The Sports Illustrated 2009 Swimsuit Issue featuring Tatiana Golovin, Daniela Hantuchova, and Maria Kirilenko has been released and showcases the lady ballers on the beaches of the Dominican Republic working designer swimwear.
SI.com has also provided some behind-the-scenes footage of the shoots with the ladies.
CHECK IT:
Click here for more images from the Swimsuit Issue. Tati, Dani, + Kiri also sat down for an interview with the mag (click on their name to read the piece.) The most memorable lines?
Tati: Who's your dream guy? "I think I found one. I've been dating my boyfriend for a year." [Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri].
Dani: Every girl has her dating checklist. What are your top three deal breakers when dating? "I don't like when the guy is late, speaks only about himself and doesn't open the door for me."
Kiri: People have said that I look like..."Not sure who do I look like, but people say I look like a princess."
Thanks to DtL readers Jason + Sarah for the tip!
(images via Sports Illustrated)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
MEDIA MASHUP: Tati, Dani, and Kiri featured in Sports Illustrated 2009 Swimsuit Issue
Monday, February 9, 2009
SIGHTING: Serena + Common spotted on LAX security line - are they together again?
Serena Williams was spotted in the security line at LAX recently with on-again, off-again, whatever-again boy toy Common. The 10-time Grand Slammer stopped by the Tonight Show with Jay Leno while on the West Coast last week.
I mean, SERIOUSLY - didn't they supposedly just break up their non-relationship? I've become so confused about these two that I've now decided to call a spade a spade: these two are just good friends with great benefits.
We've all had them (fine - a lot) and ReRe and Common have all the makings of this type of relationship: lots of hanging out and playing together but no commitments and a total denial of any relationship.
It's like an advanced level booty call. So enjoy guys.
PS - Thanks Maja!
(images via justjared.com)
DtL Weekly Poll Results: Nando + JD most likely to make biggest impact this season
Thanks to everyone who participated in this week's poll (385 votes for the boys, 253 votes for the ladies) asking which ballers would make the biggest impact on the ATP World Tour and WTA Tour this season.
Based on their outstanding performances at last month's Aussie Open, Fernando Verdasco + Jelena Dokic received the most overall votes. Nando reached his first Grand Slam semifinal and played the longest match in Oz history falling to eventual champ Rafael Nadal in five epic sets. JD was the feel good story of the fortnight coming out of the tennis doldrums to reach the quarterfinals after defeating Anna Chakvetadze + Caroline Wozniacki along the way.
The full results of the polls are as follows:
Fernando Verdasco - 54%
Gilles Simon - 16%
Juan Martin del Potro - 13%
Ernests Gulbis - 8%
Marin Cilic - 4%
Gael Monfils - 2%
Bernard Tomic - 1%
What's interesting here is Ernests Gulbis, who has yet to win his maiden ATP title, received more votes than Marin Cilic who already has two singles titles under his belt this season (Chennai, Zagreb) and three overall. Where's the love peeps?!
Jelena Dokic - 37%
Victoria Azarenka - 24%
Carla Suarez Navarro - 19%
Alize Cornet - 11%
Laura Robson - 3%
Michelle Larcher de Brito - 1% (5 votes)
Alisa Kleybanova - 1% (4 votes)
The result of the ladies poll isn't too surprising though most voters don't seem to think Alisa will build on her upset of Ana Ivanovic and the fourth round showing in Oz. In fact, she was beaten out by up-and-comer Laura and barely by Michelle. I wonder if this decision was based on the Russian teen's seeming lack of fitness because the girl can sure hit a ball.
If you voted, I'd love to hear the reasons you chose the ballers you did.
THIS WEEK'S POLL: Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal have both come out against the new WADA anti-doping measures while Roger Federer has defended them. What do you think about the WADA policy being implemented in tennis? VOTE NOW!
(images via Getty)
MEDIA MASHUP: Shrieka and Cole Haan ad campaign to launch, talks collaboration with ET
The collaboration between Nike subsidiary Cole Haan and Maria Sharapova is about to enter its full-fledged launch.
