PHOTO OP: Simulated sex(iness)

I tried desperately to find a somewhat scintillating shot from this photo shoot featuring Rafael Nadal and Bar Refaeli in the new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and this was the best I could do. Yeah, no kidding. I mean, I've seen more chemistry between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Hell, I've seen more chemistry between Serena Williams and US Open lines people.

Rafa should stick to tennis (shirt is optional there as well) and Bar should, uh, keep doing bikini-clad photo shoots. Just not with Rafa.

[Photo(s) credit: Sports Illustrated]

FASHION FIX: Venus Williams' EleVen lives on

Think November 2007. Remember when a smiley, giddy Venus Williams, holder of six majors at the time, was all over the place appearing at launch events and throwing parties for her first and only low-cost, mass market fashion collection called EleVen sold exclusively at Steve & Barry's? Ahhhh. Well, get over it because she has.

The company went bankrupt and was eventually liquidated leaving EleVen homeless and hungry and living solely on the back, both lit + fig, on V (well not if you count the random outfitting of Nadia Petrova.) That is, until now.

Here's an update on the fate of her collection from the World No. 3 herself during a reader Q & A for Sports Illustrated:

As for EleVen, this is really somewhat breaking news, but I will be partnering with The Gilt Group over the next year to host exclusive quarterly sales of the EleVen collection on Gilt.com/EleVen. The first sale is coming later this month before the U.S. Open. You will be able to find out the details, which are coming soon, on my website, Twitter and Facebook. We are also in advanced discussions with a retail partner and as soon as next summer you will likely be able to find EleVen at traditional retail outlets.

Good news for her. The Gilt Groupe has a big presence right now and they're pretty aggressive with their marketing including the promotion of the very popular daily sales. Although they've carried fashion and luxury brands primarily it looks like the company is moving into the sports-inspired groups including adidas Porsche Design Sport and now EleVen. Plus, it can't hurt to have a world-renowned celebrity athlete like V at the helm for PR purposes.

In terms of the future retail partner, Kohl's and JC Penny come to mind along with Target, though they've seemed to have fallen off a bit lately and have moved away from fashion collaborations. Stay tuned.


[Photo(s): Getty Images]

(UPDATED) A Look Back: Serena Williams has it covered for Sports Illustrated

Top lady baller Serena Williams will be featured on the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated after capturing her fourth Wimbledon crown and 13th career major.

Tennis scribe Jon Wertheim penned the cover story with the provocative, argument-inducing headline, "Serena Williams: Love Her, Hate Her. She's the Best Ever." If you ask me she still has a bit to go, though not so far in reality, to hoist the title of GOAT. But if anyone in recent memory has had the best chance of reaching the pinnacle it's ReRe.

So how did the current WTA Penthouse resident react to the news of her latest SI cover? Via Twitter:

And...

I thought she'd be happier. Anyway, her latest cover on the sports rag made me curious to look back and reminisce on her past SI moments:


This one came out in May 2003, months after a then 21-year old ReRe completed the "Serena Slam" capturing four straight majors beginning with 2002 Roland Garros and ending at the 2003 Australian Open. She was going for a fifth straight major win in Paris but a spunky Belgian named Justine Henin got in her way in a controversial semifinal upset.


The Wimbledon champ was featured on another cover in May 2003 showcasing the 101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports (top right corner) where she placed third on the list.


And, of course, the one that started off her spectacular career was her exciting run to the title as a 17-year old at the U.S. Open defeating then-World No. 1 Martina Hingis in the final. This cover, released in September 1999, hints at the surprise of seeing ReRe grab the first Grand Slam in the Williams family over sister Venus, whose forlorn look was a memorable moment from that day.

The latest SI issue featuring ReRe will be on stands Wednesday, July 7.

UPDATE: Speaking of ReRe and magazines she's featured in the July 20 issue of Harper's Bazaar. The article includes some interesting tidbits.


On her infamous catsuit from the 2002 U.S. Open:

"I was like, 'I can't go out there. Oh, my God, I'm so nervous, I can't go out. I feel really exposed.'" She asked fellow player Justine Henin what she thought. (Henin recommended a more traditional skirt and top.) But the rest, as they say, is history. "I felt so comfortable," she remembers, "and after that, I owned it."

