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NOTES ON A DRAWSHEET
She's now No. 1: Serena reaches the
pinnacle
David Nalbandian, who?; Adopt Malisse for
the U.S.A.
By
Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net
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Fred Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.
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FROM WIMBLEDON – When Serena
Williams moved to a career high ranking of No. 2 in the world last
month as she ruled over Roland Garros, she was pleased with the
improvements in her game. Nevertheless, she also made note that
she didn’t spend nights as a child dreaming of one day being
the second best player in the world, intimating that No. 1 was on
her mind.
She didn’t have to wait very long to shove older sis, Venus,
off the throne and capture top billing for herself. With her 6-2,
6-1 victory over Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo to reach her first
career Wimbledon final, Serena sails to best in the business stature.
Of becoming No. 1, Serena said, “I didn’t know going into
the match. Normally, you guys (the media) take the liberty to tell
me. At the French, I was actually a little nervous about being No.
2. No one said anything to me, so I wasn’t really looking at
the points. I just thought I was farther behind. I was really excited.
Shed a few little tears. I’m a real emotional person.”
Serena was quick to confirm that establishing her reputation as
the world’s finest was a lifelong goal, but admitted that the
new sensation hasn’t settled in yet. Tick this off as another
astonishing accomplishment for the family Williams, who have now
observed both of their daughters’ sit in the highest position
on the ranking computer.
Venus, with four Grand Slam credits
to her credit at the '00 and '01 Wimbledon and U.S. Open, was first
to the top of the charts, reaching that position on Feb. 25 of this
year. Overall, Venus has spent 11 weeks at No. 1 since that first
week in February.
'ONE IN A MILLION'
While there have been other siblings touring the world on the tennis
circuit, none have soared as high as Venus and Serena. As Serena
so aptly put it, the chance of two sisters occupying the top two
ranking spots is “one in a million.”
Among some of the other sibling combinations were current brothers
Olivier and Christophe Rochus; Tim and Tom Gullikson; Manuela, Katarina
and Magdalena Maleeva; Chris and Jeannie Evert; Helena and Cyril
Suk, and Brad and Dana Gilbert.
But Venus and Serena are the true stars of sibling tennis set.
Of course, those conflicting sibling
feelings sometimes do take precedence as Venus willingly revealed.
“I think the only difference
between playing my sister and playing someone else is that I want
to win, but I want her to win also, basically, because I want the
best for her,” Venus said. “But yet I am still going out
there strong.”
David Nalbandian,
who?
Nearly two weeks ago when we looked at the men’s draw
for Wimbledon, a quick overview pointed out that there was a likely
men’s semifinal between No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and
Britain’s own Tim Henman, a three-time former Wimbledon semifinalist.
Too bad Henman couldn't win a set from the Australian in the semis,
as Hewitt crusied, 7-5, 6-1, 7-5.
But I can bet there wasn’t
one bet placed over at Ladbroke’s betting parlor for a Wimbledon
semifinal contest between David Nalbandian of Argentina and Xavier
Malisse of Belgium, which is knotted at two-set all when play was
suspended Friday.
When Nalbandian, fresh from a symmetrical
6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4 quarterfinal win over fellow South American
Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, was asked how it happened he was in
the Wimbledon semifinals, he seemed as perplexed as anyone, saying,
“I don’t know.”
The 20-year-old Nalbandian, who
was a U.S. Open junior titlist and reached the final of the French
Open juniors and semifinals of the Wimbledon juniors in 1999, is
the first person since John McEnroe to reach the Wimbledon semifinals
in his first appearance in a Wimbledon main draw.
While we most often think of Argentinians as not favoring grass
court tennis – there are seven grass courts located in Buenos
Aires – Nalbandian admits he took his early inspiration from
tennis from one of the great grass court players.
“I start playing for Boris Becker,” Nalbandian said. “When
he won here the first time, I just started playing tennis. So he
was my idol forever. I don’t think I play like Becker, but
he was my idol. Fo sure.”
Although Nalbandian honestly reveals that grass is not his favorite
surface, he believes that if you’re a professional player,
you should play on all courts.
“I think you can do everything,” Nalbandian said. “I
think it’s not too difficult – it’s difficult, but
not too much. If you are focused, you can think you can do everything.
But I think if you come here and you say, ‘I can’t play,’
you never going to do it. But if you come and you say, ‘Okay,
I’m going to try, I’m going to enjoy the games,’
that’s a big difference.”
Adopt Malisse for the U.S.A.
Fred Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc. |
It’s been a long time since
we haven’t seen an American in the later rounds at Wimbledon.
In fact, 1922 was the last time that an American failed to make
the fourth round here at the All England Club.
Seeking to right the situation, an American journalist thought of
a solution to the U.S. dilemma at Wimbledon – adopt 21-year-old
Xavier Malisse. The Belgian resides in the Tampa area since he’s
been 17-year-old.
Unfortunately, Malisse was unwilling to take up the suggestion.
“No, I don’t think there’s
a good chance there,” Malisse said, smiling. “You know,
I love the States. I love living there or practicing there and stuff.
But, you know, my blood’s Belgian. I love playing for Belgium.
You know, even though it rains a lot, it is a good country. I don’t
think I’m going to change.”
Malisse’s favorite thing about Belgium is the food, except
for the fact that when he goes home he always gains weight. And
his favorite thing about Florida is the sun and the open-minded
people.
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