Advantage Tennis

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Vol 13, 2008

Rs. 40

C O N T E N T S Editorial

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AT Quiz 2008

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Players of the Year Justine Henin: Beyond Tennis

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Djokovic: Playing with a Djoker Face

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Federer: Has the Aura Shattered?

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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: The Beginning of an Enchanting Journey

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Zheng Jie: Asia’s New Tennis Diva

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For the Love of the Game: An interview with Carlos Moya

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Tennis vs. Golf: Which Sport is Tougher? Paul Fein

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The Video Coach Pat Cash

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Czech Mate: An interview with Tomas Berdych

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India at the Olympics

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Beijing Olympics 2008

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Asia’s Best: Hyung-Taik Lee

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Chennai Open 2008

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Bangalore Open 2008

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Passing Shots with Andy Roddick

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His Father’s Son: An interview with Prakash Amritraj

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ATP Tour Final Results 2008

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WTA Tour Final Results 2008

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ATP Rankings

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WTA Rankings

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ATP/WTA Tours Calendar 2008

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Asian Tour Calendar 2008

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AITA Tournament Schedule 2008

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AITA Rankings 2008

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Asian Rankings

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Dear Readers, Welcome to the thirteenth issue of Advantage Tennis. I hope that you enjoy reading this issue as much as you have enjoyed reading our earlier issues. As always, we have tried to improve with every issue to satisfy our readers expectations. The 2004 issue was our first all colour issue and all our issues thereafter have been in colour. Our aim is to improve and upgrade the quality of the magazine with each new issue.

Advantage Tennis is devoted to the cause of promoting and encouraging tennis as a sport in India by providing a high quality magazine at an affordable price. We hope that we have been able to provide you with a magazine worth its cause.

We look forward to your continued readership and association with Advantage Tennis in the years to come.

Like our earlier issues, in this issue too

2008 champion and current world no.1.

We finally went with Serena for her fantastic form in the second half of the season.

Then, there is an excellent article on Henin that takes us through the champion that she was up to her sudden and unexpected decision to retire from professional tennis. We have also got an interesting article questioning Federer’s dominance on the game. The article on Djokovic, as one of the many new challengers to Federer’s reign, also gives us an insight into the exciting world of men’s tennis. The feature on Asia’s newest tennis diva Zheng Jie shows us how the popularity of the game is on a surge in the continent with the likes of Jie, Mirza and Amritraj.

Those of you who are interested in receiving coaching tips from former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash should follow his advise in his article The Video

enthusiasts an opportunity of seeing world class tennis on their home turf but also give the Indian players the opportunity to compete in such events. With India currently hosting such events, we have firmly placed ourselves on the map of world tennis.

The 2008 domestic, Asian and international tournament Calendars and Top 50 singles and doubles rankings of the ATP, WTA, AITA and of Asia have been provided for the avid tennis followers.

AT Quiz comes yet again for all our readers who are interested in testing their knowledge of tennis. This time, however, we have chosen Indian players at Wimbledon as the subject for the quiz. One correct entry is eligible for a chance to win a Free return air ticket to London. Good Luck!

My letter would not be complete without mentioning the following people for their support and belief in Advantage All photos: AT Bureau

With Vijay and Prakash Amritraj

Taylor Dent with a copy of AT

we have exclusive interviews with some of the world’s top players including former world no. 1 and French Open champion Carlos Moya, former top 10 player Tomas Berdych and India’s no. 1 player Prakash Amritraj. We also have a wonderful short interview with former US Open champion Andy Roddick and Asia’s top player Hyung-Taik Lee of Korea.

Nadal, without a doubt was our choice for the men’s Player of the Year. But for the women’s Player of the Year the tussle was between Ana Ivanovic who won the French Open and was no.1 for a short period and Serena Williams, US Open

Ivan Ljubicic reading a copy of AT

Coach. The world’s two elitist sports, golf and tennis, are often a subject of comparison. This has been written about

by Paul Fein, one of the world’s leading tennis journalists in his article Tennis vs.

Golf.

This was an year of the Olympics so we have two articles on Olympics – one about Beijing 2008 and the other about Indian tennis at the Olympics.

The Chennai Open and the Bangalore Open have also been featured in the issue.

These events have provided a huge boost to the promotion of tennis in our country.

They not only give the Indian tennis

At the French Open

Tennis. I would like to thank Kamesh Srinivasan, Capt. Bagga, Janella Rachel, Susan & Fred Mullane, Amitava Das Gupta, Vijay Parthasarathy, P. K. Datta, Prakash Amritraj, KN Shanthkumar, Shreya Chakravertty, Deepti Patwardhan, Gurmeet Singh, Aman Jaiswal, Naveen, Rajinder Arora, my parents, my husband Amit Sood and my sons Jaisal & Arman.

Priya Nanki Singh Sood

Cover photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc. Poster photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Official photographer for Advantage Tennis – Janella Rachal, USA

Vol. 13, 2008 Price Rs. 40

advantagetennis@rediffmail.com

Advantage Tennis is edited and published by Priya Nanki Singh Sood from UGF, Kanchenjunga Building, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110 001 India, Fax: 2373 6103. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission of the author/editor is strictly prohibited. Advantage Tennis invites tennis related articles, interviews, news items and photographs for publication, which can be sent to our above given address.

Designed and printed by ISHTIHAAR, New Delhi. Ph: 2373 3100.

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

LEANDER PAES

AT Quiz 2008 Your favourite tennis magazine brings you yet another chance to win a Free Ticket to London. This time we have decided to compile a quiz on Indian tennis players at Wimbledon. Write the answers to the following questions on a sheet of paper and also write an attractive slogan (not more than seven words), fill in the coupon given below (no photocopies please) and attach it with your answer sheet. Your replies should reach us by 31st December 2008. In case more than one correct entry is received, the winner will be chosen by a draw of lots and the decision of the AT judges will be final and binding on all.

1. Who was the first Indian player to be seeded at Wimbledon?

2. Who is the only father-son duo to have won the Junior Wimbledon title?

3. Who was the first Indian to reach the quarterfinal of the Men’s Singles championships?

4. Vijay Amritraj at the 1983 Wimbledon Championships achieved what unique feat?

5. Who was the first Indian woman to win a round at Wimbledon?

6. In relation to Wimbledon, what is common to Ramanthan Krishnan, Ramesh Krishnan and Leander Paes?

7. Till date Ramanthan Krishnan is the only Indian to have reached the Men’s Singles semifinal. He did it twice in 1960 and 1961. On both occasions he lost to Australian players. Who did he loose to?

8. In the early 20’s players who lost in the first and second rounds at Wimbledon used to compete for a trophy called Wimbledon Plate.

Incidentally, it was won by a lawyer from Lahore in 1929 thereby becoming the first Indian to win a trophy at Wimbledon. Name this person?

9. Who did Ramanthan Krishnan beat in 1954 to win the Junior Wimbledon title?

10. Who was the first Indian to participate at the Wimbledon?

11. Which year did Paes and Bhupati win the doubles championship at Wimbledon?

The quiz has been compiled by Dr. Ravi Bhatia, an AFMC alumnus and a veteran quizzer. He is currently working as a paediatrician in Udaipur.

Advantage Tennis is my favourite tennis magazine because

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Name Address

Tel: E-mail: Profession

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

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Player of the year

Serena Williams

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Player of the year

Rafael Nadal

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

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Justine Henin Beyond Tennis

With the US Open trophy, one of her seven Grand Slam titles

by Shreya Chakravertty

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n one swift stroke, much like that impeccable backhand of hers, Justine Henin brushed it all aside.

Thus abruptly one May afternoon did her tennis career end, in all its glory, and it appeared to have been perfectly timed to consume the situation in all its irony. A mere 11 days before an attempt at her fifth title at Roland Garros — her playground, a place where she made achievement take on remarkable tones of effortlessness, shooting off a series of immaculately crafted strokes for a fortnight every summer before sinking to the ground in joy, relief and ecstasy as the French open stack got another trophy to boast about. Yet boasting was never Justine’s style. But then again, she probably didn’t feel that rich. The trophy bag may have been bursting at the seams, but outside of that, the tale of Justine Henin’s life outside tennis spoke tearfully of family estrangement, divorce and death. One of her dreams had been sorted out, now it was time to tackle another, far more significant part of her life.

“I think I will take a long, real vacation,” she offered as explanation to the astounded listeners as they struggled to make sense of an announcement that appeared harder to fathom than the bludgeoning force of her strokes on court. “I’m going to appreciate going for a run with nothing at stake, just doing it for pleasure.

I’ve never put my feet in skis and next year I think I’ll be doing it the whole winter. I want to rediscover the small pleasures, not look at my watch all the time, because I have to get to training the next day. I want to spend time with the people I love, drive my nephews and nieces to activities, have time. Perhaps, people will think that I am still young, but there are no rules. I invested enormously in my sport, since the age 6

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

of five. I always lived for tennis, and it’s without regret because I lived emotions which I will never forget. Images engraved in my heart and my memory, and I am sure it’s in the heart “It’s a page that’s turning; I don’t feel sadness, it’s more relief,” Henin added.

“It’s a shock for many, but it’s a decision I’ve thought very long and hard about.

I didn’t make up my mind to do this after a single loss. It’s something that I’ve been thinking about for several months already, I’d say perhaps since the end of 2007.

It’s the end of a marvellous adventure.”

As she spoke these words, a few memories must surely have flashed through the mind of the petite Belgian. Back then, she was neither a seven-time Slam winner, nor the world number one. She was simply Justine, affectionately called ‘Juju’, holding her mother’s hand as they walked in Paris to take in a bit of racquet-wielding artistry on the clay courts of Roland Garros. At just nine years of age, while watching Monica Seles and Steffi Graf, she promised her mother, Francoise Roseire, that she would win the French Open for her, an oath she fulfilled many times over.

Little did she know back then, that her mother would not be present

at the time of those precious triumphs.

Francoise passed away when Justine was a little girl of 12 years, and the family fabric began to unravel, bit by bit. Relations with her father began to grow strained, and she was left searching for someone she could turn to for emotional support. It was probably the last thing she wanted to deal with as she began the negotiations through the crests and troughs of professional tennis. Cue Pierre-yves Hardenne, a Belgian tennis coach who swept her off her feet and effectively became ‘family’ for the troubled Justine, along with her own coach Carlos Rodriguez, for the next few years. Moving in with Hardenne in 2000, and marrying him in 2002, caused her to drift even farther away from her relatives. The reasons for the rift cannot be pinpointed to a single factor, but the flames of discontent had been bubbling under the surface for a few years. In 2001, she did not make the journey home to the funeral of her brother Thomas’ sixweek old son Emilien.

Then, she was busy playing away across the oceans in the USA, a precursor to the extent to which the sport would overshadow her life.

It wouldn’t be false to say that tennis and all that surrounded it consumed the life of Justine Henin, but then, she allowed it to.

Almost as though she was attempting to find a substitute for the familial bonds that so eluded her, did she whack away forehands and backhands into the paths of hapless adversaries. Perhaps it hurt too much to recall the bitterness of years past, and so she decided to bury those demons in the comforts of the professional tour. A few other comments suggest that Justine’s father was putting far too much pressure on her, and what cracked under that strain was their personal equation.

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

“When I took the decision to leave, it was probably the most important thing I did for years,” she said in an interview. “Before I left, I was under a lot of pressure. Everybody was taking the decisions that should have been mine.” Rodriguez added his own thoughts: ‘The father, the whole family, wanted to appropriate her. And then there was the money problem.

When she left home at 17, she had nothing — not 10 Belgian francs.’ Her relationship with Hardenne, whom she met at a local tennis club where he worked as a coach, was her final motivation to leave. “It was not Pierre-Yves my family didn’t like; it was simply the idea of there being anyone in my life.”

And so she slammed the door shut.

On her family, and on her feelings. She attacked the tennis ball with all the ferocity she could muster, and made her mind focus only on the fuzzy round object in front of her. Opponents and critics alike lauded her focus and mental strength as she went about her business in tennis’ rat race, but even as her star rose, Justine kept her feet on the ground. “Tennis will be my life for a couple of more years at least. But I know the tennis life is not a real life.

Losing my mother, that was the real life, the hardest thing I ever dealt with, a true loss. This, well, this tennis is something else altogether.” This tennis, though, was precisely what she gave everything to. Her first attempt at getting the ball on to other side of the court at the age of two was a real task, but it was just the beginning of an almost feverish obsession with the sport. She would spend her days at Rochefurt tennis club, and later at Ciney — at night, she would return home for dinner. Football was another interest Justine pursued, but tennis became much larger and so she began focusing on it more.

After a short training stint with the French tennis federation, the blossoming young talent met the man who would be her coach, and a support system, for the next 11 years — Carlos Rodriguez. It had barely been a year since Justine lost her mother, and so

the dynamics of this relationship gained much importance. Deprived of a mother’s love, and beginning to feel the strain of a pushy father, Rodriguezs entry into Justine’s world came at the right time. The Argentinian got down to work on his young protege when she was 14, and the combination soon turned out to be a smashing success.

The junior French Open in 1997 and the Orange Bowl championships in the same year impressed many, but she was just getting started. Justine won five ITF (international tennis federation) titles by the end of 1998, and the next year, became only the fifth woman to win her debut WTA tour event in Antwerp at the Belgian Open.

In 2001, the petite ‘pocket rocket’ shot off to even higher echelons and made her fellow tour travelers sit up and take note. She made it to the French Open semifinal, and the Wimbledon final, and by the time the year ended, she was up there among the top 10 — at number seven, to be precise. The world No 1 tag took some time coming, but it was hers at the end of 2003 — a year whose Slam memories she would surely have preserved for posterity somewhere in her mind.

A semifinalist at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, Justine went all the way at Roland Garros for her first Grand Slam, and ensured there would be no one-Slam Wonder accusations against her with the US Open title a few months later. She had arrived.

2004 didn’t see her ease off even a bit, and she got the year off to a rollicking start with the Australian Open trophy, seeing off compatriot Kim Clijsters in the final. The invincibility, though, was soon to screech to a halt, courtesy a cytomegalovirus infection, an affliction that made her so weak she could barely gather the strength to sit up. Her determination showed her the way out of adversity — a few months later, she had an Olympic gold to call her own, at Athens.

The next Slam would come only a year later, at the French Open again — her second triumph on the Parisian clay. Mary Pierce was at the receiving end this time, and with this win, Justine

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc. Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Henin at the French Open 2007 with tennis legend Martina Navratilova

got her record to a perfect 24-0 for the claycourt season. An unwanted record, though, lay in wait for her in the final of the 2006 Australian Open. Trailing 6-2, 2-0 to French woman Amelie Mauresmo, Justine became only the second player and the first woman in open era history to retire from a Slam final. She was heavily criticized for this decision of hers, but as she sat on court weeping into her towel, it was evident this wasn’t the way she would have liked to exit Melbourne Park.

But normal service was restored as she found her feet on the clay yet again, and waltzed to the 2006 French Open title to become the first champion since

Steffi Graf in 1996 to successfully defend her Roland Garros crown. This was also to be the year when Justine won her first edition of the season-ending WTA Championships, defeating Maria Sharapova in the semifinal, and Mauresmo in the final. Justine’s steely focus has been commented on by many through the course of her career, but the beginning of 2007 saw her withdraw from the Australian Open for ‘personal reasons’, namely a marriage that was on the rocks. She later confirmed she had separated from Pierre-Yves Hardenne.

Justine had already undergone more than her fair share of turbulence in her personal life right from childhood, but ironically, it was this blow that became the first step towards reconciliation with her family. And when her brother David came perilously close to losing his life in a car crash the same year, it was as if Justine knew it was now or never. It was a sign. She made peace with her father, brothers and sisters, and for the first time in seven years, the Henin family could laugh together as one.

Her admission to the thought of retirement festering in her mind since the end of 2007 is no coincidence with the fact that 2007 was, in fact, the year she made peace with her family — a

reunion which made her realize just what had been missing in a career resplendent with fame, fortune, trophies and awards. She had known nothing of the joys that magnify while celebrating a victory with kith and kin by her side.

Justine is not a talker, diametrically opposite to her cheerful and vivacious compatriot Kim Clijsters, but sometimes, she let slip a bit of wistfulness into her speech, giving off the slightest of hints that despite being a tennis player’s role model, she still hadn’t found what she was looking for. What was left for her to achieve?

Wimbledon, sure. A record-breaking French Open title haul, maybe. But the faint voice inside her finally grew into a cacophony that could not be ignored any longer, and it showed her the solution. “I believe that tennis gave me many beautiful things, but I want to do it by returning to the essentials.

I based my life on the relationships, the love and all that I could give to tennis. But I couldn’t manage to express it anymore these past months. I thought about it a lot. I made this decision by myself in my little corner, with the support of my family. But I wanted to make the decision for me. I am very, very proud.”

This was her parting shot.

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201 Rangoli Building, Opp. Chattrapati Shivaji International Cargo Complex Sahar Road, Andheri East, Mumbai 400 099 Tel: (91-22) 2681 7386, 2681 7121 Telefax: 2681 7107 Reliance: 3292 4556 Mobile: (+91) 93226 99719, 98670 70634, 98701 50946, 98337 94501 Email: aero_sail@yahoo.com

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

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n retrospect, it can be said that Roger Federer has imposed his authority on this decade. Such has been his dominance - austere yet without conceding anything in grace - that at times it creates the illusion that he might not lose his top ranking for the rest of his career. Reality, though, is about to set in. Illness, fatigue and a long-anticipated dip in Federer’s form have given succour to that long suffering Sancho Panza otherwise known as Rafael Nadal. Another heir apparent to the majestic Swiss has appeared in the improbable form of a cheerful, slightly dorky Serbian they call Nole, whose part-time pursuits involve playing practical jokes and mimicking his fellow professionals.

The search for the Djoker is finally over. Men’s tennis has found a replacement for John McEnroe, for Andre Agassi, for Marat Safin — players whose outstanding calibre was supplemented by their colourful personality.

Once again tennis has discovered a player who takes his game more seriously than he takes himself.

In Novak Djokovic, tennis has discovered another fine asset.

Sometime around the start of the year 2000, the Russians systematically began to launch a series of missiles into the rarefied atmosphere of pro tennis. Woman followed woman, man followed man.

The Serbian surge in tennis has attracted far fewer headlines; yet for this land-locked, formerly strife-torn and cul-

Photo: GNN

Djokovic with the winners Cup at Australian Open 2008

Playing with a Djoker Face

turally diverse country to have produced four top players in such a short span is a marvel. By himself, Djokovic is a miracle.

Growing up in Serbia, life was not easy for this generation of Serbian athletes.

Djokovic’s close friend, the women’s World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, began training at five and in the absence of serious facilities, resorted to hitting balls in an abandoned swimming pool; when she was 12, she had to briefly endure the threat of NATO bombs falling in the area.

“All that we have in tennis in Serbia came from mud, from nothing,” another fastrising Serbian male prospect Janko Tipsarevic said in an interview last year. “No one invested a dollar in any one of our players except their parents. So the only people we can say thanks to are our parents.”

There is one hardcourt in all of Serbia, and not a single national tennis centre; that court, says Jelena Jankovic, the hard-hitting women’s World No. 2, competes with basketball. Jankovic herself trained with the Nick Bollettieri Academy in Florida, and often speaks of how she feared for her family’s safety while watching American jets pound her city, Belgrade.

As for Novak, he trained in Germany, and speaks German fluently. His parents are very involved in his game; some accuse them of being stereotypical tennis parents, ambitious and domineering. It is rumoured that at one stage his mother wanted him to have access to the British system and play under the English flag; this was early in 2006, but following in Greg

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

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Photo: GNN

The Djoker

Rusedski’s footsteps might not have proved the best idea and Djokovic soon dropped those plans.

He shrugged aside the controversy and began compiling an impressive portfolio: after having picked up two titles that year, he cleaved his way through the ranks in 2007, winning in Adelaide, Miami, Estoril, Montreal and Vienna and reaching the final in Indian Wells and Flushing Meadows.

Since his triumph at the Australian Open in January this year Djokovic has taken on a larger-than-life persona. He is the youngest player to take the Australian title since Edberg in 1985 — but already he has morphed from “that sweet kid” to “that guy with a killer all-round game”. One of the consequences of emerging as a familiar name is you make the transition, as it were, from chaser to chasee — you are now a trophy yourself. The motivation to beat you drives your opponents to come at you harder, and Djokovic is weathering the initial storm before he can wholly establish himself.

He has already proved he is not the typical one-Slam wonder. Every other year, a dangerously talented floater will run deep into the draw at the Australian, where top players returning from 12

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

the off-season tend to be most rusty.

A few years ago there was Tomas Johansson, then there was Marcos Baghdatis; last year there was Fernando Gonzalez. This year there was Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. These players reach the semifinal or final — in the case of Johansson, he actually won — and then fade away after perhaps reaching another couple of major quarterfinal.

Djokovic is not one of them. His entry into the top-tier has been smoother, orchestrated over a longer period of time. He has earned his spurs. By the time he had turned 18 he was already in the top-100; his surge in the rankings — if one might call it a surge — was not overly dramatic. He won two Master’s titles, reached the fourth round at all the Slams (including two semis and one final) before taking his first big one. Evidence suggests that he has the talent to outlast fellow rising stars such as Andy Murray.

The most interesting aspect of Djokovic’s game is that he has the rare ability to break momentum; both his own (when he’s losing points) and his opponent’s. He gave a perfect demonstration of this ability against Rafael Nadal at Indian Wells earlier this year, when he bounced back from a poor start to register a tough straight sets win. At first Djokovic stood behind the baseline, trying to match Nadal’s groundstrokes, but when he realized that wasn’t working he quickly moved inside and started to take the ball on the rise, and proactively disrupted Nadal’s plans.

Make no mistake: the Serb is no flash in the pan; he’s here to stay, even if for how long is not immediately apparent. Djokovic’s game, while not as energy-expending as Nadal’s, is still pretty physical: his all-court constructions involve powerful groundstrokes and a lot of torso-twisting. Still, appearances can be deceptive Djokovic’s disproportionately-sized upper torso makes him look like a young John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever, but his technique is flawless.

It’s nevertheless worth noting that

just three years after Nadal won his first French Open title, he looks worn out, more susceptible to injury: he might win several more titles, but already he wears the tired expression of a man in his late 20s. Djokovic will need to conserve himself — a good model to follow would be the master of perfect scheduling himself, Roger Federer.

In Melbourne this year, Djokovic avenged his US Open final loss to Federer by beating the exhausted champion in straight sets in the semifinal. He has since suffered a couple of hiccups and managed to win in Miami. Accustomed as we are to Federer’s records, we sometimes forget that doing this week after week is close to impossible. Djokovic (and for that matter, Federer) is entitled to his slumps.

