Category Archives: Australian Open

January 31, 2012

AFTER OZ: Novak Djokovic Now Has Signature Moment, Moves on to Fight Through History

By gregcouch

 

Every athlete needs a signature moment to make history. Titles and championships and stats are needed too, of course. Something has to fill the record books. But the moment adds pictures and memories and oohs and aahs to the words and numbers.

Muhammad Ali had the Thrilla in Manilla, and another one in Zaire. John Elway had The Drive, and Joe Montana The Catch, and Willie Mays the over-the-shoulder nab. Babe Ruth pointed (supposedly) to the bleachers. Michael Jordan? Well, he had a bunch of them.

So after Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal in 5 hours, 53 minutes in the final of the Australian Open Sunday, he took the microphone and told Nadal over the PA system: “We made history tonight.’’ He was talking about it being the longest major final ever.

The truth is, Djokovic moved into history because of the match itself.

A classic. An epic. It might have been the greatest match ever played, though I’m still putting Nadal’s moment – the win over Roger Federer at Wimbledon – ahead of it, as well as at least one of the Bjorn Borg-John McEnroe Wimbledon finals.

But this was the greatest example of two athletes reaching their absolute physical, mental and emotional limits, giving every last drop.

 

Please read the rest of my column at FoxSports.com

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Andy Roddick, Australian Open, French Open, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer

January 23, 2012

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: U.S. TENNIS, R.I.P.

By gregcouch

John Isner, now the best American player

And, poof, just like that, American tennis is gone. No, not just from the Australian Open, where the last American man standing, John Isner, lost before the first weekend of the year’s first major. US tennis is gone from the world map, too.

The top players have faded, and the bottom ones aren’t good enough. This is the moment US tennis has been nervous about for years:

Not one American man is good enough even to contend for a major championship. Forget Wimbledon. Forget the US Open. And only one woman, Serena Williams, is good enough. She will hide the problems in women’s tennis in the United States for a little while longer.

But the men? They are a vacuum.

It has been coming for years. John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors passed the baton to Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, who passed it to Andy Roddick, who managed to win just one major. But still, he was a top player. And now? Roddick has crossed the finish line and put the baton on the ground somewhere. No one will take it. You want it? It’s yours.

Please read the rest of the column at FoxSports.com

3 comments   |  tags: , | posted in Andrea Collarini, Andy Roddick, Australian Open, Donald Young, John Isner, Mardy Fish, Patrick McEnroe, Ryan Harrison, Serena Williams, US tennis

January 20, 2012

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Roger Federer Wrong, Old-Man Rafael Nadal Right

By gregcouch

Federer, Nadal. The good old days.

 

From my column in FoxSports.com:

 

Imagine a cartoon: Roger Federer standing on top of a mountain, or maybe floating a few inches above it, saying “This is the golden era of tennis.” Meanwhile, a bunch of other players, including Rafael Nadal, hurt with crutches and bandages are in a pile at his feet.

You might have heard that Federer and Nadal — the greatest, nicest individual rivalry in sports — are having a tiff. Nadal complains that the tour has too many mandatory events, is too grueling, has almost no offseason and is beating up the players. Federer, as the president of the player council, doesn’t seem to notice.

“For him, it’s good to say nothing,” Nadal said. “Everything positive. ‘It’s all well and good for me. I look like a gentleman,’ and the rest can burn themselves.”

Nadal is right. Federer is oblivious. But this is a much bigger problem than two superstars bickering. The players are in serious need of a union. So many of them know it, but they just can’t seem to figure out how to get it done. At the US Open in September, Nadal, Andy Murray and Andy Roddick went in unity to tournament officials to complain about being forced to play on slippery, rained-on courts just to make TV networks happy.

“It’s the same old story,” Nadal said. “All you think about is money.”

That seemed to be the beginnings of a union. Now, Federer suddenly is an obstacle. And Nadal is example No. 1 of why the union is needed. So the rivalry takes on a different tone.

