On The Line's 2002 Year-End Awards
by the On The Line staff
Once again this year, some of the On The Line staffers
got together to hand out kudos and brickbats for the highlights and lowlights of the 2002 tennis season.
A memorable year, to be sure!
Your judges, juries and executioners are: Chris Gerby,
Peter van Mierlo, Ed Toombs, Ed Zafian, Beth Knizer, and our "rookie", Joshua Lemere.
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
Chris G.
Hewitt
S. Williams
|
Ed Z.
Hewitt
S. Williams
|
Peter v.M.
Hewitt
No pick
|
Ed T.
Hewitt
S. Williams
|
Beth K.
Hewitt
S. Williams
|
Joshua L.
Hewitt
S. Williams
|
Consensus: Serena Williams and Lleyton Hewitt blew away all contenders
in our POTY vote, as they
so often did on the court this year.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
This one's a no-brainer, as Lleyton Hewitt made a
wire-to-wire run atop the entry system (i.e. legitimate)
rankings throughout 2002. He won five titles along the
way, including a dominant performance at Wimbledon, and
saved his most impressive showing for last. Hewitt was
a marvel at the Masters Cup, battling for nearly seven
hours in back-to-back epic wins over Federer and Ferrero.
While the brash Aussie's attitude may rub some the wrong
way, his fighting spirit is beyond reproach.
Women:
Richard Williams has been telling us all along
that younger daughter Serena would be the best tennis
player in the family. This was the year she proved him
right, blowing away the competition nearly every time
she set foot on court. Her go-for-broke style still
produces its share of unforced errors, but that 21-0
match record in the Grand Slam events speaks for itself.
Ed Z.:
Men:
A tough choice this year (an overall trend in my ATP awards) as no one seemed to have a
truly stellar year. So, I default to #1 and Wimbledon champ Lleyton Hewitt. The other Slam winners (Johansson, Costa
and Sampras) were mere flashes in the pan this year. Hewitt tied Agassi at 5 for
most titles, including a barn-burning win vs. Ferrero at the Masters
Cup.
Women:
Could there be any other choice than Serena Williams? Eight WTA titles, a three-slam (and still alive) win streak
and a thorough strangle-hold as the #1 ranked player.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Sadly, there is no way around Hewitt here. I suppose it would be too much
to hope for a player of the year who does not shout "come on, Rock" at
himself. Or even to hope for a player who knows that when his sport is
ailing in many ways, it's a good idea to accommodate the media in any way
you can, even if, shock of shocks, it might interfere with your match
preparation as you are about to face an opponent you end up beating 0 and 0.
Women:
No pick.
Just to be contrary. And because women's tennis is still in such a sad
state that the first player who has some power, and who tries halfway to
get & stay fit, can actually run away with the sport. To explain: there is
no-one who will credibly claim that Serena Williams is especially
talented, or that she has great hands or great tennis instinct. She has
great power, and that certainly helps. But when was the last time an 8
foot tall player totally dominated the NBA?
Ed T.:
Men:
While the snarly Lleyton Hewitt is perhaps not the most popular number one in memory, his combination of speed, consistency, agility and effort level is unparalleled. The Aussie rescued a disappointing second half with a title at
the Masters Cup and finished with five titles, including Wimbledon.
Women:
Serena Williams was almost untouchable this year, winning 8 of the 13 tournaments she entered and
racking up an eye-popping 56-5 win-loss record.
Beth K.:
Men:
As Chris G said, this one is a no-brainer with #1 and Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt.
Women:
As Richard Williams had said, and mind you I always felt myself, Serena Williams would be the better of the sisters. She gets my nod for top honors here. What can one say with a 21-0 record in Grand Slam events?
Joshua L.:
Men:
In my opinion, Wimbledon in the grandest of Grand Slams, so the 2002
Player of the Year goes to Lleyton Hewitt. He continued impressive form
throughout the year to solidify his #1 ranking.
Women:
Serena Jamica Williams. If anyone doubts this, they are absolutely
crazy. Serena only lost five times this year and only once in straight sets.
She won every Grand Slam she entered, as well as just about every
tournament she entered.
Newcomer of the year
Chris G.
Mathieu
Kuznetsova
|
Ed Z.
Gonzalez
Safina
|
Peter v.M.
Gasquet
No pick
|
Ed T.
Mathieu
Zvonareva
|
Beth K.
Blake
No pick
|
Joshua L.
Blake
Safina
|
Consensus: A mere 16 years old, Dinara Safina won as many tour
titles as her big brother Marat and gets the women's award. The outstanding men's newcomer is split between
two big-hitting youngsters who had breakout seasons, Paul-Henri Mathieu and James Blake.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Paul-Henri Mathieu's first full season on the ATP
circuit was one to remember. The lanky Frenchman made
his initial breakthrough on home soil at Roland Garros,
upsetting wily veterans Ferreira, Santoro, and Novak
before taking two sets from Andre Agassi. He was even
better indoors, riding a 13-match winning streak to
consecutive titles in Moscow and Lyon. Despite his
heartbreaking losses in the Davis Cup final, this
explosive Bollettieri product bears watching in 2003.
Women:
The talented Russians just keep coming. Without
much hype, Svetlana Kuznetsova managed to vault more than
200 spots in the rankings this year. Both of the singles
finals in which she appeared (in Helsinki and Bali) were
nail-bitingly close, but the 17-year-old held her nerve
and emerged with a pair of trophies. Kuznetsova gave much
of the credit for her rookie success to Arantxa
Sanchez-Vicario, with whom she won three doubles titles.
Ed Z.:
Men:
A tough call between Gonzalez and Srichaphan -- but I will give Gonzalez the edge since
he is a year younger, had fewer matches under his belt and did not have the full page ATP
Media Guide bio of Srichaphan. Gonzalez rocketed up the ranks from #135 to #18 with two
titles (Vina del Mar, Palermo) and wins over Henman, Roddick, Moya, and Ferrero. Also,
some decent Slam results: 4R Australia and QF of the US Open (where he lost a 5th set
tie-break to Schalken).
