Walking in I see Roger Federer signing after practice on the P courts. Fans are going crazy, I hear one saying with almost uncontrollable passion, “Oh Roger I love you.” Another says something about his smile. Roger just keeps his head down and signs, not really interacting. After a couple minutes he’s done and walks by. I say, “Roger, I know you’re a Rios fan, this is for you.” He accepts my Marcelo Rios book and says thank you.
I drop off some more books at the store, as the supply is selling.
DY is on that practice court 12 with a guy no one recognizes. Small crowd watched Donald but a good crowd is watching on the next court 11 Kohlshreiber handle Kalamazoo winner Collin Altamirano who is in all black on this hot day. The kid is good and clearly talented but the German is in total control up two sets early in the third.
One observer of this match is former finalist here Miloslav Mecir. I was notified of this fact by astute tennis fan and Tennis-prose.com friend Harold. I ask The Big Cat to do a Biofile and he agrees but first he wants to watch a few more minutes of Kohlschrieber-Altamirano. The Biofile is ten minutes long and an instant classic.
After that I see Jan Michael Gambill coming from a match with friends on 15. He accepts a copy of my Rios book and shares memoris of Hewitt for my Hewitt feasture. JMG compares Hewitt to a boxer. They played seven times with JMG winning three.
Gambill tells me he is no longer working with Coco Vandeweghe after a couple of years together, they split before the Open. Coco just won her first rounder yesterday.
UPDATES
How do you like this quote from Roger?
Q. Is your passion as high as it’s ever been?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I think so. Clearly when you win everything, it’s fun. That doesn’t necessarily mean you love the game more. You just like winning, being on the front page, lifting trophies, doing comfortable press conferences. It’s nice. But that doesn’t mean you really actually love it, love it. That maybe shines through maybe more in times when you don’t play that well. For me, I knew it, winning or losing, practice court or match court, that I love it. So I’ve been around for too long. Clearly when I had, you know, my two girls, I also wasn’t sure right off the bat how it was going to be after that. Was I going to be able to play the same schedule? Was my love for the game as big? Were we going to be able to cope with the whole thing, having twins or not? Managed it totally fine. They were at the court today. I’m so happy to see them before and after the match. I’m in a good spot right now. I want to enjoy it as long as it lasts, yeah.
—————–
Dan and I had lunch sort of with Aisam Qreshi, the doubles star, he plays with Rojer, and in mixed with Cara Black. Pretty nice guy, he told us why the Australian is the best major – always enhancing the event, take special care of players, always adding new things for the players.
How about Duval? What a breakout performance to shock Stosur. The sky’s the limit for her now.
Got a Vesely Biofile.
Did a Biofile with Maria Bueno of Brazil, she won Wimbledon three times and also won the US Open fifty years ago. She shared memories of meeting Jack Kramer and Fred Perry. She said she had to stop playing at the top of her career because of arm and shoulder troubles, which needed twelve surgeries. With her arm at 50% of what it used to be she got to hit with Federer in Brazil this year and shared the memory of how Roger is like Bill Clinton, he can make you feel like you’re the only person in the room when he focuses on you.
Saw Heinz Gunthardt on the grounds.
Also asked Jan Michael Gambill who will win this event and he answered, “Isner…got to go with the American.”
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Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Watching Dimitrov here on Court 7 mentally collapsing. Sousa is no real threat, but Grigor is on an extended walkabout ….
Dan markowitz · August 27, 2013 at 2:23 pm
Jeff Tarango tells me Gulbis’ mom said he should quit if he gets angry again. Maybe that’s why Ernest’s was so pissy yesterday . I’m dreaming here as on 2 courts side to side two serve n volley players, Kubit and Stakhovsky are playing matches. I’m watching the Russian play Chardy, another player I like for his style. Stak has taken 2nd set after losing first. The huge upset of day is happening on another side court where Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina is up a set and break. I don’t like Jerzy boy after he turned me down to autograph my son’s hat. He’s already called the trainer out for his back and he’s a sneering tall angry young man.
