PHOTO OP: Sometimes there are one too many balls (it's the End Times)

Yen-Hsun Lu, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist this season, styles out on the August cover of Taiwanese GQ. But, wait! I'm smelling a theme here:

Ana Ivanovic - Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, February 2010

Anna Kournikova - K-Swiss ad, March 2009

It's awesome to have a boy baller finally pushed into a vat of balls while giving his best puss face (though I'm glad they passed on the tini-wini bikini.) But why do these art directors keep pushing this concept? It's a bit done now. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm the last one to complain about lying on a bed of balls and having them shoved in your face, onto your back and up your arm pit. That's a relaxing weekend for me.

But enough is enough.

Check out more images of Rendy Lu in Taiwanese GQ over at HCFoo's Tennis Blog and thanks to Brodie over at Mind the Racket for the tip off!

[Photo(s): Sports Illustrated, K-Swiss, Taiwanese GQ cover via Tennis Connected]

VIDEO VAULT: In Agnieszka Radwanska's hands, golf is a dangerous thing

Following in the monogrammed footsteps of Roger Federer, Agnieszka Radwanska drove a mack truck into tennis' Hall of Hilarity with this brilliance filmed during a recent WTA promo shoot.

In the background (listen VEWY carefully) the director makes sure to plead for his safety before the Pole takes her version of a golf swing. But did she listen? No. She got sweet, sweet revenge. It's pee-in-your-pants funny - at least that's what A-Rad looked like she was doing afterward. I may have dribbled a bit myself after watching.

P.S. I'm living for the slo-mo replay of the act in question. Charlie Brown's teacher must've been on set. Luckies.

[via Busted Racquet, video courtesy of WTA]

PHOTO OP: Fernando Verdasco is shirtless again and we're all better for it

 

"I am chorizo, hear me roar."

Big ups to @julesdc for taking these glorious photos of shirtless brigade senior member Fernando Verdasco practicing for the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C. You wanna know how sweet she is? @julesdc told me via Twitter that she thought of me, yes ME, while sneaking to his practice court and grabbing these shots of a sweaty, swarthy and unsuspecting Fer getting his hit on. I couldn't have taught her any better myself about fangirl stalking. She's truly a woman after my own heart. *sigh*

Anyway, according to his tweets, the Spanish chorizo and his fam have been taking in the sites around the U.S. capital including the Art Museum of the Americas where they visited the House of the Americas Turns 100: Paul Philippe Cret and the Architecture of Dialogue exhibition and the International Spy Museum. They also paid a visit to Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão where he got my juices going (and a few other things) by announcing to the Twitterverse:

Yes, I'm pervish. And four. He also had dinner with superstar Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz (who's awesome btw) before taking in his concert the following day. I'm thinking he got front row and backstage. Duh.

So enjoy these pics of Fer. But, no worries, there's more where these came from. Oh yeah, @julesdc also shot some other ballers wearing more clothes and playing matches. *yawn*

Check 'em out here.

[Photo(s): @julesdc] 

VIDEO VAULT: Roger Federer can't get with 'this' or 'that'

Here's a funny outtake from Roger Federer's recent promo spot for the new Wilson BLX. The 16-time Grand Slammer can't seem to pronounce the word 'this' but instead gives the director a 'diss' - in pronunciation that is. And you can forget 'that'. Total FAIL.

Check out the final cut here.

Ah, this video brings to mind an early 90's classic by Black Sheep that's getting some commercial play right now. C'mon you know which one I'm talking about. Don't by coy.

CHECK IT:



[Video: Wilson]

FASHION FIX: Venus Williams' EleVen lives on

Think November 2007. Remember when a smiley, giddy Venus Williams, holder of six majors at the time, was all over the place appearing at launch events and throwing parties for her first and only low-cost, mass market fashion collection called EleVen sold exclusively at Steve & Barry's? Ahhhh. Well, get over it because she has.

The company went bankrupt and was eventually liquidated leaving EleVen homeless and hungry and living solely on the back, both lit + fig, on V (well not if you count the random outfitting of Nadia Petrova.) That is, until now.

Here's an update on the fate of her collection from the World No. 3 herself during a reader Q & A for Sports Illustrated:

As for EleVen, this is really somewhat breaking news, but I will be partnering with The Gilt Group over the next year to host exclusive quarterly sales of the EleVen collection on Gilt.com/EleVen. The first sale is coming later this month before the U.S. Open. You will be able to find out the details, which are coming soon, on my website, Twitter and Facebook. We are also in advanced discussions with a retail partner and as soon as next summer you will likely be able to find EleVen at traditional retail outlets.

Good news for her. The Gilt Groupe has a big presence right now and they're pretty aggressive with their marketing including the promotion of the very popular daily sales. Although they've carried fashion and luxury brands primarily it looks like the company is moving into the sports-inspired groups including adidas Porsche Design Sport and now EleVen. Plus, it can't hurt to have a world-renowned celebrity athlete like V at the helm for PR purposes.

In terms of the future retail partner, Kohl's and JC Penny come to mind along with Target, though they've seemed to have fallen off a bit lately and have moved away from fashion collaborations. Stay tuned.


[Photo(s): Getty Images]

BALLER BLOGS: Tommy Haas

Future daddy to be (in all the best ways possible) Tommy Haas reminisces about his time in LA at the Stars Under the Stars Gala, gives an update on the state of his game, shows a picture of lil' Haas with Nick Bollettieri and provides this gem, "Other than that Sara and I just enjoyed each other..." in his latest blog. Sorry, I need a second. *visualizes*

OK. Yeah that's his pregnant fiancee Sara Foster who he was referring to in that quote in the pic to the right all jacked up against HotHaas. Do it for all of us lucky lady. Ah well, at least his forearm is close enough to sniff. Go ahead - SCRATCH.

[Photo(s): tommy-haas.net]

PHOTO OP: "Commence Dragulation...Dragulation Complete."

For the first time in I think EVAH I'm pretty much stunned into typing submission. But I'll try.

I haven't the slightest idea what Elena Dementieva was doing this shoot for or why but I don't even care: I. LOVE. IT. It's so over-the-top tranny trash I can't peel my eyes away even for a second. It's like watching a train wreck on crack or every episode of Drag U.

I'm thinking the inspiration here must have been Valley of the Dolls meets 70's satanic movies meets Siegfried and Roy all wrapped up in sequins and foil. Well, at least the tennis racquet is. No, really. IT IS:

Fab. You guys, I'd die to do a photoshoot this awful. Big hair, bad fashion, and fire. Everything I've ever dreamed about this Russian barbie gets to live out. Like Jujubee she's aspirational. There, I said it. Sue me.

I'm sure Maxim Afinogenov enjoyed this Elena as much as I'm doing right now. Uh, wait probably more. In a hetero way of course.

[Photo(s): tennisforum.com] 

PHOTO OP: Looks like someone is getting back on track

 

"Here's the proof bitches."

Quick! Someone tell the USTA that Juan Martin del Potro is hitting again. But for reals this time.

[Photo(s): delpotrojuan twitter]

FASHION FIX: Ivanovic is thrilled to debut her U.S. Open adidas dress!

Here's Ana Ivanovic in the new outfit she'll be working at the U.S. Open courtesy of adidas. It's the adilibria dress (with optional leggings) she's been toting around recently but in a new purply-pink colorway.

Damn. NaturAna looks like she can barely raise her fist for that pump. The FPF has hit her HARD (now she knows how we feel.) Or is this her game face? If so, it explains a lot.

[Photo(s): AnaIvanovic.com]