French Open: Trouble in Clay

By: Chicago Sports Review

Usually, this would be a great time of year. While the official tennis season started, it can be argued at the Australian Open in January, the real tennis season for me begins now: the start of the French Open.As soon as the open is completed, the grass court season begins culminating at “The Championships,” known more colloquially as Wimbledon. The “main” tennis season ends at the U.S. Open in August/September. I have had the opportunity to attend all three of these tournaments, and it is great fun. At least it was…

Tennis is less exciting now. It is almost boring and there are two reasons: an on-the-court reason and an off-the-court reason. The on-court reason is simple — while the players are still extraordinarily good, the powerful rackets have taken away volleys and made the game a game of target practice (who can hit the hardest serve in bounds?). While this problem is less on clay, which is the surface on which the French Open is played, the reduction in the number of volleys on all surfaces has made the game one of solely speed.


This problem can be corrected if the powers that be in the sport had the guts to outlaw powerful rackets. This is not to say that I am totally for going back to the Rod Laver wood racket days, but there is no reason to allow the graphite, huge racket head, lightweight, extremely powerful rackets in competition.

Yes, the racket companies spend millions of dollars per year in research and development coming up with the next racket that they can sell to the players. They can continue to do that, but they should “ratchet back” the rackets that are used by the professionals. That way, we can watch longer rallies and see more exciting tennis. Also, fans would be able to gauge the actually talent and skill of the players.

The off-the-court problem is more problematic. In a world where spin-doctors and media gurus can turn no-talent into a recording artist, tennis has done a poor job of promoting its current stars. It’s either that or today’s tennis elite players are extremely boring.

The current men’s #1 player is Roger Federer. Even though he is the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, I didn’t even know until I looked it up now that he is from Switzerland.

The rest of the top 10, according to the ATP, include: Carlos Moya, a player who has been near the top for a few years but has never been able to close the deal; Guillermo Coria from Argentina (who?); and at #10 is David Nalbandian, another Argentinean who I’ve never heard of.

I have heard of the rest of the top 10, but for a couple of them I know of them not so much for tennis. Andy Roddick is ranked #4 and as the highest-ranking American he could be the U.S. media darling, but he’s made more headlines with whom he is dating. The Russian Marat Safin is ranked #5 and, like Moya, has been in the top 10 for a long time without making a real run at being the most dominant player in the world.

The same can be said of #6, Lleyton Hewitt, the Australian who was the #1 player a couple of years ago, but is now best known as the fiancee of women’s #2, Kim Clijsters. England’s Tim Henman is #7, and while a good player, he hasn’t shown the ability to be #1.

Rounding out the top 10 is Andre Agassi, who won’t remain there for long now that he lost in the first round to Jerome Haehnel, a 23-year-old Frenchman ranked 271st in the world. To many Agassi is the most recognized player in the, but at 34-years old Agassi’s days are nearing its end.

What does that say about the men’s game that an old man (in tennis years) like Agassi is still ranked in the top 10 and more recognizable than the rest of the top 10 combined?

Another older player, Goran Ivanesevic announced that he would be retiring after one more Wimbledon. The older players are retiring and the young players aren’t interesting.

For several years now, the woman’s game has been more interesting, but even the shine on their game is losing luster. The best thing about it was that there were several compelling players who all had a legitimate chance to win every tournament. But most of the best players in the world over the past five years are getting older and/or injured.


EconomyTravel.comMartina Hingis: injured and all but retired. Lindsay Davenport: injuries have limited her performance and now that she’s married, one has to ask how much longer she will want to make the sacrifices to remain a top player.

Monica Seles is now the senior woman on the tour and she never was able to regain her dominance after being stabbed in the back in Germany. Jennifer Capriati, who had been one of the feel-good stories of the late 90s, coming back from growing pains to become the best player in the world, has hit hard times and injuries again. A possible interesting story ended early when 47-year-old Martina Navratilova’s return to singles ended in the first round.

This leaves the Williams sisters and the Belgians. Venus, who was limited by injuries in 2003, has been overcome by her sister Serena. She has played much better in 2004 and looks to be back.

Foot problems hampered Serena Williams’ 2003 as well, forcing her to withdraw from Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. She has struggled to reclaim the top spot on the tour. Besides, she seems much more interested in her apparel line and cutting a dramatic figure on the court than playing tennis. This vacuum at the top of the women’s game has left the two Belgians, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, as the top two players in the world.

It may be American indifference, but these two young women have received less attention than the first person’s eliminated from “Survivor,” “The Apprentice” and “American Idol” put together. I don’t know if they are just uninteresting or if the American media are just so enraptured with the Williams girls that the Belgians aren’t covered. In any event, I can’t say that I’ve watched either of these women play.

The answer to all of this, of course, is inspired tennis. Great tennis overcomes all. It is still early at Roland Garros; far too early to judge the tennis played. But tennis fans, ESPN and the tennis establishment have to be hoping for some inspired tennis to overcome the malaise in interest from the casual observer.

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