- Features

Viewpoint: Women’s Tennis Landscape Is Bleak Sans Sisters

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Every March, the California sun gives us a glimpse of the WTA Tour’s future, a not-so-distant day when the Williams sisters will spend all their time (rather than some of it) designing clothes, perfecting the art of the manicure, and making movies. It’s not a pretty preview. The sisters haven’t played Indian Wells since 2001, and in that time my level of optimism about the future of women’s tennis has decreased. Markedly. This year it’s near zero.

Why? Because Indian Wells, without the Williams sisters, is a fabulous opportunity for the rest of the field. There’s a chance for a young woman to make a name for herself by winning an important title without having to beat two of the finest players in the game. There’s a chance for stardom, a chance to build confidence, a chance to get everyone talking about the next big thing in the sport. And no one is up to that challenge.

Only three players of merit—Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, and Maria Sharapova—have won this event since the Williams sisters began their boycott. Each of those three women lost early this week, and none of them represents the future of the tour. Henin and Clijsters have already retired once, and Sharapova has struggled at top tournaments since her return from shoulder surgery last year. The other women who have won this event since 2001 have one major between them and are not likely to add to that collection. They are Daniela Hantuchova (she’s about to turn 27); Vera Zvonareva (she’s 25 and routinely falls apart at majors); and Ana Ivanovic (the former French Open champion and world No. 1 will fall outside the Top 50 after another dispiriting performance).

Azarenka, who lost in the third round, was one of the many WTA disappointments this week at Indian Wells. (Harry How/Getty Images)

At the Australian Open this year, the women did something that they hadn’t done in a long time—they outshined the men, thanks largely to a flat performance by Andy Murray in the final. When this tournament began, I thought we were in for another treat. The sisters are irreplaceable, but at least Henin, Clijsters, and Sharapova were back. Elena Dementieva, a woman who deserves a major title if there ever was one, would be motivated; so would Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki. Of those six women, only Dementieva and Wozniacki remain.

Why isn’t there an heir apparent to the Williams sisters (and also to Henin, who will turn 28 in June)? I wish I knew. In the years since the sisters joined the tour, only one player, Sharapova, has done something that made every tennis onlooker stop dead and stare. Her performance at Wimbledon in 2004, when she was 17, seemed to crack the Williams code. Maybe it was possible to hit the ball harder than Serena and Venus, and to do it more consistently. Maybe it was possible to be better. That future hasn’t come to pass, which isn’t too surprising—one performance does not a career make. But it is surprising that no one else has taken what Sharapova did then and built on it. More women from more countries play tennis today, and they’re in better physical condition (on average) than in years past, yet the quality of play isn’t improving. Here are few (speculative) reasons:

*The sisters have advanced the game more than we thought. In the history of tennis, there has always been a next step, even when that next step seemed impossible. Pete Sampras is the perfect example. Sampras rewrote the tennis record books, only to see his own history rewritten a few years later by Roger Federer. On the women’s side, the Williams sisters are at the top of the evolutionary chain; there’s never been anyone who has played like them. Maybe they’re more ahead of their time than anyone has realized. It might be 10 years or more before someone catches up.

*Technology: Good for men’s tennis, but not for women’s tennis. I’m an opponent of “change the game” strategies—abolish the second serve, shrink the service box, require wooden racquets, to name a few—because I’m a believer in the law of unintended consequences. The men’s game ignored many calls for change and thrived (tough to complain about the quality of men’s tennis in the Federer Era).

I’ll stick with my principles and say a change isn’t warranted for the women, but matches like the one Jelena Jankovic and Sara Errani played this week tempt me to reconsider. Racquet technology has been great for groundstrokes and the return game. The problem is, those were already strengths in the women’s game. What you get now are matches where the serve is meaningless; it just starts a point. When breaks of serve become the norm, rather than rarities like goals in soccer, tennis is difficult to watch. The Williams sisters have adapted to modern racquets and slower courts, mostly because they serve much, much better than anyone else.

*No reason, we’re just in a lull. Let’s hope this is the answer. Lulls are part of life, and the Williams sisters seem likely to play several more years, at least. Maybe that will be enough to spare us from a future in which every women’s tournament looks like Indian Wells.

Tom Perrotta is a senior editor at TENNIS. Follow him on Twitter.

2010 BNP Paribas Open: Women's Preview

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For the men's Indian Wells preview, click here.

Regarding the Indian Wells women's draw, I'd be tempted to say that with the cats away, the mice get to come out and play. And this would be a fair assessment of an event where the top three seeds are Svetlana Kuznetsova, Caroline Wozniacki, and Victoria Azarenka, while Venus and Serena Williams are elsewhere. Except that this year two other cats—athletic ones at that—have returned. Tucked away in the quiet regions of the draw you’ll find the names of (unseeded) Justine Henin and (No. 14 seed) Kim Clijsters—I was startled, in a good way, to see them as I scanned down the names. In the last two majors, they’ve come from similarly obscure positions to win a title and reach a final. Is Indian Wells the next tournament to get the Belgian treatment?

First Quarter
Kuznetsova's top billing didn’t come with any perks. She'll get Clijsters in the round of 16. But should we worry about Kim II’s consistency, after her sleepwalk through Melbourne? She didn’t react well to a bad day, and Alisa Kleybanova, her likely third-round opponent, is good enough to make her pay for another. If Clijsters builds momentum, though, you have to pick her over Kuzzie. She’s 7-1 against the Russian.

The other side of this section, where Jelena Jankovic is scheduled to meet Flavia Pennetta in the fourth round, is more haphazard. At first glance, it seems like Petra Kvitova, Dominika Cibulkova and Shahar Peer might find themselves with a shot at going deeper in the draw.

—First-round match to watch: Alize Cornet vs. Carla Suarez Navarro. Nice games on both of them, though neither is a world-beater.

Semifinalist: Clijsters

Second Quarter
Here we have a collection of what you might call last year’s girls: Vera Zvonareva and Ana Ivanovic, the 2009 IW finalists, as well as semifinalists Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Victoria Azarenka. And you can throw two-time champ Hantuchova in with them. Who can rekindle the fire? Azarenka and Pavlyuchenkova have started well this year, while Ivanovic, as we know, hasn’t. Zvonareva remains a mystery. Seemingly unbeatable during certain weeks, she nonetheless disappears, due to injury or emotional overload, for long stretches. Her draw—she might play Ivanovic early—gives her a pretty good shot at making another reappearance.

Two other names stand out: Yanina Wickmayer and Sam Stosur. They were two of the tour’s most improved in 2009, and they play appealingly physical games. Does either have enough to make herself this year's girl?

—Others to watch: Melanie Oudin, who plays Italy’s Roberta Vinci. Blast from the past qualifier Karolina Sprem. And blast from the future qualifier Michelle Larcher de Brito.

Semifinalist: Wickmayer

Still unseeded, Henin will likely collide with Dementieva in a marquee fourth-rounder. (Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images)

Third Quarter
Pity Magdalena Rybarkova. Here she is in the softest section of a Premier draw that she’ll likely see in her life, and whose name shows up right beside hers? Polona Hercog, maybe? Melinda Czink, hopefully? The pushing-40 Kimiko Date Krumm, please? No, it's Justine Henin, who owns nearly as many majors as every other player in the tournament combined.

Who else is here? Elena Dementieva is the top seed, followed by Agnieszka Radwanska, and then Marion Bartoli, and then Francesca Schiavone, and then Aravane Rezai, and then . . . do I need to continue? Well, actually, Sabine Lisicki is also around, and she’s dangerous if you catch in the right two-hour window. I look forward to a fourth-round sequel to the Henin-Dementieva tussle in Melbourne. We should have gotten a third set that time, anyway.

