Monday, March 26, 2018

Weekend Tennis Roundup


It's certainly been a newsworthy first week at the Miami Open. Novak Djokovic crapped out in straight sets to the casually interested in tennis Frenchman Benoit Paire, who in turn crapped out just as easily to Serbian Filip Krajinovic. Roger Federer lost yet another deciding-set tiebreak, this time to 175th-ranked Thanasi Kokkinakis. It wasn't quite as big of a shock as it sounded given that 21-year-old Greek-Aussie is a talented player on the mend from injuries, but it will cost Federer the No. 1 ranking. (Fed announced he would skip the clay-court season again this year after the match.) Red-hot Naomi Osaka made quick work of Serena Williams only to go down without much of a fight to Elina Svitolina. (I predict the Ukrainian will end up winning it all, further threatening to join the list of Slamless number ones.) "World No. 1" Simona Halep lost early once again, this time to Agnieszka Radwanska. (That would have at least been a semi just a few years ago.) And perhaps my favorite result -- freshly minted Grand Slam champ Caroline Wozniacki won the first set 6-0 only to lose in three to Monica Puig! (I take that back: Venus Williams being up 5-0 only to lose the first set 7-5 and then scrape her way to a three-hour win -- dry vagina and all -- against Kiki Bertens was even more ridiculous.) Yet with all of that excitement on the court, the players' box was where I found the most excitement: 


Starting here: Has Thanasi Kokkinakis moved on from Donna Vekic to this pretty blond? #clutchespearlsafterupset


Anyone know what is going on in in Dusan Lajovic’s box? Lajovic -- who lost to Nick Krygios in the second round -- is awfully easy on the eyes, so this guy seems just right for him. 


Venus Williams's hunky man, Nicholas Hammond, had the tits out to cheer her on against Bertens ...


American Jared Donaldson, who lost a nail-biter to dreamy Joao Sousa, had his box filled with hunks, including coach Jan-Michael Gambill, JMG partner's, Malek Alqadi and trainer Hamid Johnannes (behind Malek).


And then there was this Crocodiled cutie in Jeremy Chardy's entourage. The commentators couldn't shut up about the woman in the middle -- a model Chardy met at a restaurant during this tournament just one year ago and has already married -- but gave us no info on the beef in the box.


But the best thing to come out of this week was finally figuring out who the guy in Borna Coric's box last week is. Turns out he is Kristijan Schneider, who is part of his new coaching team along with Riccardo Piatti, Dalibor Sirola and Claudio Zimaglia. (Tennis Life notes that this is essentially Milos Raonic's old team.) Although Piatti is the head coach, it seems Kristijan is the guy Borna likes to hang out with, as seen above. And they look even hotter in those jerseys FROM BEHIND.


Fan creeper pic: Looks like Krajinovic to me ...

3 comments:

martini421 said...

Love the tennis entries Ken. Little correction: Joao Sousa is from Portugal, Joao Souza (with a z) is the Brazilian tennis player. For the record, I think Sousa, the portuguese, is cuter!
Again, Borna Coric -- hot, hot, hot!!

Kenneth M. Walsh said...

Martini421: Oops! Thanks for the correction. I saw Sousa play doubles at the US Open a couple years ago and fell in love.

Stephen said...

Wow. Cute couple. Their kids will be gorgeous.