Reed: Big guns under the spotlight

Eurosport - Fri, 13 Mar 16:59:00 2009

Eurosport blogger Simon Reed is looking forward to a fascinating men's tournament at Indian Wells.

TENNIS 2009 Australian Open Picasso Nadal Federer Murray - 0

It's Indian Wells time again, and all the world's great players - with the exception of the Williams sisters - are playing in the biggest event, and indeed the first big test, since the Australian Open.

Yet sadly on the women's side, without Venus and Serena in attendance, it's hard to see it as much more than a shakeout of the best of the rest.

A lot of people's sympathies will be on the Williams sisters: the reason for their absence is that once again they're boycotting the event where they complained of racist chanting from the crowd a few years ago.

Many people will completely understand why they've made the decision.

It's a tough one for the WTA to handle, though. They brought in new rules this year which give them the right to fine players for not participating in several of the year's biggest events, which was the right thing to do for the sake of the fans (not to mention the TV companies) who love seeing the top players going up against each other.

And yet, just a few months into the first year of the new rules and they look like there will.

I imagine that there are all sorts of things going on behind the scenes between the sisters' representatives and the Tour - things that we'll probably never find out about - but it'll be difficult. They can't seem to be waiving the rules - but at the same time, they've never needed the Williamses more than they do now.

The draw looks a little thin without them. Dinara Safina is top seed and is rightly the favourite, because I don't think Jelena Jankovic is going anywhere fast at the moment.

One part of the draw that looks fantastic, however, is the bottom quarter, which features a mouth-watering potential clash between Caroline Wozniacki and Svetlana Kuznetsova, the winner of which will probably play Vera Zvonareva.

The men's tournament, however, looks like it'll be fascinating.

Rafael Nadal looked like he was back to full health in what was a stunning performance in the Davis Cup, and yet he's due for a potential quarter-final match up against Gael Monfils, who produced a thrilling performance to beat Nadal in straight sets when they played in Qatar.

Novak Djokovic comes to Indian Wells having an awful lot to prove after his showing in Melbourne - as does Roger Federer.

The world number two has the chance to kick-start his season with a bang if he takes the Indian Wells title. It's his first major test since the Australian Open, and as well as Nadal waiting for him in the final he'll have to take on a player who's got a superb record against him: Andy Murray.

There are still question marks over Murray's fitness - as we saw with Federer last year, it can take a long time to shake off these viruses - but the world number four's draw is excellent, with the big potential banana skin being a likely quarter-final meeting with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

For Federer, however, there's an even more intriguing quarter-final prospect against Fernando Verdasco.

Of all the players in Indian Wells, it's Verdasco I'll be watching most closely. At the age of 25 he suddenly seemed to make the jump at the end of last year from good player to potentially great player.

There were the Davis Cup performances, of course, and then there was his incredible play at the Australian Open, first in beating Murray and then in pushing Nadal right to the edge.

Is it an illusion or is he the real deal? It's been incredibly hard to say - but the next week or so might tell us if we now have to talk about the top-five instead of just the top-four.

Simon Reed is one of Britain's top tennis commentators - his blog appears here every Tuesday and Friday.

Simon Reed / Eurosport

Comment 5 - 24 of 24

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  1. Igor K, Good comments on #22. Have to be said Ray V­ really deserves them.

    From kate_covington, on Sun 15 Mar 8:27AM

  2. Comment 11is spot on.

    From achur o, on Sat 14 Mar 9:24PM

  3. Novak would kick you in your butt Ray, that would be a­ good authogram for such a fan :-)
    maybe then you wuold­ hate less man..

    From Igor K, on Sat 14 Mar 5:03PM

  4. Well said Judi.. :-)

    From Igor K, on Sat 14 Mar 5:01PM

  5. Well answered Raj V. Not sure who the hero is that you­ mention, but my moto is "may the best player­ win". I appreciate good sportmanship in life and­ sport and for that reason like Rafa not Djokovic as you­ thought. I just have a dislike for negative and­ condesending remarks about players wherever they me be­ from. I especially dislike the racist remarks made in­ this blog made by attaha. He only has himself to blame­ for his misery.

