This year alone, the World No. 1 has become the 7^th player to gain the career Grand Slam title after his victory 2010 US Open, he’s also the second male player to complete the career Golden Slam, taking home an Olympic Gold medal in Beijing.  But of all the awards to win, is there really anything that can be said about the latest bit of honor Rafael Nadal is up for?

At this year’s World Travel Awards, athlete’s as well as Hollywood celebrities have been nominated for the new category “Face of Travel,” in acknowledgement of their contribution to the travel and tourism industry in the last year.

Nadal is favored as the winner of the award, based on his support for a sports tourism campaign in his native Balearic Islands. In 2009, he was honored with the title of "World Tennis Player of the Year" at the World Sports Awards.

Also nominated in this category are California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and David Beckham, earning this honor based on his work as ambassador in England’s 2018 World Cup bid.

The winner will be announced at the Grand Final, held in London on Nov. 7.

On November 17, Pam Shriver will receive with the Breath of Life Award supported by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This honor is bestowed upon those that have done exceptional acts of charity and spread awareness to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis, a chronic disease that cause mucus build up in the lungs and digestive tract and is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults.

This tribute comes at a bittersweet time as it falls during Shriver’s 25^th, and final, Charity Tennis Challenge. Established to help the Baltimore Community Foundation, for the last decade Shriver has held the premier event that targets children’s related causes.

Since its start in 1993, the Tennis Challenge fund has targeted non-profits that specifically work to enhance and improve the lives of youth in the Baltimore area through education, physical fitness and health/mental health. This year, proceeds from the 2010 Silver Tennis Ball will benefit the Maryland Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

           Given for the first time in Maryland, the Breath of Life Award is given to those that spread awareness while actively participating in about the disease and strides that have been made to cure it.

           Tennis players participating in the events will be Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.

We wear their scents, the clothing they’ve graciously lent their triple threat was considered a singer, actor, and dancer. If you’re Serena Williams, however, the threats are nail tech, estitician, and fashion designer, oh and somewhere around all of this she manages to squeeze in tennis.

It’s no secret what William’s new love is, in a post to her Global Grind blog in February she stated clearly,

Since that time, Williams has given pedicures to friends, family, and even Oprah Winfrey in an effort to gain her 240 hours of training. She has also partnered with nail-care company OPI, to create a line called Grand Slam, to be released next year. Nicole by OPI has also collaborated with other top stars like Katy Perry and Justin Bieber.

                The idea behind William’s line is rather than release all the colors at once and change hues with the season, the shades will come out with each grand slam tournament. The first two shades, set to hit stores during the Australian Open, are Simply Smashing, a glowing mix of yellow and green that exudes Williams' signature style.  Its partner in fashionable crime is a Black Shatter top coat that leaves behind a leopard print pattern over any nail polish, this coat will also be featured in Perry’s line as well.

Venus Williams is taking her duties as Brand Ambassador to EA Sports Active very seriously. As the launch of the fitness system grows closer, more and more videos have come out where Williams is partaking in the various workouts or answering questions as to why the game appeals to her.

            The program, compatible with Xbox 360, Wii, and Playstation 3, offers an innovative and personalized take on the workout. Combining the fun typically found in a video game while mixing it with the intensity of an exercise session found in a gym, all brought to consumers in their own living room.

The general focus of the game is to improve participant’s muscular strength, endurance and flexibility. During the intense cardio workout, the heart rate monitor and wireless motion tracking data will deliver a fitness experience that achieves real results that can be tracked over time. By utilizing the new EA SPORTS Active 2 online hub, users can view their progress and share the outcomes of their workouts with friends.

In North America, the game is set to release on November 16. Today, EA Sports released the latest video of Williams being interviewed by a Active user that reached her fitness goals with the game.

To view the video, go to EA Sports Active

    It’s official, pumpkins have been carved and ghouls have been shooed away until next year when they can roam freely on the streets once more. In their place are images of jovial pilgrim turkeys wielding muskets, with the hopes of hunting…one another? Humans? Other woodland creatures, I never could quite figure that out, but I digress. That’s right, the holiday season is now upon us, dancing snowmen and Santa Clause will soon be on their way to a store near you. And with this time comes consumers favorite pass time, standing in a line while starring at the empty checkout counters around you, why waste money by having more than one attendant? Oh, if only there was another way, a place where you simply press a button and the items are magically delivered to your home in a timely manner.  

But wait, this place does exist outside of dreams; it’s called “the internet.” There’s still one hitch in this plan though, on every list there’s that one person who cannot seem to be shopped for; they’re holiday cheer buzz kills. In the past, it seemed there was only one choice, attempting to pick out the perfect gift card.  But now, thanks to Novak Djokovic, there is another way.

After his father Srddjan Djokovic induced a shiver into the spines of all children that have had their parents take pride in their accomplishments to a new level of embarrassing, Nole is now selling T-shirt’s with his face on them on his official website, including the same one his father wore during this summer's US Open.

The shirts are moderately priced at "5.000 din," which when converted brings these originals to you for only $64 a piece. Did I fail to mention that they’re delivered straight to your door without the holiday headaches? My advice? Get them while they’re still available, as I am sure these designs will create a movement likened to Justin Beiber.

Amidst a storm of rumors and hype surrounding Maria Sharapova’s impending marriage to LA Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic, the Russians off court life is causing a stir around the net once again.

Posing for Russian InStyle, Sharapova brings her natural grace and beauty to the fashion magazines pages. What will be interesting is to learn if she finally divulges information about her wedding. Unfortunately, this article remains a mystery to American readers missing one key ingredient to cracking this bit of Sharapova insight, reading Russian. For these people, I can only recommend looking at the photos.


The 23-year-old has been in training since her 7-6(3) 6-2 loss to, fellow russian, Elena Vesnina at the China Open in Beijing, which ended her season.

Sharapova’s next scheduled tournament is the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.