2008 season has kicked off
Well the short and not long enough break from tennis is over, sure some tennis addicts might disagree with that comment, but the off season is too short, though this won't change in a hurry, especially "Fearless Leader" Etienne DeVilliers in charge, the guy who doesn't a give a fuck about tennis and seems hell bent of making unilateral decisions and everything to please Tiriac. He still hasn't admitted he got it wrong with Round Robin, this clown needs to taken away from his duties and someone who doesn't need the headlines to do the job and get things done.
Onto the good side things the tennis. This time of year, well we don't know what to expect, who has been enjoying their break and taking this trip to Australia as a holiday or who is interested in setting a good platform for the season and training hard. We have 3 circuses going on at the moment, the cash and oil backed Qatar Open, just like Dubai without the fun, and more sand. Then there is Adelaide which has been around for years and is moving to Brisvegas in 2009 and it's going to be a mixed event. Sorry ladies, I love them as company and among other things, but watching them play tennis isn't on my priorities, well I can always go and do other things when they are playing. Last of all is Chennai, which is one of the big Mickey Mouse events on tour and has been for a while, but it's good that the people from India can see some tennis.
Adelaide
One of the blog favourites Michael Russell started the season very well by upsetting del Potro 6-3 6-3, according to the wonderful Kristen it was 42 degrees there today and that is not court temperature and Mike is based in the southern parts of the USA and so he is used to the heat and good that his recent marriage hasn't impacted on him negatively. Now, he has to play the erratic Benji Becker and if it's this warm it will help him as long as he can keep the ball deep, then Becker can self destruct.
There were wins for Llodra over Simple Simon and big Sam Querrey took out Steve Darcis who is not a heat lover at all. Radek "Thunder Lips" Stepanek had to retire from his match with local warhorse Joe Sirianni, who has been in great form and deservedly got a wildcard into the AO and will build even more on his ranking. An Acasuso vs. Russell final would be ideal, but not very likely and Chucho has a tough one against Falla first up and he is never good after a break.
Doha
Home of the bizarre trophies, oil and buying athletes from other countries to win gold medals and pay them a lot of cash, not much honour, but that has concept in pro sports is as dead as wooden racquets. This event has the best overall field and some tight 1st rounders, well he have big Ljubo playing against Austria's most fashionable dude Stefan Koubek, both have won this event before, both have points to defend from last season, it would be good if Koubek can get the W.
Calleri plays Boredo and if Calleri plays to his potential then he has the weapons to hit through Boredo, but he needs to wait to pull the trigger and then nail him with backhands down the line as Boredo loves the off forehand, I want Gordo to win, but think Boredo will get it sadly. Seppi and Santoro this one should be quite a tricky match for Seppi, hope he can make it. Big Oscar is saving it up for the Aus Open and Andreev has a tough one in Johansson.
Chennai
Not much to say, except the Sunrise Challenger was stronger, hope Malisse and Baghdatis can do well here, but Moya will win off the court as he usually does.
Sidenote: Good effort from Peter Luczak against the Berdman, why wasn't Berdych sick when he played him instead of retiring the match against the clown Fish, lucky it's just the Hopman Cup.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
The Argentine Legion speak about the other side of the professional tour
This is a very well written piece about the side of the tennis tour that most people don't see and it gives a great insight into what the players are feeling and it's not always a good thing, though many of us would love to play on the tour.
Best of all these are written in their own words and that is rare these days and this was a good sample of opinions there.
Thanks of all thanks to Michelle and Em for translating this excellent piece.
http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news/story?id=628128&s=ten&type=story
The Legion talks is the new book of Ediciones Al Arco in which 12 of the best Argentine tennis players surprise all with their confessions.
Says Gaston Gaudio: "For a tennis player, family is the worst to have." For Jose Acasuso: "Tennis is an ambience of egoism and much jealousy." Juan Monaco continues: "You always hope that something happens to your rival, even if it were your friend or the one that you shared a room with the night before."
The book of journalists Ignacio Uzquiza and Fernando Bianculli consists of a series of interviews with Jose Acasuso, Agustin Calleri, Guillermo Cana, Guillermo Coria, Juan Ignacio Chela, David Nalbandian, Juan Martin Del Potro, Gaston Gaudio, Juan Monaco, Mariano Puerta, Martin Vasallo Arguello y Mariano Zabaleta.
"If the books serve to illuminate, La Legion habla enlightens one about the most valuable surface (aspect) of tennis: the experience of the players. I have read practically every book regarding the theme: some seemed good, others not as good, and the rest not worth anything. The value of La Legion habla resides in the WORD of the players. They tell their stories, offer up their opinions, transmit to us their (life) experience," opinions Guillermo Vilas, author of the prologue.
As Vilas indicates (signals,) the book trides to show, from the mouth of the protagonists, that tennis isn't just prestige, fame and money. It is also egoism, extreme competition and almost constant loneliness.
These 12 Argentine tennis players leave no theme without discussion and also expound up on their visions of the work of the Argentine Tennis Association and the conclusions that came about following the series of Argentines sanctioned in doping cases.
The following is a selection of some of the most compelling fragments from the interviews.
"What is tennis?" Its my way of life, my job, even though I have had the privilege of doing so because I like it. When I had to leave school to dedicate myself fully to tennis I began to take it more as a job than as a pleasure. With time I came to believe, that even if i like it, I am not passionate about the tennis." (Jose Acasuso)
"Did the Association give you a hand when you were an amateur?" In this moment, no. To the contrary. The boys from the Interior (of Argentina) have always been treated with prejudice. This (current) leadership, I don't know how it treats them because since I have been with Morea I have not been an amateur so I have not really been involved, but I can assure you that it used to be that the boys from the Interior were always screwed (treated like shite.) (Agustin Calleri)
"Is the ATP discriminatory?" Its discrimination from an economic standpoint, like any multinational corporation. Its just another of millions that there are in the world. Point being that I accept it, but I'm not buying into it that it is a group of players that decide (players union) because it isn't like that. (Guillermo Cañas)
"What are the pros and cons of being a professional tennis player?" "The main con is the falseness of your surroundings, not just from the players, but from everyone. In tennis, it's very normal to go from being the worst to the best and vice versa. In Argentina you're either God or you don't exist. When you're doing well, everyone surrounds you, and if you don't get the results, you're left all alone, or in other words, surrounded by the people who really care about you. That's why sometimes I may have been aloof or conceited because I never let anyone enter my circle of trust. You know how it goes and that there are heaps of people who latch on to you during the good times and then disappear". (Guillermo Coria)
"Is the Davis Cup one of your goals?" "Yes, for me, yes, it's one of my goals. But, I mean, there are lots of things...you might go and play Davis Cup and earn 10 000 dollars and you go to a tournament and earn 50 000, that's why it's difficult and I understand those who refuse to play a tie. I understand them and I have also sometimes said no. People don't see that side; you say no and they accuse you of not playing for your country. I have put aside a lot of things for the Davis Cup and nobody knows that. When I played in Canada with el Gordo (Agustin) Calleri, several guys had said no, and we weren't even in the World Group. I lost money for playing that tie because we didn't earn a cent in prize money and I travelled with my coach and had to pay for everything - his hotel, his fare. I remember that the captain at the time, Franco Davin, had to pay the meals with his own credit card. There are heaps of cases like this. I was always the alternate and I never complained. Another time, I was on my way to Punta del Este and they paged me at the airport because Cañas had got injured. And then I refused the call-up to play in Belarus because the clay season was approaching and it was just one week before, and they killed me!" (Juan Ignacio Chela)
"At one point you said you felt like giving up. Why?" "Because there started to be pressure, sponsors; I was 16 and people considered me to be a rising star, they started talking about me and that scared me a bit. Giving up school was also quite hard for me because I started to miss my friends, and the long trips made me miss my family a lot, we only spoke once a week. So I started to think: "What am I doing distancing myself from everything I love at such a young age?" and I stopped playing for a month. But that period made me realise that tennis was for me and that, since I had the opportunities, I couldn't waste them." (Juan Martin Del Potro)
"Are there schools of ideology in tennis like there is in football, for example?" "I, in particular, am of an ideology which I'm not sure is good for tennis. In footballers terms, it's closer to Menottism than Bilardism. (Menotti, the beautiful game and Bilardo played a more structured and pragmatic style for the non football lovers in here.)
When Nadal beat Federer in the 2006 Roland Garros final, he said later in the press conference: "I didn't play well but I knew that if I was courageous and strong, I could win." I don't believe in that, and it's bad. But it's an ideology that is so deep within me that I can't get rid of it. It's even a point of permanent discussion with my coach. He says to me: "there'll be thousands of times you won't play well" and now, after a ten year career, I realise I probably played well ten times in my whole life." (Gaston Gaudio)
"Did you ever have to share a room with someone you had to play against the next day?" "At a professional level, no, we each have our own room. But at a Challegers and Futures level, I often had to sleep in the same room as the guy I had to play against the next day. I wanted to kill him! It's a really weird feeling because, if nothing else, you think: "I hope this kid sleeps badly so I have more chances of winning". And you think that even if they're your friend. You always hope something happens to the other person". (Juan Monaco)
"There is often criticism towards you because of your approach to tennis: always professional but perhaps a bit too relaxed". "I live life. I think that helps but anyway, there are people who don't think so..." (David Nalbandian)
"Why did you come back to play?" "Because I wanted to end my career on the court, I deserve it, and to do the impossible to finish with a good ranking. I had dreamed of it since I was a young boy. I always wanted to be the one who stopped the tennis, and not have the tennis stop me. That's why I fought so much for all this. And I came back to play to be up there. Because I always felt I was going to come back and play". (Mariano Puerta)
"What does Guillermo Vilas mean to you?" "Guillermo is a role model we all had at one time or other, which has been torturous for many people, including me. He was the best at everything, as a role model and professional. He trained eight hours a day. His image is so deep rooted that at one point, I ended up hating him because all my coaches would tell me I had to train longer and not just four hours." (Martin Vassallo Arguello)
"There are some things which are normal, much more so than for other people. For example? The facilities you have to be able to get anything. From things to do with money to celebrities. For example, I remember once I was practising in Madrid and they invited me to the Real Madrid training session. I think that would be a dream for a lot of people, and I, thanks to tennis, had the chance to be with all the Argentinian and foreign players from the team. You might think that this is normal, but when you stop and think about it, you say: "What am I doing here eating with Ronaldo or Beckham?" I even played tennis with the prince of Monaco. I was training in Monte Carlo one day and they came and told me he wanted to play, so he came and we played for a bit. Over time, these things become so normal that they end up being insignificant. In any case, they're things that happen to elite tennis players, there are heaps of players who don't even come close to experiencing these situations..." (Mariano Zabaleta)
Best of all these are written in their own words and that is rare these days and this was a good sample of opinions there.
Thanks of all thanks to Michelle and Em for translating this excellent piece.
http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news/story?id=628128&s=ten&type=story
The Legion talks is the new book of Ediciones Al Arco in which 12 of the best Argentine tennis players surprise all with their confessions.
Says Gaston Gaudio: "For a tennis player, family is the worst to have." For Jose Acasuso: "Tennis is an ambience of egoism and much jealousy." Juan Monaco continues: "You always hope that something happens to your rival, even if it were your friend or the one that you shared a room with the night before."
The book of journalists Ignacio Uzquiza and Fernando Bianculli consists of a series of interviews with Jose Acasuso, Agustin Calleri, Guillermo Cana, Guillermo Coria, Juan Ignacio Chela, David Nalbandian, Juan Martin Del Potro, Gaston Gaudio, Juan Monaco, Mariano Puerta, Martin Vasallo Arguello y Mariano Zabaleta.
"If the books serve to illuminate, La Legion habla enlightens one about the most valuable surface (aspect) of tennis: the experience of the players. I have read practically every book regarding the theme: some seemed good, others not as good, and the rest not worth anything. The value of La Legion habla resides in the WORD of the players. They tell their stories, offer up their opinions, transmit to us their (life) experience," opinions Guillermo Vilas, author of the prologue.
As Vilas indicates (signals,) the book trides to show, from the mouth of the protagonists, that tennis isn't just prestige, fame and money. It is also egoism, extreme competition and almost constant loneliness.
These 12 Argentine tennis players leave no theme without discussion and also expound up on their visions of the work of the Argentine Tennis Association and the conclusions that came about following the series of Argentines sanctioned in doping cases.
The following is a selection of some of the most compelling fragments from the interviews.
"What is tennis?" Its my way of life, my job, even though I have had the privilege of doing so because I like it. When I had to leave school to dedicate myself fully to tennis I began to take it more as a job than as a pleasure. With time I came to believe, that even if i like it, I am not passionate about the tennis." (Jose Acasuso)
"Did the Association give you a hand when you were an amateur?" In this moment, no. To the contrary. The boys from the Interior (of Argentina) have always been treated with prejudice. This (current) leadership, I don't know how it treats them because since I have been with Morea I have not been an amateur so I have not really been involved, but I can assure you that it used to be that the boys from the Interior were always screwed (treated like shite.) (Agustin Calleri)
"Is the ATP discriminatory?" Its discrimination from an economic standpoint, like any multinational corporation. Its just another of millions that there are in the world. Point being that I accept it, but I'm not buying into it that it is a group of players that decide (players union) because it isn't like that. (Guillermo Cañas)
"What are the pros and cons of being a professional tennis player?" "The main con is the falseness of your surroundings, not just from the players, but from everyone. In tennis, it's very normal to go from being the worst to the best and vice versa. In Argentina you're either God or you don't exist. When you're doing well, everyone surrounds you, and if you don't get the results, you're left all alone, or in other words, surrounded by the people who really care about you. That's why sometimes I may have been aloof or conceited because I never let anyone enter my circle of trust. You know how it goes and that there are heaps of people who latch on to you during the good times and then disappear". (Guillermo Coria)
"Is the Davis Cup one of your goals?" "Yes, for me, yes, it's one of my goals. But, I mean, there are lots of things...you might go and play Davis Cup and earn 10 000 dollars and you go to a tournament and earn 50 000, that's why it's difficult and I understand those who refuse to play a tie. I understand them and I have also sometimes said no. People don't see that side; you say no and they accuse you of not playing for your country. I have put aside a lot of things for the Davis Cup and nobody knows that. When I played in Canada with el Gordo (Agustin) Calleri, several guys had said no, and we weren't even in the World Group. I lost money for playing that tie because we didn't earn a cent in prize money and I travelled with my coach and had to pay for everything - his hotel, his fare. I remember that the captain at the time, Franco Davin, had to pay the meals with his own credit card. There are heaps of cases like this. I was always the alternate and I never complained. Another time, I was on my way to Punta del Este and they paged me at the airport because Cañas had got injured. And then I refused the call-up to play in Belarus because the clay season was approaching and it was just one week before, and they killed me!" (Juan Ignacio Chela)
"At one point you said you felt like giving up. Why?" "Because there started to be pressure, sponsors; I was 16 and people considered me to be a rising star, they started talking about me and that scared me a bit. Giving up school was also quite hard for me because I started to miss my friends, and the long trips made me miss my family a lot, we only spoke once a week. So I started to think: "What am I doing distancing myself from everything I love at such a young age?" and I stopped playing for a month. But that period made me realise that tennis was for me and that, since I had the opportunities, I couldn't waste them." (Juan Martin Del Potro)
"Are there schools of ideology in tennis like there is in football, for example?" "I, in particular, am of an ideology which I'm not sure is good for tennis. In footballers terms, it's closer to Menottism than Bilardism. (Menotti, the beautiful game and Bilardo played a more structured and pragmatic style for the non football lovers in here.)
