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As has been the case with each of the first three Grand Slam tournaments this season, if the United States hopes to do well at the Beijing Olympics it will look no farther than the Williams sisters.
For much of the tennis season, either on the men’s or women’s tour, the U.S. has had to rely on Venus and Serena Williams to keep the once powerful nation afloat.
Once the mecca of the tennis world thanks to the likes of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Chris Evert and others, the U.S. has been overmatched in the sport in the recent years by the emergence of such nations as Russia and Serbia.
The most extreme example of the American struggles in international tennis is at the French Open, where only one player - Robby Ginepri, who was ranked 88th in the world at the time - reached the fourth round this year.
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That was a year after no American man advanced out of the first round at Roland Garros, and only Serena Williams made it past the third round.
Serena went on to reach the semifinals in 2007, her last showing in the round of four of a Grand Slam before she ended as a runner-up to her sister at Wimbledon earlier in the month.
That was the first time since the All England Club in 2003 that the Williams sisters had faced each other in a Grand Slam, showing that despite their advanced ages - in terms of women’s tennis - they still have the talent to dominate.
The United States will be looking for that to continue in Beijing, especially after the Americans managed just one medal in Athens - a surprising silver from Mardy Fish in men’s singles.
One of the top favorites in the women’s singles has to be Venus Williams, who is coming off her fifth career crown at Wimbledon and has won gold before at Sydney in 2000.
However, the 28-year-old Venus will be limited in her preparation, as tendinitis in her right knee forced her to withdraw from hardcourt tournaments at Los Angeles and Montreal.
Serena, 26, has not been immune either, retiring from a third-round match at the East West Bank Classic due to a left knee injury.
Despite the bumps and bruises, both sisters are expected to play in both singles and in doubles in Beijing, teaming up to see if they can add to their gold in the two-player event from Sydney.
In fact, some of the withdrawals from events - which are becoming well to common in the sport these days - for the Williams sisters have nothing more to do than just making sure that they are as healthy as they can possibly be for an event they consider as or more important than the Grand Slams.
“Honestly, my Olympic gold, even though it was in doubles, is my favorite trophy I have,” Serena Williams told the Los Angeles Times.
The injuries are much more serious for the 32-year-old Lindsay Davenport, who will be looking past her recent struggles with her health for one last shot to represent her country. The gold medalist in women’s singles in Atlanta in 1996, Davenport has had a right knee injury force her to skip the French Open and retire from Wimbledon.
Some of the top challengers for the gold will be Russia’s Maria Sharapova and Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic.
A two-time Grand Slam champion, Sharapova has had some issues with her shoulder recently, but has dialed it up on hardcourts in the past, winning the U.S. Open in 2006.
The recently crowned world No. 1, Ivanovic has broken through on the big stage this season, winning her first major at the French Open. Jankovic has been nipping at Ivanovic’s heels for the top ranking this summer, but has yet to reach a Grand Slam final - going 0-4 in the semis.
On the men’s side, the United States are severely shorthanded due to Andy Roddick’s decision to skip the Olympics.
The only true contender for a major title on the American side, the big-serving Roddick has struggled with a shoulder issue this season, and has opted to stay in the U.S. while trying to round into form for the U.S. Open.
Even if he had decided to show up, Roddick would clearly have been overshadowed by the battle for tennis supremacy between current world No. 1 Roger Federer and the suddenly unbeatable Rafael Nadal.
For Federer, a 12-time Grand Slam champion, an Olympic gold medal is one of the few things that have eluded him during his brilliant career along, just like a French Open crown.
“If maybe I am a player who doesn’t have any Grand Slams, maybe a Grand Slam would still do more for my own career,” Federer said. “But because I have 12 already, for me an Olympic gold ranks high.”
The Swiss star absorbed a crushing loss, falling to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the second round. Although it was one of just six losses on the season for Federer, who won 11 titles that year, it drew him to tears.
“He looked totally devastated,” said Chile’s Nicolas Massu, who went on to strike gold in both singles and doubles.
“(It was) just really a bad day,” Federer said. “I hope Beijing is going to be a better experience for me.”
Eight months ago, most tennis fans would have predicted that Beijing would have been much more pleasant experience for the Swiss star. However, Nadal’s emergence as an all-around player now brings that into question.
After capturing his fourth straight title at the French Open, Nadal went on to rule the grass - a surface previously dominated by Federer - by winning his first career title on grass at the Queen’s Club before ending Federer’s run of five straight championships at Wimbledon in a unforgettable final.
The 22-year-old Spaniard has kept it up on hardcourts, winning the Masters Series Canada and could take over Federer’s spot as the top-ranked player in the world with a win at Cincinnati combined with an early exit by the Swiss star.
Federer has held the No. 1 ranking for a record 234 consecutive weeks.
