Mowing Down the Grass

Is it just me or does this year's grass court season seem shorter than normal?

Given the apparently compressed schedule, it's no wonder so many players are on the courts during the two weeks between the French Open and Wimbledon -- and this week's tournaments across Europe truly attracted the top talent.

Of course Rafael Nadal had pulled out of the warm-up at Queen's Club while Roger Federer withdrew from Halle -- but there was certainly no shortage of star power. Andy Murray and Andy Roddick led the way in London while Novak Djokovic and Fernando Verdasco took top billing in Germany.

Murray took the top seed at the AEGON Championships and he definitely came to his adopted country with a mission. Despite an impressive 24-8 record on grass, the twenty-two year old has never won a title on the surface he should feel at home on. But this year was different, and he made it to the finals without dropping a set, beating sixth-seeded Mardy Fish and former #1 Juan Carlos Fererro.

On the other side of the draw my dear James Blake let his opponents clear the road for him. Mikhail Youzhny took out third seed Gilles Simon while Roddick dispatched Lleyton Hewitt in a match where no one was able to break the other's serve. Andy unfortunately suffered an ankle injury in their semifinal match, though, and allowed James to reach his second final of the year.

For both personal and patriotic reasons I of course would have liked the American to win. But Murray eventually claimed his fourth title of the year, out-acing Blake 7-1 and converting all three of his break opportunities.



But on the bright side I was impressed by the performance of my countrymen in London, with all three entrants making at least the quarters. If they remain -- or get -- healthy, it could bode well for their performance at Wimbledon.

The men who played in Halle, however, might have something to say about that.

Though Verdasco lost early on to German Phllipp Petzschner, Nole made it to the finals despite facing five match points against Florent Serra in the second round. There he faced an unseeded Tommy Haas, who had already eliminated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Haas has been launching a comeback this year after more than a twenty-four month title drought followed by being allegedly poisoned at the 2007 Davis Cup. Although Novak was clearly the favorite, Tommy didn't seem to be too bothered, taking the first set 6-3 while winning 92% of his first serves. Djokovic took the second in a tiebreak, but Haas wasn't deterred. He made quick work of the top-five player in the final set, winning 6-1 and earning his very first grass court title.



On the women's side Maria Sharapova continued her quest to get in some match play before Wimbledon begins. She looked good in her third straight tournament since returning to the Tour in Warsaw and made it to the semifinals in Birmingham -- unfortunately she lost to eventual runner-up Na Li.

Ultimately Slovakian twenty-year-old Magdelena Rybarikova claimed her first career trophy, defeating Li easily, 6-0, 7-6. The win doesn't quite earn the fifty-eighth ranked beauty a seed at next week's Ordina Open in the Netherlands, where she faces Alona Bondarenko in the first round. But it certainly marks a breakthough in her career -- in this tournament alone she notched big wins over top seed Jie Zheng and Sania Mirza, who she'd lost to in Pattaya City. She could be one to watch at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.



The countdown to Wimbledon has definitely begun!

Little Rest for the Weary

The French Open has barely been put to bed and already players are back in action as they gear up for the next leg of the tennis season.

With Wimbledon less than two weeks away, there's not a lot of time to warm up for the grass-court stretch, so it's no surprise that the tournaments this week boast some of the top talent -- Andy Murray is the #1 seed at Queen's Club in London and Novak Djokovic leads the pack in Halle, Germany.



But there are some notable absences this week -- and one that might be a little alarming.

Roger Federer, physically and emotionally drained after his historic victory in Paris, won't be seeking a sixth trophy in Halle. He announced on his website yesterday that he needs a little extra time to rest and recuperate after his run at Roland Garros.

More disturbing was the fact that reigning Wimbledon champ Rafael Nadal wouldn't be defending his title at Queen's Club due to a mysterious knee injury. He's been having trouble for some time, retiring from his quaterfinal match at the ATP Masters Series in Paris last year and subsequently pulling out of the year-end championships in Shanghai.

Nadal says he still plans to compete at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club and will fly to London next week. After his disappointment at the French Open I imagine that sheer pride will force him to show up, though he concedes he may have to withdraw if he doesn't feel he can give his best. On his homepage this week, he said:

"I am going to give my 200% to be ready for the most important tournament in the world. The tournament that I always dream about. I will not go out and play, especially on the Wimbledon Centre Court, if I am not 100% ready to play. I have two difficult weeks ahead of me, especially because I won't be doing what I like doing most, which is to play tennis."

