As Scott mentioned in this morning’s Speed Read, Caroline Wozniacki has made it to the third round of Wimbledon. After disposing of SI swimsuit model Maria Kirilenko in the previous round, the 9th-ranked Wozniacki is getting set to face Anabel Medina Garriques of Spain.

And what better way to wish the delectable Dane luck than with a fabulous photo essay! If you’re not sure who to pull for in the Wozniacki-Garriques showdown, here are some good (looking) reasons to cheer on Caroline:

Read more…

• Shaq will be lacing ‘em up with LeBron on a more continual basis, as the Big Cactus becomes the newest member of the Cavaliers.

• Rodney Harrison is sick of the whole Brett Favre brouhaha, too.

• Boston sure loves their Rajon Rondo - well, everyone except Celtics GM Danny Ainge.

• An Oklahoma mom is sentenced to 5 years in prison for attacking a high school cheerleading coach with a stun gun.

• Your next tennis hottie to shed some clothing for a magazine shoot: Belarusian babe Victoria Azarenka.

Read more…

Apparently we have a new poster girl of tennis (why was I not informed sooner?) after Argentine Gisela Dulko upset Maria Sharapova in the second round of Wimbledon on Wednesday. But lovely Gisela took a back seat today to a ball girl who got swamped by the press after having played against Tommy Haas on Wednesday. Hmm, that’s odd.

Here are the action photos of Michael Llodra colliding with ball girl Erin Lorencin on Wednesday during his match with Haas. Llodra was injured and had to withdraw, so Haas decided to make the best of things and challenged random ball girls and boys to play against him at Court No. 1, including Chloe Chambers, who hit with him for about five minutes. Read more…

Our tremendous trip of tennis babes in bikinis continues this week. When we last left the court, Maria Kirilenko & Tatiana Golovin were strutting their stuff for SI’s swimsuit issue. Now comes word that another lobbing looker is ready to make her modeling mark in the printed pages during these wild ‘n’ woolly weeks of Wimbledon.

RIZZO SPORTS BLOG informs us that Victoria Azarenka is set to appear in the next issue of FHM magazine’s British version, which is scheduled to hit newsstands July 2. What kind of alluring images should the Brits expect of the Belarusian beauty? See some of Victoria’s previous photographic samples after the jump.

Read more…

It’s been called “poodle-in-heat/cat-being-strangled ejaculations“. It’s been likened to a “small dog being tortured“. The GUARDIAN referred to it as “sounds usually heard in a hospital maternity ward“. We’re referring, of course, to Gus Johnson. No no, we kid. We kid because we care.

(Our heroine, in happier times. Also, dude, she’s 16.)

We’re really referring to Michelle Larcher de Brito and her cacaphonous squeals on the tennis court, made world-famous during last month’s French Open. While she’s far from the only female player to grunt loudly during play, she’s certainly the most demonstrative, and the tennis world apparently took notice. During her match at Wimbledon, fans were treated to a much quieter Larcher de Brito, and you can imagine how that worked out for her.

Read more…

Adidas is no Nike (or even Reebok in its prime), but one thing the company does have on lock is tennis sponsorships. Hell, I just turned on Wimbledon and one of the girls was wearing a cute little Adidas dress. Or really, she’s wearing a dress and she’s cute. Whatever, go turn it on.

(Stefanie Voegele. Like you wouldn’t.)

She and other athletes at Wimbledon are actually fortunate to be able to have their threads for this first round of play, believe it or not, as the shipment of new clothes from Adidas (Yes, by the way, this really happens. Athletes get free new clothes all the time, especially if they’re going to be on television. Envy them) was jacked by thieves last week, according to Scotland Yard and THE TELEGRAPH.

But really, don’t you have to think these thieves didn’t think their cunning plan all the way through? Read more…

• Your 2009 U.S. Open winner is someone not named Tiger Woods.

• Mark Cuban would like ESPN to put together a blacklist of sports blogs.

• Did longtime NBA star-turned-Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson get a U.S. inspector general fired?

• Coming soon to delightfully dance on a collegiate sideline near you - the William & Mary Asparagus?

• Fed up with the whole Favre farce, Vikings coach Brad Childress escapes to Alaska with Andy Reid.

Read more…

If there’s one thing the Germans are noted for, it’s their tolerance and open mindedness when it comes to sensitive social issues. So here’s Michael Stich, famed tennis athlete and broadcaster, fanning the flames of equality at the start of Wimbledon with an observation on women’s tennis.

(Right: Maria Kirilenko, not playing tennis)

Stich, the 1991 men’s singles champion, is calling the event for BBC Radio 5 Live. On Sunday, he let it be known in an interview with THE MAIL that the women’s half of the tournament is pretty much only there to “sell sex.” Yeah, that didn’t go over all that well. Read more…

It has not been a good few months for Rafael Nadal. After his win over Roger Federer at Wimbledon a year ago that seemed to cement his status as the best tennis player in the world, everything has gone south. The Spaniard lost on clay to Federer in Madrid, then bowed out in the quarterfinals of the French Open, a tournament he’d never lost a match in. Ever. Something seemed wrong.

(Something other than his clothes, for once.)

After two exhibitions, both losing efforts, Nadal said “enoffo!” or whatever they say in Spain when they’ve had enough of something and withdrew from Wimbledon, making him just the second racketman to not defend his title in the last 35 years.  Read more…

• It’s finally here: Anna Rawson’s first TV commercial as a GoDaddy Girl.

• Tom Brady & Gisele Bundchen are six months away from unleashing Superbaby onto our world.

• Count Brendan Haywood among those who aren’t pleased about Donte’ Stallworth’s light sentence. But Plaxico probably isn’t as judgmental.

• Wimbledon is worried about potentially massive match-fixing.

• Hard to believe it’s been 15 years since O.J.’s most memorable run.

Read more…