The Latest Videos

In case you've missed the last couple days of tennis, here are some videos of the quality tennis that has been occurring.

Novak Djokovic spoils Lleyton Hewitt's run with a 7-5 6-3 6-3 fourth round win.


Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga keeps on rolling with a win over countryman Richard Gasquet to make his first-ever grand slam quarterfinal with a 6-2 6-7(5) 7-6(6) 6-3 win.


And Ms. Boring herself, Daniela Hantuchova played some quality tennis to oust Maria Kirilenko in her breakthrough slam performance. The Slovak won this one 1-6 6-4 6-4.

The Men: A 2008 Preview (Top Ten)

I just finished reading an incredible article by James Martin about tennis players becoming less and less political. As Martin suggests, tennis is a political sport, a game that stretches around the globe and includes dozens (if not hundreds) of nations. Yet, without pioneers like Arthur Ashe to push the envelope, tennis players today are more likely to take cash for play.

Martin points out Amelie Mauresmo, the two-time slam winner. Mauresmo has been vocal about her support for tournaments in the Middle East, where the society is openly homophobic. It disappoints me that Mauresmo, as a strong-hearted lesbian, doesn't speak up more about issues like this. And where are the other gay tennis players? We all know that they're out there, both men and women. Why aren't these contemporary athletes speaking their minds and being true to who they are?

The point is, has cash continued its dominance over conscience in the world of tennis?

In any case, 2008 will prove to be a delicious year of tennis. Now that my predictions are in for the women, let's talk about the men:

Roger Federer
World rank: 1 '07 record: 68-9 Highlight: Capturing his fifth-straight Wimbledon in a hard-fought match over Rafael Nadal.
It's hard not to say a lot of good things about Roger Federer. The man is arguably the Greatest Of All Time and has his way with every opponent on the ATP when he's on his game. So after another banner year in 2007, I'm expecting more of the same from the man from Switzerland.

Prediction: Another three-peat for Roger. He'll take the cake at the Aussie, Wimbledon and the US Open, but still won't be able to break the clay-court spell of Rafael Nadal.

Rafael Nadal
World rank: 2 '07 record: 70-15 Highlight: Continuing his clay-court supremacy.
I can't help but love the speedster from Spain. Nadal has all the charisma you could want from a young tennis champion, and his style of play is something I tried (emphasis on tried) to emulate when I was playing competitive tennis. Nadal, however, has continued to struggle in proving himself as a versatile tennis player. Yes, he had a triumphant run at Wimbledon, where he battled rain, opponents and everything in between to make a run at Roger Federer and the All England title. But his record on hardcourts was 31-12 compared to 31-1 on clay, keeping his confidence at bay while continue to be the prince to King Federer.

Prediction: Another title in Paris, but won't repeat his All England magic.

Novak Djokovic
World rank: 3 '07 record: 68-19 Highlight: Establishing his place with the game's elite.
What a year 2007 was for Novak Djokovic. Like Jankovic, Djokovic has garnered my "Favorite" player title on the men's side. Like his personality, Djokovic's game grew in '07, and it will only continue to blossom in 2008.

Prediction: Djokovic will continue to win titles, just not slams...yet.

Nicolay Davydenko
World rank: 4 '07 record: 53-31 Lowlight: Will he ever give us the straight story on this scandal?
Cheater. Cheater. Cheater.

Prediction: I'm so fed up with Davydenko that I'm not even going to grant him the right to a prediction.

David Ferrer
World rank: 5 '07 record: 61-23 Highlight: Making the USO semifinals and compiling a 9-7 record against top 10 players.
Ferrer was simply fun to watch this season, especially during his run at the US Open. He lacks the weapons we all love to watch: the big gun that ends point with a bang. But Ferrer's grind, his speed and his tenacity certainly make him an enjoyable player to watch and a threat to any man opposite the net from him.

Prediction: I'm not quite sure if Ferrer can continue such a hot streak in 2008. The 25 year old has been a late bloomer, however, and has only improved each year on the tour since turning pro in 2001. Another top 10 finish certainly isn't out of the picture.

Andy Roddick
World rank: 6 '07 record: 54-16 Highlight: Leading the U.S. Davis Cup team to its first title since '95.
I'm not sure if there's a harder player to pinpoint than Andy Roddick right now. After achieving what he's worked so hard for this past month in winning the Davis Cup, it will be interesting to see whether Roddick can come out of the winter with the same work ethic he usually does.

Prediction: I can't help but think that 2008 will be much the same as '07. Roddick will linger with the likes of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, but won't be a threat at the majors like he once was.

Fernando Gonzalez
World rank: 7 '07 record: 37-24 Highlight: His awe-inspiring run to the Aussie final.
After the Aussie, Gonzalez went 31-23 on the year, and without Beijing and Rome, he would've been 23-21.

Prediction: Will slip out of the top 10, most likely back to the 20s or 30s.

Richard Gasquet
World rank: 8 '07 rank: 49-24 Highlight: His 8-6 in-the-fifth win over Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
Gasquet had an up and down year, culminating at Wimbledon. After Wimbledon and through the USO, Gasquet went 3-4 before salvaging his year with a strong fall (including qualifying for Shanghai). Gasquet battled an injury, and still seems to be growing into his game - both mentally and physically.

Prediction: It's always hard to tell with Gasquet. But like Djokovic, I think this will be another year of maturation for the Frenchman. Perhaps he will go far for the first time at his home slam (perhaps the quarters or semis) and make a final at Wimbledon or the US Open.

David Nalbandian
World rank: 9 '07 record: 31-18 Highlight: A triumphant return to the upper echelon of tennis with two wins over Federer this fall (and two TMS titles to go along).
Is back. And seems poised to stay.

