France accuses Spanish sports of doping - again

France's version of Spitting Image has Rafa Nadal stopping at a petrol station but instead of having the tank filled with petrol, he a reaches for a bottle of something bought elsewhere, then takes the petrol cap off and proceeds to pee in his fuel tank. The car takes off at an incredible speed. Further down the road, he is stopped by the gendarmerie, who say, "Speeding! Cut the contact!", to which Nadal answers, "What for? What the hell?" After that appears a subtitle and a voice over that says, "Les sportifs espagnols. Ils ne gagnent pas par hasard." That is: "Spanish sports people. They don't win by chance." Among other complaints from the Spanish sports fraternity (which is fed up with France forever accusing it of doping - see the latest on cyclist Alberto Contador) Spain's Tennis Federation (RTFE) announced via Twitter that it would be suing CanalPlus France for using its logo without permission. The Federation's president says, "That's enough!"

Rafa prefers German cash to British

LONDON (Agencies) The world number 2 has chosen to play at the Gerry Weber Open at Halle instead of his usual Wimbledon warm-up at Queen’s Club next year. Several sources say that he has come to a €850,000 deal to play there instead of the AEGON Championships, staged immediately after the French Open. Chris Kermode, tournament director of the London event, admitted: ‘Rafa will not be with us next year. It’s disappointing, but we know how much he enjoys our event and we hope to be welcoming him back soon.’ Instead, he will be joining friend and rival Roger Federer, who has played at Halle for a number of years. It will also mean that Rafa won't be making a dash for the grass courts immediately after (winning?) the French Open at Roland Garros. And Queen's will still be able to field a strong bevy of players that will include Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, while negotiations are going on with Novak Djokovic.

Sevilla, chosen for 2011 Davis Cup Finals

Davis Cup Final, Seville, 2004

SEVILLA (EFE/Agencies) The Royal Spanish Tennis Federation has selected Seville as the venue for the Davis Cup final in early December, when the host nation will square off against Argentina. The federation said Wednesday it opted for Seville ahead of Valencia, which initially appeared to be the frontrunner. The race to host the Davis Cup final began on Sept. 18, when Spain and Argentina wrapped up their semifinal victories over France and Serbia, respectively. Because the last Davis Cup tie between the two countries - the 2008 final - was played in Argentina, it was Spain's turn to be the host nation.Madrid, Malaga, Seville and Valencia were all in the running but the federation narrowed the selection down to the latter two cities and eventually decided to propose that Seville host the event from Dec. 2 to 4.>>>

Nadal lashes out at US Open organizers: "All you think about is money"

NEW YORK / Flushing Meadows (Agencies) Rafael Nadal lashed out at US Open organisers on Wednesday, claiming players' safety was being put at risk in a desperate effort to make up for lost time at the chaotic, rain-ravaged event. Defending champion Nadal, world number four Andy Murray and 2003 winner Andy Roddick joined forces to complain to tournament referee Brian Earley after they were sent out to play on courts that had been battered by almost constant rain.>>>

It happened on another July 1st ...

Manuel Santana, the first Spaniard ever to win at Wimbledon, did so on July 1, 1966. Until the arrival of Rafa Nadal (up against Andy Murray at Wimbledon today), Santana was Spain's top tennis star. He won the French Open in 1963, age 23, and repeated that the following year. When Spain's Davis Cup team lost against Britain, on grass in Bristol by 4-1, he famously said, "Grass is for cows." Nevertheless, he won at Forest Hills in 1965, and Wimbledon the following year. Another thing that happened on this date: The Beatles arrived for their first tour of Spain in 1965, with massive, hysterical concerts in Madrid and Barcelona that alarmed the Franco regime, who had succumbed to pressure. You can see some of their concert at the Madrid bullring here.

Rafa Nadal, the reluctant ruler

SPAIN/UK (El Pais/J.Badcock) Rafa Nadal seems to live in denial. For years he insisted that Roger Federer was by far the best, even as the young Spaniard robbed the imperious Swiss player of chances to win the French Open, then his green fiefdom of Wimbledon, and finally the number-one ranking. With Federer currently holding no major titles down in the third-ranked berth, Nadal was arguing before this year's claycourt Grand Slam event that his own days at number one were sure to be ended by the trail being blazed by Novak Djokovic. The Mallorcan then duly picked up his sixth French title and held on to his top ranking.>>>

Federer does it again!

In case you missed it all over the media (we did), Roger Federer played the ball from between his legs in his 2010 US Open First Round match against Argentina's Brian Dabul. Not for the first time, either; he played the same, less difficult shot, against  Djokovic at last year's Semifinal. He had the public on their feet this time, too!