Your thoughts?

[ajchabria]

The men's tour/the women's tour...order and chaos switching places?
We're seeing some remarkable consistency from the big names on the ATP. I haven't seen so few double digit seeds in tour quarterfinals since the eighties. And you've got Hewitt and Federer in yet another big final.
Then in her first tournament back after almost a year off: Kimmy Clijsters wins a Tier 1 event. Maybe it had something to do with the absence of the Williamses and Justine. We'll know more this summer.

The favorites are the favorites, but what else is going on? Ljubicic and Canas are establishing themselves for a good summer of Slams. Nadal's ready to back up his hype this spring.
Justine and Serena have got to be a little antsy right about now.

What do you think?

[Hopp Roger]

Indian Wells

First of all, I enjoyed reading the article by Chabria.

Two bones to pick with him, though.

1]So, a woman can have wrist surgery, come back after several months off -- and win a tournament as big as Indian Wells. Clijsters is impressive, but really, what a sad, sad statement about the WTA Tour.

The men's draw was solid. I just wish Safin had held up his quarter. How did Dent beat him? Does anyone have a stat on Dent and his injuries/illnesses?

2]Federer is unbelievable. I disagree with the writer: most tennis purists already call him one of the greatest ever.

Go Roger!

[johnyandell]

Roger

Sad why? I saw Clijsters play in IW a few times and amazingly she looked better than when she left. More athletic than Lindsay for sure and without those tight forehand errors--we'll see how long that lasts.

I saw Safin too--he didn't like the wind and the cold and was muttering all the way thru his first match. Marat didn't play that well but Taylor played one of those maddening matches where you think--hey this guy really could be a lot higher--the serve and he volleys great. As soon as Taylor hears that enough though I suspect it'll be time for a few more disappointing loses.

[ajchabria]

Clijsters and Roger

Hopp Roger,

Good points, thanks for making them.

1] Kimmy winning Indian Wells does not reflect poorly on the women's tour. It's not like if Hingis had won her first tournament back. Now, THAT would have been a sad statement about the WTA Tour.

Clijsters is indeed impressive. The rest of the field has known that, even over that past year. She has been working awfully hard to get back to the top. Plus, it was only her left wrist that was out of order -- and she's a righty with a pretty solid one-handed slice backhand. That's a lot lighter cross to bear than a lower body or back injury. She's been able to train and crack serves and forehands all this time. Is it just me, or is she moving even better now? Physically, she is a specimen -- always has been -- and she looks ready to be in the top five already. In terms of match toughness, she is much further along than I gave her credit for prior to Indian Wells. What a story it would be if she took her first Slam this spring or summer? But there are a few other players willing to contest that in Paris, Wimbledon and Flushing, where traditionally, she's come up short.

2] Roger is well on his way to being an all-time great. I'd put him there if the Borg/Laver/Sampras/Budge/Tilden/Hoad/Kramer/Gonzales axis had not built a Kilimanjaro of statistics for him to climb. But the point I tried to make in the article is that he is only 23, and he'll need a few years to be on the penultimate Mac/Becker/Connors/Agassi/Wilander/Rosewall/Edberg/Lendl level. He's certainly equipped with a Hall of Fame game and the perspective go with it. He will do it. After that, who knows if he will be able to eclipse Pete, Borg or Laver? Like any sports fan, I'm all for it...and I'd love for it to happen under my watch!