It is great to see Taylor Dent taking his first steps on the comeback trail. He entered $50,000 Challengers in Carson, Calif., last week (losing in three sets to former NCAA champion Cecil Mamiit) and will play Yuba City, Calif., next week. TD is a net-rushing Californian who has been sidetracked for over two years with a career-threatening back injury. In fact, his situation seemed so dire that he began a career as an on-court teaching professional.
Dent applied for, and easily passed, the U.S. Professional Tennis Association certification (his level: Professional 1). The fact that a young man in his mid-twenties who had won four ATP Tour titles would go through the studying, preparation, and two-day certification course along with other aspiring coaches says much about his character. He does not have a sense of entitlement.
I had pegged Taylor Dent to be the best prospect among his American generation, which includes Andy Roddick, James Blake, Mardy Fish, and Robby Ginepri. If Wimbledon had not slowed the grass courts down after the 2001 tournament (and, make no mistake, that formerly slick and uneven surface has played like a high-bouncing, slow hard court ever since) and the Slazenger balls that are currently used do not play like soft melons (and getting seemingly softer every year) then Dent probably would have already had some deep runs at SW19. Along with their penchant for excellence in old-school volleys, he could share this lament with Britain’s Tim Henman as well.
It would be wonderful to see him make a full recovery. If his back can handle the stresses of today’s game, then his mind certainly can. After the injury ordeal that he has been through, facing break points in a third set will not seem nearly as daunting.
My favorite Taylor Dent story was from when he did an appearance for a U.S. Open sponsor during his injury respite. At the time, he could do anything except serve. He participated in a Pro-Am and was the first to arrive and the last to leave. Suffice to say that usually the “pros” in the Pro-Ams do not share this same enthusiasm. He was definitely the star of the day, and left the amateur participants feeling great.
Early in the day, Dent warmed up with one of the summer staff teaching professionals at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and their hitting session drew a small crowd of curiosity seekers. When he was done with his hit, a few of the teaching pros challenged him to try hitting a ball into Arthur Ashe stadium from the outside. To reach the upper deck of the massive stadium, it was probably 250 feet high and 100 feet away from the practice court where he was standing. A few of the teaching pros made attempts first, and failed miserably. Dent was amused. From the middle of court 5, he took a ball and with a smooth swing he generated enough force to loft the ball into the stadium. People looked surprised and gave him the ‘try that again’ look. He took another ball and did it again, perhaps even more easily. He smiled and walked away. There are onlookers from that day who still talk about that feat.
Sam Querrey is training with Gil Reyes, the long-time fitness guru for Andre Agassi. Sudden Sam is already moving better. This is a great career move for a determined American athlete. Querrey’s volleys remain suspect, but the grass courts of Wimbledon have been slowed sufficiently that this weakness will not be as pronounced. He will be a big factor at Wimbledon this summer.
If the US whips Spain on clay in the Davis Cup semifinals, will the media stop with the Americans Cannot Play On Clay theme? They will be underdogs, but it could happen. Every potential member of Captain Patrick McEnroe’s team – including potential members of the practice squad – has had some positive results on this “foreign” surface this spring.
Serena Williams looks fit, for what it’s worth. Aside from maybe her sister Venus, there has never been another player who gives her opponent so little say in the matter. If Serena is playing well, then she wins. It is as simple as that.
Lefty Wayne Odesnik beating Argentine Guillermo Canas in straight sets at Roland Garros was pretty damn impressive. Recall that Canas bullied Federer twice last year on American hard courts. As John McEnroe quipped, Americans are not supposed to dominate Argentines on clay.
In college tennis, it was a great week in the NCAA team tournament for UCLA and Georgia. It is also a dreadful time at Arizona State and Arkansas-Little Rock.
The coverage of the NCAA team tourney on ESPN-U was a welcome sight. The good people of Tulsa, Oklahoma were treated to a special week of team tennis, with the individual singles and doubles tournaments following the team competitions.
