Wiggling Bepa and the “Man to Beat”

 

I didn’t follow any of Dubai this year only finding time to tune into the final.

 

As such, I don’t have too many opinions. But I do think it bears mentioning that although this is now 3 consecutive titles for Nole in DooBye, this is the first and only of those three in which he’s either displayed the form or met with the opposition consistent with that success.

 

What’s perhaps more surprising is that it was Fed who’d been the better player all week – Nole termed his win over Berd “his worst performance of the year” – yet it was Nole who was able (in the first set at least) to bring the type of tennis that’s won him Slams (plural).

 

Does this form, this incredible streak he’s on, make him the best player in the world right now?

 

Probably. I really don’t see the controversy in stating that.

The fact that he’s the ‘man to beat’ right now must surely be incontrovertible and isn’t (despite troublemakers’ best efforts to stir things up) a slight on anyone. On the other hand, it also says next to nothing about his chances at any of the upcoming Slams or, for that matter, at IW/Miami. Nothing, that is, other than that he must be held up as one of the four or five players with the best shot at winning it.

Quite possibly the best wiggling-Bepa pic ever.

Yes the wind was a factor (though I think it’s very telling how Caro-supporters gloss over how Bepa was successfully contending with exactly the same conditions) and I’d be lying if I said Caro was at her best (main difference centres on whether she was done physically after two contiguous weeks or simply due a dud) – yet I still think all of that pales in comparison to how very far Bepa has come.

Can you honestly see her playing some of the matches she played this week even twelve months ago (let alone prior to that)?

If you want my honest opinion it was Hantuchova that delivered the performance of the week – I’m still not completely certain why she lost that match.

But doesn’t that also precisely and exactly capture why it’s Bepa and not Dani holding up the trophy at the end of the week?

Some of Bepa’s surprisingly low-key, economic play (often under the type of pressure would have resulted in her inexorable collapse not 16 months ago) was so un-Bepa like, I almost mistook it for someone else.

Just as un-Bepa-like, is the fact that she was able to continue in that vein for the entire week.

 

Who are you and how did I get here?

 

Yes Delpo won his first title since his comeback and yes that is a flux capacitor from late 2009.

Also, incidentally, his third consecutive semi final and a rise of 77 places to #89 in the rankings.

Spare a thought, if you can tear yourself away from the Delpo welcome-home party, for Tipsy, who is now 0-3 in ATP finals and the only “titleless” member of the top 100 Serbian stable.

Read More...

DooBye: A Plea for Perspective

 

Every year sees a variant of the same ol’ same ol' ritual: Shahar arrives under heavily armed guard and remain sequestered at a remote part of the venue from which she only emerges to attend her matches – low key affairs typically hosted on an outside court with one entrance and exit. 




Once she loses, media outlets roundly declare the situation as “deplorable”, (rightly) lament Shahar’s plight, soundly condemn the authorities for inheriting a problem not of their making, and  comfortably pretend that nothing that occurred in the region in the last 60 or so years could possibly have given rise to this state of affairs.

 

I’ve long since given up on the issue ever being tackled honestly.

What makes some of the dialogue particularly grate this time round has been the callous ease with which some call for the tournament to be “canned”.

 

Let’s be clear.

 

I have the greatest of respect for Shahar as a player – her work ethic and determination to fight (losing battles) to the very end and in the very best of spirits embodies, to a large extent, the finest aspects of the sport I love. It was on display when she first broke into the top 20 back in 2006 (often only with a fraction of the talent of some of the other up and comers) and has remained with her ever since.

Like many others, I disagreed with Dubai’s refusal to issue her a visa back in 2009. It was frankly an embarrassment for the sport. Even so, the commentary of the time was notable for the absence of any recognition at all of why such a debacle came to be. And of course there were those that sought refuge (as they always do) in the very tired, very blasé “tennis and politics don’t mix” line. I think you’ll find they’re inextricable dearie.

That said, and in common with many other voices (not merely Arab, but European, American and many of them from inside Israel itself), I strongly disagree with many of her country’s policies.

That’s neither here nor there. It’s not what this post is about and I certainly don’t intend to trivialise what’s likely the most divisive issue of our age by presuming to suggest that mentioning it (in passing) on a tennis blog comes anywhere near to giving it the treatment it so duly deserves – for which, by the way, well-written, well-researched, dedicated blogs already exist.



But I do feel it’s time we stopped pretending that there isn’t another (far more complex) side to this story and that the fallout from events in that region (going back over half a century) either shouldn’t exist, or shouldn’t, at any rate, intrude upon our enjoyment of a tennis tournament.

How very inconsiderate of them. How very inconvenient and tiresome for us.

Is it fair to Shahar? Absolutely not. Is it right that she should remain sequestered away under armed guard whilst being made very aware of other players prancing around in photo shoots you, frankly, wouldn’t want to be seen dead in were you able to move freely? No, of course it isn’t.

And in a perfect world it wouldn’t happen.

The trouble is, we don’t live in Disneyland: far more distressing and tragic compromises have been made in a conflict going back several decades (and counting). Like it or not, legitimate grievances do exist the consequences of which continue to reverberate globally.

