+ MONDAY NETCORDS: Quick hits from around the grounds

Happy Monday, uh, at least for me though maybe not for Bepa who had to wait until today to reach and then lose the Rogers Cup final. She won once today, though, even if it was due to an injury withdrawal by Vika. Silver lining.

Anyway, I hope you had a great weekend just like I did. Kalil's 4.0 party was so awesome I may have danced off half my body weight during the entire evening (watch out Dani.) That would also explain the reason why I just couldn't peel my tired arse off our couch yesterday - the other reasons involving alcohol, though the two aren't mutually exclusive in this case. Basking in the afterglow I suppose.

So just a quick recap of some of the big tennis news I missed over the weekend plus a few other nuggets for your reading pleasure. At least that's my goal:

- Three-time US Open champ Serena Williams and defending men's champ Juan Martin del Potro will not be competing at Flushing Meadows as both officially pulled out with injury-related issues. Kandse is still recovering from her foot injury (which now doesn't seems as fake as some had suspected - or is it???) and said she is "devastated" to miss the year's final major. Delpo is continuing to work on his game after wrist surgery and isn't ready for top-level tennis just yet. They've been added to the list that already includes Justine Henin, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Tommy Haas.

- Kim Clijsters picked up a leg injury during her quarterfinal defeat to Vera Zvonareva at the Rogers Cup but is still looking forward to the defense of her US Open title. Great news. Let's not have both defending champs sidelined, please.

- Maria Sharapova has teamed up with evian to help promote the brand's "Live young Month" for August. The 3-time Grand Slammer will be appearing at a promo event tomorrow at the Openhouse Gallery in NYC to chat with fans, journalists and bloggers (including yours truly) and to crack a few ping pong balls with a lucky few. The event runs from 11am to 7pm. Make sure to visit evian's Facebook page for a chance to win a Live young Baby Tee like the one worn by Shrieka here. One grand prize winner will be chosen at the end of the month and will receive two tickets to next week's US Open! Side note: I'll also be on the horn sitting in on a conference call with Venus Williams tomorrow to talk about her collab with Polo Ralph Lauren.

- Swiss watchmaker Longines and 22-time Grand Slammer champion Steffi Graf, will host the Center Court for Kids Tennis Clinic on Thursday, Sept. 2 at Central Park Tennis Center in Manhattan during this year’s US Open.

- If you're a US Open virgin or even if you've attended this Slam before, it's always a good idea to check out Kourtin' Karen's US Open tips over at Gloval Village Tennis News beforehand. It's the best list of do's and do not's out there for tennis fans visiting the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

- New York magazine profiles John McEnroe and his tennis academy dreams...

- American Express has launched a new website called NextContenders.com where tennis fans are invited to go behind the scenes during the Open with John Isner, Sam Querrey, Caroline Wozniacki and Melanie Oudin. You can check out photos and videos as well as some personal anecdotes from each baller. AMEX is continuing some of their most popular activities including Radio Live at the US Open (complimentary for card holders), where fans can get live match commentary right on-site, and the Madison Square Park viewing party in Manhattan which features jumbo screens, local NYC-area concessions, an interactive photo booth and ping pong tournaments sponsored by SPiN New York, the table-tennis social club.

It's going to be a VERY busy week around these here parts so stay tuned for updates!

[Photo(s): Getty Images, evian]