With the Barclay's ATP World Tour Finals, aka the WTF (that's for you NISAJs, or Naughty Internet Shorthand and Acronym Junkies), just around the corner, I want to call your attention to the fact that it's "Finals" with an "s," thanks to the doubles championship that will also be decided in London.
One of the more memorable performances in the doubles protion of the event was recorded by in 1989, but a couple of fresh-faced American kids not long out of Stanford University - Pat McEnroe and Jim Grabb. That was in the period when the doubles WTF was held separately from the singles; in this case, it was also the last time the WTF was held in London's regal Albert Hall. You don't have to be a Beatles fan to appreciate that grand arena, and I'm glad they still play tennis there, the crisp pop of the ball easily confused with the sound of the champagne corks popping in the courtside boxes. How twee.
McEnroe and Grabb had bagged the French Open title some months earlier, but their win in the Masters was an even more significant accomplishment. In order to take the title, they had to face and beat some formidable doubles teams, including Rick Leach and Jim Pugh, Jim Courier and Pete Sampras, Darren Cahill and Mark Kratzmann, Pieter Aldrich and Danie Visser and - for the title - Anders Jarryd and John Fitzgerald. They won that last one, 7-5,7-6,5-7,6-3.
I have an ulterior motive for telling you all this: Pat and I are collaborating on a book about his two decades in pro tennis. It won't be an autobiography, a la A Champion's Mind (the book I wrote a few years ago with Pete Sampras). Rather, it will consist of war stories, opinions, and hard-core tennis analysis. It will draw on Pat's experiences on the pro tour, as an ESPN and CBS commentator, head of the USTA player development and - of course! - his Davis Cup captaincy.
Many years ago, John McEnroe, upon hearing that I would be at the now extinct but then wonderful tournament in North Conway, N.H., asked me to take his kid brother and his pal, Grabb, out to dinner. They were new on the tour, and not making much money. I don't remember much conversation from the evening I bought dinner for Jim and Pat; they both ate like it was the first time they'd ever seen food. But it was the start of a great professional relationship; Patrick and I would go on to collaborate on a variety of book and magazine projects (most recently, a captain's account of the USA vs. Switzerland Davis Cup tie that took place this spring in Birmingham, Ala.).
We're far enough along in the project for me to say I think this is going to be a great read from a guy who, despite his soft-spoken and calm manner, doesn't pull his punches - and has a good sense of humor. Our publisher is that classy outfit, Hyperion. I'll keep you updated going forward on the status of the project.
-- Pete
Meanwhile, keep gnawing those fingernails as you await the start of the WTF tomorrow. . .