KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – It was tennis atmosphere at its best. Even the palm trees of Crandon Park seemed to be clapping their fronds as two brilliant shotmakers dashed and bashed for almost 3 ½ hours on their stage, a blueberry-toned asphalt court. Rafa Nadal came to this beach town as No. 1, and looked it in crushing Roger Federer in the semis, 6-3, 6-2. But the guy who … [Read more...] about STILL UNBEATEN, SERBIAN HERO DJOKOVIC BEATS NO. 1 NADAL AGAIN
Federer
READY OR NOT, HERE WE GO AGAIN — CAN ANYBODY BLOCK THE 1-2 PUNCHES OF MONOPOLISTS NADAL AND FEDERER?
Can’t even fully digest 2010 as 2011 springs into view, the 44th year of open tennis – or the 134th year since Wimbledon cranked up the original tournament. Everybody ready? Probably not. Not enough recuperation time during another ridiculously brief off-season as the years bump together like pigs in a pen. Life on the road resumes, and few are lucky enough to … [Read more...] about READY OR NOT, HERE WE GO AGAIN — CAN ANYBODY BLOCK THE 1-2 PUNCHES OF MONOPOLISTS NADAL AND FEDERER?
ROGER HAS A GREAT IDEA AIMED IN THE DIRECTION OF STRICKEN HAITI
How do you sell out a tournament that doesn’t exist? It takes a little imagination and a big heart belonging to a guy named Federer. So the Australian Open which hadn’t opened its doors was nevertheless overflowing Sunday with thousands of witnesses to a non-event. Maybe you could call it Opengate, or a sudden Love-Haiti rush. Whatever the definition, 15,000 seat Rod … [Read more...] about ROGER HAS A GREAT IDEA AIMED IN THE DIRECTION OF STRICKEN HAITI
MAID OF MARIETTA CONTINUES UPSETTING ORDER AT US OPEN
NEW YORK – Clean, free laundry every day. That was one of the topics as the first week of the US Open faded into another of it’s lovely daily sunsets. But the sun has yet to set on the wonder child of the Open, who keeps washing tough, towering adversaries out of her golden hair with unfailing swings of her tennis racket. Who knew of her a few days ago? But now she’s a … [Read more...] about MAID OF MARIETTA CONTINUES UPSETTING ORDER AT US OPEN
HISTORY WAS ROGER’S BUSINESS AS HE CATCHES UP WITH SAMPRAS
PARIS – When Roger Federer walked onto the umber-toned earthen tennis court at Roland Garros yesterday, he looked at the man accompanying him to the final and was pleased. The guy was not Rafael Nadal, who had beaten him here the last four years. Instead he was Roger’s benefactor, the man who had removed Nadal from Federer’s path a week ago: Robin Soderling. This was … [Read more...] about HISTORY WAS ROGER’S BUSINESS AS HE CATCHES UP WITH SAMPRAS