Drama Queens: Safina Survives, Ivanovic’s Slam Season Ends in Tears in Loss to Bondarenko

Other Winners: Sharapova, Tsonga, Murray

FROM THE US OPEN, TUESDAY, SEPT 1. – The US Open kicked into full survival mode on Tuesday, with Dinara Safina nearly falling into her own rattlesnake pit before avoiding the death bites in a 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 win over Australian wildcard Olivia Rogowska.
There were a number of thrillers, including Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko fighting off [...]

The Girl Who Almost Made History

Rogowska Nearly Dusts No. 1 Safina

WHAT A TEASE: Olga Rogowska, the young, almost innocent Aussie of Polish heritage, came within a couple of games of pulling off one of the great shock wins in the storied history of this game. But the Tennis Gods seemed to say sorry, kid, not on this day, not on this stage, the biggest in [...]

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.”

Russians Dream About Conquering Mt. Williams

Safina to Face Venus; Dementieva to Confront Serena

TUESDAY, JUNE 30- Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva arrived at Wimbledon in much the same place, coming off tremendously disappointing losses at Roland Garros and looking like their seasons were about to skid off the rails.

Wimbledon and the Art of Delayed Gratification

This year, Wimbledon has been an exercise in delayed gratification.  It’s as if the Wimbledon referee’s office issued some secret edict: “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!  Hold your fire during the first week!” The big stories of Wimbledon’s first week were soft, off-court affairs: Rafa will not defend his title. [...]

Russian Roulette: Kuznetsova to Meet Safina in Final

ROLAND GARROS, JUNE 4–  It’s been five years since the summer of the Russian women, and finally, two of them have showed up again in a Slam final, one with load of experience and the other one chock full of ability.

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 [...]

Wednesday Notebook: Even Pavarotti got the Yips

TWENTY SOMETHING: Federer’s astounding record of reaching 20 straight Grand Slam semis is far ahead of any other guy. Incredibly, Chris Evert reached 34 straight semis. Roger was elated, saying, “It’s the ‘in-a-row’ that seems incredible to me. Twenty semifinals is incredible, but twenty semifinals in a row? It’s even more incredible, even to me. [...]

Think the Unthinkable

SILLY SEASON IN PARIS: Roland Garros has rarely seen so many shock results as the draw opens and opens (and, some would say, weakens).

32 Questions

1. Why today do the immortal words of Red Smith come to mind today? After Bobby Thompson hit his historic ‘51 home to lift the New York Giants over the Brooklyn Dodgers Smith wrote, “Now it is done. The art of fiction is dead. Only the utterly implausible, the inexpressibly fantastic can ever be plausible [...]