Tennis-X News: Federer Road Not Rising to Meet Him
Posted on June 2, 2007TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Stephanie Cohen-Aloro got worked Friday by Tathiana Garbin 6-3, 6-0, but the Frenchwoman says she has no need for a coach since splitting with Nathalie Tauziat eight months ago: "The coach tells you what you have to do, but there are things you have to feel for yourself. All I want is to feel well mentally. Whether I have coaches and people running around and yelling around me or standing...I honestly don't care." -- Good luck with that, seems to be working out well...U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe on his mission to change the international competition, speaking to the ATP Queen's media: "I love the Davis Cup, it's a great event but it has the potential to be even greater...I think we should change the format, make it an every other year event, and I would like to see a final four situation in Davis Cup, where the final four teams go to a site for the finals over a 10-day event. Then it could be promoted all year. It would make it a bigger event if it was every other year, like the Ryder Cup in golf."
From the Brunei Times: "Gisela Dulko, dubbed Argentina's Anna Kournikova, played in the mixed doubles with Chilean Olympic gold medallist Fernando Gonzalez here last year, reaching the quarter-finals. They lost but Cupid struck and they became an item. "I feel safe and certain with Fernando," cooed Dulko of her partner."...The WTA Tour is preparing a system to introduce background checks for the entourages of its players, with coaches targeted. Officials met during the French Open to discuss the plan, which would apply to coaches, agents, trainers and family members. A WTA Tour source told the Globe and Mail that the measures are designed to "enhance the safety, security and well-being of the players," but the plan has become controversial since tennis players are "free agents" and some are bristling at the intrusion...Venus Williams hit the fastest recorded serve in French Open history, topping out at 129 mph earlier in the week. Brenda Schultz-McCarthy holds the record with a 130 mph blast...Roger Federer is the first player to reach seven straight Grand Slam finals (going into the French) since Jack Crawford in 1933-34...Mario Ancic, who hasn't competed since February due to mono, has pulled from Queen's Club...Roger Federer says he keeps up with the daily results at the French Open, and his pick to win the women's title is Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova: "I like her game. She plays well...I want to have a look at the results at the end of the day. I just want to be informed of the highlights of the day, to know what has happened during the day."...Rafael Nadal's typical meal at the French Open: "My typical gambas (prawns), which I love; olives, which I also like a lot, and a plate of pasta."...No tennis players on SI.com's "The Fotunate 50," their ranking of the Top 50 American athlete money-earners. Roger Federer is No. 3 on the "International 20," Maria Sharapova is No. 8 -- but where was Rafa?...Italian Filippo Volandri, who beat Roger Federer earlier this year on clay, on the key to topping the Swiss: "Pull your bandanna over your eyes, and swing away."...Bob Bryan on why the Americans struggle on clay in singles: "Americans are waiting for the claycourt season to end -- and the others are looking forward to it."...Rafael Nadal in his French Open blog: "I've never had any complaints about the crowd here...Maybe the translation error after last year's final had some influence. I remember that I started my speech congratulating Roger Federer, saying that I was very happy and proud to have beaten him and that he might be the best tennis player of all times. The translator (which we know well because he's also in Monte-Carlo and at some others tournaments) didn't understand well what I said and translated the opposite, which would mean that I was the best player of all times, etc. Afterwards he came to the locker room and said that he was sorry about the mistake. He didn't have his best day. That happens to all of us. The case is that maybe the crowd still remembers that, but well, I don't think that it's a big deal."...Greg Garber writing for ESPN: "When it comes to playing tennis on clay, the United States has become a third-rate power. Put them in the B bracket, along with countries like Cyprus (Marcos Baghdatis), Israel (Shahar Peer), Finland (Jarkko Nieminen) and Romania (qualifier Ioana Raluca Olaru) -- countries that also have one player left in the men's and women's singles draws."...Tennis blogger Peter Bodo on one of the poorest movers on clay, Maria Sharapova: "OK, let me climb right out on a limb here, spit on my palms, and get sawing: Maria Sharapova is going to win the French Open. It may not be this year, and it will take a little bit of luck -- like not having to play both of the women against whom her chances are dim, Justine Henin and Serena Williams. One she might be able to handle; beating both might be a bridge too far. Some of you are still wiping up the Coke you blasted onto your keyboard through your nose when you read my prediction; what am I going to do next, tout Andy Roddick's chances in Paris?"...From the quarterfinals on, Roger Federer could face three players in Paris who have already beaten him this year: Filippo Volandri in the quarters, Guillermo Canas in the semis and Rafael Nadal in the final...From Tennis.com's blogging Steve Tignor: "PS: Someone should tell the Tennis Channel's Chanda Rubin that commentating on a tennis match means talking about both players, not just the one from your country. She barely mentioned [Jelena] Jankovic at all, which meant there was way too little information coming from the booth about what the winner of the match had done to, you know, win the match."
