World Tennis Magazine

Unique Tennis Perspectives

Mats Wilander

Nadal – Medvedev U.S. Open Final: From “This F*%*ing Match Is So Boring” To “One For The Ages”

by

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

What are some of the most lackluster and boring U.S. Open men’s finals of all time?

I was trying to think of the answer to this question while absorbing the beginning stages of the 2019 U.S. Open men’s singles final between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev. With Nadal the overwhelming favorite, going for an historic major title No. 19, having lost only one set en route to the final and no nagging injuries bothering him, he seemed certain to steamroll the newbie Medvedev, playing in his first major final, seemingly exhausted from a long grueling summer of tennis and fighting injuries and soreness during a difficult route to the final. Many players of his level sometimes seem satisfied with the overachieving result and this looked as though it would also be the case. To boot, Nadal dominated Medvedev 6-3, 6-0 in the Montreal final five weeks earlier.

In the U.S. Open media room before the final, International Tennis Hall of Fame member and “Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” author Steve Flink and I discussed the final and we both thought maybe Medvedev could sneak out a set. Flink told me that he spoke with 1988 U.S. Open champion and Eurosport commentator Mats Wilander just minutes earlier who said he didn’t think Medvedev would even get that close.

The least interesting U.S. Open men’s final I could remember was 1986 when Ivan Lendl defeated Miloslav Mecir 6-3, 6-2, 6-0. Nadal’s 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over Kevin Anderson in 2017 was also pretty boring as was the Pete Sampras win over Cedric Pioline in 1993 by a drama-free 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 margin. The Nadal – Medvedev final seemed headed in this direction as the Spaniard took the first two sets 7-5, 6-3. “There’s no danger of this becoming an instant classic,” quipped John McEnroe on ESPN early in the match.

A few text messages came into my phone from friends watching the final. “This f*%*ing match is so boring” came one text. “This match is so bad” came another. “It’s all over. Now what? Do I have to watch the Giants?” read another after the first two sets from a friend who was now dreading that he would have to watch the dismal National Football League game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants.

At 4-4 in the third set, also bored, I thought I should get an early start on beating the crowd to the subway. I started to pack my bag to leave from the upper broadcast area high above Arthur Ashe Stadium. As I stuffed the three copies of “Racquet” magazine that Ben Rothenberg from the New York Times gave me earlier in the day, Nadal had 0-30 on Medvedev’s serve and was ready to feast on a second serve from the Russian. Medvedev was able to get to 30-30, but then after an exhausting 28-ball rally, he faced break point to allow for Nadal to serve for a routine straight-set win. Medvedev painted the line with a ground stroke to save that break point and then two points later, when faced with another break point, he lucked out when Nadal netted a relatively easy overhead off the bounce. Almost miracously, Medvedev held serve for 5-4. This would be a good time to escape to beat the crowds. It was a good thing I stayed.

What unfolded was one of the greatest U.S. Open men’s finals ever. Hanging on by the Kinesio tape skin of his teeth, Medvedev put together a few slap winners to break Nadal to win the third set 7-5. Medvedev fed off the energy of the New York City crowd who roared for him in their thirst to watch more tennis. The irony in the crowd screaming for the Russian was that he was booed like no one other player in the history of the event in his wins over Feliciano Lopez in the third round and Dominik Koepfer in the fourth round, stemming from him violently grabbing a towel from a ball person and giving the middle finger to the jeering New York crowd. He then trolled the booing crowd in his on-court post-match interviews, saying the boos inspired him to fight harder. “I won because of you!” he trolled while outstretching his arms and tilting his face to the sky to embrace the shower of boos. It was U.S. Open theatre at its best and Medvedev was immediately cast as a tennis villain worse than early Jimmy Connors or Ilie Nastase. Now, because of the desire of these New York fans wanting to see more tennis – and impressed by his effort – these fans were cheering at the top of their lungs for this 23-year-old Russian.

“Open crowds often do this, trying to will an underdog to make it a competitive match,” wrote Jason Gay in the Wall Street Journal of the final. “But there’s a difference between ‘I paid $300 for this ticket and I want to see more tennis’ cheering and ‘We actually love this guy’ cheering. What Medvedev got Sunday was the latter.”

“He’s gone from middle finger to standing ovation,” said Patrick McEnroe on ESPN.

In the middle of the fourth set, one of my friends texted me again. “Medvedev doesn’t look tired” he wrote. “A fifth set would be amazing. Does he have the stamina?” Medvedev kept fighting and showed that he could hang with the uber-fit Nadal. Incredibly, it was Nadal who started to show fatigue with more and more misses and controversial stalls before returning and serving. After Nadal incredibly mishit an easy forehand at deuce serving at 4-5, Medvedev struck an laser backhand return-of-serve down the line for a winner from way off the court off a curving lefty Nadal serve out wide. The match was tied at two sets apiece. The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd erupted and an instant U.S. Open epic was at hand.

“Can you believe we are going five, because I can’t” said Jim Courier on Tennis Channel’s live-to-tape TV coverage of the final.

Medvedev had never won a five-set match in his life, but Nadal had never won the U.S. Open when he was extended to five sets at Flushing Meadows. His record when up two-sets-to-love at majors was 202-1, the one loss coming at the U.S. Open in this very court in 2015 against Fabio Fognini, a mercurial player not unlike Medvedev.

Down 0-1 early in the fifth set, Nadal saved two break points, one with a shot on the line and one after losing a first serve after a being penalized a first serve for not serving within the 25-second serve shot clock time frame. However, Nadal broke Medvedev to take a 3-2 lead in the final set and then again to take a 5-2 lead. The previous day, Serena Williams broke eventual champion Bianca Andreescu’s serve twice in a row when she served for the championship at 5-1 and 5-3 and Medvedev nearly did the same. He broke Nadal when serving for the match at 5-2 and had a break point when Nadal served for the match again at 5-4, but the Spaniard held on and finally closed out the match 7-5, 6-4, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4.

The match time was four hours and 49 minutes marking the third-longest U.S. Open final of all time, only eclipsed by Andy Murray’s 2012 U.S. Open final win over Novak Djokovic and Wilander’s 1988 win over Ivan Lendl, curiously both timed at 4:54, the longest finals in U.S. Open history.

“One for the ages,” tweeted Billie Jean King, certainly one who has seen her fair share of matches through the ages.

“There was nothing genteel about this match,” wrote Larry Brooks in the New York Post. “This turned into a brawl, no quarter given by either side featuring hours of intense, physical tennis. Medvedev got breaks and would not break. Nadal, the same. After two straight years of straight-set finals, this was one that will be remembered for ages.”

“Amazing” was the text I received from one of my earlier disgruntled tennis-watching friends.

It certainly was amazing and one for the ages. I’m glad I stuck around to witness it.

 

 

Rafa Nadal and Daniil Medvedev
Rafa Nadal and Daniil Medvedev

 

Comparing Djokovic’s 2015 Year To Laver’s 1969, Federer’s 2006 And More

by

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

 

Where does Novak Djokovic’s incredible 2015 season rank in the history of tennis?

Outside of Rod Laver’s 1969 Grand Slam sweep of all four majors, and Roger Federer’s three-major 2006 season, you can look to rank Djokovic’s 2015 as the third-best season in the Open Era (since 1968).

Djokovic won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open as part of his 11 tournament titles and posted an 82-6 won-loss record. As the big favorite to win the final at Roland Garros over No. 8 seed Stan Wawrinka, he fell in a four-set final, his lone blemish in major tournament play on the year, where a win would have put him in a position to win the Grand Slam.

There’s little to argue that Rod Laver’s 1969 season was the best in the Open Era of tennis where he swept all four major titles to win an unprecedented second Grand Slam – the only one by a man in the “Open Era” of professional tennis. As documented in the book that describes in detail Laver’s 1969 season “The Education of a Tennis Player,” (available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257626/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_6u0vwb18BX9W8) Laver played 32 events, won 18 titles and finished runner-up five times. His won-loss record was 102-15, but 106 -16 including “one-night-stand” matches against Ken Rosewall and Pancho Gonzales, but were not tournament play.

In Laver’s first Grand Slam year in 1962 – where he only played against amateur competition and not the already-turned-pro standouts like Lew Hoad, Gonzales and Rosewall among others – he played 37 tournaments, winning 22 and finishing runner-up seven times and posting a 149-15 record.

