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Aug/19

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Tommy Haas: The Journey, First & Last Matches

A very recognizable face was strolling the US Open grounds yesterday. And he agreed to share his first and last matches. Tommy Haas, now the tournament director at Indian Wells, was once the second ranked player in the world (in 2002). He won 15 singles titles, 567 singles matches and over $13 million in prize earnings. Also the resilient Haas endured nine different surgeries, twice sidelined for over 12 months. He reached the semis of AO three times and once at Wimbledon. He won a silver medal in the 2000 Olympics…

FIRST PRO MATCH: My first match was in Indianapolis in 1996 (age 18, ranked 390 at the time) against Dick Norman (won 63 63). At the time I was just trying to get as many points as I could. (He won two more rounds in Indy vs Renzo Furlan and Mark Woodforde before losing to world no. 1 Pete Sampras in the QF 63 64).

LAST MATCH: Last match was in Kitzbuhel, I lost to Jan-Lennard Struff (63 76 in 2017). I was hoping to win a few more matches. My last match win was in Germany (Stuttgart) against one of my good friends (Roger Federer, 26 76 64).”

MEMORABLE MATCHES: Beating Agassi at Wimbledon, Roger in Halle and winning the Masters title in Stuttgart in front of my German fans.

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57 comments

  • Michael in the UK · August 29, 2019 at 3:51 pm

    This is terrific Scoop.
    Tommy is of course a legend to all of us who know and love the game.
    Like Harrt though, I think Tommy would have looked better without the backwards baseball cap!

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 5:44 pm

    Haas wore that hat from the beginning to the end, think he started the trend actually before Hewitt. Haas had an excellent career, if he had the iron man body and luck of Lopez, he would have won majors and been no. 1.

  • Andrew Miller · August 29, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    Haas “might” be the Grant Hill of tennis – one of best in league but too injured to compete for championships. Had Federer on ropes twice in slam battles in Federer’s prime, not Haas prime! And he was also beaten badly by Federer sometimes at slams.

    Haas probably IS best not to win a slam in last few decades. Berdych is one of them, but Haas might be the guy who had the most talent plus effort to win one.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 6:08 pm

    Taylor Townsend puts on the best serve and volley display since Pete Sampras, beating Halep 36 63 76, serve and volleying on everything and looking like a hall of famer from a half century ago doing it. Geez, if she keeps up this level she could win the title. Shocking performance by TT. Earlier this year she lost to Halep 61 63 in Miami, lost twice to Osuigwe, lost 16 16 to Gibbsy. Lost 06 03 to Sesil Karantcheva z year ago. Now she’s a world beater whooping top 5 players. And who said she’s not in shape? Three quali rounds and two more in main draw and not a sign of fatigue. She’s fit, her body is different.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    Also Haas had to deal with his dad’s motorcycle accident on 41 in Bradenton/Sarasota in 2002, where he was in a coma for three weeks. He made a full recovery and I hung out with Peter Haas, a super nice guy, at the Sarasota Open five years ago every day when it was at Longboat Key Club. One of my friends is friends with him.

  • George · August 29, 2019 at 6:15 pm

    Tommy reached number 2 in the rankings and played for many years. Wonder how much endorsement money he made on top of the 13 million in prize money. Of course, about 50-75% will go to taxes and expenses.

    Meanwhile, good piece on the financial struggles of professional tennis:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXROEbW4E_8

  • Andrew Miller · August 29, 2019 at 6:28 pm

    Townsend has SKILL. Same as Halep. They look different, but their skills are off the charts! Have enjoyed seeing Townsend’s ridiculous tennis capabilities for some time.

  • Andrew Miller · August 29, 2019 at 6:32 pm

    Yes, in tennis, a huge problem in that the sport isn’t as accessible as it should be. I remember watching Barbara Schett the Austrian, and I remember the commentators talking about her parents (one player only, players can come from all sorts of backgrounds). I was like yep, that set of parents could bankroll a player’s early career without much fuss. Total difference from what other fem players expressed on the Noah Rubin blog, where it was like ok gotta win because, gotta win. Gotta win. Can’t think about my next meal. Win first. Cash check. Eat meal.

