MELBOURNE — Hail the Conquering Hero! (But please don’t keep on demeaning him.) I’m talking about that red-headed, left-handed spellbinding lad, Rodney George Laver, a refugee from a Queensland farm Well, he hasn’t fallen off a horse for some time, or wielded the sweetest racket this side of heaven. But he’s among us again to help salute the 40th anniversary of his most … [Read more...] about PU-LEEZE, LET’S GET “GRAND SLAM” CORRECT, AND GIVE THE ONLY SLAMMERS – LAVER, COURT, GRAF, BUDGE, CONNOLLY DUE RESPECT
Tournaments
ANOTHER EDITION OF THE MAJORS, AUSTRALIAN LEADS OFF DOWN UNDER
KANGAROO VALLEY, Australia – Wending our way toward Melbourne and another Australian Open, which will be quieter this year. Unfortunately the Siberian Siren, Maria Sharapova, won’t be there to defend her title. She was so terrific a year ago, winning 14 of 14 sets, looking very No. 1, crushing then No. 1 Justine Henin in the quarters, 6-4, 6-0 (perhaps making the retired … [Read more...] about ANOTHER EDITION OF THE MAJORS, AUSTRALIAN LEADS OFF DOWN UNDER
DON’T THROWN IN THE TOWEL; USE IT
NEW YORK – Jelena “Jelly” Jankovic didn’t throw in the towel when she fell behind. But she knew how to use it to rattle her foe. Jelly, the tennis player from Belgrade – a superb Serb – is no dummy. She had begun university, and was despairingly planning to go back for a degree in dramatic arts when her mom talked her out of that scenario and back onto the court — also out of … [Read more...] about DON’T THROWN IN THE TOWEL; USE IT
GOOFY SCHEDULING MARS THE OPEN
NEW YORK – The Busher went home with $ 160,000, a surge in his world ranking and a newfound reputation as the De-luxembourger. Everybody at the U.S. Open was glad for the big man from the little country. Six-foot-6 Gilles Muller, on a left-winged serve and a prayer, had bombed his way through a string of upsets, including No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko, and as a kind of serf – a … [Read more...] about GOOFY SCHEDULING MARS THE OPEN
A BRIT IN THE SEMIS – IS THAT RIGHT?
NEW YORK – Waiting for Fred (or a reasonable facsimile). That’s been the turgid status of the British sporting crowd for — let’s see? – 72 years. Yearning for another Fred Perry. Such are in very short supply. Although the Brits invented tennis as we know it, they haven’t been able to play the game for decades. The guys anyway. I mustn’t slight the gracious and graceful … [Read more...] about A BRIT IN THE SEMIS – IS THAT RIGHT?