Another ghostly name from the past: Anna Chakvetadze. Is she ready to do anything again? She might get Kuznetsova early.

—Sleeper: Bartoli

Semifinalist: Henin

Fourth Quarter
Recently I made the highly controversial statement that Caroline Wozniacki’s No. 3 ranking was of dubious worth. After all, she followed her runner-up appearance at the U.S. Open with a dreary upset loss in Melbourne. Here’s her chance to prove me wrong. Wozniacki is seeded No. 2, and she has avoided the Belgians. But her draw is the type of test she needs to pass to prove she’s ready to be a permanent part of the uppermost WTA echelon, rather than another temporary visitor. She has the consistency, but does she have the firepower? I know Wozniacki is young, and questioning her staying power at this point isn’t exactly fair, but we’ve got to take our drama where we find it.

Wozniacki may need to out-steady the persistent Maria Kirilenko in the third round, and then hold off the erratic power of Nadia Petrova in the fourth. After that, she could be looking at more big hitting from Li Na or Maria Sharapova, or the flat pace of Zheng Jie. I’m guessing Sharapova will find a better form at this tournament. She banked a quick title in Memphis, and while she may be tempted, I don’t think she's ready to cash in her chips for a front-row Lakers ticket quite yet.

—First-round match for really hardcore fans of American tennis to watch: Vania King vs. Christina McHale

Semifinalist: Sharapova

—Semifinals: Clijsters d. Wickmayer; Henin d. Sharapova
—Final: Henin d. Clijsters

Champion: Justine Henin

Steve Tignor is the executive editor of TENNIS magazine.

2010 BNP Paribas Open: Men's Preview

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For the women's Indian Wells preview, click here.

We’ve left the island of Oz far behind. We’ve flown over the murky, misty, sometimes brackish waters of February. Now, at last, we’ve sighted the land otherwise known as the 2010 tennis season. It’s hard land, made of desert, steel, and asphalt, and the palm trees have to fight to keep from having their heads chopped off in the wind. But it’s bright there, and not too humid, the perfect place to get off the plane and run around. It's also, luckily for most of us, the perfect place to watch other, younger people run around.

That’s the part we know about Indian Wells. What we have less of an idea about this time around is which of those younger people might win. This may not be unusual on the women’s side, where the Williams sisters traditionally let the rest of the WTA field have their 15 minutes in the sun. But it’s truer than ever for the men, where three of the top contenders come in with question marks penciled lightly next to their names. Roger Federer has been sick, Rafael Nadal has been hurt, and Novak Djokovic has been busting racquets, breathing heavily, spouting tears, punching himself, and otherwise leaving everything he’s got on the courts of Dubai and Serbia. We may be in for that rarest of events on the men’s tour: a surprise.

First Quarter
Federer is just getting back onto the court after weathering a lung infection, but he couldn’t ask for a better place to recuperate and make a few bucks while he's at it. It’s conceivable that he’ll be rusty, and it's conceivable that he’ll take a match or two to find his form, which has been the case at a few Masters events in the past. But is it conceivable, even over the course of just two or three sets, that he’ll be rusty enough to lose to Victor Hanescu, or Juan Ignacio Chela, or Marcos Baghdatis? Actually, the Baghdatis match might be a good one; back when he was a contender himself, the Cypriot reached the semis in Indian Wells.

On the other side of Federer’s quarter is Andy Roddick. This isn't the most awesome news that the American could have received, but he's been his usual steady self so far this year, and, after skipping Davis Cup, he won’t come in having done too much roadwork. Roddick is slotted to play Gael Monfils in the round of 16. The question for the Frenchman may be the opposite of Roddick’s—how will his own Davis Cup success this past weekend leave him feeling? Mentally drained, or emotionally energized? Either way, I hope to see Monfils play Richard Gasquet in the second round. To witness French panache on a tennis court, you have to find it early in a big event.

—Sleepers: Marcos Baghdatis, Radek Stepanek

Semifinalist: Federer

Second Quarter
Where does Andy Murray fit into all of this? He’s not sick, he’s not hurt, he’s not tired—maybe every pro should develop a video game addiction; it seems to serve Murray’s body well. Last year he beat Federer here before losing to Nadal in a windy, annoying final. One more thing: It’s hard to top Murray’s draw. Igor Andreev is the seed nearest him, then Ivo Karlovic, then David Ferrer. Then, on the other side of the section, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and, all the way at the bottom, Robin Soderling.

Speaking of which, this might be a telling event for Soderling: How will he meet heightened expectations? So far this year, he’s failed miserably at it, with a first-round loss in Melbourne, and succeeded modestly, with a title in Rotterdam. The latter was indoors, which is Sod’s turf. Desert wind? It can get to him and his towering toss. You might think Indian Wells and its slow hard courts would be kinder to Tsonga, who can generate pace off pretty much anything, and he did play a minor classic here a couple of years ago against Rafael Nadal. But the Frenchman remains supremely unpredictable, as his third-round exit in 2009 attests. A round of 16 matchup with Soderling would be a battle of power and athleticism at its herkiest and jerkiest. Not that it wouldn't be fun to watch them take their cuts.

—Player to watch early: Michael Llodra. Another Frenchman to catch while you can. At least go for the backhand volley. There may never be another quite like it.

Semifinalist: Murray

It's anyone's guess as to how Nadal will fare in his first tournament back since the Aussie Open. (Paul Crock/AFP/Getty Images)

Third Quarter
Nikolay Davydenko rides the top rung here. Consider the Russian another desert curiosity. His efficient blend of offense and defense was designed for the slow-court era—it may even be the first pure product of it—yet he’s only reached the fourth round once. Like Soderling, it could be a telling tournament for Kolya. He’s stepped forward to No. 5 over the last six months and has begun to tentatively be mentioned as a real Slam contender—I’ve even challenged the guy to finally go for it, but he hasn’t listened yet. So is Davydenko at least a contender in an event as significant as Indian Wells? He did win in Key Biscayne a couple of years ago, but that’s a tournament where the top guys can be a little worn out, and Davydenko specializes in picking off players when their guard is down, especially late in the season—money doesn't know if it was won in Paris or Kuala Lumpur, after all. He could play Ernests Gulbis in the second round, and Fernando Verdasco, whom he beat in five in Melbourne, in the fourth.

Wait, I’ve been talking about Davydenko this whole time without noticing who’s on the other side of his section: Rafael Nadal, the defending champion, who’s seeded No. 3. The early part of his draw is TBD at the moment—there’s Julien Benneteau, Mario Ancic, and three qualifiers to be named later. But there’s some danger after that, in the hulking form of either John Isner—who has suddenly become an intriguing figure in any bracket—or Sam Querrey. The desert, its golf courses, and its slow tennis courts suit Nadal; he used this event to break out of a slump way back in 2007.

—Sleeper: John Isner

Semifinalist: Davydenko

Fourth Quarter
Novak Djokovic makes a rare appearance on the bottom rung of a Masters bracket. Will his Davis Cup win last weekend give him momentum, or leave him flat when he returns to the tour, as usual? There are a couple of tricky players near him—Mardy Fish, Philipp Kohlschreiber—and potentially an even trickier one farther away in Marin Cilic. At the risk of repeating myself one too many times, I will boldly state that this could very well be a telling event for Cilic, too. He has the breakout Slam performance behind him, he has the contemporary, no-glaring-weakness, no-spectacular-weapon game that works on these courts, and he now has the wise words of new part-time coach Goran Ivanisevic ringing in his ears—hold on, is that a good thing? Best of all, Cilic has the draw. Moya, Bellucci, Ferrero, Monaco: These are the clay-court lovers whom he’ll likely have to face to reach the quarters.

