DAY 4 WRAP – GUTS AND GLEE
GLEE: For pure glee and youthful zeal, there is no day of matches quite like kids day at Roland Garros.
CURIOUS QUESTIONS: A reporter asked Janko Tipsarivic, “Usually when we think of Serbia we think of Djokovic; when we talk about Spain we think of Nadal. We barely talk about Ferrer, and it’s the same thing with you. Very few people think of you.” … An Italian writer asked Serena, “Everyone has his own nightmares. I’d like to know if Eva Asderaki (the chair umpire who called her for hindrance at a critical juncture of last year’s U.S. Open) is one of your nightmares.”
SERENA AS A EASY WAY TO A MEDAL: Bob Bryan said players “see Serena as an easy way to a medal.” Indeed, many men – Andy Roddick, John Isner, Mardy Fish – spoke of playing mixed doubles in the Olympics with Serena. But it is Bob Bryan who will playing mixed with Serena in Paris. BTW: Bryan bristled just a bit when Nadia Petrova claimed she and her partner, Canadian Daniel Nestor, would be the faves in the French Open mixed and said that playing in Paris with Serena would be a kind of an audition.
OBVIOUSLY: Broadcaster Chris Bowers said, “I am sure a lot of players have tattoos where we can’t see them, and that’s a good thing” … Roger Federer said when he had lunch with the Queen, she was “very polite” … Cinderella fellow Brian Baker, who was sidelined for seven years and has been on a late Spring roll, said “I’m accomplishing some pretty cool things.”
THAT FABULOUS BAKER BOY: Tennessee’s Baker was the No. 2 junior in the world. He reached the final of the French Open juniors and, when he was 20, he beat the French Open champ Gaston Gaudio at the U.S. Open. He was a hot prospect. Then disaster struck. He had a hernia operation, Tommy John elbow surgery and struggled with a hip injury that has plagued him since he was a boy. He had five surgeries in four years and had been off the tour for years. True, last year he dominated, so to speak. He was undefeated in the MTTL – the Middle Tennessee Tennis League. But his father recently said, OK, you’re healthy, now let’s see what you can do. Baker tuned up his game. He won a challenger in April and beat No. 14 Gael Monfils and Russia’s former No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko to reach the final of the Nice warm-up tournament just before the French Open. At Roland Garros, in his first Grand Slam match in seven years, he beat the Belgian veteran Xavier Malisse before he lost in five sets to the the No.-12 ranked Giles Simon, 6-4, 6-1, 6-7, 1-6, 6-0. He can be forgiven. He was facing a popular Frenchman on Roland Garros’ Court Centrale and it was his tenth match in twelve days.
So will Baker get a wildcard into Wimbledon? There’s a good chance. And will his Spring run prove to be a flash in the pan? Ryan Harrison doesn’t think so. The young American said, “He’s going to be a force to be reckoned with in consistent tournaments, not just in Nice and here.”
DISEASE OF THE DAY: Since he was about 10, Baker has suffered from Femoroacetabular Impingement, which is a function of the way the hip is formed.
HEADLINES THAT RESONATE: Bartoli Ready To Go To War Over Olympic Snub
Une Belle Journee A Roland Garros
THE AGING OF THE ATP: According to the International Herald Tribune, there were only 11 players who were over 30 in the ’02 French Open. There are 37 in this year’s draw, and just one teenager, Bernie Tomic. In the past many teens – Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, Michael Chang and Rafa Nadal – have all won Slams. But John Isner’s coach, Craig Boynton, told Christopher Clarey, “Right now what these older guys are doing is, if there’s some weakness in your game mentally or physically, it gets exposed and it just takes time to cover those holes in somebody’s game. I would be very surprised if someone young came through and had the moxie and savvy to be able to compete with these older guys.”
BALL COUNT: Nick Lester told us that Roland Garros will use 52,000 Babolat balls this year.
JUST WONDERING: Will the big new French Open stadium be named after Yannick Noah?
NEVER BEFORE: Serena and Venus were both defeated in matches within the first two rounds of a major.
BEST NEW PHRASE: Nick Lester calls forehands down the line “inside in” forehands.
THE VENUS FILE: Playing in her 11th Roland Garros, 31-year old Venus Williams who is now ranked No. 53, has played more matches on tour (257) than any other active player. Since she played Anastasia Myskina in ’04, the now-retired Russian has had three children.
SCOUTING REPORT: Bob Bryan, who says he’s taken 5,000 photos of his daughter Micalea, reports that his newborn has big legs and is “definitely a singles player.” He hopes she’ll turn out to be a lefty and often is the only baby at tournaments. As for her coach, Bob indicates that Uncle Mike has the inside track.
IMAGINE: America’s Davis Cup team already has been astounding this year. They scored away wins over the Roger Federer-led Swiss and the always tough French in Monte Carlo. If they pull off a miracle win this Fall on Spanish clay, they would probably again play on clay Argentina, and if they prevail the USTA might have to commission a statue of Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier.
KUDOS FOR QUALIFYING: Supposedly retired Tommy Haas, 34, came through qualifying.
