Kaia Kanepi, 2017 US Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)
After Qualifying, Kaia Kanepi Could be Dangerous at US Open Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic
Kaia Kanepi is lurking to bust your bracket. After dispatching Hsieh Su-wei, the #1 qualifying seed in New York last Friday in straight sets, Kanepi is ready for a run. Tennis Atlantic spoke with Kanepi after the 6-2, 6-4 qualifying final on Friday. She’d previously beaten Nina Stojanović 6-2, 6-2 on Tuesday and went three sets with Louisa Chirico, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 on Thursday.
“It’s a really amazing feeling, really. I have never done it at the US Open, made it through qualification, so it’s great,” she said. “It suits my game really well,” Kanepi said of the courts and conditions in New York. “I get a lot of support here and the Estonians love New York like I do,” she added.
Despite numerous injuries throughout her career and even a case of mononucleosis, her four tour titles and five Grand Slam quarterfinals, including the 2010 US Open, render her a serious threat. She won two tournaments this summer in Essen, Germany and Parnu, Estonia. Though those titles might not put the fear of god in her opponents, her resolve through qualifying at 11368–the zip code for the US Open–should.
She draws Francesca Schiavone on Tuesday in Round 1. Schiavone at #77 and Kanepi at #418 may look like a mismatch on paper but it’s not that simple. Though the two haven’t played in 5 years, the Estonian took the last two, with the last match a 6-3, 6-0 runaway by Kanepi in 2012. The winner of Tuesday’s first round match gets Lesia Tsurenko or Yanina Wickmayer. A Round 3 matchup could be against 6 seed Angelique Kerber, if either Kanepi or Kerber make it that far. And they’ve split their four tour head-to-heads.
You heard it here first. Kanepi could spell big trouble in this part of the draw.
In the City of Dreams, a Few More Realized at US Open Qualifying Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic
It was another glorious day in a vainglorious city. I like the way that sounds, but it’s not correct because this part of New York never cared much for keeping up appearances, unless you count all of the auto body shops that want to get those ugly dents out of your ride. Yes, all of the glory in New York was solidly in Queens yesterday, as 32 players punched their ticket to the biggest dance of all at the US Open.
For Viktoria Kuzmova, it was fitting that her first grand slam main draw should be in New York. A 2016 US Open Junior Finalist, Kuzmova showed the poise on these courts that took her so far in juniors, and the fact that they’re playing on outer courts, and not Arthur Ashe Stadium, made it all so familiar.
She beat Francoise Abanda yesterday, who qualified for the main draw last year. “I feel amazing,” Kuzmova said after the match. “I played this year for the first time in qualifying at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and I didn’t pass, but now I made it to the main draw so I’m really happy..I’m really excited it happened here,” she said. She meets Venus Williams in Round 1. Welcome to the big leagues.
For French journeyman Vincent Millot, who’s played in every grand slam main draw except New York, it was equally gratifying. The 31-year-old let out a primal scream after the win against Simone Bolelli. “On the court, at the end, I was so tense because I was thinking about this thing,” he said. “Actually, since I’m young, this is my favorite one, and all these years, I was so tense when I was playing here. And qualifying for me this year, so good,” he added with a smile as you watched the tension release from his body and mind. Millot can now check this off of the bucket list and get on to beating Santiage Giraldo in round 1.
Maximilian Marterer, who impressed me in his qualifying run to Cincinnati, backed that up with his maiden trip to a grand slam main draw by taking out top seed Leo Mayer in a 6-4, 7-5 affair. Mayer was disgusted and smacked his racket after the handshake. Marterer, in typical German understatement style, didn’t whoop it up like Millot or the others. He casually told me after the match, “yeah, I’m really happy with my travel here to the United States. It’s the first time for me playing grand slam main draw. I’m feeling incredible right now,” he said, without much emotion on his face. “I already lost twice against (Mayer) before, so I’m happy I did it better,” he said. He was content. Contentment buys him an opener against Donald Young. For his part, Mayer made it through as a lucky loser and faces Gasquet.
