Weekend Tennis Roundup

 

Wimbledon had one surprise winner (Elena Rybakina) and one predictable one (Novak Djokovic). Read my full report from across the pond and beyond BELOW.

Novak Djokovic secured his 21st Grand Slam and a seventh Wimbledon title by beating Nick Kyrgios 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3) in the men's final.

Obviously I was pleased with the result. (Nick played extremely well and although he carried on quite a bit, he comported himself better than I thought he might.) 

I've admittedly been raging since the Australian Open debacle. And while it seems likely that Nole will have to miss the U.S. Open -- which is awfully ridiculous in a country where 25% of our own population refuses to get vaccinated and the dangers of the current variant are remarkably low -- it will be far less infuriating knowing he's chosen to sit out rather than having the opportunity revoked by a rightwing turd trying to get re-elected. (At least he didn't.) Of course, all of my reasonableness becomes null and void if Rafael “I don’t care about having the most Grand Slams so that’s why I force myself to play crippled” Nadal is able to compete in New York. 😫🤣😫

The women's final saw Russian-born-and-raised Elena Rybakina -- now playing for Kazakhstan while still residing in Moscow(!) -- defeat Ons Jabeur, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Although it was hard not to warm up to the robotic Rybakina after she finally broke down in the post-match press conference -- and she did deserve to win by outplaying Jabeur, after having beaten both Halep and Andreescu in straight sets -- the result smarts for two reasons. 

1) I love everything about the Tunisian runner-up -- her game, her personality, her hot hubby; and 2) You just get that sinking feeling that Rybakina is going to be the latest on the growing list of one-Slam wonders: Kenin, Krejcikova, Ostapenko. (Have you noticed most of the women ranked in the Top 10 -- Kontaveit, Sakari, Badosa, Sabalenka, Pegula, Collins -- and Svtiolina and Pliskova before them -- never win majors while these random people do? Would have been great if Ons had been able to pull it off.) While this isn't to say Jabeur would have won another had she won Saturday, at least it would have been one for someone I kind of adore. 

Matt Ebden and Max Purcell pulled off an epic victory in a five-set thriller on Centre Court to become Wimbledon champions in the men’s doubles. The Aussie duo toppled the defending Wimbledon title-holders, Croatian second seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic, as they won the crown in a fifth-set tiebreak 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/2) that lasted four hours and 11 minutes. 

Was so happy for Matt and his trucker partner! 

Second-seeded Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova breezed past top-seeded Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-4 to win their second Wimbledon title

And in the fifth marquee event: Neal Skupski and Sun Devil Desirae Krawczyk successfully defended their mixed doubles title, defeating the Australian duo Sam Stosur and Matthew Ebden on 6-4, 6-3 Centre Court

She came up short, but it's always great to see Sam in action

We are the champions ...

Elsewhere around the net ...

Local boy Cam Norrie rode his bike all the way into the semifinals

Perhaps Thanasi Kokkinakis should join him 

Inside the "mind" of Nick Kyrgios(!)

You wouldn't tease a girl, would you?

American made

Borna Coric likes it doggy style

The only woman in Borna's life is his adorable sister

Karen Khachanov used the Wimbledon ban on Russians to get some R&R

Before returning to the practice court

Sex bomb Juan Betancourt likes to alter his chest hair 

Mirror man

Sometimes going too far

Paula Badosa seems fine with losing easily at Wimbledon 

A jacked Dennis Novak with Julian Knowle

Hot body and a do-gooder to boot

Mr. Karolina Pliskova has a new "hitting" partner

Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic 

I hear the birthday boy is having to play with a one-handed backhand due to injury

Little Mate

Twiggy was all the rage when Billie Jean King won her first three Wimbledon singles crowns in 1966, 1967 and 1968

A dark cloud over Ryan Harrison

Ryan has daddy issues

Nico Eli to Guido Pella: Kiss me, Guido

Kevin Krawietz and Andy Mies with their hot trainer

I'd like to see Quentin Halys do this in my boudoir

Watch Lorenzo Musetti get physical HERE.

