Henman Says No Retirement; Combined Senior Rankings Debut

by **XBot** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:30 am

Henman Says No Retirement; Combined Senior Rankings Debut Davis Cup Preview: Argentina at Croatia The Davis Cup World Group quarterfinals will be contested this weekend beginning on Friday, featuring Argentine at Croatia, Belarus at Australia, Russia at France, and Chile at the U.S. Andy Roddick, James Blake, Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt and Ivan Ljubicic are some of the superstars that will be fronting to take their respective nations into the semifinals. This week Tennis-X will feature one quarterfinal match-up per day leading to the Friday kick-off of play. Today's featured match: <IMG hspace=5 src="http://www.tennis-x.com/images/players/Nalbandian_05_tn.jpg" align=left vspace=5 border=2>Argentina at Croatia Site: DOM Sportova, Zagreb, Croatia Surface: Indoor carpet (Taraflex) Ball: Pro Penn ATP Remember when Argentina was a Davis Cup force? Probably not, because they really never have been -- barely a blip on the radar since the World Group was created in 1981. It was back in '81 that the Gauchos reached their lone Davis Cup World Group final, with Guillermo Vilas and Jose-Luis Clerc stopped by the U.S. squad of John McEnroe and Roscoe Tanner. McEnroe as usual did the heavy lifting, winning both his singles and the doubles with Peter Fleming to clinch the tie 3-1. The Argentines managed a semifinal in '83 and a quarterfinal in '84 before getting bounced from the World Group in 1988-89, and during a nine-year stretch from 1993-2001. The year 2002 seemed to mark a Davis Cup resurgence for Argentina with players such as Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Canas, and Juan Ignacio Chela in the mix, and Guillermo Coria brought on in 2004. But while the Argentines have maintained World Group status since 2002, between injuries and opponents putting them on slick surfaces they've been unable to fare any better than the semifinals, still without a championship-round berth since 1981. This weekend the trend continues in Croatia. Ivan Ljubicic is coming off the event in Miami where he nearly dispatched of the entire Argentine Davis Cup team en route to the final. The service bomb-dropping Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic will fill the No. 2 singles spot as the Gauchos again facing a weekend on ice-fast indoor carpet. The Croats will perform in both singles and doubles, while Argentina will front David Nalbandian, and either Agustin Calleri or Chela in singles, and a doubles combination likely including Juan Acasuso. For the Croats a win would be sweet revenge from their last meeting in the 2002 quarterfinals, where the Argentines rolled out their favored mud-slow red clay, but still needed the final singles match to clinch as Gaudio straight-setted Croat "Dr." Ivo Karlovic. Due to what seems to be a dispute with the Croat Federeration over money, or with captain Ljubicic, or both, Karlovic is not on Croatia's quarterfinal squad. "Overall in the series, I think it's absolutely open," says Ljubicic who anticipates a tight tie. "I think doubles, it's gonna be very important because David (Nalbandian), the way he plays now, it's going to be very hard to beat him. I think it's definitely the best match of the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup...(Calleri) has a big game. He's a very dangerous opponent. Compounding problems for Argentina is the absence of one of their best fast-court players, Guillermo Coria, who remains at No. 7 on the ATP Rankings with a lowly 4-4 record in 2006. The confidence-challenged former French Open runner-up has gone into seclusion with new coach Jose Higueras, practicing for what he hopes will be a coming-out party during the claycourt season. Tennis-X.com Debuts Combined Senior Rankings JACKSONVILLE, FL--April 4, 2006-- On Tuesday Tennis-X.com, the web's premier tennis news and opinion website, premiered the 2006 Tennis-X.com Combined Senior Rankings, a cumulative ranking for senior tour players combining results from the competing Merrill Lynch Tour of Champions in Europe, and the Outback Champions Series in the U.S. "Senior players jump between the two tours so it makes sense," says Tennis-X.com Senior Editor Luke Johnson. "With the cooperation of both tours, the Tennis-X.com Combined Senior Rankings will bring together fans on both continents to follow the race to see who finishes as the top senior player in 2006." Former No. 1s Jim Courier and Marcelo Rios are tied atop the inaugural rankings for the week of April 3, with Courier winning the first Outback event of the year in Naples, and Rios capturing the Doha crown on the Merrill Lynch tour in his senior tour debut. After winning at Doha, the top-ranked Rios "called out" the No. 5-ranked John McEnroe, who last year said he was looking forward to facing some of the new young blood on the senior tour. "I'm looking forward to playing McEnroe," Rios said. "That's one of my goals. He has been talking a lot so I'm waiting for him to come to play me." The current Top 10 on the Tennis-X.com Combined Senior Rankings contains five former No. 1s, and eight Grand Slam winners. The next Merrill Lynch event is scheduled this week, April 6-9 in Doha, and the next Outback event for April 27-30 in Boston. 