Got a lot of random scoops for you which I will randomly rapid fire at you…
I ran into Vince Spadea at an Atlantic Ave eatery just a few blocks down the road from the tournament and he told me Leonard Di Caprio has just joined the Beverly Hills Country Club and wants to take weekly tennis lessons in LA and also New York.
Alejando Falla lost to Rhyne Williams yesterday, retiring in the second set, and then proceeded to take a long walk outside the grounds here at the Tennis Center with his coach. I was transcribing audio at the media tent and he was gone for almost an hour.
Chatted with Mark Woodforde about his matches with Lleyton Hewitt for my Facing Hewitt book. Woody is coaching Marinko Matosevic. He played Hewitt five times early in Lleyton’s career and late in his own, and lost the first four times before finally winning the last meeting on clay in Atlanta. Woody said he thought Lleyton would show some mercy for his older mentor who also hails from Adelaide, but Hewitt gave him nothing. I asked Mark what he thought if Lleyton and Rafa traded body size and strength, who would win, and he replied, “Lleyton, without a doubt.”
Hewitt faced American #3 yesterday Brad Klahn, winner of three career ATP level matches. Hewitt, coming off a bad loss to Mike Russell in Memphis, was extremely fired up to beat Klahn and get back on track. Hewitt roared seven or eight Come ons and many fist pumps as he dominated Klahn in straights. Greg Norman was in the house for the entire match, sitting right in the sun the whole time with no hat. I was in the sun for five minutes and felt like I was burning alive, before moving to the shade. Gren Norman is one tough man.
After the match I gave Greg a copy of Facing Federer, which he contributed some thoughts about Federer for me at the US Open about five years ago. Greg said Thank you and wished me a lot of success with the book.
I watched the Querrey-Lopez match on Monday night and Sam is just too laid back. In the first set Sam came over to the two fans sitting in the Porsche which is placed in a court corner and asked the people, “Did you win tickets to sit there? Is it comfortable?” Sam then stepped away to return serve from Lopez. Conversely, Lopez was very intense for the whole match, talking to himself, firing himself up, talking with his coaching box. He clearly wanted it a lot more than Smooth Sam and of course won it in three sets. The next day a fan I was speaking with said Sam is like a golfer. And it’s so true, Sam’s temperment is more suited for golf than tennis. But Sam is a great player in tennis. He just can’t win “great matches.”
Another fan told me he had the chance to hit with John McEnroe in a pro am in Tampa last November and he actually won a point on Mac’s serve. What happened next? Mac unleashed a swerving curving serve that popped the guy right smack in the chest. LOL. Johnny Mac does not like losing points to ham and eggers in pro ams.
Di Caprio wants to learn tennis
Scoop Malinowski · February 19, 2014 at 10:03 am
Another scoop. Richard Williams was here on Monday. I was outside the grounds and walked right into him on the sidewalk, he told me he was coming just to check it out. Richard was by himself.
Dan markowitz · February 19, 2014 at 12:24 pm
Is Vince going to coach Leo himself?
Scoop Malinowski · February 19, 2014 at 1:40 pm
He may Dan. I remember in your book Vince said he met Di Caprio at a Hollywood party and Leo told Vince he knew who he was. Vince said he’s recently been teaching Jordan Belfort in LA, Belfort is the guy who is the subject of Wolf of Wall Street. By the way, Vince told me to tell you to call him.
Scoop Malinowski · February 20, 2014 at 2:33 pm
Lopez is staying in Miami not Delray. That’s a long drive over an hour, well over an hour if there’s traffic which there always is. Going to try to revise F-Lo Biofile tomorrow, he’s not here today.
Scoop Malinowski · February 20, 2014 at 2:37 pm
Doubles player Frank Moser just came in the media room looking for his prize money check, Lisa Franson had to take him to the proper area. Also just a few minutes ago I ran into Jimmy Arias, he commentated on the Harrison Cilic match won by Marin 6364. Again, Harry is close but no cigar. Arias told a funny story yesterday about his hitting with the young Anna Kournikova. I will tell you later and you will surely laugh, guaranteed 🙂
Bryan · February 22, 2014 at 5:34 pm
Interesting anecdote about Sam chatting up fans in the middle of his match. Seems he’s content to stroll through the tour as long as he’s top 50 and gets into the main draws of majors. It’s no doubt a nice life, but he’ll forever waste his natural talent unless he changes his mentality.