On The Line's 2001 Year-End Awards
by the On The Line staff
Once again this year, some of the On The Line staffers
got together to distribute tokens of our appreciation -
or lack of appreciation - for the highlights and lowlights of the 2001 tennis season.
A memorable year, to be sure!
Your judges, juries and executioners are: Chris Gerby, Ed Zafian, Daisy Aye,
Peter van Mierlo, Ed Toombs and Beth Knizer.
Player of the year
Newcomer of the year
Comeback of the year
Most improved player of the year
Flop of the year
Match of the year
Most memorable media moment
Nice moment of the year
Not so nice moment of the year
"Farewell, you'll be missed" award
Player of the year
Chris G.
Hewitt
Capriati
|
Ed Z.
Hewitt
Capriati
|
Daisy A.
Hewitt
Capriati
|
Peter v.M.
Kuerten
Capriati
|
Ed T.
Hewitt
Davenport
|
Beth K.
Hewitt
Capriati
|
Consensus: Lleyton Hewitt claims the men's honour for his rousing run to #1,
featuring his first major title in New York. Jennifer Capriati, who grabbed our attention
with her astonishing return to form and two major championships, is our women's
player of the year.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
A three-man race went right down to the wire, but Lleyton Hewitt's
brilliant performance at the season-ending Masters Cup in Sydney left little
doubt of his supremacy. While Kuerten and Agassi fizzled, the fleet-footed
U.S. Open champion continued to play the best tennis of his young career.
Women:
Despite a late-season swoon and quite a bit of churlish behavior, I
think Jennifer Capriati enjoyed the best year on the women's circuit. With
dramatically improved fitness and focus, the lapsed phenom was in utterly
blistering form as she swept the opening half of the Grand Slam.
Ed Z.:
Men:
No clear-cut choice for the ATP player of the year. There were 4 different Grand Slam winners and although
many players put together impressive streaks during the year (Agassi at the beginning of the year and Kuerten on the
clay) no player dominated this year. So I go with the U.S. Open champion and now youngest ever year-end #1,
Lleyton Hewitt. Hewitt was the most consistent player at the top - five titles, an ATP best 74 match victories, a 17-
match winning streak, six semifinals and three quarterfinals and lost an opening round only once.
Women:
Capriati's comeback has been well documented so there is no real need to recount it. But even if she had
not sunk down into the depths, both personally and professionally, 2 Grand Slam titles and attaining the #1 ranking
(albeit briefly) after starting the year off at #14 is a remarkable feat.
Daisy A.:
Men:
Hewitt played a mighty flawless final against Pete Sampras at the
US Open to get his first Grand Slam title. Another great moment for
him was to finish number one in the Champions' Race in front of a
home crowd in Sydney.
Women:
Capriati ended the year number two, but her performance was quite
number-one like. Like sweeping up the two first Grand Slams
(Australian and French) of the year!
Peter v.M.:
Men:
While it might be tempting to pick the newly crowned men's number one as
the player of the year, I find there are strong reasons to go with another
player. I find that Hewitt's number one ranking is heavily based on just
two tournaments: the US Open and the Year End Campionships. Shortly after
sealing number one, he crashed and burned in the Davis Cup final. Not
player of the year stuff.
My player of the year is Gustavo Kuerten, who had a dominating performance
throughout the clay court season, winning a Grand Slam as well as a Super
Nine tournament (Monte Carlo). He went on to win Cincinnati later in the
year on hard court. Perhaps most importantly, he is Player of the Year
Material: a good guy, modest and honest, not given to antics.
Women:
Basically, there are four more or less serious candidates for this title.
Martina Hingis held the number one raking for much of the year, but did not
win a title since February. She's not won a slam since since tennis balls
became yellow, either. Lindsay Davenport held the number one ranking at the
end of the year, won some tournaments, but never reached the final of a
slam. Venus Williams won two grand slams but continues not to take tennis
very seriously.
My pick is Jennifer Capriati. She made the dream comeback at the start of
the year, finally making good on the potential that had been there since
before tennis balls became pressurised. She won the first two slams of the
year. While she struggled after Wimbledon, she still well deserves my pick
as player of the year.
Ed T.:
Men:
"Guga" appeared to be a lock for this award after a stellar clay court season, followed by dominating
performances on the North American hard courts. That is, until a woeful quarterfinal loss to
Yevgeny Kafelnikov at Flushing Meadow, which set off a tailspin from which the Brazilian
never escaped. The door was open for Lleyton Hewitt, and he marched in brilliantly
with a surprise U.S. Open title, to which he later added the Japan Open championships.
In position to pass Kuerten at the Masters Cup in his homeland, he did so brilliantly,
marching undefeated through the round robin and cruising
past Sébastien Grosjean to the title.
Women:
Sorry, ladies, but you shouldn't get the On The Line #1 every year and still play part-time. Nor should you get the number one by winning two Slams and playing so-so the rest of the year. Almost by default, Davenport gets the nod. At least she was willing to get out on the tour and fight for the honour. If you discount her walkover loss to Serena Williams in the Masters final, Lindsay was undefeated indoors with four titles. Adding two hard court championships and a crown on grass, one can say
that Davenport had an excellent year.
Beth K.:
Men:
I agree with our assements of Hewitt. His
ATP best 74 match victories, 17 match winning streak, U.S. Open
victory and youngest year ending #1 truly stick him ahead of the
pack.
Women:
Jennifer Capriati's brief stint at #1 and winning the first two
Grand Slam events make her my choice. There were several times
in the past few years where Jen Cap was given a wild-card and
then lost very early. I cannot say that anymore.
