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A Flurry of Observations and Scoops in Miami
16 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
I was at the Brian Baker vs Mikhail Kukushkin match – the only journo there as it could have been Baker’s last ATP Match (he got in luckily as a PE) – and Kukushin just played out of his mind. He doesn’t miss and he’s silky smooth and super consistent. And some guy kept yelling “Mischa Kukushkin” all match. Baker fought back to get it to 4-4 and then he joked after the match about how during his long injury layoff he was tired of being on the couch and then he felt so tired and fatigued to have fought so hard to get it to 4-4 that he felt like he wanted to lay down on a coach again. Kukushkin is a great player – remember he just extended Djokovic to five sets in Davis Cup a few weeks ago. Baker fell apart in the second set as he just couldn’t breakdown Kukushkin’s consistency. Baker did flash a few nice winner returns but nothing was working. Baker played only and lost a Futures match in January so he’s very rusty but still looked quite good and if he had a more favorable draw might have been able to win and rebuild his confidence. Instead he went down in flames 64 62 despite fighting back from 5-0 and saving a few match points. It will be a long road back for Baker because he will have to play Futures and Challengers to get his ranking up… Fritz had a great hit with Del Potro who he told me is one of his favorite athletes in the world to watch and follow along with Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic. And yes Fritz was holding his own with that Delpo forehand… A tennis insider was telling me about the conditions of the mens’ locker room areas at various events – he said the players are very very sloppy and messy and do not pick up after themselves leaving plates of food and messes all around even though there are huge garbage cans and all they have to do is just throw their own stuff out. He said Winston Salem was the worst and all the blame goes on the player. Also he named a certain top player who does not flush the toilet after himself. I was stunned to hear the players would live like this even though they have attendants to clean up it’s the players who should do it themselves… The Bryans practiced together off site at 11 am yesterday but arrived separately and one B showed up considerably later than the other I was kind of surprised they and coach David MacPherson all showed up separately … Su Wei Hsieh got back on track with partner Peng Shuai back after a year long layoff due to a bad back. They lost badly 0 and 2 in Indian Wells but yesterday beat Coco Vandeweghe and Anna Lena Groenfeld 64 62. Huge win for the former WTA no. 1 team. Peng lost love and one last week in singles but won on Weds in straight sets over tough Beligan Van Uytvanck. Hsieh is a marvel of a doubles player with her delicate touch and angles and smart shots and Peng has the power… Hingis and Mirza also got back on track by beating Raluca Olaru and Laura Arrabuena 60 64 after losing first round last week in Indian Wells… I did Biofiles with Andreas Seppi and Kukushkin which will be posted at this site in the future weeks. Facts of note are that Seppi is getting married this year and is reading books on relationships and he once had a match where a phone went off during the match and Seppi complained about it but it turned out it was his phone in his tennis bag – he had forgotten to turn it off. Kukushkin was a very interesting Biofile and I’m sure you will enjoy to read it as you will have trouble finding any one on one interview with Kukushkin because he’s one of those players who is rarely ever requested (along with Gabashvili Lajovic Vinolas-Ramos Donskoy Rajeev Ram Pouille Dodig etc)… Spotted around the grounds were Gaston Gaudio Mariano Hood Daniel Orsanic (Argentine Davis Cup captain) Seb Grosjean. Orsanic and I chatted during Del Potro and Fritz’s hit and said he once won a Million dollars in doubles in Germany in 1999 and they beat Safin and Moya in the second round and they were hitting forehands so hard they felt like they needed helmets at net. I asked who is favorite partner was and he said Jaime Oncins of Brazil because he had a very good first serve and could hit all the different shots and he was super intense on court but relaxed off the court. He said certain partners are ultra competitive all day long and that can be tiring. Tennis is such an interesting sport…Also was at Ivanovic beating Pereira of Brazil who yells or grunts “A HEE YAAAA” after every struck ball – even after serves and slightly delayed. I questioned the chair official Yuan Chang after about it and she said it’s considered a grunt and she is consistent about it. But boy oh boy is Pereira a character out there “AHHHHHH HEEEEE YAAAA” all day long. Ana won 63 60… If you want to see all my photos of the day go to Facebook and see my page or the Tennis Prose page…
Ana Ivanovic · Brian Baker · Miami Open · Taylor Fritz
Andrew Miller · March 25, 2016 at 11:28 am
Kukushkin had a great Australian Open. I was surprised how he smacked Harrison around in the first round – nothing Harrison was doing was working out there and he wasn’t playing a bad match in his first rounder. Just that Kukushkin couldn’t have played more perfectly. Literally, nothing. He was unflappable.
