Once again this year, some of the On The Line staffers got together to distribute tokens of our appreciation -- or lack of appreciation -- for the highlights and lowlights of the 2000 tennis season. Once again, we had no shortage of fodder! Your judges, juries and executioners are: Ed Toombs, Peter van Mierlo, Chris Gerby, Daisy Aye and Ed Zafian.

Winners will be discerned in these categories:

Player of the Year
Newcomer of the Year
Comeback of the Year
Most Improved Player of the Year
Flop of the Year
Match of the Year
Most Memorable Media Moment
Nice Moment of the Year
Not So Nice Moment of the Year
"Farewell, You'll Be Missed" Award

Player of the Year

Ed T. Gustavo Kuerten Venus Williams

Peter v.M. Gustavo Kuerten Anna Kournikova

Chris G. Gustavo Kuerten Venus Williams

Daisy A. Gustavo Kuerten Venus Williams

Ed Z. Marat Safin Venus Williams

Consensus: First-time #1 Kuerten gets the honours on the men's side, whereas we award the prize to V. Williams ? with some reservations ? on the women's.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: A fluke, eh? "Guga" showed 'em: five tournament titles, including a second French Open crown, a tremendous clay season, first career hard court title, first career indoor title, and sweeping Kafelnikov, Sampras and Agassi in Lisbon ? indoors -- with number one on the line. Alas for Marat Safin, the number one was his to lose and he blew it at the Masters Cup. But Marat will be back?. In the meantime, Guga para todo o mundo!!
Women: While I am hesitant to award the coveted honour to a woman who played only half a season, Venus's abbreviated campaign was extraordinary. Year-end #1 Martina Hingis has to be considered, but her case is weakened by her losses to Venus at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Peter v.M.:
Men: For a time, my pick would have been Marat Safin. He looked likely to end the year as number one, having won his first match in Lisbon, and Kuerten having lost his first. Safin has impressively turned things around after a dismal start to the year. While his game is certainly not the most watchable, Marat has turned in some very good performances.
However, as of this writing, with the year officially over, my player of the year is Gustavo Kuerten. He turned in incredible performances, particularly on clay and at the year-ending Masters Cup in Lisbon. Amazingly, he lost his first match, but then turned things around, winning his next (and last) four matches. In the process he took care both of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
Earlier in the week, ESPN's commentators were fixing to proclaim that even though Sampras was not ending the year as number one, he was still the best player. They would have done exactly this if Sampras had won the Masters Cup. After all, if you win the last match of the year you are the best player of the year, aren't you?
Women: Some might want to give this award to Venus Williams, but I for one am not impressed with her continuous disappearing acts. If she is all of the athlete that she is supposed to be, then why can't she cope with even the slightest injury? Instead I am giving this award to Anna Kournikova, who surely is the player with the best ratio of performance and pressure. While her performances have not been the best, no other player has been under as much pressure.

Chris G.:
Men: This was the season Gustavo Kuerten put to rest any lingering notion that his 1997 French Open win was a fluke. A second triumph at Roland Garros was among five titles claimed by the charismatic Brazilian, who also fell just short in a pair of Masters Series finals. The heroic performance Guga turned in to clinch the #1 ranking at Lisbon might not have even been necessary if his US Open draw had been kinder.
Women: Venus Williams may be a part-time player, but it's hard to argue with her Wimbledon titles, US Open title, 35-match winning streak, and the pair of gold medals she won at the Olympics. The frightening part for her peers is that Venus has the potential to become even better.

Daisy A.:
Men: Up until the final of the Masters Series Cup, my pick was Safin. However, after seeing "Guga" beat Agassi in the finals and seizing his last chance to end the year number one, I think Kuerten will be the one remembered looking back at year 2000.
Women: I cannot not choose Venus Williams.... It is a fact, she had an amazing winning streak this summer. Wimbledon, Bank of the West Classic, Acura Classic, Pilot Pen, US Open and of course, gold at the Olympics.

Ed Z.:
Men: Prior to the Master Series Cup, this was a fairly easy decision for me. However, Gustavo Kuerten's gutsy performance at the Cup and snatching of the year-end #1 ranking from Safin almost changed my mind. So ignoring the "what your remember last", I am going with my initial pick of Safin. For someone who was considering retirement earlier this year, Safin's rise to the top of the rankings has been nothing less than spectacular (including seven titles, including the US Open and two Master Series titles). If you would like to demand a recount, call your lawyers and you might just get a different result from me.
Women: This was a difficult decision -- if anything Venus also deserves to be the "Non-Player of the Year" as well. But it is hard to dispute her 2000 resume when she was on the court: 2 Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal, 3 other tournament titles, a 35-match (4 month) win streak, and victories over most every Top 10 player. My very close second pick goes to most consistent player on the Tour, Martina Hingis, with 9 titles in 2000 and a fourth year as the top player.

