Miami: On Anarchy and Perspective

Murray routed in straights. He’s 0-9 sets since the final of Oz. 



 
This is no longer a slump. He’s practically comatose.

“He needs to snap out of it.”

“He needs a coach.”

”He needs to be slapped about the chops with a wet (Omega-3 rich) halibut.”

We get it.

Expect a slew of smug, utterly irritating, self-satisfied, vindictive screeds, some not even bothering to masquerade as “commentary”, on how he might never win a Slam. On how he’s toast. On how this would never happen to <insert fanboy fave>.

I’m not denying that it’s all oppressively bleak right now. It just seems to me we’ve seen worse, from bigger and better players than Murray.

For all we know he might even look back upon this one day as a necessary dip. I’ve seen it happen before.

A little perspective wouldn’t go amiss.

 

”Call me ‘Bogie’ one more time…”

Meanwhile GGL and Dasco’s departure  (in addition to Kolya and TooMuch yesterday) has effectively killed the top section of Nole’s draw and rendered his entire quarter positively plebeian.

Did I mention Stan went down to Granola in three?

Or that Boy Wonders, Harrison and Milos bit the dust (as did Grigor AND Berankis AND Sock)? Boy bands must suck in Miami.

And the crazies don’t end there.

Maka slew Kleybanova – actually that’s not crazy. [In fact I gotta ask: how many of these “upsets” will Maka have to pull for us to concede they might not be, ya know, upsets?]

Even both of Robin and Marion had to go three sets to secure their openers.

So when Dinara snagged a set from Bepa it somehow didn’t seem so anarchical amidst what was otherwise absolute anarchy.

Whatever. See if I care. 



JAMES BLAKE KNOCKED OUT THE 27TH SEED, PEOPLE.

James Blake: Who can barely put two matches together for as far back as I can now remember.

A little perspective, if you please.




I doubt it amounts to much seeing as he’s playing Nole next.

But God help you, if you can’t find it within yourself to celebrate (or at least look fondly upon) this.

Your soul’s depravity clearly knows no bounds.

And the angels will WEEP for you.

(Pics: Getty)

USA Wins Sixth Hopman Cup

by Craig Hickman



I couldn't stay awake after Sister Beth gave Justine the first set.

THE United States remains well and truly the most successful Hyundai Hopman Cup nation with the team of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and John Isner claiming their sixth victory inside Perth's Burswood Dome in front of a crowd of 8564 people.

The USA team came into Hyundai Hopman Cup XXIII unseeded but played outstanding tennis all week dominating Group B beating France's Kristina Mladenovic and Nicolas Mahut 3-0, Italy's Francesca Schiavone and Potito Starace 2-1 and Great Britain's Laura Robson and Andy Murray 3-0 [sic].

Mattek-Sands and Isner took on the Belgium team of Justine Henin and Ruben Bemelmans in the Final after they replaced the Serbian team of Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic when Ivanovic suffered a slight stomach tear.

Belgium had put together a strong week in their own right, though, bouncing back from losing to Australia's Alicia Molik and Lleyton Hewitt to beat Kazakhstan's Sesil Karatantcheva and Andrey Golubev 3-0 and then Serbia 2-1.

Henin, a winner of seven Grand Slam titles, gave Belgium a winning start by beating Mattek-Sands 7-6 (6), 6-3. Isner bounced back to even the Final at one rubber apiece after he downed Bemelmans 6-3, 6-4.

It was then the deciding mixed doubles to determine the Hyundai Hopman Cup XXIII winner and the USA dominated winning 6-3, 6-4. Mattek-Sands and Isner now join five other representatives for the United States to have won at the Hopman Cup.

The first victory came in 1997 with Chanda Rubin and Justin Gimelstob opening America's account. It took until 2003 for the next win when Serena Williams and James Blake were successful with Blake back the following year to win with Lindsay Davenport.

Lisa Raymond and Taylor Dent then teamed to win in 2006 and the fifth title came in 2008 when Williams returned to be victorious alongside Mardy Fish.

Mattek-Sands and Isner now join them after an outstanding week that has seen a total attendance figure of 78,242 attend. It is the biggest figure since the Cup has been an 11 Session event. Mattek-Sands was delighted in how the week in Perth unfolded.

