Tennis Acumen

Getting to Know Rinky Hijikata:

Tennis Acumen at the  Columbus Fall Challenger 2022. And we are here with Rinky Hijikata, from Australia.

(photo credit: University of North Carolina)

Tennis Acumen: Rinky, what are some of your favorite cities on the tour?

Rinky Hijikata: Favorite cities? I do love London. I love New York City. Anytime I get back home to Sydney, it's great. I love playing anywhere in Japan as well.

Tennis Acumen: Favorite bands, favorite music?

Rinky Hijikata: Favorite music. I like Kalid, the singer. I'm a big fan of his. I like Eminem. I really I like Jake Hull.

Tennis Acumen: Excellent. Favorite movies?

Rinky Hijikata: Favorite movie? Inception. It's a good one. I love Inception. Shutter Island. Anything of DiCaprio's. I like him, so I like a lot of his movies.

Tennis Acumen: Favorite restaurants?

Rinky Hijikata: In and Out Burger, the burger chain. If I am going to have a cheat day, you know? .

Tennis Acumen: That's great. Now you're having friends over and you're cooking dinner. What's your ‘go to’ meal?

Rinky Hijikata: I'm not a very good cook, so I don't know. I don't know if I even have a 'go to meal I could set out for my friends'. I'd probably just order takeout.

Tennis Acumen: You're not the first person to say that.

 

(This exclusive interview has generated seven ‘quick read’ excerpts, to be posted at tennisacumen.com over time.)

Arizona Tennis Classic Participants Springboard into Miami

PETE ZIEBRON IN PHOENIX

Some interesting results at the Miami Masters thus far involving several participants in the Arizona Tennis Classic.  More to come, regarding the "usage" of playing in Phoenix in order to prepare for Miami.  But for now, this haiku:

    Phoenix Challenger

    AZ's Tennis Paradise

    Surprise Finalists

 

Power Tennis Observations From the Arizona Tennis Classic

PETE ZIEBRON IN PHOENIX

The third edition of the Arizona Tennis Classic is in the books.  With accomplished players such as: Gael Monfils, Matteo Berrettini and Richard Gasquet in the main draw this year, it was quite the setting to be able to see such talent at a Country Club setting.

Spending two full days at the event, other players got my attention with respect to their powerful games and results.

 

Alexander Shevchenko [RUS} -  From my Center Court vantage point, I was able to see Shevchenko complete a  rain delayed third set victory over Monfils in the opening round.  However, the next day, the young Russian battled with Marc-Andrea Huesler of Switzerland.  The first set was an absolute slugfest.  Think of the equivalent of the opening round of the Marving Hagler - Thomas Hearns boxing brawl from the mid 1980s.    Basically rock 'em sock 'em robots!  The following day I rewatched this opening set on ATP Challenger TV.  

Shevchenko reminded me of the first time I saw Daniil Medvedev play live - that was 2018 at Indian Wells against Steve Johnson.  On that day, Medvedev was a backboard and hit everything back with interest and rarely missed!  Shevchenko replicated that effort against Huesler and won.  The following day, he defeated Berrettini and ultimately reached the final before running out of gas after winning the opening set.

Marc-Andrea Huesler {SUI} - This is a name that I would see in draws and concurrently rising in the rankings.  The slender left-hander simply ran into a buzzsaw when he faced Shevchenko.  The power exhibited by the Swiss was neutralized and used against him as fierce forehands were hit past him for winners.  That said, Huesler's game most likely would have also been good enough to defeat Berrettini in the round of sixteen.  The purple clad Huesleris one to watch for those that enjoy hard hitting tennis.

Jan-Lennard Struff {GER} - The 32 year-old German has been on tour for a long time!  Being able to witness two complete matches of his in Phoenix was a quick reminder of how hard hit hits the ball.  Coming through qualifying, Stuff extinguished Thanasi Kokkanakis with ease, dropping just six games to advance.  The following day, he navigated his way to a tricky three set victory over Alexander Bublik to reach the quarterfinals, where had to play his sixth match in six days and lost to eventual Champion Nuno Borges.   Struff reached a career high of world #29 in August 2020.

Mattia Bellucci {ITA} - The 21 year-old lefty hung in there all match long against countryman Berrettini, eventually losing 4-6 4-6.  Both breaks happened late in each set.  Bellucci has a textbook service motion and very fluid mechanics, reminding me a bit of yet another fluid Italian, Lorenzo Musetti.  The speed of Bellucci stood out to me the most as he was able to track down shots by Berrettini that would have been winners against most everyone else.  

 

Indian Wells final expert picks: Alcaraz vs. Medvedev

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

Expert picks are back for the Indian Wells men’s singles championship match between Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev on Sunday afternoon. A three-team panel previews the highly-anticipated showdown and makes its predictions.

Ricky Dimon: You can’t get a more mouthwatering matchup that doesn’t involve the Big 3. Alcaraz will be No. 1 in the world if he wins the BNP Paribas Open title on Sunday. Medvedev is a former world No. 1 in the world and still is No. 1 in the world based on the department of current form. The Russian has reeled off back-to-back-to-back titles in Rotterdam, Doha, and Dubai and now stands one win from making it four straight.

There have been plenty of instances throughout this 19-match winning streak in which Medvedev could have and even should have lost. In typical Medvedev fashion, though, he has refused to lose. Should Medvedev lose this one? Probably. Alcaraz is playing at an amazing level now that he is healthy again and the surface also favors him. However, the Spaniard isn’t going to blow Medvedev off the court with ease and in what is sure to be a close match I would favor the 27-year-old in the pressure-packed moments. He has simply forgotten how to lose. And I don’t think he will on Sunday. Medvedev 7-6(4), 5-7, 7-5.

Cheryl Murray: This is the final men’s tennis needed in 2023. It’s a hot-ticket match: the best player of the moment taking on the best player of the next generation for the first time since both of them legitimately earned “best” status. Medvedev won their only other encounter, but it was in 2021 before Alcaraz came into his own in 2022–so there’s a bit of mystery surrounding it.

Based on playing style, the courts in Indian Wells should favor Alcaraz. It gives the world No. 2 plenty of time to chase down would-be winners. And while Medvedev is a chronic complainer even when he’s winning, it should be noted that he has been complaining about the court speed all week. By contrast, Medvedev may have a slight edge in form; he has won three tournaments on the trot. Still, he hasn’t looked nearly as comfortable this week as he did for most of the past month. Look for this one to go the distance, but I’m giving the edge to the Spaniard. Alcaraz 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(5).

Pete Ziebron (Tennis Acumen): Both Medvedev and Alcaraz had tussles against familiar opponents on their way to the final. The Russian outlasted Alexander Zverev in the round of sixteen to take a 7-6 H2H lead in that intriguing series and then fended off an inspired performance by Frances Tiafoe in the semis. Similarly, Alcaraz faced foes in the quarters and semis that have impeded his progress a few times last year. In the quarters he finally got the best of Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets after only winning just one set in the previous seven against the Canadian in three losses. Next up he defeated Italian Jannik Sinner in the semis — where the H2H had stood at two wins apiece. In fact, Mats Wilander said the level of play between Alcaraz and Sinner in last year’s U.S. Open five-set QF was the highest level of tennis he has ever witnessed. 

The Spaniard would certainly like to return to world No. 1 with a victory in this Indian Wells title match. However, he must first deny Medvedev his 20th consecutive win in order to get there. The battles against both Zverev and Tiafoe (and the crowd) provided the perfect ingredients for Medvedev with what he will need to defeat Alcaraz–namely high-level match play in the days leading up to this final.  Medvedev wins his fifth different Masters 1000 against an incredibly determined Alcaraz. Medvedev 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

 

 

Berrettini - Monfils QF in Phoenix Spoilt by Qualifier Alexander Shevchenko

PETE ZIEBRON in PHOENIX

The Arizona Tennis Classic continues to get bigger and better.  In this 3rd edition of the tournament, the draw featured the possibility of a rematch of the 2022 Australian Open Quarterfinal between Matteo Berrettini and Gael Monfils.  The Italian won that slugfest in five sets.

However, Russian Qualifier and world #132 Alexander Shevchenko had other ideas.  In a match against Monfils that resumed this afternoon with Shevchenko leading 2-0 in the 3rd set, the underdog stayed the course to close out the Frenchman 6-3 in the final set to advance to the 2nd round in Phoenix.

