After squeaking through a fourth-set tiebreak to beat Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals, Novak Djokovic petulantly addressed the New York crowd.
On Tuesday, Roddick made fun of the Serbian's medical self-evaluation, which is starting to sound like Bill Belichick's weekly assessment of Tom Brady the last few seasons. (Probable.) Reading the American's transcript, I laughed out loud... Vintage Roddick.
But Djokovic apparently took serious offense and, post-match with Michael Barkann, fired back Roddick's line about his "16 injuries." Barkann tried to mitigate the 21-year-old's message, but the world number three continued on, insulting the crowd.
Now I am not particularly a Roddick fan. And there's been times I really didn't like his attitude. But I have always given him props for his sense of humor. And intelligence. Even after his semifinal dismantling in Australian Open 2007 (Roger Federer beat him 6-4, 6-0, 6-2), the top American displayed grace in sarcasm.
And in addressing the Serbian's spate of injuries, Roddick was FUN-NY. Anyone who knows Roddick's shirt-sleeve shrug and shimmy of his philanthropy wrist band knows his propensity for lampooning all, even himself.
James Thurber said, "The wit makes fun of other persons; the satirist makes fun of the world; the humorist makes fun of himself."
Roddick takes it to all three levels. Djokovic, on the other hand -- barely a one-trick pony.
A year ago in Flushing Meadows, Djokovic endeared himself to the U.S. Open crowd through his post-match imitations of players, including Roddick, Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal.
Thursday evening he alienated the crowd. Even when they started to boo, he continued to whinge.
Back in 2007, Djokovic's charades were amusing for a round or two. Though not original material. Many of the ATP and WTA players imitate each other to entertain crowds at charity and exhibition events. It's a natural extension of watching the game. I've seen so much Safin that I reflexively mimic part of his forehand swing when taking a swig from my water bottle. (Yes, I know that's odd. It's also messy.)
Tour veteran Jonas Bjorkman is widely considered the master of imitations. It's something the soon-to-be retired Swede has done with class. His jocularity is affectionate* and the camaraderie is reflected in his long term of service on the ATP Players Council.
In contrast, Djokovic's send-ups are retrospectively looking mean-spirited.
Up until now, I have been trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. But there is a shade of bitterness in his actions. For example, his chest-thumping is not the hearty joy of a Marcos Baghdatis, rather a jeering, chin-jutting arrogance. It's both a preening and an isolating gesture, the latter when directed toward his family.
During that match, Djokovic at times looked dispirited. I suspect part of the reason was that the crowd warmed to the perpetual hustle of his Spanish opponent. They were backing Robredo over the course of those long five sets. The Spaniard kept his performance to athletic display and the fans roared.
Djokovic craves attention and crowd support. I believe he was playing a sympathy angle. I'm not saying he is 100% healthy, but his post-match attempts at self-effacement fell flat.
Reflecting on the tournament so far, I would say the Serbians (including the also dramatic and oft-injured Jelena Jankovic) are prone more than David Duchovny.
Jankovic would probably laugh.
In the latest era of players, there hasn't been a clearcut villain, man or woman. There have been nefarious incidents, but not a consistent foe. Some would cite Lleyton Hewitt -- in 2006, GQ placed him tenth on their most hated athlete list -- but I've found him to be likably scrappy, cocky, and yes, occasionally surly. He's had some definite missteps, but mostly I'd call him pugnacious rather than contemptible.
Besides, becoming a family man has mellowed him. And has he ever had a showdown like this?
No matter what spin is now put on Djokovic's immediate on-court reaction, the crowd won't easily forget. They're good at remembering...
Across the net from The Djoker in the semifinals stands world number two Roger Federer.
In the Opening Night parade of past champions, the defending champion -- who has won it four years running -- got the biggest applause. Though Swiss, he is a native son.
Who is not in his past intimidating form. He's a flawed hero. In the fourth round, Igor Andreev pushed him to five grueling sets, just over three-and-a-half hours. But Fed's reaction at the conclusion showed the public how much he wants to make it five in a row and claim the last Grand Slam of the year.
In his post-match interviews, You're Still The One by Orleans plays over the speakers. This is in acknowledgement of the struggles the former world number one has had all year.
Which began with his semifinal loss at the Australian Open to... Novak Djokovic.
It would be even better if Fed busts out his all-black get up again. He'd make a classic Batman.
Tennis in 2008 has gone to the flip side! Topsy Turvy! Inside out! What was once ineffable is now fallible. A little tunage might not turn things right, but here’s a suggested mix to make sense of the upside-down nature of this year’s pro season as it affects Flushing Meadows.
