An Incredible Two Weeks at the 2011 US Open
Australia’s Sam Stosur and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic might have claimed the US Open titles this year, but I feel as though I’m the true winner at the conclusion of 2011′s spectacular event held at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens.
Working as a Production Assistant for USOpen.org’s video crew, I had the chance to put together three of my passions: tennis, writing and research, and get paid for it! With a credential around my neck and hundreds of tennis matches to watch and to jot down notes about, I knew I’d be in for a treat as soon as I made my first trip to the tennis center. Sure, it may have taken a while to realize just how to get there (the 3 / 7 from Brooklyn or the R / 7 from Queens in case you’re wondering), but I was lucky enough to have my friend Billie Weiss along for the ride (both figuratively and literally).
During my time, I met a host of incredible people, working with some I’d already know through my foray into the tennis media industry, and it was an awesome culmination of a summer filled with work in the tennis media industry.
It’s been such a reward experience working for TENNIS Magazine, World TeamTennis, the Western & Southern Open and, finally, the US Open. I’m looking forward to further cultivating relationships with the fantastic people I’ve met this summer and contributing to these groundbreaking tennis organizations in the future.
So, what’s next for me? Preparation for Oxford University and giving a little more love to this blog, Tenaciously Tennis, which has been instrumental in getting me where I am today.
For links to the articles I wrote for USOpen.org, view my online portfolio here.
Sharapova Advances to Rome Final, Beats Angry Azarenka in Quarterfinals
Maria Sharapova faced a tough test against Caroline Wozniacki before advancing to the Rome final. If she can beat Sam Stosur, Sharapova will claim her first title since her 2010 Strausborg title.
With the win over Wozniacki, Sharapova has solidified her head-to-head over the world number one to 3-2. She beat her 7-5, 6-3.
A dramatic display of contained power, the Russian even fell on the red clay before eventually taking over the set and the match. As Tennis.com’s Bobby Chintapelli put it, “Sharapova, a self-described ‘cow on ice,’ perhaps turning too quickly or stepping incorrectly, fell hard and fast and completely. She lay there for a few seconds, all 6’2” of her sprawled out on the red clay. Then she got up and went on to win—and did both without as much fuss as you’d expect.”
And the drama didn’t even begin there for the 24-year old Sharapova. Her match against Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals proved just as nail-biting.
Apparently, the Belarussian said “f—ing bitch” during her 4-6, 3-0 loss as she retired due to an elbow injury. It was unclear, however, whether the words were meant for Sharapova. Azarenka’s remarks prompted a posting of the following statement on her twitter account: “Very sad and tough day for me. Very hard to retire like this. Said some things to myself on the match that I’m not proud of. But it was just being mad at myself. Will never refer anything to my opponent. I play with respect to every single player. I apologize if there was a misunderstanding of that situation.”
This was the 10th time that Azarenka has retired in a match since the beginning of the 2010 season, according to a report from Tennis.com.
For a video of Azarenka’s outburst, watch below.
Safina’s Talk of Retirement: A Thing of the Past?
So, apparently, Russia’s Dinara Safina contemplated retiring after the embarrassing 6-0, 6-0 loss to Kim Clijsters at this year’s Australian Open. Big deal, right? I mean, these days, the ladies are either injured — think the Williams sisters — or they’re, well, finished — think Elena Dementieva and Justine Henin.
She recently told reporters that “After Australia there was a moment I came to Moscow for the Fed Cup. I said to my mom [Rausa], ‘I’m retiring. I said, ‘I don’t want any more of this.” Apparently, momma Safina helped talk her daughter out of the decision, although the two don’t usually talk tennis.
Safina continued, “That moment I felt like [mom] was the person who knows me. That I could really speak it out what I have deep inside, and that was the thing with her. I knew it would also hurt her, but I cannot keep it anymore inside. So I went to her. She was the closest one for me.”
After that, the Cinderella story happens, and Safina finds herself in the third round of these year’s Indian Well tournament. She’s had modest success on the hard courts of Cali, making it to the quarters both in ’06 and ’09. Now, her play here is pretty impressive for a woman who hasn’t put together two consecutive wins since September.
With Sam Stosur up next, the 108th player in the world will face a tough test. After being on the brink of retirement and with nothing to lose, however, an upset might just be in store.
For more on Safina’s win over Daniela Hantuchova, click here.
Petra Kvitova: The WTA’s Next Big Star?
With her recent straight sets win over the newest world number one Kim Clijsters in the Paris final, Petra Kvitova looks sharp. Her game is big, her form is on, and the 20-year old has the results to prove the hype.
Currently ranked a career-high 18th (and on an upward trend with the win in Paris), Kvitova made the quarterfinals of the Australian Open this year, reaffirming her semifinal showing at the 2010 Wimbledon as something more than a fluke. She took out Sam Stosur in the Sunny Slam, before falling to Vera Zvonareva a couple rounds later as the tournament’s 25th seed. She also started the year with a bang, winning the Brisbane title over Andrea Petkovic. A title in Hobart in 2009 rounds off the successes of her young career.
