Nine U.S. Open Amuse-Bouches

Here, another litany of quirky and random and not-so-random (that word is sorely overused) items from this fairly zany U.S. Open tournament ...

  1. Varvara Lepchenko tells me she is quite pleased with her EleVen brand attire via Venus Williams.
  1. Pity poor Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Her default photo for Google searches is just sour.
  1. A squirrel all but flew across the court in front of Julien Benneteau during Week 1 action. Of course this happened to Benneteau. He's a quirk magnet.
  1. Dear Redfoo: How can we miss you if you never leave? (Exhibits A and B.)
  1. Two-time 2012 Grand Slam semifinalist Sara Errani, she of the absurd, needless grunt (hindrance, anyone?), says she's done with the embattled doctor with whom she's had a working relationship with for some time. ''Now, his name is not a good name,'' the Italiana said succinctly, and I do relish it when people put things simply. As Bill Shakespeare had it, "Brevity is the soul of wit."
  1. Australian Davis Cup captain Patrick Rafter gave young charge Bernard Tomic the what-for, as he should.
  1. The USTA is honoring legendary NCAA basketball coach Pat Summitt. Splendid, as she's an amazing woman.
  1. The pro tennis official, a lines judge set to work at this U.S. Open but accused of murdering her elderly husband, is pleading "not guilty" and claims that she's physical unable to mortally wound anyone.
  1. In case you missed it: Here's a look at my time in the USTA President's Suite and box seats. New chums Vanessa Williams, Anna Wintour, Severus Snape, and Jennifer Capriati all collided there.

Enjoy this finals weekend, Spin friends! Thanks for reading.

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)