American @JLPegula Storms into @CitiOpen Women’s Final

Posted by Admin on August 3, 2019
Posted in: Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment
Jessica Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

Jessica Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

American Jess Pegula Storms into Citi Open Women’s Final
Steve Fogleman in Washington

I’ve seen her in tennis club cafeterias at ITF events and witnessed her trying to qualify for bigger tournaments countless times throughout the United States, but I saw Jessica Pegula do something different today: make the final of a WTA international level tournament. She did so by defeating the qualifier Anna Kalinskaya, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in a Citi Open Women’s Semifinal in Washington.

The first set was all Pegula, and Kalinskaya required a medical timeout to deal with cramping before holding her own through the second and pushing the third set. There was nothing left in Kalinskaya’s tank at that point and Pegula took the finale in a breezy 6-1 affair.

Anna Kalinskaya 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

Anna Kalinskaya 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

Tour level success has been elusive for Pegula thus far for the 25-year-old Buffalo, New York native. Since turning pro in 2013, she’s only enjoyed one such final appearance: on the carpet in Quebec last year where she fell to Pauline Parmentier. She’s a rich girl, and she’s gone too far, storming all the way into the vaunted final of the Citi Open, where the likes of Magdalena Rybarikova, Sloane Stephens and Svetlana Kuznetsova have won glory, if not household notoriety.

Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)
Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Looking ahead to tomorrow, Pegula has a 2-1 head to head record against Camila Giorgi, but the two haven’t met in match play in seven years. She’s 1-1 against Caty McNally, having beaten then 16-year-old McNally on clay last year in Tampa in straight sets before losing to now 17-year-old McNally in straight sets on the hard courts of Midland, Texas.

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Lucky Loser Norbert Gombos First Man to Reach Round of 16 @CitiOpen, Wasn’t Even in Main Draw This Morning

Posted by Admin on July 31, 2019
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Norbert Gombos, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Lucky Loser Norbert Gombos First Man to Reach Round of 16 @CitiOpen, Wasn’t Even in Main Draw This Morning
Steve Fogleman in Washington

Norbert Gombos got a good night’s sleep last night. That was a good thing.

“I was here and practicing, and I’d already booked my flight ticket back home for tomorrow,” he said after his upset win against Adrian Mannarino of France at the Citi Open in Washington. “I just woke up and was already set up for a practice with Tsonga, and I signed up for lucky loser.”

Norbert Gombos, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

He was defeated by American Tim Smyczek in qualifying on Sunday. After he signed up for lucky loser status this morning, he was shortly thereafter informed that Kevin Anderson might be withdrawing (right knee pain), which gave him less than three hours to get ready for his match.

It was, in fact, like winning the lottery. “I’m just happy to play again here, against the top players in the world,” he told me. And the 28-year-old Slovakian will face another surprise in Miomir Kecmanovic, who upset Pierre Hugues Herbert in three sets this afternoon. One of these guys will become a Citi Open quarterfinalist.

In WTA play, American Jesse Pegula was down a set and a break but managed to claw her way back to victory over Iga Sweitak of Poland.

Top Seed Sloane Stephens Succumbs to @BecsPeterson at @CitiOpen

Posted by Admin on July 30, 2019
Posted in: Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Top Seed Sloane Stephens Succumbs to Rebecca Peterson at Citi Open
Steve Fogleman in Washington

Citi Open 2019

In what has become an almost-too-familiar ritual at WTA tournaments everywhere, the Citi Open’s top seed was eliminated in first round action on Tuesday afternoon. This time, the giant was Sloane Stephens and the disrupter and victor was Rebecca Peterson in a 6-2, 7-5 mild surprise that lasted 88 minutes.

Sloane Stephens (yesterday)

Stephens sprayed shots throughout both sets and won only 38% of her first set first service points. Peterson played a cleaner game and grabbed 71% of her first serve points. “I’m just really happy with the win. Just fought for every point. I was not thinking too far ahead.” This is Peterson’s most impressive win of her career. “It feels great. I’m really happy with the way I performed today. It was quite tough. It’s the first tournament since Wimbledon, so I knew I had to be focused and play my game.”

Peterson will face either Sachia Vickery or Camila Giorgi in the second round. Giorgi and Peterson have not met in WTA tour level play, but Sachia Vickery holds a 3-1 career head to head lead over the Swede.

The Kids Are Alright: @Coco Gauff Advances to @CitiOpen Main Draw on Kid’s Day

Posted by Admin on July 28, 2019
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

MZR_5930

The Kids Are Alright: @Coco Gauff Advances to @CitiOpen Main Draw on Kid’s Day
Steve Fogleman in Washington

It was unbelievably fitting that the first Sunday of the Citi Open would be Kid’s Day, because 15-year-old Coco Gauff delivered for the under 21 crowd in a big way.

Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open (Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open (Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

Earlier, D.C.-area students gathered to hit with the likes of Genie Bouchard, Nick Kyrgios, Sonia Kenin, local legend Frances Tiafoe and yes, Coco Gauff. I understand that Kyrgios was on his best behavior today and I had been a little worried. I remembered the last time I saw him around kids at last year’s US Open, when a young fan asked for an autograph. He sheepishly said, “I’ll give you an autograph for 20 quid.” The kid predictably replied, “What’s a quid?”

Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open (Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

Nick Kyrgios, 2019 Citi Open (Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

19-year-old Destanee Aiava came close to booking her way into the main draw alongside Gauff but came up short to Sachia Vickery in three sets. After failing to qualify in Atlanta, Donald Young’s month has a nice finish to it as he made another Citi Open main draw. Young, a 2014 Citi Open semifinalist, also needed to mount a comeback to get the job done after dropping the first set 6-2 to Gojowczyk.

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Denmark’s Mikael Torpegaard had to survive a 3-setter in the heat yesterday while Ilya Ivashka (and three other players) received a bye and a day off. After taking the first set from Torpegaard, he started to fade, and as is so common in these situations, Torpegaard’s more extensive recent knowledge of the court was likely a key.

Former UVA NCAA All-American Thai-Son Kwiatkowski, jumped out to take the first set against Vik Troicki and after two hours, was able to upset the Serbian in three to advance to the main draw. Anna Kalinskaya won a tight first set before cruising to a straight sets victory over Fanny Stollar.

Anna Kalinskaya, 2019 Citi Open (Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)
And finally, the main event. It shouldn’t surprise that you Cori Gauff qualified with a 6-1, 6-2 clinic over Hiroko Kuwata in an hour and four minutes today. She beat the world #338 yesterday and the #265 today. These are the kind of ranked matches that you could see going down at an ITF event like Charlottesville. Playing on Citi Open stadium court is almost the exact halfway point, size-wise, between Wimbledon and the Charlottesville ITF and it’s clear Gauff is comfortable playing anywhere. D.C. is lucky to keep her around for at least one more match, and the biggest parlor game going on right now is where will she land in the draw. I don’t know a single player who’d love to draw her.

The @CocoGauff Show at @CitiOpen Was Even Better Than I Expected

Posted by Admin on July 27, 2019
Posted in: Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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The @CocoGauff Show at @CitiOpen Was Even Better Than I Expected
Steve Fogleman in Washington

Qualifying has a familiar refrain in tournaments the size of Citi Open in Washington. Qualifying rounds on day one are full of matches, but strangely,  it’s also a relaxing day for the press because interviews are sparse and post-match press conferences are almost unheard of. Previous qualifying crowded matches historically followed University of Virginia men or other local institutions like the Junior Tennis Champions Center, but not today. The buzz around Coco Gauff today was almost unprecedented in my coverage as a blogger over nine years, what with a full-blown post-match presser and Big Camera everywhere beaming her throughout the D.C. universe and all over the world.

Attendance at her Stadium affair today against Maegan Manasse was massive, easily the biggest crowd to ever witness a first round WTA qualifying match at Citi Open, and I’ve been every year, including the one in College Park, Maryland while the men were playing the last Legg Mason Tennis Classic here in 2011. The only crowd as big as the one at Gauff’s first match since Wimbledon that was arguably as large was the crowd that cheered on Sloane Stephens in the 2015 Women’s Final. It wasn’t just the numbers, it was the post-match cacophonous scrum of juvenalia acquiring autographs and snapping selfies that was straight out of the US Open–or SW 19. It was Wimbledon on the Potomac today.

And how refreshing was it to see the women rule the day for once at this slightly lopsided joint tournament, a WTA International analogous to an ATP 250 tournament to the men’s 500 on the same courts? Not only were these raucous netheads straight out of Fed Cup, but the Stadium EMPTIED OUT before the players had even come out on court for the following ATP qualifying match between Michael Mmoh and xxxx, I’m sorry, one Gleb Sakharov. Exciting time to be alive in men’s qualifying, isn’t it?

It was the reverse of every Sunday finals at the event since the WTA Citi Open in College Park and the Legg Mason Tennis Classic were conjoined by Donald Dell in 2012. It was Bizarro World to show my age. And it was long overdue. Here’s to a repeat tomorrow.

