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+ NETCORDS: Tuesday Edition

Berdych blogs [ATP]
Katarina blogs [WTA]
More Olympics fashion [Forty Deuce]
Ana and the Serbian Olympic squad [Great Tennis Photos]
Newbees get their practice on [Nick's Picks]
Olympus US Open Series TV sched [The Tennis that we don't see]

(image via Getty)

Quote of the Day: Navratilova on the lady ballers

So it's just kind of, who's going to step up? Somebody will, they just haven't yet.

- Legendary Martina Navratilova on the state of the women's game

Damn Justine - you left a huge void in the game. You were the only lady baller who acted like she really wanted to rule the roost, both on and off the court.

Who'll be the next dominator of the WTA Tour? Who wants it the most??

(image via Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

FASHION FIX: Preview of Federer's Nike Olympic style

Here's a sneak peek at Roger Federer's Nike gear for the Beijing Olympics in Switzerland's red + white colorway.

The Swiss stylist will be working the Federer Olympica Polo in red that features a white Nike swoosh and cross on the chest (though the image below looks reversed - Nike swooshes are usually on the left side.) The shorts are the white Control Short Fed's been wearing recently.


Fed will also be debuting new Nike Vapors in white with a red border on the sole. And of course, the outfit is pulled together with a red bandana and wrist bands.



(images via tt.tenniswarehouse.com)

+ NETCORDS: Monday edition

(Hey readers - After a long absence I've decided to reintroduce my "+ Netcords" posts as a quick, daily roundup of news around the tennis blogosphere. I'll be perusing some of the top tennis blogs daily for great posts but if you're a blogger and have something specific you'd like me to include, drop me a line at tips@downthelinetennis.com. See ya!)


Marion gives back [Craig Hickman's Tennis Blog]

Milking Rafa [Daily Racquet]

Rough lives of the rich + famous [GOTOTENNIS]

Jelena wins, Dokic that is [Great Tennis Photos]

Nike signs a Serb [Nick's Picks]

Ana visits Mallorca [Throw Up the Deuce]

Tennishead Week [What's All the Racquet]

(image courtesy of hyperbolepanda)

Quote of the Day: Fed on Wimbledon loss

I haven’t read the press at all the last two weeks…because I tried to get away from it all, tried to forget really the loss.

- Roger Federer on getting past his painful loss to Rafa at Wimbledon

Fed may have been able to forget about his French Open defeat because he was completely white-washed, but the Wimbledon loss was so close he could taste the championship. But, alas, it was Rafa's trophy to bite.

We'll see how the Swiss has recovered this week in Toronto. Stay tuned...

(image via AP)

PHOTO OP: Does Rafa enjoy press conferences? His faces say no...

I'd love to sit in on some of Rafael Nadal's press conferences just for the laughs - his faces are classic.

The Wimbledon champ looked completely puzzled and/or annoyed when answering media questions at the Rogers Masters today. He looks like he wants to take someone out with a quickness.

What the hell is going on here people???

(image via Getty)

Kiefer gives good hair - but what's new?

Shirtless brigade member Nicolas Kiefer passed a tough opening round test at the Rogers Masters in Toronto today, defeating Mardy Fish 7-5, 7-6 (4). The German will take on either Mikhail Youzhny or Andreas Seppi in the next round.

I've never seen Nicolas with a hairy situation - ever - so it came as a surprise to see that he chopped off his lovely locks. But I have to say the 31-year old baller is looking really good here with his new clean-cut 'do. Super cute.

Maybe the German is following the zoning Juan Martin Del Potro's recent winning strategy.

Who knows. But what do I know? Good hair = confidence.

(images via Getty)

Evert explains away illicit affair with Greg Norman so all is well!

Chris Evert, who married golfer Greg Norman in the Bahamas last month, publicly admitted for the first time that the two sports legends carried on an illicit affair culminating in a divorce from their respective partners.

As I wrote back in December of last year, the couple had known each other for many years as Greg was best friends with Chris' ex-husband Andy Mills. The 18-time Grand Slammer told Vogue magazine their attraction to each other was unstoppable and apparently unavoidable:

It was like an irresistible force. How do you explain something like that?

You would think Chris would know the answer to that question after three marriages, but I guess ignorance is bliss...for now.

(image via Getty)

WEEKEND WINNERS: Gilles, Juan Martin, Fernando, Aleksandra, Pauline

Gilles Simon - Indianapolis

The Frenchie defeated defending champion Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-4 to win his first US hardcourt title and second of the season. He dismissed Tommy Haas and Sam Querry along the way.

Juan Martin Del Potro - Kitzbuhel

July has been a career month for the 19-year old baller. A week of capturing his maiden ATP title at Stuttgart, the big-serving Argentine took his second-in-a-row disappointing the home crowd by crushing homeboy Juergen Meltzer 6-2, 6-1. Juan Martin becomes only the second baller this year behind Rafael Nadal to win back-to-back ATP titles and will move into the top 30 for the first time.

Fernando Verdasco - Umag

The Spaniard captured his first title in four years when defeated Russia's Igor Andreev 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the Umag final.

Aleksandra Wozniack - Stanford

The Canadian qualifier made history this week in Stanford earning her first WTA Tour title and becoming the first woman from her country in 20 years to earn a championship, knocking off an injured Marion Bartoli 7-5, 6-3. The 20-year old will enter the top 50 for the first time this week.

Pauline Parmentier - Bad Gastein

The Frenchie claimed her second career title defeating qualifier Lucie Hradecka 6-4, 6-4 in the final. She also grabbed her first top-20 scalp, crushing top seed Agnes Szavay 6-4, 6-2.

(images via Getty)