Alona Bondarenko keeps it pure with K-Swiss, or so they think

Alona as Anna: K-Swiss is getting their sex on, and it's not with Anna Kournikova. Recent hairy situation perpetrator Alona Bondarenko joins Anna, Tommy Haas, and Mardy Fish in the brand's tennis stable and is featured in a new ad for the sports label with the tag line "KEEP IT PURE".

Do they mean a purely obvious attempt at irony?

(via adpulp.com)

A hairy situation now growing on the WTA Tour, Alona Bondarenko to blame

More WTF: What is happening to the female tennis ballers during this weekend's FED CUP competition? First we get Nika Ozegovic's circus outfit, and now we have a hairy situation blooming on the WTA Tour to rival the ATP's issues.

The culprit is Alona Bondarenko, who took on Kristen Flipkens of Belgium during the Ukraine vs. Belgium World Group II tie. It seems the Ukrainian took a lot of time to make her hair look that bad.

When will this FED CUP madness end?!

(image via AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

US OPEN PREVIEW: 1st Women's Marquee Matchup

The US Open is beginning to heat up and we like it. Here we have our first Women's Marquee Matchup, though we wish these two high-profile players were meeting later on in the tournament. Regardless, this is definitely a "popcorn" match in our books. Let's take a look:

Venus "V" Williams played her second night match and wasted No. 21 seed Alona Bondarenko 6-1, 6-2 in under an hour. World No. 5 Ana Ivanovic continued her march through the draw, blasting Russian Vera Dushevina 6-1, 6-3. The last time these players met was last month in the semifinals of Wimbledon, where V easily handled the Serb 6-2, 6-4 with her rocket returns and superior movement. However, Ana is a different player already and is feeling prepared to challenge the Wimbledon champion this time around.

Here's what V had to say about Ana:
"She's definitely a good player, great competitor, and a nice person. It's good to see good things happening for her."

Ana had this to say about playing V:
"We had tough matches before. Last one was in Wimbledon recently. She was in a great shape. She's also playing good at the moment. We had tough matches, but definitely I think I have chances. I'm looking forward to that match because I think I'm in a good shape. I feel good on the court. It will be exciting to play against her."

Matthew Cronin for FOXSports.com is calling this match a defacto final and isn't quite ready to pencil V into the quarterfinals, and neither are we. The hardcourt surface is a great equalizer in the movement category, so V won't necessarily have that advantage like she did on grass.

Venus vs. Ana: tell us who you think will move on to the quarterfinals!

+ THURSDAY NETCORDS: Fed, Nole, Alona, Martina the black widow...Rafa's injuries worry, Lleyton is ready and more

- Pulling a fast one: Is the hardcourt surface at the US Open faster than the Wimbledon grass? The debate rages on...

- Far and Wide, an AP news blog, reports on the gender-biased fashion news coverage from the AP's reporting on the US Open. Mentions: Women -1077, Men - 0. Clearly they need to start tracking Down the Line's! consistent coverage of the Open...we LOVE the men over here.

- Is Rafa's playing style catching up to him? Bonnie D.(esimone) Ford of ESPN opens up the conversation.

- Ready to go: Darren "Killer" Cahill, part-time ESPN broadcaster and Lleyton Hewitt's fill-in coach at the US Open, says the Aussie's game is in good form and he's up to challenging the top players - namely Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer. "...his game at the moment is in terrific form. His practice sessions have been great leading into the US Open. He's been working hard the last six or seven months and obviously his form in the last three months is getting back to where he's challenging the top players in the world."

- Notorious NY gossiper Page Six has called out TENNIS magazine for labeling Martina Hingis a "black widow" after injuries plagued past boyfriends including Radek Stepanek, Magnus Norman, and Justin Gimelstob. Conspiracy or coincidence???

- Get to know Alona Bondarenko

- More Borg-inspired trainers: check out these kicks from Diadora