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: Czech ladies flying high, shot clock watch, and Stan the Man

"Fist pumping? It's a Czech thang!" (No. It's not.)

Soggy and wet - my least favorite kind of day, especially at Wimbledon. But what was exciting to see were the lady ballers of the Czech Republic taking a stand in their fourth round matches. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, Petra Kvitova, and Lucie Safarova all reached the quarterfinals - an historic feat for their country. Now if only the three of them could do something else exactly the same - what could it be...

Does tennis need a shot clock? If we’re being completely honest, then, HELL YES, tennis needs one. There are some high-profile offenders (yeah, I’m looking at you, Rafa and Maria) who push the limits with all of their tics and uber-deliberate prep, and often don’t get called for going over the amount of time allotted between points (20 seconds at the majors and 25 at other tourneys). Roger Federer and Caroline Wozniacki were both asked about it in their post-match pressers and they’re into the idea. Certainly, it would make it absolutely clear to the ballers how much time they had to serve and it would speed up play for us, the viewing public. Win-win. Now, if we could only do something about the amount of service tosses ballers are allowed to catch in a match. GAWD, that’s annoying (my eye is still on you, Shrieka). Oh yeah, and on-court coaching. What else?

Yeah Stan. We know...we know. You went for the monochromatic look. Got it.

Other notables: There are still a bunch of Round of 16 matches to be completed, and that means some ballers will need to play 3 consecutive days. Not the best scenario, but it is what it is. Stupid rain.

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

PHOTO OP: FED CUP's best fist pumps

Maria Kirilenko

FED CUP kicked off this weekend. And, even though Fist Pumping Lifetime Achievement Award winner Ana Ivanovic pulled out of Serbia's tie against the Slovak Republic after injuring her shoulder at the Australian Open, there were still plenty of lady ballers willing to take her place and throw up a fist in her honor (that part is TOTALLY made up). See the results here and click the headline to see the best of this weekend's FED CUP fist pumping.

PHOTO OP: Ballers gather for Medibank International, hit up Sydney cocktail party

A number of top ballers looking to sharpen their games ahead of the year's first major, the Aussie Open, have gathered in Sydney for the Medibank International.

But before they hit the courts for competition, some of these ballers put on their party-best and hit up a cocktail party celebrating the opening of this long-standing tourney.

Check out both draws here.

Serena Williams: The ladies' top seed, who's back to her match-point saving ways, is working a diamond-studded necklace given to her by Aussie Nic Cerrone. Sorry, but I'm not a fan of chokers, not matter the price. Ick.

Novak Djokovic: Can the boys' top seed get his ass in gear ahead of the defense of his Aussie Open crown?

Agnieszka Radwanska: Pretty in plum

Gilles Simon: I still wonder if this Frenchie baller with the sneakily effective game can keep it up this year.

Vera Zvonareva: A strong end to 2008 - but what will 2009 hold for this Russian? I'm not sure. But I am sure that I like this minimalist, Calvin Klein-esque look on Vera.

David Nalbandian: The Argentinean baller, who shouldn't quit his day job, might need some face block. Just sayin'.

Lucie Safarova: "OMFG hurry up. I so need to use the john."

Mardy Fish: Did they snip off your chin when they cut your hair?

(images via Getty)

+ Weekend Winners

DFS Classic - Jelena "Weird Al" Jankovic d. Maria Shriekapova 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. I think Janko beating Shriekapova, a former Wimbledon winner, on grass is a pretty significant win for the raven-haired Serbian. I'm a big fan of her game, so if she can keep her marbles together at 4-all in the 3rd set of the Wimby semifinals a maiden Grand Slam title is possible. Otherwise the "choke-master" label is not out of the question, with her devastating loss to Justin Henin at the U.S. Open last year (where she was up a set and a break) and her apathetic losses at the Aussie and French Opens this year.

Queen's Club - Andy Roddick d. Nicolas Mahut 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (2). It's good to see A-Rod fighting to win a title! He's definitely one of the best on grass, so this should be a good confidence booster for him. He's too good not to have added to his first Slam at the U.S. Open (although, to be fair, he's living in the 'Federer Years'.) He joins Lleyton Hewitt, John McEnroe, and Boris "Baby Daddy" Becker as 4-time winners at Queen's Club.

Gerry Weber Open - Tomas Berdych d. Marcos Baghdatis 7-5, 6-4. Too bad for the Baghster, losing on his 22nd birthday. But Tomas is so talented, yet so streaky (and much prettier than his girlfriend Lucie Safarova, actually.) He could do damage at The All-England Club with his power game but one never knows which Tomas will show up. Berdych has the skills to beat anyone on a good day, but those come few and far between for the Czech player.