When Nadal beat Federer in the 2006 Roland Garros final, he said later in the press conference: "I didn't play well but I knew that if I was courageous and strong, I could win." I don't believe in that, and it's bad. But it's an ideology that is so deep within me that I can't get rid of it. It's even a point of permanent discussion with my coach. He says to me: "there'll be thousands of times you won't play well" and now, after a ten year career, I realise I probably played well ten times in my whole life." (Gaston Gaudio)
"Did you ever have to share a room with someone you had to play against the next day?" "At a professional level, no, we each have our own room. But at a Challegers and Futures level, I often had to sleep in the same room as the guy I had to play against the next day. I wanted to kill him! It's a really weird feeling because, if nothing else, you think: "I hope this kid sleeps badly so I have more chances of winning". And you think that even if they're your friend. You always hope something happens to the other person". (Juan Monaco)
"There is often criticism towards you because of your approach to tennis: always professional but perhaps a bit too relaxed". "I live life. I think that helps but anyway, there are people who don't think so..." (David Nalbandian)
"Why did you come back to play?" "Because I wanted to end my career on the court, I deserve it, and to do the impossible to finish with a good ranking. I had dreamed of it since I was a young boy. I always wanted to be the one who stopped the tennis, and not have the tennis stop me. That's why I fought so much for all this. And I came back to play to be up there. Because I always felt I was going to come back and play". (Mariano Puerta)
"What does Guillermo Vilas mean to you?" "Guillermo is a role model we all had at one time or other, which has been torturous for many people, including me. He was the best at everything, as a role model and professional. He trained eight hours a day. His image is so deep rooted that at one point, I ended up hating him because all my coaches would tell me I had to train longer and not just four hours." (Martin Vassallo Arguello)
"There are some things which are normal, much more so than for other people. For example? The facilities you have to be able to get anything. From things to do with money to celebrities. For example, I remember once I was practising in Madrid and they invited me to the Real Madrid training session. I think that would be a dream for a lot of people, and I, thanks to tennis, had the chance to be with all the Argentinian and foreign players from the team. You might think that this is normal, but when you stop and think about it, you say: "What am I doing here eating with Ronaldo or Beckham?" I even played tennis with the prince of Monaco. I was training in Monte Carlo one day and they came and told me he wanted to play, so he came and we played for a bit. Over time, these things become so normal that they end up being insignificant. In any case, they're things that happen to elite tennis players, there are heaps of players who don't even come close to experiencing these situations..." (Mariano Zabaleta)
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Edgardo Massa: The Forgotten Argentine on the Eternal Comeback
This one is about Yayo Massa, this is man who has been injured for almost 6 years in total and if he plays a full season he will make the top 100. These were in Clarin and La Nacion the Argentine papers.
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2007/11/15/deportes/d-06701.htm
Massa, the talent so badly struck by injuries
At the age of 20, he made good progress. Today, at the age of 26, he doesn't want any shocks.
Exactly seven years ago, triumphing at the Ericsson Cup, Edgardo Massa created excitement which, over the years, has been gradually diminishing. Throughout his career, Yayo has had as much talent as he has injuries. Too many for a professional tennis player who had made such good progress. Today, a far cry from those semifinals reached in 2000 - he was only stopped in the semifinals by an exceptional Guillermo Coria - the Formosa native seeks to relaunch his career at the Copa Petrobras, where he yesterday reached the second round after beating American Hugo Armando 6-3 6-3.
"I'm gradually feeling better. I'm happy to be back on court and be able to finish matches", the world number 674 told Clarin at the Vilas Club. Massa, now coached by Francisco Yunis, must hold the world record for longterm injuries. Naming the most recent ones, he mentions: surgery on both shoulders in 2005, hip surgery last year, and a stress fracture in his right hand this season, which sidelined him for almost eight months.
