An Historic Occasion

by Savannah

At the start of the fourth set of the match between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic I had a moment, a hallucination. I was looking for the stereotypic old fat guy who is always in the boxers corner to throw out the white towel. I shook my head and the moment passed but the idea stayed with me. If the Men's Final of the United States Open had been a boxing match Djokovic wouldn't have answered the bell for the fifteenth round. That's right. I'm going back to the days when men were men, when a championship fight meant fifteen rounds in the ring not this wussy twelve round bullshit. It meant that two men stood against each other valiantly and in the end one was still standing.

Last night it was Rafael Nadal in the role of Muhammad Ali. It wasn't the quick surgical destruction of the first Ali/Sonny Liston fight but the more mature Ali of the Rumble in the Jungle, the man who invented the rope-a-dope who absorbed all the blows and patiently waited for his opponent to realize he was the one going down.

Djokovic staggered into the fourth set punch drunk on rubbery legs. Rafa wasn't mean. He wasn't fist pumping in his opponents face or wildly celebrating each point won. Instead we saw a mature Rafa, a man who was in it to win it. And win it he was.

This is the picture I'm using for my new wallpaper. It was taken during Week 1 and as soon as I saw it I knew this tournament was Rafa's. I have all the celebratory pictures from last night and I will order my DVD's later this week. But in this picture, in the moment it was taken, the smiling man we saw after last night's match wasn't around. All I see is determination, the will to win. Like Babe Ruth is reputed to have done back in the day Rafa pointed not to the outfield fence but to the US Open and staked his claim to the trophy in the summer.

For those of us who have been fans of Rafa from the beginning last night justified all of our hopes. We knew Rafa had it in him. We knew that with the strength of his will he would win the US Open. Hell, he made the semi finals two years in a row and he was injured both times.

We suffered through the pundits mean words. We had to listen to "he's not ever winning Wimbledon". "He'll never win the US Open". "He'll never win off of clay". "His body will not let him win." "His style of play is ugly." And now it's Rafa who, at the age of 24 has completed the career Grand Slam. He is three majors ahead of the man some call the Greatest at the same age. He has never had a cupcake draw. He has never had the order of play manipulated to maximize the amount of rest he gets during a tournament. He has fought and won all of his victories the old fashioned way. He earned them.

Young Rafa, when told by Carlos Moya that he could have a career just like his politely but firmly responded that he wanted more. He's got it. Vamos!

Heard Around

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Heard Around

by Savannah

There is a great interview with Antoni Nadal in Sport.Scotsman
It was published on July 6, 2008. The quote that stands out for me is this:

But, for Toni, it has never been about the money. Seeing his nephew add the Wimbledon title to his French Open wins could not, he says, be bettered by a pay cheque, which he refuses to take for coaching family.

"If I earn money from him then he becomes my boss. For the player and for me it is much better that the player is not my boss. I think sometimes the problem with these guys is that they are the boss.

"When his father told me 'you must do this' I told him I didn't want anything, because I want to be able to say what I want."

A must read.

And from the opposite end of the spectrum here are Alexandra Stevenson's musings on her "meeting" a young Rafael Nadal. I will let her speak for herself.

(...) I remember all my old Wimbledons, and I even remember a young Rafael Nadal as a junior player, staring me down. It was 2002, and junior players are not allowed to practice at Aorangi, the practice site. Well, a young Nadal, who was playing juniors at Wimbledon, walked down to my practice court that year, which was in the back, and he pressed his face against the gate, watching me hit. It was in the day when I worried about who was around my court because of all the press and the father issues, so I asked my mom to go see who was at the gate. She did. She said to the young boy at the gate, "You are Nadal, the player who is supposed to be a great champion one day." I kid you not. She said that. She invited him in. He said, in broken English, "No, no, I watch her. Semifinals at Wimbledon." And he smiled. It seems he wanted to see the girl who had made history.

I thought that was cute back then -- and, looking back on it, it goes along with him and his champion's mentality -- he cared about history and wanted to see it up close. I want to see it up close again, too.

