Separated at Birth: U.S. Open & Summer Stars

It's been a while since my last "Separated at Birth" post, and with the surge of new talent emerging on the tennis scene in recent months, and especially at the U.S. Open, I thought it might be time for an update.

After all, while these players may be rising to new heights in the sport, you can't help but feel like you've seen them somewhere before.

In Mirjana Lucic-Baroni's case, that time came over a decade ago. The 1999 Wimbledon semifinalist and 1998 Australian doubles champ had been out of the game for years, battling personal and financial problems and contending with an abusive father. She returned to WTA plan in the late 2000s, but only won a handful of Slam matches since then and had lost eight straight matches coming into the U.S. Open. She was ranked just #121 in the world, but managed to qualify for the main draw and took out two of the biggest stars of the year in early rounds. And it wasn't just her high quality of play that served as a callback to nineties -- hopefully her Comeback is just starting.

Aleksandra Krunic is a little newer on the scene, but the U.S. Open qualifier -- her only WTA-level win before New York came in Bucharest over then-#131 Alexandra Panova -- had an amazing run of her own over the past two weeks. She held tough against twenty-seventh seed Madison Keys in the second round and then stunned New Haven and Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova a match later. In her first ever Major fourth round, she came back from a big deficit against two-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka and very nearly won the match. Her stealth performance was almost as impressive as certain girl with a dragon tattoo.

A couple other ladies who made a mark in Flushing Meadows bare resemblances less to Hollywood stars than to erstwhile tennis champions, some of whom are not at all far removed from the sport. Monica Puig, the highest ever ranked player from Puerto Rico, has certainly been making a name for herself this year, winning her first career title in Strasbourg last May and taking Andrea Petkovic to three tough sets at the Open. But even in the promo posters hanging all over the New York subways this week, I kept mistaking her for a recent Hall of Famer who actually made it all the way to this year's doubles final.

And former Junior #1 Belinda Bencic, the youngest teenager in the top hundred, made a big push into the women's circuit with a run to the quarters this fortnight. Wins over Angelique Kerber and Jelena Jankovic propelled her to #33 in the world, a stone's throw from being seeded during next year's Slam season. Perhaps the seventeen-year-old standout is well on her way to a career that rivals another young phenom, 2009's Newport inductee.

First time Slam semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova also put together the event of her career, first withstanding the blistering heat to take out seventh seed Genie Bouchard, the most consistent performer at the Majors this year, and then powering through former world #1 Victoria Azarenka in the quarters. Though she couldn't repeat her big upset of Serena in the final four, she did ride her momentum to a career-high #15 in the work and took home her second Slam doubles title to boot. Her performance isn't unlike another record-holding champion -- one who also excelled in both the singles and doubles games.

There were a couple almost-twins on the men's side as well. David Goffin had one of the best summers of his career, putting together a twenty-five match win streak after Wimbledon, picking up his maiden ATP trophy, and winning his first Major matches in over two years. He's probably more comfortable on the courts than on the red carpet, but he sure could pass for a younger version of a Parenthood and Six Feet Under star.

Nick Kyrgios has had a little more success at the Slams this year, stunning Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon and upsetting Mikhail Youzhny in his New York opener. He had a big lead on Tommy Robredo in the third round, too, ultimately falling short, but like another grass court specialist with a funky haircut, something tells me we've only just started to see what he can do.

Gael Monfils has really been mounting a comeback this season, winning his first title since 2011 in Montpellier and climbing to his highest ranking in two years after his U.S. Open run. He so very nearly reached the semifinals in Flushing Meadows, holding a two-set-to-love lead and match points against Roger Federer -- what would have been his best Slam showing since 2008. The question now is whether his look-alike will see a similar resurrection in his career.

While these guys all reached new highs in New York, 2011 champion Novak Djokovic fell a little short of expectations. Titleless since winning the Wimbledon crown to start the summer, the top seed got through the early rounds barely breaking a sweat, but was upset in the semis by an Energizer Bunny named Kei Nishikori. Still you can't ignore how much his game, and his look, has evolved since the first time he was featured here -- these days he reminds me much more of another newlywed.

