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Let’s talk about the Citi Open 2015
19 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
This has to be some kind of record – seven, that’s right SEVEN, alternates were accepted into the Citi Open qualifying draw. That means a lot of late pullouts and injuries forced players to drop out of the event and alternate players on site were admitted to play basically as substitutes.
Amazingly, four alternates won today – Mischa Zverev beat Kyle Edmund, Ze Zhang beat James Ward, Darian King beat Somdev Devvarman in three sets, and Takuto Niki beat fellow ALT Sekou Bangoura 76 in the third.
Robby Ginepri’s career is still alive, but the 32 year old lost today to Yoshihito Nishioka 46 in the third. The veteran American is now ranked 441 in the world but will lose points from playing main draw last year. We may have seen the last of “Gineps” in an ATP main draw, remember Ginepri lost 36 in the fifth to Agassi at the 2005 US Open semi.
Good news on the Ryan Harrison front – he survived a three setter today with Guillerme Clezar of Brazil.
Andy Murray is still the top seed and hit on center court today with new coach Jonas Bjorkman. Lleyton Hewitt, Kei Nishiori, Grigor Dimitrov, John Isner, Denis Kudla, Richard Gasquet, Dr Ivo, Steve Johnson, Kevin Anderson, Feliciano Lopez, Jack Sock, Bernard Tomic all will play. Some of the good first round matches are Tommy Haas vs Donald Young, Dudi Sela vs Hyeon Chung, Dolgopolov vs Smyczek, Groth vs Bellucci, and Hewitt vs qualifier.
On the womens side Eugenie Bouchard and Victoria Azarenka have withdrawn.
I will arrive to DC tomorrow afternoon in time for the player party, so follow my reports and updates which will be added to this feature…
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jg · August 2, 2015 at 8:59 pm
Just got back in the country, should be there tomorrow sometime, what’s your text again, also an unbelievable tennis story from Portugal, I end up getting lost on my bike but ce across 3 clay courts in theirs le of nowhere and end up playing with a former Portugese Davis Cup player who is the coach of Frederico Gil, who he says is trying to make a come back
Scoop Malinowski · August 2, 2015 at 10:17 pm
Hi jg. I’m at Marriott marquis downtown. Text me when u arrive to venue. Look fwd to see you. Bjk too. 201. 218 ,0811. Saw zverev bros walking around streets here w parents. Player party now. No scoops yet.
Thomas Tung · August 3, 2015 at 1:06 am
Re: Murray — isn’t Bjorkman sharing coaching duties with Mauresmo? At least, that’s the impression I got.
Dan Markowitz · August 3, 2015 at 6:45 am
John, what were you riding around the Portuguese countryside with your racquet bag? That is the craziest of tennis stories. That you find these clay courts and then hit with a former Portuguese Davis Cup coach. I think that’s always the thin strata of pro tennis, being on the Davis Cup team. Like my son’s coach now, never made it on pro tour per se, played Goran in first round of Kitzbuehl for the hallmark of his career, but he was on the Georgian Davis Cup team. Or when I used to teach tennis in Jamaica, I once played against a Jamaican Davis Cup player.
All good, and I hope you and Scoop get out there and hit this week. Thanks for the invo, but I’ve been away two weeks this summer and that’s really all I can take at this point away from my job. By the way, Scoop was on New Jersey’s Davis Cup team or at least Trenton’s.
jg · August 3, 2015 at 7:29 am
So true about Davis Cup, there are tons of former Davis Cup players around here from small countries and you would never know it (but for them telling you)
Moskova Moskova · August 3, 2015 at 9:21 am
7 alternates ?…hmmm…wonder what really happened ?…players saving themselves for next week’s 1000 ? rather than grinding it out in DC’s summer heat ?
Dan Markowitz · August 3, 2015 at 9:58 am
If you look at it objectively, the US young men have had a miserable year. It starts with Kozlov who looked to be as Scoop called him, “the alpha-dog,” and he’s become the lowly mutt instead. Donaldson hasn’t done anything special and then Tiafoe has lost all momentum it seems since he switched coaches.
Kudla has been a very pleasant surprise, but guys like Klahan, Rhyne Williams, Tennys Sandgren, Bjorn Frantangelo, of course my favorite whipping boy, Harry, they’ve done little to nothing all year long except for Harry’s stunted charge back in Mexico.
It’s been a pretty miserable year for men’s American tennis with the older guys, Qball, Smyczck, DY and even Sock performing sub-par.
Moskova Moskova · August 3, 2015 at 11:56 am
too many chilli dogs and ice cream to boot for the americanskies..
perhaps the DC cafeteria food was contaminated….a la “AIRPLANE” haha
Bryan · August 3, 2015 at 3:44 pm
men’s side is pretty stacked. Hoping my man Isner can make it two titles in a row after taking down Atlanta.
