April 06, 2010

Karl Hale- Tennis Canada

A lot has been said over the past month about the top seeds or “favourites” falling in the early rounds of both the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. And yes, while it’s unusual to not see any Top 5 player, especially Federer or Nadal, in either of the finals, I think it makes for an even more exciting product.

Take a look at the two finals. Andy Roddick was in both of them. He is one of the most popular players on Tour since his crushing loss to Federer in the Wimbledon final last year and he is definitely the most beloved American player currently in action. To have him reach both finals was such a treat for the American fans in attendance. Now look at his two opponents. Both Ljubicic and Berdych were considered “giant killers” because they took out players like Nadal, Federer and Djokovic. But they are both former Top 10 players who have been consistently competitive for years. It should not have been as shocking as some perceived it to be.

Now, that’s not to say we should count the Top 5 out. Just the opposite, as I think both Federer and Nadal will remain their dominant selves in the upcoming clay court season. But, I think that as tennis fans, we need to broaden our gaze to include players like Soderling, Verdasco and Cilic as week-to-week threats in every event they play. That is the nature of the game. Players are getting better, and they have to in order to have a chance against the likes of Federer and Nadal. I just think that instead of viewing them as upsets, we should be celebrating the emergence of new (or improved) talent that adds an element of intrigue to the sport.

Cheers,

Karl