Source



Censorship and Fan Boards
Every webmaster or webmistress has to struggle with what "image" he or she wants their board to present to the world. Should the atmosphere be frat house anything goes, straight laced and all about the facts, the "it's my way or the highway" approach or the you can post what you want but there is a definite line that can't be crossed approach. Some fan boards are associated with large sports media outlets of either the broadcast or print variety and have their loyal followers.
All fan boards are some variation of the above and a tennishead can take his or her time to find the right fit for their personality and tennis fix.

But what happens when speculation turns into innuendo? What if a fan, or a group of fans, with an axe to grind against a particular player begin to post what they want to believe is the truth with no basis apparent basis in fact? What happens if fans see something, draw inferences from it and proceed to make those inferences into "fact"? Is it the job of the boards admins or webmasters/mistresses to censor fans "opinions" no matter how obnoxious, wrong headed or hurtful?

I know I'm sounding like Carrie in "Sex and the City" writing one of her columns but I have reasons plural for asking the question.

Recently a picture was published of a top female tennis player and the woman described as her best friend. A thread appeared on a women's tennis fan board that went deeply into what some fans thought they saw happening that went deeply into questions about the players sexuality and why said player should, shouldn't, can't or won't come out. The thread disappeared after a few days.

On a men's board a thread regularly appears that accuses one player of being a juicer based on what appear to be spurious rumors that have been debunked. The thread appears any time this player wins a tournament. The admins of this board let it appear and the argument rage until the thread fades into oblivion until it's resurrected.

One of the boards associated with a large media outfit once seemed like the wild west of fan boards. It's been calmed down quite a bit but if you want provocative posts about tennis and those who play it this is the place to go. A long time poster recently stated that "Anglo's" were upset at a Spaniard winning Wimbledon. The thread was allowed to stay. There has also been speculation on that board about juicing players. These threads were not deleted. But other threads there are regularly deleted for apparently no other reason than the opinion voiced annoys another poster.

What is censorship? There are many people who feel any attempt to silence someone's opinion, whether you agree with it or not, is beyond the pale and goes against freedom of speech. I don't like certain things said about my favorites but I don't think fans who have other favorites should be silenced unless what they say can be considered libelous. That decision would be made by lawyers and not your average tennis fan though. Was this the case with the thread that was deleted from the women's tennis site? I don't know. As an outsider I can speculate about what happened but that would not serve any purpose. Only the people who run that board know why the thread was deleted. I don't have any answers - I don't think there are any. All I can say is that if a website annoys you I'm sure there's another one that meets your needs.

Michael Chang

Michael was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame on July 12, 2008. His speech was all about the role of family, faith and talent played in his career. It was moving but not maudlin, emotional but not overly so, and inspiring whether you share Chang's deep faith or not. Congratulations Michael on both your induction into the Hall of Fame and your engagement to Ms Amber Liu.

Idle Chit Chat

Andy Murray has pulled out of Indianapolis.
Tatiana Golovin has also pulled out of Los Angeles and is in doubt for Montreal due to medical issues.
Daniela Hantuchova has done a profile featured in the TimesonLine.

So Tennis Channel says that Maria Sharapova is the first Russian woman to win a Grand Slam. Anastasia Myskina may have something to say about that factoid. I for one am looking for the translation of Myskina's comments into family friendly English.

Instead of doing two separate posts I've put the pictures of the winners of this weeks tournaments in the regular blog.
From the Top(Singles):
Tommy Robredo winner Bastad 2008
Victor Hanescu winner Gstaad 2008
Juan-Martin del Potro winner Stuttgart 2008
Alize Cornet winner Gaz de France 2008
Sara Errani winner Palermo 2008(below)

So far today all but one of the singles winners are first time title holders. Congratulations to all of them!
Newport boasts the only champion who has been a winner before. Congratulations to Fabrice Santoro, 2008 Champion, Newport.

Doubles Winners
Sara Errani and Nuria Llagostera Vives Doubles Champions Palermo 2008
C. Kas and P. Kohlschreiber 2008 Doubles Champions Stuttgart
J. Levinsky and F. Polasek Doubles Champions Gstaad 2008
J. Bjorkman and R. Soderling Doubles Champions Bastad
M. Fish and J. Isner Doubles Champions Newport 2008(no picture as of yet)

Ad Execs Say Rafa is not Marketable
So I begin and end with the Nadal family. I found this article posted on a fan site and thought readers might be interested.
Apparently marketing execs don't think the new Wimbledon champion is marketable outside of Spain.

