The Rise of the Older Generation

With Bernard Tomic celebrating his twentieth birthday last week, it now means that there is not a single teenager in the world’s top 200 players. The highest ranked teenager in the world is currently the Brazilian Guilherme Clezar, currently ranked at number 214. The dearth of teenagers in the game is surprising, although continues the trend of recent years.

Indeed, almost a quarter of the world’s top 100 players are now aged in their thirties. Not that long ago, reaching your thirtieth birthday was almost seen as the end of your career. It continues the pattern where the older, more experienced players have been spending longer in the higher echelons of the game, with fewer of the teenagers really breaking through until later.

Roger Federer became the oldest player in almost 40 years to win a Grand Slam title

Roger Federer’s Wimbledon title made him the oldest man since Arthur Ashe in 1975 to win a Grand Slam title, and only the 11^th player in the Open era to win a Grand Slam in his thirties. There are seven players in their thirties that have won titles this season – joining Federer are Jarkko Nieminen, David Ferrer, Mikhail Youzhny, Jurgen Melzer, Tommy Haas and Andy Roddick.

For now, gone are the days when young players are real contenders for a Grand Slam title. The last teenager to win a title was Rafael Nadal, back in 2005, while Djokovic and Del Potro were both just 20 when they won their first Grand Slam titles. Now there are only four players under 23 even in the top 50 – Milos Raonic is the highest at 15, followed by Kei Nishikori at 16, David Goffin at 45 and Bernard Tomic at 48. Between them, they have just two Grand Slam quarter-final appearances.

So why has there been this shift in the age at which players break into the upper echelons of the game?

The first reason is simply that there are not the talented young players coming through at the moment. That it is just a lack of quality among the current generation of young players that are breaking into the ranks, rather than any overall shift in tennis in general.

Milos Raonic leads the new generation as they attempt to topple the existing hierarchy

This could be a legitimate point. Arguably, in almost any other generation, any of the top four players would have been the standout player. The fact that all four have come through at approximately the same time is an anomaly, and there are no truly world class young players that can challenge them at the current time.

However, many people have pointed to the move that has been made by tournament directors around the world to slow the courts. The days of the lightning quick surfaces is a distant memory, the serve-and-volley type player has been consigned to the highlight reels from the past.

These days, courts favour the real grinders. Djokovic and Murray’s games are based very much around the defensive ability that they have, now allied with the attacking shots that have elevated them to the next level. Nadal grinds opponents down with his relentless top-spin shots. David Ferrer is a world-class returner and defensive player.

The grinding ability of the top players means that younger players need
time to build their stamina to reach their level

In order to build up the consistency and stamina to live with these players is simply not possible for teenage players. It takes many years of work to reach the point where you can consider challenging these players on a regular basis.

In addition, the progress in training and nutrition has meant that the older players can maintain their peak for much longer, and indeed continue improving well into their late twenties and early thirties. When you ally this additional time for improvement, the lack of decline and the greater experience that these players can draw upon, it is little surprise that the older players are dominating the top 100 players in the world.

It is perfectly feasible that we could see another teenage winner of a Grand Slam in the next decade. Every so often, a real prodigy comes through the ranks at an early age and takes the tennis world by storm. Rafael Nadal was just 19 when he won his first French Open title, as was Pete Sampras when he clinched his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows.

However, these players are the exception rather than the norm. In the current day, it is the older players that are thriving, and those players that are under 23 should not simply be written off because they have not achieved anything at the pinnacle of the game yet. Whether they make it is a different matter, but we should expect to see players not reaching their peak until their mid- to late-20s now.

Pepe Reina - Asset or Liability

Since he signed from Villarreal for just £6m in the summer of 2005, Pepe Reina has been the undisputed first choice keeper at Anfield. Virtually every other areas of the team has found itself in turmoil at some stage – regardless of his form, the attack was weakened by the loss of Fernando Torres; the midfield was decimated by the loss of Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso; the defence, particularly the fullback positions, has been changed on a regular basis. However, the one single point of consistency over that period has been Pepe Reina.

Reina has consistently been one of Europe's best keepers since joining Liverpool

However, over the past twelve months, the form of the Spanish keeper has been particularly troubling for even the most ardent Liverpool fan. He has seemingly gone from being one of the best keepers in Europe to making mistakes that would embarrass a schoolboy playing on a Wednesday afternoon with his mates.