Alexander Shevchenko catching some air in Phoenix at the Arizona Tennis Classic.  Pete Ziebron Images

Berrettini held up his end of the bargain later in the afternoon.  He faced fellow countryman Lucky Loser Mattia Bellucci, who took the place of Ilya Ivashka.  The 2019 tournament Champion Berrettini broke at 4-all in the opening set and once more at 3-all in the second set to advance to the second round.

On Friday, Berrettini will face Qualifier Aleksander Vukic of Australia and Shevchenko will play the sixth seed, Marc-Andrea Huesler of Switzerland.

 

 

 

NICK CHAPPELL: THE JOURNEYMAN

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger.

They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: Would you describe yourself as a journeyman? Is there a better term for a road warrior like yourself?

Nick Chappell: I don't know if there's a better term (laughs). I think just “a very good tennis player” is a better term. People don't understand how good guys ranked 100 or 200 or even 300 are.

Tennis Acumen: I was Talking to Tennys Sandgren yesterday he said the difference between college and the pros is not so much the skill, the strength or the stamina. It's mental focus.

Nick Chappell: Yes. I would agree with that.

Tennis Acumen: Does that make sense to you ?

Nick Chappell: I see it all the time now. I'm practicing with TCU whenever I'm home. And they're very, very good. Last year, they were number one, the country's top program. They have some high highly regarded players, good recruits. When I'm practicing with them, I can't really tell the difference between them and the guys I'm competing against here on the Challenger tour. But mental stamina, I think is the big difference.

Tennis Acumen: You certainly have some focus. Just watching you play today, you have incredible variety to your shots and, pretty well spot on consistency. It was fun watching you out there.

NICK CHAPPELL: PLAYING AGAINST A FRIEND

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger.

They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen:  Do you have any particular friends on tour, guys that you play doubles with or travel with?

Nick Chappell: I was just hanging out with one of the other TCU guys, Reese Stalder. A doubles guy. I'm very good friends with him. We actually weren't on the team together. Alex Rybakov is another former TCU guy. They actually came the year I graduated. But now since we've all been on tour for a couple of years, we've all become pretty good friends.

Tennis Acumen: What's it like playing against a friend? Does that make a difference to you?

Nick Chappell: We're all used to it at this point. So, I don't think it really affects anyone. Things are a little less chippy when you do play friends. Sometimes, when you when you play somebody you don't know, someone you're not friends with, things get a little more heated. When friends play against each other, it's a little more civil. I don't think anybody really wants to get into it with somebody who they're really good friends with. I can't say the same about somebody I don't know that well.

NICK CHAPPELL: LIFE OUTSIDE OF TENNIS

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger. They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: In your off time, what do you do to stay entertained?

Nick Chappell: I like to go to movies; I like to read, and I like listening to podcasts. I don't really watch many shows when I'm on the road. I like to do as much sightseeing as I can, but it’s not always possible if you do well in the tournament. There's a lot to do, taking care of your body and then scouting opponents while you're in the tournament. if I do have a couple of days off, I try to structure it so that I can have some time off to really go enjoy a new city. Some of the places I play in the USA, I know really well. I've been here probably 20 times. I grew up in Indianapolis, so I played tons of junior tournaments here. So, it's not like I'm super excited to see Columbus, although it was nice to go out. This is my birthday this week. So, when I went out for my birthday, even in a city that I have been to before, it’s nice just to go out and see some things.

Tennis Acumen: For you, it’s all about keeping it balanced.

Nick Chappell: Yes. I try to create some sort of balance.

Tennis Acumen: And you do it with some variety, with podcasts, reading and movies, foods, sightseeing. Sort of keeps you from losing the thrill.

Tennys Sandgren: PLAYING TO AN EMPTY HOUSE

Tennis Acumen had an exclusive interview with Tennys Sandgren at the Columbus, Ohio fall 2022 Challenger.  Here’s part of that conversation.

(photo credit: Karl Corbett)

TA: I got to tell you, two years ago, they did the Cincinnati tournament in New York.

Tennys Sandgren: That's right. Yes. With no audience.

TA: So, Brenda and I are sitting at home one night watching a match. The camera goes up into the stands. There's a raccoon walking across the bleachers. A raccoon gets to watch, but our tickets wouldn't get us in.

Tennys Sandgren: I played that tournament and got through the qualies, then lost to Novak in the second round. But that Cincy tournament, that was challenging, that was tough stuff, and it's tougher, much tougher, playing in a big stadium that's empty. Mm hmm. Tougher than playing in a park. So, it's a different atmosphere. Overall, any tournament, any audience, it’s not just for one week. You're playing week in, week out. You play every day, basically. And you're playing these futures matches with nobody in the stands. And it's so tough. And you got to stay motivated. You got to keep your focus. And you felt that during the COVID tour, when there were no crowds at the high-level pro matches. You see guys that normally wouldn't lose their focus and become disengaged, not up for it the same way that they were. Because it's just different playing in front of empty stadium. It's just different.

This interview is broken into four different ‘quick reads’ that will be posted here over time.

Nick Kyrgios: Photo

Rinky Hijikata: CROWD SUPPORT

Tennis Acumen at the  Columbus Fall Challenger 2022. And we are here with Rinky Hijikata, from Australia.

(photo credit: Adelaide Now)

Tennis Acumen: Rinky, players tell me that the crowd support at college tennis is incredible and the stands are almost empty when you come into Futures and Challengers, right? .

Rinky Hijikata: Yes, that's definitely tough to adjust to, you know? Yes, it's easy to get up for a college match because you've got hundreds of people there cheering you on or even harassing you a little bit. So, either way, it's, it's quite easy to get up for a college match. I feel like it's always high pressure. It  always means a lot. You want to represent your college well. You don't want to let your teammates down. When you come out here, especially in lower levels, it's not always easy to get yourself up for a match when there's two people in the crowd But I guess everyone's got to earn their stripes and once you get to higher levels there are the crowds and great atmospheres and that's where I want to get to, hopefully.

Tennis Acumen: Absolutely. Now, do crowds affect you or do you just block it out?

Rinky Hijikata: I play better with bigger crowds. I think that's always the way I've been wired. I love the bigger moments. I love the pressure situations. It's always been like that ever since I was a kid. You know, the more people that were there, the bigger the crowd, the bigger the moment, the more I enjoy it, the more I want to play. And, usually, the better I perform. So hopefully I can get there and play great tournaments week in and week out.

(This exclusive interview has generated seven ‘quick read’ excerpts, to be posted at tennisacumen.com over time.)

Rinky Hijikata: COLLEGE TENNIS

Tennis Acumen at the  Columbus Fall Challenger 2022. And we are here with Rinky Hijikata, from Australia.

(photo credit: University of North Carolina)

Tennis Acumen: So how did you get recruited into college and how did you make the decision to go, Rinky?

Rinky Hijikata: My old coach from Sydney, David Moore, had a lot of connections with the US colleges and he was the one that steered me that way. He put me in contact with some of the schools. My sister was a college swimmer, so she had that background and recommended it to me. My mom thought it was a good pathway for me, because I hadn't been doing great in juniors for a couple of years there and I was struggling a little bit physically. I was getting hurt quite a bit. So, it was a good choice, a way to get a few years of good training and good physical conditioning as well and try to improve as a player and a person. And it was probably the best choice for me. .

Tennis Acumen: Wonderful. And coming out of college and going on to the Futures and Challengers, what were the changes and what was the same?

Rinky Hijikata: The travel is a massive part of it. Yes. It's not easy, going week in, week out and playing every week, being in a different place every week. You will not have your teammates there to get around you and pick you up when you're down. When you're in college, it's a lot easier I think, because you've got ten other guys who are there to push you and make sure you're doing the right thing. I think that's one of the biggest differences.

(This exclusive interview has generated seven ‘quick read’ excerpts, to be posted at tennisacumen.com over time.)

NICK CHAPPELL: BUILDING A CAREER

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger.

They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: Well, that leads me to this question, Nick. Why are you still doing this?

