I watched Ivanovic vs. Jankovic. Ana’s got the best team in tennis, her two coaches, or whoever they are, are totally locked in on the match, with maximum seriousness and intensity. They fist pump at Ana and provide the optimium amount of positive encouragement. They stand up and congratulate her after a big point. They implore her on as much as they possibly can, without appearing overly aggressive or annoying. This really seems to help Ana too, as it sparks her emotional intensity and keeps her emotionally involved into the match and connected with her team, which makes her play her best.
You see so many matches, with tired looking boxes, tired looking coaches like Paul Annacone, who look like they’ve seen a few too many matches in their lifetimes. You see too many almost disinterested players who almost seem they’d rather be a few other places than grinding it out on a tennis court. But with Ana it’s entirely different. These passionate guys inspire Ana and make all her matches seem like major finals. I love it. It’s another example of how emotional energy and intensity – and the manufacturing of it – can absolutely make the difference in a close tennis match.
Guess what? Ana straight setted Jankovic 63 75 and is now in the final of Stuttgart vs. Sharapova. By the way, Anke Huber is the tourney director of Stuttgart.
Kei Nishikori showed his top five potential again with a routine win over Ernests Gulbis in Barcelona. Strangely, Nico Almagro, who stunned Nadal the previous day, lost to Santiago Giraldo in the other SF, despite holding the mental edge with a previous 5-0 head to head vs. the gritty Colombian.
I watched some of Michelle Larcher De Brito’s practice yesterday at Longboat Key Public Courts. It appeared her dad is her coach and was feeding her balls, with her alternating hitting forehands and backhands. She didn’t have a suitable practice partner. Maybe I should have volunteered my services. I just can’t see how being fed balls can get you ready for an ITF professional match.
Jack Sock has rebounded well after his Sarasota debacle and is in the semis of the Savannah Challenger. He will face Sarasota finalist Filip Krajinovic. Kyrgios or Kuznetsov plays Bagnis in the other semi.
Rosol vs. Dimitrov in the Bucharest final. Rosol attempting to defend his title from last year when he beat Guillermo Garcia Lopez.
Random factoid: I saw Sania Mirza has well over a million Twitter followers. While former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has around 350,000. Hmmmm.
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loreley · April 26, 2014 at 6:16 pm
I wouldn’t say routine win. Nishikori doesn’t play always like that. Gulbis struggled with some injury, he had a MTO in 2nd set. He played much better against Gabashvili who defeated Ferrer.
We can forget tennis until Madrid. The tournaments in Portugal & Munich have mainly players who were/are injured or out of form. Kohlschreiber, Haas, Monfils, Youzhny, Melzer. I can’t even guess, who’ll win Munich.
Scoop Malinowski · April 26, 2014 at 7:28 pm
I didn’t see all of it Loreley but Gulbis did seem flat. Nishikori seemed to know exactly how to beat Gulbis, go backhand, then when comfortable, change direction and challenge the Gulbis forehand. Kei is very smart, quick, consistent good mover, gonna be a tough out for Gulbis to beat Kei. Really impressed by Kei’s progress this year. He should handle Giraldo. BTW, Giraldo is the only player on the ATP tour who tucks his shirt in. 🙂 Used to be Llodra and Stepanek 3-4 years ago but they stopped tucking.
loreley · April 27, 2014 at 2:01 am
Nishikori withdrew from the semis in Miami. It’s surprising that he can play great at his first clay tournament after that. But the guy was always like that. I don’t remember any other player who retires from matches that often. Three times this season already. But he always comes back running like a rabbit again.
Gaurang · April 27, 2014 at 3:24 am
Sock is in the finals of Savannah and he has made it to rank 74 now. If he wins the final against Kyrgios (hard to say), then he would reach #70.
Good times for the US tennis up-and-comers. Instead of all revolving around 100-140 ranks, there are a bunch moving up.
As per live-tennis.eu — there are 5 US players in the range 65-81 which is nice to see. Hopefully they keep going up the ladder as a bunch, each cheering and motivating the other.
