This and That - Indian Wells 2011

by Savannah

It's amazing to me that the announcer working with Lindsay Davenport can't stop whining about how the ATP #1 has played three qualifiers. Doug Adler and Robbie Koenig implied that their favorite, the World #2 would have no trouble in his match against an up and coming American. When that American showed some spunk and didn't roll over and play dead they had to change their tune. Both men got through in straight sets.

I decided to look at the draws and see if one player was getting a free ride while another one had to fight his way through the invading hordes.

The world #2 played his first match against Igor Andreev, currently ranked #96 and won in straight sets 7-5, 7-6(4). He next faced Juan Ignacio Chela, world #32 and won that 6-0, 6-2. His third match was against world #152 Ryan Harrison whom he defeated 7-6(4), 6-3.

The world #1 played his first match against #162 Rik de Voest winning 6-0, 6-2. His next match was against world #105 Ryan Sweeting, and he won that one 6-3, 6-1. His third match was against #84 Somdev Devvarman and saw him win 7-5, 6-4.

I don't think either man had to exactly cut his way through a swarm of invading barbarians. That said Somdev Devvarman gave the world #1 a more difficult time than many expected. I thought that the match would be a tough one because Devvarman, who had never played his opponent before had nothing to lose. Second of all India, especially in the ATP, is fighting to become part of the conversation when power countries are discussed. Thirdly the world #1 sometimes has a hard time against people he's never played before. He still managed to avoid tiebreaks and the scoreline accurately reflects how the match went.

Ryan Harrison showed that he is still playing junior level tennis. Yes he pushed the Monogram more than expected but in the end Harrison's inexperience showed. I also suspect that someone got to him and he kept his nasty attitude confined to his interaction with ball kids. I know a lot of Americans are looking to him as the successor to Andy Roddick but anyone whose tantrums make Roddick's look lame is not someone I want representing my country on the world wide tennis stage.

Speaking of Andy Roddick I'm beginning to wonder if he requests Fergus Murphy to chair his matches. It seems that just the sight of Murphy puts Roddick in a bad mood. As soon as something happens, a questionable call, a fly landing on court, Roddick goes smack off lacing into Murphy who can only be the straight man to Andy's antics. Yesterday it was a let call. When the machine goes off the chair has to call a let whether a let call is justified or not. That's been the case ever since net judges were replaced by the little sensors on the top of the net. This didn't happen last night either. So when a let was called as required Andy took advantage of the opening and lit into Murphy dropping an audible F-bomb along the way. At this point I don't think any fine has been levied against him.

Unfortunately when these tirades happen it usually means Andy is losing.

Richard Gasquet ignored all the drama taking place across the net and managed to win against Roddick in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(5). Gasquet's coaching team now includes Sebastian Grosjean, seen above in the forefront, and Riccardo Piatti. Whatever they're doing seems to be working so far.

There's a new men's doubles team to take notice of. Xavier Malisse and Alexsandr Dolgopolov, already nicknamed Team Ponytail, have taken out the top ranked Bryan Twins and last night, in a match that was dubbed the Ponytails vs the Fro's, took out the Murray Brothers. I haven't seen them play yet. I hope that fans get a chance to see some of the teams playing Indian Wells more often. The doubles have been exciting so far.

I think at this point it's time to give new owner Larry Ellison a huge round of applause. He wants this tournament to become a Slam and right now he's done the upgrades needed to put his plan into action. As a fan he has put Hawkeye on all courts. From what I hear he's done a facilities upgrade. I find it significant that Serena Williams, at the end of her USA Today interview said that she would even play Indian Wells. Of course it was in the context of her coming back and getting to the top of the heap but it is a significant statement and one that I don't think she would have made without the change in ownership.

Congratulations Mr. Ellison. And thank you.

Indian Wells Day 7: Let's Hear It For the Girls

by Savannah

The big news yesterday was that Kim Clijsters retired from her match against Marion Bartoli at 6-4, 1-3 due to the effects of a shoulder injury. After everyone calmed down the talk became all about who would win this event. It was mentioned in passing that Caroline Wozniacki wearing yet another Stella McCartney atrocity, would retain the number one ranking.
There will be no talk of strategic retreats, questioning why the pain became too much to bear when down 1-3 in the second set, or why a woman would simply lop of her hair just because. Those questions are for lesser mortals, not Saint Kim. After all the woman has to struggle traveling with her daughter, her daughter's nanny, her husband and god knows how many other people to get to tournaments. I remember having to haul my daughter in her stroller up and down subway steps but my issues pale in comparison to Kim's.

