On The Line's
2003 Year-End Awards
by the On The Line
staff
Once again
this year, some of the On The Line writers
and editors got together to hand out kudos and
brickbats for the highlights and lowlights of the 2003 tennis season. So come,
relive the moments with us! Your judges, juries and executioners are: Chris
Gerby, Peter van Mierlo, Ed Toombs, Ken
Kamlet and Jason Juzwiak.
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.
R. Federer
J. Henin-Hardenne |
Peter v.M.
R. Federer
K. Clijsters |
Ed T.
R. Federer
J. Henin-Hardenne |
Ken K.
A. Roddick
S. Williams |
Jason J.
R. Federer
J. Henin-Hardenne |
Consensus:
We went against the rankings and opted for the
Wimbledon champion Roger Federer on the men's
side. Our top female is the #1 Justine Henin-Hardenne,
but we chose her with a few reservations.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
My first instinct here was to pick Andy Roddick, who blossomed under Brad Gilbert's tutelage and deserves his
status as the world's top singles player. Wimbledon champ Roger Federer was nipping on his heels at the end,
however, and has a pair of doubles titles on his 2003 resume, including the "fifth major" in Miami. After
finishing the year in style at the Masters Cup, Federer wins by a nose...no pun intended.
Women:
Combining singles and doubles accomplishments would seem to give Kim Clijsters the edge. But while I'd like
nothing better than to bestow this honor on someone as friendly and accessible as Kim, there is the small
matter of Grand Slam titles to consider. Players are ultimately measured by their performance in the majors
and that's why fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne gets the call here. Justine racked up eight singles
titles over the course of the season, most importantly beating Clijsters in the finals at Roland Garros
and Flushing Meadows.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Roger Federer has clearly come of age in 2003. His play at Wimbledon as well as at the Year-End Championships in
Houston was flawless, and out of this world. He repeatedly left opponents with their jaws almost hitting the
ground at the sheer brilliance of his shots. While Andy Roddick may have just edged him for the #1 ranking,
my feeling is that Federer has shown to be the best player; he won more matches than anyone, won the biggest
tournament, won titles on each surface (hard, clay, grass and indoors). And he pretty much owns Roddick in
their head-to-head matches.
Women:
Kim Clijsters. Her results may have been slightly less than Henin-Hardenne's, but she leaves less of a sour
taste in my mouth.
Henin-Hardenne, who might do well to hire an image consultant -- or just stop taking those suspect injury time-outs.
An important reason why Clijsters did not clinch the year-end top ranking is that she performed slightly
sub-par in the Grand Slams. Can someone explain to me why these carry so much weight for the women? It's
not like the format is any different form other tournaments (they still play best-of-three).
Ed T.:
Men:
Not an easy choice here between the top three in the rankings,
Roddick, Federer and Juan Carlos Ferrero. I will go
against the rankings and pick the Wimbledon champion, who
led in titles (including all three outdoor surfaces plus
indoors) and matches won. Add to that the doubles titles Chris
mentioned, plus the fact that he single-handedly led an otherwise
weak Swiss team into the Davis Cup semifinals, where an astonishing
string of 10 consecutive Davis Cup singles victories was broken
by Lleyton Hewitt. On top of that, the brilliant shot-maker is a joy to watch,
and he's a class act on and off the court.
Women:
Henin-Hardenne gave us most of this year's memorable matches,
won two majors, and finished number one. She also gave hope to smaller players and
practitioners of the one-handed backhand the world over.
For me she has made women's tennis worth watching again.
Ken K.:
Men:
Andy Roddick had a spectacular summer, climaxing with a
stellar performance at the US Open.
Women:
I pick Serena Williams because she had tougher competition
during the first half of the year, and still managed to win
Oz and Wimbledon and had a solid showing at the
French. Justine Henin-Hardenne rose to #1 in the
absence of EVERYBODY. Her rise really started on
the heels of an uncharacteristic choke by Serena at the
French. After Wimbledon, both Williamses were gone.
Seles has gone away. Hingis retired. Davenport
seems to be always injured and missed most of the
2nd half of the year. Clijsters is the biggest choker to
come along since Jana Novotna. Really, Justine's
current position is filled with asterisks, in my view.
Jason J.:
Men:
Four impressive players deservedly won the four majors in 2003. One could easily make a pretty
good case for any of them, and the best tiebreaker is, in my opinion, the year-ending event in
Houston. Federer commanded the event featuring the eight best players in the world, much as he
unforgivingly swept to the Wimbledon title, and that gives him my vote.
Women:
Two major victories each for Justine and Serena, and Justine did better in the regular tour events
of the two. When Serena Williams plays her best, she is undoubtedly very close to invincible, but
her achievements were equal to Justine's during the year and Justine took the opportunity to
clean up most everything when Serena was absent. As for Kim Clijsters, she had a fine year,
but since she'd quickly trade her year for either Justine or Serena's, she isn't even in the equation.
Newcomer
of the year
Chris G.
R. Nadal
M. Sharapova |
Peter v.M.
R. Nadal
M. Sharapova |
Ed T.
