Steve,
Guess I was a little premature in my Roddick-Murray announcement. Murray lost his focus yesterday and still has some loose ends to tie up with Benneteau. My predictions have been just south of horrible, but I think the night to simmer down will help Murray, and he should polish off the pesky Frenchman. At least I’m really hoping so because if he plays Roddick, who did look to be on overdrive yesterday, the atmosphere here will be electric.
I wasn’t as impressed with Nadal as you seemed to be. He struggled returning a big serve and was not comfortable in short rallies. If he doesn’t have time to soften up his opponents with constant baseline punishment, he looks confused. But I love the fight in that kid, and he’s obviously a quick study. After dropping the first two sets he still came charging out in the third, and after winning a point in the first game gave his trademark uppercut punch and dance. Nadal’s supreme competitiveness was the difference.
If Kendrick proved anything, it’s that, sorry Tony, somebody with a serve and volley game can still be effective at Wimbledon. Kendrick knows he can’t win a baseline tug-o-war with Nadal, so he attacked whenever possible. Kendrick served like a real pitcher, changing speeds, spins, and locations, and it resulted in plenty of easy volleys. Sure Safin and Gonzalez could probably benefit from more trips forward, but against each other that can be dangerous because they both possess such heavy passing shot artillery. Plus, neither are tactical geniuses.
Perhaps if both players were required to play more doubles, they would feel comfortable at all parts of the court. Yesterday, I was watching Novak Djokovic (The Joker) beat up on Tommy Robredo on Court 4 and on Court 5 there was a doubles match between Knowles-Nestor and Nalbandian-Arnold. I found myself drawn to that contest rather than the one I had come to watch. The points were captivating stuff. Nalbandian is not a frequent doubles player, and perhaps he was just looking for a little practice with his countryman before Davis Cup later this year. Still, he’s an incredibly gifted singles player and the only thing preventing him from attaining such status in a doubles format is experience. Plus, Nalbandian did something I wasn’t sure he was capable of – he smiled. He genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself which made the match that much more fun to watch.
I think it should part of all players’ job description to be required to enter a certain amount of doubles events per year. The ATP and WTA should mandate it. They won’t, but they should. Against their objections, so many players would actually improve some of their deficiencies if they played more dubs. How much would Roddick benefit from learning to take his return of serve earlier or sticking some angle volleys? Maybe Safin would figure out there’s more than one place to put his second serve. I think the game, in terms of spectator options, and actual product would enhance greatly.
Speaking of the Joker, he’s going to be my pick for the third round of the suicide pool. He’s got Youhzny today, who’s a tough competitor, but I liked what I’ve seen from Djokovic so far. He’s smooth and sure of himself from all parts of the court. Once he corrects some of the physical issues that sometimes plague him, he might become the best of young guns behind Nadal, ahead of even Murray and Monfils. He gets some ink around here because the Serb seems to be for sale and the British want to buy him for their Davis Cup team. That would be a dangerous precedent if players from poor countries start to offer their services to highest bidder. Who knew free agency would make its way into tennis?
Random player sightings this morning:
Patty Schnyder checking out of my hotel and waiting for a cab to the airport after losing yesterday. If you didn’t recognize her, you would never think she was a tennis player. The huge HEAD bag she had with her other luggage kind of gave it away.
Karolina Sprem at the supermarket with her coach. She was chatting up somebody on the phone while her coach was paying for some eats. Didn’t realize it until I got to the courts, but she’s playing Vaidisova today. I got to thinking of what it must like for players on the morning of big match. Sprem was giggling on the phone and her coach looked like he was getting ready for a prostate exam. I wonder who feels the pressure more.
Found a guilty pleasure here in the pressroom. Every morning the daily program is free on the front desk and I’ve taken to reading the preview of the day’s matches. Here’s something from today:
“The tumbril bearing the next luckless chap to his doom against the Roger Federer guillotine is due to travel to Court One today, and the passenger is, appropriately, a Frenchman, Nicolas Mahut, a 24-year-old from the peaceful town of Angers who checks in at 77 in the world rankings.”
Translation: Mahut is going to get taken out to the woodshed. But where’s the poetry and run-on sentences in that?
I’ll get back to you later with my thoughts on tomorrow’s Nadal-Agassi showdown.
Enjoy the matches.
JL