Passing shots

To prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games, Maria Kirilenko will play doubles with Nadia Petrova next year. This means, of course, that Victoria Azarenka will have a new partner, also.

Shamil Tarpischev is protesting the Olympics tennis schedule. I doubt that he'll be alone in his protests.

Ana Ivanovic told the press in Bali that she believes she can be number 1 in the world again. The Bali champion ends the season ranked number 22.

Speaking of Ivanovic, I really like this photo of her in costume with her Bali trophy. There are some more here. And while I'm on the subject of clothing--I especially liked what I suppose would now be called "old school" outfits that Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova wore for the Fed Cup fnal.

Finally, with appropriate apologies to Burt Bacharach and the late Hal David:



Anyone who ever played can double fault
Sometimes over and over
Anyone who's on the tour can double fault
Look at Pavlyuchenkova
Knowing I want to....stop!

Anyone who tossed the ball
Could take it, throw it badly like I do
You couldn't really toss it right and strike it
Like you hit it to serve it right through
What am I to do?

Every time I toss the ball, I always say
This time it's a good serve
Tossing it the way I do
I get upset, and then I'm all nerves
Knowing I want to....stop!

Anyone who tossed the ball
Could take it, throw it badly like I do
You couldn't really toss it right and strike it
Like you hit it to serve it right through
What am I to do?

Knowing I want to....stop!

Anyone who's on the tour
Could take it, make a bad toss, like I do
You couldn't really toss it right and strike it
Like you hit when you serve it right through
Lisicki and Sharapova do it too....