The top 4 players in the world squared off in the O2 Arena in London.
These two boys trained in the physical and mentally grinding Spanish style sure do love each other.
Ahndee Muurrey played the aggressive tennis that we know he's capable of, and had the match on his racket until he played two loose drop shots on his serve early in the 3rd set to let Rafa back in the match.
Mandy this is why you need to show no mercy when you have a short ball from Rafa. Rip a forehand instead of going for too much drop shit. Because eventually he'll wrong foot you and you could hurt yourself slamming on the brakes.
Then again maybe the reasons Mandy can't win the big matches are his facial expressions.
TMF was in full Jedi mode playing fantastic defense to frustrate Nole to a 61 64 victory. Fed has not dropped a set in London.
Frankly Nole didn't look mentally sharp and seemed to miss that extra bit of determination to dig out a win. My guess is that he was looking at a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win the Davis Cup at home in Serbia.
On Sunday, whose box does Maradona choose to sit in?
Oh, BTW, I'm cheering for Barca in El Classico tomorrow to beat Real Madrid with two most hated men in soccer: the Special One and Ronaldo (sorry Rafa). For you philistines about soccer, it's the biggest rivalry match in Spain's premier league.
Sorry for the radio silence over the last month and a half. My excuse is that I've been busy with a job transition. As Rafa's Knees tweeted over a month ago, the fall indoor season is anti-climatic as the pros are clearly looking forward to the off-season. A collage of images start blurring one into another as the season winds down.
In yet another apparent shock to the credibility of the WTA, a new slamless world #1 was crowned: Caro.
Lots of people hate on her game, and her lack of big time results this year (not even a finals appearance in the Slams). While I prefer the all court tennis of Henin and Federer, I respect the counterpunching grinding tennis that Caro plays. It's very difficult to sustain a rally for 20+ strokes without missing, and getting balls back with just enough interest to make them miss. If you haven't tried to do this yourself, it's very easy to sit on a couch and call that "pushing." At any rate, Caro has the mental strength and willingness to improve her game that she will win a Slam one day. Yeah, I know ReeRee has merely won AO and Wimbly out of the 6 tournaments she played, but as the Woody Allen said, part of life is showing up. It's a professional tennis player's job to stay healthy so that they can compete. ReeRee hasn't done that and she knows she should. Lots of people think Caro is like Lady JaJa because of her lack of apparent weapons. However, like Tigs I think she's a lot more like the Rafinator who celebrates every victory like he had just won Wimbledon.
Rafa took home a measly title in Tokyo and was ousted in Bangkok and Beijing but after his stellar three Slam year he can be allowed a mediocre Fall season (by his standards).
On the other hand, the Greatest Shanker of All Time has been closeted. Jedi Fed his best game at this time of the year, getting to the semis of Paris, the finals of Shanghai, and winning Stockholm & Basel. But, clearly, winning in front of his two cute daughters in his hometown tournament was the most emotionally significant for him. If the Logo is an emotional basket case when he wins a Slam for a significant record (exhibit: the tears streaming down his cheek at Roland Garros 2009), can you imagine the blubbering speech he'll give when his daughters are old enough to walk out on court when he wins his next Slam?
Muzzard, of course, won Shanghai by beating Federer. Kudos to him for executing the game plan of forcing Fed to try to win with his backhand. The moment of the trophy ceremony has to be win the MC calls out Muzz for not smiling (4:09). Such a bright and cheery lad!
But the absolute highlight of the fall tennis season, by far, is the debut of Andy Murray's dog, Maggie, on twitter. That cute thang tweeted after Andy's victory:
Can't decide if the weird blue thing or the rolex is a better chew toy for me.
Of course, when you're the beloved of a tennis superstar, life just gets too stressful sometimes watching him run down a lot of balls.
It's been quiet here since the US Open, and now with the season ending, the pros are no longer preparing for Grand Slams (so don't be surprised if ReeRee doesn't come back until next year).
That said, the top men and women are trying to collect ranking points to qualify for the year end championships in Asia. The men and ladies are together in Beijing to play at the site of the 2008 Olympics.
It's a coin flip at this point of the season. Nole had a great run at the US Open. Muzz had a great hard court season, but had a disappointing US Open loss to Wawa. Sod can always bash his way through folks. Play Station looks like he's still finding his game after a wrist injury kept him out from Indian Wells to Wimbledon, and I would be surprised if he made it past Nando in the 2nd round.
