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Tennis' best-kept secret
Posted: Tuesday September 07, 1999 07:28 PM By Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated
The Chicken Littles who lament that men's tennis has devolved into an unrelenting slugfest devoid of any nuance ought to watch these two Indians play. Even though as the world's best team they're often relegated to the back courts or play at odd hours, their duet is a sweet harmony. They do more poaching than a Columbia River angler and sprinkle kick serves, drop shots, unthinkable angles and scissors-kicks overheads into their act. Paes is a wonderfully efficient volleyer, endowed with feline reflexes and the quickest hands in the west, while Bhupathi has a monstrous serve and tremendous athletic ability. Together they use the court as a chessboard, anticipating their opponents' -- and each other's -- moves with uncanny precision. Their partnership is a superb example of the sum being bigger than its parts. "Anyone can play with a partner, but the best teams truly work as a team," Paes said after he and Bhupathi beat Ben Ellwood and Michael Tebbutt Tuesday to move into the quarterfinals. "With Mahesh, we work hard together to be on the same page." Sure, they argue from time to time, but they're fast friends who eat thali, go clubbing and even get their ears pierced together. Coupled since 1995, Paes and Bhupathi are giving a particular strong accounting of themselves this year. After falling in the Australian Open finals to Pat Rafter and Jonas Bjorkman, 6-4 in the fifth set, the duo has captured the last two Slams. "You win one and you get greedy," says Bhupathi, who played tennis two years at Ole Miss before turning pro. "I think we have some added pressure because we're very big in India." Indeed, after the two won the French Open they received a telegram from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee congratulating them on "doing the country proud." Even when they lose, they've been known to supplant cricket as the lead story in the Indian sports sections. And here in New York, their matches are attended by a loyal following of Indian-Americans who encourage them with nationalist cheers during changeovers. In addition to receiving numerous endorsement deals, Paes and Bhupathi make a fair living off prize money. This year alone both have earned more than $500,000 on the court, which doesn't necessarily sit too well with some of their peers. Is it fair, some ask, that players who don't rank among the top 150 singles players are both in the top 25 on the prize-money list? Others, however, don't begrudge them a dime. "Hey, they're the best at what they do," says Justin Gimelstob, who with partner Richey Reneberg, lost to Paes and Bhupathi Monday. "Just watch them play and you can see why they make so much." Unfortunately, few do. In a fiercely individual sport, there is something funny to the casual fan about watching two guys exchanging signals like a third-base coach, slapping five after every point and yelling, "Yours!" And there is also the obscurity factor. When Andre Agassi, Davenport and Hingis are on the draw card, who wants to watch two guys named Paes and Bhupathi? Yet here's the rub: Get past the obscurity factor and you'll get in on the sport's best-kept secret. Open volleys Speaking of doubles, one has to wonder why Davenport, playing absolutely dominating tennis in defense of her Open title, was out there Tuesday playing three interminable sets of doubles alongside Corina Morariu. Yes, her first four matches here have been unbelievably brief, so she can use the match play. But should Davenport, a player never known for her stamina, run out of steam against Mary Pierce, she'll no doubt regret Tuesday's marathon. ... Medic! Magnus Norman joined the legion of walking wounded -- Jan-Michael Gambill, Pete Sampras, Mark Philippoussis, Thomas Johansson, Karol Kucera, Pat Rafter, Magnus Larsson, Fabrice Santoro -- when he pulled out of his match against Gustavo Kuerten with a back injury. When they say the men's champion will be the last man standing, we never thought it was literal. ... Don't get me wrong -- his between-the-legs winner on set point against Hicham Arazi the other night was the shot of the tournament. Still, it's nearing put-up-or-shut-up time for Tommy Haas. Losing to Cedric Pioline at this stage of their respective careers is the kind of setback that should keep the young German awake at night. ... Agassi might be playing some spectacular tennis, but his fortune hasn't been bad either. You know fate is sitting in your private box when your road to a Grand Slam semifinal goes through Kulti, Pretzsch, Gimelstob, Clement and Escude. Sounds like a murderer's row of the qualies draw. ... In the past four sets they played here, Anke Huber and fiancé Andrei Medvedev won a combined three games. ... Brian Cashman, the Yankees general manager, is today's celebrity Jimmy the Greek impersonator: Lindsay Davenport.
Jon Wertheim is a Sports Illustrated staff writer.
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