It's 3 a.m. and I am still reflecting on the wonder that was the U.S. Open. To truly recap all the memorable highlights (oh, how I enjoyed USA's coverage of Safin) would take a fortnight-plus-a-bonus-day itself! So I'll write that looking-back tome in my head, and only focus on some highlights here that have me looking forward...
MAJOR GENERAL
Perennial powerhouses Spain and the U.S. each have two players in the top ten. It was stunning that both countries lost their number two players -- David Ferrer and James Blake, respectively -- to unseeded opponents in the third round.
But it attests to the depth of talent that two of their lower profile countrymen stepped in to reach the second week. On strong merit. Tommy Robredo notably beat Marat Safin and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and then scrambled through five sets with Novak Djokovic before his run ended in that fourth round match. And American Mardy Fish yanked three seeds, including Blake -- and one set from Rafael Nadal -- before his ouster in the quarterfinal.
This makes their upcoming Davis Cup semifinal even more enticing. Though the US squad has already been named (Fish, who is getting married a few days after the tie, is not on it), it will be interesting to see Spain’s lineup. As the 15th seed, Robredo was actually the number four Spaniard coming into the Open, behind Nadal, Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco.
PRIMARY TIME
Jelena Jankovic in yellow. Serena Williams in red. Cracking the ball across the blue expanse of court in Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was as if a stage manager articulated the set and costumes, fitting right in with the USTA ad campaign, “It’s Showtime.”
And though the Serbian was in her first Grand Slam final -- the stakes not only the trophy, but also the number one ranking -- she showed no signs of stage fright. The Women’s Final was a highly entertaining match, with the second set lasting one hour and seventeen minutes -- longer than any of Serena’s first four matches.
In contrast, only Jankovic’s first round against American Coco Vandeweghe (now Girls' Junior Champ) took less time than that 77-minute final set. Though inconsistent play early on in the tournament kept the second seed on court longer than she’d have liked, she tidied things up for the final three rounds. And on Sunday night, she proved that she belongs in Grand Slam finals... and the fans love to see her there. Not just because of her play. With her vivacity and interaction, she upstaged Serena’s star power.
MORE TIME TO SHINE: HER FUTURE'S BRIGHTER THAN FOOTLIGHTS
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF THINGS
Significant tennis news was not solely dialed on the Open. On September 1, Neil Harman of the Times of London revealed that Russian Nikolay Davydenko will be cleared in the ATP match-fixing investigation that originally made headlines before last year’s U.S. Open.
Absolution of both guilt and the burden of his scandal-bait status was originally expected at the time of the French Open. By then, it was already the longest-ever such inquiry in tennis & Davydenko was frequently referenced in stories of the Tim Donaghy-NBA gambling fix. Let’s hope this time, it's truly resolved.
Unlike many, I hadn’t written him off, but I was admittedly thinking narrow. Though I always kept in mind that Fed’s relative slump is still a damn fine year -- and that his Olympic gold in doubles was meaningful -- I was hinging huge significance on this one man in this one tournament.
But now that he has actually won his fifth U.S. Open in a row, I’m excited about the remainder...
Of the season. The Big Three of Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic had already qualified for the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai. Since Andy Murray just joined them, the scrap for the other four spots is on!
Of the decade. Maybe we'll be soon referring to The Big Four. Today’s top four ATP players all made Grand Slam finals this year. With the most wins, Nadal will have many points to defend in 2009. A man familiar with that scenario, Federer proved that the king is not dead. Australian Open champ Djokovic morphed into a bad boy. Murray beefed up & has beaten all three men ranked above him. And the only other Slam finalist, Tsonga, is finally coming back from an injury lay-off.
Of Fed’s resurrection. Roger had to fight for this title. He’s admitted to his struggles with movement, which Jim Courier attributes to lasting effects of Federer’s bout with mono. The Swiss still never showed a consistent elevation, but he felt those moments of flow back at times. And we witnessed it.
Of his career. Sure, there are the records. But more importantly, Federer displayed his relish for challenges and the difficult matches. His ability to recover from great disappointment. This year has been a different kind of test for him and adds to my respect for the man, the athlete.
