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.@ClijstersKim, @AndyRoddick, Monique Kalkman Make 2017 Ballot for @TennisHalloFame

Posted by Admin on September 8, 2016
Posted in: ATP, International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Kim Clijsters, Andy Roddick, Paralympian Monique Kalkman Make Ballot for 2017 International Tennis Hall of Fame induction

clijsters cincy

 

NEWPORT, R.I., September 8, 2016 – Former world No. 1’s Kim Clijsters and Andy Roddick have been nominated for the highest honor in the sport of tennis- induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Clijsters and Roddick are both on the ballot in the Recent Player Category for induction in the Hall of Fame Class of 2017. Monique Kalkman, a Paralympic gold medalist and notable Dutch wheelchair tennis player of the 1990s has been nominated in the Recent Player Category for Wheelchair Tennis. In recognition of their commitment to the development of the sport, two individuals are nominated in the Contributor Category. Vic Braden, a renowned tennis instructor who was among the first to apply sports science to his instructional tactics, has been nominated posthumously. Steve Flink, a distinguished tennis historian, broadcaster, and journalist has also been nominated.

Located in Newport, Rhode Island, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and promoting the history of tennis and celebrating its greatest champions. Induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame recognizes the sum of one’s achievements at the highest possible level.

“Kim Clijsters and Andy Roddick are two incredibly dynamic athletes who certainly left their mark on tennis history. They were both relentlessly committed to the sport, and as a result they reached the top of the game. Monique Kalkman was an inspiration to many and her success in the Paralympics and significant tournaments places her at the pinnacle of wheelchair tennis,” said Stan Smith, International Tennis Hall of Fame President and 1987 Hall of Famer, who also serves as Chairman of the Enshrinee Nominating Committee. “In addition to the athletes who excel at the top levels of the sport, growth and engagement in tennis worldwide also hinges on dedicated industry leaders who are so passionate about the game, such as Vic Braden in his teaching and Steve Flink in his work as a journalist and historian. Congratulations to all the nominees on this great recognition of their careers.”

Voting for the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 will take place this fall, and the inductees will be announced in the first quarter of 2017.

REACTION

“I’m very honored to be on the ballot for International Tennis Hall of Fame induction,” said Clijsters, winner of four Grand Slam singles titles. “The women who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame are great champions who I have always admired. It’s an honor to be considered to be part of that incredible group of athletes, and I’m grateful for this acknowledgement of my career.”

Andy Roddick, 2012 ATP Atlanta, Copyright Rick Limpert

Roddick!

“I’m incredibly honored to be considered for the Hall of Fame,” said Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion. “I put my all into our sport for many years, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to compete with some of the best athletes tennis has ever known, many of whom were idols I looked up to all my life. It is a huge honor for me to have my name be considered to be alongside theirs in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. I’d like to extend my thanks to the nominating committee for including me on the ballot.”

“This is a great honor for me to be on the ballot for Hall of Fame induction. To have wheelchair tennis be celebrated on such a high level through the International Tennis Hall of Fame is outstanding, and when I think about my tennis career being part of the sport’s forever legacy, I am deeply humbled and honored,” commented Kalkman.

ABOUT THE NOMINEES

Recent Player Category: Kim Clijsters, Andy Roddick, and Monique Kalkman

Eligibility criteria for the Recent Player Category is as follows: Active as competitors in the sport within the last 20 years prior to consideration; not a significant factor on the ATP World Tour, WTA Tour, or Wheelchair Tennis Tour within five years prior to induction; a distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level, with consideration given to integrity, sportsmanship, and character.
Kim Clijsters, 33, of Belgium, was the world No. 1 player for 19 weeks and was ranked within the world top-5 for 250 weeks during her career. She is one of six women to have been ranked No. 1 in the world for both singles and doubles.

Bolstered by a powerful baseline game and remarkable defensive skills on court, Clijsters won four Grand Slam tournament singles titles. She is a three-time US Open champion (2005, 2009, 2010) and she also won the 2011 Australian Open. Clijsters also won two major doubles titles, winning both the French Open and Wimbledon in 2003.

Clijsters is a three-time champion at the WTA Tour Championships. She won 41 singles titles in all, including 7 WTA Tour Tier I / Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 titles. Clijsters was a dedicated Belgian Fed Cup team member, leading the team to their first Fed Cup title in 2001 and into the finals again in 2006.

Clijsters retired from tennis in 2007, and then embarked on a second career in tennis with a comeback in 2009. That year, she went on to win the US Open, in what was just her third tournament back on the tour. She was unranked, unseeded, and a wild card entry to the event. Having had her first child in 2008, the victory also made Clijsters the first mother to win a major since 1980 (Evonne Goolagong Cawley).
Andy Roddick, 34, of the United States, is a former world No. 1 and US Open champion. Roddick held the world No. 1 ranking for 13 weeks, and he was year-end No. 1 in 2003. Roddick finished the season in the top-10 of the ATP Rankings for nine straight years (2002 – 2010). He held rankings inside the world top-5 for 187 weeks during the course of his career.

