2017 ATP Chengdu and Shenzhen Preview and Predictions

Posted by Admin on September 24, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Chengdu, Shenzen, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 ATP Chengdu and Shenzhen Preview and Predictions
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

The ATP Asian swing kicks off this week with two ATP 250 level stops in China, here is your full previews with predictions.

ATP Chengdu

Dominic Thiem highlights the field in Chengdu, coming off the Laver Cup exo, Thiem should be tested by Borna Coric in round 2, and either Nikoloz Basilashvili or Viktor Troicki in the quarterfinals. Basilashvili reached the semis in Metz, and his promising form means he should push Thiem in the quarters, presuming the Austrian is fit, he should reach the semifinals.

Andrey Rublev and Metz champion Peter Gojowczyk look to be on a collision course for the quarterfinals. Rublev’s form should help him past Taiwan’s Rendy Lu, and either Gojowczyk or Leonardo Mayer in the quarters.

Japan’s Yuichi Sugita has had a career best year, Sugita should find his way past Albert Ramos or Dusan Lajovic in the quarterfinals and has a chance to be champion this week.

Kyle Edmund and Karen Khachanov could face off in the quarters, but the in-form Jan-Lennard Struff could disrupt the apple cart. Khachanov isn’t in the best of form, Struff should beat Denis Istomin and Khachanov. Edmund will line up opposite the struggling Bernard Tomic, Jared Donaldson or  Stefanos Tsitsipas will follow. Donaldson is dangerous, but presuming Edmund is fit he should have the edge all the way into the semis.

Predictions

Semis
Thiem d. Rublev
Edmund d. Sugita

Thiem and Edmund should be favorites to reach the final, with Thiem a likely champion in this competitive tournament.

Final
Thiem d. Edmund

ATP Shenzhen

The Zverev brothers lead the Shenzhen field. Alexander, the top seed, opens with Davis Cup hero Steve Darcis or wild card Ze Zhang, Damir Dzumhur, the St. Petersburg champion, will face John Millman to open, I have Millman finding form and beating Lukas Lacko or Marcel Granollers after beating Dzumhur, and then falling to Zverev in the quarters.

Mischa Zverev opens with Dudi Sela or Matthew Ebden, Alexandr Dolgopolov should overcome his countryman Sergiy Stakhovsky, (and Lloyd Harris in the first round), I have Dolgopolov beating Zverev on account of Zverev not being 100% fit.

David Goffin should get past Evgeny Donskoy or Akira Santillan, with Donald Young or newly married Jeremy Chardy up in the quarters. Unless Goffin is in poor form he should be safe to reach the semis.

Joao Sousa is a strong favorite to emerge from his section, he opens with Henri Laaksonen, Marius Copil or Malek Jaziri will follow, with Paolo Lorenzi or Rogerio Dutra Silva likely in the quarters.

Predictions

Semis
A. Zverev d. Dolgopolov
Goffin d. Sousa

Alexander Zverev and David Goffin are the co-favorites to take home the title in Shenzhen, and I give the slightest edge to Zverev by virtue of his tremendous season.

Final
A. Zverev d. Goffin

 

Advertisements

ICYMI France and Belgium to Meet in 2017 @DavisCup Final

Posted by Admin on September 24, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Davis Cup, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

France and Belgium to Meet in 2017 Davis Cup Final
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

European neighbors France and Belgium will face off in the 2017 Davis Cup final, as the depth of France will contrast with the team spirit of Belgium. The French saw off an outmatched Serbian side in the semifinals 3-1. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut combined to take the doubles rubber, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won both his singles rubbers against Laslo Djere and Dusan Lajovic, making Lajovic’s win against Lucas Pouille in the opening rubber a moot point. Belgium had a great Sunday against Australia, winning the final 2 rubbers for a 3-2 victory in the tie. David Goffin and Steve Darcis combined to defeat Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson in the Sunday rubbers, dropping just one set between them. John Peers and Jordan Thompson won the doubles rubber for Australia, Kyrgios beat Darcis on Friday, and Goffin defeated Millman in the opening rubber, as Goffin was the hero of the tie.

In the World Group Playoffs, young gun Denis Shapovalov led Canada to a 3-2 win over India, Marton Fucsovics led Hungary to a 3-1 upset of Russia, Yuichi Sugita got a pair of wins to help Japan beat Brazil 3-1, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe and Jan-Lennard Struff led a depleted Germany to a 3-2 win over Portugal, veteran Marco Chiudinelli starred for Switzerland as they defeated Belarus 3-2, Marin Cilic won two singles rubbers and the doubles rubber to help Croatia defeat Colombia 4-1. Holland and Kazahkstan were the upset victors in the playoffs. The Dutch led by Robin Haase won the doubles rubber and the last two singles rubbers for a 3-2 win over the Czech Republic. Thiemo De Bakker defeated Lukas Rosol in the decisive 5th rubber. Mikhail Kukushkin was a double victor for the Kazakh’s against Argentina in a 3-2 win.

South Africa, Sweden, Barbados, and Pakistan reached Group 1 for 2018 in their respective regions.

Maiden ATP Titles for Gojowczyk and Dzumhur in Metz and St. Petersburg

Posted by Admin on September 24, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Metz, St Petersburg Open, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Maiden ATP Titles for Gojowczyk and Dzumhur in Metz and St. Petersburg
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

ATP Metz

Qualifier Peter Gojowczyk came back from a set down in his opening match, and went on to win his maiden ATP title 7-5 6-2 over home favorite Benoit Paire in Metz. Gojowczyk beat Norbert Gombos, Gilles Simon, Marius Copil, and Mischa Zverev to reach the final, showcasing career best form. Paire beat Stefanos Tsitsipas, Marcel Granollers, David Goffin, and Nikoloz Basilashvili to reach the final, it was his first final since 2015. Frenchmen Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin defeated Koolhof/Sitak in the doubles final.

ATP St. Petersburg

Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur has been rapidly rising up the ATP rankings this season, and in his second ATP final of the season, he came away a victor over Fabio Fognini 3-6 6-4 6-2 to claim his maiden ATP title. Dzumhur dropped a set against Liam Broady in St. Petersburg, but eased past Paolo Lorenzi, Marcos Baghdatis, and Jan-Lennard Struff. Dzumhur is an undersized ball striker who seems to be getting closer to maximizing his potential.

Fognini reached his second final of the season by defeating Mikhail Youzhny, Ricardas Berankis, and Roberto Bautista Agut, two of those wins coming in three sets. Jebavy and Middelkoop won the doubles title over Peralta/Zeballos.

 

Sonya Kenin, Other Top Young American Women’s Players to Play in Central Coast Pro Tennis Open

Posted by Admin on September 21, 2017
Posted in: ATP, USTA Pro Circuit, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Sonya Kenin, Other Top Young American Women’s Players to Play in Central Coast Pro Tennis Open  

Photo: Tournament

Templeton Tennis Ranch to Host First USTA Pro Circuit Tournament With $60,000 Prize Money and Valuable WTA Ranking Points Up For Grabs

TEMPLETON, Calif. (Sept. 21, 2017) – Young Americans Sonya Kenin and Louisa Chirico will headline a strong field of up-and-coming professional women’s tennis players when the first annual Central Coast Pro Tennis Open takes place at Templeton Tennis Ranch Sept. 24-Oct. 1.

The Central Coast Pro Tennis Open, a USTA women’s $60,000 Pro Circuit event, gives young promising WTA Tour players a chance to earn valuable ranking points. Players ranked from No. 97 to No. 225 will compete in a 32-player singles main draw, and a 16-team doubles event will also be contested.

Kenin, 18, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., recently turned heads at the US Open after beating Americans Lauren Davis and Sachia Vickery to advance to the third round. Playing a night match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Kenin fell to Maria Sharapova. She is ranked No. 112 in the world and expected to be seeded No. 2 at Templeton.

Sofia Kenin 2017 (TennisAtlantic.com)

Sofia Kenin 2017 (TennisAtlantic.com)

Currently ranked just outside the world top 150, Chirico has won three ITF singles and two doubles titles during her career. The 21-year-old from Morristown, N.J., is coached by the USTA’s Jay Gooding. Last October, Chirico reached career-high No. 58 world rankings.

Louisa Chirico

Other top players include Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic (No. 106), Francoise Abanda (No. 122), and Great Britain’s Naomi Broady (No. 135).

Vickery, and former NCAA singles champions Jamie Loeb (Univ. of North Carolina, 2015) are also entered in the main draw, as are former college standouts Irina Falconi (Georgia Tech) and Danielle Lao (USC).

Another player to watch is 22-year-old Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia. Currently ranked No. 164 in the world, Schmiedlova has won 11 ITF singles and two WTA singles titles during her career. She reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 26 in the world in 2015, but has been beset by injuries.

In qualifying, Southern California juniors Ashley Kratzer and Claire Liu will compete. Newport Beach’s Kratzer won the USTA Hardcourt 18s Nationals in San Diego and played in the main draw of the US Open. Liu, from Thousand Oaks, won the Junior Girls’ Wimbledon title.

“This elite group of athletes, fresh off the courts at Arthur Ashe stadium at the US Open, are coming to Templeton Tennis Ranch to show us what world class talent looks like, up close and personal,” Templeton Tennis Ranch Director of Tennis Scott Cleere said. “The Central Coast Pro Tennis Open will alter the course of tennis in our area. We are so excited to be hosting this event and bringing this experience to tennis players, fans and our local communities. If you appreciate the finer things in life, you must attend. It will not disappoint.”

Qualifying begins Sunday, the 24th, and concludes on Tuesday, when main draw play also begins. Sunday will feature a free Kids Play Day starting at 5 p.m. A Pro-Am will take place Tuesday with Breast Cancer Awareness Day and a BBQ on Friday, the 29th, with the Doubles semi-finals matches beginning at 6 p.m.  The doubles final will be Sunday, Oct. 1, at 1 p.m., followed by the singles final. In total 74 matches will be played over eight days.

Admission to watch the exciting pro tennis is free during the week’s early rounds. On Friday night, Saturday and Sunday for the semifinals and finals, tickets are just $10, or fans can purchase a three-day pass for $25. Children 12 and under are free.

–S. Pratt

Summer Recap: Best 2017 Tennis Tournament Improvement Was @Rhinegeist Beer Balcony at @CincyTennis

Posted by Admin on September 12, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Cincinnati, Western & Southern Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Marissa Beck, 2017 Western & Southern Open

Marissa Beck, 2017 Western & Southern Open

Summer Recap: Best 2017 Tennis Tournament Improvement Was Rhinegeist Beer Balcony at Cincy Tennis
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

Now that the hangover from the most interesting US open in years is over, it’s time to reflect on what we did this summer.  While some memories are a little fuzzy, one thing is clear: there’s only one thing I love more than tennis and that’s craft beer. Craft beer’s introduction to the sports market has been slow and steady for the most part. Major League Baseball found success in serving local craft beer to baseball fans who then became fans of the suds. Most of the other major sports have followed suit in offering local creations to their fan base, but tennis has been too slow to the craft beer game. I was happy when Holy City Brewing of Charleston brewed a beer for the Volvo Car Open in Charleston, but I’d never seen a full-blown craft beer zone at a tournament until I stumbled into the Rhinegeist Brew Balcony. Alright, I didn’t stumble in.


Marissa Beck is Director of Strategic Partnerships for Rhinegeist Brewing, which means she ensures that Cincy’s biggest craft brewer gets its products in the hands of sport fans and event attendees. “It’s one of those things,” she said. “We really wanted to give tennis fans a place where they can go and try a lot of our really good local beers.” The Truth IPA is their flagship brand, but they had 6 other choices waiting for you. At a tennis tournament!

To drink a Peach Gose at a Masters 1000 was heaven on earth. Among the other fantastic choices, Bubbles Rosé Ale with peaches and cranberries was perfect for the heat and humidity of Cincinnati and the Randy Radler beer mixed with grapefruit juice did the trick as well.

Rhinegeist Brew Balcony

Rhinegeist Brew Balcony

If you wanted to hit some balls at the tournament, you could’ve tried the tennis-themed ping-pong tables. Ping-pong is huge at the mother ship brewery.

“The tournament is known for its food, so we want to make sure we can live up to our Cincinnati standards,” Beck said. “We’re from Cincinnati. This is where our brewery is. And there are so many people who come from out of town, so let’s give them a taste of real Cincy beer.”

IMG_6403

Nadal Practices Below the Beer Balcony

The brewery, located downtown in Over-The-Rhine, is a massive facility with a rooftop deck and an impressive view. I visited the brewery on a Saturday night and I can tell you that the view from the Rhinegeist Brew Balcony was even better. It overlooked Practice Court 6 at the Western & Southern Open, better known as the practice “show court”. Rafael Nadal held hits there as well as Dominic Thiem and Sascha Zverev. While hundreds stood by court side or climbed to the top of the grandstand bleachers to catch a glimpse of the action, Rhinegeist visitors got the best view of all without having to leave their table or their brew.

“We’ve got a lot of people who are stopping in here and then going downtown to check out the brewery,” Beck said. “We’re trying to get our delicious suds out any way we can.” Well played, Rheingeist. Well played.

Rafael Nadal Claims US Open Title #3 With Routine Victory

Posted by Admin on September 10, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Steen Kirby, US Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Rafael Nadal Claims US Open Title #3 With Routine Victory
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

Rafael Nadal is well on track for his highest win total since 2013, as the Spaniard improved his mark for 2017 to 56-9 with 5 titles (2 Grand Slams) after taking the 2017 US Open title over first time finalist Kevin Anderson. The South African had a great run but was no match for Rafa in the final. Nadal claiming his 16th Grand Slam overall, and his 3rd in New York. Nadal beat Anderson 6-3 6-3 6-4 as Anderson’s serve let him down, and Rafa was sharp on both serve and return in every set.

The 31 year old Spaniard started his journey at the national tennis center by defeating Dusan Lajovic, he defeated Taro Daniel and Leonardo Mayer in 4 sets, Alexandr Dolgopolov in straights, Andrey Rublev by the same measure, and an exhausted Juan Martin Del Potro in 4 sets, after Del Potro had played magical tennis in victories over Dominic Thiem (from 2 sets down), and Roger Federer in 4 sets, Federer failing to face Nadal yet again at the US Open, and concluding a disappointing run in the quarterfinals. Nadal’s movement and moxie were unmatched this tournament.

The 31 year old South African Anderson took advantage of a weak bottom half of the draw. He had a big serve, but also a much improved return game as he defeated JC Aragone, Ernests Gulbis, Borna Coric, Paolo Lorenzi, Sam Querrey, and Pablo Carreno Busta to reach the final. The win against Querrey was his best, as he won in 4 close sets, never facing a decisive 5th set this week. Unlike American women, American men couldn’t capitalize on an open draw in their home slam. Time will tell whether Anderson is here to stay as a threat on tour, or if he’ll return to his above average status, below the tour’s elite.

Carreno Busta broke through to a semifinal, and didn’t drop a set en route. His best win came against Canadian wonderkid Denis Shapovalov. Once a clay court specialist, PCB has cemented himself as a top 20 player who can threaten on hard courts as well. He won’t be chronically underappreciated much longer, as he’s surpassed other Spaniards on tour as the clear #2 or #3 Spaniard with Nadal, and Roberto Bautista Agut ranked with him.

Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau defeated the Lopez brothers, Feliciano and Marc, denying Spain both of the men’s titles this US Open. Rojer and Tecau have won 2 Grand Slams together.

Charleston’s @Shelby_Rogers_Knocks Out @Daria_Gav in Longest-Ever @USOpen Women’s Match

Posted by Admin on August 31, 2017
Posted in: Charleston, US Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Shelby Rogers (Photo: Tony Callaio, Tennis Atlantic)

Shelby Rogers (Photo: Tony Callaio, Tennis Atlantic)

Shelby Rogers Defeats Daria Gavrilova in Longest-Ever US Open Women’s Match

August 31, 2017 — Shelby Rogers, of Charleston, S.C., defeated 25th-seeded Daria Gavrilova, of Australia, 7-6(6), 4-6, 7-6(5), in a second-round match that took 3 hours, 33 minutes, setting a record for the longest women’s match in US Open history.

Shelby Rogers, 2017 Volvo Car Open (Photo: Tony Callaio, Tennis Atlantic)

Shelby Rogers, 2017 Volvo Car Open (Photo: Tony Callaio, Tennis Atlantic)

The previous record was 3 hours, 23 minutes, set when Johanna Konta defeated Garbine Muguruza in the 2015 second round, 7-6, 6-7, 6-2.

A 24-year old currently ranked No. 62, Rogers — whose best result at a Grand Slam came by reaching the quarterfinals at the 2016 French Open — will play fourth-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the third round.

–USTA