Wild Week: Ferrer-Monaco, Bartoli-Kimiko & Federer-Laver

Ferrer, Monaco hit in the sky

Published Sep 25, 2012

The ATP and WTA are hardly winding down despite the end of the 2012 Grand Slam season. Here's a look at the latest quirky and wonky goings-on from both sides of pro tennis.

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Wild Week: Ferrer-Monaco, Bartoli-Kimiko & Federer-Laver

HIGH TIMES With Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Twin Towers (the world's tallest twin edifices) and the KL Tower (remindful of Seattle's Space Needle or Toronto's CN Tower) serving as statuesque backdrops, Argentine Juan Monaco and Spain's David Ferrer squared off for a light hit high in the sky in Malaysia. Photos via Juan Monaco's Facebook account show the pair enjoying their high-altitude time in the city of 1.6 million denizens. (They're not walking on water as Serena Williams and Gisela Dulko did, but it's a fine, picturesque showing all the same.)

KIMI-KO'ED A rowdy fan in her home nation's tournament didn't do much for 42-year-old Japanese star Kimiko Date-Krumm in her first-round match in Tokyo against Marion Bartoli. The fan caused a break in KDK's concentration at a couple key moments, which isn't to say that she's ultimately have won the match, but he certainly didn't aid in her quest.

"I heard it and found out after the match there was a drunken fan," KDK said. "Maybe he was cheering for me but it was distracting ... It's too bad something like that can happen."

At least she didn't suffer in the post-match statements from her foe, Bartoli: "I would love to be able to play at her level at 42. I'm 27 and am amazed by her condition every time she steps on the court."

FED'S RACQUET HEAD Tennis observers have, over time, claimed that Roger Federer would benefit from a larger racquet face on his Wilson axe. But consider for a minute his weapon's size compared to that of, say, Rod Laver, the man he has been compared to at times. Its face is 25 square inches bigger. The Australian Open's Facebook post shed some light on this and more by-the-numbers comparisons between the two greats.

Do you think Federer would benefit from wielding a bigger racquet face? Does it make a difference?

—Jonathan Scott (@jonscott9)

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