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Jumping on the seven train I ran into pal Bill Boggs, remember him? He’s on way here too, going to get his girlfriend first. He said he’ll be sitting in a box by umpire chair on Ashe.
Nishikori has lost the first set to Brit Daniel Evans. Rejuventated Tursunov took the first set from Bedene. Lauren Davis is getting hammered by 18 seed Carla Suarez Navarro 0-6 0-3.
Tomic up on Ramos on grandstand. I’m on my way now there.
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Updates
Lauren Davis got double bagled.
Saw Conchita Martinez going out to watch a female Spaniard.
Fred Stolle in the media cafe during Serena vs. Schiavone, regaling us with tennis tales. Like his up and down relations with Harry Hopman, all the tennis books written to square up grudges with other players (his own as well), the whole story about Bernard Tomic’s car arrests, first with the “orange” BMW, then the yellow Lambourghini. Fred also busted my chops for not asking him to be a part of my “Facing Federer” book, in a fun way.
Jason Stoltenberg, former coach of Hewitt, is now coaching Ashleigh Barty. Stoltenberg is back in Syndey now as his base after living for many years in Orlando, FL.
James Blake announced he’ll retire after this event. I was surprised by this. He said he wanted to stop at the US Open, not at any other tournament. I guess he wasn’t sure if he could be main draw next year.
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Dan markowitz · August 26, 2013 at 2:23 pm
The Grandstand, my favorite court at the Open. The Spaniard is trying to close out Bernard Tomic in the 4th set. I’ve got a courtside seat right below the umpire’s chair. Ramos looks like he’s cramping at 5-all in the 4th. Tomic looks fresh. Marie Pascal, the ump in the chair for the 2008 Federer-Nadal match, just sat beside me.
Tomic is a big boy. He looks fresh. He uses a Yonex. This would be a big upset going out in first round, but he looks calm. He looks he could succeed Daniel Craig as Bond. Ramos is cranking his first serve, but it looks like the desperate last strivings of a man on the brink. Tomic is moving like a big cat and keeping the ball hard flat and low. Ramos just won a beautiful rally with a bh volley winner and then he hits service winner and we’re in a breaker.
Ramos gives a hearty yell after every shot. Tomic takes 2-0 lead on massive x ct fh. Tomic is going to force a 5th. He takes 5-0 lead in breaker. Tomic looks like in body he’s making
Transition from boy to man. He serves ace for 5th set.
dan markowitz · August 26, 2013 at 3:36 pm
Tomic broke Ramos in a marathon 2-all game in the fifth and that break held up. I like Tomic’s demeanor. Even in victory, he looked composed and after 4 tough hours on the court, he still had a light smile at the end. He took care in hitting the three balls up into the stands, seemingly amused by where they landed and who cought them.
The first day of the Open is always a day of surprises and today I learn that after this year’s Open, James Blake is retiring. If Fish goes soon, that will be the end of an era of Roddick, Blake, Fish and Dent. I guess only Ginepri battles on in the qualis.
Bradley Klahn is the first American to move onto the second round, taking out the Rd or 16 Wimbledon Frenchman, De Scheppers. I’ll slide into Ashe now to see how Harry is making out with Nadal.
Scoop Malinowski · August 26, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Spoke with Pancho Segura, the 92 year old legend, who was being wheeled in near the fountain area. Here are some nuggets Pancho shared with me:
‘Isner is better than people think. He is a contender here.”
Segura is impressed by many of the young guns: “Janowicz is a great player but he abuses the drop shot.” “Raonic attacks the net from too far back.”
“I like the Bulgarian kid but he has to play smarter.” The wizard Segura said he was going to see Harrison-Nadal, “I think Harrison will do better than people think.” Finally, Segura remarked, “I think there will be more upsets in this US Open than ever before. There are too many good players.”
Talked with Peter Lundgren who is coaching Schiavone. Said you have a tough task with the first round (Serena), Peter replied with a big smile, “That’s okay, bring it on!” And Peter added a clenched fist for an exclamation point. Upset maybe?
