Paula Vergara's Tennis Blog

The Coaching Carousel Continues to Spin

2012-01-11T17:17:00.000-05:00

Originally published in Tennis View Magazine, December, 2011.

It’s a well-known fact that talent alone doesn’t make a tennis champion. It also takes a good support system. Whether it’s a famIly member or a former pro, a good coach is likely one of the most important assets a player can have. but often times, the life span of a player/coach alliance can be unpredictable, unstable and even short-lived. In recent years, more money, more pressure and a more global talent pool have forced the tennis-coaching carousel to pick up speed.

NO FAST RIDE TO THE TOP
Without a doubt, most tennis coaches are in a fragile position, subject to the whims of the players who want fast results so they can shoot up to the top of the rankings. ESPN analyst and former pro Darren Cahill says that “because a tennis player’s window is so small, they don’t wish to waste a moment. They keep second guessing as to whether maybe there’s something better out there for them, or they’re quick to pull the rip cord if they go through even a slightly bad patch, thinking that somebody else can get them through that quicker.” Cahill, who previously coached Andre Agassi and currently offers his coaching expertise to players participating in the Adidas Player Development Program, says that if a player and a coach make it past the three-year mark, they have a pretty special relationship.

KEYS TO COACHING SUCCESS
According to Antonio Van Grichen, who is best known for his five-year stint coaching Victoria Azarenka during her climb to No. 6 in the world, says that the foundation of a good coach/player relationship is based on respect, motivation, good communication and trust. “In any kind of relationship, respect has to exist with one another,” says Van Grichen. “Motivation is what drives both the player and coach to work day in [and] day out towards their goals. Good communication is essential to avoid misunderstandings and helping to improve the player’s game and the player/coach relationship.” Van Grichen also worked briefly with Vera Zvonareva and Ana Ivanovic.

Chip Brooks, Tennis Director at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and has been working at the Academy since 1977, has another way to define coaching success. “It all boils down to personality,” he says. “It’s about understanding game styles and know- ing what buttons to push to get the player to overachieve. It’s not just getting the player to play well, it’s getting them to play at a higher level than they are capable of playing.”

WHEN CHANGE IS CLEARLY A GOOD THING
Is there ever a good time to change coaches or to try something different? The quick answer: “Yes,” says Cahill. “Especially when a player has a block of training weeks. It’s very difficult to make any real change when you have a bunch of tournaments coming up. In November or December, if players are thinking about making a change, that’s a great time – it’s a relaxed atmosphere for a player to get an opportunity to know the coach and for the coach to get to know the player. Then when January arrives, players get to see how those things implement themselves into a match.”

MONEY: THE GAME CHANGER
Compared to 10, 20 or even 30 years ago, players at the top of today’s game are making astronomical amounts of money, which could be one major reason why so many player/coach partnerships don’t last. For example, a $3.5 million career from 20 years ago is similar to one year’s earnings for today’s top players. Simply put: Players can afford to make more frequent coaching changes.

“I think that you’ll find that most of the top players spend the money to make sure they keep improving themselves,” says Cahill. “It’s like investing in your future. You can only do that when you’re making better money because it’s an expensive exercise to take on a coach. It’s not only a salary, but it’s also all the traveling expenses you have to pay for.”

Chip Brooks says that taking on a coach can definitely burn a hole in a player’s pocket, depending on the contract agreement. “Good coaches are not going to come cheap, and they are wanting long-term deals with a percentage of prize money tied to bonuses.”

Even without a coach, playing on the ATP or WTA Tours can be cost prohibitive. “The USTA came out with a stat this year,” says Brooks. “The average cost to play a year of tour-level events now, excluding equipment, no coach and no parents is about $143,000 per year. Your break even is around 100 in men’s and women’s tennis.” This can be a risky investment for players coming up in the ranks with no guarantees for success.

On the contrary, a tennis coach can help a player reach new heights and reap substantial rewards in the process. “If the coach can help a player win two rounds more in each Grand Slam, they’ve more than covered their investment when you’re talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money,” says Brooks. “Forget about the $1.8 million Sam Stosur just won by winning the U.S. Open singles title. Think about all of the endorsement money she’s going to pick up because she’s the first female from Australia to win a grand slam singles title in 31 years. If a coach can help a player get to the next level, then it’s worth every penny.”

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF THE PLAYER/COACH RELATIONSHIP

Ana Ivanovic has gone through more coaching changes during her young career than most other players, struggling to find long-term stability with a regular coach as well as consistency with her game. How many coaches she has had? At least eight: Zoltan Kuharsky (early career), David Taylor, Craig Kardon, Scott Byrnes, Sven Groeneveld, Antonio Van Grichen (trial basis), and Heinz Gunthardt (eight months). She signed on with Nigel Sears, the former head of coach for women’s tennis at the LTA, in June, 2011. Ivanovic has also sought the tutelage of Darren Cahill, via the Adidas Player Development Program.

“When you have a new coach, there is extra motivation in the beginning, and that can create some good results,” says Ivanovic. “But the changes that you make together take time to flourish, and it will be some time, probably next season, when I am in a position to really reach my potential.”

FAMILY TIES THAT BIND OR GAG

For better or for worse, some players, including Caroline Wozniacki, Li Na, Rafael Nadal, Marion Bartoli, and Maria Sharapova rely heavily on parents, a spouse, or other close relatives as their primary coach. For the most part, these players have been able to avoid the coaching carousel, but there is a down side. These players seem to have no real choice when it comes to coaching, until they reach adulthood. Even then, it can be a sticky mess for players to part ways with a parent or relative as a coach, given their history together both on and off the court.

Li Na became household name after winning the 2011 French Open. A few months prior to winning her first Grand Slam, she decided to drop her coach (also her husband) for a more experienced and knowledgeable coach, Michael Mortensen. His tutelage helped to turn things around for Li Na by developing her clay-court game.

Marion Bartoli, who, despite having a tumultuous relationship with her father/coach, Walter Bartoli, continues to work with him on a full time basis. Who can forget Bartoli’s third round match against Flavia Pennetta at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, when she was overcome with frustration and banished her father from her players box on Centre Court? He obliged, and Bartoli went on to win the match.

The bottom line: In tennis, pressure and instability will always be a part of the player/coach dynamic, as they navigate through their respective careers. But as they say, money makes the world go round. And in tennis, it simply makes it go round a lot faster.

Top 20 Wishes for the 2012 Tennis Season

2011-12-30T01:54:00.000-05:00

Christmas is now in the rear-view mirror, and the new year is almost upon us. That must mean that it’s time to role out my wish list for the 2012 tennis season. Last year, I had a warm and fuzzy feeling when I put together my wish list. This year, I have a bit of an anxious feeling. Why? Buried in the depths of my brain is an unrelenting fear that history will repeat itself. Truth be told, the 2011 season was a mishmash of ups and downs (Djokovic being the exception, with his super-human season). There were moments of brilliance mixed in with moments of drama (and not always the good kind), along with some head-scratching moments that won’t soon be forgotten. But, I must admit, there is something special about starting fresh. A new year makes predictions seem plausible, and wishes seem possible.

Looking back on 2011, a few of my tennis wishes did, in fact, come true. Caroline Wozniacki held onto the No. 1 ranking for a full year (albeit with much scrutiny). No one broke the Isner/Mahut match record at Wimbledon (thankfully). Juan Martin del Potro came back strong, and without any major injury. Three players won their maiden Grand Slams (Li Na, Kvitova, Stosur). Esther Vergeer still hasn’t lost a match since 2003. And a few more tennis folks joined the Twitter fray (although there are still a few holdouts).

There were a few wishes that didn’t exactly go my way. Dinara Safina did not make a full recovery from her long-standing back problems (not easy to be wrong on that one). And thinking that Andy Roddick would score another BIG win didn’t seem so far-fetched at the end of last year, but it wasn’t to be.

Here is a list of things I'd like to see happen during the 2012 season:

1) Dinara Safina’s return. I’m not giving up on this one. But, the former No. 1 has had so many starts and stops due to her back injury, it seems unlikely that a return in 2012 is in the cards. Maybe throwing a few extra pennies into a wishing well might do the trick.

2) Boris Becker doing more commentating. The guy is just plain funny, and he knows a few things about winning tennis matches.

3) Caroline Wozniacki winning her first Grand Slam. I’m assuming that her new coach, Ricardo Sanchez is making that a top priority. I don’t think Caroline would have hired him if she didn’t think he could take her game to the next level.

4) Roger Federer winning Slam No. 17. Let’s face it. The guy was unstoppable towards the end of 2011. And, he has won the Australian Open four times. I’d say he’s in a good position to win it again.

5) Alisa Kleybanova making a full recovery and returning to competition. Beating cancer is better than winning a Grand Slam anyday.

6) Players who made a big stink about tournament schedules or feeling a loss of control during rain delays at the U.S. Open have left these issues hanging, with no resolution in sight. Sure, players have individual preferences (or agendas), but I wish for the players to come together, along with the new ATP CEO, Brad Drewett to tackle these ongoing issues and come up with some resolutions.

7) I admit, I have a soft spot for Andy Murray. I would like to see him win his first Grand Slam in 2012. And for once, he should call himself a Scotsman, instead of saying he’s British (unless, of course, he wins Wimbledon).

8) John Isner breaking into the top 10. Since winning Newport and the Winston-Salem Open, he’s been kicking his game into high gear. To have another American player in the ATP’s top 10 would give us all hope that American tennis is making a serious comeback.

9) Kim Clijsters’ final season is upon us. She means it this time. For real. There are rumors that the Olympics will be her swan song, but I’m hoping that she’ll hang on long enough to play the U.S. Open.

10) Ana Ivanovic. Probably the nicest person on the WTA Tour, but she seems to have trouble letting go of negative thoughts. My wish is for her to focus more on the positive, and not take herself so seriously.

11) I’d like to see more players and coaches on Twitter. Sure, there are always going to be weirdos or bullies sending nasty tweets. Ignore them, or block them. Twitter helps to promote the game and its players, plain and simple.

12) Venus Williams. Obviously we’d all like to see her conquer her health battles. I’d like to see her climb back in the rankings, at least into the top 50. I’m hoping she can get her singles ranking back in time to qualify for the Olympics.

13) Yes, it is an Olympic year. It’s a time when being an American takes on a whole new level of importance (for me, anyway). Serena or Mardy: Bring it.

14) Speaking of social media…I’d like to see tennis seize a new marketing opportunity by putting “@WTA” or "@ATPWorldTour", or a particular tournament’s Twitter handle on center court somewhere. Sponsors may want to get in on the act, too.

15) I’d like to see a change in the U.S. Open schedule. A “planned” Monday final for the men has been tossed around in recent months. This could work well for sponsors, TV, and fans. Can they put up a roof to deal with rain delays? Maybe not on Arthur Ashe stadium, but certainly on the newly constructed Court 17.

16) And how about some consistency in adhering to the rules during match play? Some things are left to the discretion of the umpires, but really, I wish the umpires would have a meeting and agree on how to do their job.

17) I wish that one ball person could say something nice about Andy Roddick. I completely understand that playing on Arthur Ashe stadium can be stressful, but it’s also stressful for Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray (and about 100 other players). They manage to treat ball people nicely.

18) I’d like to witness one more Rafa/Federer Grand Slam final. Simply put, it is the greatest rivalry in tennis.

19) One of the ATP’s young guns – Donald Young to be exact. Does he have what it takes to be a top 20 player? I’m hoping he does. Will drama follow? Well, that’s a given.

20) Vera Zvonareva. I think she’s ready for a Grand Slam title. She’s come close on a few occasions. If she can manage to clear out the negative thoughts when her head is covered in a towel during changeovers, I think she can do it.

Radwanska’s Game Is On the Upswing

2011-12-13T14:18:00.000-05:00

Originally published: On the Baseline Tennis News December 8, 2011

Here we go again. It’s the off-season. Or is it the pre-season? It passes by with a blink of an eye, while players rest and recharge for the start of a new season. Agnieszka Radwanksa, a consistent top 10er and one of the world’s most underrated players, is hoping to capitalize on one of the best seasons of her young career when January rolls around.

The 22-year-old from Poland is known to most as Aggie, or simply, Aga. She isn’t the most powerful player on the WTA Tour, but Radwanska has the finesse and confidence to beat just about anyone. In fact, Radwanska toppled an impressive cast of imposing rivals this year, with nine wins over top 10 players, and six over top five players–second only to Petra Kvitova, who had 13 wins. She is also the only Polish player in the WTA’s top 100 (her sister Ursula is ranked No. 109).