Despite being a relative rookie when he arrived at Anfield, he made an immediate impression. His first season as Liverpool’s number one saw him end with a 76% saves-to-shots ratio – a very impressive figure. He has also won the Golden Glove on three occasions. He kept 18 clean sheets in the 2007/08 campaign, 20 in 2008/09 and 17 in 2009/10.

However, the summer of 2010 seems to mark a change in his performances. He kept 14 clean sheets in 2010/11 and only twelve last season. So far this year, there has only been one clean sheet in the league.

While one valid point to make is that the team certainly has not been as strong in the last couple of years as it was during the peak of Rafa Benitez’s reign, when the side reached the Champions League final and sustained their first title challenge for many years. However, the simple mistakes that Reina has made cannot just be put down to a weaker team in front of him.

What did change over the summer of 2010 was that Rafa Benitez was axed, following a poor campaign that saw Liverpool fail to reach the Champions League, despite Reina’s excellent performances in goal. And more importantly, his goalkeeping coach, Xavi Valero, also left the club.

When Rafa Benitez took over at Liverpool, he brought in Jose Ochotorena as a specialist goalkeeping coach. His early work with Pepe Reina when he joined was critical in progressing the keeper to the next level. Reina writes in his autobiography, “he knows me better than anyone else, understands everything about my strengths and weaknesses, and working with him has been one of the greatest experiences of my career.”

When Ochotorena moved on from Liverpool in the summer of 2007, he was replaced by another Spaniard – Xavi Valero. His arrival coincided with the three wonderful seasons that Reina experienced, where he established his position amongst the very best keepers in world football.

Reina was also a perfect fit for how Liverpool played at the time. Brought up in Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, he prefers to act as more of a sweeper keeper. With the high defensive line that Benitez employed, he was free to roam behind, clearing up balls over the top and anticipating danger before it occurred.

Reina has won the Premiership Golden Glove award no fewer than three times

However, in 2010, Valero and Benitez left the club and Roy Hodgson and his specialist goalkeeping coach, Mike Kelly, were brought in. Whatever happened behind the scenes, Reina’s level noticeably dropped. Having averaged a 73% saves-to-shots ratio during the five years of Benitez’s reign, his figure dropped to only 64% the following season under Hodgson, and then Dalglish.

His mistakes this season have been even more worrying. He has arguably been directly culpable for four of the goals that Liverpool have conceded this season. His fumbles against Hearts and Norwich were amateur mistakes, and his limp-wristed saves against Arsenal were a reflection of his form this season.

He should be more suited by Brendan Rodgers’ style of play. The former Swansea manager has taken many of his principles from the La Masia academy, and his Liverpool side are certainly closer in character to that of Benitez, rather than Hodgson or Dalglish.

Reina has made several costly mistakes already this season

Another problem is the lack of competition. Almost since he joined the club, he has had little challenge for the first choice position. At the moment, there is absolutely no competition. Neither Brad Jones nor Doni are Premiership calibre keepers, and no matter how poorly Reina is playing, they are not going to challenge him for the starting role.

The label of a loss of form and casual mistakes were applied to Petr Cech over the last couple of seasons, before he has recently returned to his best. This return to form has noticeably coincided with the rise of Thibaut Courtois, who had a wonderful season at Atletico Madrid last season. The threat of a challenger to his position forced Cech to raise his game, and he was able to rediscover his form.

It is maybe something that Brendan Rodgers could look to do. The club has been linked with England U21 keeper, Jack Butland, and the impressive young German, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, in recent weeks, and it might not be the worst move. If a new signing could force Reina to lift his game again, it would be an added bonus.

Jack Butland has been linked with the club and could provide much-needed competition for Reina

Another option would be to bring Xavi Valero back to the club. He is currently unemployed and still lives on Merseyside. While Reina’s best spell could have been coincidence, it seems unlikely that Valero had no impact on it.

However, if his form does not improve in the near future, his position at Liverpool could come under serious threat. He has always stated that he would like to play for Atletico Madrid, as his father did. Come the end of this season, Courtois will return back to Chelsea and they will be on the lookout for a keeper, almost certainly as a Champions League club. It will certainly be a tempting proposition for Reina should they come calling.

