Ted Robinson’s Matchpoints

Forty-eight hours later and I’m still in awe over Sunday. A 10-hour plane flight, with time to absorb nearly a dozen London newspapers along with nearly a hundred messages, many from those who would be classified as “casual” fans, has lent to the aura of this match as “the best ever.”

Now I hear today that SI will feature the match on its cover. When Pete Sampras won his record 13th Slam and 7th Wimbledon, we came home to see a muscled and tattooed Jason Giambi on the SI cover. Sampras was appalled. And now we know that tennis fell victim to the BALCO scam.

This was pure.

This was cojones grande, the only way to describe Rafa doing what he could not 12 months earlier, find a way to win the third set from Federer.

This was a champion falling in “brutal gladiatorial combat…but tumbling with valour” in the stirring words of London Daily Mail writer Paul Hayward. And how fine is that description.

In 24 hours back home, there is a talk-show buzz and coffee shop chat about this match that I have not witnessed in many years.

These two made tennis relevant. Now can it sustain what these two have created?

More from the Wimbledon cache:

* The disappointment over early exits by Andy Roddick and James Blake certainly went away. Stories always emerge; be it Andy Murray’s next step towards the top echelon, Marat Safin (up 35 places to 40), Rainer Schuettler (up 55 to 39) and Arnaud Clement (up 73 to 72) all made themselves relevant again, the two-week siege and double wins for the Sisters, Britain’s obsession over 14-year-old junior champ Laura Robson and her marvelously refreshing attitude over new fame, and the continuing presence of so many former champions at the AELTC.

* The roof can’t arrive fast enough. Sunday’s final ended about 10 minutes before a nightmare encounter would have occurred. The Club, understandably, wanted play to continue until 9:30-9:45 p.m.. They, like everyone, wanted a result. The money and disruption for Monday play, perhaps as little as two games, would have been wasteful. Yet, there was a point at which the players would have said, understandably, that a Championship, particularly from a match so superior, couldn’t be decided in darkness. Thankfully, we were spared the moment. A match for the ages had a proper ending in the dusk of Centre Court.

And traditionalists need not weep. Centre Court will still be open. Remember that grass needs light. The roof will only close once it rains, a 12-minute process. Thus, the courts will be still be covered for a short period. The benefit of the roof will be to guarantee play after a short stoppage and thus never again the drama of Sunday night.

* Major consensus in London was that the Williams Sisters success was due in part to the weakness of the WTA Tour. This is a debate for another time but the perception must be countered by the Tour.

* Start perhaps with Aggie Radwanska, the most impressive of the game’s young women. She has a Martina Hingis-like presence on the court that adds conviction to less-than-punishing shots. She simply doesn’t beat herself. Her lack of serve may hinder the hopes of a Wimbledon title, but the women’s game needs a player like Aggie to rise.

After all, this week’s rankings still feature Patty Schnyder, a career fourth-round player with one Slam semi to her credit, at 13 in the world. Lindsay Davenport won one round at Wimbledon and rose to 23. Tough to explain that to the sporting public.

* While we’re on that point, Serena passed Venus on the computer (reason 5,742 why I hate the concept). But my colleague, SI’s Jon Wertheim, poses a terrific question: has Venus’ career eclipsed Serena’s?

* Now we move to the hard courts and wonder whether Donald Young, John Isner (both of whom fell and are close to being out of the top 100) and Sam Querrey can make a move. Can Bethanie Mattek continue her momentum from the spring/summer and make a Robby Ginepri-like charge through the summer?

And can Rafa play well in the States, particularly the Open? Will his knees, the ones that Uncle Toni admits are so tender that the family wants Rafa to play LESS on the hard stuff, allow him to show New York his greatness?

And does Roger, whose performance at Wimbledon showed he is certainly not done, feel a little pressure to win Slams sooner rather than later?

The stat came in the third set of Rafa Nadal’s first-round win over Andreas Beck. After nine service games, Nadal had lost a total of 8 points.

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It reminded me of last year’s Wimbledon final – through four-and-a-half sets, Nadal’s serve had been broken once. By the best player on the planet. On grass. With one ace.

There is the essence of Nadal. He doesn’t blast serves. He doesn’t win a free set with aces as Roger Federer did in last year’s classic five-setter.

Nadal just holds serve.

