Fired Up for Davis Cup?

Newsflash, tennis heads! All over the world this weekend there's apparently something happening called Davis Cup, which is supposed to be kind of a big deal. It's got to do with nation states, like Canada, New Mexico and the Iraq–and tennis! Yeah, it's a national tennis showdown! Like the Cold War with racquets or something, right? Sounds pretty cool. But is it some kind of secret event, held behind a giant curtain? Because, it's not excatly easy to find out about this to-do, even though it's supposed to have a bunch of important history... Too bad nobody knows about this mythical competition, because it seems like it might be really fun to watch 'n' stuff. Maybe next time the big organizer people (Mr. Davis?) could let people know about it, or have it all happen in one place. Oh well!

The Race to Madrid Heats Up

With about six weeks to go before the big year-end women's championships, only three of the tournament's precious eight spots are spoken for. So far Justine, Jelena and Sveta Kuznetsova are locked into for the big Spanish showdown, which offers Grand Slam-level prize money.Who else will be on the tennis tapas menu? As it stands now, Ivanovic, Sharapova, Chakvetadze and both Williams sisters are in position. But look for Bartoli to edge her way into the mix. Along with Hantuchova and Petrova, "Tippy Toes" Bartoli is in striking distance of the sisters, particularly considering the doubtful prospect that either Venus or Serena will show up at any of the tour's remaining tournaments.

Tennis Week's Major Makeover

It's fascinating to see how IMG, that many-tentacled giant squid of a company, is retooling Tennis Week, which it bought at the end of 2006. The magazine used to be a charming, informative but ultimately very sleepy little thing. Now it looks like IMG is going to morph it into something akin to US Weekly. See, IMG's burgeoning magazine division is run by a funny lady named Brandusa Niro, who semi-famously knocked off former US Weekly editrix Bonnie Fuller when the celebrity rag put out a one-off edition all about New York Fashion Week. IMG, which owns Fashion Week, hired Niro to keep putting out the giddy little papers all about who air-kissed whom on the way into the Yigal Azruel show or whatever. Now they're hoping the same sugar-coated formula can entrance tennis insiders. Racqonteur sees too many probable pitfalls to inumerate, starting with the seismic conflict of interest found in the same company that represents the players and own the tournaments publishing a piece of "journalism" about that world. But who's counting?

Viva La Vania

Promising news today from India on the future of American women's tennis. Turns out that 18-year-old Newport Beach, CA denizen Vania King sent Marion "Crazy Toes" Bartoli out of some rinky-dink South Asian tournament, 6-1, 7-5. Love that scoreline, baby. She blows her out of the first set, but then holds on in the second even as reality sets in that she actually has the opportunity to dismiss the tournament's top seed. Let's hope this fun result hints at what's to come from this youngster.

Whoa, Momma!

As if the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour weren't already strange enough—what with its flickering cast of erratic stars and steady stream of upsets—now comes news from the dreamy island of Bali that none other than former #1 and three-time Slam winner Lindsay Davenport, who gave birth to her first child in June, took home the trophy. Dav's beat Dani Hantuchova and Jelena Janks along the way, surprising everyone (and, in a way, no one). Sure, Lindsay rocked in her day, what with her Mac Truck groundstrokes and all. But for a 31-year-old new mom to breeze back into a pro tournament and win it sure casts an oddly harsh light on the women's game right now. All credit to her, but let's wait and see if Lindsay's new lightning can strike twice.

Jake Gyllenhaal's Open Secret

Even though CBS managed to zoom in on a seemingly endless parade of spectators from planet Celebritron during the U.S. Open men's final, Michael Barkan's crack team managed to overlook none other than Jake Gyllenhaal, who peered at the action between Fed and Novak with an intense gaze. Joining J-Gyl in the stands? A member of his small rotating cast of handsome gentleman friends. Whether sitting at West Village cafes, shopping together on Melrose in L.A., or taking in a tennis match, Jake and friend always seem to be having a lovely time.

