NASDAQ 100 OPEN REVIEW
An interesting two weeks in this years' Nasdaq
100 Open. Federer showed yet again why he is simply, still, streets ahead of the chasing pack. Svetlana Kuznetsova continued
to build on her already solid 2006. Sharapova failed to capture the Miami - Indian Wells double, as well as the hearts of
the crowd. Hemman beat two former world number ones, then lost to a qaulifier ranked 130 in the world after winning the first
set 60. Roddick lost fairly early - again. And Jamea Jackson put her name in the history books. Why? Because she was
the first player to challenge a call under the new electronic Hawk Eye system, which was implemented for the very first time
in any tournament at this year's Nasdaq 100 Open.
Remember seeing the Hawk Eye in the US Open a couple of years ago? Well
now it looks like it is set to become a common feature in the world of professional tennis. The system was implemented in
the Stadium Court only in this years' event, seemingly as a gage to se how it would operate. Under this system, if a player
feels that a ball which was called in was out, or vice versa, they are able to motion to the chair umpire to infrom that they
are challenging the call. With a large screen above the stadium, the instant replay of where the ball landed is displayed
for the players and crowds to see. There is a limitation however to the challenge system. A player is restricted to two
challenges per set, with an extra one added if the set goes to a tiebreak. If a player challenges a call and is incorrect,
the player now has only one challenge left. If the player challenges a call correctly, then the challenge remains intact and
they keep both challenges. Sounds confusing? It really is quite simple, and the system recieved a lot of positive feedback
from the many of the players. However, one player who is not particularly keen on the system is a Mr Roger Federer. "I still
believe you have to give it time and see if it's really reliable," he said. "I'm happy it's in the past right now."
In the men's event, Roger Federer maintained his dominace on the men's
tour winning the Indian Wells-Miami double for the second straight year. When the Fed lost to Nadal in the Dubai final, there
were calls from the media that his dominace was waning and that the other guys were starting catch up with him. Don't think
so guys. And Federer is planning to play an intensive schedule on the clay, so it doesn't get any easier for the chasing pack.
Fed beat Ivan Ljubicic in the final in three tiebreakers denying Ljubicic the biggest title of his career.
BEST MATCHES:
Henman bt Hewitt 7-6 6-4: Okay, I'm being biased but it was the first
time Henman had beaten Hewitt in nine previous attempts.
Ferrer bt Grosjean 4-6 7-5 6-4: Two artistes at work - Ferrer grinding
down the tenacious Frenchman.
Stepanek bt Massu 6-7 7-6 7-5: Possibly the most unpopular man on the
tour, even more so than Hewitt, edges out the win in almost three and a half hours.
WORST MATCHES:
Berloq bt Young 6-0 6-0: Well what can you say? Young has been named
as the most promising American junior by the media, but has failed spectacularly to live up to the hype. He may only be 16,
however he is 0-9 on the ATP Tour, still in search of his first career win. This double bagel drubbing by a qualifier won't
do his confidence level any favours.
Gruel bt Henman 0-6 6-1 7-5: Henman dropped a handful points in the first
set and at one stage won 16 straight points on his way to winning the first set in just 18 minutes. Should have been on the
way for comfortable victory. But the shock of, well, almost everyone and everything Gruel stages an impressive fightback to
win in three and leave Henman shaking his head in disbelief.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
