Tennis' Fab Four Reunite at Indian Wells

March Madness!  It all begins now—the start of college conference championships and the full court press coverage of the romping, stomping NCAA basketball tournament!  All that is needed to complete the big picture are blizzards throughout the upper Midwest and the start of tornado season in Kansas.

While the rest of the world is gainfully entertained watching round ball and hockey, tennis fans are flocking to Indian Wells and Miami for the U.S. Hard-court season.  Finally, some serious tennis to confront and criticize after the Australian Open and a three-day Davis Cup stint. 

What remains of the fab four will be on full display—each one hoping to re-ignite,  re-energize, or refocus his 2009 tennis campaign, proving to the rest of the world that he still has the right stuff. 

Roger Federer

No. 2 Roger Federer enters Indian Wells after a six-week hiatus while his back healed.  During his last appearance on court, he was defeated once again by Rafael Nadal, as the highlight of the 2009 Australian Open finals. His collapse proved unacceptable to Roger and to his fans.

Compensation and redemption has led him to Darren Cahill.  Long espoused by fans as the best coach available for Federer, the great man has finally seen fit to consider hiring a coach. 

Members of Roger’s fan base heaved a collective sigh of relief, believing that a fresh pair of eyes can only benefit the Swiss maestro, especially eyes as trained and focused as Killer Cahill’s.

While the two play chicken with commitment, the world will be watching to see what effect the strategy and counsel of Cahill will add to the Federer mystique.  How much longer must we wait for No. 14?

Novak Djokovic

Meanwhile, back at No. 3, Novak Djokovic awaits the return of his missing game.  We speak of the mighty game that he unveiled in winning the Australian Open in 2008.

While he has enjoyed intermittent success since then, mostly he has found disappointment waiting for him during the latter stages of most tournaments—especially the majors.

Certainly, the fact that he is breaking in a new racket has some effect.  The 21-year old Serbian must wonder when his fabulous form will resurface. 

Recently at Dubai, Djokovic survived the mass exodus of the religious extreme and the tennis almighty.  Winning the Dubai crown, he reigned only to see such a jewel tarnished by his lackluster performance for Serbia during the Davis Cup against Spain. 

These highs and lows must puzzle the once-hilarious Djoker, as he tries to retool his sleight of hand magic with new tennis shtick. 

Andy Murray

Murray, in the meantime, is suffering from maladies of his own.  While Novak’s may be mental, Murray has been laid low with a virus—dare we say the “M” word that Federer detractors forbade us to use? 

We wonder if Murray has also contracted mononucleosis as did Federer in early 2008.  The virus hit Murray hard at the conclusion of the Australian Open and then knocked him out of Dubai completely.  Finally, he cancelled out of the Davis Cup, when doctors told him he could not compete. 

Murray spent much of the year getting himself in shape, getting stronger, and getting fitter.  It served him well.  But we all know that the virus can void all that physical preparation and leave the body drained and lifeless at the net. 

All of this could easily affect Murray’s energy level, as he prepares to scale the heights on hard courts in America.  Here is his chance, finally, to gain some advantage on his best surface.  That could very well be denied him once again—blame it on the virus contracted down under.

Rafael Nadal

Nadal, of course, sits pretty at No. 1.  He has nothing to prove as he lunges for the red clay of Roland Garros.  He won his first hard court major and once again threw sand in Federer’s face on his way to the trophy ceremony.  Nothing stings quite so much as gritty sand in your eyes.

With rumors of bad knees and failing feet, Nadal continues to punish the rest of the field who may wish he would fold—but who never does.  The man does not know how to quit, how to give up or give in.  Like the famed bunny he just keeps going and going.

Hard courts, however, are bad for his knees.  The pounding, that he gives his body to secure his victories, gives Nadal no respite from the grinding toll on his knees.  He does exactly what he needs to do to win, including expecting to win until the last ball is hit over the net. 

The tennis year is young.  It is hard to predict the end of the game during warm up although certain facts seem inevitable. 

While Nadal may not win either of these tournaments at Indian Wells or in Miami, he will have an impact and go far into the field.  According to the seeds, he should face Djokovic in the semifinals, should they both survive that long. 

But Andy Roddick, Juan Del Potro, Radek Stepanek, and Tomas Berdych are also in this half of the draw and each of them has the credentials to win.

Federer and Murray are slated to meet in the bottom half of the draw.  Federer needs to get off to a good start after his six week layoff, and Murray also needs time to find his way into the draw. 

Early on Federer could face his old nemesis Ivo Karlovic who knocked him out of Cincinnati.  He might also do battle with Fernando Gonzalez or James Blake.  Fernando Verdasco or Nikolay Davydenko may also be lying in wait. 

Murray might face Marin Cilic, Gilles Simon, or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga down the line.   

So while the rest of the world will be deluged in basketball highlights and hockey replays—tennis fans will be stuck in no man’s land trying to follow the action on practically nonexistent television and on their tiny computer monitors while the best players in the world figure out the next best weapon in their well-stocked arsenals.