Women:
Although she debuted on the WTA rankings in February 2001, most of Dinara Safina's 22-match
career occurred in 2002. In her 6th tournament appearance at Sopot, she ploughed through
qualifying to capture her first career title (knocking off veterans like Patty Schynder
and Magui Serna along the way). Her ranking jumped from #451 in February to #68 at year's
end. Her tennis-playing sibling, Marat Safin, predicts that one day he may be referred as merely
"Dinara's brother."
Peter v.M.:
Men:
French phenom-to-be Richard Gasquet didn't make a full year of it yet, but
watch out for this one. His backhand could easily be shot of the year, if
there were such a category.
Women:
No pick.
Ed T.:
Men:
Paul-Henri Mathieu, a barrel-chested Bollettieri Academy graduate out of Alsace, first leapt into the public consciousness when he narrowly
lost to Agassi at Roland Garros. "PHM" then confirmed his talent with a win over Sampras on Long Island, then, most importantly,
with back-to-back titles during the European indoor campaign. Hopefully his disappointment at losing two matches, including
the decider, at the Davis Cup finals will be but a bump in the road as he develops.
Mathieu gets the nod because of his accomplishments:
in terms of long-term influence on the sport, however,
Mathieu's alarmingly talented 16-year-old countryman Richard Gasquet might have a greater impact when all is said and done.
Women:
The Russians are coming! Many of the talented newcomers are from that nation. While Dinara Safina or
Svetlana Kuznetsova could also have been chosen here, our vote goes to
Vera Zvonareva, an 18-year-old powerhouse from Moscow. Zvonareva was an ace junior in 2001 when she won the Orange Bowl
for the second year running. This season she stepped up smartly to the pros and finished the season in the top 50,
notably reaching the final in Palermo and the round of sixteen at the French Open (where she took a set
from eventual champion Serena Williams).
Vera has devastating groundstrokes, but reigning in her sometimes stormy on-court temper may be her biggest challenge
going forward.
Beth K.:
Men:
As I am not familiar with Mathieu nor Gonzalez, I'll go with James Blake. I really like his positive attitude. We'll have to see how far he can soar in 2003.
Women:
No pick.
Joshua L.:
Men:
James Blake showed a spark last year at the Open, but this year he
came out blazing and managed to capture not only the tennis world's interest,
but quite a few onlookers with his spectacular build. His positive
attitude only bodes well for his future and good things are definitely set
to come.
Women:
Not only was Dinara Safina the queen of the ITF circuit, the new
Russian star (of a seemingly endless line) also won a WTA tour event and
got the monkey off of her back. She routinely beat the players she
should, and did quite well against those she shouldn't. Her US Open
performance against Serena does not capture the actual image of her game,
so do not go by that. Stay soon folks, a lot is to come of this young
beauty. Oh, and she's Marat's sister by the way too!
Comeback of the year
Chris G.
Krajicek
Morariu
|
Ed Z.
Russia (Davis Cup)
Rubin
|
Peter v.M.
Krajicek
Morariu
|
Ed T.
Carlsen
Rubin
|
Beth K.
Krajicek
Morariu
|
Joshua L.
The ATP
Smashnova
|
Consensus: The USA's Corina Morariu not only survived a battle with leukemia, but returned to the courts
this year and accounted well for herself. On the men's side, Richard Krajicek supplied the best comeback story with
his run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals after a lengthy absence from the tour.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
For all of 2001 and the first half of 2002,
Richard Krajicek was something of a ghostly footnote.
His name would turn up in the occasional commitments list
or singles draw, only to disappear when the lingering
effects of elbow surgery forced him to the sidelines
again. But just when nearly everyone assumed his career
was over, Krajicek returned to the scene of his greatest
triumph and looked like his old self, battling to the
quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
Women:
First of all, hats off to Chanda Rubin for
playing some extraordinary tennis following her latest
surgery. However, she was never on the brink of death,
an aspect that I believe nudges Corina Morariu's
comeback to the front of the line. Just a matter of
months after a rare form of leukemia left her unable to
walk more than 20 yards, Morariu was back on the courts,
winning a string of doubles matches and holding her own
in singles. Truly inspirational stuff.
Ed Z.:
Men:
The ATP seemed to have trouble coming up with comeback stories this year. Gustavo Kuerten, Magnus
Norman, and Marcelo Rios all had less than glowing years after trying to comeback from
injuries. So thankfully the Russian Davis Cup team provided me with a nominee in the last
week of the tennis year. The win was dubbed the biggest comeback in a Davis Cup final in
38 years. The tie came down to lesser known players -- Russia's Mikahail Youzhny and
France's Paul-Henri Mathieu for the decisive 5th match. Youzhny capped his team's
comeback his own -- coming back from two sets down to win 6-4 in the fifth.
Women:
Chanda Rubin has bounced around the rankings during her career. When it appeared she
would finally have a breakthrough an injury would inevitably seem to crop up and send her
back down the rankings. This year was no different as the American missed the first
four months of the year. Upon returning in May she had some of her best results in her
career, reaching the 4th round of the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Rubin then had
a stellar week winning Los Angeles, taking out Serena Williams, Jelena Dokic, and
Lindsay Davenport along the way. She finished the year ranked #13, up from #54 at the
end of 2001.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
One is tempted to pick Boris Becker, who incredibly managed to stay out of
jail and somehow bamboozle the Tennis Hall of Fame into
picking him, in spite of not being eligible according to the rules.
Instead, I'll go with Krajicek. His comeback was, naturally, a flash in
the pan, but it was sure good while it lasted. Richard has now gone back
to convincing himself he is injured, as he has done so successfully in the
past.
Women:
Naturally, honours have to go to Corina Morariu.
Of course, if a comeback within a single tournament counts, here would be
our chance to mention Anna Kournikova in a positive category -- after
flaring out in the first round at Wimbledon, she proved that she has game
by going deep in both doubles draws. She may be the biggest advertisement
for on-court coaching ever (insert clever advertising joke here).
