Sharapova plays model for Hello! magazine, discusses balky shoulder

Maria Sharapova, who is still rehabbing her balky shoulder, isn't set to return until January in Hong Kong. But she's not just sitting pretty.

The Russian fashionista used some of this free time to visit New York Fashion Week and also to shoot a special Sony Ericsson promotion in the current British Hello! magazine. Shrieka discusses her career and family, relationships, and the injury which forced her to shutter her 2008 season early:

Maria, it must have come as something of a shock to discover that you'd been playiong with an undiagnosed tear in you shoulder...
I had an MRI scan in April because I was starting to feel it again, but they said it didn't show much apart from inflammation. After a while, though, the pain was still there.

How did the experts miss it?
Good question. I've bascially been playing with a torn rotator cuff for maybe seven or eight months.

It must have affected your game...
Obviously, it it always on your mind. You are always trying to compete at the highest level, and when you're told it's a little inflammation, you think it's not that bad, but then when you find out how bad it it, it becomes a concern and you're afraid of making it worse.

Ever the wannabe model, Shrieka worked it for the camera as well. Check it:






(images via mariasharapova.com)

+ TUESDAY NETCORDS: Shoes news...Cañas assaulted...the long and winding road

(Agnes Szavay, Beijing)

LINKS

A total shoe-in [TENNIS]


BLOG TALK

Cañas assaulted + robbed in Buenos Aires [ATP Tennis Blog]
What about the journey baller? [Tennis Diary]

(image via Getty)

SIGHTING: Nole arrives in Bangkok with Jelena - does she have him on lockdown?

Novak Djokovic was spotted arriving with Shrieka...I mean Leryn...I mean his actual girlfriend Jelena Ristic in Bangkok where the Serb is the top seed. Nole has teamed up with brother Marko, who received a wild card, in doubles and could face Mare in the quarterfinals of the singles draw.

Based on these pictures, the couple seem to be holding it together though I wonder what Jelena thinks of all the girl rumors (and pictures, btw.) Maybe that's why Nole looks so stiff - she's probably got him on lockdown after the whole Olympics mess.

As the saying goes, "What happens on the Tour, stays on the Tour". She'd be a fool to give up her cash cow, right?



(images via Great Tennis Photos)

Beautiful Bolelli banned by Italian federation - US passport in the works

Simone "the Beautiful" Bolelli has been banned from any and all of Italy's national team events, including Davis Cup and the Olympics, for skipping out on his country's Davis Cup tie against Latvia this weekend. The 45th-ranked baller will also be denied any wild cards assigned for select tourneys by their federation. Ouch.

In his defense, Simone argued he advised Davis Cup team captain Corrado Barrazzutti well in advance of his intentions to skip the tie to work on his fast-court game in Asia to no avail.

Poor Beautiful Bolelli. Just look at that face - how could you Italy?

No worries Simone - come to the US. We have plenty of open spots for good ballers here...believe me.

PHOTO OP: Top ballers take the stage (and drums) for China Open party

The top ballers competing at the China Open this week donned traditional Chinese garb and hit the drums as they took part in the official opening party for the tourney.

However, some of them seemed to be a little distracted...

What could Ana + Fernando be talking about? Another trip to Spain for the Serb?? Poor Sveta got the shaft though - oh well...

Thanks for the tip B2012!

(images via Getty)

FASHION FIX: Maria K starts strong in Seoul, still working bad bubble trend though

Maria Kirilenko chose to avoid the top lady ballers in Beijing and travel to Seoul as the top seed at the Hansol Korea Open. The stylish Russian got off to crushing start disposing of Lenka Wienerova 6-2, 6-0 in the first round.

Although I was loving the adidas by Stella McCartney Tennis Mesh Tank + Skirt Maria was working in Tokyo, I'm not feeling this Tennis Mesh Dress mainly because of the dreaded bubble skirt. Why, oh why would Stella McCartney want to pull an old, bad trend for her Fall 2008 collection? I just don't get it.

Plus, doesn't it look like Maria's wearing bloomers in the far left image? Probably not the best look for a young lady baller.

Side note: The website for the Korea Open is pretty awful. The home page is showing Martina Hingis and the 2006 draw. Tsk, tsk.

(images via Getty)

+ MONDAY NETCORDS: JJ talks back...Joyce remembers...Gasquet & Racquet put to bed

(Richard Gasquet, Beijing)

LINKS

Bonnie revels in Rafa [ESPN]
JJ has nothing to prove, says JJ [Eurosport]
Argentina aims for indoor carpet [Sporting Life]
Ad-In, Ad-Out [SI]
Michael Joyce on David Foster Wallace [tennis week]


BLOG TALK

Closing time [Gasquet & Racquet]
Safina to sneak out top ranking? [Nick's Picks]

(image via )

Quote of the Day: Murray on British Davis Cup team

The way I play shows that I love the Davis Cup, but I make sacrifices to play. I want every single person to make those sacrifices, I want them to come here physically able to play for all three days even if it is for three five-set matches. I want to know that everyone in the team wants to win as badly as I do and if I don’t feel everyone has that attitude, that will definitely demotivate me.

- A frustrated Andy Murray on the lackluster efforts of the British Davis Cup team during their play-off loss to Austria

Great point Andy and it's good to see you taking a leadership role. But it sucks that you're the only one who believes (or is good) over there.

The influx of monies coming to the LTA from new sponsor AEGON will surely help the development of future Brit ballers. In the meantime, though, it's all about you Andy - good times!

(image via Getty)

THE LOW DOWN: adidas losing more ballers, Chaky to join Fila

adidas' grip on tennis is becoming a slippery slope for the global sports brand.

With news already swirling that Ana Ivanovic is considering jumping ship after her contract goes up next season, Smith & Street's SportsBusiness Journal is reporting that Anna Chakvetadze signed a new deal during the US Open to join Fila. The former top-tenner will join Svetlana Kuznetsova and Agnes Szavay in the brand's stable.

None of this news is particularly surprising when you consider their lackadaisical efforts to promote tennis, including non-existent press initiatives to promote their ballers and the majors (where were their lead up events to PR the US Open last month?). Plus, they offer uninspired designs for their tennis gear and can't even provide proper grass-court trainers for their top ballers to wear during Wimbledon. And now they want to push racquets? P-P-P-Please.

I'm not even sponsored by adidas and I want to leave. Could Nole be next to jump after his contract expires next year? Stay tuned...

(image via Getty)

Oh no it's another Djoko: Mare makes main draw debut in Bangkok

Brace yourselves people: the Djokovic Clan is looking to begin their full-scale invasion of the ATP Tour this week in Bangkok.

Nole is the top seed at the Thailand Open with a potential Aussie Open final rematch with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who comes in as the second seed. But here's the more intriguing news: Nole's brother Marko, the family's "Jan Brady", received a wild-card into Bangkok, his first main draw into a pro-tourney, and the two could meet in the quarterfinals.

Let's hope the Djoko's have learned from their past mistakes and put Mare in the PR machine (high, spin cycle please) before he starts spewing chunks of nonsense publicly too.

(image via Vince Caligiuri)