The Serb is a consistent enough threat to challenge the Federer-Nadal hegemony; his Australian Open win marked the first time in 10 Grand Slams tournaments that neither the World No. 1 or 2 had taken the trophy. Men’s tennis is now a three-horse race.

Djokovic will hope to establish the kind of mental edge that Rafael Nadal holds over Federer on clay. Until they played in Hamburg last year, Federer had notoriously failed to beat his Spanish rival on dirt, often succumbing to nerves than superior play; despite breaking Nadal’s streak of 81 wins on that surface, he was unable to break the jinx on Roland Garros. Djokovic has now beaten Federer twice and he believes he can keep doing this on a regular basis.

Djokovic makes a convincing foil to the big favourites. In Montreal late last season, the lad took out the world’s top three in ascending order: first Roddick, then Nadal, then finally Federer. His lead over the currently sixth ranked Davydenko secure, it is growing increasingly evident that the 21-year-old is the future of men’s tennis.

This is not a bluff, this is not hype.

Gael Monfils, owner of the fastest pair of wheels on the tour, is yet to estab-

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc. Photo: GNN

lish his credentials as a serious challenger; the injury-prone Andy Murray might never challenge on a consistent basis; the gifted Tomas Berdych must minimize his errors; Richard Gasquet and his sweet backhand have made more visits to the lostand-found than his check-in luggage has. All of these men (and a few others) have the talent to be the world’s best player, but it is Djokovic who has so far capitalised on his opportunities.

Tennis is a funny game. Red-hot streaks usually count for very little.

Look at James Blake or Tommy Robredo. Both are gifted, both have hovered around the top levels but neither has really made a serious play for a position among the top three. But unlike say, Blake, Djokovic is capable of performing equally on faster courts and on clay. His performances last year at the French Open and Wimbledon showed that Federer and Nadal weren’t the only ones to adapt well to changing surfaces. He is also much younger than Blake, who is enjoying a career revival in his late 20s. Everyone from Borg to Federer believes Djokovic is beginning to mature.

One hopes success and pressure don’t change him. Tennis needs men like Djokovic to keep poking fun at Nadal and Sharapova (may we put in a plea for a bit of self-parody?). The pursuit of athletic perfection is subsidised by its audience, who must be entertained, and Djokovic is a natural, potentially a one-off: the clown in Djokovic performs for us; the perfectionist in Djokovic performs for itself.

New found maturity and success

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Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

ROGER FEDERER Has the aura shattered?

A

s darkness grew over Centre Court, Roger Federer fought courageously to save the most beloved of his empires.

He was outnumbered.

He was battling against an opponent, who could be at two places, if not more, at once; he was up against history, eyeing that sixth Wimbledon cup that had eluded the giants before him; and he fought that voice within, which was resigned to lose.

Having played catch-up the entire evening, Federer was living off the last shreds of self-belief. Sparks of bril14

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

liance did come at the most crucial moments, but they were the last desperate attempts of a proud champion.

Gladiators of the old fought for their life, Federer didn’t have anything else to give.

For four hours and 48 minutes he had crossed swords with a man built like an oak, who blocked every physical and mental challenge thrown at him.

Another forehand from Federer’s racquet thudded into the net. Rafael Nadal had broken his magic spell over Wimbledon. Silence fell, only for a

moment, before Nadal collapsed to the ground and the spectators rose, out of the daze, to celebrate a new winner.

Federer was the first man to congratulate his conqueror, with a smile.

Later, the Swiss champ took a victory lap around Centre Court. He knew he had played a great game, but the applause that followed sounded hollow, consolatory like the small silver runners-up plate he held in his hand.

He lacked perspective, which he thought he might gain ten years down the line, when he had hung up his racquet.

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

But the outsiders’ view was beautiful, not a soul who saw the players battle that evening left unmoved. We were privileged, even transformed.

It takes the darkest moment to see light. We knew Federer could play, but we didn’t know he could play war.

Maybe ten years later, the Swiss champ will also be able to tell where that backhand down the line pass, down a match point in the fourth set tie-breaker, and the backhand return he conjured, to save the fourth matchpoint, came from. Commentators agreed it was from another planet!

Bjorn Borg, the man Nadal was trying to emulate and Federer looking to overtake, sat with a silent smile through the drama. 27 years ago, he had similarly vacated his high post at Wimbledon against a young, lefthanded, challenger.

The ice-cool Swede had then run away from the game, retired at the age of 26.

The pressure of competition, of staying at the top, of trying to win everything eventually got to him.

In all fairness, the field runs deeper now, the tour is more extensive and tedious and Federer has mastered all Slams, multiple times, except the French Open.

But the Swiss promised he would be back to claim his Wimbledon title next year.

Federer knows how to trace those steps.

As a youngster, it was easy to throw tantrums and blame the entire world for losing a match, but it needed courage to swallow defeat, take responsibility and move forward.

He practically played on one leg during the final of the 2005 Masters Cup against Nalbandian, sacrificed the fourth set to post a staunch challenge in the fifth when the ankle complained to move. He hopped to a loss rather than give in, “Roger Federer doesn’t quit,” he stated somewhat dramatically after the match.

He may not have to look too far behind for the stroke of inspiration.

There was a time when everything was right in Federerland.

With the runner-up trophy at the French Open 2008

Roger Federer didn’t sweat, he glided. For 83 minutes Federer held us in a trance. He teased Andy Roddick, enticed him, drew him to the net; the point already constructed in his mind he went for the grand finish, a swish of wrists and the ball passed Roddick, who stood rooted to the spot, the confusion and frustration growing.

As the game progressed, Federer soared, the more he won the prettier he played. He glowed with the confidence of a champion. The performer in him had forgotten competition; he turned into an indulgent artist.

Even the great Rod Laver gushed that Federer had “too much talent in one body”.

And when the magical dance was over the scoreline, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2, only confirmed how completely he had mastered not only his opponent but also the game.

Federer had reduced the 2007 Australian Open semifinal into a spectacle.

The ‘best-ever’ discussion was thrown into overdrive. On the eve of the final, an Australian newspaper looked to the stars for answers, made some celestial calculations and concluded that Federer was ‘not only a

freak of a sportsman but a freak of a man’. He could do no wrong.

Only a year later, at the same stage of the same Grand Slam, he looked incredibly vulnerable.

A mysterious illness, later diagnosed to be mononucleosis or glandular fever, was apparently affecting his performance. Federer denied and defied. He survived a five-set thriller against unheralded Serb Janko Tipsarevic when Mono was at its peak.

When he took on a much-improved more-confident Novak Djokovic in the semifinal, Federer wasn’t quite his majestic self on the newly-laid True Blue surface in Melbourne.

Djokovic, a great mimic, played his own brand of relentless tennis; stretching, diving, glaring down at the champion. There was a time when the young man from Serbia didn’t quite believe he could win a Grand Slam, when he was overwhelmed by the big stage; not now.

Djokovic stuck to his plan, put pressure on Federer’s backhand, made it crack and tightened his returns. Always armed with clever court craft, Federer looked lost for ideas.

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Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Federer with his girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec

A fatigued Federer left the 2008 Australian Open with a 5-7, 3-6, 67(5) loss to Djokovic, the eventual champion.

Within the span of 12 months, Federer had gone down from invincible to beatable. The aura was shattered.

The trickle that started last season, has turned into a full-scale avalanche (by Federer’s standards) this year.

To be honest, the sheen from the 2007 Australian Open triumph, when he became the first man since Ken Rosewall in 1971 to win the Slam Down Under without dropping a set, had come off in the next couple of months.

Argentina’s Guillermo Canas, having served a two-year dope ban, stopped Federer in Indian Wells and Miami in consecutive weeks to create a ripple in tennis circles.

Federer then went down to Italian journeyman Fillipo Volandri at the Rome Masters in straight sets, sacked his part-time coach Tony Roche promptly, went solo on the tour and beat Nadal for the first time by win16

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

The gentleman of tennis

ning the Hamburg title. All this in the space of one month.

Whatever the ups and downs in the tour and Masters events, Federer was still unbeatable at the Slams as he retained all his three majors.

He lost nine matches in 2007, and that was big news. This season he has precious little to show-with titles only in Estoril and Halle. Not since 2003 has Federer gone without a Grand Slam post-Wimbledon.

‘It’s a disaster,’ Federer termed.

And yet the Swiss must get used to more such disappointments as more and more players start pecking away his pedestal.

In 2007, he typically lost to the great counterpunchers-be it the ‘veterans’ like David Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas, who beat him twice each-or the dangerous duo of Nadal and Djokovic.

Federer has long prided in nurturing his high-risk attacking game against the largely defensive baselinedominated field. But his art has started looking largely fragile.

After his splendid run in recent

times, when he finished four years in a row ranked no.1 by a long distance, every defeat has come under the scanner. The Swiss pointed out after his defeat at this year’s Australian Open that he had ‘created a monster’ by winning all those matches.

But Federer forgets that his ‘monster’ might well have chased away few of the lesser players, who let his reputation matter more than the game on that day.

A lot of times players with bigger serves and bigger games didn’t so much as disturb his bandana-tied hair. They entered the arena believing they could not win against this man and left sworn fans of his, if they weren’t already.

In his own head and in the minds of his opponents Federer is still a dominant force in men’s tennis, irrespective of season or surface. But things are changing. Players as diffident as Mardy Fish and his favourite whipping boy-Andy Roddick— have come out fighting and turned tables on him.

The numbers are also starting to tell. The gap between the world num-

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

ber one and the number two, which most believe is only theoretical, is down to less than 600 points. And Federer still has the US Open and his Masters Cup to defend before he packs up for the season.

Like every sports champion he is allowed to, and bound to, have slumps.

Only he had lulled us into believing that he was above them. In the last three years, he’d collectively had 18 bad days.

His consistency was excruciating for some. But even John McEnroe, who had once dismissed Borg as a robot, didn’t flinch in appreciating the beauty in his cool dominance.

Primarily because, unlike Borg and Ivan Lendl, there was nothing mechanical about Federer.

There is an unmistakable streak of a maverick— when he unwinds for that extravagant forehand or squeezes in the backhand down the line. The rebel he so well suppresses under his collected demeanour blinks at times.

James Blake’s words hailing Roger Federer as the best ‘athlete’ of his time, ranking him over Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, carry more weight than ever.

After his 7-6, 6-0, 6-7, 6-4 loss to Federer at the 2006 US Open, Blake had said, ‘Woods’ record is not overly impressive in match play events where it’s a tournament where you have one bad day and you’re out.

‘That’s what we do every single week. Roger is winning every Grand Slam except for the French, winning every Masters Series tournament. That means he can’t have one bad day. I mean, that’s incredible.

‘Not to mention he has to be out here for four hours running as opposed to walking while carrying one club— not taking anything away from golf.’

When on a roll, Federer’s success was taken for granted. Not since he has failed to replicate that success rate do we understand the gravity of it.

When Federer was at the top of his game, he was ahead by a long way. He dwarfed talents like Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin (all Grand Slam champions) and sought to

Federer with one of his five Wimbledon trophies

fill in the void left by the prodigious Pete Sampras.

But Nadal and Djokovic have arrived, with a bunch of competitors in tow, and are quickly closing that gap.

The Serb snatched his chance for the fourth Australian Open title, the French was never his to lose, but Nadal dealt a blow where it hurt most— Wimbledon.

Nadal buried Federer’s final claim of invincibility right at it’s birth place.

It remains to be seen whether and how Federer will rise from the ashes.

The spell might be broken, but the magic still remains.

DEEPTI PATWARDHAN Rediff.com

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Photo: GNN

JO-WILFRIED TSONGA

The Beginning of an Enchanting Journey

T

ennis, like any other sport, needs characters to sustain its charm. Those who can perform without being robots on court.

Those who can draw fans to stadiums to watch them entertain. There may not be a McEnroe or a Becker or even an Ivanisevic in tennis now, but the sport seems to have found someone who fits the bill. Meet Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the runner-up at the 2008 Australian Open.

He has been around for four years, but till the Australian Open, Tsonga was just another name on the ATP Tour. Compelling performances at Melbourne Park made everyone sit up and take notice of this young Frenchman who easily can pass off as Muhammad Ali’s son, so strong is his resemblance to the living legend of boxing.

Going into the Australian Open as world No. 38, the unseeded Tsonga toppled four seeded players en route to the final where he opened strongly and pocketed the opening set before Novak Djokovic stopped the rampaging bull.

The first of Tsonga’s big victims was the ninth-seeded Andy Murray. That, though, looked like one of those typical upsets we see at every major tournament. Two routine wins followed, and then it was eighth seed Richard Gasquet’s turn to face the music. Gasquet, another huge talent from France who had already established his reputation, knew exactly what to expect and yet went down in four sets. Mikhail Youzhny, a Russian who has made huge strides in the rankings ladder in the last two years, was up next and Tsonga once again went all guns blazing showing no respect for reputation. The business was 18

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Tsonga – The endearing Frenchman

finished off in straight sets, with a 6-0 thrown in between two close sets.

The semifinal line-up showed Tsonga vs Rafael Nadal, the world No. 2. This would surely be the end of Tsonga’s Melbourne honeymoon, everyone thought. This was, after all, a battle between David and Goliath. On one side was three-time French Open winner and Wimbledon runner-up Rafa, who hadn’t dropped a set in five matches in the Aussie Open till that stage, while his rival was playing his maiden Grand Slam semifinal.

How wrong everyone was! Tsonga didn’t just win a tennis match, he rode roughshod over Nadal. He may not have flown like a butterfly, but Tsonga sure did sting like a bee to flatten Nadal in less than two hours. In an awesome display of serving and strokemaking, Tsonga, who turned 23 on April 17, fired 17 aces and 49 winners.

Nadal didn’t know what hit him as he managed just seven games in the match.

The flabbergasted Spaniard admitted after the match that he had been outplayed. “We have to accept today that he played unbelievable tennis…

Played the ball very hard every time, served unbelievably. He didn’t miss a single backhand. Every time he hit the forehand it was a winner, so I congratulate him. That’s it. I was playing very fine, very well, but it wasn’t for me to beat Tsonga tonight,” Nadal said at the post-match media conference with a shake of the head which suggested that he still hadn’t got over the shock.

Tsonga had become the first player since Gustavo Kuerten in 1997 to make his first Tour final at a Grand Slam event. The expectations were skyhigh when tennis’ newest hero stepped on court for the title showdown with Novak Djokovic. He made a dream start as well before the tough Serbian got into his groove. Tsonga did put up a decent fight, but Djokovic’s hunger made the difference. Tsonga had lost the final but surely not disgraced.

From being an average performer, Tsonga had, in the space of a fortnight, reached the upper echelons of the sport. But it wasn’t as sudden as it looked. The seeds of success had been sown early, many years ago.

Born in Le Mans to a French

Photo: GNN

With the runner-up trophy at the Australian Open 2008 Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

mother (Evelyne) and a Congolese father (Didier), Tsonga was lucky to grow up in a sporting atmosphere. His father played handball, a cousin (Charles N’Zogbia) who was very proficient in soccer and went on to plays for Newcastle United as a midfielder and a younger brother (Enzo) who is part of the French junior basketball programme.

Tsonga took to tennis early. As a child, he would practise with Gael Monfils diligently for hours, both dreaming of developing a serve like Andy Roddick’s. Monfils was two years younger but they developed a fine rapport straightaway and are very close friends on Tour now. Tsonga had a very successful junior career, first making a mark in 2002 when he finished as world No. 2 behind Marcos Baghdatis. He won the Canadian Open and made the semifinal at three Grand Slam junior events before coming up trumps at the 2003 US Open, overcoming Baghdatis.

It was time for him to make the transition to the senior level and Tsonga turned pro in 2004. Unfortunately, misfortune struck the youngster in his very first year in the big league.

Towards the end of 2004, a herniated disc put him out of action till March 2005. A few months later, Tsonga was troubled by shoulder injuries, followed by back and abdominal ailments. He was again forced off the court for a lengthy period - October 2005 to February 2006. The abdominal injury recurred at the end of 2006. This frequent on and off routine meant that he missed out several tournaments and precious ranking points. Every time he missed a few months, Tsonga had to start all over again. Not the easiest thing for a youngster trying to get a foothold in a highly competitive field.

It was in 2007 that Tsonga made a fresh beginning. He got wild cards at the Australian Open - where he took a set off Andy Roddick, which was the longest tie-break in the tournament’s history, before losing in four - and Wimbledon, where he made the fourth round before falling to Gasquet. That pre-quarterfinal showing at

Wimbledon helped him break into the top-100 for the first time.

At the US Open, Tsonga knocked out Tim Henman in the second round before succumbing to Nadal. But he had done enough in 2007 to finish at No 43, having started the year at 212.

The 169-spot jump was the best by a player ranked inside the top-75. The year also saw Tsonga winning his maiden doubles crown, with fellowFrenchman Sebastian Grosjean in Lyon.

Things were really looking up when the 2008 season got underway. Tsonga was on cue in the very first week, scalping top seed Lleyton Hewitt only to bow to Jarkko Nieminen in the semis.

The week after, Tsonga teamed up with Gasquet to hog glory at the Sydney meet. The two friends saved two match-points en route to shocking Bob and Mike Bryan in the final.

Then came the Australian Open and the rest, as they say, is history. But Tsonga’s journey has just begun. He has miles to go and promises to keep.

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T

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

ZHENG JIE ASIA’S NEW TENNIS DIVA Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

he Chinese have had a string of quality women tennis players in the recent past, including Ting Li and Tian Tian Sun who made history by winning the doubles gold at the Athens Olympics. However, Zheng Jie offered her endearing personality to be the face of Chinese women’s tennis before the curtains were drawn in the Beijing Olympics.

In the year of the Olympics, especially when they are hosting the ultimate sporting action on earth, you do expect the Chinese to be at their best.

Yet, it was a surprise to the tennis world, to find the diminutive 5’ 5” Zheng Jie kick a string of quality players, including the towering world No.1 and the reigning French Open champion Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in straight sets, on way to the semifinal at the mecca of tennis, Wimbledon. Of course, it was not the first time she had beaten such a top player, for Jie had got the better of the former world No.1 and Grand Slam champion, Amelie Mauresmo in Miami with a hard earned 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory earlier in the season. As a frequent visitor to Hyderabad for the WTA Tour event, and as the double gold medallist in the last Asian Games in Doha where she defeated Sania Mirza 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 in the singles final, the Indians are familiar with the quick footwork and sharp strokes of the amicable Chinese girl.

Having lost the second half of last year including the chance to defend her doubles title at Wimbledon, owing to an ankle injury sustained at the French Open, the determination of Jie was understandable. She could recapture the form pretty quickly. The 25-year-old from Cheng Du in Sichuan province had lost to the eventual finalist Dinara Safina in the second round of the French Open as a qualifier. Still, there was no hint as yet that the world No. 133 could cause such a flutter with a wild card entry at Wimbledon. The beautiful Ana Ivanovic with an attractive strong game had indeed looked a sitting duck in the second round as she struggled to find her rhythm and the elusive confidence. Jie had taken note of it and pounced on her chance,

Asia’s pride

though she herself was shocked to win in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. “Yeah, I watched the match. The second match point she was really lucky with that favourable net chord”, Jie had said after seeing Ivanovic escape to victory in the second round. She rode on the confidence and an intense game to become the first Chinese player ever to reach the semifinal of a Grand Slam, bettering the quarterfinal record set by Li Na on the same courts in 2006.

There were millions watching her performance back home in China, and Jie was keen to make the maximum of her dream run. She had her chances against two-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams in the semifinal, but the American proved too good with her serve. Jie had a setpoint in the second set, and fought hard before Serena closed it out. “I did really want to win. Overall, I am quite satisfied with the performance. Her serve was too big for me, especially on the grass court. On other courts, probably I would have had a better chance” said Jie after the memorable match against Serena. The Wimbledon effort rocketed Jie from 133 to No. 40 in the world, but more than that it strengthened her belief that she could beat anybody on her day, a welcome dose of self-belief in the run up to the Olympics. Incidentally, Jie had lost 6-8 in the third set of the first round against Ai Sugiyama of Japan in the Athens Olympics. The Chinese may be considered machines, churning out champions from a hard system, but Jie revealed the human side of her personality by donating her share of the prize money for the relief work aimed at supporting the earthquake victims of Sichuan. The quake on May 12 had killed nearly 70,000 people and left millions home less. “First of all, I will donate all my portion. Apart from that, I will do as much as I can to help the people of the Sichuan region. I will do more charity work and encourage more people to support the cause. I hope the people of Sichuan will have their new home soon’’, said Jie, who had donated her French Open prize purse earlier. The Chinese women have

been doing well, as Jie herself had won the Australian Open and Wimbledon doubles titles with Yan Zi in 2006, but they could not catch up with the top stars in terms of the glamour quotient, owing to their simple regimented life on and off the court. ‘’The Chinese players lifestyle are not as glamorous as the players from other countries.

Apart from training or time spent in shopping, there is not much’’, she said.

Moreover, when Jie won the Wimbledon doubles title, her country was in the grip of World Cup football and thus she did not get the attention back home that she deserved. “It was the same time when the football, the World Cup football was on. Therefore, it was not received as sensational as

the football match. Anyway, Wimbledon is very historical, and it has very far reaching affection in China.” There was no distraction this time and Jie became the darling of her nation. Jie started in tennis as she was small and used both hands for her strokes for lack of strength as a kid. It was a rare chance to play the game as tennis was not that popular in China then. “None of my family members have been a tennis player. When I was in my childhood I was very lively and sporty, and my parents would like me to have more practice, to be healthy.

To play tennis was purely an accidental choice, because at that time there were not that many people who knew this game in China. But as soon as I

started to play it, I fell in love with it”, recalled Jie in one of her many interviews during her successful Wimbledon sojourn. She is equally grateful to her husband for coaching her, though she is candid to point out that he had to improve his serve so that she could herself improve her return !

“He is a good hitting partner”, she said. More than anything, Jie is grateful to the game for what it has done to her career, help her meet people and make friends. “For me one of the reasons I enjoyed learning the game of tennis was that I could get to know a lot of other kids. I thought that it was fun, and very enjoyable”, Jie said. For sure, she has won many hearts around the world.

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

One of the many Chinese stars emerging on the world stage

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FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME An interview with CARLOS MOYA Carlos Moya needs no introduction. The former world No. 1, has won twenty singles titles in his career including the French Open. Twice a winner in 1994 and 1995 and once a finalist in 1996 at the Chennai Open, Moya, one of the most popular players on the tour may not be playing at the same level he did some years ago, but he is a fierce competitor and is not ready to put down his racket just yet.

