TENNISRULZ.com
July 6, 2004
Week 26

WTA BACKSPIN
by Todd Spiker

>>THE PASSION OF THE SUPERNOVA

   Maria Sharapova is a liar.  Ever after she'd raised Wimbledon's championship plate above her head as the tournament's third youngest singles titleist, she still expressed disbelief about what had happened to her over the previous two weeks at the All-England Club.  Don't believe it for a second... she's been preparing for the moment her entire life.  In the end, the only thing that didn't work perfectly was her dad's mobile phone.

   If the breakthrough Act I of the Russian Tennis Revolution in Paris was necessary, then Act II in England was simply cosmic.

su*per*no*va - n. - "a rare celestial phenomenon in which a star explodes,
resulting in an extremely bright object."

   In her 6-1/6-4 victory over two-time defending Wimbledon champion Serena Williams, the transcript of the 17-year old Sharapova's gameday tactics was most assuredly not for the faint of heart -- it read that her goal was to essentially exchange haymakers in the center of the proverbial ring with a heavyweight champ with knockout power... and hope to succeed in the face of her surely star-crossed fate.  But the Siberian-born usurper of the Williams family's SW19 powerbase pulled off what would have seemed impossible even to those of us not surprised to see her game rise to so high a level over the English fortnight.  Sharapova routinely dictated points, often backing Williams into an uncharacteristic corner (or at least plastering her to the baseline, when she wasn't racing to her left or right to chase down another potentially lethal winner that so recently had come flying off the Supernova's Prince racket).  Judging by her actions, you might have sworn the teenager thought a Wimbledon title was her birthright.  Well, maybe it was.

   Down 2-4 in the second set, and with everyone expecting Serena to turn up her intensity as she had in the tight semifinal battle with Amelie Mauresmo two days earlier, Sharapova didn't accept the seeming reality that she'd have to play an additional set of tennis on a glorious Saturday afternoon.  Instead, she broke Williams' serve and held her own.  Then, she broke the American once again to take a 5-4 lead as Williams slipped at the baseline and watched her advantage fully transform into a deficit that she wasn't going to be able to turn back in her favor.  Maybe I was seeing things, but I don't think so -- someone will have to do some convincing to get me to believe that that wasn't an invisible gremlin's hand I sensed reaching up from the earth to make sure everything went as planned.

   It was a fitting bit of irony that the two biggest female stars at this year's Wimbledon were Sharapova and Martina Navratilova.  At age 6, Sharapova made her "debut" by hitting balls at an exhibition with Navratilova, then a sprightly gal of a mere 36 years of age.  The would-be Supernova was literally dancing in the shadow of a legend.  Eleven years later, Martina was the headliner at the beginning of play, gaining the first victory of the women's draw.  By the end, though, it was Yuri's one-time little girl who was casting her own shadow on the entire sport by gaining the last.

   Oddly, some seemed to view what happened on Centre Court as a stunning shock that has somehow blindsided women's tennis, as if Sharapova's immense display of talent came without the required forewarning.  Not Backspin. After about a year and a half of columns that have chronicled the wait for the inevitable to occur, it was more of a relief than a revelation when "The Supernova" officially went supernova.  If the sport's lucky, she'll be burning intensely at a tennis complex near you around the world for most of the next decade.

   "It's 'Maria Time' now."  That's how the new Wimbledon ladies champ described things a short while ago.

   Her time, indeed.  As forecasted here (and promised by Miss Sharapova), this is suddenly Maria's World... and we're just living in it.  At the moment, she's busy pulling up a chair to the WTA's "big person's table," right next to the Belgians, Williamses, and a few stray Americans, Frenchwomen or Russian compatriots as the true contenders for the game's biggest honors (hey, she's already shot up the Backspin Player of the Year poll!).  The Supernova's arrival as a dominant force could forecast a series of bad tidings as far as the on-court prospects of those players not currently present at that aforementioned head table are concerned. Actually, if Saturday's mix of Federer-esque shotmaking, Grafian power and a young Seles-like fearlessness was any indication, even a few of her new tablemates might soon need a passport to go beyond a certain point.  Kim Clijsters might never get that elusive slam crown now (pardon me if I don't break down in tears at that prospect).

   Alas, celestial supernovae don't endure forever.  They burn with spectacular brilliance, but last a relatively short time.  But fresh off her greatest day, Sharapova's feet seem set firmly on the ground.  That's good news for us, the Russian Revolution, teenage girls (and boys, teenage or otherwise), TV ratings and magazine sales... and even better news for
tennis.

