Tennis Acumen

Vasek Pospisil: Off Court

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: Moving on, Vasek, in your personal interests. Are you more into food or fashion or music…? What attracts your attention when you really have a moment that belongs to you?

Vasek:   I was doing a lot of music over the last four or five years. I started playing the guitar in 2014. Actually, for three or four years I didn't go a day without playing. Then, when I learned how to write songs, I started writing songs on my spare time on the tour. I have written 90 songs so far, so that has been a big part of my life. Any time I had free time, I picked up the guitar. I traveled with one every week of the year, so I really got into music big time. And that's a family thing, just like tennis.

My brothers have a band and my dad had a band as well when he was younger, in Eastern Europe. So, I think it's in my genes.  But, if anything, I did that as a kind of escape, a way to disconnect from tennis and the tour and the stresses of life in general. It’s one of the few things I can do to disconnect from everything. Lately, I haven't actually spent too much time on my music. I really want to get back to that as I have a bit more free time.

Now, I'm into some businesses and looking out for my career after tennis a little bit. But that's only been the last six months or so, with my injury. Prior to that, I was playing guitar  almost every day. So, I think that's something I'll get back to shortly. It’s in the blood, and you have to follow your heart, you know.

Aleks Kovacevic: Favorite Cities, Favorite Food

Knoxville, Monday the 4th of November, 2019.  We are here at Knoxville’s Challenger tournament with Aleksander Kovacevic, the 21-year-old American, who has already won his first-round match. Aleks sat down with Tennis Acumen's Karl Corbett for an exclusive interview.

Karl: If you had not taken up tennis as a pro, what would you be doing, Aleks?

Aleks: Probably soccer. When I was 13, I had to decide between soccer and tennis. I was more interested in tennis, so I am OK with my decision . It was a good one. Otherwise, think I'll be playing soccer now. I'm a competitive guy.

Karl: Interesting. You had mentioned travel, so I'd like to hear this: What are your favorite cities? Favorite foods, favorite scenery?

Aleks: Definitely, my favorite food was what I experienced when I went to Barcelona, training there. That was amazing. Great city. A lot of little markets fresh, fresh food. I eat organic a lot. They do a lot of things right there. So, I really enjoyed Barcelona. I grew up in New York City, more different foods than anywhere, but I was young, so I didn't really appreciate it, at the time . I only have been back to New York twice, once for the US Open and then New Year's this year. That's all the time I've been back since I was 15. I think in terms of my favorite city, though, I do love New York.

 

Karl: Excellent. Well, I think that gives me a complete picture. We'll just put it out there, so when people discover you, they'll know who you really are. I thank you very much.

Aleks: It’s been fun. appreciate it.

Aleks Kovacevic: My Inspiration

Knoxville, Monday the 4th of November, 2019.  At Knoxville’s Challenger tournament with Aleksander Kovacevic, the 21-year-old American, who has already won his first-round match. Aleks sat down with Tennis Acumen's Karl Corbett for an exclusive interview.

Karl:  So, where do you get your inspiration, Aleks? That inspiration that makes you be willing to do all the hard work? This  is not an easy racket.

Aleks: Growing up, I was watching guys like Federer. I  loved his playing style and I kind of wanted to play like he does. I just  really liked tennis when I was younger. It is tough now, especially to just keep grinding, to keep coming out day after day, especially in  down times, where you are in a slump. You haven't won. You don't feel good about tennis. You've been working to  get better for 15 years, and you're still not doing as well as you want to. It's tough. There are a lot of people that say, straight up: " Oh, I love tennis. I love everything about it." For me, it's not that easy. Honestly, I've been playing for such a long time and in any sport, or anything you do for such a long time, if you are not, let's say, reaping benefits from it, it's gonna take a toll on you.. So, I'm happy to be doing well in these tournaments. But you've got to try to find some kind of motivation inside, even when you're in a slump. You have to figure it out, so you can keep  progressing. And that's  been getting better recently, as I've matured. When I was playing in the Juniors, growing up in this game, that was something I was really struggling with. Like I said, it's hard when you don't see results right away. It's hard. You keep trying to get back out there and grind.

 

Karl:  You are very articulate. This is very interesting. So, some guys just love to win. Some guys hate to lose. Where are you on that spectrum?

Aleks: I definitely hate to lose. It's not that I walk into court expecting to win, every time, but if I do win, I feel like:  " OK. What's next? Still in the mix. Next up, you know". When I lose it's like: "How could I have lost?" I really feel defeated... and it just doesn't feel good. But when I win, I can focus on my  next match. That's kind of what I'm doing right now. I can't really celebrate much until, maybe, I win the whole tournament. T hen,  I'd really  settle in and celebrate.

Karl:  So, You like to win, but you hate to lose even more.

Aleks: That about covers it.

