Plenty of promise, but ...
Posted by James Martin, TENNIS.com
This week is the closest thing pro tennis has to baseball's Opening Day. The tours have started the new year, beginning their annual 10-plus-month pilgrimage to their respective season-ending championships and race for No. 1. There aren't any big results in the books -- it's all about promise and hope at this point.
So what better time to turn the screws? With the season only days old, it's the perfect moment to call out certain players who had spotty 2007 seasons and let them know that more is expected of them in the new year.
Let's start with
Marcos Baghdatis. Last year he finished at No. 16, with one singles title to his credit. That's not good enough for someone of his talent. In terms of style of play, Baghdatis is a latter-day Andre Agassi, a fleet-of-foot baseliner who likes to move his opponents from corner to corner and pull the trigger with his down-the-line two-handed backhand. The problem is Baghdatis' work ethic, or lack thereof. This is a guy who prefers to work himself into shape by playing tournaments as opposed to logging hard hours on the practice court. It's a fine strategy if you're consistently getting deep into draws, but Baghdatis doesn't. Someone -- a coach, a friend, a sponsor, the citizens of Cyprus -- has to remind Baghdatis that unless he puts in the time before a tournament starts, he's not going to get much further.
Then there's
Tomas Berdych. By the looks of him, the 6-foot-5 Czech should be blowing people off the court. His style of play is reminiscent of Marat Safin's ball-bashing style. Berdych hits a seemingly effortless, clean shot off both wings. He was also in the top 10 (at No. 10) for aces last season, showing that he knows how to take advantage of his height. Last year, Berdych won one event, and finished at No. 14. But his 2007 campaign, in my mind, will be remembered for how he lamely walked off the court in the fourth round of the U.S. Open after losing a tight first set to Andy Roddick. Berdych said he was experiencing breathing problems. Whatever. Berdych has a reputation for not gutting out matches (and trust me, that's a generous description for some of his lackluster performances). Berdych needs a wake-up call, much like the one Pete Sampras received after losing to Stefan Edberg at the U.S. Open in 1991 -- that moment of clarity when you understand that you're out there to maximize your talents and win big events, not mope through them.
Another player who's been tough to figure out is 18-year-old
Nicole Vaidisova, and not just because she's been reportedly dating Radek Stepanek (that situation is more like the Crop Circles -- totally inexplicable). The tennis world has been waiting for the imposing 6-foot Czech to make her move. She's got all the tools to be a top-flight player (height, athleticism, good groundies and a solid serve) but she doesn't have the toolbox. The good news is that Vaidisova is not far off. In 2007, she reached a career-high No. 7, and though she failed to win a singles title, she played the top players such as Serena Williams and Justine Henin close. At the same time, Vaidisova's losses -- she suffered three-set setbacks last year to Jelena Jankovic in Sydney, Ana Ivanovic at Wimbledon, Henin in Zurich and Daniela Hantuchova in Linz -- showed a lack of mental toughness (and perhaps fitness). For the Czech, her success this season will come down to whether she can fight the urge to gag at the big moments and, to play armchair psychologist, stop being afraid of losing.