Firstly, the good news: Congratulations to coach Stella Sampras Webster, who led the UCLA Lady Bruins to their first-ever NCAA title with a decisive victory over Pac-10 rival California in the finals. Stella’s little brother Pete, a big supporter of the UCLA team, knows more about tennis championships than anyone and he must be so proud of his sister.
Manuel Diaz led his University of Georgia men to their second straight NCAA title. The Bulldogs are the first team to go back-to-back in a decade, and this is the first title UGA has garnered outside of Athens, Ga. Georgia has now won six titles, with Diaz at the helm for four of those. They defeated a game Texas Longhorns squad in a nail-biter of a match.
Sadly, that very same Pac-10 conference that produced the two women’s finalists has suffered the loss of the Arizona State men’s program. ASU announced that it was being cut for budgetary reasons. Also getting unceremoniously dumped was the University of Arkansas-Little Rock men’s program. This really, really sucks.
People lament the fact that foreign-born players are dominating collegiate tennis in this era. Well, maybe. I agree that this is an issue, and I will address it later. It is a secondary issue, however, to the number of programs (especially men’s teams) that are getting euthanized.
These cuts are having a dramatic and negative effect on the number of young children who are getting steered toward competitive tennis. This is understandable. If you are an American parent with an athletic child, or athletic children, and you are choosing a sport that might lead to someday getting financial assistance- or even a scholarship- in college, then tennis is looking like an increasingly crappy option.
Title IX has been brilliant, in so many ways, for young women. It was not (never, ever) created to deny young men equal opportunities.
The colleges and universities that have been dropping tennis programs has become epidemic. The arrogance of athletic directors who justify their decisions by stating that it is based on budgetary concerns is insulting. Lousy football teams cost millions of dollars per season. This bounty includes a massive number of scholarships, remuneration packages for head coaches that are out of proportion with reality, constant stadium and facility upgrades, etc. It is sickening. Collegiate tennis programs cost a mere fraction of the other sports.
Ask Bill: Remembering Justine
Justine Henin was our sport’s Maggie Fitzgerald. Recall the academy award winning film “Million Dollar Baby
There are two stories that I will always remember about the diminutive Belgian. The 2003 US Open was marred by rainy weather. It played havoc with the scheduling, and the tournament was barely able to end on schedule. On Friday night, under the lights of Ashe Stadium, Henin battled the popular Jennifer Capriati for a US Open women’s record three hours and three minutes. The match was fraught with tension, twists, and turns. Capriati desperately wanted to win her national championship and fought like a champion. She came within two points of winning the match an astonishing 11 times. Henin battled from one set down, through cramps, a biased crowd, and her own nerves to prevail in a third set tiebreaker around midnight.
After the match, Jennifer Capriati wailed to the long-time locker room attendant Gloria Beckford: “Why!?!?!?” Even lovely Gloria could not console Capriati. Nearby, Henin was slumped on a table in the trainer’s room, receiving fluids intravenously to treat her severe dehydration.
In the City That Never Sleeps, Henin did not emerge from the locker room until the wee hours of the morning. The buzz around the grounds the next day was that she would not be able to answer the bell for the final against countrywoman Kim Clijsters, who was ranked number 1 at the time. This was a problem on many levels, including the fact that CBS Sports had gambled (and invested heavily) by having the women’s final televised during the evening’s prime time for the second consecutive year. A final round withdrawal would have ruined this goodwill, to say the least. Refunding tickets for a default would have also been financially catastrophic to the tournament.
The next afternoon when Henin arrived at Flushing Meadows with coach Carlos Rodriguez and physical trainer Pat Etcheberry, she went through some “warm up” exercises. She spent time doing plyometrics, strength and balance work on the swiss ball, catching and throwing medicine balls, and some running. Her “warm up” session would rival an offseason workout for most players. She would play!
The match was an anticlimax, and the favored Clijsters never really had a chance. Winning with guile and grit, Henin beat her rival in straight sets. Within 24 hours, she went from a doubtful starter to the US Open champion.