Nobody is claiming that Reina has become a bad keeper overnight. He remains a world-class keeper, and at only 30-years old, he has plenty of time left in the game. In recent years, Edwin van der Saar and Brad Friedel have proven that keepers can easily continue to play into their late thirties and even forties.

However, unless he can rediscover his form, he is rapidly becoming a liability that Liverpool can little afford. Their striking woes have claimed many of the headlines over the past twelve months, but a good side starts at the back, and if Brendan Rodgers cannot trust Pepe Reina, then he may look at moving him on and finding a replacement.

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Wayne Rooney - Wasted Talent?

“Remember the name…”

Ever since Clive Tyldesley uttered those words ten years ago as a 16-year old kid plucked the ball out of the air and unleashed a thunderbolt that swerved and dipped into the top corner past David Season, Wayne Rooney has carried the hopes of a nation on his broad shoulders.

Ten years later, with 32 goals in 78 appearances for England and 180 goals in 370 matches for Manchester United, it begs the question of whether he has lived up to the potential that he showed as a precocious 16-year old?

Rooney is the most technically gifted English player of his generation

His career has been a rollercoaster ride at times, punctuated by joyous highs and crushing lows. He made a stunning entrance onto the international scene, scoring four goals as England moved into the quarter-finals of Euro 2004. Had he not been injured in that match, who knows how far England could have progressed?

However, since then, he has scored one goal in three tournaments, and even that was a simple tap-in against Ukraine last summer. He came into the 2006 and 2010 World Cups with injury concerns and missed the first two Euro 2012 matches after his petulance against Montenegro. Despite that, there is no doubt that he has underachieved on the international stage.

The potential that he showed early in his career suggested that he could be heading straight to the very top of the game. Zidane, Ronaldinho, Kaka, and now Messi and Ronaldo have stood at the pinnacle of the beautiful game, bringing joy to fans worldwide. However, Wayne Rooney is yet to join this illustrious list.

Rooney burst onto the scene with a stunning goal against Arsenal

In the early days at Manchester United, following his £30m move from Everton, he formed a devastating partnership with the young Portuguese winger, Cristiano Ronaldo. However, early impressions suggested that it would be Rooney that would go on to reach the pinnacle. Time has since proved those impressions wrong – Ronaldo is now arguably the best player on the planet, while Rooney languishes in that group of world class players that have not quite made the final step.

Since Ronaldo left Old Trafford in the summer of 2009, Wayne Rooney has found himself as the star. And his performances have hardly been disappointing. In the season following Ronaldo’s departure, he scored 26 goals in 32 appearances in the Premiership. Last season, he scored 34 goals in all competitions. They are excellent strike-rates by anyone’s standard.

Yet still questions remain…

However, it would appear that Sir Alex Ferguson has now found a new role for his talisman – possibly the role that Rooney was always born to play. Rather than employing him as the centre-forward, he has found himself being dropped further back and playing as an attacking midfield playmaker.

Messi and Ronaldo are different players to Rooney. Comparing him to those two is not quite as stark as comparing apples to oranges, but it is unfair. Messi and Ronaldo drop deep to find the space, then use their pace and dribbling ability to slice through defences and create the opportunities. This is not Rooney’s style. He does not have electrifying pace. And despite his natural technical brilliance, he has never been one to run and beat players with the ball.

Rooney has been taking up a different role for United this season

Ferguson’s decision to sign Robin van Persie this summer hints that he has realised this. In the Dutchman, he does have a natural forward that he can count on to score goals. Rather than looking to play the two of them up front together, he has dropped Wayne Rooney back into the advanced playmaker role.

Many of Rooney’s disciplinary problems have been born out of frustration at the lack of the ball. Stranded up front on his own, he has to fight against his natural game not to drop back looking for the ball. Finding himself isolated, he becomes frustrated, and lets those frustrations get the better of him.

This deeper position allows him to become more involved and dictate the game. He has the defensive skills to play in the midfield, his work rate is second-to-none in the United team and his technical ability will allow him to create chances for the likes of van Persie.

So while his club form has been good, it has not quite reached the world-class levels that one might have expected. However, employed in what would appear to be his most natural role, there is still plenty of time for him to push on and reach that next level.

