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OPINION: As Much as Anything, COVID-19 Threatens Fan Experiences at 2020 Tournaments

Posted by Admin on March 6, 2020
Posted in: ATP, Charleston, Indian Wells, Miami, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

OPINION: As Much as Anything, COVID-19 Threatens Fan Experiences at 2020 Tournaments
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

Nicolas Mahut nicomahut • Instagram photos and videos

The BNP Paribas Open today announced measures to cope with the somewhat-sensationalized threat of the spread of the latest coronavirus infecting humans and destroying retirement accounts. Among them are guaranteed refunds, hand sanitizing stations, no one but players touching their own towels, gloved ball people, and this one: “Organized player and fan interaction will be limited at the tournament.”

For those of us who haven’t been frightened to death by round-the-clock coverage of this flu, this news will be a setback for fans planning to attend. In the midst of the current occupant of the White House running the country into the ground and other bad news on television every night, I know I’ve been plowing into sports as a refuge and I suspect there are millions more like me.

COVID-19

Johns Hopkins University, located in Baltimore, is the host of the early rounds of the NCAA Division III basketball tournament. They made news yesterday by announcing that their games would be played without fans. If Baltimore was Beijing and if Indian Wells were instead Wuhan, I’d understand the drastic measures.

I suspect that the term “organized player and fan interaction” means more than a couple of autograph sessions. It is highly likely that the policy will curtail post-match, spontaneous “player and fan interaction” as well. Security guards love to boss around the teeming tennis masses as they ask for a selfie, and this will give the muscle another opportunity to exercise their snooty dominion over spectators and players. All of this portends for a poorer fan experience at the tournament, and the possibility that subsequent cities on the American mini-swing such as Miami and Charleston, will be forced to follow suit to prevent them being seen as insufficiently prepared.

If the measures taken at the Tennis Garden are in fact, in place to protect players, then why wouldn’t the sport already limit player/fan interactions? Illness to a player, even for a week, can potentially cost them hundreds of thousand of dollars in lost income. Influenza A is far more common than COVID-19, and if a fan sneezes on a player while requesting an autograph, the results could be equally problematic.

I can only hope that this will be the last time these policies are put in place at a professional sporting event in 2020. For those who have died from or contracted COVID-19 or any form of influenza, I feel great sorrow. This, though, seems to be going too far and will cause unnecessary anxiety on the most vulnerable of groups: children and the elderly. Let’s hope the only hysteria we are left with by the end of 2020 is directed on court on a rising star, like Coco Gauff, Bianca Andreescu or Leylah Fernandez.

The tournament’s full statement is below:

“Following the direction and guidance of Dr. David Agus, Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California, and Martin Massiello, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Eisenhower Health, the BNP Paribas Open is taking action to continue prioritizing the health and safety of the fans, athletes, and everyone involved with the tournament.

First and foremost, any patron who has purchased tickets directly from the tournament may request a refund for the 2020 tournament, or a credit for the 2021 tournament. Patrons can visit http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/coronavirus to request a refund or credit.

Additional actions include:
More than 250 hand sanitizing stations have been placed throughout the facility

Players will be required to manage their own towel on court and ball kids will not touch or move player towels.

A chair will be placed at the back of the court for them to place their towel on for usage during the match.

Ball kids will wear gloves

Restaurant and food supply workers will wear gloves

Volunteers taking tickets at entrances will wear gloves

N95 masks are being secured for first aid and health personnel to be prepared for any circumstances that would necessitate the use thereof

Organized player and fan interaction will be limited at the tournament

All common areas throughout the facility will be cleaned daily with an antiviral application

Coordinating with local hospital and CDC approved testing for all individuals with symptoms

Further actions are being considered and evaluated on a daily basis in order to continue to ensure the safety of everyone associated with the event.”

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2017 Indian Wells Women’s Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on March 8, 2017
Posted in: ATP, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 Indian Wells Women’s Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

kerber-2016

 

The BNP Paribas Open was set to be a battle for the world number one spot between Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams, but Serena’s withdrawal means that the German is now the new world number one. That does not take anything away from what should be an exciting tournament, and we have your run down of the draw.

Top Quarter:
Serena’s withdrawal means Karolina Pliskova is not the second seed. Like the others seeds, the Czech has a bye in the opening round and will kick off her tournament in the second. There are some tough matches ahead for Pliskova, including Monica Puig who she is due to face in the second round. Irina Begu is the first seed Pliskova will face with Timea Bacsinszky being the projected fourth round opponent. The Swiss has Kiki Bertens in her section, but she has a tough second match against the winner of Tsvetana Pironkova and Belinda Bencic. There are many threats to the second seed in her section, and while it will not be a shocker if she is upset in the early rounds, Pliskova should have too much quality and make it to the last eight.
Garbine Muguruza is out of form and has recently been injured, so her Indian Wells ambitions may be lower than usual. The Spaniard should be able to make round three where she is due to face the dangerous Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. The uncertainty surrounding the seventh seed means that Elina Svitolina will be the favourite to make it to the last eight In this section. The Ukrainian has a good draw, too, with Daria Gavrilova being the only player that can cause an upset before the fourth round.

Pliskova and Svitolina will likely meet in the quarter finals for the sixth time, and the stats favour the Czech. Pliskova has won all five meetings, and it is difficult to see past her here.
Prediction: Pliskova def. Svitolina
Second Quarter:
Dominika Cibulkova has been bumped to fourth seed as she eyes another big title. The Slovak will be favourite to make the final four from this quarter, but she has a tough draw ahead, starting with the winner of Jelena Ostapenko vs Danka Kovinic. The highly touted Russian, Daria Kasatkina, will look to spring another upset when she faces Cibulkova in round three, with the winner possibly going on to meet Barbora Strycova in round four. The Czech could face Sara Errani, who she has previously struggled against in the second round and then Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in round three, so an upset is not out of the question.
Svetlana Kuznetsova is the other top eight seed in the section, but the ever unpredictable Russian’s tournament is once again hard to call. Kuznetsova should be OK to make round four with Camila Giorgi and Roberta Vinci being her likely opponents in rounds two and three. Johanna Konta is back in action after recent injury issues, and due to her recent inactivity it is hard to call how well she will do here. She could face fellow Brit Heather Watson in round two before being scheduled against the out of form Caroline Garcia in round three. The Frenchwoman’s struggles could leave the door open for Christina McHale to make the third round. Konta should make it through to round four, but may find Kuznetsova too much.
Cibulkova leads the head to head 6-3 against the Russian, but this match-up will largely depend on form. Cibulkova will be the favourite, but the slow courts may favour Kuznetsova and I am feeling a good run for the former grand slam champion.