In a WTA that’s had some recent problems with intensity, spurred on by Serena Williams’ foot injury, the retirements of Elena Dementieva and Justine Henin, a slew of world number ones that went without a major, and more, this year’s Australian Open proved a welcome contrast. With Na Li representing China in the event’s final and strong play from up-and-comers, like Kvitova, the tour looks poised for a bright present, and a brighter future.
Kvitova seems to symbolize that future.
For a sampling of her play, check out this clip from the Aussie Open third round below.
Clijsters Wins Second Straight US Open Title
For the second time in two years and her third time overall, Kim Clijsters of Belgium won on tennis’ biggest stage: the US Open. She beat Vera Zvonareva handily in a 6-2-, 6-1 drubbing. In fact, the match didn’t even last an hour. Clijsters closed out the shaky Zvonareva in only 59 minutes.
Along with her $1.7 million in prize money for notching the victory, Clijsters took home an additional $500,000 for taking second place in the US Open Series, a tune-up for the year’s final major. During the series of tournaments, Clijsters defeated Maria Sharapova in Cincinnati.
On Clijsters’ way to the win, she breezed through a tough section of the draw, including defeating strong players as Wimbledon semifinalist Petra Kvitova and a resurgent Ana Ivanovic in straight sets. In the quarters, she faced a tougher challenge in the French Open finalist Sam Stosur, who she beat in three sets: 6-4, 5-7, 6-3. In the semifinals, she faced Venus Williams, also needing three close sets to advance: 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
Clijsters is a joy to watch with her powerful shot-making, her counter-punching defensive skills, which she switches so quickly in between points, her finesse, and famous splits. Plus, off-court, her manner shines just as brightly. Clijsters is a true champion, and it’s impressive how successful she’s been this past year.
Regarding Zvonareva, does anyone get the feeling that a comparison between her and the three-time Grand Slam finalist Dinara Safina might be in order? She’s done well to make to two consecutive finals, but if her mental game doesn’t raise another notch, she might find herself in the same position as her currently suffering compatriot.
Granted, she’s faced Serena Williams and Clijsters in her two final showings, but in both she was easily hit off the court. After beating the top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the semis 6-4, 6-3, it looked like the final would be more dramatic play-wise. Zvonareva, however, mentally checked out mid-match — she chucked her racket, got down on herself angry, and double-faulted away the final — in an ugly kind of drama.
And so, congratulations once again to Clijsters for an excellent tournament. It’ll be interesting to see how the world number three finishes the season, especially at the year-ending championships in Doha at the end of October.
Vandeweghe Victorious Against Zvonareva
In an excellent upset for teenager Coco Vandeweghe, the American stunned the Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the second round of the Mercury Insurance Open to get to the quarterfinals. Until this point, Vandeweghe, currently ranked 205, has lost 13 of her 15 WTA matches. To make it to her match against Zvonareva, she won three qualifying matches.
This big win could very well be a career-changer. If Vandeweghe can continue to hold the belief and consistency that won her the match, she has a strong chance to be a top player in the future. While she lost in the quarterfinals against her next opponent, a player prone to choking, Svetlana Kuznetsova, things are looking up for the young American.
Kuznetsova beat Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-2 to get to the semifinals. It’s a strong result for the Russian, who barely got through her match against Sara Errani of Italy in the second round. After winning the first set easily, she slid through 6-1, 5-7 (5), 7-5.
Kuznetsova hasn’t had a good year until making the semifinals of this tournament. The two-time Grand Slam champion couldn’t perform in her attempt to defend her 2009 French Open title — she lost in the third round. At Wimbledon, the Russian succumbed in the second round, dropping her ranking outside the top twenty (she’s now ranked 21st). If she continues this mediocre track record at the majors, she’ll find her way outside the top 20 for the first time in seven years when the year-end rankings are announced. It’s a big slip, indeed.
While I haven’t seen Vandeweghe play since her match against Ekaterina Bychkova in the first round of US Open qualifying last year, I think the confidence from beating Zvonareva and holding her own against Kuznetsova will get her far in the match-up. Even if she doesn’t come out the victor, she should see a bump in the rankings and a good chance to win a few more matches before the US Open.
Zvonareva, known for her emotional outbursts, reportedly cried during her press conference after the match. She’s quoted: “I don’t think she surprised me. I’ve seen her play before. It’s more that I surprised myself. I started pretty good and then I just started playing stupid. I didn’t change anything, I just kept playing stupid.”
The semifinals of the event are as follows: Agnieszka Radwanska versus Daniela Hantuchova and Kuznetsova against Flavia Pennetta, who beat Sam Stosur 6-4, 6-3. I see Radwanska taking the title of the four — she’s the most consistent, and I believe the most mentally tough.
In other headlines:
- John Isner lost to Xavier Malisse in Washington, joining Sam Querrey. Malisse defeated him 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5) in the third round of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.
- Joining these two in a big surprise upset: Andy Roddick, the tournament’s second seed. He lost in a lopsided 6-3, 6-3. Said Roddick of the match: “It was just a bad night. I don’t really have any defense for it. I didn’t feel right physically. I didn’t feel right mentally. I wish I had answers for you right now, but I just don’t. I promise you, I’m going to figure this out before I do that again.”
- Both Lleyton Hewitt and Venus Williams pulled out of their next events. Hewitt will be out of the Toronto Masters with a calf strain, while Venus cited knee pain.