''It’s been an amazing week. It’s my first time in Perth and I've really enjoyed myself. It’s funny, I saw this (diamond tennis ball trophy) actually when I first got here and I thought it was the best trophy in sports,'' Mattek-Sands said.

''This is one of the best run events of the WTA Tour of the year. It’s fantastic. There was a really strong field this year, there was great players; Ana, Justine, Djokovic, Hewitt. I hope everyone enjoyed watching some great tennis this week.''

Isner made his debut at last year's Hopman Cup and was delighted to return, and to partner Mattek-Sands to form a winning team. He was also happy to bounce back from a tough loss to Murray.

''I’ve got to thank Bethanie; her back’s got to be hurting from carrying me all week. She was rock solid all week long,'' Isner said.

''I kind of got a whooping yesterday (against Murray), but I regrouped and played very well today which is really, really encouraging. Also I want to say congrats to the Belgium team. It’s a great team we beat today.''

Read the rest....

WombleTown: Late Night Revellers and Disorderly Grannies

 

Surprisingly little of note happened on day two, what with the top seeds actually behaving like top seeds.

 

Djokovic d. Rochus 4-6 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-2

 

-- This one finished too late for it to get a mention from me yesterday.

 

When the last ball was struck a few minutes shy of the official 11pm cut-off last night in a match that was officially the latest finish ever in Wimbledon history, Djoko simply went over to the net and shook hands.

 

That’s right. Not sinking to his knees, not kissing the floor. Not even hugging his opponent in that way he’s so fond of.

 

 

Ok so there was some of that.

 

But I like the heart Djoko showed to see this one through. The tennis wasn’t always to write home about, but he squeezed out every last drop of adrenaline and sweat to get the win – not that different actually to what Fed had had to endure several hours earlier.

 

 

Big props to the little man by the way – who’s surely, now,  earnt the right to stop being called “the little man”.

 

The reason for the 11pm watershed? Local authority planning permission.

 

How very British.

 

Someone somewhere must have decided that we didn’t want to be disturbing the neighbours of sleepy SW19 with our late night finishes and Vuvuzela-less revelling.

 

Except sleepy suburbia this ain’t. And if anything, it’s the tennis fangirly grannies that are doing most of the after hours revelling.

 

Kanepi d. Stosur 6-4 6-4

 

-- Certainly the WTF result of the day. Perhaps even the biggest upset of the tournament so far, though surprisingly underreported in terms of it’s significance.

 

I didn’t see the match and Kanepi’s no slouch ; still, with the form she’d been in and everything we’ve been hearing of her all-court prowess, you’d expect her to get through.

 

-- Was the fact that he’s contemplating retirement or James Blake’s bust up with Pam Shriver the bigger story?

Face Of The Day

AP

James Blake wins a difficult point against Andy Roddick during their match at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championship tennis tournament in Memphis, Tennessee, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010. Roddick squeaked by.

::

Singles - Second Round
E Gulbis (LAT) d [3] R Stepanek (CZE) 76(5) 75
[6] J Isner (USA) d J Nieminen (FIN) 67(3) 64 64
P Petzschner (GER) d E Korolev (KAZ) 76(5) 76(5)

Singles - First Round
[1] A Roddick (USA) d J Blake (USA) 63 46 76(3)
X Malisse (BEL) d [4] T Haas (GER) 64 36 64
[8] S Querrey (USA) d R Ram (USA) 62 63
L Mayer (ARG) d M Fish (USA) 64 60

Doubles - First Round
[WC] S Lipsky (USA) / D Martin (USA) d B Becker (GER) / J Chardy (FRA) 75 62

Women's Singles - Second Round
(1) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. (WC) Bethanie Mattek-Sands 61 61
(2) Melanie Oudin (USA) d. Lilia Osterloh (USA) 62 61
(3) Kaia Kanepi (EST) d. (WC) Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) 46 61 63
(5) Petra Kvitova (CZE) d. Michaella Krajicek (NED) 64 75
(Q) Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) d. (7) Vania King (USA) 36 64 62
(8) Elena Baltacha (GBR) d. (Q) Valérie Tétreault (CAN) 64 64
Karolina Sprem (CRO) d. (WC) Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) 36 62 60
Anne Keothavong (GBR) d. Michelle Larcher de Brito (POR) 63 61

I see Miss 100% is building her confidence in the minor leagues. This could be a good thing for her game.

