Scud Seeks Salvation
There is no better occasion than Wimbledon for Mark Philippoussis to put past disasters behind him, redirect his career and regain the respect of his peers and the public. Suzi Petkovski reports.
When Mark Philippoussis steps up to the baseline to play his first point at Wimbledon, he could do worse than tell himself the following: This is your big chance to bury the mistakes of the past and redeem yourself. Your big chance to step up and be known as a real player, a No. 1 threat, rather than a walking PR disaster. They've seen the flash cars and the flash ads, now they have to see performance where it matters most-in a Grand Slam-and you haven't done that since you knocked Sampras out of the 1996 Australian Open, two and a half years ago. No more excuses. No blaming the media, coaches, trainers, youth and inexperience, Newk and Roche for not being there. This is your chance to prove you have everything it takes: talent, strength of character, belief and experience. Take responsibility for yourself and your results once and for all.
People are tiring of Mark's melodramas. In a couple of controversy-packed years, Philippoussis has gone through more coaches than Greyhound, alienated much of the public by not playing for his country, issued media bans, publicly feuded with a living legend and ticked off his Davis Cup teammates as well. Even though the Davis Cup fracas is weeks past, it seems it would take nothing less than a Grand Slam title for Philippoussis to rehabilitate his public image. That's a big statement, but then it would take a big achievement for Mark to even the ledger in a year which has seen him lurch from one PR disaster to another.
It all started with that silly yellow Lamborghini. The year wasn't a week old when Philippoussis banned esteemed Melbourne Age tennis writer Linda Pearce for her flippant dig at the media's obsession with Mark's vehicular fetish (apart from the Lamborghini, a Ferrari, a Porsche and one of those ugly Hummers, in case you've been in outer space). The incident highlighted how thin skinned Philippoussis is, and how easily he is sidetracked by irrelevancies. The reaction was out of all proportion to the comment, leaving us with the impression that maybe Mark does take his material acquisitions a bit too seriously. Maybe the car collection does say something about his motivation.
At the Australian Open, where he was seeded for the first time, Philippoussis crashed in the second round to a Moroccan pirate named Hicham Arazi, who showed as much feistiness as flamboyance to win 9-7 in the fifth. During the Open, Mark was evasive, if not disingenuous, about his Davis Cup plans. Quesion: "The first two or three (Davis Cup) Ties are in Australia. Does that make it easier to commit yourself to those?" Answer: "Sure, sure it does."
Within days came the confirmation of the whispers that filled the corridors of Melbourne Park throughout the Australian Open: Philippoussis would not play the first two Davis Cup rounds, even though they were home Ties and he'd sais he wanted to spend more time in Australia this year. The decision revealed Mark's combination of amazing naivety and bad judgement. As an Australian, and from past experience in 1996, when he also skipped the first two matches, he must have known how this decision would be received. To play a little bit of Davis Cup for Australia is like being a little bit pregnant-either you're committed to every Davis Cup Tie or you're not. He must also have known what Davis Cup captian John Newcombe's response would be. "Mark suggested to me that he be available for only the last two rounds (semi final and final, presuming of course Australia progressed that far)," Newk related. "I told him that would be unfair on the other players who were making themselves available for the whole year. How would he feel if he played the early rounds and then somebody else came in for the finals. You can't let the other blokes do the hard work and step in for the finals. It's not the way it's done in Australia." Thus became public the rift between Newcombe and Philippoussis.
Mark then made the mistake, through his management, of blaming Newcombe for his Davis Cup exile, showing an unwillingness to bear responsibility for his decision. "He (Mark) definitely made himself available (for the last rounds), but John Newcombe has made a decision in that regard, said Rob Aivatoglou, Philippoussis' manager at Advantage International. Naturally, the public sided overwhelmingly with Newk, the popular perception being: "Who does Philippoussis think he is? Sampras?"
But even this episode paled into insignificance after Philippoussis' exraordinary outburst against Newcombe on the eve of the disastrous Australia-Zimbabwe Davis Cup tie. Claiming Newcombe and Roche had ignored his pleas for help last year, when he was strugling with form and also dealing with his father's cancer, Philippoussis vowed to extend his Davis Cup boycott indefinitely until Newcombe publicly apologized to him. "Why can't he (Newcombe) say that's what we did to Mark and we understand his frustration?" Philippoussis told the Melbourne Herald-Sun. "he should go out there (in public) and say it. Of course I understand how dear the Davis Cup is. But if someone has done wrong by me, I don't forget easily. Being of Greek and Italian blood, it's just me, it's just the way we are."
Asked whether he would return to the Davis Cup fold if an apology was given, Philippoussis replied: "OF course I want to play. But at the same time, to be honest, I don't really want to see Newk next to me on the court. It will never be the same. I could never look at Rochey and Newk as the same."
The spray even extended to his teammates. Philippoussis said he was at a loss to understand why Pat Rafter had ended their doubles association and went on to single out the Woodies for giving him the cold shoulder. "I've walked past the Woodies and they say 'hello', but it's sort of a cold 'hello'."