Nick Chappell: I don't feel I've reached my potential. I am trying to push through a little longer to see if I can break through. I guess if it hadn't taken me so long to reach the Challengers, I might have a different perspective because there are some guys who jump right up into Challengers and once they are stuck in Challengers for a few years, then it's probably not going to happen. But for me, I was stuck at Futures for a long time, probably three or four years before I played the Challengers. I'm fairly new to the Challenger tour, honestly. Like it's only my second full year, especially since COVID hit right when I was breaking through in the Challengers. So that delayed me another year. I have a little more left to prove, tennis wise. I really love to play so I want to keep playing as long as I can. I am getting older. I am also thinking about what I’m want to do after I'm done playing tennis. I have been coaching more, working with TCU, and giving more private lessons while I'm at home. And I'll definitely coach for a little while after I'm done playing, Now, while I am on court, I am trying to learn things from the coaching perspective. I feel like it gives me a different outlook on court. I don't know if that's what I'm going to do forever. But for now, I'm enjoying it.

Tennis Acumen: I get the feeling you are going to figure this out.

Nick Chappell: I hope so. Yes, we'll see.

Photo of the Day: Maria Sharapova and Jimmy Connors

In 2013, Maria Sharapova hired Jimmy Connors as her coach, following a loss and an injury at Wimbledon. Her first appearance came in Cincinnati, playing against young American Sloane Stephens. Sharapova had beaten Stephens in straight sets in their three previous meetings, so she started with confidence.  Sharapova was up 6-2, 2-0 before losing a second set tiebreak and falling in three sets. This was the only match Connors ever coached. After this single match, Connors was fired.  This rare photo shows the two on court in Cincinnati.

Photo credit: Karl Corbett. Photo (c) Tennis Acumen

 

See our complete photo  gallery here: (LINK)

 

 

NICK CHAPPELL: FAVORITE FOODS

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger. They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: You mentioned food. Do you have any favorite restaurants or places you will always go when you hit a given city?

Nick Chappell: I try whatever food there is, wherever I might be. So that's why I do like traveling to other countries because it's a little bit different. In the US. there's more chains and you are more likely to eat at Chipotle in the US. If I'm outside the U.S., I really enjoy trying other types of foods. I love Mexican food, so that's one of the reasons I like going to Mexico.

Tennis Acumen: Authentic. Real stuff. Now, if you're having friends over and you were cooking dinner, what would be your 'go to' meal?

Nick Chappell: My girlfriend I will host, and we try to pick something together. Our favorite food to go out on the date is French food. So, one that we've consistently made a couple of times is beef bourguignon, a French stew. It's really easy to cook for a lot of people because you make it a crock pot. It's really hearty, but it's delicious.

Tennis Acumen: Most guys would say I would order takeout. (laughter) Yeah, that's what most guys tell me. Some specifically say: “I would just order pizza.”

Nick Chappell: Oh, man. I know some of those guys.

Rinky Hijikata: PLAYING AGAINST RAFA

Tennis Acumen reporting from the  Columbus Fall Challenger 2022. We are here with Rinky Hijikata, from Australia. Looking back a few weeks to 2022, late August and the first round at the US Open. Ranked outside the top 200, Rinky Hijikata saw the draw sheet and realized he'd be playing his first round match on Center Court against Rafael Nadal. Hijikata came in a 28-1 underdog, and took the first set prior to falling in a four-setter. We asked him about that match, and the experience. 

 

(photo credit: Karl Corbett)

Tennis Acumen: I do have to ask about one match and that would be playing Rafael Nadal this year at the U.S. Open. You had a crowd there, didn't you?

Rinky Hijikata:Yes, that was pretty crazy.

Tennis Acumen: What was that experience like?

Rinky Hijikata: It was nothing that I've ever contemplated. The court, the stadium,  it's the biggest in tennis, I'm guessing. I've never played in anything close to that and that was definitely nerve-wracking. You know, there's nothing that can prepare you for something like that, your first. But even then, I saw the draw and I was really excited for the challenge. I thought it was going to be a great opportunity for me to put my best foot forward and give him my best. Obviously, I would have loved to have come away with a win there, but so far in my career, that's definitely been one of the highlights.

Tennis Acumen: You took a set. That's not bad at all.

Rinky Hijikata: It would have been nice to get two more, but....

Tennis Acumen: I love your spirit.

Rinky Hijikata: You know, he is who he is for a reason. It's not easy to knock off those guys, so….. I'd love to get another crack one day, hopefully soon. Yeah, I'd love to get another opportunity to play against a legend.

(This exclusive interview has generated seven ‘quick read’ excerpts, to be posted at tennisacumen.com over time.)

Photo of the Day: Rafael Nadal

In 2013, Rafael Nadal won the Cincinnati Masters title. On the way to the final, he beat Benjamin Becker and Tomas Berdych in straight sets, also taking down Grigor Dimitrov and Roger Federer in 3-set matches. 

He beat American John Isner, the Marathon Man, 7-6, 7-6, to win the trophy.

Photo: Tennis Acumen, (c) 2013

For more Photos of the Day, visit our photo gallery: (LINK)

Photo to Begin 2023: Nick Kyrgios

 

Nick Kyrgios crashing a presser in Cincinnati in 2017.

Photo Credit: Christopher Johnson

 

Tennys Sandgren: PLAYING THROUGH INJURIES

Tennis Acumen had an exclusive interview with Tennys Sandgren at the Columbus, Ohio Fall Challenger.  Here’s the final part of that conversation.

(photo credit: Karl Corbett)

Tennis Acumen (TA):  Well, I saw two players just today, walking around with ice bags on their arms. People seem to be banged up quite a bit. I think there's a difference between playing when you are hurting versus playing when you are hurt and deciding when to stop.

Tennys Sandgren: It's HARD... It's a gray line. It's real, real gray because you don't know what the difference might be, where the line is between something that you can play through and something that's going to get worse as you go. An injury can affect your performance so much that you shouldn't even walk out there. It's tough to know.

TA: Is it then?

Tennys Sandgren: Yes, it's tough. You just have to wing it, really. Everyone's just making decisions on the fly. And I've played matches where maybe I shouldn't have played because I was too banged up to give it my all, you know, my chances weren't good walking on the court because of how banged up I was. But then there have been  times where I've been super banged up, but I pulled through and I won tournaments. So, how do you know when you're too hurt to play? You've no clue, really. Everyone's winging it. Nobody knows. Nobody knows. From the sports scientist to the physios to the athletes. It is always the athlete's call, man. It's a tough one, you know? .

TA: It's hard.

Tennys Sandgren: It's hard. It's all an art, really, because everybody's in pain here. basically, every day. You train till you're in pain. You train up and to the point where you're in pain every day. If you feel great after a practice, you are probably not properly trained. You’re pushing yourself to the limit of : "What can my body handle?" Am I recovered enough to get the benefits and reap the rewards in my training? It's one of the arts of being an athlete is trying to get that sort of dialed in. Even as you get older, you might know more about your body, but then you’re older. So, things change. You are not as supple. You can’t bounce back the way you used to. The goalposts shift. And that's a tough one.  It's hard, but you do the best you can. People don't realize that most of the athletes they see on TV are most likely in pain. Still, the fans on the couch want to rant and rave about their performance. People don’t understand how difficult this is.

TA: Well thanks, Tennys. Good luck today. See you soon.

This interview is broken into four different ‘quick reads’ that have all been posted  here at tennisacumen.com .

Rinky Hijikata: PLAYING HURT / INJURIES

Tennis Acumen at the  Columbus Fall Challenger 2022. And we are here with Rinky Hijikata, from Australia.

(photo credit: Karl Corbett)

Tennis Acumen: Let's talk about injuries. I'm starting to sort this out. The way I understand it, everybody on the tour every day is hurting.

Rinky Hijikata: Yeah, I think so. I mean, when you're playing 25, 30 weeks a year, it’s tough for you to feel 100% all the time. Most players are carrying some sort of niggles in their body and it's about maintaining good enough health to compete at an elevated level and trying to manage your body as well as you can. .

Tennis Acumen: And part of that management is figuring out where you crossed the line between playing when you're hurting and playing when you're hurt.

Rinky Hijikata: Yes, it's sometimes a difficult one. Sometimes you can play with a little bit of pain, but it won't necessarily get any worse and it's manageable. And sometimes it might be something small, but if you keep playing, then it could potentially get a lot worse and keep you out for a lot longer. So, I think it's trying to find the balance between  pushing through something that you can push through and other times just knowing when to stop and have a bit of time off, that's the difference. Every player goes through that decision-making process every day.

