BORN TO SHOP: Bank of the West Classic titlist Marion Bartoli recalled that when she reached the Wimbledon final in 2007, the British tabloids wrote that she “had the physical appearance of a shopping attendant.”
ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY?: Former Davis Cup captain David Lloyd likened Britain’s dysfunctional LTA to “a communist state in a capitalist world.” Added Lloyd, “Not one player who has made anything of himself in the past 20 years has come through the LTA system — not Tim Henman, not Greg Rusedski and not Andy Murray. So what is it that makes them so sure they know everything?”
COOLEST HOMETOWN NAME IN TENNIS?: Le Puy En Velay, France (birthplace of Marion Bartoli)
EAT YOUR HEART OUT, DONALD RUMSFELD AND ROBERT GATES: Condoleezza Rice was introduced to the Stanford crowd as the “former defense secretary.”
BEST POTENTIAL FODDER FOR HEADLINE WRITERS SINCE MARDY FISH: Newport Beach’s Carsten Ball, as in “Take Me Out to the Ball-game,” It’s a Whole New Ballgame,” Keep Your Eye on the Ball,” “He’s Having a Ball,” etc.
THE NUMBERS
2-8: Venus Williams’ record in finals at the Bank of the West Classic
2: Years in a row that Marion Bartoli has reached the Bank of the West final
3,852: Attendance for the Bank of the West Williams vs. Bartoli final — a single-session tournament record
5: First-time winners on the ATP Tour this year
QUOTEBOOK
“Everybody gets nervous — even Roger Federer.” — Sam Querrey
HEADLINES
Anne [Keothavong] Puts Brave Face On Annus Horribilis (for those who didn’t study Latin in high school, Annus Horribilis means “horrible year”)
MISCELANNY: Rafael Nadal says he hopes to return by Montreal…Tim Mayotte is back in the action as a USTA national coach.