This spring, my wife and our baby boy took a trip to the south of France. I needed to go on a pilgrimage to the Monte Carlo Country Club, to see first-hand where Bjorn Borg used to practice. I knew it would be good karma for our baby, who is stuck with two tennis-mad parents.
When we arrived, I saw Justine, her coach Carlos Rodriguez, and a sparring partner drilling on an outside court. Henin was doing exhausting intervals and working on perfecting the forehand that had already delivered her four titles at Roland Garros. To my horror, my wife hopped out of the car with the baby and ran to courtside. “Bonjour Justine! Our baby loves you!” I hid in the car, dying of embarrassment and thinking the worst. Instead of reacting angrily (or being frightened!), Justine sweetly said “Bonjour baby. He is so cute…” I apologized quickly to Carlos (who pretended not to mind) and peeled away in our rental car.
In a few years time, when we visit the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island as a family, it will be a story that I can always share with our son. “Remember when you met Justine Henin when she was ranked No. 1 in the world…?” I can only hope that he hits his backhand as Henin did hers.
Like Maggie Fitzgerald, Justine Henin has chosen to leave on her own terms. Thankfully, her decision was a happier one than the wounded Hollywood boxer. I suspect that, like most boxers (and an increasing number of tennis players), she will embark on a “comeback.” Regardless, she is a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and remains shoulder-to-shoulder with Serena Williams as the best player of her generation.
Adieu Justine!
Ask Bill – Novak Djokovic is the Best Tennis Player in the World
Novak Djokovic is the best tennis player in the world. His movement is superior, his versatility allows him more tactical options than nearly anybody, and he is adept on all surfaces. If he wins Roland Garros in a few weeks, he would be the form pick for Wimbledon and his game will always be suited to the Deco Turf courts at Flushing Meadows.
In the (short) off-season last winter, Djokovic switched from all polyester strings (mains and crosses) to a poly-gut hybrid. He has acknowledged that he has maintained the same control while this equipment adjustment has given him some extra pop. He has also worked really hard on pounding the weights. He is a physically strong young man, and keeps getting stronger.
It has always been common wisdom that strong, fast legs are essential to succeed on clay courts. I’ll accept that as a given. I know that Andre Agassi used to work really hard on strengthening his upper body in preparation for the clay court season. His reasoning was that balls bounce so high that he needed to be stronger to effectively handle those shoulder high (and higher) shots. The polyester strings enable players to generate more action than ever, so topspin groundstrokes just fly off the terre bateau.
This upper-body strength philosophy would help explain why the muscular Rafael Nadal holds such an edge on the dirt. I saw a replay of his 2005 Brasil Open victory, which was Nadal’s second ATP Tour title, and he has gotten visibly stronger and thicker in these past three years.
Interestingly, there was footage of Nadal working diligently on his serve on the practice courts of Rome. I recalled a story from last year’s French Championships when he was spending a lot of time on his serve. Mats Wilander wandered over to his practice court and asked him why he was working so hard on his serve during the French Championships. Nadal’s response was that he does not need a better serve to win on clay but he needs to improve this area to win Wimbledon. His response was not boastful, as he remains a humble young man. It does, however, speak volumes about his ambition.
I wish I knew what was going on with Justine Henin. About two months ago, I saw her training on the red clay of the Monte Carlo Country Club. She was doing intervals on-court and working on her forehand, which remains her dominant shot on the dirt. At that point, I would have suggested that she would absolutely be sailing into Roland Garros as the big favorite. Instead, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Elena Dementieva, Dinara Safina (and sixteen other Russians) are looking stronger. It could be a weird French Championships this spring.
Major kudos to the 22-year-old Dinara Safina. Over the weekend, she took her first WTA Tour Tier 1 title in Berlin. If her serve improves a little, she could be a major factor at the Big W this summer. This will be the year when she reaches her first major semifinal.
