World Tennis Magazine

Unique Tennis Perspectives

Rod Laver

Analyzing the Greatest Players of All Time

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Who is the greatest tennis player of all time?

This is a question that is discussed almost daily in the tennis world. But how does one compare players from different generations? How would Pete Sampras fair against Don Budge or Jack Kramer or Bill Tilden? What about Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal playing against Rod Laver or Ivan Lendl?

There was one tennis insider and Wimbledon champion who had a unique perspective on all of the all-time greats in men’s tennis mentioned above in that …he saw them all play! The man is Sidney Wood, who before his death in 2009 at the age of 97, wrote about and compared the greatest players of all-time and documented his thoughts in writing, that was published in 2011 in his post-humously published memoir called THE WIMBLEDON FINAL THAT NEVER WAS…AND OTHER TENNIS TALES FROM A BYGONE ERA ($19.95, New Chapter Press, available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257847/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=tennisgrancom-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0942257847&adid=1MT614NGS4930R9YREE5&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldtennismagazine.com%2F)

Wood’s chapter called “Analyzing the Greatest Players of All Time” is excerpted below…

 

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Bill Tilden vs. Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi? Given today’s immensely more power-packed racquets, who would pick up the marbles? And how about Rod Laver, Don Budge, Fred Perry, Jack Kramer, Pancho Gonzales, René Lacoste, Henri Cochet, Jean Borotra, Ellsworth Vines, Bobby Riggs, Lew Hoad, Tony Trabert, Frank Sedgman, Ken Rosewall, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl or Stefan Edberg?

Such questions are constantly put to every player whose repute and venerable status give credence to one’s observations, and even present-day tournament players and chroniclers of the game have an abiding interest in the player-comparison opinions of those they consider eminently qualified.

In fact, at an International Tennis Hall of Fame dinner at Newport a few years ago, Bud Collins, the globe-trotting tennis sophisticate, who was aware that I’d qualified for my first Wimbledon at the unlikely age of 15 in 1927, surprised me with the Tilden-contra-the-world question. He told me the sport of tennis was in need of a book by someone who had seen all the great matches and played “everyone” and that I was also the only guy still around who could first-hand compare and record what every tennis buff would hope to know. Computers now spit out weekly rankings of over 1,000 players on a weekly basis, but back when punch cards were its high-tech breadwinners, national amateur rankings were determined by committees appointed by each country’s tennis association (no more than fifty players were ever rated in the United States) and rankings of the world’s top 10 were decided by a succession of self-appointed London sports columnists whose judgments sometimes appeared based as much on favoritism as fact. Add to this the fact that from 1930, when “Big Bill” Tilden departed the amateur ranks, until 1968, when Jack Kramer led the pro contingent into the “Promised Land of Open Tennis,” the pros were barred from all major tournaments and excluded from the world rankings. This rendered the rankings meaningless as a measurement of the world’s best. Also prior to 1968, virtually every newly-anointed amateur champion would be lured to the pay-for-play game, thereby stripping the amateur ranks of its marquee drawing cards and permitting as yet unproven contestants to be crowned No. 1 in the world of “officially-sanctioned” tennis.

The effect of this double standard? Just tote up the number of stadium-filling superstars lost to the major amateur events through the schism: Tilden in 1931, Cochet in 1933, Vines in 1934, Perry in 1937, Budge in 1939, Riggs in 1941, Kramer in 1948 (following the five-year World War II gap) and, during the next two decades, Gonzales, Sedgman, Hoad, Rosewall, Trabert and Laver all bid adieu to the trophy-only circuit.

With each season’s cumulatively diminished quality of competition, the paths to Grand Slam glories were measurably eased for the succeeding year’s hopeful. Put another way, with Wimbledon as our focus, Tilden would have been the bettors’ favorite to garner another two wins; Budge, at least another four or five; Riggs, Kramer and Gonzales, three to five each. As for Trabert, Hoad, Rosewall and Laver, who knows how many among them? Pre-1968 winners such as Wood (ouch, that’s me!), Ted Schroeder, Yvon Petra, Vic Seixas, Jaroslav Drobny, Bob Falkenburg, Budge Patty, Dick Savitt, Ashley Cooper, Alex Olmedo, Neale Fraser, Chuck McKinley, Roy Emerson and Manolo Santana all would have been hard pressed to squeeze out even an occasional win against their abdicated amateur opponents.

Three all-important extenuations bear on the records of our brightest of stars and we must comment on their merits in order that the reader may interpret their relative importance, vis-a-vis the overall picture of the half century under review. For example, the first U.S. airborne wayfarers to Wimbledon and Paris were in 1946. Before that time, the boat trip to Europe was a five-day affair plus the absolutely essential need of a week to find your land legs. Each year you could safely predict that half the top seeds who would debark from the boat from Wimbledon to the United States to compete, usually the next day, in the Meadow Club tournament, and would be out of the singles after the first or second round, would be left to quench their frustrations on the sunny Atlantic sands of Southampton. All in all, it took about eight weeks to make the scene at both Paris and Wimbledon, while from Australia, this period was more than doubled. Often the trip was economically or otherwise unfeasible for the reasonably-pure amateur of those days.

The second consideration was the advent of World War II, which resulted in a six-year championship hiatus from 1940 to 1946 at Wimbledon, Paris and Australia; and, with most of the players in the service, there was a low-level entry at Forest Hills. In virtually every sport, leading athletes lost out on the opportunity to enhance their records during their prime competitive years. In tennis, this especially affected players such as Don Budge, Bobby Riggs and Jack Kramer.

The final consideration has to be the development of pro tour tennis, which lured the leading performers to its ranks and prevented their participation in the four major events and Davis Cup. Until 1968, these men were precluded from defending their Wimbledon, Forest Hills and other crowns by the simon-pure rules in effect.

When Rod Laver went pro in 1963, he was fresh off winning his first Grand Slam, in which he dominated and beat everyone in the amateur kingdom. But, here again, there was quite a way to go before he would become a case-hardened touring pro. Though there were to be no more head-to-head professional barnstorming matches, Rod met Gonzales in meaningful tournament matches over a two-year span but could win only a few. How would he have fared after more seasoning and the years had cooled some of Pancho’s fire, we’ll never know.

Also until 1968, Davis Cup regulations prohibited professionals from competing for their countries and over the previous ten years, during which there was high-purse pro tennis decimating the upper reaches of the amateur lists, the world’s best were not participating. This is sad for such a long-recognized important goodwill-builder among nations to be only a minor factor in the considerations of the player’s individual world ranking.

A fair question would be to ask where I get the gall to take on this project. At the age of 14, and almost 90 pounds, I won the Arizona men’s singles, which earned me entry to that year’s U.S. Nationals, the modern-day US Open. The following spring, I was shipped to Paris for the French Championships and shockingly won two rounds to become the youngest ever male qualifier for Wimbledon. There, I played defending champion René Lacoste on the hallowed Centre Court on opening day. In 1931, I became the youngest-ever Wimbledon men’s singles champion at the age of 19 (Boris Becker broke my record in 1985 when he won the title at the age of 17). From that time on, through to the late 1970s (doubles only towards the end!), I was privileged to compete against virtually every top player in the world. At the start of the organized pro game, I invented and patented the cushioned, transportable Supreme Court, which is still used for indoor events, and I was not displeased to be reminded by an old AT P buddy that there was no way the pro indoor circuit could have gone full bore had I not dreamt up the concept.

It is these years of experience and fraternal relationships that permit me to confidently assess the pecking order and relative aptitudes of my tennis brethren in our star-studded galaxy from nearly the dawn of competitive tennis, my aim being not to determine who belongs in any year’s top 10, but how the best would stack up against the best, in any year, past or present.

I’m positively no misogynist, so why would I not have included all those richly deserving ladies in this discussion? I have been present, or have viewed on TV, virtually all important women’s matches going back to the Helen Wills (Moody) era, and I do indeed have opinions as to which stars of the gentler gender belong on which rungs of the all-time ladder of tennis greatness. However, it would not only be more appropriate, but a better qualified assessment if such an analysis were undertaken by one of their own leading ladies who has shared the competitive scene.

My rankings are based essentially on win/loss records in important events, primarily the four majors – the Grand Slams – and the pre-1968, head-to-head pro tours, with appropriate credits accorded Davis Cup competition and other important events. What lies behind the printed scores is what determines the placement of each of the world’s great players. For instance, for many years certain tournaments have traditionally counted more than others. After 1946, when the top-amateur turns-pro system resumed, the purely pro events such as the U.S. Pro Championships, Wembley, and the WCT Finals in Dallas became important. Finally, judgments have to be made of the relative value that should be attached to such factors as longevity, consistency, two-man tour results and the ability to win on the slow as well as the fast surfaces.

