This week TENNIS.com will be featuring one of our blog regulars, Asad Raza, who is in Rome for the men's Italian Open. He'll be writing back and forth with me here a couple times; reporting on the home page; and blogging over at Pete's as well—he's got this thing covered.
Asad,
Federer as Augustus, Nadal an Etruscan; how about Bodo as Virgil, Bud Collins as Ovid, Vince Spadea as Horace? Last year Bud had hip surgery but still made it there. I think to him, the Italian remains an essential part of the traditional tennis circuit, back when it was regularly called the “Fifth Slam” and before it was buried beneath all the various, confusing monikers you listed in your post.
I’m stuck watching on TV this time, and was pretty unhappy with that this morning when I saw the Times’ Neil Harman in the press section, where I was last year, taking in the sun and Federer and that uniquely flat, orange, baked-looking clay court in the Pallacorda. I like that the event is using it as the center court this year. You’ll notice that the surface itself is much bigger than the one in the new main stadium (which is being renovated this year). It's more fitting for a grand event. The trouble is that the marble has been covered with cushions, and the famous statues have been obscured by an extra level of seats. Last year it really had an amphitheatre-like feel.
I thought Federer looked good right from the start today, solid and accurate and comfortable from the baseline, patient enough not to go for too much. The drop shot is helping him. When he moved Cañas up and back with it, Federer suddenly had the look of a true clay-courter, rather than a power-baseliner trying to belt his way through on clay. I don’t see much to stop him until Ferrer in the quarters, and he’s 8-0 against him (though they played a three-setter last year on clay in Hamburg). Then he might get the winner of Djokovic-Nalbandian. I wonder how Djokovic will react after a pretty dispiriting and embarrassing effort against Federer in Monte Carlo? I have to think he wants to redeem himself. I like the game of his first opponent, Steve Darcis; they should have a very solid match, no matter how competitive it is.
On the other side, I’m curious to see how far Roddick can go—he isn’t as bad on clay as all the evidence suggests—and if Tsonga will offer much resistance after his knee injury. Nadal-Murray? That might be fun. Or an unsightly blowout.
What do you think of the event itself? The Foro Italico is pleasantly low-key and rough around the edges compared to, say, the U.S. Open or even Indian Wells. My favorite place there, as it is at most tournaments, is the side-court area, underneath the stone pines. There’s something old world about it, and the amphitheatre seating is perfect for the Italians, who don’t consider themselves bound by usher’s rules about waiting until a changeover to move. Good for them—the players get used to it. From what I’ve seen on TV, they’ve carved out a second arena back there this year. What’s the atmosphere like in it?
One thing that sticks in my mind were the ushers themselves. Rather than retirees from the Bronx, they were 20-something-year-old girls who loved to dance to the (cheesy) songs that were piped through the stadium. Hopefully they’re by the press section again.
Next logical question: Who’s the tennis version of Caligula?
Steve