Shahar will, at least, be handsomely rewarded for her progress at the event. Try comparing that with someone growing up in the Occupied Territories who can never even conceive of becoming a tennis player, not because they have no tennis infrastructure, but because in some cases they have no infrastructure at all. Or any economy to speak of.

The outrage over her treatment would be more convincing if it was coupled with even a cursory nod at the events and circumstances that have led to such a hostile reception in a country which, after all, has no diplomatic relations with Israel.

Venus and ARod’s “principled” stand would be even more principled if it contained even a hint of recognition that the seeds of the “discrimination and exclusion”, Venus in particular spoke out against, are at the very heart of what’s driving the conflict (many, including ex-President Jimmy Carter have described some of  Israel’s policies towards the Palestinians as a form of ‘apartheid’).

People would probably have screamed it’s not their place to comment and it certainly wouldn’t have changed anything – it would, however, have represented a more nuanced, equitable stance.



So let’s “can” the event then? Clearly that’s the only way forward. Better still, let’s never hold another event in the middle east again (no that doesn’t sound myopic at all).

 

Funny. I thought tennis fans existed worldwide and that the sport as well as the right to enjoy it belonged to everyone – not just those that happen to share aspects of your foreign policy.

I realise not everybody calling for its removal is being this blinkered – trouble is, when you broach an issue as emotive as this with such casual derision, it smacks of precisely that.

A funny and rather beautiful thing happened in Doha a couple of days ago. JJ was drawn to play an Omani WC, Fatma Al-Nabhani. A virtual unknown, Al-Nabhani moved up from the top 1000 to the top 400 last year – her finest moment to date being the doubles QFs of junior Wimby.

JJ won in straights as expected. Though the 19 year old, clearly outclassed and obviously inexperienced (and having lost the first set 6-1) rebounded admirably in the second, showcasing her big serve and the kind of forehand winners off the back foot that JJ can only dream of. All at a moment when it would have been only too easy to fade away.

She still lost it 6-3, but held herself throughout with the kind of calm dignity and composure that still remains beyond many top 20 players. Unsurprisingly, the commentators loved her.

 

We might never see her again (not everybody is destined to “make it” – see Ancic, Mario), but without hosting events in that region, she might never have got that sort of exposure.

In other words, it was good for her, it was good for Oman and it was, I hardly need add, good for all of us to come into contact with a player from a culture we might not be accustomed with and one not, frankly, known for its tennis tradition.

We’re sometimes more cynical than we should be as regards the role of sport as a “unifying force” – it always tends to evoke a wince from me, and its significance is, at any rate, overstated all too often.

But moments like this tend to garner universal approval. As they should.

Aren’t these exactly the kind of values the WTA should be upholding? Isn’t a very large part of its remit to foster the spread of tennis this way? Particularly in countries with little or no tennis heritage.

 

One can only assume (and hope) that those calling for it to be “canned” don’t realise how insular they sound.

Of course $$$’s are involved. When has this ever not been the case?

The situation is what it is: you either rule out ever staging a tournament anywhere in the middle east or you’re forced to make certain compromises – God knows it wouldn’t be the first or the greatest.

It’s one thing to sensibly, objectively and justly debate whether Shahar’s treatment is a compromise too far (don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen) and entirely another to indulge idle, callous rants that call (effectively) for around 300 million people to never see a tennis event staged in their home nation. If the latter sounds insular, it’s because it is.
Read More...

Dubai: The Middle Ground

 

Criticism both for and against Woz has gone from being an idle weekend pursuit to a large part of how you define yourself ideologically

On the far-right you have those Neanderthals for whom any and all of Caro’s victories are evidence of her opponents’ dysfunction and presumably of what poor shape the WTA is in.  The other extreme consists of those sandal-wearing pacifists that have made an art form of forging touchy, defensive tracts even when the circumstances point overwhelmingly (as they did this weekend with Sveta) towards a poor performance on the part of her opponent.

 

The “middle ground” (if it exists at all)  is occupied by other varying shades of apologists and belligerents.

 

I no longer want any part of it.

 

Q. Do you think it’s unfair when people criticize you or when people talk your game and they say, She gets lots of balls back, but she hasn’t got a big weapon? You’ve got to No. 1 in the world. Do you think that’s unfair when you hear people say that?

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: Um, well, if I don’t have a weapon, then what do the others have? Since I’m No. 1, I must do something right. I think there’re not actually criticizing me. I think the other players should be offended.

She’ll never be your cup of tea if, like me, you enjoy brash, bold, big-hitting tennis. That doesn’t, shouldn’t, mean

 

a) that she hasn’t earnt many (if not all) her wins,

 

b) that we don’t call out, in the strongest possible terms, her (supposedly more experienced, high ranking) opponents for capitulating as badly as they seem to against her, or, for that matter, why she appears to cause them so much trouble – is she clearly not doing something right?

c)  or (worse) that she’s somehow foregone her right to being credited for the type of mental resilience necessary to play the style of tennis that seems to offend people so much. (Hint: it’s the same focus we so enjoy celebrating in Pova and Rafa amongst others – but somehow not hitting the same amount of winners as them means you forgo that right?)