Of course I wish him a speedy recovery, but -- a little bit selfishly -- I hope he's able to return in top form to defend his Wimbledon title. You have to admit there was something missing from last weekend's final, and I think it can only be cured with another Rafa-Roger showdown.



As we know, when they're playing their best, there's no greater show in sports. And this tournament won't be the same without them!

For the History Books

They both had a lot riding on this one match -- but in the end more experience, stronger nerves and unbridled talent helped the great Roger Federer prevail.

Roger, for one, was looking to win his fourteenth Major trophy, matching the six and a half year old record set by Pete Sampras and completing a career Grand Slam. His opponent, twenty-three seeded Robin Soderling, wanted to claim his first big championship by doing something no one had ever done -- defeating both Roger and Rafael Nadal in a Slam.

I have to admit I was torn in my loyalties today. On the one hand I knew that Federer would eventually go down in history as the greatest tennis player of all time, and I didn't begrudge him any victory. But at the same time I wanted Sampras, my all-time favorite, to hold on to the record he set for as long as possible.

But once long-time rival Nadal was so handily eliminated last Sunday, all the pundits seemed to realize this was Roger's year. And even though he struggled the following day, falling behind two sets to none against Tommy Haas, and was almost eliminated in the semis by Juan Martin Del Potro, in the finals he was all business. In a relatively easy match where the most exciting moment came when a crazy fan rushed the court early in the second set, Roger reminded us why he's been on top for so long.



It was a moment a long time coming, and one achieved on the unlikeliest of stages. Of course we know Roger had three title opportunities in Paris before this and was each time denied the crown by Nadal. And less than a year ago his journey was prolonged even further when Rafa stunned him on the court he'd come to call home. After he broke down in Australia, losing there to his nemesis for the thirteenth time, he seemed to have trouble finding his footing and I began to wonder if he'd be able to get it back together this year.

With this win he certainly put everyone's doubts and concerns to rest -- and put himself back on the course to well surpass the record he now shares. At twenty-seven, he's almost four years younger than Sampras was when he won lucky number fourteen. And with the career Grand Slam in the bag all the pressure is off -- he can now sit back, relax and play for the fun of it.

And we all know how fun it is to watch him play!

By the way, lest we forget, it all started in 2003 with a straight-set victory over Mark Philippousis at Wimbledon, when the twenty-one year old Federer was incredibly ranked fifth in the world. It's hard to remember a time before he was #1, isn't it? If he keeps it up, he could be back there soon!

Where There Is No Norm

It's easy to forget, given recent history, that the French Open is one where upsets are the norm. Unheard of players have the opportunity win here, but then tend to go quietly into the night.

Remember Gaston Gaudio, the Argentine who won here in 2004 as the fourty-fourth ranked man -- incidentally, the last man to win before Rafael Nadal began his reign? He won a couple titles the next year, but nothing to write home about.

Or Gustavo Kuerten who took home his first of three trophies in 1997, ranked sixty-sixth? He got to #1 in the world, but never was able to cause any real damage on other surfaces.

The women's draws have had similar results -- Anastasia Myskina, Iva Majoli, and even Ana Ivanovic never made a big dent after winning here.

So given that backdrop, we shouldn't be that shocked that Robin Soderling made it to the finals in Paris. And I'm sure he's hoping desperately to, not only be the next major vanquisher of giants, but to keep his name in the headlines for years to come.

Roger Federer is clearly the favorite to win his first French Open title today, and tie Pete Sampras's record fourteen Major titles. Five games into the first set, it looks like he's on track to do just that. We'll see if Soderling is able to pull out another huge upset -- beating both Rafa and Roger in one Slam would be a feat beyond compare.

Whatever the results, I'm hoping it's a good fight!

Another Rematch

At least someone took my New Year's resolution for them seriously!

Of course that means that someone else has to wait at least a few more weeks before she can do the same.

Dinara Safina came to the French Open ranked #1 in the world for the first time at a Grand Slam. She'd won two titles in the weeks leading up to Paris and played an exemplary tournament, losing just five games in the first four rounds. She was only tested once during the fortnight, dropping one set to Victoria Azarenka before rallying through the quarterfinals.