Here is a quote made by one executive.

Jim Andrews, director of IEG Sponsorship Report, a Chicago- based newsletter that estimates the value of corporate sponsorships, said Nadal hasn't publicly addressed the most significant issue: Does he want to become a top endorser, or would he rather limit his sponsorships and focus on winning tennis matches?
``He is a quiet, humble guy, who leads a normal life,'' Andrews said. ``He's not on the national party circuit, or taking meetings with Fortune 500 types. And if that's who he is, that's just fine.
``The Wimbledon victory puts him on the list of endorsers to consider. But until he makes an effort to clean up his English and show he wants to get out there and sell, I don't think anyone will be dialing their agents screaming, `We've got to sign this guy.'''

There is also this:

His agent, Carlos Costa, declined to say what the player made from endorsement income.

For the entire article go HERE

What do I think? Vamos!

The Powers Behind the Thrones

by Savannah

As the 2008 season gets under way it's time to look back at 2007. Every blogger has posted his or her "Best OF" list for the past year in tennis. Players have been ranked and rated and like kids at Christmas judged to be naughty or nice.

But very little attention is given to the men and women who sit on the sidelines, many times in the broiling sun, watching the players they've birthed, either literally or figuratively, soar with the eagles or crash and burn. These men and women do the dirty work of motivation and preparation both physically or mentally, dealing with the fragile egos of those who have the stones to fight their way to the upper echelon of the tennis world.

This isn't a ranking and rating. I just want to recognize them for all the hard work they put in that largely goes unremarked upon by the average fan.

Oracene Price

I've been a critic of Ms Price in the past. It seemed to me that when she was in charge of her daughters things were a little softer, that on court play became lax and that her charges seemed to think all they had to do was walk on court and their opponent would roll over and play dead.
Well that all stopped with Melbourne 2007 when her youngest child beat the snot out of all comers.
Her "Get out of Melbourne" shout to Serena (coaching from the stands?) turned out to be the coaching advice of the year.
It was a difficult year but she was there in Madrid at the end of the year. She was also in Asia and got a weary and physically fragile Venus through that swing. I can't imagine being a parent and a coach. Some manage it. Some don't. Both Ms Price and her ex husband Richard Williams seem to have found a way to be both parents and coaches.

Carlos Rodriguez

Justine Henin's controversial coach has gotten her to their mutual goal - number one female player in the world. Until recently it didn't seem to matter to these two whether they were liked or not. All that mattered was the tennis. When Carlos felt something needed to be said he said it. Whether it was attacking a rival Belgian player or the WTA Carlos took the hits leaving Justine to be what she says she wants to be - just a tennis player.
Justine's dependence on Carlos - she looks to him after every single shot - has been remarked upon. At Wimbledon, when he had no answers for Marion Bartoli's stellar play Justine floundered. Against an obviously injured Serena Williams at the US Open and later an ill Venus Williams the pair was on top of their game. They saved their best for the YEC though when a rested and well coached Maria Sharapova put up more of a fight than was expected by many observers. In the end Justine overcame the woman who was her nemesis in more ways than one putting the cap on what had been a stellar year for her.

Yuri Sharapov

You either love him or hate him. This seemingly quiet and unassuming balding man who you would walk right by if you saw him in the street makes Carlos Rodriguez look ready for canonization. A father of modest means who had a big dream much like Richard Williams has made his progeny one of the top paid athletes in the world with name recognition many would kill to have. Whether waving a banana, gesticulating wildly or disappearing from the stands as he did famously during the Australian Open final and several other times in 2007 when his daughter lost the television cameras are never far from him. During an infamous match against Justine it's rumored Yuri shouted "Vamos" during Justine's service motion. When called on it Yuri pulled a "who me" and looked around with the rest of the crowd to see who would do such a thing. Like him or not he has achieved his goals.