The Top Fifteen 

1. Don Budge: A no-brainer. In 1938, Don was the first winner of the Grand Slam and for six decades he has been recognized by his peers as the one player to have commanded not only every shot in the book for every surface, but also to have been blessed with the single most destructive tennis weapon ever—a bludgeon backhand struck with a sixteen ounce “Paul Bunyan” bat. All opposed? You might first want to check out Jack Kramer’s required reading, The Game. Jake knows all, tells all. Wrote Kramer in the book, published in 1979, “Don is still the best player I ever saw, and (Ellsworth) Vines is next. Right away a lot of people are going to say I’m an old timer, pushing the guys of my era. Don’t I know that the human body runs faster and jumps higher now than in the 1930s? And I say, yes, I know that, and will you please name me a better hitter than Ted Williams and a better singer than Caruso?… I feel fairly confident in saying that Budge was the best of all. He owned the most perfect set of mechanics and he was the most consistent…Day in and day out, Budge played at the highest level. He was the best.” 

2. Jack Kramer: The choice is clear to me, but may be less so to certain of today’s forty to fifty-year-olds; but even a scan of Jake’s professional stats tells you why he was a rung above Pancho Gonzales (who in turn handled all the rest).

3. Bill Tilden: Most sports fans know Bobby Riggs (thanks in part to Billie Jean King, who beat him in the famed 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match), René Lacoste and Fred Perry (their shirt labels!), but poor Henri Cochet, Jean Borotra, Pancho Segura—even Budge, Kramer and Gonzales!—are becoming shadowier with time and better remembered by historically disposed fans. But everyone has heard of William T. Tilden. In his day, Big Bill was as world famous as Jack Dempsey, Bobby Jones—even Babe Ruth! He changed the game’s image from a side-court chair, standing-room sport to a stadium- packed, crowd-pleaser (it was Bill who paid the freight on America’s first tennis stadium at Forest Hills). The press named his pile-driver first serve “The Cannonball” and, allowing for the transformation of tennis racquets, no one other than Frank Shields and Ellsworth Vines ever owned one better. Bill’s enduring record on every surface—an absolute master of every shot in the book—make him a shoo-in for third on my list. Were there more witnesses around who’d seen Tilden play everyone in sight until the age of 48, I might well be sued for leaving him off the top. In spite of his constantly troubled lifestyle, Bill, together with his mighty contemporaries, Jones and Ruth, must go in the books as a once-in-a-century sports aberration. 

4. Pancho Gonzales: Other than for his nemesis Kramer, Pancho dominated the pro touring field after leaving the amateur ranks after winning the 1949 U.S. Championships. He had many one-sided win records against such Grand Slam event champions-turned-pro as Frank Sedgman, Tony Trabert and Ken Rosewall.

5. Rod Laver: He won the first of his double Grand Slams as an amateur in 1962, but in his 1969 win he had every active pro in the game to vanquish. His only significant tournament disappointment was his failure to win a WCT title, losing two finals to an inspired Ken Rosewall (their second match in 1972 was one of the greatest I’ve ever seen). There will understandably be many who can’t comprehend why I place a two-time Grand Slam titleholder midway among the first ten, but in my opinion, when comparing Laver’s strokes to these other great champions, this is the position in which I feel he belongs. 

6. Pete Sampras: You know all about those weeks without end as numero uno, his multiple Slam record, especially his virtual ownership of Wimbledon’s Centre Court. His understandably respectful peers were resigned to playing second fiddle to Pete, but they looked forward to ambushing him on slow clay. But it is Pete’s inability to capture a single French Championship – perhaps to equate with Ivan Lendl’s frustrating naughts at Wimbledon – that puts a hold on marking him ahead of other unbeatables who’ve done it.

7. Fred Perry: Where do you put a player who practically waltzed through three straight Wimbledons and two of our national singles, plus an Australian and French for sweeteners? This, of course, is Fred Perry who did his winning when all the big guns except Vines were around to test him. After he turned pro, Fred played a 61-match neck-and-neck tour with Vines, 1936-37 (Vines won, 32-29), but he began to sag a bit thereafter (Vines beat him head-to-head 49-35 in 1937-38). Barnstorming was not this Britisher’s cup of tea, but he belongs at no less than number seven among the splendid ones. 

8. Bjorn Borg: Bjorn practically toyed with everybody through an astounding six French Open wins, but none of us sage old timers gave him a chance to make it past the second round on Wimbledon’s fast grass. Yet overnight, our high-roller, backcourt habitue became a demon volleyer and for five consecutive years, he made mincemeat out of such grass-court winners as Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. Borg stood an impossible four to five feet behind the baseline to take first serves, but was so fast out of the blocks that few wide slices got past him. He was one hell of an athlete. Could he have continued his dominance on the hard courts of the US Open, Borg would have been a shoo-in to be ranked ahead of all others, but on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows, his second delivery lacked the weight to defend against McEnroe’s chip-and run-in tactics, and Bjorn had to settle for a runner-up role. 

9. Ivan Lendl: To me, Ivan was an enigma wrapped in a Centre Court frustration. He’d gladly have refunded Wimbledon’s first prize guineas several times over for just one win, but his best chance was in 1987, when he lost to the lower-ranked Pat Cash. Lendl beat all comers hollow on everything but grass, so why couldn’t he make it? Unlike Borg, no matter how many hours he ultimately spent striving to become a volleyer, habit was too strong. On crucial points, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the baseline and rush to the net, where Bjorn never feared to tread. Nonetheless, with three US Open titles, three French Open titles and two Australian Open titles and an astonishing 11 runner-up showings at majors (totaling 19 Grand Slam tournament finals), how can he not rate an upper berth-spot.

10. Jimmy Connors: Jimmy won eight major singles titles and was an eight-time runner-up. He failed to win only in France where he was unable to capitalize on his flat-hitting power. I was among those who urged Jimmy to stop feeling he had to bury every ball from the baseline, but it wasn’t until his waning years in the big time that the light finally dawned. In his later years, he was a born-again net rusher, but think how many of those lost finals he could have converted to victories had he unshackled his game and groundstroke fixation a decade earlier. 

11. John McEnroe: McEnroe’s most remarkable season was 1984. He lost just 13 games in two final-round, straight-set wins in major finals over Connors (Wimbledon) and Lendl (US Open). That’s incredible. At the French, he had Lendl nailed but admitted he blew it and lost after leading two-sets-to-love. If the TV could have been programmed to cut out all but John’s shots in play, you would have been admiring perhaps the most naturally gifted shot-maker ever to play tennis. McEnroe’s great record of three Wimbledon and four U.S. titles, plus four major runner-up showings, puts him high on our ladder, but with even a modicum of self discipline (and regard for our game’s image), I’d bet he could have traded his odorous court garbage for more than just a few more wins. 

12. Boris Becker: I’ve had a personal interest in Boris and his career ever since 1985 when he cleaned Kevin Curren’s clock to take the first of his three Wimbledon titles while erasing my 54-year span of being its youngest winner. Boris had a serve with an affinity for the Centre Court turf. He can give you a heavy whack with both his first or second, or slice it with wicked deception. He won one U.S. singles title and two in Australia, but Roland Garros refused to succumb to his power game.

13. Roy Emerson: When Roy wound up on his serve, he looked as if he were bowing to Wimbledon’s Royal Box, which could be habit-formed from having accepted the winner’s trophy there successively in 1964 and 1965. Elsewhere he walked off with two U.S., two French and a mere six Australian singles titles. Although these were before the Open era of tennis (1968), don’t knock it. Roy had what it takes. 

14. Stefan Edberg: Stefan is almost a throwback to bygone years when the big events were on grass and 80 percent of the game’s best were serve-and-volleyers. Edberg’s was not a big serve, but his sure-handed, superbly-reflexed and fearless net play won him two titles at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open, plus a runner-up showing at the French in 1989. How many more would be crowding his trophy room if he could have waltzed in behind such trenchant deliveries as McEnroe’s, Becker’s, Ivanisevic’s, Sampras’s and Krajicek’s? Double maybe?

15. René Lacoste: Inventor of the first ball-throwing machine, the metal racquet and, of course, the chemise Lacoste, René had a tennis game that was every bit as mechanical as his creative brain. As the leader of the Four Musketeers of the courts (with Henri Cochet, Jean Borotra and Jacques Brugnon), René combined his Maginot Line defense game with pinpoint angled, counter-attacking ripostes. His two Wimbledon, two U.S. and three French wins were against such toughies as Bill Tilden and his compatriots Cochet and Borotra.

