In the Spin's latest Fourhand installment, Eugenie Bouchard benefits from a truly mobile Jim Parsons (such a doll, isn't he?) and Nike reveals some eye-popping U.S. Open apparel for its stars.
SUPERFAN On the heels of her lackluster showing at the WTA event in her hometown of Montreal, Eugenie Bouchard posted a photo to Instagram of her new Sheldon stress doll, the likeness of her fan-friend and actor Jim Parsons, watching over her chicken dinner. Parsons' likely presence in Bouchard's box during her U.S. Open matches may help her right the ship, which sunk with a 6-0, 2-6, 6-0 defeat to Shelby Rogers in Canada. During Wimbledon, she called Parsons the most positive force in her career at present. Now he's with her always. Sort of.
FOUR OF A KIND Nike has revealed the U.S. Open looks of the top four talents in its sponsor stable: Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, and Maria Sharapova. Fed's look is fairly straightforward, but the latter three are fairly daring in a pink cheetah print, quasi-vintage sleeveless tank, and biker shorts, respectively.
TURNING TABLES Upon losing to sister Venus Williams in the Montreal semifinals, world No. 1 Serena opened her press conference with a bit of a surprise, saying, "Any questions?" Her chuckle and countenance seemed to foreshadow such responses as "What's left to say?" and "It is what it is"—and you know she got that second one in, as is her wont. Serena opens her campaign at the Western & Southern Open tournament in Cincinnati with another showdown against Samantha Stosur, her 2011 U.S. Open vanquisher who she thumped in Montreal, 6-0, 6-2.
DO YOU BELIEVE THEM? Headlines of late indicate that Federer and Serena have become masters of low expectations. And why not? When you each have 17 Grand Slam singles titles, there simply must be less gusto for the game, and with family and other priorities. Neither will admit it, but they are downplaying their Slam chances moving forward. Federer speaks in terms of "staying healthy and mentally fresh," while Serena says she's already turning her gaze to 2015.
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