Brethren in Battle:Who Wants to Live Forever? - Queen
This song crafted by Queen for the movie The Highlander has its
own immortality, with renditions done by several, including Katharine
McPhee and Sarah Brightman. Sure, this soaring arrangement tucked into
the shmoopy, emotional heart of the film, but the Queen original
harkens you back to the plot, which is about kicking #### when you have
to. Even when that #### belongs to your bud.
The trickiest countrywoman matchup matters most to France. Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo faces Nathalie Dechy, who was points away from taking out then (and current) number one Ana Ivanovic in the second round of Wimbledon. Mauresmo is seeded 32nd, but Dechy just ousted her last week in Cincinnati.
Across hemispheres, Argentina will be watching intense veteran Guillermo Canas try to tame 19-year-old Juan Martin Del Potro, the hottest player on tour who didn’t go to Beijing. He’s won the last four tournaments he’s entered.
Bracket Busters:Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash/Social Distortion
Accept it, they’re both good. Ring of Fire: n. what happens when unseeded talent -- aka a dangerous floater -- gets plugged into the draw alongside a top seed. Twelfth-ranked Richard Gasquest starts out against German Tommy Haas, who has made it to the quarterfinals in New York the last two years. If you tap the Frenchman to live up to his rank, play Cash. If you pick the upset, go punk. Expect to hit replay, because this could be a marathon.
Blake’s Block:Till I Collapse - Eminem
Another countrymen duel. James Blake takes on former number one junior Donald Young in the first evening marquee match on Arthur Ashe. This is a matchup of speed. Which is good preparation for the Harvard man for what he’ll need to make it through his quadrant. Technically, it should be called Rafael Nadal’s quadrant, but Blake has a winning record against the new world number one. Blake would probably tell you that he’s not looking that far ahead. But I am. He's done two things this year he's never done before: a) come back from two sets down to win and b) beat Roger Federer. While you’re at it, go play the 8 Mile soundtrack; Eminem is one of Blake's faves.
Rabbit is talking to you, James.
Bookended:What Do You Go Home To? - Explosions in the Sky
Over in the Novak Djokovic quadrant, the two highest seeds face similar first round quandaries, crafty veteran Frenchmen. Even though Arnaud Clement fared much better at Wimbledon than the Djoker, expect the Serbian to win.
On the other hand, an injured Andy Roddick must battle magic -- Fabrice Santoro in his final US Open. If the American makes it through, he could see rising Latvian Ernests Gulbis next. The draw has often been kind to Andy. It doesn’t seem to be the case this time. The swirling instrumentals of his fellow Austinites Explosions in the Sky could be interpreted as soothing... or chaotic. At any rate, Roddick’s luck seems to be holding in the romance department, which helps, at least, who he goes home to...
Balls and Butterflies:Sleeps with Butterflies - Tori Amos
A limited edition US Open organic cotton tee designed by supermodel mom, Heidi Klum. Is it turnabout for Serena’s forays into fashion? Or perhaps encouragement for Ashley Harkleroad to keep her shirt on. Actually, a portion of the profits go to Unisphere, Inc., the non-profit organization that maintains and preserves Flushing Meadows Corona Park. I’m all for that, but for some reason I am boggled by the tennis ball-butterflies. The song selection is self-explanatory. The title to this entry is all kinds of wrong... You're welcome.
PSYCHED UP OR PSYCHEDELIC?
Big Brother’s Big Shadow:Killer or Crazy - Seal
How poetic to follow up Heidi Klum’s creative effort with her husband’s. And perhaps Marat Safin’s younger sister Dinara Safina will follow up on her US Open Series win with her breakthrough Slam -- at the same site her older brother won his first major eight years ago. Poetry. The women’s silver medalist is looking good for it; she has momentum, health and a pretty good draw.
... I tried. I really did. But I just had to name Marat* first. I would naturally be quite delighted with a sibling tandem championship two weeks from now. Symmetry. Delighted is an understatement. Mr. Klum may not be referring to biological brothers and sisters in the former song, but it works. And in the latter, he means the good kind of crazy. That works for the mercurial Safin clan too.
Battered:Sympathetic - Seether
Safina has a good draw, even though she is in Ivanovic’s quadrant, because the number one seed is nursing a thumb injury. The Williams sisters never seem to be completely healthy. Jelena Jankovic styles strapping as much as eyeliner. Maria Sharapova withdrew from the tournament due to a shoulder injury. As the song says, I’m feelin’ ya, ladies. The WTA ranks are unpredictable these days, which makes me long for months gone by...
