Enough about Serena already

Posted by DAVE: If you're like most tennis fans, you're dazed today by Serena's dramatic loss to Virginie Razzano, the first time Serena has ever lost in the first round of a French Open. Boo hoo, poor Serena. (rolling my eyes) Enough already! Razzano played better, and she pulled herself back from first set down. All that, on top of the fact that it's the one-year anniversary of Razzano losing her fiance and coach to a nine-year battle with cancer. Can we please celebrate her triumph, instead of mourning Serena's early departure?

Seeing James Blake exit early (and in straight sets, to Youzhny, no less) makes me more sad, anyway. He's 32, and it seems like his best years on court are definitely behind him. He's still in the top 100, but a long way from his career-high #4 in the world. But, he's overcome a broken neck, losing his father to cancer, and several other tough struggles. And he's done it all with class. It will truly be a sad day for tennis when he announces his retirement.

For now, though, I say ... manière d'aller, Virginie!

What a crazy day!

Posted by BESS: I was just asked (by Dave) if I had lost interest in blogging. :-( That is not the case. However, yesterday was not only a crazy day in tennis... it was a crazy day at home with my computer acting like I had killed its mother in the midst of me trying to get something done for work. So I was running between tennis, working and trying to convince my computer that I don't hate it... while simultaneously hating my computer's guts.

I still blame James Blake.

However, I seem to have nursed my computer back to its old self (not saying much) now, so I'll take advantage and try to get caught up on blogging.

Hi. Lots to discuss! Yesterday was just a nutty day in tennis. After nearly two days of washouts, the U.S. Open had some catching up to do. It was a packed schedule--so packed that some of the match-ups really got very little airtime. On court yesterday: Nadal, Federer, Roddick, Isner, Murray, Serena, Wozniacki and more! Oh my. Not often the world's top four men + two dangerous Americans plus the women's statistical #1 and true #1 all take the court on the same day. It was a sight to behold. Oh, and Kim Kardashian was in the house. So you know it was major. (But I refuse to boldface her name.)

I feel for the tournament officials. They have no control over the weather. And without a roof over any of the courts, they have no alternatives. They also have oodles of people they're trying to keep happy--players, ticket holders, networks, sponsors, etc. What a headache this has been for them.

In the midst of trying to get all the matches played yesterday, and based on strong opinions from Roddick, Murray and Nadal, they made the decision to move the men's final to Monday (for the fourth straight year!). This gives the schedule a little breathing room which means the men won't have to play four straight days in a row. And there's a little wiggle room in case it rains again. Which it very well may do.

It's a smart move. But a Monday final is no one's idea of fun. I well remember last year's debacle... racing home early from work only to discover that my local CBS affiliate (which hadn't planned to air tennis that day, I know) was opting to show Dr. Phil during the first hour of the match. DR. PHIL!!! I'm sorry, but WTF? They then cut over to tennis, only to cut away again when Monday night football coverage had to start. Leaving us all to finish watching online.

It was, uh, not good.

Hopefully, with as much advance notice as they've had about this year's Monday final, the networks can get a plan in place so these things don't happen again. But I'm already bracing for Dr. Phil 2.0. It's times like these I really should just buck up and fork out the money for the Tennis Channel.

Also complicating matters yesterday? Louis Armstrong stadium (the second largest on the grounds) was deemed unusable due to water seeping up from underneath the court in one spot. So they had to scramble to find suitable courts for the Roddick/Ferrer and Wozniacki/Petkovic matches. But so many other matches were being played that it wasn't easy.

They both ended up playing on Court 13--with just shy of 600 seats for fans and no permanent cameras. Numerous people have said it's like seeing [insert major rock star here] in your local bar. A great opportunity for fans with grounds passes that day. While the fans raced to get seats, ESPN2 had to scramble to get camers out there to show some of the action.

Mind you, Roddick hadn't played outside of Arthur Ashe stadium in nine years! So Armstrong stadium was already going to seem like a novelty for him. Court 13? Just funny. Here's a great article about how it all went down, which paints an almost nostalgic feel about the whole thing.

It's a fun read, but it really skims over the drama of the water on Armstrong, which is just fine by me. But since loyal reader Vernon brought it up, I'll discuss here and will await Dave's chastising, pro-Roddick words...

So they're finally starting play after two delayed days. And out on Armstrong they're two games into the Roddick/Ferrer match. That's when Roddick noticed water behind the baseline and called the chair umpire over to look. They in turn called the tournament director. And they all stood there trying to figure out what could be done. With another delay in the offing, the players were justifiably frustrated. At first, Roddick and Ferrer seemed resigned to waiting and left the court.

Thinking they had the problem fixed (after using towels, vacuums and blowers on the spot), the tournament officials called the players back out. Alas, while the players were re-emerging, more water appeared. That's when Roddick started to get pissed. You can see it here.