It also doesn’t mean (and this cannot be stated enough) that her style of play has no business at the top of the WTA food chain.

The problem (as I see it) comes when well (or seriously unwell)-meaning peeps try and present being “rocksolid” as an incontrovertible virtue and rationalise EVERYTHING (from tennis results to the origins of the universe) by invoking that great tennis tautology: “a win’s a win”.

 

Yes, a win is indeed a win – but some wins are clearly better (or worse) than others. And being "rocksolid” is infinitely easier to appreciate when it’s not fashioned upon the bedrock of your opponents stupidity. I’m not even going to attempt to understand what lay behind Sveta’s flatulence – let’s just say “it happens”.

 

The most infuriating strain of this thought goes as far as crediting her with talents she clearly doesn’t possess like “nuance”  – I’ve even heard her being compared to Rafa.

 

And that, I’m afraid, is when knives are drawn and plates are broken.

Read More...

Weekend Round Up.

Dubai: Djokovic d. Youzhny 7-5, 5-7, 6-3

That trophy’s a ship, but viewed side on it’s very Burj-ul Arab no?

Yes that distant wail that could be heard over the horizon for the best part of today was the sound of the moaners and haters crooning in unison. Myself at their helm.

"It's a very mental game," said the Serb. "People don't realize how much tension you have to go through throughout the match. It took a lot of energy for me. Stopping and playing, and coming back and then again stopping the match last night because of the rain."

…

"Today was another good example of how much I believe in myself and how much I fight till the end," added Djokovic, who gained swift revenge for Youzhny's straight sets victory in the semi-finals of the Rotterdam Open earlier this month.

(Fox News)

I’ve said all I want to say about Djoko coming out on top against a field of also rans on Twitter – the fact remains he still had to go out there and win it.

The fact also remains however, that I’d like to see him kick butt at the Masters 1000’s and Slams -- something I don’t deem him unqualified for -- and a front on which, outside of clay, I remain fundamentally dissatisfied.

Acapulco: Williams d. Hercog 2-6 6-2 6-3

Mexico seems to agree with V. Only at Wimbledon itself is she more radiant.

After that unceremonious outage in Oz, she’s gone from strength to strength, winning her second successive title in two weeks

As Mr Wertheim pointed out in the TwitterSphere earlier, Dubai, Acapulco and the Billie Jean Cup in Madison Square Garden on March 1st makes a total of three events in 8 days.

Meditate on that thought for a while the next time you want to accuse her of only caring about the Slams.

Acapulco: Ferrer d. Ferrero 6-3 3-6 6-1

After beating his compadre in Buenos Aires last week, Ferrero fails to make it three in a row.

No matter. I treat Ferrero's return and the news of Ferrer winning titles in South America, as a sign that our stock of functioning clay courters not named Nadal is in nothing less than full working order.

I’m sizing the next few months up as Armageddon on clay.

Kuala Lumpur: Kleybanova d. Dementieva 6-3, 6-2

I’m almost relieved to see Dementieva lose at a tier two/three event.

Maybe it’ll prompt her to attend to that less ennobling Grand Slam record of hers.

Probably not.

Kleybanova gets all sorts of wierd grief about her size – but she’s too good a player not to have won a title.

Read More...

Dubai: Final Line Up and my ‘Notes on a Scandal’

There’ll be no further reposting of what I’ll only gingerly be referring to as “the video”.

We’ve all seen the video – correction, we’ve all experienced, the video.

You don’t need me to do another “me too” post about it.

Though the following must be gotten off my chest.

A collection of my choicest reactions over the last 15 hours.

• “Oh Rafa – What will your mother say!?”
• “What will Xisca say!?”
• “You did ask her?”
• “$$$***$$#####”
• “Your ingénue appeal is forever lost.”
• “No wonder your knee hurts!”

All I need now is for Murray to do a cover of “You can call me Al” (in the role played by Paul Simon of course), and my life will be complete.

***

Speaking of my life being complete – as of yet it’s only half way there.

Headbanger came through in straights against Melzer who’s yet to form any meaningful impression on me.

Djoko’s just put out Baggy – to which I say pesh-tosh.

It also means I’ll be firmly ensconced in Camp Headbang tomorrow.

You might think it strange for me to be rooting against Djoko, but rest assured I have his best interests at heart.

A win for him here will benefit precisely no one.

Not him, and certainly not tennis.

The way I figure it, he might get a little too complacent, maybe a little too content with winning the odd 500 event now and again, when he should be pitching his tent at the Masters and Slams. At least that’s what I thought the agenda was.

Read More...

Twitterati Illuminati and Free Museum Tickets.

First off, observe if you will the newly created twitter feed to the left.

(Credit: wefunction.com)

I’m a Twit. And not quite proud of it.

One day maybe, but right now the only thing I take pride in is how long I held out.

140 character limited dystopia claims another victim.

