Tennis Acumen

Photo of the Day: James Blake

Dateline Cincinnati, Ohio   |     August 7, 2002

Two weeks prior to his second Cincinnati Masters appearance, James Blake made it to the finals in Newport, Rhode Island. Next, he won his first round match at the Masters event in Toronto. That was enough to put James Blake in the top 30 for the first time as he came into Cincinnati. Blake beat Andrei Pavel in the first round, and lost to Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second. Blake's career high ranking was # 4 in the world.

 

photo credit: Karl Corbett,  Tennis Acumen

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

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

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)

Indian Wells semifinal expert picks: Alcaraz vs. Sinner

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

Expert picks are back for the Indian Wells Masters semifinals on Saturday afternoon, when Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner renew their rivalry. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

(3) Jannik Sinner vs. (2) Carlos Alcaraz

Ricky Dimon: It doesn’t get any bigger than this. Alcaraz vs. Sinner is currently the best rivalry in tennis and Saturday will also be a rematch of the 2023 Indian Wells semifinals. The Spaniard won that contest, but Sinner has since won two straight in the head-to-head series and has become the best player in the world–even if the rankings don’t yet say it. The third-ranked Italian is on a 19-match winning streak and is 29-1 in his last 30 matches dating back to the fall swing. He has been absolutely dominant so far at the BNP Paribas Open. Alcaraz is also in great form this fortnight, but he has been a bit hit-or-miss in 2024–and really since Wimbledon–so you don’t know exactly what he will bring to the table. You can be absolutely certain that Sinner will once again bring an insane level of tennis. It’s simply too risky to pick against Sinner right now. Sinner in 3: 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3.

Cheryl Murray:  This is the modern matchup–the one that promises great things…and even manages to deliver most of the time. With some distance from their best-of-the-year U.S. Open epic in 2022, and a grudging admission that none of their other six matches has been as good, I’ve still rarely been disappointed when these two play each other. The difference is that this time Sinner has fully come into his own, and that may present a problem for Alcaraz and the quality of the matchup. See, the 2024 Sinner is better–by an order of magnitude–from the player he was when he wrung every one of Alcaraz’s three Cs out of him in New York a couple of years ago. Sinner is undefeated in 2024 so far, while Alcaraz lost to Nicolas Jarry last month. The Italian holds a scant 4-3 record over the Spaniard on the main tour, but it feels like the gap is about to get wider. Sinner in 3: 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

Pete Ziebron:  As the younger players on the ATP Tour begin to entrench themselves firmly at or near the top of the rankings, intriguing matchups are developing. Perhaps the best of the bunch is this one: Alcaraz-Sinner. They will meet for the fourth time in the last 53 weeks and for the second time in as many years at Indian Wells. Sinner is on an absolute roll, losing just one time since the beginning of October and has dropped only one set in his last eight matches since winning the Australian Open.  Alcaraz has not won a title since his Wimbledon crown last summer–despite the Nike declaration shortly thereafter that the “Alcaraz Era” is upon us. As the Spaniard is continuing to attempt to find his game during this extended title drought (he did win six titles in the first half of 2023, including Indian Wells), attempting to defeat Sinner at this moment will likely be too large of an ask. The Italian continues to dazzle and impress in his quest to win his 20th consecutive match. Sinner in 2: 6-4, 6-3.

Thursday at the Arizona Tennis Classic

PETE ZIEBRON in PHOENIX

The new look Center Court at the Arizona Tennis Classic.  Pete Ziebron Images

The Thursday Center Court day session lineup at the Arizona Tennis Classic at the Phoenix Country Club featured several colorful veteran players, including: Benoit Paire, Fabio Fognini and Thanasi Kokkinakis.  Prior to his match, Paire was watching a portion of his countryman, Quentin Halys, playing on Court 1 in his win over American Qualifier Emilio Nava.  Despite winning the first two games of the match against defending Champion Nuno Borges, the Frenchman dropped the next four games and Retired, sending Borges into the quarterfinals after only twenty minutes on court.

The new stadium seating configuration at the Phoenix County Club now allows some spectators on the east side of Center Court to watch concurrent action on Court 2.  With the Paire retirement, I was able tp watch some of the French battle between Luca van Assche and Constant Lestienne.  Unfortunately, after less than ten minutes following the Paire retirement, Lestienne fell behind the baseline and was not able to continue.  That match lasted 22 minutes and van Assche was ahead 4-1.

Next up on Center Court, Fognini took on Australian Aleksandar Vukic, who battled Novak Djokovic into a third set last week in Indian Wells.  While the Italian struggled with six double faults, Vukic won 91% of his first serve points and trounced Fognini 6-1 6-1 in 52 minutes.  In the last match on Center Court in the day session, Kokkinakis defeated Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 6-1 2-6 6-4

 

 

 

Australian Open final expert picks: Medvedev vs. Sinner

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

Expert picks are back for the Australian Open final on Sunday, when a first-time champion at Melbourne Park will be crowned. It’s two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev facing a red-hot Jannik Sinner. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

(4) Jannik Sinner vs. (3) Daniil Medvedev

 

Ricky Dimon:  Sinner is a sizable favorite. After all, he was absolutely on fire at the end of last season and has remained as such early in 2024. Whereas Sinner has bulldozed his way through the Aussie draw, Medvedev has played a trio of five-setters–including in both the quarterfinals (vs. Hubert Hurkacz) and semis (won from two sets down against Alexander Zverev). The Italian feels like the most deserving champion, especially after ousting world No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Friday. It’s his time. That being said, I don’t think it’s going to be easy. Although Medvedev lost all three of their encounters this past fall, he was competitive every time and he still leads the overall head-to-head series 6-3. The Russian may run out of gas late, but this should be a great match pretty much the whole way. Sinner in 5: 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3.

