HOT POINTS FOR ANDY MURRAY

Finally, someone aside from Rafael Nadal has reminded Roger Federer that he can be spanked. Murray’s victory in the second round of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters ended Federer’s 55-match winning streak in North America and provided his earliest tournament exit in two years. “The streaks? I don’t care about those now that they’re over,” said Federer, who hadn’t lost in straight sets in his last 194 matches. “It’s going to be a relief for everybody, and now we can move on.” BAM! Lets move on then…

Golfsmith Golf & Tennis today announced the launch of its first-ever tennis catalog, Center Court. The catalog hawks everything from the latest in colors and fashion apparel, to footwear and accessories, and even the newest technologies in tennis racquets. But more importantly, they will be hosting a NYC Street Jam in front of the Goldsmith Store on Thursday the 24th. Battling it out: Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer. Check out www.tennis.golfsmith.com for more yummy info.

JAMES BLAKE IS TAKING OVER

From James Blake’s on-line journal: “I announced a new deal with Evian water in New York City. They put me in a bath of Evian water on Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open facility. I’m already getting grief from my friends about that and I’m sure they won’t ease up. The shoot was actually pretty cool though and I am excited about having a new sponsor. I am also in the upcoming edition of Men’s Vogue, which will be on the stands this Tuesday (August 15). We did the shoot in Paris in May and I am starting to realize what a big honor this is. I can’t say I imagined the day when the editor and chief of Vogue (Anna Wintour) would be excited about having ME in her magazine. Pretty amazing.”

If the photos of Blake bathing in Evian water make you thirsty, rush out and but the September edition of Men’s Vogue. The issue hit stands today, and the sexy beast is featured in an eight-page spread. “Everyone makes fun of me for it,” says the 26-year-old spankable stud “And Andy Roddick does a good imitation of it.”

BECKHAM REPORT:
In case you’re confused with the various soccer leagues in Europe, he’s a little help. David Beckham plays for Real Madrid, and he is also on England’s roster, where he just got demoted from Captain. Due to the chaos at Britain’s airport, Becks was a no show for his England game and Real Madrid had no idea where he was. After a five-hour delay and two-hour wait on the tarmac to catch a private flight from London, Beck’s arrived at around 8pm yesterday. An hour and a half after he was supposed to be there for the club’s first session since returning from their hot pre-season tour of the US. Beck’s finally appeared at 8.30, by which time his team had departed and trained alone. The delay meant Beckham was forced to miss the first half of the England game. And it also means that coach Steve McClaren has had enough. McClaren has spanked Becks hard, trying to build a national team without the 31-year-old Real Madrid midfielder. “I spoke to David last Monday and notified him of my decision and said that I was planning for the future, looking to change things, and David wasn’t included,” McClaren said. “At the present moment I am looking to take this team in a different direction. It’s a new beginning. It’s a clean sheet of paper for everybody and that’s why I decided not to pick David Beckham.”

“Having spoken to Steve McClaren this week I can fully understand that a new manager should want to make his mark on the team and build towards the next World Cup,” Beckham said in a statement. “I’m proud to have played for England for 10 years and my passion for representing my country remains as strong as ever.”

CARMELT-IN-MY-MOUTH-ANTHONY

Perhaps this photo will explain my obsession with Carmelo Anthony?

PGA KITTENS

The 88th PGA Championship begins today and all our favorite kitty-kats have teed off. TNT will provide 18 live hours of crawling, 12 of which will be first- and second-round coverage, and hopefully all focused on Camilo Villegas. CBS will offer live coverage over the weekend, again hopefully covering our sexy Columbian beast.

WEEDING IT OUT
The Wall Street Journal reports that Chinese table tennis player Chen Qi, after losing the Asian Cup final to a teammate, “flung the ball on the ground and kicked a chair as he walked off the court.” His coaches then fined him and “decided to send him to the countryside” to weed cucumber patches. Coach Huang Biao said Chen was reprimanded “not as a punishment, but so he could see how others live, to see that he has it so good.” In case you didn’t know, in China, table tennis players “are major celebrities whose off-court antics are watched as closely as their on-court” performances. Cucumber patches in China? Who knew.

GATORADE: MISSING OUT

Due to the heat wave assaulting the NFL training camps, I thought Gatorade would have busted out a new advertising campaign by now. Gatorade: Is It On you.

As always, thanks for reading. Delinda

And thanks for all your emails: Ask D&D questions to : delinda@athlebrities.com OR debbie@athlebrities.com