nadal falls rome 11

Whether it was an overused surface, wet clay or a particular brand of shoes that rhymes with psyche, Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova both took unceremonious tumbles to the red clay of Rome this weekend, Nadal in his finals match against Novak Djokovic and Sharapova a day earlier versus Caroline Wozniacki.

Both players were fine, though Sharapova receives higher marks for both the degree of difficulty and execution of her fall. Whereas Nadal lay on the court and momentarily pretended to be hurt (like he was trying out for Real Madrid or Barcelona), Sharapova showed no trace of vanity as she picked herself up from the clay.

Are you surprised at their falls? Strong players also tumble ... strong players also tumble.

nadal djokovic clay madrid net

A theoretical conversation between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic about the French Open:

Rafael Nadal: You're the favorite to win at Roland Garros. You have beaten me four times in a row and twice in the past nine days on clay!

Novak Djokovic: No, you're the favorite, you're the king. You've won the French Open five times and the one time you lost you weren't really healthy. These other tournaments mean nothing. The majors are what matters.

Nadal: Seriously, YOU'RE the favorite. You have that 39-match winning streak! You beat me in straight sets this weekend.

Djokovic: I'm the favorite of all players who aren't you. You are Rafa. Vamos! I am but the humble Nole, the prince to your king. The only Grand Slam I win is the Australian Open.

Nadal: We all must expand our horizons. I was once defined by the fact that I only won the French. You are unstoppable right now. The favorite is you.

Djokovic: What has two thumbs, a collection of brightly-colored bandanas and parents who don't wear

Novak Djokovic hasn't lost a tennis match since early December. His 39-match winning streak includes a Davis Cup, Australian Open, four wins over the world No. 1 and a 37-match streak to start the 2011 season. Busted Racquet looks back at Djokovic's amazing streak in photographic form:

Davis Cup final, d. France

novak djokovic davis cup

Australian Open, d. Andy Murray

novak djokovic ao 11 trophy

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Dubai, d. Roger Federer

novak djokovic dubai 11 title

Indian Wells, d. Rafael Nadal

novak djokovic miami 11

Miami, d. Nadal

novak djokovic iw 11

Belgrade, d. Feliciano Lopez

novak djokovic belgrade

Madrid, d. Nadal

novak djokovic madrid trophy 11

Rome, d. Nadal

novak djokovic rome trophy 11

Five observations:

1. Nole should probably shave his head more often if it's going to lead to winning streaks like this.

2. Belgrade could get trophy envy after looking at this montage. Madrid's trophy clearly won't have that problem.

3. The streak is getting all the attention this morning and rightfully so. Yet I still can't get over the fact that Djokovic defeated Nadal in the final of four of those tournaments and then Roger Federer and Andy Murray in others. Except for Belgrade, there haven't

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Novak Djokovic did the impossible again.

For the second straight week, the world No. 2 defeated Rafael Nadal in a clay court final, stunning the top-ranked Spaniard 6-4, 6-4 at the Italian Open. The win was Djokovic's fourth-consecutive victory over Nadal, extends his season-opening winning streak to 37 and, without a doubt, establishes him as the hottest tennis player in the world. It may even make him the favorite at next week's French Open, a statement that would have been considered blasphemous as recently as eight days ago.

Djokovic was flawless on Sunday, unleashing his powerful forehand with pinpoint accuracy and taking command of points early. Nadal opened the match playing long rallies, seemingly content to capitalize on Djokovic's fatigue from his semifinal marathon against Andy Murray. An early break changed that strategy quickly. Nadal tried to run him next. It was equally unsuccessful. At one point, the world No. 1 resorted to hitting moonballs in an attempt to

maria sharapova wins romeMaria Sharapova won the biggest clay court event of her career on Sunday, defeating Sam Stosur 6-2, 6-4 in the final of the Italian Open. In doing so, Sharapova established herself as a surprise favorite in a wide open French Open, which begins one week from Sunday at Roland Garros.

The 23-year-old Russian is seeking to win the career Grand Slam in Paris.

Two weeks ago, Sharapova hardly would have been a likely candidate to enter the season's second Slam as one of the main contenders. In her first clay court appearance of the season in Madrid, she struggled to win her first two matches against lesser opponents, one of whom was ranked No. 109 in the world, and then was ousted by Dominka Cibulkova in the third round. She cruised through the early rounds on the slower courts in Rome, caught a break when Victoria Azarenka retired in their quarterfinal match and easily handled top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki in the semis.

Clay has traditionally been the least successful surface for the

I'll leave it to you and your lip reading/sign language skills to figure out exactly what Victoria Azarenka said to and gestured toward Maria Sharapova during their Friday quarterfinal at the Italian Open. Suffice it to say, the former wasn't in Russian, the latter movement must be universal and both would be enough to get a kid sent to the principal's office if they did it at recess:

Azarenka apologized after the match (boo!) via Twitter:

Said some things to myself on the match that I'm not proud of. But it was just being mad at myself. Will never refer anything to my opponent. I play with respect to every single player. I apologise if there was a misunderstanding of that situation. Thank u for the support and so many spectators. The atmosphere was great.

Let's cut the tomfoolery, Victoria. There was no misunderstanding. Both you and I know who you were referring to and she didn't grow up in Belarus.

Azarenka retired from the match in the second set after suffering an elbow injury.

serena editedOn the day the WTA announced its new "strong is beautiful" campaign, Serena Williams is under unnecessary fire for putting up, and quickly removing, a sexy Twitter avatar.

Williams put up the picture of herself standing in high heels and wearing nothing more than matching undergarments on Thursday afternoon. She took it down hours later, but not before the criticism began.

"Someone must have gotten to her and suggested something about common sense and hypocrisy," wrote Greg Couch of The Sporting News.

He's referring to the recent arrest of a Florida man accused of stalking the tennis star. The 40-year-old man was arrested last week on the grounds of Williams' Palm Beach estate. One month earlier, Williams took out an injunction against the man, who used her Twitter updates to stalk her in various locations, including in the dressing room of a television studio. Couch doesn't say so directly, but he's basically suggesting that Serena putting up a voyeuristic photo of herself in a bra

The ATP noted in its World Tour Insider email newsletter that the clip of Rafael Nadal's Tweener was the most watched video on YouTube Monday. While the following clip of Fernando Gonzalez isn't likely to be more popular that the newest Lady Gaga video, it's just as good as Nadal's:

Comparing a shot from a doubles match in Acapulco to one in Madrid against Roger Federer is like comparing the long putt I drained yesterday on the golf course to a Phil Mickelson bomb at Pebble Beach. Still, that's a pretty solid effort by Lopez, especially because he had to hit it past two guys instead of one.

Racquet clap to @jonwertheim.