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Dan’s favorite tennis photo is McEnroe by June Harrison
30 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Up in Newport last week Dan and I were in the press center and Dan said “Scoop you have to see this photo of McEnroe it’s the best photo I’ve ever seen.”
 Instantly I agreed it was a fantastic photo – the photo credit was by June Harrison who I contacted over the weekend (to ask to be able to use for ‘Facing McEnroe” book cover) and she responded with a very nice reply:  “That image will be in my book for sure.  It’s called AMERICAN CHAMPION.”“Mary Carillo owns a slightly different printed version of it ….from a solo Hall of Fame exhibition in 1982! Mac signed it.”
Harrison says the Hall – which displays several pieces of her tennis photography – has evolved significantly over the years: Â “In those days, there was no AC in the Museum, Â only tired flies circling the room and Mark Stenning was an intern!”
About her book project Harrison says: “I am scanning the A+ photos I shot over 35+ years…and all the friends of tennis as well…Our sport is the nexus of entertainment and politics too.. as you very well know.”
“The goal is to have at least one – and more of the greatest champions – of every player I shot.
Mary says it’s a ‘noble endeavor’  – and I quote!”
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catherine bell · July 19, 2016 at 2:27 am
Agree Scoop – great pic. I did meet June H from time to time at tournaments – she was one of the best.
Photography’s not what it used to be – so much done digitally and fixed by photo editors rather than shot ‘on sight’.
I especially like the light effect in this one – something I think gone from W’don now is the way you could get great back lit pictures in the late afternoon on the old Number One court.
Dan Markowitz · July 19, 2016 at 6:15 am
This is the US Open I think, but what I love about it is the way Mac takes flight. It captures the way he moved better than any picture I’ve seen of Mac. He can still scoot a little even now at 57, but he moved in a way I’d never seen and have never seen since on the court. He didn’t run so much as he scooted like he was atop a little tricycle and I think that was why he was such a great volleyer and could hit these slap shots when he was on the run. He didn’t use his arms to run. He just ran with his legs and straight legs. He didn’t bend his knees and then like he still does today to a much lesser degree, and he’s doing in this picture, he often leapt for ball instead of running and taking the extra step and he’d be airborne in a way not even a Sampras or a Federer were. Sampras was a much greater leaper than Mac, but he didn’t scoot and go airborne as much as Mac and that’s what you see in this pic.
Scoop Malinowski · July 19, 2016 at 7:38 am
This photo is one of the best I ever saw – the angle the action the flow the intensity the lightning the aura of US Open all captured in this instant –
catherine bell · July 19, 2016 at 7:42 am
The story was that Mac played the way he did, leaping etc because he didn’t particularly like running 🙂
Whatever – it was pretty effective.
Scoop Malinowski · July 19, 2016 at 8:14 am
Maybe McEnroe liked hopping and leaping because he heard the story about his hero Borg playing his biographer for a set while only using one leg which he used to hop around the court to beat the journalist 60 🙂
Andrew Miller · July 19, 2016 at 11:06 am
Yeah, Sampras leaped like a bball player.
Ryan Balon · July 19, 2016 at 2:10 pm
What a day yesterday for the young Americans in Washington – Fritz looked very strong against Sela taking him out in straight although Dudi had many break point chances. Its amazing Sela has won 20 Challenger Titles second most to Lu.
Donaldson a local Rhode Islander had a nice win again Millot and pretty much served him off the court – looking forward to seeing how he handles Paire later today.
Tiafoe even though he lost to Mannarino looked like he’s improving and hands down has worked on his fitness since I saw him last in Indian Wells – he looks extremely fit and muscular.
Scoop I watched an ATP video on Newport and you made the cut – you can find it on their main website.
On another note Kozlov (Dan’s favorite to win Wimby soon) is getting destroyed in Binghamton to (WC) Nevolo right now.
And what’s the deal with Benjamin Becker………
Looking forward to QBall and Frantagelo
Andrew Miller · July 19, 2016 at 3:49 pm
As Scoop said Sept 2015, off Dan’s post on Harry’s future: “a player rising up out of the darkness of obscurity is very possible”.
I think that’s where we are for us tennis, even if (clearly) Fritz has the most obvious ambition. His Alex Zverev match should be a battle royal with a lot more on the line than just an ATP 500 match among teenagers. Seems like it.
Ya know I think I saw Popsipil (Canada) the other day and not necessarily Opelka. Just the guy was huge, he seemed Kevin Anderson-tall. But he was also thick, and I don’t think that’s Opelka. He was a blond dude.
Sadly I think I did not see Shuai Zheng. I think it may have been another player. There are a lot of players I just don’t know. I know Varvara Flink now! Polished game, lots to do.
Andrew Miller · July 19, 2016 at 4:27 pm
Haha Giorgi got Bouchard in straights! The match of the DC tournament on the WTA side may already be in the books.
Dan Markowitz · July 19, 2016 at 4:47 pm
That’s right, I said Kozlov will win the most prestigious double–and it’s never been done before–the Wimby/Bellevue (Newport) double. I said it and Kozlov–wait, can I take that back? Please?