Read more of this interview here: (LINK)

Aleks Kovacevic: Tennis in Central Park

Knoxville, Monday the 4th of November, 2019.  We are here at Knoxville’s Challenger tournament with Aleksander Kovacevic, the 21-year-old American, who has already won his first-round match. Aleks sat down with Tennis Acumen's Karl Corbett for an exclusive interview.

Karl: Aleks, it's hard for me to find, over the last two years, a  point where you lost your first match two weeks in a row. So, you're playing a lot. You're getting a lot of work out there.

Aleks: Yeah. A big thing that I have been  improving on is being consistent week to week, which is really important, especially on the Futures tour . The last five Futures I've played, I haven't lost before the semi-finals. That's  just a big confidence boost, to know that I will be there every week, to know that I can be there and compete and go farther in the tournament. Today, this was a test, at Challenger  level. I had not actually won a match at Challenger  level yet. This is my first one today.

 

Karl:  It really was a lot of work, at 7-5, 7-5. What was your inspiration to get into the game to begin with,  Aleks?

Aleks: I grew up in New York City, Upper West Side. My parents were Ping-Pong pros, both of them . We had a table in our basement. My parents had  a little apartment when I was growing up, about a five-minute walk from the Central Park Tennis courts. So, my parents  started to play tennis on the weekends, and sometimes I'd  go with them. When I was still very young, I started playing with them and they put me into lessons there in Central Park. And what's interesting is this: now that I live in Illinois, going to school there, and now that I have traveled, playing tennis all over the USA, I sometimes forget how special it was... that I started playing tennis in Central Park, New York City.

 

Karl:  I love that.

Aleks: I just didn't realize that this  was just  not a normal thing. It was my life, and it was special. When I was 15, I moved to Boca Raton, Florida,  because it’s a little strange trying to find court time in the middle of Manhattan. To play serious tennis, well... It's really hard to find players to practice with. It's just  not as ' tennis friendly' as, let's say, Boca which is where I live now. You can walk down any street, and there are tennis courts everywhere.

 

This is part 1 of a 3-part interview. Stay tuned for more. 

For more on Kovacevic's match play in Knoxville, visit here: (LINK)

Denis Istomin: Places, Passions and the End Game

In early 2020, Tennis Acumen interviewed veteran tennis pro Denis Istomin. Here's a part of that interview.

File photo: Denis Istomin goes down, 2010 against Roger Federer. (c) Tennis Acumen

Tennis Acumen:  You traveled a lot, obviously. What are some of your favorite cities on the tour, and your favorite  places to go in those cities?

Denis: I can say it's London, because I like Wimbledon. I like Melbourne as well. I like my home city. Actually there are two home cities, Moscow and Tashkent. So I live in both countries. I’ve seen a lot of cities I like, but these four, that’s my preference.

Tennis Acumen: And when you travel, you have a life outside of tennis. . What catches your interest most? Is it music, movies, food, fashion? What kind of things grab your attention off the tennis court Denis?

Denis: A little bit of everything. Sometimes I listen to music. Sometimes I watch movies. I read books, especially Dan Brown novels and books on psychology. I like to get out of the hotel and  just walk outside, see what is around, how the city looks. That’s if I have time. Sometimes, we don't have time for anything but tennis For example, here, I have to stay at the tournament all day, because you have practice and then you have doubles and then time to stretch. Then, maybe, work with the physio,  massage and then go  back to the hotel. There’s  dinner and the day is done.

Tennis Acumen: And what's your life going to be like one year from now?

Denis: I will still play tennis and maybe get back to a higher level, to play some more ATP tournaments. OK. This is the goal.

 Tennis Acumen: Have you thought about life after tennis?

Denis: Of course, I’ve been thinking about, yes. I’ve thought about it from the beginning. I would like to be a coach. Maybe I will open an academy in my home country. But, it's just a thought. First of all, I want to play as much as I can. When I stop, then I will decide what I want to do.

Tennis Acumen: Denis, thank you very much. It’s been great.

Denis: Thank you, too. Really appreciate it.

 

In the next part of this interview, Denis talks about playing against a friend (LINK)

Vasek Pospisil: Goals, Dreams and the End Game

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 Karl Corbett of Tennis Acumen, in Knoxville, Tennessee, November 2019.

 

Karl:  Going forward, Vasek, what are some of your personal goals in the game of tennis?

Vasek:  Coming back from surgery this year, I just wanted to get out there and play and enjoy my time on the court and see how the body feels, of  course. I  didn't really set any goals for this year, in in terms of results. I  just wanted to finish the year healthy, put in a good off-season and see where I was ranked at the end of the year and then set goals for 2020. I started playing some pretty good tennis around the  U.S. Open this year and it’s been building ever since. I feel pretty good on the court, so I'm going into 2020 with some pretty ambitious goals. I want to get back to the top 30,  where I was for a few years, you know, kind of hovering around there. I feel I'm still able to play that level. I just have to do it again, consistently. The main thing is to be healthy. So, my main priority is to get healthy, and see where the game goes from there.