Cheryl Murray: There will be a new Australian Open champion on Sunday. Whether we also get a brand new slam winner will largely depend on whether Medvedev, who won the U.S. Open in 2021, can recover from his trio of five-set matches over the fortnight and 20 or so hours on the court. The Russian has battled his way back from two sets down against both Emil Ruusuvuori and again on Friday vs. Zverev. Of course, there’s no guarantee that even if Medvedev were fresh as a spring daisy, he would be able to defeat Sinner. The Italian is officially the man to beat on tour right now, with a bona fide win over Djokovic in Melbourne to prove it (when nobody else could do so for the past six years). Sure Djokovic played one of the worst matches of his professional career, but Sinner was clever enough to let him get on with the business of beating himself. And then there’s the Sinner-Medvedev head-to-head, which is a bit complicated. Medvedev holds a 6-3 edge, but the three that Sinner has won are the most recent three. Sinner was my pre-tournament pick to win the title, so I’m sticking with it. Sinner in 4: 6-4, 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-2.

Pete Ziebron: Somehow, Sinner and Medvedev will meet for the sixth time in less than one year–and every time except once in a final  Although the Russian took their initial six meetings, he has not won since Miami last March. Sinner has corrected course, winning the last three. A large credit here needs to go to coach Darren Cahill for mapping out the strategy that has been effective enough to flip this intriguing head-to-head series. That being said, four of the last eight sets between the two have been tiebreakers–with the Italian winning three. Medvedev will be appearing in his sixth major final and third in Australia. This valuable experience will most definitely count for quite a bit when they meet yet again. Ironically, this will be their first meeting at a major.  Sinner played a complete match in eliminating Djokovic in the semifinals, while Medvedev simply stayed the course and eventually made inroads against Zverev beginning in the third set to ultimately win in five. Just as Zverev appeared to peak against Alcaraz in his quarterfinal win, I expect a bit of a letdown from Sinner in the final–mentally as well as with execution on the court. Medvedev may feel like he is playing with house money after being a set away from the exit for the third time in the tournament. Not even a 3:39 am match finish time earlier in the fortnight halted his progress. A combination of several major final appearances from Medvedev as well as a large ask of Sinner to replicate his semifinal form leads to the 2021 U.S. Open champion winning his second major. Medvedev in 5: 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Australian Open semifinal expert picks: Djokovic vs. Sinner

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

 

Expert picks are back for the Australian Open semifinals on Friday, when 10-time champion Novak Djokovic faces world No. 4 Jannik Sinner. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (4) Jannik Sinner

Ricky Dimon: Given the lofty standards currently being set by Djokovic and Sinner (when they are on the court at the same time or even when they are playing against anyone else), anything less than an instant classic would be a disappointment. And that’s exactly what we might get. Djokovic is 10-0 lifetime in Australian Open semifinals (and 10-0 in finals, too), but if there is anyone who can challenge him it could be Sinner (or perhaps Carlos Alcaraz in a potential title match). Their rivalry is at a high point now, with Sinner having won three of four encounters last fall (1-1 at the Nitto ATP Finals and then the Italian won from three match points down in the Davis Cup semis). Sinner ended last year as the hottest player on tour and nothing has changed following a quintet of straight-set wins in Melbourne. That’s why he should be competitive on Friday–but I can’t quite pick him to win. Djokovic has won both of their best-of-five matches (at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2023) and nowhere is he tougher to beat than at the Australian Open. 10-0 in AO semis becomes 11-0. Djokovic in 5: 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4.

Cheryl Murray: I really want to pick Sinner to win this match. He was my pre-tournament bracket pick to win the whole thing and I think he has looked the best of any competitor on the court. He has recently shown that he is not intimidated by Djokovic, as evidenced by the fact that he’s gotten two wins over the Serb in the last couple of months (NOTE: the ATP website has inexplicably failed to display Sinner’s win in round-robin play at the Nitto Tour Finals). But with that being said, now that the time has come, I think I’m losing my nerve. Because it’s Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. And, yes, he’s been a little shakier than usual–dropping sets in three of his matches so far. But even though I think Sinner has been the better player, I can’t quite make myself pick against Djokovic in Melbourne until he gives me reason to do so–reasons like losing 15 matches in a row or something. I just can’t do it. Djokovic is the most clutch player of all time and once again playing in the later stages of his best tournament. Sinner might–and probably will–get close. He’ll have chances. But Djokovic is Djokovic and he is undoubtedly the most successful chance-eraser in the history of the sport. Djokovic in 5: 6-7(5), 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Pete Ziebron: The Davis Cup losses (plural, because singles and doubles) to Sinner at the recent Davis Cup competition sting Djokovic much more than we may think. Somehow the Serb was not able to get it done despite holding multiple match points in their singles match at the semifinal stage. However, whatever the pressures or extracurricular aspects of competing for his nation are, they do not exist at a major for Djokovic. Here it is business as usual, and more importantly, a best-of-five format. Sinner has breezed into the semifinals without dropping a set. The Davis Cup hero’s longest match of the tournament–in the last round against Rublev–lasted only two hours and 39 minutes. Concurrently, Djokovic was forced to work diligently out of the gate–tested unexpectedly sternly by a qualifier and an Aussie, going four sets in each tussle. After correcting course the next two rounds, he again found himself at a set apiece in the quarters with Fritz before putting his patented stranglehold grip on the match–dropping just five games the rest of the way. Although the 36-year-old has played three matches over three hours thus far, it simply will not faze him in this, his 48th major semifinal. If anything, the recent defeats at Sinner’s hands will provide a reminder to close out the match properly and in a timely fashion. Djokovic in 4: 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Andy Murray Has Not Defeated Grigor Dimitrov in 7 Years

 

PETE ZIEBRON

Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov are scheduled to meet in the opening round of the Brisbane 250 to begin 2024.  Murray leads the H2H 8-4 but has not defeated the Bulgarian since the Beijing Final in 2016.

 

Their last meeting was just a few months ago in the 2nd round of the US Open with Dimitrov prevailing easily in straight sets 63 64 61.  In fact two of their last three matches have been at the US Open, as Murray won in straights in 2016, dropping just five games in their round of 16 clash.

Despite facing each other in every major except Roland Garros, this will only be their second match since Murray last win in 2016 in Beijing.  Ten of their twelve matches happened between 2013-2016.  Ironically, Dimitrov defeated Murray in straight sets at Wimbledon in 2014 in a Quarterfinal.  

They met in the Brisbane final in 2013 in their second match and Murray won 64 as Dimitrov was not able to continue.  Dimitrov enters Brisbane this year as the 2nd seed and the victor will play the win her of the Daniel Altmaier - Li Tu match.

