InsideTennis.com

THE BUZZ: BASKING IN THE RAYS OF GENIUS AND OTHER ENCHANTING SUMMER DIVERSIONS

By Bill Simons

PRETTY GOOD RACKET: In three Grand Slams this year, Croatian Petra Martic has won one game and earned about $100,000.

TALKING POINT: After Aussie Nick Kyrgios beat Rafa Nadal, Jon Wertheim wrote: “What would US tennis do (pay?) for a charismatic 19-year-old who could beat Nadal on Centre Court? Already had Canada Envy. Now this?”

YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN BRITAIN WHEN… Even though you’ve been there for just two days, you use the word overcooked … Each day, workers polish the brass door handles in the media center and scrub the stairs … The Prime Minister’s press secretary is called a spin doctor … The TV in Wimbledon’s cafeteria features Question Time, the high-octane, sarcastic debate in the House of Commons … A tennis broadcaster uses the word perspicacity …There’s a long segment on Wimbledon’s champagne bar.

BASHING BULGARIA: When it was noted that Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov left home to train in France, John McEnroe said, “Not too many people are going to say its a horrible thing to leave Bulgaria to go to Paris.”

SIGN OF THE MONTH: Christopher Clarey reported that British World Cup fans held up a sign that read:

Flight to Brazil—2000 pounds.

Enjoying the ambiance—2000 pounds

Accommodations—2000 pounds

Arriving after England was eliminated—Priceless.

FEEL-GOOD IMAGES: Twenty-five minutes after his devastating loss in the Wimbledon final, Federer laughing on the players’ lawn with his twin daughters … France’s Michael Llodra hugging his son after playing his last match at the French Open.

A ROOF’S RUMINATION: The Wimbledon roof tweeted: “Another quiet day in the sun … Could use some rain. I am out of practice. #rustyroof.”

OVERHEARD IN THE PRESS ROOM: “For years, I thought a hash tag was one of those labels I put on my drugs.”

SO WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FOURTH SET OF THE WIMBLEDON FINAL? “It wasn’t that the match caught alight,” wrote Simon Barnes. “It was already lit and burning well, but suddenly it became a blast furnace, a heretic-consuming inferno that fizzed and crackled to the sound of demented prayerful cheering as the finest arena in sport … went into spontaneous combustion … And Federer, yesterday’s man … the champion of champions now reduced to playing his endgame, his life now an elegant, elegiac prolonged farewell tour, was suddenly back in full, rampaging force … This wasn’t Federer as the purring, effortless winner with that ever-so-slightly smug expression: this was Federer recast as street fightin’ man.”

THE WHITE STUFF: Venus Williams said at Wimbledon, “Everyone just kind of glows in white.” But the usually traditional Roger Federer offered a surprisingly contrarian view, “White, white, full-on white … it’s very strict … I think it’s too strict.” Pat Cash couldn’t wear his iconic checkerboard headband—too much black. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova said, “It’s very weird [for authorities] to check under my skirt [to see] if I’m wearing white underwear.”

ONE WAY TO FIX THOSE COURTS: France’s Benoit Paire said, “I hate Wimbledon … The atmosphere displeases me greatly, and I am glad to leave as soon as possible … All they like is giving fines, maybe thanks to us they will be able to fix the courts.”

NOT A FAN OF MIXED DOUBLES (OR THE WORLD CUP): Columnist Ann Coulter claimed, “Any growing interest in soccer can only be a sign of the nation’s moral decay.” She added, “No serious sport is co-ed, even at the kindergarten level.”

DESTINY DENIED: Serena and Sharapova were to meet in dream confrontations in the quarters of both the French Open and Wimbledon. Neither happened. BTW: When asked about playing against Serena, Sharapova said, “I haven’t had the best results against her.” Well, she’s lost the last 15 matches they’ve played.