As you’ve probably noticed it makes the site load slower than Simon Reed’s hate infested inbox, so I’m open to suggestions on any juicy Twitter widgets you may know of (already tried Twitter's own) that can be configured to gel with the look and feel of your site. Until then you'll have to make do with this unsalubrious mess, and it's unTwitter-like date stamps.

Ana Ivanovic has hired Heinz Gunthardt as her new coach.

The Ivanovic management made the announcement, which brings to an end the number 23 player's coaching relationship with the adidas team, still her clothing sponsor.

I know we’ve jumped through this hoop before.

But can we still all breath a great sigh of relief, and take collective solace in this first step in the right direction?

Things really couldn’t get any worse for her, so let’s hope she sees this one through before checking in to Team Adidas once again.

We all know Heinz worked with Steffi Graf. Quite a few of us also know he aided and abetted Brad Gilbert into making Andre and Steffi’s first on court “practice session” a reality.

Just saying. This guys got salubrious history in many spheres.

Muzzard goes down 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 to Tipsarevic.

Undoubtedly a big win for Tipsy, though Muzz was never overly optimistic about his chances at this event, drawing attention instead to the lengthy time he’s spent away in the aftermath of Oz.

"It is always disappointing to lose, but I did not have much expectation from the tournament," Murray said.

"I am coming from a big break after the Australian Open and was not as prepared as I should have been for the tournament. I was still trying out things on the court, rather than playing my normal game."

That may well be true. Some of it, or all of it.

I also think however, that Tipsy is a dangerously underrated player.

Three years back, I thought he was headed for the top ten. Then Nietzsche and a shed load of brain cramps intervened (in any order or all at once).

"One of the biggest wins, surely," he said. "For me, Murray is a contestant to be No. 1 at the end of the season. He played unbelievable tennis at the Australian Open. He was one of the favorites to win the tournament here, for sure."

It’s not nearly as frequent now, but every so often he delivers a performance that makes me hope. Yes, I’m aware it might offend some people’s sensibilities, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Tipsy in the top ten.

If for no other reason than that he’s a dead ringer for a buddy of ours that used to work in the Natural History Museum.

Every time I see Tipsy – I think free museum tickets.

So now you know.

It ain’t November yet people…

With Fed, Delpo and Nadal already sidelined, and further withdrawals from Davy (wrist) and Llodra (thigh strain), you might be forgiven for thinking it’s already nearing the end of the season.

Tsonga was only spared my virginal wrath on the TwitterSphere, when I was reminded he continues to struggle with a stomach injury he sustained in Oz. Not that I find it difficult to celebrate any time Ljubicic wins big,

It’s further opened up a draw already containing several prominent gaping holes.

I was at first thinking how this would offer up yet another opportunity for Djoko to clean up, except I saw Djoko play today (he won in three against Troicki), and I’m not that convinced he’s about to clean up anything.

There’s also the ‘Red Hot Cilic Pepper’ effect to consider of course. He’s not in Djoko’s half of the draw so the two could meet in the final.

All of that assumes order and harmony.

Except my recent uptake of Twitter has tapped in to a latent primeval desire for chaos and disarray.

Which is why I’ll be rooting for Baggy and Youzhny. Both have been away for far too long, and it’s not for want of effort.

Though there’s also Tipsy and the lure of free museum tickets.

Read More...

Dubai: Ladies Round Up.

Williams d. Azarenka 6-3 7-5

After witnessing probably the worst match contested by a couple of top seeds (Venus v Li Na in the QFs of Oz if you’re still wondering) in the second week of a Slam, I’d more or less consigned Venus to the ‘If you haven’t anything good to say…’ basket.

I’m not sure we’ll ever crack the nut of why performances like this continue to be a feature of Wimbledon and no where else – what I do know is that it’s wholly appropriate for a die hard fan like myself to continue to ask why.

It’s no secret I actually prefer her game over her sister’s – she may not reach top gear that often these days, but heaven help her opponents when she does: performances I believe might actually surpass Serena.

One has to feel something for Vika even it isn’t sorrow, and even if like me, you find it difficult to cosy up to her. Not that I’d ever even dare attempt it.

Her performances have mostly been consistent and she’s truly earnt her top ten position.

Every time in the last 12 months she’s come within clinching distance of what by any other reckoning would qualify as a breakthrough performance (not that different to what Caz-Woz achieved in Flushing), she’s run into Serena playing one of the very many “matches of her life”.

What was scary last week however (most things with Vika usually are), was how frequently she came to the net and how dedicated to the process she appears to be.

Stubborn sorts like Vika take a most unique form of affrontery at being told they can’t do, or aren’t suited to something.

A closer inspection of the facts reveal that coming to the net more is indeed part of the agenda for 2010. She even revealed how hitting with no less an artisan than Stefan Edberg recently in Hong Kong had helped her grow in that sphere.

Whatever. I don’t suddenly expect her to morph into Amelie Mauresmo. At the moment she’s anything but – with nine out of every ten net approaches ending in a drive volley.