In the following exclusive interview with Priya Nanki Singh Sood, editor of Advantage Tennis, Moya talks about life as a Grand Slam champion and the joy of playing in India every year.

You have been ranked as high as No.1 in the world but you are currently ranked in the top 50. At 32 years of age, do you think you have still got a crack at the No.1 spot?

I enjoy playing tennis and I think being ranked in the top 50 in the world is a good ranking, I am still trying to play my best tennis and keep improving my game.

You have won 20 singles titles in your career including the 1998 Roland Garros. Are you satisfied with you career?

Yes, I happy with the outcome of my career. I have achieved much more than I expected when I was a young kid. I have had a very successful career so far and am happy with the way things have turned out so far.

Did life for your change in 1998 after you became a Grand Slam winner?

Have you got any unfulfilled goals?

Not really. I am playing because I enjoy playing. I love to compete and I think I am a good competitor. I don’t think I will be able 22

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

You have been coming regularly to the Chennai Open and have won the tournament twice in 2004 and 2005 and were a finalist in 2006. What is it that makes Chennai such a successful event for you?

The Chennai Open is a tournament I really like and enjoy playing. I feel the crowd really likes me there and it is a good feeling to be there.

How do you enjoy playing in India?

I enjoy playing in India very much.

The crowd is very warm and they support the players very much.

It is a great feeling every time I come to India.

Do you see yourself coming back to India in the future as well?

I would love to keep coming to India. As long as they want me there, I will keep trying to come back.

Now that you have visited India especially Chennai on several occasions, have you been able to see any other parts of India?

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

My life did change naturally after I became a Grand Slam winner but I still feel that I have my feet on the ground. Tennis is very important and I have done very well but there are other important things in life as well that have helped me to know what I am doing and stay balanced. I am very satisfied and more famous than I was before but that is not a big deal for me.

to win a Grand Slam and am not going to be world No.1 again but I think I am doing very well. To win a medal at the Olympics is a goal for me.

I have visited Chennai several times to play the Chennai Open. I have been to Mumbai in 2006 but I didn’t get the chance to see too much of the city.

In 1999, you were selected by People magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. How do you react to people finding you beautiful?

It is of no importance at all. I want to be remembered as a great tennis player and not for the way I look. I think I have achieved a lot in tennis to be remembered as a good player.

Do you get time for other hobbies apart from playing tennis?

I like to hang with my friends and do the normal things that all other people of my age like to do.

Would you count Nadal amongst your friends?

Yes. He is a very good friend of mine.

Who are your friends on tour?

Nadal, Ferrer, Costa, Feliciano and some of the other Spanish players.

Who has been more most popular tennis player ever from Spain?

Probably Santana and currently Nadal.

You have played both Sampras and Federer. Who do you think is the greater player?

I think they both are great players but probably Federer is a more complete player. He can play on any surface so I can say Federer is a more complete player.

Do you have any regrets as a tennis player?

No. I don’t have any regrets.

No. I am not thinking of retiring just now. I think I am playing well and there is no need to think about retirement at the moment.

Do you have any plans about what you might want to do after retiring from tennis?

No. I have no plans right now.

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Have you thought about retirement?

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W

hen Tiger Woods recently said Roger Federer “is probably the best athlete on the planet,” I began to believe tennis finally got the respect it deserved “ from a golfer. Tennis had been dismissed in America as a “sissy sport” for its first 75 years, even by golfers such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower. After tennis maven Ted Tinling, a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Army Intelligence Corps in 1943, asked permission to stage an exhibition match for the Red Cross in Algiers, Gen. Eisenhower fired back a terse memo: “No, this is a man’s war and tennis is a woman’s game.” Never mind that tennis, unlike golf, had by then di-

verged from its effete, country club origins and become a grueling, dynamic sport dominated by public parks players like Ellsworth Vines, Don Budge and Bobby Riggs.

Since that period tennis champions Pancho Gonzalez, Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Steffi Graf, Justine Henin and Serena Williams have ranked among the world’s elite athletes. In France at the 1979 European Superstars competition, a medley of athletic events staged as a television program, Borg beat an Olympic medal-winning hurdler, while capturing six of the eight events. In 2002

TENNIS vs. GOLF Which sport is tougher?

PAUL FEIN

Federer, Sweden’s Thomas Johansson and several other ATP players took on a National Hockey League team during the Canadian Open in Toronto and lost only 7-5. “Their anticipation was unreal,” said Nick Kypreos, the leading scorer in the game and one of the extremely impressed hockey players.

When the incomparable Michael Jordan was asked which female athlete he most admired, he tellingly replied, “Tennis is a lot like basketball in physical terms, and Chris Evert did everything with class.” As for golf, Jordan, a recreational player himself, contended, “You golfers may make a lot of money, but you’re a long way from being athletes.”

The tennis vs. golf debate was renewed when the Feb. 5, 2007 Sports Illustrated ran a point-counterpoint piece titled: “Kings of the Mountain, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods are good pals who won’t argue about who’s the most dominant athlete around. But Two SI writers will.” The

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Tiger Woods, the world’s greatest golfer and a close friend of Roger Federer

golf advocate maintained Woods amassed a superior record against much stouter competition and thus is “the best athlete of his generation.”

His tennis counterpart pointed out that Federer won 10 of the last 15 Grand Slam events and displays his genius in a game that demands a full range of physical skills. The tennis proponent also slipped in this zinger: “Once in a while, you’ll actually hear people wonder if golf is a sport.”

People should wonder. If you can’t make a case that golf actually is a bona-fide sport requiring true athleticism rather than merely a competition like croquet, then there is no debate. After all, you wouldn’t compare the preeminent yachtsmen or bowlers with the greatest football or baseball players. To prove this self-evident assertion, let’s analyze the criteria for athleticism and find out how tennis and golf compare to each other.

Physical Fitness: Tennis players must have exceptional cardiovascular fitness or face severe consequences when competing against opponents who do. A 1986 survey of 126 men touring pros revealed an extremely low average body-fat percentage of 6.4. That was better than the measurements of pro basketball players (8.9 percent), pro baseball players (12.6 percent), and pro football linemen (15.6 percent).

With both shot and foot speed faster today, there is every reason to believe men tennis players are even fitter. And the women, especially the supremely dedicated Russians, appear leaner and better-conditioned than ever.

What about golfers? Veteran golf pro Bob Goalby once conceded: “Golfers aren’t athletes. A golfer doesn’t have to be in shape to do anything but hit a golf ball. I think an athlete should be able to run. The pro golfer is not generally in great physical shape.”

Jack Nicklaus, whose 18 major titles make him arguably the greatest golfer in history, looked as much as 25 pounds overweight during his prime. John Daly, the 1991 PGA and 1995 British Open champion, is obese as was Craig “The Walrus” Stadler,

who at 5’10” and 250 pounds, still earned more than $10 million. Chris Patton, even fatter at 6’1” and 300 pounds, captured the 1989 U.S. Amateur title. Billy Casper and Lee Trevino also lost the battle of the bulge but won major titles. At the 2007 U.S. Open Championship, Angel Cabrera, a beerbellied, cigarette-smoking Argentine, triumphed. Massive Meg Mallon, who notched 18 career victories, including two U.S. Women’s Open titles, and ranks No. 5 on the career money list, proves that a lean and sleek body isn’t required to walk, stroke and win in golf. If these hefty hitters ever tried to play pro tennis, they’d become exhausted, ill or injured after a few games.

Hand-Eye and Foot-Eye Coordination: World-class tennis requires superb hand-eye coordination to hit a moving ball with varying amounts of oncoming speed and spin that is further affected by other variables such as the wind and at times unpredictable bounces on grass and clay courts. Returning a bullet serve of more than 120 miles per hour is nearly as challenging as hitting a Major League baseball pitch “ often called the most difficult thing to do in sports “ and most tennis shots are hit on the run or the dead run. Arthur Ashe, in his 1981 book, Off the Court, stressed, “Foot-and-eye coordination is more important in tennis than hand-eye coordination…. It’s the great feet that win Grand Slam titles.” Contrast these great demands with pro golf, where a stationary person only has to swing at a stationary object about 70 times over five hours.

Acceleration and Speed: If you can’t get to the ball, you can’t hit it. Every tennis champion “except for Lindsay Davenport, a phenomenal striker of the ball “ has displayed excellent court coverage. “The first two steps taken toward a tennis ball usually determine whether or not the ball will be reached, and therefore instantaneous speed, or explosiveness, is much more important in tennis than either aerobic or anaerobic power,” pointed out Dr. Robert

Arnot and Charles Gaines in their 1984 book, SportSelection. Borg, Michael Chang, Lleyton Hewitt, Rafael Nadal, Federer, Graf, Navratilova and Henin possess not only extraordinary speed and acceleration but also the related movement skills of agility, recovery and leaping.

None of these intrinsic athletic abilities are needed in golf. David Duval, the world’s No. 1 golfer in 1999, admitted, “I would like to think of myself as an athlete first, but I don’t want to do a disservice to the real ones.”

In 1996 former NBA standout John Lucas, a college tennis All-American and later a World TeamTennis player, told Tennis magazine that Chang could have been “an unbelievable defensive guard in basketball.” Lucas rated Jordan, David Thompson, Dennis Rodman, McEnroe and Jimmy Connors as the top five athletes he ever saw, coached or competed against, saying “They all are absolutely in the same class.”

Reflexes and Touch: Lightning-fast hand reflexes are required for skillful volleying, especially in net duels involving all four players in doubles. “A good doubles match can be one of the fastest and most exciting of all sports events,” all-time doubles great John Newcombe told World Tennis magazine in 1977. Hand speed, split-second reactions, and the concomitant quick decision-making of any kind are never needed in golf.

Subtle touch is another valuable athletic ability involving hands, and gifted players produce dazzling drop shots, drop volleys and lob volleys.

Touch does play a key role in golf when putting and hitting irons to the greens, but, importantly, it’s never achieved against a fast-moving ball and on the run.

Strength and Stamina: Physical strength counts for a lot on every shot in tennis, especially serves and smashes, except for lobs and finesse shots. Many players pump iron to gain the necessary strength to generate power and handle opponents’ power.

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While super-strong Andy Roddick holds the fastest-serve record with an incredible 155-mph rocket, women also have embraced strength as never before. In 2004, 151 women whacked serves of 100 mph or more, and 58 blasted serves of 110 mph or more.

The sheer power of tennis today impresses even casual followers. When an aide introduced Federer to Pope Benedict XVI last year, the pontiff said, “Tennis is a powerful sport.”

Andre Agassi, who packed 174 pounds on his muscular 5’11” frame, was renowned for a brutal training regimen devised by conditioning coach Gil Reyes. Agassi could bench press an amazing 315 pounds. Some golfers, such as Tiger Woods, at least appear in tip-top shape, and the driving distance on the pro golf tours has steadily increased to the point where some players regularly drive more than 300 yards.

However, imagine sprinting for and pounding balls for three, four or even five hours and broiling under a 90degree sun without any substitutes or halftimes, and you get some sense of how much stamina tennis requires.

That tennis often becomes a “survival of the fittest” test (a record eight men retired due to illness and injury at the 2006 French Open) recently prompted the ATP Tour to try to abolish bestof-five-set finals at Masters Series tournaments.

Whether “golf is a good walk spoiled,” as Mark Twain quipped, is debatable. What’s not debatable is that walking 18 holes with prolonged rest breaks over five hours is minimal exercise. And consider this: a golf swing takes 1 to 1.5 seconds, and the actual motion in an entire round totals 1.5 minutes. No wonder the Journal of New England Medicine magazine in 2001 reported that golf has “the exercise coefficient of gardening.”

Ironically, spectators who follow a particular foursome for a round wind up with as much exercise as their favorite players.

Mastering Technique: Nicklaus, a tennis lover who has three grass courts and a clay court at his North Palm 26

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Beach, Florida, estate, once acknowledged that golf is easier because you have basically only one swing, aside from putting. In sharp contrast, tennis ranks as one of the most difficult sports to learn and master because of its many different swings.

A typical young player today has a semi-Western topspin forehand and changes his grip and swing for a twohanded backhand and changes it again to a Continental grip to hit serves and volleys, which require completely different technique. Supplementary shots such as smashes, lobs, and drop shots entail more muscle memory. Several variations on all these shots, such as service returns, passing shots, kick serves, approach shots, drop volleys, etc., are required for a complete, allcourt game. Correct stroke technique still won’t guarantee topnotch shots.

“By far the greatest majority of errors originate through incorrect footwork,” wrote Joy and Tony Mottram in Modern Lawn Tennis.

Golf pros, though, must master technique for 14 different clubs with tiny “sweet spots” to control small balls on an endlessly diverse array of challenging fairways, fiendish roughs, unforgiving sand traps, and tricky greens in changing weather conditions.

“A tennis ball is on the strings for 4 milliseconds. A golf ball is on the club face for one half of a millisecond,” pointed out Vic Braden, a noted sports science researcher and author of several tennis books, in Inside Tennis magazine in 1987. “We brought some of the best golfers to our center, like Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, and shot them at 22,000 frames per second. We found that the slightest, barely visible turn of the club face would have dramatic effects on the golf ball. In tennis, you have about a 19-degree range in which you can hit a ball and at least keep it in the court. But in golf, less than one degree of error means that you’re in the trees.”

The Mental Game: Golfers may concede tennis is more athletic and physical, but they’ll passionately maintain that nothing in sports is more

terrifying than standing over a threefoot putt with $100,000, or even a $20 hacker’s bet, on the line. But is golf a tough sport mentally? Tougher than tennis?

Let’s start with the various arguments about tournament rules and formats. Golfers aver that they have no chance for redemption following a disastrous shot into a pond, while tennis players repeatedly take second serve “mulligans,” no matter how atrocious their first serves. Imagine the almost unbearable pressure, they insist, if you know that just one errant shot can turn what looked like an easy par-5 hole into a nightmarish quadruple bogie 9 that ruins your round and perhaps even your entire tournament. Tennis aficionados reply that, except for a first serve fault, every other bad shot during a vital game or on a big point “ especially match point, set point or game point “ can prove extremely costly. And tennis’ clever scoring system, featuring deuce, ad-in and ad-out, ensures plenty of highpressure, high-stakes points throughout the match.

Although golfers must make the cut, which the elite do almost all the time, a mediocre round allows them to muddle on. However, mediocrity often spells defeat and thus elimination in any round on the extremely talent-deep ATP and WTA Tours where upsets abound. If players don’t bring their A games, they could easily lose in an hour or two. When that happens, tennis players often do something relaxing, like golf.

Ah, but golfers counter that nothing could be more treacherous than trying to conquer not only a devilish course, but also 100 players. Under that absurd numbers criterion, the Boston Marathon with 20,000 runners (albeit all but a few are distant finishers) would top the “toughest competition” category. Sure, Tiger and Phil and Annika and Karrie must score better than all the other golfers, but they rarely face them directly.

“I may go out and shoot a 66. But, it doesn’t prevent you from going out and shooting a 65,” rightly asserts

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Charlie Pasarell, the Indian Wells tournament director and No. 1-ranked American in 1967, in the Los Angeles Times. “In fact, you may not even know that I’ve shot a 66. You never have that real, direct head-on competition. However, in tennis, if I’ve hit a good tennis shot against you, I’ve probably put you in a defensive mode, and chances are, you will not hit a good shot but will probably hit a weaker shot.

“Hogan never really beats Snead, Nicklaus doesn’t beat Palmer,” argues Pasarell. “But, in tennis, Lendl beats McEnroe. Laver beats the world.”

Agreeing with that analysis, Fuzzy Zoeller, the 1979 Masters and 1984 U.S. Open champion, said: “To me, tennis is the most impressive sport. In golf, you hit your best shot and you can brag about it. In tennis, you hit your best shot and some little [expletive deleted] is on the other side hitting it back to you”.

Other golfers fire back that on occasion their game also showcases head-to-head competition: match play.

But there’s something embarrassing worth mentioning about that. When the going gets tough, their “Tiger” performs more like a pussycat. At the PGA’s Match-Play Championships “ where 64 leading players compete in a single-elimination draw “ Tiger has won only twice in eight tries and hasn’t even reached the quarterfinal during the last three years. Although Tiger can brag about his 10-1 PGA Tour record in tournament playoffs, he owns a dismal 10-13-2 career match play record in the prestigious Ryder Cup. In contrast, The Great Ones in tennis shrug off and even thrive on mano a mano pressure. Federer has won nine of his first 10 Grand Slam finals, while Sampras captured 14 of 18 major finals during his incomparable career.

The Swiss superstar also boasts an astounding, and probably unbreakable, record of 24 straight victories in tournaments finals, doubling the previous record of 12 shared by Borg and McEnroe. Handling the terrific pressure from hyper-patriotic Germans, Boris Becker racked up a sensational

Jack Nicklaus, one of the world’s leading golfers is married to tennis legend Chris Evert

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38-3 singles record in Davis Cup, while Navratilova was a perfect 15-0 and Evert 40-2 in Fed Cup singles. When it matters most, tennis champions often show poise, grit and courage to prevail against their toughest rivals.

Finally, Dr. James E. Loehr, the author of 14 books including Mental Toughness Training for Sports, surveyed 43 sports in 1989, to measure their physical/mental/emotional demand factors. Loehr used 25 criteria, such as aerobic demands, real physical opponent, no coaching, multiple competitors in a single day, no clock, one-on-one competition, opportunities for trash talking and gamesmanship, ranking system (local, regional, national), no time-outs/no substitutions, and fierce personal rivalries. Tennis placed an impressive No. 2 with 101 points, considerably ahead of golf which had 85 points.

Sports Switchers: No world-class golfer has ever taken up tennis and developed into a world-class player. Nor come even close to that. Of course, since leading golfers can often play their leisurely pastime at a relatively high level into their 40s or even 50s (Nicklaus finished an amazing 6th at the 1998 Masters at age 58), they have little incentive to try more demanding sports. Still, it’s noteworthy that a few former tennis stars and lesser lights have excelled, and usually rather quickly, at golf.

Ellsworth Vines, the most successful tennis/golfer, won the 1931 and ’32 U.S. Championships and 1932 Wimbledon and retired from competitive tennis in 1939 and became a golf pro. Vines twice finished in the top 10 in annual money earnings during the era of Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead. The lanky Southern Californian reached the semifinal of the 1951 PGA Championship and once beat the legendary Hogan in a playoff.

Mary K. Browne, an American who collected 13 Grand Slam titles from 1912 to 1926, also transferred her athletic talent to golf. In one of the most remarkable feats in women’s sports history, Browne lost in the 1924 U.S.

semifinal to Helen Wills in three sets, and three weeks later she upset the renowned Glenna Collett Vare to make the U.S. Women’s Golf Championships final.

Althea Gibson, who broke the color barrier in tennis and won two Wimbledons, two U.S. and a French crown in the late 1950s, belatedly turned to golf in her 30s and became the first black woman on the LPGA tour. She played in 171 tournaments from 1963 to 1977 without winning a title, though she did set a course-record 68 in 1966 at Pleasant Valley in Sutton, Massachusetts.

“Time ran out on her,” Kathy Whitworth, the grande dame of women’s golf champions, told the Boston Sunday Globe in 2001. “There’s no question she would have been one of the greats otherwise. Absolutely no question.”

Scott Draper, a gifted Australian serve-volleyer with wins over Agassi, Jim Courier, Becker (on grass) and Patrick Rafter (on grass), retired from pro tennis in 2005. Bulletin: this February Draper, 32, shot a final-round 7-under-par 65 to capture the New South Wales PGA Championship by one stroke for his first pro golf victory.

It moves past the improbable to near the impossible to believe that a 32year-old, former top 50-ranked golf pro could trade his clubs for a racket and two years later win an equivalent event on the pro tennis tour.

Could Fred Couples beat Sampras?

Get a set or even a couple games off him? It’s inconceivable. The modest Sampras likes to downplay his golf prowess, but he won a driving contest at a pro-celebrity tournament in 1997 with a 332-yard monster drive. When tour standout Couples golfed with “Pistol Pete,” an 8-handicap golfer in 1999, the tennis guy won. “He played better than I did,” confided Couples.

Golf is obviously not on an athletic par with tennis. But, that settled, why should it even matter to golf and tennis lovers? As the famous Latin maxim advises: “De gustibus non est disputandum”. “There is no disputing about tastes”.

Fascinating Facts • When asked about golf, the professional sport of her boyfriend Hank Kuehne, Venus Williams replied, “It’s a long walk.”

• Don Budge, who in 1938 became the first player to win the Grand Slam, worked with a coach who applied golf-swinging techniques.

• Football superstar Terrell Owens rated tennis players “phenomenal athletes” after watching his first live matches at the 2007 Sony Ericsson Open where Serena Williams routed Maria Sharapova and Guillermo Canas upset Roger Federer.

• Tiger Woods, who regularly exchanges text messages with Roger Federer, says, “I watch tennis all the time, I used to be a huge Sampras fan, and now I’m a huge Federer fan.”

• Justine Henin-Hardenne, who says she gets so nervous she can’t sleep well during Grand Slam events, took her first parachute jump the day after winning her third French Open title.

• Gael Monfils had never played a competitive match in paddle tennis before he upset 19-time world paddle tennis champion Scott Freedman and second-seeded Daryl Lemon to win the 2006 paddle tennis world championships staged at The Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas.

• British soccer star David Beckham says he loves to watch tennis because “it’s a quick and athletic sport.”

• Fifty Swedish heart patients reportedly died of heart failure in their hospital rooms watching their hero, Bjorn Borg, win his excruciatingly tense 1980 Wimbledon final against John McEnroe.

• In 2004, the Cleveland Clinic, rated America’s No. 1 heart-care center by U.S. News & World Report magazine, evaluated tennis as “an ideal sport for a healthy life.” © PAUL FEIN, 2007

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W

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THE

VIDEO COACH PAT CASH Wimbledon Singles Champion in 1987 Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

ho can tell me why Andy Roddick has the fastest serve on the planet? Who can tell me why he serves roughly 20% faster than 80% of the players on the ATP tour? I’ll tell you who... It’s the coach with the video camera!!! This coach is able to videotape his serve, slow it down and analyze the biomechanics of this incredible swing. What you will see here, is that he does everything as well as his ATP serving counterparts, but he does one thing better. He has more shoulder flex! His shoulder flex has been mathematically measured to be at a greater angle in his backswing, allowing him to extend his racquet back further and consequently accelerate it faster. We have VIDEO to thank for this learning opportunity.

