Monday Tennis-X News, Notes, Quotes and Barbs

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
High heat is expected to continue at Wimbledon, with a chance of showers Monday and Thursday...Should one more men's seeded player pull, Paradorn Srichaphan is next in line for that spot (and lucky loser Jan-Michael Gambill would get Paradorn's place versus Marat Safin)...After his title in Nottingham, is Richard Gasquet the new favorite to come out of the weak third quarter in the men's draw into the semis?...Mario Ancic is no longer the highest ranked player without a title. That new honor goes to -- (tune in)...Roger Federer has won 29 straight matches on grass. Bjorn Borg holds the record mark at 41.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and a host of others turned out for the player party at the Hard Rock Cafe in London Saturday evening...When was the last time the Williams sisters, Justin Henin or Lindsay Davenport played a match on grass? Compare your findings with those of the top men...The ATP has named Etienne de Villiers, a former Walt Disney executive, chairman of the board. De Villiers will assume the position beginning Sept. 1, when current chairman and CEO Mark Miles steps down. During the transition ATP CFO Philip "Flip" Galloway will assume the temporary role of COO while the ATP continues to look for a new CEO...As only a millionaire teen would, Maria Sharapova will reportedly wear tennis shoes encrusted with 18-carat gold specks at Wimbledon: "It shines unbelievably," Sharapova said. "Hopefully it will distract my opponents a little bit." Not as much as that giant gold chain with the Volkswagon hood emblem around your neck. What's next, gold teeth?...The interns at ESPN.com stoned it on Sunday with the headline "Serena-Venus Final Possible (at Wimbledon)" -- what, in the fourth round? Will that count that as the final?...Cedric Pioline defeat an injured Goran Ivanisevic 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final of the ATP senior stop in Novi, Croatia: "He hurt his arm which was a shame, but I played well," Pioline said. "I only knew on Sunday night that I was coming here because of Boris (Becker) withdrawing and I was happy because Goran had told me that it was a nice place." Bet he wishes he could take that back...Xavier "X-Man" Malisse leads everyone on tour in the percentage of break points he converts on his opponent's serve, a good look for the former Wimbledon semifinalist.