   Plus, it also might begin to explain that pesky phone problem.

>>WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONS
S: Maria Sharapova d. Serena Williams 6-1/6-4
D: Black/Stubbs d. Huber/Sugiyama
M: Black/Black d. Molik/Woodbridge
GS: Katerina Bondarenko d. Ana Ivanovic 6-4/6-7/6-2
GD: Azarenka/Havartsova d. Erakovic/Niculescu

>>PLAYER AWARDS (WIMBLEDON, WEEK 2)

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Maria Sharapova
...la belle dame sans merci (the beautiful lady without mercy).
======================
RISERS: Sharapova & Amelie Mauresmo
...the Supernova proved she was destiny's child; while Mauresmo has now
advanced to the SF of her last two Wimbledons.
======================
SURPRISES: Paola Suarez & Cara Black
...Paola's quietly great season continued as she followed up her Roland Garros SF with a QF at Wimbledon.  Meanwhile, amidst all the doubles chatter about Navratilova trying to grab sole possession of the Wimbledon career titles record and the Ruano-Pascual/Suarez team going for a fourth straight slam crown, it was Zimbabwe's Black who swept the doubles (w/ Rennae Stubbs) and mixed (w/ brother Wayne) events.
======================
VETERAN: Lindsay Davenport
...a SF result in both singles and mixed doubles, but far less than she was
hoping for around Thursday.
======================
FRESH FACE: Katerina Bondarenko
...the junior champ, and maybe heading the next wave of Ukranian upset
queens?
======================
DOWN: Jennifer Capriati & Lindsay Davenport
..."Maybe if the press didn't talk about it so much, it would have been a better match."  That was one of the Petulant One's more creative excuses for her throttling by Serena in the QF.  She fired coach Heinz Gunthardt after she failed to show up in the Roland Garros SF against Myskina, so should Tom Gullikson start looking for additional work elsewhere?  Davenport was up a set and a break against Sharapova in the SF with a feel-good Wimbledon finale that would send her into retirement with no regrets firmly in her sights... but then she let Sharapova hang around a little too long.  The rest was history.

>>MATCHES (4r-F)

1.F - Sharapova d. S.Williams
...6-1/6-4.  The Supernova looked as if she might shock the world two weeks
ago, and she did just that.
======================
2.SF - S.Williams d. Mauresmo
...6-7/7-5/6-4.  Mauresmo led 7-6/3-1 and was up 30/0 on Serena's serve.
======================
3.SF - Sharapova d. Davenport
...2-6/7-6/6-2.  Davenport led 6-2/3-1, but the 'nova turned a tiny crack
into an open door to history.
======================
4.QF - S.Williams d. Capriati
...6-1/6-1.  The worst slam loss ever for Capriati.  Serena peaked too early.
======================
5.QF - Sharapova d. Sugiyama
...5-7/7-5/6-1.  Oh, how close we came to seeing destiny headed off at the pass in this one.
======================
6.4r - S.Williams d. Golovin
...6-2/6-1.  Golovin's shorts were so small the crowd could almost see her
Frussian Pastry.
======================
7.Jr.F - K.Bondarenko d. Ivanovic
...6-4/6-7/6-2.  Credit these two for putting forth an additional effort in the final after their SF heriocs -- Bondarenko upset #1 seed Michaela Krajicek, while Ivanovic had to survive a 12-10 3rd set against Viktoria Azarenka.
======================
8.Doubles F - Black/Black d. Molik/Woodbridge
...the Black siblings saved six match points.
======================
9.Doubles SF - Black/Stubbs d. Ruano-Pascual/Suarez
...the dreams of an "unofficial" slam unceremoniously end.
======================
10.QF - Davenport d. Sprem
...lost amid the Supernova's explosion is that Sprem had her career
breakthrough at SW19, as well.

