I think the right word for today is "interesting".
A few weeks ago Andy Murray gave an interview in which he said he wasn't feeling tennis at the moment and needed to get his head together. Then he got back with his girlfriend and the tennis press, feeling they didn't have to delve deeper into his malaise, declared all was right with the world and Andy's comments were forgotten.
Today American Sam Querrey after a loss to fellow American Robby Ginepri also gave a woe-is-me post match presser that is getting a lot of attention stateside. The entire interview is on the Roland Garros Official Site.
Here's a thought. A lot of players, male and female, travel with family. If Kid Porsche gets so frustrated he forgets he's a professional tennis player maybe if he had some family with him he'd do better. This interview makes me wonder if he's chosen the right job. Then again, maybe it's the pressure from the American tennis establishment that's getting to him and that he's running away from. I truly don't know. If this is the mental attitude of a top American player the future of American tennis is truly murky.
Surprisingly 29 of 32 WTA seeds made it to the second round. The woman pictured above, thirty nine year old Kimiko Date Krumm sent the number nine seed, Dinara Safina, home early. Dinara, amid rumors of a relationship with her married coach, and an emergency visit by her big brother Marat, changed coaches after her loss in Madrid. Watching her today she was the same Dinara, needing a kick in the ass from her coach but this time not getting it. Many people saw the relationship between Dinara and her previous coach as abusive forgetting that Dinara had said he was perfect for her. I could snark and ask what it says about the former number one that a thirty nine year old woman on one leg could overcome a 1-4 deficit in the third set but I won't. I thought Date Krumm came back because she simply wanted something to do. Apparently what she wants to do is win tennis matches.
Anyone who has been following tennis has probably heard the name of Gianni Mina. Mina, born February 9, 1992 in Les Abymes, Guadeloupe has been talked about as the next big thing and was the number two junior in the world. He lost today but I don't think we've seen the last of young Monsieur Mina. He has that raw and hungry, I'm gonna kick your ass look in his eyes that promises greatness. If the FFT doesn't destroy him in a couple of years, once he's finished growing mentally and physically, he could be a force on the main tour. He's being brought along slowly, or was, up until today. I hope the FFT learned from what they did to the young Richard Gasquet.
The Fashion Police
This has got to stop. I actually like this. It's flattering to her body and looks good on the court. The wind does strange things with the fabric but that's a minor quibble. She's finally found her groove fashion wise.
Zheng Jie of China is a woman who has learned what looks good on her petite frame. When I first saw her the clothes she wore on court were too big for her. Now they fit, and the colors looks good on her.
Picture of the Day
Total symmetry brought to you by Venus Williams and Serena Williams
Today American Sam Querrey after a loss to fellow American Robby Ginepri also gave a woe-is-me post match presser that is getting a lot of attention stateside. The entire interview is on the Roland Garros Official Site.
Q. What happened out there, Sam?
SAM QUERREY: Um, just tired. Not into it. Mentally not there. I mean, you know what, I don't know. Just not did not enjoy myself out there.
It's been like that on and off for like a while. So I'm going home tomorrow.
Q. You had talked about being here for five weeks, you and John both putting in the time, the effort, and the matches. You won a ton of matches. You rethinking that a little bit?
SAM QUERREY: No, I mean, even the first week I was over here in Rome I lost first round. It was similar to a match like this. Passive not that I was passive today. The main thing is I didn't enjoy myself on the court. Wanted off the court.
Q. Is it a natural reaction just being over here?
SAM QUERREY: No. I don't know what it is. I just need to just be in a better mood or just need to enjoy the competition and enjoy being out there more than I do.
Right now, I mean, I'll enjoy it, and as soon as one thing goes wrong, I'm done.
(...)
Q. Where is home that you're going back to?
SAM QUERREY: California.
Q. Were you in dubs with John?
SAM QUERREY: I am right now. I won't be in about an hour.
Q. Just want to get out of here?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah.
Q. So do you feel like going in you're not in the frame of mind, or does it happen right in the middle of the fight?
SAM QUERREY: I think it happens in the middle. I think if you ask my coach, David, he might say otherwise. When I lost that second set tiebreaker and got broken in the first game, I was done. I wanted to be off the court.
I started thinking about leaving and pulling out of the doubles and how much I wanted to go home, how much I wasn't enjoying.
You're never gonna win a match if you're just being negative. I'm only hurting myself.
Q. Isn't that the definition of a professional, that you don't despair so fully as the match progresses, that you somehow control your feelings?
SAM QUERREY: Yeah, I need to work on that. I've not been a professional the last, you know, on and off for the last few months. You know, you're out there facing one opponent. I don't want to face the opponent and myself.
You know, I just need to be better than today, in this case, it was Robby. It's someone different every week. But I don't want to be fighting myself out there and also fighting the opponent.
Q. Yet, Sam, you've had some good results on clay. You won Belgrade, won Houston. Are you fighting sort of a Jeckyll/Hyde part of yourself here?
SAM QUERREY: A little bit. Those are 250s, and they're great. I love you know, a tournament win is a tournament win. A final is great. It builds my confidence, but I won Belgrade and my ranking didn't move. I'm kind of past that point right now. Those 250s do nothing for me ranking wise. It's all about the Masters Series and the Grand Slams.
That's where I just have not been playing well. You know, I just need to mentally get it together in my head. I need to enjoy myself out there. I need to enjoy playing. You know, if a guy has a breakpoint against me, I should know, Hey, I've got one of the biggest serves out there. Let's see you win this point off me.
But like I said, I just tank some points.
Here's a thought. A lot of players, male and female, travel with family. If Kid Porsche gets so frustrated he forgets he's a professional tennis player maybe if he had some family with him he'd do better. This interview makes me wonder if he's chosen the right job. Then again, maybe it's the pressure from the American tennis establishment that's getting to him and that he's running away from. I truly don't know. If this is the mental attitude of a top American player the future of American tennis is truly murky.
The Fashion Police
Picture of the Day
3 comments:
I loved the way young Gianni Mina played against Rafa -- absolutely fearless and going for his shots. And already he has a lot of game. Maybe he needs to work on some touch stuff, but he's fast and has some good groundies.
On top of that, he has class. He wasn't showboating or playing to the crowd, and he applauded Rafa when Rafa changed a call on a first serve that was called out but was good.
He was a pleasure to watch, and I hope we will be seeing much more of him. I think he will be joining my little group of faves.
I also thought Mina was a breath of fresh air. I'm always a bit shocked to look up on the screen and see a new Black player on the court.
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Great photo of the sisters.
Querrey's presser shows that no matter how deep the funding and coaching for the dueling McEnroe academies, American tennis is doomed if his mindset is prevalent.
Several years back as a junior Querrey was involved in a tennis documentary. His mom said something to the effect that tennis was a good fit for Sam as opposed to basketball or another team sport because he didn't like to be touched and was a more solitary person. I guess he's a homebody too
Savannah's point that he might benefit from traveling with a parent or guardian who is looking out for him outside of his tennis career, is valid. He strikes me as someone who may have benefited from a college stint, he's got the privileged frat boy demanor down pat w/ references to guido land.
Isner is his good friend and could be a complete prick for all I know, but he's generally saying that right things & seems committed to being a pro athlete. Though apparently not w/o a struggle as PMac related a tale about how Isner was longing to be at UGA instead of whatever tourney he was playing as a pro.
I was really disappointed by Shenay Perry yesterday. You are playing a qualifier, (a genuine one, not a star on the comeback) and you fold like a house of cards. Pathetic!
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