TW Staff
Administrator
On a blustery day on the center court at the 2006 Pacific Life Open, Mark Philippoussis' troubled comeback continued. Consistency seemed to be lacking in every aspect of a match, which saw Florian Mayer advance to the next round with a 6-4, 6-3 victory.
In his opening round as a wildcard entry, Philippoussis had two opponents, the steady German player Mayer, and a storm which had blown into Indian Wells the previous night. When Philippoussis and Mayer took to the court this chilly Friday, the usually hot Pacific Life Open resembled a wind tunnel.
The chilling wind was doing nothing to help Philippoussis who entered the match carrying a niggling back injury - yet another Philippoussis setback after an impressive win over Tommy Robredo at the SAP Open in San Jose.
During the first set, Philippoussis got off to the slower start, although play was anything but steady from either player.
With the wind swirling inside the stadium, even the ball kids struggled to control the balls. The players didn't fair much better. Most rallies ended quickly, with a shot making error caused by erratic gusts of wind.
As Mayer started to pressure the Philippoussis game once more, the Scud's legendary firepower continually missed its targets.
Mayer, with his more compact swing style, was better able to handle the inconsistent ball flight. Philippoussis' trademark large swings definitely produced more power, but the Aussie's shots continually missed. On what would have usually been a routine backhand for Philippoussis, the frame of his racquet sent the ball into the fifth row, giving Mayer the first set.
A lack of consistency also seemed to be affecting the scoreboard, which at one time showed Philippoussis leading the second set 4-0, when the score was actually 3-1. In a matter of minutes, Mayer erased the Philippoussis lead and gained what little control could be found in the tough conditions.
After Mayer closed out a far from enjoyable match for either player, a visually disappointed Philippoussis left the court without acknowledging the crowd. One can only wonder how many more opportunities are left for Philippoussis, who turns 30 this November. Issues with injuries continue to make his life on the tour a difficult one, and wildcard entries make tournament draws like a game of Russian Roulette. However, Philippoussis seems intent on continuing his comeback, even if that does mean tough early matches at big events.
One can only wonder if the aging Aussie wouldn't be better taking a page from Andre Agassi's book, and dropping down to the challenger level. Surely stepping off the big stage could only result in more matches and perhaps a return of confidence to back up the Philippoussis firepower.
Chris, TW.
In his opening round as a wildcard entry, Philippoussis had two opponents, the steady German player Mayer, and a storm which had blown into Indian Wells the previous night. When Philippoussis and Mayer took to the court this chilly Friday, the usually hot Pacific Life Open resembled a wind tunnel.
The chilling wind was doing nothing to help Philippoussis who entered the match carrying a niggling back injury - yet another Philippoussis setback after an impressive win over Tommy Robredo at the SAP Open in San Jose.
During the first set, Philippoussis got off to the slower start, although play was anything but steady from either player.
With the wind swirling inside the stadium, even the ball kids struggled to control the balls. The players didn't fair much better. Most rallies ended quickly, with a shot making error caused by erratic gusts of wind.
As Mayer started to pressure the Philippoussis game once more, the Scud's legendary firepower continually missed its targets.
Mayer, with his more compact swing style, was better able to handle the inconsistent ball flight. Philippoussis' trademark large swings definitely produced more power, but the Aussie's shots continually missed. On what would have usually been a routine backhand for Philippoussis, the frame of his racquet sent the ball into the fifth row, giving Mayer the first set.
A lack of consistency also seemed to be affecting the scoreboard, which at one time showed Philippoussis leading the second set 4-0, when the score was actually 3-1. In a matter of minutes, Mayer erased the Philippoussis lead and gained what little control could be found in the tough conditions.
After Mayer closed out a far from enjoyable match for either player, a visually disappointed Philippoussis left the court without acknowledging the crowd. One can only wonder how many more opportunities are left for Philippoussis, who turns 30 this November. Issues with injuries continue to make his life on the tour a difficult one, and wildcard entries make tournament draws like a game of Russian Roulette. However, Philippoussis seems intent on continuing his comeback, even if that does mean tough early matches at big events.
One can only wonder if the aging Aussie wouldn't be better taking a page from Andre Agassi's book, and dropping down to the challenger level. Surely stepping off the big stage could only result in more matches and perhaps a return of confidence to back up the Philippoussis firepower.
Chris, TW.