How about those American clay court grinders?!? First, Sam Querrey makes a run to the Monte Carlo quarters, and then James Blake and Andy Roddick reach the quarters and semis respectively at Rome. I would expect that there will be an American man in the second week of the French for the first time since 2003.
It appears as though there will be ten American men who will receive direct entry into Roland Garros. The only other nations in that league are France, Spain, and Argentina. There has been a quiet resurgence occurring in the Land of Coca Cola, highlighted by the 2007 Davis Cup victory. Who deserves the credit? Well, it seems that whenever there is blame about a lack of international success then the U.S. Tennis Association becomes the default whipping boy. Given that, they deserve the accolades at this juncture. Ryan Harrison and Chase Buchanan are young Americans in the pipeline, and these boys are positively among the best juniors in the world. As they continue to climb the ATP ladder, they will force other young Americans to improve to keep pace. Stay tuned.
It was a pity to see Andy Roddick need to retire during his semifinal match against Stanislas Wawrinka. Apparently, he tweaked his back while moving furniture into an apartment he recently purchased in New York City that he will share with supermodel fiancé Brooklyn Decker. Getting to the semis, especially with a gimpy back, was a tremendous effort for the New Yorker.
Speaking of Wawrinka, the Swiss Davis Cup team would be as formidable as any in the world- and on any surface- if world No. 1 Roger Federer would commit to playing a full schedule.
As we are in the midst of clay court season, many have opened the GOAT (on clay) debate. If Rafael Nadal wins this year, he will have garnered one more French Open title than the retiring Gustavo Kuerten, Mats Wilander, and Ivan Lendl. Meanwhile, Bjorn Borg won six French titles, including a record four consecutively- which is a feat that Rafael Nadal could match in a few weeks. Borg lost two matches in his career at Roland Garros, losing both times to the same player. Who beat him, and in what years? Bonus trivia: why did Borg NOT play the 1977 French Open?
Ask Bill – Enjoy Roger Federer While He Lasts!
The USTA made a great move in hiring Patrick McEnroe to serve in the newly created General Manager position; he will be responsible for player development in the country. It would be nearly impossible to have found a candidate with as much universal respect as McEnroe. He embodies the highest standard of character and is no pushover. The players respect him, coaches admire him, administrators can relate to him (or, at least, he to them!), and the media realizes that he has become “one of them” as well.
A few years ago when I was serving as the President of the US Professional Tennis Association’s Eastern Division, I asked Patrick to speak at a coaches’ conference. His wife had a performance the same evening, and getting from Manhattan out to the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows and back to the city for her show was going to be challenging due to traffic. He never wavered. He charmed and challenged all the attendees and set a strong tone of expectations for American teaching professionals. Knowing that the event had a limited budget, Patrick donated his time. Everyone in tennis seems to have similarly positive experiences with Patrick. With this appointment, he continues his ascendancy as one of the true leaders of our sport. I can attest that he “thinks globally, but acts locally.”
I have been thinking of Patrick’s oldest brother, John, lately as his career relates to the constant Federer Debates. By the end of 1984, John McEnroe was being referred to as the greatest player ever by former champions such as Rod Laver, Jack Kramer, and Don Budge. That season, he lost a mere three matches, and, like Federer in 2006, seemed in a class of his own. By then, McEnroe had eclipsed Bjorn Borg, and proved to be a superior talent to Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl. At 25 years old, he won his eighth major title at the 1984 US Open. Recall that in that era, the top ranking players did not enter the Australian Open as a matter of course, so McEnroe was generally competing in three majors each year (the Masters and WCT Finals would have been considered “bigger” tournaments to win from 1978-85, at least).
By almost any measure, McEnroe’s 1985 season was also brilliant. He won 72 matches and lost just nine. He took eight singles titles. However, he tweaked his hamstring, which slowed him down by perhaps a half-step. He had begun an intense relationship with his future wife Tatum O’Neal. He no longer seemed to be the best mover in the sport. His focus was less myopic. He lost in the second week of each of the four majors that season.