Newcomer of the year
Chris G.
Roddick
Harkleroad
|
Ed Z.
Roddick
Widjaja
|
Daisy A.
Roddick
Bedanova
|
Peter v.M.
Roddick
Tulyaganova
|
Ed T.
Roddick
Hsieh
|
Beth K.
Roddick
Widjaja
|
Consensus: Andy Roddick burst on the scene in amazing fashion, and is
our hands-down choice as male newcomer of the year. The selection is less obvious on the
distaff side, but Angelique Widjaja, a big winner on both the junior and WTA circuits,
gets our vote.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
American tennis found its savior this year in the exuberant form of
Andy Roddick. With enormous talent and fearless flair, "A-Rod" proved that
he could hang with the big boys in his first full season on the pro tour.
Ivanisevic and Hewitt barely survived close bouts with the teenager en route
to their Grand Slam titles.
Women:
In a year when few rookies made major strides on the court, I'll hand
the award to one who at least generated some interest off it. Ashley
Harkleroad had fans buzzing at the U.S. Open, where even her 3rd Round
juniors match was deemed worthy of an Arthur Ashe Stadium showcase. Granted,
her skin-baring attire made more of an impression than her scrappy baseline
game, but either way, "Pebbles" is turning heads.
Ed Z.:
Men:
Although he turned pro last year, 2001 was Roddick's freshman year. The hype began at the Ericsson Open
with wins over Rios and Sampras and has not lost any steam since. After collecting back-to-back clay court titles in
Atlanta and Houston, Roddick gaves us memorable matches in Slams - a gutsy win over Chang at the French, a serving
showcase loss against Ivanisevic at Wimbledon, and a nailbiter against Hewitt in the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
Starting the year ranked #155, Roddick is now in the Top 20 and climbing.
Women:
Not quite the household name that Roddick already is, Angelique Widjaja is a new face that bears some
watching in 2002. The 16-year Indonesian and Wimbledon junior champion won her debut WTA event in Bali
defeating Tamarine Tanasugarn and Joannette Kruger along the way. She broke the record for lowest ranked player
to ever win a title at #579. Widjaja ended the year at #149.
Daisy A.:
Men:
I'm sure you've all heard more than enough about Andy Roddick being the
next big star, so I won't be adding anything here.
Women:
I saw Daja Bedanova beat Monica Seles at the US Open, and that was
a preview of how this youngster will compete against the top players in the future.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Andy Roddick gets my nod here. He suddenly started to come good during the
American Clay Court season (insert American / clay court joke here). In
addition to collecting some very impressive results, he seems to have the
right balance for his intensity, something that cannot be said of all young
players who like to shout "come on". His gesture of buying tickets for
everyone who stuck around after a long rain delay in Houston was very nice.
He also handled the World's Worst Ever Line-Call better than most would
have been able to, in the quarter final at the US Open.
Women:
Iroda Tulyaganova may not be a complete Newcomer to the tour, but she was
improving by leaps and bounds at the end of the year. She has a very
powerful game (have you heard that before?), with an impressive serve
(haven't heard that too often, though). I expect good things from her next
year.
Ed T.:
Men: No contest here, as A-Rod went from junior #1 to a top 20 pro in the space of the year, thanks to three titles and wins over the likes of Kuerten and Sampras.
Women: A super-kid from Taipei just 15 years old, Su-Wei Hsieh played her first professional events this year, starting at the bottom of the tennis food chain. By year's end she had compiled an astonishing record of 38-2 at the pro level. Hsieh won all five minor pro events she entered, and reached the semifinals (Bali) and quarterfinals (Pattaya City) of her first WTA tour events. An astonishing beginning to the kid's pro career.
Beth K.:
Men:
What can be said, other than this guy Roddick is great and
whacks one hard ball. Wins over Rios and Sampras at the Ericsson
and then back to back clay titles at Atlanta and Houston. He's going
to be a Grand Slam winner very soon.
Women:
I'll go with Ed Z's Angelique Widjaja pick here. Amazing for being
ranked #579 to win the title in Bali. Good to hear another phenom
coming from now-retired Yayuk Basuki's Indonesia.
Comeback of the year
Chris G.
Ivanisevic
Schwartz
|
Ed Z.
Ivanisevic
Capriati
|
Daisy A.
Ivanisevic
Capriati
|
Peter v.M.
No pick
Capriati
|
Ed T.
Ivanisevic
Capriati
|
Beth K.
Ivanisevic
Capriati
|
Consensus: Jennifer Capriati and Goran Ivanisevic rose from the ashes this
year, staging the most notable comeback sagas.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Goran Ivanisevic pulled off one of the more amazing comebacks in sports
history this summer. Despite a bum shoulder, an even worse ranking, and the
widespread belief that he was totally washed up, the Croat hoped to make one
last run at Wimbledon. The rest is history.
Women:
After surgery kept her out of action for a full year, Barbara
Schwartz made a successful run through Wimbledon qualifying which culminated
in a main draw upset of Chanda Rubin. The Austrian continued her comeback on
New York's hard courts, winning the Bronx challenger and scoring an emotional
win over Amanda Coetzer at the U.S. Open.
Ed Z.:
Men:
He did not do much this year, capturing only one title? but what a title it was. Ivanisevic's tennis career was
rightfully written off as he began the year ranked #132 and even failed to qualify for the Australian Open. Not
surprisingly, the All England Club granted the Croat a wildcard into the tournament where he was considered a
prohibitive favorite for many years. In a wild final match postponed until Monday versus Patrick Rafter, Ivanisevic
won his elusive Wimbledon trophy and bounded back into the Top 20.
