With Rafia's win in Shanghai, some are already talking about his place in history. Is he the best men's tennis player of our time? No, No, No!
He had a great year on the ATP tennis circuit. I'll even go so far as to say he had an awesome year. He won just about every men's tennis event out there. He also has charisma, good look and is a great ambassador for his sport.
BUT....
It was one awesome year. I personally think that he needs to have a couple of great years to be considered in elite company.
He also needs to play not necessarily more events but a variety of events. Tennis seems to be nationalized. It is a given each and every year that the foreign players are going to stay in Europe and play 'at home'. They will come to the US to play those events that they are required to play. To be considered on my list of 'best men's players of our time' - he owes it to the fans of Indianapolis to play the Indy Tennis Championships at least once. Not every year, just once. In fact, the fans in Los Angeles, Delray Beach or San Jose deserve to see the world's greatest player (if he is that) at least once every 3-4 years.
So, Rafia - congratulations on an awesome year - please come play tennis in Indianapolis this summer! Our wonderful tennis fans should have the opportunity to see you play!
Big Dog - Gillis Simon will be competing in the Tennis Masters Cup semi-finals match this Saturday against Novak Djokovic. Simon who jump started his year with an unprecedented victory in Indianapolis this past July, also defeated the four-time Masters Cup champ Roger Federer earlier in the week. This is Simon’s second victory over the former #1 in the world and currently #2, Federer, since winning the Indy crown. This guy is on fire!!! Good luck this weekend Gillis, everyone here at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly is pulling for you.
Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly winner Gilles Simon continues to fight through the season with another hard fought win over Igor Andreev 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, (9-7) in the ATP Masters Series Madrid. At 24 years old Simon is taking the tour on by surprise with 3 tournament wins under his belt already this season. The 5-11, 143 lbs. Frenchman also defeated another familiar face to the Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly 2006 Champion, James Blake in the second round at Madrid. Simon is currently ranked 12th on the ATP tour and is marching up the ladder at full speed. Best of luck in round 3, Gilles! Check below for some outstanding play by Simon while playing in Indy.
Dmitry Tursunov the sometimes animated Russian who breaks opponents down with his hard hitting serve won the Open de Moselle over the weekend by defeating Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-4. A great win for Tursunov who was the 2007 Indianapolis Tennis Championships winner as well as runner-up in this year’s Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly. Congratulations Dmitry!
This reminds me of Nike's great commercial in the streets of New York City with Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. Men's tennis needs more companies like Nike spending money to advertise the stars, rivarlies and personalities of tennis. I'm thinking the Indianapolis Tennis Championships needs to 'steal' some of these ideas to help expose some of the mini-rivalaries in the game today.
Thanks to Mike for sending this great creative my way and thanks to Nike too!
Patrick played in Indy three times. In 1993, he was a semi-finalist losing to Boris Becker. In 1995, he was a quarterfinalist. Near the end of his career, he captured the Indy title in 2001. He beat another crowd favorite, Gustavo Kuerten. I have found memories of that victory. I remember walking out of the transportation office soon after the final to find Patrick sitting on the curb. He was still in his sweaty clothes and was on his cellphone, obviously talking about his victory. He quickly hung up when he saw us and thanked us for a great week. Yes, he thanked us for a great week. So that got me to thinking - where is he now?
Patrick continues to support charitable efforts, primarily in his native Australia. In 2006 he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He continues to play World Team Tennis.
Little known fact - Patrick's last championship before retiring came right here at the RCA Championships (now the Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly).
Please come out of retirement Patrick....
The ATP Challenger Series is set up as a great developmental opportunity for young players. The Series is to men's professional tennis what AAA baseball is to the major leagues. If you look through the draw in Waco, you will notice many familar faces. I counted ten guys who have played in Indianapolis at one point, including Bobby Reynolds and John Isner.
Ram is definitely an Indy favorite. He first competed in the RCA Championships (now the Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly) in 2002. His best results were in 2005 and 2008 when he reached the round of 16.
Not only is Ram loved by the crowds here but he is loved by the volunteers and staff. He is a true gentleman and always willing to sign autographs, talk with sponsors and meet with the press.
The next stop on Ram's Texas tour is probably the Lubbock Challenge. Go Rajeev!
Sam is 21 years old and hails from California. He is one of the tallest players on the ATP Tour at 6'6". Sam started playing tennis at the age of four. He turned pro in 2006, loves playing basketball, tennis and golf.