After that season, John McEnroe stayed at the top echelon of the sport but he was never again a serious contender for the major crowns, and his efforts to regain his #1 ranking through the years were frustratingly futile. Others had caught up to him, and they would soon sprint past him. The hunter became the hunted, and the hunted certainly resented that role. The moral of that story: enjoy Roger Federer while he lasts. It might be a minor injury that compromises his sublime movement. It might be an off-court situation that divides his attention. It might be that the next generation simply improves sufficiently to displace the mighty Federer. In sports, these changes can happen pretty quickly.
If Serena Williams is fully engaged with her tennis, and is feeling healthy, can Justine Henin beat her? Maybe on clay. The quarterfinal result from Key Biscayne was a pretty wicked taming of the world’s #1 ranked woman. They are the two best players of their generation, so their matches are fascinating.
There are still some single-session tickets available for the juicy Davis Cup quarterfinal between the US and France in Winston-Salem, NC. The French team is deep and a threat to win any of the five rubbers. Team USA is, of course, looking to become the first back-to-back champions in a decade.
Enjoy the business end of the Sony Ericsson down in Key Biscayne…
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Ask Bill – You Ask, Bill Answers!
Four years ago, I won a steak dinner at NYC’s Smith & Wollensky from a gentlemen’s bet that I had with a tennis insider. My winning bet was that more than 50% of the world’s top ten players (the ten men and the ten women, per the rankings at the start of the event) would pull out of the Athens Olympics before the start of the Games. Sure enough, only nine of the possible 20 players who took part, and I enjoyed my steak cooked medium rare.
Will the same happen again in 2008? Probably. It will be even more difficult for players to justify a trip to Beijing with the US Open, the world’s richest prize money tournament (lest you forget), beginning shortly afterwards.
Andy Roddick’s withdrawal has gotten a lot of attention, but I admire his forthrightness. Most players will feign an injury at the last moment to appear as though they “really wanted to be there.” Kudos to Roddick for telling it like it is: the US Open is the priority for tennis players.
It is great that our sport is part of the Summer Olympic Games, but foolhardy to think that players who grow up watching Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and US Open finals will care as deeply for the once-every-four-years deal. A quick glance at the honor roll of medal winners supports this. Some all-time greats did receive medals at previous Olympics, but there are a lot of names that would be difficult for even hard-core tennis fans to recall. As the “ol’ perfessor” Casey Stengel used to say, you can look it up.
My family and I were having a holiday in the South of France two weeks ao, and I insisted that we make a pilgrimmage to the Monte Carlo Country Club, where Bjorn Borg spent so much time practicing. On one of the outside courts, the relentless Justine Henin was going through an on-court workout that would wear out any Olympic decathlete. She was also working on finishing points with her most potent weapon, her forehand. This stroke is more effective than, but often overshadowed by, her more aesthetically pleasing one-handed backhand. It is hard to envision her losing her crown at Roland Garros.
Of course, the tournament organizers in Indian Wells would have much rather seen the world’s #1 player in the Californian dessert than training on clay in Europe. Sadly, with the stubborn reluctance to modify the one-year-runs-into-the-next schedule of the international tour, players choose to make their own off-seasons. It seems that the time after the Australian Open ends in late January until March is becoming a “window” that more players will be using. It would be great to correct this one day.
After seeing Novak Djokovic winning in Indian Wells and reading more and more analysis of Roger Federer’s feelings toward the young Serb, I was reminded of a remarkable moment in boxing’s recent history. Roy Jones, Jr. was viewed as his generation’s pound-for-pound greatest, and one of the best boxers of all time. He won a disputed decision against Antonio Tarver, which led to their rematch. Jones had a few “explanations” for his sub-par performance leading into the second fight. When the boxers met in the middle of the ring for the pre-fight instructions, they were, as is customary, asked if they had any questions. “Yeah, I got one,” said Tarver, “You got any excuses tonight, Roy?” In an astonishing performance, Tarver knocked Jones cold in the second round.
To borrow from Antonio Tarver, we also “got” a few questions this week:
1) “What is your take on Roddick skipping the Olympics?”