Reaction was swift and savage. Melbourne Age columnist Patrick Smith dubbed the wayward 21-year-old "Mark Sillippoussis" and said the only Wimbledon titlehe was worthy of was for dummy-spitting because "he spits quicker than he serves". One caption labelled Philippoussis the "self-proclaimed superstar".
Again, Philippoussis failed to appreciate the consequences of his actions and to what extent he was damaging not only his own character but also Australia's proud Davis Cup traditions and public perceptions of the sport itself. "Isn't tennis crap?" boomed Steve Bedwell, morning host on Melbourne radio station Triple M, which holds the young audience tennis would kill for. Over on 3AW, talkback kind Neil Mitchell told his audience: "If Mark Philipppoussis doesn't want to play Davis Cup for Australia, then we don't want him. It would demean the event to ask him to play. The sooner he takes his Ferraris and moves to Florida, the better off we'll all be."
Obviously shocked by the magnitude of his blunder and the one sided reacion, Philippoussis then compounded his mistake by flying to Mildura (after saying he would not even watch the Davis Cup on television) to offer 'support' to his teammates and try to patch things up with Newk. No doubt his heart was in the right place but he again put himself and the easing of his conscience ahead of the needs of the team. He must have known that a Davis Cup tie was not the time or place to sort out personal politics and that his presence would at best be a little more than a hollow gesture, and at worst a major disruption.
And so it proved. As Australia slumped to a humiliating 3-2 defeat, due in equal parts to Rafter's obvious health troubles, the lack of singles preparation afforded to Mark Woodforde, who replaced Rafter at the last minute, and the admirable tenacity of the Black brothers, the sight of the strapping Phlippoussis in the stands, all six feet four inches of him, in rude good health and pretty sunglasses, was galling. What good was his devotion to the latter rounds of the Davis Cup now? As the No. 2 Australian, the world No. 16 and the winner of the Memphis event a few weeks earlier, he would have been the first pick for the Zimbabwe tie. What's worse, he holds a 5-0 record against the Black brothers and has never conceded a set to the pair (the last meeting was in Memphis, where he obliterated Wayne Black6-1, 6-2, serving 18 aces en route). Mark's loss at the Lipton Championship to qualifier Steve Campbell in his first match also meant he had ample time for practice.
Australian Davis Cup teams pride themselves on unshakeable team unity and purpose. To have the effort of the team undermined by a disgruntled team member because of some personal slight, whether real or imagined, was the worst possible way for an Aussie unit to lose. The normally easygoing Woodforde made no bones about pointing the finger of blame at his estranged teammate. "I certainly didn't underestimate Zimbabwe," Woodforde fumed. "Todd and I knew what we were expecting as far as the doubles. Pat Rafter didn't underestimate them, or Newk or Rochey- I don't think those guys would have. I doubt Stolts (Jason Stoltenberg) would have. But maybe Mr. Philippoussis did."
So, has Mark Philippoussis burnt all his bridges with his teammates? Will he ever be welcomed back into the fold? Almost certainly yes. The team has too much respect for him as a player and his Davis Cup teammates are decent, easygoing blokes, not the types to engage in Byantine dramas. But Mark will have to just about bleed on a Davis Cup court to win back their faith. He could also grow up and acknowledge that he isn't the only one with feelings. Did he really expect his teammates to be pleased with his decision to let them shoulder the early battles while he stepped in for the glamour rounds?
The bridge to Newcombe and Roche is a longer one that may require serious mending. Newcombe typically handled the fracas with tact and dignity, refusing to criticise Philippoussis and inisisting he's never wanted anything but the best for Mark. Newk also accepted Mark's damage-control dash to Mildura, although it was within his rights to tell Philippoussis to take a hike in the interests of his team. Typically, the Philippoussis outburst said more about him than his inteneded targest. Taking postshots at two Aussie icons who have given so much of themselves to Australian tennis is appallingly bad judgement at best, monumental stupidity at worst.
From where most people sit, Newcombe and Roche have been faithful supporters of Philippoussis and have done a great deal for him. They took him to Russia as a 17-year-old for his first taste of Davis Cup. Later that year, Roche arranged for Philippoussis to stay at the home of Ivan Lendl, his former charge of almost 10 years, and train with him. A similar stint had worked wonders for a teenaged Pete Sampras. Can there be a better experience for a youngster than personal tuition from the ultimate professional that Lendl was? Newk has publicly defended and praised Nick Philippoussis, Mark's father and mentor. In Davis Cup, whenever Philippoussis has made himself available, he hasn't been left to warm the bench.
It was Newcombe who instiated a two hour meeting with Philippoussis after Australia's loss to the US in the Davis Cup semifinal last September. "I actually asked for the meeting because I was concerned about Mark adn what he was going to be doing this year," Newk recalls. It was at this meeting that the rift occured in Mark's mind. He wanted Rochey to travel with him for several indoor events late last year but was knocked back. (As Davis Cup coach, Roche must divide his attention between all Davis Cuppers, although Philippoussis offered to pay for his services.) According to Newcombe, Philippousssi had separate discussions with Roche and is at a loss to understand why the ire was directed at him. "I don't tell Tony, 'You can do this and you can't do that.' I don't know why I'm in the middle of this. I don't arrange coaches." Newcombe also demonstrated his support for Philippoussis by sending a congratulatory fax after Mark's Memphis win, even though Newk well knew then that Mark would not be playing Davis Cup.
