USO: Unteachable Talent

US Open—New York

It’s often difficult to understand the genius or the questionable choices of an elite level athlete. Whether it’s a reverse inside-out forehand, or a back-pedaling overhead into the corner, the seemingly unthinkable appears like a walk through Central Park for the pros.

Entering tonight’s Louis Armstrong match between James Blake and Peter Polansky, I certainly had my fare share of reservations towards the potential winner. I knew that Blake would be coming in slightly injured and not confident, while Polansky was in the best form of his career, defeating Juan Monaco and Jurgen Melzer in recent outings.

Knowing Polansky quite well from his junior days, I thought that he held a more than even shot at victory. His forehand contained enough juice to penetrate the slick court, and his foot speed and athleticism allowed him to complete with the best players in the world.

Beginning the contest locked in a servers duel, neither player would manage to dent the others delivery, while marching forward to an inevitable tiebreak. Unleashing a picture perfect backhand return to take a 5-1 lead, Polansky would gain a first set advantage after 38 minutes. While Blake remained suffocated in his go-for-broke game-style, Polansky continued to display his ever improving game.

Fast forwarding to the end of the match for a moment, Blake told the supportive crowd that “I played a pretty passive, not-so-spectacular first set, especially in the tiebreaker. But I turned it around and played great.”

I’ll touch on how impressive Blake performed after the first set shortly, but I would certainly disagree that he played passive in set one. Sitting front row for the entire match, I witnessed a fifth gear Blake right from the first point. Taking full cuts at Polansky’s serve, the American’s mind set was ultra aggressive, but his accuracy and shots were far from consistent. Finding the green area of the blue hard-court at inopportune moments, Blake’s “passive play” won him 80 percent of his first serve points, while racking up 17 winners and committing 10 unforced errors. Still sound like he was holding back?

However, with the beginning of the second set came the Blake of old. Connecting on numerous clean return winners, and spectacular running forehands, Blake displayed his best ball-striking of the season. Short-hopping forehands off the baseline, Blake annihilated his first serve, and even struck his predominately flat backhand with precise sharp angles.

While Polansky continued to play at a high standard, Blake’s speed of shot, and his ability to pound away from the back-of-the-court, kept him in line for the victory.

Blake to my mind has always been the epitome of a microwave player. When he’s on he can bring forward lights out tennis, but when he’s off he can lose love and three like he did to Denis Istomin a few weeks back. Within the good, the bad, and the blistering velocity, Blake has always remained a player that can hit some miraculous shots.

Most of what Blake can do with the ball was never taught. His fast twitch muscles were a god given trait, and his quick split step—which has decreased in recent years—remains admirable.

There was a point in particular in the middle of the forth set when Blake was forced to hit a cross court passing shot. Becoming wrong footed by Polansky’s forehand down-the-line, Blake changed his grip to a continental forehand and slapped the ball cross-court for a winner. Glancing over at Polansky’s player box, Blake provided a rye smile of disbelief. Although he was aware that his shot was aided by good fortune, a part of him also acknowledged that he knew exactly what he was doing.

After losing a double break lead in the fourth set, Blake would once again break Polansky to lead 5-4. Serving the match out with purpose, Blake provided an encouraging sign that he may be on the rebound before the final point. Walking over to receive his usual selection of three balls before choosing his desired two, Blake murmured a strong “this is my house” under his breath.

Striking a power slice serve down the tee, Blake dusted the hopes of the young Canadian, while setting up an intriguing third-round match with Novak Djokovic.

There’s no doubt that the challenge of Djokovic will be difficult to combat come Saturday. But the unteachable talent of Blake; a talent that deservedly brought a smile to the former top four player’s face, was more than worth the price of a so-called passive start.

–Nima

USO: Day 4 Results: Federer, Soderling, and Fish Reach Round Three; Davydenko and Cilic Ousted

US Open—New York

Third-Round Results:

No. 2 seed Rorger Federer d. Andreas Beck 6-3, 6-4, 6-3; No. 5 seed Robin Soderling d. Taylor Dent 6-2, 6-2, 6-4; Richard Gasquet d. No 6 seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; Kei Nishikori d. No. 11 seed Marin Cilic 5-7, 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-1; No. 13 seed Jurgen Melzer d. Ricardas Berankis 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3, 1-6, 7-5; No. 19 seed Mardy Fish d. Pablo Cuevas 7-5, 6-0, 6-2; No. 21 seed Albert Montanes d. Carsten Ball 6-4, 6-3, 6-1; No. 22 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero d. Ricardo Mello 6-1, 6-4, 6-4; James Blake d. Peter Polansky 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; Paul-Henri Mathieu d. Guillermo Rufin 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-3; Themio de Bakker d. Ivan Dodig 6-7(4) 6-2 6-3 3-2 ret. (cramp); Arnaud Clement (FRA) d. Eduardo Schwank 6-3, 5-5 ret. (left ankle).

