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My Problem with the Federer Post Mortems

17 May

My Starting Point

I will put my bias out there and state that Roger Federer has been all-time my favorite tennis player to watch since 2003.  I like his game, his balance, his shot making etc.  I also will bluntly say that Roger is not playing near his career best 2006 level, or his 2004-2007 level, or his 2009 level and to this point not near his 2012 level.  Roger has been off in some tournaments this season.  Close losses to Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych are expected of a 31 year old.  Some of his other stumbles have been uncharacteristic.  Add in a reduced schedule and suddenly a tennis crisis emerges.

Overreaction Central

Roger Federer lost as defending champion in Madrid after skipping Monte Carlo and Miami.  Peter Bodo among others pronounced that Federer was slipping and that even his safe haven of grass might come under assault.  In reality, Federer has lost Halle finals to Lleyton Hewitt and Tommy Haas in recent years.  He lost a two set lead to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Wimbledon in 2011.  He lost in straight sets to Andy Murray in the Olympic Gold Medal round in 2012.  All of this happened on grass.  Roger is not running a grass court streak like he had from 2003-Wimbledon 2008.  Federer might lose a few matches on grass in 2013 and that does not mean he is finished anymore than his 2011 loss to Tsonga ended his hopes of winning Wimbledon again.

Similarly, if Roger has a nice event in Rome, it does not mean he is back to his 2009 clay court form.  Today, Roger Federer beat Gilles Simon on clay.  Federer was once 0-2 in his career matches vs. Simon.  He wins 6-1, 6-2 on his worst surface against a man who has troubled him.  Is Federer back (or is this a silly question) after being given last rites on his flight out of Madrid?  One match or one event is just not smart for judging a veteran and legend of the game.  Short term analysis will lead to Federer looking like a yo-yo.

Where Things Stand

 The fact is that Roger Federer is 31 years old.  He undoubtedly has nagging injuries like all players on tour, but his recovery time is likely slowing from what it once was.  He is still ranked in the top 4, but to this point in 2013 is playing as though he is roughly the 6th best player on tour.  Tommy Hass has won two titles in the past 52 weeks, upset the world number one, and made a serious run at a title in Miami.  Federer is four years younger than Haas.  Roger Federer is scheduling himself as though he is not terribly concerned about his ranking.  This may be a mistake as his 2012 form seemed to benefit from  playing with greater frequency than he had in 2010 or 2011.  Then again the benefit of being ranked in the top four only materializes if the other three players do the same.  Federer learned that Nadal is just as deadly in the quarterfinal round as he is during the final weekend of an event.

Nevertheless, Federer seems to be aiming toward being physically at his best heading into the biggest prizes in tennis.  This may or may not result in an 18th Grand Slam title, but I would not doubt the method too much.  Roger Federer is not the force of nature that he once was on tour.  He is still a player capable of winning big matches.  Federer will need circumstances to break his way more than he once did, but so long as his hunger to win big titles is still there he will be relevant in 2013.  His coach Paul Annacone saw Pete Sampras win Wimbledon in 2000 when his draw opened up enough to reach a championship match on a bad leg.*  Sampras also won the 2002 US Open as the 17th seed.  A lot had to go right for Sampras to win those two events, but he was hungry enough to take advantage of the opportunities that did eventually present themselves.  Undoubtedly, Annacone is preaching the same message to Federer who is not yet taking on water to the degree that Sampras was in 2002.  With Nole and Nadal playing so well, it is not as easy to see a draw breaking wide open for Federer, but to say eulogize his career is just giving into sensationalism.

* Gimelstob, Bjorkman, Gambill and Voltchkov were not a murderers row of opponents.

** This sense of overreaction is not limited to Federer.  Nole left Dubai with some wondering if he would duplicate his record setting start to 2011 and post his best year ever.  After Indian Wells and Miami, some felt Djokovic looked worn out.  He then wins Monte Carlo by beating Nadal and a calendar Grand Slam is discussed.  Then he loses to Dimitrov in Madrid.  Is Nole clearly #1 or slipping?  Hyperbole is the name of the game for analysts these days.

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French Open Memories: Steffi Graf 1987-1989

7 May

My first distinct tennis memories are matches between Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe in the 1982 Wimbledon men’s championship and the 1984 US Open semifinal.  Both were five set thrillers, but I did not start following tennis regularly until Boris Becker won Wimbledon in 1985.  French Open matches did not make much of an impression on me until 1987.  For that, I must thank Steffi Graf.