Currently ranked 39th in the world, he has had a great run this year. He won the Las Vegas event, was a semi-finalist in Delray Beach and here at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships. He first played in Indy in 2006 where he reached the round of 32. In 2007, he was a semi-finalist losing to eventual champion, Dmitry Tursunov.
Good luck today Sam!
2007 Indianapolis Tennis Champion, Dmitry Tursunov is one of the players showcased. Also within the calendar pages are Paradorn Srichaphan, another Indy Tennis favorite as is Tommy Hass. The number one doubles team in the world, Mike and Bob Bryan represent the United States.
Each region of the world is represented and in total players from 12 countries are showcased. To check out the calendar, 2009 ATP World Calendar.
My hats off to the ATP for showcasing some of the lesser known players and a different 'side' to men's professional tennis
Over the weekend, Gilles Simon, beat Carlos Moya 6-3, 6-4 to take the BCR Open Romania title. What is significant about Simon's victory? Well, Gilles is the reigning Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly champion and has significantly boosted his chances of qualifying for the Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai event.
Simon was virtually unknown when he arrived in Indianapolis. He was Indy's number two seed but to be honest, I even had no idea who he was. Since his victory in Indy's men's professional tennis tournament, Simon has had an impressive run. The 23 year old went on to defeat Roger Federer in Toronto and advanced to the semi-finals. This has undoubtably been his best year - with three titles so far.
Simon moved up three spots and is now number 12 in the ATP race. Gilles has played more tournaments than the 11 players ranked ahead of him. There are two Masters Series event left before Shanghai so let's cheer for Indy Tennis Championships' Gilles Simon!
Now that the US Open is finished, all tennis eyes will focus on the upcoming Davis Cup matches. The Davis Cup is to men's professional tennis what the Ryder Cup is to golf. The only exception being that the Davis Cup goes on all year long.
Blake is physically and mentally exhausted from the summer. He played a full schedule (including participating at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships), the Olympics and the US Open. Blake's replacement is Sam Querrey, another Indy Tennis favorite.
Querrey has practiced with the US Davis Cup team and has had a strong showing on clay. He was a quarterfinalists in Monte Carlo (clay) and reached the round of 16 at the US Open. The American's will face a strong team from Spain on outdoor clay September 16-21 in Madrid.
Hats off to all the athletes who competed in this year’s US Open Series and I look forward to catching you at the 2009 Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly which will take place July 18 – 26.
I know I should be writing about men's tennis and the Indianapolis Tennis Championships but I feel I should devote some space to Serena Williams. It seems you either love her or hate her. How can any sports fan or general fan not be able to applaud her performance at the US Open?
After five years and one month, Serena is now the number 1 ranked women's professional tennis player in the world. She beat Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 7-5 to take the US Open crown. What an achievement. Not only did she win a major, the major tennis tournament in the world but she moved into the number 1 ranking.
She has gone the longest period between the top ranking by any player since the early 70s. I don't care if you aren't a tennis fan, you have to applaud her unbelievable effort and perservance to comeback and take the US Open crown and ascend to the #1 ranking.
Go Serena!!!
Since I'm still in the dumps about my recent US Open picks, I not going to recount last night's tennis match. Roddick was not mentally prepared. Hats off to the Williams sisters, though. That has to be a tough stage to be playing your sister on the national stage for a semi-final spot at the US Open. The greatest tennis event in the world!
I want to grip about the Indianapolis Star's coverage of the US Open. I am a faithful reading of the Sports page every morning before work. This morning, I was excited to read about last night's mens tennis match, todays matches and other general comments from the US Open. Yes, the largest standalone sporting event in the world! I expected the Colts to get the front page and the US Open to be on the inside of the front page.
I read through the Colts, high school football, NFL, baseball, transactions/AP info and then finally found the US Open information. How can this huge event on the sports calendar be regulated to the back page - especially when the Indianapolis Tennis Championships feeds into the US Open. There is a men's professional tennis tournament in Indianapolis - there are fans of tennis in Indianapolis. How can the US Open, generating $200 million in revenue, be slammed to the bag page?
In further investigation, I decided to check out www.indystar.com for the lastest US Open news. After much searching, I found a blurb about US Open highlights under the National News section-at the bottom and fifth on the list. It even appears after a story about Marion Jones being released from prison early. Game, Set and Match - how can tennis compete with a convict being released from prison early.
Men's professional tennis is taking a dump on me. I decided to hang out on a limb and pick the men's winner of the US Open this year. I was pretty confident that some of my picks would come through. I had a couple upsets selected and then some of the tried and true favorites - Nadal, Federer etc. I went so far as to pick the Indianapolis Tennis Championship's winner, Gilles Simon.