PETE ZIEBRON

Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov are scheduled to meet in the opening round of the Brisbane 250 to begin 2024.  Murray leads the H2H 8-4 but has not defeated the Bulgarian since the Beijing Final in 2016.

 

Their last meeting was just a few months ago in the 2nd round of the US Open with Dimitrov prevailing easily in straight sets 63 64 61.  In fact two of their last three matches have been at the US Open, as Murray won in straights in 2016, dropping just five games in their round of 16 clash.

Despite facing each other in every major except Roland Garros, this will only be their second match since Murray last win in 2016 in Beijing.  Ten of their twelve matches happened between 2013-2016.  Ironically, Dimitrov defeated Murray in straight sets at Wimbledon in 2014 in a Quarterfinal.  

They met in the Brisbane final in 2013 in their second match and Murray won 64 as Dimitrov was not able to continue.  Dimitrov enters Brisbane this year as the 2nd seed and the victor will play the win her of the Daniel Altmaier - Li Tu match.

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.

 

 

Nitto ATP Finals title match expert picks: Djokovic vs. Sinner

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

Expert picks are back for the Nitto ATP Finals championship match on Sunday, when world No. 1 Novak Djokovic faces crowd favorite Jannik Sinner. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

 

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (4) Jannik Sinner

Ricky Dimon: This is a rematch of what has been the best match of the tournament to date. During round-robin competition in the Green Group, Sinner outlasted Djokovic 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-6(2) in a battle that lasted more than three hours. Asking the 22-year-old Italian to beat Djokovic twice in the same tournament is simply too much. Djokovic is already a six-time champion of this event and he is making his ninth final appearance. The top-seeded Serb was absolutely dominant in his semifinal match against Carlos Alcaraz, too. That being said, this could be another thriller. Sinner is 4-0 in this week and is playing incredible tennis in front a raucous Turin crowd. I can’t pick against Djokovic because he will be more motivated than he was on Tuesday, when it wasn’t a must-win situation. But it’s not going to be easy. Djokovic in 3: 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Cheryl Murray:  It’s a rematch from just a few days ago. Sinner played inspired tennis to give Djokovic his first loss since he fell short in the Wimbledon title match against Alcaraz. It was the first time Sinner managed to get a ‘W’ against Djokovic. The problem (for Sinner and the Carota Boys, anyway), is that this isn’t a round-robin match. On Sunday they are playing for all the marbles. And Djokovic is just…different when he’s playing in the final. Sure, Sinner’s going to have the crowd in a frenzy. And the Italian has been in the form of his young career this fall. I’d even generally say that the surface is a slight edge to Sinner, since it’s quick enough that it limits the amount of retrieving the world No. 1 can do. But even with all of that said, unless Djokovic is playing a peak Rafael Nadal at the French Open I simply do not pick against the Serb when he is in a title match. He’s too clutch and he’s done it so many times; he’s an expert at managing the pressure. Djokovic in 3: 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-2.

Pete Ziebron: Can Sinner actually accomplish the nearly unthinkable task of defeating Djokovic twice in less than a week? He is most definitely going to give it his best shot and–if successful–will have run the table, going a perfect five-for-five in matches played and won in securing the ATP Finals title. Although this is unchartered territory for the Italian, Djokovic is more than familiar with the course and his seeking his seventh title in nine appearances in the final at the year-ending event. This time it is unlikely that Djokovic will lose a service game up 40-0, as he did much to the delight of the partisan and wild Italian crowd when they met in the qualification rounds. My biggest takeaway from both semifinals was the fact that Djokovic was a perfect four-for-four in break points saved against Alcaraz. Ironically, Sinner was also not broken in the two opportunities that Medvedev had on Saturday. Now, with the amount of information he extracted from their recent previous match, Djokovic will also be better able to maintain his composure with the crowd. I expect that to help him secure early breaks in each set, and his ability to successfully protect his own serve will steer him to the win. Djokovic in 2: 6-3, 6-4.

Nitto ATP Finals SF expert picks: Djokovic vs. Alcaraz, Medvedev vs. Sinner

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

Expert picks are back for the Nitto ATP Finals semis on Saturday, when a mouth-watering lineup features the top four players in the world. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

(1R) Carlos Alcaraz vs. (2G) Novak Djokovic

Ricky Dimon: When the tournament began, this is the best possible semifinal lineup for which anyone could have hoped–especially the Italian crowd since Jannik Sinner is involved. But not even Sinner will get night-session treatment on Saturday because also on the menu is this showdown between the world No. 1 (Novak Djokovic) and the world No. 2 (Carlos Alcaraz). Outside of a cramp-marred French Open showdown, every single Djokovic-Alcaraz match to date has been an instant classic (and even that one aberration had the makings of the same before the Spaniard was undone physically). Another blockbuster battle should be in the cards. I can’t pick against Djokovic given his near-perfect record since Wimbledon (his only loss during this stretch came against Sinner in a three-set thriller on Tuesday) and because he has won this title six times. But Alcaraz has regained his form just in time to give us another wildly entertaining affair. Djokovic in 3: 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-5.

Cheryl Murray: Djokovic and Alcaraz are the current marquee match-up in men’s tennis. Their final at the Cincinnati Masters is one of the finest best-of-three tennis matches I’ve ever seen. We haven’t seen the same Alcaraz this fall. Since his semifinal loss at the U.S. Open at the hands of Daniil Medvedev, he has appeared fatigued with a game ill-suited for the speed of the indoor season. But then he came out on Friday in Turin and played well to defeat Medvedev in surprisingly easy straight sets. The issues he had with the ice-rink-turned-tennis-court earlier in the week are a distant memory. Make no mistake: the Spaniard is going to come out fighting. And if Djokovic was a little less convincing against Hubert Hurkacz in his last round-robin match…well he’s still Novak Djokovic. He is the most clutch player perhaps of all time in big moments. This is going to be a barnburner, with the two top players in the sport. Who wins? Well, we all do. Tennis does. But also probably Djokovic. Djokovic in 3: 4-6, 7-6(8), 7-5.

Pete Ziebron: Several outlets absolutely insisted that “the torch had been passed” when Alcaraz narrowly defeated Djokovic in the Wimbledon final. Not so fast. A little more than a month later, the Serb reminded everyone that he was far from done winning titles and matches against Alcaraz, as he took the Cincinnati crown and kept on winning until the razor-thin loss to Sinner a few days ago. Following his loss to Zverev, Alcaraz openly questioned the quick conditions on court. He was able to adjust accordingly and win his next two matches, including his defeat of Daniil Medvedev for the third time in four attempts this year to advance to the semifinals atop the Red Group. Djokovic is fully aware that he is concurrently competing against Father Time at this point as well as against Alcaraz. That being said, he has capitalized on a bit of an abbreviated schedule this year and is right there in the mix at the year-end championship yet again. This event, match and opportunity to play for the title simply means more to Djokovic and he would certainly also like another possible shot at Sinner in the final. Djokovic in 3: 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3).

 

(1G) Jannik Sinner vs. (2R) Daniil Medvedev

Ricky: It goes without saying that Sinner’s chances against Medvedev are dependent on his back being 100 percent. We will assume that’s the case, as he still managed to beat Holger Rune on Thursday despite dealing with some apparent issues. Sinner also gets a day off between matches, whereas the Red Group (Medvedev and Alcaraz) are playing back-to-backs. The Italian has quite simply been the best player all week long and is the only one who compiled an undefeated round-robin record. Home-court advantage is a very real thing in Turin. The Carota Boys and the rest of Italian fans have been nothing short of raucous and Sinner is thriving in large part thanks to the atmosphere. Of course, Medvedev is also playing great. This one could actually be of even better than Djokovic-Alcaraz from a quality standpoint. Their previous Nitto ATP Finals meeting went to a third-set tiebreaker, with Medvedev prevailing in 2021. I think this time it goes Sinner’s way. Sinner in 3: 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).

Cheryl: It’s altogether fitting that Sinner and Medvedev should round out the semifinal roster. In addition to Djokovic and Alcaraz, they were the best players of the season. And while Sinner is only just coming into his own and Medvedev has already achieved Grand Slam title success (2021 U.S. Open), it’s hard not to give Sinner the edge in this one. First, the Italian is playing in front of an adoring home crowd on a quick surface that suits his game well. And then there’s the edge that beating Medvedev twice in the past month will undoubtedly give Sinner. Mostly, though, he’s just playing better tennis than the Russian right now. He has been the standout player of the fall indoor swing, with titles in Beijing and Vienna to show for his efforts. Sinner in 3: 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5).

Pete: Up until 44 days ago, Sinner literally had no solution for Medvedev–dropping six consecutive meetings in the last three years to begin this H2H series while managing to win just three sets in those matches. However, the tables have turned. The Italian has won twice since early October in the Beijing final as well as the Vienna final. Both title matches were close, as Sinner won three of the four sets via the tiebreaker route.  Medvedev has had a solid year collectively and–despite losing to Alcaraz to conclude round-robin play in Turin–is once again playing inspired tennis.  Sinner’s victory over Djokovic earlier this week, in addition to rabid crowd support while competing in his home nation, have bolstered his confidence to monumental heights. The Sinner winning streaks will reach 10 overall, four in Turin, and three over Medvedev. Sinner in 3: 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3.

Nick Kyrgios: Photo

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: 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)

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)

U.S. Open men’s singles final expert picks: Djokovic vs. Medvedev

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

(photo courtesy of The US Open)

Expert picks are back for the U.S. Open final on Sunday, when three-time champion Novak Djokovic and 2021 winner Daniil Medvedev battle for the title. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

(3) Daniil Medvedev vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

Ricky Dimon: Even though Djokovic got clobbered by Medvedev in the 2021 U.S. Open final, I’m not prepared to pick against the Serb in a Grand Slam final against anyone other than Carlos Alcaraz. It’s just not a smart thing to do. Yes, Medvedev destroyed him two years ago. But that was when Djokovic was dealing with the pressure of a calendar-year Grand Slam on the line. That isn’t the case this time around since the 36-year-old’s chance ended with a loss to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon championship match. I’m expecting a much better version of Djokovic, who has been pretty much dominant this fortnight aside from a brief two-set hiccup against countryman Laslo Djere in round three.

That being said, Djokovic should not be an overwhelming favorite. In fact, this match is close to a toss-up in my eyes. Medvedev has been absolutely awesome at this U.S. Open, which is nothing new for him. It’s quite simply his favorite tournament (runner-up in 2019, champion in 2021). Unlike most of Djokovic’s opponents, the Russian won’t go into the match mentally defeated. He knows he can beat the 23-time major winner (he has done it five times)–especially in this particular situation. I had Djokovic over Medvedev in four sets in the final before the tournament started. I’m changing it to five. Djokovic in 5: 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-3.

Cheryl Murray: It’s a rematch of the 2021 U.S. Open men’s final, but without the specter of the CYGS hanging over Djokovic’s head. On that occasion, Medvedev played the role of the opportunistic usurper with perfection. With history on the line, Medvedev put in a clinical performance, taking advantage of a physically depleted Djokovic to win in three shockingly one-sided sets. He’s not likely to have that same experience this time around.

First, Djokovic isn’t physically depleted. Second, there is no chance of the CYGS since Alcaraz won Wimbledon. It’s hard to look at this match and not assume that Djokovic is the heavy favorite. Still, it’s Medvedev on hard courts. And Medvedev must always be taken seriously when he’s playing on hard courts. He’s a disruptor, a temperamental threat with a non-traditional game. Expect this one to be close. The Russian had the much more complicated semi, a hard-fought win over Alcaraz. But Djokovic has been a bit out-of-form in a couple of his matches over this fortnight. In the end, it’s hard to pick against Djokovic–so I won’t. But I will also put out there that I wouldn’t be surprised to see Medvedev take the title, either. Djokovic in 5: 6-7(5), 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Pete Ziebron: Djokovic has the rare opportunity to actually improve on his 2021 accomplishments at majors this year if he is to win the title. Should he defeat Medvedev, he will have won 83 sets this year in the majors with a 27-1 record compared to 81 sets won with the 27-1 match mark from two years ago (he failed to win a set in the 2021 U.S. Open final against Medvedev). The Serb is also two years older now but finds the familiar face of Medvedev across the net once again. In 2019 I personally witnessed when Medvedev became the Medvedev we know today, going for broke in their Cincinnati semifinal — which caused Djokovic to be flummoxed and without answers that day.  Medvedev was ranked No. 8 at that time and except for a brief dip earlier this year has resided in the ATP top 5 for the overwhelming majority of the time ever since that victory.  His confidence on the court going forward dramatically changed during and following that landmark match in Cincy.

