+ NETCORDS: News from around the grounds

- Here come the French Open fashions! Check this adizine by adidas (you CLEVAH) showcasing the duds their ballers will be wearing to Roland Garros this year. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (who just dumped his coach), Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray, Andrea Petkovic, Flavia Pennetta and Fernando Gonzalez are featured in the digital piece wearing their new kits and answering questions in an embedded video on the page. My fave? Gonzo's super cute multi-striped polo.

- Speaking of Gonzo the Chilean tweeted about his return to full-time action after undergoing hip surgery at the end of last year: "Today i finish my 6 months post-op rehab. I was discharged and ready to go back to game."

- Rolex has released their latest ads featuring NaturAna.

- Kim Clijsters will be out for the next 4 - 6 weeks to rehab her right wrist and shoulder which have been overstressed according to recent tests. She will be forced to miss the FED CUP semifinals and Madrid. The 4-time Grand Slammer made the announcement via her website:

I think this is a great pity. The Fed Cup is something I was really looking forward to. But I felt that something was out of the ordinary: There were too many minor ailments, one after the other, which did not seem to disappear. Something like that gets into your head.

I don't want to force anything, because I want to prevent it from becoming chronic by any means. I really want to be there at this year's. Now there is no other option than to rest and I certainly can't use a tennis racket for the first few weeks. We will continue with lots of physiotherapy and exercises to strengthen the surrounding muscles."

- Maria Sharapova shot this video during her visit to the Cole Haan boutique at The Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables, FL where the Russian launched her Spring 2011 Collection. Like her outfit? Well, Vogue.com liked it enough to place her on their Best Dressed list at No. 7.

- Bruce Jenkins won't be placing Shrieka on anything but MUTE. In his latest column the SI.com scribe doesn't hold back, blasting Shrieka, Vika and the sound storm they created during the Sony Ericsson Open women's final:

Both players seem to think it's all perfectly fine, that they're at the vanguard of a trend we should all deeply respect. Wow, are they wrong. Viewers are bailing out like passengers on the Titanic. And when it comes to the people in the stands, here's a message to both of you caterwaulers: They are laughing at you. Got it? And they find it so strange when you warm up in silence.

Is this grunting tirade old and tired? Yes. Are people ever going to stop getting annoyed by it? No. Will the lady ballers ever stop? Probably not, unless they start measuring that shit and creating acceptable levels. Or duct taping. That could work. Honestly, I don't see where this discussion ever ends.

- Fernando Verdasco will not be defending his title in Barcelona. And he's not happy about it.

- Mirka Federer, with a bootylicious Roger in tow, celebrated her 33rd birthday at Italian Prime restaurant in Miami last Saturday. Fed fanatic Anna Wintour and Mary Jo Fernandez were on hand. So was a Victoria's Secret gift bag. Just saying. On Sunday, Tommy Haas rang in his 33rd birthday but he was whisked off to the Bahamas by his wife Sara. Lucky for us they took pics and posted them on his FB page. Sadly, no shirtless shots. Drats.

- Nadia Petrova is not taking any of the blame credit for her recent Ellesse fashion moments. In fact, she mentioned she has no voice in the decision of what she wears, is leaving the sports apparel brand after this year and even says they send her whatever sells well in Japan. Really, Nads?? I wouldn't blame the Japanese for this one - THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH ALREADY. Tennis blog A Change of Ends spoke to the Russian during the WTA's All-Access Hour in Charleston and bravely brought back the money quotes. Cheers!

[Photo(s): adidas, Pacific Coast News, Vogue.com]

Djokovic, Perello and Petrova keep it HAWT (or not) at the US Open

What a great day at the US Open yesterday!

It's always so much fun walking around the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows during the first few days - a must for any tennis fan. There's a certain electricity in the air with every court showcasing a match and fans meandering from court to court to check out the fate of their fave ballers. You can even catch a glimpse of the ballers practicing and sometimes walking and/or running through the grounds to get from their practice to the locker rooms. Granted, it was, how do you say, 'sultry' yesterday (at least that's what I would tell myself every time I wanted to crawl under an air conditioned rock) but you just deal - it's the US Open for fuck sake!

For the ballers, however, dealing with conditions becomes a severe test of their fitness and stamina. Novak Djokovic, working a cute new black + white Sergio Tacchini kit (sans hat PLEASE), has a well-documented history of retiring from Grand Slams matches due to breathing issues caused by soaring heat so no one would've been surprised if he pulled the plug at some point during his opening round battle against compatriot Viktor Troicki yesterday. BUT! The third seed prevailed gutting out a 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 win, a good sign for his chances this year.

