World Tennis Magazine

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maud watson

Venus Williams beats Serena Williams in historic final – On this day in Sony Ericsson Open history

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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 28.

1999 – In the first singles final at an important, big tournament in 115 years played between sisters, Venus Williams defeats younger sister Serena Williams 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the women’s singles final at the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Fla. The match is highlighted by the charismatic father of both finalists – Richard Williams – who holds various signs during the match with such phrases as “Welcome the Williams Show” and “It Couldn’t Have Happened To A Better Family.” The last time the final of a big, important tournament is played between two sisters comes at Wimbledon 1884 when Maud Watson defeats older sister Lillian Watson in the women’s final.

1997 – No. 30 seeded Sergi Bruguera shocks world No. 1 Pete Sampras 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the semifinals of the Lipton Championships. “It’s one of the best feelings you can have in tennis, to beat the No. 1 in an important match,” says Bruguera. World No. 2 Thomas Muster also advances into the Lipton final, defeating No. 22 Jim Courier 6-3, 6-4.

1998 – Seventeen-year-old Venus Williams defeats 16-year-old Anna Kournikova 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to win the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Fla. Says Kournikova of her loss, “It’s good that she didn’t really beat me, because I made all the mistakes, right? That gives me some confidence that I could play better. She didn’t beat me. I lost.”

2002 – Serena Williams needs only 50 minutes to defeat older sister Venus Williams 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals of the Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. Jennifer Capriati needs 2 hours, 8 minutes and saves two match points in defeating Monica Seles 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) to also advance into the championship match.

1989 – Chris Evert plays a perfect final-set tie-break and escapes the upset-bid of Canada’s Helen Kelesi, defeating the world No. 11 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (0) in the quarterfinals of the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Fla. “I played a perfect tie-breaker and I didn’t play a perfect match,” says Evert. In the early morning hours, world No. 172 Jim Grabb concludes a fourth-round victory over Alberto Mancini, finishing off the Argentine 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7(4), 6-4 at 1:50 am.

1996 – Goran Ivanisevic fires 12 aces in his 6-4, 6-3 quarterfinal victory over Michael Chang at the Lipton Championships, then, in his post-match press conference, vows to set a record for number of aces that will “stand for another 200 years until the robots break it.”

2004 – Seventeen-year-old Rafael Nadal of Spain registers the biggest win of his young career, upsetting world No. 1 Roger Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the third round of the NASDAQ-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. Says Nadal, the youngest player in the 2004 NASDAQ-100 field, says “I played almost perfect tennis.” Federer’s loss is only his second in 25 matches in the 2004 season. Says Federer of Nadal, his future top rival, “He hit some really incredible shots, and that’s what youngsters do. I’ve heard a lot about him and saw some of his matches, so this is not a big surprise.”

2008 – Entering the Sony Ericsson Open as the hottest player in men’s tennis with victories at the Australian Open and the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, Calif., No. 3-ranked Novak Djokovic is cooled off in losing his opening round match to qualifier and No. 122-ranked Kevin Anderson of South Africa 7-6, 3-6, 6-4. Anderson, three weeks removed from reaching his first ATP singles final in Las Vegas, wins 13 points in the a row during a stretch in the third set after Djokovic leads 2-0. Says Anderson, “I kept telling myself, ‘I can do this. I’ve just got to believe in myself.’ Even still, just knowing what he’s done and what a great player he is, to have beaten him is a tremendous experience for me.”

IS THERE A PLACE FOR THE TENNIS WORLD CUP? THE FRIDAY FIVE

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By Maud Watson

End of an Era? – Earlier this week, it was announced that some of the ATP players are proposing a sort of “World Cup” biennial tournament to be played in place of the present Davis Cup competition.  The ITF is understandably defending the Davis Cup, which began over a century ago when the United States faced the British Isles in 1900 (USA victory).  I have to admit I’m torn on this one.  I respect the historical significance of the Davis Cup competition, but the reality is, there may not be a place for it in today’s game. With players such as Andy Murray, Roger Federer and now James Blake and Andy Roddick citing the demands of the Tour as a reason to forgo representing their countries in the current Davis Cup format, it’s become increasingly obvious that a change is needed. Plenty more details of this new proposal need to be reviewed, but I’m personally thinking that change may not be such a bad thing.  It might just be what ultimately revitalizes the nation vs. nation competition that Hall of Famer Dwight Davis dreamed of over a century ago.

It’s Over – Well, who didn’t see this one coming?  Golfer Greg Norman and tennis great Chris Evert have put an end to their 18-month marriage, with friends citing a case of two overgrown egos as the main catalyst behind the split.  According to sources, no money exchanged hands.  At least both can be grateful their divorce caused far less drama than the divorces that preceded their marriage.

Early Setbacks – One has to feel for Argentine David Nalbandian. The former Top 10 player was set to make his comeback in Auckland this week after a long injury lay off due to hip surgery.  Instead, he was forced to pull out with an abdominal strain, which has now also forced him out of the first major of the year.  He is not the only casualty, however.  Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu has also had to withdraw with a groin injury, while Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro and Frenchman Gael Monfils are all doubts for the Australian Open with their current injury woes.

What Year is it Again? – Earlier this past weekend, I thought it was 2003 or 2004.  I’m watching the final in Brisbane, and it’s Kim Clijsters vs. Justine Henin in what Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim rightfully declared one of the early candidates for match of the year. This match had everything.  It was high quality tennis, it was compatriot vs. compatriot, and it was two of the game’s most exciting players in the early stages of their second careers.  While I’m not sure what it says about women’s tennis that these two extraordinary competitors can come back and so quickly dominate the bulk of the women’s field after having sat out for a couple of years, there’s no doubt that women’s tennis hasn’t looked this scintillating in quite some time.

The Silent Killer Strikes Again – Diminutive Russian Nikolay Davydenko is doing his best to prove that his championship run at the ATP World Tour Finals was no fluke. At his opening tournament of the year in Doha, Davydenko cruised over World No. 1 Federer in straight sets before going on to save two match points and defeat World No. 2 Rafael Nadal in an epic final.  This has to be doing a lot to boost the Russian’s confidence, and Davydenko may just be ready to claim his first Grand Slam singles title.