He may not be world number one, but he’s still leading.
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!
Yes, this is a medical evaluation of sorts. But no, the five-time Wimbledon champ does not have calculi in his kidneys. I'm talking about the pair between his thighs. It shall never again be questioned whether Mirka keeps them at home or in her purse.
It was a wild and wobbly Wimbly, with the rain delays and some outstanding matchups... Henman v. Moya, Vaidisova v Ivanovic, and Djokovic v Baghdatis were most thrilling. But the gentlemen's final topped them all.
One would think Tommy Haas' fourth-round withdrawal and the cramped second-week schedule of his Spanish opponent gave Federer an advantage. Quite the opposite.
Take as an example the way both Williams sisters worked their way into form for their Grand Slam titles this year. The first couple of rounds are always tricky, and a player likes to build on challenges as he or she goes along.
The blustery forces of nature that gave Federer a week off in the middle of the tournament!!! left the champ with rust. (Hey, how about that Juan Carlos Ferrero?!!) And this after the Swiss -- once again flying solo as his own coach -- skipped Halle, the grass-court lead-in he had won four years running. Preparation and superstition, be damned.
The man was not what you call match-rich. And he had a lot of time to think about the immense significance of what he was attempting. Even he said he did not feel as confident and prepared as he did in 2006.
Meanwhile, an improved game and heavy dose of luck produced an opponent that was match-saturated and rising in confidence as the tournament moved on. The same opponent from the year prior, the indefatigable Rafael Nadal. Not completely surprising, but the reigning French Open champion was also fortunate that Mikhail Youzhny and Novak Djokovic played impaired.
Where Fed would have likely been challenged by healthy Tommy Haas, Nadal would have likely been toppled by a healthy Youzhny. And Djokovic had scrapped his way to results that live up to his brashness before he had to retire from the semifinal. So the two finalists spent roughly the same time on court Saturday.
Fortunately, I'm used to the roller coaster of anxiety of a Marat Safin match. This experience gave me the stamina to survive this final. The opening three games had me feeling secure with Fed at 3-0.
That sense of security did not return until late in the fifth set.
In between, Federer battled a grass court that was slower than ever, some dubious calls from -- oddly enough -- the electronic line judge and obviously, the one opponent who is most in his head.
This has been a challenging year for the world number one. He parted ways with Tony Roche shortly before the French, Guillermo Canas took him out of two tournaments early, and in the French Open final, his best game -- especially his serve -- abandoned him.
Federer's serve was premiere Sunday, but his best game was not all there. Five sets in a Slam is unusual territory for Fed. And he was irritated enough by the seemingly erroneous Hawk-Eye that he asked for it to be turned off. (Which didn't happen.)
It was a rough day on center court for the defending champion. But he needed this.
Despite a timeout for treatment to his knee, Nadal had the momentum going into the final set. Twice in the fifth, Federer was down 15-40. Since last year, I had Fed as the man who should and would win this tournament. (Provding he got past Safin, of course!) But on that long series of break points, even I doubted the historic Bjorn-like moment would happen.
And then in the sixth game, Federer scorched a forehand winner down the line and I knew.
This was the Roger I recognized.
No... this was the Roger I hadn't seen in a long time. He was pushed to an extreme the entire match and came through. He didn't always play brilliant -- which is his trademark, but he played brave.
He needed this checkup. Head, heart, guts and nuts... intact!
Some have doubted Federer's ####... but probably not the folks that erected this sign.
While talk spirals from the pro-am pairing of Tiger Woods & Michael Jordan today at the Wachovia Championship, there's unfortunately less coverage on a more intriguing pairing. Two other dominant athletes meet today on a court divided.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are playing an exhibition match designed around each one's most notable specialty. The four-time defending Wimbledon champ and the two-time defending French Open champ face off on a half-grass, half-clay court in Mallorca, Spain.
On the surface (pun intended), this is ingenuous marketing of the sport. The world's top two, the only Grand Slam winners of 2006, styling shots in front of a sell-out crowd in Nadal's birthplace.