Federer’s 2006 season receives strong consideration for the second-best season as he was able to win three of the four major titles (Australian, Wimbledon and US Opens) and reached the French final, where he lost in tight four-set final to Rafael Nadal. Federer also won 12 titles and posted a 92-5 record. The following year, Federer won three of the four majors again and again lost in a four-set final to Nadal in Paris, but won fewer titles (8) and had a worse won-loss record at 68-9. Federer also won three majors in 2004 (Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open) but lost in the semifinal of Roland Garros to Nadal. He posted a 74-6 record and won 11 singles titles, just as many as Djokovic did in 2015.

Djokovic’s other three-major-title year came in 2011, but he fell a rung shorter in Paris, falling in the French Open semifinals to Federer in four sets, but won 10 singles titles and posted a 70-6 won-loss record for the year, his French loss to Federer being his first loss of the year.

Also for consideration among the best-ever pro season’s is the 1974 year of Jimmy Connors where he won all the majors he played (Australian, Wimbledon and the US Open, not being allowed to play the French due to his involvement with World Team Tennis). He posted a 93-6 record and won 15 titles.

In 1984, John McEnroe accumulated the best winning percentage in a single-season in the history of the ATP Tour at 82-3 and he won 13 titles, including Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. He lost the French final to Ivan Lendl as one of this three losses on the year (after leading two-set-to-love) but did not play the season-ending Australian Open.

Mats Wilander and Rafael Nadal also three majors in a calendar year in 1988 and 2010. Wilander, however, lost in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, while winning in Australia, France and United States but won six titles and posted a 53-11 won-loss record. Nadal won the French, Wimbledon and U.S. titles and began the year losing in the quarterfinals of Australia. He won only seven titles on the year and had a won-loss record of 71-10.

Chris Chase has a great comparison between the Djokovic 2015 season and the Federer 2006 season here in his “For The Win” tennis column for USAToday.com here: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/11/roger-federer-novak-djokovic-best-season-in-tennis-history-ever-2006-2015-john-mcenroe-rafael-nadal-grand-slams

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic

 

“Wilander on Wheels” Rolls Across America

by

By Justin Cohen

 

While tennis pros are enduring a brutal summer schedule between Wimbledon, the Olympics, major events in Canada and Cincinnati and the US Open, the hardest working man in tennis this summer may be former world No. 1 Mats Wilander.

Wilander has conducted a cavalcade of his popular “Wilander on Wheels” tennis clinics across the country this summer, recently finishing up stops in the Midwest en route to the East Coast.

Wilander, the former world No. 1 from Sweden and a three-time French and Australian Open champion, travels year-round in a Winnebago with business partner Cameron Lickle and conducts fast-paced one-and-a-half hour clinics to tennis enthusiasts eager to play with a Tennis Hall of Famer, who also won the 1988 US Open. Lickle was the captain of the United States Naval Academy tennis team in 2002 and 2003.

“We are just giving back to the game that has given us a lot of enjoyment. A game that has taught me and Cameron a lot about life in general,” said Wilander, in an interview with WorldTennisMagazine.com on July 29 at a Cincinnati-area clinic. “We are fortunate that we love the game that much, that we are supposed to do this. We want to give back to the game that has given us our life.”

Mats Wilander and his WOW Clinic
Mats Wilander and his WOW Clinic

Wilander on Wheels, or “WOW” as it is known, has previously conducted tennis clinics in areas including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Texas and Vermont. According to Lickle, “Wilander on Wheels” turns into “Wilander on Wings” when the clinics make stops in Melbourne, Paris and London coinciding with the first three Grand Slam tournaments of the year.

Allowing Wilander and Lickle to provide one-on-one instruction, each clinic can have a maximum of eight players, four per court. Each tennis experience costs $250 per person and includes personalized on court critiquing and coaching from Wilander and Lickle, fast-paced drills, an autograph session and a lunch or dinner following the tennis clinic. WOW is a revolutionary tennis experience that brings the fantasy of hitting with Wilander to your local club.

“What motivated us to put on these clinics is to see the country from the road instead of the air. Get a little camping done. It motivates us because we enjoy teaching. The reward is people having a great time,” Wilander said. “Nothing like having people around you laughing and smiling and you can really tell they are genuinely enjoying themselves. Every time we leave a club, we think, ‘wow,’ that was really good!”

When not traveling the globe with Lickle and photographer Tim Brown, Wilander is a commentator for EuroSport for three of the four Grand Slams and competes on the ATP Champions Tour and Power Shares Series Tennis Tour. Wilander currently lives in Hailey, Idaho with his wife and four children.

WOW is sponsored by Lacoste, Donnay, Buchulife and Idaho-based Zenergy. To find out more information on how WOW can come to your club, call (787) 438-4263 or email wilanderonwheels@gmail.com.

 

Stosur Stumbles, Serena Scorched — Mondays With Bob Greene

by

STARS

Australian Open (First Week)

Kim Clijsters beat fifth-seeded Li Na 4-6 7-6 (6) 6-4

Sorana Cirstea beat sixth-seeded Samantha Stosur 7-6 (2) 6-3

Kei Nishikori beat sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2-6 6-2 6-1 3-6 6-3

Ekaterina Makarova beat seventh-seeded Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (7) 6-1

Alejandro Falla beat eighth-seeded Mardy Fish 7-6 (4) 6-3 7-6 (6)

Zheng Jie beat ninth-seeded Marion Bartoli 6-3 6-3

Richard Gasquet beat ninth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic 6-3 6-3 6-1

Romina Oprandi beat 10th-seeded Francesca Schiavone 6-4 6-3

Tomas Berdych beat 10th-seeded Nicolas Almagro 4-6 7-6 (5) 7-6 (3) 7-6 (2)

SAYING

“Probably the whole country hates me now” – Sorana Cirstea, after beating Australian Sam Stosur, the US Open champion.

“When anyone’s nervous, I think the first thing that goes is your footwork. You don’t move your feet as well. Once that breaks down, it’s easy for other things to start breaking down.” – Samantha Stosur, explaining that she was unable to calm her nerves in her first-round upset loss to Sorana Cirstea.

“She had the pressure. I had nothing to lose.” – Sorana Cirstea, after upsetting Australian favorite Samantha Stosur.

“It’s a miserable, terrible thing being out there compromised like that.” – Andy Roddick, on the right hamstring injury that forced him to pull out of his match against Lleyton Hewitt.

“It gets really tough for us here. The problem is so many people want a piece of you during the Australian Open. It’s got to Lleyton Hewitt over the years, it encumbered Pat Rafter, who never played anything like as well as he did at the US Open, or even Wimbledon, and it’s not really helping Sam.” – Pat Cash, who like the Australian Grand Slam tournament winners never won the Australian Open.

“I mean, it’s ridiculous playing this kind of tournament with this kind of umpires. What is this? What did the ATP do for this? I didn’t understand in that situation, eight-all break point. I mean, (how) can you be that stupid to do that in that moment?” – David Nalbandian, talking about the umpire’s decision to not let him challenge a disputed call in the 16th game of the fifth set against John Isner.

“You wish that you talk about how great they were serving and returning and playing instead of talking about this one stupid call. Unfortunately it might have changed the outcome of the match potentially. We all knew that this is exactly the type of point that needs to be challenged, either from John or from David or from the umpire. We need to see the call. It can’t be that there is no call. So it was just so unfortunate. I felt bad for David, but it was still a great match. I guess the players and the umpires need to get it right in terms of helping each other.” – Roger Federer, president of the ATP Players Council, when asked about the controversy in the David Nalbandian-John Isner match.

“It’s like the ultimate. It’s really, really cool. Five hundred is a lot of matches to play, let alone to win.” – Serena Williams, who reached that milestone at the Australian Open, now trailing only her sister Venus Williams, Belgium’s Kim Clijsters and Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn among active players.

“I think most people expected him to just retire … but he managed to stay. So all the credit for him, and happy birthday.” – Novak Djokovic, paying credit to his opponent, Nicolas Mahut, who although injured completed his match against the world’s top-ranked player. It was Mahut’s 30th birthday.

“I felt like I had the ability to win, but I just didn’t do it.” – Milos Raonic, after losing to veteran Lleyton Hewitt.

“Of course I’d be a liar if I said I don’t care about it, but it’s a little bit in the back of my mind.” – Victoria Azarenka on her chances of reaching number one ranking in women’s tennis.

“My confidence is high, my fitness is good, my play is improving and I’m very positive.” – Caroline Wozniacki, after beating former world number one Jelena Jankovic.

“I can’t do anything.” – Bernard Tomic told his family and friends in his box during his straight-set loss to Roger Federer.

