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
Key Biscayne
HIS MAGIC NAME WAS HEARD – IN PAIN – ROGER COULDN’T GET OFF THE CANVAS
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – Roger Federer has heard his name shouted appreciatively in arenas across the world. But it was different this time as the full-house crowd at Crandon Park vocalized a tsunami of sound – “ ROGER! ROGER! ROGER!” over and over so boisterously it may have been heard in Switzerland. They were mighty roars from most of the 13,800 throats, but not the usual … [Read more...] about HIS MAGIC NAME WAS HEARD – IN PAIN – ROGER COULDN’T GET OFF THE CANVAS
BOGOMOLOV, KING FOR A DAY, MAKES NO-SET MURRAY LOOK MURKY
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – Is Andy Murray lost in a London fog that enshrouded him on this sandy, sunny isle? How can you explain his brief appearance as a staggering soul, allegedly No. 5 on the planet, being chased from the Sony Ericsson Open by a hustler unknown to almost all: Alex Bogomolov, a local qualifier ranked No. 118. It was 6-1, 7-5, extending Murray’s ghastly … [Read more...] about BOGOMOLOV, KING FOR A DAY, MAKES NO-SET MURRAY LOOK MURKY
BUTCH PLANTED HIS DREAM ON KEY BISCAYNE AND IT FLOURISHED
KEY BISCAYNE, FLA — Like Ponce de Leon, an earlier adventurer in Florida, Butch Buchholz out of St. Louis arrived a quarter century ago, looking for a treasure. The Spanish explorer sought the Fountain of Youth. Buchholz searched for a place where talented youths swinging tennis rackets could charm the locals and acquire some treasure for their bank accounts. Buchholz … [Read more...] about BUTCH PLANTED HIS DREAM ON KEY BISCAYNE AND IT FLOURISHED
ROGER MANGLES HIS RACKET BUT CAN’T GET NO RELIEF
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – Zing went the strings of his racket – along with the frame, his composure and hopes of reversing the reverse trend in his career. Can we be talking about Roger Federer, the paragon, clearly the most beloved player in today’s game?? Afraid so, folks. He has lost his way, and it’s no fun to watch him unravel as he did against Novak Djokovic in the semis of … [Read more...] about ROGER MANGLES HIS RACKET BUT CAN’T GET NO RELIEF