Update: Davydenko will Never Get a Break...

Nikolay Davydenko is doomed forever. In one of my last posts, I talked about the latest betting scandal involving Davydenko and how he is under strict scrutiny for losing a match in return for money from gamblers. Well, just yesterday, he lost - and lost big. Davydenko won the first set against Marian Cilic (yes, who?) 6-1, then dropped the next two sets 5-7, 1-6. Hmmm. This could be typical for anyone. Everyone chokes once in a while (ummm...my Cleveland Indians), but Davydenko can never really "choke" again because of what he is involved with right now - betting and gambling.

Turns out, Davydenko was fined $2000 for losing. Wait, what?! Fined for LOSING? Yes, he was fined for, according to ESPN.com, "not trying hard enough" in the match. The umpire actually told him to play better in the middle of the second set!

Okay, while I think that betting and gambling is wrong and one of the most unprofessional activities any athletes can do, this is wrong. Davydenko said that his legs were hurting...maybe, maybe not, but don't fine him. Don't embarrass him. Look into the match and the betting patterns during the match privately. Leave everything else alone.

Once the ump told him to try harder, Davydenkyo said that was it - he was out of the match "psychologically" and fell apart. I would be, too. Duh. So, while I do feel suspicious that Davydenko may have thrown in the towel for his own benefit in this one, he should not have been fined.

I will keep watching this one as it unfolds...

Federer Falls!! What?!

Last week’s Madrid Tennis Master’s Series event was thrown for many loops. First, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick, obvious fan favorites, unexpectedly pulled out due to “foot injuries.” Then, by the quarterfinals, only four of the top sixteen seeds were left – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, and Fernando Gonzalez. All of them were playing very flat, so I expected someone out of the ordinary to win the entire tournament – exactly what happened! I should really win an award for my predictions, sometimes.

This tournament’s dominator? David Nalbandian. Ask my family, and they will tell you that I am not a fan of the guy for certain reasons, but I give him credit in this tourney. As Nalbandian has had a very up and down career, and most recently has been on the downside with a year-best of one quarterfinal, the Madrid title should boost Nalbandian’s confidence a little bit. What he did was incredible, too, knocking out all three top seeds to win the title, something Djokovic achieved a few months ago in Montreal. Before Djokovic, no one had done this feat since Boris Becker in 1994. Props to Nalbandian. Note that this will be the only time you ever see me acknowledge him.

However, let’s go to the guy on the other side of the net – Mr. Roger Federer. The Chosen One. God’s Gift to Tennis. He has so many names now that I cannot even keep track. Federer is hailed as becoming one of the greatest players EVER and I agree. Think about it. The guy plays a sick game that sometimes it is too good to watch. His form is so natural and so suave, his fitness is perfect, and his on-court stamina is classy and professional. He is the whole package and has TWELVE Grand Slam titles to show for it - passing up Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver and falling only two titles behind Pete Sampras.

Federer never ever really loses. Nadal was able to grab two French Open titles and Guerillmo Canas was able to get in his head a little bit, but Federer never seems to break a sweat and even drop a set. This year’s record: 58-7. Crazy impressive.

But, most recently, while Federer is still winning, he is dropping some odd sets with some sloppy tennis and I am noticing that the young, up-and-coming generation is beginning to challenge the tennis whiz. I know it sounds wrong, but I like seeing the guy suffer out there a little bit, getting nervous, or letting out a scream once in a while. Novak Djokovic beat Federer in Montreal over the summer in one of the best matches that I have ever seen. It was the new young versus the old master and Federer, visibly winded, fell to the energized Djokovic. I had never seen Federer so frustrated. Had to enjoy it!

Nalbandian also took The Chosen One down last week, as Federer was referred to as “walkabout” and “robbed” by journalists. On Monday, Federer dropped one lazy set to Michael Berrer in the opening round of his hometown Swiss tournament. He was also barely able to hold serve to win the match, too.

So, what is going on? Are we finding King Roger taking a little breather from his throne? It is still tough to tell – he IS allowed to lose a set or match ONCE in a while, I guess. Maybe Federer is beginning to slow down a bit and some other players will jump in and win some titles. I think that it will make the game a little more interesting. Not that I am complaining about Federer and his fantastic record and contributions to the sport. I love watching history! But, maybe, just maybe, the time has come for some other players to challenge The King a bit.