Serena Williams after loss

SERENA BOUNCED

Ekaterina Makarova handed Serena Williams a rare loss at the Australian Open. The Russian left-hander ripped winner after winner, especially down the line, to shock the five-time Australian Open winner. This was only the third loss Williams has suffered since winning her first title Down Under in 2003. The American was on a 17-match winning streak that included her capturing the women’s singles title in 2009 and 2010. Williams missed last year because of an injury. Against Makarova, Williams had problems serving – she had seven double faults – and piled up 37 unforced errors. With the victory, Makarova grabbed a quarterfinal spot at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career.

SWEET SATISFACTION

In a rematch of last year’s women’s singles final, defending champion Kim Clijsters still came out on top. The Belgian staved off four match points and an ankle injury to shock French Open champion Li Na 4-6 7-6 (6) 6-4 in a fourth-round match. Li, the first native of Asia to win a Grand Slam tournament singles title, served for the match at 5-4 in the second set. And she held a 6-2 lead in the tiebreak. Each time Clijsters rallied to keep alive her chances of repeating as Australian Open winner. “I said in my mind, ‘keep fighting,’” Clisters said. “You never know what happens on the other side of the court.”

STANDING TALL

Nearly every move Kei Nishikori makes on a tennis court brings another first for Japan. When Nishikori beat Frenchman Julien Benneteau he became the first Japanese male to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open since the Open era began in 1968. He already is the highest ranking Japanese man in the 40-year history of the ATP rankings at 24th in the world. When he reached the fourth round of the US Open in 2008, the 22-year-old was the first Japanese man to do that since 1937. He then became the first Japanese man to advance to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 80 years by upsetting sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 2-6 6-2 6-1 3-6 6-3. Seeded 24th, Nishikori matches the feats of Ryosuki Nunoi and Jiro Satoh, who reached the last eight of the event in 1932.

SAD SAM

Coming home a Grand Slam tournament champion apparently was too much pressure for Samantha Stosur to handle. The Australian won the US Open in September, but playing in front of her home crowd Stosur was shocked by Sorana Cirstea in a first-round Australian Open match. “I’m probably very close to crying, having a really awful night,” Stosur told a news conference after her defeat. “It’s hard to suppress those emotions when it means so much to you.” The sixth-seeded Stosur was attempting to become the first Australian in 34 years to win the women’s singles title at the year’s first Grand Slam event. The 27-year-old admitted she has been struggling to cope with the pressure. “The whole emotional side of things really took over,” she said. “It never felt like I was able to be loose and free with the way I wanted to play.”

SMASHING RECORD

Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus went on a racquet-smashing binge that lightened his wallet by USD $1,250. That was what the former Australian Open finalist was fined after smashing four racquets during his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka. Trailing his Swiss opponent by two sets, Baghdatis hammered his first racquet into the ground until it crumbled. Then he took three more racquets out of his bag and pummeled the court with them. The destructive binge apparently worked, although briefly, as Baghdatis won the third set before losing the second-round match in four sets. The tournament referee fined the 26-year-old Baghdatis for “abuse of racquets and equipment.”

STUNNED

Two years ago John Isner made it into the record books with his marathon 70-68 fifth set at Wimbledon. He had to go 10-8 in the fifth set to hand David Nalbandian a second-round defeat at the Australian Open, but this one included a controversial call from chair umpire Kader Nouni. In the 17th game, Nalbandian had three break points on Isner’s serve. The American fended off the first two, and on the third hit a serve down the middle that was called out. Nouni, however, overruled the call, saying it was an ace. Because of the crowd noise, Nalbandian didn’t realize the original call had been overruled and he walked to the spot while he got clarification from Nouni. Once he realized the serve had been ruled an ace, Nalbandian challenged the call. Nouni denied the request, insisting Nalbandian had waited too long to make a challenge. Replays showed the original call was correct: Isner’s serve was wide and he should have had a second serve. Instead, he wound up holding for a 9-8 lead, then broke Nalbandian to close out the match. The Argentine was later fined USD $8,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, the largest fine assessed in the tournament up to that time. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said the fine was for throwing water on an Australian Open staff member following the match. Nalbandian, though, disputed the accusation. “During anti-doping control I was washing my hands and the doctor incredibly accused me of throwing water at him,” the Argentine said. “Two injustices – one inside and another one outside the court. I am going to appeal the sanction.” A tournament official said Nalbandian had up to 10 days after the tournament to lodge an appeal against the fine.

Isner was also assessed a code violation for racquet abuse during the match and was fined USD $800.

SUPER JOHN

When Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback scores a touchdown, he performs a move emulating Clark Kent removing his shirt to reveal his Superman outfit. John Isner is a Panthers fan, so he paid homage to Newton when the tennis player beat David Nalbandian 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, 10-8 in a controversial second-round Australian Open match. Isner jogged to the middle of the court, turned to fans and performed Newton’s touchdown dance.

SICK CALL

Tennis Hall of Famer Mats Wilander was hospitalized in Australia where he received a blood transfusion following a fall in his Melbourne apartment. A post on the Facebook page for his company, Wilander on Wheels, said the 47-year-old native of Sweden is “healing properly” after lacerating one of his kidneys in the fall. He was released after receiving a blood transfusion but will be unable to play tennis for a month. Wilander, who won the Australian Open three times among his seven Grand Slam tournament singles titles, is hoping to resume hosting a daily highlight show for television channel Eurosport at this year’s Australian Open.

SALES SURGE

Australia is cashing in on Li Na’s highly successful 2011 season when she became the first player born in Asia to reach a Grand Slam tournament final – the Australian Open – and the first to win a Grand Slam tournament singles title, at Roland Garros. The Herald Sun newspaper reported the “Li factor” was behind a 30 percent rise in Australian Open ticket sales in China, and she is expected to boost Chinese tourism to Down Under to double the number of visitors in the next five years. “About 53 million Chinese left their country on a holiday last year,” Tourism and Transport Forum boss John Lee told the newspaper. “Of those, 500,000 came to Australia. That number could double in five years, helped by the Li factor.” Lee said he hoped the Chinese star would win in Melbourne “for the free publicity it would give Australia.”

STEAMED

An ongoing dispute with the French tennis federation is expected to keep Marion Bartoli out of the 2012 Olympics in London. Ranked ninth in the world, Bartoli is France’s top female player. But in order to compete in the Olympics, the International Tennis Federation requires that she be on good terms with her national federation and have made herself available to play in Fed Cup ties twice over the past four years n—conditions Bartoli doesn’t meet. Bartoli has had a long-standing feud with the French federation over her independent coaching set-up with her father and the fact he wouldn’t be allowed to coach her during Fed Cup ties.

SANS CLOTHES

When Caroline Wozniacki was late for a post-match news conference, she had a good reason. She had lost her clothes. “I’m sorry I’m late,” the top-seeded Dane said. “I lost my bag somewhere and I couldn’t find it. Yeah, took me awhile. I thought it would be inappropriate to dress in a towel. … I took a shower and I’m looking for my bag and I couldn’t find it. Thankfully one of the locker room ladies was nice enough to go out and look for it.”

SWITCH STOPPED

When he’s at the Australian Open, Roger Federer almost always plays in Rod Laver Arena. So it was a rare change when they scheduled Federer’s match against Germany’s Andreas Beck to be played in the Hisense Arena. “I was excited,” Federer said of the change of venue. “I wasn’t disappointed to hear that I was going to play there, to be quite honest.” But Beck withdrew with a lower back problem and Federer returned to the center court where he has played all of his matches since 2004. “At Wimbledon and at the French we always go at the second court,” Federer said. “It’s just here and at the US Open where … they have more night sessions and more space for men’s matches on the center court that it’s really difficult for you to be moved out.”

STADE FOR SHADE

The Australian Open is going to have three stadiums with retractable roofs. Denis Napthine, state minister for major projects, and Hugh Delahunty, minister for sport, showed plans for a redeveloped Margaret Court Arena with a retractable roof and increased seating capacity to 7,500. “This fantastic new design is focused on people and creating an active and welcoming space,” Napthine said. “The roof will provide greater shade and rain protection for the public.”

STORK ARRIVAL

Doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi of India and his wife, actress Lara Dutta, are the parents of a girl. Bhupathi’s wife, a former Miss Universe, gave birth in Mumbai. Bhupathi tweeted that he got to see the baby via Skype.

The family of three-time Grand Slam tournament champion Lindsay Davenport also has grown. The 2000 Australian Open winner announced on Twitter the arrival of her third child with husband Jon, a baby girl.