Prediction: Kuznetsova def. Cibulkova

keys
Third Quarter:
Madison Keys returns to action this week after missing the start of the season with injury. The American is the eighth seed here and will be keen to make an impression, but don’t expect too much in her first tournament back. Keys has a good opener against a qualifier to get her rhythm back, but from there is gets tricky. The American’s likely exit will be at the hands of Caroline Wozniacki in round four. The Dane is in good form and should be comfortable until her round three match with Carla Suarez Navarro. It is hard to look past Wozniacki due to her good start to the season and Keys being rusty after a long layoff.
Simona Halep’s season has yet to really get going, so the fourth seed will be looking to use this tournament to get into form. The Romanian opens against Alison Riske or Donna Vekic before facing the in-form Kristina Mladenovic. The Frenchwoman has had a positive start to 2017 and could spring an upset against an out of form Halep. Mladenovic is not terribly reliable though, and I see Halep outlasting the 28 seed.
With form being on Wozniacki’s side, I see the Dane making the last eight at Halep’s expense. If the fourth seed can play her way into form, then she will likely make it to the semis, but it is hard to make that call.
Prediction: Wozniacki def. Halep

radwanska
Fourth Quarter:
Kerber comes into Indian Wells safe with the knowledge that she is the world number one, and that must take some pressure off. The German has a good draw to the quarter finals with a lot of the dangerous seeds being in the other half of the draw. She opens against Andrea Petkovic or Vania king with Yulia Putintseva being the first seed projected. Elena Vesnina’s form is not the best, so she could exit early at the hands of Shelby Rogers or Timea Babos. Either way, it is difficult to see past Kerber making the last eight.
Agnieszka Radwanska needs to find form, and Indian Wells is a perfect place to do so. The Pole has some tough players ahead of her however, so it will be interesting to see if she can get past Ekaterina Makarova in round two and promising youngster Ana Konjuh in round three. From there she will likely face an American. Coco Vandeweghe and Venus Williams are projected to meet in round three, but I think Radwanska will scrape through to the last eight.
Kerber vs Radwanska will be a big match for both players as they search for form. Kerber will have the advantage though and I am picking the German to make the last four.
Prediction: Pliskova def. Strycova

Semi Finals:
Kuznetsova def. Pliskova
Kerber def. Wozniacki

Kerber’s form at the moment makes it so difficult to predict her matches, but this time the German should turn it around and make the final. Pliskova is a favourite against Kuznetsova, but the Russian can play well enough to win the whole thing. I see a good run on the horizon, so I predict a Kerber vs Kuznetsova final.

Final:
Kerber def. Kuznetsova
Kuznetsova will have a great week in Indian Wells but ultimately fall short to the world number one who looks much better this time.

Djokovic Pummels Raonic for 2016 Indian Wells Title

Posted by Admin on March 20, 2016
Posted in: ATP, Indian Wells, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Djokovic Pummels Raonic for 2016 Indian Wells Title
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

Embed from Getty Images

Novak Djokovic captured his third Indian Wells Masters title in a row, and his third ATP title this season with a 6-2 6-0 pummeling of Milos Raonic. A struggling Raonic, who appeared to be unwell, was playing in his second ATP final of the season and falls to 0-3 in Masters 1000 level finals.

Djokovic had some tough matches in the California desert, but the world #1 remains an unstoppable force when healthy and focused. Djokovic is 22-1 on the season, after wins over Bjorn Fratangelo, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Feliciano Lopez, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Rafael Nadal, along with Raonic this week. He looked listless after dropping the first set to Fratangelo, but he clawed back in that match as the young American tightened up, and he won a pair of tiebreaks over Tsonga. Nadal gave him a good runaround as well, but he was unable to match Djokovic’s level on key points.

Raonic is 14-2 this season, and shook off any injury concerns with wins over Inigo Cervantes, Bernard Tomic, Tomas Berdych, Gael Monfils, and David Goffin. Goffin reached his first ever Masters semifinal with close wins over Stan Wawrinka, and Marin Cilic. Both Wawrinka, and Andy Murray were disappointing in the bottom half of the draw as they exited the tournament early on. Murray dropping a shocking contest to Federico Delbonis. Both Djokovic, and Raonic are set to play a big part in the remaining Masters tournaments and Grand Slams this season.

Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut beat Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock 6-3 7-6(5), as Canadians went 0-2 in Indian Wells finals today.

Steen Kirby (Marseille)

2016 @BNPParisbasOpen Women’s Preview

Posted by Admin on March 10, 2016
Posted in: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2016 @BNPParisbasOpen Women’s Preview
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Indian Wells logo

We hit the US for the first of the back to back hardcourt Premier events in Indian Wells and Miami.

Indian Wells debuted as a men’s event in 1976 before staging a women’s tournament a week prior in 1989. Then in 1996 it evolved into a joint event and has earned it’s status as one of the biggest events outside the four grand slams.

Former champions include Lindsay Davenport, Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles, and more recently Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki. Simona Halep was victorious last year.

BNP Paribas Open

Tier: Premier Mandatory

Location: Indian Wells, USA

Surface: Hard

Prize money: $6,134,605

Date: March 09- March 20

 

Top eight seeds (ranking)

  1. Serena Williams (1)
  2. Angelique Kerber (2)
  3. Agnieszka Radwanksa (3)
  4. Garbine Muguruza (4)
  5. Simona Halep (5)
  6. Carla Suarez Navarro (6)
  7. Belinda Bencic (8)
  8. Petra Kvitova (9)

 

The big absentee is Maria Sharapova who recently was caught taking a banned substance.

First round matches to watch

Puig

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni vs Monica Puig 

This match should be a good clash as it pits the power player vs the count puncher and experience vs youth.

Lucic burst on to the scene in the late 90’s and was regarded as a bright prospect capable of winning Grand Slam titles, but the Croatian decided to take time off and has only made a comeback in recent years. Puig had looked promising herself but has stalled since last year and has struggled to gain form since.

Puig owns the win in their only head to head meeting which came on the clay of Strasbourg. On a hard court it could prove to be much tighter however, and it will be interesting to see which style prevails.

 

Caroline Garcia vs Christina McHale

 

Christina McHale (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots

Christina McHale (Photo: Chris Levy @Tennis_Shots)

One of the American hopefuls will meet one of the most talented underachievers on the tour in what could end up being a seesaw match.

Their previous three meetings have all been fairly tight with McHale getting the better of two of them. Garcia has been in the better form overall but suffered from back problems last week in Monterrey so will he be fit enough to win here?

Winner faces Muguruza in round two, so there is plenty of interest for this one.

 

Julia Goerges vs Camila Giorgi

 Julia Goerges

This match will be fun for completely different reasons. Both hit hard, but they are also massively inconsistent. Expect some big winners and some horrific errors in a match that really will just come down to who has the better day.

Giorgi has won both their meetings in straight sets but the Italian is very much a Jekyll and Hyde player and could easily lose this one as the favourite.

 

Draw Analysis

Serena’s Quarter: 

For the second straight year, Serena Williams is back in Indian Wells and with all the past behind her she can set her sights on winning her first title of the season. The world number one has not played since the Australian Open so might be rusty when she faces Irina Begu or a qualifier. The other seed in the section is the talented Kristina Mladenovic who is certainly capable of catching Serena off guard. The fourth round opponent will likely be Sara Errani who has been in good form on the hardcourts recently. The Italian has the inconsistent Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in her section and some dangerous unseeded players is Lesia Tsurenko and Alison Van Uytvanck.