Doubles - Quarterfinals
(3) King/Krajicek (USA/NED) d. Daniilidou/Woehr (GRE/GER) 64 76(3)

Women's Doubles - First Round
(2) Niculescu/Zalameda (ROU/USA) d. Glatch/Haynes (USA/USA) 16 64 10-6
Oudin/Perry (USA/USA) d. Domachowska/Keothavong (POL/GBR) 63 64

::

Sopa Telmex

Singles - Second Round
[2] J Ferrero (ESP) d M Daniel (BRA) 62 64
[5] A Montanes (ESP) d [Q] P Andujar (ESP) 63 62
[Q] S Ventura (ESP) d [7] V Hanescu (ROU) 64 76(10)
D Nalbandian (ARG) d D Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 67(5) 64 76(7)

Will Ferrero go two in a row?

Doubles - First Round
[1] P Cuevas (URU) / M Granollers (ESP) d R Gasquet (FRA) / M Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 57 64 10-4
D Koellerer (AUT) / O Marach (AUT) d [2] A Sa (BRA) / H Tecau (ROU) 61 64
D Ferrer (ESP) / R Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) d [3] L Friedl (CZE) / D Skoch (CZE) 57 62 10-6
S Greul (GER) / P Luczak (AUS) d F Gil (POR) / E Schwank (ARG) 64 61
N Almagro (ESP) / S Ventura (ESP) d F Fognini (ITA) / P Starace (ITA) 57 62 10-3

::

XVIII COPA BBVA Colsanitas

Singles - Second Round
(1) Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. Edina Gallovits (ROU) 62 75
(3) Sara Errani (ITA) d. Sílvia Soler Espinosa (ESP) 63 61
(5) Angelique Kerber (GER) d. Rossana de los Ríos (PAR) 76(2) 64
(6) Sandra Zahlavova (CZE) d. Petra Cetkovska (CZE) 62 62
(8) Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) d. Patricia Mayr (AUT) 57 76(5) 64

Doubles - Quarterfinals
(3) Domínguez Lino/Parra Santonja (ESP/ESP) d. Bratchikova/Thorpe (RUS/FRA) 63 63

Doubles - First Round
(2) Dulko/Gallovits (ARG/ROU) d. Castaño/Jidkova (COL/RUS) 62 64
(WC) Botto/Duque Marino (PER/COL) d. Cetkovska/Zakopalova (CZE/CZE) 63 76(4)
Savchuk/Yakimova (UKR/BLR) d. Cabeza Candela/Dentoni (ESP/ITA) 64 63
Hercog/Parmentier (SLO/FRA) d. Mayr/Zec Peskiric (AUT/SLO) w/o (Mayr: right elbow injury)

::

Open 13

Singles - Second Round
[2] J Tsonga (FRA) d [LL] J Ouanna (FRA) 76(9) 64
M Zverev (GER) d [4] T Robredo (ESP) 62 36 61
M Llodra (FRA) d [7] M Baghdatis (CYP) 76(6) 64
[8] J Benneteau (FRA) d F Serra (FRA) 64 64

I was wondering where Ouanna has been since last year's Roland Garros. Must have been some first set.

First Round
[Q] Y Mertens (BEL) d J Hajek (CZE) 76(8) 61
[WC] G Rufin (FRA) d [LL] L Recouderc (FRA) 75 46 76(2)

*[LL] L Recouderc (FRA) replaced M. Youzhny (RUS) - right hip

Doubles - Quarterfinals
[2] J Benneteau (FRA) / M Llodra (FRA) d S Stakhovsky (UKR) / R Wassen (NED) 62 62
A Clement (FRA) / N Mahut (FRA) d R de Voest (RSA) / A Qureshi (PAK) 63 75

First Round
R Bopanna (IND) / J Coetzee (RSA) d C Rochus (BEL) / O Rochus (BEL) 62 61

::

Australian Open 2010 Awards

by Craig Hickman

The Uluru/Ayers Rock Award
For the player who emerged almost out of nowhere and glowed red at sunset



Nicolas Almagro for his late-match, red-hot surge against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round.

The Red Kangaroo Award
For the player who made the biggest leap



Marin Cilic finally jumped over Juan Martín del Potro at a Slam and landed in his first major semifinal. Too bad all his five-setters caught up with him after winning the first set against Andy Murray.

