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by Christopher Gerby Patrick Rafter vs. Andrei Pavel Singles: Final Centre Court Yet another hot afternoon (31 degrees Celsius) greeted Patrick Rafter and Andrei Pavel as they took the court for the singles final. Several fans clad in yellow and red waved Romanian flags for their man Pavel. Rafter, of course, had even more crowd support and doffed his cap upon getting a big ovation during the pre-match warmup. The early games of the match were service-dominated. Rafter was clocking an uncharacteristic number of aces, including three in Game 5. Pavel, meanwhile, continued his streak of successful holds -- he hadn't suffered a break since his second round win over Francisco Clavet. Rafter volleyed forcefully in a love hold for 4-3, but still couldn't reach break point against Pavel. Well-placed serves and awe-inspiring backhands carried Andrei to 5-all. Leading 40-0 in the next game, Rafter struck what looked like a game-winning volley and even feinted a move to his chair, but the ball was called out. At 40-15, he once again just missed the baseline and made the same joking move toward his chair. At 40-30 he finally did close out the game with a service winner and pointed his racquet in the chair's direction, purposefully striding to the changeover. Pavel then held at love to force a pivotal first set tiebreak.
There wasn't a competitive service game in the final set until Game 5, when Pavel dropped a couple points but held for 3-2. Big passing shots took the underdog to deuce in Game 6, but Rafter answered with back-to-back service winners for 3-3. Pavel got a lucky winner off the tape in Game 7, a love hold. Still unbroken after two hours of play, the Aussie double faulted to put himself in a 0-30 hole. He battled back with an ace and a winning volley, then got to game point when a Pavel lob went wide. The Romanian refused to crumble, though, and he drove a backhand into the corner for deuce. Finally losing his magic touch, Rafter missed two volleys in a row to surrender the game. Andrei Pavel was now one game away from a widely unexpected victory. Pat made him work for it, blocking a backhand return down the line for 30-30. However, Pavel's serve has been masterful on important points all week. He smacked a service winner for 40-30 and an ace out wide to clinch his first Masters Series title 7-6, 2-6, 6-3. Pavel immediately dropped to his knees and tossed his racquet aside. Then he lied down face first on the court and spent a good 20 seconds there before giving the purple surface a kiss. Pavel eventually shook hands with Rafter, sprinted over to embrace his personal trainer, gave the crowd a gracious round of applause, and threw a ball to the unofficial Romanian section of the stands. Participating in what may be the final trophy ceremony of his career, Rafter received a standing ovation and opened his speech by congratulating Pavel. Andrei would return the favor in his own speech, calling Rafter "a great champion" and issuing a "thank you to almost everybody." As Pavel posed for pictures with his new Waterford Crystal trophy, Rafter modestly crouched behind the photographers. While the players were leaving the court, the classic Aretha Franklin song "Respect" happened to be playing over the PA system. It was quite appropriate, since Andrei Pavel (essentially called a nobody by several journalists this week) earned a huge dose of respect with this victory. Nonetheless, he was reluctant to brag about the way he played. "I hope I showed that. I don't have to say it. I guess I had a great week. I'm trying to do that again. I'm trying to play better and better on the big tournaments, and I hope I can reach those goals." He'll get his next opportunity almost immediately, since he's set to face '99 Montreal champ Thomas Johansson in the first round of Cincinnati's Masters Series event on Tuesday. I asked if that quick turnaround would cut his celebration short. "No, I guess I will enjoy tonight. I have my family here. And I guess I will go a little bit in the swimming pool," Pavel said, referring to a public pool located just outside the stadium. "It doesn't have to be alcohol, I guess, but I think I will have a glass of wine and a nice meal. But, yeah, next week is another week... I hope I can get my mind together. I have a really difficult match against Thomas Johansson, who has been playing the last year great tennis." "It's just getting a little boring not finishing off the tournaments, getting close and not finishing them off," said Patrick Rafter, looking more subdued than we'd seen him in the previous press conferences. "Just a couple of loose shots. I didn't play particularly smart in the tiebreaker. Bit loose and he took advantage of it." Rafter is planning to take an extended break at the end of the season, but left open the possibility that Canadian fans will see him again. "If I miss the game and I'd like to prepare for the US Open next year, then Toronto would definitely be a stop for me." Unfortunately, full-fledged retirement is also an option. "Been my 12th year this year travelling. And it's very tiring, very boring. I'm going to miss the competition more than anything, but sometimes you don't want to compete... Sometimes you don't want to deal with people expecting you to win all the time and sort of getting down on you." As a Grand Slam champion, he isn't terribly interested in collecting more runner-up plates like the one he received today. "I've got a big family and they need a lot of plates to eat off. They can use them. Might as well use them. No good sitting on a mantlepiece." Johnson/Palmer vs. Novak/Rikl Doubles: Final Centre Court Jiri Novak and David Rikl didn't have to wait long for a chance to avenge their loss in last month's Wimbledon final. They got their rematch in Sunday afternoon's title bout versus Donald Johnson and Jared Palmer. Wearing their matching red-and-black attire despite the steamy conditions, the Czechs drew even at 4-4 in the first set. Johnson then played a loose service game at the wrong time, double faulting and missing a volley on the way to 