On her body image:

"I was 23 when I realized that I wasn't Venus. She's totally different," she explains. "I'm super-curvy. I have big boobs and this massive butt. She's tall and she's like a model and she fits everything. I was growing up, wanting to be her, wanting to look like her, and I was always fitting in her clothes, but then one day I couldn't." She pauses. "But it's fine. Now I'm obviously good, but it's a weird thing."

On her workout regime:

"I wanted to get really fit. I wanted to lose some weight. So I've been doing Pilates and yoga, trying to lean out my body so I won’t be bulky." Her regimen: Pilates two or three times a week and when she's training for a tournament, "a couple of hours of hitting, then an hour or two of cardio and strengthening in the gym.” Also, when she's at home in L.A., she runs the half mile up a hill to Venus's house instead of driving. But no dieting. "I don't even know the D word," she says with a laugh.

On the breakup with ex-boyfriend Common back in April:

"His schedule is actually worse than mine," she sighs. "He didn't want the responsibility. It's really tough."

[Photo(s): covers via Sports Illustrated swimsuit image by William Klein]

Cutting the tennis calendar could ruin someone's sex life (no, really)

Sports Illustrated's Bruce Jenkins is rallying the call for a shorter tennis season in his latest column aptly titled "The season that never, ever ends." And boy, does it NEVAH.

Jenkins gives some insight into who, or what, may be to blame:

"Pick any city on either tour -- it's a seemingly endless list -- and there are extremely wealthy people who can't wait to spend millions of dollars, sponsor a pro event, put on their tennis shorts, schmooze with the elite and generally act like bigshots. These are magnificent, cosmopolitan cities, for the most part. Players see the irresistible lure of travel, revenue, rankings points, reputation, and perhaps some exotic late-night companionship (never rule out the sex factor at the top level of any sport)."

Yes, the international search for sex can never be underestimated when dealing with these matters. Just ask Curlbis.

[Photo(s): HCFoo.com]

MEDIA MASHUP: Is it 'Ana' or is it 'Anna'?

The cover of the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has been unveiled and tennis WAG Brooklyn Decker has grabbed the highly-coveted spot this year! The 22-year old and wife to Andy Roddick is appearing in the big issue for the fifth time but first time on the cover.

Her tennis ballin' hubby tweeted this after finding out the news: "so happy/proud of my wife... the new cover for sports illustrated swimsuit issue!!!! unreal... so excited!!!!!!!!!!"

Click here for more images and video of Brooklyn's photoshoot.



A swimsuit-clad Ana Ivanovic is also making an appearance in this year's issue in a shoot that looks eerily similar to another former lady baller's photoshoot for K-Swiss:



See guys - who needs to win tennis matches when you look as good as these women? Just toss a net around their bodies, push them into a vat of balls and you've got a career (and a lifetime supply of adidas duds as well.)

Click here for more shots of NaturAna from the issue and some behind-the-scenes video taken at her shoot:



[Photo(s): SportsIllustrated.com, K-Swiss]

Marty gets 29th birthday prize: an unsuspension

Time's up for Martina Hingis.

The 2-year drug suspension on the Swiss Miss ends today which is, coincidentally, her 29th birthday. SI's Jon Wertheim caught up with her to discuss her feelings on the suspension, its handling, and whether she has ever taken cocaine. Good stuff:

SI.com: From an emotional standpoint, how do feel you've handled the past two years?

Martina Hingis: OK. There were hard times and it was frustrating knowing I did nothing wrong but couldn't really fight this. It was my reputation and I knew the truth. But the process didn't really let me fight.

SI.com: Given your outspoken personality, I think it surprised a lot of people that maybe you weren't as forceful, deciding, for instance, not to appeal. Do you regret that?

Hingis: Like you say, I always spoke [honestly] even if I wasn't always politically correct. I spoke the truth even when the truth may have hurt me. But the system was set up in such a way that there was nothing I could do.

SI.com: Bottom line: have you ever ...

Hingis: No. Taken cocaine? Never. No [recreational] drugs. I don't know even the effects. I've maybe been in a position where I could have. But never, no. If I had ever taken cocaine, I would have said so.