Dutch treat Tim van Rijthoven kept his incredible grass streak going all the way to the round of 16, even taking a set off Djokovic 

Vroom, vroom: Let the endorsement deals begin!

Casper Ruud returned to the clay after a second-round loss at Wimbledon ... as its third(!) seed

Christian Harrison flaunts it

And flaunts it some more

Christian seems to be into role play with pal Mitchell Good

The Lock brothers

I think Joe Salisbury likes David O'Hare's 🍑

Diego Schwartzman works up a sweat

Lloyd Glasspool is hot and hilarious 

I'm still smitten with UVA alum Luca Corinteli

Woof

Adam Jones continues to tease us 

Cool it now

Here's hoping he gave Sue Barker a sendoff shag

Threeway material 

He definitely seems up for anything

Jonny O'Mara had a nice run at Wimbledon 

Max Purcell and Matt Ebden show off their flex appeal

Cutie Freddie McGeehan

Mark Philippoussis and Tommy Haas

Hubert Hurkacz is down but not out 

Robert Farah looks back on his 2019 doubles title

Sue photo-bombs Tracy Austin and Billie Jean 

I've had a lot of menage a trois fantasies that involve Albano Olivetti and Alex Robein 

Hot couple alert: Renan Rippel and Thiago Seyboth Wild

Big Joe gives us a Manspread Monday moment with Rajeev Ram

Laundry day with Vasek Pospisil 

Rafael Matos and leggy David Vega Hernandez reached the Wimby round of 16

Before heading to Sweden 

Grigor Dimitrov and his hat enjoy some time back home

I wonder if this is what Borna sees in Pedja Krstin

I thought Borna may have a secret family, but it turns out he's just a friend who thinks BC's hot

Stan Wawrinka and Holger Rune retreat to the clay in Sweden

Jan-Lennard Struff collected his sixth #ATPChallenger singles title, besting Maximilian Marterer 6-2, 6-2 in Braunschweig, Germany!

Marcelo Demoliner with the champ 

Dominic Thiem won his first match in AGES -- he beat a local 20-year-old -- before falling in the next round to Facundo Bagnis at the Challenger in Salzburg. The absentee Austrian will try again this week at the Sweden Open

Thiago Monteiro defeated Norbert Gombos 6-3, 7-6(2) to win the Challenger in Salzburg

Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow won the Salzburg doubles crown, narrowly defeating Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler 7-5, 5-7, 11-9

These two American boys drive me wild 

Hello, Daddy

Jelena Jankovic seemed to think she needed to make it official before popping up in Djokovic's box during the Wimbledon final

Matt Ebden is like a fine wine 

Conservative crank Sam Groth filling out his clothes once again 

Tommy Paul moved back in with Reilly Opelka

Did Trace handpick her driver? 

Cesar Ramirez looking for his next Christian Harrison

Flexy

To be the meat in this Oscar Otte - Mats Moraing hamburger

Although my heart was broken, I continue to love Ons-ly you

Ebden cleans up nicely for the Champions Ball

Get a load of Novak's "exercise" partner

Nole also found time to hit with 17-year-old Mili Poljicak, who became the first Croatian to win the boys singles title

I still think Wimbledon and the ATP made a big mistake in the way they handled this Ukraine war situation. 

If Daniil Medvedev doesn't do well at the U.S. Open, Alexander Zverev could wind up becoming the next Marcelo Rios. 

End of an era

Poor Madison Keys's body doesn't seem to want to let her fulfill her tennis potential. But I'm thinking she has a future in standup! 

And last but not least ...

Novak's 5G-conspiracy theorist wife and tennis writer Ben Rothenberg are having a cat fight on Twitter that isn't to be missed! 

(With wire services.)