The latter part of this season was especially good for Radwanska. She pulled off two improbable wins during the Asian swing, winning back-to-back titles at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo (d. Zvonareva), and the China Open (d. Petkovic). That’s 1,900 ranking points, for those keeping track. And it didn’t go unnoticed that Radwanska’s pockets got a bit deeper, too. She earned a whopping $6,550,000 in prize money in the span of two weeks. With 11-staight match wins, Radwanska jumped from No. 13 to No. 8 in the rankings, equaling her career high from February, 2010.

Earlier in the season, Radwanska had begun to experience some problems with her right shoulder while playing in Carlsbad, despite winning the title there (her first title since Eastbourne, 2008). Radwanska had managed to maintain good form at the Roger’s Cup in Toronto, beating Andrea Petkovic in the quarterfinals in straight sets, but lost to Sam Stosur in the semifinals. She was then forced to pull out of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open in Cincinnati due to her shoulder injury.

In a recent interview, Radwanska said that she has been suffering from inflammation of shoulder bursa. “I got an injection and everything should be okay within 4-6 weeks. At the moment, I play at 80 percent of my ability and try not to exert my shoulder too much.”

During the U.S. Open, Radwanska made an impressive (and surprising) semifinal run in doubles with Daniela Hantuchova. During her post-match press conference, Radwanska was pleased with her results in doubles and wasn’t having much shoulder trouble, but was hesitant to talk about the much-hyped split with her coach/father. In a recent interview with a Polish newspaper, Radwanska cleared up the coaching rumors. “Nothing’s going to change,” she said. “When I’m in Cracow [Poland], I always train with my dad. My traveling coach will be Tomasz Wiktorowski [Poland's Fed Cup Coach], who helps me at the tournaments. If what I did worked, why should I change it?” You can’t argue with that.

Radwanska’s year culminated in Istanbul, at the Year-End-Championships. Just prior to the event, she was neck and neck with Marion Bartoli to qualify for the 8th and final spot. When Bartoli withdrew from the Kremlin cup due to illness, Radwanska was in. This was her first year earning direct qualification into the YEC, while Bartoli was an alternate. Radwanska played well, but missed out on a semifinal spot by losing to eventual champion, Petra Kvitova.

But Radwanska isn’t complaining. She wrapped up her season ranked 8th in the world with a 46-18 record.

Radwanska has shown what a fighter she can be, playing through injury, and taking advantage of opportunities when they arise. She has the game to go the distance, if she can remain injury-free.

Her goals for 2012: “For sure in the next year I’m going to be focused more on the Grand Slams and trying to step forward, being top 8, or top 5.”

As an added bonus, Radwanska was voted “WTA Fan Favorite Singles Player” in November. Her underrated player status? That may just be a thing of the past.

Late Season Success

2011-12-05T15:16:00.003-05:00

Another tennis season has come and gone. Surprisingly, there were some highly contested matches late in the season, as well as some unexpected winners. Unfortunately, these late-season surges often don’t get the same level of attention that they might get in, say, mid-summer. Why? There is a common sentiment among fans that the tennis season unofficially ends after the U.S. Open. All four Grand Slams have been contested, so really, what’s left to be excited about?

The Asian swing, which immediately follows the U.S. Open, is typically met with as much enthusiasm as giving a dog a bath. For the most part, TV viewing is scarce, and most matches (depending on the time zone) are televised live in the wee hours of the morning. Unless you are one of the lucky ones sitting in the stands at these tournaments, or are willing to watch tennis on TV, or your computer at 3:00am (been there, done that), the post-U.S. Open tournaments are generally an after-thought.

Not so for players. Even though they are exhausted, battered, and bruised, and ready to give up after almost a year traversing the globe, they don’t. The final stretch of the tennis season presents an opportunity for players to chase down some last-minute ranking points, as well as a last-ditch effort for some players to prove to themselves what they couldn’t prove earlier in the season.

Below is a list of eight players who were able to achieve a late-season comeback, or simply got their second wind at a time when the tennis spotlight wasn’t so bright.

Kei Nishikori

The No. 1 ranked player from Japan had a very strong run at the end of this season. Following his two singles wins in Davis Cup, Nishikori reached the semis in Kuala Lumpur (d. Almagro), the semis in Shanghai (d. Tsonga) and made it to the final as a wildcard at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where he defeated Berdych and Djokovic (the biggest win of his career), before advancing to the final, where he lost to Federer. This was Nishikori’s first time playing against Federer, who had home-court advantage, and had previously won the Basel tournament four times.

Nishikori is the first Asian to defeat the No 1 player since Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, who defeated Lleyton Hewitt in the Tokyo quarterfinal in 2002. Nishikori has the honor of becoming Japan's highest-ever ranked male player. Novak Djokovic has described him as “One of the most improved players this year.”

Nishikori achieved a career high ranking of No. 24 in mid-November, and ended the year at No. 25. He began the season ranked at No. 98.

Agnieszka Radwanska

One of the most underrated players in the women’s game has had one of the best late-season results of any player on the WTA Tour. Radwanska, who had been fighting through a right shoulder injury since winning Carlsbad, continued to play through the rest of the season with a taped shoulder. She went on to win back-to-back titles in Asia (Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo (d. Zvonareva), and the China Open (d. Petkovic). She also snagged the 8th and final spot into the Year End Championships in Istanbul. Radwanska played well, but missed out on a semifinal spot by losing to eventual champion, Petra Kvitova.

Radwanska finished the season ranked 8th in the world with a 46-18 W/L record.

Janko Tipsarevic

The No. 2 ranked ATP player from Serbia had a phenomenal season, which ended with a serendipitous opportunity to play in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. Tipsarevic also won two tournaments late in the season – the Malaysian Open and the Kremlin Cup. His lucky break arrived when Andy Murray pulled out of the World Tour Finals after his first match due to a groin injury. Tipsarevic then replaced Murray in round robin Group A. During the tournament, Tipsarevic scored his first win over a reigning world No 1 and fellow countryman, Novak Djokovic.

Tipsarevic started the year ranked at No. 49, and finished at No. 9, a career-high, with a 54-26 W/L record.

Jo Wilfried Tsonga

During the Asian swing, Tsonga took his game to a new level. He advanced to the Beijing semifinals, then went onto face Federer in the Paris final. Tsonga’s greatest success came when he qualified for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Despite being defeated in the first RR match by Federer, he advanced to the semifinal with victories over Fish and Nadal. He defeated Berdych in the semifinal to play Federer. Despite the loss, Tsonga hit 42 aces in London, and had a season-best 825 aces.

He finished the season with a 55-24 W/L record, ranked at No. 6, equaling his career-high ranking from November, 2008.

Petra Kvitova

Arguably one of the best players on the WTA Tour, Petra Kvitova went into a bit of a slump after winning the Wimbledon title. She lost in the first round of the U.S. Open, without winning a set. The six-foot lefty regained her form at the Toray Pan Pacific Open by advancing to the semis, before losing to Zvonareva. She picked up her fifth title of 2011 at the Generali Ladies Linz, defeating Cibulkova. During the Year End Championships in Istanbul, Kvitova solidified her dominance by defeating Vera Zvonareva, Caroline Wozniacki, and Agnieszka Radwansk, and Samantha Stosur en route to her first WTA Championships final, where she defeated Victoria Azarenka. She finished off the season by helping the Czech Republic Fed Cup team win title, and was named WTA Player of the Year.

Kvitova, who is quickly climbing the legend ladder, ended the year ranked at No. 2 – a career high. Not bad, after starting the year ranked at No. 34.

Andy Murray

Always on the cusp of greatness, Murray earned back-to-back titles in Bangkok, Tokyo, and Shanghai. He was a "double" winner in Tokyo, taking both the singles & doubles title along with his brother, Jamie. He didn’t end the season on a high note (withdrawing from the World Tour Finals with a groin injury), and had another slam-less season, but his moments of brilliance during the Asian swing could be a sign of what’s to come in 2012. He made the final last year at the Australian Open. With just a bit more brilliance, he’ll be able to raise a Grand Slam trophy.

Murray had a brief stint ranked at No. 3 in November (his career-high is No. 2), but ended the year ranked at No. 4, with a 56/13 W/L record.

Tomas Berdych

Talk about a comeback. Tomas Berdych won the China Open – his first title since winning the BMW Open in 2009, ending a 29-month title drought. He also reached 50-match wins for the first time in a season, and secured a spot at the World Tour Finals in London. In his second consecutive appearance at Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, he reached the semifinals, but was defeated by Tsonga.

Berdych has held a top 10 ranking for the entire 2011 season, ending at No. 7, with a 53-23 W/L record, a career-best.

Ana Ivanovic

With more confidence and consistency in her game, Ana Ivanovic soared upwards at the end this season, winning the Commonwealth Bank Tournament Of Champions in Bali as a wildcard. This was her second consecutive title win in Bali, and her first title of 2011. She defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues in the final on her 24th birthday.

Ivanovic ended the season ranked at No. 22.

U.S. Open: Women's Semifinal Rewind

2011-09-12T23:39:00.002-04:00

Originally Published: On the Baseline Tennis News

September 11, 2011

Flushing Meadows, NY—A little extra rain in the morning hours couldn’t stop Super Semifinal Saturday at the U.S. Open. While the men played the afternoon session, the women kicked off the night session, with Sam Stosur taking on first-time opponent, Angelique Kerber under the lights of Grandstand Stadium. That match was followed by Caroline Wozniacki and Serena Williams on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Due to the rain delays earlier in the week, the U.S. Open was forced to find an alternate venue for one of the women’s semifinal matches. Armstrong was out of commission due to a water damaged court, so Grandstand it was. It didn’t have the grandeur of Arthur Ashe Stadium, but the intimacy of the court (with no reserved seating) made it a special treat for fans to get an up close view.

World No. 92 Angelique Kerber made her Grand Slam semifinal debut last night, upsetting both Aggie Radwanska and Flavia Pennetta en route to the semifinal. Prior to the U.S. Open, the 23-year-old leftie had lost in the first round of the last four Grand Slams, and had won only one match in her three previous US Open appearances. This time around, she won five matches in a row.

Sam Stosur was playing her third Grand Slam semifinal (first U.S. Open semifinal) and defeated Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals to get to this stage. She is the first Australian woman to reach U.S. Open semifinals since Wendy Turnbull in 1984, the same year that Stosur was born.

When the match began, Stosur took the first two games easily, and an early 3-0 lead, but Kerber held her serve, winning her first game against Stosur at 3-1. In the sixth game, Kerber held again, but Stosur maintained a comfortable lead in the first set at 4-2. Kerber began to show some signs of frustration, with more audible screeches after every racquet swing. It didn’t seem to help much. Stosur took the game, bringing the score to 5-2. Momentum began to shift in Kerber’s favor, when she scored her first ace of the match and won the game at 5-3, but Stosur prevailed, taking the first set 6-3.

As the more experienced player, Stosur seemed to be on her way to a straight set victory, but lost some concentration and momentum in the second set. Kerber, with a triple break point, took a 3-1 lead and was dictating points. Stosur held serve at 4-2, but with Stosur’s shaky forehand, Kerber went on to win the next two games, breaking Stosur (and the handle of her racquet) to take the second set 6-2.

Stosur switched gears in the third set, and consistently dominated at the net, winning 27 out of 29 net approaches. She quickly advanced to a 5-0 lead, but couldn’t close it out, giving Kerber the next two games. In what seemed to be the longest game of the match, Stosur fought back, to win the set 6-2, and the match.

After the match, Kerber admitted to having some nerves. “The first few games was too fast for me,” said Kerber. “I came out there and it was everything new for me, so many people and the lights.”

Sam Stosur is the fifth Australian woman in the Open Era to reach U.S. Open final after Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Kerry Reid, and Wendy Turnbull.

“It’s great now that I’ve got a second chance to try and win one of these titles. I’ll definitely go out there and give it my best shot,” said Stosur.

Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki played the second semifinal match of the night on Arthur Ashe stadium. Both are very fit players, but there was no denying that Serena, with 13 Grand Slam titles and three U.S. Open titles was the favorite going into the match. She also had an 18-0 W/L record on hard courts this year, and had not dropped a set leading up to the semis.

No. 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki was bidding to reach her second U.S. Open final (runner up in ’09). She defeated Kuznetsova and Petkovic en route to the semifinals, and had only lost one set.

At the start of the first set, Serena took an early 2-1 lead. Wozniacki put some pressure on in the fourth game (which lasted over six minutes), but Serena prevailed, taking a 4-1 lead. During the changeover, Serena called for the trainer for pain in her right foot, followed by a medical time out to deal with toe pain. Serena quickly rebounded and took the first set 6-2. It was apparent that Wozniacki was playing to survive more than to win. She simply didn’t have enough power to battle back against Serena, earning zero winners in the first set, compared to Serena’s 15.

