Sports Illustrated will announce its choice for Sportsman of the Year on Nov. 30. Here's one of the nominations for that honor by an SI writer. Now this was The Greatest Match Ever: All England Club, Gentlemen's final, King Federer vs. The Everyman with the 145 mph serve. After the afternoon shadows had overtaken Centre Court, after the longest fifth set in the history of the tournament was over and the breathtaking four-hour, 16-minute epic had come to an end, Roger Federer put on the white jacket embroidered with the gold 15 like an emperor slipping on his cloak. Federer had won more Grand Slam singles titles than any player in history. Yet, the better story on that July afternoon belonged to the loser, because there had never been a loser that more deserved to win than Andy Roddick at Wimbledon.
I'm sure you're slammed with questions about Andre Agassi's admission of drug use and his lying to the ATP about the reasons for a positive test. Whether he should or shouldn't have written about this aside, what effect does this have on his legacy? This is, after all, a guy with a positive image who we now know probably should have been suspended. -- Nitin Arora, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Are you really equating a couple of sets of exhibition tennis to the demands of a long tour season? -- Henry Brito, Atlanta
American tennis legend Andre Agassi has admitted using crystal methamphetamine a year before he won the French Open in 1998, and that he lied to the sport's governing bodies in the same period about a positive drugs test to avoid a ban.
Justine Henin has revealed she will make her comeback from tennis at the Brisbane International in January 2010.
Australian Open organizers have granted a wildcard to former world number one Justine Henin to play in the opening grand slam of 2010.
Justine Henin is following in the footsteps of fellow former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters by returning to competitive tennis.
Four thoughts from the never-ending drama of the tennis world:
It was predictable that Dinara Safina would struggle at the U.S. Open.
Roger Federer will be able to bounce back again following his shock U.S. Open final defeat, tennis legend Boris Becker has told CNN.
Sports Illustrated will announce its choice for Sportsman of the Year on Nov. 30. Here's one of the nominations for that honor by an SI writer. Now this was The Greatest Match Ever: All England Club, Gentlemen's final, King Federer vs. The Everyman with the 145 mph serve. After the afternoon shadows had overtaken Centre Court, after the longest fifth set in the history of the tournament was over and the breathtaking four-hour, 16-minute epic had come to an end, Roger Federer put on the white jacket embroidered with the gold 15 like an emperor slipping on his cloak. Federer had won more Grand Slam singles titles than any player in history. Yet, the better story on that July afternoon belonged to the loser, because there had never been a loser that more deserved to win than Andy Roddick at Wimbledon.
I'm sure you're slammed with questions about Andre Agassi's admission of drug use and his lying to the ATP about the reasons for a positive test. Whether he should or shouldn't have written about this aside, what effect does this have on his legacy? This is, after all, a guy with a positive image who we now know probably should have been suspended. -- Nitin Arora, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Are you really equating a couple of sets of exhibition tennis to the demands of a long tour season? -- Henry Brito, Atlanta
American tennis legend Andre Agassi has admitted using crystal methamphetamine a year before he won the French Open in 1998, and that he lied to the sport's governing bodies in the same period about a positive drugs test to avoid a ban.
Justine Henin has revealed she will make her comeback from tennis at the Brisbane International in January 2010.
Australian Open organizers have granted a wildcard to former world number one Justine Henin to play in the opening grand slam of 2010.
Justine Henin is following in the footsteps of fellow former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters by returning to competitive tennis.
Four thoughts from the never-ending drama of the tennis world:
It was predictable that Dinara Safina would struggle at the U.S. Open.
Roger Federer will be able to bounce back again following his shock U.S. Open final defeat, tennis legend Boris Becker has told CNN.
Without any second thoughts, I would say that Jack Kramer was the single most significant figure in the history of his game, tennis.
NEW YORK -- The U.S. Open felt like two separate tournaments. The first was an exciting, spirited 10-day party, played amid ideal conditions. The second was a soggy circus. But in the end, the sun came back out and we were treated to some compelling finals. Herewith, some scattered observations and opinions:
Unseeded Belgian former world number one Kim Clijsters' return to women's tennis culminated in a U.S. Open women's singles title after she beat Danish ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki 7-5 6-3 in New York on Sunday night.
