Davis Cup at Sea Level

Controversy stirs as Sevilla beats out Madrid
Will Sharapova bounce someone off the Russian Fed Cup team?

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

©2003 Mark Lyons

Juan Carlos Ferrero will lead Spain in Sevilla.

The city of Madrid and its tennis federation worked their butts off to get the Davis Cup final against the US, but the return-of-serving sense of Sevilla beat out a chance to showcase the Madrid's athletic facilities for its 2012 Olympic bid. Or was a political battle that finalized the choice of sites?

Some Spanish newspapers and wire services are reporting that Madrid Tennis Federation President Pedro Munoz was furious, calling the decision a "scandal" that was a direct result of a political movement that is attempting to keep him from successfully challenging Spanish Tennis Federation president Agustin Pujol for the presidency.

"The decision to pick Sevilla is unjust, something strange happened," said Munoz, who added that he knew things were going awry when he wasn't invited to the Davis Cup semifinal victory dinner. "It made me cry inside," he said. Muñoz also alleged that Sevilla had promised not to organize a bid and he was under the impression that all the officials would work together for Spain to help Madrid get the Olympic bid.

The Dec. 3-5 final will be held on clay at the soccer and track stadium of La Cartuja, with a capacity of 22,000 fans. It sounds like officials worked together instead in attempt to negate the serves of Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish and the Bryan Brothers. Other reports have it that Spanish players and coaches vetoed the playing in the high altitude of Madrid, where the ball is speeded up "Everyone was talking about Madrid because of the Olympics but there was a conflict of interest," Pujol said.

The Spanish press is also in high gear regarding the speculation that Andre Agassi might change his mind and play Davis Cup for the first time since 2000. "It's clear that the ideal American team would include Agassi – but those that come know that they are going to undergo much, because we are toughest on clay," Spanish Davis Cup coach Juan Avendaño said.

Will Sharapova Play for Russia?
The word on the street is that ITF would love to see Maria Sharapova selected for the Fed Cup semis and finals in Moscow, but given that she hasn't played for Russia all year, will the sometimes bold captain Shamil Tarpischev risk potential team turmoil and give her the nod.

Off grass, she's the fifth best Russian behind Anastasia Myskina, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva and Vera Zvonareva (we'll give her the slight edge over Nadia Petrova). Plus, veteran and double standout Elena Likhovtseva is a Fed Cup team favorite. Let's not forget what team leader Myskina said on the subject back in August: "If Maria wants to play Fed Cup next year, why not? We want to have all the good players, because it's easier to win matches." The operative two words here are "next year."

Given that Sharapova has lost twice to Myskina this year and was just crushed by Kuznetsova in Beijing (let alone losing to Zvonareva on hardcourts this summer), there's no reason to select the 17-year-old other than for pure publicity. Then again, the Fed Cup badly needs more pub. The semis begin Nov. 22 in Moscow, with Russia playing Austria and France confronting Spain.

Ron Cioffi/TR.net

Despite her menacing virus, Justine Henin-Hardenne gets our vote for female player of the year.

Perusing SI's excellent 50th anniversary issue, I was stunned to see that in their fan poll of who the women's player of the year should be, that Myskina is not included. She's had a better year than both Kuznetsova and Sharapova, and certainly a more respectable year than Amelie Mauresmo. Yes, she emotionally bailed at the Open and melted down in the Olympic semis, but put her results against the other three and there's little doubt who comes out on top. Unfortunately for the angst-ridden Anastasia, Justine Henin-Hardenne still gets my player of the year vote due to her Aussie Open and Olympic gold wins. But if either Myskina, Kuznetsova or Sharapova win the WTA championships, things could change.

The Asian Tours
Both tours are storming through Asia this week. While the women have somewhat weak Tier III and IV fields going in Guangzhou and Seoul, at least they are out there trying to establish beach heads in a critical market. The men have a strong group in Thailand, but are weak in Shanghai.

Speaking of Russia again, how big an underachiever is Dinara Safina, who is somehow seeded in Guangzhou? Nice win by San Diego's Abigail Spears in Seoul, when she defeated No. 2 Shinobu Asagoe 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

Not to go out on too big of a limb, but how does the $550,000 Thailand Open in Bangkok get an A-List field with the likes of Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin? Huge guarantees to be sure, but what else in racy Bangkok? Careful, guys … Jiri Novak leads the boys in Shanghai, while in Europe, Nicolas Massu is the top seed in Palermo.

After more than four months off the tour due to a wrist injury former No. 1 Kim Clijsters returns in Hasselt. Don't expect her to immediately regain her Top-5 form, but she's certainly no the type of player who's going to be over run by lesser players, either. However, lefty Iveta Benesova is a tough first round. Ä Bad news on the Henin-Hardenne front. The Belgian is likely to pull out of Filderstadt, seemingly unable to shake the virus that has plagued her since late March. Ä The 32-year-old Silvia Farina Elia made a sound decision not retire at the end of 2003 but after falling 6-0, 6-2 to Denisa Chladkova in Haslett, it's time to hang 'em up. Ä Alexandra Stevenson had shoulder surgery and is out until next summer at the earliest. She should have one more decent surge left in her, that is, if she gets herself a real coach.

After undergoing his second hip surgery last week, three-time Roland Garros champ Gustavo Kuerten has to think his days as a big-time competitor or over. Don't expect the delightful Brazilian to be back before February. Ä It's been a terrific summer for tennis books, including Joel Drucker's "Jimmy Connors Saved My Life" and Bruce Schoenfeld's "The Match," but Brad Gilbert's new book with James Kaplan, "I've Got Your back, is hastily put together and not very intriguing. Gilbert's last book, "Winning Ugly," was delightful in many ways, but the new book is lacking in interesting anecdotes and full of curious history. But in the nice-guys-finish-first dept., at least Gilbert canonized Foothill Junior College's Tom Chivington, his longtime coach. Ä Gilbert is the most high-profile coach out there, but he can't get more than a "B-" grade for Roddick's performance this year. Ä Paul Annacone, who's Tim Henman's coach, gets an "A.". Ä Roger Federer's girlfriend and confidante, Mirka Vavrinec, gets an "A+." Ä Federer's former coach, Peter Lungren, is struggling with Marat Safin. Ä Darren Cahill, Agassi's coach, gets a "B-." Ä Roger Rasheed, Lleyton Hewitt's coach, registers a "B." Ä Speaking of Roddick-Gilbert, Agassi-Cahill, they will face off in doubles during the WTT All-Star Smash Hits, October 11 on the University of California Irvine campus. Hosted by Elton John and Billie Jean King, the evening of tennis will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the National AIDS Fund. Anna Kournikova and Tracy Austin are also playing.