Women's top seeds: Caro, Bepa, Lady JaJa, Sam
The big news is that Caro only needs to win two matches in order to become the world #1 due to ReeRee's strike injuries keeping her off the tour. This is emminently likely as here potential opponents are Errani/Peng and then Flavs/Kvitova/Kanepri/Pavs. If Caro becomes the world #1, then she joins Lady JaJa and Dina as women who have been #1 without winning a slam. While her game is similar to Lady JaJa (beat your opponent by consistency), she has the mental game to eventually win a slam as she never gives up, applies a strategy and is constantly trying to improve (e.g. her serve this year). I hope she takes over the world #1, so that the obvious retort to ReeRee doing this is that you can't play 6 tournaments in the year and expect to stay #1.
That said, I'd like Nails to win to give the Chinese something to go bananas about.
Caro showed that her game still needs development to win a slam as Bepa was able to keep her off balance with variety.
Vee's power and athleticism was not enough to overcome her inconsistency or Kimpressive's defensive.
Bepa felt like hiding after getting manhandled by Kimpressive.
The Mum Train paraded Jada out for another year.
Head Banger came out flat, and could only sustain the intensity he knew he needed to beat the Rafinator for only one game.
Federror struggled with his forehand and first serve, and could not convert two MPs on the Djoker's serve.
When you face the wall that is called the Rafinator, you'd crack your rackets too.
Rafa took him the trophy to bite, and join the rarefied air of men who have won a Career Slam in singles (Federer, Agassi, Laver, Perry, Budge, Emerson). Like Rafa did, let's hold off on GOAT debates and just enjoy the moment.
Courtesy of Forty Deuce, here's the trophy ceremony which was interrupted by ESPN2's rush to get to football.
C'mon, if you're a tennis fan, admit that you've been think about this for a week: these two dorks could face off again. Yeah, Rafa has to beat Nando and then Misha/Wawa. Rogi has to beat the Djoker. But it looks extremely likely given their form. Rafa has been cranking the MPHs on his serve, getting them up to 130s (and more importantly the free points). He has not been broken in the entire tournament. Fed is headed toward hitting the most aces in the tournament; he has currently clocked 74 aces, which is two behind the current leader Tree.
They are clearly like laughing together.
They like hugging each other.
They conspire to wear the same kinds of clothes at media appearances.
They like goofing off on a tennis court
Rogi has even tried to steal Rafa's forehand.
And the 21 matches they've played over the years have been a magic carpet ride for the fans of the game.
The only places they've been able to play each other in the last two years have been Madrid. Rogi, are you working on your espanol?
They did play each other Down Under on hard courts even longer ago. A good friend is always there to console you even when they don't have to, no?
Even in their ceremonial pics, you wonder if they're about to bust out laughing.
Here's their last hard court match.
May you meet each other next Sunday and give us an epic.
On Saturday, I was on the grounds of the US Open catching a bunch of the matches. I'll post on this later even though it will be anti-climatic. I spent the rest of the weekend recovering from watching several hours of live tennis (and I did sneak out to hit some balls myself).
Swiss precision triumphed in the form of Ewok.
The triumph made a Scotsman surly, and edged him closer to the dreaded category: best player never to have won a slam (yet).
The best WTA player never to have won a slam was in tears, because she couldn't convert 4 match points, on her own serve which is sadly the weakest part of her game.
The shyest player in the WTA showed real heart in fighting off those match points, even though she was a break down in the third to come back and win it in a run away tiebreaker.
In the battle of glamazons from Nike and Adidas, Shrieka couldn't hit the ball hard enough (and into the court).
A shriek did knock down Caro when she couldn't run down a lob in one of her few forays to the net.
The jinx showed up in the player's box of TMF.
Alas, Jurgen, the tennis gods just didn't give you enough.
Methinks, TMF worked super hard after Wimbledon on his defense and speed. It shows.
The ladies have always gotten to do more then the men with their kits, but the women I know who hit balls want to look good.
Stella McCartney has finally hit the spot with Sunshine by actually designing something that fits her body. The shorter dress accentuates her legs, and the simpler lines complement her figure. And they actually depart from monochrome.
