Tennis Prose




Jul/18

18

Cerretani Wins First Match at Newport

At age six, Jamie Cerretani was spotted by Nick Bollettieri at one of his camps in New England. Nick said Jamie was the best kid there with the most pro potential. Jamie’s dad Chip told me the story.

After a standout Ivy League career at Brown University, after a baseball scholarship didn’t work out, Cerretani decided to try pro tennis. He won a three hour Futures match in Alabama and decided he needed to build up his forehand to compliment his lefty serve and volley.

Jamie and Chip decided to go to Bollettieri’s in Bradenton FL, uninvited. But Nick remembered Jamie and followed his Brown exploits and kindly welcomed him stay with Red Ayme. Jamie won practice sets against Martin Damm and Ivo Karlovic.

He was ready to try the pros. And the rest is history. Cerretani, now 36, has won two ATP doubles titles in South Africa with Adil Shamasdin and Dick Norman. Today Cerretani and Leander Paes won vs Bambridge and Ohara. It was Jamie’s first match win at Newport. Next will be Krajicek and Nedunchezhiyan.

***

I was told Paes missed four months of action because of legal trouble in India regarding his ex wife and daughter custody. His passport was revoked.

***

Jason Jung won again, ousting Mahut 6464. It’s Jung’s second ATP match win, both coming this week. Jung doesnt look like a lucky hacker though, his explosive power and pinpoint accuracy are top 50 caliber. Keep an eye on this Californian.

***
Dudi Sela ended his 0-7 career futility vs Karlovic. 76 67 64. Dudi broke Ivo twice in set two but squandered the leads. Then he led 30 in the breaker. Agsin, Ivo regained the lead. In set three Dudi persevered with good returns and pinpoint passes. Ivo, usually so stoic, dropped his racquet numerous times and even said after one lost point, “this is the worst match of my life.”

Ivo double faulted four times in one game, all to the ad court. Sela hurt his back in the Tomic win at 53 in the first set, and had to stand up on each changeover, his coach Isaac told me. Dudi, who lost 3R Wimbledon points this year when he fell to Rafa in 1R, is now ranked 140 and gets Steve Johnson next, the victor vs Christian Harrison.

***

Granollers beat Muller. Mannarino beat Thompson. Smyczek beat Ebden, last year’s finalist. Kudla beat Ramanathan. Pospisil beat Zverev. So a new first time Newport champion will be crowned on Sunday.

***

Tim Mayotte was in the house and was kind enough to share his fascinating thoughts on American tennis and more which I will share with you next week.

No tags

33 comments

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 19, 2018 at 12:13 am

    Scoop,

    Word on the street is that Ryan Harrison dumped “Iron” Mike Russell as Harry slides into oblivion. Who is coaching him now then?

  • Scoop malinowski · July 19, 2018 at 7:14 am

    Duke, I saw Ryan and his wife walking down Bellevue ave to the courts monday, no Russell. Didn’t see Russell on site either. Maybe he has the week off. Maybe he was dismissed.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 19, 2018 at 10:51 am

    Sounds like we can confirm it then Scoop.

    That was a helluva win for Sela after all those losses. Also a missed opportunity for Tomic to get some needed points.

    The Jung-Smyczek match is another major opportunity for these guys. The article on Jung and King on the other page was great. Brad Gilbert said something interesting how you can reach the top 20 playing college tennis but not the top.

    I am going to admit I am wrong on one player, Jack Sock. Yes he is playing badly. But we know in order to win Slams, a player these days has to be committed to one partner – Mirka, Xisca, Jelena, etc. Apparently it helps if your woman has a name ending in “a” also.

    Well we know Sock is too charming and dashing to women to make himself about just one. I mean if he wants to hook up with a beauty like Katie Boulter, who can blame him? Given the choice of one woman and possibly winning Slams or enjoying the company of multiple women, I may make the same choice Sock does especially since it is easier and infinitely more enjoyable.

    You won’t hear me be critical of Jack Sock again.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 19, 2018 at 10:55 am

    Also great to see Mike Bryan bounce back from his divorce with a stunning blonde Slovakian model. He and Sock know how to reap the tour’s many benefits!

  • Hartt · July 19, 2018 at 12:13 pm

    Seriously, Jack Sock “dashing”? Being a pro tennis player must be a plus in attracting women, but it makes up for a lot, including not being “dashing”!

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 19, 2018 at 12:16 pm

    Hartt, I assume these women think that about Sock but I have no idea nor have I polled Boulter and the rest. He clearly has Stepanek-level powers on tour.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 19, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    Bartoli, Sloane, Boulter all socksmitten.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 19, 2018 at 2:26 pm

    Scoop Duke breaking story of mike bryan divorce. Never heard that one.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 19, 2018 at 2:46 pm

    Huge win for Smyczek over Jung. He’s into the semis for the first time and two wins away from his first title. Next up is Ramkumar vs. Pospisil in the Indo-Canada showdown!

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 19, 2018 at 3:57 pm

    Jung battled back after getting smoked first set, used forehand slices effectively. Jung looks solid like a top 100 player, good serve, good power, good creativity. At 29 he could be the next Victor Estrella. Smyczek is your ultimate grinder. Saw Hewitt practicing with young Aussies Bolt and deMinaur, they can barely keep up with him. Hewitt and Bolt did a slice to slice up the line game, Hewitt of course beat lefty Bolt and did a fist pump at the end. Still as competitive as ever. If I had my racquet with me I would have challenged Hewitt to a game of mini tennis, unfortunately I didn’t have my racquet 🙂 Paes and Cerretani play today, Cerretani is the local Rhode Islander who won his very first Newport main draw match yesterday and the local Newport paper ignored or didn’t know that, focused all on Paes in their story.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 19, 2018 at 6:52 pm

    Either Smyczek or Ramkumar will play for the title. It’s why Newport is where dreams come true.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 20, 2018 at 12:46 am

    Jared Donaldson has pulled out of Atlanta with an undisclosed injury.