>>2Q GRASSCOURT AWARDS

==TOP PLAYER==
1.Maria Sharapova
2.Serena Williams
3.Amelie Mauresmo
4.Svetlana Kuznetsova
5.Paola Suarez

==RISERS==
1.Maria Sharapova
2.Svetlana Kuznetsova
3.Karolina Sprem
4.Daniela Hantuchova
5.Vera Zvonareva

==SURPRISES==
1.Cara Black
2.Virginie Razzano
3.Anabel Medina-Garrigues
4.Nuria Llagostera-Vives
5.Shenay Perry

==VETERANS==
1.Martina Navratilova
2.Lindsay Davenport
3.Paola Suarez
4.Mary Pierce
5.Amy Frazier

==FRESH FACES==
1.Tatiana Golovin
2.Gisela Dulko
3.Katerina Bondarenko

==DOWN==
1.Jelena Dokic
2.Venus Williams
3.Elena Dementieva

==BEST PERFORMANCES==
CHAMPION
Maria Sharapova (Wimbledon)
Maria Sharapova (Birmingham)
----------------------
NON-CHAMPION
Daniela Hantuchova (Eastbourne)
----------------------
DOUBLES
Cara Black (Wimbledon)

==BEST MATCH==
Wimbledon SF - S.Williams d. Mauresmo
...6-7/7-5/6-4.  Not the most important match, as it turned out, but it WAS the "best."

==BEST COMEBACK==
Wimbledon SF - Sharapova d. Davenport
...2-6/7-6/6-2.  Davenport was up a set and a break, then Sharapova changed the rotation of the earth.

==BIGGEST UPSET==
Wimbledon 2r - Sprem d. V.Williams
...7-6/7-6.  The extra point didn't matter.

==VETERAN MOMENT==
Wimbledon 1r - Navratilova d. Castano
...6-0/6-1.  And it happened while Amanda Janes played on a nearby court. Janes is the daughter of Christine Truman, Martina's first Wimbledon opponent when she made her debut there at age 16 in 1973.

==BEST REAWAKENING==
Daniela Hantuchova's run to the final at Eastbourne.  With her head straight and body strong, Wonder Girl might finally be back.

==BIGGEST CHOKE==
Ted Watts, anyone?

==FUTURE SLAM FINAL?/BEST NICKNAME CLASH==
Birmingham F - Sharapova/Supernova d. Golovin/Frussian Pastry

==BEST MOMENT FOR TENNIS IN 2000s==
Wimbledon F - Sharapova d. S.Williams
...6-1/6-4.  And now... the encore begins.

>>END OF 2Q RANKINGS UPDATE

==SINGLES TOP 10==
1.Henin-Hardenne
2.Clijsters
3.Mauresmo
4.Myskina
5.Davenport
6.Dementieva
7.Capriati
8.Sharapova
9.Kuznetsova
10.Sugiyama

==2004 POINTS RACE==
[Top 8 to WTA Chsp.]
1.Mauresmo
2.Henin-Hardenne
3.Davenport
4.Myskina
5.Sharapova
6.Kuznetsova
7.S.Williams
8.V.Williams

==DOUBLES TOP 10==
1.Suarez
2.Ruano-Pascual
3.Kuznetsova
4.Black
5.Likhovtseva
6.Navratilova
7.Stubbs
8.Petrova
9.Shaughnessy
10.Sugiyama

==2004 POINTS RACE==
[Top 4 to WTA Chsp.]
1.Ruano-Pascual/Suarez
2.Kuznetsova/Likhovtseva
3.Petrova/Shaughnessy
4.Black/Stubbs

==START OF 2Q/END OF 2Q==

[Top 25 GAINERS]
+14 Sprem (#34 to #20)
+11 Sharapova (#19 to #8)
+8  Bovina (#31 to #22)

[Top 25 FALLS]
-12 Rubin (#12 to #24)
-7  Dokic (#18 to #25)
-7  S.Williams (#7 to #14)

[Top 26-50 GAINERS]
+37 Golovin (#77 to #40)
+24 Kostanic (#62 to #38)
+21 Schaul (#65 to #44)

[Top 26-50 FALLS]
-24 Serna (#26 to #50)
-15 Sanchez Lorenzo (#33 to #48)
-15 Pisnik (#30 to #45)

==RUSSIANS IN TOP 100==
#4....Myskina
#6....Dementieva
#8....Sharapova
#9....Kuznetsova
#12...Petrova
#13...Zvonareva
#22...Bovina
#32...Safina
#39...Likhovtseva
#42...Krasnoroutskaya
#72...Douchevina
#76...Jidkova
#86...Kirilenko
#92...Panova

>>WTA LISTS

*YOUNGEST WIMBLEDON CHAMPS*
15...Lottie Dodd (1887)
16...Martina Hingis (1997)
17...Maria Sharapova (2004)

*LOWEST SEEDED WIMBLEDON CHAMPS*
[first seeded in 1927]
#13..Maria Sharapova, 2004
#8...Karen Hantze-Susman, 1962
#7...Dorothy Round, 1937
#7...Angela Mortimer, 1961