In the second set, Serena took a 3-1 lead, and in the blink of an eye, advanced to 5-3. She had been dominating at the net throughout the match, winning 17 out of 21 net approaches, compared to Wozniacki, who won just 1 out of 3. Serena was serving for the match at 5-3 when Wozniacki broke Serena, but it wasn’t enough. Serena won the match 6-2, 6-4.

“That serve was just a killer,” said Wozniacki, in her post-match press conference..

Having won the semifinal, Serena Williams is projected to rise to No.16. No. 12 if she wins the title.

Top Players Recall Memories of 9/11

2011-09-12T22:58:00.001-04:00

Flushing Meadows, NY—As we near the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, players competing at the U.S. Open are keenly aware of how the devastating events of that day impacted the world. Sam Stosur, Vera Zvonareva, Serena Williams, and Caroline Wozniacki took the time to share their memories of that day — where they were when it happened, and what the experience was like for them.

Sam Stosur

“I was playing a 10,000s tournament in Japan. I woke up to the TV. One of the other Aussie girls there was calling the room and saying, ‘Turn on the TV and look what’s going on.’ Obviously it was unbelievable. I was only 17 at the time. There were four or five of us traveling around in a group together and had no idea what was going to happen. We all thought planes aren’t going fly ever again and didn’t know. Obviously watching those images, going out to play your matches at a 10,000 event all of a sudden became pretty irrelevant. And obviously watching the TV recently, you see all the shows and documentaries about it again. It certainly brings it all back. It’s kind of strange to be back here in New York on the 10th anniversary. It’s great to see how people have moved on. Obviously it was a really sad time, but obviously everyone’s getting through it.”

Serena Williams

“You know, I think everyone that lives in America has been affected by 9/11. I was in D.C. at the time, and I just remember seeing a lot of Army trucks. You know, it was what it was. It’s hard to believe it’s 10 years later, but, you know, it’s good…good we are kind of coming together and New Yorkers and New York have been so strong.”

Vera Zvonareva
“9/11 was a terrible tragedy for everyone around the world. I was playing a junior event here [at the U.S. Open], and flew out the day before. As soon as I landed, it was on TV all over in Russia. We got off the plane and were watching it on TV. I felt like we were still here. We just left and there were a lot of players that were still staying there. It’s terrible what happened. I think everyone remembers it. Everyone is still thinking about those who died there.”

Caroline Wozniacki

"I was actually practicing [in Denmark], and I was going home from practice and my brother was in his room. His room was on the first floor when you went in. He was watching TV. I asked him, What are you watching? What movie is that? He said, ‘It’s not a movie. It’s happening.’ Me and my Dad said, No, come on. Stop joking. It’s not funny. We were changing the channels and it was just on every channel. We were pretty much shocked what was going on. We have quite a few friends here, so we called them and asked if everyone was okay. And, you know, the people I knew here, they were all safe. But, you know, still, so many people died. 9/11 is coming up Sunday…10 years. It’s gone past very fast.”

U.S. Open Tribute

On Sunday, September 11, the U.S. Open will pay homage to those who lost their lives during the 9/11 attacks, as well as to those people who risked their lives to save the victims of the attack. In addition to a moment of silence prior to the men’s and women’s singles championships matches, Arthur Ashe Stadium will have “9-11-01″ inscribed on the court. The 9/11 memorial logo, created by the city of New York, will be placed on the upper ring of Arthur Ashe stadium. A military flyover is also planned. A giant American flag will also be displayed over the court in Arthur Ashe Stadium by a United States Marines Corps color guard.

Denise Castelli's sideline view second to none

2011-09-05T14:49:00.002-04:00

September 5, 2011
(Originally published in espnW.com)

Chasing down tennis balls at the U.S. Open wasn't exactly part of 25-year-old Denise Castelli's plan for this summer. Of course, the same could be said for much of the past three years of her life: not part of the plan.

In 2008, Castelli was a senior studying criminal justice at the University of New Haven. She excelled at sports, particularly softball. In April of that year, while playing in a college game, Castelli made a move -- one that she had made a thousand times before -- sliding into second base on a steal. Only this time, her right leg got caught underneath her. In an instant, her life changed forever.

"It happened so fast," Castelli said. "I went down, and felt this unbelievable pain. I knew immediately that I had broken my leg." She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered she had a spiral fracture that required surgery to insert a rod below her right knee. Concerned but calm, Castelli assumed her leg would heal normally, and she could go back to an active life.

By August, her leg still hadn't healed properly and her family was beginning to worry the situation was much worse than they'd originally thought. Further tests revealed a serious infection in her right leg where the rod had been inserted. For the next 15 months, Castelli was virtually immobile, checking in and out of the hospital as doctors tried to combat the infection before it spread further. "I was in the hospital for two weeks, then I'd be discharged for a month. Then I'd be in for a month and come back for a week," she said. "There was never a time when I wasn't sick in that whole period."

Her prognosis turned grim in February 2009. "That's when I started to worry that maybe I was not going to be the same. Maybe my leg was too damaged to play softball again," Castelli said.

Denise CastrelliDenise Castelli competed with 500 applicants for one of the 80 ball person spots at this month's U.S. Open.

But it was more serious than even that: Doctors had to amputate two of her toes, and later, her foot. Incredibly, the worst was still to come. The infection in her leg proved to be uncontrollable. In November 2009, doctors had no choice but to amputate her right leg below the knee. Friends and family from her hometown of Netcong, N.J., showed support by staging a fundraiser and raising close to $12,000 to help cover Castelli's mounting medical expenses and prosthetics.

After nearly a year and a half of suffering, Castelli was actually optimistic about her chances of a normal post-amputation life. "From the get-go, I knew I was going to be OK after the operation," she said. "I believed my doctor when he said, 'You'll be fine. Eventually, you'll play ball again. You'll run again.'" What she didn't realize was how long "eventually" would take.

Long road back

"I had to be patient, even though it was really frustrating," Castelli said. Going through the recovery process was mentally exhausting. "There were times when I would think to myself that I wouldn't be able to do these things again. Even playing softball. I would always say, 'If I can't get out there and be as good as I used to be, I don't want to do it. It'll just bring me down.' It definitely took a lot of time and a ton of physical therapy."

Castelli remembers when she first began physical therapy, and the demanding process of learning how to walk again. "I had a cane, and I really relied on it. I didn't have that much confidence in my prosthetic."

“

If it changes one person's mind about the way they look at disabilities, it was definitely worth it.
”-- Denise Castelli

Talking with other amputees helped Castelli gain confidence in her new limb, but the physical therapy was grueling.

"In the beginning, I could walk really well for 2½ hours, then I'd have to take my leg off," she said. "Once I started building up strength in rehab, I could wear the leg for longer. And now, I can wear it all day, even lately when I'm walking around New York City and going up and down stairs."

Her reward for all that rehab? After more than two years of being out of the game, Castelli is back to playing softball, recently joining a local league to test her athletic skills. When she first picked up a bat, she admitted to having some nerves, but didn't feel any difference once she stood on the field.

"It was like riding a bike," she said. "I just started hitting. My first at-bat of the season, I hit a home run. I couldn't believe it!"

In June, an opportunity arose to handle a different kind of ball, this one at the U.S. Open. Castelli joined more than 500 candidates vying for just 80 positions at her first U.S. Open ball-person tryouts. Within weeks, she received news from the U.S. Tennis Association that she'd made the final cut.

Castelli temporarily put softball on hold to focus on her new duties. Wise move, since the job is harder than you might think.

[+] EnlargeCourtesy of Denise Castrelli
Denise Castelli is playing softball again, but has a new prosthetic running leg and an eye on the Paralympics.

"During warm-ups, we get balls for players," she explained. "Once the match starts, the work depends on the game. On odd game numbers, we sprint off the court; sometimes players will need more water, or [we'll] hold umbrellas over players. If it's an even game, the serve is going to change sides, but we don't leave the court. I either throw all of my balls down to the ball person on the other end, or they throw theirs to me."

At the tryouts, Castelli and other candidates went through a series of tests for arm strength, throwing ability and speed. "They give you three tennis balls to throw, then people throw balls at you," she said. After the tryout and callback, she still had to get through the qualifying rounds in order to make the cut for the main draw, which she did.

Coming full circle

For Castelli, who has never played tennis before, being a ball person at the U.S. Open has given her a chance to test herself physically and emotionally. "I get to prove to myself that I can do these things, but also to show other people that I am out there running, using my feet with able-bodied people," Castelli said. "If it changes one person's mind about the way they look at disabilities, then it was definitely worth it."

Fortunately, Castelli's softball skills -- speed, agility and a good throwing arm -- have come in handy as a ball person, working behind the baseline. "Physically, it's less difficult than I anticipated," she said. "But mentally, you really have to be in the game at all times. You have to know the score, and you have to know when there's going to be a ball change or a side change."

While the U.S. Open ends next week, this marks only the beginning of Castelli's return to athletics. "The Paralympics are always in the back of my mind," she said. "I would love to eventually get there." Her sport of choice: track and field. "I just got a new prosthetic running leg a few weeks ago, and I can't wait to learn how to use," she said.

In the meantime, Castelli is focused on first serves and net balls. This is one time she's proud to be on the sidelines.

De-Coding Brad Gilbert's Vocabulary

2011-09-05T14:17:00.017-04:00

September 5, 2011

If you are familiar with ESPN's group of tennis analysts (and who isn't?), you'll know what it's like to listen to Brad Gilbert break down a match. Despite his level of expertise, it's not uncommon for tennis fans to listen to him and say, "What the heck did he just call that player? Scrabble?"

Without question, Brad Gilbert, a former top 5 player on the ATP Tour has a way with words...and player nicknames. For example, "Gael Force" is Gilbert's nickname for Gael Monfils, not his take on the weather. When he's not hooked up to a mic on ESPN, Gilbert's colorful commentary can also be found on his Twitter page, where he writes his one-of-a-kind quips in 140-words-or-less.

I've put together this handy list of player names and corresponding nicknames (created by Gilbert), so you can follow along on TV or Twitter, as he takes tennis commentating to new level.

Player Name		Nickname

Victoria	Azarenka	Aza
Marcos	Baghdatis	Baghs
Thomas	Berdych	Birdman
Alex	Bogomolov	Bogey
Marin	Cilic	Marin County Cilic
Nicolay	Davydenko	Davy
Grigor	Dimitrov	Prime Time Dimitrov
Roger	Federer	Fed Express, Fedfan
Mardy	Fish	Swordfish, Sushi, Fisherman
Richard	Gasquet	Dickie Gasquet
Ryan	Harrison	Ryan Express
John	Isner	Isman
Jelena	Jankovic	Double J
Ivo	Karlovic	Dr. Ivo
Madison	Keys	Madison Ave
Michaella	Krajicek	Cracker Jack
Sabine	Lisicki	Boom Boom
Nicolas	Mahut	Marathon Man Mahut
Xavier	Malisse	Xman
Jürgen	Meltzer	Tuna Meltzer
Gael	Monfils	Gael Force
Andy	Murray	Muzza, Muzzard (credit to D. Cahill for Muzzard)
Jarkko	Nieminen	The Shark Nieminen
Anastasia	Pavlyuchenkova	Scrabble
Rajeev	Ram	Ram Truck
Francesca	Schiavone	Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Dudi	Sela	Duty Free
Maria	Sharapova	Shazza
Giles	Simon	Simon Says
Jack	Sock	Jack Knee-Socks
Radek	Stepanek	Steps
Jo Wilfried	Tsonga	Jo-Willy
Vera	Zvonareva	Z-Von

*If I've missed any names here, feel free to pass them along!

Is Kim Clijsters Poised for a U.S. Open Three-Peat?

2011-07-25T15:37:00.012-04:00

July 25, 2011

With U.S. Open Series underway, all eyes will be on the top players to see who will dominate the summer hard court season, and go on to win the ultimate prize: The U.S. Open title. World No. 2 Kim Clijsters, who is the two-time U.S. Open defending champion, and arguably the best player on the women’s tour, could potentially win her third consecutive U.S. Open title this year, her fourth overall. The last female player to win the U.S. Open singles title three or more times in a row was Chris Evert (1975-1978).

With a 31–11 W/L record on hard courts, it’s hard to imagine anyone beating Clijsters on that surface. But with Serena Williams back in contention, Clijsters will need to bring her A game in order to get past Serena, who seems to be well on her way to regaining her winning form.