SURFING

Melbourne:

www.australianopen.com

Heibronn:

http://heilbronn-open.com/

Montpellier:

www.opensuddefrance.com

Zagreb:

www.zagrebindoors.com

Viña del Mar:

www.vtropen.cl/

Fed Cup:

www.fedcup.com

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia, hard (second week)
$108,000 Heibronn Open, Heibronn, Germany, hard

WOMEN

Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia, hard (second week)

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$515,000 Sud de France, Montpellier, France, hard
$515,000 PBZ Zagreb Indoors, Zagreb, Croatia, hard
$515,000 VTR Open, Viña del Mar, Chile, hard

FED CUP

(First Round)

World Group

Russia vs. Spain at Moscow, Russia, hard
Belgium vs. Serbia at Charleroi, Belgium, hard
Italy vs. Ukraine at Biella, Italy, clay
Germany vs. Czech Republic at Stuttgart, Germany, hard

World Group II

United States vs. Belarus at Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, hard
Japan vs. Slovenia at Hyogo, Japan, hard
Slovak Republic vs. France at Bratislava, Slovak Republic, hard
Switzerland vs. Australia at Fribourg, Switzerland, clay

Group I

Europe/Africa at Eilat, Israel, hard – Pool A: Estonia, Austria, Bulgaria; Pool B: Sweden, Hungary, Greece, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Pool C: Netherlands, Great Britain, Israel, Portugal; Pool D: Poland, Romania, Croatia, Luxembourg

Americas at Curitiba, Brazil, clay – Pool A: Canada, Argentina, Peru, Bahamas; Pool B: Colombia, Paraguay, Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia

Asia/Oceania at Shenzhen, China, hard – Pool A: China, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei; Pool B: Thailand, Kazakhstan, Korea, Indonesia

Agassi, Courier among legends headlining re-formatted 12-city Champions Series circuit

by

The 2011 Champions Series circuit will begin on Sept. 22 in Fort Lauderdale and conclude on Oct. 22 in Buffalo, officials announced on Tuesday.

The likes of Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Bjorn Borg, Michael Chang and Mats Wilander, will all compete on this year’s tour.

“We are thrilled to reunite seven legends who have won an astonishing 52 Grand Slam singles titles among them,” said Jon Venison, Founding Partner of the Champions Series. “This is the greatest generation of champions ever assembled and an unprecedented opportunity for sports fans around the U.S. to reconnect with them.”

From left to right: Jim Courier, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras

The expanded and re-formatted 2011 circuit will consist of a 12-city tour of one-night events in arenas across the country. In addition to Fort Lauderdale and Buffalo, the cities selected to host one-night events include Washington, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, St. Louis and Surprise, Ariz.

Each new Champions Series event will feature a field of four major champions competing in a one-night shootout tournament with two one-set semifinal matches followed immediately by an eight-game pro set championship match.

Agassi, who joined Courier on a conference call on Tuesday, said that he was more than happy to join old friends and rivals. He also insisted that the breaks in between matches with the flexible scheduling will allow him to rest his back, which gave him chronic back problems during the latter stages of his ATP World Tour career.

“We also can play pretty darn well if we’re healthy,” said Agassi, 41. “It’s just the recovery that gets tougher as we get older.”

Courier also spoke highly of the new tour structure and is looking forward to facing off against his old foes.

“Competing against my friends and foes in front of fans across the country is going to get my adrenaline pumping,” he said. “The player line-up and format of the circuit is ideal for me and my peers to quench our competitive thirst while showcasing tennis to many cities that lack pro tennis events. May the best man win.”

To many fans and players, Chicago – which does not hold an ATP Tour event, despite its size and sports tradition – might stand out among the other host cities.

“[It is] one of my favorite cities in America,” said Courier, when asked about professional tennis being played in the windy city.

Agassi, a soon to be Hall of Fame inductee in July, had his own memory of Chicago, which will host the Champions Challenge on Thursday, Oct. 20 at the United Center.

“[I am] very much looking forward to going back,” said Agassi, who won his first national doubles title as a junior player at the renowned Midtown Athletic Club on West Fullerton Avenue.

Agassi admitted that he would like to go back to the celebrated Pump Room at the Ambassador Hotel in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood since that is where his father, Mike, was a busboy when he first moved to the United States from Iran in the mid-1950s.

Agassi, Courier and the other players will compete for ranking points and a prize money bonus pool for the top three finishers on the circuit, totaling $1 million, with the winner walking away with $500,000.

Not only will tennis fans in each city be treated to top quality tennis, but the tennis legends will share their on-court expertise in exclusive tennis clinics for sponsors and mingle with VIP guests at receptions prior to each event.

Major sponsors this year include ASG Software Solutions, Donnay, GEICO, Kimpton Hotels, Longines, Tennis Magazine and USTA.

Television partnerships for the 2011 Champions Series will be provided by Tennis Channel, Fox Sports Net and New England Sports Network (NESN).

The Champions Series is a New York-based tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30 run by InsideOut Sports + Entertainment, co-owned and operated by former SFX executive Jon Venison and former world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam singles champion Jim Courier.

Tickets go on sale on Monday and more information on the 2011 Champions Series can be found on the official website at www.championsseriestennis.com.

Jana Novotna: “Pour some olive oil on me” – On this day in Sony Ericsson Open history

by

The Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla., is the biggest, most prestigious tennis tournament in the United States next to the US Open. Its history dates back to 1985 and is documented in pages in my book ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.TennisHistoryBook.com). The following are events that happened in the history of the tournament – also previously called the Lipton Championships, the NASDAQ-100 Open and the Ericsson Open – as excerpted from the book from March 27.

March 27

1988 – Twenty-three-year-old Mats Wilander outlasts 35-year-old Jimmy Connors 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in 3 hours, 39 minutes to win the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Fla.

1999 – Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands wins the biggest title of his career besides his 1996 Wimbledon crown, defeating No. 74-ranked Sebastien Grosjean of France 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 7-5 in the men’s singles final at the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Fla. Grosjean becomes the lowest-ranked player to reach the final in Key Biscayne.

1997 – With on-court temperatures hovering around 110 degrees, sixteen-year-old Martina Hingis outlasts Jana Novotna 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in the semifinals of the Lipton Championships. Says Novotna of the hot conditions of the match, “Occasionally I looked in the corner – 105 and it’s like ‘Nice frying, let’s pour some olive oil on me.” Jim Courier, seeded No. 22, defeats No. 4 seed Goran Ivanisevic 6-2, 7-6 (2) in the men’s quarterfinals. Says Goran following the match, “I gave him everything – nice presents.”

1998 – Marcelo Rios allows Tim Henman only five points in the final set in his 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 semifinal victory at the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne. Andre Agassi, ranked No. 31 in the world, also advances into the men’s singles final, defeating Alex Corretja 6-4, 6-2. Says Agassi of the talk of the race for the world No. 1 ranking between Pete Sampras and Marcelo Rios following his victory, “I don’t know why they are all talking about Rios and Sampras, at the end of the year, I’m going to be No. 1.” Agassi goes on to finish No. 6, while Sampras finishes No. 1 and Rios No. 2.

2007 – For the second time in a month, Roger Federer loses to Guillermo Canas of Argentina, falling by a 7-6 (2), 2-6, 7-6 (5) margin in the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. Canas ends Federer’s 41-match win streak in the first round of the Indian Wells two weeks earlier and in Key Biscayne, ends the Swiss maestro’s chance at winning his third straight title in the island paradise. Says Federer. “It’s one of those matches I never should have lost.” Says Canas, “I’m surprised because I beat two times the No. 1 in the world. Really, I don’t know what is my secret I’m just trying to enjoy the moment. For me it’s like a dream.” Fellow No. 1 seed Maria Sharapova is also eliminated from the event but in a much more convincing fashion, losing 6-1, 6-1 to Serena Williams.

South African Tennis Open Fights to Stay on ATP World Tour Schedule: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

by

South African Tennis Open in Johannesburg fighting to remain on ATP World Tour schedule

The recently completed South African Tennis Open, which was won last weekend by hometown hero Kevin Anderson, is currently fighting an uphill battle as the tournaments hopes to remain on the ATP World Tour schedule next year or in subsequent years. With the Olympics happening next year in London, the ATP World Tour had to make some changes to the 2012 tournament schedule and the South African Tennis Open was ultimately removed from its spot on the calendar. “We’ve got about eight months to persuade the ATP to find an alternative date,” said Ian Smith, Tournament Director. “They are sympathetic. But a great deal of bartering and bargaining will have to take place in the process…hopefully we can come to an arrangement to keep the tournament alive.”