15-40. Palmer pushed a backhand volley wide on double break point to fall behind 4-5. Breaks are precious commodities in men's doubles and the Americans couldn't get this one back. A service winner from the left-handed Rikl wrapped up the 6-4 opening set. The first break points of Set 2 came at 2-1, when Palmer ripped a forehand winner down the line. Johnson then delivered a winning forehand of his own, breaking Rikl for 3-1. The # 2 seeds extended that lead to 5-2 and earned a set point. Novak saved it with a winning volley, though, and Rikl held for 3-5. A service winner by Johnson gave his team a second set point, but Rikl fought it off with a nice backhand. Don got to set point # 3 and netted a volley. A fourth chance followed two points later and the Wimbledon champions finally made good. Palmer powered a smash into the stands, taking the second set 6-3. At that point, the hearty fans in the cheap seats were all invited down to the 100 (courtside) level for a closer look at the action. Meanwhile, the press box was becoming a ghost town. The refrigerator was emptied, information sheets were taken off their shelves, and the TV monitors were removed. It was like sitting in the middle of a very low-key riot. Johnson and Palmer had the momentum and were looking all kinds of fired up. They both raised clenched fists after a winning Palmer volley got them to deuce in the final set's first game, but Novak battled back to hold. Palmer broke into a double fist pump after saving a break point in Game 4. Brief opportunities were being missed by both teams as the set went with serve to 3-2. Johnson went up 30-0 in Game 6, but then sandwiched two double faults around a winning Rikl volley. On break point, Don sent a backhand volley long and angrily smacked a ball off the court. A love hold by Rikl put the end in sight, but Palmer staved off elimination with a hold for 3-5. A service winner by Novak brought the Czechs to double match point in Game 9. A high ball floated to Rikl at the net and he knocked home a winning backhand volley. David raised his arms in victory and got a big bear hug from Novak. The tough loss at Wimbledon was avenged in style: 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. The match lasted 95 minutes, which is about how long the three remaining reporters waited to hear from the champions. They were supposed to appear in the interview room within 10 to 15 minutes, but that time frame passed with no sign of the Czechs. Walkie-talkies were set in motion as we were first informed that Novak and Rikl were "hiding in the locker room" and then told they were busy showering. Our journalistic ranks dwindled to two and then to one. Just as yours truly was prepared to bail out, Nathalie Boivin of Tennis Canada insisted that I follow her down to the player lounge and wait there for Novak and Rikl. The lounge is every bit as spacious and lush as it was the last time I paid it a visit, following the '99 doubles final. A few minutes after I settled into one of the comfy sofas, the Czechs strolled in. Rikl immediately got distracted and wandered off, but his better known partner sat right down for the following one-on-one interview. (Hey, it's an On The Line exclusive -- gotta milk it for all it's worth.) On The Line: Did you try any strategy today that was different from the Wimbledon final? Jiri Novak: No, I don't think so. We know these kind of players so well, because we played so many matches against them already and we know the tactics what we have to exactly play. In the Wimbledon, it was a completely different story, because it was a little bit of the psychology match. It was the final of Wimbledon, the final of a Grand Slam tournament, the most famous tournament in the world. But today we played such a great match. We been just trying to play our best tennis, you know, how we did during this week. On The Line: Were you glad they allowed the fans to come down and be closer to the action? Jiri Novak: Yeah, I think it was, especially for them. It was just a little bit question of concentration during the first two or three games in the third set, because they were just coming down. The people were standing and walking and it's very difficult to play. You just playing the ball, you know, and you can see also the people, it's very tough to hit the ball. But then it was, I think, nice fun. We made the break in the third set, so it was very important for us. On The Line: Do you feel like the past couple months are the best you and David have played together? Jiri Novak: Yeah, I think so, because we are playing already five or six years together. Since last year, we made the final at the tournament in Stuttgart. After five years we made the final in Super Nine tournament and after that we won at Key Biscayne. You know, we won at Stuttgart, we won at Monte Carlo, we been in the final in Wimbledon. I think this is the best part of our career right now. On The Line: The question I've been wondering all week is, when did you shave your head? Jiri Novak: (laughing) Why or when? On The Line: When or why. Jiri Novak: It was, I think, Tuesday? Yeah, I think so, Tuesday. Tuesday in the evening, after the match against (Juan Carlos) Ferrero. I just decide because it is so beautiful weather and I'm for the five or six weeks away from the home, you know. I can do it because my wife will not see me for the five weeks. On The Line: Does it make you any faster on the court? Jiri Novak: No, I don't think so, but if you are just taking care of the hair, you know, every morning, three or four times per day. It is so nice to be like this. Just as I was thanking Jiri for his time, David Rikl walked over and joked that he disagreed with whatever his partner had been saying. I asked David if his successful mixed doubles partnership with Karina Habsudova would continue at the US Open. "Yeah, I'm playing with her, yeah, mixed doubles. Last three years. Yeah, and we lost three times to the winner of mixed doubles, each Grand Slam. So hopefully we make it one time." And with that, the last reporter on the premises packed up his stuff and headed for the exit. |