Jak Beardsworth Tennis
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Mats Wilander has never been one to keep his opinions about the game and its players to himself. He was recently quoted about his take on Djokovic’s one remaining weakness post Aussie Open: “The only reason maybe he doesn’t win a match [now] is because he’s looking for energy (the gasping for air v. Nadal) and he’s showing all of us that he’s looking for it, and that’s unprofessional. The only reason Nadal is [even] in it is because he doesn’t look for it. It’s just there [zero chinks in the armor!], and when Novak learns how to do that, he’s going to be kicking these guys’ tails for a long time.”

Of course this is in reference to Djokovics penchant for making it clear to everyone that he’s “red-lining,” having trouble breathing, something is tweaked, or whatever. Sports psych 101 tells you to never show the opponent that anything, physical or mental, is bothering you or affecting you since that only fuels the motivation for the player(s) across the net to work that much harder agaist you. So, it’s surprising that the Serb is sometimes revealing – excuse making as well – and that his coaching team has not pointed this out to him.

Sports psych 101 also tells you that you’re communicating/whining that your faltering game is not because you’re not the better player, but because the battle is wearing on you.

A Wilson racket ad kept appearing during the Australian Open. One version featured Petra Kvitova sitting in the West Side Tennis Club stadium (probably shot during last year’s US Open), the old “horseshoe,” with the Tudorian clubhouse behind her in the distance mock refusing to discuss the interviewer’s assertion that her new model racket was somehow an unfair advantage. Cute ad. One problem, the venerable old stadium where I once saw a final, site of the US Opens and “Nationals” prior to Flushing Meadows, that she was sitting in was in complete disrepair and looked to be falling down around her despite some cowardly shooting angles – by design no doubt - that tried to hide it. I’d heard about it, but couldn’t believe my eyes.

How does the richest tennis federation in the world allow this historical venue to rot away and become vulnerable to the wrecking ball. A terrible priortization of funds. The USTA should be ashamed. But I’ll bet they are not.

The longest, perhaps best, match in Australian Open history. Djokovic in 5 over Nadal. Both competitors could barely stand at the awards ceremony. Chairs were finally brought out before they collapsed and/or cramped standing there.  Then, quite amazingly, both made the effort to give comparatively long speaches such was their inspiration after such a battle in the trenches. Also, both showed genuine respect for Rod Laver who presented their trophies – Rafa giving the 73 year old a hug, the Djoker bowing to him Japanese style.

Speaking of battling in the trenches, Federer, once again, is uwilling to get his hands dirty deep into matches. Instead, he consistently reduces his margins in the long points, as he did v Rafa in the semis, until he finally starts making too many errors. His physical fitness is unquestionable, his mental toughness – when trying to be superman is too risky in the big, swing point moments – is vulnerable on the slower courts. He won’t do “whatever it takes to get the win” as Pancho Gonzales once emphatically told Arthur Ashe prior to a Davis Cup tie on grass, despite it being Ashe’s best surface. The stylistic shotmakers, not the grinders, seem to always have that problem. The two combatants today were close to being carried out on their shields after 6 hours of play. Fed will have none of that.

In the Thursday, January 26 edition of the NY Times sport’s page a feature article by Ben Rothenberg explored the growing grunting controversy. A player, a very good player, Agnieszka Radwanska, finally has spoken out. When asked by the press she said, in reference to her loss to Maria Sharapova, “About Maria, I mean, what can I say? For sure that is pretty annoying and it’s just too loud.” Sharapova’s reply when informed of Radwanska’s comment, “Isn’t she back in Poland already?” Completely out of touch.

Victoria Azarenka, Sharapova’s opponent in the finals, and the other queen of scream, complained at a press conference about having to keep answering the same questions about it over and over again. Poor child. Also completely out of touch. Her coach, Sam Sumyk, out of touch and arrogant as well, noted on the eve of their match that’s about to start right now live from down under, “It’s going to be a very musical final.” Apparantly his taste in music is heavy metal.

The solution is very simple as I’ve noted previously, put a decibel meter on the court. You can’t eliminate breathing-grunting through the point of impact, it is indeed part of the game and ball striking tehnique. But, if a player “red-lines,” goes beyond a certain volume level then they receive a warning. After that point penalties will be assessed with no limit but with no ultimate disqualification. They would just keep losing points. That would get it under control in a heart beat. Period. Fo the men as well. Some of them are equally ridiculous, and, from my perspective, it’s kinda girlie in the context of today’s game.

It’s the 50th aniversary of Rod Laver’s first Grand Slam (1962) - winning all the majors in one calendar year. It’s ironic that this is all seemingly coming to a head in the confines of Rod Laver Arena, and because “The Rocket,” a man of immense class, wouldn’t be caught dead grunting anywhere near the extent that it exists today among far too many players.

Ultimately it’s the coaches who are the real morons here - I should probably say culprits – who allow and encourage and teach this way over-the-top screaming on the court.