Of course the big story at the U.S. Open was that of unlikely champion Marin Cilic, whose defeat of three favored players in a row -- including one five-time champion -- brought him his first career Major trophy. I've racked my brain for ages trying to figure out who he resembled -- I used to think it was contemporary ATP star Gilles Simon, then I kind of saw a likeness to his new coach Goran Ivanisevic. But it wasn't until I was watching an old episode of Jeopardy! that the true nerd in me came up with the answer -- or rather, the question.

If you want to share your favorite tennis look-alikes, send me a note, and be sure to check out my other "Separated at Birth" pairs here!

Separated at Birth -- American Masters Edition

It's been a while since I posted one of these, but after about a month of watching the sport's biggest -- and not so big -- stars slug it out on the U.S. hard courts, I was once again struck by some uncanny resemblances. Some players who've never spent a lot of time in the spotlight and others who've been largely overshadowed by some harder-hitting colleagues emerged in both Indian Wells and Miami during March. And if you were just a cursory spectator, you might have mistaken them from some much more familiar faces.

Over at the BNP Paribas Open, young Christina McHale continued her coming out party with a solid come-from-behind defeat of reigning Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova. It wasn't her first top-five victory, but at such a big tournament, seeded at a Premier event for the first time, it was a notable accomplishment. She should get herself for ready all sorts of attention to come her way -- similar to her doppelganger, who may be working her own way onto a tennis court someday.

Christina McHale (USA) vs. Bethenny Frankel

Thomaz Bellucci has had his time in the upper echelons of the sport, nearly cracking the top twenty just two years ago. But some disappointing results during subsequent clay court seasons knocked him down the rankings. He started to turn things around in the California desert, beating Jurgen Melzer, fresh off a title in Memphis, and taking Roger Federer to three sets before ultimately succumbing. Still, his star may be back on the rise, like his would-be twin, Smash star Raza Jaffrey.

Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) vs. Raza Jaffrey

Twenty-year old Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov had a similar run a few weeks later in Miami, notching wins over Juan Ignacio Chela and Tomas Berdych on his way to the fourth round. He's still far from reaching the top of the sport -- he's still several positions off his own career-best ranking. But if he keeps up his level of play, he could get back there. And hopefully this time he won't say "Bye, Bye, Bye" to it so quickly.*

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. Justin Timberlake

Agnieszka Radwanska has become a staple during the latter rounds of tournaments recently, and with her rise to #4 in the world she promises to become an ever-growing presence on Tour. People may have only begun to take notice of her after that title run in Miami, her biggest trophy to date, but truth is Aggie's been a Grand Slam champion on the Juniors' circuit since 2005 -- not unlike her near-mirror image, who made her breakthrough at age six in the classic E.T.

Aggie Radwanska (POL) vs. Drew Barrymore

Sure, like the celebs, not all these athletes' stars will shine with the same brightness, or for the same length of time. But it certainly seems like we'll have to get more used to them hanging around the biggest events. And hopefully they'll continue to play like they have the past month -- no one wants to see these guys fall from grace.

If you want to share your favorite tennis look-alikes, send me a note, and be sure to check out my other "Separated at Birth" pairs here!

* Yes, I know that was bad. Sorry!

Separated at Birth: Australian Open Edition

Well it's happened again -- after two weeks of watching some fresh young faces emerge on the tennis scene, I've been left scratching my head and wondering, "Where have I seen them before?"

While the guys and gals who fared best at the Australian Open have been fixtures on Tour for years, we might have felt a somewhat inexplicable familiarity with the newest additions to the later rounds. But make no mistake -- we've actually seen them somewhere else.

Germany's Julia Goerges has been a staple on the Challenger circuit, winning a handful of trophies there, but her real breakout came last summer with a title run in Bad Gastein. She put in her best-yet Major performance in Melbourne, and though she was stopped by Maria Sharapova in just the third round, something tells me more than her TV-star looks will keep her around for much longer.



