Tennis and The Tea Party

 

 

Remember that time Rafa was cartwheelin’ fistpumps all over town after beating a qualifier in round two of a 500  event? Well…

 

 

 

 

 

 

*whispers* Think we should tell him it’s not 2003?

 

We don’t see this sort of thing nearly so often from you now, but like I said to Rafa – don’t ever change.

 

Roger Federer hit for the cycle in 2010: a Slam, a Masters Series titles, a 500-level and a 250-level title. (If this were any other player it would be a banner season; because it's Federer, we keep hearing how it's least productive output since 2002.)

-- SI.com

 

Actually no. Well, sort of.

 

See, the only people that actually focus on it being his “least productive output” are the type of cavemen that probably still think he’s world #1.

 

This is the opinion of a hot-headed fringe group – the ‘Tea Party’ of tennis.

 

Anyone else with even a passing interest in the sport (including me :p) picked up on his multi-tiered title tally (tongue twister, much), as well as noting that this is now his 7th consecutive final outside of the Slams.

 

 

And if we really want to be picky, then I think you’ll find it was 2008 (USO, Estoril, Halle, Basel), rather than 2010, that was his least productive.

 

Not that a deliberately skewed perception is anything to be surprised by – never let nerdy facts get in the way of a chance to play contrarian.

 

By the way, it might interest you to know that the exact same thing’s happened to Kim Clijsters, who’s also won a title at every WTA level (a Slam, a Premier-Mandatory, a Premier-5, an International Event…and of course the SEC), yet all we keep hearing is how unwholesome it is of her to be getting so “Williams” about her scheduling.

 

And so it was that Fed, in this week of mediocre sequels (I hope no one seriously bought into the idea of that ARod semi as “Wimby part 2”) and trumped-up revenge narratives (Fed either “only cares about the Slams” or he uses titles like this to avenge Slam losses – which is it?), fought his way past Pete Sampras’s title count to 65 ATP singles titles – 4th overall in the Open Era.

 

It’s a relatively light meander up to McEnroe (77). But to meet the real nutters – tennis’s gasoline-guzzling hell’s angels – you have to work your way up to three digits. Only there do you get to meet the likes of Ivan Lendl (94) and Jimmy Connors (109). I wouldn’t get too close however – not unless you want to get pulled into a drinking game involving engine oil and an industrial solvent.

 

***

 

Rafael Nadal

David Ferrer

Fernando Verdasco

Nicolas Almagro

Albert Montanes

Juan Carlos Ferrero

Feliciano Lopez

Guilermo Garcia-Lopez

 

8 of the 14 Spanish men in the top 100 have won ATP singles titles this season.

 

 

Simply an astonishing stat: it’s one thing having such an epic presence at the top of the game – quite another to make good on it.

 

Granollers had a chance to join this esteemed Spanish inner circle of truth. All he had to do was go through Daveed Ferrer.

 

 

And yet, just as you don’t think of beating Fed in Basel, you don’t beat the tournament co-owner in his own house – it’s just not the done thing deary.

 

(images: getty)

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‘Something Special’ from Djoko, and Daveed makes an honest event of Valencia.

“It’s disappointing to lose at home in the finals, no doubt,” Federer said. “I thought I missed plenty of opportunities. I’m not looking for excuses. He played tough and he played well when he had to, and saved a ton of break points that were crucial.”

Djokovic improved to 3-2 this year against Federer, and said the top-ranked Swiss pushed him to his limits.

“I have to produce something special to win,” Djokovic said at sold-out St. Jakobshalle.

The second-seeded Serb clinched the first set by saving five break points in a game that lasted 24 minutes.

“It was maybe the turning point in the whole match,” Djokovic said. “I was fortunate to keep my nerves.”

(tennis.com)

Djokovic d. Federer 6-4 4-6 6-2

Make what ye will of this result.

I’m finding it hard to think of it as that meaningful, one way or the other.

(FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

I like it that Nole managed to close out a final, again ‘only’ at the 500 level, but this time opposite the very best. Here’s me thinking the politically ‘corrected’, though not so well adjusted version of Djoko hadn’t the stomach for the fight anymore.

I dislike analyses that are wholly predicated upon how one or both players were not at their best.

The result is what it is, and being only a 500 is, I daresay, not nearly as discomforting to Fed as is being suggested in some quarters; though it can’t of course be much fun losing at home to someone he considers an anathema to everything that is just and proper about tennis.

(Photo: AP)

Meanwhile Murray cleaned up very easily in Valencia. A tournament that has none other than Daveed Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero as it’s co-owners.

Wondered how long it would take Daveed to make it official. It had always been ‘his’ tournament.

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A Splash of Colour…

“Joining a list of stars who have worn the brand, that includes Muhammad Ali and David Beckham, is an honour. I’m in no doubt that this deal will help me both on and off the court.”
-- Murray on going Barricade

So begins a five year, £10M deal, entitled “Competition and Barricade colourways”. Whatever that means.

We’ll get a glimpse of those ‘colourways’, when he takes to court with Laura Robson at the Hopman Cup next year. I can’t wait.

(Photo: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

Except Murray’s not about colour. Nor is he that colourful, for that matter. But that’s not the only objection I have.

I’ve had my criticisms of some of his decisions over the years, and I’m not about to shoot him down for leveraging upon what might turn out to be the most bankable period in his career, but I always thought that signing up with Fred Perry was one his savviest moves yet. Then of course he parted ways with Gilbert and assembled Team Murray.

It wasn’t just the vintage appeal of the iconic brand, and I wasn’t always a great fan of some of their more bland colour combos.

But it was understated, in a way which is all British; certainly more than any of the more jetsprayed lines Adidas and Nike have rolled out over the years. It also happened to suit Murray’s wry, somewhat abrasive, tell-it-like-it-is persona, to a tee. Qualities which make his pairing with Robson next year, all the more compelling.

It’s still too early to form any strong opinion one way or the other, for which we’ll need to get a look in at exactly how colourful those colourways are.

But my gut instinct says that Nole is a better fit with Adidas and that colour isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

BTW Murray came through his opener in Valencia in straights yesterday. A field that includes Nikolay, Tsonga and Verdasco.

The appetite for London, of those last two seems undimmed. But where is Big Rob?

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