Observations and notes from the day at the US Open…
Patrick Kypson, the 17 year old Kalamazoo US National 18s champ, was holding his own with first-time major main draw qualifier Adrian Menendez Maceiras at 46 55. The match proceeded to a tiebreak and Kypson was ahead 5-0 but then ended up losing it 11-9. AMM is 31 and only has won two main draw ATP matches before today so you can imagine his desperation and hunger. Kypson was game and determined but AMM was starving for it. Constantly chattering to himself and the ump to distract the kid, who had Ivan Lendl’s coaching support. After blowing the second set, it was over. But still an impressive effort by Kypson, who along with Sam Riffice are the two #NEXTNEXTGEN US teens to keep an eye on.
Sam Querrey is playing the best tennis of his life and guess how many reporters showed up to his interview one press conference after his straight set win over Dudi Sela? ONE! And guess how many showed up to his Monday first round win press conference? TWO? Strangely, the American tennis media just isn’t interested in Sam, who took the slights in stride. “Good, there won’t be many questions,” he joked. “I would estimate 80% of the fans were for Sela.” On Monday, Sam revealed that he is now playing without a dampener on his strings, saying that he can feel the ball better.
Querrey entered the press conference wearing shorts, Fila t-shirt and … flip flops.
By contrast to the lack of media interest in Querrey, there were a dozen reporters cramped into room three for Taro Daniel after his five set win over Tommy Paul. There were six reporters for Danielle Lao in room five and seven for Pablo Carreno Busta.
Lao is an interesting story. She was a star at USC and then struggled for years on the WTA Tour, stuck around 400 in the rankings and was near quitting two years ago but she persevered. This year her ranking went up and she got into qualies and won her three rounds to reach her first main draw. Today she played Riza Ozaki in a marathon, losing the first set 36, then surviving a very close second 76 and the epic reached a third set breaker after Lao blew three match points. Ozaki won it 7-5.
The striking thing about Lao is she plays like Justine Henin with a two hand backhand, using incredible movement and trick shot variety including numerous drop shots. She’s a little magician. I asked a Japanese reporter for Ozaki’s ranking and he misunderstood and told me Lao’s incorrect age was 16, though I corrected him that it was actually 26. She looks that young.
I did a Biofile with Lao after the match and she said this loss was the most painful of her career and that earlier this year in Korea she saw her coach had fallen asleep in her doubles match.
Verdasco vs Posposil way out on court 14, guess which player got the bigger applause during introductions? Pospisil clearly.
Fabio Fognini lost to Stefano Travaglia 46 67 63 06. I was there for the beginning of the third set. Fog serving, goes down 0-40, gets back to deuce and has game points but ends up blowing the game. It looked like Fognini would have rather played a seed on a big court instead of a countryman on court 11.
Nick Kyrgios has the same quirk. He can look like the world’s best player vs Federer, Nadal or Djokovic on center court but on a side court against a journeyman he looks lost at sea. Today Nick lost 63 16 64 61 to journeyman John Millman on temp stadium Armstrong. After the loss Nick said, “I have had a diabolical year at these slams. It doesn’t surprise me. It’s just the story of my career, really. I will have good weeks, I’ll have bad weeks. It’s just a roller coaster…Obviously I’m disappointed I lost today. It’s not the end of the world. I will get over it in probably a half an hour. I will get food and watch the matches. It is what it is.”
Nick was asked if he could ever be dedicated to tennis? “I don’t know. I always get asked the question. Like, I don’t know. I really don’t know. Probably not, honestly not.”
Benoit Paire lost a heartbreaker to Mischa Zverev on court 4. Down two sets, the bearded wonder fought back all the way to 5-5 and 30-all in the fifth set when he suddenly lost his nerve and double faulted twice in a row! Zverev then finished it at 15.
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Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 1:32 am
Scoop I got a scoop for you on Frenchman Vincent Millot, who lost the first two sets to Santiago Giraldo the other day 61-6-0, then came back to force a fifth set and lost the decider 6-4. Testy handshake. Here is the translation on what Millot said about Giraldo:
I knew he was a weeper. He’s just crying. From the beginning of the game, he looks at his clan, he cries, he complains. He tried to heat me up a little bit. … I was still happy because I managed to relax, to control myself. Because I wanted to break his racket on his head. I don’t think that’s very sporting. We know that there are a lot of players who are like that on the field, looking for the little beast. I think he saw that he was really picking it up and he was trying to find something to turn the game. There are morons everywhere, in all sports, it is certainly part of it.
Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 1:33 am
Monfils complained of knee pain after beating Chardy and says he isn’t fit. Big opportunity for D-Young to beat him Thursday.
Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2017 at 7:29 am
Duke; I saw Millot battle in the fifth with Giraldo. I was awed by that scoreline. Girlado was crushing Millot then Millot basically steals the third and fourth sets. In the fifth Giraldo got it back. On one point Millotthrew up a lefty lob and then used his hand to rub his nose as he waited for the lob to do it’s work. Giraldo went back and made a good return of it which Millot missed. I never saw a player rub his itchy nose DURING a point before. Then I saw Millot doing his press conference in the media center and he brought his lil kid along. Mustve been a helluva match.
Michael in UK · August 31, 2017 at 8:05 am
What about Shapovalov beating Tsonga In straight sets?!
Pouille also through, but not A. Zverev.
Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2017 at 8:22 am
Michael; Shapovalov has now beaten Rafa, Delpo and Tsonga at 18. That has to be the best hit list in tennis history by a male 18 yr old. I only saw a few points because for some reason this match did not interest me much as I somehow had a sense Shapovalov would win it. Donaldson again showed greatness coming back from two close sets down to Pouille to level and take it all the way to 4-4 30-all in the fifth but then he faltered. Still, it’s another message sending effort by Donaldson that he can more than handle the big boys of the ATP. He will only get better. I think Zverev was overconfident and expected the rout of the struggling Coric. Much like Raonic last year vs Harrison. I know a lot of tennis fans don’t understand this but it really does happen. I noticed it this year on my own level sometimes I drop my guard and convince myself that I should win easily over a tough player because I think he’s worn out or not good enough. Overconfidence is absolutely an issue in elite young players like Kyrgios, Raonic, Zverev. I also remember Pete Sampras losing once here on Armstrong to a lil guy Jaime Yzaga. Also Pete lost in singles in new Haven to Leander Paes in about ’98. These kinds of weird losses always happen especially to certain players who can be victimized by their own overconfidence. Players like Rafa and Sharapova plays with an insecurity and fear and humbleness and they never let this happen to them. At least I can’t think of any examples. Hewitt too was another player who took everyone seriously. In Facing Hewitt a player told me about Hewitt vs a Japanese wildcard ranked about 300 in the world at Tokyo Open and Hewitt had the full intensity yelling come ons in the first games as if he was playing Sampras or Federer.
Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 11:04 am
I said this on the other thread that Coric has beaten Sascha, Thiem and Murray this year.
Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 11:08 am
I’ll add that if we criticize Kyrgios for his performance in Slams, we should also be critical of Sascha this year.
scoopmalinowski · August 31, 2017 at 11:21 am
Duke, but Coric lost twice to Mannarino. Ranking is in 60s.
scoopmalinowski · August 31, 2017 at 11:22 am
People forget all the bad Fed losses in majors before he finally won. Horna Ancic. Not worried about Zverev.
scoopmalinowski · August 31, 2017 at 11:28 am
Just had this exchange with Cedric Pioline on media bus: Can i do a quick interview with you? Im good im good. Just two questions. About what? Facing Pete Sampras. Who cares. A lot of people do. He was a great champion. Ah i dont care about the past.
scoopmalinowski · August 31, 2017 at 11:29 am
Who knows. Maybe Coric is about to shock the world. Hes playing incredible, moving incredible and his confidence is blowing up.
Michael in UK · August 31, 2017 at 11:51 am
Thanks Scoop, I am very excited about Shapovalov. I love your anecdote about Hewitt, what a guy! Total tennis hero!
Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 11:53 am
Scoop, I’d argue that losing to Mannarino isn’t too bad, Mannarino is playing very well – it’s not like Sock losing to Thompson and some Austrian guy we never heard of. But yes, Coric hasn’t been stellar this year and Donald Young should have beaten him last week. Coric has talent, though, since you don’t luck into those wins.
I’m sticking with Sascha being too immature this week. I didn’t like his body language vs. King and there was no aggression like when he was out to kill Fed in Montreal.
Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 11:55 am
The Shapo-Tsonga match also didn’t interest me because I too felt it was too obvious that Shapo would win. Also when has Tsonga been interesting?
Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 11:57 am
Agreed on Donaldson. He is legit for sure.
So I was doing some digging and didn’t know that Gambill is gay. Not that I care but surprised that there weren’t a ton of stories about this because the media loves to throw this stuff in our faces. Can’t think of too many more successful gay athletes.
catherine · August 31, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Wozniaki moaning about her scheduling – after she lost, naturally. And another swipe at Sharapova being on the Stadium. Where else does Caroline imagine they’re going to put Maria ? Court 17 ? Imagine the chaos. It’s like players griping about Federer always being on the Centre Court at W’don. Big stars have the big arenas.
Wozniaki’s no great draw and although she’s now No 5 my guess is that she won’t be there very long.
There are a lot of matches to catch up at Flushing Meadows and someone’s going to get the short straw.
Michael in UK · August 31, 2017 at 12:18 pm
Hi Catherine,
Always so good to hear your views.
