When you hold a quarterfinals on a beautiful but hot Thursday in Newport, RI, the home of the tennis hall of fame, and three of the four players contesting the two quarterfinal matches are ranked well north of No. 100 in the rankings (Matthew Eden–249, Tobias Kamke–185 and Peter Gojowcyk–131), there’s a good chance there […]

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[gallery ids="5932"]Newport Hall of Fame Championships presented by Dell has another attractive draw this year with John Isner and Ivo Karlovic as the top two seeds, joined by other ATP standouts Taylor Fritz, Reilly Oeplka, Stefan Kozlov, Rajeev Ram, Sam Groth and Leander Paes in doubles (with Groth). Here is the day one schedule which I will be attending…

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Roger Federer won his eighth Wimbledon title today with a decisive straight set triumph over Marin Cilic. That’s 19 majors overall for the soon-to-be 36 year old icon who is showing no signs of losing his winning touch.

His game is as great if not greater than ever before, in every aspect. Now he has more experience and “fun” playing, as he told ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi after.

Federer · Wimbledon

Garbine Muguruza is plowing through Venus Williams at the moment, up a set and a break and it looks like there is no way to halt this outrageously dominant display of power tennis by the Spaniard.

Muguruza showed a sampling of this unbeatable form vs Angelique Kerber earlier in the week and she has maintained the level.

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Status: Winner of nine career singles titles. Career high singles ranking was no. 17.

Ht: 6-6 Wt: 200

DOB: Oct. 7, 1987 In: San Francisco, CA

Childhood Heroes: “I never had a certain hero. I always watched Agassi and Sampras growing up, those are the two guys I sort of idolized.”

Nicknames: “I’m called Sammy The Bull – I don’t know how I got that one. And all those guys on the Challenger Tour called me Q Ball.”

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We all know Roger Federer plays tennis like a gentleman wearing a top hat and tuxedo. Heck, maybe someday Nike will design such an outfit for the King.

Federer plays with grace, elegance, perfection. He is a work of art, or as Greg Norman told me, he is “like watching live art.”

But what if Roger Federer found another level? What if Roger Federer round his sixth gear turbo power?

Federer · Roger · Wimbledon

Ernests Gulbis, largely forgotten on the ATP World Tour after his ranking dropped over 500 spots in the last year, has resurrected his career this week with double straight set wins vs Victor Estrella Burgos and Juan Martin Del Potro today at Wimbledon.

A year ago Gulbis was ranked in the 60s and reached the fourth round at Roland Garros, losing to Goffin. Since then it has been a disaster for the 28 year old Gulbis who before this week had not won a single ATP Tour level match all year and since Paris last year.

Del Potro · Ernests · Gulbis · Wimbledon

By Scoop Malinowski

Ht: 6-5 Wt: 200

DOB: October 21, 1992 In: Stuttgart, Germany

First Tennis Memory: “When I was young I picked up a racquet and have been playing since. I was probably eight. It was a physical, popular thing to play tennis, to hit a ball. My first memory.”

Tennis Inspirations: “Roger and Rafa. Looking up to them the last five years has kickstarted me and made me want to play tennis. And I’m sure for a lot of people as well I think.”

Bernard Tomic · Wimbledon

Tennis is a clean and pristine, wondrous sport known for grace, elegance, and aesthetic violence inside a contained arena. Millions of people spend billions of dollars to play and watch the fascinating game of tennis.

Yesterday the sport of tennis was shamed perhaps worse than it has ever been shamed in over a century. Bernard Tomic tanked his first round match to no. 27 seed Mischa Zverev of Germany, 64 63 64. Long known for his questionable work ethic and desire to compete, the very talented Tomic startled the media with his post match comments.

Bernard Tomic · Wimbledon

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: ATP # 51. Highest ranking was 27 in July 2015. Has career wins over Wawrinka, Simon, Del Potro, Lopez, Coric.

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 145

DOB: June 28, 1988 In: Soizy, France

First Tennis Memory: “I remember driving with my family to the court. My father was a teacher. My older brother played. I went with them.”

Tennis Inspirations: “I think a lot of lefty players – Rios, Ivanisevic. From the French side – Henri Leconte.”

Wimbledon