Indian Wells: Live Day Four Round Up

by: Nima Naderi

Indian Wells, CA—Top seed Roger Federer won his first match since Australia on Sunday at the BNP Paribas Open, defeating Victor Hanescu 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1.

Winning the first set in routine fashion, Federer won 100 percent of his first serve points (11-11) while breaking Hanescu’s serve on one occasion. What appeared to be a straight set win by the Swiss superstar, quickly became a second set battle. Breaking Federer’s serve to lead 5-2, Hanescu utilized his fluid one-handed backhand and competent serve to force his mighty rival to the brink of a third set.

Hanescu would falter while serving for the set at 5-3, only to gain an early advantage in the tiebreak to force a deciding set.

Regaining momentum to begin the third set, Federer broke Hanescu’s serve on two occasions to defeat his 6′5″ opponent for the fifth straight time.

A relaxed, and eager to be back to competition Federer spoke with his media after his victory.

“I was happy with the way I played,” he said. “Not having played for so long, I thought it was a good match overall. Missed maybe some of the clutch serving when I really needed it. Let’s say 30-all, deuce I couldn’t really get that one perfect serve I was sometimes looking for, but that’s something that happens.”

Receiving three awards after his victory: The 2009 Player of the Year, ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favorite Player of the Year, and the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, Federer was grateful to his fans and peers for his awards.

“I’d like to thank the fans for voting for me,” Federer said to the crowd after receiving the Fan Favorite Award for a seventh straight year. “You guys are amazing. Thank you. As you know, you guys make this even more worthwhile traveling around the globe from January to November. I love coming back here, so it’s very nice to get presented the awards here.”

Federer will next face Marcos Baghdatis, who won a marathon first set over Arnaud Clement, before prevailing 7-6 (7), 6-1. The first set between Baghdatis and Clement lasted 90-minutes.

Elsewhere, Andy Murray and Andy Roddick marched into the third-round round with 6-4, 6-4 victories. Murray dismissed Andreas Seppi during the heat of the day session, while Roddick bounced Yen-Hsun Lu under the cool night conditions in Palm Springs.

Murray, who lost to Rafael Nadal in last year’s final, told reporters that he wasn’t expecting much from his form on Sunday.

“You’re not necessarily hitting the ball as well as you have been in practice.  You don’t know if it’s tension. You’re just a little bit surprised, maybe.

“But, saying that, when you haven’t played for a long time, you have to expect not to play your best the first match out. I’m sure next round out I’ll feel fine.”

Roddick, who recently endured a right shoulder injury, struck 10 aces while winning 78 percent of his first serve points.

Roddick told reporters that he was happy to survive the onslaught of his talented opponent.

“He was coming out of his shoes on every shot,” said Roddick of Lu’s performance. “So it was more of a, you know, you’re just trying to fight him off a bit.”

“I was really happy the way I returned tonight,” continued the 28-year-old. “I felt like I made a lot of returns, so that put pressure on him, you know, to come up with it.”

Roddick will next face Thiemo De Bakker, while Murray will face Michael Russell.

Other winners on day four action included: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Robin Soderling, and James Blake.

No. 5 seed Nikolay Davydenko was forced to withdraw from the event due to a broken left wrist. Davydenko originally sustained the injury while falling against Soderling during the semifinals of the Rotterdam event in February. Davydenko’s scheduled third-round opponent, Viktor Troicki will receive a walkover into the fourth-round.

Monday’s order of play will feature: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Fernando Verdasco.

Quotes courtesy of ASAP.

Federer Contemplates Calender Slam in 2010

Recovering from a recent lung injury he picked up the week before the Duabi Tennis Championships, world No. 1 Roger Federer told reporters at the BNP Paribas Open earlier this week that he was not ruling out the possibility of winning the calender Grand Slam.

“I can’t prepare in a different way just to win the Grand Slam,” he said. “It’s something that’s going to happen or not. I’ve been a few sets away of doing it, and that’s, for me, is almost good enough already. But I’ll definitely give it another try.