The technological advancements in video analysis are making it easier to improve so many aspects of tennis that in the past, were much tougher to address. When I coached on the ATP tour in the 1990’s, it was very easy to get a videotape of my player’s match, because they were usually playing on a “grand stage.” All I had to do was go to the TV broadcaster after the match was completed and ask for a copy. My player and I would then have a very helpful tool that we could use to improve many aspects of his or her game.

Nowadays, it’s becoming easier and easier for a coach to add this type of coaching tool to his instruction, but unfortunately I don’t see this being done enough! Video analysis is a must and can drastically improve vital aspects of a players overall game, such as stroke biomechanics, shot selection, court positioning, movement patterns and mental toughness to mention just a few.

Many top coaches and players are using video analysis to help improve swing patterns. In fact I remodeled my game doing this watching players like Becker, Agassi and Ivanisevic. This is a fantastic way for a coach and player to really understand one another. You can take time to slowly show each other what you’re both expecting, as you watch the strokes over and over.

Andre Agassi

The coach should find a tour player that hits the shot exactly how his player should. Usually you can find either a still shot sequence in tennis magazines or maybe even get your hands on some video footage to use in the comparison. This modeling after a famous pro can add some fun, and be very beneficial in the players’ development.

Have you ever heard your coach say “that’s the wrong shot to play” and think to yourself “what is the right shot?” Hopefully you don’t just think that question, but ask it! Reviewing match play can lead to the answers.

I’ve had a tremendous amount of success helping players learn better shot selection from watching their matches

and reinforcing their positive shot selections and pointing out their low percentage shot selections. Offering alternative options to certain shots can make a lot more sense to a player if they are looking at a video taped point of themselves. They can see exactly where on the court they are, where the opponent is, and all of a sudden the shot options start to become very apparent to them... sometimes without the coach even saying anything!

The same is true for court positioning. I feel this is a very under rated component to a players development.

If a player can get into the right position on the court, then they can cover the court better. It sounds too easy.

With video, when I sit with players and watch court positioning, I hear the same comment from them, “I can’t believe I was standing there!” (they’ve worked it out on their own) Again, it’s also much more conclusive to slow down and stop the video to emphasize the positive and negative aspects of a player’s position during a given point. It also leads to identifying patterns that certain players repeat.

Movement patterns and overall footwork are other key components in learning to cover the court efficiently.

As you review a player’s match video, look at how the feet are moving. Is the player balanced and in a “split-step” position when their opponent hits the ball? Is the player moving to the ball effectively? Is the player recovering with the efficient movement patterns... cross over step and side shuffle back to position? Again, these are just some of the few important components that video helps to address when discussing match analysis with a player.

Last and certainly not least important, is the opportunity match video analysis not just of your own matches but the top players as well this gives a coach and player the chance to study the best. Forget the strokes, shot selection, footwork, court positioning...

Forget it all once in awhile and focus your training session on identifying some key positive and negative psychological actions. As a coach watches the match with a player, he can reinforce

The Pat Cash International Tennis Academy ABN: 72111222701 Hope Island Resort Tennis Club Hope Island Road, Hope Island QLD, 4212, Australia Tel : +61-7-5530 1177 Fax : +61-7-5530 8211 Email : academy@bigpond.net.au Website : www.hir.com.au

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

some positive aspects of top players or analyze your game. They can reinforce a period in the match when the player’s focus and concentration was very intense, and point out to the player when they seemed to be disinterested and somewhat wondering mentally. These types of behaviors can easily be worked on once identified and significant improvements will follow.

Setting up for this type of video analysis is really quite simple. All you need is a video camera (get a wide angle lens fitted), a couple of elastic stretchies (the kind to keep things on your bicycle), a tripod and the back fence of your court. Just screw in your camera to the tripod and wrap the stretchies around the tripod legs on the top of your court’s back fence — and there you have it — your own centre court view! You can use this set up at your own club or even on the road at tournaments.

As you can see, I’m only scratching the surface of the full potential that video analysis has to offer tennis coaches and players. It’s very important not to just focus on the negative areas that need improving, but to identify the positive aspects as well. There is a wealth of potential improvement right around the corner, that has emerged from the advancements in video technology. At my Academy in Australia, we plan to be world leaders in video analysis, and are in the process of installing a state-of-the-art system which feeds into a dedicated editing studio on-site. BUT, you don’t have to be as sophisticated as that, to get great benefits from some lessons from the VIDEO COACH !

I encourage you to take advantage of this and “watch” the rapid improvements in your tennis game.

Andy Roddick

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The No. 1 player from the Czech Republic is a former top 10 player.

Currently ranked No. 22 in the world, Tomas Berdych has won three ATP Tour single titles and one doubles title in his career. Although currently ranked just outside the top 20, Berdych has set himself very high goals. He came to India to play the Kingfisher Airlines tournament in 2006 and looks forward to comming back.

In the following interview with Advantage Tennis, Berdych talks about his goals in tennis and his life as a celebrity sports star in native Czech Republic.

CZECH MATE An interview with Tomas Berdych

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

You are currently ranked just outside the top 20. What is your next ranking goal?

You have won three tour titles. When do you think the big one, a Grand Slam is going to be in your list of victories?

get to go to different places and the hospitality is excellent in all the places where I visit.

It is very hard to say what my next ranking goal is because it is also tough to crack the top 10. My highest ranking was No.7 last year in August. I believe that if I play consistently and play high level tennis and achieve good results, I will be able to go up in the rankings and maybe break into the top 5.

I made it to the quarterfinal of Wimbledon in 2007. That is when I began to think that a Grand Slam victory is possible for me. But it is not easy because you have to play very high level tennis for two consecutive weeks.

Are you a celebrity in your country?

Do you have a time horizon to achieve a spot in the top 5?

No, it is very difficult to give a specific time. It all depends on how I play and what my results are in the tournaments but I will try to play as well as I can and keep improving my rankings as fast I can.

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What are your immediate goals?

I am trying to play my best tennis and I would like to try hard to be world no.1 which is a goal for all tennis players.

What do you like about being a tennis player?

You can travel and see many places and meet and so many different kinds of people.

I enjoy life as a tennis player because we

Well tennis is not the no.1 sport in the Czech Republic but now things are getting better and since I am getting better results and have been in the top 10, people are beginning to recognize me back home.

Who are your friends on the tour?

Most of my friends on tour are the Czech guys.

Which is your favourite tournament?

I don’t have a favourite tournament but I like the tournament in Dubai and the tournaments in Indian Wells and Monte Carlo.

Many of the players think that he is unbeatable. Of course he is playing very well and has already become a living legend in tennis. If you want to beat him you have to focus and not be intimidated by him because after all he is also a human being as any of us are. This year of course, Nadal has been the best player having won 2 Grand Slams and the Olympic gold. So more players are beginning to challenge Federer now.

The Czech Republic in the old days used be a communist country. Are the faculties better now than they used to be?

After I was born, Czech Republic became a capitalist country so I did not experience the communist system that existed in my country. The facilities are very good in the Czech Republic. We have two big national tennis centers. I practice in one of them.

There are a lot other guys who also practice there. So the tennis facilities are very good in my country.

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

With Federer dominating tennis the way he is, do you think anyone has a chance at winning?

Do you think a communist system which was well known for its sporting facilities was a better model or today’s sports facilities are better in your country?

I think today’s facilities are better because under the communist system you couldn’t travel much so there was limited exposure to international competition. Now days everyone is allowed to compete at the highest international levels.

Does Martina Navratilova mean anything to tennis in the Czech Republic?

Martina Navratilova was a big star in the old days but she left and went away to the United States so she was a star before she left Czechoslovakia.

When was the last time a Czech won a Grand Slam title?

I think it was Peter Korda who won the 1998 Australian Open.

You have played in India at the Kingfisher Airlines tournament in 2006.

What was the experience in India like?

It was my first time ever in India. I had a

very good experience. Everything was very close, and the hotel was very nice. It was a very good week because I made it to the final. So I have very good memories of the Kingfisher Airlines tournament.

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

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India at the Olympics P.K. DATTA

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Photo: K.N. Shanthkumar/Deccan Herald

T

ennis occupied a special place in modern Olympics in its initial years. It is one of the nine disciplines that formed part of the inaugural Olympics in Athens in 1896 and in fact was the only field game to be so. Football (1900), Hockey (1928), and Basketball (1936) followed tennis.

But after being played regularly between 1896 and 1924, tennis was abandoned from Olympics arena for a long 64 years. This was because of serious disagreement between the Olympic Organizing Committee and the International Lawn Tennis Federation on many vital questions such as the definition of Amateurs, who should conduct the tennis tournaments etc. A beginning was however again made by introducing tennis in Olympics as a “Demonstration Sport” (non-medal basis) in Mexico in 1968 and in Los Angles in 1984.

In 1988, when tennis returned to Seoul finally it was another woman from Germany who created a new record in tennis history. Steffi Graf completed a ‘Golden Slam’ with the addition of her Olympic Gold to the four Grand Slam titles she had already won in the same calendar year, 1988.

India made its debut in Olympic tennis in 1924 at Paris but it is little known that the first participants returned home with impressive results.

S.M Jacob (a British ICS officer) who represented India reached the quarterfinal in singles while Mohammed Sleem, then India’s top most player from Lahore, reached the third round. Sleem went down to the champion Vincent Richards (USA) after giving him a tough fight over five sets. The two other Indians, S.M. Hadi and D. Rutnam made it to the quarterfinal in the doubles.

By the time of the Seoul Olympics (1988), India’s golden era of tennis had come to end. Ramanathan Krishnan,

Premjit Lall and Jaidip Mukherjee had all retired. Even the Amritraj brothers, Vijay and Anand were past their prime.

India was represented that year by the Amritraj brother and young Zeeshan Ali. Vijay then 34, lost in the first round but captured the headlines when he nearly toppled the famous Frenchman Henri Leconte, the 4th seed, in the tournament. Leconte finally won in five sets. Zeeshan managed to reach the second round.

For the first time in Barcelona Games (1992) India was somewhat close to claim a medal in tennis – thanks to the gallant efforts of Ramesh Krishnan and Leander Paes in doubles.

Displaying fine fighting form they outsmarted the No. 1 seed Australian pair of Mark Woodforde and Tood Woodbridge to advance to the quarterfinal. One more win i.e. just a semifinal berth would have given them

a bronze that year – the last time this rule was in vogue – but Goran Ivanisevic and Pirpic of Croatia put paid to their dream.

Then came India’s memorable year, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Leander was then ranked an average No. 127 (ATP) and got an entry into the singles event on a Wild Card. In a fairy-tale like performance defeating five men all of whom were higher ranked than him, Paes presented India its first Olympic tennis medal, a bronze. He was the lone Indian to win a medal at Atlanta and was the second Indian to do so as individual contestant after a gap of 44 years.

Paes and Bhupathi combined to play their first Olympic doubles at Atlanta. They won the first round to face the World No. 1 pair Australians Mark Woodfrade and Tood Woodbridge.

The Aussies, who finally won the Gold,

had no difficulty in beating the Indians.

There was nothing to cheer for the Indians in 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Athens (2004) provided the ageing Paes and Bhupathi another great opportunity for a medal hunt. In the meantime due to personal differences they had parted company and found different partners but were still quite active on the ATP circuit. Bhupathi bagged his fourth doubles Grand Slam title (US Open) in 2002 with his new partner Max Mirnyi from Belarus.

Paes claimed two mixed doubles Grand Slam titles with Martina Navratilova in 2003.

The start was sensational. They sidelined first a strong American pair Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish and then the Swiss pair Roger Federer and Yves Allegro, both in straight sets. An exciting victory over a more renowned doubles team from Zimbabwe of Wayne Black and Kevin Ulleytt (US Open title holder) took the Indians to the semifinal. The crucial semifinal saw Paes and Bhupathi (No. 5 seed) facing an unseeded and not-so-strong German pair of Nicholas Kiefer and Rainer Shuettler where a win would have assured them either a Silver or a Gold

OLYMPIC TENNIS MEDALISTS FROM ASIA (1896 – 2004) 1920

I. Kumagae I. Kumagae and S. Kashio

Silver (Singles) – Japan Silver (Doubles) – Japan

1996

Leander Paes

Bronze (Singles) – India

2004

Li Ting and Sun Tiantian

Gold (Women’s Doubles) - China

medal. But alas, it was not their day.

Paes and Bhupathi when down rather tamely to the Germans 2-6, 3-6.

Subsequently there was a play-off match between the two losing semifinalists for a bronze medal. The opposing team was a Wild Card entrant from Croatia, Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic. The score was 1-1 set all and after a grimly fought two and half hours they were at 6-6 games all in the deciding third set. There was no tie-break system in the deciding set.

The match went on, as if eternally, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, 10-10... to 14-14 all. At this vital stage luck deserted the Indians. They lost their service game and the set 14-16 and finally the match, 6-7, 6-4, 14-16. Thus, sadly, a golden opportunity of winning an Olympic medal by Paes and Bhupathi faded away after a heart breaking 3½ hours match which finished at midnight.

Olympic tennis since 1990s have often produced surprise results and upsets galore. Mark Rosset from Switzerland, Ranked No. 35 and unseeded and Nicholas Massu (Seed No. 10) from Chile, gold medalists in men’s singles in Barcelona (1992) and Athens (2004) Olympics were most unexpected winners. The biggest upset was perhaps caused by the teenage American Jennifer Capriati in the women’s field in Barcelona. Then barely 16, Capriati won the Gold defeating Steffi Graf, World No. 2, in the final.

Tennis at the Olympics may not be considered as mainstream as athletics or gymnastics, but with the world’s top rated players all setting Olympic medals high on their career goal list, it is fast becoming a highly important Olympic sport.

Photo: K.N. Shanthkumar/Deccan Herald

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Photo: K.N. Shanthkumar/Deccan Herald

Beijing Olympics 2008

The medal winners standing proudly together

R

afael Nadal won his rightful gold. He was easily the best player this season, and nobody could stop his march to win the gold for Spain. It was the icing on the cake after Nadal’s French Open and Wimbledon triumph. The gold, fittingly came a day before the 22-yearold Nadal was crowned the world No.1, after years of waiting at No.2.

Roger Federer wanted the gold badly. He can win the French Open one day. He can reclaim the Wimbledon crown next year. He could not afford to miss the Olympic gold now. Four years is a pretty long time in a sportsman’s career. It was his third attempt, after the semifinal in Sydney and an early ouster in Athens. In the event, Federer decided to attack the doubles teams with a renewed resolve, rather than be dejected and resign himself to his fate, after the singles exit, and eventually walked away proudly with the well-deserved gold.

The genial Swiss realised that it was a special joy to share the Olympic gold not only with his partner Stanislas Wawrinka, a top-10 singles player, but with the whole of Switzerland. The joy is in winning it for the country and making everyone happy.

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

“To see Federer go down on his back after winning a semifinal in doubles, shows how important an Olympic medal is to him,” said Mike Bryan, one half of the world No.1 doubles team with brother Bob Bryan, who lost to Federer in the semifinal.

The essence of Federer’s triumph was beautifully captured by the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge.

“One moment that I will never forget and that is the tears of joy of Roger Federer winning the gold medal for the doubles. Here you have the man who is arguably together with (Pete) Sampras, the best ever tennis player in the world. He has won everything but the elusive gold medal he did not have.

He wanted to go to the Olympic Games at the end of the season, and when he won the medal he was crying. I mean for me, this is the same thing. The spark in the eyes of a Michael Jordan. These are millionaires, these are mega-stars. They win an Olympic medal and there is no money to win in the Olympic Games, and you see the sparkle in the eyes, the tears in the eyes, that is the dramatic moments of the Games,” said Rogge.

Of course, Federer winning a medal meant that the ever-fighting Indian boys Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi went without a medal as they met Federer and partner in the quarterfinal and made a meek bow in straight sets.

“It was sweet revenge because I lost to them with Yves Allegro four years ago in Athens”, said Federer after the

clinical 6-2, 6-4 victory that spread over two days owing to rain.

Playing past midnight after having lost the singles in a hurry earlier to James Blake of the US, Federer was keen to unleash his best tennis on the unsuspecting Indian duo who may have fancied their chances. Once Federer pulled out those magic shots on the crucial points, that underlined why he was world No.1 for so long, winning so many Grand Slam titles along the way, there was little that the erratic Indian pair could do.

“It is a heartbreak”, conceded Leander, who had won the singles bronze medal, as a rank outsider behind Andre Agassi and Sergei Bruguera in the Atlanta Games in 1996.

It was his fifth Olympics and Leander was playing the doubles for the fourth time in succession in the Games with Mahesh after having missed a medal with Ramesh Krishnan at Barcelona in 1992. At that time, the Indian pair had beaten the top-seeded John Fitzgerald and Todd Woodbridge, before falling to Goran Ivanisevic and Goran Prpic of Croatia in the quarterfinal. There was no playoff in those days and a semifinal entry would have ensured the pair a medal.

Even four years ago in Athens, it was another Croatian pair, Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic, that stopped the Indian pair in a heart-breaker of a bronze medal match 7-6(5), 4-6, 1614. Germans Nicolas Kiefer and Rainer Schuettler had blown away the Indians in the semifinal earlier.

After showing tremendous form and cohesion in winning their first two matches without dropping more than six games in each, it was an anticlimactic finish for the Indian campaign as Leander and Mahesh got stuck with Federer playing close to his best, with all heart, and Wawrinka supporting him brilliantly.

world as immaterial as compared to the high of the Olympic gold.

She became one of four women to win a medal in the singles at more than one Games. The others were Kathleen Mckane of Britain, Steffi Graf of Germany and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain.

With Vera Zvonareva winning the bronze at the expense of local heroine Li Na, the joy of Russia was complete.

It was the first time since 1908 that a country was sweeping all the three medals in tennis.

Of course, Li Na was the surprise of the tournament and the darling of the crowd which she had to admonish at some stage for being noisy. She beat two top-10 players, Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in the first round and the 2000 gold medallist Venus Williams in the quarterfinal.

For Sania Mirza, who had beaten Li Na so comprehensively on her way to the final in the last Asian Games in Doha in 2006, it was a tough exercise as she was grappling with a painful wrist. Sania conceded her singles midway through the second set 1-6, 1-2 against Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic but played a terrific doubles along with Sunitha Rao in the prequarterfinal, after a walkover in the first round.

The Indian pair teased the topseeded Kuznetsova and Safina a lot in the entertaining contest of high quality hitting, but lacked the ability to encash the numerous opportunities in both the sets. Eventually, Sania and Sunitha lost 4-6, 4-6.

The consolation of the bronze went to the Chinese pair Yan Zi and Zheng Jie as it first stopped the top-seeded Russians in a thriller in the quarterfinal before bowing to the might of the fourth-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pacual of Spain in the semifinal. The duo outplayed the Bondarenko sisters of Along and Kateryna for the bronze.

It was a drop from the high of Ting Li and Tian Tian Sun winning the gold in Athens, but when a super star like Liu Xiang was not even able to reach the first hurdle in trying to defend his

gold owing to an injury, it was a commendable fare by the Chinese girls to come up with a medal.

Photo: K.N. Shanthkumar/Deccan Herald

For the record, the seventh-seeded Indian pair had beaten Gael Monfils and Giles Simon 6-3, 6-3 in the first round, and Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa 6-4, 6-2 in the pre-quarterfinal.

Well, the focus was Rafael Nadal and Elena Dementieva, who bagged the individual gold medals in strong fields, in realising their dreams.

“Not in my best dreams could I have imagined this,” said Nadal, after winning the gold.

In a gripping contest, Nadal asserted his superb court coverage even as the Athens hero Gonzalez tried to push his way through with his strong groundstrokes and an impressive allcourt game. The Chilean who had won the singles bronze and the doubles gold with Nicolas Massu four years ago, failed to latch on to two setpoints in the second set. Gonzalez put a backhand volley wide on the first setpoint and then buried a forehand into the net on the second. Thereafter, Nadal was too good to give him any further hope.

James Blake who had produced his best tennis to beat Federer in straight sets in the quarterfinal, for his only victory in nine meetings over the world No.1, was unable to recapture the same magic against Novak Djokovic in the match for the bronze medal.

The Russian girls made a sweep of the singles medals, leaving the American sisters, Venus Williams and Serena Williams, the consolation of taking the doubles gold. Incidentally, it was the second doubles gold for Venus and Serena following the triumph in Sydney in 2000.

Elena Dementieva added the most precious gold in her life to the silver that she had won in Sydney, by bouncing back to stop the player in form, Dinara Safina, in three sets. Safina was on a 15-match winning streak but lacked the zip in the climax against her determined compatriot.

“This is the biggest achievement in my career. I was eight years old and dreaming about this moment,” said Dementieva as she soaked the moment.

