Tennis Acumen

Jerzy Janowicz & Lukasz Kubot Power Poland into the Round of 16 at Wimbledon

PETE ZIEBRON

Jerzy Janowicz will make his Wimbledon 4th round debut tomorrow.   Pete Ziebron Images

Prior to this year, Poland has not been able to concurrently put two men into the 3rd round of Wimbledon.  Jerzy Janowicz and Lukasz Kubot have done one better and both will play 4th round matches tomorrow.

Both Janowicz and Kubot have not dropped a set this year at Wimbledon.  The 24th seeded Janowicz has defeated Brit Kyle Edmund in the opening round.  Czech Radek Stepanek retired late in the 2nd set in the 2nd round and in the 3rd round, Janowicz swept past 15th seed Nicolas Almagro of Spain.  Kubot, who will certainly improve upon his world #130 ranking as a result of his play at Wimbledon, defeated Russian Igor Andreev in the opening round.  Then, Kubot's 2nd round opponent, Steve Darcis who upset Rafael Nadal in his first round match, was not able to take the court due to a shoulder injury sustained during his match against Nadal.  Kubot advanced to the 3rd round and promptly steamrolled 25th seed Benoit Paire of France, losing only 8 games in the match.

Last year, Janowicz powered through Wimbledon qualifying, won his first 2 main draw matches and held a 2 sets to 1 lead against German Florian Mayer in his 3rd round encounter.  However Janowicz would run out of gas and drop the 5th set 5-7.  Following that loss, Janowicz would win a pair of consecutive clay court Challenger tournaments, as well as his first qualifying match at the Cincinnati Masters, giving him an impressive run of 11 straight victories and 16 wins in 17 matches.

Janowicz would achieve his best result of 2012 at the Paris Masters in October, where he would enter the tournament as a qualifier and finish it as the runner-up, dropping the Final to David Ferrer.

World #130 Lukasz Kubot is making his 2nd appearance in the 4th round at Wimbledon in the last 3 years.                    Pete Ziebron Images 

Lukasz Kubot reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon just 2 years ago.  Kubot won 6 straight matches, including 3 in qualifying and held a 2 sets to 1 lead, including 2 match points in his 4th round match against Feliciano Lopez before losing the 5th set 5-7 to the Spaniard.   

Despite reaching a career high of world #41 in singles 4 years ago, the 31 year-old Kubot is better known for his play in doubles where he has won 8 titles.  This year at Wimbledon, Kubot and his doubles partner and fellow countryman Marcin Matkowski, are seeded 15th and have advanced to the 3rd round.

JJ - Jerzy Janowicz    Pete Ziebron Images

Following his 3rd round win against Nicolas Almagro, Janowicz was asked about the recent successful results from Polish tennis players:  "Everything starts from (Agnieszka) Radwanska, honestly saying.  Maybe we realized there's a chance to make some good results in tennis in Poland.  We didn't have unbelievable facilities for practice.  I remember when I was practicing during the winter under the balloon was even minus 10 inside.  I remember the beginning was not easy.  So I don't know actually.  I don't have a perfect explanation.  But I'm happy there's a lot of good players in Poland right now.  As you said, Radwanska sisters, me, Kubot.  (Michal) Przysiezny lost yesterday in second round.  So I hope it's going to be only better."

Should Janowicz defeat Austrian Jurgen Melzer and Kubot beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino tomorrow, Janowicz and Kubot would face each other in the quarterfinals, with the winner advancing to the Wimbledon semifinals.

 

Andrea Petkovic & Daniela Hantuchova Ride Momentum Into Wimbledon

PETE ZIEBRON

Andrea Petkovic has won 9 of her last 10 matches.         Pete Ziebron Images

Former top 10 WTA players Andrea Petkovic of Germany and Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia have struggled mightily for much of 2013 prior to the month of June.  However both ladies have enjoyed a welcomed resurgence in their game as each won a title in the last few weeks.

Andrea Petkovic entered June with a 6-6 record for the year, including a 2nd round qualifying draw loss at Roland Garros.  Despite the setback, Petkovic played a $100K clay court Challenger in Marseille, France the following week.  Her persistence paid off as she did not drop a set in the tournament, winning the Final over #1 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4 6-2.