“The preparation for clay will be perfect for the French Open. Wimbledon, it would be perfect if the French wasn’t there, but I’m not going to do what Lendl did, because I’ve been able to win back-to-back French and Wimbledon, so I know I can do it again.  At the U.S. Open, I’ll be well-prepared. I hope physically I’ll hold up. Mentally it’s not going to be a problem.  It’s an exciting year ahead of me.”

Federer takes on Victor Hanescu in his first round match in Indian Wells on Sunday.

Quotes courtesy of tennis.com.

Hit for Haiti 2 Reflection: Did Agassi Go to Far?

by: Nima Naderi

Indian Wells, CA—Sitting beside famed tennis journalist Bud Collins for the “Hit for Haiti 2″ charity event at the Tennis Gardens last night, I remained in full anticipation of an epic evening. Not only was Collins’ close proximity an added bonus in the commentary department, but the stands were packed, and four of the greatest players in the history of the game were sharing the same court.

With a well-deserved standing ovation for the four great players, Andre Agassi would steal the show right from the get go. I’m not sure if Agassi felt the need to engage in his charismatic persona to ease the recent tension that he created with his recent self autobiography Open. Agassi took shots at Pete Sampras in his book stating that his American rival was “a cheap tipper,” while the other two combatants of the night, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were not in support of Agassi’s crystal meth claim.

Again, whatever the case, or whatever Agassi did in the past did not really matter last night due to the overwhelming and refreshing response to helping the victims of the Haiti tragedy. Raising a whopping $1 million by night’s end, Agassi gave a glimpse into what the funds would be used for.

“Let’s not forget that rain season, and hurricane season are shortly arriving in Haiti,” said Agassi. “Things could get even worse for the people of Haiti.”

The American Red Cross also did a tremendous job of collecting extra donations for Haiti, walking around the grounds with donation buckets, and providing spectators with a commemorative pin. All in all, it was a great night for all to behold.

But before I get ready to head on over for another day of action at the first Masters 1000 event of the season, let’s spend a moment on reflecting on the tension between Agassi and Sampras midway between the contest. Remaining quiet for a majority of the affair, Sampras decided to finally make his voice heard by imitating Agassi’s famed “pigeon-toed walk.” Not taking the Sampras’ antics in the best way possible, Agassi told Sampras that “he should try and tip more than a dollar next time he’s out.”

Being the classy champion that he’s always been, Sampras decided to brush aside Agassi’s comment, but the look on Pete’s face, and lull in the stadium was ever present. The remainder of the match would not be anywhere as exciting as its commencing theatrics. I couldn’t help but ask myself why would Agassi go there?

Was it really necessary to bring the energy of match to a standstill with his smug comment? I’m not sure that Agassi completely reflected on his choice of words before sharing them with the 17,000 in attendance, but I’d love to know if the eight time Slam champion could go back and retract his statement, would he?

Did I mention that Federer and Nadal were a part of this event? I know right, two pretty good players playing with two pretty players. But it’s a shame, really, that Federer and Nadal didn’t give more of their personalities to the contest. Nadal was pretty much absent, albeit the language barrier and his shy demeanor. Federer, on the other hand, tried his hand at being charming and humorous, but let’s be honest, it wasn’t funny in the least.

It was also evident throughout the 45-minute affair that Agassi was truly one of the most engaging characters in the history of the game. The fans and players for that matter were connected to his every word, hanging in the bounds until his next dramatic sentence would spill out.

It’s just a shame, to me anyway, that Agassi simply crossed the line with his remarks to Sampras. Telling his rival to shave his head, or that he’s too old to play was cool, but calling him a cheapskate and the worst tipper ever was a tad too much.

Nevertheless, it was a once in a lifetime event, and one which raised a tremendous amount of money for a great cause.

Let’s hope for more charity events of this nature in the future; events which will aid with the recent string of natural disasters.