Dan markowitz · August 26, 2013 at 4:02 pm
Harry does not look overwhelmed. Nadal won first set 6-4, but Harry hit 6-0 aces and more winners. Harry is wearing same outfit as Tomic. He’s flattened out his forehand since I last saw him play on tv from Atlanta. The problem is Nadal has a. Giver forehand and he doesn’t miss with it, like ever, even when he’s hitting it on full run. It’s raining lightly now as Nadal breaks for 3-1 lead. I can’t remember seeing Nadal look so buff. Rain delay.
Andrew Miller · August 26, 2013 at 4:08 pm
And…Harrison down a set, break to Nadal.
Klahn makes his move, onto round 2!
And the Brit Evans upends Nishikori.
Dan markowitz · August 26, 2013 at 4:26 pm
Gulbis out here with sparse crowd on Court 4 playing the Austrian, Haider-Maurer and Haight Ashbury is giving him a match at 5-all in the 4th, Gulbis up 2 sets to 1. It’s a cloudy somewhat gloomy day and maybe that’s why there can’t be more than 250 people watching. Everything G hits is big and bigger. His high ball toss rivals Steffi Graf. Gulbis does not move great to his fh and something little like that can be the reason he’s not top 20. His serve and backhand are stellar.
The breaker starts with G misfiring on a makable fh pass and then he duffs a fh mid court into the net. I can’t see him winning big with that fh. H goes up 3-1 with an ace. He’s incredibly fleet of foot and reminds me of Djoko a bit. He just tried a bad dropper at 4-1, though. Brain cramp. G hits ace, 4-3. For a smallish guy, H has a huge serve. He jumps into it like an alpine skier. G hits inside-out bh wide and we’re going to a 5th set. Hold onto your seats, Mama. This could get bumpy.
Andrew Miller · August 26, 2013 at 4:57 pm
By the scores – Harrison is getting smashed by Nadal. Down 2 sets and 0-4 in set 3.
Rhyne Williams loses 6-0 in set 5 to Davydenko. Can’t say the U.S. future is looking amazing from these two real bad results.
Verdasco, down a set and a break in set 2.
Tomic, through in 5 with Tomic Sr. denied entry to open.
WTA side, don’t know what’s up.
Andrew Miller · August 26, 2013 at 5:01 pm
Nice commentary from Dan, Scoop on the Gulbis and Tomic matches
Doogie · August 26, 2013 at 5:10 pm
I know Loreley does not want to hear it but as Dan said with his FH Gulbis cannot be a TOP guy – never. Sadly because I love him too.
THX Dan for report
Dan markowitz · August 26, 2013 at 5:11 pm
The problem with G’s fh is that its such a big windup he hits it on his back foot a lot and doesn’t get depth. H is punishing on that. H moves like a man stepping on hot coals, quick firm steps. G just tried to drop shot him and H ate it up. G hits another fh into net and grabs at hamstring. 30-all, 1-all and G misfits fh off back foot, break point. Great out wide ace. G is coming up to net when he has opportunity and he holds.
He opens H’s service game with a viscious inside in fh followed by swinging bh volley winner. Stunning. Bad double by H and G with 2 BP. G is picking it up. But H saves both Bo’s. Lorely, I apologize for saying G doesn’t come to net. He’s coming up a lot in this match. H staves off multiple break points and notches at 2-2.
This has become the match of the day. Court 4 is now packed. Even Scoop is here. H opens 3-4 game with unforced fh error, but G obliges with bh unforced and H blow 2 serves by G.
G is in trouble, BP’s, but he fends off first with service winner and H will serve for match as G hits bh long. G tried to drop shot H and this Austrian is one of the fastest guyson tour, he gobbled it up and followed with running bh volley winner. H service winner. At 15-all, H runs through bh volley and hits into net. 30-all, H service winner. Match point and H big serve, big fh, volley winner. The 30th seed is out and he promptly hands racket to little girl in the stands.
Mitch · August 26, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Gulbis goes out. What a disappointment, though not that surprising.
Doogie · August 26, 2013 at 5:14 pm
We discussed the G dilemma few weeks ago – and we had spot on.
He has to serve like hell otherwise his FH is a to great weakness 🙁
THX again Dan
loreley · August 26, 2013 at 6:18 pm
No idea if it’s just the forehand. Gulbis can’t deal with pressure well enough. Said that he woke up tight & that the draw put extra pressure on him. He played well in practise.
Thanx for the report, Dan.
