Tennis Anyone?

May 19, 2012.

Growltiger's Litter Box is a depository for a variety of  opinions, thoughts, interests and ideas.  My initial blog was a sad one, the account of my German shepherd who lost his battle with a deadly cancer called hemangiosarcoma.  


This article is on an entirely different subject: Men's Professional Tennis. 


The men's game today is exciting and fast-paced with many extraordinary players on the tour. At the top of the pile are four exciting players with four different, distinct styles .  Novak Djokovic is a human slinky who stretches, slides, twists, skids and unfolds to get to every ball. He also has the best return of serve in the game and a down the line backhand that greases the line. Roger Federer is a ballet dancer whose feet never seem to touch the ground. He glides around the court with the grace of a gazelle and has no flaws in his game  save for the possibility that he is human and can make a mistake on occasion. Andy Murray  looks as  heavy-footed as a Clydesdale, but he runs like Secretariat. His drop shot hits the court with a thud and lies there. Rafael Nadal comes across as both matador and bull. He never gives up and has a buggy whip forehand that has more spin than a political operative. 


These four have dominated the top of the men's game for years. At first Federer was Number 1, then Nadal took it over. Djokovic seemed stuck for ever at 3 and Murray at 4. Fans got used to seeing Federer and Nadal in every final unless one of them was injured.


But in 2011, Djokovic lobbed a dead fish into the punch bowl, going on a tear and winning 43 matches until he lost to Federer in the semifinals of the French Open. No longer could fans  and sports writers count on a "Fed-al" final and many welcomed Djokovic like a skunk at a garden party.


There are four major tournaments in Tennis played on three different surfaces: The Australian Open (hard court), the French Open (also called Roland Garros) on clay, Wimbledon (grass) and the US Open (hard). Obviously it is difficult for any player to win on three such different surfaces and to win all four majors is a great accomplishment. (Federer and Nadal already have done so). 


When 2011 began, Djokovic was stuck in his Number 3 slot, but after winning the Australian Open (where he played Federer in the semi-finals ) and a few other tournaments, he rose to Number 2, dropping Federer to Number 3. Nadal remained Number 1.  At The French Open, he once again met Federer in the semi-finals. Thus ended Djokovic's winning streak.


The French is followed in a month's time by Wimbledon. With Nadal seeded 1, Djokovic 2, Federer 3 and Murray 4, Federer and Djokovic were once again on the same side of the draw. This is reasonable since the best possible final would be 1 versus 2 or 3 rather than 4. (Of course, upsets are possible and it is possible to have a 3 vs. 4 final, though I'm sure sure that has happened in recent times.) Djokovic defeated Nadal at Wimbledon and became the Number 1 tennis player in the world.  I assumed when the four next contested at the US Open in New York, Number 4 would be in Number 1's section of the draw as had happened at the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon. But when the draw came out, once again, Djokovic and Federer were on the same side of the draw. Forgive me for wondering if the tournament directors aren't monkeying with the draw to try to get the elusive Federer-Nadal final.