Internationally, there is still plenty for him to work on. He is almost cursed in being England’s standout attacking player – there are precious few other English players close to his level. Rarely does a standout player play to his ability internationally – Zlatan Ibrahimovic has struggled to find his club form for Sweden, Roberto Baggio almost always disappointed for Italy, while Raul was unable to have the same impact for Spain as he did for Real Madrid.

His record at club level is far superior to that at international level

The pressure of a nation on the shoulders of one player is a difficult burden for any player. And that player is always judged by different standards to the rest of his teammates. Instead of having an off-day, or carrying an injury, Rooney is dismissed an uninterested and representing everything that is wrong with football in England.

Internationally, unless we can find another talent to share the workload, it seems unlikely that Wayne Rooney will ever fulfil his potential.

Up to now, Wayne Rooney has had an excellent career. He has four Premiership winner medals, one Champions League medal, as well as two other final appearances. He has won the Young Player of the Year award twice and he is a former Premiership Player of the Year.

The final step is always the hardest. However, it is hard to remember that he is still only 26-years old. He potentially has another decade at the top level.

Will he become the world’s best striker? Almost certainly not. He is not a natural striker. Will he become the world’s best attacking midfielder? It is certainly a possibility.

Paul Scholes is arguably the best attacking midfielder that has graced the Premiership. He is one of the best attacking midfielders of his generation. And his position is the one that Wayne Rooney will occupy in the coming years.

Rooney has always possessed the natural talent to become one of the best players of his generation. His lack of discipline and professionalism has held him back to some extent, as has his role over the past decade. Now he has matured and found his natural position, he could go on to fulfil that potential. We may never see it for England, but it would be no surprise if Rooney ends his career as one of the standout names of his generation.

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The Andy Murray Forehand

After a career best year where he has picked up gold and silver medals at the Olympics, his first ever Grand Slam title at the US Open and reaching seven finals, Andy Murray has firmly established himself as one of the top players in the world. Despite his ranking of 3, it is easy to make the argument that Murray and Djokovic are comfortably ahead of the rest of the field at the current moment.

At the start of the year, he started to work with a new coach – the 8-time Grand Slam winner, Ivan Lendl. It is a partnership that has raised Murray’s game to new levels, both technically and mentally. He has finally managed to overcome the pressure that comes with Grand Slam finals, while his performance in destroying Roger Federer in the Olympic final was one of the most impressive performances by any player for many years.

Murray's partnership with Ivan Lendl has proved a real success in 2012

However, the biggest and most important change in his game is his forehand. For many years, the forehand was the real weakness in his game. He used to be very passive on the forehand wing, preferring to simply roll the ball back cross-court, often landing the ball far too short, allowing his opponent to step inside the court and punish it. The repetitive nature of the cross-court shot also meant that his opponent could favour that side of the court, feeling confident that the ball would be coming to that wing.

It is the single aspect of his game that Ivan Lendl has focussed on more than any other. They have spent many hours working on improving the shot and giving him more confidence to use it as an attacking option, rather than simply a shot to prolong the rallies.

The change in how Murray uses the forehand over the past few months has been stark. He has started to hit the forehand down the line far more and he is hitting the forehand with a lot more power than he used to.

The Murray forehand is the single most improved aspect of his game this year

The variation that the down the line forehand provides has been crucial. It now means that players cannot simply assume that the ball will be coming back cross-court at them, and means that they have to always move back to the centre of the court after each shot, allowing Murray greater options to move his opponent around the court.

He has also started hitting the forehand with more power, turning it into a dangerous attacking weapon. Rather than hitting it with topspin or simply rolling the ball back into play, he has started to flatten out the shot and take the ball on much earlier. On average, he is standing one metre further forward to play his shots in 2012 than he did in 2011, taking away the time for his opponent.

This improvement on the forehand wing has also helped to play to his real strength – the two-handed backhand. Now that he is capable of hitting winners off the forehand wing, players become more wary of always hitting to his forehand, instead trying to mix it up a bit more. This simply means that he receives more opportunities to unleash on his backhand side.

Murray possess one of the best two-handed backhands in tennis

The work that he has done this year has elevated him to the next level. There are undoubtedly still areas to work on, but he is developing a game that has very few weaknesses.

The next area to work on is his second serve, where he still loses too many simple points. Looking at the statistics for this year, the top three players in terms of points won on second serve are Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – it is clear from this that it is a crucial area to succeed at. Andy Murray languishes in 12^th on this list – if he can boost this area of his game, it will be very difficult for any player to beat him.