In 2003, Roddick defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero to win the US Open title, closing out the match on three straight aces. He returned to the finals in 2006, and he was also a three-time finalist at Wimbledon. Roddick won 32 singles titles, including five ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.

Roddick was a dedicated team member of the United States Davis Cup team for 10 years. In 2007, he was instrumental in leading the U.S. to defeat Russia for their 32nd Davis Cup victory.

Known for his incredibly fast and powerful serve, Roddick set multiple records for fastest serve recorded at specific tournaments over the years. His personal best was a 155 mph ace at the 2004 Davis Cup, which was the fastest serve in tennis history at the time.

Roddick is the founder of the Andy Roddick Foundation, a non-profit that is dedicated to offering enrichment programs for kids outside of the classroom to provide growth opportunities literacy, STEM, art, and sports. Since retiring from the ATP World Tour, Roddick has stayed active in the sport, competing in WorldTeam Tennis and PowerShares Series events. He has also worked in broadcast for Fox Sports and the BBC.

Monique Kalkman, 52, of the Netherlands, is a former wheelchair tennis player who achieved the No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles. She was world No. 1 in singles for 126 weeks, and she spent a collective 264 weeks during her career in the world top-5.

Monique Kalkman
A passionate athlete from a very young age, Kalkman was involved in many sports and had dreams of becoming a top athlete and sports teacher. She was diagnosed with cancer at age 14 and, as a result, was left paralyzed from the waist down. As she recovered, Kalkman revised her dreams to be fitting of her life as a wheelchair user.

In 1984 she became a Paralympic champion in table tennis, and then switched her focus to wheelchair tennis in 1986. From 1992 to 1996, Kalkman won three Paralympic medals in wheelchair tennis. She became the first and only female athlete in two different individual sports (tennis and table tennis) to win Paralympic Gold medals.

In addition to her success in the Paralympics, Kalkman was the ITF Wheelchair Tennis World Champion four times (1992 – 1995) and she was an 8-time champion in Super Series events. Kalkman’s career record of 151-25 singles record and her 53-7 doubles record puts her as one of the winningest wheelchair players of all time.

Kalkman has retired from wheelchair tennis and is an active golfer today. She serves as a Wheelchair Tennis Ambassador for the ITF, working to promote the sport worldwide to expand the base of players of all ages and abilities. Additionally, she works as Manager of Innovation and Participation at Welzorg, the largest supplier of equipment for people with disabilities in the Netherlands.

Contributor Category: Victor Braden and Steve Flink

Eligibility criteria for the Contributor Category is as follows: Individuals who have made exceptional contributions that have furthered the growth, reputation, and character of the sport, in categories such as administration, media, coaching, and officiating. Contributor candidates do not need to be retired to be considered.

Vic Braden
Vic Braden was a tennis instructor, a transformative educator of tennis teachers, and lifelong student of the game himself. Braden was a pioneer in the scientific studies of the physics of tennis, and he dedicated his tennis career to bringing rational, research-based instruction to tennis in a way that made the instruction clear and enjoyable.

Braden combined his training as a psychologist, and his passion for the sport to create unique platforms to expand public interest and participation in tennis. He was involved in the development of some of the sport’s most successful players, including Hall of Famer Tracy Austin, and he trained the coaches of many of the game’s top professional players. However, his work was not solely focused on elite athletes, but was also highly focused on teaching tennis teachers, so they could engage recreational players in the sport in a meaningful way, thereby growing the game significantly.

Braden was the co-founder of the Coto Sports Research Center and the Vic Braden Tennis Colleges in numerous locations worldwide. He served on the board of the Vic Braden Sports Institute for Neurological Research. He was a professor at UCLA, and served as a tennis coach at the University of Toledo.

Braden was a skilled communicator as well. He produced engaging tennis training materials, was the author of six books, and was a frequent commentator on major network broadcasts of the sport.

Braden is nominated posthumously. He passed away in 2014 at age 85.

Steve Flink
Steve Flink, of New York, is one of tennis’ preeminent historians and journalists. A lifelong tennis enthusiast, Flink began his career in tennis in the early 1970s when Hall of Famer Bud Collins hired him to help with research at Wimbledon and the US Open. By 1974, he was on staff at World Tennis magazine, where he was a writer and editor until 1991, eloquently sharing the stories of tennis tournaments around the world to readers at home. From 1992 to 2007, he was senior writer for Tennis Week. For the past eight years, he has been lead columnist for tennischannel.com.

Flink’s extraordinary knowledge of the sport is unparalleled, whether he is analyzing the most impactful moments and champions in tennis history or recalling statistics. Many of the game’s greatest champions have been known to defer to Flink when questioned on a stat in their own personal history.

Flink is the author of two significant historical books – The Greatest Tennis Matches of the 20th Century and The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time. Additionally, for 12 years, he authored player portraits for historian John Barrett’s annual book, World of Tennis. Flink has also extended into broadcast, including on-air work for ESPN and Madison Square Network and more than 25 years as tennis correspondent for CBS Radio and a statistician for ABC, CBS and NBC.

