Sunday, August 16, 1998
Young fans reach for Patrick Rafter's autograph.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
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MASON -- Patrick Rafter had spoken of Yevgeny Kafelnikov's fragile psyche, and the fans found out exactly what he meant Saturday.
After losing a chance to win the first set against Rafter, Kafelnikov not only fell apart the rest of that match, but sleepwalked through his ensuing doubles semifinal.
Leading Rafter 5-4, Kafelnikov lost the final three games of the set. Beginning with the last two points of the set, he lost 12 consecutive points and 21 points in a 23-point span.
He won just five points in the second set, losing the last nine games of the match. Then it carried over to doubles, where he and Daniel Vacek (seeded fifth) lost to unseeded Olivier Delaitre and Fabrice Santoro 6-2, 6-2. Counting singles and doubles, Kafelnikov lost 19 of 21 games in one stretch.
Asked if doubles was hurting his singles play, Kafelnikov turned defensive.
"I played good this week because I got a lot of matches last week in Toronto, singles and doubles," he said. "I'm sure I'll play even better next week."
Show me the money
Among all the changes in this tournament since it moved to Mason in 1979, perhaps the prize money best indicates the growth. In 1979, the total purse was $200,000, of which singles winner Peter Fleming pocketed $32,000.
Both numbers have increased more than 10 times over, with the current purse totaling $2.45 million and the singles winner receiving $361,000. The purse ties the Newsweek Champions Cup (Indian Wells, Calif.) as the third-richest tournament in the U.S., behind only the U.S. Open and the Lipton Championships (Key Biscayne, Fla.).
Super serve In his quarterfinal loss Friday to Magnus Larsson, 23-year-old Thomas Johansson uncorked a 136-mph serve. While ranking as the fastest of the week, it also registered high on some other notable lists.
It tied a Pete Sampras 136-mph serve at Wimbledon as the fourth-fastest serve recorded this year, trailing only Greg Rusedski (142, London), Jordi Burillo (138, San Jose) and Mark Philippoussis (137, Scottsdale). Johansson's rocket also tied for the seventh-fastest serve in recorded history, which dates back to 1989. The record is 143 mph, served by Rusedski at the U.S. Open last year.
After Johansson, the fastest serves this week have been by Petr Korda (133), Tim Henman (132), Sampras (132), Goran Ivanisevic (131) and Daniel Vacek (130).
Blessid anthem
The Cincinnati-based pop group Blessid Union of Souls -- Eliot Sloan, Eddie Hedges and Jeff Pence -- sang the national anthem before the afternoon semifinal Saturday. The band has also sang the anthem at Bengals and Reds games.
Magic bus Indianapolis is one of the two ATP Tour stops next week, and the Indy tournament sends chartered buses to Mason each day to provide free transportation for the players.
Two buses left Friday and one Saturday, and one more will leave tonight. The players like to arrive early to gain familiarity with the site.
Young man's game
Reality has quickly set in for many of the tennis players over 30 who are still active on the ATP Tour .
"I train less and less each day and take more time off," Paul Haarhuis, a 32-year-old from the Netherlands said. "There's no way the body can take the constant pounding. I've survived because of the changes I've made."
This strategy has apparently prolonged Haarhuis' 10-year procareer that is now prospering in doubles.
He and partner, Jacco Eltingh, are currently the No. 1 ranked doubles team in the world. They have won this year's French Open and Wimbledon and are favored to capture the U.S. Open.
Super servers
If a blast of 144 mph by Cincinnatian Ryan Carroll and another of 96 mph off the racket of Eby DeFresne from West Chester, hold up, this duo will win a Rado wrist watch today at the conclusion of the matches.
These are the fastest serves this week at the Rado Smash Corner, an annual event that helps Childrens Hospital.
"Our goal is to raise $4,000," Richy Rodriguez from Miami, Fla., said. "Right now (Saturday afternoon), we're a little over $3,000 but tonight and Sunday should put us over."
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