A tennis community for the recreational player
Here it is, a glorious September Sunday, and where am I? Out hiking? Apple picking? Playing tennis? Nope. Just sitting here in front of my damn laptop. The weather’s been too nice for staring at screens, but it’s past time to show my blog a little love…and these ugly clothes a little hate.
Continue reading “Fashion Face-Off: Worst-Dressed Player at US Open 2025”
Did you guys see the women’s semifinals yesterday? What a treat! Only a few weeks ago I was railing about all the choking in the women’s game, with three of these four semifinalists serving as my examples. Yesterday, to quote Patrick McEnroe, they stepped up and delivered, including Amanda Anisimova, bouncing back from that humiliating double bagel in the Wimbledon final. The only possible explanation for this dramatic turnaround? These ladies are reading LittleYellowBall! (Hey, guys!)
Seriously, I couldn’t be happier to eat my words.
Of course, another treat has been all the stellar fashion on display. I had a tough time winnowing the field to only three, and I expect I’ll get an earful about who got left off the podium. Bring it on, people. I can take it.
Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-Off: Best-Dressed Woman at the 2025 US Open”
Happy Labor Day, everyone! After the barbeques and holiday sale shopping, it’s time to kick back with some tennis fashion fun. Or, if not fun — it is the men, after all — at least fashion frivolity.
I take my job as self-appointed fashion arbiter pretty seriously, so last Tuesday I traveled to Flushing Meadows to inspect this year’s getups first-hand, bringing along my trusty assistant/sidekick/brother David. I wouldn’t say David follows the sport too closely (Sample comment: “They don’t use line judges anymore?”) but he both buys and wears clothes, which appears to be the only real job requirement for these face-offs. I figured he’d be a fount of fashion savvy, particularly in regards to the men’s apparel.
His first contribution? Keeping Alexander Zverev off the slate of nominees:
Continue reading “Labor Day Fashion Face-Off: Best-Dressed Man at the 2025 US Open”
We’re wrapping up Wimbledon this week with our favorite face-off, the worst dressed. I know you’re eager to start casting your stones, so we’ll dispense with the preamble and jump straight to the photos…
Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: Worst-Dressed at Wimbledon 2025”
Have I resolved the technical issues that plagued last week’s face-off? I hope so. My apologies for the less-than-seamless reading experience — and thank you to those who valiantly forged ahead anyway. Give a shout if there continue to be problems.
Now on to the women of Wimbledon…
Did you happen to catch commentator Pam Shriver speculating that Jessica Pegula was on the rag during her surprise first-round loss?
Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: Best-Dressed Woman at Wimbledon 2025”
“Didn’t you used to have a blog?”
I get asked this question occasionally, usually in a semi-judgmental tone. Apparently, it’s a shameful thing to have neglected your blog, akin to abandoning your senescent parent in some state-run institution. If you’re not going to love and attend to your blog, these inquisitors seem to imply, just smother it with a pillow already.
But I’m taking a different tack, resuscitating LittleYellowBall with, ironically, the blandest, most moribund of all blog topics: men’s fashion at the whitey-white Slam.
Choosing the male nominees for the Wimbledon fashion face-offs has always been a daunting task, usually coming down to minutiae like coordinating socks. Until men start sporting unitards or strappy tops, there will never be much to say about their white-on-white getups.
Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: Best Dressed Man at Wimbledon 2025”
Did you know November is National Novel Writing Month? Participants in NaNoWriMo, as it’s commonly called, commit to writing a 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days. If you haven’t started your novel, it’s not too late—you’re only 1,666 words behind. (Unless, of course, you’re reading this on Sunday, in which case you’re 3,332 words behind. Better get busy.)
I should have no trouble tapping out 1,666 words a day since I’m again sidelined from tennis. More shoulder woes. I’m hoping it won’t take too much longer before I’m back on the court. In the meantime, I’m relegated to the lesser role of gongoozler.
Isn’t that fun to say? Gongoozler! As you’ve no doubt surmised, it means spectator. You can also use it as a verb—gongoozle—but after looking that up online, I’ve discovered an alternate meaning I’d prefer not to invoke. I’ll leave you to uncover that particular definition on your own—I am NOT going there.
Yes, I know. Now you want to go there. Fine. I’ll wait while you go google it… Continue reading “The Word Nerd Quiz”
“Kyrgioser and kyrgioser!” cried Alice…
Another day, another Nick Kyrgios controversy. If he isn’t getting fined for lack of effort or for needling an opponent about his girlfriend’s sexual history, he’s hitting head-scratching and/or controversial shots.
In this case, the shot was a dinky underhand serve to Rafael Nadal, who famously stands practically in the bleachers when he receives. I watched the first set of this Mexican Open match and heard commentator Lindsay Davenport wonder why no one ever tries an underhand serve against Rafa. She then joked that if anyone would do it, Kyrgios would. Continue reading “The Underhand Serve: A Friday Poll”