The Twelve Apostles Award
For the player who rose up to produce the most rock solid game amidst the imminent threat of being washed away



Serena Williams for yet another ledge-end-ary comeback Down Under against Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals.

The Koala Award
For the player you just wanted to pick up and hug



Zheng Jie after being stampeded by her idol in the semifinals.

The Great Barrier Reef Award
For the player who created the largest tectonic uplift in the draw



Nadia Petrova for severely eroding Kim Clijsters in the third round.

The Aboriginal Award
For the veteran player who achieved the most success with his native talents



Roger Federer's movement throughout this fortnight was surprisingly efficient. Wasn't that long ago I thought he'd lost a step. If his training regimen doesn't include some combination of ballet, tango/mambo, waltz, tap or Tai Chi, I'd be shocked.

The Tasmanian Devil Award
For the player who delivered the best nocturnal performance



Jo-Wilfried Tsonga against Tommy Haas in the third round.

The Outback Award
For the wildest match of the fortnight



Li Na def. Venus Williams 2-6, 7-6(4), 7-5, Quarterfinals

Venus opened as though she'd run through the match like a river. But the last set and a half was one exhausting expanse of barren terrain. How many times did you think it might never end? Arguably the ugliest televised match of the fortnight, it becomes an early frontrunner for worst match of the year.

The Three Dingoes Award
For the players who fell prey to their own hunting



Igor Andreev and Nikolay Davydenko for their gigantic chokes against Roger Federer in the first round and quarterfinals, respectively, and Alisa Kleybanova for her total collapse against Justine Henin.

And for a few of our more traditional awards:

Best Dressed
Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur, Australia

Reuters

Getty

Best WTA Match
Serena Williams def. Justine Henin 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, Final

Reuters

I didn't realize how riveting was this tug of war between two of the tour's most decorated champions till watching it a second time.

Best ATP Match (Tie)
Juan Martín del Potro def. James Blake 6-4, 6-7(3), 5-7 6-3 10-8, Second Round

Reuters

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Nicolas Almagro, 6-3 6-4 4-6 6-7(6) 9-7, Round of 16


Reuters

Both featured one tiebreak and went into overtime in the fifth set. Both featured surprisingly exquisite performances from the losing warriors. Both could have continued for another hour. The electrifying tennis sticks in my memory like good preaching.

Speaking of preaching.
I need a day of rest.
At least.

See you when I see you.

Day 3: Late-Night Thriller

Getty

All the hype was about the women's "blockbuster" that ESPN had the audacity to call the "Greatest 2nd Round Grand Slam match ever?!" before it even began, but we'll get to that later.

The thriller of the night belonged to none other than James Blake and Juan Martín del Potro. Question marks loomed over the match. How would the reigning US Open champion's tennis elbow hold up? How would the 30-year-old man's knee hold up? How much desire to win would he display?

I'd like to write a match report, but I'm too tired, so I urge you all to see it on replay if you can. It was all-court power tennis punctuated with masterful net play, especially from Blake. The tiebreak he played to level the match in the second set was enthralling.

They saved the best for the last. Del Potro, who displays little emotion during the peaks and valleys of a match, hurt his rib late in the fifth set, Blake needed his left arm attended right before del Potro served for the match a second time, fans shouted at Blake in the middle of several big points, but both players displayed some serious gonads to give the fans at Hisense Arena a 6-4, 6-7(3), 5-7, 6-3, 10-8 adventure they'll be talking about for days.

::


Reuters

I wrote a version of the following shortly after Justine Henin outlasted Elena Dementieva 7-5, 7-6(6).

The hype for the women's night match on Rod Laver was too much before, too much during, and now too much after.

It was intriguing, dramatic, intense, and competitive. It was also erratic, nervy, painful, and ugly.

During the match, the tweets were outrageous. "Best match I've ever seen!" from someone who called the Brisbane final the same thing. "I can't remember the last time I saw such great tennis from both sides of the net" from someone who hailed the Brisbane final as the best thing since sliced bread. Pam Shriver even said early in the match that this was going to be a match she would never forget and then called it the greatest straight set match ever. Too few comments from the commentators about how terrible the serving was on both sides of the net.

As a critic, I know I can be too critical, even harsh, as some of you like to say, but when people ignore much of what's in front of their eyes simply to hype the best parts to the hilt, for the sake of the sport, I suppose, it leaves viewers wondering what the hell folks are talking about and makes you question the credibility of those doing all the hyping.

