Notebook: ‘When You Can’t Move, It’s Difficult to Win’

CHRISSIE VS. MARTINA: In his new book “Rivals! The 10 Greatest American Sports Rivalries of the 20th Century,” author Richard Davies lists the storied Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova clashes among the fiercest rivalries in sports.  Here are the others: Ohio State-Michigan football, Yale-Harvard football, Duke-UNC men’s basketball, Red Sox-Yankees, Bears-Packers, Dodgers-Giants, Celtics-Lakers, Joe Frazier-Muhammad [...]

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 [...]

Rome-ing Charges: Gulbis Upsets Federer at Foro Italico

Swiss No. 1: ‘My Game Wasn't Up to Speed’

Welcome to the clay season, Mr. Federer.  On Tuesday, No. 40-ranked Ernests Gulbis stunned the top-ranked Roger Federer 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 in his first match on clay at the ATP Rome Masters 1000, marking the first time since 2001 that the world No. 1 has exited prior to the quarters of three straight tournaments.

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 [...]

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.

Notebook: ‘Federer? Never Heard of Him.’

WINTOUR OF OUR DISCONTENT?: FOF (Friend Of Federer) Anna Wintour proclaimed that if she weren’t the editor of Vogue, she’d “like to run The Tennis Channel.”
PAC-10 DYNASTY: The Stanford women’s tennis team claimed the Pac-10 regular season crown for the 22nd time in 23 years.
BLAKE TO MISS CLAY SEASON: James Blake, who will sit out [...]

‘My Game Has Issues’: Sony Ericsson Open Notebook

FISH FRIED: Mardy Fish is the latest player to struggle with a sciatic nerve injury (think Andre Agassi, Fernando Verdasco).  Trailing Mikhail Youzhny 6-1, 1-0 in Miami, Fish — who earlier in the week had upset Andy Murray — called it quits.  “It was excruciating pain.  I was doubled over, could hardly breathe,” said Fish.  [...]

Fed Shocker

Swiss Falls to Bagman 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(4)

It’s the beauty of sports, the thrill of the shock — an inexplicable loss, upset city. Roger Federer is so good, so solid, so consistent and predictable: pencil the guy into the final.  But even though his play is heavenly, he’s still a man. Even though he’s weathered more storms than a Cape Cod trawler, [...]

Hit and Snit for Haiti

It’s a simple feel-good formula. At tennis exos, players show off their best strokes, trick shots and standard comedic riffs, plus there’s a little repartee — all in order to raise money for good causes.
And the Indian Wells Hit For Haiti on Friday night March 11th was even better. The stunning opening act featured Martina [...]

Roger, Roger On the Wall…

Bryan Bros. Hit 58...Murray's Troubles...Quotebook

IVO THE RAT: Harvey Fialkov likened 6-foot-10 power server Ivo Karlovic to “Randy Johnson in shorts.”
CHILE RECEPTION?: Despite the devastating earthquake that’s claimed the lives of more than 700 people, Chile still plans to host its Davis Cup tie against Israel in the port town of Coquimbo.
‘…AND INTRODUCING FERNANDO VERDASCO AS MAXIMUS’: Fernando Verdasco may [...]