Posted by Ricky on November 21, 2008
Roger Federer has 57 career singles titles to his name. He has 13 Grand Slam titles, one shy of the all-time leader Peter Sampras.
But Federer is not No. 1 in the world. He held the top spot, incredibly, from the first week of February 2004 until August 2008. Now Rafael Nadal is the top-ranked player in tennis. Federer, meanwhile is 27 years old. With more than a month to go until the start of the next ATP season, one of the main questions until then will be whether or not the Swiss will ever regain his No. 1 ranking.
A number of important people in the world of tennis have weighed in on the issue, including Federer himself.
“I obviously have a little bit of mixed feelings at the end of the season,” said the Swiss. “But I think it gives me the opportunity to start over all new again next year. I need to take a good rest and plan things for next year. I need to prepare well and I know I can get better.”
More importantly, he added, “My target is to regain the No 1 ranking and win more Grand Slam titles than Sampras. “To be two, three, four, five, 25, it doesn’t really matter a whole lot. It’s either No. 1 or being in the main draw.”
Federer also said that the sound of being No. 2 is just weird, and he will use it as motivation to seize the No. 1 spot in 2009. “It doesn’t change a whole lot, I just don’t like the ring of it when I’m being introduced on Centre Court saying, ‘and this is the number two in the world,’” he explained. “It just sounds wrong. Either I’m number one or I’m a grand slam champion, but I’m not number two. It just sounds a bit awkward for me because I’ve been up there for so, so long,” he said. It sounds unfamiliar but at the same time it is a challenge to get back where I was and I think next year will be a good chance.”
Andy Murray, who finished runner-up to Federer at this year’s U.S. Open and won the Masters Series Madrid to cement his firm place in the Top 4, agrees that Federer has a good chance of becoming No. 1 again. The Scot really thinks, however, that both Federer and Nadal will be tough to overcome.
“I don’t see a whole lot of weaknesses,” Murray said of the top two players’ games. “Federer is, I’m sure, going to want to try to get his No. 1 back, and I’m sure he’s going to want to try and regain his Wimbledon trophy. Nadal, now that he’s won Wimbledon, the French, I’m sure he’s gonna give it his best effort to get ready for Australia and US Open are going to be huge for him. They’re definitely going to be top five next year. Probably 1 and 2 again. They’re playing that well and that consistently all the time.
“I think Nadal and Federer are much, much better on other surfaces than I am,” admitted Murray. “I know I need to improve my clay-court game and my grass-court game next year. I think on hard [surfaces] I’m not that far behind them but I know on the other surfaces I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Tim Henman, who retired in 2007, thinks Murray is on his way to the No. 1 ranking in the world.
“Andy is going to achieve bigger and better things than I ever did, and I’m really pleased for him,” said the Brit. “I believe that, if Andy stays fit and healthy, there’s a chance he will go on to become the world number one.”
Henman added, “He has been playing such great tennis since Wimbledon and has picked up so many points that he is now closing in on (Novak) Djokovic, the world number three. And maybe he will go on to overtake (Rafael) Nadal and (Roger) Federer as well. There is a lot of tough competition at the top now as Nadal, Federer and Djokovic are great players - but I think that Andy can get to number one.”
Former tennis great Stefan Edberg, who won six Grand Slam titles, thinks that there is life in Federer yet. “I would say it is nice for Federer to have such a season as he must have realized the need to be more offensive in his game,” said the Swede, whose illustrious career came to an end in 1996. “He has to play more serve and volley and get in more variation so that he can come back to where he was.
“Players have realized that he is beatable, but they have to consider that he is still among the best players tennis has ever had. Obviously, things will be tougher for him, but he still has a few more years to go and during this time he will pick up a couple more Grand Slams.”
We’ll have a better idea of Federer’s chances to take back the top spot with the beginning of the Australian Open 2009, where his quest to get it back will resume. It’s a good opportunity for Federer to make up some points in the rankings, because earlier this year he lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Nadal also only made it to the semifinals, but it’s no certainty that Nadal will make it that far again since the Australian Open is contested on hard courts. Furthermore, Nadal has never even made it to the final, while Federer has hoisted the trophy three times. Assuming mononucleosis does not derail Federer’s chances as it did in 2008, look for Federer to get off to a roaring start following a nice two-month offseason.