1987: Boredom with the Big Two

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova staged a tight three set French Open final in 1986.  At 10 years of age, I was a bit bored by how frequently these two met in big matches.  I recall Steffi Graf pushing Navratiolva hard at the 1986 US Open and thinking this is who I will pull for in women’s tennis.  Graf beat Navratilova 6-3, 6-2 in Miami as she started 1987 off on a tear.  Graf moved to #2 in the rankings pitting Navratilova and Evert against one another in a semifinal rather than a final.  Navratilova beat Evert 6-2, 6-2 to reach the final while reversing two consecutive French Open championship losses to Evert.  Graf beat another new face in Gabriella Sabatini 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.  This set up a match that I hoped would usher in a new queen of women’s tennis and end the dual reigns of Martina and Evert.

Maybe Tiriac had it right – this video feed from the red clay and non-high definition cameras is awful

Half of my wish came true.  Graf won her first Grand Slam title by beating Navratilova 6-4, 4-6, 8-6.  Graf won in large part because of how error prone and nervy Navratilova was in that match.  Graf showed mental fortitude by winning a long third set against a great champion, but this was not a dethroning.  Martina would beat Steffi in straight sets to win both the 1987 Wimbledon and US Open titles.  It was exciting for me as a young fan to see my favorite player win her first major, but I feel a bit silly looking back at my disdain for the excellence that Navratilova and Evert displayed.  Then again I was 10 years old.

1988: Double Bagel

Steffi Graf won the 1988 Australian Open, but beat Evert instead of Navratilova in the final. Graf was ahead on computer points due to playing and winning far more events than her veteran rival, but it was still unclear as to who was the best player on the women’s tour.  Graf owned the #1 ranking and reigned in Melbourne and Paris.  Martina was the titleholder in London and New York.  Navratilova expected to win Paris and said as much.  Instead she was shocked by the former #1 junior player Natalia Zvereva.  The young Russian put off a Graf Navratilova showdown until Wimbledon 1988 by winning 6-3, 7-6. As shocking as the match was, Graf administered a career altering defeat of Zvereva by winning the championship match 6-0, 6-0 in 32 minutes.    Graf now had two legs of the Grand Slam under her belt and the debate about #1 was clearing up to a degree.  Her win over Martina in London one month later cleared up any doubts about who the #1 player in tennis was.

My memories of this final all revolve around how quick the match was.  I was elated to see Steffi win yet another slam.  Zvereva went on to become a highly decorated doubles champion, but this loss seemed to sap the joy out of singles for her for many years.  Zvereva saved two match points in her semifinal win and perhaps a big upset followed by a win and a close loss in the French Open semifinal round would have served her better than being demoralized by Graf who was quite invincible that day.

1989: No One Saw It Coming

Steffi Graf won the Golden Slam in 1988.  She opened 1989 with a convincing defense of her Australian Open title.  Some wondered if she would become bored with tennis due to her dominance.  If Graf was going to be beaten in 1989, people figured it would be her contemporary Gabriella Sabatini via a herculean effort.  This was not to be as Sabatini lost in the round of 16.  Graf played a youngster named Monica Seles in the semifinal round.  I remember in the first set thinking how ridiculous it was that Seles was trying to overpower Graf.  That strategy seemed about as wise as trying to drown the ocean.  Graf won the first set 6-3.  In the second set, the player hitting two-handed backhands and forehands (!) did knock Graf out of her comfort zone and took the set 6-3.  Steffi’s experience pulled her through in the third set with another 6-3 set.  Still, Seles looked like a champion to me.*

Challengers Arise

Graf faced Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the final.  Graf was taller, had more weapons and seemed like a lock.  Sanchez-Vicario kept running balls down.  NBC tape-delayed coverage foreshadowed the upset by saying Graf only makes headlines if she loses.  However in the age before widespread internet acces, I had no idea who won the match.  NBC showed the first set won surprisingly by the Spaniard 7-6.  NBC then did a quick summary of the second set won by Graf 6-3.  In the final set, I watched as Graf sprayed a number of errors against her never-say-die opponent.  I was both dismayed and shocked as Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario pulled one of the upsets of the decade in a 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 win over Steffi Graf.

Attacking the net helped the tireless retriever win the match

This match was not the end for Graf, but Seles attacked Graf’s slice with power.  Sanchez-Vicario made jaunts into the net off of Steffi’s backhand as well as drawing errors from her forehand.  There was now a book with several chapters on how to play against the invincible champion.  Steffi from 1987 through 1989 took me as a fan through a ride of challenging the powers that be, to becoming the lone power in women’s tennis and finally to being dethroned in Paris.  Graf would have to wait until 1993 to win the French Open again.  It was a great ride as a fan.  Steffi also provided a few more French Open memories that I will get to in the coming days.

Tyson losing to Douglas was a lot like Graf losing in this situation

* In early 1990 when everyone was hyping Jennifer Captiati, I kept thinking that Seles was the real story.

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How Much Are You Looking Forward to Jimmy Connors’ Autobiography?

6 May

Some early press has already created a buzz about the book.  What do you think about the release of the The Outsider?

