TENNISRULZ.com
June 7, 2004
Week 22
WTA BACKSPIN
by Todd Spiker
Just call her Czarina... Czarina Myskina.
After seemingly being forever fated to be "near" great, Anastasia Myskina
seized upon the stumbles of nearly every other top player in women's tennis
and walked away from Roland Garros with a cup (coupe?) full of newfound
respect.
Of course, as it became increasingly clear that the Russian Horde had
descended upon Paris in full force, how could Miss Opportunity have been
anything other than a Muscovite? Fittingly, though, in perhaps the purest
display of the true depth of the Horde's talent pool, the final two members
standing weren't named Anna or Maria (and neither had ever set up camp in
Bradenton, Florida, either).
For the past two seasons, tennis brainstormers had wondered if any,
besides maybe the Supernova (or possibly the immensely talented, but
brain-locking and injury-prone Nadia Petrova), had the tennis goods to win a
grand slam singles crown. After all, all had had their individual flaws
somewhat exposed over time. In the case of Myskina and counterpart Elena
Dementieva, it was any combination of an inability to control nerves and/or
emotions, inconsistency, a deficiency of power or (in Dementieva's special
case) an horrendous serve with a knack for bringing even a diehard fan to
tears. But at Roland Garros 2004, none of it mattered (well, not until the
very end, anyway).
In Paris, the carcasses of talented players fell in both Russians' paths
for two full weeks. Whether it be the result of the falls of the
excuse-making Venus Williams & Jennifer Capriati, cramping Anna
Smashnova-Pistolesi, brittle-minded Amelie Mauresmo or aching bodied Lindsay
Davenport... the path to the first all-Russian slam final opened like a
gaping hole between the center and guard that the running back burst through
for a TD (if desired, insert your own soccer -- err, I mean "football" --
reference here). The semifinals consisted of seeds numbered 6, 7, 9 & 14.
Be careful, don't hurt yourself trying to remember the last time anything
similar occurred on the women's side of a slam (even at the '99 Wimbledon,
when Alexandra Stevenson and Mirjana Lucic made the final four, the likes of
Davenport and Graf held true to form). Needless to say, both Myskina and
Dementieva were fortunate. But that doesn't take anything away from the
accomplishment of a pair of 22-year olds who grew up playing each other at
the Spartak Club in Moscow -- sometimes for a pizza prize -- meeting head-on
in another of the seemingly endless all-SOMETHING (Belgian, Williams,
American, etc.) finals in recent WTA slam history.
Myskina has surely earned her full "Great" title. Of course, if the
foundation of that notion was solely based on what happened in Paris it
might not be enough to convince everyone. With the likes of Venus &
Capriati (and, in the final, Dementieva) falling over themselves to commit
enough unforced errors to present victories on a silver-plated platter,
Myskina didn't often have to extend herself over the fortnight. It's easier
to look at her recent past to prove that her Roland Garros title wasn't a
fluke. From 2002-04, she hasn't just been the most undervalued Russian, but
also the most overlooked talent in all of women's tennis. The top-ranked of
the Horde since after the 2002 US Open, Myskina's quietly won eight career
titles (4 in 2003, 2 this year), a Tier I in Moscow (the first Russian to do
so) and knocked off both #1 Justine Henin-Hardenne and #2 Kim Clijsters in
winning a title in Leipzig last season (the first woman to defeat both the
top two players in the world in the same European tour event since 1979).
Still, since she was just 1-4 at Roland Garros before her 7-match run
this year, a title was unforeseen. Myskina deserves major credit for her
ability to "play smart." She didn't have too many bad patches (she squeaked
past Alicia Molik in the 1st, and was matchpoint down vs. Svetlana
Kuznetsova in the 4th), and was able to prevent her emotions from boiling
over. The tactic enabled her opponents to do just enough to lose. If
there's an art to that style of play, the Czarina of Russian tennis just
perfected it.
