Sexy Back?

Mornin', Tribe. I'm hoping to get out of the office a little early today to hit the trail. Cowboy Luke and I are drifting up to the farm in Andes after I pick him up at his day camp. I posted on the  Wimbledon men's doubles champions yesterday, so I thought I'd log some thoughts on the mixed doubles today.

Before that, though, keep in mind that Ed "Mr. Monday Netpost" McGrogan will be in Stowe, Vt., this weekend, covering Fed Cup - and you will have a Fed Cup Crisis Center post for tomorrow and Sunday.

Ed has a special assignment this weekend (in addition to covering the USA vs. Russia tie): he's going to try to get the skinny on Shamil Tarpischev, the enigmatic and somewhat mysterious Russian Davis Cup and Fed Cup captain. If you've followed Davis Cup with any diligence, you know that Tarpischev has made some brilliant strategic moves in past ties, and has shown a knack for surprising the opposition - as well as the pundits - with the nominations he makes and the last-minute substitutions he's come up with during critical ties.

And next week, we have a post by James Blake, with an assistant to the co-author of Blake's new book, Breaking Back - TW's own Rolo Tomassi, aka Andrew Friedman.

You may recall that I called out Judy Murray shortly after the French Open for an on-air exchange she had with a broadcasting colleague while calling the Jelena Jankovic vs Nicole Vaidisova battle at Roland Garros (a match that Jankovic won). At one point, Judy's male colleague suggested that Jelena had a crush on Judy's son (and Andy Murray's brother), Jamie, an ATP Tour doubles specialist. Judy more or less said it was true, and that Jamie wasn't very interested. I thought it a curiously insensitive thing to say into a live mike feeding millions of television viewers, and if you've ever had an unrequited crush on someone, you know what I mean.

At Wimbledon, I spent a little time with Jelena for a Tennis magazine story I'm working on, and you bet that I was going to broach that curious incident, now that she was actually playing with Jamie. Jelena laughed when I brought it up, but then she laughs a lot; this is one fun-loving girl.

"I don't know where this is coming from," she said of the report that she has a crush on Jamie. Jelena has a unique voice -  a drawl, but with a unique, high-pitched nasal tone that makes her accent very dificult to pin down. In appearance, too, she looks less a Serb - countrywoman of Djokovic and Ivanovic - than an Asiatic Princess of the High Steppes. "But everywhere I hear this is leading to a romance - everywhere!"

"Maybe for you, I think, but not for me - I am watching the ball, and probably you are watching something else."

Jankovic is unsure where the rumors of romance began, but there's no doubt that she and Murray flirted their way to the title in the same way that Arnaud Clement Michael Llodra drank their way to theirs. Wine, women and song - suddenly I'm starting to get a lot more interested in doubles!

Jankovic went on: "Somebody told me Jamie's mom started this. I don't know where she got this from. I don't know Jamie so well, I met him for the first time at the player party in Miami. That was the first time he approach me and said something. It's been lot of fun for me, but maybe is something else for him, more than just playing doubles with me. Yeah - her mother said that I had the sweet story, but maybe it was her son -how can she (Judy) know how I feel? And if that was true, okay, but it's not!"

Hmmm. . . is this a case, to mangle Shakespeare's original chestnut, of "the Lady Doth Protest, But Not too Much?"

Jelen added, "I think she like my smile. She (Judy) was cheering the other day, and there were many people, and some of them were saying, 'They (Murray and Jankovic) are a nice couple, very nice couple!" And she say to them, 'Yes, she is really good for my son. . .' I am like, My Goodness! I am just here to play my mixed, enjoy time on court, so I don't know where this stuff is coming from. I don't take it seriously and it is quite funny."

What's the matter, I said, he's a good-looking kid. Don't you want to live in Scotland?

Jelena laughed. "In press conference some other day, they ask Jamie, 'so, you inviting Jelena to Scotland?' And he said, 'Yeah, for Christmas.' 'That's a long time away,' they said. And Jamie said, 'Yeah, but she's busy until then'. . . You know, he really know my schedule, eh?"

