Notes on A Draw Sheet

Parenting profiles: Yuri Sharapova and Lynette Federer
Henin-Hardenne's coach rips WTA for 'treating her like a dog"
Plus: Fed Cup, Roddick, Blake, Gaudio

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA

Federer is more independent than Sharapova. Roddick needs to get meaner against Roger.

Talk about a tale of two player's parents. How about Lynette Federer and Yuri Sharapova, the two more active parents in their Wimbledon champs tennis careers? After the finals, there was Yuri, bear hugging "his Maria," banging on his chest in pride and avoiding the media like they were one of his old hard-case supervisors from the Siberian oil field where he used to work. One reporter, Inside Tennis' Bill Simons, did manage to get close to Yuri for a few seconds who said that his daughter was "born to be a Wimbledon champion" before he dashed off again.

Why not tell the world about your family's harrowing rags to riches story? Maybe because Yuri knows that he can't control his authoritarian and temperamental sides and doesn't want the universe to see it. There are few indications that Yuri belongs in the Damir Dokic class, but ask a few of Maria's ex-coaches about Yuri and they won't tell you that he's a nice and easy-going guy. But Maria is fiercely loyal to her pop. Then, again, so was Jelena Dokic when she was 17 and look what's happened with them now.

Of course, every person is different with his or her parenting techniques. Lynette Federer was more hands off with Roger, even when he was a racket-throwing, tantrum-to-the-floor-tank-when-things-are-rough teen. Lynette knew how immensely talented her son was, but wasn't sure whether he would mature enough to be able to be able to apply his genius.

"I did worry," Lynette said. "He just needed his time. Roger always needed to go over certain hurdles to give him a little push in his career. It happened as a child at school; it happened in sports. Every time he bumped his head he improved, he always made a big jump. Everything happened step by step. Now he's there where he wants to be."

She stepped aside when Federer decided to become his own man and after winning the year-end '03 Masters Cup, he parted ways with coach Peter Lungren. Since he's been flying solo, Roger has bagged two Slams (including the Australian Open on Rebound Ace), two ATP Masters Series crowns (Indian Wells on hard courts and Hamburg on clay) and a 1,000-point lead over Roddick in the rankings.

Very smart call.

"We really respect the way he left home very young and he's taken his career into his own hands," his mother said. "He's gotten used to fighting and keeping up his level. He needed to mature. Roger has learned self-discipline. I've got a feeling that a period without a coach – I don't say it's ideal – has made him take a lot of initiative. He's become a little more creative, he's worked on himself. He's never worked as hard since he hasn't had a coach."

ROGER MATURING, WORKING HARDER WITHOUT COACH
Lynette saw Roger grow up right before her very eyes in the fourth set of his final round victory over Andy Roddick at Wimbledon, when he fought off six break points. "When he was younger, he was very ambitious," she said. "When he didn't achieve what he wanted he could get a little erratic. He realized he was just wasting energy. He proved it in the fourth set (when he was) down on his serve. Years ago, he would have thrown the racket or shouted and wasted energy. Today he's learned to get his emotions under control."

Yet while Lynette is more forthcoming than Yuri and knows when to take back seat, she's very involved in the business side of Roger's career, especially with his foundation.

On Sunday, we forgot to note in Roddick's loss to Federer that he went "Corretja" after match point, going around the net to deliriously congratulate his foe after the loss. Recall that after he was whipped by good buddy Carlos Moya in the '98 Roland Garros final, Alex went around the net to hug his conqueror before Moya realized what was happening. Emotionally, Corretja had lost the match before he walked on court because he didn't believe he was mean enough to win that game of dodge ball over his chum.

Roddick played Federer much tougher, but why the "I'm not worthy routine" after the match? Yes, it was a fine show of sportsmanship, but even Federer looked a little surprise about how overly-warm Andy was. Roddick's needs to add an tiger's sharp edge to this so-called rivalry if he's to turn around his 1-7 record against him. … You can bet that Roddick's coach, Brad Gilbert, wouldn't have done the same. An angry Gilbert, who was arguably out-coached by Roger (or was it by Federer's girlfriend, former WTA player Mirka Vavrince?), left the site in a huff without speaking to the press, who he normally likes to accommodate (when Andy's winning, of course).

Siggi Bucher

Is Justine, shown here in an injury timeout at the '03 Australian Open, being treated unfairly?

