On The Line's
2006 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 shout out cheers and jeers for the highlights and
lowlights of the last tennis season. This year's judging panel consists of
Chris Gerby, Ed Toombs, Jason Juzwiak and Jerry Balsam.
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 |
Ed T.
R. Federer
J. Henin-Hardenne |
Jason J.
R. Federer
A. Mauresmo |
Jerry B.
R. Federer
A. Mauresmo |
Consensus: Picking Roger Federer was a no-brainer, but
we were torn between Justine Henin-Hardenne's consistency and
Amelie Mauresmo's two major titles.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
When you run out of superlatives to describe Roger Federer's game, you take a peek at the
records he's establishing and become freshly bowled over. This year he racked up a record
number of ranking points and became the first player in tennis history to earn $8 million in a
single season. Never before in the Open Era had a man won at least 10 titles in three
consecutive seasons, nor had anyone notched a (still active) 48 match winning streak on grass.
Plain and simple, Federer is the best there's ever been.
Women:
Heading into the WTA Tour's season-ending championships, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Amelie
Mauresmo, and Maria Sharapova could all make reasonable cases for themselves as queen of the
women's tennis hill. It was Henin-Hardenne who then put an exclamation point on her resume by
upending Sharapova in the semis and Mauresmo in the final. The feisty Belgian didn't go out of
her way to make friends in 2006, but it's hard to dispute her accomplishments, which included
appearances in all four Grand Slam finals.
Ed T.:
Men:
Roger Federer.
Duh. And you know what? I think Roger got even better this year.
Women:
Justine Henin-Hardenne.
This was Mauresmo's award to lose after she won two of the first three majors, but she lost it. While I thought JH-H was more vulnerable than when she was dominant a couple of years go, she
was still good enough to reach all four major finals and win the Masters. Not a great endorsement for
the quality of women's tennis, that.
Jason J.:
Men:
Three more Slams for Roger Federer make it almost impossible for him not to be considered the best of all time. Look for the Grand Slam next year.
Women:
Amelie Mauresmo wins by a hair. She had a particularly desultory season, but winning her first two majors, both over runner-up Henin-Hardenne, cannot be ignored, especially since numerous people thought she?d never be steely enough to put the hammer down when it mattered. Well done!
Jerry B.:
Men:
Roger Federer. This doesn't require much comment, but when will we ever again see a player accumulate 8370 points in the ATP entry rankings?
Women:
Amelie Mauresmo. Maybe not tops on the computer, but two major titles do the trick.
Newcomer
of the year
Chris G.
B. Becker
O. Poutchkova |
Ed T.
B. Becker
A. Rezai |
Jason J.
B. Becker
A. Radwanska |
Jerry B.
N. Djokovic
S. Peer |
Consensus: While no rookie of either sex delivered a blockbuster season, we could not
ignore Benjamin Becker's accomplishments.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
As a German tennis player whose last name is Becker and first initial is B, Benjamin
Becker will have to do quite a bit to establish his own identity. However, the late blooming
25-year-old sure went a long way towards escaping Boom Boom's shadow this season. Beginning the
year outside the ATP's top 400, Benjamin reached five challenger finals, successfully came
through qualifying for both Wimbledon and the US Open, and finished at No. 58 in the rankings.
Most notable was his run to the second week at Flushing Meadows, where he ended the career of
Andre Agassi.
Women:
The flood of talented young Eastern Europeans onto the WTA Tour continues, with players
like Elena Vesnina and Agnieszka Radwanska making their Top 100 debuts this year. By a narrow
margin, I think it was 19-year-old Olga Poutchkova who had the most impressive rookie campaign.
Poutchkova won a whopping 57 matches in advancing from the challenger circuit to the big
leagues. Rather than stall once she broke through, the Russian finished strong. Olga reached
a pair of WTA singles finals in the Fall and was among the world's Top 40 at the close of 2006.
Ed T.:
Men:
Benjamin Becker.
Unranked for much of last year after completing his university career in the States, the latest B.Becker out of Germany will forever be the answer to a certain trivia question involving Andre Agassi. But Benjamin followed up on the U.S. Open pretty well with a semifinal in Tokyo, where he defeated Novak and Nieminen.