“I need to get things in order right from the Australian Open, a great start would boost my confidence but it will be a tough tournament with the other guys also trying to do the same.”
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Posted by Ricky on November 20, 2008
In addition to the top four players at the 2009 Kooyong Classic – Roger Federer, James Blake, Stanislas Wawrinka, and Fernando Gonzalez – the bottom four will also provide plenty of excitement for the fans at next season’s first big exhibition event.
Roger Federer
Two (Marat Safin and Marcos Baghdatis) are well-known veterans who both have a flair for the dramatic. Safin is a former Australian Open winner (2005) and Baghdatis also is an engaging personality with a flair for the dramatic. The Cypriot is best known for his runner-up finish (to Federer) at the Australian Open 2006 and his epic five-set loss to Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open 2006.
The Kooyong field is rounded out with rising stars Ernests Gulbis and Marin Cilic. While Gulbis arguably has more talent, Cilic is ranked well ahead of the Latvian thanks to his consistency (and winning an ATP title in New Haven also helped). Gulbis reached the French Open quarterfinals and the Masters Series Cincinnati quarters, and had Andy Roddick on the brink of defeat in the second round of this year’s U.S. Open, but Gulbis is wildly inconsistently. He went out in the first round of far too many tournaments to offset those stellar performances.
All in all, it should make for another fun-filled Kooyong Classic. So let’s take a look at the players in the bottom half of the field who will be hoping to ready their games for the Australian Open 2009.
Marat Safin
Marat Safin
World Ranking: 29
What he stands to gain from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Safin probably doesn’t have much to gain or to lose. The Russian will probably just be out there (again) to have fun. He would benefit from playing well in Kooyong to give him some confidence, because Safin was really bad at the end of 2008 following his shocking appearance in the semifinals of Wimbledon. However, it’s hard to imagine Safin giving a big enough effort at an exhibition event to make the time there truly productive.
What he stands to lose from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Confidence and desire…if he somehow plays worse than he is already playing at the moment (which is also hard to imagine). With a poor performance in Kooyong, tennis fans should all but guarantee a first-round exit for the two-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open 2009.
Good idea to play? Why not? Safin has made no secret about the fact that at his age (will turn 29 during the second week of the Aussie Open), all he wants to do throughout the rest of his career is have fun and not have to deal with pressure. Well, this is an exhibition event, so it should be right up Safin’s alley.
Marcos Baghdatis
Marcos Baghdatis
World Ranking: 100
What he stands to gain from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Court time. That is something Baghdatis had very little off throughout 2008. The oft-injured Cypriot played just 26 matches this season, although he managed to post a winning record (14-12). Baghdatis has endured back problems, wrist problems, and who knows what else. An injury-free week at the Kooyong Classic is just what he needs heading into the Australian Open 2009.
What he stands to lose from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Nothing. Baghdatis needs ranking points (which he obviously will not get at an exhibition) since he is way down at No. 100 in the world mainly due to his injuries. That said, he played in Kooyong last year (as opposed to the simultaneous ATP events) so he won’t have any ranking points coming off the board. Unless, God forbid, suffers yet another injury during his time at Kooyong, he has nothing else to lose.
Good idea to play? Definitely. It’s simple. Baghdatis needs to play, play, and play some more. Injuries killed his season-ending indoor swing, so he needs some tennis under his belt to get his mind right for the Aussie Open. Baghdatis showed he still has potential when healthy, reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon 2008. Kooyong will give him a chance to do something similar a week later in Melbourne.
Marin Cilic
Marin Cilic
World Ranking: 22
What he stands to gain from playing in the Kooyong Classic: A belief that he belongs with the big boys. The Kooyong Classic is always reserved for top players (or players who have recently been near the top) and Cilic is just that (or at least will be soon). Now he needs to start believing that, and a good performance in Kooying will help those efforts. Cilic reached the fourth round of the Australian Open 2007, so he has a fair amount of points at stake. A sense of belonging could help him go at least that far, if not further.