So, what does the blonde think of his career at 26? His reply: "I try to say, well, from now on I want to have a normal year. The results will speak for themselves. And if I want to go fishing for a month, I hope it's because I've chosen to do so. I want to be the one who decides to stop, I don't want it to be because of injury".
"It was amazing. If I look back, I feel like killing myself," he says of his past. "Every time I got injured, I tried to be optimistic. I surrendered 100% of my life to tennis. I hope I have a normal year", he adds. "For me, tennis is a job and I try to make it as good as possible. This is a solitary, selfish sport and I try to do my own thing, I don't screw with anything and I try to be as professional as possible", he says, summarising his relationship with tennis.
When asked whether this will be a good chance to get back into the main circuit, Massa says "I hope so. But now I'm taking it match by match, and just thinking of finishing them. I'm starting to feel nervous, not being able to sleep the night before, like what used to happen to me". Towards the end of the interview conducted next to the gym, Clarin asked him what he thought of the controversial issue of betting. And Massa, more serious now, was curt in his reply: "I prefer not to speak about this. I don't want to add more fuel to the fire".
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportiva/nota.asp?nota_id=962341
The eternal comeback
Cursed by injuries, Edgardo Massa returned once again to the circuit and hopes this time it's for good.
He kept getting injured, and kept coming back. Edgardo Yayo Massa was a member of a golden generation which catapulted players like Nalbandian and Coria. But a career plagued by injuries prevented him from asserting himself on the circuit. Three shoulder operations, one hip operation, multiple joint strains and injuries are part of his unfortunate CV. He's had so many injuries, he's even stopped counting them. But every time life dealt him a blow, he got back up again with strength and dedication.
Now, the strapping 26 year old from Formosa, ranked 674 (he was 91 in 2005), is trying again for the umpteenth time. He came back two months ago in Quito, and yesterday for the first round of the Copa Petrobras (his fourth tournament), at the Vilas Club, defeating American Hugo Armando 6-3 6-3 and hoping for a definitive comeback.
- What goes through your mind when you see how far Nalbandian and Coria have gone?
- I've known them both since we were nine or ten. We travelled a lot together in juniors, we did millions of tours together. I think about everything that happened and can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday, but it's been 15 years.
How did you overcome so many setbacks?
- It's very difficult. There were days when nothing happened, weeks which never seemed to end. The hardest part is the recovery. I didn't even feel like getting out of bed. All the time I would ask myself what the hell I had done to deserve this.
What was your worst injury?
- Just after I had got into the top 100, I had two shoulder operations. Another time, at an indoor exhibition, I moved awkwardly and I felt a dreadful pain in my hip, and it was back to the operating theatre. So it makes coming back harder, because when you recover, there are joint injuries, strains. It's like it will never end.
- What motivated you to keep going?
- The support from my family, friends and work group helped me a lot. There's no way in hell I would go out by myself. Now, I have Francisco Yunis, the coach that I want; Dario Lecman, the physical trainer that I want; and Carlos Musis, the manager that I want.
Did you ever consider yourself to be an ex-player?
- Yes, very often. Many times, I would spend three or four months without touching a racquet. I was a player off and on for a long time. I threatened to quit millions of times, and not as a whinger. I really had a tough time.
And what did you do when you weren't playing?
- Luckily, I was supported in everything I did. If I decided to study, travel, train, I had support. But in the end, it always ends up getting to you. And I didn't want to feel like I hadn't tried.
What do you think of the players who are already retiring at your age?
I can perfectly understand their decision. The life of a tennis player is very sacrificed. It's tiring and does your head in.
- What's your next goal?
- I've already taken the first step, which was to hold a racquet again. Now I want to have a good ore-season to be back on the circuit again.
Is this your last try?
- I don't know. I always say: "This is the last year." I want to stop playing at my own choice and not because of something beyond my control.
Emiliano Massa, another injury victim Yayo has a tennis playing brother: Emiliano. He was the Orange Bowl champion (2002) and the Roland Garros junior doubles champion (2005 and 2006). He is also troubled by injuries: he is currently recovering from a shoulder operation. "I try to give him advice, but I let him decide what is best for him," says Edgardo.
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2007/11/15/deportes/d-06701.htm
Massa, the talent so badly struck by injuries
At the age of 20, he made good progress. Today, at the age of 26, he doesn't want any shocks.
Exactly seven years ago, triumphing at the Ericsson Cup, Edgardo Massa created excitement which, over the years, has been gradually diminishing. Throughout his career, Yayo has had as much talent as he has injuries. Too many for a professional tennis player who had made such good progress. Today, a far cry from those semifinals reached in 2000 - he was only stopped in the semifinals by an exceptional Guillermo Coria - the Formosa native seeks to relaunch his career at the Copa Petrobras, where he yesterday reached the second round after beating American Hugo Armando 6-3 6-3.
