WIMBLEDON: Djokovic injury scare, Li upset, Kvitova hangs tough, and a proposal for Sharapova

Novak Djokovic had a scare today during his third round match against Gilles Simon. The top seed was running to his forehand side when he lunged for a ball, fell on his left side, and clutched his shoulder in apparent agony. He took a medical time out and then continued to play, eventually winning the match 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. In his presser, Nole said he had an ultrasound done and there’s no damage. For a few minutes there, it looked like a very serious situation. Thoughts of his tourney and possibly his season ending may have crossed my frantic mind based on his reaction. Thank GAWD all is well.

Remember how I wrote that Li Na is an enigma of the highest degree? She did absolutely nothing to change my mind today. The second seed was upended by Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5). As I tweeted today, it was definitely an upset but not based on current form. BZS was a finalist in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago and has a game built for grass, while Li adds this loss to her first round disappointment at Roland Garros. In her presser, the 32-year old regretted not playing one of the warm-up tourneys. “I think I made wrong decision,” she said. “I needed to play some matches before the big one [Wimbledon]." AGREED.

Former Wimbledon champs Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams put on a power-tennis showcase today in their spectacular third round battle. The match was of the highest quality, with both lady ballers throttling the ball and looking to control the rallies with aggressive play. With V serving at 5-6 in the third set, Petra held tough and earned the second of the two breaks in the ENTIRE match to win 7-5, 6-7 (2), 7-5. It was the best I’ve seen V play in many years and that wasn’t lost on the Czech either. "I think she's playing really, really well," said the 6th seed. "She showed it as well today. I think that she can win some titles again. If she's going to be healthy and play some matches and everything like that, she can do it." As for Kvitova, it was her finest performance since winning here in 2011. Best match of the women’s draw so far. I honestly couldn't sit down - it was absorbing stuff.

I missed the goal but I didn't miss this...I have to marry all 4? #WorldCup2014 pic.twitter.com/cO8OhBA1hX
— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) June 26, 2014

Loooooooool. Okay then. I suppose that’s one way to do it.

Other notables: Marin Cilic, the 26th seed, continued his fine 2014 form, upsetting 6th seed Tomas Berdych 7-6(5), 6-4, 7-6(6) in a match that ended at 9:38pm. It was the latest finish for a match outside of Centre Court in the tourney’s history. Grigor Dimitrov, the 11th seed, beat the 21st seed Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-7(3), 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to reach his first-ever round of 16 at Wimbledon. Jerzy Janowicz, the 15th seed and a semifinalist last year, and Lleyton Hewitt also went the distance with the Pole coming out on top 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(7), 4-6, 6-3.

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images, AFP]

Del Potro downed by Simon, up close and personal (well, almost)

I finally made it out to the US Open yesterday. Normally I like to grab a grounds pass for the first couple of days since every court is filled with matches. But with the new job it just wasn’t possible. Perhaps next year.

Anyway, I was able to catch the third round match between Juan Martin del Potro + Gilles Simon in full. The Frenchie played some solid tennis in hot and humid conditions, running down Delpo’s ginormous groundies and keeping the big boy on the move. He forced the former US Open champ into errors and served well on key points - none bigger than when he saved set points in the fourth set.

 Even the Argentine thought so:

Q. There was that one point where I think there were three times where it looked like you had a winner, and three straight times he ran it down somehow. How shocked were you? How mentally tiring is it playing someone like that, too?

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO: Is tough because you try to make the winners all the time, every point, and the ball come to you every time, too. And if you don't serve really, really well, Simon plays a nice tennis, very fast and it's not easy to make a winner to him. But, anyways, the crowd help me a lot 4 5 in the fourth set especially, and I was really close to win that set. But not this year.

Yeah, Delpo, that was me. Screaming and stuff. We all tried to lift you because you looked really weary out there (not like your usual look) but Baby Daddy was too good. Eh, that’s okay. You'll always have next year and we’ll always have 48th and Lexington. Always.