I repeat: Hmmmmmm. . . Here's the full post-championship presser, make up your own minds.

THE MODERATOR:  First question for the Wimbledon mixed doubles champions.

Q. Has it sunk in yet that you are Wimbledon champions?

JAMIE MURRAY:  I don't know.  It feels pretty good though.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  It does.

Q.  Can you recall your thoughts after the winning point and also as you went up into the Royal Box?

JAMIE MURRAY:  I was just looking for that kiss from her, to be honest.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  No, I was motivating him every time.  When it was a breakpoint, I'd tell him, Jamie, let's go.  This return, hit a good one because you gonna get many kisses, you know (laughter). You know, at the end, he did it.  I was like, what I have to do to get him, you know, to pump him up a little bit so that he can play great tennis.

But it was amazing.  After I look back two weeks ago, we came at the same time with the van and he asked me to play.  I was thinking, what are the odds that we come at the same time and he ask me.
If this didn't happen, we wouldn't even play this tournament. Wouldn't even win Wimbledon. But maybe it was like destiny, it was meant to happen. So I'm really happy that, you know, we won this tournament. It's amazing. Playing with Jamie, it was a great experience. Very nice guy. Very sweet, as well (smiling).

Q.  She put in some serious tennis at the end of that match, didn't she?

JAMIE MURRAY:  I mean, she won the match in the end because she kept returning the guy's serve and I couldn't do it.  Eventually I made one.  They left it.  We got that 5 1, and then she served it out pretty easy. I got to say thanks to her for that.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  You're welcome.

Q.  Given the motivation now, there's obviously a chance to get a lot of kisses.  Where does Eric fit into this?

JAMIE MURRAY:  Eric doesn't deserve the kisses (laughter).  I'm with her now.

Q.  Jamie, do you have a girlfriend?

JAMIE MURRAY:  No.

Q.  (To Jelena) Do you have a boyfriend?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I have lots (smiling).

Q.  Have you spoken with Andy at all?

JAMIE MURRAY:  Yeah, yeah, I saw him as I was walking off the court.  He was pretty pumped up.

Q.  Did he say anything to you?

JAMIE MURRAY:  He said he was so proud of what I've done.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  He was jealous, for sure.  No, just kidding.

Q.  Obviously everybody said the Murray name was going on a Grand Slam trophy.  In your wildest dreams, did you think it would be your name?

JAMIE MURRAY:  No, of course not.  I mean, I can't honestly ever think that I would    or say that thought I would win one, especially this year, and also in the mixed doubles. But it's happened.  Lovin' it, yeah.

Q.  How about the reaction of the crowd?  The five minute standing ovation was quite extraordinary.  What were the emotions like lifting the trophies up?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  This is what it's all about.

JAMIE MURRAY:  Yeah.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  These feelings that you have, these emotions that you feel inside, it's something that you have to feel.  It's really an incredible feeling for me to be there and to hold the trophy.  It's something that I always dreamed of. I would love one day to have that feeling and have a trophy, singles trophy, you know.  But it was very nice to play first mixed doubles title, first Grand Slam title for me.  I cannot ask for more, for sure.

Q.  What is it like to be an honorary Brit?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I'm an adopted Brit?

Q.  Yes, adopted Brit.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I don't know.  It feels great actually.

Q.  Are you going to go out for dinner to celebrate maybe?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  We're going to the ball.

JAMIE MURRAY:  To the ball, yeah.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  He was looking so forward to this ball.  He was asking me the whole day what kind of dress I'm wearing, if it's going to be short or long.  I had to disappoint him.  It's very long.

Q.  Are you more likely to go to Scotland for Christmas now?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I don't know.  Christmas, it's a long way.  We have so many things to do before.

Q.  Will you be playing again together?

JAMIE MURRAY:  I don't know.  I guess that's up to her.  She obviously has singles commitments and stuff, so I guess I'll keep asking her from now on until she agrees to play again.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  He'll keep bugging me until I accept.