"I'm gradually feeling better. I'm happy to be back on court and be able to finish matches", the world number 674 told Clarin at the Vilas Club. Massa, now coached by Francisco Yunis, must hold the world record for longterm injuries. Naming the most recent ones, he mentions: surgery on both shoulders in 2005, hip surgery last year, and a stress fracture in his right hand this season, which sidelined him for almost eight months.
So, what does the blonde think of his career at 26? His reply: "I try to say, well, from now on I want to have a normal year. The results will speak for themselves. And if I want to go fishing for a month, I hope it's because I've chosen to do so. I want to be the one who decides to stop, I don't want it to be because of injury".
"It was amazing. If I look back, I feel like killing myself," he says of his past. "Every time I got injured, I tried to be optimistic. I surrendered 100% of my life to tennis. I hope I have a normal year", he adds. "For me, tennis is a job and I try to make it as good as possible. This is a solitary, selfish sport and I try to do my own thing, I don't screw with anything and I try to be as professional as possible", he says, summarising his relationship with tennis.
When asked whether this will be a good chance to get back into the main circuit, Massa says "I hope so. But now I'm taking it match by match, and just thinking of finishing them. I'm starting to feel nervous, not being able to sleep the night before, like what used to happen to me". Towards the end of the interview conducted next to the gym, Clarin asked him what he thought of the controversial issue of betting. And Massa, more serious now, was curt in his reply: "I prefer not to speak about this. I don't want to add more fuel to the fire".
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportiva/nota.asp?nota_id=962341
The eternal comeback
Cursed by injuries, Edgardo Massa returned once again to the circuit and hopes this time it's for good.
He kept getting injured, and kept coming back. Edgardo Yayo Massa was a member of a golden generation which catapulted players like Nalbandian and Coria. But a career plagued by injuries prevented him from asserting himself on the circuit. Three shoulder operations, one hip operation, multiple joint strains and injuries are part of his unfortunate CV. He's had so many injuries, he's even stopped counting them. But every time life dealt him a blow, he got back up again with strength and dedication.
Now, the strapping 26 year old from Formosa, ranked 674 (he was 91 in 2005), is trying again for the umpteenth time. He came back two months ago in Quito, and yesterday for the first round of the Copa Petrobras (his fourth tournament), at the Vilas Club, defeating American Hugo Armando 6-3 6-3 and hoping for a definitive comeback.
- What goes through your mind when you see how far Nalbandian and Coria have gone?
- I've known them both since we were nine or ten. We travelled a lot together in juniors, we did millions of tours together. I think about everything that happened and can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday, but it's been 15 years.
How did you overcome so many setbacks?
- It's very difficult. There were days when nothing happened, weeks which never seemed to end. The hardest part is the recovery. I didn't even feel like getting out of bed. All the time I would ask myself what the hell I had done to deserve this.
What was your worst injury?
- Just after I had got into the top 100, I had two shoulder operations. Another time, at an indoor exhibition, I moved awkwardly and I felt a dreadful pain in my hip, and it was back to the operating theatre. So it makes coming back harder, because when you recover, there are joint injuries, strains. It's like it will never end.
- What motivated you to keep going?
- The support from my family, friends and work group helped me a lot. There's no way in hell I would go out by myself. Now, I have Francisco Yunis, the coach that I want; Dario Lecman, the physical trainer that I want; and Carlos Musis, the manager that I want.
Did you ever consider yourself to be an ex-player?
- Yes, very often. Many times, I would spend three or four months without touching a racquet. I was a player off and on for a long time. I threatened to quit millions of times, and not as a whinger. I really had a tough time.
And what did you do when you weren't playing?
- Luckily, I was supported in everything I did. If I decided to study, travel, train, I had support. But in the end, it always ends up getting to you. And I didn't want to feel like I hadn't tried.
What do you think of the players who are already retiring at your age?
I can perfectly understand their decision. The life of a tennis player is very sacrificed. It's tiring and does your head in.
- What's your next goal?
- I've already taken the first step, which was to hold a racquet again. Now I want to have a good ore-season to be back on the circuit again.
Is this your last try?
- I don't know. I always say: "This is the last year." I want to stop playing at my own choice and not because of something beyond my control.
Emiliano Massa, another injury victim Yayo has a tennis playing brother: Emiliano. He was the Orange Bowl champion (2002) and the Roland Garros junior doubles champion (2005 and 2006). He is also troubled by injuries: he is currently recovering from a shoulder operation. "I try to give him advice, but I let him decide what is best for him," says Edgardo.
South Tyrol's finest tennis player Andreas Seppi off the court
This was in the Italian tennis magazine and translated by the great Genci, who is Albania's finest tennis player and polygot.
Andreas Seppi
Kaltern– Cimitero Street [Cimitero means graveyard in Italian]. Well, Andreas lives here. And knowing his passion for horror movies we might think that his choice of the street where he lives was not casual. In reality our Davis Cup man doesn’t have anything to do with it, the foundations of this beautiful house were made by his grandfather years ago.