The following week, Petkovic won her first three matches in Nürnberg, Germany setting up a semifinal against #1 seed and former world #1 Jelena Jankovic.  Petkovic would prevail 6-4 6-3, running her winning streak to nine.  Playing her 10th match in less than two weeks, Petkovic would lose the Final to Simona Halep 6-3 6-3.  However her efforts were not lost in the eyes of Wimbledon, as Petkovic was awarded a Wildcard into the main draw of the tournament.

Andrea Petkovic had to withdraw from Wimbledon last year prior to the start of the tournament with a right ankle injury.  Her best effort to date was a 3rd round appearance in 2011.

It was less than two years ago when Petkovic cracked the WTA Top Ten, following the hard court tournament in Carlsbad, California in July, 2011.  A few weeks later in Cincinnati, I asked her about the possibility of playing in the WTA Year End Championships in Istanbul:  "That would be really, really great for me if I could reach the Championships.  But I think if I can hold my level that I'm playing now and if I can play consistent until the year end, that would be my great goal, to get to Istanbul. 
So I really have to try to focus now and play each match, even if there are little obstacles like in my first-round match here. I really have to focus now and try to play each match with 150% intensity, and then I might get my chances. So that's definitely a thing that I have a little eye on." 

 Petkovic would get as high as world #9 in October, 2011 but did not qualify for Istanbul and would finish the year at #10.

2013 Birmingham Champion Daniela Hantuchova               Pete Ziebron Images

Daniela Hantuchova reached a career high of world #5 in January 2003, following a run to the Australian Open quarterfinals.  It would be her third straight Grand Slam quarterfinal, beginning with Wimbledon in 2002.  Despite the fact that Hantuchova's favorite surface is grass, she has not been able to match nor improve upon her quarterfinal result at Wimbledon 11 years ago.

Like Petkovic, Hantuchova's first half of 2013 was uneventful.  Prior to her arrival in Birmingham a few weeks ago, Hantuchova's efforts resulted in a 16-15 record for the year, including a pair of 1st round exits at the Australian Open and Roland Garros.

However, Hantuchova's fortunes would begin to change in Birmingham.  Following a routine 1st round win, Hantuchova defeated British #1 Laura Robson 6-3 6-3.  In each of her next 3 matches, Hantuchova would drop the opening set but rally to win each match, setting up a Final against upstart Donna Vekic of Croatia.  Hantuchova would prevail 7-6 (5) 6-4 for her 6th career title.

In a curious move, Hantuchova elected to play the very next week and retired from her 1st round match at 0-5 to Lesia Tsurenko in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.  This slight bump on her road to Wimbledon certainly did not take away from Hantuchova's efforts in Birmingham as she tweeted: @Wimbledon By far my most favourite tournament in the world and the main reason I play tennis for! #wimbledon.

Four times in the past, Daniela Hantuchova has lost to the eventual Wimbledon Champion:  2002 & 2009 to Serena Williams, 2004 to Maria Sharapova and 2005 to Venus Williams.

Daniela Hantuchova opens play against #32 seed Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic and Andrea Petkovic faces off against Pauline Parmentier of France.

 

Will Rafael Nadal Be Seeded Fifth at Wimbledon?

PETE ZIEBRON

Current world #5 Rafael Nadal  Pete Ziebron Images

Imagine being Andy Murray, the #2 seed at Wimbledon this year and realizing when the draw comes out that your potential quarterfinal match is against Rafael Nadal.  This scenario is certainly a possibility if Nadal is seeded fifth at Wimbledon.

In fact, in order for Murray to win the tournament if Nadal ends up in his quarter, he could possibly face either Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic in the semifinals (depending on whom is on his half of the draw) and possibly either Federer or Djokovic in the final.

Fortunately, Wimbledon does not always follow the world rankings when they seed the players.  Andy Roddick tended to get a more favorable seed compared to his ranking due to his ability to get deep into the draw regularly at the All England Club.

However, last year Venus Williams, a 5-time Wimbledon Champion and 3-time Finalist was not seeded.  The fact that Williams was not seeded was questioned even though Williams was ranked world #55 at the time.  The main focus was the fact that the tournament's #1 seed or another high seed could possibly have to play a 5-time Champion in the first round.