—First-round match for Americans to watch: Taylor Dent vs. Ryan Harrison

Semifinalist: Cilic

—Semifinals: Murray d. Federer; Cilic d. Davydenko
—Final: Cilic d. Murray

Champion: Marin Cilic

Steve Tignor is the executive editor of TENNIS magazine.

Following Quake, Gonzalez Takes a Time Out

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

With his 30th birthday looming in July, Fernando Gonzalez knows he may not have many chances left to play in the rich and prestigious BNP Paribas Open. But Gonzalez is skipping Indian Wells this year—not because of a personal injury, but because his country is hurting.

“It wasn’t a difficult decision at all to stay here,” Gonzalez said yesterday from his home in Santiago, Chile, where he’s been lending his star power and support since the February 28 earthquake that killed at least 452 people. “Tennis is my job and it’s my passion, but this is much more important for me—to maybe bring a little bit of happiness to those people, talk to them, maybe play some tennis for them, or whatever they want me to do.”

While his fellow tennis stars are staging a second “Hit for Haiti” fundraiser on Friday in Indian Wells, the Gonzalez will be at home working with the Hogar de Cristo, a Chilean public charity institution providing disaster relief in the form of non-perishable food, blankets, disposable diapers and coal delivered to the southern and central regions of Chile.

Scientists estimate that the force of the quake moved Gonzalez’s hometown of Santiago 11 inches to the southwest. But the world No. 10 says the capital looks okay. “The buildings were prepared,” he said. “But [in] the cities to the south, the small towns, there are two to three million people left homeless,” he says. Gonzalez is part of a group of Chilean sports stars who are heading south today to tour the ravaged areas and, he hopes, “give them an illusion and maybe help them forget a little bit,” he says.

On the day of the quake, Fernando had just lost a semifinal match to David Ferrer at the Mexico Tennis Open in Acapulco when his girlfriend, Chilean model and singer Daniela Castillo, received a text message with news of the disaster. It took Gonzalez an hour to reach his parents and his sister by phone in Santiago. Once he had determined that they were safe, he worked his way home, “an odyssey of three flights, a taxi and van.”

When Gonzalez arrived in Santiago, he recorded a video seeking global assistance (it was posted on the ATP website) and made a series of appearances in Chile. Among the stops: a rally in the northern port city of Coquimbo, where he and the other members of the Chilean Davis Cup squad had been scheduled to play Israel last weekend.

Gonzalez and his teammates were conflicted about whether to go ahead with the tie, but ultimately decided to compete as scheduled. “It was not an easy decision to play,” he says. “But with all the bad news on TV, we thought it could bring a little bit of happiness.”

Playing for country took on even greater significance considering the circumstances. “There’s always pressure in Davis Cup, but this was more,” he said. “We felt we just couldn’t lose because we wanted to give some good news after all the bad news that had been on TV for all week,” he says. And the Chileans won convincingly, defeating Israel, 4-1. By beating Dudi Sela in straight sets, Gonzalez clinched the victory for Chile and earned the nation a spot in the quarterfinals.

Gonzalez will be back on Tour for the next big event, the Sony Ericsson Open later this month in Miami, where he’ll have bigger concerns than just defending ranking points. At a March 22 player party, Gonzalez plans to hold a silent auction featuring memorabilia from tennis and NBA stars. The proceeds will go to the Chilean earthquake relief effort.

Bill Gray is a senior editor and the resident gear guru at TENNIS. Follow his blog, The Pro Shop.

2010 BNP Paribas Open: Features Archive

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tuesday, March 16: Notebook: Bring the Heat Edition
Steve Tignor brings to attention some items from Indian Wells that you might have missed, watching from home.

Tuesday, March 16: Viewpoint: WTA Landscape Is Bleak Sans Sisters
Indian Wells serves as a preview for the WTA without Serena and Venus. Tom Perrotta doesn't like what he sees.

Monday, March 15: "That's Yanina Wickmayer"
A third Belgian woman is making her own comeback in 2010, writes Steve Tignor.

Monday, March 15: The Maestro Up Close
Steve Tignor caught a glance at the edge below Roger Federer's serene surface.

Monday, March 15: The Controller Gene
Andre Agassi is at fault for Friday night's ugly Hit For Haiti episode, writes Peter Bodo.

Sunday, March 14: Marcos Baghdatis and the End of Tennis History
Has safe and solid tennis permanently vanquished the creative on the men's side?

Sunday, March 14: Crazy Yanks
Does tennis prove that Americans are nuts? Steve Tignor explains.

Sunday, March 14: March of the Lemmings
Peter Bodo examines the chaotic early results on the women's side.

Saturday, March 13: Saturday at the Talent Zoo
Flavia, Yanina, Rafa, cougars, doo-wop and more Andre chatter at Indian Wells.

Saturday, March 13: Head Shot For Haiti
Steve Tignor writes that Friday's biggest surprise came when the 'Hit For Haiti' got interesting.

Friday, March 12: Dialing It Back One Time
Steve Tignor on how Maria Sharapova's willingness to abandon her go-for-broke approach served her better than Justine Henin's relentless aggressiveness on Friday.

Friday, March 12: Bodo: Quantifying Quality Qualifying
You're bound to discover an interesting name or two when perusing the qualifying draws.

Friday, March 12: Podcast: Indian Wells Bracket Busters
The gang examines the chances of a Roger/Rafa final, plus more.

Wednesday, March 10: 2010 BNP Paribas Open: Women's Preview
Steve Tignor breaks down the women's Indian Wells draw.

Wednesday, March 10: 2010 BNP Paribas Open: Men's Preview
Steve Tignor breaks down the men's Indian Wells draw.

Wednesday, March 10: 2010 BNP Paribas Open: Editors' Picks
The editors of TENNIS and TENNIS.com predict who will win the Indian Wells titles.

2010 BNP Paribas Open: Editors' Picks

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The editors of TENNIS magazine and TENNIS.com predict this year's Indian Wells champions:

