Drive To Tennis In Geneva 2016
Drive To Tennis In Geneva 2016
May192016
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Roger Federer has withdrawn from this year’s French Open after failing to recover from a back injury.
The 34-year-old did not play in the Madrid Open earlier this month after hurting his back during practice for the tournament.
Federer returned for the Italian Open but was beaten in the third round by Dominic Thiem.
“I have been making steady progress, but I am still not 100%,” said the world number three.
“I feel I might be taking an unnecessary risk by playing in this event before I am really ready.
“This decision was not easy to make, but I took it to ensure I could play the remainder of the season and help to extend the rest of my career.”
It means Federer will miss a Grand Slam for the first time this century.
The Swiss has struggled with injury this year, having undergone knee surgery after January’s Australian Open.
The former world number one returned for the Monte Carlo Masters in April and reached the quarter-finals, where he was beaten by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Federer, winner of the 2009 French Open, has played in just four events in 2016.
Former world number one Maria Sharapova may never play again following her failed drugs test, the president of the Russian Tennis Federation says.
The Russian, 29, tested positive for meldonium at January’s Australian Open.
When asked if Sharapova would play any more tournaments, Shamil Tarpishchev told R-Sport news agency it was “very doubtful” and added the five-time Grand Slam winner was in a “bad situation”.
In March, Sharapova said she was “determined to play tennis again”.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) provisionally suspended Sharapova on 12 March.
She is waiting to hear the full extent of her punishment, which could be as much as a four-year ban, although experts say a six-month or 12-month suspension is more likely.
That is because the World Anti-Doping Association (Wada) admitted in April that scientists were unsure how long meldonium stayed in the system.
It even suggested athletes who tested positive for the substance before 1 March could avoid bans, provided they had stopped taking it before 1 January.
However, Sharapova has already admitted she continued taking meldonium past that date, saying she was unaware it had been added to the banned list as she knew it by another name – mildronate.
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Malcolm Watt is 47. He is a former Scottish number one tennis player, who once beat Pat Cash.
In the past five years, he has lost most of his ability to communicate and can no longer look after himself. But he still plays tennis like a pro.
George is maybe 40 years older than Malcolm – he can’t remember precisely. He used to be a motor mechanic. He thinks he has grandchildren, although he can’t say for sure. He struggles to remember his wife’s name. Mention the Lisbon Lions though, and he sparks into life.
Both men have dementia, an incurable disease. But both are being helped by the power of sport.
On a glorious sunlit day in the elegant surroundings of Kelvinside in Glasgow, Watt is hitting balls with his old friend Ian Campbell, the head tennis coach at Western Health and Racquets Club.
Powerful forehand from the baseline, elegant backhand, skimming low over the net, finding the corners of the court; watching him, you would never imagine there was anything the matter with Watt.
He won tournaments in Scotland from the age of 12, was sponsored by British Airways and Pringle, and once held match point against one of his heroes, Vitas Gerulaitis. The victory over Cash was in an exhibition doubles game, but not many people can boast of beating a Wimbledon champion. As a veteran on the ITF Tour, he was ranked just outside the top 50 seniors.
Five years ago, though, Watt was diagnosed with frontal lobe (or frontotemporal) dementia. It is a relatively uncommon form of the disease, which affects language, thinking and behaviour, often in younger people.
In hindsight, his father Tommy realises the signs were there for a number of years.
“I’d speak to him on the phone and suddenly he’d talk about something entirely different, but it never crossed my mind to get it checked out. He was coaching a player at Newlands Tennis Club, who became concerned that Malcolm wasn’t well; I went to Newlands and said to Malcolm: ‘Let’s go home’.”
Malcolm was married at the time with a young son, but his relationship broke down and now he lives with his parents in the Argyll town of Helensburgh.
In the house he is constantly restless and agitated. His father has taken to locking the fridge door as Malcolm cannot remember if he has just had a meal so tends to empty the shelves if allowed. But on a tennis court, part of the old Malcolm returns.
“By and large, it’s him – normal Malky Watt,” says coach and hitting partner Ian Campbell. “He still has all the quirks tennis players have. He’s still a moany git, in the nicest possible way; a perfectionist. He has high standards – if he misses, he gets annoyed and will throw a racquet.
“He always had a great sense of humour and he can still occasionally laugh at himself. When I hear about the stuff going on off the court, it’s hard to believe.”
Over to the east of Glasgow, in a community centre in the town of Bellshill, a group of elderly men have gathered for their regular Friday morning meeting.
Football shirts are draped around the echoing hall, football programmes arranged on tables, photos pinned to the walls of football legends of the past: Denis Law, George Best, and local hero Sir Matt Busby.
Most of the men have dementia and many spend hours at home in a chair in front of the TV. So these regular Friday sessions, organised by the Sporting Memories Network, are a highlight of their week.
The first hour is all about reminiscence. The men come alive as they recollect great sporting days of the past, and within minutes the room is full of laughter.
Banter flies between the different Glaswegian football tribes. Group leader Norrie Gallagher goes around the table asking for a favourite colour – blue for Rangers, green and white for Celtic, claret and amber for Motherwell.
Celtic fan George has been sitting quietly, awaiting his turn. He pauses for a beat, then says, with a cheeky smile: “Tartan.”
Reminiscence, through music, family photos or other familiar objects, is a well used tool for those working with dementia patients, whose short-term memory might be failing them.
But older men are traditionally harder to reach, and the sessions run by Sporting Memories Network bridge that gap, according to Gallagher.
“The magic of sport draws them in. When you say, we’re here to talk sport, they’ll give that a chance,” he said.
“It’s like their experiences of men together in the workplace, in the golf club, in the pub, that kind of camaraderie and banter, they rediscover it here. It gives them the confidence to start talking about other things, and developing friendships and new relationships.
“Often I’ve had this conversation with their wives; they find it hard to believe the person I’m describing is the person who lives in the house with them,” he added.
“A year ago, the wives were in for a meeting in another part of the hall, and they saw their men going for their tea, laughing and joking. One of the women got very upset – she said: ‘It’s years since I’ve seen him laughing and smiling.’ It was very poignant.”
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If part one of the session is about talking, part two is about doing.
Carpet bowls, indoor curling, football penalty practice – you can sense that each man wants to beat his friends.
“It really brings out the competitive edge,” Gallagher said. “It makes them feel as if they’re succeeding. They have the confidence to take risks – in the wider world they’re judged, every error they make is magnified. A lot of them feel their time has passed, but we create an environment where they can rediscover their interests and talents.”
Recent research has shown that physical activity not only improves the mood and wellbeing of people with dementia, but can actually improve memory and slow down mental decline.
“Most people with dementia remember the distant past more clearly than recent events, so talking about past sports events can be really beneficial, reviving positive memories and providing a focal point for conversation,” Alzheimer’s Society director of operations Kathryn Smith told the BBC.
“Reminiscing around things like photos from yesteryear, handling an old cricket ball, footage from momentous occasions like the 1966 World Cup final or even the smell of Bovril and meat pies can be enough to get people with dementia talking about their past.
“Regular physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle can keep the brain healthy as we age.”
Back on Kelvinside, Malcolm Watt’s tennis session is over for another day. For an hour, his parents have had a brief respite from the cruel reality of his condition. It is not a cure, but sport is a vital therapy, although finding carers young enough to keep up with his super-fit son is a challenge.
Tommy Watt would love Malcolm to be examined further to find out if other younger sufferers can learn from his very rare case. So far, interest from the medical profession has not been forthcoming.
Tommy has a simple answer to the question of what life would be like if Malcolm could not play tennis any more: “Impossible.”
Listen to Dementia and the Power of Sport on the BBC Radio 5 live website.
Golubev opened 2016 by going 11-4 on the ATP Challenger Tour
After a disappointing 2015 season due to injury, Andrey Golubev is back to full speed and ready to make a run back up the Emirates ATP Rankings.
The 28-year-old from Kazakhstan started out this year in dominant form, reaching the final of the ATP Challenger Tour event this February in Launceston, Australia, before prevailing the following month in Jonkoping, Sweden. Golubev even saved four championship points in the final against #NextGen star Karen Khachanov.