 

You might notice that there are some major omissions from this list of top 15 players of all time. Of course missing are the greatest players of the current era, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, as well as Andre Agassi, a winner of eight majors, including a career Grand Slam. My father was fortunate to have the opportunity late in his life to watch these three compete, but was not able to put his thoughts down on paper as part of this compilation. However, he was a big fan of all three players and would no doubt have place them in at least the top 10 of this list. Of Federer, he said he was the most intelligent player he had seen in over 50 years. Of course winning more major singles titles than any other man would place him near the top of this list. Unfortunately, my father passed away just months before Federer won the 2009 French Open that completed his career Grand Slam, and his record-breaking 15th major singles title weeks later at Wimbledon. 

In addition to admiring Nadal’s ferocious physical game, my father admired Nadal’s great sportsmanship. My father came from an era in which sportsmanship was expected and the rule of the day. Nadal’s character and how he presents himself was not lost on him. While my father was not around to see Nadal clinch his career Grand Slam at the 2010 US Open, that milestone achievement would have rated him very high on this list. 

Agassi was a player who grew on my father. When he first burst on the scene, my father detested his long hair and look – preferring the clean cut style of his own era. In fact, he would often go out of his way to not watch Agassi play. Through the years, however, he began to appreciate him more and admired his strength, speed and the way he played and took great joy in watching him in action. If Agassi’s final body of work (established after my father’s writing) is considered, he too would rank well against the players mentioned in this list, especially with his eight majors that included at least one each of the Big Four.

– David Wood

Tennis Executives Getting Paid Less: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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Novak Djokovic with ATP CEO Adam Helfant

Tennis Executives getting paid less according to Sports Business Journal article

According to a November 28 article in Sports Business Journal written by staff journalist Daniel Kaplan, pay for the tennis executives is on the decline. The article states that between 2008 and 2010, the USTA cut overall compensation $38 million, which was down 22 percent, while the WTA Tour dropped overall pay to $7.9 million, a nearly 8 percent decline. The ATP World Tour also eliminated 11 percent of their pay during that time to $12.9 million. Further, Kaplan mentioned that the men’s professional tour saw its pay go up in 2010 from 2009. Outgoing ATP Executive Chairman and President Adam Helfant, who formerly was a Vice President at Nike, earned $2.3 million in 2010, before making close to $3 million in 2011. Helfant was not satisfied with his pay as the top guy at the ATP World Tour, leading to his decision to step down at the end of the year, according to sources that are close to the ATP Board of Directors. Helfant denies that is the reason for his departure. In Kaplan’s article, he states that former USTA CEO Arlen Kantarian took home $9 million in his final year with the organization, while former head of the WTA Tour Larry Scott, who is now the Commissioner of the Pac-12 Conference, took in $1.6 million in 2006, a huge sum for that position, considering the previous leader made roughly a half a million dollars. Current WTA Tour Chairman and CEO Stacey Allaster made just $1 million in 2010.

Tickets for United States vs. Belarus Fed Cup tie on sale to general public on December 9

The USTA announced that tickets to the 2012 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group II First Round tie between the United States and Belarus will go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 9, at 10 a.m. EST. An exclusive pre-sale for USTA members begins today at 10 a.m. EST and ends on Thursday, December 8 or while supplies last. The United States vs. Belarus tie will take place at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass., from February 4-5, 2012. Ticket prices range from $60-$225 and are sold as two-day packages. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or www.usta.com/fedcup. Tickets can also be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (888) 334-8782.

Emilio Sanchez honored with Davis Cup Award of Excellence

The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) recently announced that Spain’s Emilio Sanchez is the 2011 recipient of the Davis Cup Award of Excellence. Sanchez was presented with his award at last weekend’s Davis Cup final between Spain and Argentina in Seville. ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti and 1984 Tennis Hall of Famer Manolo Santana, a previous recipient of the award, presented Sanchez with the prestigious award. “Emilio Sanchez was a great contributor to the Davis Cup for nearly two decades, as a player, captain, and dedicated supporter of the event,” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF President. “In recognition of his achievements and in appreciation for his contributions to the sport and to Davis Cup, we are proud to present him with the Davis Cup Award of Excellence.” While playing on the ATP Tour, Sanchez competed for Spain in Davis Cup on 12 occasions between 1984 and 1996, compiling a 32-23 record. In 2005, he took over as captain for Spain, and in 2008, he led his nation to the Davis Cup title by defeating Argentina.

Bacardi serves up a chance to play tennis against tennis star Rafael Nadal

Bacardi Limited recently launched an international free competition to meet its Global Social Responsibility Ambassador Rafael Nadal as part of the award-winning “Champions Drink Responsibly” social responsibility campaign. If you are the legal drinking age, you will get the opportunity to “Ace Rafa” in an online virtual reality video game created by Bacardi Limited. Fans who successfully “Ace” Nadal in the game will be entered into a free prize drawing for a chance to win a trip to Mallorca, Spain, where they will  meet Nadal and have a chance to ace the 10-time Grand Slam singles champion. You can enter the competition by visiting www.facebook.com/ChampionsDrinkResponsibly.

Wozniacki hires Ricardo Sanchez as new coach

World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki announced that she has hired Ricardo Sanchez as her new coach. Sanchez, who most recently coached former top-ranked player Jelena Jankovic, will coach the Dane along with her father, Piotr. “It’s a good idea with Ricky,” said Wozniacki. “We know him very well, and he has been watching so many of my matches and created tactics against me, so he really knows me as a player. He also knows all the other girls on the tour very well.” It is believed that Sanchez has signed a one-year deal to coach the 21-year-old.

Ryan Harrison hires Grant Doyle as new coach

American Ryan Harrison has hired Grant Doyle as his new coach, his agent, IMG’s Ben Crandell, confirmed to TENNIS.com. Doyle previously coached Southern Californian Sam Querrey. Harrison most recently split with coach Scott McCain, whom he worked with since May and was sharing with former two-time NCAA singles champion Somdev Devvarman. Currently ranked No. 79, Harrison will start his 2012 season by playing in Brisbane, Auckland and then at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Roddick enters 2012 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis

Tournament officials announced on Tuesday that former world No. 1 and defending champion Andy Roddick has entered the 2012 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships at The Racquet Club of Memphis, which will be played from February 17-26. Roddick joins an already impressive field which includes 2011 ATP “Newcomer of the Year” Milos Raonic, Gael Monfils, Sam Querrey, John Isner, Lleyton Hewitt and James Blake. It was also announced that Roddick will play his first round match at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 22 followed by Raonic’s match. Monfils will play his first round match at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21. Also scheduled to appear in Memphis in February is tennis legend John McEnroe, who will play a doubles exhibition match on Monday, February 20 with Blake, Querrey and Jack Sock.

Wozniacki, Azarenka confirm they will play Rogers Cup in 2012

World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and No. 3 Victoria Azarenka confirmed that they will participate in the 2012 Rogers Cup at the Uniprix Stadium in Montreal from August 4-13. The last time the tournament was played in Montreal, Wozniacki defeated Russian Vera Zvonareva to win the title. Zvonareva and France’s Marion Bartoli announced their decision last week to participate in next year’s event.

ATP World Tour player Rajeev Ram to host exhibition match for charity in Indianapolis on Saturday

Indianapolis native Rajeev Ram, a former singles and doubles champion in Newport, will host the 2nd annual “EntouRAJ for Kids” charity event at the Five Seasons Racquet Club in Indianapolis on Saturday, December 10 from 5-8 p.m. The former Carmel High School and University of Illinois standout will take on two-time NCAA Division I singles champion Somdev Devvarman, before WNBA Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings and local tennis players will join them on the court. During the event, a live and silent auction will occur with the chance to win signed tennis racquets from Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Tickets are $10 for children and $20 for adults. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Hamilton County Community Tennis Association’s college scholarship and reading programs. Last year’s event raised nearly $13,600. Tickets can be ordered by visiting http://entourajforkids2011.eventbrite.com/.

ATP doubles specialist James Cerretani to host charity exhibition match in Boston on December 15

The Boston Lobsters and Cohasset Tennis Club invites you to a special night of doubles on Thursday, December 15 at 7 p.m. in Cohasset, Mass., to benefit ATP World Tour doubles player James Cerretani’s charity Tenacity, a non-profit organization that promotes a safe and healthy after-school environment. The event will feature Cerretani, as well as 2011 Australian Open doubles semifinalist Eric Butorac, Adil Shamasdin and Harvard’s Christo Schultz, who plays No. 1 for the Crimson. Each featured player will be paired with an amateur and play a 10-point tiebreaker semifinal. A 10-point tiebreaker final will immediately follow. There is a $250 entry fee for amateur participants, who must be rated 4.0 or higher to enter. There will be $1,000 from this event donated to Tenacity. At 8 p.m., Butorac and Schultz will play Cerretani and Shamasdin in the feature match. Food, beer and wine will be provided. It will cost $10 for Cohasset Tennis Club members and $15 for non-members. Please call (781) 383-9533 to reserve tickets or secure your place in the Pro-Am.

