Return of the Spice Girls

Kournikova, Hingis Team Up at Wimbledon

LONDON — Helen Wills vs. Suzanne Lenglen in Cannes in 1926; Bobby Riggs vs. Jack Kramer in Madison Square Garden in 1947; BJK vs. Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes in Houston in 1973 — exhibitions and special events have long been a part of the fabric of tennis.

What, No Rattles, Klaxons or Vuvuzelas?

SAY IT AIN’T SO: The All England Club has banned vuvuzelas (those renowned World Cup noisemakers) from Wimbledon.  Said Ian Ritchie, “Rattles, klaxons and vuvuzelas all fall into that category.  Our message is do not bring them in the first place.”…For the first time in its 133-year history, there will be no English players in [...]

Glam Slam

Glitz, Glamour and the History of Tennis Fashion

To some, fashion is the very expression of self, an intriguing part of life with a defining essence all its own: a freeform, feel-good celebration of style and beauty.

The Buzz – August Edition

The Taj Mahal’s Been Painted Blue, the Pyramids Are Square, the Leaning Tower is Straight and Wimbledon Has a Roof

I’LL TWITTER,YOU GET YOUR PHD: Serena said Venus “is really artsy and into smart things like…learning languages and getting degrees. I’m into Twitter.” THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST: Despite beating Elena Dementieva, Serena said, “My forehand didn’t show up. I think she went to Hawaii.”

Martina III and the $3.40 Banana: A Wimbledon Notebook

HEADLINE OF THE DAY: After Murray’s win over Wawrinka, one paper suggested: IT’S WAW AND PEACE FOR ANDY NOT EXACTLY SPANISH TENNIS: Agnieszka Radwanska said playing Venus at Wimbledon was tough: “It’s not Spanish tennis, so on the grass it’s hard.” She then informed us, “It can be the same final like last year, for [...]

Anna K On Her Career: ‘I Wouldn’t Trade it for Anything’

When, mere days before her triumph at Roland Garros, Svetlana Kuznetsova was asked about the roots of the Russian Revolution, she credited some unlikely heroes for igniting a trend that has seen Sharapova, Myskina, Safina, Dementieva, Zvonareva, Petrova, Chakvetadze, etc. rise to the top of the game.

Nebraska Football, Oklahoma Tennis and the Death of the ‘Roddickian’ Brotherhood

EVERYBODY BEATS ALEX BOGDANOVIC: Last year, reporters brutally kidded perennially defeated wildcard Alex Bogdanovic for losing seven straight first-round matches at Wimbledon, wryly noting that the fellow was incredibly consistent. He lost all the time. This year, after yet another loss, the press showed even less mercy, saying, “You have the worst record of any [...]

Love Match at ‘99 French: Agassi, Graf Connect at Scene of Greatest Triumphs

Ten years ago, Andre Agassi, arguably the most popular U.S. competitor ever, made a big play for Steffi Graf, arguably the greatest women’s player ever. The scene was Roland Garros, site of some of Agassi’s most harrowing defeats, and a place where Graf had met with both triumph and sorrow. Agassi, who had divorced actress [...]

What’s Russian and American, with a Period in Between?

FRENCH FED FRENZY: Federer said that when he walks the streets of Paris “everybody is, like, ‘This is your year. You’ve got to do it.’ They’re screaming from their scooters and out of the car. They even get out at the red lights and want me to sign an autograph or take a picture. It’s [...]