James Martin Editor-in-Chief	Andy Murray: Fresh off his "practice session" in Dubai, Murray should be good to go in Indian Wells, where he reached the final last year (and the semifinals in 2007). The medium-pace hardcourts suit the Scot's game, and while he has Federer in his half of the draw, Murray beat him here last year in the semifinals.	Kim Clijsters: As usual these days, the women's tour is predictable for its unpredictability. But if you had to bet on a winner, Clijsters is as good a choice as any. She won the Indian Wells title twice, in 2003 and 2005, and her steady baseline game is one of the few bankable commodities on the women's tour right now.
Steve Tignor Executive Editor	Marin Cilic: Nadal has been hurt, Federer has been sick, Djokovic might be fried. This is the big man’s chance to come up big.	Justine Henin: She’s lost close finals in her two tournaments so far this year. Without the Williamses around, she’s the best player in the draw.
Sarah Unke Managing Editor	Rafael Nadal: With his recurring knee problems, Nadal is a risky pick. But his high-bouncing topspin has always mixed well with the slower hard courts in the desert. After his layoff, I’m looking to see a revived Nadal add to his two titles in Indian Wells.	Caroline Wozniacki: I’d pick Sharapova, but she burned me with that first-round loss in the Australian Open. Instead it’s time for Wozniacki to follow up her final in the U.S. Open with a big win. She’s done well in Indian Wells in the past, reaching the fourth round in 2008 and the quarterfinals in 2009. Maybe this is the year she can make it all the way to the winner’s stand.
Peter Bodo Senior Editor	John Isner: What?????, you cry? Hey listen, the tour has returned to the U.S., and Indian Wells is played on a hard court in relatively thin desert air. So why not roll the dice in support of the American game, with the outside chance of looking like a genius? Isner played well in Serbia, on clay, in Davis Cup last week, and U.S. Davis Cup captain Pat McEnroe says this kid has a really good temperament for the game. I say he shows sand in the desert and makes his big breakthrough.	Kim Clijsters: Okay, I had to really discipline my fingers to keep from writing “Elena Dementieva,” and now I’m scared that she’s going to pop up and win a big title on the one occasion when I don’t pick her. But Clijsters has a great record at Indian Wells, and the court is slow enough to suit her all-around game to a T. Plus, she’s got to be smarting after that awful, unexpected beatdown Nadia Petrova put on her in Melbourne. It’s payback time!
Tom Perrotta Senior Editor	Andy Murray: It’s been a good but disappointing season so far for Murray. He reached his second major final, but was uncharacteristically stiff and slow in what amounted to a routine defeat. Last month, he angered organizers in Dubai when he explained that he was practicing during a match, rather than playing to win. It’s time for Murray to make good. He has a favorable draw until the semifinals, where he could meet Federer. Murray has had Federer’s number outside the majors and should be up for the challenge here.	Maria Sharapova: Since bombing out at the Australian Open, where she lost in the first round, Sharapova has been in good form. This is the perfect tournament for her to announce her full recovery from shoulder surgery. The Williams sisters are not playing, and her most difficult rivals—Clijsters and Henin—won’t come her way until the semifinals and final.
Bill Gray Senior Editor	Rafael Nadal: Rafa will repeat, thanks largely to a lucky draw—it starts with a bye and qualifier—that won’t overtax his knees in the early rounds. Davydenko and Djokovic will be formidable probables, but Nadal will prevail and be ready for the revival of the rendez-vous with Rog.	Justine Henin: Only Serena stopped Henin from winning the first major stop in her comeback tour at the Australian Open, and that was in a three-set squeaker of a final. But with the varsity team of Williams and Williams out of town, it’ll be Justine easily rolling through the JV’s.
Sarah Thurmond Associate Editor	Novak Djokovic: The world No. 2 has won here before, in 2008, and was a runner-up in 2007. He followed up his Australian Open with a title run in Dubai; now he’s coming off a huge Davis Cup win for Serbia. It all adds up to a second title at Indian Wells.	Justine Henin: The third time will be the charm for Henin. She reached the final at her first two tournaments, Brisbane and Melbourne, and she hasn’t played for more than a month, so she’s coming in fresh. More importantly, she’s mentally tough, which gives her an edge over all the other players.
David Rosenberg Photo Editor	Marin Cilic: Just about everyone’s playing on the men’s side, though at the moment, it’s tough to know exactly where everyone’s game stands. One player who’s had a great start to the year is Cilic, who's been chalking up victories over the tour's best. Indian Wells seems like the logical next step for his first big tournament win.	Victoria Azarenka: The women’s tour seems like a sandwich with two thick pieces of bread (the veterans and the up-and-comers) with no meat in the middle (everyone else in between). It makes for an event filled with questions, most notably: Who can be taken seriously? It’s a toss up between Henin, trying to get her first win in her comeback, and Azarenka, who played great last spring. I’m going with Vika, who could add something to that middle territory in the WTA. On a side note, I’m excited to see Eleni Daniilidou back in action!
Abigail Lorge Managing Editor, TENNIS.com	Roger Federer: He’s in questionable form after a recent lung infection, he has a tough draw, and he lost badly in the third set against Murray last year…but I still can’t bring myself to pick against The Greatest.	Svetlana Kuznetsova: She’s not exactly on a roll coming into this event; in her last tour match she lost to No. 99th-ranked Regina Kulikova in Dubai. But Kuznetsova, seeded No. 1 at Indian Wells for the first time, is a two-time finalist there.
Ed McGrogan Assistant Editor, TENNIS.com	Nikolay Davydenko: The Davydenko train came to a screeching halt after the Russian failed to put away Federer in the Aussie quarters. But had that match been best-of-three sets, the format at Indian Wells, I bet Nik would have finished the job. Davydenko has won this type of event before, claiming Miami in 2008. Look for the bandwagoners to return after this latest triumph.	Justine Henin: You need to win at least six matches to take the Indian Wells title, so I'm looking for someone who can sustain a strong level of play for two weeks. Why not someone, then, who's done that seven times at the Slams? Henin will need to win an extra match as an unseeded player, but aside from Serena—who's not in California—she's playing the best on tour.

First Serve: March 1-7

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Reading between the lines: TENNIS.com's Monday morning quarterback recaps last week's pro tennis action—and offers his reaction.

Last Week's Tournaments

Davis Cup (ATP, Various)	Spain def. Switzerland \| France def. Germany Russia def. India \| Argentina def. Sweden Croatia def. Ecuador \| Serbia def. United States Chile leads Israel \| Czech Republic def. Belgium
Monterrey, Mexico (WTA, Hard)	Final: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Daniela Hantuchova Semifinal 1: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova def. Anastasija Sevastova Semifinal 2: Daniela Hantuchova def. Dominika Cibulkova Brackets: Singles \| Doubles

Ranked No. 233 in the world rankings, Vinciguerra isn't in many ATP main draws, but surfaces during Davis Cup. (Anders Wiklund/AFP/Getty Images)

Misery Loves Company
Last week, Tommy Haas had the ignominious distinction of losing in the opening round of a tournament (Delray Beach) as a top-seeded wild card. This week, Jelena Jankovic wore a scarlet “1 WC” in the Monterrey draw, but lost her first-round match to Anastasija Sevastova. Sevastova went on to reach the semifinals, a round Jankovic hasn’t reached this year—in fact, the former world No. 1 hasn’t even made a quarterfinal. For all the flak fellow Serb Ana Ivanovic has received lately for her poor play, Jankovic hasn’t fared much better.

The Best from The Rest
Of the seven Davis Cup ties that ended Sunday, just one—Argentina-Sweden—featured a live fifth rubber. David Nalbandian won the deciding match over Andreas Vinciguerra, a 29-year-old Swede who, despite an ATP career low on achievements (he has won only one title, in 2000), has figured into some important Davis Cup matches. Vinciguerra has now played three live fifth rubbers in the World Group; last year, he lost the final match of the “empty arena” tie with Israel, 8-6 in the fifth to Harel Levy. We often lament that the world’s best players don’t commit to Davis Cup—but fail to mention that we sometimes see the best from the game’s unheralded bunch. In a sport that seems to repeat itself week after week, that’s not a bad thing.

The Big Picture
John Isner performed yeoman’s work for the U.S. Davis Cup team in his first career tie, playing three matches in three days. Though the big man dropped both of his singles rubbers, he helped earn the Americans a point in doubles, replacing standout Mike Bryan on short notice. And while his loss to Novak Djokovic spelled the end of the tie, Isner stared down the world No. 2, and a hostile Serbian crowd, through five pressure-packed sets. U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe should have full confidence in the Georgia grad going forward.

This Week's Tournaments

Indian Wells, United States (ATP, Hard)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Indian Wells, United States (WTA, Hard)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles

Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com.

Ones for the Ages: Davis Cup’s Unlikely Record Holders

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Oldest: Yaka of Togo

“Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing.”
~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Gadonfin Yaka’s record-setting Davis Cup story began with a faulty alarm clock. “I was Togo’s captain, and we were traveling to Mauritius to play a match,” he recalled. “One of my players overslept and missed the flight, and another was going to have to leave early, so I had to play.” Yaka, who was born in a modest thatched roof dwelling in a remote Togolese village without electricity or running water, had retired from his job as a librarian five years before and wasn’t expecting to make a Davis Cup debut at the ripe age of 60.

