Ivan Ljubicic, 2010 winner of the Indian Wells tournament, the BNP Paribas Open.
INDIAN WELLS, CA – It wasn’t Lawrence of Arabia riding a camel across the desert sands to victory. No, the name was Ivan Ljubicic, but he did a pretty fair imitation in a desert setting, bounding about the asphalt rectangle in sneakers while overcoming a high-powered favorite. continue reading »
March 21 2010 | Indian Wells | No Comments »
INDIAN WELLS, CA — To the desert, troops.
Roger Federer enters stadium to participate in the Hit for Haiti
Are we playing Lawrence of Arabia, or Humphrey Bogart as a WORLD War II tank commander in the Sahara? Hardly, It’s just the very welcome spring breakaway from winter, landing the men’s and women’s tours in California’s sandy Coachella Valley. The sun peers from cobalt skies, and the snow is where it’s supposed to be — on the surrounding mountains and not my yard in Boston. continue reading »
March 20 2010 | Indian Wells | No Comments »
Roy Emerson, in Indian Wellls to be honored, joined Bud at his daily forum: "Tennis Talk with Bud"
INDIAN WELLS, California — She was like a kitten chasing its tail. Vera Zvonareva tried to catch up with the yellow tennis ball that seemed to circle her.
“I couldn’t actually get it in front of me,” she would say later of the point that ended so ignominiously. Waving vainly at the ball, she lost balance and fell on her face. Vera had been aced by a 68 MPH second serve, a dipsy-doodle off the racket of Ana Ivanovic. No credit to her, the darling of the boys in the balcony, Ana’s Serbian compatriots, who tried to scream and flag-wave her to one of the two singles titles available at the Indian Wells Garden. continue reading »
March 22 2009 | Tournaments | 1 Comment »
Charlie Pasarell, Daniela Hantuchova with Bud at a reception hosted by the tournament's new sponsor, BNP Paribas
So, like a good reporter, I phoned the Bureau of Missing Persons.
“Any news on a couple of sisters named Serena and Venus Williams?” I asked.
“Who are they?” was the response.
Startled, I said, “Gosh, they own a profession called women’s tennis, and nobody knows where they are.” continue reading »
March 16 2009 | Tournaments | 1 Comment »
There is lovely landscaping at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Maybe this is the place where Roger gets untangled. After all he won three successive titles (204 – 06) in this idyllic mountain-ringed desert, and now faces an heir-raising experience. He and his live-in lady friend, Mirka Vavrinec have announced her pregnancy. This makes you wonder what grip Roger will use on the diapers. Possibly the continental?
Federer is getting a lot of attention. He’s not shopping for bassinets yet, but may be for a coach – and seemed to have the right man for the job in Aussie Darren (Killer) Cahill. They met in Dubai, another desert, where Roger was readying himself, for the newly named, and sponsored, BNP Paribas Open. But Cahill, who had steered Lleyton Hewitt to No. 1 and pumped new life into Andre Agassi, though tempted and flattered, felt he couldn’t spare the time from his young family in Las Vegas.
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March 13 2009 | Tournaments | 1 Comment »
