Posted: July 13th, 2010 | Author: nmccarvel | Filed under: gael monfils, music, novak djokovic, roland garros | Tags: Martin Solveig | 8 Comments »
If Rafael Nadal appearing in Shakira’s “Gypsy” video didn’t do it for you or you didn’t have any sort of interest in watching Jake Gyllenhall run around in short shorts in Vampire Weekend‘s “Giving Up the Gun”, there is now a third tennis-themed pop music video of the year to satisfy your taste.
Gael Monfils and Novak Djokovic guest star in French electro artist Martin Solveig‘s new video for his single “Hello”, part of his forthcoming album, Smash.
While tennis can say it’s increased its popularity over the last few years with interest in the Nadal-Roger Federer rivalry heating up, it’s pretty cool to see not one, not two, but three music videos released in one year that have tennis roots. This video, shot mainly in Court Philippe Chatrier involves both Monfils and Djokovic putting their acting chops to work.
Who is the antagonist and who is the romantic? Click the video above to see for yourself.
UDPATE: Thanks to a reader tip, we’ve got more tennis in the music video world (#4 and climbing!) after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: June 10th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: french open, nike, rafael nadal, roland garros, shoes, sports, tennis | 148 Comments »
Here are pics of the shoe Nike produced to go with the pink/blue/yellow kit they produced for Rafael Nadal‘s abbreviated Roland Garros run. These Courtballistecs 1.3 Clay Court shoes have a bull logo on the back of the left shoe, “Rafa” written on the back of the right shoe, and four fireballs for each of the four years that he’s won the tourney.
A closer look: More pics after the cut…
Posted: June 10th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: fashion, french open, nike, rafael nadal, roland garros, shoes, sports, tennis | No Comments »
I think there are mixed reviews out there about Rafael Nadal‘s bright pink shirt from Nike, but we’re going to side with the Mallorcan and give it a thumbs up.
Meanwhile, he opted to wear a much tamer shoes — the off-motif ‘ballistecs in black/white/red — rather than the limited edition version that’s currently available in stores. It’s almost as if he still has one foot in the old world of Rafa (the one that was free of the pressures of being No. 1) and still isn’t quite ready to embrace the trappings of the top spot (this isn’t the first time he’s hesitated). Is Rafa not ready to go the way of Roger?
Or maybe he’s already there. Even though he (ghost)blogged for the Times during the French, that Vogue piece showed us that he’s stayed insulated from the press more than not.
And of course there’s the issue with his knees. This maelstrom likely pushed him out of the fourth round against 23rd-seed Robin Soderling in a 2-6, 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-7 (2) match. And it didn’t help that the Swede has gotten under Rafa’s skin in the past.
So he pulled out of Queens at the advice of his physio, leaving a title defense at Wimbledon defense (and another short shorts showing) in doubt. We hope he recovers in time; after last year’s performance, TSF is pretty sure that the world is gunning for a Roger/Rafa rematch.
Buy: Nike Bold French Open polo, light rose/electrolime, $60; shorts, $55; wristbands, neo turquoise/electrolime, $10; headband, $15; Courtballistec 1.3, Charcoal/vivid pink, $120; Limited Edition Courtballistec 1.3 Clay Court shoes, neo turquoise/pink/electrolime, $120.
More: See pics of his kit in action, all after the cut…
Posted: June 9th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: bags, fashion, french open, nike, roger federer, roland garros, rolex, shoes, sports, tennis | No Comments »
No one expected Roger Federer to hoist that French Open trophy last weekend and it’s as if he dressed the part, staying back with a Classic Open Polo in blue and grey while the prince of clay, Rafa Nadal, pranced around in his pink Nike gear.
But a closer look shows us Roger’s actual intentions: bright orange accents in his wristband, under his monogrammed placket, and on that faaaabulous gym bag; a white/red warm-up; his sleek Rolex — as if he knew that there’d be a photo opp involving a certain trophy he had yet to see on his mantle… until now.
This guy is sneaky!
Buy: Nike Summer Classic Open Polo, Sterling Blue/Classic Charcoal, $65.
More: A closer look at the outfit — belt, shoes, fur, bag, tuxedo stripe down his shorts — all after the cut…
Posted: June 8th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: french open, roland garros, sports, svetlana kuznetsova, tennis, trophies, trophy watch | No Comments »
She looks good, no? By the way, all the excitement that she couldn’t express immediately after her win was let out right here.
(image via Getty Images)
Posted: June 8th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: adidas, dinara safina, fila, french open, larisa savchenko, mary carillo, roland garros, sports, steffi graf, svetlana kuznetsova, tennis, trophies, trophy watch | No Comments »
Pretty in pink: Svetlana Kuznetsova remained subdued on Court Philippe Chatrier after Dinara Safina double-faulted and handed her the 2009 French Open singles title. It wasn’t worth it for Sveta to rub the lopsided 6-4, 6-2 match in the face of her friend, who currently holds the world No. 1 ranking.
Apart from playing a worthy opponent — Kuznetsova gave her her only loss in 21 matches from Stuttgart through the French — Safina was also battling the pressure of the top spot and her nerves. “I was a little bit desperate on the court,” said Safina, who appeared to be fighting tears late in the 74-minute match and during the on-court trophy presentation.
During Sveta’s speech, she made sure to thank her former posse in Barcelona, who’ve since been replaced by a Moscow-based team headed by coach Larisa Savchenko. And in her post-match interview with Mary Carillo, she talked (like a seasoned veteran) about how a newfound outlook on her life has made her a better player. It has pretty much taken her five years to turn this around, and it has carried her to this, her second slam title. The biggest test of this new Kuznetsova is whether she can take this momentum into New York and win a second U.S. Open title.
Bonus round: Six-time French Open singles title winner Steffi Graf was on hand to present Sveta and Safina with their wares.
(images via Getty Images)
Posted: June 8th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: fashion, french open, nike, roland garros, sports, t-shirts, tennis | No Comments »
Props to Midwest Sports for picking up our need for practice tees. Many of you write TSF asking about retail info for what our favorite players wear as they train for a tourney. Usually, we have to scour specialty stores for the goods. But now this Ohio-based outfit is cutting out the middleman and bringing the shirts straight to the masses.
Buy: Nike Love PRS Tee, black/yellow, $28; Icons Sunburst, anthracite and heather grey, $35; NSW Summer Sportswear Tee, in anthracite, electrolime, and white, $35; Let’s Play, $20.
Posted: June 7th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: french open, injuries, pete sampras, rafael nadal, robin soderling, roger federer, roland garros, sports, tennis, trophies, trophy watch | No Comments »
Congrats to Roger Federer for getting that clay monkey off his back; up until this morning, he lacked a mini Coupe des Mousquetaires* in his overflowing trophy case, which put his place among the tennis greats into question. But now that he’s filled that French Open void in his record — with a 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-4 performance over an overwhelmed (and likely exhausted) Robin Soderling — Federer can play out the rest of his years with a clear mind. He’s achieved pretty much everything: a prolonged stay at the top of the rankings, an Olympic gold (albeit in doubles), and singles trophy from all four majors. (Has he won all of the Masters Series events?). Nothing is stopping him from surpassing Pete Sampras‘s record in bagged Slam titles and becoming the GOAT of his generation. Unfortunately, Roger could also get a boost from his greatest rival, Rafa Nadal, if the Spaniard starts to sputter because of bad equipment; Nadal’s deteriorating knees have forced him out of this year’s Queen’s Club draw and makes a Wimbledon title defense uncertain.
Props to Soderling for his week, btw. Too bad he couldn’t push Federer to four or five sets. But after bulldozing Nadal, Nikolay Davydenko, and Fernando Gonzalez on the way to the final, something had to give. Also, the Swede gave one of the most sincere and gracious speeches I have heard in recent years. For as much as we hear that he’s disliked by other players for gamesmanship and such, he had a very cheery attitude as he received his runner-up platter.
*funny observation by Pierre, who commented on Bodo‘s blog that mentions of the CdM had overtaken terre battue as le mot de l’année…
(image via Getty Images)
Posted: June 7th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: advertising, commercials, french open, roger federer, roland garros, sports, television, tennis | Tags: netjets | 6 Comments »
While we’re not entirely endorsing the use of private planes (hey, if Rafa Nadal can fly commercial, then so can all the other top pros…), TSF wants to give a shoutout to the cute commercial NetJets used to congratulate one of its clients, Roger Federer, after his record-tying 14th major title — the 2009 French Open.
Sit back: Click on the image above (or this link) to view.
Posted: June 5th, 2009 | Author: Erwin | Filed under: french open, rafael nadal, roger federer, roland garros, sports, tennis | No Comments »
Tweets/texts/emails/pings fluttered our way right after Roger Federer climbed out of that five-set mess that was his semifinal against Juan Martin Del Potro. The score: 3-6, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
We don’t remember the last time we felt so compelled to gun for Roger at a final (there were goosebumps as we got on the ‘net for the match synopsis…). But why the sudden change? Why are we all so excited?…
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