Friday, August 25, 2006

No More Slams for the Year and Federer sending the field into Tears, maybe, maybe not

It’s that time of the year, the last GS event called the US Open. Personally it is not a favourite of mine and there are a multitude of reasons, which I should get out of my system, since this is my blog, it’s the perfect opportunity to do so.

- Shitty organisation playing 1st rounders over 3 days and at a Slam that is very poor form.

- Super Saturday that idiotic marketing gimmick, do they seem to forget that the guys are playing the best of 5 set matches and it’s the epitome of fairness to make them play one of them the day before the final and surprise that gives the advantage to guys who finish first. I love TV marketing gimmicks.

- 5th set tiebreakers, which is not a way to decide a match in a GS, especially in the 5th set, but as they say the Yanks are different.


Enough of what I dislike and onto the subject at hand, the US Open and first of all I am going to start with the qualies and for some reason I can see this being more interesting than the Main Draw itself, the qualies are fun to go to for so many reasons. There are usually legit tennis fans there, it’s a lot cheaper and there are less people around which gives the fan more time to get used to the venue, so when it gets busy, then it’s easier to find things, this in addition that a lot of players are on site training and if you are lucky or some would say smart, then it’s the best time to get photos and the like.

As usual with a qualifying 128 draw, you’d think there was a possibility of fairly even spread of players you like around the draw, but as common as 3 buses go in the opposite direction than the one you want to go and you stand around like a fool, of course they concentrated the ones I like within the same section.

The main match I am talking about is between Michael Russell and Peter Luczak, they both deserve to be in the main draw, but only one of them can do that. The positive is that at least 1 of them will be in the main draw, though it’s a no-win situation and I have seen some of the buffoons that have a chance of qualifying e.g. Minar v Vanek. Alves vs. Lorenzi and Kindlman vs. Witten. This is what is meant to be luck of the draw and as much as I’d like to see this match, it should be hard fought either way.

Also in other qualies the young rising Russian Korolev is in the last round of qualies as well and I hope he gets in as well and Kendrick could be tricky, if he is not firing. Korolev says that hardcourt is his best surface and hope he can make it here next year as a direct entry and I have been impressed the little I have seen.

Speaking of youngsters del Potro is in the last round of qualies as well. His match should be quite funny, not cause Juan Martin is a stand up comedian, it’s because of his opponent Herr Dani Koellerer, who has been known to use some very over the top antics and he got suspended from the ATP for 6 months. They played last year and del Potro is a bit soft and started to cramp and Dani saw that and started taking the piss out of him and he won the mental battle and then took the match and I am sure del Potro hasn’t forgotten. Part of me wants Koellerer to qualify, cause he is such a clown that it needs to be seen to be believed.

As for other Austrians, well the hair Alex Peya is in the last round as well and if you can find a pic of his hair, then it makes it all worthwhile. He plays that fool Jeff Morrison and I’d love him to win, but for some reason Morrison probably will, and it’s not good as he is a true gimp.

Then there is the man “El Fashionista” Stefan Koubek who has been impressive this week and he plays a “Challenger man” Zib who lost 17 matches in a row on the main tour and would have to like his chances of progressing, though with Stef anything can happen, witness his great loss against Lisnard in Vienna last year and getting thumped by Tuksar at the RG qualies. It will be good to see the Koubek in the main draw and he should be able to reach the top 100 by the end of the season.

The Main Draw

Federer and Nadal, only thing I will say about these two, is that there is a chance that they could win or not win this tournament.

Gaudio vs. Seppi: At least someone I like will make the 2nd round that is a given. Seppi hasn’t been in great form lately, but at the same time his level is a bit higher than Gaston’s at the moment. Gaudio doesn’t like the US Open much and doesn’t seem to be really into tennis at the moment and I hope he takes the rest of the year off after this tournament. As for Seppi he started the year very well, but hasn’t been able to string 2 wins together for some time and he is in a good section.

