You remember Alexandra Stevenson because everybody remembers Alexandra Stevenson. The big serving Californian reached the semifinals of Wimbledon way back in 1999 and a career high ranking of 18 in 2002. A combination of injuries, errors, inconsistency and probably the new waves of quicker more athletic players stunted Stevenson’s career rise but guess what? The daughter of Julius Erving is still out there playing professional tennis. Stevenson actually played 20 ITF tournaments last year in places like Alabama, California, Louisiana, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Winnipeg, Toronto, Washington state, Albuquerque, South & North Carolina, and Virginia. Though her WTA singles ranking is at 546, Stevenson won’t shut it down. This year, at age 35, Stevenson is still battling and has played two tournaments. Last week in Surprise, Arizona, Stevenson lost in the third round of qualies to Alexandra Wozniak of Canada. And this week she’s in the qualies of Rancho Santa Fe – where she won her first rounder 60 60 against Morgan McCray. You have to admire the dedication and perseverance of Alexandra Stevenson for still working hard and competing at the professional level of tennis. She has been forgotten by most but not by tennis-prose.com who salutes the remarkable career of Alexandra Stevenson.
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Harold · February 22, 2016 at 6:24 pm
Good timing!! Today is her dad’s birthday.
Dan Markowitz · February 22, 2016 at 7:46 pm
This is a remarkable story. The amazing thing is that when Stevenson had her big breakthrough, her mother and her were talking about how they didn’t know if Alexandra would be long for pro tennis because she had so many interests. Now maybe she’s still playing because she found out she loves the game or that she had so many injuries she feels she hasn’t reached her full potential, but also there has to be a bit of self-delusion involved here too.
At 35, still playing Challengers, the chance that she’s going to get back to where she was 17 years ago is nil and nada.
Scoop Malinowski · February 22, 2016 at 8:11 pm
Just loved Julius Erving as a kid – such a class act good guy and always so entertaining to watch the Sixers back then –
Scoop Malinowski · February 22, 2016 at 8:13 pm
Agree Dan it is an incredible story that Alexandra is still out there and playing 20 pro tournaments a year – that guy Brian Battistone (who you did a story on once) is also still playing Futures with this jumping serve and two handled racquets – he’s got to be mid 30 by now right?
Dan Markowitz · February 23, 2016 at 12:12 am
True story about Dr. J. I;m at Mickey Mantle’s with John Starks, the defunct Mickey Mantle;s Restaurant, used to be on Central Park South, and we;re having our book celebration, the book that came out late because it was pulled when John didn’t read the galleys I gave him and then when he did read the book, he was pissed about some of the things said in the book. And a guy comes up to me who I don’t even know and says that Dr. J’s wife or estranged wife wants to see if I’ll write a book with her about what an adulterer Dr. J was (he did have Alexandra Stevenson out of wedlock after all). The Starks book was my first book, I later went on to write the Walt Frazier and of course the Vince Spadea books, so I told him I didn’t think it would be such a good career move to write the book with the Ex Mrs. Dr. J.
That was a weird book, though. We had a reading once at a bookstore half-owned by Patrick Ewing’s first wife. And why Ewing ever cheated on or divorced this woman I;ll never know. She was absolutely gorgeous, and smart, I believe a Georgetown grad.
Scoop Malinowski · February 23, 2016 at 8:05 am
Dan unloading a heap of nba gossip on tennis-prose 🙂 They actually did a book about Dr Js philly philandering??
Harold · February 23, 2016 at 9:18 am
Dr J on the Sixers was a great run. But, when he was in the ABA, that was the show. The stuff he did on the court was out of this world. More unstoppable than Jordan in his prime.
Scoop Malinowski · February 23, 2016 at 9:34 am
Those Sixer teams were stacked with mo malone andrew toney mo cheeks bobby jones caldwell jones – dr J was slower and his left hand was mediocre but he was still great – loved watching them on channel 38 with matt goukas –
Harold · February 23, 2016 at 9:43 am
Channel 48 Scoop. Pre-cable days in Brooklyn, we could get Flyers on channel 17, Phillies on 29,and Sixers on 48.