The defending champion, Simona Halep, has had the misfortune of being placed in the same quarter as the world number one. The Romanian will begin her defence in round one against Vania King or a qualifier. Ekaterina Makarova could be a tricky round three opponent as lefties always provide a different look. Venus Williams will make her return to Indian Wells for the first time in over a decade as the tenth seed. Providing the former world number one can get through her section which includes Barbora Strycova and Andrea Petkovic, it will be a blockbuster round four against Halep and then a potential quarter final against her sister.

Radwanska’s quarter:

For the Pole this could be a big opportunity to claim another big title. The third seed might have a tough task in Dominika Cibulkova in her opening match however- the Slovenian is capable of catching fire. The ever tricky Monica Niculescu is the projected third round opponent but she could have her hands full with the in form Heather Watson who is fresh off winning the Monterrey title. Svetlana Kuznetsova is the 16th seed and another player who can catch fire out of nowhere. The Russian has the big serving Coco Vandeweghe in round two potentially. Jelena Jankovic is projected for round three.

Petra Kvitova has not enjoyed the best of starts to the season and on these slow courts could be an upset scalp in the early rounds if not playing well. But her draw is quite kind with the ever unpredictable Sabine Lisicki being the biggest hurdle in round three- providing she gets there of course. Madison Keys could be the biggest beneficiary of a fairly open section as Lucie Safarova is rusty having only just returned from injury. Yaroslava Shvedova could potentially upset the Czech in round two as well.

Muguruza’s section:

Muguruza’s season has just not gotten going thus far with the Spaniard struggling to handle the extra pressure and the niggling injuries. Caroline Garcia, if healthy, or Christina McHale may fancy their chances at grabbing a big name win if her form has not improved. Sam Stosur is projected for round three and offers something different with the amount of spin she can put on the ball. Perhaps the favourite to make it out of the section is Victoria Azarenka who is looking like returning to form this year. It could be a good battle of the former world number one’s in round three and if Muguruza can make it through, this section has plenty of enticing matches to look out for.

Belinda Bencic is one of the rising stars of the WTA and certainly a dark horse for the title this week, but the Swiss has a tough draw ahead of her. Daria Gavrilova, another rising youngster, is scheduled for round three. Roberta Vinci is the projected round four and that is never an easy task, but she also has some dangerous players to contend with. Margarita Gasparyan in round two could be an interesting one handed backhand contest. Elina Svitolina, fresh off a title win, is another player to look out for and her good form could provide problems.

Kerber’s section:

The Australian Open champion’s hangover could be over as she attempts to claim yet another big title in Indian Wells. The German could meet the improved Joanna Konta in round three which is a testing match for the second seed. Ana Ivanovic is projected for round four but she has a powerful task of toppling Karolina Pliskova in round three, though the Czech has started the season in poor form. Goerges or Giorgi could also easily take out Ivanovic.

One player who is enjoying a good season is Carla Suarez Navarro who recently won the Doha title a few weeks a go. The Spaniard is another player who could go deep here, and her draw is quite kind. Anna Schmiedlova in round three is against a player who has struggled to get going in 2016. It is probable that her biggest test might come in the form of Sloane Stephens who potentially meets Eugenie Bouchard in round two then Timea Bacsinszky in round three.

Predictions 

Quarter finals:

Serena def. Halep

Radwanska def. Keys

Azarenka def. Bencic

Kerber def. Suarez Navarro

 

Semi finals:

Serena def. Radwanska

Azarenka def. Kerber

 

Final:

Serena def. Azarenka

 

 

 

Top-Seeded Taylor Fritz Pulls Off Amazing Comeback In 3rd Round @ASICSEasterBowl

Posted by Admin on April 10, 2015
Posted in: Easter Bowl, Junior Tennis. Tagged: , , , , , .

Top-Seeded Taylor Fritz Pulls Off Amazing Comeback In 3rd Round @ASICSEasterBowl
Catch all the action daily at the 48th annual event on the live stream from http://www.easterbowl.com

Taylor Fritz (Photo:David Kenas)

Taylor Fritz (Photo:David Kenas)

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (April 9, 2015) – It looked pretty certain for a short time during play at the 48th annual ASICS Easter Bowl on Thursday that the event might lose its top-seeded player in the ITF 18s for a second consecutive day.

Facing a 4-6, 0-5 deficit against 15-year-old qualifier Patrick Kypson from Greenville, N.C., the world’s No. 4-ranked ITF junior Taylor Fritz, 17, pulled off an amazing and improbable comeback to beat Kypson, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

“The first set and a half I was just playing awful,” said Fritz, 17, of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., who will play Cameron Klinger in the quarterfinals on Friday around 10:30 a.m. at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. “He was playing into all my weaknesses, and he was playing me smart.”

Fritz never faced a match point and said after the match he could not recall ever facing such a big deficit and coming back to win. He said Kypson was effective moving him around a lot, and exposing a mild ankle injury Fritz has been recovering from.

“He was slicing a lot and mixing up his serve and not letting me get the feel, especially on the second serve,” Fritz said. “He was doing a lot of running and digging out a lot of balls. He could probably play like that all day, but I felt at some point his body would stop him from playing at that level, just because he’s younger.”

Fritz broke Kypson’s serve for 5-1, and again at 5-3 and rallied off seven straight games to take the second set for the amazing turnaround.

After the match, tournament chairman Lornie Kuhle asked Fritz if he knew who Harry Houdini was. Fritz responded with a yes, and Kuhle told him, “He was an escape artist. But he didn’t perform any better escapes than you did today.”

Fritz is still recovering from a long 15-hour flight from China to Los Angeles he took on Monday after competing in the ITF Junior Masters. “I came here from China so I don’t have extremely high expectations,” he said, adding, “Last night it hit me. At 9 o’clock I couldn’t stay awake. I woke up in the middle of the night and was extremely tired this morning.”

He added: “I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. At 6-4, 5-0, I haven’t come back like before. It kept me in it. It’s not too tough to keep it going for one game. If you win, you keep going and if you don’t that’s it. It’s just one game.”

Girls’ 18s wild-card Caty McNally, who upset the top-seeded Girls’ 18s player Usue Arconada on Wednesday, was taken out by the unseeded Helen Altick of Monroe, La., 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-1.

“Yeah, I was aware of her big win,” said Altick, who has played the ASICS Easter Bowl since she was 13. “Not many people have heard of me, but I’m looking forward to finishing out a great week here.”

No. 12-seeded Claire Liu of Thousand Oaks, Calif., had a great win over No. 7 Ingrid Neel of Bradenton, Fla., 7-5, 6-1, to advance to the quarterfinals.

“I had lost to Ingrid before at a Grasscourts ITF event in three sets,” Liu said. “There are a lot of good players still left in the draw. If you make it to the quarters here, you know you’ve got to be good.”

In the Boys’ 16s final on Friday, it will be top-seeded Oliver Crawford against No. 11 Brian Cernoch of North Bethesda, Md. In the Girls’ 16s final on Friday, it will be Natasha Subhash of Fairfax, Va., against Samantha Martinelli, the No. 2 seed from Denver.