Even though the Russian declared that his 12-out-of-10 performance was a necessity to defeat Alcaraz in the semis on Friday, will he actually be able to replicate this form in the final against someone he has defeated just five times in 14 attempts? Since the sluggish start in his third-round match against Djere, Djokovic has not dropped a set and appears to be peaking. Pete Sampras used to say, “Winning one major is a good year; winning two is a great year.” Djokovic is attempting to win three majors in a year for the fourth time (Roger Federer has done it three times, Nadal just once). Djokovic has won nine majors since the last time he triumphed in New York (2018) and will be able to see his way through again this time. Djokovic in 4: 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-

 

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.)

Vasek Pospisil: Life After Tennis

Vasek Pospisil is a Canadian tennis player, ranked as high as number 25 in the world in singles, number 3 in doubles. In 2014, playing with American Jack Sock for the first time, Pospisil won the Wimbledon championship. The pair also reached the finals of Cincinnati that year and won the Indian Wells title in 2015. In singles, Pospisil reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2014.  This interview was an exclusive with Tennis Acumen, in Knoxville, Tennessee, November 2019. Karl Corbett poses the questions.

KARL: We’ve talked about retirement, and when you will know it’s time for you to retire. I have talked with athletes well past their prime, and even they say: “I can still get better. I still have more to do.” How does that sit with you?

VASEK: Well, it's a slippery slope, because you can still be improving certain parts of your game, and do it forever really, if you want to break it down. But obviously, from the global perspective, you can be getting worse in most areas, but improving in other ways. I think it's  more about results. Of course, the game itself changes, too. You can’t stay in it unless you're able to evolve with. Back to results versus improving your game, I can improve my slice, for example, and that's fine but if I can't get to the ball, then I won't be playing it.

 

KARL: Ever thought about broadcasting?

VASEK: Actually, I just had a funny conversation with my coach about broadcasting. We were listening to some commentators and I was joking around, talking about them. I mean, yeah, I would entertain the idea, for sure. I think it would be fine, but the only way that I would get into broadcasting is if, you know, they were okay with the fact that  I just speak my mind. If one of the commentators said something stupid, or something I disagree with, I'd just call him out on it. I'm joking, of course, I’d not be completely outspoken.

 

KARL: But I think I've heard other people say the same thing.

VASEK: I think people would tell me to be careful, for sure. But, I’m pretty easy going.  

 

####

 

 

 

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.)

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.

Cincinnati final expert picks: Alcaraz vs. Djokovic

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

1. 

(Photo credit: Karl Corbett (c) 2009 Tennis Acumen)

Expert picks are back for the Cincinnati final on Sunday, when word No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and world No. 2 Novak Djokovic meet again following their epic Wimbledon clash. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

(1) Carlos Alcaraz vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

Ricky Dimon: This should be another awesome one between Alcaraz and Djokovic. They have faced each other three times and outside of Alcaraz cramping all three have either been instant classics or had the makings of instant classics. As good as this Cincinnati final is expected to be, I think almost every advantage goes to Djokovic–albeit slightly–that will be enough to decide the match by small margins. One, he has the revenge factor on his side following his five-set loss in the Wimbledon title match that ended his hopes of the calendar-year Grand Slam. Two, the Serb has not dropped a single set this week. Alcaraz, on the other hand, hasn’t won a single match in straight sets. Djokovic is in superior form and–even though this isn’t a major–he will be very motivated for obvious reasons. Djokovic in 3: 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

Cheryl Murray:  This will be the first ever hard-court match between Djokovic and Alcaraz. Alcaraz has a scant 2-1 head-to-head lead, which includes his most recent title win at Wimbledon. In some ways, the freshness of the rivalry adds some…intrigue. The sample size isn’t yet large enough to determine if there is a legitimate matchup advantage for either man. My instinct says that hard courts will favor Djokovic, as he is the winningest hard-courter of all time. Still, the Wimbledon result gives me pause since I had no real expectation that Alcaraz would swipe that title out from under Djokovic. With that said, I am still inclined to give Djokovic the nod on this since he’s in better form and because he’s…well…Novak Djokovic. Djokovic in 3: 6-4, 6-7(7), 7-5.

Pete Ziebron:  This anticipated and expected final almost did not happen on several different occasions, as Alcaraz has been taken to three sets in each of his matches in Cincinnati.  A match point was saved in the semis against Hubert Hurkacz and a rain delay in the third set in the round of 16 against Tommy Paul allowed the world No. 1 to regroup and close out yet another tight match.  Collectively, Alcaraz is 15 for 60 on break points in the tournament–including just one for 11 in his semifinal win. Djokovic has been much more efficient in his time on court. The Serb did not drop a set en route to the final and he bageled Taylor Fritz in just 20 minutes in the opening set of their quarterfinal. Djokovic will be appearing in his eighth Cincinnati final and is seeking his third title. Alcaraz is certainly fortunate to be playing on Sunday, as he has found a way to advance in each of his previous matches. His current form this week will not be nearly enough to win the title against a determined Djokovic, who has always played well in Cincinnati throughout his storied career. Djokovic in 2: 6-4, 7-5.

Larry Scott Won One ATP Match - At Wimbledon

PETE ZIEBRON

 

Former Pacific 12 Commissioner and WTA CEO Larry Scott had a career ATP record of 1-18 and reached a career high of world #210 in November 1987.  He did, however, pick quite the place to record his lone ATP victory - at Wimbledon of all places! 

Larry Scott defeated world #109 Greg Holmes 6-4 6-2 7-6 in the opening round at Wimbledon in 1987.  Six weeks later though, Holmes defeated world #6 Jimmy Connors in straight sets at Stratton Mountain, Vermont.  Throughout his career, Holmes also defeated major title winners: Guillermo Vilas, Mats Wilander, Johan Kriek and Andre Agassi.  Holmes also had several additional notable career wins including wins over the following: Kevin Curren, Tim Mayotte, Aaron Krickstein, Brad Gilbert and Guy Forget.

After defeating Holmes, Larry Scott lost in straight sets to Michiel Schapers of the Netherlands 6-7 3-6 2-6.  

Scott fared significantly in doubles, posting at 20-39 record, with a title in Newport in 1987.  Scott partnered with Dan Goldie and they defeated Chip Hooper and Mike Leach 6-3 4-6 6-4 to win $3,000 in prize money.

The most significant victory opponents in Scott's doubles career happened in the opening round of Washington in 1987 when he and partner Dan Goldie defeated  Andre Agassi / Jimmy Arias 7-6 2-6 7-5.   Scott also recorded two wins at majors in doubles: at the US Open in 1987 and at Wimbledon in 1988.

Larry Scott was paid in excess of $50,000,000 as Pac 12 Commissioner, just a bit more than the $3,000 he earned with his Newport title.

 

 

Wimbledon final expert picks: Djokovic vs. Alcaraz

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

 

(photo courtesy of txtreport.com)

Expert picks are back for the Wimbledon final on Sunday, when seven-time champion Novak Djokovic and word No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz battle for the title. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

(1) Carlos Alcaraz vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

Ricky Dimon: Novak Djokovic is a 23-time Grand Slam champion and seven-time winner of Wimbledon. Carlos Alcaraz is playing in the fourth grass-court tournament of his career. Advantage: Djokovic? Maybe. But Alcaraz sent a message to both Djokovic and the entire rest of the tour with consecutive straight-set beatdowns of Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. Even at just 20 years old, Alcaraz has all the tools to give Djokovic a run for his money at the All-England Club. Still, in a long match the Serb will likely have the edge both mentally and physically–especially considering that this is a Grand Slam final. On this kind of stage, experience is a real factor. Djokovic and Alcaraz just recently collided in the French Open semis and the tennis world was deprived of an instant classic. It’s what we all deserve to see in the rematch. Djokovic in 5: 7-6(4), 5-7, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Cheryl Murray: It’s going to be No. 1 vs. No. 2 at Wimbledon on Sunday. A month ago on the red clay of Roland Garros, pundits (including me) had Alcaraz moving through his semifinal showdown with Djokovic. It was going to be the changing of the guard and all of that fun business. Except it wasn’t. Alcaraz inexplicably cramped up after winning the second set and limped through the rest of the match. It was completely unexpected–a mental collapse manifesting itself in cramped thighs. The Spaniard has proven to be resilient in the face of disappointment, so I don’t necessarily count him out…and he has looked outstanding in his last couple of matches. But when you are up against maybe the greatest Wimbledon champion of all time, resilience may not be enough. Djokovic is a mental giant, pulling out his best shots when he needs them most. He is almost absurdly fit, and he’s just better than everyone else on Centre Court and has been for the better part of the last decade. I cannot (will not) pick against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. Djokovic in 4: 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(6), 6-3.

Pete Ziebron: They meet again! Both semifinals won by Djokovic and Alcaraz resulted in one-way traffic, with both victors providing slim opportunities to their opponents in their respective straight-set wins. In this final, we can only hope for the caliber of tennis that we saw in the first two sets of their recent semifinal clash last month at Roland Garros before both the body and mind of Alcaraz failed him in what he was hoping to accomplish against Djokovic. Neither player has lost a match since that day. Alcaraz has more than proven that he has figured out how to play and win on grass since last year’s fourth-round Wimbledon exit at the hands of Jannik Sinner. A large key in this final will be: can he reliably hold serve against Djokovic? Twice in the third set, despite having a firm command on the match against Medvedev, he played poorly in consecutive service games and was broken–allowing the Russian with a pair of chances to find his way back into the set and match. Fortunately for the top seed, this did not happen. It simply can not happen for him to have any chance against Djokovic. Once again, though, the Serb will prove that he is simply “too good” for Alcaraz as he capitalizes on his service breaks and concurrently makes the 20-year-old pay dearly for not holding serve when absolutely necessary. Djokovic in 4: 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 7-

Wimbledon semifinal expert picks: Djokovic vs. Sinner, Alcaraz vs. Medvedev

This article appeared on The Grandstand.

Expert picks are back for the Wimbledon semifinals on Friday, when Novak Djokovic faces Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz does battle with Daniil Medvedev. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.

(8) Jannik Sinner vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

Ricky Dimon: This one of the few matchups involving Djokovic right now that are actually worth breaking down. Two of the others feature the two semifinalists on the other side of the Wimbledon draw, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev. It’s a blockbuster final four lineup at the All-England Club, and neither match on Friday should disappoint. Sinner is a heavy underdog, of course, but there are reasons to think he will be competitive. The eighth-ranked Italian led Djokovic two sets to love in the 2022 Wimbledon quarterfinals and he is a better, more experienced player one year later. Sinner is one of just a handful of guys on tour who have the firepower to–occasionally–take the racket out of Djokovic’s hands. Sustaining it over the course of a best-of-five match, however, is a different story. The 36-year-old Serb is supremely motivated, and when he’s motivated he is pretty much unbeatable. Count on his bid for the calendar-year Grand Slam to remain alive. Djokovic in 4: 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.

Cheryl Murray: Simply put, I won’t pick against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. He is a seven-time Wimbledon champion and holds the title from the last four times the event was held (there was no Championships in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic). His mental toughness, his athleticism, and his innate understanding of how to win on grass are currently unmatched on the men’s tour. Still, it must be pointed out that Sinner had Djokovic on the ropes at last year’s Wimbledon. The young Italian was up two sets to none before Djokovic clawed his way back in their quarterfinal match. Sinner has only gotten stronger and more confident, so this semi should be a treat. Djokovic nearly always finds a way to win, and I expect that will be the case in this match, as well…but Sinner is going to make him work for it. Djokovic in 4: 5-7, 7-6(4), 7-5, 6-3

Pete Ziebron: Djokovic has had a significantly more difficult route to the semifinals, tested at the end by Stan Wawrinka, finding a way to ultimately break Hubert Hurkacz, and then dropping just eight games over the final three sets after dropping set one to Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. Sinner, meanwhile, has yet to face a seeded player. His path to the semis included wins over world No. 111 Juan Manuel Cerundolo, No. 98 Diego Schwartzman, No 79 Quentin Halys, No. 85 Daniel Elahi Galan, and No. 92 Roman Safiullin. Last year Djokovic ended Sinner’s run at Wimbledon in the quarters, coming from a two set to love deficit and surrendering only eight games in the final three sets to win the match. This match appears to be lopsided, tilted heavily in favor of Djokovic. That being said, Sinner proved that he can compete with the seven-time Wimbledon champion on Centre Court. While this would be quite the monumental win for Sinner, for Djokovic it is simply business as usual as he has his sights set on grander results this weekend and perhaps in New York later this summer. Djokovic in 4: 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. 