The Williams sisters have reached the women's doubles final at the U.S. Open for the first time in a decade after being taken to three sets on Thursday.
Melanie Oudin, who was swept aside in the U.S. Open tennis quarterfinals after impressive early wins, was philosophical but disappointed Thursday, calling the effort "a good learning experience."
According to the tennis shibboleth: "You can't win a Grand Slam title in Week 1; you can only lose it." Well, Week 1 is over and now it's Showtime at the U.S. Open. Five plotlines to follow over the next seven days:
At a bare minimum, when you've represented Robert Kennedy, Arthur Ashe, Michael Jordan, and Jimmy Connors, among others, you ought to have some good stories. And Donald Dell doesn't disappointment. A well-known figure in the tennis world for being the sport's first agent, helping to found the ATP Tour and serving as a U.S. Davis Cup captain, Dell, 71, mixes practical advice and war stories in his new book, Never Make the First Offer.
World number two Andy Murray brushed aside U.S. wildcard Taylor Dent 6-3 6-2 6-2 in third-round action at the U.S. Open.
Maybe Andy Roddick hasn't recovered as well as we all think from his loss at Wimbledon. Look at the losses he has had since then. He lost two tight matches to Juan Martin del Potro, in Washington, D.C., and Montreal. I think the one in D.C. ended in a third-set tiebreak. He lost to Sam Querrey in Cincinnati in two tiebreak sets and now to John Isner in a fifth-set tiebreak. I get the feeling when things get close in the end, he just doesn't have the confidence to pull it out. What do you think of his losses? -- Beth D., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Grades for the 2009 U.S. Open after six days:
SI.com's Jon Wertheim breaks down the men's and women's seeds at the U.S. Open. Read on for the top first-round matchups, dark horses to watch and his predicted winners.
A 'bag before the big dance (and we don't mean this).
Instead of the Ad-In, Ad-Out format, we're going to try something new on Monday, a "best-of-three" recap of the week plus other random thoughts:
Roger Federer sent out an ominous message to his rivals by claiming the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati with a straight sets demolition of Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday.
This time last year, Vera Zvonareva was playing her way to the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics. Now she is ranked No. 7 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, and gaining strength after an ankle injury earlier this season. In a recent interview with SI.com, the 24-year-old Moscow native discussed her thoughts on the success of Russian women, her experience as a ball girl and her other life as a student of international affairs.
I am a Roger Federer fan, but it gets harder to support him after postmatch interviews where he bashes his opponents and fails to credit them with good play. Case in point: the interview after his loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Rogers Cup. Federer choked, and Tsonga stepped it up. Enough said. At what point does greatness turn into arrogance? -- Jose, San Antonio
Andy Murray clinched the No. 2 world ranking in men's tennis despite struggling with his serve in Saturday's semifinal victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Montreal Masters.
Since advancing to the fourth round at Wimbledon in late June, Melanie Oudin of Marietta, Ga., has continued her rise to a career-high ranking of No. 68 on the Sony Ericcson WTA Tour. In a recent interview with SI.com, the 17-year-old discussed life as a qualifier, her decision to be home-schooled and her views on grunting.
1. Wimbledon I don't remember my first brush with Wimbledon, but my mom does. I was 3 years old in the summer of 1975 when Arthur Ashe defeated Jimmy Connors in the men's final, a moment that she celebrated by picking me up, holding me in front of the television and telling me, "He looks like you! He looks like you!" This was my mom's way of telling me that anything in life was possible -- that I, too, could grow up and do anything I wanted. She was right. I wonder what it would be like to sit at Centre Court and see the grass and watch Federer, Nadal and the Williams sisters. I'm sure I would think about Arthur Ashe. I'm sure my mom would, too.
The grassroots renaissance of tennis in the United States was the subject of an Associated Press feature that appeared online and in many newspaper sports sections over the weekend. The story argues, among other things, that "today's dearth of top American professionals" hasn't curtailed the sport's post-2000 growth:
Top seed Serena Williams has crashed out of the Bank of the West Classic, but her older sister Venus reached the semifinals after thrashing Maria Sharapova.