Prediction: If he's healthy, Nalbandian can play with the best. But if that gut re-appears, he'll once again slip into the oblivian of the 30s to 80s.

Tommy Robredo
World rank: 10 '07 record: 49-26 Highlight: Being consistent.
I have to admit that I didn't pay much attention to Tommy Robredo this last season. He's a seasoned player and has continued to be consistent, landing him inside the top ten for the second straight season.

Prediction: If he continues to do what he did this last year, including capturing two titles, I think Robredo might be a top 20 staple for a few years to come.

Feeling Childish: Candy in Paris

"Where is Zone 1?"

This should be a basic question for any security personnel, anywhere. There is always a Zone 1. It's the same in English as it is en Francais. Zone. 1.

My friend Will, a Minnesota native, is close friends with Eric 'Booty' Butorac - the doubles sensation famous for winning three titles with and later being dumped by, Jamie 'Stretch' Murray. Booty called (haha) and put some tickets on hold for Will at will call (hahaha). The tickets were for Zone 1. Because I am important, I could go pretty much go wherever I wanted besides Gasquet's box - but more on that later. Will's ticket however, had many more limitations. Somehow one ticket could get you into the luxury lounge but still ban you from the elevator. We spent a good portion of the morning testing these boundaries.


But when it came time to actually finding his seats, we learned that Zone 1 will join 'The Twilight Zone' and 'The Zone Diet' on a long list of unsolved Zone mysteries. Every time we asked the personnel where the Zone 1 seats were, we got a different answer. Take the stairs up. Take the elevator down. They're behind the player seats. They are the player seats.

One hour later we found our Zone 1 seats, they were behind the player seats.

We made it just in time to see Djokovic get thoroughly owned by the pastel-clad, suicide inducing (see Marat Safin) Fabrice Santoro. Djokovic looked sluggish on court and indifferent to close calls and great shots. His demeanor during his press conference was actually much improved. He was in good spirits. He admitted he was only at 30% and was still recovering from wisdom tooth surgery. Perhaps the most entertaining part of the conference was the fact that he was wearing a Chicago Bulls sweatshirt.


Nadal followed Djokovic with a routine win over Filippo Volandri. The big event of the day (following Fabri's big upset) was the clash of the French titans: Gasquet versus Tsonga. I was surprised at how fresh Gasquet was on court. He admitted after his loss in Lyon that he probably wouldn't be ready to play in Paris. But he pulled out a great match against Tsonga and seems like a convincing contender for at least a quarterfinal berth. At his press conference, he was flanked by radio press and later bombarded with questions from the French press.


At one point, we made eye contact for what seemed to be eternity. I saw stars, the room got foggy and I swear I heard a Celine Dion song playing in the distance.


But our moment was soon over and I had bigger and better people to investigate, like Mirka. Mirka was in top form tonight. She was talking to her friends, texting on her pink cellphone, flaunting her "I love you very much" ring and simultaneously ignored her boyfriend's match. Her status as a courstide remains intact, fear not.


Then her boyfriend won and said some words.


Although it didn't feel like Halloween, at the end of the night I still felt like the lucky kid with a pillowcase full of candy.

Post and photos by Troy Venechanos.

Tennis Chatter: Mid-Week Update

Ana Ivanovic destroyed Patty Schnyder 6-0, 6-2 in Stuttgart to set up a rematch of the 2004 Wimbledong Girl's final with Katerina Bondarenko. Ivanovic looks for revenge from that three-set loss to the Ukranian.

Andy Roddick got some love from the ATP this week via the blooper reel.

Changes are in place for the 2008 Australian Open. It's just three months aways - I can barely contain my excitement!

Serena Williams celebrates a 6-0, 6-0 win earlier this week. I love the hair.

Sharapova has been through quite the year, Joel Drucker writes on ESPN.

Ed McGrogan goes in depth about Richard Gasquet on the G/R.

James Martin sounds off on how the lax requirements of the ITF Hall of Fame.

The Achievement of Baby Fed

Mr. Richard Gasquet now has titles on every surface. What's next for Baby Fed?

And who else is on tour multi-surfaced like Gasquet? I might have some researching to do...

DOU: Day of Upsets

It's hard to recall a day more ridden with upsets in the tennis world. Yesterday, six seeded men lost in Cincinnati while four seeds fell on the women's side.

The biggest of surprises came in the form of Rafael Nadal's and Novak Djokovic's losses - Nadal, retiring to Juan Monaco and Djokovic losing in straights to Carlos Moya.

While tournament organizers and fans cringe at draws ridden with pull-outs and early-round losses of big names, the hope is that all systems will be a go for the US Open, which starts in 11 days.

Marion Bartoli may have found her track again, winning the first set over Maria Kirilenko convincingly before the Russian retired with an injury in the second. Ana Ivanovic, defending champ in Toronto, won just four games in her second round loss.

"I'm disappointed I couldn't stay a bit longer," Ivanovic said in her presser. So were Anna Chakvetadze and Lucie Safarova, two other seeds who were bounced from the competition.

Your Cincinnati/Toronto champions ladies and gentlemen? Roger Federer and Justine Henin, who both won in straights yesterday.

Birthday Boys

Tennis isn't just serious, sometimes fun and games can be involved, too. Wait, tennis is a game...oh well, check out these fun snapshots of the world of tennis:

This court looks likes it had to make a split-second decision.

Marcos didn't win, but I think he liked his edible trophy compared to Thomas'. And I don't think he wanted to share.

Guillermo Canas just isn't having fun.

And Richard Gasquet joined the birthday train with a victory - and cake - of his own.