R. Nadal
M. Sharapova |
Ken K.
G. Coria
N. Petrova
|
Jason J.
R. Nadal
M. Sharapova |
Consensus:
Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal were the clear choices, as the
talented teens rocketed to prominence in 2003.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
We have seen the future and its name is Rafael Nadal. Apparently nobody told the flashy
southpaw that a 17-year-old kid isn't supposed to beat the likes of Carlos Moya, Albert
Costa, and Younes El Aynaoui in his rookie season. The sky's the limit for this Spanish
supernova if he can stay healthy and focused.
Women:
Maria Sharapova arrived on a wave of hype that was even louder and more pronounced than
her signature grunt...then quickly showed skeptics what all the noise was about. After
playing one of the most impressive sets of tennis I saw all year against Kim Clijsters
in Carson, Sharapova finished her season on an absolute tear, winning her first two
singles titles and snaring a pair of doubles crowns for good measure
Peter v.M.:
Men:
We saw some extremely impressive showings by Nadal, beating experienced and highly
ranked players sometimes even on their own surfaces, Albert Costa and Carlos Moya,
both on clay, specifically. (Moya's surface really is not clay, even though that
is what he won his single Slam title on.)
Women:
Sharapova seems to have some real game. Hopefully she can find a way to make
her screams not quite as ear-splitting as they were at Wimbledon, as this would
surely make watching her more enjoyable.
Ed T.:
Men:
This was to have been the year of Richard Gasquet.
Instead, another 17-year-old was the talk of the tour.
Young Nadal showed talent, a killer competitive spirit, and an
aggressive game that looks adaptable to all surfaces. The sky
is the limit for this kid, who rose from 235th to 47th in the world
in 2003.
Women:
There was no shortage of hype surrounding the loudly-shrieking Russian
teen when she burst on the scene this spring. But if you turn
on the mute button you can appreciate that Sharapova is a talented
player with a good feel for the game, who makes
difficult shots look easy. Having claimed her first WTA titles
in Tokyo and Quebec City, she is already ranked 32nd and
appears destined for much, much better.
Ken K.:
This wasn't the rookie year for either Coria or Petrova, but it
certainly was their first really big year. Both seem
to have the game to go even further next year.
Jason J.:
Men:
Nadal had a breakthrough year, beating his compatriots Costa and Moya as well as
reaching the third round at Wimbledon. He is the torchbearer for a new generation
of the Spanish Armada.
Women:
After plateauing earlier in the year, Sharapova found her game on the grass courts,
and since then has not looked back. Women's tennis has seen its fair share of
phenoms fall by the wayside, but hopefully Maria will continue to improve her game and the size of her titles.
Comeback
of the year
Chris G.
M. Philippoussis
M. Sanchez Lorenzo |
Peter v.M.
Y. El Aynaoui
M. Navratilova |
Ed T.
M. Philippoussis
N. Petrova |
Ken K.
B. Gilbert
M. Navratilova
|
Jason J.
M. Philippoussis
M. Vento-Kabchi |
Consensus:
Mark Philippoussis has spent much of his career making
comebacks, and 2003 was a noteworthy year for the big
man from Australia.
Our women's choice was the ageless
Martina Navratilova,
amazingly winning major titles at age 47.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Recurring knee injuries not only threatened the career of Mark Philippoussis, they
put his ability to lead a normal, pain-free life in jeopardy. But with a new
seriousness of purpose, "Flipper" rehabbed, slimmed down, and blasted his way
to the Wimbledon singles final. The big Aussie's comeback year was capped by a
truly gutsy performance in the deciding match of the Davis Cup final.
Women:
Plagued by multiple injuries, including painful sciatica in her back, Maria Antonia
Sanchez Lorenzo fell all the way to 215th on the WTA computer at the end of 2001.
The Spaniard was still ranked outside the top 100 when the 2003 season began, but
she was far from finished. Maria's fashion model appearance belies the toughness
and perseverance that helped her battle back to #42 in the world, nearly her career best.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Younes El Aynaoui might have been forgiven for letting his career peter out --
instead he had a marquee year. He might also be considered as most improved player
of the year, since he technically did not make a comeback from injury or semi-retirement.
He certainly came back into the public's eye, though, especially through that marathon
match at the Australian Open against Andy Roddick.
Women:
Martina Navratilova made it back to the winners' circle at Wimbledon, after an
absence of quite a few years. Draw your own conclusions from the fact that a 47-year
old can win plenty of women's doubles titles as well as a mixed doubles title.
Honorable mention goes to Amy Frazier.
Ed T.:
Men:
We thought we might have seen the last of Philippoussis, but
the oft-injured giant came off the injury list with a bang this
year. His surprising run to the Wimbledon final
and Davis Cup heroics to close out the season were highlights
of a year that saw him return to the top ten from a year-end
2002 rank of 83.
Women:
Inactive for much of 2002 with a foot injury, Petrova
came back better than she had been before, and climbed
all the way from outside the top 100 to #12 this year.
While without a singles title this year, the tall, hard-hitting
21-year-old out of Moscow
reached two finals, and collected a doubles championship in her
native Moscow. Nadia's most notable achievement was
probably attaining the semifinals
of Roland Garros, defeating Seles and Capriati en route.
Ken K.:
Men:
After splitting with Agassi, Brad Gilbert
was very smart in waiting for exactly the right player to
give him the call at exactly the right moment. Certainly,
a lot of players would have benefited from Gilbert's
coaching, but by waiting for Andy to figure out he
needed him, Brad dramatically increased his market
value as a coach of grand slam champions.
Women:
At 47 she is back in the
top 10 in the world rankings, Navratilova qualified for the
season-ending championships and she became a
solid playing member of the Fed Cup team. She's also
set the stage for becoming perhaps the oldest first
time Olympian in 2004.
Jason J.:
Men:
It seems like Mark gets this award every other year, but after suffering a series
of injuries that would force a less determined player into retirement, he actually
put together his best year ever. I was skeptical when he said that he would win
Wimbledon last year, but he was able to put himself one match away from the title,
and if he stays healthy and fit, there isn't any reason why he can't clinch it in 2004.
Women:
Maria Vento-Kabchi had become a part-time player over the last few years, avoiding
Challengers and half-heartedly playing Tour qualifying events, which caused her to
slump out of her solid spot in the Top 50 into the lower quarter of the Top 200. But
improved fitness and rededication to the sport saw her beat Dokic, Rubin, Petrova, and
Martinez in the second half of 2003 and improve her ranking by over 125 spots.
Most
improved player of the year
Chris G.
R. Schuettler
N. Petrova |
Peter v.M.
R. Federer
A. Harkleroad |
Ed T.
G. Coria
V. Zvonareva |
Ken K.
A. Roddick
K. Clijsters
|
Jason J.
G. Coria
P. Suarez |
Consensus:
While we could not settle on the most improved woman,
we had a slight leaning toward the talented Argentine
Guillermo Coria on the men's side.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
After several relatively uneventful years on the ATP circuit, scrappy Rainer
Schuettler broke through in a big way. His run to the Australian Open final had
the look of a fluke, given that Schuettler had traditionally fared best early in
the season. However, Rainer proved himself time and again, finishing the year at #6
in the world, going 3-0 against Andy Roddick in the process.
Women:
This one's a toss-up between Vera Zvonareva and Nadia Petrova, a pair of feisty young
Russians who broke into the world's Top 15 this year. Petrova prevailed in their one
head-to-head matchup (in the quarterfinals of the French Open), so I'll give her the
nod. With her hefty forehand and steely determination, Nadia may well go further in the years to come.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Roger Federer has gotten rid of the mental lapses that plagued him somewhat in the
past, winning a magnificent title at Wimbledon. By year's end, he had even beaten
David Nalbandian for the first time in senior competition, which may stand him in
very good stead next year. If Federer improves any more, he'll be scary.
Women:
Ashley Harkleroad seems to be making good on her potential. If she keeps this
up, she has a good chance of getting rid of Anna's monkey. Not good odds on Anna
doing it herself, more's the pity.
Ed T.:
Men:
Most tennis observers knew that Guillermo Coria would be
good, but few thought he would be quite this good this fast.
The diminutive, 21-year-old Argentine with the great speed
and magical hands rose from 57th to 5th this year, on the strength
of 4 titles, including the Masters Series in Hamburg, and the
Roland Garros semis. While his best work is still on clay,
he also showed considerable potential on fast surfaces, reaching the U.S.
Open quarterfinals and notching an indoor title in Basel.
Women:
Last year I gave Vera Zvonareva my vote for Newcomer of the Year
for ending her rookie campaign at #45. This year, she gets the
nod for improving to #13 with a consistently solid year. Vera's
2003 campaign was highlighted by a title in Bol, and a quarterfinal
showing at the French Open (where she memorably upset Venus
Williams). To climb into the top ten she will probably
have to return to the more aggressive game style she displayed
as a junior. If not, I might not
be able to give an award to Vera next year -- unless she misbehaves!
Ken K.:
Men:
Andy Roddick has proven he's for real.
Women:
OK, Kim Clijsters doesn't have the
composure to win a major, but she's developed such a
solid overall game and such incredible stamina that
she's firmly established herself as the most consistent
player of her generation.
Jason J.:
Men:
I was torn between Coria and Schuettler, but decided on Coria because his rise
in the rankings was more dramatic, and because it does seem like he has more innate
talent, as opposed to Rainer's doggedness. But both should be commended from moving
from being considered dangerous floaters to legitimately contending for majors - a
very difficult move to make. They have both entered an entirely new class of players.
Women:
Petrova seems like the logical choice, but her position at #12 in the world is where
she would have been had injury not interrupted her rise - she didn't improve, she
just made up for lost time. As Coria and Schuettler have changed their class of player,
so has Suarez. This year, Paola has gone from a determined, if middling, player to a
competitor of the highest order. Fourth round at Wimbledon, quarterfinalist at the
US Open - this is a different level, and it's even harder to do on the women's tour than on the men's.
Flop of the
year
Chris G.
L.Hewitt
D.Hantuchova |
Peter v.M.
L.Hewitt
D.Hantuchova |
Ed T.
A.Corretja
D.Hantuchova |
Ken K.
A.Costa
WTA Tour
|
Jason J.
L.Hewitt
D.Hantuchova |
Consensus:
This year's most notable flops were Lleyton Hewitt, who
strangely fell from his top perch back to #16, and
Daniela Hantuchova, who failed rather spectacularly to
follow up on her breakthrough 2002
campaign.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Lleyton Hewitt was nothing short of extraordinary in leading Australia to the Davis
Cup title. Unfortunately, the rest of his season was a mess. Hewitt played infrequently
and struggled when he did show up at ATP events. After two years atop the world rankings,
Hewitt tumbled to a season-ending 17th. Off-court distractions may have played a part,
but I pin a lot of the blame on Lleyton's wobbly serve. A low percentage with the first
and untimely double faults via the second bedeviled him time and time again in 2003.
Women:
Like Peter, I have a soft spot for Daniela Hantuchova and derive no joy from giving her
this dubious honor. Alas, it was an indisputably disappointing year for the leggy
Slovakian. Numerous emotional on-court meltdowns gave the impression Dani's psyche
was even more fragile than her alarmingly thin physique. Here's hoping some time
off will restore the talent and poise that made her such a delight in 2002.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Someone call Lleyton Hewitt and tell him his fifteen minutes are up! From his ridiculous
law suit against the ATP Tour (for damaging his image -- something Hewitt is well capable
of doing himself), to his severely anaemic schedule, to his loss in the first round at
Wimbledon, it's becoming quite clear that Hewitt is in danger of completely losing the
plot. Discussing the sudden coaching change just before Wimbledon, when Jason Stoltenberg
said he wanted to spend more time with his family, some tennis commentators remarked that
Stoltenberg may well have meant that he wanted to spend less time with Hewitt's family.
Dishonorable mention goes to men's tennis coaching, in view of the fact that out of the top
8 players present at the year end's championships in Houston, only one had a single handed
backhand. Luckily, that guy ran away with it.
A second dishonorable mention goes to the ball tracking system used at the Masters Series
events. Slow motion real world camera shots proved repeatedly that this system is seriously
flawed, yet for some reason some commentators trust the system over their own eyes
Women:
It pains me to have to make this pick, and I very sincerely hope that Dani Hantuchova can
make a comeback next year. Hopefully she will put on some weight, hopefully the media
will stop trying to see if she did, and hopefully she will be able to overcome her demons (and win some tight matches).
A good move was firing her coach Nigel Sears,
who was obviously not doing his job. Any coach who leaves the stands when his charge
is playing poorly (as happened at Roland Garros) should be summarily dismissed.
Ed T.:
Men:
I would go along with Hewitt, except for the fact that he did
win a couple of titles as well as playing a major role in
Australia's conquest of the Davis Cup. Instead I will opt for
Hewitt's bitter rival Alex Corretja, who was in the top 20
this time last year. In 2003 the two-time French Open
finalist won only 14 of 37 matches, including
an 8 match losing streak in the summer, and dropped out of
the top 100.
Women:
Hantuchova had a breakthrough season in 2002, exploding into the
top ten. But 2003 was a breakdown season, marred by a
worryingly drastic weight loss, a number of
poor losses (six times she lost her first-up match, including
four times after receiving a first round bye), and tear-filled
on-court outbursts. Her ranking slipped
to 19, and she would surely be well out of the top twenty
if not for those byes. We will see if new coach Harold Solomon,
who helped return Jennifer Capriati to the elite but failed
to do the same for Anna Kournikova, can get the tall Slovak
back on the rails.
Ken K.:
Men:
Albert Costa is a recent grand slam champion, but
didn't play like it in 2004.
Women:
The WTA Tour. It still can't figure out how
to properly publicize itself and maintain the fan base
it
deserves, so it had a surprisingly unsatisfying
year. It seems like 5 minutes ago we were all so
enthralled with the incredible depth on the women's
circuit. Now it seems like all those marquee names
are on crutches, playing scared or just plain tired.
The summer of 2003 would have been the perfect
stage for a Martina Hingis comeback. Too bad she
couldn't or wouldn't seize the moment.
Jason J.:
Men:
Does this even need any explanation? Hewitt, the World #1 of the last two years
has become irrelevant to the hunt for major titles. A really disappointing year,
emotionally and physically.
Women:
Daniela seemed to have a great serve and penetrating groundstrokes. Why, then, was
she bragging about how her success proves finesse tennis can still survive in the
women's game? Daniela, you are not a finesse player, and your swan dive proves it.
Match of the
year
Chris G.
Roddick
vs El Aynaoui,
Australian Open
Henin-Hardenne
vs Capriati,
U.S. Open |
Peter v.M.
Federer
vs Roddick,
Wimbledon
and Federer
vs Agassi,
Masters (tie)
Harkleroad
vs Hantuchova,
Roland Garros |
Ed T.
Roddick
vs El Aynaoui,
Australian Open
Henin-Hardenne
vs Davenport,
Australian Open |
Ken K.