ABOUT THE INDUCTION PROCESS

Nominees on the ballot for Hall of Fame induction are selected from nominations submitted by the general public and tennis community. The ITHF Enshrinee Nominating Committee, which meets annually in June, then reviews all nominations and determines the ballot. The committee is comprised of 23 individuals from around the world with expertise in various areas of the sport. Individuals can be nominated in three categories – Recent Player, Master Player, and Contributor. There are no nominees in the Master Player Category this year.

The Recent Player Voting Group, which consists of tennis media and Hall of Famers, votes on the Recent Player nominees. The Master Player & Contributor Voting Group, which consists of historians, Hall of Famers, and individuals who are highly knowledgeable of the sport and its history, will vote on the Master Player nominees. To be inducted in either category, an affirmative vote of 75% of returned ballots is required. Votes are tallied by an independent accounting firm.

The 2017 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees will be announced in the first quarter of 2017. For additional information, please visit http://www.tennisfame.com

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World Class Doubles Field Stars in 2015 @BBTAtlantaOpen

Posted by Admin on July 27, 2015
Posted in: Atlanta, ATP, BB&T Atlanta Open, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

World Class Doubles Field Stars in 2015 BB&T Atlanta Open
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic 

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The 2015 doubles field for the BB&T Atlanta Open is truly world class, as some of the best doubles teams in the world have entered this ATP 250 event. Atlanta tennis fans and recreational players love doubles, and clearly this high quality field is their reward for appreciating a lesser-recognized part of the pro game.

Bob and Mike Bryan headline top half

That starts of course with the Bryan Brothers, the greatest doubles team of all time and the #1 seeds. They haven’t had as strong of a season this year as previous ones but they still have three ATP titles (including the Miami and Monte Carlo Masters), and reached the Roland Garros final. The brotherly pair is now well past 30, but they continue to compete at the highest level and set records. In round 1 they will face the Aussie pairing of Sam Groth and Chris Guccione.

The lanky Gooch, and the big serving Groth are both likeable guys and Groth’s massive serve aids his double game. Groth recently helped Australia win their Davis Cup tie with a doubles win while Gooch has one ATP doubles title this year.

The winner of the Bryans vs. the Aussies will take on either Treat Huey/Steve Johnson or Fabrice Martin/Purav Raja. Huey is a doubles specialist and former University of Virgina product, while Martin/Raja are a full time professional doubles pairing, Johnson of course a singles player looking to get som practice in. From this section it’s likely the Bryans will win both their matches to reach the semifinals.

The #4 seed is the pairing of Mate Pavic/Michael Venus. Venus is a former LSU product from New Zealand who has gravitated towards being a doubles specialist while the tall Pavic, just 22, has been in great form as of late on the doubles circuit. They come off of the final in Bogota as a pairing, and Pavic reached the Newport final prior to that, Venus/Pavic also won the title in Nice on clay back in the spring. Pavic/Venus will face local favorites Donald Young/Christopher Eubanks in the opening round, Eubanks from Georgia Tech, and Young of course an Atlanta native.

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The winner of Pavic/Venus vs. Eubanks/Young could face doubles specialists Marcus Daniell (another New Zealander)/Marcelo Demoliner or Americans Nick Monroe/Austin Krajicek. The veteran Monroe has reached two ATP doubles finals this year (Bucharest and Newport), and the American team should be slight favorites to advance on home soil, while Pavic/Venus are the favorites in the section. Krajicek has shown clear interested in excelling in both doubles and singles as the rising American is in the top 130 in singles, and the top 80 in doubles.

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Pospisil/Sock in bottom half as #2 seeds, Fish/Roddick to say farewell 

The fan favorite and talented pairing of Vasek Pospisil/Jack Sock, who were in the top 5 in the world in doubles as recently as April (4 titles together including Wimbledon and Atlanta in 2014 and Indian Wells in 2015) are back together again and playing in Atlanta as the #2 seeds. They tend to perform at their best on North American hard courts, as evidenced by their back to back finals in Indian Wells and Miami this year, and the title in Indian Wells, as Sock was returning from hip surgery, and both have been on the rise in singles as well (Pospisil making a run at Wimbledon and Sock generally having a solid season including his first ATP title).

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“Popsock” will open with Gilles Muller/Colin Fleming in a tough round 1 match as they seek to defend their title. Muller is a big server who enjoys playing in Atlanta, while Fleming is a veteran Scottish doubles specialist though he’s struggled this year besides one ATP doubles final. It’s likely the young North Americans will get through though and setup a meeting with either Benjamin Becker/Lukas Lacko or Marcos Baghdatis/Malek Jaziri. Both are singles players who are playing doubles this time, and Baghdatis/Jaziri are a pair of talented veteran shotmakers. Regardless of who wins that, Pospisil/Sock should be favorites to at least reach the semis.

