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After a very long girls 18s final (won by Maria Carle of Argentina from a set down to Varvara Gracheva of Russia), Miomir Kecmanovic vs Benjamin Sigouin took the court a little bit after high noon.
Kecmanovic is the calmest, least intense great player I have ever seen. He just casually strolls around the court like a park player on vacation. There’s no urgency and no ferocity, just total calm. And sublime, extraordinary natural talent. Â The 17-year-old Serbian, who stands probably a shade under six feet tall, is one of those unique players who makes tennis look easy.
Sigouin is a taller kid and a striker, he kind of reminds me of Jerzy Janowicz minus the drop shots and trickery. 17-year-old Sigouin can wallop the ball from the baseline and according to one insider is considered by some to be just as bright a prospect as Felix Auger and Denis Shapovalov.
In the first game of the match, Sigouin served and was down two break points at 15-40 but he saved the game. Kecmanovic held easily and broke the Canadian in the next game on his fourth break point.
The difference of the two players was evident. Kecmanovic is a little quicker in hand and foot from the baseline and he mixes up the speeds more than the heavy hitting Sigouin. 2-1 eventually became 6-2 for Kecmanovic.
Nick Bollettieri was watching the match next to me and his comment was that Kecmanovic has to get to the net more to be a top notch ATP pro. In the first game of the second set that’s exactly what Kecmanovic did and he won the point with a nice forehand volley.
In the Bradenton Herald newspaper today, Kecmanovic’s coach Miro Hrvatin shared some insights about his multi-talented and ambitious player: Â Hrvatin said the 12 year old Kecmanovic was a complainer about all the fitness training that is required to be a top player but then one day he changed is attitude. Hrvatin asked Kecmanovic, Why are you here if you don’t want to do all the cardio training? Â “If I have to become number one in the world, I have to do it,” said Kecmanovic. Â Hrvatin was impressed, “That was pretty amazing for a kid (to say).”
The second set was similar to the first, with Sigouin unable to unsettle the ITF no. 1 ranked junior Kecmanovic who closed out the victory 6-2 6-1.
“Though he didn’t play his best today, his game suits mine pretty well,” said Kecmanovic after the match. “I’m happy with this win and I hope I can continue to play well at the Orange Bowl.”
“His skills are growing every day,” said Hrvatin. “His skills are like a professional’s. His hand is very, very fast and getting faster every day.”
Kecmanovic’s hand speed is evident, especially on wide balls which he can snatch at for laser beam acute winners.
Notes: The girls final was a thriller 26 75 63). Gracheva won the first set and was on the brink of victory in the second with a 4-2 then 5-4 lead but Carle is a ferocious competitor. I remember her from two years ago in the 14s because of her feisty demeanor and variety of shots. Carle used defensive tactics to counter the heavy hitting Russian no. 5 seed. Carle somehow won the second set and then surged ahead 4-2 in the third but the Russian found her margins and closed the deficit to 3-4. But Carle raised her intensity and began screaming after winning points. At the end of the second set she screamed and grunted, provoking one fan to laugh about how her sounds resembled a lamb’s Baaahahaha.
16-year-old Carle held for 5-3 and broke Gracheva in a deuce-plus final game. The final point point was a Gracheva net cord that landed wide. Carle who trains in Tandil Argentina at Del Potro’s old club also won Orange Bowl 16s last year.
Zane Khan, another player who stood out two years ago in the 12s was in the 14s final today against the no. 1 seed from Korea. Once undersized, Khan has grown several inches and is close to 5-10 now. His serve is much better and his baseline consistency and variety and his defense are better than ever. And his Nadal/Hewitt like intensity is as strong as ever. Khan was too much for the Korean, winning it two tough sets.
Anton Matusevic of England won the 16s. Matusevic stood out all week with his power baseline game and his colorful outbursts of expression. I praised Matusevic for his colorful court personality  that is very entertaining to watch and he thanked me for appreciating it. In a few years Tennis-prose.com readers I think you will have the pleasure of watching this entertaining talent Matusevic.
