McIntyre Tennis

Australian Open Day Two

By Mike McIntyre

After one semi-completed day at the Australian Open we have already witnessed the shocking defeat of Maria Sharapova at the hands of 58th ranked Maria Kirilenko. What will day two have in store?

Featured Match: Roger Federer vs Igor Andreev

Why have I chosen this match as my feature for day two? Because Federer just happens to be the greatest tennis player that ever lived and we really need to put that into perspective on a more regular basis. I feel like we have all taken Roger's accomplishments for granted simply due to the fact that he makes it all look so darn easy. For the past six years this guy has dominated the sport like nobody else in such a short time span. Appearances in 22 straight Grand Slam semi-finals - are you kidding me??? Federer will turn 29 this year and we must realize that his reign will not last for an infinite period of time. Enjoy this guy while he is still hanging on to the top.

Federer is not going to be happy with the first round opponent he has drawn. Andreev can be tricky and pushed Roger to his limits the last time they met. Federer prevailed 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at the 2008 U.S. Open against Andreev. If Roger isn't on top of his game he could get hurt in this match.

Upset of the Day: Lucie Safarova vs Venus Williams

I'm not jumping on the upset bandwagon in the WTA draw after yesterday's Kirilenko over Sharapova result, but I truly feel this is the potential upset of the day.

We all know that Venus has been on a slide since Wimbledon and her results away from grass courts are really nothing to write home about. Safarova has never beaten Williams in three tries, but has pushed the American to a third set in their previous two encounters.

Will Venus likely win this match - yes. It is a match she certainly should win. Her track record has never been amazing in Australia though and all the right ingredients are there for a potential upset to occur.

If you're looking for a more probably upset I would look at veteran qualifier Xavier Malisse to knock off 26th seed and clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro.

Welcome Back to the Slams: Alicia Molik

Molik returns to the Grand Slam singles stage for the first time since the Aussie Open in 2008. Once ranked as high as number eight in the world and the Bronze medalist from the 2004 Athens Olympics, Molik was a top-level player before injuries hit her big-time.

She was hit by an inner-ear infection in 2005 that sidelined her for several months and retired in September 2008 after struggling with leg and elbow issues. Molik then announced in July 2009 that she was injury-free and ready to return to the tour. She impressed last year at the challenger level and received a wild-card from her home country to participate here in Melbourne.

She takes on Julie Coin from France in the first round.

Coin Toss: Mikhail Youzhny vs Richard Gasquet

Youzhny is seeded 20th in the tournament while Gasquet should be ranked inside the top-twenty but isn't because of his doping suspension last year. This is a great first-round match which could go either way. 

Youzhny leads their career head-to-head 2-1, but they have not played since 2007 where the Russian won in a tight five-setter during Davis Cup competition.

Gasquet has started 2010 playing well and made the finals in Sydney last week falling to Marcos Baghdatis in the finals. I'd give him the advantage in this one based on talent alone.

Grizzled Veteran Special: Carlos Moya vs Illya Marchenko

Moya missed most of 2009 due to injuries and at the age of 33 he is on his last legs on tour. He has played once so far this year losing in the first round in Chennai - one of his favorite tournaments - to Janko Tipsarevic. 

He's coming in against an opponent who, despite his ranking of 119th in the world, has already won two qualifying matches on the courts in Melbourne. Bottom line - don't expect Moya's stay in Australia to last long.

2010 ATP Season Begins

By Mike McIntyre

The 2010 ATP tennis season is set to begin at three locations across the globe this week and plenty of big-name players are getting ready to fine-tune their games as the first slam of the year approaches. It's hard to believe that in less than three weeks we'll already be watching the action at the Australian Open. Such is the way the ATP tour continues to operate and therefore players can ill-afford to skip the early part of the season.

Here's a look at the competition in Brisbane, Chennai and Doha.

Brisbane International:

For those players looking to get accustomed to the Aussie heat and limit any last minute travel leading up to the Open, Brisbane is the place to be.