(1) Carlos Alcaraz vs. (3) Daniil Medvedev

Ricky: I had both of these semifinal matchups in my pre-tournament predictions (as did many!), and my pick for this one at the time was Alcaraz in four. I haven’t seen anything that changes my mind. Medvedev has been good, but Alcaraz has been great–at least toward the business end of the tournament. The top-ranked Spaniard was tested by Nicolas Jarry in the third round, but he mostly cruised against 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in round four and then erased Holger Rune in easy straight sets to wrap up the quarterfinal schedule. If Alcaraz maintains that kind of level, he is going to be too good for Medvedev. The Russian, who is coming off a five-setter against Chris Eubanks, is a self-proclaimed hard-court specialist. I just can’t see him beating Alcaraz on any other surface at the moment. Alcaraz in 4: 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.

Cheryl:  No. 1 vs. No. 3 in the semifinals of Wimbledon is the working definition of “not a surprise.” Except…it IS kind of a surprise. Perhaps not from Alcaraz, who works his way into the business end of almost every tournament he enters. But Medvedev had not exactly been impressive in his previous showings at the All-England Club. His best-ever result prior to this season was a fourth-round appearance in 2021. A grass-court expert he is not. Alcaraz gave Medvedev a shellacking when they met in the Indian Wells finals. This isn’t likely to be so one-sided; it will probably be more competitive. Still, the Spaniard has displayed impressive consistency. He has already won five titles in 2023, including the warm-up event at Queen’s Club. It’s hard to imagine Medvedev taking out Alcaraz when the top seed is in this form. Alcaraz in 4: 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Pete: It has been quite the roller-coaster season this year for Medvedev, with a straight-set, third-round loss at the Australian Open, a 19-match winning streak ended by Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final, a pair of Masters 1000 titles in Miami and Rome, and a much earlier departure than expected in the opening round at Roland Garros. Since their meeting in the California desert in March, Alcaraz also won the Madrid Masters 1000 and breezed through an impressive field a few weeks ago at Queen’s Club. Both players had tussles in reaching the semis: Medvedev with Eubanks in the quarters, where he was a fourth-set tiebreak loss away from departing the tournament, and Alcaraz with Jarry and Berrettini in the third and fourth rounds, respectively. Sure they played here two years ago, Medvedev winning easily in straights; but Alcaraz was No. 75 in the world at the time and played a Challenger event two months prior. Where Medvedev would usually be able to find a way to win against most of the rest of the ATP field, he has few answers against Alcaraz in this semifinal. Alcaraz in 4: 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-3.

 

French Open semifinal expert picks: Alcaraz vs. Djokovic

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

(Photo courtesy of  flipboard.com)

Expert picks are back for the French Open semifinal showdown between No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz and two-time champion Novak Djokovic on Friday. A three-team panel previews the showdown and makes its predictions.

Ricky Dimon: There simply haven’t been enough Alcaraz vs. Djokovic matches since the Spaniard emerged on tour a few years ago. Well, the French Open draw (and Daniil Medvedev by winning the Rome Masters and becoming No. 2) solved that problem. Alcaraz and Djokovic are clearly the two best players in the world right now, but they will collide in the semifinals instead of the final.

Arguments can be made for both men. It’s a Grand Slam, and in such a situation you can never count out Djokovic. However, Alcaraz has been the best player on tour this whole year (since he missed the Australian Open, at least) and he looked superior to Djokovic–with room to spare–in their respective quarterfinal matches. Again, you can’t feel great about picking Djokovic to lose any Grand Slam match…except against Alcaraz. This guy is just different. It’s Alcaraz’s title to lose–and I don’t think he will. Alcaraz in 4: 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4.

Cheryl Murray: This is the match. The one everyone has been waiting for. There has been much speculation about what a best-of-five match between Djokovic and Alcaraz would be like. There are plenty of considerations–plenty of reasons to think Djokovic is going to pull out the win and just as many to think it’s going to be Alcaraz. First, there’s experience; nobody has as much big-match experience as Djokovic; tick a box for Djokovic. Then there’s form. The Serb hasn’t been at his best since the Australian Open, but Alcaraz has been outstanding. Point to the Spaniard.

Then there’s their only previous match–a barnburner of an encounter in Madrid last year. Alcaraz won that one–just barely. But that was a slightly lesser version of Alcaraz prior to his Grand Slam breakthrough at the U.S. Open. Check for Alcaraz. Then again, there is nothing trickier than dispatching Djokovic in a best-of-five encounter. It…just doesn’t happen very often–except for the traditional “Rafael Nadal beats Djokovic at Roland Garros” storyline. Another hash mark for he Serb. This one has the makings of the match of the year so far. Grab your popcorn. Alcaraz in 5: 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-7(2), 6-4.

Pete Ziebron: It’s the absolute steely determination of Djokovic vs. the free-swinging, seemingly “can’t miss” Alcaraz! While many will consider this semifinal to be the de facto final, the victor must then win one more match to hoist La Coupe des Mosquetaires. Despite dropping only one set en route to the semis, Djokovic has labored on court–being extended to five tiebreakers in previous rounds. Alcaraz, meanwhile, declared that he felt invincible on court at times during his opening round win over a qualifier. The Spaniard then lost the second set in his next match against world No. 112 Taro Daniel. The course was immediately corrected, though, as Alcaraz won 66 of the next 92 games played while steamrolling into the semifinal. 