Dr Walter Bartoli

This picture was taken in January 2007 after Marion Bartoli won the ASB championship in New Zealand. Doctor Bartoli has shown that he is a man of great emotion, and will. Developing his own training techniques for his daughter he has run afoul of the French Tennis Federation maintaining his independence from them. The Federation has struck back saying if Marion doesn't play Fed Cup for France - which means she won't have him coaching her - she can't play the Olympics in August 2008. The Bartoli's so far are holding firm in their resolve. Marion played herself into the top ten with her crucifix making serve and unusual style which is reminiscent of Monica Seles but is still all Marion. It was a year of adjustment for the Bartoli's - Marion didn't have such a great second half of the season - but January is almost here and we'll see if Dr Bartoli and his daughter will be able to continue to do things their way and win big.

Marian Vajda

People love his charges quirky on court personality and love of the camera. Marian Vajda is the man who prepares him to play the tennis that has taken Novak Djokovic to number three in the world. In a recent interview Martina Navratilova singled him out for his work with Novak and no tennishead could disagree with her remarks. Marian is not a family member - he joins Carlos Rodriguez in this regard - and his courtside manner can best be described as intense. He is seemingly playing every shot right along with his player exulting in his victories and suffering his defeats. He appears to be a throwback to the old school coaches who really didn't have cults of personality built around them the way some of the modern day coaches do.

Roger Federer and Miroslava Vavrinec

They're doing it for themselves. Tony Roche was listed as Roger's coach for most of 2007 but in a less than amicable split Roger and Mirka have gone on to end the year at number one. True there were those stunning losses to David Nalbandian at the end of the year and that gift at Wimbledon but who can argue with success? Tennis uber-couple has shown that hiring a separate coach may not be a necessity for some players. I say some because while I do call Roger on his ego he has shown that at the present time he doesn't need any outsider telling him what to do. He and Mirka are doing quite well thank you and I don't see this changing in 2008 unless something drastic happens.

Antoni Nadal

Uncle Toni is never mentioned as being among the superstars of coaches outside of Mallorca or Spain. He sits quietly in the stands, an enigmatic look on his face while his nephew plays. The emotion is seen when the match is over. During the US Open he was seen singing along to "YMCA" including participating in the arm gestures. I observed him and Rafa up close on the practice courts at the US Open. Quiet intensity from both men was what I observed. Does he coach from the stands? He seemingly talks to himself quite a bit but he's a minor leaguer when compared to big timers Yuri Sharapov and Carlos Rodriguez. It came out at the end of the year that Rafa played a lot of 2007 on one foot and bad knees and somehow still managed to hold his position at the top of his sport. Good, solid coaching kept him there.

Richard Williams

My tennis moment of the year is the one posted above of Richard Williams and Dr Walter Bartoli embracing each other after their daughters played the Wimbledon 2007 Final. No tennis father has been more criticized than Richard Williams. He was criticized for keeping his daughters off the junior circuit full time. He was criticized for not letting them compete on the main tour earlier in their careers. He was criticized for engaging in that most African American way of celebrating at Wimbledon. And yet he's still around, still in tennis, and still sitting courtside at Wimbledon finals. He loves the persona he's created for himself, a not too swift on the uptake shuckin' and jivin' son of Louisiana sharecroppers who had a big dream, and it's served him well. As American tennis stares into the abyss that will be created when his daughters retire from the sport the mainstream is finally seeing him for the what he is - a first class tennis mind.

End Note

As you can see coaching has become a family affair. What with rumors of coaching abuse hovering around the edges of tennis maybe today's tennis parents are less willing to turn their children over to some smooth talking "I'll make your kid a star" wannabe coach. Does marrying a tennis player make you a coach? Does siring one or giving birth to one allow you to enter the coaching ranks? What about being an ex superstar? Can you impart what was inborn to someone who may or may not be inclined to listen? Why are so few women in the coaching ranks? Shahar Pe'er has hired Conchita Martinez as one of her coaches and it made news because it's so rare.

Family coaching is not always benign. Damir Dokic, Jim Pierce, and Stefano Capriati are among the most infamous coaching dads. And I'm sure anyone who wants to coach Andy Murray has to deal with his mum Judy Murray. The Djokovics are very much involved in the careers of all their sons. Meanwhile Betty Blake seems as normal as the parent of a sports star can be.

