Confessions of a Madrid Masters ballgirl - would you leave the house with a puffy face?

So we've been given an insidery look into what it's like for a ballkid at the US and Aussie Opens. Now we get a peek into the challenges facing the models-turned-ballgirls at the Madrid Masters.

Karly Baptista is taking her turn throwing balls and handing towels to the biggest ballers on the ATP Tour. But this wasn't the gig she was expecting when she got the call:

The truth is that it was pure coincidence. I received a call from a friend to attend a casting like any other, when they told me it was to work as a ball-girl in of the most important tennis tournament's in Spain I was somewhat astonished.

Karly described the rigorous preparations the models must go through before hitting the court:

The truth is that, we have to get up very early so that when we eventaully (sic) get there our faces are not puffed. Then we go through hairdressing, make-up and the internal review to check that our clothing and appearance are perfect - the modeling things.

Sounds like my morning ritual - I never leave the house before my face has un-puffed. Anyway, the 27-year old also revealed who she'd like to be stranded on a deserted island with:

On a deserted island I would go with Djokovic and Federer, the first for his great humor which characterises him and the second for the class and elegance he exudes.

What, no Rafa? At least we know this ballgirl isn't allowing blind allegiances, bad hair, or screwy makeup to disrupt her important responsibilities on-court. Phew.

(image via mutuamad-mastersmadrid.com)

+ MONDAY NETCORDS: Flink vs. Gilbert...a record-breaking 25,944 shot rally...Agassi still giving back big

(Rafael Nadal, Madrid)

LINKS

40 years of Open Era tennis [ESPN]
JJ on cusp of year-end no. 1 [WTA]
Ad-In, Ad-Out [SI]
Gilbert gauges the baller boys [Tennis Channel]


BLOG TALK

Tennis fights back [Daily Racquet]
The Rossetti's record-breaking rally [Nick's Picks]
Hewitt still hanging on [Tennis Diary]
A frustrating top five [Tennis Talk, Anyone?]
Agassi's charity bash [Richard's Court]

(image via AP)

SEPARATED AT BIRTH: A-Rod vs. Kolya

Andy Roddick was spotted at the Advanta WTT Smash Hits charity event this weekend (which raised more than $400,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Atlanta AIDS Partnership Fund) sporting a newly cropped noggin' and working a cute argyle moment - similar to a look Nikolay Davydenko showed off earlier this year.

I guess we all know what A-Rod's going to look like when he hits, oh, 90-years old. No offense to Kolya, my sympathies to Brooklyn.

(image via andyroddick.net, ATP)

Quote of the Day: Martina on Radek

You have a relationship and you are trying to get that going, and then Radek was injured and I tried to spend a lot of time with him and I put myself on the side. He had a hard time there and couldn't play and was going to doctors and then re-injured himself in Marseille and I was there with him.

I didn't spend enough time practicing because I felt that I won Tokyo and I felt — that's not going away! I beat all the top players again, got to No. 6 and although I never won the French Open, I was thinking, 'What more was out there for me?' From there, it was difficult to get back into it. I had all the mental confidence, but the hunger was more toward other things. Tennis wasn't the priority anymore. (Radek) became more important.

- Martina Hingis on her relationship with Radek Stepanek

Ok people I've been dying to ask this question: What the fuck does "The Worm" have going on that he can get these lady ballers (like you, Nicole) to shelve their careers to attend to his needs? Should we be calling him "The Anaconda"??

Obviously Marty's game was in already in decline but her relationship with The Worm didn't help her situation and became a distraction, according to her description.

Will someone please, please tell me what is so special about this guy.

Sincerely,

Very Confused Tennis Blogger

PHOTO OP: Nicole follows Radek to Madrid, leaves game in the pits

Nicole Vaidisova accompanied boyfriend Radek Stepanek, who'll face a returning Roger Federer on Wednesday, on the press line for the Madrid Masters baller party.

First of all, Nicole wore this same outfit on the press line in Moscow last week - NOT GOOD. Secondly, why is she following "The Worm" around the globe when her game is in the pits?

Seriously Nicole, get a grip.

(image via atp)

Marat reportedly dating Russian pop singer, fans left flabbergasted

Is Marat Safin really off the market? Apparently so.

The Russian press are reporting the former no. 1 is dating Nastya Osipova, a pop singer who he's known for less than a year.