US Open 2010 Day 4 Preview: 2 September

by: Tom Cochrane

After a fresh air swing when serving and an on-court collapse shortly thereafter, tournament organisers and tennis fans held grave concerns for Victoria Azarenka. Thankfully, the tenth seed is on her way to recovery, with reports suggesting a concussion at training earlier in the day was to blame for her collapse.

Day 3 Recap

While Azarenka’s collapse and consequent defeat to Gisela Dulko was all the talk on another warm day at Flushing Meadows, she was not the only seed to fall on Day 3. Also exiting the year’s final major was Jie Zheng, who was thrashed by a rejuvenated Ana Ivanovic, Tsvetana Pironkova, who missed the chance for another clash against Venus Williams, and Marion Bartoli, who lost out to fellow Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano.

Aussie teenager Sally Peers met her match against defending champion Kim Clijsters, and Melanie Oudin was unable to recapture her form from last year’s US Open, going down to Alona Bondarenko in a sloppy match. There were wins for seeds Schiavone, Hantuchova, Stosur and Peer, but Alisa Kleybanova was not so lucky, defeated by Italy’s Sara Errani.

The biggest casualty on Day 3 in the men’s tournament was Andy Roddick, who succumbed to the dangerous Janko Tipsarevic in 4 sets. There was better news for the host nation in other matches, with Sam Querrey and John Isner progressing. Another high-profile casualty was Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych, who was unable to combat Michael Llodra’s energetic serve and volley game. Fifteenth seed Ivan Ljubicic was comprehensively beaten by young American Ryan Harrison, but among the seeds successful on Day 3 were Monfils, Wawrinka, Kohlschreiber and Youzhny.

Andy Murray has enjoyed plenty of support from punters and is one of the title favourites. The Scot did his chances no harm with an emphatic straight sets win over Lukas Lacko. Also impressive in recording a straight sets win was Gael Monfils, who disposed of the talented Russian Igor Andreev.

Matches of the Day – Day 4

1. Philipp Petzschner vs. Novak Djokovic

Once the dust has settled on a tournament, it’s easy to focus on the winner and to forget the struggles that the winner had to endure en route to the title. Many forget that Philipp Petzschner not only extended Rafael Nadal to 5 sets at Wimbledon, he also held the ascendancy for much of the match, taking a 2 sets to 1 lead before Nadal squeezed out a victory. Although he lost the match, Petzschner will take a lot of confidence from his performance at the All England Club and will sense an opportunity here against Djokovic.

Djokovic was extremely lucky to survive an energy-sapping 5 setter against Troicki and it was clear that the match took a lot out of the third seed. Djokovic will be hell-bent on making this a quick match, in order to restore his energy levels for later in the tournament. If Petzschner can get on top early, Djokovic may struggle to go the distance, but I suspect the Serb will be more focused than he was against his countryman Troicki. Djokovic in 4.

2. Jelena Jankovic vs. Mirjana Lucic

Jelena Jankovic is a former US Open finalist who probably plays her best tennis on hard courts. She’s come to close to claiming a Grand Slam on a number of occasions, without truly getting within touching distance of a major trophy. To my mind, that’s due to some mental frailties, but we are too early in the tournament for those to come into operation.

It’s been a strange life for Mirjana Lucic. After bursting onto the tennis scene as a teenager and claiming her first tournament win as a professional at just 15, Lucic had to suffer injuries and, according to certain reports, an abusive father. After falling down the ranks, Lucic was forced to play second-tier tournaments for many years. But Lucic had a good win over Alicia Molik in the first round and has nothing to lose in this encounter. I think Jankovic will be the steadier player in this clash, but it would be great to see Lucic progress further in the tournament. Jankovic in 2.

3. Nikolay Davydenko vs. Richard Gasquet

I expected Nikolay Davydenko to struggle in his opening round match at Flushing Meadows, as a result of some patchy form following a long injury lay-off. The Russian proved me wrong, dispatching journeyman Michael Russell in straight sets. That was a good performance, but I sense Davydenko’s luck could run out against Richard Gasquet.

Gasquet may be best-known in the United States for his positive drug test for cocaine, which was recorded in Miami and was allegedly the result of a kiss. But Gasquet, whose suspension due to the drug test was later dismissed, is a seriously talented individual who has been inside the world’s top 10. It’s taken Gasquet a while to find his feet again after the cocaine episode, but I reckon Davydenko is ripe for the picking and Gasquet is exactly the sort of player who can seize such an opportunity. Look for Gasquet to get well inside the court and dictate play with his stunning one-handed backhand. Gasquet in 5.

4. Robin Soderling vs. Taylor Dent

American journeyman Taylor Dent always seems to come up against good players early on in Grand Slams. First it was Robin Soderling in Paris, then Rafael Nadal in London. While Soderling thrashed Dent in the French Open, Dent performed better against Nadal at Wimbledon.