Don’t cringe. The drive volley’s here to stay, whatever you might think about it.

It’s also as much a part of tennis as anything seen during Chris Evert’s day.

I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite so elegant as Venus Williams taking on the stroke in full flight.

***

Fed’s absence in Dubai has once again turned it into a two, three or four horse race depending on how far your loyalties extend.

Djoko and Muzzard through comfortably today. Davy and Tsonga with some convincing to do.

Tsonga might have wished for a better opener. Llodra’s fresh from his win in Marseille and Benneteau (the runner up there) was the guy that took Jo out.

I might be wrong but I’d guess he's not that into French Connections right now.

Read More...

Dubai: Poetry and Time Travel.

Another day, a fresh new round of WTA upsets.

Except nowadays I’m not so sure of what qualifies as an upset.

Peer d. Li Na 7-5 3-0 (Ret.)

Wickmayer, Razzano, Wozniacki and Li Na. That’s some kinda run.

(MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images)

I just find the whole of ShaharGate tiresome - only a little less so than those overly simplistic and mostly inane analyses that continue to pretend we live in a world without root causes.

Poetic justice is the way I heard her run here described.

Really?

I suppose they still think sport and politics don’t mix.

Try telling Arthur Ashe that.

What I don’t find tiring and infinitely more poetic, is how players like Peer and Safarova appear to have rediscovered their form of late 2007. Back then they were heading up the second tier.

Could they have somehow profited from Fed’s glory in Oz?

Seems he’s not the only one intent on turning the clock back three years.

I figure his incredible victory over Murray delivered a massive EMF burst, that has partially reconfigured the universe back to what it was in 07.

With the return of the Pre-Safinite Sisterhood, and with Fed once again delivering beatdowns that leave your eyebrows singed, it does seem suspiciously déjà vu.

Zvonareva d. Jankovic 6-3 6-2

Smokin’ hot and smokin’ not.

(MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images)

Vera came into this event on a high having carried over the larger part of her most potent form from Thailand.

With Indian Wells (and all those points to defend) only weeks away, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Jelena carried over the most potent parts of precisely nothing.

This time last year, I was predicting for her to win her first Slam at RG – nowadays one wonders whether she’ll even be in top ten contention by then.

I’d actually like to see Vera go on and win this thing – though she’s a set down to Vika as we speak.

Kulikova d. Kuznetsova 7-5 6-7 (2-7) 4-6

Not poetic. Not poetic at all.

Read More...

Between a Rock and a Hard Court....

I just wanted to say a quick word about where I think Djokovic is at right now: and it's not a good place.

You'll remember I was all too willing to give him the benefit of the doubt after his win in Dubai last week, where he dispatched Ferrer in straight sets in the final and only had to face one other top tenner (Simone) en route to the title. The poor attendance is not his fault after all.

Well that's fine and the win was just dandy, but it's also a little worrying that only a week later facing the same opponent in a Davis Cup Tie, he's unable to leverage any kind of confidence from that win, going down instead (from what I can tell) fairly meekly in straight sets.

(DIEGO TUSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Yes I know it's clay and I know Spain were at home and I don't have any problem with his 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 loss to Nadal, but I really thought he had it in him to squeeze past Ferrer (or at least to take a set or two).

For one thing Djokos actually pretty good on clay. He's made the semis the last two years at Roland Garros and the quarters in 2006 (losing on all three occasions to Nadal): a feat as of yet beyond Murray with all his lauded variety. He seems to me to be untroubled by the slower surface as he retains his superb ability to generate pace and hit winners past his opponents.

Also, I don't know if any of you have noticed, but Ferrer hasn't posted the type of results that befit someone of his clay court prowess for a couple of years now. I think he won a title at Valencia last year and made the quarters at RG. He also had a couple of quarter final appearances at Monte Carlo (which for now, is still a Masters event...kinda). I don't want to knock him too much as he made up for it in a way with that superb run on the hard courts at the end of 2007, and somehow also pulled of a grass court title at Hertogenbosch last year.
But really, in a field sadly running a little thin on quality clay courters (Rafa not withstanding), you would have expected a guy like him to make more of an impression.

Maybe they're all scared of Rafa - Almagro went through the tennis equivalent of having his kneecaps removed last year at RG (I shudder to think how Guy Ritchie would have depicted Roger's loss in the final..) - a guy who many at the time were calling the 3rd best clay courter in the world. So much for that.

The point is Ferrer is beatable on clay nowadays, and for Djoko to not just lose to him, but to be unable to win even a single set, is not very world-number-3 like in my opinion.
As good a win as that was in Dubai last week, I think it would be a near crisis if he didn't win.

I'm a little disappointed to say this, as I've been harping on about how great it would be if he were to get competitive at the big events once again, but I'm not convinced Djoko is back just yet, and with Murray's virus Indian Wells may turn out to be a two horse race again. Nothing wrong with that of course, but we've had over four years of the big two and only little under a year of the big four. It would have been thrilling (not to mention instructive) I think, to have them all slugging it out at IW close to the best of their abilities.
Read More...

