Roddick wins Dubai But He Is Still Not One Of The Elite

The surprise this week is that Andy Roddick actually played the ATP tour event in Dubai and won the event. Roddick now has twenty five ATP tour titles but the vast majority of his wins have been in minor events. Roddick is generally the top seed in the Mickey Mouse tournaments he wins in the United States. The few big titles Roddick has won are the Queens event in England, the 2003 US Open, the Miami Masters, and Dubai.

However, this week Roddick did the unexpected he defeated world number two Rafael Nadal and number three Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Roddick also announced that tennis legend Jimmy Connors is no longer his coach. Connors ditched Roddick and has moved on. Perhaps, Roddick has an extra amount of motivation this week to prove he belongs with the other top men?

The victory will definitely give Roddick a lot of confidence that he needs. This is the best tennis Roddick has played since 2003 when he won the US Open and finished the year at the number one position. However, in the past few years Roddick’s game has regressed he has played too defensively. Roddick has several glaring weaknesses to his game such as poor foot work, lack of fitness, a unreliable return of serve, and a garbage backhand have been exploited by other players. Roddick is also very slow he just doesn’t move very well on the court he doesn’t have enough speed to track down balls. Roddick’s has attempted to change his game by hiring a series of coaches.

The tennis experts have suggested that Roddick should attack the net more often. The problem is Roddick doesn’t have very good instinct at the net his approach shots are lame usually in the middle of the court without any depth. Roddick also is not a natural volleyer his talent is limited he just doesn’t have any fluid movement at the net.

Roddick has managed too maintain his top ten ranking due to a certain level of consistency but he is not one of the elite players. In Dubai it was the first time Roddick has demonstrated in almost five years that he can beat the best back to back in a sequence of victories. Connors has helped Roddick to be more aggressive on his return of serve, and Roddick’s backhand has greatly improved.

The hype machine for Andy Roddick has started again. Roddick has to be the most over hyped player of his generation. If you look at Roddick’s record he always has poor results against the best players. Usually when Roddick wins the bigger events it is due to the fact the other top players lost early. Roddick is good enough to slip through the cracks if the other top men lose early he then has a chance to win the big titles. A perfect example is Roddick’s 2003 US Open victory he didn’t beat the best to win the event.

People need to remember the Dubai event is just one result. It could be just a fluke that Roddick was able to beat Nadal and Djokovic. Can Andy Roddick defeat the best players in a grand slam event? Can Roddick duplicate the result again? I believe this is still the unknown. The truth is although Roddick is a top ten player he is not one of the elite players. There are only three legitimate elite superstars on the ATP Tour world number one Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic are above the rest of the men. Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic have proven they can win grand slams they have separated themselves from the rest of the pack. Andy Roddick will have to win another grand slam to prove he is one of the elite male players.

The other interesting story this week is that Roger Federer lost in the first round of Dubai to British player Andy Murray. Federer criticized Murray during his press conference saying that Murray’s game hasn’t improved in the past two years and he hangs behind the baseline. I was shocked by Roger’s comment because it makes no sense. Obviously Andy Murray’s strategy worked because he now has a winning record against Roger 2-1. Roger is a great champion and he hates to lose.

The NY Times reported this week Roger has mononucleosis and this is the reason he was so sluggish during the Australian Open. I wonder the reason why this was reported to the public in the first place? The medical news doesn’t change anything. Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open fair and square. According to Roger he decided to take some time off and that’s why he was at the Super Bowl. I wonder though, why is Roger playing a meaningless exhibition against Pete Sampras at Madison Square Gardens? Does this make any sense? The next Masters event is in Indian Wells. I question where is Roger’s focus is? Is Roger going Hollywood?

Why is Roger wasting his time playing a bogus exhibition against Pete Sampras when his health and tennis should be his number one priority? Roger is already super rich so I don’t see the need for him to play in some meaningless match against an old fossil like Pete Sampras. Shouldn’t Roger be preparing for Indian Wells? Is Roger even going to play Indian Wells anyway? Roger appears a bit complacent and he shouldn’t be. I wonder if Roger understands his number one ranking is under serious threat by the younger players? Does anyone really care that Roger is playing the aging and retired Pete Sampras? Is this supposed to be news?

Novak Djokovic blasted Roger in the press this week saying he expected Andy Murray to defeat him in the first round of the Dubai event. Perhaps, Novak was rubbing some salt into Roger’s wound because Roger clearly doesn’t like Novak very much. Novak Djokovic is twenty years old he’s a phenomenal player and he feels like he is on top of the world after his Australian Open victory. Roger should be paying close attention to the fact he is 5-2 this year which is a surprise. Usually Roger starts off the year winning the Australian Open and another event this year he’s lost in the first two events he’s played. I definitely believe Roger will bounce back but he’s got to realize the other men are really hungry right now. Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are the two young players I believe can challenge Roger.

