MensTennisForums.com - ESPN chap wrap: Mal snarks on Chang and people who want better tennis coverage!

Moderator: We will be starting with Mal shortly .. continue to use the form below to submit your questions.

MaliVai Washington: I hope we have some good questions, that are a little more original than most! Bring it on!

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Jake (Chapel Hill, NC): I love the promise of Andy Roddick and how his game has been coming along nicely. However, I still believe that his game has some glaring deficiencies (backhand, return, net game) that must be addressed before he'll ever win a Grand Slam title. For example, I wish that he came to net more often following his serve. Do you agree?

MaliVai Washington: The good thing about Roddick and the position he is in, is he is one of the best in the world and he has 75 perecnt of his career ahead of him. Every player has deficincies and Andy's ability to transition from the baseline to the net is one of his. I think he has very good return of serves but not the best on tour. I feel that playing doubles more often would help his cause. But with the game he has right now, he would win a major.

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Ann Lee - NY,NY: Why has the ATP encouraged this Michael Chang death march? It's been interminable.

MaliVai Washington: I think Michael Chang has throughout his career been one of the greatest competitors we have seen. He wants to say thank you to the Tour and to the world and to his fans, for all the support they have given him over the years. Unfortunately for him, maybe this farewell tour could have or should have been last year. But it's a nice gesture by the USTA to give him a wild card at the Open. Unfortunatley he is going to go down in flames in teh last match of his career.

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Aleksandar (Chicago, Il.): Hey Mal, Do you think we'll ever see the day when American networks (USA, CBS, NBC, and ESPN) will start showing the best tennis matches that are in progres (albeit on the outter courts), instead of showing American players at all cost (such as Serena or Andre thrashing some poor no-name players). Thanx!!

MaliVai Washington: No. For the networks, it's all a numbers game. The players that are going to give the networks good ratings are the players you mention. Good players means good ratings which means good money. If that means showing Agassi in a blowout as opposed to showing Fernando Gonzalwz and Feliciano Lopez on Court 13 in the fifth set, that is what they will do.

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Hopewell Valley, NJ: Hey Mal, How's it going? With the exception of Cincinnati, Mark Philippoussis has put together some extremely strong tennis, especially at Wimbledon. If he stays focused (which is always a big question), and plays some good tennis with his serve, what do you think are his chances at the Open this year? - Zak Benziger

MaliVai Washington: I think he has a very good chance of playing deep into the second week. I think his knee problems were a wakeup call to him and he realized he was squandering his career. If he can stay healthy, I think you will see him compete for Majors for the next couple years.

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Chad, Orlando: I'm not sure what the age difference is. But why is Pete Samprass retiring and Andre Agassi still playing with the top young guns every week and still seems to be out conditioning most of them?

MaliVai Washington: Because Andre is a freak of nature. It's amazing to me that he has won more majors since he turned 29 than before he turned 29. It's just a great tribute to a guy who has always had a ton of talent and in the latter part of his career has been able to stay healty and is physically willing to dedicate his life to being the best player he can be. Pete, on the other hand, accomplished everything he wanted to, with the exception of the French. He got to the point where he wanted to stay on the couch instead of going to practice. There is a part of him that still wants to play but a bigger part would rather stay home and play golf.

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Felicia Plano, TX: Do you think Monica Seles will announce her retirement before the end of the year? Lately with all the talk about Capriati's comeback, etc. I feel like we have unappreciated what Monica brought to the game, and her 9 Grand Slams, 4 more than Hingis. Also, do you think Capriati has another grand slam in her?

MaliVai Washington: Monica has been a tremendous asset to the game. I think she too has a desire to continue to win and keep playing tournaments. She is such a great competitor, her attitude doesn't allow her to retire and give up becuase she always feels like she can win. So, no, I don't think she will retire this year.

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Eric Bratt (Grand Rapids, MI): What ever happened to Tommy Haas after he had his shoulder injury? He was in the top ten last year, and the last I heard of him was that he was struggling to return. What's the deal?

MaliVai Washington: Tommy Haas is still struggling to return. There were rumors he might be able to play prior to Wimbledon but he had major shoulder surgery and his recovery is nowhere near as fast as he thought it would be. We see major injuries in football all the time. I don't think people realize how much of a beating your joints take while playing tennis. He may never again be the player that he was.

