U.S. Open miscellany

In case anyone is wondering where Ashley Harkleroad is--she is pregnant. Harkleroad, who recently posed nude for the "classy" magazine owned by a corporation with a history of sexually assaulting women, is now on her way to motherhood. Given her ambivalence about her first return to the tour after some time off, I doubt she will be back. That would be bad news for the U.S. Fed Cup team.


Maria Sharapova and Chris Evert, each of whom has a tendency to be rather droll, did good jobs in the ESPN booth the other night. Bring them back, I say.


Justin Gimelstob is serving as Lindsay Davenport's hitting partner in Flushing Meadows.


Jelena Jankovic and her partner, Fernando Verdasco, have withdrawn from mixed doubles. Lindsay Davenport withdrew earlier.


In terms of quantity, Katarina Srebotnik is the current ace leader, with 24 aces to her name. That's an average of 8 aces per round, which makes her, mathematically speaking, still a tad behind Sorana Cirstea, who hit 17 aces in two rounds--and even with Julie Coin, who has hit 16 aces in two rounds.


I understand that a Russian commentator referred to Zhang Shuai as "having a fighting spirit, like a typical Asian." Because they all chop like Lady Snowblood, right?