Great Win Djoko - Just Don't Mention the Field....

Its all been a little humdrum this week if you ask me. You probably won't so here's what I think anyway:

-- As expected Djoko came through against Ferrer yesterday in an enjoyable but otherwise uninspiring final in Dubai. He may be back to something like his best but we'll never know as he played his only testing encounter against Simone in the semis. Whatever else you may think about his win in a field that included only one (and a half) player from the top ten, you would be hard pressed not to concede that there was a different air about Djoko this week, particularly in that Simone encounter. Djoko claims to have been involved "physically and emotionally" in this tournament. Can't argue with that. He also sings the praises of Dubai as a tournament that has a "history of having one of the strongest fields on tour". You're right - historically speaking. Forget it, I can't be bothered to argue with that.
-- It's too easy to dismiss Ferrer as a grinder. So I won't. I will say though that his game matches up a little too well against Djoko, and that made things very difficult for him out there. He's clearly in his element running balls down. Trouble is 75-80% of his returns lend around the service line, and that is just too inviting for Novak who normally camps on or around the baseline, and hits 75-80% of his returns near his opponent's baseline. The other thing is "Daveed is a great defender" -- how many times have you heard that? Well, yes he is, but as far as I'm concerned:

'Great' Defence = Getting to the ball + Doing something with it

...and Djoko appears to me, to understand how to balance that equation a lot better than Daveed. Oh dear - You know what I've done don't you? Dismissed him as a grinder.

-- Roger ain't interested in ATP 500s or Davis Cup for the time being. GOAThood is beckoning and he's made some rather revealing scheduling choices this last week. He's not injured in the regular sense it seems, but is taking a more precautionary approach by allowing time to fully heal his back (an injury he's had problems with since November last year). I'm a little amazed by the amount of fuss this has generated, though a lot of the discussion is to do with the seemingly contradictory statement made by his fitness coach Paganini. Whatever -- the guy clearly thinks that chasing a place in history (he is tantalisingly close) is more important than appearing at one of the more lucrative 500 events (where he might be forced to say something about the state of sport and politics - bleckhhh) or for that matter Davis Cup -- and I can't see much wrong with that. Read More...

Houdini does Dubai...

How does he do it? I speak of course of the amazing escape act of Novak Djokovic.

Yet again we are confronted with the prospect of him (seemingly) on the way to a title, having not faced a single player in the top five (and only one in the top ten).

I raised an eyebrow when I heard we weren't to have the pleasure of Roger and Rafa's company (Roger's withdrawal here and at Switzerland's upcoming Davis Cup fixture suggest that he's, for the time being at least, placing a greater weight on his claims to GOAThood -- which I'm not sure I find all that surprising) ; but that eyebrow became increasingly furrowed as I heard, first of A-Rod's offering to the sport n'politics debate (if I hear those two words mentioned in the same sentence again...) and then just yesterday, of Murray's departure (citing a virus that's troubled him since last month apparently).

(Djokovic image by AP Photo / Kamran Jebreili)

I was in a last-ditch effort at spinning this into something resembling an evenly contested event, hoping for some fireworks today from our man Reeshard (maybe - just maybe if he got to the final - he could pull off something special there) , whose recent performances I just two days ago described as 'gritty' and 'resilient'. Well although it was an all but crushing defeat he suffered to David Ferrer today, I'd just like to point out (coz I certainly didn't know this), that Reeshard actually considers Daveed his bugbear - he said as much after his defeat to him at the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup - I believe his words were something along the lines of "I'd rather face Federer or Nadal...". Interesting.

Though nothing of course like an excuse for the excruciatingly inexcusable practice of playing so far behind the baseline that you're practically bumping into the line judges. I've often criticised Rafa and Marat for much the same thing. But Reeshard's the worst offender I've seen at the higher levels of the game. At one point against Bolelli yesterday, the topspin he imparted on one of his - oh so fine - backhands actually caused the ball to begin it's descent before it'd cleared the net. That's how far back he was. It's made all the worse by the fact that he's annoyingly adept at taking the ball early and we all know about his shotmaking when he does that.

So while I cut him some slack in his loss to Ferrer today, and while he has shown some very convincing improvements this year, this I have to say Reeshard is beginning to look very much like one step forward and two rather hefty strides back.

Give the linespersons cattle prods I say.

Remind me again why I went off on a Reeshard tirade. Oh yes, a credible opponent to Djoko and the possibility of a rather romantic finish to tomorrows final.

Well, let me say right off that I want to see Djoko do well. I've been propping him up these months gone by - trying to turn a blind eye when he occasionally reverts to his previous "I'm cool in an abrasive kinda way" misdoings - and I certainly don't want him to be painted as someone who only wins when the top seeds aren't around because, well, he is one of the top seeds and we all know he can get it done against the very best.

Which is why I find it both frustrating and amazing that once again, through no fault of his own, a series of withdrawals will serve as a very large asterisk against a title here, should he come through against Daveed tomorrow.