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French Open Memories: Agassi vs. Courier 1989-1992

4 May

I will be sharing some of my favorite French Open memories between now and the start of the 2013 French Open. My first subject is Andre Agassi versus Jim Courier.  Once upon a time it was rare to see the same players match-up year after year at slams in men’s events.  Jim Courier and Andre Agassi went toe-to-toe in four consecutive French Opens.  The two had a great deal of history and at times disliked one another.  In 1989, 1990 and 1991 Courier felt he had played second fiddle to Agassi.  At their 1992 match in Paris, Agassi seemed unsure of himself as Courier was piling up big wins and holding the number one ranking.  Each man helped to usher in an era of taking the ball early and hitting hard.  Each man saw his success on tour increase as his game rounded out beyond just blasting away.  Courier upped the level of fitness on tour.  Agassi’s long career impacted several generations of junior players.  Agassi also brought a greater use of weight training into tennis despite initial skepticism about this move.  Courier vs. Agassi was a story at Roland Garros over four years.  By the end one man had established dominance in this French Open rivalry, but by 1999 the other would complete a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros.

1989 Bollettieri’s Boys 

Andre Agassi had a huge 1988.  He won six events, finished in the top 5 in the rankings and reached the semifinal round at both Roland Garros and the US Open.  Jim Courier was unknown to casual tennis fans.  Still, the two had grown up together playing at Nick Bollettieri’s tennis boot camp.  Agassi entered the 1989 French Open as a contender.  Courier stood in the way of Agassi reaching the round of 16.  Both players were from the US, were roughly the same age and tried to take the ball early and smack big forehands.  Bollettieri was faced with a choice and sat with Agassi’s camp during their showdown.  Courier proceeded to overpower Agassi over two-days.  The young Floridian announced his presence on tour by winning 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.   Michael Chang stole Courier’s thunder by winning the event even if Sports Illustrated gave Courier some love at the midpoint of the event.  Courier blew a lead in the round of 16 and left Bollettieri’s charge shortly after the event.  Courier -1 Agassi – 0

1990 Strength Pays Off

Andre Agassi entered the 1990 French Open as the favorite in the eyes of many because Ivan Lendl was not playing the event and Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg seemed less imposing on red clay than they did on grass.  Agassi had also embraced weight training and looked thicker than his 1988 and 1989 editions.  The draw pitting Courier and Agassi against one another in the round of 16 was intriguing.  It seemed that if anyone would stop Agassi in Paris in 1990 it would be Courier.  Becker and Edberg lost in the first round to some no-names named Goran Ivanisevic and Sergi Bruguera.  Michael Chang couldn’t beat Andre could he?  Maybe Thomas Muster could stop Agassi, but it appeared that Andre was on his way to his first Grand Slam title.  Courier was the only guy with the power to maybe stem Agassi’s momentum.  The match played out like two heavy hitters trading massive shots in the first set with Courier taking a tiebreak set.  Agassi then bullied Courier around the court for the next three sets.  Agassi was well inside the baseline and sent Courier running mercilessly from side to side.  Agassi won the match 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-0.  Andre would beat Michael Chang in a four set quarterfinal and Jonas Svensson in a four set semifinal.  He lost to Andres Gomez in, you guessed it, four sets.  Agassi – 1 Courier -1

1991 Rain and Pain

If Agassi was favored at the 1990 French Open, he was a huge favorite at the 1991 event.  Andre had taken two Grand Slam championship losses in 1990.  Agassi was strong, he had experienced some bitter near misses, he had the ability to take the ball early and control rallies on clay.  In short, experts felt it was his event to lose.  Andre battered his way to his second consecutive final by roughing up Boris Becker 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the semifinal round.  Jim Courier reached the final by taking out top seed Stefan Edberg in the quarterfinal round 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.  He beat the never to beard of again Michael Stich 6-2, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to set up a third Roland Garros meeting with Agaasi.

This match was my favorite of their four French Open clashes.  Courier had beaten Agassi at Indian Wells in 1991.  He followed that momentum with an Indian Wells title and a title at Key Biscayne to enter the top 10 in the world.  Courier had also made a nice showing at the 1991 Australian Open by pushing Stefan Edberg to five tough sets.  Agassi was still the favorite as he had won four of their six professional meetings to that point and was seeded fourth to Courier’s ninth.  The dynamic of each man growing up together and not liking each other very much was still present.