Belgian Waffling: Almost anything by Tim McGraw
Dear Justine, you are still defending champion here. Doesn’t it seem weird to be retired? And Kim, Lindsay Davenport is back after giving birth. Does that give you any ideas? In hopes that the young Belgians would take a page from Brett Favre’s many books, I am recommending the oeuvre of his favorite musical artist. Except for I Like It, I Love It, which got more airtime than Favre’s unretirement.
Bean-Stalking:La Tortura - Shakira & Alejandro Sanz
Lacking the consistency the Belgians brought to the majors has left me undecided on a new favorite female player. However, one measuring stick has been met. In a time during which the women’s top ten averaged taller than the men’s top ten, Justine Henin proved she could, at 5’6”, power up with the statuesque. Currently, Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, at 5’3” is ranked 18th in the world and has scalped Venus Williams, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic and Anna Chakvetadze this year. And Cibulkova cites Clijsters as her role model. The petite Shakira can belt it out, too. I suggest the duet because Sanz is sexy... for a non-Russian, non-ATP Pro.
Bottoms Up:Lost - Coldplay
But arguably the most mindbending upending is Roger Federer at the bottom of the draw. This eventuality has long been announced and prepared for. Yet it’s still difficult to grasp, at least for people with leanings toward the Swiss. Could this in fact be what the maestro wanted, even if just subconsciously?
He had been alluding to the so-called monster he created, the expectation to win everything. Now he is echoing those comments in reference to Nadal. After all, only the world number one has that unique pressure, and nobody ever had it like Fed. I’m not saying that’s the only thing at work, but I have to wonder...
Just because I'm losing, doesn't mean I'm lost...
Not that I believe Roger purposefully lost, but I think he eased up a bit. He was forced to in the beginning of the year. He needed some sort of break & his body delivered that in the form of mono. Since then, he hasn't found his highest level. Something he made look easy to maintain for several years, though it obviously is not.
A Wimbledon official admitted yesterday that the twilight hour impaired the ability to see and what ultimately decided the championship was Rafael Nadal’s flop.*
“This was such an incredible match... no one on Center Court except for the players ever wanted the tennis to end,” the anonymous source said. “But when flashbulbs from the stands revealed Nadal prone on the grass at the conclusion of the fifth set, we had to give him the win.”
But this new revelation in London has given cause for investigation. It has been well-documented that flopping can affect the outcome of an athletic event.
Flopping in the NBA is so prevalent that it has practically been elevated to a contest itself. And while known by alternate names, this questionable tactic is pervasive in other team sports as well.
It is referred to as “diving” in hockey, an activity more suited to water that is not frozen. Another matter of enthusiastic escalation in this already contact-heavy sport: when one cannot connect with jawbone, hit the ice.
But this form of acting perhaps finds its greatest stage on the pitch. So much so that FIFA, the governing body of soccer, has taken a stand against what it calls “simulation.” The new rules can apply to embellishment on-field, as well the unique symbiotic relationship between soccer players & porn stars.
At first glance, Nadal’s hammy back-smacker seems contrary action for a man who likes to test the authenticity of his trophies like a Deadwood prospector.
However, further inquiry shows the young Mallorcan star is influenced by both the theatrics of his countrymen and the man he had -- until that tumble to the earth late Sunday in London -- lost to in the finals at Wimbledon.
DID FELICIANO LOPEZ OF SPAIN WIN HIS FOURTH ROUND FIVE-SETTER AGAINST MARCOS BAGHDATIS WITH HIS POST-MATCH FLAILING?
HAVE CHAIR UMPIRES BEEN GLORIFYING ROGER FEDERER'S FIVE-TIME CRUMPLE?
So while the flop in the non-contact sport of tennis has yet to come under great scrutiny, it too may explain some results, as well as lack of, in recent years...
SAFIN'S MISSION: Marathon Marat's superior position on
hardcourts could be too suggestive for Roland Garros & The All-England Club.
POOR FORM: Andy Roddick dared to drop
after only winning three sets at the U.S. Open Men's Final in 2003.
The breach of unwritten netiquette may have cost him since.
*This isn’t meant to paint me a Fed apologist. When the going gets tough, the tough blog absurd.
For me, the Men’s Final in action was cause for joy; the outcome a bit of pain. I expected to wake up today feeling like I did the morning after Peyton Manning won his Super Bowl ring. However, I now suspect the latter sensation was actually a hangover.
New Wimbledon Champion? Yes. New Number One? No. For the calendar year thus far, true... it is the Spaniard.
