TENNIS – Tommy Haas’ resurgence is one of the ATP stories of the year. Far past his prime, Haas nonetheless is challenging at big tournaments and having a dream season. Daniel Anderson looks at his recent form and dissects what it means for men’s tennis.

When Tommy Haas turned pro in 1996, Bill Clinton was finishing his first term as President, Michael Jordan had just begun his second three-peat, and Alanis Morrisette won Album of the Year at the Grammys. The most fancy automobiles had these things called “car phones.” The point is, it's not a stretch to call Haas a member of the Old School.

And if his age (34) alone weren’t enough to qualify him, his game certainly would be—with a flat forehand that utilizes an Eastern grip, Haas’ groundstrokes resemble those of another ATP Elder Statesmen, Roger Federer. Haas, like Federer, also hits a one-hander for a backhand, only his (Haas’) is probably even more spectacular.

But not everything about Haas is Old School. His ranking, for instance, is doing the exact opposite of what most players’ his age would do—it’s climbing. No 25 in the world now and charging fast, Haas will be seeded come US Open time.

This is all even more impressive when you consider that most of his success this summer came as a wild card or qualifier in the big tournaments. No easy draws, no first round byes, and no puff qualifier opponents. And all Haas did was produce the kind of summer the average tour player dreams of: One title (Halle, over Federer), two finals (D. C. and Hamburg), one semi (Munich), and a quarterfinal where he took Novak Djokovic the distance in Toronto.

But then again, Tommy Haas is not your average tour player.

The six-foot, two-inch German stands as a shining example, perhaps, of unfulfilled potential, of missed opportunities. Not of his own doing, mind you, but the unfortunate victim of an injury plague that stunted his career possibilities.

Once ranked as high as no. 2, Haas filled the interstitial space between eras—after the twilight of Pete Sampras and before Federer starting doing his whole Roger Federer Thing. During this brief slice of ATP history, Haas was in the discussion at every Grand Slam—his peers were Marat Safin, Leyton Hewitt, and David Nalbandian (whom he just beat in back to back opening round matches in Toronto and Cincinnati).

Seven surgeries later, with the latest installments on his knee and elbow just two years ago, all Haas is really expected to do is exit after a few rounds in most big tournaments. But his play is out sizing his expectations. And perhaps creating new expectations in the process.

And now what? Where is he going to land in everyone’s brackets for the US Open later this month? Is a fourth round finish possible? Quarterfinals? He couldn’t reach the final four…could he?

He most certainly could, because he’s seeing the ball so well right now. And he’s hanging with the type of players that routinely make the final weekend—beating Roger in Halle, and going three rounds with the Djoker in Toronto as the latest examples.

So what does this mean for the tour? There’s been lots of discussion lately about the tour getting older—teenagers breaking through at Wimbledon, by winning Wimbledon a la Boris Becker seems like ancient history. But if the tour is getting older, it certainly isn’t getting this old, is it? Maybe the answer is yes, as other tour players will want to emulate Haas’ longevity.

In any case, what Haas is doing truly is special. He’s not just staying relevant--he’s writing headlines at a time in his career when most players are scratching for rankings points. His backhand is otherworldly, and on its own is worth the price of admission.

While no one can be sure how long this rejuvenation will last, that’s just all the more reason to take advantage of it while it’s happening.
 

Daniel Anderson