Rafael Nadal Wins French, Attends Clambake

I used to love watching tennis. I'm too young to have seen McEnroe and Connors in their prime, so for me, it was all about Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, and Goran Ivanisevic (and his booming serve). What about the women's game, you ask? I knew it was there. I liked Steffi Graf from beginning to end, Monica Seles before she got stabbed, and Capriati after she got off crack. But I'm not down with 20-minute Chris Evertesque rallies and until the Williams sisters arrived, that's what the women's looked like in comparison to the men's. But with the retirement of Pete Sampras and the ascension of Serena, Venus, and their sexy competition, the role of "entertainment providers" switched from the men's game to the women's. Can you name a men's tennis player other than Andy Roddick and that Swiss guy with the headband? Yeah, I can't either. But I have a feeling that this is something new French Open Champion, Rafael Nadal, is going to change. With sleeveless shirts, capri pants, and flowing locks, the 18-year-old claymaster stroked and slid his way to a fascinating victory over unseeded Argentine, Mariano Puerta, 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5.

While watching Nadal hoist the Coupe des Mousquetaires in his very first appearance at Roland Garros, I imagined great things for his future.. namely commercials for Old Navy and Vidal Sassoon.

Watch out ladies... the men have figured out your secrets and now they're on the come back.