PHOTO OP: Rafa zones and J. Martin goes shirtless, will meet in Davis Cup final

Argentina will host Spain in November's Davis Cup final after both countries won their respective semifinal bouts this weekend.

Rafael Nadal put the final smackdown on the defending US team, crushing Andy Roddick in the fourth rubber 6-4, 6-0, 6-4. A-Rod was more than aggressive but nothing was going to stop a streaking Rafa, who hit an astounding 60 winners even with a reported strain in his much admired ass-et.

The Spanish steamroller sounded a bit like Roger Federer after the match saying,

Today I play an almost perfect match and it is very, very exciting. Today I played very well. I shocked myself with some of the winners I played... was near perfect tennis.

Juan Martin del Potro became the hero in Argentina's defeat of Russia when he clinched the fifth and deciding rubber stomping all over Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-2, 6-1. The Argentines will be going for their very first Davis Cup championship in the final.

The weekend couldn't have gone better for the up-and-coming J. Martin:

It’s a dream for sure. Last night I couldn't sleep and now I'm living the dream for sure. On Friday I won my first match here in Buenos Aires, now I've won my second and we're in the final. I want to treasure this moment because I don't know if it will happen again.

So how did the soon-to-be 20-year old celebrate his big win? By joining the shirtless brigade and showering in champagne of course. Welcome J. Martin!




(images via Getty)

WEEKEND WINNERS: Dinara, Vera

Dinara Safina - Tokyo

Dinara kept up her winning ways this weekend earning her fourth title of the season (tying her with top lady baller Serena Williams) when she annihilated compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-3 in Tokyo. Along the way she earned her first win over Nadia Petrova crushing the headcase 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals before taking out Sveta. Dinara now moves up to a career-high world no. 3 with the win and sits only 344 point from ReRe in the rankings. And with the US Open champ's usual fall inactivity paired with Jelena Jankovic's choking abilities, the 22-year old could be sitting pretty in the WTA Penthouse when all is said and done this season. Listen, stranger things have happened...

Vera Zvonareva - Guangzhou

Vera made it a Russian sweep this weekend when she defeated Peng Shuai 6-7(4), 6-0, 6-2 in Guangzhou, earning her seventh career title. This championship was also her 50th main draw win - one of only three ballers to cross that mark this season (JJ, Dinara).

(images via Getty)

+ FRIDAY NETCORDS: adidas makes a racquet...for tennis that is

LINKS

Wilson still has official balls [tennis week]


BLOG TALK

Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do... [GOTOTENNIS]
Return of the Racquet: adidas edition [Tennis Served Fresh]

(image via adidas)

Murray motivated by Melzer remarks, puts chokehold on Peya

Jurgen Melzer gave Andy Murray all the motivation he needed to go 1-all with Austria after Alex Bogdanovic lost the opening rubber for Great Britain in their play-off today.

After dismissing Alex Peya 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 the Brit baller imitated a choking gesture by putting his hands around his throat, a reference to comments by Jurgen questioning Andy's ability to handle the pressure.

The US Open finalist told the media,

It's not nice when fellow competitors make suggestions like that. Yeah, it fired me up a bit.

Now Jurgen - take either foot in your hand and insert it into your mouth. How does it fit?

(image via Getty)

JJ arrives in Beijing for gold, leaves with sexy water poloist - go figure

Jelena Jankovic may have left Beijing medal-less but she didn't leave the Olympics empty handed (like some other Serb we know.)

The saucy slider, who was narrowly defeated by Svetlana Kuznetsova 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 in Tokyo and missed ANOTHER opportunity to grab the keys to the WTA Penthouse, revealed in the Serbian edition of Hello! magazine that she's now dating 24-year old Mladjan Janovic, a sexy water poloist from Montenegro.

JJ, who recently split from longtime boyfriend Nemanja Mirković, told the gossip rag:

Yes, there is a guy from Montenegro… Before I met Mladjan in Beijing, I was single for a couple of months. He plays water polo for the Montenegrin representation, he is 24 years old and his name is Mladjan Janovic.

He's 6' 3" and 205 lbs. of hotness for sure. But if you weren't sure, let me share a few more pics of the strapping Serbian.

PS - I hope this new boy toy doesn't distract from your game, JJ, although if he does I can certainly see why...oy.





(images via nbcolympics.com, Getty, cgekonomist.com, reportages-press)

Mario regains health, replaces Marin in Davis Cup play-off

Mario Ancic made a welcome return to the ATP Tour in today.

The Croat skipped both the Olympics and the US Open with a recurrence of mononucleosis but seems to have his health back. He replaced compatriot Marin Cilic, who's dealing with a nerve inflammation in his left cheek, in his country's Davis Cup play-off versus Brazil.

I'm happy I was wrong in thinking your season might be over, Super Mario. Good to see you back in the mix - stay well.

(image via AP)

+ THURSDAY NETCORDS: Sam faces The Bull...Boys breakup...Elena's off to Doha!

(Nicolas Massu, Antofagasta)

LINKS

Sam queried about Davis Cup [ESPN The Magazine]
Two boys breakup [Sporting Life]


BLOG TALK

Middle Earth revisted in Buenos Aires [Forty Deuce]
Van's not crying for Argentina [Tennis Talk, Anyone?]
Elena books ticket to Doha [Women's Tennis Blog]

(image via Getty)

Quote of the Day: ESPN's Ford on Las Ventas bullring

It's equipped with a skinning room, a chapel and an emergency medical area, none of which, hopefully, will be necessary this weekend. It's almost impossible to imagine what the decibel level will be like when the arena is packed. In quiet moments, the acoustics are said to be so good that spectators can hear the bull's breath in the ring.

- ESPN's Bonnie D. Ford on Plaza de Toros de las Ventas, the venue for the US-Spain Davis Cup semifinal

Wow - that's intense and I'm not talking about Rafa's breath. Good luck US and, if anything, just enjoy the experience.

(image via GOTOTENNIS.com)

PHOTO OP: Is Fernando's body carpet a true hairy situation?

Fernando Gonzalez was spotted changing his t-shirt while working a super hairy torso in Antofagasta, Chile. The Chileans will battle the Australians in the Davis Cup play-offs this weekend.

I don't mind some body hair but his carpet seems like too much for me. I guess I need your help on this one people: is this a classic hairy situation or should we just let this slide since we're talking body hair?

Do tell!

(image via Getty)

PHOTO OP: Brooklyn, you've been warned again

Ah-ha! Now that "handshake" between Andy Roddick and David Ferrer makes total sense.

A-Rod: you were soooo asking for it. What a tease.

(image via AP)