SI.com: Before this happened, did you ever worry about a situation like this?

Hingis: No, because I probably had between 80-100 tests and no problems. The only thing I would ever take was aspirin and I was very particular about these things. Even if I had a flu I'd call my doctor and say, "What can I take?" I was always very cautious. I never took anything that was not approved first.

SI.com: Were any players notably supportive?

Hingis: Billie Jean King wrote a letter on my behalf. But, you know, I wasn't allowed at the Grand Slams, even to enter the stadium during tournaments. So I had little contact with the other players.

SI.com: Richard Gasquet?

Hingis: No.

SI.com: Lots of comebacks going on. You're 10 years younger than Kimiko Date ...

Hingis: I'll leave it Justine [Henin]! It's not so easy. You need to commit. You can't just do it when you want to. I know the women's game isn't at the highest point it's ever been. OK, look at Kim [Clijsters]. But she has the family support, the husband, she's physically strong. She played three tournaments and she's right back and I don't think anyone can hurt her on the court.

SI.com: What is your relationship with tennis?

Hingis: I love tennis, still a big part of my life. I didn't play much in the beginning of the suspension, but then I played more. Now when I play, a lot of the time it's with juniors. I've been able to [distinguish] between the sport and the administrators.

Now, here's a returnament I could get excited about...again. Third times a charm, right Marty?

I submit question, Jon Wertheim answers - it's like magic!

I wrote a post recently about the Serbia Open, which is partially owned by the Djokovic clan, and wondered aloud what, if any, conflicts of interest may be involved.

Well, my thoughts were heard and answered! Actually, I sent in the question to Jon Wertheim's mailbag over at Sports Illustrated since I figured he (and possibly their crack research team) could shed some light on the situation and it's featured in this week's edition. Check it out:

The Djokovic clan and some private investors recently bought the Amersfoort tourney and are transforming it into the newly-named Serbia Open, which debuts as an ATP 250 event this May. It's mentioned on his website he will be taking part in the tourney. A few readers (and me) were wondering if there's any precedent for this situation, e.g. an active baller buys into a tourney and then enters the draw? And wouldn't this setup be a conflict of interest for the tourney officials?
-- Rich, Brooklyn, N.Y.

• It's a huge conflict of interest, of course. (How would you like to be working as a line judge when Djokovic plays!) While I can't recall anything quite as flagrant as an active player's family owning a sanctioned tournament, conflict of interest is the coin of the realm in tennis. How different is this from a management group owning a tournament and also having players in the field under contact? (Gee, think IMG clients might get preferable treatment and first dibs at wild cards at IMG-owned events?) How different is this from broadcasters commentating on matches on which they have a financial stake in the outcome? How different is this from handing out appearance fees -- an inherent acknowledgment that some players are worth more to the tournament than others?

Taking a more charitable view here: tennis is obviously hot in Serbia right now and it only makes sense to penetrate that market. In addition to seizing the initiative and ponying up the cash, the Djokovic family can deliver the top draw but put him through his promotional paces. ("But I already went to a sponsor party yesterday!" "Shut up and press the flesh, son.") It's not an ideal situation, but you could argue the greater good is being served here.

True indeed Jon - tons of different hands diving into all kinds of cookie jars in this sport and probably many others too. And, yes, those Djokos will no doubt be put through the horse + pony PR show.

Smile for your cash boys!

(image via serbiaopen.com)

MEDIA MASHUP: Tati, Dani, and Kiri featured in Sports Illustrated 2009 Swimsuit Issue

The Sports Illustrated 2009 Swimsuit Issue featuring Tatiana Golovin, Daniela Hantuchova, and Maria Kirilenko has been released and showcases the lady ballers on the beaches of the Dominican Republic working designer swimwear.



SI.com has also provided some behind-the-scenes footage of the shoots with the ladies.

CHECK IT:





Click here for more images from the Swimsuit Issue. Tati, Dani, + Kiri also sat down for an interview with the mag (click on their name to read the piece.) The most memorable lines?

Tati: Who's your dream guy? "I think I found one. I've been dating my boyfriend for a year." [Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri].