Tennis Acumen: That's pretty well said. Rinky, it's been a pleasure. Thank you.

Rinky Hijikata: Thanks a lot.

Tennis Acumen: All right. Love it, man.

(This exclusive interview generated seven ‘quick read’ excerpts, which all appear at tennisacumen.com )

NICK CHAPPELL: PLAYING WITH INJURIES

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger. They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen:, I imagine over the years you have played with injuries or played when you're simply hurting. Some guys say everybody's hurting, every match, to some degree. Tell me about that. And how do you make decisions on stopping versus pushing through?

Nick Chappell: Everyone is playing through pain, especially later in the year. Everyone's definitely dealing with something. It's hard to say it's that much different than the beginning of the year because there's not really an off season. You have to be pretty disciplined in how you build your schedule. Last year, I got into a trouble playing too many weeks in a row and not getting myself enough rest. There's always pressure to play more tournaments because you have points coming off. If you have an opportunity to get into a bigger event, for instance, then you don't necessarily want to rest. But a major factor is taking care of your body. I've been pretty healthy this year, but I'm also still dealing with some injuries. It's something you always have to manage. It's a little tricky here at the Challengers And even more so, at Futures. Look at the main tour players. They usually have their own physio. They either travel with a coach or a physio. A lot of times, both.  At Challengers, we use the tournament physios. A lot of times they're very good, but not always. Depending on which country you're in, what city. Sometimes they're not the best. Plus, you're seeing somebody new every week. It's a little bit different than somebody who works for you, who knows your body and knows exactly what you need. It is a little bit harder on the Challenger level than the tour level. The level of play is not that much different. It is just as physical. The matches are grueling physically. But here, players are more on their own. You really have to be on top of things.

Photo of the Day: Roger Federer

Roger Federer loves Cincinnati. After Wimbledon, where he has won eight titles, Cincinnati is his second ‘sweet spot’. Between  2005 to 2015, he took the Cincinnati Masters title seven times. In 2018, the only time he made the final and lost, Novak Djokovic broke through to become the only player to win all 9 Masters Series events. 

In this 2015 photo, Federer serves to  Djokovic, with the tournament trophy in the foreground. Federer won in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3. He did not lose a set the entire tournament. Cincinnati is a ‘sweet spot’, indeed.

Check out Tennis Acumen’s  exclusive interviews, here: (LINK)

NICK CHAPPELL: WINNING AND LOSING

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger. They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: There's a spectrum in players’ motivations, Nick. There are guys that absolutely love to win and guys that are more motivated because they hate to lose. Where do you fall on that spectrum?

Nick Chappell: Oh. I would say I'd love to win. I'm not a crazy competitive guy in everything I do off court. I'm pretty relaxed and I take that to my play. I really enjoy the process of getting better. I like the ins and outs of how I'm doing, what I'm doing. I try not to take the losses seriously. I know some people feel like they can't lose, ever. And I do a pretty good job of using losses to improve. So, I am definitely more on the side of enjoying the wins.

Tennis Acumen: I had a moment three and a half years ago. Challenger in Savannah, on the clay. Sitting in the lounge, Riley Opelka walks off court. He had just lost and he's just pacing outside, steaming. He's just devastated by the loss. When he came inside and sat down next to me, I said: “ Reilly. Look at me. If you don't play guys that can beat you, you'll never get better.” And his shoulders just relaxed. So, the pressure of avoiding loss, I think, is pretty heavy on some guys.

Nick Chappell: Yes, definitely.

Rinky Hijikata: WINNING AND LOSING

Tennis Acumen at the  Columbus Fall Challenger 2022. And we are here with Rinky Hijikata, from Australia.

(photo  credit: Karl Corbett)

Tennis Acumen: Rinky, let me ask about your spirit, your attitude. Some guys absolutely love to win, and some guys absolutely  hate to lose. Where are you on that spectrum?

Rinky Hijikata: I definitely go both ways. I feel like I'm somewhere in the middle. When you win, there's no other feeling like it, I think. And especially when you're in tight matches,  when the stakes are high. There is  all kinds of adrenaline. The euphoria when you win can't really be compared to anything else. And then, obviously, when you lose the tough one, it's the same level of emotion. It's a tough pill to swallow and it can be pretty painful. But, when you're on the tour, you pretty much lose every week. There's only one winner. I feel like I've tried to become a better loser. I guess I'm trying to not take it as hard as I have in the past and try to move on a little bit quicker.

Tennis Acumen: Thanks for talking with us. I hope to run into you a few years down the road, maybe a decade or so. I'll ask you about life after tennis.

Rinky Hijikata: Perfect. That sounds good.

(This exclusive interview has generated seven ‘quick read’ excerpts, to be posted at tennisacumen.com over time.)

Photo of the Day: Reilly Opelka

Reilly Opelka had a great run in Atlanta at the 250 tournament in July,  2019. On the way to the semifinals, he beat former Atlanta champion John Isner. His ranking leaped from #57 to #43, his first entry into the top 50.

photo credit: Karl Corbett (c) Tennis Acumen

NICK CHAPPELL: THE DAILY GRIND

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger. They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: How do you deal with the daily grind? I lived next door to a guy who played in a Super Bowl. I asked him: “What's the hardest part about playing in the NFL?” I expected, he’d say it was fourth down and inches to go in a big game. He said: “No, it's the drills. It's the summer camp where you just get up every day and do it over and over again.” You're pretty experienced at getting up every day and doing it over and over. What is that like? Where does the discipline come from?

Nick Chappell: It's easy to feel like you're doing the same thing every day, which you are. You have to be creative and keep things interesting. That's the most important thing, because it's really easy to get in a rut, especially if you're losing. If you're winning, you're probably feeling good no matter what. Especially when you're losing, it is hard to keep being motivated and find things to work on. I guess that's normally what a coach would do. But if you're traveling by yourself, it's even more important that you find ways to engage yourself in practice. That’s really where matches are won.

Tennis Acumen: What is the most important aspect on tour, practicing before the tournament, or finding ways to practice once you've lost in the tournament.

Nick Chappell: During a tournament, you have to taper a little bit and manage your body. But when you have weeks off or you've lost early, it's really important to really hit it hard and work on things and get better. So, the hardest part is finding ways to do that. Finding ways to work on things and get better while also keeping it fresh and interesting because otherwise it's going to get boring.

NICK CHAPPELL: COLLEGE TO THE PROS

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger.

They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: Now, making the transition from college to the tour. What was that transition like ?

Nick Chappell: It took me a little while before I made a little breakthrough. It took me about a year, I guess, on tour before I made it to the finals in a couple of Futures tournaments. That got me into a few more Challengers. But it took about a year for that to happen. And I am trying to think of what really made the difference, coming out of college. Maybe I put a little too much pressure on myself right away. It took me a little while to get out of my own way on the tour. I actually played better in the team environment than coming out and going solo. Now it doesn't matter. I can't even remember what that felt like because it's so long ago. But immediately out of college, it was weird going from a team environment with a lot of people supporting you and playing for something bigger than yourself, and then coming out on and playing individual matches. That was a little bit of a letdown. The atmosphere isn't quite the same. Even at these tournaments, there are matches where you play with fans. But, on average, it's not quite the same environment as a team college atmosphere.

Tennis Acumen: Bigger crowds at college. as opposed to, say, breaking into Futures.

Nick Chappell: Yes. Oh, Futures especially. Yes. Yes.

Tennis Acumen: And do crowds affect you when you're on court?

Nick Chappell: Yes. I wish I could play in front of a huge crowd every time. I love playing in front of people.

Nick Chappell: GETTING STARTED

 

Tennis Acumen: This is Tennis Acumen at the Columbus, Ohio Challenger, Fall of 2022. And we are here with Nick Chappell. Thanks for joining us, Nick. Tell me, how did you get started playing tennis?

Nick Chappell: Well, my mom played tennis and her mother was city champion in Fort Wayne, Indiana, so our whole family played. Tennis was really big in our family. I have a brother who's four years older than me. He started playing pretty young, I was constantly out on the courts, watching him practice. It felt like I was always on a court, actually, by the time I was five years old.

Tennis Acumen: It's in your DNA. You are wired, Nick. And what point did you think you might take it seriously?

Nick Chappell: At age 13 or 14. I was playing national tournaments in the ten- and twelve-year-old age brackets, but still playing other sports. And then about sophomore year of high school, I started doing online school to free up my time, and thought I would want to be a pro.