On the women’s side, I just saw Louisa Chirico spark out Heather Watson. What a shocker. I never saw her play before. Good young American prospect at just 19.
Dan Markowitz · August 3, 2015 at 3:47 pm
That’s a nice win for Chirico, who hails from my county, Westchester, and trains sometimes at the club I belong to. She looks physically like Murguruza so she could be a good one.
This Thiem’s one hander is sick. It’s really nice that we have Gasquet, Wawa, Fed, Dimitrov and now Thiem, all top players with one handers. I mean all these guys with the exception of Richy could possibly win the next slam. Thiem I like better than Coric and possibly even Kyrgios, but I’m sure he doesn’t have the Aussie’s serve.
Bryan · August 3, 2015 at 3:48 pm
“7 alternates ?…hmmm…wonder what really happened ?…players saving themselves for next week’s 1000”
Correct. Players are realizing the US Open series is too long and citing “injuries” for bevy of withdrawals.
Serena pulled out of BoTW here in NorCal but they still have posters of her all over Palo Alto. I understand the need to conserve yourself ahead of US Open but she was the headliner and my girlfriend wanted to see her. We already got our hotel and tickets. Players need to give advance notice not wait until qualies are about to start.
Moskova Moskova · August 3, 2015 at 4:29 pm
yes i’ve seen that happen….haas was in the lineup with headlines then pulled out suddenly just a day or two beforehand…i guess it’s part of the marketing of marquee name players..
Bryan · August 3, 2015 at 4:42 pm
What happened to Ryan Harrison? After a strong start to early 2015 he’s playing like trash. Lost first set to Duckworth 1-6 and down 0-2 in 2nd. Looks like he’s busting out in R1.
Dan Markowitz · August 3, 2015 at 5:31 pm
Typical Harry move–he’s such a tool. There’s no other way of explaining it. He goes down to Duckworth, yes James Duckworth, that Aussie legend, and then as he heads out of the stadium and there’s like 5 young kids with the big yellow balls asking for his autograph, he walks right by them and hands them his white sweaty towel. Geez, thanks, Mr. Harrison, that’s what I always wanted, your sweaty white towel.
Scoop Malinowski · August 4, 2015 at 8:48 am
Monday report…Bjorkman was busy on site all day, he was there when I arrived before noon and I saw him still there when I left at nine. Was told Ginepri, Russell are retiring at us open. Hewitt was practicing with Guido pella. Kudla was walking and a fan called him out as Hewitt, look so similar. Murray was late for his 1245 preserve by almost an hour but gave good material, with no Brit press here which is rare. A woman asked him about boxing and he said he struggles to be able to watch boxers he’s met, has to leave room. Said Aussie Davis cup team will be challenge because they’re so deep w players. I gave Andy copy of my Ali book after, he said thank you twice. Fish dimitrov shocked popsock 6776 10 8. Overflow crowd on gstand. Fish should be dubs specialist now,to beat popsock proves he can contend for doubles majors. Alexander Zverev 7563 ed nishioka and did a biofile with me after. A great biofile too, I might add.
Moskova Moskova · August 4, 2015 at 9:15 am
sayonara haas ! DY fried him in DC..
Fish / Roddick could definitely be doubles-specialists..
on a side note, can you guys imagine if after Roger hangs up his racquet in singles; prlly at 40 or so, then decides to switch gears as a doubles specialist at the ripe age range of 40-55+ ???
Scoop Malinowski · August 4, 2015 at 10:36 am
Fish has the game to be a doubles star mm. I missed most of the Fish presser because I was doing Zverevbiofile outside media tent, will ask people today if fish talked of trying to extend his career as a dubs guy. Zverev impressed me very much, he said playing his bro Mischa in Houston was the worst experience inhis career. A very sharp respectful kid. Will be a great champion.
Bryan · August 7, 2015 at 8:07 pm
Mischa Zverev was at Citi? His younger brother Alexander is also there and got some nice wins. I actually saw him play 3 times since last week, at either the Swedish or Croatian Open. H’es just 18, lots of upside there.
Scoop Malinowski · August 7, 2015 at 9:29 pm
Yes Mischa lost in last round of qualies to Harrison. Zverev was SUPER IMPRESSIVE Bryan, John McEnroe says he sees him winning majors, Andy Roddick says he’s the best young talent he’s seen in years, Benjamin Becker says he’s the best of the teen brigade. Zverev looked great in beating Anderson and Dolopolov from a set down each this week. Movement, power, smarts, poise, it’s all there. He even had Belinda Bencic and Kiki Mladenovic sitting in the front row behind his chair cheering him on vs Dolgo.