Women:
The words "comeback" and "Capriati" are synonymous these days. As stated above, we all know the story
by now. There is certainly no denying that Capriati is arguably the biggest comeback story in sports, not just tennis,
history.
Daisy A.:
Men:
Ivanisevic winning Wimbledon stunned the entire tennis world. Nobody thought
it possible, including him.
Women:
This was a big year for Jennifer Capriati. She also became number one for a
couple of weeks. All that she's accomplished is close to her heart, and
her fans now see her savour the moments.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
It is tempting to pick Goran Ivanisevic here. But did he really come back?
He managed to bomb his way to a Wimbledon title, using his serve and his
second serve as his main weapons. They had always been there, right? So
what's the comeback here?
Women:
Jennifer Capriati is an obvious shoo-in here, for all the reasons we know.
Ed T.:
Men: Ivanisevic was one of the amazing stories of the year. The former world number two had seen his ranking slip into the triple digits, and was reduced to playing Challengers and qualifiers, and begging for wild cards. He used one of those wild cards to get into Wimbledon, and won the prestigious crown in improbable fashion. Goran won't be needing any wild cards for a while now.
Women: Most observers had thought that Jennifer Capriati's days of contending for Grand Slam titles were over. But the 25-year-old who was ranked only #14 at the end of 2000 was a changed woman this year, in tremendous shape and determined to surprise us all. That she did with her shock Australian Open title, which she followed up with a French Open crown, and Jennifer even reached #1 briefly in the final weeks of the season.
Beth K.:
Men:
And I thought Ivanisevic was pretty much washed up,
losing on a weekly basis in the first round. It was great to see him
take the coveted Wimbledon crown.
Women:
Capriati was truly the "comeback kid", despite being the ripe
old age of 25. She wrote tennis history in 2001.
Most improved player of the year
Chris G.
Grosjean
Henin
|
Ed Z.
Cañas
Henin
|
Daisy A.
Grosjean
Clijsters
|
Peter v.M.
Malisse
Henin
|
Ed T.
Cañas
Henin
|
Beth K.
Cañas
Henin
|
Consensus: One could also call the surprising year of Guillermo Cañas
a comeback, but his improvement was remarkable in 2001. So was that of Justine Henin,
as the little Belgian shot into the elite this season.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
With all eyes on the "battle of the ages" between the ATP's famous
veterans and rising youngsters, a little Frenchman named Sébastien Grosjean
flew under the radar all the way to a season-ending # 6 ranking. A finalist
at the Masters Cup and semifinalist at the year's first two Grand Slam
events, Grosjean might have reached even greater heights if an ankle injury
hadn't ruined his summer hard court campaign.
Women:
Capriati, Clijsters, Dokic, Shaughnessy, and Tulyaganova could all
make compelling cases for this honor, but my vote goes to Justine Henin. The
battling Belgian with the beautiful backhand cracked the Top 5 in July and
gave a good account of herself in all four majors.
Ed Z.:
Men:
2001 was a breakthrough year for Guillermo Cañas. The Argentinian rose over 200 spots in the rankings to
end the year ranked #15. Cañas won his first career title on the clay courts of Casablanca (d. Robredo) and reached
the Stuttgart final (l. to Kuerten). At the French Open, Cañas reached the 4R (stretching Hewitt to five sets) and
took out Henmn in the 3R. Not merely a South American with "feet of clay," Cañas reached a grass court final of 's-
Hertogenbosch (l. to Hewitt) and took out Kafelnikov at Wimbledon. He also reached a hard court final in Vienna
(l. to Haas).
Women:
Another category which Capriati could have easily captured (and deservedly so). But instead, I go with
Justine Henin. Henin started to turn heads when she knocked off Anna Kournikova at the 2000 U.S. Open. Henin
was the hottest player Down Under with a 2 tournament victories (and 10 match win streak) and a 4R showing at
Melbourne. A semifinal showing at the French and the Wimbledon final vaulted the 5'5" Belgian into the Top 10.
A vast improvement after starting the year in the 40s.
Daisy A.:
Men:
Grosjean's shotmaking performance, especially in the latter part of the year
(Paris and Sydney), often left me speechless.
Women:
The major difference or improvement this year, Kim Clijsters has become a
real contender to win Grand Slams. She reached the 4th round at
the Australian, finals at the French and quarterfinals at
Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Her physical and mental strength will
keep her among the top players for a long time to come.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
The other editors seem to want to go with Cañas here. While he had some
impressive play, the way he fell to the King of Clay, Gustavo Kuerten, in
both the Monte Carlo final and Roland Garros first round was not
impressive.
My pick instead is Xavier Malisse, who finally seems to start to be making
good on a lot of promise that people seem convinced had always been there
to begin with.
Women:
Justine Henin has improved her level of play a lot this year. Her mental
game does worry me, though. She had Seles all beaten and wrapped up in the
first set in Montreal, but let her back in. She also lost to Iroda
Tulyaganova in Moscow. While Iroda is quite an impressive player (she gets
my pick as Newcomer of the Year), Justine should still have beaten her.
Ed T.:
Men: A 24-year old from Buenos Aires, Cañas had never cracked the top 50 before this year, and injuries caused his ranking to plummet to #227 last year. Poor "Willy", as he is known in his homeland, was stuck in the back pages of the ATP Media Guide, wedged in between Lars Burgsmüller and Cristiano Caratti. The Argentine showed on clay in Casablanca that he was in fine form, by winning the tournament out of qualifying. Cañas excelled on all surfaces, reaching a grass court final in 's-He
rtogenbosch and the Wimbledon round of sixteen, as well as making it to an indoor final in Vienna. Guillermo is now ranked #15 by the ATP, a climb of 212 places this year.