Calleri vs. Moya: This match should be worth watching, though I know many ladies wouldn’t be focused on the tennis in this match. Calleri has been in excellent form since coming back at Wimbledon and if he can keep it up, he is a chance of finishing the year in the top 20, something which would be great considering his problems. One thing that Calleri needs to improve apart from his poor 5 set record is his performances in the Slams and I think these two factors are inter related. He has a 1-4 record against Moya, but he beat him the last time on hardcourt and I hope he can do that again. James “I hit the crap out of everything” Blake is the high seed in that quarter.

Stani vs Chela: Chela has been in solid hardcourt form and Stani needs to do well in a GS event and is capable of a good result there this one could be a long one and it will feature plenty of excellent lateral movement.

Nieminen vs. Malisse : This match is one I’d like to see and I don’t see a straight set walkover for anyone in this one and it depends on how the moody Malisse wakes up and hopefully Jakke can serve well as his 2nd serve is so attackable, and he has QF points to defend from last year. Go Nieminen.

Acasuso vs. Srichaphan: Tennis played like chess won’t be a factor in this match and the Srich has a 2-0 record over Chucho. At the same time Chucho has improved his game, though he can get the right result if he doesn’t try to belt everything, though not be so passive as to stand 10m behind the baseline. The Srich loves pace, so give him what he doesn’t like. It will be a tough one for Acasuso for sure.

Berdych vs Tursunov: I read that esteemed tennis writer Jon Worthless called this a clash of styles and I hope he was just being humorous because that is so funny and I’d love this third round match to happen, then again there could be some great finesse in this match. Just hope it can happen

Almagro vs Ferrer: Nico has the potential to play well on the hardcourts, but he hasn’t had the wins yet and he had 6 match points the last time they played him, but managed to blow the match. With Almagro anything can happen, I just wish Koellerer was the qualify and he had to play Almagro, the fun to be had there.

Ginepri vs Benneteau: Please Julien, just think you are playing Baghdatis instead of Gineprick.

Pavel vs Agassi: Please Pavel finish Agassihole off and get him off the tour, though if he doesn’t, just hope Baghdatis will do it.

Novak Djokovic gets to lay the smackdown on Donald Young this time around, it must be good to have an easy 1st round match. He might even try his serve and volley skills out.

It will be interesting to see how these clowns will handle any rain delays with their first 2 rounds played over a week normal scheduling. Last Slam of the year time to get it over with.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Nutty New Haven Mayhem

First of all before the preview is written about New Haven. I'd like to congratulate the American Michael Russell for winning the Bronx Challenger and I hope he can get through the rest of the year without injury, he has definitely had a bad run with injuries and then he can hopefully qualify for the US Open.

The last event before a Slam usually throws some interesting results before the main event itself, most of the top players don't bother with playing the week before unless they get a good guarantee, though with the Aus Open cause of its lack of lead up play, the fields of Auckland and Sydney tend to be good. At the same time the qualifying rounds of these events are of interest, cause many who would be there are either waiting for the Slam qualies or have WC's into the event.

This is the only time where starting on Sunday is a good thing. As for the results themselves so far, it wasn't a bad day at all. Blogger favourite Andreas Seppi gave Björn Phau a total bitchslapping 6-1 6-1, though it makes me wonder how he can perform like this, yet he can't get past Vinnay Ice and Seppi does need some good performances soon, but he has been lacking consistency and now he plays Chubby Chela in the next round and that could be quite funny. Two tall lanky guys who don't serve that hard playing each other, at least hair colour can tell them apart.

Big Stani Wawrinka had a good week last week in Cincy and he defeated "Superstar" Almagro for the 3rd time in a close match and now plays the Srich who seems to excel at this event for some reason. As for the other matches well Chucho plays Mahut and there are a lot of players I like at this event Nieminen, Calleri, Baghdatis and Lucho who is playing the big Benneteau at the moment and it has gone to the 3rd set and hope Lucho can do it.