What he stands to lose from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Cilic has already soared to No. 22 in the world, so he should not be too concerned about ranking points. He played in Auckland this year, but only reached the second round, so he will only have a few ranking points coming off the board while he participates at Kooying. The Croat has had some minor injury concerns in the past, but a few extra matches prior to the Australian Open should not hurt.
Good idea to play? Yes. Cilic is being tipped as one of the main contenders for having a breakout 2009 campaign (although it’s fair to say he also had a breakout in 2008). A win or two over guys like Federer, Blake (to whom he lost at the Australian Open 2007), Gonzalez (whom he beat at the Australian Open 2007), will get things going on the right foot.
Ernests Gulbis
Ernests Gulbis
World Ranking: 53
What he stands to gain from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Same as Cilic, to an even greater extent. Gulbis is No. 53 in the world, but his talent is such that there is no reason for him to be that low. The 20-year-old Latvian needs to understand that he belongs with the best players in the world, such as those at Kooyong. Moreover, Gulbis is a momentum player just like Gonzalez and Blake. When he is on, he is really on fire. When he is off, he struggles to win any matches at all. Gulbis ended 2008 in relatively poor form, so he needs Kooyong to get him going and kick off what will be a very important year for him.
What he stands to lose from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Gulbis needs ranking points in the worst way to bring him up from No. 53. He and Cilic are always mentioned in the same breath, but the rankings do not show it. Playing in Sydney or Auckland instead of Kooyong would give Gulbis a chance to improve his ranking heading into the Australian Open 2009. At the same time, Gulbis did not player during that week this season, so at least he won’t be losing points.
Good idea to play? Too early to tell. The answer to this can only be determined after the fact. Gulbis needs to give his best effort and win one or two matches to give him the confidence he needs going into the following week. But he better not waste the appearance, because he would be just as well served (if not even better served) by making a deep run at one of the two ATP events in either Sydney or Auckland.
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Posted by Ricky on
The Kooyong Classic has been a staple of Australian Open tune-ups in recent history and 2009 will be no different. Eight of the best players of the world will once against descend on Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne in the days before the season’s first Grand Slam to fine-tune their games.
Absent, however, is three-time defending champion Andy Roddick. Nonetheless, the even still boasts a strong field, and this time it has an unusually younger feel to it marked by some of the game’s brightest rising stars.
All eight players will play at least two matches and the players with the best records in terms of matches, games, sets, and head-to-head tiebreakers, will square off on the final day of the tournament for the trophy.
Let’s take a look at the top half of the 2009 field (second half, lower-ranked players coming soon).
Roger Federer
World Ranking: 2
What he stands to gain from playing in the Kooyong Classic: The chance to make a statement that his start of 2009 is going to be much different than his start of 2008, when he lost in the Australian Open semifinals to Novak Djokovic, in part due to a bout with mononucleosis.
What he stands to lose from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Not much. Despite winning the U.S. Open 2008 to really save his season, it’s not like Federer ended this year in incredible form. Even if he loses some matches in Kooyong, he won’t be coming down from the top or losing a ton of confidence. Plus, it’s just an exhibition.
Good idea to play? Definitely. Regardless of how intense it is or how had players try, Federer can send a message by winning Kooyong that he is out to regain his No. 1 ranking. This is an all-win situation for the Swiss. He has nothing to lose.
Stanislas Wawrinka
World Ranking: 13
What he stands to gain from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Wawrinka, who won doubles gold at the Beijing Olympics with Federer, needs to restore some confidence in a major way. He ended 2008 in a dismal slump and missed out on Shanghai after seemingly being in control of a Masters Cup spot heading into the indoor season.
What he stands to lose from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Little. He could get knocked around by some of other talented players in this group of eight, but Wawrinka’s already shaky confidence can’t really suffer any more. Wawrinka lost in the first round of Sydney this year, so he has no points to defend there and therefore it makes sense that he will skip that event, which coincides with the Kooyong Classic, this time around.
Good idea to play? Sure. It probably won’t make much difference one way or the other. But if Wawrinka somehow storms out of nowhere to win the whole thing, that will send him surging into the Australian Open 2009. The chances of that are slim, but you never know.