What to look for in 2008? Andy Murray seems to be trying to go the Roger/Mirka route but is he succombing to the the legend he is in his own mind or being practical? He says he'll hire coaches as he sees a need for them. Andy Roddick's association with Jimmy Connors seems to be over and his brother is the man in charge. 2008 will be crucial to both men. Will Roger and Mirka continue their winning ways?

I'm sure people will argue with my choices and maybe supply information that adds or subtracts from someone being on the list. Maybe I forgot someone. Feel free to contribute. As I said this isn't a ranking and rating. It's just giving props to those who make the phrase "...those that can't do teach" a less disparaging one.

Week In Review 11/26 - 11/28/2007

by Savannah

Very short week with the Davis Cup Final between Russia and the United States starting on Friday, November 30.I for one am totally neutral about this Final.


I'm also continuing my Best Photos of 2007 - WTA. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Elena Dementieva


Murray Picks A Home Boy

Fresh from kicking Brad Gilbert to the curb Neal Harman reports that Andy Murray has started work with someone Pat Cash thought would be a good match for him.

Andy Murray has asked Miles Maclagan, the former Great Britain Davis Cup player who was born in Zambia of Scottish parents, to spend three weeks with him at a training camp in Florida with a view to joining the team designed to take the British No 1 to the next stage of his tennis development.

Maclagan flew to the United States yesterday, excited at the opportunity to get to know Murray better, getting used to his manner and his modus operandi as the 20-year-old prepares mind and body to embark on what is being billed as a great year of opportunity. If the two really hit it off — they have an excellent relationship already but one not tested by one working for the other — it could become a permanent arrangement.
(...)
Maclagan would offer a different approach. Quiet, unassuming but with a smashing manner and big heart, he could be the kind of person to bring the best out of Murray. And anyone whose parents’ names are Ramsay and Elsie ought to go down well in the Murray household.

Remarkably, in his column in The Sunday Times two years ago, Pat Cash, the former Wimbledon singles champion, suggested that the pair should link up. He wrote: “Some might view my tip as off the wall, but I would nominate Miles Maclagan, the former British Davis Cup player who is doing a good job coaching the highly ranked doubles duo of
Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett. Miles may not have been a great player, but few of the really top coaches managed to hit the high spots. However, he is hard-working, diligent, extremely aware technically and works closely with Moose Stevens, a former Aussie Rules footballer who is one of the best fitness experts on the tour. And he’s Scottish.”

TimesONLINE
So what will he do when Murray goes off the deep end? Slap him across the face with haggis?


Jelena Jankovic

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall...
According to Mr. Federer being with Mirka has made him less self absorbed. It's apparently from that article back in April of this year but with many fans creating new nick names for him every day it's nice to know that the man called the Ego King is just a humble bloke who likes hanging out with his girl.

It's really Mirka, he explains, who has opened him up. He used to be self-absorbed, watching himself on tape, reliving every ball—it became something of a joke. "Playing tennis and watching myself play tennis was all I did." From there, he says, he graduated to video games—a habit he shares with Tiger Woods—which were almost an addiction for him. He liked the way they allowed him "to disappear." He would play Top Spin, Sega Sports Tennis. Sometimes he played virtual versions of his closest friends on the tour, Carlos Moya or Tim Henman. Otherwise he would play with his own "Federer" avatar. He has attempted to kick the habit. "It is not so much fun for Mirka," he says. He tries to go out and see whatever city they are in that week instead. "It is important that I do not send Mirka crazy by just obsessing about tennis." Or, you guess, himself.

Mens Vogue


Ana Ivanovic

Rafa's Foot
Every fanboard has a discussion going about Rafa's foot injury and comments made by Toni Nadal making it appear that Rafa is walking with a cane and hobbling about. Apparently Toni expanded on the comments Rafa made in the interview posted here about his foot in an interview in a Mallorca newspaper. Here is the interview in Spanish.
Diario De Mallorca
And here is the part of the interview causing the uproar.

- Nadal jugó infiltrado la final de Roland Garros.
- Sí, por la lesión en el pie que desde 2005 tiene afectado.