Women:
Aravane Rezai.
The French teen with the notoriously bad dad is something of an outcast in her own country's tennis circles. But she did the job on court this year climbing from 189 to 41 in the rankings. A third round performance at Roland Garros (where she was controversially denied a wild card and had to qualify) and a round of sixteen showing at the US Open showed her potential clearly.
Jason J.:
Men:
No one new made their mark this year on the ATP. Benjamin Becker had a nice run at the US Open, ending Andre Agassi?s career, and he finished the season respectably, so he?s the winner out of a thin group.
Women:
The women didn?t have any breakout stars in 2006 either, but Agnieszka Radwanska followed up her Wimbledon junior title with a run to the fourth round of this year?s main draw, and beat a mess of good players like Dementieva, Myskina, and Venus Williams. She?s a clever player and one to keep track of.
Jerry B.:
Men:
Novak Djokovic. If you make the Top Twenty before you turn 20, that's good enough for me.
Women:
Shahar Peer. Not the heaviest hitter in the world, but a ton of heart.
Comeback
of the year
Chris G.
M. Fish
M. Hingis |
Ed T.
T. Haas
M. Hingis |
Jason J.
T. Haas
M. Hingis |
Jerry B.
T. Haas
M. Hingis |
Consensus: The big comeback story was clearly Martina Hingis, and we noted a less spectacular
but still noteworthy return to form by Tommy Haas.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
In a unique twist, my comeback candidate is actually younger than my pick for newcomer
of the year. Once ranked as high as 17th on the ATP computer, Mardy Fish underwent wrist
surgery in 2005, returned too quickly, and wound up sidelined for the rest of that season
following a second surgery. Floundering outside the Top 100 without a protected ranking as
2006 began, Fish started swimming upstream in a hurry. The week after winning a challenger in
Tallahassee, Mardy claimed the clay court crown in Houston as a wild card entrant. Before the
year was out, the big serving American would win another challenger title and regain his
customary place in the Top 60.
Women:
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, you know who's getting this
award. After a three year sabbatical, Martina Hingis brought her "Chuckie" grin and cerebral
court craft back to the WTA Tour. Conventional wisdom had the Swiss Miss being summarily
overpowered by the current generation of baseline bashers, but Hingis largely disproved the
skeptics. By year's end, she'd stormed all the way to No. 7 in the rankings. Hingis added
three more trophies to her collection, including the Italian Open singles title and a Grand
Slam mixed doubles triumph in Australia. Were she playing doubles on a regular basis,
there's no telling how much hardware she'd accumulate.
Ed T.:
Men:
I'm not the biggest Tommy Haas fan on Earth, but the lad has had his share of family and injury worries. A rankings rise from 46 to 11, with two titles, is worthy of commendation.
Women:
Martina Hingis.
It was great to have the Swiss Miss back on tour and she can still be a handful for anyone with her wily game.
Jason J.:
Men:
Tommy Haas is finally back contending for a Top Ten spot, after three inconsistent years. But (once again) he finishes the year with an injury. Haas should maintain a position in or around the Top Ten if he can catch a break in 2007 (and not in any bones).
Women:
From retired to #7 in eleven months? That?s unreal. But can Martina Hingis get any higher? She came back to win majors. Let?s see how hard she?s been working in the off-season.
Jerry B.:
Men:
Tommy Haas. Barely in the Top Fifty when the year began, knocking on the door of the Top Ten when it ended.
Women:
Martina Hingis. Sometimes, it's hard to say what constitutes a comeback. Retire for a few years and then return to the Top Ten, and there are no questions.
Most improved player of the year
Chris G.
M. Baghdatis
J. Jankovic |
Ed T.
M. Baghdatis
N. Li |
Jason J.
M. Baghdatis
J. Jankovic |
Jerry B.
