Freelance tennis writer Ravi Ubha will be blogging from Queen's this week. Here's his first post from the first day of the Artois Championships.
It's the first day of the grass-court season – we're not including Surbiton here – and lo and behold, sunny skies and temperatures expected to reach almost 86 degrees greeted the masses at the Queen's Club in southwest London, a stone's throw, or subway ride, away from Wimbledon. No, we're not dreaming. No rain in sight.
I know we're supposed to call it the Artois Championships, but no one really does. In any case, after this year, Artois, the beer maker, is gone as the title sponsor. The beleaguered yet financially sound LTA is seeking a sponsor or sponsors to back all of British tennis, including tourneys during the grass-court swing.
Queen's is in a wonderful location. For the uninitiated, you walk out of the subway station, turn right, and smack dab into the middle of a nice looking neighbourhood lined with organic meat shops, a swanky French patisserie, and the obligatory real estate agent. Somewhat strangely, there's no sign of a betting shop, about as common in England as the rain. Maybe the ATP – with its executive offices a skip from center court – booted them out.
Lleyton Hewitt, still coming to terms with a hip injury, makes his entrance in the official tournament car, Tony Roche getting a window seat. Fernando Verdasco, the dapper Spaniard, is waiting for someone. More than a few female fans seem willing to oblige.
For purists, there's probably nothing like a freshly trimmed grass court. It's kind of like a beautiful looking meal – some part of you really doesn't want to dive in. Of course, that's not happening.
The place is awash with players trying to banish French Open memories or restart after some nagging injuries. Feliciano Lopez, Verdasco's frequent doubles partner and foe in the ``looks'' category, is letting out his usual grunts against Paul-Henri Mathieu. There's a gasp – ok, it was only me – when Mathieu actually serves and volleys.
David Nalbandian practises with fellow South American Fernando Gonzalez, and shock, a cursory glance at the practice schedule reveals Nalbandian is actually practising twice today. No alcoholic beverages have been consumed – yet – so I know I'm not seeing double.
Brad Gilbert looks out of place. The same guy who's worked with Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi and Andy Murray is on court with British No. 2 Alex Bogdanovic. He's ranked 243rd globally, and we're being kind by defining him in British terms. Or at least we were. Cut loose by Murray last year, Gilbert was relegated to working with the Serbian-born lefty, who should be in the top 100. Bogdanovic, in an anecdote surely raised by British broadcasters the last few days, came within two points of toppling Roddick here last year. He hasn't won a top-tier match since and exits later to promising Aussie Joseph Sirianni.
Rumors abound Gilbert and his still hefty salary will part with the LTA by Wimbledon.
Roddick is hitting with Richard Gasquet, sans cap but with new coach Guillaume Peyre, who's had plenty of experience teaming with another highly talented though seemingly mentally fragile artisan, Marcos Baghdatis. They play a few games and finish things off with a tiebreak. Peyre let's out a ``magnifique'' when a forehand winner gets things going. The joy is short lived and Roddick, popping his serve, prevails 7-2.
Afterward, John Roddick is free to chat; the Roddick team arrived in England a few days ago. A combination of shoulder and back injuries kept brother Andy out of Roland Garros and Hamburg.
``Andy's just been practising, working hard, rehabbing his shoulder a little bit,'' John Roddick says. ``Schedule wise it's just been a lot of training, so nothing really fancy. I mean, you saw him, he was serving really well. The only worry is if it creeps back a little bit or regresses, but it is what it is.''
The shoulder still gets tired, although the soreness is gone.
``Well, I think he's there, but it's just a matter of going out now and seeing,'' he continues when asked if the shoulder is 100 percent. ``Today was really good in that he was able to serve as good as he did. And actually I think it's helped him with his location because he slowed it down and didn't serve big for a while. Now all of a sudden his location is really good.''
The surging Robby Ginepri downs rapper Vince Spadea in straight sets to set up a second-round tilt with Roddick. Any doubt about whether Ginepri would make the Olympic team was put to bed last week when he reached the fourth round of the French and boosted his ranking to 59th, a jump of 29 spots, ahead of today's cut-off date. Roddick and Mardy Fish are among those declining.
A serious foodie, Ginepri joined Roddick and Fish at the noted Mr. Chow's restaurant in west London.
``I enjoy Chinese,'' Ginepri said. ``I like Indian as well.''
Back to tennis, and Ginepri said he expected Jose Higueras to work with him at Wimbledon. Diego Moyano was in his corner in Paris while Higueras focused on what turned out to be a battered Roger Federer. Federer disclosed after yesterday's clay massacre at the hands of Rafael Nadal - the top seed at Queen's - that Higueras would join him in Halle. He also wanted to know what weeks Higueras was available for the rest of the year.
``I spoke to Jose yesterday and this morning,'' Ginepri said. ``From my understanding, Jose has told me he's going to be at Wimbledon for me. I really don't worry about that much. I'm here to play matches and do what I have to do on a day-to-day basis. If Jose can make Wimbledon, which he said he was going to, he's been a man of his word so far. ''
No major upsets today. Mario Ancic, tipped as the second favorite at Wimbledon this year by lovable countryman Goran Ivanisevic, rips 17 aces in a comfortable win over clay-court veteran Nicolas Lapentti; four-time champ Hewitt posts a routine win over a British wildcard, then reveals he wouldn't be playing if it wasn't this time of the year, due to the hip; and Marat Safin struggles past world No. 495 James Ward, the British No. 8. Ernests Gulbis, fresh off his quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros, uses his big serve to mystify Kristof Vliegen. Vliegen doesn't manufacture a break point.
As early evening sets in, Novak Djokovic, sleeveless shirt in tow, hits with fellow Serb Nenad Zimonjic. Expect some of the big boys to be in action tomorrow.
And no rain forecast til Thursday. Really.