How? I keep recalling Johnny Mac’s statement last July that Nadal was the modern-day Bjorn Borg, the player who won matches through physical play — the player that John remembered as being “impossible to get a ball past.”

And there is an apt description of Nadal, even on grass where he hugs the baseline.

* * *

Our wait for an American to make a 2008 push continues. Sam Querrey, John Isner and Donald Young (to fellow American Jesse Levine) all lost in the first round. Young has lost first round in both Paris and Wimbledon — same with Querrey, although he drew Federer in Paris.

Isner had a tough draw at Wimby with Ernests Gulbis, but as some point one of the young Americans needs to win some tough matches.

Like Wayne Odesnik taking out Guillermo Canas in Paris or Bobby Reynolds winning first round at Wimbledon.

* * *

Well done by Lindsey Davenport in overcoming a significant leg injury that required sophisticated taping. Davenport was pushed to the third set by an anonymous European but managed to call on her classic ball striking to survive. Her third round, against Elena Dementieva, could be tough.

* * *

Great Britain’s hope is that Andy Murray can reach his first slam quarter where he would likely meet Nadal. Murray comes across in interviews as calmer than the player derailed by “court rage” in the past. Can he handle, as Tim Henman did so well, the heat of a country’s intense focus?

Lindsay Davenport wasn’t a mom on the court Sunday in Key Biscayne, she was a champ again. In this year of a woman and a black running for our highest office, sensitivities are high. Thus, emanating from the black hole of the blogosphere are comments that Davenport should not be labeled a mom making a comeback, just as we didn’t reference Andre A as a dad trying to win one more Slam.

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Fair enough, but if we can put aside irrational sensitivity, what Davenport accomplished Sunday is precisely why she is praised: 9 months after giving birth she whacked the #2 player in the world.

Sorry but that is astounding.

To the match: Davenport struck the ball with power and precision from the first point. Whether Ana Ivanovic was in awe of Davenport’s returns or the experience of playing Lindsay herself is a matter only the Serb can answer. But for one hour in Miami, it was as if Davenport was again the champion and Ivanovic the upstart, rather than the reality of their current rankings.

By contrast, recall what Maria Sharapova did to Davenport in their second round Aussie Open match, Maria imposing her will on the former champ to remind Lindsay of the current pecking order.

The Miami draw opens for Davenport, she should be unthreatened until a potential semi against Jelena Jankovic. A few more wins and Davenport should hike her ranking high enough to ensure missing tough early-round matches. Meanwhile, Justine Henin and the Williams Sisters slug it out in the top half- can you believe that Serena and Henin may again meet in the quarters. Nothing should Serena more motivation to get herself out of the 8 seed.
 
It shouldn’t be hard to take a collection among the players for a nice retirement gift when Fabrice Santoro puts the racquet down. Again, he showed James Blake and the tennis world how you can survive among the bigger and stronger with lots of wile and guile. To me, Santoro is like a knuckleball pitcher – hitters hate facing them because they see them so rarely and they demand extreme patience.

I’ll miss Santoro because sport thrives on contrast. No one plays like Santoro, and Justin G predicted on our FSN telecast that no one ever will. If so, tennis will be poorer although many opponents will breathe easier.

The U.S. won the Davis Cup in early December, the end of a 7-year journey led by Patrick McEnroe and Andy Roddick.

They had 8 weeks to enjoy their triumph. Now the tennis world dictates the U.S. begin defense of their title this weekend in Austria on clay.

Sensible, isn’t it?

Davis Cup is run by the ITF, a European outfit that indicates little understanding or concern about selling tennis’ premier international competition on the world’s biggest stage.

This lament is familiar but perhaps only repetition can hammer home the obvious truth that Davis Cup is thoroughly irrelevant in the U.S. outside of the hard-core tennis crowd.

Let’s chronicle the insanity:

Playing the championship match in the peak of pro and college football mania pushed the U.S. win into complete anonymity.

Giving the defending champions no reward risks blunting any momentum created by a country’s success. How does any legitimate competition explain how a reigning champion has to win an away tie, on a surface chosen to hurt them, to avoid facing a relegation match? How does the U.S. public buy such a concept, especially if the Austrians can pull of an upset and the US is forced to win a match this spring to stay in World Group?

