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Quick Qualifying Concludes Today @NewYorkOpen

Posted by Admin on February 12, 2018
Posted in: ATP, ATP Qualifying, New York, New York Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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Under the retired Number 32 banner, the number belonging to pro basketball legend Julius Erving at NYCB Live, Liam Broady won the first set and the first match of the Inaugural New York Open, an ATP 250 tour event in Uniondale, NY on Sunday on Stadium Court. He played a familiar foe in countryman Cameron Norrie. For his part, Broady will face Adrian Menendez-Maceiras and be relegated to the Grandstand Court today. Stadium Court, like the sports history memories made within the former Nassau County Veterans Coliseum hosting this tournament is an American showcase today.

Chris Eubanks takes on compatriot Ernesto Escobedo, Bjorn Fratangelo faces Alex Bulbik from Kazakhstan and Jared Donaldson meets big Croatian Ivo Karlovic. And that’s just the day session. Tonight’s line up on the same court features Ryan Harrison against Donald Young and Frances Tiafoe looking to spoil Sebastian Korda’s tour level main draw debut.

Eubanks effectively breezed through his match yesterday against top qualifying seed Taro Daniel in 71 minutes and seemed to draw a lot of inspiration from the section full of American players there to cheer on their man. He can expect more of that today, and I expect that he will overcome Escobedo, a player with more experience at the pro level.

The last time Stefano Travaglia came to New York, he qualified for the U.S. Open. Today, he faces Tim Smyczek on grandstand court in an attempt to qualify for the New York Open. In a two round qualifier, anything can happen. And I believe Travaglia will head into a New York main draw for the second consecutive time.

–S. Fogleman

RESULTS – MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018
Qualifying – [WC] C. Eubanks (USA) d [1] T. Daniel (JPN) 7-5 6-3
Qualifying – [2] B. Fratangelo (USA) d [WC] G. Kushnirovich (USA) 6-4 6-2
Qualifying – [Alt] L. Broady (GBR) d [3] C. Norrie (GBR) 6-4 7-6(7)
Qualifying – [4] T. Smyczek (USA) d M. Mmoh (USA) 6-2 6-3
Qualifying – [5] A. Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) d [Alt] D. King (BAR) 7-6(6) 7-5
Qualifying – [6] A. Bublik (KAZ) d S. Ofner (AUT) 7-5 6-1
Qualifying – [7] E. Escobedo (USA) d R. Ramanathan (IND) 7-5 6-3
Qualifying – [8] S. Travaglia (ITA) d P. Polansky (CAN) 5-7 6-4 6-4

ORDER OF PLAY – MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2018

STADIUM COURT start 1:00 pm
Qualifying – [WC] C. Eubanks (USA) vs [7] E. Escobedo (USA)
Qualifying – [2] B. Fratangelo (USA) vs [6] A. Bublik (KAZ)
J. Donaldson (USA) vs I. Karlovic (CRO)

Not Before 7:30 pm
[6] R. Harrison (USA) vs D. Young (USA)
F. Tiafoe (USA) vs [WC] S. Korda (USA)

GRANDSTAND start 1:00 pm
Qualifying – [Alt] L. Broady (GBR) vs [5] A. Menendez-Maceiras (ESP)
Qualifying – [4] T. Smyczek (USA) vs [8] S. Travaglia (ITA)
D. Sela (ISR) vs [8] N. Basilashvili (GEO)
P. Gojowczyk (GER) / T. Huey (PHI) vs [WC] M. McDonald (USA) / M. Schnur (USA)

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Danny Thomas on Life as a Pro: “There’s Something I Can Learn From All Of Them” #USTennis

Posted by Admin on October 30, 2017
Posted in: ATP, ATP Challenger, ATP Qualifying, Charlottesville, USTA, USTA Pro Circuit. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Danny Thomas, 2017 Charlottesville Challenger (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Danny Thomas, 2017 Charlottesville Challenger (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Danny Thomas on Life as a Pro: “There’s Something I Can Learn From All Of Them”
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

(Charlottesville, VA–October 30)–Danny Thomas lost in two sets to Britain’s Neil Pauffley in ATP Charlottesville Challenger second round qualifying yesterday, but he was in very good spirits after the match and wanted to talk. I guess 17-year-olds have more maturity than we think, and I give Thomas a lot of credit for not pouting off to the locker room like a 34-year-old (Frederik Nielsen, are you listening?). After reaching the Wimbledon Juniors Doubles Final in July, Thomas followed that up with a US National U18 Doubles Championship with Vasil Kirkov in August. That title also nabbed a US Open wildcard berth for the duo. Thomas promptly turned pro after the US Open.

Welcome to the bigs, kid.

I asked him what’s changed since the US Open appearance. “I think I’ve been playing with a lot more confidence,” he said. “Now, I’m obviously starting to play more futures and challengers. I think it was a real big boost for my game. It really helped me out mentally and I started believing in myself a lot more,” he told me.

But confidence aside, isn’t the level of competition a big step up?

“Yes, it’s rough,” Thomas told me. “You play guys that’ve been out here for a while and have a whole lot more experience. You know they’re coming out and don’t want to lose to a younger guy. So it’s tough, but I think once I get my rhythm and start playing more, I feel like I can do pretty well,” he said.

“I mean, these guys are just more consistent, they hit a bigger ball with a pattern, they’re much more disciplined, and there’s something I can learn from all of them,” he added.

Danny Thomas and Denis Kudla, 2017 Charlottesville Challenger (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Danny Thomas and Denis Kudla, 2017 Charlottesville Challenger (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Having signed with Lagardere only a month after the US Open, Thomas has gone all in. I’m hoping this means we can expect him to grab a wild card at Washington’s Citi Open, which is owned by the management and marketing representation firm. In the spirit of all things Lagardere, Thomas has teamed up with DC’s Denis Kudla for doubles in Charlottesville this week. Kudla was an early sign with Lagardere when he turned pro at 18 in 2010 before eventually rolling out with Sam Duvall and Topnotch Management last year. (Tip o’ the pen to @Parsa_Nemati for that fact check!)