We love your charm and charisma, Andre, but next time, keep your shots and your words over the belt.

Federer Beaten by Bolt for Laureus Sports Awards?

Winning Sportsman of the year honors at the prestigious Laureus Sports Awards between 2005-2008, Roger Federer was once again beaten for the second straight year by Jamaican sprinter and three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt.

Federer had a stellar year in 2009, which saw him capture two of the four Grand Slam events, while retaining his No. 1 ranking from Rafael Nadal.

By contrast, Bolt lowered his 100 m and 200 m world records to 9.58 s and 19.19 s at the 2009 World Championships.

His record breaking margin during the 100 m was the highest since the introduction of digital time measurements. Bolts’ achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname “‘Lightning Bolt.”

Information courtesy of tennis.com, and wikipedia.com.

Preview for BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, California

The season’s first Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, CA will bring forward a few compelling storylines.

Gone are the lonely days of February, where many matches and tournaments were played and won—none of which will really be remembered. The tennis season officially bursts into gear this week in Palm Springs, ushering in seven months of block-buster and meaningful tennis. The meat and potatoes of the season which occupies March through September—Indian Wells through the end of the US Open—remains the pulse, points, and prize money for the game’s best.

A few missing soldiers, who have been absent from action for quite sometime will be the featured attractions at the Tennis Garden in Indian Wells. None other than Roger Federer, who has been sidelined with a lung infection and resting after his Australian Open win will lead the field. Rafael Nadal, who has been busy recovering from a series of persistent knee ailments will bring his vigor and tenacity to Palm Springs, and finally the Masters 1000 man himself, Andy Murray, who thrives in the best of three set format, will be making his first appearance since his brief and controversial stint in Dubai.

I’d be surprised to see nothing short of a Davis Cup hangover for the top players. Although the season has just begun, the back and forth grind through Europe and the United States could very well be a telling factor in this week’s results.

Nevertheless, we have a big tournament to cover here, and yours truly will be on site for the beginning of the festivities. I’m anxiously anticipating the “Hit for Haiti 2″ event, but there could very well be some cause for concern regarding the main draw.

Let’s now take a look at the top four seeds, and their respective quarters.

Federer’s Quarter:

Funny isn’t it, Federer is still the man to beat in men’s tennis, yet he hasn’t played a competitive match since January. The ultra fluid Swiss, who is a three-time champion at the event, remains in harm’s way of a recent lung infection and undetermined form. One can never really bet against Federer, but considering his nonchalant approach to his post-Australian schedule, you’d have to think that something could go wrong for Federer and fast.

Federer is slated to face “life’s a party” Marcos Baghdatis in the third-round, with crafty slicer and dicer Radek Stepanek in the round-of-16. Although Federer would be favored against both foes, both players have the weaponry to cause chaos for the top seed. Baghdatis in particular could give Federer something to think about considering his recent run of good form.

Other potential semifinal candidates in this section could include: Gael Monfils, Richard Gasquet and Andy Roddick. The French contingent may find it difficult to make head-ways in the desert considering their Davis Cup heroics over the weekend. Roddick, who has been resting an injured shoulder injury, has been hard at work with California resident Larry Stefanki finetuning his hard-court game. Roddick has yet to win a title in Indian Wells, but could put forth the required effort to complete his quintet of Masters 1000 events on hard-courts.

We’re all aware of Roddick’s dismal record against Federer lifetime—and trust me, it hurts Andy more than anything—but what we must also remember about the veteran American is that his attitude, and blue-colored self-belief, will always resinate through each and every event that he plays.

I know what you’re thinking: Two wins in 21 tries doesn’t leave much in the way for Roddick to prevail in this section. But when taking into account Federer’s inactivity since Melbourne, coupled with Roddick’s recent rest and practice in Palm Springs, a strong claim for an upset could be in order.