At 36 years old, Djokovic knows his time is limited to continue to achieve all he set out to do in his career. Plus Nadal did not appear in the draw this time. These two factors will elevate the Serb to the win, as it will be a monumental relief to not have to face Nadal at Roland Garros in an attempt to win the title. Djokovic in 4: 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

Monte-Carlo final expert picks: Rublev vs. Rune

This article appeared on The Grandstand.

Expert picks are back for the Monte-Carlo men’s singles championship match between Andrey Rublev and Holger Rune on Sunday afternoon. A three-team panel previews the showdown and makes its predictions.

Pete Ziebron: Three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka won only a single Masters 1000 title in his career, ironically in Monte-Carlo. On Sunday, either Rublev will match Stan’s number or Rune will even pull ahead with his second when the victor hoists the hardware in the Cote D’Azur. Rublev was a finalist here two years ago and even defeated Rafael Nadal in the quarters at that time. This year he navigated his way through a trickier than expected opening match against Jaume Manur and then steadied his game onward. Despite dropping the opening set against Fritz in the semis, the Russian lost just four games the rest of the way to clinch his spot in the final.

Rune had a much more challenging route to the Monte-Carlo Final. Victories over Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev and Sinner here are a bit reminiscent of his Paris Masters title late last year when the Dane defeated FIVE top-10 players plus Wawrinka to win the title. This will be their third meeting since last November, with Rublev advancing to the Australian Open quarters after winning a fifth-set tiebreaker 11-9. Rublev simply wants this title more, plus Rune will be a tad fatigued after valiantly rallying past Sinner and the crowd in the semis. Rublev 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

 

Ricky Dimon: The only real concern for Holger Rune in this one is a three-set battle with Jannik Sinner deep into Saturday night, while Andrey Rublev finished his semifinal against Taylor Fritz hours earlier. However, Rune was fine physically in that match and if he is feeling 100 percent on Sunday than he should have just about every other matchup advantage over Rublev. The 19-year-old boasts the more well-rounded all-court game, especially on clay. He is also a Masters 1000 champion already, having triumphed at the 2022 Paris Indoors–where he beat an amazing five consecutive top-10 opponents, including Rublev in the third round and Novak Djokovic in the final.

Rublev, on the other hand, is 0-2 lifetime in Masters 1000 title matches and did not even come close to winning a set in either one of those contests (one in Monte-Carlo–against Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2021). Still, I expect this to be competitive. Rublev’s forehand is lethal and he outlasted Rune in an absolutely wild five-set affair at this year’s Australian Open. Rune will likely get some revenge, but it probably won’t be easy. Rune 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.

 

Cheryl Murray: If Sunday’s match is ANYTHING like the 2023 Australian Open encounter between Rublev and Rune, we are in for a real treat. In January these two met in Melbourne with electrifying results. Rublev staved off a pair of match points and clawed his way back from a 5-0 deficit in the super- tiebreaker to close out the match 7-6(9) in the fifth set. 

It’s likely Sunday’s final is at least going the distance. Rune will be all fired up from his various…interactions with a jeering crowd during his semifinal against Sinner on Saturday. The Dane was clutch at just the right moment, breaking Sinner at 5-5 to earn a chance to serve out the match. For his part, Rublev has had a great week–but I don’t see him getting past Rune and his confidence this time around. Rune 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

 

###

 

Miami Open final expert picks: Medvedev vs. Sinner

This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.

 

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

Ricky Dimon: If you remember my pre-tournament predictions for the Miami Open, you already know which way I am going. Yes, I had Jannik Sinner over  Daniil Medvedev in the final before this event even began. There’s absolutely no reason to waffle now. After all, Sinner has been amazing in Miami–just as he has been throughout his career in the 305. The 21-year-old is 13-1 in completed matches at the Miami Masters. This run to his second Miami final featured four straight-set beatdowns (including over Andrey Rublev) and an upset of top seed and Indian Wells champion Carlos Alcaraz.

It is true that Medvedev is 5-0 in the head-to-head series, but Sinner has been extremely competitive on multiple occasions–including in the recent Rotterdam title match. Miami presents the Italian with a great opportunity to turn the tide and get over the hump. Conditions in Miami are fine for Medvedev, but they are ideal for Sinner. I think in this situation Sinner’s offense beats Medvedev’s defense. Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

(photo credit: Karl Corbett, Tennis Acumen)

Cheryl Murray: While it lacks the zing of a Medvedev-Alcaraz showdown, a Sinner-Medvedev match is still a treat of a final for Masters 1000. Perhaps six months ago it wouldn’t have been. Medvedev holds a comprehensive 5-0 record over Sinner and their matches haven’t always been compelling. But 2023 is a different Sinner, and he has played fantastic tennis during the Sunshine Double.

Sinner has traditionally played well in Miami. The world No. 11 made the final in 2021, and while he bowed out in the quarters last year it was due to injury rather than getting outplayed. With Sinner buoyed by his semifinal win over Alcaraz on Friday and with Medvedev starting to show a bit of fatigue from playing his fifth final in five tournaments, I think the Italian gets his first win over the Russian. Sinner 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.

(photo credit: Karl Corbett, Tennis Acumen)

Pete Ziebron (Tennis Acumen): Somehow at the moment on the ATP Tour, a hard-court Masters 1000 final involves the No. 4 and No. 10 seeds. Upon closer review, however, it’s not a surprising matchup since we will all be treated to Medvedev vs. Sinner. The Sunshine Double nearly ended up with identical finals. Sinner had other ideas and crashed the party by seizing control of his semifinal against Alcaraz midway through the final set. The prize for defeating the world No. 1? An even more difficult assignment with an opponent whom he has never beaten in five previous attempts.  

Medvedev has dropped just three of 13 sets against Sinner. The Russian’s 19-match winning streak was ended by Alcaraz in the Indian Wells final, but he will attempt to win his fourth title of 2023 in Miami. At the Indian Wells Masters, Medvedev had several quality tuneups prior to the final; this time his opponents were ranked 84th, 79th, and 119th before facing world No. 16 Karen Khachanov in the semis. As comfortable as this matchup and tournament are for Medvedev, it is concurrently cumbersome and taxing for Sinner. Medvedev 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

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.

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.

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: 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.)

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.)