James Blake
World Ranking: 10
What he stands to gain from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Pretty much the same thing as Wawrinka (but for a little bit of a different reason). Blake did not slump as bad as Wawrinka at the end of 2008 (he was one match away at the Masters Series Paris from qualifying for the Masters Cup), but he needs confidence even more because of how much he feeds off of it. The American has shown that he can be awful at times, yet one of the best players in the world at other times. The key to it all is confidence. If Blake can catch fire in Kooyong, he could parlay that into a breakout performance at the Australian Open 2009.
What he stands to lose from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Vacation time and perhaps risking injury. Blake is a fun-loving guy and he enjoys hanging out with family and friends back in the U.S. (usually Tampa, Florida) during the off-season, and he could extend the grace period a few more days by not playing in Kooyong. Blake will also turn 29 before the end of 2008 and his physical style of play could begin to take a toll on his body. If he makes a deep run in Melbourne, the extra matches in Kooyong could have a minor impact.
Good idea to play? Yes, because the positives outweigh the negatives. At this point in his career, Blake should be seeking a Grand Slam title and a Grand Slam title only. His only hope is to really get on a roll, and an appearance in Kooyong gives him that (remote) chance.
Fernando Gonzalez
World Ranking: 15
What he stands to gain from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Similar to Blake, Gonzalez is the essence of a momentum player. Remember him at the Australian Open 2007? The Chilean stormed to the final, rolling over anything and everything in his path en route. The beatdowns he put on Blake, Tommy Haas, and Rafael Nadal are memorable. Federer finally got the best of him in the title match. Gonzalez needs a spark to get him going again, because his second half of 2008 was mostly lackluster. Kooyong could provide it.
What he stands to lose from playing in the Kooyong Classic: Again, he is very similar to Blake in this discussion. Gonzo is 28 and he also employs a physical style of tennis. Will he begin to wear down? We might find out if he lasts until the second week of the Australian Open 2009.
Good idea to play? Yes. The exhibition format should give Gonzalez some peace of mind and allow him to settle down and have fun, not taking it too seriously. At the same time, it could also propel him into the Aussie Open if he plays well in Kooyong.
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Posted by Ricky on November 19, 2008
The 2008 WTA season wrapped up almost two weeks ago as Venus Williams went undefeated en route to capturing the year-end Sony Ericsson Championships.
What’s the next big stop for the women? The Australian Open 2009, of course. A one and a half month offseason provides ample time to discussing the upcoming Grand Slam, and there’s no better way to start than by discussing each of the top women’s chances to win the title.
Who are the smart choices? Who should be avoided at all costs? Let’s take a look.
Note: these odds are approximate, appearing to be the average of the all the betting sites that are out there.
Women’s
Serena Williams: 3 to 1
You’re probably not getting enough bang for your buck here, and that says more about the state of the women’s game than it does about Serena Williams. There are just a lot of players who have chances to win Grand Slams nowadays. The Williams sisters are not as dominant as they once were, Justine Henin is no longer around, and the WTA Tour as a whole is so much deeper than it used to be. I’m not saying Serena should not be the favorite to win the Australian Open; I’m just saying 3 to 1 odds are probably too low to entice a bet out of me. She lost in the quarterfinals this year to Jelena Jankovic and ended the season with an emphatic loss at the hands of Venus at the Sony Ericsson Championships. Still, Serena enjoyed a solid stretch in which she won doubles titles at Wimbledon and the Olympics, finished runner-up to Venus at Wimbledon, and won the U.S. Open. She still has the talent to be dominant at times, but I just don’t know if it’s all going to come together Down Under.
Venus Williams: 6 to 1
Now we’re talking. There should not be such a discrepancy between the Williams sisters’ odds; especially not with the way Venus ended the season. She won Wimbledon, went out in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open only because she had to play Serena in the quarters (she lost in two epic tiebreakers), and she was in stunning form as she took the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships title. Venus will be looking to reverse her 2008 Australian Open fortunes, as she went down to Ana Ivanovic in the quarters. Right to, it looks to me like there is a much better than 6 to 1 chance that Venus wins it all in Melbourne.
