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By Richard Pagliaro
(February 12, 2010) Mussell memory struck in San Jose last night.
Michael Russell, nicknamed "Mussell" for his devotion to fitness evident in the muscles placked onto his 5-foot-8, 160-pound frame, defeated Xavier Malisse, 6-4, 7-5, at the SAP Open on Thursday.
It was more than a match, it was a milestone.
The victory vaulted the 31-year-old Russell into the first ATP Tour-level quarterfinal of his 12-year career. The 78th-ranked Russell, who is the oldest American man ranked in inside the top 100, is playing some of the best tennis of his career a little more than three months before his 32nd birthday.
Amping up his first serve and flattening out his forehand, the Houston resident has tried to play more aggressive tennis, rather than the grinding style he played so effectively in reaching the Roland Garros fourth round in his 2001 debut in Paris. Russell beat two-time French Open champion Sergi Bruguera, outdueled Malisse in his first career five-set match then held a match point at 5-3 in the third set against top-seeded Gustavo Kuerten before the lanky clay-court maestro fought back for a 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-3, 6-1 victory en route to his third Roland Garros title.
Injuries wreaked havoc with Russell's career and conspired to cause his ranking to plummet to No. 259 two years ago. Scraping his way back up the ranking without the benefit of wild cards, Russell defeated Taylor Dent to capture his third Challenger title of the 2009 campaign in Champaign, Illinois last fall. He has built on that success, pushing US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro to four sets at last month's Australian Open and following that effrot by winning the Hawaii Challenger. Russell enters tonight's showdown with Querrey riding a seven-match winning streak.
While he lacks the imposing serve of fellow top 100-ranked Americans Andy Roddick, John Isner and Querrey, Russell has no fear factor stepping up into ATP events and has never been afraid of putting in the hard work necessary to compete with top 100-ranked opponents.
"I'm not afraid to go in and out between the ATP events and the others,” said Russell. "I check my ego at the door." Russell and wife Lily, who typically talks to her husband after every match, have discussed starting a family sometime in the next two years and he's considered coaching when he decides to call it quits from his playing career. U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe may be taking notes during tonight's match: with both Roddick and James Blake not playing Davis Cup this year it is widely believed McEnroe has already penciled in Querrey and Isner as his two singles starters for the March 5-7th opening-round tie in Belgrade, but if Russell can continue his hot start perhaps the captain will give him some consideration as well.
Tennis Now caught up with Russell this afternoon for this interview.
Richard Pagliaro: Michael, congratulations on reaching you first quarterfinal. How does it feel and did you approach the match with Malisse any differently knowing how significant a moment it was in your career?
Michael Russell: It feels great. I've been so close to making the quarterfinals in so many tournaments that my approach was more concentrating on what I had to do and what was going to work well. I knew he was playing really well. So I wasn't worrying too much about the results, I was more focused on doing what I needed to do in the match.
Richard Pagliaro: You beat Taylor Dent to win the Champaign Challenger at the end of last year and gave del Potro a good match in Australia and then you went on to win the Hawaii Challenger. Were you doing anything different in terms of your game or your tactics at the end of last year and how did you feel entering this season?
Michael Russell: I felt like it carried from over from last year. I felt I was playing some really good tennis at the end of the year. Obviously, the fact that I've been healthy for a while certainly helps because I had some injury issues that slowed me in the past. I have been trying to be a little more aggressive while I'm on the court and play a little bit closer to the baseline. I feel that's been working very well playing well in most of the tournaments. Even in some of the matches I lost, I had chances to make it closer. So I felt like I'm progressing and improving.
Richard Pagliaro: In your interview after your win last night you said you check your ego at the door when it comes to playing Challengers or Futures. Do you approach a main draw ATP event like San Jose differently than you do a Challenger or Future? Do you do anything differently on court?
Michael Russell: I play my same game regardless of whether I'm playing a Challenger or an ATP event. A lot of it is just mental. A lot of guys transitioning from a Futures event or Challenger really don't believe they can win at that (ATP) level. (Some players) have the feeling of 'I'm playing a Tour event. I made it here now I can relax.' Maybe they're more just happy to be here and their expectations change (playing an ATP-level event). What I've learned with experience is I go into every tournament, regardless of whether it is a Challenger or an ATP event, believing in myself and believing I can win. I think you really have to approach it that way.