 

Karl:  Looking further down the road, Vasek,  how will you know when you're done?

Vasek:  Good question. I mean for me, because I know how ambitious I am, I'll never be able to coast along, just traveling and picking up paychecks. As soon as I feel like I can't accomplish new heights in the sport, new achievements,  something that I haven't done before in my career, I will know that ship has sailed. That'll be the day I'll retire. If I didn't believe, standing here right now, if I didn't believe that I could still go and break the top 20, then maybe I would be retiring already. I just have so many things that I want to do in my life. Still, with that, I love tennis. But I love a challenge, too. Any challenge, So, I would love to try to be successful in something else, another domain in life. When I can look at myself in the mirror and honestly say: “OK, I know that the best is behind me in this sport.”,  then that'll be the day that I'll retire.

 

>>>>    READ MORE:  What was it like.... winning Wimbledon? Vasek tells us:  (LINK)

How does Vasek feel about winning versus losing?  (LINK)

 

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Denis Istomin: Playing Against a Friend

Hailing from Uzbekistan, Denis Istomin, at age 33, has played a lot of tennis, including a shocking upset in 2017, taking down the #1 player in the world. With a high ranking of #33, he has played all the other top players, as well. Denis sat down with Tennis Acumen in Columbus, Ohio. Here's part of that interview with Karl Corbett.

photo (c) 2020 Tennis Acumen |  Karl Corbett,

Karl: In terms of friends on the tour, are there people you really bond with, other players you spend time with?

Denis: Yes. Mostly Russian players. I like Andre Golubev. Also, Mikhail Kukushkin.

(Golubev, age 32, from Kazakhstan, reached a career high identical to Istomin at #33. Kukushkin, also from Kazakhstan, reached a career high of #39.)

They are both still around, they are the same age as me, we’ve played a lot of the same tournaments . We have had the same road to the top. You know, right there, those are my good friends. That’s probably all I can say who are friends. Sometimes,  you're going to dinner with someone, and you spend some time with them, but you cannot say they are really friends.

 

Karl:  I understand. Is it different when you play against a friend across the net? How do you prepare yourself for that?

Denis: You just don't think about who you play. You just think that you have to win, that it doesn't matter who is standing on the other side of the net. Like I say: when your friend is your opponent, for that game, there is no other answer. It's your opponent and you have to win. Okay, after the match, I can feel bad for my friend, or I can feel bad for myself that I lost to my friend. During and before the match it doesn't matter who is there.

 

Karl: Today  in Columbus, So your doubles partner is going to be your singles opponent tomorrow.

Denis: Yeah, it can change  every day. So many times, it’s been like this. I get used to it. Yeah.

 

READ MORE:  Denis talks about beating Novak Djokovic, here: (LINK)

 

You also may enjoy: Vasek Pospisil talks about Winning Wimbledon, here: (LINK)

 

Donald Young - A Life Outside of Tennis

Donald Young has been playing professional tennis for more than half of his life. Now 30 years old, he turned pro at age 15. Ranked as high as #38 in the world at one time, Donald Young sat down with Tennis Acumen for an exclusive interview with Karl Corbett. Here's part of that interview at the Knoxville Challenger, November of 2019. 

Karl: You've been all over the world, Donald. What are some of your favorite cities on the tour?

Donald: I really like Bangkok, Thailand. That was my first final on the ATP Tour, so that was pretty cool, but I loved the city in general. The people are super nice. Australia's great. Melbourne, I love it. In the States, Washington. DC is crazy. I love D.C. So, that's really been my top three.

 

Karl: So how about food, fashion, culture… that sort of thing around the world?

Donald: I'm really into fashion. London and Paris are great for that. But oh, yeah, food. I just like to eat. I'm not big on it, like a foodie, someone who goes to certain places to try a specific thing out. I just pick a couple of spots I like, and I go there the whole time, all the way through a tournament.

 

Karl: So, you keep going back to those spots, year on year? The same comfort zone?

Donald: Yeah, a lot of the same places, that's my thing.

 

Karl: And when you get out on the tour, you've got a life outside of tennis. What fascinates you? I mean, with some guys it's music, movies, books. How do you spend your time?

Donald: I like taking photos. actually. I am pretty big on that, so that's what I do. I like music as well. I don't play, but I listen to it. Photos, it's kind of my thing. I really enjoy it.

 

Karl: So, what subjects do you work with in your photos?

Donald: I like portraits, and I do landscapes, too… scenery. And. I've shot a few graduations, not serious stuff. It's pretty fun, but then I haven't done it a lot lately. I was really into it. So that's more my thing, for sure. I enjoy it.

 

More of this interview is available here, and there's more to come. Share with a friend.

Vasek Pospisil on Winning and Losing

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 Karl Corbett of Tennis Acumen, in Knoxville, Tennessee, November 2019.

Karl:  So, you've got to be a competitive person, right?