Big Milos Raonic also made quite a name for himself in his week-long stay at the Open. With a serve that belied his #152 ranking, he out-aced everyone in just four matches -- surpassing record-holding John Isner and both finalists, who each fired off about thirty fewer bombs over three more rounds. Maybe it was his crafty play that made it difficult to nail down one doppelgänger, so I had to go with two -- the romantic poet of Gossip Girl and the wily thief from Slumdog Millionaire.



I've been watching Petra Kvitova since her stellar run last year at Wimbledon, and for so long I couldn't place her likeness. Then it suddenly came to me, like an omen for whether it's already raining -- perhaps because the Czech's consistent presence at tournaments from Brisbane to Melbourne reminded me of an actress who's been just as prevalent in Hollywood these days.



The last newcomer at this year's Australian Open seemed oddly at home on center stage in Melbourne. Alexandr Dolgopolov rebounded from a two-set-to-one deficit against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and withstood a late rally from fourth-seeded Robin Soderling to earn his biggest win in five sets. Maybe he was so comfortable because he was able to channel a former Grand Slam champion who made her own mark on these grounds years ago.



So there you have it -- my latest selection of tennis two (and three) -somes. Hopefully my picks will entertain you as much as the players themselves did over the last fortnight!

If you want to share your favorite look-alikes, send me a note, and be sure to check out my other "Separated at Birth" pairs here!

Separated at Birth -- U.S. Open Edition

Clearly the big stories from this year's U.S. Open centered around the top-notch play and the rise of the underdog. But as always, the goings-on were also marked by some real drama, and not just the athletic kind.

Andy Roddick told off a lineswoman, Victoria Azarenka fainted on court, Gael Monfils leapt through the air like a circus performer -- sometimes we were left wondering if we were watching a tennis match or a Broadway show. So maybe it's no wonder that I was struck by the similarities between some of the players and Hollywood stars of all varieties.

Simona Halep didn't make it out of the first round, but she sure gave fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic quite a scare. But she's young, still, and definitely talented. And with her good looks I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of the former Junior champion in years to come.


American Ryan Harrison staged one of the biggest upsets of the opening round when he defeated fifteenth seeded Ivan Ljubicic in four sets. The eighteen-year-old continued to cause a stir in his next match, holding match points against Sergiy Stakhovsky, and reminding me of another upstart from The O.C.


The players who advanced further were no less subject to comparison. Semifinalist Caroline Wozniacki has one of those smiley faces that rightfully earned her the nickname "Sunshine." It reminds me of a younger Alexandra Holden who, you might remember, played Ross's student/girlfriend on Friends. I haven't seen a lot of her lately, but I'm hoping the same isn't true for Sweet Caroline.


Men's surprise semifinalist Mikhail Youzhny has earned himself the reputation of being a bit of a hothead, but he was able to pull himself together when it counted, making the final four in New York for a second time. And as he demonstrated every emotion from elation to frustration to hear-breaking defeat, I couldn't help but notice the resemblance to an actor whose trials on Dawson's Creek were just as gut-wrenching.


So there you have it -- this year's selection of They-Could've-Been-Twins couples to entertain you. If you want to share your favorite look-alikes, send me a note, and check out my other "Separated at Birth" pairs here!

Separated at Birth Part Three -- Stars of the Summer

Several months ago I brought you my first "Look-alikes" post, pointing out some uncanny resemblances between ATP tour players and Hollywood's leading men. That one didn't quite cover all the bases though, so later in the year I reprised the article for some of the top women in the sport.

But the similarities hardly end there, and as we move deeper into the summer's hardcourt season a couple of pairs have definitely stood out.

Indianapolis proved to be a great arena for American Robby Ginepri to launch his comeback -- and not so long ago an actor named Patrick Dempsey was staging his own revolution as he took the halls of Seattle Grace by storm. Their stories are not that different -- and neither are they.



And while one man resurges another retires -- in his last season on the circuit Marat Safin is holding something of a farewell tour, but he is far from a senior citizen. During his match with Tommy Haas in Los Angeles last week, John McEnroe referred to Marat as a "specimen" -- it's only fitting that he should look so much like Derek Shepard's best frenemy, Doctor McSteamy himself, Eric Dane.