Ed T.:
Men:
Two years ago the Danish serve-volleyer Kenneth Carlsen, recovering from shoulder surgery, did not even have a ranking.
By the end of last year he fought his way to 153, and this year made it to 65, highlighted by a title in
Tokyo. A great lesson in perserverence from the 29-year-old.
Women:
There are several possibilities here. I opt for the popular American
Chanda Rubin, who came back in May from two knee surgeries
and reached the final of her second tournament back. Chanda finished with two titles
a ranking of 13th, and played some of the best tennis we've seen from her since the mid-'90s.
Beth K.:
Men:
Where has he been all these years? I'll go with Richard Krajicek. Reaching the quarters at the Big W is a great feat.
Women:
Hands down, Corina Morariu. Nothing else needs to be said.
Joshua L.:
Men:
As I am a massive WTA fan, I have been living in the limelight these
past few years while the ATP has been stuck in the basement. FINALLY, they
got quite a bit of attention with interesting rivalries and some of the old
guard (i.e., Sampras and Agassi) returning to fine form. Perhaps the ATP is still struggling for
the headlines compared to the WTA, but it is definitely on the right track.
Women:
From serving time in the Israeli army, Anna Smashnova, a Belarussian-born Jew
became an Israeli at a young age and in 2002 amazed everyone by rising from
the mid 80s to #16. Not only did she play in all the Grand Slams and Tier
I events, she also managed to qualify for the exclusive season-ending WTA
Championships. To cap off her incredible year, Anna is getting married in
December. Congrats to her!
Most improved player of the year
Chris G.
Srichaphan
Hantuchova
|
Ed Z.
Srichaphan
Smashnova
|
Peter v.M.
Srichaphan
Hantuchova
|
Ed T.
Srichaphan
Hantuchova
|
Beth K.
Srichaphan
Hantuchova
|
Joshua L.
Srichaphan
Mauresmo
|
Consensus: Put on your red shirts and don your cocktail dresses to salute the players who made the most
notable improvement this year, Paradorn Srichaphan (a unanimous men's pick) and Daniela Hantuchova.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Paradorn Srichaphan has always been fun to watch,
but he was a mercurial underachiever before 2002. This
year he added some consistency without losing the flair
and showmanship. Capable of hitting a winner from
seemingly anywhere on the court, Thailand's favorite son
beat the likes of Hewitt, Agassi, Ferrero, Safin, Henman,
and Roddick, winning his first two titles in the process.
Women:
A case could be made here for scrappy little
Anna Smashnova, but she still came up short (no pun
intended) in the majors, losing four of her five Grand
Slam matches by lopsided scores. Emerging as a more
viable threat was Daniela Hantuchova, who won Indian
Wells, cracked the Top 10 in singles and doubles, and led
Slovakia to its first Fed Cup triumph. She even made the
year's best fashion statement with that little black
cocktail dress in the Australian Open doubles final.
Ed Z.:
Men:
The toast of Thailand rocketed up the ranks from #126 to #16 this
past year and burst onto the tennis radar after defeating Andre Agassi in the 2nd round
of Wimbledon. Since that result, Srichapan defeated a veritable who's-who list of the
ATP Tour: Hewitt (Japan), Henman (Madrid), Safin (Tashkent), Ferrero, Canas and
Roddick (Paris). He also won two ATP events (Long Island and Stockholm).
Women:
A tough choice here between Anna Smashnova and the more high profile Daniela Hantuchova,
but I will go for the 26-year-old Israeli who her best year after 11 years on the WTA Tour.
Smashnova started the year ranked #87 but went on to win her first two tournaments of
the year in Auckland and Canberra. Two more titles in Vienna and Shanghai put her only
after the Williams sisters for most titles this year. Smashnova ended the year ranked
#16. Sadly it appears she will be dropping her tennis-perfect last name next season as she
takes on her soon-to-be husband's (Claudio Pistolesi's) last name.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Clearly a toss-up between Fernando Gonzalez and Paradorn Srichaphan.
Gonzalez is ahead in the spelling department, but he did not get a gold
racquet from his villagers (does anyone else think this is one hell of a
flimsy racquet, requiring only an ounce or two of gold for the full two
feet of it?). Advantage Srichaphan.
Women:
Daniela Hantuchova wins in many ways: getting winning a tournament over
with (and a large one, at that), pulling off wearing a cocktail dress
while playing tennis, almost making us forget about Anna.
Ed T.:
Men:
Tennis watchers have had their eyes on the flamboyant 23-year-old Paradorn Srichaphan for a few years, since his
talent jumps out at you as soon as you see him hit a tennis ball. Guilty of playing low-percentage tennis in past years,
Srichaphan showed at the start of 2002 that big things may be in store when he reached the Chennai final in the
first week of the season. The big breakthrough was his upset of Agassi at Wimbledon, the first of six wins by Paradorn
over present or former number ones (he subsequently notched two wins over Ríos and triumphs over
Safin, Hewitt and Kuerten). The
popular Thai also picked up the first two titles of his career, Long Island and Stockholm.
Women:
In March 2001, Daniela Hantuchova was just another promising teenager in the Indian Wells qualifying field. This year
she won the prestigious event, shocking Henin and Hingis en route. The 19-year-old Bratislava native played solid
tennis the rest of the year and while she didn't win another title, was a regular figure in the late rounds of
most tournaments. Hantuchova ended up at number 8, thereby rising 30 places during the year, and capped the season
by leading her nation to the first Fed Cup title in Slovakia's young history. Hopefully the attractive
Hantuchova will keep her focus and
avoid the lurking danger of Kournikovization.
Beth K.:
Men:
Consensus has Paradorn Srichaphan and I stay with the majority.
Women:
Winning Indian Wells and cracking the top 10 in both singles and doubles, Daniela Hantuchova. Now if we can learn the correct way to pronounce her last name....