And there's another clip somewhere of them back in the tunnel again, awaiting a solution. To his credit, Roddick's plea was just to let them play--wherever they had to. But his demeanor says, "You guys are all idiots, just let us play." Vintage Roddick.

I understand this must have been hugely frustrating. I just still maintain that Roddick doesn't have to be quite such a **** about things. And my feelings about that were affirmed much later in the day, watching Federer's on court interview after winning his match. His response to repeated questions about the weather and the scheduling changes and the court issues was calm and professional. He didn't take the bait the reporter was clearly offering. He was reasoned and diplomatic and dignified, all while making his points. Vintage Federer.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Roddick can be completely entertaining, and he keeps things interesting. But it's often at the price of looking like a jerk. I'll take Fed's way any day. [Cue Dave's impassioned response.]

But enough about that. Let's talk about the tennis! Stay tuned for more on that...

For now, a palate cleanser of sorts. Check out this clip of Novak Djokovic having a dance-off with a fan who's been entertaining the crowds by dancing in the upper deck of Arthur Ashe stadium during changeovers. His performance last night earned a big smile from Federer when it was shown on the jumbotron.

That one time when James Blake gave me a virus

Posted by BESS: It's a really good thing that Dave posted that picture of James Blake tonight.

Because then I didn't have to do it.

True story... the last time I searched online for a photo of James Blake I got a computer virus. Full on messed-with-my-shizz computer virus. Had to take it in to the Geek Squad and everything. My computer never fully recovered.

And ever since that time, my life has been understandably devoid of photos of James. Tonight that situation was happily rectified. AND I got to tell my "James Blake gave me a virus" story yet again. Never gets old.

Seriously, though. James is darn good looking. And a winner (for now). And based on a Tweet from Andrea Petkovic, I missed a heck of a final point in his match tonight... she claimed his return of serve on match point made him her new idol. Wow! I was doing dishes at the time. So I heard the eruption of the fans, but still don't really know what happened. Regardless, Blake won, just how I predicted it. Wahoo!

My big question, though, is... was the J-Block there in all their obnoxiously supportive glory?! I hope so. James deserves good things.

My big disappointment of the night is Na Li/Li Na (can we ever decide?), who I took through the fourth round, despite knowing that she hadn't been playing that well lately. Evidently memories of her stellar performance earlier this year clouded my judgment. I misjudged that situation terribly. Fool me once Li Na/Na Li...

Afterward, she was quoted as saying that she has no confidence and is playing like sh*t. Well. I appreciate the honesty, but I wish you would have told me that before I filled out my bracket!

The Nadal match was surprisingly competitive and, therefore, interesting tonight. If you ignored it, Dave, you missed out. I was a bit concerned at several different stretches. I think Nadal was broken three times in the second set? Needs improvement. But he pulled it out in three tough sets. Vamos, Rafa!

According to Rafa's coach, Uncle Toni, Nadal's confidence is lacking. And he hasn't been playing well at all lately. Something tells me that perhaps Uncle Toni isn't the most motivational of coaches. But his approach produces results, so who am I to question?

As for Serena's outfit... it's actually pretty conservative and a bit boring. Perhaps that's why, despite her 6-1, 6-1 win, Serena didn't seem to have her usual mojo. Glam it up, SW! We know you're capable of far crazier attire. And at least then we'd have something to think about for the 56 minutes in which you completely rout your opponents.

In short, we're gonna need a little bit more crazy if we're to stay interested.

We love you, James! And Andy, too.

Posted by DAVE: Second night of the Open. Nadal? Meh. (Sorry, Bess.) Serena? Ugh. James Blake? Now we're talking! So fun seeing him close out his first round match and grinning ear-to-ear during the post-match interview. Wouldn't you love to see him make a surprise run, like Jimmy Connors did back in 1991?

If you've lost track of Blake lately (and frankly, who hasn't, with his plummeting ranking and all), here's a great interview with him, courtesy of ESPN. He's a class act. Sort of the American answer to Federer, minus Grand Slam hardware. But, who knows? Maybe this year. (A guy can dream.)

By the way, I know that Blake is bald (and handsome) like me and Agassi. And, yes, that factors into my great admiration for him. So be it.

On a parting note, happy 29th birthday to one of my other favorite American men, Andy Roddick. (Note: He's NOT bald.) Best of luck this fortnight!

First round bracketology

Let's cut right to the chase. In the bracket challenge, the first round results are:

Bess
Women: 40/64
Men: 53/64 (nice!)
Total: 93/128

Dave
Women: 37/64
Men: 43/64
Total: 80/128

So far, I am in the lead! Never fear, friends of Dave. This will likely not last long. He has a history of winning these things. All. The. Time.

In other news, I was able to get caught up on some of the matches last night, but not a lot.

