VANtage Point: Meet up at Madrid Mutua Madrileña

Whew! After dominating the clay-court season with my Rafa-winning picks in Monte Carlo and Rome here at VANtage Point, a much-needed break was in order. See, there’s a lot of work involved in looking at a draw that has Nadal in it, particularly on clay, and tapping him as the winner. I have to use something that I don’t always put into play: common sense. Anyway, I’m back and ready to keep on digging in the dirt here at the Point!

A Look Back: Well, the last time I was here was around Rome time, which Nadal won, but that’s old news. How about that week of tennis that just transpired? It started off with Serena Williams saying she’s the true number one, then promptly losing her first-round match in Rome. Dinara Safina and Svetlana Kuznetsova met in the finals of an event for the second week in a row, this time with top-ranked Safina winning. James Blake made his first European clay-court final (and the first by an American since 2003!) and there was a Mikhail Youzhny sighting in Munich, but he lost to another guy that’s been MIA, Tomas Berdych, in a wild three-setter in the finals. Novak Djokovic won that tourney his family runs and Yanina Wickmayer won the women’s Estoril event.

All this and news breaks of Richard Gasquet testing positive for coke (not “a-cola”, but the powdery stuff)! What a week!

This Week’s Spotlight: Madrid is the place to be for the boys and gals we call professional tennis players as the last major event before the French has kicked off. The only big-time player missing in either draw is Ana Ivanovic, who pulled out with a knee injury. I mean, even newlywed Andy Roddick, who hasn’t seen a clay-court event since 2003, it seems, is here. It must be a big deal!

Players to Watch: Let’s start with the guys and I want to mention something I just noticed looking at the draw. In Nadal’s quarter, there are eight Spaniards. Now that’s a lot of Spaniards! And it’s almost all the big ones: David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco, Feliciano Lopez, Juan Ferrero, etc. I guess the organizers want a lot of all-Spanish matchups! Watch Verdasco, though. I think he can push Nadal in the quarters. And in the semis, Rafa’s drawn to play Djoko, who is someone else I’d say keep an eye on. He’s played a LOT of tennis the past few weeks. How will he hold up? See the full men's draw here.


On the women’s side, can Serena snap this losing streak she’s on? That’s a tough first-rounder she has against Francesca Schiavone. Big sis Venus looked real good in Rome, and I like her to keep it up here. That’s rough to see Safina and Kuznetsova drawn against each other in the quarters when they’ve been the star dirtballers so far. Check out the full ladies' draw here.

The Final Fours: For the guys, I’m going to go with Nadal over Andreas Seppi (his upset of Djokovic will be the biggest call made by VANtage Point of the season!) and Roger Federer over Tommy Robredo.

For the women, I like Safina topping Jelena Jankovic and Elena Dementieva beating Venus Williams.

And the Winners Are: A week off will have done both Rafa and I good as he picks up the crown and I look like a genius (yeah, right) for picking him, and Safina goes back-to-back with tournament wins.

Van Sias writes the blog Tennis Talk, Anyone?

(images via getty)

Discuss: Reeshard vs. J-Cap

So after today's shocking news about Richard Gasquet I have a question: Does anyone else see the Frenchie as the ATP's Jennifer Capriati?

I see too many similarities between his on-going saga and J-Cap's.

Discusssssss...

BREAKING: Reeshard tests positive for prohibited substance in Miami

Richard Gasquet has apparently test positive for a substance classified as a recreational drug in Miami. The news was confirmed by an official in the French Tennis Federation.

Via RMC.fr (Googley translated, of course):

The french tennis player was tested positive for a prohibited substance during a check carried out on the 1000 Miami Masters in late March.

Richard Gasquet, 23, tested positive at the 1000 Miami Masters in late March. The news has been confirmed by an official of the French Tennis Federation, and a source close to the Team Lagardère, whose structure depends on the player. Medical source, the sample A of the French showed signs of a substance prohibited in competition by the World Anti-Doping Code, such as recreational (cocaine, cannabis, etc.). The audit was conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The Biterrois, 23rd global player, had to enter the tournament in the 2nd round against Spaniard Albert Montanes before forfeit a few hours before the game because of pain in the right shoulder. " Absent this week's Estoril tournament, the player of Team Lagardère withdrew today from the Madrid Masters in 1000, which was used as a launching pad for the tournament at Roland Garros.

Gasquet could encounter "only" 3 months of suspension. His presence at Porte d'Auteuil would be strongly compromised. Tennis has seen other cases of doping with cocaine: Mats Wilander (3 months) and Karel Novacek in 1995 (3 months), Martina Hingis in 2007 (2 years). FFF has not officially reacted to the news, nor is the Team Lagardère. Earlier in the afternoon, Francis Gasquet, the player's father, told RMC that his son had "fallen from the nude" in learning what was still a rumor.

Apparently, it was cocaine - potential for two year ban based on amount found in his sample. Savannah's World has the scoop.

I'm feeling so sad for Reeshard right now. Clearly he's struggling with something. Hopefully better days are ahead for the Frenchie baller.

