Korda shows he is no passing fancy

Honda Challenge: Czech star dazzles Leconte but McEnroe's departure shocks the Seniors

Imagine Wise without Morecambe. Tonic without gin. Becks without Posh. Such is the scale of a Seniors' tennis event at the Royal Albert Hall minus John McEnroe. They should have draped the grand old edifice in black crêpe for yesterday's semi-finals of the Honda Challenge, a tournament whose popularity over six years has been constructed around the genius and drawing power of the sport's most potent personality.

But at roughly the time Petr Korda was sailing into his second successive Honda final, where this afternoon he will face Michael Stich, by defeating Henri Leconte 6-4 6-3, McEnroe was landing back home in New York, propelled there by his shock failure to reach the last four of this event for the first time. A decline which has been gradual ­ McEnroe won the first three Hondas, was runner-up in 2000 and semi-finalist last year ­ has suddenly acquired precipitate pace and the fault, it has to be said, is largely his.

Having carried the tour for many years, McEnroe has been sounding off lately about getting younger people interested in the older man's version of the sport. An indication of the response came in London a year ago when Guy Forget, then 33, aced McEnroe to death in the semi-finals on a lightning-quick carpet. This time, on the slower surface McEnroe had campaigned for, it was the 34-year-old Stich who barred the American's route to the semis with his Friday night win. And last night Stich confirmed that form by defeating the British wild card, Jeremy Bates, 3-6 6-3 10-5.

"I'm still the best 43-year-old tennis player in the world," snarled McEnroe afterwards. This is true, but arguably the best 34-year-old on a tour that used to be reserved for people over 35 is Korda. In any case, the tour no longer has a 35 cut-off, simply requiring that "Seniors" should have been retired from the ATP circuit for at least two years.

Thus Korda qualifies, but it was the nature of his departure from the main tour following a year's ban for drug abuse in 1999 that has fuelled his determination to make a mark or two in tennis, and anywhere will do. The post-ban bitterness still lingers and Korda said recently he planned to return to the ATP circuit by winning a few Challenger tournaments. Since he has won two and been runner-up in the three senior events which preceded London, there are some players anxious to encourage him.

At the start of the second set of their semi-final, Leconte yelled at Korda in mock anger: "Go back to the regular tour, we don't need you here." To borrow from pantomime, oh yes they do. McEnroe says so, and he is right. Players such as Korda, Forget and Stich are lifting the standard to the level needed to keep the Seniors' tour alive, and well though the 39-year-old Leconte performed yesterday he was unable to counter the quality which flowed from the Korda racket.

From the start, the pace and accuracy of the lanky Czech's ground strokes had Leconte flailing in their wake. One of these, a glorious backhand arrowed down the line which helped earn him a break of serve in only the third game, produced raised hands of acknowledgement from the Frenchman. Korda's serves, too, were of fearsome power and Leconte telegraphed "slow down" signs across the net. By the fourth game he was reduced to his cabaret stuff, pausing in passing to press the "descend" button on umpire Jeremy Shales' chair.

But if this is hit-and-giggle tennis nobody has told Korda. Even what passed for a smile might merely have been the baring of teeth as the man once dubbed "The Human Toothbrush" showed there is plenty of bristle left as he bore down to take the opening set after 34 minutes with that single break of service. Leconte made his big push at the start of the second set to get back into it. The opening game, on the Frenchman's serve, went to eight deuces and lasted 13 minutes before Korda broke again. That was enough, and though Leconte bravely stayed in the battle he was reduced to shaking his head in despair at the level of Korda's passing shots.

Afterwards Korda affirmed: "I am playing from the heart, the way I used to." He claims still to be suffering from a mystery blood ailment which leaves him tired and which prevented him competing until the second half of this year.

But a fourth successive Seniors final indicates that he is less tired than some of his rivals. Swigging a beer straight from the bottle, Korda admitted: "I am playing well enough to get back on the main tour. I don't have any plans to do that, but I don't know what is going to happen next year. Anyway, I would love to stay on this tour, that is what I am enjoying. McEnroe asked for a challenge and he has got it."