Dinara Safina hires new coach

Babolat signs five-year deal to supply official ball at French Open

On Thursday, Babolat announced that they had signed a five-year deal to supply the official ball at the French Open, as well as provide stringing services for all players in the tournament and offer tennis fans a complete line of Babolat-Roland Garros products. The Babolat-Roland Garros line will be available starting in May at stores and the Roland Garros boutique. “Part of our history is written on the clay courts of Roland-Garros through our team of players who have often distinguished themselves in this tournament. In the past, we have also provided stringing service here,” said Eric Babolat, President and CEO of Babolat. “Now, a new chapter in French tennis history is opening. All the players in the tournament, without exception, will play with a ball developed by Babolat and will benefit from our stringing service. For tennis fans, we will offer our first collection of Babolat and Roland-Garros products. This collaboration perfectly illustrates the positioning of Babolat: an expert brand offering tennis equipment for all types of players.”

Safina hires former ATP player Sanguinetti as new coach

Former World No. 1 Dinara Safina has hired Italian Davide Sanguinetti as her new coach after splitting with former coach Gaston Etlis following her 6-0, 6-0 loss to Kim Clijsters in the first round at the Australian Open last month. Sanguinetti is a former ATP World Tour Top 50 player with wins over Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. Sanguinetti, who reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 1998, previously coached Vince Spadea and Go Soeda.

Djokovic agrees to play ATP AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club in London in June

Fresh off his title in Melbourne at the 2011 Australian Open, world No. 3 Novak Djokovic has committed to playing the grass-court AEGON Championships which takes place at The Queen’s Club in London from June 6-12. Djokovic, who won the doubles title at the AEGON Championships in 2010 with Israel’s Jonathan Erlich, joins world No. 1 Rafael Nadal who has already agreed to participate in the warm-up event for Wimbledon. “The AEGON Championships is one of the nicest tournaments around,” said Djokovic. “The Queen’s Club has got great grass courts, it’s a great atmosphere with always a packed house of spectators, and you just feel good there. Rafa and I had an incredible match in the Queen’s final in 2008 and it was the closest I ever got to a grass court title. Wimbledon is the most important tournament (of the year) for me, and I really want to do well both at Queen’s and at Wimbledon this year.”

Zvonareva commits to Russian Fed Cup tie vs. Italy in April

Russian Fed Cup Captain Shamil Tarpishchev announced that WTA world No. 3 Vera Zvonareva has committed to play Russia’s semifinal Fed Cup match against Italy in Russia. Tarpishchev also said that Svetlana Kuznetsova might be available to play, which would allow her to get a rematch against Francesca Schiavone, who beat her in a Grand Slam record four hours and 44 minutes at the Australian Open in Melbourne last month.

Wilander joins Junior Tennis Champions Center as Senior Advisor

Former world No. 1 Mats Wilander has joined the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md., as a Staff Advisor. Wilander joins renowned tennis author and instructor Vic Braden and strength and conditioning legend Pat Etcheberry as JTCC Senior Advisors. As Senior Advisor, Wilander provides additional guidance and mentoring to JTCC’s staff and youth that emphasizes mental toughness and commitment to high performance training on a quarterly basis. He also provides top JTCC youth with intense tournament preparation, training sessions and coaching at major tournaments, like the Easter Bowl. Top JTCC players, Denis Kudla and Frank Mitchell, will train at Wilander’s private residence in Sun Valley.

Blake no longer traveling to tournaments with full-time coach

At this week’s ATP SAP Open in San Jose, 31-year-old James Blake announced that he will no longer be traveling on tour with a full-time coach. Blake, who achieved a career-best ranking of No. 4 in 2006, had been traveling with Kelly Jones last year and Brian Barker for many years before that. Blake’s physio, Rory Cordial, will continue to travel full-time with the American. “I really don’t need someone to put me through the same drills that I already know and to tell me things that I’ve already seen and heard,” said Blake. “I may have Kelly, Brian or my brother (Thomas) come around here and there because someone on the outside can always pick up things that you can’t, but I knew that by this age I would know the game well enough to coach myself.” Blake, who is currently ranked No. 170 in the world, beat fellow American Jesse Levine in the first round in San Jose to earn his first tour-level victory since October 2010.

Australian doubles legend retires from WTA Tour

Following Australia’s Fed Cup loss to Italy last weekend, doubles specialist Rennae Stubbs has officially called it quits from the WTA Tour, ending a career that spanned two decades and included four Grand Slam women’s doubles titles and two mixed doubles titles. The 39-year-old from Sydney amassed an impressive 788-343 record in women’s doubles matches while winning 60 doubles titles throughout her career. Stubbs, who has a second home in Tampa, reached No. 1 in the world in doubles in 2000 and won more than $5 million in tournament prize money throughout her career. “I’ll miss the competitive spirit and feel when I am on the court but overall I’ll miss the people and the memories of my moments.”

Santangelo officially retires from WTA Tour due to foot injuries

Italian Mara Santangelo, who was once ranked as high as No. 27 in singles and No. 9 in doubles, has officially announced her retirement from the WTA Tour due to foot injuries that prevented her from playing since Wimbledon in 2009. “Unfortunately, for my whole career, my foot was hurting me. I was born with a deformity and from a young age doctors told me I wouldn’t be able to play tennis at a high level. The fact I succeeded and realized my dream is fantastic,” she said at her retirement announcement. “I tried to start playing tennis again after some operations, but since I was still feeling pain, I’ve decided to stop.” The 29-year-old won one singles title during her career in Bangalore in 2006 and was a finalist at the same event the following year. Santangelo, who made it past the third round in singles at all four Grand Slams, had her biggest career victories over Jelena Jankovic and Nadia Petrova. Santangelo, who won 286 career singles matches in her career, won the 2007 French Open doubles title with Australian Alicia Molik. Santangelo is currently managing Prince Le Restaurant, a new and trendy eatery located in Porto Cervo, on Sardegna Island in Italy. It opened last summer and is part of Piazza Principe, a commercial complex owned by the Santangelo’s and managed by Mara herself. For more information on the restaurant, visit its official website at www.piazzadelprincipeportocervo.com/eng/lerestaurant.asp.

Tomic announces upcoming playing schedule

Up-and-coming Australian tennis star Bernard Tomic, who reached the third round at the 2011 Australian Open, just released his upcoming playing schedule. The 18-year-old will play in the qualifying tournament at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships followed by the main draw at the Dallas Challenger, and the qualifiers at the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami. Tomic is currently ranked No. 208 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.

Book signing and public appearance on February 22 in Vero Beach for former U.S. No. 1 Cliff Richey

Former U.S. No. 1 Cliff Richey, who was the hero of the 1970 championship-winning U.S. Davis Cup team, will host a talk about tennis and, the most difficult opponent of his life, depression, at a special open-to-the-public appearance and book signing on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 4:30 pm at the Sea Oaks Tennis Club in Vero Beach, Fla. In his book ACING DEPRESSION: A Tennis Champions Toughest Match ($19.95, New Chapter Press,www.CliffRicheyBook.com) Richey calls depression among adult males as “the silent tragedy in our culture today” and details his life-long battle with the disease that afflicts approximately 121 million people around the world. Co-written with his oldest daughter Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, is a first-hand account of the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. Richey was known as the original “Bad Boy” of tennis before there was John McEnroe and Ilie Nastase. His 26-year career was highlighted by a 1970 season where he led the United States to the Davis Cup title, finished as the first-ever Grand Prix world points champion and won one of the most exciting matches in American tennis history that clinched the year-end No. 1 American ranking. He won both of his singles matches in the 5-0 U.S. victory over West Germany in the 1970 Davis Cup final, while he beat out rivals Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Arthur Ashe and Stan Smith to win the first-ever Grand Prix world points title the precursor to the modern day ATP rankings. At the 1970 Pacific Coast Championships at the Berkeley Tennis Club in Berkeley, Calif., he earned the No. 1 U.S. ranking when he beat Smith in a fifth-set tie-breaker, where both players had simultaneous match point in a sudden-death nine-point tie-breaker at 4-4. He also reached the semifinals of both the 1970 French and U.S. Opens, losing a famous match to Zeljko Franulovic of Yugoslavia in the French semifinals, despite holding match points and leading by two-sets-to-one and 5-1 in the fourth set.