Along with this home court advantage, Nadal has the winning edge over Federer. A 7-3 head-to-head record, including a perfect 5-0 on clay. Fed has a 1-0 advantage on the lawn. The hybrid court requires each to switch their best surface with the one each would love to claim a first rivalry victory.
And this is where I think this exercise in fun will best serve the Swiss.
Nadal is not the first player to own Federer. (Nor the last. In 2007, Guillermo Canas has been that man.) David Nalbandian used to have a hold on Fed for years, starting in the juniors. The world number one eventually switched that momentum.
Fed has been chipping away at the dirt. This could be his tipping point. The fresh challenge of the on-court shuffle -- which will even have the players changing their shoes whenever they change ends -- is ripe opportunity for Fed to design a new game plan.
Strategy is one of the Swiss star's most potent weapons. Without discounting the presence of Tony Roche, Federer's dominance and longevity owe much to his ability to coach himself, both throughout a season and specifically during a match. Having to shift and alternate tactics for today's match favors Fed's long-range goals, including winning the French Open.
According to the Associated Press, Federer said, "It'll be fun to find out what it's like to play on a court with mixed surfaces... And it ought to be interesting to see who chooses the better tactic."
Throw-away comments about a throw-away match? I think not.
Remember the buzz on Andy Roddick when he beat Federer in the Kooyong exhibition right before the Australian Open? Federer was willing to sacrifice that win in order to experiment with his game and later demolished the American in their AO semi. Not to mention, Fed won that tournament without dropping a set.
We may look back on today's showy playtime as the catalyst for Federer's quantum leap. His integration on clay -- and separation from Nadal. The timing couldn't be better. There's 25 days, 15 hours and 39 minutes until Roland Garros...
For a few years now, my recipe for success has been Hoppin' John. Eat some black-eyed peas on New Year's Day and you'll have luck all year. In 2006, tennis found its equivalent.
THE LAUGHING BUDDHA
Walking, Talking Talisman
At the US Open, two of the most dominant current athletes met for the first time. Roger Federer hung out with Tiger Woods just prior to his final against Andy Roddick. Woods and his wife Elin sat in Fed's player box and watched a quality match that gave the Swiss his third consecutive US Open title.
The schedules of the ATP and pro golf crossed paths early November in Shanghai, where the round-robin Tennis Masters Cup was held. So Federer watched Woods play a round at the HSBC Championship. Shortly afterwards, Rafael Nadal and David Nalbandian also met the golf phenom... Were they hoping for a little cross-pollination of success?
However, Federer cornered the market on that mojo, beating both Nadal and Nalbandian in an undefeated title run. Even Woods only finished second in his tournament, two strokes short of victory.
Something for everyone
A more diversified charm of fortune is the power of the blog.
Both the ATP and WTA official websites introduced player blogs at tournaments this year. Readership skyrocketed with Dmitry Tursunov's humorous entries, which included him blogging from his hotel bathroom on death-defying drivers in Estoril. He was later named the ATP's resident blogger and of course, detailed Russia's Davis Cup win.
While he holds that resident title alone, several players excelled in the tournaments at which they wrote their blogs:
Ivan Ljubicic kicked off the first blog at the Chennai Open and also began the winning trend.
James Blake followed suit the next week in Sydney.
At the World Team Cup, Croatian Mario Ancic won his three matches and Croatia won the whole event.
Spain's Tommy Robredo earned his first-ever Masters Shield in Hamburg and was so excited he pulled a Brandi Chastain, thankfully sans bra.
His compatriot Rafael Nadal defended his French Open title, with manpris.
Americans Bob & Mike Bryan completed a career Grand Slam with their first Wimbledon championship.
Federer, whose bear-likeness was asked to write before he was, found time to play pranks on his girlfriend and take home hardware in Tokyo.
Belgian Kim Clijsters wrote on her first tournament back from an injury layoff and won the event in front of a home crowd in Hasselt.