You can catch all the action on Friday live on http://www.easterbowl.com. Sponsors include: ASICS, Laurel Springs School, Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the Dent Junior Academy, the tennis website 10sBalls.com, USTA, The Old Spaghetti Factory, SCTA and Mind Matters Tennis.

To keep up with all the ASICS Easter Bowl news, visit the website at http://www.easterbowl.com and check out the tournament on Facebook (www.facebook.com/EasterBowl) and Twitter (@asicseasterbowl). For more information on ASICS, check out: http://www.ASICSAmerica.com and follow on Twitter @ASICSAmerica.

Boys’ 18 Singles (Round of 16)
Taylor Fritz (1) (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) def. Patrick Kypson (Greenville, NC) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Cameron Klinger (Elk Grove, CA) def. John Jorgeson (Bradenton, FL) 6-1, 7-5
Nathan Ponwith (4) (Scottsdale, AZ) def. Vasil Kirkov (16) (Tampa, FL) 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
Hady Habib (7) (Bradenton, FL) def. Jeffrey Wolf (Cincinnati, OH) 6-3, 6-2
Mwendwa Mbithi (10) (Deerfield Beach, FL) def. Jacob Brumm (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) Wo (inj)
Sam Riffice (14) (Roseville, CA) def. Ulises Blanch (3) (Deerfield Beach, FL) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
Catalin Mateas (8) (Braintree, MA) def. Nicholas Borchenko (Studio City, CA) 6-4, 6-1
William Blumberg (2) (Greenwich, CT) def. Nicolas Moreno de Alboran (13) (London, Surrey) 6-2, 6-1

Boys’ 18 Doubles (Quarterfinal Round)
Jake DeVine (Los Altos Hills, CA) / Patrick Kypson (Greenville, NC) def. Taylor Fritz (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) / Catalin Mateas (1) (Braintree, MA) 6-3, 6-2
Cameron Klinger (Elk Grove, CA) / Nathan Ponwith (Scottsdale, AZ) def. Zeke Clark (Tulsa, OK) / Nathan Perrone (7) (Bluffton, SC) 6-4, 6-4
Trent Bryde (Suwanee, GA) / Emil Reinberg (5) (Atlanta, GA) def. Alex Ross (La Grange, IL) / Eric Rutledge (Fort Worth, TX) 6-3, 7-5
Vasil Kirkov (Tampa, FL) / Sam Riffice (6) (Roseville, CA) def. Ulises Blanch (Deerfield Beach, FL) / Liam Caruana (2) (New Braunfels, TX) 7-6(0), 6-2

Girls’ 18 Singles (Round of 16)
Helen Altick (Monroe, LA) def. Caty McNally (Cincinnati, OH) 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-1
Claire Liu (12) (Thousand Oaks, CA) def. Ingrid Neel (7) (Bradenton, FL) 7-5, 6-1
Raveena Kingsley (4) (Fulton, MD) def. Caroline Lampl (Bluemont, VA) 6-0, 7-6(1)
Caroline Dolehide (8) (Hinsdale, IL) def. Ena Shibahara (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA) 6-3, 6-0
Kylie McKenzie (Anthem, AZ) def. Francesca Dilorenzo (6) (New Albany, OH) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
Sofia Kenin (3) (Pembroke Pines, FL) def. Sofia Sewing (14) (Doral, FL) 1-6, 6-4, 6-1
Kayla Day (9) (Santa Barbara, CA) def. Emma Higuchi (Los Angeles, CA) 7-5, 6-3
Katie Swan (2) (Wichita, KS) def. Meible Chi (Weston, FL) 6-2, 6-1

Girls’ 18 Doubles (Quarterfinal Round)
Sonya Kenin (Pembroke Pines, FL) / Katie Swan (1) (Wichita, KS) def. Meghan Kelley (Falmouth, ME) / Gabriella Pollner (6) (Boca Raton, FL) 7-6(4), 6-4
Morgan Coppoc (Tulsa, OK) / Alexandra Sanford (8) (Westerville, OH) def. Jessica Failla (Ramona, CA) / Jada Hart (Colton, CA) 6-4, 6-1
Caroline Dolehide (Hinsdale, IL) / Ena Shibahara (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA) def. Annette Goulak (Oak Park, CA) / Alaina Miller (Saratoga, CA) 6-1, 6-3
Usue Arconada (Rio Piedras, PR) / Francesca Dilorenzo (2) (New Albany, OH) def. Andie Daniell (Douglasville, GA) / Emma Higuchi (Los Angeles, CA) 6-3, 6-3

Boys’ 16 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Oliver Crawford (1) (Spartanburg, SC) def. Jason Lui (7) (Bellevue, WA) 6-1, 6-1
Brian Cernoch (11) (North Bethesda, MD) def. Sean Sculley (3) (Hilton Head Island, SC) 7-6(6), 6-3

Boys’ 16 Doubles (Final Round)
Bryce Pereira (San Gabriel, CA) / Ivan Thamma (San Diego, CA) def. Peter Conklin (Fairfield, CT) / Matthew Lord (Bloomfield, CT) 8-2

Boys’ 16 Doubles (Playoff)
Jackson Suh (Bellevue, WA) / Danny Thomas (Pickerington, OH) def. Robert Baylon (Buena Park, CA) / Andrew Ton (Milpitas, CA) 8-6

Boys’ 16 Singles Consolation (Third Round)
William Woodall (Washington, DC) def. Charles Deng (Temple City, CA) 7-6(5), 6-2
Conrad Russell (Palo Alto, CA) def. Ajai Shekhera (16) (Campbell, CA) Wo (inj)
Brady Draheim (Omaha, NE) def. Matthew Lord (5) (Bloomfield, CT) 6-2, 7-5
Paul Barretto (12) (Tiburon, CA) def. Mac Kiger (10) (Katonah, NY) 6-3, 6-2
Steven Sun (Boca Raton, FL) def. Austen Huang (2) (Elk Grove, CA) Wo (ill)
Kevin Ma (San Ramon, CA) def. Sam Turchetta (14) (Pound Ridge, NY) Wo (ill)
Jackson Suh (15) (Bellevue, WA) def. Spencer Brown (Spartanburg, SC) 6-3, 6-2
Christian Alshon (Boca Raton, FL) def. Bryce Pereira (San Gabriel, CA) 6-4, 4-6, 10-5

Boys’ 16 Singles Consolation (Quarterfinal Round)
Conrad Russell (Palo Alto, CA) def. William Woodall (Washington, DC) 7-5, 7-6(5)
Brady Draheim (Omaha, NE) def. Paul Barretto (12) (Tiburon, CA) 6-3, 6-4
Steven Sun (Boca Raton, FL) def. Kevin Ma (San Ramon, CA) 6-3, 3-6, 10-7
Christian Alshon (Boca Raton, FL) def. Jackson Suh (15) (Bellevue, WA) 6-3, 6-2