* 65 Bradley Klahn USA 705 -1 – – – –
66 Jurgen Melzer AUT 700 +7 – Lost in Barcelona R16 – –
67 Benjamin Becker GER 698 -1 – – – –
68 Marinko Matosevic AUS 697 +2 – Lost in Barcelona R32 – –
* 69 Steve Johnson USA 690 -2 – – – –
70 Dominic Thiem AUT 687 +10 – Qualification Barcelona W Lost in Barcelona R16 – –
71 Alejandro Falla COL 687 -3 – – – –
* 72 Sam Querrey USA 685 -3 – – – –
73 Aleksandr Nedovyesov KAZ 659 -1 – Lost in Barcelona R64 – –
* 74 Jack Sock USA 656 +14 Savannah F – 688 688
75 Jiri Vesely CZE 649 +4 – Lost in Bucharest R16 – –
76 Lukasz Kubot POL 646 -1 – Lost in Barcelona R64 – –
77 Bernard Tomic AUS 640 -6 – – – –
78 Dusan Lajovic SRB 638 -2 – – – –
79 Michal Przysiezny POL 637 -2 – Lost in Barcelona R64 – –
80 Alejandro Gonzalez COL 637 -2 – – – –
* 81 Donald Young USA 633 -7 – Lost in Savannah R32
Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2014 at 7:09 am
Nishikori likes clay surface, in 2006 he won French Open junior doubles with an Argentine named Edgardo Massa. He can play on all surfaces. Finals in Houston once. Third round at Wimbledon twice. I expect him to make second week at Wimbledon someday soon. Top 5 calibre player.
Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2014 at 7:10 am
Just like that Sock puts himself right back in the picture. He’s just too good to write him off. You gotta like how he’s responding to the adversity of Sarasota. Should be a great match with the red hot Kyrgios.
Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2014 at 9:36 am
The Battle of the Beauties Ivanovic vs. Sharapova. Nice win for Dimitrov, boy he’s evolving into a great right now. We haven’t seen Super G at his best yet. That day is coming.
Dan Markowitz · April 27, 2014 at 1:24 pm
You call beating Gulbis proof of Top-5 material? This is the first year where the Core-4, The Big 4 has kind of blundered a bit. Fed losing to Wawa, Djoko losing to Wawa at the Aussie and Fed in MC, and Nadal losing to Wawa, Djoko, Ferrer and Almagro. Murray has slipped well back in standing and lost Lendl.
So maybe Kei could sneak in, but he doesn’t seem to feel comfortable in that rare air.
What happened to Blake helping to coach Sock that we heard about in IW?
Gaurang · April 27, 2014 at 5:04 pm
So Kyrgios beat Sock in what looks like was a close match — 2-6 7-6(4) 6-4
Mitch · April 27, 2014 at 5:09 pm
Impressive week for Nishikori. He beat a lot of quality players and did so efficiently. To be top 5 he’ll have to play well and hold up physically week in and week out, which so far he hasn’t been able to do.
Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2014 at 10:28 pm
No Dan, I first predicted top 5 for Kei when I saw him win Delray Beach vs. Blake. Hit fitness is much stronger this year, they have been working on it. Chang is a big asset for Kei and he keeps scoring big wins this year. More are coming too.
Scoop Malinowski · April 27, 2014 at 10:29 pm
Kyrgios is something special. Only nineteen. Two straight Challenger wins after two months off with injury. Special stuff.
Abe Froman · April 28, 2014 at 10:44 am
agree with scoop on kei and primetime’s top10 / top5 potential…..they definitely have a realistic shot….but who cares about sock ?….c’mon now guys !….he loses early last week at a challenger and loses another challenger – albeit a final in the middle of nowhere….forget about sock and harry guys ! they’re wastes of time inking about or even worse – hoping they would make a turn for the better..
Dan Markowitz · April 28, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Don’t agree with you on Sock. He’s still young and has big game potential. He’s got a shot. The only other young Americans with shots in my opinion are Harry and Steve Jo.
Abe Froman · April 28, 2014 at 12:38 pm
not this year though dan…..bet you that – sock, harry nor stevej wont win even a 250 hardcourt toura in the states..
Hans Landa · April 28, 2014 at 12:42 pm
I have to agree with Abe on this one Dan. Not sure why you are so optimistic with these punks (for a lack of a better word).
