FIVE YEARS LATER KOOZY ADDS SECOND MAJOR; SAFINA SHAKEN BY FINALITIS

     PARIS — Dinara Safina wore the face of a woman who had just watched her home burn down.  And she had forgotten to insure it.  Or maybe she let the kids play with matches. continue reading »

June 06 2009 | French Open | 2 Comments »

TITLE RIVALRY: MOSCOW (SAFINA) AGAINST ST. PETE (KUZNETSOVA)

  PARIS — This is like Ohio State-Michigan, if I may use a fierce American football rivalry and apply it to tennis. What I have in mind is a great long-time Russian rivalry – Moscow and St. Petersburg – and a representative of each bumping heads with the Championship of France at stake. continue reading »

June 04 2009 | French Open | No Comments »

SISTER SERENA PROVES IT: SHE’S THE WORLD BEST IN ONE OF WORST FINALS

     It’s not Serena’s fault that Dinara Safin contracted stagefright.  Or maybe it is.  Looking across the net at destructive Sister Serena is not one of the great views.  Nothing scenic about it.  It’s like peering over the edge of a cliff and losing your balance.     

     It was the tennis version of falling into the Grand Canyon, and in this battle for the No. 1 ranking, No. 3 Dinara seemed No.333.  I hate to say it because Dinara is such a good kid, and has worked extremely hard to climb so high.  But on the first point, Serena’s booming forehand winner, the fire alarm rang, and the 6-0, 6-3 blaze was under way, lasting 59 minutes. It was perhaps the shortest final in minutes in Aussie history (the records aren’t clear).  For Verdasco, Nadal and Federer, it was less than a set’s worth or so. continue reading »

February 01 2009 | Australian Open | 1 Comment »