Newcomer of the Year

Ed T. Juan Ignacio Chela Daja Bedanova

Peter v.M. Roger Federer Elena Dementieva

Chris G. Olivier Rochus Daja Bedanova

Daisy A. Harel Levy Justine Henin

Ed Z. Hyung-Taik Lee Daja Bedanova

Consensus: Czech super teen Bedanova impressed us in her first year on tour. Nobody stood out as a dominant newcomer among the men.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: Chela used his splendid two-handed backhand to claim both his first career win and first career title at the same tournament (Mexico City) in February. Juan Ignacio was firmly in the top 50 by the time the clay court season was over, recording wins over such stalwarts as Kuerten, Puerta, Henman, Kafelnikov and Todd Martin on the dirt. Alas, the grass and hard court seasons were disasters for the beanpole from Buenos Aires, as he absorbed 10 straight losses before finally beating Nicolas Escudé at the Ol ympics. Chela finished the year at #63, and will be working on that hard court game in the years to come.
Women: A very impressive year for 17-year-old Bedanova, who zoomed from #298 to #53 during the season. The German-based Czech excelled both on the Challenger circuit and later, on the main tour, where she notched wins over veterans Tauziat, Mauresmo and Frazier. Daja was a surprise selection to the Czech Fed Cup team in November, and confirmed her talent in a narrow loss to Sánchez-Vicario.

Peter v.M.:
Men: It's tempting to go with Marat Safin here, since he does seem to have reinvented himself. For that reason, he gets Most Improved Player of the year. The newcomer award goes to Roger Federer, who at times showed signs that he may reign supreme over all things tennis in a few years. His performances in Basel, in particular, were astonishing. His game is also quite attractive, much more so than Safin's. If the Swiss can learn to advance to the net more, he may become unbeatable.
Women: Elena Dementieva has been showing signs that she may end up being the highest ranked Russian player before long (more pressure for Anna Kournikova to deal with!).

Chris G.:
Men: One of the year's best underdog stories was the sudden emergence of 19-year-old Olivier Rochus, who came from out of nowhere to upset Magnus Norman at Wimbledon. At just 5 foot 4, Olivier is the "little brother" of fellow pro Christophe Rochus in more ways than one. However, Olivier managed to beat Christophe en route to winning his first career title this fall at Palermo. As Norman observed after the Wimbledon shocker, "He looked small before the match, but he was growing."
Women: You may not have seen her yet, but feisty Daja Bedanova cracked the Top 50 in her first full year on the circuit. After beating the likes of Nathalie Tauziat and Amelie Mauresmo, she made the Czech Fed Cup team and gave Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario a three set battle in the semifinals.

Daisy A.:
Men: The first time I ever saw Harel Levy play was in a final of a Tennis Masters Series (Toronto), no less! An accomplishment like that is to be highlighted. He has a refreshing style of play, especially his impeccable one-handed backhand.
Women: Justine Henin reminds me of the feistiness of Sanchez-Vicario combined with the graceful shots of Graf. She is a versatile player who has the potential to become even more so. Expect her to be counted among the best.

Ed Z.
Men: My personal criterion for "newcomer" is someone who I had never heard of prior to this year. Few will forget Lee's Cinderella's trip to the 4th round of the US Open. The South Korean, a lucky-loser in the Bronx Challenger, won the event and with that a wildcard spot into the US Open qualifying draw. He advanced to the main draw, defeating Jeff Tarango in the 1st round, 13th seed Franco Squillari in the 2nd, and Rainer Schuttler in the 3rd round. His 11-match win streak ended at the hands of Pete Sampras in the fourth round.
Women: If a player finds themselves not even included in the WTA Tour Media guide, they are definitely off the tennis radar. Bedanova finished the season in fine fashion -- reaching the semis of the Tokyo Princess Cup (knocking off seeded players Mauresmo and Frazier before falling to Serena Williams) and winning her first title in Bratislava (d. Oremans). The Czech impressively ends the year ranked #53.

Comeback of the Year

Ed T. Sergi Bruguera Rossana de los Rios

Peter v.M. Patrick Rafter Mary Pierce

Chris G. Patrick Rafter Magdalena Maleeva

Daisy A. Patrick Rafter Nathalie Tauziat

Ed Z. Patrick Rafter Magdalena Maleeva

Consensus: Rafter and Maleeva rebounded from injury woes to convince us that they can still play top-level ball.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: Assorted injuries combined with burn-out and personal problems had knocked two-time French Open champion Sergi Bruguera down to #376 at the beginning of 2000. Many thought his career was over. But Sergi bounced back, with a high point being a tournament final in San Marino, to return to the top 100 again.
Women: Way back in 1993, Rossana de los Rios of Paraguay was a promising young 18-year-old in the top 100. But in 1994 she abandoned her tennis career to start a family and support her husband's football career. In 1999 she decided to give tennis another try, and she quickly got back to the top 100 this year, notably enchanting the tennis world at Roland Garros with her improbable upset of Amanda Coetzer and a run to the third round.