Maria Sharapova: 8 to 1
Don’t touch this. Sharapova has not played since early August due to injury, missing the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, the Sony Ericsson Championships, and everything else. It remains to be seen just how she will look when she arrives in Australia. Her first few matches of the season will reveal a lot, but right now anything dealing with Sharapova is a risk. That said, she was absolutely awesome in winning the Australian Open 2008. The Russian did not lose a single set en route to the title and not even one set went to a tiebreaker! Will a return to the scene of her triumph restore her form? There’s a chance, but right now the probability is not a good one.
Ana Ivanovic: 9 to 1
Ivanovic reached the final of the Australian Open 2008, won the title in Indian Wells, and won her first Grand Slam at the French Open 2008. After that, however, the end of the season saw a brutal slump for the Serb (other than a title in Linz). A two-month off-season should be able to get Ivanovic back on track, but only time will tell. Obviously she is capable of winning Down Under, because we have seen she is capable of getting on significant hot streaks at the biggest events in tennis. With 9 to 1 odds, action might be a good idea…. But not with too much confidence.
Jelena Jankovic: 10 to 1
You would think the No. 1 player in the world getting the fifth best odds is clear-cut call for action. Not so fast. Jankovic is ranked No. 1 despite never having won a Grand Slam. The Serb did, however, reach the final of the U.S. Open 2008, so that should give her some confidence heading into Melbourne. Still, it’s hard to like the chances of someone who has never captured a major title.
Dinara Safina: 14 to 1
Sure thing. I don’t mean to win the tournament; I mean Safina at 14 to 1 odds. We saw what happens when Safin gets on a roll (case and point: the second half of 2008). Marat Safin’s little sister won titles in Los Angeles and Montreal then reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open and the final of the Olympics. The Russian has never quite put it all together at a Grand Slam, but the upcoming Australian Open sounds like the perfect place to start.
Other contenders
30 to 1: Elena Demetieva and Vera Zvonareva
With those kinds of odds, it’s a good idea to throw some game at both of these contenders, especially Dementieva. She has never won a Grand Slam, but she won the Olympics this summer and that should give her tons of confidence heading into Australia. If Dementieva ever improves her serve, she has multiple Grand Slam titles potential, because she is arguably the best woman from the back of the court. Zvonareva showed off her potential by going undefeated en route to the Sony Ericsson Championships title match. The question with her, not to much unlike Dementieva, is her mental game. Can she handle the pressure of a final weekend of a Grand Slam? Probably not, but there’s a chance, and that chance is better than 30 to 1.
35 to 1: Caroline Wozniacki and Svetlana Kuznetsova
I don’t like either one of these women to win a Grand Slam title anytime soon, but with 35 to 1 odds it at least might be worth considering. Wozniacki is still a teenager and she showed that she is a future major winner by getting hot this summer, including winning a title in New Haven. Kuznetsova is a former Grand Slam winner (U.S. Open) so she always has to be given a chance. The Russian has tailed off a bit recently, but she probably has one more stellar year left in her.
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Posted by Ricky on November 17, 2008
The 2008 ATP season (not including Davis Cup) concluded on Sunday at the Masters Cup and that leaves tennis fans wit two options. One: feel sorry for themselves that the season is over and go one and a half months with nothing to do in terms of professional tennis. Two: start getting excited for the Australian open 2009!
As for me, I choose the latter. And perhaps an early look at the Australian open odds-to-win will convince all the other tennis fanatics out there to do the same.
Note: these odds are approximate, appearing to be the average of the all the betting sites that are out there.
Men’s
Roger Federer: 2 to 1
I like this a lot right now. For several years prior to this year’s French Open, you could rarely get odds at anything better than even money on Federer at any Grand Slam outside of Roland Garros. Now, of course, things have changed with Federer not quite as dominant and contenders like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray really asserting themselves. Still, Federer had mono during the Australian open 2008 (and beyond), to that damaged his chances of winning a fourth title Down Under. There’s no reason to think Federer won’t be 100 percent when he heads to Melbourne this time around. When you’re dealing with a healthy and hungry (to get back his No. 1 ranking) Federer, I’ll take 2 to 1 odds in a hard-court tournament any day.