American Andy Roddick is seeded number one in the tourney and should advance to the finals without any major opponents in his path. Sure Richard Gasquet might give him a workout in the quarters, but it's not like he has to face a Federer or a Nadal at any point. Tough to say who he might encounter in the semi's, but if Marcos Baghdatis is ready to go, he could certainly make it to that stage. Baghdatis is never in super shape, and that might explain why he typically has such good results in January - nobody else is ready either!

The bottom half of the draw is pretty sparse, so look for defending champion Radek Stepanek to make it through to the semi-finals at least with relative ease.

An interesting opening match-up has 5th seeded Sam Querrey against unseeded James Blake. Blake is accustomed to being the number two ranked American behind Roddick, but we're seeing a younger group like Querrey and John Isner start to challenge. I really feel like 2010 is the year where Blake either has to make some tactical adjustments or kiss the top-fifty goodbye for good.

Aircel Chennai Open:

The draw in Chennai is quite wide-open so look for some unfamiliar names to potentially have a small breakthrough here. Sweden's Robin Soderling is the number one seed here and deservingly-so after his accomplishments in 2009. Soderling already has an exhibition win over Roger Federer this year, so he should perform well. A potential semi-final opponent is Stan Wawrinka who should be able to gather a few wins in Chennai.

In the bottom of the draw don't be surprised if either wildcard Carlos Moya or Somdev Devvarman makes a splash. Moya has won this tournament twice before and will be looking for a fond farewell as 2010 is likely his last on tour. Devvarman is a former NCAA standout and has performed well since joining the pro ranks a year and a half ago. He will certainly have plenty of support from the local crowd.

Second seeded Marin Cilic should also not be forgotten. The big-serving Croat should be able to maneuver into the finals.

Qatar Exxon Mobil Open:

So exactly where are all the big fish to start the 2010 season? Look no further than Doha, Qatar where the $1 million-plus prize purse has attracted Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Nikolay Davydenko. Imagine potential appearance fees on top of that and you can see why this tournament has nabbed the world's number one and two players. There is a big drop-off in talent after these three players however, and perhaps this is due to the distance between Qatar and Australia. It's a bit out of the way for players without a legitimate shot of advancing.

Roger has a good draw in the top-half and will likely face Davydenko in the semi's. After breaking the all-time Grand Slam record in 2009 and having his focus divided between being a family man and a professional tennis player, Roger is going to be tested more than ever in 2010. While Nadal and Murray have had Fed's number over the years, there may be new players that emerge as regular threats to his game. Davydenko defeated him for the first time at the season-ending championships in November, and Soderling did the same a day ago in Abu Dhabi. 

In the bottom-half of the draw, look for Nadal to find his way easily to the finals, where he would face Mikhail Youzhny if the draw holds true to form. You never know what you're getting with Youzhny however, so don't be surprised if someone else surprises. 

Pierce, Moya and more out of Wimbledon

Well, Mary's out and the list of withdrawals grows longer. Right now we've got: Mary Pierce, Serena Willaims, Lindsay Davenport, Carlos Moya, Taylor Dent, Guillermo Coria and Igor Andreev. Who's next I wonder.

Gimelstob's Blog: Couch Potato Pros

American journeyman Justin Gimelstob's got a funny entry in his Sports Illustrated blog.

Money quote: "With almost every TV showing a different match, there is a feeling of sensory overload. But you would be amazed at how long players sit there staring like zombies. A who's who of French Open champions and contenders can put even the finest couch potatoes to shame. My top four seeds in logging couch time on Monday would have to be Rafael Nadal, Carlos Moya, Juan Ferrero and Gaston Gaudio -- ironically, the last four French Open champions."

Good to know that the pros find tennis on TV just as addictive as the fans.

Mixed Doubles for Moya and Pennetta

Too cute:)

From the Australian Open site: Who calls the shots?

The personal and professional worlds of Carlos Moya and Flavia Pennetta collided at Melbourne Park on Friday when the pairing took to the court for their opening round mixed doubles clash.

The pair, who have been an item for a couple of years, decided to enter in the event after Moya was eliminated from the men's singles by Andrei Pavel early in the tournament...