Of course, Backspin wishes she'd had to dig out a great performance in
the final to put all questionable glances to rest. It was almost a
disappointment that the rest of the world didn't get to see any of her brand
of entertaining histrionics when things start to go slightly bad. But she
remained subdued for a greater goal... so all is forgiven.
But what of Dementieva, "Punch-Drunk" the former? Well, she'd had a
mediocre at best season prior to Paris (she was 2-4 in the EuroClay season
going into RG), and was having a hard time finding the form to match her
three-title 2003 success even with the addition of Russia's previously most
successful player, Olga Morozova, as coach. Punch-Sober wasn't exactly
clear-headed the past two weeks, but she managed to overcome herself (her 10
double faults in the final equaled her tournament match average) most of the
time. Punch-Drunk wouldn't have been able to do that. Of that, everyone
can be certain.
There are still more Hordettes elbowing for attention (Miss Kirilenko,
you have a phone call from a Miss Sharapova -- she wants her bevy of
photographers back), but Myskina's breakthrough victory means the Russians
are no longer stuck with talking about their "potential" and answering
questions about "quantity over quality." The second Russian slam title will
surely be tougher (vs. a fully loaded field) than Myskina's, but Paris will
force an ongoing evaluation to rule whether this is the start of something
big and not just one of the more surprising endings to a slam in recent
memory. The new shiny hardware in the Czarina's trophy case means if there
IS to be a "Russian Era" it has now officially begun, but... nous verrons ce
que nous verrons.
Oh, one more thing...
Come now, you know we couldn't experience a Czarina championship without
a brief trip into "The Mind of Myskina." Leave it to Anastasia to never
exit the stage without gracing us with something to make Backspin smile.
Her pre-match meal? Hamburgers! And what does she say to coach Jens
Gerlach immediately after she experiences the biggest moment of her career?
"Sorry for everything."
As usual with Myskina, she ultimately made the trip worth the price of
admission. I'd been hoping something historic would occur in Paris to help
commemorate this, the 100th edition of Backspin. Thanks to Anastasia's
Whopper (Le Whopper?)... it was at least a memorable two weeks in the city
of lights.
**TOP PLAYERS**
1.Anastasia Myskina
2.Amelie Mauresmo
3.Venus Williams
4.Jennifer Capriati
5.Emilie Loit
6.Elena Dementieva
7.Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi
8.Svetlana Kuznetsova
9.Claudine Schaul
10.Paola Suarez
**RISING**
1.Emilie Loit
2.Svetlana Kuznetsova
3.Claudine Schaul
4.Paola Suarez
5.Maria Sharapova
**SURPRISE**
1.Claudine Schaul
2.Jelena Jankovic
3.Tatiana Perebiynis
4.Marlene Weingartner
5.Maria Elena Camerin
**VETERAN**
1.Jennifer Capriati
2.Lindsay Davenport
3.Elena Likhovtseva
4.Virginia Ruano-Pascual
5.Conchita Martinez
**FRESH FACE**
1.Maria Kirilenko
2.Gisela Dulko
3.Sesil Karatancheva
4.Myriam Casanova
5.Vera Douchevina
**DOWN**
1.Jelena Dokic
2.Daniela Hantuchova
3.Nadia Petrova
4.Ai Sugiyama
5.Justine Henin-H.
**BEST PERFORMANCES**
--CHAMPION--
Schaul in Strasbourg (sorry, Czarina)
--NON-CHAMPION--
Karatancheva in Fed Cup
--MULTI-TOURNAMENT--
Mauresmo in Berlin/Rome
Loit in Casanova/Estoril
**BEST MATCH**
Rome Final - Mauresmo d. Capriati
...3-6/6-3/7-6. Mauresmo saved MP; 8-6 3rd set TB; completed third ever
sweep of Berlin/Rome titles
**BIGGEST CHOKE**
Roland Garros 1r - Lisa Raymond d. Lubomira Kurhajcova
...Kurhajcova led 6-0/5-0, 30-0.
**BEST COMEBACKS**
Roland Garros 3r - Dementieva d. Smashnova-Pistolesi
...ASP led 6-0/3-0 before cramps set in. Dementieva survived and made the
final.
Roland Garros 4r - Myskina d. Kuznetsova
...Myskina survived matchpoints by Kuznetsova to win an 8-6 3rd set. She
won the title.
**BIGGEST UPSET**
Strasbourg Final - Schaul d. Davenport
...2-6/6-0/6-3. World #66 wins first title.
**BEST SERIES**
Mauresmo vs. Capriati
...Berlin SF (AM 6-2/6-0); Rome F (AM 3-6/6-3/7-6)
**COMEBACK MOMENT**
Venus Williams in Charleston... her first WTA title in 14 months
**BEST/WORST(?) MOVE**
Capriati hired Heinz Gunthardt as coach, then proceeded to reel off a Tier I
SF, Tier I RU (in which she had a matchpoint) and a SF at Roland Garros.
Now, after a virtual no-show performance in that Paris SF... it seems the
two have parted ways.
**UNSURPRISING MOVE**
Jelena Dokic played Fed Cup for Serbia & Montenegro. After a 2-0 record,
her last-minute withdraw from a World Group Qualifying Playoff vs. teenager
Sesil Karatancheva apparenlty was met with enough of a poor reaction within
(and outside) the Serbian tennis establishment that she's now not likely to
play for her old/new country in the Olympics. It's a good thing the team
still has Alicia Molik to count on. Oh, I'm sorry, that was ANOTHER of the
Debutante's "situations," wasn't it?
S: Anastasia Myskina d. Elena Dementieva
6-1/6-2
D: Ruano-Pascual/Suarez d. Kuznetsova/Likhovtseva
M: Golovin/Gasquet d. Black/Black
----------------------
GIRLS
S: Sesil Karatancheva d. Madalina Gojnea 6-4/6-0
D: Bohmova/Krajicek d. Kotkina/Shvedova
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Anastasia Myskina
...the quality of play may not have been mindboggling, but you can't argue
with the results.
======================
RISER: Elena Dementieva & Paola Suarez
...it was still Punch-Sober's best career result. Suarez had a career-best
slam SF in singles (she's now #9), and won her sixth slam doubles title
(she's still the doubles #1).
======================
SURPRISE: Tatiana Golovin
...little the Frussian Pastry does well ever truly shocks, but when a
16-year old teams with a 17-year old (Richard Gasquet) for the first time --
they got a wild card into the draw -- and walks off with a grand slam Mixed
Doubles title (defeating the brother/sister Black/Black combo, the '03
champs) it tends to raise a few unexpected eyebrows.
======================
VETERAN: Virginia Ruano-Pascual
...the 30-year old Spaniard claimed her seventh slam doubles title (and 24th
in her career when teaming with Suarez). The pair are half-way to the
Doubles Grand Slam for 2004.
======================
FRESH FACE: Sesil Karatancheva
...the Bulgarian big mouth has big talent, too. Quite the opposite of the
main draw, the junior field was dominated by the #1-seeded 15-year old. She
never lost a set in a case of girl versus, well, less-equipped girls.
======================
DOWN: Amelie Mauresmo
...Mauresmo had a chance to finally win a slam without having to face the
likes of the Belgians, the Sisters, Davenport or Capriati -- and she
couldn't even make the SF! Backspin has been searching in vain for a good
nickname for Mauresmo... until now. You familiar with the famed Eduard
Munch painting called "The Scream?" That face is what Mauresmo must see in
her head whenever she realizes she has the chance to accomplish something
great. "Queen Scream" it is.
1.Final - Myskina d. Dementieva
...6-1/6-2. Myskina is the first to win the RG crown after facing a
matchpoint (4r-Kuznetsova) since Margaret Court in 1962.
======================
2.QF - Dementieva d. Mauresmo
...6-4/6-3. Punch-Sober finally found someone with worse nerves than her's.