Mondays with Bob Greene: Caroline Wozniacki Wins Toray Pan Pacific

by

STARS

Caroline Wozniacki beat Elena Dementieva 1-6 6-2 6-3 to win the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Japan

Mikhail Youzhny beat Andrey Golubev 6-7 (7) 6-3 7-6 (3) to win the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat Jarkko Nieminen 6-4 3-6 6-4 to win the PTT Thailand Open in Bangkok, Thailand

Alberta Brianti beat Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4 6-4 to win the ITF Ningho 2010 in Ningho, China

John McEnroe beat Guy Forget 7-5 7-4 to win the Trophee Jean-Luc Lagardere in Paris, France
SAYINGS

“I have never beaten a number one player in the world before. I’ve beaten some good Top 10 players, but never a number one. I think it was the best match of my career.” – Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, after upsetting top-ranked Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of the PTT Thailand Open.

“I had a lot of break point chances in the second set, too many chances. He played a great match especially in the third set, but I was playing better than him in the beginning. I didn’t play the break points well. With 26 opportunities to break you have to take your chances. It’s a difficult loss to accept.” – Rafael Nadal, after losing to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

“It meant a lot to win. It was exciting, the atmosphere was electric and people were pumped up. Not as pumped up as I was though.” – John McEnroe, after defeating Ivan Lendl in an ATP Champions event in Paris, France.

“You cannot not play and then all of a sudden play great.” – Ivan Lendl, after losing his ATP Champions Tour debut against Mats Wilander in Paris, France.

“It felt really good. He’s beaten me so badly so many times that it’s nice to get some sort of revenge! It’s nice to see him suffer, to see him tire, but unfortunately he was smiling. I wanted to see him crying! But, no, seriously it’s great to have him back.” – Mats Wilander, after winning the ATP Champions Tour debut of Ivan Lendl.

Caroline Wozniacki wins the Pan Pacific Open

“It was so nerve wracking, especially in the super tie-break, but we tried to stay positive and not think negative. We made it somehow and are very glad about that!” – Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, who teamed with Iveta Benesova to win the Toray Pan Pacific Open doubles.

“I should have won the first set. When you lead 6-3 in the tie-break indoors, usually you should take the set. I came back well and I played a really good second set. In the final set it was really close. When you win 7-6 in the third set in the last match, you have to be aq little bit luckier than him.” – Mikhail Youzhny, after capturing the Thailand Open singles.

“Surgery was easy, but the radiation was trickier. It was six weeks of really low energy. Radiation just sucks your energy like a vampire, day by day.” – Martina Navratilova, saying she is now cancer free.

“It was a difficult match, especially at the end. I was choking a bit and luckily my partner helped us out. This is my first doubles title and it feels great.” – Viktor Troicki, who teamed with Christopher Kas to win the Malaysia Open doubles.

“It has been an unbelievable week for me, from the first round to the final. Every match is different. I think I played relaxed, enjoyed my game and everything was perfect.” – Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, after winning the Malaysia Open singles title.

“Now that I cannot play tennis, I really want to. I would rather be hitting crosscourt forehands than doing rehab five times a week.” – Robby Ginepri, who will miss the remainder of the year after breaking his elbow in a biking accident.

SPANISH SHOCKER

It was the biggest win of Guillermo Garcia-Lopez’s career. The Spaniard saved 24 of 26 break points to upset top-ranked Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of the PTT Thailand Open, snapping Nadal’s nine-match winning streak, which included capturing the US Open last month. It also boosted Garcia-Lopez to his second ATP World Tour final of the year, and he completed his best week by beating Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen 6-4 3-6 6-4 in the final, his second career ATP World Tour title. Garcia-Lopez was runner-up to Michael Llodra on the grass at Eastbourne, England, in June. The 27-year-old won his first ATP World Tour crown last year on clay in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

SET FOR DOHA

The two biggest names in women’s tennis, Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters, have qualified for the season-ending WTA Championships to be played October 26-31 in Doha, Qatar. Between them, Williams and Clijsters won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments this year, Williams triumphing at the Australian Open in January and Wimbledon in July, while Clijsters captured her second straight US Open in September. They join Caroline Wozniacki and Vera Zvonareva in the elite eight-player singles field. There also will be four doubles teams in the chase for the coveted WTA Championships title and a share of the USD $4.5 million prize money. Already securing a spot in the doubles field are the teams of Gisela Dulko and Flavai Pennetta, as well as Kveta Pschke and Katarina Srebotnik.

STOPPED BY INJURY

Kim Clijsters and Venus William pulled out of this week’s China Open because of injuries. Clijsters had an infection on her right foot, while Venus Williams is hobbled with a knee injury. Clijsters tweeted that she “had a mole removed under my right foot and the wound got infected.” She also posted on Twitter a link to a photo showing a red blotch on the bottom of her foot. The 30-year-old Venus Williams joined her sister Serena on the sideline. “Venus’ reason for withdrawal was a left knee injury,” WTA Tour spokeswoman Gina Clement reported.

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Kimiko Date Krumm has an extra special celebration on her 40th birthday. The veteran celebrated her special day by defeating Daniela Hantuchova in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Japan. “Maybe I was lucky because it was my birthday,” Date Krumm said a day after she knocked off defending champion Maria Sharapova. “Considering I had a tough match yesterday, I felt pretty good today.” Date Krumm was leading 2-6 6-0 4-0 when Hantuchova retired with a right shoulder injury. She had won the Tokyo tournament in 1995, then retired the next year. Date Krumm resumed her career nearly 12 years later and earlier this year became the oldest woman to beat a Top 10 player when she defeated Dinara Safina at the French Open. Date Krumm’s remarkable Tokyo run ended when she lost to French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-3 6-3. “I said to her at the end it was an honor to play her,” Schiavone said. “I’ve followed her career and she’s not just a great tennis player, she’s a great person.”

SEEING AN OLD FRIEND

Look who’s back in the ATP rankings for the first time in more than 10 years. Former French Open champion Thomas Muster, who was ranked number one in the world at one time, returned to professional tennis in June. In last week’s rankings, the 42-year-old Austrian had seven points, enough for him to be ranked 988th in the world. Muster has won just one match in five Challenger circuit events this season. He has been offered a wild card by organizers of the Bank Austria Tennis Trophy, which will be played in Vienna, Austria, on October 23-31. If he accepts the invitation, it would be his first ATP Tour match since June 1999.

SET FOR PERTH

Francesca Schiavone, the reigning French Open women’s champion, will join Potito Starace on Italy’s team at the Hopman Cup mixed tennis tournament in Perth, Australia, in January. The Australian team will be comprised of Alicia Molik and former number one-ranked Lleyton Hewitt. The Australians are trying to win the Hopman Cup for the first time since 1999. Other teams already announced for the tournament include the United States (Serena Williams and John Isner), Belgium (Justine Henin and Steve Darcis), Serbia (Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic), France (Kristina Mladenovic and Gael Monfils), and Kazakhstan (Yaroslava Shvedova and Andrey Golubev).

SWEEP

John McEnroe wound up winning the Jean Luc Lagardere Trophy, but he was far more thrilled by his win over longtime opponent Ivan Lendl. McEnroe led 6-4 3-2 when Lendl retired from their ATP Champions Tour match in Paris, France, because of a pulled calf muscle. Lendl hurt himself when stretching for a return in the second set. He tried to play on, but when McEnroe broke Lendl’s serve for 3-2 in the second set, Lendl called it a day. “I have no idea what happened to him,” McEnroe said. “It doesn’t get any easier and we’re all hurting, so either he’ll get used to that or it’ll be difficult for him.” McEnroe had lost the last six times he had played Lendl on the regular ATP Tour. “He surprised me and he was serving pretty big and hitting some big shots,” McEnroe said, “but I should’ve known. I’ve played him often enough to know to expect that, but when you haven’t played a guy in a long time you’re not sure what to expect. But once I got into it, it started to feel like old times.” In the final, McEnroe defeated Guy Forget in two tie-breaks, 7-5 7-4.

SUCCESSFUL YET AGAIN

Martina Navratilova has won yet another fight. This time the tennis legend says, “I am cancer free.” Talking to People magazine, Navratilova said she was “technically” cancer free after she underwent a lumpectomy for her breast cancer in March. “But then I had radiation to make sure that it killed any cancer cells that were still hovering about,” she said. She underwent six weeks of radiation.

SPECIAL COMPANY

So what if Tatiana Poutchek has never been ranked higher in doubles than 25th in the world. So what if she only has won seven doubles titles in her career. The Belarusian joined some pretty elite company when she teamed with Alexsandra Panova to capture the doubles title in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It was Poutchek’s fifth title in Tashkent, all coming with different partners. All of the other players who have won as many or more than five doubles titles at one event – Lindsay Davenport, Lisa Raymond, Virginia Ruano Pascual and Rennae Stubbs – have all been ranked number one in the world in doubles at some time during their careers. Ruano Pascual has won six French Open doubles titles in the last decade.

