Juan Martin del Potro - Zachary Quinto (a.k.a Sylar): Separated at birth?

I'm not sure if you agree with me but I think Juan Martin del Potro resembles Zachary Quinto who is better known as Sylar, the main antagonist on the hit drama series Heroes.

This is Juan Martin Del Potro.

This is Zachary Quinto.

Separated at birth?

(Images via Yahoo! Sport and zach-quinto.com)

Svetlana Kuznetsova, Dinara Safina in an all Russian affair final at Pan Pacific Open

Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina cruised into the final of the Pan Pacific Open with straight-set victories Saturday.

Fifth-seeded Kuznetsova, who upset top-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinal round beat Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik 7-6 (5), 6-2, while Safina routed compatriot Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-0 in the second semifinal.

Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito was in the crowd for the match between Kuznetsova and Jankovic yesterday. After the matches, players hit balls into the stands; Kuznetsova hit
one to Naruhito, and he made an impressive catch.

"I'm enjoying myself here," Kuznetsova said.

"I'm trying to do new things and it's exciting to be on the court."

After a closely contested first set, Kuznetsova took control in the second, breaking Srebotnik three times.

Kuznetsova broke Srebotnik with a backhand down the line in the seventh game to go ahead 5-2. She raced to a 40-love lead in the next game but Srebotnik fought back to deuce before Kuznetsova won her fourth match point.

Kuznetsova, who won the U.S. Open in 2004, will be bidding for her first title of 2008. Her last Tier I singles title was in 2006 in Miami.

Last week she helped Russia to a win over Spain in the Fed Cup final Monday and said that win boosted her heading to Japan.

"Winning the Fed Cup has given me more motivation," Kuznetsova said.

It was Safina's first win in six matches against Petrova.

"There is a first time for everything in life and today was my first win over her," said Safina, who is fifth in the WTA rankings and had seven aces.

"We've had some good matches in the past," added Safina.

"I wasn't like I was thinking that I had never beaten her before, the strategy was to just go out there and hit the ball as hard as I can."

Safina wasn't thinking too much about Sunday's final being an all-Russian affair.

"It's just another match," Safina said.

"We know each other well and I hope it's going to be a good match that we both can enjoy."

The 2008 champion at this Tier I hardcourt tournament will collect $196,900.

(Via International Herald Tribune)
(Images via Yahoo! Sports, Toray PPO website, Sony Ericsson WTA website)

Davis Cup Semifinals: Green lights for Argentina and Spain?

Okay, I deliberately put the title like that to give myself a reason to put up this song (John Legend and Andre 3000 - Green Light) :P

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

With both Russia and the US two points down, it's looking good for home teams Argentina and Spain.

You know what? I almost never believe Juan Martin del Potro can beat the top guys. I was wrong. JMDP totally crush Nikolay Davydenko by beating him in straight sets! With his previous 23-winning streak, perhaps JMDP has developed a habit of winning.

At homegrown, all four Argentina's players plus captain sang the national anthem at the opening ceremony, plus the attendance of two recent Davis Cup stalwarts, Guillermo Coria and Jose Acasuso. It felt like Argentina’s moment, and with just one win in the remaining three rubbers, it will be.

Nick Bollettieri said that if the US team ever made it through this semifinals, it's going to be a "Miracle in Madrid".

Anyone would tell you that the Spanish team will pull off this semifinals easily on clay at home. If that's not bad enough, the US team have to play without James Blake and one half of the world no.1 dubs Bob Bryan.

But this also means that the US arrive in Madrid as an underdog, without pressure (or is it not?) and possibly with a whole new set of strategies with players like Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish taking up the responsibilities.

But after last night, I think we almost want to believe that the Spanish Armada is way too strong. Even Andy Roddick can't save the wrecking ship now.

And tomorrow, Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan will take on a very tough and talented doubles team of Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez and without the complete Bryan Brothers, it looks almost impossible for the US to make a come back.

For the other World Group playoffs results, go to the Davis Cup official website.

(Images via Yahoo! Sport)

Jelena Jankovic found her love at the Beijing Olympics

Novak Djokovic denied romance with Paraguayan Olympian Leryn Franco.

But look who's the one hooked up with another Olympian instead at the recent Beijing Olympics?

Serbian tennis player Jelena Jankovic met Mladjan Janovic, the water polo player from Montenegro at the sports event. And very soon their friendship turned into love.


In an exclusive interview for the magazine Hello!, Jelena talks about her new boyfriend, her successes on tennis courts all around the world, ambitions related to acting career, a forthcoming premiere of the documentary “Jelena’s World” dedicated to her, and how she feels about playing in dresses which she designed herself.

Answering the question about that someone special in her life now, she confirmed:

“Yes, there is a guy from Montenegro… Before I met Mladjan in Beijing, I was single for a couple of months. He plays water polo for the Montenegrin representation, he is 24 years old and his name is Mladjan Janovic."

(Via Blic Online, tennisforum.com)