Like Clijsters, 13-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams has three U.S. Open singles titles under her belt. Since 1999, the two former No. 1 players have met nine times (head to head: 7-2/Serena leads). Their most recent match was the 2009 U.S. Open semifinal--a match that is much more memorable for Serena’s on-court outburst at a linesperson than Clijsters beating Serena and going on to win the U.S. Open title. Serena missed the 2010 U.S. Open due to injury, opening up an opportunity for Clijsters to win the U.S. Open title again.

Over the past few months, it has been Clijsters who has taken some unexpected time off due to injury. Her struggles with a nagging right ankle injury forced her to miss most of the 2011 clay court season, as well as Wimbledon, which has cast some preliminary doubt about her chances at the U.S. Open. Her last match was on June 14 at the Unicef Open, where Clijsters lost in the second round after bruising her right ankle and injuring her tendon. She recently bowed out of the Mercury Insurance Open in San Diego as a result of that injury.

According to her website, Clijsters has resumed training in New Jersey, and is looking forward to the U.S. Open. "All Grand Slams are special, their history, their atmosphere,” says Clijsters. I love the atmosphere that hangs around the US Open, I feel very homely, I just feel very comfortable when I'm there. It probably has something to do with the fact that my husband [Brian Lynch] is from around here and that a lot of family members re from around here."

Clijsters has tentative plans to return to competition at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, which begins on August 8, followed by the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, and the U.S. Open in New York. Her schedule will be announced next week.

Sharapova on Track

World No. 5 Maria Sharapova is feeling good after reaching the final at Wimbledon and is ready to tackle the hard court season. She will compete in the U.S. Open Series at Stanford this week, followed by Toronto, Cincinnati, and the U.S. Open. The most intriguing match-up for Sharapova could come at Stanford, where she will likely face Serena Williams in the quarterfinal (head-to-head 6-2/Serena leads).

Off-Court Musings

Who knew that a sport like boxing could bring a tennis player and a golfer together? That’s exactly what happened when 21-year-old Caroline Wozniacki met pro golfer, Rory McIlroy at a boxing match in Germany in early July. The two have since become fast friends, and are “rumored” to be an item, but nothing has been confirmed just yet. Maybe Wozniacki’s new friendship will bring a little bit of extra support into her player’s box at the U.S. Open when she makes another attempt at winning her first Grand Slam title.

Tennis or Family?

2011-07-12T11:05:00.007-04:00

July 12, 2011

Despite appearances, tennis players lead very hard lives. When you combine a grueling schedule and non-stop travel with media and sponsorship obligations, there isn't much time for anything else except for eating and sleeping, nevermind attending a family wedding.

You don't hear much from tennis players about those family gatherings that pop up from time to time, or the tough choices they have to make in order to strike a balance between doing their job, and making time for family.

Being a tennis player is not like having a regular job, where you can either call in sick, or find someone to fill in for you for one day. And if a player does get sick (or injured) and can't play, they don't get paid, and risk falling back in the rankings. And taking time off in the summer? Not so easy. What is typically prime time for weddings, graduations, and family vacations, is also prime time for the tennis season.

It's not so difficult to envision a tennis player standing on a practice court, "Skyping" on their iPhone to make a "virtual" appearance at a family vacation. Or even a brother holding up a cell phone at a family wedding so that their globe-trotting tennis player sibling can watch the ceremony before working on their forehand.

Holidays are easy (or easier) to manage for players, since they are already scheduled years in advance. But then again, how many American players would choose to attend a Fourth of July family cookout over Wimbledon? Not many.

John Isner, who won the Campbell's Hall of Fame Championships in Newport, RI this past weekend (his second career title), was faced with a tough choice heading into the tournament. Family or tennis? Isner wasn't planning on coming to Newport at all, but entered the tournament at the last minute as a wildcard. By choosing to play, he knew there was a chance he'd have to miss his brother Nathan's wedding on Saturday, but had hoped that this tournament would give him a shot at a title.

"The only way that I was going to miss the wedding is if I got to the semifinals," said Isner, who was the No. 1 seed in Newport. "It definitely turned out to be a great decision, and I owe a huge thanks to Mark Stenning for the wildcard. This is a perfect start to the summer. I feel like my best surface is hardcourt in the US, so I should get a lot of confidence from this."

Isner was on top of his game in Newport, defeating Olivier Rochus in the final in straight sets, and scored 22 aces (76 in all for the tournament). He was serving at his best, and didn't drop a set during the entire week. As a bonus, Isner broke the "Curse of the Casino", becoming the first ever No. 1 seed in Newport to win the title. As a result of his win, Isner has jumped 10 spots in the rankings to No. 36.

So what did Nathan have to say about his brother's excuse for not being there on his big day? "He understood," said Isner. His new sister-in-law? Not so much. Isner will be paying for their honeymoon, which will likely keep the family peace. Good thing he won.

Peachy Kellmeyer Gets Her Day in the Sun

2011-07-11T18:01:00.003-04:00

July 11, 2011

Newport, RI—On Saturday July 9, Peachy Kellmeyer was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the highest honor in tennis. Over the past four decades, Peachy’s impact on women’s tennis has been far reaching. Known as an unsung hero to many, she demonstrated her passion and love for the game of tennis through the tireless work she put in to help establish what today has become the No. 1 professional sport for women.

“You’ve always been in my Hall of Fame,” said Stacey Allaster, CEO of the WTA, who was chosen by Peachy to give her presentation speech at the induction ceremony.

Allaster, along with former CEO of the WTA, Larry Scott, spearheaded Peachy’s nomination to the Hall of Fame. Scott, who attended the ceremony, couldn’t have been more pleased to celebrate Peachy’s induction. Chris Clouser, Chairman of the Tennis Hall of Fame, actually flew down to Australia in January (just after the holidays) to make an in-person announcement at the Australian Open about Peachy’s induction to the Hall of Fame. He flew back home the next day. “He’ll be forever my Santa Claus,” said Peachy.

Heading into the induction ceremony on Saturday, Peachy knew that she might be overshadowed by Andre Agassi’s induction, but she was able to maintain a good sense of humor about it. “I know I’m not the main attraction today, but I just want you to know Andre, I will be the opening act for you anytime,” said Peachy.

Fern Lee “Peachy” Kellmeyer was born in 1944 and was raised in Wheeling, West Virginia. In 1959, Peachy became the youngest woman at that time to compete in the US Open, at age 15. Despite being born with a club foot, Peachy was able to overcome her physical challenges to become a successful junior and college tennis player. Her physical challenges taught her an important lesson in life: “You don’t have to be 100 percent to give 100 percent.”

At the University of Miami, Peachy became the first woman to compete on a men’s division 1 collegiate team (that’s right -- men’s division 1). In her post-college years, Peachy was ranked nationally in both singles and doubles, and competed at Wimbledon and the US Open.

She evolved into a pioneer for equal rights for women in sport. As a Physical Education Director at Marymount College in 1966, Peachy was instrumental in overturning a rule that prohibited college scholarships for women, in a lawsuit known as The Kellmeyer Case. “That’s the thing I’m most proud of in my life, because to me, it was so unfair and so wrong for women,” said Peachy. In her presentation speech, Allaster made sure to point out the lasting impact of Peachy’s efforts when it came to this victory. “Every woman today who has a college scholarship should thank Peachy.”

The WTA was formed in 1973, and it was at that time that Peachy was hired as the organization’s first official employee. Back in those days, there were only 23 US-based tournaments. Today, there are 53 tournaments in 33 different countries.

During her tenure with the WTA, Peachy focused her efforts on player and tournament relations, and operations, and was instrumental in the fight to gain equal pay for women at Grand Slam tournaments. Since 1973, prize money has increased from $309,000 to more than $89,000,000 in 2011.

Peachy’s current role as the WTA Operations Executive Consultant has given her a bit more freedom from the 9-to-5 schedule that she became accustomed to in her 38 years with the WTA, but at age 66, she isn’t anywhere close to retirement. She also serves as a member of the ITF Fed Cup Committee and oversees the WTA’s alumni program.

“I’m the happiest peach in Newport,” said Peachy, on her induction to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Congrats, Peachy. Well deserved.

Mr. Opportunity: Andre Agassi

2011-07-10T14:38:00.016-04:00

July 10, 2011

Newport, RI —On Saturday, July 9, a boy from Las Vegas, who grew up to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. A man who, in many ways, has lived a life filled with disconnected opportunities. But somewhere along the way, through all of the ups and downs in his journey through life, Andre Agassi found a way to connect the dots, and in the process, found his life’s work.

When it comes to tennis, Andre Agassi is, without question, a legend. During his illustrious (and occasionally tumultuous) tennis career, he amassed eight Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal, and two Davis Cup titles as a member of the US Davis Cup squad. He is also the first male player in tennis history to have achieved a singles Career Golden Slam.

On Saturday, friends, family, and fans gathered together to celebrate a tennis career that has touched the lives of many, and served as inspiration to current and future generations of tennis players. Agassi’s parents, Mike and Betty were both in attendance to watch their son receive the highest honor in tennis, along with his wife Stefanie (“Steffi”) Graf, their two children, Jaden and Jazz, and his older brother, Phil. Also in attendance were Agassi’s former coaches, Brad Gilbert, Darren Cahill, and Nick Bollettieri, as well as Gil Reyes, whom Agassi described as his friend, protector, and trainer.

The newly inducted Hall-of-Famer, who delivered an emotional, heartfelt speech, said that he has stood at the podium at the Tennis Hall of Fame on two occasions: Once as a presenter for his wife, Stefanie, when she was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2004. The other was in his father’s imagination. “From the day I was born, my father Mike saw this day in my future, and described it to me many times,” said Agassi, as his father sat nearby, proudly listening to his every word.

Agassi also said that one of the most influential people in his life was Nelson Mandela. A man whom he met just once. In their brief meeting, Mandela explained to Agassi the reason why we were placed on this earth. “We must be careful in our decisions, careful in our words, and we must be careful in our relationships,” said Mandela. “We must live our life carefully.” Agassi admitted in his speech to not always living his life carefully, which at a low point in his career, landed him at No. 141 in the world. Agassi said that his successful journey back to No. 1 “was the symptom of good choices and the result of being careful.”

It’s no secret that Andre Agassi has paid a heavy price for his success as a tennis player. An overbearing father, a tennis career that he didn’t choose, and a life not lived on his terms all contributed to his inability to make the right choices when it mattered most. It wasn’t until later in life that Agassi was able to recognize the teachable moments and hidden opportunities that came his way as a result of personal and professional adversity.

“Tennis teaches you the subtlety of human interaction, the curse and blessing of cause and effect,” said Agassi. “After playing tennis for a living, you never forget that we are all connected, and there’s nothing quite like a tiebreak that teaches you the concept of high risk, high reward. Tennis teaches you there’s no such thing as perfect. You want to be perfect, you hope to be perfect. Then you’re out there, and you’re less than perfect. And you just realize, I don’t have to be perfect today. I just have to be better than one person.”

Having been on the receiving end of so many opportunities over the course of his life has enabled Agassi to take everything he has learned and turn it into learning opportunities for those who need them the most. Agassi Prep, a charter school which Agassi started in 2001 (and became his life’s work), has opened many doors that were once closed for thousands of children in his hometown of Las Vegas.

Agassi’s generosity was on full display at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where he gave two Agassi Prep graduates a chance to shine on a big stage. And shine they did. Simone Ruffin, valedictorian of the first graduating class at Agassi Prep, and a bundle of energy, was Agassi’s choice to give his presentation speech. The 18-year-old referred to Agassi as “My hometown hero” as well as “A game changer.” Ruffin didn’t shy away from making fun of her hometown hero. “He wasn’t always perfect,” said Ruffin. And that’s ok. There was that wig/mullet thing.” Ruffin, who met Agassi for the first time in grade school, said “He provided us with the tools to build our own lives. Because of him, I will never forget to look back and lift up others.”

(Simone Ruffin, pictured with her brother, Christian)

AJ Green, another Agassi Prep graduate and choir member, had a chance to show off his vocal talents, singing the United States national anthem at the start of the induction ceremony.

With his tennis career in the rear-view mirror and his life's work in full swing, Andre Agassi’s true legacy will no doubt be based on the opportunities he has given, not the ones that he has received.

Cast Your Votes for the 2011 ESPY Awards

2011-07-05T15:47:00.002-04:00

July 5, 2011

Have you voted for the ESPY awards yet?? If you haven't, then now is your chance. Voting closes on Saturday, July 9. Watch the awards show LIVE on Wednesday, July 13, at 9pm (ET) on ESPN.