She dismissed the idea of winning a Grand Slam or becoming No.1 in the

THE RESULTS Men (final): Rafael Nadal (Esp) bt Fernando Gonzalez (Chi) 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3 Third place: Novak Djokovic (Srb) bt James Blake (US) 6-3, 7-6(4) Doubles (final): Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka (Sui) bt Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson (Swe) 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 Third place: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (US) bt Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra (Fra) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 Women (final): Elena Dementieva (Rus) bt Dinara Safina (Rus) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 Third place: Vera Zvonareva (Rus) bt Li Na (Chn) 6-0, 7-5 Doubles (final): Venus Williams and Serena Williams (US) bt Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pacual (Esp) 6-2, 6-0 Third place: Yan Zi and Zheng Jie (Chn) bt Alona Bondarenko and Kateryna Bondarenko (Ukr) 6-2, 6-2

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Beijing Olympics 2008

Men’s Singles: Main Draw

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Quarterfinal

Semifinal

Finals

Winner

6-2 6-4 FEDERER, R (SUI) 1

7-5 6-1 SIMON, G (FRA) 10 6-4 6-2 BLAKE, J (USA) 8

4-6 7-5 11-9 GONZALEZ, F (CHI) 12

6-3 7-6(4) BERDYCH, T (CZE) 17

6-4 7-6(2) BLAKE, J (USA) 8

6-3 7-6(4) FEDERER, R (SUI) 1

7-6(3) 4-6 6-3 BLAKE, J (USA) 8

7-5 6-3 MATHIEU, P (FRA) 6-3 7-5 MATHIEU, P (FRA) 6-4 6-7(4) 6-4 KIEFER, N (GER) 15

6-4 6-2 GONZALEZ, F (CHI) 12 6-0 6-3 GONZALEZ, F (CHI) 12

6-4 6-4 GONZALEZ, F (CHI) 12

6-3 7-6(2) 6-3 NADAL, R (ESP) 2

7-6(5) 2-3 Retired ROCHUS, O (BEL)

7-6(0) 6-1 NALBANDIAN, D (ARG) 7 6-4 6-4 MONFILS, G (FRA) 6-4 7-6(5) MONFILS, G (FRA)

7-5 6-2 YOUZHNY, M (RUS) 13 7-6(3) 6-3 DJOKOVIC, N (SRB) 3 6-4 6-2 DJOKOVIC, N (SRB) 3

6-4 1-6 6-4 NADAL, R (ESP) 2

6-4 6-2 FEDERER, R (SUI) 1 4-6 6-3 6-4 AREVALO, R (ESA) 6-4 4-6 8-6 SEPPI, A (ITA) 6-1 6-2 BERDYCH, T (CZE) 17 6-4 6-4 SIMON, G (FRA) 10 3-6 4-2 Retired CANAS, G (ARG) 2-6 6-4 6-2 HRBATY, D (SVK) 6-3 7-6(3) BLAKE, J (USA) 8 6-4 6-2 DAVYDENKO, N (RUS) 4 7-6(4) 6-2 MATHIEU, P (FRA) 6-3 6-2 ANDERSON, K (RSA) 6-3 6-1 KIEFER, N (GER) 15 6-4 6-4 GONZALEZ, F (CHI) 12 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3 CILIC, M (CRO) 6-3 3-6 6-3 ROCHUS, O (BEL) 7-6(8) 6-2 TIPSAREVIC, J (SRB) 6-2 6-1 NALBANDIAN, D (ARG) 7 6-4 7-5 MASSU, N (CHI) 7-5 3-6 6-4 HANESCU, V (ROU) 6-4 3-6 6-3 MONFILS, G (FRA) 6-4 6-1 YOUZHNY, M (RUS) 13 4-6 6-4 6-4 JOHANSSON, T (SWE) 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3 SCHUETTLER, R (GER) 6-4 6-4 DJOKOVIC, N (SRB) 3 7-6(5) 6-4 LU, Y (TPE) 6-1 6-1 CALLERI, A (ARG) 6-7(9) 6-1 8-6 MELZER, J (AUT) 4-6 6-3 6-2 WAWRINKA, S (SUI) 9 4-6 7-6(5) [11-9] LLODRA, M (FRA) 6-4 6-4 ANDREEV, I (RUS) 7-5 7-6(2) HEWITT, L (AUS) 6-2 3-6 6-2 NADAL, R (ESP) 2

3rd Round

4-6 6-1 6-4 DJOKOVIC, N (SRB) 3

1 FEDERER, R (SUI) 1 2 TURSUNOV, D (RUS) 3 LEE, H (KOR) 4 WC AREVALO, R (ESA) 5 ROBREDO, T (ESP) 6 SEPPI, A (ITA) 7 A YU, X (CHN) 8 BERDYCH, T (CZE) 17 9 SIMON, G (FRA) 10 10 SODERLING, R (SWE) 11 A NIEMEYER, F (CAN) 12 CANAS, G (ARG) 13 BELLUCCI, T (BRA) 14 HRBATY, D (SVK) 15 GUCCIONE, C (AUS) 16 BLAKE, J (USA) 8 17 DAVYDENKO, N (RUS) 4 18 GULBIS, E (LAT) 19 MATHIEU, P (FRA) 20 LAPENTTI, N (ECU) 21 WC LOGLO, K (TOG) 22 WC ANDERSON, K (RSA) 23 WC MIRNYI, M (BLR) 24 KIEFER, N (GER) 15 25 GONZALEZ, F (CHI) 12 26WC SUN, P (CHN) 27 CILIC, M (CRO) 28 MONACO, J (ARG) 29 ROCHUS, O (BEL) 30 MINAR, I (CZE) 31 TIPSAREVIC, J (SRB) 32 FERRER, D (ESP) 5 33 NALBANDIAN, D (ARG) 7 34 A ZENG, S (CHN) 35 WC MASSU, N (CHI) 36 DARCIS, S (BEL) 37 BOLELLI, S (ITA) 38 HANESCU, V (ROU) 39 MONFILS, G (FRA) 40 ALMAGRO, N (ESP) 11 41 YOUZHNY, M (RUS) 13 42 VANEK, J (CZE) 43 NIEMINEN, J (FIN) 44 JOHANSSON, T (SWE) 45 SCHUETTLER, R (GER) 46 WC NISHIKORI, K (JPN) 47 GINEPRI, R (USA) 48 DJOKOVIC, N (SRB) 3 49 MURRAY, A (GBR) 6 50 LU, Y (TPE) 51 CALLERI, A (ARG) 52 A MULLINGS, D (BAH) 53 DANIEL, M (BRA) 54 MELZER, J (AUT) 55 DANCEVIC, F (CAN) 56 WAWRINKA, S (SUI) 9 57 STEPANEK, R (CZE) 16 58 LLODRA, M (FRA) 59 QUERREY, S (USA) 60 ANDREEV, I (RUS) 61 HEWITT, L (AUS) 62 WC BJORKMAN, J (SWE) 63 STARACE, P (ITA) 64 NADAL, R (ESP) 2

2nd Round

6-4 6-4 LU, Y (TPE) 6-2 6-4 MELZER, J (AUT) 6-4 6-0 MELZER, J (AUT)

6-4 3-6 6-1 ANDREEV, I (RUS) 6-4 6-2 NADAL, R (ESP) 2 6-1 6-2 NADAL, R (ESP) 2

6-0 6-4 NADAL, R (ESP) 2

1st Round Round s

Beijing Olympics 2008

Women’s Singles: Main Draw Finals

Winner

6-4 6-4 BAMMER, S (AUT)

6-3 7-6(4) ZVONAREVA, V (RUS) 9 7-6(4) 6-4 ZVONAREVA, V (RUS) 9 6-3 7-6(6) SCHIAVONE, F (ITA)

6-2 6-0 WILLIAMS, S (USA) 4 3-6 6-3 6-4 WILLIAMS, S (USA) 4 6-2 6-2 CORNET, A (FRA) 15

6-1 6-3 WOZNIACKI, C (DEN) 7-6(3) 6-2 DEMENTIEVA, E (RUS) 5

3-6 7-5 6-3 DEMENTIEVA, E (RUS) 5

7-5 6-4 BAMMER, S (AUT)

6-3 7-6(3) DEMENTIEVA, E (RUS) 5

2-6 6-1 7-5 SAFAROVA, L (CZE)

6-3 6-4 DEMENTIEVA, E (RUS) 5

6-1 6-4 WILLIAMS, V (USA) 7 6-3 6-2 WILLIAMS, V (USA) 7 6-2 6-2 AZARENKA, V (BLR) 12

6-4 7-5 KANEPI, K (EST) 4-6 6-2 6-0 LI, N (CHN) 6-2 7-5 LI, N (CHN)

7-6(3) 7-5 SAFINA, D (RUS) 6

5-7 7-5 6-4 KORYTTSEVA, M (UKR) 6-4 6-2 SAFAROVA, L (CZE) 6-2 4-6 6-4 BAMMER, S (AUT) 6-3 6-2 SCHNYDER, P (SUI) 13 6-2 6-0 ZVONAREVA, V (RUS) 9 6-3 5-7 6-0 PEER, S (ISR) 6-4 6-2 SCHIAVONE, F (ITA) 6-1 7-6(6) RADWANSKA, A (POL) 8 6-3 6-1 WILLIAMS, S (USA) 4 6-3 6-2 STOSUR, S (AUS) 7-5 7-6(2) PENG, S (CHN) 4-6 6-1 6-4 CORNET, A (FRA) 15 6-2 7-5 HANTUCHOVA, D (SVK) 10 6-4 6-1 WOZNIACKI, C (DEN) 6-2 6-1 ARVIDSSON, S (SWE) 6-1 6-4 DEMENTIEVA, E (RUS) 5 6-3 6-2 WILLIAMS, V (USA) 7 6-1 2-1 Retired BENESOVA, I (CZE) 6-3 6-4 DELLACQUA, C (AUS) 6-4 5-7 6-4 AZARENKA, V (BLR) 12 6-2 7-6(6) KANEPI, K (EST) 6-3 6-3 RAZZANO, V (FRA) 5-7 7-6(7) 6-4 MORITA, A (JPN) 7-6(5) 6-4 LI, N (CHN) 6-3 7-6(1) SAFINA, D (RUS) 6 6-1 6-1 MARTINEZ M (ESP) 2-6 6-3 7-5 LLAGOSTERA VIVES, N (ESP) 4-6 6-3 7-5 ZHENG, J (CHN) 6-1 7-5 CIBULKOVA, D (SVK) 16 6-3 6-4 PIRONKOVA, T (BUL) 3-6 0-1 Rtd. BONDARENKO, A (UKR) 6-3 6-3 JANKOVIC, J (SRB) 2

Semifinal

6-3 3-6 6-3 ZVONAREVA, V (RUS) 9

OBZILER, T (ISR) KORYTTSEVA, M (UKR) A ANI, M (EST) SAFAROVA, L (CZE) MEDINA GARRIGUES, A (ESP) BAMMER, S (AUT) CRAYBAS, J (USA) SCHNYDER, P (SUI) 13 ZVONAREVA, V (RUS) 9 YAN, Z (CHN) PEER, S (ISR) CIRSTEA, S (ROU) AMANMURADOVA, A (UZB) SCHIAVONE, F (ITA) WC CHAN, Y (TPE) RADWANSKA, A (POL) 8 WILLIAMS, S (USA) 4 GOVORTSOVA, O (BLR) STOSUR, S (AUS) ERRANI, S (ITA) PENG, S (CHN) SUAREZ NAVARRO, C (ESP) VAIDISOVA, N (CZE) CORNET, A (FRA) 15 HANTUCHOVA, D (SVK) 10 SUGIYAMA, A (JPN) WC SFAR, S (TUN) WOZNIACKI, C (DEN) WC TANASUGARN, T (THA) ARVIDSSON, S (SWE) BONDARENKO, K (UKR) DEMENTIEVA, E (RUS) 5 WILLIAMS, V (USA) 7 BACSINSZKY, T (SUI) MIRZA, S (IND) BENESOVA, I (CZE) DULKO, G (ARG) DELLACQUA, C (AUS) PEREBIYNIS, T (UKR) AZARENKA, V (BLR) 12 PENNETTA, F (ITA) 14 KANEPI, K (EST) DANIILIDOU, E (GRE) RAZZANO, V (FRA) WC MORITA, A (JPN) ERAKOVIC, M (NZL) LI, N (CHN) KUZNETSOVA, S (RUS) 3 SAFINA, D (RUS) 6 SANTANGELO, M (ITA) WC MOLIK, A (AUS) A MARTINEZ SANCHEZ, M (ESP) WC LLAGOSTERA VIVES, N (ESP) ZAKOPALOVA, K (CZE) ZHENG, J (CHN) SZAVAY, A (HUN) 11 CIBULKOVA, D (SVK) 16 PARMENTIER, P (FRA) DOMACHOWSKA, M (POL) PIRONKOVA, T (BUL) SEQUERA, M (VEN) BONDARENKO, A (UKR) WC BLACK, C (ZIM) JANKOVIC, J (SRB) 2

Quarterfinal

3-6 6-4 6-3 DEMENTIEVA, E (RUS) 5

A

3rd Round

7-5 7-5 LI, N (CHN)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64

2nd Round

7-6(3) 6-1 SAFINA, D (RUS) 6 6-4 6-3 SAFINA, D (RUS) 6 6-7(7) 6-1 6-4 ZHENG, J (CHN)

6-2 6-2 CIBULKOVA, D (SVK) 16 7-5 6-1 JANKOVIC, J (SRB) 2

6-2 5-7 6-3 SAFINA, D (RUS) 6

1st Round

7-5 6-1 JANKOVIC, J (SRB) 2

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ASIA’S BEST

Hyung-Taik Lee Asia’s No.1 player and Asian Games silver medallist, HyungTaik Lee hails from the small town of Hoingsung in South Korea. The winner of a tour event in Sydney in 2003, the 32 year old tennis player seems happy with the achievements but hasn’t given up on chasing some of his other goals.

In this interview with Advantage Tennis, Hyung-Taik Lee talks about his status as Asia’s No.1 player and life as a role model for Asian tennis.

You have been ranked Asia’s no.1 player for the past two years. How much does that mean to you?

Being ranked No.1 in Asia in the last few years means a lot to me and my country.

Now I have a stronger sense of responsibility to myself and my family. To the country, I’ve became a role model to the juniors. It seems that the juniors now have a visible goal to achieve what I have.

You have won one tour title in Sydney in 2003. What do you think your chances are of winning more tour titles before you retire?

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Frankly, in Sydney, I never thought I could win the tournament. From the qualifying round to the final, it was like a dream to me. I’m a person who tries to have positive thoughts all the time. I always remind myself that I’m not going to lose any match, even playing the challengers or slams, I keep trying my best. My answer is maybe yes, maybe no. But I believe something good could always happen if I keep trying

You have won a silver medal at the Asian Games in December 2006. Were you hopeful to win a medal for your country in Beijing this year?

physical factors, I remember. I don’t know in the near future, but someday.

When do you think we will have a Grand Slam singles winner from Asia?

First of all, there is a big gap between the Asian Games and Olympics. Of course I would have loved to have won a medal for my country. It is true that Olympics are in a higher level than Asian Games and tough to play, but on the other side, it is better for me to face familiar players who play on the tour and in the slams, I know their strengths and weakness. The Olympics is a individual match, but at the same time, all players represents their country. So, the Olympic meant a lot to me.

I would say it won’t be easy, but someday. Many Asians now go abroad to learn tennis. Michael Chang could be a nice role model to the Asians. Though he was American, he was of Chinese extraction. This is the reason why all Asians can dream of winning a slam. Yes! Someday!

Your highest ATP ranking has been no.

36 in August 2007 and you are currently ranked 101 in the world. Do you think you have a crack at the top 20?

Yes I think so. But this year, I think tennis has become popular not because of me but because of the new President. He is a big tennis fan.

Why not? Yes! Nobody knows what will happen. At the moment I’m maintaining good condition. I would have to say I’m still challenging, but it is not a question that I can assure or guarantee.

Your best performance in a Grand Slam is the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 2000. At 32 years of age, do you think you can improve upon that record before retirement?

I’ve reached the fourth round in the US Open in 2000 and 2007. I did not expect such a good result last year, but I can say I did my best. I would like to value more the last year than 2000 because I’ve won against higher ranked players in every round. Well, just like last year, winning against a higher ranked player is the reason why I still think I can achieve a better record.

Paradorn Srichaphan has been one of the most successful Asian no.1 players in the recent past. Do you think Asia can have another top 10 player in the near future?

In near future? Maybe Kei Nishikori. A large number of players keep challenging in the tour. Nobody expected Paradon would break into the top 10, he had excellent

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

my best and have a positive mind. I’m still challenging myself.

Has your position as Asia’s no.1 player popularized tennis as a sport in Korea?

What made you want to become a tennis player?

I loved sports. From the start, tennis was very interesting to me. The primary school I went to had no sports team at all, but the tennis team formed. It was a big surprise to a little boy who loved sports.

There are a very few players from Asia on the tour and even less Koreans on the tour. Do you feel lonely or do you have many friends on the tour?

No, I don’t have many friends on the tour.

Frankly, that’s the biggest part I feel the lack of loneliness. I hope more Asian players will come to participate on the tour so we could all be good friends and lean on each other.

Though players have different nationalities, I think still everybody could be helpful just because of being Asian.

Are you satisfied with your career so far?

Oh yes, very much! As a tennis player I’m very satisfied on the tour and for my country, I’m very proud of myself.

What do you plan to do after your retirement?

I’m planning to open a tennis academy in Korea. I would like to stand by the junior tennis in Korea, do my best to improve the standard of tennis in my country.

What do you enjoy apart from tennis?

Golf. Compare to tennis, golf is more mentally oriented sports, so I don’t need to put much physical strength. When I’m taking a rest and want to relax, I play golf. It is really good to be in the nature.

Do you think the standard of tennis in Asia is improving?

Has being Asia’s no.1 player changed your life in any way back home in Korea?

In general, my answer is no. I remember there were more tennis players in the past.

Nowadays, only few players are good. Now we have more players ranked in the top 100, but I think in average, the standard hasn’t improved.

Yes, more people seem to recognize me. It brought me many changes in attitudes.

Sometimes I have to look back am I doing the right thing or not. I am like a role model now for Asian tennis.

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

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CHENNAI OPEN 2008 It was easily the match of the decade in Chennai. For many it was easily the best match in the history of the ATP Tour event in India, dating as far back as 1996 in New Delhi.

When two supreme athletes like Carlos Moya and Rafael Nadal decide to play some of the best tennis of their brilliant career, the spectators would just be overwhelmed by the tremendous heat generated by the high quality contest.

Photo: GNN

Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in a victorious mood

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

The three-time French Open champion, Rafael Nadal saved four matchpoints to beat the former champion Carlos Moya 6-7(3), 7-6(8), 7-6(1) in the semifinal of the Chennai Open.

For the connoisseurs, it was a veritable final. For, simply, it could not get any better than this. It was a gripping four-hour battle, in which every point was contested as if the very existence of the two depended on it.

As one writer put it so beautifully, each shot was played in a relentless pursuit of excellence.

The intensity was too good to sustain for ever. It was the older of the two who felt the twitch of the aching muscle first. Moya’s game fell in the third set tie-break and Nadal ran up a 5-0 lead before gliding past the post.

However, there was nothing to distinguish between the winner and the vanquished. For, Nadal was left with little in the tank when the Spaniard locked horns with Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in the final.

It was as one-sided as it could get, as Nadal won a token game in two sets, in an anticlimactic final. In fact, Nadal won a mere 17 points in the whole match, that lasted 57 minutes, as he went through the motions in helping Youzhny to his maiden title.

It was a revelation to the tennis enthusiasts who could never believe that Nadal could be tired in a threeset match, to find him struggling on the face of exhaustion. He has a very physical game and when the body fails to stand up to the challenge, possibly owing to the tough weather, there is so little that Nadal can do in terms of cashing in on his tenacity. ‘’In the final, Rafa was not Rafa.

Today’s win was his present to me. He just couldn’t play. It is very difficult to come back after a match like that. Four match points, and so many emotions.

He played the final yesterday’’, was the gracious observation of Youzhny.

Nadal was equally appreciative of his opponent, as he said, ‘’I don’t like to put excuses. Mikhail played unbelievable’’.

The man who has been a nightmare

...there was nothing to distinguish between the winner and the vanquished.

For, Nadal was left with little in the tank when the Spaniard locked horns with Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in the final. to the 12-time Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer, even on his favourite grass at Wimbledon, Nadal admitted that he did not have the time to recover after the energy-sapping exercise the previous day, but was pleased with his overall good form at the start of the season.

Youzhny had not shown much trace of the champion material in him in the early part of the tournament, especially when he struggled past Eduard Roger Vasselin of France 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 in the second round. Perhaps he had not adjusted to the slow speed of the courts by then. ‘’I never thought that I would lose.

I could not maintain the level that I wanted to achieve’’, Youzhny said. He did achieve a fair degree of quality thereafter, like beating the defending champion Xavier Malisse of Belgium in straight sets in the quarterfinal, to eventually pocket the champion’s purse of $68,800 and more importantly gain 175 ATP points that would augur well for his ranking. ‘’The mistake I have made is not having converted both my final appearances into titles’’, Youzhny had said at the start of the tournament.

Nadal ensured that Youzhny would be third time lucky.

Among others, there was the Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, to lend firepower to the field, but he could not live up to his reputation. The Cypriot salvaged some pride by saving five matchpoints, before losing in straight sets to Robin Haase of the Netherlands, ranked an unflattering 114 on the ATP computer.

“I made a lot of mistakes and he served solid. It is just a question of

getting into rhythm’’, said Baghdatis, as he attempted to convince himself that he would be fine for the season and that the unexpected early ouster was just an aberration.

“He is a great player, and you have to play well against him’’, was the modest observation of Haase.

Wild card Prakash Amritraj, pretty happy to be back in the circuit after a corrective wrist surgery on his left hand, fought with all his heart but went down 3-6, 6-4, 6-7(8) to qualifier Alexandre Kudryavtsev of Russia.

When Kudyravtsev stretched Moya to three sets in the pre-quarterfinal, the disheartened Indian fans could understand the enormous task that Prakash had handled with such competence earlier.

The other Indian wild card, national grasscourt champion Vishnu Vardhan, had no answers to the game of Frenchman Eduard Roger Vasselin as he managed to gather three games.

None of the Indian players could make it even to the final round of the qualifying event. There is a lot of work to do for the Indian professionals before they can use an impressive platform like the Chennai Open to boost their career, the way Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi had done by winning their maiden Tour doubles title in 1997.

This time, the Thai twins, Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana won their second doubles title on the Tour, beating Baghdatis and Marc Gicquel 6-4, 7-5 in the final. The Thais had given a nightmare to Leander and Mahesh in the Asian Games doubles finals in December 2006, giving a fair hint of what they could achieve in the future.

Rohan Bopanna could have shown his doubles prowess to the Chennai fans, as he had done in the past, but he was busy with Sania Mirza in the more rewarding Hopman Cup mixed event in Australia.

Yet, once they had watched Moya and Nadal in such an outstanding combat, the Chennai fans did not have to watch anything else to whet their appetite.