Joshua L.:
Men:
From seemingly nowhere, Paradorn turns up and
starts beating seasoned pros like Agassi, Hewitt, etc. He had been in the
spotlight before as the lone male Thai player to make any noise, but now
he is for real and a threat to be reckoned with. Thank goodness he doesn't
have to serve time in the army now.
Women:
Amélie Mauresmo is a basket case no more. The spectacular French Amazon
killed those demons of the past and managed to put away Capriati at Wimbledon
and the US Open, then almost rose to the insurmountable challenge of beating
Venus at Flushing Meadows. Because of this hard work, she finds herself at
#5. She had a great chance to be #3, but injuries ended her season early.
Flop of the year
Chris G.
Kiefer
Kournikova
|
Ed Z.
Grand Slam Finals
WTA Championships
|
Peter v.M.
Henman &
Jorge Diaz (tie)
WTA Championships
|
Ed T.
Arazi
WTA Championships
|
Beth K.
No pick
WTA Championships
|
Joshua L.
Safin
Capriati
|
Consensus: The year-end WTA Championships in Los Angeles, with
its poor attendance and uninspiring tennis, flopped miserably enough to gain
our vote on the women's side. We could not settle on the supreme male flop, though not for a shortage of contenders.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
He played one of the year's most memorable matches
(battling cramps and Marat Safin at the US Open), but
where was Nicolas Kiefer for the rest of the season? He
is living up to his advance billing as Germany's answer
to Andre Agassi...but only if you mean the uninspired,
wayward Agassi of 1997. Kiefer opened the year with six
consecutive losses and never really got on track.
Women:
I'm reluctant to pile on Anna Kournikova, since
her name has somewhat unfairly become a punchline
synonymous with athletic futility. But when you consider
the talent she displayed while hovering around the Top 10
early in her career, the barely-over-.500 record Anna
posted in 2002 truly was a flop. She'd better hurry up
and win a tournament before we name this award after her.
Ed Z.:
Men:
Was there an ATP Grand Slam final that truly excited anyone this year? Johansson's Aussie
Open win where it appeared Marat Safin was merely hoping the Swede was going to hand him
a Slam title? Albert Costa knocking off Ferrero (believe it or not I had to look up who
was in this one) at the French? Hewitt routining the Argentine Nalbandian at Wimbledon?
Or the retro-90's US Open final between Sampras and Agassi? With the exception of the
Sampras-Agassi rivalry, the depth of the ATP Tour seemed to work against itself in
developing a real good tennis storyline this year.
Women:
Despite having the personalities that seem to light the world on fire, the Tour had many
flops this year. Hingis falling off the tennis radar, Capriati doing not a whole heck of
a lot after winning Australia, the domination of the Wililams Sisters at the other Slams
all could have qualified as flops for me. But I choose the year-ending WTA Championships.
After a much ballyhooed return to the United States, the tournament had embarrassingly
low attendance and had, for the most part, a field of players who appeared as if they had
already started their winter vacations.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
This one gets to be shared by a player and an umpire. Tim Henman spent
another year proving that he's not much of a player. And Jorge Diaz
managed to overlook a mushroom cloud of chalk (or titanium dioxide, if you
want to be precise), and give in to public pressure when he overruled a
line-call at 4-1 in the third set tie breaker in the Wimbledon match
between not-much-of-a-player Henman and Wayne Ferreira. Ferreira, who
stood to be up 5-1 and probably 2 sets to 1, didn't hit a ball right after
that. Perhaps this call did not have as potentially far-reaching
implications as Jorge Diaz's 2001 cock-up in the match between Hewitt and
Roddick, but it was just as wrong, and just as heinous.
Women:
Clearly, the flop of the year has to be the organisation of the year end
championships. At some point gaggles of schoolchildren could be seen,
doubtless brought in free of charge to fill some seats. You could see them
think "who are these people playing tennis, and why do they not try harder
to stay fit?"
Ed T.:
Men:
Hicham Arazi is one of the most talented players in the game, and was often a pleasure to watch
last year when he finished at number 24. This year he sunk to 72, and the few times I saw him play
he barely seemed to be trying.
Women:
The WTA moved its season-ending championships after a disappointing one-year stop in Germany,
sure that the event would be a success in the United States, the power centre of women's tennis these days. But
the tournament was a laughing stock, drawing crowds of several hundred for some of the early round sessions.
While the crowds improved as the week went on, ticket sales remained disappointing. Granted there were close to 10,000 fans on hand
for the final, but this still meant that half the seats
in the cavernous Staples Center were unoccupied. "The United States has a knack of selecting huge arenas for tennis
events and then forgetting to fill them," sighed a Belgian tennis correspondent.
Beth K.:
Men:
No pick.
Women:
Amazing to hear they couldn't fill the seats at the Staples Center in LA. My pick goes to the WTA Championships. I hope eyes are opened so this isn't a repeat in 2003.
Joshua L.:
Men:
With his sister on the way up, my personal fave of the ATP is
on his way down, and quickly. Who knows what to expect from Marat Safin in 2003?
Women:
I guess you can't really say that Capriati's year was a flop,
seeing how she won the Australian, but Jennifer ran out of steam after
Miami and never got it back. The only good news for her is that some of
her spark was re-ignited at the Championships in Los Angeles against
Serena.
Match of the year
Chris G.
Srichaphan
vs. Rusedski,
U.S. Open
Dementieva/Husarova
vs. Clijsters/Dokic,
Montreal
|
Ed Z.
Krajicek
vs. Philippoussis,
Wimbledon
Capriati
vs. Hingis,
Australian Open
|
Peter v.M.
Bjorkman
vs. Arthurs,
Nottingham
No pick
|
Ed T.
Youzhny
vs. Mathieu,
Davis Cup
Henin
vs. S. Williams,
Berlin
|
Beth K.
Sampras
vs. Agassi,
U.S. Open
Capriati
vs. Hingis,
Australian Open
|
Joshua L.
Sampras
vs. Agassi,
U.S. Open
Capriati
vs. Hingis,
Australian Open
|
Consensus: Played in extreme heat in Melbourne's summer, the Capriati-Hingis Australian Open final
was a test of endurance and nerve won on both counts by Capriati.