Then there's Marion Bartoli who shocked the world on Sunday when she played so impressively against third seeded Venus Williams in Stanford. Maybe her alter ego, Meadow Soprano, was peaking through a little, intimidating her opponent just a bit and helping Marion take the trophy.



And this week tennis fans are anxiously awaiting the return of Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick in Washington, D.C. Always the entertainer, Andy definitely can put on a show, though I'm not sure he'll ever be quite as...well, aggressive as Seann-William Scott's infamous Stifler.



Got more ideas for look-alikes? E-mail me, and I'll post them all later this summer!

In the meantime, enjoy!

Separated at Birth -- Part Two

A few months ago I posted an article comparing tennis stars to their famous (and not-so-famous) doppelgangers. People seemed to find it amusing, so I decided to work on the second edition.

Since last time I focused on the top men in the sport, this time I turn the tables and search for look-alikes in the women's draw.

I've never been a huge fan of the Williams sisters, but if I had to root for one, I suppose it would be Serena. She might be one of the best women's tennis player in the world, but she certainly has her fingers in a variety of pots -- from acting to fashion designing. She's almost as much a staple on the red carpet as her Oscar-nominated counterpart, Queen Latifah.



I just hope Serena doesn't try to take on the music industry too. I'm not sure a rap album would quite fly, no matter how many leather catsuits and go-go boots she wears on the court!

And I'm embarrassed to admit that I can indentify any of the useless characters on MTV's The Hills, but it's hard not to notice the similarities between Jelena Jankovic and one of the reality show's stars.



Sure, Jelena is concentrating on her return and Audrina is probably just -- I don't know, distracted by the sun's reflection off LC's compact? But the intensity in both is obvious.

Moving on...

Ever since the days of Anna Kournikova, tennis players have come to be known as much for their beauty as for their serves-and-volleys. All tall, lithe and blonde, it's easy to think these girls should be strutting the catwalk and not pounding the baseline.

Take for example Daniela Hantuchova, who bears a striking resemblance to Mrs. Project Runway herself, Heidi Klum.



And Dinara Safina who, I'd bet, isn't saving her last dance for anyone.



But let's give these girls credit! They easily could have taken a more glamorous route to fame and fortune. Instead they choose to slog it out on the tennis courts, facing the prospect of injuries, making awkward faces as they fight for points, and (gasp!) appearing in public without makeup!

And for proof that the look-alike theory holds from one generation to the next, let's go back a few years and note the similarities between two legends in their respective fields.



Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

Separated at Birth -- Tennis Edition

Today, I'm taking the opportunity to relax after a grueling U.S. Open season (yes, watching matches deep into the night and getting constant score updates during the day take their toll on a girl) to make a few, more light-hearted and innocuous observations on some of the best players in the game.

My mother is always saying that everybody she sees looks like someone else, and tennis is no exception.

Take for example, the case of Roger Federer. Mom can never seem to recall his face, and my standard response is, "He's the one that looks like Orlando Bloom."



See what I mean? Both are dark, brooding, and arguably sexy.

But they're not the only look-alikes.

Current #1 Rafael Nadal has an impish face and a bohemian style that remind me of one of my favorite Disney characters.



I would argue there's a little bit of magic behind both of their games. After all, is there really such a big difference between soaring through the air on a flying carpet and leaping to great heights to smash an overhead? (They're even both left-handed!)

And, while I don't mean to be rude, doesn't Novak Djokovic bear a striking resemblance to everyone's favorite high school nerd?



No offense, Novak! You're definitely much cuter and, I predict, will age much better than Screech did -- but I would steer clear of any reality TV offers, just to be safe.

If you've read my earlier blog post, you already know my feelings toward U.S. Open runner-up Andy Murray, but I'd be willing to bet that even an objective party couldn't ignore these similarities:



A little tip, Andy -- a quick shave would work wonders.

Finally, lest you think I'm just being catty (I promise, I'm not!), I leave you with my favorite "They Could've Been Brothers" duo -- my dear Pete Sampras with an Entourage star.



Enjoy!

And 'til next time, serve well and play hard!