Ivan Lendl is clearly aware of the areas that need work. He identified the forehand and worked hard to solve the problem, turning a weakness into a new strength. If Murray and Lendl can continue the progress that they have made in 2012, it would be no surprise to see Andy Murray finish 2013 as the world number 1.

Why the FA Disciplinary Process is a Farce

Regardless of how you see the John Terry issue, there is little doubt that nobody has come out of this whole situation looking good. Despite being cleared in a court of law, John Terry’s reputation has been, potentially, irreparably damaged, Anton Ferdinand has received criticism for his comments on the pitch and the FA has been criticised in many quarters for their handling of the whole situation.

John Terry did not racially abuse Anton Ferdinand. A court of law found that it could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt that Terry did racially abuse Ferdinand. At its heart, this was a case that nobody saw or heard. Anton Ferdinand did not hear the supposed racial insult at the time. No other player or official near the pair heard the supposed racial insult. The only ‘proof’ that we have is from lip-readers attempting to decipher a video afterwards.

Despite being cleared in a court of law, John Terry was found guilty by the FA Disciplinary panel

There has been plenty written and said about how Ferdinand would react or feel had he heard what was supposedly said. It is all hypothetical – how can we imagine how he might have feel in the situation where he might have heard what Terry might have said? There is a lot of supposition in that question.

Regardless, I am not suggesting that John Terry did not say those things that he is accused of saying. Similarly, I am not suggesting that he did. There has been enough discussion of that angle over the past year.

Instead, I want to look at the FA disciplinary process and how that was carried out.

The case was heard by an independent tribunal. In other words, it was carried out independently from the FA. Or at least, that is what they would like people to believe. One of the members of the independent tribunal was Maurice Armstrong, an FA vice-president. Somehow he doesn’t entirely seem independent, but let us move on. Stuart Ripley, the former Middlesbrough winger was another member, taken from an independent panel. However, he is also on the payroll of the FA for other duties that he carries out.

The issue of independence must be questioned. Over the past few years, many clubs and managers have become very frustrated at the FA disciplinary process – a process that has seen over 99.5% of those charged found guilty. Either the FA is incredibly meticulous about those that they send in front of the panel, or their influence means that they are acting as judge, jury and executioner.

Two years ago, a survey of professional clubs found that 89% of those clubs had lost faith in the FA disciplinary process. When the relations between the clubs and the FA disciplinary board have deteriorated to such an extent, it seems beyond repair.

The Ashley Cole tweet shows his frustration at the FA process and their view of his account of events

The Ashley Cole angle in this situation merely continues to paint the FA in a bad light. John Terry and Ashley Cole were both interviewed at Chelsea’s training ground on the same day by the FA – Terry’s interview was recorded on tape, while Ashley Cole’s was not. Hence, the debate about whether Cole changed his version of events. While Cole was wrong to react in the way that he did, if he feels that the FA are wrongfully accusing him of being a liar, he does have a right to fight these claims.

The most puzzling part of the whole case, though, is the punishment meted out by the FA – a four match ban and a £220k fine. However, they went to great lengths to emphasise that they do not think that John Terry is a racist.

He is either guilty or not guilty of the charges brought against him. If he is found guilty of using a racist insult at Anton Ferdinand, then a four game ban seems a fairly poor punishment. Luis Suarez received eight games for his ‘negrito’ comment to Patrice Evra – a situation where there were plenty of cultural and linguistic arguments to take into consideration. Why was Luis Suarez deserving of a ban double the length of John Terry after being found guilty of the same offence?

If he is not racist, he surely cannot have used the phrase that he was accused of saying in a racially insulting way. If that is the case, then why is he receiving a ban in the first place?

Luis Suarez was banned for eight games compared to Terry's four games - a strange discrepancy

People have suggested that while he was not using a racial insult, he should have been banned under the FA’s guidelines for foul and abusive language. A valid argument – there is no doubt that what was said by Terry falls under that description. However, if that is the case, then Anton Ferdinand should be banned for the exact same reasons.

It seems as though the FA did not really believe that Terry had racially abused Anton Ferdinand, but were afraid of the public backlash that would inevitably have occurred if they had cleared Terry. So, they gave him a token four game ban and hoped that would be the end of the case.