  • Hartt · August 29, 2019 at 7:55 pm

    The Taylor Townsend vs Halep match was very entertaining, especially with the big upset. I always enjoyed watching TT, but when her ranking got so low there were few opportunities to see her. But the match today was a reminder of how much fun a player who loves coming in can be. She went to the net over 100 times in that match! Some of her volleys could have been better, but today’s players don’t know how to deal with S&V, and lots of play at the net.

  • Hartt · August 29, 2019 at 8:01 pm

    I was always annoyed with the constant refrain that Taylor was out of shape, based purely on her being overweight. I remember when, a few years ago, she won 3 matches in 1 day! That is not something someone who isn’t in good shape can do.

  • Andrew Miller · August 29, 2019 at 8:24 pm

    Good players are good players.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 8:31 pm

    George, they say a player’s earnings are usually double the prize money. Appearance fees and endorsements add up. Look at Tomic, $8m in career earnings but he says he has $20m in the bank.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 8:39 pm

    Townsend today performed a tennis masterpiece. This was the kind of performance that can change the sport, young players see this and be inspired by it, it was proven today that serve and volley works and can beat a top 5 player. Townsend could be a game changer, like Hsieh, Hewitt, Seles, Sampras, Federer, we witnessed something very special today by Taylor Townsend.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 8:41 pm

    Hartt, forgot that TT won 3 in one day. That’s legendary. She’s super fit. Obviously. We know Halep is and TT had more in her tank at the end.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 8:44 pm

    Haas was far more than a good player, he was on the edge of greatness and showed greatness many times. His body betrayed him. 9 surgeries. Imagine having 9 surgeries and still playing to age 37-38. Warrior.

  • Andrew Miller · August 29, 2019 at 8:55 pm

    Haas to me, best not to win a slam.

  • Andrew Miller · August 29, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    Another player, Molik, among faves. She had a complete game, moved well.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 9:16 pm

    For sure he’s in the discussion,

  • George · August 29, 2019 at 9:18 pm

    “Look at Tomic”

    What happened to Tomic? Dropped out of professional tennis?

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 29, 2019 at 10:04 pm

    Tomic just fell out of top 80. Not sure why he skipped qualies.

  • catherine · August 30, 2019 at 12:33 am

    And I said there weren’t going to be any surprises and I wake up and out goes Simona. As I remarked before – the USO isn’t her favourite tournament.

    What’s all this serve/volley – is it going to become the thing ?

  • Jeff · August 30, 2019 at 1:28 am

    My observation today and I mean my close observation was what a lovely New Balance outfit by Ms. Danielle Rose Collins. Those of you who watched the match were no doubt as mesmerized by her ultra-short skirt as I was.

    Alas, she lost to the Woz. But Collins is still in both doubles events left so be on the lookout for that. Sigh.

  • catherine · August 30, 2019 at 1:48 am

    Jeff- I think it was Danielle Rose Collins who was mesmerised – by Wozniaki’s game ๐Ÿ™‚

    (I said it before and I’ll say it again – it wasn’t Kiki’s tennis that beat Kerber – it was the horrible adidas skirt Angie wore. Kiki’s smart black shift did the damage – she didn’t survive her next match.)

    Woz played well. I thought Collins would win because Caro’s physical state fluctuates these days but this was a good one for her.

  • catherine · August 30, 2019 at 3:41 am

    How many times has this happened ? That anecdote about how, after a thrashing from Halep in Miami, Townsend went to the locker room and asked Simona what she’d need to do to improve. Apparently Simona suggested a few things. Great humility from Taylor, great generosity from Simona.

  • Hartt · August 30, 2019 at 6:01 am

    I just saw Taylor Townsend’s press conference and was impressed with how poised and articulate she was. She came across as a young woman who is comfortable with who she is.

