Agnieszka RadwanskaAndrea PetkovicBenoit PaireCarlos BernardesCaroline WozniackiDaniela HantuchovaDominika CibulkovaErnests GulbisEugenie BouchardFernando VerdascoGrigor DimitrovJelena JankovicMaria SharapovaRafael NadalRoger FedererSabine LisickiSloane StephensStan WawrinkaTommy Haas

A Happy Tennis Thanksgiving — Great Tennis Players and Moments We’re Thankful For

Stanislas Stan Wawrinka Rafael Rafa Nadal airborne no look backhands World Tour Finals 2013
We are thankful for the incredible hang time these top guys achieve…

In America, the Thanksgiving holiday is all about getting together with family and friends, consuming vast amounts of turkey and pumpkin pie and other yummy food, and usually watching football (the American kind). But it’s also supposed to be about giving thanks, for all the cherished things in our lives and whatever good fortune we’ve had that year.

In that spirit, we here at TennisInsideOut.com give our thanks for some of the things we love best about tennis, particularly in the past year. Feel free to share the things you’re personally grateful for. We can make it a party…but BYOB.

We are thankful for:

Roger Federer backhand pictures Nike t-shirt pink black turquoise shorts
Roger Federer’s one-handed backhand.

You all know we love Roger’s backhand, which is perhaps one of the most recognized shots in tennis. You can get more looks at it here…and here.

Caroline Wozniacki hard backhand grunt tennis ball blue white skirt photos pictures Brazil
Caro’s backhand, especially down the line.
Masha hard hit Brazil Caro match
Maria’s screaming forehand…
Rafa Nadal running power forehand airborne yellow shirt sexy hit tennis photos Cincy
Rafa’s crushing forehand…
Roger Federer flying forehand Nadal match 2013 summer blue white kit pictures photos images
…and Roger’s.
Aga Radwanska kneel down crouching shot taped thighs skirt flying up action shot Wimbledon pictures
Aga’s awesome how-low-can-you-go shots at the baseline…
Eugenie Bouchard pretty girl flying ponytail blonde backhand swing leap hot legs
Genie’s leaping backhand…

You can see more of Genie’s full-throttle style here.

Stanislas Wawrinka Stan the Man flying one handed backhand airborne practice pics Cincinnati US Open Masters Slam semis sweaty sexy hot Stanley pics
Stanislas Wawrinka’s one-handed backhand…

Anyone who’s followed @TennisInsideOut on Twitter knows that Val is gurgling over Stan’s backhand pretty much constantly during every one of his matches…and then quite often when he’s not even playing. You can soak up some more of the Stan backhand love here and here.

Grigor Dimitrov one handed backhand photos red shirt Wawrinka practice Cincinnati
Dimitrov’s one-handed backhand…
Tommy Haas Western and Southern Open Cincinnati Masters 2013 shirtless practice photos
Tommy Haas’ one-handed backhand…and let’s face it, Tommy Haas’ sweaty muscled body.

Are you sensing a theme here? Yes, we do tend to love the single-handed backhand. (You can check out more of Tommy’s awesomeness here and here.)

Which leads to mentioning one of our favorite matches of 2013, the incredible one-hander duel between Stan Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet. Richie hit 57 winners in the match, and Stan hit *92*. The French player hit his one-handed BH with power and flair, and the Swiss with explosiveness and yet pinpoint accuracy. It was a jaw-dropper of a contest that went the full five, with Stan coming back from two sets down: 6-7, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 8-6.

Gasquet Wawrinka RG highlights video preview pic

And of course many of us are thankful for Stan’s big announcement that he was on the prowl for a Top 10 spot–his epic battle with Novak Djokovic at this year’s Australian Open.

Stanislas Stan Wawrinka grin after winning fourth set Australian Open against Novak Djokovic 2013 screencaps pics
Stan grins as he fights back to win the fourth set.

Along with Neil Harman, apparently, we had a feeling that Stan’s match against Nole would be different than everyone expected…especially with his stellar play in the previous round.