2006 TENNIS-X.COM COMBINED SENIOR RANKINGS (Top 10, through April 2) 1T. Jim Courier (400 pts.) 1T. Marcelo Rios (400) 3. Pat Cash (310) 4. Cedric Pioline (250) 5T. Richard Krajicek (200) 5T. John McEnroe (200) 7T. Thomas Muster (125) 7T. Mikael Pernfors (125) 9T. Sergi Bruguera (80) 9T. Aaron Krickstein (80) 9T. Henri Leconte (80) 9T. Mats Wilander (80) Henman Now Says No Retirement this Year Tim Henman, who has watched himself get put on the back burner with the rise of Andy Murray and a slide to No. 3 in the British rankings, says he has no intention of retiring in 2006. Henman has suffered with back problems over the last year and had indicated that if things didn't get better he would be forced to pull the plug on his career in 2006. "If I wasn't enjoying it and feeling I was able to compete, then certainly it would be time to assess things," the 31-year-old told the BBC. "But right now that certainly seems a long way off and there's no reason why I can't play a good few years yet. Right now I'm very motivated, feeling healthy and looking forward to having some better results." Before the back injury it was shoulder problems that were hampering Henman's serve. "There's no doubt it's been a difficult 15 or 16 months and that's been probably dominated more by back problems than my results on the court," Henman said. "In the last couple of months I've really felt like I've begun to turn the corner." In Miami Henman beat Marat Safin and Lleyton Hewitt in consecutive rounds, results which have had an effect on his outlook for the remainder of 2006. "I've felt healthy on the court and that puts a totally different slant on everything," Henman said. "When you can practice and train properly and actually enjoy what you're doing it's going to have a knock-on effect on performance. I've started to really feel like I've been playing some good tennis. In individual matches I've started to have some good results. It's a question of stringing that together over a 10- or 11-month period." DAILY TENNIS-X E-NEWSLETTER Who cares if you need it or not, show your love for Tennis-X, contribute to the fund, only eight bucks for one year of daily tennis news! Read what tennis industry insiders read each morning to get their heads around the latest news, insight and opinion on pro tennis. A year's subscription costs less than a meal and a pint. Get the Tennis-X Daily Dish in your e-mail in-box, even before it's posted on the web, by signing up for the net's most complete daily e-newsletter at <A href="http://www.tennis-x.com/subscribe.php" eudora="autourl">http://www.tennis-x.com/subscribe.php </A>TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS Larry Scott, whose view on equal prize money while with the ATP was one you wouldn't term as "progressive," is now of the attack as CEO of the women's tour according to Reuters: "The WTA Tour has strongly criticized French Open organizers over their failure to award all women competitors the same prize money as their male counterparts at this year's claycourt grand slam. Roland Garros organiszrs announced on Monday that for the first time the men's and women's champions would receive the same amount, 940,000 euros ($1.13 million), at the May 28-June 11 tournament. However, other women competitors will receive less than their male counterparts, prompting an angry response from the WTA, which runs the women's tour. "This move should not be allowed to distract from the fact that in the 21st century it is simply indefensible that 127 women's singles competitors and an equal number of women's doubles players in a grand slam tournament should be receiving considerably less prize money than their male counterparts," the WTA Tour CEO Scott said. "Quite apart from the moral case for parity, the remarkable quality and depth of play demonstrated by professional women tennis players, combined with the global popularity and media and sponsor interest in our players, merits equal prize money at all the grand slams." -- Amend that to 'remarkable quality and depth of play demonstrated by professional women tennis players from the quarterfinals on' -- the reason why the French is offering the men's and women's champions the same amount, but not the same round-by-round money for the women...From AR.com: "Speaking exclusively to AndyRoddick.com, John (Roddick) discussed the long term goals for Andy saying "Obviously winning Grand Slams is the top priority. I don't think you can really say one is more important than another, but I do think Wimbledon holds a special place in the minds of tennis players." John doesn't plan any major adjustments in Andy's