Jan Hajek is playing Gicquel and Janne has been the big star of the Challenger circuit, started the year ranked at 354 and is now ranked 84 and that is impressive in anyone's language. He was trying to qualify for Challengers and then he started winning them, hence he is where he is. It's good that he will playing some more main events now and he should be able to do OK, well better than Boris Pashanski or Charly Berlocq.

The results of the events the week before Slams are not usually very indicative of what happens in that event and sure the players don't complain about winning a tournament, but there is always one eye on the larger prize of a Grand Slam and maximising their points there. James Blake is the hometown boy and might win it or he could be out with his friends having a good time and his cooler brother Thomas Blake is playing doubles, he is the one with the cool hair, but since true tennis fans read this or I'd like to think so anyway.

I will get around to profiling one of my all-time favourite players Felix Mantilla soon enough, that was a cheap plug I know.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Mad Michelle in Cincy and that means Fan Reports for Us All

Onto the second of the TMS events in Cincinnati and of course the ATP have dropped the ball and have back to back TMS events, but since when have these clowns had a clue as an organisation.

The common complaint people always seem to have is that the Draw is so hard and all this and all I can say to that is boo fucking hoo. It's a TMS event and there are going to be tough matches and of course there are going to be matches we don't like, and I have already found a few already that aren't the best for me, but this is life and usually they will always pair players who you either like or ones that bitchslap your player in that particular section.

As for what will happen in this event, well who knows but maybe something like Federer or Nadal winning the event could be deemed to be something as a major boilover in the tennis world.

All is good in the tennis world now as the girl known as Jess to me or as savestheday91 on MTF has finally caught up with her dream object Gospodin Novak Djokovic and while Jess has a chest to remember, in all seriousness it's good that she finally had a chance to speak with him.

I have seen Djokovic around quite a lot and he is usually quite friendly with people and that's a good thing, though he doesn't mind the strategic break when it's needed. He plays the Finn Nieminen in the 1st round and I'd like to see that match, however knowing the organisers they won't be on a TV court unless Jess gets them out, but hopefully they will be.

Chucho and big Stani Wawrinka, that is another 1st rounder that is of interest, whether Chucho can perform well 2 weeks in a row on hardcourt will be a challenge and the winner will play Nalle or qualifier and I don't see Nalle playing like he did last week again. Nalle and Stani is a good match up for Nalle as he knows how to work him around the court and highlight Stani's weakness. As for Chucho and Nalle, the DC doubles team of Nalbasuso, they have played only once and Nalle won that. I guarantee that Chucho and Stani will be not on TV.

Massu and Gonzo: At least a Chilean will get through to the next round and that is something and which the way the Chilean fans will swing in this match is of passing interest. Gonzo is a man of the people and has a smile on his face a lot of the time, whereas Massu is not happy unless he is scowling and taking 30 mins in between points.

There are some other good 1st round matches.

Boredo and Gasquet : Well I hope the umpire is not Norm Chryst, cause if it is then I will go for the linespeople. The whole Gasquet bandwagon thing is ridiculous, sure he is a shotmaker and a good one at that and has a cool coach Eric "The Pink Panther" Deblicker. What makes the "Pink Panther" so cool, he doesn't have to try hard and he comes across in a good way and knows his stuff and he is a backgammon genius. The Gasquet hooplah is over the top. How many players go from superstar, chump, forgotten about, potential, has been and the greatest thing ever to hit tennis in a short period of time?

Monfils and Safin: A guy who hasn't played against one whose form is so up and down and there are rumours of a coaching split with him, but with Safin, it's never his own fault for bad and inconsistent results.

Then there is Mr Consistency Paulo Mathieu, who the more he loses, the more I get to appreciate him and as for appreciation he would be doing the tennis world a big favour by knocking out that piece of rubbish and gimp Gineprick in the 1st round, then again with Paulo, he would find a way to make Tulasne lose hair.

As for the qualies big Seppi has a good chance to make it and needs a good tournament and it would be funny if Dropshot Dlouhy got through over Gimelclown, reversing the defeat he had against Justin on clay, by beating him on a hardcourt.

