Tennis Prose




Apr/14

15

Americans Struggle At Sarasota Open

jarmerej
Iron Mike Russell lost in straight sets to UCLA’s Daniel Kosakowski.

Rhyne Williams battled back from a 25 third set deficit but lost in a tiebreaker on center court to Farrukh Dustov of Uzbekistan.

Jack Sock served for the match against Italian lefty Andrea Arnaboldi at 54 in the second but botched the game and ended up having to endure a second set tiebreak. Late in the breaker Sock muttered after the Italian hit a running forehand winner on the sideline, “It’s impossible for him to play better. He couldn’t play any better.” Moments later the set was the Italian’s at 75.

Sock went to the bathroom for a break but he had nothing in the third set, losing l6. Several observers used the “tank” adjective. A friend of mine named Dale Slimick, a former college baseball player, and a rival from the USTA tournament circuit in Florida said he felt Sock didn’t want to try his hardest, he doesn’t mind losing first round of a small event like Sarasota without giving the maximum effort. He’d rather semi-tank a match like this than lose in the semis and going all out, as, in the back of his mind he has the luxury that he can always earn a lot more money and points at a Masters Series or Major.

It was a strange performance by Sock. He definitely does not have that Rafa/Hewitt mentality of tenaciously battling for every single ball. He’s content to play reserved tennis, at about 80%. Go for his shots here and there, grind a few points here and there.

Craig Boynton, a USTA coach, said after, that Sock still can put it all together and tournaments and matches like this are part of the journey. “It’s all about the maturation process,” said Boynton.

Donald Young was next on, facing sixteen year old Alexander Zverev in a battle of a current and former ITF Junior World Number Ones and Junior Australian Open champs. Before the match Young stood and stared in a state of focus and I would guess visualization. His mom was standing nearby.

About twenty yards away was Zverev, who was standing and chatting with his older brother Mischa.

Young powered his way to a 30 lead and had two break points to go up 40 but Zverev battled back and won that game and the next two to level it at 33. Zverev turned the match around by targeting the DY backhand and then pulling him wide for the forehand.

They battled to 54 and then Young, the number two seed, broke Zverev who double faulted on set point.

The second set was on serve at 2l when rain halted play.

I was able to do a Biofile with Jarmere Jenkins who is still in the doubles. He told me he felt Kyrgios served really well on the big points last night in his 46 36 loss to the young Aussie. Jenkins, an NCAA champ at Virginia, has a career high ranking of 235, and told me once hit with Jim Courier seven years ago. The memory from that experience Jarmere told me was how Courier ran down every ball, even a shank miss six or seven feet wide, Courier hustled after it to keep the ball in play. Courier played all Jenkins balls not matter how long or wide they were. I will post the JJ Biofile soon.

Also, Jarmere said he hasn’t read a book since The Alchemist last year, so I gave him a copy of my Facing Federer book which he later tweeted that he’s excited to read. Thanks again JJ.

13 comments

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 15, 2014 at 10:33 pm

    Other notes about today: Kei Nishikori came to watch his countryman Naoki Nakagawa play first round of main draw but he got crushed by Gerald Melzer bro of Jurgen. Nakagawa was probably tired from 3 tough quali matches, including one where he came back from the dead l6l4 down. Also, DY had an interesting moment vs. Zverev where he yelled out after a miss, “Son of a biscuit.” And the chair ump gave him a warning. I thought I heard DY then say, “I didn’t say son of a bit**.” Funny moment.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 15, 2014 at 10:48 pm

    After rain delay, Dy beat Zverev 64 75, next up DY plays brother Mischa Zverev, who straight setted Bobby Reynolds. Bogie, top seed, beat Gianni Mina, of Italy.

  • Andrew Miller · April 16, 2014 at 12:28 am

    Tellin ya, Kosakowski is an awesome player. JJ too. I’d like both of them to get top 50. They both have the solid games to get top 100 – if they do we won’t be complaining anymore about how no u.s. player can hit a BH. Both of them have outstanding BHs.

    Would like DY to beat Zverev. In fact, he did. Back to the juniors Zverev!

    This from Berdych on Scoop’s Wawrinka effect: “From 2005, there were very few players who won a Grand Slam besides those four, it’s incredible,” he said. “But now it’s absolutely right to say it’s opening up, and this is why I don’t feel tired after 12 years. I have a new impulse and I’m very close.”

