Three, actually.

Franesca Schiavone is up there with Tsonga in the expressivenenss department: no one, but no one has a winning smile like hers:



Glitch in the matrix?



And here's Tommy Haas (see below) starring in what probably would be the most adult content ever posted on this lj.

( don't tell me I didn't warn you )(via Forty Deuce)

It's not that I'm a nostalgic type, but the resurgence of 30-or-about, written off by everyone, players this Wimbledon, is both awesome and heartwarming. And sometimes, freaky.

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So, men's and ladies' draws are down to the last 8. From what I've seen of the women, thigns are proceeding smoothly to the all-Williams final again. Where Venus should win her 6th, in the process making Serena look like an elephant on roller skaters. Again.



The only player able to upset that party is, probably, Azarenka.

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Well, not exactly demand, but can anyone please explain this situation to me:

So, there is a satellite TV company NTV+, and they have exclusive coverage rights for Wimbledon in Russia (and Belarus, and Kazakhstan... you get the drift), and also for Masters and a bunch of other tourneys. We pay quite handsomely for their services (I pay about $40 per month) and usually, their coverage is adequate. They give preferential treatment to Russian players whenever they can, but I can live with that. During slams, they cover tennis on two channels: the tennis channel proper, and another supplementary channel which is used mainly to show various odds and ends that don't fit anywhere else. So, I'm really okay with their coverage - if there is a match that they don't show and that I want to see, I go find a stream, but generally, I prefer to watch on my tube.

So, when on Monday they were showing Verdasco versus whathisname British wildcard, instead of Djokovic-Benettau on Central, I said some bad words and went to find a stream. When on Monday they were showing not one, but two crappy women's matches on different channels, instead of Murray-Kendrick on central, I was actually grateful, because that way I could placidly watch crappy women's matches and later Safin, and not get my knickers in a twist hating Murray's liver. When they ditched Venus' opener in favour of some russian female mediocrity or another, I didn't get myself all worked up over that, because let's face it, even if I like Vee, I don't like her enough to get upset over missing her early round match. But today, I actually for the first time in almost 4 years, I wanted to go to Moscow and tear their programming director's heart out.

I was at home the entire day. I wanted to watch DelPo-Hewitt.

So, after Kuznetsova finishes her match, they switch to central, where JMDP and Rusty have just began. Cool, I say.

The match turns out to be a wowser. Quality os through the roof. The guys are really going for it.  Hewitt wins the 1st set, and they start the 2nd. And then they switch to Safina.

Okay, I can sort of understand that decision: she is Russian and #1, there's no way they weren't going to show her. But on the other channel, at the same time, they were showing - drumroll! - Peng and Radwanska! Because - drumroll!!! - they were waiting for Davydenko's match, which was cheduled after Pend-Rad AND teh leftovers of Seppi-Giquel! So I cursed a blue streak and went to find a stream.

So, there was endless Rad-Peng crapfest, commercials, Seppi-Giquel crapfest, and all that time Rusty and DelPo were battling it out on central, and only when Lleyts was serving for the match (for the first time), the commentator of Seppi-Giquel deigned to switch to central - evidently he got it at last, that there was gonna be no Davydenko for another hour or so.

So tell me, my foreign f-listers, is that kind of situation normal? MAybe I was getting myself worked up over nothing? Cause I was really freaking angry this time. Is that acceptable for a dedicated tennis channel?

Vince Spadea raps for BBC

Also, not positively confirmed, but Neil Harman reports that Rafa Nadal's parents have separated. Sucks, if it's true, knee tendinitis and now this? Un-freaking-fortunate.

Parting shot of the day: Robert Kendrick at a moment of quiet contemplation:

I know, I've been slacking off on lj lately, and for no good reason, too. I have some pretty, pretty photos to show you later, I promise. Now though, I have a couple of shots that are just beyond words. Sort of like my previous post, but in a funny way, instead of a horrifying way.

( over here )I don't honestly know what's better: the "racquet over crotch" position or stiletto heels with toes pointing inward.

If I were Dinara, I'd sue for defamation.

Also, there are a couple of particular portraits drom the last clay season under the cut. Not for the faint of heart - and I mean it.

( prepare to be scarred for life ) 
Now, if you didn't want to claw your eyes raw, you're stronger person than I. To forget those horrors, I'd strongly recommend to go and see Nole's Speed Lessons

http://www.speedlessons.com/

My particular favourite is "The return"

Hey Bamby, in case you didn't notice, it's not clay out there anymore. And being down 5-7 2-5 0-40 to Serra is not fucking acceptable.