Soderling had a scare in the first round of this tournament, forced to go to 5 sets against a qualifier. He’ll be hoping for less court time in this encounter, but I expect Dent to give Soderling more of a challenge than he did in Paris. Dent’s poor court movement was exposed on the clay, but the fast hard courts of Flushing Meadows and a home crowd will make life more difficult for Soderling. Still, it’s generally taken a lot to beat the big Swede in a Grand Slam in the last couple of years, so I’ll back Soderling to advance. Soderling in 4.

5. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez vs. Patty Schnyder

It’s been a good year on the WTA Tour for twenty-second seed Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. The Spaniard teamed with Tommy Robredo to win the Hopman Cup in January, then pulled off the biggest win of her career by winning the Italian Open in May. Martinez Sanchez’s game is quite different to the majority of those employed on the WTA Tour, full of chips, touch shots, and slices, with some serving and volleying thrown in for good measure.

Such a touch game is hard to execute when one is nervous or low on confidence, but Martinez Sanchez appears to have faith in her game plan and her results are a testament to that game plan. Schnyder is a WTA Tour veteran who was once ranked inside the world’s top 10. At her best, she would pose a big threat to Martinez Sanchez, but I think the Swiss player’s best days are now behind her. Martinez Sanchez in 3.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

USO Blog: Morphing to the Moment

US Open—New York

Could we be seeing a different Andy Murray at this year’s US Open? A Murray, who takes charge and doesn’t wait for the ball to come to him, rather, a player that wants to win his first Major, and is willing to go after the title the same way Juan Martin del Potro did last year?

There’s no denying that Murray will never be able to clock his groundstrokes with the same lighting speed as Delpo, but he certainly does have room to take the ball earlier, and not solely rely on his defense and court speed.

During today’s match against Lukas Lacko in Ashe Stadium, Murray was adamant on taking it to his opponent, while conserving his energy in the scorching heat.

Defeating both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to take the Toronto title last month, Murray was proficient in mixing up his game when he needed to, while stepping up and blasting a first serve or a backhand when required.

I’ve always felt that Murray had enough power to spare, but his stubborn demeanor and mindset prevented him from achieving his potential. Slicing a backhand when he could have hammered the ball across his body, Murray would venture off deep behind the baseline, and provide his opponent’s with short shots. Brad Gilbert once suggested that Murray’s mentally was centered around playing every player in a different way, and his game style would be dependent on what his opponent would bring to the table. Depending on how you look at that philosophy (it can obviously be both beneficial and detrimental), Murray has more often that not opted to choose a passive approach to victory, while drowning in his unproductive court positioning.

However, based on what we’ve seen from Murray as of late, a smarter (could that even be possible?) Murray has sprung up during the summer season. Perhaps it’s the Scot’s lack of a coach at the moment; no coach usually allows players to rely solely on their own thoughts instead of falling victim to strategies that they wouldn’t want to employ. Again, I’m not suggesting that I’m against on-court coaching, or coaches in general—because I’m actually a big advocate of what a good coach can bring forth—but a little independence can certainly allow for some beneficial results.

Playing a shot-maker in Lacko today, Murray made sure that his strategy was built around the oppressive heat. He wasn’t interested in drawn out rallies, and decided to pull the trigger on his groundstrokes earlier than he usually would. Although Murray’s shot selection against Lacko was based more around conserving energy, his 37 winners and eight aces showcased his ability to hit through the court and stay in total control.

Lacko, who had drawn comparisons to Roger Federer because of his easy flowing strokes, managed to win only 65 points during the straight set white wash. Neutralizing his Slovak opponent to only 26 percent of his second serve points won, Murray managed to use his greatest weapon—his return—to get off the court in one hour and 51 minutes.

Morphing his game to the moment, Murray confessed that his Wednesday start could get him in trouble as the tournament progressed.

“Well, it’s a lot easier to play seven matches in fourteen days,” said Murray. Anyone would tell you that. It’s just different here with the Saturday, Sunday, semi and final is always tricky for all of the players.”

Taking into account Murray’s condensed tournament, he would surely benefit from continuing his aggressive play well into the second week, and remain in prime position for potential matches against Federer or Nadal.

But, as Murray suggested, he’s not looking that far into the future.

“[I'm] not really thinking that much about Roger and Rafa right now because I’m only in the second round,” admitted Murray. That’s disrespectful to all the other guys that you might have to play on the road to get there to think about playing against them. For me, I love playing against those guys. But a lot of tennis, you’ve seen someone like Berdych who has been great in the Grand Slams this year lost in straight sets today; Soderling nearly went out the other day; Djokovic nearly went out. It’s so pointless thinking ahead. I say it every Grand Slam. That’s how I feel.”

Respect is one thing, but here’s hoping that Murray continues to lace his groundstrokes, and not rely on the game to come to him.

US Open 2010 Day 3 Preview: 1 September

by: Tom Cochrane

It’s been a truly eye-opening start to this year’s US Open. First, Roger Federer pulls off this. Then Novak Djokovic says this. I can’t wait to see what Day 3 holds in store for tennis fans.

