This week in Paris has been absolutely fascinating. As far as end of season tournaments go, Paris has been by far the best. Despite del Potro’s retirement, Federer’s first round loss, and Mandy’s loss to the ever annoying Stepanek, tennis fans have had plenty to enjoy. Rafael Nadal fought his way through to the semi finals, Gael Monfils gave the home crowd something to cheer for, and Novak Djokovic captured the title with his best tennis of the year. But before any of this happened, we said goodbye to one of tennis’s most loved men, Marat Safin.

Writing about a player you know hardly anything about should be difficult. Especially when you are hardly even a fan of said player. But the thing with Marat is, he inspired conversation and enthusiasm with all tennis fans, no matter how much you liked him. And even if, like me, you found it hard to support a man that dragged his feet through his last year on tour, appeared to hate the sport, spoke about having no friends on tour, and stated time and time again that he could not wait to forget about tennis, Marat Safin would somehow find a way to wiggle into your heart. Because despite his anti Federer/Nadal personality, there is a lot to love about the angry, misunderstood Russian. And I don’t just mean his good looks.

Marat Safin has something we don’t see much amongst the stern faced competitors of the ATP: a fabulous sense of humour. His pressers were always honest, interesting, and funny. Whether he was putting himself down, bemoaning the price of strawberries, or telling Andre Agassi where to go, Marat could always be counted on to say something funny and shocking. You can forget the formalities with Marat, want an alternative to Nadal’s humble post-loss speeches? Then Marat was your man.

Not the world’s best role model, this is the man who showed up to a match supported by a girl with her nipples showing. Then there was the time he arrived with a black eye, having found himself in a fight the night before. We were hardly suprised. Marat has walked off court after being called for a foot fault, and he has smashed more racquets than Fernando Gonzalez. He has never been very good at controlling his temper.

With all this anger, slutiness, and disdain for tennis, a casual tennis fan might find it hard to see what all the fuss is about. Indeed, hardly anyone could get away with the behaviour Marat has displayed over his career. Andy Roddick has acted similarly at times, but recieves as much criticism as he does love. The men I was too young to watch that threw racquets and went off their head seem to gather a lot of dislike as well. I have heard many people express their dislike of John McEnroe. Even Andre Agassi is finding the public against him after basking in their praise for many years. What is it about Marat that makes him so untouchable?

It sounds cruel, but Marat Safin simply has not had the career success to generate much hatred against him. Despite his two Grand Slams, fifteen titles, and a number one ranking, many people think that with a backhand that beautiful, Safin is an underachiever. Defenders of Marat point to a man called Roger Federer, and others say Marat is a choker through and through. The truth is probably a combination of both.

Marat has more than just an underdog charm to win so many people over. Marat has charisma. Oodles of it. He is funny, he is emotional, he loves his little sister, and, let’s face it, Marat is incredibly good looking. Marat wins male tennis fans over with his anger and sense of humour, women flock to his charm and his rugged bad-boy looks.

Yet there is still much more to Marat than good looks, anger, and humour. These are all entertaining characteristics, but there is one more thing that makes Marat so loveable. So relatable. Marat Safin spend his last year on tour itching to retire. Especially in the first half of the year, he spoke frequently about how tennis was boring, coming across as a man who hated the sport that had made him rich and famous. He said he had no friends on tour, that he didn’t enjoy it. It was around this time I wondered if I liked Marat at all. Then his retirement grew nearer, and I think we all saw the truth. Marat Safin was a man once hailed as the next big thing. He must have been filled with hope and excitement after his grand slam success. Things just didn’t turn out that way for him. Over the years, Marat became someone known as a choker, an underachiever, and people wondered what could have been. When Marat spoke of tennis earlier this year like he did, I thought I heard hatred in his voice. But what I heard was disappointment and bitterness. Marat Safin won two slams, was number one, won fifteen titles, and finished his career inside the top one hundred. Looking back, what a marvelous career he had. At the time, though, we didn’t think so. It isn’t Marat that let himself down. Tennis let Marat down.

So heres to the most universally liked player of the last decade. The man that has made every fan smile at some point. Marat Safin is one of the most likeable players ever because he is one of the most human. There is no robotic like talent, no humbled victories, nothing we can’t relate to, or see within ourselves. He is a man noone hates. There is noone else like Marat Safin. No player can replace him. When we looks back on him in the future, it isn’t his tennis people will remember. It is the man.

Now what an achievement that is.

Desde la consagración de Juan Martín del Potro (N°5 del ranking mundial) en el US Open, donde venció en una inolvidable final al suizo Roger Federer (N°1), los tenistas argentinos no han podido obtener buenos resultados en el circuito ATP. El final de una temporada larga que empezó en los primero días de enero y el desarrollo de certámenes indoor, los cuales no son la especialidad de nuestros representantes, acentúan aún más esta realidad.

El tenista tandilense se vio imposibilitado de aprovechar el golpe anímico que significa ganar un Grand Slam (más considerando las circunstancias) y se vio inmerso en diferentes problemas físicos que lo arrastraron a abandonar de manera temprana de los torneos en los que se presentó o desistir antes de comienzo de algún certamen, como es el caso de este semana en el ATP 500 de Basilea.

La actuación de los otros compatriotas tampoco es para destacar. La excepción a esta situación es el marplatense Horacio Zeballos, quien arribó a la final del ATP 250 de San Petersburgo el pasado fin de semana.