*SUPERNOVA vs. BIG 4*
vs. JHH (0-0)
----------------------
vs. Clijsters (0-2)
2003 LA 3r - KC 6-4/1-6/6-1
2003 Lux.SF - KC 6-0/6-3
----------------------
vs. S.Williams (1-1)
2004 Mia.4r - SW 6-4/6-3
2004 Wimb.F - MS 6-1/6-4
----------------------
vs. V.Williams (0-1)
2004 H.Kong Exhib.F - VW 7-5/6-3

*MOST 2004 SINGLES TITLES*
4...Henin-Hardenne
2...Clijsters
2...Mauresmo
2...Myskina
2...Davenport
2...Sharapova
2...V.Williams
2...Loit

*WEEKS IN SINGLES TOP 10*
[of 26]
26...Henin-Hardenne*
26...Clijsters*
26...Mauresmo*
26...Myskina*
26...Davenport*
26...Dementieva*
26...Capriati*
24...S.Williams
18...Sugiyama*
12...Rubin
9....Petrova
8....V.Williams
5....Kuznetsova*
1....Sharapova*
1....Suarez
[*]-in current Top 10

*2004 TOP 10ers on GRASS*
12-0...Sharapova
7-2....Mauresmo
6-1....S.Williams
5-1....Davenport
5-2....Sugiyama
4-1....Kuznetsova
4-1....Capriati
4-1....Suarez
3-3....Petrova
2-1....Myskina
1-1....V.Williams
0-1....Dementieva
0-1....Rubin
0-0....Clijsters
0-0....Henin-Hardenne

*MOST SINGLES TITLES - 2003/04*
12...Henin-Hardenne (8/4)
11...Clijsters (9/2)
6....Myskina (4/2)
5....S.Williams (4/1)
4....Mauresmo (2/2)
4....Sharapova (2/2)

*2004 RUSSIAN CHAMPS*
2...Sharapova (Birm/Wimb)
2...Myskina (Doha/RG)
1...Kuznetsova (East.)
1...Zvonareva (Memphis)

*LONGEST 2004 WTA MATCH WIN STREAKS*
[streaks ended by defeat or walkover loss]
16...Henin-Hardenne (Jan-Mar)
13...V.Williams (Apr-May)
13...Mauresmo (May)
12...Sharapova (Jun-Jul)#
10...Loit (April)
10...Myskina (May-Jun)
[#]-active streak

*MOST DOUBLES TITLES*
INDIVIDUAL
[doubles/mixed]
5...Cara Black (4/1)
4...Paola Suarez (4/0)
4...V.Ruano-Pascual (4/0)
4...Nadia Petrova (4/0)
4...Meghannn Shaughnessy (4/0)
TEAMS
4...Ruano-P./Suarez
4...Petrova/Shaughnessy
3...Black/Stubbs
3...McShea/Sequera

*2004 FINALISTS BY COUNTRY*
[Finals/Wins]
-------------
13 (6)...USA
13 (6)...Russia
9  (5)...France
7  (6)...Belgium

>>BACKSPIN'S
>>PLAYER OF THE YEAR POLL
[last rank in parenthesis]
1.Henin-Hardenne(1)...4 titles & a slam; the fall will tell for Queen
Justine in POY race
======================
2.Sharapova(10)...consider the world "shocked," but not Backspin
======================
3.Myskina(2)...suddenly a Russian slam footnote?
======================
4.Mauresmo(4)...regained measure of respect on the grass at Wimbledon with her second SF
======================
5.Davenport(8)...didn't get the big SW19 sendoff she was hoping for
======================
6.Suarez(5)...Wimbledon QF was career best there, but missed out on fourth straight overall slam doubles crown
======================
7.Kuznetsova(3)...huge Big W failure with 1st Round loss
======================
8.S.Williams(-)...lack of match toughness shows; needs to win US Open to regain stature
======================
9.V.Williams(6)...has failed in the slams, but don't forget about that 13-match winning streak on the clay
======================
10.Loit(7)...if it's a small event, she's in the mix
======================
RISING: Golovin...that set she took off the Supernova in the Birmingham final looks even better now

>>WEEK 27 PREDICTIONS

FED CUP QUARTERFINALS
=====================
Austria d. USA  3-2
Russia d. Argentina  4-1
France d. Italy  4-1
Spain d. Belgium  5-0

All for now.

======================

NEXT WEEK: Mid-Calendar Musings & 2nd Quarter Quiz