By Scoop Malinowski

Wu Yibing is the ITF number one junior in the world and fresh off the junior US Open and Shanghai Challenger titles (where he defeated Peter Polansky and ATP 62 Yen-Hsen Lu in the final). Wu lost in the first round as a wildcard this week to Gilles Simon in straight sets but the seventeen year old’s recent exploits have caught the eye of Roger Federer.

“I maybe saw two points from him yesterday, so it would be wrong for me to comment on his game yet, but I was aware that he did win the US Open,” said Federer at his Shanghai press conference. “Didn’t know he became world No. 1 junior. So if that’s what he is at the moment, I hope he can finish that for himself at the end of the year. Maybe he’s going to the Orange Bowl. I’m not sure.”

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By Scoop Malinowski

I would guesstimate my friend Mike has called me easily about twenty times after losing to the same old 69 year old warhorse. Maybe twenty five times.

The story was the same every time… “We split sets then he won the tiebreaker…”

adidas · Barricade · Djokovic

Once in a while, in the sea of political correctness in tennis player interviews, you stumble upon a nugget of gold quote.

I found this particular nugget of gold on You Tube, from former ATP pro Wally Masur.

The three-time ATP singles title winner (Newport, Hong Kong and Adelaide) made this interesting statement about tennis players using falsehoods to bolster their egos and images.

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By Scoop Malinowski

Bernard Tomic, with his ranking plummeting and career nosediving, has won his first match since late June. Tomic’s triumph came today in the first round in Tokyo, a 63 36 63 win against Portugal’s Joao Sousa.

Tomic has struggled mightily since the summer, losing first rounds in his last four events. Tomic’s last win came in the round of sixteen in Eastbourne, a three setter vs Mischa Zverev. Since Eastbourne, Tomic has lost first round at Wimbledon (to M Zverev in straight sets), first round US Open (To G Muller in four sets) and first round in Chengdu (to K Edmund in two sets).

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By Johan Kriek

Just saw the premier opening at a movie theatre of the “Battle of the Sexes” . We were invited and my coaches came and it was fun!

Bobby Riggs the gambler and showman who was a terrific professional (probably more professional in gambling but he called it hustling) vs Billie Jean King the trailblazer and living icon in women’s tennis.

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By Scoop Malinowski

Everybody is excited about the two new innovations in professional tennis this year, the sensational Laver Cup contested this past weekend in Prague, Czech Republic and the upcoming #NEXTGEN Finals in Milan, Italy for 21 and under ATP pros.

We know tennis is a traditional sport which is historically resistant to change and innovation but something is in the air this year and things are changing and so far the public response to Laver Cup and #NEXTGEN Finals has been extremely favorable.

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Did they have to make it World v Europe? Couldn’t they have made it like World against Eastern Europe? Then with a little free geographic license, we could’ve had teams like Rafa, Kyrgios, Tsonga, Kev Anderson, Qball and Shapovalov v Fed, Zverev, Berdy, Cilic and I don’t know a couple of other players. But to put Nadal and Fed on the same team to be matched up against Qball and Sock is almost criminal. I mean you have four Americans on the World Group and America can’t even get past the second round of Davis Cup.

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Pat Cash, Anders Jarryd, Tom Okker, Michael Stich, and Helena Sukova named Candidates for
2018 International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction

September 5, 2017 – Wimbledon champions Pat Cash and Michael Stich, along with Anders Jarryd and Tom Okker, who both won multiple doubles titles at Grand Slam tournaments, and Czech legend Helena Sukova, a 14-time major champion in doubles and mixed doubles, have been named candidates for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2018. The candidates were first announced this morning, live on Tennis Channel’s “Live from the US Open” show.

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By Scoop Malinowski

Status: Former ATP player won 2003 Sydney ATP title. Highest career ranking was 36 in 2007. Retired in 2009 and now operates Lee Hyung Taik Tennis Academy in Gangwon Province. Has career wins against Ferrero, Ferrer, Canas, Murray, Llodra, Schuettler, Ivanisevic.

DOB: Jan. 1, 1976 In: Seoul, South Korea

Childhood Heroes: “I looked up to Sampras – his game and his demeanor on the court.”

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Two favorite players of this site are Stefan Kozlov and Bryden Klein. Both Klein and Kozlov are personable, approachable, engaging players trying to carve out ATP careers.

But both are struggling right now with confidence issues. Klein lost a heartbreaking 76 in the third set at US Open qualies first round to France’s Vincent Millot after squandering a match point. Since then, Klein has lost in the first round to a teenager Will Blumberg in the Cary, North Carolina Challenger and this week he lost a three setter to the top seed in the opening round of the Columbus Challenger.

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