It's the return of our Fourhand series here at the Daily Spin. Herein, the are the stories you absolutely mustn't miss from the past week:
HOW SWEET IT IS Venus Williams is historically known to stay rather tight-lipped about her dating life, and so it's all the more notable that she and her boyfriend, Cuban model Elio Pis, were photographed—by the UK's Daily Mail, naturally—in a kissing embrace, even on court, in Miami. Obviously Venus is content and comfortable in her personal life to showcase such displays of affection. Also pictured, interestingly, is Venus and Serena Williams' father Richard, now 70 years old, with his 7-month-old son, Dylan Starr Richard Williams, and 33-year-old wife, Lakeisha. (Dylan Starr, who shares a middle name with Venus, was born in mid-August 2012.) Now back to Venus' beau: For those who care (and that seems to be a lot of you), the Spin previously brought Pis to light in January when the 24-year-old showed off his beach body.
HENIN GIVES BIRTH Justine Henin revealed via Twitter in September 2012 that she was pregnant. In a Facebook announcement this week, she revealed that she delivered the baby on March 20. In the post, Henin refers to newborn daughter Lalie as "a little fairy arriving] to illuminate our lives." And by "our" she refers to herself and boyfriend Benoit Bertuzzo. Congratulations to this lovely family. That said, [this was the funniest tweet about Henin's baby joy, courtesy of @scoobschris.
SELES BOOK EN ROUTE New York Times Straight Sets scribe Ben Rothenberg humble-bragged a photo of his copy of Monica Seles' new young-adult novel, The Academy: Game On. Set at a sports school, of course, it appears to be something akin to Beverly Hills 90210 meets The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew mysteries meets Swimfan meets tennis. In any event, the book is co-written with James LaRosa, erstwhile writer of The Sweet Spot blog (a personal favorite) on the Tennis Channel website, and it's positioned to be the first in a series. The Spin wishes many happy returns on the read, and the reaped benefits for these authors. Seles, you may recall, has two best-selling autobiographies, the eponymous Monica: From Fear to Victory and Getting a Grip: On My Mind, My Body, My Self, both of which your Spin keeper enjoyed reading. Watch for a another "Lit Hits" review of The Academy here soon.
"WOZZILROY" REPLACED Not to panic—Caroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy continue their delightful relationship. She even donned a wig at the Miami player party to mimic her guy pal's own curly northern-Irish dome. But the two have been supplanted atop the heap of "it" couples in the pro golf realm, namely by Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn, now an item. This is the Spin's own message to Woods and Vonn, via Someecards.com: "I'll respect your privacy if you stop shoving your privacy in my face." In truth, it takes quite the gumption, or the vanity, to release relationship portraits and then ask for no follow-up paparazzi treatments, as if that's possible in this celeb-soaked world in which we abide. Even so, kudos to another happy pairing. Long may they reign.
That's that, Spin readers. Quite the news week away from the pro courts. What do you think is the biggest story, and why?
Got a thought, a tip, or a point to make? Hit me on Twitter @jonscott9.