Page 1 Roundup (06/17)

The Daily News: The Yankee lineup is about to get supercharged

Texas pastor who defended proposed bill criminalizing abortions accused of molesting teenage relative for years

Instagram: Hot French umpire Alex Robein has cute friends

Next stop: Genderqueer, nonbinary

New York Post: Suspected Brooklyn firebug had tattoo reminding him to ‘KILL’ rabbi

Buttigieg says he won’t be the first gay president if elected

The Sperminator’s 50th baby mama is a homeless 18-year-old lesbian from Harlem

The Washington Post: Push to impeach Trump stalls amid Democrats’ deference to -- and fear of -- Pelosi

Randy Rainbow's witty world

The New York Times: Hong Kong protesters return to the streets, rejecting leader’s apology

On the doorstep with a plea: Will you support Medicare for all?

The Wall Street Journal: The black fly is here for your blood -- and dignity

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Sexual napalm Marton Fucsovics won his first career ATP final yesterday, with a commanding win over hot-ass Peter Gojowczyk of Germany, 6-2, 6-2, in the Geneva Open final.

You're never a loser when you have THIS.

Several people noticed that the 26-year-old Hungarian was looking very Tom of Finland -- and this Swiss security guard only added to the homoeroticism of it all. (Now prepare yourself for him to lose in the first round in Paris.)

Meanwhile, Dominic Thiem did what Dominic Thiem always does -- overplay leading into the French Open. This time he beat Gilles Simon to win the Lyon Open -- another 250 title -- but with a tiring 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-1 battle behind him, here's hoping he's ready to compete during the next two weeks.

On the women's side, most of the top players had the good sense to lie low. As a result, Johanna Larsson of Sweden won her first WTA singles title in three years by beating Alison Riske of the United States 7-6(4), 6-4 in the final of the Nuremberg Cup on Saturday. Most noteworthy from the week was top-seeded Sloan Stephens lost in the first round to the always tricky Yulia Putintseva, and Julia Georges lost to Pliskova -- Kristyna, that is.

UPDATE: Putintseva immediately upset Johanna Konta in the first round in Paris.

And in France, No. 3 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia overcame No. 5 seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in three tiebreak sets, 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 7-6(6), to claim the Internationaux de Strasbourg title on Saturday, saving two championship points in the process. Just a year ago the Slovak was seeded sixth at Roland Garros, but is now outside the Top 30 and has to play Georges in the first round. (Maybe Julia's confidence has been shattered by losing to the wrong Pliskova ?!)

Transportation for the week in Strasbourg 🚀 #is18 @wta_strasbourg

A post shared by Alex Robein (@alexrobein) on May 21, 2018 at 5:44am PDT

And lastly, Alex Robein -- aka the sexiest umpire around -- shared this adorable video from Strausbourg. Here's hoping we see more of the Frenchman in Paris.

My (Davis) Cup Runneth Over

No Federer, Nadal, Djokovic or Murray this time around. But lots of eye candy as we head into Davis Cup action. Britain, with dreamy captain Leon Smith, is set to battle Spain in a bid to reach its fifth quarterfinal in a row.

Kyle Edmund, Cameron Norrie, Liam Broady, Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot will have a tough challenge ahead of them as they face a strong Spanish team featuring Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Bautista Agut, Albert Ramos Vinolas, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez.

Complicating matters is that Edmund -- fresh off his first major semifinal -- will not be playing singles because of an injury. 

Spain vs. Great Britain 

Those Spanish boys look great dressed up ...

or dressed for action ...

Have you heard that former pro Robby Ginepri -- who helped inspired me to blog -- has joined the U.S. squad as a new coach, taking the place long held by Jay Berger? Read all about Captain Jim Courier's new hire HERE.

Defending champions France will be without star player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who will be in the stands with Captain Yannick Noah when they face the Netherlands this weekend thanks to a knee strain. 

Marton Fucsovics posted this photo of the hunky Hungarian squad ...

who will be playing 2017 runners up Belgium ...

These strapping Aussies take on Germany ...

Captain Boris Becker with his star player ...

