Good, erm, morning, everyone! I find myself compelled in my restlessness to set down a few choice thoughts, here in the final hours before yet another Wimbledon is set to commence.
We will have to wait until Tuesday for the most exciting first-round match-up on the cards, when- in a development so promotionally fortuitous as to stoke conspiratorial speculation that the draw is rigged- we are to be treated to a rematch of the legendary 11-hour encounter at last year's Wimbledon between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut. Of course, this match also carries with it the potential for a great anticlimax, as neither Isner nor Mahut is a major competitive favorite for the tournament, and a repeat of the kind of epic drama we saw last year seems less than probable.
Andy Murray seems to have had the most promising immediate lead-up to this year's championships, having made an outstanding title run at Queen's Club while Nadal went down meekly against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Federer and Djokovic fell dormant. However, it seems clear that the rather-more-grueling clay-court runs shouldered by the latter three contributed to this turn of events, and I expect we will see them fit and refreshed when they take to the court these next couple days. Djokovic reportedly looked back in fearsome form at a recent grass-court exhibition against Gilles Simon, though it remains to be seen whether the sort of magic that seemed to follow him for six months, up until his fateful meeting with Federer at Roland Garros, will still be there for him in London. This year's draw is particularly fascinating because, in contrast to recent years, wherein one could often easily identify a single cut-and-dried front-runner, there are now multiple players (Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, perhaps even Murray) who can be plausibly construed as favorite to claim the title, as well as several darkhorses (Roddick, Tsonga, Berdych) with the potential to upset the apple cart.
Unfortunately, as seen in my last post (juxtaposed with the subsequent thrashing he suffered at the hands of Murray) I seem to jinx Mr. Roddick whenever I say anything terribly optimistic about his competitive prospects, and so I will keep current speculation on his chances here strictly tentative: though he has not often shown it in recent months, I do believe that Roddick is still capable, given the necessary stroke of inspiration, of repeating everything he did in 2009 that carried him so close to the title. However, as we cannot count on this happening, I will say that a quarterfinal showing would be a solid result for him, and encouraging for those of us who are hoping to see him finish in the world's top 10 for a tenth consecutive season, as well as potentially qualify for a ninth consecutive year-end championships- two goals toward which he is a bit behind schedule at the moment.
I shall now wish you well and take leave of the waking world ever so briefly before rousing myself in anticipation of the joys to come.
June 20, 2011
June 11, 2011
Grassy Miscellany
In the aftermath of the historic events of the 2011 French Open, the ATP has turned its attention to the brief-but-crucial grass-court swing, wherein tournaments at London and Halle offer the major warm-up opportunities to the world's finest players. The top performers from the clay-court season seem to be experiencing a bit of burn-out, as Federer and Djokovic both withdrew from their scheduled events, while Nadal, having once more done just enough to maintain his tenuous hold on the exclusive world's number-one ranking (an immediate exit would have created the unique situation of co-number-one status, as Nadal and Djokovic would each have held 12,025 points to their credit come Monday) bombed out in a lackluster showing against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga yesterday afternoon.
I have been pleased to see my countryman, Mr. Andy Roddick, back in strong form this week at Queen's Club; he has dispatched three consecutive potentially-dangerous opponents, each more dominantly than the last, and in so doing set up a semifinal rematch of his gripping encounter with Andy Murray at Wimbledon two years ago. If he brings the same level of play to the Wimbledon championships later this month, he may once more find himself in contention for the greatest prize in tennis.
June 05, 2011
Djokovic Denied
Upon serving one last ace up the tee to complete what will go down in history among the greatest victories of his momentous professional tennis career, Roger Federer gently wagged a forefinger at his conquered foe. "Not yet," he seemed to say.
For the first time in over seven years, it appeared likely that the next week's world ATP singles rankings would show neither Roger Federer nor Rafael Nadal in the number one position. Novak Djokovic, reigning Australian Open champion and winner of 43 consecutive matches, took to the court Friday afternoon but one more victory from seizing the mantle currently held by Nadal, and a clear favorite to accomplish the task; it seemed to many, as pundits had often- though always incorrectly- speculated over the years, that the Federer-Nadal era was at long last coming to an end. In characteristic fashion, however, the Swiss legend came up with a touch of magic at the moment he most needed it, while Djokovic showed what have of late been rare signs of humanity in his sometimes-uneven performance. In one fell stroke, Federer both thwarted Djokovic's immediate number-one hopes and set up the first Grand Slam final meeting between himself and Nadal since the 2009 Australian Open, as if to broadcast the message that their ship still sails.
