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.

Broken Psyche

I'm still trying to process the trophy ceremony, which left me in tears, though I had cheered for Nadal the entire match. I like what Laikhuran P, from India had to offer as a response to the article, Dealing with the hurt

"That moment when Roger's emotion burst ,I thought, well, it was not just a game. It was a lot more than it. He perhaps realized that he has reached a point in life where he needs to start thinking beyond tennis. Even if he continues for another three years, something on his face tells me there is something going on in his mind other than tennis . As for the game, I think Roger himself knows he is against this huge thick high wall which he may not be able to dismantle. Ever. I think he knows this was the best moment to achieve that 'pinnacle' which has still eluded him."

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Congrats to Serena for winning her 10th Grand Slam!

A demolishing victory, 6-0, 6-3 in less than an hour that left her young opponent in tears. Glad I didn't pay for one of those expensive front row tickets.

Serena always plays her best tennis on the biggest stages of tennis. She roared in this final, looking nothing like the Serena of week 1 playing Gisela Dulko. Serena lives for these moments and there's something to be appreciated of her grit, ferocity and power.

Serena returns to No.1.

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.

Federer in 5!

Phew! Can you say "stressed out"? Being a hardcore Federer supporter and fan, I was so worried to see him go down 2 sets to Tomas Berdych in the Round of 16 at the Aussie Open tonight. The hard-hitting Czech was in complete control during those 1st two sets. His forehands were crisp and literally hitting the line, time and time again.

But in the 7th game of the 3rd set, a combination of increased performance by Federer and a couple of unforced errors by Berdych, found the Fed Express turning the tide for the first time during the match. Roger had found his stride and starting believing in himself again. He took the match 4/6 6/7 6/4 6/4 6/2. Wow! I was sweating beads! I actually took a shower break just to calm my emotions down. Haha! In a night that saw Jelena Jankovic make an early exit, this would have been an even bigger upset! Luckily for JJ (and Federer), her headline is safe.

The true sign of a Champion is his ability to dig down deep, and to find the courage to fight no matter what. It was so refreshing to see Federer showing so much emotion.

This win will give Federer a lot of confidence heading into the Quarterfinals. Look out del Potro!

Lights Out!

Marion Bartoli is through to the Quarterfinals of the Australian Open, as she dispatches Jelena Jankovic in 2 very convincing sets - 61 64. The flat-hitting French woman was on fire the entire match, putting it to the current #1 in fashionable style. She's sporting a new, streamlined physique as well. She actually looks like a tennis player (despite her balletesque serving stance). Jelena is likely to lose her #1 ranking following the Aussie Open, and will have to fend off the media wolves regarding her validation as #1. In order for her to stay at the top, either Serena, Safina, or Dementieva will have to lose in their Quarterfinal matches. I doubt that all of the remaining top seeds will fall before the Semifinals.

Side note: Perhaps Jelena should challenge the line calls a little less. In the second set alone, she challenged 3 times, losing each of those challenges. And that was at 2-2! After that, she had no challenges remaining for the entire set. I read somewhere that Serena consciously decides not to challenge often, preferring to stay in the moment and not be sidetracked by the minor details. Seems to work for her!

No Underwear

LMAO!

Serena on streaker: My Innocent Eyes

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".

Welcome back!

Anyone who saw the match this morning between the resurgent Jelena Dokic and the up-and-coming Danish teen, Caroline Wozniacki, can tell that Dokic is back! For a moment tonight, Dokic was playing some of the most amazing tennis of her career. Dokic won 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. She's into the Rd of 16, her best showing since 2002. She was playing Top 10 tennis again. With some work and a little re-polishing (and with virtually no points to defend this year), Dokic can be in the top 20 in no time. What a great surprise for 2009! I'm such a sucker for comebacks.

This leaves all the top contenders wondering, "Who invited her to the party?"

While we lay sleeping

I woke up this morning, without even bothering to look at the match scores from last night, which included Venus, Blake, Tsonga and Gulbis.

