Ted Robinson’s Matchpoints

So much on this Thursday, but the highlight was simultaneous play from Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the first time I can recall that at any major. Rain caused the overlap with the 2 greats occupying the show courts in the late afternoon; both had similar results, although Federer had a small glitch, dropping the first set tiebreak to scrappy Albert Montanes. Too soon to project the final weekend, but Federer is hitting his backhand well and seems healthy with his normal movement. It’s not enough to beat Nadal when Rafa is on, but it is more than enough to keep Federer #2 in the clay court world.

Disappointment for James Blake, who lost a chance to make the second week at RG. With his section wide open, Blake needed a win over a talented teen, Ernests Gulbis of Latvia. A tough draw no doubt, but Blake is still searching for the Slam where he wins a few that he’s not supposed to. James got this match to 1-1, but dropped serve late in the third and never recovered.

Mardy Fish had a chance with a hobbled Lleyton Hewitt playing at 80 percent efficiency (torn hip cartilage). But Mardy, after dropping a tight first set, couldn’t hold a break advantage in the second and went out in straight.

Bobby Reynolds fell in four to the resurgent Nico Lapentti, who made the main draw at 31.

But Robby Ginepri, late in the night, pulled off the stunner, knocking out seeded Igor Andreev in four sets. More details on that match to come tomorrow.

So there are 2 Americans in the third round, Wayne Odesnik draws Novak Djokovic late Friday (around noon ET, 9 AM PT) and today Justin Gimelstob told me of his admiration for Odesnik. This is a rare young player who seeks help, solicits advice and enjoys clay. Wayne is working with Spaniard Felix Mantilla while in Paris and has Francisco Montana, late of Robby Ginepri, at home. But he looks at the French as a challenge, not an obligation. Odds are his stay will end Friday night, but Odesnik has put his name in the mix of American tennis.

Low road comment of this Roland Garros comes from tournament doctor, Dr. Montalvan. Speaking in defense of Richard Gasquet’s withdrawal, Dr. Montalvan said it was “my personal opinion” that Andy Roddick withdrew because clay is not his favorite surface. Why a doctor sees the need to opine is a different story, but Roddick had played the last 7 French Opens and will be in Madrid for September’s Davis Cup semi against Nadal. Roddick’s record on court can be addressed but not his competitiveness.

How open is this men’s draw? One of the following four: Gulbis, Michael Llodra, Simone Bolelli or Lapentti will be a quarterfinalist.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing: the Eurosport commentator said that Nikolay Davydenko’s win over Marat Safin was “huge” for any win over Safin is significant. Davydenko is 4 in the world, and posted a Roddick-Nadal double to win Miami. Safin is 73 in the world. That statement needed a hyperbole check.

The regard with which Andy Roddick and his US teammates hold Davis Cup was clear this weekend in Winston-Salem.

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How other great players around the world regard it was also seen in the attitude of Richard Gasquet.

Roddick clinched the tie; he is 10-0 in such matches, with a pulverizing straight set win over Paul-Henri Mathieu. The American closer, every bit as strong in that role as Mariano Rivera has been in baseball, never gave the French any hope.

His win pushed the US into the semi-finals, a road tie in Spain. And Andy addressed that tie in a post-match interview heard by the entire arena, “Even though Spain may put down a surface that is not to my strength, I guarantee one thing: I will be there.”

In contrast, we offer Gasquet. Wildly talented and equally erratic in mind, Gasquet came to North Carolina in a slump, and appeared disinterested in playing after experiencing the quick indoor court in practice.

After the Clement-Llodra doubles win Saturday, captain Guy Forget was seen in an animated conversation with Gasquet. A psychic was not needed to understand the purpose of this chat: to play or not to play, that was the question Gasquet had to answer.

Forget said he provided the answer on Friday, that Gasquet did not inspire any confidence from Forget that the player wanted the assignment.

But now France had a live Sunday with Mathieu, dispirited from his 5-set loss to James Blake, and a fatigued Llodra who would be challenged to play well on three consecutive days.

Gasquet practiced Saturday night and again Sunday morning. But it was decided that Mathieu would oppose Roddick and, if France produced an upset, that Gasquet would play the fifth match.

Roddick rendered the fifth match irrelevant. But the real point was the coercion needed to get Gasquet on the court.

It’s been a recurring theme in Gasquet’s life, and we won’t play amateur psychologist but we hope somehow a player with Gasquet’s skills can achieve some strength of mind. But Davis Cup should be an honor, not an obligation or burden.

For that, Roddick, as well as Blake, Mardy Fish and the Bryans, should be praised. They play anywhere, anytime and utter not a complaint.

Andy wrote another chapter in what is becoming his tennis legacy– his Davis Cup brilliance. Utterly confident, he smashed the No. 12 player in the world, winning his 29th Cup match, just one behind Andre Agassi for 2nd on the U.S. list.

Although they all know that clay and Rafael Nadal await them in September, this U.S. team will not need any persuasion to get them on the plane or in their clay-court shoes.

Interesting to hear mixed reviews of Andy Roddick’s win in San Jose. Some feedback focused on strong play from Roddick, a sound strong backhand that he was willing to rip up the line, his potent serve (particularly in the final against Radek Stepanek) and a growing confidence as he rolled through the week (albeit against no top ranked players until the final.)

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Then there were the comments that ranged from concern to contempt for Roddick’s attitude. He derailed Japanese teen Kei Nishikori, conqueror of James Blake in the Delray final, and unloaded a verbal barrage in the process. Nishikori first claimed not to hear Roddick, then admitted an unwillingness to repeat the words publicly.