Mayer batalló pero no pudo con Murray

Para graficar el bajo nivel que viene demostrando la legión argentina en las últimas semanas, vale recordar que Juan Mónaco (N°30) perdió en el día de hoy ante el ruso Nikolay Davydenko (N°7) por 6-3 y 7-5 y fue eliminado en la segunda rueda del ATP 500 de Valencia, mientras que Leonardo Mayer (N°64) también se despidió al caer ante el británico Andy Murray (N°4) por 6-4, 3-6 y 6-3. Con estas dos caídas, el tenis argentino se quedo sin representación en los torneos que se disputan durante la presente semana.   

La carrera hacia el ATP World Final de Londres

Con la victoria obtenida ante Leonardo Mayer, el ruso Nikolay Davydenko está cada vez más cerca de obtener la clasificación al ATP World Finals (ex Masters).

Con el objetivo de lograr un pasaporte a Londres, existen varios jugadores para ocupar las dos plazas vacantes que quedan: el español Fernando Verdasco, el chileno Fernando González y el sueco Robin Soderling, son los que más chances tiene de obtener un lugar en la cita que reune a los ocho mejores jugadores de la temporada.

Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Del Potro y Roddick ya se aseguraron un lugar en Londres.

Pretty slow week for ATP fans. In the most shocking news of the week so far, Juan Monaco won a hard court match, and Ernests Gulbis won a tennis match. Although Ernie needs to win far more than that to get back in my good books. Due to the lack of news, I thought I’d contribute my opinion to the much thrashed ATP scheduling topic. I’ll try and keep this pretty short because I know it is far from an original topic.

First of all, I don’t believe the number of mandatory events is an issue. All up, tennis players have 25 weeks worth of tournaments, assuming they make it to the second week in the slams. 25 weeks of a 10-15 year career is something I’d happily swap my 48 week, god-knows-how-many-years-long career for. Jelena Jankovic really got on my bad side when she bemoaned the amount she had to practise and play. They get paid millions, I get paid rubbish. They do something they love, I do something I dislike most of the time. Playing 25 weeks of the year really doesn’t seem to be a big ask for the amount they get paid. They could always quit and get a normal job.

I do, however, think there is a problem. I mean, there has to be. Lots of players are currently injured. Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Robin Soderling, Juan Martin del Potro… and the list goes on. Of course, noone really seemed to be injured at the US Open, it was post slam that these injuries seemed to rear their heads. Indeed, it seems to be well agreed upon that the real problems happen after the final slam. Players are lacking motivation and energy. The last thing they want to be doing in travelling to Asia, then Europe, for the final Masters and WTF.

Herein lies the issues; travel and sufficient post slam rest. Wimbledon has almost a month where the top players do not need to compete, as does the Australian Open. The French runs onto grass pretty quickly but we all know and expect that. Yet players seems to be in action far too quickly after the US Open, and more to the point, they have two continents to visit in as many months. The gap between the final slam and the WTF to signify the end of the season seems a touch too long and gruelling. Hence the amount of injuries and fatigue.

Players also want a longer off season. In order to satisfy everyone, it seems the answer is to shorten the post US Open season and play the WTF at a more reasonable date… like… now. In between there would be perhaps one Masters events, and that would be Paris to make the trip to London more convieniant. Of course, that leaves Shanghai.

I am a big believer in promoting tennis in Asia. Shanghai, Tokyo, and Beijing all need to happen. Where we could fit them in, I know not. But their place on the calender needs to change. Currently, they are getting a bunch of retirements, withdrawls, and lacklustre top players. It is simply not fair. Would it be possible to hold these tournaments earlier in the year? If the players took most of November, December off… could the Asian swing be played in Febuary?

There is only a few more things that I feel need addressing. I have heard some people suggest that keeping the schedule the way it is and players ‘calling in sick’ is acceptable. I do not feel this is fair on the tournaments that are missing out. The advertisements for Shanghai had pictures of Federer and Murray, but both these men pulled out. Paying for matches that end in retirements is also not a good way to promote our sport.

I do feel that the ATP is looking into these issues. A few top players, I believe Davydenko was one, said they know their concerns are being addressed. Changes will take time. It is also my belief that Nadal’s on going injuries will not be solved by cutting down on his schedule. That boy has serious knee tendonitis, he has had problems since the start of the year, never mind the end.

As a tennis fan I have no issues with a long season. Most individual sports are year round. The off season does need to be extended, but I feel the main problems are with the amount of travelling. It just doesn’t seem logical at times. Hopefully the ATP’s Helfant will sort things soon. As for the WTA, I think their schedule looks pretty damn good to me.

Off topic, good luck to the girls in Doha, I hope it is a really good tournament with high quality tennis. And… begrudgingly… good luck to Gulbis too.

La presencia de argentinos en el torneo ATP 250 de Estocolmo llegó a su fin en el día de hoy, Las derrotas del correntino Leonardo Mayer frente al brasileño Thomaz Bellucci por 7-5, 3-6 y 6-3, y la caída de Juan Mónaco ante el local Joachim Johansson por un doble 6-4, ambos en segunda ronda, dejó al certamen sin representantes nacionales.