SIDELINED

A freak mountain biking accident has sidelined Robby Ginepri for the rest of the year. The American was riding near his hometown in Kennesaw, Georgia, USA, when a squirrel ran into his path. Ginepri swerved to avoid hitting the squirrel, fell off his bike and broke his left elbow at the ulna bone. He underwent surgery in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and will be in a cast for four to six weeks. He hopes to return in January at a warm-up event for the Australian Open,

SHE’S BACK

Everybody’s making a comeback these days. Or at least it seems that way. The latest to return to the sport is Magdalena Maleeva, who returned to competitive tennis after a five-year absence and won the Bulgarian championship. The youngest sister of the Maleeva dynasty beat Izabel Shinikova 6-4 6-4 in the final in the southern Bulgarian town of Plovdiv. “I had a great desire to compete once again and I’m happy with my participation here,” the 35-year-old told Bulgarian state television. “But I don’t think I achieved something special as some of the top names were missing.” Maleeva became the youngest champion when she won her first Bulgarian title at the age of 13 in 1988. She won 10 WTA Tour titles, reaching a career-high ranking of fourth in the world in 1996 before retiring in 2005. Her sisters Manuela and Katerina were ranked in the top six in the world in the 1980s and 1990s. One other thing the three had in common? They all have a career win over Martina Navratilova.

SAME VEIN

Anna Kournikova’s career was noted for her never winning a singles title. Now, the former top-tenner has appeared on “The Biggest Loser” reality TV show. According to TV Guide, the 29-year-old Russian led the show’s 15 remaining contestants in a tennis workout as they competed to win the cash prize for losing the most weight. Other professional athletes who have appeared on the NBC reality show included Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

SPANISH BLUSH

Women’s tennis will be the agenda when Spain’s tennis federation (RFET) holds its conference in Pamplona. “It must be noted that the National Tennis Congress is focusing exclusively on women’s tennis for the first time,” the RFET said in a statement. The federation has refuted accusations from Spain’s six highest-ranked women, including Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Carla Suarez Navarro, who have threatened to boycott next year’s Fed Cup because they are unhappy with what they see as neglect of the women’s game. At the conference, the RFET said it will address issues including training for the top players and bringing along younger talent. Former Grand Slam champions Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez have thrown their support behind the players and denounced “the general apathy shown by the federation toward women’s tennis in recent years.”

SURFACE

The Davis Cup final between France and Serbia will be played on a hard court. Serbia’s tennis association chose the surface for the December competition. Serbia is in its first final after beating the Czech Republic last month, and that was also played on a hard court. France advanced by crushing Argentina 5-0 in the other semifinal. The final will be held December 3-5 in the Belgrade Arena.

STOP THE PRESSES

Tennis Magazine has dropped four of its nine full-time editorial staffers and reportedly intends to outsource the design and photo work along with some editing. Those dropped from the staff of the American magazine included the online editor, a senior editor, the art director and the photo director. Bob Miller, co-owner, president and CEO of the magazine, said he will hire “three or four” more digitally-minded editors before the Australian Open. Until then, he said, www.Tennis.com will be manned “by committee.”

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Bangkok: Christopher Cas and Viktor Troicki beat Jonathan Erlich and Jurgen Melzer 6-4 6-4

Kuala Lumpur: Frantisek Cermak and Michal Mertinak beat Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 7-6 (3) 7-6 (5)

Ningho: Chan Chin-Wei and Chin Yi beat Jill Craybas and Olga Savchuk 6-3 3-6 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Tokyo: Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova beat Shahar Peer and Peng Shuai 6-4 4-6 10-8 (match tiebreak)

SITES TO SURF

Beijing: www.chinaopen.com.cn/

Tokyo: www.rakutenopen.rakuten.co.jp/

Mons: www.ethiastrophy.be

Jounieh: www.atcl.org

Paris: www.tropheejeanluclagardere.com

Shanghai: www.shanghairolexmasters.com

Linz: www.generali-ladies.at/

Osaka: www.hp-open.jp/

Torout: www.koddaertladiesopen.be/

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

ATP

$2,100,000 China Open, Beijing, China, hard

$1,100,000 Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships, Tokyo, Japan, hard

$143,000 Ethias Trophy, Mons, Belgium, hard

WTA

$4,500,000 China Open, Beijing, China, hard

$100,000 Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships, Tokyo, Japan, hard

$100,000 Jounieh, Lebanon, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP

$3,240,000 Shanghai Rolex Masters, Shanghai, China, hard

$125,000 Tashkent Challenge, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, hard

WTA

$220,000 Generali Ladies Linz, Linz, Austria, hard

$220,000 HP Open, Osaka, Japan, hard

$100,000 Koddaert Ladies Open, Torhout, Belgium, hard

Fast Car, Fast Serves Await in Delray Beach

by

It’s only a $442,000 event, which places it toward the lower end on the ATP prize money spectrum, but the Delray Beach International has become the most enterprising tournament of its size on the tour schedule, and the master promoter is Mark Baron, who has been running this show for 19 years.

On Thursday, he announced that Andy Roddick is coming back the late-February hardcourt tournament for the first time in seven years and that the winner next year is getting a 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera, which, depending on the doodads, is worth between $75,000 and $100,000.

Baron began lobbying for more top-end players at the U.S. Open, pinning up ads touting the Porsche, in addition to the prize money.

Andy Roddick commits to Delray Beach 2011

He says he was “overwhelmed” by the player response, which frankly surprises me. I mean, most of these guys can afford a couple of Porsches, so what’s the big deal playing for one?

Baron sounded as confounded as I when I spoke with him Friday. “No matter how much money they make, they travel so much the car would probably stay in the garage most of the year,” he explained. “But they have parents or wives and girl friends, so to win one for them is a different story.”

Landing Roddick and a Porsche giveaway isn’t the only promotional coups Baron has landed. This year, he negotiated inclusion of an ATP Champions tournament to be played concurrently with the ATP tour event.

John McEnroe, Mats Wilander and six other former champions began Friday and played the final under the lights on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Delray Beach ATP tournament started Monday and finished Sunday. The idea of combining nostalgia with contemporary tennis was a brilliant stroke and it’s going to happen again in 2011.

Roddick will join Mardy Fish, John Isner and the Bryan brothers at the Delray Beach tournament. McEnroe, Pat Cash, Greg Rusedski and Wilander will be in the eight-man masters field.

* It’s been three weeks since I’ve written, and this happens every year. I just fall out for awhile after the U.S. Open, perhaps in some vain hope that the ATP will cut short the season after the final Grand Slam.

Of course, it won’t. And so the ATP tour continues on in this anticlimactic charade that goes on through the months of September, October and most of November before we bring this ridiculously long season to a close.

I understand tennis is a global sport and there is big money sponsors in Asia, Sweden, France, Austria and Spain in these late months, and I’m sure all this really matters if you live outside the U.S.

But if you live in the United States, do you really care about these fall and early winter tournaments? There’s virtually no TV for most of it. There are the final two ATP 1000s at Shanghai (Oct. 10) and Paris (Nov. 7), and Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will be there. But doesn’t everything seem somewhat hollow after the U.S. Open?

The season finally will end after the Barclay’s World Tour finals, which begin Nov. 21. The tour’s top eight players will be there, soldiering on into the final days of November, giving them about one month off before the 2011 season begins.

Really, less than that. They can stow the rackets and take a couple weeks vacation, if they can find someplace warm enough in December. But by mid-December they need to get back to training because you can’t just go to Australia in January cold turkey and get ready for the Aussie Open.

Two weeks off after all the travel. Two weeks off to get rid of elbow, shoulder, knee, ankle or wrist problems. Yes, of course they get a week off here and there between tournaments in mid-season, but it’s not real time off, is it? They still have to train or get ready for a forthcoming tournament.

And you wonder why so many players are injured or cop out of important events, including Davis Cup, in mid-year in order to get some essential rest.

