Tennis Prose




Mar/18

6

Indian Wells: Dudi Sela Still Slaying

IWaerial

Dudi Sela is 32 years old now, ranked 97 in the world. But the 5-foot-9-inch Israeli can still get the job done in the ATP. The little maestro trounced Noah Rubin in the Indian Wells qualifying round one 62 61.

Sela is one of those marvels of the ATP Tour. He has a career record of 139-188 and has earned close to $3.7 million. Sela’s highest rankings was 29 in 2009.

An abundance of Sela’s success has come in the Challenger Tour, where he has won 22 titles, second all time behind Yen-Hsen Lu’s 29. Sela’s overall Chally record is 282-127. Hey, who said little guys are handicapped in professional tennis?

Sela has yet to win an ATP main tour singles title but he’s been close twice, finaling in Atlanta (2014) and Beijing (2008), where he knocked off world no. 5 David Ferrer.

But Sela’s greatest heroics came in Davis Cup. Specifically in a World Group playoff vs Chile in 2007 where Sela won consecutive five-hour, five setters against Nicolas Massu and Fernando Gonzalez. Israel won the tie 3-2 and advanced to the World Group.

Another career highlight of Sela was making the round of 16 at Wimbledon in 2009.

Sela is one of those unsung, unheralded little wonders of the ATP Tour, still dangerous, still effective, still winning matches. A real life David surviving and thriving and slaying in the land of so many goliaths.

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9 comments

  • Duke Carnoustie · March 6, 2018 at 11:44 pm

    I figured everyone would be going nuts at the big IW matchups on tap – Escobedo v. Tiafoe and Fritz v. Opelka! You can’t ask for more than that.

    How about the Indians battling tomorrow for a spot in the main draw – Bhambri v. Ramkumar.

    The All-French matchup is Chardy v. Benneteau. The Russians will meet in Khachanov v. Donskoy.

    And Klizan loses to Evan King just two days after winning it all at IW. ATP life is cruel.

    How about Rena v. Diyas? I’ll be watching.

  • Dan Markowitz · March 7, 2018 at 4:23 am

    That Sela v Rubin match really stands out 6-2, 6-1. That’s amazing. Rubin played Nishikori at the N.Y. Open and fared much better against the former slam finalist than he did against Sela.

    Pretty bad day for Americans with Kudla, Rubin, Kozlov and Frantangelo all being shown the door. Tennis Channel showed Kozlov match and I was surprised by Kizlov’s first serve. He hits it hard enough, but his percentage of first serves in is low and he seems to hit it mostly with his arm.

  • scoopmalinowski · March 7, 2018 at 6:10 am

    Felix flummoxed Fratangelo. Maybe the best win for F dub A. Kozlov looked good but fell short yet again. Menendez is 12 yrs older than Koz but they both had five atp wins. All of Kozs wins are on grass. Menendez beat Koz at newport last yr.

  • scoopmalinowski · March 7, 2018 at 6:12 am

    Diyas should beat an off form Serena but its an intrguing match. Fritz vs pal Opelka will be a great match.

  • dan markowitz · March 7, 2018 at 7:36 am

    I don’t know if Opelka will give Fritz a good match. Since his wins against Harry and Sock in Delray, Opelka looked pretty bad against Gojo and whoever he lost to in IW Challenger. I think Fritz will handle the big Floridian pretty easily.

    Kozlov didn’t look all that good, me thinks. At the end, he was just looping balls to Menedez’s forehand like a junior trying to get the Spaniard to miss, but Melendez went for his forehand and often came to net and volleyed off winners. Kos looks too big in the legs and belly and too short in stature to me to be a big time player. Time will tell and he looks like he’s a good competitor, relaxed although he was talking to someone in the stands a lot.

    It was amusing to hear Courier announcing naming all the coaches who have worked with the 20 year old Koz, staring with his pops, than Stanfod Boster, Jose Higueras and someone else I forger.

  • Hartt · March 7, 2018 at 7:58 am

    I was so pleased that Felix Auger-Aliassime won over Fratangelo, and in SS, 6-4, 6-4. I hope this means Felix is back to playing well. He faces Gombos today. The other 2 Canucks, Pospisil and Polansky, also won yesterday. Now they just need to repeat that today. 🙂

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 7, 2018 at 8:02 am

    Kozlov looked good but he always looks good, you just wonder when he’s going to get a roll going on the ATP main tour level. All of his five wins were on grass, nothing on hard or clay. Courier says his tennis IQ and talent are just too good to not make it and it’s a “question of when not if.” Still, these repeated close losses will take a toll. Menendez looked like a strong player vs Kozlov, he beat him at Newport last year too. Menendez didn’t miss a volley, Kozlov almost made him look like Sampras at net. Kozlov is working hard but it’s the same old story, losing these close matches. And Menendez is no world beater, he’s a journeyman scrub. I think what Kozlov needs now most of all is a coach who has been on the tour and won matches on the tour, not Boster, but Spadea or Goldstein or Fish or Tim Mayotte.

  • Chazz · March 7, 2018 at 9:13 am

    Here’s a name to remember in the future – Tristan Boyer. He’s only 16 and took world #113 Bemelmans to a tiebreaker in the 2nd set. I can’t find much on Boyer but I think he’s from southern Cal.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 7, 2018 at 12:33 pm

    I saw that the kid Boyer is just 16 and did so well vs Bemelmans. Reminds me of Kozlov at 15 getting the WC into Newport and forcing the Polish player Michal Prszsyniey to three long sets. Trent Bryde was also 16 a few years ago and I believe won a match in Atlanta as a WC in either main draw or qualies. Tristan Boyer is now on our radar.

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