Challenge

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Americans Falconi and Min Advance to Semifinals @USTAMacon50K

Posted by Admin on October 25, 2014
Posted in: Macon, USTA, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Americans Falconi and Min Advance to Semifinals @USTAMacon50K

Falconi (Photo: R. Limpert)

Falconi (Photo: R. Limpert)

MACON, Georgia, (October 24, 2014) Bright sun and big time tennis have been the theme to week in Macon for the 2014 Tennis Classic of Macon.

The first match on at the Jaime Kaplan Tennis Center at Stratford Academy was Thursday’s upset winner and wildcard entry, Ellie Halbauer against tour veteran Petra Martic of Croatia. Martic, a former world No. 42 from Split owns three career ITF titles and she’s looking for No. in Macon.

Martic, an aggressive baseliner gave the 17-year old from South Carolina a lesson as she handed Halbauer a 6-2 6-0, an hour long lesson.

In an intriguing match on Court 1, Kateryna Bondarenko continued her comeback to tennis after the birth of her daughter, Karin with a 6-2 6-0 victory over American, Julia Boserup.

Bondarenko, a qualifier here in Macon felt that playing the qualifying has helped her reach the semifinals.

“It helped me get used to the courts as I was in Mexico and the weather was completely different,” explained Bondarenko.

Bondarenko is working her way back up the rankings as she gave birth to her daughter about a year and a half ago.

“I’m traveling with my daughter and husband. It’s different, now it’s all about my daughter and all the time I have, I spend with her.”

As for the sights Bondarenko and her family have seen while in Macon, one place stood out as it does to most new mothers.

“We went shopping to… Target,” added Bondarenko.
The general consensus in Macon on Friday morning was that Madison Brengle was playing the best tennis of anyone in the event.

Irina Falconi disagreed.

Falconi then let her racquet do the talking as she took out the second seeded Brengle with a strong forehand and a well devised gameplan, 6-2 7-5.

Grace Min grew up about 90 minutes from Macon in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Grace Min (Photo: R. Limpert)

Grace Min (Photo: R. Limpert)

She knows what’s it’s like to play tennis in Macon and she appears in great form as she defeated fellow American, Sanaz Marand 6-2 6-2.

“It’s rare that I get to play in Georgia,” said Min after her victory. It’s nice since I have a lot of friends who live here and I get to see a lot of familiar faces.”

All singles semifinals will be held on Saturday and on doubles semifinal that will begin at 10 am..

Friday’s Results:

Petra MARTIC (CRO) def Ellie HALBAUER (USA)WS 6-2 6-0
Irina FALCONI (USA)[8] def Madison BRENGLE (USA) [2]WS 6-2 7-5
Kateryna BONDARENKO (UKR) def Julia BOSERUP (USA)WS 6-2 6-0
Grace MIN (USA) [4] def Sanaz MARAND (USA)WS 6-2 6-2
Anna TATISHVILI (USA) / Ashley WEINHOLD (USA) Irina FALCONI (USA) [2] / Petra MARTIC 6-4 6-2

This is one of the three fall events where U.S. players can earn points for the USTA’s wildcard into the first major of 2015, the Australian Open.

You can see the qualifying draw here: http://assets.usta.com/assets/1/15/qualifying_draw382.PDF

See the singles main draw here:

Click to access singles_draw384.PDF

Friday’s Tennis Classic of Macon Fast Facts:

– The 32-player singles main draw features players from at least 12 different countries
-Tournament Director Eric Hayes is the men’s and women’s tennis coach at Mercer University. He ran this event in Troy, AL before bringing it to Macon in 2013..
– The Falconi/Min singles semifinal features two players with ties to the state of Georgia (Falconi – GA Tech and Min from Lawrenceville, GA)

Live streaming of the USTA Pro Circuit can be viewed on the USTA Pro Circuit’s website at http://www.procircuit.usta.com.

—R. Limpert

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Tiafoe, Arconada Win Inaugural @CitiOpen Wild Card Challenge @TheJTCC

Posted by Admin on June 18, 2014
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Junior Tennis Champions Center, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Tiafoe, Arconada Win Inaugural @CitiOpen Wild Card Challenge @TheJTCC
Stephan Fogleman, Tennis East Coast

Usue Arconada (Photo: S. Fogleman)

Usue Keeps Busy during MTO

Usue Keeps Busy during MTO

Last month, when the Citi Open announced that the Junior Tennis Champions Center would host their first annual Wild Card Challenge, the JTCC trotted out their big names as marquee participants. Francis Tiafoe and Usue Arconada headlined the event, and the JTCC didn’t disappoint. Yesterday, Tiafoe and Arconada nabbed qualifying wild cards to the Citi Open in Washington next month, and they both did it in straight sets on a scorching day on the blue hard courts on which they train.