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Hartt · December 5, 2016 at 5:59 am
Scoop, thanks for the report on the Kecmanovic vs Sigouin match. Obviously I was disappointed in the result, especially the score. But young Kecmanovic certainly looks like a player to keep an eye on.
The other matches sounded like a lot of fun. How great it must be to see these youngsters, knowing that in the future some of them could be tennis stars.
Scoop Malinowski · December 5, 2016 at 7:47 am
Hartt it is a fantastic event and one of my favorite events – I’m sure I saw a handful of future major champion winners and future WTA and ATP top five players last week – the level of tennis all these juniors play is mind blowing – It was so nice to see three of the players – Khan / Carle /Kecmanovic all who all caught my eye two years ago win titles yesterday – Another big BIG prospect is Coco Gauff and also Gabrielle Price who had another good run – It was a great pleasure meeting and chatting with her dad marc price –
Hartt · December 5, 2016 at 10:45 am
Scoop, based on your descriptions of Kecmanovic’s play at Eddie Herr have added him to my secondary youngsters list. He has a good record in doubles as well as singles. But what really tipped the balance is he said reading books is one of his hobbies. Way to go!
The other player I am working on right now is Quentin Halys. I always like to have 1 French player on the list and Pouille has graduated from it. So if anyone has any info on Halys would love to see it.
Scoop Malinowski · December 5, 2016 at 11:59 am
Kecamanovic said his returning was the key to the match though he admitted Sigouin did not play his best. Of course that could be because Kecmanovic prohibited him from playing his best which is a talent the great players have. I still remember and always will how Thomas Johnasson said he played Marcelo Rios one time and he was playing great but he still lost like 61 62. He said he played great but Rios made him feel like a beginner on the court.
Dan Markowitz · December 5, 2016 at 4:22 pm
I love Tojo’s backhand. If you’ve ever heard of the tennis coach, Oscar Wegner, Tojo does on his backhand what Wegner does on his forehand. He kind of points his racquet head at the ball as its approaching–what Wegner calls “tracking” the ball and contrary to what most pros will tell you do which is get your racquet back right away–and then he quickly takes it back when it bounces and whacks it.
But yes, Tojo is carrying around a few extra lbs. But Phillipoussis killed Roddick twice last year in Power Shares events and Tojo is 41, seven years older than Roddick and older than Philly (40) too.
Does Gabbby Price still play an ultra-pressure game where she stands up close in the court, particularly on returns, and hits ball early? Has she grown much? How tall is she now?
Scoop Malinowski · December 5, 2016 at 4:52 pm
Price is 5-4 and still playing with variety – Didn’t see a lot of her to get a clear read though – Tojo could be the most unsung major winner of all time – no one talks about him – I will dig up his Biofile and post it later this week –
catherine bell · December 6, 2016 at 3:34 am
Off topic but I just caught up with Kerber’s ‘fashion shoot for Grazia’ – so get ready for her slide down the rankings.
When players start doing this stuff you know they’ve taken their eye off the ball. And they seldom do it well – Angie looks stiff and posed and her smile is pure plastic. Less is more in front of the camera.
Kate Moss any day 🙂
(not sure about her tennis game though)
Scoop Malinowski · December 6, 2016 at 8:25 am
Catherine: It’s good exposure for tennis -a lot of players dabble in fashion and no harm is done -it’s good cross marketing for her and the tennis – I don’t think Kerber will lose any focus on her day job –
catherine bell · December 6, 2016 at 10:10 am
Scoop –
Get your point but I still think athletes look best in their natural environment.
Angie certainly does. She’s not a model and doesn’t have modelling skills so ends up looking false. Which is funny in a way since no job is surely more false than modelling 🙂
and Kate Moss’ genius is surely to make modelling look ‘real’ – but enough of philosophical discussion and back to tennis – would take a bet on Angie failing to defend in Oz, as much as I like her as a player.)