It's not quite as bad a situation as Rome or the Tennis Master's Cup last year (Rome in particular should appear beside an asterisk of such gargantuan proportions that the title is relegated to a mere footnote) -- that semi against Simone was quite something and suggestive of a return to form -- but will I'm sure give his critics more fodder to dish the dirt on him, which if he truly is beginning to rise from the ashes again, is just plain mean...
Read More...

Single Handed Backhander Watch: Mohammed Ghareeb

Allow me to ignore the top two seeds in Dubai for the moment and indulge in a frenzied celebration of the single handed backhand (a stroke I love so much, I've decided to turn spotting it into a series). We've had some very decent matches over the last couple of days providing yet more evidence of the frightening levels of depth in men's tennis. Here's my exhibit A, and B and C (and that's before I get on to Gasquet)....

Richard Gasquet

A commentator used the word 'gritty' in describing his performance today against Simone Bolelli, and then immediately went on to observe how she never thought she'd be using that word in relation to Reeshard. Indeed.

It fits well with my earlier assertion that we are seeing a more resilient, headstrong Reeshard this year. He seems at times almost less concerned with his standing in the game than coming through tough encounters (of which there have been quite a few this year).

He only just failed in a closely fought five set encounter against Gonzales in the Australian sun last month - but his attitudinal shift was evident even then. The heartening thing today is he made it through against Bolelli in a tight three set match (two tie-breaks) which proved how far both men have come (see below re Bolelli).

The only thing I find a tad (ok more than that) frustrating is his insistence on playing five metres behind the baseline. He also seems to be more than just a little affected by a sort of Counter-Punching Schizophrenia. You know, when players quite capable of taking the ball early and hitting through their opponents, suddenly start believing they are grinders. Andy Murray went through quite a bit of that pre Wimbledon last year.

Still, plenty to be hopeful of and look forward to me thinks.

Mohammed Ghareeb

He took Giles Simon to three sets yesterday and in doing so, displayed such natural ball striking ability (the pinnacle of which has to be the single handed backhand) and knack for knowing what the right shot is, that you were left wondering why he's ranked at such a lowly #469. He troubled Federer here three years ago after which Roger conceded: "[Ghareeb was] definitely the better player and I think only my experience helped me get through." If that's what the standards like on the Futures tour, it really does underline the achievements of those who've broken through to the top of the game.

Flavio Cipolla

It was more his defensive backhand slice that caught my eye. Djokovic was playing his usual aggressive firebrand baseline game, and Flavio seemed to be sucking it all up so effortlessly, I can't but imagine it got under Djoko's skin.

Simone Bolelli

This man has truly come on in leaps and bounds in a matter of months. That he didn't come through against Gasquet today ought not to be construed as any kind of shortcoming on his part. In fact, if anything he was the better player for large parts of the match, very much in keeping with his #36 ranking.

It's a far cry from his very questionable withdrawal against Andy Murray at Madrid last year, which seemed more like an effort at averting embarrassment. And yes, he too has a quite exquisite single handed backhand. Read More...

Dubai Beauty-Free...

The tit-for-tat continues in Dubai as the event organisers claimed that Andy's withdrawal had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the scheduling problems he'd face having made it to the final of Memphis (a tournament he won I'm happy to say, finally putting a stop to Radek and his one-man pageant).

I just want to say one more thing about the whole affair before putting this ugly mess to bed. There can be no doubt that the whole thing was a very badly handled episode on the part of the powers that be in Dubai. Shahar deserved to play here and wasn't allowed to. As we've heard so often this last week, sports and politics really shouldn't mix, not least because you run the risk of trivialising what are generally considered deeply upsetting events. But I also find it worrying that large parts of the media display uncanny insensitivity by continuing to act as if there is no history involved, choosing instead to run with the rather more safe 'sport'n politics don't mix' headline.

Millions around the globe see it differently - just sayin'.

On a more positive note, one of our girls has just cracked the top 50. I'm sure you'll permit me a Stepanek like side-trot -- actually I'll go with the Vicht-Salute on the grounds of good taste -- we've had to wait 16 years for this. I started to take notice when I heard Keothavong was through to the semis at Memphis where she suffered a rather less uplifting 6-1,6-0 defeat to Caroline Wozniacki. Ouch. I also find her references to unprofessionalism within the LTA quite interesting. Anyone know what that is all about?

Tsonga took the title in Marseille last week. I'm loving the way he's begun his campaign in 2009. The injuries seem to be well handled; and I'm detecting signs of some much needed poise in his recent performances - we all know how dangerous he is at his most explosive - his ranking though, might demand more measured and sustained performances throughout the year.

As thrilled as I am for Tsonga, his win here included yet another dismantling of Djoko, whose number 3 ranking is beginning to look less and less convincing. I don't know - it's not as if the Scot behind him was that electric in his Dubai opening match today - but Andy seems to have it cracked against most of the opposition (though by the sounds of it will be in no hurry to leave his more palatial quarters).