Vasek:  Yeah, I'm quite competitive. Pretty much anything that I do, and I mean anything that I do in my life, I go for it 100 percent. So, when I set my mind to something, I  always do it. I  do the best that I can in everything that I do.

 

Karl:  Some guys just love to win. For them, that's the most important thing. Some guys simply hate to lose. Where are you on that spectrum, Vasek? 

Vasek:  That's a tough question. I never really looked at it that way. Obviously, you know winning and losing come hand-in-hand… (pause) I  probably like winning more, but maybe I just I hate to lose. I'm not sure. It's tough to say. It's just that I'm competitive. I don't like it  when somebody gets the better of me. It's maybe a little bit of that, but at the same time it must be a  combination, because I'm very, very driven in anything  that I do. Even, let's say, in life after  tennis, I want to be very successful in anything that I do. That obviously has nothing to do with losing. That has everything to do with going out and getting something for yourself. So, I guess, with that, maybe I'm more  on the spectrum of loving to win, now that I think about it....

 

Karl: That's very articulate, Vasek. 

 

READ MORE: How did Vasek get started?  (LINK)

 

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Vasek Pospisil: How I Got Started

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 : So, Vasek, just to start, what inspired you to get into tennis in the first place?

Vasek:  Actually,  it was my Dad. My Dad was a huge tennis  fanatic. As long as  I can remember, I was playing. He was coaching my brothers. I have two  brothers that are seven and eight years older than me. So, they were playing, and my dad was coaching them. So, I looked up to them, and  ever since I started walking and  talking, I  wanted to be a tennis player. Truly, that came from my dad's influence and then he coached me. I  wanted to be a tennis player. That was always the goal and, well, that's the way it has worked out.

 

Karl : Now, were either of your parents athletic? .

Vasek:  They were both athletes.... Not professional, just recreational, and they were good. They didn't  pursue it professionally. I   think my dad was actually just a recreational tennis player who just was very passionate about the sport. When they immigrated to Canada, he picked  tennis magazines and coaching tips from  watching tennis on TV. That's how  he got into it. My parents were multi-sport.  He played basketball, soccer and all kinds of sports. My mom was  athletic, too. She was a runner, a sprinter, in fact. So, it was all around me, that sports background in my family.

 

Karl :  So, it's been in the DNA.

Vasek:  Yeah, maybe so. Yeah.

 

Karl :  How old were you when you seriously  picked up a racket?

Vasek:  Basically, right  from a very young age. I was  playing and taking lessons from my Dad when I was five. I  started playing tournaments when I was 6. I  went right into it.

 

 

READ MORE:  How does Vasek deal with defeat? Our interview continues here: (LINK)

 

 

There’s more in the interview section here at tennisacumen.com. Take a look around. Send a link to a friend.

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Zach Svajda: Young Gun, Part One

Zachary Svajda is an American tennis player, just starting his career.  When he sat down with Tennis Acumen in November 2019, he was 16 years old. Watching him on the practice courts, you can see his determination, his focus and his consistency staring to take shape. This is part one of a two-part personal insight into the life of a young gun. 

(photo: Karl Corbett,  copyright Tennis Acumen)

 

Karl Corbett, with Tennis Acumen. Knoxville, Tennessee, November 4th, reporting from the 2019 Challenger tournament. We're with Zach Svajda today, just coming off court after his first-round match. So, I've got to ask... At 16 years old, you're one of the youngest guys out on the tour. What was your inspiration for playing tennis?

Zach: I started when I was two years old. My Dad got me into it. I was on court, hitting volleys, you know. I was still in diapers. And then, by the time I was four and five, I was hitting pretty much every day. I really enjoyed it. My Dad played in college. He played a few pro tournaments, too. He always loved the game.

 

Karl: You love it, too.

Zach: I do.

 

Karl: You know, a lot of guys just absolutely love winning. Some people simply hate losing. Where are you on that spectrum, Zach?

Zach: Well, I love to win. It's tough losing, but it's a part of tennis. It's part of life. You just get back up. There is always another tournament, a new one every week. So, can't get too depressed.

 

Karl: What's your routine? When you're out traveling and doing tournaments, what's your sort of day to day routine?

Zach: Usually it's double practices: morning practice, afternoon practice, then into the gym. I'm usually done around four in the afternoon, and I can relax.

 

Karl: I don't think people have any idea how hard this is, Zach.

Zach: It's tough. It's really tough, yes .

 

Karl: So, what keeps you going?

Zach: This is what I want to do. This. Be a professional tennis player. It's always been my dream.

 

Karl: Well what players have you have you admired? Is there anyone whose style you like to emulate?

Zach: I like Alex DeMinaur. I like how he moves. You know, I'd like to be like Alex, solid from the baseline, right?

 

Karl: Yeah, I saw quite a bit of Alex. I covered the Atlanta tournament in June.

Zach: He took the title. I saw that.

 

Karl: And when he is 'on', there's no stopping him.

Zach: Alex is really quick. No doubt.