Women: Justine Henin was ranked only #48 at the end of 2000, but served notice that she meant business this season by starting the year with a title in Canberra. She continued to establish herself among the elite, notably adding a Roland semifinal and a Wimbledon final to her CV, along with a grass court championship in 's-Hertogenbosch. Now firmly established in the top 10, the 19-year-old with the sweet backhand and delightfully varied game should be at the top for years to come.
Beth K.:
Men:
I'll go with both Ed's here. Though I don't know
much about Cañas, it's amazing climbing 200 spots to reach a year
end #15, winning his first title on clay at Casablanca and then
bouncing out Kafelnikov at Wimbledon. Sounds like good things
are to come in 2002.
Women:
Henin's a keeper. Reaching the semis at Roland
Garros and the final at Wimbledon, truly amazing stuff for her and
also Belgium. Despite her lack of size at 5'6", she can keep up with
the hard hitters and that one-handed backhand - just one gorgeous
stroke. Justine is one of younger players that has developed an all
court presence and should have a spectatular 2002.
Flop of the year
Chris G.
Masters Series
Sanex Championships
|
Ed Z.
Sampras
Pierce
|
Daisy A.
Philippoussis
Kournikova
|
Peter v.M.
Ivanisevic
Women's tennis
|
Ed T.
Safin
Hingis
|
Beth K.
No pick
Hingis
|
Consensus: Our opinion was divided, but Martina Hingis gets the nod on
the women's side for a substandard year. There was no consensus pick
for the supreme male flop.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
In my opinion, the greatest flop of 2001 on the men's side was not a
single player, but an entire group of tournaments. The Tennis Masters Series
failed aesthetically, saddling nine tournaments with the same boring name and
(save for the clay) ugly purple courts. It flopped even worse financially
when chief sponsor ISL went bankrupt, virtually drowning the ATP in red ink.
The Masters Series also fails to deliver on its promise of "mandatory"
participation by the top players. Marat Safin may take the financial
incentive seriously, but you didn't see Agassi, Hewitt, Sampras, or Rafter in
Monte Carlo.
Women:
The most spectacular disaster in women's tennis was the season-ending
Sanex Championships. The WTA's boneheaded decision to relocate the
tournament to Munich guaranteed the absence of Monica Seles, who was joined
on the sidelines by Venus Williams and Martina Hingis. The singles final
wasn't even played as the season sputtered to an anticlimax in front of
pitifully small crowds. It's no wonder the Tour is already considering a
switch back to the United States (perhaps at the event's previous venue,
Madison Square Garden).
Ed Z.:
Men:
We all knew that Pete Sampras's reign at Wimbledon had to end at some point, but this year surely appeared to
mark the beginning of the end for the all-time Grand Slam champ. Sampras is now without a title his record-
breaking Slam from Wimbledon 2000. Although he did make the U.S. Open final for a second consecutive year, he
was once again blitzed by a younger player. Ending the year ranked #10, one thinks the former #1 may have to fight
to hold even that position in 2002.
Women:
Mary Pierce seemed be to be on top of the world in 2000. She captured her second Grand Slam at Roland
Garros, reconciled with her dad, enlisted her brother as a coach, was happily engaged to baseball player Roberto
Alomar, and was knocking off top players left and right. But 2001 was nothing short of a nightmare. The French-
American-Canadian has been beset with injuries and did not play a tournament for the past seven months. After the
2001 Australian Open, Pierce suffered four first round defeats in six tournament appearances. Ranked #7 at the end
of last year, Pierce's absence from the game has plunged her down to #130.
Daisy A.:
Men:
Knee surgery after the Ericsson Open left Philippoussis out of the game for
most of the year. Although this year was terrible due to injury, he's
quite eager to make next year more successful.
Women:
Kournikova has missed most of the year due to injuries, and her tennis has taken
a bad hit. She'll need to prove herself in 2002 with her talent and
determination.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Goran Ivanisevic made one impressive (or not so impressive) run during
Wimbledon, but the rest of the year he was much like a fish out of water:
flopping all over the place.
Last year's pick of the ATP ranking system is also still impressively bad.
Women:
All of women's tennis gets my choice this year. Women's tennis is still
searching for a player who can end a point with a winning stroke (and not
choke away a match after being superb for one set).
Women's tennis keeps having to make do with a ranking system that keeps a
player at number one for almost the whole year, while she manages to not
win a tournament for almost all of the year. It makes a player number one
at the end of the year who has not reached a single Grand Slam final. Some
might argue that a better ranking system might have made Venus Williams
number one -- and that would not have been any better. Players who are as
physically frail as she is (that's why she's always injured, right?) do not
deserve the number one spot.
Ed T.:
Men: You can almost predict that a young player will struggle the year after winning a breakthrough major tourney, and that is exactly what happened to Safin. The Russian's troubles actually started late last year: his game fell apart when he was just one win away from the season-ending #1 spot at the Masters Cup. Marat's immaturity was often on display in 2001, never more so than when he foolishly played several events while injured, just so he would not lose out on some bonus money.
Now out of the top ten, Marat did show some promising signs late this year (U.S. Open semifinal, titles in Tashkent and St. Petersburg), and we fully expect to see Safin battling for #1 again in 2002.
