TENNIS/Wimbledon Diary: Tristan Farron-Mahon made a second-round exit from the boys singles event yesterday in the shadow of Centre Court. Playing against one of the outstanding youth players in the USA, Don Young, the Irish player lost in two sets 6-1, 6-3.
Young is only 15 years old and last year signed a professional contract with Nike. He is the youngest tennis player to have signed a contract with the sports clothing company. Young is seeded two and is good enough to attract the attention of former Grand Slam champions Jim Courier and Billy Jean King, both of whom were watching the match.
Young took the first set with some ease as Farron-Mahon adjusted to the pace of his opponent's forehand and his lefty game. More productive coming to the net than staying at the back of the court, the Irish player simply could not work the points enough to allow the approach.
Young took the first set 6-1 and while Farron-Mahon was much more in the game in the second set, the power in the younger player's groundstrokes was marked. Dropping serve early, the Irish player broke back for 2-2 and it looked then as if he might gain ground in the match. But the American responded with more power to gain control, finally serving for the match at 5-4 and taking the second of his three match points for 6-4.
Farron-Mahon was back on the same court yesterday evening, partnering Croatian Maran Cilic in the first round of the boys doubles. The two lost the first set 6-3 to the American pair of Jesse Levine and Michael Shabaz. An early break of service in the second set again had the pair chasing the match but the Americans held firm and served out for 6-4.
Men's quarter-finals are an elite affair
In today's men's quarter-finals, eight different nations are being represented for the third year running. But unusually, there is no unseeded player in the final eight for the first time since 1975. Four of the players remaining are Grand Slam champions, Roger Federer (four), Lleyton Hewitt (two), Andy Roddick (one) and Thomas Johansson (one).
Sharapova dress to become museum piece
Maria Sharapova yesterday agreed to give one of her tennis outfits to the Wimbledon Tennis Museum. "Yeah, I have a lot of those dresses, I don't think there will be a problem," she said. And the trainers as well?
"The shoes, the shoes. Sure I'd give the shoes no problem," she said, adding, "But I might have to take the gold away."
Sharapova's shoes are studded with 18-carat gold. Very tastefully of course.
Perfect practice
On the practice courts yesterday two of the favourite players for the men's singles title were in action. Roger Federer was there with his coach Tony Roche, while Lleyton Hewitt, famous for his entourage, had five people handling balls, getting towels and make life pleasant for the third seed.
Serve-and-volley game still the way forward on grass
Three exponents of the serve-and-volley game, once thought essential to success on Wimbledon's grass, believe reports of its demise have been exaggerated.
Britain's Tim Henman, eliminated in the second round last week, said he doubted a serve-and-volley specialist such as himself would ever win Wimbledon again, blaming harder courts and softer balls.
However, defending champion Roger Federer says the problem is the lack of work put in by modern youngsters at their volleying. "I think we play 40 minutes from the baseline and 10 minutes at the net and serve 10 minutes," he said after winning his 33rd successive match on grass this week. "That's how the practices are now. I think it's got a lot to do with circumstances and the way tennis has progressed."
American Taylor Dent, who hit the hardest recorded serve in the first week before he was eliminated by number three seed Lleyton Hewitt on Monday, said he thought a serve-and-volleyer could still win anywhere.
"I mean, otherwise I wouldn't be serving and volleying anymore," he said. "Even on clay, if I'm going out there and I'm serving well I like my chances against anybody. All sports go through waves . . . I just think tennis is going to go through waves. Maybe one day they'll shrink the racquet size."
Nine-times Wimbledon singles champion Martina Navratilova supported Federer and Dent, saying: "The players today are great at moving from side to side but they're not coming forward. That's something the new generation needs. They need to experiment."