As for the Del Potro forehand – it’s not as fearsome as it was in 2009. But as far as someone to play like, Del Potro’s style in 2009 was unstoppable.
If we had Del Potro, US Open winner 2009 versus Djokovic today, I think he’d pull a few Wawrinkas. He was that outstanding during that tournament.
Dan Markowitz · March 25, 2016 at 12:12 pm
You shouldve asked Seppi about DY. What a stinker he played yesterday. What is wrong w DY? Why does his mother still coach him? The guy’s going to be outside top 100 soon the way he’s playing.
Andrew Miller · March 25, 2016 at 12:31 pm
The DY pendulum. Every time he gets a career-high result, like last year’s 4th round of the US Open and a Davis Cup start, and his second straight year in the top 50, he seesaws back.
He’s the most exciting player and the most frustrating. No other U.S. player can do what DY does, whether the going is good or bad. He’s without question the most exciting player when he’s on – he plays top 20 ball. When he’s off, his ranking looks more like #250.
Andrew Miller · March 25, 2016 at 12:38 pm
I’d say Fritz plays a nice up tempo game as well. I had a thought that DY may have ducked out in Memphis and lost his match on purpose (or played worse, subconsciously) so that he didn’t have to face off against Fritz.
At his best, the DY takes out Fritz with his clever shotmaking. But when he’s playing not so well, I’m afraid it’s a Sampras-style blowout.
Bryan · March 25, 2016 at 1:03 pm
“players are very very sloppy and messy and do not pick up after themselves leaving plates of food and messes all around even though there are huge garbage cans and all they have to do is just throw their own stuff out. He said Winston Salem was the worst and all the blame goes on the player. Also he named a certain top player who does not flush the toilet after himself.”
LOL. These anecdotes are why I enjoy reading Scoop. You get odd details that are not reported anywhere else.
catherine bell · March 25, 2016 at 1:47 pm
Entitlements – certain No 1 player in the 80s used to travel around London in a flash car scattering parking tickets like autumn leaves.
Never paid a single one.
jg · March 25, 2016 at 4:57 pm
Watched the first set of Fritz-Ferrer, you have to be impressed with Fritz, he was right there with Ferrer and I thought he would take the first set. He was up 0-40 to break early and if he had gotten that game would have taken first set. I think in 6 months, Fritz won’t miss some of those volleys at the net (although he did make a few). I didn’t watch 2nd set as I assumed he would peter out.
Dan Markowitz · March 25, 2016 at 5:04 pm
Fritz was really impressive in first set which I watched, but surprised the wheels fell off completely in second. I don’t know what Andrew is picking at on his backhand, it seemed dang good to me and he hits it. His serve while not Sampras-ish, is very good and he moves well. You just wonder like Spadea said if 6-4 or whatever he is is too tall to be a top player. Only Berdych and Raonic are that tall and good. Cilic is another outlier in height and top ranking.
Michael in UK · March 25, 2016 at 6:05 pm
Haha yes, I agree with what Bryan says!
Great fun piece to read. I’m looking forward to the Kukushkin biofile.
Andrew Miller · March 25, 2016 at 9:23 pm
Super tall players are limited to two slams max. See Safin.
Yes I like a nice backhand. See Spadea. Agassi. Djoker. Nalbandian. Ferrer even.
Ferrer…he took out the U.S. in Australia and he will do it in Miami. Ferrer shows every u.s. player at a major event that they have work to do.
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2016 at 10:25 pm
Andrew: Richard Krajicek is another tall player who won just a single major – if anyone remembers that he won Wimbledon – two of the most forgotten slam winners of the modern era are Krajicek and Albert Costa –
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2016 at 10:27 pm
Thanks michael – will post Kukushkin after miami – BTW Kukushin plays Bellucci next and that’s a winnable one – if he wins then Rafa could be awaiting – Go Kukushkin –
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2016 at 10:30 pm
Del Potro and Berdych are that tall and are great players – Anderson is very near to being a great player – Fritz will be a great player – no doubt – you have to consider that he’s only played four events as a pro – to be pushing Ferrer to his absolute limits is incredible – just wait till he fills out physically and gets more experience – he’s going to be a force –
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2016 at 10:31 pm
Catherine – Edberg?
Andrew Miller · March 25, 2016 at 10:59 pm
Tall players rarely multi slammers. Sampras proved perfect height is six , six one. Federer, Nadal all around there. Agassi was five ten, five eleven territory. Once Krajicek, one slam limit! Safin got more And could have doubled it, gotten four etc. But safin is himself.
catherine bell · March 26, 2016 at 3:32 am
Scoop,
No Edberg wasn’t that type really, and he lived in London then.
Can’t name names obviously but this guy never won W’don although he famously coached a W’don winner not so long ago.