“It was nice to be there, fighting”

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January 29, 2012

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Those words were spoken by Rafael Nadal in the pressroom, minutes after losing a five-set, five-hour and fifty minute grind against Novak Djokovic – the longest Grand Slam final in Open Era history.

I could go on about the significance of this match in the tennis world.  Nadal loses seven straight finals to Djokovic, Djokovic on the cusp of a non-calendar Grand Slam, yadda yadda.  There are plenty of other people writing about this.  Instead, I’d rather take a look at those words Rafa spoke in the pressroom.  They speak to a rarefied place that he and Djokovic have both occupied over the course of their careers, a place that defines what it means to be a champion. Continue reading ““It was nice to be there, fighting”” »

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The Edge of Significance

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January 21, 2012

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I love the fact that Slams are two weeks and seven rounds long.  The draws are nice and big, which makes room for surprises and gives the top guys plenty of challenge as they weave their way through to the second week.  The only downside to this long-form, big-draw format is that the first few days are absolutely insane.

Between the sheer number of matches and the fact that most of us have lives outside tennis, it can be very difficult to keep up.  Factor in the 16 hours difference between New York time and Melbourne time and it becomes almost impossible.  However, with each Slam, there comes a point where things calm down enough that I feel I can really focus in on what’s happening.  We’ve reached that point. Continue reading “The Edge of Significance” »

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Back in the Saddle

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January 15, 2012

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It feels good to be back.  Tennis never really goes away, even in the so-called “off season,” but as readers of this blog know, my interest fades when the U.S. Open ends.  Everything after, even the Masters tournies and the World Tour Finals, just seems like so much meaningless postscript.

But tennis, unlike other sports, feels cyclical, and the Australian Open means renewal.  The reset button is hit, and when I watch the Australian Open on cold January nights, it feels like I’m seeing tennis with a fresh set of eyes.  For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the Australian Open is a glimpse of the summer to come.  As 2011 showed us, it may also be a glimpse of who will reign for the rest of the season.

We’re at the threshold – the great Slam Kickoff of 2012 begins today.  Here’s a look at some first round matches to keep your eye on and my prediction of who will walk away with the trophy. Continue reading “Back in the Saddle” »

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Pulling a Borg

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October 24, 2011

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At the age of 25 and seemingly at the height of his powers, Bjorn Borg walked away in defeat before the award ceremony of the 1981 U.S. Open and never played another major again.  It’s one of the most curious events in the history of tennis, and it’s even more curious to me personally that I’d find myself in much the same position with this blog.

Don’t get me wrong, I hardly consider what I’m about to do a defeat.  Any of you who regularly read this blog have almost certainly been aware of the distinct lack of updates; truth be told, I’ve been contemplating what to do with this web space for quite some time.  It has become obvious to me that life is currently pulling me in different directions and it would be most prudent to put this blog to rest, at least for a time.  Now, though, when faced with the prospect of actually going through with it, I find myself getting a little nostalgic. Continue reading “Pulling a Borg” »

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Redemption for Rafa

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September 24, 2011

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Let’s step back a few months.  The most prestigious tennis tournament of the year has just concluded.  Djokovic has claimed his first Wimbledon crown and is mere moments away from happily hoisting the trophy above his head.  A totally deflated Nadal gives the obligatory post-match interview.  He looks crushed.

I don’t know about you, but I saw a different Nadal as he accepted the runner-up trophy in New York.  He looked disappointed, sure, but he seemed hopeful.  My suspicion is that after a terrible summer, he has seen a few openings he can exploit to maybe settle the score and even things up against Djokovic next year.  I won’t pretend to be a master tennis tactician on the level of Rafa or his uncle, but I’ve noticed a few strategies Nadal could use that might be effective against tennis’s Invincible Man. Continue reading “Redemption for Rafa” »

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Seven Up

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September 17, 2011

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There’s the feeling of a curtain being drawn.  We have two more Masters tournaments, the World Tour Finals, and then the 2011 tennis year is over.  The remainder of September is largely a doldrums period on the calendar (much like February); the next Masters event to look forward to is a little under a month out.

Fortunately, the 2011 edition of the U.S. Open leaves us a lot of questions to be asked and answered, and a lot of intriguing storylines to digest.  The last Slam of the year gives us some interesting hints as to how 2012 will play out, and I’d like to start by highlighting seven players whose career trajectories were brought into relief (sometimes startlingly so) by their performances over the course of the two weeks in Flushing Meadows. Continue reading “Seven Up” »

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Invincible

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September 12, 2011

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For Novak Djokovic, the U.S. Open Final represented a chance at history.  Three out of four Slams on the year is a feat very few men have achieved, but perhaps more importantly, Djokovic had an opportunity to all but seal the deal on the greatest season the sport has ever seen.  He’d suffered only two losses all year as he stepped into Arthur Ashe Stadium this afternoon, and all that awaited beyond this match was the final fall leg of the season, a somewhat quiet denoument.

What was on the line for Rafael Nadal was entirely different; this match represented nothing short of redemption.  His clay court swing went well enough, but his summer was abysmal from his high standards.  This was one last shot to notch a positive as fall quickly sets in, and a chance to steady himself from the battering he’s taken at Djokovic’s hands all season by settling the historical score at two Slams apiece for 2011. Continue reading “Invincible” »

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Five for Fighting

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August 28, 2011

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The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center has weathered Irene, and play is expected to start tomorrow on time.  In two weeks time, one man will stand triumphant as the winner of the last Slam of the year.  It’d be nice to say that everyone in the draw has a chance, but that’s hardly realistic.

Only a handful of players have any hopes of walking on court two weeks from now for the final match.  There are a number of dark horse players to consider and you’ve got to give anyone in the top 10 at least a puncher’s chance, but I really only see five players in the draw that could take home the bacon. Continue reading “Five for Fighting” »

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Blink 128

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August 27, 2011

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Wimbledon feels like ages ago, but here we are once again, at the foot of one of tennis’s four great summits.  The first round of any Slam feels reckless and wild; it’s a race against time to squeeze in 64 matches (and that’s only counting men’s singles).  In a mere three days, the field of 128 will be cleaved in two, and 64 men will return to their homes.  Throw in a hurricane on top of all that and you’re looking at some pretty high drama.

Most of these matches go entirely unnoticed by even the most hardcore tennis fan; after all, the media outlets can only show us so much, and many courts won’t be equipped with cameras.  Most of the headlines in these crazy couple of days are made by upsets.  However, if you look closely at the draw of any Slam, you’ll see a good handful of first round matches that draw attention even if you’ll never see a point of the match played on TV.  The 2011 U.S. Open is no exception.  Here are a few matchups worth following: Continue reading “Blink 128” »

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Bring Out Yer Dead

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August 21, 2011

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After a topsy-turvy quarterfinal round in Cincy, it makes some sense that the semifinals would be more predictable and the most likely final matchup would be the one we got.  The history between Murray and Djokovic this year is short but fascinating – an embarrassing blowout for Murray in the ultimate match Down Under and an extremely exciting semifinal in Rome in which Djokovic’s incredible streak survived seemingly through sheer force of will.

That match was on my mind as this one began.  It quickly became clear, though, that this would be different. Continue reading “Bring Out Yer Dead” »

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