Better to see her than hear her. Nevertheless it was good to have the Siberian Siren — Maria Sharapova (ranked 102) — among us again, despite her shrieks that cause many to turn off the sound whenever she appears on their TV screens. Noise and all she was welcome as a long-legged gem of the game, who just might slug her way back to No. 1. All right, am I going … [Read more...] about MARIA’S BACK WITH A BIG WIN — AND HER SOUND SYSTEM, TOO, IS INTACT
Tournaments
SERENA FOUND OUT IT’S WISE TO AVOID ZAKOPALOVA LALLAPALOOZA
Isn’t Zakopalova a wonderful name? Sounds like lallapalooza, and that’s what Zakopalova presented us with on the third day of the French Open — a lallapalooza of a match that almost swept Serena the Great out of Paris before she’d unpacked her luggage. I’m talking about Klara Zakopalova, a mite out of Prague ranked No. 100 who could probably fit into one of Ms. Williams’ … [Read more...] about SERENA FOUND OUT IT’S WISE TO AVOID ZAKOPALOVA LALLAPALOOZA
COUNT ON ROLAND GARROS FOR SURPRISES ON THE CRIMSON DIRT
PARIS — As the lone major on slip-slide clay, the French Open seems to offer more opportunities than the other three for reversals of fortune, amazing turn-arounds and unlikely comebacks. We were reminded of the vagaries of Roland Garros on opening day as Lleyton Hewitt climbed from a hole 2 sets deep to beat Ivo Karlovic. Lleyton was a little beaver gnawing away until he’d … [Read more...] about COUNT ON ROLAND GARROS FOR SURPRISES ON THE CRIMSON DIRT
A SHOOTING GALLERY DUCK NAMED HEWITT ESCAPES THE BANG-BANG-BANG!
PARIS — Lleyton Hewitt must have felt like one of those ducks in a carnival shooting gallery. Bang…bang…bang! — it went on for about four hours as a carnival called the French Open set up shop again in the sunny Bois de Boulogne neighborhood of Paris. It will go on, as always, for two weeks, but the biggest shooter in tennis is gone. Ivo Karlovic’s pursuit of an Australian … [Read more...] about A SHOOTING GALLERY DUCK NAMED HEWITT ESCAPES THE BANG-BANG-BANG!
THERE’S NEW LIFE IN ROGER YET, AND THE FRENCH BECOMES INTERESTING
PARIS — So, does Roger return to his former status as “the greatest player of all time”? Probably, at least with some of his countless idolaters, who took his recent hammerings by Rafa Nadal personally. They suffered. He suffered. The Federer family suffered. But Madrid alleviated some of that suffering. However, Madrid isn’t Paris. Just as Little Rock isn’t Las Vegas. The … [Read more...] about THERE’S NEW LIFE IN ROGER YET, AND THE FRENCH BECOMES INTERESTING