Who am I thinking? Here are my picks for some of Federer’s biggest threats. Watch out for them! They are young, fit, and ready for the challenge.

5. Sam Querrey – The 20-year-old American is already generating buzz for his dominating serve and big ground strokes. Querrey is just beginning and can only get better.

4. Andy Murray – He is working his butt off to become fitter and faster. I think Murray still needs to fully break through and win a few titles, but with Coach Brad Gilbert, it will become a piece of cake.

3. Rafael Nadal – I love Rafa. Who doesn’t? As the reigning King of clay, Nadal will be that one player who continues to strip Federer of his career Grand Slam at the French Open. While his hard court game can use some work, Nadal still will be Federer’s major rival.

2. Mario Ancic – Suffering from a never-ending case of mono is no good. Once Ancic becomes healthy, he is a huge threat to EVERYONE on the tour. He has upset so many top 10 seeds that we will see him in there very soon. With many small titles under his belt, the big ones will be coming.

1. Novak Djokovic – One of my personal favorites. He has the character, the energy, the mentality, and the quick shot-making that will challenge Federer the most in the years to come. You are looking at the future Number One, folks!

I am Watching You Like a Hawk...

On November 30, the US Davis Cup Team will try to reclaim the Davis Cup crown that hasn’t been won on US soil since the Agassi-Connors days. Andy Roddick, James Blake, and the doubles duo of Bob and Mike Bryan will be playing Russia in Portland, Oregon to bring the Cup back to the U-S of A. I am psyched!!

On ESPN.com today, I saw a headline that stated that captain Patrick McEnroe was unhappy. What else is new? He is almost as bad as his brother. So what was it this time? He is against the use of Hawk-Eye technology in the Davis Cup final. What?! I thought to myself. I religiously listen to the guy commentate and I know that he only has praised the use of it. I decided to look further.

Well, it turns out that in the final, players will get UNLIMITED line challenges. This means that whenever a player does not agree with a call, they can ask to use Hawk Eye to make the call. Whether it is 1-0, 40-0 or 5-4 and match point, the player can call it. If they want to call it on every point in a game, they can. If they want to call it on every deuce game, they can. The power is in the player.

So why is this going to happen? The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is justifying the rule based on their experiences with the clay court game. Clay courts leave little marks in the clay that show where the balls bounce. A majority of the Davis Cup matches have been on clay, so therefore, players have the constant ability to see where the ball has bounced. Since this is a hard court, where there are no little ball marks, the ITF states that players deserve the same right in this situation, too. So, this means the Davis Cup final will have unlimited line calls instead of the two per set and one-extra in a tiebreak that is intact on the regular circuit.

Okay, we see the problem here that Mr. McEnroe is so upset about. A Hawk-Eye challenge stops game play. The second that racket goes up in the air, play stops, players resort to the baseline, the umpire presses a little button, and the screen shows the call. Play then resumes. It is a twenty to thirty second interruption. So, can this stoppage power be abused? Ummmm…yeah. Big time!

If a player is in a rut and wants to find an easy way to take a break, why not stop play for a little bit to rest? Why not call a challenge…There is a pause for you! McEnroe makes the point that challenge abuse can also be used to “just get inside their opponent’s head.” A challenge can work in your favor, it can work against you. Tennis is such a mental game that a few challenges can change the rhythm and some mental parts of the game. Abuse of the system can really affect the mind of the person on the other side of the net.

I love Hawk-Eye. I really do. I think it great for fans and provides some extra assurance that a match is being played fairly. It also offers the athlete some extra opportunities for strategy, as they are only awarded two challenges a set. They are forced to decide when it is the best time to use them. As Hawk-Eye is exciting and offers so many benefits on the court and off, I do not agree with this unlimited challenge system at all. A player can consistently challenge to work for their own benefit, which takes away from the essence of friendly competition and interrupts play and the mind set of their opponent. While it would be extremely unprofessional to abuse the power, there is a possibility that a player could use it just to get out of a tight part of the match. We shall see what happens, but I am going with a big nay for the ITF on this one.