En Rusia, los compatriotas que decidieron probar suerte en el ATP 250 de Moscú, no tuvieron mejores resultados. Horacio Zeballos y Martín Vassallo Argüello cayeron en su presentación de primera ronda antes los locales Mikhail Youzhney y Andrey Golulev, respectivamente.

Por otra parte, Juan Martín del Potro retornará al circuito el 2 de noviembre próximo en el ATP 500 de Basilea. De esta manera, descartó su presencia en el torneo de Viena que se disputará a partir de la semana entrante, con el objetivo de tener una semana más de descanso y recuperarse de la molestia que lo aqueja en su muñeca derecha, dificultad que lo obligó a abandonar en el Masters 1000 de Shanghai.

El gran objetivo, como campeón de US Open que es Del Potro, es coronarse en la gran cita de Londres: el ATP Tour World Finals, torneo que reunirá a los ochos mejores jugadores del ranking mundial (junto a Del Potro, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray y Roddick ya están clasificados) y que comienza el 22 de noviembre.

Por su parte, David Nalbandian reaparecerá en el circuito profesional, después de once meses de inactividad como consecuencia de una operación de cadera. Según un comunicado del director del torneo de Auckland, Richard Palmer, el cordobés participará de este certamen ATP 250. Su último encuentro fue el 3 mayo de este año, cuando cayó por un doble 6-2 ante el chileno Paul Capdeville en Estoril.

The love of my life, my PC, Charlotte, has had a minor accident. She doesn’t want to turn on for some reason and so she is being sent away to the PC hospital today. Hopefully she will be back around mid next week. I am currently blogging off my flatmate’s MAC (which is an awkward piece of machinery to say the least) but I will not be able to use this much at all. I have work computers and what not, but needless to say I will be blogging fairly seldom until Charlotte is back. I will try and get the Year In Review Kuznetsova blog out ASAP as that is the last one of that series of blogs. But yeah, I should be back soon and I will keep you updated on Charlotte’s health.

Just a few quick words on Shanghai:

I almost feel Andy Roddick pulled out of last night’s match against Stan Wawrinka to prove a point. He has been moaning a lot about the schedule of late. I agree that something needs to be done to give the players a larger off season. It would be best if the season could finish at the start of November and not commence until January. However, people like Nadal moan about the season and then go and play lucrative exhibition tournaments like Abu Dhabi. It just doesn’t make his case look very good at all.

Very angry and upset and disappointed Ernests Gulbis lost to Fabio Fognini on a hard court. Typical Gulbis.

Pleased to see Tomas Berdych take out Cilic and also to see Safin win another match. They play each other tonight, I am going for Berdych but will be nice to see either of them go through. Nadal vs Blake probably won’t live up to the hype, and hopefully del Potro manages to get his act together this time. Would be awful if he lost early again.

Hope everyone is having a good week.

Time for another review…this time it is for the PowerBase Tennis Trainer from SKLZ.

This is a handy little addition to go along with your hopper full of tennis balls. Basically the PowerBase is a weighted circle base with a long elastic string attached to a tennis ball. The point of this is to be able to practice your shots and actually have it seem like someone is hitting back to you. For the most part, this is a great tool to work on your backhand and forehand, however serves can prove to be a problem with this. The string is constantly in your way, making it impossible to serve with your proper technique and form. To practice your serves I suggest you stay with your hopper, and just chase the balls down afterwards.

This is a great little tool for practicing volleys and helping you have more touch at the net. I have found that the best way to practice hitting at the net with this is to set the base on the “T” of the service line and hit from there…that way you will have the force of the ball wrapping over the tap and snapping back at you, just as if someone actually hit it to you.

A major problem with this, minus not being able to practice your serve, is the fact that the balls provided are, quite bluntly, crap. They barely bounce and when they do they are only ankle high. I suggest you make your own balls for this PowerBase out of Penn’s, or Wilson’s…Slazenger or Gamma is probably your best bet for this type of usage. Check out YouTube for some tutorials on how to make them.

SKLZ PowerBase

I saw the Temple of Heaven today. I feel like, with a name like that, life from now on Earth has nothing for me.

We walked on a pathway reserved for God. Even the Emperor couldn’t walk on it. I’m pretty sure it’s like a “sword in the stone” situation. Like, because we were able to walk on it, that makes us gods. I think that’s how it works…

It was good to be out of the tennis center most of the day. Since Jim and I took the 11 p.m. shuttle home last night, then had to eat still, Jeanne gave us the day off. But, after going out in the morning, we went back in. The matches were already divied up, though, so there  wasn’t much for me to do. I watched Rafael Nadal play and a little of Roddick getting killed.

Mostly, I just hung out. And that made my day.

Tomorrow we see the Great Wall. Tomorrow is my birthday. Tomorrow is the beginning of the end: 22.

I posted more pictures to Facebook. Soon, I’ll get Flickr too for those of you who don’t have FB. Don’t worry.

Ilie Nastase. Boris Becker. Andre Agassi. Bjorn Borg. Pete Sampras. John McEnrowe.

Toti acesti sportivi au scris istoria tenisului de-a lungul anilor. Pe unii i-am vazut de curand pe iarba sau pe zgura, pe altii nu i-am apucat dar am vazut unele faze la televizor sau pe net… Nici nu mai conteaza. Important este ca au lasat in urma istoria rachetei de tenis, istorie care in zilele de azi este scrisa de multi tenimeni, insa doar unul e cel mai bun. Si nu e doar cel mai bun al zilelor noastre sau al ultimilor ani, e cel mai bun al tuturor timpurilor. Nu o spun eu, nu o spune nimeni, o spune statistica, si tot ea mai spune ca e greu sa ne imaginam ca in viitorul apropiat ar putea fi depasit.