But given so little betweenFederer and Nadal over the long course of Sunday, I think we need to see the follow-up before we label Rafa the best. I don’t think Federer could have asked for a better challenge to his career. His response -- on-court & off, both yesterday and onward -- will help define his legacy.
Now for the more obvious... Contrary to popular speculation, I did not commit jigai after Safin’s semifinal loss, or the threat of competition for his affection. As a matter of fact, I am practicing my flop in expectation to win over Marat myself!
The Melbourne fortnight went by too quickly, so now is time for pavlova, Australian shiraz and a little reminiscing.
Heavens Above! Sublime... the semi-final between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. In the third game of the second set, the world number one broke the American at love with a series of passing shots. One included a miraculous get at the Swiss' feet while on the run for a crosscourt winner. By the third set, Roddick was so frustrated that he fired off a near-expletive that had him immediately apologizing to the deity he evoked.
Things are looking a little fuzzy... While the newest "New Balls Please" campaign was just launched featuring some of the hottest youngsters in the ATP's Top 50, three out of the four semi-finalists were originals from the old "New Balls Brigade." Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Tommy Haas were part of the 2000-1 promotions. Fernando Gonzalez, at age 26, is also of their "veteran generation." Since the old balls still have it over the new balls, they may have to bring back the "These balls still bounce." slogans as well.
Kimmie still wins. "Aussie" Kim Clijsters has been a fan favorite Down Under and was one of the favorites to win the championship after her fast start in Sydney. The Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup would have been a nice trophy to add in the Belgian's final year on tour, but Maria Sharapova stopped her in the semis. However, the WTA launched a new initiative called ACES Race 2007, which rewards players for promoting the sport. It's no surprise that Clijsters, who won the ITWA's Ambassador for Tennis Award in 2005, was the early leader as of January 15.
Going the Distance. Several athletes, such as breakthrough player Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, embodied the Australian spirit by sporting the host country's colors of green and gold. But fashion-foward Serena Williams knows the value of accessories and added a pair of earrings perhaps inspired by the dot paintings of Papunya Tula. This style of comtemporary Aboriginal art has been popularized by painters including Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri.
Get Some Guts, Girls! I'm tempted to credit the earrings plus Serena's sheer talent for her title win. But it also seemed the ladies cowed to Serena's reputation and competitiveness. The exception being Shahar Peer, who pushed the American in the quarterfinals only to lose, 6-3, 2-6, 6-8. The Israeli player is also working off her mandatory military service and excels at sharpshooting tests. Nadia Petrova and Nicole Vaidisova should consider training that will teach them how to pull the trigger.
Speaking of guts. We don't have to miss Hardenne, but we missed Henin.
Most Dominant Player You've Never Heard Of. Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands, winner in Women's Wheelchair Singles & Doubles
Best Rivalry You Don't See. America's Bryan Brothers versus Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi. Where was the Doubles coverage, ESPN?
So where the bloody hell are you? Said in the nicest possible "No Worries!" way, of course! This controversial slogan is Tourism Australia's marketing campaign. As if I hadn't already wanted to go! They had me at 5,500 lbs. of curry consumed in a fortnight!
So what the bloody hell are you thinking? During the first round match between Marat Safin and Benjamin Becker, Ball Girl #111 was observed pinching Marat's used and discarded towels between her thumb and forefinger and holding them out away from her body as if she was afraid of boy cooties. I would have been stuffing all of those sweaty terrycloth treasures down my shirt... and my shorts -- I'd even be wrapping them around my head like a turban -- to spirit away after the match.
After all the tubthumping of Andy Roddick's "improved chances" against Roger Federer, it's the percussive potential of tonight's semifinal that truly inspires nippling! No matter who you are.
For one, the more unexpected match-up of the tenth and twelfth seeds will produce a virgin Grand Slam finalist. While the lower-ranked Tommy Haas is making his third appearance in an Australian Open semi-final, even this round is new for Fernando Gonzalez. The Chilean has been to the quarterfinals in the other three Slams, but his best prior result in Melbourne was fourth round.
I remember long ago another starry night like this In the firelight...
On one side of the net is a former junior number one. Gonzalez's early career included boy's singles and doubles French Open titles in 1998, yet his game is well-suited to the hard courts also. A powerful forehand has always been his signature stroke, but he has thus far lacked consistency to achieve as much on the ATP circuit.
On the other side is the six-foot-two German, who was ranked second in the world in 2002 with impressive head-to-head records against top-ranked players. Haas left the tour to care for his parents, who were in a motorcycle accident severe enough to leave his dad in a coma. That, injuries and a shoulder operation more or less sidelined him until 2004.
