Michael Russell, the Rocky Balboa I was hoping for, started strong with some punch, an early break against Davydenko on Monday, but after the Russian settled in, there wasn’t much Russell could do to hurt him.  He couldn’t outslug him from the baseline, he couldn’t beat him by taking the net, and a few stabs at junk balls were futile.  It was just that helpless feeling that anyone who has played competitive tennis knows well — what can you do about the impenetrable wall put up by a superior player?  Davydenko’s groundstrokes were laser sharp, and Russell started to make errors as the set went on.  All Russell could do was hope Davydenko perhaps hurt himself or the Russian mafia had money on the American, neither of which happened.  It was a tough draw for the hardworking 32-year-old American.

There were two almost upsets.  ATP No. 214 Andreas Haider-Maurer fought back from match points at two sets to none to push No. 5 seed Robin Soderling the distance on the Grandstand Court.  One weak service game by the 23-year-old qualifier Haider-Maurer in the fifth was all it took.  Otherwise, Haider-Maurer hit 34 aces to Soderling’s eight. Soderling moped about a bit in the heat, benefiting from the shade that moved over the court.  And in a match I didn’t see, American qualifier Robert Kendrick, ranked 149 in the world, pushed Gael Monfils the distance in front of a packed Court 11, but lost in the fifth 6-4.

It didn’t happen Monday, but one day it’s going to happen that some qualifier is going to get some big wins and go all the way.  When it does, it will be a thrill.

Michael Russell, Aug. 30, 2010

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Muller, ranked 130 in the world prior to the Open, on Tuesday upset world No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko in four sets, closing it out in a dramatic 12-10 tiebreaker. Bud Collins wrote of Muller in The Boston Globe on Sunday: “A loose-limbed, 6-foot-5-inch 25-year-old, Muller is a rambler like all tennis players. However, most of his time is spent in the minor tournaments, where the conditions and cash leave much to be desired. Remote locations in India, Turkey, Britain, Ireland, Finland, Germany, the US, Spain, were on his itinerary.

“I made $3,000 last week, quarterfinals in Istanbul,” Muller told Collins, “but most of the time your expenses are greater than your prize money.”

Muller next will run into Roger Federer in the quarters. It’s unlikely the last qualifier standing can keep it going, and he has to be exhausted going into his eighth match in less than three weeks. But I’m hoping he can do it.

Tennis needs a Rocky – even if he is from Luxembourg.

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