Peter v.M.:
Men: After suffering a career-threatening shoulder injury in the summer of 1999, which kept him off the court for more than six months, Patrick Rafter came back and gave a career performance at Wimbledon. If it hadn't been for the evil that is the tie-break (losing the second set of the final to the "injured" Pete Sampras), he might well have taken the title.
Women: I don't know about our readers but I had all but written Mary Pierce off. Instead, she had a very impressive showing at the French. Even the fidgeting seems to be more under control now!

Daisy A.:
Men: Ending 1999 with a grave shoulder injury, it was a treat to see Pat Rafter get to the finals at Wimbledon this year (and so close to winning!). Let's not forget, either, what an exciting match he played against Agassi in the semis!
Women: At age 33, Nathalie Tauziat continues to play her best and retains her ranking among the top 10 players. In the fourth round of the US Open, she beat Sanchez-Vicario for the first time, and it was her twelfth attempt! Better late than never.

Ed Z.:
Men: The two-time US Open champion career hit the skids when a troublesome shoulder injury which threatened his career last year. Despite not breaking back into the Top 10 this year, Rafter reached the Wimbledon final with a thrilling semifinal victory over Andre Agassi. Rafter may no longer be the threat he once was but the fact that he is still playing the game is good enough for me.
Women: Ranked #131 prior to winning the 1999 Pattaya City tournament, Maleeva was threatening to be a mere footnote to the Maleeva sister dynasty. With a forearm stress fracture and shoulder surgery behind her, Maleeva (now ranked #22) returned to her former glory and nearly earned a spot at the Chase Championships. Also, kudos to Martina Navratilova's return to doubles!

Most improved player of the Year

Ed T. Marat Safin Elena Dementieva

Peter v.M. Marat Safin Venus Williams

Chris G. Marat Safin Elena Dementieva

Daisy A. Lleyton Hewitt Elena Dementieva

Ed Z. Marat Safin Elena Dementieva

Consensus: Russian tennis is on the upswing, as the rapid progress of Muscovites Safin and Dementieva clearly shows.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: Marat Safin entered the Barcelona tournament this spring with a 5-11 win-loss record, a ranking of #35 and a growing reputation as a major head case. By year's end he had won seven titles, and fell just one match short of becoming the undisputed world #1. Virtually nobody anticipated that Marat would reverse his fortunes so dramatically and impressively.
Women: Completing our duo of vastly-improved Russians, Elena Dementieva confirmed her potential announced in 1999 by zooming up 50 spots in 2000, all the way to 12th place. She impressed the galleries with her agility, blazing forehand, and poise. Now get to the net, girl!

Peter v.M.:
Men: Starting off the year with a performance at the Australian Open that actually got him fined for not showing enough effort (even catching a slow serve that he could easily have returned), Marat turned things around in Barcelona and hasn't looked back since. Andrei Chesnokov, the player who became his coach, should get a serious Christmas gift!
Women: It's always difficult to distinguish between a Newcomer and an Improved Player. Elena Dementieva might well have claimed this title, but instead I will give it to Venus Williams. She finally managed to win a Major, and in the process even seems to have learnt to occasionally hit a genuine-looking tennis shot. If she can find a way to become more injury-free/focused and manages to make her dad hold his tongue, she can become a decent player yet.

Chris G.:
Men: Not only did Marat Safin make the year's greatest improvement, it's possible no player has ever authored a more astonishing turnaround in a single season. Safin was a lost soul in the early stages of 2000, contemplating retirement and incurring a historic fine for lack of effort at the Australian Open. As soon as he hooked up with temporary coach Andrei Chesnokov, though, Safin became an incredible force. When it was all said and done, the Russian had won seven tournaments, demolished Pete Sampras in the US Open final, and come within a single victory of the year-end #1 ranking.
Women: Elena Dementieva was one of the WTA Tour's best kept secrets at the start of the 2000 season, with a ranking in the 60s and a world of potential. By season's end, the lanky blonde was a secret no more. Her rocket forehand and deceptive quickness earned her a berth in the US Open semifinals and an Olympic silver medal. Dementieva may have even supplanted Anna Kournikova as the best of the WTA's young Russian players.

Daisy A.:
Men: Watching Lleyton Hewitt and all his intensity on the court, he deserves this award simply because he is the quickest and mentally strongest on the tour now.
Women: With remarkable results such as reaching the semis at the US Open, the finals at the Olympics in Sydney and the semis at Chase Championships, Elena Dementieva has ended the year in the top 15!