    Genie Bouchard is into the quarters in Gstaad. Is she finding her form?

  • Hartt · July 20, 2018 at 7:23 am

    Duke, maybe Sock does have Stepanek-type powers, because the women who post about tennis HATE his beard – there is considerable discussion about it. 🙂

  • Hartt · July 20, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    Genie won her match against Kudermetova and will play Cornet, who beat Stosur in SS, in the SF. Her live ranking is now No. 123. She had close matches in her first 2 rounds, the first went to 3 sets, and the 2nd was 2 sets, but with a TB in each. Her latest win was more comfortable, 7-5, 6-0.

    Tennis Canada just announced that Genie will receive a WC for the Rogers Cup, and will play a day match on the opening Monday.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 20, 2018 at 3:33 pm

    Smyczek. Johnson. Ramkumar. Granollers.

    May the best man win.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 20, 2018 at 10:19 pm

    Ramanathan is my pick. Looks the best on grass.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 21, 2018 at 1:09 am

    Wasn’t Cerratani the player who Jack Sock stiffed in some Slam? Or am I thinking of someone else? Don’t want to denigrate ladykiller Sock if I am wrong.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 21, 2018 at 1:15 am

    Some hot matchups in Hot-lanta tomorrow.

    Tomic takes on Tommy Paul in a battle royale.

    The superstar Jason Jung looks to keep up winning ways vs. Chris Eubanks, who is playing on home turf and will have the crowd on his side. Can Jung handle the hostile environment?

    Evan King, known as one of the best basketball players on tour, tries to resurrect his career as he takes on Noah Rubin.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 21, 2018 at 8:52 am

    Yes. Cerretani and Sock had agreed to play together. Sock lost early in singles and then baled on doubles without injury, screwing Cerretani who had a lot of points to defend from a 4R or QF at Wimbledon the previous year. The move by Sock killed Cerretani’s ranking which took well over a year to rebuild.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 21, 2018 at 8:53 am

    Tomic vs TPaul is a rematch of a previous battle at US Open or Aus Open qualies. Young got a gift WC, he has to make the most of this or he’s a Challenger player.

  • Hartt · July 21, 2018 at 12:03 pm

    That story about Sock and Cerretani tipped the balance, I have jumped off the Sock train.

  • Hartt · July 21, 2018 at 12:05 pm

    Paul won the match over Tomic in 3 sets. That must be a tough loss for Bernie as he tries to work his way back up the rankings.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 21, 2018 at 12:58 pm

    Tomic beat Paul in Melbourne this year 76 in the third so we knew it was going to be a probable close tight match that could go either way. Paul is back, Tomic, despite being determined and very fit is learning he may have wasted his best years – like Sock?

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 21, 2018 at 1:02 pm

    Hartt, Sock is not a bad guy, even if he’s sometimes gruff or quick with kids and fans, as one friend reported to me in Newport. These players in the WTA and ATP can’t be perfect all the time like Fed and Rafa appear to be. The emotions involved with losing a tennis match are unpredictable.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 21, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    Tomic finding life tough in qualies. He may have to kiss and make up with Hewitt.

    Meanwhile Kyrgios says he plans to play for only 6 or so more years. Can’t understand why people come back as coaches, believes they should find better things to do.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 21, 2018 at 1:59 pm

    More BS from Kyrgios. Williams sisters both were supposed to be retired by 30. Guarantee Nick plays beyond 30.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 21, 2018 at 2:01 pm

    It’s well known that Sock is not good with kids. I think it’s because he is really a big kid still and not yet a man. He will get better.

  • Hartt · July 21, 2018 at 5:06 pm

    Scoop, I don’t expect the players to be perfect. My favourite players have all done something that wasn’t great. But the thing is, do they learn from a mistake and don’t repeat it? Or do they keep doing things that are cringe-worthy?

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 21, 2018 at 6:05 pm

    Jung with another huge win in a hostile environment and he faces Noah Rubin tomorrow. Rubin dealt a potentially fatal blow today to Evan Kings career.

    The newport final is Rajkumar Ramanathan vs. Steve Johnson though rain is in the RI forecast.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 21, 2018 at 7:57 pm

    Hartt, even the greatest of champions have had bad moments on the court, and decisions off court, we and they are all human. Not going to criticize Sock for anything, I have had my share of bad moments on court too. 🙂

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 21, 2018 at 8:00 pm

    Duke, I was extremely impressed by Jung in Newport, he looked strong and solid and he can rip shots and hit forehand slices and do different things. I see him making top 100 at least. Very good win to beat Eubanks in Atlanta. He has the weapons to SS Rubin.

  • Duke Carnoustie · July 22, 2018 at 12:39 am

    Oddly enough, Jack Sock not in the Atlanta tournament. Strange because he committed to it and his buddy Kyrgios is the second seed.

    Mike Bryan will instead partner with Foe. No word on if the lovely Slovakian model is in Hot-lanta.

    Sock did play Team tennis in Sringfield, Mo. on Friday. No word on if Boulter crossed the pond with him yet and where she is.

  • Scoop Malinowski · July 22, 2018 at 8:44 am

    Maybe Sock didn’t get his appearance fee, odd that he would skip Atlanta. Has to be some explanation.

<<

>>

Find it!

Copyright 2010
Tennis-Prose.com
To top