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 Fallen idols?
Posted: Monday August 09, 1999 02:58 PM
Sports Illustrated staff writer Jon Wertheim will answer your tennis questions weekly. Click here to send a question. So much for the fatalistic murmurs that Martina Hingis was headed toward the Capriati cul-de-sac. Not only did she reclaim the No. 1 ranking last week in San Diego, but in pasting Venus Williams 6-4, 6-0 in the finals, Hingis looked every bit like her old, dominating self. Her true gift is her caginess, her anticipation, her ability to use the court as a chessboard. But lots of folks -- opponents included -- underestimate just how big a ball she hits. Against Venus, a perceptibly bulked-up Hingis spent an awful lot of time on the offensive -- I'm no theologian, but something tells me the Church of Jehovah's Witness didn't provide Venus with that second skin of spandex she wears. ... While Hingis' mother and coach, Melanie Molitor, kept a characteristically low profile during her daughter's first tournament back from exile, Richard Williams was his usual impolitic self. Asked prior to the finals whether his daughter would prevail, he responded, "All Venus has to do is show up." ... In defeating a stolid Yevgeny Kafelnikov in Montreal yesterday, Thomas Johansson won his third career title. He also kept the ATP Tour's streak alive: Here it is mid-August and a top-seeded player still hasn't won a tournament in 1999. Questions aplenty this week, so here goes: Do you think Monica Seles or Mary Pierce will ever win a Slam again? If so,
at what tournaments do they have the best chances and when do you think it will
happen?
Pierce is damned by her timing. Had she been around in another era, her game is sufficiently powerful that she would have been a Grand Slam champ a few times over. In this age of unprecedented depth, though, there are simply too many landmines for her to negotiate to win a major. That is, she can beat any player on any given day but is too erratic (and unfit) to beat four straight seeds. If all the planets (Venus, in particular) are aligned, there might be another Australian in the cards. But smart money says her boyfriend, Roberto Alomar, wins the Major League Baseball umpires' award for citizenship before Mary hoists another large trophy. Only those who hate puppies and small children aren't rooting for Seles to win another biggie. Notwithstanding a diluted Australian Open in 1996 -- prior to the ascension of the Williamses, Hingis and even Lindsay Davenport -- Seles has been bageled at the Slams ever since a knife-wielding maniac dramatically altered the course of her career. Her conditioning level (a women's tennis euphemism for waistline) still leaves something to be desired, and her groundies have been failing her in big matches lately. No player is more deserving of catching lightning in a bottle, as she nearly did at the 1998 French. But, as with Pierce, it's hard to conceive of Seles taking out a field that includes Williams, Hingis, Davenport and Steffi Graf. Do you think Jana Novotna will ever get back to form and win a couple more
tournaments, or do you think she should retire before everybody forgets about
her?
For all the talk about Graf's pending retirement, it's worth pointing out that Novotna is a year older and has been decidedly mum about her intention to call it quits. Provided her body doesn't betray her, Novotna may well win a few more events before she hangs it up. But even when she was at her best, her winning big tournaments was an iffy proposition on account of her mental frailties. It certainly doesn't improve when she's serving-and-volleying on tired legs. Interesting article regarding Jennifer Capriati's "comeback," which
has been ongoing for about six years. How did she do after she beat Conchita
Martinez in that tournament? Lost to Corina Morariu. It's a shame there is not
more publicity about Morariu, who hasn't used drugs or been arrested for
stealing. She actually graduated from high school near the top of her class
while working extremely hard to make the most of the talent she has. In
addition, she's one of the sweetest, most humble and most well-liked women on
the tour. Of course, I may be slightly biased, being her brother and
all.
Fair point. Even if you are biased, your sentiment is not unique. Your sister is indeed often described as one the best-liked player on tour. And, for an American player ranked in the top 40, she deserves far more publicity that she gets. Still, I'm not sure the comparisons to Capriati are entirely accurate. Let's not forgot that Capriati was a Grand Slam semifinalist (and millionaire) at age 14, a top-five player at age 15, and an Olympic gold medalist at age 16. Morariu, by contrast, is already 21 and, to my knowledge, has yet to win a WTA Tour title. Capriati's drug and shoplifting arrests don't make her any more virtuous, of course, but they certainly add texture and newsworthiness to her sad story. Not to detract from your sister, who, I should point out, teamed with Davenport to beat the Williams sisters in the San Diego doubles finals last weekend. Her ranking, as I'm sure you know, has improved every year she's been on tour and she nearly beat Graf at last year's U.S. Open. So sit tight: A couple of more big wins from your sister, and we'll be reading -- and writing -- more about her. Tennis fans may even learn how to pronounce your family's last name. I'd like your opinion on the following: A few years ago, in Cambridge, Mass.,
I happened to be in the same restaurant as NBC's Bud Collins. Toward the end of
the evening Mr. Collins was gracious enough to sign a couple of autographs and
answer a couple of questions. One answer was surprising. He said, without even
blinking, that Rod Laver was the greatest ever, hands down. Now, being in the
tank for Pete Sampras, I think his all-around game (power, serve-and-volley,
etc.) beats anyone. What do you
think?
