Editor's Corner: Lucky '13?

Editorials

Sunday, 06 January 2013 21:29

Editor's Corner: Lucky '13?

Written by Mariya Konovalova

It's a new season and, like Svetlana Kuznetsova, I am launching a comeback in 2013... to the Editor's Corner. Having recently survived the End of the World, the demise of the Novak Djokovic Invitational... I mean, the Serbia Open, and the Henri Bendel store running out of Sugarpova, I am stronger than ever.

We are now getting closer to the first major of the year, and here are seven things we've learned in the first week of the 2013 tennis season.

1. What happens when 'burrowing through the match' is your tactic
For years, every knowledgeable tennis commentator and fan has been calling David Ferrer "underrated." The Spanish World No. 5 was able to shake the moniker a bit after winning his first Masters 1000 title at Bercy last fall, but perhaps we were too quick to let go of the epithet. On Tuesday of last week, at the Qatar ExxonMobil open in Doha, David Ferrer created a hole on the seemingly unbreakable hard court surface while moving back to return a shot. Perhaps we have been underestimating Ferrer's powers after all.

2. Don't play with fire
Argentina's Leonardo Mayer burned himself playing with fireworks during a New Year's celebration. Read the warning labels on those dynamite sticks, friends!

3. You never know when a new friendship will blossom
Perhaps it'll be a coach from romantic 'Pa-ree'; perhaps it'll be a younger cute boy (from a country) next door; maybe it'll be a quirky pop star who 'works out' and loves tennis; it might be a recently re-employed star athlete who's played in several Capitals; or another sportsman who carries a big golf stick. Whoever it might be, if you're a WTA star, there's probably a dude stalking you around the Tour.

4. Beauty requires sacrifice
Victoria Azarenka had to withdraw from her semifinal in Brisbane due to a procedure to remove an ingrown toenail, a result of a pedicure-caused infection. If only she had asked her semifinal opponent and certified nail technician Serena Williams to perform the pedicure, we might have seen a classic.

5. The 'need for speed' is a good thing
For years, time violations between points were not enforced universally (and, by some umpires, at all), particularly on the ATP World Tour. Now that the organization and its umpires were given the directive to uphold the time limit, some players are outraged the ATP rulebook applies to them. The more the rules are upheld, regardless of the moment of the match (but with umpire's discretion), the faster this becomes a non-issue.

6. Take that, Kim Clijsters
There are several players on the comeback trail this January, but one returning top player was able to snag a title in her first tournament back. New mom and former World No. 1 Cara Black won the Auckland title with partner Anastasia Rodionova, after a year-and-a-half long break from the WTA Tour (she played a few ITF events in the fall, with Rodionova). The Zimbabwean now holds 55 WTA doubles titles and signs point to that number growing. Her son Lachlan Alexander was born in April 2012.

7. If you don't believe in bad luck...
...allow me to introduce Andrea Petkovic.

On that note, our thoughts and well-wishes go out to top doubles player Ross Hutchins of Great Britain, who announced on Sunday that he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. We wish him a speedy and complete recovery and a swift return to tennis.

Happy New Tennis Season!
Mariya

Photo from the 2010 Rogers Cup.

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Photographer: Mariya Konovalova

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Mariya Konovalova

Mariya Konovalova is the Editor-in-Chief of TalkAboutTennis.com content. When not watching, photographing, writing, and editing material about tennis, she enjoys buying books she won't have time to read and films she won't have time to watch, as well as not getting enough sleep. Mariya is a graduate of Columbia University and the London School of Economics. You can contact her by e-mail (mariya(at)TalkAboutTennis.com) and follow her on Twitter (@MariyaKTennis).