Want to know more about Hawk-Eye technology and how some of the players feel about it? (Important to note: One OPPONENT is Roger Federer!) – Click Here and Here

College or Career in the Game of Life, er, Tennis?

I apologize that this post is long overdue. This weekend, I spent my time in Rochester, cheering on my tennis team to our Empire Eight Championship! Congrats Lady Bombers! We now move onto the NCAA tournament in May where we have a chance to battle some of the best in Division III tennis.

Spending the weekend surrounded by college tennis got me thinking - thinking about college tennis and thinking about pro tennis. Obviously, I know that Division III tennis is not even close to par with Division I tennis. In fact, the skill level is like Anna Kournikova playing Maria Sharapova. However, I was thinking how awesome it would be to be a Division I caliber tennis player. At this level, you are about as close to being pro as you can be. Some even end up dropping out of college or skipping it all together to go pro. So what should you do? If you are THAT good at tennis, would you want to travel the world year-round as a professional or stay in school, get an education, and play some awesome tennis along the way?

In American tennis, I think of two young athletes who have recently been in this situation - John Isner and Sam Querrey.

Isner, 22, had an awesome summer, jumping from the high 800's in the rankings to around 150. He almost beat Andy Roddick in the Washington final and even took a set from Mr. Roger Federer in the third round of the US Open in August. Known for his serve, the 6'-9" Isner is making a name for himself as a pro. However, he has something most other pros do not have - college experience. Sam Querrey, 18, also had a fantastic summer and is now officially in the Top 50. Also known for his height and serve, Querrey turned down a full ride to Southern California to turn pro.

Looking at these two youngsters who already have been successful (Isner has earned over $130,000 and Querrey more than $450,000), I would say that the pro circuit outshines the college competition. However, both sides have been debated and both could be worth it.

Isner says that playing for the University of Georgia was the best decision he ever could have made. While the pro circuit seems to be filled with pressures to do well, Isner explains that it was actually worse in college because it was a team sport - no one wants to let their team down. But that team atmosphere is what makes it all worth it. Isner was able to lead his Bulldogs to a 2007 NCAA Championship and he says that the memories he has of college are priceless. His mental game has also grew so much from the experience, being a team sport - more than any professional match could do. Isner is now reaping the rewards and finding himself with some trophys and nice paychecks.

Isner recently said, "Now that I'm playing just for me, I didn't feel that much pressure at all. The only person I'm going to disappoint is myself. I'm not going to let anyone else down."

Agreed. For the Bombers, I play in both regular matches and in many exhibition matches, too. It is a whole different ballgame playing in a match that counts for your team. "What-if" scenarios are endless as you are catching glimpses of your fellow teammates on the other courts. What if it comes down to you to win the match? You CANNOT let your team down. However, as Isner so wisely states, the pro circuit is you, and only you. If YOU mess up, then that's the money YOU will not be getting for that trip, car, or new pair of shoes. In college, the pressure is on you to do well for your TEAM. Obviously, an athlete learns very quickly how to deal mentally with playing the game.

On the other hand, Querrey decided to skip out on school because the pro circuit offered him something college would not - much financial opportunities. When you are a player with enough skill to be pro, endorsement money alone can reach the seven figures very, very quickly. When that opportunity is open, who wouldn't jump on it? You can go to school anytime so long you have the money for it, but a professional athlete's career (especially in tennis) can be very short-lived. We can see that Querrey probably has made the right decision, as he has already traveled the world and has almost made a half a million dollars in JUST prize money - and he is only 18!

So what is the verdict? College or Career? Sounds like the Game of Life to me. Should a tennis player move the little token to the left or to the right?

For me, I would say that if a player has the skill to go pro and be successful with it, go for it! Who wouldn't? The money, the travel, the free equipment and endorsements, and the endless opportunities are at your fingertips...Take it! You can go back to college later if you want to! Yes, I love college, I really do, but the pro circuit is too appealing to turn down. So, where would you move your little car in the Game of Life, er, the game of tennis? Take it on a road trip to the next school or transform it into a plane and travel to Australia for the first tourney of the year? I am taking the plane.