Vazquez out as Argentina’s Davis Cup captain following loss to Spain in finals

ESPN Deportes is reporting that Tito Vazquez is out as Argentina’s Davis Cup captain after the country’s tennis federation decided not to renew his contract following their loss to Spain in last weekend’s Davis Cup final in Seville. Mariano Zabaleta and Martin Jaite have been named as potential replacements for Vazquez. However, the Argentine newspaper, Ole, is reporting that Jaite has already been offered the job.

Sony Ericsson Open offering ticket specials as holiday gifts

If you are interested in seeing some of the best tennis in the world in sunny Miami, Florida, consider ordering tickets to the Sony Ericsson Open as a holiday gift before they go on sale to the public. The 2012 Sony Ericsson Open will be played from March 19-April 1 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park. For more information on ordering tickets, please call the ticket office at (305) 442-3367 or visit the official tournament website at www.sonyericssonopen.com.

Rod Laver to miss Australian Open in January

Rod Laver, who is considered by some to be the greatest tennis player in the history of the sport, will miss the 100th annual Australian Open in Melbourne, since he wants to spend time with his wife at their home in Southern California since her health has been fluctuating over the last several years. “Mary’s fine, but we are battling (her health), so I definitely won’t be flying to Melbourne for next year’s Australian Open,” said Laver. The 73-year-old Laver is the only male player to have twice won the career Grand Slam, achieving it in 1962 and 1969.

Professional Tennis Registry signs two new corporate members

Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) recently announced that they signed two new corporate members, Fuzzy Yellow Balls and reBounces. Fuzzy Yellow Balls is a website where tennis players can learn how to play tennis online for free, discuss the sport they love and socialize. Fuzzy Yellow Balls content combines the knowledge of some of the Washington D.C. area’s top tennis professionals with innovative teaching technologies and strategies. Since 2007, reBounces has been the leader in green tennis technology. The patented Green Tennis Machine is a bulk tennis ball re-pressurization system that allows tennis facilities to extend life of their practice tennis balls and increase their bottom line. The company is also the first and only organization to offer a free tennis ball recycling program facilities and individuals in the United States who need to get rid of their old tennis balls. Both companies will have a booth at the PTR Tennis Trade Show on February 26 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla.

A Look Back at Davis Cup History

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With Spain and Argentina set to do battle in the Davis Cup Final in Sevilla, Spain, WorldTennisMagazine.com looks back at some of the great moments in the history of the Davis Cup with excerpts from Randy Walker’s book ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY ($19.95, New Chapter Press,  www.TennisHistoryBook.com). The following is the excerpt from the December 1 chapter.

U.S. Davis Cup team 1995

1995 – In one of the most dramatic moments of his career, Pete Sampras collapses in cramps on match point as he outlasts Andrei Chesnokov 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4 to give the United States a 1-0 lead over Russia in the Davis Cup Final in Moscow, Russia. Struggling with cramps in both hamstrings in the latter stages of the fifth set, the top-ranked Sampras guts out a 25-stroke rally on the final point of the match to dramatically fend off the pesky No. 91-ranked Chesnokov in 3 hours, 38 minutes. Writes Lee Hockstader of the Washington Post, “Pete Sampras didn’t walk off the court after his grueling five-set victory against Russia’s Andrei Chesnokov. He didn’t limp off the court. He didn’t even manage to crawl off the court. He was dragged from it — his cramped legs limp beneath him — by two U.S. Davis Cup teammates seconds after a heart-stopping, hair-raising, 25-stroke match point that left the Russian crowd in an uproar and Sampras flat on his back in pain. You might say he was lucky to get out alive.” Says U.S. Davis Cup Captain Tom Gullikson of Sampras and overcoming his cramping in the fifth set, “Pete has that low-key approach – and I think that helps him, because in tight spots a lot of people show their competitiveness more and get fired up. But then their muscles get so tight they can’t swing at the ball. One of Pete’s real strengths is that he hits out in the big moments.” Yevgeny Kafelnikov defeats Jim Courier 7-6, 7-5, 6-3 to even the score at 1-1 after the first day of play.

1991 – France wins the Davis Cup for the first time in 59 years – since the last of six titles by the famed Four Musketeers in 1932 – as Guy Forget upsets Davis Cup rookie Pete Sampras 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to clinch France’s 3-1 triumph over the United States in the Davis Cup Final in Lyon, France. The win causes an uproarious celebration as the crowd sings the French national anthem, The Marseilles, dance and applaud, while Forget, teammate Henri Leconte and French captain Yannick Noah run around the court with the French Flag. Noah then leads his team and support staff in a conga-line around the court. Says Forget of the glory of winning the Davis Cup, “I don’t think the Americans realize how much the Davis Cup means to the French team and the public. We have World Cup soccer, the Tour de France and the Davis Cup. In America, they have 10 different things more important than the Davis Cup.” Sampras, playing in his first Davis Cup series, also loses on the opening day of the best-of-five-match series to Henri Leconte. Says the world No. 6 of the loss, “It’s very disappointing. I feel like I’ve let down my team… so life goes on, really.”

1996 – France wins the Davis Cup title for an eighth time in the wildest final day in Davis Cup history as the final two singles matches last a total of 9 hours, 12 minutes in Malmo, Sweden. With France leading 2-1 entering the third and final day of the best-of –five-match series, Cedric Pioline of France nearly clinches victory in the fourth rubber, leading No. 9-ranked Thomas Enqvist of Sweden two-sets to love and 5-2 in the final set, only to lose 3-6, 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-4, 9-7 in 4 hours, 25 minutes. Arnaud Boetsch of France, ranked No. 31, then wins the closest Cup-deciding match in the event’s history, beating No. 64 ranked Nicklas Kulti, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 10-8. Boetsch saves triple-Cup point down at 6-7, 0-40 in the fifth set, but wins the epic in 4 hours, 47 minutes.

2007 – The United States ends its longest title drought in Davis Cup history, winning its first title in 12 years as identical twins Bob and Mike Bryan defeat Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-2  giving the United States a clinching 3-0 lead over Russia in the Davis Cup Final in Portland, Ore. “No words can explain how we feel right now, except Woooooooo!” Mike Bryan says to the crowd following the victory, the record 32nd title for the United States. The Bryans victory comes a day after their teammates Andy Roddick and James Blake put the United States up 2-0 on the first day of play. Roddick, the No. 6 player in the world, defeats Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the opening match and No. 13 ranked Blake beats Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3). Says U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe after the Bryans clinching victory, “It’s been a long road; I couldn’t be happier for those guys, because they’ve been through it all together.”

1990 – In front of a crowd of 18,156 fans at the Florida Suncoast Dome – the most to watch a Davis Cup match in the United States – Rick Leach and Jim Pugh clinch the 29th Davis Cup title for the United States as they defeat Pat Cash and John Fitzgerald 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (2) in 3 hours, 6 minutes in the Davis Cup Final in St. Petersburg, Fla. The title is the first for the United States in eight years when John McEnroe leads the U.S. to victory over France in the 1982 Final in Grenoble, France.

1973 – Rod Laver and John Newcombe defeat Stan Smith and Erik van Dillen 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 giving Australia a match-clinching 3-0 lead over the United States in the Davis Cup Final in Cleveland, Ohio. The win ends the five-year reign of the United States as Davis Cup champions and earns Australia its 23rd Davis Cup title. Laver and Newcombe’s win takes only 66 minutes and is the worst doubles loss ever inflicted upon a U.S. Davis Cup team. Newcombe and Laver never face a break point, serve nine love games and lose only one point on serve in the third set. Says Laver, “I think it’s the best I’ve played in doubles.

Roger Federer, Rod Laver and other Wimbledon champions’ books for sale for the holidays

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“Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection,” Rod Laver’s “The Education of a Tennis Player” and Others Make For Great Affordable Holiday Gifts

Roger Federer

NEW YORK, N.Y. — “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” and Rod Laver’s memoir “The Education of a Tennis Player” – as well as books by other Wimbledon champions Sidney Wood and Jan Kodes – are a few of the books published by New Chapter Press available as gifts for tennis fans for the holidays.

New Chapter Press is the leading publisher of tennis books in the United States featuring titles written by and about some of the greatest players of all-time, tennis history books that document tales, records and happenings in the sport, as well as instructional books to improve play and strategy.

“Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” ($19.95, www.RogerFedererBook.com) was written by Rene Stauffer, the esteemed Swiss tennis journalist who has covered Federer since the budding tennis champion was a 15-year-old. The book chronicles Federer’s life as tempermental junior player, through his early struggles on the ATP Tour and his break-through win at Wimbledon in 2003 and winning his record-breaking 15th major singles title at Wimbledon in 2009. The book also focuses on Federer’s values, how he has been marketed, his relationship with the media as well as his numerous charitable pursuits.