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Jake(Stockholm): Comparing Sampras career to McEnroes, how mych credit do you think McEnroe deserves for playing(and winning) so much doubles and Davis Cup, whereas Sampras chose to focus completely on singles?

MaliVai Washington: Just like in any sport, when you are comparing great athletes, every athlete has accomplished something that can warrant the title "best ever" or "one of the best ever". Sampras has 14 majors but never won the French. Agassi has 8 majors and is only one of 5 to win all four majors. McEnroe is one of the greatest singles players ever and is the best doubles player ever. They both have achieved a great status in the game. They've just gone about it in different ways.

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Hart Miles (Raleigh, NC): I was very impressed with Mardy Fish last week. What do you see in the future for him?

MaliVai Washington: Mardy Fish's game hinges on how big he can serve. Lately he has served huge. Each year he has improved his game a little bit at a time. This is the first year he has started to believe he belongs in that upper echelon of players. It would have been a great accomplishements if he could have converted one of the match points on Roddick in Cincinnati. It's hard enough to win a Tennis Masters but to do it as your first title would have been phenomenal. It's helping him that Andy Roddick, one of his best friends, is doing so well. He sees it and it makes him want to win even more.

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Alex (Rochester): Will Roddick's temper keep him from being #1, or can Brad Gilbert teach him to control it?

MaliVai Washington: Absolutely not. Roddick's temperment is one of the great things about him. He lets you know by his emotions when things are going good or bad. He just has to be careful that when he does lose his temper, that it doesn't translate into a negative performance. McEnroe is the only player I have seen who can play better as he loses his emotions.

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Steve (Silver Spring, MD): HI MAL! With so many of the American legends retiring from the last decade (Sampras, Chang, Agassi almost) do you think we will ever have a class of tennis players with as much talent as though guys?

MaliVai Washington: It's very hard to imagine that you'll have a group of Americans like Agassi, Sampras, Courier, Chang, competing at the same time on tour and having that much success. People wondered the same thing in the 70s and 80s and these guys came along. So you never know. But it's hard to imagine anyone winning 14 majors.

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Gabriel, Texas: How can "Guga" lose 7-6(5) in the third set to Phillipousis in L.A and then follow that up by two first round losses in Montreal and Cincy? Are his best days behind him?

MaliVai Washington: I think Guga's best surface is clay and it always will be. When I was calling his match at the French Open this year, it amazed me at how noticeably slower Guga is. He moved well side to side but running forward after a drop shot, he was a half step to a step slower. His game depends on his movement. When he isn't moving well, he won't be playing well.

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Cameron(Oxford): Mal, Besides tennis, do you follow any other sports regularly?

MaliVai Washington: Baseball and American football.

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Ken(Los Angeles): Hey Mr. Washington, I have 2 questions. First, since Serena Williams is out for the tournament who will win the US Open on the women's side? Second, how do you feel about Pete Sampras retiring?

MaliVai Washington: The two Belgians have been playing some amazing tennis lately. It will come down to them and Venus. This may be a chance for Lindsay or Jennifer to sneak in another major. When Serena is out of a tournament, everyone else's chances of winning go WAY up. Players realize that. Though it's sad she is out, from a tournament and fan standpoint, believe me, there are some players that are very relieved she is out.

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Jennifer (Chicago): What do you make of the whole Clijsters as #1 when she hasn't even won a major. I can't believe that Justine H-H isn't ranked higher that Clijsters. I realize the rankings are based on points and the more you play (and win) the better off you are. I just don't see how it's possible to be #1 and not have a major. Any comments?

MaliVai Washington: It is very difficult to accomplish that because the way the rankings are set up, the majors are heavily weighted. If you don't win one, it's darn near impossible to be No. 1. But you have to look at 2 factors. Kim has played a ton of tournaments, like 25 or 26, and Serena just doesn't play very much. You put those two things together, you can reach No. 1 without a major. I do think that it's just a matter of time before she wins one. I wouldn't be surprised if she won the U.S. Open.

Everyone, thanks for all the great questions. Go enjoy the US Open! Be pulling for my sister who is in doubles. Next time you hear from me will the the Davis Cup in September! Take care!