The Existentialism of A Champion

by Savannah


Scott Heavey/AELTC/Getty Images Europe

ex·is·ten·tial·ism (gz-stnsh-lzm, ks-)
n.
A philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts.

In the end the athlete is alone. It doesn't matter whether you play a team sport or an individual sport. In team sports an individual can outshine his or her team members like Michael Jordan who continues to overshadow an entire sport. Then there's a sport like golf or tennis where the individual is held responsible for his or her own performance. Some say the coach is important but if the player can't or won't implement the coaches vision the relationship will crumble and the athlete has to make different decisions about their career.

After losing 4 and 4 to Jana Cepelova at the Family Circle Cup earlier this year Serena made the following statement:

“I’m really just dead,” said Serena, who was coming off a title-winning run in Miami where she defeated world No. 2 Li Na in the final. “I need some weeks off where I don’t think about tennis and kind of regroup. I’ve had a long couple of years, and I’m really a little fatigued…I just need to take a deep breath and regroup. I think actually it’ll really help me for the rest of the claycourt season.”

I think that Serena, the one who needs time off from tennis showed up yesterday to play Alize Cornet who, to her credit, has been trying to live up to her responsibilities as the French Number One. She had never beaten Serena though and while Serena had appeared to be, let's say disinterested, during the run up to Wimbledon most, including me, thought that her competitive juices would kick in and that she'd romp through her draw towards the Final. Yes I believe that Serena would've beaten Maria Sharapova. But she had to get to that round first and she didn't. Instead of her facing WTA favorite Eugenie Bouchard she'll hopefully get to spend some time with herself and not worrying about tennis.

That said you can blame lots of things for Serena's lackluster showing on Saturday. She didn't play a warm up event. Was that down to confidence, maybe arrogance, about her ability to play on grass or was there an underlying injury that made it necessary for her to rest after crashing out of the French Open early?

Watching her take the first set 6-1 against Cornet yesterday there were troubling signs. When she missed her balls were landing in Wales and that was happening a lot in the first set. Her normal serving precision was off, her movement wasn't what it needed to be. The rains came just in time it seemed. It would give her a chance to speak with her coaching team and settle down, be SERENA, Terror Fabulous. By the third set her court sense had deserted her completely and it was obvious she had nothing, not even her famous will, to make her rise to the occasion and overcome a now confident Cornet, who celebrated as if she'd won the Championship.

In the end I think Serena, who played a very heavy schedule last year and the year before, needs a rest. I for one won't blame her for taking most of the summer off and return to the tour at Stanford maybe. She needs to find her motivation again and I'm not sure she needs to play herself to it. Serena turned pro in 1995. She's had some breaks in there, and especially after last year it looks like it's time to take another one. When she spoke very honestly about lesser players playing her "like the ATP" it showed that the filter between her brain and her mouth was lowered, a sure sign of fatigue. Maybe she felt that the press often ignored that fact and that she needed to say it.
In my opinion I think they're going to go right on ignoring it pursuing instead the latest WTA fantasy story line.

Serena was raised on the principal "your word is your bond". She has committed to Båstad and will feel some personal pressure to honor that committment I'm sure. Despite her undeserved reputation she is very loyal to the WTA and tries to do the right think at all times when it comes to her profession. The WTA has never made her it's "golden girl" and has never marketed its product with her in mind though. It's always been someone else who got all the hype.

Take some time off Serena. Find your motivation. Or not. You owe it to no one but yourself.

The Sloane Stephens Quandary

by Savannah


Photo via AFP

Nineteen year old Madison Keys of the United States won her maiden WTA title at the prestigious Wimbledon warm up tournament at Eastbourne. She won by playing tennis. That sounds silly but stop and think a minute. The women's game is marred by the idiotic adoption of on court coaching but in the final analysis a player has to know how to think while playing tennis. It's not enough to have wonderful shots or a monster serve. It's what you do in your return game. It's point construction. It's adapting to the tactics of the woman playing across the net from you. So much goes into winning a match let alone a tournament that those who end up hoisting a trophy have a confidence those who haven't don't.

There are those who will say that winning Eastbourne is small potatoes, that the big prize is played for at SW 19. Every tennis player, male or female, wants to win Wimbledon. But not everyone is willing to go through the pain, the social isolation needed to become a champion in an individual sport like tennis. On the men's side look at players like Joao Sousa of Portugal or Ernests Gulbis of Latvia. Both men, now in their late twenties, have woken up to the fact that they want to have something to show for playing tennis. They've gotten themselves in shape both mentally and physically and in Gulbis case have actually won a title or two (or six).

American tennis players are not what their predecessors were. But the modern game of tennis isn't what their predecessors played. The modern game requires peak physical condition. It requires knowledge of how to play on all the surfaces the sport is played on. It sounds simple but it requires you to be able to think. All the practice, all the conditioning is for nothing if you get on court and do nothing more than make pretty shots. It's a lesson the European players seem to have learned. American players, not so much.

If you haven't already read Christopher Clarey 's excellent article on American tennis I suggest you take a few minutes and do so, especially since play begins on Monday June 23 on the lawns of Wimbledon. Here's an excerpt:

(Jim)Courier and other coaches and former players see a lack of world-class work ethic and toughness in too many of the young Americans.

“There are plenty of talented players who are not getting the most out of their talent,” Courier said, declining to name them.

(...)

Jose Higueras, Courier’s former coach and the director of coaching at the United States Tennis Association, would not argue.

“We try to show them what it takes, but they are not really that interested, at least for now...

