France opts for red clay for the Davis Cup final vs. Switzerland. With Fed and Stan both to play at the indoor ATP World Tour Finals, you have to wonder if both players will give a full effort – or even pullout, given how important this Davis Cup final is for both Federer and Stan.
I remember the year Spain beat Argentina in the Davis Cup finals in Argentina, how Nalbandian criticized Del Potro for participating in the WTF in Asia which he felt adversely affected Delpo’s fitness and energy levels for the final, which was won by Spain on a fast indoor surface.
Winning the Davis Cup is an enormous goal for both Fed and Stan. How they manage their bodies at WTF and one week later in France for the final, could make the critical difference.
Of course Fed and Stan are both huge attractions for the WTF and major ticket sellers and sponsor favorites, but if they overplay in London, you have to wonder if they will have enough to thwart Tsonga, Monf, Simon, Gasquet and company.
This Davis Cup final is shaping up to be one of the most interesting competitions in decades.
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Caroline Garcia has defeated both Venus Williams and Aga Radwanksa this week in Asia, both in three set tiebreakers. Is this finally the breakout of the talented young French woman, who was once tabbed as a future number one by Andy Murray?
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Harrison vs. Donaldson in Napa Challenger…whoa, that’s an interesting matchup. Harrison’s ranking has fallen to close to 200. To lose to a teen like JD would be a disaster.
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You can read my Biofile with Jerzy Janowicz at the ATP site.
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Did you know John McEnroe is in a band with New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist called “The Noise Above”? They jammed together last week and will continue to do so in the future. I hear Larry Holmes, the former Heavyweight champion, is again available to do lead vocals, if there is a need.
McEnroe and King Henrik have become good friends over the years.
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My friend and practice partner Harry Cicma from NBC Sports made an interesting tweet last week: “Tennis saved my life.”
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I just read a very interesting New York Magazine article by Geoffrey Gray about the Wall Street dynamo Jordan Belfort, who is no free after a jail sentence and living in Manhattan Beach, CA, where he takes tennis lessons with Jeff Tarango. I asked Gray, also a sometime practice partner, for the lowdown of Belfort’s tennis game, but haven’t gotten a response yet.
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Scoop Malinowski · September 23, 2014 at 9:39 am
Last week at the Turkey Challenger, won by Borna Coric, an interesting result in the draw was Alexander Zverev lost his first round match to a WC named Yaraslav Shymla 36 26. Then Coric played Shymla the next round and beat him love and one. Coric beat veteran Bozoljac first round 6263. This Coric is seventeen and on the way to very big things. Coric beat Jaziri in the final.
Scoop Malinowski · September 23, 2014 at 9:40 am
Croatia may be poised to become the next major tennis super power.
jblitz · September 24, 2014 at 4:55 am
Agree, he’s looking really good for 17. Corna is a cutie. He’s been to Mallorca to practice with Rafa and when he plays his matches, he lines up his water bottles just like Rafa. Now…if he can play like him, kid’s got a great future. 😉
Scoop Malinowski · September 24, 2014 at 10:02 am
I see Coric as a future dominant force. Being with Rafa will help Coric, like how Sampras learned by his time with Lendl.
Andrew Miller · September 24, 2014 at 8:01 pm
Practicing with Rafa is not the same as being Rafa. I think it’s the kiss of death – you are there to help Rafa prepare for matches, not for Rafa to help YOU prepare. Federer has tons of practice partners in Dubai and many of them are well known, and all of them help Federer be Federer.
Mimic the techniques – like Serena Williams. She has tons of practice partners and one in particular that plays like the player she gets in the next round of any tournament. That guy isn’t benefitting – he’s there for Serena Williams. Sorry but being cannon fodder isn’t the same.
Sampras with Lendl – I think Sampras was smart enough to use the sessions to get insight on how to beat Lendl, not to learn how to be a professional. Sampras was under-estimated. He was there to take the kingdom, not be a subject.
Andrew Miller · September 24, 2014 at 8:02 pm
In that way, I think Tomic was right for snubbing Hewitt. Tomic was a little blunt in his message – I see you as a rival, and that wasn’t all that well received. But can we blame Tomic? Not really.
Scoop Malinowski · September 24, 2014 at 9:58 pm
Andrew, a lot of the players who went to train with Fed never did much on the tour – Berankis, Stebe, Levine, etc. Some have. Donaldson went last year. Hope it helps. It’s a double edged sword, you go over as a fan and a subordinate, or you go over as an alpha and try to show the boss you are coming up. It’s a delicate situation. Pete obviously gained a lot from Lendl. I’ve heard of Roddick berating young US juniors, yelling at them for being nervous and missing too many balls. When I was coming up I used to tell the best players, half joking and half serious, who were at our courts, even though I knew I was way below them, “Some day I’m gonna kick your ass.” And you know what, I actually did beat some of these guys, though it was years and years later. But I backed up my big words. I just knew I would get up there and be able to battle the best someday. Like Goran just said about Cilic when he started working with him, he was showing these guys more respect than he needed to. I could see how Cilic changed that, he became a killer, with a mean streak, ruthless, a snarl in his eye. You have to have that. You can’t show Federer and Nadal too much respect, though they deserve it, you have to find a way to let them know, “I’m coming for you.” These players can’t go over to Fed and Rafa’s home court and be a slave, be just a sparring partner. I remember hearing young Hewitt would walk through the house and to the court and say “Let’s play” to the much more experienced pro player when he was a kid. It’s a fine line. You have to have a big ego for tennis. Can’t be anybody’s yo yo. I remember Patty Schnyder’s husband told me when you walk up to serve at 66 in the third set tiebreak you can’t be meek and humble, you have to be arrogant and cocky mentally in that situation.
Andrew Miller · September 25, 2014 at 12:27 am
Scoop that makes sense – one of my sister’s coaches told her, Sampras – nicest person off the court. On the court, no mercy. Look at Nadal’s responses, even after losing to Kyrgios. On the one hand, it’s self-protecting and somewhat bitter. On the other hand, it’s cold and logical and irrefutable. Basically:
This guy played one good match against me. Sure he’s talented. But is he me? Oh no, no – he isn’t me. He has to win 13+ slams to be me and tons of titles, and he hasn’t done that. So could he win a slam? Not until he wins a slam.
So Nadal ALWAYS knows what the score is. Always. He invites people to be canon fodder and the fact that he’s inviting other players is out of necessity, not charity. He needs sparring partners, he needs players to run over to train HIM. I assume Tsonga in Dubai with Federer goes to see where he is against Federer. But Levine? C’mon – NO WAY – it’s more like Federer needed a right handed player. Donaldson? Same thing – needed a tall player with a good serve and strong backhand.
Not saying it’s fair, but let’s not turn Rafa and Federer into something other than the cold hearted competitors they are on court who want nothing more than to take out the rest of the 127 players in every slam field.