Roger Federer s-a nascut pe data de 08.08.81 (8 augusut 1981) in Elvetia, localitatea Wollerau. A facut primii pasi in tenis de cand avea sase ani. Primul sau turneu de profesionisti a fost la Gstaad, in anul 1998. Un an mai tarziu avea sa faca parte din echipa de Cupa Davis a Elvetiei, iar la finele anului avea sa ocupe locul 66.  Totodata, acest an avea sa consemne primul sau turneu Grand Slam la care a participat, la French Open. In 2000 Federer avea sa participe la Olimpiada de la Sidney, la proba de tenis de camp, proba unde a ajuns pana in semifinale. Primul sau turneu de profesionisti castigat a venit in februarie 2001, la Milan Indoor, iar mai tarziu dupa sferturile de la Wimbledon si Roland Garros ajunsese locul 13 mondial.

Roger Federer si sotia sa, Mirka Vavrinec

Pentru cel poreclit si “FedEx” anul 2002 a fost un an destul de ghinionist. Dupa ce ca a iesit devreme in mai toate turneele de Grand Slam ale anului, elvetianul a avut de suferit in urma pierderii antrenorului sau, australianul Peter Carter. Totusi, in acest an 2002 avea sa joace semifinalele Turneului “Tennis Masters Cup”, unde a fost invins de liderul de atunci, Lleyton Hewitt. Anul 2003 a fost unul cu reusite destul de multe la turnee mai mici decat Grand Slamurile, s-a descurcat binisor si la seria de Masters-uri, insa la Australian Open, French Cup, Wimbledon sau US Open nu a trecut nici de primele tururi. Totusi, finele anului l-au prins pe Roger pe locul 2 in lume, fiind depasit doar de americanul Andy Roddick, aflat in forma maxima in acea vreme.

2004 a fost probabil cel mai dominant an pentru Federer, avand un “golaveraj” de 74 victorii – 6 infrangeri ce i-a adus in vitrina nu mai putin de 11 trofee. Totodata putem consemna primul Mare Slam castigat, Australian Open (care i-a adus si primul loc in clasmentul ATP), succedat de o infrangere la French Cup, si victorii la Wimbledon si US Open. Totodata, putem nota faptul ca in acest an elvetianul l-a intalnit prima oara pe Rafael Nadal, meci ce s-a terminat cu victoria spaniolului. Avea sa fie prima victorie a lui Nadal dintr-un lung sir. In 2005 a castigat doar doua Openuri (Wimbledon si US Open), invingandu-i pe Roddick respectiv Agassi.

Federer si rivalul sau etern, Rafael Nadal

Anul 2006 a fost un alt an dominat de Federer. A castigat 3 Grand Slamuri, stabilind o diferenta de mii de puncte intre el si urmatorul tenisemn din Clasmentul ATP, Rafa Nadal. A inceput anul cu victorie la Australian Open intr-o finala contra lui Baghdatis. La Roland Garros a pierdut finala tocmai impotriva lui Nadal, spaniolul invingandu-l pe FedEx in multiple randuri in 2006 (French Open, Rome, Monte Carlo, Dubai). La Flushing Meadows l-a invins in finala pe favoritul tribunelor Andy Roddick. La Shanghai i-a distrus pe rand pe Nalbandian, Nadal iar in finala pe Blake. Anul 2007 i-a adus alte 3 Grand Slamuri (Australian Open, Wimbledon si US Open). Da, lipseste French Open-ul, pierdut din nou in favoarea lui Nadal.

Anul 2008 a fost primul an in care a coborat de pe primul loc in Clasmentul ATP, pozitie ocupata inca din 2003 de elvetian. Dupa trei titluri castigate consecutiv la Australian Open, a venit si vremea pauzei, intrucat a fost invins in semifinale de castigatorul turneului, Novak Djokovic. A urmat cosmarul de la French Open, unde a patruns pentru a patra oara consecutiv in finala, pentru a patra oara consecutiv a jucat finala contra lui Rafael Nadal si tot pentru a patra oara a pierdut finala French Cup. A sosit si momentul adevarului la Wimbledon. Acolo, aceiasi tenismeni au continuat rivalitatea cunoscuta in intreaga lume si au jucat o finala in care Federer putea sa doboare recordul lui Borg, sau putea sa isi piarda pozitia de lider mondial. Dupa un meci ce a durat ore intregi fiind oprit de doua ori din cauza ploii, meciul s-a terminat cu victoria spaniolului (6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5), 6–7(8), 9–7). Federer avea sa mai coboare o treapta in ierarhie. Totusi, la US Open a castigat pentru a cincea oara consecutiv finala.