Tennis superstar Roger Federer is the "proud father" of twin girls after his wife Mirka gave birth overnight to Charlene Riva and Myla Rose.
There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the popularity of the WTA Tour rivaled its men's counterpart, when stars like the then-up-and-coming Williams sisters held court with Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles, Justine Henin, Mary Pierce and, yes, Anna Kournikova.
While the 16 remaining players in the men's draw competed at Wimbledon on June 29, Richard Gasquet was a few miles from the All England Club, fighting for his career at a tribunal hearing. Three months earlier, the French player had tested positive for cocaine, triggering a two-year ban under the World Anti-Doping Agency code. In a sport with no guaranteed contracts and a short career shelf life, this was, potentially, akin to a professional death sentence.
It's always struck me as shabby when a commentator or columnist ignites controversy and then slips away like Laura Dern in the last scene of Citizen Ruth. Last week, I took issue with Roger Federer's Wimbledon attire -- and, more specifically, the Nike taste-makers who determined Federer's dignity and humility required more edge.
It's always struck me as shabby when a commentator or columnist ignites controversy and then slips away like Laura Dern in the last scene of Citizen Ruth. Last week, I took issue with Roger Federer's Wimbledon attire -- and, more specifically, the Nike taste-makers who determined Federer's dignity and humility required more edge. The responses, pro and con, were as intense as they were numerous.
While mourning Mathieu Montcourt and thinking how downright creepy it is that two players penalized recently by the ATP for petty gambling infractions --Federico Luzzi is the other -- have died ...
Eddie: You can't compare Mathis to Sinatra. There's no way. No way. They're in totally different leagues.
Andy Roddick had just taken the first set from Roger Federer in Sunday's Wimbledon final, inducing roars from the Centre Court spectators, when my wife-to-be posed a perfectly sincere question.
The Wimbledon grass has always been a bit of a yoga mat for Roger Federer, who routinely moves around Centre Court at mental and physical ease while his more bruiser-like counterparts clip-clop on its blades.
Some scattered thoughts on a historic Wimbledon ...
Serena Williams is looking to forge her place in tennis history after winning her 11th grand slam title at Wimbedon on Saturday.
So, Roger Federer has passed Pete Sampras, which means I now will make a statement -- of somewhat sound mind, with a good night's rest behind me -- that is inarguable, indisputable and incontrovertible:
Roger Federer claimed his record 15th grand slam crown and sixth Wimbledon title as he beat Andy Roddick 5-7 7-6 7-6 3-6 16-14 in an epic final on Sunday.
Four things we learned while watching the all-American women's final at the All England Club on Independence Day ...
Serena Williams has avenged last year's Wimbledon final defeat by sister Venus to claim the grass-court major for the third time.
American sixth seed Andy Roddick ended Andy Murray's hopes of winning Wimbledon after beating the British number one in four thrilling sets on Centre Court on Friday.
The annual grand slam at the All England Club is always packed with tennis drama, but Wimbledon is also synonymous with many other traditions around the game.
This is our last "crumpet" for Wimbledon 2009. Time to do magazine work (though I'll continue periodic tweeting and podcasting). If you'd like, you could read this tomorrow; think of it as tape-delay. Thanks to everyone who wrote in. We'll be back Sunday with a Wimbledon wrap-up!
WIMBLEDON, England -- While marveling at Venus Williams's play on grass....
A total of 28 staff at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships have been asked to stay at home with suspected swine flu.
Two years are tattooed on the English sports consciousness like scarlet letters of anguish and self-pity. One is 1966, the first and only time the Three Lions hoisted the World Cup. The other is 1937, the last time a British player won at Wimbledon.
WIMBLEDON, England -- Here's a Monday baguette, or, as reader Art Wong suggests we call it during Wimbledon, "a crumpet." While wondering what Roger Federer is making of the prospect of facing Ivo Karlovic...