And what was Nole's response when asked what it was like when he was finally able to grab some much needed relief from the sun in the late afternoon on-court shadows? "Ahhhh. It was like sleeping with my girlfriend." Ahhhh, it was like tossing rock salt in my open wounds when I read that quote. Thanks Nole.

Speaking of WAGS it was awesome to see the beautiful and stylish Xisca Perello make an appearance at Rafael Nadal's opening round match where he grabbed a tough win against Russia's Teymuraz Gabashvilli. Normally she shows up later in a tourney to give her support, at least in the baller box, so this appearance seems telling about Rafa's focus and desire to win his first title at Flushing Meadows and complete the Career Slam. He's got his girl there - one of the three greatest loves of his life.

Now, one lady baller who always strives to be stylish is Nadia Petrova. I'm not sure if she meant to wear this outfit or just fell into a Crayola crayon box that was left out in yesterday's heat but, honestly, it fits Nads - for better or for HELLA worse. In any case she got booted by Andrea Petkovic in the opening round match so we'll be spared. For now.

Finally I've added a few shots below from the matches I got to see including David Nalbandian, Yanina Wickmayer and Na Li. Nalby (barely) + Wicky (easily) made it out but Li, who was sporting support tape on her right knee and seemed hampered towards the end, was not so lucky. I'll upload the full sets to the Down the Line! Facebook page.

 

[Photo(s): Getty Images, DtL]

HE SAID/SHE SAID: Oz Open Day Seven

Q. You were whirling dervish after you hit that last [backhand winner] shot.

ANDY MURRAY: A what?

Q. You hit that magnificent backhand, and then you were spinning like a whirling dervish.

ANDY MURRAY: Was I?

Q. Yes.

ANDY MURRAY: I didn't realize. I was just excited. (Smiling.)

It was obviously to get the break in the third set. I'd had chances the first two service games to break him and didn't quite take them. So, yeah, happy with that.

Q. Have you met Prince William here?

ANDY MURRAY: No.

Q. Would you have liked to?

ANDY MURRAY: Sure, yeah. I would have done. But I don't think he was here for very long.

Q. What sort of feedback had you had from the rapping with the Bryan brothers?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, I don't know. (Laughter.) From the people I've spoken to about it, everyone did find it amusing. I don't think it was particularly good. I don't enjoy listening to it, that's for sure.

But if it helped them out, then I'm happy.

Q. Can you give us a bit of a rendition of it.

ANDY MURRAY: No, no. (Smiling.)

Q. You were talking movies with Jim Courier. Would you consider a career in film yourself?

ANDY MURRAY: No, no. I don't think I'd be very good at that.

Q. You sound a bit like Sean Connery.

ANDY MURRAY: I am Scottish, so I sound a little bit like him.


Q. Your thoughts on Yanina?

JUSTINE HENIN: I was impressed the way she went for everything. You know, she didn't give me a lot. She has been very solid, very consistent, real fighter on the court.

She put a lot of intensity in the ball. I had to play a good game to win. So I was ready to fight. But I was impressed the way she played, yeah.


Q. Did seeing [Delpo] win the Open provide you with any extra motivation or self‑belief because you are so close in age?

MARIN CILIC: I mean, not really. I mean, he did that on his own. And for me, well, it's tough sometimes to judge myself with other guys or the other guys with me. Everybody has its own way.

But I think since that tournament, since US Open, I think I started to play much better. To win against better guys more often. Of course, here I had some tough matches in the first few rounds, and also that gave me a little more in one way that I was hitting a lot of balls. But also physically‑wise I was maybe a little bit skeptic what it was going to be. But today I felt really good physically, and that in the end was the main difference.


Q. Did you see Kim Clijsters's comments after the match and do you feel she didn't give you enough credit that you deserved?

NADIA PETROVA: Honestly, I wasn't really paying much of attention. I thought to myself after that win that I have to stay focused for the next one. I didn't really go through the newspapers. Didn't really bothered by that.

But, uhm, what I must say, yes, it was a very good match from my side, and it would be really nice to get a good feedback from the person that I defeated.


Q. What do you think of your record against top‑10 players over the last eight months?

RAFAEL NADAL: Let me know what do you think?

Q. You tell us.

RAFAEL NADAL: The numbers are the numbers. So probably is not the best moment in my career against the top 10, no? But two weeks ago I was one point away, no?

