Bach On Moog Synthesizer, Joyce On iPhone

MYER-ED IN HUMOR: Of the John Isner-Nicolas Mahut Wimbledon marathon, ESPYS host Seth Myers said, “No one has spent that much time on grass since Cheech and Chong.”  Added the SNL funnyman, “By the time the match ended, the ball boys were ball men.”
AND THEY SAY WE AMERICANS ARE A LITIGIOUS BUNCH: Lleyton Hewitt is [...]

Somersault!

Rise and Fall, Reemergence and Redemption, the Roger-Rafa Rivalry Sizzles With Compelling Storylines

Like Bjorn Borg, Rafa Nadal has, more than once, achieved what’s said to be the greatest back-to-back achievement in tennis — winning the French Open and Wimbledon within weeks.

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 [...]

Muster On Comeback Trail; No DC for Murray

SOMETHING’S FISHY HERE: Is it just us, or is it a tad ironic that Boris Becker’s son has a goldfish named Sushi?  After all, it was at the trendy London sushi joint Nobu where the German superstar infamously connected with Russian model Angela Ermakova — an encounter that destroyed his marriage to then-wife Barbara Feltus.
ON [...]

Surface Wars (and Other Roland Garros Revelations)

Venus ‘Disillusioned?’, Murph’s Tax Troubles, Ana-JJ Catfight

World No. 1 Roger Federer ruffled some feathers when, prior to Roland Garros, he appeared to question the completeness of a clay-courter’s skill set.  Said the Swiss: “On clay you don’t need a volley or a serve. You just need legs, an incredible forehand and backhand, and to run after every ball. I’m not trying [...]

Grosjean to Retire; JJ a Butterfly Again

YOU CAN BANK ON TENNIS: Considering that the BNP Paribas is the 11th largest company in the world, and that the French bank plans to spend virtually all its $32 million sponsorship budget on tennis in 2010 (outside of its modest backing of a Belgian soccer team), the sport must be in good health.  Plus, [...]

Notebook: Nothing Quite Like a Moroccan Pizza

DINARA DONE?: Dinara Safina, who hasn’t played since the Aussie Open but is the No. 2 seed in Stuttgart, says the back injury that forced her to retire in the fourth round in Melbourne could eventually put an end to her career. “My back injury is the worst you can get, because if things go [...]

Notebook: Huber-Black Split, Isner Rolls in Rome

PASSION PLAY: Bruce Jenkins called Rafel Nadal’s game “a singular whirlwind of passion, form and aesthetics.”
SLAPSHOT: SI’s Jon Wertheim quipped, “The Fed Cup is not just what Roger wears when he plays hockey.”
FED PICKS RAFA FOR RG: Defending Roland Garros titlist Roger Federer says he’s not necessarily the No. 1 candidate to win the Coupe [...]

Notebook: Tennis in 3D, Remembering Samaranch

REMEMBERING JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: Former IOC chief Juan Antonio Samaranch — who died of a heart attack on Wednesday at age 89 — spent his final moments at home watching tennis before being taken to the hospital in Barcelona.  “He watched Nadal’s match — he loved tennis — and after the game he wasn’t feeling [...]

Notebook: Charleston, Monte Carlo

SIX PACK: Rafael Nadal became the first man in the Open Era to win a single Masters tournament six straight times.  He’s now won 37 ATP events, including 26 on clay.  His Monte Carlo title ended an inexplicable 11-month dry spell that traced back to the ’09 Italian Open.  In Monte Carlo, which he said [...]