The other issue is the desperation of the US tennis establishment for a big star, someone to show those uppity foreigners what's what. They're not alone in that belief (the countries that form what I call the Tennis Axis all feel that the current state of affairs is not the best for tennis) but I'm focusing on the United States right now so I'll stick with them. I hate to always pick on Lauren Davis but to me she's the symbol of what's wrong with American tennis. She's listed at 5'2" (1.57m). She holds seven ITF titles and is currently ranked #58. Let's compare her to Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia. She is said to be 5'3" (1.60m). Dominika has won four WTA titles and is ranked #10 in the world. How does a small in stature woman from Slovakia get to the top ten? Like her or not Justine Henin was also small in stature but made a name for herself in the upper echelons of women's tennis during the Big Babe era. I'm not going to get into how Henin did it. I'm talking about what a person who wants to be a champion does and how she carries herself.

We have to go back to Higueras comment that American players "are not really that interested" in what it takes to be at the top of the sport. The days are gone when you could show up on court with no muscle definition and nothing but your good looks and win. I was stunned to see the shape Sloane was in when she took the court this year. She was by no means fat but she was lugging a gut around that at least made me wonder where her head was. By comparison look at Madison Keys. She is beyond fit at the moment and it shows. Her movement has improved and she gets around the court very well for a tall woman. She's also worked hard on her game. All of her work resulted in her defeating a top ten player and winning her first title. I was surprised to find that Madison's coaches are from the USTA but that's not being fair to all USTA coaches. Madison listened where some of her peers haven't. Lauren Davis has a nice game. She makes nice shots. But she's not going to be the American version of Cibulkova unless she pushes herself the way Domi has.

I know I've taken the long way to get to the subject of this post, Sloane Stephens. I've said it before and I'll say it again and again. Her Australian Open win was a fluke. Serious fans know that it's only recently that either of the Williams sisters acknowledge when they're injured. Serena Williams has a sense of loyalty to women's tennis that has seen her play when maybe she shouldn't. A top player always has something wrong physically and as the saying goes if you take the court you're fit to play. When Sloane defeated her you would have thought the skies opened and angels descended to place a crown on Sloane's head and that the era of Serena Williams had come to an end. We all know that isn't what happened. Serena took that loss and decided that it wasn't going to happen again. Sloane took the win and decided she had made her bones and had nothing else to achieve. It appears as if there was no one in her camp to tell her that she hadn't done jack, that her game needs to improve, that she needs to study and train. I say appears because as is said "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink". And to be honest I can't say all of the fault is with Sloane. She was given the full star treatment by the USTA and US media. Anyone's head would be turned. She's apparently still on a star trip though and doesn't seem to realize she's not all that, that she's just another underachieving American player who came on the scene with great fanfare and promptly settled into the middling ranks. Madison Keys, unheralded Madison Keys, if she continues her hard work and sacrifice, has the potential to be a real star on the women's tour. She's not getting the media hype Stephens got and that is a very good thing. Fans have begun to pay attention though and that is also a good thing.

Meanwhile Sloane remains the only woman in the top thirty who has not won a title. She's yet to even make a final. And what's amazing is that she doesn't seem to care. No matter the failings of the USTA in tennis the fault will always be that of the player. Organizations protect themselves. Individuals have a much harder time of it. She wants to be treated as a champion because of one match. Maybe she should sit down and look at what has happened to her since that match and what has happened to the career of the loser. Maybe then she would realize that one match does not a career make. The Williams sisters, both Venus Williams and Serena Williams, are legends. As of now Sloane is destined to be a footnote. She can turn it around but it's going to take more work than she seems to be willing to do at this time.

UPDATE

Maria Kirilenko defeated Sloane in straight sets 6-2, 7-6(6). Keep in mind Sloane's goal was to make the quarter finals. Not to make the Final or even the semi final. Just the quarters. It's time for her to take a step back and reevaluate her approach to tennis. Enter and win a few low level tournaments. Then worry about the big dances. You have to win to know what it takes to win. The US press carrying on about your streak of always making the second week of a Major isn't complementary. It's called desperation to try and bolster what is now your sagging career. There are lots of lower level events you can enter now. Do it.

The 2014 Wimbledon Draws

by Savannah

The Ladies Singles Draw

TOP HALF

WILLIAMS, Serena USA [1] v TATISHVILI, Anna USA

SCHEEPERS, Chanelle RSA v MCHALE, Christina USA

JAKSIC, Jovana SRB v CETKOVSKA, Petra CZE

SCHMIEDLOVA, Anna SVK v CORNET, Alize FRA [25]

PETKOVIC, Andrea GER [20] v PITER, Katarzyna POL

BEGU, Irina-Camelia ROU v RAZZANO, Virginie FRA

SOLER-ESPINOSA, Silvia ESP (W) v GOVORTSOVA, Olga BLR

HANTUCHOVA, Daniela SVK v BOUCHARD, Eugenie CAN [13]

KERBER, Angelique GER [9] v RADWANSKA, Urszula POL

WATSON, Heather GBR v TOMLJANOVIC, Ajla CRO

MARTIC, Petra CRO v DOMINGUEZ LINO, Lourdes ESP

PASZEK, Tamira AUT (Q) v FLIPKENS, Kirsten BEL [24]

PAVLYUCHENKOVA, Anastasia RUS [26] v RISKE, Alison USA

CADANTU, Alexandra ROU v GIORGI, Camila ITA

BACSINSZKY, Timea SUI (Q) v FICHMAN, Sharon CAN

MURRAY, Samantha GBR (W) v SHARAPOVA, Maria RUS [5]