Another writer who bemoaned all the double faults on the WTA last year said nary a word about all the double faults in this match. I guess because she liked both players and was so very excited that Henin is back, she overlooked the woeful service games from both players. And I mean woeful. Neither player could hold serve. For me, great matches feature players who can close out matches on their own serve. You serve for a match once and get tight, fine. You serve for it twice and get tight, it's ugly. (It was interesting that both del Potro and Henin served for their matches twice. The second time simultaneously. They both faced 15-30 simultaneously. He held. She didn't) I'm not going to overlook the ugly just because some of the exchanges off the ground and at the net were beautiful.

They're both fighters. But ElenaD isn't as focused in Slam matches as she is in non-Slam matches it makes the whole affair less palatable because we know what she can produce when she is. One of my readers, a new fan to tennis, doesn't know much about ElenaD's history and all he can talk about is how sorry for her he feels because she's in such visible pain on the court.

And despite what the propagandists claimed, she did not play as well as she did in Sydney. There, her serve was better, her groundstrokes were flatter, deeper, more precise, and she wasn't talking to herself or her mother when she missed a shot.

Henin means business. So much so that she's still looking up at her coach between every point and he's still giving her signals. Pathetic. And though she'd never admit it in public, she also wants to upstage the comeback of her compatriot. She may just do it. But if, and only if, the rest of the tour allows her to get away with that crappy serve as it did for much of her first go around.

If she wants to fulfill her dreams in London, she's going to have to buy a serve.

::

Faces Of The Day


Reuters

Bernard Tomic of Australia keeps warm with a towel during his match against Croatia's Marin Cilic at Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 20, 2010.


Reuters

France's Marc Gicquel turns to the crowd after losing a point to Andy Murray of Britain at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 20, 2010

Reuters

Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil reacts during his match against Andy Roddick of the U.S. at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 20, 2010.


Getty

Donald Young of the United States of America talks to the media during day three of the 2010 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 20, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia.

Nadal on Blake’s Return

“He’s a very good player, I think he has one of the best returns of any player I have played.”

-- Nadal on James Blake after defeating him in Beijing

(Yahoo! Sports)

What you mean that thing he does, where he uses all your pace to flat ball a deep return back at your feet, before you’ve even completed your service motion?

Glad to hear he gave Rafa trouble and then some. Though I do fear that change in his coaching set up might be two years too late.

Flushing Meadows: 10 Nuggets to Chew Over

Barring a seismic upset, of Roland Garros proportions, I probably won't be posting anything until the middle of next week.

Until then here's ten storylines to chew over, each of which I think could do with a more thorough examination.

Will the Slamless be 'enSlammed'?

Enough.

This debate has got to stop. The insults, the trash talk, while entertaining, do nothing to inspire love for, and enamour others to, our sport.

Me too. I've got to stop.

And something that'll help us stop is if one of the WTA's three most 'deserving' causes, Dinara, Elena or Jelena, get in on the act and put things 'right'.

It won't change my opinion and the perception of most sound and able minded people that this is a weak era. The tennis from which has an almost inbred, sterile, factory farmed feel to it.

But it'll be one less charge to level against the WTA.

The question's not if, but how much of the show will Kimmie or Pova steal?

Most or all of those sound and able minded people I mentioned in the last paragraph are appreciating, at least on some level, the comeback show these two have managed to put on.

It goes without saying that their presence will, rightly or wrongly, draw some or all of the limelight away from the top players.

Good luck to them.

I just hope it's for all the right reasons, and that Pova in particular is able to better upon that 2nd round outing at Wimbledon. Her performances outside of that have been as good as might reasonably be expected. I still sometimes grit my teeth as she steps up to serve though. Which is maybe an overreaction considering the problems Dinara, Ana and Elena continue to have with their own.

Will Federer cruise to #16 with consummate ease?

If his last two matches, and the absolute peach of a draw he's been given are anything to go by, you'd have to think that his run to the semis is all but certain.

The only credible threats in his section of the draw happen not to be threats at all. But rather the other founding members of his 'eight-and-oh' club. In fact Nikolay now has a newly convened 'twelve-and-oh' society under his control.

Things should liven up in the semis when, if all goes to plan rather than to pot, he'll run in to one of Djoko or A-Rod. Based on recent form I'd say it's Andy that presents the greater threat.

