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Biofile: Stefan Kozlov Interview
24 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Age: Sixteen.
First tennis memory: “Playing in the rain with my dad (Andrei). When it was raining we kept playing with soft balls. Really good memory.”
Tennis inspirations: “My dad. Probably Federer. He’s a complete player.”
First famous tennis player you met or encountered: “Yevgeny Kafelnikov at Sony Open in Miami. But I was really little. My parents were telling me the story. (What’s the story?) I didn’t want to take a picture with Kafelnikov. I don’t know why. I was five years old. I started crying. Never took a picture [smiles].”
Last book read: “I haven’t read a book in a while…just kidding. Probably Life of Pi.”
Favorite movie: “Day After Tomorrow.”
Greatest tennis moment, so far: “Tough one…tough question…so many good memories…”
Most painful moment: “Maybe losing the Orange Bowl finals 14s. (To who?) Hong. Korean kid. Or losing Wimbledon junior finals (To Noah Rubin).”
Favorite tournament: “Wimbledon.”
Closest tennis friends: “Henrik Wiersholm. Spencer Papa. From juniors.”
Funniest players encountered: “Monfils maybe. Monfils, yeah.”
Fiercest competitors encountered: “I practiced with Federer and Nadal a couple of times. But I don’t know.”
Did anything surprise you about practicing with Roger Federer (at US Open in 2012): “Nothing really. I mean, I was pretty surprised that I could hang in with Federer, return his slice, and I was getting everything back with the same speed on my shots.”
Why do you love playing tennis: “I love tennis because it’s a fun sport. There’s a lot of other things that you can do on the court and it’s pretty fun.”
Funny tennis memory: “Once there was a huge bug on the court. I don’t know what kind of bug it was.”
Strangest match: “Junior Davis Cup. I was up 5-1 in the third set in the semi and I lost. I had maybe six match points. (Against who?) Australian kid.”
Favorite sport outside tennis: “Probably basketball.”
Three athletes you like to watch & follow: “LeBron James. Dwyane Wade. Chris Bosh.”
Best you ever felt on court: “Maybe playing last year at Wimbledon, second round. (Against who?) Lucas Gomez of Mexico.”
People qualities most admired: “Great attitude and great spirit. Great competitors.”
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Dan markowitz · October 5, 2014 at 12:05 am
Sounds like a good guy. Like how he pulled your leg about not reading a book and the he mentioned a pretty literary one.
Scoop Malinowski · October 5, 2014 at 10:57 am
I saw parts of the Smyczek match. Wow. Slow start but took command in the second set. Made adjustments. The commentator used the word “unreal” several times describing Kozlov. “Unreal. Where did that come from?” After a long rally which Kozlov suddenly ended with a fh winner up the line late in third set. Kozlov rope a doped Tim too. down 34 in third and l5-40, Kozlov played two amazing points to get to deuce and he pulled up with like a leg cramp at net. Went to chat with umpire for a good minute, drank some liquids. Tim’s standing there at baseline like what’s going on. Then a guy from the crowd comes onto the court behind ump chair talking to Kozlov. Commentator is like “I have no idea who this guy is who just hopped onto the court from the stands.” Of course Kozlov, the court maestro at sixteen, wins two more points to win the game and level it 44. Tim holds twice, both tough games, while Kozlov holds twice at love to force the TB. Kozlov is like Rios how he mixes is up, drop shots, forays to net, looks like he’s tanking but he’s not. So relaxed, yet so focused and intense and calm at the same time. The kid is genius, that’s where “that came from.” Court Genius. Dominates the TB making Tim look like a scrub, 7-l. Then on match point slides and falls on his back Nadal style, big smile when he gets up. This kid is a joy to watch. I’m telling you now the big boys are going to get rope a doped by Kozlov in a few years. He knows all the tricks. Just sixteen but he totally outsmarted and tricked saavy veteran Smyczek in this match. Querrey was courtside watching, he better be careful with this kid who presents all kinds of mental and physical challenges. Amazing, please watch the end of this match from 3-3 in the third. Amazing display of tennis mastery by a sixteen year old kid against a solid experienced super fit veteran. Imagine what this kid will be doing in 3-4 years?
Gaurang · October 6, 2014 at 2:58 am
When was this biofile taken? Scoop, dont you think its a good idea to note the date of the biofile since sometimes these biofiles have been taken sometime in the past.