    I hope she has lots of success in the near future so fans get to see her play more often, she is so much fun to watch.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 30, 2019 at 6:52 am

    Collins fire is out. No yelling, no fists no come ons. She has pulled the plug on her intensity, one of her best wespons. Why? Trying to look more feminine?

  • Jeff · August 30, 2019 at 8:23 pm

    You may be right, Scoop. Ms. Collins has amassed a lot of, ahem, admirers in online forums and whatnot. She may be trying to appeal to her burgeoning fan base.

    Speaking of which, just watched Svitolina destroy Yasyremska. Ugly match. Yasstremska had no strategy, just tried to bash the ball every point.

    Svitolina looks like she put back on that weight she had lost and looked powerful. Legs were thicker, body more muscular. I think she went through that feminine stage of doing pinup calendars and it hurt her game with that wiry frame so she has bulked up and looks ready for battle.
    No doubt she will capture a Slam soon.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 30, 2019 at 9:01 pm

    Collins is not herself now, she’s a shell of what we saw in AO. Her only hope for top 10 and major titles, is to rejuvenate her beast mode inner Serena Hewitt feisty mindset.

  • Jeff · August 30, 2019 at 10:31 pm

    Meanwhile the big story on the mens side is the can of worms opened up by Dan Evans complaining that Federer receives favorable scheduling. In my view, Evans is right but we also know that tournaments want to cater to the stars.

    Federer responded with an expletive in his presser that he is tired of this s—. But we know how tight he is with Craig Tiley who only gives him night matches in Australia.

    This comes after Kyrgios’ declaration that tennis is corrupt. The Federer scheduling seems to confirm that notion. As much as I don’t like Kyrgios, score one point for him on this topic based on today’s dialogue and Federer’s flimsy defense.

  • Jeff · August 30, 2019 at 11:04 pm

    The more you think about it, Kyrgios and Evans have a point. Say somehow the semis of the U.S. Open were Koepfer, Kudla, Kecmanovic and Lloyd Harris. Would anyone tune in then? So, there is plenty of incentive to give the stars advantages as Federer got with the extra day of rest.

    Food for thought for you conspiracy theorists.

  • Andrew Miller · August 30, 2019 at 11:12 pm

    Evans could always just beat him. Oh wait, he can’t. Federer now these wins in three different slams vs Evans, and Evans has yet to win a set on Federer.

    This is known as the phenomenon of “sour grapes”. Those who can’t win, complain.

    Evans did well to make this match. He has no clue how to beat Federer, even as Federer is on the last holes of the back nine of his earth shattering career.

    Bravo to Evans, a sore loser at best with that kind of statement. If Evans can’t beat a guy a decade older than he is, who is struggling at the US Open and who other opponents got a set off in the previous two rounds, survey suggests Evans isn’t benefitting from any of his advantages against a guy with a lot of KM on the speedometer.

  • Harold · August 30, 2019 at 11:12 pm

    They should have put the Evans match in Armstrong under the roof, but the USTA put Opelka in the big room. Didnโ€™t work out for him. Donโ€™t think Fed wants to play at noon. I bet SW got preference over Fed in the scheduling

  • Andrew Miller · August 30, 2019 at 11:15 pm

    Simply, Federer owns Evans. And Evans, who can’t win a set on any court in the world against Federer, decided hey I’ll just put him down in the presser. Not classy, and Evans is wrong.

  • Jeff · August 30, 2019 at 11:36 pm

    To be fair, Evans didn’t blame the loss on the scheduling, he just answered a leading question from the media about it. He trained with Federer earlier this year.

    For sure, Evans can’t beat him but it certainly gives Federer a mental edge. And conspiracy theorists get plenty to chew on as well.

  • Jeff · August 30, 2019 at 11:49 pm

    I’ll add that many players request for certain umpires not to work their matches and the tournament grants that. I am certain that lower ranked players do not get this same courtesy. Federer himself admitted that he gets favorable treatment. Is it a conspiracy and is tennis corrupt? You can decide.