HALEP, Simona ROU [3] v PEREIRA, Teliana BRA

PFIZENMAIER, Dinah GER v TSURENKO, Lesia UKR (Q)

BENCIC, Belinda SUI v RYBARIKOVA, Magdalena SVK

DUVAL, Victoria USA (Q) v CIRSTEA, Sorana ROU [29]

VINCI, Roberta ITA [21] v VEKIC, Donna CRO

ZVONAREVA, Vera RUS (W) v MOORE, Tara GBR (W)

DIYAS, Zarina KAZ v MLADENOVIC, Kristina FRA

ZHANG, Shuai CHN v SUAREZ NAVARRO, Carla ESP [15]

IVANOVIC, Ana SRB [11] v SCHIAVONE, Francesca ITA

BECK, Annika GER v ZHENG, Jie CHN

PLISKOVA, Karolina CZE v KNAPP, Karin ITA

GLUSHKO, Julia ISR v LISICKI, Sabine GER [19]

KOUKALOVA, Klara CZE [31] v TOWNSEND, Taylor USA (W)

KEYS, Madison USA v PUIG, Monica PUR

PLISKOVA, Kristyna CZE (W) v SHVEDOVA, Yaroslava KAZ

KANEPI, Kaia EST v JANKOVIC, Jelena SRB [7]

BOTTOM HALF

AZARENKA, Victoria BLR [8] v LUCIC-BARONI, Mirjana CRO

LARSSON, Johanna SWE v JOVANOVSKI, Bojana SRB

SMITKOVA, Tereza CZE (Q) v HSIEH, Su-Wei TPE

VANDEWEGHE, Coco USA v MUGURUZA, Garbine ESP [27]

SAFAROVA, Lucie CZE [23] v GOERGES, Julia GER

HERCOG, Polona SLO v ORMAECHEA, Paula ARG

NICULESCU, Monica ROU v VAN UYTVANCK, Alison BEL

WOZNIAK, Aleksandra CAN (Q) v CIBULKOVA, Dominika SVK [10]

ERRANI, Sara ITA [14] v GARCIA, Caroline FRA

PIRONKOVA, Tsvetana BUL v LEPCHENKO, Varvara USA

DOI, Misaki JPN v SVITOLINA, Elina UKR

DATE-KRUMM, Kimiko JPN v MAKAROVA, Ekaterina RUS [22]

KUZNETSOVA, Svetlana RUS [28] v LARCHER DE BRITO, Michelle POR (Q)

VOEGELE, Stefanie SUI v GAJDOSOVA, Jarmila AUS (W)

KONTAVEIT, Anett EST (Q) v DELLACQUA, Casey AUS

MITU, Andreea ROU (Q) v RADWANSKA, Agnieszka POL [4]

KVITOVA, Petra CZE [6] v HLAVACKOVA, Andrea CZE

BARTHEL, Mona GER v OPRANDI, Romina SUI

NARA, Kurumi JPN v FRIEDSAM, Anna-Lena GER

TORRO-FLOR, Maria-Teresa ESP v WILLIAMS, Venus USA [30]

STEPHENS, Sloane USA [18] v KIRILENKO, Maria RUS

KONTA, Johanna GBR v PENG, Shuai CHN

DAVIS, Lauren USA v KLEYBANOVA, Alisa RUS

CEPELOVA, Jana SVK v PENNETTA, Flavia ITA [12]

WOZNIACKI, Caroline DEN [16] v PEER, Shahar ISR

BROADY, Naomi GBR (W) v BABOS, Timea HUN

KONJUH, Ana CRO (Q) v ERAKOVIC, Marina NZL

WICKMAYER, Yanina BEL v STOSUR, Samantha AUS [17]

VESNINA, Elena RUS [32] v MAYR-ACHLEITNER, Patricia AUT

KUDRYAVTSEVA, Alla RUS (Q) v ZAHLAVOVA STRYCOVA, Barbora CZE

KING, Vania USA v MEUSBURGER, Yvonne AUT

KANIA, Paula POL (Q) v LI, Na CHN [2]

Before we talk about either draw let's talk about the chatter around them both.

Why don't we start with Sabine Lisicki opening women's play on Day 2, the role usually played by the previous years Ladies Champion. As we all know Marion Bartoli retired after her win over a tearful Sabine Lisicki last year. Many thought, at this most tradition bound of the Slams, that Serena Williams would be opening play on Day 2 since she is the reigning women's number one. Many thought wrong. In their seemingly incessant pursuit of drama and since they didn't veer much from the WTA rankings (although some would argue that five time winner Venus Williams could've been seeded in the top twenty and not #30 is meddling and wouldn't happen in the men's draw) the Committee chose to have Lisicki open play in that honored position. Of course Lisicki has had stunning results since making the final last year right? Again you would be wrong. In a serendipitous turn of events I see that ESPN is featuring Lisicki in it's Wimbledon commercial instead of Bartoli. I'm not even shaking my head because I'll have to call the medics for shaken brain syndrome. Marion won last year. Lisicki cried. As is usual with the WTA the advertising is deceptive.

Then there is the boast by Tennis Australia that all but a few of its players are avoiding seeds in their opening rounds. Who are the ones facing seeds? They are Marinko Matosevic, Matt Ebden and Sam Groth on the men's side. Tennis Australia goes on to characterize Samantha Stosur's opening round match against an "up and coming Yanina Wickmayer" as "tricky". I'd think they'd talk about her not having a coach going into Wimbledon as her biggest challenge but they decided to call Wickmayer "up and coming". Okay.