On the men's side, the Sampras-Agassi U.S. Open final saw the two aging greats battle for four sets
in what may be their last meeting in a major final.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Of all the top-flight performances Paradorn
Srichaphan gave us this year, the most riveting may have
been a losing effort. He smacked one highlight reel
winner after another in his atmosphere-drenched U.S. Open
duel with Greg Rusedski. The big-serving Brit finally
pulled out a 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 win, but you could
hardly tell from their post-match behavior. Paradorn
continued his classy custom of bowing to the appreciative
fans while Rusedski whacked a ball off the scoreboard and
unleashed a bitter tirade about the officiating.
Women:
At the very least, Elena Dementieva and Janette
Husarova vs. Kim Clijsters and Jelena Dokic (a Montreal
doubles quarterfinal) was the most entertaining match you
didn't see in 2002. With conversational baseline rallies,
hot-tempered allegations of coaching, and a whopping 21
service breaks, this was not your father's doubles. But
it was a thoroughly enjoyable, edge-of-the-seat thriller
in which Dementieva/Husarova finally prevailed by a count
of 6-7, 7-5, 7-6.
Ed Z.:
Men:
Okay, so Krajicek vs. Philippoussis (Wimbledon - 4R)
may not have been the most watchable tennis match of the year but it certainly
had a tantalizing storyline as two big-serving floaters battled.
Both men were trying to re-establish their careers after lingering
injuries on arguably their best surface. The 1996 champion Krajicek prevailed
with a 6-7, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 "go ahead and break my serve" duel (Krajicek broke
twice, Philippoussis once). Krajicek, in only his second tournament in 8 months, advanced
to the quarterfinals where he competed in yet another worthy match. This time the Dutchman
came up short -- losing 9-7 in the fifth set to Xavier Malisse.
Women:
During the Capriati vs. Hingis Australian Open final match it would be hard to believe that the next three Slams would be
all-Williams affairs. Both women's fondest memories came Down Under, and this
match was truly a barn-burner as on-court temperatures rose to unhealthy levels.
Capriati saved 4 championships points and returned from the brink (a 6-4, 4-0 deficit)
to defend her Australian title. Other surprises from this match: it would be Capriati's
only title of the year and Hingis spent much of the year sidelined due to injury/surgery.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
For its sheer brilliance of serving by Wayne Arthurs, I'll nominate the
Arthurs-Bjorkman match in Nottingham here. Arthurs
lost in the end (6-2 6-7(5) 6-2), which says something about Bjorkman's returning. Wayne
Arthurs has quite the most incredible serve. He leads the ATP tour
statistics in all but one serving category, incidentally. It's
interesting that in spite of that, his ranking is hardly stellar.
Something for those who would make the serve less dominant to keep in mind.
Women:
No pick.
It's perhaps tempting to nominate the Australian Open final, but that one
deserves more of a fiasco of the year award. Capriati did hang in there,
but Hingis fizzled like a giant wet firecracker.
Ed T.:
Men:
The Grand Slam finals may have been, by and large, duds, but not so the final of the one of the sport's most coveted
trophies (at least if you are not named Agassi or Sampras), the Davis Cup. Two unexpected young participants,
France's Paul-Henri Mathieu and Russia's Mikhail Youzhny, put on a great show in the fifth and deciding
match, the Russian scoring a comeback 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 triumph. It was the first time in the Cup's long history
that a fifth and deciding rubber had ever been won by a player who had been two sets down, and the first ever
Davis Cup for Russia. Given the high stakes and the youth of the adversaries, the quality of tennis was outstanding.
Women:
The rampant Serena Williams lost only five matches this year. One of them was an enthralling final in Berlin against
the brilliant young Belgian Justine Henin. The key point of the match --
won by Henin, 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5) -- was a magnificent half-volley by the Belgian
at 5-5 of the final tie-break. The loser on the day, Williams emerged the ultimate winner: she avenged the loss the following
week by downing Henin in the Rome final, and proceeded to take the first of her three major titles at Roland Garros shortly thereafter.
Beth K:
Men:
A match for the ages, Sampras vs Agassi at the US Open. I suspect we won't see this in a Grand Slam final in 2003.
Women:
This was Jennifer Capriati's last hurrah in Grand Slam finals in 2002 at the Australian Open vs Martina Hingis. I thought Hingis was going to break Jen Cap's streak at Oz but that wasn't to be.
Joshua L.:
Men:
This year was probably the last time we will
see the two greatest American champions ever play each other. What a delight
it was to see Sampras and Agassi in the final of the US Open.
Women:
The Hingis-Capriati Australian Open final had everything:
mini-heat strokes, foul mouths, match points saved, drop shots,
passing shots, crowd whistles -- and all in a Grand Slam final. This match
was absolutely one of the best I have ever seen in my entire life.
Most memorable media moment
Chris G.
Moaning Drysdale
Australian Open
|
Ed Z.
Clothing scandals
U.S. Open
|
Peter v.M.
T.J. Simers
L.A. Times column
|
Ed T.
Gambill
L.A. "witch-hunt"
|
Beth K.
Clothing scandals
U.S. Open
|
Joshua L.
V. Williams
French photography
|
Consensus: The innovative fashion statements at the U.S. Open -- particularly the Serena Williams
"cat suit" and Tommy Haas's sleeveless shirt -- seemed to draw as much media attention as the action on the
courts did in New York.
Comments
Chris G.:
Tennis announcers annoy me on a regular basis, but Cliff
Drysdale took the cake at this year's Australian Open.
A tight, topsy-turvy doubles bout (Boutter/Clement vs.
Llodra/Santoro) ran long, delaying the singles match
ESPN2 was planning to cover. Rather than enhance and
appreciate the drama of a Grand Slam semifinal extending
to 12-10 in the third set, Drysdale whined and moaned
like an impatient 3-year-old on Christmas Eve. "I would
judge this will be the death knell of playing out the
final set in men's doubles... That is not what people
tune in to watch," he griped while ignoring the action.