[Photo(s) credit: Reuters]

TASTE OF TENNIS: I asked, they answered

So, yeah. I made it to this year's Taste of Tennis albeit a little late. I had to work so my friend, Erin, covered the Rafael Nadal/Armani event at Macy's earlier in the day for me, where he unveiled his ginormous ballboard to the world, before heading over to the W Hotel in Midtown where we were meeting up.

When I got there I ran into Karen from Tennis Panorama, my annual US Open Party Patrol buddy, who is always up for a good time. I also hung out with Nick from Tennis Served Fresh, @MariyaKTennis and finally got to meet Rachel from OntheGoTennis and Elena from The Slice. The one thing I noticed immediately was the fewer number of media in attendance - it didn't have the same INSANE feel it had last year. But, here was the worst part: no complimentary bottled water. HOW COULD THEY LET US GET THIRSTY??? I wondered if it was on downhill from there. Luckily, I had gum.

The green carpet arrivals began to, er, arrive. Rafa, surprisingly or maybe not so surprisingly, came through first. I compared his appearance to having "the dessert before the main course" over Twitter. It was also like a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am moment- a quickie but without the guilt. He was literally there for less than a minute before Benito moved him onto the VIP area. For him to do all this publicity for his book and ad campaign must be draining for him - it's soooo not his thing. I guess I'm not surprised he flew through the line.

There were also less lady ballers at this event than last year which meant less opportunity to ask, "Who are you wearing, guuurl???" So I asked the guys. Well, one guy: Marin Cilic. He had on this cool shirt jacket but no idea who designed it. I suppose it wasn't a question he was prepared to answer. Hopefully he will be next time, and in that small way I've helped prepare him for future green carpet questions - or not. Probably not.

A few of us made it upstairs to the big party (we have our ways) where we ate some fabulous food and drank, um, a lot. A fucking blast. But as they say, it's not how you start but how you end and THIS end was awesome. Just awesome. Even an obviously fanatical and possibly drunk person accosting him on the street for a picture couldn't scare him away. HE BE THE BEST.

Thanks to E, who's an amazing graphic designer BTW, for helping me out and DKC for the great event and invite. Until next year Taste of Tennis!!!

Check out my full Q & A with Tommy Haas, Tamira Paszek, Fernando Verdasco, Janko Tipsarevic, Marin Cilic, Gilles Simon, James Blake and Vera Zvonareva from Taste of Tennis after the jump.

FASHION FIX: It's a tee off!

Even though I'd prefer to have my ballers shirtless during their practice sessions, there is one reason to have them clothed: THE PRACTICE TEE.

Shots of Ana Ivanovic, Gilles Simon, Rafael Nadal, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova and Stanislas Wawrinka in their baller best at Roland Garros after the jump - click the head.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Andy Murray

I wasn't bothered at all. I was doing what I had to. Every player on the tour would have done exactly the same thing. I wasn't doing anything wrong. We'll see the reaction tomorrow.

- Andy Murray on the Monte Carlo crowd booing his drop shot exhibition against a hobbling Gilles Simon today

You know, even Sneaky said it was the right tactic. But there are some who think it was crossing the line. I'm curious to know what you guys think. Was it fair play or did Muzz go overboard with it?

[Photo(s): Reuters]

PHOTO OP: "Goo goo lady gaga"

Here's Gilles Simon, who just ended a 51-week title drought by winning Metz last weekend, with his partner, Carine Lauret, and their new baby boy, Timothée, who was born four weeks early on September 2nd.  

Sneaky was competing at the US Open at the time of his son's birth, and after going down to Rafael Nadal he admitted he was a little bit distracted in his post-match presser. I bet he was. Also, check out the look of utter amazement and wonder on the his face. I guess being a first-time daddy will do that to you.

One more shot of full-on cuteness below.

[Photo(s): @FootFault]

HE SAID/SHE SAID: US Open Days Seven + Eight

DAY 7

Q. Do you think Nadal is gonna be able to figure out how to win this tournament here in New York eventually?

FELICIANO LOPEZ: I don't think it's gonna be an obsession for him at all. He just come here to play his best tennis, and as he normally does. It's not gonna be an obsession.