The #3 seeds are the veteran pairing of Artem Sitak/Eric Butorac, Sitak, the third Kiwi in the draw reached a career high this year in doubles at #39 in the world. He’s transitioned to a doubles specialist and appears to be succeeding at it, with an ATP title and two finals this year. Butorac is 34 and a long term doubles specialist, he’s struggled this season though and Matt Ebden/Adrian Mannarino will have their chances in the opening round. Ebden has had success in Atlanta in doubles before while Mannarino’s funky game is good for the discipline, they both focus on singles but it’s an open draw if they catch fire.

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One of the two teams remaining to discuss are Jonathan Marray/Rendy Lu with the doubles specialist and former Wimbledon doubles champ Marray coming off of a title in Newport. Previously Lu and Marray took the title in Chennai at the start of the season. Last but certainly not least are the very popular farewell pairing of Andy Roddick/Mardy Fish.

Roddick came out of retirement only to play ATP doubles, as a special favor to his good friend Fish, and Fish is of course on his farewell tour during the Emirates Airlines US Open Series this summer, in both singles and doubles. Given their rust, it’s hard to tell how well they will play, but they will certainly have a good time and treat fans to some exciting matches for as long as they last.

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All in all it promises to be an exciting doubles tournament in Atlanta, and the matches are absolutely worth checking out as we should be treated to some great semifinals and perhaps a star studded final in Atlanta.

Steen Kirby (Marseille)

Player Field for 2015 @BBTAtlantaOpen Rolled Out on Media Day

Posted by Admin on June 15, 2015
Posted in: Atlanta, ATP, BB&T Atlanta Open, Emirates Airlines US Open Series, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Player Field for 2015 BB&T Atlanta Open Rolled Out on Media Day
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

On a hot summer day at Atlantic Station in the heart of downtown Atlanta, the 2015 BB&T Atlanta Open, led by tournament director Eddie Gonzalez, held court for media day and announced nearly the entire player field for the upcoming edition of the tournament, held July 25-August 2nd at Atlantic Station, where it has been held since 2012, with new things being added to the location each year.

Before getting to the player field it’s worth mentioning that various dignitaries were on hand from BB&T Atlanta Open sponsors BB&T, Lexus, Prince Tennis. This was along with official charity partner the YMCA, and stalwarts in support of tennis in the southeast and in Atlanta from both the USTA southern section, and the recreational Atlanta Lawn Tennis association (ALTA).

Tournament Director Eddie Gonzalez talks about the 2015 Open

Tournament Director Eddie Gonzalez talks about the 2015 Open at Atlantic Station

Lexus is bringing in the fuzzy ball SUV, a Lexus NX wrapped in the felt of a tennis ball, for this years tournament, along with sponsoring the perfect serve display, where fans can test the power of their serves much like the pitching machines you see at baseball games. Prince is the official sponsor of the sport court, a 36 foot court designed to encourage especially the youngest fans at the BB&T Atlanta Open, and Atlantic Station to get in the game and enjoy themselves with a hitaround.

As for the players who will be testing their own serves and taking to a larger court, Georgia Tech head men’s tennis coach Kenny Thorne was on hand and pleased with the fact that his own singles #1 Christopher Eubanks, a 6-7 Atlanta native who just completed his first year with the Yellow Jackets men’s tennis team, will have the honor of starring in college night on Tuesday evening as he has been selected as one of the main draw wild cards. Eubanks is currently in Halle, Germany working as a hitting partner with Donald Young, and will be training with DY over the summer on the road to Atlanta and the Emirates US Open Series in July.

Along with Eubanks, another young American talent, the celebrated Marylander Frances Tiafoe is the recipient of a main draw wild card, Tiafoe, who recently turned pro this spring as a 17 year old, won the USTA French Open wild card due to his strong play on the pro circuit, and now he is sure to feature on the US Open Series, hoping to score a big upset or two.

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Besides Eubanks and Tiafoe, pretty much the entire American men’s tennis contingent will be taking part in the 2015 Open, including young American Jack Sock, Steve Johnson, Ryan Harrison, Tim Smyczek, the aforementioned Young, two-time and defending champion John Isner, a local favorite, and Mardy Fish, who will once again attempt a comeback, now age 33. The world #1 doubles team the Bryan Brothers will be the top seeds of a very strong doubles field that should also include recent French Open doubles champion Ivan Dodig.

2011 Singles Champion Mardy Fish

2011 Singles Champion Mardy Fish

Fish, like Isner, is a two-time champion in Atlanta, and the other big announcement today was the fact that himself, and his good friend Andy Roddick, another former Atlanta Open champion, and long time American #1 will be taking a one-off wild card to compete in the doubles tournament this year. Roddick will also face Tiafoe in an exhibition of the most notable representative of American tennis recent past, and a player of its promising future. Last year Fish and Roddick had similar plans in the summer, but they were prevented from following through as Roddick hadn’t re-entered the drug testing program after retirement within enough time to be sanctioned to play ATP tennis again. Given the popularity of both Americans they are sure to fill the stands for their doubles match.

