Tennis/Racquet Sport

Posted by T. A. Niles

One of the reasons that I love tennis and being a Tennis Professional is my belief that “tennis folk” are among the best in our culture.

At the recent USPTA Florida Convention in Delray, Terry See, one of our most experienced colleagues, stayed on the court in the sweltering heat for every drill in the drill swap contest, assisting his fellow pros. He was an inspiration, and I remember wishing there were more pros, and people in general, like Terry See.

Unfortunately, Terry hurt himself recently, had to spend some time in the hospital, and won’t be on the court again for weeks. The tennis community’s response has been uplifting, and moving to witness.

Tomorrow (Saturday, August 16th), the Landings Tennis Association (LTA) will host a round robin and pool party/cookout. Tennis will start at 9:00 A.M., followed by a cookout at the Helm Club Pool starting at 11:30. There will be a minimum $20.00 donation with all the proceeds going to Terry. It has also been announced, that Bonita Bay Tennis will host a Pro-Am event September 5th, with proceeds going to Terry.

Another example of the quality character of Tennis Professionals in Southwest Florida was demonstrated by Rob Vinal, who stepped aside to allow his former colleague, Jared Kalpin, to play the Ultimate Tennis final. Although Jared had earned a spot in the final by going undefeated, due to an administrative snafu on Jared’s part, Rob was awarded a spot in the final. Rob acknowledged that Jared had earned the spot, and passed up his chance at $500.00 or a guaranteed $250.00 and a pair of tennis shoes.

Terry’s willingness to give of himself, the Greater Fort Myers tennis community rallying around him, and Rob’s integrity and generosity all make me proud to be a USPTA Tennis Professional.

Posted by T. A. Niles

Tennis is as good as it has been since I began watching the game in the 1960’s. The seventies and eighties with Connors, McEnroe, Borg, etc. have been considered the boom years of tennis, but as has been documented elsewhere, tennis is one of the few growing sports in our sports-crazed culture.

And if you love the game as I do and watched the tremendous tennis that has been displayed this year, not just by the top players, but by ATP players like Feliciano Lopez, Rainer Schuettler, and Marat Safin, then you're in heaven. WTA players have also brought mucho game to the courts this year. Henin might be gone, but the splendor of Venus Williams, the emergence of Dinara Safina, and the Serbian struggle for No.1 have all spiced up the flavor of the WTA Tour.

Given Roger Federer’s lengthy reign atop the ATP rankings, it is no surprise that Rafael Nadal’s breaking of the strangle hold Roger has had on the No.1 position has injected a jolt of media juice into the game. Between ESPN2 and Tennis Channel, both ATP’s Roger’s Cup and the WTA’s East West Classic received as much coverage as grand Slams. That much coverage for non-Grand Slam events may be unprecedented.

Some fans are complaining about slower surfaces, but if you don’t like a 31-shot rally, which includes shot-making that forces both players to cover every inch of court surface before the point is won, how much can you love this game? You know tennis is hot when Gilles Simon and Nicolas Kiefer can keep me up until 3:00 A.M.!

If you haven’t already caught the bug, then you never will. Look for the US Open Series events and the US Open to set records for attendance and viewership, even in our struggling economy.

Posted by T. A. Niles

The Rogers Cup was anything but Roger’s tonight and it did not produce a delicious draught in Federer’s first match since Wimbledon’s disappointment. After winning the first set 6-2, Roger proceeded to lose the next two 5-7, 4-6, bowing out as early as he ever has in Toronto.

In watching the unfolding of the final set, it appeared as though Roger didn’t care about winning. I couldn’t help thinking that he wanted to punish all of those who have written him off. “So you think I’m done? Well, fine. I’m done. I’m all washed up,” his attitude seemed to say. “You need me more than I need you, but you don’t even know it,” his flailing forehand screamed.

If I could come up with some reason that made sense, I would say that Roger tanked the match. As he slapped, seemingly carelessly, at forehands at key moments, I found myself staring in profound shock. It amazed me that the player I considered the greatest of all time (GOAT), was actually playing like a goat.

There’s no way for me to know what was going on out there tonight, but it greatly saddened me to see Roger Federer refuse to make any changes to his game when it was clear that what he was doing was not bringing him success. Roger believed the hype when he was being called the greatest. Perhaps Roger now believes the hype about his being all washed up.

I hope Roger Federer remembers how and why he is/was considered the GOAT by so many, even those who played at the highest level, and goes on to defy those who believe his time of greatness has passed. If Roger's not careful, they might rename the event Rafa's Cup.

Posted by T. A. Niles

I have washed off the clay and the disappointment and am now ready for written reflection.

It was great to be a part of hundreds of tennis players gathered in a smorgasbord of skill levels, sizes, styles of play, heritages, and ages, all with a similar goal in mind and heart. Few other mainstream sports feature opponents several decades apart in age as our sport did this weekend…and fewer still would foster a situation where a team with 70-year-old members prevails over teams with 40-year-olds, as Fort Myers Racquet Club’s 3.0 team did.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed my own matches, my favorite moment was watching Joel Martineau, my teammate, reach deep down, and I mean deeeeep down, to pull out the third-set super-tiebreak against a player more than two decades younger. Perhaps the best moment of all was when the youngster said during the breaker, “The old man just won’t go away. He doesn’t know he’s supposed to quit.”

