The King Again

Well, all in all I thought that was a pretty good Australian Open. Congratulations to Roger Federer and Serena Williams for coming through to capture the first Slam of the year. Williams finally broke that odd year only thing she had going to defend her title. In her acceptance speech she came off a little bit arrogant but that’s nothing new. Federer proved once again that he is still the man to beat despite approaching 29 years of age. The way the announcers were harping about his age you would think he was ready to retire tomorrow. Andy Murray proved once again that he is not ready to win a Major but I’ve said that countless times in the past.

The flag bearers for the Heroes of the Huddled Masses, the Bryan Brothers won the men’s doubles for the fourth time. Hats off to their coach David McPherson for switching Mike to the deuce court for the final. They had lost to Nestor and Zimonjic five straight times and needed to do something different.

Hopefully, the Williams Sisters will now be seeded number one in any doubles tournament they enter. I know the computer says Black and Huber are ranked number one but that’s just on paper. Serena and Venus have proved over and over again that they are the best women’s doubles team in the game.

As always good luck in your matches.

Observations

Just some random thoughts and observations from the Australian Open:

Do you think this was the first time a ball boy has ever peed his pants during a match? (2nd round match between Donald Young and lleyton Hewitt)

How can Serena Williams’s serve be so technically good while Venus’s is so technically BAD?

I think that was the first time I have ever seen Venus Williams beaten in a match where she was physically outplayed. Li Na ran her from pillar to post during their quarterfinal match. Williams was exhausted by the end whereas Li Na looked like she could have kept on going (insert Energizer Bunny commercial here).

Good to see Lisa Raymond and Renee Stubbs back on the court as doubles partners. It’s great to see two players play doubles the old fashioned way, serve and volley, chip the returns low, come to net and force the other team to try and hit through you. They had a good run until the semis when Venus and Serena had just a little two much power for them.

Maybe the way to win a Major on the women’s side is to retire and then come back from nowhere to make a run at the title. If Justin Henin can beat Serena that will be two in a row for the retirees. Hopefully Serena will be 100% physically for the match.

Hope everyone is having a great mixed doubled season in spite of all the rainouts.

Good Run For Isner

Just got finished watching the John Isner-Andy Murray round of 16 match. I thought Isner had a chance early but in the end Murray had too much variety and too much game. For whatever reason I am not a big fan of Murray’s. Maybe it’s the over use of the drop shot, maybe it’s his whinny attitude. Whatever it is, I don’t like him although I am quite positive he’s not losing any sleep over the fact.

Isner might be the one to fill in for the absence of Andy Roddick for Davis Cup. I don’t have much faith in either Mardy Fish or Sam Querry to step up. James Blake played one of his better matches in years against Del Potro in the second round but came up just short. Hopefully he will come out with that same intensisty for the opening Davis Cup tie.

Should be a great second week for the Australian Open. Thank goodness the Tennis Channel has been showing a lot of doubles on it’s extended coverage channels.

It’s Here

Finally, some real tennis. The Australian Open starts today and it’s shaping up to be a great tournament. Nadal looks like he is healthy again and ready to defend his title. Federer wants badly to avenge last year’s loss to Nadal and especially come up big after losing the US Open final. Roddick looks to be in great shape although his decision to skip Davis Cup is a killer to the United State’s chances of advancing. I guess that at this stage of his career he has to look out for his health at the expense of Davis Cup. Hats off to Roddick for years of service to our Davis Cup squad.

Serena Williams did not look especially sharp in her loss in the Sydney Final to Demetieva. She looked to be favoring her left leg and her footwork was not at it’s best. Doesn’t really matter, she always is up for the Majors. It would be nice to see Dementieva finally break through and win a Slam. Same for Safina. Clijsters is playing well. Henin is back from retirement and looks as good as ever. Look for a fantastic second round matchup between Henin and Dementieva.

Should be fun to watch.