Chardy has beautiful strokes, long and smooth and he moves extremely well for a tall man. Both ayers are coming up to net a good deal. Don’t ever sit next to a linesman. When they yell out it is startling. Chardy just broke at love with two big fh passing shots. Today it is hot and very crowded. Thank the USTA for this press pass.
loreley · August 27, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Does Tarango have a source for that?
Ernests told in Delray Beach, that his mom told him to quit tennis, when he lost in 1st round at Bergamo Challenger. He said to her, one more month.
That’s how rumours work. A person says something & another adds something to that.
Dan markowitz · August 27, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Jerzy boy just hit a backhand long to go down two set to love to Gonzalez. A man with a Ltin accent just called out from behind J to “Take it easy,”
and J without turning around in his chair, said “Shut up.” The man said something else and J said, “Don’t talk to me.” Then the ump intervened.
I’ve barely heard of G. He’s small especially compared to J and he looks a little like a young Al Pacino. J has tried 2 droppers and missed both into net. He only attempts them off the bh side. It deuce in first game of 2rd set and now J faces break point. G has quite a bh up the line. No one grunts louder than J on his serve. It sounds like he’s trying to wrestle a crocodile. J holds with 2 service winners and big fh winner.
This is quite a match. Both players are hitting sizzling groundies and going for their returns. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone hit his groundies off both sides as hard as J. G is a beautiful player and he’s charging net more than J. That’s the beauty of a slam. You see a few players like G today and Haider-Maurer show their tremendous skills. You can’t duck anyone in tennis.
H’s first serve is huge, but his second isn’t always big and G just took one on the ad court and clipped the opposite sideline with an acutely angled bh winner. J creams a fh long and G has the break at 2-1. G is giving J a dose of his own medicine, drop shorting him twice and winning both points. G hits an ace and says in charged voice, “Come on.” He goes up 3-1. J has taken off his hat and he’s no Robert Redford. He kind of looks like a tall Leave It to Beaver. G is zoning and J is falling apart fast. The ump overturns an in call on his serve and J can’t even really get angry. He does fight back two break point in the 5th game of the 3rd set,but G has taken his legs out. J’s serve has lost its bite. Twice G has hit returns for winners. J hits underhand serve that catches ump surprised. She calls it out and J says to her, “I can’t hit it slower than that, but you still can’t see.” He holds.
It’s a young female ump. The ump overrules a service line call and J looks at lines woman and says, “Unbelievable.” No one grimaces as much as Jerzy. Leconte told me today the players don’t express their anger today, but no one told J that. He does have a hellacious flat drive of a fh cross court, but he misses way too much. And that weak second serve. G has another break point that he converts on a delicious dropper.
Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 3:23 pm
Baby Fed about to go down to Sousa in the fifth(5-2). Some call controversy earlier with the Stakhovsky/Chardy match, settled by Wayne McEwan (now a tournament supervisor).
loreley · August 27, 2013 at 3:44 pm
Dan, you’re blind. Al Pacino was beautiful when he was young.
http://cinematicpassions.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/photo_8605894_66470_20752879_ap.jpg
Gonzalez looks like a criminal 😉
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Go/M/Maximo-Gonzalez.aspx
JJ was injured. That’s why he lost. No idea what excuse Dimitrov has.
Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 3:50 pm
Watching the Satchia Vickery/Mirjana Lucic-Baroni match. The Vickery first serve is impressive, ok pace but really good disguise/placement (has the potential to be a real weapon). Lucic is as expected, all power, and still impressive even in this era of Big Babe Tennis. Saw a bit of Gimeno-Traver earlier — Dani’s serve is strong and his forehand takes you right off the court; solid, flat backhand. Lu is a game retreiver, but that combination is especially ineffective against Spainards, especially Spainards with power.
Dan markowitz · August 27, 2013 at 4:59 pm
Sock won first set in breaker over Petschner, but the German got an early break in the 2nd set. Marion Bartoli was there in an open black dress rooting strongly for Sock. I like Sock’s game. He has a bigger forehand than Harry and he’s moving well. But Picasso’s slice is starting to pay benefits.
Another qualifiers gets through as Dutra Silva wins long 5th set breaker over a dejected Poposil who left the court on his own looking chastened.
Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Berdych over in the Grandstand lookin strong against the Italian Lorenzi, who looks out of his element on a hard court; his shots sit up nicely for Berdych to bully him around the court.
Doogie · August 27, 2013 at 5:15 pm
I fear Picasso`s body is slowly getting down again. Pity that he does not practice.
Doogie · August 27, 2013 at 5:18 pm
As i wrote – injury time out.
Scoop Malinowski · August 27, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Thomas you sure do hone in on some obscure matches )
Scoop Malinowski · August 27, 2013 at 5:48 pm
It appears Bartoli is in romance with Sock, she id dressed like they have a dinner date tonight, she looks spectacular. She is also fervently cheering him on, “Come on Jack.” Tennis-prose.com is breaking the latest ATP-WTA hookup )
Scoop Malinowski · August 27, 2013 at 5:50 pm
Vesely looks good, or okay, or normal. Nice game, pretty good serve. The foundation is there for Navratilov to work with. We’ll see. Young is destroying Klizan. YOung even tried a serve and volley in the closeout game for second set. Young looks really good. Klizan is like a zombie. Shockingly good performance by Young.
Doogie · August 27, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Shocking results from Klizan and Vesely against home players.
For Vesely: It was his first hardcourt match on tour and he has time. I am bit disappointed but he will adjust his game for this surface too.
Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Solid match here on Court 7 between Monaco and Meyer. Meyer is just a bit better than Monaco, but if Juan can take it to five, or extend the match til the sun goes down, he will have this one.
dan markowitz · August 27, 2013 at 6:03 pm
kLizan didn’t look good coming off court down love and 1 to DY. Got a chance to watch Vesely up close and he’s a big dude, who surprisingly, at least down 2 and 2 to Kudla, was making his way up to the net. I Would not compare him favorably or evenly with Sock as I think Doogie did, because I didn’t see that he has a weapon to match Sock’s serve and forehand. But he looked solid and he was still competing in the third.
Doogie · August 27, 2013 at 6:05 pm
@ thomas
can u pls update about this match??
would be very nice
Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 6:08 pm
Yeah I do like to look in on some of the more minor matches ojt there, just to add some variety … saw Victor Troicki earlier in the US Open shop at Armstrong, and ran into Arantxa Rus (dressed in civvies) around Court 7.
Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 6:11 pm
BTW stopped by earlier at the US Open bookstore and saw your Rios book Scoop, but no sign of your Federer one. Was it sold out?
Mitch · August 27, 2013 at 6:24 pm
Looks like you wrote off Vesely too soon. Up a break to start the 4th set. Young and Sock have decent draws to get into the 3rd and 4th rounds, respectively, but will either capitalize?
Dan markowitz · August 27, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Never seen Grandstand with so few fans as this 6:20 Steve Johnson v Tobias Kamke match. This is the third German man I’ve seen today after Petscner and Haas. I don’t think Hitler had Kamke in mind when he talked about the Aryan youth. Kamke is dark blond, but he’s pint-sized. I’ve always like watching him play since he did well in Newport a few years ago. Very clean strokes.
Johnson is a brute. It’s my first time seeing him. After the heat of the day it’s nice now. On a side note, sat down with Quereshi in the Players Cafeteria and he said for the player’s standpoint, The Aussie Open is his favorite slam. I have a bias against Johnson’s game after list in Cincy qualis to MacMac, but so did Mahut. Kamke just lofted a beauty of a topspin lob and now has double break point.. J has quite a serve / forehand combo. He hits a 124 mph serve out wide for an ace.
Has tennis become too much of a slam bam thank you mam game? Has that made the players more one dimensional and like automatons? I’d say yes and yes. It’s still an amazing show up close, but now the game is one of bludgeon and screech–everyone slides on the hard courts–and there’s less artistry and touch involved.
Johnson is too big Amanda girth-wise to be a top player. While the sport has become more arhletic, there’s less purity and precision to it. It’s more like a video game now and if you’ve ever seen kids play video games, the smile little.
Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 6:40 pm
I spoke too hastily — Monaco is slowly burning up internally, playing about eight percent worse, but not making any adjustments to his tactics.
Thomas Tung · August 27, 2013 at 7:57 pm
Kamke has split sets with Johnson and Stosur is having yet another erratic performance (this has been occuring way too often since that US Open win two years back).
I’ll do a more thorough summary of the day’s events from my end when I get back home tonight.
Thomas Tung · August 28, 2013 at 12:18 am
Today’s action:
Grigor Dimitrov v. Joao Sousa
Dimitrov committed the classic mistake described in Laver’s “The Education of a Tennis Player”: “It was a good feeling to have my strokes admired, and I was in no hurry to get off the court. As a result I let too many opponents off the hook.” Dimitrov’s greatest talent thus far is to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (when facing far lesser mortals); all the prettiest trick shots in the world can’t help you there.
Jerzy Janowicz v. Maximo Gonzalez
Jerzy seemed off from the start, and he wasn’t bombing his serve like he usually does. His emotions were clearly getting the better of him as well. (Surprisingly) easy win for Maximo, whom I last heard of losing to Federer a few years back in Arthur Ashe.
Jeremy Chardy v. Sergiy Stakhovsky
Very even match, the power baseliner Chardy vs. the serve-volleyer Stakhovsky. Sergiy pulled it out in a close match, there was a disputed call in the end which required the attentions of Wayne McEwan (Wayne has aged considerably, or so it would seem).
Jarkko Nieminen v. Lukasz Kubot
The steady baseline Nieminen vs. the serve-volleyer Kubot, only not so close of a match. The Flying Finn got it done quick against “Lucky Lukasz”. Didn’t know Nieminen had such bad posture, makes him look like he’s 5-8 rather than 6-0. Can’t blame him on account of the heat, though, it was really brutal early on in the day, with oppressive humidity.
Sachia Vickery v. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni
Vickery is an American youngster with good promise, especially behind her emerging serve; Lucic, a victim of personal issues and time. Mirjana’s power game, while still impressive, is no longer the standout it was in the days of Graf/Sanchez-Vicario/Seles/Davenport/Pierce. I’ve never seen a female pro hit as flat as Lucic, and probably never will. Vickery has grown up in a generation that is used to (and can deal with) that type of power. Good win for Vickery, and a sad/tough loss for Mirjana, whose game a decade ago had such promise … hard not to feel for her, hope she finds continued encouragement from her husband and joy in her marriage.
Juan Monaco v. Florian Meyer
Meyer was a bit better than Monaco from the start, but Juan seemed to play worse and worse as the match went on; and it came as no surprise when Monaco retired in the middle of the third set (not sure if he was getting sick or if it was an injury; I’m guessing sickness as he was doubled over at one point with the trainer next to him). Florian hit a nice trick shot in the 2nd set, the classic “ball bounces over on your side of the net and then backspins over to my side”.
Nicolas Almagro v. Denis Istomin
Almagro was never in this match from start to finish; he couldn’t keep focused at all. Istomin played like a 6-3 version of Rik De Voest, and it was more than enough to get the job done. Admittedly the time they played was when I felt the heat/humidity was most oppressive; siesta in Spain? Still, I expected a lot more fight from Almagro …
Tomas Berdych v. Paolo Lorenzi
The big Czech breezed through Lorenzi comfortably, with Paolo’s facial expressions showing outright fear at times (proudly displayed via the Jumbotron screens at Grandstand). There were a few hiccups here and there, but this was a much more thorough win than Gasquet’s yesterday. Of note were the gasps and expressions of awe/fear from the crowd regarding Berdych’s power game. Guess they haven’t seen Soderling in action ;P
Tobias Kamke v. Steve Johnson
Steve is a victim of “Super Size Me” disease and needs to lose at least 20 pounds to get to a better place in the rankings. Fortunately for him, Kamke also likes to blast balls (sometimes for no other reason than to blast balls) and this allowed Johnson to stay alive. Perhaps Kamke thought he could blow Johnson off the courts and also (being super fit) run down all of Johnson’s power shots? If so, poor plan (but fun for the fans). Kamke wins a tight match, punctuated by 2 incredible running behind-the-back overheads (a la a certain Swiss player); the last overhead set up match point, which ended on a Johnson error.