Ed Z.:
Men: Ranked #25 at the end of last year, it is safe to say no one thought Marat Safin was going to be competing for the #1 ranking at the end of this year.
Women: The "other blond Russian" has been a pro since 1998, but 2000 was a breakthrough year for Elena Dementieva. She raised eyebrows earlier this year by reaching the semifinals at Indian Wells -- but it was not until she repeated that task at the US Open that folks really started taking notice. She finished the year ranked #12 (up 50 spots), won a silver medal at the Sydney Olympics, and surprisingly dismissed an "in the zone" Davenport en route to the semifinals at the Chase Championships. Since this is an all-Russian category for me, kudos to Kournikova for putting together her most consistent year on the Tour (making 1 final and 8 semifinals).

Flop of the Year

Ed T. Karol Kucera Mirjana Lucic

Peter v.M. ATP ranking system Jelena Dokic

Chris G. Greg Rusedski Alexandra Stevenson

Daisy A. Vince Spadea Mirjana Lucic

Ed Z. John McEnroe Mirjana Lucic

Consensus: While we wait to see if Lucic can rebound from a prodigious drop in her fortunes, we are unable to settle on which of the male flops was the most ignominious.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: What in heaven's name is a player with the skills of Karol Kucera doing ranked in the 70s???
Women: Just last year Mirjana Lucic was a top-50 player basking in a Wimbledon semifinal and a promising career. Now she is deep in the 200s. Granted she has had family turmoil, but she appears completely disinclined to get into shape and even approximate the player she could be.

Peter v.M.:
Men: Oh, how well the new ranking system and the Masters Series worked in forcing the top players to play what used to be known as the Super Nine events. For the uninitiated: the new system determines the players' rankings by adding up ranking points from three sources:
- the Grand Slams
- the Masters Series events
- 5 smaller tournaments.
If a player did not get direct entry into the Masters Series events, more results from smaller tournaments are used. But for the highly ranked players, playing the Masters Series events is a must.
Supposedly.
That's the theory. In practice, nothing much changed. Pete Sampras not only could not be bothered to play in Monte Carlo or Hamburg, but also had "personal reasons" to skip Stuttgart and Paris. Personal reasons? He just got married. In other words, he didn't feel like playing. If that isn't an impressive reason, then what is?
Women: Jelena Dokic, for her remarks about Rita Kuti Kis, and for generally not living up to her potential. There's an important lesson that many tennis players have apparently never learnt: if you lose, don't go and shoot your mouth off about how bad your conquerer is. Becker, always the accomplished sportsman, did it at Wimbledon in 1987. Muster did it after losing to Alami. Dokic did it in a big way after losing to Kuti Kis. Not a good idea!

Chris G.
Men: The huge serve-and-volley game of Greg Rusedski was a huge disappointment in 2000. Injuries were partly to blame for his fall from grace, but the Canadian-born Brit seems to have forgotten much of what he learned a few years ago from aptly named ex-coach Brian Teacher. Time will tell if new coach Pat Cash can lead Rusedski back to the Top 10.
Women: After showing so much talent at Wimbledon last year, Alexandra Stevenson endured a miserable 2000 season in which she made fewer headlines on the court than her outspoken mother made off it. Stevenson may have the tools to be a champion, but she showed a complete lack of strategy and restraint in her error-laden performances this year.

Daisy A.
Men: I heard Vince Spadea may have set a record losing streak. However, I can't be certain since I don't recall hearing much of him at all, which is maybe all that needs to be said here.
Women: No comment

Ed Z.
Men: Mac had a lot of great ideas going into to his new role as DC Captain, the problem was in the execution. In his typical whiny fashion, McEnroe complained about the absence of the top players, as well as about the Davis Cup schedule, blaming both for the US's early exit at the hands of Spain (which I am convinced still would have been likely even if Sampras and Agassi were present). Is it me or is the USA the only country that belly-aches about Davis Cup? An exasperated McEnroe quit the job after only one year.
Women: One hoped that Mirjana Lucic would have ditched her past demons when she reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 1999. But the troubled Croatian's 2000 season was nothing less than disastrous. Rarely making it past a first round match, and out-of-shape (physically and mentally) Lucic has tumbled outside of the Top 200. A once promising prodigy is quickly becoming a "What ever happened to?"