Will Murray survive the first week?

Just which high-ranking ATP/USTA official did Muzz snub?

Was it 'FootballGate' all over again? Did he go on record as saying he'd support anyone playing the New York Giants?

Did he suggest that he'd be cheering for anyone playing A-Rod?

Then why has he been shafted in the way he has?

After his opener against Gulbis, he has a likely third round meeting with Karlovic to look forward to.

After which he'll most likely play one of Stan Wawrinka or Marin Cilic, followed by a QF showdown with del Potro.

Assuming he gets that far, which at this point I'm not at all certain about.

Nice.

Is Jelena really back?

I'd like to think so. Except I'd be more convinced if she puts in a good showing at the venue where she normally does so well. I've learnt to treat Flushing as a kind of Testing Ground for her, a barometer into her form.

I've missed the flowing (and supposedly less muscle-clad) movement, and those fluid double handers down the line.

Yes I'm afraid Serbian Dramedy alone will not suffice. It hasn't lost it's appeal, but you need the tennis to back it up. Although she clearly hasn't gone the way Nole has, who lost his Dramedy and most or all of his intensity along with it. Maybe that dramedy is a hidden talent I've yet to learn to fully appreciate, and should really be giving it it's dues.

Maybe that, or her win in Cincy, will help spur her on.


Nole-Ana Well-Wishers Unite..

I dunno whether it's the traditional underdog supporter in me or the way in which both their worlds suddenly seem so unspectacular and devoid of any worthy attention.

Both I imagine. Rooting for the underdog is just about the only thing that trumps my love of Roger's game or Rafa's personality. And ok, Nole's the #4 player right now, but he's the undisputed underdog within that big-four clique.

So let this be the event in which Ana makes a convincing showing well into the second week, and Nole makes at least the final.

At this point both those propositions seem a little far-fetched. But what's a Slam without a frenzied bout of sentimental underdog support?

Does Zeljko need some new material?

I deem it both proper and befitting to call time on whatever approach Zeljko has been taking with Dinara. That 'go with your strengths' strategy may have worked it's wonders in her rise to the top. But this is now a turning point. And she should respond in kind by turning with it.

Things are only going to get tougher with the obscene amount of points she has to defend.

Let's start with that serve. Just don't go getting all abbreviated on me.

Is Vika really the best of the rest?

She makes a strong case. Her Slam results are impressive. And in Miami she's won a mandatory Premier event.

Not the description you might reasonably apply to her closest competitor, her-right-honourable-Wozness, who seems to prefer making finals she doesn't win.

I don't believe she did that much wrong in that loss she suffered to Serena at Wimby this year.

It seems her rage fuels her intensity, much in the way Jelena and Nole's Dramedian-Stand-Up Shows fuel theirs: It can be the making or the discombobulation of them.

So I'm gonna lobby for it's stay. Tasteless though it is.

Like I said in my last post, Womens tennis is all about executing plan A better than everyone else. And like Clijsters, Vika happens to be quite good at doing that.

RIP James Blake? RIP Marat Safin?

It's becoming very difficult to predict anything hopeful for either of these two, and almost painful to watch most of their matches lately. So I plan to do very little of either this time round. Ok maybe I will watch every Marat match after all.

Marat seems intent on retiring, and -- dare I say it -- it now almost seems right for him to do so, given that by his own admittance, he has so little love left for the game. It also makes sense to look for a worthy last swansong during the indoor season rather than here at the Open.

I wish them both well. I just want the pain to stop.

Someone make it go away.

RIP French Tennis?

All change. This is where I'm getting off. The end of the line. The last straw. My camel's heaved it's last, his back's officially broke.

Both my French bandwagons now stand wrecked in my drive, tyres slashed and paintwork scratched. I did that last bit myself.

French tennis is all about style over substance. And French Style no longer trumps anything for me.

I reserve my last dregs of support for Gasquet, still battling the doping authorities, the once proud owner of my favourite single handed backhand in the game; itself now trumped by more substantial and significantly less stylish strokes like Robin Soderling's discuss-throwing forehand.

Davis Cup Round Up, and other bits'n bobs

-- I said in my last post that its been the season of fairytales and injury comebacks. Can I add pukeworthy scheduling cock ups to that list?

