The first thing I see today on the grounds is a guy wearing a Chile shirt. He is in front of me so I ask him if he has heard of the Rios book in English. He only speaks Spanish but his friend says they haven’t heard of it. Then he says the guy is a friend of Rios and that Rios arrived to NYC and is at a certain hotel sleeping. Rios will be honored by ATP along with all other number ones. Whoa. You know if he’s here I’m getting that Biofile. Stay tuned.
Fed and Stan are on Armstrong for two hours. Fed looks “skinny” as several observers say. Mirka was on court and took some video.
Talk to Davydenko, Ljubicic and Canas for my Hewitt feature. Got some incredible stuff.
Gulbis was on grandstand playing games with Mathieu. I saw Gulbis smile on the court for the first time during a game. The Frenchman hit a running forehand squash shot up the line for a winner. Everyone clapped. Except Gulbis. Then when Gulbis was lined up to serve, Paul Henri smiled and said “Thank you.” Even though Gulbis did not say, “Nice shot.” Gulbis smiled too. Great little moment. Mathieu won the first three games I saw then Gulbis got on track.
I watched Stefanie Dubois beat Maria Elena Camerin 8-6 in the third set tiebreak. What a battle. Something happened in this match I never saw before: Dubois changed her Wilson skirt on a changeover. She put a towel over and took her shoes off and the skirt, showing gray underwear. Then she put on a fresh dry skirt. This was at 3-4 down in the third set.
Tennys Sandgren lost a tough three setter to a Polish player.
Got a cool story from Jacek my friend who works security. He was at the practice courts for two years then they moved him to VIP area. Federer saw him at the new station at VIP and said, “I missed you at the practice courts.” They talked for a minute. The people around Fed got annoyed with Jacek because they presumed Jacek started talking/bothering Fed but it was Fed who initiated the talk. Typical Federer, huh. Always nice to everyone.
BTW my Federer book will be available next week at the US Open book store.
Oh, and I asked Bradley Klahn for a Biofile when he was signing for kids out by food court around mid afternoon but he said he couldn’t do it, he was on the way somewhere. Will try again.
Scoop Malinowski · August 22, 2013 at 12:20 am
Andrew, I like this player. once highly touted Belgium Ann Sophie Mestach, from the Bouchard year of birth, has overcome her injuries and won today in straights after starting out 0-3 down. At this match I met a diehard Malisse fan named Kelsey from Queens. Bet you don’t know any X fans. Andrei Pavel was watching Copil play Hernych with his player Paszek. Dancevic beat Gabashvili who is coached by Canas.
loreley · August 22, 2013 at 3:02 am
Thank you for the little report about Gulbis’ practise.
Dan Markowitz · August 22, 2013 at 5:32 am
Good day early tomorrow, Scoop. Maybe I’ll see you out there. I’m pinpointing Jamie Loeb who is an 18 yr old from my neck of the woods, Westchester County. I want to see Kuznetsov play Mertl. Then Gicquel/Young should be interesting. Can Donald piggyback on Taylor Townsend’s great performance of today. Townsend played at DY’s parents’ club in Atlanta.
Devarrman/Ginepri could be good, but I think match of the day is Jenkins/Reister on Court 7 followed by Donaldson (you know, the kid is from Rhode Island! When’s a tennis player ever hailed from R.I.?)Then I like Estrella v Wang.
Tom Michael · August 22, 2013 at 7:40 am
It was good seeing you at the qualifying rounds yesterday. You met my good friend Lauren (who was with me) in a tennis party about a year ago. And you remember her great shot-making from the doubles match you played. How can anyone not?
Thanks for showing me your book Facing Federer. It is a straightforward title. And I am sure it is going be an insightful look into his career from the perspective of many.
Scoop Malinowski · August 22, 2013 at 7:44 am
Yes I saw Jenkins play the first match, he looks like a boxer out there, great athlete, super fit, strong looking. Good crowd watching him too, he beat a proven player too. Also saw Loeb on court 4 she looks excellent too, great form, strong, quick, very impressed how she handled Royg in two sets. She is from Ossining NY. These were two impressive players who caught your eye.
Scoop Malinowski · August 22, 2013 at 7:50 am
We saw Wang win on Tuesday, with his knee high white socks. His coach told me they were to compress for shin splint problems. While we were talking the photo was taken and it ran in a Chinese newspaper which one of my Chinese friends named Henry Peng gave to me yesterday. Two of my other friends all from the same park as Henry, are in the photo too. Amazing luck. It’s a shot of Wang posing with fans after and we are on the side. You have to see Estrella play, fun guy to watch. Sw Odesnik just cleaning up Chiudinelli yesterday. Left with Wayne O up a set and break. Then Wayne held and went to his bag to change Babolats and wrist band and Marco was annoyed. I think Wayne read my article from Sarasota as he looked better dressed this time with newer attire. But his bag area was still a mess with all the bottles and things scattered. Todd Martin is doing TV here and he’s also coaching. Got some good info about Brian Baker from one of his players at Butler named Rafael (from Brazil) who is here. Will share later. Baker arrives today. Baker is just an amazing amazing story.
Scoop Malinowski · August 22, 2013 at 7:51 am
TOM yes it was, sorry I missed you on ct l7. Thanks for the kind words about the book. Always a pleasure to see and discuss tennis. Hope you are out again later this week.
Dan Markowitz · August 22, 2013 at 8:22 am
A number of players, Petschner for one, are wearing the compression shin/calf socks. You know something catches on and then everybody experiments. It’s a scene to go out to the outside practice courts and see all the jump roping and other drills players do to warm up. It’s amazing watching some women practice, they’re amazing and then many get on the court and push the ball. Watch Townsend play if you’re there late today. She is a real phenom. I’m very high on her.
Andrew Miller · August 22, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Today should be THE DAY! Today’s report will be amazing.