Who knows? You could see Serena Williams singing, er, embarrassing herself on live TV.

Here Are the Tennis Nominees:

Best Male Athlete
Rafael Nadal

Best Championship Performance
Serena Williams

Best Breakthrough Athlete

Li Na

Best Male Tennis Player

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal

Best Female Tennis Player

Kim Clijsters, Li Na, Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki

Click HERE to vote for your favorite players.

Wimbledon: 21 Reflections of the Fortnight

2011-07-05T11:34:00.016-04:00

July 5, 2011

1) Let's get right down to it. Most tennis fans harbor a bit of resentment towards NBC regarding their questionable decision to air big-name matches at Wimbledon on tape delay vs. live. Most notably, the semifinal between Maria Sharapova and Sabine Lisicki. Imagine if game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals were to be aired on tape delay. Hockey fans from across North America would be outraged. Whatever logic NBC lacked in its scheduling of live matches at Wimbledon will not be such a problem in the future. It was recently reported that after a 43 years, NBC will be backing out of its Wimbledon TV coverage, and handing over the reins to ESPN. After signing a 12-year agreement with the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, ESPN will have exclusive U.S. television rights for Wimbledon's live tennis action, starting next year.

2) John Isner and Nicolas Mahut (a.k.a., “Isnut”) will forever be linked together as the two who played the longest match in Wimbledon history. The peculiarity of having the two meet again this year in the first round, combined with the "can it happen again" fever made it all a bit anti-climactic when they played a ho-hum, three-set match that didn't even come close to last year's record of 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days. But Isner and Mahut, who are likely still recovering from their match from a year ago, are probably content to let the original record stand. It would have been nice to see Mahut defeat Isner this time around, just to even the score. Maybe next year, on Court 18.

3) Can you say upsets? The middle Monday (or "Manic Monday" as it was appropriately named) produced a flurry of fourth round upsets on the women's side that would make anyone dizzy. Venus Williams lost to Tsvetana Pironkova for a second straight year. The No. 1 seed and Slam-less superstar, Caroline Wozniacki lost to Dominika Cibulkova. Not such a shocking upset, given that Wozniacki hasn't been able to advance beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon in previous attempts, but expectations were understandably high. Next on the exit list was Serena Williams. The defending champion and most talked about player heading into Wimbledon was shut down by Marion Bartoli. This wasn't really an upset in the true sense, given that Serena had been out of competition for 49 weeks with an injury and health issues. But with all of the hype surrounding Serena's comeback, there were a lot of eyes on her progress. Serena's inability to defend her title at Wimbledon has pushed her outside of the top 100 -- No. 175 to be exact. She's now in wildcard territory.

4) Speaking of Serena, the former No. 1 and tennis diva typically has something interesting to say in her press conferences. This one from her third round presser was particularly priceless: "Then Venus looked at me and she said I'll never forget. What did she say? She said I pissed someone off. I don't remember what she said now." I guess we all have flaky moments like that one.

5) Jo Wilfried Tsonga. Hard to forget this guy after he beat Roger Federer in the quarterfinals. He was also the ace leader for the tournament (108), as well as the double fault leader (27). He's also the guy who likes to dive for tennis balls. "This is the only surface you can really dive [on], because on the others, if you dive you go directly to the hospital. So this is good," said Tsonga, regarding Wimbledon. He's knocking on the door of the top 10, climbing to No. 14 after his semifinal run.

6) The return of Chris Evert to tennis commentating. How’d she do? It's probably very hard for a former player to be completely objective when commentating on a match, but I give her high marks for being forthright without being know-it-all-ish. And with 18 Grand Slams under her belt, Evert's ESPN colleagues could learn a few things from her. Rumor has it that she has joined Twitter: @ChrissieEvert.

7) Caroline Wozniacki crashed Novak Djokovic’s pre-Wimbledon press conference. I’m not completely sure, but Caroline is either poking fun at the media, or she is considering a new career in tennis journalism. Stick to playing tennis, Caroline--better hours, and a MUCH higher income.

8) Twitter is a useful source of information (and occasionally fun), but Judy Murray (mother of Andy and Jamie) may have crossed a delicate parental line, giving Feliciano Lopez the nickname, Deliciano. Some may say it's all in good fun, but try picturing your own mother doing that sort of thing. You'd be looking for a big rock to crawl under, too.

9) Bethanie Mattek-Sands. She is an original who isn't afraid to take chances. Unfortunately, the No. 1 ranked American seemed to be wearing a lot more tennis balls at Wimbledon than she was hitting. She lost in the first round.

10) The resilient Sabine Lisicki was clearly the comeback story of Wimbledon. In addition to her incredible win over Li Na, she was the ace leader (44) and serve speed leader (124 mph) for the tournament. She made it to her first semifinal of a Grand Slam, but was stopped short by the more experienced Maria Sharapova. Advancing to the Wimbledon doubles final with Sam Stosur likely took some of the sting away from Lisicki's singles loss. Jumping 35 spots in the rankings (to No. 27) probably helped her as well.

11) Serena Williams wasn't out of the Wimbledon spotlight for very long when this promo for the ESPY awards appeared on YouTube. Serena, dressed as a prom queen, singing and playing the clarinet. LOL/OMG.

12) It was announced during Wimbledon that Ana Ivanovic has hired a new coach: Nigel Sears. He just recently left his post as the Head of Women’s Tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association to work full time with Ivanovic. Fingers crossed that this guy has what it takes to instill more confidence in her game.

13) The Bryan brothers carried the American torch again, winning their second Wimbledon doubles title, as well as their 11th Grand Slam title. These guys just keep getting better. Same goes for Mardy Fish, who achieved his best result at Wimbledon this year, and now holds the No. 8 spot in the rankings.

14) A sad loss for Nadal in the Wimbledon final. Combine that with losing the No. 1 ranking two days before, and it became a day of mourning for Nadal fans. Not too long after the final, the phrase #poor nadal was trending worldwide on Twitter. Now Nadal has to figure out a way to deal with a guy (Djokovic) who has beaten him five times in one year--each time in a final, and on three different surfaces. The shoe is officially on the other foot.

15) Observation: What was with the Federer TV commercials during the men’s final on Sunday? I wonder if the timing of those commercials was really pre-planned, or if it was just a subtle reminder that Federer isn't out of the picture just yet.

16) We all know who the King of Clay is, but who exactly is the King of Grass these days? With six Wimbledon singles titles, I like to believe that Federer still has a solid hold on the crown. But after losing in the Wimbledon quarterfinals two years in row, the crown may be up for grabs.

17) Nadal has held the No. 1 ranking for a total of 102 weeks: Aug. 2008-July 2009 (46 wks.), and June 2010 -July 2011 (56 wks.). Now he is ranked No. 2. Not easy to swallow that one.

18) A tough loss for Andy Murray. He just can't seem to get beyond the semis at Wimbledon. I'm not sure if the pressure got inside his head, or he just isn't ready. His time will come.

19) Novak Djokovic ended Nadal’s 20-match winning record at Wimbledon, and fulfilled two lifelong dreams (the No. 1 ranking and a Wimbledon title). Djokovic now seems to be completely at home on grass. So much so that he ate a piece of grass on Centre Court after his win. Well, it's gluten-free.

20) A well deserved win for Petra Kvitova over Maria Sharapova in the ladies' final. The lefty from the Czech Republic sealed the win with an ace at 40-0, and was the first Czech to win the title at Wimbledon since Jana Novotna in 1998. Despite Sharapova's success at Wimbledon, her serve is still a road block to another Grand Slam title. In fact, she was the double fault leader for the tournament, with 38.

21) Are tall girls making a comeback in tennis? Seems that way, after watching the Wimbledon ladies' final. Kvitova stands at 6', and Sharapova at 6' 2".

A Fish Called Mardy

2011-06-28T13:03:00.009-04:00

June 28, 2011

Suitcases still unpacked? Check. Still the No. 1 ranked American? Check. Still receiving interview requests? Check. Still wondering how to beat Nadal in the next round? Check.

Welcome to the second week of Wimbledon, Mardy. It's been a long time coming.

Mardy Fish, the No. 10 seed and the No. 1 American at the 2011 Wimbledon Championshps is riding a wave of success that has brought him to the second week of Wimbledon, as well as the quarterfinals for the first time in his career. It's a bit different from watching the second-week's matches from an airplane, or curled up on a couch at home. But I think he prefers it this way.

Fish has made it to the third round at Wimbledon on three occasions over the past eight years ('03, '06, and '09). His best result at a Grand Slam came at the 2007 Australian Open, where he lost to Roddick in the quarterfinals, then again at the 2008 US Open, where he lost to Nadal in the quarterfinals. A leaner, more mature, and a more focused Mardy Fish has changed that.

"I definitely have aspirations of going further than just making the fourth round," said Fish in his second-round, post-match press conference at Wimbledon. It's almost as if he knew then that his time had come.

Fish has only lost one set en route to the quarterfinals (a TB in the third round vs. Robin Haase). He just recently cruised past the 2010 Wimbledon finalist, Thomas Berdych in the fourth round. Fish's serve couldn't be better, having accrued 73 aces over the course of four matches.

"You know, I'm pretty comfortable with knowing how to play tennis now," said Fish. "I know my limitations better than ever, and also feel like I can play some pretty good tennis at times."

Fish also knows that the matches from here on out will only get tougher. Nadal, whom he hasn't beaten in five attempts, will be his opponent in the quarterfinals on Wednesday--albeit an injured Rafael Nadal (left foot). It would be difficult to see Rafa pull out of Wimbledon due to injury (or any reason for that matter), and it's not the way Fish would want to win against Nadal. But as they say, one man's misfortune is another man's gain.

Is it lonely at the top for the No. 1 American? According to Fish, the answer is yes. He misses his compatriots. "It's lonely. It doesn't feel great. And that's not the goal. You know, I want the guys here. So that's a bit of a bummer, I guess."

I'm guessing he'd feel a bit less lonely with a Wimbledon trophy to carry around.

Sabine Lisicki Returns to Form

2011-06-22T16:31:00.003-04:00

Are Sabine Lisicki’s health problems behind her? Lisicki's recent return to form on grass indicates that brighter days are ahead for the 21-year-old.

On the Baseline Tennis News
June 22, 2011

Germany’s Sabine Lisicki has seen some dark days. The 2009 Wimbledon quarterfinalist and former top 25 player has been on a downward slide for almost two years, falling outside of the top 100, with little hope of finding a way back.

Her troubles began at the 2009 US Open, where she badly injured her left ankle in the second round. After a bit of rehabilitation on her ankle, Lisicki was back on the courts within a few weeks. She had some luck later in the season, reaching the final of Luxembourg, but lost to Timea Bacsinszky. Unfortunately, it was not a sign of things to come in 2010.

The 2010 season is one that Sabine Lisicki wishes she could forget. She reached the second round three times in first four events of the year (including the Australian Open). She then retired in Indian Wells and Miami in the first round, due to a left ankle injury. She was out of competition for five months with the same injury, pulling out of Charleston (defending champ), as well as the French Open and Wimbledon. The slide continued for Lisicki, falling out of the top 100 after the 2010 US Open, where she lost in the second round to Vera Zvonareva. She finished the season at No. 179 — a far cry from her career-high ranking of No. 22 achieved in August, 2009.

Things were looking up for the 21-year-old in 2011, when she made it to the quarterfinals in Stuttgart, and won the Stuttgart doubles title with Sam Stosur. She then reached the French Open as a qualifier, advancing to the second round against No. 3 seed, Vera Zvonareva. Just when Lisicki was about to close out the match, she lost a match point at 5-2 in the third set, and lost her grip on the match, losing 4-6 7-5 7-5. Afterwards, Lisicki lay on the court, sobbing, and was taken off on a stretcher. The next day, Lisicki announced on her website that she had recently been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance.

Not long after her setback at the French Open, Lisicki dusted herself off, and jumped right back into the game. She entered The Aegon Classic, a grass-court tune-up that she hasn’t played since 2008 (and lost in the first round.) This time, Lisicki went all the way to the final, beating Daniela Hantuchová 6-2, 6-2, winning her second WTA Tour title. You can imagine what that title meant to her, after a two-year struggle with injuries and health issues.

Lisicki’s win at the AEGON Classic bumped her up from No. 100 to No. 62 in the rankings. Since the start of 2011, Lisicki has jumped 117 ranking spots. A clear sign that brighter days are ahead.

And now, with her health back on track and a wildcard in her pocket, Lisicki is poised for success at Wimbledon. Can she channel her 2009 self at Wimbledon? Is it possible that her 2011 self is a better/stronger player? Without a doubt, few players have as much power in their serve as Lisicki (averaging 121 mph).