Of course if he wins here he will have the whole Grand Slam because he won already three of them, but I don't think he has to, you know, be focused only on that goal.

Q. You're a friend. Do you think he will figure it out? Do you think he will do it eventually?

FELICIANO LOPEZ: He will probably do it. I mean, he's still 24. A lot of years to play, so he will have the chance. I think so.

Q. Sorry about the ridiculousness of this question, but they were making a big deal on TV about you tugging at your dress. You just didn't seem comfortable out there. I know it was windy, but was the dress bothering at all?

VENUS WILLIAMS: No. The only thing that bothered me was when I didn't win the point, I think. That was it.

Q. Speaking of your sequinned tennis dresses, I think they're gorgeous. It's become the talk of the Open. What color are we gonna see next?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I do have some more colors, but so far I've worn the colors I liked best. So we'll see how I feel in the next round if I just do a repeat or something new.

Obviously the dresses are super fun. It's just fun. Hopefully just as much fun as my game is, and seeing those kind of fun in big shots.

Q. What happens to the old dresses? Like do you store them somewhere? Put them on a wall? Honestly, are they just gone?

VENUS WILLIAMS: They get retired. A lot of times people ask me for them. There aren't many, so I don't really give them away. But like the Wimbledon museum asked me for one of my -- the Tina Turner dress. I think maybe the Tennis Hall of Fame maybe asked me for the can-can from the French.
So of course that's awesome when people ask me for those. But other than that, they get retired, and...

Q. Do they become rags that you use?

VENUS WILLIAMS: You know, historically I've saved like one of each dress. I do a lot of the organizing at the house, so I'll save one of Serena's, too. Lately she's taken over that. But I think at the end of the day, I think, you know, to have an exhibition of all the dresses we've worn, I think that be -- it would be very interesting, I think. Hopefully that will happen one day.

Q. Nadal said on the court you had a baby.

GILLES SIMON: Yeah.

Q. Two days ago?

GILLES SIMON: Yeah. That's why I'm going to be short. (Laughter.)

Q. Boy or girl?

GILLES SIMON: Boy.

Q. Name?

GILLES SIMON: Timothy. Like Timothy in English.

Q. When is your flight home, and how eager are you to get home?

GILLES SIMON: As soon as possible. I don't know yet. But I had a great match to play this afternoon. I knew that if I lose, I will be home right after. So my coach is doing the booking. (Smiling.)

Q. Were you distracted at all by these thoughts on the court?

GILLES SIMON: A little bit. It's hard to focus for me the last three days. But I think I was playing good. The two first sets were nice. I had some problem with my return today. I missed a lot of return. And then the third set, I have to say that I was already in the plane. (Laughter.)

Q. I assume you grew up on a clay courts at home. How did you get so good on a hardcourt?

FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think I have physically the possibility because I am fast. And also to keep going, to mix this kind of shot, that is my quality. Is not easy to play on hardcourt, so I think I put some problems to the players to play so different.

Q. With your spin?

FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: For sure on the clay I have more time, so I can take you and go 10 shots, 20 shots, 30 shots. Here is not like this. But in the same way, I can do serve and volley, I can play faster, I can play slow and back. Is a mix. It's like Capricciosa pizza. I don't give you margherita, I give you Capricciosa, different kind of ingredient.

Q. There was a report this afternoon that the other day you didn't want to take one of the transportation vans that had a picture of Roger. Can you describe what happened?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, well, if you know me, you know that I not gonna do. This is very stupid thing. I was in a van of the picture of Roger, both sides of the van, like 15 times these two weeks. (Smiling). So that's very stupid thing. That's never happen.

Speaking seriously, is better the other side. I want this car because is bigger, and I am more comfortable with this car than with the others. You can see the car of Roger's photo is there, is outside, is a van. So is much bigger than the other ones.

Roy know, the manager of the transportation, that I always want this car. So it was good.

Q. Did you get out of that car that had his picture or you stayed in it?

RAFAEL NADAL: I thought my English was better. (Laughter.) I said I went with this car 15 times.