Scoop Malinowski · August 26, 2013 at 6:21 pm
Boy, Tomic looked dead down a break in third, somehow he fought back, but he fights back in silence, stoic, no emotion. Very impressive composure. After the win, he playfully smacked balls to kids, the first one behind his back, he had fun with it. Tomic showed that class and composure of a champion, a #1. Very impressive performance today.
Scoop Malinowski · August 26, 2013 at 6:24 pm
Pancho Segura also mentioned Gulbis in a good way, he likes him, likes his game. Tough loss for Gulbis. The other guy played out of his mind. Gulbis didn’t look in top form hitting with Mathieu last week. He accepted the loss well, quickly turned around and gave a broken Wilson to a girl behind his chair, she was surprised and ecstatic. Gulbis left the court. Oh I forgot when on way to Gulbis, Nastase was on way there too and asking where is court 4? He wanted to see Gulbis in the fifth.
Doogie · August 26, 2013 at 6:28 pm
@ scoop
I watched it too but it sounds strange to me when u say very impressive and so on. Yes he fought great, I agree, but look at his opponent. He is totally out of form (lost against Weintraub and Smyczek) and on hardcourt he is generally nothing special.
I dont interpret much in this match as Tomic just had more stamina.
Sorry but I did not see anything special. An epic yes of course (involving two mediocre players imo)
Dan markowitz · August 26, 2013 at 6:33 pm
I love Eugenie Bouchard. There I said it. I hope my wife doesn’t read this site. Bouchard is the 19 year old Canadian who is a more wholesome-looking and behaving, but more adorable than Kounikova and Sharapova. She’s out here in the waning late afternoon playing an even taller blonde drink of water named Karolina Pliskova. The Czech won the first set, but I could care less who wins. Actually, Bouchard plays a gritty game and in her neon orange visor, sweat bands and shot mod dress with black compression shorts, she strikes quite a fashionable figure. There’s a lot more I can say about Bouchard’s beauty, someone in the stands just called out, “Come on, baby,” but there’s a soul band playing just yards away in the courtyard and although its funky music, I find it distracting so what must the players be thinking.
I think the US Open steps over the boundary of what’s right with all this noise. Are we hear to watch tennis or get our groove on? Can’t this band be moved to the fringes of the grounds if its the latter. OK, back to Bouchard and why I’m so smitten. She’s super attractive and with the name Eugenie we come back to that word again, “wholesome,” but she moves like a Tomboy. You don’t get the idea she’s flaunting her sexuality. How can I explain it? OK, here it is, she’s like the young Mary Tyler Moore of tennis.
Scoop Malinowski · August 26, 2013 at 9:37 pm
Doogie he has talent major talent. Just sat in media cafe with Fred Stolle and he said Tomic can be top 10 player. Yes he actually said that. I have a wintess – Richard Pagliaro.
Scoop Malinowski · August 26, 2013 at 9:40 pm
Very impressive win for Bouchard. Pliskova is 72 and a tough player. Eugenie stepped up at the end and finished the job. She has a big future, very pretty, very strong, very fierce competitor, she just seems to have that X factor. Was disappointed by Keys loss to JJ. She went down meekly at the end 36 46. She did not take advantage of JJ’s serve, mediocre returns. Good win for JJ.
Doogie · August 26, 2013 at 9:44 pm
@ scoop
yes , we talked about future prospects and I also have him on my list!!
Just my view on his PRESENT state.
I dont rate him high atm and he has to prove me and the experts that he is really capable of great wins. For the moment I am doubtful.
Dan Markowitz · August 26, 2013 at 10:32 pm
So far three men qualifiers have won (Dancevic, Robert and Evans) and Dutra Silva is leading Pospiscil 4-0 in the fourth set. That’s pretty amazing considering that a qualifier is someone ranked outside the top 125 usually.
Scoop Malinowski · August 26, 2013 at 11:41 pm
He looked good today, very good at times. Let him work his way into the tourney. He has never done well in NYC, maybe this year he will Doogie. BTW Vesely vs. Kudla tomorrow or Weds, we’ll be all over that.
Scoop Malinowski · August 26, 2013 at 11:41 pm
These quali survivors are red hot. DY might be ready to make some noise too.
