than even I expected (she doesn’t seem surprised by any of this…at all). Genie’s low stance and early, flat hitting will serve her well in a few weeks. If she breaks through to her first Grand Slam final, watch out.

Li Na. I’m never sure what to make of Li Na (and I venture to guess I’m not alone). The 2-time Grand Slammer is an enigma of the highest degree. She can confidently and methodically play a match, gracefully gliding across the court, and hitting winners with a sniper’s precision. Then, without warning, she can become harried and desperate, frantically spraying errors like a water hose gone wild. It seemingly comes down to her belief that, unlike ReRe or Sharapova, isn’t inborn and made of tough stuff. It’s learned, which means it could unravel when the conditions aren’t just right. We saw it happen in her opening round loss at Roland Garros, her semifinal against ReRe at last year’s U.S. Open, etc. Unfortunately, the slick stuff at Wimbledon isn’t where she feels the most comfortable – she’s never been past the quarterfinals in seven tries.

Ana Ivanovic. After being favored to go deep in Paris, the Serb was dumped out early by her left-handed nemesis, Lucie Safarova. But Ana has bounced back nicely, winning her first grass-court title at Birmingham. Although she made the semifinals at Wimbledon back in 2007, it’s a surface she has clearly needed time to work out. The former top lady baller should have a game tailor made for the slick stuff – big serve and return, and massive forehand - but it hasn’t quite worked out that way until last week. Ana will certainly be walking onto the pristine grass of the All England Club with the most confidence she has had since her breakthrough year in 2008.

Agnieszka Radwanska. Going from her least favorite surface to what’s been her best surface in the last two years should make Aga happy. On the clay, big hitters can easily overpower her and hit through her ingenious defenses, as we saw when she fell to young Croat Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of Paris. But the grass really takes to her slice-and-dice game, giving her shots a bit more oomph and pushing her to a finals appearance in 2012 (taking ReRe to 3 sets) and a semifinal spot last season (losing to Sabine Lisicki). What’s been worrisome to see is her inability to seize the opportunities presented to her, including winnable matches in that semifinal match at Wimby last year and at the same stage in Melbourne this year against Dominika Cibulkova. She’s come out flat and uninspired. Hopefully if Aga gets ANOTHER chance to prove her mettle when it matters, she’ll make good.

Others to eyeball:

Andrea Petkovic. There’s a reason why Petko’s highest winning percentage is on clay (73%) and the lowest is grass (50%): her serve. It’s a glaring weakness because the rest of her game is solid. But who knows? The ladies’ Wimby draw was decimated early last year – and we saw in Paris what the German can do when she’s healthy and confident, and when the draw opens up for her.

Victoria Azarenka. After missing three months with a lingering foot injury, the Belarussian finally made her return to the court at Eastbourne, losing in her first match back to Camila Giorgi. While she’s made the semifinals at Wimbledon, her best efforts have come on hard courts where she enjoys more firm footing. While we shouldn't expect much from her until the North American hard-court season, she's still a two-time major champ and former world number one.

Madison Keys. As I write this post, Maddy has just reached her first WTA final at Eastbourne. The American has massive weapons that could be deadly on the lawns of the All England Club. If she keeps her head on straight and plays with controlled aggression, the 19-year old could do serious damage. Could she be the one hoisting the Venus Rosewater Dish? Sure, why not. And it would be fitting on the 10th anniversary of the last teenager to accomplish the feat - Sharapova.

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images]

FASHION FIX: Welcome to a Nike Wimbledon

Hiya. Yes, it’s been a long break but certainly not as long as a Maria Sharapova mid-match dress change, no? It feels good to be back and right before my fave Grand Slam of the year, Wimbledon.

First, let me catch you up on what’s been going on. Let’s see. Well, we’re moving to LA in September, which is pretty insane. I love NYC and it will always have a place in my heart, but sometimes a change is in order. Now I’m California dreamin’ as it were. Think about it – I’ll be getting to play tennis all year long. Why yes, I’ll take it.

We also began the adoption process. Raising children has always been a dream and this year we finally started to make it happen. I would say by this time next year we could be PARENTS. Cray. There were some smaller things that have happened, but those are the significant ones.

I still kept up with the on- and off-court happenings in the tennis world, including the best women's major final in FOREVAH at Roland Garros. Pretty exhilarating stuff from Sharapova and Simona Halep. The men's final had its share of drama, but at long last it didn't outshine the quality and fierceness of the ladies'. But seeing Rafael Nadal capture 9 French Open titles and tie Pete Sampras with 14 was something special. Wait, isn't someone supposedly getting married this weekend? Speaking of marriage, you're better of without him, Woz. TRUST.

Anyway, what's more fitting than a fashion post to kick things off? Nike just released the Wimby duds for their top ballers, although Li Na is mysteriously absent. Your guess is as good as mine. You can click on each image for a closer look.

Rafael Nadal. The men’s top baller will be attempting to win his third Wimbledon title while working the 2014 Premier Rafa Crew, redesigned Nike Premier Rafa Jacket, and the Nike Gladiator Premier 7-inch Shorts.

Roger Federer. The Swiss will be hoping to add to his record 17 major titles at SW19 while showcasing the Nike Premier RF Polo, Nike Premier RF Cover-Up, Nike Gladiator Premier 9-inch Shorts and the Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour.

According to Fed, "The goal for my footwear and apparel is always lightness, comfort and style. What I'm wearing has to look good, be as breathable as possible and let me be faster to the ball. You can see in what I'm wearing for London that we've honored the tradition and elegance of this tournament, but that there is still real innovation in the fabrics and tailoring of my apparel that reflects my personal style and gives me the best chance of winning."

Grigor Dimitrov. He may have fallen at the first hurdle of Roland Garros, but Grisha will be feeling good with the grass finally under his Nike-clad feet. The Bulgarian will be styling the Nike Advantage UV Crew made from Dri-FIT UV fabric and the Nike Gladiator 2-in-1 Shorts.

Serena Williams. Wanna bet ReRe is gearing up for an all-out assault on the slick stuff after her humiliating defeat in Paris? She’ll take on pretenders for the crown wearing the all-white unique Nike Novelty Knit Dress that features a front bodice crafted from sweat-wicking Dri-FIT jersey fabric.

The world’s top lady baller has this to say about her partnership with Nike: "It's always a fun challenge when I work with Nike Tennis to create looks and clothing that let me express myself and my unique style while respecting the tournament. What I wear on-court is a key part of my advantage out there, so we focus on making my dress lightweight and allowing for full movement while not compromising on style."

Maria Sharapova. After capturing her second title in the City of Light, Sharapova will be looking to do the same in London where she will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of her run to the title as a scrawny but feisty 17-year old. The Russian will be working the unique Nike Premier Maria Dress “specially designed for superior ergonomics while projecting a luxurious silhouette.” Her kicks will be a white and gold NikeiD version of the iconic Nike Zoom Vapor 9 Tour. Additionally, Eugenie Bouchard and Madison Keys will be showcasing the Maria Team Collection that features the Nike Premier Maria Skirt paired with the Nike Premier Maria Tank.

Victoria Azarenka. The Belarussian basher has been hobbled by a niggling foot injury for the last three months, but she plans to return to action at Eastbourne. Vika will mark her arrival on the pristine lawns of the All England Club wearing the Nike Advantage Solid Tank, Nike Printed Pleated Woven Skirt combination and Nike Lunar Ballistec footwear.

All the styles are available at Nike.com.

(via NikeInc.com)