Tennis Acumen: And did anyone tell you how hard it was going to be ?

Nick Chappell: Probably not. I had a good junior career, especially playing some of the bigger ITF events. It was great motivation and everything, but probably a little skewed. You don't realize how much tougher the pro circuit is than the ITF circuit. But once I got to college, it was a little more eye opening. The college level of play is very good and that started giving me more perspective of where my game is.

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger. They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Rinky Hijikata: Getting Started in Tennis

Tennis Acumen at the  Columbus, Ohio  Fall Challenger 2022. And we are here with Rinky Hijikata, from Australia.

(photo credit: Karl Corbett)

Tennis Acumen: How did you get started in tennis? What was it like growing up?

Rinky Hijikata: My dad's a tennis coach. I grew up in Sydney, Australia. My older brother and sister used to play a little bit. I used to just go down the courts with them and pick up balls for them and started hitting a little bit. And  I really loved to play because I was pretty active as a kid. So, I tried to do everything that I could. I would play any sport. And yes, tennis happened to be the one for me. .

Tennis Acumen: Excellent. And did anyone tell you how hard it was going to be for? .

Rinky Hijikata: Not right away. When you pick up a racket, when you're five, six years old, then you're just playing for the fun of it. You know, your career was never really in mind. So, I was just trying to have fun. And then maybe a bit later on, people were telling me, it's not going to be easy, but it's something that I really wanted to do. And I'm happy that I'm out here playing. .

Tennis Acumen: Are there any other sports that you played growing up? .

Rinky Hijikata: Well, I did whatever I could. I played rugby, surfing, lifesaving at the beach, whatever I could do. I just loved being active and getting out there and playing sport.

Tennis Acumen: Your parents wanted to get you out of the house because you were bouncing off the walls. .

Rinky Hijikata: Yes, the longer I was out of the house, the better.

(This exclusive interview has generated seven ‘quick read’ excerpts, to be posted at tennisacumen.com over time.)

Photo of the Day: Novak Djokovic

IN 2013, Novak Djokovic made it to the 3rd round in Cincinnati, and all the way to the finals in the US Open that followed. After that, he went on a 31-match winning streak and took the titles at Beijing, Shanghai, Paris and the year-end finals at London. 

Wander through Tennis Acumen's Photos of the Day, here: (LINK)

NICK CHAPPELL: PLAYING COLLEGE TENNIS

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger.

They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: How did you get recruited into college and make the decision to go to college?

Nick Chappell: Well, it was interesting cause I wasn't really looking at TCU. I was looking at a lot of Big Ten schools, including UCLA and North Carolina. Texas Christian wasn't really on my radar. I hadn't really even heard of the school, to be honest. And then my brother transferred there during my sophomore year of high school. The TCU coach, David Rodito, who is still the head coach, took over my senior year of high school. For me, the decision was a last-minute thing. My senior year of high school, I was ready to commit to Georgia. I surprised the recruiters when I went to visit TCU and that swayed me, having my brother there.

In college, they take their practice very seriously. Everything is arranged and scheduled, so you just go out and do it. But it's a little different when you're on the road and you have to do it yourself and you have to do it week after week after week. Maybe one of them could have a good result one time, but to get ranked 200 in the world, you have to have 15 good results. You have to do it repeatedly. It is mental stamina, to not just have the level, but to be able to repeat it over and over.

Tennis Acumen: Okay. I'm hearing the same thing from both you and Tennys Sandgren.

Nick Chappell: Yes, definitely.

COLLEGE TO THE PROS (PART TWO OF TWO)

Tennis Acumen had an exclusive interview with Tennys Sandgren at the Columbus, Ohio Fall 2022 Challenger.  Here’s part of that conversation.

(photo credit: Karl Corbett)

TA:  The business aspect, the logistics, going from college, where everything is done for you, to going out completely on your own. How did that work for you?

Tennys Sandgren: At college, they take care of everything. They take care of the travel arrangements, hotel, food,  training times. All your schedules are laid out for you.. It suits my personality that I take responsibility for those things and to not lose your way. But it's an added burden. You've got to think about that stuff. It's not fun to lose on a Tuesday, then try to make travel arrangements to go play in the next tournament. And sometimes there are difficult travel arrangements and it's challenging and it's not fun.

TA: Did you get used to it fairly quickly?

Tennys Sandgren: As a pro? Well, my first three or four years, a lot of it was in the States, so a lot of it was driving, a lot of it. I used to get in the car and go drive to the next match, which is nice. I like to drive. So, it's, it's not a bad thing. I would much rather drive than fly, that's for sure. Interesting.

TA: Moving from college to the pros, and the experience of being part of a team versus all of a sudden going out on your own, what was that transition like?

Tennys Sandgren: Actually, the tour is easier for me. I like playing on a team, but one of the things that I love about tennis is that it is just you, on your own. And so, it's more natural for me to play this sport on my own, but team sports are great. And playing tennis when it's in a team format is great. But I like the solace of playing tennis on your own, on your own side and doing your own thing.

TA: Interesting. And talk about crowds in terms of college, I imagine you have more audience than you do in the Futures and the Challengers. How is that different, to step out and make the change and there's no support there.

Tennys Sandgren: It's a challenge to pick yourself up day in, day out without much of the crowd you are accustomed to. You might have three or four hundred people watching your stream, but that's not people, being there, eyes on you. When something is observed, it changes, the thing literally changes. And so, when you're being observed and observed by a lot of people, it changes how you go about things on the court. And here at the Challengers, everybody knows it's being streamed, but it's not the same thing.

This interview is broken into four different ‘quick reads’ that will be posted here over time.

Photo of the Day: Tennys Sandgren

Just turned 22, American tennis player Tennys Sandgren caught our eye at the 2013 Lexington, Kentucky Challenger event. 

He qualified into the tournament on his birthday, ranked at # 253 in the world. Read our exclusive 2019 interview with Tennys Sandgren here: (LINK)

tennyssandgren

 

FROM COLLEGE TENNIS TO THE PRO TOUR (PART ONE OF TWO)

Tennis Acumen (TA): Tennis Acumen here at the Columbus Fall Challenger 2022 with Tennys Sandgren.

(photo credit: Karl Corbett)

TA: Sang, it has been a while. Nice to see you again. I'm doing I'm doing a series on college players that turn pro. So, I would like to ask you to just step back in your memory. Give me anything you can about the differences between the college and the professional tour. You know, just hold forth on the transition. I'd love to hear it.

Tennys Sandgren: Well, the level of play isn't much different. There's a couple of things that I always notice when I practice with the  college guys at MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University). The Tennessee State guys are good. They're not highly ranked college players and they're good players. But do they  know what happens when the points get going? One difference between college and the tour is court position. In college, court position stays pretty deep in the court. Nobody's particularly great at taking the angles by moving forward....   and second, there's  just the level of drop off in matches. You see ebbs and flows in matches and you see college players, when they're not at their top form, and stay off track for a game or two. With the high-level pro guys, there are only very small windows, maybe just a minute here and there, and they are back to top form. College guys can take a set hiatus, they can go down a break in the first set, and that might be the day. So, it's just that mental flexibility,  bend but not break and it's all about that level of concentration. You know, everybody has different levels of ability. And you're out there for 2 hours, 3 hours. It's a long time to stay focused. It's a long time to keep your mental energy up, to stay energized. It's a skill in and of itself: How well can you actually stay focused on the task at hand and how long does your mind drift? Do you get negative? Do you not believe in yourself? How long does that happen? Because you're not at your best when that's happening. So that's another thing that’s just different from the tour. It's not like the level of play is worse. It's just little factors that come into play when you're playing matches that really make a big difference.

This interview is broken into four different ‘quick reads’ that will be posted here over time.

NICK CHAPPELL: FAVORITE CITIES ON THE TOUR

This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger. They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Tennis Acumen: You mentioned different countries, different cities. What are some of your favorite cities on the tour?

Nick Chappell: Los Cabos, in Mexico, is great. Earlier this year, and that tournament was only my second ATP tournament. It was my first appearance in a main draw, and I qualified for it. The tournament was really well run. All the matches were at night, so it had a really fun environment. A lot of people coming out after work just to watch. After that I went to Lima, Peru for a Challenger. The tournament was just standard, nothing special about it. But the city was really cool, with really healthy food. Food is really big with me and that made the whole trip. My girlfriend even got to come with me. But I really liked Mexico City when I was here in April of this year. Oh, yes. That was really best of both worlds. Really fun tournament plus a really cool city.