  • Andrew Miller · August 31, 2019 at 12:25 am

    No, tennis isn’t corrupt and there’s no conspiracy. We’re far from the 1990s when a Sports Illustrated article posed the question Is Tennis Dead. As always they could and should pay the challenger players better, which wouldn’t change much about the sport while giving some breathing room to players who otherwise will give up before they should.

  • Jeff · August 31, 2019 at 12:59 am

    Andrew, I don’t think so either but Kyrgios has come out and said it so either he is right or he is wrong and will get punished. Other sports like the NBA or NFL would have rendered punishment by now. He may have proof to the corruption as well. We can’t rule anything out. Nothing should surprise us at this point.

  • Hartt · August 31, 2019 at 7:21 am

    Kyrgios backtracked quickly on his “corrupt” statement, saying that is not what he meant. He may have saved his bacon on that one, but the investigation into Cincy is continuing, and I don’t see how the ATP can ignore the “pattern of behaviour” that Nick exhibits.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2019 at 8:04 am

    Nick is a major star now, a major ATP asset. He has major leverage and is using it. Imagine how massively lucrative it will be for the sport when Kyrgios wins a major? Yes he will. Business is business, it’s not personal.

  • Hartt · August 31, 2019 at 8:24 am

    I think Kyrgios will get suspended this time, for his actions in Cincy, but even if he isn’t it is just a matter of time. He will keep pushing and pushing until the ATP has no choice. It would be better for Kyrgios as well. He needs to come to terms with whatever it is that causes him to act this way, and it is obvious that fines don’t make a difference.

    The players are getting fed up as well. Johnson’s reaction is an example of what many of them must think. I hope more players have the guts to express what a jerk he is being. They have enough to contend with trying to win a match without having to try to maintain their focus during Nick’s tirades.

    Yes, Nick is getting special treatment because he brings in fans. Which is ironic, because he complains that the top players get treated differently. However, it will come to a head. He will hit someone when he throws his racquet onto a pathway where people are walking, or his abuse of officials will continue, perhaps get even worse, and the ATP will be forced to act.

    The fact that Kyrgios is getting away with his behaviour encourages other players to do the same, such as Tsitsipas claiming an ump had it in for him and his team. Players can’t go after the impartiality of the officials, and umps don’t deserve the abuse players are heaping on them. Right now the inmates are running the asylum and it is hurting tennis in the long run.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2019 at 8:28 am

    Hartt, Kygios is too valuable for the ATP now, he will not be suspended, or if he is it will be a wrist slap. He is a superstar now. Yonex is trying to get out of their long term contract with Wawrinka because of his racquet smashing but Yonex has no issue when Nick does it. Inside info. Nick has the leverage now because he’s a star and he will generate tons of money for Yonex and the sport. Nick knows this and will continue on his merry way doing what he does second best, spark controversy. What he does best is play sensational tennis. Nick will win a major soon. It’s simply too profitable for the sport for him to win a major.

  • Andrew Miller · August 31, 2019 at 9:22 am

    Ha. Kyrgios will get his suspension. There were a lot of people in the stands for the Wang Ferro match, and neither is named Kyrgios.

    Not sure why it’s being said he can get away with everything because he cannot. And it isn’t as if his popularity is guaranteed because it is not. That’s not tennis.

    Kyrgios is setting himself up for his own downfall and there’s nothing anyone can do about that. On the court other players work harder and they are better, which is why with all of his talent Kyrgios doesn’t have a Masters title to his name, and for all his wins against the best players he has no slam semifinal.

    Kyrgios last slam QF was four years ago. He’s continued to play some outstanding can’t believe me eyes tennis. That’s not the same as making the most of his privilege of being on tour.

    Kyrgios also doesn’t understand that other players will leapfrog him. He doesn’t seem to even notice that players like De Minaur just scored a huge win on Nishikori, with Nishikori playing pretty well.