Alexander Zverev ...

Italy gears up for Japan ...

Canada vs. Croatia 

Vasek Pospisil has coffee with Canadian coach Frédéric Fontang ...

Lucas Pouille looks fit for service ...

Dominic Thiem was all smiles at the draw ceremony. (Looks like they play Belarus with the winner playing Russia -- all trying to advance to the World Group Playoffs.)

And as if the players weren't hot enough, so is umpire Alex Robein, who is ready for his close-up!

World Group first round ...

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Grigor Dimitrov finally made good on his rapidly fading promise, winning his first Masters 1000 title yesterday in Cincinnati. 

With Daniel Vallverdu, of coaching Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych fame

The dreamy 26-year-old Bulgarian beat Aussie Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 7-5 to capture his third ATP World Tour crown of the year, which pushes him back into the Top 10 going into the U.S. Open.

Garbine Muguruza thrashed Simona Halep 6-1, 6-0 to take home the women's title, which is amazingly only the Wimbledon champion's fifth(?) overall -- two of which are majors. (She was clearly wishing she could have put the "Wheel of Fortune" prize trophy on account.) With yet another humiliating loss for the busty Romanian -- who suddenly seems to have no realistic chance of ever winning a major -- Damian and I are wondering if she might want to follow Melanie Oudin into retirement. Liked what I saw in Madison Keys, who had three match points against the eventual champion, and that Sloane Stephens was back in the mix, even if she lost in nearly as spectacular fashion to Halep as Halep did to Muguruza. 

Also ...

Via ATP: Almost nine years to the day since he first became No. 1, Spain’s Rafael Nadal today returned to the top of the Emirates ATP Rankings for his fourth stint at the pinnacle of men’s professional tennis. Nadal, who has already spent 141 total weeks at No. 1, replaces Great Britain’s Andy Murray, who had held the top spot for 41 weeks since Nov. 7,  2016.

Don't really have enough information to have a strong opinion about this, but I was bummed to see that Victoria Azarenka won't be playing the U.S. Open because of a custody dispute with her too-hot-for-her-ex-boyfriend, Billy McKeague. Her impassioned note about the situation -- "No Parent Should Have to Decide Between Their Child or Their Career" -- was something I'm sure every woman can relate to -- something most men take for granted.

Anyone going to New Haven this week? Three-time champion Petra Kvitova begins her latest campaign tonight versus Shuai Peng.

Cincinnati champ Grigor Dimitrov on holiday with girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, who is apparently a Pussycat Doll of some sort. More HERE.

Any U.S. Open predictions?

Maria Sharapova has been granted a wild card -- but has barely played since "returning" to the game.

New Yorkers: Be on the lookout for THIS!

Weekend Tennis Roundup

Madison Keys finally unlocked her potential yesterday in Stanford, winning her first title in the U.S. with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over CoCo Vandeweghe. I love Madison -- she's SO GOOD -- but my patience has been wearing thin of late because of her constant injuries (she's had two wrist surgeries) and her Generalized Lindsay Davenport Syndrome. Here's hoping Keys is able to build on this great week -- she also knocked out Wimbledon champ Garbiñe Muguruza -- because there's no reason she couldn't win the U.S. Open.

Alexander Zverev showed he may be a force to be reckoned with in Queens, winning the crown in Washington, defeating South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4. It was the young German's fourth title of the year.

Three-time Washington semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova won the women's crown, coming from behind to defeat Germany's Julia Görges, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-0. It seems the Russian is on the right track at reviving her singles career.

Philipp Kohlschreiber defeated Joao Sousa (6-3, 6-4) in Kitzbuhel to claim his ninth title. 

And Wimbledon specialist Sam Querrey broke back into the Top 20 for first time in four years by winning the Abierto Los Cabos crown, defeating Thanasi Kokkinakis in three sets.

And over on Instagram ...

Irish cutie James McGee held a Beard vs. No Beard competition with sexy Benoit Paire ...

While the tour's sexiest umpire showed his French pride!

Follow Alex Robein on Instagram HERE.