Some highlights for me:

• Dave's right that Kimiko Date-Krumm was impressive and refreshing. You go, 40-year-old! Your level of fitness is enviable. And the tennis was downright entertaining. Congrats to Venus on a good win.
• I, too, was sad to see James Blake go. I didn't get to watch that match, but as I said, it was bittersweet either way as I also love Marcos Baghdatis. Hopefully he can stay alive for a few rounds and make it worth the price of Blake. Next up for Bags is Seppi and then, gulp, Novak Djokovic.
• The big news seemed to be Milos Raonic's injury just three games into his match against Gilles Muller. I'm bummed about this, because I've been hearing great things about Raonic and have yet to really see him play. And I'm not bummed about this, because had he won he would have played Nadal, so we just cleared Nadal's path a little (and he had one of the toughest draws, so it's a bit of a relief for me.) Silver lining.
• WTHIGOW Marin Cilic? He was the hot new prospect about a year and a half ago, yet he hasn't done much of late, and lost in the first round here. I sort of like him and his game, so was sad to see this result. Maybe Dave knows what's up?

On the women's side of things:

• I'm bummed that I bought into the (albeit dwindling) hype about both Sam Stosur and Jelena Jankovic. For some reason I took them both 2-3 rounds in, but both lost in the first round. Particularly deflating for me since I truly should have trusted my gut on that Jankovic pick.
• I had picked Christina McHale to make it to the second round, which she did, beating Makarova who was seeded. Nice job, young American-I-Couldn't-Pick-Out-Of-A-Line-Up! (Sidenote: She's from New Jersey!) And since Peer lost, McHale's second round just got a little easier, we'll see how far she can go.
• The other notable loss (and questionable fashion... see Dave's post below) was Bethanie Mattek-Sands. I get that it was a tough, three-set loss. But refusing to shake the chair umpire's hand? Especially when, according to the commentators, that last shot you thought was in really wasn't? That's no way to comport yourself on court. And, as Dave also noted, it makes your ridiculous outfits seem even... more ridiculous.

That's about it for my first round wrap-up. On to round two! But next, I think we should talk fashion...

Hell, yes!

Bess, wherever you are, I hope you're sitting down as you read this post. I agree with you (to some degree) about Serena's tearful return. It was the shining moment of Day Two. For those who watched the match, you could see Serena was truly struggling in the second set. She roared back and then, yes, in a rare display, Serena shed a few tears. Wonderful to see, especially after all she has endured.

It remains to be seen, however, if Serena will do more than talk about herself. Great champions consistently and sincerely acknowledge their opponents and thank their fans. Didn't hear a lot of that (any of that?) yesterday from Serena. My bar is higher for her than any of the other women, because she's been at or near the top of the sport so long. I'm grateful we have had Federer and Nadal on top of the men's side. Class, grace, a degree of humility and even some self-deprecation? These are all endearing qualities in one of the few dignified sports left on the planet.

On that note, a nod to the always classy James Blake. Will his tough five-set 1R loss to Baghdatis mark the end of Blake's Wimbledon career? Hard to say (though ESPN was already writing him off last year). Let's hope Blake stays around through at least the US Open. He's good for the game, and, no matter how much his ranking has plummeted, he's a great ambassador for sportsmanship.

Preparing the gauntlet for the throwing down

Dave is right that I adore Rafa. But if you assume I adore him solely because he's a sultry Spaniard with one really big muscle (I'm referring to his left bicep, sheesh), you would be mistaken. It's that, yes, but also how he competes--as if every point were match point--and how awe-inspiring his tennis and athleticism can be. I want to compete in life like he competes on the court! (I also want to get paid in life like he gets paid on the court, but that's neither here nor there.)

So here's hoping the upcoming fortnight treats Rafa well. I, for one, am hoping for another Fed/Nadal final in two weeks time. We shall see.

On the women's side, I often have trouble picking a favorite. Whereas the men's side has been clearly dominated for the past 4-5 years, the women have been a little all over the place. And with Kim Clijsters out with an injury (or maybe just too ashamed of her new haircut?), I'm at a bit of a loss. I'll likely root for Maria Sharapova to finally break back after injuries, surgery and some tough months of competition. But there are a lot of great stories I could get behind. Let's see who starts to truly impress next week!

Speaking of next week, the Wimbledon draws came out today. And while everyone's talking about the crazy first round match-up between Isner and Mahut (who played the longest match ever -- in the whole history of anything -- in the first round here last year), I'd like to focus on another first round match I find particularly heartbreaking.

James Blake vs. Marcos Baghdatis.

Why, tennis gods? Whyyyyyy!? (Invoke the Nancy Kerrigan intonation.) I love them both, I root for them both, and now... one's guaranteed a loss in the first round.

Plenty of people I don't care about will win matches and advance to later rounds that I also won't care about. But either James or Marcos is packing up and shipping out of London in a mere 72-96 hours.

It's a cruel sport.
Yet I cannot look away.

And with that, I'm off to fill out my Wimbledon brackets so I can take Dave down this year*.

*Dave is totally gonna win.