Hey OCS fans. Hope all is well in your corner of the world. I'm in Australia for the Aussie Open coaching Novak Djokovic. He is now gearing up for a quarterfinal match against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He got off to a good start and I am confident that he can continue demonstrating he is ready to make a run down here.
As usual, the 1st major tourney of the year has had some surprises and barn-burners. Youzhny vs. Gasquet was an amazing match, del Potro vs. Blake was just as good, and the young Aussie Bernard Tomic impressed most everyone barely losing to Marin Cilic. Great times in a wonderful city.
Hope you are enjoying following the tennis. Happy new year.
Todd
October 10, 2009
Hello again. This week we are in Surprise, AZ. Wow! What a turn out we have had thus far. The Pro-Am had lots of spectators, Kids’ Day had 200 kids, and a bunch of sell-outs for the tennis sessions. This makes it even more exciting to be out on the court playing.
I play against Aaron Krickstein tonight. We had a burner just a couple weeks ago in Charlotte (I won 11-9 in the Champion’s TB). I have my work cut out for me again here as he is coming off a great win against Courier and seems to like the conditions here.
This is my last go on the OCS for 2009. It’s been another fun year that I hope to cap off with a greater level of success. Hard weekend of tennis ahead of me but I am looking forward to it. Hope all is well with you guys. Have a great holiday season and see you next year.
Todd
September 25, 2009
Greetings everyone from Charlotte,NC. A great city and a topnotch OCS stop. Last night I played Aaron Krickstein and snuck out a win 2-6, 7-6, 11-9.
Krick and I both grew up in Michigan and his success while I was in high school inspired me a great deal. Minus the fact he is a U of M fan and I grew up in East Lansing and am a loyal MSU supporter, I think pretty highly of him. We have developed over the years a pretty fun rivalry and lately he has given me fits...the guy NEVER misses! I was really lucky last night to escape after playing a horrible first set. I just couldn't calm down. I am starting to think that I am getting too old for reacting to competition like a nervous-wreck. Oh well, will have to improve from here as I am to play Pernfors or Courier next...and if I win that match Sampras most likely awaits in the final. Oh dear God!
Keep an eye on us...and send the paramedics!
Todd
September 14, 2009
Hey there soggy New York City. The US Open has been dealt one major piece of bad luck with the weather. Eventually later today, there will be resolution and a champion...eventually!I have had an enjoyable few weeks in my initial visit with Novak Djokovic. Coaching again has been a lot of fun and to be exposed to this level of competition has been a great learning experience and an exciting return to professional tennis.I'm hoping that there will be a positive effect on my tennis after having hit more and with someone as good as Novak. Heading to Charlotte in another 2 weeks I know I'll need my best in order to compete successfully with my OCS buddies.
August 5, 2009
Hello to everyone. The summer always brings back vivid memories of my childhood. Hitting the courts in the summer months was the highlight of all my summers as a child. Heading out to play after watching Borg v. McEnroe or Connors v. Lendl was the weekly indulgence of my wild dreams of being a professional tennis player. They were amazing days.
Now, still loving to play tennis and still having an opportunity to compete professionally I see this summer similarly to those of my childhood. My practices are shorter (fortunately) and the quality of my practice is a little dodgy, but there is always hope. I am heading up to Newport, RI soon to play at the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport and am very excited about whetting my competitive whistle for the first time since February at Champions Cup Boston.
Newport is one of my favorite cities, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame is a venue that has few rivals in the US. I have told many that if there is one place to go for a tennis tournament other than the US Open I would go to Newport. The grass courts, architecture, history, and intimacy of the Hall make for festival-like tennis. I can’t wait.
Of course, starting a tournament with the prospect of having to beat Wayne Ferreira and Jim Courier just to reach the finals is rough. Both players still have great skill, they are in good shape and have retained a good deal of their athleticism. I’ll have to be sharp and serve especially well so to give myself a chance. I’ve got a couple more weeks to prepare and I am hoping that the Florida heat will at least get me ready physically. Re-acquainting myself with the grass courts might be a bit more challenging. I’ll have to wait and see.
Hope you can come to Newport to watch…if not, keep an eye on us on the TV.
Todd
June 25, 2009
Greetings to all you Outback Champions Series fans. Hope you are enjoying the onset of summer and all the great tennis we have been able to witness over the last month or so. I am heading over to London for the second week of Wimbledon and looking forward to getting a first-hand peek at the guys doing battle.
Before I speak too much about Wimbledon, let me have a word about Roger Federer’s amazing accomplishment in Paris culminating a career Grand Slam and logging his 14th major title. Fourteen! Are you kidding me? That is an extraordinary number…it might be 15 in a couple weeks, too.