game as it is rather good already. But he does have some ideas for improvement. "As far as Andy's training and preparation goes, we are not looking to reinvent the wheel. Andy knows his game, and we need to get back to ripping forehands when he is set, and being less predictable on some of his shots." -- "Rather good already"?...Since the ATP started charging for their broadband service featuring matches/highlights, they have approximately 1,200 subscribers, almost double what they anticipated...Maria Sharapova was 0-for-11 in video replay challenges in Miami...Lisa Raymond and Sam Stosur have won their last four tournament since finishing runners-up at the Aussie Open...Three more weeks and Amelie Mauresmo will tie Venus Williams' reign at No. 1 with 11 weeks total...Name the vice president of communications for the WTA Tour -- most of the writers at the Miami U.S. Tennis Writers Association meeting couldn't, not a great sign for job the WTA is doing with tennis in the U.S...There are no Williams sisters in the Top 10, and the lone American Lindsay Davenport has fallen to No. 5 -- getting the picture yet U.S. fans? Outside of those three, there is one other American in the Top 50, Jill Craybas at No. 49. Also no Americans among the Top 16 seeds at the lone WTA event this week in Amelia Island...Brenda Schultz-McCarthy lost in the first round of qualifying over the weekend at Amelia Island...Trying to get his bad ankle healthy in time for Davis Cup this weekend, now Andy Murray is suffering from a fever and swollen glands...Tennis blogger Peter Bodo on his observations of Ivan Ljubicic: "He wears a jock strap. At least it looks like he does, and it ain't something I was going to ask him about in a crowded presser full of women and men. Anyway, no red silk bikinis with little gold Gucci buckles on them for this hombre!" -- maybe too much investigate reporting there...From ESPN's Darren Rovell: "Car company Land Rover has signed tennis star Maria Sharapova to a three-year deal that one source with knowledge of the deal said is worth approximately $2 million a year."...From tennis writer Matt Cronin: "(U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick) McEnroe told the USTA's Tim Curry that if his wife, actress Melissa Errico, had not delivered the child by April 1, that he would stay home (from the U.S. Davis Cup tie) and await the delivery. (Dean) Goldfine will be assisted by former tour player and USTA coach Jay Berger. Goldfine privately coached (Andy) Roddick last year. Andy let him go in early February and hired his brother, John. Andy and Goldfine still get along and the team told McEnroe that if he couldn't make the tie, Dean was the man they wanted. "The guys know the situation," McEnroe said. "The guys will be comfortable. That's who my team wanted, that's who they felt most comfortable with. Dean's a guy they've been around a lot. He's been my assistant before. Do I think it will affect the outcome? No. I'd like to think that I'm that important, but I can't think that highly of myself. These guys know what to do on the court."...Again, no one has ever won IW and Miami back-to-back two years in a row, nobody except Roger Federer...Martina Navratilova is skipping Amelia Island this week, in Manhattan to launch her new book "Shape Your Self"...Donald Young won his first-round match at the River Oaks exo this week: "I consider this my first ATP win, because it pays like an ATP tournament," a smiling Young, 16, told the Houston Chronicle after beating Hugo Armando. That's a reach...From the New Zealand Herald: "Veteran Davis Cup tennis player Alistair Hunt has been left stranded in Frankfurt, while the rest of the squad is not able to be contacted in Kazakhstan. Hunt was a late inclusion in the Davis Cup squad for this weekend's tie in the former Soviet Republic. He has spent three days in Frankfurt, waiting for his visa to be processed. Tennis New Zealand CEO Don Turner says they have not been able to speed up the process. Turner says communication with Kazakhstan is almost nil and they are struggling to find out what is happening. He has also confirmed the New Zealand team has changed hotels in Kazakhstan, because the hotel tripled the price when they arrived. But the trouble is that Turner does not know where the team has moved to, until they make contact." -- Good luck finding your Davis Cup team...From tennis writer Charlie Bricker who does the math: "In 2005, (Andy) Roddick averaged 13.2 aces per match and 5.0 per set. In 18 matches this year, all on hardcourts (the ATP doesn't count aces in Davis Cup matches), Roddick is averaging 9.9 aces per match and 3.7 per set. To the statistically naive, that doesn't seem like much of a dropoff. In fact, it's a 26 percent loss and, taken over the course of a tournament, it can't be ignored." Also see: Top 10 Tennis Comebacks of 2006 <A href="http://www.tennis-x.com/story/2006-04-04/c.php" eudora="autourl">http://www.tennis-x.com/story/2006-04-04/c.php</A>