Then of course there's the new WTA darling Eugenie Bouchard. She's in the top half of the draw and will open against Daniela Hantuchova. The other seed in her section is Andrea Petkovic who had a pretty decent warm up season and looks to be trying to come back from injury. I don't think Bouchard's game is mature enough to take her deep into the tournament but she can have a good start with the other players in her section easily classified as head cases.

Someone who does have a mature game is Simona Halep. She's also in the top half of the draw and opens against Teliana Pereira of Brazil. Fellow Romanian Sorana Cirstea is the other seed in her section. Halep fell apart mentally against Sharapova in her grass warm up so she can play badly. I don't think Pereira will trouble her though.

I can't talk about the Ladies draw without mentioning how well Madison Keys is playing right now. She's coming into Wimbledon unseeded but has blown her opponents away in Eastbourne. Saturday's match against Angelique Kerber will go a long way towards showing if she's ready for prime time. She opens against Monica Puig, another young player with a lot to prove. With Keys making the final at Eastbourne Puig has a chance at what to me would be an upset. If Keys gets a few days rest before her opening match making the final could become a non issue.
It's interesting that Taylor Townsend is in that same section of the draw and opens against veteran Klara Koukalova. If both women win their opening round matches they would play each other, an interesting match up indeed.

Sloane Stephens, seeded #18, opens against Maria Kirilenko. For all the hype Stephens has done almost nothing since that infamous Australian Open win. She's never made a final, and is the only woman in the top thirty who has never won a title. Flavia Pennetta is the other seed in her section. Sloane has been showing some life in her play of late but when it's time to step up she doesn't. She has a lot to lose this tournament.

Victoria Azarenka, seeded eighth, opens against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. She moved well in her grass court warm up but I'm still surprised she chose to come back during grass court season. She's the professional though so you have to think she knows what she's doing.

I'm not going to say much else about the Ladies draw. Are there soft spots? Yes. Overall the WTA doesn't have much depth so that is bound to happen. For me the focus will be on the younger players, the new generation. We all know the strengths and weaknesses of the old guard.

Gentleman's Singles Main Draw

TOP HALF

DJOKOVIC, Novak SRB [1] v GOLUBEV, Andrey KAZ

STEPANEK, Radek CZE v CUEVAS, Pablo URU

KRAVCHUK, Konstantin RUS (Q) v SIMON, Gilles FRA

HAASE, Robin NED v POSPISIL, Vasek CAN [31]

YOUZHNY, Mikhail RUS [17] v WARD, James GBR (W)

WANG, Jimmy TPE (Q) v GONZALEZ, Alejandro COL

KLAHN, Bradley USA v QUERREY, Sam USA

MELZER, Jurgen AUT v TSONGA, Jo-Wilfried FRA [14]

GULBIS, Ernests LAT [12] v ZOPP, Jurgen EST

STAKHOVSKY, Sergiy UKR v BERLOCQ, Carlos ARG

CHARDY, Jeremy FRA v COX, Daniel GBR (W)

MATOSEVIC, Marinko AUS v VERDASCO, Fernando ESP [18]

CILIC, Marin CRO [26] v MATHIEU, Paul-Henri FRA

HAIDER-MAURER, Andreas AUT v EDMUND, Kyle GBR (W)

TOMIC, Bernard AUS v DONSKOY, Evgeny RUS

HANESCU, Victor ROU v BERDYCH, Tomas CZE [6]

MURRAY, Andy GBR [3] v GOFFIN, David BEL

ANDUJAR, Pablo ESP v ROLA, Blaz SLO

KAMKE, Tobias GER v HERNYCH, Jan CZE (Q)

JOHNSON, Steve USA v BAUTISTA AGUT, Roberto ESP [27]

ANDERSON, Kevin RSA [20] v BEDENE, Aljaz SLO (L)

VOLANDRI, Filippo ITA v ROGER-VASSELIN, Edouard FRA

GABASHVILI, Teymuraz RUS v PUETZ, Tim GER (Q)

KUZNETSOV, Alex USA (Q) v FOGNINI, Fabio ITA [16]

DIMITROV, Grigor BUL [11] v HARRISON, Ryan USA (Q)

SAVILLE, Luke AUS (Q) v THIEM, Dominic AUT

YOUNG, Donald USA v BECKER, Benjamin GER

GROTH, Samuel AUS (Q) v DOLGOPOLOV, Alexandr UKR [21]

SEPPI, Andreas ITA [25] v MAYER, Leonardo ARG

BROWN, Dustin GER v BAGHDATIS, Marcos CYP (W)

KUZNETSOV, Andrey RUS v EVANS, Daniel GBR (W)

CARRENO BUSTA, Pablo ESP v FERRER, David ESP [7]

BOTTOM HALF

WAWRINKA, Stan SUI [5] v SOUSA, Joao POR

LU, Yen-Hsun TPE v NEDOVYESOV, Aleksandr KAZ

RUSSELL, Michael USA v REISTER, Julian GER

ISTOMIN, Denis UZB v TURSUNOV, Dmitry RUS [32]

LOPEZ, Feliciano ESP [19] v SUGITA, Yuichi JPN (Q)

FALLA, Alejandro COL v PAVIC, Ante CRO (Q)

NIEMINEN, Jarkko FIN v DELBONIS, Federico ARG

SMETHURST, Daniel GBR (W) v ISNER, John USA [9]

