Joachim Johansson got a wildcard into qualies in Stockholm and won both matches to make the main draw. He’s up a break in the first set in what has to be his first ATP match in at least three years. The last time I remember hearing Pim Pim’s name was three years ago in Miami when talking with Thomas Johnasson and Jonas Bjorkman on grandstand watching a Gulbis match. They said Johansson wasn’t going to play Davis Cup for Sweden, not for any particular reason but just that he didn’t feel like playing.
Ryan Harrison lost in the second match of Austria qualies to Germany’s Kevin Krawietz 76 67 46. Ouch. Dan and company, get your shovels out.
I like this first round match in Stockholm – Jack Sock vs. Bernard Tomic. Winner to play top seed David Ferrer.
This weekend I went to see the thirteen or fourteen year old USTA prospect Rachel Lim who was playing a junior l4s event at Bogota Racquet Club. She moved to NY from California last year and trains at the BJK USTA training center. Let me tell you, this girl looks like a future pro champion. She’s lefty, tall and has an all around game. Forehand winners, big serve/excellent motion, comes in and makes volleys, she put away every short ball. Driving clean winners from the baseline. Pretty good movement for a tall girl. Excellent focus and intensity for each point. Really well coached and well trained. She looked like a real pro, ready for a wildcard into a WTA main draw or qualie draw. Remember the name – Rachel Lim.
Remember this name: Rachel Lim
12 comments
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Dan Markowitz · October 14, 2013 at 8:44 am
Rachel Lim, is she Asian? I looked up Ingrid Neel recently. Remember her? She’s the girl from Minnesota, who’s mom apparently idolized JMac and wanted Neel to attend his academy because she played a game identical to Mac’s, all serve and volley. Well, she’s now 16 and ranked No. 16 in the country, not so good, I think, if she was touted as the next Mac. She’s not at the Mac Academy, though. She’s at IMG in Bradenton. It’s so hard to predict even a 13 yr old making it at the pro level.
By the way, my 7 yr old son took a lesson at the Mac Academy here in Westchester, suburbs of New York City. And what a joke. It was a two-hour lesson with Fritz Beuning overseeing. The kids in the lesson were basically beginners or just about that level except for a kid or two, but they were deemed to be accepted into the Mac Academy where they take 2 2 hour lessons a week.
These kids, legitimately, will have trouble making their high school teams when they get old enough, but now they’re paying $65 an hour, $130 a lesson, to be in the Mac Academy. Junior tennis is a joke sometimes.
Scoop Malinowski · October 14, 2013 at 9:03 am
Lim is Chinese. I have heard of Neel she lives in Longboat Key, she played the womens’ exo earlier this year. My doubles partner in LBK knows Ingrid Neel well.
Doogie · October 14, 2013 at 2:23 pm
I was at Hara match yesterday. I dont want to talk about his style/technic again – but what I cannot get it, why he is playing when he does not really want to??
His body language was a shame and his opponent just wanted to win LOT more. Of course he had moments where he showed his talent/potential (he played a very good 2nd set tiebreak for example) but thru one tough match u have to fight to win (even against a player ranked 400th).
Beyond that one bad call decided the match: 4:4 30all RHara to serve – he hit an ace (clearly!! – even afterwards Krawietz said it was in). After this overrule Hara threw away the match. Nowadays he cannot affort to tank matches like this in the end.
He should overthink his will to fight/practice/style.
Mitch · October 14, 2013 at 2:31 pm
Junior Watch – 17 year old Russian Karen Khachanov beat Hanescu in St. Pete and today beat Albert Ramos in Moscow. He apparently is 6’6″. He’ll lose to Tipsarevic in the next round, but I wonder if he’ll make a splash in the next few years.
Doogie · October 14, 2013 at 2:50 pm
Btw:
I MUST mention one strange decision from Malek Jaziri (ranked 169th):
He decided not to play his quarterfinal match (lot of points for him at this tournament) at one challenger in Uzbekistan.
His government (!!!) forbid him to play against one Israelian player (Weintraub) because of political reasons.
This bad happenend earlier this year on WTA Tour too:
Ons Jabeur (164th) retired in her first WTA quarter final match 6:3 4:1 up (!!) to avoid the semi final clash with Peer (ISR of course).
For me it is just scandalous nowaday and I just wanted to mention here in this tennis forum – just that it is said here.
Dan Markowitz · October 14, 2013 at 3:22 pm
Doogie,
I’m glad you mentioned the default by the Tunisian. That is classless and shouldn’t be the case in sports. I’m told Tunisia isn’t even a particularly rabid Muslim country. You don’t see Israel players defaulting when they have to play Muslim players. Haven’t they heard of Quereshi playing doubles with Bopanna.
Andrew Miller · October 14, 2013 at 4:00 pm
I played some USTA junior national team members.
And lost.
In fact I lost to many top five players from many states and countries. I have the distinction of getting more games off them than top hundred fifty players from Florida .
Which shows you what the quality barometer is. Top juniors some times aren’t top juniors .
Scoop Malinowski · October 14, 2013 at 7:59 pm
Strange that politcal pressure would influence a pro tennis match. This is really weird. is there a link about this, I’d like to read more about the details.
Scoop Malinowski · October 14, 2013 at 8:01 pm
WHoa that’s a very good win to beat Hanescu and Ramos who are two tough playres. I like that name Karen Khachanov. It’s been a good while since Russia had a young phenom coming up. Never forget seeing Kafelnikov almost upset Sampras at the Aussie Open when he was an unknown. Hope this kid makes it big.
Doogie · October 15, 2013 at 4:53 am
@ scoop
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/20131011/malek-jaziri-forced-to-withdraw.ap/
Mitch · October 16, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Khachanov just beat Tipsarevic without even facing a break point.
Scoop Malinowski · October 16, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Wow for Khachanov, just what we needed – a young phenom to shake things up.