March 13th, 2015

Friday Tennis Blog: Indian Wells Latest; TV Schedule

SARASOTA WOMEN MAKE USTA TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Partners Deborah Huntley and Betsy Nelson of Sarasota won the Combo Ages 120 Years division at the first-ever USTA-sanctioned Same-Gender Division Tennis Championships in March in Palm Springs, Calif. The groundbreaking tournament opens the door to new play opportunities for same-gender spouses, those in civil unions, domestic partners, and spousal equivalents. As a result of the success of the inaugural sanctioned tournament, four more cities in Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York City and West Hollywood, Calif. have announced plans to host events and been added to the 2015 adult competition tennis calendar. “It’s wonderful to see the way that these same-gender events have been embraced by our sport,” said Hall of Famer Billie Jean King. “In the long run [it’s] going to be great for these couples, and great for our sport.”

WHAT’S AHEAD FOR U.S. DAVIS CUP?

John Isner fell to 0-5 in Davis Cup five-setters and 0-4 career against Andy Murray, and Donald Young to 1-2 in appearances for the U.S. squad when the Americans fell to Britain last weekend. The good news? Tomorrow is another day. Or at least September will be another weekend, when the U.S. will attempt to win the World Group Playoffs round and stay in the elite World Group for the 2016 campaign. Isner will need to rebound from losing a 2-0 set lead against Brit James Ward, eventually falling 15-13 in the third set. “He stayed composed and played a good match. I didn’t,” Isner said. “I have lost a lot of tough matches before. It’s brutal…It is awful.” Also knocked down into the World Group Playoff round last weekend were Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Croatia, Switzerland, Japan and Brazil. “We play again in September, so I have time to assess everything,” says U.S. Captain Jim Courier.

DELRAY USTA FLORIDA SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST

Keep your eyes on the USTA Florida social media channels, you never know what you can win. Orlando’s Dianne and Jim Gocet, pictured here by the hand-painted 2015 Champion Porsche Art Car (which they wish they also won) at the Delray Beach Open By The Venetian Las Vegas, won the USTA Florida Social Media Contest, enjoying quarterfinal, semifinal and finals seats for the Open, a tour of the facilities, lunch in the Players Lounge, and photos with Americans Donald Young and the Bryan brothers. The couple got to witness Young reach the final before losing to Ivo Karlovic, and the Bryan brothers capture the doubles title.

Fish Tosses Harrison Back After 2 Match Points at Indian Wells

Ryan Harrison in Indian Wells

The women are into the second round while the men are still finishing their openers at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where yesterday Mardy Fish made his dramatic return to the ATP World Tour, losing to fellow American Ryan Harrison after holding two match points 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3).

“It stings a little bit,” Fish told the media afterwards. “I’ve worked really hard in the past 3-1/2 months to get back in shape. So, I don’t have any [physical] issues sort of during a match or after a match. I worked extremely hard to put myself in the best position to not have to worry about things when I was out there.”

On the women’s side wildcard Taylor Townsend, the former world No. 1 junior from the U.S., posted a 5-4, 5-7, 7-5 win over fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands to move into the second round where she will meet No. 21 seed Sam Stosur.

Here are the remaining Americans and their opponents in first and second round play in the desert:

MEN

(18) John Isner vs. (Q) Jurgen Melzer (AUT)
Donald Young vs. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)
Steve Johnson vs. Marcel Granollers (ESP)
Sam Querrey vs. Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR)
Jack Sock vs. Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE)
(WC) Tim Smyczek vs. (26) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
(WC) Ryan Harrison vs. (5) Kei Nishikori (JPN)
(WC) Denis Kudla vs. Nick Kyrgios (AUS)
(WC) Austin Krajicek vs. Denis Istomin (UZB)

WOMEN

(1) Serena Williams vs. Monica Niculescu (ROM)
(16) Madison Keys vs. Klara Koukalova (CZE)
(26) Varvara Lepchenko vs. (WC) Sachia Vickery (USA)
(30) CoCo Vandeweghe vs. (Q) Sesil Karatantcheva (BUL)
Sloane Stephens vs. (13) Angelique Kerber (GER)
Alison Riske vs. (7) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
Christina McHale vs. (20) Alize Cornet (FRA)
Lauren Davis vs. (18) Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
Madison Brengle vs. (15) Flavai Pennetta (ITA)
(WC) Irini Falconi vs. (19) Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
(WC) Taylor Townsend vs. (21) Sam Stosur (AUS)

They Said It

“I didn’t have a coach. I had beautiful girlfriends I was looking at. I was playing for them — It’s good to have a coach, manager, your family, but only you can help yourself when you’re on the court.”
— Former Romanian great Ilie Nastase, the 1992 US Open and 1973 French Open champion, speaking to ziare.com

“If I want to smash a racquet, I do it. I know it’s not a good thing to see, but coaches also tell you to do what you feel you need to do to feel better, because to withhold rage can be worse.”
— World No. 1 Novak Djokovic speaking to Serbian TV RTS

“Men’s tennis could probably use a real jerk right about now — preferably American, to sell the product here. But ever since Novak Djokovic rehabilitated his own image several years ago, there has been no villain near the top of this sport.”
— Tennis writer Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News, longing for the days of John McEnroe-Ivan Lendl-type rivalries