Queen City Notebook

!Va-yw 

by Bobby Chintapalli, Contributing Writer

I’m in Cincinnati this week for the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open, where main draw matches start today. (As you’ve probably heard, this will be a combined WTA and ATP event starting next year.) I’ll be writing a few "notebook" posts in addition to researching other pieces. This first one fills you in on some of the goings-on around the practice courts this weekend.

Ana Ivanovic is, well, you know...

Adjectives don’t win tennis matches, even when they’re “pretty” and “gorgeous.” Maybe even especially when they’re “pretty” and “gorgeous.” And certainly not for a Grand Slam winner and former No. 1, who other players likely hear described that way early and often.

By early I mean five minutes, which is how long I was at the tournament before I heard those words used to describe the winsome Ana Ivanovic, who’s still struggling to win some matches. (She’s currently No. 60.) At the first practice court I stopped at on my way to the snazzy, new media center, Ivanovic was hitting with Dinara Safina. As Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova sat on the side of the court watching them, a lady next to me asked me their names. I told her, she looked over then asked, pointing to Ivanovic, “Which one is this?” As Ivanovic rallied on, with Azarenka and her coach still watching closely and discussing (Azarenka and Ivanovic play each other in the first round tonight), the words spilled out of the lady, effortlessly as a Serena Williams ace. Ivanovic’s looks don’t go unnoticed by fans and sponsors, and you have to wonder if, indirectly at least, that just makes her a bigger target on court.

Sabine Lisicki’s back, and she’s having fun.

!Lisicki

After being out with an injury since March, Sabine Lisicki is making her comeback at this tournament, and the proof is in the cup of beer. But we’ll get to that. On Saturday, sharing a practice court with Elena Vesnina, she moved well enough and was pounding that serve and forehand. Too much so in the case of one wayward shot that found its way to a plastic beer cup a fan placed in a tray by the fence. The shot hit the cup, and the cup exploded, spraying beer all over its owner before falling into the court. Lisicki and Vesnina looked over and laughed along with the guy who lost half his beer.

Perhaps grateful to be playing again, Lisicki had a good time out there. Vesnina, who always seems to find a way to enjoy herself (especially when she’s not playing an actual match), joined in the merriment. After a bit of hitting and a few minutes of chitchatting, the two prepared to start practice games.

Vesnina asked, “I start?”

Lisicki playfully retorted, “Oh, you don’t want me to start, huh?”

Vesnina replied, “No.”

At one point the man with Lisicki, likely her father/coach, walked over to the beer guy and said jovially, in reference to the beer incident, “You’re watching the wrong court.” But it was exactly the right court if you wanted to see professional tennis look like what it is for millions of recreational players—fun.

Victoria Azarenka and Yanina Wickmayer don’t play around.

!Azarenka

I finally got the matchup I’d been waiting to see for more than a year now. No. 12 Victoria Azarenka and No. 16 Yanina Wickmayer, who I’m convinced are too good—and too fiery—not to win majors someday, finally played each other. For points. So what if it was on the practice courts? They faced off on inconspicuous Court 10—where a half dozen John Deere tractors are visible and you can hear men emptying dumpsters—and it was fierce. Hardly a dozen fans occupied the bleachers, since Maria Sharapova was in the middle of a hitting session on the next court. Set against a chorus of whoopees, whoos and Sharapova grunts, their practice games were “practice” games.

Before receiving serve, Azarenka sometimes turned her back, practiced her strokes and held up her hand when she wasn’t ready for Wickmayer’s serve. And, yes, she grunted as loud as ever.

Wickmayer was quieter but perhaps more…intense. One game ended with a shot Azarenka called wide. Wickmayer looked over at her, and Azarenka gestured that the ball was, in fact, wide. The game ended. Azarenka walked to the other side, taking a longer look at the mark as she passed it. Wickmayer walked to the other side too, hitting her racquet on the ground along the way.

Later, seeing a tennis ball roll near Wickmayer as she prepared to serve, Azarenka put her hand up and said, “Yanina, watch out for the ball...sorry.” Without a nod, turn or further delay, Wickmayer pushed the ball away and proceeded to serve. This isn’t to say Wickmayer doesn’t stop to enjoy herself. In fact, I saw her smile, twice in two sessions. (Yes, I counted games too, but a lady never tells—especially not in the Queen City.)

If Vesnina practiced like it’s fun and Safina practiced like it’s work, Azarenka and Wickmayer practiced like it counted.