10 things you should know about Pablo Andjuar

by Lindsay Gibbs

Spanish tennis has never been hotter.  The Davis Cup trophy practically has a house in Madrid.  Rafael Nadal is one of the best tennis players to ever play the game.  David Ferrer is a Top-5 mainstay.  Four others:  Nicolas Almagro, Feliciano Lopez, Fernando Verdasco, and Marcel Granollers are all in the top 30.  They're awash in millions, models, and magazine spreads.  And then there's the 7th best Spaniard in the ATP... Pablo Andujar.

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10 things you should know about Denis Istomin

by Lindsay Gibbs

I first took note of Denis Istomin a year an a half ago at the 2010 Legg Mason Tennis Classic.  I was perusing the small outer courts with a friend when we came across the Uzbekistani engrossed in a practice session.  With no other spectators in sight, we stood there for an awkward amount of time watching in a trance-like state as the tall blonde (that we only semi-recognized) effortlessly and methodically pounded forehand after forehand.  He was good, and we were certain that he was a player to watch out for.  Turns out we were right.  Though he slumped throughout 2011 after reaching a career-high ranking of 39 in 2010, the twenty-five year old is off to an exceptional start in 2012, and it's time for all tennis fans to take note.  I was able to interview him at the Winston Salem Open last summer, and left the interview rather enamored (in a non-creepy way, of course).  But, in case you're just now paying attention to Denis Istomin, here's a cheat sheet:

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