GERMAN RENAISSANCE?: Not since Steffi Graf put down her racket has Germany enjoyed a run quite like this. In April, Andrea Petkovic, Julia Goerges, Anna-Lena Groenfeld and Sibine Lisicki led Germany to a 5-0 rout of the U.S. in the Fed Cup Playoffs, relegating the Americans to the World Group II. Plus, Goerges recently upset Caroline Wozniacki to win the Stuttgart title, and Petkovic has already danced her way past four current or former No. 1s this year (Wozniacki, Maria Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic and Venus Williams).
THE ART OF A CHAMPION: Kim Clijsters is counted among Time magazine’s list of the world’s top 100 most influential people. Writes guest columnist Martina Navratilova, who wields some influence of her own, “When it comes to having it all, Kim Clijsters offers a great model…Sure, it’s easier to balance work and family when you’re making a lot of money. But Kim has turned that balance into an art form.”
DON’T BE FOOLED: China’s Li Na quashed retirement rumors, saying, “Since the April Fool’s Day is gone, please don’t believe the rumors. I love tennis to be in my life, so I will continue.”
CORIAN WAR: As Peter Bodo points out, Guillermo Coria is the ONLY player ever to beat Rafael Nadal at the Monte Carlo Masters.
WORD OF THE DAY: “Touts” — British slang for ticket scalpers.
A MARX-IST REMEMBRANCE: Groucho Marx‘s son, Arthur, who competed side by side with Jack Kramer in junior Davis Cup play in the late ’30s and once pushed Bobby Riggs to five sets in the Cincinnati Masters final, died in April at age 89. (Marx probably wouldn’t have appreciated the intro to this item, as he found it annoying that “when you’d win a big tournament the papers would say, ‘Son of Groucho Beats Jack Kramer.'”
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNESTS: Ernests Gulbis‘ parents — Ainars and Milena — named their son after Ernest Hemingway. Said the Latvian, “My parents both read books like crazy. My father has a library in his home. He collects books. My mother also. They enjoyed Ernest Hemingway, so they thought, ‘Why not?'”
SPEAKING OF NAMES…: Slovakian-turned-Aussie Jarmila Groth has reverted to her maiden name, Gajdosova, after splitting with her husband, Sam.
HEADLINES
Andy Murray Is Searching For Mr. Right
THE NUMBERS
500: Career singles victories for 24-year-old Rafael Nadal, who, with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Croat Ivan Dodig in Barcelona, became the second-youngest player to reach the mark behind Bjorn Borg, who was 23 years and seven months.
6: Weeks Kim Clijsters is expected to miss following an ankle injury she suffered at her cousin’s wedding party.
7: Coaches Ana Ivanovic has worked with over the last five years. After parting ways with Zoltan Kuharsky in ’06, the Serb has worked with David Taylor, Craig Kardon, Heinz Gunthardt, Antonio van Grichen, Sven Groeneveld and Darren Cahill. Ivanovic told The Independent’s Paul Newman, “I know that us girls aren’t the easiest to coach. It’s a strange situation. A coach is in charge of a lot of things, but on the other hand we’re the boss. On the men’s tour it’s a bit different because I think for a coach it’s easier if the guy is the boss. All of a sudden they have a girl who is the boss. It takes a certain ego to be able to accept that. I don’t think there are many coaches who are willing to do it.”
33: Age of Tommy Haas, who has returned to the ATP Tour after a 14-month injury (hip and elbow) layoff.
QUOTEBOOK
“I don’t quite know how I did it. Against Caroline, it is always as if you have to climb a high mountain. Now I have done it.” — Julia Goerges after defeating Caroline Wozniacki 7-6(3), 6-3 in the Stuttgart final
“While Murray is not a mummy’s boy, he trusts his mother’s judgment implicitly. She, meanwhile, does not barge in with instructions and plans but, rather, knows exactly how to coax her son into making his own decisions when the time is right. Clearly, any new coach coming into the Murray set-up will have to get on with Judy.” — Alix Ramsay, The Scotsman
“I couldn’t even hold a fork last year for five months.” — Sania Mirza on her struggle with a wrist injury
“Nadal is the best in the world. He is dominant on clay. But this year I’m playing against him with much more self-confidence.” — Novak Djokovic
“Guys and girls have different mentalities. Girls are so stressed about everything.” —Ana Ivanovic
“I do feel nervous and a little frightened.” — Nenad Zimonjic, who wrapped a python around his neck at the Belgrade Zoo in his native Serbia