DAY 8

Q. Did you have confidence in that third set when you were down a break that maybe you might not have had if you were down a break in the first set just because you had seen [Gasquet] be kind of shaky to that point?

GAËL MONFILS: Yeah, I was still confident. I won't lie, on that one set point, I had like to hit backhand passing shot. It was tough. But then when you save it, you know, for sure I knew if it was my set point and miss it like this, I knew like I will be thinking or this or that. Just try to be solid, put pressure for him. And also, Richard, he doesn't really like pressure. He love like good play, not play. He don't like a lot of crowd around, the crowd involved. He don't like see the opponent like show emotions. Just play with that, play a bit with his mind, and that was it.

Q. You won in three straight sets. Do you feel like it could have gone either way?

GAËL MONFILS: Yeah, it could have gone -- I mean, I could have got two sets down, for sure. Two sets down. But like I told you, I mean, my mentality today was to push him like hard in head and hard in physically and try to break him physically and break him in the head. That was my plan.

Q. You held your serve pretty easily at 3 2. The next two, three games you lost your range. Did the wind pick up?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Which set?

Q. The second set.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uhm, yeah. But you could say that about so many different areas in the game today. Like I said, I played two good points and then made two return errors. It wasn't like she was hitting 120 serves out there. You know, in those situations, I didn't really give her a chance to play. I felt like I was just giving it out there.

Q. What are your thoughts on the state of your game now, your return from the shoulder problems, what you foresee down the road?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uhm, I think it just needs to be more stable and not so up and down, especially against an opponent like her. Uhm, you know, I need to string a few more things together than I did. It's all really capitalizing on what you have. You work hard for something, and then you let it slip away. I think I've just got to capitalize on that. Obviously, a bit unfortunate in the Grand Slams. I had my fair share of chances and didn't take them throughout this whole year in the big events. Uhm, you know, that's just the way it's gone. But keep moving forward, keep working hard.

Q. When we think back three years ago when you were the sensational finalist and the joker on the court, don't get me wrong, but it seemed easy came for you, a, of things. Is that right, or maybe a wrong...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, depends really, because at that time I was a 19 , 20 year old kid who just didn't care much about pressure or anything and didn't know what's pressure and expectations. Just hitting the ball, being very aggressive and open minded and just playing great game. I think a lot of us wish to have this kind of attitude on the court and not thinking about some things, some side factors that can affect your game, which in this present moment is something I have to deal with. But on the other hand, the positives of me as a player today is that I have more experience, I'm stronger, I just played so many matches on the big stage. I still enjoy. I still enjoy even though I'm not doing my impersonations on the court or after, but I still very much enjoy what I do.

Q. So you described how there was no pressure then. What's the pressure like now, and how are you dealing with it?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, once you get mature, then you experience some things in your life, and, you know, you get to the stage when you're one of the best players in the world. Then you're not coming in Grand Slams anymore as somebody who is young and kind of the first 30, 20 in the world and not expected to go far and you don't have that amount of expectations on your back. On the other hand now, you know, you're getting into the tournaments and matches as somebody who is expected to win most of his matches he's playing on, and getting to the late stage of the second week. So that's something you have to deal with, and everybody deals with it. It's a challenge you have to overcome, and it makes you mentally stronger. So right now I learned over this year and a half how to deal with it and just happy with the process.

Q. How important is it to look good on the court for you?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Well, I'm so lucky that I am the face of adidas and Stella McCartney and I have my own special line that no one else is wearing. I think that's really nice. For me it's important to feel good on court and of course to look good. Then I can focus on my tennis at 100%.

Q. In this case, don't you think it's a bit short, your dress?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: I think it's nice. I definitely am sure I'll get a lot of male fans now (laughter).

[Photo(s): Getty Images]

(UPDATED) HE SAID/SHE SAID: Wimbledon Day Four

Q. What kind of a night did you spend last night? Could you sleep? Nightmares? Or what?

JOHN ISNER: I honestly, when I left the match, I really thought it was a dream. I didn't think that type of match was possible. So I was really expecting to wake up, in all seriousness.