What’s best about Fed is the way he does it. Yeah, it looks great and the shot-making is incredible, but his composure is truly out of this world. I remember wondering when he was down 2 sets to 0 against Tommy Haas in the Round of 16 of the French Open…when is he going to show some anxiety…he never did. Despite playing horribly the first 2 sets Federer showed no panic whatsoever and came back to win in 5 sets. The good tennis then came in force for his remaining 3 matches.
After the award ceremony Fed had the gall to say that he could relax now. Oh no! Watch out Wimbledon!
If you can’t tell, I like Roger Federer’s chances. Of course, I also give Murray a shot. Friday, however, there will be a match between Mardy Fish and Novak Djokovic that might be the opening for an American (other than Andy Roddick) to reach the semis of Wimbledon. Mardy’s form has been good this year and has started the tourney well this week. Fish is one of the few guys out there who can really make the grass courts work for him. When he is sharp, he can manhandle lots of the guys. If he has a good day against Djokovic and puts a lot of pressure on Djokovic’s 2nd serve great things can happen. I like Fish’s chances Friday…and beyond. Look for it.
Kudos to Brad Gilbert for assessing some responsibility of the slow playing conditions to the polyester string that most every player uses now. The string is a high spin producing product. The added topspin produced on surfaces other than grass makes for a huge benefit, but on the grass the topspin takes away some penetration of the ball. Players with good slice serves, slice backhands, solid volleys and flatter groundstrokes will still experience some of the benefit the grass courts used to provide everyone.
That’s all for now. I am looking forward to playing on the grass in Newport, RI at the Champions Cup, Newport on the OCS in August. Keep an eye out for us.
Todd
February 13, 2009
Greetings from Boston, one of my favorite cities in the world. This is just a great place to walk around and take in the sites. Wish it were a bit warmer but it could be lots worse.
So, we are back at it for another year on the Outback Champions Series. I opened with a match against Michael Pernfors Friday night and was fortunate to have won. For both of us it was a bit of a shaky start to the season. The tennis was spotty but there were a few glimmers of hope for better things to come.
Saturday night, I get a swing at Pete Sampras. Pete, like he was throughout most of his ATP career, is better than the rest of us. That being said, there is still hope for me. Pete poses so many threats that I will most likely be defending much of the match, especially against his serve. If I can hang in there long enough, AND I serve and return well (yes, big "ifs") I will have a chance to cause him some concern.
Check in tomorrow to follow our results. And, why not, root for me! Until next time.
Todd
October 25, 2008
Greetings from Dallas. This has been a great week minus the fact that most likely I will be headed out of town early due to my less than stellar play this week. Regardless, I always enjoy being with old friends and taking a swing at this game I love.
Off the court, 4 of us were able to take in the Dallas Mavericks vs. Chicago Bulls game. Derrick Rose, Chicago's first round draft choice is crazy good and hopefully for him will have some support. Dirk Nowitski simply just doesn't miss. That is the first time I was able to see him play in person and I was incredibly impressed.
Last night I went to the REM concert. It was great. I used to be a huge fan and they played lots of older music that I really enjoyed and their new music sounds good too.
We have had a good time with sponsors and area tennis players alike. Now Karel Novacek, Jim Courier, and I are headed out to do Kid's Day. This is always a highlight. This is a great reward for still being involved in the sport in this way...to be able to introduce and motivate young players to play the game and enjoy all facets of tennis. With the help and leadership of Wayne Bryan these days go so well. Can't wait and have to go. Until next time be well.
Todd
August 25, 2008
Hello All. I have just a few minutes to write before heading out to see the physical therapist about my back. I have had an injury since OCS Cayman Islands in April and am making sure that I’m back in playing shape - just in the nick of time. I am to play at the US Open next week in the Champions Invitational and then the OCS kicks back in gear with tourneys in Charlotte, Dallas, and Phoenix in the fall. Looking forward to getting back on the court.
The big news, however, is that my wife had our third child last week and we are busy learning about baby girls. It seems that we had grown pretty used to having boys. Funny to see a dose of pink in the house. We are so excited, as are our sons.
Well, on the tennis front, this is one of my favorite times of year - US Open! I love it. There is so much to watch out for in the coming weeks. The storyline that I will be keeping my eye on the most is how Federer does at the last major of the year. He will have an early challenge in the third round (assuming all goes as seeds would dictate) with Radek Stepanek. Stepanek beat Fed on the clay earlier this year and is a very clever player. Considering Stepanek is devoid of any dominant weapon he is very unique in this day and age. For my liking he is one of the premier over-achievers on the ATP and a joy to watch...minus some of his goofy shenanigans.