We are in Alto Adige, more precisely in Kaltern, a small village of 7.000 inhabitants 15 km far from Bozen. Here the people live – and well – on tourism and agriculture, especially vineyards and apples but also handicrafts. The sport that is more frequented is ice hockey and obviously skiing. It’s whole other story how did grow up here two tennis players that are among the top 50 (besides Andreas also Karin Knapp lives here). It’s here that “Seppio” – the nickname that his coach Sartori gave him – comes to recharge his batteries after the fatigues in the tournaments around the world.
He did that even after the nice semifinal reached in Vienna where, after beating with a clear score a top player like Baghdatis and eliminating from the tournament Ivan Ljubicic (a win that has the taste of a feat, since the Croat was undefeated in the Austrian capital in 2 years), was beaten in a well-fought match from the number 3 in the world Novak Djokovic. And that’s how Andy returned home with the number 55 in the ATP ranking in the bag and for someone that before Wimbledon was number 112 it’s not a small achievement.
After a trip of around 4 hours from Milan here we are in Seppi’s house. Andy comes to greet us – in tennis wear – and shows us his house and every room. Then we sit in the living room and, while the TV shows images from the satellite in German language, he talks us of his life outside the Tour. In the morning he never wakes up before 8.30 and he doesn’t like having breakfast. Sometimes he has a little bread, but rarely, because he’s never hungry in the morning.
The first challenge of the day is exactly the one with the alarm clock. It rings and he shuts it off…continuously. Till – but never before the fifth ring – he gives up and gets up. Second thing to do: going to take the coach with the car and going to TC Kaltern [Tennis Club Kaltern] for the training. “I play tennis for a couple of hours and then I return home, where fortunately there is my mother that cooks the lunch for me”.
His mother is called Maria Luisa and “tries to help me in everything”. His father, Hugo, on the contrary is a silent man “but when he talks you’d better open well your ears because he’ll explain things only once…”. Hugo used to play hockey and football, Maria Luisa was a good skier; none of them knew tennis. To close the family circle only the sister Maria is missing, she’s 20 years old and doesn’t live home because she works in Bozen. “After the lunch I never sleep – adds Seppi – otherwise I become lazy; I prefer to watch a little TV and then around 15.00 I return to tennis where Lisa is waiting for me”. Lisa is not his girlfriend but his fitness coach and the wife of his coach at the same time. So it’s gym till 17.30 and then tennis again before returning home.
“During the week I don’t go out in the night. I stay with the computer: messenger (nickname: andyseppi), I listen to songs, watch clips on youtube and then some movies; “Do you want to know who is the best Blockbuster ( movie mogul) of the circuit? Potito Starace. Do you ask yourself how did I manage to lose in the Kitzbuhel quarterfinals after being 6-1 5-3 ahead? Easy: if I beat him who would have supplied me with movies for the whole season?”.
We ask him how is life in a place where everybody knows about you and expect big things from you: “It’s nice although there are some complications. For example, if I want to go across the village it could take me even one hour because I always meet someone, friends or acquaintances of my mother, people that want to know how things are going. Because of this I usually go on bike, full speed, and this way I go quicker”.
While we’re talking the doorbell rings: it’s Karin Knapp, 1m 80cm of pleasant shyness, 20 years old (Seppi is already 23) and already number 57 of the WTA ranking. “She knew you were here and came over to greet you. Karin lives in the ground floor of a lodge, two minutes on foot from Seppi’s house. She lives alone and she takes care herself of cooking: “Mostly pasta – she tells us smiling – in fact I’m not a great cook”. “Between us there’s a nice friendship – adds Andreas – sometimes in the evening we go out to have an ice-cream together, especially in the winter during the 2 months were the Tour stops, because during the rest of the year we rarely happen to be home at the same time”.
It’s funny the rivalry between the 2 stars from Alto Adige. There are precise rules: who is ahead in the ranking chooses the court for training in the club. We ask Andreas if the advent of Karin has made him a little jealous…”No…on the contrary it’s good for me as we can share the pressure from who expects big things from us. Often we laugh on the fact that she is ahead in the ranking and I need to go and chase her. Fortunately now I have settled things again.It’s late, we need to say goodbye, there’s only time for one last secret at the front door…”Everyone talks well about girls like Kirilenko. She’s pretty of course, I don’t doubt it, but to celebrate an important win I prefer Karin”.
Andreas Seppi
Kaltern– Cimitero Street [Cimitero means graveyard in Italian]. Well, Andreas lives here. And knowing his passion for horror movies we might think that his choice of the street where he lives was not casual. In reality our Davis Cup man doesn’t have anything to do with it, the foundations of this beautiful house were made by his grandfather years ago.
