Credibility's elasticity was tested yesterday in the Point. When Australian John Fitzgerald pulled out late on Thursday with a damaged calf muscle, and doubles specialist Claudio Panatta was flown in from Nice via Milan yesterday morning, the question was how seriously the American favourite, John McEnroe, would treat his Italian opposition.
As the question of credibility has always been close to the surface on this Senior Tour, Panatta's arrival might have encouraged some former champions to take the feather duster rather than the whip to the well-travelled substitute.
As it happened, McEnroe, unlike during his halcyon days at Wimbledon, ensured his words would not come back to haunt him as he swept aside the 40-year-old 6-2, 6-3 in just 51 minutes.
Panatta took only one point of McEnroe's serve in the first set. Credibility survived. There was little horse play, and Panatta was surgically despatched with his dignity intact.
"I can't say I'm real tired," said McEnroe. "I knew that if I went out there and played well I'd be alright. I was prepared anyway, so I don't think it matters who I play."
Despite the left-hander's form, there's little on the regular tour that would draw him back. Not mixed doubles with Steffi Graf, not the opportunity to take the odd scalp.
"I know I can play. I know grass suits me. The reason I stopped playing was because I didn't think I could win the big ones. I wasn't getting over the hump. It wasn't satisfying," he said.
"But (Guy) Forget, who I play next, is one of the best. I can't expect to slide by. I'll hopefully pick it up a level," he added.
The Frenchman, who came through unscathed against Mikael Pernfors 6-4, 6-3, will be hoping his heavy serve will at least stretch McEnroe. The winner will play in tomorrow's final against either Henri Leconte or Pat Cash.
"I used to love to watch him play," said Forget of McEnroe - a mantra around The Point. "He was so different from the others. He has shots only he can play." Cash and Borg also stepped up their game in the best match of the tournament so far. Little separated the Australian and the Swede until Cash (34) edged out his 43-year-old opponent 10-8 in a third set tie-break.
Cash's victory aside, it was the extraordinary fitness and ability of Borg to maintain the tempo of a physical match that will linger in the memory, perhaps even more than the result. The warrior Cash, huffing and puffing with a big serve, had raw power on his side, which in the end paid off.
"He's one of the all time greats," said Cash who surprised himself by serving nine straight first serves against Borg in the tie-break. "His athleticism is incredible." Today's pairings of Leconte against Cash and McEnroe versus Forget for tomorrow's final runs with form. For the tournament to succeed, however, McEnroe will need to be there against anybody. He, above all, is the engine pulling this Seniors train.
Tim Henman sealed a place in the semi-finals of the ABN/AMRO World Tournament after battling past Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty in Rotterdam yesterday, 7-6 (7/3) 6-2. He meets Yevgeny Kafelnikov who beat Greg Rusedski 6-7 (5/7) 6-4 6-4 last night.
