Chaky

Awesome. I hope Jeisa gets the VS show again this year. People said she looked too shy or whatever but she has a perfect body for it and I think she looked good in the clothes they gave her last year. And thanks for these new (old) pics Nina.

Okay, I guessed right, I think because you are a big fan of Novak and Ana. I have lived in Britain all my life so I have a British accent. I remember when I was much younger that when I visited my cousins in Boston my accent would switch to American after a few days. It was really weird. It doesn't do that anymore though. My mom is American and most people here in Manchester think she sounds American but when she is in the States everyone think she sounds British. Do people still judge you as a foreigner after several years living there? I think having different cultural backgrounds helps give you your identity and sets you apart from everyone else. (Wow, this is all way off topic).

Seles DID play for the USA. Sharapova is still a Russian citizen despite living in Florida for years. Her non-fans like to argue that she is practically American because she's lived there so long and also because she has avoided representing Russia in any team events. That was set to change this year when she made herself available for the Russian Fed Cup team but injury ruled her out. Where are you from originally? I'm British-American so I guess that makes me more American than you.

She became a US citizen in the early-to-mid nineties. I think that counts.

C'mon think about it. Even if you're not a fan of Fedex this makes Roland Garros more exciting because you know either Roger or Rafa can beat the other in a clay final.

Jankovic must now be 3rd favorite for Roland Garros behind Justine and Serena. She has a definite chance I think. She will also be #4 in the world on Monday. Btw, Murray has said he is good on clay but he's not yet proved it. Last year he was losing a lot because he had a massive growth spurt and was also not that fit. This year obviously he's had the injuries. So he's not really had an injury-free run on the clay yet on the ATP Tour. Perhaps next year. I can understand that American tennis has taken a bit of a dip. Sampras, Agassi, Davenport retired, Capriati and Seles are probably retired. The Williams sisters didn't really figure last year. Roddick was slumping. I think that has to change this year. Roddick has improved, Serena is back, Venus is getting there. Blake can be a contender at Flushing Meadows. I don't think it's a bad as you make it sound. Surely people know who Federer is, he's mates with Tiger Woods! And what about Sharapova? I was in Boston a couple of years ago when the US Open was on and pretty much every match they showed on TV involved an American. I think the coverage we get in the UK is better, or at least more rounded, because we haven't got that many good domestic players so they have to show something.

Nadia injured her back in Rome and lost points from Berlin where she was defending champion so she has fallen out of the Top 10. However, she doesn't have many points to defend in the next few weeks so if she's fit for Roland Garros she could storm her way back up. Kuzzie is not far off overtaking Maria for the world #2 spot. I am a fan of Murray just because he's the only real British prospect right now. He's been unlucky with injuries lately but he's moving his way up. I'm a bigger fan of Federer. Andy reckons he's a good clay courter - unlike most Brits he trained on Spanish clay - and his game seems suited to it. The problem in the UK is that the majority of people don't realise tennis happens 11 months of the year because they only ever see the two weeks of Wimbledon which is shown on the BBC all day long. The BBC like to champion UK sport so Murray does get mentioned on there quite a bit; he is pretty well-known here. Like Henman, he will probably be considered a failure (unfairly) in this country unless he wins Wimbledon but I think his best chance is at the US Open. He says he really likes to play in New York. And your dad has some cheek telling you to lose weight!

:hell yea!: Go Roger!!! That ends Rafa's clay winning streak at 81 consecutive matches! I think Lleyton did Roger's preparation yesterday - Nadal was tired by the end of this.