Match of the Year

Ed T. Norman-Mirnyi, US Open V. Williams-Hingis, U.S. Open

Peter v.M. Rafter-Agassi, Wimbledon V. Williams-Hingis, U.S. Open

Chris G. Martin-Moya, US Open Dementieva-Davenport, Chase Championships

Daisy A. Norman-Mirnyi, US Open V. Williams-Hingis, U.S. Open

Ed Z. Martin-Moya, US Open Davenport-Testud, Miami

Consensus: The gripping V. Williams-Hingis U.S. Open semifinal was our women's match of the Year. On the men's side, we were unable to decide between two gripping U.S. Open encounters: Norman-Mirnyi and Martin-Moya.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: If we could exclude an anticlimactic final set, I would choose Agassi-Sampras at the Australian Open. If we include only a thrilling final set, I would choose the incredible finish to the Kuerten-Norman final at Roland-Garros. Rafter-Agassi at Wimbledon was exceptional. But for overall quality and drama, the enthralling U.S. Open third-rounder between Magnus Norman and Max Mirnyi, 3-6 4-6 7-6 6-4 7-6 in favour of Norman, gets the nod. Who can forget those perfect Norman lobs when he was match points down?
Women: This was not a vintage year for classic women's matches. But I'll go again to the U.S. Open for the best of a mediocre lot, the V. Williams-Hingis semi-final. Martina led 5-3 in the third, but Venus seized an opening when Hingis got tentative, and ran off 4 straight games without an unforced error to win 4-6 6-3 7-5. Quite a feat, given that Williams committed 46 errors in the match!

Peter v.M.:
Men: Touted by many as the best match ever, this one showed just how good tennis can be to watch. Boring? Never. Too fast? Hardly. A thoroughly entertaining battle of will and wits, this one showed tennis is alive and kicking. That goes for men's tennis. And it goes for tennis on grass. So let's keep the balls the same size and let's not try in other ways to mess up a game that players spent years to learn. How would you feel if you had spent years and years perfecting your mathematical delivery, and it was suddenly decided that 2 + 2 should not equal 4, because it's boring that you can come up with the answer so fast?
Women: Many have proclaimed that the US Open semifinal between Venus Williams and Martina "will my other foot fit too?" Hingis was the best match ever. I strongly disagree. If anything, this match showed not that women's tennis is more interesting than men's tennis, but that it simply lacks the effectiveness to ever be as entertaining as men's tennis can be. Hingis spent the entire match looking for a shot that Williams could not get to. Perhaps in some way this was the women's match of the year as it showed clearer than ever that women's tennis has a long, long way to go.

Chris G.:
Men: I assumed Magnus Norman and Max Mirnyi had sewn up this honor when they played a fifth set for the ages at the US Open. However, their thunder was stolen just two nights later by wily old Todd Martin and Carlos Moya. Fans who filed out after the Spaniard took the first two sets missed a thrilling comeback. His body battered but his spirit undaunted, a pumped up Martin completed a 6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 7-6, 6-2 win well after 1 o'clock in the morning. The usually staid American looked like a man possessed as he destroyed his racquet and took a victory lap, high-fiving nearly every fan left in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The atmosphere those spectators helped create after being allowed to move down to the courtside seats was a big factor in the year's most exciting match.
Women: Some of the greatest drama in tennis occurs when a hungry young challenger takes on a valiant established champion. This year's best example was the epic match Elena Dementieva and Lindsay Davenport played in the opening round of the Chase Championships. The last two sets were a veritable feast of momentum swings and tension, marked by breathtaking all-court rallies. Davenport fought off countless break points with her heavy serve, but Dementieva refused to surrender and finally won a 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 slugfest.

Daisy A.:
Men: The Norman-Mirnyi match at the US Open was played on Grandstand court, it was more than four hours long and it ended 11-9 in a fifth set tie-break. Let's not forget to mention the crowd roaring louder than thunder.
Women: Venus-Hingis at the US Open was a very high quality match by both players. The third set was a great display from Venus, coming back from 3-5 to win 7-5.

Ed Z.:
Men: A gaggle of thrilling five-set matches to choose from here. I am choosing this US Open quarterfinal match for a variety of reasons. 1) A come from behind victory (Martin lost the first two sets in heartbreaking tiebreaks). 2) A fourth set tiebreak that went to 8-6 (with Moya 2 points from taking the match). 3) The capper for me: Martin's victory celebration -- screaming at the top of his lungs and making an effort to "high-five" the fans that stayed until early morning at Arthur Ashe stadium. I would be remiss to not mention my other equally deserving "finalists" in this category. Agassi vs. Rafter (Wimbledon semis), Norman vs. Mirnyi (US Open, Fourth Round including an 11-9 fifth set breaker), and Safin vs. Grosjean (US Open, Third Round -- the eventual champ pulling out a 7-5 final set tiebreak).
Women: A thrilling night semifinal match that did not quite start out that way. Davenport easily took the first set 6-1, but Testud fought back to win the second set in a tie-break (7-4). In a match that could have easily been a "career changer" for Testud, Davenport squeezed out the final set tie-break (7-5). Perhaps exhausted by this match, Davenport failed to mentally or physically show up for the final versus Williams.

