By TW Contributing Editor, Ed McGrogan
Last Week's Tournaments
AEGON International (ATP & WTA - Grass - Eastbourne, England)
Men's Singles Bracket
- Dmitry Tursunov def. Frank Dancevic
Women's Singles Bracket
- Caroline Wozniacki def. Virginie Razzano
Men's Doubles Bracket
- Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Marcin Matkowski def. Travis Parrott/Filip Polasek
Women's Doubles Bracket
- Akgul Amanmuradova/Ai Sugiyama def. Samantha Stosur/Rennae Stubbs
Ordina Open (ATP & WTA - Grass - s'Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands)
Men's Singles Bracket
- Benjamin Becker def. Ramon Slutier
Women's Singles Bracket
- Tamarine Tanasugarn def. Yanina Wickmayer
Men's Doubles Bracket
- Weslie Moodie/Dick Norman def. Johan Brunstrom/Jean-Julien Rojer
Women's Doubles Bracket
- Sara Errani/Flavia Pennetta def. Michaella Krajicek/Yanina Wickmayer
McGrogan's Heroes
ATP - Benjamin Becker
Though I love watching tennis at all levels of play, it's not often that I become invested in the outcome of a qualifying match. Last August at the Toronto Masters, I most certainly was.
Sitting on hard, metal rafters with a group of tennis die-hards, I watched Benjamin Becker and Jesse Levine trade punishing groundstrokes in an effort to reach the tournament’s main draw. (While qualifiers may not be as sexy to follow, it’s still quality tennis.) I was one of the few pulling for Becker on this day; Levine, though today an American, was born in Ontario. I wanted Becker to win because I had scheduled a one-on-one interview -- the first time I'd done so with a pro player -- with him after this match, regardless of the result. Obviously, I was hoping Becker would come to our intimate chat in good spirits.
The match eventually went Levine’s way; from my recollection, Becker had a match point but lost in a third-set tiebreaker. As I walked away from the court, Becker smashed his Babolat racquet on the concrete below, and I grew weary of my task ahead.
I never heard from Becker later that day in the media room. But the following afternoon, I was advised that Becker was indeed on his way to meet me. To my shock, the German arrived with a smile, and we ended up having a fine talk. He told me that he was hanging around on the chance of a late withdrawal, which would enable him to enter the main draw as a lucky loser. When he admitted that that wasn’t very likely, I asked him what his next move was. “To Cincinnati, for qualifying,” he said.
Becker’s quest to qualify for tour events has continued in 2009, with mixed results. After failing to reach the main draw in Delray Beach and Indian Wells, Becker won two matches in Miami to earn admittance into the lucrative mini-major (there, he beat Levine in the first round before losing to Fernando Verdasco). But Becker’s play in Challenger events has been far more encouraging, winning in Heilbronn, Baton Rouge, Rhodes and Cremona.
This past week in s’Hertogenbosch, Becker was able to replicate his success in tennis’ minor leagues on a much more prominent stage. On his way to his first career ATP tour title, he beat Jan Hernych, top seed Fernando Verdasco, able serve-and-volleyer Michael Llodra (a tough out on grass), fourth-seeded Rainer Schuettler, and lastly, Raemon Slutier, the wild card and home favorite. Oh, and Maxime Bonami and Scott Lipsky -- Becker’s two opponents during qualifying.
WTA - Tamarine Tanasugarn
Tanasugarn's win over Dinara Safina in s'Hertogenbosch (for the second straight year: the veteran prevailed in the 2008 final and this year's semis) should be viewed less as a reflection of the world No. 1's current mental state and more as a testament of Tanasugarn's gifts on grass. Although this may be out of the bag already -- and if the Thai reaches the second week of Wimbledon this year, expect to be reminded -- Tanasugarn has developed a taste for the turf. Last year, she qualified for s'Hertogenbosch and won the tournament, winning seven matches in total. This year, she successfully defended her title, losing just one set during the week.
Tanasugarn's play through the years at the All England Club has been arguably as impressive. She's reached the fourth round or better seven times; last year she had her career-best finish in the quarterfinals. Like the Safina-Tanasugarn result, this can be viewed in two lights: remarkable consistency, or a player who can't get over the hump.
Tanasugarn's six losses in the round of 16 have come against many formidable opponents: Martina Hingis (ranked No. 1 in 1998), Serena Williams (ranked No. 8 in 2000), Nathalie Tauziat (ranked No. 9 in 2001), Monica Seles (ranked No. 4 in 2002) and Ai Sugiyama (ranked No. 11 in 2004). And last year in the quarters, Tanasugarn lost to the one player whose affinity for grass might exceed hers: Venus Williams. For a player who's never been ranked inside the Top 20 at a Wimbledon, Tanasugarn has been an overachiever at SW19, if anything.
This year, Tanasugarn comes into Wimbledon ranked No. 47 in the world, and seems primed for a fourth-round clash with the second seed, Serena Williams. The Thai will probably lose at that point, adding another fourth-round finish to her resume. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Next Week's Tournament
(TV Schedule)
Wimbledon (ITF - Grass - Wimbledon, England)
Men's Singles Bracket
Women's Singles Bracket
Men's Doubles Bracket
Women's Doubles Bracket