Songs for the Stars: Fitting karaoke choices

The intersection of tennis and music is well-traveled. Perhaps no one knows this better than Serena Williams, who first appeared in a rap video in 2005 (for Memphis Bleek and Jay-Z's "Do My") and just this May serenaded a Miami nightclub crowd with Destiny's Child's "Survivor":

Forever a competitor, Serena issued a sing-off challenge to Andy Murray in Eastbourne that carries over to an unsurprisingly drenched Wimbledon. At hand: karaoke, and lots of it. Apparently Murray's go-to song is R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion," which sounds appropriately emo and mopey for the often emotionally bedraggled Brit. Serena herself chose NWA's "Straight Outta Compton." Very linear of her.

Without further ado, a list of songs that other top pros might consider for their own player's lounge scareoke:

Rafael Nadal: "Whip It" by Devo
Yes, purely because of his forehand form. ("So whip it ... whip it good!")

Caroline Wozniacki: "#1" by Nelly
Indeed, a powerful performance of this will show up all the haters, and the line "Only way you wear me out is stitch my name on your pants" can be dedicated to Stella McCartney.

Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, in a dream duet: "Scream" by Michael and Janet Jackson
Self-explanatory, and would be epically self-deprecating.

Novak Djokovic: "The Joker" by Steve Miller Band
No explainer needed here, either, and oh how he'd dive into that hokey, delightful lyric: "Some people call me the space cowboy, yeah/ Some call me the gangster of love." Nadal should guest on at least one line: "'Cause I'm a picker, I'm a grinner..."

Roger Federer: "Crown on the Ground" by Sleigh Bells
This is the tune that Tomas Berdych forced him to sing ("Set, set that crown on the ground") at last year's Wimbledon, and Fed's a very self-aware individual. Many tennis scribes have said he's lost his luster, and he's fittingly dusted them off. Even so, surely he's a bit too refined to appreciate this trashy jock jam.

Venus Williams: "Venus vs. Mars" by Jay-Z
Her unlikely favorite band may be 311, but this wordy rap track shouldn't be too much for the older sister's skills. The subject matter of romantic plights between the sexes is ripe in light of her comments to the press this week, that she doesn't single out any male player as particularly handsome and really just likes "a winner." She should supplement the performance with some of her patented karaoke dancing:

Kimiko Date-Krumm: "Age Ain't Nothing But A Number" by Aaliyah
The matron of the WTA has proven this time and again, and certainly this first week against Venus, potentially the match of the tournament so far.

Tomas Berdych: "Bird On a Wire" as interpreted by Johnny Cash (written by Leonard Cohen)
One lyric would be a weeper coming from the Czech, who has struggled mightily since reaching the 2010 Wimbledon final and admitted that the increased attention got to him: "Like a bird, on wire/ Like a drunk, in a midnight choir/ I have tried in my way to be free"

Sam Stosur: Any song by M.I.A., as that's just what she is anymore
"It Takes A Muscle" would be well paired with her apparently win-nothing biceps.

Flavia Pennetta: "I'll Never Let You Go" by Flava Flav
The former girlfriend of Carlos Moya could sing this not to her departed paramour but rather to her ill-fortuned, injured doubles partner, Gisela Dulko. And the rapper himself would be wise to have this super-fly Italiana appear in his next video clip, whenever that should drop.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)