We are also grateful for the funnier side of tennis, like:

Fed covering face with hand Nole match WTF 2013
…facepalms…
Sabine Lisicki face down face plant in grass Wimby win over Serena pictures images photos pics
…face-plants…

Grigor Dimitrov face plant fall on ground grass tumble racquet Wimby pictures photos

Sloane Stephens face palm gasp red nails Wimbledon 2013 photos pics
…”oh craps!” moments…
Fed Mirka 9787
...OHMYGODPLEEESE! moments…
Andrea Petkovic Hantuchova match Cincinnati Masters August 2013 Petko dance pictures photos
…the Petko dance…
Rafa Nadal yellow shirt rituals tucking hair behind ear Federer match Cincy 2013
…Rafa’s dance of ritual touches…
Ernie water 6
…giving the umpire crap…

Rafa Nadal argues chair umpire Pascal Wimbledon match tennis balls white kit arms outstretched pictures images photos screencaps

Smyczek chat with umpire Johnson match Knoxville 2013

Jelena umpire pinning WTA patch to dress Tokyo 2013
…getting a little wardrobe help from the umpire…
Monte Carlo Masters Benoit Paire discussing line call with Carlos Bernardes umpire clay argument fight photos pictures
…and a little life advice.
Tommy Haas acting as umpire
…and then replacing the ump completely. 😉

And we have to be thankful for designer Stella McCartney–for good or bad, or awesome or horrendous…she always gets people talking…

Andrea Petkovic glowing Stella outfit Cincinnati 2013 pictures photos neon orange beige white pictures photos images

We are grateful for the awesome bromances on tour, like:

Stan Wawrinka Benoit Paire Wawaire handshake practice Cincinnati Open Masters cute boys Lacoste crocodile t-shirt
#Wawaire (Stan Wawrinka and Benoit Paire)
Tommy Haas Roger Federer Fedaas cuteness bromance
#Fedaas (Tommy Haas and Roger Federer)
Juan Martin DelPotro Roger Federer smoosh Olympics 2012
#FedelPo (Juan Martin del Potro and Roger Federer)
David Marrero Fernando Verdasco World Tour Finals doubles victory 2013
#Ferrero *giggle* (Nando/Marri, David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco)

In 2013, we were also thankful that…

Roger Federer Rafa Nadal smoosh hug handshake at net Cincinnati Open Masters 2013 quarterfinal match tennis pictures photos screencaps images
…#Fedal still has some life in it, and still earned a well-deserved standing ovation in Cincy…
Roger Federer Stan Wawrinka tweet picture Cincy 2013 photos
…and #Fedrinka kissed and made up. <3

And we are also thankful for the hotness on the tennis tours…

Roger Federer Swiss Indoors Basel shirt change 2011 hairy chest photos pictures sweaty images screencaps

Rafa shirt change Wimbledon 2012 stare back at camera pictures photos white shorts

Andrea Petkovic Petko flighing serve Stella McCartney outfit dress orange taupe beige white picturesEugenie Bouchard Cincinnati Western and Southern Open practice sexy ass behind butt thighs long legs backhand swing blonde braidStanislas Stan Wawrinka gorgeous abs bare naked tummy stomach shirtless sweaty hot Stanley white shorts treasure trail hairy fuzzy photos

Sara Errani sports bra bare midriff shirtless practice Grandstand Cincinnati Open pictures images

The smooshiness is good too…

Cibulkova Hantuchova hug doubles pretty girls tennis Cincinnati Open pictures photos images

Stan Wawrinka Grigor Dimitrov practice Cincinnati 2013 hug handshake close bodies touching at the net photos pictures

Before this post gets three million miles long, we will just say that we are also grateful for all of you wonderful readers, who support the website and squee with us on Twitter and at Cincy.

And Val also just has to add that she’s thankful for Stan’s kisses…even if they are only virtual ones… 😉

Stan tweets virtual kisses to me July 2013Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!! And don’t forget to share all the tennis stuff you are thankful for!

~All Cincinnati Open photos: cValerie David for TennisInsideOut.com. Other match screencaps, fair use.

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