Henin-Golovin Highlights

In case you missed it, Justine Henin just won her 20th match in a row this last weekend by defeating Tatiana Golovin in the final of Zurich.

Here's a great highlight reel of the Belgium in her 6-4 6-4 victory.

And Then the Picks Got Tough...

Sometimes being a blogger is painful. You'll sit there staring at the screen hoping and wishing that something your readers would eat up would just pop into your head. I think that's what the problem is with a lot of literature out there today - none of it is worth our time. And sure, I may write some stuff that is useless to many every now and then, but I promise you that there's always a thought process behind what shows up on the page, or screen for that matter.

This weekend has been a rather blessed one in the world of tennis content. Over the past two weeks I felt like I was dragging my heals along with the rest of the tennis kingdom. The US Open was done and over, and though Lindsay Davenport was making her inspired return in Bali, I felt more like throwing mud on the screen and calling it a post than actually putting up stuff people might enjoy.

With the Davis Cup weekend done and over, I find myself extremely thankful for this Cup that many have come to forget. Perhaps it's because the Americans are in the title match for the first time since 2004, or maybe it's just because good tennis was happening all over the world, not just in one place. Roger Federer was being proved human in Prague while Tim Henman had a true champions farewell at Wimbledon.

While those were just two of many Davis Cup stories, the flurry of news surrounding the weekend gives me the same feeling I had when reading Jon McEnroe's "You Cannot Be Serious" when he spoke about playing for your country and the swelling of pride and competitive drive players felt. And if players are getting this pumped up about doubles, I'm all about making the ATP schedule more conducive for top players to represent their home countries.

Andy Roddick has repeatedly said how important winning a Davis Cup title is to him, and though for a while I thought that was Roddick copping out of talk of him winning another Major, I do understand how much he wants such an honor, especially after he (and the Bryan Bros.) carried the American team on their shoulders this past weekend.

While the global reach of tennis was being flexed by the men, a few new faces popped up on the women's scene this weekend, giving us more evidence that this game can be played people other than the white and the privileged.

Agnes Szavay continued her incredible late-summer/early-fall run on the WTA Tour. Following her appearance in the Pilot Pen final prior to the US Open, Szavay marched her way to the quarterfinals of the final Major of the year before many tennis fans took notice of Hungarian. This week her raw talent was on full display as she marched through the Beijing field, including a set-and-1-5-down comeback against Jelena Jankovic in the final.

Joining Szavay in the win column this week were Maria Kirilenko and Tatiana Golovin, two mid-major youngsters who have proven themselves capable of - but not consistent in - beating Top 20 players. Another virtual unknown, Mariya Koryttseva was Kirilenko's challenger in the finals of Kolkata.

If the entire fall is this interesting, I might turn into a proponent for keeping a year-long schedule...

Tennis Chatter: The Open Begins

John Isner served an impressive 34 aces in his upset win in the first round of the US Open.

2007 Roland Garros junior champ Alize Cornet snacked on 29th seed Samantha Stosur in just 68 minutes.

Andy Murray hushes critics and shrugs off injury to lose just five games while advancing to the second round.

Other than Venus and Serena, American women went just 2-6 on the day. The other two winners? Meghann Shaughnessy (who beat American Vania King) and Asha Rolle, who upset 17th seed Tatiana Golovin.

Rolle's win put an exclamation point on African American tennis for the night following the wins of the Williams sisters and the honoring of Althea Gibson for her tennis legacy.

Night at the Open

In tonight's US Open coverage on USA, Serena Williams wasn't the only one making a fashion statement. Now I by no means am a fashion expert - I'm actually far from it. I do, however, have a sense of what is okay and what is not. And Tracy Austin's outfit was just not okay.

(Austin's outfit was designed by Papa Smurf. AIPT photo.)

While Tracy was struggling with her fashion off the court, Tatiana Golovin was struggling with her game on the court. This French girl really baffles me. After finishing the summer with a solid performance in Canada and teaming up with Mats Wilander in what seemed to be a great partnership, she's goes out in the first round to a wild card?

Sounds like confidence issues if you ask me.

Tati vs. Mari Feud?

Do Tatiana Golovin and Marion Bartoli hate each other?

So it would seem.

Bartoli, the Wimbledon finalist, recently told reporters in Stanford, CA., that not only did Golovin fail to congratulate her on her success in London, but that the two girls don't even say hi when passing each other in the locker room.

Golovin might be jealous, seeing that the only attention she got at Wimbledon was for her underwear. And that's not much of a compliment when you're a Top 20 player.

Marion Bartoli returns the ball to Venus Williams during her Cinderella run at Wimbledon. (Photo by jonathan 20 via flickr.)

Until recently, Golovin had been the best-known and highest-ranked young French player. However, Bartoli's steady success this year culminated in her brilliant run at Wimbledon, where she took out top seed Justine Henin in the semifinals.

So when will this French feud be settled? The two are both playing at Stanford this week, and could meet in the semifinals. Racquets won't be the only weapons used in that match - the claws might be out too.

Southern Sunday Strolls

Sunday turned out to be a pretty easy day in the South.

The American Davis Cup team took what was to be a hearty challenge from the visiting Spaniards in North Carolina and made quick, easy work of their European foes, winning the tie 4-1.

Meanwhile, Tatiana Golovin also made quick work of Nadia Petrova in the finals of the Bausch and Lomb Championships just a couple hundred miles away in Amelia Island, Florida.

Both the Americans and Golovin piled their eggs in one basket, the winner's basket. Too bad the losers didn't make things a little more interesting.

Taking Shape in the Desert

-Now this is a great story.

-At least one American is having fun at the Pacific Life.

-This is adorable. How can you not be a Bammer fan?

-Bye bye, Tatiana. Will you ever achieve the greatness you're capable of?

Starting today, it's spring break at school. Will spring ever come to Seattle? I'm guessing not.