Kei Nishikori has super human eye-hand coordination and a cool get-up

If you needed more evidence that the Kei Nishikori brand is blowing up globally, here you go.

The U.S. Open finalist is featured on the cover of the January 19 issue of TIME magazine under the headline 'The Way of Kei'. Kei posted on his Facebook page that he is "very honored" to be the magazine's cover star.


Nissin Cup Noodle also released their latest commercial featuring their global brand ambassador. In the spot, Kei is outfitted to resemble Miyamoto Musashi, and he brandishes a wooden sword carved from a paddle just as the Japanese sword master was said to have done in his famous battle with Sasaki Kojiro. Apparently, Kei actually hit the shots seen in the spot with the wooden sword - no special effects needed.

With those moves, I'm sensing a video game starring Kei is in the works. Because that would be AMAZE.

[Kotaku.com, photo(s) credit: TIME]

(UPDATED) MEDIA MASHUP: It's RafaTIME! (behind-the-scenes video included)

Thanks to DtL reader Sonja for tipping me off to the latest Rafael Nadal news!

The world's top baller, who flew straight to Melbourne after winning doubs in Doha, is featured in TIME magazine this month.

According to his site, the feature article called "Nadal's New Spin" discusses his personal life, game, and people who surround the world's top baller.

Unfortunately the link to the actual story on his site isn't working but I'm doing some research and will post it once I find it.

In the meantime, here's some behind-the-scenes footage of Rafa's photoshoot for the issue. If you enjoy long camera shots focused squarely on the Matador's bronzed face, flowing locks, and sexy, broad shoulders then you might enjoy this video. Might.

CHECK IT:



UPDATE - Read the full article here - thanks anon! A couple of interesting points from the piece:

* "After studying the exotic wildlife of the Galápagos Islands, Charles Darwin surmised that animals can develop unique traits when they evolve in isolation. In the tennis world, Rafael Nadal is such an animal." - I love this analogy since it plays against the picture of his personal life he describes as down-to-earth, ordinary, and low key.

* Rafa's quote "I've always liked the competition more than the tennis."

* Uncle Toni working on flattening out his forehand. I don't believe it will be a complete change but part of mixing up his shot selection on that side. It's always good to have options on either side and overall.

* "Better now is Rafael, he is No. 1 in the ranking. But who has the best game? Federer." That's a brutally honest assessment from Uncle Toni, eh?

* Is Rafa, his handlers, or both pushing his image to mimic Roger Federer's? The article makes it sound like a combo platter. Bad move IMO - discuss!

(image via rafaelnadal.com)

Nole makes TIME magazine's "100 Olympic Athletes to Watch"

TIME magazine just released their list of the "100 Olympic Athletes to Watch" and Novak Djokovic was the only tennis baller to join the elite group.

Here's what the newsmagazine had this to say about the Serb:

The world No. 3 ranked male tennis player, behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Djokovic started the year by winning the Australian Open, and is known as much for ability to mimic his fellow pros as he is for his down-the-line backhand. He became the European champion by the time he was 14, and rose to world fame in 2007 as a runner-up at the U.S Open, reaching Wimbledon semis, and winning four out of five Master Series finals, beating Federer and Nadal along the way. The Olympics, he says, are the most important challenge of all. "That's how I see the Games, although many players wouldn't agree. There are four Masters Series every year, but the Olympics come only once in four years", he said.

Interesting that he beat out Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to make the list - what gives?

(image via Getty)

A-Rod pays tribute to Agassi for TIME's 100 most influential people

Tennis legend Andre Agassi made TIME magazine's 5th annual list of 100 of the world's most influential people this year and Andy Roddick was given the honor of writing his tribute:

Andre Agassi

By Andy Roddick

"From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life." —Arthur Ashe

Arthur could well have been talking about Andre Agassi. We are all aware of his tennis accomplishments, the brilliance and flash of his career. It's impossible to forget his epic U.S. Open victories, and also—though he might want us to forget—the mullet and acid-washed jeans. But the greater challenge for an athlete is to have a positive impact away from the cameras. I've been privileged to witness firsthand Andre, 38, do just that.

When I was 17 years old, we were on a flight together. I was very nervous, but Andre was kind and encouraged me to ask him questions. When I asked about his biggest regret, I expected some answer related to our profession. Instead he said it was not starting his charitable foundation earlier. I was shocked that a person who has set such a high bar for athletic philanthropy still felt like he could do more. But that is Andre.

There are most likely plenty of kids at Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a model K-12 charter school for disadvantaged children in Las Vegas, who have never watched a match of his. I promise you that Andre could not care less. He would rather be viewed as the man who gives them dreams and opportunities.

(image via Getty)

THE LOW DOWN: Nole gets political + wants the clothes stealing to stop!

No country for old men: Novak Djokovic is speaking out about the political unrest in his home country of Serbia, and even TIME magazine is taking notice. The Ausssie Open champ sent a videotaped message to his country, supporting a Serbian Kosovo and not the growing independence movement (in Serbian, translation below):

Hello to all of Serbia and all who are with us
This is the toughest of times in the history of Serbia
and I want to thank eveyone who has come here to this meeting
and to show the world that we are not small and weak,
that we are united and willing to defend what is ours
I am sad I can not be with you physically right now
and I want eveyone to know that my family and myself are with kosovo always
entire situation is very hard on me as entire history of serbian nation is stemming from kosovo
kosovo is serbian and shall remain so forever.

In other Nole news: Apparently, Team Djokovic is pissed that Nole's "official sports outfit" is being sold globally on certain websites. His website is featuring this image and the following message for the public and possible perpetrators:

In the last couple of months, the sale of Novak Djokovic’s official sports outfit has been wide spread through Online shops of certain internet sites.

We inform home and world public that the authorised seller of Novak’s outfit and other products is D.O.O. ‘Family Sport’ from Belgrade, and that in the following month, the Online shop of Novak’s official site will start selling them, too.

We point out that this kind of sales through unauthorised sites is offence, and legal proceedings will be instituted against perpetrators unless they stop this kind of illegal activity that directly violates rights of D.O.O. ‘Family Sport’, that doesn’t have authorised distributors.

Huh? I thought his "official sports outfit" was provided by adidas which is sold legally pretty much everywhere. Are they talking about the clothing in the image (which doesn't look very official to me) or the stank shirt from his Aussie Open run?

Confusion abounds!

(image via novak-djokovic.com)