Tennis Prose




Aug/22

27

US Open Stories & Scoops

By Scoop Malinowski

Maximilian Marterer has never lost a match at US Open qualies, making it through in 2017, 2021, and now 2022 (also played 2018 as a direct entry). The German fought through three tough rounds by surviving Daniel Dutra Da Silva in three sets, Carlos Taberner 76 in the third (8-6 in the tiebreaker) and yesterday he beat Riccardo Bonadio 64 63.

Marterer is 27 years old and was once ranked 48 in the world in 2018. Right now he’s ranked 157. His career ATP record is 26-54 and 1-2 this year. He will meet 15 seed Marin Cilic in the first round.

Brandon Holt is the son of Tracy Austin, a former US Open champion. The Californian also survived a perilous journey, escaping three three set wins this week, against Alexander Muller 76 in the third set, Emilio Gomez 62 in the third, and finally Dimitar Kuzmanov 63 in the third.

Holt is 24 years old and ranked 296 but has never won at ATP main draw match yet. In the first round he will face fellow Californian Taylor Fritz.

There are an abundance of former pro’s offspring competing at this US Open beyond Tracy Austin and Andres Gomez’s son Emilio. Also playing are Hana Mandlikova’s daughter Elizabeth Mandlik (wildcard), Casper Ruud (son of Christian), Fritz (son of Kathy May). Stefan Kozlov (son of Andrei), Ben Shelton (son of Bryan) and Sebi Korda (son of Petr). Also Federico Coria is the brother of Guillermo Coria.

In the women’s draw there are a number of first time Grand Slam main draw qualifiers – Erika Andreeva, Linda Fruhvirtova, Elina Avanesyan, 16 year old Sara Bejlek, Daria Snigur. Two more wildcards will also play their first major tournaments – NCAA champ Peyton Stearns and recent 18s national hard court champ Eleana Yu, both from Ohio.

There may be no love lost between a couple of high profile Americans. Two prominent prospects both ranked in the top 60 played each other earlier this summer with the older one winning 62 63. This week a fan told the coach of the one player he saw the match and really enjoyed it and the coach replied surprisingly “we are not big fans” of that particular player “at all.”

The same fan also spoke a few words to Coco Vandeweghe, telling the veteran “I think this is the tournament you will break through.” Coco replied, “You’re probably the only one who believes that.”

During the practice with Petra Kvitova, Coco was crushing forehands but couldn’t get a serve in the box Kvitova was standing to work on returns. Coco missed three out of four serves and Kvitova gave up and walked away.

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