The Russian fashionista, who's slated to return in March from injured-reserve, will be starring in the brand's new ad campaign for her collection of handbags and shoes. It debuts this week in the March issue of Vanity Fair.
The ads will also appear in Conde Nast mags Vogue and Lucky, Hearst Magazines’ Harper’s Bazaar, Time Inc.’s InStyle and American Express Publishing’s Travel + Leisure while a catalog of the collection will be polybagged in the April issue of Hachette Filipacchi Media's Elle.
BONUS: Here's Shrieka discussing her relationship with Nike, the Cole Haan collection, and some behind-the-scenes footage from the campaign shoot on Entertainment Tonight...
(via Maria Sharapova Blog)
Fedophiles overwhelm RogerFederer.com - will they be reborn?
Apparently Roger Federer's Aussie Open final loss and now infamous post-match moment has fired up the Fedophiles.
The 13-time Grand Slammer penned a new note to his fans via his website thanking them for their avalanche of support post-Oz:
Dear FansUh-oh. Could it be possible that the loss and his subsequent pool of tears put fire in their belly and has given him and his fanbase new life?!
I would like to thank you for the overwhelming amount of messages and letters you sent me this past week. Losing the Australian Open final certainly hurt, but it is important to move on and focus on the challenges lying ahead. I feel fine and fit and am eager to get back on court. I have enjoyed a few days off, which was great, and will soon be training again.
Thank you once again for supporting me and giving me such a lot of positive input! A lot of you have noticed that my website was slow after the final Down Under. The reason for that was the enormous amount of traffic – more than we had ever experienced before. New hardware for the server has been ordered and will be installed as soon as possible so that you can enjoy rogerfederer.com without hassles in the future!
Kind regards
Roger
Rafanatics, you've been warned...
(image via Getty)
PHOTO OP: Andy in training, practices new abdominal strengthening exercises
Andy Murray is back to his training ways at the National Tennis Center in Roehampton.
The Brit baller is continuing to strengthen those sick abs of his before getting back to the ATP World Tour. He's practicing some oldies but goodies (like the Superman above) but also including some new ones courtesy of Strength & Conditioning Coach Matty "Treacle" Little.
In this exercise, Andy begins in a kneeling position with his arms resting on the ball in front. He slowly begins to straighten out his body until it's completely flat, engaging all the vital core muscles then rolls back for the next repetition:
Treacle continues to up the ante with this exercise. Andy begins completely horizontal on his back and, using his core muscles, begins lifting his lower body through 45 degress until he's completely vertical. Phew! *completely out of breath*
The last core strengthening practice begins with Andy horizontally on his side, bottom arm stretched out holding a dumb-bell. He slowly rolls the dumb-bell towards himself using his abdominals to lift his body to about 45 degrees then proceeds to roll back down slowly - ouch.
Okay these are some serious exercises but I can so appreciate his commitment to continuing the strength and fitness work.
(image via andymurray.com)
The FED CUP Chronicles: Flavia's "Fingergate" highlights opening weekend
The quarterfinal round in FED CUP action took place this weekend with the following results in the World Group Play0ffs:
US 3, Argentina 2
France 0, Italy 5
Czech Republic 4, Spain 1
Russia 5, China 0
The biggest news coming out of this weekend's ties was "Fingergate", an incident that occurred during Flavia Pennetta's match against Amelie Mauresmo. The Italian baller became irate and flipped off Chair Umpire Louise Engzell after she overruled an in-call during the tense second set tie-break; she received a warning for her bhavior.
The overrule gave Amelie a match point but the Frenchie, who was clearly still feeling the effects of the moment, double-faulted and proceeded to lose the match 2-6, 7-6 (9), 6-4. Suffice it to say the 2-time Grand Slammer was not pleased with Flavia's behavior or Engzell's reaction to the incident:
At that moment, I didn't really see and cotton on. She gave the finger - she should have been removed right away.