Stephanie Cohen-Aloro got worked Friday by Tathiana Garbin 6-3, 6-0, but the Frenchwoman says she has no need for a coach since splitting with Nathalie Tauziat eight months ago: "The coach tells you what you have to do, but there are things you have to feel for yourself. All I want is to feel well mentally. Whether I have coaches and people running around and yelling around me or standing...I honestly don't care." -- Good luck with that, seems to be working out well...U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe on his mission to change the international competition, speaking to the ATP Queen's media: "I love the Davis Cup, it's a great event but it has the potential to be even greater...I think we should change the format, make it an every other year event, and I would like to see a final four situation in Davis Cup, where the final four teams go to a site for the finals over a 10-day event. Then it could be promoted all year. It would make it a bigger event if it was every other year, like the Ryder Cup in golf."
From the Brunei Times: "Gisela Dulko, dubbed Argentina's Anna Kournikova, played in the mixed doubles with Chilean Olympic gold medallist Fernando Gonzalez here last year, reaching the quarter-finals. They lost but Cupid struck and they became an item. "I feel safe and certain with Fernando," cooed Dulko of her partner."...The WTA Tour is preparing a system to introduce background checks for the entourages of its players, with coaches targeted. Officials met during the French Open to discuss the plan, which would apply to coaches, agents, trainers and family members. A WTA Tour source told the Globe and Mail that the measures are designed to "enhance the safety, security and well-being of the players," but the plan has become controversial since tennis players are "free agents" and some are bristling at the intrusion...Venus Williams hit the fastest recorded serve in French Open history, topping out at 129 mph earlier in the week. Brenda Schultz-McCarthy holds the record with a 130 mph blast...Roger Federer is the first player to reach seven straight Grand Slam finals (going into the French) since Jack Crawford in 1933-34...Mario Ancic, who hasn't competed since February due to mono, has pulled from Queen's Club...Roger Federer says he keeps up with the daily results at the French Open, and his pick to win the women's title is Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova: "I like her game. She plays well...I want to have a look at the results at the end of the day. I just want to be informed of the highlights of the day, to know what has happened during the day."...Rafael Nadal's typical meal at the French Open: "My typical gambas (prawns), which I love; olives, which I also like a lot, and a plate of pasta."...No tennis players on SI.com's "The Fotunate 50," their ranking of the Top 50 American athlete money-earners. Roger Federer is No. 3 on the "International 20," Maria Sharapova is No. 8 -- but where was Rafa?...Italian Filippo Volandri, who beat Roger Federer earlier this year on clay, on the key to topping the Swiss: "Pull your bandanna over your eyes, and swing away."...Bob Bryan on why the Americans struggle on clay in singles: "Americans are waiting for the claycourt season to end -- and the others are looking forward to it."...Rafael Nadal in his French Open blog: "I've never had any complaints about the crowd here...Maybe the translation error after last year's final had some influence. I remember that I started my speech congratulating Roger Federer, saying that I was very happy and proud to have beaten him and that he might be the best tennis player of all times. The translator (which we know well because he's also in Monte-Carlo and at some others tournaments) didn't understand well what I said and translated the opposite, which would mean that I was the best player of all times, etc. Afterwards he came to the locker room and said that he was sorry about the mistake. He didn't have his best day. That happens to all of us. The case is that maybe the crowd still remembers that, but well, I don't think that it's a big deal."...Greg Garber writing for ESPN: "When it comes to playing tennis on clay, the United States has become a third-rate power. Put them in the B bracket, along with countries like Cyprus (Marcos Baghdatis), Israel (Shahar Peer), Finland (Jarkko Nieminen) and Romania (qualifier Ioana Raluca Olaru) -- countries that also have one player left in the men's and women's singles draws."...Tennis blogger Peter Bodo on one of the poorest movers on clay, Maria Sharapova: "OK, let me climb right out on a limb here, spit on my palms, and get sawing: Maria Sharapova is going to win the French Open. It may not be this year, and it will take a little bit of luck -- like not having to play both of the women against whom her chances are dim, Justine Henin and Serena Williams. One she might be able to handle; beating both might be a bridge too far. Some of you are still wiping up the Coke you blasted onto your keyboard through your nose when you read my prediction; what am I going to do next, tout Andy Roddick's chances in Paris?"...From the quarterfinals on, Roger Federer could face three players in Paris who have already beaten him this year: Filippo Volandri in the quarters, Guillermo Canas in the semis and Rafael Nadal in the final...From Tennis.com's blogging Steve Tignor: "PS: Someone should tell the Tennis Channel's Chanda Rubin that commentating on a tennis match means talking about both players, not just the one from your country. She barely mentioned [Jelena] Jankovic at all, which meant there was way too little information coming from the booth about what the winner of the match had done to, you know, win the match."