News, gossip and other items of interest from the world of tennis:
ClijstersTube
Just before she made her official comeback to competitive tennis, Kim Clijsters launched her own YouTube channel, where fans can watch match highlights, interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses at her personal life. In one clip, Clijsters discusses her complexion problems, and advises her fans to leave their zits alone. Or on a visit to Whole Foods (who brings a video camera to the grocery store?), we find out that Jada sure likes her soy milk!
Scott is Swinging for the Stars
While Ana Ivanovic continues to struggle with her tennis game, her romantic life does not appear to be on par with her on-court results. The Serbian pin-up has been linked to Australian golfer Adam Scott since the beginning of the season, when the two were snapped together on a beach Down Under in Queensland. While Ivanovic and Scott dropped off the radar for much of the spring, they had the rumor mills churning again when Scott was spotted at Ivanovic’s matches at Wimbledon in June. She later reciprocated the gesture by supporting her beau at the British Open in Scotland a few weeks later. (Her presence at Turnberry didn’t help his golf game, however; Scott missed the cut.) The couple has kept a low profile since then.
Politically Correct
We all know that Billie Jean King was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama this summer. The award, which is the highest civilian honor in the land, is reserved for those who make “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” The realms of tennis and politics also intersected in the form of Condoleezza Rice, the former Secretary of State (and huge sports fan) who blogged about her love of Wimbledon for the Daily Beast and made an on-court appearance at the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford University, where she now serves as a political science professor. Rice was also a presenter at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, where she chatted up Serena Williams.
War of the Words
It’s easy to get emotional on the court in the heat of competition, but lately it seems the top players are going on the offensive in their off-court interviews, too. Some recent incendiary sound bites:
“Get rid of the riffraff,” Maria Sharapova told *ESPN The Magazine* about how she would fix her sport if she were in charge. Sharapova continued: “The players' lounge isn't a nightclub, either. It's hard to get ready for a match when there's a bleached-out blonde in six-inch stilettos and a denim miniskirt hanging out. Who is this person, and why is she here?”
“I don’t know what to say. It looks like she’s playing every single week, more than anyone else. If she can play two tournaments in a week, she will do this,” said Elena Dementieva about Jelena Jankovic (according to Douglas Robson’s blog). Dementieva had been asked about Jankovic’s ambitious schedule, and the Serb’s critical comments regarding the “WTA Roadmap,” which will limit her entry into certain tournaments.
Sarah Alvanipour is a freelance contributor to TENNIS.com's Backcourt section.