Well, it didn't take long for me to learn that Venus got knocked out by Carla Suarez Navarro, in the 2nd round!

OMG, I had written in Venus as my favorite to win the Australian Open, over her sister Serena. Especially after Serena's performance last night. Up until the Australian Open, it looked to me like Venus was playing amazing and hungry tennis.

Venus' Australian Open record is 33-10 - almost identical to her French Open record of 35-12. Which is not bad by any means, just not as impressive as her 5 titles and 58-7 record at Wimbledon.

Since 2004, Venus has had exits in the 3RD, 4TH, 1ST, QF and now in the 2RD at the Australian. Next time, I'll go with my heart. Go JJ!

Musical Chair Rankings

By winning her first round match, Jankovic increased her chances of remaining No. 1 at the conclusion of the Australian Open. Here is a look at the possible scenarios regarding the coveted No. 1 ranking. Our friends over at OntheBaseline did the calculation.

Number One Ranking Projections

Points defending at Melbourne: Jelena Jankovic (900, reached 2008 SF), Serena Williams (500, reached 2008 QF), Dinara Safina (4, fell 2008 1r) and Elena Dementieva (280, reached 2008 4r).

With the winner receiving 2000 ranking points, and the top four ranking positions being so close, here are some scenarios:

• If Jelena Jankovic wins, she will remain No.1 regardless.

• If Dinara Safina wins, she will become No.1, regardless.

• If Serena Williams wins, she will become No.1 IF… she does not play Jankovic in the finals.

• If Elena Dementieva wins, she will become No.1 IF … she does not play Jankovic in the finals.

Additionally, with Jankovic winning her first round match at the Australian Open, Safina would need to reach AT LEAST the semifinals, while S.Williams and Dementieva would need to reach the finals to have a chance to become the World No.1.

Go JJ!

We'll keep you updated about rankings as matches unfold.

To Djok or not Djok?

The Djoker has been off his game lately. And if he doesn’t get into groove soon, he might be exiting the Aussie Open sooner than he’d like.

He looks frustrated and annoyed, never very happy with himself. And not just in the Australian Open either. During his Nieminen match last week, he looked deflated and lacked concentration.

Where is the confident, aggressive play that led him to his victory in Melbourne last year? Personally, I think the pressure to keep up with the leading pack is starting to mentally wear on him.

Federer gets tough draw!

It seems everywhere I look, journalist are writing about the "difficult" draw Federer was handed for the upcoming Australian Open. According the Tennis Experts Blog by Martin Rogers (Federer slammed by Aussie draw),

Roger Federer finds plenty to get angry about these days, and his Australian Open draw likely won't improve his mood.

Tough draw? Are you serious? Federer is lucky to be in the bottom half of the draw. At this stage of the game, it's more psychological for the Fed Express. And the only true psychological competitors that Federer currently has on the circuit are Nadal and Murray. But for good measure, let's take a look at his competition for the upcoming Aussie Open.

Seppi - In Federer's 1st Round, he will have to face the very capable Andreas Seppi. But despite the skill level of the Italian, Federer holds a 3-0 record over him. Their latest meeting was in Doha, where Federer out-played Seppi 6/3 6/3.

Moya - To date, Federer holds a commanding 7-0 lead in head-to-head confrontations with the Spaniard. And this takes into account when Moya was at his very best. In their latest match-up, Federer showed impeccable form in downing Moya in straight sets at 6/2 6/3.

Safin - The last time Safin took down the King was in 2005 at the Australian Open. That was a different Safin. Since then, he has lost every encounter to Federer. Their last match was at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships, where Federer took Safin out in straight sets, 6/3 7/6(3) 6/4. En route to that match, Safin was showing his best form to-date. Even at his best, Federer showed no signs of weakness to the Russian. Their current head-to-head stats show Federer up 9-2.