If Federer can sneak through that early challenge he could stand to have his confidence boosted. I have been a dogged believer in Roger through this tough year, but recently I have started to acknowledge there is reason for concern. That being said, if he can garner some momentum early it will serve him well. Not to mention, the US Open is the hardest tournament for Nadal to make it through to the finals. If Fed doesn't have to face Nadal his chances to win the tourney improve exponentially.
Another interesting story line this week will be how all the Beijing competitors recover from the rigors of competing at the Olympics AND the travel from half-way across the globe. No easy feat to be "up" and focused for these two weeks on the heels of an amazing experience like playing in the Olympics. All this after a long, busy calendar of events this year.
No matter what, these are two of the best weeks of the year. I love USA's coverage of the event and will look forward to watching the best tennis athletes pour their hearts out. Make sure you tune in. Take care and I'll check in with you again next month from Charlotte, NC.
Todd
March 16, 2008
It's Finals day and somehow, some way, I get to play! The beauty of round-robin tennis is that you can lose once and still get through. Aaron Krickstein beat me in our group, but by playing very well against Jim Courier yesterday, I have earned the right to play John McEnroe today.
John is 49 years old and still a rough player to compete against. We've played several times on the Outback Champions Series and so far, I've won the majority of our matches. My one loss to him came on green clay though - the same surface that we play on here. I'll need to be at my best to avenge that defeat.
This week has been great off the court too. My family is here and we have logged lots of time in the pool. Naples is a great place to visit and we have made the most of it. We do, however, have a long drive home ahead of us this evening after the match.
I also tried my hand at commentating last night. Sitting in for Jimmy Arias as he was playing was a great experience - and much more challenging that I had anticipated. Fortunately, I shared the booth with my good friend and seasoned pro, Brett Haber. He helped immensely, covering up all my mistakes and putting me at ease.
That's all from Naples. It's been a super kick-off to the 2008 Outback Champions Series. I hope to see you all soon.
-Todd
January 29, 2008
Greetings and Happy New Year to all you www.championsseriestennis.com people. 2008 promises to be lots of fun on the OCS. Right now, however, I am basking in the ability to spend time with my family, work on some business ideas, and relax a bit.
Of course, with Naples just around the corner in March I will be starting my training soon. I have some holiday pudge to work off, not to mention getting my tennis game back in working order. 2007 was a better year on the court than I would have expected, and I hope to build on it and be successful again at the tournaments I play.
As I mentioned, Naples is first in line this year. I was supposed to play there in ’07, but sprained my ankle just a couple weeks before the tourney and had to pull out. In November, I went down Naples to help out with SwingTime, a Tim and Tom Gullikson Foundation event, and got horribly ill on my way. My hope is to make it to and through Naples unscathed this time. The tournament is at a beautiful club and I am trying to steal my family away with me to share the experience. It should be fun.
I have to run. I hope you are getting ready for an exciting OCS. See you along the way.
Todd Martin
October 8, 2007
Heading to Dallas in a week for my final OCS event. Looking forward to competing against two guys I haven't played in a long time. Well, I guess I should say I am looking forward to playing ONE of them. Because, I am NOT excited about playing Mark Philippoussis. Counteracting his strength and power....and youth will be an unprecedented burden for me.
Pete Sampras, who has beaten me in 3 finals this year, still probably plays just as well as Mark. But, at least he is nearly my age. This time I will have to deal with the psychological hurdle of playing someone significantly younger than me. Plus, I have two other great players in my group, Wayne Ferreira and Mats Wilander. All told, this is going to be a tough week to make Sunday's action (either the final or 3/4 playoff).
The rest of the OCS '07 has been a great pleasure. Sometimes I think I say it too much, but I really have loved playing the game again. For that, I continue to be grateful to all the parties that have made this happen.
Hope you guys are enjoying it all too.
August 23, 2007
Greetings from beautiful Newport, RI. This town is just a fantastic place to be in the summer. The harbor is a busy place with great restaurants and gift shops, the homes (several of which are mansions) are impressive and stately, and there are great brick alleyways with hole in the wall businesses everywhere. It really has a great feel to it.
My favorite stop in Newport is the International Tennis Hall of Fame. That is our home this week for the Gibson Guitar event on the Outback Champions Series. The Hall is primarily grass courts and they are placed creatively throughout the property. Playing on grass poses some interesting challenges, but being on these courts at one of the most important places in American tennis history is great.