M. Baghdatis
M. Sharapova |
Consensus: We noted the great strides made by Marcos Baghdatis
and Jelena Jankovic this season.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Those in the know had Marcos Baghdatis tabbed as a future star when 2006 began, but
nobody predicted his fairy tale run to the Australian Open final. Spurred on by a frenzied
Greek/Cypriot cheering section, Baghdatis sent three straight Top 10 opponents (Roddick,
Ljubicic, and Nalbandian) packing. Each win was more dramatic, exciting, and improbable
than the last, making the colorful Baghdatis (and his staggeringly attractive girlfriend
Camille Neviere) the toast of Melbourne. "Bag Man" posted pretty erratic results in the
ensuing months, but clinched this honor by beating Lleyton Hewitt to reach the semifinals
at Wimbledon.
Women:
Anastasia Myskina may think Jelena Jankovic is too preoccupied with how she looks
on the court, but Jankovic's results over the second half of 2006 were very pretty indeed.
The spotlight-loving Serbian still isn't managing her schedule all that judiciously, but a
losing streak early in 2006 recharged her batteries enough to allow for a career-redefining
run in the summer. Jankovic stunned Venus Williams at Wimbledon, drubbed sister Serena in
the Los Angeles semis, and played hurt en route to the semifinals of the US Open. By
season's end, Jankovic had risen to a career high 12th in the world rankings.
Ed T.:
Men:
Marcos Baghdatis.
The colourful Cypriot and former junior #1 realized his potential with a stunning run to the Aussie Open finals and rose from 53 to 12 in the rankings this year. With a bit more fitness and week-to-week consistency he has the potential to do even better.
Women:
Li Na.
The Chinese star rose from the 50s into the #21 spot over the course of the season, most notably upsetting Kuznetsova and Vaidisova to reach the last eight at Wimby.
Jason J.:
Men:
Marcos Baghdatis emerged from the middle of the pack to become one of the fiercest warriors on Tour, especially at the big events. He too was fighting injuries at the end of the year which curtailed his rise. Hopefully he will recover in time to defend as many of his runner-up points in Melbourne as he can. It will be no fun to do it all over again.
Women:
At the start of the year, as she was mired in a 1-10 record, I wrote Jelena Jankovic off, saying she had nothing that set her apart from hundreds of other girls on the Tour. But she proved me wrong in the second half of the year, winning a ton of matches and very nearly turning the U.S. Open on its ear. She, however, needs to avoid the lengthy slumps which tend to plague a player of her temperament.
Jerry B.:
Men:
Marcos Baghdatis. How many people expected him to make a Grand Slam final and semifinal in 2006?
Women:
Maria Sharapova. Not that there was anything wrong with her before, but now she?s a threat for No. 1, and maybe not for the short term, either.
Flop of the
year
Chris G.
G. Gaudio
V. and S. Williams |
Ed T.
G. Coria
S. Williams |
Jason J.
T. Berdych
V. and S. Williams |
Jerry B.
G. Coria
V. and S. Williams |
Consensus: Our panel joins the multitude of observers puzzled by the rise and fall of the
Williams sisters. On the ATP side, Guillermo Coria's fortunes plunged precipitously.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
You know that feeling you get when a heretofore unknown pop singer scores a novelty
smash that has "one hit wonder" written all over it? Well, it would appear Gaston Gaudio's
2005 French Open victory really was the tennis equivalent of Lou Bega's "Mambo No. 5."
Gaudio wasn't exactly the picture of mental toughness this year, losing plenty of 0-6 and
1-6 sets as he sulked his way out of the Top 30.
Women:
With the amount of flak they've long taken for failing to sustain their dominance,
it's easy to forget that both Serena and Venus Williams won Grand Slam titles in 2005. Put
in that perspective, their genuine fall from grace this year is all the more jaw-dropping.
The Williams sisters ended 2006 ranked 95th and 47th, respectively, and wound up in the
wrong kind of court altogether, facing breach of contract and perjury allegations.
Ed T.:
Men:
Guillermo Coria.
A laborious comeback from shoulder surgery led to double fault totals of Dementievan proportions and eight first round losses. At least El Mago's little brother Federico ("El Magito") is moving up and won a spot on the Argentine junior Davis Cup team.
Women:
Serena Williams.
Knock knock. Anyone there? Hmm, the lights are on but nobody's home.
