I enjoy watching Frank play. He moves real well for a big guy just like Rafter, and he has that beautiful slice bh. He makes tennis exciting in a way that slugging baseliners don't. There's an artistry to his game. And then there's the hair thing, not as cool as Rafter's, but impressive all the same. The Dancy-Ancic match yesterday was a good one and Dancy has now beaten Roddick, Nalbandian and Ancic in the last couple of years.

It's good to have a Masters Series Event after Newport, WTT and Indy where the tennis and the matchups were not nearly as intriguing. I mean I've gone from watching Spadea-Santoro, Gimelstob-Gambill, Querrey-Bobby Reynolds to Stepanek-Lopez and Ancic-Dancy. There's no comparison. It's like watching high school basketball and seeing the jv play the first game of a double-header and then the varsity in the second game. The damage the WTT or smaller tournaments like Newport and Indy do the state of tennis is that they make the average fan feel like the quality of play has deteriorated. But when the big boys roll into town--and I think the Canadian Open is the best Masters event on tour b/c it's leading into the Open, but not so close like Cincy that the players rest, and it's the first tournament since Miami that the big boys from Europe and S. America play in No. America--the competition and excitement rises.

It's just real good stuff, although I was sorry to see my man, Stepanek, lose for the first time in like eight matches to F. Lopez. Watching that matchup was great b/c both guys were playing attacking, up-at-the-net tennis and watching Steppy build a point is really interesting. Lopez and Steppy are like Beauty and the Beast.

I enjoy watching the guy too.  It's nice to finally have a Canadian player in singles competition worth talking about again (Daniel Nestor is a great doubles player with of the better serves on tour IMO, but his game was never really suited for singles), and hopefully he doesn't abandon us again like Greg Rusedski did.  In fairness to Greg though, his wife was British and Tennis Canada isn't really much of an organization.  The last time a Canadian player won the Rogers Masters was in 1958. 

Com'on Redhead, Lopez aint that  badlookin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lopez might not be a Tommy Haas or Tommy Robredo, but he's easy on the eyes. While Stepanek looks like he bought his tennis outfit at Wal Mart and has the schlumpy, hangdog look of a dim-witted guy in a Woody Allen movie. I'm just outraged that a guy who looks like Steppy can score a girl like Vaidisova. I actually did a piece on Steppy last year and although I couldn't understand most of what he said in our phone interview, he seemed like a swell guy.

Red I was being facetious

I still need someone to explain to me how Wilson in their big advertising campaign for their rackets comes up with the idea of putting Lopez in there with Fed and Djoker.

Is his signature racket marketed for 12 year old girls in Europe? You cant tell me he has any sort of fame here in the States.Are people looking for the dvd of his great win over D Young, or the fact that he played Fed tough for a set and a half?He doesnt even have have amajor clothing deal. Maybe he's huge in Spain and maybe even Europe, but you walk into a tennis club, find a casual player and theyre not going to be able to pick Lopez out of a lineup.

I just find it baffling opening up a tennis mag, seeing a full page ad for Wilson and seeing him in there with the big boys.

HL,

Is it really that big a mystery to you? Why do they put a good-looking woman next to automobiles when they're trying to sell them? Good looks sell products. It doesn't matter what Lopez's ranking or how recognizable he is. When you see his picture, you're drawn to his image and take a deeper look at the product involved. Who'd you think Wilson was going to put in that ad next to Fed? Stepanek?

Redhead:

    If and when Tennis Channel ever produces more reality-based programming I see you you scripting a new tennis-themed version of the Odd Couple starring F-Lo and Stepanek (with Vince as the wacky next-to-door neighbor). I liked your comment earlier on Stepanek than you couldn't really decipher what he was saying, but seemed like a swell guy. Last August was staying at the player hotel in Montreal for a few days and ran into him in the gym early one morning and he seemed to be a very polite, nice guy to all of us regular people in the gym. Was tempted to ask him to teach me the worm dance, but didn't want to piss him off and besides it was early in the morning (though the early bird supposedly gets the worm). Yeah, since Scoop has been touting F-Lo's game on this board for years have tried to get out to see him at the Open each year (even ran into Peggye and her husband at an F-Lo match if I remember right) and the guy is fun to watch because he attacks and beautiful fluid service motion. Sometimes seems more interested in scoring style points, but when F-Lo is in full flow he is really fun to watch. It is funny thought, I've probably seen more of that Wilson ad with F-Lo than the ads of Henin when she was still playing.
 

redhead:

HL,

Is it really that big a mystery to you? Why do they put a good-looking woman next to automobiles when they're trying to sell them? Good looks sell products. It doesn't matter what Lopez's ranking or how recognizable he is. When you see his picture, you're drawn to his image and take a deeper look at the product involved. Who'd you think Wilson was going to put in that ad next to Fed? Stepanek?

 

So give him his own ad. Putting him in the same ad as Fed and Djoker puts him on their level. Their agents must have been shaking their heads as well.

 

On the other hand it makes no difference to me I play Head rackets

HL:

   After hitting with Redhead a couple of weeks ago we were discussing getting some doubles going and he remarked "hope Hairload isn't still using Head...." Apparently he felt they were a little too stiff and could create problems.
 

After switching to Flexpoint Prestige, I'm back to mostly playing with my Prestige Classics.Since I'm not under contract I dont have to resort to painting my Classics to look like Flexpoints(kidding)

Found a nice mix of Luxillon and Gamma that feels good too

Lets get some doubs together soon, before The Open

 

See if you can dig up Lopez and Wilander for a dream doubles foursome for Hairload. Btw, do you cut your strings out after every practice?

If you saw my stringer you'd restring everyday. She is Russian, blond and gorgeous and about 27.

 

Lopez can stay in Spain, I hate playing against Lefties(But if Johnnie Mac happens to be in Central Park, he can join us, aint I nice)

HL:

   Hey, if you can bring your stringer along as the fourth for doubles, I'll bring enough unstrung racquets to keep her busy the rest of the year. I just ordered some new strings too.
 

She has been stringing my rackets for years and I honestly dont know if she ever hit a Tennis ball in her life.But if you come to Brooklyn she will do you(your rackets)