Rafael Nadal only seems to be able to challenge Roger on the clay courts. Nadal has really fallen off I am unimpressed with his game. Nadal is a big man with a crappy serve. Doesn’t Rafael Nadal realize he’s not going to do well on hard courts without a bigger serve? The only way Nadal is going to breakthrough on hard courts is if the best players lose early then he can sneak through to win hard court titles. How can a man as big and strong like Rafael Nadal just spin his serve’s into the court? Nadal’ s serve is his weakness.

Also on the hard courts players attack Nadal relentlessly because his shots are too short in the court with the excessive top spin. Nadal needs to flatten out his shots and make them more penetrating and powerful. Nadal also is too defensive waiting for his opponent to make errors. Obviously, Nadal’s game works on clay but its not going to work on the hard courts. Nadal appears invincible on the clay but some of the best clay court players have beaten him on hard courts. David Nalbandian destroyed Nadal twice last year in Madrid and Paris. Nalbandian has the game to defeat Nadal on clay so does Spaniard David Ferrer, Novak Djokovic, and of course Roger Federer.

The next major event is in Indian Wells Rafael Nadal has a lot of points to defend and so does Novak Djokovic because they both reached the finals. However, since Roger Federer lost in the second round of Indian Wells he only has points to gain.

Can Andy Roddick continue his strong play? Roddick is known for being inconsistent and vulnerable at times. Roddick had a solid week in Dubai because he was able to keep his emotions in check. Roddick definitely has a propensity to be immature and explosive this only means he is nervous during a match.

The key for Roddick to improve is to actually act like a mature adult and less like a spoiled brat. Roddick is twenty five years old the volcanic explosions and swearing at chair umpires, trying to intimidate his fellow players is disgusting and disgraceful. Where are the standards of the ATP Tour? Are ATP players not gentlemen and professionals? The ATP Tour have rules of conduct and Roddick should be severely fined for his deleterious behavior. It appears the ATP Tour has double standards for top players and lower ranked players. Andy Roddick is considered a star on the ATP Tour and the ATP Tour allows this man to act like an obnoxious five year old having a tantrum on the court. The reputation of the ATP Tour is at stake when Roddick is not fined for his abhorrent behavior. If Roddick can keep his emotions in control and actually focus on the tennis maybe he can make a comeback to the top. Will Roger comeback to his dominant form? Only time will tell?

My Favourite Uncle Toms

Dr. Condoleezza Rice has been praised by Essence and Ebony magazine as the most powerful woman in the world. My question is what is Dr. Rice going to do about the crisis in Kenya? Dr. Rice is all over in the Middle East focusing most of her attention on Israel for the past four years. All I read in the newspapers and on the internet is Israel this and Middle East that. Is the Middle East and Israel the only part of the world with problems? The occidental world’s fixation on Israel obscures the real issues taking place on this planet and it is a hindrance to world peace and progress.

The only reason the United States is interested in Israel is because Israel is in the sphere of influence of the United States. The United States government should be focusing more attention on Asia, South America, and Africa. What about the crisis on the African continent? Why hasn’t Dr. Rice done more for the African people? The question remains when has Dr. Rice ever spoken out about issues that concern black people and specifically black women?

Ru Paul was a sell out years ago but Ru Paul confirmed his Uncle Tom status when he vigorously supported the racist entertainer Charles Knipp. Charles Knipp also known for his pernicious alter ego Shirley Q Liquor. Shirley Q Liquor is basically Knipp performing in blackface and a caricature of blackness and black womanhood. Knipp performs across North America at various gay bars while the patrons laugh at the most abhorrent, racist, and disgusting anti black jokes. Ru Paul defended Knipp. No one is really surprised though everyone knows Ru Paul makes his cash from being the resident Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom Ru Paul knows where his money is generated from performing in the white gay bars in North America. Ru Paul isn’t going to bite the hands that feed him.

If you need a visual image of an Uncle Tom Clarence Thomas would be the first image in your mind. Clarence Thomas may be the second African American to hold the prestigious position as a Supreme Court judge. On the 60 Minutes interview last year Thomas was contrite and obnoxious in his views about Anita Hill. However, Thomas is also known for having anti affirmative action views. Thomas wouldn’t be successful if it wasn’t for affirmative action. Thomas appointment to the Supreme Court is basically affirmative action in effect.