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It’s Fast, It’s Furious, It’s Tennis
“It feels so familiar and comfortable every
time I come back."--Kim Clijsters
By Barbara Mason BASD/Raiderdrive.com 7/31/06
It’s fast, it’s furious and for quite a few years it has
become extremely vocal. It’s tennis and it’s got to the one of the greatest
spectator sports around. When it seems that these players cannot hit the ball
any harder, they do. When it seems that they cannot serve the ball any faster,
they do as evidenced by the ability to now measure the speed of these virtual
bullets. To further add to the fun and excitement of this game, challenges have
been added, bringing instant re-play into the world of tennis.
Palo Alto, California was the site of the Bank of the West
Classic July 24-30 for the 36th year, being the longest running
women’s professional tennis tournament in the world. A total prize package of
$600,000 lured women from 18 different countries to vie for the singles and
doubles titles. It was held on the beautiful Stanford campus at the Taube
Family Tennis Center in blistering conditions that held the bay area captive in
a suffocating heat wave the first weekend (July 22-23) that included the
qualifying for this event.
When it comes to presenting top-notch events, it takes a
very special commitment of a tournament director who knows what he or she is
doing. It’s hardly an easy task to present a tournament entering its 36th
year, especially when it attracts major players from all over the world. Of
course, these players continue to support this event for specific reasons, and
one of those is the continued excellence that this event presents year after
year. This year’s director Adam Barrett was onboard for the first time. Along
with a staff of around 750, every detail was addressed, and dealt with in a most
professional manner. When last year’s director left the company there were some
issues to deal with. “We needed to maintain the same quality that the
tournament has always had,” said Barrett. He was extremely pleased with this
year’s tournament. “I think it went very very good. It’s a great venue, a very
close venue on a beautiful college campus. People are close to the action.”
Although attendance was slightly down due to the suffocating heat wave that
enveloped the entire bay area the first weekend of the tournament, and the fact
that fan favorite, “California girl” Lindsay Davenport was unable to play in
this year’s event, the finals did draw a hefty crowd.
This year’s tournament chairman Erik van Dillen has been
involved with this tournament from close to the beginning. This legend in the
world of tennis has been around the block quite a few times and has remained
connected to the sport that gave him so much from his early, and I mean early,
years. Followers of the sport, and those who are old enough to recall can’t
help but remember the fierce competition between Van Dillen, Mac Claflin and
Dickie Stockton for the 12-and-under number one ranking in the United States.
Van Dillen and Stan Smith made one of the finest doubles duos that the tennis
world has ever seen. In following, the Bank of the West Classic has enjoyed so
much success over the years because of the fact that they surround themselves
with professionals like Van Dillen and Barrett. “He is like the glue that ties
the history of this event,” said Barrett of Van Dillen.
This event that was prepared for nearly a year in advance,
came to a successful conclusion last Sunday with the top-seeded Kim Clijsters
taking the title for the fourth time in six years. She has ruled the roost here
winning in 2001,2003 and 2005. She was in the finals in 2002 and missed 2004
due to a left wrist injury. The number one seeded Clijster was pressed in her
first-round match against Jelena Jankovic losing the first set 7-5 however
storming back 6-2, 6-2 to record her first win in this year’s event. She met
Vera Zvonareva in her quarterfinal match, where she was again challenged,
winning the first set 6-2, and losing the second 6-3. She closed this one out
dominating the third set and winning it 6-0 for a berth in the semi-finals. She
went on to dispose of Nicole Vaidisova 7-5, 6-2 in the semi-finals, her first
straight set win in the tournament to that point. Clijsters came into the
finals on a mission and when all was said and done she had dominated
second-seeded Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-2 with her punishing forehands and her
amazing speed on the court. “It feels so familiar and comfortable every time I
come back (to Stanford). I enjoy being able to play in a stadium where the fans
are really close and can follow along,” said Clijsters. “From the first time I
played here I had a good feeling, and that’s only become better over the years,”
she added.
Schnyder remarked on her match against the second ranked
player in the world. “It’s amazing the way she moves and how much power she
has. She has the power to push you with a lot of shots and it’s tough to stay
with her.”
It was the culmination of a great week of women’s tennis.
The games have barely ended however there is little doubt in my mind that the
thoughts of Adam Barrett are now directed on how he and his staff can make next
year’s event even bigger and better. That’s the tradition that has made the
Bank of the West Classic an event to remember.
Special thanks go to David Tratner and his awesome staff
for allowing Bay Area Sports the opportunity to cover this outstanding event.
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