Perhaps the early exits of Roddick and Bob and Mike Bryan from the Aussie Open gave them a slight edge in preparing for the indoor clay that awaits them in Vienna. It’s simply a shame that they even face such a challenge.

Then there is Fed Cup, charter members of the tennis witness protection program. The U.S. won today, beating Germany in San Diego, but unless you read the fine print of your sports section or cruise a tennis blog (thank you who do), you will never know.

The competition persists, despite the absurdity of Maria Sharapova representing Russia. (I admire her game but still await Sharapova’s first “Thank You” to the United States, the sole reason for her success and wealth).

Lindsay Davenport’s comeback included Fed Cup and she righted a stunning Day 1 loss with an easy victory over a German player unheard to me before today. (In fact, both German singles players were mysteries. Sad that Anna-Lena Groenefeld, not long ago a Top 20 player, has slid to where she only played doubles.)

Where is U.S. women’s tennis? Without the Venus Williams and sister Serena, the team needed a mom out of retirement and a player ranked 74, 22-year-old Ashley Harkleroad. But Harkleroad, a teen hope that fizzled, says she is getting better as she gets older. The US women need such a player.

Now the. women face a match with Russia … and Sharapova in the spring. The Russian Fed Cup captain, Shamil Tarpischev, also leads Davis Cup and will be on the court Friday when the Russian men host Serbia (Novak Djokovic and Jarko Tipsarevic) in a terrific first round tie.

Daniela Hantuchova was up 6-0, 2-0 on Ana Ivanovic and you could feel the depression oozing out of my TV all the way from Melbourne.

I’ve been there. Endless hours of early round matches are tolerable because you know there is a payoff… the money rounds.

Then, you have a semifinal wipeout and the letdown is evident.

Maria Sharapova continued to steamroll the field although her win was less about her play and more about Jelena Jankovic appearing physically unable to handle the moment.

Jankovic is a fighter who scraps for everything. Add to that her relentless scheduling and the worry is that her stay at the top of the game could be brief. Except for her 2006 Open semi against Justine Henin, Jankovic has hit a wall in the final rounds of majors. Does she pay a steep toll for her lack of physical strength? Does her meek serve place too much stress on the rest of her game?

Martina Hingis and Henin are champions without size. Elena Dementieva has reached Slam finals without a serve. So, the thought is that Jankovic needs to show she can handle the moment, the last defining quality of a tennis champion.

Sharapova didn’t have to play her best to win but she can be excused after the demolition of Henin and Lindsay Davenport in earlier rounds. She showed her first signs of nerves, tossing in multiple doubles when trying to close the first set.

But Jankovic cooperated by serving 3 doubles in the first game of the second set and the rest of the match was about Jankovic determined not to pull a Henin and quit a match she was surely going to lose.

So when Ivanovic completely locked up in the first set against Hantuchova, we were wondering if the lone women’s match of the fortnight was going to be Maria-Henin.

Then, if quality wasn’t paramount, drama took over in the second set. Ivanovic held to win her first game and then seized the momentum with a break. After a Hantuchova hold, the key game of the match was played. It was game 6, second set and Ivanovic fighting for survival, finally playing with the necessary force, needed seven deuce points before holding. The flurry of tennis, much of it played for Ivanovic without a safety net, seemed to bring the Serb into the match.

The third set had no real swings, just the growing feeling that Hantuchova’s nerves were let her down. The bright young Slovak has rebounded from a meltdown that saw her cry on court at Wimbledon, suffer through an eating issue and slowly rebuild her game that once drew raves from the likes of Billie Jean King.

Slam finals have eluded Hantuchova and the thought of a finish line seemed to unnerve her. In fact, Ivanovic is no steely player herself, but she had the one advantage of having reached a final (RG ‘07.)

Hantuchova made her fatal mistake in game 9 of the third set smacking a volley into the net on break point. Ivanovic had no trouble finishing a match that made me think of Boris Becker.

The great Becker once said that the fifth set was not really about tennis but about the heart and the head. An exaggeration no doubt, but I get his point. And I believe it. And I think it holds true in many Slams within the last 8 women. Few have the hardened confidence of a Sharapova or Henin, most wobble on their way to becoming a champion.

Three of the four women in these semis are still wobbly in the biggest matches. And that’s why Sharapova should win her third Slam Saturday.