O poza epocala, cu "Regele" plangand la finala Australian Open, pierduta in fata lui... Nadal

Anul 2009 a fost unul destul de reusit pentru elvetian. La Australian Open a pierdut finala in fata lui Nadal, iar la decernarea premiului a izbucnit in lacrimi, fapt ce l-a emotionat pana si pe Rafa. La Roland Garros avea sa se petreaca doua lucruri foarte importante: pe de o parte infrangerea din sferturi a lui Nadal in fata suedezului Soderling; pe de alta parte victoria din finala a lui Federer in fata suedezului. Distanta dintre cei doi s-a scurtat teribil. Dupa partida pierduta, Nadal a anuntat ca nu poate participa la Wimbledon datorita unei accidentari la genunchi. Asta insemna ca daca elvetianul castiga la Wimbleon, redevine lider mondial. Roger a ajuns in finala, unde l-a infruntat pe Andy Roddick, intr-o alta finala epocala. Ajunsi in setul decisiv, niciun dintre ei n-a reusit sa faca un break (scor final 5–7, 7–6(6), 7–6(5), 3–6, 16–14). Desi probabil ca nu avea in plan sa recucereasca atat de rapid prima treapta a Clasamentului ATP, Federer a reusit sa produca minunea. In septembrie a jucat finala US Open contra lui Del Potro (cel care il distrusese pe Nadal in semifinale, scor 6-2, 6-2, 6-2). Din pacate pentru elvetian, a pierdut sansa de a castiga pentru a sasea oara la Flushing Meadows.

One of the standout moments for me from the Keynote speech at this years Employee Benefits Live was a brief story about Anita Roddick and staff engagement.

Apparently she used a scarlet envelope system when touring her retail outlets – any member of staff could write a question, pop it in a scarlet envelope and know that it would be opened by Roddick without any prior warning of the content, in front of the entire team – a great way of putting leadership on the spot.

On one occasion the question in a scarlet envelope, or rather the statement, read – “WHY CAN’T WE HAVE A MICROWAVE AND TOASTER LIKE THE OTHER STORES!!!???” Anita decided to ask who had written this and a team members hand shot up followed by a frustrated backstory to the envelope.

“How much does a microwave and toaster cost?” Roddick asked, “£172 and 16 pence” came the exact reply. “Take some petty cash today and go buy what you need” Roddick insisted.

There was a huge spike in morale and productivity among the team that month. What are the little things you do to keep people involved, heard and appreciated?

Here at the Sports Locale, we like to offer our opinion on various sports and the writers believe that the current rankings in some of the sports do not reflect the participants in order from best to worst all that well.  So the Sports Locale has taken it upon ourselves to adjust the rankings to which we feel truly represent who is the best in that particular sport at that moment in time.  Here are our rankings for Men’s professional tennis:

1.  Roger Federer- Simply the best at what he does.  A loss to Delpo in a 5-setter doesn’t take away all he has done this year.
2. Rafael Nadal - Crafty and scrappy, and gives his opponents fits with his athleticism.  Now proving that he is not just a clay court specialist.
3. Juan Martin del Potro- Winner of the US Open and is only 20 years old.  Has been getting better and better and from last year to this year has gotten stronger and fitter and it has shown as he took out Federer and Nadal in the same tournament.
4. Andy Murray – Come on Andy, just win one already.  Probably the most talented person on the tour who does not have a major.  Does well in the tune ups, but his game just needs to translate.  2010 may be the year where he gets one.
5. Novak Djokovic - Not the best 2009 for his standards, but he still put in great performances and solidified himself as a top 5 player on the tour.
6. Andy Roddick- Hard serving American had a 2009 with mixed success.  He performed well in the Australian Open and at Wimbledon lost to Roger Federer in a marathon match where he was only broken once.  But he also got dethroned at the US by fellow American John Isner.  I like the way Andy came out this year and I’m expecting another strong year where hopefully he could add another major, but his time is dwindling especially with new up and coming player such as del Potro.
7. Fernando Verdasco – The Spaniard is putting it all together and is starting to record wins over top competition.  Had his best year to date in major finishes including a semifinals appearance at Melbourne Park
8. Fernando Gonzalez – The Chilean has a serious forehand and on any given day, can give a top player a run for their money.  His slicing serve short into the deuce court gives opponents fits. 
9. Robin Soderling- Who knows how he would have done this year if he didn’t square off with Roger Federer in virtually every slam.  He beat an ailing Nadal on clay to only lose to Roger in Paris.
10. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – The young Frenchman who first made himself known to the tennis world as a surprise finalist in Melbourne in 2008 had a solid 2009 including wins in a few tournaments and strong showings in the majors.  He is a player who can pull off an unsuspecting win out of thin air against the best of the best and his powerful serve and volley style is a hybrid of old school game mixed with new school flair.

BThomps

Early in 2009, I proclaimed confidently it the “The Year of Andy Murray.” And while the uppity Scot emerged as a contender in the men’s game, with five titles to his name including wins over undeniable forces Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, he endured setbacks at each of the four Majors. Instead, it was the unassuming Argentine, Juan Martin Del Potro, that knocked the tennis world off it’s axis – toppling the king on his own court just days ago on Arthur Ashe stadium. Darth Federer, as he’d been dubbed, seemed to be cruising to his 6th consecutive crown – up a set and break – until Del Potro validated Kevin Garnett’s theory that “ANYTHING IS POSSSS-I-BULLLLL!” With his first Grand Slam under his belt, DelPo made the statement that he is, indeed, the Real McCoy. But will he be a one-slam-wonder? We’ll have to wait for that piece of the ATP plot to unfold, but one thing is for sure – there’s a lot to look forward to in the gauntlet that is the men’s tour. What will the 2010 slam season have in store? Here’s a rough draft of the contenders for a slam in 2010.