Andre Agassi complained in his memoir Open that the Davis Cup “played havoc with my manicure schedule,” and many of today’s stars are similarly unwilling to commit to an event that offers scant remuneration and no ranking points. The Davis Cup is the world’s largest annual sporting event; this year 133 nations competed across 13 divisions. The stories of the youngest and oldest men ever to compete in the tournament indicate that the cup’s most compelling moments often involve players nowhere near the top of the ATP rankings.

Yaka, whom a childhood boxing coach had nicknamed “Pasmal” (“not bad “in French), did not pick up a tennis racquet until 1969, at age 29. A year later, he was the No. 1-ranked player in the West African nation of Togo, and by 2001, at age 60, he was still ranked No. 5. Yaka made his Davis Cup debut during an away tie with Mauritius; the losing team would face relegation. Togo and the hosts split the singles matches, leaving the doubles rubber to decide the tie. The fate of the Togolese Davis Cup season rested on the shoulders of a 60-year old man and his 17-year old doubles partner.

“When I saw this guy with the gray hair, I thought he was the coach, but when he pulled out his racquet, I was like, oh I guess he’s playing,” remembers Guillaume Desvaux, one of the Mauritian doubles players who played Yaka and his partner Kwami Gakpo.
The Togolese players, who had never before seen a clay court, were shut out in the first set. “I could tell the crowd thought that I was just warming the players up, and were waiting for real players to come out,” Yaka says.

After adjusting to the soft red clay courts, Yaka began to find his game, and the Mauritians realized they had a match on their hands. “After the first set, we started to think that maybe we should play more gently with him,” Desvaux says. “But later we realized we needed to play our best to beat them.” As the Togolese players began to find their footing, something unusual happened: the Mauritian crowd started cheering for the visitors.

Yaka and Gakpo fought gamely but were defeated in three sets.

Although Togo lost the tie, Yaka made it into the history books as the oldest man ever to compete in Davis Cup. One glitch: the ITF and the Guinness Book of World Records recorded his age on the day of the doubles match as 59 years, 147 days, when in fact he was 60 years, 247 days. His birth certificate had listed the date his parents requested the document, not his actual date of birth. Yaka’s name was also misspelled and transposed in the record books, which refer to him as Yaka-Garonfin Koptigan, rather than Gadonfin Koptigan Yaka. “I didn’t even know about the record until a friend in Togo told me years later,” Yaka says. “He said I was in the Guinness Book but I haven’t had time to check it.”

Not surprising, given how busy he’s been. Yaka immigrated to the U.S. in 2005 and now puts in 17-hour days as a security guard and a factory worker in Germantown, Maryland. “I came here for my son,” Yaka says. “Next year I’ll get American citizenship and I’ll be able to help him come to America, then he can take care of me.” None of Yaka’s American friends or colleagues have any idea that he’s a Davis Cup record-holder. “I told my co-workers once that I played Davis Cup, and they laughed, they said, ‘sure you did, you played against Andy Roddick, right?’”

Yaka’s record may not be safe, however. In 2003, at age 56, Ramiro Benavides, a retired professional player from Bolivia, became the second oldest man to play a Davis Cup match when he faced El Salvador in doubles after a 20-year absence from Cup competition. “The other team was surprised to see me on the court,” Benavies remembers. “In the first set, they were firing all the balls at me.”

Benavides was playing brilliantly, however, and the Bolivians took the first set. Javier Taborga, Benavides’ doubles partner, recalls, “They were trying to go around me, but Ramiro was playing extremely well.” In the second set, the Salvadorans decided to change their approach. “It went from hit it to the old guy, to hit it to the other guy,” Benavides said, laughing. The new strategy worked, and the Salvadorans closed out the match, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Until recently, Benavides thought that he was the oldest Davis Cup competitor in the books. When informed that Yaka holds the record, Benavides, now 62, said: “So that means I need to compete in 2010 to get my record back?” He wasn’t joking. “I’m still fit. We have guys in Bolivia ranked around No. 700 in the world, and I can take the first set off them, but then I get tired.”

The Youngest: Banzer of Liechtenstein

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
~Mark Twain

Strub, then 42, and Banzer, then 14, competed in doubles against Sudan.

While some small countries rely upon retired players to fill out their Davis Cup rosters, others recruit promising teenagers. Two of the three youngest players in Davis Cup history, Kenny Banzer of Liechtenstein and Hadi Badri of the United Arab Emirates, were both serving as ball boys only months before their Davis Cup debuts. The sport’s governing body officially recognizes Bangladesh’s Mohammed Akhtar Hossain as the youngest Davis Cup player in history at 13 years, 326 days. But Hossain, who now teaches tennis in Beijing, acknowledges that he was actually 15 when he played Davis Cup.

Kenny Banzer, who in 2000 became the actual youngest Davis Cup participant at 14 years, 5 days old, fought his way onto Liechtenstein’s squad by winning a playoff match against a schoolmate. Banzer, who had to take a week off from the seventh grade in order to compete, teamed up with Wolfgang Strub, then 42, for a series of Davis Cup matches in Ghana. How were the unlikely duo perceived by their opponents? “We were really big amateurs,” admits Strub, who, at 51, is still ranked No. 7 in Liechtenstein. “I was already too old to play really, but one player had to study for exams, and another couldn’t get time off work, so I had to participate. It wasn’t a question of quality; it was a question of availability.” Nevertheless, the team won two matches and earned the respect of their opponents.

Banzer acknowledges that he owes his place in the record books in large part to the fact that he hails from a country of only 35,000 people. “I had an advantage for sure. I was happy to be from Liechtenstein,” he says. The ITF no longer allows players under 14 to play Davis Cup, so Banzer’s record is unlikely to be broken.

Badri was given two plastic racquets at age 7, and within a year was training with the United Arab Emirates’ national team. In 1995, he made his Davis Cup debut at 14 years, 42 days, and he went on to play in 13 additional Cup matches before moving to the U.S. to play tennis at Tufts University in Boston.

While Davis Cup captains may struggle to recruit the game’s top players to participate, players like Yaka, Benavides, Banzer, Badri and Strub can’t imagine passing up the opportunity to play Davis Cup. “Anyone who is given the chance to represent their country has to take it,” says Badri.

Dave Seminara is a freelance writer based in Chicago.

Report Card: Grading the Pros on February

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Who gets gold stars (and who’s wearing the dunce cap) in the pro game:

Head of the Class
Being Queen of Dubai, Acapulco, and Madison Square Garden doesn’t have the same ring as Queen of England, but the formerly struggling Venus Williams will take it.

As the world economy stumbles along, the ATP Tour lands a big-name sponsor (Corona) at a solid price ($70 million over 5½ years). We’re not talking ISL numbers here (ah, the days when tennis could command a $1.2 billion deal) but something (specifically, my refrigerator) tells me Corona isn’t headed for bankruptcy anytime soon.

Honors Students
How does an Australian Open champion spend her time after returning from Melbourne? If she’s Serena Williams, she goes to beauty school to learn how to give a professional manicure, of course. If Williams paints as accurately as she serves, she had some lucky test subjects.

After an embarrassing first-round defeat at the Australian Open, Robin Soderling returned to his winning ways in Rotterdam, where he downed Nikolay Davydenko en route to the title.

Doctor’s Note
As any parent will tell you, you get sick more often once you have children—even if you’re Roger Federer. The world No. 1 is recovering from a lung infection and wondering if he should cut an endorsement deal with a hand sanitizer manufacturer.

Captain of the Debate Team
Until recently, John McEnroe had not explicitly called Federer the greatest player of all time (though he had implied it on several occasions). Now that he has, that should end the discussion.

Skip a Grade
Ricardas Berankas, the former top junior, made a name for himself in San Jose, where he reached the quarterfinals.

Congrats to Polona Hercog, a 19-year-old Slovenian who reached the Acapulco final after upsetting two Top 50 players. She pushed Venus Williams to three sets in the final.

Hercog nearly capped her memorable Acapulco run with an upset of Venus Williams in the final. (Alfredo Estrella/AFP/Getty Images)

Found a Tutor
Ana Ivanovic’s decline continues, but at least she’s seeking help, in the form of Steffi Graf’s former coach, Heinz Gunthardt. Give Ivanovic Graf’s forehand and serve, and you’re onto something. If Gunthardt gets the job done, he deserves a Grand Slam-size bonus check, subtracted from the proceeds of Ivanovic’s numerous endorsement deals.

Extra Credit
Stickers and stars for Maria Sharapova, who has recovered from early season disaster and returned to fine form. Sharapova, who lost in the first round at the Australian Open, won her first title of the season in Memphis. She also bakes cookies.

Needs a New Major
Patty Schnyder, 31, has a lot of trouble winning tennis matches these days. It might be time for her to stop playing them.

Most Determined
Shahar Peer continues to play her best under pressure and protest. The Israeli reached the semifinals in Dubai, where she lived under lockdown when not on court (the United Arab Emirates does not have diplomatic relations with Israel; Steve Tignor gives more details).

Class Clown No More?
Is Ernests Gulbis taking tennis seriously? That might be overstating the case, but it was nice to see the talented Latvian win his first ATP title in Delray Beach over the weekend.

Drop Out, with Regrets
When I interviewed Marat Safin at last year’s U.S. Open, he said he would play exhibitions—“just to keep my butt in shape and remember the good times”—after he had taken a break from the game to enjoy life. Boredom must have set in quickly, as Safin will appear alongside Andy Roddick, James Blake, Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander in an Atlantic City exhibition in April.

AWOL
Sania Mirza, what has happened to thee? The Times of India—and the rest of India—weeps.

Expelled
Nicole Vaidisova, the former French Open quarterfinalist and future of tennis, has one victory (over Laura Granville) this year to go along with three losses. Hard to imagine that she could sink much lower. Most amazing fact in tennis: Vaidisova is only 20 years old.

Quote of the month
Andy Roddick, when asked about Brooklyn Decker’s appearance on a Times Square billboard following her Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover debut: “It’s better that it’s her, because I don’t look as good in yellow bikini bottoms.”

Department of Anagrams
Speaking of Robin Soderling, what would you say is the difference between his hair and Roger Federer’s? Why, it has _______. Send your answers to me via email. The first person to solve it wins a (modest) prize.

Tom Perrotta is a senior editor at TENNIS. Follow him on Twitter.

Q&A With 'Jersey Girl' Clijsters

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

To hear Kim Clijsters tell it, her weekend wasn’t much different than that of any other high-powered New Jersey working mom trying to balance family duties with work life. “It’s taken some time to get the right balance, but I’m getting the hang of it,” Clijsters said Sunday after a 60-mile commute from Wall, New Jersey, to New York City for a work obligation.

The start of the weekend was all about her mother role, as Clijsters was celebrating the second birthday of Jada, her daughter with her Jersey-born husband Brian Lynch. After baking a birthday cake and preparing and hosting a brunch for 24 of her husband’s relatives on Saturday, Clijsters changed into her work clothes—a Fila warm-up from its new Center Court Collection—to fulfill some promotional obligations for her apparel sponsor on Sunday. The tour culminated at Madison Square Garden, where Clijsters squared off with fellow Fila endorser Svetlana Kuznetsova in a Wii racquet sports contest and then took photos with disadvantaged kids as part of MSG’s Garden of Dreams Foundation program.

Clijsters is in town for the Billie Jean King Cup/BNP Paribas Showdown at the Garden, where she, Kuznetsova, Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic will really get down to business, competing in a single-elimination exhibition event for $1.2 million in prize money.

TENNIS.com caught up with the reigning U.S. Open champ for a few minutes on Sunday.

TENNIS.com: So when did you become a Jersey Girl?
Kim Clijsters: Just before the [2009] U.S. Open. We feel it’s important that Jada knows both of the worlds her parents come from. So we bought our first house together [a 2,700-square-foot three-bedroom house in southern New Jersey]. Brian already had a house in New Jersey that was really nice because it was close to the [Jersey Shore] beaches, but it had a really small garden. So we went inland a little bit more to get a bigger garden for Jada to play in.

Will New Jersey be your new home base?
For now, just a few weeks here and there. I still have a house in Belgium for when the tour is in Europe, but we’ll come back to New Jersey for the American hardcourt season, at least for a while after the Miami tournament [in March], then a few weeks before Cincinnati [in August], and, of course, the Open and probably a week or so after it’s over.

Did Jada get the Kim Clijsters Barbie Doll for her birthday?
No, she already has that one, along with the little one they made of her. But my mother-in-law gave her a regular Barbie, and Brian and I got her some paints for coloring because she’s starting to get pretty creative now.

Speaking of Barbies, which is more special to you: The role-model Barbie created in your likeness [others so honored by Mattel Toys are Oprah Winfrey, J.K. Rowlings and German Chancellor Angela Merkel], or being nominated for this year’s Laureus Comeback of the Year award [along with Lance Armstrong and Brett Favre]?
Oh wow, that’s really hard. Laureus is like the Oscars of sports and to be nominated so soon after I started back in tennis is really special. But if I had to choose it would be the Barbie, because Jada can play with it now and she’ll realize how special it is when she’s older.

Are you getting a lot of endorsement offers after the U.S. Open win for family-oriented products? Seems like you would be a natural pick for a mom-mobile brand like Volvo or some kind of mini-van soccer-mom thing.
There’s a lot more sponsor interest now than when I won the U.S. Open the first time [in 2005]. But not really the family kind of sponsors. Nothing from Volvo or other auto companies. At least they haven’t contacted us so far.

Are your tattoos—Jada’s name on your left wrist and Brian’s first initial on your ring finger—there for inspiration during tight matches?
Once in a while when I’m waiting to return serve I look down at them. But there’s a more practical reason for the “B” on my finger. I used to wear my engagement and wedding rings, but Jada would get scratches from the diamond when I was changing her diaper. So Brian and I went to the tattoo store.

How do you feel about Serena Williams pulling out of the exhibition here in New York?
Disappointed. It would have been nice. We’ve had some great charity matches. I just like her a lot. She’s a fun girl to hang out with.

Bill Gray is TENNIS magazine’s gear editor. Read his blog, The Pro Shop.

First Serve: February 22-28

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Reading between the lines: TENNIS.com's Monday morning quarterback recaps last week's pro tennis action—and offers his reaction.

Last Week's Tournaments

Acapulco, Mexico (ATP, Clay)	Final: David Ferrer def. Juan Carlos Ferrero Semifinal 1: Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Juan Monaco Semifinal 2: David Ferrer def. Fernando Gonzalez Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Delray Beach, United States (ATP, Hard)	Final: Ernests Gulbis def. Ivo Karlovic Semifinal 1: Ernests Gulbis def. Jarkko Nieminen Semifinal 2: Ivo Karlovic def. Mardy Fish Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (ATP, Hard)	Final: Novak Djokovic def. Mikhail Youzhny Semifinal 1: Mikhail Youzhny def. Jurgen Melzer Semifinal 2: Novak Djokovic def. Marcos Baghdatis Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Acapulco, Mexico (WTA, Clay)	Final: Venus Williams def. Polona Hercog Semifinal 1: Venus Williams def. Edina Gallovits Semifinal 2: Polona Hercog def. Carla Suarez Navarro Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (WTA, Hard)	Final: Alisa Kleybanova def. Elena Dementieva Semifinal 1: Elena Dementieva def. Sybille Bammer Semifinal 2: Alisa Kleybanova def. Ayumi Morita Brackets: Singles \| Doubles

Ferrer avenged a loss to Ferrero in the Buenos Aires final by defeating him in last week's Acapulco final. (AP Images)

Thanks For Nothing
Tournament directors should not root for certain players to win, but it undoubtedly helps their causes when the big names progress. And it must sting when the top seed falls early, and even more so if that player had been given a wild card—and likely, a tidy sum—to play. No. 1 seed Tommy Haas didn’t do Delray Beach any favors by losing to Russia's Teimuraz Gabashvili in the first round, 7-6 (3), 7-5.