In 2009, Maria Sharapova, a former Champion, was ranked #60, yet received the 24th seed in the tournament.  So there is certainly hope that Rafael Nadal will be seeded higher than his current world ranking of #5 and receive his own quarter of the draw.  Otherwise, if Nadal is indeed seeded fifth, the possibility of an absolute nightmare draw could happen for one of the top players in the world in their attempt to win the tournament.  Here are the following scenarios that could happen:

Andy Murray

QF vs. Rafael Nadal

SF vs. Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic

F  vs.  Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer

QF vs. Rafael Nadal

SF  vs. Andy Murray or Novak Djokovic

F   vs.  Andy Murray or Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic

QF  vs. Rafael Nadal

SF  vs.  Roger Federer or Andy Murray

F    vs.  Roger Federer or Andy Murray

Rafael Nadal

QF  vs.  Andy Murray, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic

SF   vs.  Andy Murray, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic

F    vs.   Andy Murray, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic

 

Stanislas Wawrinka in Unchartered Territory in Roland Garros Quarterfinals

PETE ZIEBRON

World #10 Stanislas Wawrinka advances to the Roland Garros quarterfinals for the first time.                     Charles Gabrean Photography

Yesterday, Stanislas Wawrinka rallied from a 2 set deficit to defeat world #9 Richard Gasquet to set up a quarterfinal match against 7-time Roland Garros Champion Rafael Nadal.  The victory was Wawrinka's 5th against the top ten in the world this year.

Wawrinka and Nadal have faced each other on 9 other occasions, with Nadal winning all of the contests and holding a 19-0 mark in overall sets won.  The closest Wawrinka ever came to actually winning a set against Nadal was in the first set of their 2nd round match at the 2010 Toronto Masters 1000 event, where Nadal won the set in a lengthy tiebreaker 14-12.  Tomorrow will mark only the second time the two have met in a major.  Ironically, their first meeting was in the 3rd round of the 2007 Australian Open.

Last year in Cincinnati, I watched the majority of 4 of Wawrinka's 5 matches.  After splitting sets with qualifier Paul-Henri Mathieu, Wawrinka won the 3rd set easily at 6-1 to advance to the 2nd round.  In his next match, Wawrinka absolutely annihilated world #5 David Ferrer 6-4 6-1.  Following a victory over Japan's Kei Nishikori in the next round, Wawrinka next faced the lanky, big-serving Canadian, Milos Raonic.  Wawrinka was being outplayed and dropped the opening set 2-6 but somehow was able to get the 2nd set into a tiebreaker and won it 7-5 before finally prevailing 6-4 in the 3rd set.  During this match, Wawrinka was actually hitting bigger and faster serves than Raonic and was being clocked in excess of 140 MPH.  This result set up a semifinal match against 5-time Cincinnati Champion Roger Federer.  Despite taking the first set to a breaker, Wawrinka lost it 7-4 as well as the next set and Federer would go on to win Cincinnati for the 5th time.

Wawrinka came into Cincinnati on a 4 match losing streak but left as a dangerous and feared opponent heading into the US Open.  Wawrinka would win 3 matches in New York before retiring in the 3rd set of his 4th round match to eventual Finalist and world #1 Novak Djokovic.

Despite a relatively quiet conclusion to 2012, Wawrinka would play two of the more memorable matches in early part of 2013.  His 5 set loss in the 4th round of the Australian Open to Novak Djokovic was an epic battle.  Wawrinka, down 2 sets to 1, would win the 4th set in a tiebreaker and would get to within 2 points of winning the match before losing an absolute heart breaker 12-10 in the 5th set to Djokovic, the eventual Champion.

The very next week, Wawrinka immediately flew home to Switzerland to play a Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic.  Wawrinka and teammate Marco Chiudinelli would play a 7 hour and 2 minute doubles match against Tomas Berdych and Lukas Rosol.  Unfortunately, the Swiss pair would lose the 5th set 24-22 and Wawrinka would drop a tough 4 set match to Berdych the very next day as the Czechs prevailed on the road.

Going forward, Wawrinka would record impressive victories against the best in the world, including wins over: world #2 Andy Murray in Monte-Carlo, world #4 David Ferrer to win the Oeiras, Portugal 250 clay court tourney, world #8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Masters 1000 Madrid quarters and then again in the Madrid semis against world #6 Tomas Berdych.  Ultimately, Wawrinka would drop the Madrid Final to Rafael Nadal.  

After the Madrid Final, Nadal had high praise for Stan Wawrinka:  "Stan is a big player, you know, with a big potential.  Good serve.  He has all the shots, so when I saw the statistics that in eight times I didn't lose a set was a surprise for me.   He won in Portugal playing against David (Ferrer) in the finals 6‑1, 6‑4.  To win against David with this score you need to play fantastic." 