Rafael Nadal: 7 to 2
For now I would not touch this one. Nadal has never won any of the two hard-court Grand Slams (Australian Open and U.S. Open) and he has never even made it past the semifinals at either one. It’s hard to imagine that changing when Nadal is not at 100 percent physically. Knee tendinitis crippled the end of his otherwise-incredible 2008 campaign, and with tendinitis, you never know when it’s going to subside. Obviously Nadal’s health with be the sole dictator of his updated odds as the Australian Open draws nearer, but right now 7 to 2 is far from safe.
Andy Murray: 4 to 1
Yes, please. A lot of fans probably consider Murray to be the favorite right now. He won Masters Series titles in Cincinnati and Madrid and seemed poised to end the season with a Masters Cup trophy, but playing three hours against Federer (in a win) damaged those chances. Still, Murray concluded 2008 as the hottest player on tour and he should come out of the gates firing in 2009…and eager to reverse his fate of a first-round loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at this year’s Aussie Open.
Novak Djokovic: 5 to 1
Before the Masters Cup, such odds would have been abhorrent. Now, however, Djokovic definitely appears to have a fighting chance of successfully defending his 2008 Aussie crown. Keep your enthusiasm tempered, however, as the Serb did not face the toughest competition en route to the Shanghai title. For much of the second half of 2008, Novak Djokovic lost when he had to face the big boys (Federer at the U.S. Open, Murray in Cincinnati, Tsonga on three different occasions during the indoor season). That said, it’s always a great feeling to return to the site of your greatest triumph and that will help Djokovic’s efforts next January.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: 12 to 1
Bettors who like to take risks should get all over this one. We saw at the Australian Open 2008 (and again at the Masters Series Paris) what happens when Tsonga gets hot. He is almost impossible to stop. Furthermore, the Frenchman loves the big stages of tennis and he is not afraid to go up against the top players, which he will have to do in order to win a Grand Slam title. Obviously Tsonga is a longshot, but if he is still healthy come January (and he should be following the off-season), 12 to 1 odds are more than enough to convince action.
Juan Martin Del Potro: 33 to 1
It’s still probably too soon for the 20-year-old to really break out at a Grand Slam. He reached the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open this year, but he has never done better than that at any of the four Majors. Juan Martin del Potro can catch fire, as we saw this summer when he won four straight tournaments in between Wimbledon and the French Open, so putting at least something down on 33 to 1 odds might be a good idea. Don’t expect it to bear fruit, however. The 6’6’’ Argentine is probably one more year away from true greatness.
Other contenders
40 to 1: Andy Roddick and Ernests Gulbis
Take Roddick if you are inclined to take one of the two. He is a Grand Slam champion (2003 U.S. Open) and he still has some good years left in him. Gulbis has as much talent as anyone on tour, but rarely has he put it together (he did for brief stretches at the 2007 U.S. Open and 2008 French Open). Based on his past history (albeit a short one), it’s surprising to see Gulbis as the sixth or seventh favorite to win the Australian Open. Quarterfinals? Sure, there is a fine chance of that if he gets a favorable draw? Champion? No sir. Not yet.
50 to 1: Nikolay Davydenko, Gilles Simon, David Nalbandian
What I find interesting about this is that of the three, I think Simon has the best chance of reaching the semifinals. But of the three, I think he has the smallest chance of winning the whole tournament. Why? Well, it’s not that complicated at all. Simon is as consistent as they come; you know what you are going to get from him every time he takes the court. Davydenko and Nalbandian are hit or miss. They can be incredible (see Nalbandian’s end of 2007 and Davydenko’s 2008 title at the Masters Series Miami), but they can also be terrible. They can lose first round at the Australian Open 2009, yet they can also go all the way (Nalbandian has a far better chance of winning it all, however, than Davydenko). Simon will almost certainly survive the first week, but his past history at Grand Slams (never past the fourth round) suggests that he is not yet ready for a major breakout.
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Posted by Hiland on
Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich
Two Israeli veteran doubles players swept through the field and became the first team from Israel to claim a Grand Slam Championship on the final Saturday of the Australian open 2008. The final match followed Maria Sharapova’s triumph in the Women’s singles and was delayed by rain for 30 minutes. The Rod Laver Arena roof needed to be closed and the court dried before the Israeli men could complete their mission.
