Moose Malloy said:
Saturday's Results:
Carlos Costa d. John McEnroe 7-6(10), 1-6, 10-7
Sergi Bruguera d. Richard Krajicek 6-3, 7-5
Bruguera plays Costa in the final. Krajicek vs McEnroe in the 3rd place match.
I know which match I'd rather see.
Its interesting that the senior tour lets no names on the tour(like Costa, Jaite, Javier Sanchez, Woodforde, Mark Kratzman)
Would any of you pay for a final anticipating a final involving McEnroe, Ivanisevic, or Rios & not be disappointed that you have to watch Carlos Costa play Paul Haarhuis?
Wonder if they are really making any money with this venture.
Yeah, I kind of have to agree. That was my complaint last year when Harhuis won it all. It's not that I was surprised he won and mopped up the field, it's not that I didn't like watching him play as a tour player, but to me long-term, I don't think it's good to let in no-name players for the image of the tour. On the old Connors seniors tour, they decided to allow an open invitational tournament open to Joe Schmoes, and then the qualifiying doubles team actually BEAT one of the "champions" teams in the first round which the tour found tremendously embarrassing, and they promptly never used this idea again. It's even worse when they let guys like Dewulf in who can play and were only just a hair below the top level, really there isn't much separating guys, people act like this is a new thing but it's been like that for awhile so on the seniors tour it shouldn't be surprising when lesser names are competitive. It's just too much of a risk in my opinion. Yet, I guess the problem is simply getting enough "name" players to take interest. For me, I think Malivai Washington, Costa types are about as low as you want to go in terms of names.
I think Medvedev, Kafelnikov, Washington, Arazi, A. Costa, Berasategui, Ferreira, Enqvist, Larrson, Rosset, even David Wheaton (well, I always liked watching his game at least), would all be great additions.
Honestly, these older guys are more interesting to me to watch. Many of them could still play at the end but simply burned out or were to riddled by injuries. I really don't get why Rosset hasn't played yet actually, he really seemed to enjoy the limelight, and he was so cooky; he was fun to watch. Actually, it's really strange to me why Jaite plays this event in Barcelona, but not freaking Alberto Berasategui?
Maybe the Champions Tour just isn't offering enough money or incentive to draw these borderline name players in? Becker and Stich don't really seem to show up anymore, neither does Korda much, don't know if they simply lost interest since in the beginning they were like catalysts for the tour. It just seems that players go in and out without any real commitment. Bruguera playing much more competitively this week over his last tournie I guess isn't really that surprising either. One guy close to the tour in those days told me was "always half-azzed, sometimes motivated, sometimes not." And, that's why it was kind of hard to tell with him just based soley on results from one tournie, you didn't always know how committed he was, yet because this being his hometown, and where he decided to retire (like Costa), it makes sense that he'd want to do well here...kind of embarrassing if he doesn't win this.
Yet, Carlos Costa is no slouch either. He wasn't a big name, but I think he's no Martin Jaite or Javier Sanchez (gosh, I HATED watching this guy's game, the crimped forehand and non-stop slice backhands drove me nuts, very ugly strokes to me). Carlos Costa was a former legitimate top ten player in my opinion when he was at the top of his game. He was a late bloomer, but he had such a beautiful, flowing one-handed backhand to me, it kind of reminded me of Sabatini's, kind of like those Olympic twirlers in rhythmic gymanstics. He moved around the court very elegantly and fluidly, almost Mecir/Kucera like in that respect, to me he was kind of like the Mecir/Kucera of clay courters. He wasn't the same grunter as most clay courters. He lacked any outstsanding weapon power wise, but he wasn't a pusher like Javier Sanchez, and he moved the ball around beautifully and moved fluidly, and he was even a pretty decent volleyer when he got up there from what I remember. Really, he just lacked the one knock-out punch, that extra bit of sting that would have made him great in my opinion. It's like if you could just give him Berasategui's forehand, THEN you'd have the complete package...though he wouldn't be so flowing to watch anymore, of course.
I think given that this is in Spain, I think Carlos Costa is actually a very good player entrance for this tournie, and no one can deny that the guy didn't know how to play on clay, he also beat Bruguera in a clay final if I'm remembering correctly.
I look at Carlos Costa types as special exmeption type players, they're borderline for being qualified for the tour, definitely good enough in ability, and yet not really quite a big enough name, but at least SOME name. They're the types you bring in to be the "hometown favorite" when the tournament is local, otherwise you don't invite them. The Martin Jaite and Javier Sanchez types, however, have NO business being invited anywhere at any time, PERIOD.
With that said, I think given that Emilio Sanchez, a guy who I do think, whilst borderline, IS justified in being invited onto the tour, pulled out last second; what other choice did they have but to bring in his lowly brother who didn't make People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people list? Maybe he wanted to throw Javier a bone, it was a set-up, to sneak his brother into a little of that limelight for once. Btw, the Sanchez family and the Bruguera family were like mortal enemies in the beginning, when Bruguera first joined the Davis Cup team as a pup, the Davis Cup team refused to talk to him and alienated him as a result, Orantes said, Bruguera would just ate and ask if he could go to his room, etc. In that area apparently, the two camps are the families of tennis, it's like having Bollitieri and the Macci Academy next door to each other, their can only be one king I guess sometimes. Wonder if the two families have patched it up now?
, u would think Rios is like 37, cant believe he is only 30.
