Smells like team spirit

This is kind of surprising to me, but it seems like the most interesting things in tennis happening this week are going down in World Team Tennis!

Earlier this week was the shock heard 'round the world when teenager Madison Keys beat Serena Williams in a singles match. When Serena loses to anyone, it's usually considered an upset. But to a kid? Wow.

Then just tonight, the Washington Kastles and MY Sporttimes got into it pretty hot and heavy, which resulted in Sporttimes coach Chuck Adams getting suspended after charging his players were hit by balls. And from the story I read, John McEnroe had to get in there and play peacemaker. What is the world coming to?

Maybe something like that will happen while I'm watching!

Feeling (red, white and) blue

You know, going back to last Sunday, it's been kind of a rough stretch for the big U.S. guys out there. I mean, thank God, for Rajeev Ram and his win in Newport, right?

From Andy Roddick's tough loss to the Davis Cup devastation of Mardy Fish and James Blake, the five-setters have not been those guys' friends.

I was out of town most of last week with limited Internet access, but was following the Davis Cup news on my cell phone. I couldn't believe what I read Friday evening that Blake and Fish both lost in five to Ivo Karlovic and Marin Cilic, respectively. The scorelines show the matches were exciting, I guess, with Blake getting rallied on and Fish coming close against young gun Cilic.

But (and excuse my venting going forward) geez! How come if Roddick's not playing and you throw out two top-15-talent-level players, the squad immediately becomes an underdog? Why aren't Blake and Fish capable of coming through in clutch performances? I'm always rough on those guys, I know, (and you do, too, if you read this blog) but I just wish they would step it up when the heat is on. I consider myself fans of theirs, but it's pretty tough being one at times. I would say my belief that Blake would have a chance against Cilic in that fourth rubber was at 5 percent or less, which shouldn't be the case if you were to go by ability.

You all also know I'm a big Davis Cup fan and I just wish my home team was in a little better shape. Or was capable of pulling it together like Israel (ISRAEL!) did against Russia. Look at what Dudi Sela, Harel Levy, Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram did: Wow! It's all about how much you want it, I guess, and I wish that could've been on display in Croatia.

(Photo: AP)

An Ode to Wimbledon

That was some tournament, huh? (in what can be classified as the understatement of the year!) Epic matches, history being made, amazing performances, just inspiring.

It's so inspiring, in fact, I decided to write a little poem about it that I like to call "An Ode to Wimbledon." And it goes a little something like this:

Congratulations, Roger
On making more history.
How you got that break in the end
To some, is a mystery!


But break you did,
In quite stunning fashion.
To fulfill your life's goal,
with such heart and passion!

Congratulations, Serena,
On returning to Wimbledon glory.
But will you get the top spot again?
I guess that's a different story!

I mean, come on WTA!
Get with the program!
Shouldn't she be rewarded
For winning Slam after Slam after Slam?

Congratulations, Andy.
For making quite the run.
And showing the world out there
That you're far from done.

Congratulations, Venus.
Even though you fell short at the end.
But if you had to lose,
At least it was to your sis and best friend!

Congrats to the old guys.
You know, Haas, Ferrero and Hewitt.
Who, like Andy Roddick,
Showed they can still do it.

Congratulations, Elena
For putting up quite the fight.
With your semifinal match
Indicative of the fortnight!

Congratulations, Andy Murray
For handling the pressure well.
A Major's in your future, for sure.
That's not so hard to tell!

Congratulations, doubles winners.
For pulling off a great feat.
There's not much better in sport,
Than pulling off a repeat!

There were many other great examples.
So I'm sorry if In this poem I missed one.
I'm just glad I got to witness,
This year's Wimbledon!

(Photos: Getty Images)

(Re)born on the third of July

I don't think I've been happier to be wrong as far as making predictions go!

That was an awesome win by Andy Roddick today against almost everyone's tourney finalist fave (including TTA?'s) Andy Murray. I was hoping Roddick would be able to pull it off, but I just thought Murray had his number and wouldn't have had any trouble with those bombs Roddick's been bringing to his matches.

Roddick played a very solid match, probably the best all-around one I've seen since that U.S. Open title run in '03. And I was particularly impressed with his demeanor in this match and the other day against Lleyton Hewitt. There was none of that over-the-top getting fired up that's been on display the past couple of years, which didn't even seem authentic to me: It just looked like it was an unnecessary energy drainer.

But as much as Roddick has shown this tournament, a lot of credit has to go to his team. Getting Larry Stefanki as his coach was a great move that has really paid off this year, and I guess the marriage thing is working for him, too!

Anyway, it's a great win for him and I bet Breakfast at Wimbledon will be a good one!

(Photo: Getty Images)

Don't say it, Van, don't … don't …

Ahhh! I can't hold back! Here it goes:

For some reason, I have some serious doubt about an all-Williams final happening!

There, I said it.

It's not like they're playing bad or anything—far from it, in fact. But Elena Dementieva's also been playing incredibly well and looks to have shaken whatever funk she was in. And while Dinara Safina hasn't exactly looked like the second coming of Venus, she's been fighting through, which is always good.

I wouldn't mind seeing an all-Williams final, and it is the call I made at the beginning of the tournament. But I just can't seem to shake those nagging thoughts.

I guess we'll see what happens by the end of the day!

UPDATE: So much for those doubts!

And then there were four

Sorry for the lack of postings—I've been celebrating the TTA? birthday! : )

But seriously, I, like millions of others, have been totally engrossed in the Big W, and today offered up some great results. How about that Tommy Haas? He's actually had a dominant grass-court season this year after having never really done too much on it in his career. I thought Marin Cilic was going to come through in that quarter, but Haas got him early on in one of the matches of the tournament.

It doesn't get any easier for Tommy Boy, seeing as he only has to play THE man, Roger Federer next in the semis. Fed got through Ivo Karlovic, who had been blasting dudes off the court, easily enough. He and Haas should have a decent match next.

But the match I've been waiting for all tournament should overshadow theirs when Andys Murray and Roddick go at it. They've both gone through some battles to get to this point: Murray in that classic against Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round and Roddick's five-setter against Lleyton Hewitt today. Anyway, I'm pulling for Andy to win! Seriously, though, whichever one did come through would make for a great story and I'm just hoping for an entertaining match (but if Roddick were to win, I wouldn't think it was the worst thing in the world)!

(Photo: Getty Images)

You ever seen "Sixteen Candles"?

Well, just like that Molly Ringwald classic, where her family forgot her birthday, Tennis Talk, Anyone?'s second birthday passed and I completely forgot it!

Happy belated birthday, dear blog of mine, and thanks to anyone and everyone who's come by and checked this site out!

— Van