Men
No pick
Henin-Hardenne
vs Capriati,
U.S. Open |
Jason J.
Roddick
vs El Aynaoui,
Australian Open
Henin-Hardenne
vs S. Williams,
Roland Garros |
Consensus:
The gripping Grand Slam duels involving
Henin-Hardenne & Capriati (U.S. Open), and Roddick
& El Aynaoui
(Australian Open)
were not only the year's best but may take their
place among the most memorable tilts in the
history of the sport.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Whether or not the 5-hour duel between Andy Roddick and Younes El Aynaoui in
the quarterfinals of the Australian Open was the standout contest of the year
isn't even a question. After witnessing such a high standard of play, such
nail-biting drama, and such a charismatic brand of sportsmanship on both sides
of the net, one is only left to debate whether Roddick's 4-6, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, 21-19
victory was the best match in the history of the sport.
Women:
It was a fairly lackluster year in women's tennis until Justine Henin-Hardenne and
Jennifer Capriati ramped things up several notches at the US Open. The indefatigable
Belgian somehow overcame a hostile crowd, a pumped up opponent who was firing on all
cylinders, some very questionable line calls, a 3-5 deficit in the second set, and a
2-5 margin in the third. Before the ink was dry on Henin-Hardenne's stunning 4-6, 7-5, 7-6
semifinal triumph, the WTA had quite rightly tacked it onto its previously announced list of all-time classics.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Federer's destruction of Agassi at Houston, or Federer's destruction of Roddick at
Wimbledon. While these matches did not offer a lot of tension, which is often considered a
requirement for great matches, they offered some of the best pure tennis ever played.
Women:
Ashley Harkleroad v. Daniela Hantuchova at Roland Garros. This match may have been
memorable for the wrong reasons, but it was gripping stuff.
Ed T.:
Men:
Yes, that Roddick-El Aynaoui marathon down under was
something very special. In many ways the winner was the
guy who lost. El Aynaoui sportingly refused to make an issue
about an iffy ploy by Roddick just before the
Moroccan lost his serve at the end of the match (Roddick handed his racquet to the ballboy
as El Aynaoui prepared to serve), and his gallant fight
made him instantly one of the most popular players on tour.
Women:
Most people preferred Capriati's dramatic loss to Henin-Hardenne
at the U.S. Open, and indeed that was a good one. But I
would like to put in a vote for another gripping Henin win,
this one over Davenport in the Australian Open round of sixteen.
Despite writhing in pain with cramps, the Belgian ground out
a 7-5, 5-7, 9-7
win over the American veteran in a match filled with
twists and turns. Perhaps most significantly,
Henin proved in this match what many doubted, that she could tough
out gritty wins against elite players on the big stage.
Ken K.:
Men:
No pick.
Women:
Justine Henin-Hardenne def. Jennifer Capriati in the
SF of the US Open. It was one heck of a nailbiter,
tennis drama at its best. In 1992 Capriati lost an
equally devastating match to Monica Seles in the same
round of the same tournament. It took her years to
recover from that. Will an older, more mature Capriati
handle this one better? That remains to be seen, but it
is noteworthy that her results (although very few) have
been poor ever since that night-time thriller in Flushing.
Jason J.:
Men:
With both Roddick and El Aynaoui slamming serves and pounding forehands with
abandon and refusing to miss well into the latter stages of a five-hour match,
this tête-à-tête combined the requisite tension necessary for a classic match
with an impossibly high standard of play at such pace and strength. That it took
place well into the morning for myself and the rest of the East Coast of the
States and that there was no way to foresee who would crack first made this
quarterfinal match as exciting as the loser was gracious.
Women:
Justine-Serena at the French. The play was spotty. The crowd was horrid. The
hand was...up. What did it all mean? Chalk it up to Paris for providing yet
another gut-churning, inflammatory match that meant more than any other match
did for its two warriors all year. There were a lot of lengthy dramas this year,
but, emotionally, this had the most inescapable resonance, and it defined the year for players and fans alike.
Most
memorable media moment
Chris G.
Tennis Channel
|
Peter v.M.
BBC,
many screens |
Ed T.
Kournikova,
reporter |
Ken K.
Larry Scott,
Year-end gaffe
|
Jason J.
Roddick,
TV Host
|
Consensus:
None!
Comments
Chris G.:
Hands down, the best and most significant thing to happen for American tennis
coverage this year was May's long-awaited debut of the Tennis Channel. The
original programming, classic matches, and instructional footage are plenty,
but what really has die-hard tennis fans jazzed is the tournament coverage.
TTC gets it right, showing matches live and in their entirety. Coverage
often starts on the very first day of a given tournament, allowing viewers to
enjoy players who aren't just the same small handful of household names. Even
the oft-ignored but frequently exciting world of doubles has gotten its fair
share of Tennis Channel time. Perhaps the network isn't yet available in your
neck of the woods, but trust me when I say the revolution is being televised.
Peter v.M.:
The BBC's five simultaneous screens of coverage of Wimbledon are truly memorable.