Agassi took the first set in what looked like a continuation of their 1990 match.  Courier was good, but Agassi’s ability to see the ball so well and take the ball so early looked to be too much for Courier. Agassi jumped to an early break lead in the second set.  Rain delays and coaching made a big difference in this match.  Andre Agassi claimed in his autobiography Open that Bollettieri said nothing during the rain delays.  Courier’s coach Jose Higueres, who worked with Michael Chang in 1989, advised his charge to stand further back during serve returns to make sure he placed a deep return of serve and pushed Andre Agassi deeper into the court.  Higueres had also worked with Courier on mixing placements and spins and not simply trying hit the ball as hard as possible on every point.  Courier managed to win the match 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.  Popular perception saw Courier’s fitness regiment, his growing sense of tennis strategy and his professionalism as superior to Agassi’s emphasis on weight training, eating who knows what and Bollettieri inspired blast away mentality.  This trope proved to not be completely accurate, but it was how the rivalry was cast over the next two years.    Courier -2 Agassi-1

1992 Courier in Command

Both men worked their way to the semifinal round of the 1992 French Open to see the other in his path.  Courier followed up his 1991 French Open title with a US Open runner-up finish and 1992 Australian Open title.  Courier achieved the #1 ranking and held two Grand Slam titles entering this match.  Agassi had yet to win a major and whispers were growing that he might never win a major.  Courier struggled a bit with the pressures of being number one in the early portions of 1992, but he was firmly number one after winning three consecutive events entering the 1992 French Open.  Courier’s 1992 run to the title included wins over an impressive array of opponents.  He beat Andrei Medvedev, Aleberto Mancini, Thomas Muster, Goran Ivanisevic, Andre Agassi and Petr Korda in succession to take the title. Agassi entered this match with a lot of talent, but not a lot of confidence.  Courier hammered Agassi 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in a match that failed to live up to the hype.  Anyone watching saw a player with a bigger serve, greater fitness, a better grasp of strategy, and a higher level of mental fortitude methodically take apart his opponent.  Agassi would of course take his first Grand Slam title one month later at Wimbledon.  Courier then beat Agassi in a testy four set US Open quarterfinal in 1992 in a match featuring the two Grand Slam champions to that point in 1992.  Courier – 3 Agassi 1

Final Thought

Courier and Agassi are now friends who play exhibitions on a frequent basis.  The notions that Courier would be another Jimmy Connors playing deep into his thirties never materialized.  Agassi’s superior hand-eye coordination along with his growing sense of tennis strategy and tactics led to him having the longer career of the two. Nick Bollettieri also shed the image that he knew nothing about tennis and could not coach by guiding a myriad of players to success.

I rooted for Courier in all four of these clashes.  I was thrilled to see Courier breakthrough in 1989 (I had heard of him prior to this match), to see him rally in 1991 and to see him dominate Agassi in 1992.  I also watched in horor as Agassi laid a beating on Courier in 1990.  The great thing about a rivalry that produces a lot of matches is that a fan can pick a side and enjoy.  I also played junior tennis during the height of this rivalry so I got to see how average players embraced aspects of Agassi and Courier’s games and habits.  I have never seen as many baseball caps on a tennis court as I did at the 1991 Joe Creason USTA Southern qualifying event in Louisville, Kentucky that took place at the same time as the 1991 French Open.

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Nadal’s Reign: Unrelenting Supremacy

18 Apr

King Rafa 2005 – ?

Can anyone stop a prepared Nadal on clay?  That is a question that has been hounding professional tennis since 2005.  There are a few scenarios for how Nadal might lose a match on clay, but these scenarios become even less likely when a match moves to a best of five set format.  I think for someone to dethrone Nadal on clay, he will need to be a fitness freak and fighter a la Ferrer, have a return game somewhere along the lines of Murray or Nole’s, and be able to take control of points with massive ground strokes.  I don’t see that player on tour right now.   The junior ranks are where we are most likely to find a physical specimen who has enough of a willingness to fight to have a chance to dethrone Nadal.  I hope that we get to see a young lion push Nadal rather than see injuries lead to the close of Rafa’s clay court dictatorship.

Scenarios for a Nadal Loss During The 2013 European Clay Court Season

Don’t Count on Seeing a lot of This

Being the best player in the world on clay does not preclude one or two losses.  Here are some scenarios for Nadal losing matches during this European clay court season.

  1. Novak Djokovic has a great day.  If Novak gets into enough of Rafa’s service games, even on clay, he can win matches.  Odds: 20 to 35%
  2. Del Potro or Berdych follows the Soderling blueprint.  Odds: 15% for a 2 out of 3 set match and 10% or less at Roland Garros.
  3. Federer has a day where he does not miss.  Not missing on clay versus Nadal is not something we have seen from Federer.  At 31, it is less likely.  Odds: 2%
  4. Ferrer or another speedy baseliner takes advantage of a health ailment a la Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2008.  Odds: 10% or Less
  5. Nadal loses after a long layoff.  We saw this happen in Chile earlier this year.  The problem for the tour is that Rafa’s team are not fools.  He played the Latin American clay court circuit to avoid rust during the European clay court season. Even a rusty Nadal put together an impressive run in Latin America.  Odds: N/A as he is not rusty
  6. Blue Clay – Nadal hated blue clay and lost on it last year.  Odds: N/A blue clay is no longer a part of the tour
  7. A big server such as Isner or Raonic wins a match with a lot of tiebreaks.  This could happen in a two out of three set scenario.  It is hard for me to see Nadal lose 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 at Roland Garros.  Someone would have to serve out of his mind to pull this strategy off for three sets versus Nadal.  Odds: 5 to 10%