Twice defending champion Venus Williams powered into the Wimbledon semifinals with another impressive display and then said it would be "fantastic" to face sister Serena in Saturday's climax.
Rafael Nadal, the defending champion, stayed away from Wimbledon. Which gives him something in common with the rain. You remember, the Wimbledon rain, right? Wet stuff ... fell from the sky ... constantly disrupted play. The only umbrellas unfurled last week were used to repel the sun. And that may have been the biggest upset of Week 1. Herewith, our midterm grades:
While raising an eyebrow at Novak Djokovic's play today...
World number two Roger Federer set down an ominous marker for his opponents at Wimbledon by easing to a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 straight sets victory against Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
Argentina's unseeded Gisela Dulko caused an upset on Centre Court with a battling win over former champion Maria Sharapova.
As Wimbledon 2009 gets under way this week, sports commentators and tennis aficionados will closely watch China's tennis superstar, Zheng Jie.
World number three and Britain's great tennis hope, Andy Murray, has told CNN he is ready to win Wimbledon at this year's tournament.
Former champion Maria Sharapova came safely through a testing first round encounter with Ukraine's Viktoriya Kutusova as she won 7-5 6-4 on Court One on Monday.
From the book, STROKES OF GENIUS: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played, by L. Jon Wertheim. Copyright © 2009 by L. Jon Wertheim. Published by arrangement with Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Venus Williams and Roger Federer go into Wimbledon seeking singles title number six at the All England Club and casting aside any thoughts of retirement.
Top seed Andy Murray claimed his first-ever grass-court title with a straight sets victory over American James Blake in the final of the AEGON Championship at Queen's Club in London on Sunday.
This story appears in the April 13, 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated
World number one Rafael Nadal reached the fourth round of the ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament at Key Biscayne in Florida on Monday with a 7-5 6-3 success over Portugal's Frederico Gil.
Former No. 1 player Kim Clijsters announces she's coming out of retirement
Former world number one Kim Clijsters will come out of retirement and return to playing on the WTA Tour, the Belgian confirmed at a press conference on Thursday.
Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters looks set to announce her return to the women's tennis circuit two years after retiring from the sport to have a baby.
Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova returned to action after a seven month injury layoff in a doubles match at Indian Wells in California.
Tennis superstar Roger Federer and longtime partner Mirka Vavrinec are expecting their first baby this summer, the Swiss ace revealed on his personal Web site on Thursday.
Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova will return to competitive action after a six-month injury absence in this week's tournament at Indian Wells.
For obvious reasons, L'Affaire Shahar Peer and the aftermath dominated the questions last week. I'm thinking the most efficient way to do this is take a few of the recurrent themes in order:
In July 2008, a month before China grabbed the sporting headlines for the Beijing Olympics, Zheng Jie made her own bit of sporting history for China.
The UAE denies Shahar Peer, an Israeli, a visa to play in a joint WTA/ATP tournament, when she was placed in the main draw. What does this mean for the future of tennis in this region? What is the appropriate response for the WTA and the other players? There can be little tolerance for this kind of behavior, right? -- Aaron Mayfield, Chicago
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo rolled back the years to beat Elena Dementieva 7-6 2-6 6-4 in the final of the Paris Open, to secure her first tournament title in two years -- delighting the home fans at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin in the process.
The polite hush that descends on the crowd seconds before service is nowhere to be heard when it comes to the issue of equal prize money in women's tennis.
I know how Roger Federer feels. For years, I could not beat Priest Holmes in chess. You might remember Holmes, the star running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, the guy who led the NFL in rushing in 2001, the guy who seemed to score three or four touchdowns every week when you were playing against him in fantasy football. We had a weekly chess match for a while.
Some scattered thoughts on the heels of another Australian Open:
Rafael Nadal claimed his first Australian Open title and denied a tearful Roger Federer his 14th grand slam crown after another epic five-set victory, 7-5 3-6 7-6 3-6 6-2 in Melbourne on Sunday.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have battled for tennis supremacy on the clay and grass courts of the French Open and Wimbledon for three years. On Sunday, their rivalry will break new ground when they meet on a hard court for the Australian Open title.