Most Memorable Media Moment

Ed T. ESPN International picks on Rios

Peter v.M. Eurosport shuns the Masters Series

Chris G. NBC's lousy Wimbledon coverage

Daisy A. Goran smashes racquets in Brighton

Ed Z. Richard Williams's Wimbledon dance

Consensus: There is none!

Comments

Ed T.:
The ESPN International crew cracked me up during an early round match at the Tennis Masters Series ? Roma. The camera focused on the scowling Marcelo Rios, who was watching the match surrounded by empty seats. Commentator Jimmy Arias quipped, "There's Marcelo Rios scouting the match and looking as happy as ever." His broadcast partner (I don't know who he was, alas) joked, "I thought you were going to say he's surrounded by all his friends."

Peter v.M.:
Eurosport decided not to televise the Masters Series. The Masters Series is comprised of the sixth through fourteenth biggest tournaments on the men's tour. Only the slams and the Masters Cup are bigger, but self-proclaimed "Europe's Tennis Channel" does not seem to find this a reason to show the tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami, Monaco, Rome, Hamburg, Toronto/Montreal, Cincinnati, Stuttgart, or Paris. The real reason? Why money, of course. In the spirit of the holiday season, this decision gets a big "BAH" from me.

Chris G.:
With its penchant for running matches on tape delay and stuffing them with extra long commercial breaks, NBC has stood out for years as the worst network for tennis broadcasting in the United States. It may have hit an all-time low this year at Wimbledon, keeping fans waiting six hours for the hotly anticipated Venus vs. Serena Williams semifinal. NBC replayed a day-old Pete Sampras match while keeping up a "plausibly live" charade, pretending the Williams sisters hadn't taken the court yet.

Daisy A.:
Leave it to Goran Ivanisevic to end up forced to retire from his match in Brighton with Hyung-Taik Lee, after smashing every racquet in his bag. I laughed when I read the following quote: "It is one thing I will be remembered for when I finish -- the one who never won Wimbledon and had to retire in a match because he had no racquet left."

Ed Z.:
What does Richard Williams's post-Wimbledon dance have to do with the media? Well, Williams's answer to "Lord of the Dance" occurred on the top of NBC's broadcast booth! I feared that Chris Evert's broadcasting career would come to a premature end as Poppa Williams and a snarl of steel landed on top of America's sweetheart, the British tabloids screaming: "Chrissie Crushed."

Nice Moment of the Year

Ed T. Gustavo Kuerten and Marat Safin, Hamburg Dominique van Roost, Roland Garros

Peter v.M. Gustavo Kuerten, French Open Dominique van Roost, Olympics

Chris G. Vince Spadea, Wimbledon Dominique van Roost, Roland Garros

Daisy A. Lareau / Nestor, Olympics Martina Hingis, Chase

Ed Z. Gustavo Kuerten, French Open & #1 Ranking Venus Williams, Wimbledon

Consensus: Nice guy Kuerten is a perennial front-runner in this category, and this year is no exception. Meanwhile, Van Roost left us misty-eyed on more than one occasion.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: After "Guga" Kuerten won a grueling 6-4 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 final over Marat Safin in Hamburg, the two took the unusual measure of participating in a good-humoured, joint post-match press conference. It is a pleasure to see these youthful champions unafraid of displaying friendship and respect for their opponents, showing the same sportsmanship they have consistently displayed in their young careers. Some older champions, prone too often to denigrating their opponents' achievements and maintaining an aloof "mystique", could learn a lot from these two youthful sportsmen.
Women: It was unforgettable to see Dominique van Roost, still grieving from her mother's recent death, gamely upset Lindsay Davenport in Paris, and then break into tears that surely betrayed painfully mixed emotions.

Peter v.M.:
Men: Gustavo Kuerten, after having been convinced he won the Roland Garros final on a disputable line call, finally taking the match ten more matchpoints down the road.
Women: Dominique van Roost being completely over the moon with winning the Bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics. She said this was the highlight of her career. It was very nice to see a player who could be so pleased with something she won that did not make her any money.

Chris G.:
Men: Vince Spadea entered Wimbledon with a 22-match losing streak. Even his parents figured that record-breaking run of futility would continue -- they flew back home to the States when the draw forced Vince to play #14 seed Greg Rusedski in the first round. The eccentric Floridian has a knack for defying expectations, though, and he fought his heart out on Centre Court. Spadea survived a rain delay, fading light, and four blown match points before finally securing a 6-3, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 9-7 upset. The look of ecstatic relief on his face at the end said it all.
Women: It was a very trying spring for Dominique van Roost, who wasn't sure she'd ever play again following her mother's untimely death. Encouraged by her husband/coach to come back, Van Roost found herself facing Lindsay Davenport in the first round of the French Open. Lindsay's sore back and Dominique's cramps hampered the quality of play in the third set of their match, but the drama was extraordinary. Van Roost ultimately notched the biggest win of her career and was overcome with emotion. While she cried at her chair, the Belgian fans in the crowd serenaded her with "Happy Birthday".

