16
Newport 2023 Begins With Some Old And New Faces
2 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
The Infosys Newport Hall of Fame Open always produces an eclectic draw of a range of player and this year is no different. First round qualies began today and an interesting duel was between veterans Donald Young and Illya Marchenko.
The 35 year old ranked 338 from Ukraine and the American 33 year old ranked 628 have not made much impact in the ATP in recent years but they aren’t ready to hang up their gear just yet. Both are desperate to save their careers and today was a big opportunity for both to regain lost status and confidence.
The two veterans have played once before – back in 2016 in Basel, with Young prevailing 64 62 in the round of 32. But today on the grass courts of the Newport Hall of Fame it was Marchenko who was superior, to the tune of a decisive 61 63 win.
Another almost forgotten player also returned to action today as Canadian Peter Polansky, using his protected ranking option, lost to 302 ranked Skander Mansouri of Tunisia 62 75. Polansky has not played since Davis Cup in February 2022, a doubles defeat vs Netherlands 75 63 Koolhof and Middlekoop. Polansky, now 35, has no ranking in the ATP right now.
While the qualifying matches were played, two former Newport champions trained next to each other on the practice courts – Kevin Anderson and Maxime Cressy. Other notable players in the draw are Adrian Mannarino, John Isner, Tommy Paul and Max Purcell.
Isner, a former champ here, is 38 now and ranked 103. He will face a qualifier in the first round and if successful, the winner of Corentin Moutet and NCAA champ Eliott Spizzirri, from University of Texas.
Anderson will play Canada’s Gabriel Diallo in the first round.
Steve Johnson will play a qualifier.
Top seed Tommy Paul, ranked no. 15 in the world, will be playing his first ever Newport tournament.
Next Sunday will be the enshrinement of Esther Vergeer and Rick Draney into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Isner has won Newport four times. Isner has reunited with old coach Justin Gimelstob, who is here this week. Gimelstob is a former finalist in Newport.
Adrian Mannarino is playing Newport for the tenth time.
Corentin Moutet served two underhand aces in a row at 56 30-love vs Eliott Spizzirri. The world no. 71 won 76 61.
I spotted Mannarino walking on Thames Ave at night with presumably his fitness coach.
Ryan Harrison flew in from Bradenton hoping to get into the draw as an alternate but he missed it by one withdrawal. So instead he trained today with Shintaro Mochizuki who lost today to Liam Broady. Mochizuki is now being coached by former ATP pro Davide Sanguinetti, former coach of Harrison.
Artist Ted Dimond has a booth of his superb art, here are his Borg and Djokovic.
Donald Young · Illya Marchenko · Infosys Hall of Fame Championships · Newport
Cory · July 16, 2023 at 5:26 pm
Anderson announced he’s coming out of retirement – great – but how can you get rolling into subsequent tourneys without WCs? Does Anderson have a protected ranking? ATP site shows both Polansky and Anderson as being inactive (no ranking shown). Anderson retired while his ranking was inside 100. Now coming out of retirement he’ll have to play ITF after this? He couldn’t even get into Challengers w/o WCs. Hopefully you can elucidate more Scoop.
Don’t mean to harp on Young, I’m rooting for him, but he can’t beat anybody. It’s unreal. Makes you wonder if he ever was top-50 worthy in first place. He’s still young enough and fit.
Scoop Malinowski · July 16, 2023 at 5:56 pm
Cory, Anderson got a wildcard and I assume he will ask for more wildcards this summer and probably get them as a former Grand Slam finalist if he can show he can still win matches in Newport. It is surprising Anderson is back on the circuit, maybe he didn’t like life without the purpose of trying to win tennis matches. I look forward to his press conference in Newport. Young is finished and has been for a while, but he still loves to compete and there must still be some self belief in his heart despite all the losses over the recent years. Because he’s certainly not making any money losing so much.