Rafael Nadal reached his first Australian Open final after a marathon five-set victory over Spanish compatriot Fernando Verdasco which ended in the early hours of Saturday morning in Melbourne.
Serena Williams claimed her fourth Australian Open title with an emphatic 6-0 6-3 victory over Russian Dinara Safina in Saturday's final in Melbourne.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have battled for tennis supremacy on the clay and grass courts of the French Open and Wimbledon for three years. On Sunday, their rivalry will break new ground when they meet for the Australian Open title on a hard court. A few thoughts:
Jelena Jankovic is making a reputation for herself as one of the hardest working women in tennis.
With regard to the Slams, it has been argued that players are least fit coming into the Australian Open, because they are not as match-tough after the 'offseason'. Bearing that in mind, why does the year start with possibly the most grueling Slam (in terms of playing conditions)? -- Stephen Males, Devonshire, Bermuda
Roger Federer remains on course for a record 14th Grand Slam title after a fierce fightback saw him recover from a two-set deficit to defeat Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-7 6-4 6-4 6-2 and reach the Australian Open quarterfinals.
Can Jelena Dokic become the dominant player the women's tour is looking for? (And regardless of the answer -- how wonderful is it to see someone who used to be the epitome of misery so thoroughly enjoying herself?) -- Deborah, Como, N.S.W.
Holder Novak Djokovic is through to the last 16 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, but the Serb's four-set victory over Amer Delic was marred by crowd disturbances between fans of both players.
I know you'll never touch this question but here's nothing. Serena said: Being a Jehovah's Witness kept her from voting in the election, but didn't prevent her from watching Barack Obama's campaign and victory. "I try to stay politically neutral, don't get involved in worldly matters," she said. "For me, because I am black, seeing that happen, I would be blind if I didn't take interest in it or I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested in what was going on. Obviously I am." As an African-American, I'm curious as to whether winning slams and other tennis tournaments is somehow religious or unworldly? My point is that she and her sister set a poor example for young kids. Voting is ungodly but chasing Slams isn't? Your opinion? -- Ray Vinson, Hampton,Va.
Jelena Dokic produced late night heroics on the Rod Laver Arena to upset Russian 17th seed Anna Chakvetadze 6-4 6-7 6-3 and extend her Australian Open comeback into the third round.
Roger Federer warmed up for the Australian Open in impressive fashion with a 6-1 6-3 thrashing of Davis Cup team-mate Stanislas Wawrinka in the AAMI Classic final at Kooyong on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic's preparations for the Australian Open suffered a further setback as he was upset by Finland's Jarkko Nieminen in the semifinals of the ATP Tour event in Sydney.
Tournament favorite Andy Murray has been seeded only fourth for the men's singles at the Australian Open in Melbourne next week.
Defending champion Maria Sharapova has been forced to pull out of the Australian Open due to a shoulder injury.
France's Amelie Mauresmo is an injury doubt for the Australian Open after a thigh strain forced the former world number one to quit her semifinal at the WTA tournament in Brisbane.
Now that Andy Murray has beaten Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal back to back, can we officially declare that the quadrumvirate era has finally arrived in the ATP?
Our guest today is widely regarded as the greatest player ever to set foot on the tennis court. He's Roger Federer, I'm Anjali Rao, and this is Talk Asia.
1. Where does the Nadal-Federer passion play go from here? You'd be hard-pressed to name a more gripping and textured rivalry in professional sports. One versus two. Lefty versus righty. Grit versus polish. Nouveau versus classic. Will versus Grace, as it were. In 2008, Nadal beat Federer all four times they met --including their spellbinding Wimbledon final -- and assumed the No. l ranking in the process. Yet Federer recovered and enter 2009 within a single Major title of tying Pete Sampras' record. So long as both remain healthy, Rafa-Roger the best theater in tennis, no matter what happens.
It was the match of the year. It was the match of the decade. It was, one could certainly make a credible case, the greatest match in tennis history. On the first Sunday in July, Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4. 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 in the finals of Wimbledon, the most important match of the most important tournament.
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