Djokovic only potential roadblock Federer is likely to face on his way to appearing in his 18th Grand Slam Final appearance. And even then, Federer holds a 7-2 head-to-head lead over the Serb. The Djoker hasn't been playing his best tennis as of late either, losing twice in two weeks to players outside the Top 30. He will have to improve his form prior to his meeting with Federer if he wants to put a dent in the King's armour.

So, tough draw? I hardly think so! These are players that Federer holds a competitive advantage over, both psychologically and physically. The real competition is in the upper half of the draw, where many of the younger, up-and-coming talents will have to out-gun and out-play each other just to make it to the Final.

Although the media is oh-so eager to create drama, I highly doubt that Federer is all that worried about his half of the draw. See you in Melbourne!

Australian Open Draw Out - ATP

Looking at the men's draw for this years Australian Open, we're in for a good one.

Upper Half of the Draw
Nadal gets the BIG Names, Half the city of Paris, three compatriots and four Argentines.. and a very long road to the Final.

Murray and Tsonga look primed for a Quarterfinal match-up at Rod Laver Arena. But Tsonga may first have to pass an impromptu exam sometime in the 3rd or 4th Rounds with veterans Blake and/or Schuttler.

Lower Half of the Draw
Djokovic, not playing his best tennis, comes to the Australian Open as the defending Champion and could face Jarkko Niemenen in the 3rd round. He lost to Jarkko in straight sets at the Medibank International in Sydney last night. But, if everything goes according to plan, Novak will await the winner of Nalbandian/Roddick in the Quarterfinals. This match-up is sure to be a healthy check-up before a potential rematch of last year's Semifinal with Roger Federer.

Federer has two former champions, Carlos Moya and Marat Safin, both nowhere near their former best. Facing little to no resistance, Fed could walk his way right into the Championship match simply by passing his first hurdle in the Semifinals.

Australian Open Draw Out - WTA

The draw for the Australian Open has just been posted! And here’s a Mobster Blogster view-from-the-sky outlook of this year’s key attractions on the women’s side of the field.

Upper Half of the Draw
Jelena on cruise control until Marion Bartoli in the Round of 16; a possible tricky match up. Look for Jelena to meet Vera Zvonareva in the Quarters.

Ivanovic gets a slightly thicker quarter of the draw with many young talents hiding behind every corner. Watch for a possible repeat of last years match between Ivanovic and the smart and feisty Caroline Wozniacki in the Round of 16. If Ana can scrape by with a win there, look for a blockbuster Roland Garros rematch with Dinara Safina in the Quarterfinals.

Lower Half of the Draw
Venus is gifted a watered-down quarter of the draw, with the prospect of facing a collection of the weakest servers on the WTA tour. She is likely to face the surprise Olympic Champion, Elena Dementieva, in the Quarterfinals.

Serena gets a bunch of sentimental crowd favorites in her quarter of the draw: Amelie Mauresmo, Jie Zheng, and Nicole Vaidasova. However, it's unlikely any of these match-ups will materialize. Here we go again - another Semifinal match-up between Venus and Serena.

Sharapova withdraws from Australian Open

BREAKING NEWS: Sharapova announces Sunday that she will withdraw from the Australian Open.

“I am very sorry to announce that I am not going to be able to defend my title at this year’s Australian Open. My shoulder is doing great, but I just started training a few weeks ago and I am just not near the level I need to be to compete at the highest levels

Read more here!

2009 Projections - Part I

ATP HEADLINES

Long live the king!

2009 is sure to be a year plastered with highlights surrounding the Swiss maestro Roger Federer, and his ultimate quest of breaking the all-time Grand Slam record set by Pete Sampras. Securing a Grand Slam title in 2009 will be much harder than in past years, as pressure from the top players continue to mount. Despite 2008 being one of his worst seasons to date, Federer still has much to defend in 2009: a semi-final appearance at the Australian Open, runner-up at both the French Open and Wimbledon, and the US Open title. From where we stand, it seems unlikely that he will regain the coveted No. 1 position from Rafael Nadal.

