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Looking to the future
Posted: Tuesday April 04, 2000 11:06 AM
If only you could bottle the excitement, entertainment and excellence of the tennis showdown between Pete Sampras and Gustavo Kuerten in Miami and distribute it liberally, the future of the men's game would be safe. It was a real throwback. A wonderful contrast of styles. Two men on the top of their game. A boisterous crowd. An Ericsson Open event which ranks just a notch below a major.
Sampras breezed through the first set 6-1. The next three went to tiebreaks. Sampras won two of them to claim his first title of 2000. But Kuerten was a captivating opponent and made it oh so close. When I've looked for new tennis stars coming through in the men's game in the last few years, I've hoped -- for the sake of a game I love -- that the man they call "Guga" would develop into a bona fide big-time contender. There are precious few others with his style and charisma. He's also a delightful person, who is nonetheless fully prepared to show his petulant side at times. There were flashes of his considerable temper when things didn't go his way in the Miami final. And he's also a player of abundant skill and panache. It's a tremendous package. Sampras and Andre Agassi could be around for a few more years yet. But once they'd gone, I thought there could be a massive void. Chile's Marcelo Rios was a prime candidate to fill it. A fine player with a controversial manner, he can put bottoms on seats. But his injury setbacks are well-documented. We'll have to wait and see if he can regain former glories. Next in the pecking order of potential future stars came Kuerten. He won the French Open out of the blue wearing his vibrant Brazilian yellow. He then stayed in the upper echelons for the next few years, but was branded a clay court specialist. Could he make that next step? Yes indeed.
Now he's developed an all-round game. Last year he was a quarter finalist at all four Grand Slams. Only Agassi could match that. He showed on Miami's hardcourts he can deliver the goods on any surface. For a while, few others sprang to mind as would-be superstars. Nicolas Kiefer and Tommy Haas of Germany, just didn't peak my interest. But in recent times, several other candidates have thrust themslves into the limelight. Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt, who pushed Sampras to three sets in the semis at Miami is a perfect example. He's pumped up on court and just loves wearing his heart on his sleeve. Hewitt's enjoyed a fabulous year to date. Hopefully he's here to stay. Then there's Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti. He's got the looks and the game to make a big splash -- plus he has a brother coming through as well. With Kuerten, Hewitt and Lapentti on deck, and maybe even Rios, men's tennis has a foundation for the future ... something fans will come out to see and which should attract television interest. While Sampras and Agassi are mixing it up with these guys, plus a hopefully fit-again Patrick Rafter, the sport could be in for a few years of intrigue. After that, the young brigade can forge a bright future for the men's game -- when for the longest time it looked so bleak. Phil Jones is a co-host of "World Sport," the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International.
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