What makes Nadal an example? The thing is, at just 25, he is starting to get old. He can feel it. He can see it.

Please read the rest of the column at FoxSports.com

3 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Australian Open, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer

January 19, 2012

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Margaret Court, Tim Tebow. New Millenium’s Muhammad Ali?

By gregcouch

Margaret Court

Tim Tebow

Maybe Margaret Court and Tim Tebow are the new millennium’s Muhammad Ali.

Let me explain. Now, even the “Happy Slam” in tennis is about to be overrun by political fights and protests. On the eve of the Australian Open, the year’s first major, tennis legend Margaret Court, now a pastor, is in a nasty fight with Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King over gay marriage. Protests are planned for Monday in and around Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne. Gay-rights activists are calling for a change of the stadium’s name.

Tennis might be the one sport that has accepted people’s sexuality, even championed it in some ways. And now this?

Well, yes. In an uncomfortable turn to the mix of politics with fun and games, outspokenness in sports is now coming from the right, not the left. The right-wingers are now the risk-takers, risking public scorn.

Please read the rest of the column at FoxSports.com

Muhammad Ali

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Australian Open, Margaret Court

February 2, 2011

How to Win Championships and Pick up Babes, Djokovic Style

By gregcouch

My column on AOL Fanhouse

This is about how to be a tennis champion and pick up babes, Novak Djokovic style. It involves nipple tassels. Be prepared: It also involves a little granny-on-Novak action.

A certain dignity is required of tennis champions. It must be. We’ve seen it forever.

Djokovic doesn’t have it, doesn’t behave like any tennis champ we’ve seen before. I’ll just say this …

Thank God. Continue reading

3 comments   |  tags: | posted in Australian Open

February 1, 2011

First Step for Andy Murray to Grow Up: Cut Cord from Mommy

By gregcouch

My column, reporting from Australia, for AOL Fanhouse

MELBOURNE, Australia — First off, Andy Murray needs to stop looking over to his mommy. He’s 23, not a kid. God bless any grown man this close to his parents, but this is embarrassing.

Also, telling. You’re trying to win the Australian Open final, and tennis is about standing on the field of battle alone. Plenty of players look to their coaches, which is embarrassing enough. Judy Murray (pictured below), who is a coach, has the added element of being Murray’s mommy.

Cut the cord, Andy. Or, cut it, Judy. You can’t fly for him.

We spend all our time and thoughts on the big winner in sports, which makes sense. Novak Djokovic won the Australia Open, beating Murray and climbing onto the same platform with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

But in this case, the loser was just such a colossal loss. It was newsworthy. It might have been one of the biggest losses ever among athletes who were entrenched at the top of their sport. Murray was The Biggest Loser, and not just because he lost a tennis match.

He lost his credibility. He lost his name. He lost his mind. He lost his image as a young up-and-comer.

And now, he needs to lose his Mommy, at least from the player’s box during matches. Continue reading

2 comments   |  tags: | posted in Australian Open

January 30, 2011

No Longer an Understudy, Djokovic on Same Stage as Federer, Nadal

By gregcouch

My column, reporting from Australia for AOL Fanhouse

MELBOURNE, Australia — We knew the final of the Australian Open was going to be Novak Djokovic against Andy Murray, of course. But when they introduced the players before the match Sunday, it seemed as if the wrong guys came out of the tunnel.

You go to a play to see the big stars, and are told that they won’t be there tonight. Instead, you get the understudies. It’s hard not to feel that something is missing. In this case: Roger Federerand Rafael Nadal.

In the end, Djokovic crushed Murray, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, and then, in his typical colorful way, went nuts. Djokovic threw his racket into the stands, and then took off his wristbands and threw them up, too. He walked across the court, pointed at the fans with Serbian flags, the ones who had been singing and chanting all night, and took off his shirt and threw it up to them.