JANOWICZ, Jerzy POL [15] v DEVVARMAN, Somdev IND

HEWITT, Lleyton AUS v PRZYSIEZNY, Michal POL

RIBA, Pere ESP v MANNARINO, Adrian FRA

LACKO, Lukas SVK v ROBREDO, Tommy ESP [23]

GRANOLLERS, Marcel ESP [30] v MAHUT, Nicolas FRA

GIMENO-TRAVER, Daniel ESP v GIRALDO, Santiago COL

MULLER, Gilles LUX (Q) v BENNETEAU, Julien FRA

LORENZI, Paolo ITA v FEDERER, Roger SUI [4]

RAONIC, Milos CAN [8] v EBDEN, Matthew AUS

HERBERT, Pierre-Hugues FRA (Q) v SOCK, Jack USA

KUBOT, Lukasz POL v STRUFF, Jan-Lennard GER

LAJOVIC, Dusan SRB v GARCIA-LOPEZ, Guillermo ESP [28]

KOHLSCHREIBER, Philipp GER [22] v SIJSLING, Igor NED

ITO, Tatsuma JPN (Q) v BOLELLI, Simone ITA (L)

ILHAN, Marsel TUR (Q) v KUDLA, Denis USA (Q)

DE SCHEPPER, Kenny FRA v NISHIKORI, Kei JPN [10]

GASQUET, Richard FRA [13] v DUCKWORTH, James AUS (Q)

KYRGIOS, Nick AUS (W) v ROBERT, Stephane FRA

VESELY, Jiri CZE (W) v ESTRELLA BURGOS, Victor DOM

JAZIRI, Malek TUN (L) v MONFILS, Gael FRA [24]

KARLOVIC, Ivo CRO [29] v DANCEVIC, Frank CAN (L)

SELA, Dudi ISR v KUKUSHKIN, Mikhail KAZ

PAIRE, Benoit FRA v ROSOL, Lukas CZE

KLIZAN, Martin SVK v NADAL, Rafael ESP [2]

All the the shenanigans in the Gentleman's draw were done to make sure Andy Murray was seeded in the top four.
He's safely ensconced in the bottom half of the top of the draw and opens against David Goffin. Grigor Dimitrov is in that same part of the draw and if he wins his opening match would face Dominic Thiem, another press favorite.
Thiem opens against Australian Luke Saville. The potential early round clash of these two would make a television court for sure.

I'm sure Nishikori Kei is looking to have a good tournament. Philipp Kohlschreiber is the other seed in his section.

Both David Ferrer and Stan Wawrinka were sick during this week and some thought one or both would withdraw. Both are in the draw. It's ironic that Canadian Frank Dancevic, who bitched and moaned about the horrible conditions he was made to endure ends up in the Main Draw as a Lucky Loser isn't it? He opens against Ivo Karlovic.

Winners and losers? Not my game. There are players who have a chance to make or break their reputations during this tournament. Someone like John Isner making Week 2 would be huge for the United States. For Thiem and Dimitrov to potentially meet so early in the tournament is a shame for both men.

The Championships Wimbledon are the crown jewel of tennis. A good run here will make or break a reputation especially for a young player but especially for a young woman who is used to on court coaching. No fathers or coaches will be allowed to hold a players hand.

Let's hope for a good clean tournament.

2014 Wimbledon Seedings

by Savannah

The lists are out. The top four seeds on the men's side are as many predicted they'd be. I haven't looked at the women's side to see what shenanigans were done there which means I get to inflict my opinions on an unsuspecting world later today. Anyway here they are. Let me know what you think. Personally I just love how the British cloak their shenanigans in such pompous sounding language you accept their rigging the draws. "In the opinion of the committee, a change is necessary to produce a balanced draw."

Yeah right. Shenanigans are shenanigans. Anyway here are the seedings for the 2014 Wimbledon Championships.

Gentlemen’s Singles

DJOKOVIC, Novak (SRB) [1]

NADAL, Rafael (ESP) [2]

MURRAY, Andy (GBR) [3]

FEDERER, Roger (SUI) [4]

WAWRINKA, Stan (SUI) [5]

BERDYCH, Tomas (CZE) [6]

FERRER, David (ESP) [7]

RAONIC, Milos (CAN) [8]

ISNER, John (USA) [9]

NISHIKORI, Kei (JPN) [10]

DIMITROV, Grigor (BUL) [11]

GULBIS, Ernests (LAT) [12]

GASQUET, Richard (FRA) [13]

TSONGA, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) [14]

JANOWICZ, Jerzy (POL) [15]

FOGNINI, Fabio (ITA) [16]

YOUZHNY, Mikhail (RUS) [17]

VERDASCO, Fernando (ESP) [18]

LOPEZ, Feliciano (ESP) [19]

ANDERSON, Kevin (RSA) [20]

DOLGOPOLOV, Alexandr (UKR) [21]

KOHLSCHREIBER, Philipp (GER) [22]

ROBREDO, Tommy (ESP) [23]

MONFILS, Gael (FRA) [24]

ALMAGRO, Nicolas (ESP) [25]

SEPPI, Andreas (ITA) [26]

CILIC, Marin (CRO) [27]

BAUTISTA AGUT, Roberto (ESP) [28]

GARCIA-LOPEZ, Guillermo (ESP) [29]

KARLOVIC, Ivo (CRO) [30]

GRANOLLERS, Marcel (ESP) [31]

TURSUNOV, Dmitry (RUS) [32]

Ladies Singles

WILLIAMS, Serena (USA) [1]

LI, Na (CHN) [2]

HALEP, Simona (ROU) [3]

