What's Cooking?: Andy Roddick & James Blake at the 9th Annual BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis

Andy Roddick and James Blake attended the 9th annual "BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis" event before the start of the U.S. Open.

Roddick was cooking with Food Network host Ingrid Hoffmann while Blake with Gotham Bar & Grill chef Alfred Portale.


(Via U.S. Open site)

Roger Federer, Serena Williams & Maria Sharapova at the Nike's 21 Mercer St. Block Party

Yesterday Nike Sportswear commemorated the opening of 21 Mercer Street by hosting an invite only block party. Mercer street was transformed into a stadium-like environment.

At precisely 9:21 PM Roger Federer and Spike Lee opened the doors for the first time to the public. Nike also invited their other old friends, including Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

Mr. Lee introduced Mr. Federer to the crowd as "the world's greatest tennis player." To which the tennis player awkwardly responded, "I'm Roger Federer, that's me."

At the opening, Williams said,

"There has been no relaxing for me, I've been playing every day, literally," she said about getting ready for the U.S. Open. But at least she has something to look forward to after the next couple of weeks."

"Fashion Week is right after the tournament so I look forward to going there, I love it," said Ms. Williams. "I'll have two weeks off so it is definitely like a vacation for me."

In the meanwhile Sharapova, who will be sitting out the U.S. Open due to an ongoing shoulder injury, was asked if she's in New York to cheer on her tennis peers from the stands.

She said, "No, no, definitely not," she said. "I'm just here to work with my brands and to do things that I already had planned to do for a couple of days, and then I'm going back."

So Sharapova won't be watching the U.S. Open at all?

No, I won't. Unless I'm working out and it happens to be on TV, I might catch it, but I don't plan to watch it. I have so many things going on in my life, and this is a good time for me to work on all of the projects I'm working on."

"I didn't even know (the draw) came out!" she said, laughing. "To be honest, the day I got injured was the day that I was like, I'm not even sure who's playing."

Sharapova night not be interested with the U.S. Open but she'll definitely check out the Fashion Week instead.

(Via New York Observer, Nike.com)

Novak Djokovic and the USTA President ring the NASDAQ opening Bell

The good thing about the U.S. Open is that there are usually a lot of events and campaigns going on.

While Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are busy with their Nike campaigns, world no. 3 Novak Djokovic has the privilege to join Jane Brown Grimes, Chairman of the Board and President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to ring the NASDAQ Opening Bell to celebrate the 2008 US Open and the 40th anniversary of the Open Era.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of tennis’ Open Era, there will be the Opening Night Ceremony being held this coming Monday with a parade of more than twenty-five former US Open singles champions!

The on-court ceremony will be hosted by the Oscar-winning actor/director Forest Whitaker and will feature special musical performances by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Earth, Wind & Fire and the Tony® Award winning Jersey Boys. USA Network will carry the ceremony live. Throughout the tournament, the US Open will feature additional celebrations and special tributes to past champions.

Among the tennis greats expected to be on-hand for Opening Night are Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Rod Laver, Ivan Lendl, Tracy Austin, Martina Navratilova, Stan Smith, Boris Becker, Gabriela Sabatini, John Newcombe, Ilie Nastase, Guillermo Vilas and Mats Wilander.

The celebration will include a look back to the very first US Open in 1968 and will include Virginia Wade, the first women’s singles US Open champion, and Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe and her daughter Camera Ashe, who will represent their late husband and father Arthur Ashe, who won the 1968 men’s singles title.

Additionally, present day players expected to appear in the celebration include Roger Federer, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Marat Safin and Andy Roddick.

Pheww... this year's U.S. Open is surely a HUGE and PRESTIGIOUS one!

(Via NASDAQ)

Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal attended "Grapple in the Apple"

Nike kicks off a boxing-match-style "Grapple in the Apple" campaign featuring Don King, which has been described as one of the most significant campaign it has done in quite some time!

In this campaign, the sneaker giant is banking on the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and touting a potential finals showdown between the two at the U.S. Open.

The players have even been given boxer-type nicknames: Roger "The Magician of Precision" Federer and Rafa "Matador of Spin" Nadal.

Ken Dice, Nike's VP-U.S. brand management said, "Nike has always been about collaboration with its athletes. So we brought in a promotional expert to help promote the U.S. Open and this rivalry in a way that maybe we haven't done in a very long time."

The effort will include print executions in local newspapers, a digital component and outdoor advertising. The effort will also incorporate wild postings and street teams.

"We'll also use the viral-video space to make sure that for the next two weeks we continue to push messages celebrating Roger, Rafa, the U.S. Open and New York City," Mr. Dice said.

So what if they don't meet in the U.S. Open final?

"We're keeping our fingers crossed that they do meet -- that's the whole point, and we honestly think that they will, especially the way they have been playing lately," Mr. Dice said. "[But] even if they don't, it will be a great moment for Nike, tennis and these two players and the city of New York."

(Via AdvertisingAge; Images by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images North America)