Powerful heartache surely awaited Djokovic, who fell a single match short of securing the number one ranking and one short of equaling John McEnroe's record start-of-the-year unbeaten run of 1984, but hope still remains. Just as many Nadal fans undoubtedly found themselves in the unusual position of rooting emphatically for Federer Friday, so I expect that Djokovic's supporters will now rally behind their man's conqueror. A Federer win Sunday would enable Djokovic yet still to take the number one position from Nadal, who is defending a championship run from last year.
For the first time in over seven years, it appeared likely that the next week's world ATP singles rankings would show neither Roger Federer nor Rafael Nadal in the number one position. Novak Djokovic, reigning Australian Open champion and winner of 43 consecutive matches, took to the court Friday afternoon but one more victory from seizing the mantle currently held by Nadal, and a clear favorite to accomplish the task; it seemed to many, as pundits had often- though always incorrectly- speculated over the years, that the Federer-Nadal era was at long last coming to an end. In characteristic fashion, however, the Swiss legend came up with a touch of magic at the moment he most needed it, while Djokovic showed what have of late been rare signs of humanity in his sometimes-uneven performance. In one fell stroke, Federer both thwarted Djokovic's immediate number-one hopes and set up the first Grand Slam final meeting between himself and Nadal since the 2009 Australian Open, as if to broadcast the message that their ship still sails.
Powerful heartache surely awaited Djokovic, who fell a single match short of securing the number one ranking and one short of equaling John McEnroe's record start-of-the-year unbeaten run of 1984, but hope still remains. Just as many Nadal fans undoubtedly found themselves in the unusual position of rooting emphatically for Federer Friday, so I expect that Djokovic's supporters will now rally behind their man's conqueror. A Federer win Sunday would enable Djokovic yet still to take the number one position from Nadal, who is defending a championship run from last year.
June 03, 2011
The Final Peak
As of mid-season 2010, Novak Djokovic of Serbia scarcely seemed a serious contender to claim any Grand Slam titles within the foreseeable future. His second serve was dodgy, his forehand was shank-prone, he was exhibiting a disturbing trend toward passivity from the baseline, and his long history of on-court illness-and-injury treatments and retirements had inspired abundant conjecture to the effect that he was either a hypochondriac or a drama queen. All told, the standard of his results had receded since his then-watershed moment at the 2008 Australian Open, and the question hanging over him was not, as it had once been, whether he could advance his ranking further, but rather whether he could so much as maintain the world's-number-three position to which he had so long been wedded.
One year later, all of these faults appear to have vanished without a trace; his service game is rock-solid, he reliably delivers the most consistent and assertive baseline play in the business, he has neither called forth a trainer nor retired from a match even once to my knowledge over the intervening 12 months, and he stands now potentially mere hours from the fulfillment of his lifelong ambition to attain the coveted number-one ranking. His final obstacle will come in the form of Switzerland's Roger Federer, whom he is set to face in the French Open semifinals Friday night. To depose a legend such as Federer- who is the all-time Grand Slam record holder and last man to defeat Djokovic, that coming at the World Tour Finals last November- on a stage such as this would seem a nigh impossible task to most, but Djokovic has already performed the feat on three past occasions, including each of the last two Grand Slam events, and has defeated Federer three times this season alone.
One cannot rule out altogether the possibility that Roger Federer, even in the latter stages of his career, will find some of his old magic now, when he needs it most, but it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the outcome of this contest will, in all likelihood, rest ultimately on the racket of the Serb. It may be pointed out that Djokovic has, in the past, shown tension when faced with the opportunity to reach a new high-water-mark in the rankings, as in 2009 when he failed in his first three attempts to claim the number two ranking, including once in a shocking upset to unheralded Finn Jarko Nieminen- yet, as I have described, Djokovic seems by now to have long since risen to a new and higher plane, casting off like an infant's swaddling cloths the physical and mental constraints which once seemed to bind him. This, then, is the moment of truth; will we see a glimmer of Djokovic the man on the red clay at Roland Garros, or will Djokovic the tennis demi-God complete his ascent to the summit of Mount Olympus?