Scoop Malinowski · July 19, 2016 at 10:08 pm
Thanks for the heads up Ryan – BBecker could be hitting that wall at the end of his career – he’s getting destroyed lately – But he has stuck around a lot longer than anyone expected – three years ago he was in Sarasota Challenger and he had dropped down to around 100 and had two resurgences since then – excellent career by the ex Baylor standout –
Scoop Malinowski · July 19, 2016 at 10:10 pm
That’s a huge win for Giorgi who has been quiet all year – that’s her thing – she can strike like a cobra on any day – very dangerous player – is her father coaching her this week?
Dan Markowitz · July 19, 2016 at 11:36 pm
Big win for Brydan Klein in Binghamton, knocking off top seed, 19 year old Frenchman Halys. Kozlov did come back to beat Nevolo 6-0 in third set. Do not underestimate the fight in Koz.
Andrew Miller · July 19, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Scoop, seems like Giorgi’s brother is on it this week. The WTA web site says that Giorgi called her day after the match and he was happy about it. So, no, I don’t think so. Giorgi enjoys hitting with her brother from what I could tell, he applauds shots when Giorgi goes in a direction he’s not expecting. That’s part of her game, changing the direction of the ball.
Why I love Giorgi’s game, when it’s on. It’s riveting, like Seles and like Serena Williams. Dial it up, dial it up!
Sloane Stephens lost quickly to a player named Riza Ozaki. I think actually Scoop I might have seen Ozaki and not the Chinese player Shua (spelling) Zheng. She was practicing extra shots in the heat next to Giorgi.
Sloane went down meekly from the scoreline.
Andrew Miller · July 19, 2016 at 11:54 pm
(maybe something with the Olympics)
Andrew Miller · July 19, 2016 at 11:56 pm
Koz is good Dan. If a player shows they can spot something in another player’s game and execute, watch out!
Scoop Malinowski · July 20, 2016 at 6:52 am
Kozlove is a bright player and he figured out Nevolo – that’s another very good win as he rises up the ranks – it’s been a very good year for Kozlov after a tough start – Sloane won DC last year didn’t she? Good that Giorgi has her brother who probably knows to keep things light and fun for her because her father can be overbearing and too tense for her – and I have that info via an insider who know her situation – a win like this for Giorgi should send a valuable lesson to poppa Giorgi: “Keep it light and fun for her that inspires her best tennis” –
Scoop Malinowski · July 20, 2016 at 6:54 am
Well Kozlov could have a very challenging test next round if he plays Darian King who has a 4-0 career head to head vs Kozlov – spoke with King at US Open last year or the year before – he said Kozlov has a very good backhand but he slices it when he gets nervous – very interesting battle that will be if Kozlov plays King for the fifth edition of their rivalry which has had close results but all for King –
Andrew Miller · July 20, 2016 at 10:12 am
Scoop re: Giorgi – good advice for Giorgis & Harrison families for sure. Yes, Sloane, defending champ, don’t know what happened out there. It’s a bad scoreline.
us players did well yesterday in dc for the most part. BBaker (d. Groth in 2), RHarrison (d. Robert in 2), DY (d. Escobedo in 3), Querrey (d. Fratangelo in 3) all through, and others going to the next u.s. tournament (Paire d. Donaldson, Jaziri d. Opelka (barely), Lu d.Krajieck). Dimitrov lost to Dan Evans from the UK (what the heck, Grigor!?) Dolgo barely won his match, and Shapovalov goes down in 3 against Lacko.
Today however is the real test for the better us players. Zverev vs Fritz to see “who’s the best teenager on tour”, Harrison-Troicki, Baker-Karlovic, Tomic-DY, Sock-Lacko, Johnson-Mannarino. These are the kinds of matches all of them need and need to show what they can do, because these are normal 1st round matches of Masters and slams. And they are on the favorable to us players surface, us hard courts. So it’s an excellent mid-hardcourt season test. They make it through their matches, that’s some nice momentum.
On the wta side I say look out for Arconada. She’s small in stature like Cibulkova or Coetzer (the south african great) but she hits hard! She may pose a few problems for Putinseva, though Putinseva would be wise to shut the door quickly.
Andrew Miller · July 20, 2016 at 10:25 am
Yes, Scoop, true. Her brother, Giorgi’s brother, kept it light (he hit it hard, but the guy is positive out there and is like a coach-top fan). He’s a protector too, shields Giorgi from practice partners that won’t help her for the next match. I want to say he even hit a little bit like Bouchard to prep Giorgi, but I can’t tell. I think he would have had to go for more angles to prep her in that way, I’ve heard some practice partners do that (I read it – I think that’s what Serena Williams’ practice partner did or does – he studies other players’ styles and tries to replicate that to make Serena face a similar kind of game before her matches).
So, kind of like Mary Pierce’s brother, who I’m sure her dad instructed to do that (that’s so I don’t get blamed for saying something that he gets p/od with). I had read in Sports Illustrated that before her last slam win her brother helped her practice, get back on her feet, move her feet etc.