I'm beginning to wonder if the WTA has decreed that the on court coaching sessions are not shown, at least not on network television in the States. This gives the impression that someone who was having trouble constructing points or figuring out how to neutralize her opponents strategy had a sudden epiphany court side and that that man (it's usually a man) sneaking off court had nothing to do with her suddenly clearer vision. Right.

As for the woman in that god-awful kit her match against Alisa Kleybanova of Russia was a predictable as predicting the sun will rise tomorrow. Kleybanova was giving Wozniacki all kinds of fits in the first set. She was taking the ball early, hitting screamers all over the court, and generally wreaking havoc with the computer ranked #1. I said after the first set that if Kleybanova didn't win the second set she would lose the match. No need to look for my toll free number. If you've watched Kleybanova play at all recently it was easy to make that statement. She begins to visibly tire in the middle of the second set and by the third set she can barely lift her arms let alone move her feet. I can almost hear Piotr Wozniacki telling his daughter to let Alisa win the first set and then just send balls in her direction that will make her have to run. Hell it'd be my strategy. Alisa is thinner but not at all fit. Until that happens she's doomed to be a good warm up for better players.

Still think I was kidding about that kit? It looks worse live.

Ana Ivanovic defeated her countrywoman Jelena Jankovic in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. The odd thing was that JJ seemed disinterested. There were no protracted arguments, no vapors, nothing from JJ the entire match. Aside from a dead fish handshake at the net where the two avoided all eye contact there were none of JJ's usual antics. Eh. Maybe she was anxious to get to that new house the commentators were going on about.

Didn't see any of it but Shahar Peer won an epic battle against Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3).

In a battle between two women I wouldn't opt to see live unless there was nothing else going on Victoria Azarenka defeated Agnieszka Radwanska 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3). I didn't see this match either. Commentator Lindsay Davenport said she thinks Victoria should be contending in the latter stages of a major. We'll see.

There are a lot of people, me included, who liked seeing Dinara Safina looking as if she was ready to get back to the top 20 in women's tennis. Maria Sharapova is not one of them. Maria came out like a house on fire from the first ball and by the end of the match Dinara looked ready to assume the fetal position in a dark corner. The final score 6-2, 6-0 is deceptive. It wasn't that close. New coach Davide Sanguinetti has his work cut out for him. Maybe he should become a tennis whisperer like Ana's new hitting partner who instead of talking strategy with his pupil talked to her about ownership of the court and not letting herself be intimidated. Hell of a statement from Sharapova. Hell of a setback for Dinara.

There was men's tennis yesterday. In a battle of Americans Andy Roddick faced John Isner in a battle of the flame throwers. Roddick, like Sharapova, left his opponent bothered and bewildered, something Isner admitted in his post match presser. The final score was 7-5, 6-2. Wasn't that close at all.

The most anticipated match of the day was the one between Ryan Harrison and
Milos Raonic. Raonic has been on fire early in the year but Harrison had shown some promise as well. I have to say I was pulling for Milos. Yes I'm going to be that person who will not let go of the shit Harrison pulled on court during his prior match. Just like Azarenka's antics from a couple of years ago in Australia those are not moments to let pass. I'm sure people who want to see an American able to duplicate what Raonic has done will cite his age, he's 18, and that he will mature. Bullshit. He wasn't an ass to his opponent but he was surly and mean to the ball kids. There was also that bit of head hunting he did after Raonic frustrated his plans. Nice. Roddick is known to be a nice person off court and always apologizes for his hissy fits afterwards. I don't think Harrison is that guy.

Miscellany

Anna Chakvetadze, seen here before she was forced to retire from her opening round match, spent the night in a hospital and was told to take some time off from tennis. She was diagnosed with neurocardiogenic syncope, a condition that causes fainting. Whatever the reason I hope Anna takes time off and looks into why this has happened.

Andy Roddick, when asked about Serena Williams condition and availability for the 2012 Olympics said he doesn't care if she doesn't play another match until 2012 he wants to play mixed doubles with her. Andy is known to get what he wants.

Serena, in an interview with Doug Robson, admits to being depressed and to be looking forward to being back to her winning ways. Her hitting partner and friend Sascha Baijin has been calling her out on Twitter and she's been responding. That is good.

