Top 5

1. Anna Chakvetadze (Russia)

[photo via Andrew Medichini/AP]

2. Ana Ivanovic (Serbia-Montenegro)

[photo via Thomas Coex/Getty]

[photo via Jason Bell/Hello Magazine]

3. Maria Sharapova (Russia)

Nuff said…

[photo via Christophe Ena/AP]

4. Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

[photo via Nuevos Adolescentes]

[photo via Svettenisa]

5. Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic)

[photo via Jacques Demarthon/Getty]

Honorable Mention

a. Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia)

She withdrew from the French Open this year.

[photo via Gear Patrol]

b. Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia)

[photo via Andreas Solaro/Getty]

c. Ashley Harkleroad (United States)

World No. 61 will be in the August 2008 edition of Playboy.

[photo via Mike Hewitt/Getty]

d. Maria Kirilenko (Russia)

[photo via Janek Skarzynski/Getty]

e. Camille Pin (France)

[photo via Jason Bell/Hello Magazine]

(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

It’s matches like these that make watching tennis so much fun.

During the Sony Ericsson Championships at Madrid, Spain, the amazingly beautiful Russian Anna Chakvetadze faced the very pretty Russian Maria Sharapova in one of the semifinal matches. I must say that both ladies have been smooth legs. It should’ve been a realy good match with Chakvetadze having played very well the last few months and Sharapova being a two-time Grand Slam winner.

But the result was the same as the previous three encounters: straight set losses. Yes, Sharapova beat my girl Chakvetadze 6–2, 6–2. It’s highly unfortunate for Chakvetadze since she beat Jelena Jankovic and Serena Williams on the way to the semifinals. Too bad tennis coverage in the United States is so spotty outside the Grand Slam tournaments because I would have liked to have seen those matches.

Yahoo! Sports had very uneven coverage the WTA Championship. In a slideshow of the Chakvetadze-Williams match, out of 100 photos, about 90 were of Williams (who retired from the match with an injury). Very disappointing.

(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

(Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images)

Sharapova will meet Justine Henin, who beat Ana Ivanovic 6–4, 6–4, in Sunday’s final.
____

In other women’s tennis news, this ESPN article gives a good account on the possible future stars of the WTA Tour: Nicole Vaidisova (!!!), Shahar Peer, Tatiana Golovin, Agnes Szavay, Victoria Azarenka, and Agnieszka Radwanska.

Here’s an accurate Top 10 list of the female tennis hotties, with video.
____

Should athletes linked to steroids not have their names leaked before proper evidence is cited?
____

The Tampa Bay Rays (sounds weird, I know) should keep Elijah Dukes. That team won’t get much for the man’s talents, so it might as well try to deal with Dukes’ problems.
____

The savior of the music industry might be the long-dead vinyl format.
____

An example why rent control doesn’t work. It’s also an example that if your City Council representative can instantly match your problems with your address, it’s not a good thing.

“Hi. I just moved into the neighborhood and have found my new landlord to be somewhat negligent. It’s a management company called Dermot.”

“Do you live at 121 Seaman?” the councilman’s associate asked, instantly naming my address.

“Uh… yeah.”

____

One of the best sports photos you will ever see. Also, an example why Boston Red Sox fans make terrible parents.
____

Hallmark powns Paris Hilton.

“Hilton has become a household name, based in large part on her efforts to draw attention to herself. Having done so, she has subjected herself to public scrutiny and the parodist’s pen. The First Amendment does not allow her to respond by welcoming the fawning and flattering, but silencing the critical and comical.“
____

Quote from Dexter:

“I don’t know what kind of idiot thinks an innertube is gonna get him over 90 miles of open ocean. If you ask me, man, it’s Darwin’s theory at work.”