Tennis Prose




Mar/12

26

Sony Ericsson News & Notes, Fish Working With Knowles


Mardy Fish is now working with Mark Knowles as his primary coach. Says Fish: “We have been friends for a long time. He’s one of the best guys around that you’ll come across here. We have been working for – this is the second week. Yeah it will (be ongoing). Certainly on the road. I still work with David Nainkin at home. I have a great relationship with the USTA, at least from my end. Hopefully from their’s too…Knowles is the coach now. I made a change. But I still – I was with Nainkin for three years so he knows my game maybe better than anyone, you know, almost as good as anyone does. I don’t want to lose that…so I think it will be, it will certainly be helpful for me. It’s nice to get a different voice, as well, sometimes. And again, I still use the USTA and still work with them, as well.”

Fish, still the top ranked American and #8 seed here, has been mildly bothered this week that as the top American player he has not been able to play on the stadium, his match today vs. Kevin Anderson was on grandstand as was his clash with Frank Dancevic. Roddick’s second round match vs. Muller was on stadium. John Isner has also played both of his matches on stadium, against Davydenko and Mayer. Fish should have his wishes answered in the fourth round when he will most likely meet Almagro or Verdasco on stadium.

Yesterday on stadium two successive matches involved players wearing identical outfits. First, Berdych and Dimitrov wore aqua blue Nike shirts, white shorts and the new white and blue Nike shoes (same as Federer). The only difference was Berdych wore a hat. Also, the next match had Ivanovic playing Hantuchova and they both looked superb in adidas maroon/orange skirts with visors, the only slight difference was Hantuchova’s adidas shoes had blue stripes.

Guess who I spotted today at the Fresh Market upscale supermarket in Coral Gables at the next down exit register? The doubles star from England Ross Hutchins. Hutchins and his partner Colin Fleming play the last match today on Court 1 against Paes/Stepanek. Fleming and Hutchins beat Fish and Knowles in the first round 61 76. I couldn’t tell what Hutchins was purchasing but he did jump into a red Toyota Corolla in the parking lot. Wanna know what I got for lunch? One of those high protein juices (forget the brand name), salmon sushi with guacamole, dark chocolate with hazelnuts and a Sweet tea ice tea lemonade combo. Price total: $15.43.

As I left I wondered that though nobody recongized Hutchins, who won a doubles event in Delray this year and is a strong candidate to make England’s Olympic team, what would be the odds of Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal running out to a Fresh Market to grab some grubb? Would they ever do that, or do their handlers take care of that stuff? And if they did make such an impromptu public appearance, what would the reaction by the shoppers be?

Anyway, back to tennis. Serena took care of business with Stosur in straight sets. Maria Sharapova beat Makarova 64 76. After the match a scribe asked her about playing the point with Wozniacki’s boyfriend pro golfer Rory McIlrory. Interestingly, Maria said she has never played golf, just mini-golf. She also said she hasn’t been able to watch the Williams sisters this week because she does not get The Tennis Channel at her hotel, adding, “So I haven’t. Sometimes that’s a good thing [smiles].”

I spoke with a Chilean reporter about the Gonzalez-Blake feud. He told me that he approached Blake to ask him for some comments about Gonzo’s retirement and Blake would only say something very curt, “I wish him luck with his retirement” refusing to say anything more. Apparently, according to the Chilean reporter, Blake still harbors some resentment towards Gonzo, who he believes cost him at least a bronze medal at the Olympics by not admitting the ball ticked his racquet on a critical point at the end of their match in the Olympic Games. Gonzo ended up winning and earning an Olympic medal.

So far, I’ve been to Crandon Park for the tennis every day since Thursday and there has not been a drop of rain the entire time. And it’s looking good for the rest of the week.

29 comments

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 26, 2012 at 10:05 pm

    Delpo is out of challenges and it’s only 4-3 in the first set. I’ve never seen player blow his all his Hawkeye challenges so early in a set. Delpo annoyed Cilic by taking two long looks at Cilic serves which appeared to hit lines. Cilic is visibly irked by Delpo’s stalling or perhaps stalling tactics. The pro Argentine crowd actually whistled Delpo the first time he did it in the seventh game.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 26, 2012 at 10:07 pm

    Azarenka is down 16 14 to Cibulkova on grandstand. #1 player in the world out on grandstand, go figure. So far on stadium today: Maria, Serena, Djokovic-Troicki, and now Delpo-Cilic. Tonight it’s Federer-Roddick and Venus vs. Ivanovic.

  • Michael · March 26, 2012 at 10:46 pm

    “As I left I wondered that though nobody recognized Hutchins”

    Good one.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 26, 2012 at 11:27 pm

    Contest Quiz! I walked from the media center in stadium to watch the end of second set of Azarenka-Cibulkova, it’s about a five minute walk, maybe 200 yards. Without stopping, how many Federer “RF” ballcaps do you think I counted? If someone comes within 3 of the exact #, they get a signed copy of my book “Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew.” GOing out now to watch Paes/Stepanek in dubs.