If all "Cliffy" could do was devalue the tennis being
shown, his microphone should have been turned off.
Ed Z.:
The fashions at this year's US Open almost threatened to upstage the last Grand Slam of
the year. There was seemingly endless chatter revolving around two players, Serena Williams and Tommy
Haas. The queen of outrageous tennis attire, Serena Williams, debuted her cat suit -- a
skin tight black lycra number that more than showed off the #1 player's assets. While
Serena's flashes of cleavage and leg caused a stir, Haas had to be carted off the court
when he dared to show some bicep with a sleeveless Nike number. Haas did show off a bit
more though during the week. A New York newspaper published a picture of Tommy apparently
sans clothing, with the German's hands serving as a human bra for his equally bare
girlfriend.
Peter v.M.:
Interestingly, Simon Reed had an okay year. No predictions that were
proven wrong in mere seconds this year. Keep up the good work!
I'll pick Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers's sardonic column about the WTA
Championships as the most memorable media moment. Sadly, it seems to no
longer be available. Jon Wertheim's Tennis Mailbag at www.cnnsi.com/tennis
is also always worth reading, if sometimes wildly wrong.
Ed T.:
During the Los Angeles tournament, L.A. Times tennis writer Diane Pucin wrote a piece in which she
gently suggested
that American pro Jan-Michael Gambill might not be quite the talent that he was once thought to be.
Jan-Michael was not amused.
After upsetting Andy Roddick to reach the final, Gambill unloaded on the reporter during his press conference.
Red-faced with fury, he called the reporter a "witch" and suggested
that her journalistic career was in danger. Gambill's most hilarious affirmation was: "My talent took me to No. 3 in the world."
This was true according to the race rankings after three months of the 2001 season and an unexpected final in
Miami, in March of that year. Now Gambill is ranked 42nd according to the system of reference, the
entry ranking. And if we prefer the race rankings, 40th. Advantage Pucin. And yes, she still has a job.
Beth K.:
What a bizarre US Open! Serena wearing that cat suit, but Tommy cannot wear his sleeveless number.
Joshua L.:
Despite a lump in her throat after losing the French Open final to her sister,
Venus was gracious enough to make light of the moment.
She fit snugly among the professional photographers and
even had to ask how to use the equipment. Serena, mama Oracene,
and Venus' boyfriend were all smiles as well.
Nice moment of the year
Chris G.
Hadad/Qureshi
Doubles pairing
Matezvic resilience
Bratislava
|
Ed Z.
Sampras title
U.S. Open
Morariu comeback
U.S. Open
|
Peter v.M.
Safin Title
Paris Masters Series
Morariu comeback
U.S. Open
|
Ed T.
Carlsen-Norman final
Tokyo
Morariu comeback
U.S. Open
|
Beth K.
Sampras title
U.S. Open
Morariu comeback
U.S. Open
|
Joshua L.
Sampras title
U.S. Open
Sánchez-Vicario
Fed Cup
|
Consensus: : Leukemia survivor Corina Morariu deservedly gets another award to add to her
Comeback of the Year. Her reappearance on the main stadium court of the U.S. Open was indeed touching
and memorable. The men's Nice Moment also comes from the U.S. Open. Seemingly written off as a serious contender
by everyone but himself, Pete Sampras found his form in Flushing and added to his record number
of major singles titles.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
There wasn't a nicer, more uplifting, more socially
important story in men's tennis this year than the
unlikely doubles partnership between Aisam Qureshi (a
Muslim from Pakistan) and Amir Hadad (a Jew from Israel).
Watching Hadad and Qureshi draw cheers from a diverse
group of fans at the U.S. Open was moving, but their
nicest moment came at Wimbledon, before the hype and
controversy. Scoring an upset win over 11th-seeded
veterans Ellis Ferreira and Rick Leach, they were just
two friends playing a game together and playing it well.
The message there was simple, but very timely.
Women:
Lessons in perseverance and perspective can be
found at even the smallest WTA tournaments. Slovenian
up-and-comer Maja Matezvic rallied from a 1-6, 1-5
deficit in her quarterfinal match in Bratislava, unaware
that her father had been in a serious car accident while
en route to the venue. (Mr. Matevzic was unharmed, but
the vehicle was totaled.) Vowing to "live every day as
if it's the last," Maja staged another amazing comeback
after losing the first eight games of her semifinal.
The resilience ultimately paid off as Matevzic won the
first two WTA titles of her career, sweeping both the
singles and doubles finals. "It is like a dream come
true," she said of her improbable week.
Ed Z.:
Men:
Okay, another category where I stared at my computer screen for at least ten minutes.
Although I was one of the throngs who thought Sampras was lingering around the courts
past his prime, I will nonetheless give him a well-earned "nice" moment for his U.S. Open title. With everyone
calling your career over and done with, defeating your most noted rival in the final,
cementing another brick into an already all-time best Slam career, and having your pregnant movie-star
wife in the stands I think can all qualify as "nice" no matter what.
Women:
There was not a better moment than Corina Morariu's return to Flushing Meadows after
recovering from a nearly fatal bout of leukemia. While it was a bit of bad luck that she
drew #1 Serena Williams in the first round, as the cliché goes, the true victory was her
merely stepping onto the court. Although only winning 5 games, and perhaps not the
greatest news for her Tour comrades, Morariu gave Williams one of her toughest matches
of the Open. Let me also throw in Venus Williams taking pictures with the family camera
after little sis Serena won the French Open.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Marat Safin, who had a good enough year to make it to number 3 in the
rankings, had not managed to win a title until the last "regular"
tournament, the Masters Series event at Paris-Bercy. He won that
tournament, with some very impressive play, and even managed to put icing
on the cake by bagling Hewitt in the final, showing that talent
can sometimes overcome that Hewitt fighting spirit that
everyone waxes so poetic about.
Women:
Morariu's comeback, of course.