Scoop Malinowski · October 6, 2014 at 8:41 am
Gaurang, most of it was from Newport last summer. You’re right I will put on the dates from now on. But sometimes the interviews are revised years later. Like I first Biofiled Ivanisevic in 92 and again this year. Didn’t even bother to post his ’92 answers. My questions were so weak back then )
collard pascal · October 6, 2014 at 10:28 am
this kid will be a champ ….youll see , actually ..he already is in his hart and soul
when he came at merion to preoare wimbledon he impressed me on many levels .
go stef
Scoop Malinowski · October 6, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Agree Collard. He is already a champion in heart and soul. Well said. It’s just not possible to not admire this likeable, serious, respectful kid and how he’s trying to make his imprint on the ultra competitive world of pro tennis. He has come so far already. Thanks for your comment and welcome to our site.
Andrew Miller · October 6, 2014 at 1:45 pm
No way Kozlov is a champion yet! A player can’t phone in the real results. He’s got a lot of upside but let’s see if he earns that, at least let’s see if he gets into the top 100 within a year. The mistake was made here many times to turn a player into something they aren’t – Klahn as a future top 50 player (didn’t happen, my bad), Harrison as a future champion (not happening today and who knows if he’ll get himself together to make runs at smaller tournaments and win small ATP title yet?). Sorry, everyone’s Melanie Oudin until they aren’t (shows a lot of promise but promise isn’t the same as big results).
Andrew Miller · October 6, 2014 at 1:46 pm
And no offense to Melanie Oudin, I like her too but the hype and her team’s inability to handle the hype really hurt her game.
Dan Markowitz · October 6, 2014 at 3:12 pm
First of all, Collard, where is this Merion Kozlov prepared for Wimbledon at?
Secondly, Kozlov hasn’t even bagged a Junior Slam yet, not one, so how’s he a champion. You’d think if he was so good he would’ve beaten Rubin at Wimby or Kalamazoo.
Dan Markowitz · October 6, 2014 at 3:19 pm
I see Kozlov was the No. 5 seed in the boys 18 at Kalamazoo? How far did he go and who beat him?
dan markowitz · October 6, 2014 at 3:52 pm
Just found the info online. Kozlov didn’t even reach the Kalamazoo 18’s semis. He lost in the quarters 4 and 2 to Colin A. Come on, you’re billing this guy as a champion and he couldn’t get past the junior quarters. And the guy who won it got blasted in the first round of the Open. Let’s see Kozlov be dominant at the junior level or at the Challenger level before we propel him into the Top 50.
Andrew Miller · October 6, 2014 at 4:03 pm
Altamarino (Kalamazoo champ 2013, 1st unseeded champ ever at age 17 beating Donaldson, Altamarino is age 18 now and turned pro in the 700s ranking) beat Kozlov in semifinals then lost to Rubin.
Altamarino has a nice big forehand, pretty solid serve. BH as of now is a rally shot and it will be targeted.
Dan’s points can’t be disputed. Kozlov has made the finals of one challenger – he played a nice tournament. He’ll have to play even better this week to get back to the finals and that will be hard this week because other players are now on guard and will do their best to send Kozlov back to the juniors.
It’s odd that players like Rubin are opting for college and so many others – Kozlov, Donaldson and Altamarino (and maybe others!) are now full time on the pros. I get it that if they want to turn pro go ahead. Sure the U.S. is starving for the next slam contender. But hold onto your horses, it’s not happening for a while!!! None of these games is good enough to win a regular ATP event, maybe not even a challenger event (at least for another few tournaments – Donaldson and Kozlov have both threatened so those are real results).
Andrew Miller · October 6, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Sampras/Agassi have no jr slam and they are best u.s. players since jmac. Nadal either. Jr slam wins look @ G. Quinzi…how is he doing? Or yuki bhambri. Fine players but there has been/always will be a leap between jrs and pro. Some guys like Isner make it. Others like pless not so much. Just the way it goes.
Scoop Malinowski · October 6, 2014 at 7:19 pm
Like I said, Kozlov is clearing aiming to be a great pro, not a great junior. I’m far more impressed by his wins last week in Sacramento and his near win last year in Newport vs. Prszyiezny in 3 sets at the tender age of fifteen. Also his win in mixed vs. Zimonjic at US Open mixed.
Scoop Malinowski · October 6, 2014 at 7:22 pm
I think Kozlov turned pro at fourteen actually. There’s a kid with his priorities set.
Scoop Malinowski · October 7, 2014 at 9:15 am
Look at this example of the maturity and class of Kozlov. Got this email from Paul Bauman, the Norcaltennisczar…
“Thanks, Mark. I agree about Stefan. He’s so mature on and off the court. He checked out my web site on his own via Twitter, complimented me on my stories and went out of his way to shake my hand and say goodbye after the final.”