Ed T.:
Injured tennis pinup Anna Kournikova took a brief but remarked
job as a reporter for the USA Network during the U.S. Open.
Anna's interviewing was about as inept as her recent
performances on court, and the plug was pulled on this experiment after
only a few days.
Ken K.:
WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott unexpectedly blurting out
that the WTA Tour Championships will be leaving the
STAPLES Center in another year. Turns out, he hadn't
exactly informed the STAPLES Center of that plan and
the gaffe left yet another group of tournament organizers
and sponsors demanding answers.
Jason J.:
Having recently read "Live from New York," Tom Shales' oral history of "Saturday Night Live,"
I can vouch for the fact that hosting SNL is one of the moments that defines an entertainer's
career. A fair share of nobodies have hosted during their 15 minutes of fame, and undoubtedly
the last couple of seasons have been weak after their triumphant 2001-02 renaissance; also,
was it really a good idea for Roddick to host days before the Tennis Masters Cup? But more
exposure means more fans, which means more tennis for the rest of us.
Nice moment of
the year
Chris G.
Y. El Ayanoui
Halle
M. Navratilova
Wimbledon |
Peter v.M.
Roddick
Personal touch
K. Clijsters
Filderstadt |
Ed T.
L. Paes
No cancer
T. Tanasugarn
U.S. Open |
Ken K.
P. Sampras
Retirement
Women
No pick
|
Jason J.
Y. El Ayanoui
Australian Open
A. Myskina
Moscow |
Consensus:
The Moroccan veteran Younes El Aynaoui became something of a cherished
personality in men's tennis in 2003. There was no consensus
choice on the distaff side.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Younes El Aynaoui played half a dozen of the year's most thrilling matches,
but his showmanship and generosity of spirit were just as remarkable as his
tennis. After beating a wild card named Christopher Koderisch 6-1, 6-2 in
Halle, the consummate sportsman asked Koderisch if he'd like to play another
set. The young German was happy to oblige, so the two stuck around to give the
fans some bonus entertainment. "He was excited to play some more and it was a
great ambiance on court," El Aynaoui explained after winning the unofficial third set. Who says nice guys finish last?
Women:
2003 was an entire series of nice moments for Martina Navratilova, still enjoying
remarkable success as a 47-year-old. The high point came when Martina tied the
all-time record for Wimbledon titles. The enthusiasm and mutual respect demonstrated
by Navratilova and mixed doubles partner Leander Paes as they celebrated their
improbable second Grand Slam championship of the year was very nice indeed.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
No, I will not pick Sampras's long overdue retirement thing. His incessant entering of tournaments
only to withdraw at the eleventh hour notwithstanding, the man retired last year. Also, I did not
watch the retirement thing, because I knew it was going to be toe-cringingly sappy and campy.
I will pick instead Andy Roddick's personal visit to his then-coach Benhabiles. Rather than fire
the man over the phone, Roddick travelled from England to Paris to give him the sack. I thought that was a classy move.
Women:
I will give the nod to Clijsters's victory over Henin-Hardenne at Filderstadt. This allowed
Kim to retain the #1 ranking for a week or two more, but more importantly it was Clijster's
first victory in a final over Henin-Hardenne in quite a while -- hopefully that is one monkey off Kim's back.
(I'm not counting the injury-induced withdrawal in the Rosmalen final, just before Wimbledon).
Ed T.:
Men:
The tennis world and most of the Indian nation held their breath
when popular doubles star Leander Paes was hospitalized
in August with a suspected brain tumour. Thankfully the problem
turned out to be a treatable brain lesion caused by a parasitic
worm, much to the relief of his many fans. The dashing Paes is expected back on court in January.
Women:
Tamarine Tanasugarn, one of the more delightful personalities on
the women's tour, had every reason to jump for joy and
celebrate an upset win
over Daniela Hantuchova. Well, not quite -- she hadn't won the
match yet! The Thai had lost track of the score and it
was only 6-2, 5-3. A sheepish and embarrassed
Tanasugarn went back to work,
and finally won 6-2, 6-4. Tammy could finally celebrate for real,
which she did, but not before looking at the scoreboard first
to make sure the match was really over. One of those unbearably
cute tennis moments!
Ken K.:
Men:
Pete Sampras FINALLY retired. Not only was his
boring, uninspiring presence a detriment to the ATP
Tour for so many years, but his prolonged retirement
announcement was the most self-serving and
indecisive public torture since Hamlet's "To Be Or Not
To Be" dilemma sent the Danish kingdom into a
tailspin.
Women:
No pick.
Jason J.:
Men:
Having just lost one of the most grueling matches in history, Younes stuck
around to take bows with his opponent, and gave John McEnroe one hell of a
post-match interview on the court. Having suffered through an era of petulant
thugs, perhaps we can hope Younes will leave a fine impression on his followers
and show them what sportsmanship is all about.
Women:
I think I'll be biased and give this to one of my favorite players. Anastasia
Myskina capped off a tremendous indoor season by becoming the first female
Russian to win the Tier I event in Moscow, and jubilated with former President
(and huge tennis fan) Boris Yeltsin. The looks of glee on both of their faces
mirrored the feelings of all Russian tennis fans, who will surely see a coterie of up-and-comers make their mark in 2004.