Well, I obviously need to start taking tennis lessons or watching is more closely on television.
My original predictions for the quarters:
Nadal, Blake, Simon, Lopez, Roddick, Moya, Tursunov and Federer
Of my choices, the only men still left in the tournament are Nadal, Roddick and Federer.
I knew I should have picked a man named Fish for the "tournament of my life" award. Mardy is coming off some injuries and hasn't played a ton of tennis this summer. It is nice to see him do well in the biggest tennis event all year. Too bad he had to beat my man Blake.
Andy is now being coached by Patrick McEnroe. I met Patrick this summer as was very impressed. He is now charged with developing the young elite players for the USTA. He should do well in that role. Hopefully he can get Andy's tennis game back on track.
General observations from the Open (and now totally unqualified eye): Federer doesn't look strong, Monfils is a breadth of fresh air and Del Porto is proving his summer wasn't all luck.
Well, I had a hunch yesterday about both Sam Querrey and Tommy Haas pulling off upsets in day one and it's refreshing to see that something went right for me, especially after the fiasco that was my golf game yesterday afternoon.
Querrey needed a mere 87 minutes to dispatch of Tomas Berdych in straight sets while Haas was taken the distance by 12th seed Richard Gasquet before emerging the victor. Querrey faces Frenchman Nicolas Devilder in the second round while Haas will have to contend with Gilles Muller.
In other upset news (upsetting news?) Women's 11 seed Daniela Hantuchova lost in straight sets to Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-4 6-2. The resurgent Nicolas Kiefer exits a bit early at the hands of Ivo Minar.
Other notable men's winners from day 2:
Marat Safin
Roger Federer
Mardy Fish
Tommy Robredo
Ivo Karlovic
Fernando Verdasco
And for the Ladies:
Ana Ivanovic
Serena Williams
Venus Williams
Dinara Safina
Amelie Mauresmo
Nadia Petrova
Nicole Vaidisova
Complete results available here
On tap for today:
Men
Novak Djokovic looks to finish just one day better than he did last year, but has to get through Arnaud Clement first.
Nikolay Davydenko takes on Dudi Sela at 11:00 while 2005 King of Indianapolis Tennis Robby Ginepri and Amer Delic take court a little later on today. Nicholas Amalgro faces off with 2006 Indy Championships Finalist Frank Dancevic on court six.
And once again for the Ladies:
5th seed Elena Dementieva squares off against Pauline Permentier. 2nd seeded Jelena Jankovic, Patty Schnyder, and Svetlana Kuznetzova all see action today as well.
Tonight's primetime entertainment:
Lindsay Davenport vs. Alisa Kleybanova- Hopefully Davenport's knee hold up as she begins what is likely her final run in new York.
Andy Roddick vs. Fabrice Santoro- Roddick begins his trek through a difficult quarter of the draw against The Magician, who will throw everything, including the kitchen sink, in Andy's direction in hopes of upsetting the 8 seed.
That's all for now..have a happy wednesday
Verdasco was posing in support of the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign. He should be commended for his athletic body as well as his willingness to support the cause.
I had Fernando advancing to the 4th round of the US Open yet he lost early to #23 seed Igor Andreev. Fernando has never played at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships so I question why I was putting so much stock in his US Open play. I guess I should have realized that maybe the photo shoot took more out of him than I thought.
Yes, the granddaddy of them all begins today in Flushing Meadow. The US Open takes center stage in the tennis world. I would argue that it is the premier Men's Professional Tennis Tournament in the world.
We love to watch how 'our' tennis players from the Indianapolis Tennis Championships go on to do in NY.
I decided to go out on a limb and choose by quarterfinalists for this year's US Open.
Here goes:
Nadal
Blake
Simon
Lopez
Roddick
Moya
Tursunov
Federer
Nobody would blame me for choosing Nadal and Federer. I think 99% of the population would pick one of them to win the whole thing. Blake had a great Olympics and is playing well on the hardcourts. An Indy favorite, Andy Roddick should also do well. Going out further on a limb, I'm going to choose none other than Gilles Simon to make the finals.
As all Fridays go we will now give recognition to a proud supporter of the 2008 Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly. Without support from partners such as the USTA Midwest Section we would not be able to put on a world class mens professional tennis event in Indy every summer. So thank you USTA Midwest and we look forward to the exciting partnership in years to come.
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