Merry Christmas

Wanted to take the time (since I never find time to write anymore) to wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas. May Santa Claus give you everything you ask for. And if not everything, at least the ability to hit a backhand topspin lob anytime you feel like hitting it.

Coming Soon

Have you noticed how celebrities or sports figures release little pieces of information about their upcoming “tell all” books or autobiographies? Before his book release Herschel Walker disclosed he has multiple personality disorder. Andre Agassi has just announced that he has done crystal meth in the past. People are now supposed to flock to the book stores to snatch up these books to see what more lurid details are hidden inside. Because, really, would we buy the books anyway if we didn’t think that there might be more juicy details inside? I wouldn’t. I’m still not going to buy them. But it is an interesting marketing device. One that I’m going to use to push my not soon to be released autobiography.

Where to start? So much has happened in my life that it would be a shame to just give you one or two teasers. Maybe just some of the highlights.

I was there on the grassy knoll on November 22. 1963 in Dallas, Texas. Don’t remember seeing a second shooter although I do recall a couple of dark suited men wearing sunglasses dragging away some guy dressed in cammo. Not sure what that was about.

I lost my virginity at Woodstock. After all, it was the time of peace and free love. I think the girl was a travel agent. She said we could go around the world for a hundred dollars but I told her I had to get back home.

I guess I should take the time to disclose the biggest secret of all. I’m not really a tennis player. Can’t stand the game actually. Everything that I’ve written about tennis in past columns was just fabrications, out and out lies, or the truth so greatly exaggerated that what actually happened may never be known. I’m an avid golfer. Golf, now there’s a real sport. Physically and mentally demanding, never knowing when that little white ball may decide to move right as you go to hit it. I don’t watch wrestling either. Never been to the Omni to see Dusty Rhodes, Abdullah the Butcher or any of the other stars of the NWA. My wife is actually the wrestling fan. She has hundreds of hours of wrestling videos to prove it.

I could tell you more but that would ruin the book. As it is right now, I’m going to sit by the phone and wait for a publisher to call. I’m expecting a big bonus up front. Let the good times roll.

I’ve Found Federer’s Weakness

It is apparent now after Juan Martin Del Potro’s victory over Roger Federer in the final of the U.S. Open what the fatal flaw is in Federer’s game. He can’t win a Major  six times in a row. He failed against Nadal last year in his attempt to win Wimbledon for the sixth time in a row and now he fails at the Open to win it for a sixth straight time. Nit picking, I know but I had to come up with something to justify the column’s title. Congratulations to both Del Potro and Kim Clijsters for their title victories. You would never believe that this was only Clijster’s  third tournament back the way she played. Special thanks goes out to Serena Williams. For years I have been writing that she has the least amount of class of anyone in tennis and there she was Saturday night proving my point in front of the world. I owe you one Serena.

SEE YA

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it until I’m proven wrong. Andy Murray does not have what it takes to win a Major. Marin Cilic is the latest player to burst the Murray hype bubble. The only reason Murray has ascended to number two in the rankings is because of the injury to Nadal. Of course, the same could be said of Federer’s rise back to number one but Federer has 15 Majors to his name. Murray has a lot of promises and bluster and not much else. Before the Open began Murray was talking of winning the title and assuming the number one ranking by the end of the year. Now he will drop back to number three and provide us with more “wait til next year” promises.

Ugly Shoes.

Why are all the tennis shoes out there on the market now so ugly? Watched the match last night between Roddick and Gicquel, both their shoes were hideous. I went to a tennis store yesterday to buy some new shoes and finally had to settle for a pair that was the least obnoxious looking. I think I’m going to have to go back to spray painting my shoes the way I did in high school. Congratulations to Melanie Oudin for her upset of Dementieva at the Open.

Gonna Be A Great Day

What a day. Federer against Djokovic in the final of the Cincinnati Masters, Sharapova against Dementieva in the finals of the Rogers Cup and the Little League World Series. It’s good to see Nadal back in action in time for the U.S. Open. Now if if we could just get him to quick picking his butt before every serve and return.