~Arvind from India
See above. It is the right move for Roddick at this stage of his career. His decision will set a trend this summer. I’d expect Roddick to look to play in London 2012, which, again, would be the right move for him at that stage (unless he has a Barry Bonds-like second half of his career). Roddick will be just shy of his 30th birthday during the London 2012 Games, and will predictably get caught up in the “one more time” sentimentality. This year’s US Open will be among the last and best chances that Roddick has of enhancing his Hall of Fame career- and he is already a first ballot H-of-F’er.
2) I am an aggressive player, and I always tend to find a way to hit winners. I am a one-handed player for both forehand and backhand, I can do quite good on both sides, but sometimes I make many errors on my backhand, how do I improve that?
~Tony from Hong Kong
Despite your ability to always find a way to hit winners, I would urge you to play slightly more conservatively on your backhand and wait for the opportunity to use your forehand to full advantage. Think Fernando Gonzalez, who will roll, slice, and, of course sometimes, nail his backhand. When he gets a forehand, however, it is Katie Bar the Door.
Lastly, kudos to Rafael Nadal and David Nalbandian for playing in a friendly exhibition at the Palm Beach International Polo Club (on Har Tru!) on Tuesday evening. The event raised $50,000 for their respective charities, and Nalbandian was able to provide a favor for his buddy and fellow Argentine, Adolfo Combiaso, who is regarded as the world’s finest polo player.
Ask Bill – Bill Mountford
There was speculation that some unseeded entrants in last week’s ATP event in Dubai received appearance fees in excess of US $1 million. Considering that eight of the world’s top ten played the tournament, the total purse (combining appearance fees and prize money) was likely greater than any of the ATP Masters Series events.
The worst example of why things are out of whack between Dubai and the rest of the tour occurred two years ago. In Andre Agassi’s final season, while he was looking to minimize travel, he opted to fly half-way around the world to Dubai in lieu of playing the Tennis Channel Open in his hometown of Las Vegas. Of course he was offered an appearance fee that even he could not refuse. By the way, in 2007 Agassi purchased tickets to attend matches at the Darling Tennis Center. That act showed a lot about Agassi’s character, or it was his penance. Regardless, there are not too many people “in” tennis who opt to pay for tickets when all-access credentials are readily available.
Congratulations to Sam Querrey, who won his first ATP title in Las Vegas. Too young to legally enjoy a celebratory beer, Querrey looks like a sure-fire future Davis Cupper. Forecasting future champions is always risky business, and Sam Querrey is a prime example. The first international junior tournament that he played was at the 2004 US Open (where he extended that year’s champion, Andy Murray, to three sets in the quarterfinals). The Californian was only able to enter this event as a wildcard, based on his winning the Boys’ 16 and under Nationals in Kalamazoo, MI (as a third-year 16s, by the way). He was hardly on the experts’ radar screen at that time, but rather just another good American junior who appeared primed for college tennis.
In Andy Murray’s second round match in Dubai, he let fly several clearly audible obscenities. I have a soft spot for Andy, because he is my son’s favorite player and I love his competitive spirit. But it appears that the point penalty system, which was put in place a few decades ago to essentially reign in John McEnroe, has been relaxed considerably. If these same rules existed back in 1990, then Johnny Mac would have won his eighth major at that year’s Australian Open instead of being unceremoniously defaulted.
The week following Andy Roddick’s victory in San Jose, Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated criticized the popular American for some unseemly, and certainly unsportsmanlike, behavior. There was a marked improvement in the way Roddick carried himself in Dubai. I suspect that a member of the Roddick team – and perhaps Andy himself – read this SI.com article. I feel Wertheim is comfortably growing into the position that the late, great Gene Scott once held: the conscience of tennis. There was nothing unfair about the opinions he shared. It was nice to see Andy enjoy his best victory in a few years, and behave honorably. In fact, commentator David Mercer referred to his semifinal win over Novak Djokovic to be “the highest quality in sport and sportsmanship.”