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

45

CHENNAI OPEN 2008 MAIN DRAW SINGLES 31 December 2007 - 6 January 2008 1

NADAL, Rafael

ESP

2

MONTCOURT, Mathieu

FRA

3

RAM, Rajeev

USA

4

SCHUKIN, Yuri

RUS

5

PEYA, Alexander

AUT

6

GARCIA-LOPEZ, Guillermo

ESP

7

SALVA-VIDAL, Bartolome

ESP

8

ESCHAUER, Werner

AUT

9

MOYA, Carlos

ESP

10 GABASHVILI, Teimuraz

RUS

11 KUDRYAVTSEV, Alexandre

RUS

12 AMRITRAJ, Prakash

IND

13 NAVARRO, Ivan

ESP

14 SERRA, Florent

FRA

15 VLIEGEN, Kristof

BEL

16 GICQUEL, Marc

FRA

17 MELZER, Jurgen

AUT

18 CAPDEVILLE, Paul

CHI

19 MULLER, Gilles

LUX

20 MALISSE, Xavier

BEL

21 ROGER-VASSELIN, Edouard

FRA

22 VARDHAN, Vishnu

IND

23 VANEK, Jiri

CZE

24 YOUZHNY, Mikhail

RUS

25 MAHUT, Nicolas

FRA

26 GREMELMAYR, Denis

GER

27 CILIC, Marin

CRO

28 TROICKI, Viktor

SRB

29 ZOVKO, Lovro

CRO

30 ASCIONE, Thierry

FRA

31 HAASE, Robin

NED

32 BAGHDATIS, Marcos

CYP

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

R. NADAL [1] 6-2 6-4 R. NADAL [1] 6-2 6-1 R. RAM 7-6(6) 7-6(2) R. NADAL [1] 6-3 6-2 G. GARCIA-LOPEZ 6-4 6-4 G. GARCIA-LOPEZ 4-6 7-5 7-6(3) W. ESCHAUER [7] 7-6(3) 5-7 6-4 R. NADAL [1] 6-7(3) 7-6(8) 7-6(1) C. MOYA [3] 6-4 6-1 C. MOYA [3] 6-3 6-7(4) 6-2 A. KUDRYAVTSEV 6-3 4-6 7-6(8) C. MOYA [3] 6-3 6-4 F. SERRA 6-4 7-6(6) F. SERRA 7-5 4-6 7-6(3) K. VLIEGEN 7-6(5) 6-4

M. YOUZHNY [4] 6-0 6-1

J. MELZER [6] 6-2 6-4 X. MALISSE 7-6(3) 6-2 X. MALISSE 6-4 6-3 M. YOUZHNY [4] 6-4 6-4 E. ROGER-VASSELIN 6-1 6-2 M. YOUZHNY [4] 7-5 1-6 6-2 M. YOUZHNY [4] 6-3 6-2 M. YOUZHNY [4] 6-2 6-3 N. MAHUT [5] 6-3 6-3 M. CILIC 6-2 6-4 M. CILIC 3-6 7-6(6) 6-1 M. CILIC 4-6 6-2 6-3 L. ZOVKO 6-4 6-0 R. HAASE 6-1 7-5 R. HAASE 6-3 6-4

CHENNAI OPEN 2008 MAIN DRAW DOUBLES 31 December 2007 - 6 January 2008 1

ALLEGRO, Yves MAHUT, Nicolas

SUI FRA Y. ALLEGRO N. MAHUT [1]

2

3

HUSS, Stephen MARTIN, David

AUS USA

NADAL, Rafael SALVA-VIDAL, Bartolome

ESP ESP

M. BAGHDATIS M. GICQUEL 6-2 6-2 M. BAGHDATIS M. GICQUEL

4

BAGHDATIS, Marcos GICQUEL, Marc

CYP FRA

5

CIBULEC, Tomas ZOVKO, Lovro

CZE CRO

M. BAGHDATIS M. GICQUEL 6-7(2) 7-6(5) 10-8 H. LEVY R. RAM

6

7

LEVY, Harel RAM, Rajeev

ISR USA

KUNITSYN, Igor THOMAS, Jim

RUS USA

H. LEVY R. RAM 3-6 6-3 10-6 I. KUNITSYN J. THOMAS

8

9

MALISSE, Xavier MULLER, Gilles

BEL LUX

RATIWATANA, Sanchai RATIWATANA, Sonchat

THA THA

S. RATIWATANA S. RATIWATANA 6-4 7-5 S. RATIWATANA S. RATIWATANA

10 KUDRYAVTSEV, Alexandre YOUZHNY, Mikhail

RUS RUS

11 ESCHAUER, Werner GREMELMAYR, Denis

AUT GER

S. RATIWATANA S. RATIWATANA 4-6 7-5 10-3 J. MELZER A. PEYA [3]

12 MELZER, Jurgen PEYA, Alexander

AUT AUT

13 CILIC, Marin QURESHI, Aisam-Ul-Haq

CRO PAK

S. RATIWATANA S. RATIWATANA 2-6 6-2 10-4 M. CILIC A. QURESHI

14 GHOUSE, Mustafa RASTOGI, Karan

IND IND

15 AMRITRAJ, Stephen AMRITRAJ, Prakash

IND IND

M. CILIC A. QURESHI 6-1 7-5 J. LEVINSKY M. MERTINAK [2]

16 LEVINSKY, Jaroslav MERTINAK, Michal

CZE SVK

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47

Bangalore Open 2008 Photo: GNN

Serena Williams and Patty Schnyder with the winner and runner-up trophy respectively

I

n the brilliance of broad day light, you do not miss the stars. In the presence of the Williams sisters, who shone brightly in providing a world class fare, the absence of local star Sania Mirza did not hurt that much at the Bangalore Open.

With the tournament having been upgraded to a grade ‘II’ $600,000 event this year, it was a great chance for the 21-year-old Sania to give herself a considerable momentum for the season. For, after all, her only singles title on the WTA Tour had come at home in Hyderabad some time back.

Unfortunately, when Sania is around, it is not just the tennis that is in focus. She has been in the midst of a string of controversies and was perhaps in no mood to negotiate with the 48

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

organizers. Thus, on the advice of her promoter, Globosport, its boss Mahesh Bhupathi in particular, Sania opted to point a finger at the media and the controversies that had been chasing her as the reason to avoid playing at home, temporarily.

The reason as much as the decision hurt a lot of people who had been adoring her, but there is a limit to how much an energetic young girl, with the confidence of a world-beater, can handle pressure in public glare. It was no wonder that Sania wilted though it may have meant a heavy financial loss, as Sania commands a healthy figure in terms of appearance money, which at home could be on par with the best in the business. There is no doubt that she can make a tournament a success

and pull the crowds. She had proved it all along.

Well, the home-grown star was missing, but the organizers had little room to complain as the rest of the top professionals asserted their class.

Serena Williams may have played only the Australian Open before the Bangalore event, but she was indeed one of the favourites to clinch the title.

She proved the faith in her by racing to the title. She thus compensated for her absence last year after so much hype, in a much smaller tier ‘III’ tournament.

The multiple Grand Slam champion who had held all the Grand Slams at one stage, to be famously called the Serena Slam, stopped the Swiss lady Patty Schnyder 7-5, 6-3 in the final to

Photo: GNN

Peng and Sung with the doubles trophy

win the trophy that was worth $95,000.

It was not the money that mattered, but Serena was happy to have fulfilled her commitment in great style.

“Am glad to be here and thanks for all the support”, Serena said, quite jubilant to win a title after a long drought.

There was indeed a bit of drama in the second set after Schnyder went up 3-1, but Serena was too good to let the contest slip into a third set.

“I don’t know what happened. My concentration dipped. Against someone like Serena you just can’t afford it”, said Schnyder, quite pleased with her overall effort in a pretty strong field. She picked up a cheque for $51,000.

What won everyone’s approval was the semifinal between the Williams sisters. Serena put her nose ahead by taking the career win-loss record against her elder sister to 8-7. Venus had won their last meeting at the US Open in 2005.

Though she failed to serve out the match when placed 5-4 in the decider, Serena eventually prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(4).

“It was a hard fought match and I have to re-focus on the final’’, she said.

She did manage to re-focus so well, that Schnyder was left gasping for breath.

Schnyder had done her bit by stopping the unseeded Zi Yan of China in the semifinal, but lacked the sting in her game to tease Serena for long.

Schnyder had also stopped the gutsy run of Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(1) triumph.

Yan had done her confidence a world of good by knocking out the top-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in the quarterfinal.

“It was my fault that I lost. I couldn’t serve well in the third set’’, said Jankovic.

The friendly Amanmuradova, quite familiar with the Indian conditions, had stayed in focus by beating the defending champion Yaroslava Shvedova of Russia and the fifth-seeded Agnes Szavay of Hungary.

“It was tough to return her serves”, said Szavay, as she praised the big serves of Amanmuradova. It was some compliment in a tournament that featured the explosive serves of Venus.

Of course, everyone missed Sania Mirza, and so did both the Williams sisters.

“We have a lot of respect for her and her game. She is such a nice girl.

We hope to see her next time”, the sisters said about Sania’s absence from such a big tournament in India.

It was Sania’s bold game at the Australian Open in 2005 against the eventual champion Serena that had projected a positive image of the young Indian girl to the world, and gave her the confidence to jump up the rankings and stay long in the company of the top players of the world.

They did miss Sania, but the Williams were pleased with the Indian experience.

“It has been an incredible experience to receive so much warmth and affection from everyone. Love you Bangalore, Love you India”, the sisters said, while their dad Richard Williams vowed to return, to help the poor.

“I did see the struggle against poverty. We want to launch a programme to fight poverty. We want to go beyond tennis”, said Richard Williams.

If anything, the Williams sisters did disappoint as a pair as the Olympic doubles champions lost 7-5, 2-6, 9-11 to the third-seeded Shuai Peng and Tian Tian Sun of China, early in the tournament. It was no surprise that the Chinese went on to bag the doubles title, beating the top-seeded Yung Jan Chan and Chia Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei 6-4, 5-7, 10-8 in the final.

With wild cards Shikha Uberoi and Isha Lakhani struggling to make an impact, and hardly winning a handful of games each, there was little to speak in terms of an Indian challenge. The US-based Sunitha Rao, denied a wild card, despite being the best ranked Indian after Sania Mirza, did make the third and final round of the qualifying event, but bowed to Tian Tian Sun of China.

It was a tournament that will be remembered for the Williams sisters.

They did shine brilliantly, giving a glimpse of what it takes to be Grand Slam champions and good human beings.

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

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SONY ERICSSON INTERNATIONAL - BANGALORE OPEN 2008 MAIN DRAW SINGLES 3 - 9 March 2008 1

JANKOVIC, JELENA

SRB

2

BYE

3

CHAN, YUNG-JAN

TPE

4

MAMIC, SANDA

CRO

5

O’BRIEN, KATIE

GBR

6

SAVCHUK, OLGA

UKR

7

YAN, ZI

CHN

8

KIRILENKO, MARIA

RUS

9

SCHNYDER, PATTY

SUI

J. JANKOVIC [1] J. JANKOVIC [1] 6-2 6-2 S. MAMIC 6-2 6-2 Z. YAN 6-3 3-6 6-3 O. SAVCHUK 6-4 2-6 7-5 Z. YAN 6-2 6-1 Z. YAN 3-6 7-6 (7) 6-1 P. SCHNYDER [4] 6-3 6-4 P. SCHNYDER [4] 10 BYE 11 NAKAMURA, AIKO

JPN

12 TANASUGARN, TAMARINE

THA

13 AMANMURADOVA, AKGUL

UZB

14 SHVEDOVA, YAROSLAVA

RUS

15 UBEROI, SHIKHA

IND

16 SZAVAY, AGNES

HUN

17 BAMMER, SYBILLE

AUT

18 MORIGAMI, AKIKO

JPN

19 RODIONOVA, ANASTASIA

RUS

20 SUN, TIANTIAN

CHN

21 BACHMANN, ANGELIKA

GER

22 OBZILER, TZIPORA

ISR

P. SCHNYDER [4] 6-7(1) 6-4 6-2 A. NAKAMURA 6-7(5) 6-1 6-2 P. SCHNYDER [4] 4-6 6-4 7-6(1) A. AMANMURADOVA 6-3 3-6 6-3 A. AMANMURADOVA 4-6 7-6(4) 6-4 A. SZAVAY [5] 6-1 6-4

S. WILLIAMS [3] 7-5 6-3

S. BAMMER [6] 2-6 6-3 7-5 A. RODIONOVA 7-6(5) 6-2 A. RODIONOVA 4-6 7-6(2) 6-4 S. WILLIAMS [3] 6-1 6-4 T. OBZILER 6-2 6-3 S. WILLIAMS [3] 7-5 6-0

23 BYE S. WILLIAMS [3] 24 WILLIAMS, SERENA

USA

25 ZVONAREVA, VERA

RUS

26 NICULESCU, MONICA

ROU

27 LAKHANI, ISHA

IND

28 SZATMARI, AGNES

ROU

29 KREMER, ANNE

LUX

30 PENG, SHUAI

CHN

S. WILLIAMS [3] 6-3 3-6 7-6(4) V. ZVONAREVA [7] 4-6 6-3 6-1 V. ZVONAREVA [7] 7-6(5) 6-1 A. SZATMARI 6-2 6-2 V. WILLIAMS [2] 6-4 6-3 S. PENG 6-1 6-2 V. WILLIAMS [2] 6-2 6-7(6) 6-2

31 BYE V. WILLIAMS [2] 32 WILLIAMS, VENUS 50

US

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SONY ERICSSON INTERNATIONAL - BANGALORE OPEN 2008 MAIN DRAW DOUBLES 3 - 9 March 2008 1

CHAN, YUNG-JAN CHUANG, CHIA-JUNG TPE

TPE Y. CHAN C. CHUANG [1]

2

GAGLIARDI, EMMANUELLE SCHNYDER, PATTY

SUI SUI

3

MORITA, AYUMI NAMIGATA, JUNRI

JPN JPN

Y. CHAN C. CHUANG [1] 7-6(0) 6-3 A. MORITA J. NAMIGATA

4

5

BHAMBRI, ANKITA BHAMBRI, SANAA

IND IND

RODIONOVA, ANASTASIA SHVEDOVA, YAROSLAVA

RUS RUS

Y. CHAN C. CHUANG [1] 7-6(0) 6-3 A. RODIONOVA Y. SHVEDOVA [4]

6

ADAMCZAK, MONIQUE AUS RAO, SUNITHA IND

7

SZATMARI, AGNES VEDY, AURELIE

E. DZEHALEVICH M. NICULESCU 6-7(5) 6-3 10-8

ROU FRA E. DZEHALEVICH M. NICULESCU

8

9

DZEHALEVICH, EKATERINA NICULESCU, MONICA WILLIAMS, SERENA WILLIAMS, VENUS

BLR ROU S. PENG/T. SUN [3] 6-4 5-7 10-8

USA USA S. WILLIAMS V. WILLIAMS

10 EHRITT-VANC, ANDREEA TANASUGARN, TAMARINE

ROU THA

11 MANASIEVA, VESNA ZVONAREVA, VERA

RUS RUS

S. PENG T. SUN [3] 5-7 6-2 11-9 S. PENG T. SUN [3]

12 PENG, SHUAI SUN, TIANTIAN

CHN CHN

13 JI, CHUNMEI SUN, SHENGNAN

CHN CHN

S. PENG T. SUN [3] 6-3 6-2 C. JI S. SUN

14 BACHMANN, ANGELIKA FEYS, DEBBRICH

GER BEL

15 AMANMURADOVA, AKGUL SAVCHUK, OLGA

UZB UKR

C. JI S. SUN 6-3 7-5 A. AMANMURADOVA O. SAVCHUK

16 YAN, ZI ZHENG, JIE

CHN CHN

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Passing Shots with

Andy Roddick You have acknowledged and believe that Asia is a growing region for tennis.

Would you consider coming to play a tournament in India anytime in the near future?

Yes, I would love to go to India. I have never been there. But it is not so much about wanting to got to a place as it is about how a tournament fits into my schedule.

Tell us a little bit about your Foundation?

Well, I run a Foundation called the Andy Roddick Foundation.

The inspiration behind it was Andre Agassi. He has done such fantastic stuff for kids in Las Vegas. We have raised close to seven million dollars in charity already. I really enjoy working with my foundation.

You and Blake are currently the top players from the US. Do you think the golden era of American tennis is over?

No, I don’t think so. But I do think that it is a daunting task to follow the tennis generation that preceded us with players like Sampras, Agassi, Courier, Chang, that’s probably been the best generation of tennis from any county. It is tough act to follow.

We were in the Davis Cup final last year and we have got some top players, so I think we are still up there.

The inspiration behind it

What is your biggest flaw?

Do you think that an endorsement by People Magazine calling you ‘one of the Sexiest People Alive and the Sexiest Sportsman Alive’ adds to your market value?

You will have to ask someone who knows about that. I know more about backhands and forehands. But I guess anything that puts tennis in the sports pages but also on the mainstream pages can’t hurt the game.

(the Foundation) was Both photos: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

I am pretty impatient. I think that is what gets on people’s nerves. But I am working on it.

Andre Agassi. He has done such fantastic stuff for kids in Las Vegas. We have raised close to seven million dollars in charity already.

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53

His Father’s Son AN INTERVIEW WITH PRAKASH AMRITRAJ

Standing proudly with father Vijay Amritraj

Photo: Mohammad Shafiq/Metro Photographics

54

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

What was it like to reach your career best result, your first ATP final in Newport earlier this month?

It was a great stepping stone for me, and a real sign that I felt like I am working hard in the right direction. I work quite hard but have been bogged down with various injuries, including one that required a surgery after the US open last year. But this was a positive sign that really showed me that I am on the right path.

Do you feel that you are ready to break into the top – 100?

Had you focused on the doubles, you possibly could have got an entry with Rohan Bopanna in the Olympics. Do you aspire to represent India at the Olympics?

I believe, God willing, if I am able to stay healthy there is no reason why I can’t. I feel like my body and mind are in a good state. So I am definitely shooting for the top 100.

Absolutely. It is always my biggest pleasure and honour to represent my country. God willing, if I am healthy and continue my good form, I will hopefully be able to participate in the 2012 games.

Photo: Mohammad Shafiq/Metro Photographics

Do you think you missed a chance to win your maiden title against 35-yearold Fabrice Santoro?

Not at all. I feel that a lot of people underestimate Santoro, especially on this surface.

He is very strong on a low bouncing grass court, as he showed by winning the title last year as well. I did have my chances in both sets. But he gave me some encouraging words after the match as well, so I am looking forward to more opportunities like this in the future.

Is your father involved in your career?

He is greatly involved in my career. He is my coach and my guide, and is at tournaments with me whenever schedule permits.

How did it feel to beat your friend Bopanna in the quarterfinal?

Time was probably the biggest factor. I was playing good tennis last summer before I took on this wrist injury. So it was just a matter of time before my wrist was able to

Its not anything different. I have been playing for India since the day I was born. I may have played junior tournaments in the States, but I grew up with nothing but the aspiration to one day represent my country.

I’m big into movies. I watch a lot of films.

And am into music as well. My brother is an artist, writing and performing, so I am interested in music as well.

Not at all. Rohan was playing fantastic tennis and deserved to be in the quarters over Fish. He in fact, is a tougher opponent to play on the surface at hand. So it was by no means an easier task.

You seem to be playing the best tennis of your career. What did it take for you to regain your form after undergoing wrist surgery?

You spent your growing up years in the United States playing tennis. How different is your experience to be playing for India?

What do you enjoy apart from playing tennis?

Did Bopanna make your job easier by beating top seed Mardy Fish in the second round?

It was a very difficult situation as it was a good opportunity for both of us. It was also unfortunate as I feel we were both playing very good tennis, both worthy of making the semifinal. It was just some bad luck that had us meeting in the same quarter. But the match changed nothing, we had dinner before the match and did again after the match.

I can prepare myself for the coming year.

heal sufficiently and I felt like I was in the same rhythm that I had last summer. I finally started feeling good again just after wimbledon this year.

Would you like to stay associated with Indian tennis after you retire?

Is it difficult to live up to the expectations of being Vijay Amritraj’s son?

I naturally tend to put a lot of expectations on myself, so its not really any added pressure being my dad’s son. Its just the way things are. You can either look at it as a positive or a negative. And as an optimist, I definitely take it as a good thing.

What are your goals for the immediate future?

Since I feel I am in a good rhythm, my main goal is to keep working on my fitness and keep staying healthy. If I can maintain that,

Definitely. I feel like Indian tennis has given me a lot. And at the end of my career, I will definitely feel compelled to give back to the next generation.

With Leander and Mahesh reaching the twilight of their careers, where do you think Indian tennis is headed?

I think Indian tennis is looking very positive. Indians tend to mature a little later than say Europeans or Americans. But I feel like it is an exciting time for all of us now.

Rohan, Som Dev and myself are all starting to play good tennis, and we have a very strong junior coming up in Yuki Bhamri, so I feel Indian tennis has some very strong options for the future.