Grade: A
Shrieka's dresses continue to accent her skinny figure. I don't think the collars work. But kudos for Nike for the colors: retro with anthracite and rattan.
Grade: A-
The night dress is a variation of the day dress but ink with black and solar flare. This color combination doesn't provide enough contrast to be as interesting as the day dress. Can't you tell that underneath all that fierceness is a real goofball?
Grade: B+
Since ReeRee is injured, Vika gets to wear the dress that ReeRee would have worn. Nike seems not to care whether or not Vika wears the "night" dress during the day. Since she fainted in the middle of her second round match and had to be taken off in a wheel chair, one wonders whether she should have worn the day dress. The poor thing must be disappointed after having a great summer.
Grade: A-
It's a pity that we won't get to see the day dress on someone live.
Grade: A-
Good Nails was around for one set, crushing returns; and then Bad Nails showed up to spray balls in the last two sets of her first rounder. We won't get to see her functional kit long enough.
Grade: B
Adidas has taken a step up by allowing Ms. Fistpumps to use 4 colors: white, black, purple and pink.
Grade: B
Adidas steps out on a limb and puts Courage in purple. It actually works better on the ladies than their attempt to do so with Nando earlier this year.
Grade: B
Anta must think Lady JaJa secretly wants to wear an Adidas kit. It's a pity that it's been so hot and humid that she can't look glamorous sweating up a storm.
Grade: B
Vee continues to blur the line between a nightie and a tennis dress with her shiny black lace dress. At least she isn't flashing flesh-colored knickers.
Grade: B+
Vee goes unconventional with her day kit: it looks perfect for going to the beach. Just for creativity
Grade: A-
Sam's LaCoste whites are professional as the Hammer should be.
Grade: B+
The purple version of the same kit works even better. See how hard it is to tweak a design.
Grade: A-
Is Mum Train's Fila kit camouflauge? The diagonal stripes against the blue work.
The US Open's liberal dress code with its night matches set in fashionable Gotham has given wide parameters for what can be worn on court. New Yorkers know their style, and the sponsors for the pros have got to raise the bar. With matches at night for the top seeds and grueling day matches in humid heat, this means some folks have a night kit and a day kit. So here come fashion grades which are below their respective pictures.
Fed's night kit stays conservative: navy blue with button placket and white trim on the collar. The only major change (gasp) is that his logo is on the chest and the swoosh is on the sleeves. See his day kit below.
Grade: B+
Just another day at the office for TMF with a "football blue" polo and khaki shorts. The polo is a lighter blue version of his night polo. It certainly suits the middle-age set of men who play tennis on weekends to relive their youth.
Grade: A-
Rafa, could you ever see your Swiss friend wearing neon yellow? True story: I've already seen one of the regulars at my local tennis courts wear this. We all had to put on sunglasses.
Grade: B-
The Rafinator has decided to copy the Sith Lord look pioneered by his BFF. With the damage he's been doing this year, it works. Watch out for Darth Nadal!
Grade: A
Djoker survived a meltdown in his first round. His kit is two-sided as his personality: on the one hand, his Sergio Tacchini is classic a la McEnroe; on the other hand, the dragon print really suits his fiery personality. You cannot be serious if you think he is fit enough to actually make it to the finals.
Grade: B
ARod has switched kits from his tri-colored collar. His day polo is white with checkered piping. Yeah, I know tennis clothes and whites are a natural, but it's the New York, where white ain't mandatory. Show some creativity, LaCoste.
Grade: B
ARod's night polo is ... uh ... blue with white checkers. Not bad. It matches his racquet. I'm sure your fans felt the way you did watching Tipsy hit you off the court in that.
Grade: B
For Adidas creativity means using three colors instead of two: purple, navy blue and white on Nando.
Grade: B
In the case of Muzz, creativity means removing the neon yellow from the polo he wore in Oz. His polo is as bright and cheery as he.
Well, not really ... the lineswoman clearly got the call right on ARod, but blubbered the wrong foot when ARod angrily asked her which one. El Jono rightly points out that ARod was completely in the wrong and should have moved on and played the game. Had this been Fed or Rafa, it's pretty certain they would have.
One of the favorites of many (e.g. BG) to win the US Open had to retire from her second round match due to heat exhaustion. Kiddies, it's brutal out there.