For some reason, there were a lot questions this week about Sampras' legacy. I think I agree with both you and Collins. That is, head-to-head, Sampras beats Laver. But Laver's double Grand Slam, his superior doubles play and his surpassing play on clay elevate him to best-ever status. Here's a Linda Richman topic to "discuss amongst yourselves": If Sampras played with wood, had no knowledge of the benefits of weight training, flew commercial, swigged liters of Foster's beer after his matches, etc., would he have beaten Laver in their respective primes? (My suspicion is no.) Conversely, if Laver had the benefit of graphite, his own fitness coach and watched his diet, would he have been able to beat Sampras? (Again, my answer is no.) This doesn't really advance the debate one way or the other -- just some additional points to consider while we get bombarded by millennial lists in these next few months. Have we seen the last of one of the toughest, not to mention the loudest,
players of the 1990s, Thomas Muster? I haven't seen his name in many draws
since the Australian Open, but "the Moo-man" hasn't officially
announced his retirement so far as I
know.
The Moo-man, something other than a stripling at age 31, is currently grazing at No. 84 on the computer. I'd be surprised if he reappears on the radar screen. Still, Muster's career is nothing short of remarkable. An up-and-coming player who had just reached the Australian Open semis, Muster was struck by a drunk driver in 1989 and rendered immobile for more than a year. Hitting tennis balls from a wheelchair, he eventually recovered strength in his left knee. Six years later he won the French Open -- his only career Grand Slam -- and in 1996 he attained the No. 1 ranking. This is the stuff of Disney movies, but Muster was so damn ornery (and his game so visually unappealing) he never came close to getting his due. When do you think Venus Williams will win her first Grand Slam? Do you think
she will ever be No. 1 in the world? If not, what do you think she would need to
work on to reach No.
1?
The clock is certainly ticking for both Williams sisters, but Venus in particular. Two years after reaching the U.S. Open finals, she hasn't made good on her potential at the big-ticket events. Like Anna Kournikova vis-à-vis her first tournament win, the more Venus fails, the more pressure mounts. But her breakout could come at any time, including the U.S. Open. She's proven to everyone -- not least herself -- that she can beat all comers on any surface. Witness her straight-set defeat of Davenport on hard courts (Davenport's surface of choice) over the weekend. But too often Venus is beset by unforced errors and loose points. For all the screamers she cranks from the behind the baseline, she gives away far too many points "going for too much" on easy volleys and short balls. If Venus works on harnessing her power, massaging points à la Hingis and adding positional variety to serve, her prospects of reaching the promised land will a matter of when, not if. True to your dire prediction, it appears Tim Henman has begun the slide into
tennis oblivion. His engagement announcement has been followed by consecutive
losses. Are there any notable exceptions to this "marital
bliss-spells-ranking doom"
axiom?
Just to make sure I avoid trouble, I was being strictly facetious. But since you asked, I can't think of any players in recent memory whose careers have benefited from connubial bliss. Stefan Edberg? Maybe. Michael Stich, Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe -- they all went downhill after taking the stroll down the aisle. Henman isn't the only newlywed, by the way. Kafelnikov was married a year ago, and after a brief bump-up to No. 1 (call it the honeymoon period) he's been in the loo ever since. Also, Richard Krajicek just got married last month to his long-time girlfriend, Daphne Deckers. Hasn't won since. Coincidence? You be the judge... I periodically watch CNN/SI and I have never seen you give an Inside Tennis
report. What's up with
that?
The picture in the upper right corner of this page ought to provide a possible explanation. But if you'd like to see more tennis coverage on CNN/SI, feel free to click here and express your sentiments. Send a question to Jon Wertheim, and
check back the beginning of each week to read more of his answers.
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