The Sports Bizzo

By Ted…

Paris may not be the 1st place that comes to mind when you think about sports. In Austin, the only sport connected to France involves Lance Armstrong cruising on his bike in brightly colored spandex with his ass in the air, he’s either very brave or half nuts (insert rim-shot). But this year’s French Open tennis Grand Slam tournament is already proving to be a hit, though rain delays in the first three days made one mistake coverage for Wimbledon. The weather is also affecting the courts, which are wearing down faster, the wind blowing flecks everywhere, and playing more like hard courts, giving some players an unexpected advantage.

First there’s Raphael Nadal who is expanding on his 22-0 record in the French Open and could be headed toward overtaking Bjorn Borg’s four-consecutive FO win record. The man is practically unstoppable on clay as was discovered in the infamous if not somewhat kitschy match of Nadal and Roger Federer playing on a court half clay/half grass. Federer for his part is marching forward, but don’t expect anything too fabulous from him here, wait until grass court season starts to see him at his best and in his element.

The best chances for an American win lie with the great James Blake who rolls in at number four. Considering Americans had an 0-9 shutout in last year’s tourney we’ll take any ray of hope we can, but don’t count out perpetual dark horse Mardy Fish, whose racket smashing outburst seems to have been just what he needed to jump start his game. 26 year old Fish has had an amazing year of upset wins, but after taking a beating from Andy Roddick last month, and given his lack of clay court experience (this year marks his 1st ever win at any level in the FO) he may not be ready just yet.

For France this is shaping up to be a somber season. Their best player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, is out completely due to a chronic knee problem requiring surgery and a hiatus. It’s a real shame because Tsonga is an incredible guy to watch on court and he may have done some brilliant things at the FO this year. Instead the French are celebrating, with classic French ennui, the 25th anniversary of the one-time victory of Yannick Noah. Since then no other French player on the men’s side has won a French Open, and he never even came close to winning another Grand Slam. Imagine your home city hosted the super bowl every year, then let’s say your team played every year but never won, then say on top of that you’re French; now that’s pain.

Personally I’m more drawn to the women’s side this year. This is Russia’s hottest export Maria Sharapova’s best chance of completing her collection of Grand Slam titles. She’s had mixed results so far this year in previous clay court battles, her 1st clay court title in the Sony Ericsson WTA tour, and a loss in Charleston to Serena Williams. The first round nearly took Sharapova out before she even started, with 17 (SEVENTEEN!!!) double-faults against fellow ruskie Evgeniya Rodina, she was lucky to get out alive. Serena Williams, however, is looking strong, making it to the third round for the 33rd time in 34 Grand Slam appearances. The field is wide open this year for the women with the recent retirement of Justine Henin who normally would show up to the French Open with a cadre of Flemish fans (delicious Belgian beers in hand) and seriously kick some ass.

The major bonus of this year’s tourney is the future Playboy bunny. Although US player Ashley Harkleroad was eliminated early by powerhouse Serena Williams, her upcoming photo shoot is still among the big stories. Even after a surgery, which successfully removed a cyst formed on her ovaries; this 23-year-old has accepted an offer from the premiere gentlemen’s magazine to pose for their August edition. America’s answer to Anna Kournikova, Harkleroad is not moving up the ranks as a tennis player, but she has polls rising at the thought of her new venture. Ashley you are living proof of the old maxim when in Rome do as the Romans, but when in France feel free to go French Open.