Women: Hingis started the year promisingly enough, with a title in Sydney and a runner-up showing at the Australian Open. But the former number one failed to win a title from February on, lost appallingly in the first round of Wimbledon to Virginia Ruano Pascual, and ended the year injured and only #5 in the world. Playing without conviction nor intelligence against the top players, Martina's game appears to have worsened steadily in the past two years.
Beth K.:
Men:
No pick.
Women:
I cannot understand how Hingis could have, or
better said, should have hung onto the #1 ranking for so long. She's
been and has been high and dry without a Grand Slam singles title,
since the 1999 Australian Open. I don't believe 2002 will be any
better.
Match of the year
Chris G.
Roddick
vs. Chang,
Roland Garros
Hingis
vs. S. Williams,
Australian Open
|
Ed Z.
Sampras
vs. Agassi,
U.S. Open
Capriati
vs. Clijsters,
Roland Garros
|
Daisy A.
Ivanisevic
vs. Rafter,
Wimbledon
S.Williams
vs. Seles,
Toronto
|
Peter v.M.
Rafter
vs. Agassi,
Wimbledon
No pick
|
Ed T.
Rafter
vs. Agassi,
Wimbledon
S. Williams
vs. Davenport,
U.S. Open
|
Beth K.
Sampras
vs. Agassi,
U.S. Open
Capriati
vs. Clijsters,
Roland Garros
|
Consensus: Our women's match of the year 2001 was the excruciatngly tense, marathon
French Open final between Jennifer Capriati and Kim Clijsters. We have a tie
for the men's match of the year between two classics, both of them
losses by Andre Agassi to two accomplished veterans:
the Rafter - Agassi Wimbledon semifinal, and the Sampras -
Agassi quarterfinal at the U.S. Open.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
There were many worthy candidates for this award, but it was hard to
top the drama of Andy Roddick battling Michael Chang for five sets at the
French Open. In the first major gut check of his career, Roddick overcame
body-contorting cramps to earn a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 victory. The fact
that Chang himself had been on the other end of a very similar epic versus
Ivan Lendl twelve years earlier on the exact same court made this bit of
tennis theater all the more remarkable.
Women:
Most of the high-profile women's matches this year were marred by
sloppy play, but Martina Hingis and Serena Williams delivered the goods in
their stirring Australian Open encounter. Martina played, by her account,
"the best tennis ever" in winning the first set. Serena battled back and, up
a couple breaks at 4-1 in the third, looked to be on the verge of a semifinal
encounter with her sister. However, Hingis found the answers down the
stretch, rallying for a 6-2, 3-6, 8-6 victory.
Ed Z.:
Men:
The U.S. Open always seem to give us the most memorable matches of the year. There were certainly plenty
to choose from this year from Kuerten-Mirnyi to Hewitt-Roddick. But it was the 32nd meeting between Andre
Agassi and Pete Sampras at the U.S. Open that made my cut. Sampras's victory in four tie-break sets without a
service break was magical. If this for some reason is the last match in this great tennis rivalry, it would certainly be
a fitting conclusion.
Women:
Okay, so it is easy to think the "best" match is the longest match, but the French Open final between
Jennifer Capriati and Kim Clijsters was a gutsy match no matter what the final score. Clijsters appeared primed for
the upset taking the first set easily at 6-1, but the Australian Open champ came back to take the second 6-4. Capriati
had her chances going up an earlier break in the third and serving for the match at 7-6. As the match wore on the
play was as gritty as the clay beneath their feet, but it was Capriati who prevailed 12-10 and captured her second
Slam of the year.
Daisy A.:
Men:
The Ivanisevic-Rafter Wimbledon final
is not only the match of the year but the match of all matches
I've seen my entire life! The lucky Monday crowd that saw history in
the making surely was a factor in making the match epic.
Women:
Serena Williams edged Monica Seles, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), in the Canadian Open semis in Toronto.
This match could also be nominated for the hardest hitting match... or
hardest grunting match?
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Once again, the best match was a semifinal at Wimbledon. Once again, it was
between Patrick Rafter and Andre Agassi. This match had all the tennis. It
was beauty and the beast. Beautiful tennis beating beastly bashing tennis.
Beautiful composure beating beastly bad manners.
Women:
No pick.
Ed T.:
Men:
It was hard to top Pat Rafter's 2-6 6-3 3-6 6-2 8-6 semifinal win over Andre Agassi in the semifinals of Wimbledon. Both men were at the top of their games, with Andre's searing returns and passes matched against the brilliant attacking play of the Aussie. It also produced some not-nice moments (see below).
Women:
This was a poor year for women's tennis, and quality matches were hard to find. The best I saw was a gripping Serena Williams - Lindsay Davenport quarterfinal at the U.S. Open, won by Serena, 6-3 6-7(7) 7-5. Williams had match points in the second set, but fought off a courageous Davenport comeback to prevail. By the way, Serena was by far the best player at that tournament until she so strangely disappeared in the much-balleyhooed final with her sister?.
Beth K:
Men:
Sampras-Agassi, US Open - This will probably be one of the few of
these left as these two have very few years left. It's becoming more
and more difficult for these aging champions to sustain over the
younger and more agile players. However, the fans hope there are
a few more of these matchups left.
Women:
Capriati-Clijsters, Roland Garros - What a great match, can't say
much more here, other than a gutsy 3 set, 12-10 score for Capriati to take
her second Grand Slam title of 2001.
Most memorable media moment
Chris G.
Morariu/Carillo
U.S. Open
|
Ed Z.
Williams Sisters
Time Magazine
|
Daisy A.
Agassi/Graf
Baby pictures
|
Peter v.M.
Rafter
Davis Cup final
|
Ed T.