by **chrisfromalbany** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:46 am

As for my prediction which I stated in the previous posting. Nalbandian will take out Ljubicic on the indoor courts. Being that he is rested and fitness indoorâ€™s isn't as much of an issue, I see Nalbandian winning. Also the court being a faster surface favoring Nalbandian.

As for the talent Nalbandian has the Federer doesn't have. Nalbandian is a better ball striker. I have no issue with the fact Nalbandian is out of shape and doesn't train like he should. I find this to be a waste.

As for the "Ljubicic - Federer" final in Miami, I found it to be boring, with neither player at his best and Ljubicic choking in the tie breakers. The Nadal-Federer final from a year ago was much more entertaining.

by **jamumafa1** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:12 am

Hmmm, wonder if The guy young beat got paid a large sum of money by IMG for Young to get some good publicity. And Young saying It's like a ATP event?

So if Sampras beats Ginepri He'll say "See you at Wimbledon, Federer you motherfucker. I won an exo, so ATP Grand Slams here I come."

I doubt it. Slap Young in the qualies

by **louise** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:32 am

Boring? Three tie-break sets are boring to you? Ljubicic didn't "choke" -- he's human, for crying out loud. He made three mistakes over a period of three sets. I wouldn't call that "choking". Jana Novotna against Steffi Graf at Wimbledon in 1994 -- now that was choking.

I thought the match was great. Ljubicic displayed an elevated level of focus, teetering only slightly on the big points. Federer displayed his enormous mental strength and some emotion, to boot.

Federer's feet might get him started, but it's his mind that takes him where he wants to go. He's a great fighter.

Contrast him with the likes of, say, Lindsay Davenport, who would have wilted in a match like that against a worthy opponent, just the way she did against Venus in last year's Wimbledon final. She said to Venus, "if I keep the ball in play, will you give me an error on match point?" And Venus said "hell, no. If you want it, you've got to get it yourself." And Lindsay went away.

by **DL 151** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:39 am

So if Sampras beats Ginepri He'll say "See you at Wimbledon, Federer you motherfucker. I won an exo, so ATP Grand Slams here I come."

ROTFL!

I'm hoping Young will develop but stick em in the qualies and futures like everyone else. IMG must have a book on HOW TO RUIN TALENT! My (future) kids will never sign with them. He's not God's gift to tennis- at least not yet.

by **di-10S** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:54 am

John doesn't plan any major adjustments in Andy's game as it is rather good already. But he does have some ideas for improvement. "As far as Andy's training and preparation goes, we are not looking to reinvent the wheel. Andy knows his game, and we need to get back to ripping forehands when he is set, and being less predictable on some of his shots." -- "Rather good already"?..

So the Roddicks have a severe drug/hallucination problem
should we plan an intervention? or just enjoy the downward spiral???

by **steve** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:54 am

chrisfromalbany wrote:As for my prediction which I stated in the previous posting. Nalbandian will take out Ljubicic on the indoor courts. Being that he is rested and fitness indoorâ€™s isn't as much of an issue, I see Nalbandian winning. Also the court being a faster surface favoring Nalbandian.

As for the talent Nalbandian has the Federer doesn't have. Nalbandian is a better ball striker. I have no issue with the fact Nalbandian is out of shape and doesn't train like he should. I find this to be a waste.

As for the "Ljubicic - Federer" final in Miami, I found it to be boring, with neither player at his best and Ljubicic choking in the tie breakers. The Nadal-Federer final from a year ago was much more entertaining.

How is Nalbandian a better ball striker than Federer? He's got a one-dimensional game, steady but rather limited. There is no better ball striker in the game than Fed. Have you actually been watching their achievements over the last three years......how can you possibly compare Nalbandian's skills with Fed's. There is not one area of the game where Nalb. is superior to Fed. Their results over the last three years attest to that. Follow what's been happening, man.

And no, Nalbandian will not beat Ljubicic this week. Nalbandian has become quite the choker over the last few years. It's a pity because he is a talented player.

by **tangerine** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:37 am

The men's final *was* boring. That was the first final I'd seen in a long while where Federer actually looked and played ordinary. Rather sloppy playing on his part. And still the self-proclaimed "real No. 2" player in the world Ljubicic couldn't do anything about it. LOL.

Tennis-x: boy, that's a lot of Andy Roddick news for a non-Roddick week, wouldn't you say? Good to see you still know which side of your bread is buttered. :lol:

JACKSONVILLE, FL--April 4, 2006-- On Tuesday Tennis-X.com, the web's premier tennis news and opinion website

Best laugh I've had all week.

by **chrisfromalbany** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:45 am

Yes, the final at Miami was boring and didn't have anything on last years final. I remember last year going 5 sets and Federer being on his back heels. Federer was off his game on Sunday and Ljubicic didn't even get a set from him. As for Ljubicic "choking" what about the second set tiebreaker, maybe not a choke but he should have taken it.