Lisicki takes on Anastasija Sevastova on Wednesday in her first round match at Wimbledon. A first meeting for the two. “It’s a tournament that I really like because of the whole tradition,” says Lisicki about Wimbledon. “It’s a special tournament with a different atmosphere. Obviously, it’s a big stage and that’s what I really love.”

On another subject, there were some recent rumblings about Lisicki being granted one of the seven wildcard spots for Wimbledon. According to the WTA rules, there is a maximum of six wildcards allowed per year per player, three for main draw. Lisicki had reached her wildcard limit prior to Wimbledon (Indian Wells, Nassau, Miami, Charleston, Stuttgart, and the AEGON Classic).

To clarify, the ITF/Grand Slams have their own set of rules regarding wildcards, which are completely independent of the WTA rules. Grand Slams allow players an unlimited number of wildcards, so Lisicki will not be penalized for Wimbledon, even though she’s gone over the WTA’s wildcard rule limit. The only other potential wildcard that Sabine could get in 2011 would be for the US Open, if her ranking at that time doesn’t allow for direct entry into the tournament. It is confusing to have two sets of rules, but that’s how the rules are currently set up.

Plots and Subplots: A Wimbledon Preview

2011-06-19T14:53:00.005-04:00

On the Baseline Tennis News
June 19, 2011

Every Grand Slam has main plots and dramatic sub-plots that conjure up excitement during the fortnight. With Wimbledon set to begin on Monday, the return of the Williams sisters is a main plot that is sure to provide twists and turns with each passing day. Considering the history of these two grass court champions, what better setting to watch this plot unfold than Wimbledon.

Subplot #1: The renewal of the long-standing Williams sisters’ rivalry. It’s been almost two years since Venus and Serena have faced each other in competition (2009 year-end championships). Once considered a boring rivalry, tennis fans now salivate over the possibility of seeing the Williams sisters go head to head once again. Will they meet in the Wimbledon final?

Subplot #2: As the No. 7 seed, Serena Williams is a big question mark heading into Wimbledon. Her ability to regain her top form after a lengthy absence from competition (49 weeks to be exact) is in doubt. Will she beat the odds? Can she pull off a three-peat at Wimbledon?

Subplot #3: Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams will be making her presence known as she embarks on her 16th Wimbledon main draw appearance. She holds the record for the most career Wimbledon match wins for active players (W-L 68-9). No current player on the WTA is more powerful, dominant, or confident on grass than Venus Williams. Can she pull off her sixth (and possibly her last) Wimbledon title at age 31?

As always, Wimbledon’s main story is divided into four sections/quarters, with a full cast of characters in each, ranging from contenders to dark horses.

Wozniacki’s Quarter
Other seeded players in this section: Maria Sharapova (5) Samantha Stosur (10) Julia Goerges (16) Shuai Peng (20) Dominika Cibulkova (24) Jarmila Gajdosova (27) Lucie Safarova (31).

In the first quarter of the draw, No. 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki takes on Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain in the opening round (first meeting). Wozniacki is in good form, having won the title in Copenhagan, and is well rested after taking a week off from competition. Wozniacki is coming into Wimbledon as the No.1 ranked player for the third straight time at a Grand Slam and will hold onto her No.1 ranking through week of August 1, extending her reign to 42 weeks at the top of the women’s game.

Is Wimbledon an attainable title for Wozniacki? There are a few things working against her: She hasn’t made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon (2009-2010) and has only one grass court title under her belt (Eastbourne 2009). Wozniacki will likely advance through the early rounds. She could face No. 16 seed Julia Goerges in the round of 16 (H2H 2-2), which may not be a problem for Wozniacki on grass. Goerges lost in the first round of Eastbourne and has suffered with a few injuries prior to that. No. 5 seed Maria Sharapova, a 2004 Wimbledon champion, could face Wozniacki in the quarterfinals (H2H: 3-2/Sharapova), but not before a potential match against No. 10 seed Sam Stosur in the round of 16 (H2H 8-0/Sharapova). Stosur, who surprisingly advanced to the semifinals in Eastbourne (losing to Bartoli), will have her work cut out for her against Sharapova, who has three grass court titles under her belt, including Wimbledon. If Sharapova advances, her true test will come in the semifinals, where she will likely face Serena Williams (H2H: 6-2/Serena). They are 1-1 when it comes to grass court results, having met twice before at Wimbledon (2004 final), and last year (round of 16).

Li Na’s Quarter
Other seeded players in this section: Serena Williams (7) Marion Bartoli (9) Agnieszka Radwanska (13) Ana Ivanovic (18) Flavia Pennetta (21) Maria Kirilenko (26) Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA (30).

In the second quarter of the draw, No. 3 seed Li Na will face Alla Kudryavtseva in the first round (H2H: 1-0/Li Na). We’ve all seen how Li Na shines brightly on the big stages, advancing to the final in the last two Majors. A title at Wimbledon would make her the 8th woman in the Open Era to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year and the first player since Serena Williams in 2002. Li Na made it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2006 and 2010. She will likely meet Sabine Lisicki in the second round. Lisicki was granted a wildcard into Wimbledon and has risen 117 points in the rankings since the start of 2011.

Lisicki’s recent grass court title in Birmingham could make her a tricky opponent for Li Na, in addition to her win over Li Na in Stuttgart this year (rd. of 16). But having a French Open title under her belt will likely give Li Na the confidence to go the distance. Bethanie Mattek-Sands could also give Li Na a run for her money in the third round. Marion Bartoli, the 2011 AEGON International champion and 2007 Wimbledon runner-up will likely face Serena Williams in the round of 16 (H2H 2-0/Serena. If Serena advances, she will likely face Li Na in the quarterfinals (H2H: 5-1/Serena). The two also met in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year. Given Serena’s lengthy absence from tennis, she isn’t the predictable winner that she once was, so this match could go either way. But experience (and stats) could give the edge to Serena.

Victoria Azarenka’s Quarter
Other seeded players in this section: Francesca Schiavone (6) Ekaterina Makarova (28) Shahar Peer (22) Andrea Petkovic (11) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (14) Kaia Kanepi (17) Daniela Hantuchova (25).

In the bottom half of the draw, (third quarter), No. 4 seed Victoria Azarenka takes on Magdalena Rybarikova in her opening round (first meeting). Azarenka’s game is, at best, unpredictable. (More specifically, her mental game.) She either wins big, or retires mid-match. Azarenka’s most recent retirement took place during the semifinal in Eastbourne, due to a right thigh strain.

No. 25 seed Daniela Hantuchova could face Azarenka in the third round. Hantuchova has been playing non-stop for the past few weeks, showing impressive results on the grass court tune-up events. She made it to the final in Birmingham, and the semifinal in Eastbourne, where she was forced to retire due to an abdominal strain. Unfortunately, her injury could force an early exit at Wimbledon.

No. 6 seed Francesca Schiavone is the second highest seed in this section of the draw, and is competing in her 44th consecutive Grand Slam (tied with Jill Craybas). She could face Azarenka in the quarterfinals (H2H 2-1/Azarenka). Neither have made it past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon (both in 2009).

Vera Zvonareva’s Quarter
Other seeded players in this section: Petra Kvitova (8) Roberta Vinci (29) Yanina Wickmayer (19) Svetlana Kuznetsova (12) Jelena Jankovic (15) Venus Williams (23) Tsvetana Pironkova (32).

In the fourth quarter of the draw, Vera Zvonareva replaces an injured Kim Clijsters as the No. 2 seed. Zvonareva will face American hopeful Alison Riske in her opening round (first meeting). As the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up who recently defeated Serena Williams in the second round in Birmingham, Zvonareva is in a prime position to dominate. That is, until the fourth round, where she will likely face Venus Williams (H2H: 7-1/Venus). Petra Kvitova, a 2010 Wimbledon semifinalist (and the only lefty in the top 10), could face Venus in the quarterfinals, unless she falls to Kuznetsova in the fourth round. Kvitova has only played Venus once before (Memphis 2008), but won the match.

No one knows exactly how this year’s Wimbledon story will end, but that won’t stop anyone from making predictions. Mine are as follows:

Dark Horse(s)

Jarmila Gajdosova, Marion Bartoli, Sabine Lisicki

Final Eight

Wozniacki, Sharapova, Li Na, S. Williams, Schiavone, Azarenka, Kvitova, V. Williams

Final Four

Sharapova, S. Williams, Azarenka, V. Williams

Final Two

Sharapova vs. V. Williams

Champion

Venus Williams

(Let the story begin.)

Chris Evert Weighs In on the Williams Sisters

2011-06-15T03:43:00.021-04:00

June 15, 2011

Starting next week, eighteen-time Grand Slam singles champion Chris Evert will be stepping into the broadcast booth at Wimbledon, making her ESPN debut as a tennis analyst. On Tuesday, Evert joined her new colleague and fellow analyst, Brad Gilbert for ESPN's pre-Wimbledon conference call with the media. Evert wasted no time getting down to business.

The hot topic? The Williams sisters.

Evert, who has three Wimbledon singles titles to her credit, plans to keep a close eye on Venus and Serena, as they step back into the tennis spotlight after a long absence from competition. Specifically, she will be watching for Serena's court coverage as well as her mental toughness.

In the conference call, Evert steered clear of any definitive predictions, but did feel certain that a return of the Williams sisters to Wimbledon won't necessarily translate into a win for the Williams sisters.

"It would be monumental in my mind if Serena pulled off a win," said Evert on the call. "You can never, ever count her out. But I personally don't ‑‑ I don't know how it's humanly possible for someone to take a year off like that and have gone through what she's been through physically with her ailments and really hasn't had a tremendous amount of practice, really a one‑tournament warm‑up." Evert also showed concern for the emotional toll that a serious medical condition like a pulmonary embolism could take on Serena.

Evert had a slightly different view on Venus, whom she described as a "sort of a dark horse" simply because Serena gets all the media attention. "She [Venus] does the job and she still has the better Wimbledon record. And she loves grass and she plays great on it," said Evert.

As the Williams sisters try to regain their dominance in the women's game, the age issue will become tougher to ignore. Venus, who is vying for her sixth Wimbledon singles title, will be turning 31 in a few days, and Serena, vying for her fifth title, will be turning 30 in September. Evert, who won the French Open at 31, believes that the game has a higher level of intensity than it did during her time on the tour. "I think the only thing helping them by playing at an older age is the fact that they've had so many breaks," said Evert. She also noted that the power in their games helps to shorten rallies, which, in turn, has helped with longevity.

During her career that spanned 17 years, Evert recalled that her longest absence from competition was four months, just after she married at age 24. Evert noted that the Williams sisters have benefited from multiple, long layoffs, which has given them renewed energy and excitement upon their return. "If they had played without injuries and they had played a full commitment of whatever, 21 tournaments a year, like everybody else is playing and supported the Tour that way for 15 years, I think they'd be out of the game by now."

Who are some of the Wimbledon contenders, according to Evert? Sharapova is one. "She's done really well this year, and she's been consistently a semifinalist or finalist," said Evert. "I think if she can get her serve together, she's won Wimbledon before. She's mentally really a tough player. I think she can do some damage and maybe even win Wimbledon." Li Na and Kim Clijsters are also at the top of her list.

Making Sense of Women's Tennis

2011-05-28T10:38:00.004-04:00

On the Baseline Tennis News
May 28, 2011

Recent results from the French Open have most people wondering: What exactly is going on with women’s tennis? OTB’s Paula Vergara takes a look at some of the top seed upsets at the French Open, the resulting opportunities for less experienced players, and gives a reality check on the Williams sisters.

I admit it. I didn’t hit the snooze button Friday morning thinking that world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki would lose in the third round of the French Open. Did anyone? Especially not to Daniela Hantuchova, who, despite being a dangerous player, hasn’t beaten Wozniacki in three attempts. Nor did I think that the 2010 French Open runner-up, Sam Stosur, would crash out in three sets to Gisela Dulko. Same goes for Thursday, when the No. 2 seed, Kim Clijsters lost to No. 114, Arantxa Rus in the second round. So much for prognostications. If the tennis rankings as well as the seeding process are supposed to help us make sense of the tennis “hierarchy”, then why does it seem so nonsensical?

There’s a First Time for Everything

According to the WTA, the 2011 French Open is first time in the Open Era that neither the No. 1 or No. 2 women’s seeds have made the round of 16 at a Grand Slam. Chances are, it won’t happen again. But, it’s not so easy to believe that this is a one-time thing. Early round victories at Grand Slams are typically foregone conclusions for the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked players, but typical doesn’t seem to apply to women’s tennis anymore.

