I don't think anyone could've predicted the singles winners of this tournament, the first part of tennis' "March Madness" to steal a phrase. Jelena Jankovic had not been playing well coming into this event and while no one would've been surprised at her making the quarters making the final and then winning it all was not something anyone thought would happen. Even taking the court I got the feeling that many thought Caroline Wozniacki would find a way to beat Jelena. But JJ wasn't having it. She played agressively and brilliantly in the first set and while things devolved a little in the second she fought off Wozniacki and held on for the win.
As for Ivan Ljubicic he wasn't on anyone's radar. Ivan turned 31 Saturday and his recent play had been lackluster at best. Instead he's the one to have made it through and got to hold up the Baccarat crystal trophy.
The Fifth Slam
The tennis world's attention has now turned to Miami, or more properly Key Biscayne, an island across from Miami. You go from the dry desert air to the heavy humidity of Southern Florida with the attendant change in playing conditions.
Serena Williams and Juan Martin del Potro have withdrawn, both due to lingering injuries. They join Dinara Safina, Nikolay Davydenko, Lleyton Hewitt, Maria Sharapova, Tommy Haas and Jose Acasuso all of whom are out with either surgery or injury.
As I mentioned before there was a lot of surprise that no Americans got WC's on the women's side. Ryan Harrison managed to sneak on on the men's side. The qualifying draw is out and up and coming juniors like Sloane Stephens are there. It remains to be seen how the players granted WC's into the main draw acquit themselves.
The Main Draws for both men and women come out tomorrow.
Miami is the last hard court tournament of the United States spring swing. After this the men of the ATP and the women of the WTA get to play in the dirt.
A Sad Note
Guillermo Canas will announce his retirement in Miami. It goes without saying that he was robbed of what looked to be a promising career by an idiotic ruling by the drug testing hierarchy, a ruling that let Greg Rusedski, who committed the exact same offense, to get by without even a slap on the wrist while Canas was suspended.
He has begun a career in coaching. I wish him well.
2 comments:
JJ is still as crazy as the day as long but watching her yesterday made me happy. I think Woz seems like a perfectly nice girl (though I worry that her father is a little intense. In part b/c I don't understand what he is actually saying) but her game bores me to tears. I didn't even attempt to watch her match vs Radwanska.
There is nothing sweeter than a big title at the tail end of a career. I've always liked Ljubcic and understood the flack that he got for changing racquets. But he had to financially secure his future its not as if he was going to be swimming in endorsement deals...
I've always enjoyed watching Miami on TV but am sad that Serena won't be there.
Resedski has the American, English,Canada, Brit axis to protect him, that we know.
As for JJ. No drama at the final. Just came in and did her work. Maybe Chip Brooks is helping her. We'll see. Sometimes I think these players are tired of the young "it" people like Woz and Murray.
Woz served it, and JJ hit for a winner.
Woz hit the ball back into court, and JJ pummeled it.
There were moments there where JJ was laughing at her own brilliance. She couldnt lose a point.
Woz got smoked.
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