They were closer now...
Both men were players to watch in 2006 and just missed qualifying for the Tennis Masters Cup.
After spending 2005 camped out in the ranking range of 11-26, Gonzalez cracked the top ten for the first time.
Haas had one of the hottest starts on the ATP tour and finished with 49 wins, the second most in his career.
Every hour, every minute seemed to last eternally I was so afraid...
Neither men has strolled to this semifinal match Down Under. They've earned their places by surviving scares and notching upsets in earlier rounds.
Gonzalez started out slow and had to come back from a two-sets-to-one deficit in his second round against Juan Martin Del Potro. In subsequent rounds, he defeated the scrappy Lleyton Hewitt, fifth seed James Blake and world number two Rafael Nadal. Each win more emphatic.
In contrast, Haas' biggest challenge came in the quarters against the world number three Nikolay Davydenko. The tennis-addicted Russian has no problem grinding an opponent down and held match point, but Haas outnerved him: 6-3, 2-6, 1-6, 6-1, 7-5. In the prior round, Haas upset David Nalbandian in four sets.
There was something in the air that night,
For those who appreciate the bonus of a beautiful athlete, this match has a tandem beat.
Once you break away from his mesmerizing eyes, you'll see the six-foot baseliner from Santiago has possibly the nicest set of legs on the ATP tour. Note particularly the separation between vastus lateralis and vastus medialis. And with good quads, often comes good glutes. Check that! To borrow a rating from my ex-boyfriend, the Connoiseur of Callipygian, ka-BLAM!
Nick Bollitieri was so impressed with Haas' tennis that he invited him to train at the famous Florida academy for free. The media gurus for the Australian Open website are so impressed with the German's core workouts that they compiled a shirtless photo gallery of the 28-year-old. Yep, you could handwash something silky on that! Let us not forget he is the original champion of the sleeveless shirt.
The stars were bright...
Roger Federer has already secured the chance to defend his title, serving up a bagel in a three set win over Roddick. Is there a possibility that either of these potential finalists could provide more of a challenge?
Well, they both have something that Fed does not. Something he wants dearly. Olympic hardware. Haas won a silver in Sydney 2000, falling to Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Gonzalez won Chile's first tennis medal in 2004, defeating Taylor Dent to capture the bronze. At nearly three am the next morning -- after seven hours and eight minutes on court inside of a ten-hour span -- he and Nicholas Massu added to the total by winning the doubles gold.
They were shining there for you and me For liberty...
But more relevant to this match is the present. Federer's dominance translates to his 9-0 record against Gonzalez. Haas has two wins in his nine matches against Fed, though the last came in 2002. Still, if you can take a set from the Swiss, you can hope. Fed has yet to drop a set in Melbourne, but both his potential opponents had their moments in 2006.
The avocado-loving Chilean took the second set from Federer in the semis of Canada's Masters event in Toronto on hard court.
Haas gave Federer his biggest test here last year, by winning the third and fourth sets. He was the only player to push Fed to five sets in a Slam. Later in the season, he won a tiebreak on grass in Halle.
Do I wish to make a prediction on which man will attempt to throw Fed off his straight-set rhythm?
I would, my friend... FERNANDO!
Last May, Gonzalez enlisted Larry Stefanki as his coach. The American -- who has coached John McEnroe, Marcelo Rios, Kafelnikov and Tim Henman -- lists the 26-year-old's strengths as: movement, forehand, serve and competitiveness. After taking a few months to assess Gonzalez's dedication, Stefanki agreed to help him work on his game. Since then the aggressive baseliner's game has gotten smarter and has more variety.
Throughout the tournament, La Reina Bomber has proven those smarts, showing his increased consistency and patience. He leads the event with 76 aces and his differential of winners to errors averages almost +28. He's snapping the ball with incredible velocity and depth. One of his service returns against Nadal was clocked at 102mph.
Haas won't roll over. He's quite a talent and gamesman. But he may rue that 61-minute fifth set he needed to win the last round. It should give him pause that Speedy Gonzalez was practically climbing into the stands to retrieve shots from Nadal, himself one of the best defenders around. The soft-spoken Chilean has dropped weight and added fitness, which has given him more defensive options.
In addition, his nerves seem steadier. He laughed off a narrowly-missed challenge call and a shouldn't-have-been-missed overhand smash in the quarters. He admits that wobbly confidence has cost him in the past. Those recent scalps are good for the confidence.