Yesterday, spectators at Roland Garros as well as a worldwide television audience were treated to two of the best single-handed backhands in the sport of tennis when Wawrinka defeated Richard Gasquet.  Last August in Cincinnati, I asked Stan if he modeled his backhand after another player or what specific coach helped him to perfect his fluid backhand:  "My first coach (Dimitri Zavialoff) that I have during ten years, I change to one‑hand backhand when I was 11 with him.  It was something natural, so I didn't look at someone or didn't do anything special." 

Once again tomorrow, the world will be able to enjoy Stan Wawrinka's gorgeous one-handed backhand against 7-time Roland Garros Champion Rafael Nadal on Philippe Chatrier Court.  Wawrinka is making his first appearance in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.

The Tommyknockers: Veterans Tommy Robredo & Tommy Haas Advance to the Round of 16 at Roland Garros

PETE ZIEBRON

Four time Roland Garros quarterfinalist Tommy Robredo    Pete Ziebron Images

In a field that features the oldest cumulative average age ever on the men's side at Roland Garros, 31 year-old Tommy Robredo of Spain and 35 year-old German Tommy Haas have each won 3 matches to date to advance to the round of 16.  

Each player has experienced quite a bit of drama during the first week of play in Paris.  After a straight set win in the opening round, 32nd seed Tommy Robredo had to come from a 2 sets to love deficit in each of his last 2 matches.  Despite dropping the first 2 sets in his 2nd round match against Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands, Robredo lost only 5 games in the next 3 sets to prevail and set up a scintillating encounter against flashy Frenchman Gael Monfils in the 3rd round.

Again, Robredo would get into a deep hole, losing the first 2 sets against Monfils, who was playing his 13th match in the last 18 days (won Bordeaux Challenger and was a Finalist in Nice leading up to Roland Garros).  Nonetheless, Monfils raced to a commanding lead and with the French crowd roaring, held match points on 4 occasions in the 4th set against Robredo.  However, Robredo was able to steady his game, won the 4th set in a tiebreaker and finally extinguished an utterly exhausted Monfils in the 5th and deciding set.  

Robredo has been a quarterfinalist on 4 occasions at Roland Garros, however this is his first appearance since 2010 as injuries in the last few seasons have derailed his efforts on the tennis court.  Tommy Robredo will attempt to book yet another quarterfinal date in Paris as he next faces countryman  and 11th seed Nicolas Almagro in the 4th round.

Tommy Haas, the tournament's #12 seed, experienced his own chapter of drama today in his 3rd round match against American John Isner.  Haas was not able to convert any of the 12 match points he held in the 4th set against Isner, had to rally from a break down in the 5th set and even save a match point against late in the deciding set.  On the day, Haas was just 3 for 23 on break point opportunities, however he would finally prevail 10-8 in the 5th set after being on court for 4 hours and 37 minutes.  

Due to inclement weather earlier in the week, Haas, Isner and a few other players in the field, most notably Rafael Nadal, had to play on back to back days.  Fortunately for Haas, he won his match yesterday in straight sets against young American Jack Sock.  Isner was not as lucky as he stormed back from a 2 sets to love deficit to defeat fellow American Ryan Harrison in 5 grueling sets.  As a result, Tommy Haas was just a bit fresher than Isner today, despite being 7 years older than Isner. 

Tommy Haas has reached the 4th round at Roland Garros twice in his career.  The most recent occasion was in 2009, when he held a 2 sets to love advantage against eventual Champion Roger Federer.  In that match, Federer did not lose a point on his serve in the opening set heading into the tiebreak, yet Federer lost that set as well as the next set to fall into a deep hole against Haas.  Eventually, Federer was able to solve Haas and ultimately capture the Roland Garros crown that had eluded him throughout his storied career.  

Last year, Haas defeated Federer in Halle Final, just prior to Federer winning Wimbledon for his 17th major title.  Earlier this year in Miami, Haas beat world #1 Novak Djokovic.  Following that win against Djokovic in March, Haas elaborated on his accomplishment:  "I'm still around.  That's what makes me most proud in some ways, because I feel like I can still prove to myself that I can keep coming back and still can, you know, feel like I can still play with the best of them.  That makes me happy."  Next up in the 4th round for Haas at Roland Garros is 29th seed, Russian Mikhail Youzhny.