Wayne Odesnik Suspended

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Wayne Odesnik of the United States, celebrates scoring a point in his quarterfinal tennis match against Xavier Malisse, of Belgium, at the US Men's Clay Court Championships at River Oaks Country Club in Houston, Friday, April 9, 2010.

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From Bob Larson's Tennis News:

The International Tennis Federation announced today that Wayne Odesnik has been found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article C.6 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (Possession of a Prohibited Substance without a therapeutic use exemption).

Mr Odesnik, a 24-year-old tennis player from the United States, admitted to having obtained eight (8) vials of human Growth Hormone in the United States in December 2009, which he then brought to Australia in January 2010. Human Growth Hormone is a Prohibited Substance under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.

The human Growth Hormone was found in Mr Odesnik’s luggage by Australian customs officials. The ITF is very grateful to them, and to the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, for their cooperation and support in this matter.

Mr Odesnik asserted that he had purchased the human Growth Hormone on professional advice to treat a recurring injury, and that he intended to apply for a therapeutic use exemption prior to using it. Mr Odesnik denied ever using any of the human Growth Hormone.

The ITF has no evidence to contradict that denial, but Mr Odesnik did not in fact obtain or apply for a therapeutic use exemption for the human Growth Hormone prior to obtaining it. Accordingly, Mr Odesnik’s possession of the human Growth Hormone is an anti-doping rule violation under Article C.6 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.

On that basis, the ITF has determined that Mr Odesnik should be suspended for two years, commencing as of 29 December 2009 and ending on 28 December 2011. In addition, all of Mr Odesnik’s results in competitions played since 29 December 2009 are disqualified, with consequent forfeiture of the ranking points and prize money that he won in those competitions.

I'm a day late and a dollar short, but this story may have legs.

Quote For The Day

"There's nothing worse than that. That's just plain cheating, and they should throw him out of tennis. There's just no room for it." --Andy Roddick on Wayne Odesnik getting busted for carrying eight vials of HGH into Australia back in January

(Thanks, Savannah)

Day One: Trainwreck

Match Of The Day
Vitalia Diatchenko (RUS) d. Mathilde Johansson (FRA) 2-6, 6-2, 10-8


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Russia's Vitalia Diatchenko returns the ball to France's Mathilde Johansson.


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France's Mathilde Johansson cries after losing her match against Russia's Vitalia Diatchenko.

Eight match points. That's what she had. All on her own serve. Twice she served for the match. On half of her match points, she double-faulted. On all of of her match points, she missed her first serve. Diatchenko converted her first match point to close out the train wreck from which I couldn't avert my gaze. I tweeted the end of match, so you can see how the last brutal games played themselves out.

New Player Discovery
Josselin Ouanna (FRA)


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How does France produce so many Black male tennis players? In only his second Roland Garros, Josselin used his vicous forehand, heavy serve, and amazing down-the-line one hander to rally from two sets to one down and hand Marcel Granollers his first ever first round loss in Paris.

Dr. Aces


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(via ITF) - Ivo Karlovic served 55 aces against Lleyton Hewitt on Court Suzanne Lenglen on Sunday, but the Croat still lost 67(1) 67(4) 76(4) 64 63, breaking the record for most aces served by one player in a match. Karlovic previously shared the record with Joachim Johansson, at 51. (NB since the ATP began keeping records in 1991)

The highest number of aces hit by an individual previously at Roland Garros was 37, served by Andy Roddick in his 57 63 64 67(5) 75 victory against Michael Chang in the 2nd round in 2001.

Interestingly, the top five aces leaders, including Karlovic’s feat today, were all achieved in matches where those players lost.

Karlovic also maintained his record of never having won a five-set match, taking that record to 0-11. He is the only player in the Open Era to play 10 or more five-setters without recording a victory.

Hewitt, on the other hand, extends his five-set record to 28-13, having produced a comeback from 0-2 down for the 5th time in his career today.

