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By Matthew Cronin
SAN JOSE - ATP doubles has
a bevy of new rules (think no-adgames, 10-point tiebreakers). But
it was all about oldies butgoldies at the SAP Open, as John McEnroe
- the best doubles playerever to lift a racket - came out of
retirement after a dozen-yearhiatus.
It was like a time warp. Nothing
had changed.
Johnny Mac still had those
sweet hands, that angry scowl.Sure, the snarly 47-year-old (who,
aside from Davide Sanguinetti, istennis' best gray-haired player)
may also suffer a slightly recedinghairline, but he still reveals
his singular corkscrew service motion,catlike reflexes and deft
touch. He
still unveils an expansive,almost circus-like entourage (rocker
wife, cautionary agent, proudIrish-American papa, more-than-lively
kids, coaches, collegebuddies). He still displays a woe-is-me
body language, and his story("How come the world's out to
get me?") and his 'tude have only beentempered a tad by time.
Okay, he recently hosted
McEnroe, one of the lamest showsever to air on TV. His rock band, New York art
gallery, wretched TVgame show (The Chair) and his career as a Davis
Cup coach allfizzled. But the guy does know how to pick really
good doublespartners - in this case, the sublime Swede Jonas Bjorkman,
thereigning French Open champion. And he can still intimidate many
afoe, as he did in the opening round of the SAP. Savvy doubleswhizzes
Wayne Arthurs and reigning Wimbledon champ Stephen Hussfolded like
a couple of chairs 6-3, 6-3. Then Ashley Fisher/TrippPhillips wilted
6-1, 7-5. Jaroslav Lewinsky/Robert Lindstedt managedto put
up a fight in the semis, but fell in the newfangled third-setmatch
tiebreak 6-3, 4-6 (10-8). Then, in the final, McEnroe/Bjorkmanoutlasted
Stanford alums Paul Goldstein/Jim Thomas 7-6, 4-6 (10-7),McEnroe
himself punctuating the win with a backhand volley winner atthe
net. He said afterward, "The right team won."
The winner of 77 singles titles and 78 doubles
titles, Macdidn't drop his serve in his first three matches and
now boasts ninedoubles crowns at the Bay Area event.
Mac's San Jose performance
was just the latest in a busyarray of '06 happenings. Not only did he do commentary
for theAustralian Open and Davis Cup, but filled in with his brother
Patrickto play a hit-'n-giggle match against the Bryan Bros. during
the U.S.vs. Romania Davis Cup tie in La Jolla, when the regularly
scheduleddoubles ended early due to an injury. (During the match
he mutteredto himself, "I'm the only player who's ever been
fined during anexhibition.")
At the SAP, Mac confided, "Every match
I've ever played, I'vebeen nervous," and admitted, "It's
not going to change the world if Iplay a doubles match." Still,
he informed a dazzled crowd, "I wantto inspire the old people. The
old dog wants to teach the young guysa few new tricks." Ever
competitive, Mac also boasted, "100 percentof me believes
I can still compete against the top 16 doublesplayers."
And
what about the heart and soul of tennis' most famous badboy? Sounding
like quite the reformed fellow, the gray panther toldreporters, "I'm
not going to do something selfish because I've donethat for a long
time." He added, "I've improved as a person. I
havesome work to do, but I've got a lot of kids who keep me humble." Ontop
of this, he spoke at length on his favorite topic du jour, telling
us, "Doubles is in danger of being terminated. It's like
theDavis Cup, they are both on life support." As for the
role of thenew doubles commissioner, McEnroe was blunt, "Doubles
commissioner?How about a tennis commissioner?"
© 2006
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