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By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net
WILL TARPISHEV PLAY DAVYDENKO? Russia's top player is a combined 0-11 against Andy Roddick and James Blake, so don't put it past the Russian captain to sub in Dmitry Tursunov on day 1 to face Blake (they've never played), and maybe Igor Andreev on day 2 to face Roddick (Andreev is 2-1 v. the American). Mikhail Youzhny is almost certain to face Roddick on day 1. ITF SAYS HAAS WASN'T POISONED: Some unnamed Russian told Alex Waske that his teammate, Tommy Haas, was poisoned in Germany's Davis Cup semifinal defeat by Russia in Moscow, but the ITF (as well as Haas' doctors) said the trail was dead. "Following enquiries, the ITF has concluded that there is no medical information or other evidence whatsoever to support recent speculation concerning the medical condition of Tommy Haas during Germany's Davis Cup semifinal tie against Russia," the ITF said in a statement. "There will be no further comment on this subject." So what did Haas eat then? Mushy potatoes boiled in Safin's sweat? RODDICK FINED 20,000 FOR PULLING OUT OF PARIS, MAD 'NOT TRYING" FINE IS LESS: On his web site, Roddick says he was fined $20,000 for pulling out of TMS Paris. ("I needed to get back to heal and spend the next eight days putting a bunch of work into leg fitness training in Austin to make sure I was healthy for Shanghai and Davis Cup."). He also resents that Nikolay Davydenko only got fined $2,000 (it was later rescinded) for not trying in Moscow. "So I get fined 20 large which is a flawed system but I have gotten used to it….. fine…put it on my tab…..I read 3 days later that Nikolay Davydenko has been fined 2 grand for not trying in a match… I AM NOT here to say he did or did not try in that match…. I didn’t see it .. just heard about it… the thing that got me was the 2 grand fine…. in essence they are setting the precedent that preparing and getting healthy for their year end event is worth a 20 grand fine, but tanking (again I have no opinion on guilt or innocence here) only warrants 2 grand….taking care of injuries and health to be prepared for their event= 20 grand……….. not trying= 2 grand…anyone else see a problem with this??"
CHANG AND PENG SPLIT: Michael Chang gave coaching China's most feared yet most erratic ball-striker, Peng Shuai, a year of his time, but was unable to get her to buy into his training regimen. "We would butt heads a little bit on the time she put in to training," he said. "I think she thought that at times I was too strict and ended up putting in more time than she was used to." PEER'S COACHING MERRYGOROUND: For the fifth time in 18 months, the intense and straining Shahar Peer has hired new coaches, this time taking the advice of her main advisor, Jose Higueras, and going with a combo of Gabriel Urpi and Conchita Martinez, who is new to the coaching role. Urpi has coached a slew of players and will still work with Italy's Flavia Pennetta during half the season. But it's unclear whether he will still work with Sania Mirza, Peer's sometimes doubles partner whom he tutored during the summer. Peer's 2007 traveling coach, Oded Tayeg, wanted to decrease his number of weeks on the road and Peer wants someone with her all the time. The promising Israeli didn't not have a standout year, only finishing ranked No. 17 after a breakout 2006 where she finished No. 20. While she's consistently in the quarterfinal mix, she took way too many losses to Top-10 players. Perhaps former Wimbledon champ Martinez, who was a thoughtful player, can help add some more variety to her game. MIRZA NEEDS BETTER DIRECTION: The sometimes-stubborn Mirza is still undecided who will coach her, but badly needs a consistent sense of direction in 2008. While she had a solid summer and reached a career-high No. 27 in August, her training methods both during off weeks and on tour are questionable given how often she gets injured at the young age of 21. © TennisReporters.net 2007
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