For what it’s worth Giorgi’s brother has that same kind of effect, Giorgi is more comfortable with, basically, making mistakes and then nailing the ball the next shot. I read the same thing in tennis magazine about Nadal’s road coach three years back, Francisco Roig, that he added a different dimension. That Nadal was more at ease and ready to rumble when Roig was his travel coach (with Toni Nadal still the head guy of course). He was experimenting more, talking strategy more.
Andrew Miller · July 20, 2016 at 11:14 am
Speaking of photos, it’s bothering me a lot that outlets, at least here in dc area, are running photos of players from other tournaments and not here. This is messed up because the writers and journalists are here and then there are amateur photographers who have sweet camera and sweet shots, as well as the tournament itself with its media photos, and instead they are running photos of wimbledon.
Sure, could say well, splitting hairs, fine. But it isn’t – they had a great op-ed this morning on Fritz, and online what’s the shot? Fritz at Wimbledon where he lost his match, not the Fritz here where he won it going away.
There’s a real problem when an outlet isn’t buying photos either (a) from the tournament (b) from outlet photographers at the matches (there are tons of them) or (c) photos from amateur photographers. It’s actually stupid and dumb.
It’s weird to see a photo of Sloane Stephens, who I like a lot as a player despite her sometimes disinterest in the sport etc, she’s a character for sure, but the photo is with her at Wimbledon with this purple and green background. Now, it’s a great shot – but it isn’t here, captures nothing and it’s an insult to the player too. It’s dumb.
Andrew Miller · July 20, 2016 at 11:18 am
They did the same thing for Bouchard. Same thing for almost every player. Meanwhile on twitter, on blogs, there are awesome shots from the tournaments themselves, from people there. I mean, GREAT photos that capture something and are a lot better shots for the circumstance, for the point in time. I THINK they got a real shot for Querrey today because they had a photographer from an European outlet who was covering DC events and was here (probably to see photos of Euro players to Euro outlets).
This is dumb. No wonder sometimes interest in tennis is flagging. You need the players in the settings where they are, not showing shots of Australia etc just because that photo is cheaper. Anyone who pays attention knows that the red clay in a photo that is run alongside a u.s. domestic hard court tournament coverage is wacked.
Dumb.
catherine bell · July 20, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Andrew – I really wonder if this issue is worth getting in a twist about. There are thousands and thousands of tennis photos out there – but professional photographers usually have the advantage when photos are chosen for promotion.
I can’t see that it matters where the pics of individuals are taken as long as they are good artistically. And a photo taken in Aust wouldn’t necessarily be cheaper. The photographer would charge the same.
Not sure, these days, but pro photographers might definitely have a problem if commercial outlets started using photos taken off twitter and by fans etc.
Scoop Malinowski · July 20, 2016 at 12:46 pm
Can only guess the outlet is too tight budgetwise to send a photog to the Citi Open – Agree though Andrew – old photos don’t do a current story justice – Guess it’s just another sign that the media is struggling –
catherine bell · July 20, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Photographers will go to events if they think there’s a market – they’ll turn up probably in later rounds.
Andrew – BTW I saw what I think was your comment re Sloane Stephens on anothe site. Now it’s true that photo was taken at W’don but if I’d been the picture editor I would have chosen it and cropped it close to zoom in on her expression. That’s the story.
Andrew Miller · July 20, 2016 at 1:03 pm
catherine, you’re right. Yes, I’m making too much +/- a lot of a “non story”. But seeing the Wimbledon purple & green, and knowing that, honestly – the event itself has about 1000 excellent photos – that the dots aren’t connecting in terms of giving the public some things that make the stories better.
And the back-drop here is actually pretty nice. Sure, it’s hot as heck. But I wonder what folks would have thought seeing Sloane Stephens & Genie Bouchard & Taylor Fritz with a dc backdrop – comes to life, right? Super photogenic players in setting that local/regions can relate to.
And it’s kind of embarassing to see the W Wimbledon emblem in photographs of players here. Maybe no one catches it, but is that a good sign either?
But hey, tennis here in dc is small potatoes. It’s not the us open and it will never be. But in terms of pro sports this summer there are only two things going on: baseball & tennis. It’s not that hard to make a phone call to get a photo.
Maybe tennis is too niche.
Dan Markowitz · July 20, 2016 at 2:18 pm
What’s happened to Michael Mmoh? He’s been getting killed in last two events. He and Opelka seem not to be rising at all. But Rubin lost to a cat named Lloyd Glasspool in Binghamton. It’s not so easy to climb the ladder like Fritz and to a lesser degree, Tiafoe, JD, the Koz and Paul have done.
Andrew Miller · July 20, 2016 at 3:41 pm
Not easy, but guys like Zverev, Kyrgios have to look over their shoulder. Watching all these young players rise faster and higher, it’s pretty clear to me that the race to unseat Djokovic is on. Maybe it will take two years. Maybe three. But it looks like they will take over their countries’ Davis Cup teams first, like Zverev has, and then they will take over the top rankings.
Jg · July 20, 2016 at 7:44 pm
Harry is back!
Scoop Malinowski · July 20, 2016 at 9:50 pm
Big big win for Harrison – big credit for Harrison for persevering and keeping his fighting spirit through all the dispiriting losses –