Gonzalez is already the most popular athlete in Chile and the third most popular person, following only current and former presidents. Imagine the reception this man will get... already... if he beats Haas... if he beats Federer. Mere headlights can't measure that kind of excitement!
First of all, I'd like to thank Marat Safin & Benjamin Becker for the three hours, twenty-six minutes of suspense early this morning. That total should edge out the two-day premiere of 24 (minus commercials), which probably won't measure up in racquet abuse either.
Monday By the Numbers
But Safin's first round win wasn't the longest match of Day One at the Australian Open. Lukas Dlouhy of Czechoslovakia and Russia's Teimuraz Gabashvili were still playing their four hour, 48-minute five-setter out on Court 10 while a capacity crowd watched the 2005 AO champ in Rod Laver Arena. Talk about extremes: Gabashvili needed only 19 minutes to win the second set. The fifth set, which is not decided by a tiebreak, went to 16-14 and lasted 122 minutes.
For his efforts, Dlouhy now faces a second round against compatriot Radek Stepanek, who was off the court in just over a quarter of that time. Stepanek was one of 11 players -- nine men and four women -- to serve up a bagel.
Andy Roddick faced two tiebreaks in his first two sets of this tournament. In the first, 38 points were played before Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won on the tenth set point. While the athletic Frenchman was ousted, his home country brought the largest contingent of 28 athletes. Twenty-two of those players remain, which matches the number of Americans left. Both countries have legitimate title contenders.
Friction between two other countries led to the ejection of 150 spectators. Croatian and Serbian fans scuffled, though no injuries were reported. Security was beefed up for today's match between Marin Cilic (CRO) and Ilia Bozoljac (SRB).
Tuesday's Proportions
Day Two provides symmetry.
The two top singles seeds, Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, each lost exhibition matches coming into this tournament. To strong favorites on the Rebound Ace surface: Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters. But neither of those match-ups could play out as the final in the Slam, since these pairings are seeded to meet in the semis.
Federer and Roddick are already into the second round, while Sharapova and Clijsters will be featured on center court today. Clijsters, an "adopted" Australian, has declared 2007 her last year on the pro tour. This is an ideal surface for the 2004 finalist and she proved her dedication to the year with her come-from-behind Sydney title win last week.
There's already "Tiki Talk" on the 23-year-old. Many believe she won't really retire. But she will be marrying American basketball player Brian #### this summer and she's ready to start a family. Sharapova, who also looks forward to motherhood, recently stated that she could see herself retiring at that relatively young age if she is no longer motivated to play at the top level.
The other matches on center court include a replay of a challenging Wimbledon 2006 match-up, American Robert Kendrick v Rafael Nadal. The night matches feature home crowd favorites: Alicia Molik, who plays Yung-Jan Chun; and Lleyton Hewitt, who has American Michael Russell talking some pre-match smack. Both Aussies have had recent career setbacks due to injury and are dark horses for this event.
More Next Door
Tournament organizers have an embarrassment of riches for this round. The center of entertainment today may not be center court, but Vodafone Arena. All four day matches there could be very competitive. Martina Hingis -- who has a streak of six finals here, winning three in a row -- will play another wily veteran in France's Natalie Dechy.
Top American James Blake matches up against 1997 finalist Carlos Moya, a repeat of last week's Sydney final. They played a competitive match and should again, but this one will also draw the eye candy fans. These two know how to rock the sleeveless look, and mercy... it's hot in Melbourne!
The other two contests on this show court should measure up even though a couple of the competitors don't... in one sense only. In an era where players hover near the six foot mark, American Vania King and Olivier Rochus of Belgium stand at 5'5". King faces thirteenth seed Ana Ivanovic, one of those six-footers. While Rochus' opponent, Australian Chris Guccione, is 6'7".
Rochus has already proven determination as a returner. He's had match points on Federer and has been known to frustrate (and defeat) a certain tall Russian who's as talented as the world number one. King, also a baseliner, has shown confidence that has her ranked highest of the upcoming American women.
Still, I don't think either will be a David and Goliath story. Not to slight the short, but Ivanovic and Guccione have too much firepower and momentum. Nadal says Gooch, last week's Adelaide finalist, has one of the best serves on tour. Ivanovic steamrolled Hingis in the Montreal final last year, and also beat Amelie Mauresmo on hard court. Both players are riding some confidence coming into this, but it would be folly for them to overlook their smaller opponents.
Christmas was three weeks ago. But it's today that's given me that little-kid, still-believing-in-Santa sleepless feeling of anticipation. One hour after the Australian Open begins, Day Six of life with Jack Bauer dawns.