Bend But Don't Break
It might not have been his prettiest win, and it was far from his most important, but Novak Djokovic’s successful title defense in Dubai made for one of the finest February performances of any ATP player. In his five match wins, Djokovic won four three-setters—three of them after dropping the opening set. The Serb’s tour de force was holding off a resurgent Marcos Baghdatis in their semifinal match, during which each man clobbered the ball for nearly three hours.

Revitalizing Dirt
I would be remiss in not mentioning Juan Carlos Ferrero’s torrid stretch of play on clay. After starting the season with two losses, Ferrero won the Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires tournaments before losing a three-set final to David Ferrer in last week’s Acapulco event. The 2003 French Open champ, who turned 30 in December, is now ranked No. 14 in the world.

This Week's Tournaments

Davis Cup (ATP, Various)	Spain vs. Switzerland France vs. Germany Russia vs. India Sweden vs. Argentina Croatia vs. Ecuador Serbia vs. United States Chile vs. Israel Belgium vs. Czech Republic
Monterrey, Mexico (WTA, Hard)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles

Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com.

Finding a Niche: Top-flight tennis to continue at MSG

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Season-ending championships they are not, but the early-season exhibitions at Madison Square Garden have offered fans a glimpse of pro tennis in Manhattan for the last three years—and will for many more to come, says promoter Jerry Solomon.

“There are a lot of reasons to keep looking beyond this year, and even next year, as we try to position this as the kickoff to tennis in the United States,” said Solomon, president and CEO of StarGames, a sports marketing, management and entertainment company. The primary reasons: Time and talent. StarGames has, for the third straight year, scheduled a lucrative event, the Billie Jean King Cup, near a time when the sport’s biggest names arrive in the U.S. for the Indian Wells tournament. It’s optimal timing for both players and fans, the majority of whom haven’t watched any tennis since the Australian Open. “The Billie Jean King Cup got pretty much immediate acceptance because of her credibility,” said Solomon.

It has been also accepted because of the caliber of its contestants. In 2008, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras’s four-leg exhibition tour culminated at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.” In 2009, the Williams sisters, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic played their own exhibition. This year’s edition is another ladies’ night, with Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic playing a mini-tourney as part of the USTA’s Tennis Night in America. (Serena Williams was scheduled to compete, but pulled out with a leg injury.) “We have been, since day one when we brought Pete and Roger to the Garden, trying to create this event that’s a celebration of tennis across the United States,” said Solomon, who sees these first three installments as just the beginning. “We have a long-term agreement with Madison Square, BNP Paribas and other sponsors.” (He later clarified that the agreement with the Garden is “long enough for us to make three- and five-year plans.”)

Down the road, Solomon hopes to promote an event with the four reigning Grand Slam champions of both the men’s and women’s tours. “Our goal is to try to bring them both in, over two days—have the semifinals of both the men’s and the women’s on the first day, and the finals on the second.” In the meantime, Northeasterners itching to see men’s action this spring can head to Atlantic City, where Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, Andy Roddick and others will play in April in a StarGames-sponsored exhibition

The format of Monday’s exhibition in New York City will deviate slightly from last year’s Showdown, which lasted until after midnight. In the 2010 edition, no-ad scoring, used only in the one-set semifinals last time, will also be used in the best-of-three set final. Organizers—as well as ESPN2, who is broadcasting the final—are hoping this change, along with an earlier (7:00 p.m.) start time, will keep the fans in their seats until the end. MSG Plus, a regional network, will broadcast the semifinals, which pit Ivanovic vs. Clijsters and Kuznetsova vs. Williams. (All three matches can be seen online at ESPN360.com.)

What hasn’t changed is that each participant will earn a towering sum of money. The losing semifinalists will take home $250,000 each, the runner-up $300,000, and the winner $400,000. But the players won’t be the only ones to benefit from the proceedings. “The overlay of Tennis Night in America has continued to grow,” said Solomon. “I think it’s important that this all be seen in that light. The main beneficiary this year will be the Women’s Sports Foundation, but we are doing a lot with the USTA, the Arthur Ashe Foundation and the National Junior Tennis League. We’re involving as many of the local tennis organizations as we possibly can.”

Another organization involved with Tennis Night in America is the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which will announce this year’s inductees at the Garden. Based on the stars who’ve played there the last three years—and those who could show up in the future—the night may also serve as a preview of Hall of Fame classes to come.

Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com.

Going Public: How To Wrangle Extra Court Time

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We all know the feeling: You’re in the throes of some epic grudge match against a fellow court rat and you’re both pumped. In your mind it’s the fifth-set tiebreak at the U.S. Open and the tension is exquisite. You’re playing out of your mind. In fact, you’re fairly sure that if Nick Bollettieri himself were to walk by the fence at this very moment, he would give some discreet nod to an IMG flunkie and you and your opponent would both be placed on full scholarships. “I don’t usually sign 30-year-olds with suspect movement and nonexistent volleys,” Nick would probably say, flashing that unnervingly white smile. “But these hot shots are wasted in the corporate world. They should be on tour.”

And then a bell rings and the fantasy is abruptly punctured by the sight of two once-a-summer tennis dilettantes approaching the court, getting ready to kick you off. In their hands they carry racquets that look like they might have been endorsed by Ken Rosewall or someone else who played in black and white. They don’t even have tennis bags, you think to yourself. They are planning to stink up your own personal Arthur Ashe Stadium with a hit-and-giggle, and there’s nothing you can do.

Sound familiar? Unlike basketball, handball and other sports played at public facilities, tennis operates on purely on a sign-in basis. There is no “play you for the court” in our beautiful game. Players like Monica Seles, who practiced on public courts after her acrimonious departure from Bollettieri’s academy in 1990, get exactly the same priority as that girl who is just looking for an excuse to try out her new Stella McCartney tennis outfit. We’re supposed to embrace this inclusive USTA-endorsed idea that it’s great that “everyone” is playing the game, but the reality is that it’s galling to have to stop hitting to make room for the underarm serve brigade. It seems counterintuitive that protocol requires you to cede ground to vastly inferior players. Especially when it happens at courts that you’ve sweated, wept and very possibly bled upon.

With that in mind and with the outdoor season approaching, I thought I’d give all of you court rats some tips on overthrowing this unjust tennis democracy and sneakily commandeering your local facilities. To those who are just learning the game—sorry, but you’ll thank me when you’re better.

1. Befriend the court attendants. The first thing you need to do is give a small “financial incentive” (please don’t call it a bribe) to the park attendants. These underpaid, overworked souls almost certainly loathe tennis (have you ever seen any of them actually play?) and their “office” is probably a run-down “clubhouse” that “smells like tinkle.” They consider tennis players to be spoiled preppies and really do not care that your dedication to the game should entitle you to priority on court time. Befriend them; learn their names, cross their palms with silver. Then they might start to care.

2. Enlist the unemployed. You know how many brokers boast about being able to make the best of an economic downturn? As a tennis player you can do the same. There are, sadly, ever more unemployed players who now have the time to play for hours. These people are your allies. They can personally sign you up for courts in advance, giving you a valuable jump on the chaotic afterwork rush.

3. Apply some pressure. Contrary to popular belief, certain underarm servers do have a conscience. If you engage in skilful games of mini-tennis just behind the fence at the back of their court, you can subtly convey the message that better players are chomping at the bit. Obnoxious? Certainly. Effective? Definitely.

