Across The Net: Is Roddick Back?

Posted by Dan Martin on 08.21.2006

A First Hand Account of Masters Series Cincinnati ... even if they did not give me press credentials

This past Tuesday I spent eight hours in Mason, OH just outside of Cincinnati watching the world's best tennis players. Pro tennis tournaments have a carnival type feel. At Cincinnati four courts have singles and doubles matches being played throughout the day. A fan can leave one court to check out the action on another. Cincinnati also has six practice courts in which fans can get a real sense of how much pace and spin professional players can put on a tennis ball. One also gets a sense of how good their hand eye coordination is when watching them hit a volley off of their shoe strings in an effortless manner. Pro tennis events such as Cincinnati also have booths of vendors around the grounds giving away products in the hopes of selling other products. In the course of one day I had a chance to see the following players in the following capacities:

World #1 Roger Federer practicing
World #2 Rafael Nadal practicing
World #3 Ivan Ljubicic practicing and playing against 1997 U.S. Open Runner-up Greg Rusedski
World #5 James Blake practicing
World #7 Tommy Robredo practicing and playing against world #27 Richard Gasquet
#2 Doubles Player Max Mirnyi defeating world #36 Xavier Malisse
#10 Marcos Baghdatis practicing
Former world #1 junior Gael Monfils defeating former world #1 Marat Safin
World #12 and former world #1 Andy Roddick practicing and playing his 1st round match
World #20 Jose Acususo lose to world #54 Stanislas Wawrinka
Former world #1 and 2003 French Open Champion Juan Carlos Ferrero practicing
Not to mention any number of other singles and doubles matches with impressive yet less famous players

I also received a free tote bag from Lever 2000 and bought a shirt from the Tim and Tom Gullikson Foundation that goes toward aiding families impacted by brain cancer. I have attended the Cincinnati event every year since 2002 and in what has become a ritual I buy an item from the Gullikson Foundation each year. Tim Gullikson died of brain cancer in 1996. Tim and Tom Gullikson both played professional tennis. Tim also coached Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova and Pete Sampras. Tom also spent time as the U.S. Davis Cup Captain and briefly coached Pete Sampras. I have had the chance to speak with Tom Gullikson in 2002, 2005 and this year in 2006. He was very generous with his time and answered various questions I had about Pete Sampras and Roger Federer.

I have attended both college football and basketball games. I have attended major and minor league baseball games. I have attended two NBA games (for free I would not pay to watch a regular season NBA game). All I can say is that the atmosphere at a professional tennis event is quite different. The ability to see players up close on practice and side courts is rare in sports. My father and I sat in the front row watching Wawrinka and Acususo hit the cover off of the ball. On the Grand Stand court we sat in the third row watching the #7 player in the world take on one of the up and coming players in tennis. Seeing excellence at close range and being able to spend hours upon hours at a sporting event seeing singles matches, doubles matches and practice sessions is money well spent. The vendors and promotional booths only add to what is already a great experience.

Now for the results in Cincy and their implications for the U.S. Open:

Andy Roddick may have rejuvenated his career this week. Federer is clearly #1 and Nadal is clearly #2 right now, but Roddick can become a fixture in the top 5 if he plays at the level he did after an ugly first round win (6-7, 7-6, 7-6 over a guy outside of the top 100).

Juan Carlos Ferrero probably had the best 2003 of any pro despite finishing 3rd in the rankings. Ferrero won the French Open and reached the finals of the U.S. Open and quarterfinals of the Australian Open. Ferrero also won two masters series events and looked like a man to be reckoned with for years to come. Fererro started 2004 well enough losing in the semifinals of the Australian Open to Roger Federer. Then injuries and illnesses undercut a player just reaching his prime. Being runner-up in Cincinnati along with beating James Blake and compatriots Rafael Nadal and Tommy Robredo bode well for Fererro. Fererro has to feel good about beating three members of the top ten in one week.

Fernando Gonzalez reached the semifinals in Montreal and Cincinnati and was runner-up in Los Angeles this summer. He has to feel like he is close to being elite, but he may also be frustrated at being the bridesmaid once again.

Tommy Robredo looked awesome in Cincy before the semifinals. He was hurt and did not have his best stuff vs. Fererro, but prior to the semifinals he did not have his serve broken in four matches. If he plays at that level in NY he could reach the quarterfinals or further.

Andy Murray has to feel good about beating Roger Federer. Federer had not lost in North America in two years. However, his loss to Roddick had every bit as much to do with fatigue as it did with Roddick's return to top form. Murray had chances early to break Roddick's serve and late in the match found his second wind, but in the middle of the match he looked cooked. Murray has had a great summer: semifinals in Newport, runner-up DC, semifinals Montreal, and quarterfinals Cincinnati. Murray might be a threat in NY if he is not too fatigued from the success he's already had this summer.

Ivan Ljubicic lost in the quarterfinals of his second consecutive masters series event. The world #3 has to find a way to get further if he is to consolidate his lofty ranking. World #4 David Nalbandian is 1-2 since a bad loss at Wimbledon and does not look to be playing tennis at the level he played in the first half of the year. World #5 James Blake has yet to do anything of note since entering the top 5. Perhaps Blake is more comfortable with a lower ranking and being an underdog. If he keeps playing the way he did in Montreal and Cincinnati, a lower ranking will soon be a reality.

Rafael Nadal's loss to Fererro was not bad. 7-6, 7-6 is a match that could go either way. Nadal's fitness make three out of five set matches more to his liking. So he should be okay in NY, but he has to demonstrate the ability to win on a surface that is not his favorite in boisterous conditions many European players dislike. One should expect him to be a tough out in NY, but this summer has not yet produced a breakthrough win in North America.

Roger Federer … What does losing in the second round to Andy Murray mean after winning the event in Montreal? On one hand, not much since Murray has been very solid this summer and Federer was playing his eighth match in nine days. Masters Series events are like conference tournaments in college basketball – a lot of matches over very few days. To win a Grand Slam a player has to win 7 three out of five set matches over 14 days instead of 6 two out of three set matches over 7 days. Federer seemed content to play his B- game and take wins if they were there to be had, but not dig into his reserves and risk NY for Cincinnati. However, one can also play devil's advocate with the loss. Federer has already won two Grand Slam titles and three masters series titles in 2006. Not to mention he has reached the finals of the French Open and two clay court masters series events. Winning Grand Slam titles and masters series events takes a lot of mental and emotional energy. This may be an opening for someone not named Federer or Nadal to win a Grand Slam title and add their name as a legitimate top 5 player. More on the U.S. Open when the draw is released…