Day 2 Recap

World number one Rafael Nadal kicked off his campaign for a maiden US Open title with a win on Day 2, claiming a pair of tiebreakers on his way to a straight sets win over Teymuraz Gabashvili. Forced to work far harder to secure a second round berth was Nadal’s compatriot Fernando Verdasco, a 5 set winner over the pesky Fabio Fognini, and third seed Novak Djokovic, who rallied from a precarious position to defeat fellow Serb Viktor Troicki in 5 sets.

Marcos Baghdatis was the highest profile casualty in the men’s tournament on Day 2, succumbing to the guile of French veteran Arnaud Clement in another 5 setter. Five set matches once again seemed to be the flavour of the day, with David Nalbandian and Mardy Fish also going the distance. Tenth seed David Ferrer had a comfortable straight sets win, while Radek Stepanek, on the comeback trail from injury, went down to Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

If Caroline Wozniacki is feeling the weight of expectation after entering the women’s tournament as the top seed, she sure isn’t showing it yet. The elegant Dane dropped just 2 games in thrashing America’s Chelsey Gullickson. Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva and Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer also recorded easy wins, while Svetlana Kuznetsova and Jelena Jankovic were extended to 3 sets.

Among the seeds, the news was less pleasing for Na Li, Nadia Petrova and Lucie Safarova, each of whom was bundled out on Day 2. Maria Sharapova looked like she might join them after she lost the first set to Australian Jarmila Groth. But Groth, who was hitting as hard and flat a ball as anyone I’ve seen on the WTA Tour, eventually started misfiring, and Sharapova’s experience led her to a 3 set victory.

Matches of the Day – Day 3

1. Ana Ivanovic vs. Jie Zheng

It was great to see Ana Ivanovic record a win on Day 1, all the more so because the win came against the dangerous Ekaterina Makarova. But there’s another tough foe waiting for the former world number one and French Open champion in the round of 64. Twenty-first seed and Australian Open semi-finalist Jie Zheng is a consistent and competitive player, and she is exactly the sort of opponent that will exploit any weakness or inconsistency in the Ivanovic game. There’s no doubt that Ivanovic possesses greater firepower and also more on-court creativity, but the Serb has become a more defensive and less attacking player in recent times.

In my opinion, Ivanovic needs to come out of her shell and rediscover the attacking game that made her one of the best in the sport. If she can maintain good court position and look to dictate the play, I think the odds are stacked in her favour. But if she retreats far beyond the baseline and engages in long rallies, I think Zheng will have the edge. This one is close to a coin-toss, but I’ll take Ivanovic in 3.

2. Sally Peers vs. Kim Clijsters

It’s the sort of story that sports journalists love: an unheralded Australian qualifier makes the main draw and, in doing so, makes Australian tennis history by emulating the feats of her mother, who played at the US Open several decades ago. Then the qualifier thrashes a solid WTA Tour player in round 1 and is to face off against her childhood idol and the defending champion in round 2.

Yes, it’s been quite the fairytale for Sally Peers. But, while the young Aussie’s main draw debut was nothing short of spectacular, I can’t help but feel that the whirlwind nature of the last few days will take its toll on her performance in this clash. Clijsters is not only a veteran of the WTA Tour, she is also the consummate professional and will be highly focused on honing in on Peers’ weaknesses and advancing to the third round as quickly as possible. Peers has got nothing to lose, but Clijsters will advance with ease. Clijsters in 2.

3. Janko Tipsarevic vs. Andy Roddick

The other day I wrote that Paul-Henri Mathieu was a player who performed much better against high-quality opponents than low-quality opponents. I think that statement also applies to Janko Tipsarevic. The flashy but erratic Tipsarevic came within a whisker of knocking Roger Federer out of the Australian Open a few years back and relishes playing on the big stage.

Tipsarevic won’t be intimidated playing against Roddick in New York – in fact, I think the Serb will thrive on the raucous atmosphere that is likely to be created under lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Roddick, who is still recovering from a recent illness, will be aware of the threat Tipsarevic poses and will be intent on producing a high-quality serving display in order to limit the Serb’s chances to break serve. I was impressed by Roddick’s performance in round 1 and, while Tipsarevic will probably get streaky at times during this match, I think Roddick’s serve will eventually help him claim victory. Roddick in 5.

4. Melanie Oudin vs. Alona Bondarenko

It was always going to be hard for young Melanie Oudin to return to Flushing Meadows this year, the scene of her amazing run to the US Open quarter-finals last year. Expectations were high for Oudin’s continued development this year and, although she hasn’t had an incredible year, it’s been a steady season for the American and I sense that she will eventually make it into the world’s top 20 and perhaps the top 10.

But Oudin faces a seasoned campaigner in the second round in the form of Alona Bondarenko. The Ukrainian will no doubt be buoyed by the efforts of her sister Kateryna, who upset eighth seed Na Li on Day 2. As she showed last year, Oudin doesn’t take a back step against anyone, but I think Bondarenko will look to serve up plenty of variety to Oudin, who would probably prefer an all-out slugfest. Bondarenko in 3.