Djoko is now 1-4 against Tsonga. In 2008, he lost 2 out his 3 matches against Federer (who was if you remember having a pretty bad time of it), 4 out of 6 against Nadal (2 out of 3 if you exclude clay courts) and 2 out of 3 against Murray. If Tsonga and Roddick continue to beat up on him, that Serbian dream may remain just that. Here's hoping he turns it around in Dubai and IndianWells/Miami. The top of the game will be so much the better for it.
Read More...

The Highs and Lows of Dubai...

If you could manage to extricate yourself from the politics for a while, there was some pretty good tennis to be had at Dubai this week.

The whole event was of course overcast by the diplomatic row (which appears to have been resolved, for the time being...sort of) but there were some high notes during this not so operatic week of Tennis:

• First off, big pat on the back to Virginie Razzano, whose accomplished performance saw her take out Safina, Zvonareva and Hantuchova. I didn't catch them all, but understood a little about how she was able to pull that off in watching the first set of the Final against Venus Williams today. What stuck in my mind most was how early she was taking the ball (Virginie that is), and how unintimidated she appeared against the taller (lower ranked) half of the sibling-duo that should by rights be dominating the game. I get a little tired of hearing the argument that the lack of a dominant force in Womens Tennis is somehow indicative of it's present levels of depth, but Virginie (along with Navarro) is just the type of player that, had we more of, might just change my mind. She's no top tenner but is comfortable in all parts of the court and more importantly, seems like a player that doesn't believe in going quietly - exactly what we need if we are to see less of those two set, 45 minute dismissals so often a feature of the early (and sometimes sadly the latter) stages of Womens events. She made, what on paper looked like a one-sided affair, hugely entertaining (for a set and a half anyway). Womens Tennis may not have depth but French tennis certainly does.
  
• Way to go Ana you-must-believe Ivanovic! Yeah I know she lost, and I know Serena's knee (and back by the looks of it) was playing up. But let there be no mistake - Serena is hot right now. And anyone capable of staying in rallies with (and at times out hitting) her the way Ana you-can-do-it did deserves ample praise. It's probably to early to suggest that anything Kardon has said or done has brought about this improvement (I saw no difference in technique or style); maybe the new setup has simply refocused her on her own strengths.
• Those Sisters. What to say? Serena lost to perhaps the only player in the draw capable of beating her convincingly. It wasn't the best match they'd played, but that last set certainly demonstrated why there should be no doubt of their WTA supremacy, even if they aren't always able to dominate in the way their fans might like them to. Serena looked a little downcast after the loss and went off court pretty quickly. I'm sure it had something to do with that troublesome knee; I hope they don't still feel that they have to prove to anyone just how competitive they can be against one another. Venus looks in fine nick -- and though she's ranked below her baby sister, still seems the more stable of the two right now. I liked the way she handled the whole Peer thing in her victory speech. I feel the calls for her to pull out (like those that expect Federer to speak out) over the affair were a little misplaced..
• I wasn't altogether happy about the introduction of Coaches on court during WTA matches. And if you are going to go through with it, then why not the men? Tennis is very much a one on one, dog-eat-dog type of affair: it's why thousands of fans worldwide love it. No room for mid match cushy-coaching sessions then. Well I haven't been won over but I do enjoy hearing the player coach exchanges (who are now mic-ed up for our enjoyment) even when I don't understand the language they are speaking; it conveys something of the cut and thrust of the match in a completely innovative and pleasantly surprising way. I believe it's still in the experimental stages, and won't be sorry to see it go, but it just goes to show you can be wrong about things.
  

There were also those intent on turning the week into one big Greek Tragedy:

• Dinara.All@Sea.com. I'm not sure what happened here as there didn't look to be any signs of injury. Though I've sung Virginie's praises above, this loss looked to me to be all about Dinara. Or to be more precise, what's in between her ears. She didn't look completely convincing in Melbourne but steadied the ship in time to secure a place in the Final. But this time she was all at sea. She's going to need to cut out these still-too-wayward performances if she is to remain entrenched at the top of the game.
• Jelena. The worst match of her career. Her words. You should be ashamed of yourself Jelena. Oh sorry, you said that too.
• Agnieszka. I'm worried. It seems to me you've been getting biffed-bopped-n'bashed around a little too often by the big girls since last year, and in case you missed it, there's something deeply uncool about getting the beat down from your little sister (who is a good player, but ranked 111 places below you - and a mere qualifier at the event). Commentators are a little too quick IMO, to cast Agnieszka (as they are any player that doesn't strike the ball as hard as the stronger women on tour) as a strategist - someone who doesn't try to hit their way out of a problem. Maybe there's some truth in that. But not very much. She's no Hingis - she's just having a Hingis moment.

As for the whole visa thing, what to say that hasn't already been said. Shahar earnt her right to play and was denied. If you are going to position yourself as a World class, premier level event, you can't in all seriousness pick and choose whom you allow to play, diplomatic rows aside. Besides, Dubai strikes me more as a playground for the rich and famous, than as a podium for political statements. But I've also found some of the media commentary around the whole affair a little naive. We are after all speaking of a highly charged situation that many people around the world find deeply disturbing. Much as we'd like to believe it, it seems that sport can't always transcend politics. Read More...