======================
3.QF - Capriati d. S.Williams
...6-3/2-6/6-3. Two consecutive wins over Serena?! "Heinz... you're
fired!"
======================
4.Jr.Girls F - Karatancheva d. Gojnea
...6-4/6-0. Child's play vs. the unseeded Romanian.
======================
5.SF - Dementieva d. Suarez
...6-0/7-5. Suarez didn't hold her serve until 0-6/4-4.
**TOP 10 SINGLES**
1.Henin-Hardenne..5791
2.Clijsters.......5069
3.Myskina.........3816
4.Mauresmo........3502
5.Davenport.......3080
6.Dementieva......3038
7.Capriati........2887
8.V.Williams......2406
9.Suarez..........2081
10.Kuznetsova.....2055
**RUSSIAN BEST AT RG**
-SINGLES-
Anastasia Myskina (W)
Elena Dementieva (RU)
-DOUBLES-
Kuznetsova/Likhovtseva (RU)
-MIXED-
Elena Bovina (SF)
-JR.DOUBLES-
Kotkina/Shvedova (RU)
**RUSSIANS 2004**
-FINALS-
3...Kuznetsova (0-3)
2...Myskina (2-0)
2...Dementieva (0-2)
1...Zvonareva (1-0)
1...Petrova (0-1)
-BEST AT SLAM-
Aust: Myskina (QF)
RG: Myskina (W)
**SINGLES TITLES - 03/04**
12...Henin-H. (8/4)
11...Clijsters (9/2)
6....Myskina (4/2)
5....S.Williams (4/1)
4....Mauresmo (2/2)
**2004 - WEEKS IN TOP 10**
[of 22 weeks]
22...Henin-Hardenne
22...Clijsters
22...Myskina
22...Mauresmo
22...Davenport
22...Dementieva
22...Capriati
21...S.Williams
17...Sugiyama
12...Rubin
9....Petrova
5....V.Williams
1....Suarez
1....Kuznetsova
**2Q W/L - 2004 TOP 10ers**
18-3...Mauresmo (2-0 FC)
17-1...V.Williams (2-0 FC)
14-5...Suarez (2-0 FC)
13-4...Capriati
13-3...Davenport
12-4...Kuznetsova (1-0 FC)
10-3...S.Williams
8-2....Myskina (1-1 FC)
8-5....Dementieva
8-5....Petrova
5-5....Sugiyama (0-2 FC)
4-2....Henin-Hardenne
1-0....Clijsters (2-0 FC)
0-1....Rubin
**MOST DOUBLES TITLES**
-TEAMS-
4...Ruano-Pascual/Suarez
4...Petrova/Shaughnessy
**MEET...Paola Suarez**
BORN: Pergamino, Argentina
RESIDENCE: Munro, Argentina
AGE: 27 (28 on June 23)
W/L: 341-208 (29-9 in
2004)
SINGLES TITLES: 4 (12 ITF)
...98 Bogota, 01 Bogota, 03 Vienna, 04 Canberra
DOUBLES TITLES: 34 (6 slams)
BEST SLAM: 2004 RG SF
SINGLES RANK: #9
DOUBLES RANK: #1
DID YOU KNOW?:
...Paola was the 1992 Roland Garros Girls RU... her favorite movie is "The
Firm"... her favorite book is The Diary of Anne Frank... she enjoys artistic
gymnastics, dancing and listening to music... she admires coach Daniel
Pereya and Pete Sampras
IN HER OWN WORDS:
...she describes herself as introverted, crazy and honest
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND (III-Grass)
03 F: Maleeva d. Asagoe
04 TOP: Petrova/Schnyder
----------------------
FINAL: Sharapova d. Daniilidou
...why shouldn't the Russian tide continue? Plus, after all the attention
her compatriots got in Paris it might be time for the Supernova to remind
everyone that she prefers the role of "star" over "understudy."
All for now.