FEd Cup Woes
Back to Sharapova, who must be flat out exhausted after her non-stop media carousal tour over the past week. What show hasn't she appeared on? Johnny Mac's strained MSNBC show, that's what. He could really use her as well about a million or so sessions teaching him how to ask a question. Of course, in order to be a successful interviewer, Mac would have to be interested in other people's lives. … Maria's the biggest crossover star the WTA has had since Serena, who she pushed off the red carpet in the Wimbledon final. But let's not overplay her physical attributes yet folks; she's only 17. Eyes off until she turns 18, guys and gals. … Somehow, Maria wasn't named to Russian Olympic team or Fed Cup team which will begin play in Argentina tomorrow against another talked-about blonde, Gisela Dulko, and often forgotten brunette teammate, Mariana Diaz-Oliva. Paolo Suarez is skipping the tie so the standout Russian team that includes Anastasia Myskina, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva and Elena Likhovsteva should skate. … Do the Russian's consider Sharapova a Russian when she hasn't lived there in almost a decade?

It's nice to see the Russians and defending champs France so committed to Fed Cup, which is plagued by poor scheduling. Amelie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce have hopped down to Italy to play Francesa Schiavone and Silvia Farina-Elia, which should be the most hotly contested tie of the weekend. Up in Austria, Captain Zina Garrison had a heck of a time fielding a team with the Williamses, Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati all saying no. By the way, when the US with Venus beat Slovenia in April, Serena opted out of the tie with a knee injury, but still managed to limp over to the Bahamas, where she did a bikini-shoot for her 2005 calendar.

Garrison did mange to corral Chanda Rubin to play the tie and if the chronically-injured Louisianan doesn't manage to beat Barbara Schwartz in the opener, the US could be in a world of hurt as Lisa Raymond is a singles slump and will have a heck of a time against Barbara Schett on clay. This one looks like it will go down to the fifth and deciding match, where Martina Navratilova will have to come up huge in dubs. … Garrison also tabbed Jill Craybas for the team. What happened with Myskina conqueror Amy Frazier, who would have been a better choice in singles? She didn't' say no, did she? The last Fed Cup quarter will be contested between Spain and Belgium in Jerez de la Frontera, without Kim Clijsters ,Justine Henin-Hardenne or Conchita Martinez. Now it's time for Anabel Medina-Garrigues and Kirsten Flipkens to show their stuff. Imagine trying to sell tickets for that match. Eighteen Euros should by both days, not one match.

In Newport, James Blake's bad luck continued in a (gasp!) 6-3, 6-1 loss to fellow American Alex Bogomolov Jr. on grass. Blake, making his first appearance on the ATP circuit since slamming into the net post during the Italia Masters in Rome, withdrew from doubles due to a sore bicep. … It's amazing wow quickly French champ Gaston Gaudio recovered form the alleged injury that kept him out of Wimbledon. He's in the quarters on Swedish Open on clay versus Rafael Nadal, who's playing his first event since May. Believe it or, not, they are playing on red clay.

Henin-Hardenne's coach rips WTA for 'treating her like a dog"
Henin-Hardenne's coach, Carlos Rodriguez, really went off on the WTA on her web site, saying they are trying to force her to play despite the fact that she has yet to fully recover from her bout with an aggressive virus. JHH is scheduled to return in LA the week of July 19.

I cannot imagine it's as bad as Rodriguez says it is, but here goes:

"They squeeze the players like lemons, and that's the reason for what is going on today. Kim, the number two is out during eight months, Justine Henin, maybe out for several months. These two girls really have done a lot for tennis, and that's their reward? They both need a recovery period! … I'm going to say something very important: at a certain point, Justine got a call from the WTA. Not because they wanted to know how she was doing, no, the only thing they said was that she had to play in another ournament, if she couldn't make it to one. I really think that's a lack of respect for everything she has contributed to tennis. This shows that they really don't care about the players, they're used and thrown away, and once they're recovered, they squeeze them again. … Justine had to fill in a questionnaire on Roland Garros. In one of the questions, they asked her opinion about the injuries on the circuit, but the answer was already filled in, they had answered for her, it was something to skip. That's another sign of hypocrisy, it shows the lack of respect and professionalism of the WTA. The problem is that nobody dares to speak up. … They should take into account that every player from the Top-8 should play at least 18 tournaments, that's awfully much, and that's even without the Fed Cup and the Olympics. I really want to know where this is heading, I don't get it, I don't understand their goal, their strategy, I don't even think there is one. … When Justine comes back, and she will come back, things are going to change! No more being treated like a dog, going everywhere they tell you to go. She'll only do something for herself. If not, she won't be able to do stuff anymore, the amount of obligations has increased, the players are not made to do all those other things. If she wants to play another few years, she'll have to change her methods. From now on, we'll do it our way, there won't be any more negotiations. I said to her: You want to play for another six years, with only 12 tournaments every year, so be it. You will pay the fines, but the whole world will know why you have to pay them!"