A Few Reasons for Nadal’s Clay Court Success

  1. An aggressive game that has a high margin for error.  Nadal’s shots aggressively beat up his opponents.  Yet, he makes few errors.  It is a nice combination that few can achieve.  
  2. Fitness and Mental Fight: Nadal will not give in, just ask Coria or Federer about 5 set matches on clay.  Despite a history of injuries and knee issues, Nadal seems to have a high energy level during individual matches or tournaments.  He may pay the price months later, but that fact does not help people win matches against him in the short term.
  3. His left-handedness is an edge.  Most players work their opponent’s backhand.  Playing Nadal means reversing the flow of shots one hits 90% of the time.  Hitting into Nadal’s forehand is a poor idea.  This is especially true on clay.
  4. Movement – Nadal not only plays with a high margin for error, but he can stay in points in which he is not dictating.  This forces many players to try for even bigger shots or even more extreme angles.  That only ratchets up their error totals and mental duress.
  5. Soft Courts: Nadal loves to compete and concentrates like no other on tour.  Clay courts allow for him to utilize these skills with a minimal level of impact on his knees and feet.  Rafa has tendonitis and has had two stress fractures in his feet.  Clay does not prevent tweaking these conditions, but it minimizes their impact allowing for his competitive spirit and preternatural focus to be more or less uninterrupted by physical distress.

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The State of US Men’s Tennis

8 Apr

 The Big Four Help

The US Open is obviously a Grand Slam event.  One third of the ATP’s Masters 1000 events reside inside of the United States.  The Wimbledon and French Open championship start times are designed to get access to some of the television market in the US.  Yet, the US does not currently have a male player ranked within the top 15 in the world.  Under ordinary circumstances, this would mean casual tennis fans would tune out inside the US.  Luckily, Roger Federer has been an incredible ambassador for tennis since 2004.  Rafael Nadal has won over many fans with a different style than Roger’s.  Novak Djokovic has brought a different personality and style of play that has made its way into the US sporting consciousness.  Andy Murray’s Olympic Gold and US Open title in 2012 helped him to make strides as well.  Federer reached his first major final in 2003, Nadal in 2005, Djokovic in 2007 and Murray in 2008.  Their consistency and general affability, along with Andy Roddick’s results, have helped keep tennis relevant for general fans of sports inside the US.

Where Have You Gone Andy Roddick or Aaron Krickstein?

Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open and was runner-up at four other Grand Slam events.  Andy Roddick reached at least a Grand Slam semifinal round on ten different occasions.  His contemporaries James Blake and Mardy Fish have combined for a handful of Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances, but neither has yet reached the final four of a slam.  Younger US  players have combined for a total of one Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance.  John Isner lost in the 2011 US Open quarterfinal round.  Sam Querrey, the highest ranked US player, along with Jack Sock, Ryan Harrison, and Denis Kudla have yet to reach a quarter at a major.

Todd Martin (no relation) was runner-up at both the 1994 Australian Open and the 1999 US Open. Mal Washington was runner-up at the 1996 Wimbledon Championships due in part to defeating Todd Martin in five sets in the semifinal round.  Aaron Krickstein reached a US Open semifinal in 1989 and an Australian Open semifinal in 1995.  David Wheaton reached the 1991 Wimbledon semifinals.  Robby Ginepri’s 2005 US Open semifinal run is the only comprable story in recent years.*

Where Things Stand

No country can ever bank on producing record setting champions such as Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Pete Sampras.  To this point, the current crop of US players has not come close to producing results along the lines of what great players such as Michael Chang, Jim Courier, Vitas Gerulaitus or Andy Roddick achieved.  Few tennis fans remember Todd Martin or Mal Washington as key US players during the 1990s.  However, a male US citizen becoming a Grand Slam finalist would be a welcome site for the USTA.

Silver Linings

Mardy Fish won a silver medal in 2004.  James Blake and Mardy Fish have each appeared in Masters 1000 championship matches.  Blake contested a classic match against Andre Agassi at the 2005 US Open.  We’ve seen Isner compete in a historic marathon while also carving out a lot of success on faster courts and in Davis Cup.  Sam Querrey has rebounded nicely from an injury.  Finally, the very group of uber consistent Europeans known as the Big Four have made second week Grand Slam efforts harder to muster.