Serving Up a Good Cause

As the tennis season is in its final stretch, players will soon find themselves with some down time. If I was a tennis player, playing 10 months out of the year, I would want to relax, maybe even avoid the game for a little while. Besides, the tennis "off-season" is only about a month and a half long, so why not take advantage of it?

However, what I find great is that, instead of laying low, many players take the extra initiative to give back and play for something that is not a shiny trophy or an attractive paycheck - they play for charity or set up a charity event. Many tennis alums and current pros are doing it and raising a whole lot of money doing so!

I came across an article this week on ESPN.com that reported on Andre Agassi's annual charity event, "Grand Slam for Children." The event benefits the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas that Agassi built in 2001. Agassi's academy has become one of the most well-known schools in Las Vegas, with 98% of its students being minorities and residing within a low-class two-mile radius of the school. Grades K-12 attend and are educated with the best teachers, as well as some over-the-top facilities like touch screen computers. Students have some of the highest test scores in the area and many have goals of attending some of the most accredited colleges in the country.

So how much money was raised in one night for these kids? A million? Five million, maybe? Nope. Nine million dollars! That is a ridiculous amount of money! Agassi invited some celeb buddies and casino tycoons to help him out and everyone gave back more than expected! What a great accomplishment for an even greater cause!

Agassi has contributed to many charity endeavors and other players have followed suit. Each year, Andy Roddick holds a very formal gala and celebrity-athlete exhibition match that benefits his own charity, The Andy Roddick Foundation. Guests have included Lionel Richie and Elton John and some of Roddick's closest friends and fans. Over the years, the foundation has raised over $5 million dollars to help needy children. Again, a very impressive number.

While some athletes work with great causes off the court, many use their off-time to raise some money on-court. Last March, in between a lull period in the game, the Bryan brothers, Mardy Fish and Maria Sharapova took place in a two-day charity event in California. The Williams Sisters have taken place in a number of exhibition events and have raised hundreds of thousands in doing so. Even Anna Kournikova, who has been wiped off of the tennis planet, takes place in some events from time to time, as she knows that she can raise money. Hey, if you can do that, go for it, I say! Anything for a good cause.

So, all in all, I think the time off from the competitive, game play mindset and into the charity mindset is a great thing - for those who benefit from the money raised and for the sport of tennis. Obviously, it is great that those who need it most are getting the help they deserve. It is also great that tennis can be seen as a sport in which the ATHLETES themselves give back. I never really see much publicity about individual football players or basketball stars putting together a formal gala or a game of pick-up at a local gym to benefit charity. It would generate a lot of money, I would think. However, it is not being done.

Tennis is great model for charity and others should follow through with it. Any event can easily build hype when the big names come to a town that has no tennis tournaments nearby during the year. In turn, fans get to see their favorite players up close, in the action, and everything soon becomes focused on the fan. When you put charity back in the mix, a winning pair is made. This is a reason as to why these events are so successful. People will come out to see something that they never get to see and will be helping others at the same time - fantastic!

Props to tennis players for raising some money off the court. It only adds to the class and charm that the game constantly needs. If only other sports and athletes would see this - it would broaden the appeal of any sport and most importantly, help those who need it most. No trophy or big paycheck involved.

Update!

I told you I would update you on anything and everything involving the tennis betting scandals.

Now it seems like women's tennis is in some hot water.

See what is going on...

Scandal...You Bet!

Back in August, tennis was hit with one of its biggest controversies yet – betting and match fixing. Gambling is obviously present in all sports – Fantasy Football, college March Madness, horseracing, boxing, the list goes on and on. However, betting issues have never really been discussed too much in tennis. In fact, I didn’t even know how BIG betting was in the sport. Take a guess at HOW BIG betting is?? How about $1 billion big!? According to SI.com, $1 billion was bet for the US Open alone. When dealing with that ridiculously large amount of money, I understand why even the slightest suspicion of a player fixing their match in return for some money has become such a big deal and whipped tennis into the scandal spotlight.

So, what has been going on with the betting scandal? Let’s look at Nikolay Davydenko. Never heard of him? Well, he is actually sitting at #4 in the world. Davydenko is known for playing A LOT. He enters many of the tournaments that the big names opt out of and, since he has moved up in the rankings, he is usually the highest seed – hence receiving an easier draw. So, he tends to do very well, thus gathering ranking points. Sounds like a great strategy.