I woke up this morning knowing that everyone else would write about Gauff and I was determined to reflect on everything else going on at the Citi Open, and I tried. Francesca DiLorenzo and Victoria Duval played a very close match with DiLo prevailing 6-4, 6-3. Fanny Stollar and Xioadi You fought a brutal three-setter and the heat clearly took a toll on both of them but the look in the eyes of the eyes of the diminutive You said everything. You see those qualifying eyes when a competitor loses and knows they could’ve won if they hadn’t run out of gas first. It’s a marathon for players, tourney staff, fans and bloggers alike and that’s all we need to remember after this fabulous first day of a nine day hike in Rock Creek Park. And the name Coco Gauff.

More Starpower Added @CitiOpen as @AndyMurray Join Doubles Field With @Jamie_Murray

Posted by Admin on July 24, 2019
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

More Starpower Added @CitiOpen as @AndyMurray Join Doubles Field With @Jamie_Murray

Andy Murray (Photo: Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

Andy Murray (Photo: Mike Renz for Tennis Atlantic)

Another deep and talented doubles field will descend on D.C. next week with all 10 of the ATP World Tour’s Top-10 doubles players set to compete at the Citi Open.

Former world No.1 Andy Murray is also among the headliners in the men’s doubles field as Murray returns to Washington for a rare chance to partner with his brother Jamie.

While the Murray brothers have teamed up in the past, those occasions have primarily come during international competitions such as the Olympics or the Davis Cup.

Andy Murray, Citi Open

Andy Murray, Citi Open

But with Andy Murray primarily playing doubles this year as he continues his comeback from hip surgery, the Citi Open presents a rare opportunity for the Murray brothers to partner in an ATP event. Jamie is ranked No. 8 in doubles and is a six-time Grand Slam champion in doubles competition.

Jamie, 15 months Andy’s senior, won the Citi Open doubles crown last summer with then-partner Bruno Soares. Soares, who is fresh off competing for the Washington Kastles, is back this year as well with partner Mate Pavic of Croatia.

–CitiOpen

Qualifying Week @USOpen Gets Better Every Year

Posted by Admin on July 24, 2019
Posted in: ATP, US Open, US Open Qualifying, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Viktoria Kuzmova,, 2017 US Open

Viktoria Kuzmova,, 2017 US Open

Qualifying Week @USOpen Gets Better Every Year

Time was when a tennis fan could go to the qualies down at the National Tennis Center and feel like they were getting away with something. The crowds were lighter and the concession lines were shorter. The secret slowly sneaked out over the years and the USTA embraced the growing interest in what is now Fan Week. Though any old timer is wistful about some changes, Week Zero of the Open is going to feel more like the main draw party it’s become.

This year the USTA is opening up Ashe during Fan Week and featuring nightly concerts and legends matches. Couple that with more autograph opportunities and seeing big players practicing on big courts and you’ve got an event that dwarves many other tournaments main draw excitement. If the New Haven Open WTA premier tournament was still around, this would have surely killed it off, with free admission to Fan Week.

–Ed.

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y., July 24, 2019 – The USTA today announced that US Open Fan Week, a week-long tennis and entertainment festival, will kick-off the 2019 US Open and run from Monday, August 19 through Sunday, August 25, on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.  Anchored by the US Open Qualifying Tournament, the week’s activities also include free evening concerts, open practices featuring the world’s top players, a new Kids’ Zone and a host of other family activities and special events created to give fans more access to the world-class US Open experience.  All activities scheduled during the week are free and open to the public.

Francesca DiLorenzo, 2018 US Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

Francesca DiLorenzo, 2018 US Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

The new Fan Week Center Stage located in the South Plaza will serve as home for many activities, including a nightly Heineken Happy Hour, free Chase Sound Check evening concerts, the US Open Draw Ceremony, Tennis Talks and Legends Interviews, and other entertainment events.  The stage will be programmed daily from Tuesday through Friday.  Other major US Open Fan Week events include the 24th annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, taking place on the grounds and inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, August 24, a US Open Pride Event to be held on Thursday, August 22, public access to US Open Media Day on Friday, August 23, and a new Net Generation Kids’ Zone presented by Emirates that will be located in Backyard Court 17.

A full list of events, which can be accessed at usopen.org/fanweek, include:

Tennis Activities:

US Open Qualifying Tournament: 128 men and 128 women compete to qualify for the final 16 positions in the main draws of the US Open.  The qualifying tournament, which offers the fifth- largest purse for a tennis event in the U.S., takes place from Monday, August 19, through Friday, August 23.

Featured Practices:  From Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, top ATP and WTA players will be showcased in featured practices in the Grandstand.  Players will sign autographs for fans at the conclusion of each practice.