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2008 SONY ERICSSON ATP TOUR FINAL RESULTS WEEK NAME / LOCATION WINNER

WEEK NAME / LOCATION WINNER

WEEK NAME / LOCATION WINNER Photo: GNN

31 Dec 2007 Next Generation Adelaide International, Australia Singles: Llodra, M Doubles: Garcia / Melo

16 June 2008 Ordina Open, The Netherlands Singles: Ferrer, D Doubles: Ancic / Melzer 16 June 2008 The Nottingham Open, Nottingham, Great Britain Singles: Karlovic, I Doubles: Soares / Ullyett

31 Dec 2007 Qatar ExxonMobil Open, Qatar Singles: Murray, A Doubles: Kohlschreiber / Skoch

24 June 2008 Wimbledon, Great Britain Singles: Nadal, R Doubles: Nestor / Zimonjic

31 Dec 2007 Chennai Open, Chennai, India Singles: Youzhny, M Doubles: Ratiwatana / Ratiwatana

7 July 2008 Mercedes Cup, Germany Singles: Del Potro, J Doubles: Kas / Kohlschreiber

7 Jan 2008 Heineken Open, New Zealand Singles: Kohlschreiber, P Doubles: Horna / Monaco

7 July 2008 Allianz Suisse Open, Gstaad, Switzerland Singles: Hanescu, V Doubles: Levinsky / Polasek

7 Jan 2008 Medibank International, Sydney, Australia Singles: Tursunov, D Doubles: Gasquet / Tsonga

7 July 2008 Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, Newport, U.S.A. Singles: Santoro, F Doubles: Fish / Isner

7 Jan 2008 Australian Open, Australia Singles: Djokovic, N Doubles: Erlich / Ram 28 Jan 2008 Movistar Open, Chile Singles: Gonzalez, F Doubles: Acasuso / Prieto

Novak Djokovic

7 July 2008 Catella Swedish Open, Sweden Singles: Robredo, T Doubles: Bjorkman / Soderling

11 Feb 2008 Open 13, Marseille, France Singles: Murray, A Doubles: Damm / Vizner

14 Apr 2008 Open de Tenis Comunidad Valenciana, Valencia, Spain Singles: Ferrer, D Doubles: Gonzalez / Monaco

14 July 2008 Austrian Open, Kitzbuhel, Austria Singles: Del Potro Doubles: Cerretani / Hanescu

11 Feb 2008 Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, Delray Beach, FL, USA Singles: Nishikori, K Doubles: Mirnyi / Murray

14 Apr 2008 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, Houston, TX, U.S.A. Singles: Granollers, M Doubles: Gulbis / Schuettler

11 Feb 2008 Brasil Open, Brazil Singles: Almagro, N Doubles: Melo / Sa

21 Apr 2008 Masters Series Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo, Monaco Singles: Nadal, R Doubles: Nadal / Robredo

14 July 2008 Dutch Open Tennis, Amersfoort, The Netherlands Singles: Montanes, Albert Doubles: Cermak / Wassen

18 Feb 2008 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Singles: Llodra, M Doubles: Berdych / Tursunov 18 Feb 2008 SAP Open, San Jose, CA, USA Singles: Roddick, A Doubles: Lipsky / Martin 18 Feb 2008 Copa Telemex International Series, Buenos Aires, Argentina Singles: Nalbandian, D Doubles: Calleri / Horna 25 Feb 2008 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, Memphis, TN, U.S.A. Singles: Darcis, S Doubles: Bhupathi / Knowles 25 Feb 2008 Abierto Mexcicano Telcel, Acapulco, Mexico Singles: Almagro, N Doubles: Marach / Mertinak 25 Feb 2008 PBZ Zagreb Indoors International Series, Zagreb, Croatia Singles: Stakhovsky, S Doubles: Hanley / Kerr 3 Mar 2008 Dubai Tennis Championships, Dubai, U.A.E. Singles: Roddick, A Doubles: Bhupathi / Knowles 3 Mar 2008 Tennis Channel Open, Las Vegas, NV, U.S.A Singles: Querrey, S Doubles: Benneteau / Llodra

28 Apr 2008 Open Sabadell Atlรกntico 2008, Barcelona, Spain Singles: Nadal, R Doubles: Bryan / Bryan 28 Apr 2008 BMW Open, Munich, Germany Singles: Gonzalez, F Doubles: Berrer / Schuettler 5 May 2008 Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy Singles: Djokovic, N Doubles: Bryan / Bryan 12 May 2008 Masters Series Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany Singles: Nadal, R Doubles: Nestor / Zimonjic

21July 2008 Rogers Cup, Canada Singles: Nadal, Rafael Doubles: Nestor / Zimonjic 28 July 2008 Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A. Singles: Murray, Andy Doubles: Bryan / Bryan 4 Aug 2008 Countrywide Classic, Los Angeles, CA, USA Singles: Del Potro, Juan Martin Doubles: Bopanna / Butorac

19 May 2008 Grand Prix Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco Singles: Simon, G Doubles: Montanes / Ventura

11 Aug 2008 Beijing Olympics, China Singles: Nadal, Rafael Doubles: Federer / Wawrinka

19 May 2008 World Team Championship, Germany 26 May 2008 Roland Garros, France Singles: Nadal, R Doubles: Cuevas / Horna

10-17 Mar 2008 Pacific Life Open, CA, USA Singles: Djokovic, N Doubles: Erlich / Ram 24-31 Mar 2008 Sony Ericsson Open, Miami, FL, USA Singles: Davydenko, N Doubles: Bryan / Bryan

9 June 2008 Orange Warsaw Open, Poland Singles: Davydenko, N Doubles: Fyrstenberg / Matkowski

14 Apr 2008 Estoril Open, Estoril, Portugal Singles: Federer, R Doubles: Coetzee / Moodie

9 June 2008 Gerry Weber Open, Germany Singles: Federer, R Doubles: Youzhny / Zverev

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

14 July 2008 ATP Studena Croatia Open, Umag, Croatia Singles: Verdasco, Fernando Doubles: Mertinak / Pala

19 May 2008 The Hypo Group Tennis International, Poertschach, Austria Singles: Davydenko, N Doubles: Melo / Sa

9 June 2008 The Artois Championships, London / Queen's Club, Great Britain Singles: Nadal, R Doubles: Nestor / Zimonjic

56

14 July 2008 Indianapolis Tennis Championships, Indianapolis, IN, U.S.A. Singles: Simon, Gilles Doubles: Fisher / Phillips

10 Aug 2008 Legg Mason Tennis Classic, Washington, DC, USA Singles: Del Potro, Juan Martin Doubles: Gicquel / Lindstedt 17 Aug 2008 Pilot Pen Tennis, New Haven, CT, U.S.A. Singles: Cilic, Marin Doubles: Melo / Sa 25 Aug 2008 US Open, US Open, NY, U.S.A. Singels: Federer, Roger Doubles: Bryan / Bryan 8 Sep 2008 BCR Open Romania, Bucharest, Romania Singles: Simon, Gilles Doubles: Devilder / Mathieu

2008 SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR FINAL RESULTS WEEK NAME / LOCATION WINNER

WEEK NAME / LOCATION WINNER

WEEK NAME / LOCATION WINNER Photo: GNN

31 Dec 2007 Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts, Gold Coast, AUS Singles: Li Na (CHN) Doubles: Safina / Szavay (RUS / HUN)

Singles: Maria Kirilenko (RUS) Doubles: Dominguez / Parra (ESP / ESP) 16 Jun 2008 International Women's Open, Eastbourne, GBR Singles: Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) Doubles: Black / Huber (ZIM / USA)

31 Dec 2007 ASB Classic, Auckland, NZL Singles: Lindsay Davenport (USA) Doubles: Koryttseva / Osterloh (UKR / USA)

16 Jun 2008 Ordina Open, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, NED Singles: Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) Doubles: Erakovic / Krajicek (NZL / NED)

7 Jan 2008 Medibank International, Sydney, AUS Singles: Justine Henin (BEL) Doubles: Yan / Zheng (CHN / CHN)

23 Jun 2008 The Championships, Wimbledon, London, GBR Singles: Venus Williams (USA) Doubles: S. Willams / V.Williams

7 Jan 2008 Moorilla Hobart International, Hobart, AUS Singles: Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) Doubles: Medina / Ruano (ESP / ESP) 14 Jan 2008 Australian Open, Melbourne, AUS Singles: Maria Sharapova (RUS) Doubles: A. Bondarenko / K. Bondarenko (UKR / UKR) 4 Feb 2008 Open Gaz de France, Paris, FRA Singles: Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) Doubles: Bondarenko / Bondarenko (UKR) 4 Feb 2008 Pattaya Women's Open, Pattaya City, THA Singles: Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) Doubles: Chan / Chuang (TPE / TPE) 11 Feb 2008 Proximus Diamond Games, Antwerp, BEL Singles: Justine Henin (BEL) Doubles: Black / Huber (ZIM / USA) 11 Feb 2008 Cachantun Cup, Vina del Mar, CHI Singles: Flavia Pennetta (ITA) Doubles: Dekmeijere / Rosolska (LAT / POL) 18 Feb 2008 Qatar Total Open, Doha, QAT Singles: Maria Sharapova (RUS) Doubles: Peschke / Stubbs (CZE / AUS) 18 Feb 2008 Copa Colsanitas Santander, Bogota, COL Singles: Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) Doubles: Benesova / Mattek (CZE / USA) 25 Feb 2008 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, Dubai, UAE Singles: Elena Dementieva (RUS) Doubles: Black / Huber (ZIM / USA) 25 Feb 2008 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships & The Cellular South Cup, Memphis, TN, USA Singles: Lindsay Davenport (USA) Doubles: Davenport / Raymond (USA) 25 Feb 2008 Abierto Mexicano TELCEL presented by HSBC, Acapulco, MEX Singles: Flavia Pennetta (ITA) Doubles: Llagostera / Martinez (ESP / ESP) 3 March 2008 Canara Bank Bangalore Open’08, Bangalore, IND Singles: Serena Williams (USA) Doubles: Peng / Sun (CHN / CHN) 10 Mar 2008 Pacific Life Open, Indian Wells, CA, USA Singles: Ana Ivanovic (SRB) Doubles: Safina / Vesnina (RUS / RUS)

Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova

7 Jul 2008 Gaz de France Grand Prix, Budapest, HUN Singles: Aliza Cornet (FRA) Doubles: Cornet / Husarova (FRA / SVK)

24 Mar 2008 Sony Ericsson Open, Miami, USA Singles: Serena Williams (USA) Doubles: Srebotnik / Sugiyama (SLO / JPN)

7 Jul 2008 Internazionali Femminili di Tennis di Palermo, Palermo - ITA Singles: Sara Errani (ITA) Doubles: Errani / Llagostera (ITA / ESP)

7 Apr 2008 Bausch & Lomb Championships, Amelia Island, FL, USA Singles: Maria Sharapova (RUS) Doubles: Mattek / Uhlirova (USA / CZE)

14 Jul 2008 Bank of the West Classic, Stanford, U.S.A. Singles: Aleksandra Wozniak Doubles: Black/Huber

14 Apr 2008 Family Circle Cup, Charleston, USA Singles: Serena Williams (USA) Doubles: Srebotnik / Sugiyama (SLO / JPN)

14 Jul 2008 Gastein Ladies, Bad Gastein, AUT Singles: Pauline Parmentier Doubles: Hlavackova/Hradecka

23 Apr 2008 Estoril Open, Estoril, POR Singles: Maria Kirilenko (RUS) Doubles: Kirilenko / Pennetta (RUS / ITA)

21 Jul 2008 East West Bank Classic, Los Angeles, U.S.A. Singles: Dinara Safina Doubles: Chan/Chuang

28 Apr 2008 ECM Prague Open, Prague, CZE Singles: Vera Zvonareva (RUS) Doubles: Hlavackova / Hradecka (CZE / CZE) 28 Apr 2008 Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Fes, MAR Singles: Gisela Dulko (ARG) Doubles: Cirstea / Pavlyuchenkova (ROU / RUS) 5 May 2008 Qatar Telecom German Open, Berlin, GER Singles: Dinara Safina (RUS) Doubles: Black / Huber (ZIM / USA) 12 May 2008 Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, ITA Singles: Jelena Jankovic (SRB) Doubles: Chan/Chuang (TPE/TPE) d. Benesova/ Husarova (CZE/SVK) 76(5) 63 19 May 2008 Internationaux de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, FRA Singles: Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) Doubles: Perebiynis / Yan (UKR / CHN) 19 May 2008 Istanbul Cup, Istanbul, TUR Singles: Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) Doubles: Craybas / Govortsova (USA / BLR) 26 May 2008 Roland Garros, Paris, FRA Singles: Ana Ivanovic (SRB) Doubles: Medina / Ruano (ESP / ESP) 9 June 2008 DFS Classic, Birmingham, GBR Singles: Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) Doubles: Black / Huber (ZIM / USA) 9 June 2008 Barcelona KIA, Barcelona, ESP

21 Jul 2008 Banka Koper Slovenia Open, Portoroz, SLO Singles: Sara Errani Doubles: Medina Garrigues/Ruano Pascual 28 Jul 2008 Rogers Cup, Montreal, CAN Singles: Dinara Safina Doubles: Black/Huber 28 Jul 2008 Nordea Nordic Light Open, Stockholm, SWE Singles: Caroline Wozniacki Doubles: Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova 11 Aug 2008 Olympic Tennis Event, Beijing, CHN Singles: Elena Dementieva Doubles: Williams/Williams 11 Aug 2008 Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open, Cincinnati, OH, U.S.A. Singles: Nadia Petrova Doubles: Kirilenko/Petrova 18 Aug 2008 Pilot Pen Tennis, New Haven, U.S.A. Singles: Caroline Wozniacki Doubles: Peschke/Raymond 18 Aug 2008 Forest Hills Tennis Classic, Forest Hills, New York, U.S.A. Singles: Lucie Safarova 25 Aug 2008 US Open, Flushing Meadows, New York, U.S.A. Singles: Serena Williams Doubles: Black/Huber Mixed Doubles: Black/Paes

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

57

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

ATP RANKINGS (As on 8 September 2008)

Andy Murray

Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor

SINGLES RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 58

NAME/COUNTRY Nadal, Rafael (ESP) Federer, Roger (SUI) Djokovic, Novak (SRB) Murray, Andy (GBR) Ferrer, David (ESP) Davydenko, Nikolay (RUS) Nalbandian, David (ARG) Roddick, Andy (USA) Gonzalez, Fernando (CHI) Wawrinka, Stanislas (SUI) Blake, James (USA) Gasquet, Richard (FRA) Del Potro, Juan Martin (ARG) Karlovic, Ivo (CRO) Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) Robredo, Tommy (ESP) Simon, Gilles (FRA) Almagro, Nicolas (ESP) Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA) Andreev, Igor (RUS) Kiefer, Nicolas (GER) Youzhny, Mikhail (RUS) Cilic, Marin (CRO) Fish, Mardy (USA) Mathieu, Paul-Henri (FRA) Tursunov, Dmitry (RUS) Monfils, Gael (FRA) Berdych, Tomas (CZE) Seppi, Andreas (ITA) Stepanek, Radek (CZE) Ancic, Mario (CRO) Kohlschreiber, Philipp (GER) Nieminen, Jarkko (FIN) Soderling, Robin (SWE) Schuettler, Rainer (GER) Llodra, Michael (FRA) Gicquel, Marc (FRA) Lopez, Feliciano (ESP) Safin, Marat (RUS) Querrey, Sam (USA) Melzer, Jurgen (AUT) Baghdatis, Marcos (CYP) Tipsarevic, Janko (SRB) Monaco, Juan (ARG) Bolelli, Simone (ITA) Ljubicic, Ivan (CRO) Ferrero, Juan Carlos (ESP) Gulbis, Ernests (LAT) Calleri, Agustin (ARG) Hanescu, Victor (ROU)

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

DOUBLES POINTS

RANK

7000 5930 4855 3040 2490 2400 1975 1845 1760 1670 1650 1565 1518 1475 1440 1435 1390 1305 1265 1260 1195 1190 1185 1170 1125 1123 1113 1065 1060 1046 1030 1015 1000 965 939 911 884 875 865 861 854 835 825 825 810 795 775 769 745 739

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

NAME/COUNTRY Bryan, Bob (USA) Bryan, Mike (USA) Nestor, Daniel (CAN) Zimonjic, Nenad (SRB) Knowles, Mark (BAH) Erlich, Jonathan (ISR) Ram, Andy (ISR) Paes, Leander (IND) Ullyett, Kevin (ZIM) Bjorkman, Jonas (SWE) Bhupathi, Mahesh (IND) Dlouhy, Lukas (CZE) Coetzee, Jeff (RSA) Aspelin, Simon (SWE) Knowle, Julian (AUT) Horna, Luis (PER) Vizner, Pavel (CZE) Fyrstenberg, Mariusz (POL) Matkowski, Marcin (POL) Llodra, Michael (FRA) Lindstedt, Robert (SWE) Moodie, Wesley (RSA) Melo, Marcelo (BRA) Cuevas, Pablo (URU) Kas, Christopher (GER) Clement, Arnaud (FRA) Kerr, Jordan (AUS) Sa, Andre (BRA) Damm, Martin (CZE) Mirnyi, Max (BLR) Hanley, Paul (AUS) Soares, Bruno (BRA) Murray, Jamie (GBR) Cermak, Frantisek (CZE) Wassen, Rogier (NED) Melzer, Jurgen (AUT) Tursunov, Dmitry (RUS) Vemic, Dusan (SRB) Robredo, Tommy (ESP) Mertinak, Michal (SVK) De Voest, Rik (RSA) Ventura, Santiago (ESP) Polasek, Filip (SVK) Granollers, Marcel (ESP) Roitman, Sergio (ARG) Gicquel, Marc (FRA) Petzschner, Philipp (GER) Fisher, Ashley (AUS) Benneteau, Julien (FRA) Arnold Ker, Lucas (ARG)

POINTS 5825 5825 5635 5045 3405 3030 3030 2860 2750 2740 2680 2589 2135 2080 2040 1958 1955 1955 1955 1875 1860 1845 1735 1733 1730 1725 1705 1690 1650 1600 1600 1559 1455 1445 1340 1328 1225 1224 1215 1199 1185 1184 1143 1139 1111 1110 1096 1081 1070 1067

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

WTA RANKINGS (As on 8 September 2008)

Venus Williams

Venus and Serena Williams

SINGLES RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

NAME/COUNTRY Williams, Serena (USA) Jankovic, Jelena (SRB) Ivanovic, Ana (SRB) Dementieva, Elena (RUS) Safina, Dinara (RUS) Sharapova, Maria (RUS) Kuznetsova, Svetlana (RUS) Williams, Venus (USA) Zvonareva, Vera (RUS) Radwanska, Agnieszka (Pol) Hantuchova, Daniela (SVK) Chakvetadze, Anna (RUS) Schnyder, Patty (SUI) Bartoli, Marion (FRA) Azarenka, Victoria (BLR) Pennetta, Flavia (ITA) Wozniacki, CaroliNE (DEN) Cornet, Alize (FRA) Szavay, Agnes (HUN) Cibulkova, Dominika (SVK) Davenport, Lindsay (USA) Petrova, Nadia (RUS) Vaidisova, Nicole (CZE) Mauresmo, Amelie (FRA) Bammer, Sybille (AUT) Srebotnik, Katarina (SLO) Kirilenko, Maria (RUS) Schiavone, Francesca (ITA) Medina Garrigues, Anabel (ESP) Bondarenko, Alona (UKR) Sugiyama, Ai (JPN) Li, Na (CHN) Zheng, Jie (CHN) Kleybanova, Alisa (RUS) Peer, Shahar (ISR) Golovin, Tatiana (FRA) Razzano, Virginie (FRA) Tanasugarn, Tamarine (THA) Kanepi, Kaia (EST) Peng, Shuai (CHN) Errani, Sara (ITA) Wozniak, Aleksandra (CAN) Benesova, Iveta (CZE) Mattek, Bethanie (USA) Cirstea, Sorana (ROU) Dulko, Gisela (ARG) Govortsova, Olga (BLR) Dellacqua, Casey (AUS) Suarez Navarro, Carla (ESP) Pironkova, Tsvetana (BUL)

DOUBLES POINTS

RANK

4091 3965 3532 3430 3357 3041 2571 2386 2087 2076 1847 1782 1702 1635 1543 1525 1483 1384 1299 1232 1205 1181 1142 1111 1062 1052 1030 981 971 946 941 935 850 846 812 808 771 752 735 705 701 698 680 655 653 651 645 641 605 603

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

NAME/COUNTRY

POINTS

Black, Cara (ZIM) Huber, Liezel (USA) Sugiyama, Ai (JPN) Peschke, Kveta (CZE) Stubbs, Rennae (AUS) Srebotnik, Katarina (SLO) Medina Garrigues, Anabel (ESP) Ruano Pascual, Virginia (ESP) Raymond, Lisa (USA) Azarenka, Victoria (BLR) Bondarenko, Kateryna (UKR) Bondarenko, Alona (UKR) Chuang, Chia-jung (TPE) Yan, Zi (CHN) Chan, Yung-jan (TPE) Zheng, Jie (CHN) Peer, Shahar (ISR) Stosur, Samantha (AUS) Vesnina, Elena (RUS) Safina, Dinara (RUS) Benesova, Iveta (CZE) Peng, Shuai (CHN) Sun, Tiantian (CHN) Dellacqua, Casey (AUS) Uhlirova, Vladimira (CZE) Schiavone, Francesca (ITA) Mattek, Bethanie (USA) Husarova, Janette (SVK) Williams, Venus (USA) Poutchek, Tatiana (BLR) Martinez Sanchez, Maria Jose (ESP) Llagostera Vives, Nuria (ESP) Williams, Serena (USA) Pennetta, Flavia (ITA) Voskoboeva, Galina (RUS) Rodionova, Anastasia (RUS) Niculescu, Monica (ROU) Kirilenko, Maria (RUS) King, Vania (USA) Zvonareva, Vera (RUS) Dechy, Nathalie (FRA) Kudryavtseva, Alla (RUS) Kops-jones, Raquel (USA) Mirza, Sania (IND) Koryttseva, Mariya (UKR) Rosolska, Alicja (POL) Likhovtseva, Elena (RUS) Voracova, Renata (CZE) Hradecka, Lucie (CZE) Perebiynis, Tatiana (UKR) Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

5190 5190 3065 3050 2865 2860 2800 2790 2745 2532 2500 2490 2380 2355 2320 2021 1914 1812 1780 1780 1625 1605 1500 1489 1435 1434 1430 1418 1385 1370 1344 1336 1320 1299 1215 1075 1015 1004 975 973 966 965 963 949 916 900 882 880 855 855 59

ATP / WTA TOURS CALENDAR 2008 SONY ERICSSON WTA TOUR

ATP TOUR Dec 31, 2007 Jan 14, 2008 Feb 4, 2008 Feb 11, 2008 Feb 18, 2008 Feb 25, 2008 Mar 3, 2008 Mar 10, 2008 Mar 17, 2008 Mar 24, 2008 Mar 31, 2008 Apr 7, 2008 Aar 14, 2008 Aar 21, 2008 Apr 28, 2008 May 5, 2008 May 12, 2008 May 19, 2008 May 26, 2008 June 2, 2008 June 9, 2008 June 16, 2008 June 24, 2008 June 30, 2008 July 7, 2008 July 14, 2008 July 21, 2008 July 28, 2008 Aug 4, 2008 Aug 11, 2008 Aug 18, 2008 Aug 25, 2008 Sept 1, 2008 Sept 8, 2008 Sept 15, 2008 Sept 22, 2008 Sept 29, 2008 Oct 6, 2008 Oct 13, 2008 Oct 20, 2008 Oct 27, 2008 Nov 10, 2008 Nov 24, 2008

Qatar / Doha / Adelaide / Chennai / Sydney / Auckland Australian / Vina del Mar Davis Cup Costa do Sauipe / Marseille / Delray Beach Rotterdam / Buenos Aires / San Jose Acapulco / Memphis / Zagreb Dubai / Las Vegas Indian Wells Indian Wells Miami Miami Davis Cup II* Estoril / Valencia / Houston Monte-Carlo Barcelona / Munich Masters Series – Rome Masters Series – Hamburg Dusseldorf / Pörtschach France France Halle / Queens, London / Warsaw ‘s-Hertogenbosch / Nottingham Wimbledon Wimbledon Stuttgart / Bastad / Newport / Gstaad Kitzbühel / Umag / Amersfoort / Indianapolis Toronto Cincinnati Los Angeles Washington New Haven US Open, New York US Open, New York Bucharest Davis Cup III Bangkok / China / Beijing Tokyo / Metz / Bangalore Vienna / Moscow / Stockholm ATP Masters, Madrid Basel / St. Petersburg / Lyon ATP Masters, Paris Shanghai Davis Cup

Dec 31, 2007 Jan 7, 2008 Jan 14, 2008 Jan 21, 2008 Feb 4, 2008 Feb 11, 2008 Feb 18, 2008 Feb 25, 2008 Mar 3, 2008 Mar 10, 2008 Mar 17, 2008 Mar 24, 2008 Mar 31, 2008 Apr 7, 2008 Apr 14, 2008 Apr 21, 2008 Apr 28, 2008 May 5 , 2008 May 12, 2008 May 19, 2008 May 19, 2008 May 26, 2008 Jun 2, 2008 Jun 9, 2008 Jun 16, 2008 Jun 23, 2008 Jun 30, 2008 Jul 7, 2008 Jul 14, 2008 Jul 21, 2008 Jul 28, 2008 Aug 11, 2008 Aug 18, 2008 Aug 25, 2008 Sep 1, 2008 Sep 8, 2008 Sep 15, 2008 Sep 22, 2008 Sep 29, 2008 Oct 6, 2008 Oct 13, 2008 Oct 20, 2008 Oct 27, 2008 Nov 3, 2008