Provided they haven't lost patience with Philippoussis, both Newcombe and Roche have too much respect for the Davis Cup and too much personal magnanimity to let personal slights damage Australia's record and tradition in the event. A genuine commitment on Mark's part to make amends and he'll be given every chance to play for Australia.
The damage on the commercial front is as yet unknow. Philippoussis' many sponsors (including Fila, Dunlop, AAPT, Balsam Pacific, K-Tel and Tennis Trainer) were remaining tight-lipped, although Dunlop admitted that they had heard negative comments from retailers. Certainly, sponsors could not have been pleased with Philippoussis' decision to make himself unavailable for Davis Cup, which deprived at least Fila and Dunlop of hours of free television advertising.
Was Philippoussis' conduct during the Davis Cup debacle bad enough to make sponsors reconsider re-signing him? "I hope not," said Aivatoglou. "I think they'd be heartened by his efforts to reconcile with the team. It was obviously a difficult time but I know his intentions were to support the team and try to heal bad feelings. He didn't want to be a disruption and he underestimated the amount of coverage he would receive." This much is known: Sponsors seek players with popular appeal and there's no quicker way to make yourself unpopular in Australia than spurning the Davis Cup. Even Pat Cash, for all his faults, never messed with Davis Cup tradition.
What the Davis Cup disaster highlighted above all else is that PHilippoussis is yet to take responsibility for his own career. He isn't even in control of his playing schedule. Asked early in the year how many tournaments he would play in 1998, Philippoussis responded: "I'm not sure to be exact. It's always the agent (who decides)." He blamed Newcombe for the Davis Cup rift and Roche for not helping him with professional and emotional problems.
Nobody would try to understate the devastation of seeing a parent afflicted with cancer (the cancer is thankfully in remission). Mark is especially close to his father Nick and he revealed there were times last year when he felt like giving the game away. When he returned home after Wimbledon last July, Mark broke down at seeing his father. "I tried to be positive when I went out on the American summer circuit but...I couldn't play at all. I had nothing to drive me in matches. I've always asked for his advice, his knowledge in life, and I wouldn't know what to do without him. I wanted to stop playing. But he said he wanted me to keep going."
"He's an emotional boy," says Aivatoglou. But Philippousis is no longer a boy, he just acts like one. The time has well and truly arrived for him to take charge of his career.
The Grand Slams offer Philippoussis a chance at career salvation and he is fortunate in that he has the package to pull it off--a fearsome serve, booming groundstrokes and a menacing presence at the net. On his day he is the most intimidating player in the world. He boasts wins over all the top players and the surface is immaterial; he's equally devastating on clay, grass, hardcourts or carpet. Philippoussis underlined his class last year by winning three titles (Scottsdale, Munich and Queen's) on three different surfaces. The last Aussie to manage three tournament wins in a single year was Pat Cash, back in 1987. Five titles have fallen to Philippoussis and he looks destined for many more.
But Mark's Grand Slam results have lagged behind him potential. The stand-out result is his ambush of Pete Sampras in straight sets in the third round of the 1996 Australian Open. In the two and a half years since, he hasn't produced a performance to match it. Philippoussis has reached the fourth round of the Australian, French, and US Opens. At Wimbledon, he hasn't cleared the second round (though his conquerers, Sampras and Greg Rusedski, are pretty nifty on grass).
Last year, Philippoussis firmed as the second favorite at Wimbledon to Sampras following his blazing win at Queen's Club, where he topped Jonas Bjorkman and Goran Ivanisevich in the latter rounds. But he was disappointing in his first-round Wimbledon loss to Rusedski. The seventh seed, he fell 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 in a centre-court serve fest. It was a protracted match, with the last few games played on a second day. Rusedski is a tough opponent, but Philippoussis missed an opportunity to impose himself at the biggest event just as he had appeared to build up deadly momentum.
The young Goliath has often pleaded inexperience. But at 21, Philippoussis is not young in tennis terms. Plenty of tennis careers have ended at that age. As Newcombe said at last year's US Open: "I think this (1997) will be the last year he'll be able to say that. Crunch time is starting to get close. Mark needs to make the decision that he's going to work harder than he has."
In the big events especially, Philippoussis must show more day-to-day consistency, tactical flexibility and strength of character. On grass his power and reach are obvious assets, but he has to watch his mobility and walk the mental tightrope; one slip in concentration is likely to cost a set or worse.
Philippoussis has been blessed with wonderful tools. No doubt he has worked very hard to get where he is. But he must work even harder to ensure that any hitches in his progress thus far are surmountable hurdles and not fatal flaws.