Other top contenders will be third-ranked Novak Djokovic of Serbia, Spaniard David Ferrer and Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko.
For much of the tennis season, either on the men’s or women’s tour, the U.S. has had to rely on Venus and Serena Williams to keep the once powerful nation afloat.
Once the mecca of the tennis world thanks to the likes of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Chris Evert and others, the U.S. has been overmatched in the sport in the recent years by the emergence of such nations as Russia and Serbia.
The most extreme example of the American struggles in international tennis is at the French Open, where only one player - Robby Ginepri, who was ranked 88th in the world at the time - reached the fourth round this year.
ADVERTISEMENT
That was a year after no American man advanced out of the first round at Roland Garros, and only Serena Williams made it past the third round.
Serena went on to reach the semifinals in 2007, her last showing in the round of four of a Grand Slam before she ended as a runner-up to her sister at Wimbledon earlier in the month.
That was the first time since the All England Club in 2003 that the Williams sisters had faced each other in a Grand Slam, showing that despite their advanced ages - in terms of women’s tennis - they still have the talent to dominate.
The United States will be looking for that to continue in Beijing, especially after the Americans managed just one medal in Athens - a surprising silver from Mardy Fish in men’s singles.
One of the top favorites in the women’s singles has to be Venus Williams, who is coming off her fifth career crown at Wimbledon and has won gold before at Sydney in 2000.
However, the 28-year-old Venus will be limited in her preparation, as tendinitis in her right knee forced her to withdraw from hardcourt tournaments at Los Angeles and Montreal.
Serena, 26, has not been immune either, retiring from a third-round match at the East West Bank Classic due to a left knee injury.
Despite the bumps and bruises, both sisters are expected to play in both singles and in doubles in Beijing, teaming up to see if they can add to their gold in the two-player event from Sydney.
In fact, some of the withdrawals from events - which are becoming well to common in the sport these days - for the Williams sisters have nothing more to do than just making sure that they are as healthy as they can possibly be for an event they consider as or more important than the Grand Slams.
“Honestly, my Olympic gold, even though it was in doubles, is my favorite trophy I have,” Serena Williams told the Los Angeles Times.
The injuries are much more serious for the 32-year-old Lindsay Davenport, who will be looking past her recent struggles with her health for one last shot to represent her country. The gold medalist in women’s singles in Atlanta in 1996, Davenport has had a right knee injury force her to skip the French Open and retire from Wimbledon.
Some of the top challengers for the gold will be Russia’s Maria Sharapova and Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic.
A two-time Grand Slam champion, Sharapova has had some issues with her shoulder recently, but has dialed it up on hardcourts in the past, winning the U.S. Open in 2006.
The recently crowned world No. 1, Ivanovic has broken through on the big stage this season, winning her first major at the French Open. Jankovic has been nipping at Ivanovic’s heels for the top ranking this summer, but has yet to reach a Grand Slam final - going 0-4 in the semis.
On the men’s side, the United States are severely shorthanded due to Andy Roddick’s decision to skip the Olympics.
The only true contender for a major title on the American side, the big-serving Roddick has struggled with a shoulder issue this season, and has opted to stay in the U.S. while trying to round into form for the U.S. Open.
Even if he had decided to show up, Roddick would clearly have been overshadowed by the battle for tennis supremacy between current world No. 1 Roger Federer and the suddenly unbeatable Rafael Nadal.
For Federer, a 12-time Grand Slam champion, an Olympic gold medal is one of the few things that have eluded him during his brilliant career along, just like a French Open crown.
“If maybe I am a player who doesn’t have any Grand Slams, maybe a Grand Slam would still do more for my own career,” Federer said. “But because I have 12 already, for me an Olympic gold ranks high.”
The Swiss star absorbed a crushing loss, falling to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the second round. Although it was one of just six losses on the season for Federer, who won 11 titles that year, it drew him to tears.
“He looked totally devastated,” said Chile’s Nicolas Massu, who went on to strike gold in both singles and doubles.
“(It was) just really a bad day,” Federer said. “I hope Beijing is going to be a better experience for me.”
Eight months ago, most tennis fans would have predicted that Beijing would have been much more pleasant experience for the Swiss star. However, Nadal’s emergence as an all-around player now brings that into question.
After capturing his fourth straight title at the French Open, Nadal went on to rule the grass - a surface previously dominated by Federer - by winning his first career title on grass at the Queen’s Club before ending Federer’s run of five straight championships at Wimbledon in a unforgettable final.
The 22-year-old Spaniard has kept it up on hardcourts, winning the Masters Series Canada and could take over Federer’s spot as the top-ranked player in the world with a win at Cincinnati combined with an early exit by the Swiss star.
Federer has held the No. 1 ranking for a record 234 consecutive weeks.
Other top contenders will be third-ranked Novak Djokovic of Serbia, Spaniard David Ferrer and Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko.