Q. Is it an issue with confidence at all?

RAFAEL NADAL: You know, you have some up and downs in your career. And probably the last eight months or six months, I had more problem than usual with my knees, later with the abdominal. And I don't know what's gonna happen after tomorrow.

But, you know, I am here to fight. Nobody can ask me more when I try all my best all the time, no? So, you know, if I lose another time in two days, I gonna try in next tournament. If not, next. And if not, next.

So the important thing is don't have loses against the players that you have to win. So I did very well that last eight months, too. I didn't had bad loses outside of top‑10 players. So when you are there all the time, finally you win.


Q. I believe it's your birthday in an hour. [HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIRI!]

MARIA KIRILENKO: That's true.

Q. What are you going to do?

MARIA KIRILENKO: I mean, I don't know. When I was a kid, I had a dream, you know, to be in a Grand Slam main draw in Australia when I have a birthday. I think my dream comes true.

Q. Do you get to have champagne or do you not have that because you're still in the tournament?

MARIA KIRILENKO: No, I don't want to get drunk before my next match (laughter). It's going to be difficult for me to play then. But, yeah, maybe after when I finish with my tournament I will celebrate with the girls from the locker room, with all my friends.

Q. Can you afford to get excited and happy at this point or do you have to focus and be very serious?

MARIA KIRILENKO: Yeah, I can say only that I'm focused, you know, and I'm still in the tournament. Yeah, I'm just need to be ready for my next match because the tournament not finished. Yeah, I need to keep going.

[Photo(s): AP, Getty]

Clijsters crushed by Petrova in Oz Open third round stunner

"It sucks."

That's how Kim Clijsters described how she was feeling after being comprehensively destroyed 6-0, 6-1 in the Aussie Open third round by Nadia Petrova. It was a 52 minute drubbing that left the U.S. Open champ and the Rod Laver Arena crowd stunned.

The Belgian hit a measly 5 winners against 29 UEs while her Russian foe ended with 15 winners and 10 UEs. And even though she had a 58% success of first serves, she only won 21% of the time when she had to throw in a second delivery. Double OUCH.

Afterwards, Kimmie could offer little to explain the dismal performance:

Q. Are you wracking your brain about why?

KIM CLIJSTERS: Of course. It's something that you know as an athlete that can happen once in a while. Like I said, once in a while, once a year, hopefully not more than that. But, uhm, yeah, the question is of course, Why? My coach, my fitness coach, are like, How can something like this happen?

We haven't changed anything really. That's the thing. That's probably the most frustrating thing about this. But then again, what is more frustrating: playing like this or getting beaten when you play your best? I lost because it was my fault.

My opponent, okay, she was better, but I didn't give her, you know, the best Kim out there today. And I think ‑‑ 'cause that's even more frustrating, knowing you get beaten at your best. That's probably even more frustrating.

I wish I could have brought that today because then I know I would have had a better shot at this.

Q. Have you felt like this before?

KIM CLIJSTERS: I'm sure it's happened before, you know, that I felt like I really couldn't hit the ball, like I wasn't hitting the ball well, that I wasn't feeling well out there. But obviously not in the last few years, I don't think so.

Q. With this game, do you burn the tape, forget it happened?

KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah, this is something probably you want to forget as soon as possible and go home and, you know, just let it sit, get settled at home for a few days and then start working hard again and try to forget about it. Just stick to the routines. Everything I've been doing so far with my coach, my fitness coach, everything has been going really well. I'm going to try to not let a match like this get me down or start doubting myself or anything.

I've played some good tennis here, especially last week in Brisbane. I think that's what I want to try to take away from this trip. It's too bad it didn't happen here in Melbourne.

UGH. It's one thing to lose in the third round of a major. It's a whole other thing to do it against Nads with a score like 6-0, 6-1. Kimmie was completely out of sorts and dismantled in a tourney she was the co-fave to take, which I think caused this lackluster performance. The expectations were high here, unlike her winning run to the U.S. Open crown where she came in as a wild card and only hoped to do her best. She always had difficulties being a favorite, a front runner and it seems those demons may still be lurking somewhere. She'll be smart to forget this bad loss and look forward to the rest of the season.

