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Rennae Stubbs Compares Nakashima to Djokovic
9 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
19 year old American phenom Brandon Nakashima is turning heads and generating buzz in the tennis world but today he just received the highest compliment about his potential as a tennis player could hope to earn.
While playing no. 5 seed Alexander Zverev today at the US Open in the second round, TV analyst and former Grand Slam doubles champion Rennae Stubbs compared Nakashima to a young Novak Djokovic.
Stubbs is so impressed by Nakashima and adamant about her faith in the Californian’s potential, she challenged co-analyst John McEnroe to dispute the assertion.
Nakashima pummeled Italian veteran Paolo Lorenzi on Monday in his Grand Slam main draw debut.
Coached since earlier this year by former Wimbledon champ Pat Cash and former ATP pro Dusan Vemic from Serbia, Nakashima possesses many attributes and qualities which have astounded and impressed the tennis world. The Japanese-American teenager has super solid strokes, swift court movement, maturity and poise far beyond his years, very good serve, and good volleys. Everything is cohesive, flowing and he has just that X factor where you watch him for a few points and you realize, This could be the guy American tennis has been longing for.
I watched him in person reach the QF of Delray Beach (his first ATP main draw) and several of his practice sessions and quickly became a strong believer in Nakashima’s game and potential.
Stubbs sung the high praises of comparing Brandon to young Novak today on ESPN2’s coverage. At first McEnroe asked Stubbs to repeat herself, which she did, and then she boldly asked John to challenge the opinion. McEnroe wisely declined the verbal spat, and simply replied with a neutral remark, “That’s quite a compliment.”
The seven time Grand Slam winner later called Nakashima’s backhand “rock solid” but critiqued his forehand technique: “looks funky and needs work.”
Nakashima was stunning in the first set vs Zverev, outplaying the German veteran and hanging in there on even terms. At 5-5 and up 40-love on serve, BNak suddenly lost form, momentum and the game. Zverev then held to win the set 7-5.
Nakashima held in the first game of the second set.
Brandon Nakashima · US Open 2020
Scoop Malinowski · September 2, 2020 at 2:46 pm
Nakashima had two set points at 54 in the second set but missed two forehands. Could not convert. 55.
Scoop Malinowski · September 2, 2020 at 3:31 pm
Nak up 3-0 and 5-2 in second set TB but blew another set point. 6-6 now. Then Nak hits a super bh winner cross from center of court to save set point and AZ hits a BH return long. Then AZ Dfs and Nak wins the set 76.
Scoop Malinowski · September 3, 2020 at 11:52 am
Katrina Scott the young American wildcard had two set points vs Anisimova 22 seed but suddenly tightened up and missed two of her money backhands and started missing first serves. I met the former coach of Scott last year Marc Lucero and he told me her backhand is MONEY. She’s a big time prospect, I think 16 or 17 now. Still up 54 on Amanda on serve. Was up 52.
Scoop Malinowski · September 3, 2020 at 11:57 am
But Scott broke at 15 to win the set 64! Katrina Scott up on Anisimova. Scott serves 115. She’s 16 years old. Her backhand is money. She trained for 3 months, no matches, no touraments, just worked on refining her forehand, earlier this year with her coach David Kass in Columbus, Ohio.
Christopher Stone · September 4, 2020 at 12:55 am
Been following and watching Scott play once I saw her name in the draw. She grew up in LA playing with a friend of ours. Very impressive, world class serve and backhand, seems to have a good head as well. Was unlucky not to win today. My assessment of Anisimova has changed since last year when I had her on the fast track to #1. Forehand is shaky, not fluid, more mechanical. Commentator today cited her continental grip on forehand. Serve is funky as well, she’s got a funny rotation of the racquet that requires exquisite timing. Biggest issue is however that she’s not very athletic, lacks natural “wheels” and good balance, gonna take a lot of work. Death of dad last year seems strange. Am I the only person who thinks this?
Scoop Malinowski · September 4, 2020 at 8:40 am
Christopher, Yes I did find that bizarre how her dad died at such a young age. I’m sure you have heard about how celebrities have to “sacrfice” a loved one or their first born to achieve fame and fortune, that highly remote possibility popped in my head after it happened, considering that nike VP’s pedo art collection. Not saying it was a sacrifice but in this crazy twilight zone nation we live in now who can really know for sure? She got the huge nike contract. Anisimova has been on the fast track since age 12. I remember former GS champ being at Eddie Herr and talking about her, even he knew about her already. Somehow the insiders knew about her already. She has panned out. Katrina Scott should have beaten Anisimova but at 15, realized what she was about to do and became afraid to win. She will be a great player. She has everything. The commentators said she played Lauren Davis not long ago in practice and beat her, so she is already comfortable playing seasoned pros. Anisimova is also going to be a great player. She is not a perfect specimen and does not have a perfect technique skillset but few players under 20 do.
Scoop Malinowski · September 4, 2020 at 12:15 pm
It’s been a pleasure to watch Murray’s career. The early rise, the early struggles, then getting physically stronger and training like an animal to finally overcome the many heartbreaking losses to Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and shockingly get to the top of the sport.He worked hard, probably too hard and his body has now broke down. All those hard core training sessions. All those marathon grindfest matches in pro and junior. Now at 33, he’s lost a step of speed and agility and confidence – that fraction decline has made him closer to ordinary than extraordinary. It won’t sit well with him to endure these thrashings to the young guns like he suffered last night. He well could hang it up at Wimbledon next year if he can’t fight his way back into elite top 25 form. It was not pleasant to watch this great champion bashed around by Felix, no knock on Felix but we all know the sky is the limit for him and he deserves it. It’s always sad to see a great champion look helpless on court. Chang, Seles, Vilas, Courier, and now Murray has entered the home stretch of his illustrious career.
Scoop Malinowski · September 5, 2020 at 9:49 am
So Mary Jo says Venus would have won her US Open match if the fans were there cheering her on. Unfortunately Mary Joe knows she is not allowed to say anything nice about white people, how white people’s cheering and support have helped both Williams win a lot of matches. For if Mary Jo said this truth about the goodness of white people she would most likely be scolded by her espn puppetmasters.
Scoop Malinowski · September 6, 2020 at 11:15 am
Speculation is that Evert was buzzed or drunk last night on air from drinking too much wine. During Keys Cornet match. Felix roats Mou Man, De Minaur slays another dragon in Khachanov, Pospisil takes out Agut.