RADWANSKA, Agnieszka (POL) [4]

SHARAPOVA, Maria (RUS) [5]

KVITOVA, Petra (CZE) [6]

JANKOVIC, Jelena (SRB) [7]

AZARENKA, Victoria (BLR) [8]

KERBER, Angelique (GER) [9]

CIBULKOVA, Dominika (SVK) [10]

IVANOVIC, Ana (SRB) [11]

PENNETTA, Flavia (ITA) [12]

BOUCHARD, Eugenie (CAN) [13]

ERRANI, Sara (ITA) [14]

SUAREZ NAVARRO, Carla (ESP) [15]

WOZNIACKI, Caroline (DEN) [16]

STOSUR, Samantha (AUS) [17]

STEPHENS, Sloane (USA) [18]

LISICKI, Sabine (GER) [19]

PETKOVIC, Andrea (GER) [20]

VINCI, Roberta (ITA) [21]

MAKAROVA, Ekaterina (RUS) [22]

SAFAROVA, Lucie (CZE) [23]

FLIPKENS, Kirsten (BEL) [24]

CORNET, Alize (FRA) [25]

PAVLYUCHENKOVA, Anastasia (RUS) [26]

MUGURUZA, Garbine (ESP) [27]

KUZNETSOVA, Svetlana (RUS) [28]

CIRSTEA, Sorana (ROU) [29]

WILLIAMS, Venus (USA) [30]

KOUKALOVA, Klara (CZE) [31]

VESNINA, Elena (RUS) [32]

Gentlemen’s Doubles



BRYAN, Bob (USA) / BRYAN, Mike (USA) [1]

PEYA, Alexander (AUT) / SOARES, Bruno (BRA) [2]

NESTOR, Daniel (CAN) / ZIMONJIC, Nenad (SRB) [3]

BENNETEAU, Julien (FRA) / ROGER-VASSELIN, Edouard (FRA) [4]

PAES, Leander (IND) / STEPANEK, Radek (CZE) [5]

GRANOLLERS, Marcel (ESP) / LOPEZ, Marc (ESP) [6]

KUBOT, Lukasz (POL) / LINDSTEDT, Robert (SWE) [7]

BOPANNA, Rohan (IND) / QURESHI, Aisam-Ul-Haq (PAK) [8]

KNOWLE, Julian (AUT) / MELO, Marcelo (BRA) [9]

HUEY, Treat (PHI) / INGLOT, Dominic (GBR) [10]

ROJER, Jean-Julien (NED) / TECAU, Horia (ROU) [11]

LLODRA, Michael (FRA) / MAHUT, Nicolas (FRA) [12]

BUTORAC, Eric (USA) / KLAASEN, Raven (RSA) [13]

MURRAY, Jamie (GBR) / PEERS, John (AUS) [14]

CABAL, Juan Sebastian (COL) / MATKOWSKI, Marcin (POL) [15]

CUEVAS, Pablo (URU) / MARRERO, David (ESP) [16]

Ladies’ Doubles



HSIEH, Su-Wei (TPE) / PENG, Shuai (CHN) [1]

ERRANI, Sara (ITA) / VINCI, Roberta (ITA) [2]

PESCHKE, Kveta (CZE) / SREBOTNIK, Katarina (SLO) [3]

BLACK, Cara (ZIM) / MIRZA, Sania (IND) [4]

MAKAROVA, Ekaterina (RUS) / VESNINA, Elena (RUS) [5]

BARTY, Ashleigh (AUS) / DELLACQUA, Casey (AUS) [6]

KOPS-JONES, Raquel (USA) / SPEARS, Abigail (USA) [7]

WILLIAMS, Serena (USA) / WILLIAMS, Venus (USA) [8]

HLAVACKOVA, Andrea (CZE) / ZHENG, Jie (CHN) [9]

GOERGES, Julia (GER) / GROENEFELD, Anna-Lena (GER) [10]

KUDRYAVTSEVA, Alla (RUS) / RODIONOVA, Anastasia (AUS) [11]

MEDINA GARRIGUES, Anabel (ESP) / SHVEDOVA, Yaroslava (KAZ) [12]

HRADECKA, Lucie (CZE) / KRAJICEK, Michaella (NED) [13]

BABOS, Timea (HUN) / MLADENOVIC, Kristina (FRA) [14]

HUBER, Liezel (USA) / RAYMOND, Lisa (USA) [15]

MUGURUZA, Garbine (ESP) / SUAREZ NAVARRO, Carla (ESP) [16]

2014 Wimbledon Preview

by Savannah




The seedings for Wimbledon, uh, The Championships, are going to be very interesting this year so I thought I'd take a look at what they do regarding the top ten.

To start, here is the seeding formula via The Official Site of the Championships

Men's Seeding Formula
Revised seeding arrangements for men introduced in 2001 when seedings committee disbanded. Formula amended in 2002 for men as follows:
Take ESP points at 16 June 2014
Add 100% points earned for all grass court tournament in past 12 months
Add 75% points earned for best grass court tournament in 12 months before that.

The ATP's top 32 as of today.