Doubles specialist Rennae Stubbs reached the Madrid final with partner Cara Black. The pair ended the year ranked third.
Nadia Petrova and Marat Safin were each singles' finalists in Moscow. Both finals were all-Russian events, with Anna Chakvetadze and Nikolay Davydenko the respective victors. However, only one of the bloggers included half-naked pictures.
Does there need to be any more evidence that blogging is good for you? Now eat your legumes and have a Happy New Year!!!
The Inaugural MCLioness Lawn Ornament Awards (Tennis Edition) were introduced on Dec 18, the anniversary of my blog beginnings, and will run through New Year's Day. Honors bestowed thus far:
With THE LAUGHING BUDDHA going to the power of the blog and Runner-up Tiger Woods, the Inaugural MClioness Lawn Ornament Awards (Tennis Edition) have now concluded. However, the 2007 Tennis season has now started.
Please excuse my disheveled appearance. Work never ceases. I just finished debriefing Agent Double Grrrrr-rrr-RRRRR!!!, the man who puts the His in His MCLioness’ Secret Service. Dedicated to the cause, that one. Not that I play favorites. His official business is elsewhere, so I will now carry on crafting the intel on the field agents in Shanghai for the Tennis Masters Cup.
Your decryption key: 007
To review, the four lower-ranked entries have been made. Of course, to even the talent pool, they have been drawn into two round-robin divisions, the Gold Group and the Red Group. I have color-coded them accordingly. The agents already covered are:
8 – JAMES BLAKE (USA) aka Daniel Craig
7 – DAVID NALBANDIAN (ARG) aka George Lazenby
6 – TOMMY ROBREDO (ESP) aka Timothy Dalton
5 – ANDY RODDICK (USA) aka Roger Moore
Please refer to the earlier transcription in OHMSS, Part One for details and weapons grade.
IVAN LJUBICIC: Like Sean Connery,he knows how to make an entrance. Ljubicic leads the ATP Tour with 875 aces for the year. (Impressed yet? Roddick, currently in second, would have to fire down 219 more to catch him.) Ljubicic also shares physical similarities with the former Mr. Universe. Both imposing men are accessible and yet have an aura of worldliness. When Ivan was a teen, the ethnic cleansing in war-torn Bosnia convinced his family to escape. He fled with his mother and brother, while his father stayed behind – mostly incommunicado for six months – until they could be reunited. Sir Connery has been honored by countries all over the world, including France, the U.S., Great Britain and Panama. Ljubicic has marked his place as a Croatian national hero and a Davis Cup legend.
aka Sean Connery
Weapons: Serve, groundies and a disarming boyishness.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: While Ljubicic is the biggest man at this tournament, Davydenko is the smallest. And with each size comes its advantages. Davydenko’s is quickness, which he uses to dictate play. The Ukrainian-born shotmaker had a 3-0 record in round-robin matches in his first Masters Cup appearance last year. With his title win in Paris last week, he jumped to a career-high of number three in the world. World number three and Davydenko still flies under the radar outside the tennis world. You may also not know the name of Barry Nelson, the first James Bond. The American actor appeared in a television adaptation of Casino Royale in 1954. He is still the only American to have portrayed the British spy, despite opportunities for some famous leading men (Burt “Man Law” Reynolds included). Davydenko is the only Russian representative this year, despite the depth of talent that has led them to the Davis Cup final in December.
aka Barry Nelson
Weapons: Backhand, offense and a steeliness cloaked in angelic.
RAFAEL NADAL: Vamos! A fist pump gets the fans pumped. The rippling Rafa is undeniably a crowd pleaser. And experts love him, too. Given his record against Roger Federer pre-Wimbledon, some were saying the Spaniard deserved the number one ranking. Regardless of where you stood on that argument, the Nadal-Federer rivalry has created buzz for men’s tennis. Likewise, Pierce Brosnan has been the biggest box-office draw in Bond history; many credit him for rejuvenating the series. The camera loves the Irish actor, winner of GQ’s Editor’s Special Award 2005. The two-time French Open champ Nadal also makes his own style statement. It takes a bold man to wear capri pants. And the lefty’s vigor and exuberance make you believe that he could outrun a speedboat, detonate a bomb, dispatch a torturer, foil a traitorous plot, save the world and still have the energy to charm the ladies.
aka Pierce Brosnan
Weapons: Competitiveness, spin on the ball and a big set of guns.
