Author Archives: Jesse Pentecost
The More Things Change
Nine days into the 2013 season, and it is safe to say that the second week has commenced the way first one concluded, and that the transition between the two was executed seamlessly. The young men who barely lost in … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
A Lack of Trajectory
‘Novak Djokovic fires a massive warning shot across the Australian summer of tennis.’ Thus intoned Channel Ten’s Mark ‘Howie’ Howard, celebrating the world No.1’s dominance by fatally torpedoing a naval metaphor, and perfectly evoking countless high school English classes in … Continue reading
Typically Strange
So far this has been a decidedly strange first week of the season, but that’s nothing unusual. It invariably is, as the flecked rust accrued in the off-season – ‘December’ according to the Gregorian calendar – is frantically scraped and … Continue reading
Tennis Grandstand
For those of you who may not know, I am now also contributing to Tennis Grandstand on a regular basis (more often during Majors). My first article for Tennis Grandstand (from a few days ago) can be found here. The … Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
There Will Be Mud
Mikhail Youzhny yesterday recorded his first career match win over Benjamin Becker in Doha, which would admittedly be of scant interest even to me, if it wasn’t simultaneously the Russian’s 400th career match win over anyone anywhere. One night earlier … Continue reading
Making Mulch
Hopman Cup Tomic d. Haas, 7/6 3/6 7/5 Bernard Tomic tonight defeated Tommy Haas at the Hopman Cup in Perth, in what will likely be adjudged the finest match of the new season, assuming there’s a second and more thorough … Continue reading
Filed under ITF
Christmas Break
The Next Point will be taking a short break over Christmas. I will return slightly before New Year’s, as the 2013 season kicks off in Perth, Abu Dhabi and wherever else professional tennis players congregate or congeal for our delectation. … Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
Not A Means, But An End
In 2011, for the first time in the Open Era, no male tennis player reached his first Grand Slam semifinal. In 2012 it happened for the second time. This means there hasn’t been a new face in the final four … Continue reading
Filed under By the Numbers
Those Points You Can’t Get Back
Wimbledon, Semifinal, 2000 (12) Rafter d. (2) Agassi, 7/5 4/6 7/5 4/6 6/3 Andre Agassi and Patrick Rafter contested three consecutive Wimbledon semifinals between 1999 and 2001. Only the first of these, through which the American romped in particularly straight … Continue reading
Filed under Great Matches
Five Great Years
Tommy Haas, No.21 As I write, Tommy Haas is losing amiably to Roger Federer at an exhibition in Sao Paulo, although he earlier proved beyond question that he is the Swiss player’s superior as a dancer. He also demonstrated back … Continue reading