A 4 a.m. Diaper Change and a Private Valhalla with Splendid Views

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FROM ONE CELL TO ANOTHER: A Bank of the West Classic emcee warned the Stanford crowd: “If your cell phone goes off during the match, you will be taken to San Quentin.”

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000;”>CHANGING DIAPERS AT 4 A.M.: Pete Sampras says he can”t envision fatherhood having a negative affect on Roger Federer”s career. Says Sampras, “I don”t see Roger changing diapers at four in the morning. I don”t think it will affect his career. It”s a life-changer for him, but he is focused on his tennis and he”s got help from his wife and his parents and whoever else.”

SCARY MOMENT: British No. 1 Anne Keothavong badly injured her knee at the Bank of the West Classic on Tuesday night when she ran into a courtside fence during her doubles match with partner Ayumi Morita. The British No. 1″s screams echoed across the Taube Family Tennis Center, where Serena Williams was finishing off Na Li in singles. Keothavong was carried off the court by EMTs and later sent the following text: “Busted my knee, got a scan in the morning but I know already.”

PENSION TENSION: Georgian Bobby Reynolds confided that he has been playing through considerable pain (due to a wrist injury), and also revealed: “I basically needed to play the Indy and L.A. tournaments for another year of pension from the ATP. You have to play 10 ATP tournaments in a year…It will guarantee that I have another qualifying year, and you have to have a minimum of five years. This will be my third.” Reynolds fell in the first round at both tournaments.

“THE COLDEST WINTER I EVER SPENT WAS A SUMMER IN SAN FRANCISCO”: Elena Dementieva had an opportunity to experience the mid-summer chill of San Francisco prior to the Bank of the West Classic when she visited the picturesque albeit fog-enshrouded Golden Gate Bridge. “I heard a lot about San Francisco,” said the Russian, who was making her first visit to the city by the bay. “People say this is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. It was very impressive. It”s a very interesting city to visit.” (Read: “I”m FREEZING! It”s worse than Moscow in February! Get me back to sunny Palo Alto!”)

CHECK OUT THE GUN SHOW: Pete Sampras showed some muscle in L.A. by sporting a bright yellow Nike sleeveless shirt for his exo against the soon-to-retire Marat Safin. It didn”t do him much good, though. Pistol Pete fell 6-4, 3-6 (10-6).

QUOTEBOOK

Roger Federer stands at a career crossroads, a babe in each (RIT), Healthy Alliance® Life affordable-health.info Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc. arm, and one of two forks to take: one path goes downhill on a pleasant hike to retirement as the greatest Grand Slam singles title collector of all time. The other path goes uphill, over some potentially rough terrain, toward a private Valhalla with splendid views all around – and not a neighbor in sight.” – Peter Bodo

“At the end of last year I was thinking, “Oh my God, I hope this was the worst year ever.” And this year is even worse.” – Anna Chakvetadze, who”s fallen from a career-high of No. 5 (“07) to No. 50

“At some point you have to recognize your limitations, accept the reality, and cut the proverbial cord. And if you”re Donald Young, you need to mass the courage to say, “Mom and Pop: this doesn”t diminish my love for you at all. I appreciate all the sacrifices you made. I”ll always be your son. But I need some space.”” – Jon Wertheim

THE NUMBERS

38: Minutes it took for Robert Kendrick to double bagel Vince Spadea in L.A.

3: Serve-and-volleyers – Pete Sampras, Taylor Dent and Frank Dancevic – playing at the L.A. Tennis Open. (Of course, all three were beaten in their opening matches.)

2.5: Days it took for Aravane Rezai and her family to travel by van from France to the Istanbul Cup (via Italy and Greece).

HEADLINES

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