 

Karl: I have to say your game is really ferocious. You hit the ball as hard as anybody out there. And you tend to go side to side. You change directions more than just about anybody. Where does that fit into your overall game plan, or do you change that from one match to another?

Zach: It usually depends on who I am playing, but I love going side to side. But, when I am playing someone tall, I try to slice more and keep the ball low, give them trouble, having to go down low and go after it. I have to see, out on court, how my opponent is playing their game.

 

Karl: How long does it take you to read somebody you have never played?

Zach: I would say, most of the time, three to four games. I always look my opponents up on the Internet to see if there's anything that might help me get ready. I do research, and my coaches do that, too.

 

Karl: If you were not playing tennis, what would you be doing?

Zach: People always ask me that. I don't think too much about it, you know. Maybe acting, though. I think I could get into acting.

 

Karl: I think you'll be in this game for a while, Zach.

 

Now, read part two of this exclusive: (LINK)

Roy Smith: Family Life and Life on the Road

Roy Smith is an American tennis player, age 21. A star player at Baylor University, he's been ranked as high as #310 in the world.

 

Karl: We are here in Knoxville with Roy Smith, just sitting down to have a chat in the player’s lounge. Roy, you've had a good run at this tournament. I've been having a great time watching you play. And I'm just wondering what inspired you to get into tennis in the first place.

Roy: My grandfather played college tennis at Loyola University, down in New Orleans. So that’s what inspired me to play tennis.

Karl: So, did you hit balls with your grandfather at some point?

Roy: Yes. When he came to Connecticut and visited, I got to hit some  balls with him, and he coached me a little bit.

 

Karl: Okay. You have to give up a lot of other things in life to play this game. What kind of support does your family give you that makes that possible?

Roy: They're really supportive. They just tell me to go out there and do my best every day, and to keep on doing what I'm doing. One day it's going to click, you never know.

 

Karl: You're just turned 21 years old, right? You have been ranked for three years already. You've spent a lot of time away from home. Who do you keep in touch with when you're on the road?

Roy: I keep in touch with my Dad a lot. Yeah, my Dad, my sisters, my cousins. I just like staying on the phone with them. That helps me out a lot, especially when it gets kind of lonely. This week, I have my Mom traveling with me. So, that's really nice. But it's always nice to hear from my father, hear from my cousins. We are all really close to each other. My sister, Margaret Sexton. She's a lot older than me. She’s an author. She wrote this book called “ A Kind of Freedom”. Good book.

 

Karl: I will check that out. Have you done any travel to Europe or Latin America at this point?

Roy: I haven't been to Europe yet, but I have traveled to Ecuador and to Mexico. I also have been to Asia.

 

Karl: Well that is pretty extensive travel at 21 years old. That is epic. Among the places you've been, what are some of your favorites?

Roy: I’d have to say Japan and Korea. I played in Yokohama, And in Korea, we were in Gwangju and Busan,  in the south of the country.

 

Karl:  Tell me, what was the trip like to Ecuador? I've never been anywhere close.

Roy: Oh, Ecuador. It was really fun. The food was so good. The people were great. The weather was hot, really hot. it was nice.

 

Karl: Did you see any scenery, taking in the sights down there?

Roy: A little bit. You don’t get too much time on the tour. There’s too much tennis for that. I see a tennis court. Back to the hotel. But, I got to see a little bit. I like to sample the food. That's what I like.

 

Karl: What's your favorite food?

Roy: I love crepes.

 

Karl:  Oh, seriously? OK. That's more the European thing than the Ecuadorian thing.

Roy: And I like soul food. My Mom is a good cook….She's from New Orleans so. She cooks good gumbo,  jambalaya, po boys. Oh, yeah. She's a great cook when she wants to be. (laughs)

(This interview continues with Roy's thoughts on winning and losing  and 'trusting the process'. Visit once a week, and you won't miss a thing.)

 

Vasek Pospisil: Winning Wimbledon

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 doubles 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 opens things up. 

Karl: So, are you OK, talking about Wimbledon and the doubles championship? You have probably heard those questions a million times.

Vasek: No. I'd like to. I like talking about it. I mean it's a huge, incredible achievement, whether it's doubles or singles. I like to remind people that I also made the quarterfinals in singles. I don't view myself as a doubles player or a specialist. These last three years, especially, I've been playing with a focus mainly on singles and I've had a good singles career, as well. But it definitely, in doubles, being a Wimbledon champion, it's a huge achievement in your career.

 

Karl: On the heels of that, I'm based in Cincinnati. My wife and I watched every doubles match you and Jack played there in 2014, all the way to the finals, and you kept breaking records for a new doubles team. What did it feel like, the whole cycle, from winning a match, to settling down afterward and soaking in the victory, to getting up and doing it again, the next day? What was that cycle like for you, personally?