Tereza Martincova admitted that she got a little nervous when she saw compatriot Andrea Hlavackova watching her qualifying final. “It’s so good when she was here. I started to be a little nervous. We are friends but it’s perfect when you have some friends and they want to support you. It’s a big help for me,” she said. She had some fans in her corner and not surprisingly, she’s a big fan of the US Open. “Of course, because it’s amazing here,” she said. “They’re so many fans and it’s great to play here. I think it’s the best grand slam here,” she added. Martincova makes her grand slam main draw debut next week against Caroline Garcia after knocking out Georgia Brescia 7-5, 6-4 on Court 16. Interestingly, Court 16 was the only court yesterday where no player had ever been to a major main draw. That was bound to change, and Sofya Zhuk also reached her career pinnacle on Court 16 to advance.
I felt like the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Prize Patrol yesterday as I walked around the outer courts and reminded the players that they had just won qualifying tennis’ greatest prize. ‘You just won $50,000 and the memory of lifetime! What are you going to do now?’ A: Um, practice even harder?
I noticed this morning that the Connecticut Open drew 45,688 fans through eight days of qualifying and main draw matches with some of the biggest names in women’s tennis. The US Open qualifying tournament, which offers free admission, drew 41,612. It looks like the secret is out. As much as I’d hate to see it, the US Open might want to consider charging for it to tip the balance in favor of Connecticut. New Haven is a great tournament, but unfortunately it’s an afterthought for New York and Connecticut tennis fans as the Open sucks up all of the oxygen in the region. With the level of drama in New York on Friday, it might still be a challenge for the WTA tournament 72 miles up I-95.
The Highs and Lows of the @USOpen Qualifying Opening Round Steve Fogleman in New York
The 128 match-strong first round of the 2017 US Open qualifying tournament is finally in the books, some 34 hours and two different climates after it began yesterday morning. Joris De Loore became the last player to join the 127 other hopefuls to advance shortly before 9:00 p.m. tonight.
That means 128 singles players were sent packing, and that means that 128 dreams live on tonight in New York.
One of those who lives on to dream another day is Vera Zvonareva, who’s already achieved more in her days on tour than many of the qualifying crew could imagine. She’ll face Jamie Loeb tomorrow.
Generally speaking, I don’t interview players who step off a court after a loss. They usually don’t speak freely, they’re in a bad mood, and you get the feeling that they’d rather be anywhere else. The tours usually don’t require press conferences for the vanquished at the main draw of smaller events. But Conny Perrin used to contribute to Tennis Atlantic, and she’s the highest ranked player with whom I am a Facebook friend. I have watched her ups and downs and all that she has given to be here, and she was so close to the upset of the qualifying tournament today. In the end, Perrin was narrowly defeated by the #3 seed, Danka Kovinic, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.
Kovinic said it best after the close match today. “Oh my god, tennis is so difficult. Everything can change in a minute,” she said. She’s been to the big dance twice already in New York. Winning here is obviously contagious, because you see a lot of the same faces advance year after year. For every two of those, there are players who hit their emotional Nirvana when they qualify for the first time, and those moments are the greatest displays of the magic of a slam that I’ve ever seen.
To wit, Antonia Lottner. The German waxed poetic about last year’s US Open, her first and only run into a slam in her career.
How about Mitch Krueger? The American has never been to a US Open main draw and he’s never even reached Friday’s third round. He scored the comeback of the qualifying rounds, down two breaks in the third set before escaping with the win today. With an 0-3 second round record, making it to the 3rd will be his 2017 season takeaway memory. He had to find a way to get to that pesky second round by outlasting Canada’s Braydan Schnur in a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 thriller.
I know that the pro tours have done everything they can to contrive a Road to Singapore or some other far-flung metropolis into a fifth grand slam, but to this old fan, it isn’t working. The US Open will always be the last big stop in a season. For most American fans, the buck always stops at the US Open. These players know it, too. They won’t be in on the big fun of the year-end finals, and they appreciate everything the US Open has to offer. I always call the tour the traveling circus. Well, this my friends, is the Greatest Show on Earth, since the other one folded after 146 years.