At this point in the tournament, do you think Sharapova will reach the final?
And what do you think of Ostapenko?
catherine · August 31, 2017 at 12:31 pm
Thanks Michael 🙂
I’m tending to Sharapova running out of steam somewhere before the final – lack of match play, physical condition etc. Ostapenko is halfway through with Cirstea as I type but probably will win. I’m not convinced about her yet – her games a bit one-dimensional as others have pointed out. Simona really should have beaten her in Paris. But she’s young and fit and a lot depends on her opponents’ savvy.
Predictions ? Toss a new pound coin 🙂
Hartt · August 31, 2017 at 12:46 pm
Scoop and Duke, I am very impressed that you figured ahead of time that Shapo would win over Tsonga. But the match was worth watching, partly because Denis played the best I have ever seen him (out of 2 years of seeing this kid’s matches). All of Denis’ many skills were on full display, including being totally unfazed about being on Arthur Ashe. “There were a couple times during the match I was smiling, having a good time. I was enjoying the atmosphere.”
The other thing that made the match entertaining were several very fun points where each player made some unbelievable shots, leaving the crowd gasping.
catherine · August 31, 2017 at 1:05 pm
Duke – maybe the reaon there weren’t a ton of stories about Gambill being gay is because the media these days are a bit more sensitive than they used to be and if Gambill himself hasn’t made a big thing of it why should anyone else ?
Gay stories go around every so often but they don’t get anywhere because everyone’s frightened of being sued, particularly in the UK where libel laws are strict. And don’t forget that sport is largely international these days and in many countries male homosexuality is still illegal or if not illegal, then despised.
Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Don’t give me credit for Shapo winning. It was more about feeling stronger for Tsonga losing for me.
Dolgopolov certainly not tanking today, huh?
catherine · August 31, 2017 at 1:44 pm
Gibbs takes 1st set from Ka Pliskova 6-2 !
Duke Carnoustie · August 31, 2017 at 3:13 pm
Grigor is getting destroyed but who cares since all hail, the King has arrived at Ashe.
catherine · August 31, 2017 at 3:14 pm
Pliskova rights the ship and sails on in 3.
I wrote on another stream about Simona H’s new addition to her coaching team and now she’s made it public on social media – interesting to see how this works out. Very keen to emphasise that nothing has changed with Cahill.
Chazz · August 31, 2017 at 3:25 pm
I should know better than to expect much from Dimitrov in Slams, but he was playing so well in Cincy. Bummer.
Chazz · August 31, 2017 at 3:33 pm
Did anyone see that Steve Johnson and Tommy Paul got double bageled by Fognini and his Italian partner in doubles? I’m guessing those two won’t be playing together again.
dan markowitz · August 31, 2017 at 6:58 pm
I guess the moral to the Open is so far, don’t do well in the Masters tournaments leading up to the Open. Dimitrov, Sascha Zverev, Kygrios, Tiafoe, Donaldson all gone. The only exception so far is Shapovalov.
Thomas Tung · August 31, 2017 at 10:55 pm
Taro Daniel giving a headache to Nadal right now; Daniel plays a brand of Spanish clay-court tennis I haven’t seen since the mid/late 1990s, and it’s frustrating Nadal, who actually seems to want shorter rallies.
Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2017 at 11:46 pm
Daniel is a slight guy but he has some serious pop in his shots and he has a sneaky drop shot. He told me yesterday he was born in NYC because his parents were both working at the time on Wall St. Japanese fans are very very dedicated. Two girls behind the baseline of his match vs Paul custom made a nice sign with his color photo saying “You Can Make It.” A very nice, detailed sign. They held it up for him to see before every game after a changeover. Today I interviewed Nicolas Escude about Facing Sampras and when we were done two Japanese woman came up to him and asked for a photo. I then asked them if they knew who he was, thinking they would not because they were young and Escude had not played in over a decade. They knew his name and one of the girls said they came all the way over to NY from Tokyo. And it was her first time at the US Open. And sometimes I get annoyed by the commute from NJ to Flushing Meadows. They came from TOKYO.
Scoop Malinowski · August 31, 2017 at 11:50 pm
One of my friends who attends almost every day told me he was Kyrgios and Kokkinakis hanging out by court 15 16 watching the two Aussies Barty and Rodionova and they were both acting like they were drunk, like a couple of frat boys. Good thing for Nick the media wasn’t out there. You rarely see any tennis media out by the far outer courts, they usually all stay in the media center and the interview rooms and of course the media cafeteria.
catherine · September 1, 2017 at 2:23 am
Scoop – I can recall tournaments where certain members of the media back then never actually watched any live tennis at all – just sat around as you say, saw some tv action perhaps and collected interview transcripts. And their pay cheques naturally 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · September 1, 2017 at 9:53 am
Catherine: I guess some things never change 🙂