High floors in apt. buildings could also get Eagles on CBS affiliate channel 3
Scoop Malinowski · February 23, 2016 at 10:05 am
You’re right Harold – 38 was the Boston Bruins games from Boston – NBA was never better than the late 70s early 80s Sixers vs Celtics was the best hoops rivalry ever – would love to kick back and watch a whole game from about 1979 Sixers vs Spurs and George Gervin from the Hemisphere Arena – you guys had it made in Brooklyn getting all those channels 🙂
Harold · February 23, 2016 at 10:16 am
Living at the tip of Southern Brooklyn had it’s merits, especially for sports bettors that wanted to see some of the games we were betting on. Some guys knew where to sit in their cars and pick up Ohio radio stations. Sports betting pre-cable and internet was not as easy as it is today. Thats not even bringing up ” Sports Phone” for score updates every 10 minutes for BBall, Baseball and hockey. 2 minute updates for Football
Dan Markowitz · February 23, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Firstly, are you high, Harold, Dr. J was never the offensive force Jordan was, not in any facet of the game, driving, dunking, outside shooting, post or perimeter moves. He just wasn’t.
Secondly, I could argue the best period of the NBA was the late-60’s, early-70’s when the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics were all dominant and you had Kareem, Clyde, Willis, Wilt and Jerry West, but clearly the best period for the NBA, the period that saved the NBA and made it what it is today, was the mid-1980’s with those great championship series’ between the Lakers and Celtics and the emergence of Larry and Magic, two multi-skilled players, as the best players in the game.
You take even that Dr. J, Moses Malone team in ’82 I believe and they weren’t beating those great Celtics or Lakers teams. In fact, that’s why the Sixers only won one championship while the other two teams won 5 and 3, respectively.
Harold · February 23, 2016 at 3:12 pm
Dont know how old you were in the ABA days, but Dr J dominated on the same level as Jordan, who even as a Knick fan, was like the Grateful Dead, you didnt miss him when he came to NY. Or was on TV.
Dr J was the same, saw him in Harlem, when he showed up at the Rucker, as a 6″4 unknown out of UMass, and dominated a stR filled game. He then grew to almost 6″7 and ended up a Virginia Squire before coming to the Nets.
Not high, but thanks
Moskova Moskova · February 24, 2016 at 2:52 pm
Back to tennis for a sec…Stevenson is just deluding herself and keeping her self busy….what else is she gona do – teach/coach ?? 😉
Scoop Malinowski · February 24, 2016 at 3:16 pm
I searched and found a story about Stevenson last year when she was ranked in the 400s and she said her goal still is to win a major – if she can get a roll going why can’t she pull a Kimiko Date or Hingis? She has the weapons – BTW she lost in Rancho Santa Fe qualies in third round to former top 30 Alexandria Wozniak in three sets after beating the California sixteen year old Ashley Kratzert who is coached by Robert Vanthof who used to coach Davenport –
Moskova Moskova · February 24, 2016 at 7:32 pm
Not even a fat chance of her qualifying for a slam..
Moskova Moskova · February 24, 2016 at 7:35 pm
Also, Fed’s back practicing but Rio olympics may fulfill his prophecy as his swan song…can’t really see him challenging djoko any time soon ..
Scoop Malinowski · February 24, 2016 at 7:37 pm
I saw the photos of Fed juMping and doing these high intensity leaping and swinging drills with serious leap ability off the ground – further wondering how he could do that after a supposed knee surgery 😉
Bryan · February 28, 2016 at 2:25 pm
Talk about a blast from the past. I couldn’t figure out who Scoop was talking about until he mentioned she’s Dr J’s daughter. Had a lot of hype back in the day but disappeared. I had no idea she’s still playing.
Bryan · February 28, 2016 at 2:27 pm
“I saw the photos of Fed juMping and doing these high intensity leaping and swinging drills with serious leap ability off the ground – further wondering how he could do that after a supposed knee surgery”
Yeah what the hell kind of knee surgery did he have where he can do these type jumps weeks later? I fought those pics alarmiing actually.
Scoop Malinowski · February 28, 2016 at 3:24 pm
Perhaps a phantom surgery?
Scoop Malinowski · February 28, 2016 at 3:26 pm
Also still playing: Jan Hernych, Brian Battistone, Ilya Bozoljac, Frank Moser, Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo.
Harold · February 28, 2016 at 5:07 pm
NBA players, who have more knee issues, than tennis players, sometimes come back in 10 days after Arthroscopic knee surgery.
Fed pulled out of Indian Wells…
Scoop Malinowski · February 28, 2016 at 5:49 pm
Harold did you see the photos of Fed jumping two feet into the air and swinging backhands? After seeing those photos I question if there was an actual surgery – that’s all –