Vasek : All through Wimbledon and into Cincinnati, breaking those records, honestly, we were just high on confidence. We were going with the wave we were on. At Wimbledon, it just went by so quickly. At the time, I was top 30 in singles and I was not really focused on doubles at all. I wasn't really playing much doubles and then then we just got on this roll.

Jack and I were out of the singles competition, and we just decided to give it a go. We won, and then we just took down Cincinnati, all the way to the finals. It's one of those things when you get on a hot streak, you know. You're not really thinking too much. You just kind of go day by day. You're full of confidence in who you are .... believing in yourself and the team. If anything, it just went by really quickly. There was not really too much thought process going on at the time. We lived in the moment.

Karl: And what a moment that was, Vasek. What a moment.

 

>>>>    READ MORE:  How does Vasek feel about winning versus losing?  (LINK)

 

You may also enjoy:  Denis Istomin  talks about beating Novak Djokovic, here: (LINK)

We offer interviews with other fascinating players. Check our interview section (see the sidebar on the right) and enjoy. 

 

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Donald Young: A Brief History

Donald Young has been playing professional tennis for more than half of his life. Now 30 years old, he turned pro at age 15. Ranked as high as #38 in the world at one time, he sat down with Tennis Acumen for an exclusive interview with Karl Corbett.

Donald Young plays the Cincinnati Masters, 2009 (photo: Karl Corbett)

Karl: It’s February 26, 2020 and we are here at the Columbus Challenger event  with Donald Young. Donald, let me test your memory for a minute. Does this name ring a bell? Noam Okum.

Donald: Yeah. We played a few times. A really good Israeli player with a great one-handed backhand. We played 2004 in Cincinnati. I’m thinking it was in the qualies. And I know that Noam spanked Nicholas Monroe and me in doubles one time in Carson (California) playing with Dudi Sela. I remember that pretty vividly.

 

Karl: Your memory is astounding. I'm based out of Cincinnati. I saw that match. It was early on a Saturday morning on center court. You had to be 15 years old, at the time.

Donald: I had just turned 15, yes.

 

Karl: Did you have any idea what how unusual that was or what the pressure was?

Donald: No, I was just excited to play. Actually, I just wanted to be there and enjoying playing tennis. That's it.

 

Karl: Well, how did you come to play tennis and when did you start?

Donald: Both my parents play actively. My dad played in college. My mom was a weekend warrior. There was no real babysitter, so I was always on the court. If I was quiet and good, I had a chance to play. They let me get out there and hit a few balls at the end of their hits. Through that, I grew to love the game and kept playing…. and here we are now.

 

Karl: Was that in Chicago, Illinois?

Donald: Yeah. Indoor hard courts, so it was year-round. It was a club, Hyde Park Athletic Club, on the Southside.

 

Karl: And when did you discover you loved tennis and you wanted to do this more than anything?

Donald: I loved the game from a young age, maybe 10 or 11 years old. I wanted to be professional by age 13 or 14. The main goal was to get a college scholarship. That's what we always were working for.

 

Karl: So, did you play college tennis?

Donald: No, I did not. I was 15 when I turned pro. You know, it just seemed like a natural thing to do. I wanted to further my tennis and we couldn't afford to do it any other way. So, I needed to sign with a management company and get some sponsors. I could have just kept playing juniors, but you have to keep progressing.

 

Karl: And does your family still support you, work with you?

Donald: Both my parents, yes. They're both my coaches still and it’s really a family affair.

 

There is more to this interview, so keep an eye out for the next installment.

Jeffrey John (JJ) Wolf: Challenger Title - Family Ties

With JJ Wolf's title in the Columbus Challenger, March 2020, we thought you'd want to know more about this rising star. Columbus 2020 is his fourth Challenger title. Here's a Tennis Acumen exclusive from Knoxville, November 2019, as Karl Corbett interviews JJ Wolf.

Karl: Hi, JJ, and thanks for taking the time to talk with us. We are both from Cincinnati, and we go way back, it seems. Years back, we went to the Cincinnati Met tournament. Your Dad played there and won.

JJ: That is a big family tournament for us. My Mom actually won a couple of times, too.

 

Karl: I was just digging through photos. (pulls up a photo.) Would this be your Dad, by any chance?

JJ: Yes, that's my Dad, for sure.

Karl: That was 2004.

JJ: My Dad and my Mom won the mixed doubles a couple of times. I know my Mom won singles and doubles titles. My Dad won six or seven singles titles. It was something like 26 titles altogether: singles, mixed doubles, regular doubles.

 

Karl: We've been following you for years, because your Dad's name is so familiar. How did you get into tennis and what was your inspiration to play the game?

JJ: Oh, it's definitely a family thing. We would go on vacations when I was younger, and we'd always play mixed doubles: my Mom and me versus my sister my Dad. It was always a fun family thing to play together. You know, an hour a day on vacation until I was maybe six or seven, Then, I started to play seriously, three times a week, until I was ten or twelve. I played a bunch of other sports, so it was hard to play a lot of tennis. The team sports were more fun for me. As I got older, I wanted to control my own career a little more. In tennis you can do that.