    From Judy, on Sat 14 Mar 7:55AM

  6. judy, i understand how you feel and your gesture of­ love for the djoke. you are such one big kill joy. any­ sport fans has their own heroes and favorites, since­ tennis is a competition it is normal that we ridicule a­ bit anyone who is on the opposing side of our hero.­ common judy! this is not about hate. if you read all my­ blogs regarding the djoke, i often times refer him as a­ good athlete, but since he is a rival to my hero, i­ dont show commendation to his work unless he soundly­ defeats my idol. igor K can attest to that. now as to­ your question where do i get my energy, it is simply­ that i eat and breathe tennis. thats how it is. as to­ your question where did i get my education? i will­ refuse to get drawn to that conversation since you­ sounded like you went to a good school and is yet to­ get the education you are trying to project. keep your­ cool sister. believe me if i will meet the djoke in­ person i will get a photo with him and have him sign on­ my butt coz im a big tennis fan.

    From Ray V, on Sat 14 Mar 7:27AM

  7. Raj V, Why so much energy wasted on bashing Djokovic.­ Do you not have any joy in your life but spend all your­ time following his tournaments to justify your hate.­ Rather sad. Find some positives in your life or get­ help. Hating an individual tennis player so much who­ clearly has never done you any wrong, where does it­ come from? Your religion or upbringing?

    From Judy, on Sat 14 Mar 6:17AM

  8. in the absence of sharapova, i'll have a change of­ heart in the mean time. if alice cornet is around, i­ think she will be a surprise in this event. i'm not­ sure if klayvanova is around too but in case she is, i­ think she will shine along side with cornet. that­ danish girl named carolina..oh my she is a sweetheart.­ i want these girls go up against the over rated jelena,­ safina and anna ivanovic

    From Ray V, on Fri 13 Mar 10:23PM

  9. Alison reborn as AJ welcome back.....
    Alison M

    From Nicholas, on Fri 13 Mar 9:47PM

  10. no way man !

    From Igor K, on Fri 13 Mar 8:26PM

  11. Attaha, did you excist on pre muhamad ali era? what are­ you talking about?...igor K whats up brother?...i dont­ understand why djokers name is included in the semis.­ the djoke will be preparing early for the next event­ after an early exit at IW...sorry man, djoker is tired­ coming from a win in Dubai...a hard earned win against­ B players LOL

    From Ray V, on Fri 13 Mar 8:05PM

  12. man:
    Murray, Djokovic, Nadal, Tsonga can get to the­ semies, ofcourse not the same time
    ..Simon, Verdasko...­
    ..Federer, Rodick, Delpotro
    these are the chances if­ you ask me..
    .. but no one asked me :-)

    From Igor K, on Fri 13 Mar 7:04PM

  13. Ivanovic will defend the trophy, you forget to say this­ dude ! No Safina is match for her ! Jankovic still not­ in good shape.. Dementieva I hope will do something­ good ! Others .. hmm maybe Zovareva progress.. or­ Chinese girls

    From Igor K, on Fri 13 Mar 7:00PM

  14. Simon Reed you have to be the biggest prat on the­ planet, how dare you say "Roger has a lot to­ prove" he has got nothing to prove to you or­ me....leave the guy alone for once we all know you love­ nadal for god sake go marry him and get it over with.­

    Roger is going to be a father for the first time­ i'm guessing he has a lot more then just tennis on­ his mind, I wish the media would just give roger a­ break.

    From janell.lovell, on Fri 13 Mar 6:36PM

  15. YES SIMON IS RIGHT THERE ARE NEW RULES IN THE WTA TOUR­ BUT WILL THEY STICK TO THEM I DON'T THINK SO.THE­ WILLIAMS SISTERS NOT PLAYING IN INDIAN WELLS SO WILL­ THEY GET A BAN OR A FINE.
    I QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY VENUS­ AND SERENA WON'T PLAY THERE BUT RULES ARE RULES.BE­ INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THINGS WORK OUT THIS YEAR.

    From AJ, on Fri 13 Mar 6:30PM

  16. I would say you are on to a dissapoitment, a BIG one,­ no way Verdasco will sustain what he did...

    From Vasco, on Fri 13 Mar 5:14PM

  17. why roger the greatest of all timez?! why he d best­ !???

    From Jane, on Fri 13 Mar 4:44PM

  18. i am just happy cuz our love federer is going to be a­ father
    no matter the result
    federer is happy now in­ any case
    love u federer

    From maia, on Fri 13 Mar 3:19PM

  19. lol...really? I found a place that many players are­ hoo king up with h ot mo dels, seems the club called:­ __T all mingle Co M___, do you hear this before?

    From tallbbw01, on Fri 13 Mar 3:17PM

  20. Notice how they didnt even put Djokovic on the picture?­ EuroSport is beggining to annoy me with the endles­ pushing of Murray and boycoting of Djokovic....

    From Mateja, on Fri 13 Mar 2:16PM
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