Joel’s match was not one that would have garnered us the championship, and Joel had to expend far more energy than he had foreseen expending to get the win. Nevertheless, he staved off multiple match points to win the second set tiebreak, and hobbled to victory with amazing shot-making in the super-tiebreak. It may not have been Federer-Nadal, but it was every bit as memorable.

Those of us who played and enjoyed the experience certainly owe a note of thanks to the many who made it possible: The league captains who work so hard to bring and keep teams together; the league coordinators who do the yeoman’s job of organizing and administering the leagues; the staff of the facilities where we play; and the USTA Florida staff who provide these competitive opportunities, and take the heat when things aren’t perfect.

Posted by T. A. Niles

Despite the hard work Bonita Bay staff put in getting the courts ready for the event, by my second match on Friday, nearly every bounce was a bad one. I asked Rob Vinal, head pro at Bonita Bay, if the rumor I had heard, that he was directed not to groom the courts, was true. He confirmed the rumor. Really? Yes.

Courts have been groomed prior to matches in almost every significant tennis event that I have played. I don't get why that would not be standard at USTA Florida regional and/or sectional events? Surely NTRP players rate the same courtesy as other tournament players.

Directors of a state or nationally sanctioned tournaments, with hundreds of participants, care just as much about getting matches on and off on time as the Director of USTA league tournaments. So why would USTA Florida policy (per on-site representative Linda Kleitch) preclude court preparation before matches? If a facility has the personnel and is willing to groom courts before matches, why not allow it? The players this past weekend would have appreciated it.

Another component of the weekend that drew less than positive comments from players was the way courts were assigned. The ability to root for your team members, to look over and draw or give inspiration from or to team members contributes considerably to the team experience. Putting team members on courts so remote from each other that little of the above is available detracted from the weekend’s experience.

Having played collegiate events and USTA team events in the past, I know that it is feasible to assign courts so that teammates can be close enough to maintain the atmosphere of team play.

With a few minor tweaks a good event can evolve into a terrific one.

Posted by T. A. Niles

Unfortunately, I worked yesterday and missed the women’s final between Venus and Serena Williams, but from what I’ve heard, it was a quality affair as befitting the two women who hold more Grand Slam tennis titles (7 & 8 respectively) than any active professional tennis player. In fact, Venus and Serena hold more Grand Slam singles titles than Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova, and Jelena Janovic combined.

Despite the above fact, it was the media darlings, the sensational Serbs and camera-commercial maven Sharapova, who attracted most of the pre-tourney attention. As the Williams sisters marched onward toward their historic meeting in their seventh Grand Slam final, the enthusiasm of the talking heads was considerably less than prior to the event when they gushed over Ivanovic and Sharapova. Even the aging Lindsay Davenport, a three-time Grand Slam winner, seemed to create more fanfare than the Williams sisters.

I am not surprised, but neither am I reluctant to comment on the fact that despite their incredible on-court success, the Williams sisters’ off-court benefits lag behind others who have earned far less. It is sad that America doesn’t deem the American Williams sisters as worthy of celebration and commercial bounty as the “-ic”s and the “-ova”s who populate the Sony Ericsson Tour.

Oh, I believe I forgot to mention that Venus and Serena also dominated the ladies doubles championship at Wimbledon. Never in the history of tennis, and perhaps any other professional sport, have there been siblings who have dominated their sport as the Williams sisters have professional women’s tennis.

Perhaps one day Venus and Serena will be properly recognized for the greatness they have displayed on the tennis court. Maybe it will even be this year, as they represent the very country that fails to embrace them in the Olympic Games for the second time.

Posted by T. A. Niles

Are there adequate words to fully convey the wonder of the Gentlemen’s final at Wimbledon? If there are, then my vocabulary is woefully inadequate. Although I participated on the couch and in spirit only, I am physically and emotionally spent in the aftermath of one of the most amazing men’s Grand Slam tennis finals ever played.

Discussing who won and lost seems almost trivial in light of the transcendent play displayed by both warriors (for certainly that’s what they are) throughout the match, particularly from midway through the fifth set to the penultimate point. It seems an injustice that it ended on an unforced error.

I predicted Nadal would win the match, and was pleasantly surprised that the real Roger Federer showed up from the third set on to battle Nadal to such an incredible finish. Despite rooting for Federer, like a good book, I didn’t want the match to end, and was saddened when in ended with a missed Federer forehand.

Kudos to Federer who had many opportunities to wilt under the unrelenting heat Rafa applied. Despite being two sets down, the former “King of Wimbledon” made Rafa hit incredible shot after incredible shot before passing his scepter.

