Author Archives: Jesse Pentecost
Sodden Balls, A Tin Sky
Monte Carlo Masters, Third Round Haase d. Bellucci, 6/2 6/3 Last week in Casablanca, Robin Haase, not the latest great hope of Dutch tennis but still arguably the best, lost to Lamine Ouahab, ranked No.752. It was another low point … Continue reading
Streaks and Bagels
Monte Carlo Masters, First and Second Rounds (4) Tsonga d. Kohlschreiber, 6/2 6/4 (3) Murray d. Troicki, 6/0 6/3 There is a persistent belief, and one that I share in spite of my better judgement, that Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is a … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Used Dishwater
Houston, Final (4) Monaco d. (2) Isner, 6/2 3/6 6/3 Juan Monaco today earned himself a career-high ranking of No.14, the right to call himself the US Men’s Clay Court Champion (ladies), and a potentially decisive bone-weariness as he decamps … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Luck of the Draw: Monte Carlo 2012
Depending on who you talk to, the outcome of the Monte Carlo Masters will have ramifications for the rest of the clay court season extending all the way from the profound up to the negligible. If Nadal wins, he’ll win … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
The High Point of the Season
The Monte Carlo draw isn’t out until tomorrow, but, alone among tournaments, this offers no reason not to analyse it. The two salient features are already known: Rafael Nadal will play, and so will Novak Djokovic. Just this once, we … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Empty, Blissful and Still
The Next Point Enterprises, in conjunction with Hallmark and the South Australian Board of Agriculture, is proud to announce the release of a truly inspirational gift, just in time for Mother’s Day. The Roger Rasheed 2012 Desk Calendar collects, for … Continue reading
Filed under Players
The Thing About Assumptions
Davis Cup, Quarterfinals, Day Three Czech Rep. d. Serbia, 4-1 Berdych d. Tipsarevic, 7/6 7/6 7/6 In twenty years’ time, someone poring over old tennis scores might chance upon today’s Davis Cup results, and might make certain assumptions – entirely … Continue reading
Filed under Davis Cup
That’s Davis Cup For You
Davis Cup, Quarterfinals, Day One The first day of the 2012 Davis Cup World Group quarterfinals has concluded, and three of the four ties are balanced intriguingly at a rubber each. The other tie, involving Spain at home, has hardly … Continue reading
Filed under Davis Cup
Hardcourt Retrospective 2012 (Part Two)
This is Part Two of my look back at some of the players for whom the hardcourt season proved definitive, for better or for worse. The selection of players discussed might seem odd, although this is hopefully only because it … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour, By the Numbers
Hardcourt Retrospective 2012 (Part One)
The ATP calendar has never made a great deal of sense, which is no great issue, since nowhere is it written that sporting schedules need to be sensible. In the case of tennis, a global concern with a vast delta … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour, By the Numbers