Safin, Mirza, Young Exit in Miami; Spadea Rap Album Stolen
Posted on March 24, 2006
OPINION: IMG, Put Double-Bageled Young Back in OvenRain hammered the Masters Series-Miami Thursday, but not before 16-year-old wildcard American "The" Donald Young was hammered 6-0, 6-0 in the first round by Argentina's Carlos Berlocq, who had himself never before won an ATP-level match.
Young was 0-8 career at the ATP level entering the match, while the teen rookie Berlocq was winless in seven attempts. Managed by IMG, the former world junior No. 1 Young has been pushed onto the pro stage even though his teenage physique has yet to mature, and he has failed to win titles at both the futures and challenger levels in tennis' minor leagues.
"I can always go back to juniors and win tournaments and beat people as bad as I was beat today," Young told reporters, holding on to his optimistic outlook. "I really do think I'm learning something from each match. I play differently every time."
"Different" would be a kind assessment of Thursday's one-sided affair, which Young said was hampered on his part by a sore right wrist. The teen also showed he is tiring of the opinions of players such as Andy Roddick and James Blake, and Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe who all say the youth is undercooked and needs to spend more time at the lower levels.
"I don't think they were as good as me when they were 16," Young said. "I don't think they even had the decisions to make."
Huh?
If you want to take a look at today's players that were on your level, take a look at Lleyton Hewitt, who at 15 was winning tournaments -- at the challenger level, where you should be.
It's tough to have any perspective when you're surrounded by a constant posse of "yes-people" comprised of parents, agents, friends, hangers-on, etc., and your ego is fueled by a constant supply of IMG wildcards, win or lose.
Even James Blake, speaking with reporters in Miami, said he had hit with the teen but hasn't been able to break through the posse to speak with the Young-ster about the best way to approach rising in the ranks.
"He seems to have a few people around him at all times," Blake told reporters. "It's tough to break through that."
The problem with Young lies with his handlers. Who could blame a kid for wanting to take every wildcard he can get at the tour level after hooking up with one of the major management firms? But what is the psychological damage to a kid (and this is a kid, not an individual mature beyond his years) who can't win a futures or challenger event, yet is thrown to the lions, getting double-bageled by unspectacular players like Berlocq?
"He's always been playing a level above, and this is no different," his father Donald Sr. told ESPN. "I don't think there's anyone out there that wouldn't take these opportunities if they were offered."
True, but can't IMG bank these wildcards for future use? Maybe until he shows he can at least win a futures event?
If there is a voice of reason out there, hopefully The Donald can tune in to Blake who has been there and done that.
"He's a very talented kid, but still, he's a kid," Blake told reporters. "I think he's got some learning to do at the futures and challengers level first, and then he can get back up here and maybe have some success. But I think right now, he's not quite ready for it. Most 16-year-olds aren't."
If IMG really cares about the development of The Donald, both mentally and physically (the kid is still roughly only 145 pounds soaking wet), IMG will tell the parents and handlers they can bank these wilcards for future use. Young is obviously brimming with talent, but let the ugly manhandlings at the tour level stop.
Unless someone puts him on a more conventional path to stardom, there could be irreparable damage to the egg-laying psyche of IMG's teenage golden goose.
Richard Vach is a senior writer for Tennis-X.com and can currently be seen on The Tennis Channel's "Tennis Insiders: Super Insiders" episodes.
Spadea Loses Bad Rap in Hotel Robbery
Vince Spadea was robbed in his sleep Wednesday at his hotel during the NASDAQ-100 in Miami Thieves made off with roughly $5,000 of merchandise including a laptop, iPod, CDs and tennis gear.
"I swear I slept through the whole thing. I'm not making this up. I got up to go to the bathroom at 3:30 in the morning and decided to check my messages when I realized my computer wasn't there," Spadea told reporters. "Then I felt this intense breeze coming through the room. I had this eerie feeling throughout my body. I was thinking, 'Am I sleepwalking or something?'"
Thieves reportedly pried open the screen door during the night on his fifth-floor pool deck room at the Biscayne Bay Marriott in downtown Miami.
"(The security people are) writing all this down and asking me, 'Are you sure you lost it? Is it in your car?'" Spadea told reporters. "'Hey dude, I'm not crazy. I lost $5,000 worth of merchandise and $5 million worth of phone numbers.' I lost 21 hot rap tracks that are coming out on my new album. I'm going to have to reinvent them."
Five Former No. 1s Highlight Friday Miami Play
Matches to look for Friday at the Masters Series-Miami, the NASDAQ-100 Open, include world No. 2 Rafael Nadal vs. former No. 1 and Spanish countryman Carlos Moya, No. 10 seed Andre Agassi vs. the diminutive Belgian Christophe Rochus, world No. 3 David Nalbandian vs. American Paul Goldstein, and No. 5 seed Nikolay Davydenko vs. American qualifier Mardy Fish.
On the women's side in first- and second-round action, look for No. 3 Justine Henin-Hardenne vs. American Meghann Shaughnessy, top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo vs. Aussie riser Sam Stosur, No. 24 seed Martina Hingis vs. Chinese qualifier Tiantian Sun, and No. 12 Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Vera Zvonareva in an all-Russian showdown.