Not so
nice moment of the year
Chris G.
Jingoism
U.S. Open
B.J. King
Egomania
|
Peter v.M.
L. Hewitt
Ranting
K.Clijsters
No to Olympics
|
Ed T.
Jingoism
U.S. Open
L. and K. Clijsters
PR disasters |
Ken K.
ATP
Drug scandal
J. Henin-Hardenne
Roland Garros |
Jason J.
J. McIngvale
Masters Cup
Yetunde Price
Murder |
Consensus:
We thought that Kim Clijsters drew attention for
some of the wrong reasons in 2003. On the men's side,
we deplored patriotic excesses at the U.S. Open and
Masters Cup.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
You'd be hard pressed to find anything more disgraceful than the USTA's blatant
attempt to rig this year's US Open in favor of Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick.
Desperate to keep the American darlings on schedule, the tournament ran those
two out between the raindrops while little effort was made to dry other courts.
International players, on the other hand, were given the utterly ludicrous task
of playing best-of-five matches on four consecutive days. The debacle left Hewitt,
Coria, Nalbandian, and El Aynaoui injured, while Ferrero was too exhausted to make
much of a showing in the final. Unfortunately, this despicable trend continued at
the Masters Cup in Houston, where tournament organizer Jim McIngvale openly and
exclusively rooted for the American players. Sad, sickening, shameful jingoism.
Women:
It's becoming increasingly hard to fathom how raving egomaniac Billie Jean King
has maintained her post as captain of the US Fed Cup team. 10-year Fed Cup stalwart
Lindsay Davenport made herself available for the quarterfinals, simply asking if she
could arrive on that week's Tuesday rather than Monday because her mother was having
surgery. "Don't bother coming," was the heartless response from King, who also managed
to run Jennifer Capriati off the team last year. Billie Jean and her remaining squad
of also-rans lost handily to France in the final.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Lleyton Hewitt lost his cool (again!) in his Davis Cup final match against Juan
Carlos Ferrero, ranting and raving at what he perceived to be a wrong call. In
addition, his incessant "come on"s are by now surely getting on everyone's nerves.
Women:
On the face of it, Kim Clijster's decision not to play in the Olympics (which one
expects may still be changed) seems ill-advised, and the media (as well as, by all
accounts, all two hundred Belgians) have been all over her case because of it. It's
disappointing that few people seem to consider that Kim may have been brought up to
truly honour her word and her commitments -- certainly not something very common among female tennis players.
Or perhaps Kim knows what we should all know: that tennis is simply not a suitable Olympic
sport, which is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that well established doubles teams
have had to break up and find new partners, just so they could compete in the Olympics,
which ridiculously insist on doubles teams being from one single country.
Ed T.:
Men:
Chris G.'s comments say it all about the attempts to create
an unlevel playing field in favour of the American players
at the U.S. Open. And after Jim McIngvale's patriotic
excesses at the Masters Cup, can we expect to see the USTA
board of directors in the front row at the U.S. Open next year,
doing "the wave" during Roddick matches?
Women:
I have no doubt that Kim Clijsters is a very nice girl, as
she seems to be, but by the year's end the accumulated gaffes
of Kim and, especially, her blustery father Leo, tarnished
her image unnecessarily.
While Kim blew open a mini-feud with her compatriot Henin
in August, accusing her of gamesmanship after losing
to Justine in the San Diego final,
the worst moment was provided by her father.
After the U.S. Open final, Papa Clijsters insinuated
that there was something unnatural about Justine's physical development.
The subsequent press criticisms drove the Clijsters clan into
a cocoon, and Kim vowed to communicate with the outside world
only via her website. But this strategy was botched as well.
In November, the Belgian star announced that she would not
compete in the Olympics because her loyalty to the billion-dollar
multinational company that makes her outfits surpassed
her loyalty to her country. Hopefully in 2004 Kim will get
better advice than her father seems to be providing.
Ken K.:
Men:
More than 40 ATP players tested positive for an illegal substance. Only one
player (Bohdan Ulihrach) was suspended. The ATP allowed all of the rest to
compete in tournaments for months on end without admitting to the problem and
without punishing any player or revealing who they were. When they finally
determined that the substance came from a beverage that ATP physical trainers
were dispensing to the atheletes, they considered the case closed. After destroying
his reputation and derailing his entire career, the ATP's entire response to Bohdan
Ulihrach was essentially nothing more than "Oops!". The ATP essentially admitted that
when ATP Players fail doping tests their policy is to cover it up for as long as
possible and they will do back flips to protect marquee names. To date, no big name
tennis player (male or female) has ever been revealed to have failed a drug test
despite constant speculation and frequent accusation that pro tennis has severely
flawed testing practices and policies.
Women:
The Serena Williams/Justine Henin-Hardenne SF at
Roland Garros was just plain ugly and not at all good
for the image of tennis. It also set the stage for
Henin-Hardenne to not only emerge as a major
contender for titles, but as a major contender to
become one of the most disliked top ranked players of
the Open Era. Very few players have been involved in
as many controversial matches as JHH and even fewer
have had as many of their own peers speak out.