Roddick!

Roddick!

The international contingent that has made plans to take part in the Open hails from as close as our neighbors to the north, as Canadian Vasek Pospisil will look to excel in singles, and also in doubles with his aforementioned partner Sock, and as far away as Cyprus and Israel, as ATP veterans Marcos Baghdatis, a former slam finalist, and Dudi Sela, the defending finalist and Israeli #1 are both taking part.

Other veterans besides the ones mentioned above include Gilles Muller, a former finalist in Atlanta, Janko Tipsarevic, a former top 10 player on the comeback trail from injury, serve and volley specialist Radek Stepanek, and Benjamin Becker, a German who played his college tennis at Baylor and has strong American ties.

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Rounding out the field are highlight generating players Adrian Mannarino, and Alex Dolgopolov, who have unique styles of play, and former finalist Kevin Anderson, who might as well be an honorary American given his ties to college tennis and more, though he hails from South Africa by birth. Mannarino is currently having a career year, as he beat French Open champion Stan Wawrinka in Miami this year, while Dolgopolov is looking to recapture the form that saw him become a threat to the game’s elite in years gone by.

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One more main draw wild card is still hanging out there, and other changes could take place in the singles and doubles field of the ATP 250 event, but one thing is for sure, the BB&T Atlanta Open will offer world class tennis, and world class fun July 25-August 2nd at Atlantic Station. The Open is the first stop on the Emirates US Open Series as well and for more information, including how to purchase your tickets please visit http://www.bbtatlantaopen.com

Steen Kirby (Marseille)

Donuts (and Bagels) in Delray Beach: Our Sunday Recap

Posted by Admin on February 17, 2014
Posted in: ATP, Delray Beach. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Donuts (and Bagels) in Delray Beach: Sunday Recap
Jonathan Morgan for Tennis East Coast

delray

As I arrived, I was able to see my friend Zachary Pelts’ last few points vs. Mischa Zverev. Pelts is an unranked player with no match experience, no nothing. He works at an academy nearby and signed in on Friday to play. After the match, in which he lost 0-6, 0-6, but he was able to win 13 points (20% of the points), I was able to ask him a few questions.

Me: “Zach, how was it to play against a guy at this level?”

Pelts: “Hey thanks for coming out, man. Me, I was nervous as f***. Just call me Mr. Tight. I played like a 12-year-old girl in rural Mississippi out there.”

Me: “What would you say was the biggest difference between you and a player like him?”

Pelts: “Honestly, not that much. In the rallies, he really didn’t do anything with the ball. Ok, he had a very big serve, and I was very nervous, but the difference overall was not astronomical. I am even more motivated after this loss to continue to train and get better.”

Of course, to the crowd of spectators watching the match, who made comments like, “This guy is like Walter Mitty”, “He got his clock cleaned”, and “What’s he doing out there?” might disagree with his assessment. But then again, how easy is it to sit on the sidelines and pass judgement?

On another outside court, Wayne Odesnik was up to his usual antics. Yelling at the ballkids, getting into the opponent’s (Sekou Bangoura) grill, and when a spectator cheered for him, he turned and said “Shut up! I’m serving!” Very disrespectful from Odesnik as usual. He ended up winning over Bangoura, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4, and the handshake was very cold, to put it mildly.

Delray Beach 2014 grounds

In other qualifying, American Steve Johnson won over Sebatian Rivera by 6-3, 6-0, Sam Groth super served his way to a 7-5, 6-3 win over Ivan Endara, Rhyne Williams beat Pedro Sakamoto 6-2, 6-3, Bjorn Phau eased past Daniel Kerznerman 6-1, 6-4, Robby Ginepri began his climb back into the game with a 7-6(6), 6-3 very tight win over Ruben Bemelmans, and Gastao Elias scraped past Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Delray Beach Roddick

But the match of the day was easily Andy Roddick vs. Goran Ivanisevic in the Champion’s Tour on the Main Stadium Court. It was a light hearted affair, replete with jokes, and Roddick prevailing 6-4, 6-3 in the end. After the warm up, Roddick said: “Whoo! That was a tough warmup! I’m spent already!” to audience laughter.

Early in the first set, Roddick was called for a foot fault. He turned to the lineswoman and said: “Foot fault? This is Senior’s Tennis! What’s next? Rabies shots for the Easter Bunny?”

At 0-2 in the first, a baby was crying in the crowd. Ivanisevic turned to the location of the baby and said: “No, no, don’t cry! It’s only 2-0!”

A few games later, Roddick threw down his biggest serve of the day, a 132 miles per hour ace. The crowd oohed and aahed, and Roddick turned to us and said: “I hope you enjoyed that, I won’t be able to lift my arm for a week!”

At 5-4 in the first, there was a promotion over the loudspeaker advertising donuts for whoever tweeted the tournament and won the drawing. There is a Dunkin’ Donuts literally within walking distance of the tournament. Roddick of course, at the changeover, grabs his phone and tweets the tournament! He wanted those donuts!