I remember the FTA, as USTA-Florida was known back in the 80s, attempting to curb the explosion of grunting among juniors at that time. Tournament directors, with the backing of the FTA (I’m, in retrospect, not aware of any other USTA section attempting it), were harassing and penalizing players who were subjectively identified by individual tournament directors and roving FTA officials as being too loud. Since breathing was being taught, myself included – albeit not screaming, the uproar from parents and coaches quickly squashed the ill-fated and poorly thought out new rules in mid-season as I recall it today. 

It will be interesting to see if the Australian fans, as “sporting” as any fans in the world, get involved and start mocking the two as has happened in earlier rounds.

Back to the match.

It’s 4-4 in the 3rd with Djokovic after splitting the first two sets. No loud exclamations after a good shot with his mouth open wide. And none of the ame after an unfortunate error – the whoa is me whining that had crept into his game. I had the feeling Lendl – a 100% stoic in his playing days if there ever was one - would put an end to that over the top, on your sleeve emotional stuff pretty quickly. And Murray is moving with a quicker foot plant turnover than the previous ultra glide movement style he exhibited. In short a more energized brand of court coverage both when defending and when making shots. And it’s reported that Lendl does not allow anymore practices with Rafa or the Djoker, which is something the old Murray made a habit of…not so buddy, buddy with the guys you’re trying to knock off. Lendl was, and is, a tough customer. Just what the Scotsman needed, and just in the nick of time.

What could be worse for advancing interest in women’s tennis in the general population – isn’t that where the ticket sales, tv ratings, and advertising money is – than a Shapapova-Azarenka final? Answer: nothing could be worse. This is an unwatchable match. No, make that an unlistenable match. They are both really great tennis players – the best of the 128 entered – but the screaming exhalations from these two - which the governing bodies have proved to be totally gutless to do anything about it – is way, way, way out of control and has been for far too long. Azarenka actually creates, by the rules, a hindrance with the opposing player’s ball striking moment by sustaining her scream to that point. Nobody does anything. Even the other players are apparantly gutless. This is a terrible moment for our great game. A complete disgrace to Steffi Graf, Martina Navaratolova, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Margaret Court, Maria Bueno. Yes, I’ve left out Monica Seles (fabulous player) who got all these Euro girls in particular started on this. The Williams sisters are no better on this topic as well. Who let this happen?

There’s some pretty ridiculous guys too. More on that later perhaps.

Back to square one. No American male or female in the final 16. For the men it was the first time that happened since 1973! No American men even entered in 1973 when I believe it was still held in December. l don’t hear Patrick McEnroe spouting-off about how great his PLayer Development program is as he did at the 2011 when a few young players did shine a bit and show promise. Did they get worse during the last 3 months? What’s the “reason” this time? Anyone out there know the answer? I say McEnroe should give some of one million dollar salary back to financing more promising young players who need financial help – not just the ones who could already afford the big expenses when they were first being developed by some devoted coach in the trenches. Who picks these kids? Does the USTA just evaluate by the ranking numbers where those with parents who can afford the junior wars early on?

Okay so it wasn’t “politically correct” funny. And yes I know there are those who will bring up the tired role model bit – although we do have some great ones, parents and siblings and relatives and mentors are role models, not athletes playing for money. Maybe we should expect the bad boys on Wall Street to be better role models too, or the lying through their teeth politicians trashing each other…I digress.

 But I thought it was hilarious. He lost it. He did no harm to anyone, except the 4 rackets he smashed while sitting in his chair on a changeover – 2 still in the cellophane wrapper that he extracted from his bag (perfect time for a bag check - ”this compartnment is where my rackets used to be”). He then got up and went back on the court and, although I didn’t see it, I’m told resumed playing okay. He was fined $800 - $200 per racket – which tells you how serious the ITF thought the transgression was.

Final thought. Was he just raging out or was he truly unhappy with his racket and or stringing?

She’s the first that I’ve noticed who has recognized the new development in grunting, particularly in the emotions-on- your-sleeve women’s game. It’s the tonal differences occurring on offensive-attacking shots versus those heard in defensive moments. The former, shriek or not, is auditorily aggressive. The latter takes on a “help me – I’m in trouble” pitch. The Williams sisters have been doing that for years. Others as well. But this is the first articulation of the “technique” by an announcer that I’m aware of. Bad idea in that, to me, it announces fragility to the opponent. Never show that!!!

The Father of the “modern era grunt” is of course James Scott Connors, who was never – are you kidding! - one to reveal any kind of weakness in any sort of quandry. It was always I’m in control ” barking seal” as the Tennis Hall of Fame Bud Collins used to refer to it.

In commenting on Ivan Lendl’s (observed sitting in Murray’s coaching box) ascendency as a player he noted that Lendl didn’t become dominant until he hit predominantly over the ball on the backhand. Not so. It was his greater use of the skidding slice, in conjunction with the topper, that coincided with his rise to the top – much the way Federer uses it today.