The Gibson started yesterday. I was able to sneak by Richard Krajicek. Richard won Wimbledon in 1996 and still plays very well, but his serve is ridiculous. He still serves well over 130mph. On grass courts trying to return his serve was like playing "pin the tail on the donkey" when I was 5 years old at a friend's birthday party - guess which way to go and hopefully sneak a peek under the blindfold. Fortunately, I was able to guess right often enough, and Richard was probably a bit jetlagged coming from Holland just the afternoon before. Next up, my good buddy Mal Washington.
Mal and I go way back. We both grew up in Michigan and played at Big Ten schools. We have lived within 10 minutes of each other for the last 11 years and practice together frequently. I don't think we have had a showdown since 1996 Wimbledon when I lost a big lead in the fifth set. It was the semifinals and losing that match cost me fulfilling a lifelong dream of playing for the Wimbledon title. Needless to say, that one left a mark. Today, however, revenge will be mine! I hope.
May 20, 2007
Greetings from Greece. We are sitting through another rain delay. Something I never minded too much but with my family at home I am ready to get back!
This delay has been short and so far we have had a good time trading old “war stories”. My long time coach from way back when, Dean Goldfine, came to spend the week so it is more time for us to catch up.
Pete Sampras, the guy I am about to beat, is in here making fun of us. Pete has seemed to enjoy coming back and beating up on us the way he used to. I’m trying to butter him up to give him a false sense of security. I need to pull out all the stops…and then some.
Athens has been great. It is a beautiful city with friendly people. We went to the Acropolis yesterday and saw the Parthenon. Amazing how well preserved the temples and theatres are. There is one theater that still hosts concerts. If you ever have the chance to visit Athens take the opportunity.
Alright guys, I have to go watch it rain some more and hopefully get into Pete’s head about our match. Todd.
October 6, 2006
I write this blog with blood dripping off every part of my body. Magnus Larsson, and old "friend" (more of a nemesis), gave me a beating today. This was the type of beating I retired from the ATP for. Now, the score was only 6-3, 6-4, but from early in the match it seemed all too clear to me that he was going to have his way. 'Nus, as I call him, gave me fits when we were younger so it was no surprise that I had trouble. He is going to be tough for everyone this week. More than most players our age he has incredible variety: Huge serves followed by sharp angles and unorthodox slice backhands. Despite my apparent lack of success today, I am having a great time in Memphis. My sister used to live here so I know the town a bit and have several fond memories. This is my last visit to the Outback Champions Series this year. I look forward to more fun in a city near you next year.
Todd
May 2, 2006
I returned home from Boston yesterday to my family and to an opportunity to rest after an exhausting weekend playing Champions Cup Boston. The last time I felt like this was about 4 years ago after playing several three set matches in a row in Miami in hot and humid conditions. Oh how time flies and things change.
There have been a few other flash back moments since I won the tournament. I have had to re-hash the weekend’s events with all my former coaches, recounting several points of the critical “Match Tie-breaks”. Other topics discussed include attendance at the tournament (OUTSTANDING), nerves (more than I would have expected), John McEnroe’s histrionics (just about the norm for him), etc.
In my match against John in the final, we were in the middle of the Match Tie-break and the DJ started playing “Under Pressure” by David Bowie. I had been asking him to play various songs throughout the weekend, but had not requested this one. When it came on I could feel the noose tightening around my throat. Funny though, the pressure, as it always has, made it feel strangely better.
It has been very nice to get back into competition. Having a goal or target to try to “peak” (relative term) for is good for me and the challenge of playing great players is motivating and refreshing too. One of the highlights for me is the great camaraderie enjoyed with all the players and sponsors. We are all much more relaxed and have more time to devote to being social at the events.
Can’t wait for the Champions Cup Series to get back going in the early fall. Hope to see you there.
April 29, 2006
Life here in Boston on the Outback Champions Cup Series has been both a re-visit to a life that we used to live and a further introduction to "real life". A mixture of competitive tennis and Champions Series promotional activities has been the recipe for a very enjoyable handful of days.
The highlight of the extra-curricular time was a charity dinner for "Tenacity", a Boston-based grass roots tennis & education program for at-risk youth. Nearly 1,000 people in attendance helped raise 100s of thousands of dollars for this great cause.
Tonight will be exciting for me. I get to match up against old friend and Davis Cup teammate, Jim Courier. Jim's the best one out here and will be a great challenge for me.
There have been tremendous crowds all week which bodes well for the future of the Champions Cup tournaments all over the country. Come out and see us play when you have the chance.