Poor thing, I hope she recovers and gets better. I feel for you. I fell over and nearly died when I tried to make myself hit 2 sets of 20 running forehands earlier in this the New York summer.
Update: Vika had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair and treated at a local hospital. She suffered a mild concussion while warming up in the gym before her match, and almost certainly the heat aggravated her condition. For a fuller story, see here.
With temperatures soaring into the 100s on the blue griddle that is the US Open hard courts (with humidity to boot), yesterday's first round action was a physical and mental test for many. Sure it ain't Pennsylvania, but trust me, the weather ain't that different here in New York.
In a total surprise, the Djoker passed the test due to the mercy of shade in the 5th set and actually outlasted his fellow countrymen Viktor
I won't comment on his on-court interview as others already have (here and here).
Nails had the match under her control after the 1st set, but couldn't adjust to KBond cleaning up her game. According to Virginia Wade who was commenting the match, Nails just brain farted and couldn't back away brainless ball bashing. Even a hacker like me knows that the ball will fly in hot and humid conditions, and that you have to play patient tennis in those conditions. I hate you Nails; you were supposed to make the semis to take out Caro.
Bags shouldn't have played New Haven despite his promise to return them a favor.
Lady JaJa survived and didn't look all glittery against Breast Reduction Gal.
The Force is with young Gulbis but he is not a Jedi yet.
Benneteau evoked Sampras, splling his guts in the midst of the match but closed it out to beat the Sex.
If you're ever in New York on the Friday before the US Open officially begins, you really must make the final round of qualifying. For one, it's free. Second, it's amazing how great the players are who are competing to qualify for the main draw, and you get to see them compete up close and personal. Professional tennis is a cruel dog-eat-dog world and the difference between the fellow who makes it into the main draw of a slam, and those shut out is, well, pretty small. Lastly, all the top names are out on the practice court and you might get to see them prepare for free.
First, the first qualifying match I saw was Nicholas Mahut beat Uladzimir Ignatik to advance to the final round of qualifying (67 [4] 76 [5] 62). You heard that right: the fellow who lost the longest match in history (held in the 1st round of Wimbledon) had to schlep his ass to play the qualifying tournament. Why the French Tennis Federation chose to award their reciprocal wildcard to Guillaume Rufin (19 year old) who is ranked lower than Mahut baffles me? The best (and still lame) explanation is that they have some rule to award their reciprocal wildcard to their best junior player on the cusp of turning pro. Frankly, this smacks of a brainless failure to recognize Mahut's truly historic achievement.
At any rate, I don't know who Ignatik is, but it was pretty easy to figure out his game after a couple points: he's your plain vanilla baseline grinder who unleashes a few big serves to win free points. There's a truism in tennis: you're only as good as your second serve. Mahut's second serve compared to Ignatik is excellent. Mahut has an excellent kick serve that Ignatik had to return at shoulder height (despite standing several feet behind the baseline). Ignatik, on the other hand, was going for more on his second serve and hitting way too close for comfort to the lines (and double faulting a bit too much). That difference alone gave me the feeling that Mahut would be able to win the match.
In contrast, Mahut tries to be an all court player. While he has a pretty good one handed drive backhand, he will use slices to coax errors out of his opponent or run around it (often) to hit a strong forehand to take control of the point. You will see Mahut rush the net quite a bit. Overall, Mahut is a very entertaining player to watch simply for his shotmaking. On the other hand, I tweeted Mahut seems to be a tortured artiste: he will miss the most incredible shots when it's crystal clear he was in control of the point. Mahut really should have put away Ignatik a lot earlier but he had to gut it out.
Watching the top players practice was a highlight. Federer was playing a practice set with Monfils (he lost) on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Both guys were serving well, and Gael was ... there to entertain the crowd.
And the usual Federer slice and dice was at work to frustrate Monfils. The Annacone-Luthi brain trust was there to coach the Greatest Shanker of All Time.
Here are video samples of their practice section.
Nando and Kohli were on the Grandstand later to jerk each other side to side.
Then Curls and Big Berd were punishing balls as hard as they can.
One interesting take away I had: some of the rec players (NTRP 4.5+) I've played with can hit the ball as hard as the pros, but the huge differences are: it's a lot harder for the pros to miss; they can place the ball where their opponent least likes it; and they have phenomenal movement (i.e. the ability to get to a difficiult ball and still do something good with it).