What I like most about Maria Sharapova is her game face. Steely and grim, that face is one of a champion. Smiles and waves after a match, from the moments before through the end of a match, she is unwavering. That focus and mental toughness makes her great.

And it was the first thing I noticed watching her dismantle Lindsay Davenport. Sharapova later said she treated the match like a final and it was evident in her visage.

Lindsay was never in the match, not after Sharapova held to start. Davenport could never find a ground-stroking groove as Maria reduced the opportunity for long rallies. And Sharapova, not known for her mobility, was the better mover.

The post-match comment that drew my attention was Davenport’s praise of Sharapova’s serve. Maria’s shoulder issues had made her serve the story of 2007 and Lindsay reads. She was aware and ready to pounce on any weak Sharapova offerings. Those were rare and Davenport lamented her inability to reach break point.

It was a thorough win, one that featured a lack of shrieking from Sharapova, the bizarre sight of Yuri muted under a camouflage hood and the clear sign that Lindsay has work ahead to return to the top 10.

But the fact that Sharapova took this match so seriously indicates the lack of real depth in the women’s game. There are many good players but just a tiny number of champions. Larry Scott was on Tennis Channel doing his job Tuesday, spouting the company line about depth. Sadly, that is not rooted in any fact. And Sharapova’s words and actions against Davenport, the respect she paid a woman coming off childbirth, support the stance that the women’s field of champions, of which these two are members, is extremely small.

The other notable event of Day 3 was a win that Mardy Fish called “one of the best matches I’ve ever played.” He smoked Tommy Robredo in straight sets. A run to the Aussie Open quarters last year looked as if it would propel Fish into a signature year. Instead, Mardy’s rank slipped from 22 to 40 and his US Open ended with a heart-breaking five-set second round loss to… Robredo.

Revenge was sweet and Fish is now 1 match away from a fourth round against… his good friend Andy Roddick, who crushed Fish in their 2007 quarter.

Jo Wilfried Tsonga could be a surprise week 2 player in the men’s draw. He has reached the third round and his quarter is unthreatening, featuring Richard Gasquet, Igor Andreev, Mikhail Youzhny and Nikolay Davydenko.

Davydenko plows on, finding the court his solace from the cloud that hovers above. And Ivo Karlovic, who has quietly cracked the top 20 as one of the game’s terrific late bloomers, is also in the third round (Youzhny.)

Notes from Day 2:

Each year we are reminded how little form exists at the Aussie Open. It stands on an island, detached from the rest of the tennis year. It bears little connection to the rhythms and demands on the body of a “season”, one reason why I have no understanding of the calendar year “Grand Slam.”

Serena Williams winning four in a row was a Slam, it matters not to me one bit whether you win the Aussie on the front or back end of the run.

So, I shouldn’t be surprised that my dark horse men’s pick, Andy Murray, is out in the first round. He lost to a talented young player, Cassius Clay (young Ali) lookalike Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in four sets. Murray has talent and smarts, but has yet to prove his chops on the big stage. This loss is certainly a setback for Murray, who had early-season momentum on his side. But Murray can’t allow it to be a lingering issue with the year ahead.

Rafael Nadal won his first match on a cool night, an environment not often seen in Melbourne, while Roddick also won although both were pushed in early sets. Nice win for Mardy Fish as well.

Jelena Jankovic showed fight in a choppy 12-10 third set win over Tamira Paszek while Serena and Justine advanced easily in their opening matches.

And Lindsay Davenport needed three sets to win her first round match, and in the process, became the WTA all-time leader in prize money. Davenport’s career earnings of $21,898,501 surpasses Steffi Graf, and is trumpeted by the WTA as the leading number in women’s sports history. If true, somewhere, Billie Jean King is smiling.

Maria Sharapova won her first round as well, so the stage is already set for one of the women’s draw premier battles, Sharapova and Lindsay in the second round.

On the eve of the Aussie Open, while we await the ultimate status of the new playing surface, the true questions are whether anyone can derail Roger Federer’s march to a 13th Slam and Justine Henin’s dominance, now 28 straight matches:

Look at the seeds behind Henin: Kuznetsova has played in 2 Slam finals, Ivanovic one and Jankovic has proven she can beat everyone else. But none of them ever leaves you with the belief they could beat Henin when it counts. Jankovic lost SEVEN matches to Henin in 2007, the last four in straight sets. Justine is 16-2 against Kuzy and 4-0 versus Ivanovic.

