I just got to Florida and saw some action at Eddie Herr, and obtained a load of scoops.
First of all Paul Goldstein, Ashley Fisher, and Bobby Reynolds were all kind enough to talk about their Facing Andy Murray memories – Paul is the head coach at Stanford (fourth place last year in Pac 10- “we have some work to do”) and Bobby is in his first year as head coach at Auburn, while Ashley is in his first year at Central Florida with Jimmy Arias as his assistant.
A coach here with connections to Andre Agassi and Steffi revealed young Jaden is a baseball player who can throw 85 mph and he’s just 14 – and the daughter is a serious competitive dancer. Andre and Steffi recently shared some valuable advices with budding Hungarian pro Fanny Stollar, citing the importance of enjoying the process and life as a player. Steffi added that actually playing tennis wasn’t what she loved the most – it was actually the competitive aspect of tennis.
The tour life of the young players is very difficult and lonely on the WTA side because most of the players are isolated and older players do not reach out to help or mentor, for example one certain player walked by a veteran from her same Euro country at the pro event in the hallway and the veteran player did not even acknowledge the younger player’s presence. Women’s players seldom train together either.
David Emma was a former NHL player for the NJ Devils, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers and his 17 year old daughter Victoria reached the third round of the Eddie Herr 18s. Emma has a full scholarship to attend No. 1 ranked Florida University next year.
A big group of the US players are currently training at the Orlando USTA complex – January will be the official opening of the massive venue.
Ryan Harrison will marry Lauren McHale in late March next year, Harrison is here training in IMG Bradenton as is Heather Watson.
Faces in the crowd: Daniel Vacek – Ivan Molina (Roland Garros Mixed finalist in 1977) – David Red Ayme who noted that Glenn Weiner has coached Michael MMoh into the top 200 – Weiner also coached Kei Nishikori to the top 100.
Stay tuned for ongoing Eddie Herr coverage.
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Thomas Tung · November 30, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Thanks for the info, Scoop — wasn’t Red Ayme Tommy Haas’ coach for some time? If my memory is correct, this was around the time Haas picked up a win over Rios in the Australian Open during the early 2000s.
catherine bell · December 1, 2016 at 3:52 am
Andre and Steffi seem to have become the fountainhead of tennis wisdom etc for so many players these days without ever leaving home 🙂
As I mentioned in another thread below Kerber definitely benefitted from Steffi’s support and advice over the past year or so – probably helps that Steffi was her idol growing up.
Also Simona, with the Cahill/Agassi contact, has been around there as well. Maybe she bumped into Angie.
The comment on the loneliness etc of WTA also supports my feelings and experience – the culture is very different for women, they don’t socialise the same way young men do. It can be a tough life unless you have a partner who is willing/able to travel with you.
Scoop malinowski · December 1, 2016 at 6:38 am
Yes Catherine. We talked about that. Kerber meeting and spending time with Steffi and Andre was a huge inspiration for Kerber. That meetup happened this summer in vegas also.
Scoop malinowski · December 1, 2016 at 6:39 am
Thomas. Yes you are correct. Ayme coached Haas a couple of stints.
Scoop malinowski · December 1, 2016 at 6:44 am
Miomir Kecmanovic is the top seed in 18s. Tsitsipas is not playing Herr or Orange Bowl so hes abandoned the quest to be no 1 junior after making two ATP challenger finals recently. Shapovalov is also not playing and has pulled out of a lot of ITF events recently. Not sure why. Sebi Korda retired yesterday down 0-4. The top two seeds in the girls 18s lost yesterday.
catherine bell · December 1, 2016 at 9:05 am
Scoop –
Any sightings of past tennis stars progeny at Herr’s this year ?
Always interesting. (Sebi Korda daughter of Petr ?)
And do you happen to know who Heather Watson’s coach is now, if she has one ?
Dan Markowitz · December 1, 2016 at 10:27 am
Weiner has had good success as a coach, Kei and Mmoh. I remember Spadea once absolutely ripped Weiner at the US Open the year he beat Bjorkman in 2005 and the year we were writing the book. For the record, the scores were 4, 2, 0.
Doug Day · December 1, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Gaping hole in feminist theory for equality in a man’s world. So sad that apparently competetive biology supercedes mentoring of younger up & comers in the league – or the corridors of executive power. Just sayin.
Scoop Malinowski · December 1, 2016 at 8:49 pm
Catherine: Sebi Korda is the boys 18s national clay court champion and won rounds at this year’s junior US Open – I saw him play and he is very very good – yesterday he got sick and had to retire. Sebi is short for Sebastian.
Scoop Malinowski · December 1, 2016 at 8:50 pm
Doug Day: Can you repeat that debut comment in more simple terms?! Nice to meet you today at Eddie Herr.
catherine bell · December 2, 2016 at 2:46 am
Scoop –
Yes of course Sebi is a boy 🙂
But I was thinking of Korda’s son and then that he had more kids but maybe he doesn’t.
I’m also bemused by Doug Day’s comment – can’t work out what on earth he’s talking about.
Scoop Malinowski · December 2, 2016 at 9:02 am
Korda also has two daughters Jessica and Nelly who are both LPGA golfers –
catherine bell · December 2, 2016 at 9:52 am
Scoop =
Thanks for that info – sort of knew he had daughters but not in tennis.
One of Lendl’s daughters is a golfer too but how good I don’t know.
Just heard that Rosberg has retired at the top from F1 – I wonder if we can look forward to unexpected retirements from top of the tennis rankings ? (eg Borg)
I have a candidate but I’m not saying 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · December 2, 2016 at 4:58 pm
Catherine: Racing is dangerous and life threatening every day on the race track – tennis is always a joy and thrill to play –
catherine bell · December 3, 2016 at 3:10 am
Yes but that doesn’t stop pro players retiring when they feel they’ve done enough and don’t want to slide back down the rankings into obscurity.
Some find that decision easy to make – Penetta – some not.
I’m sure you can find parallels in boxing.
Doug Day · December 4, 2016 at 8:12 am
The WTA wants equality and even money but nature intervenes. Aging women struggle resenting the attractive power of the new girls, sensing their own power under threat. Conversely, men as they mature actually enjoy mentoring boy-successors as part of their own legacy. Men-tor.
catherine bell · December 4, 2016 at 11:57 am
Doug –
I’m afraid I still don’t know what you’re talking about.
When you say ‘ageing’ women do you mean active players or retired players ?
And where’s the evidence that any of these women jealously guard their talents and are frightened of losing their ‘power’ ? I can think of several women who are involved in mentoring or advising younger players, Steffi Graf for one.
Many women as they mature and retire end up with families which means the time they have for coaching and related activities tends to be restricted. That doesn’t happen in the same way with men.
I find your argument re equality bizarre. It’s not one I’ve heard before and believe me I’ve heard a lot .
catherine bell · December 4, 2016 at 12:11 pm
And by the way the word ‘mentor’ has nothing to with men in the general sense.
Doug Day · December 4, 2016 at 9:02 pm
If you can stand one more Catherine, a freely available read of Dr. Peggy Drexler’s WSJ article “Tyranny of the Queen Bee” breaks it down like i never could. Bizzare if it doesnt transfer to tennis.
catherine bell · December 5, 2016 at 3:36 am
Doug –
The Queen Bee idea has been shown to be a myth and it certainly doesn’t translate to tennis.
I’ve never found it to be true elsewhere either.
Women do help each other. I know – I am one 🙂
Doug Day · December 5, 2016 at 8:10 am
The tyranny of the opresssed.
I demand a recount.