As the eight seeded team, Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich were pressed throughout the 108 minute straight set match by the seventh seeded French entry, and 2007 Wimbledon Champions, Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra. With Israeli flags waving around the Rod Laver arena, the stirring Israeli win marked a successful tournament for Israeli doubles as country mate Shahar Peer claimed the runner-up trophy in Women’s Doubles. Saturday was a big day at the Open and the brief rain delay did nothing to dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm as the fast-paced Men’s Doubles kept the fans engaged throughout the tense 7-5, 7-6 battle.
Lightning quick net play, power serving and blistering ground strokes characterized each point in the cleanly played finals. The match featured only 5 unforced errors; all by the Frenchmen. While the Israelis had 10 breakpoint opportunities, they were only able to capitalize on 2, as the French converted 1 of their 5 break opportunities.
Ram already has two Mixed Grand Slam championships at Wimbledon in 2006 and in France in 2007. This marks Erlich’s first Grand Slam championship. Their play and relationship has matured over the years. Ram and Erlich displayed a coordinated effort that exemplifies their progress. As best friends, the two rejoiced in the aftermath of the win. Perhaps even more amazing than the final round performance is the fact that they did not lose a set during the entire tournament.
Andy and Jonathan knocked off India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles, who upset defending champs and number one seed Americans Bob and Mike Bryan, in the semis. The stirring quarterfinal win left Bhupathi and Knowles with great credentials but lacking in energy for their semifinal match. The Israeli Davis Cup stalwarts rocketed out of the starting gate and dominated play in registering their decisive two set win.
Ram, born in Montivedo, Uruguay, and Erlich, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, are both right-handed and each has career earnings over $1,000,000 USD. Both players now reside in Tel Aviv. At 30 years old and at 5 foot 11 inches, Erlich seems well-suited for the 27 year old, 5 foot 11 inch Ram. While neither player ranks highly on the professional singles tour, both are highly ranked doubles players at numbers 18 and 16 respectively. The pair gives the Israeli Davis Cup fans reasons to hope for continued international success and remain proof that there is strength in teamwork.
Against Clement and Llorda, the Israelis had impressive statistics, double faulting only once and recording no unforced errors. They also won a dominating 86% of their first serves, while winning 37% of their receiving points. To back up their impressive first service stats, the champions won 55% of their second serves.
In the finals, when play was resumed following the rain delay, Ram and Erlich never gave up their 4-2 lead and won the first set 7-5. The second set started well but the Frenchmen battled back from 4-3 to take a 6-5 edge, but the Israeli registered a key break on a smashing Ram volley. Trailing 3-1 in the tiebreaker, the Israeli ran off four straight points on the way to a 7-4 tiebreak win. The pair seemed perfectly positioned on all occasions and pressured the French in almost every game.
Erlich credited Ram’s serving as the key to the match. While many of Erlich’s service games seemed suspenseful, Ram served dominant and never faced a break point.
With the Australian open Men’s Doubles Championship and the Women’s Doubles runner-up trophy in hand, Israeli tennis looks to be competing strongly in all Grand Slam events in the future. While it will be difficult to repeat in Australian open 2009, the 2008 champions, Ram and Erlich, will not go down easily.
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Posted by Ricky on
Novak Djokovic won bookend titles this year, starting the season with a somewhat improbable Australian Open 2008 title and ending with a triumph at the Masters Cup on Sunday.
It’s safe to say the first of those two titles was easier. Djokovic did not lose a single set en route to the Australian Open final. He took out Benjamin Becker 6-0, 6-2, 7-6(5), Simone Bolelli 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, Sam Querrey 6-3, 6-1, 6-3, Lleyton Hewitt 7-5, 6-3, 6-3, David Ferrer 6-0, 6-3, 7-5, and Roger Federer 7-5, 6-3, 7-6(5).
The competition was clearly not easy and Federer made Djokovic work extremely hard to finish that semifinal in straight sets, but winning eighteen out of eighteen sets on your way to the final is about as routine as it gets. Surprising finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put an end to that streak swiftly and decisively in the title match. The Frenchman took the first set 6-4, but he could not sustain that level of play. Djokovic eventually prevailed 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(2) in three hours and five minutes for his first Grand Slam trophy.