- ¿Tiene cura?
- Ha de aprender a convivir con esta lesión, y ya hace dos años que convive.

- ¿Es grave?
- Sí.

- ¿Hasta qué punto?
- Prefiero no contestar. Es muy grave.

- ¿Pero peligra su carrera?
- (Pausa). Bueno, no lo sé. Que conteste el médico. Ha de jugar con muchas precauciones.

- ¿Pero es verdad que no puede correr?
- Es un poco más que eso.

- ¿Si tiene un problema tan grave en el pie no sería mejor jugar menos?
- De hecho juega menos. Acabamos contentos con la temporada, de la lesión y de todo. Ha jugado mejor y sus partidos han sido de menos intensidad. Y le ha ido bien.

- Federer juega mucho menos que Rafel.
- Es diferente. Es un tenista totalmente consolidado; Rafel tiene otro tipo de juego. El hecho fundamental es acortar la duración de los partidos, y lo hemos conseguido.

- ¿Jugará contra Perú en Copa Davis?
- La idea es jugar. Pero si gana en Australia y llega tocado habrá que pensárselo.

Here is a very poor machine translation but I think you'll get the point. Any native Spanish speakers are more than welcome to translate the above piece.

- Nadal played infiltrated the final of Roland Garros.
- Yes, of the foot injury that since 2005 has affected.

- Is there a cure?
- It must learn to live with this injury, and two years ago to live.

- Is it serious?
- Yes.

- To what extent?
- I prefer not to answer. This is very serious.

- But his career in jeopardy?
- (Pause). Well, I do not know. To answer the doctor. Has playing with a lot of precautions.

- But it is true that can not run?
- It is a little more than that.

- If I have a very serious problem in the foot it would be better to play less?
- In fact plays less. We just happy with the season, the injury and everything. He has played better and their parties have been less intensity. And he has fared well.

Federer plays-much less that Rafel.
- It's different. Tennis is a totally consolidated Rafel has another type of game. The bottom line is to shorten the length of games, and we succeeded.

- Does He will do against Peru in Davis Cup?
The idea is to play. But if he wins in Australia and comes to think there will be touched.

Note: In Catalan Rafa's name is Rafel.
By the way I thought you Uncle Toni groupies (you know who you are) would like this pic of Toni in the store his wife runs in Palma de Mallorca.

Regis Philbin, Tennis Phenom

Professional tennis players are rarely injured in matches during the off-season, but on Tuesday Venus Williams was left hobbling after playing doubles with talk show host Regis Philbin.

The match was aired on television Wednesday morning during Live with Regis and Kelly, only to have Williams admit that she pulled her hamstring during the match.

“I pulled my hamstring,” said Venus according to the World Entertainment News Network. “I got up this morning and hobble hobble. But I’m used to injuries. I just block them out.”

Venus and Regis teamed up to play doubles against ATP Tour player Mark Knowles and TV producer Michael Gelman.

On The Baseline


Serena Williams


Pet Peeve
Will someone please do away with those links to information, pictures or whatever of tennis players on fanboards? They're quite annoying and for someone with the attention span of a gnat they're also distracting.


Daniela Hantuchova

Just How Old is She?!
Once again questions about just how old Maria Sharapova is are floating around. I would yawn but I guess tennisheads need something to do until the end of December.
Speaking of Maria here's the draw for Hong Kong as posted on Eurosport

Ivanovic vs Dementieva
V.Williams vs Peng

Chakvetadze vs Hantuchova
Sharapova vs Wozniaki
Let's see now...who has the cupcake? Where is that Hickman fellow anyway?


Nicole Vaidisova and Lucie Safarova

Runny Stockings
There's been quite a bit of speculation - okay, guffaws and knowing winks, about a picture taken of the new couple Serena Williams and the rapper known as Common. I don't understand why people are so amused. Every woman has lost her earrings in a car no?

For real though she should have just taken the damn things off and put them in her purse. And I do hope she's covering up because it's cold...

Kim Clijsters

Davis Cup

Don't forget MMMM8 and GVGirl will be posting special coverage live from Portland Oregon starting Friday. Here's an official flag logo from the Davis Cup site.