Jason J.:
Men:
Tomas Berdych is in the Top 15, but I definitely expected much more from the giant Czech. He?s put up decent numbers, but his flame-outs when he loses ? blowout losses to Blake at the U.S. Open and Federer at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, as well as to Gonzalez and Gasquet at Masters Series events ? make me unsure his brain will ever catch up to his game.
Women:
I asked in last year?s year-end piece whether Venus Williams? Wimbledon win was a one-off, and it appears we have our answer. Even worse was a very unfit Serena Williams? year after winning the Australian in 2005. They end ?06 terribly off the court as well, as accused perjurers. Serena insists she?s playing a full Australian season. Who knows what to believe with the Williams sisters?
Jerry B.:
Men:
Guillermo Coria. Began the year in the Top Ten, ended it out of the Top Hundred.
Women:
The Williams sisters. At some point, it?s not a slump anymore.
Match of the
year
Chris G.
Nadal
vs Federer,
Rome
Mauresmo
vs Henin,
Wimbledon |
Ed T.
Nadal
vs Federer,
Rome
Henin
vs Clijsters,
Eastbourne |
Jason J.
Nadal
vs Federer,
Rome
Mauresmo
vs Henin,
Wimbledon |
Jerry B.
Nadal
vs Federer,
Wimbledon
Navatilova/Bryan
vs Peschke/Damm,
US Open |
Consensus: A couple of dandy finals,
Nadal-Federer in Rome and Mauresmo-Henin at Wimby gave us a thrill or two.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
The defining rivalry of the year (perhaps the era?) hit its apex when Rafael Nadal and
Roger Federer squared off in the Italian Open final. Raising the level of his game on his
least favorite surface, Federer gave the spunky Spaniard all he could handle for more than five
drama-drenched hours. Nadal's prowess on the dirt remains unmatched, however, and he was up to
the task in the clutch. "Rafa" staved off a pair of match points and finally prevailed by a
dizzying score of 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6. It was Nadal's 53rd consecutive clay court win,
tying an Open Era record that he went on to break at Roland Garros.
Women:
Amelie Mauresmo's first Grand Slam triumph -- an Australian Open final win over
Justine Henin-Hardenne -- ended on an infamously sour note. Unable to play four more games
with a tummyache (from which she miraculously recovered in time for the trophy ceremony),
Henin-Hardenne pulled a "no mas" and denied Mauresmo the opportunity to properly close out a
major victory. That back story lent some extra juice to the pair's rematch in a Wimbledon
final that would have enjoyable under any circumstances. It was far from flawless, but the
willingness of both players to charge the net made for some lively entertainment. In the
end, Mauresmo kept her notorious nerves at a bay to serve out a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win.
Ed T.:
Men:
Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer, 6-7(0) 7-6(5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(5), Rome final.
The Swiss Mister played one of his best clay court matches, held match points, but still couldn't put away the indomitable King of Clay. A nail-biter from start to finish.
Women:
Justine Henin-Hardenne def. Kim Clijsters, 6-3 5-7 6-1, Eastbourne semis.
I didn't see anything this year that thrilled me, so I turned to the Tennis Cultists for inspiration. The best
answer I got was this one, which featured some of the cleanest and best tennis of the year and the best rivalry in the sport -- at least until next year when Kim retires. (Huh?)
Jason J.:
Men:
Is it fair to pick a match I haven?t seen (dammit)? But the Federer-Nadal final in Roma has been described as one of the greatest ever. The bits I?ve seen do seem magical, heh.
Women:
The WTA?s most creative women battled it out during a topsy-turvy Wimbledon final. Some ugly moments, sure, but overall a very entertaining match. I can?t say that women?s tennis produced much quality in 2006, but don?t write the ladies off just yet.
Jerry B.:
Men:
Federer d. Nadal, Wimbledon final. Not the most dramatic match of the year (their Rome final might have been), but the most important. Building on the win, Federer cemented his dominance. Had Nadal pulled it out, the rest of the year could have gone very differently. (Honorable Mention: Tursunov d. Roddick in Davis Cup, 17-15 in the fifth.)