5. Gael Monfils vs. Igor Andreev

Add Igor Andreev to my list of players who rise to the occasion in big matches. I consider Andreev to have one of the best forehands on the ATP Tour and he has shown glimpses of his immense talent at various stages in his career. But it’s been a disappointing year for Andreev who, after pushing Federer in the opening round at Melbourne Park, has slipped to 102 in the world rankings.

After capturing 3 junior Grand Slams in one season, many tennis pundits expected that Gael Monfils would have established himself inside the world’s top 5 by this stage of his career. While the seventeenth seed has yet to do that, he is definitely becoming a more consistent and seasoned professional with each season he spends on the ATP Tour. And the fact that Monfils sits at number 19 in the world is more a testament to the strength of the men’s game rather than a reflection of any deficiencies on the part of the athletic Frenchman.

I’d normally expect Andreev to have a strong chance in a match like this, but at this point in time, Monfils is feeling far better about his tennis than Andreev is about his. Andreev has risen to the occasion in previous high-profile matches, but I can’t see it happening this time. Monfils in 4.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

USO: Day 2 Results: Djokovic, Fish, Ferrer, and Blake Advance

US Open—New York

First-Round Results:

No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic d. Viktor Troicki 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3; Arnaud Clement d. No. 16 seed Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5; No. 19 seed Mardy Fish d. Jan Hajek 6-0, 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1; No. 23 seed Feliciano Lopez d. Santiago Giraldo 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Jeremy Chardy d. No. 24 seed Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 7-6 (1), 6-4; Peter Polansky d. No. 30 seed Juan Monaco 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-3; James Blake d. 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; Eduardo Schwank d. Robby Ginepri 6-4, 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3; Tommy Robredo d. Lukas Rosol 6-4, 6-3, 6-1; Daniel Gimeno-Traver d. Jarkko Nieminen 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-3; Benoit Paire d. Rainer Schuettler 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(2); No. 10 seed David Ferrer d. 6-2, 6-2, 6-3; Philipp Petzschner d. Dusan Lojda 6-3, 6-1, 6-1; Adrian Mannarino 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (1); Pablo Cuevas d. Julio Silva 7-6(0), 6-1, 6-2.

Matches that are still to come will feature No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal vs. Teymuraz Gabashvili.

USO Blog: A Tad Too Much

US Open—New York

With record temperatures soaring through the grounds of the National Tennis Center on Tuesday, an interesting question was posed during ESPN’s daytime coverage: “Should the heat rule apply to ATP World Tour, the way that it does to the women of the WTA?”

While the ladies receive 10 minute breaks after each set during extreme heat, the men are only allowed to be treated for heat related issues. Considering that the men are forced to play best three out of five sets, I’d be inclined to support longer breaks for the men during days like today. It wasn’t confirmed if the conditions were the hottest the tournament had ever witnessed, but judging by the difficult matches that Marcos Baghdatis, Mardy Fish, and Novak Djokovic encountered, a further assessment of the men’s heat rules should be considered.

A Long Summer

Marcos Baghdatis’ recent summer of success hit a brick wall today against Frenchman Arnaud Clement. Reaching the finals in Washington, the semifinals in Cincinnati, and the quarterfinals in New Haven, Baghdatis’ heavy legs and his consistent former top 10 opponent would end his event early. Although Baghdatis provided enough charisma to give the Louis Armstrong crowd their moneys worth, it was Clement’s fresher physique, and experience that would prevail.

During his post-match presser, Clement provided—to my mind anyway—the reasons why he became the victor.

“You know, I start my summer, my U.S. summer in Los Angeles, and play like five tournaments before coming here. I won only one match in quallies in Cincinnati, so my confidence is very, very—was very, very low before this match,” said Clement. I didn’t expect anything from this match. In my mind I was—when I went on the court, maybe I have just one percent chance to win this match. He played great in Washington, in Cincinnati, so he’s in good shape. So it’s gonna be very, very difficult for me. Maybe that’s why I was more relaxed on the court in my game and my shots, because for me I have no chance to win before the match. That’s strange. Now it’s a little bit different. Now I played my best match, that’s for sure, for all the summer.”

It sure became “a little bit different” after the Frenchman won his 12th match of the season. Although Baghdatis completely overshadowed Clement in summer results, his poor scheduling—especially by playing in New Haven—severely hampered his US Open chances.

It certainly pays to have matches under one’s belt, but playing too much; a tad too much, won’t pay off in the long run, either.

Two Bagels And A Near Upset

Experiencing the “kiss of death” after winning the first set 6-0, Mardy Fish quickly found himself in the position of playing better, but trailing Jan Hajek by two sets to one. Picking up his fitness level in one of the most incredible stories in the past 12 months, Fish rolled through the fourth set 6-0, and nearly provided his third bagel of the match before capturing the fifth set 6-1.

Stating that the heat in New York was a “cakewalk” compared to what he faced in Atlanta against John Isner, Fish certainly didn’t look like a vibrant player after losing the middle two sets against his obscure opponent.