Side note: thought I saw both Dan and Scoop talking together on the opposite side of me from the Alamgro/Istomin match, but I must’ve been dizzy from the heat — when I went over to talk to them, they weren’t Dan and Scoop …
Scoop Malinowski · August 28, 2013 at 12:37 am
Got a Vesely Biofile after the match Doogie. Pretty good one. While waiting for my turn with Jiri I ran into my Polish friend/coach Artur Bobko a famous Polish coach and fellow lefty and he is aware of Vesely and said he’s a good player with a good future. Bobko used to coach Dementieva for a while and he knows all the Polish players. He also told me Fibak is here for the tourney working with Djokovic.
Scoop Malinowski · August 28, 2013 at 12:41 am
Thanks Thomas, but the Fed book second proof isn’t ready yet and order for copies still on hold. So frustrated about this. Hopefully by next week.
Scoop Malinowski · August 28, 2013 at 12:41 am
Kamke beat Delpo in Miami this year.
Dan Markowitz · August 28, 2013 at 3:55 am
I was surprised Johnson is so big. I was kind of turned off his game a bit. It’s all power and basically nothing else. I don’t see him going far. Even though Kudla won, I can’t see him being a top flight player in years to come. He’s a plodder so to speak, not very big, stays tough, but again, no weapons. I was very impressed by Sock, though. I’d say in some regards he’s a stronger player than both Harry and Tomic. The forehand is monster and the serve very strong. I didn’t like that he has to squash shot a number of forehand returns because the delivery is too big. I can’t believe Chardy lost that match because when I left he’d won the first and seemed cruising in the second. That’s a very fine win for Stakhovsky.
Dan Markowitz · August 28, 2013 at 4:04 am
Uh, Thomas, you’re giving out some erroneous info here. Chardy won that match over Stakhovsky 4 in the fifth. I went back and checked the results because I was watching that match and thought Chardy had the upper hand.
Doogie · August 28, 2013 at 5:06 am
@ dan
thx god we agree once 🙂
I rate Sock also higher than Hara. Only the attitude/engagemant to the sport Hara is miles ahead.
And Johnson is hard to watch because of his awful, awful backhand.
@ scoop
I am looking forward for Veselys profile. Cannot wait for it! Nice that u are thinking on me.
Gaurang · August 28, 2013 at 5:36 am
Johnson — I thought he was slow to react some times, so had a hard time running balls. Being a little fat could explain it.
Also he just made too many unforced errors — couldnt find the court for so many stretches in the game.
He really failed to impress. Probably he will never break top 50, and just stay in 50-150 range for his career — unless, things change.
Scoop Malinowski · August 28, 2013 at 8:20 am
Waas really impressed by Sock’s fire yesterday, never saw signs that he wanted it so much. Those fierce war cries after certain key points showed he has a burning desire. In Newport and Delray it just looked like he was going through the motions, too calm too placid. I like Sock’s fire. Right now I rate him ahead of Harrison by a slight margin. Don’t sleep on Harrison though, that would be folly.
Scoop Malinowski · August 28, 2013 at 8:22 am
Johnson is not fat at all, he’s a big man, I repeart NOT FAT. He has a different body type, it’s not exactly taylor made for tennis, neother was Seles or Vilas or I’d even venture to say Fish until he got himself in real shape.
Dan Markowitz · August 28, 2013 at 9:04 am
Please don’t put Johnson’s physique with Vilas’. PLEASE! Funniest line in New Yorker piece on Djokovic. Apparently, as reported by the NYer, Djoko yelled in Serbian at the close of a match, “Now you all will suck my dick!” Classic. The Djoko obviously has some balls.
Scoop Malinowski · August 28, 2013 at 9:56 am
No, Johnson does not have body like Vilas but he has a non tennis body like Vilas who trained for rugby and doing many strong man exercises when young, carrying weights while walking and running in ocean. Johnson looks more like a football or hockey player than tennis.