I watched 50,000 Balls, an interesting documentary about the lives of four top-ranking 12 and under American players from the summer of 2006. In Hoop Dreams fashion, it will be fascinating to see the sequel 500,000 Balls when these boys reach the 18s! Hopefully, a prominent Film Festival will show the project.
Serena Williams edged ahead of big sister Venus in their career head-to-head record (8-7) with a third set tiebreak win in the semifinals of Bangalore, India on her way to her 29th career title. This match could have been a preview of the 2008 Olympic Games gold medal match for women’s singles.
Congratulations to Wayne Bryan for being named the 2008 Professional Tennis Registry’s Professional of the Year. Wayne reminds me of the Grateful Dead. As was frequently said about this legendary band, Wayne is not only the best in the world at what he does, he is the only one in the world who does what he does. Every coach, and every parent for that matter, ought to have a copy of his book The Formula: Raising Your Child to be a Champion in Athletics, Arts, and Academics.
Joel Drucker wrote a nice piece on Wayne’s boys, Bob and Mike Bryan, who continue battling to make professional doubles relevant. The Brothers are relentlessly nice young men, and a credit to the tennis profession.
Monica Seles has announced her retirement, and she is a shoo-in for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. A player must be inactive on the main tour for five years to be eligible for induction. Well, Seles’s last professional match was played in 2003 during Roland Garros. While the class of 2008 has already been announced, her retirement announcement gives our sport the opportunity to do right by one of the greatest champions of all-time by fast-tracking her induction.
The buzz that the Federer-Sampras exhibition created was wonderful for our sport. “Cheap” tickets were scalped for over $1,000. George Vecsey of the New York Times wrote a wistful article previewing this match and Harvey Araton, also from the NY Times, wrote an interesting post-match commentary. In previous eras, these cross-generational challenge matches were common. Bill Tilden played Ellsworth Vines, Vines played Don Budge, Budge played Bobby Riggs, Riggs played Jack Kramer, Kramer played Pancho Gonzalez, Gonzalez played Rod Laver, Laver played Jimmy Connors, etc. Before tennis went “open” in 1968, the only (and the best) way champions had to earn money was through playing in exhibitions against previous champions.
Getting psyched up to play against Roger Federer in a sold out Madison Square Garden is more manageable for the 36-year-old Sampras then the prospect of grinding out Tour matches (or even of having to win seven matches in 13 days at Wimbledon). It is times like this when I really miss the New York sports talk radio stations!
Roger Federer’s less than gracious post-match comments about Andy Murray were likely taken out of context, but his follow up comments that Murray is more talented than Novak Djokovic seemed really out of character. Rafael Nadal disturbs Federer, and John Yandell wrote fascinating articles about this topic on www.TennisPlayer.net, but Djokovic apparently really gets under Federer’s skin. Last week, the Serb opined that he expected Murray to win and that Federer is essentially losing his aura of invincibility. Hmmm…
The announcement that Roger Federer was sick with mononucleosis must have surprised Pete Sampras, who holds Federer in the highest regard. Pistol Pete won his seventh Wimbledon title on a broken foot and his fifth US Open title with stomach ulcers. Sampras has always talked about how he admires the way Federer carries himself, and these champions obviously share unique experiences. Here’s hoping that they grab a beer together and discuss the time-honored Aussie code that both men respect: If you’re fit, then you take the court; if you take the court, then it means you’re fit.
There was a great trivia question a few years ago: Who was the last man to win a tour-level event while using a wood racquet? Hint: he was the only player to beat Mats Wilander in a major back in 1988. Well, here is a modern era trivia question: Who was the last man to win a tour-level title WITHOUT using polyester strings? Polyester strings have had as great an impact on the way tennis is played professionally as larger head-size, graphite racquets had 25 years ago.
I am looking forward to watching the Indian Wells coverage on EuroSport next week. Please feel welcome to send questions, comments, criticisms, requests, and jokes each week.