Men’s Tennis Insider - Week of January 29
Straight Tennis News
By Rick Vach
Former editor for International Tennis magazine and the
ATP, Rick Vach previews this week's happenings and last week's highlights on
the men's tennis tour.
After Andre Agassi’s workman-like dissection of Arnaud Clement in the
Australian Open final, the question remains, will he face a similar collapse as
in 2000? Last year Agassi’s Aussie Open run was followed by a yearlong purple
patch where he failed to collect another title, taking into consideration a
string of injuries and family illnesses.
With all the talk of the aging of American tennis, 2001 will be the year to
watch, and to see whether Agassi can keep up the pace, and if former No. 1 Pete
Sampras will be content to focus on his new bride and let his tennis game slide
into the record books. Heading into February, a smattering of indoor and clay
events act as a precursor to the big spring hardcourt Masters Series events in
Miami and Indian Wells.
THIS WEEK ON THE ATP TOUR
Milan Indoors
Milan, Italy
The second largest city in Italy hosts a top Euro-laden draw, especially deep
considering it follows on the heels of the first Slam of the year. Top seed
Marat Safin will attempt to reassert his dominance and shake off the elbow problem,
and lack of confidence, that bothered him during the Australian Open. No. 2
seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov adds firepower to the draw, in addition to Dominik “The
Dominator” Hrbaty and Nicolas Kiefer, with added flavor from former French Open
champion Sergi Bruguera, and bomb-droppers Greg Rusedski and wildcard entrant
Goran “my shoulder is f-ed” Ivanisevic.
Safin faces a difficult road with possible pre-semifinal match-ups with
Rusedski and No. 8 seed Marc Rosset. Kafelnikov was granted an easier road, as
was the No. 4-seeded Kiefer, who will be the one to watch in the bottom half of
the draw.
Former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek was scheduled to make his return
from injury at Milan, but pulled days before the event began citing a sore
elbow. In last year’s final, the unseeded Rosset ousted the top-seeded
Kafelnikov 6-4, 6-4.
QUARTERFINALISTS ACCORDING TO
SEEDINGS
Top Half
(1) Safin vs. (8) Rosset
(3) Hrbaty vs. (6) Schalken
Bottom Half
(7) Federer vs. (4) Kiefer
(5) Pavel vs. (2) Kafelnikov
1st ROUND UPSET PICKS
FABRICE SANTORO d. (3) DOMINIK HRBATY
When Santoro starts throwing down the Nerf ball, players tend to get
frustrated, Hrbaty included. The Dominator has lost all three former contests
to the Frenchman.
JAN-MICHAEL GAMBILL d. (6) SJENG SCHALKEN
The American’s two-handed attack has proven too difficult in three former
occasions for the No. 6 seed, and Gambill is hungry after an injury-laden 2000
campaign.
Cerveza Club Colombia Open
Bogota, Colombia
The capital of Columbia sits atop a giant
mountain of cocaine, where last year the unseeded Mariano Puerta upset Younes
El Aynaoui for the claycourt title. This year the tour dirtballers get their
first taste of clay before they are eventually forced to vie for the big points
on hardcourt at Masters Series events in Miami and Indian Wells.
No draw available as of Sunday.
LAST WEEK'S UPSET PICKS
Upset picks are comprised of unseeded players beating seeded players, or wins
by qualifiers or unseeded wildcards. Picks record in 2001 to-date: 5-8
Last Week's Upset Pick
Result
RUSEDSKI d. (15) CLEMENT WRONG (too much tenacious Frenchman)
(14) HRBATY d. (12) RAFTER WRONG
(Rafter on fire)
NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES
"My mother always told me when I was growing up that I should play
hard but also fairly."
-- Magnus Norman, after conceding a match point against him after a late
"let" call by the umpire.
IVANISEVIC TRIES THE MINOR LEAGUES
Former Top 10 Goran Ivanisevic dipped down into the Challenger circuit last week to play
in Heilbronn, Germany. The 29-year-old played in his first Challenger since reaching
the quarterfinals at Johannesburg on November 25, 1991.
”We chose Andre for the new action-packed spots because his on-the-go lifestyle
epitomizes that of our fast-track consumers. Andre's no stranger to a close
shave. He's a fierce player who bends the rules, but doesn't break them.''
-- Gushing Schick VP Dick Jordan.
INJURY UPDATE
From ATP
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS is back smacking tennis balls after undergoing successful left knee
surgery on December 28 and is eyeing a return to tennis on February 19 at the
Kroger St. Jude in Memphis.
SITES
FEATURING Men’s Tennis Preview:
http://www.isyndicate.com
GOT
A QUESTION OF YOUR OWN? Send it to: rvach@mediaone.net
Use of this content is prohibited without consent. For use of this copywritten,
cheaply-priced (and cheaply-written) syndicated content on your tennis/sports
web site, contact: rvach@mediaone.net Note to
webmasters: PLEASE display in Courier font at 10 pts., or charts will be
unreadable.