    As they pass him sponsors may put their chips on a less volatile person. That’s called life. Sponsors have reputations too. And they have no interest in sponsoring a train wreck.

    It’s Kyrgios choice. Be more mature or not. He probably has a few years to figure this out, but he better decide soon.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2019 at 10:02 am

    Andrew, Kyrgios is no fool and no dummy. He knows his starpower is a major asset for the ATP and he knows he has leverage. His antics are IMO partially spontaneous and also pre-scripted in a sense. He knows his controversy sells and grows his starpower. He knows he’s become a major asset for the tennis powers that be. He knows Yonex loves every second of his antics and controversy and he knows Yonex is trying to drop Wawrinka. This in effect rewards his controversial antics and encourages more. Yonex is happy with Nick because his contract is much smaller than Wawrinka’s presumably and Nick draws more attention to the brand. Stan is still a great player but he’s yesterday’s news. Nick is the headliner now. There is no way the ATP will suspend Nick because that will take a big bite out of ticket sales, sponsor impact, and the bottom line. Nick’s behavior will continue, be sure of that. Hopefully the sensational tennis will too.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2019 at 10:04 am

    Think about what we are dealing with Kyrgiosmania, the power and impact it has on the sport when a 50 year old man runs after Kyrgios for a selfie at the US Open. This actually happened. Think about the influence Kyrgiosmania has on the sport to be able to do that.

  • Jeff · August 31, 2019 at 10:21 am

    Scoop, I’m with you. We may not like it but Kyrgios has wormed his way into Big 4 territory with his antics. He is box office, as they say, and the most valuable property the tennis world has. He is bigger than the sport now.

    Hartt is right, Kyrgios is encouraging other players to do the same, Tsitsipas, Medvedev. These youngsters follow the NBA and are into the more confrontational approach. The Fed/Nadal gentlemanly era is over and these players are behaving like the millennials and we either have to embrace it or leave it.

    I think we can expect more players to behave this way and Kyrgios to be head of the player eventually.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2019 at 10:34 am

    Jeff, it’s almost like the ATP has choreographed this new villain initiative. We have too many politically correct perfect vanilla sportsman who always say all the right things, we need a few black hat rebel villain$ to balance it out and create controver$y which of cour$e $ell$. $$$$$. It’s almost like Nick has it in his contract like McEnroe as a senior, to do anything to get people talking, to start an argument over a line call. And now we have Medvedev getting in on the act last night with that pro wrestling post match villain speech. And Federer actually dropping an S bomb in a press conference. Djokovic telling a fan at practice “I will find you” after he said something that triggered Djokovic. Is it all by plan? Or is the Kyrgios shit show having an infectious influence on the rest of the ATP? I tend to believe the former and the ATP wants to get a little bit more down and dirty and controversial and away from the pristine perfect image which of course is too fake and not reality. If Rafa moons the crowd today, we know something is cooking.

  • Andrew Miller · August 31, 2019 at 10:54 am

    If the ATP is going Batman, I’ll stick to WTA. No problem with a boycott because the product gets worse. I’d pay to see Rios practice, but not sure I’d pay to see him play a tournament.

  • Hartt · August 31, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    Players being nasty to the umps will get tiresome pretty quickly. For tennis to be enjoyable there needs to be good tennis!

    The umps aren’t allowed to say anything, and if the ATP isn’t willing to defend them against the players’ disrespect, then the umps should act together and refuse to officiate at the matches.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2019 at 12:26 pm

    Hartt, but more eye balls will watch the good tennis if there’s a hook of controversy to draw them in.

  • Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2019 at 12:38 pm

    How dull and unprofitable would pro wrestling be if there were no villains and only perfectly behaved, politically correct champions? The tennis business model needs more villains, heels, bad guys and rebels to compliment the good guys like Rafa, Fed, Stan, Isner, Monfils, Kei and Goffin. Maybe they can hire Gimelstob to run the villain division and villain training school? ๐Ÿ™‚

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