+ FRIDAY NETCORDS: Rafa, Fed, Ana as Maria...Jana vs. Martina II, FSN still sucks and more

- I need a hero: Patrick McEnroe was recently hired to oversee player development for the USTA. Can P-Mac save US tennis? If he can't, then we're all doomed.

- All about Ana: MSNBC.com's Harry Cicma thinks Ana Ivanovic's game is on the rise, though her size my hamper her. Tennis Diary's Nina Rota just wishes she could be more like Maria (sans bangs.)

- Speaking of Shrieka: Maria is preparing for her assault on Roland Garros, which she believes she can win. The Aussie Open champ accepted wildcards to both Amelia Island and Charleston. Do you think she'll hang out with Jennifer Capriati, who'll be in attendance for the tourney's 35th anniversary?

- Inside the SEO: Marija at Women's Tennis Blog has the inside scoop on the superstar treatment our fave ballers receive at the Sony Ericsson Open. Like rice milk? Got it! Need exotic Brazilian red bananas?? No prob!

- Tennis flashback: Remember when Jana Novotna lost her second Wimbledon final to a precocious Martina Hingis in 1997? Well, the Czech will look to gain revenge when the two ballers meet again on grass at the Liverpool International this summer, where Martina will make her third comeback.

- For the sneakerhead in us all: The incredible Stan Smith sneaker with hunter green upper, contrasting sand color pops and vulcanized sole:


- Odd pairing moment: Rafael Nadal will team up with Anna Kournikova for a mixed-doubles exhibition match at Stuttgart in July for the tourney's 30th anniversary.

- Doug is dishing: Doug Robson would like us to call the current state of Roger Federer's game exactly what it is: a slumplet (though, to be fair, that sounds more like an appetizer than anything else.) Slumplet or not, Rafa is hoping the media doesn't start "killing" Fed for the loss (good to know what he thinks of the shark-infested press waters.)

- FSN woes continue: Even the ballers are frustrated with FSN's coverage of the SEO - they can't even scout matches on their hotel TV's! Jelena Jankovic seemed genuinely confused saying, "For some reason, in my hotel, they don't show Fox Sports or something," while Svetlana Kuznetsova said, "I guess [Serena] played unbelievable [against Justine], but I was in my hotel watching Next Top Model or whatever I was watching. I was not watching any of tennis. It was not on TV. I wanted to watch. It was interesting." A sad state of affairs for us all...

*VIA DOWNTHELINETENNIS.COM

(image via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Al Bellowhatsalltheracquet.com)