¡Vamos Rafa!
And while we’re on the topic of Rafa, let’s talk about his chances of remaining at the apex of men’s tennis. After a near perfect 2008 season (French Open & Wimbledon Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist), the current “King of the Hill” will have a lot of ranking points to defend. If Rafa can manage to stay healthy and strong, it is our prediction that he will remain at the top of the men’s game.


Musical chairs anyone?
Novak Djokovic is now a tested player. And like Nadal and Federer before him, he will have to contend with the hungry new talent nipping at his Adidas wearing heel. Although we predict some success for the Serb, he will not reach No. 1 in 2009. Instead, sit back and watch as Federer, Murray, and Djokovic trade ranking positions throughout the season, engaging in a proverbial “musical chair” exchange. A very exciting spectacle for fans to follow (I’m already frothing at the mouth)!

The Roddick/Blake effect

With the Americans now on a downward spiral, Andy Roddick and James Blake will be forced to produce killer results this year to remain in the Top 10. If Blake’s recent result at the Hopman Cup in Australia is any indication of his longevity at the top of the sport, his fans are in for a disappointing season (he lost in 3 sets to Dominik Hrbaty, currently ranked 250). These one-time elite players will manage to hold on for just a bit longer before making their way towards the veterans’ lounge.

Time Machine
Nadal was not the only man in 2008 to have a tremendous year. After the Wimbledon Championships, Andy Murray had, what can only be called, a breakthrough year. Since then, he has matured both mentally and physically, and we predict that he will continue to ride the momentum he created in the later part of 2008. This will be the year Andy Murray wins his first Grand Slam, taking with him multiple titles and inching his way closer to the top of the world.

Starlight, starbright…oh the future burns so bright
Tsonga has finally proven his worth, and will continue to grow throughout the 2009 season. However, we believe it will be Juan Martin del Potro who will end 2009 in the Top 5. The true youngsters of the ATP tour, Japanese sensation Kei Nishikori and Latvian teenager Ernest Gulbis, each possess tremendous talent; their quality will soon be measured.

Last Cheers

Watch and cheer for your perennial favorites, Safin and Hewitt. These tried-and-true veterans will shimmer ever-so-brightly, sending their devoted fans into a heighten frenzy, giving us a temporary glance into their former glory. In the end, however, their brilliance will fade just as quickly as it sparked.

Final Bow
Who will make their retirement announcement first: Marat Safin or Fabrice Santoro?

Thread to Follow

Will Federer chase down the Pete Sampras Grand Slam record? We predict he will match the all-time record. But will he surpass the great mark of 14 in 2009?

We can hardly wait to see how 2009 will unfold!

When I say "Bun", you say "Oven"

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court, we would like to announce that our beloved Lindsay Davenport is pregnant, AGAIN! So, let me get this straight. Just last week we got wind of her impending return to the game (Australian Open 2009), only to find out today that she “will be putting tennis on hold for the foreseeable future.” ("Quote"). If you feel like you’ve just been PUNKED, you are not alone. Needless to say, we were all looking forward to her return to center court. I guess we’ll have to wait another year to see if she can fool us yet again. Any gamblers?

Let the madness begin!

With the Australian Open just under a month away, the excitement is building for what is likely to become one of the most intriguing and memorable seasons to date!

To the devout tennis enthusiast, the Australian Open is a welcomed reprieve from their dampened winter holidays. The heat and drama of Melbourne can be felt worldwide! To increase the intensity of the drama, fans are ever-so-loud at predicting who will triumph and who will fail. For the players, it is the start of a new season, a clean slate, a chance to show off their new found fitness and to start the new year with a big bang. The defending Champions have much to prove, as a fleet of fiery and enthusiastic newcomers fight to climb the standings and win that elusive 1st grand slam. Will the Champions prove their mettle, or will an up-and-comer steal the show? Here are our predictions for this years championships down under.

Men’s Champion: Roger Federer

Women’s Champion: Venus Williams