I thought we'd seen the last of it with GlamourGate at Wimbledon, but scheduling the quarter-finals of your sport's premier team event the week after arguably the most important date in the tennis calendar, makes me feel a couple of nine-year olds are in charge at the ITF.

-- Google Analytics reports that 70% of traffic generated by keyword searches was on the hunt for 'Are you looking at my Titles?'. Considering keeping a closer eye on Serena's inspirational T-Shirts. And an open mind re her writing aspirations. Or maybe just the T-shirts.

-- I'm rarely super enthused by anything that happens in pre-semis Davis Cup Tennis. But this week Israel beat Russia 4-1 to seal a place in their first ever Davis Cup semi final. Not that I expected any match that involves Marat not to go the distance, or to feature anything less than the entirety of his suite of emotional convulsions.

But Davis Cup is the one place where where Safin and Blake generally drop their 'I can't believe this is happening to me' demeanours and burst forth upon the world in an effusion of patrotic spirit. Didn't happen this time round. Blake went out in straights to Cilic today and Safin didn't even feature in the singles. An ominous sign for both their careers.

Players are kindly requested to return their overalls back to the flagpole they found them fluttering on...

(Photo: HRVOJE POLAN/AFP/Getty Images)

-- In the remaining two matches, Spain came through against Germany with Ferrero assuming virtual hero status after coming through in straights opposite Beck in their deciding singles rubber (move over Rafa), and Stepanek and Berdych saw the Czech Republic past Argentina. Didn't manage to see either, but I'm thinking the match featuring the Czech Headcases would make better viewing. What say you?

Ah, the "Shotokan Horse Stance"...

The "Driving Instructors' Victory Pose"

And...something else...

(Photo: SAMUEL KUBANI/AFP/Getty Images)

-- I've generally not been super impressed with what I've been seeing and hearing of the new crop of juniors on both the boys and girls side. Loutish behaviour, lack of discipline, an unwillingness to apply themselves to their chosen sport, boozy late nights - and all this with opportunities most around the world can only dream of.

Perhaps what I find most revolting of all is the way a large proportion (though not all) of them seem to think a couple of sponsorships and a half decent game, means a ticket to success and the right to lead a slightly premature A-list Celeb lifestyle.

It's not just tennis of course. We live in an on-demand age that values the rewards of achievement above the graft and talent required to get there.

My poor opinion was unchanged this week after hearing of the not-so-curious-but-quite-alarming case of Brydan Klein, a former junior Aussie Open Champ, suspended for sixth months and fined in excess of £14K, for racially abusing his opponent during the qualies at Eastbourne last month. He also spat at his opponent's coach.

Charmed. And a little relieved the authorities acted as swiftly and strongly as they did.

-- Rajeev Ram of the US, ranked #181, has just defeated Sam Querry to win the ATP 250 Title at Newport, Rhode Island - his maiden ATP Title at an event where he was forced to pull out of qualifying with a leg injury - later readmitted as a lucky loser.

Dude can volley well, by the looks of things...
(Photo: AP)

That's got to be some sort of a record surely!?

Queens Club Trophy Ceremony...

I apologise profusely James - particularly after that strong showing.

What can I say, except that it's all in jest. And that your priceless expressions proved irresistable.

"Much as I love this post-modern lovingly sculpted artifact..."
(Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

"I'd sooo much rather have that one..."
(Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)


"I'm only kidding of course..."

(Photo: AP)

"Except I'm not..."
(Photo: Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

More History in the Making...

You'll not be surprised to learn that last weeks rather hallucinatory tennis venture left me a little hung over.

So much so that I almost missed the week's action at Queens this year. It wasn't until Thursday that the matches began to vaguely interest me. And it took what I'm pretty sure qualifies as a once in a lifetime experience to get me fully on board: Andy Roddick hit a single handed backhand winner down the line.

I'm not even sure whom he was up against. Thinking back now I'd say it was in his match against Hewitt. But that's neither here no there. Grass makes things like that happen. The combination of the low bouncing, speedier and more slippery feel of the surface seems to connive together mischievously with the occasional imperfect bounce to yield a tennis experience that forces desperate plays like that. As well as players out of their comfort zone.