Andrew Miller · August 26, 2013 at 11:42 pm
Just read Steve Tignor’s assessment of the Harrison – Nadal match. Three things – one, Tignor said Harrison had two options, either step in and take the ball on the rise or go fetch, and by fetching he severely limited his options; two, Tignor had some nice excerpts from Harrison’s press conference. Who wouldn’t root for him after reading what he has to say about improving? Finally, Tignor mentioned what Nadal said about what Harrison had to do: “improve”.
Amen.
Thomas Tung · August 26, 2013 at 11:42 pm
Hey guys, guess I missed you as I was watching some of the action on the other courts (had friends/family to look after) … so here’s my thoughts on today’s “other court activity” 🙂
Tursunov played a solid first set, but looked a bit error-prone in the second. Solid stuff afterwards for the win, cementing his big rise back into the upper echelons of the ATP (he was out of the Top 100 at this time last year).
Gasquet was destroying Iron Mike Russell over on Armstrong, but kept letting Russell back into the match seemingly every time he was up 4-2 per set (Gasquet getting lazy mentally out there IMO; perhaps his mind was on tonight’s dinner plans)?
Urszula Radwanska (Agnieszka’s younger sister) was busy taking care of business against Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania (who definitely didn’t look like she enjoyed this matchup — Begu being a power baseliner). Urszula plays much like her big sister, in the mold of Hingis; lots of court craft, I enjoyed watching this one (although my friend Henry was getting sleepy LOL).
The Sloane Stevens/Mandy Minella showdown on Armstrong was uninspired; error-prone performances from both ladies, Sloane in particular making way too many double faults. Minella was holding up her part of the erratic performance by making some bizarre tactical changes, especially in the 3rd set when she decided she was going to bang with Stevens toe-to-toe from the baseline, after having played smart tennis. One step forward, one step back, that was the match in a nutshell. Sloane can be happy she escaped that one and (hopefully) put in a much better performance next round; this one is one to write off and forget about.
I predicted Ferrer over the young Kygrios in three (thinking 6-4, 6-2, 6-2) based on Ferrer’s great service return (has especially good records against John Isner — beat him 2-3 times in a row when Big John was making his breakthrough year in 2009 — and Del Potro. Federer has mentioned in the past that he regarded Ferrer as having the best return of serve out there. Big Nick has the serve, has the forehand, lacks the experience/patience/fitness/court craft needed to grind in best of five against the feisty Ferrer (think Nadal lite). Ferrer figured out his game within 4-5 games of the first set and it set the pattern for the rest of the match. Straight sets win for “Little David”.
Robredo was tops in a 4-set win over the willing and game Matosevic. Matosevic plays a aggressive, flat, baseline game, but his back must be bothering him, as his serve was pedestrian at best (my cousin thought he had a back issue a la Blake). Tommy, on the other hand, seems to have amped up his serve considerably (guess he worked on his game the 1.5 years he took off tour). Roberdo showed off his improved serve, great desire, and super fitness with many a great defensive point; his forehand was firing everytime he needed it. Along with Tursunov, Tommy is the great veteran comeback story of this year.
Giraldo (Colombia) and Berlocq (Argentina) was a fun, Latin American style clay court tennis match played on the blue hard court surface of Court 11. Giraldo w/bigger serve and more finesse, Berlocq is a blazing bull of desire and aggression, with the addition of a nice potbelly (seemed to be well on his way to Irakli Labadze, 245lb, levels of “fitness”). Berlocq was gassing out (visibly gasping and panting between points) up into the 3rd set tiebreak, which he threw in the spare gas tank and went up 5-0. Giraldo gone and out? No way!!!! Giraldo worked his way back into the tiebreak and closed it out 8-6 as “Charlie” Berlocq was left running on fumes. The Colombian/Argentine rivalry was in full effect; the Latin American countries’ rivalries remind me of the regionalism of none other than Mother Spain (think Catalan/Basque/Madrid/Galicia/Valencia, etc.)
See you tomorrow, folks!
Scoop Malinowski · August 27, 2013 at 12:09 am
Yes you have to like Harrison’s humility, he’s a good kid. Had a rough year with draws and close matches. Still believe he will find a way Andrew.