At the end of the first, the Volley Girls (group of girls in matching uniforms dancing) came out and did a dance to music. A provocative dance. After they finished and left the court, Goran jumped up from his chair and ran after them!

Delray Beach volley girls

Early in the 2nd set, Ivanisevic was down 0-40. A big serve, and it is 15-40. Another ace and it is 30-40. Yet another big bomb and it is back to deuce. Roddick: “I hate when you do that!” Ivanisevic: “Yeah, look who is talking!”

At one point, Goran disagreed with the chair umpire about a shot, and during the argument, unlaced his shoe, sniffed it, made a disgusted face, and threw it.

Later in the 2nd, another crying baby. Well, Goran knows how to handle this. He gets a ball, gives it to the baby, and the baby stops crying! Lots of jocularity, lots of interacting with the crowd.

There were various smaller antics as well, such as over exaggerated grunting, usually from Ivanisevic, and cheeky points, like Goran hitting balls 30 rows into the stands and challenging the call anyway. It was all in good fun.

Late in the 2nd set, the donuts came out! Roddick and Ivanisevic both had themselves a donut. Then, Roddick did a series of impressions. First, Agassi and an extremely exaggerated pigeon-toed walk. Then, he did the impression of Goran Ivanisevic’s serve! “Yeah, yeah, very goooood,” Goran called out in response.

Then, Nadal. Rolls up the sleeves, runs to the baseline, starts jumping up and down, digs in his shorts, massive grunt, massive fist pump.

Then, McEnroe. Very exaggerated serve motion, and his serve was just out. Too bad someone in the crowd yelled out, “You cannot be serious” to which Andy replied: “Yeah, always someone who ruins the joke.”

Then, some guy called out for Roddick to do Sharapova. “Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Freak.” The crowd was in stitches the entire time.

At 5-3, 40-15, with 2 match points for for Roddick in the 2nd, I couldn’t take it any longer and called out: “Goran, we love you anyway!” He turned to me and said: “Thank you I, love you too!”

After the match, Roddick was given something of a lifetime achievement award in addition to his Champion’s Tour trophy. A nice video montage was shown, with legends like Sampras, Agassi, and Connors saying positive things about Andy, who then gave a small speech. Ivanisevic walked into the locker room the long way and spent a good amount of time with autographs and pictures, delighting the crowd with a smile, as always. He will be coaching Cilic this week during the tournament. As for Roddick, he will be going back to his Fox Sports commentary work as well as Brooklyn Decker.

Well, that’s it from Delray for Sunday. Bye for now. Have a great night, and remember, the world is yours.

2012 US Open: Aga’s Angst, Roddick Farewell Tour Continues Tonight

Posted by Admin on September 4, 2012
Posted in: US Open. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

Mad-wanska

Agnieszka Radwanska was upset in straight sets yesterday by 20 seed Roberta Vinci, ending the Poles bid for a first Grand Slam title. She’s had a great year and was obviously disappointed in failing to reach the quarterfinals. Also upset yesterday was Angelique Kerber, who began her rise to the top of the women’s game at the 2011 US Open. She fell to 2012 Roland Garros finalist Sara Errani. That sets up an all-Italian quarterfinal, with the winner likely to be mauled by Serena Williams in the semis.

Tonight, US standard-bearer Andy Roddick might play his last professional tennis match. Then again, he might not. A-Rod faces his toughest challenge yet in 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro. If the pressure is really off his back, expect Roddick to see yet another night under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe after a four set win over JMDP.

Roddick, Ebden/Harrison are Champions in Atlanta

Posted by Admin on July 23, 2012
Posted in: Atlanta, ATP, BB&T Atlanta Open. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Roddick, Ebden/Harrison are Champs in Atlanta

By Steen Kirby, TennisEastCoast.com

Roddick!

Andy Roddick came back from a set down to defeat Gilles Muller 1-6, 7-6, 6-2 and claim the 32nd title of his career, and his second in the last three tournaments played. Roddick started out tense and got irritated by the sun, his opponent’s consistency and his top-notch serving early on. He quickly went down 0-3 and ended up dropping the 1st set 6-1 to Muller, who had all the momentum while Roddick had to call the trainer. Many thought he was completely out of the match but he charged back, holding in three service games late in the second set by his fingernails. Roddick fought them off at deuce with aces and sharp returns, forced a tiebreak and charged ahead, taking the breaker and then closing the door on a shaken Muller in the third set. Roddick went up a double break and served it out for the title.

Roddick Charges Back

Muller had his chances at finishing off the match and his serving was excellent in the first and second set. Toward the end of the second, he began to lose his energy and struggled to connect on first serves, double faulting a few too many times. Roddick struggled with DFs early as well. Muller did fine coming into the net and volleying but from the baseline he was cold, while Roddick made a few too many errant shots early. His game tidied up later and Muller could not do much to stop him. The final result is that both Muller and Roddick will head into the Olympics with positive momentum.

