The Deuce Club, 10.25

Hey, how about this news that Maria Sharapova will executive-produce a pro-tennis-themed show for the CW?  After my TV posts of the past two weeks, I'm quite excited.  If it actually took off, then good or bad, I think it would raise the popular profile of tennis quite a bit.  Of course, it's a long way from development to the screen, so I'm not holding my breath.

A Wimbledon retrospective today!  This should be a very easy guessing game, but who’s the Tribe member here at Centre Court in 2006?  She writes:

I note that Justine and Roger get first names, but every else has to get a first and last name.  Just kidding... actually, except for Andy, you could probably identify most of these with just first names.

Don’t forget to send photos and news!  If I don’t get more photos, it’s back to the album of foster rabbits next week.

I found a very funny little tennis reference the other day.  Prompted by the recent DVD release of his Shakespeare adaptation As You Like It and the theatrical release of his film Sleuth, I was rereading Kenneth Branagh’s book Beginning.  In it, he mentions one Othello performance he had as a hapless young actor, before he even went to drama school.  It took place in the open air on a fine Sunday afternoon, and the actors were already fighting the Heathrow air traffic overhead.

I’ll quote Branagh on what happened next:

More than three sets (I'm guessing), and Branagh graduating high school?  This was likely the 1977 final which Borg won against Jimmy Connors, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.  If Desdemona was smothered in the third set, the cast may have gotten to watch the end in the bar tent after all.

Next time I’m watching a boring tennis match, I’m going to try the reverse and throw in an audiobook of Othello.

That’s all for this week!  Again, don’t forget to send along news and photos!  Anyone have any beautiful fall foliage in their backyard to share, or how about a creatively carved pumpkin?  Bring them on and we'll have a little virtual pumpkin contest here next week!

-Heidi