Corretja and
Julia the Cow
|
Beth K.
Williams Sisters
Time Magazine
|
Consensus: Making the cover of Time Magazine is always a major achievement.
The Williams sisters turned the trick this year, giving themselves and women's tennis
considerable media exposure.
Comments
Chris G.:
You'd be hard pressed to find a more moving tennis interview than the one
Mary Carillo conducted with Corina Morariu on the third day of TNT's
Wimbledon coverage. Just a month after a rare form of leukemia almost took
her life, the doubles ace looked upbeat and absolutely radiant. Morariu
delivered the best news of the year when she told Carillo the cancer was in
remission.
Ed Z.:
Love 'em or hate 'em, the Williams sisters are good for tennis. Tennis personalities rarely make the cover of national
magazines (even Sports Illustrated) here in the States, so when the duo were splashed across the cover of Time
Magazine it was a newsworthy event.
Daisy A.:
The picture of Agassi/Graf and their new baby represented
a historic moment for two legends.
Peter v.M.:
Pat Rafter announced during a pre-Davis Cup final press conference that he
was going to have his right arm amputated after the final. Pat being laid
back as ever, this moment hid a lot of pain. Sadly, more pain was to follow
when Australia lost the final, due to a seriously below par performance by
Lleyton Hewitt, and a poor choice by Australia's captain Fitzgerald.
Ed T.:
During the Gstaad tournament in the Swiss Alps, the popular Spaniard Alex Corretja went into the mountains for a photo shoot. As part of the deal, the city boy from Barcelona was obliged to milk a cow named Julia. While turning to joke with the camera crew during his milking labours, Alex apparently made an awkward move with Julia's teat, and the angry cow pointedly swatted the surprised Corretja with her tail. Unhappily for Corretja, the episode was broadcast across Europe on Eurosport. Corretja's fri
ends flooded him with e-mails ribbing him about the encounter with Julia, and fellow players and reporters in Gstaad teased Alex mercilessly. "I didn't actually get much milk out, the cow must have had a rough night,'' joked the Spaniard about his experience.
Beth K.:
I have to agree with Ed Z.
Though others might not agree that the Williams sisters are good for tennis, Venus and
Serena are everywhere and not just on the covers of Sports
Illustrated and Time. They bring coverage to a sport which not too
long ago was considered "dying".
Nice moment of the year
Chris G.
Ivanisevic
Wimbledon
Beigbeder
Strasbourg
|
Ed Z.
Ivanisevic
Wimbledon
Capriati
comeback
|
Daisy A.
Ivanisevic
Wimbledon
Belgium
Fed Cup
|
Peter v.M.
Rafter
Wimbledon
Capriati
Roland Garros
|
Ed T.
Kuerten
Roland Garros
Capriati
Roland Garros
|
Beth K.
Ivanisevic
Wimbledon
Raymond/Stubbs
Wimbledon
|
Consensus: Picking up his second OTL Year-End Award is Goran Ivanisevic,
whose astonishing triumph at Wimbledon warmed most of our hearts.
Not to be outdone, Jennifer
Capriati claims her fourth Year-End Award!
Jennifer takes the women's Nice Moment honours for several reasons. We were particularly
impressed with her get-well wishes for her seriously ill countrywoman Corina Morariu,
during Capriati's victorious Roland Garros run.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Goran Ivanisevic had long held two distinctions in the tennis world, as
one of its most endearing characters and one of the best players never to win
a major. So you had to be happy for the big lefty when his dream of a
Wimbledon title finally came true in an extraordinary singles final. The
scene of Goran's greatest heartbreak in 1998 stirred emotions of a much
different kind this time.
Women:
Céline Beigbeder lived out an improbable underdog story of her own at
the Strasbourg tournament. A 26-year-old secretary who'd never played in the
main draw of a WTA event, Beigbeder somehow reeled off six wins in a row to
earn a place in the semifinals. The Cinderella run vaulted her nearly 500
spots up the ranking list and surely gave hope to fledgling part-time players
everywhere.
Ed Z.:
Men:
Both my "nice" moments come from my comeback candidates of 2001. Who does not love an underdog
story? For any tennis fan, it was hard not to get a little lump in their throat when Goran Ivanisevic at last won the
Wimbledon title. The electric Monday morning "commoner" crowd for the final vs. Patrick Rafter made the
moment even more memorable.
Women:
I hated the hype surrounding her debut on the WTA Tour at age 14, but there simply was not a better story
this year than Jennifer Capriati's comeback. Her win at the Australian Open would have been enough but was
topped by her second Slam title over Clijsters at Roland Garros. Capriati has been through so much (granted some
self-inflicted) but it was wonderful to finally see her reach that potential showed as such a young girl.
Daisy A.:
Men:
It was more dramatic than a movie! To witness the best moment of
Goran Ivanisevic's life made fellow Croatians and many others teary-eyed. He
dedicated the trophy to his Dad and to his friend who died in a car
crash in 1993.
Women:
Belgium won their first Fed Cup title to end the season.
Kim Cijsters and Justine Henin had just finished their best year in
tennis thus far, and managed to close it out in historic fashion.
Thumbs up!
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Pat Rafter telling Goran Ivanisevic at the end of the Wimbledon final "I am
happy for you, mate".
This needs no further comment.
Women:
Jennifer Capriati holding up a "get well" sign for cancer-stricken Corina
Morariu before the semi-final at Roland Garros. See below for accompanying
Not So Nice Moment (and yes, it involves a Williams sister).