Q.  Have you had other offers from other players?

JAMIE MURRAY:  No, no.  I think I would expect the guys normally ask the girls to play.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  Now he will get a lot of offers, but he's sticking to me I think.

Q.  It's going to be difficult at the US Open because you have a huge amount of points to defend.  Will you make a decision, do you think, at the time?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I really don't know. I'm just focused on my singles. As soon as I leave here I would love to do well in the tournaments in California and then play well in New York. It's important for me. I have to defend semifinals. But, you know, playing makes it something that it's kind of a relaxing game that you don't have so much pressure. You're just going on court and you can just enjoy your game.

I don't really expect too much from mixed.  It can actually help me.  So I can improve my returns, my serves, my volleys, and I can even maybe play better in my singles. So I'll look forward.  I hope that we can maybe play at the US Open.  It would be nice.

Q. Does this make up for missing out on the singles?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  Yes, it was a good consolation for me to play the mixed doubles after I was very disappointed with my singles performance here. But, you know, winning Wimbledon in the mixed doubles, it's great.  I won a Grand Slam, so what else can I ask for, you know?

Q. Jamie, does it feel strange that your brother is actually more nervous watching you than he is when he plays his own matches?

JAMIE MURRAY:  Yeah, I guess so.  Yeah, but I think it's always harder to watch than when you're actually out there yourself.  Obviously he wanted me to do as well as I possibly could.  We won the tournament, so he can't ask for more.

Q.  Did you ever joke about things growing up, who would be the first to have some kind of big success?

JAMIE MURRAY:  No, no, I don't think so.

Q.  Who would win a singles match between you two?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  Between me and him?

Q.  Yes.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I win it from the baseline; he wins it at the net.

JAMIE MURRAY:  This is true, yeah.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  That's why we are a good mix.

Q.  Did Andy give you any advice before today?

JAMIE MURRAY:  No.  Actually I didn't really speak to him much at all during the tournament because he was kind of off doing his own thing, doing his rehab and that. I saw him this morning.  We actually arrived at the same time.  He was going to watch the men's final.  He wished me luck and stuff, but nothing major, no.

Q. Did Andy go to America in between?

JAMIE MURRAY:  No, he's going next week.

Q.  The fact that you've won now, might you get asked more questions about yourself than about your brother?

JAMIE MURRAY:  It's been about half and half so far tonight.  I can't really do too much more (laughter).

Q.  What about your mum's reaction?  She was up and down in the box, showing her emotions.

JAMIE MURRAY:  Well, yeah, I hope so.  Her son just won Wimbledon.  I'd be disappointed if she wasn't doing that.

Q.  Have you had a chance to speak to her yet?

JAMIE MURRAY:  No, no, I haven't.  I've been in the gym, seeing my dad and stuff.  He had to leave to get the train back.  I haven't seen her yet.

Q.  Can you talk about Louis, the influence he's had for almost the year now?

JAMIE MURRAY:  Not a lot (smiling). No, no, I think I wouldn't be sitting in this chair right now if it wasn't for him, to be honest.  I hope that he knows that, as well.  He taught me so much about doubles, all the movements and the strategies and everything.  I think now it's starting to pay off.

Q.  Is it right that you haven't actually played mixed doubles before in a tournament, and it's all due to finding the right woman?

JAMIE MURRAY:  Yeah, I'd never played mixed doubles.  I didn't really know what to expect.  Obviously I wanted to play this year.  But I got lucky that I got probably one of the best partners out there, and I think she had a lot to do with our success.

Q.  Jelena, had you played mixed before this?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  No.  I played once or twice.  I don't really play much of mixed doubles.  It's not something that I really know.  I don't know much about doubles, mixed doubles.

I'm mainly a singles player.  And we were joking when we were playing, the referee was telling, You take a lot of time between when I'm serving.  He has to explain where I have to go, what I have to do.