Personally, Steve, I know Federer is god and all but Nalbandian has a better backhand down the line. Alittle less pace then Safin's but also more dependable. Squander talent what I see with Nalbandian. He has a fitness issue and mental fortitude issue. You going to tell me Federer has a better backhand then Safin too. :roll:

He is human you know. Brad Gilbert has said for the record, Nalbandian is the best ball striker he has seen since Agassi.

Scouting Reports - David Nalbandian (Argentina)
Birth Date: 1/1/82 Height: 5'11" Weight: 175 lbs. Plays: Right-handed

Nalbandian is one of the game's best pure ball strikers and a player with a flowing, easy rhythm to his shots who rarely appears off-balance or rushed. Lacking a huge weapon, the Argentine sets up winning positions in points with three-, four- and five-ball combinations, often opening up the court with angles before zeroing in for the kill with a well-placed forehand or backhand. He's also a player who is very difficult to attack - particulary serve-and-volley against - because he's so solid off both wings and has excellent racquet control even when put under pressure. Nalbandian has a delicate touch on his drop shots and lobs and excellent court sense, well aware of how to use his strengths against his opponent's weaknesses.

by **louise** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:57 pm

A great tennis player is not just someone with a great backhand. To be a great tennis player, one must be fit and have good technique and mental fortitude. CFA him/herself just noted that Nalbandian lacks two of those three elements. I would say, then, based on CFA's observations, that Nalbandian is not a great tennis player.

Very few are putting all three together on a consistent basis. Federer and Nadal pretty much stand alone. Hewitt used to have all three, but no longer. Safin never had all three for any dependable length of time.

by **BeerMe** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:13 pm

tangerine wrote:Tennis-x: boy, that's a lot of Andy Roddick news for a non-Roddick week, wouldn't you say? Good to see you still know which side of your bread is buttered.

JACKSONVILLE, FL--April 4, 2006-- On Tuesday Tennis-X.com, the web's premier tennis news and opinion website

Best laugh I've had all week.

all u do is come and rank on this site. did tennis-x spit in your babyfood or something? they must have ripped your fan-girl site or something and now its a neverending quets to get them back.

by **steve** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:30 pm

.
Personally, Steve, I know Federer is god and all but Nalbandian has a better backhand down the line. Alittle less pace then Safin's but also more dependable. Squander talent what I see with Nalbandian. He has a fitness issue and mental fortitude issue. You going to tell me Federer has a better backhand then Safin too. :roll:

He is human you know. Brad Gilbert has said for the record, Nalbandian is the best ball striker he has seen since Agassi.

Nalbandian is one of the game's best pure ball strikers and a player with a flowing, easy rhythm to his shots who rarely appears off-balance or rushed. Lacking a huge weapon, the Argentine sets up winning positions in points with three-, four- and five-ball combinations, often opening up the court with angles before zeroing in for the kill with a well-placed forehand or backhand. He's also a player who is very difficult to attack - particulary serve-and-volley against - because he's so solid off both wings and has excellent racquet control even when put under pressure. Nalbandian has a delicate touch on his drop shots and lobs and excellent court sense, well aware of how to use his strengths against his opponent's weaknesses.[/quote]

Cannot agree with you or BG on this one. Ask JMac about who the greatest shotmaker and one of the best ball strikers is. Well, Fed does have a much better backhand than Nalb. Precisely because he can do so much more with it.....slice, topspin, flat drives, drop, chip, etc. You cannot possibly deny this. Maybe Nalb. has a good down the line drive but in the end, with all your raving over him, the guy has not produced much in his career in terms of titles. Being top 10, top 5, consistently is a great achievement for sure but the guy has not even achieved a fraction of what Hewitt has, let alone Fed. Nalbandian's game is a variation of Hewitt's counterpunching backboard game, or "contra tennis" as Fed once called it. Potential talent means nothing if you can't actualize it and win titles. I'm so sick of all the "could've, would've, should've" bullshit that often arises in these discussions. You either produce results or you don't.
It is very clear cut in tennis.

Nalbandian is a very good player but he is not championship level. A top Tier 2 player at most. The guy has no real weapons and like Hewitt these days is running into the top dogs who do and who will beat them consistently.

