WIMBLEDON 2000

 

REVIEWS BY MARK NEWMAN

 

 

THE CULLING OF THE SEEDS CONTINUES

 

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Four More Seeds Fall

By the end of day three a total of fourteen seeded players (seven in the men’s draw, seven in the women’s draw) have exited from the championships. Four seeds said their goodbye’s today:

 

Sonya Jeyaseelan def. (4) Conchita Martinez 6-4 6-1

Former Wimbledon champion Martinez put up a disgraceful display in the second set of her match. She quite simply looked as if she couldn’t be bothered. With an attitude like that, and aggressive play from Jeyaseelan, she was never going to be around long on day three. Jeyaseelan spent six weeks at the end of last year contemplating early retirement from the tennis world, but decided to give the game her best shot. She’ll be happy she did, as she joined an ever increasing number of lowly-ranked players to send a seed tumbling early at Wimbledon 2000.

 

(Q) Olivier Rochus def. (3) Magnus Norman 6-4 2-6 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-1

Qualifiers are always dangerous in any draw. They have three tough qualifying matches under their belts, and are thus match fit. But nobody could have expected 19-year-old Olivier Rochus, ranked #179 and playing in his first ever ATP tournament main draw to defeat recent French Open finalist Magnus Norman, the current World #2. Norman did not play at all badly. Unaccustomed to grass, it certainly showed in places, but his opponent was just too good. Rochus delighted the crowd, firmly on his side as they often are with an underdog, with a myriad of passing shots and exquisite backhands. Even when he broke in the fourth set tiebreak, and the end seemed in sight, and Norman stormed through to level the match, even then he didn’t lose his confidence or concentration, storming to a 4-0 lead in the final set, enough to close it out three games later. A dream match for the Belgian youngster, and one he will remember for a very long time.

 

Vladimir Voltchkov def. (6) Cedric Pioline 6-3 6-3 2-6 3-6 6-4

Earlier in the day another qualifier, #237 ranked Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus had caused another major upset, perhaps an even bigger one. He had held his nerve, after losing a two sets to love lead, to defeat former finalist Cedric Pioline in five sets. Pioline knows his stuff on the grasscourts, but wilted in the final set, as the pressure became too much. Pioline’s unfortunate contribution to this year’s event is a memorable service game in the first round when he served four double faults in a row to lose his serve to love. At least he won that match. Unlike Rochus, Voltchkov is no spring chicken, and this may go down on record as the finest win of his career.

 

Wayne Ferreira def. (11) Richard Krajicek 5-7 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-3)

By rights he should have been defaulted after questioning a line call with a little too much vigour at the end of the first set, sending the F-word reeling into homes around the world several times in an undignified outburst. But the tennis was far from undignified as he steeled himself for battle once more and won the next three sets to take the match from big-serving former champion Richard Krajicek. That’s two of the four players lifted into seeding positions that did not match their rankings who have fallen early at this event. Aussies Rafter and Philippoussis remain, and the seeding committee will hope that they at least justify their seedings, otherwise they will have egg firmly on their faces after the Spanish boycott at the start of the event.

 

Other News: Sampras Off To Hospital

Pete Sampras needed four sets to see of the challenge of dangerous floater Karol Kucera. That was the least of his concerns though. Having slipped and injured his ankle and Achilles tendon midway through the match, he played much of the final two sets in agonising pain in a typically gritty Sampras display. He went straight into hospital for an MRI scan after the match, and the results, and how it feels tomorrow morning, will determine whether he can continue through the rest of the event.

 

Kournikova and Lucic Crushed

Anna Kournikova ensured that the critics would be baying at the door again as she was bundled out in straight sets by Anne-Gaelle Sidot of France, always a dangerous opponent. Mirjana Lucic, a semi-finalist last year, will be heading to the Challenger circuit after losing 2-6 2-6 to Silvija Talaja in her second round match. Her ranking will dip from it’s current #58 to around #175 when she loses the points from her semi-final finish last year.

 

Temper Temper!?!

Joining Wayne Ferreira in venting a little aggression were Jeff Tarango (who else!) who refused to shake his opponent’s hand after his 10-12 fifth set loss, accusing him of gamesmanship. After an argument with an umpire a few years ago, Tarango sent his wife to slap the umpire in the face after the match, so if you see Paul Goldstein with a red mark across his face tomorrow you’ll know Mrs Tarango has paid him a visit… Appropriately named Anna Smashnova was lucky not to be defaulted when she smashed a ball into the crowd and hit an unsuspecting female fan, causing her to burst into tears with the shock of it all. Smashnova apologised afterwards saying she intended to hit her opponent’s husband who was annoying her with disparaging comments about her. As if that makes it right!!!

 

Bits And Bobs

Thomas Enqvist and Jan-Michael Gambill advanced to round three… Top seed Martina Hingis was tested by hard-hitting Jing-Qian Yi in the first set, but won 6-4 6-1… Serena Williams barely broke a sweat in a 35-minute demolition of qualifier Yvette Basting, dropping just one game… Sister Venus, facing a tougher opponent in Ai Sugiyama, needed twice as long for her straight sets win… Anke Huber faced a second consecutive battle with a Brit, coming back from a set down against British #1 Louise Latimer 5-7 6-3 6-3… Martina Navratilova made a winning Wimbledon return, advancing to the second round of the women’s doubles. She also has a wildcard into the mixed doubles with Mahesh Bhupathi of India, a doubles specialist… Jennifer Capriati and boyfriend Xavier Malisse also received a mixed doubles wildcard. Malisse opted against playing singles in the event, as he would have had to qualify. Last year he lost in the first round to Mark Philippoussis.