  • Michael · March 26, 2012 at 11:49 pm

    You left #1 player in the midst of a battle to stay in the tournament to go watch doubles ?

    What are they putting in the drinks at the media center ?

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 27, 2012 at 1:04 am

    Michael it was well worth it, front row and seated next to me was supervisor Gerry Armstrong who I was able to glean several unforgettable strories from, as well as inside scoops. Please read my report on Paes/Step. We could hear the tiebreak score and though it must be a tremendous performance by A-Rod, something tells me Fed will get the W in the end.

  • Michael · March 27, 2012 at 1:25 am

    Scoop, I can’t always tell if you’re serious. Doubles ? Paes ? Some English doubles guy buying groceries that I wouldn’t recognize if he ran me over. It sounds like too much sun to me. Remember to stay hydrated.

    Roddick may have his Gerulatis moment tonight.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 27, 2012 at 2:01 am

    Michael I love Paes as a player, he is one of the greatest doubles players in history, I’ve been curious to see him play this year with Step since they won Australia and Dan’s reports from Indian Wells about watching him, saying “Bring it on!” to opponents on the court. I thought Fed would handle Roddick, did not expect Roddick to still have any magic left but Roddick showed he is still a great champion with a lot left, you can never count out the great champions, which Roddick absolutely was. World #1, US Open champ, he can still shock and awe. Remember how we all thought Pete was finished, then he loses to Mathieu at the Hamlet and wins the Open. You can never count out the great champs. Gotta run to Roger press conf…

  • Michael · March 27, 2012 at 2:16 am

    If Roddick is a great Champion so is Moya. Or this guy Rios. I don’t know if you ever heard of him. Like Roddick but without the one Major. Even made it to number 1 for a few weeks even though the closest he got to a Major was watching it from the stands.

  • Andrew Miller · March 27, 2012 at 2:42 am

    14 RF ball caps. And Scoop: Ivanovic vs. Hantuchova is just a beautiful match period. And the tennis is pretty good too!

    I love watching Hantuchova’s backhand. So smooth. It is as good as Spadea’s backhand.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 27, 2012 at 2:48 am

    Moya is absolutely a great champion, very classy, good sportsmanship, played with honor and a certain nobility which I always admired. Never saw him involved in any shenanigans antics or gamesmanship, never not once. A great champion on and off the court. Heard a bit of Rios, Michael just a tad, seems like he was ‘the man we barely knew’ ) BTW, Hugo Armando said the Rios book was “awesome, one of the best tennis books I ever read.” On the record too.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 27, 2012 at 2:50 am

    Thanks for entering the contest Andrew. I like your analysis of the Hantuchova-Ivanovic match. A Major League All Star baseball player once joked to me that Gabriela Sabatini was one of his favorite athletes to watch and she was “my girlfriend and she didn’t even know it.” Hantuchova and Ana probably have a lot, I mean A LOT of boyfriends they never knew they had )

  • Michael · March 27, 2012 at 3:12 am

    The conversation will go in circles then unless you define what you men by t champion. We aren’t on the same page. I was using more of a results measure.

    Using your idea, JMac is not a great champion. Moya would be. Roddick, not a chance. His routine with the ump in Melbourne againt Philip K. alone disqualifies him.

  • Michael · March 27, 2012 at 3:12 am

    23 hats.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 27, 2012 at 3:28 am

    Michael, a champion is someone who is a people’s champion, someone who inspires and uplifts the people to strive and aspire themselves, sets a good example, shows humanity at their best, shows what humanity is capable of. Roger Federer called Roddick “a great champion” tonight in his press conf. If Roger Federer says it, who’s gonna argue. I think Roddick is a great champ, you gotta forgive his worst. Norman Mailer said, it’s all about what a person does at their best, for that’s what he was intended to do. Roddicks’ had some bad moments on court but it’s heat of the battle stuff. SO has Serena, so have Roger and Borg when they were younger. No one is perfect not even close.

  • Andrew Miller · March 27, 2012 at 3:56 am

    Hugo Armando! He was always top ranked in my division even though he played up by four years or so. The rankings came out every month I think.

    “#1 Armando, Hugo. Miami.”

    Then a few pages later. “tie for #325. Miller, Andrew.”

    I once played a kid who was top 20 in the country. I was beating him 2-1. Then he started doing all sorts of stuff. Making it look like he was going to serve 115 mph and then doing that. Then making it look like he would serve 115 mph, my backing up, and serving the equivalent of a drop shot for an ace. I didn’t win another game that match.