Pick: Roddick

Djokovic Quarter:

Entering his first big event with the No. 2 ranking, Djokovic will have the expectation of a deep run plastered on the back of his new Sergio Tacchini attire.

Capturing the title in 2008, Djokovic helped propel his boisterous Davis Cup team into the quarterfinals last weekend, while defending the first title of his career the week before in Dubai.

Considering his recent wear and tear, I’d normally be reluctant to pick Djokovic in reaching the latter stages of the event. But when analyzing his section of the draw, the word “cupcakeish” screams out like the Serb’s players’ box. With no one in sight to challenge Djokovic until the quarterfinals, I’d leave the task of an upset to either No. 11 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero or Tour trailblazer Marin Cilic.

Ferrero had an incredible month in February, which included winning two titles, and recording a 14-1 record. The veteran Spaniard will be eager to prove his mettle on hard-courts, while making tennis fans respect his recent success on clay. Cilic on the other hand has performed well on hard-courts this season—winning two titles and making the final four in Australia. Cilic remains the clear favorite for break out player of the year, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he made Indian Wells the grounds for his biggest title to date.

Trailing Djokovic 4-0 in career meetings, Cilic appears to be on the cusp of figuring out his Serbian nemesis.

Djokovic, to me anyway, will need some time to recover from his marathon win over John Isner in DC action, while continuing his acquaintance with the No. 2 spot. The aforementioned recipe could very result in an upset of the vibrant Serbian—or Cilic’s skill-set could simply be too good for the rest of the field.

At any rate…

Pick: Cilic

Nadal Quarter:

What up, Rafa? Out of action for nearly six weeks, the defending champion will receive a resonating welcome to the Tennis Garden when he makes his return to his den this weekend. Keeping himself busy with a Gypsy, and a recovering knee, Nadal’s level of play and result in California is honestly unknown. Having a workable opening few rounds, Nadal will begin his title defense with two qualifiers and unheralded Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the third-round.

Nadal’s concerns could heighten in the quarterfinals with a collision course with the future of American tennis. Both Isner and Sam Querrey, who made the US proud over the weekend with their diligent Davis Cup performances, could face Nadal in the final eight. At this point, I’d say that either Isner or Querrey could upset Nadal, with both youngsters utilizing their commanding serve and forehand combinations to power through the 2010 season. Querrey’s game is slightly better suited to the Palm Springs desert, while Isner has proven that his size and heart have no boundaries.

If Nadal can squeeze past his super-sized American foes, either Nikolay Davydenko, or Fernando Verdasco would be his likely quarterfinal opponents.

Davydenko is far from his best form, and could very well withdraw before he strikes a single forehand. Verdasco, a quarterfinalist last year, will be coming in off of an injured back, while adamantly tweaking his new Yonex stick. To me, Isner and Querrey remain Nadal’s greatest adversaries in his quarter.

Nadal, if anything, has always provided his legion of fans with the courage and intensity that has allowed him to become one of the most prolific tennis players in the modern era. He will need every last bit of his mojo if he is to preserve through the traitorous field in Indian Wells this year.

You’d be hard pressed to find a single player or fan (love him or hate him) that won’t admit that a draw with Nadal’s name present makes for better theatre.

It is for that reason of the greater good that Nadal should reach at least his fifth final four in Indian Wells.

Pick: Nadal

Murray Quarter:

Falling apart and putting it back together has always been Murray’s method of operation. Just when we think the steady Scot is playing too defensive for our liking, a curving forehand winner around the umpire and his water bottle snaps off of his racket. By contrast, just when we feel that Murray is ready to make that defining push to greater pastures and triumph in a Major championship, we’re left with the words, “I can cry like Roger, it’s too bad I can’t play like him.”

Well, here’s the good news for Murray and his Union Jack crew of supporters: The world No. 4 relishes the opportunity to shine in a best of three set format, and he’s proven on countless occasions that he can succeed.