Scoop Malinowski · December 6, 2016 at 10:49 am
In this day and age to be “a model” is one of the most appealing pursuits for a young girl and it’s one heckuva glamorous dream job for the one in a billion who reach the top but I have a lot more respect for anybody who makes it as a pro tennis player than a top model- Kerber took one day off during her off-season to experience being a model -no harm done -she is the favorite to win Australia –
Hartt · December 6, 2016 at 11:36 am
I think Catherine is correct in thinking Kerber won’t win AO (as much as I’d like that result). But I have absolutely no idea who is the likely winner. I think the WTA will continue to be its unpredictable self.
I also wish there was less emphasis put on the women players’ looks, with so much attention paid to being dressed up, etc. It is not even so much the time involved as having that as an emphasis when the discussion could be about their tennis skills.
I know the male players also do some photo shoots but somehow we don’t hear nearly as much about whether they are good-looking or not. I enjoy some banter about the guys’ looks, but just for fun. There is serious discussion about the women’s looks and we know the good-looking ones get more attention than they would otherwise.
catherine bell · December 6, 2016 at 1:17 pm
Hartt –
Can of worms opened up here re women’s looks which is perpetually interesting to me since my memories go back to the 70s and 80s and eternal debates on the acceptability or not of marketing women for their appearance.
The WTA colludes in selling women’s tennis on the basis of looks, of course it does, it’d be mad not to, but there’s surely a depressing side to that. What if you don’t fit the mould ? (I’ve sometimes wondered if there’s a WTA edict that young women should all have long hair – they don’t in real life.)
I was struck this year with the contrast between the publicity photos for the opening of the year-end finals, women and me. Women were stuffed into glamour frocks with varying degrees of success (Simona looked nice but then she’s not glamorous and doesn’t try to be – so far) while the men were just lined up in blue suits on the Thames waterfront, looking normal and businesslike.
This is a complex issue about which I’ve seen few, if any, articles etc in recent years – and not forgetting there are subtexts which are never mentioned these days – everyone being so much more genteel and terrified than a few years ago apparently.
Makes me laugh in a way 🙂
catherine bell · December 6, 2016 at 2:03 pm
What did I tell you ?
Federer and Serena clearly didn’t get paid up-front for the IPTL circus and both have done a discreet runner. Can’t imagine what either were doing there in the first place.
Andrew Miller · December 6, 2016 at 2:29 pm
Dont see Kerber as favorite. I think she has the x on the back like Puente and no training will prep her for others playing out of their minds against her next year. I think she has had one of the best years for a non Serena Williams player since Henin and Super Kim Clijsters, but i think there is a critical mass of players including Pliskova and Halep who have also put in the training and are ready to get over themselves and get their name etched onto a slam winner trophy.
Scoop Malinowski · December 6, 2016 at 2:50 pm
The sharks all sense Serena’s blood in the water and this could be a very challenging year for the ol lioness – at some point it’s going to be a messy downfall for Queen Ree and 2017 could be the crash – Kerber and Pliskova and other ambitious pre-champions surely are chomping at the bit –
catherine bell · December 6, 2016 at 3:41 pm
Scoop-
Disagree – Serena will most likely exit gracefully, as Chris Evert did.
Scoop Malinowski · December 6, 2016 at 6:37 pm
Catherine: I can see that too – You are probably right – Serena will know deep down when she has lost her invincibility and will exit gracefully – She may even already know it and that’s why she surrendered no 1 without much of a fight –
Andrew Miller · December 6, 2016 at 9:28 pm
Kerber might do it. But Djokovic wont. Firing Becker was dumb. I am shorting Djokovic stock.
Scoop malinowski · December 6, 2016 at 10:36 pm
If Djokovic replaces Boris Becker with Pepe Imaz i might eat my hat. Might be the all time worst coach hiring since the Giants hired Ray Handley. And i wont mention the infamous state trooper incident.