Tennis Acumen: You got to do some sightseeing.

Nick Chappell: Yes. Honestly, all the Challengers I've played in Mexico have been among my favorite tournaments. Puerto Vallarta was another one. That was an unbelievable tournament. It was just a huge party atmosphere, and they got a lot of people out, which is something I really enjoyed.

Tennis Acumen: So, you love the crowd.

Nick Chappell: Yes, I do. I've really enjoyed traveling in Europe as well. I played quite a bit in Europe. Usually in the summer I would go to Europe for a couple of months. This year, since there were more tournaments in South America and in the US, I just stayed in the US. But typically, I've gone a couple of summers, played in France and really enjoyed that. I played some Challengers, one or two Futures and even played club matches there. France was the most fun place I've played tennis, actually, because the people really appreciate good tennis. It's just really nice to play in France.

Photo of the Day: Alexander Zverev

In 2019, German ace Alexander Zverev came into the Cincinnati Masters tournament on a roll. He made it to the quarterfinals in Montreal, just the week prior. Here, his luck ran out, as he lost his second round match to Novak Djokovic’s hitting partner, Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, in three sets.

photo credit: Karl Corbett, (c) Tennis Acumen

Photo of the Day: Maria versus Sharapova

Dateline: Melbourne, Australia, January 16, 2018

One of our favorite score lines of all time. In 2018 at the Australian Open,  Tatjana Maria faced Maria Sharapova in the first round.  This created an interesting display on scoreboards in the stadium and around the world.

 

 

Photo of the Day: Andrey Rublev

Andrey Rublev fights off a shot to the body, and loses his first-round  match in Cincinnati, 2018. Kei Nishikori won the contest, 7-5, 6-3. Rublev’s  world ranking dropped from #38 to #71, as he dropped points from the US Open in 2017, where he reached the quarterfinals. At this posting, Rublev has just made it in to the top 10 for the first time.

photo credit: Karl Corbett (c) Tennis Acumen

Halep & Tsitsipas Exit US Open Immediately

PETE ZIEBRON

 

Simona Halep, the #7 seed in the women's draw and Stefanos Tsitsipas, #4 seed in the men's draw each lost their first match at the 2022 US Open.

For Halep, it was the third time in her last five appearances in New York that she lost her opening match.  The Romanian who won the title in Montreal a few weeks ago, was taken out by world #124 Daria Snigur of Ukraine.  The Qualifier rebounded from a bagel set in the match to win 6-2 0-6 6-4.  Halep reached the US Open semifinals in 2015.  Thus, Snigur has now defeated two former US Open semifinalists in four matches, as she also beat Yanina Wickmayer in the second round of qualification.  Wickmayer advanced to the semis in 2009, losing to Caroline Wozniacki.

Tsitsipas also lost to a Qualifier, world # 94 Daniel Galan of Columbia, who was making his first appearance at the US Open.  Galan won the opening nine games of the match and raced to a 6-0 6-1 3-6 7-5 victory.  The Greek was a Finalist in Cincinnati and defeated world #1 Daniil Medvedev en route to the final.  Tsitsipas, who stated in press that he played like an amateur, has never advanced past the third round in New York in five appearances.

 

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Carlos Alcaraz Again Loses in A Clay Court Final - Back to Back Weeks

PETE ZIEBRON

All of the sudden, Carlos Alcaraz looks human.  In back to back weeks, he lost in the Final - today in Umag and last week in Hamburg.  

Earlier this year, the young Spaniard has collected two Masters 1000 titles, as well as a 500 and a 250.  En route to winning in Madrid, he defeated: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.

One might seriously question the fact that Alcaraz is playing clay tournaments in Europe concurrent to hard court events being contested in the United States.  Roland Garros concluded nearly two months ago, yet here is Alcaraz playing on clay.  Sure, he won the Miami Masters and reached the semis at Indian Wells, so he can compete and win on hard courts.

Nick Kyrgios and a slew of Aussies and played Atlanta this week and will then proceed to Washington this week to properly prepare for the US Open.  Alcaraz and his team must feel that playing the Masters events in Canada and Cincinnati will be enough to get ready for the final major of the year.  The world #5 lost in the 3rd round at the Australian Open, in the quarters at Roland Garros and in the 4th round at Wimbledon.   Best of five is certainly a different beast compared to playing and winning five rounds of a best of three Masters event.

Last week, Alcaraz cruised into the Final and was fortunate to win the second set against Italian Lorenzo Musetti before dropping the deciding set 4-6. in Hamburg.  Today in Umag, another Italian, Jannik Sinner, who defeated Alcaraz at Wimbledon, lost just two games in the final two sets to win 6-7(5) 6-1 6-1 to win his first title on clay.  Alcaraz, yet again had luck on his side when he won the opening set.

Following the match and before the trophy presentation, Alcaraz sat in his chair and looked flummoxed, wondering why he again was not able to win a final.  Coach Juan Carlos Ferrero will have some work to do between now and Canada.

Evan King: End Game

In 2021, Tennis Acumen interviewed American Evan King at the Champaign Challenger tournament. Here is a part of that conversation:

Tennis Acumen: At what point do you say: “I'm done playing tennis.”?

Evan King: I think when I stop feeling that I can improve. I reached, I think, #185 in the world a couple of years ago, late 2018. And then my singles ranking was going down. When I decided to stop, I was about #380 and my doubles ranking was still # 130. So, I'm pretty good at this. Let's see if I can crack top hundred or top 70. This is my first year of focusing solely on doubles. I want to see how that goes. I have had some ups and downs, some good results, some poor results. Next year, I’ll try to use what I have learned and make a couple of better decisions and play better moments. It is a different scoring system with no-ad and ten-point tiebreakers. Picking partners, finding what skill sets you match with and see what people that you match with. Because you have to vibe as a person and get along, strategize, all that kind of stuff.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: I've heard it said that playing doubles can be a bit like a marriage.

Evan King: Yeah, totally. you spend a ton of time together. You are traveling together; you're practicing every single day together. You're eating majority of meals together unless you don't like each other. it is a ton of time together, so you need to know what makes each other tick. If I feel I plateaued at a ranking or get stalled at a prize money that's not sustainable to live on, then I will stop. There are things I can definitely improve on. There's more that I can learn. So, until that happens, I'll keep it going.

 

More of this exclusive interview is available at Tennis Acumen. Go to the interviews category, shown on the upper right hand side of the screen.

Tags: @EvanKingChicago

J. J. Wolf: Dealing with Crowds

In 2021, Tennis Acumen interviewed American J. J. Wolf at the Champaign Challenger tournament. Here is a part of that conversation:

Tennis Acumen: So how much does a crowd affect you?

J. J. Wolf: I love the energy of the crowd. It was tough last year with no fans. And this year, sometimes limited fans But, coming from college tournaments, you love the energy, whether it's positive or negative.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: Cincinnati this year, 2021, was the first full attendance tournament, right? We were out there 10 days. Just loving it. That's your home town, and mine. It was good. So the crowd does affect you?

J. J. Wolf: Yeah, for sure. They could definitely pull you through matches.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: If someone were intent on badgering you or distracting you, would that get to you as well?

J. J. Wolf: I always play a little better when people are getting at me like that. You pick that up in college. I'd say I come from a pretty competitive family, so we all have got that a little bit. I had that in other sports growing up much more than in tennis. So, you don't get the worst of it in our sport here.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: People will love to hear this. A lot of fans want to know the person behind the player. If there's one thing you would want people to know about you, what might that be?

J. J. Wolf: About me? I guess I'm a pretty simple guy. I love my friends and family and I love this country, and I pretty much try to do my best every time I can.

 

More of this exclusive interview is available at Tennis Acumen. Go to the interviews category, shown on the upper right hand side of the screen.

Tags: @jjwolf5

J. J. Wolf: Winning and Losing

In 2021, Tennis Acumen interviewed American J. J. Wolf at the Champaign Challenger tournament. Here is a part of that conversation:

Tennis Acumen: That's well said. Last year, we talked about the fact that some guys absolutely loved to win, so they're just obsessed with it, while some guys try to avoid losing. Is it winning or avoiding a loss that's more important to you?

