By James Martin
Photo by Karim Jaafar/Getty

In an age when Kevin Federline “raps” and AshleE Simpson “sings,” it’s reassuring to know we still have Stephen Malkmus.

In the 1990s, Malkmus was the lead singer and guitarist for the seminal indie rock band Pavement (if you don¹t own the band’s albums, buy them in 1999, Malkmus has put out three solo albums, including last year¹s most excellent Face the Truth.

Fans of Malkmus’ remember Pavement’s “Stop Breathin” on Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, in which he used clever double entendres about tennis (“got struck by the first volley” and “never held my service”) in a song about the civil war. In fact, Malkmus played high school ball, and he remains a huge fan and player.

We caught up with Malkmus, who spoke with us from his home in Portland, Ore.

Who are your favorite players?
“I like Roger Federer, Marat Safin, and Juan Carlos Ferrero.”

What about the Americans?
“Unfortunately, we don’t have any Americans who are cool these days. Well, there’s Lindsay Davenport. She’s a country-club grinder. I can relate to that.”

What about Andy Roddick?
“He’s from Omaha. That’s nice. But his game is kind of boring. It’s very blue-collar. He’s unlike Federer, who’s an aristocrat of tennis.”

You played on your high school team.
“I was No. 2 in singles, but I got my ass handed to me on a weekly basis. I played to participate in high school sports.”

Were you a serious player?
“Not really. I didn’t have that competitive fire that the other kids had. You not only have to be good, but you have to be a brat to win in tennis.”

What kind of game do you have?
“I’m a righty, an all-courter. I should come to net more, but I don’t because I’m too lazy. And I’ve never developed a strong backhand volley—that’s been my downfall.”

Do you use a one- or two-handed backhand?
“I used to hit with two hands, but out of laziness I’ve developed a one-hander. It’s a slacker’s slice.”

What kind of racquet do you play with?
“I use a Wilson Hammer. But most of the people I play with buy their racquets in thrift shops. You just regrip and restring them.”