On the other hand Svetlana Kuznetsova hadn't been having the most successful year before the clay court season began. Though she held firmly to her spot in the top ten by advancing well into tournaments, she hadn't won a title since New Haven in 2007. Though she had ended that year at a career-high #2 ranking, she'd since let compatriots like Dinara, Elena Dementieva and Vera Zvonareva all climb ahead of her. In a time when Russian women were dominating women's tennis, she'd become the lesser-known also-ran.

But when the 2009 European season began, both players seemed to hit their stride. Svetlana ended a long losing streak in tournament finals with a win over Safina in Stuttgart. That championship match was reprised in Rome, but this time went in favor of Safina.

It was only fitting that these two should meet for the title at Roland Garros.

It's not exactly the same caliber of the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, but it is shaping up to be rather interesting. Both were playing in their second final in Paris, and Dinara clearly had the added pressure of trying to win her first Grand Slam trophy. She seemed determined to finally prove that she deserved the #1 ranking she'd claimed in April -- maybe too determined.

Svetlana had the harder road to the finals, having to beat three seeded players, including Serena Williams, in a row while Safina's only threat came from Azarenka. But though the top seed opened the match by breaking her opponents serve, she seemed to have trouble after that. Midway through the second set she showed signs that she might be buckling under the stress. Meanwhile Dinara's seven double faults -- the last coming on championship point -- certainly helped her opponent keep her cool.

After just over an hour, Svetlana Kuznetsova earned her second major title and reaffirmed her place among tennis's strongest women. It'll be interesting to see if she can keep up the momentum through the summer -- and if Safina will be able to regroup and get back on track to acheive her/my resolution!



Incidentally during her Paris run, Svetlana not only beat the #1 player in Safina, but also #2 Serena Williams in the quarterfinals. The last time that's happened was when Justine Henin took the crown here in 2003 after beating Serena and Kim Clijsters.

But Robin Soderling hopes it will happen again tomorrow as he faces second-seed Federer in the men's final. After taking out world #1 Nadal last Sunday, a win here would not only be Soderling's first Grand Slam title, but also one of the biggest coups in sports history.



Both players faced long semifinal matches to get here -- it took each of them five sets to dismiss their opponents, so neither is particularly well-rested. And while Roger has never lost to Soderling, the Swede seems to be playing a wholly different game these days.

You know tomorrow will be a match for the history books!

Doing Their Dirty Work

As much as I love a really good fight on the battlefield, I have a tendency -- for my favorites -- to root for an easy road to victory.

Don't get me wrong -- I love the excitement of overtime or extra innings and a fifth set with match points on either side of the net. But, like a protective mother, I often hope that my team is never in danger of losing.

Take, for example, Wimbledon, 1995.

My all-time favorite Pete Sampras, ranked and seeded #2 in the world, was out for his third straight title in England. But in his way was top dog and long-time rival Andre Agassi. Though at that point, Pete had the slight 8-7 record against his friend, Andre was playing some of the best tennis of his life -- having beaten Sampras in the finals at Melbourne and Miami earlier that year.



Their matches were always phenomenal and put on a show unlike many others. Even still I was worried that Andre's hard hitting and obvious tenacity would be too much for Pete, who had already lost sets to unknown players like Karsten Braasch and Shuzo Matsuoka during the tournament. Sampras had a lot on the line at Wimbledon and Agassi was a huge threat. So I prayed for someone else to clear the way for him and get rid of Agassi before Pete had to face him.

And that's just what Boris Becker did.

In one of the best matches I've ever seen, the fourth-seeded German took Agassi to four sets in their semifinal match, out-aced him twenty-two to four, and scored the upset in just under three hours. But just as I expected Becker wasn't able to maintain his dominance when he met Pete in the finals. After getting Andre out of the way, he made it pretty easy for Pete to, well, three-peat.



Okay, maybe the world was denied a great matchup in the final, but I didn't care. The win put Pete on his way to acheiving tennis history -- a legend that has endured to this day.

I wonder if that's how Roger Federer and Dinara Safina feel this year.

Now I've been as loud as anyone hoping for another Roger-Rafa Slam final, but Federer had to know that if he was going to win the French Open, someone else would have to take out Rafael Nadal. They've met here four times before and Federer has only taken three sets -- none of them in the same match.