Maria's Resolve

Racqonteur always wonders how champions faced with painful losses sort things out. Here, courtesy of 3rd round U.S. Open loser Maria Sharapova's website, is one player's perspective:

"I didn't leave my mom at the age of 7 for nothing. I didn't spend 6 hours a day practicing in the Florida sun at the age of 9 for nothing. I didn't spend those extra hours on the back courts with my dad figuring out if I'm going to play right-handed or left-handed for nothing. I didn't sleep in little cots for 3 years eating oatmeal out of a packet, while playing ITF's in the middle of nowhere for nothing. And I certainly didn't sit at the kitchen table, way past dinner, perfecting Russian essays and math equations until they met my mother's standards, for nothing. All this has helped me build character and there's no greater asset than being able to stand up for yourself. No matter how many losses I will have in my career, I will always know what has brought me to this point.....and that's hard work."

How's that for a tough cookie? Can't wait to see Maria battle back on the lightning fast late season indoor carpet and hardcourts.

Fed's Fashion Week Celebration

So you hold off a feisty young gun in the U.S. Open final, nabbing your 12th Grand Slam title and a $2.4 million paycheck in the process. How do you celebrate? Well, if you're Roger Federer, you hop in a town car with Anna Wintour and hightail it to a fashion show! That's right, FedEx's victory lap led him right to the front row of Oscar de la Renta's spring show in New York Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after he closed the door on Novak Djokovic. Sheesh, that Rog sure does love him some fashion!

Tennis Chic on the Catwalks

A quick dispatch from the spring fashion shows in New York. At Michael Kors on Sunday afternoon, right around the time Novak Djokovic was letting his first set point evaporate into thin air, this bold nod to looking chic on the court appeared on the runway. The girl's visor is a little outre, but the overall message is fun. Could this pointed opener have been designed to appease Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who undoubtedly would have preferred to be sitting in Federer's box out in Flushing Meadows rather than on a bench in the fashion show tents?

Sharap-okovic?

Inquiring Racqonteurs want to know: just what was Maria Sharapova doing in the back of Novak Djokovic's box during the men's final today? Surely, last year's women's champion could have a seat anywhere in the stadium she wanted. The fact that she elected to throw her support behind the Serb sensation certainly raises the tantalizing proposition of possible romance between two of the tennis world's biggest stars. One has to wonder if Maria helped console Nole, as his near and dear call him, after he let the final slip through his fingers. Stay tuned!

Hurricane Watch

Today the weather prognosticators started buzzing about the possibility of a hurricane visiting New York this weekend. Now, this is only a theory so far and most likely nothing will ever come of it. Let's just all hope that—on top of all of the more serious reasons—the big blow passes Gotham by and leaves the precious final rounds of the Open undisturbed. Fingers crossed!

Showtime for Novak

So maybe Novak Djokovic's quarterfinal against Carlos "Guns" Moya lacked the electric energy or drama of Roger and Andy's uber-hyped showdown the night before. Still, it was nice to see the young Serb send the old Mallorcan packing even when he wasn't playing at his highest level. And downright delightful to see was Novak's post-match show in which he performed two of his increasingly famous impressions of fellow top players on command: first a dead-on rendering of Sharapova's pre-serve prance and bounce, then a send-up of Rafael Nadal's baseline jig, underwear adjustment and all. With the silliness out of the way, it's time for Novak to dig in for two more serious matches on his way to Serbian Grand Slam First One!

Serena Comes Undone

What a nightmare for Serena Williams. Until last night, 2007 had been the year of Serena as superhero, capable of leaping into any draw and demolishing her opponents no matter how little she prepared. Last night, she just looked like a plain Jane being dusted by a legitimately superior athlete. After being shot out of the sky by Justine's rocket groundstrokes, Serena dragged herself into the press room for an excruciating post-match conference. The reporters kept asking, in so many words, "Why do you suck all of the sudden?" and "Do you hate yourself?" and Serena shot back all manner of dark and sarcastic retorts until finally admitting that she only walked in the room to avoid being fined. Where she goes from here, perhaps only the shadow knows!