Wristband tan chic: The folks at Nike released these pictures of Li Na wearing pieces from the company’s Spring 2013 Women’s collection. The Chinese superstar is still recovering from the ankle injury she sustained during that tense 2013 Australian Open final, which she lost to Victoria Azarenka. As such, Li did not participate in this week’s Dubai Duty Free Championships. Other ladies have fallen out, too: Vika withdrew because of a foot injury, and Serena Williams bowed out before her second round match against Marion Bartoli because of a lower back issue. The semifinal match-ups will pit Sara Errani against Roberta Vinci and Petra Kvitova with Caroline Wozniacki. (Draw: Dubai Women’s Singles) More: See the rest of the photos from Li Na’s Nike Women’s Spring 2013 shoot.
li na in nike women’s 2013 looks
February 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Wristband tan chic: The folks at Nike released these pictures of Li Na wearing pieces from the company’s Spring 2013 Women’s collection. The Chinese superstar is still recovering from the ankle injury she sustained during that tense 2013 Australian Open final, which she lost to Victoria Azarenka. As such, Li did not participate in this week’s Dubai Duty Free Championships. Other ladies have fallen out, too: Vika withdrew because of a foot injury, and Serena Williams bowed out before her second round match against Marion Bartoli because of a lower back issue. The semifinal match-ups will pit Sara Errani against Roberta Vinci and Petra Kvitova with Caroline Wozniacki. (Draw: Dubai Women’s Singles) More: See the rest of the photos from Li Na’s Nike Women’s Spring 2013 shoot.
tennis channel to air rafael nadal’s return
February 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Tennis Channel will air Rafael Nadal‘s first single match back after being sidelined for seven months due to various ailments. Nadal, who already won a doubles match with teammate Juan Monaco, will play in the main draw of the VTR Open in Vina del Mar, Chile, on Wednesday at 4pm ET. This marks the return of Nadal after a roller coaster absence involving knee injury and a stomach virus, among others.
With an unprecedented seven French Open championships to his name and the best clay-court record in the Open Era (254-19; .930), Nadal is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time on clay, the surface used at this week’s event in Vina del Mar. He will face the winner of Delbonis/Pella. (Browse: VTR Open Singles Draw)
Leif Shiras will call the match for Tennis Channel. Encore presentations of Nadal’s comeback will air Wednesday at 8pm ET and Thursday, Feb. 7, at 10pm ET. The network had already planned to carry the singles semifinals and championship in Vina del Mar this weekend prior to Nadal’s entry into the tournament. That schedule is as follows (all times live):
Saturday, Feb. 9
5pm – Semifinal #1
8:30pm – Semifinal #2
Sunday, Feb. 10
4pm – Championship
sightings in the stands: pam and sam
August 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Sam and Pam: Do you really need us to explain this awesomeness? Pam Shriver sat down with Sam Querrey on Sunday afternoon at the Farmers Classic in LA for a little chatski on air for the ESPN broadcast. We were pretty shocked how long the two sat there chit-chatting (perhaps almost a half hour?), though we couldn’t ear out anything they were actually saying. Querrey was the two-time defending champ at UCLA, but is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. Below: Pam shows off her pearls before heading back courtside.
More: TSF’s Farmers coverage | Sightings in the stands
(TSF photos)
short balls: good bye, counselor
February 23, 2011 By 2 Comments
by Benjamin Snyder
Serena is outta the Nike exo, but staying on as a ref. Think Shino will be there to join her? (Reuters)
Forget becoming an esthetician, Serena Williams is taking on a new career as a lineswoman. The sidelined former no. 1 won’t be playing in a much-anticipated return at the Nike exhibition on March 8. Instead, she’ll be a referee. That’s tough luck for the 12,000 fans expecting to see the 13-time major champion’s form alongside Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova. Citing the foot injury that’s been kept her out since after Wimbledon, Serena released the following statement: “I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to play … as I had anticipated. I’m thrilled, however, to still be able to participate … in the exhibition as a referee during the mixed doubles.”