Women:
Martina Navratilova winning another (final?) major title, teaming with Bob Bryan to defeat Kveta Peschke and Martin Damm in the US Open mixed doubles final.
Most
memorable media moment
Chris G.
ESPN nationalism
Los Angeles |
Ed T.
Tursunov blog
Estoril |
Jason J.
Amelie Mauresmo
Wimbledon interview |
Jerry B.
Andre Agassi
Farewell speech |
Comments
Chris G.:
They paid lip service to the contrary this year, but the jingoistic clowns at ESPN still
don't get it. As Tommy Haas and Dmitry Tursunov were taking the court for a US Open
Series final in Los Angeles this past summer, a glum Cliff Drysdale apologetically informed
viewers that Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick had been eliminated earlier in the week. Only
in the bizarro world of ESPN do you hype a match that's about to begin by moaning and
groaning because the players featured aren't American born. Never mind that Haas and
Tursunov are evenly matched, charismatic, proficient hard court players who live in the
United States and speak fluent English! With tunnel vision nationalism like that, it's no
wonder "The Grand Slam Network" surrendered its rights to cover the internationally
dominated French Open.
Ed T.:
Dmitry Tursunov raised the stakes for tennis-player blogging with his Estoril diary, which was often
quite amusing in a self-deprecating way. My favourite bits were his embarrassing falls on the clay court surface ("Okay? Now I have clay all over me, half a pound of it in my underwear, and I lost the point on top of it!!! I will not chase those stupid drop shots next time!!!") and his self-mocking account of the terror he induced in the other players after beating a 15-year-old Portuguese wild card. Sometimes Dmitry tried a bit too hard to be funny, but he hit the mark often enough.
Jason J.:
After her second Grand Slam victory of the year, Amelie Mauresmo told interviewer Sue Barker and the Wimbledon crowd, ?I don?t want anyone to talk about my nerves anymore!? It was an adorable moment. She won?t get her wish in Paris, though.
Jerry B.:
Andre Agassi's farewell speech after his loss to Benjamin Becker at the US Open. Rehearsed? Sure. Effective? Definitely.
Nice moment of
the year
Chris G.
Gimelstob
Makes a final
Jamea Jackson
First to challenge |
Ed T.
Baghdatis flair
Australian Open
Mauresmo
Wins Wimbledon |
Jason J.
Federer & Nadal
Mutual respect
Zvonareva
Helps Pierce |
Jerry B.
Blake
Masters Cup finalist
B.J. King
Honoured in New York |
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
After eleven frustrating years on tour marked by dashed expectations, a losing record,
and more than fifteen cortisone shots, Justin Gimelstob at long last reached the first singles
final of his career in 2006. He did so in classic "Gimel" fashion, diving around the court
with reckless abandon as he dispatched top-seeded Andy Murray in the Newport semifinals.
Basking in the glow of this twilight success, the endlessly outgoing Gimelstob stuck around
to sign autographs for virtually the entire population of Rhode Island...then went right back
out on court to win a doubles semifinal. Sadly, Justin's season would end two months later
as he underwent emergency, career-threatening back surgery. Get well soon, big guy.
Women:
One small step for Jamea Jackson, one giant leap into the 21st Century for professional
tennis. Jackson became the answer to a trivia question this past March in Key Biscayne, as
she was the first player to officially dispute a line call under the sport's instant replay
system. By the end of that Nasdaq-100 Open tournament, 53 blown calls had been overturned.
Think about that -- even with a limited challenge process being used on only one court,
players were able to appeal 53 incorrect calls that previously would have been allowed to
stand. The system has proven itself to be quick, efficient, and thoroughly overdue.
Ed T.:
Men:
Marcos Baghdatis, Australian Open.
The flamboyant Baghdatis is as entertaining on the court as off it.
His run to the Aussie Open final was a treat to watch, with his entertaining game, emotional outbursts and chanting fans. Marcos, Marcos, you are so crazy with your white shirt!
Women:
Amelie wins Wimbledon.
By proving she could win a major without relying on opponents' injuries and illnesses, Mauresmo proved she has indeed come a long way. Such a pleasant and varied game to watch, too!