Arconada & Morton

For Arconada, it’s a return trip to Washington. Last year, she became the second-youngest player in WTA history to win her debut qualifying match. Last year, she was given a wild card. This year, she earned it by besting Skylar Morton 7-6(4), 7-5 in the final of a 29-player tournament. Morton was noticeably affected by the heat in the second set of yesterday’s final, wherein she got sick right before serving for set point of the second set.

“I had a pretty nice run. I had some good matches. Had a good match against Skylar today and that was great. We had a long match in the sun. It was really hot out there, but I got it through.”

As far as the heat, Arconada said that “Skylar had a little trouble with the heat. She’s been training here for the past 6 months while she’s taking a break from college. I was feeling a little nauseous after she threw up. I did not like seeing that”.

And what’s it like playing against a friend like Morton in a meaningful match?

“It’s pretty hard, but when you step on the court, you don’t think about your friendship”, she said.

Tiafoe also defeated a friend yesterday to win the Wild Card Challenge, and it happened to be Usue’s brother, Jordi Arconada. Tiafoe showed off his dazzling forehand in the 6-1, 7-6 win. This will be Tiafoe’s first time as a player at Citi Open, a tournament he’s been attending as a fan since he was five years old.

Look at you, JTCC. Looking strong!

Francis Tiafoe

Francis Tiafoe

Grab A Racket: @CitiOpen Wild Card Challenge @TheJTCC To Feature Local Talent, Maybe Even You

Posted by Admin on May 14, 2014
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Junior Tennis, Junior Tennis Champions Center, USTA, Washington, Wild Card Playoffs, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Grab A Racket: @CitiOpen Wild Card Challenge @TheJTCC To Feature Local Talent, Maybe Even You
Stephan Fogleman, Tennis East Coast
Trice Capra at the JTCC

It hit 90° at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland yesterday. That was fitting, because it was Citi Open Weather. The Citi Open is held in late July-early August just 10 miles away at Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC.

The Citi Open Wild Card Challenge will be staged here at the Center in College Park from June 14-17. The facility has already earned a USTA award as an outstanding venue and is finally getting the credit it deserves for cultivating champions, as the name suggests.

jtcc

The Wild Card Challenge will result in the winners advancing to the qualifying draws of the Citi Open, an ATP 500 level and WTA International level event.

Yesterday, two of the centers protégés and seven-time grand slam champ Mats Wilander spoke about the event. JTCC CEO Ray Benton and Citi Open tournament director Jeff Newman also discussed the genesis and planning of the event. It was the brainchild of Benton, who wanted to return to the Wild Card event that the Legg Mason Tennis Classic had employed almost 20 years ago.

“We used to have a Wild Card Challenge, for quite some time, starting in 1995”, Newman said. “It was really meant to be a platform for the best talent in the area. We’re showcasing the best talent in the world, and we wanted to have a connection to provide an opportunity for local talent. We had Paul Golstein, Alex Kim and others.”

“Frankly, the talent got less. And Ray Benton gets the credit for reviving it with the talent that he’s brought and developed in this area. It felt like the right opportunity to bring it back.”

Newman also said the Citi Open will be more player-friendly than ever this year.

“We’re continuing to develop some areas that the public doesn’t see. Our player experience is critical as an ATP 500 and a WTA event. Our medical facilities and our locker room facilities are being upgraded.”

Citiopen Official Site

The Challenge is open to all USTA players 14 and up. There is a registration fee of $75, but participants who enter this event and the US Open National Playoffs will receive a discount. The Challenge is two weeks after the USONP Playoffs and the Mid-Atlantic portion of the USONP competition will also be decided on the same courts here in College Park. For players already training for the USONP, this is a mighty second chance sweepstakes. In fact, the Challenge offers a big prize of its own. At the USONP, you have to win your sectional tournament and then you go to New Haven to battle it out for a spot in the US Open qualies. At the Challenge, you win out in College Park and you’re in Citi Open qualies.

For some locals, myself included, playing at Citi Open on the hard courts beats driving by Flushing Meadows to go to New Haven to hope to get to Flushing Meadows.

Francis Tiafoe leads the men’s side. After an Easter Bowl win at Indian Wells, he’s happy to be back at home. “I’ve been going to the tournament since I was about 6 years old”, Tiafoe said. “I hope I can play well at the event.”

Having grown up (literally) at the JTCC, you would think Tiafoe is a lock. Instead, he is guardedly optimistic.

“I definitely know these courts better than anyone else. I’m going to go one match at a time and hope for the best.”

Surprisingly, Tiafoe says his life hasn’t really changed since he arrived to conquer the ITF scene.

“My life hasn’t changed much”, Tiafoe recounted. “I’m still just a 16-year-old kid having fun playing tennis. It’s been nice having some wins and getting some more confidence in my game.”

Usue Arconada is ‘excited’ to play in the Wild Card Challenge. Last year, she was granted a qualifying wild card by Citi Open officials and more than earned her keep in winning her first WTA match in straight sets.

