While the rest of us are taking a much needed break from the intense first half of the season, the journeymen and women of the ATP and WTA keep plugging away with success. How do you define a journeyman? To me it's someone who literally plays tennis for a living. They probably don't have coffers of cash to fall back on from prior Slam/Masters/Premier wins, or an easy payday from sponsors that allow them to play tennis without too much stress over how they're going to afford their apartment at home. These are the men and women who plug away week in and week out, picking up paychecks wherever they can. Glory may come every once in a while, but really, they're playing to win matches so that they pay to get to their next tournament. You have to tip your cap to them.
So big ups to Albie, for taking the title in Stuttgart. Sure, Gael had to retire due to an ankle injury he sustained in the first set. But Albie plugged away all week, played some quality tennis, and walks away with a pretty swanky Merc. Maybe it's just the lawyer in me but all I can think whenever I see prizes like that is "Shit, the taxes are gonna suck."
And how about the month Kaia's had? She's someone that has to play with confidence to win and she seems to be putting it together. People seem to forget that just over a year ago she was ranked #18 in the world and she was a legitimate upset threat at any tournament she entered. Nice to see her back-up her win over Sam at Wimbly with a solid run in London and now a tournament title in Palermo.
Sorry, Flavs.
And Agnes! You keep giving me false hope that you're on your way back, but I'll take it, even if you insist on wearing the samurai headband.
And then there was Nico, who beat Sod in his own backyard in Bastaad. Sod wasn't all too happy about it.
I get being pissed at the umpire, but come on. At least congratulate your opponent.