The Cream

Roger Federer – Despite the shocking setback in Flushing Meadows, 2009 proved fruitful for the greatest tennis player in history. The Maestro found the final piece of his Grand Slam puzzle at Roland Garros this year – thanks in large part to Robin Soderling – the Swede who gave Rafa Nadal his first taste defeat on the red clay of Paris. He then reclaimed his reign of Centre Court, outlasting a transformed Andy Roddick at Wimbledon by the remarkable score of 16-14 in the ultimate set. Federer is still, undoubtedly, the measuring stick for the rest of the field, although the tennis world wonders how long he can maintain his uncanny level of play. The man doesn’t know what complacency is, despite becoming the first player to earn $50 million…in prize money. His legacy is cemented and now he has the chance to add a little more glitter to his grandiose trophy assortment. I should know better, but I predict Fed-Ex to bat .250 next year with a single. He was exposed as…well…human, and I believe other players will step up to the challenge and topple Mt. Everest.

Rafael Nadal – The ultimate warrior of the tour fell victim to his own fighting style this year by running himself ragged. The tread on his wheels began to wear at Roland Garros, and finally went bald in New York. Rafa’s greatest strength – his unwavering tenacity – proved to be his Achilles heel. Actually, the eternal flame burning in his heart and his mental fortitude are what defines him. Yet, sometimes the mind and the body don’t see eye to eye. His drubbing at the hands of Del Potro (2-6 2-6 2-6) in the semifinals of the Open is something tennis fans have never witnessed before. That just doesn’t happen to Nadal. Yet it did – and the Spaniard will have to adjust accordingly if he wants his career on court to last longer than Moose Tracks ice cream in my freezer. At the ripe age of 23, Rafa Nadal should be a force for years to come if he plays his cards right. He will re-assume himself as king of clay in 2010, and take back what’s rightfully his in Paris next summer.

Andy Murray – Okay, okay, so I’ll probably catch some flack for generously including the ‘new’ Andy in the premier class of court jesters. The truth is, if you can handle it, that he belongs here. I know he hasn’t won a Grand Slam. I’m aware he didn’t even make it to a Grand Slam final in 2009, after breaking through to his first last September in New York. But the chap proved he can play with the best of ‘em. Murray boasts a 6-3 record against Federer, including four of the last five. He plays a cat-and-mouse game and thrives off forcing his foes into hitting an extra shot almost every point, thanks to his tenacious D. He possesses deceiving power, combined with what I deem the best return in the game. Pressure is ever mounting on the shoulders of the highly-touted Scot, but he’s witty enough to learn from his apathetic showing against Marin Cilic. Some critics question his mental toughness, but Murray will lay the heavy burden of the UK’s tennis hopes to rest with a slam victory at Melbourne in January.

Juan Martin Del Potro – He will forever be remembered as the man who toppled Fed on Arthur Ashe in one of the biggest upsets in recent tennis history. His journey among the top ranks has just begun, and at a mere 20-years-old, he’ll only get better with age. Delpo is an all-court player with massive groundstrokes from both wings and a serve with a top speed in the high 130s. His length will trouble all challengers and he is a decent mover for his height. While hardcourt is his best surface, don’t be surprised to see a deep run at the Queen’s Club come July.

The Crop

Novak Djokovic – The Djokster or Jock-a-vic, if you will, remains a legitimate threat for any title. He’s working with Craftsman-like set of tools – the serve, solid ball-striking off both sides, speed and defense. He should add a touch of variety to his game, especially inside the service lines. But his lack of success in 2009 by his standards – merely 2 titles – is due to his lack of mental savvy. Too many times he breaks serve and is unable to consolidate it – ie the first set against Federer last weekend in the semis. While he regained the favor of the New York crowd and enjoyed a casual rally with John McEnroe on Arthur Ashe, Novak will have to prove he’s still among the elite in 2010. His skill set is undeniable, but can he keep his wits?

Andy Roddick – Poor Andy. He’s undoubtedly raised his game in 2009 and almost overcame the biggest hurdle he’ll face through out his career at Wimbledon – the longest match ever played in the history of the Championships. Key word: almost. But he fell short…just short this time. After serving for survival 9 consecutive games, he fell to the man who will haunt him for years to come. Four career losses in Slam finals – all to Roger Federer. Roddick’s game suits Rog’s to a T. That’s the quagmire he’s been stuck in for years now. No one on the pro tour will admit to moral victories, but that’s just what A-Rod got – and his game has flourished ever since. Despite a third round exit at the Open to the upstart giant – 6′9″ John Isner – Roddick will reassert himself as a heavyweight contender next year.

The men’s draw in the 2009 US Open was star studded and was full of duds and rising stars all the way up to its winner, the 20-year old Juan Martin del Potro. Some other storylines going into the tournament included the return of Rafa Nadal to his first major tournament since his knee surgery and Roger Federer’s quest to capture his 6th straight US Open title.

There were little surprises in the first couple rounds but action would soon begin to heat up as third round matches began. Most notably, Andy Roddick lost to another American, the 6′9″ John Isner in a 5-setter.

Isner, the only surviving American in the fourth round was easily dispatched by the 10th seeded Fernando Verdasco. Another shock result in this round was Marin Cilic dropping the 2nd seeded Andy Murray in straight sets. Murray looked lifeless throughout the match and this display by Murray was fairly dissapointing seeing that he was a runner-up at Flushing Meadows last year. Adding in Cilic’s shaky form leading up to this grand slam just adds to the fact that this was yet again another major letdown by a player who has yet to capture his first grand slam title. It was also in this round where Novak Djokovic easily discarded Radek Stepanek, then treated the Queens crowd to a little spectacle with him and John McEnroe as they would play a series of points with the highlight being McEnroe serving and delivering a textbook forehand volley passed the 2008 Australian Open Champion.

In the quarters, the action consisted of Roger Federer beating Robin Soderling for what seems like the 20th time this year. In the Semis, Roger Federer straight-setted Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro, a man little known outside of tennis circles, blitzed crowd favorite Rafael Nadal.

The final was set up between 15 time grand slam winner Roger Federer and 20-year-old upstart, Juan Martin del Potro. Roger took the first set 6-3 as Delpo looks considerably shaky. In the second set, Del Potro would capitalize on an overrule call in his favor and an incredible forehand passing shot to turn the tide in the set and ultimately take the set in a tiebreak 7-5. In the third set, it was more Federer taking that set 6-4. In the fourth set, Federer looked to continue his momentum, but the Argentine would soon rally and begin attacking Federer’s consistently poor first serve percentage by loading up on the second serve and punishing it to take control of the points.towards the end of the set, the maestro began to commit more errors off of the backhand side and Del Potro would win the fourth set in a tiebreak 7-4. The fifth set was more of a continuation of the fourth with Del Potro outslugging Federer and capitalizing on the Swiss’s mistakes. Delpo seized the early break and never looked back. Del Potro won the final set 6-2 and became the first and only Argentine and South American to win the US Open since Guillermo Villas in 1977.

Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down

Thumbs Up – Juan Martin Del Potro, his future can only be brighter as he has a bomb of a first serve and a wicked forehand. His handling of Nadal has laid the blueprint on how to beat the tricky Spaniard as well.

Thumbs Down – Andy Roddick, this was Andy’s tournament to shine and his game is taylor made to this surface, but an early exit by the hands of John Isner left a lot to be desired from the last American to win the US Open.

Thumbs Up – Taylor Dent, finally putting it together and put on a great performance this year. Played some excellent matches and really utilized the serve and volley game to perfection. Also the crowd loves to see the 146 mph aces as well.

Thumbs Down – Andy Murray, come on Andy. We are all still waiting for you to show us something. Should have easily handled Cilic in the fourth round, but looked absolutely horrid on the court.

Thumbs Up – Jesse Witten and John Isner, the new duo of American brings new blood into the American tennis scene. With Isner’s big serve he can compete with almost anyone on any day (just ask Andy Roddick) and Witten unseeded the 29th seeded Igor Andreev in the first round and made it all the way to the third round where he gave Novak Djokovic a small scare.

Thumbs Down – James Blake, are we nearing the end Mr. Blake? He has persevered through so much and is one of the most likable players on tour and its sad to say this, but his days of causing a stir at the grand slams are now over as he has had a less than stellar year of poor finishes and that includes not making it out of the third round of the US Open.

Thumbs Up – John McEnroe, he and the rest of the ESPN crew did a fabulous job broadcasting the event and we thank him for not breaking out the short shorts for his impromptu match with Novak Djokovic

BThomps

My two favourites continue their run, Roger with another a win over Soderling, and delPo with an awesome win over Cilic. Absolutely fantastic first set from Cilic. After that it was all Juan way. Oh yea, I just went there.

Praying for a delPo Fed final. If it was a Djokovic Nadal final it would be one of the biggest disappointments of my life. Of course, its entirely plausible.

Nervous already.

Over on the women’s side we have the final semi between Kim and Serena to look forward to. I can’t see either of these girls not living up to the hype, like say… oh, I don’t know, the ENTIRE WTA!

Just looking back on my ‘interesting match ups’ post.  I said the following would be good to watch:

Ernie vs Muzz (it was good, real good)
Tsonga vs Rafa (didn’t happen)
Nole vs Roddick (didn’t happen)
Fed vs Roddick (didn’t happen)
Tsonga vs Rafa (didn’t happen)
delPo vs Murray (didn’t happen)

Hilerious.

There is a well known saying in tennis, ‘make your opponent play one more ball’. In other words, don’t give up, because you never know what your opponent will do.

This saying has been well heeded to by the WTA for quite some time. Maria Sharapova and the Williams sisters have always had a ‘never say die’ attitude, and we have seen apparent no-namers like Melanie Oudin display similar traits time and time again. Girls that never give up and often cause the upset. Whether we hear of them again does not matter, they gave it their all no matter what the scoreline. Playing every point no matter what.

The ATP seemed to lack that for quite some time. With the utter dominance of Roger Federer until 2008, it is hard to blame them for considering themselves out of the game at two sets to love down. There were two men during this time who never gave up hope. The first was Lleyton Hewitt. The second, Rafael Nadal. Lleytos plays every single point as if it is 0-0, he gives it his absolute all. He has lost fourteen straight matches to Roger Federer and still plays as if he is world number one. Rafael Nadal has obviously been more successful when it comes to battling Federer. This is not about beating Roger Federer, however, this is about never giving up.

