A Sport for Rogues, Eccentrics and Non-Conformists

Hip Surgery Sidelines Haas…Shino Speaks…Quotebook

A SPORT FOR ROGUES, ECCENTRICS AND NON-CONFORMISTS: San Francisco Chronicle columnist Bruce Jenkins observed, “For a sport founded on upper-class convention, replete with 19th-century Londoners leaping across pristine lawns in long white pants, tennis has been molded by rogues, eccentrics and non-conformists. Its history would be as stodgy as four o’clock tea without its relentless [...]

Valentine’s Day Massacre: Verdasco Downs Roddick at SAP

Smooth-Stroking Spaniard a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 Winner at the HP Pavilion

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Andy Roddick is acutely aware that his sport has changed in leaps and bounds since he debuted on the ATP Tour as a brash, all-forehand-and-smashmouth-serve 18-year-old back in 2000.  And if the now-27-year-old Texan —who last year finished inside the top 10 for the eighth straight year — is proud of [...]

Sciatic Nerve Could Keep Verdasco Out of Davis Cup

Spaniard Moves On to SAP Semis; Roddick, Istomin, Querrey, Too

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — The mere mention of sciatica is enough to produce goose flesh, to make the hair stand up on the back of most ATPers’ necks.  They saw first-hand the pain that Andre Agassi experienced in his final days on the tour.  All the cortisone shots, the endless hours on the trainer’s table, [...]

A-Rod: Agassi’s Story One of Vengeance, of Rising From ‘Ultimate Depths’

It’s the very reason why Jim Bouton was shunned by many of his fellow Major Leaguers when he penned the myth-shattering “Ball Four” in 1970.  The ex-Yankee had violated that long-standing unwritten locker room code: “What you see here, what you say here, what you do here, stays here.”
Whether they admit it or not, it’s [...]

Roddick Through to SAP Open Quarters

Top Seed Breezes Past Argentine Mayer In Straight Sets 6-3, 6-2

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Top seed Andy Roddick moved on to the SAP Open quarterfinals on Thursday night with a relatively routine 6-3, 6-2 win over Argentine Leonardo Mayer at the HP Pavilion.

He’s No Cover Girl, but Roddick’s a Winner at SAP Open

Texan Takes Down DeHeart 6-1, 7-6(1) In First-Round Encounter

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — He lost the bet, but he won the match.
Andy Roddick’s wife — swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker — arrived in the mail on Wednesday in the form of a Sports Illustrated cover girl, settling once and for all a spouse vs. spouse wager on who would be the first to appear on [...]

Bode, Brees, Barbies and the Slap Heard ‘Round the World

U.S. Fed Cup Favorites?...Monfils' South African Journey...Quotebook

JUST WONDERING: In the absence of Amelie Mauresmo and Nathalie Dechy, does Mary Joe Fernandez’s not-exactly-formidable, Williams-less U.S. contingent of Melanie Oudin, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Liezel Huber actually look like a Fed Cup favorite against France’s foursome of Alize Cornet, Julie Coin, Pauline Parmentier and Stephanie Cohen-Aloro?…Given Lleyton Hewitt’s withdrawal from San Jose (he’s having [...]

Australian Open Buzz (Day 4)

One For the No-Spank Parents In the Lentil-Belt Suburbs

HE’S A PRINCE OF A GUY: Andy Roddick may be able to boast NFLer Terrell Owens in his Friends Box, but Roger Federer one-upped him on Wednesday night, when none other than Prince William showed up to witness his routine 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 win over Victor Hanescu.  “Where he comes from, he knows tennis and [...]

An Emissary From That Remote Corner of the Athletic Galaxy

Sanchez-Vicario’s Tax Woes…A Capless A-Rod?...Quotebook

WILLIAMS ON WILLIAMS: Comedian Robin Williams called First Lady Michelle Obama “a mix between Jackie Onassis and Serena Williams.”
TENNIS RETURNS TO ATLANTA?: After initially nixing the proposed sale of its Indianapolis designation to Atlanta (a move that both stunned USTA Southern officials and, according to sources, threatened continued support from U.S. Open Series presenting sponsor [...]

The Most Successful Bad Player Ever

Yanina, X-Man Appeal Bans...Surgery For Zvonareva...Quotebook

BAN APPEALS: Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse have asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn their one-year bans for missing drug tests.
SOMEBODY GET THOSE GUYS A RAZOR: Reflecting on his epic five-set, 16-14 in the fifth win over Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final, Roger Federer said, “I had a feeling at changeovers [...]