Then, back to the other side of the court, the shoes came off, and he threw them up, too.

OK, stop right there, Novak. He was running out of things to take off. What fun, though.

Djokovic might have gone into this tournament as the understudy with the quirky personality, the perpetual backup. But he doesn’t come out that way. Continue reading

Leave a comment   |  tags: , | posted in Australian Open

January 29, 2011

Clijsters Finally a True Champion. Better Than Serena?

By gregcouch

My column, reporting from Australia, on AOL Fanhouse

MELBOURNE, Australia — This could be the best unretirement in sports history. Michael Jordan came back to win three championships, but he was already the best ever. George Foreman won the title again, fat and old.

But Kim Clijsters didn’t just get back to where she had been before. She has surpassed the first Clijsters by far. She has reshaped her spot in history.

Clijsters won the Australian Open Saturday, beating Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. It was her third major title since coming back to the tour following a retirement/maternity leave. She has won three of the five majors she has played in since coming back, including the past two.

Is she the best player in the world? And no, I’m not talking about rankings. Someone should take the tour’s computer out back and shoot it. It will still have, believe it or not, Caroline Wozniacki No. 1, even though she still has never won a major.

What I’m asking is if Clijsters is better now than Serena Williams? Williams has always dominated Clijsters. But the only time they’ve played since Clijsters’ comeback, Clijsters 2.0 won in the 2009 U.S. Open semifinal.

I’m going to say that no, Clijsters isn’t quite there. But it’s a legitimate debate now. Willliams, out since July with a foot injury, has been out of sight.

Clijsters is putting her out of mind. And something has to be said for being there. Continue reading

4 comments   |  tags: , | posted in Australian Open

January 28, 2011

In 48 Hours, Everything Changed. Remember Tennis’ Old Days, like Wednesday?

By gregcouch

From my column on AOL Fanhouse

MELBOURNE, Australia — The best transitions in sports happen naturally, and by process. A star player gets old, and the next guy slowly overtakes him and becomes the top dog. It happens with teams, too.

And fans have a chance to adjust, get used to the new order.

Tennis is in a transition stage, too. But on Wednesday, it wasn’t. Things are happening a little too fast for tennis’ own good.

“From a personal point of view,” Andy Murray said, “I would rather be in the final than watching Roger and Rafa at home, playing again.”

Murray had just beaten David Ferrer 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) Friday to advance to the final of the Australian Open. He’ll play Novak Djokovic on Sunday for the year’s first major.

Roger and Rafa — Federer and Nadal — is your regularly scheduled program for major finals. At least one of them, anyway. And this is part of the change.

Just 48 hours ago, the Federer-Nadal rivalry was as solid as ever. Federer had re-established himself over the past few months on that top tier. Nadal was going for the Rafa Slam, winning all four majors in a row.

On the women’s side, while we wait for Serena Williams to recover, Kim Clijsters was dominating the tour. Justine Henin, one of the all-time greats, was struggling some in her comeback with a sore elbow.

Blink. Continue reading

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Australian Open

January 28, 2011

Williams Sisters in Danger of Being Left out of Olympics? Brace Yourself

By gregcouch

From my column on AOL Fanhouse

MELBOURNE, Australia – Serena Williams wins Wimbledon and then the U.S. Open. She is on a roll, dominating tennis again. And then, with the Olympics coming, she says she wishes she could play for the U.S., but is being kept out.

The U.S. picks Melanie Oudin instead.

I’m imagining a future here, a very possible future. A very uncomfortable and explosive future. When you stand there and see two trains on the same track, barreling toward each other, you sort of brace yourself.

Williams, and her sister Venus, are very close to failing to meet requirements to be eligible for the 2012 London Olympics. Those requirements, though, have a lot of gray area and interpretation, and of course an appeals system.

But the rules aren’t based on the right things, anyway.

Oh, this could get ugly. Continue reading

7 comments   |  tags: , , | posted in Australian Open

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