March - April 2001
Vol. 12, No. 2 | Contents

Classic Rivalry in Denver
Story by Tom Rall
Photos by John Foust
In men’s tennis, just when Bjorn Borg had figured out how to beat his then-only rival Jimmy Conners, along came John McEnroe who provided them both with a rivalry like no other in the history of their sport. On the ladies side, after Chris Evert had won every major tennis championship there was on the planet and was beginning to show signs of boredom, along came Martina Navratilova. The two women developed a competitive rivalry that lasted over a decade and a friendship that continues to this day. In golf, Jack Nicholas had Gary Player and Arnold Palmer. In ladies squash, Heather McKay had no peer for eighteen years, during which time she was undefeated. I get a kick out of hearing people murmur about some tennis player winning thirty or forty matches in a row. Try winning eighteen years in a row and retiring undefeated! Heather, as we all know, then decided to pick up racquetball and soared to the top of that sport as well! But that’s another story. What’s my point? Well, it appears that there are now two racquetball players who have developed that same type of competitive rivalry between them: Cliff Swain and Sudsy Monchik.

The Coca-Cola Pro Am at the Lakewood Athletic Club in the ‘Mile High City’ once again featured these two great rivals — Swain and Monchik — in the IRT’s pro finals. For those who haven’t been keeping track, this happens regularly. Both men are remarkable players and amazing athletes. We all know this. But what we can’t imagine is what it’s like to be at the highest pro level and once again make it to the finals, only to have to face your competitive rival. 

Somehow I have to think that it must get tiresome, or at least repetitive, seeing the draw shape up after advancing through the first few rounds and realizing, if all goes well, you’ll end up playing the same opponent that you played in the finals of your last tournament. Of course, this is probably how it was when Hogan and Peck were at the top of their games, and the way it was for the great Lynn Adams and Heather McKay, too. So it is today for Sudsy and Cliff. The rivalry continues.

In Denver, the only difference for each of these players had been in their respective semi-final rounds, where international qualifying opponents had advanced through two rounds of upsets to go up against the top seeds. In the top half, Canada’s Mike Green had eliminated No.5 seeded Rocky Carson in the round of 16, followed by a four-game quarterfinal advance past No.4 Jason Mannino. His run ended quickly against Swain, who took three swift games to move into the final.

Current IRF world champion and top Mexican team player Alvaro Beltran also logged an upset in the 16s, past No.3 John Ellis in straight games, followed by a five-game marathon win over No.6, Derek Robinson to go up against Monchik in their semi. Although he scored slightly more than his Canadian counterpart had done against Swain, Beltran was also polished off in three to set up the Monchik-Swain rematch.

For that final, Erin Brannigan was in the cat bird’s seat as the referee, who saw game one start with Sudsy running off six straight points to Cliff’s one. Then it was quickly 7-1, then 8-1. When Cliff finally did make it to the service box, his serves eluded him and he faulted short twice, leaving the door wide open for Sudsy, who capitalized immediately by winning another two points. Cliff got back into the service box and served an ace, but the deficit was too big to overcome, even for Cliff Swain! Sudsy won the serve and the first game 11-3. Time: 16 minutes.

Game two clearly proved that Cliff’s consistency was gone while Sudsy, on the other hand, couldn’t seem to miss. A few near-flat rollout pinches, a couple of wide angle passes, and one amazing get later and it was 7-1 Sudsy. When Cliff finally won serve and found himself in the service box, his serve again eluded him and he shorted out. And as he’d done in the first game, Sudsy capitalized on this and won another two points. At 1-9, Cliff short-served once more. Sudsy won the next point to go to game point, 10-1. The following rally was long and ended with Cliff drilling an easy forehand into the floor. 11-1, Sudsy. Time: 14 minutes.

The third game was not at all like the first two, as Cliff found his focus and Sudsy found himself pressed to think of what to do. Early on, as Cliff was about to serve, the crowd let out a loud cheer for Cliff! He smiled a bit, gained his composure, went into his service motion and served. Rollout! Sudsy seemed to be all over it and just let it all go. He guessed right and made perfect contact with the ball. It was a very good and well-placed serve. But the return was better. Cliff walked back to the back of the court with a previously unseen determined look on his face. Sudsy served. Rollout! Then Cliff served. Then Sudsy served. It went on and on like this, with each player losing his serve on a better return. A point was made here and there. Rallies were short. After four sideouts each, the score remained 2-1 Cliff. Twice again, both players won serve and tried to win points to no avail. For what seemed like forever, neither player could earn a point. The consistency was there. Their serves were good, but the service returns by both players were simply flawless. It was a ‘tight’ game and it was about to get even tighter!

