By Scoop Malinowski
Status: ATP no. 167.
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 160
DOB: Feb. 1, 1998 In: Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (Plays for USA)
First tennis memory: “Playing in the rain with my dad (Andrei). When it was raining we kept playing with soft balls. Really good memory.”
Tennis inspirations: “My dad. Probably Federer. He’s a complete player.”
First famous tennis player you met or encountered: “Yevgeny Kafelnikov at Sony Open in Miami. But I was really little. My parents were telling me the story. (What’s the story?) I didn’t want to take a picture with Kafelnikov. I don’t know why. I was five years old. I started crying. Never took a picture [smiles].”
Last book read: “I haven’t read a book in a while…just kidding. Probably Life of Pi.”
Favorite movie: “Day After Tomorrow.”
Greatest tennis moment, so far: “Tough one…tough question…so many good memories. Maybe winning my first Challenger in Columbus, Ohio (def. Sandgren 61 26 62).”
Most painful moment: “Maybe losing the Orange Bowl finals 14s. (To who?) Hong. Korean kid.”
Favorite tournament: “Wimbledon.”
Closest tennis friends: “Henrik Wiersholm. Spencer Papa. From juniors.”
Funniest players encountered: “Monfils maybe. Monfils, yeah.”
Fiercest competitors encountered: “I practiced with Federer a couple of times. But I don’t know.”
Did anything surprise you about practicing with Roger Federer (at US Open in 2012): “Nothing really. I mean, I was pretty surprised that I could hang in with Federer, return his slice, and I was getting everything back with the same speed on my shots.”
Who do you love playing tennis: “I love tennis because it’s a fun sport. There’s a lot of other things that you can do on the court and it’s pretty fun.”
Funny tennis memory: “Once there was a huge bug on the court. I don’t know what kind of bug it was.”
Strangest match: “Junior Davis Cup. I was up 5-1 in the third set in the semi and I lost. I had maybe six match points. (Against who?) Australian kid.”
Favorite sport outside tennis: “Probably basketball.”
Three athletes you like to watch & follow: “LeBron James. Dwyane Wade. Chris Bosh.”
People qualities most admired: “Great attitude and great spirit. Great competitors.”
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Hartt · December 31, 2017 at 6:55 am
Impressed that he has read Life of Pi – that is serious literature. 🙂
catherine · December 31, 2017 at 8:00 am
Hartt – not a great fan of Life of Pi I have to say. But I’m certainly impressed K has read it. A change from endless thrillers.
I bumped into Yann M in my local bookshop a couple of years ago. He was with his girlfriend, who lives nearby, or did then
He bought a copy of that P D James rip off of Jane Austen, which I haven’t read.
Also interested that W’don is K’s favourite tournament. It’s the tournament most people want to win but very few would rank it their favourite I think. They usually just say the one they’re currently at, or the one which is most lavish with hospitality etc.
Of course you can play at W’don and never visit ‘London’ at all. It’s the one GS which is almost totally detached from nation and city.
Hartt · December 31, 2017 at 9:39 am
Catherine, I did enjoy Life of Pi, although I had to read it twice to really get it.
Don’t bother with the P.D. James book. I am a big fan, and also a huge Jane Austen fan, so was looking forward to that book, but it is beyond terrible.
I came to post about Kerber – I think I am allowed to mention her name! Carole Bouchard tweeted some pics from the Hopman Cup New Years party and I thought Angie looked terrific. She wore a simple black, knee-length dress and had her hair pulled back in a loose knot – very elegant. The other person who looked great, of course, was Roger in his tux.
catherine · December 31, 2017 at 10:14 am
Hartt – I wasn’t going to bother with PD James book. It’s Yann M who bought it 🙂
Angie always looks nice when she is natural and simply dressed – most women do although you’d find it hard to convince some. Black suits Angie, being blonde and black is the German national colour 🙂
Just hoping for the best for her first match tomorrow.
catherine · December 31, 2017 at 11:11 am
Hartt –
I think I would have picked you for a Janeite 🙂
The new £10 note here features Austen’s portrait.
I got put off her at school.)
Prefer the Brontes – it’s Emily’s bi-centennial this year so I think she should have been on the note – maybe she’ll be on a postage stamp….
More social notes :
Sascha looked pretty good in his tux posing with Angie.
And so pleased to see Roger has dumped the face fungus, at least for now.
Hartt · December 31, 2017 at 12:06 pm
School has a lot to answer for – it’s a wonder any of us want to read after the nonsense we get in school about books. I did not discover Jane Austen until I was a young adult, and remember a friend saying she envied me because I had all of Austen’s books ahead of me.
I am counting on Mirka to veto Fed’s face fungus.