Daisy A.:
Men: Sebastien Lareau and Daniel Nestor have been on the tour for many years and it was delightful to watch them win Gold in Sydney. Proof that hard work does pay off, and it was a proud day for all Canadians.
Women: After Hingis's win over Seles in the Chase final, I remember the relief on her face followed by tears of pain and tears of joy. She's finished No.1 for the fourth straight year, congratulations!

Ed Z.:
Men: The onus of being a "one Slam wonder" is no fun. That is what makes a player's second Slam all the more satisfying. Kuerten stunned the tennis world by winning Roland Garros in 1997 and has been a prohibitive "favorite" since. Three years later he once again became the "king of clay." But what distinguished this year for Kuerten was his success on other surfaces. In fact, he just won his first indoor tournament -- the Tennis Masters Cup! With that, Kuerten become the first Brazilian (and first non-American since 1991) year-end #1 proving that some times nice guys do finish first.
Women: We all have our own memories of Grand Slam victory celebrations. Venus Williams's flailing banshee routine upon winning her first Grand Slam title is one I am likely to remember for a long time. Venus's pure joy certainly erased the solemn hooded image of her watching Serena walk away with the family's first Slam title 10 months earlier.

Not So Nice Moment of the Year

Ed T. Rioting fans, Santiago Williams sisters in doubles

Peter v.M. Lleyton Hewitt for immaturity Anne Laserre-Ullrich & Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Filderstadt; Jelena Dokic, Australian Open (tie)

Chris G. Fabrice Santoro, #1? Jelena Dokic, Australian Open

Daisy A. Pat Rafter, Wimbledon Serena Williams, Montreal

Ed Z. Jeff Tarango, Wimbledon the Dokic family

Consensus: We were not at all impressed with Dokic and her headline-grabbing family. On the men's side, we were unable to pick from among a slew of not-nice moments.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: In February, rioting fans in Chile caused the Argentine team to abandon a Davis Cup tie for their own safety. It was not nice for the Argentina, forced to stay in the American Zone but surely deserving World Group status; not nice for the Chileans, deprived of Davis Cup home matches for the nest two years; and not nice for the South American sports public, tarred yet again with the brush of hooliganism because of a violent minority of imbeciles.
Women: It is always maddening to see the Williams sisters stand at the net and take swinging volleys at the heads of their opponents, as they do too often when they play doubles. They are good enough that they needn't resort to bush-league intimidation tactics.

Peter v.M.:
Men: Lleyton Hewitt may have admirable qualities, like his fighting spirit and his indefatigable desire to play for his country in Davis Cup (can you name two American players who could learn something here? Can you name an Australian player?). However, he needs to grow up -- and grow up a lot. When a player like Alex Corretja, one of the very nicest guys on tour, feels that he would spend an entire evening on court if that was what it took to defeat Hewitt in a meaningless match, surely a lesson needs to be learnt.
Women: Perhaps not a major moment in tennis, but something that made me very angry happened at the Filderstadt indoor tournament. A ball hit by Cara Black landed over a foot inside the baseline, but was called out. Shame on the linesperson, shame on Anne Laserre-Ullrich (should she change her name to Loser-Ullrich?), and shame on Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario for not overruling the call.
A much more advertised moment came at the Australian Open when Jelena Dokic claimed that her victor, Rita Kuti Kis, was a nobody that would never amount to anything. A few weeks later Kuti Kis won a tournament. Dokic is still looking for her first title. Interesting how things work out.

Chris G.:
Men: The degradation of the ATP Tour's ranking system became official on January 10th, as Fabrice Santoro earned the empty title of "#1 player in the Champions Race". Where it used to have a ranking system which measured a player's performance over 12 months and could point to a legitimate best player at any time of the year, the Tour began endorsing a scheme which was essentially meaningless until the end of the season. A select few star players climbed to the pinnacle of the old rankings system. Journeyman Santoro initially ruled the new one.
Women: The sad saga of Jelena Dokic and her trouble-making father Damir took some more bizarre twists and turns in 2000. While he deserves the all-around title for bad behavior, his daughter was at the center of the ultimate not-so-nice moment. Her prepared statement at the Australian Open dismissing Rita Kuti Kis as someone who "never has been a player and probably never will be" was sportsmanship at its worst. It wasn't even accurate -- Kuti Kis won a tournament this year, which is more than Dokic can say.