1 Nadal, Rafael (ESP) 12,500 0 19
2 Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 12,330 0 18
3 Wawrinka, Stan (SUI) 5,480 0 21
4 Federer, Roger (SUI) 4,945 0 21
5 Murray, Andy (GBR) 4,840 3 20
6 Berdych, Tomas (CZE) 4,680 0 24
7 Ferrer, David (ESP) 4,190 -2 25
8 Del Potro, Juan Martin (ARG) 4,125 -1 20
9 Raonic, Milos (CAN) 3,245 0 21
10 Gulbis, Ernests (LAT) 2,725 7 25
11 Isner, John (USA) 2,690 0 23
12 Nishikori, Kei (JPN) 2,645 -2 21
13 Dimitrov, Grigor (BUL) 2,435 -1 23
14 Gasquet, Richard (FRA) 2,355 -1 24
15 Fognini, Fabio (ITA) 2,155 0 28
16 Youzhny, Mikhail (RUS) 1,930 0 26
17 Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) 1,775 -3 21
18 Anderson, Kevin (RSA) 1,710 2 24
19 Dolgopolov, Alexandr (UKR) 1,680 2 30
20 Monfils, Gael (FRA) 1,660 8 23
21 Haas, Tommy (GER) 1,655 -3 25
22 Robredo, Tommy (ESP) 1,630 -3 23
23 Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) 1,555 2 24
24 Janowicz, Jerzy (POL) 1,510 -1 21
25 Almagro, Nicolas (ESP) 1,450 -3 24
26 Cilic, Marin (CRO) 1,410 0 22
27 Kohlschreiber, Philipp (GER) 1,395 -3 30
28 Bautista Agut, Roberto (ESP) 1,375 1 25
29 Lopez, Feliciano (ESP) 1,350 -2 27
30 Granollers, Marcel (ESP) 1,250 9 29
31 Garcia-Lopez, Guillermo (ESP) 1,233 10 27
32 Tursunov, Dmitry (RUS) 1,200 0 29

I've seen a lot of speculation about how things will break down. I think it's safe to say Murray will be shoe horned into the top four. I wouldn't be surprised if the World #1 is the one who gets kicked to the curb in terms of seeding. I'm sure the LTA's shenanigans will be equal to the ham handed ones of the FFT.

Wild Cards will be announced this Wednesday June 11. Seeding will be announced June 18. Stay tuned.

The Rear View Mirror: Roland Garros 2014

by Savannah

The end of a Grand Slam can be compared to the end of a relationship. Regardless of how it ended or why it still leaves a void in your life that for awhile is hard to fill.

First to the women. I commented a bit on the Women's Tournament but now that it's over I'd like to look at it in a little more depth.


Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images

Playing Maria Sharapova is a bit like playing Agniezska Radwanska. Aga has not been as successful against established players lately because they've figured out her gimmick(s). What makes Sharapova different is the hype machine that surrounds her. Most of the younger players come on the court with the attitude that they are facing a legend. Instead of raising their games like they do when they play Serena Williams they wilt under the barrage of sound and the arms and legs that seem to be everywhere.

Let's look at Garbiñe Muguruza who is playing for Spain at the moment. She played the match of her life against a lifeless and distracted Serena Williams and then played her way past Anna Schmiedlova and Pauline Parmentier with flair and determination. Before we dismiss those two women as "walking byes" lets give them their due. They played well enough to make the Main Draw of a Grand Slam. There are literally thousands of players who never make it that far. Those of us who had been watching Muguruza thought she had a chance to take out Sharapova. A decent chance. But she ended up kicked to the curb thanks to a complete mental collapse. There is no other way to describe it. In the first set of their match Muguruza had Sharapova looking like the cow on ice she once said she was on clay. So what happened? She got intimidated and lost the next two sets 7-5 and 6-1. The last set wasn't even that close.

Next up for Sharapova was her replacement in the world of the WTA, Eugenie Bouchard of Canada. Everyone seemed to be excited about this match and the hype machines for both players went into overdrive. But as anyone who had been watching Bouchard up to this point knew that despite wins over Johanna Larsson, Angelique Kerber (in straight sets), and Carla Suarez Navarro, another player who had a good spring and who made it interesting pushing Bouchard to three sets, when the big pressure is on Bouchard still doesn't have the ability to make the kill when she's supposed to. Like Muguruza Bouchard won the first set and by the third had been screamed and bullied into submission. There are one, maybe two, players who get past the bluster of the resident bully and play to her weaknesses. The youngsters aren't there yet.

For the Final we had Maria Sharapova vs Simona Halep. Halep is already a force to be reckoned with and seems to be learning very quickly as she moves from tournament to tournament on the main tour. I can only assume all of the noise had her disoriented. How else to explain that almost every return she hit was to where Sharapova was standing. Since Sharapova isn't a great mover or one who anticipates really well all she had to do was move to where she figured the return would land and voila, usually it was right in her wheelhouse. You can count on one hand, okay two, the number of times Halep hit to the open court. When she did she won the point. She did manage to win a set and that will have to console her. I'm sure her coach will review the tape of that match over and over with her. Right now Simona is powned by Ms Sharapova with an 0-4 record against her. Is it because Sharapova is so tall that she dominates Halep? Halep is said to be 5'6". Serena is 5'9" tall. Is Halep shorter that five six? I haven't seen her in person but I hope to during the US Open. I'll let you know.


Photo via Reuters

The Men's Final was supposed to be a foregone conclusion. The eight time champion was supposed to be done. He'd had a rough spring and was in danger of losing his number one ranking. Even though he blasted Andy Murray off the court in their semi final all of the hype was focused on Serbia's Novak Djokovic who was thought ready to not only win his first French Open but take over the Number 1 ranking. When the dust settled though the eight time champion had won his 9th Roland Garros and was still ranked #1. Surprisingly there are calls for Boris Becker's head by some. Why surprisingly? Because anyone who knows the modern game should've known that there wasn't much Becker could bring to Djokovic's game. He played in a different era with different technology and different strategies of play. Players don't throw themselves around the court the way young Boris did anymore. They're in better shape mentally and physically and because of modern technology play a different game. I don't pretend to know anything about Djokovic (as most of you know I'm not a fan) but one man has been there through thick and thin. When all is said and done I think he'll still be there.