Ed T.:
Men: After a stirring comeback from match point down in a 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-1 win over the game American qualifier Michael Russell at Roland Garros, Gustavo Kuerten traced a heart on the red clay to thank the supporters who kept cheering him even when all hope seemed lost. It was an unforgettable sight: a touching, spontaneous gesture by the Brazilian who is, in Julien Boutter's words, "a champion with class". Had Goran Ivanisevic shown any class after his shocking Wimbledon title (
he spoiled the moment by making homophobic and insulting remarks about the officials), his shining hour would have been the nicest.
Women:
In a splendid comeback year, Capriati was unfortunately guilty of on-court conduct that left much to be desired. But one of the year's nice moments came when, after winning the French Open, she spared a thought during her victory speech for her seriously ill countrywoman Corina Morariu. Thanks to tennis connoisseur C******** for suggesting this nice moment, as I had difficulty coming up with one!
Beth K.:
Men:
Have to agree with
the others about Goran. It was great to see him win the elusive
Wimbledon crown after coming so close in the past.
Women:
I'm going against the
grain with the other editors in picking the fabulous Lisa Raymond/Rennae Stubbs
duo for their Wimbledon title. Lisa and
Rennae have been partnering in doubles for nearly forever and
though they'll never win as many Grand Slam doubles titles as the
former Gigi Fernandez/Natasha Zvereva duo, this Wimbledon they
will always cherish.
Not so nice moment of the year
Chris G.
Tabara
U.S. Open
Williams Sisters
Indian Wells
|
Ed Z.
Hewitt
U.S. Open
Williams Sisters
Indian Wells
|
Daisy A.
Henman
Wimbledon
United States
Fed Cup no-show
|
Peter v.M.
Hewitt
U.S. Open
Williams sisters
Various
|
Ed T.
Agassi
Wimbledon
Williams sisters
Indian Wells
|
Beth K.
Agassi
Wimbledon
Williams sisters
Indian Wells
|
Consensus: The Williams sisters get the raspberry on the women's side, primarily
for Venus's last-minute withdrawal before her scheduled Indian Wells semifinal
with Serena. The men's Not Nice Award must be shared between Lleyton Hewitt
(for his incendiary remarks about a black official at the U.S. Open) and
Andre Agassi (for his misbehaviour during and after a semifinal loss to Patrick Rafter
at Wimbledon).
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Michal Tabara earned a spot in the sore loser Hall of Shame at the end
of his first round U.S. Open match. While Justin Gimelstob celebrated a
grueling, hard-fought five set victory, a sullen Tabara spat in his direction
and swore at him in Czech. So much for dignity in defeat.
Women:
The Williams family's cavalier approach to honoring their commitments
hit an all-time low at Indian Wells, with Venus bailing on her semifinal
match five minutes before it was set to begin. Left in a lurch were ESPN
(which had to scrap its planned live coverage of Venus vs. Serena), the
tournament staff (which scrambled to reschedule a doubles match in its
place), and the understandably livid fans in attendance.
Ed Z.:
Men:
Lleyton Hewitt somehow managed to avoid a real firestorm of controversy when he spewed some
apparently racially charged comments during his 2nd round match vs. James Blake in the US Open.
In the unexpectedly tight match, Hewitt seemed to be noting that the a line call that went against him
was due to the ethnic similarity between his opponent and the line judge. Hewitt later explained that
he was just noting that it was the same African-American official who had made an alleged bad call
earlier in the match. Much to his credit, Blake did not stir the pot saying he had not taken any of the
Aussie's comments personally. I have my doubts about Hewitt's explanation, but it all seemed to be
nicely tucked away by the time the Hewitt took home the title.
Women:
The Williams always seem to court controversy. The biggest incident this year was Venus's last minute "injury"
withdrawal prior to her semifinal match vs. Serena at Indian Wells. With their history of avoiding each other on the
court, the pullout was even more suspicious since Venus had spanked Elena Dementieva in the quarters (and
ultimately would go on to win Miami). The crowd was not shy in expressing their displeasure and the ill will
against the Williams family spilled over to the final when Serena faced Kim Clijsters. An ugly situation all around
no matter which side you choose to believe.
Daisy A.:
Men:
Tim Henman lost a five-set match to Goran Ivanisevic over two
days, interrupted by rain delays and darkness, and it could have
most easily gone either way. Tim, good luck next year!
Women:
The Americans were a no-show at the Fed Cup finals.
Despite the reason that prompted the decision to pull out, if it be
due to the September 11th attacks and security concerns, or anything
else, I feel they clearly neglected the responsibility and commitment
they have to the game.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
During his second round match with James Blake at the US Open, Lleyton
Hewitt showed what he was made of by suggesting that the call was a result
of the linesman being of the same ethnicity as his opponent. He showed what
he was made of some more during the press conference by denying he said
what he said. He later suggested that the fact that he is from an
ethnically diverse country means that he is not a racist. Good news for the
Klan!
Women:
As per usual, the Williams sisters continue to make a mockery of tennis.
Their antics are impressive in their variation:
- Venus withdrawing from the Indian Wells semifinal, citing an injury. She
claimed her father had nothing to do with this mess, and that he had even
left the grounds. An OnTheLine editor exposed this to be a blatant lie.
- Venus withdrew from the Rome tournament, citing (you guessed it) an
injury. She went on to win the tournament she was playing in when she made
this announcement, AND play another tournament the next week. Perhaps she
is merely so in tune with her body that she can predict when she will be
injured.
- Serena refusing to hold the get well sign for Corina Morariu with
Jennifer Capriati, before the Roland Garros semifinal. Sending a nice
message must have interfered with her preparation.