Like Tiafoe, Arconada is another heavy favorite at the Wild Card Challenge.

“I train here every day, so I know these courts pretty well”, she said.

What a bonus it was to chat with Mats Wilander yesterday.

Wilander was hired as an advisor here as “somebody who’s done it all”, he said. “I turned pro very young, so I think I know what these kids go through. They’re not worrying about the best guy. They’re trying to fulfill every players potential.”

Mats has rolled out Wilander on Wheels for a fourth summer. He travels by RV across the US (and Europe), appearing at dozens of tennis clubs.

2013 USTA Tallahassee Tennis Challenger Main Draw Preview @TallyChalenger #USTAHarTruWC

Posted by Admin on April 28, 2013
Posted in: ATP Challenger, Tallahasee Challenger, USTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

2013 USTA Tallahassee Tennis Challenger Main Draw Preview

Steen Kirby, TennisEastCoast.com

TallahasseeCHlogo

The main draw for the Tally Challenger starts bright and early Monday, and here is a preview of the action that will be on tap this week. I’ll provide three days of on site coverage.

USTA Tallahassee Tennis Challenger
ATP Challenger Tour/USTA Pro Circuit
Tallahasssee, Florida, USA
April 28-May 4, 2013
Prize Money: $50,000

Top 8 seeds:

1: Michael Russell
2: Ryan Harrison
3: Wayne Odesnik
4: Jack Sock
5: Tim Smyczek
6: Steve Johnson
7: Denis Kudla
8: Mischa Zverev

7 of the 8 seeds are Americans, and they represent the crowded American pack between the top 100 and the top 150.

Russell’s quarter

Muscles Russell, coming off quarters in Savannah, will take on Suk-Young Jeong of Korea before facing the winner of Tennys Sandgren/Cedrik-Marcel Stebe. Russell just beat Sandgren in Savannah round 2. While the 22 year old German Stebe was formerly known as a very promising young talent, he has flatlined a bit in his career, hovering inside the top 200 but not having won consecutive matches since January. He was ranked as high as 71 last year.

Steve Johnson, who lost to Sandgren in Savannah, will play a qualifier, and the winner gets a qualifier or defending finalist Frank Dancevic of Canada. The only caveat about defending finalist being is that last year’s event was on hard court, and this year’s event is on Har-Tru clay. Dancevic is 1-2 in his last 3 matches, all on the Har-Tru clay challenge circuit.

Sock’s quarter

2012 ATP Atlanta, Jack Sock, Copyright Steen Kirby

After breakthrough quarterfinals in Memphis, Sock has been a bit below average, and is on a two match losing streak heading into Tally. He will get the tough draw of Alex Kuznetsov, who of course won the Sarasota challenger and made the quarterfinals in Savannah. With those showings, Kuznetsov has nearly put a lock on the French Open wildcard spot and another win would clinch it for him. The winner gets current Florida State Seminole Dominic Cotrone, a wild card, or struggling Canadian Peter Polansky, who has lost two straight opening round matches.

Defending champ Tim Smyczek will face a qualifier, and the winner gets Gerald Melzer (the promising younger brother of well known ATP pro Jurgen Melzer) or current FAMU player Salif Kante, a wild card who hails from Senegal.

Odesnik’s quarter

Odesnik is the only other player in the running for the French Open Wild Card, but he would need at a minimum to make the final, and probably take the title, along with getting some help from Kuznetsov in the form of an early loss in order to have more overall points. With that in mind, he starts against Denys Molchanov, who he just beat in the Sarasota semis in 3 sets and the winner gets former Duke standout and wild card Reid Carleton, of Naples, Florida, or Savannah finalist Facundo Arguello. Odesnik just beat Arguello in Sarasota.

Denis Kudla is nearing his career high ranking inside the top 140 again, and he will open against Sarasota semifinalist Somdev Devvarman. The winner gets Bradley Klahn or Nicolas Barrientos.

Harrison’s quarter

Ryan Harrison, 2012 ATP Newport

Savannah champ Harrison will look to make a quick turnaround as he takes on Taro Daniel of Japan, who qualified in Savannah. The winner gets Alex Bogdanovic or wild card Austin Krajicek.

Veteran Mischa Zverev will take on Nikoloz Basilashvili and the winner gets Donald Young or a qualifier.

Predictions:

Semis:

Melzer d. Russell
Young d. Devvarman

Russell or Stebe should emerge from the first quarter, while Melzer is due for a good run and seems to be the freshest talent in the 2nd quarter, though Kuznetsov is playing great right now. Odesnik and Arguello are both good on clay but you would have to assume both are worn out from Savannah and Sarasota runs, and Devvarman has shown he can do well on Har-Tru.

Young is slowly improving this year, and you would also have to assume Harrison is going to be tired out from the Savannah title. Watch out for Taro Daniel as well.

Final:

Melzer d. Young