No, I went back. I didn't sleep great. I only slept for four hours. I talked to Nic. He said he only slept for about three. So we're both kind of running on fumes right now.

Q. You said this was like a dream. In some ways, is this even better than a dream? And what did Andy get you for takeout?

JOHN ISNER: Yeah. I mean, I think it really is better than a dream because you can't even dream of something like this. I mean, you can dream of winning a match 22 20, maybe 34 32, but not 70 68.

Yeah, I guess in that regard it's a little bit better.

Andy just brought me all sorts of stuff. It was for my coach and my trainer. There was three boxes of pizza, all sorts of chicken and mashed potatoes, anything. I would have eaten 12 BicMacs.

Q. Given the severity of your injury, the difficulty of the comeback from that type of injury, how much do you think about a possible future without tennis? What options did you think about for the future?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uhm, I mean, I've set up myself pretty well for things that I can do after my tennis career. But that never really crossed my mind 'cause I was always gearing up to get back. You know, I've been fortunate to do, uhm, and to work with different people in different industries that have really made my life interesting and fun and creative. Fashion and things like that.

Uhm, I would certainly explore that after my career.

Q. Can you explain what happened this morning? Did you miss meeting the Queen? There's some suggestion you weren't there.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, was disappointing for me. But, you know, the Club knows, Wimbledon Club knows that before, because I have my routines before the match. I had a very difficult match, before the match, I know going to be a very difficult match. I had to practice around 12, so was impossible for me.

Seriously I thought the Queen was going to be in my match, and I would love to have the chance to meet her after the match. But wasn't possible because I think the Queen left before. For me was disappointing. I was excited to meet her. But was very important match for me, too.

Q. If you had known she wouldn't be there for your match, would you have gone to meet her?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, because I have my routines. Before the match, is very difficult when you have ‑‑ you don't know when you gonna play, no? You have third match. But if some injury there, you are on court before.

I had the practice at that time, so was impossible for me to meet her at that moment, no?

Q. You said you wouldn't change your routine to meet the Queen. Is there anything or anybody in the world that would make you change your routine?

RAFAEL NADAL: You know, I am playing in Wimbledon. Is not a joke. I love this tournament. I have a lot of respect for the Queen. I have a lot of respect for this tournament. Always was my dream play here. Today is a match, is a match day for me, no? So I have my things to do, and I try to do my best what I think is the best to win the match, no? So not in that case.

Q. When you're at home, do you get questions about is it time for you now to be one of the top players, especially with Svetlana hasn't been playing that well this year and Dinara has been hurt and now Dementieva is hurt. Do you hear a little bit of that?

ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Well, no, not really, because I'm never at home, so... (Laughing.)

Well, I heard it quite a few time before, which was strange, because I was like 15, 16, and people, when I finished No. 1 juniors, people expect me to be straightaway, like, I don't know, top 50 or top 20 in the world.

I was really young, and that's why I put a lot of pressure on myself. And especially in Russian they did put a lot of pressure. They were expecting me to be the best, beat everyone, like this, easy, and go faster.

So that's why I struggled a while to get through that. It took me a while to get good ranking in the pros. I mean, not a while, but still, you know, I think I could have gone much faster maybe in the rankings and the results.

But anyway, it went quite fast.

Q. Now you feel like you have to be more patient with yourself and then the results will come?

ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA: Yeah, now I'm more relaxed and I don't care about what people say. I just try to do my what my team tells me and to do good job and play well and just thinking about this.

I don't I stop thinking about results so much. So I don't know. I think when the time is right, it's gonna come. My work will pay off. So I just I don't know when it's gonna happen. I'm working hard, playing well every I mean, trying to do my every match, and then I will see.

Q. We see every year at Roland Garros French players don't do so well in their home tournament. It's been not as long as Fred Perry for here, but French players haven't won in Paris for a while. Do you admire the way Andy Murray handles the pressure at Wimbledon? Because he's our only player, where you've got lots of good players.

GILLES SIMON: For sure he's alone. But for us, yes, we have the pressure, but we are many players, so it's a little bit easier.