Ed T.:
Men:
Scandinavians Kenneth Carlsen and Magnus Norman now live in Monte Carlo, where they are friends and
practice
partners. They have also given each other moral support during arduous comebacks from serious surgery:
Carlsen was out for over a year because of two shoulder operations in 2000, while Norman underwent arthroscopic hip
surgery in 2001. So it was nice to see the Dane and the Swede finally return to form this year. Coincidentally,
their high point came at the same tournament -- Tokyo in October -- where they played each other in the final. The Dane
Carlsen defeated his Swedish friend, 7-6, 6-3, and both can now look forward to more success in their "second career".
Women:
Corina Morariu provided the ultimate feel-good story of the year.
The American capped a successful battle against leukemia in July, when she stepped on the court for the first time
in 14 months for a doubles match in
San Diego. But particularly memorable was her prime-time encounter against Serena Williams
at the U.S. Open. It was the first time most fans had seen Morariu since she was a spectator at the U.S. Open in 2001.
At that time last year, Corina
was in the midst of a series of chimotherapy treatments, looked frail, and had her hairless head covered
with a scarf. Twelve months later, the difference was astonishing. She looks great.
Beth K.:
Men:
For me it goes without saying: Pistol Pete's US Open victory. No more needs to be said.
Women:
When I saw Corina Morariu's draw, facing Serena in the first round at the US Open, I was not too excited by the prospect. She took an amazing 5 games from the Williams power house. Corina looks as she was never out of the game for nearly a year.
Joshua L.:
Men:
The "old guy", Pete Sampras managed to sneak
one past us all and (probably) ended his career in a terrific way at the U.S. Open.
Women:
At the Fed Cup final, a heckler told Arantxa to get off the court. For the first time, the
Barcelona Bumble Bee let the crowd get to her. A tear fell from her eye. The thousand Spanish fans in the Canary Islands
defended their queen and stood and applauded for 10 minutes -- yelling and
screaming too! Aranxta knew then that this is what made her life good and
ended that match, that Fed Cup tie, and her career on a good note. Goodbye
ASV, we will always love and miss you.
Not so nice moment of the year
Chris G.
Clothing rules
U.S. Open
Amelia Island
Court measurements
|
Ed Z.
Hewitt & ATP
Fines
Amelia Iasland
Court measurements
|
Peter v.M.
Agassi pullout
Masters Cup
Dennis Overberg
Itchy stopwatch finger
|
Ed T.
Edberg snubbed
Hall of Fame
Capriati
Fed Cup shenanigans
|
Beth K.
Clothing rules
U.S. Open
Capriati
Fed Cup shenanigans
|
Joshua L.
Masters Cup
WTA Championships
|
Consensus: The ridiculous clothing rules at the U.S. Open, which deemed a sleeveless shirt worn
by Tommy Haas to be unsuitable for family entertainment, gave us our Not-Nice
moment on the men's side. The women's Not-Nice is shared by two events. Jennifer Capriati
gets the raspberry for picking a fight with her Fed Cup captain Billie Jean King.
And the case of the mismeasured Amelia Island court was also
cited as an unforgiveable case of not-niceness.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
If you wonder why men's tennis has an image problem,
you need look no further than the petty, stupid hypocrisy
Tommy Haas was subjected to at the U.S. Open. Tournament
referee Brian Earley prevented Haas from wearing a
sleeveless shirt that was completely innocuous compared to
the body hugging, barely there catsuit Serena Williams was
making headlines in. We've come to expect this kind of
antiquated country club nonsense at Wimbledon, but does
anyone really think the freewheeling New York fans would
have been corrupted by the sight of Haas's bare arms?
Women:
The sport sustained a truly weird black eye in
April. Playing on an incorrectly lined stadium court at
the relatively big Amelia Island tournament, Anne Kremer
and Jennifer Hopkins combined for a dizzying 29 double
faults. Don't you think SOMEBODY -- umpire, referee,
linesman, player, coach, fan, whoever -- should have
noticed the service boxes were both short by a full three
feet? Can you imagine an entire NBA game played with the
rims raised by that margin?
Ed Z.:
Men:
This past summer the ATP fined Lleyton Hewitt a considerable sum of money over failure
to do a mandatory pre-tournament interview for the Tennis Masters Series Cincinnati.
The assessment was a percentage of his prize money for the tournament -- so the #1 player
would be fined more the better his result. There were no winners in this situation.
The media-phobic Hewitt just needs to be a little less testy when it comes to his
off-court responsibilities, while the ATP really needs to figure out a better way to
handle their top talent. Also thumbs down to two tennis autobiographies. John McEnroe
airing his dirty laundry regarding ex-wife Tatum O'Neal and Pat Cash tawdry kiss-and-tell
about players he has coached over the past several years.
Women:
I guess it was a pretty good year for the women as I had a hard time coming up with
a "not so nice moment." So I go with an almost comical mistake by the folks at this
year's Bauch & Lomb Championships. Anne Kremer and Jennifer Hopkins competed in a
first round match that had both players totally befuddled. With a service court
3 feet (!) shorter than the standard 21 feet the two players pleaded with the chair
umpire that something was awry, but were told to play on. The players combined for
a total of 29 double faults with Kremer's victory standing even after it was
determined (6 hours later) that the court was not properly set up.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
After losing his first two matches at the Year-End Masters Finals, Andre
Agassi, who had moments before been running like a (somewhat ageing)
gazelle, decided that he had a hip injury, and pulled out of his third
singles match. Obviously, the fact that that match had become meaningless,
since Agassi no longer had a chance to make the semis, had nothing to do
with his decision to pull out. Of equally little importance, apparently,
was the fact that in all probability quite a few of the Chinese tennis fans
had bought tickets just to see him play.
Women:
A reader suggested that this one should go to umpire Dennis Overberg, who
gave Daniela Hantuchova a time violation point penalty to end a match
against Ai Sugiyama. And why not? Dennis Overberg, come on down!
