NOT SO O-KEI DO-KEI: After withdrawing from the French Open, Japan’s Kei Nishikori was diagnosed with a minor stress fracture in his elbow that required rest and therapy. But the pain continued and Nishikori recently underwent microscopic surgery to remove a bone spur. Doctors now say he won’t be back on the court for another four to six weeks, meaning that he’ll miss the U.S. Open, where he made a splash in ’08 by defeating then-No. 4 ranked David Ferrer and reaching the fourth round.
GRAZING ARIZONA: Bethanie Mattek‘s horse was killed by a mountain lion in Arizona. Said Mattek, “I cried when I found out. I had good memories. It was brutal.”
SO YOU WANNA BE A ROCK STAR: The Bryan Bros. (along with pal/singer-songwriter David Baron) will release their debut album “Let It Rip” on Sept. 1. The five-song CD will feature Bob on bass and keyboards, Mike on drums and Baron as lead vocalist. “Music has always been a big part of our lives,” said Bob. “We’ve spent countless hours jamming in hotel rooms all over the world and it’s been our dream to do a real record.”
THE NUMBERS
15,000: Dollars Mike Bryan recently spent on a muscle-stimulation device that can help speed up post-match recovery
15: Pounds of muscle Serb Jelena Jankovic says she’s dropped this year
QUOTEBOOK
“Knees and babies. Those are the only topics that have mattered as the men’s summer hard-court swing kicks into full gear.” — Kamakshi Tandon
“Imagine an NFL player packing a 10-month suitcase, navigating 10 different countries all over the world along the way. Imagine him turning pro as a sophomore in high school, knowing his career depended on playing and training non-stop for the next two decades. No wonder the women’s pro landscape is pocked with kids made strange and/or burned out by the experience. Jen Capriati, come on down. You, too, Andrea Jaeger, Tracy Austin, Mary Pierce…” — Paul Daugherty
“Apparently Justin gimelstob checked into his hotel room and everything was fine, but i guess someone left a floater behind…beyond gross” — Andy Roddick via Twitter
“I am where I am. This is the ranking. I’m No. 1 in the world…The rankings don’t lie.” — Dinara Safina
