It is a season of tennis in Europe, where the second Grand Slam of the year is being played in Paris. The weather is not propitious and umbrellas are being opened and closed for drizzle and even net-rushing for the modern serve-and-volley game is well nigh difficult on slippery courts.
Nevertheless the brick-hued Roland Garros has not seen so many upsets this year as the combats of yore. The biggest stumble in the years gone by was of the stylist Pete Sampras, who could never reach the final even though the experts thought the mantle of greatness lay on his shoulders with the sublime and varied weaponry that he possessed.
The first day's surprise came when Andre Agassi, belonging to the upper strata of global tennis, was dumped by French qualifier Jerome Haehnel in straight sets. The ageing giant of tennis had all the strokes but it was too much for him to match the speed on the court of his young rival, almost unknown in higher competitive tennis. Agassi was also short of staying capacity at the age of 34.
Then came the stunning ouster of the defending women's champion, Justine Henin-Hardenne, by Italian Tathiana Garbin. Justine could hardly settle down before the match point came. Maybe Justine was not fit enough, maybe the grey skies above and the slippery clay surface troubled her. But the winner could not make much progress for she too was eliminated in the next round without putting up much resistance.
Also shown the door were last year's title-holder Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain by Russia's Igor Andrew in quick time as also America's colourful and much loosed Andy Roddick, which meant that the American representation in the men's singles came to an end which has never happened in any Grand Slam before. But Roddick's strokes and tactics were dismantled in a five-setter by Olivier Mutis, a Frenchman, much down the ladder internationally.
Then came the blow to world No 1 and top seed in the competition, Roger Federer, from the all-round strokeplay of Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten, a known specialist of the clay court.
With a strange mixture of self-confidence and enthusiasm Kuerten unleashed variegated strokes that caught the Swiss champion on the wrong foot. The onlookers too were stunned for Federer had been the Wimbledon and Australian Open champion. Federer had won the Hamburg tournament on clay last month but Kuerten proved his master here in Paris.
The biggest surprise was when Serena Williams was brought down from her high pedestal by a fit and gutsy Jennifer Capriati in a match which was a ding-dong tussle by two all-surface stars. The scores were going neck and neck with Serena sending strong volleys to both the flanks. But Capriati, a hardened campaigner, had the serene strokes and the right ploys, to go ahead in the deciding set. In fact in the last two games Serena spluttered out like a wet squib and Capriati, using guile and power, had the last laugh, which was her only smile after she had wrapped up the match to enter the semifinal.
There were more cheers for the athletic Capriati from the galleries than Serena in this stiff test of tennis tactics. The same day the older Williams, Venus, made her exit from the French Open at the hands of Russian Anastasia Myokina. The sisters' defeat came at almost the same time in Paris.
As the French Open was being enjoyed in Paris Karachi saw the No-smoking tennis tournament, organised by the women's tennis association with the help of its active president, Dr Saira Khan, who herself is a tennis enthusiast and player.
As was to have been expected the two Davis Cuppers based in Karachi, Nomi Qamar and Aqeel Khan, were engaged in the battle for the top honours. Lean and wiry Nomi Qamar put up a hard resistance in the final. While Aqeel made many unforced errors in the first set Nomi piled up points and took an easy first set at 6-1. He had disciplined shotplay to forge ahead in the second set when Aqeel found his rhythm and form to take the set. Aqeel had improved shots, the mode and method to wear down Nomi in the decider to retain a title that was his last year.
It is heartening to find that Aqeel is being sent to India for participation in ITF Satellite contests in Mumbai and Delhi. Prediction is a hazardous job but Aqeel should try to play a steady game, a mixture of aggressive strokes with controlled baseline placements that have become the order of modern-day tactics and system of play. Gone are the days of a booming serve with a charge towards the net for the kill. For even in the French Open the serve-and-volley is not to be seen.
It is regrettable that Nomi Qamar despite his fine domestic record, has been excluded from the trip to India. A young man he needs encouragement as also the Rawalpindi-based Shafik.
The Indian matches will test the capabilities of the Pakistani recket-wielders. A good exposure, it is to be seen how they fare against the Indians and other foreign players before the crucial Davis Cup against New Zealand is staged in the Federal Capital.
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