For him it's hard, because you know, I have an apartment right here. The guy told me, Murray didn't win anything for the last six months. That's a shame. Come on, he's playing good. He played a little final in Australia.

He said, No, no, no. He didn't win. He has to win. So I can feel a little bit the pressure he have.

But I just think he's doing the maximum. Last year he reached the semifinal; it was a good result, I think. He played a nice match, even if he lost this one. I think he's doing good.

UPDATE:

Q. How would you describe the match that you had and your thoughts on why it took so long?

NICOLAS MAHUT: Do you have time (smiling)?

I don't know. This is just a match I will never forget. I hope the people who watched the match will think the same.

At this moment, it's really painful.

Q. Would you elaborate? What's painful about it?

NICOLAS MAHUT: The loss. I mean, I lost this match. I just wanted to win. Was just better than me. Really painful to lose this kind of match.

Q. Do you take a sense of pride in having competed this hard and this long even though you did lose?

NICOLAS MAHUT: Yeah, ask me tomorrow I will probably say yes. Tonight, it's really difficult.

Q. What are your thoughts about John right now?

NICOLAS MAHUT: He's a champion. He served unbelievable. Every time I was that close to break him, he just serves aces, aces, bomb. I could not do anything. I tried very hard, but he was just too good.

[Photo(s): Getty Images]

PHOTO OP: Missing that MOMA no more

"Was it as good for you?"

Gilles Simon is on a mini-roll.

The Frenchie baller, who had been recovering from knee issues, captured his first win of the season on Monday when he beat Evgeny Korolev in his opening match at Eastbourne. And, today, he won his second consecutive match when he defeated Andrey Kuznetsov 6-1, 6-7(3), 7-6(2) to reach the quarterfinals where he'll face compatriot Michael Llodra. It must be nice to have that winning feeling again.

So now I remember why I missed Sneaky so much. This photo brings back all kinds of memories like this and THIS. Welcome back, boy.

[Photo(s): Getty Images]

PHOTO OP: What do you get when you put a bunch of Frenchies in a room?

"We're Frenchies. And we're hawt. So what?"

A number of French footballers recently visited with compatriots Jo-Wilfried Tsonga + Gilles Simon in Paris. The team was in attendance to check out some matches at this week's Paris Masters and support their boys.

I have to say I'm disappointed. I've come to expect some serious Frenchie MOMA when the boys get together like here and ESPECIALLY here. Come to think of it, why is Gilly always involved?

*scratches head*

Thanks Sara!

(Photo: Getty)

PHOTO OP: Boys do LOVE their toys

Gilles Simon, Nicolas Almagro, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco visited the Wii Fit station before the start of the Valencia Open and tried their hand at some other sports besides tennis.

I do HEART watching boys play with their toys, especially when it's like this. *faints*





(images via valenciaopen500.com)

PHOTO OP: HE WOLF

Gilles Simon howled to the heavens after edging past Evgeny Korolev 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the semifinal in Bangkok. He'll face off against Jurgen Melzer for a spot in the final.

I guess Gilly is now ready to receive Jo-Willy - doesn't it all make sense now? Gotta love the Frenchie MOMA.

So in honor of his wolf-y ways and because it's Friday *cheers*, I give you Shakira's "She Wolf" for your listening and viewing pleasure. That's if you like smokin' hot, half-dressed, gyrating, bendy blondes in a cage, I mean.

CHECK IT:



(image via getty, video via freshmusic9)

PHOTO OP: We're gonna knock you out sucka (at least we think we can)

For better or worse, John Isner + Gilles Simon finally joined Robby Ginepri as shirtless brigade members while practicing their Thai kick boxing moves at an ATP photo op in Bangkok.

I'm sorry but for some reason Gilly is SO not convincing in the top image (neither is John for that matter) though he's def trying hard to bring his "tough" face. Nice try. It looks like he's got a solid high kick below, though.

You confuse me, Frenchie.

PS - Peek-a-boo Robby, we can almost see you.




