Serena Williams is fat. Serena is out of shape. Serena cares more about fashion than tennis. Those were the accusations. But Serena had the last word at the 2007 Australian Open. The younger Williams sister did show up at the event on Day 1 a bit doughy, but by Day 14 she looked in absolute […]

Televised tennis has become a little bit more like a real match of tennis with today’s announcement that ESPN and The Tennis Channel (TTC) are joining forces for coverage of Roland Garros and the Australian Open. If you’re fortunate enough to get TTC, there are some real gems to this deal. For one, you’ll be […]

When two diva’s take to the court for the women’s final of this year’s Australian Open, fans should be provided with enough drama to last us until Roland Garros. In this corner, weighing in at — dare I say — 135 lbs*, Ms. Serena Williams. Serena’s move through the draw over the past two weeks […]

Boy was I wrong on the Andy Roddick-Roger Federer tussle. I set the alarm extra early, and thanks to Roger I was only up an hour or so before I went back to sleep mid way thru the third set. After waking up not too long ago and seeing the final score, guess I didn’t miss much in the last few games.

In my last post I unfairly omitted Fernando Gonzalez from mention. My bad. I just didn’t think that him beating James Blake was that big a stunner. Nor do I think him beating Rafael Nadal in straight sets last night was much of a stunner either.

Last week on Off the Baseline, I wrote up a quick post on the conundrum I encountered when trying to watch the Andy Roddick-Marat Safin match, aka the night match in Melbourne. Tonight, fans will endure the same punishments when Roddick meets world number one Roger Federer in the night match. The basic premise of […]

As I watch Rafael Nadal polish off my boy, my runner-up pick, Andy Murray, thought I’d put together a few notes on the week in Australia we just saw (or didn’t see). By the way, this Murray-Nadal match is the best of the tournament thus far. Great tennis. Keyword being tennis. 1. Ivan Ljubicic What […]

I know I don’t do it much, but what the heck, let’s give the women some love and talk women’s draw. Women are meant to be loved, so it’s only appropriate.

Picking Roger Federer to win a Grand Slam is not exactly going out on a limb, but that’s what I’m going to do. I mean, who else is there to pick? For my money, it’s Fed’s title. No surprise, really. Though, outside of the French the Australian Open has been the toughest of the three remaining […]

2007 Aussie Open Preview The list of players injured before the Aussie Open even starts is long, and the list of possible withdrawals from Melbourne, even longer (Rafael Nadal? David Nalbandian? Nikolay Davydenko? Nadia Petrova?), but it’s summer in Australia and the Aussie Open starts Monday (event if Roger Federer says it should be pushed […]

January X-Reader Mail This isn’t your father’s mailbag, I can’t imagine Jon L. Wertheim taking abuse like this. Some early-season reader discussion messages and e-mail: From federated concerning comments on Serena Williams’ physical readiness entering Australia: “Hi Richard! Love the column. Just an FYI, scarily pasty, fugly bald men like yourself really should step away […]

Serena Loses, Didn’t Play Well, Yada Yada When a Williams sister loses a match, generally they will say they played poorly or their opponent played far above their level. But apparently both were in effect Wednesday in Hobart, Australia, the site of Serena Williams’ return to tennis where the American, appearing heavier than her Grand […]

Nadal, Srichaphan, Petrova Injured On Tuesday pro tennis was reminded that injury will again play a prominent role in 2007 when three marquee players retired from matches with various work stoppages, putting their Australian Open campaigns in jeopardy. World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, thwarted in his attempt to gain his first title of the year […]

Serena Wins; Hingis, Safina Upset in Monday Play Nothing says respect like talking about how you didn’t play your best after baking an opponent a bagel — but with the Williams sisters, who never “play their best,” it is commonplace, as it was Monday in Hobart, Australia, where Serena Williams opened with a 6-4, 6-0 […]

There were few familiar faces but plenty of up-and-comers in the winner’s circle during Week One of the ATP/WTA 2007 season. Former No. 1 and a fan favorite since her comeback, Martina Hingis looked poised to win her first title of the year during the first week, destroying opponents in the early rounds but in […]