Well the WD's as for Agassi, just retire and be done with it.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Hope The Crazy Canadian Open Tradition Continues

Since I can't be bothered with a long entry here, well I am going to say why I love the Canadian Open.

It's Canada and Canada is cool and not just literally. This event has had so many surprise winners and I love it, though nothing will beat Andrei Chesnokov, Andrei Pavel, Micke Pernfors and Guillermo Cañas. It's the first of the big hardcourt events and maybe that is a reason, but we need more surprise winners, yes that includes Wayne Ferreira in there. There needs to be more diversity among the big titles, then again we are in a clown era, then again we always are, just the amount varies.

Speaking of clowns. Nalle played like a clown who took too many drugs losing to the Silver Fox Sanguinetti 2 and 1, but he was ill. Perhaps Seppi had the same illness losing serve three times to Wayne Arthurs in a set in qualies.

Gaudio was at his best 9 winners and 42 errors and it was not like he was going for too much or even tanking. Moya didn't have to play well, but he kept the ball in and that was enough, sure it was windy, but it's the same for both players.

Hope there can be some upsets that I like and not the Chicken Man beating Baghdatis. I'd love to Kool Kevin Kim take out Gineprick, the humour value would be immense and tennis needs some more humour.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Andreas Vinciguerra : The Long Road Back















Ever since the retirement of Magnus Norman and to a lesser extent Magnus Gustafsson, who did well in the lower level clay events, but couldn’t convert that to success in the big clay events retired, there has been a distinct lack of ability to play on clay by the Swedish players.

From the days of the golden generation of the 80s where even Stefan Edberg who was not at his best on the clay, yet won TMS events and made an RG final to prove that he was very effective on the surface, that many of the Swedes were proficient on the surface, but changed with the retirement of Norman.

The current crop of Swedish players range from indoor idiots thanks Aphex for that term which include mostly Joachim Johansson with his huge canon of serve and to a lesser extent Robin “the Toad” Söderling who has been able to secure some good wins on clay, he lacks consistency to the other guys like Björkman and Thomas Johansson who have never been good on the surface doesn’t help things.

“Vinci” for those who don’t know is a Swedish-Italian, his Italian dad runs a pizzeria in Malmö in the deep south of Sweden where they speak a special dialect which is like eating mouth full of food with a throat problem speaking Swedish and sounding like a Dane and “Vinci” does have the special accent and his mother is Swedish. “Vinci” is good friends with the Ian Thorpe lookalike Zlatan Ibrahimovic, both are from the same city and share an immigrant background, as well having their particular issues with the police at different time.

Vinci was a top 10 junior and he started the year of 1999 ranked at 633 and he finished it ranked 98 and that was a massive leap showing his potential and made his first tour final in Båstad as a WC losing to Cheech Marin and then winning a challenger over the same guy later in the year.

This was a good start for Vinci and I remember when saw him in Båstad that year when he defeated my countryman Christian Ruud in the semis and he played a game quite similar to Muster in the way that he would try and dominate with his heavy left hand forehand with heavy topspin and his fighting hard and running down a lot of shots and he quickly became a favourite with the fans and myself, but even then his backhand was a liability, but it was hard to get to that side.

So I made the annual trip to Melbourne to watch him play and there were plenty of Swedish fans there to support him and saw his first match with Hernan Gumy who didn’t win any prizes for aesthetics when it came to his tennis, but Vinci blew him and Leander Paes away, before losing to Escude.

The funniest thing about that year was that he won his only title the Copenhagen indoor which is the closest he will get to a hometown event and even funnier it was in the middle of a 4-0 head to head victories over Marat Safin who is an indoor monster and Vinci beat him Marseille in straight sets 2 weeks earlier and then beat him at the Copenhagen semis before winning over Magnus Larsson who is now his coach. Then he defeated Safin again in the US before losing to Sampras. After that he struggled on clay and got a bath from Guga at RG where he lost the first 15 games in a row, but then held out to only lose 6-3 in the 3rd.