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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
On the opening day of the video replay system in Miami, ATP players had a 6-2 success ratio with challenged calls, while WTA players were 1-5. Nicolas Lapentti had four successful challenges alone in his loss to Xavier Malisse...Best internet tennis poll on menstennisforums.com: "Do you think you could beat Donald Young?"...Why did the ATP so quickly take down their fan poll, the one that asked fans if it would be OK if the ATP started taking on gambling, (more) beer and liquor sponsors?...From the Sport Telegraph: "Britain's Alex Bogdanovic has turned down the opportunity to represent his country during next month's Davis Cup tie against Serbia and Montenegro in Glasgow, a decision which has astounded and frustrated officials at the Lawn Tennis Association and, in particular, captain Jeremy Bates. "I love the Davis Cup and I would love to be part of it but what happened in Israel wasn't very good," Bogdanovic said. "My performance in Israel was terrible. I felt that I let everyone down. I didn't feel like I was ready to play. But I hope to maybe play in the future."...Neil Harman writing for The Times on Andy Murray's pronouncement he would probably miss the Davis Cup for Britain: "Although the 18-year-old, reviewing his 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 Nasdaq-100 Open first-round defeat by Stanislas Wawrinka, of Switzerland, was hardly in the greatest mood of his life, doubtful pronouncements about his prospects against Serbia and Montenegro in Glasgow should be taken with a nip of single malt. Wild horses would be required to keep Murray from walking (or being pushed) out in front of the people who would cheer his presence at the Braehead Arena."...From Tennis Week: "Roger Federer continues to wrack up the W's and will continue to pursue victories sporting the W on his racquet face. Solidifying a relationship that began at age 10, Federer has signed a lifetime agreement with Wilson for racquets, string, tennis balls and tennis accessories. Ranked No. 1 in the world, Federer has competed with Wilson racquets since day one, signing his first professional agreement with the Chicago-based athletic company in 1997. Federer, who is in Miami for the 2006 NASDAQ-100 Open, officially signed the contract Wednesday with his agent Tony Godsick of IMG and Wilson Tour Director Michael Wallace present. Wilson did not disclose any financial terms of the deal though it is said to be the most lucrative racquet endorsement contract in history that may pay Federer as much as $2 million annually and continue after he retires from playing tournament tennis."...James Blake in Miami: "When I was a kid, I was a brat on the court, and it wasn't fun being me against the world, when all the parents don't like you."...From Sportsticker on the next Donald Young: "IMG evidently was not turned off by Bernard Tomic's youth. The sports marketing and management giant announced Thursday it has signed Tomic, a 13-year-old Australian tennis prodigy, to join its stable of athletes. Others in the IMG Tennis fold are Grand Slam champions Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport and Maria Sharapova. Last week, Tomic won his fourth consecutive 18-and-under ITF tennis championship in Australia and New Zealand. He has claimed 75 tournament titles in less than six years."...From Matt Cronin at Tennisreporters.net: "South Florida newspapers: The mediocre Sun Sentinel cracks on the Miami Herald for poor Andy Roddick analysis, even though the SS has been dead wrong about Andy's problems for at least a year now. Why no Crack-Back from the Herald? It's been a long time coming."...43 TV networks will cover Miami, and officials have issued 750 credentials to journalists from 32 countries...Greg Rusedski served five consecutive double faults in his Thursday win over Mikhail Youzhny...Mary Joe Fernandez writing for ESPN on the women's race for the year-end No. 1: "When breaking down the race, the one thing you have to look at is last year's results. The biggest winners in 2005 potentially have the most points to lose in 2006. For instance, Lindsay Davenport, who won six tournaments in 2005, has had injuries this season and could have trouble defending those points. It looks like it could be between (Justine) Henin-Hardenne and (Maria) Sharapova. Justine didn't play last fall, including the WTA Tour championships. Sharapova didn't play last summer and missed most of the fall season as well."...Tim Henman derailed the X-Lock of the Day over Marat Safin early Friday morning when tournament officials put the testy Russian on court after midnight after the two had waited in the locker room for the preceding 2-1/2 hour match to end. "(Tournament officials) said, 'It's up to you. You don't have to play now,"' Henman told reporters. "We're like, 'Now you tell us. What option have we got? If we don't play, we're not going to sleep before 3 or 4 o'clock, and then we've got to play today and Saturday.'" Safin's temper blew with a ball launched out of the stadium during a 6-3, 6-3 loss. The X-Lock of the Day can't be blamed for tournament officials putting Marat on after midnight, the prime time when Marat is thinking he should instead be out in South Beach hitting the clubs...Tennis-X Punter's Lock of the Day (2006 W-L: 1-1 (50%) -- ouch!): Ivan Ljubicic d. Robin Vik...From Linda Robertson of the Miami Herald: "Top to bottom, men's tennis is stronger than ever. The women have the same depth problem as their counterparts in college hoops. Too many early matches are like Duke's 96-27 dismissal of Southern in the first round of the women's NCAA Tournament. And too many finals are like Maria Sharapova's 6-1, 6-2 dismantlement of Elena Dementieva last week in Indian Wells, Calif."...If Donald Young plays the River Oaks exhibition against Pete Sampras next month, will Pete have to play a set lefty to make sure the match extends into an exo-friendly three-setter? Or does he just brutalize the kid with another double bagel? Or do they sub someone else who will still lose to Pete but make it a match?...Sania Mirza's free-fall continued Thursday in Miami with an opening-round loss to 16-year-old Georgian wildcard Anna Tatishvili.