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Tuesday Scoops At The Sony Ericsson Open
2 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
First of all, I want to say this is a very, very special tournament. This feels like a Grand Slam. It really is fantastic to be here.
Okay, let’s get down to business.
Patty Schnyder somehow pulled out a 7-6 in the third set win over Madison Keys. I saw the first set and Keys looked too strong for the Swiss vet, dominating with her considerable power advantages. But Patty found a way, somehow.
Milos Raonic was being followed by Eurosport TV crew which was filming for a feature to be hosted by Mats Wilander who is on site.
Roger Federer made his debut at the Sony Ericsson Open by practicing with Jack Sock in the afternoon. Sock was Novak Djokovic’s primary hitting partner during the 2010 U.S. Open. Fed eased his way through, chatting with Sock and his coach Jay Berger, and also hit a behind the back volley, which I had never seen before. Fed also backhanded a, presumably dead ball, out of the court and it bounced off the canopy covering the mezzanine and into an adjacent flower pot. I mean, something special happens with every ball Fed hits, it seems.
Raonic was out practicing with Kohlschreiber and there was quite a large audience watching the new kid on the block, among the interested observers were Gasquet and Bagdhatis, who used the court next. Kohli called last point and Raonic exploded a typical monster serve which the German somehow returned with a desperate lunge. The high ball landed in and Raonic attempted an overhead which he netted, eliciting a huge YESSS! from a smiling Kohli.
I overheard Galo Blanco tell a female reporter that he believes the big rise in rankings by Raonic was the Canadien powerhouse making major improvements to his “first shot after the serve.” Raonic sporting some bling now, in the form of a flashy new necklace.
Jelena Dokic defeated American hopeful Christina McHale, 6-2 in the third. It’s an absolute packed house on court seven for Dimitrov vs. Massu but the Bulgarian has to much firepower for the declining Chilean legend. Massu won two gold medals in singles and doubles at the 2004 Olympics.
Collected some great memories of Rios from Arnaud DePasquale, Petr Pala, Xavier Malisse and a fan named Dave Butterfield. DiPasquale talked about a night of partying with his pal Rios in Santiago one night during the ATP event there. Rios took a stumbled down the steps, which gave the party animals some great laughs.
Gilles Simon was practicing with Viktor Troicki. Kuznetsova with Jankovic. The Radwanska sisters together. Maria Sharapova with her hitting partner.
Former ATP Lamar Harper Griffith coaches Kudrayatsva.
Nestor and Mirnyi walking out to practice – but not together.
Did a Biofile with young French player Adrian Marranino.
This tournament is tied for #1 with the U.S. Open for yours truly. If you are in the Miami area, you gotta get out here. Thomaz Bellucci just got done working on stadium court with Larri Passos.
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Also… James Blake was hitting with his brother Thomas on stadium under the lights at night. He was the last player to hit on the court before they sprinked it with water and cleaned the purple surface.
Dan markowitz · March 23, 2011 at 1:27 am
Scoop, good update. A friend of mine who attends the Newcombe annual camp said that one year at the U. S. Open, Rios came back to the locker room after a victory and Roy Emerson congratulated him. Rios said, “Who the fuck are you?” and Patrick Rafter went nuts on Rios and made him apologize to Emerson.
Scoop Malinowski · March 23, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Dan that is an incredible story and will go in my book! Wow that’s for sharing that, I actually believe it, as crazy as it sounds.
Great move by Rafter.