One year later, all of these faults appear to have vanished without a trace; his service game is rock-solid, he reliably delivers the most consistent and assertive baseline play in the business, he has neither called forth a trainer nor retired from a match even once to my knowledge over the intervening 12 months, and he stands now potentially mere hours from the fulfillment of his lifelong ambition to attain the coveted number-one ranking. His final obstacle will come in the form of Switzerland's Roger Federer, whom he is set to face in the French Open semifinals Friday night. To depose a legend such as Federer- who is the all-time Grand Slam record holder and last man to defeat Djokovic, that coming at the World Tour Finals last November- on a stage such as this would seem a nigh impossible task to most, but Djokovic has already performed the feat on three past occasions, including each of the last two Grand Slam events, and has defeated Federer three times this season alone.
One cannot rule out altogether the possibility that Roger Federer, even in the latter stages of his career, will find some of his old magic now, when he needs it most, but it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the outcome of this contest will, in all likelihood, rest ultimately on the racket of the Serb. It may be pointed out that Djokovic has, in the past, shown tension when faced with the opportunity to reach a new high-water-mark in the rankings, as in 2009 when he failed in his first three attempts to claim the number two ranking, including once in a shocking upset to unheralded Finn Jarko Nieminen- yet, as I have described, Djokovic seems by now to have long since risen to a new and higher plane, casting off like an infant's swaddling cloths the physical and mental constraints which once seemed to bind him. This, then, is the moment of truth; will we see a glimmer of Djokovic the man on the red clay at Roland Garros, or will Djokovic the tennis demi-God complete his ascent to the summit of Mount Olympus?
June 01, 2011
Nadal-Soderling III
Now, my title is not strictly accurate; their Wednesday evening French Open quarterfinal encounter will actually mark the eighth time Rafael Nadal and Robin Soderling have met in an official ATP match. In fact, this won't even be the third, but rather the fourth time the two have met at the French Open itself. However, following up as it does upon historic clashes at both the 2009 and 2010 Opens, it will represent the third installment in what is becoming one of the most compelling rivalries since the days when Federer and Nadal were contesting two Grand Slam finals a year against one another, and with it will come a crossroads of sorts between several compelling supblots, the most notable among these involving Nadal's tenuous hold upon the world's number-one ranking.
In Rafa's favor, it may be pointed out that he soundly defeated Soderling in last year's final, that he holds the 3-1 career head-to-head advantage on clay, and that Soderling has not so much as claimed a set off him in any of their clay-court meetings aside from the 2009 shocker which saw the Spaniard suffer his first- and, thus far, only- defeat at the French slam. Nonetheless, Soderling's backers may rightly point out that Nadal's form throughout the 2011 clay court run has been significantly inferior to the standard he set last season; for example, Nadal lost only 14 games en route to the 2010 Monte Carlo title, but dropped more than double that total in another title-winning effort this year at 34, and had lost only 34 games (and zero sets) prior to the quarterfinals of last year's French Open, compared with 53 games and two sets this year. Furthermore, the Swede would be continuing the pattern he has established over the last two years were he to once again pull off a shock upset over a legend midway through the tournament.
So, how will this all turn out? Will Nadal keep his hopes alive to retain the title and number-one ranking, or will Soderling once again upset the apple cart at Roland Garros, protecting countryman Bjorn Borg's all-time French Open title record in the process? Truth be told, I really haven't the foggiest.
In Rafa's favor, it may be pointed out that he soundly defeated Soderling in last year's final, that he holds the 3-1 career head-to-head advantage on clay, and that Soderling has not so much as claimed a set off him in any of their clay-court meetings aside from the 2009 shocker which saw the Spaniard suffer his first- and, thus far, only- defeat at the French slam. Nonetheless, Soderling's backers may rightly point out that Nadal's form throughout the 2011 clay court run has been significantly inferior to the standard he set last season; for example, Nadal lost only 14 games en route to the 2010 Monte Carlo title, but dropped more than double that total in another title-winning effort this year at 34, and had lost only 34 games (and zero sets) prior to the quarterfinals of last year's French Open, compared with 53 games and two sets this year. Furthermore, the Swede would be continuing the pattern he has established over the last two years were he to once again pull off a shock upset over a legend midway through the tournament.
So, how will this all turn out? Will Nadal keep his hopes alive to retain the title and number-one ranking, or will Soderling once again upset the apple cart at Roland Garros, protecting countryman Bjorn Borg's all-time French Open title record in the process? Truth be told, I really haven't the foggiest.
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