ATP Beijing: Dear trophy, let’s switch places.

 
Not to be deterred by his loss in Thailand last week, Jo-Willy Tsonga managed to get his serve and forehand sorted out in Tokyo this week, winning his semifinal and final matches without being broken once. 
I only saw the first set, but that was all I needed to see. Jo powered his way around the [...]

Beijing: Woodshed Beatings.

My ears are still ringing. What the hell just happened?
 
I’ll tell you what: Marin Cilic just put on the lights-out performance of the year to defeat Rafael Nadal in two sets 6-1 6-3.  
And the craziest thing is – the scoreline is actually a lot closer than the match. At 5-0 in the first set, Rafa [...]

Beijing/Tokyo: Sayonara Dinara.

Yes Dina, I’m a terrible person:
 

 
Cheers erupted on Centre Court in Beijing as Zhang Shuai (not to be confused with Peng Shuai) took out the “Real World No 1″ Dinara Safina 75 76.
Zhang, ranked 226 in the world, has never won a match in the second round of a main draw [...]

Davis Cup Picspam: We got spirit yes we do!

FACT: Homelessness is a huge problem on the ATP tour. 
 

 
The Davis Cup semifinals and World Group play-offs are underway this weekend across 3 continents. What we love about the DC is that it’s filled with manhugs, bromances, and Swiss campfires. It all comes down to having “the spirit”.
What we hate about DC is that no [...]

Davis Cup Picspam: Hot or Not

HOT! Toothy smiles from gorgeous boys.
 

 
NOT! So you think you can dance … dance … dance … 
“Spank that ace” vs “the Robot Worm”
 
REUTERS/Stringer
 
HOT! Feliciano Lopez. Period.
 
AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
 
NOT! Feliciano Lopez eating a shoe. 
 
AP Photo/Carlo Baroncini
 
HOT! His Royal Gorgeousness.
 
AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
 
NOT! WC janitors. 
 
REUTERS/Stringer
 
HOT! Davis Cup bromance.
NOT! Best-of-five set matches days after the US Open.

USO Day 11: I care.

Del Poopoo is through to the semifinal of the US Open after coming back from a set and break deficit to defeat Marin in 4 sets. 
Bad execution and shot-selection for Marin on some key points meant that he couldn’t keep the momentum going despite a fairly strong start to the match. That, and also the [...]

USO Day 9: Time to “bring it”.

Time flies when you’re having fun. We’re past the two thirds mark of a slam, well and truly into the make-or-break end of things. The round of 16 is always a round of carnage where the dark horses of the tournament rear their shiny heads to make a statement.
This means only one thing: it’s time [...]

Practice makes perfect eyecandies #2.

The Sod is shirtless. Why? WHY?! 
My life is full of unexpected horrors. Ditto to Vera’s porcelain six-pack.
 

 
Nice to see Reeshie out there practicing. With ARod, apparently.
 
Pictures via @reen426
 

Montreal Day 1: Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker.

How do you learn to unlove this guy?
 

 
“It slipped away in the third set. I was just a little too nervous. It slipped away. I don’t have a grip on the important moments. I wanted it too much.
“I know what I have to do but it’s difficult. You know you don’t have it — it [...]

Weekly Mosaics: Sexbomb Sexbomb. You’re my Sexbomb

Here’s looking at you, Radek Stepanek, in all your mutant sexbomb glory. (Czech def Argentina 3-2)
 

 
Oh yeth, it’s the Davis Cup again. Whose smart idea was it to play Davis Cup the week  after Wimbledon? 3 best of five set tournaments in 7 weeks, talk about an overkill. 
 
Spain def Germany 3-2.
 
Fact # 1: Feliciano Lopez [...]