Instead, it has merely served to further reduce confidence in the whole FA disciplinary process. An interesting point to end this discussion though – in the same week that John Terry was banned for four matches after being found guilty of using racist language against Anton Ferdinand, a 14-year old boy was banned for five matches after giving his name to the referee as Santa Claus – two matches for being sent off, and an additional three matches for his childish sense of humour.

So, next time a player thinks of joking with a referee, he should remember that he would be better off racially abusing him instead. Or at least that seems to be the message that the FA are giving out. The whole situation has been a complete farce and the FA has come out looking like a complete shambles.

The Jordanian Derby - Political Divides

Between them, Al-Faisaly and Al-Wihdat are two of the most successful clubs in the history of the Jordanian league. As in the case of any country, there is also a heated rivalry between the leading clubs, but in Jordan, the rivalry between the two goes much deeper than a mere sporting contest.

Al-Faisaly, named after the Hashemite King Faisal, is well supported by ‘native’ Jordanians, with a large following amongst King Abdullah’s power base. Its president, Sheikh Sultan al-Adwan, is a prominent landowner and a powerful elder of the Adwan tribe. Conversely, Al-Wihdat is named after the Palestinian refugee camp where it was formed, and is controlled by politican, Tareq Khoury, who has used his power within the club for political purposes in support of the Palestinians within Jordan.

Al-Faisaly and Al-Wihdat are bitter rivals, separated along cultural divides

These political differences mean that encounters between the two, and relations between the two sets of fans are heated. Many Al-Faisaly fans believe that they are superior to the Al-Wihdat supporters as they are original Jordanians, while the Al-Wihdat fans feel persecuted by the police and opposition fans due to their heritage.

The football field may seem a strange place for these political issues to be aired, but in Jordan, where speaking out against the government is generally prohibited, it has become a key arena in which these differences are most clearly seen.

However, these issues have caused tensions to boil over several times in recent times. The most recent incident came in December 2010 when an estimated 12 people were killed and over 250 were injured after riots broke out after the match.

Hundreds of fans were injured when riots broke out in December 2010

After a 1-0 victory for Al-Wihdat, a few Al-Faisaly fans outside the ground threw rocks at the Al-Wihdat supporters, leading to the police getting involved. When the stadium police attempted to physically force the Al-Wihdat fans from the stadium, many of the fans panicked and a stampede broke out. The collapse of a fence separating the crowd from the pitch caused further chaos and many fans were trampled in the carnage.

This was one of the most extreme incidents between the two, but certainly not the only. Only 18 months before the riot, the police had stepped in to stop a match after the Al-Faisaly fans began cursing Queen Rania and the heirs to the Jordanian throne, demanding that King Abdullah divorce his Palestinian wife.

Back in 2000 during the days of the Palestinian Intifada, Al-Faisaly supporters led chants in support of Benjamin Netanyahu as a way of mocking the Al-Wihdat fans. They also chanted against the mothers of Palestinian martyrs, leading to players on both sides walking off the pitch in protest.

It led to the Jordanian Football Federation banning supporters from attending a crucial cup match between the two for the first time in over 30 years, citing the chanting as ‘imposing a threat to the national unity of Jordan.’

The two clubs have made efforts in the past to end the political rivalry. In the 1990s, on the advice of Jordanian sporting officials, Al-Wihdat changed their name to ‘El Daften’, meaning ‘the Two Banks club’, in an attempt to bring unity between the Jordanians and the Palestinians. However, the change affected little, and they reinstated the old name.

Hopefully these scenes will not be seen this weekend in the derby

At the end of the day, the problem cannot be solved purely in the footballing arena. The trouble between the two sets of supporters is merely a symptom of a greater problem in the country as a whole.  People merely use the football as a means of representing their political stance.

The relations between Jordanians and Palestinians are much improved from the ‘Black September’ in 1970, when a Palestinian revolt was crushed by the Jordanian army – a conflict in which thousands of people were killed. Indeed, the football field is now one of the few places where the issue is still obvious.

The two sides meet this weekend in a contest that hopefully will be a fiercely fought derby on the pitch, but peaceful off it. However, it is an excellent example of where football has been used as a tool for airing political grievances that have nothing to do with the game itself.