Sudsy finally skipped one, making it 3-1 in Cliff’s favor, only to have Sudsy roll out the next serve. With his own good serve and a crisp passing shot, Sudsy earned another point to bring it to 2-3. Then another good serve and another good pass put him at 3-3. Then 4-3, then 5-3. Cliff served at 3-5. Rollout! Sudsy served well to earn another two points and the 7-3 lead, when a replay was called. Cliff questioned Brannigan and the two politely argued the point but the call stood and after Cliff took a time out, the point was replayed. When the play continued Sudsy hit what can only be called a phenomenal sidewall roll out. 8-3, Monchik! Cliff slowed the action down with a great ceiling ball that left Sudsy perplexed trying to hit it. At 3-8 Cliff replayed a hinder and Sudsy skipped the next point making it 4-8. He skipped the next one too. 5-8. The next rally was one of the longest, going on for five hits by each player, and ending with Cliff finding himself turned around and trying to hit the ball behind his back. He made good contact but the ball just barely missed the front wall. “Side out!” called the ref.

Sudsy served and the rally went nine shots before Sudsy ‘splatted’ the ball, making it 9-5. Then he skipped the next one. At 5-9 Cliff put the ball just out of Sudsy’s reach on its second bounce, making it 6-9. Sudsy hit the next ball out of court: 7-9. After taking a break, Sudsy skipped the next ball: 8-9. A replay, a good serve, a good kill shot and the score was tied at 9-9. But Sudsy thought that Cliff had put his hand up during this rally to indicate a hinder, but Cliff disagreed. Sudsy remained a little upset at this incident and replied by blasting his next serve to Cliff’s forehand, a place he hadn’t gone in two games. Ace! 10-9 Sudsy. Cliff then won serve and earned another point on a skip by Sudsy to tie it up at 10-10. 

At this juncture (10-10 in the third game, Sudsy up 2-0) the third game had already run thirty-six minutes, or six minutes longer than the half-hour it had taken for the first two games combined. But this game was all new. Both were playing very, very tight and it was a game that showed very clearly just how close these two great champions really are. Naturally there were a few outbursts, but nothing to speak of. There were also a few disappointments in the many rallies that followed, but none of any merit. Certainly, when Sudsy hit the ball out of the court, he was disappointed. And Cliff would have been very pleased to see his behind-the-back shot make it. But neither player was giving an inch and it was an excellent game to watch!

At 10-10 Cliff served short. Sudsy then drove a serve to Cliff’s backhand forcing a weak return, which Sudsy drilled into the front left corner for an absolute kill. Match point for Sudsy, but Cliff won serve and the next rally went on forever! Each player must have hit the ball eight or nine times. There were many set ups, but neither could put it away. Great gets kept the rally alive until it ended with Sudsy’s ball falling just short of the play wall to tie it up again at 11-11. The next service exchange brought the score to 12-12. With Sudsy serving, Cliff skipped the return making it 13-12. Cliff then won serve. The next rally went on all over the court with both players reaching and stretching, running and diving until Sudsy made the last shot. Side out! But Sudsy short served. Side out! Again serving at 12-13 Cliff hit the ball out of the court and wanted a hinder. It was not awarded. Sudsy then served at 13-12, made many excellent gets and eventually won the rally with a roll out! The third game barnburner was finally over. 14-12 Sudsy! Time: 47 minutes.

So the first two games had depicted one player on the receiving end of excellent serving and even better shot making. The third game featured two players executing flawlessly, with outstanding shots, remarkable gets and roughly equal serving. Statistically, it was a lop-sided match, due to the early back-to-back game wins by Monchik. But the third game clearly showed what these two outstanding individuals are made of. These rivals met again here in the ‘Mile High City’ and played their hearts out as they have done so many times before. Congratulations are in order for them both! And as another pro stop concludes, one can only wonder if the Swain-Monchik rivalry will continue as long as the other great ones did, like Adams-McKay, Hogan-Peck, Borg-McEnroe, Nicholas-Palmer. Time will tell. But no matter how long it lasts one thing will remain certain — racquetball will be the better for it.

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