The US is becoming increasingly diverse.  A top ten dominated by players from Europe, South America and Asia will find prospective fans living in various parts of the US.  Beyond that, advances in broadcast quality have made tennis easier and easier to appreciate.  A US citizen won at least one slam on the men’s tour from 1989-2003.  Yet, tennis has been enjoying a popularity spike within the US that began in 2006?  Maybe things are not as gloomy as they appear.

In 10 Years?

In a decade Roger Federer will be 41.  Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray will each likely be out of tennis as well.  If the US does not produce a few top ten players over the next decade, I cannot imagine that tennis will be as popular as it is today in my home country.  Federer and Nadal are transcendent champions.  Novak Djokovic has done ballroom dancing en route to an Australian Open title.  Nole is close to joining the ranks of tennis’ pantheon.  Regardless of who the US produces, tennis will need to find some exceptional players to fill the void that the Big Four will leave.  Still, a few US players making runs can only help keep the profile of the sport high.  That is vital for tennis given the events that are held on US soil and the importance of the US television market.

* Since Ginepri is still out there grinding away on tour, he is the only active US citizen on the ATP Tour with a Grand Slam semifinal appearance to his name.

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Who Needs a 5th Major?

26 Mar

Four or Five or?

The Indian Wells-Miami section of the tour is a great stretch for tennis fans.  Most of the top players on the ATP and WTA play both events and great matches abound.  It also leads to talk of a “Fifth Major” status for one or the other event.  This talk is not limited to these two locales.  Many people claim the Italian Open or Masters Roma is the fifth major.  During Olympic years, the winner of the gold medal is often discussed as having won the fifth most important event of the year.  What about the World Tour Finals/Masters Cup/ATP World Championships/Masters held at the end of each season?  Is it the fifth most important tournament?  Doesn’t BNP Paribas, who now sponsors Indian Wells, also sponsor and have longer ties with the Bercy in the fall?  Is it then the fifth major?

Does Monte Carlo get Consideration or is it a Masters Emeritus?

Hypothetical Rules for a Permanent 5th Major Designation

  1. The World Tour Finals Despite Offering the Most Computer Points Outside of the Slams is a Different Animal so the WTF is not a Major 
  2. During Olympic Years – The Gold Medalist Holds the 5th Major
  3. During Non-Olympic Years the Tournament with the Best Draw, Best Amenities and Highest Prize Money is the 5th Major
  4. Ignore the Defunct Volvo International and WCT Finals in Dallas Having Once Been Prestigious
  5. Ignore the Growth of Tennis in Asia Despite China having 5th Major Potential

More Trouble than it is Worth

I’d rather listen to “A Fifth of Beethoven” than figure out what is the 5th most important tournament.  The Grand Slams have some normative status.  If a player, like the young Agassi, skipped Wimbledon for several years, it would still be Wimbledon.    Carlos Moya won the Masters Roma title in 2004 and won Masters Cincinnati in 2002.  Moya likely places his Rome title just below his 1998 Roland Garros title and Spain’s 2004 Davis Cup win.  Andy Roddick would likely value his Masters Miami, Canada and Cincinnati titles more than any clay court title outside of the French Open.  Views on the most important titles shift a great deal depending upon a player’s surface preference.

For better or worse, all four Grand Slams have importance that is a given at least since Pete Sampras made breaking Roy Emmerson’s record a public goal.   It is great that Indian Wells is voted as a player favorite venue right now, but that does not confer upon it an added quality to my mind.  It is a great tournament and should just work at staying that way.  Indianapolis was praised in John Feinstein’s book Hard Courts that chronicled the tour in 1990.*  Indianapolis was sponsored by RCA at that time, and players loved the event due to having access to virtual reality and other audio visual prototypes that RCA was developing.  Less than 25 years later, the Indianapolis Tennis Center is now gone, as in plowed under, and a basketball arena sits in its place.  So long as Indian Wells and Key Biscayne/Miami keep holding great tennis events and don’t get plowed under, I will be happy.

Better Days for Tennis in Indianapolis

* – Feinstein referred to Key Biscayne/Miami as the 5th major in 1990.  Therefore if  Indian Wells is now the 5th major, it stands to reason that this title is a short term distinction at best.

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Novak’s Reign

27 Jan

Owning an Event

For a player to pile up a lot of major title, he tends to need to own one event.  Jimmy Connors won 5 US Open titles, Bjorn Borg won 6 French Open titles and 5 Wimbledon titles, Andre Agassi won 4 Australian Open titles, Pete Sampras won 7 Wimbledon and 5 US Open titles, Roger Federer has 7 Wimbledon titles, 5 US Open titles, and 4 Australian Open titles, Rafael Nadal has 7 French Open titles.  Novak Djokovic has now joined Agassi and Federer with 4 Australian Open titles.

The surface in Melbourne so perfectly matches Novak’s game that it is conceivable that he will win several more.  Andy Murray is the only other player who benefits nearly as much from the conditions at Rod Laver Arena.  Murray has posted a 23-4 record over the past 4 Australian Opens.  Djokovic has been the man to eliminate Murray in 3 consecutive years.  Djokovic has a great chance to match or surpass Agassi and Connors’ career totals of 8 major titles.  If he is to get to 10 majors or more, my guess is that at least 6 titles will have to come in Melbourne.  Regardless of the future, it is clear that Novak Djokovic clearly owns the Australin Open right now.

Andy Murray is #2

The computers will say otherwise, but Andy Murray is currently the second best player in the world.  So long as this loss does not drag him down, Murray should be Djokovic’s most compelling rival in 2013.  I hope coach Lendl can keep Murray moving forward.  After all, Murray’s first serve and variety might be more well received at Wimbledon and the US Open than they were in Melbourne.  The difficult thing for Murray fans to consider is just how close he came to being up one set and one break early in the second set.

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Venus Williams’ Legacy

21 Jan

Sports Illustrated Mailbag

Today a tennis fan asked Jon Wertheim if Venus Williams will ever win another singles major.  Wertheim, an all-around good guy, answered that it was unlikely due to age, health and form.  This is an answer I think most tennis writers would give.

It is easy to forget that Venus first reached a Grand Slam final in September of 1997.  That is a long time before Roger Federer broke through at the Wimbledon 2003.  Granted Serena won her first major at the 1999 US Open and she is still rolling.  Venus is older than Serena, her serve has always had a hitch in it, and she has a chronic health issue.

Is Venus Done?

In singles, I think Venus could make a second week at any slam not on red clay.  That is about as far as I can see her going.  Although her 2005, 2007 and 2008 Wimbledon runs make me leave a small door open for her on grass to reach a semifinal or final round.  Winning 7 matches even at Wimbledon seems highly unlikely.

However, Venus is not done.  She won a third Olympic Gold Medal in doubles last year.  That coupled with Venus’ 2000 singles gold makes her a 4 time gold medalist.  Venus also teamed with Serena to win her 5th Wimbledon doubles title in 2012.  Doubles is not dead in women’s tennis.  Top players sometimes still play the events.  If Venus and Serena want to keep winning slams and medals in doubles, there seems to be little in their path.  The Williams Sisters have a chance for a 5th Australian Open doubles crown this year.

Venus’ Grand Slam and Olympic Resume

  1. Australian Open: Singles Runner-Up 2003, Doubles Champion 2001, 2003, 2009, 2010, Mixed Doubles Champion 1998
  2. French Open: Singles Runner-Up 2002, Doubles Champion 1999, 2010, Mixed Doubles Champion 1998
  3. Wimbledon: Singles Champion 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008 & Runner-up 2002, 2003, 2009, Doubles Champion 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012
  4. US Open: Singles Champion 2000, 2001, Singles Runner-up 1997, 2002, Doubles Champion 1999, 2009
  5. Olympic Games: Singles Gold 2000, Doubles Gold 2000, 2008, 2012

First Ballot Hall of Fame

Venus is clearly a Hall of Fame player with 7 Grand Slam singles crowns, 4 gold medals, 13 Grand Slam doubles titles and 2 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.  She can keep adding to this total.  Given that she and Serena have combined on 13 Grand Slam doubles titles and 3 gold medals, the longevity with one partner only adds to one of the most fascinating sports stories of the past 2 decades.  I hope she and Serena take a 5th Australian Open doubles title just to keep questions of Venus’ retirement at bay.

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Tennis Impersonations: A History

24 Dec


Alpha?

Omega?

The recent controversy about Caroline Wozniacki’s impersonation of Serena Williams got me thinking about the history of impersonating a player’s ticks or idiosyncrasies.  My mind initially thought that  Jonas Bjorkman was the progenitor of this fad.  His rain delay US Open fodder of lighthearted imitations did indeed pave the way to Djokovic’s 2007 US Open impersonation tour.   However, a more contentious and longer history came into my mind the more I thought about the topic.  It is doubtful that Rod Laver ever impersonated John Newcombe, but since the late 1980′s impersonations have popped up and generally engendered bad feelings.

1988 – Boris Becker Imitates and Gets Imitated by Pat Cash

Boris Becker won Wimbledon in 1985 and 1986.  Pat Cash was the defending champion having claimed the title in 1987.  Their 1988 quarterfinal round battle lived up to the hype, but not because of the tennis.  Becker won the match routinely 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.  Here is how Mitch Album described the memorable events on June 30, 1988:

Well. Let us take you to the second set Wednesday: Becker was leading, 4-1, and Cash came charging, hit a volley winner — and fell over the net.