We are in Alto Adige, more precisely in Kaltern, a small village of 7.000 inhabitants 15 km far from Bozen. Here the people live – and well – on tourism and agriculture, especially vineyards and apples but also handicrafts. The sport that is more frequented is ice hockey and obviously skiing. It’s whole other story how did grow up here two tennis players that are among the top 50 (besides Andreas also Karin Knapp lives here). It’s here that “Seppio” – the nickname that his coach Sartori gave him – comes to recharge his batteries after the fatigues in the tournaments around the world.
He did that even after the nice semifinal reached in Vienna where, after beating with a clear score a top player like Baghdatis and eliminating from the tournament Ivan Ljubicic (a win that has the taste of a feat, since the Croat was undefeated in the Austrian capital in 2 years), was beaten in a well-fought match from the number 3 in the world Novak Djokovic. And that’s how Andy returned home with the number 55 in the ATP ranking in the bag and for someone that before Wimbledon was number 112 it’s not a small achievement.
After a trip of around 4 hours from Milan here we are in Seppi’s house. Andy comes to greet us – in tennis wear – and shows us his house and every room. Then we sit in the living room and, while the TV shows images from the satellite in German language, he talks us of his life outside the Tour. In the morning he never wakes up before 8.30 and he doesn’t like having breakfast. Sometimes he has a little bread, but rarely, because he’s never hungry in the morning.
The first challenge of the day is exactly the one with the alarm clock. It rings and he shuts it off…continuously. Till – but never before the fifth ring – he gives up and gets up. Second thing to do: going to take the coach with the car and going to TC Kaltern [Tennis Club Kaltern] for the training. “I play tennis for a couple of hours and then I return home, where fortunately there is my mother that cooks the lunch for me”.
His mother is called Maria Luisa and “tries to help me in everything”. His father, Hugo, on the contrary is a silent man “but when he talks you’d better open well your ears because he’ll explain things only once…”. Hugo used to play hockey and football, Maria Luisa was a good skier; none of them knew tennis. To close the family circle only the sister Maria is missing, she’s 20 years old and doesn’t live home because she works in Bozen. “After the lunch I never sleep – adds Seppi – otherwise I become lazy; I prefer to watch a little TV and then around 15.00 I return to tennis where Lisa is waiting for me”. Lisa is not his girlfriend but his fitness coach and the wife of his coach at the same time. So it’s gym till 17.30 and then tennis again before returning home.
“During the week I don’t go out in the night. I stay with the computer: messenger (nickname: andyseppi), I listen to songs, watch clips on youtube and then some movies; “Do you want to know who is the best Blockbuster ( movie mogul) of the circuit? Potito Starace. Do you ask yourself how did I manage to lose in the Kitzbuhel quarterfinals after being 6-1 5-3 ahead? Easy: if I beat him who would have supplied me with movies for the whole season?”.
We ask him how is life in a place where everybody knows about you and expect big things from you: “It’s nice although there are some complications. For example, if I want to go across the village it could take me even one hour because I always meet someone, friends or acquaintances of my mother, people that want to know how things are going. Because of this I usually go on bike, full speed, and this way I go quicker”.
While we’re talking the doorbell rings: it’s Karin Knapp, 1m 80cm of pleasant shyness, 20 years old (Seppi is already 23) and already number 57 of the WTA ranking. “She knew you were here and came over to greet you. Karin lives in the ground floor of a lodge, two minutes on foot from Seppi’s house. She lives alone and she takes care herself of cooking: “Mostly pasta – she tells us smiling – in fact I’m not a great cook”. “Between us there’s a nice friendship – adds Andreas – sometimes in the evening we go out to have an ice-cream together, especially in the winter during the 2 months were the Tour stops, because during the rest of the year we rarely happen to be home at the same time”.
It’s funny the rivalry between the 2 stars from Alto Adige. There are precise rules: who is ahead in the ranking chooses the court for training in the club. We ask Andreas if the advent of Karin has made him a little jealous…”No…on the contrary it’s good for me as we can share the pressure from who expects big things from us. Often we laugh on the fact that she is ahead in the ranking and I need to go and chase her. Fortunately now I have settled things again.It’s late, we need to say goodbye, there’s only time for one last secret at the front door…”Everyone talks well about girls like Kirilenko. She’s pretty of course, I don’t doubt it, but to celebrate an important win I prefer Karin”.
US Davis Cup Champions 2007
The USA won their first Davis Cup title in 12 years at home. They took advantage of their fortune when Stepanek didn't play for the Czechs in Round 1. Nadal was missing for the QFs. Söderling, the Swedes best player missing for the semis and a disjointed Russian side in the final.
Like all good teams do, they took their chances and with an excellent Bryans doubles team. The Russians needed to win a match on Day 1, but James Blake was too good for Youzhny and Roddick took out Tursunov.
Congrats on the victory they won't defend next season.
Like all good teams do, they took their chances and with an excellent Bryans doubles team. The Russians needed to win a match on Day 1, but James Blake was too good for Youzhny and Roddick took out Tursunov.
Congrats on the victory they won't defend next season.
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