THE TENNIS CHANNEL VS. CABLEVISION: Newsday has reportedly rejected an ad from The Tennis Channel that takes a swipe at its parent company, Cablevision. TTC’s “Thanks For Nothing, Cablevision” ad, which features a tennis racket smashing a cable box and takes aim at Cablevision’s refusal to include its programming among its offerings, has been accepted by the New York Times, New York Post, Daily News, Westchester-Rockland Journal News and the Record of New Jersey. Tennis Channel CEO Ken Solomon told the N.Y. Times, “We figured that was just business and simply a message to let viewers know where to find us. The newspaper industry is not doing all that well, so it’s a surprise they turned down this amount of money.” The dispute comes only weeks before TTC will broadcast an estimated 239 hours of U.S. Open action.
DUO DOMINATION: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were the best Hertz-Avis No. 1 and 2 combo in tennis history. Until Andy Murray passed Rafa to become No. 2 this week, the Swiss and the Spaniard were the world’s two top players for 211 weeks, since July 2005.
PSYCHOSOMATIC: Bethanie Mattek-Sands confessed that she’s never been quite the same since seeing the Hitchcock thriller “Psycho,” with its famed shower scene featuring Janet Leigh. Says Bethanie, “For years, I took showers with the curtain and door open.”
THE NUMBERS
202: Difference in ATP rankings of British No. 1 Andy Murray (who rose to No. 2 in the world this week) and British No. 2 James Ward
1790: Ranking points that separate No. 2 Andy Murray from No. 1 Roger Federer
2: Match points saved by Lleyton Hewitt in his 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4 upset of Swede Robin Soderling in Cincinnati
QUOTEBOOK
“It’s a lot easier to sign autographs when you win.” — Andy Murray
“If you look at what Serena says after a lot of her matches, she probably doesn’t give all the glory to her opponent, no matter what the situation is.” — Aussie Samantha Stosur, who was a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 winner over Williams at the Bank of the West Classic
ODDS & ENDS
Marat Safin is reportedly set to marry girlfriend/pop singer Nastya Osipova…David Shoemaker is the new WTA Tour president…Todd Martin will join Novak Djokovic‘s coaching staff.