This week, Golubev is looking to make his sixth appearance in the main draw of Roland Garros. He opened up his qualifying campaign on Monday with a win over No. 16 seed Jozef Kovalik, then followed that up with another straight sets win on Wednesday over wild card Alexandre Sidorenko. He credited his improved form this year with the way he prepared during the off-season and sticking to his strengths in terms of scheduling.
“I played in outdoor and indoor hard courts for the first part of the year, which are surfaces that I like and prefer,” said Golubev. “I also put myself in the right mental state for this part of the season.”
Although Golubev has spent plenty of the years competing exclusively on the ATP World Tour, he said that he’s enjoyed many of the ATP Challenger Tour events he’s played in. He had particularly kind things to say about last month’s $50,000 event in Turin, Italy
“The organization was very good and the courts and stadium were perfect,” said Golubev. “The club is very nice and good for all the players, but it’s somewhat to be expected since Turin is an Olympic city.”
Golubev’s immediate goal is to qualify for Roland Garros, but he’s also hoping to put together consistent results throughout the season so he can eventually re-enter the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, with his career-high ranking of No. 33 coming in October 2010. After frustrating periods of injuries, he believes he can finally get back there now that he’s healthy.
“That’s what I’m working for,” he said. “Many things have changed, especially with my physical condition. Now that I’m well, I have good feelings about this year.”
Five players have put themselves in position to qualify for the first time
With the halfway point of the 2016 ATP World Tour season quickly approaching, the ATP Race To London is showing that that this year’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals could be set to welcome multiple new faces.
Currently inside the Top 8 of the ATP Race to London are Dominic Thiem (No. 6), Gael Monfils (No. 7) and David Goffin (No. 8), while Roberto Bautista Agut (No. 10) and Nick Kyrgios (No. 11) have also put themselves in contention to become potential first-timers with their strong starts to the year. All five players have either won at least one ATP World Tour title this season or produced inspired runs at the biggest tournaments of the year.
Thiem has won two ATP World Tour titles so far this season in Buenos Aires and Acapulco, in addition to a runner-up showing in Munich. He’s also established himself as a contender to reach the very top of the Emirates ATP Rankings with wins this season over Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Monfils has produced consistently solid tennis throughout the year. He was in dominant form at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Monte Carlo, advancing to the final without losing a set, and also reached back-to-back quarter-finals at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami. Monfils also finished as runner-up in Rotterdam.
Goffin has also been going deep in the biggest events of the season. In ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events this year, he reached back-to-back semi-finals in Indian Wells and Miami, and recently double bageled Tomas Berdych en route to a quarter-final showing in Rome.
Bautista Agut started out the year in dominant form by winning ATP World Tour titles in Auckland and St. Petersburg. His four career ATP World Tour titles have come on three different surfaces, proving that he’s a contender at any point in the year. Kyrgios won his first career ATP World Tour title this February in Marseille and has also recorded five Top 10 wins this season over the likes of Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic and Tomas Berdych. In addition to reaching the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Miami, he’s also cracked the Top 20 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time.
In addition to new faces, several familiar ones are also in position to qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who has already picked up 5,950 Emirates ATP Ranking points this season, has all but confirmed his spot. Should he participate, the five-time champion would make his 10th consecutive appearance in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
Several of the game’s top players have also given themselves a strong chance to head to London at the end of the year. Andy Murray is currently No. 2 in the Emirates ATP Race To London, followed by Rafael Nadal at No. 3 and Kei Nishikori at No. 4. All three men would be looking to win the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for the first time in their careers.
Reigning Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka and perennial Top 10 fixture Tomas Berdych are, currently ranked at No. 9 and No. 12 in the Emirates ATP Race to London. Both players have historically produced big results in the second half of the season and will be eager to keep their familiar place in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
Six-time champion Roger Federer is also firmly in contention at No. 13, despite missing several key tournaments in the first part of the season due to injury. He is looking to make his 15th consecutive appearance in London.
The American was one of 24 winners on a rainy Wednesday of play
#NextGen star Frances Tiafoe prevailed on a rainy day three of qualifying at Roland Garros on Wednesday. Showers throughout the day resulted in just 24 of 32 second-round qualifying matches being completed.