* Just throwing a few scattershots out there:

  • Nadal right now leads No. 2 Novak Djokovic by 4,880 ranking points, the second widest lead ever. Widest? Nadal at 15,360 on May 11, 2009, to No. 2 Federer’s 10,170 – a lead of 5,190 points. . .
  • There are four Spaniards in the top 20 and, just like the Russians on the women’s side, ever more are on the way. Name to watch: Pablo Andujar, up 28 spots this week to No. 77 after qualifying and reaching the final in Bucharest, where he lost to Juan Ignacio Chela.. . .
  • What’s going on with 18 year old Traci Capra, who won a couple rounds at the U.S. Open and gave U.S. tennis fans a new name to follow? She hasn’t played since, but she’ll be back on court at a $50,000 Challenger in Kansas City next week, followed by a $50,000 in Troy, Ala., and a $25,000 in South Carolina. Credit two coaches for bringing her along – John Evert and Evert Tennis Academy coach Federico Ricci, who will be traveling with her. . .
  • John’s sister, Chrissie, was known as the Ice Queen in her playing days. Now you can call her the Godmother after she assumed the title upon the baptism of John’s first child. . .
  • Taylor Dent is only 10-17 and ranked No. 92 in his first full season back following multiple surgeries on his back, and he can’t be too happy about that. But in his more pensive moments, he must be thankful just to be back on court. . .
  • What has the country of Kazakhstan got to show for all the money it has spent paying players – mostly Russian – to fly their flag on tour? Not much. Andrey Golubev is at No. 41, Mikhail Kukushkin at 83 and Evgeny Korolev at 91. On the women’s side, just one rent-a-Russian – Yaroslava Shvedova at No. 39. Sesil Karatantcheva, who is really Bulgarian, is at No. 139. All these players list Kazakhstan as their country – an insult to the place where they were born.

70-68! JOHN ISNER WINS LONGEST TENNIS MATCH OF ALL-TIME

by

John Isner of the United States won the longest tennis match ever Thursday, taking the fifth-set of his first-round Wimbledon match with Nicolas Mahut of France 70-68. The final time of match was an incredible 11 hours, 5 minutes.

Isner and Mahut split the first four sets Tuesday, before darkness caused for the match to be delayed. They began the fifth set Wednesday at 2:04 p.m., and play was halted again at 9:10 p.m., because of darkness with the score tied 59-59.

Isner finished with a total of 112 aces and Mahut with 103.

The previous longest match in tennis history was 6 hours, 33 minutes, played between Arnaud Clement and Fabrice Santoro – both of France – in the first round of the 2004 French Open, Santoro winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-7(5), 3-6, 16-14 in a match stretched over two days.

The longest tennis matches of all time now list as follows;

11:05     John Isner def. Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (9), 7-6 (3), 70-68, 2010 Wimbledon first round

6:33        Fabrice Santoro def. Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 3-6, 16-14, 2004 French Open first round

6:31        Vicki Nelson-Dunbar def. Jean Hepner 6-4, 7-6 (13-11), 1984 Virginia Slims of Richmond

6:22        John McEnroe def. Mats Wilander 9-7, 6-2, 15-17, 3-6, 8-6, 1982 Davis Cup quarterfinal

Both players broke the previous record for most aces in a match, set by Ivo Karlovic of Croatia last year when he hit 78 aces in a Davis Cup match against Radek Stepanek.

For all draws, schedules and further Wimbledon news, go to www.Wimbledon.org

NADAL WINS FIFTH FRENCH OPEN TITLE

by

Rafael Nadal regained his title of “King of Clay” winning the French Open singles title for a fifth time Sunday with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Robin Soderling of Sweden.

Only the great Bjorn Borg has won more singles titles (6) at the world’s premier clay court tournament as Nadal increased his career record at Roland Garros to 38-1.

Nadal’s only French blemish came at the hands of the defeated finalist Sunday, Soderling, who shocked the Spanish lefty in the fourth round last year. Nadal, however, was able to avenge the loss to Soderling.

“This is one of the most important wins of my career,” said Nadal to John McEnroe on NBC Sports television. “It is very emotional.”

The win also catapulted Nadal back to the No. 1 ranking ahead of Roger Federer and he appears likely to hold the ranking as Nadal has little ranking points to defend the rest of the year. Last year, Nadal was unable to defend his 2008 Wimbledon title due to injury and was a losing semifinalist at the US Open. Nadal last was ranked No. 1 on July 5, 2009. Nadal prevents Federer from equaling the all-time weeks-at-No.1 record of 286 weeks, held by Pete Sampras. Federer has been ranked No. 1 in 285 weeks.

The win also marked Nadal’s seventh major title, moving him into a tie for 12th place all-time tying him with John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, John Newcombe, Richard Sears, Bill Larned, Henri Cochet and Rene Lacoste and William Renshaw.

McEnroe on NBC television called Nadal’s match “the best clay court match of the year” which is saying something since Nadal boasted a 22-0 clay-court record this year.

Nadal made only 16 unforced errors in the final and connected on 77 percent of his first serves and winning 74 percent of those points. The 24-year-old won the 2010 French title without losing a set – equaling a feat he also achieved in 2008.

NOAH IS FIVE-OH!

by

Yannick Noah, the charismatic Frenchmen whose win at the 1983 French Open will be replayed ad-nauseum over the next three weeks, is 50 years old. The dread-locked swash-buckler was born May 18, 1960 in Sedan, France. The following is his biography as it appears in THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS ($35.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com)

The kid looked like a tennis prospect, but he was a long way from anywhere that tennis meant anything. And he didn’t have a racket. Just a board that he’d fashioned into the shape of a racket. It was 1971 in Yaounde, Cameroon, West Africa, and a lucky day for 11-year-old Yannick Simone Camille Noah because Arthur Ashe was in town, stopping by on a U.S. State Department good will tour.

So here were two future Hall of Famers, meeting for the first time, at a tennis demonstration, Ashe presiding. Learning that Noah was a French citizen, born May 18, 1960, in Sedan, France, of a French mother and a professional soccer-playing Cameroonian father, Ashe was impressed by the very athletic-looking kid. Arthur gave Yannick a racket, wondering if he would like to get some help with his tennis. Yes. Thus, Ashe contacted his friend (also a future Hall of Famer), Philippe Chatrier, head of the French Tennis Federation, recommending that Noah get proper coaching. Zip! He was whisked off to Paris, eventually to become the most popular French player since the Four Mus­keteers (Borotra, Brugnon, Cochet, Lacoste) were winning the Davis Cup, 1927-32.

Growing to 6-foot-4, 190 lbs, Yannick was a menacing foe, a carefree, acrobatic volleyer who sought the net regardless of sur­face. Could he break the overly long French drought in Paris? Oui! After 37 dry years, going back to Marcel Bernard’s 1946 tri­umph over Jaroslav Drobny, Yannick evicted Mats Wilander from the throne room in 1983, 6-2, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3). He was three parts rolled into a delightful one: French, African, the last to win a major with a wooden racket.

An emotional, inspirational figure, he fired France to two Davis Cup finals: first, 1982, as leading player (winning 6 of 8 singles); second, 1991, as captain, convincing left-handed long-shots Guy Forget and infirm Henri Leconte that they could upset the U.S. anchored by Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

Although John McEnroe was too much for young Noah & Co. to deal with in 1982, Yannick’s strong influence fueled the 3-1 ambush of 1991, busting another drought, 59 years between Cups for France. He captained one more Davis Cup in 1996, France over Sweden, 3-2. Then, transferring his leadership talents to his countrywomen, Yannick guided France’s first Federation Cup conquest, a 4-1 defeat of Netherlands in the 1997 final.

He is now a well-known singer, composer entertainer in Europe. His 7-foot son, Joakim Noah, was a basketball All-Amer­ican for the University of Florida (helping the Gators win the NCAA title in 2006 and 2007) and now a member of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.

With Leconte, Yannick won the French doubles in 1984 over Czechs Pavel Slozil and Tom Smid, 6-4, 2-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. But, with Forget, he lost the French of 1987 to Anders Jarryd and Robert Seguso 6-7, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, and, with Leconte, the U.S. of 1986, to Ken Flach and Seguso, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (8-6), 6-0.

Charging and daring would-be passers on clay, as he had at Roland Garros, he won the 1985 Italian over Miloslav Mecir, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), and the 1983 German over Jose Higueras, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-0. On a hard court in 1982, he won Palm Springs [Calif.] by shuttting down No. 1 Ivan Lendl’s 44-match winning streak, 6-4,3-6, 6-2.

Noah crashed the world’s Top 10 at No. 9 in 1982, and stayed there for five more years straight in this order: Nos. 5, 10, 7, 4, 8. He turned pro in 1978 and won 23 singles titles, 15 doubles titles and $3,440,660 in prize money

MAJOR TITLES (2)—French singles, 1983; French doubles, 1984. DAVIS CUP—11 years, 26-15 singles, 13-7 doubles. SINGLES RECORD IN THE MAJORS—Australian (11-6), French (40-12), Wimbledon (6-6), U.S. (28-11)