Ryan and Matt took time to hit with the ball kids

In the doubles final, Matt Ebden repeated as doubles champion in Hotlanta, this time with his friend Ryan Harrison. The young guns had their day defeating veterans Xaiver Malisse and Michael Russell 6-3, 3-6, 10-6. They played seamlessly all week and this was just a culmination of their fine play together. On a side note, Matt and Ryan stuck around to hit balls with the ball kids after the final trophy presentation.  It was a nice gesture from two approachable guys who represent the game well. Other players I will give credit to for being very kind to fans and sportsmanlike to their opponents are Igor Kunitsyn, Brian Baker, Xaiver Malisse, Michael Russell, Go Soeda, Ruben Bemelmans, Ricaradas Berankis, finalist Gilles Muller, Santiago Gonzalez/Scott Lipsky, and the Flemchins.

It was a great week of tennis in Atlanta and a highly enjoyable tournament. A multitude of matches went the distance and there were plenty of tense and thrilling battles in both doubles and singles, including some very late night matches. The tournament was top-notch from start to finish and Atlantic Station proved to be an excellent venue. Atlantic Station has at least another two years hosting the BB&T Atlanta Open under contract. Here’s to next year!

ATP Atlanta Semis: Roddick Wins a Thriller Against Isner, Will Face Gilles Muller in Final #BBTAO12

Posted by Admin on July 22, 2012
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Roddick wins a thriller against Isner, will face Gilles Muller in final

Andy Roddick won a thrilling victory against strong serving John Isner 6-4, 6-7, 6-4.  Roddick took the first set after breaking Isner coming out of a short rain delay and serving it out the rest of the way. In the second set, Isner was firing on all cylinders with his serve and painted the lines the entire time, finally winning the tiebreak after going up a minibreak.

Roddick reaches the final

Early in the third, things continued as they had in the previous set with both guys using their serve to hold and Isner doing some damage on his forehand, while Roddick played plenty of slice backhands. The end of the match became incredibly intense with an electric crowd, which had urged both players on the whole match becoming even more vocal.

Roddick and Isner played a thriller

Roddick worked his tail off, hitting nice passers and good returns to earn three break points at 4-4 in the third, but a foot fault call on Isner derailed one of his chances to break, causing him to throw his racquet from the baseline into the net and complain to the chair. While Roddick was seriously frustrated, he was able to hold serve  at 5-4, forcing Isner to serve to keep the match alive again. This time, he couldn’t do it and a couple of errors later, it was Roddick who would advance to win bragging rights over his higher ranked countryman and a spot in the final. Isner had his chances, but he just could not do enough to break Roddick and had too many errant groundstrokes. Roddick was tenacious tonight.

Gilles Muller Booked a Spot in the Final, Too

Gilles Muller also booked his spot in the Atlanta final with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Go Soeda. Muller served strong and got the two breaks of serve he needed to defeat Soeda, who, like Isner, couldn’t do much with his opponents serve. Muller has  reached his first ATP final in seven years. While he will be an underdog against Roddick, if he keeps serving well and playing sharp at the net, he will have a genuine chance.

In doubles, the Flemchins were upset by Harrison/Ebden, who won 6-4, 6-4, and will face Malisse and Russell in the final.

–Steen Kirby

2012 ATP Atlanta Quarters Recap: Muller, Roddick reach Semis; Soeda upsets Nishikori #BBTAO12

Posted by Admin on July 21, 2012
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Muller, Roddick reach Semis, Soeda upsets Nishikori

Muller took plenty of time to sign autographs for fans after his win

Gilles Muller wasted no time earning a spot in the semifinals, earning a 6-4, 6-4 win over Matt Ebden. It was all about the serve in this match. There were only 2 breaks of serve the whole match, both going to Muller and Ebden couldn’t find a way to get a break himself.

Soeda d. Nishikori

Muller will face Go Soeda, who upset his countryman, Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-1. Soeda played better than Nishikori, the higher ranked player, and Kei was really wilting in the heat by the start of the 2nd set. Nishikori was taking plenty of time to towel off and walk slowly around the baseline. Go’s win gives him bragging rights going into the Olympics where they will be doubles partners for Japan.

Japanese fans came out to support their country’s top 2 players, or “Why is there a leg coming out of my ear, Doc?”

Andy Roddick didn’t have too hard of a time against fellow American Michael Russell. Like Muller, he got the two breaks he needed and took the match 6-3, 6-4. Both guys held serve with ease and played some great shots at the net. Russell came forward a lot, but he couldn’t handle Roddick’s serve.

ARod got the job done

John Isner beat Jack Sock in the late match 7-6, 6-4.  Isner was up early but struggled at the end of the 1st set in a match that was delayed by thunderstorms. Sock had a ton of set points, but could not convert and while Isner was still shaky, he got a break in the second and served it out.

