These 4 Players Can Run But Not Hide

Jo-Willie and Nolle in Happier Times

Now that we’ve arrived at week two of the US Open, there are four men’s players I want to call out:  Gael Monfils, Jo-Willie Tsonga, Juan Martin del Potro and Novak Djokovic:

Dear Boys 2 Men:

Well done, boys. I mean men. God knows, you’re all in your early 20s now and by some measures you are an accomplished bunch. With one exception, those measures are your own. I think we should start discussing your chances of winning the US Open in reverse order of probability.

That means Monfils gets to walk the plank first. Everyone raves about you as if you’re the can’t-miss future of the sport. But you’ve been around a while now, with your spectacular athleticism and foundering little tennis game. The first time I saw you, your raw talent was obvious – athletic talent, that is. The theory was that you would slowly learn how to play tennis, how to construct points, and how to win. Despite the outsized predictions about your success, I considered you a project. Because of the learning how to play tennis part. Still, I even gave you a nickname – the Human Lightning Bolt – because you can be exciting.  And your raw athleticism has taken you far. But you will not get any higher without major commitment to improving in the competition department. You are cut and appear to be in shape – but I watched you from the third row a few weeks ago and I know that aerobically you’re lacking. In intensity, you are sorely lacking, and in playing tennis… I am still NOT CONVINCED.

Athletic But Can He Play?

Now Delpo. Trendy, trendy Delpo. You won a few titles this year, including this summer. Some big wins along the way. But you aren’t in great shape. You know it, I know it. About the only thing my friend Wertheim and I disagree on these days is that he thinks you are capable of winning a grand slam right now, and I’m not sure if you ever will. Admittedly, I seem to have a mental block when it comes to your game. Lots of firepower, but damn it man, you are 6’6! And you scamper around the baseline as if you’re Michael Chang! You’re right Delpo, when you say it’s remarkable for a guy your height to run like that. However, in any. other. era. you would be a serve and volleyer. If not old school, then nu skool style – rushing the net opportunistically to take full advantage of your height. Then you’d have shorter points. And conserve energy. I realize John Isner is a whole 3 inches taller than you, but he’s at least playing a game that makes sense. You aren’t. And that really bugs the hell out of me, which perhaps clouds my judgment. Color me SEMI-CONVINCED you are FOOLS GOLD.

Next up, Mr. Tsonga. I remember the first day we brought you home from the hospital…I mean the first time we saw you, at the Australian Open. Oh how we raved about your exuberance, your resemblance to Ali, your effortless game! You reminded me of Pete Sampras. It’s in the forehand, the grace, the skipping split step on the way to net. And you made it to the finals. Then your body fell apart. Three years running. Too soon to say whether this was caused by lack of fitness, bad luck or a brittle body. Although, while we’re on it, I’m not seeing major inroads in your fitness to play five set matches. What is most bothersome is the habit you’ve picked up of being really impressed with yourself. Hey, you’re an impressive talent. You beat Federer in Montreal. Any win over Federer is notable and you certainly celebrated like you just won Wimbledon (hangover get you in the next round?)

Ready for His Close Up - Maybe Too Ready

You arrived in Cincinnati with an entourage bigger than the cadres of Federer, Roddick and Rafa put together. Do you see any problem with that? You lost in the second round to a qualifier – not the way to build on Montreal. Still… I watched your doubles match with my mouth agape, with about 600 other mesmerized fans. You played with Michael Llodra. You singlehandedly won and controlled the match. Winners in bunches. A 6-0 set, you were dominant. You control your destiny more than almost any other player right now. You’re ranked #7, so it’s not as if you aren’t doing very well. But you can win grand slams. I’m SEMI-CONVINCED you can win right now.

Novak. My favorite player, we both know I jumped on your bandwagon when you were 18 and won Miami. I picked you to break the Federer/Rafa hegemony AND become a big star. The naysayers groaned. You were from Serbia, it was a Roger/Rafa world. But you did it. You beat Roger and won the Australian Open, sending shockwaves through tennis and convincing the other young players that the future was now. You are brash, you are confident, you are funny. Only bitter Roger fans deny that you belong (but Roger had mono! Stuff a sock in it already, happy little Federer villagers!)

If 2008 was the Year of the Serb, 2009 is the Year of the Serbian Sophomore Slump. Everyone is feeling it over there, (except for doubles star Nenad Zimonjic). You can transcend this difficult period. The first step may be spending some extra time away from the homeland. What you’ve done for tennis there is incredible. You have your own tournament. You are building tennis courts and helping juniors, because the few tennis facilities that existed in the former Yugoslavia were destroyed in the war. You are the Prince of Serbia and the attention (and pressure) is too intense. Although you sound as confident as ever, I think you are in fact defensive.

As soon as Murray vaulted into the top 4, you were overly annoyed. Because you had won a major and he hasn’t, and only you (you thought) deserved to be in the same sentence with Roger and Rafa. I decided to call you out this spring, but I didn’t have the heart. Then you played a magnificent five-set match against Rafa in Madrid, one of the year’s best. That loss wounded Rafa, setting up his shocking loss to Roger the next day and shocking exit at the French. But the loss stuck to you all year, until you beat Rafa like a drum in Cincinnati.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Unlike most players, who are either too loyal or too fickle to their coaches, you aren’t afraid to keep longtime coach Marian Vajda and bring in other voices. You’ve done this for years. It will only serve you well in the long run. Bringing Todd Martin on as a consultant is a forward-thinking approach since you want to improve your net and transition games. On the mental side, that Witten match had you rattled way too much. You settled in though, and survived a highly emotional encounter. There are no style points in tennis (unless you’re part of FedNation) – survive and advance is still the right strategy. You’ve got to relax out there and don’t expect other players to cower because you’re you. If you continue to work, Novak, you are still going to be in the top 4. And we both know, you will win another Slam. CONVINCED! And they said we wouldn’t last!

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