“The Education of a Tennis Player” ($19.95) is the memoir of Rod Laver that focuses mainly on his famous 1969 Grand Slam season, capped off by his win over fellow Australian Tony Roche in the final of the U.S. Open. Laver also writes about his childhood and early days in tennis, his 1962 Grand Slam and offers tips on how players of all levels can improve their game. He also shares some of the strategies that helped him to unparalleled success on the tennis court.

“The Bud Collins History of Tennis” ($35.95, 784 pages) is the ultimate compilation of historical tennis information written by the world’s most famous tennis journalist and tennis historian. The book includes year-by-year recaps of every tennis season, biographical sketches of every major tennis personality, as well as stats, records, and championship rolls for all the major events. The author’s personal relationships with major tennis stars offer insights into the world of professional tennis found nowhere else.

“The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” ($15.95) details the life and times of Hall of Famer and Wimbledon champion Sidney Wood with a focus on one of the most unusual episodes ever in sport when he won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon by forfeit. Wood, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 97, tells the story of how he won the title over Frank Shields, his school buddy, doubles partner, roommate and Davis Cup teammate – and the grandfather of actress and model Brooke Shields – when Shields was ordered by the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) to withdraw from the final to rest his injured knee in preparation for a U.S. Davis Cup match following Wimbledon. He then discusses his “private understanding playoff” that saw his match with Shields at the Queen’s Club tournament final in London three years later be played for the Wimbledon trophy. Other fascinating tales from Hollywood and tennis through the years are also shared in this wildly entertaining book.

“Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” ($49.95) by Jan Kodes, is a coffee table book that provides a narrative and illustrated history of Czech tennis through the eyes of Kodes and author Peter Kolar. The book, filled with hundreds of unique and personal photographs, documents the successful journey of Kodes from political turmoil of the Cold War to international tennis fame, detailing the early days of darkness and family persecution in communist Czechoslovakia and the complexities of becoming a professional tennis player under a totalitarian regime. Entertaining anecdotes featuring Czech tennis legends Ivan Lendl and Martina Navratilova are also featured as well as the stories behind Kodes’ victories at Wimbledon and the French Open and his two runner-up finishes at the U.S. Open.

“Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” ($19.95, www.CliffRicheyBook.com) was written by former U.S. No. 1 Cliff Richey along with his oldest daughter Hilaire Richey Kallendorf and details the life and tennis career of Richey, providing readers with his real-life drama – on and off the tennis court. Richey’s depression is a constant theme, from his genetics and family history, to the tensions of his professional tennis career and family life, to his eventual diagnosis and steps to recover from his condition. This book inspires people to never to give up, no matter how difficult life may be.

“Tennis Made Easy” ($19.95) by Kelly Gunterman is an accessible, concise and informative paperback guide that offers sensible and simple instruction, explained in a clear, jargon-free format, drawn from 30 years of tennis coaching. Effective for tennis players of all levels, this workbook includes a wealth of tactics, strategies, and definitions that is perfectly suited for beginners to the sport. Integrating productive and enjoyable practice drills, a wide range of topics are explored-gripping the racket, perfecting your serve, positioning, pressuring the opponent, and how to play singles or doubles. Clear information on choosing equipment and deciding what to pack in a tennis bag is also included.

“On This Day In Tennis History” ($19.95, 528 pages, www.TennisHistoryBook.com), by Randy Walker is a fun and fact-filled compilation that offers anniversaries, summaries, and anecdotes of events from the world of tennis for every day in the calendar year. Presented in a day-by-day format, the entries into this mini-encyclopedia include major tournament victory dates, summaries of the greatest matches ever played, trivia and statistics as well as little-known and quirky happenings.

“A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” ($14.99) by Tony Serksnis is an engaging tutorial that explains the ins and outs of being on a tennis team and provides a blueprint for managing and competing within the team structure. The book also provides strategies, concepts and tips on everything from pre-match preparations to maintaining team chemistry. This is not a book on the “how to” of tennis strokes or play, but rather a blueprint for a team to operate effectively towards their goals.

Other titles published by New Chapter Press include “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “The Lennon Prophecy” by Joe Niezgoda (www.TheLennonProphecy.com), “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Susan Anson and “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin. Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press is an independent publisher of books and part of the Independent Publishers Group. More information can be found at www.NewChapterMedia.com

Roger Federer’s last Davis Cup visit Down Under

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Roger Federer will try to heal the wounds of his stunning US Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic when he represents this weekend Switzerland against Australia in Sydney. Rene Stauffer, the author of the celebrated Federer biography called ROGER FEDERER: QUEST FOR PERFECTION ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.RogerFedererBook.com), brings readers back to Federer’s last Davis Cup visit Down Under – and his epic Davis Cup match against Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt – in his exclusive book excerpt below.

Roger Federer & Lleyton Hewitt

After Hewitt opened the series with an easy win over Michel Kratochvil, Federer defeated Philippoussis 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3) in a rematch of the Wimbledon final. In the pivotal doubles rubber, Federer and the aging Marc Rosset were defeated in five-sets by Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge, giving Australia the important 2-1 advantage after the second day of play. Switzerland had to sweep the final two singles matches in order to reach the Davis Cup final.

Federer and Hewitt took to the Rod Laver Arena on a cool Sunday to open up the final day of play and Federer leisurely dominated Hewitt and stared at his 11th consecutive Davis Cup singles victory leading 7-5, 6-2, 5-3. With Federer two points from victory, the tide turned. A brief lull in Federer’s performance was enough for Hewitt, carried by 12,000 spectators, to fight his way back into the match.

After winning the third set in a tie-break and the fourth set 7-5, the match was tied at two-sets apiece. The temperatures were so cold at the start of the fifth set that many of the Swiss journalists could barely take notes on the match their fingers were so stiff and frigid. Christine Ungricht, the President of Swiss Tennis, complained to the Swiss media that she felt the Australians had intentionally left the retractable roof of the Laver Arena open to give Hewitt an advantage in the colder conditions. “They want to give Federer hypothermia,” she said. “What they’re doing is not against the rules but I’m going to complain anyways.”

Hewitt’s momentum was too difficult for Federer to overcome and the Aussie won the epic match 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5, 6-1, allowing Australia to reach the Davis Cup final. Hewitt’s chest swelled with pride as he explained that he thought constantly of Pat Cash’s comeback from a two-sets-to-love deficit against Mikael Pernfors of Sweden during the 1986 Davis Cup Final. Federer, who didn’t show up in the interview room until two hours after the defeat, meekly said: “I couldn’t be more frustrated.” The flight back to Europe was torture for him. Every time he awoke, his body and his soul ached. Federer no longer held great hopes of becoming No. 1 in the world for 2003. “Roddick and Ferrero deserved to be ranked in front of me,” he said before the start of the indoor season. “Ferrero is the best clay court player and Roddick is the best hard-court player. This fall, I simply want to prove that I’m the best indoor player.” He had no such luck. Although he defeated Carlos Moya in the final of Vienna to successfully defend a title for the first

time in his career, the remainder of the fall season did not produce the results he desired.

Could hurricane Irene delay the start of the US Open by a week?

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Hurricane Irene is lurking up the East Coast of the United States and threatening to disrupt Monday’s start of the 2011 US Open. Could the damage from the hurricane delay the tournament for a week like it did when Hurricane Donna struck in 1960? Or for six days like in 1938? Read about those unusual circumstances below in excerpts from my book ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.TennisHistoryBook.com).

From September 17, 1960 – In the most delayed conclusion to a major tournament in the sport’s history, Neale Fraser of Australia and Darlene Hard of the United States win the singles titles at the U.S. Championships – one week after winning semifinal matches to advance into the championship match. The U.S. Championships at Forest Hills are delayed a full seven days as Hurricane Donna slams New York and soggies up the grass courts at the West Side Tennis Club. Fraser finally defends his 1959 title, defeating fellow Aussie Rod Laver 6-4, 6-4, 10-8, becoming the first repeat men’s winner at Forest Hills since fellow Aussie Frank Sedgman in 1951 and 1952. Hard finally breaks through and wins her first U.S. singles title, upsetting defending champion Maria Bueno of Brazil 6-3, 10-8, 6-4. Fraser and Hard both win semifinal matches on September 10 – Fraser beating Dennis Ralston and Hard beating Donna Floyd – before the rains come. The Fraser-Laver final is a rubber match for the two Aussies, who split their two previous meetings in major finals on the year – Laver winning the Australian title in January for his first major singles title and Fraser turning the tide on “The Rocket” at Wimbledon. Fraser also ends Laver’s 29-match winning streak securing on the Eastern grass court circuit following his loss to Fraser at Wimbledon. Hard finally breaks through and wins her first U.S. title after five previous attempts to win the title. Says Hard, “I never thought I would do it, “ says Hard. “That girl (Bueno) never gives up. She hits winners when she least expects it. It’s been a long time coming. It’s great.”