 

Karl: How old were you when you first picked up a racket?

JJ: I remember a picture of me with a cut off tennis racket. I was really young, maybe three, just smacking the ball, but nothing serious.

 

Karl: Somewhere around three or four. And where's the passion now, where you maybe didn't have it at first?

JJ: It was just fun when I was younger. I still find it fun. I really like to compete. Maybe there’s something about family honor, trying to just make them proud, keep my values and honor the way my family brought me up. That's where I get the passion from. I want to make them proud and be successful for them.

 

There is more from this interview. While you are waiting on the next post, please visit out Interviews section: HERE

Denis Istomin: The Way I See It

Denis Istomin, at age 33, has played a lot of tennis, including a shocking upset in 2017, taking down the #1 player in the world. With a high ranking of #33, he has played all the other top players, as well. Denis sat down with Tennis Acumen in Columbus, Ohio. Here's part of that interview with Karl Corbett.

Karl: People love to hear about breakthrough matches and winning streaks. With that in mind, will you tell me about the Australian Open in 2017, beating Novak Djokovic? What was that experience like, just from the heart?

Denis: Actually, at that moment I was feeling great. I was happy that I beat Nole. But since then, everybody has put too much attention on this match. You know, this is the past. It's gone, and I'm still playing. I have to be there for every match. I won that match, but I have played so many matches. I have different stories, you know. Of course, to beat Novak, it's great. But to beat anyone is great. It's a win. You know, it doesn't matter who you play. It’s a win.

Denis: I mean, you cannot stop playing because you beat Djokovic or you beat Federer or you beat Nadal. Life continues. You have to win as much as you can. You cannot just stop after a win, and say it’s fine. In the Australian Open, that was just the second round. I didn't win the tournament. I didn't win the Grand Slam. It was just second round.

 

Karl: You know that's very thoughtful.

Denis: Actually, people place so much attention on that one match, but it's already in the past. Personally I just forgot about it, and that's it. I am sure Nole forgot about it the next day, forgot that he lost. Really, it's years ago. I have pretty much forgotten what I was thinking after the match.

 

Karl: Thank you for that. That's an intelligent look at things, Denis.

 

READ MORE: What is it like to play against a friend? Denis tells us, here: (LINK)

There is more to this interview, and we'll get it all out to you. Stay tuned to Tennis Acumen.

You may also enjoy:  Vasek Pospisil talks about winning Wimbledon, here: (LINK)

 

 

Jurij Rodionov: Breakthrough Tennis

February 2020, and Austrian tennis player Jurij Rodionov is the hottest player on the Challenger tour. In February alone, he has jumped 200 rankings points. After a win in Columbus, Ohio, he sat down with Tennis Acumen. Here's part of that exclusive interview. Jurij talks with Tennis Acumen's Karl Corbett. 

Jurij Rodionov sends back a ball at the 2020 Columbus Challenger (photo: Karl Corbett)

Karl: Jurij, you are on a hot streak right now. Looking back at your career, is there a particular match you could call a breakthrough?

Jurij: Not really, no. I had a breakthrough season, starting in 2018 and going into 2019. I was in the top 200 already. The second half of last year (2019) didn't go right and I dropped to 360, but now I'm back at 160. This is really my second breakthrough.

 

Karl: Here in February 2020, you've won 14 out of your last 15 matches. You won titles in Dallas and Morelo (Mexico). You have gone from number 360 in the world to number 160. Where does that ‘zone’ come from, Jurij, that consistency that every player is looking for?

Jurij: Well, I started the tour in Dallas and it was my first tournament with a touring coach, Javier Frana from Argentina. He's a very experienced guy. He was a top 30 ATP player.   We have been talking a lot and just focusing on focusing. We’re talking about my game, what I should focus on, what shots I should play. Javier works with me on how I should play in which situations. I think this helped me a lot and now, I just enjoy playing. I really have fun on the court.

 

Karl: Jurij, some guys really love to win and some guys hate to lose even more, but you're more “even flow” here. Just playing the game.

Jurij: I realized for myself, the more I focus on winning or losing, the worse I play. So, I always tell myself: “Don't look at the scoreboard. Just play what you've learned, play out what you did during practice, just have fun.” I just really focus on telling myself to be calm and to fight and enjoy. Even if I lose, I tell myself: “I played a great match. I had fun on the court.” I don't really focus on winning or losing right now. Especially now. I’ve had such a great run over the last few weeks I'm just enjoying myself right.

Karl: That is a refreshing attitude.

 

 

Read about another young gun, 16-year-old American Zach Svajda, in an exclusive interview, here:(LINK)

 

Reilly Opelka: Life on Tour

February 2020:  Reilly Opelka has just won his second ATP title, emerging at the top of the heap in Delray Beach, Florida. Last summer, the day after he broke into the top 50,  Reilly Opelka sat down for an exclusive interview with Karl Corbett of Tennis Acumen. We talked about life on the road.