Comparatively Speaking

So here’s everyone’s favorite subject: The Slam-less No. 1. Whenever we see Caroline Wozniacki lose in a Grand Slam, we have to replay the Slam-less No. 1 broken record, over and over again. It is an inevitable comparison to those players who have set the bar higher than where it currently sits. Even the most skilled player holding the No. 1 ranking will always be seen as less skilled compared to those who have won a Grand Slam. Wozniacki has mastered the art of winning on smaller stages, but a Grand Slam win continues to elude her. And the volume on that broken record seems to be getting louder.

When Less is More

I am likely not the only one who thinks that Caroline Wozniacki would have been wise to have skipped the inaugural Brussels Open, where she won her first title on red clay. The downside of winning the Brussels title–she only had two days to recover for the French Open.

She has faced a similar predicament in the past, playing the New Haven Open at Yale (formerly the Pilot Pen), a US Open warm up. She has won this tournament three years in a row, giving her just a few days of rest before the start of the US Open. She lost in the final of the US Open in 2009 against Kim Clijsters–the same year she won her second title in New Haven. Is she simply making bad choices about which tournaments to play? Is she inadvertently sabotaging her chances to win a Grand Slam by racking up too many titles at smaller tournaments? It makes you wonder if she could have won the 2009 US Open had she skipped New Haven. It’s a tough choice, for sure. But despite her seemingly endless supply of energy, something tells me Wozniacki might have to make more sensible choices moving forward. Pacing herself a bit more carefully might be a good start.

Tough Day for Sam

Australia’s No. 1 player and 2010 French Open runner-up, Sam Stosur was expected to at least get through the first week of the French Open, but Gisela Dulko had other plans. Stosur had been suffering from a bad head cold, which likely was a factor in her third round loss. Regardless of the reasons, Sam’s loss at Roland Garros is more disappointing than surprising, given the year she’s had so far. Looking ahead, the grass court season is probably not something that Sam is looking forward to, since her game is not well suited to grass. We may have to wait until the hard court season to see Sam get her game and head back on track.

Kim’s Crash

Kim Clijsters’ second round defeat at the hands of Arantxa Rus had to be the biggest surprise upset of the French Open. Especially after Kim was leading 6–3, 5–2, and had two match points before losing the match 3–6, 7–5, 6–1. Kim really didn’t look like herself out there, and admitted in her post-match press conference that self-doubt had crept in. Her ankle seemed fine, but Clijsters has never really enjoyed playing on clay. And it showed.

Seizing the Opportunity

There’s always opportunity to be had from someone else’s misfortune. And that’s just what Sharapova, Jankovic, Azarenka, Zvonareva, Kuznetsova, and Schiavone are hoping for, as they advance further into the tournament. Marion Bartoli is also keeping hope alive for a French champion. Li Na, who had a rough time after the Australian Open, seems to be back on track.

Amidst the wave of top seed crashes, there has also emerged an opportunity for some of the less experienced, up-and-comers to establish themselves as credible threats. Kvitova, Petkovic, Pavlyuchenkova, and Gajdosova are a few that seem to have a fighting chance at the title.

Don’t Look Back

As tempting as it may seem, there’s no sense in thinking that it's possible to recapture the past, especially if you try to go back to a time when Serena was ranked No. 1. Or a time when Serena and her sister Venus were dominating every single Grand Slam they entered. The reality is, both Venus and Serena have put in 15-16 years on the WTA Tour. Venus will be turning 31 in a few weeks, and Serena will be 30 in September. Having won 20 Grand Slam singles titles between them, the sisters simply have nothing left to prove. That’s not to say tennis wouldn’t greatly benefit from their return. Remember those days when everyone yawned at a predictable all-Williams final at Wimbledon? I wouldn’t mind seeing that predictability return to tennis. There is a chance they might play Wimbledon again this year, but beyond that, I can’t see either of them playing much after the 2011 US Open, other than the 2012 Olympics. Even if they do, it’s not likely that they can return to their peak playing ability. But then again, for the die-hard Venus and Serena fans, it doesn’t seem to matter how well they play. As long as they play.

So what have I learned about women’s tennis over the past few days? It seems that if there’s anything for sure, it’s that there’s no sure thing. That makes sense.

2011 French Open Preview

2011-05-21T18:26:00.002-04:00

On the Baseline Tennis News
May 21, 2011

As far as Grand Slams go, the 2011 French Open certainly isn’t the first one in recent years to have a wide-open women’s draw. I guess you can call it the “new normal” for the WTA. In some ways, an open draw can add to the excitement of a Grand Slam, especially in the first week of the tournament. But when the competition heats up, even in a wide open draw, the cream usually rises to the top.

Let the 2011 French Open analysis and predictions begin…

Maiden Grand Slam Contenders
Wozniacki, Stosur, Petkovic, Goerges, Azarenka, Jankovic, Zvonareva, Li Na, and Kvitova.

Former French Open Champions in the Draw
Schiavone, Kuznetsova, and Ivanovic

Wozniacki’s Quarter
Other seeded players in this section: Stosur, Bartoli, Kuznetsova, Peer, Goerges, Hantuchova, and Pironkova.

In the first quarter of the draw, No. 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki takes on Kimiko Date-Krumm in the first round (H2H 1-0). Despite a slight leg injury coming off her final match in Brussels, Wozniacki is in good form, and is seeking her first Grand Slam title. Having endured constant criticism for being a slam-less No. 1 since taking the crown in November, 2010, Wozniacki has shown that she can slide on clay with the best of them. She has reached three clay-court finals this year (Charleston (W), Stuttgart (L), and Brussels (W)), as well as the semis in Rome. Playing in the final in Brussels could sap her energy heading into the French Open, but she doesn’t seem to tire that easily. Wozniacki will likely advance through the early rounds, but could face No. 17 seed Julia Goerges in the quarterfinals (H2H 2-2). Goerges has two solid match wins against Wozniacki under her belt (Stuttgart (F) and Madrid (R16)), but has been out of competition for the past few weeks with a minor lower back injury. Goerges plays her first round against France’s Mathilde Johansson, a first meeting for the two.

No. 8 seed Sam Stosur, a 2010 runner up at Roland Garros, could face Goerges in the round of 16 (H2H 0-2). Stosur, who has been struggling a bit with her game (and surprisingly, on clay), lost to Goerges in the semis in Stuttgart. I wouldn’t count Stosur out of the French Open final, but she’d have to get past Wozniacki in the quarterfinals to prove that she can go the distance.

Bartoli, the French favorite to win, could face Goerges in the third round. She has one win against Goerges, but on grass (Wimbledon 2010). With Bartoli’s recent retirement in the Strasbourg final due to a left thigh injury, her chances at Roland Garros could be in doubt. Svetlana Kuznetsova (2009 French Open champion) would likely face Wozniacki in the round of 16 (H2H 2-4), if she can get past Peer in the third round (H2H 4-4). Kuznetsova and Wozniacki have never met on clay.

Zvonareva’s Quarter
Other seeded players in this section: Schiavone, Jankovic, Pennetta, Petrova, Kleybanova, and Pavlyuchenkova.

In the second quarter of the draw, No. 3 seed Vera Zvonareva has good potential to reach the semifinals, where she could face Wozniacki (H2H 4-4).

No. 5 seed and defending champ, Francesca Schiavone is the second highest seed in this section of the draw. With her 31^st birthday just a month away, age is an undeniable factor, but confidence could play a big role in Schiavone’s success. She will likely need to get past Mattek-Sands in the round of 16 (H2H 0-1) and Zvonareva in the quarterfinals (H2H 0-10). Schiavone takes on Melanie Oudin in the first round (H2H 2-1), who is currently ranked at No. 89. Jelena Jankovic, who’s had less-than-stellar results on clay this season, could face Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the third round (H2H 1-2). Zvonareva faces Lourdes Dominguez Lino in her opening round.

Azarenka’s Quarter
Other seeded players in this section: Li Na, Kvitova, Kanepi, Ivanovic, Cibulkova, Dulgheru, and Vinci.

In the bottom half of the draw, (third quarter), No. 4 seed Victoria Azarenka takes on Andrea Hlavackova in the first round (H2H 1-0). Azarenka has had her fair share of injuries in recent months, and can be prone to retirements. Recent MRI results on her wrist were negative, and fortunately, was given the ok to play the French Open. When Azarenka is fit to play and mentally focused, she is virtually unstoppable. Azarenka could face No. 9 seed Kvitova in the quarterfinals (H2H 2-2), unless No. 6 seed Li Na defeats Kvitova in the round of 16 (H2H 0-1). Both Azarenka and Li Na will be looking to avenge their loss to Kvitova in Madrid.

2008 French Open champ and No. 20 seed, Ana Ivanovic is a big question mark heading into the French Open, having battled multiple injuries — most recently, her left wrist. If she can play through injury and win the pressure points, Ivanovic could go deep. She faces Johanna Larsson her opening round.

Clijsters’ Quarter
Other seeded players in this section: Sharapova, Radwanska, Petkovic, Wickmayer, Gajdosova , Kirilenko, and Zakopalova.

In the fourth quarter of the draw, No. 2 seed Kim Clijsters faces Anastasiya Yakimova in her opening round. Some say Kim Clijsters isn’t ready to return to tennis after being sidelined with an ankle injury, but she says she’s ready. Clijsters, who has won the 2010 US Open and 2011 Australian Open, hasn’t played the French Open since 2006, and has never won the title. She made it to the final in 2001 (losing to Capriati) & 2003 (losing to Henin). She also hasn’t played any clay court warm-up tournaments leading into the French Open. Clijsters could face No. 15 seed Andrea Petkovic in the round of 16 (H2H 1-0), followed by a clash with No. 7 seed Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals (H2H 5-3). The two have never met on clay before, which, could give Sharapova the edge, given her recent form, and coming off a clay-court title against Stosur in Rome. Sharapova, who is looking to win her first French Open title, plays Mirjana Lucic in her opening round—a first meeting for the two.

Predictions…

Dark Horse(s)
Jarmila Gajdosova, Andrea Petkovic, Shuai Peng

Final Eight
Wozniacki, Goerges, Zvonareva, Schiavone, Kvitova, Azarenka, Sharapova, Clijsters

Final Four
Clijsters, Kvitova, Wozniacki, Zvonarava

Final Two

Clijsters vs. Wozniacki

Champion
Kim Clijsters

The Winner and the WildCard

2011-05-15T03:52:00.018-04:00

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are experiencing tremendous growth in their respective tennis careers, which was clearly demonstrated at yesterday's semifinal match at the Rome Masters. Djokovic is on a red-hot winning streak. Murray, who has struggled with his game in recent months, is now showing the world that he's not going to settle for the No. 4 spot.

The Winner

Without a doubt, the biggest story of the Rome Masters has been Novak Djokovic’s winning streak. The same story played out during the Madrid Open, the Sony Ericsson Open, and the BNP Paribas Open. (Picture Groundhog Day, over and over again.) Each time Djokovic adds another match to his incredible winning streak (he’s now approaching about 3,800), he inches closer to the ‘superman’ status that so few players have achieved in their careers.

The problem with Djokovic’s winning streak: It feels like he’s been playing in one continuous tournament for the past few months, with no end in sight. As the streak continues, the spotlight gets brighter, and the stakes get higher (none higher than today's final vs. Rafa). And when Djokovic is playing in a match, there is a collective gasp every time he is down a game. ‘Is this it? Is this the match that will end his chance at a record and turn him back into a mere mortal?’ As if to say the history-making moment is more about Djokovic’s streak being broken than about him breaking a record.

Sure, Djokovic could surpass John McEnroe’s 42-match winning streak, which would be simply amazing. (Guillermo Vilas holds the longest match winning streak record, at 46.)

Yes, he could win the French Open (if he can avoid injury and get past Nadal in a Grand Slam that he essentially owns), which would place Djokovic on a rather short list of tennis legends.

But what if he doesn’t win? Does he go back to being a mere mortal? Djokovic is unbeatable...invincible…and unstoppable…for the moment. He’s the player who can summon up his best, both physically and mentally in every match, even when he’s near exhaustion. We know the streak can’t last forever. Nor should it. But it’s nice to watch ‘superman’ in action, especially when he takes us along for the ride.

The WildCard

In a card game, the “wild card” can function as a substitute for any other card in the deck. (Of course, tennis has it's own meaning for wild cards, which I'll save for another post.) But if tennis were played like a card game, you might find a picture of Andy Murray on the wild card. The big question: Can Murray be a substitute for the King (Rafa) or the Joker (Djokovic)? Murray played the match of his career on Saturday in the Rome semifinal, giving Djokovic a run for his money. Murray came very close to ending Djokovic’s now 38-match winning streak in a nail-biting, third-set tie-breaker that lasted over 3 hours, but it wasn’t in the cards for Murray.