Jason J.:
Men:
I think the mutual respect Federer and Nadal have for each other, in spite of their rivalry, permeated 2006 and gave the ATP Tour a shot of elegance. From the genuine affection expressed for each other after their entertaining battles to their willingness to use their clashes to support their sport, their relationship makes me feel good about the direction of men?s tennis.
Women:
Mary Pierce?s year was a non-starter, and it ended with yet another debilitating injury in Linz after holding match point against Vera Zvonareva. But Zvonareva didn?t ignore her opponent as she was writhing in agony on the ground, bringing her ice and assisting her to her chair despite the possibility that she would need to continue playing against a tough opponent in a contentious match. Zvonareva, like many people who tend to flagellate themselves, proved that she has a big heart when it comes to others, something more successful players from her country should emulate when they find themselves in similar situations. In Miami. Against Tatiana Golovin. Cough.
Jerry B.:
Men:
James Blake making the finals of the Tennis Masters Cup. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Women:
The naming of the National Tennis Center for Billie Jean King.
Not so
nice moment of the year
Chris G.
Agassi,
Delray fiasco
WTA,
Suppresses entry lists
|
Ed T.
Agassi,
US Open cortisone
Henin-Hardenne,
Aussie Open retirement
|
Jason J.
A. Murray
Multiple transgressions
Henin-Hardenne,
Aussie Open retirement
|
Jerry B.
C. Fauviau
Manslaugher conviction
Henin-Hardenne,
Aussie Open retirement
|
Consensus: We could have done without Justine Henin-Hardenne's curious retirement
during the Australian Open final. And we send Andre Agassi into retirement with a few less-than-fond
recollections.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Andre Agassi played a limited schedule in his farewell season, but that didn't stop
the teflon diva from throwing his weight around. Agassi basically held the Delray Beach
tournament hostage, agreeing to play on the condition that his longtime pal Sargis Sargsian
get a wild card into the main draw. The move was particularly galling when you realize
Sargsian had ALREADY RETIRED FROM TENNIS several months prior. As a result of this fiasco,
Andy Roddick found himself unable to secure a wild card into a small American tournament.
How having a retired journeyman in the Delray Beach field instead of "A-Rod" benefited the
tournament, the fans, or the sport in general is beyond me, but I suppose Andre gets what
Andre wants. By the way, "Sarge" lost 6-2, 6-2 in the opening round.
Women:
It's no secret that the rash of players withdrawing from WTA tournaments reached
crisis level in 2006. Unfortunately, the Tour's first instinct was to shoot the messenger.
In July, the WTA Tour strongarmed web sites into ceasing the publication of entry lists
(information about who's scheduled to play where) and removing any such lists that had
already been posted. WTA brass eventually softened its stance, but the initial crackdown
was distasteful enough to merit not-so-nice (dis)honors. A governing body must not have
much faith in its own product when it attempts to keep fans in the dark and suppress what
essentially amounts to free publicity.
Ed T.:
Men:
Andre Agassi, US Open.
I suspect many would be tempted to put this in the "nice" category. But Andre's run at the USO,
fueled as it was by repeated cortisone shots, made me wince.
It was more dangerous than courageous and sent the wrong messages to young athletes. Andre really should have retired a year earlier. That said, best wishes to AA in his retirement years.
Women:
Justine Henin-Hardenne abandons the Australian Open final.
I'm not sure what was worse, Justine's iffy withdrawal or the knee-jerk piling on that took place in the media. Anyway, the affair was not a proud moment in the annals of women's tennis.
Jason J.:
Men:
Andy Murray, after a rough match: ?We were both playing like women.? Andy Murray, getting numerous code violations for obscene language. Andy Murray, being a whiny brat, period. Let?s face it, Andy Murray speaking is never a nice moment.
Women:
I love Justine. Love her. But for God?s sake, you?re walking, you?re not puking, you?ve got four games to go?just play it out. Please? For me?
Jerry B.:
Men:
Christophe Fauviau's manslaughter conviction. How can a man become so deranged that he poisoned his children's tennis rivals? How can he get only eight years in jail after one of his victims died?