Beginning with a relatively easy draw, Murray could face his first real challenge against either Ivo Karlovic or David Ferrer in the quarterfinals. Neither player will likely defeat Murray, but both players could very test the defending finalist and take a set.

The bottom half of Murray’s quarter consists of “slug-em ’til you drop” Robin Soderling and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Again, both Soderling and Tsonga have shown their skills throughout the past year; both will be coming into Indian Wells tired and slightly injured.

I’d certainly be shocked to see Murray go down before the semifinals, and moreover, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t capture his first Masters 1000 title in the California.

Pick: Murray

Semifinals: Roddick vs. Murray; Nadal vs. Cilic

Finals: Murray vs. Cilic

Champion: Murray

Talk soon, everyone.

Federer Becomes “Young Global Leader”

The World Economic Forum, a Geneva based non-profit organization which aims at improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas, has picked Roger Federer as one of its “Young Global Leaders” for 2010.

Federer, along with Twitter CEO Evan Williams and singer Wyclef Jean, were one of the 197 individuals picked out of 5,000 candidates.

For more information on the World Economic Forum, click the link below to the official website.

World Economic Forum.

Federer Will Reportedly Miss Indian Wells

Three-time former champion Roger Federer will reportedly miss the upcoming Indian Wells event in California, says Peter Bodo, Senior Editor of Tennis Magazine.  Federer is currently ailing from a lung infection.

The unfortunate news comes on the heels of Federer’s recent facebook update stating: “I am feeling really good again and I was happy to hear from my doctor today that I have the green light to start working out again so I plan to try and play in Indian Wells next week. Thanks for the well wishes.”

Look for further updates on this issue in the coming days.

Information courtesy of tennis.com.

Novak Djokovic: Acquiring a Taste for Second

Throughout the proposed sarcasm, ball-bouncing, hits with Johnny Mac, and arch in his serve, Novak Djokovic has chalked up a pretty good tennis resume up until this point. Capturing 17 career singles titles which includes his maiden Slam victory in Australia in 2008, Djokovic remains a threat to win any tournament he enters.

However, foiled within the young Serb’s success lies the constant anxiety that Djokovic plays under; through the emotional rollercoaster that has allowed him to gain a legion of fans throughout the years, and finally, after waiting nearly three seasons to move out of the No. 3 spot to his current rank of No. 2, will the 23-year-old be able to sustain his current form amongst the giants of the sport?

I have my doubts to be honest, and it has nothing to do with Djokovic’s ability to hit a drop shot or save a break point. The Belgrade native was simply sensational last week in Dubai, defending the first title of his career after winning three, three-set matches in a row. Djokovic’s level of play wasn’t particularly the highest we’ve seen from him, but his ability to fight and persevere through the heat of the desert, and a slew of hungry competitors proved that his mettle was in check, irrespective of his ball-striking ability.

My concerns for the Serb simply stems from his overuse of emotion on court. Unlike Rafael Nadal, who uses his volumed fist pumps and leg hikes to spur on his sonic forehand, Djokovic’s constant yells and looks of dismay to his players’ box seem to take its toll on him during the bigger tournaments. It appears that the exertion of Djokovic’s emotions has also increased with his improved status.

I remember covering a tournament in 2005 at the Paris Masters 1000 against Djokovic and French Open runner-up Mariano Puerta. Puerta was at the time the N0. 9 ranked player in the world, while Djokovic occupied a respective position at No. 85. Puerta had also come off his best season to date, which would later end with a career rattling suspension because of a performance enhancing drug. Nevertheless, Puerta was a formidable player, and he knew exactly what he was looking at when he lost to Djokovic in straight sets.

After going down 6-3, 7-6(9) to the Serb, Puerta told the media that: “He’s a future champion. His poise and calmness on-court, along with his shots will take him to the top.”

Going through the archives of post-match press conferences, (which takes up a brilliant amount of my time) I have only heard one other player in recent memory (Nadal telling reporters that he believed Kei Nishikori would be a top three player one day, after defeating the Japanese youngster at Queens Club event in 2008) receive the type of accolades that Puerta gave to Djokovic in Paris.