From September 23, 1938 – After a delay of six days due to a hurricane hitting the New York area, play is resumed at the U.S. Championships at the West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills as Don Budge keeps his dream of being the first player to win a Grand Slam alive by beating 1931 Wimbledon champion Sidney Wood 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the men’s semifinals. Advancing to play Budge in the final is his unseeded doubles partner, Gene Mako, who defeats Australia’s John Bromwich 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in the other men’s semifinal. In women’s singles semifinals, Alice Marble beats Sarah Palfrey Fabyan 5-7, 7-5, 7-5, saving two match points at 2-5, 15-40 in the second set, while Nancye Wynne defeats Dorothy Bundy 5-7, 6-4, 8-6.

Why I published “The Wimbledon final that never was…”

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Since I took over as Managing Partner of New Chapter Press in 2007, I have been fortunate to have published some classic and famed tennis titles. The re-issued memoir of Rod Laver, THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER, as well as Bud Collins’ tennis encyclopedia THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS are probably my most well-known and prestigious titles. However, I have a very special and unique feeling of pride for my most recent release, the memoir of 1931 Wimbledon champion Sidney Wood called THE WIMBLEDON FINAL THAT NEVER WAS…AND OTHER TENNIS TALES OF A BYGONE ERA.

Randy Walker & Sidney Wood

It certainly was a risky proposition to publish a book about a man who is no longer living and of whom many people — outside of real tennis insiders and historians — have probably never heard of. However this title, as you will read below, was for me worth the risk. The tale of this man and how he won Wimbledon 80 years ago – as well as the stories of his life and times as a player and a citizen of the game – is something that just had to be preserved. The man who wrote these tales had to be honored and these stories need to be kept alive for future generations to enjoy If you ever had the privilege of meeting Sidney Wood when he was alive, you would know what I mean.

I first met Sidney Wood in 1999 at the USA vs. Australia Davis Cup quarterfinal at the Longwood Cricket Club just outside of Boston. It was the Centennial Celebration in the 100th year of Davis Cup and the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) invited every living U.S. Davis Cupper to this celebration. It was at this special occasion where I also had my first and only meeting with Don Budge, the man who won the first Grand Slam of tennis in 1938.

The United States team went down 0-2 after the first days’ singles matches as both Todd Martin and Jim Courier lost to Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter, respectively. As the USTA’s Davis Cup team press officer, I had to conjure up the statistic that the United States had only come back from 0-2 down one time in long and storied Davis Cup existence. That year was 1934 and, by golly, one of the men on that team was there in attendance at Longwood – none other than Sidney Wood.

While at the USTA, my philosophy was always to try to bring the history of Davis Cup and tennis into modern scope of the game so I thought I would seek out Wood and get some quotes for the media from him about the comeback and if he thought the USA could do it again. I found Sidney in the clubhouse at the historic club and introduced myself to him, turned on my tape recorder and let him talk. Sidney just overflowed with enthusiasm and was friendly, outgoing, liked to joke and I warmed up to him immediately. I instantly liked this person and was enraptured by his tale of he and Frank Shields helping the United States team come back from 0-2 down to beat Australasia.

This man was so entertaining and full of energy for a 87-year-old that I just had to let more of the world know about this kind and bubbly gentleman. In addition to being a member of this unique U.S. Davis Cup team in 1934, Sidney was best known as the man who Wimbledon without playing a shot, claiming the 1931 title at the All England Club when Shields, his friend, doubles partner, roommate and Davis Cup teammate – and the grandfather to Brooke Shields – defaulted the final with a knee injury, on pressure – or orders – from the USTA in order to save himself for the Davis Cup matches with Great Britain two weeks later. (Thus the title of the book being THE WIMBLEDON FINAL THAT NEVER WAS…)

I pitched the good people at ESPN if they want to interview Sidney during the broadcast of the Saturday doubles match and they obliged. Early in the second set of the doubles match between Pete Sampras and Alex O’Brien and Sandon Stolle and Mark Woodforde, I was to bring Sidney courtside where we were to meet MaliVai Washington, then doing the side-line reporting for ESPN. MaliVai instructed Sidney what he was going to ask and that he was going place his arm around him with his hand on his back. He said that when he needed Sidney to wrap it up and stop talking, he would start tapping him in the back. When Cliff Drysdale and Fred Stolle turned the program over to MaliVai courtside for the interview, Sidney was his usual charming, enthusiastic self, recounting the circumstances of the great U.S. team comeback victory from 1934. Sidney, however, had probably never been interviewed on live television and didn’t know how to speak in sound bites, just recalling his tale in long details. After several minutes, I could see MaliVai repeatedly slapping Sidney on the back, trying to encourage him to quickly wrap up his story. I think Sidney really enjoyed being in the spotlight for that moment and I had made a new friend.

Sidney and I continued to stay in touch. I always loved getting calls from him, sharing his writings with me, sending me information on his business interests and sharing his stories from yesteryear and his perspectives on the modern game. Pretty much every year at the US Open, I would spend a little time with him – also at Wimbledon in 2002 when I ran into him at the Wimbledon Museum.

The last time I saw Sidney was at the USA vs. Sweden Davis Cup quarterfinal in Delray Beach, Fla. in 2004. Early in the week, he invited me to visit him at his home in Palm Beach, which I did, and we lunched at the nearby Bath and Tennis Club. During the official Davis Cup dinner, he had a fun conversation with Andy Roddick, encouraging the reigning US Open champion to work more on his volley and come to net more. Bud Collins, always sensing historical moments, aggressively worked with me to set up photo opportunities with Sidney with all players in the room who had won major titles – in that case Roddick, Swedish Davis Cup captain Mats Wilander and his team member Tomas Johansson.

When I left the USTA in 2005, I always thought about calling Sidney and meeting up with him either in Florida or his summer residence in Southampton, N.Y. and bring a tape recorder and just document all of the stories and observations he had. He was a treasure of information and the only person still alive who could tell the tales of the great players from his era – Bill Tilden, Rene Lacoste, Don Budge, etc.

Unfortunately, I never got that chance as in January of 2009, I learned of his passing. About a year later, I got a phone call from David Wood, one of Sidney’s sons, who, on the advice of Bud Collins, wanted to inquire my interest in publishing his father’s writings. As mentioned, to publish a book written by someone who is no longer living about an era of sports where very few people are alive to reminisce about would not appear to be a proper business decision. However, I felt like I had to publish this book to honor this enthusiastic fun-loving man with such interesting stories about this “bygone” era of tennis.

David presented me with his father’s writings, which came in all sorts of different forms – some items were typed with an old typewriter, others were hand-written on paper with faded pencil, while even more with a primitive type-set and some in the form of tape-recordings. I was not even sure if there was even a book that could be pieced together based on what I had.

However, the content was compiled, chapters were put in order and placed like pieces of a puzzle into a book. At first, we were excited that we could put together a book, with enough interesting content to fill about 200 pages. As we saw the book laid out into book form, with chapters, photos and a flow of content, a real sense of accomplishment came over us. The content, in some way, really came alive and all the people who were involved in the creation of the book – editors, proof-readers, designers, etc. – all remarked what a fantastically colorful and entertaining book this was. I hope by reading this column, you will log onto Amazon.com and buy the book or go to your local bookstore and order it and find out for yourself. (Click the link to buy “The Wimbledon final that never was…” on amazon.com)

David Wood told me that it was always his father’s dream to be published. I know Sidney is smiling and chuckling with pride somewhere that his stories are now available for all to read.

Rod Laver talks the magic of Wimbledon

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This year marks the 50th anniversary of Rod Laver winning his first of four Wimbledon titles. His 1962 and 1969 titles at the All England Lawn Tennis Club were the third legs of historic Grand Slams, the latter of which is chronicled in detail in Laver’s memoir THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com). The following is an excerpt from the Rocket’s memoir that discusses the magic of the grandest tournament in tennis. The book can ordered directly from Amazon.com here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257626?tag=tennisgrancom-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0942257626&adid=1PMHX5TQXE64AFQMAZ5Q&

Wimbledon

That’s all you have to say. Everybody gets the idea. It’s not really the name of the tournament, although by this time it might as well be. Actually this world championship, regarded as the British championship, has been called the Lawn Tennis Championships since it began in 1877. It could be called The Tournament, and everybody would understand. The name Wimbledon comes from the London suburb where the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club has its grounds. They are magnificent grounds, big league by any standard, dominated by a stadium that is Centre Court. When Centre Court is full, which is always, 15,000  spectators are there, 3,000 of them standing sometimes six and seven hours, packed like a cattle car (although that cozy custom has been abolished).