ROGER FEDERER: In the trailers for Casino Royale, the upcoming 007 series reboot,M refers to James Bond as a “blunt instrument.” Lesson here: All legends start somewhere. A spark of talent is seen, even though they may be rough around the edges. The best keep getting better. Just a few years ago, people questioned whether Federer had the mental game to win a major. Then after his breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2003, the biggest question was how the best decision-maker on court could sport the indecisive Dutchboy ‘do (BEFORE photo). Finally he made the choice to go short. The first time I spotted Fed in a tux with his cropped mop was the first time I could see the allure in being a Bond girl (AFTER photo). But a little Paul Mitchell and a #### suit does not a man make. Survival counts. The Swiss master is also his own Q. Just when the pack thinks they might be able to catch him, they watch Fed tinker up some new tool and shatter their strategy.
All the others are playing at being 007. Federer is Bond.
Friend... or foe. Round-the-calendar preparations can fumble in the face of it. We imagine an ideal, speculate on form and debate the way things are supposed to go. Sometimes players get gifted with almost architectural steps into the second week. But the bigger the tournament, the more numerous and dangerous the floaters... ah, the capriciousness of the draw!
The Grand Slams always deliver some early shockers -- the unpredictability is the fun! From one-time whammies written off as lucky flukes to breakthroughs that keep winning big, such as Marcos Baghdatis and Nicole Vaidisova. But ultimately, the human element does come into play and -- while you wouldn't want to spoil everything -- by reading the draw you can prepare yourself for some possible U.S. Open upsets.
Feliciano Lopez ESP v Ivan Ljubicic CRO (3)
Now this is just cruel! This will be the fourth time these two face each other this year, the third time in a major. Ljubi won in the third round of the Australian Open in straight sets. Lopez returned the favor in their most recent meeting in the quaterfinals of Gstaad on clay. Sandwiched between was an over-four-hour battle at Wimbledon... in the first round!!! So c'mon... again?!!?!!!
After Lopez rallied back from a two-set deficit there, Ljubicic won in the fifth, 11-9. Both men serve big and well (Ljubicic leads the ATP with 682 aces on the year, 110 more than the second-ranked Ivo Karlovic). But that was also a match with some fine rallies, and Lopez likes coming into the net. The deciding factor could come down to whose second serve is most vulnerable on the day.
Though the Spanish lefty cites hard courts as his favorite surface, his summer season this year doesn't make any competitor quake in their court shoes. Ljubicic, on the other hand, had a respectable prep, reaching the quarterfinals at Cincinnati. But he's lost to some players he beat on hard courts last year. And those 682 aces have been served up over 60 matches. Croatia's Davis Cup hero plays a ton of tennis.
Maybe no other unanointed player on the ATP circuit is as deserving o####rand Slam win as the hard-working Ljubicic. He's a model of consistency, yet he may be overextending himself throughout the year at the cost of breaking through at Slams. It would be a shame to see him out of this early... but he's vulnerable.
In contrast, Lopez is a bit of an underachiever and his ranking has steadily slipped from inside the top 35 to 64. I would love to know what he is thinking. Is this draw a blessing or curse? (Actually I would have loved to hear both men's initial reactions to the draw...) He could be ready to bury this year and look to 2007, or he could come in fired up, knowing that he has the game to take out the world number three. He has nothing to lose. If he digs into this match and the crowd does too, this could be blockbuster fun!
Prediction:Pretty is as pretty does. This is Lopez's game to win if he wants it.
Viktoria Azarenka BLR v Anastasia Myskina RUS (11)
Forget the unpredictability of the draw... Myskina is unpredictability personified. She was the first Russian woman to win a Grand Slam title at the French Open in 2004. At her best, she is fiery, intelligent and competitive. At her worst... well, she is still fiery and intelligent... and oddly competitive. She just focuses too much of her energy on berating herself and her coach.