Of course I wondered whether winning here would mean as much if he didn't get to face Nadal. Assuming Roger even makes the final, we probably won't get the championship match we've become accustomed to here. But hell, the road to a record-tying fourteen Majors and a career Grand Slam -- something Pete never acheived -- must seem a lot less bumpy now that Robin Soderling was able to do what Federer seemingly could not.

Dinara Safina is on the same boat, though her goal is ever-so-slightly less lofty. She's been to two Grand Slam finals, but never won a title. She claimed the world #1 ranking even though she'd lost her last three matches to the woman she took it from, Serena Williams . She's won eleven Tour titles, just a third of her biggest rival's. Of course she's been successful -- she's just looking to prove herself on a bigger scale.

So Dinara has to be happy that she won't have to meet her nemesis in Paris -- countrywoman Svetlana Kuznetsova took care of that for her in the quarterfinals. Even though she earned two titles on clay in the weeks leading up to Roland Garros, the prospect of her first Grand Slam championship is probably a lot brighter today.



In any case, Roger and Dinara certainly owe a big debt of gratitude to their fellow competitors in Paris -- it could have been a lot harder for them to acheive their ends here. And while the matchups may not be what we wished to see, I'm hoping that they all put on a show that is deserving of the title!

Bracket Busters

Yesterday I tweeted my predictions for who would make the semifinals in Roland Garros.

I should've know better.

After years and years of starting out strong in my March Madness pools only to fumble the ball at the one-yard line (hmm...talk about your mixed metaphor), I've come to expect I won't fare well in my forecasts. And with Day 1 of the quarterfinals put to bed, I've been reminded why I don't buy lottery tickets.

Four of the eight quarterfinal matches took place today and I chose exactly none of the winners.

I figured Robin Soderling would have been wiped out, both physically and emotionally, after he scored the upset of the decade, and I hoped that four straight three-set victories for Maria Sharapova over some feisty opponents would well prepare her to handle a comparatively inexperienced twenty-year-old. I've never been a big believer in Andy Murray, especially since he's never won a title on clay, but pundits kept insisting this was his tournament. And Victoria Azarenka was looking good this fortnight, and I chose her to notch the upset over the current world #1.

Of course Soderling proved he had more mettle than I gave him credit for and handed Nikolay Davydenko a quick loss, and Maria's good luck came to an end as she won only two games against Dominika Cibulkova. Andy Murray put up a bit of a fight in the second set but ultimately lost 4-6 to Fernando Gonzalez in the fourth, and despite a solid 6-1 lead in the first set, Azarenka had trouble breaking Dinara Safina again and also went out 4-6 in the third.



That leaves me with four more chances to redeem myself.

I feel my best chance is with Roger Federer and Gael Monfils, in which I put my money on the former #1 who's going for his record-tying fourteenth Grand Slam title. The two have played four times before and Roger has only dropped one set -- incidentally at Roland Garros last year. But then again Monfils has the French crowd behind him, and if he can rattle Federer like he did Andy Roddick yesterday, I can see my pick wither in the heat.

And then there's the battle of former #1 Serena Williams and former #2 Svetlana Kuznetsova. Serena won their last three meetings, but neverthe less I picked the Russian, who put up quite a fight in Melbourne last January. Besides, Svetlana has only lost one set in Paris and made two straight finals in Stuttgart and Rome. Then again, Serena is Serena and she seems to find a way to pull out wins no matter how far down she gets.

The matchup between Tommy Robredo and Juan Martin Del Potro should be a good one -- two powerful clay court players that have had amazing years. Robredo has won two titles already in 2009 while DelPo took the crown in Auckland and scored his first career victory over Rafael Nadal in Miami. While I gave Robredo the nod based on his experience and his dominating record on the surface, Juan Martin has sailed through his bracket, losing only one set in a tiebreak to home-grown hero Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The biggest wildcard is the final women's match between Australian hotshot Samantha Stosur and Hungarian upstart Sorana Cirstea. Stosur, relatively a veteran, has had a break-out year, beating players like Aggie Radwanska, Amelie Mauresmo and even Safina. But nineteen-year-old Cirstea has had an amazing tournament, beating three seeded players in a row, including Jelena Jankovic, my original pick to win the whole enchilada (crepe??), in the Round of Sixteen. Here again I'm going for the upset -- after watching Sorana play I think she's clearly on her way to being a big force in this sport.



So will I mount a comeback like Dinara did today? Probably not. In any case, I'm now taking bets on whether I get any of my semifinal picks right.