AND WE THOUGHT BRITAIN WAS SUCH A GRACIOUS SPORTING NATION: It’s hard to find a Brit who fancies Serena. Is it because she’s polarizing, loud and demonstrative, black, American, in-your-face, a diva, or just wins too often? When she was in a daze on court before her Wimbledon doubles match, it wasn’t surprising that fans began to slow clap, to demand to get this thing going. But then they started a wave, that festive group indulgence, which flew in the face of an athlete struggling with a health issue. Serena’s mom Oracene stood dumbfounded. One sensed her rage. This was not Britain’s greatest sporting moment.

USEFUL AND NOT SO USEFUL STATS: The Big Four—Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray have won 36 of the last 38 Slams … Three players born in the ’90s made it into the Wimbledon quarterfinals: Nick Kyrgios, Grigor Dimitrov, and Milos Raonic … There were no bathroom breaks before ’83 … It took Coco Vandeweghe 13 match points to beat Garbine Muguruza, who double-faulted twice in a row to lose … Sloane Stephens is 17-15 this year …Novak Djokovic is now No. 1. Genie Bouchard is No. 7, and the only woman this year to reach the semis of the first three Slams … America has nine women in the top 60, and only one man … At the US Open, there were three women’s semifinalists over 30. At Wimbledon, Lucie Safarova was the only semifinalist born before 1990. More »

Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic—The Man Who Beat God

By Bill Simons

We media folk adore scoops. It makes us feel all puffy. So, here’s a dandy one from this correspondent.

***

Based on reliable sources, it’s safe to say that God—long ago out of the firmament, after he lit up the universe with lightness, crafted the depths of the oceans, shaped many a mountain, and had the guts to create that devilish character we know as man—had a brainstorm.

And thus God created Federer: that would be Roger Federer, aka The Mighty Fed, the Royal Raj, Mr. Perfect.

Immaculate, classy, impeccable—he is our knowing sage and sublime master of all things tennis, who moves to every corner on court with a dreamy athletic grace; whose backhand flicks wonders and drop shot beauties to create artistic pictures which delight fans from Dover to Devonshire, from Delhi to Detroit.

Truly, this is a man apart. It’s not only that he brushes his teeth three times a day and has been honored by kings and queens. It’s not just that Hollywood moguls and squealing kids alike all but fall to their knees to honor this man of grace, He’s mastered four languages, fathered a pair of twin girls, and then, just to have a little symmetry, evened things out with a set of twin boys. Goodness, this man is even better at reproduction than the rest of us.

Need we even note that the greatest man to ever lift a tennis racket has re-written the sport’s dusty stats book: 17 Grand Slam wins, 23 straight semifinals, 302 weeks at No. 1. But more than this, this super-father at times suggests that he has beaten father time. His wrinkles are modest, his legs are tireless, and now, at last, his back doesn’t ache.

While his contemporaries are either talking in broadcast studios (Andy Roddick) or recovering back home after first-round defeats (Lleyton Hewitt), old man Roger rolls on. Just a month shy of 33, he hoped to become the oldest man to win Wimbledon.

No wonder the world adores this athlete, perhaps the most beloved sportsman on the globe. Roger remains driven by a love of his sport.

Yes, the Swiss government regularly gives him cows and creates Roger stamps. He’s the international ambassador for fancy cars and nice watches, he’s won the Stefan Edberg sportsmanship award nine times, and he has a committed Africa charity. Plus, in this land where cheeks are rosy, children are dutiful, and royals are venerated, Roger is all but worshiped.

But more than anything, Roger himself still loves tennis. Despite the aches, the airport delays, the ill-conceived press questions, the man plays on. His game offers beauty, his face reveals just the slightest expression—a bemused smile.

So us normal folk are left to ask, what doesn’t Mr. Perfect do? Well, shock of shocks, with four nannies, Super Dad doesn’t change diapers. More to the point, he hadn’t won a Slam since Wimbledon in 2012. Last year, he got booted out of the Championships by a big-hitting Ukrainian. Going into this year’s tournament, he’d won only one title in 2014.