Scoop Malinowski · August 27, 2013 at 12:13 am
Thomas you had a busy tennis viewing day ) That’s a lot of action and a worthy correspondent’s report. Thank you for the scoops. I saw some of Ferrer and that young Aussie, good showing for the young gun, reminds me of Ancic or Cilic. Ferrer was just too much. Matosevic does appear stiff in the back region but I think it’s normal for him to look like that, he is not the most agile player out there but a pretty tough customer. Figured Giraldo and Berlocq would be a war. Berlocq is becoming quite the Davis Cup hero for Argentina. Did Mandy Minella have those singing fans again? She had a very vocal group of male supporters a couple of years ago signing up her name but she lost a close one then too, disappointing her fans just like today. Hope to see you tomorrow Thomas.
loreley · August 27, 2013 at 4:29 am
Ben Rothenburg talked with Gulbis after his loss:
“I felt really, really good, really confident, everything was really great,†Gulbis said of his mind-set coming into the tournament. “Physically I felt great.â€
He added: “When I came into the match, maybe I got over nervous. Because today in the morning, I woke up and I felt tight. I felt nervous in the warm-up and in the morning I felt tight, couldn’t relax. And when you’re so tight you lose a lot of energy on court. So after two sets I was already exhausted. I was sweating more than usual, everything was — I just tight, I was uptight.â€
Gulbis realized the opportunity that had gotten away from him.
“Maybe that I really felt that this tournament I could do well,†he said. “I saw the draw, I liked at the draw, and I could go far. I didn’t put on myself pressure, nobody put on me pressure.â€
“I was seeded for the first time here, so I wanted to see how the draw looks with my name in bigger letters,†he said with a smile.
Gulbis earned that seed in large part because of his play at the beginning of the year, putting together a 13-match winning streak between February and March. Though his success has not been as consistent since, Gulbis insisted his play had not dipped, just his ability to summon it on the important occasions.
“Honestly I’ve played top tennis,†he said. “It’s just I need to play top tennis in matches. In practice it’s really I play, everything is going my way. I couldn’t prepare better. Honestly, I have no idea what — I have an idea of what happened but I need to find some solutions on how to deal with it, because it’s not good.â€
In the search for solutions, it was suggested that maybe Gulbis could consult his coach or a sports psychologist.
“I’ll talk to my coach,†he said. “Psychologist? No. You can go to a psychologist. I don’t need a psychologist.â€
http://straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/26/gulbis-with-a-favorable-draw-cannot-capitalize/?smid=tw-share
Dan Markowitz · August 27, 2013 at 7:23 am
I’m sorry, could it be that Gulbis isn’t really that good. He doesn’t do anything spectacularly except maybe hit the backhand. You can’t lose to Haider-Maurer, who I enjoyed watching play, he hits the ball clean, but the guy had never won a match in the USO before. Gulbis should just face the facts, getting to the quarters of a slam would be an unbelievable feat for him.
Scoop Malinowski · August 27, 2013 at 8:27 am
Gulbis is a good player, he beat Federer and almost beat Rafa twice this year, and Rafa is about at his all time best level this year. Pancho Segura mentioned Gulbis to me yesterday as a player he likes a lot and thinks highly of. The guy can play top tennis. He’s done it many times. Now, he’s becoming a target with a big X on his back, with his success and big talking. He’s becoming a target and a notch for guys like Maurer Haider. THis is a hard thing to deal with. Gulbis can’t relax for a minute, he has to even work harder and still find ways to improve. He can’t rest on his laurels, it never gets easier only harder. It’s all part of the process. We will see if Gulbis figures it out, I think he can, I think he will, and he will make his mark on tennis.
Scoop Malinowski · August 27, 2013 at 8:44 am
Angelo Dundee once said for boxing: “Great fighters have trouble getting up for mediocre fights.” I think this maxim also applies to tennis for certain players.
Amanda · August 27, 2013 at 9:51 am
Thanks for all the match updates guys. I enjoyed reading them. Really really disappointed in the Gulbis loss. He has no business losing to a guy like Haider-Maurer. I’m starting to wonder if he will ever conquer his demons.
Dan Markowitz · August 27, 2013 at 11:57 am
Yes, but Gulbis has a hard time beating the best players, too. I’ve watched him a number of times now. He’s just not a great player and he doesn’t carry himself like one. Too much bothers him. That’s why he should get Johnny Mac as his coach. Because if you’re going to be angry, why not learn from the master about how to use your anger most effectively?