Jamie was saying, She doesn't know the signs is why.  I don't know.  I'm not into all these things, signals.  Doubles game is a completely different game than singles.

I was trying my best.  But winning Wimbledon, it's not what I expected.  But I'm very delighted, for sure.

Q.  Are you going to defend your title?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I think so.  I hope so.  I hope so, we will be back here next year, and I would love to defend.

JAMIE MURRAY:  I've got witnesses to that, as well.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  We're going to sign a contract, don't worry.

Q.  Before you actually asked Jelena, when you were looking around for a partner, what was it about her or her game that made you choose her?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  It's not about my game, for sure.  Admit it.

JAMIE MURRAY:  She's a good player.  It's a bonus that she's very attractive.  I guess you want to get a girl who can serve well, which she obviously does.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I don't.

JAMIE MURRAY:  She's so steady throughout the whole tournament.  She hardly missed any shots, only off maybe the guy's returns.  Even the volley, she never misses the volley.  The guy keeps playing to her and she keeps putting it back.  Yeah, certainly didn't expect that at all.     She told me how scared she was whenever the guy hit the ball at her, but she kept putting it back in the court.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I'm kind of like, Go away.  I'm hitting some kind of shot, somehow it always goes in, over the net.  I was probably lucky like the whole two weeks.

Q.  Is it the fact that Jelena kept smiling at the opposition put them off?

JAMIE MURRAY:  You'd have to ask them.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  It put them completely off.  They didn't see the ball at all.

Q. It seems like you were giving the orders, Jamie.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  Yeah, he was giving the orders and I was, you know. . .

JAMIE MURRAY:     fulfilling them.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I was fulfilling his wishes, for sure.

Q.  Any time you get to be the boss?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  Me?

JAMIE MURRAY:  She was getting mad when I was missing all those returns right at the end.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  All I wanted was make them play at least.  That's all.  Make the ball over the net.  But he did it.  At the end, it was amazing.  I was very happy when we broke to have the lead 5 1, then I serve it out.  So, great.

JAMIE MURRAY:  So it's all down to you (smiling)?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  No, no, not to me.  I cannot play alone, no.  He's just making fun.  Actually in our previous matches, every time I get into a streak, maybe I cannot return the guy's serve, and it happens somehow that he gets, you know, few returns in the court.

He says, Don't you feel sorry?  Don't you feel sorry that you just did that?  You know, I did all the work.  I'm like, Thanks, Jamie, you just make me feel better.  Then the next game, and I just start somehow to put them in.  Then I go to him, You see what you're doing now?

We are just enjoying our time, and that's the most important thing.

Q. We've talked about why Jamie asked you to be a doubles partner.  Why did you say yes?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  I told you, it was, you know, his agent asked me first.  I said, I will think about it.  Because of my singles, I'm very tired.  I played a lot of matches this year.  I didn't know how I would feel.  Especially playing on grass, it's really tough on your body.  I'm quite stiff everywhere.  I have pains.

And then I told you that morning, I don't know, I think it was Sunday, we both came at the same time.  You know, the vans arrived.  He said, Are you going to play with me?  I said, Okay, go and sign.  I was just    I didn't think too much.

Then between when I decided to play my singles, I was thinking, maybe it's not a good decision because I don't feel that great, especially with the rain, there's so many delays.

JAMIE MURRAY:  If you'd won that singles match, there was no way you were going on court.  You know that.

JELENA JANKOVIC:  It was so much behind.  I was thinking, my God, what are we going to do?  We have to play thousands of matches.  How am I going to do that, you know, per day?

But in the end, after two weeks, there's nothing I could ask.  I made a good decision and I'm very, very happy.

Q.  If you had beaten Bartoli, you probably wouldn't have played?

JELENA JANKOVIC:  No, no, I would play, but we would have to play so many matches.  I don't know how I could do it.  It would be too much.  Maybe four, five matches a day.  I don't know how that would be possible for me to make good performances.