The amount of energy I have right now could power a large metropolis.
My holiday wish book: 24 previews, Kiefer Sutherland sightings and the Australian Open draw.
The amount of effort I have put into pouring over those seedings and matchups could get me through CTU Academy training.
My preliminary intel report:
Day One
Men's Top Half, Top Quarter
Out of the 31 other men in Roger Federer's quarter, the only one to have a winning record against the top seed is his first round opponent. But the single win Germany's Bjorn Phau notched against the Swiss was in 1999, when both men were fresh faces on the ATP Tour. Since then Federer has won 45 titles; Phau none. Danger levels for the defending champion in this round are low.
Of the five men in that top quarter who have beaten the world number one, only Juan Carlos Ferrero has done so more than once. While the past is a strong indicator, it is the future may be Federer's biggest threat. Some of the best young talent tapped to be the future of the ATP lies in that portion of the draw:
Last week's Adelaide champion Novak Djokovic is seeded to meet Fed in the fourth round.
Marcos Baghdatis, who took the first set from Fed in last year's AO final, could be his quarterfinal opponent.
France's gifted "baby Federer" Richard Gasquet has the most recent win against Federer in 2005.
Two thus-far less accomplished youngsters, Gael Monfils of France and America's Sam Querrey, are long shots, but names worth noting. Veterans Mikhail Youzhny and Tommy Robredo could ride their momentum from last year.
Men's Top Half, Bottom Quarter
This section provides the first men's marquee night match on Rod Laver Arena: 2005 Australian Open Champion Marat Safin versus Benjamin Becker, aka the man who sent Andre Agassi into retirement. Safin himself is enough to warrant this honor. Whether he will let his German opponent into this match or not... well, that's part of the drama.
Safin could set up a repeat of the best match of his 2005 run, a semifinal against Federer. But while the Russian has finally regained a ranking that has him seeded in a Slam, it could pit him against Andy Roddick in the third round. Up side for the American: Roddick just beat Federer in an exhibition match. Down side: He will likely be without Jimmy Connors for the tournament, as Connor's mother just died. Mario Ancic will be a challenge for either player.
Perennial contender Ivan Ljubicic could have an engaging first round against Mardy Fish. But after that, the most likely to edge him is David Ferrer, who picked up the title in Auckland last week.
This tournament will be a litmus test for four unseeded players who had shortened seasons in 2006 due to injury. These sleepers could be dangerous. Starting with the most threatening: Joachim Johansson, Radek Stepanek, Thomas Johansson and Igor Andreev.
FINDINGS: I expect all the men highlighted to advance to the second round.
Querrey will provide the upset of the day for the men's side by defeating 27th seed Jose Acasuso. Djokovic's match against Nicolas Massu will be the most competitive and not without controversy. Stepanek v Michael Llodra will be entertaining. Two that will go the distance: Ivo Karlovic v Jurgen Melzer and Stefan Koubek v local hero Wayne Arthurs.
Women's Bottom Half, Top Quarter
This is the What If... section, the most unpredictable quarter of the tournament, women's or men's. The only sure thing is there will be surprises. There are many threat scenarios to run through.
The quarterfinal could just as easily be contested by former Grand Slam champions Svetlana Kuznetsova and Serena Williams, as it could "next best" players Nadia Petrova and Shahar Peer, as it could newcomers Victoria Azarenka and Julia Vakulenko.
Petrova and Jelena Jankovic, seeded to meet in the fourth round have had the best prep coming into the tournament. Petrova won all but one match -- including singles and mixed doubles -- on her winning Hopman Cup campaign. Jankovic won all but one match in her first two 2007 tournaments. She took the Auckland title and then beat Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo and Nicole Vaidisova on her way to the Sydney final.
Jankovic lost the Medibank International title to Kim Clijsters in an high-quality three-set match. This could have been a preview of the Australian Open final, and at the very least set the bar high for match of the year.
Both Jankovic and Petrova are nursing slight injuries, otherwise their advance would be more confident. Still, I'd bank on one of them to get through to the quarterfinal, though Marion Bartoli, Michaella Krajicek or Azarenka could make things interesting. Possible opponents would be the inconsistent Kuznetsova, Peer, Tatiana Golovin or Maria Kirilenko.
Women's Bottom Half, Bottom Quarter
In contrast to above, this may be the most secure quarter.
Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo got a nice draw... early. She should face progressive challenges in Shenay Perry, Jie Zheng and number fourteen seed Francesca Schiavone. Her possible quarterfinal opponents include seventh seed Elena Dementieva and tenth seed Nicole Vaidisova.