I appreciate Fish’s newly found fitness, and his ability to take the conditions in stride after the match, but there’s no doubt that he needed a little breathing room before marching to victory. Although he never would have prevailed today by carrying his previous weight and fitness, the 28-year-old American did showcase nerves that he will have to shake off if he intends on moving forward.

Feeling as good as he ever has at the Open, Fish will be a tough hombre to defeat during the remainder of the event.

The Shade Feels Like…

The writing appeared all but written on Ashe Stadium today when Novak Djokovic found himself down two sets to one against countryman Viktor Troicki. Never one to play well in the heat, Djokovic’s serve remained passive, while his inside-out forehand found the doubles alley far too often. Falling down a break in the fourth set, Djokovic began to zero-in on his defensive foundation, while thoroughly embracing the merciful shade.

Pounding his chest, while embracing his player’s box after his win, Djokovic told Brad Gilbert that the welcome shade was “like sleeping with my girlfriend.”

The humorous and brutally honest remark by Djokovic further exemplified his need for cooler conditions.

Make no mistake about it, as much as the pundits discuss Djokovic’s allergies and breathing woes, there has been more than enough evidence provided that the Serb can’t handle the heat, and he could fall earlier than expected in this event if he continues to play under warm conditions.

For now, though, let’s give our kudos to Djokovic and his witty humor. We can’t blame him for telling us how he feels, and I guess we also can’t blame him for feeling the conditions.

***

Two surprising results on the day: Peter Polansky defeated Juan Monaco 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-3, and Jeremy Chardy upended Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 7-6(1), 6-4.

Talk soon, folks.

US Open 2010 Issue 2: 31 August

by: Tom Cochrane

Play is underway in the 2010 US Open and, while the majority of the women’s seeds in action on Day 1 progressed comfortably to the second round, it was a different story for several of the men’s seeds who were forced to go the distance.

Day 1 Recap

Roger Federer’s campaign for a sixth US Open crown got off to a smooth start on Day 1, the Swiss maestro producing a straight sets win over Argentina’s Brian Dabul. Andy Roddick enjoyed his birthday at Flushing Meadows, also advancing in straight sets, but former champion Lleyton Hewitt ended a scratchy North American summer in dismal fashion, going down in 5 sets to the dangerous Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu. Seeds Soderling, Melzer, Monfils and Montanes were also forced to deciding fifth sets, but each managed to eke out a victory.

Rising star Marin Cilic demonstrated his undoubted class with a near-flawless display on Day 1, while Nikolay Davydenko had an easier than expected match against local hope Michael Russell, dispatching the American in straight sets. Taylor Dent restored some American pride by defeating Alejandro Falla, while Janko Tipsarevic saw off the talented Olivier Rochus in a torrid 4 set tussle.

In the women’s tournament, Kim Clijsters started her title defence in positive fashion with a comfortable win over Greta Arn. Melanie Oudin, last year’s US Open golden girl, joined Clijsters in the round of 64 with a 6-3 6-0 victory over Olga Savchuk. Other winners on Day 1 were French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, sixteenth seed Shahar Peer, Daniela Hantuchova, who overcame former world number one Dinara Safina, and Sam Stosur, who came from behind to defeat Elena Vesnina in 3 sets. There was better news for another former world number one in Anna Ivanovic, who saw off Ekaterina Makarova.

Third seed Venus Williams was rarely troubled in her opening match and is on course for a third round rematch against her apparent nemesis, Tsvetana Pironkova. Pironkova, who defeated Williams in this year’s Wimbledon championships and also at the Australian Open a few years back, had a 6-3 6-4 win over Renata Voracova. And finally, a salute to Sally Peers, an Aussie qualifier who made her Grand Slam main draw debut at Flushing Meadows on Day 1. Peers made the most of her first match on tennis’ biggest stage, annihilating Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-0 6-1. Now that’s what I call a debut.

Matches of the Day – Day 2

1. Viktor Troicki vs. Novak Djokovic

After beating Roger Federer en route to capturing his one and only Grand Slam title at Melbourne Park in 2008, it’s fair to say that Novak Djokovic’s career has stalled somewhat, although the Serb is a remarkably consistent performer on the ATP Tour who is always near the mark at Grand Slams.

While Djokovic no doubt harbours great ambitions of adding more Grand Slams to his Australian Open triumph, more often than not he has found it hard to match Federer and Nadal at the pointy ends of the Grand Slams. Additionally, rising stars such as Murray, Soderling, Cilic and Berdych have stepped up in recent majors, thus lengthening the list of true Grand Slam contenders.

In this year’s US Open Djokovic has been placed in a tough quarter of the draw, and the tough matches begin with this opener against his compatriot Troicki. Troicki is a good all-court player who has steadily improved over the past few years. Early on in his career I think Troicki would have been overawed playing against his high-profile countryman, but I think Troicki is now a more mature and experienced professional. Look for Djokovic to attempt to gain the ascendancy early; the third seed doesn’t want a gruelling encounter in his first round match. I don’t think it will be as easy a match as Djokovic would like, but I think his class will eventually enable him to prevail. Djokovic in 4.

