U.S. OPEN NOTEBOOK
Teutonic tornado Tommy Haas says seeing a photo of himself and his ex-girlfriend nude in The Post yesterday morning really woke him up.
“It’s a very nice picture,” said the 24-year-old star. “It makes me miss her a little bit. I saw it over breakfast – it was a good wake-up call.”
Hours after seeing the eye-popping photo of him and his ex, Haas was in the spotlight again – this time over what he was wearing.
The No. 3 seed was forced to change out of his white sleeveless shirt by prudish U.S. Tennis Association officials.
USTA rules state that every player dress “in a professional manner” and should don “acceptable tennis attire.”
Haas’ benefactors were furious with the ruling.
“This is a high-performance outfit,” said Nike spokesman Mark Shapiro. “That he’s not allowed to play on court in it is outrageous.”
Haas won anyway.
* Celebrity seekers at the U.S. Open haven’t exactly been blinded by the presence of the glitterati.
Nonetheless, some stars have come out, including singer Vanessa Williams, Kathleen Turner, Spike Lee, Rangers legend Rod Gilbert, “Sopranos” sweetie Jamie-Lynn Sigler and her former co-star Vincent Pastore.
* There will be no making room for daddy on the Jelena Dokic tennis caravan.
Dokic, who was upset yesterday by Elena Bovina in the opening round, has been coached since childhood by her volatile father, Damir.
The bad-tempered Balkan has not attended the U.S. Open since he was banished two years ago after he tossed a tray of fish at a server.
“I’m comfortable with my family,” she told reporters. “I like the way it is now. I don’t think I will change.”