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Biofile: The Donald Young Interview
15 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Status: ATP #69.
First Tennis Memory: Playing at our local club in Chicago. Just running around with my parents, just hitting balls around with a racquet that was too big and just hitting balls.
Tennis Inspirations: Pete Sampras. John McEnroe. I really liked Marcelo Rios. Andre Agassi. All the guys that were winning pretty much.
Last Book Read: I can’t remember the name of it. I have it in my bag. Sports book, something about the conscious mind. It’s a mental book my mental lady prescribed it for me.
Greatest Sports Moment: Probably getting to the fourth round at the US Open (2011) was pretty big for me. I’ve never been that far at a slam. And it’s especially (nice) at the home slam.
Most Painful Moment: Was losing 6060 when I was sixteen to Carlos Berlocq. And then James Blake beating the guy 6060 the next day [smiles].
Strangest Match: There’s a lot of those matches, I can’t name one. Maybe one in juniors, I lost the first set 60, I won the second set 60 and I won 76 in the third. Kinda weird. (Versus who?) Carsten Ball. It was in the Orange Bowl 16s.
Favorite Tournaments: I really like the US Open, Australian Open. I like Winston-Salem, New Haven.
Funny Tennis Memory: I think in the finals of US Open junior doubles on match point the guy hit an overhead and finished and touched the net. So he kind of touched the net at the end. So it was kind of funny for my partner and I. (Against?) Thiemo De Bakker and Carsten Ball again. I was playing with Alex Clayton.
First Famous Player You Met Or Encountered: John McEnroe. I was about eight years old. At the Nuveen Championships in Chicago.
Favorite Sport Outside Tennis: Basketball. I enjoy basketball quite a bit.
Three Athletes You Like To Watch & Follow: Michael Jordan. Tiger Woods. And LeBron James.
Why Do You Love Playing Tennis: It’s fun. I think it symbolizes life. If you don’t put in the work you don’t get the results. You have to work hard and you have to keep working at it. It’s just a great sport to play.
Current Car: I drive a Corvette (black). Like it a lot. (The new model?) No it’s not the new one. I want the new one but it’s not the new one. ’08.
People Qualities Most Admired: Honesty. And good work ethic.
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Scoop Malinowski · August 5, 2014 at 9:27 am
I did not know DY was a Rios fan.
Andrew Miller · August 5, 2014 at 10:27 am
DY one of my favorite players. I know this is the U.S. hardcourt swing and that U.S. players do better during this period, but I think they will have their chances in montreal, dy included.
Coach Skelly · August 5, 2014 at 11:11 am
DY playing top 20 ball!!!If he keeps having a bunch of easy service holds like he did in DC he gonna make some noise this summer!!Craig Boyton is a great addition to Team DY!He works well with Donalds mom!!!DY was having fun in the court and very chilled off of it!!Would love to see him make his BH more of a weapon!Instead of just keeping him in points.!He is hitting forehand better than he ever has.And also playing great defense as well as attacking at right time..Playing better all court tennis than any American player right now.Hope he keeps moving in same direction.Top fitty a good start.DY has paid his dues!Time to get rewarded!!!
Martin G · August 5, 2014 at 2:42 pm
Here is exactly why DY will never be stable Top 20 player ….
“Last Book Read: I can’t remember the name of it. I have it in my bag. Sports book, something about the conscious mind. It’s a mental book my mental lady prescribed it for me.”
His approach to his weaknesses doesn’t come from him. He is not actively seeking to get better. He is just a follower of image that his mom and his team has around him, so sad ….
That sentence says it all ….
I know I am deducting too much from one sentence.
What do you think?
Scoop Malinowski · August 5, 2014 at 2:50 pm
You could be right Martin G. Was a sort of wishy-washy answer. However I did give DY a copy of Facing Federer after this interview, maybe he will gain more from it than that “mental book” )
Andrew Miller · August 5, 2014 at 3:06 pm
DY will probably read it! He faces the Canadian Federer tonight, Frank Dancevic.
Dancevic will be going for it, DY will have to work with it.
Dan Markowitz · August 5, 2014 at 3:09 pm
I think you’re drawing a little bit too much from DY’s comment. Look, I’m not a DY fan…until I see him play, and then he has a flair and talent no other American player has. I agree with Skelly, his backhand is too pedestrian to become a Top 20 player and his serve isn’t big enough, but the guy has all-court skills.
You have to remember two things about DY: one, he’s not college educated like most of these guys and reading books is usually not big on their priorities. So if he forgets what book he’s reading, it’s not proof that the guy is a mental midget.
Look, I wrote a book with Spadea and I found him pretty intelligent, but clueless when it came to reading books. The guy just simply never read books as far as I could tell.
Two, DY is an only child and a mommy’s boy. What 25-year-old man travels the world with his mother? Maybe we should applaud him for breaking social norms. But does he defer too much to women and his mom in particular, probably damn right.
Andrew Miller · August 5, 2014 at 3:30 pm
U.S top 100 as of 5 August 2014. Sock, Johnson and DY all heading into the top 50, likely by end of year. The story is no longer Isner and Querrey.
14. Isner, John
50. Young, D.
54. Johnson, S.
60. Sock, J.
68. Querrey, S.
92. Klahn, B.
U.S. top 100 as of 5 August 2013
20. Isner, J.
26. Querrey, S.
78. Fish, M.
90. Sock, J.
94. Russell, M.
99. Blake, J.
100. Johnson, S.
Andrew Miller · August 5, 2014 at 3:36 pm
p.s. around this time of year there will be a lot of talk about how u.s. tennis is in decline blah blah blah. don’t believe it. The rankings are going up and up.
Scoop Malinowski · August 5, 2014 at 9:26 pm
Querrey is the only one regressing, all the others made significant gains. Smyczek another player who can get in the mix. Now we have to hope these players who made gains, can keep on ascending.
Dan Markowitz · August 5, 2014 at 11:15 pm
I was impressed Sock won easily over Melzer, who even at this later stage in his career can be dangerous. Kyrgios took care of Giraldo who’s turned into a tough out. That Kyrgios backhand is a stroke of beauty. He hit one on the run fully stretched with no backswing at all and handcuffed Giraldo at the net. Of all the young players, I think he’s the one. He has an attitude out there. He certainly doesn’t look like your father’s tennis player with the fade cut, gold chains and smash mouth game.
Andrew Miller · August 6, 2014 at 12:51 am
Kyrgios is heir apparent! I think he will be #1 for a period.
How about sock johnson dy direct entry into masters. Dont pop the champagne bottle yet but i ike this.
Bryan · August 6, 2014 at 2:34 am
Young reads mental books his mental lady gave him eh? I take it seeing the sports psychologist has improved his mental capacity.
Scoop Malinowski · August 6, 2014 at 8:49 am
Kyrgios doesn’t seem like a whiner either who would ever complain about playing Karlovic or Raonic or Isner, or being scheduled on an outer court. Kyrgios is showing all the signs of a future champ.
Scoop Malinowski · August 6, 2014 at 8:55 am
Sock has really really been ultra impressive since Wimbledon. He gave Raonic a good battle in DC and was up a break in the second set. Tough draw. If he was on Pops side I think he would have finaled. Sock is coming into his own now. I think he’s capable of shocking the world this summer.