Dani: Every girl has her dating checklist. What are your top three deal breakers when dating? "I don't like when the guy is late, speaks only about himself and doesn't open the door for me."

Kiri: People have said that I look like..."Not sure who do I look like, but people say I look like a princess."

Thanks to DtL readers Jason + Sarah for the tip!

(images via Sports Illustrated)

Wertheim worried about "graying" ballkid takeover, fans become frenzied

It seems SI's Jon L. Wertheim's has created a stir with tennis fans after witnessing a growing trend over the US Open fortnight. In his "50 parting shots" Wertheim mentions:

Something to watch for: the graying of the "ballkids." I swear, for many matches, the average age of the officials was less those of the "kids" squatting at the net. Insert Kramer reference here.

A clearly concerned reader responded in his September 17th mailbag saying,

Re: the graying of the ball kids. I, too, am deeply disturbed by this phenomenon, and can only think of one possible explanation. Perhaps ballboy is a tenured position, and the same people have been ballboying year after year since the beginning of the open era.

Yes, ballkidding is a tenured position like being a long-standing professor at, say, Harvard. So Wertheim answers,

I'm not sure this is cause to be "deeply disturbed," but I think it's a shame nonetheless. I'm sure it's fun for the adults, but being a ballboy seems to me such an effective way to draw kids to the sport. They get to see top-shelf tennis up close and personal. They interact a bit with players. They see just how much talent (and mental strength) is required to be a pro. They get free gear. I think it's no coincidence that so many pros -- including Federer -- were once ballkids.

Good point Wertheim! "Shame" is exactly the word I was grasping for here. But the drama continued in this week's Mailbag when another reader had this take:

About the Kramer-like ball boys, when a Rafa match (for example) goes on and on until past 2 a.m., you can't use kids because it's against U.S. child labor laws. So at least for night sessions, it makes no sense to use kids. So the ball men are necessary!

Wertheim's response?

Those darn child labor laws! That's so F.D.R. We're talking about giving Radek Stepanek a towel, not working the graveyard shift at the bakery. Have we really gotten so soft as a society. ...No, you're right. I presume that's the reason many of the ballkids need their food cut into bite-size pieces and had to curtail their shuffleboarding in order to work the matches.

Hysterical. Seriously, I could care less whether the "ballkid" is a teenager on summer vacation, a 31-year old marketing manager, or my grandpa. That's why they have "tryouts" - if you can run fast and throw far, you're in fair and square, even with grey hair.

(image via Getty)

THE LOW DOWN: Wertheim + Tignor don't care about Olympic tennis - do you?

SI's Jon Wertheim and TENNIS mag's Steve Tignor can't seem to understand why we should care about tennis in the Olympics.

When a reader asked Wertheim recently if he'll be including an Olympic-size version of his weekly "Tennis Mailbag" he says he's "passing" on the Games. Why? I'll let him explain:

Beijing messes everything up. Injuries are rampant, as players don't have time to recover after the Slams. The Masters Series events are moved two weeks ahead in the calendar. Players are wary of taxing themselves too much before Beijing so we have unfortunate situations such the now-infamous Montreal doubles session. The U.S. Open Series is more or less a fragmented mess, characterized by weak draws. (If this is the "Greatest Road Trip" in sports, maybe we should go on a cruise.)

He ends his response by saying, "I suppose we should simply resign ourselves to the unfortunate fact that once every four years, the summer calendar will be a mess." Right, as if the tennis schedule is such a gem normally.

In his ESPN.com blog Tignor whines (and I mean that in the worst sense) that tennis is "diminished by the Olympic surroundings" and the only way its fans (and apparently its mainstream media) can truly appreciate the sport is on its "home turfs" such as Arthur Ashe or Rod Laver Stadium or even Wimbledon's Centre Court (which Tignor believes won't help Olympic tennis when it's played there in 2012 because it won't be called "Wimbledon".)

He ends by saying,

No matter how long tennis remains in the Olympics or how many of the top players compete, "gold medal" will never be synonymous with the sport the way "Grand Slam" is. For that reason alone, we won't need to watch it.