    As for some more beautiful tennis, I am a Ma-Kiri fan, a Flav Panneta fan (she just wrote a book on tennis!), and I have become a Sabine Lisicki fan. All of them have shown some serious fight!

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 27, 2012 at 4:09 am

    Hugo is a great great guy Andrew. I first Biofiled him in Forest Hills about six years ago, he played the challenger. I was shocked what a great Biofile it was, so many interesting and insightful stories, like COrretja breaking three racquets – moments after WINNING a doubles match, not losing. And seeing Nadal in the running full out sprints around the locker room before his matches. Like a bull. We had lunch in Bradenton recently and I gave him my book then. Actually just revised his Biofile for a magazine in Sarasota called “Totally Tennis” and once again it’s another supreme Biofile. He’s just a great all around guy, one of my favorites. He said when he sees Roger Federer, Roger comes up to him and says hi and always asks about his dad Hugo Sr. They run a tennis academy together in Bradenton.

  • Steve · March 27, 2012 at 8:37 am

    Anyone se Djoker on 60 Minutes?

  • Steve · March 27, 2012 at 11:37 am

    Scoop,
    I’m gonna guess 37 RF hats.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 27, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    Fantastic 11 minutes of Djokovic on 60 Minutes Steve, really enjoyed that, seeing Serbia receiving Djok, the underground place where they slept at night during bombings, the interview he gave, and also seeing his first coach Jelena Gencic and especially seeing Djokovic go back and visit her and share the Wimbledon trophy with her, that was awesome. I think this appearance on 60 Minutes could really make US fans start to embrace him fully now. Watched it at the ATP station with some of the other writers, everyone really liked it.

  • adb · March 28, 2012 at 9:30 am

    This American will never embrace Djokovic. Still remember his suspect antics and his rude, rude parents. At least he’s pretty much kicked them out of his box. Progress. The 60 Minutes episode was a puff piece.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 28, 2012 at 4:04 pm

    adb, Brooke Shields was a lot ruder in Agassi’s box at the US Open then Djokovic’s parents ever were. Djok’s parents were in Miami last year I saw them walking the grounds, not here this year. I don’t think it’s a matter of kicking them out, I think it’s more Djok is a grown man now and he doesn’t need his parents around, and good for them for respecting that and staying away. Should be interesting to see how the US fans embrace Djok in the coming years. I like him very much and respect the energy and excitement he has injected into our favorite sport.

  • Michael · March 29, 2012 at 9:42 am

    I like him too.

    I didn’t see the 60 min segment but of course it was a puff piece. That’s what it’s supposed to be, so what.

    Joker has already been embraced by US fans. He’s very popular and why not. He’s funny. He’s personable. He shows his emotion on court and involves the fans. I thought him more entertaining around 07-08. But there is a big change between 19-20 yrs and coming up and 24 yrs and being #1 and one of the leaders of the sport. So its to be expected. He’s a lot more measured now in what he says. But compared to Federer Inc. and See Spot Run, he’s an open book.

    Jokers parents never annoyed me. The only box that ever annoyed me was the J-block at the USO.

    As far as Brooke, I don’t recall her ever doing anything particularly annoying. What did she do ?

  • Michael · March 29, 2012 at 9:52 am

    Also his suspect antics stopped years ago and he’s not responsible for his parents (though I did not find them rude).

    And he’s made a very smooth transition into #1 player role and seems both willing and able to handle the role. Which not every #1 can do. For example, Edberg never embraced it. So we’re lucky. We have a great talent at #1 and he’s more than comfortable handling the off-court role as well.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 29, 2012 at 7:05 pm

    Djokovic parents did not bother me at all either, actually liked their enthusiasm and support, we know what they had to endure, for them to see their son achieve what he did must’ve meant the world to them, I liked how they handled it. Shields, I was told, was no shrinking violet during the infamous Becker match at US Open. Let me talk to my source and share details. BTW Steve, I tried to learn more info about the kid Tips was practicing with, one of Tips team told me he is named Mark from Russia and is just 12!

  • Michael · March 29, 2012 at 11:43 pm

    “Shields, I was told, was no shrinking violet during the infamous Becker match at US Open.”

    I wasn’t live for that one but I was for a lot of matches she was at. She never did anything even close to the line that I recall. Mostly sat just like anyone else.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 30, 2012 at 12:21 am

    Source: “According to Bollettieri and I think it is even in Agassi’s book she cursed at Becker during that US Open match. I believe that was the match where Agassi claims (in his book) that he told the security guard to keep Becker away from him before they walked on court or it might get physical. Shields had a big mouth you could always see her standing up and yelling.”

  • Michael · March 30, 2012 at 4:01 am

    I think I like her even more now.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 30, 2012 at 2:55 pm

    Speaking of liking, I really liked CLiff Drysdale’s line last night, “Key Biscayne, South Beach are part of the mosaic of Miami.”

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