The sport may receive criticism for the actions of minority groups of the two sets of fans, but it is impossible for the clubs or the Jordanian FA to resolve. It is an issue that needs to be addressed in the country as a whole, and until this is achieved, the Amman international stadium will continue to be one of the flashpoints for this cultural conflict.

Azarenka-Sharapova Rivalry Heating Up

The countries and continents may change, but the participants remain the same. With the absence of Serena Williams, the most likely scenario for the current Beijing tournament is the resumption of what is turning into the most interesting rivalry that the WTA has seen for several years.

In one corner, the tall blonde Russian with model-like beauty and a career Grand Slam to her name. In the other, the powerful Belarussian whose unbeaten streak of 26 matches at the start of the year saw her rise to world number one.

The rivalry between Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka is not only based on their multiple meetings on the court and the high-profile nature of the majority of their matches. Instead, it is the personal enmity between the two powerhouses of the game that makes this a particularly spicy affair.

Azarenka and Sharapova's rivalry is turning into the highlight of the women's game

The two players clearly respect each other’s abilities. That is not in doubt. However, there is certainly no love lost between them. The first real clash came back in 2009 during an intense battle in the heat of Beijing. When Azarenka called a medical timeout, Sharapova was clearly upset, believing that the Belarussian was faking injury to give herself time to recover and disrupt Sharapova’s rhythm. A loud and sarcastic question of “is her last name Jankovic?” to the umpire showed her feelings, referring to the Serbian’s reputation for calling tactical medical timeouts.

The following year, it came out that Azarenka had called her Russian opponent a ‘bitch’ during a match in Rome. While Sharapova has admitted this year that she can be a bitch at times, it showed the bad blood between the two. Later that year, the two sat next to each other on a flight to play a charity exhibition match, but did not speak a word to each other throughout the entire flight.

Things almost came to a head earlier this year in Stuttgart. The two bumped shoulders during the change of ends – neither player wanting to give way as they passed at the net. The post-match handshake was cold to say the least – American commentator Leif Shiras colourfully described it as “not exactly bathed in the milk of human kindness.”

The two clashed in Stuttgart during an end change

Sharapova would again subtly question Azarenka’s tactics in her victory speech, slightly sarcastically referring to Azarenka’s medical timeout and expressing her sadness that the Belarussian could not really perform to her best.

Neither player is really on the tour to make friends and this animosity simply adds to what is a growing rivalry in the women’s game. However, it is a rivalry that has appeared somewhat one-sided so far this year.

While Sharapova does have a victory to her name on the clay in Stuttgart, there were questions over Azarenka’s fitness that day (whether they were legitimate or not is left to you to decide). Other than that, they have met three times this year on hard courts with the Belarussian winning all three of them.

Azarenka destroyed Sharapova in one of the most one-sided Australian Open finals in memory at the start of the year in what was expected to be a close match, and her victory in Indian Wells was no less comprehensive.

The Australian Open final was one of the most one-sided Grand Slam finals in recent times

Their US Open meeting was by far the most competitive of the trio, and indeed, Sharapova will be left rueing the mistakes that allowed a set and a break lead to slip away. As the match slipped away from her, she seemed unable to do anything to stem the tide and it would appear that Azarenka may have found a breach in the renowned mental toughness of the Russian.

To beat Azarenka, Sharapova needs to improve her second serve. Too many times, she misses her first serve and allows Azarenka to dominate points on her second. No player has broken as often as Azarenka in the women’s game this year, and at the moment, she seems to be able to break Sharapova almost at will.

It is no surprise that the Stuttgart final was her best serving performance of the lot. Eight aces in ten service games gave her the confidence to allow her groundstrokes to flow, as shown by her statistics of 31 winners and only 13 unforced errors.

However, even this might not be enough – Azarenka has been virtually unbeatable on the hard courts this year. Even in the US Open final that she lost against the in-form Serena Williams, she was the better player for almost two sets, before a choke at the end allowed the American to clinch the title.

Regardless, with Serena’s reduced playing schedule and age, they seem destined to meet many more times over the coming years. The men’s game has benefitted from the fierce rivalries between Nadal and Federer, and more recently Nadal and Djokovic. The women’s game needs a real rivalry and in Azarenka and Sharapova, it may have found one.

(Article originally posted on Steve G Tennis as 'Azarenka v Sharapova Head to Head and Rivalry Analysis')