P-P-P-lease. Are we so close-minded and self-involved that we can't appreciate the sport in any and all contexts, from the Olympics to a city park? Or is it that the mainstream tennis media feels encroached upon, that "others" are co-opting coverage of the sport they should own??

Maybe that's why they feel the need to render Olympic tennis meaningless and unimportant.

(image via Getty)

Sports Illustrated sucks it up, finally features tennis on its cover

So it seems Sports Illustrated has decided tennis is finally cool - at least for this week.

The pub, which never had the balls to choose Roger Federer as its Sportsman of the Year, is finally featuring the world no. 1 on its cover with Rafael Nadal and declaring their epic Wimbledon meetup as "the Greatest Match Ever." Thanks for clearing that up SI.

Oh - and as if trying to get all the tennis news in at one time, they're also featuring Anna Kournikova on the cover as part of their "Where Are They Now?" story (as if she still counts as tennis news.)

I guess we'll have to eat these crumbs they're feeding us because we all know how long it'll be before we see another baller on the mag's cover. How about never?

(image by simon bruty for sports illustrated)

SIGHTING: Andy Roddick steps out with Brooklyn Decker in NYC

Andy Roddick's romance with Brooklyn Decker is still going strong. The pair were rumored to have met during this year's US Open and it seems things are going well for the Davis Cup champion and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model.

A-Rod, sporting a black skull-cap from sponsor Lacoste, and Brooklyn were spotted in the Union Square section of New York City stopping at Starbucks and then grabbing lunch at the Coffee Shop.

(image via justjared.com)

+ FRIDAY NETCORDS: Roger, Dmitry, Marat, the fighting Hewitts...2008 Olympics news, David Beckham undresses and more

(image via smwarnke4)

- 2008 Olympics update: The surface for the '08 Olympics has been chosen - DecoTurf - which is the same surface used at the US Open. We know one player who is probably very happy about this decision: US Open champion Roger Federer who, surprisingly enough, has yet to sport the gold medal.

- Go vintage Borg in this reissued Matchday Jacket by Fila

- Meet DJ Dmi: Apparently Dmitry Tursonov can spin more than a tennis ball. The eccentric Russian is also a DJ and has posted his own mixes on his website. Check them out here!

- Should the tennis schedule revolve around having a "season" similar to baseball, football, or...football (soccer for our US readers)? ESPN.com ponders this question.

- Ain't no mountain high enough: Marat Safin is putting his tennis aside for another challenge. The 2-time Grand Slam winner is part of a Russian expedition team scheduled to climb Cho Oyu, the 8,201-meter (26,906 ft) mountain on the Nepal-Tibet border.

- We'll be sad to see you go, Guga, if you decide to hang up the rackets...

- The Hewitts are fighting: Never a dull moment in the Hewitt household, is there? The famous Aussie couple are being accused by Channel 7 program, Today Tonight, about failing to fulfill their commitment to building an orphanage in Cambodia.

- Are you suffering from having excess balls? Here are 17 innovate things you can do with the balls you've used and abused.

- Jon Wertheim is certainly making a name for himself. Not only does he cover tennis in-depth, the Sports Illustrated writer is interviewed here about his book on pool entitled "Running the Table".

- Mind over matter: Peter Bodo delves into the mind of Roger Federer to explore his uncanny ability to focus so intensely in the moment...very interesting.

- OFF TOPIC ALERT: Becks releases 2008 calendar, undresses for you

THE LOW DOWN: Is Andy Roddick dating an SI swimsuit model?

Eye spy: Recently, tennis hottie Andy Roddick was spotted eating at uber-popular New York eaterie Nobu with a certain stunning Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, namely Brooklyn Decker. Previously, A-Rod dated star Mandy Moore (who watched him win the '03 US Open from the Player's Box) and has been linked to Russian Maria "Shriek"apova.

Apparently the pair went out twice last week and later hung out with coach Jimmy Connors, Dave Matthews Band violinist Boyd Tinsley, and Plum media’s Tom Scott.

Will Brooklyn be cheering A-Rod on during tonight's Marquee Matchup against World No. 1 Roger Federer? We'll be watching...

(via thehollywoodgossip; images courtesy of SportsIllustrated.com and Getty Images)