When you go to US Open qualies it’s a constant barrage of tennis. You see so much, it’s hard to remember everything. I will try. In no particular order…
Gael Monfils entering incognito with a hood on in middle of sunny afternoon by the front entrance by the Eric Fischl sculpture of Ashe. Looks like La Monf came via bus. He was with a female French player who I can’t name.
Steve Darcis is finally back after a long hiatus with the shoulder injury from the fall in the Rafa match at Wimbledon. Steve was laid up for months, unable to even hold a glass of water or his recent baby, he had to lay on the couch and in bed a certain way to not further damage the shoulder. He played Futures and Challengers as part of his comeback. Today Darcis beat Inigo Cervantes of Spain 60 76. Big win for Steve who chatted with Tennis-prose.com after the match.
The USTA changed the P courts and the first two courts area so now there are three courts sideways/perpendicular to the 5 P courts. It’s a major improvement. Now fans can see the practice from more than just the one side. Really nice set up.
Saw one point of Murray vs. Stan on Armstrong and it was a ridiculously competitive like 40 shot rally, finally Murray bailed out and hit a weak drop shot which Stan forehanded for a winner. Murray slumped after like he was exhausted. Best practice point I ever saw during qualies week.
Seventeen year old Alexander Zverev was impressive, he has a shine about him, a memorable look with the hair and headband. Big game too. Could be a future number one.
Old guy Marc Gicquel is still out there grinding away. Think he’s 36 now.
Jana Novotna in the house. She was coaching young Czech Krejcikova.
There are a lot of new names that I have never seen or heard of before this year…Su Jeong Jang…Bernarde Pera (USA)…Juan Ignacio Londero…Elitsa Kostova…Valery Rudnev (Rus)…Fiona Ferro…Montserrat Gonzalez (Parag)…Nikoloz Basilashvili….Egor Gerasimov…Ernesto Escobedo (USA).
Always a good show to see Michelle Larcher De Brito. Michelle just missed the main draw cutoff in a freak fluke occurance. She was in then just before the cutoff the rankings changed and she dropped from just being to just being out, to l09. Then by end of the week on Friday, the rankings changed again and she was back under the cutoff – but it was too late.
So twenty-one-year old Michelle finds herself in qualies for the umpteenth time today vs. Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada. She wins the tight first set 64 with great baseline counter punching tennis with some good finishes in the front court. She’s at her best. Goes up 4-l in the second. But then loses it in a tiebreak when the strong Canadian ups her game and adds the high deep shot which Michelle has trouble finishing.
But Michelle regroups and wins the third 62. She will play the winner of Barbora Krejcikova or Eri Hozumi.
Another one of my favorite quali players Ons Jabeur of Tunisia was up a set and break on Claire Feuerstein of France and presumably won. Patrick Mouratoglou was coaching the French girl Claire.
Youzhny and Donskoy were practicing on grandstand.
Monfils and Gasquet were together on Ashe, after Hewitt and Berdych.
The player that really caught my eye today was Taro Daniel of Japan, he has a very smooth fluid game, tall and rangy, great athlete. Check out Taro Daniel if you can. He survived MPs in the second and defeated American Alex Kuznetsov.
Roberto Marcora made Pedja Krstin vomit twice on the court on the way to a victory.
Another one of my favorites Yulia Putintseva needed three sets to finish Montserrat Gonzalez after blowing a 3-l lead in second. Yulia, endorsed by Mizuno, a colorful fiery player, was angry at a linesperson for some calls. Later a Russian fan told me Yulia said in Russian, ‘I’m going to get that linesperson.’
Davide Sanguinetti is still coaching Go Soeda but he lost today to Oscar Hernandez.
I saw young Stefan Kozlov walking around the grounds by himself, carrying his racquets. Nobody seemed to recognize the rising young player who gave an outstanding performance with Jared Donaldson against the Bryan Bros in Washington DC where they lost a thrilling match 57 06. Kozlov faces Mitchell Frank tomorrow in qualies.
I was able to interview both Sanguinetti and Darcis about “Facing Rafa.”
That’s all for Day One, please tune back in tomorrow…
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Jack · August 20, 2014 at 12:04 am
Sounds like you are working hard Scoop. Do you have a press pass for the main draw ?
You Know Who · August 20, 2014 at 2:17 am
“Saw one point of Murray vs. Stan on Armstrong and it was a ridiculously competitive like 40 shot rally, finally Murray bailed out and hit a weak drop shot which Stan forehanded for a winner. Murray slumped after like he was exhausted. Best practice point I ever saw during qualies week.”
It was 27 shots actually and Murray ran wide to his backhand and hit a weak slice not really a drop shot. More of a stab at the ball. Stan ran up to it and had an easy sitter. Murray mumbled something (to his friend/coach whose name I don’t know) about hitting the limit. I’ll check closer when I have time and I’ll try to post the point for you. I really feel we’re quite fortunate to be there and I don’t see why every tennis fan shouldn’t see the point if they desire. I don’t know if I’d say it was the best practice point ever but it was good and both players were playing hard. I think there may be a psychological thing to winning the set even though it’s only practice.
Amelie is about as talkative as Lendl was during practice. Which I think suits Murray well.
See I read your post and I posted myself. In honor of running into your partner. He didn’t remember our first meet but it 2009 at Dimotrov v. Belluci, R2 qualies. Dimitrov had a lot of hype (which he finally seems to be at least starting to fulfill) and me and Dan apparently are both fans of the 1HB. Are you aware that the previous round 1 qualie win by Dimotrov (over Kamke) in 2009 is the only match Dimitrov has ever won at the USO (excluding juniors where he was the 2008 champ). He’s a top ten player now and he’s never gotten out of the first round of the USO.
Scoop Malinowski · August 20, 2014 at 7:12 am
Jack, yes for part of it, not the entire tho.
Scoop Malinowski · August 20, 2014 at 7:22 am
Seemed more like 27 each YKW but I’ll surely take your word for it. Good stat on Dimitrov, but that streak of futility is going to end next week and maybe even into the second week. Thanks for the video post if you can do that of Murray vs. Stan, I think readers will love that point. Who ended up winning the set? Presume it was Stan. See you later pal.
Scoop Malinowski · August 20, 2014 at 9:07 am
Another thing I remember, a fan told me Russell was utterly dominant, really sharp and confident, he liked how be ready to strike a just out ball but fluidly let it pass. He said he liked that move and how it expressed confidence by Iron Mike. I never heard of Escobedo before but people were talking about his big game and he dismissed veteran Devvarman routinely. Gonna check on this kid Escobedo, a teenaged American.
Scoop Malinowski · August 20, 2014 at 9:13 am
Jan Seimerink – remember him? – he was coaching Arantxa Rus who just got blitzed by Royg like one and two. Jimmy Arias told me a funny story. I gave him a copy of my Hewitt book and said how I gave Hewitt a copy in Newport and then he won singles and doubles there probably partly because he got pumped up by reading the good things players said about him. He then offered his memory of playing in US Open qualies against a “putz”, Jimmy was down a set and break and then said to himself, “I might lose this match.” But then he suddenly reminded himself, wait a minute I’m Jimmy Arias. And that mind game trick snapped him out of the funk, Jimmy won the match. Funny how the mind works in tennis isn’t it? Jimmy Arias, one of the best TV commentators in the biz, always seems to have a good anecdote to share.
Andrew Miller · August 20, 2014 at 9:21 am
Post on Tornado Alicia Black, best name in tennis ! She won her first rd qualies