AD HOC TEAM HAS CLICKED.Byline: Joe Jares Daily News Staff Writer The impromptu doubles team of American Rick Leach This article is about the tennis player. For other people named Rick Leach, see Rick Leach (baseball player). Rick Leach (b. December 28 1964, in Arcadia, California) is a professional tennis player from the United States. , 32, and Indian Mahesh Bhupathi Mahesh Shrinivas Bhupathi (born June 7, 1974, Chennai, India) is a professional tennis player from India. He is married to Shvetha Jaishankar Bhupathi. He turned professional in 1995, and in 2001, he was awarded the Padma Shri. , 23, has pulled off a mild surprise by reaching today's Infiniti Open final. They have never played together before, but their regular partners were unavailable this week. Jonathan Stark Jonathan Stark (born April 3 1971, in Medford, Oregon) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. During his career he won two Grand Slam doubles titles (1994 French Open men's doubles and 1995 Wimbledon mixed doubles). Stark reached the World No. , who has been playing with Leach much of the year, got married a week ago. Bhupathi's regular partner, Leander Paes Leander Adrian Paes (born June 17, 1973) is an Indian male tennis professional who currently features in the doubles events in the ATP tour and the Davis Cup tournament. He is one of the most successful professional Indian tennis players. , is taking a break. Since Bhupathi is a left-side, or ad-court player, and Leach plays deuce side (and was available), Bhupathi gave him a call. Perhaps because of Leach's reputation - he has won 33 tournaments with 13 different partners (not counting Davis Cup Davis Cup: see tennis. Davis Cup Trophy awarded to the winning team of an international tennis tournament for men. It was donated in 1900 by Dwight F. ) - the tandem was seeded fourth. They have beaten Sander Groen/Goran Ivanisevic, Marcos Ondruska/Grant Stafford and, on Saturday afternoon, Mark Philippoussis/Patrick Rafter. ``It's very difficult to play them,'' said Leach of Aussie stars Philippoussis and Rafter. ``Their serves are so hard, we were just trying to keep from getting hurt out there.'' Leach said he returned a 127-mph serve and asked himself, ``How did I do that?'' Leach's victories with 13 different partners is not a record. Anders Jarryd of Sweden has won 58 titles with 19 partners. Pronounciation pronouncements: An ATP ATP: see adenosine triphosphate. ATP in full adenosine triphosphate Organic compound, substrate in many enzyme-catalyzed reactions (see catalysis) in the cells of animals, plants, and microorganisms. official said Bhupathi pronounces his surname boo-PATTY. Bhupathi said Saturday that he is not fussy but it should be BOOP-atti. Now to the x-files. Frenchman Guillaume Raoux says his surname is pronounced ra-OOKS, with a deep-in-the-throat growl accompanying the ra part. But countryman Lionel Roux, who lost in the first round, pronounces his last name roo. Silent x. Top Swedes: Thomas Enqvist, who plays in the final this afternoon, is part of an impressive Scandanavian streak. Sweden has had at least one player in the year-end top 10 every year since 1974. Eleven Swedes, including the famous Bjorn Borg and Stefan Edberg, have made the list since the ATP Tour rankings began in 1973. Enqvist, No. 8 in the world now, broke into the top 10 late in 1995 and got as high as No. 6 early in '96. Infiniti items: Today's singles final at 4 p.m. will be shown live on Fox West Sports. . . . Allen Fox, former NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association champion for UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX and winner of this tournament in 1966, was on hand for Saturday's matches. The former men's coach at Pepperdine is now in the restaurant business. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Thomas Enqvist returns a shot against Guillaume Raoux of France during his 6-4, 6-1 semifinal victory Saturday at the Infiniti Open. Associated Press |
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