And Nadal? He possesses the greatest weapon in tennis: his indomitable will, his mind metal-forged in Mallorca. There is no doubting his strength and speed or his dominating strokes. But dominating strokes are fairly common, and speed a given for top tier players.

The ability to compel your opponent to crumble when it counts most, to deliver the devastating blow when the moment demands belongs to Rafa now, as it once belonged to Roger. The new “King” has been crowned, but Roger remains royal in defeat. I’m picking Federer for the US Open. Game, set, match, I’m out.

Posted by T. A. Niles

That’s right, second-seed Jelena Jankovic fell to unseeded Tamarine Tanasugarn in straight sets, and No.14 seed, Agnieszka Radwanska downed fourth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova in three. Even given the specter of Jankovic’s bum wheel, one would expect her to pull it out against the 31-year-old veteran. Pssst, a secret: Tanasugarn won the S’Hertogenbosch tune-up less than two weeks ago, beating the red-hot Dinara Safina in the final. Apparently that win was no fluke.

Venus and Serena moved on in straight sets, and most talking heads have them playing in the final already. A note of caution before you bet the house: Even if Venus gets past Tanasugarn, which is no gimme (despite Venus’ 6-0 record against her), she is likely to face Dementieva in the semis. Given Dementieva’s play of late, she shouldn’t be a walkover either. Still, Venus has to be considered the favorite.

Serena has scrapper Radwanska next, and this 18-year-old can flat out ball-bash with the best of ‘em. They’ve played once on clay and Serena tuned up the youngster, but Radwanska may be looking for payback, and has no pressure on her. Still, Serena’s experience should carry her through.

If she gets past Radwanska, Serena will face the winner of Jie Zheng versus No.18 seed Nicole Vaidisova. Vaidisova gets the edge in this one, primarily due to her 2-0 record against Zheng. But they haven’t played since 2006 and Zheng is playing as well as she has since she reached her highest ranking of No.33 in the world in 2006.

No one would expect Serena to lose to either player though, so a Williams sisters final is a good possibility.

Posted by T. A. Niles

Rafa Nadal destroyed Mikhail Youhzny, the only player on his half of the draw that had a respectable record (4-6) against him. With Andy Murray next on his plate, Rafa should have another appetizer in the semis, before the main course in the final.



Anything can happen in tennis, but Rafa is about as dependable as…well, as Roger Federer used to be. He seldom loses to someone he is supposed to beat. Looking at the remaining players in his portion of the draw, Rafa is 9-2 against them (3-0 vs. Murray), with his last loss to any of them being to Arnaud Clement in 2006.



What about Roger’s chances of being at that final feast with Nadal? Roger’s next opponent is the resilient Mario Ancic, who was the last man to beat Roger at Wimbledon in 2002. Ancic battled back from two sets down to beat Marcos Baghdatis 13-11 in the fifth, and has repeatedly battled back from injuries to regain the form that garnered him the No.7 ATP world ranking in 2006.



Should Roger get past Ancic, he will have to face the winner of Marat Safin and Feliciano Lopez? Other than his Wilson racquet commercial Lopez has done squat this year, so some are probably asking, “Feliciano Who?” But Lopez has big game, and apparently he has found big inspiration. He out-dueled Marcos Baghdatis in a thriller of a five-setter, 8-6 in the fifth.



Do I need to say anything about Safin? Well other than Federer and Nadal, he’s the only Grand Slam winner left in the draw, and the only one who straight-setted the legendary Pete Sampras in a Grand Slam (2000 US Open). Federer has owned both Safin and Lopez, going 14-2 against them but that was a different Roger and different Lopez and Safin.

Posted by T. A. Niles

It was another day of seed planting as Mario Ancic also upset David Ferrer (5) in a high quality fracas. As projected, Bethanie Mattek’s game was too bothersome for Marion Bartoli to overcome, and the No.10 seed in the ladies’ draw was upended in straight sets. Serena Williams continues to march onward, and the prospect of a Williams-sisters final remains alive.

The bottom half of the ladies’ draw is loaded, however, and Venus will have to get past high hurdles in the persons of Jelena Jankovic (2), Dinara Safina (9), and Elena Dementieva (5) to get to baby sis in the final. Big names aside, as Ivanovic can attest, anyone left in the draw is a threat.

Roger Federer upheld his end of the bargain for all those hoping for another Federer-Nadal final, but Federer’s half of the draw appears to be a minefield fraught with danger. Should he get past Lleyton Hewitt, who is playing as well as he has in years, Federer will likely face Mario Ancic, the last player to beat him at Wimbledon.

Should he avenge his last Wimbledon loss, Federer still has the mercurial Marat Safin, who is playing as well as he has played since he won the Australian Open in 2005, in his half of the draw.

Nadal, on the other hand, appears to have a smoother ride to the final. He has never lost to Nicolas Kiefer, his next opponent, and only one other player remaining in his half of the draw, Mikhail Youzhny, has beaten him in the past two years.

We won’t know until the fuzz flies, so game, set, match, I’m out.