Hamburg semis: [1] R Federer (SUI) d C Moya (ESP) 4-6 6-4 6-2 [2] R Nadal (ESP) d [16] L Hewitt (AUS) 2-6 6-3 7-5 Lleyton had Rafa on the ropes for a while. Nadal was having an off day for sure but Hewitt's unforced errors let him back in. Another difficult match for Roger but he's through. So it's another Roger v Rafa dust-up on the cards. Kick some ass Fed-ex! Rome semis: (2) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (9) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 6-4 6-2 (3) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (14) Patty Schnyder (SUI) 6-1 6-3 Sucky matches today. After her heroics beating Serena yesterday, Patty didn't hold serve once in this match. She complained of breathing problems preventing her from playing 100%. Sveta had an easy time against Danka. And I disagree with what you say about her Nina, Sveta is a really good mover, particularly on clay. She has quite a stocky frame but she's very athletic. I wouldn't say she's overweight.

:anger:

Second half a bit better than the first. Rooney had some impressive runs but no finish. Any chance of a goal in extra time?

As expected.

(Y)

So what are the chances of today's FA Cup final being decided on penalties? Quite high I think. I'd like to think it will be a great game but that usually doesn't happen unless one of the teams scores early on.

Another tough time for Federer. Too many unforced errors creeping in again. I think that's the first time Ferrer has taken a set off him. And as much as I'd like to see Hewitt defeat Nadal I'm not sure he can. As long as Roger wins the title I don't care. Announced this morning, Andy Murray will definitely miss Roland Garros. WTA Rome QF: (3) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (10) Elena Dementieva (RUS) 6-2 6-1 (14) Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. (8) Serena Williams (USA) 6-3 2-6 7-6(5) (2) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (6) Dinara Safina (RUS) 6-1 6-3 (9) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 7-6(8) 7-5 Gotta say well done to Daniela for reaching her first ever Tier I clay court semi-final. In the past she's been fairly useless on clay but since she switched coaches I think she's got a little faster and added some better defensive shots. However that was two and a half hours last night for a straight sets win so I don't know how she'll fare against Kuzzie. Schnyder vs Williams was the match of the tournament. Really great shot-making and intense action. A huge win for Patty and only Serena's second loss this year.

Good luck! I don't play much doubles myself but it's usually a lot of fun. My own weakness is my serve but it's getting better. Anyway a serve isn't everything, good net play and communication with your partner is important too.

K Karl Lagerfeld Fall-Winter 2007-08 Ready to Wear

That's a better result for Federer. He needs to be in the final here. No in fact he needs to take the title. Good result for Hewitt also. I think that's his first Top Ten win of the year. In Rome, my two faves on the WTA Tour played each other today: Hantuchova bt Chakvetadze 6-2 6-3. I downloaded some video of this match. Not a great spectacle. Anna had a horrible time today. But Daniela, who normally sucks on clay, has now posted a couple of really good results. Could do wonders for her ranking if she can carry it on. (Y)

Thanks for all the pics everyone. I like seeing Jeisa with some of her fellow Brazilian models in those Getty pics. Jeisa comes top every time though - she looks very cute.

[1]R Federer (SUI) def [Q]J Monaco (ARG) 6-3 2-6 6-4 Roger had to save five break points in his opening service game of the third set to avoid going down a break. If he doesn't start to improve soon I can see Roland Garros being a one-man show. You've gotta win Hamburg Roger so there's the prospect of a competition! Sounds like the men are suffering the same sort of problems with rain in Germany as the women had last week.

Do you think she's still waiting for Chinese Democracy to come out? What? also China is a democracy and Soviet democracy, where there's only 1 candidate and one party, but still a democracy. Sorry, joke for GNR fans. Chinese Democracy is the name of Guns N' Roses next album which Axl Rose has apparently been working on for the last 14 years or so with a perpetually delayed release date. Apparently production on the album has cost at least 13 million dollars so far. Considering how old this interview is, it's very possible she doesn't like them anymore.

Do you think she's still waiting for Chinese Democracy to come out?

Thanks everyone for the latest pics, and the translation!

Wow, they don't even vote for real people now. Can't stand Lindsay Lohan but I'm not surprised she tops a list from Maxim.

And now the word is that Martina Hingis will not play Roland Garros. She is suffering with a back injury which prevented her from defending her Rome title this week.