Boys’ 16 Singles (Playoff Semifinal)
Danny Thomas (Pickerington, OH) def. Daunte Harris (Lomita, CA) 6-2 Ret (inj)
Abhijeet Joshi (6) (Millington, NJ) def. Chambers Easterling (Spartanburg, SC) Wo (inj)

Girls’ 16 Doubles (Final Round)
Samantha Martinelli (Denver, CO) / Delaney Nothaft (4) (Tempe, AZ) def. Victoria Flores (Fort Dodge, IA) / Madeline Meredith (3) (Vestavia, AL) 8-4

Girls’ 16 Doubles (Playoff)
Cameron Corse (Baltimore, MD) / Nadia Gizdova (2) (Columbia, MD) def. Ally Bojczuk (Franklin, TN) / Madison Hwang (Frisco, TX) 8-5

Girls’ 16 Singles (Semifinal Round)
Natasha Subhash (Fairfax, VA) def. Stephanie Schrage (Millburn, NJ) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
Samantha Martinelli (2) (Denver, CO) def. Hannah Lairmore (14) (Mobile, AL) 6-2, 6-0

Girls’ 16 Singles Consolation (Third Round)
Hannah Zhao (8) (San Diego, CA) def. Meg Kowalski (15) (La Grange, IL) 6-2, 6-3
Nadia Gizdova (5) (Columbia, MD) def. Nicole Mossmer (La Jolla, CA) 4-6, 6-0, 10-7
Tatum Rice (Hot Springs, AR) def. Ann Li (Devon, PA) 6-2, 6-2
Taylor Bridges (Mesa, AZ) def. Rachel Lim (11) (Briarcliff Manor, NY) 7-5, 7-5
Taylor Johnson (Redondo Beach, CA) def. Ally Bojczuk (7) (Franklin, TN) 6-3, 6-1
Dalayna Hewitt (Pepper Pike, OH) def. Carolyn Campana (Hillsborough, CA) 6-1, 6-3
Abigail Chiu (16) (Austin, TX) def. Delaney Nothaft (Tempe, AZ) 7-5, 6-3
Isabella Lorenzini (10) (Clarendon Hills, IL) def. Janice Shin (9) (Houston, TX) 6-3, 6-4

Girls’ 16 Singles Consolation (Quarterfinal Round)
Nadia Gizdova (5) (Columbia, MD) def. Hannah Zhao (8) (San Diego, CA) 7-5, 6-4
Taylor Bridges (Mesa, AZ) def. Tatum Rice (Hot Springs, AR) 2-6, 7-5, 10-1
Dalayna Hewitt (Pepper Pike, OH) def. Taylor Johnson (Redondo Beach, CA) 5-7, 6-2, 12-10
Isabella Lorenzini (10) (Clarendon Hills, IL) def. Abigail Chiu (16) (Austin, TX) 6-3, 7-5

Girls’ 16 Singles (Playoff Semifinal)
Victoria Flores (4) (Fort Dodge, IA) def. Anna Brylin (Short Hills, NJ) 6-3, 2-6, 10-7
Victoria Emma (12) (Naples, FL) def. Salma Ewing (Long Beach, CA) 6-1, 7-6(3)

About ASICS America: Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of running shoes, as well as, other athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit http://www.asics.com.

—S. Pratt

Djokovic emphatically defends Indian Wells (@BNPParibasOpen) title defeating Murray and Federer along the way

Posted by Admin on March 23, 2015
Posted in: ATP, BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Steen Kirby. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Djokovic emphatically defends Indian Wells title defeating Murray and Federer along the way
Steen Kirby, Tennis Atlantic

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Novak Djokovic defended his BNP Paribas Open title with a 6-3 6-7 6-2 win over Roger Federer, a rematch of both the Dubai final, and the 2014 Indian Wells final. With the win, the world number one tied Federer with four career Indian Wells titles. In the final, Djokovic had the upper hand early, and very well could have closed the match out in 2 sets, from a set and a break (4-2) up, but Federer refused to go away quietly, forcing a second set tiebreak and later a third set, as Djokovic threw in a pair of double faults in the tiebreak. As expected, the slower, higher bouncing courts of Indian Wells seem to disadvantage Federer’s preferred attacking style of play, as Djokovic broke early in set 3, and though Federer would pull it back to 2-2, he lost the plot from there as Djokovic slammed the door shut for the final time.

Novak only dropped the one set to Federer all tournament, as he demolished Marcos Baghdatis, slipped past a surprisingly valiant Albert Ramos, who played the best of any opponent against Novak before the final, and gritted past John Isner with a break, and a tiebreak victory to reach the quarterfinals. Djokovic got a walkover in the quarters, as Bernard Tomic saw his great tournament derailed by a host of injuries including a back problem and wisdom teeth pain. The lack of match play didn’t disadvantage Djokovic in the slighest in the semis, as he crushed Andy Murray 6-2 6-3, the Scots serve deserted him in the match.

Federer was also with a blemish on his record before the final, sweeping Diego Sebastian Schwartzman, Andreas Seppi, Jack Sock, and Tomas Berdych, before edging past Milos Raonic with a break of serve in each set against the Manitoba missile. His tennis was fresh, crisp, and aggressively brutal all week, and on top of that, he played excellent defense, but Djokovic is a different caliber of player compared to any other on the tour. It was also a good tournament for Raonic as the Canadian scored his first ever win over Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals with a clutch 3 set win coming back from a set down and improving the whole match.

The successful pairing of Sock and Vasek Pospisil won their second elite caliber doubles title together (Wimbledon 2014 the other), as they beat the equally successful pairing of singles players Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli in a highly anticipated doubles final. It was an incredible week for Sock in his first tournament back from hip surgery, as he reached the round of 16 in singles with a trio of comeback wins from a set down, along with winning the doubles title.

Steen Kirby (Marseille)

Halep Comes From Behind To Win at Indian Wells

Posted by Admin on March 22, 2015
Posted in: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Halep Comes From Behind To Win at Indian Wells
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

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She just wouldn’t stay down, would she? Simona Halep went through the wars with former world number one Jelena Jankovic, but she came up good in the end, coming from behind to claim her biggest title to date.

The World #3 found it difficult in the early goings, as Jankovic came out firing. The Serbian seemed to have engaged 2010 mode, as she raced to a set lead. The backhands of the Serbian were penetrating, and her movement on point as Halep struggled to play herself into the match. The stat of eight winners and 18 unforced errors told the Romanian’s first set story. Unusual stats for the world number three.

The second set was continuing in the same vein, with Jankovic breaking early at 1-1. Halep broke back as she continued to fight, but Jankovic broke again to earn the opportunity to serve for the championship. At this point, the result looked never in doubt. Jankovic was playing well, whilst Halep wasn’t hitting her best form. Despite that, the world number three’s grit and determination shone through as she broke back, and then went on to take the set 7-5. A crushing blow for Jankovic, who was the better player throughout the first two sets.