Richard Pagliaro: You play Sam Querrey in San Jose tonight. Obviously, Sam is a huge hitter, big serve and tremendous forehand. You played him a tight match, 7-5 in the third in Memphis a couple of years ago. How will you approach the match with Sam tonight?
Michael Russell: Sam is obviously a big guy with a really big first serve and moves well for being 6-foot-6. I'm going to have to try to use his pace against him and return well and make sure I move him. He moves well, but obviously not quite as well as I do so I have to try to move him when I can.
Richard Pagliaro: You said in your post-match interview you've become a little bit more lenient with your diet in recent years, trying to ingest more protein and healthy oils for energy. How has your approach to training changed over the years? You're known as one of the fittest guys, how do you balance fitness and the need for rest and recovery at this stage of your career?
Michael Russell: That's definitely one thing I've learned over the years: rest is an important part of the recovery. In my younger years, I would do sprints and lift weights and play tennis six to eight hours a day, which is great because it helped instill my work ethi. But also I spent a lot of time in recovery. At this stage of my career the rest and recovery are become more important. I'm not as restrictive on my diet anymore and that helps to keep the muscle on. So it's just a learning has. I've been playing since 1998 and the process has been a lot of trial and error. I've kind of adapted to what works best for myself and my game.
Richard Pagliaro: Did you have any family or friends in the crowd last night? What was your family's reaction to you reaching your first quarterfinal?
Michael Russell: I'm here by myself. I always talk to my wife (Lilly) first thing afterward. So we talked and that was nice. I talked to my parents and my brother. We're a very close family. My entire family are super supportive. Even when I've had injuries and down times they are always there for me. It's been great. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to come back as I have.
Richard Pagliaro: You've talked about how tough it is to come back from injuries to reach the top 100 again. You've done it the hard way without direct entries or wild cards. What has been the biggest challenge in your comeback? Did you ever consider quitting?
Michael Russell: It is very difficult coming back from injuries. I sat down and talked with my parents and my wife. They always believed in me and that certainly helped me to keep going. At one point, I was a little bit down and they offered positive encouragement. I always felt I had good motivation. I always felt I could compete at a high level when I was healthy and love playing and competing. I believed I could be successful and went ahead and continued to play. Even with that protected ranking when you start up again back at No. 250 and 300, there are so many good players at the Futures and Challenger levels. You pretty much always have to be at 100 percent physically. It's been tough moving my ranking and just to get back to the top 100 again has been very rewarding for me. I'm glad I remained committed.
Richard Pagliaro: What is your schedule after San Jose? What is your goal for the season? Did you set a ranking goal for yourself?
Michael Russell: My schedule after San Jose is I am playing Memphis, I'm going to Delray Beach and then I have a week off and go to Indian Wells and then Miami and then the Houston tour event. As far as goals, my ultimate goal in tennis is to be ranked in the top 50 and I think that's a good goal to have. I've gotten close to the top 50 a couple of years ago. So if I can do that, after sticking it out through all the ups and downs, that would be very rewarding. That's my ultimate goal and as long as I keep enjoying competing, which I really do enjoy, then I'll keep doing it.
Richard Pagliaro: I was just reviewing your scheduled in the last year and you've played in some funky and different places from Ecuador to Brazil and a lot of smaller places. What are some of the more unusual places you've played and what are some of the more interesting experiences you've had?
Michael Russell: That's one thing about tennis which has been great: I've been able to travel the world and experience so many different cultures. Many years ago I played a 10 week Asian Tour and spent a month in India, a week in Singapore, a week in Vietnam and that was really enlightening experiencing all of the different cultures and ethnicities and environments. Tennis has taken me many places.
Richard Pagliaro: You have talked about perhaps pursuing coaching when you retire from playing. Do you see the game any differently now at this stage of your career than when you started?
Michael Russell: I've always thought I had a pretty good idea for the game as far as dissecting my opponent. I do feel like I'm smarter now on the court. I feel I don't panic as much as I did when I was younger. I would love to coach. I would be interested in college coaching and working with the Federation (USTA), but not so much as a teaching pro. But working with juniors or colleges players or professionals at a pretty high level, I think I could offer my experience and expertise so that's something I'd like to pursue at some point.
Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve