Tennis is a vastly underrated sport.
If you’ve ever watched a match in person, you know what I mean.
Even on television, tennis effuses tangible back-and-forth excitement, electrifying fans and players.
For the next week, the UCLA campus will host the Countrywide Classic, a tournament that will display some of the fine talent that the tennis world has to offer, including Andy Roddick and Marat Safin.
Unfortunately for the casual tennis fan, the finest talent in the world, messers Federer and Nadal will not be gracing the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
Nevertheless, this week should be a bright spot for fans in Southern California, who will take in an event won by such greats as Andre Agassi, Michael Chang and Pete Sampras, who is the brother of UCLA women’s tennis coach Stella Sampras-Webster.
Defending champion Radek Stepanek will not play this year, meaning the field is wide open, though American Andy Roddick, with his fireball serve and scorching forehand, would appear to be the favorite.
Yet in the tennis world, there is an even greater story to be told.
At this point in time, tennis as a sport appears poised for change, especially on the men’s side. Spaniard Rafael Nadal can be seen waiting in the wings to eclipse the long-dominant Federer, who spent a stunning 235 consecutive weeks as the world’s No. 1 player.
In the Wimbledon final last month, these two colossuses of the sport gritted their way through five legendary sets, with Nadal emerging as champion and Federer’s five-year streak at the sport’s most famous event finally broken.
Many hailed this event as the end of an era, the silky Swiss finally giving way to the power and passion of his Spanish rival.
Yet before we, as a public, steal the crown and the glory from Mr. Federer, it is important to understand just how great his outstanding run has been.
Just how long is 235 weeks? A little over four and a half years ago.
At that time, the Athens Olympics were still on the horizon. The Florida Marlins were the defending World Series champions. President Bush was still in his first term. Ben Howland was in his first year as UCLA basketball coach. I was still in high school.
In short, it has been a very long time since anyone in the sport has approached, much less overtaken, Federer’s greatness.
On the court he is as sweet as Swiss chocolate and as precise as a Swiss army knife. Seemingly effortless strokes produce overpowering plays.
His composure is as unmatched as his creativity with the racket. Not one known for the infamous grunts and groans of many tennis players in action, Federer often resembles a silent assassin.
Yet in his most recent final, it was the fiery Nadal who rose to the challenge, this time on a surface he has not been known to dominate as he does on clay courts.
The loss by Federer should not be read like an obituary, however.
Despite the fact that Nadal will most certainly overtake his rival in the rankings, Federer will remain among the greats of the tennis world. There are few competitors who can match his talent.
Sports are constantly evolving, and this switch at the top is just another example. Here in the States, the sport of tennis finds itself in a state of change as well.
The search continues for a new face of the post-Agassi/Sampras America. While this week’s top seed, Roddick, offers glimpses of hope, he too-often falls victim to baffling upsets and early exits.
The world’s former No. 1 player ““ who would be overtaken by Federer ““ will be looking to regain his form in time for the U.S. Open in August.
Perhaps this weekend will be the start of that resurgence and a proving ground for a handful of American players.
So head out and soak in the SoCal sun.
The week and weekend will provide some fabulous tennis, with or without the very best.
E-mail Salter at ksalter@media.ucla.edu.