Signing Off


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Emilie Loit of France returns the ball to Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky. After squandering a set and a break to lose in three, Loit announced her retirement.

US Victory

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Robert Kendrick gave the US it's only victory of the day with a 5-set victory over German qualifier Daniel Brands. This was a high-octane affair. Big hitting from everywhere on the court. Kendrick struck 35 aces in his 6-7(7), 7-5, 7-6(11), 4-6, 6-3 win.

Photos Of The Day


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Spectators walk between the arenas at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, May 24, 2009.


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France's Severine Bremond Beltrame returns a ball to Russia's Elena Vesnina.


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Spanish player Nicolas Almagro embraces Argentinian player Agustin Calleri at the end of their French Open tennis first round match. Almagro won 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.


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French player Gilles Simon (R) shakes hands with after winning against US player Wayne Odesnik (L) during the French Open tennis first round match. Simon won 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.


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Spanish player David Ferrer hits a return to Portuguese player Frederico Gil.


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Kazhakstan's Yaroslava Shedova looks on during play against Estonia's Kaia Kanepi.


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Argentinian player Gaston Gaudio returns a ball to Czech player Radek Stepanek.

Sunset


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In fading light, Amélie Mauresmo couldn't even manage to win a set on clay against a player who could hardly chase down balls and who'd never bested her in five previous meetings.

Full Results

Veterans Day

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Even though it's Easter Sunday, I'm calling it Veterans Day because it featured the resurrection of two veteran players, former world No. 1's and Slam champions virtually left for dead.

No. 88-ranked Lleyton Hewitt, back from hip surgery, won his first title in nearly two years with a US Clay Court Championship title over first-time ATP finalist and American Wayne Odesnik, who was clearly overwhelmed by the occasion. Hewitt, on the other hand, threw in a couple of over-the-top, manufactured "C'mons!" and lawn mower celebrations to punctuate his return to the winner's circle. A demoralized Odesnik, despite a second-set display of nerves from the 28-year-old Aussie who dropped 5 straight games, was never in the match, struggling to hold serve throughout, losing 2-6, 5-7. That's why all the outbursts from Hewitt were so annoying. Alas, some things never change. But he gets credit for winning in his Houston debut over a decimated field where the quarterfinals featured not a single seed.


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But the day belonged to Juan Carlos Ferrero, pictured above with Nawal El Moutawakil, Moroccan Minister of Sports. He won the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca without dropping a set to clinch his first victory in 5 1/2 years and 111 tournaments. Florent Serra, who'd never lost a final or a macth to his opponent, was certainly the favorite. But after a break-fest to open the match, Ferrero was more solid on the big points, his 29-year-old feet a bit more fleet, his groundstrokes more precise. The final verdict: 6-4, 7-5. The Spaniard hasn't raised a trophy in victory since the 2003 Madrid Masters when he was still the world's best player. Now ranked No. 115, he's a winner once more. I'm sure someone has the data, but his has to be one of the longest title droughts in recorded history.

"This is a special tournament for me," said Ferrero. "Ten years ago I played my first ATP World Tour tournament here and now I'm back winning the title. I'm very happy, it was a great week for me."

Poetry.


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Over on the WTA, Jelena Jankovic celebrated her own comeback of sorts with a tough three-set victory over Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to take the Andalucía Tennis Experience title in Marbella, while Caroline Wozniacki won her firth WTA title and second of the year with a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak at the MPS Group Championships in Ponte Vedra Beach.


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Day 2: American Upset

Fan favorites Roger Federer and Venus Williams advanced on a rainy day in Paris. But the story of the day was Vince-Spadea-lookalike Wayne Odesnik knocking off Guillermo Canas in three tiebreak sets.

Americans aren't supposed to beat Argentineans at Roland Garros. But Wayne's game is well-suited to the dirty stuff. Willy seems to be waning.

Impressive stuff from the young Floridian born in South Africa. Hyung-Taik Lee is his next opponent.

Winnable.