Injury Break May Have Helped: Moya

Carlos Moya may be the forgotten Spaniard these days most places on tour, but not in India.  The local media are all over him as he goes for his third consecutive Chennai Open title.

From rediff.com: 'I'd like to be remembered for my tennis, not looks'

Carlos Moya, with his rugged look, long tresses, looks like some medieval king. Standing tall at six feet three inches, the Spaniard brings the silent ferocity to the battle. It was this heart for a fight that saw him become the first player from his country to be ranked number one in the world...

After a successful start to 2005, when he won his second title at the Chennai Open, Moya suffered a shoulder injury and was out of action for the last two months. He also slipped outside the top-20 in the world for the first time in eight years.

"After the break I will have to fight to be a top-10 player again. I was in the top-10 before the injury and I'm sure I haven't forgot how to play tennis in three months. I still have the ability to beat the top players of the world," he says...

Carlos Moya Interview

Just a quick interview by Carlos Moya here, but it gives you a pretty good idea of his state of mind going into the 2006 season.

From the Mumbai Mirror: Just too much tennis these days, says Moya

With a packed schedule and fitness doubtful, how do you see your chances here?

My shoulder has recovered but at this moment, I would like to take it step by step and see how it progresses. In any case I am a slow starter and the next two matches are always crucial. Having played my last match in October, if I can get used to the conditions here, it would be nice if I make it to the last stages.

With fitness worries, how do you see regain-ing your world number one status?

That is not possible. There are many young guys out there…Federer, Nadal. If my shoulder stays okay, I could make a fight for it but, realisti-cally, I would be satisfied if I get into top 10.

How difficult it is for an injured player to make a comeback after a long layoff, having lost all the points accumulated?

The layoff affects you mentally more than anything else. The game is 70 percent mental and 30 percent physical. You need to be strong in the mind and believe in yourself.

Moya Opens Gym in Mallorca

He insists he's not retiring anytime soon, but Carlos Moya today will host the grand opening of Profitness, a new gym in Mallorca in which he is a partner.  Rafael Nadal is also scheduled to attend as a guest and in honor of the occasion Moya is doing interviews with the local press.  Here are the highlights:

• If his body holds up, he plans to play professional tennis for several more years.
• He called his year "strange" and "not easy" and blames his shoulder injury for costing him a good part of the clay court season that is his specialty but emphasizes that he's not finished with tennis yet.
• He doesn't know yet whether he wants to return to the Spanish Davis Cup team in 2006.  However,  he was definitely not in favor of the recent firing of Davis Cup captains Jordi Arrese and Juan Avendano, saying the problem was that they were just honest, good people who know tennis and not politicians.
• He's happy for Rafael Nadal and says he deserves everything that has happened to him this year.  He's also confident that Nadal will eventually become #1 because he's sure Roger Federer's level will drop.  And he says he's not bothered at all that Nadal's star has eclipsed his for the moment, that he never wanted to be the big star anyway.
• He calls L'Equipe a trustworthy paper and says the Mariano Puerta doping case is bad for all of tennis, but cautions that Puerta still hasn't been proven guilty yet.  Nevertheless, he claims tennis is overall a very clean sport because the players are tested so often, including blood tests.

Carlos Moya

Carlos Moya wanted to make one thing clear after his 6-7(3) 3-6 loss to Thomas Johansson at the China Open today: he may have lost the match, but he is definitely not retiring in the near future. 

From Xinhua:  Moya plays down suspections on retirement (their English, not mine, don't shoot the messenger)

"Retire from tennis? No, I didn't think of it at all. As long as I keep healthy, I will keep going on," said the 29-year-old Spaniard...

"As long as my tennis is good and I am healthy, I will be around for a few years," he said.

Moya, Nalbandian and Ferrero Visit Great Wall of China

More "Tennis Players in Exotic Places" photos out of China today.  This time, Carlos Moya, David Nalbandian, and Juan Carlos Ferrero paid a visit to the Great Wall of China to promote the Beijing Open.  Photos in the People's Daily Online here.  Just disregard the captions which refer to  Juan Carlos as "Carlos Ferrero":)