(via savannah's world, image via getty)

La Caja Mágica to debut at next week's Madrid Mutua Madrileña

La Caja Mágica (The Magic Box) - Madrid, Spain
Architect: Dominique Perrault
Features 3 adjustable roofs that can be open or closed in 20 minutes
Manolo: Stadium Court, seats 12,500
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario: Second court, seats 5,000
Unnamed third court seats 3,000
Four additional outdoor courts
Not only retract but can be "lifted" like the lid of a box

“We can be 100 percent outdoors, and in that case, the roof slides,” Perrault said. “And then there are these intermediate positions which are very comfortable and which give the feeling of being outdoors but also protect the courts from the wind.

“The box is also not constructed with walls. It’s constructed with a metal casing that acts like a big curtain that lets the air pass through but stops the sun and the wind and also the rain. At night, the box is a magic lantern. The light comes from the interior of the building, and then, at that moment, it lights up the entire curtain and the facade disappears, and we see the structures of the stadium inside.”

Full story here.

(image via nytimes.com)

(UPDATED) VIDEO VAULT: Rafa practices with Nando, cuts the lovely locks

Rafael Nadal + Fernando Verdasco came together for a practice session at the "Magic Box" venue in preparation for the Madrid Masters 1000 tourney next week.

So the Rafalocks are def shorter. Personally, I think it was time for him to get a cut.

Love it or leave it?

DO TELL!


UPDATE: Check out Nadal News for more shots of Rafa at the practice session with his newly-cropped 'do!

(via rafaelnadal.com)

PHOTO OP: Murr gets in more training, still tries to out-arse Rafa (no chance)

Team Murray is at it again getting in more clay-specific training and fitness work at Roehampton during their week off from tourney play. Incidentally, Murr has already made his way to Madrid via his Tweet last night:


So the top photo shows Jez Green and the soon-to-be World No.3 practicing what they're calling Sumo squats but what I usually call a first date. BTW, I'm thinking (or hoping?) Murr's holding a dumbbell between those thighs. Either that or Little Murr got burnt somehow. *scratches head*


Here the 21-year old performs a plyometric exercise to help build lower body strength and fast, powerful movements. No comment (fine - this comes in handy on the second date.)

And of course, no Team Murray training session would be complete without their trademark ice bath orgy. According to his site, one of these boys had to do the deed sans knickers. I have no idea who that person might be in full monty mode but question: where is Treacle's right hand and why is he smiling so?


(images via andymurray.com)

(UPDATED) PHOTO OP: JJ visits GF Ferre boutique, unleashes Righty on the world

Jelena Jankovic, who advanced to the Rome quaterfinals today when Kateryna Bondarenko withdrew from their match with a viral illness with the score at 6-1, 1-0, spent some of that extra time visting and shopping at the GF Ferre boutique.

And guess who FINALLY decided to make an appearance? Yup, it's Righty! I find it very interesting her results of late have made a dramatic turnaround at the same time Righty appears. I guess being lopsided does have its drawbacks.

Two more images of JJ + Righty from the shop-a-thon below.



UPDATE: Here's video of JJ's Spanish tour and visit to the boutique. Damn, that Lefty is an attention WHORE.


(image via getty)

VIDEO VAULT: Argentineans visit Guincho Beach while Pablo gets wet (to die)

Juan Monaco, Maximo Gonazalez, and their coaches took time out from the Estoril Open to hit up Guincho Beach for some ATP World Tour promo fun.

So ballers shmallers. What you need to do is check out Maximo's coach Pablo Fuentes - the face, the body, the tattoos. Oy.

I've got a video I'd like to shoot with him. Wetsuit optional.

*drools on self*
*faints*

(video via ATP World Tour)

PHOTO OP: Big girls don't cry but "real" No.1's seemingly do

Well, well.

Patty Schnyder caused a huge upset today knocking out Serena Williams from Rome's second round (her opening rounder) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 in a match that ended a little after 1AM. The World No.2 has now entered a 3-match losing streak dating back to her final loss in Miami to Victoria Azarenka, followed by an opening round loss in Marbella and now this loss to the Swiss.

So the good news? At least it's not Roland Garros - phew. The bad news? Well, it's a third consecutive loss going into a major on her least favorite surface with no clay wins to speak of at the moment. Plus, ReRe's smacking comments about being the "real" top lady baller couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Good work.

I'm thinking she may want to cancel any more scheduled appearances pimping out her Signature Statement on the Home Shopping Network.

Oh, and about that Nike outfit: It's cursed. Drop it.

(image via getty)

PHOTO OP: Dinara's a dirty girl - who knew?

Dinara Safina bit it hard in Rome.

The world's top lady baller fought through a tough first set against Virginie Razzano but gathered steam in the second and pulled out a 7-6 (1), 6-1 win over the Frenchie. She'll face China's Jie Zheng for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Now this is what I'm talking about: gritty, down + dirty ballin'. That's what it's going to take to win a major, keep the keys to the WTA Penthouse, and make ReRe eat crow.

Got it D?

(image via getty)