One of the best Vinci memories was the singing and chanting during his great AO run where he made the 4th round. He defeated Medvedev easily and the Swedish fans were just singing all the way through, well at the change of ends and before the warm up and Vinci really appreciates that and after the matches he has won he speaks with the Swedish fans and jumps in the crowd and he feeds off their support a total contrast to say Thomas Enqvist.

On Show Court 3 it was a late match against big Wayne Ferreira and once the women finished the Swedes started with the songs, one of them is a silly Midsummer song which is fun to sing, but can’t translate among others and it started and while there was plenty of beer to be had, it was a carnival atmosphere, so much so, that during the warm up you couldn’t hear the names being mentioned by the umpire, so it was on for 10 minutes and then Vinci came out smoked Ferreira. When they wanted him to give a wave, he would give them a wave and when the Swedes asked him to dance then he’d dance. After that he’d lost to Kafelnikov as he had done later in the year at Bercy where he defeated Safin and also made the semis in Rome, where the Italian press wanted to adopt him cause of his Italian parentage.

2002 is where all the injury problems began and the motivational ones came in as well, as he has not played a full season since 2001, he injured a bone in his finger and had lower back problems as well. He made the 3rd round at the AO which is his favourite Slam and helped Sweden win against Brazil in Davis Cup and he loves this environment and plays for the team and not just himself, then he later he injured his knee in 2003 and had 2 months off and has been chasing time ever since.

Vinci was out from Feb 04 to July 05 where he made his comeback in Båstad. He got into some trouble and involved in a brawl with some Danes in one of the Malmö pubs, but at least he doesn’t mind going out at night which is something. He had a lot of injury problems with his ankle, feet and knee and including problems with motivation and wasn’t sure whether he wanted to come back even though he is not old as tennis players go. There were minimal steps last year and he had another operation on his foot.

Now the question is can Vinci come back and make the top 100 again. Potentially yes he is capable of doing that and how much he wants to do it as well is the key, well Boris Pashanski is an example the guy won all these challengers last year and made it in the top 70 and he is not a better player than the Vinci. Having watched him recently I am disappointed that he still hasn’t improved his backhand or maybe he has, but it is not significant. He had the time off to do and didn’t manage to do it.

He has only played 2 main draws this year in Båstad and wasn’t impressive against Dlouhy and lost to Massu in Amersfoort. Mainly this year, one thing Aphex ( the great Swede) pointed out that Vinci seems a bit slower these days on his feet and if that is so, then that will hinder him, especially since his speed around the court was one of his main assets, he might have bulked too much, then again this is not likely with Magnus Larsson as one of his coaches and big Magne wasn’t known for his strict physical regiment.

Vinci has had some good wins on the Challenger circuit and is moving up the rankings as he started at 407 for the year and is now in the 230s and he is in the quarter finals this week of another Challenger, just hope he can a few of these performances into finals or victories. He should stick to the challengers for the year and try and stay healthy as that is the key. If he keeps up with some solid performances he can finish the year within the top 200 and considering where he was a year ago where he didn’t have a ranking, he isn’t doing too badly at the moment.

2007 will be a key year to see whether he can make it back to a respectable level or not and one of the ironical things is that he was the prototype playing the Rafa Nadal game before Nadal was around, except Vinci doesn’t use all the antics in between points and or is that particular, plus Rafa just plays it better than him.

It would be great to see Vinci back in the top 100 with that huge forehand, fighting spirit and a Swede that can play on consistently, the thing he has on his side is that he is not old and even if he doesn’t come back to somewhere near his former level, then I can appreciate watching him on the small courts in a football like atmosphere which was always quiet once play started, but very loud when he broke a serve or was doing well. It’s not everyday some player gets 10 mins of cheering before the match and during the warm up, but Mr Charisma Sampras never got that.


Feel free to comment.