Rod Laver

“When they faints, they faints standing up,” an usher told me. “Somebody calls out to tell us there’s been a fainting, otherwise we’d never know, and somehow we push through and get the person.”

Nobody minds. You brought your lunch and entered the standing areas at noon. It stays light well into the evening in England, so that you might still be wedged into that fresh-air hole of Calcutta watching tennis at 9:15 p.m.

Faintings are not passed off casually at Wimbledon. Statistics are compiled and are announced every year by St. John Ambulance Brigade, the medical unit in attendance, and in 1969 the crowds obliged by setting an all-time Wimbledon fainting record. No fewer than 1,700 passed out during the twelve days.

A Grand Swoon, wouldn’t you say, old chap? St. John Ambulance gave that figure to the press as proudly as a football press agent trumpeting a scoring record. One customer out of every 190 was treated to St. John smelling salts. I have never keeled over at Wimbledon, but when I consider what a fashionable place it is to faint, and the efficiency of the care, I shall never fear when feeling queasy there.

Numerous changes have been made since I played there. A new Court 1 with 11,000 seats appeared in 1997. Copying the Australian Melbourne Park, Centre Court was fitted with a retractable roof in 2009 while the so-called “Graveyard” – intimate Court 2, burial ground of favorites – was rearranged. At the outside courts, it’s still a standing, jamming proposition with herds pressing against the fences that enclose the courts. During the first week when all the courts are in use, the crowds are over 30,000 daily, and surely they could sell 50,000 seats in Centre Court if they were available.

Considering the incredible success of Wimbledon, the men like Herman David, who ran the place, emerged as extremely principled blokes in their determination to stage an open Wimbledon in 1968 in opposition to the wishes of the International Lawn Tennis Federation. Wimbledon has always sold out regardless of the quality of the tennis. The British love it and the game so much they’d turn out to watch Ma and Pa Kettle play mixed doubles against the champions of Spearfish, South Dakota. But Wimbledon stood for the best, and insisted on being the best in more than name.

Wimbledon pressure has to do with the event itself. This is the world championship, a sports event that everybody pays attention to. For two weeks of the year Wimbledon is a big story on all the world’s sports pages, even in cities where tennis has little or no importance. There is no such thing at Wimbledon as an insignificant match because wherever you play, even on the most remote court, people will fill the spectator areas, whether there be grandstands or merely standing room.

The actor on Broadway, the singer at La Scala, the dancer at the Bolshoi Theatre understand what the tennis player at Wimbledon feels. So does the golfer at the Masters, the football player in the Super Bowl, and the baseball player in the World Series. It isn’t the money. The connoisseurs are here. We play for ourselves, and we perform and play because it’s in us and we must. We would do it whether or not anyone bothered to watch us. But we also play to be seen, to gain attention, to please and impress others. That’s an important part of it. My love for tennis goes to my depths, but when the time comes that I can’t play the Centre Court at Wimbledon, something vital will have gone out of that love.

The connoisseurs are the fans who pay to get in and the critics of the press, radio, and television who don’t. At Wimbledon, they’re the keenest in the world. We can feel the expertise of these people, even though they’re the quietest spectators and the least intrusive critics.

Roger Federer’s Wimbledon epic

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It can easily be called the greatest Wimbledon final ever. In 2009, Roger Federer won his sixth Wimbledon men’s singles title – and his record-breaking 16th major singles title – with an epic five-set victory over Andy Roddick. Rene Stauffer, author of the Federer biography ROGER FEDERER: QUEST FOR PERFECTION ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.RogerFedererBook.com) take readers back to that dramatic Sunday afternoon in this exclusive book excerpt.

Roger Federer vs Andy Roddick

Two weeks later when Nadal was forced to withdraw from defending his Wimbledon title due to tendonitis in both knees, Federer was positioned as the overwhelming favorite to win the title. Losing only one set, Federer moved into the final where he faced his old adversary Andy Roddick, who defeated Andy Murray in the semifinals to the disappointment of the British hosts. Federer was not only playing against the American, the man whom he beat in the Wimbledon finals in 2004 and 2005, but once again against tennis history.

Legends such as Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg were in attendance at Centre Court, which for the first time featured a retractable roof. The surprising attendee, however, was Sampras, who flew to London from California with his wife just to watch the final. Sampras had said he would be there on the day that Federer breaks his record and he kept his word.

Federer was tense at the start of the match, missing his typical sovereignty and characteristic lightness for Wimbledon. The final quickly turned into a battle of serves. In a spat of bad luck, Federer was broken by Roddick late in the first set and surrendered the first stanza 7-5. Federer was then lucky to escape from being down two-sets-to-love when Roddick took a 6-2 lead in the second-set tie-breaker, four straight set points. But Roddick missed a seemingly easy backhand volley at 6-5 as Federer seized the second set tie-breaker 8-6, winning six straight points.

The two players each held serve six times to force another tie-breaker in the third set, Federer edging ahead two-sets-to-one with the 7-5 tie-break victory. As the match dragged on, Federer could not defend the overpowering Roddick serve. The American secured another service break in the fourth game in the fourth set and forced the match into a fifth-set. Federer and Roddick continued to exchange dominant service games and the fifth set turned epic. The score went to 5-5, then 6-6, then 7-7, and 8-8. At 8-8, Roddick had a major opportunity to break the Federer serve at 15-40, but the Swiss responded with two big serves.

It was not until the 30th game of the final set when the breakthrough occurred. With Federer ahead 15-14, Roddick misplayed a forehand on the second deuce point, giving Federer his first match point. It is all Federer needed to convert as Roddick mishit a forehand beyond the baseline to secure his first service break of the match, and win his record-breaking 15th major singles title.

After 4 hours and 16 minutes, including a 95-minute fifth set, the final score read Federer as the champion by 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 margin. The 77 games marked the longest major final in history.

“I am happy that I was able the break the Grand Slam record. Wimbledon is the tournament that always meant the most to me,” said Federer, who set a personal record with 50 aces in the final. “I felt different after the finals than at most Grand Slam tournaments. I didn’t shed a tear, didn’t get emotional like in Paris, Melbourne and a year ago in Wimbledon. At the end I was totally exhausted and tired because of the length and the importance of the match.”

With his sixth Wimbledon title, Federer also replaced Nadal in the top spot in the ATP rankings. His triumph was complete. He reached his dreams. He set new standards in his sport and his career was closer to perfection than ever before. While debating if he is the best player on earth, he provided overwhelming proof and most people gave him the nod as the greatest ever, including Sampras himself.

“I have to give it to him,” Sampras said after the 2009 Wimbledon final. “The critics say Laver, and Nadal has beaten him a few times at majors. He’s won all the majors, he’s won 15 now. He’s going to win a few more here. So in my book, he is.”

“He’s a stud,” Sampras added. “He’s only 27. He’ll contend here for many years, and the US Open, and all the majors. If he just keeps it going and stays healthy, he could go to 18, 19, potentially. The guy, he’s a legend. Now he’s an icon.”

Federer himself followed the debate of the “Greatest of All-Time” calmly and with reserve. “I enjoy it and I am proud when people write positive about me,” he said in the summer of 2009. “Fifteen major victories, winning all four major titles, reaching the semifinals of 20 Grand Slams in a row and being the number one player for 237 weeks in a row. Now I am certainly one of the best. But I don’t say: I am the best of all times. I have too much respect for tennis history. Let me finish my career first. Then we can compare it with other ones. Maybe I will be still playing in ten years.”

Rod Laver: The Volley is Like a Punch in the Nose

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Hitting a good volley is like punching someone in the nose – at least that is the gospel from Rod Laver, who executed the stroke to near perfection while becoming the only player in the history of tennis to win the Grand Slam on two occasions (1962, 1969). In his updated and re-released autobiography THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER, Laver outlines many tennis tips to help amateurs – and pros – improve their games, including the key to hitting a crisp volley.

Rod Laver
Rod Laver

Written with Hall of Fame journalist and historian Bud Collins, THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER is Laver’s first-hand account of his famous 1969 Grand Slam season, capped off by his win over fellow Australian Tony Roche in the final of the U.S. Open. Laver also writes about his childhood and early days in tennis, his 1962 Grand Slam and offers tips on how players of all levels can improve their game. He also shares some of the strategies that helped him to unparalleled success on the tennis court.

Originally published in 1971, THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER ($19.95, www.NewChapterMedia.com) was updated by Laver and Collins with new content including his recovery from a near-fatal stroke in 1998 and helping Australia once again win the Davis Cup in 1973. The memoir features descriptions of Laver’s most suspenseful matches and memorable portraits of his biggest rivals Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Tony Roche and Pancho Gonzalez.