You're right, Federer is not god but he plays beautiful (and highly effective) tennis.

by **mimi** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 6:24 pm

In summary, we know Nalbandian strikes the ball very well. He doesn't miss hit too much. As some have said, however, Federer is a great ball striker who can do anything with his forehand, backhand or volleys. Nalbandian is one of the best players, but he is predictable.

Nalbandian usually drives other players crazy with his consistent, flat, relentless hitting.

Players that can beat him are those who acclimate themselves to his predictable rhthym, and then don't miss. Federer and Ljubicic have become more consistent players, so that is why, barring injury or sloppy play, they should beat Nalbandian.

...

On a side note, nothing against Mauresmo, but it's ridiculous that she will probably equal and then pass Venus Williams for the amount of weeks at #1. Mauresmo is again a great player, but Williams, a 5 five slam winner, should not be near the bottom of the #1's list.

Again, I like Hingis, but if it wasn't for the messed up WTA rankings that allowed her to be #1 by playing week in week out instead of winning the fewer big events, both Venus and Capriati would have rightfully had more #1 weeks.

Think about it: Venus won both Wimbledon and USO in '00 and '01, yet didn't reach #1 until winter '02. Capriati won the AO and FO '01, reached the Wimby/USO semis and defended her AO championship in '02, but hit #1 in fall '01.

It was absurd that Hingis stayed #1 for so long after '99, and it's a shame that most likely Mauresmo and Sharapova will pass them in the near future.

by **Forehand_lob** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:28 pm

mimi wrote:On a side note, nothing against Mauresmo, but it's ridiculous that she will probably equal and then pass Venus Williams for the amount of weeks at #1. Mauresmo is again a great player, but Williams, a 5 five slam winner, should not be near the bottom of the #1's list.

Again, I like Hingis, but if it wasn't for the messed up WTA rankings that allowed her to be #1 by playing week in week out instead of winning the fewer big events, both Venus and Capriati would have rightfully had more #1 weeks.

Think about it: Venus won both Wimbledon and USO in '00 and '01, yet didn't reach #1 until winter '02. Capriati won the AO and FO '01, reached the Wimby/USO semis and defended her AO championship in '02, but hit #1 in fall '01.

It was absurd that Hingis stayed #1 for so long after '99, and it's a shame that most likely Mauresmo and Sharapova will pass them in the near future.

I don't know, I think there's something to be said for rewarding consistent and constant play. I also think that the WTA rankings aren't so much for the fans as for the tournament directors and indicate which ones they favor; players who show up at many tournaments and go deep in them over those who show up at a few but win them.

That said, it is crazy that Venus was #1 for such a short time.

by **funches** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:53 pm

I disagree with almost everything written in this thread, except that it's absurd that Mauresmo will be No. 1 for as many weeks as Venus.

1)Nalbandian's backhand is better than Federer's. Almost nobody likes Federer's game more than I do, but his backhand is prone to errors when players pound it to that side and he rarely hits winners from the baseline on that side. He does have a terrific dipping crosscourt passing shot with his backhand, but he wins matches with his awesome forehand, incredible movement and outstanding mind. Except on grass, where his low backhand works wonders, that side is his weakness. I'm no fan of Nalbandian, but he smoked Ljubicic at the year-end tournament last year and beat a gimpy Fed in the final when no one else could. His backhand is better than Fed's or he would never win a set off him.

2)Hingis is one of the most underrated players of all time. Yep, she stayed at No. 1 too long, but in 1997, didn't she lose only three or four times all year? She was utterly dominant, winning matches repeatedly when she barely lost any games. To compare a jarhead like Capriati, one of the dumbest players (and people) in sports, to Hingis is an insult. Capriati barely has 10 career tournament wins. She's got a great game but a feeble mind.

3)I watched the Fed-Ljubicic match, but it was hard to concentrate with two non-tennis fans in my hotel room and the TV on mute. Can't really comment on the quality of the match, but the assertion that Fed played poorly in the final for the only time in memory was a strange one. He played poorly against Agassi in the U.S. Open final and poorly against Baghdatis in the Australian Open final and poorly against Nalby in the Masters' Cup and poorly against Nadal in that Asian tournament he lost this year.

4)Tennis-X is the best site for, um, whatever it said it was the best site for (something, something and commentary). It's the only site I go to for something, something and commentary other than Wertheim's mailbag. If you don't like Tennis-X's something, something and commentary, why post on this site? Post somewhere where you like the something, something and commentary.

Henman Says No Retirement; Combined Senior Rankings Debut

Henman Says No Retirement; Combined Senior Rankings Debut

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