The third set proceeded to be a mess with both players struggling to hold serve. Jankovic was the first to strike, but the Serb was immediately broken back. Eventually, Halep broke to serve for the match, but like Jankovic in the second set, she failed to take her chance. Fortunately for the Romanian however, she had another opportunity to claim the title, as Jankovic served to stay in the match. The 18th seed hadn’t held serve since the beginning of the set, and she wasn’t about to here. The final game came, and then it went, as Halep’s mental strength and resolve came to the forefront once again. A break to love sealed the match and the title for Simona, as she closed it out 2-6,7-5,6-4 in one of the most dramatic finals in recent memory.

The World No.3 gave the former World No. 1 some major props in her speech at the trophy ceremony.

“First of all I want to congratulate Jelena – you were amazing,” Halep said. “Well done for a great two weeks here. You did a great job, and it was an amazing final. I’m really happy I could win today.”
“This is my biggest title and I’ll never forget it.”

Halep’s previous best was at Premier 5 level in Doha last year and Dubai this year. This was her first Premier Mandatory triumph, and this achievement was capped off by the Romanian jumping to number one in the race rankings, overtaking Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

Halep wasn’t at her best, but the world #3 showed tremendous fighting spirit to overcome an inspired Jankovic. Simona didn’t have the greatest start to the tournament, dropping sets in the second and third rounds to Darila Gavrilova and Vavara Lepchenko. The Romanin’s most impressive performance came against in form Karolina Pliskova, as she dispatched the rising Czech in straight sets. After coming from behind to beat Carla Suarez Navarro in the Quarter Finals, the world number three’s fortune began to look good. Serena Williams’ return to Indian Wells was unfortunately ended at the semi-final stage as the world number one was forced to withdraw with a knee injury.

Bad Day Jelena Jankovic

Jelena Jankovic can be proud of her efforts, but unfortunately despite being the better player throughout, she couldn’t find enough to overcome Halep on this this occasion. The Serb took advantage of the bottom half of the draw falling apart, as Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic and Genie Bouchard’s tournaments all ended earlier than most expected. Despite the top seeds falling, the road to the final wasn’t easy for Jankovic, as she had to overcome rising stars Madison Keys, and Belinda Bencic before coming from behind to beat an in form Sabine Lisicki. The German shocked everyone by making the semi-finals of an event she had previously struggled hugely in, but her dream run eventually came to an end at the hands of Jelena. Still, she wasn’t expected to even make it this far, so Jankovic can certainly look at this tournament as a confidence booster despite what happened in the final. Her efforts are even more miraculous given she was injured prior to the tournament.

“I was limping three days before the tournament started,” Jankovic said. “I was actually in doubt if I could even play. When I came to these courts, on the first day I hadn’t hit a ball for 10 days. I was hitting, but I was standing. I was not moving.” She added, “But I was hitting the ball so great without any practice. I had a good feeling. I felt so great. I was just so happy to be out there again. But I didn’t think I would make the finals after not preparing.”

The doubles was won by Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza. The top seeds overcame second seeded Russian pair, Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 6-3,6-4.

Niall Clarke (Sofia)

Courtside Videocast Episode 6 by @TennisAtlantic and @Tenngrand Indian Wells ATP/WTA Midway Discussion

Posted by Admin on March 18, 2015
Posted in: ATP, Courtney Massey, Courtside Videocast, Indian Wells, Joe Craven, Niall Clarke, Steen Kirby, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Courtside Videocast Episode 6 by Tennis Atlantic and The Grandstand, Indian Wells ATP/WTA Midway Discussion
Staff, Tennis Atlantic

On episode 6 of the Courtside Videocast, Steen Kirby, Courtney Massey, Joe Craven and Niall Clarke of Tennis Atlantic got together to talk about the midway point of the 2015 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Both the ATP and WTA results thus far were discussed, and major topics included revisions to the hawkeye challenger system, Ernests Gulbis recent struggles, American men’s players strong showings (Steve Johnson, Jack Sock, Donald Young), and the results of the Aussie contingent as well (Thanasi Kokkinakis, Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios). On the WTA side Flavia Pennetta, and the upsets in the draw by the likes of Timea Bacsinzsky and Caroline Garcia were reviewed.

We hope you enjoy this edition of the show, and as usual feedback is encouraged!

 

 

Tennis Atlantic 2015 ATP Draw Challenge Week 9/10 (Indian Wells)

Posted by Admin on March 12, 2015
Posted in: 2015 ATP Draw Challenge, Chris De Waard, Courtney Massey, Jeff McMillan, Joe Craven, Niall Clarke. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Tennis Atlantic 2015 ATP Draw Challenge Week 9/10 (Indian Wells)
Staff, Tennis Atlantic

The Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells is the only tournament for the next couple of weeks, the worlds best take to the hard courts of the California desert, and here are our analysts predictions as to what the results will be. Joining us this week and for the rest of the season is our new writer Joe Craven, who will be adding his 2 cents to the discussion. A big welcome to Joe, and without further adieu, here are the picks.

Steen Kirby predictions:

Round 2 matches: Djokovic vs. Baghdatis, Troicki vs. Benneteau, Isner vs. Melzer, Lajovic vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Monaco, Kokkinakis vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Coric, Dodig vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Kukushkin, Becker vs. Kohlschreiber, Fognini vs. Mannarino, Groth vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Matosevic, De Bakker vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Thiem, Harrison vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Bolelli, Dolgopolov vs. Giraldo, Robredo vs. Brown, Kyrgios vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Ito, Estrella vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Young, Krajinovic vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Bolt, Klizan vs. Rosol, Karlovic vs. Johnson, Stakhovsky vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Krajicek, Lu vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Youzhny, Janowicz vs. Federer
Round 3 matches: Djokovic vs. Troicki, Isner vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Becker, Mannarino vs. Groth, Lopez vs. De Bakker, Verdasco vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Dolgopolov, Robredo vs. Kyrgios, Simon vs. Gasquet, Young vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Klizan, Johnson vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Federer
Round of 16 matches: Djokovic vs. Anderson, Garcia-Lopez vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Mannarino, Lopez vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs Kyrgios, Gasquet vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Federer
Champion: Djokovic

Niall Clarke’s predictions

Round 2 matches: Djokovic vs. Baghdatis, Troicki vs. Benneteau, Isner vs. Melzer, Lajovic vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Monaco, Kokkinakis vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Coric, Dodig vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Kukushkin, Smyczek vs. Kohlschreiber, Fognini vs. Mannarino, Groth vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Matosevic, Nieminen vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Thiem, Harrison vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Bolelli, Dolgopolov vs. Giraldo, Robredo vs. Golubev, Kyrgios vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Jaziri, Estrella vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Young, Sijsling vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Haase, Klizan vs. Rosol, Karlovic vs. Johnson, Stakhovsky vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Krajicek, Lu vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Youzhny, Janowicz vs. Federer
Round 3 matches: Djokovic vs. Troicki, Isner vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Kohlschreiber, Fognini vs. Groth, Lopez vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Dolgopolov, Robredo vs. Kyrgios, Simon vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Klizan, Johnson vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Federer
Round of 16 matches: Djokovic vs. Isner, Garcia-Lopez vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Fognini, Lopez vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs Kyrgios, Simon vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Federer
Champion: Djokovic