Laver’s full tip on hitting a crisp volley is excerpted below…

A good punch in the nose—that’s the volley. A short, stiff jab with almost no backswing. You’re blocking the ball, not stroking it.

The wrist is firm and below the racket when you punch, and you use the pace from your opponent’s shot—if it’s a good shot. Occasionally when a shot sits there weakly to be volleyed away you have to supply a little of your own power.

By keeping your eye on the ball intently and blocking it you can become a pretty good volleyer and a terror at an ordinary level. There is more to it than that as you progress. You will want to level the racket slightly so that you are hitting slightly under the ball to create a slice or underspin. This gives you more control.

Then there’s footwork, without which you can’t become a really fine volleyer. As you jab with your racket you’re also taking a jab step into the ball. A right-hander steps in with his left foot for a forehand volley and with his right foot for a backhand. This insures that you’re hitting the ball out front where a good volley must be hit. That step is going to put more impact into your punch so that the volleys will gain length and fly to the corners and the baseline. Remember: you don’t need backswing to give you depth. Meeting the ball out front with your body moving behind that jab step will do it.

To take the step you have to be side-on to the net. Not always possible in a fast match. Frequently you’ll be caught head-on to the net. Then you pivot at the hips, like a baseball catcher who has to rush a throw to second base from his haunches. “Wrong-footing” was a favorite tactic of Kenny Rosewall, and it’s a good one for the volleyer once he feels he has control of the stroke. Wrong-footing is hitting to the place your opponent has just vacated, or will vacate to cover the next logical shot. He’s gone to his left corner, say, to return your shot and then he dashes to his right to cover the wide opening. You wrong-foot him by volleying right back to that left corner, and if your timing is right he can’t change directions to go back for the ball. But if you aren’t accurate it will backfire because you may hit the ball right back at the fellow, not behind him.

Rosewall liked to do this especially with his backhand. You hit a crosscourt shot and he got his backhand volley on it, and rather than place it in the open corner he came straight back at you with the angle, and this beat an awful lot of good players. If they can spin around and get to the ball they won’t do much with it and Kenny had a setup on the next shot.

When the ball is below the level of the net you’re going to have to bend to get down to it. The ideal is still to keep the wrist below the racket. This will help you keep your volleys low, even the defensive volleys. If you don’t bend and stay low you’re going to pop your volleys up, and that’s when the other guy gives you a punch in the nose with his volley.

Rod Laver Helps you with your Service Return

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What is the most important element of a service return? Getting the ball back over the net. It is that easy – and part of the simple gems of tennis knowledge that Rod Laver puts forth in his updated and re-released autobiography THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER.

Rod Laver

Written with Hall of Fame journalist and historian Bud Collins, THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER is Laver’s first-hand account of his famous 1969 Grand Slam season, capped off by his win over fellow Australian Tony Roche in the final of the U.S. Open. Laver also writes about his childhood and early days in tennis, his 1962 Grand Slam and offers tips on how players of all levels can improve their game. He also shares some of the strategies that helped him to unparalleled success on the tennis court.

Originally published in 1971, THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER ($19.95, www.NewChapterMedia.com) was updated by Laver and Collins with new content including his recovery from a near-fatal stroke in 1998 and helping Australia once again win the Davis Cup in 1973. The memoir features descriptions of Laver’s most suspenseful matches and memorable portraits of his biggest rivals Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Tony Roche and Pancho Gonzalez.

Laver’s full tip on improving your service return is excerpted below…

Make up your mind on this: you’re going to get that serve back over the net. Consistent returning puts pressure on the server. Usually you’ll just block the first serve, since your opponent will probably have some pace on the ball.

Move in for the second serve and give that a good swat. Most people play too far back to return serve. You want to try to take the ball on the rise, and maybe you’ll find yourself standing inside the baseline to do this. Try it.

Pancho Segura, one of the cleverest guys to play the game, used to move up to take the second serve, like most players, but frequently he would delay that move until his opponent was into the service motion. “Maybe my move will distract him and he’ll double fault,” was Pancho’s reasoning.

Prepare.

May I repeat: prepare. Get that racket back as soon as you know whether the ball’s coming to your forehand or backhand. Too many players are late in preparing to make the stroke and getting the racket back. Remind yourself to prepare as your opponent makes his service toss.

Even a broken-down-looking return gives the server a problem. Once you’ve put the ball over the net you’ve got an even chance of winning the point. Try to keep the ball low, especially against an opponent who follows his serve to the net. Use a lob occasionally against a net rusher. It will startle him.

Don’t overhit. Nothing picks up your opponent more than ripping returns of serve—that slap harmlessly into the net.

Get that return over the net. Any way. Or go stand in the corner.

Djokovic Full Throttle in Defeat of Federer

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Novak Djokovic looked tortured, as usual, even as he was serving for the match.

One miss, however close, and the lips tighten, the head tilts, the eyes say, “What a stupid shot,” and he looks as if he just opened a Christmas present and got another pair of socks instead of an electric train.

But when it was over and he had thumped Roger Federer, again, this time by 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-4, there was the happy-child Djokovic parading around the court, gesturing his thanks to the fans on the Rod Laver court where so many good things have happened for him.

Novak Djokovic

The Djoker is into the Australian Open final and Federer, for the fourth Grand Slam in a row, has failed to reach the championship round.

The TV wags were talking as if the “torch is being passed” because neither Nadal, who is only 23, nor Federer is in the final. But the Federer torch was passed months ago. What we’ve got now and for an extended future is a hugely competitive men’s tennis tour with Nadal and Djokovic front and center, with Juan Martin Del Potro slowly working back to top form after surgery and possibly, just possibly, Andy Murray.

Federer? At 29 his best years are behind him. Is he still a force at the majors? Of course. He continues to win the matches he’s supposed to win, but when he’s reached the semis, all the players he’s beaten in his prime and who have now fully matured, are his conquerors.

While he holds a head to head edge over Djokovic (13-7), he’s now lost twice in a row and three of the last four to Nole in majors. And that’s six consecutive sets for Novak over Federer on the Rod Laver court, where Djokovic won the 2008 Aussie Open.

When Djokovic’s head is screwed on properly, he’s the better player. He has the baseline quickness to deal with Federer’s aggressiveness. He has power off both sides. He takes Federer down in the backhand-to-backhand rallies. And (fingers are crossed) his serve, while not explosive, is consistently deep enough to give him control.

Why fingers crossed? Because less than a year ago, when his head was not correctly adjusted, Djokovic was going through service hell.

He had brought in Todd Martin, the former ATP top-10, to fix his serve, but, ultimately, that didn’t work. It wasn’t until three or four months into the 2010 season that he finally rediscovered his service rhythm, and it hasn’t abandoned him since.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. It has changed. The problem is that there’s too many things, and too many people saying a lot of things. It all affects me mentally,” Djokovic had complained early in 2010 as he struggled through to a title at Dubai.

“I’m still trying to get back to the old serve,” he went on. “It takes time. But when you’re playing matches day after day and you don’t have time one day to relax and focus on the practice and the serve . . .” His voice trailed off. Classic Djokovic confusion.

But he insisted then that it was not a big problem — just mental. And he was right. When he had a chance to breathe deeply, to settle down, it all came back, and it was on display in this Federer win.

The loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarters of last year’s Aussie Open, where he had just two aces and nine double faults, was ancient history. His 11 double faults in a humiliating loss to Olivier Rochus in his opening round at Key Biscayne last year is now a distant memory.

At this Aussie Open, he has stroked 46 aces and 14 doubles in six matches. He doesn’t crush 20 aces a match, like Andy Roddick. But his location is excellent, leaving him easy opportunities to take control of points off his first ground stroke, and — most important — he gets in a high percentage of first serves.

In six matches at Melbourne, Djokovic’s first-serve-in percentage: 67%, 65%, 77%, 75%, 68%, 69%.

Please note that final figure vs. Federer. He placed seven of every 10 first serves in the box and won three of every four of those points. Against one of the best service returners in the game, Djokovic was busted only three times.

No discussion of this Djokovic win would be complete without mentioning one of the most under-appreciated aspects of his game — his service returning.

When Djokovic beat Federer in five in last year’s U.S. Open semis, Federer had just 12 aces in 25 service games. When Federer defeated Djokovic in the 2009 U.S. Open final, he had just eight aces in 18 service games.

And on Thursday in Melbourne, as Djokovic sent Roger reeling out of a major for the fourth time in a row before the final round, Federer had just five aces in 17 games, and just one each in the final two sets.

The impact of that cannot be mistaken. When Djokovic gets the serve back into play, he’s at least on an equal footing with anyone most of the time, and that should be enough to carry him and his well-adjusted head, to another Grand Slam title.