The Serb had no such easy time of it last week in Shanghai. He opened round-robin play in the gold group relatively comfortable straight-set victory over Juan Martin Del Potro. Two days later, Djokovic faced a much more difficult test. Eventual runner-up Nikolay Davydenko stormed back from a one-set deficit to take the second in stunning 6-0 fashion before extending the third to 5-5. Djokovic survived, however, by winning the last two games of the match.
Although already assured of a semifinal spot, Djokovic wanted to cap off round-robin play by getting revenge on Tsonga, who had beaten him on two recent occasions; first in the Bangkok title match and again on the way to Tsonga’s emotional title at the Masters Series Paris. Well, Djokovic looked like he was interested in winning at least for a while. He won the first set and had Tsonga in the ropes on the second, but eventually dropped it 7-5 to even the match. After that, Djokovic seemed to lack motivation to use energy. He all but conceded the match to Tsonga, losing the third 6-1.
Having played eight sets in three matches (almost equal to his sets-to-matches ratio after three rounds at the Australian Open despite the fact that Grand Slams play three-out-of-five!), Djokovic was nowhere near his best in a grueling semifinal struggle against Gilles Simon. Nobody in Australian Open battled Djokovic the way Simon did on Saturday. After the Frenchman won the first set, it became a clash of physical stamina and will. Simon was dealing with a neck injury while Djokovic endured off-and-on cramps. The world No. 3 had a chance to end the proceedings when he served for a spot in the final at 5-4 in the third, but a devastating double-fault handed Simon the break. Nonetheless, Djokovic picked himself off the floor once again to ultimately prevail 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and 52 minutes.
Djokovic raised his level to make the final against Davydenko one of his easiest outings of the tournament. He won 6-1, 7-5 in one hour and 43 minutes. Despite the straightforward title match, it’s apparent that this was by far the more routine of Djokovic’s two huge titles in 2008.
While the part in between (the Australian Open and the Masters Cup) was inconsistent if not all-around disappointing for Djokovic (especially a stunning loss to Marat Safin at Wimbledon), starting the year with the Australian Open title and ending with the Masters Cup title is an extraordinary feat. It’s an extraordinary feat that begs the question: will Djokovic be able to carry this momentum from the Masters Cup to win back-to-back titles in Australia?
Prior to the Masters Cup, it looked like Federer, Andy Murray, and Rafael Nadal would arrive Down Under as the main pre-tournament favorites. The defending champion, after all, had relegated himself to almost second-tier status with a late-season slide. Now, however, everything has changed. Djokovic, Federer, Murray, and Nadal should go into the Australian Open as the four clear-cut favorites, yet without one of the four particularly ahead of or behind any other. Djokovic should have just as good a chance of capturing his second Aussie crows as Federer has of winning his fourth, just as good a chance as Nadal has of winning his maiden Aussie Open title, and just as good a chance as Murray has of winning is first.
One glaring concern prior to Shanghai was Djokovic’s confidence (or lack thereof), but obviously his psyche will be restored by the developments in Shanghai. Furthermore, he is returning to the site of his greatest triumph as a tennis player. You cannot underestimate the significance of returning to a place that harbors such great memories. Finally, none of the other top players in the world look overly daunting (as Federer was until this year) heading into 2009. Federer is no longer as dominant as he once was, world No. 1 Nadal has never been lights on hard courts and has never made it past the Australian Open semifinals, and Murray has never won a Grand Slam.
Is this Djokovic’s chance to go back-to-back Down Under? Is this is chance to overtake Federer as the No. 2 player in the world and gain ground on Nadal? Djokovic made progress in that department at the Masters Cup, especially since Federer lost a boatload of points since the Swiss was the defending champion? Federer and Nadal are defending semifinal points the Australian Open, but Djokovic, of course, is defending far more points as champion.
The pressure is on. Will Djokovic be ready to deliver? One week ago I would have said no without hesitation. But the Masters Cup title sets him up perfectly for the Australian Open 2009.