The Frenchwoman might prefer to see Dementieva, even though she double-breadsticked Vaidisova here last year. The last two matches between Mauresmo and Vaidisova have gone three sets and gone to the Czechoslovakian.
Dementieva is always shaky on her serve, and may even fall early to the likes of Kirsten Flipkens. Mauresmo could be tested by Schiavone. But Dementieva will pull through and the likely quarterfinal will be Vaidisova v Mauresmo.
FINDINGS: Women highlighted here will advance to the second round. Note that Hingis and Clijsters are in the other half, so I did not highlight them to avoid confusion. Even though I have them tabbed for their own quarterfinal match.
Mara Santangelo of Italy has a chance to upset Serena, much like Sybille Bammer did in Hobart a few days ago. Aside from that match, the closest Day One contests will be Giselo Dulko v Tiantian Sun and Maria Kirilenko v Karolina Sprem.
I believe that Marat Safin and Kim Clijsters will be 2007 Australian Open champions. I believe that Jack Bauer will save the world... and none of my favorite characters will get killed off this season.
OK, I don't really believe that last bit, because... well, that's part of the drama.
A few more hours of suspense before I get to see how it all plays out.
And you think the reports on Intellipedia, the US-based spy wiki, are just wire service news… That’s what you are meant to think! But read the selected quote carefully: “We’d hope to get down to the doctor in Shanghai who may have a useful contribution on avian flu,” senior intelligence analyst Fred Hassani said.”
Haha! That is but a simple scramble-cipher-shuffle. The true message reads: We’d hope to get that birdbrain to cover Shanghai and make a useless contribution to tennis analysis, while we find a suitable “doctor” to “shoot down” her delusions of a career in intelligence.
Wonderful! On assignment once again! It is my top secret job to pass along coded information to those that “need to know” and help build the Intellipedia. I will begin with the basics and identify the eight agents in Shanghai that have infiltrated the field of the Tennis Masters Cup, which begins Sunday. Here they are, in reverse rank, color coded by round-robin group.
Your decryption key: 007
JAMES BLAKE:Blake. James Blake. Has a nice ring to it, but that bit would get old in a hurry. Davydenko. Nikolay Davydenko. See? When the recent search for the latest Bond was underway, I was rooting for the eventual choice Daniel Craig. The first time I ever saw him was in Tomb Raider, and quite frankly, all I remember about that movie is Craig’s physique. Grrrr…. This is Blake’s first appearance in the Tennis Masters Cup, and he was the last one to qualify. He’s athletic and has winning records against the three other men in the Gold Group. Possibly the fastest man on tour, his speed allows him to defend more shots and make his opponents work harder. We may look back on this as the first J-Blockbuster in a series of major titles. And at any time, we may look at the popular American as Grrrr…..
So while on mission, Blake will be also known as Daniel Craig.
Weapons: Forehand, return and a sweet, seductive smile.
DAVID NALBANDIAN: The iconoclast of the bunch. As with Blake, people are waiting on Nalbandian’s first Grand Slam trophy (Men’s, David has Junior titles). However, the Argentine notched a huge win here at the “Fifth Slam” last year, coming back from two sets down to beat Roger Federer in the final. Another way he differs from Blake: there is no “D-Block.” This complete-court player might even be considered a touch surly; the media dubs him the toughest interview on the ATP. Me, I give leeway to a man whose family has at times been threatened with kidnapping because of his fame. Actor George Lazenby (now married to Pam Shriver) is noted for his controversial portrayal of Bond and his defiance of the studio system. But make no mistake, both enigmatic hunks have their fans and continue to be named as favorites.
aka George Lazenby
Weapons: Clean technique, court sense and a smoldering passion.
TOMMY ROBREDO: You wouldn’t think it possible, but a man in the world’s top 10 can still be underestimated. I know, because I did so myself about a week and a half ago. Despite my admiration for his forehand and my open acknowledgement of his first Masters Shield, I really didn’t believe Robredo would qualify for this event. Instead, I picked Fernando Gonzalez in this spot. Well, people didn’t really expect Timothy Dalton to get the Bond nod before Pierce Brosnan did either. But after turning down the role twice before, Dalton finally committed to the franchise. Robredo has been approaching the top for a few years now. While being oft-overshadowed by his countrymen, he has earned his ranking and his first-time appearance in this event. It was all a matter of timing and patience, two skills the Spaniard also puts to good use on court.
aka Timothy Dalton
Weapons: Defense, precision and a pair of deeply haunting eyes.