 

 

Karl: When you have friends and family in the stands, do you interact with them, or just keep your focus on the court?

Reilly: I don't really look up in my box much. I might, occasionally look at my coach, if anything. He doesn’t ever communicate with me. I'll just chirp at him a little bit, but that's about it.

 

Karl: How do you deal with a bad day, and the frustration that comes with the game?

Reilly:  It’s hard, especially losing. Actually, I shouldn’t say that it’s hard. That's all right. It's just a normal part of life. Highs and lows are something everyone has. It's easy for me to find. Fun in most things. It only gets tough when I'm alone. That's when I struggle the most, and that is pretty rare. I try to avoid that, to be honest. At a tournament where Francis (Tiafoe) or (Taylor) Fritz aren’t going to be there, I invite all of my friends to come. I try to avoid that feeling of being alone and on the road. It's usually my least favorite. I like being around people I like being around my friends.

 

Karl: Reilly, one last question: What is your life going to be like a year from now?

Reilly: I don't know. I couldn't tell you, really. That's the exciting part. Every day is different. Every week's different. You never know, and that's what crazy about this life. I am just thankful for each day as it comes.

 

There's more to this interview. Take a look around, and enjoy your visit to Tennis Acumen.

Vasek Pospisil: Dealing With Defeat

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.  In singles, Pospisil reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2014. This post is part of a series, based on an exclusive interview with Karl Corbett of Tennis Acumen, in Knoxville, Tennessee, November 2019.

 

Karl: When you were young, how did you deal with losing or struggling or not finding your game?

Vasek: Oh.... I didn't like it. When you're a kid, you're a little too hard on yourself. You take it too personally when you're losing matches. It's hard to have a mature outlook on the process and on developing your game when you're young, because you don't really understand it.

Vasek: When you get older, you handle defeats much more productively. You look at it and you try to learn from it, much more than when you're young. I think when you're young, it just hits you on a personal level, when it really shouldn't. But you figure, that's being a kid, right? So, it's hard when you're struggling. It's hard when you lose. And that's where good coaching and good parenting goes a long way, because you know they are there to guide you. They can get you thinking about losses in the sport in the right way. I was fortunate in my life that I had good guidance. I was able to go through that process, maybe a little bit quicker than someone who doesn't have the right guidance. So, tennis is a long, long journey with lots of ups and downs. You've got to adapt to the environment that you're in, and it's not an easy one. Not an easy one, for sure.

 

(Vasek has a practice court reserved and has just 5 minutes to spare. Tennis Acumen asks to continue the interview, later on in the week.)

Vasek: I'm playing a match tomorrow, so let's get together after that. Can we still use some of this?

 

Karl: Absolutely. This is great stuff.

Vasek: Oh, I'd love it. Perfect. Thank you.

 

 

READ MORE: What are Vasek's favorite cities, his favorite places on tour?  (LINK)

 

We have quite a few interviews, ready for your reading pleasure at Tennis Acumen. Take a look around.

 

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Reilly Opelka: Getting Started

July 25th, 2019: Reilly Opelka is an ‘up and coming’ American tennis player with a huge serve. At age 21, he has just broken into the top 50 with his Atlanta victory over another big server, John Isner. The day after his match with Isner, Reilly Opelka sat down for an exclusive interview with Tennis Acumen. This is part of a series of posts from that interview with Karl Corbett

(photo credit: Karl Corbett,  (c) Tennis Acumen)

Karl: When did you know that tennis was going to be a big part of your life, Reilly? What made it a passion, and when did you discover it was the most important thing for you?

Reilly: I'm not quite sure when moment exactly was. I think Tom Gullikson was kind of a huge influence on me. He loved tennis and kind of shared that with me just by having me around: practicing with me a lot, watching a lot of tennis with me. He took me to tournaments. He and my Dad were good friends. So, my Dad and I went with him to Cincinnati a few times. So just being honest, I think he's the main reason why I play. He was just fun for me to be around and he's like family to me. More so than anything and I think he's the main reason why I stuck with tennis and why I have so much fun with it.

 

Karl: And what part does your family play in your game?

Reilly:  In my game? Not so much anymore. My parents stay out of my way, which is which is great from a tennis standpoint. But back in the day, when I was younger, my Mom drove me around everywhere to get to practice and my Dad, every weekend, would take me to tournaments. Then my sister sacrificed a lot for me as well. She moved down to Boca Raton from Palm Coast, so I could be training at the USTA when I was younger. So, my mom told her: “Look, if you're not comfortable going, that’s fine. But my sister was excited that I had that opportunity and she made the move, no problem. It ended up working out great for the whole family.

 

Karl: That kind of support means a lot.

 

(There's more from this interview, available here at Tennis Acumen.

How far do you think Reilly will rise in the rankings? Click on comments, below, and sound off.