Fell over the net? Yes. And Becker got so excited, he somersaulted over the net as well. Wheee. Are we having fun, or what? Now we had two guys on the wrong side. Becker was kidding. He offered his hand. Cash was serious. He offered his thoughts.

“What did he say?” someone asked Becker.

“I don’t think I should repeat it,” Becker said. “He taught me some new words in English.”

And the girls screamed. Cash wigs out after losing

But wait. Before you castigate Cash for being a poor sport, let us take you now to the post-game press conference — after Becker had humbled Cash in two hours and 17 minutes. Everyone figured the moody, broody Australian wouldn’t show, right? He had just lost his title.

But here he came, wearing a red punk-rock wig, all spikes and points. The kind that makes you look like Son of Porcupine.

1988 – Agassi Ticks off Connors and McEnroe Simultaneously

Andre Agassi’s first US Open tilt with Jimmy Connors was seen as a passing of the torch as Agassi would assume the mantle as the top US born player.  John McEnroe was watching as well.  At some point during the match, Agassi imitated McEnroe’s serving motion, an act that infuriated Johnny Mac.  Agassi’s post-match comments angered Connors into making a biting paternity joke.  Agassi did win the match 6-2, 7-6, 6-1.

1989 – Boris Becker gets Imitated by McEnroe

Boris Becker defeated John McEnroe in an epic Davis Cup encounter in Hartford, Connecticut in 1987 4-6, 15-13, 8-10, 6-2, 6-2.  Even before that match, McEnroe and Becker had exchanged tense words and stares dating back to their first match.  McEnroe’s autobiography You Cannot Be Serious describes their relationship as generally being that of friendly rivals.  At times, tensions did boil over.  McEnroe saw fit to challenge perceived gamesmanship on Becker’s part during their semifinal encounter at the 1989 Paris Indoor. McEnroe loudly coughed in response to Boris Becker’s characteristic cough.  At a changeover, Becker asked for compassion, and McEnroe retorted that Becker had been sick since 1985.  McEnroe calling Becker out for gamesmanship in this manner did not endear him to the crowd and helped inspire Becker to a 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 victory.  McEnroe even recounted that this event led to a post-match argument with his first wife.

1998 – Andre Agassi Mocks Karol Kucera

Karol Kucera had a great season in 1998.  He reached an Australian Open semifinal and a US open quarterfinal.  Along the way, Kucera dispatched of Andre Agassi in the 1998 US Open round of 16 6-3, 6-3, 6-7, 1-6, 6-3.  Kucera’s return of serve and ability to change the pace and direction of the ball during a rally mystified Agassi.  Head games were the only thing that made this match close.  Agassi, irritated by either the scoreline or Kucera’s frequently errant service toss, began to imitate a Kucera.  Agassi timidly approached the service line and mockingly attempted to toss the ball.  Beyond that, Agassi hit moonballs to his upstart opponent.  These tactics unnerved Kucera and helped the match extend to 5 sets.  Personally, this is the lowest moment of tennis imitations that I can remember.  Agassi was simply trying to throw his opponent off through mockery.

The Sampras-Agassi Hit for Haiti Debacle

The first Hit or Haiti was an unqualified success.  Major world athletes threw together an enjoyable charity event without the meddling hands of sponsors and agents.  It was a feel good event.  When Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi were added to the mix for a sequel charity doubles match, things looked great, right?  Who would not want to see all-court maestro’s Roger Federer and Pete Sampras take on two men who revolutionized backcourt tennis in Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal?  It did not live up to the hype.

“That aint personal.” (?)

Sampras and Agassi already had some bad blood from Agassi’s recently published autobiography Open.  Agassi did not take Sampras’ imitation well and threw out a tasteless imitation implying that Pete is cheap.  Sampras went head hunting, and Agassi still pressed his claim of Sampras’ stinginess.

Lessons?

Boris Becker attempted a funny net dive when playing Pat Cash and was repaid by Cash wearing an ugly red wig?!?!  John McEnroe’s impersonation of Becker helped to inspire his opponent to victory and started an argument with his then wife.  Andre Agassi angered or incited John McEnroe and Karol Kucera with impersonations.  Agassi responded badly to Pete Sampras impersonating him.  This spiraled to a tit for tat impersonation that managed to ruin a fundraiser for a natural disaster.  Caroline Wozniacki, as well as Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic, have made questionable imitations of Serena Williams’ body-type.

My advice is that unless an impersonation serves a purpose and is obviously approved of by the player being mimicked (a la Djokovic’s take on Guga) to not do imitations.  My main reason for saying this is not that charitable events or marriages might be threatened.  My advice for not doing imitations stems from the fact that impersonations have been done to death and are not terribly comical (Gustavo Djokovic aside).  If comedy is not funny, what is it?

The Exception that Proves the Rule? (No Impersonations Unless They are This Funny?)

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