Is something sketchy going on here? Columnist Greg Crouch thinks so. Taking her place on court is Victoria Azarenka. With Masha and Vika both on court, make sure to bring the ear plugs, Eugene.
Pakistani dubs expert Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi is flashing his pearly whites (and wavy locks) in a recent ad with CloseUp toothpaste. Seriously, Rafa and Fernando, this dude is nipping at your modeling heels. He’s just going for a – er – cleaner approach.
He’s not just a hot head, he’s also an art aficionado. Getting a custom-made sculpture in the process, tennis legend and New York City art collector John McEnroe took to the streets of Delray Beach against Mats Wilander in a game of street tennis as part of the “On the Ave” exo. Although Mayor Woodie McDuffie served as the chair umpire, it didn’t make Johnny Mac bite his tongue or keep the snide remarks at bay. He called Mayor McDuffie’s math “fuzzy” on his way to winning the TB 13-11. “I was down 2-1, and now I’m up 3-1; I like that. Is that how they count in Florida?” McEnroe quipped.
After being honored with work from artists of the Milagro Youth Center, McEnroe said, “This is definitely unique. Anybody that knows about me knows that I’m a big fan of the arts. I’ve been a collector for 30 years since I first made money playing the sport I love… The greatest compliment I’ve received as a player was that I was an artist on the court.” But seriously, what is hanging over his headboard? Oh the things we wonder.
Caroline Wozniacki has reclaimed the world’s no. 1 ranking after winning in Dubai over Svetlana Kuznetsova. Kim Clijsters nabbed the distinction from Caro for just one week ago. Kamakshi Tandon and Steve Stignor volleyed back and forth on their thoughts of the flip flop. Whether the system’s flawed or not, expect much more of the Caro-Kim ranking fight in the coming months, especially with Serena playing referee.
Splitsville: ”Super Mario” Ancic has called it quits on his ten-year career due to a severe back injury. According to the 2004 Wimbledon semifinalist and former world no. 7, “It was one of the toughest decisions I ever had to make. I’m only 26 but my body said I would not be able to continue on a high level.” Although he’ll be missed on the tennis courts, expect him to put his energy into a different type of court. The University of Split law grad now plans on pursuing a career as a lawyer. So long, counselor. | TSF Vault: Mario Ancic
(serena and ancic photos by reuters)
short balls 2.0: like a train, we’re still going
July 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Who knew today would be such a busy tennis news day?! And here we were thinking all we’d have to do is count how many times John McEnroe used ”she” in his commentary instead of identifying Zvonareva, Pironkova or Kvitova by name. We think it was somewhere in the ball park of 2,000 or so.
My first-person account of trying out to be a US Open ballperson is up on the New York Times Straight Sets tennis blog. No, I haven’t heard back yet, but I can assure my tryout wasn’t quite as entertaining as Jimmy Fallon’s from last year’s Open. Hilarity.
In case you haven’t heard yet, Justine Henin has sustained an elbow injury at Wimbledon and has already stated she’s likely not to play the US Open. So much for that comeback, eh? Oh, and remember the 35,000-seat stadium that was going to host the Justine versus Kimmy exhibition? 34,999 people are breathing a sigh of relief that Serena signed on to take her place.
(OT) The Target Corp. is opening a new store in Manhattan’s Spanish Harlem nabe, on 116th and Pleasant Avenue. The company is going all out with advertising, including buying and entire 6 Train (which runs on the east side through Spanish Harlem) – inside and out – for brand advertising. Click the image above to see video.
Pardon our forgetfulness, but we had somehow lost track of the kennethinthe212 blog, a witty and well-written corner of the web that dedicates a good deal of virtual ink to the world of tennis. Or, more importantly, the catfights of tennis. Most recently, Kenneth made sure to post Sandra Bernhard‘s angry Tweets scolding Pam Shriver for existing… er, we mean, for ridiculing Venus Williams. You tell ‘em honey!
And in a not-so-surprising move, the Huffington Post has selected Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovicas the top two male hotties at Wimbledon. #3? John Isner. We’re not so sure about that one…
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