There are rules and the rules need to be applied. When Zidane head butted in the World Cup final he was thrown out of the match, the same thing should have been done here.The French team submitted a complaint to the FED CUP committee but ITF Executive Vice President Juan Margets made it known they will choose whether or not to receive it, but the "chances of the score being reversed is pretty unlikely."
I'm not clear on the exact wording of the rules here so I won't speculate, but what seems obvious is Amelie should have closed out this match, regardless of the questionable decision-making by the chair. But it's not surprising - it's just an another unfortunate moment for her during a very unfortunate turn-of-events.
(image via AFP)
VANtage Point: Looking back at Jo'burg, looking forward to Paris
Welcome back to VANtage Point! You might’ve been thinking that I wouldn’t return after predicting such big things for career journeymen Bjorn Phau and Benny Becker last week, but I remain undaunted! To ask one rank-and-file pro to do well at a tournament was probably pushing it, but two? I was really asking for it. But that’s how I roll. (Don’t you love that phrase?) Anyway, on to the Point!
A Look Back: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ended up winning the ATP 250 stop in Jo’burg last week as called here at the Point. But as I mentioned, I miffed on expecting Phau and Becker to make runs. However, if you look in the comments, I did make a mention of Chardy possibly doing well. (I know, that’s kind of lame, but I’ll take it!) Congrats to Jo-Willy!
This Week’s Spotlight: I was a little torn on picking what event to look at this week (something I’m sure will happen throughout the season) because one of my favorite ATP stops is the San Jose tournament. However, you can’t deny the star power over in Paris as the Open GDF Suez taking place on the WTA Tour. I mean, come on: Serena, Elena, JJ, Alize—the list goes on and on. Well, not really, since it’s only a 32-player draw, but you know what I mean! The winter indoor season kicks off in earnest here.
Player to Watch: With all those big names, whom do I go with? I think I’m going to go with the biggest name of them all, Serena Williams. After she won the Aussie Open, she said she wanted to get back to her dominant ways. Doing it at the Slams is good and all, but I think you have to establish that at the weekly stops, too. Will she be able to do it here, so soon after winning a major? Will she bail at the last minute? Will she win the whole thing? Someone help me, I don’t have all the answers!
The Final Four: Elena Dementieva over Serena Williams; Jelena Jankovic over Alisa Kleybanova.
And the Winner Is: The Dementieva train keeps rollin’ as she nabs her third title of the year.
Van Sias writes the blog Talk Tennis, Anyone?
(image via Getty)
WEEKEND WINNERS: Jo-Willy, Gonzo, Marin
As Van predicted, Jo-Willy defeated his compatriot and first-time finalist Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 7-6 (5) to win in Johannesburg and earn his third ATP World Tour title (Bangkok, Paris Masters). He also raced through the draw without dropping a set all week - nice.
Gonzo grabbed his fourth title at his home tourney, crushing good friend Jose Acasuso 6-1, 6-3 to win at Vina del Mar. The Chilean baller earned his 11th career ATP World Tour title and, like Jo-Willy, blew through his draw without dropping a single set.
In a battle of Croats, rising start Marin Cilic beat Mario Ancic 6-3, 6-4 at their home tourney in Zagreb earning his third ATP World Tour title (New Haven, Chennai).
Sunday, February 8, 2009
INSTANT REPLAY: A look back at the week's top tennis plays
Post-match pool of tears
Rafa + Andy give good quote
VANtage Point: Welcome!
Aussie Open '09 wrap-ups: The Boys & The Ladies
Ana wears Rolex, talks Melbourne
Murray gets frosty
Will Rineberg join Team Ana?
Rafa backs Phelps
Should these post-match moments be stopped?
Rafanatics Gone Wild!
Keeping up with Kiri
Did the "LIVE CHAT" with Rafa crash the server?
Nando revealed
Rafa shoots TV ad
Shrieka shoulder issues continue, looks towards March return
Madona gets her (full) dress on
Justine + Kim gear up for exos
Queen of Oz visits Jay Leno
(image via ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP/Getty Images)
