The boat has taken off...

Kleybs you just won me over... Kleybs I like your backhand- that I'll give you!

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour | Video | Features | Features | Coming Off Court with Kleybanova

5 hours on court is not easy on you? Isn't that what you do all day anyway, remember, your job?



What a slouch!

Fashion Patrol

I love the Australian Open. And one of the reasons I love it is due to the outrageous outfits the players get to wear. Some are hot, and some are not. With the winners finally crowned Down Under, here are my picks for the Best and Worst Dressed Players at the 2009 Australian Open.

Top 5 Best Dressed


#5 - Zheng Jie Simple, yet chic. Understated elegance. Nothing like a little Mercedes symbol to add a little class to your outfit as well. Great job, Zheng Jie!


#4 - Dinara Safina If you had asked me to predict who would be on my shortlist of worst dressed players before the start of the Aussie Open, I would have put Dinara Safina firmly on that list. Fortunately, I would've been wrong. Turns out, Dinara was as sick of her pink, "pepto bismol" outfit as we were. I love her new look. Let's just hope that hideous pink outfit remains shelved....permanently!


#3 - Elena Dementieva Elena was once the featured cover story for Canada's street-style magazine PEACE. She's a little bit of a fashionista, actually. She definitely delivered in the style department this year at the Australian Open. Her bright orange outfit really popped, especially against the deep blue of the courts. Can't wait to see her next outfit!


#2 - Roger Federer The Fed always shows up looking stylish and chic. If it hadn't been for Rafa's drastic transformation this year, I would have put him as #1. He was even wearing a matching belt. Whether on or off the court, the Swiss Maestro is a class act.


#1 - Rafael Nadal Like the rest of the world, I was completely shocked when I first saw Rafa's new look. No more sleeveless shirts or longer shorts. I guess being the World #1 comes with responsibilities other than stellar on-court performance. I liked his sense of color coordination too. Congrats on the new look Rafa, and on winning this year's trophy Down Under!

Top 5 Worst Dressed


#5 - Jelena Jankovic She looked like she was on maternity leave. And that color? How can you instill the fear of God into your opponent with a soft green pastel color. And to top things off, the outfit looked as if it had been washed one too many times. But since this is her first outing wearing a dress from her new sponsor ANTA, I'm willing to give her a little break.



#4 - Jelena Dokic We all love the comeback story of Jelena Dokic, but that doesn't mean we have to love her outfit. She looked like she had just stepped out of a time machine from the days of Martina Navratilova. She should save this outfit for her next 80s Night party. With all that hard earned cash, I hope she shows up next time with something a little more stylish (and current). I have faith in her.


#3 - James Blake Hello Grandpa Blake. The word out"fit" can sometimes refer to the size of the fit. Look at how much room he has in that shirt. It's like he's drowning in that rag. For someone that looks like a commercial print model, he has no excuse for showing up to the Australian Open wearing a shirt tailor-made for a man twice his size. C'mon!


#3 - Andy Murray If you're as pasty as Murray, you might want to steer clear of colors that make your skin look even more bleached. Australia is the prefect place to debut a new outfit, one with a splash of color. Perhaps a bold, primary color like red, which mirrors his fiery personality. And while he's at it, we suggest he get a tan! One more thing. Next time, please don't wear a shirt with dark patches under your armpits. Not a good idea.


#1 - Alisa Kleybanova Can you say "train wreck"? Kleybenova's outfit takes the highest honors for The Worst Dressed Player at the Australian Open. Congratulations Alisa! Those hideous colors, and that horrible hat. I couldn't believe my eyes the first time I saw her images flash on the TV screen. Especially when contrasting her against the super stylish Ana Ivanovic. Next time, she should phone her compatriot Dementieva for some much-needed fashion advice, or face the danger of being a repeat offender. Man, it's a good thing she's got some major game.

The Other Jelena!

(This is the last game of from the Dokic v Kleybanova match. Enjoy!)

What an incredible match! I became a fan instant fan of Jelena Dokic after seeing her play her 1st round match against the upcoming Tamira Paszek. Check out this picture of Jelena's concentration during the Kleybanova match last night. Amazing! Only the very best players display this kind of focus. Inspirational!

Watching her play, you can't help but love her. She has this uncanny way of sucking the viewer in, drawing them into her side of the court. And with all that she's been through over the years, it's as if the rest of the world is willing her on to win. We love a comeback story, don't we? During her match with Kleybanova, I saw glimpses of her former Top 10 form. Shots that you thought were over, weren't. Just when you thought she was out of that 3rd set, she'd come up with this amazing passing shot that simply took your breath away. Exhilarating match. One player would seize the upper hand, only to have it take away moments later. Talk about drama. This was a match worthy of a final.

There was this one moment of the 3rd set where Kleybanova made this incredible crosscourt shot. It was too good! ESPN pans to see the expression on Jelena's face. Instead of rolling her eyes or getting mad, she has this look on her face that reads, "Damn that was good!" All done with a big smile. I love it! She has it all. Personality, concentration, drive, determination, power, grace, timing. Wow! (Now, let me say, I'm re-watching that match as I compose this blog.)

Let's go, Jelena! I predict that she will regain her Top 10 ranking soon. You now have one new, undying fan. :)

Side note: Kleybanova should hold her head high after that match. I saw signs of a future champion watching her play. She showed a lot of courage and spirit. I look forward to seeing her tennis future unfold.

Got Juice?

Anyone up for some Kleybanova Juice?

Russian, Alisa Kleybanova, was literally squeezing sweat from her bunched up hair during her 3 hour match against Ana Ivanovic this morning. At every change of break, she would wring out approximately a half a cup of "Kleybanova Juice".