Gold Coast, AUS / Auckland, NZL Sydney, AUS / Hobart, AUS Australian Open, Melbourne, AUS Australian Open, Melbourne, AUS Paris, FRA / Pattaya City, THA Antwerp, BEL / Viña del Mar, CHI Doha, QAT / Bogota, COL Dubai, UAE / Acapulco, MEX / Memphis, TNUSA Bangalore, IND Indian Wells, CAUSA Indian Wells, CAUSA Miami, FLUSA Miami, FLUSA Amelia Island, FLUSA Charleston, SCUSA / Estoril, POR Fed Cup Fes, Morocco / Prague, CZE Berlin, GER Rome, ITA Istanbul, TUR Strasbourg, FRA Roland Garros, Paris, FRA Roland Garros, Paris, FRA Birmingham, GBR / Barcelona, ESP Eastbourne, GBR / ‘s-Hertogenbosch, NED Wimbledon, GBR WimbledonGBR Budapest, HUN / Palermo, ITA Stanford, CAUSA / Bad Gastein, AUT Los Angeles, CAUSA / Portoroz, SLO Montreal, CAN / Stockholm, SWE Beijing, CHN / Cincinnati, OHUSA New Haven, CTUSA / Forest Hills, NYUSA US Open, Flushing Meadows, NYUSA US Open, Flushing Meadows, NYUSA Fed Cup Final / BaliI, NA Tokyo, JPN / Guangzhou, CHN Beijing, CHN / Seoul, KOR Stuttgart, GER / Tokyo, JPN / Tashkent, UZB Moscow, RUS/ Mumbai, IND Zurich, SUI Linz, AUT / Luxembourg, LUX Quebec City, CAN Doha, QAT

Photo: GNN

60

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

ASIAN TOUR CALENDAR 2008 WOMEN

MEN DATE 31 Dec - 6 Jan 31 Dec- 6 Jan 3 Mar - 9 Mar 15 Sep - 21 Sep 15 Sep - 21 Sep 22 Sep - 28 Sep 29 Sep - 5 Oct 10 Nov - 16 Nov

TOURNAMENT/CITY Doha Chennai Dubai Mumbai Beijing Bangkok Tokyo Asia Hopman Cup

COUNTRY Qatar India UAE India China Thailand Japan

CHALLENGER 28 Jan - 3 Feb 3 Mar - 9 Mar 14 Apr - 20 Apr 6 Oct - 12 Oct 20 Oct - 26 Oct 27 Oct - 2 Nov 17 Nov - 23 Nov 17 Nov - 23 Nov

Seoul Busan Yokohama Toyota

COUNTRY China Japan S. Korea LIB Korea S. Korea Japan Japan

14 Jan - 20 Jan 21 Jan - 27 Jan 11 Feb - 17 Feb 18 Feb - 24 Feb 18 Feb - 24 Feb 25 Feb - 3 Mar 25 Feb - 3 Mar 17 Mar - 23 Mar 17 Mar - 23 Mar 24 Mar - 30 Mar 24 Mar - 30 Mar 31 Mar - 6 Apr 31 Mar - 6 Apr 14 Apr - 20 Apr 21 Apr - 27 Apr 21 Apr - 27 Apr 21 Apr - 27 Apr 5 May - 11 May 5 May - 11 May 12 May - 18 May 19 May - 25 May 19 May - 25 May 19 May - 25 May 9 Jun - 15 Jun 16 Jun - 22 Jun 16 Jun - 22 Jun 16 Jun - 22 Jun 7 Jul - 13 Jul 14 Jul - 20 Jul 21 Jul - 27 Jul 8 Sep - 14 Sep 8 Sep - 14 Sep 13 Oct - 19 Oct 13 Oct - 19 Oct

FUTURES F1 Futures F1 Futures Bangkok F1 Futures Bangkok F1 Futures Calcutta F2 Futures Bangkok F1 Futures Delhi F2 Futures F2 Futures F3 Futures F2 Futures F3 Futures F2 Futures F3 Futures F2 Futures F2 Futures F2 Futures F2 Futures Fergana F2 Futures F2 Futures Fergana F2 Futures Kuwait F1 Futures F2 Futures Kuwait F1 Futures F3 Futures F3 Futures F3 Futures F3 Futures Almaty F2 Futures Almaty F2 Futures Almaty F2 Futures F3 Futures F3 Futures F3 Futures F3 Futures

COUNTRY China China Thailand Thailand India Thailand India India Japan India Japan India Japan China China Korea Korea Uzbekistan Korea Uzbekistan Kuwait Korea Kuwait Japan Japan Japan Japan Kazakhistan Kazakhistan Kazakhistan Japan Japan Japan Japan

Kyoto Busan

3-Mar

10-Mar 17-Mar 21-Apr 21 Apr 28-Apr 28 Apr 28-Apr 28 Apr 5-May 5 May 5 May 5-May 5 May 12-May 12-May 12 May 19-May 19-May 26-May 26-May 2-Jun 9-Jun 16-Jun 7-Jul 7-Jul 14-Jul 28-Jul 28-Jul 4-Aug 18-Aug 25-Aug 25 Aug 1-Sep 8-Sep 15-Sep 15-Sep 13-Oct 20-Oct 27-Oct 27-Oct 27 Oct 24-Nov

TOURNAMENT/CITY Bangalore

COUNTRY INDIA

CIRCUIT

COUNTRY India India Uzbekistan Korea India Japan INA Korea

Gifu

Fukuoka

Kurume

Nagano Gunma Kazakhistan Tokyo Sutama Tokyo Miyazaki Obihiro

Saitama Tsukuba Noto Kyoto Makinohara Hamanako Koufu Tokyo Toyota

India Japan INA 2 10 Korea Japan INA Thailand Japan Thailand Japan Thailand Japan Japan Japan SYR Japan Japan INA INA Korea Korea Japan Japan Japan Japan Uzbekistan Japan Japan Japan Kazakhistan Japan Japan

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

61

AITA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE 2008 UNDER-14 Jan 07 Jan 07 Jan 14 Jan 21 Jan 21 Jan 28 Jan 28 Jan 28 Jan 28 Feb 04 Feb 04 Feb 04 Feb 11 Feb 11 Feb 18 Feb 18 Feb 18 Feb 25 Mar 3 Mar 10 Mar 17 Mar 24 Mar 24 Mar 31 Apr 7 Apr 7 Apr 7 Apr 14 Apr 14 Apr 21 Apr 21 Apr 21 Apr 21 Apr 21 Apr 21 Apr 28 Apr 28 Apr 28 Apr 28 Apr 28 Apr 28 May 5 May 5 May 5 May 14 May 14 May 26 May 26 May 26 May 26 May 26 Jun 2 Jun 16 Jun 23 Jun 30 Jul 7 Jul 7 Jul 14 Jul 28 Jul 28 Aug 4 Aug 11 Aug 11

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CS (Kolkata) TS (Delhi) TS (Nagpur) TS (Delhi) TS (Chennai) TS (Mumbai) TS (Madurai) SS (Kolkata) CS (Chandigarh) TS (Hydarabad) TS (Delhi) SS (Raurekela) TS (Chandigarh) TS (Bangalore) TS (Patna) CS (Mumbai) SS (Chennai) TS (Patna) TS (Patna) TS (Patna) TS (Delhi) TS (Indore) CS (Jassowal) TS (Trivandrum) TS (Mysore) TS (Jamshedpur) SS (Chandigarh) TS (Secundrabad) TS (Mysore) TS (Bangalore) TS (Lucknow) TS (Delhi) TS (Trivandrum) TS (Gwalior) CS (Mumbai) TS (Tumkur) TS (Ludhiana) TS (Dehradun) CS (Jassowal) TS (Guntur) SS (Mumbai) TS (Jalandhar) TS (Indore) NS (Mumbai) Asian-Ranking (Pune) TS (Bhubneshwar) TS (Bangalore) TS (Kolkata) TS (Ahmedabad) TS (Secundrabad) TS (Coimbatore) TS (Indore) SS (Guwahati) TS (Delhi) TS (Ludhiana) CS (Neyveli) TS (Mohali) TS (Chandigarh) TS (Mysore) TS (Chennai) TS (Gurgaon) CS (Trivandrum) TS (Chandigarh)

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Aug 25 Sept 1 Sept 15 Sept 22 Sept 29 Sept 29 Oct 06 Oct 06 Oct 13 Oct 13 Nov 3 Nov 3 Nov 10 Nov 17 Nov 17 Nov 24 Dec 1 Dec 8 Dec 15 Dec 22 Dec 22 Dec 22 Dec 22

Nationals (Chennai) CS (Gurgaon) Asian-Ranking (Bangalore) CS (Chandigarh) CS (Jassowal) SS (Pune) TS (Trivandrum) TS (Mumbai) TS (Ahmedabad) Asian-Ranking (Kolkata) Asian-Ranking (Chandigarh) TS (Solapur) TS (Indore) TS (Ahmedabad) CS (Mumbai) CS (Nagpur) CS (Nasik) TS (Indore) SS (Kolhapur) SS (Chandigarh) TS (Ahmedabad) TS (Trivandrum) CS (Pune)

Jan 7 Jan 7 Jan 14 Jan 21 Jan 21 Feb 4 Feb 11 Feb 11 Mar 24 Mar 31 Apr 7 Apr 21 Apr 21 Apr 28 Apr 28 May 5 May 19 May 19 Jul 14 Jul 28 Aug 14 Aug 25 Sept 8 Sept 15 Sept 22 Sept 29 Oct 13 Oct 13

CS (Kolkata) ITF Junior’s (Chandigarh) ITF Junior’s (Gurgaon) ITF Junior’s (Kolkata) CS (Mysore ) TS (Delhi) TS (Ahmedabad) TS (Bangalore) TS (Patna) TS (Patna) Asia Ocieania B1 Closed (Indore) TS (Bangalore) TS (Gwalior) TS (Tumkur) TS (Ahmedabad) TS (Secundrabad) TS (Bhubneshwar) CS (Lucknow) TS (Chandigarh) TS (Mysore) TS (Chandigarh) Nationals (Chennai) ITF Juniors (Chennai) ITF Juniors (Hyderabad) CS (Chandigarh) CS (Jassowal) CS (Indore) CYG (Pune)

UNDER-18

Oct 20 Nov 3 Nov 24 Dec 1 Dec 8

CS (Guwahati) Asian Juniors B1 Closed (TBC) ITF Juniors (Guwahati) ITF Juniors (Gurgaon) ITF Juniors (Mumbai)

Jan 7 Feb 4 Feb 4 Feb 14 Feb 25 Mar 17 Mar 24 Mar 31 Apr 7 May 12 May 19 Aug 4 Aug 11 Aug 11 Aug 18 Sept 1 Sept 8 Sept 15 Sept 29 Oct 13 Oct 20 Nov 10 Nov 17 Nov 24 Dec 1 Dec 22 Dec 29

AITA Ranking 30k (Nagpur) Davis Cup (Delhi) AITA Ranking Rs 2 Lac (Kolkata) ITF Future 15k (Kolkata) ITF Future 15k (Delhi) ITF Future 10k (Mumbai) ITF Future 10k (Gurgaon) ITF Future 10k (Chandigarh) Davis Cup (Delhi) ATP Challenger 50k (Delhi) ATP Challenger 50k (Delhi) ATP Challenger 50k (Delhi) ATP Challenger 50k (Delhi) Olympics (Beijing) Olympics (Beijing) ITF Future 15k (Chennai) ITF Future 15k (Delhi) Davis Cup (Romania) Bangalore Open AITA Ranking 2 Lac (Guwahati) DSCL Nationals (Delhi) AITA Ranking 1.5 Lac (Lucknow) ITF Futures 15k (Mumbai) ITF Futures 15k (Kolkata) National Games ATF Challenger 50k (Delhi) Asia Cup (Delhi)

MEN

WOMEN Jan 28 Feb 4 Mar 3 Mar 10 Mar 17 Mar 28 May 5 June 9-16 Aug 11 Oct 6 Oct 13 Oct 20 Nov 3 Nov 10 Dec 1 Dec 8 Dec 15

Fed Cup AITA Ranking 2 Lac (Kolkata) WTA $600 K (Bangalore) ITF Women’s 50k (Delhi) ITF Women’s 25k (Noida) ITF Women’s 15k (Kochi) ITF Women’s 10k (Trivandrum) ITF Women’s 10k (Gurgaon) Olympics (Beijing) WTA $175 k (Mumbai) AITA Ranking 2 Lac (Guwahati) DSCL Nationals (Delhi) ITF Women’s 10k (Aurangabad) ITF Women’s 25k (Pune) National Games ATF Challenger 50k (Guwahati) Asia Cup (Guwahati)

Photo: Mohammad Shafiq/Metro Photographics

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

AITA RANKINGS (As on 1 September 2008)

Prakash Amritraj

Sania Mirza

MEN’S SINGLES RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

NAME / STATE

WOMEN’S SINGLES ATP PTS

Amritraj, Prakash (TN) Dev Varman, Somdev K (TN) Bopanna, Rohan (KAR) Singh, Ashutosh (DEL) Sipaeya Kumar, Sunil (CHD) Harsh, Mankad (MAH) Vardhan J, Vishnu (AP) Rastogi, Karan (MAH) Sharan, Divij (DEL) Rohan, Gajjar (MAH) Navdeep, Singh (DEL) Ranjeet, V M (TN) Shokeen, Vivek (DEL) Gunneswaran P, Prajnesh (TN) Gide, Rohan (MAH) Purav, Raja (MAH) Yuki, Bhambri (DEL) N. Vijay Sundar, Prashanth (TN) Sridhar, Vinod (TN) Liberhan, Tushar (CHD) Madkekar, Aditya (KAR) Goutham, Arjun (KAR) Roy, Rupesh (WB) Nelord, Yannick (DEL) Kannan, Vijay (TN) Mohammad, Fariz (TN) Malik, Vijayant (CHD) Selvaraj, Ajai (TN) Vignesh, P. C. (AP) Tiwari , Abhijeet (CG) Mishra, Shivang (DEL) Kannan, Kamala (TN) Marquis, Christopher (MAH) Phogat , Yogesh (HAR) Sewa Kumar, Manoj (WB) Reddy B, Vikram (AP) Makharia, Rahil (MAH) Kirrtane, Nitten (MAH) Sukul, Saurav (WB) Choudhary, Sandeep (RAJ) Singh, Navinder Pal (CHD) Narayanaswamy, Sriram Balaji (TN) Kumar N, Kiran (KAR) Wagh, Akash (MAH) Vijayraghavan, Ashwin (AP) Fazuluddin, Syed (WB) Ghouse, Mustafa (MAH) Aniket, Sudhir (MAH) Desai, Bhishma (GUJ) Singh, Divyanshu (DEL)

885 770 530 160 265 220 60 120 90 85 80 55 70 15 15 75 25 0 5 35 20 0 30 5 10 0 10 5 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 10 0 0 0

TOTAL PTS

RANK

885 770 530 275 265 235 154 150 135 131 130 125 115 100 95 80 78 74 71 68 65 62 58 55 50 46 43 41 41 41 38 36 33 32 27 26 25 24 24 23 22 22 20 20 18 15 13 13 12 12

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

NAME / STATE Mirza, Sania (AP) Rao, Sunitha (KAR) Lakhani, Isha (MAH) Chakravorthi, Rushmi (TN) Bhambri, Sanaa (DEL) Bhambri, Ankita (DEL) Goswami, Parul (DEL) Iyer, Tara (DEL) Maloo, Parija (MAH) Sahoo, Shalini (DEL) Phadke, Sonal (MAH) Nagaraj, Sandhya (TN) Mythri Appineni, Prerna (AP) Nandakumar, Asha (KAR) Solanki, Kumari Sweta (DEL) Uberoi, Shikha Sheron, Vishaka (DEL) Burman, Shivika (WB) Teltumbde, Rashmi (MAH) Venkatesh, Pooja Shree (KAR) Shrivastav, Aishwarya (MAH) Archana V. (AP) Sharma, Arushi (DEL) Jayapalan, Kesica (TN) Vimal, Ragini (WB) Bhattacharya, Treta (WB) Shah, Tanvi (MAH) Prasad, Anukriti (DEL) Sunderam, Kelsey (TN) Shroff, Kyra (MAH) Nelord, Jilke (DEL) Jaiswal, Shilpi (BIH) Rajur, Chirashanthi (KAR) Rishika, Sunkara (DEL) Vazirani, Deepna (MAH) Sheethal, Goutham (KAR) Bhambri, Prerna (DEL) Ahuja, Abhilasha (HAR) Vatwani, Garima (DEL) Chakraborty, Deepanwita (GUJ) Thamanna, Anushree (KAR) Nadkarni, Prachi (MAH) Ansari, Shahin (TN) Easwaramurthi, Ashmitha (TN) Jain, Rani Smita (IAF) Srivastava, Dipti (WB) Manohar, Geeta (AP) Phadke, Sagarika (MAH) Reddy D, Harshini (KAR) Svarupa, Raadhae (TN)

ATP PTS TOTAL PTS 2350 990 340 170 150 155 85 125 85 45 35 85 85 0 35 60 0 25 0 35 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 0

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

2350 990 440 270 200 155 127.5 125 115 102 92.5 85 85 63.5 60 60 59.5 59.5 49.5 45 43 41 40.5 39.5 38.5 36 33 30 30 30 29.5 28.5 27.5 24 23 23 23 21.5 21 20 20 20 19 18 17 15 14 10.5 10.5 10 63

Photo: Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

Photo: Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA, Inc.

ASIAN RANKINGS (As on 12 May 2008)

Hyung-Taik Lee

Tamarine Tanasugarn

MEN’S SINGLES RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 64

NAME/COUNTRY

WOMEN’S SINGLES POINTS

WORLD RANKING

RANK

670 472 446 396 336 305 286 283 283 165 151 138 133 129 117 115 112 111 104 100 90 81 72 72 65 64 64 59 52 52 52 51 49 45 45 44 44 43 40 39 38 35 35 35 34 32 31 31 30 27

52 93 99 146 133 147 182 155 156 238 249 368 278 356 302 306 336 313 469 335 419 481 428 443 450 453 452 472 497 605 496 528 540 535 537 539 627 758 560 571 582 600 602 639 611 623 631 679 640 756

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Lee, Hyung-Taik (KOR) Lu, Yen-Hsun (TPE) Nishikori, Kei (JPN) Istomin, Denis (UZB) Soeda, Go (JPN) Qureshi, Aisam-Ul-Haq (PAK) Udomchoke, Danai (THA) Wang, Yeu-Tzuoo (TPE) Schukin, Yuri (KAZ) Jun, Woong-Sun (KOR) Amritraj, Prakash (IND) Motomura, Gouichi (JPN) Chen, Ti ( TPE) Ito, Tatsuma (JPN) Suzuki, Takao (JPN) Bopanna, Rohan (IND) An, Jae Sung (KOR) Dustov, Farrukh (UZB) Im, Kyu Tae (KOR) Iwabuchi, Satoshi (JPN) Ghareeb, Mohammed (KUW) Kedriouk, Alexey Sipaeya, Sunil Kumar (IND) Rastogi, Karan (IND) Sun, Peng (CHN) Terachi, Takahiro (JPN) Matsui, Toshihide (JPN) Kwon, Oh-Hee (KOR) Bai, Yan (CHN) Singh Ashutosh (IND) Mamiit, Cecil (PHI) Khan, Aqeel (PAK) Li, Zhe (CHN) Ito, Yuichi (JPN) Ishii, Yaoki (JPN) Yu, Xin-Yuan (CHN) Yang, Tsung-Hua (TPE) Uzakov, Vaja (UZB) Zeng, Shao Xuan (CHN) Gong, Mao-Xin (CHN) Nam, Hyun-Woo (KOR) Chaen, Tetsuya (JPN) Abdukhalikov, Syrym (KAZ) Lee, Hsin-Han (TPE) Wang Jr., Yu (CHN) Xu, Jun-Chao ( CHN) Kondo, Hiroki (JPN) Madkekar, Aditya (IND) Takeuchi, Kento (JPN) Shokeen, Vivek (IND)

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

NAME/COUNTRY Mirza, Sania (IND) Sugiyama, Ai (JPN) Li, Na (CHN) Yan, Zi (CHN) Amanmuradova, Akgul (UZB) Tanasugarn, Tamarine (THA) Peng, Shuai (CHN) Morigami, Akiko (JPN) Nakamura, Aiko (JPN) Chan, Yung-jan (TPE) Hsieh, Su-wei (TPE) Yuan, Meng (CHN) Morita, Ayumi (JPN) Zhang, Shuai (CHN) Rao, Sunitha (IND) Fujiwara, Rika (JPN) Namigata, Junri (JPN) Sun, Tiantian (CHN) Iijima, Kumiko (JPN) Zheng, Jie (CHN) Lee, Ye-ra (KOR) Yonemura, Akiko (JPN) Hamamura, Natsumi (JPN) Chan Chin-wei (TPE) Gumulya, Sandy (IND) Tulyaganova, Iroda (UZB) Palkina, Ksenia (KGZ) Xu, Yi-fan (CHN) Han, Xinyun (CHN) Hwang, I-hsuan (TPE) Okamoto, Seiko (JPN) Sema, Yurika (JPN) Yonemura, Tomoko (JPN) Lu, Jingjing (CHN) Iyer, Tara (IND) Lakhani, Isha (IND) Hisamatsu, Shiho (JPN) Zhou, Yi-miao (CHN) Takao, Erika (JPN) Tedjakusuma, Romana (IND) Zhang, Ling (HKG) Xie, Yanze (CHN) Zhao, Yijing (CHN) Song, Shanshan (CHN) Ekshibarova, Vlada (UZB) Luangnam, Nudnida (THA) Lee, Jin-a (KOR) Tanaka, Mari (JPN) Rakhim, Amina (KAZ) Sun, Shengnan (CHN)

POINTS

WORLD RANKING

917 752 725 662 495 439 438 437 427 381 343 332 315 232 202 168 160 151 146 143 142 136 128 121 117 112 112 110 109 105 103 93 89 87 84 81 80 79 78 71 68 65 65 63 62 62 61 58 54 54

33 35 38 41 58 68 70 71 73 86 100 109 119 151 158 179 186 198 202 203 206 208 216 241 232 327 253 269 282 291 259 277 281 287 379 295 296 298 302 318 367 339 340 344 365 349 352 358 372 370

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Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

Advantage Tennis Grand Slam Yearbook 2008

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