So far so good for Puerta’s prediction, and if not for a knee injury to Nishikori, the 20-year-old could have potentially made Nadal add his prognosticator views to his long list of off-court ability.

If we look closer into Puerta’s comments about a younger Djokovic being “calm” and “poised”, can we honestly say that those characteristics embody the current world No. 2? Through his loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Australian Open this year, to his out-of-gas performance against Roger Federer at the US Open last fall, will Djokovic be able to consistently put it all together when he needs to in a best of five format?

I’m not disputing Djokovic’s ability to supplant Federer at the No. 1 spot (I actually picked Djokovic to end the year No. 2 with the chance of overtaking the No. 1 spot at some point)—my concern for Djokovic resides more around his ability to win multiple Majors and put a stamp on the top spot similar to Federer, or even Nadal.

Can Djokovic in essence do the top spot proud?

It just seems to me that Djokovic would be better served if he would allow for a more independent approach to the Grand Slam events, as opposed to the constant dialogue he constructs with his players’ box and ultimately himself. Historically, the greatest champions of the sport, Federer, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver have all approached tennis matches—regardless of their magnitude—with more of an introverted silence when competing. They all showed emotion from time to time, but it was based more around a mechanism of momentary uplifting, and not three hours of attempting to ask for approval from outside the lines.

I understand that creating a vortex of calmness and independence in the men’s game is far from easy; if anything, that’s why every player doesn’t win over 10 Majors, or if they’re lucky even five. But a player of Djokovic’s caliber certainly has the wherewithal and physical gifts to post significant numbers—it will inevitably come down to his emotional management in the end.

It seems, anyway, that Djokovic has a lot more to think about now that he’s acquired a taste for second.

Federer Appears Fit for Indian Wells

Returning to Switzerland over the weekend, Swiss world No. 1 Roger Federer has reportedly received the green light by his medical team to participate in next week’s Indian Wells event in California.

Suffering from a recent lung infection, Federer has not played on Tour since winning his 16th Grand Slam title in Australia in January.

A three-time winner in the Palm Springs, Federer has lost in the semifinals the past two years.

The main draw for the year’s first Masters 1000 event will take place March 11 at the Tennis Gardens in Indian Wells.

The BNP Paribas Open, an ATP World Tour 1000 series event, will take place between March 8-21.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal will also be participating at the event.

Information courtesy of tennistalk.com.

Federer Appears Fit for Indian Wells

Top ranked Roger Federer told Swiss reporters that he’s optimistic that he will be ready to take part in the upcoming Indian Wells event in California.

Having withdrawn from the Dubai Tennis Championships this week, Federer remains ill with a lung infection he contracted a week ago.

“This is not like the mononucleosis two years ago, where there was a lot of uncertainty. I think I’ll start back in Indian Wells, and when I start, I will be healthy and fit,” he said. “But as I said, it’s only possible if I get the green light physically [from the doctors]. The worst cases prognosis is a break of six weeks.”

Federer elaborated on the symptoms of his illness, stating that he was starting to feel better.

“After the Australian Open I took it fairly easy… so there’s no question of it being from strain. Last Tuesday, I practiced and it quickly went downhill. I felt chills, fever, a lot of pain in my ribs and couldn’t breather normally.

“The fatigue is still there, though it’s slowly getting better.”

Federer is also scheduled to participate in the “Hit for Haiti” event which will take place on March 12 at the Tennis Gardens in Indian Wells. The event will donate all proceeds to the victims of the Haiti tragedy.

Rafael Nadal, Pete Sampras, and Andre Agassi are also scheduled to compete in the charity event.

Federer confessed that he “will do everything” to try to play in the charity event.

“The people of Haiti need our help urgently,” he said.

Quotes courtesy of Blick, story courtesy of tennis.com.

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