I might have thrown in Serena's excessive antics when she wins a match, but
I really cannot blame her for not being a graceful victor.
Ed T.:
Men:
Andre Agassi spoiled an otherwise brilliant Wimbledon semifinal against Patrick Rafter by completely losing his composure. Frustrated by line calls and his own inability to put the match away, he indulged himself in a torrent of cursing and, at the match's end, fired a ball at a lineswoman who had reported him to the umpire for swearing.
Women:
The Williams sisters' distaste for playing one another is common knowledge. So when Venus withdrew from a scheduled semifinal against Serena in Indian Wells minutes before the match, claiming a knee injury (Venus had beaten Elena Dementieva 6-0 6-3 the day before, and went on to went the next tour event in Miami, showing no ill effects), the angry fans suspected the fix was in. When Serena won the final over Kim Clijsters, the furious crowd jeered her every move. It was an incident that harmed the credi
bility of the women's game, and furthermore, it was not the first nor the last suspicious withdrawal by a Williams. Belatedly and somewhat clumsily, the WTA appears to be trying to get a handle on the situation.
Beth K.:
Men:
The comments Agassi made to the
lineswomen during the Rafter semifinal at Wimbledon were uncalled for. What
was a brilliant display became tarnished by his actions.
Women:
Venus Williams's last minute withdrawl prior
to her semifinal match against Serena at Indian Wells was suspect. And Serena's
win over Clijsters in the final was not taken lightly by the crowd.
Farewell, you'll be missed
Chris G.
Rafter
Huber
|
Ed Z.
Rafter
Huber
|
Daisy A.
Rafter
Tauziat
|
Peter v.M.
Rafter
Tauziat
|
Ed T.
Gustafsson
Tauziat
|
Beth K.
Rafter
Tauziat
|
Consensus: We are saddened by the departure of two
representatives of the game's dwindling number of net-rushers.
Patrick Rafter will be missed, be it for a few months or forever.
And we send Nathalie Tauziat into retirement with our best wishes.
Comments
Chris G.:
Men:
Whether it's forever or merely for six months, the ATP won't be the
same without Patrick Rafter. Ever since turning his career around in 1997,
Pat has been the total package: a class act with a great personality and an
entertaining, top notch game. Let's hope they didn't break the mold when
they made this "dinkum Aussie" -- tennis could use more champions of his ilk.
Women:
Also leaving sooner than we'd like is Anke Huber, who departs with a
dozen singles titles and legions of fans. Huber was always one to wear her
heart on her sleeve, whether serving as Andrei Medvedev's muse or screaming
at herself over an errant groundstroke. A good interview who was popular
with her peers, Anke will be missed.
Ed Z.:
Men:
A tough call here since Patrick Rafter is being quite the man of mystery when it comes to his departure from
the ATP Tour. All we know is that Rafter will take a break from the game for at least the first half of 2002. Prior to
the Davis Cup final, Rafter stated he would never "officially retire" but his chronic physical problems might be the
decisive factor even if the Aussie has the desire to return to the game. So whether it is a temporary or permanent
leave, the 2-time U.S. Open champ and one of tennis's all-time nice guys will be missed. Good luck mate!
Women:
Never quite emerging from the shadow of Steffi Graf, Anke Huber leaves tennis after a 12-year career.
Always a fighter on-the court, Huber had her best result reaching the final of the Australian Open in 1996 and had a
memorable 5-set battle in the final vs. Graf at the 1995 year-end championships.
Daisy A.:
Men:
It still remains unknown whether Patrick Rafter will be returning next
year or not. Nevertheless, I miss him already.
Women:
Even though Tauziat may be one of the least liked players on tour, she's
always been herself, someone with huge personality on and off the
court. I think she'll be missed as much as she'll be remembered.
Peter v.M.:
Men:
Serve and volley tennis may never be back -- the remaining male serve and
volleyer, Pat Rafter, is taking a break, and seems to have so many arm and
shoulder problems now that a comeback seems unlikely.
Women:
The most successful
female serve and volleyer of the last few years, Nathalie Tauziat, has
called it quits. For now, the beautiful art of serve and volley tennis is
left with some mostly unimpressive older players.
Ed T.:
Men:
Since we don't know if Pat Rafter will return to the courts or not, we'll go with a retiring Swede. A former top ten player with 14 career titles, the talented and jovial Gustafsson would surely have had an even more impressive career had it not been for a string of injuries (two shoulder surgeries, knee surgery and back problems). "Gusten" was given an enthusiastic sendoff by the adoring fans in Stockholm at the final tournament of his career.
Women:
Nathalie Tauziat sadly takes the serve and volley game with her into retirement - there is no other player left who employs that style on the women's tour. We shall also miss the Frenchwoman's honest appraisals of the sport and her fellow players, which, while often brutal, were usually right on the money.
Beth K.:
Men:
Though Rafter will be out the first six months of 2002, I
really hope he decides that was only temporary. One hopes he
reconsiders.
Women:
Though I thought she was going to retire after the
2001 Wimbledon, as was stated at the end of 2000, it was good to
see Tauziat carry on for the balance of 2001. Tauziat was the "oldest"
competitor in all of the singles draws, she still could maintain her
own. She also had a very formidable doubles partnership in 2001
with Kimberly Po-Messerli. She will be truly missed on the grass
surfaces, winning the 1995 Eastbourne and 1997 Birmingham titles
and playing at both for a record number of years. She reached the
Wimbledon final in 1998, losing to Jana Novotna. Her serve and
volley prowess will be missed.
On The Line wishes you a very happy holiday season -- see you in 2002!
|
|