Back in August in a Poland tournament, Davydenko was playing in his second round match against Martin Vassallo-Argullo, #87 in the world. The match seemed to be a routine day at the office, as Davydenko won the first set 6-2. Immediately after this easy set, activity started to get fishy on Betfair.com, a British online gambling site. Bettors rushed to bet over $7 million dollars that Davydenko would lose the match – 10 times the amount that is routinely betted for a tennis match. However, all of this “mysterious betting” occurred AFTER Davydenko won that first set. Hmmmm… was it ironic then that Davydenko ended up losing the second set and then retiring from the match, citing a foot injury? Yes, after that first almost-flawless first set, the betting amounts skyrocketed with wagers of Davydenko losing…and Davydenko forfeited the match…and lost.

According to ESPN, Betfair “detected the unusual action during the match through its 40-man fraud team” and canceled all of the bets for that match. The company has never done that before in its seven years of operation.

"The evidence was so compelling," said Robin Marks, Betfair's head of media. "With the money coming in at the end of the first set and the sheer volume of the money, it was clear something was wrong. We notified the ATP during the match and told them we were unhappy."

Since then, the credibility and integrity of the ATP, the athletes, and the sport of tennis have been under much scrutiny. The ATP has decided to meet with Davydenko and betting companies in late October to discuss the issue and decide if there has indeed been illegal fixing of matches between bettors and players. If a player is found guilty, they could face a $100,000 fine or have all of their price money withdrawn. They can also be suspended for an undisclosed period of time. No player has ever been suspended from play due to illegal gambling activity. Davydenko is cooperating with the media and trying to keep his game face active. But, it will not be up to him to decide his fate.

The ATP and anti-gambling groups are now teaming up to prevent this activity from escalating and are even warning athletes of the dangers of the practice. Meetings with coaches have occurred and signs are posted in locker rooms that prohibit the activity. Some big tournaments are even using surveillance cameras in the locker rooms. While some may say that this is beginning to take away the privacy of some of the athletes, I disagree. Take a look at how common illegal match fixing has actually become and you may feel differently…Kind of scary if you ask me.

Since Davydenko’s incident, numerous players have come out and said that, upon many occasions, they have been approached by bettors. During much of the time, players are asked to lose, as Davydenko is being looked upon to have done. On Bookmakers Review, a betting information website, the site quotes numerous players who have been faced with the option to fix a match. Click on some of the old posts. It is very interesting.

Even the big names are faced with this controversy. Bob Bryan, half of the Grand Slam-winning doubles duo known as the Bryan Brothers, has stated that match fixing is definitely an option for everyone:

“There have been anonymous calls to players' rooms with some monetary offerings -- I know that," the U.S. doubles champion told the Los Angeles Times. "And I know every player I've talked to has turned it down."

Even one of my favorite players, #3 Novak Djokovic, and Top 20 player Dmitry Tursonov have been asked to lose a match in return for a fat check. I cannot believe how prevalent this is and it shocks me that some less successful players might actually be going along with it.

Tennis is obviously one of the most individual sports out there. Most importantly, there is no on-court coaching – players are on their own and have to make the necessary tactical adjustments themselves and play their own mental game. Therefore, I can see how easy it would be to fix a match. Any player can say that they are hurt and have to retire. Some can easily shank a few forehands into the seats by “accident” to eventually lose a match, citing a “bad day on the court.” Especially for those players who do not earn large paychecks each week, it can be very easy to intentionally lose a match and receive more money that one would in a following round.

However, players need to keep in mind that they are talented and have worked so hard to achieve excellence in such a grueling sport. Fixing a match should be unthinkable and is more than unfair for the opponent, the sport, and most importantly, the fans.

I hope this situation gets sorted out and those who have stupidly involved themselves in match fixing are punished. Tennis does not need this negative publicity, as the sport is still trying to gain a larger following. Tennis is classy and fair and does not deserve to have such a sick controversy in its presence. It will be interesting to see how the meetings with Davydenko go, and I will definitely be keeping information up-to-date as it unfolds.