Two Players, One Journey

* !Picby Pete Bodo*

WIMBLEDON, England—While Andy Roddick, fresh off a straight-sets win before the smart set on No. 1 Court, was waxing philosophical in the main interview room—a thoughtful veteran of almost 30, savvy enough to know he'd better take the time to smell the roses before the petals all turn brown and fall to the grass—Michael Russell was out on Court 12 in the sleeveless t-shirt of a stevedore, at age 34, giving away five inches and 25 pounds to Julien Benneteau—and fighting him fang and claw.

Ever has it been thus for Russell, the platonic example of a journeyman—although the journey taken by most tennis players, and particularly those like Russell, who have been knocked silly by the cruel blows inflicted on them by better players and injuries, has not been nearly as lengthy or challenging as the one still being trod by him.

When Roddick, who dispatched British wild card Jamie Baker 7-6 (1), 6-4, 7-5, was asked to remark upon having passed the 600-win milestone recently, he paused and measured his words:

"Well, I mean, anytime you approach any kind of milestones in tennis—17 or 18 guys have done it, you know—it shows you're pretty good for a while; you know, not a cup of coffee. That meant a lot to me. I was excited to get to that number. The names on that list are certainly kind of—it's a long lineage of really great players. To even be associated on a small level is nice."

While Roddick was speaking, Russell was furiously trying to post win No. 60 on the main tour (against 117 losses, a record somewhat balanced out by his stats in Challenger events: 235-153). Russell first showed up in the rankings at No. 1282 in November of 1995, when Andy Roddick had just turned 13. And here he was, as dusk began to descend on Wimbledon on yet another cool, damp day, taking the game to Benneteau, who had just won the first set tiebreaker, 7-4.

Russell's game has been sculpted by time, much the way a stone is sculpted by a river or a tree is shaped by the wind. Having been handicapped by a relative lack of size and power since the get-go, Russell has developed an astonishingly quick, snappish swing—especially on his two-handed backhand. The shot can really sting, and Benneteau felt its lash throughout a second set that was good as any set Russell has ever played in his life—a set that gave poignant meaning to something he would tell me later, when I asked him how long he can go on playing: "As long as my body stays healthy. I have strong desire and I'm very motivated internally. When it's like that, I feel I can compete with the top guys."

Benneteau might agree. Russell managed to break him twice in the second set, playing with irresistible—and unstoppable—urgency and energy. With Guy Forget, Arnaud Clement, and Amelie Mauresmo anxiously looking on, Russell smacked sizzling winners, pinpoint serves, and blazing returns. He approached and volleyed presciently, as if he were one step ahead of the game. Checkmate! Russell won the set 6-2, pulling even.

Back in the press room, Roddick was asked if he felt frustrated by having to play in an era that has produced our present "Big Three" of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Did he rue the fact that he was unable to win more than that lone Grand Slam title, at the U.S. Open in 2003?

"Obviously you want to win as much as you can," Roddick said. "I'm pleased I have the opportunity to play tennis for a living. I'm not going to complain about anything that I've had. It's been a pleasure. I've gotten more out of tennis than I could ever give back. The last thing you'll hear me do is complain about what era I was in."

Curiously, the Michigan native working like a piledriver out on Court 12 also had one magical and unsurpassed moment that will always stand above the rest. Eleven years ago, he was ranked No. 122 and made the fourth round of the French Open, where he had a match point on top-ranked defending champion Gustavo Kuerten. At the time, Russell was an upward striving 23-year-old. That run provided him with a glimpse of the land of milk and honey. He's never forgotten it.

"A lot of guys had good matches against top guys, and then kind of lose it," Russell would tell me. "They have some mental issues, or they get injured. They don't get the results, and they get discouraged. I've had some of those times too, especially the injuries. But that tournament I had in 2001, it still motivates me. Last year was the 10th anniversary, and on the very same calendar day I got to play Gilles Simon on the Chatrier court. That was very satisfying."

But today another Frenchman was sent to torment and frustrate him. Russell had chances to win the third set, starting with the break he collected in the very first game. He held fast until the eighth game, when Benneteau broke back with a cross-court forehand pass that skipped unplayable off the net cord but still fell inside the lines. After a hold, Benneteau broke again, cleanly and swiftly. He led, two sets to one.

Roddick wrapped up his presser, trying to answer the question, "Which victory means more than ever for you?"

He said, "I don't know. You could probably appreciate moments. Last week was really nice (Roddick won at Eastbourne, equalling Federer's feat of winning at least one title for 12 straight years) 'cause you don't know when they stop coming as opposed to, let's say in 2005, when you're No. 2 in the world and you know it will happen a lot. You probably appreciate the little things. You have these little milestones, like 600 wins, which are not possible when you're young. Those things are nice."

Out on Court 12, it was, for all practical purposes, over. At 30, Benneteau is no kid himself. But at that stage in an athlete's life, four years can amount to a lifetime. Russell put up a good fight in the fourth set, and the issue remained in doubt until the very end—a service break that won it for Benneteau, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Russell, who has never won a tour singles or doubles title in his entire career, will not win Wimbledon. But like Roddick, he could still do it, he is still up for the journey. They are living comparable professional lives, just the numbers are different.

So Russell will soldier on. He told me that his ranking will probably get back into the Top 100 (it's presently No. 112). As long as he's healthy and straight into the main draw at majors and tour events, he'll play. "You've got to put your ego in check to play Challenger, and I did that already. I played well, got hurt, played Challengers to get back. It's difficult to do that. My motivation for Challengers isn't what it used to be. If I drop out of the Top 100 for any amount of time.  . . that will be it. I'll stop."

Who knows when that will be, though? Like Roddick, he has had his special moments and he knows how to appreciate them. It isn't a matter of how many you have from which to choose, or even of their magnitude in the eyes of anyone but yourself. What matters is how much they mean to you, and for how long.