Ed T.:
Men:
The Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport became the Hall of Shame when it refused to nominate Stefan Edberg for 2003
entry in the tennis pantheon, naming Boris Becker as the only nominee. Mei-Ling Liu's
fine On The Line article
says everything that needs to be said about this boneheaded decision.
Women:
Jennifer Capriati was no less boneheaded during the lead-up to the U.S.-Austria Fed Cup tie. She clumsily
tried to defy captain Billie Jean King's authority, and was rightly booted off the squad. A weakened American
side went on to lose to an inspired Austrian squad led by Barbara Schwartz, but the U.S. players unanimously
backed King's decision to evict Jennifer.
Beth K.:
Men:
I still am in awe that Tommy couldn't wear that sleevless number while Serena meowed her way to the US Open title in that cat suit. I guess what is good for the goose ain't for the gander!
Women:
Though I almost forgot, the Capriati boneheadedness at the US-Austria Fed Cup tie takes top honors for me. Rules are rules.
Joshua L.:
Men:
The ATP deserves much respect for its good year, but COME ON! Although the Masters Cup in Shanghai drew
good crowds, media interest was minimal.
Women:
Just like the ATP, the WTA had another dismal season-ending
Championships. Both the tours need to stick with one venue and build it
from there. Good things come to those who wait.
Farewell, you'll be missed
Chris G.
Pioline
Sánchez-Vicario
|
Ed Z.
Pioline
Sánchez-Vicario
|
Peter v.M.
Rafter
Sánchez-Vicario
|
Ed T.
Pioline
Sánchez-Vicario
|
Beth K.
Pioline
Sánchez-Vicario
|
Joshua L.
Sampras
Frazier
|
Consensus:
Our fondest buh-byes go out to the combative former number one Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario and to
the brooding but gifted Cédric Pioline.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Another serve-and-volleyer bit the dust when David
Wheaton made his retirement official this summer...but
he'd been mostly gone for a few years anyway. Cedric
Pioline, on the other hand, played some of his best
tennis after turning 30. Twice a surprise Grand Slam
finalist, he was a graceful, athletic shotmaker who
could win on any surface. Pioline's sluggish demeanor
often alienated the French public, but he won their
hearts with a stirring run to the 1998 Roland Garros
semis and a career capping 2000 victory in Monte Carlo.
Women:
An early contender for this spot was enigmatic
lefty Anne-Gaelle Sidot, who called it quits at the
tender age of 22. However, Sidot never lived up to her
potential, which is not a label anyone would apply to
Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario. Despite a wonky forehand and
mediocre serve, "the Barcelona Bumblebee" hustled her
way to 14 Grand Slam titles. The last couple years
weren't kind to Arantxa, but her tireless determination
won't be soon forgotten.
Ed Z.:
Men:
After 13 years on the Tour (the last 2 of which have been less than noteworthy), Cedric
Pioline is hanging up his tennis shoes. Ranked within the Top 20 for most of the 90s,
Pioline had a career most players would dream of including two trips to Grand Slam
finals (1993 US Open and 1997 Wimbledon). I can attest to the athleticism of Pioline
as I sat next to the sturdy 6'2" Frenchman at a match one year in Scottsdale.
Women:
Fairly obvious choice here as the retirement of Sanchez Vicario is another nail in the
coffin of the '90s era of tennis. The Spaniard leaves behind an impressive tennis
resume: 4 Grand Slams title (10 more in doubles and mixed), 29 career tournament titles
and 61 doubles championships, ranked #1 in singles for 12 weeks in 1995 and 111 weeks
as the top doubles player.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
The award should probably go to Pat Rafter, who is still missed.
Women:
Arantxa Sanchez, while she could be incomparably annoying with her
finger-pointing, will nevertheless be missed.
Ed T.:
Men:
For a long time, French tennis fans
-- a tough audience at the best of times -- were a little cool and sometimes harshly critical
toward Cédric Pioline, whose quiet and private
character often
bordered on aloofness. The Frenchman won over his countrymen, strangely enough, after one of his most bitter
defeats, a critical loss to Mark Philippoussis in the 1999 Davis Cup final in France. Devastated, Pioline began to
weep on court after the match. The
home fans, scarcely believing their eyes, realized the man did indeed care, and rallied to
support the fallen hero with ringing cries of "Cédric!, Cédric!"
Now a popular figure in his homeland, Pioline has called an end to his fine career at age 33.
The stylish and versatile athlete was ranked as high as number five
just two years ago. When he was on his game, he was a joy to watch.
Women:
Feistiness, thy name is Arantxa. The speedy and combative Sánchez-Vicario
at her prime was a handful for anyone on any surface,
and, as her three French Open titles attest, particularly a demon on clay. Slowed by age and dogged by off-court
miseries in the last few years, Arantxa has recently been a shadow of her former self, and finally called it quits at
the year's end. The Spaniard has sometimes been labelled as less than popular, especially compared to the giants of
her era (Graf and Seles), but I can tell you that at my
hometown tournament of Montreal her popularity was second to none.
Beth K.:
Men:
I too will miss Cedric Pioline as he hangs up his tennis shoes for the last time. Though I haven't followed his game the past few years, I will always remember his run at the 1997 Wimbledon.
Women:
The Barcelona Bumblebee will be truly missed. She leaves a legacy in Spanish tennis that will not soon be surpassed. What a resume: 4 Grand Slam titles (and also the 10 in doubles and mixed), 29 career tournament titles and 61 doubles championships, the #1 singles ranking for 12 weeks in 1995 and 111 weeks as the top doubles player.
Joshua L.:
Men:
Although it's not official, one would surmise that Pistol Pete's
amazing career is over. He's been with us for more than ten years, and now
he will start a new life with his wife and child.
Women:
I mentioned Sánchez Vicario earlier, so Amy Frazier gets my nod here. Often
underappreciated, the flat-hitting Michigan native had her last hurrah
making the fourth round at the US Open. She hasn't offically announced her
retirement, but made it well known that the 2002 US Open would be her last
US Open. Goodbye Amy.
On The Line wishes you a very happy holiday season -- see you in 2003!
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