But now, certainly, he had a golden opportunity—perhaps his last “best” chance to win a Slam. After all, in the final, he’d be facing his old rival Novak Djokovic, in their 35th meeting. More »

Wimbledon: Boris Becker on Djokovic Win

By Bill Simons

Novak Djokovic‘s coach Boris Becker was elated after his man prevailed in one of the great Wimbledon finals of all time. Emerging from the Friends Box, near a descending Centre Court stairwell, he spoke with Inside Tennis publisher Bill Simons and the AP’s Sandra Harwitt:

What is the very best quality Novak has a tennis player?

He’s just such a competitor.

So, Boris, talk about that incredible fourth set.

It was 5-2, match point [at 5-4], but you couldn’t say really that he [Novak] played poorly. I thought Roger took his chances, went for his shots, wasn’t afraid to hit them, and they went in. As Novak said at the end, that’s the reason that he [Roger] has won so many Grand Slams, because he’s not afraid under pressure, and that’s what makes him so difficult.

What’s the experience been like for you working with Novak?

It’s been a great ride, and I’m enjoying myself a lot. It’s very easy to work with Novak because he’s so motivated. He wants to work every day. He plays to win. He’s not happy with a semifinal and final and it’s just a great honor for me to be part of his team. More »

Wimbledon: Petra Posterizes Poster Girl Bouchard

By Bill Simons

For decades, the WTA brand was built on change; fresh flowers and teen darlings who blew kisses, blasted forehands, and charged (despite ample pimples) fearlessly into a dazzling world of possibilities. You know the poster girls—Chrissie, Tracy, Monica, Steffi, Martina H., Lindsay, Venus, Serena, Maria. So many blooms, a bouquet of delights!

So, as the river of generational change flowed fast and free, the tennis gods seemed to be whispering: renewal is everything, change matters. Don’t trust any baseliner over 30.

But even Madonna grows up and goes to PTA meetings. And within women’s tennis, there was a clogging of the arteries. The game got kind of gray.

Critics were whispering their complaint to the WTA: “You don’t send us flowers anymore.”

Battle-weary veteran Marion Bartoli won last summer’s Wimbledon, then promptly retired. The US Open was abuzz about, well, the fact that three semifinalists were thirtysomethings. That nice Chinese elder Li Na claimed the Aussie, and then the French Open—which featured twice as many thirtysomethings as teens—was won by Maria Sharapova, who has been blasting and shrieking for over a decade.

Enter Eugenie Bouchard. She’s young, she’s fearless, she’s named after a princess. At last, the Youth Genie was out of the bottle. More »

Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic—An Opportunist, a Winner, and a Wimbledon Finalist

By Bill Simons

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”—Winston Churchill

We’re always told to appreciate what you have. Take advantage of every opportunity. Your treasure can go in a flash.

After all, on this blue-sky, breezy English afternoon, all seemed perfect for Novak Djokovic.

With a British Royal (Prince Michael), a tennis royal (Rod Laver), a golf royal (Jack Nicklaus), and a Russian princess (Maria Sharapova) looking on, the Serb quickly showed why he was the No. 1 seed and the favorite to win Wimbledon. He stepped out and schooled his young foe, Grigor Dimitrov, the 23-year old who doesn’t want to be known as “Baby Fed” or as Sharapova’s main squeeze. Dimitrov’s main concern was simple: reach the Wimbledon final.

But Djokovic, limber and loose, would have none of it. At first Novak’s considerable skill sets were on full display: running with ease, returning with confidence, serving well, and unleashing great defense. More »

Wimbledon: Lost Luggage and Found Opportunities—Milos Raonic’s Homage to Canada

By Bill Simons

Tuesday, July 1st was Canada Day, and it’s been Canada Week at Wimbledon, with Eugenie Bouchard marching to her first Slam final without dropping a set, and Milos Raonic advancing to the men’s semis. With all of that in mind, Inside Tennis recently spoke to Raonic about his adopted homeland:

Can you tell us about the pluses of your family’s Canadian experience, and how it’s helped you as an ATP player? Except, of course, for Air Canada losing your luggage, what has been the downside?

Have they lost my luggage?

They did when you came to San Jose.