Even when winning, she often provides thrills within the match, giving up a set or appearing to slump. So this early in a tournament, she might knock out two sets and announce that she's ready... or scrap through a tight three-setter. Her 2-0 record against her first-round opponent illustrates both. In Miami, Myskina beat the Belorussian teen 6-3, 7-5. In Rome, Myskina won 8-6 in the third after giving up the second set.
Azarenka, who turned pro this year, is obviously not intimidated by rank. She has her own credentials: 2005 Junior Champion at the Australian and U.S. Opens. The 17-year-old has been getting through qualifying to make her way to main draws, including the tournaments she played against Myskina and the first two Slams. She was placed in the main draw in the French Open and now here. Thus far, her Slams have ended in the first round.
Now Myskina's last two tournaments have ended in first round upsets. The pattern threatens to continue, since the speedster was feeling pain in her foot in New Haven last week. But she hates to lose.
Prediction: Even if she has to play with pain, Myskina will gut this out in three. Regardless of outcome, expect to see more of Azarenka.
More Underdogs with a Biting Chance
Carlos Moya ESP v Agustin Calleri ARG (28): Calleri is one of the in-form players on tour right now. But although Moya hasn't had a great year, his losses have come to some other hot players and he's not taking it lightly. He recently hired a new coach, which shows the 1998 French Open champ still has desire and a willingness to evolve. It pains me to call Moya an underdog.
Anna Smashnova ISR v Patty Schnyder SUI (7): This is by no means a guaranteed win for the streaky Schnyder, whose U.S. summer looked solid until last week in New Haven. Smashnova was runner-up at Forest Hills this past weekend. In six career meetings, each woman has won three, with Smashnova taking the only match on hard court back in 2002. Besides, Smashnova is an uber-tennis name.
Thomas Johansson SWE v Sebastien Grosjean FRA (30): Like Lopez-Ljubicic, another mistimed pairing, because neither one of these men should go out after one round. Johansson had surgery to repair a detached retina this year, after a serve struck him in the left eye. If his game hasn't changed because of it, he could take out Seb. Though the Frenchman won their second round match here last year.
Various Lower Ranked Women v Almost Any Top-Seeded Woman: Hyperbole, of course. But the women's field has been decimated by injury and exhaustion of late. Kim Clijsters is unable to defend her title since she reinjured her wrist. Several of the other big names are recently or even just now returning after time off: Mauresmo, Henin-Hardenne, Sharapova, Nadia Petrova, Kuznetsova (now that I've practically listed the top ten...) plus Pierce, Davenport and Serena. Maybe it won't matter... Henin-Hardenne proved in the past that she comes back strong and made it known that she could keep the U.S. Open trophy in Belgium with her Pilot Pen win this week.
But maybe it will matter... few have the self-belief and conditioning of H-H. Fifth-ranked Petrova, who is probably most at risk, has the double-edged draw of a qualifier as her first opponent. So maybe not in the first round, but the usual suspects' lack of playing time could make the draw look like a game of pick-up sticks. The upcoming women are already strong to begin with. Newer names you'll see shaking things up as soon as they get their chance: Ana Ivanovic (this year's U.S. Open Series winner), Dinara Safina, Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Flavia Pennetta, Vaidisova and Na Li.
Mark Philippoussis AUS v Rafael Nadal ESP (2): Not quite hyperbole. Flip could serve his way into the second round. It wouldn't be an upset if it wasn't unlikely, right?
Michaella Krajicek NED v Maria Sharapova RUS (3): You might think I'm kidding.
Other possible first-round upsets, or at least matches that could provide drama and distance: Stanislas Wawrinka SUI v Juan Ignacio Chela ARG (31); Xavier Malisse BEL v Jarkko Nieminen FIN (13); Gisela Dulko ARG v Jelena Jankovic SCG (19); Tiantian Sun CHN v Elena Likhovtseva RUS (32)