4. School ’em off the court. While a bald “play you for the court” is unlikely to get you far, a roundabout way of achieving the same result is to ask the hit-and-gigglers if they would care for a game of doubles. Usually if you can provide a less skilled pair with a better workout than they would get with each other they might be more amenable to allowing you to have the court early.

Finally, it should be noted that the corollary to all of this is that you can’t expect others to give way to a better player if you’re not prepared to give way yourself. A skill-based tennis meritocracy must cut both ways. So, when the weather warms up and the crowds at your local courts increase, respect tennis karma and defer to those higher up the NTRP ladder. And if for some unlikely reason, you do happen to see Seles taking two-handed shadow swings behind the fence, please don’t make her get in line behind you.

Donal Lynch is a New York City-based correspondent for the Sunday Independent, a newspaper in his native Ireland. He’s been standing his ground at public courts for years now.

Viewpoint: Beer will make the ATP taste a lot better

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Originally published on ESPN.com on February 24.

Beer is good. No, beer is great. Benjamin Franklin famously said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." No less than William Shakespeare wrote, "For a quart of ale is a dish for a king." Frank Sinatra had it right when he said, "I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day."

You know who else is feeling good these days? The ATP Tour, which has recently found a new global sponsor, Corona Extra (hiccup).

This is (hiccup) a big deal. The men's tour lost its long-time global sponsor, Mercedes-Benz, in 2008 after a successful 12-year run. The luxury car company has since signed on to be a sponsor of the U.S. Open, while the ATP has been trying to replace a deal that paid it a reported $13 million annually in the last three years of the sponsorship. At a time when the global economy continues to teeter on the brink and the suits use nonsensical terms such as "jobless recovery," this deal is impressive: $70 million over 5½ years. It might take some time getting used to seeing the Corona Extra logo on the nets—about two-thirds of the tour's tournaments will have them by 2011—but if it bothers you, have a pint.

When it comes to sponsorship, it was a prudent decision for the ATP to join forces with alcohol. (Getty Images)

But beyond the dollars and sense, this deal is a huge step forward for the game's image. Since tennis hit the mainstream in the 1970s, it's been considered a country club sport. And despite the emergence of star players who first learned tennis in dodgy cities and war-torn neighborhoods, and despite the growth of the game in public parks, tennis continues to be saddled with its elitist image. One reason for this is that the sport's business side has a long tradition of signing up luxury brands such as Lexus, Mercedes and Rolex as sponsors. Corona, by contrast, will allow the men's tour to speak to a much larger demographic—the highly coveted Joe Sixpacks of the world.

And it's not as though we're talking about a low-rent beer. If the ATP had signed up Pabst Blue Ribbon or Coors, the tour would deserve massive servings of ridicule and criticism. But Corona was a smart choice. It's a savvy company that practically invented Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. If it weren't for Corona, most of us wouldn't have a clue what this holiday was. Most of us still don't, but we know, like Pavlovian dogs, that we're supposed to drink copious amounts of lager on May 5. Marketing smarts like this will only help men's tennis.

Of course, there will be those teetotalers who blast the ATP for, OMG, inking a deal with a beer company. And the ATP will have to navigate restrictions that some countries have on beer sponsorships, including … Russia, where they brush their teeth with vodka. (Or so I'm told.)

The Corona deal represents two truths: beer is good, and beer is even better in a bad economy. Or as Bob Dorfman, the executive creative director at Baker Street Advertising, aptly told the New York Times, "Drinking booze and watching sports is a natural combination—and one that seems fairly recession-proof—so it's no surprise today to see sports leagues replacing high-ticket items with everyday products as sponsor partners."

So let's raise a pint to the ATP tour's executive chairman, Adam Helfant. He's scored his first big win as the tour's new leader. Roger Federer and the gang should buy him a round. Cheers!

James Martin is the editor-in-chief of TENNIS. Follow him on Twitter.

First Serve: February 15-21

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Reading between the lines: TENNIS.com's Monday morning quarterback recaps last week's pro tennis action—and offers his reaction.

Last Week's Tournaments

Buenos Aires, Argentina (ATP, Clay)	Final: Juan Carlos Ferrero def. David Ferrer Semifinal 1: David Ferrer def. Albert Montanes Semifinal 2: Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Juan Monaco Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Marseille, France (ATP, Hard)	Final: Michael Llodra def. Julien Benneteau Semifinal 1: Michael Llodra def. Mischa Zverev Semifinal 2: Julien Benneteau def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Memphis, United States (ATP, Hard)	Final: Sam Querrey def. John Isner Semifinal 1: Sam Querrey def. Ernests Gulbis Semifinal 2: John Isner def. Philipp Petzschner Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Bogota, Columbia (WTA, Clay)	Final: Mariana Duque Marino def. Angelique Kerber Semifinal 1: Angelique Kerber def. Gisela Dulko Semifinal 2: Mariana Duque Marino def. A. Parra Santonja Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (WTA, Hard)	Final: Venus Williams def. Victoria Azarenka Semifinal 1: Venus Williams def. Shahar Peer Semifinal 2: Victoria Azarenka def. Agnieszka Radwanska Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Memphis, United States (WTA, Hard)	Final: Maria Sharapova def. Sofia Arvidsson Semifinal 1: Maria Sharapova def. Petra Kvitova Semifinal 2: Sofia Arvidsson def. Anne Keothavong Brackets: Singles \| Doubles

Llodra bested Marcos Baghdatis, Robin Soderling and Julien Benneteau on his way to the Marseille title. (Getty Images)

A Fleeting Force
John Isner, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Ivo Karlovic and Igor Andreev are some of the ATP’s finest floaters: They aren’t consistent enough to keep a high ranking, but they can give the top dogs serious trouble—early—at the Slams. On the WTA, the ultimate wild card is Nadia Petrova. In Melbourne, she upset Kim Clijsters and Svetlana Kuznetsova, and tested eventual finalist Justine Henin in the quarters. In all other events this season, she’s winless. Last week in Dubai, Petrova, currently ranked No. 19, lost her opening match to the 68th-ranked Stefanie Voegele—who in turn lost her next match, 6-3, 6-0, to qualifier Regina Kulikova. Having said that, keep an eye on Nadia at Roland Garros, where she’s a two-time semifinalist.

More French Magic
Fabrice Santoro may be gone (we think), but there’s another Frenchman worth your time if you enjoy tennis off the beaten path. Michael Llodra, who won his first title in two years in Marseille, uses serve-and-volley tactics that are both unusual—few players rush the net anymore—and beautiful, especially when he’s forced to use his backhand. I first saw Llodra in person at a 2008 Davis Cup tie; now, I seek him out whenever I attend a tournament. Even better, he’s almost always on a side court, so you can watch him up close. Catch him while you can—Llodra turns 30 this year, and his singles ranking, this latest triumph notwithstanding, has dipped of late.

Tepid to Torrid
I expected Sam Querrey, whose breakthrough 2009 season abruptly ended last October when he injured his arm, to have a slow start this year. But three straight opening-round losses (in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne) were a bit concerning. Since he’s returned to the States, however, Sam has gone 8-1, reaching the San Jose semifinals and winning Memphis. Chalk the turnaround up to playing into form, not playing at home. This might be the year that the 22-year-old, who’s reached seven career ATP finals, makes a deep run at one of the bigger American events, like Indian Wells or Miami.

This Week's Tournaments

Acapulco, Mexico (ATP, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Delray Beach, United States (ATP, Hard)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (ATP, Hard)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Acapulco, Mexico (WTA, Clay)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (WTA, Hard)	Brackets: Singles \| Doubles

Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com.