2. Jarmila Groth vs. Maria Sharapova

There are very few players on the WTA Tour who can claim that they have made the round of 16 at both the French Open and Wimbledon this year, but Jarmila Groth is one of them. The naturalised Aussie has improved her game enormously in the last 12 months and has a sufficiently powerful serve and groundstrokes to trouble the best of them in the women’s game. But for some nerves and some poor decision-making under pressure, Groth could have beaten Venus Williams in their clash at Wimbledon.

Judging by Sharapova’s comments going into this encounter, the Russian is fully aware of Groth’s development and accordingly is wary of the threat she poses. I expect Groth to come out swinging and take the match right up to Sharapova, but I think Sharapova’s greater experience and good recent form will see her prevail. Sharapova in 2.

3. Marcos Baghdatis vs. Arnaud Clement

After a couple of years in the tennis wilderness battling fitness, form and confidence, the super-popular Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis has been enjoying a resurgence in his tennis career this year, having compiled a very healthy 35-20 win-loss record for the year to date and returning to the world’s top 20. Baghdatis is very much a confidence player, but when fit and full of confidence he is one of the purest ball-strikers in the men’s game. The sixteenth seed likes playing on the US hard courts, which are high-bouncing and fast-paced, and I consider him to be very capable of making deep run at this tournament.

French veteran Arnaud Clement is a former Australian Open finalist and top 10 player who, despite being past his best, can still pose plenty of problems for the world’s best due to his immense talent, his quick pace around the court and his strong competitive nature. Baghdatis will need to be switched on mentally for this one, and not let his concentration lapse – something he has been guilty of doing in the past. But if Baghdatis can focus and play his natural game, I expect him to come out on top. Baghdatis in 4.

4. Kristof Vliegen vs. James Blake

Make no mistake, the world of professional tennis is an utterly ruthless one; it’s a sport enjoyed by millions of people who hail from just about every nation on the planet. Everyone wants to make the big time, to enjoy the spoils of fame and fortune that accompany success on the big stage. Unfortunately, there are only so many players who are able to make it to the top, and even then it’s a mighty hard task to stay there.

In different ways, the stories of Vliegen and Blake illustrate this cold hard reality. Vliegen reached a high of 30 in the world rankings in October 2006, with the future seeming to look bright for the young Belgian. Alas, he now languishes at number 321 in the world rankings and sports an abysmal 1-8 win-loss record for the year to date. Blake, a former world number 4 in the twilight of his career, has also plummeted in the world rankings. The American is now ranked 111 in the world, his decline exacerbated by a combination of injuries and inconsistent form.

It’s tough to predict the winner of this encounter, with neither player exactly high on confidence, but this could well be Blake’s last US Open and no doubt the crowd is eager to witness one last stand from the popular American. Blake in 4.

5. Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Kimiko Date Krumm

After a poor start to the season, former French Open and US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova has worked hard to turn around her form. Flushing Meadows holds fond memories for the eleventh seed and, with Justine Henin and Serena Williams out of the tournament due to injury, Kuznetsova will consider herself to be a legitimate contender for this year’s title.

But in order to make a run at this year’s US Open, Kuznetsova first has to overcome a tricky first round opponent in Kimiko Date Krumm. Soon to turn 40, Date Krumm appears to be enjoying her tennis after rejoining the WTA Tour following her initial “retirement” and, as she demonstrated in her French Open win over Dinara Safina, the wily veteran is capable of causing an upset. The bookmakers have Date Krumm as a rank outsider at around $12, but I sense the match will be closer than they predict. Kuznetsova in 3.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

USO Blog: Play At Your Own Risk

US Open—New York

Tennis players get four chances each season to show the world, their colleagues, and their fans what they’re capable of. Although the rest of the year can’t be taken for granted, player’s resumes will always be remembered by how they rise and fall at the Majors.

Injury or illness can sometimes prevent a player from participating in an event, but for the most part anything and everything will be done in order for a chance to take part in the field.

Monday’s start to the US Open showcased four high profile men, and their respective but often questionable outlook toward their playing styles. Three of the four men advanced to the second-round, but it became apparent through each of their matches that this year’s Open may not end with the desired result.

Gone-zo

It’s been a difficult year for Fernando Gonzalez. He started the season in middle-of-the-road form, but soon fell victim to the grief of a devastating earthquake in Chile, which was later followed by a pesky knee injury. Never relying on his foot speed as one of his strengths, Gonzalez took to Court 13 during the heat of the day to hopefully swat enough groundstrokes to defeat his No. 148 ranked opponent Ivan Dodig. Capturing the first set with a tight knit tiebreak, Gonzalez’s injury soon became an evident hindrance to his movement and mood.  Displaying very little positive energy throughout the second-set, Gonzalez would pull the plug on his campaign after netting a meek slice backhand to start the third set. Although he’d shown up in an effort to put on a show, his sound shattering forehand, and his clan of devoted followers, were left with little to celebrate after a conceding handshake was brought forth.

There was no famous racket break from Gonzalez—no chi chi chi…eh eh eh from the crowd—only a head down exit from the final Slam of the year.

The Open remains worse off without last year’s quarterfinalist.

In Need Of A Helmet

You gotta love the way Gael Monfils goes about his tennis. He knows that he’s putting himself in harms way each and every time he dives on the court, but for whatever reason (no scratch that, there is a reason), Monfils seems to constantly defy gravity, while delighting a flabbergasted audience. Taking on Robert Kendrick of the US today, Monfils needed five sets, and all of his athleticism to reach the round of 64. Injuring his elbow earlier this summer in Toronto (you guessed it, by diving on court against Andy Murray), the Frenchman entered Flushing Meadows with not a lot to count on. Using his deceptively quick serve to hit 17 aces, Monfils was required to use his backstop positioned passing shots to offset the serve and volley tactics of Kendrick.

I’ve always put Monfils right up there as perhaps the best athlete in the game, but I think it’s safe to say that he’ll never become a serious threat to win a Grand Slam. Choosing to awe the crowd instead of putting forth the point construction and foresight that’s required to hoist the hardware, Monfils will remain a great opening door prize at the Majors, but until he proves that he’s willing to use his strengths for the long-haul, and not for the highlight reel, we’ll have to catch him while we can.

Finding It Haider

Brad Gilbert just came out and said it today during the Robin Soderling vs. Andreas Haider-Maurer match on the Grandstand: “There’s no way you can look at Haider-Maurer and consider him a Challenger player.”

Well, Gilbert was right on the money with that comment, and during the third and fourth set comeback efforts by the Austrian, it appeared that Soderling was in danger of suffering his second first-round hard-court Major loss of the season.

It’s amazing to consider that a player with Soderling’s power quotient struggles on faster courts. His long backswings can’t generate the same amount power that they can on clay or grass, and the outcome often results in mistimed, and framed groundstrokes.

However, Soderling had more than the fast paced courts of the Grandstand to deal with today. His unheralded opponent dropped 34 aces in total, while zipping 58 winners into various corners. Putting the shoe on the other foot for a majority of the match, Soderling was forced to use his improved confidence, and clay-court foundation to squeak into the second-round.

I didn’t like what I saw from Soderling today; I more than enjoyed Haider-Maurer’s desire, and judging by the Swede’s current level of play today, his upcoming “easy” draw will have to be reassessed.

Bday Bashing

Andy Roddick’s 28th birthday brought with it some nervous moments against through-back player Stephane Robert. Leapfrogging to a 5-0 first set lead, Roddick quickly lost the next three games before closing out the set. Although it was tough to assess Roddick’s play based on the non-modern game of his opponent, I wasn’t at all convinced that the American will be able to put forth a sensible title run this year.

Roddick is certainly low on confidence at the moment, and as he regains his energy from a brief bout with mono, he would be better served to give his groundstrokes some more velocity.

Jonny Mac made a great point today in dissecting Roddick’s fourth-round loss to Yen-Hsun Lu at Wimbledon. Stating that Roddick pushed his groundstrokes like an under 12-year-old junior in London, McEnroe highlighted Roddick’s overall problem throughout the past three years. We saw Roddick climb back against Marin Cilic at the Aussie Open in January by giving his groundstrokes a ride; we later witnessed Roddick defeat Rafael Nadal during the Miami event by smoking four forehand winners during the middle of his three set comeback victory.

Aside from Roddick’s tremendous serve, the rest of his game has become extremely timid. He’s too reliant on deep court positioning and defense, and not on exhibiting the lethal forehand he used during his late teens and early 20s.

The one positive for Roddick today was that he did advance in straight sets, and that will aid him in conserving energy for the latter rounds.

He will however need to step up his aggression if he intends on making the second week.

–Nima

Pilot Pen Tennis: Stakhovsky Wins Fourth Career Title

Pilot Pen Tennis—New Haven, Connecticut

Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky won his fourth career title on Saturday at the Pilot Pen Tennis event.

Defeating Denis Istomin 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, Stakhovsky overcame the loss of the first set by utilizing his down-the-line forehand. Winning an impressive 82 percent of his first serve points, Stakhovsky broke Istomin’s serve on two occasions, while improving to 23-18 on the season.

For his efforts this week, Stakhovsky collected $93,360 in prize money, and 250 ATP World Tour points. Keeping his perfect mark in finals intact (4-4), Stakhovsky will now head to the US Open in fine form.

Istomin, who was attempting to become the first player from Uzbekistan to win a Tour-level title, fell to 26-20 on the year. The 23-year-old, who is coached by his mother, Klaudiya, is also entered into next week’s US Open.

Istomin was a last minute entrant into the New Haven event, choosing to participate after withdrawing from the second-round of the Cincinnati tournament.

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