In terms of the draw, Justine Henin looks to have a clear path to the semifinals now that both Kimmie + Elena Dementieva are out of that section. If she makes it there, she's slated to meet second seed Dinara Safina, whose path was cleared a bit after eighth seed Jelena Jankovic was upset by Alona Bondarenko today. The Russian will have to get by a streaking Maria Kirilenko, though, in the fourth round and the winner of A-Bon + Jie Zheng in the quarters (not a sure bet these days.)

Oh yeah, one more thing: I think we can stop calling Kim's return a 'comeback' now. She's been officially welcomed back. Thanks Nads.

[Photo(s): AP]

Nadia hospitalized with viral meningitis, withdraws from Auckland

Our thoughts go out to Nadia Petrova who has been hospitalized with viral meningitis, a serious medical condition causing inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

She has withdrawn from next month's ASB Classic in Auckland.

Here's to a speedy recover Nads!

(image via abc.net.au)

WEEKEND WINNERS: Jo-Willy, Nadia

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - Paris

Jo-Willy finally seems to have turned a corner in his career this fall. The tourney's homeboy, who grabbed his first career title in Bangkok recently, ousted defending champion David Nalbandian 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 for his first Masters Series shield and confirmed his spot in Shanghai for the Masters Cup, another first. Jo-Willy's injury woes seem under control, for now, which is good news for him but bad news for the ATP Tour. With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal struggling with injury and Novak Djokovic just plain struggling, watch for a big run by the Frenchie baller in Shanghai.

Nadia Petrova - Quebec City

The Russian headcase is enjoying a run of good form these days. After capturing Cincinnati in August, Nads swept through the draw until the final where she out-fought first time WTA finalist Bethanie Mattek 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 for the title. I stopped reading into her wins a long time ago so let's just say "good job" and leave it at that.

(images via AFP, Getty)

PHOTO OP: Has Nadia finally lost her marbles? You be the judge.

Like Ana Ivanovic, Nadia Petrova was spotted in another traditional Austrian dress at the Linz baller party recently.

I'm sorry but Nads looks straight up looney here and must be thinking (with a Russian accent of course), "Don't you like my pretty dress? And my pretty hair?? I'm so pretty, right mommy???"

So scary. What could the Russian but thinking here? Do tell!

(image via tennisforum.com)

WEEKEND WINNERS: J. Martin, Nadia

Juan Martin del Potro - Washington, DC

Teenager J. Martin continued his remarkable run on the ATP Tour picking up his fourth consecutive title defeating Serb Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-3. He becomes the first baller in history to win his first four titles in as many matches and raised his match wins to 19 in-a-row, something not seen since a teenaged Rafael Nadal won 24 straight matches in 2005. If he stays healthy, the Argentine will be a true threat for the US Open title.

Nadia Petrova - Cincinnati

Nadia made the most of a soft draw in Cincinnati defeating Frenchie Natalie Dechy 6-2, 6-1 and earning her first title of the year. A good win for sure but as always with the Russian headcase it's not necessarily a sign of good things to come.

(images via SEWTA, Getty)

FASHION FIX: Nadia dumps EleVen for Babolat but skort needs to go!

Nadia Petrova made quick work of recent Wimbledon quarterfinalist Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Rogers Cup today defeating her Thai foe 6-3, 6-2 in the second round. The Russian headcase will battle Dominka Cibulkova in the next round.

So Nads was, of course, working EleVen by Venus Williams on the courts recently but it seems she's settled on Babolat as her full-time sponsor. She's wearing the Performance Polo in a mustard color paired with the Performance Skort in white.

I'm loving the color here - it seems fresh next to all the overdone neon + jewel hues drowning both Tours these days. But the skort? Ewww - I just don't get them.

(image via Getty)

SIGHTING: Petrova in Istanbul, t-shirt reveals her inner workings

Total headcase Nadia Petrova was spotted hitting with kids at Kalyon Shopping Mall in Instanbul where the Russian is the no. 3 seed at this week's tourney. She defeated American Lilia Osterloh 6-1, 6-2 to reach the second round.

So what's up with the t-shirt Nadia's wearing ? It says "What you see is what you can not get". Hmmm - I wonder if that's her tennis mantra?

(image via Getty)

Maria Sharapova is Shape magazine's new cover girl

Russia's tennis superstar Maria "Shriek"apova endured another injury this weekend, this time to her shin, and had to default from her match at the East West Bank Classic against countrywoman Nadia Petrova. Already dealing with a bum shoulder, Maria is hoping this one is nothing serious especially with the defense of her US Open title right around the corner.

Here's the World No. 2 looking fit and healthy as the cover girl for SHAPE magazine's September issue.