The esteemed Jon Wertheim, who shares with me a tendency to like Roddick, framed the San Jose incident in the light of recent transgressions, notably Andy’s explosion at umpire Emmanuel Joseph during his loss to Phillip Kohlschreiber in Australia, and wondered if there has been a sea change in Roddick’s demeanor. Fair question — is he being influenced by Jimmy Connors?

Here’s what I know: from an early age, Roddick understood his position as the heir to the Sampras-Agassi throne. As a sports fan, he was aware of tennis’ position in the American sports arena and went to pains to sell/promote the sport much more than himself. His triumphant media tour of New York after winning the 2003 US Open was masterful. It signaled that American tennis was set for the next 6-8 years.

Of course, we couldn’t have predicted Roger Federer. Andy could never have imagined not just Fed’s 12 Slams but also the 15-1 head-to-head dominance of Roger.

And for four years, imagine how many times Roddick has heard that line of questioning….Why is Roger so good? What can you do to stop him? Can you beat him? Is Roger the best ever? Think Roddick may tire of that?

Something else I know: Roddick has been great with young American players on tour. At Wimbledon, he has insisted on using the upper-tier of the men’s locker room, the area to which lesser players and juniors are relegated. There Andy hands with the group that has largely been his peers while the other top-ranked pros dress on the lower level. Roddick is also a thorough American sports fan, thus the concept of “talking” to an opponent may not strike him as foreign as it does many who love tennis.

Story I never forget: 2000 Davis Cup in Los Angeles. Johnny Mac, as captain, chooses 17-year-old Roddick as practice player. What Andy learned was that the role called for him to be “fresh meat,” in this case for Andre Agassi. The great Agassi punished Roddick on the court in their head-to-head practice match. And then Andre piled on a verbal assault. The cumulative effect was so fierce as to force Johnny Mac to halt the proceedings.

I have only talked briefly to Andy about that time, but I am fairly sure he has never forgotten. So when he “talks trash” to Nishikori, Andy may think it’s nothing compared to what he took from Andre. And to the treatment of umpires, well could Connors be advising Roddick that his flare-ups are nothing compared to the classics of Jimmy’s era?

The world of super models, high-stakes poker and private jets in which Roddick lives is another issue, one raised in a fair manner by Jon Wertheim. And I agree with Jon’s conclusion. If Roddick has veered in some ways, the Andy I know will return.

Lost in the news over Monica Seles’ retirement last week was the WTA announcement of an initiative to enhance player safety. Most importantly, criminal background checks will be conducted on player entourage team members and others seeking credentialed access.  It’s a terrific, if overdue, step after the litany of abusive parents (Jim Pierce, Damir Dokic and the horrid 2005 story of Evgenia Linetskaya) and coaches (Joe Giuliano.)

Rankings updates: Roddick, who took a wild card into Memphis (d. Gilles Muller (32) in first round), is still 6, a distance behind Nikolay Davydenko (5) and safely ahead of Richard Gasquet (7).

Biggest rebound is David Nalbandian, coming back from 25 last fall to his present 8.

Ivo Karlovic turns 29 this week and celebrates with a career-best rank of 21.

US rankings: Sam Querrey 63, Vince Spadea 70, John Isner 93, Mardy Fish 94, Bobby Reynolds 100, Donald Young 102 (d. Sam Warburg in 1R Memphis) and Robby Ginepri back to 108 after beating Blake to make the semis in San Jose.

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.)

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.

Watching the Hopman Cup on Tennis Channel and I’m wondering what happened to the “off-season?”

Novak Djokovic was just seen slinking away from Shanghai weary from an intense year that shot him into the upper echelons of the sport.

Now, weeks later, he plays Mardy Fish in the first event of the new year and receives treatment on his right shoulder.

How can this happen to one of the sport’s bright young stars?

Fish played valiantly, falling in a final set breaker, and looked healthy. Mardy has teased before with his immense talent and likable personality. Can 2008 see him finally mold health and focus together to make a serious run?

I am an agate guy. I love the small print results page of the sports section. To me, I find and follow hundreds of wonderful sports stories on a daily basis around the world through agate.

How else can we follow the wackiness that is the tennis calendar? Multiple events on multiple continents for 10 months of every year can only be tracked with intensity.

So, this week was notable for the return of tennis results to the agate section.

I watched Sam Querrey; starting the year at 63, win one round in Adelaide before falling to an Aussie wildcard never before known outside his hometown.

I look in vain for the names of Donald Young (100) and John Isner (106) who both ended 2007 on a run and hope to maintain their momentum.

I see Andy Murray winning in Qatar and am fascinated to see how the Scot fares post-Brad Gilbert. So far, so good for another late-season charger who starts 2008 at 11 in the world.

And I see Nikolay Davydenko, winning matches while complaining about his treatment in the ATP investigation. No sympathy here for a man who bailed on a match with injury and played halfway around the world 6 days later. Just answer the questions.

Martina Hingis is suspended 2 years for a positive cocaine test. She has retired from the sport.

Roger Clemens is outed by his personal trainer for steroid use. He has retired from the sport.

Both maintain their innocence. Clemens is fighting to clear his name. The financial lure of Hall of Fame induction is an intense motivation for Clemens. That doesn’t exist for Hingis. Will she fight like Clemens? Or will she quietly accept her fate and hope time heals wounds and fades memories?