I didn't see any of the Doubles play and of course I saw none of the Junior tournament. I do want to mention that young Francis Tiafoe of the United States, who was ranked #1, didn't last long in the tournament. It was a lot of pressure for the 16 year old. If he's staying in Europe maybe he'll play the Junior tournament at Wimbledon.

As a whole the United States did poorly in Paris as expected. I'm not sure when this will change. Tiafoe has potential but he's going to have to do what the big boys do - train, watch tape, be as fit as possible and develop a distinct game, a hybrid kind of American tennis. What they're playing in the States is only getting potentially good players so far. Our young men and women are still basically cannon fodder on the tour. Like Madison Keys they reach a certain level and never go beyond it. Instead of spending money giving each other awards for reasons best described as vague when it comes to tennis, money should be spent finding kids who want to play, who want to be the best, and who are willing to do what the top players do including hiring coaches that will hone their game not the reputations of men who are long past their primes.

Amelie Mauresmo

A couple of weeks ago Tennis Australia said that "rumors were swirling" that Andy Murray's new coach would be Amélie Mauresmo. There was very little follow up to that report by journalists other than to say that she was probably under consideration along with many others. American's seemed to think Murray would pick John McEnroe and were confidently predicting he would be chosen by Murray. The two men have very prickly personalities and since Ivan Lendl is said to have a similar hard to get along with demeanor the reasoning seemed to be who else would Murray pick?

As we all know now TA was correct and Ms Mauresmo is now Andy Murray's coach. I think this speaks to the influence of Judy Murray on her son. I'll go as far as to say she had a lot to say about who was chosen. Murray is not afraid or wary of being coached by a woman especially since his mother has been his unofficial coach in the past.

My concern is that Amélie, who has never handled pressure well, may not be able to deal with the pressure cooker she's stepping into. Fans are going to want results right away and there will be sniping about her ability to coach the men's game. Critics tend to forget that Jimmy Connors was coached by his mother. No one would call him a wimp on the court.

But those were different times. England wants Murray to compete on the level being part of the Top Four implies. That he went outside of normal bounds in not only selecting a woman but a French woman is going to add additional pressure. Let's be clear. John McEnroe isn't fit to coach the men's game at this point. Most of the top players are an insular lot surrounded by family and a few trusted friends let into their circle after careful screening. I hope Amélie has developed a thick skin. She's going to need it.

2014 Roland Garros Champions List

Men's Singles

Spain Rafael Nadal

Women's Singles

Russia Maria Sharapova

Men's Doubles

France Julien Benneteau / France Édouard Roger-Vasselin

Women's Doubles

Chinese Taipei Hsieh Su-wei / China Peng Shuai

Mixed Doubles

Germany Anna-Lena Grönefeld / Netherlands Jean-Julien Rojer

Boys' Singles

Russia Andrey Rublev

Girls' Singles

Russia Darya Kasatkina

Boys' Doubles

France Benjamin Bonzi / France Quentin Halys

Girls' Doubles

Romania Ioana Ducu / Romania Ioana Loredana Roșca

Legends Under 45 Doubles

France Mansour Bahrami / France Fabrice Santoro

Women's Legends Doubles

Belgium Kim Clijsters / United States Martina Navratilova

Legends Over 45 Doubles

United States John McEnroe / United States Patrick McEnroe

Wheelchair Men's Singles

Japan Shingo Kunieda

Wheelchair Women's Singles

Japan Yui Kamiji

Wheelchair Men's Doubles

Belgium Joachim Gérard / France Stéphane Houdet

Wheelchair Women's Doubles

Japan Yui Kamiji / United Kingdom Jordanne Whiley

Roland Garros 2014 Women's Final: Maria Sharapova vs Simona Halep

by Savannah

The Great Blonde Face-Off has come and gone. Eugenie Bouchard vs Maria Sharapova turned out to be a great woulda coulda shoulda. The WTA establishment wants fans to accept Eugenie as the new blonde super star, something that must gall Maria Sharapova. Even I kind of went for the okey-doke and thought there would be a battle for the ages. Instead we got another chapter in the myth that has been created around Maria Sharapova.


Getty Images

There is no need to go into detail. I'm sure most of the people who read this blog saw the match and know that Bouchard showed that she is not quite ready for prime time. She went away when she needed to step up. When she needed to impose herself she got frustrated and began to try too hard. Will she be able to seize the crown soon? Short answer is no. The one who is ready is named Simona Halep. She's the one who will be on the other side of the net tomorrow morning US time. Not Sloane Stephens. Not Eugenie Bouchard. Not Sara Errani (thank the gods). Sloane is not going to be anything more than a footnote in tennis history if she continues on the path she's on. But she gets more hype than Simona Halep. Why? Is it because she's not a bottle blonde? Is it because she's not tall? Is it because she's never trained in the United States? Is it because she speaks English with an accent? She's totally understandable but I don't think that's enough for the WTA who prefers it's stars tall and blonde.


AP/Darko Voijinovic

I have no idea who will win. I do know that Halep is not going to be intimidated. Pova's record against her is 3-0. But I think all bets are off tomorrow. I think we may see the match we thought we were going to get when Pova played Bouchard.

By this time tomorrow we'll know.