There’s something surreal about New York and US Open qualifying and all that’s at stake, and the players– who hail from all over the globe with their hopes and their racket bags and their moms and their dads and not much else–know it.
Vera Zvonareva Continues Winning Ways at US Open, This Time in Qualifying Steve Fogleman in New York
Vera Zvonareva plays good tennis in New York. The 2010 US Open finalist tried out a new gig today as a qualifier at Flushing Meadows. After a hiatus from professional competition and the off-court distractions of having a real life (read ‘spouse and child’), Zvonareva made up for lost time in beating Han Xinyun 7-6 (4), 6-1 in first round qualifying action.
There were WAY more people there than the photo may suggest
After the match, Zvonareva, 32, said she wasn’t sure her experience made all the difference today against Han, the left-hander with a world #125 singles ranking, but added that “it was difficult to tell at the moment. We were fighting there in tough conditions. Humid, hot. It was difficult but I think I got lucky on a couple of points,” she told me. “Of course, experience helps,” she said. “I hoped she gets better in the second set. I thought she was having some problems already.”
As far as getting back into the game, there’s no place like dipping your toe in the water than in the lake of fire that is a grand slam, especially if you’re the
“Yeah,” she said. “I’m looking forward, you know, I’m enjoying my time back on the court. I’ve been out of competition for quite a long time so it’s a pleasure to be back and playing here at the US Open.”
Zvonareva continues her comeback tour on Thursday against 22-year-old Jamie Loeb, currently ranked #156. Loeb, from Bronxville, New York, will be an overwhelming crowd favorite. Zvonareva will likely need to rely on her experience to advance.
2017 ATP Winston-Salem Preview and Predictions Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
Prior to the U.S. Open, the ATP’s stop in Winston-Salem is the final chance for ATP players to get some matches in, and it’s the last stop on the US Open Series.
Winston-Salem Open
ATP World Tour 250
August 20-26, 2017
Winston-Salem, NC, USA
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $664,825
Top 4 seeds (Top 16 seeds receive first round byes) (ATP ranking in parentheses)
1: Roberto Bautista Agut (15)
2: Pablo Carreno Busta (16)
3: John Isner (14)
4: Kevin Anderson (32)*
*Withdrew
Top Half:
Dusan Lajovic won his opening match against main draw debutante Petros Chrysochos, but Roberto Bautista Agut should be too solid on hard courts, and looks set to defeat him in round 2. Marcos Baghdatis won his opening match against Ricardas Berankis, he should defeat Jiri Vesely for a fourth straight time to reach the third round before falling to Bautista Agut.
Yuichi Sugita is in great form and reached the quarters in Cincy. Sugita should defeat Thiago Monteiro (or dirtballer Paolo Lorenzi) in the third round, after Taylor Fritz or Malek Jaziri fall victim to him in the second round. This is an open section and you have to back Sugita’s form.
John Isner is 12-2 in the US this summer, and looks set to defeat Andrey Kuznetsov in round 2, after Kuznetsov defeated Nicolas Kicker. Borna Coric should defeat a struggling Donald Young, or qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva before falling to Isner in the third round.
Aljaz Bedene hasn’t had as much success on hard courts as other surfaces, he’ll be favored against Andreas Seppi or Janko Tipsarevic though. I have Jan-Lennard Struff making a run, he just defeated Norbert Gombos, Pablo Cuevas is poor on hard courts and should be next, then Bedene in round 3.
Bottom Half:
Defending champion Pablo Carreno Busta should beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert (or Julien Benneteau) in round 2. Herbert continues to improve in singles, but PCB has good history here. Hyeon Chung is my dark horse pick this week, Andrey Rublev (or Steve Darcis) could trip him up, but I have him defeating Carreno Busta in the third round.
Dominik Koepfer is making his ATP debut as a lucky loser against Horacio Zeballos, Fernando Verdasco will be favored against the winner. With Gilles Simon struggling, Damir Dzumhur is in tremendous form, he should beat Denis Istomin, then upset Simon before falling to Verdasco in the third round.