Jason J.:
Men:
The less said about this idiot McIngvale, the better, so I won't add anything
to what has already been said.
Women:
Another way for tennis to make the front pages is via tragedy, and the shocking
murder of Venus and Serena Williams's sister was saddening news. Not only did two
of the most popular players and their fans suffer a devastating loss, but it
surely contributed to their decision to sit out the rest of the year after
Wimbledon. The WTA Tour needs the Williams sisters, and hopefully they will
come back with their spirits mended in 2004.
Farewell,
you'll be missed
Chris G.
J. Tarango
M. Hingis |
Peter v.M.
P. Rafter
M. Hingis |
Ed T.
P. Sampras
M. Hingis |
Ken K.
J. Tarango
M. Hingis
|
Jason J.
J. Tarango
M. Hingis |
Consensus:
While there were higher-profile men who retired
than Jeff Tarango, we will miss the American's colourful
presence on tour. And we wave farewell to Martina Hingis,
whose career was cut short far too early.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Just as Pete Sampras and Michael Chang were officially hanging up their racquets
at the US Open this year, so did an old rival from their days in the junior ranks.
Jeff Tarango may have peaked as a player in his teens, but he was an endlessly
entertaining character right up to his retirement at age 34. At a time when male
tennis players are dismissed as dull, colorless automatons, Tarango could always
be counted on to liven things up with his fiery temper and unique opinions. Whether
arguing with umpires, antagonizing fans, dropping his shorts on court, or helping
Wayne Ferreira launch a renegade players union, Jeff was never boring. Love him or
hate him, the sport won't be quite the same without his controversial presence.
Women:
Not everyone believes she's really gone for good, but it's been more than a year
since Martina Hingis last played a professional tennis match. Her cocky demeanor
rubbed some observers the wrong way, but there was no disputing the genius of her
strokes. In addition to winning five Grand Slam singles titles, Hingis was by far
the best doubles player of her generation. Speaking of which, since they're both
still healthy enough to cover half the court, it's a shame Hingis and Anna Kournikova
haven't continued their crowd-pleasing partnership. Meanwhile, an honorable mention
goes to baby-faced Brie Rippner, who called a halt to her own injury-plagued career at the tender age of 23.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
As we say in the Netherlands, "drie maal is scheepsrecht", which translates as
"three times is maritime law" -- no idea why, but there you have it. In this
tradition, I will nominate for the third year running Patrick Rafter, who truly
is being missed. While Roger Federer has certainly proven that he is a fine serve
and volleyer on grass, he's not out and out committed to the style, as Rafter was.
There still are one or two real serve & volleyers, perhaps most
notably The Beast from the Belarus, Max Mirnyi,
but we must still fear that this fine style of play will sooner or later
disappear completely -- probably around the same time single handed backhands
will be a thing of the past, as well.
Women:
Despite providing many a toe-cringing moment in post match press conferences,
Martina Hingis's play and candour will be missed. Indications are that she may
be involved in commentating and interviews -- so at least the toe cringing moments will continue to flow.
Ed T.:
Men:
Tennis said its goodbyes to a handful of top male players,
but the most prominent was surely Sampras, the best player
of his generation.
After months of hesitation and dithering, he finally made his public
farewell at the U.S. Open and gave his fans a chance
to say a proper goodbye.
Women:
It now looks that we have seen the last of Hingis, as she
is enjoying her life away from tennis and is showing no signs
of making a comeback since her career was derailed by
chronic foot and ankle problems.
A shame to lose one of the game's most successful prodigies
at age 22.
Ken K.:
Men:
The ATP will miss Tarango's unique
charm.
Women:
Martina Hingis: Love her, hate her ... she
always made it interesting and her brilliant career was
sadly too short. The pro tennis tour needs players of
her charisma and attention-drawing personality.
Honorable mention to recent retirees Arantxa Sanchez
Vicario who was always a plucky, feisty player and
Chris Evert who turned off her announcer's microphone
to spend more time with her family. Evert's
contributions to tennis are matched by very few and her
grace and class are unrivalled.
Jason J.:
Men:
While some of us send a couple higher-profile players
off with a less-than-tearful goodbye, we mourn the retirement of the prickly
Tarango who, while often infuriating, also provided us with many a story to
chuckle over. At the very least, here's hoping his wife Benedicte will continue
with her umpire-slapping ways while her hubby is relaxing.
Women:
My long-time favorite player finally made it official in 2003, and, speaking for
myself, she can leave with no regrets. I hate to see Hingis struggling as much as
she does, and surely she'll have much more fun doing commentary and spending her
money than struggling to stay inside the Top Five on a bum foot. Not particularly
powerful, not particularly athletic, not particularly...tall, Martina had an innate
ability to work the geometry of the court and her opponent's weaknesses, and she
needled her way to five Grand Slam titles in singles and a mastery of the doubles
game comparable to her namesake. It may have ended too soon, but it was a fine run.
On The Line wishes you a very happy holiday season -- see you
in 2004!
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