[情報] Sleight of hand

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Sleight of hand Jon Wertheim, SI.com Do you yourself a favor. If you happen to attend a tennis tournament this summer, scan the drawsheet for Fabrice Santoro's name. Then make whatever necessary arrangements to watch him play. When Santoro leaves the ATP Tour, it might well mark the death of the finesse player. The 30-year-old Frenchman, you see, is the Cubist of contemporary tennis. He has a completely unique perspective on court angles that few other players know exist. The court is his atelier. Nicknamed the Magician, Santoro takes the court with a full bag of tricks up the sleeves of Lacoste shirts. He hits with two hands off of both wings, he dices, he slices, he hits a nasty drop shot and has the best topspin lob since Rod Laver. While he lacks for power and often hits a first serve under 100 mph, he has managed to be a fixture in the top 50, rank among the sport's best doubles players, and has won nearly $5 million for his career. We recently caught up with the sport's most stylish stylist. Jon Wertheim: Because of the way you play, you have a real following among tennis fans. Todd Martin said that even the guys on tour will stop what they're doing if the Magician is playing. But how do you perceive your game? Fabrice Santoro: I guess a little like you do. When I am on the court I can see that what I am doing is different. But it's not really a choice. It's the only way I can play. I don't do it to be different, I do it to win. I know people say, "Oh, he's an artist" or whatever. But I don't do it for compliments. For me, it's necessity. Wertheim: How much has your game evolved through the years? When you were a junior were you slicing the forehand and playing dropshot/lob points? Santoro: When I started at age 6 my game was dropshots and lobs and slicing. Then I played and did well. But when I turned pro, people told me that if I wanted to be a top player I would have to hit the ball hard and play like everybody else. The problem was that by playing like everybody, I became a so-so player. Many were better than me, more powerful than me. So I was talking it over with my father and decided to go back to my old game, and then I started to get my best results. Wertheim: So you walked on the dark side -- you've tried the one-handed forehand and tried to play typical, flat tennis. Santoro: I hit the one-handed forehand more and more because the game is getting faster all the time. When I don't have enough time I use one hand. But only when I have no choice. Otherwise, I like two hands because I have more precision. Wertheim: Do you ever feel that you were born 30 or 40 years too late, that your style would have been wonderful when the serve wasn't such a weapon, rackets were less powerful and other players weren't such good athletes? Santoro: I said that a few years ago! Today, I think I am a good player; I have been on the tour for more than 10 years. But I do think I would have been better before. Wertheim: Even over the past 10 years, have you noticed a difference in the quality of tennis, the athleticism? Santoro: Oh, yeah. When I started my pro career [in the early '90s] I was winning matches because of my opponents' mistakes. Now I win the match because I've made the points, because I've beaten my opponent, not because he's lost. Wertheim: How frustrating is it that you have better hands, better feel and are more clever than most, but lose to players who are simply more powerful? Santoro: Well, the way I play is more fun [laughs]. When I was playing like everyone else, it was boring for me. I said, "I want to create." Even if I lose, I like to control the match instead of just playing like everyone else. Wertheim: But isn't it harder to control the match against the big hitters? Santoro: Yes, with my game I have to be very precise. I have to be fit physically, fit mentally. The margin for error is less and less. Wertheim: Are you artistic in other ways? Do you write poetry? Paint landscapes? Santoro: [Laughs] No, no. Just tennis. Wertheim: Is it sad that there seems to be fewer and fewer players who are so creative and imaginative? Santoro: I think it's good for the game to play like this. I cross my fingers there will be more, some players here and there who want to be different. It's a very fun way to play tennis. Sports Illustrated senior writer Jon Wertheim covers tennis for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.csie.ntu.edu.tw) ◆ From: 203.219.101.22