Joao Sousa is in tremendous form, he should beat Marton Fuscovics or Ernests Gulbis, Daniil Medvevev had a good run in Washington but then hit the skids. Kyle Edmund faces Thomas Fabbiano, I have Edmund slipping past Medvedev, and then Sousa in the third round.
Steve Johnson is in terrible form and hasn’t won a match on the US Open Series. Viktor Troicki hasn’t won a match since the grass court season, while Alex Bolt faces a struggling Carlos Berlocq in this section. Dmitry Tursunov will face Rendy Lu, Lu has won 10 straight matches and is red hot on the challenger tour. Look for Lu to beat Tursunov, then Johnson. I have Bolt upsetting Troicki before falling to Lu in the third round.
Predictions
Quarters Bautista Agut d. Sugita
Isner d. Struff
Edmund d. Lu
Chung d. Verdasco
In the open bottom section look for the young guns Edmund and Chung to slip into the semis over veterans. Isner is a strong favorite to reach at least the semifinals.
Semis Isner d. Bautista Agut
Edmund d. Chung
Isner should stay in form and take the title at home in North Carolina.
Grigor Dimitrov Wins Maiden Masters Title in Cincinnati Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic
It took a while, but 26 year old Grigor Dimitrov looks to finally be coming good on his promise as a player. He won his first Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati, and seventh career title overall 6-3 7-5 over Nick Kyrgios. Dimitrov has three titles this season and was dominant on serve in the final against Kyrgios. He only faced two break points, and won over 85% of his service points. Kyrgios had a great run this week though, a complete turnaround from his form earlier this summer, where he looked glum and out of focus. David Goffin, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Ivo Karlovic, Rafael Nadal, and David Ferrer were his victims this week, his win over Nadal one of the biggest of his career, and his consistency much improved from what was expected. Ahead of the US Open Kyrgios is looking like a dark horse.
Dimitrov is one of the favorites at this point though, he’s been at his most consistent this year on tour than ever before in his career. He defeated Feliciano Lopez and Juan Martin Del Potro in straights, then Yuichi Sugita and John Isner in the same fashion to reach the final. None of his opposition was elite this week, but with so many players out or struggling for the upcoming US Open, Dimitrov could make a deep run without having the toughest of matches.
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut defeated Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares in the doubles final.
Sock, Goffin, Berdych, Ostapenko, Radwanska Upset at @CincyTennis
It didn’t take long to get things moving on a hot and muggy day at the Western & Southern Open. Five big names went down yesterday, but the biggest stars remain in contention heading into the latter part of the tournament.
Juan Martin del Potro had the fan support and the support of 17 aces as he came back from the brink to win against 10 seed Tomas Berdych, 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-0. Speaking of aces, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was sprayed by 19 of them from Ivo Karlovic en route to the big man’s 6-4, 7-6(9) tiebreak win. Delpo plays qualifier Mitchell Krueger on Grandstand this afternoon.
Grand slam champion Jelena Ostapenko was forced to play a match on far-flung Court 8, perhaps the most obscure court of all at the tournament. While non-slam winners like Radwanska, Cibulkova, Konjuh and Goerges got show court match ups, Ostapenko got Court 8. And she got Krunic, the qualifier who upset her 6-4, 6-2. Krunic gets Suarez Navarro later today.
Aga Radwanska got a show court, but Julia Goerges was the one who put on the show in a 6-4, 6-4 routining. The German faces Canadian Francoise Abanda next.
David Goffin was no match at all for the plucky Nick Kyrgios. The Aussie breezed past 9 seed Goffin, 6-2, 6-3. Kyrgios meets Dolgopolov next.
Jack Sock was sent off early with a fine performance by Yuichi Sugita on Center Court, 7-5, 6-4. Sugita advanced to face qualifier Joao Sousa tonight.
And of course tonight is the night of Rafael Nadal, who opens his campaign against Richard Gasquet. More heat and humidity in store today, but the real sizzle is the on-court action.