Daisy A.:
Men: Rafter losing the second set in the Wimbledon final prevented him from going up two sets to none against Sampras. Awful to think what could have happened then... like maybe avoiding seeing Sampras cry.
Women: Serena Williams started off the DuMaurier final in Montreal destroying Martina Hingis, taking the first set 6-0. There seemed no stopping Serena from getting the title, yet everyone was stunned when she gave up in the third set because of an injury to her left foot.

Ed Z.:
Men: In general, Tarango just irks me. So it becomes an annual wait for tennis's current "enfant terrible" to show his true colors once again. This year the scene of the crime was at his most infamous setting, Wimbledon. Thinking that his opponent, Paul Goldstein, was faking an injury, Tarango refused to shake hands and gave the young American a verbal tongue-lashing after losing the match. Maybe he should team up with McEnroe for another "Grumpy Old Men" movie?!
Women: The family that puts the "fun" in dysfunctional on the WTA Tour. From Jelena's comments about Rita "Nobody" Kuti Kis at the Australian Open to Damir's foul behavior at the Wimbledon and the US Open -- the Dokic clan is a constant accident waiting to happen. Will a return to their native Yugoslavia make a difference in 2001? As a classic country song goes?What part of "no" don't you understand?

"Farewell, You'll Be Missed" Award

Ed T. Mark Woodforde Dominique van Roost

Peter v.M. Pete Sampras? Dominique van Roost & Julie Halard-Decugis (tie)

Chris G. Jim Courier Florencia Labat

Daisy A. Mark Woodforde Julie Halard-Decugis

Ed Z. Mark Woodforde Sabine Appelmans

Consensus: Red-headed doubles star Woodforde was chosen over red-headed singles ace Courier for the good-bye wave. And we use both hands to wave to Halard-Decugis and Van Roost, who are tied in this category.

Comments

Ed T.:
Men: Mark Woodforde was one of the greatest doubles players in history, and a very good singles player in his prime as well. The records he helped to set as one-half of the incomparable "Woodies" may never be matched. Woodforde's stylish game on court, and his down-to-earth good nature off it, will not soon be replaced.
Women: A seemingly frail woman who pounded the ball viciously, Dominique van Roost was a courageous and compelling figure to those who follow women's tennis closely. And with a disarming smile to boot, Dominique was definitely one of a kind on the tour.

Peter v.M.:
Men: Having gotten married, he might as well be retired. Tennis, particularly men's tennis, has a long tradition of examples of players who went way south when they got married. Say, didn't you use to be Andre Agassi, Richard Krajicek, Wayne Ferreira, or Greg Rusedski?
Women: It is perhaps a reflection of the fact that women's tennis is not all that it is made out to be: some of the women who retired this year will generally not be missed, because only die-hard tennis fans will know who they are -- Dominique van Roost and Julie Halard-Decugis.

Chris G.:
Men: Jim "The Rock" Courier retired with relatively little fanfare, but not much in the quotable American's career had been quiet. Courier helped usher in the era of power-hitting baseline tennis with his unorthodox strokes and unfashionable (at the time) baseball caps. Courier won four Grand Slam titles, but will perhaps be even better remembered for his never-say-die exploits in Davis Cup. Jim could be abrasive at times and disinterested at others, but he's a unique character who rose to some big occasions.
Women: Having already bestowed one award upon Dominique van Roost, I'll reserve this one for her former doubles partner, Florencia Labat. Although she was never a household name, the stylish lefty was regarded as a hard worker and genuinely nice person throughout her dozen years on the WTA Tour. A solid all-surface player, Labat reached the third round or better at all four Grand Slam events. Like Courier, the Argentine turned in some of her most dogged performances while representing her country (in Fed Cup).

Daisy A.:
Men: The Woodies were the most experienced and successful doubles team I've ever seen play. Mark Woodforde's bright long career will continue to inspire other doubles specialists. Thank you and farewell to Mark, and to a great doubles team!
Women: Julie Halard-Decugis has ended her career a great singles and doubles player. She will be missed on the tour, as her personality was just as remarkable as her game.

Ed Z.:
Men: As half of the most successful doubles team in men's tennis, Woodforde along with Todd Woodbridge pretty much accomplished it at all. No slouch in singles, Woodforde cracked the Top 20 in 1996 and won 4 solo titles. Good luck to one of the few redheads on the tour and (from what I gathered over the years) a genuinely nice guy.
Women: There's a crowded field here with the noteworthy departures of Dominique Van Roost and Julie Halard-Decugis; however, Sabine Appelmans was my personal pick. I saw her win her second (of seven) career titles here in Scottsdale (defeating a 15-year old Chanda Rubin) back in 1991. As a much younger fellow (in my pre-journalistic days), the Belgian seemed utterly stunned when I asked her to autograph my tournament program. It is something that I remember and I hope it meant a little something to Appelmans herself at the time.

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On The Line wishes you and yours a very happy holiday season!