Tiafoe once again came out on the winning end of a marathon match, this time against No. 28 seed Saketh Myneni of India, 7-6(5), 7-5. The 18-year-old American is looking to come through qualifying at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career. He’ll play Adrian Ungur of Romania on Thursday for a place in the main draw.
Former Top 10 player Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic also moved forward in his bid for a 13th appearance in the main draw of Roland Garros. The No. 20 seed survived a scare against Australian Matthew Barton before prevailing, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. Next up for Stepanek is No. 2 seed and #NextGen star Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan, who prevailed over Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland in a match that went the distance, 6-2, 2-6, 8-6.
Other players to advance on Wednesday include No. 5 seed Thomas Fabbiano of Italy, No. 7 Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain and No. 8 seed Dustin Brown of Germany.
All remaining second-round qualifying matches and five final-round qualifying matches will take place on Thursday.
#NextGen star Alexander Zverev avenged an earlier loss to Marcel Granollers and reached his fourth quarter-final of the season on Wednesday at the Open de Nice Cote d’ Azur.
Zverev, who had lost to Granollers in three sets at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, prevailed 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-2 in two hours and 41 minutes. In the third set, the 19-year-old German didn’t face a break point and broke the 30 year old twice to get the win. “He’s one of the best clay-court players… and he’s been playing well,” Zverev said. “He has a lot of shots. He can do variety as well, so it was good for me to win that match.”
Zverev, No. 48 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, will play #NextGen star Taylor Fritz or second seed Gilles Simon. The 6’6” right-hander will try to reach his second semi-final of the season after reaching the same stage at the Open Sud de France in February.
Seventh seed Andreas Seppi came from behind to grab his second win in six tries against Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. The Italian hit seven aces and saved 10 of 12 break points to reach his second quarter-final of the season (Garanti Koza Sofia Open).
“It was a difficult match for sure, I always have tough matches against him,” Seppi said. “Hopefully I can play another good match tomorrow.”
Seppi will play first seed Dominic Thiem or Leonardo Mayer.
American, who beat Fabio Fognini in Nice this week, shares his go-to meal and the last time he asked an NBA legend for a selfie
I missed a flight?
I think it was to Irving, Texas, to play an ATP Challenger. It wasn’t good. I didn’t like it at all… March… We were late… Nothing but being late, totally late. Left from the house a little late, got there, there was a long security line.
I lost something important?
I lost my car keys a little while ago. That was very important. I was afraid someone was going to be riding off with my car… I did not find them. I had to get another set. And no one’s come to take the car. So I’m good, I guess.
I paid money to rent a tennis court or buy tennis balls?
Last year to hit on clay… in Atlanta. I paid $22 to hit on the clay court. It was kind of weird. I haven’t paid for a court in a very long time… But it was worth it. It was good to practise.
Being famous helped me?
In Atlanta, I’ve gotten a couple preferential treatments to sit down at a restaurant. We kind of skipped the whole line, which was cool, very cool… I came in, it was crowded. They were like, “Oh, we got you.” They just sat us down right away.
I strung a tennis racquet?
I don’t know how to string, so I’ve never strung a tennis racquet. And everyone I’ve talked to has said it wouldn’t benefit me to learn now because it would be so bad, take so long. So I’ve never learned.
I cooked for myself and others?
I’m only good at making breakfast food, for myself and then my mom one time. That was maybe a couple months ago as well. Breakfast is my end-all be-all, and I think it’s pretty decent… I can make a good breakfast burrito so that’s my go-to… Sausage, bacon, eggs, the three-cheese blend, some sauce on the side and we’re good.
I met a childhood idol?
Olympics. I met Kobe Bryant. That was awesome. 2012. It was great.
I shared a hotel room with another player?
I was 14, playing Junior Davis Cup and I shared it with a couple of guys playing on the team… It was in Miami, where the USTA used to be at Crandon Park. We were at the Embassy Suites there. So it was a lot of fun… We won, so that helped. We beat Canada to qualify for the finals… I did sleep a lot. I was happy because I was on the pull-out couch in the front so I almost had a whole room to myself.
I asked someone famous for an autograph or selfie?
That was probably at the Olympics as well. I asked every single NBA player who was there, from LeBron to Chris Paul to Carmelo, Kobe. It was great… Only a selfie. I couldn’t pull out an autograph. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.