Women:
Justine Henin-Hardenne retiring in the Australian Open final.
Farewell,
you'll be missed
Chris G.
F. Mantilla
M. Matevzic |
Ed T.
T. Enqvist
D. Randriantefy |
Jason J.
A. Agassi
L. Davenport |
Jerry B.
A. Agassi
L. Davenport |
Consensus: Great players both, Lindsay Davenport and Andre Agassi
said goodbye this year.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Given the close-knit camaraderie the Spanish tennis scene is known for, there was
something fitting about the way Albert Costa, Alex Corretja, and Felix Mantilla departed the
courts within a year of each other. 2002 French Open champion Costa and former World No. 2
Corretja may have helmed more famous ships in the Spanish armada, but the one I've missed
most is Mantilla. His long, graceful groundstrokes always provided a nice contrast to the
grinding, tenacious way he would fend off more powerful opponents. The man who beat Roger
Federer in the 2003 Italian Open final recently put that fighting spirit to use against an
even scarier foe: Mantilla has been battling skin cancer. Out of action since the 2005 US
Open, Felix is reportedly feeling better and hasn't ruled out a return to tennis. Hey, if
Martina Hingis can add a "comeback of the year" award to a "farewell" citation, what's to
stop Mantilla? Let's wish him all the best.
Women:
Chronic injuries forced three of my personal favorites -- Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, Maja
Matevzic, and Henrieta Nagyova -- into retirement this year. Matevzic's story is particularly
sad, as her promising career was essentially cut short at the tender age of 23. After
establishing herself as a top 40 player in singles and doubles in 2003, Matevzic never fully
recovered from surgeries to her left elbow and shoulder. In an age of play-alike "big babes,"
Maja was a refreshing anomaly: a red-haired southpaw with a funky throwback game who
actually preferred playing on grass. The amiable Slovenian will continue to be missed.
Ed T.:
Men:
Thomas "Tompa" Enqvist was one of the feared power players on tour until repeated injuries took their toll on his game.
I cast my mind back to when he was just starting out, in 1995, at the Washington tourney.
Stefan Edberg was showing his young countryman the ropes, and partnered him in doubles.
Watching the Swedes play , I commented to local tennis fan BW, "He could use some of Stefan's elegance."
To which BW replied, "And Stefan could use Enqvist's serve!" Tompa was a class act who freely gave his time even to the most obscure of reporters.
Women:
I think that even making it to the tour out of Madagascar is something of a miracle. As recently as
2005 Dally Randriantefy was playing some very good ball, and cracked the top 50 after several years of languishing in the tennis boondocks. Just when her career was looking up, Dally began having serious foot problems and called it a career in March.
She was a delightful, personable young woman as well.
Jason J.:
Men:
Andre Agassi?you know, he was a jerk at times, like when he got illegal missives from his camp during Davis Cup play, or when he made fun of Karol Kucera?s ball toss at the U.S. Open (he lost that match after two days, which was AWESOME). But he gave the sport so much recognition, and he is a very charitable person, and he?s a lot more palatable than he was even six or seven years ago. And I doubt the game will ever have as recognizable a star as he was at his peak. I don?t think American tennis in particular will recover from his retirement, and that hurts a lot of people. I didn?t want Andre to win much of the time, but his presence was a huge benefit.
Women:
Well, I will miss Lindsay Davenport. I was never a huge fan of her game, and I definitely wasn?t a huge fan of hers when she took the upper hand in her rivalry with Hingis, but in the second half of her career, no player was more upfront with her opinions on the Tour and its cast of characters. Her resistance to media training led her to give some of the most intelligent and thought-provoking comments about women?s tennis. I hope she can balance her family responsibilities with a commitment to helping the sport that gave her so much, because it?s rare you?ll find anyone as savvy and honest.
Jerry B.:
Men:
Andre Agassi. Though, to be honest, I won?t miss him. I still remember his days as a punk.
Women:
Lindsay Davenport. She said good-bye only after the fact ? no farewell tour for her.
On The Line wishes you a very Happy New Year of tennis in 2007
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