Courtney Massey’s predictions

Round 2 matches: Djokovic vs. Baghdatis, Troicki vs. Benneteau, Isner vs. Melzer, Delbonis vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Monaco, Kokkinakis vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Haider-Maurer, Sousa vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Pospisil, Smyczek vs. Kohlschreiber, Fognini vs. Mannarino, Gimeno-Traver vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Roger-Vasselin, Nieminen vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Thiem, Fish vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Bolelli, Dolgopolov vs. Giraldo, Robredo vs. Brown, Kyrgios vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Ito, Estrella vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Young, Sijsling vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Bolt, Klizan vs. Rosol, Karlovic vs. Johnson, Querrey vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Istomin, Lu vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Hanescu, Janowicz vs. Federer
Round 3 matches: Djokovic vs. Troicki, Isner vs. Anderson, Monaco vs. Kokkinakis, Tomic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Smyczek, Fognini vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Giraldo, Robredo vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Rosol, Karlovic vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Federer
Round of 16 matches: Djokovic vs. Anderson, Monaco vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Fognini, Lopez vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs Dimitrov, Simon vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Karlovic, Bautista Agut vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Nishikori, Dimitrov vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Nishikori, Nadal vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Nadal
Champion: Djokovic

Chris de Waard’s predictions

Round 2 matches: Djokovic vs. Baghdatis, Troicki vs. Benneteau, Isner vs. Melzer, Lajovic vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Monaco, Kokkinakis vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Haider-Maurer, Sousa vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Kukushkin, Smyczek vs. Kohlschreiber, Fognini vs. Mannarino, Groth vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Roger-Vasselin, De Bakker vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Thiem, Harrison vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Bolelli, Dolgopolov vs. Giraldo, Robredo vs. Brown, Kyrgios vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Jaziri, Estrella vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Young, Krajinovic vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Bolt, Klizan vs. Rosol, Karlovic vs. Johnson, Stakhovsky vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Krajicek, Sock vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Hanescu, Janowicz vs. Federer
Round 3 matches: Djokovic vs. Troicki, Isner vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Smyczek, Mannarino vs. Groth, Lopez vs. Cuevas, Thiem vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Dolgopolov, Brown vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Klizan, Johnson vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Sock, Seppi vs. Federer
Round of 16 matches: Djokovic vs. Isner, Garcia-Lopez vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Manarino, Lopez vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs Dimitrov, Gasquet vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Berdych, Sock vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Murray, Nadal vs. Wawrinka
Final: Djokovic vs. Wawrinka
Champion: Djokovic

Jeff McMillan’s predictions

Round 2 matches: Djokovic vs. Baghdatis, Troicki vs. Benneteau, Isner vs. Novikov, Delbonis vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Monaco, Kokkinakis vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Coric, Dodig vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Pospisil, Becker vs. Kohlschreiber, Fognini vs. Mannarino, Groth vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Matosevic, Nieminen vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Thiem, Harrison vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Bolelli, Dolgopolov vs. Giraldo, Robredo vs. Brown, Kyrgios vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Jaziri, Estrella vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Young, Krajinovic vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Haase, Klizan vs. Rosol, Karlovic vs. Johnson, Querrey vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Istomin, Lu vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Hanescu, Janowicz vs. Federer
Round 3 matches: Djokovic vs. Troicki, Isner vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Kokkinakis, Tomic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Kohlschreiber, Fognini vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Dolgopolov, Brown vs. Kyrgios, Simon vs. Gasquet, Young vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Klizan, Johnson vs. Berdych, Istomin vs. Lu, Seppi vs. Federer
Round of 16 matches: Djokovic vs. Isner, Cilic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Fognini, Lopez vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs Dimitrov, Simon vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Johnson, Lu vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Simon, Wawrinka vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Murray, Raonic vs. Wawrinka
Final: Djokovic vs. Wawrinka
Champion: Djokovic

Joe Craven’s predictions

Round 2 matches: Djokovic vs. Baghdatis, Troicki vs. Benneteau, Isner vs. Melzer, Delbonis vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Gabashvili, Kokkinakis vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Haider-Maurer, Sousa vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Pospisil, Smyczek vs. Kohlschreiber, Fognini vs. Mannarino, Groth vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Roger-Vasselin, Nieminen vs. Cuevas, Verdasco vs. Thiem, Harrison vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Bolelli, Dolgopolov vs. Giraldo, Robredo vs. Brown, Kyrgios vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Jaziri, Estrella vs. Gasquet, Chardy vs. Young, Sijsling vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Haase, Klizan vs. Rosol, Karlovic vs. Granollers, Stakhovsky vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Krajicek, Sock vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Youzhny, Janowicz vs. Federer
Round 3 matches: Djokovic vs. Troicki, Isner vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Garcia-Lopez, Tomic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Smyczek, Fognini vs. Gulbis, Lopez vs. Nieminen, Verdasco vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs. Dolgopolov, Robredo vs. Dimitrov, Simon vs. Gasquet, Young vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Klizan, Karlovic vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Muller, Seppi vs. Federer
Round of 16 matches: Djokovic vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Manarino, Lopez vs. Nishikori, Raonic vs Kyrgios, Gasquet vs. Nadal, Wawrinka vs. Berdych, Bautista Agut vs. Federer
Quarterfinals: Djokovic vs. Ferrer, Murray vs. Nishikori, Dimitrov vs. Simon, Wawrinka vs. Federer
Semifinals: Djokovic vs. Nishikori, Simon vs. Federer
Final: Djokovic vs. Federer
Champion: Djokovic

Djokovic is the unanimous pick to win the title, opinions are mixed on how Nadal, Murray, Nishikori, Federer, Wawrinka and other big names will fare

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Week 8 standings

Dubai
1: Niall (134 points) (+500 overall)
2: Courtney (132 points) (+300 overall)
3: Steen (108 points) (+180 overall)
4: Chris (88 points) (+180 overall)
5: Jeff (80 points) (+90 overall)

Niall rightfully had a Djokovic vs Federer final with Federer winning, as did Courtney, and they led the way this week in a razor thin result.

Acapulco

1: Niall (104 points) (+500 overall)
2: Chris (100 points) (+300 overall)
3: Courtney (100 points) (+300 overall)
4: Steen (84 points) (+180 overall)
5: Jeff (82 points) (+90 overall)

Niall had a Nishikori vs Ferrer final and edged out Chris and Courtney in previous rounds, as he swept this week.

Buenos Aires

1: Niall (136 points) (+250 overall)
2: Steen (98 points) (+150 overall)
3: Chris (96 points) (+90 overall)
4: Jeff (84 points) (+90 overall)
5: Courtney (70 points) (+45 overall)

Niall dominated in BA, as he cemented a remarkable sweep of all three ATP events.

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Overall standings (after week 7)

1: Steen: 4620 ranking points (+510 points overall)
2: Niall: 3620 points (+1250 points overall)
3: Courtney: 3445 points (+645 points overall)
4: Chris: 3320 points (+570 points overall)
5: Jeff: 3270 points (+270 points overall)
6: Joe 3000 points*

Niall rocketed from last place to second with his sweep of the weeks tournaments, Jeff had a strong week prior but struggled this week and dropped back into last, while Steen still has an edge in the overall horse race.

*As mentioned, Joe will be joining the draw challenge partially through as he is now joining the TA staff team, he has been awarded a mutually decided 3000 overall points so that he has a fair enough footing to compete with the others.

ATP Draw Challenge (London Queens)

 

 

 

Veterans Melzer and Berrer, ATP Main Draw Débutante Alex Bolt among 2015 @BNPParibasOpen Men’s Qualifiers

Posted by Admin on March 12, 2015
Posted in: Adam Addicott, ATP, Indian Wells. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Veterans Melzer and Berrer, ATP Main Draw Débutante Alex Bolt among 2015 BNP Paribas Open Men’s Qualifiers
Adam Addicott, Tennis Atlantic

Indian Wells logo

The final stage of qualification got underway on Wednesday with both old and new players booking their place into the 2015 Indian Wells main draw. 8 of the 25 seeded player’s booked their place, while four unseeded players also qualified.

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Jurgen Melzer continued his impressive Indian Wells record by maneuvering his way past Michael Russell to make the Indian Wells main draw for the 12th consecutive year. The former top 10 player spend just over two hours on the court before beating Russell 6-4 5-7 6-3. The 33-year-old Austrian is currently ranked 86th in the world, however he is yet to win back to back matches in any main draw this year.

Borna Coric was pushed all the way in the final set by 2011 French Open boy’s champion Bjorn Fratangelo before reaching his first ever master’s main draw by taking the match 6-1 2-6 7-6(9-7). After easily taking the first set, Coric had a taste of his own medicine when Fratangelo fought back to square the match. The American also broke Coric in the final set to lead 4-2 and be only two games away from a landmark victory. The lead was however short lived as Coric battled back to take proceedings into a deciding tie-break where he finally took it 9-7. To make the win even more special, the 18-year-old had to save three match points (one while trailing 4-5 and two in the tie-break) to the heartbreak of his rival and the home crowd.

Similar to Coric, Australia’s Alex Bolt will also embark on new territory following a 6-3 7-5 win over James McGee. Throughout the match Bolt remained strong on his serve as his Irish rival failed to break him during the one hour and eleven minute match.The 22-year-old Australian is currently at a career ranking high of 164 in the world.

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Bolt will be joined in the main draw by his fellow countryman James Duckworth, who endured a tough qualification match against Rajeev Ram. Duckworth, who reached the second round of the Australian Open earlier this year and has been in good form as of late, was a set and break down against the experienced Ram before climbing his way back into the match and eventually take it 2-6 7-5 6-4 to make his first ever Masters main draw.

Unfortunately, Luke Saville was unable to complete the Australian hatrick of qualifiers as he was knocked out in straight sets by Serbian 8th seed Filip Krajinović. After losing three out of his four service games in the first set, Saville put up a tougher fight in the second set, however, it wasn’t enough to tame Krajinović as he went on to take it 6-1 7-6 in 99 minutes.

One of the biggest stories of the day was Dennis Novikov’s epic three set win against Daniel Gimeno-Traver, a player ranked 162 places higher than him. Novikov, who beat Jerzy Janowicz in the first round of the 2012 US Open, was behind 3-6 0-2 before fighting his way back to take it in three sets. The win means that he will be the 11th American man to participate in the main draw. Following his win, Novikov expressed his delight on his Twitter account.

There was some consolation for Gimeno-Traver as he received a lucky loser spot into the main draw.

Despite approaching the end of his tennis career, Victor Hănescu has still demonstrated that he can play among the big guns. The world 146 was pushed all the way by Nikoloz Basilashvili before finally taking it 3-6 6-4 7-6(7-5). Hanescu has reached the second round at Indian Wells on five separate occasions. The most recent of these was last year where he beat Stéphane Robert in the first round before losing to Milos Raonic in the next round.

Germany’s Michael Berrer cruised into the main stage of Indian Wells with a straight forward 6-4 6-4 win against wildcard entry Mackenzie McDonald. McDonald, who has only played in two Future tournaments this year, was no match for the experienced Berrer on the day, as Berrer qualified for the third time on the ATP World Tour this year.

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Yannick Hanfmann, the best player on the USC tennis team, was unable to produce another sensational upset as he bowed out in three sets to Edouard Roger-Vasselin. In the first round the world 819 stunned 10th seed Paul-Henri Mathieu. Despite the loss, Hanfmann can still be fairly satisfied with how he played as he took Mathieu, a player ranked 700 places higher than him, to three sets.

James Ward was unable to reproduce his Davis Cups Heroics as he could only win four games against Mischa Zverev. Last weekend, Ward staged an outstanding comeback to beat John Isner in five sets to help Great Britain beat America in round 1 of the Davis Cup. All the effort by Ward has now, however appeared to catch up with him physically as the former world number 64 cruised to a 6-3 6-1 win. Zverev, formerly a top 100 player, had to win the pre-qualifier to get into the qualifying draw and he certainly made the best of it.

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Frank Dancevic booked his placed in the main draw of the Indian Wells Masters for the first time since 2007 following a three set win against Germany’s Philipp Petzschner. The Canadian was in big trouble as he trailed a set and 0-3 before staging a mighty comeback to take the second set to his opponents surprise. Unfortunately for Petzschner, the momentum that he generated in the first set and at the start of the second rapidly evaporated as Dancevic save five break points to comfortably take the final set with the final score being 5-7 6-4 6-1.

Finally, rounding competing the list of 12 qualifiers is Thiemo de Bakker. Baker, who reached the third round at the Indian Wells Masters back in 2010, brushed aside, young American, and Californian teenager Taylor Harry Fritz 6-4 6-4. Fritz has a promising future, but it will take some time to develop his game towards the ATP level. De Bakker has qualified for four ATP events this year and appears to be nearing critical mass.

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In the main draw, Novikov will face Melzer to earn the right to face John Isner, Coric will face Andreas Haider-Maurer for the right to face Bernard Tomic, Mischa Zverev will face Adrian Mannarino, before a possible encounter with Fabio Fognini, Gimeno-Traver will play Sam Groth as a lucky loser with the winner to face Ernests Gulbis. Roger-Vasselin will face Marinko Matosevic with Feliciano Lopez to follow if he wins, De Bakker will play Jarkko Nieminen with a good draw that would see him facing Pablo Cuevas in round 2. Duckworth will play youngster Dominic Thiem with Fernando Verdasco as the seed in waiting, Dancevic will face Alex Dolgopolov, with Santiago Giraldo as the seed in waiting, Berrer will have a good chance against Victor Estrella, with Gilles Simon on deck, Rafa Nadal awaits the winner of Krajinovic and Igor Sijsling, and if Bolt beats Robin Haase he would face Stan Wawrinka next. Last but not least, Hanescu will face fellow veteran Mikhail Youzhny, with another veteran, Andreas Seppi, lurking.

Adam Addicott TA Watermark