Even though Andy Murray is currently designated as the No. 4 card in the game, we may be seeing the tennis deck shuffled in the near future, if Darren Cahill and the Adidas Player Development Program have anything to say about it. Saturday’s match in Rome proves that Murray has enough power, speed, and weapons to become a wildcard that can potentially outrank and out play Nadal or Djokovic on any given day.

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Update: Novak Djokovic went on to defeat Nadal 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Rome Masters, extending his winning streak to 39 (since 2010).

Fetching Tennis Fashions for the Spring/Summer

2011-05-03T14:12:00.001-04:00

On the Baseline Tennis News
May 2, 2011

Style sophisticates take note: If you want to make a fashion statement on or off the court, look no further than Fetch Sport. Founded in 2006, this LA-based, wholesale sportswear company does tennis-themed fashion that fits into any women’s lifestyle. They also do what most other tennis fashion outlets don’t: Take chances with fashion. Fetch produces original lines that make a sexy/sporty statement, while maintaining comfort and practicality.

Chris Louis, Designer and Owner of Fetch Sport, has made it his mission to produce a trendy and classic line of women’s sporting apparel that appeals to just about every woman out there who wants to add a bit more femininity to their wardrobe. “I love that a woman can look beautiful on the tennis court and still maintain that tough edge of function in Fetch,” says Chris.

Coming from the modeling industry, with extensive knowledge of high-end fashion, Chris understands that not every woman is 5’10″ and 120 lbs. “I have learned to scale my designs and think about every body type out there.”

Chris also understands the importance of branding. He has taken a leap into the world of tennis sponsorships, signing American up-and-comers Alexandra Mueller and Riza Zalameda for the 2011 year. Fetch is very excited to have them wearing their clothing. But Chris says he isn’t influenced by the current fashions on the WTA Tour. He opts for more “fresh” designs that are “as much off the cuff as possible.”

As far as the products go, Fetch Sport features an array of t-shirts, dresses, track suits, and hoodies in a variety of colors. Some of the t-shirts have the words “C’mon”, “Allez”, or “Vamos” on the front, to get you revved up for your next tennis match, or simply enjoy wearing when you are out and about.

If you’re headed to the French Open this year, Fetch Sport’s light-blue French Grand Slam hoody is a must-have. It’s 92% cotton, 8% spandex, and features “kangaroo” pockets. An image of the French flag is placed on the front and sleeve, and also displays an image of the Eiffel Tower on the back. Fetch also designs other Grand-Slam themed hoodies for Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open.

Fetch Sport sells its products online, in retail shops, and for the past two years, has been invited to sell its clothing on site at the Sony Ericsson Open. Fetch also sells its products internationally, but is looking to expand its global reach. “I love what I do and I love the direction of where Fetch is going,” says Chris. “I hope that Fetch will become a mainstay in this ever-changing industry of fashion.”

For more information on the Fetch Sport collection, visit www.fetchsport.com.

Venus Williams Partners With Jamba Juice

2011-04-29T22:42:00.003-04:00

On the Baseline Tennis News
April 29, 2011

Former No. 1 player and entrepreneur Venus Williams has set the wheels in motion for a new franchise partnership with Jamba Juice Company. She has signed a non-binding letter of intent to open five Jamba Juice stores in the Washington D.C./Maryland area over the next two years.

“I have been a long-time fan of Jamba Juice and its mission to help inspire and simplify healthy living,” said Venus Williams. “Jamba offers a fantastic line-up of tasty, better-for-you products that I can feel good about eating. I am excited to be a part of Jamba and, through that partnership, to be bringing a healthy lifestyle brand to the D.C. Metro area that can offer others an easy way to maintain their focus on staying active and eating right.”

Aside from her record-setting tennis career, Venus Williams has achieved a multitude of off-court accomplishments. She earned a degree in fashion design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, and started her own interior design firm, V Starr Interiors. In 2007, she launched her own athletic clothing line, EleVen. In 2009, Williams expanded her entrepreneurial muscle, becoming a limited, part-owner of the Miami Dolphins, along with her sister Serena Williams. In 2010, Williams released her first book, “Come to Win” co-written by Kelly E. Carter. It’s not so surprising that Williams would take on yet another business venture.

“This partnership is a perfect match between two brands that are both passionate about creating viable and healthy communities while helping people achieve their lifestyle goals of being more active and eating better,” said James D. White, chairman, president and CEO of Jamba Juice Company. “Regardless of her endeavor, Venus goes after everything with gusto and a motivation to win.”

The terms of the Jamba Juice deal are expected to be finalized by mid June, and the first store is scheduled to open later this summer.

Founded in 1990, Jamba Juice offers health-conscious products, including whole fruit smoothies, fresh squeezed juices, hot beverages, wraps, salads, sandwiches, frozen yogurt, as well as baked goods.

How the Mighty Fall (and climb back again)

2011-04-17T12:46:00.004-04:00

There’s a common story among tennis players: They rise, they fall, and rise again. Equally common are the causes: Injuries, unsteady nerves, waning confidence, as well as the inevitable, physical decline. But even the top players who are seemingly born with the best DNA can experience moments when they unexpectedly fall hard. It isn’t just how or when players fall that matters most, but rather, how they respond to it, both physically and mentally.

Roger Federer: The Old Goat

Based on his recent form (and results), will 29-year-old Roger Federer be considered “over-the-hill” if he drops to No. 4? Hardly. But, for a player who remains at the top of the tennis world and is revered as the greatest player of all time, how can anyone be sure if he’s past his peak? Could the tip-off be when he is only able to reach the quarters of a masters or a Grand Slam? Can failed attempts to re-capture the No. 1 position be the sign? Or, is it when he consistently loses to a much lower ranked player that confirms the inevitable?

Aside from Federer’s on-court duals (or, duopoly) with Nadal, he has been virtually unstoppable for the past eight years. Which is why it is surprising that Federer has been on the losing end of his last three matches against world No. 2 (and his latest rival) Novak Djokovic, fueling the debate about Federer’s future. Another problem for Federer: Being in the top three, there’s more room to go down than up. But rest assured, when the seeds of Federer’s decline have been planted, we’ll know it, and he’ll know it. For now, let’s enjoy his mastery of the game.

Judgement Call: Federer could take a page from Kim Clijsters’ play book and just play the Majors and a few other big tournaments. He’d never lose and would be able to maintain a top three ranking.

Li Na: Trailblazer in a Slump

No. 6 in the world and can’t win a match? That’s the situation that Li Na is currently in. The 2011 Australian Open finalist and the first Chinese player in tennis history to crack the top 10 has now had a five-match losing streak since the Australian Open final. Li Na has suddenly become consistently inconsistent, with little explanation for her slump. Can she rebound in Stuttgart? Her record on clay isn’t great (0-2), but she was a runner-up in Estoril twice (’05-’06).

Judgement Call: As the defending champ at Birmingham, the grass court season could be the time when Li Na can break out of her slump and get back on a winning track.

Juan Martin del Potro: Just a Matter of Time

Many were at a loss for words when former world No. 4 and US Open champ Juan Martin del Potro announced in 2010 that he would be having wrist surgery, which could have kept him out of competition indefinitely. After a nine-month absence, the 22-year-old has made an impressive comeback, advancing to the semis in San Jose and Memphis, and winning Delray Beach. He has climbed back from No. 236 in the rankings at the start of 2011 to No. 46, and is likely headed back to the top 10 by the summer hard-court season.

Judgement Call: Juan Martin still looks a bit tired after matches. Hopefully he can pace himself a bit better in between matches and tournaments. As they say, you don’t know if you’ve done too much, too soon until it’s too late.

Maria Sharapova: The Summit is in Clear View

The former No. 1 and winner of 22 singles titles is as close to being “back” as she’s ever been, and has returned to the top 10 for the first time since 2008. Maria Sharapova's shoulder surgery in 2009 was a significant setback for her, but Maria’s never-give-in, never-give-up mentality has served her well over the past two years…well enough to make a successful climb back to the No. 9 spot. Speaking of serves, we all know that there is more to a player’s arsenal than just a serve. However, Maria’s serving problems have been holding her back, and were likely the main cause of her loss to Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open.

Judgement Call: It’s not clear if Maria’s serving problems are physical, mental, or a combination of both. If she can get beyond that, we may be seeing her raise the Venus Rosewater dish once again at Wimbledon.

Mardy Fish: Version 2

Few people can call Mardy Fish an underachiever these days. But there was a time when he was just that. Mardy enjoyed a stretch of great results during 2003-2004 (when he was consistently ranked in the top 20), but has had streaky results since then. Dealing with multiple injuries hasn’t helped much, keeping him out of the game for extended periods, and causing his ranking to plummet. Now at age 29, he’s the No. 1 ranked American (at No. 10), passing Andy Roddick (who has fallen outside of the top 10). Despite his new career-high ranking, Mardy is no stranger to top 10 opponents. Over the past few years, Mardy has been tested by some of the giants of the game, and won. Most notably, Roger Federer, whom he beat at Indian Wells in 2008. “I think people can tell that I’ve changed my work ethic (physically and mentally) in the past two years,” said Mardy in a recent interview. His next goal: playing in the semis of a Grand Slam. He has made it to the quarterfinals of the US Open (2008) and the Australian Open (2007).

Judgement Call: Mardy’s success over the past nine months makes me wonder: Can he keep up his momentum in 6 or 7 five-setters over a fortnight, or will he be overpowered by the bigger, more resilient players? This could be a true test for him.

Serena Williams: Is the Climb Too Steep?

For many years, Serena Williams was at the pinnacle of women’s tennis, and has been an undeniable force on the big stages, amassing 13 Grand Slam singles titles in her 16-year career. She’s had her fair share of injuries, but has always managed to rebound, and come back stronger. Weeks have turned into months since Serena last set foot on a tennis court (Wimbledon 2010). We all know the story of her foot injury (no need to repeat), as well has her recent health scare from a pulmonary embolism and subsequent hematoma. But Serena’s indefinite absence from competition is making her fans and the media a bit antcy (not to mention her sponsors). It remains to be seen if Serena can, or even will rise again. If her health holds up and she wants to play tennis again, it’s all up to her. The DNA will always be there.

Judgement Call: If Serena chooses to stage her comeback at Wimbledon, can she rise to the occasion? If not, something tells me she isn’t the type to retire while the world is watching her game in decline. She’s not wildcard material.

Injured Bethanie Mattek-Sands Out of Fed Cup Tie

2011-04-14T02:32:00.002-04:00

USA Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez selects Vania King to replace Bethanie Mattek-Sands in this weekend’s Fed Cup tie.

On the Baseline Tennis News
April 14, 2011

Bethanie Mattek-Sands will not be able to join USA’s Fed Cup team in the upcoming tie against Germany in the World Group Playoffs April 16-17. She has been suffering from a lingering hip and back injury, which has flared up recently as a result of almost constant match play since the start of 2011.

US Captain Mary Joe Fernandez will now lead a team consisting of Vania King, Melanie Oudin, veteran doubles player Liezel Huber and newcomer, 18-year-old Christina McHale, who is playing in her second Fed Cup tie. Venus Williams will also make the trip to Germany to support the team.

Mattek-Sands, who holds a 2-0 record on clay in Fed Cup ties, expressed her disappointment via her Twitter page about not being able to play. “Really bummed I couldn’t make it to Stuttgart with the rest of team USA!! But getting some much needed recovery time. Go USA!!”

Vania King was excited to get the call to play in the tie. “I got the call out of the blue, and was on my way back to Miami that day. I made the decision in thirty minutes. I love playing Fed Cup and I’ve played with all of these players before so I know them well and we also get along very well. So I’m looking forward to a good match.”

The German Fed Cup is looking to rejoin the World Group after losing last year’s World Group play-off 3-2 to France. Their Fed Cup team consists of Andrea Petkovic, Julia Goerges, Sabine Lisicki and Anna-Lena Groenefeld.

The U.S. holds an 8-4 all-time record against Germany in Fed Cup competition, including a 6-3 record against the former West Germany. In 2008, the Americans defeated Germany 4-1 in their quarterfinal tie in La Jolla, California. The last victory for the Germans was in 1992.

The last time the USA competed in a World Group play-off tie was in 2002, defeating Israel 5-0. The USA has never been out of Fed Cup’s top flight, and has been the most successful Fed Cup nation, being crowned champion 17 times.