Today’s semi final match ups will be Muller against Soeda and Roddick against Isner. In doubles semis, Malisse/Russell will take on Klaasen/Young and Fleming/Hutchins will take on Ebden/Harrison. Klaasen/Young won a great match over Ebelthite/Matosevic and Ebden/Harrison won a tough match against Anderson/De Voest.

–Steen Kirby

ATP Atlanta Quarterfinals Preview

Posted by Admin on July 20, 2012
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ATP Atlanta Quarterfinals Preview
 
The quarterfinals will be played today at the BB&T Atlanta Open and they are quite interesting for the battle of nationalities, if nothing else. The top 2 Japanese players, Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda will play against each other with both earning hard fought three set wins this week.

There will be two all-American quarterfinals here, the first between Andy Roddick and underdog Michael Russell, who has been a refreshing surprise here, and the second between top American John Isner and rising American Jack Sock. Isner struggled last night while Sock has earned a couple of nice wins. The other singles quarterfinal will be between the tall Matt Ebden, and the taller Gilles Muller, who also happen to be a couple of the nicest players here.


 
In doubles quarterfinals action, best buds Ebden/Harrison will take on South African tandem De Voest/Anderson. Both doubles teams earned strong wins yesterday and Ebden will try to pull double duty again. In addition, Aussies Ebelthite/Matosevic will take on Klaasen and Young, who looked strong yesterday. The Flemchins get a walkover over Muller/Bogomolov as Alex Bogomolov was forced to withdraw with a shoulder injury. Malisse and Russell earned their quarterfinal berth yesterday.

–Steen Kirby

ATP Atlanta Thursday Recap: Isner Survives Bemelmans, Fish Retires, Ebden and Sock Advance

Posted by Admin on July 20, 2012
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Isner survives Bemelmans, Fish retires, Ebden and Sock advances

Steen Kirby, TennisEastCoast.com
 
John Isner started off ice-cold against a tenacious Ruben Bemelmans, dropping the 1st set 6-4 and having more than his fair share of shank and junk hits, long, into the net, and even out of the stadium. He recovered and managed to eke out a win, taking the 2nd set 6-3 and the 3rd set, which was delayed over 20 minutes because the far right light went out on stadium court,  6-4.  Isner served acceptably, as Bemelmans was still adjusting to his pace but had to adjust his strategy to compensate for Bemelmans slicing and dicing style of play. In the end, Bemelmans went for too much and couldn’t pull it out.  He plays hard though and is also a very positive guy. He even did the wave with the crowd as the light was being fixed.
 
Mardy Fish wasn’t nearly as lucky against Gilles Muller. An unfortunate run-in with the netpost meant that he was forced to retire up 6-4, 3-2 on Muller and he was actually playing well. Fish went hard for a drop shot near the edge of the net, and in order to avoid impaling himself on the netpost, he slid and rolled his ankle badly in the process, putting him on his back for about three minutes. He was then bent over and limping for the remaining 4 or so points he played before finally having to retire. He was later seen in a lot of pain after the match.

Ebden

 
 
James Blake was good early against Matt Ebden, but felt pain again, and Ebden would advance 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. It was a tight match all the way through, with Ebden struggling with his unforced errors but serving well. Blake was playing great tennis at the net but it appeared that his shoulder began to bother him again in the 2nd and 3rd set. While he was able to finish the match after multiple medical timeouts, he was visibly grimacing on court and exited holding his shoulder.

Blake was Hurting

 
Jack Sock played some thrilling points against fellow American young gun Steve Johnson,  winning his match in 2 tiebreaks 7-6, 7-6. The very audible Sock did plenty of shouting, fist pumping and other such emotional actions throughout a match that featured a lot of lobbing, drop shotting and rallying. This will be his first ATP quarterfinal.
 
In doubles action, all but the top seed of Fleming and Hutchins (who survived being a break down in the 1st set against Nicolas Mahut and Lukas Dlouhy winning 7-6, 6-2) were eliminated in a day of upsets. 2 seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Scott Lipsky fell to Raven Klaasen and Donald Young 6-2, 7-6, unable to chip into their advantage.  3 seeds Treat Huey and Dominic Inglot lost to best buds Ebden and Harrison 6-3, 7-5 and 4 seeds Ken Skupski and Jamie Delgado lost to vets Malisse and Russell (X-Man and Muscles) 7-6, 6-4 with both Malisse and Russell (who is in the quarterfinals in singles here) serving great. Kevin Anderson and Rik De Voest beat Paolo Lorenzi and Rajeev Ram 6-3, 6-7, 10-6 and Colin Ebelthite and Marinko Matosevic beat the UGA/GA Tech combo of Ignacio Taboada and Kevin King 7-5, 7-5 in late action.
 
On one other note, there was a US Olympic tennis team “send off” on stadium court before the Isner/Bemelmans match, featuring former Olympic star and professional boxer Evander Holyfield and tournament director Bob Bryant along with a men’s choir performing the national anthem. While Olympians Isner, Young and Harrison were in attendance, Andy Roddick decided to skip.