He was stretched out wide and found himself robbed of the time and court positioning he'd need to set himself up for that much improved double-hander we know (and don't always love) so well. I was expecting a desperate shot. And yes, instincts did take over, but not in the predictably unregulated way you might imagine. This was the A-Rod exuding confidence, with an almost craftsman-like air, knowingly going through the motions of the only aggressive shot possible under the circumstances. Rather like he's been all year.

Blake hit a single handed backhand slice winner down the line later that day that wasn't nearly as good - but in a split second that unique slice of Parisian history was, not forgotten, but tagged and suitably archived, to be enjoyed again another day, as I was suddenly reminded of my love affair with grass court tennis.

Sure, the rallies are considerably shortened, sometimes over in the blink of an eye - you sometimes think the authorities' intransigence to increase upon that 5-week 'season' is because it serves as a deliberate 'blink and you'll miss it' metaphor for those shortened rallies.

But like clay, grass rewards a particular style of play - to take advantage of it, you either need to be naturally gifted, or skilled enough to play to the needs of the surface.

No coincidence then that 70% of the field (hard courters, every last one of them) suddenly begins to look very ordinary out there.

And as entertaining a take on Wimbledon as it was, Lleyton's observation that "there's only a handful of players capable of winning Wimbledon each year", is unreservedly, spot on.

***

I suppose I should say something about Andy Murray, seeing as he won the Queen's Club Title today, the first Brit to do so in 71 years, when the trophy was lifted by someone calling himself 'Bunny' Austin.

(Yes alright, my sides split too the first time I heard that name. Now stop rolling around, and let's be adults please.)

"Stop pratting about with that arty shot of a clothes hanger and get a pic of this'ere piece of silverware..."
(Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

"Alright that's too close boys..."
(Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

Such a resoundingly colourful name seems to reflect all the swagger of the age, the considerably different attitudes to the game - not at all out of place in a Golden Era of British Tennis in which you could count Fred Perry amongst your contemporaries. And sure enough his equally colourful Wikipedia bio makes mention of conscientious objection, tennis matches with Charlie Chaplin and a friendship with Daphne du Maurier.

Not to mention winning the Davis Cup for Britain alongside Fred Perry four times (1933-1936) and forming one half of the celebrity couple of the age.

And Tennis-Celebs these days think they know a thing or two about living it up.

You've got a lot to live up to Andy. And with a mundane sounding name like 'Andrew Murray' you might need some help jazzing it up. Which is where I think his game (and in particular his backhand) comes into it's own.

When Nadal pulled out of Queens last week, Andy suddenly found himself the top seed. Which was great, but I also remember thinking what presumably anyone who follows the sport for the other 48 weeks of tennis we have all year might think: with the big wins Murray's had since last year, with the title's he's won and his appearance in the US Open final, he should go on to win this thing with consummate ease.

Anything less would qualify surely, as a disappointment of the severest kind.

The good news is he did exactly as I'd hoped, serving his way to the Title without dropping a set.

Under the gaze of a very discerning and annoyingly expectant media eye.

No nerves. No expletives. No facial contortions. And not too many 'Andaaaaaaieeees'.

Just big serving, a repeat of his Wimbledon showing last year where he served on average at around 132mph, and a mixture of those crunching groundstrokes and feather light touch, that gave us amongst other things, two very special contenders for 'play of the week'.

Can't find a video but if you've seen it you'll know the ones I mean.

One was a perfectly timed lob off an aggressive net rush by Mardy Fish, a rush that actually saw Murray pushed far back. A position that would have caused other players to panic, but which instead saw Murray pull off a shot we all know he's capable of, but often recently seems too inhibited to try.

The other was a repeat of one of the shots Federer used en route to his first Wimbledon Title - a shot that lead the press to gush that he was reinventing tennis - a short half volley cross court winner flicked effortlessly by a player that demands more of his tennis.

All of which got me thinking. Murray often goes to great lengths to convince us that hard courts are his 'surface of choice', and that though he'd like to win Wimbledon, it's at the US Open that he feels most comfortable of winning his first Slam.

I dunno. Anyone that can transition to grass that seamlessly and begin to pull of the outrageous winners he did after what is after all a 'minimalist' grass court practice regime, surely must be considered a contender. More so, considering the wins he's had over Federer and Nadal.

And Andy might have more than the pressure of the British Press and Public this year. As if that weren't enough, it's also the one-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Fred Perry. The last Englishman to win Wimbledon.

Think Federer's win in Paris was historic? Hold your horses.