Abe Froman · April 28, 2014 at 2:47 pm
@ hans….them is finghtin’ words there chief !….if i was sock, harry or stevej – i’d definitely dropkick u in the face ! haha….only kidding…..but unfortunately, your comment is very true. wasnt it one of these guys (prlly not stevej) that had a tantrum because his car was late and on another occasion – ditched his dubs partner to twist in the wind at wimby ? (per one of scoop’s anecdotes) ?
Bryan · April 28, 2014 at 3:20 pm
Nishikori was real impressive at Barcelona. As a Gulbis fan I wasn’t pleased.
BTW at the Sony Open I asked Nishikori during his Twitter Q&A if he’d changed his training program this year as he’s been on a higher level since before the AO. He said nothing different, but training had gone very well. Of course the next day he withdrew from Miami with that injury.
Dan Markowitz · April 28, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Didn’t see or read the Twitter Q and A with Nishikori, but he has to be one of the most, if not the most, boring interview in the history of sports. He makes Sampras and Chang look colorful.
I don’t think Sock’s winning anything but a Challenger maybe this year, but he’s still the No. 2–only 4 spots behind Thiem–youngest guy with the highest ranking at No. 74. Thiem supposedly has star written all over him so why not Sock? He’s right there rankings-wise.
Abe Froman · April 29, 2014 at 10:17 am
well dan, i think thiem has better variety, shot selection, work ethic, etc., but maybe with slightly less pop……and for some reason – i dont consider thiem a “punk” at all but sock’s picture is in the dictionary..
kei is prlly shy or polite on the outside like most japanese i know plus ESL….but he’s prlly a brawling kamikaze on the inside…..gotta be if he’s approaching top10-land…LOL
Abe Froman · April 29, 2014 at 10:20 am
sorry dan, the point to sock was….yes, he’s got potential but he, harry, donald, etc. dont deserve so much attention from the site…a lot more better aligned players to chat about, no ?
Scoop Malinowski · April 30, 2014 at 3:37 pm
I like Sock a lot, he will mature, evolve his game and fulfill his potential.
Scoop Malinowski · April 30, 2014 at 3:39 pm
Bryan, Nishikori has worked hard on strengthening his fitness since late last year. We see it’s paying off big time, with some of these wins, like the 3 set TB win vs. the super fit Ferrer in Miami. Kei is stronger now.
Abe Froman · May 1, 2014 at 9:25 am
sock wont mature for awhile and i’d have kei checked out as well for the ‘good stuff’ LOL
Scoop Malinowski · May 2, 2014 at 11:56 am
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/04/17/Emirates-ATP-Star-Of-Tomorrow-Kyrgios.aspx
video in this report of Kyrgios and Monfils playing one on one hoops. Both are great, especially Kyrgios. check it.
Andrew Miller · May 3, 2014 at 2:04 pm
Love Ana. Ginepri wins French wild card. Kosakowski came up short in two post Sarasota challengers. Pressure must’ve gotten to him – once you are the player to beat you get the bullseye on the back. Dy fell short to dancevic.
Anyways it is true & if discussion included other challengers it would be more accurate. But to me following challengers is not a waste of time or space – it is where the future stars are and where vets make their comebacks. On the main tour sure the play is high. But anytime a player slips and they are back in challengers you can’t count on them getting back – competition is that intense !
Andrew Miller · May 3, 2014 at 6:58 pm
Djokovic! No wonder he hasn’t been playing Novak ball. Congratulations to him and the top fan jr.
Harold · May 4, 2014 at 11:09 am
Djoko just pulled out of Madrid. Does a Lucky Loser go in his spot, and get a bye in the first round, or do they reseed?
Ben Becker had that good run recently as a LL, getting a bye and winning a few rounds
Harold · May 4, 2014 at 7:22 pm
Mathieu qualifies and gets put into Djoko’s spot in the draw, and gets a bye in the first round. Works out pretty good for him
Abe Froman · May 5, 2014 at 12:41 pm
@ andrew…sure, the minor’s of tennis and wta, etc., have their moments but an article / headline per week about them is sufficient (i’m being generous here as it should be per month LOL)…..the site should be / is skewed to report / discuss about the greats of the atp and not the slummers..