So that leaves us Serena and Venus, in opposite halves of the draw and opposite states. Serena has a title to defend, one that was supposed to catapult back to the top except for the roadblock thrown up by Henin. While Venus continues to give no indication that she is a threat anywhere but Wimbledon.

Then there are Lindsay Davenport and Maria Sharapova. Henin is fortunate that they play each other in the second round. Sharapova is motivated to rebound from a year ruined by injury. Could Davenport, if she survives the second round, be this year’s Serena, playing herself into championship form round by round?

The men always seem to produce a surprise in Australia. Be it Fernando Gonzalez and Marcos Baghdatis, the last two finalists to fall to Fed, or a veteran reclaiming success (recall Marat Safin 2005), we may well see an unexpected man playing for the title. If so, the pick here is Andy Murray, free of injury and a coach.

Andy Roddick is always fit at the start of the year and has played well Down Under but if the rumors of a slower surface are true, neither ARod nor James Blake is helped.
 
Could Lleyton Hewitt make a homeland run under the guidance of Darren Cahill? Does David Ferrer, the great overachiever of 2007, have the goods on the big stage after his breakthrough at the US Open?

Then there are Rafa and Djokovic. Which Nadal is in Australia, the monster of the first six months of 2007 or the fragile shell of himself who played the second half? And is Djokovic rejuvenated after a successful but exhausting 2007? If both are right, Fed could have some tests before creeping closer to Sampras.

Stay here for daily entries.

A draw analysis for Australia:

MEN
My first search: Where is Andy Roddick? And, much to Andy’s joy I am sure, he is opposite Roger Federer. Yes, he may draw Rafael Nadal in the quarters, but Roddick would take that every time to avoid Federer.

Second search: Where are the young Americans? John Isner drew a crazy first-round match with Fabrice Santoro, which if he survives, would get him another match with Federer. Donald Young is in Roddick’s section with an opener against German Michael Berrer before a potential showdown with Roddick. Sam Querrey draws Olivier Rochus first and Dmitry Tursunov in the second round. Obviously, Querrey has the best chance of the three to reach the first weekend.

Third search: Where is James Blake? In a dicey section, especially given James’ slide in the second half of 2007. If James can survive Nicolas Massu, Seb Grosjean and Ivan Ljubicic, he could collide with Fernando Gonzalez in the fourth round before Federer in the quarters.

Heavyweights: Novak Djokovic draws the semi with Federer. In his path are David Nalbandian (a real threat until he tweaked his back this week), Lleyton Hewitt (poised for a rebound year under Darren Cahill’s tutelage) and David Ferrer. We find out quickly if Djokovic has recovered from his late-season fade.

Best draws: those in the bottom half, namely Roddick, Nadal, Richard Gasquet and Andy Murray. Nadal has a smooth path to another match with his mentor, Carlos Moya, in the fourth round. Even on a slower hard surface, Roddick should cruise into the quarters. And I think Murray, playing wonderfully since his split with Brad Gilbert, is my dark horse pick to reach his first Slam final.

WOMEN
My first search: Where is Serena? Thankfully, she avoided another quarter with Justine Henin. Maria Sharapova drew that short straw. Serena lingers in a section loaded with qualifiers, facing a potential run against Nicole Vaidisova (round of 16), Jelena Jankovic (QF) and Henin (SF).

Second search: Where is Lindsay Davenport? How about this welcome back gift for the former champ? She’s headed for a second round match with Sharapova. That winner should ease through to the quarters.

Third search: Where is Venus? Bottom half with a potential run of Marion Bartoli (round of 16), Ana Ivanovic (QF) and Svetlana Kuznetsova/Anna Chakvetadze (SF).

There aren’t many young Americans: Vania King draws Daniela Hantuchova in the first round, Ashley Harkleroad draws Virginie Razzano, and USTA wild card Madison Brengle draws Tatiana Perebiynis with Vera Zvonareva in the second round.

And Henin? Absolutely no resistance, assuming her health, until Maria Sharapova in the quarters. And every woman in the bottom half breathes easy as they watch Henin, Serena, Jankovic, Sharapova and Davenport smack each other around with only one to survive to the final.

Just as at the U.S. Open, the women need a more balanced draw.