Lleyton Hewitt has had a trying career. A previous number one and grand slam champion, by 2008 he was married with children and a very sore hip. Nobody would have blamed Rusty for calling it quits. He had dropped out of the top 100, relying on wildcard entries in tournaments he had once won, and he was playing with pain. Instead of hanging up his raquet and retiring with his beautiful wife to the Aussie outback, Lleytos opted for hip surgery. Fast forward a year and ranked 32, he has captured his first ATP title since 2007 (Las Vegas), and reached the quater finals of Wimbledon, after beating the number five seed and recovering from two sets down in the forth round. He lost the quater final to Andy Roddick over five sets. You can bet he didn’t choke it away. Lleyton just exited the US Open in the third round at the hands of his old nemesis, Federer, but not without taking a set first. If you want inspiration, look no further than Lleyton Hewitt.

Juan Carlos Ferrero has a slightly similar story. Rafael Nadal employs the same mentality to constantly come back to win matches. It is the mentality that made him untouchable for a year as number one in the world. Will he fight to get it back? You betcha. This time, however, it may be a little different.

Just take a look at this years US Open.

The likes of Hewitt, Ferrero, and Nadal have inspired something within the rest of the ATP. We have been seeing more fight than ever before from the men, and it all started at Roland Garros. Remember when Juan Martin del Potro handed his hero, Roger Federer, the match at the Australian Open 09 without even trying? Fast forward two months and del Potro was pushing Federer all the way to five at Roland Garros. He may of lost, but he never once gave up. Federer had to fight all the way. By this time, he was used to it, as he had fought through five against Tommy Haas in the forth round, a veteran player who could be forgiven for thinking he wouldn’t stand a chance. Over on the other side of the draw, the man who had gotten absolutely demolished by Nadal only a few weeks earlier put up huge resistance against the then world number one in the forth round. Robin Soderling took out Rafael Nadal in one of the biggest upsets in tennis history. Soderling could also of been forgiven for being beaten in the locker room, but he wasn’t. When Nadal began his inevitable come back in the second set tiebreak, everyone thought Soderling would go away. He didn’t, instead, he won it in four. Soderling didn’t crash and burn after his big win either, he ran all the way to the final to lose to Federer, who by then had shown the world that he too could dog fight with the best.

If people didn’t sense the change in the atmosphere by the time Wimbledon came around, they did when it came to the final match. Andy Roddick stood at the ugly end of an 18-2 head to head against his opponent, Roger Federer. Everybody expected Andy to cave. By the time the fifth set rolled around, even Federer fans were starting to applaud Roddick’s efforts. When Federer finally ground it out to win 16-14 in the fifth, Roddick got just as much applause as the record-breaking man himself. The crowd chanted Roddick over and over, picking the man up from his obvious heartbreak. Despite the loss, Roddick earned the respect of tennis fans everywhere as he showed he too had a killer fighting spirit.

It hasn’t stopped at the US Open. Determination remains strong, anyone can beat anyone, giving up is no longer the norm. Who would of thought Nicholas Kiefer could take a set off Nadal? More importantly than just taking a set, Kiefer didn’t stop playing when Nadal won the third and was serving for the match. Kiefer played every single point his absolute hardest until the bitter end. Jesse Witten, world number 276, upset Igor Andreev on a run to the third round, where he eventually fell to Novak Djokovic… but not before taking a set and playing his heart out. Andy Murray came up against the unheralded Paul Capdeville, and was outplayed in the second set when Capdeville showed the crowd just what the world number 87 can do. Even when down in the forth, Capdeville kept on hitting. Even the man known for giving up and chucking away match after match, Ernests Gulbis, displayed a lot of fight in his tight three set loss to Andy Murray, and how refreshing it was to see. Devin Britton, ranked in the 1000s, gave Roger Federer a decent three set match in his first round loss. The inspiration young men like Britton can give to thousands of tennis players is endless.
 

It may have been to the detriment of Nadal, Federer, and Roddick, that they have inspired such attitude within the rest of the ATP. Today, the never give up mentality of John Isner cost Andy Roddick a place in the forth round, the countryman of Roddick winning in a thrilling fifth set tiebreak. It appears the aura of invincibility once held by the top ten may have faded. But you know what, even as a spectator who cheers Federer on with everything she has, I can’t help but enjoy the new fighting spirit everyone seems to have acquired. People are finally believing in their abilities to take it to the top players, and whether they win or not, there is a new glint in their eye as they step onto the court. It just took one thing.

As written on the shoes of Melanie Oudin,

BELIEVE

Murray’s shirt really ISN’T made for tennis…

In other news, the entire top four on the men’s side have dropped sets. Federer dropped one to Lleytos, which is not really an embaressment as Lleytos is a good player and a former grand slam champion, but his unforced errors rate was embaressing. Nadal dropped a set to Kiefer, and Murray to Capdeville in battle of the pushers. The worst of the lot was Djokovic, who dropped a set to the semi-professional Jesse Witten.

I am going to post more later on how people like Witten are making matches against players I generally suggest they retire against after the first game. But for the mean time… do you know who hasn’t dropped a set?

Andy Roddick and Juan Martin del Potro.

Just saying.

EDIT: Really delPo, dropping a set to this muppet? Shocking.