That’s true. Usually I hold grudges about that kind of stuff, so I’m surprised I forgot.

My family came from a situation [in Montenegro] which gave us no option. My parents were both well-educated and had an opportunity to really start thinking of opportunities for myself, my brother, and my sister.

They both got jobs on the exact same day, pretty much the first day they applied. All of those things are very fortunate. I don’t know if that would have been possible in a lot of different places in the world. More »

Wimbledon: All in the Family—How Bouchard’s Defying Gravity

AN INTERVIEW WITH GENIE BOUCHARD’S MOM, JULIE LECLAIR

By Bill Simons

What went through your head as your little girl was out there on the greatest court in the world?

It’s the temple of tennis. Obviously, I’m proud, and I was hoping she would hold her nerves and close it out. You know, it’s tough out there.

Does all this seem a little unreal to you?

In a way, yes, obviously, but she has been working on this since she was four-and-a-half years old. So she just goes out every day trying to be the best she can. She said it could happen six months ago, could happen next year, could happen in three years—who knows?

She just came out of the juniors [2013 was her first full year on tour], and she’s already reached two Slam semifinals and one final. Is it shocking that it’s happened so fast?

I’m happy for her, she worked so hard at it. It’s good success. But there is a lot she can’t control, [such as] how other players do, and she can only play who is across the net from her.

She doesn’t seem to get nervous, though.

That’s her quality. Most kids would be a little nervous here. More »

Wimbledon: The Nick Saviano Interview—Genie Will Not Be Overwhelmed

By Bill Simons

After Genie Bouchard defeated Simona Halep 7-6(5), 6-2 to reach the finals of Wimbledon, Inside Tennis spoke with her coach, Nick Saviano:

What did Genie Bouchard show you out there today on Wimbledon’s Centre Court?

You know this, Bill, it’s nothing that I haven’t seen before. I felt that she played really well at times and not as well as she could other times. So it’s a work in progress, to make sure she continues to play Genie Bouchard tennis. She wants to continue improving.

What is Genie Bouchard tennis?

Aggressive, taking the the ball early, big serving, big returning, and dictating play.

In the final she’s going up against Petra Kvitova, an experienced player who loves this court—a past champion who kicked butt today.

She doesn’t care. We have great respect for the opponent, but don’t care if she has experience or if she likes the court. Its irrelevant to us. The only thing that’s relevant is what Genie will expect tactically from the girl. It’s just about Genie being the best she can be. You know what, if she goes out and plays to the best of her abilities, that’s all she can do. We’ll let the result take care of itself. More »

Wimbledon: Murray Loses—Uneasy Lies the Head That Wears the Crown

By Bill Simons

Competition is part and parcel of sports, even, believe or not, in sports journalism.

So, the question is this: What sentiment best captures today’s shock loss by Wimbledon’s defending champion, Andy Murray?

Shakespeare‘s penetrating insight about the powerful told us that, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” After all, this island put a lot of pressure on their lad Murray to defend his title. God forbid that Britain would start another losing streak at their beloved home tournament.

But then there is the comforting Biblical quote from Ecclesiastes, about the cycles of life: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

And recently, in this tennis heaven, Murray’s career has seen almost every possible turn. More »

Wimbledon: Serena Ill, Rafa and Sharapova Out—Chaos Reigns on Tumultuous Tuesday

By Bill Simons

Last year, it was Wacky Wednesday, when Federer and Sharapova were knocked out of the tournament early, and Azarenka, Tsonga, and Isner and more went fell prey to injuries.

And like the Isner-Mahut marathon, everybody knew nothing would ever top that. Exactly!

But, then again, maybe we need to rethink this. After all, Tracy Austin said Serena Williams‘ woozy appearance on Court 1 was the craziest 15 minutes she’d ever seen on court. Plus, a pair of icons, Maria Sharapova and Rafa Nadal—arguably two of the prime favorites to win the tourney—were rudely bumped out in upsets that astounded.

So, the heck with Wacky Wednesday, welcome to Tumultuous Tuesday.