That’d be a classy move by a champion like Rafa or Fed. But from a sixteen year old? I told you he’s a champion.
Andrew Miller · October 7, 2014 at 6:36 pm
Ok Kozlov legend is growing, maybe too fast. Good thing rhe kid withdrew from tiburon. From norcaltennisczar:
Querrey says Kozlov will be top ten. Another Wilander story
  “He’s got every shot in the book,” marveled Querrey, who has practiced often with Kozlov but had never played him in a match. “If he keeps on the path he’s on, he can be a top-10 player one day.”
  By reaching his first Challenger final in only his third attempt, Kozlov soared from No. 763 to No. 443. That makes Kozlov, a resident of Pembroke Pines, Fla., in the Miami area who was named after Stefan Edberg, the youngest player in the top 500.
dan markowitz · October 8, 2014 at 7:46 pm
I think it’s a bit old hat for one of the top American players to say that a young American can be Top 10. Didn’t Roddick say the same thing about Harry? This was a huge first step for Kozlov, but the fact remains he didn’t win any junior slams and at the Open, he lost the first set to Mitchell Frank, who will never be confused with a Top 100 player and he lost the last two sets to Coric 2 and 2.
Scoop Malinowski · October 8, 2014 at 9:06 pm
Kozlov won the first set vs. Frank. Maybe Kozlov does have a flaw now of losing big finals. Hey a lot of great players lost junior finals, keep in mind the kid is still sixteen and was fifteen when he made Aus Open final. I don’t think Fed was in a junior slam final at sixteen.
Andrew Miller · October 8, 2014 at 9:59 pm
Winning jr slams isnt only measure. Yuki Bhambri world #184. Won ao jr @ 16 and was jr world #1. At age 22 he has three challenger titles including a win on bklahn. No one is talking YukiB. There is a reason for that. There is a huge gap between the major and minor leagues . No one mentions gialuugi quinzi these days either, age 18 with a mid 300s ranking and four futures titles to his name along with a 2013 jr wimbledon title. Or Fil Peliwo, 2012 jr wimby champ who is ranked just a few notches ahead of Kozlov at age 20 despite a fine game himself.
Tour is hard. Kosakowski was ranked way ahead of many jr slam champs because making it on tour doesnt require a jr slam championship. Nishikori hardly has a jr slam record to his name, with a handful or jr slam qfs.
Harrison has a nishikori like jr slam record, actually with better results. But like nishikori left the jrs around age 16.
Point is some players need more jrs some less some should play more some should have left sooner. Being a top ranked jr means little. Steve Joe wasnt a top jr and he is now top 50. Federer was among the top jrs. Sampras wasnt. Chang was a high ranked jr. Murray also was a top jr.
Just no relationship between jr and pro rankings.
Andrew Miller · October 8, 2014 at 10:05 pm
To me if wilander mac roddick or anyone keeps hyping u.s. players they wont make it. No one hyped Steve Johnson. Maybe pete bodo at tennis who analyzes the sport better than a lot of current and former playerd. But steve is a two time ncaa champ and probably the highest ranked ncaa champ in a while. Novikov is doing very good too.
Gaurang · October 9, 2014 at 3:28 am
Scoop, in journalism I think, transparency and honesty are very important. IMHO you *must* put a date on the biofiles, regardless of whether it makes them less important.
In fact, I just realized that I dont read them since there’s no date on them and so its hard to put them in the right context in the first place. Secondly I get a sense that the date is intentionally being hidden so it may be old. I think by showing the date, you allow the viewers to understand in the right context and by honesty you are gaining journalism brownie points.
This is just my opinion. I dont mean any negative feelings, I just wanted to give honest feedback. I respect you and your writings and comments a lot.
Scoop Malinowski · October 9, 2014 at 8:47 am
Gaurang I have put the dates in sometimes, most recently Dimitrov which I did about five years ago at US Open, but not always. Because sometimes they seem timeless. But then again sometimes the player can have the big win a month later and it changes his greatest moment. Respect your comments Gaurang.
Scoop Malinowski · October 9, 2014 at 8:51 am
Nishikori did win a FO junior doubles title with Edgardo Massa of Argentina. But some people say doubles majors mean nothing for singles success. I really get the sense that Kozlov is specifically focusing on being a great pro player, NOT a great junior player. I think Kozlov gained far more confidence making finals in Sacramento last week than he would have gained winning all 3 of the junior major finals he was in. The big picture is ATP not junior ITFs. The player has to be very specific about his goals and I get the sense Kozlov is.