That’s what opponents are saying as they leave the court, casualties of young American Aleks Kovacevic at the 2019 Challenger tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee.
With his confidence bolstered by the previous night's win over Bradley Klahn, Aleks Kovacevic faces Sekou Bangoura in the third round here in Knoxville.
Logo (c) knoxchallenger.com
The two have some things in common. Same size, same shape. They both stand at 6 feet tall, and weigh around 170. They’re both right-handed. In other ways, they are very different. Aleks was born in New York City, Sekou in Bradenton, Florida. Aleks learned tennis from his parents in Central Park. Sekou grew up watching his father teach at Bollettieri Academy. Bangoura turned pro in 2011. Kovacevic is still playing at the University of Illinois.
It is Thursday, and the round of 16, played out on center court at the University of Tennessee. Let the games begin. At 1-1, Kovacevic holds at love, hitting well from forehand and backhand. At 1-2, a screaming backhand by Kovacevic puts Bangoura at a deficit. Applying pressure at the net, he recovers from 15-40, and it’s 2-2 . Kovacevic counters with a love hold, his first of many. When Bangoura earns a service point, he requests that the winning ball come back to him. It seems to improve his game. At 3-3, Kovacevic holds. Then, it happens.
New balls, please.
These new balls seem to affect Bangoura' s game, and he struggles serving at 4-5. He saves four break points but gives up the fifth. It’s over. First set, Kovacevic, 6-4.
Second set. Now, these two have seen each other's game. There are more points against serve, and more risk for the server. It’s 1-1, at deuce, Kovacevic serving. Bangoura comes to the net and hits a series of 5 perfect volleys. Kovacevic sends them all back. The sixth one is a winner. Bangoura converts a break point and leads, 2-1 . This is the first sign that Kovacevic might be vulnerable.
With multiple courts in play, spectators have a lot of entertainment from their elevated bleachers here in Knoxville. Down here on the floor, I look over my shoulder to see a young Australian taking apart a veteran Canadian. Sydney takes down Toronto. There's nothing like live entertainment.
Still in the second set, with Bangoura up, 4-2. It's time for.....
New balls, please.
I wonder what Bangoura is thinking. However, these new balls give Kovacevic trouble. He misses four of his first five serves, but then holds steady. They change ends. Bangoura serves. New balls, new racket.
But wait.... there's something going on with these balls. Kovacevic holds one to his ear. He shakes it. It rattles. The chair umpire does the same and retires that ball from play. The remaining balls work well for Kovacevic, who holds. He’s still down, 5-4. For Bangoura, the new racket does the trick, and he wins the set, 6-4.
Photo credit: University of Illinois
Both players had to play three sets to win in the second round. So here we are, true to form. Let's have a third set. It's a rewind to the beginning of this match. Kovacevic holds at love. Bangoura holds at love. Rinse. Repeat. Now, it's 3-2, Kovacevic in the lead. Once again, the umpire calls out:
"New balls, please."
Bangoura is not fazed. He holds at love. Kovacevic immediately returns the favor, and he is up 4-3.
Steady service games rule the day. Midway in the final set and we're dead even. Since the second set began, each player has won exactly 46 points. Now, Bangoura serves at 4-5. He must hold, or it's over. Early in the game, Bangoura retrieves a ball deep in the corner and puts up a weak backhand lob. Kovacevic comes to the net and puts it away down the middle. Somehow, Bangoura flings up a racket and sends a rainbow that lands back on the baseline. Kovacevic runs over the top of the ball and hits a ' tweener' that just clears the net. Bangoura stands waiting at the net and angles a beautiful volley for a winner. That's all he had left. Bangoura commits three unforced errors in a row, and Kovacevic has his third breakthrough match in three rounds of Challenger tennis. No doubt, he'll always remember Knoxville.
After the match, Tennis Acumen sat with Aleks Kovacevic. On the record, Aleks said he is surprised, but not really shocked by his third win in a row. Perhaps, at the end of the tournament, he will have time to celebrate. For now, he is already focused on the next round, just 15 minutes after another breakthrough win.
His experience at the NCAA national tournaments and a deep run there taught him that “You have to stay hungry to go deep”. That was his best tournament performance ever, and it came because he was focused. Right now, he's happy, but all he wants to do is “act like someone who has been here before.”
In his first match on Monday, going into the first set, playing at Challenger level itself was a mental block. The "boost in confidence from that win was huge". Going into the second round, Aleks was thinking about “How I was here, playing someone ranked #105 in the world.” He took a lot away from that victory. Today, in the third round, Aleks felt as if he belonged.
He certainly does. We look forward to watching his bright future unfold.
Photos and article: Karl Corbett, unless otherwise credited, (c) Tennis Acumen 2019
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