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 16, 2014 at 7:42 am

    Andrew; Zverev might actually be pretty much done with juniors, he’s been playing more pro events lately. He looked very good in qualies and also vs. DY. Kosakowski and Russell actually walked off court together and were walking/talking together as they walked down the footpath back to the main court area. I have never seen two pros do that after a match. Interesting. Jarmere has the foundation to be a really solid player he told me his favorite surfaces are slow hard and clay, he likes clay. Losing 3 and 4 to Kyrgios who beat Stepanek in straight sets at FO last year is no shame at all. Kyrgios is a rising force, who not only has Grand Slam main draw wins but he also played in a Davis CUp match (dead rubber) vs. Monfils in France earlier this year. Kyrgios is just eighteen.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 16, 2014 at 9:20 am

    Highlights from Jarmere Jenkins Biofile: He once won a silver match – lost only one point the entire match. He also had a full body cramp in Orange Bowl vs. Berankis and was hospitalized for four days. Helped UVA win first NCAA title in school history. Says tennis gives a heightened sense of living that you don’t get anywhere else from life. Excellent Biofile. Stay tuned…

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 16, 2014 at 10:34 am

    Also, yesterday I did a Biofile with Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, age 36, former top 50 player. Just for the heck of it as he was talking with us for a few minutes on the pavilion during Williams-Dustov. It actualy turned out really interesting. He has some huge wins over top players and almost beat Fed in Monte Carlo. He played Rafa twice very early in Rafa’s career, in his very first challenger. Anybody interested to read it?

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 16, 2014 at 10:57 am

    There is a very good interview at this site with Jarmere Jenkins. Pretty cool site by college player Pete Hawkins. Not your typical blog. Worth a check. http://petehawkins10s.blogspot.com/

  • Doogie · April 16, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    I am interested in RRH biofile. He had to run so hard for his wins – great fighter. On clay on his days he was a dangerous opponent.

    Pretty sure he was up in his match against Fed. I believe he even served for the win but came short as so often in his career.

    I imagine he has one or two years left in his tank.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 16, 2014 at 7:24 pm

    Doogie, Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo is a tough player, he lost a tight one today to Kyrgios, good match. RRH cuts off the one sleeve of his shirt, he used to roll it up now he scissors it off and sports the one bicep look. Plus he’s got the pony tail and the hat on. Good player to watch. I will post it soon.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 16, 2014 at 7:45 pm

    DY won the first set today vs. Michael Zverev who retired at 46 with an elbow issue. Chatted with Pat Harrison and he told me the tale about his car getting stolen last year and how it turned up a week later but then surveillance video showed the thieves used the car for a couple of bank robberies. Also, Christian Harrison is two or three weeks away from returning to the court. He suffered hip and shoulder issues after playing two marathons last summer vs. Isner and Falla, he lost to Isner 76 in the third and beat Falla in a long three, then despite soreness tried to play Devvarman and lost 0 and 0. Turned out he had some tears. Been out ever since. CH looks ready to roll, he was at the Sarasota Open challenger today supporting family friend Michael Venus who has trained with the Harrisons since he was seventeen.

  • Andrew Miller · April 16, 2014 at 8:54 pm

    Harrisons and Brian Baker are similar in that they are injured a lot. Maybe they should cut down the scheduling. These guys may be playing too much. The sky might be the limit but look at Rafa : he only plays so much because he wins so much not because of the # of tournaments.

  • Andrew Miller · April 17, 2014 at 11:23 pm

    DY vs. Kyrgios. The bookies are calling it for Kyrgios, and I think they are underestimating DY. Nice result from Kosakowski to make the QF here.

  • Scoop Malinowski · April 18, 2014 at 8:01 am

    DY vs. Nick will be the night match tonight if the rain holds off. Really looking forward to this one. Kosakowski is on a roll. He was watching Ward vs. Veic yesterday, he will play Ward today. My colleage Mic Huber did an interview with Kosakowski, who crushed Russell in first round. BTW I asked Ward if he noticed Querrey and Courier chuckling on the changeover during their Davis Cup battle in Dan Diego, when Q was in total control up a set and break, but he said he didn’t see that. And use it as a spark. Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo still alive in the doubles, he and Franco Skugor beat Bangoura/Mirzadeh in a match tiebreak, they were down 57 but battled back. They were playing some Bee Gees over the loudspeaker and Bollettieri started boogeying down by his book table. Still remember Nick told me in a Biofile fifteen years ago that Saturday Night Fever is the best album ever made. Nick also used to teach one of the Bee Gees sons. And would also send a coach to their home on Key Biscayne.

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