Legends Matches presented by Mercedes-Benz: A series of late-afternoon Legends matches with a targeted 4:30 pm start time will take place in Grandstand from Wednesday through Friday.  Wednesday’s match will feature John McEnroe and Jim Courier, with Thursday’s pitting Andy Roddick against James Blake.  Friday’s featured match will be a women’s doubles match featuring Martina Navratilova, Tracy Austin, Lindsay Davenport and Aranxta Sanchez Vicario.  Other former players and tennis celebrities will be added to the schedule closer to the start of Fan Week.

On-Going Activities:

Fan Week Center Stage: This stage will serve as the focal point for all Fan Week activities and the site of all major Fan Week Events.  The hosted stage will include player interview and autograph opportunities, as well as ticket and merchandise giveaways, and will be the site of free pop-up entertainment and special guest appearances.

Access to Arthur Ashe Stadium: For the first time during Fan Week, fans will be able to register to gain access to Arthur Ashe Stadium which is typically closed to the public prior to the main draw of the US Open.  The stadium will feature top player practices and other activities over the course of the week.

US Open Fan Access Pass: Similar to past years, fans can register for US Open Fan Access Pass for and have a chance to win tickets and prizes.  Fans who sign up for Fan Access Pass can make  the most of their Fan Week experience and gain access to reserved seating in Grandstand for featured practices and Legends matches as well as access to Arthur Ashe Stadium.  Those who register for Fan Access Pass are also entered into drawings for the chance to win US Open tickets and other prizes.

US Open Experience: Fans will be able to take in the total US Open Experience which includes a vast array of food offerings, unique merchandise and shopping opportunities and a wide range of activations hosted by US Open sponsor in booths located across the site.

Family Activities:

Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day powered by Net Generation: The 24th annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day will take place on Saturday, August 24 throughout the grounds of the National Tennis Center, with a concert and television program taking place in Arthur Ashe Stadium.  Again this year, access to the grounds and all grounds activities are free.  For the first time, courtesy of the USTA Foundation, general admission promenade seats in Ashe Stadium for the concert are free. Reserved Courtside and Loge tickets are available for purchase via Ticketmaster.com.

Net Generation Kids’ Zone presented by Emirates: At the Net Generation Kids’ Zone presented by Emirates, located at Backyard Court 17, fans of all ages can play in a range of fun sports activities, including tennis target practice, soccer dribbling, a basketball shootout, golf putting challenge, an agility course and a hockey shooting accuracy area. The Kids’ Zone introduces fans to the USTA’s American Development Model: a multi-sport approach to building tomorrow’s future athletes and tennis greats.

Holiday Inn Kids Eat Free: Kids eat free at Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts – and will be able to do the same during Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day and US Open Fan Week, as well. In partnership with Honest Juice, the Holiday Inn brand will provide free meal vouchers to kids 12 and under (limit two per family).

Festival Elements: The USTA will bring some of the most popular elements from Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day powered by Net Generation to the Fan Week Grounds, including face painting, roving performers and pop-up performances.

Evening Events:

Heineken Happy Hour: Taking place on the Fan Week Center Stage, the Heineken Happy Hour will be held Tuesday through Friday from 6pm to 8pm.  Each night, the Happy Hour will feature top DJs, including DJ Niks, DJs Coco and Breezy, and DJ MAAD.  Drink specials will be available from 6pm to 7pm all four nights.

Chase Sound Check: For three evenings, from Wednesday, August 21, through Friday, August 23, US Open sponsor Chase, will bring an exciting line-up of live music to the Fan Week Center Stage through the Chase Sound Check platform. The concerts will follow Happy Hour and begin at 8 pm.  Check usopen.org/fanweek for the full schedule.

Special Events:

US Open Draw Ceremony: The US Open Draw Ceremony, which determines the match-ups  and order of play for the main draw of the US Open, will take place on Thursday at noon, at the Fan Week Center Stage.  The ceremony will feature top ESPN talent and analysts discussing all of the tournament’s potential highlights, and potential pitfalls.  The ceremony concludes with a special appearance by US Open defending singles champions Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka.

US Open Pride Event: On Thursday, August 22, the US Open will host a special Pride event in Louis Armstrong Stadium from 6:30-7:30 pm, entitled “LOVE ALL – An Open Conversation.” The event will feature former athletes and other notables who will comment on the role of sports, and especially tennis, in, and on the LGBTQ+ community.

US Open Media Day: Scheduled for Friday, August 23 at 11 am, in Louis Armstrong Stadium, fans will have free access to US Open Media Day at which the international tennis media interview top male and female players. Players participating in the 2018 US Open Media Day included Roger Federer, Sloane Stephens, Rafael Nadal, Simona Halep, Andy Murray, and Caroline Wozniacki. In addition, other tennis players and Hall of Famers are scheduled to be part of the interview rotation that fans are welcome to observe.

–USTA