O...M...G. Either she takes really awful photos or the camera isn't really to blame. Plus, her outfit is just horrific. I can safely say this is NOT the woman I would've pictured Marat dating.

And, why does it look like he's choking her in the last picture? None of this makes sense!



(image via Great Tennis Photos)

PHOTO OP: Jo-Willy arrives in Madrid, makes stylish stop at Hugo Boss

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga looks to be recovered from the strained abdominal muscle he picked up in Tokyo - great news for the ATP Tour.

The Frenchie baller made his way to the Spanish capital for the Madrid Masters but made time to stop by the Hugo Boss store first for a photo op and some much needed shopping.





You might be asking why I mentioned it was a "much needed" shopping spree. Well, just check out his "before" outfit:

Shop on Jo-Willy...shop on. PLEASE.

(imageS via Getty)

THE LOW DOWN: Dinara voices concern over Roadmap 2010, "...we might choose to boycott the new tour," says Safina

How frustrated are the top lady ballers about the WTA's new Road Map 2010?

Well, Dinara Safina dropped a hint after her 6-2, 7-6 loss to Vera Zvonareva in the Moscow semifinals on Saturday:

If they [WTA] don't listen to what we have to say, we might even choose to boycott the new tour. They said the leading players would have to play in designated tournaments while lower-ranked players would be able to enter any event they like. There's no logic in that at all.

What if all the top players choose to enter the same tournament? What will the WTA do then? We want to know.

Svetlana Kuznetsova also chimed in about her feelings about the revamped schedule:

I was told only two players from the top 10 could enter a smaller tournament like the Kremlin Cup next year.

What if [No. 1-ranked] Jelena Jankovicand Serena or Venus [Williams] want to play here? Then all the top Russian players, and there are five of us in the top 10, will not be able to play in their home tournament. That's nonsense.

A boycott is a very serious matter and not something to just throw out there lightly. But the Roadmap has some grey areas and forcing these ballers to play tourneys is always a little tricky because if they don't want to play, they won't play and they'll eat the fines.

Questions do remain: How involved were the baller reps in the development of Roadmap 2010? Plus, did the WTA Tour and the ballers, or at the very least the baller reps and Tour, have a major sit down since the Roadmap was announced to breakout this new schedule and answer any questions or concerns??

From the outside it seems like a very disjointed process where the WTA is making important decisions without real input from the ballers - a certain recipe for disaster.

(image via Getty)

WEEKEND WINNERS: David, Igor, Philipp, JJ

David Nalbandian - Stockholm

Here he goes again. Last season the Argentine came out of nowhere to win back-to-back Masters Series shields at Madrid + Paris defeating Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in both tourneys. The 26-year old earned his ninth career title in Stockholm this weekend pulling out a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 win over homeboy Robin Soderling. Can he make another surprising run this year?

Igor Kunitsyn - Moscow

The Russian baller earned his first career title when he snuck out a 7-6 (6) 6-7 (7) 6-3 over hottie headcase and good friend Marat Safin.

Philipp Petzschner - Vienna

The German baller joined Igor in winning his first ATP title when he shocked Frenchie Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4. The 24-year old came in as a qualifier and had never made it past the quarterfinals of an ATP tourney before this win.

Jelena Jankovic - Moscow

Can we give JJ some props now? The top lady baller won her third straight title, and second Tier 1 of the year (Rome), dismissing Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-4 at the Kremlin Cup. It seems the slidin' Serb has figured out how to not only be consistent within a tournament but between tournaments, closing out matches she should win and finding ways to close out tighter ones. Unless Serena Williams or Dinara Safina grab wildcards into Linz or Luxembourg, JJ will most likely keep the keys to the WTA Penthouse until next year.

(images via Getty + AP)

INSTANT REPLAY: A look back at the week's top tennis plays

(Igor Kunitsyn, Moscow)

Weekend Winners: Tomas, Dmitry, JJ, Caroline, Sorana
Ballers hit the Moscow party line
Robby's hairy situation
The Aussie Open's big plan for its big worry
Courting Couteau
Justin and A-Rod give good quote
Latin lover
Maria K's bubble burst
Super Mario's big ballin' cut short in Stockholm
What to do with $26 million?
Murray and a strap-on
JJ spotted with her boy toy
Milbank's bikini moment
Dominika gets sandwiched in Red Square, polka-dotted at Kremlin Cup
Zen-areva
Fed wins Best Actor in his own drama

+ NETCORDS: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

(image via Getty)