Letter to DtL readers: It's the PoconOpen

Happy Friday y'all! I'm leaving the concrete jungle for a weekend away in the Poconos with Kalil and some friends. It'll be a few days filled with good eats and drinks mixed in with some tennis and hot tubbing. But it's also like culture shock going from car alarms to crickets.

Obvs, I won't be posting over the next few days - not that I post much over the weekend anyway.

So I'll leave you in the brilliant hands of Nicki Minaj while I'm gone. Hopefully she'll make you feel all warm and gooey inside the way I do (I do, don't I???)

And as always, thanks for reading and supporting DtL!

PHOTO OP: Fisting it

 

"Ok, just smile and pump, smile and pump..."

See what I mean? It's just a pre-presser for Tokyo and not the baller party but they've still got them doing some freaky stuff on stage. Let's hope that whatever they've got in store for them at the actual party has nothing to do with fists or pumps. *shivers*

In any case I bet JJ's channeling her best NaturAna. I mean, it's not like she hasn't done THAT before.

 [Photo(s): Getty Images]

VIDEO VAULT: Full steam ahead for the Indo-Pak Express

India's Rohan Bopanna + Pakistan's Aisam Qureshi are playing for peace. They're also playing some pretty good doubs, too. Learn it.

[Via: ATP World Tour]

PHOTO OP: The not-so-original nine

"Suspect #1. Please step forward and say "Why are you doing this to me?!"

Is it me or does it seem like the Asian tourney baller parties are the only places they put the boys + girls on full display on stage (in this case a police line up) to do interviews or to perform fun feats for the fans? What IS that about? Maybe it's a game show hangover.

More images from the party after the jump (click the headline, per the usual.)

Celebrating the 'Original Nine' and the birth of the WTA tour

Forty years ago today nine women - Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals, Nancy Richey, Judy Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Julie Heldman, Kristy Pigeon, Peaches Bartkowicz and Valerie Ziegenfuss - named the 'Original Nine' signed week long $1 million contracts with World Tennis magazine for the inaugural Virginia Slims Houston Invitation, the first ever women-only tournament.

The following year Virginia Slims upped its sponsorship to $250,000 across 24 tourneys and by 1973 the rival circuits merged to create what we now know as the WTA tour. The women, led by BJK, bucked the establishment and proved that women's tennis was marketable and profitable, and never more so than in today's game where the highest-paid female athlete in the world is a lady baller, Maria Sharapova.

So from this blogger to you I say 'THANK YOU.' Thank you for being visionary and brave. And thank you for making it possible for me and fans around the world to share the experiences and memories of some of the greatest moments in sports history. This blog owes you. Big time.

Here's another tribute to the Original Nine by the one of the beneficiary's of their magnificent efforts and the tour's current video vixen, Andrea Petkovic.

CHECK IT:




[Via: SonyEricssonWTATour.com]

PHOTO OP: Just rub it (in), JJ

The first question that came to my mind after seeing this picture of Jelena Jankovic and her water polo-playing man piece Mladjan Janovic wasn't "What's with the all-white, Dance Fever get ups?" but rather "Where is the rest of Lefty's arm and what exactly is it doing at the moment?" Shocker, I know!

So here are the choices:

A) Rubbing his well-muscled back

B) Rubbing his well-muscled ass

C) Rubbing his, well, yes it reaches that far

I'm thinking choice 'C' which is completely based on that I-can't-believe-you're-doing-this-but-don't stop smirk. Not that I've EVAH been in that situation before. With Mladjan, I mean.

One more shot after the jump (click headline.)

One night in Bangkok (and then some) for Del Potro

TRANSLATION: The boy is back in Bangkok.

Mother. Fucking. Yeah.

 [Screen grab: @delpojuan]

(UPDATED) PHOTO OP: Burberry bound

Love that these two have become Burberry breasties, er, besties. Geez, even I got distracted.

UPDATE:

Sarah Jessica Parker: "It's fabulous."

Serena: "Oh, hi camera. Who knew I was the show? So cray-cray."

Muzz: "Wait. Where's the court? I don't see a net. Is she just a very tall ball girl? Where the HELL am I?? Someone is so fired."

Kim Sears: "I need that outfit. Damn, he better starting winning some major shit or it's OVAH. Again."

[Photo(s): @serenawilliams]

SIGHTING: Nadal flies into Bangkok in more ways than one

Rafael Nadal and his aerodynamic hair - it's got wings! - were spotted arriving at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. The World No. 1 is taking a bit of holiday with friends and family there according to his website and will be competing at the Thailand Open next week.

The big news, however, doesn't belong solely to him. Juan Martin del Potro is slated to make his return to the ATP World Tour at the tourney after being sidelined for most of the season with a wrist injury. I had some doubt as to whether he would actually play here but as of today he's still on the player list.

Don't get me wrong. I will absolutely blow a load if Delpo actually makes his return next week, and all signs say he'll be there. But I also want him to take his time and come back when his game and fitness are on point. The tour needs him healthy because when he's in full flight he can beat anyone at any time, including the Spaniard.

In the meantime, check out more images of Rafa's arrival below and after the jump (click on the headline.)

Follow along with DtL! over at Twitter or on Facebook.

PHOTO OP: There's nothing like the first time

The boys of Serbia - Novak Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic, Viktor Troicki, Nenad Zimonjic - reached their first Davis Cup World Group final defeating the Czech Republic 3-2 over the weekend. Huge props go out to Nole who pulled out of his opening rubber with a stomach flu but managed to even things up at 2-all by overcoming a knee injury and Tomas Berdych 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

I've said it before but it can't be said enough: He could've easily skipped this huge tie and no one would've blamed him, but he came through big for his team. I know it's not a major championship but maybe this win will help soothe some of the pain of losing the US Open final.

But the boy wearing the golden balls this weekend was Tipsy who also beat Big Berd in the second singles rubber to get to 1-all and clinched the tie with 6-0, 7-6(6), 6-4 win over Radek Stepanek in the decider. His reward? Full-on celebratory MOMA and a sexy shoulder ride. I guess it's our reward too.

Oh, and call me crazy but I think dropping the dragon and bringing back the falcon brought Nole super powers. In fact, I'm convinced. Sergio Tacchini, please take note.

So who's up next? The Frenchies, that's who. They blanked Argentina 5-0 utilizing four different ballers for each singles rubber - Llodra, Monfils, Simon, and Clement. That's either showing off the depth in the Frenchie team or throwing salt blocks into Argie's open wounds - not sure. Clement and Llodra teamed up for the doubs win as well. As for the Argie's they can play on the indoor hard stuff but could've used big-hitting Juan Martin del Potro, who's still preparing his return to the tour, in the mix. Coulda, shoulda, woulda I suppose.

Serbia will host the Frenchies the weekend of December 3 - 5.

[Photo(s): Getty Images]