Novak Djokovic is not a small guy. He's listed at 6'2" (188 cm).

He posted this picture on Twitter last evening of him standing between Pau Gasol of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Ivo Karlovic, tennis player. He looks like the baby brother. The much younger baby brother.
My favorite picture from the tournament so far.

Laissez le bon temps rouler

by Savannah

I know we're well into Lent and that Mardi Gras was last week but as far as the United States tennis establishment is concerned it's time to let the good times roll. I'm betting that their celebration is more like what you'd find in Rio and that I should call this post "Deixe os bons tempos." That's what Google says the expression should be in Portuguese.

Why the celebration? The man pictured above got the party started. I'm sure that when the men's draw came out and showed Andy Murray's name penciled in against Donald Young's quite a few pints were raised in celebration and who would blame the Murray team for heaving a sigh of relief.
I'm sure clan Murray felt that his first match was a no brainer and that he would easily move into the third round.

Instead Murray, still alive in doubles, is watching the singles draw from afar. Sure Young lost his next match but that really isn't the point. Young showed that he can play real man tennis, that he can leave the juniors behind and show some of the potential he's been said to have for so long.

When I saw that 17 year old Sloane Stephens would play Caroline Wozniacki my only hope was that she would make it respectable. If you watched the match you saw a true diamond in the rough. Sloane has a great forehand and can hit the snot out of the ball. She needs to work on her backhand and improve her movement. She may never be a gazelle on court but she has to at least learn to move her feet. Hitting hard will not be enough on the pro level. She has to learn strategy. Still I felt that she had a good showing. Her coach has a very good courtside manner and a la Richard Williams back in the day he takes a lot of notes. It looks like Sloane is in good hands.

Ryan Sweeting, Bahamian by birth but now a United States citizen also showed he can play with the big boys. He had to be frustrated that he had to face the number one player but he didn't stink up the joint. He needs to work on his court smarts and his thought process but like I said he didn't suck.

Young Christina McHale also showed main tour potential. It was experience that allowed veteran Nadia Petrova to pull out a three set win over the young American. The victory was McHale taking the match to three sets. It seems that she is being brought along slowly just like Sloane. This is a good thing.

I'm sure the celebrations reached a fever pitch when Sam Querrey won his match last evening. Querrey, who seemed at times to need a sports psychologist more than a coach defeated Fernando Verdasco who has been struggling with a foot injury. Of course the big thing here is that Querrey didn't go into "woe is me" mode and won in straight sets.

I was unfortunate enough to see Ryan Harrison's match. He was showing his ass so much I couldn't even appreciate his win. He needs to get over himself and fast. Milos Raonic may help him calm down.

Andy Roddick, still the top American, will face pretender John Isner in a steel cage match.

Still the U.S. tennis establishment has to be buoyed by what has taken place so far at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. It will be interesting to see who comes out of the pack to lead the American charge.

The other big upset is news not because it happened but because of who caused it. Dinara Safina, hitting groundies like she used to back in the day ushered the underwhelming (in my eyes) Samantha Stosur to the exit. Under Dinara's onslaught Stosur became tentative and unable to execute her game plan. Maybe Davide Sanguinetti, her new coach, has installed an aura of calm around the volatile Russian. Sure she had her moments - a particularly big one from what I hear - it didn't derail her.

Maria Sharapova has been playing very well. Even though my ears still ring for a while after she leaves the court she is showing that she is able to win the matches she should.

I was surprised that Vera Zvonareva lost to Dominika Cibulkova. I shouldn't say the loss is that surprising it was the way she lost. Then again, Dominika, when she's on, can beat almost anyone. She was on. Vera was flat.

And I'm sure everyone was expecting Ivo Karlovic to defeat Gilles Simon right?

The commentators seemed to hope that they could will Robin Soderling to a victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber but Soderling, who had been in bed for five days with a fever, and suffering with a foot injury, wasn't able to put Kohlschreiber away. Doesn't mean Kohlschreiber's victory is less surprising or wasn't earned. It's just that the illness has to be mentioned.

End Note

I apologize for this being my first post about Indian Wells. My computer battery decided it had had enough and I was just able to replace it today. I have been watching every day since Tennis Channel here in the States decided we deserved to see live tennis. The good thing is they're doing wall to wall coverage and sometimes the commentators actually manage to talk about the matches taking place. That is a good thing.