Nyet, Svetlana
By Nicholas J. Walz
What a polite game tennis is. The chief word in it seems to be "sorry" and admiration of each other's play crosses the net as frequently as the ball. ~J.M. Barrie
She did it again-- as in, she didn't do it again.
Up 5-4, serving for the match and a birth in the 2009 Aussie Open semifinals, Svetlana Kuznetsova, ranked No. 8 in the world with the talent of a No. 1, let Serena Williams breathe in the boiling heat while simultaneously choking in Melbourne. It was a famliar, expected scene as Serena rebounded with her overpowering serve and took the match 7-5, 5-7, 1-6 -- it makes sense only in the fact that it makes no sense at all. Kuznetsova's game became increasingly error-ridden as the match progressed, tapping out with 42 unforced errors. At that fateful 5-4 point in the second set, the game was at 15-15 when she made three costly errors while serving for the match -- a double fault, a forehand long and a forehand into the net.
After winning the 2004 U.S. Open, Kuzentsova has been the unhappy-yet-stoic bridesmaid of women's tennis in the subsequent five-year span-- and what's more, she's still yet to advance past the quarterfinals of the Australian Open.
What gets lost in the shuffle of media coverage of Jelena Janković and her quest for her first Grand Slam title is why Svetlana Kuznetsova hasn't won more than one in her thus-far disappointing career.
As she enters her mid-20's and the end of her prime, Kuznetsova probably possesses the most fluid, natural game in women's tennis when she's on-- making the game look positively easy as she fires forehand winners past out-of-breath opponents fifteen feet in the opposite direction.
The definition of an all-around player, the Russian has adapted her game to all surfaces. Her game is characterized by her strong serve and her heavy forehand. Kuznetsova's serve is aided by her powerful physique-- her parents and brother were all world-class cyclists, decorated in Olympic Gold-- and she is often considered to be one of the physically strongest players on the tour along with the Williams sisters, her powerful inside-out forehand is one of the best in the women's game. Kuznetsova is capable of hitting winners of both wings. Her volleys are very effective, and she is capable of producing deft touch.
Her game is strengthened by her footwork and movement around the court. She is among the few players (Janković and Kim Clijsters come to mind) who are capable of sliding on all the major playing surfaces. She is also capable of producing spectacular shots like running shots, passing shots, and between-the-legs shots when in form, but, on an off-day, her shots can fly all over the court. She has every God-given tool to be heads-and-shoulders above her less-athletic countrywomen, Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina, who are currently ranked higher. Despite having similar career winning percentages (around 70%) in professional play, it seems Kuznetsova's defeats echo louder because of her unfulfilled potential.
She should be better. She hasn't been.
What's the problem?
Kuznetsova struggles in high pressure matches with the very best in the world and succumbs to her nerves. Jana Novotná, her most famous mentor, referred to her as a "fighter," but her subtle body language when things are out of favor reminds one of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning during most NFL playoff games: slightly slumped shoulders, scowls, and long, drawn-out deep-breaths, staring down at the court and looking morose. If she's angry, or fired up, she rarely, if ever, shows that side of her personality. No tears, either-- at least Novotná cried on the Duchess of Kent's shoulder after losing Wimbeldon in 1993.
After the defeat to Serena, her coach tried to assess the damage: "She missed some opportunities, but Serena just played very great at the crucial point of the second set," said Olga Morozova, a former Grand Slam finalist who began coaching Kuznetsova in the fall. "That's what happens. Serena just moved up to the next level and I think, maybe, Sveta was not ready for that."
Until she's indeed ready, Kuznetsova will drive herself, her coach, sportscasters and writers, and her fans, mental.