(Photos: Reuters, Getty)

PHOTO OP: Gilles knows all there is to know about the crying game

Gilles Simon lost his opening round match 7-5, 6-1 to qualifier Andreas Beck in Monte Carlo continuing his poor form of late.

The Frenchie had nothing but positive reviews for his performance today:

This match was completely rotten from the first to the last point. I'm surprised myself. I felt at ease on this surface. I was moving well. But I don't remember ever playing so badly. Nothing was right. Nothing was working. My forehand, my backhand, my serve, nothing.

Ever since Gilles went 0-2 in Davis Cup play earlier this season he hasn't been able to get past the fourth round of any tourney. Clearly, his confidence has been shaken but hopefully he won't freefall.

And in more bad news for the Frenchies, Gael Monfils was spanked 6-3, 6-1 by Janko Tipsarevic (ouch!) while Paul-Henri Mathieu went down to David Nalbandian 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

What's up Frenchies??!

(image via ap)

The Frenchies get fried at Indian Wells, leave Jeremy to pick up the pieces

It was a French massacre at Indian Wells yesterday.

Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, and Paul-Henri Mathieu were all unceremoniously booted from the year's first Masters 1000 tourney in straight sets within hours of each other.

Sneaky Simon continued his bad run of form as he fell to Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 7-6 (3); Jo-Willy was shocked by Russian Igor Andreev 7-5, 6-4; Reeshard fell to Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-2; and Paul-Henri was stopped by Andy Murray 6-3, 6-2. Gael Monfils, Florent Serra, Olivier Patience, Julien Benneteau, Michael Llodra, Nicolas Devilder, and Marc Gicquel have already been knocked out of the tourney.

Maybe it's a hangover for their country's poor showing in Davis Cup's opening tie where they were defeated by the Czech Republic 3-2 and where Sneaky Simon failed to win either of his rubbers. Or maybe some of them have been too distracted by some off-court Frenchie lovin'. I'm thinking the boys could use a strong leader right now - Sneaky's clearly not up to the task.


Whatever the case, the French will now have to rest their hopes on Jeremy Chardy who will face Spaniard David Ferrer for a spot in the quarterfinals.

(images via getty)

PHOTO OP: That's what Gilles gets for losing both rubbers

(image via MTF)

PHOTO OP: Sneaky Simon + racquet get all Frenchie in Ostrava (bad strategy)

Gilles Simon didn't get his country's Davis Cup weekend off to a good start at all.

The Frenchie baller, who I thought looked out of sorts yesterday was defeated by Tomas Berdych 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 in the opening rubber in Ostrava giving the Czechs a 1-0 advantage. But Jo-Wilfried Tsonga saved the day defeating Radek Stepanek 7-5, 6-2, 7-6(1) to draw even with the host country.

Sneaky Simon, I'm thinking you owe Jo-Willy some of that same racquet attention now. And you should allow us to watch. All of it. Now.

*blushes*

(image via AFP)

PHOTO OP: Gilles has no idea where he is or what he's doing

Gilles Simon was spotted looking morning fresh as he sat through his country's Davis Cup presser in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

The Frenchies have battled the Czechs 13 times in DC play and hold a 7-6 advantage.

Let's hope Gilles gathers himself (and combs his hair) before hitting the courts this weekend. Just sayin'.

PS - Check out the ATP World Tour's breakdown of the opening ties here and VANtage Point predictions here.

(image via getty)

PHOTO OP: Rafa defeats Sneaky Simon, satisfies fans' needs (well, almost)

A few obvious Rafael Nadal fans were spotted watching their boy battle Gilles Simon in the Oz Open quarterfinals.

The world's top baller wasn't at his sublime best but still defeated his French foe 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 and will next face his powerful compartriot Fernando Verdasco, who defeated last year's runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, for a spot in Sunday's final.

As we all know, not everyone was excited about the Mallorcan Matador getting sleeved and these fans here were sure to let Rafa know. So it's good to see him acknowledge his fans at the match and give them a little something to satisfy their needs:


Unfortunately for some of the Rafanatics, the Spaniard didn't go all Frenchie with Sneaky Simon post-match but I guess beggars can't be choosers...


(image via Getty)