J. J. Wolf: Oh, it's a hard question. I don't really think about it too much on the court. I'm just real competitive, so obviously I love to win. But, I'm not afraid of losing. Every time you lose a match, it's a chance to look at what you did wrong and what you can improve on. So, I think it's a good thing, really. There's going to be a lot of losing. If you play pro tennis, you get used to it.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: Do you "watch film", as they say?

J. J. Wolf: Yeah, I'll watch every match I play after I play it, whether I win or lose.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: And what do you gain from that? I'm trying to get inside the mind of a professional tennis player,.

J. J. Wolf: I'm extremely visual, so it's good for me to see what it looks like from the outside. It's really hard to see what your ball even looks like while you're hitting it. I talk to coaches who will tell me: “You don't have to hit the ball so crazy hard.” Maybe I don't think I'm hitting it any harder than the guy I'm playing against. So, then I go and watch the film and I'm saying: “That forehand might have been one hundred and five miles an hour. Why did I hit it that hard?” Because it looks cool, but I probably don't need to do that.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: So that's part of your discipline. After a match, you watch a video recording. Do you watch with a coach or just on your own?

J. J. Wolf: That can vary, sometimes with a coach, sometimes without. Sometimes we'll watch separately and then come back together and talk about what we thought.

 

More of this exclusive interview is available at Tennis Acumen. Go to the interviews category, shown on the upper right hand side of the screen.

Tags: @jjwolf5

Aleks Vukic: Winning and Losing

In 2021, Tennis Acumen interviewed Australian Aleks Vukic at the Champaign Challenger tournament. Here is a part of that conversation:

Tennis Acumen: There's a spectrum. You see guys that just absolutely love to win and guys that hate to lose. There's a different set of motivations here.

Aleks Vukic: I think my feeling of losing is definitely stronger than my feeling of winning. I get more affected by a loss than I do a win. But I love to win, but I get hurt more when I lose, and I'm happier when I win, if that makes sense.

 

Tennis Acumen: It's very hard to understand that, because there are  32 guys in the draw here, 31 of them are going to lose by the end of the week. And no one likes to lose. How do you rebound from that?

Aleks Vukic: Oh, it's nonstop. I think I'm getting better at that, but it's one of those. You got to have a short-term memory when it comes to that and learn from it, but then just focus on the next week. That's the best thing about tennis. There is a tournament next week, and you can do great things there. So, it's just forgetting about it and just keep going with a long-term vision of where you see yourself going.

 

Tennis Acumen: I'll tell you a story. The Challenger in Savannah a couple of years ago, Reilly Opelka, who was just up and coming. No one had ever heard of him. He comes off court. He's just suffered a loss, sits down next to me and he's just shaking. He's so upset. He can't stand it. And I said: ”Reilly, if you don't play guys that can beat you, you'll never get any better.” And I could just see a weight come off his shoulders. I don't think he's hated losing as much since then.

Aleks Vukic: Yeah, yeah, definitely short-term memory. And then move on.

 

More of this exclusive interview is available at Tennis Acumen. Go to the interviews category, shown on the upper right hand side of the screen.

Tags: aleks.vukic, Vuki_SMASH23

 

Injury Timeout: Socks and Sock

In 2021, Tennis Acumen interviewed American Evan King at the Champaign Challenger tournament. Here is a part of that conversation:

Tennis Acumen: I said I'd tell you a story, Evan. Now, my wife and I are just crazy tennis fans. This would be July 2013 in Winnetka, OK? Semifinals. Jack Sock and Somdev Devaarman. Jack's hip is not working, OK? It is absolutely not working. He somehow takes the first set, he's down in the second, and it's all about to fall apart. He gets an equipment time out because his socks were wet.

Evan King: Interesting. Socks and Sock. Yeah, that's good.

 

Tennis Acumen: He goes over to the clubhouse. Have you been to Winnetka?

Evan King: Yes. So, it’s a short walk from center court over to the clubhouse.

 

Tennis Acumen: 20 minutes later, Jack has not come back yet, and Somdev is going mad.

Evan King: Oh, furious. Yeah, for sure.

 

Tennis Acumen: Somehow, Jack gets into the third set. It's four all, and he just can't move. So Somdev is serving at 4-4. Jack just takes four serves. He just stands there, and he doesn’t even move. Somdev serves at 5-5. Jack takes four more serves. He saved what little he had for his service games. Oh, and he managed to claw his way through and win the tiebreak.

Evan King: That's impressive.

 

Tennis Acumen: And he was exhausted.

Evan King: Yeah. And that's summertime, too.

 

Tennis Acumen: The crowd is gone, the line judges leave, Somdev is gone and there's nobody in the stands. Jack is still sitting in that chair, just exhausted. I just walked on court to Jack, patted him on the shoulder and said: “That was gritty, Jack, just gritty.”

 

More of this exclusive interview is available at Tennis Acumen. Go to the interviews category, shown on the upper right hand side of the screen.

Tags: @EvanKingChicago

French Open 2022 quarterfinal expert picks: Djokovic vs. Nadal

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

Photo credit: New York Times

Expert picks are back on Tuesday for the French Open quarterfinal clash between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. A three-team panel previews the highly-anticipated action and makes its predictions.

Ricky Dimon: Nadal is coming off a five-set slugfest against Felix Auger-Aliassime. I don’t think that’s the worst thing in the world because it means the Spaniard is battle tested and he also looked good physically throughout that match while also playing at a consistently high level. I actually think it could help him in the early stages against Djokovic. In the long run, though, Djokovic’s full tank should come in handy for what will surely be a physical fight. The Serb wore down Nadal in last year’s quarterfinals and I think he can do the same again. Nighttime conditions won’t help the 13-time champion, either. Nadal is too good in Paris and playing too well right now to get blown out, but pretty much all signs are pointing toward Djokovic. Djokovic in 4: 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3.

Cheryl Murray: Djokovic and Nadal will meet for the 59th time on Tuesday. It’s absurd, really–absurd that the two GOATs are contemporaries, ridiculous that they have smashed into each other almost 60 times. But perhaps the most unbelievable aspect in the most prolific rivalry of all time is each man’s consistent ability to find their way to the business end of tournaments they enter. It’s not like they bump into each other in the third round. Nope. They have never met prior to the quarterfinals in a “regular” (not Davis Cup or year-end championship) tournament…. Not once…in 59 meetings. It’s just…yeah. I get a bit misty-eyed each time they run into each other. It goes beyond special. It is completely unique to them, a narrative told in intimate detail for 16 years, offering the world a first hand look at wild joy and bitter disappointment, elation and agony, brilliance and baffled frustration. They are warriors locked in a battle of attrition that goes one way, then the other, then back again. And each time they add a chapter to their story I wonder if I’m watching them for the last time. Djokovic probably has the edge this time–even though it’s on clay and even though it’s at Roland Garros. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t doubt Nadal’s abilities or his will. I know well enough that he understands how to win in Paris better than any human ever has. But the injuries have been so disruptive, I just don’t think he’s match tough enough to get past Djokovic. He’ll give it everything he has, though; that you can be sure of. Djokovic in 5: 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-5.

Pete Ziebron (Tennis Acumen): Djokovic will be slightly fresher after making quick work of all four opponents so far, while Nadal had to go the distance in the previous round against Auger-Aliassime. In fact, the Serb has won 22 consecutive sets on clay–having corrected course after falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the Madrid semis and then rolling through the field at the Rome Masters. Nadal arrived in Paris without a clay title this year and in serious pain less than two weeks prior to the start of the French Open. Nonetheless, he has once again found a way to recover and excel on the terre battue to set up this clash. The Mallorcan will need to clean up his break-point conversion significantly from the 6-for-22 performance in the last round. Meanwhile, Djokovic is serving immaculately–hitting just two double-faults in four matches. Both sets of stats are in the past, however, and are rendered meaningless once the court is taken in this highly anticipated quarterfinal. Look for Nadal to win a few more of the bigger points in the match. Nadal in 5: 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.

Evan King: College to Pro Tennis

In 2021, Tennis Acumen interviewed American Evan King at the Champaign Challenger tournament. Here is a part of that conversation:

Photo credit: University of Michigan

Tennis Acumen: Making the change from college to professional. I've heard guys say that first off, the level of play and competition goes up and the crowd size and support goes down. Is that your experience?

Evan King: I wouldn't so much say about the level of play. If you play near the top of your lineup in college, that's more or less the same levels as Futures. Unless you have a bunch of wild cards going in, you're going to start at Futures. Crowds are different, certainly. At the University of Michigan matches, you will have more than just tennis fans. You'll have fans of the university that want to support Michigan athletics. The same person will go watch tennis, softball, hockey, volleyball just because they love University of Michigan. For people to go out to these tournaments (Challenger level), they have to love tennis or a specific player to come out. So, it's two interesting dynamics. When you're playing in college, you're playing for university, your teammates and coaches, the people that you're practicing with every day. You have the bigger crowds behind you. When you turn pro, you're playing for yourself. As you go up to the Challenger circuit, the level of play is better than the college level, for the most part. Beyond that, you have the ATP circuit. When you're out as a professional, you have to muster up your own energy. You have to back yourself because unless you have the money to hire a coach or physio or a team behind you, you're out there alone. I would say that's the most difficult part. You have to hold yourself more accountable because there's not a coach on you. You're not representing the other six people on your team. If I lay an egg during a college match, I affect everybody else. The university, the coaches, the athletic department, everybody. I'm letting a whole bunch of people down. If I lay an egg on the pro circuit, I'm only letting myself down. So, it's a different kind of energy, different pressure and a high enough standard where, letting yourself down is the same as letting other people down.

 

More of this exclusive interview is available at Tennis Acumen. Go to the interviews category, shown on the upper right hand side of the screen.

Tags: @EvanKingChicago

Stefanos Tsitsipas - Forgotten Man in Bottom Half of 2022 Roland Garros Draw

PETE ZIEBRON

So much outrage was hurled at Roland Garros when the men's draw was announced.  How dare they place Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the same quarter.  Next, why is Carlos Alcaraz in the same half as Djokovic and Nadal?  Like Roland Garros rigged the draw...... uh, no, that does not happen.  Nadal is the 5th seed so there was a 25% chance that he would end up in the Djokovic quarter.  Bingo.

Meanwhile, last year's French Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas will have a barn-burner to begin his tournament.  Right out of the gate, the Greek faces Lorenzo Musetti.  All he happened to do last year in Paris was march into the round of 16 and take a two sets to love lead over Djokovic, the eventual Champion, before cramping took over and he won just one more game before retiring 0-4 down in the 5th set.  Just two weeks prior to the start of the French, Musetti faced Tsitsipas in the Lyon semifinals and took the opening set 6-4 before the Greek won 12 of the last 15 games to advance to the Final.

The Italian has not matched the form he showed one year ago in Paris.  He arrives with 14 clay court matches played this year.  In March, I had a front row Center Court vantage point for his match against American JJ Wolf at the Phoenix Challenger.  Despite winning just 5 games in the 2nd round match, I liked what I saw, namely his movement and fluidity on court as well as the ability to switch from defense to offense.

Tsitsipas had very good results at the clay court Masters, winning Monte-Carlo, reaching the semis in Madrid and the final in Rome.  However, the first coupe of days at the French have illustrated that solid match play and form at the events leading up to the tournament have not necessarily resulted in a replication of such play at this major from those who have lost and struggled to win their opening match.

While nearly everyone in the world is watching Djokovic, Nadal and Alcaraz, I prefer to focus on Tsitsipas and especially his opening match against Musetti.  Tsitsipas has won 11 of his last 13 matches at Roland Garros and 14 of his last 17 - his only losses:

 

2021 Final vs. Djokovic  76(6) 62 36 26 46

2020 Semi Final vs. Djokovic  36 26 74 64 16

2019 R16 vs. Wawrinka  67(6) 75 46 63 68

 

 

 

 

 

 

J. J. Wolf: How Hard Can It Be?

In 2021, Tennis Acumen interviewed American J. J. Wolf at the Champaign Challenger tournament. Here is a part of that conversation:

Tennis Acumen: You love this game, don't you?

J. J. Wolf: Yeah, it's a great game. It can be really difficult sometimes, but it's a good game.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: Well, it is hard, you know? Did anybody in your family ever tell you how hard this was going to be?

J. J. Wolf: I grew up knowing how hard it was going to be. It's definitely a good challenge to have. My family has played so many sports. A couple of them have played pro tennis before. But I always thought it was a cool experience to play. With family members playing and coaching in professional sports, I got a lot of advice on how difficult and how much commitment it would take. It has really set in more recently, out with the tour. I’ve been rolling with it. I just never really thought about it too much. Taking that step back and being out for nine months really made me realize how much I have to take care of my body and how much commitment it will take to stay healthy and play this rigorous calendar year. It’s 10 or 11 months out of the year you're playing.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: I talked to Evan King just now. He obviously was not at 100 percent yesterday, and he just gutted it through. I told him it was just agonizing to watch, given that there were times he was sharp, clear eyed and his body did not want to do what his mind told it to do. What's it like to play when you're hurting?

J. J. Wolf: What I've been told is pain is either remembered or anticipated, and suffering is optional. I just try to think of it as not a bad thing all the time, as long as I'm not going to hurt myself worse, you know. Pain is either remembered or anticipated. It's never right in the moment. So, you choose whether you want to suffer with it or not.

Tennis Acumen: I never heard anything like that.

J. J. Wolf: When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. But it really, really annoyed me at first, when I'm hurting out there and they're telling me, you can choose whether to suffer or not. And then, I wrap my mind around it and I say: “All right, let's do it.” It's really tough coming back from those three surgeries. It was not exactly easy going when I was coming back. A lot of pain going on, but you kind of embrace it a little bit.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: So no one can really tell you, if you're out on court and hurting, whether you're about to do damage or not, whether you should retire. How do you make those calls? You don't have very many retirements in your career at all, do you?

J. J. Wolf: No, I haven't. I was playing with a double hernia for four or five tournaments last year. A doctor came to me and told me that, after a match when I was in Europe. Then I came back to the U.S. and they said: “We have to do surgery on this. We don't know how you're walking normally.” At this point, I've got great people on my team, so I've got a great trainer and physio and P.T. back home that I'll just trust. I'll tell them what's going on. They'll analyze it. And if they say I need to get scans or anything like that, I'll listen to them. If they think I'm good to go, I pretty much trust them on that. And if it’s hurting, it's hurting, it's whatever.

 

More of this exclusive interview is available at Tennis Acumen. Go to the interviews category, shown on the upper right hand side of the screen.

Tags: @jjwolf5

Evan King: How Hard Can it Be?

In 2021, Tennis Acumen interviewed American Evan King at the Champaign Challenger tournament. Here is a part of that conversation:

Tennis Acumen: Did anyone in your family tell you how hard this was going to be?

Evan King: No, I don't think anyone truly knew. I had good coaches around me ever since juniors, and all through college and afterwards. That prepared me for what I had to expect moving from college to professional play. It is all very different, because as a pro, I am my own manager. I do the flights and travel, stringing my rackets, all that kind of stuff, whereas in college, all that stuff is done for you. You just give somebody a racket and the next day, it's done. You're told to meet at the tennis center. We're going to the airport at this time. It's all done for you. So, as far as all the things outside of tennis, I did not know how difficult that would be. But the level of play was not too much of a jump. Top level college and professional are similar, it's just all the other stuff you have to deal with that you don't have a team around you help with. I think is pretty difficult.

 

 

Tennis Acumen: There seems to be this incredible network around recruiting and grading: ‘star rankings’ for players when they're juniors. Were you aware of all of that as you were being recruited and asked to play at Michigan?

Evan King: Yes, I was aware of it. I wasn't obsessive about it. I trusted my level of play, my reputation as a person and those kinds of things more so than being a five star or a blue chip. Now, they have the Universal Tennis Ranking which coaches go off of and then those things do matter. But it wasn't going into a match thinking: “I'm playing a five star. I really need to get this match, so I can get Michigan to look at me.” I was more worried about my own development and my personal goals, as a junior. I did want to go pro. So, I was I was more thinking about that kind progression, more so than worrying about the immediate results or ratings or rankings. I was thinking more long term, which helped me put less pressure on myself.

 

More of this exclusive interview is available at Tennis Acumen. Go to the interviews category, shown on the upper right hand side of the screen.

Tags: @EvanKingChicago