From the top-ranked Russian's icy stare to a decorated champion's confidence-deficit disorder, the Spin's latest Fourhand takes on real and perceived shortcomings concerning some of the ATP and WTA's top guns:
RAFANATICAL Rafael Nadal, 14-time Grand Slam singles champion, admitted to recent breaches in his usually steely in-match self-confidence (hat tip: @ForTheWin): "You know, I am not saying [choking] didn’t happen in the past because happened, but happened for a very small—for one point, two points," said Nadal after his third-round loss to Fernando Verdasco in Miami. "But at the same time, still playing with too much nerves for a lot of moments, in important moments, still playing with a little bit of anxious on that moments.
"I have been able to control my emotions during, let’s say 90 percent, 95 percent of the matches in my career—something that today is tougher, to be under self-control."
Perhaps the French Open is more up for grabs than it has been since 2004 (save 2009 when an injured Rafa lost in a quarterfinal to eventual finalist Robin Soderling).
AH, TOMIC Booing players is still front of mind with Serena Williams' return to Indian Wells just a few weeks removed. Fourteen years ago, she was booed after her sister Venus pulled out just before their semifinal. This year, when Serena came on court to announce she couldn't complete in a semifinal match due to injury, she was roundly applauded aside from a few, still-vocal boos.
Different circumstances entirely, but at this week's Miami Open, Bernard Tomic was himself strikingly booed during a 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-1 loss to Tomas Berdych. The Aussie led that match by a set and 4-0, and squandered four match points. A week earlier in Indian Wells, Tomic suffered a back injury and wisdom-tooth pain that kept him out of a match against Novak Djokovic.
Tennis fans can certainly be a fickle bunch.
SCAREPOVA As she lost her opening match in Miami to unheralded Daria Gavrilova, Maria Sharapova gave a winning glare: