March 24th, 2017

Friday Tennis Blog: Miami Update; Federer’s Earthly Status Questioned

IT’S FLORIDA WEEK!

Tennis.com and Baseline.Tennis.com are combining coverage to spotlight “Florida Week” as the men’s and women’s tours move from Indian Wells, Calif., to the Miami Open this week.

Highlights include a look at the USTA National Campus in Orlando (“The biggest takeaway from the National Campus, however, is its array of advanced technology. The most impressive innovation centers around the 26 PlaySight SmartCourts, which feature five video cameras installed above each court.”), a feature on the powerhouse University of Florida men’s and women’s tennis teams (“Currently ranked No. 1 (in the women’s rankings) and No. 16 (in the men’s), the University of Florida has been a joint force in the ITA national rankings since head coach Bryan Shelton came on board in 2012.”), in addition to the Top Florida Cities, Miami Open Trivia, a loving look back at Bud Collins’ old haunt The Colony in Sarasota, and more.

HEY KID — WANT TO WORK IN TENNIS?

USTA Florida staff recently took part in Career Day at the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, and besides learning we did not bring enough candy, we saw the excitement of young people who among other careers wanted to learn how to get involved in tennis.

The USTA National Campus in Orlando has opened a cornucopia of opportunities for high school, college-age and graduating students to find volunteer and internship opportunities. USTA internships, fellowships and educational opportunities provide exposure, support and training to those interested in a career in tennis and related fields.

Current internship/fellowship opportunities include Teaching Pros Internships, Events Interns, Collegiate Interns, Retail Intern, USTA U Intern, Video Services Intern, Fellowship in Professional Coaching, and five 2017 Diversity & Inclusion Undergraduate Internship Programs in Tennis on Campus, USTA Foundation, Adult Competition, Information Technology, and Officiating. For more info click here.

MISCELLANY

Maria Sharapova vogue-ing in the latest issue of Vogue

Maria Sharapova sat down with Vogue magazine to share her love of tea, ‘boozy lunches,’ her fans’ opinions on her impending return to the tour in April, her frien-emy relationship with Serena Williams, and striving to have a life outside of the competitive tennis tour…Elena Vesnina found that winning the Indian Wells women’s title is great — until they take your trophy away…35-year-old Roger Federer last week became the oldest Indian Wells champion in tournament history…High-profile Miami withdrawals this week were Serena Williams (knee injury), Andy Murray (elbow), and Novak Djokovic (elbow)…This woman was so excited to get a Roger Federer autograph she forgot her clothes…After Serena Williams’ withdrawal from Indian Wells and Miami, German Angelique Kerber returned to the top spot on the WTA rankings, bumping Serena to No. 2. On the 2017-only point standings Serena is No. 1, while Kerber is at No. 13…Roger Federer is also the cover story for GQ magazine in April, inviting the publication to his mountain-top home in Switzerland to talk about going from injured and written-off in December to contending again for Slams in 2017…Best headline from the Miami Open thus far: Cool iguana interrupts tennis match, poses for a selfie, does a victory lap.

American Seeds in Weekend Action at Miami Open

Madison Keys and Miami Open ball kids

Here is a look at the first- and second-round results thus far and next round match-ups at the Miami Open:

Women:

(8) Madison Keys (USA) vs. Viktorija Golubic (SUI)
(11) Venus Williams (USA) vs. (WC) Beatriz Hadda Maia (BRA)
Christina McHale (USA) d. Annika Beck (GER), next vs. (6) Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
Shelby Rogers (USA) d. (Q) Marina Erakovic (NZL), next vs. (31) Daria Kasatkina (RUS)
(Q) Taylor Townsend d. (WC) Amanda Anisimova (USA), next vs. (25) Roberta Vinci (ITA)
(WC) Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) d. Katerina Siniakova (CZE), (9) Elina Svitolina (UKR), next vs. (17) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
(Q) Varvara Lepchenko (USA) d. Lauren Davis (USA), lost to (12) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
(Q) Madison Brengle (USA) d. Jelena Ostapenko (LAT), lost to (2) Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
Louisa Chirico (USA) lost to (Q) Risa Ozaki (JPN)
Alison Riske (USA) lost to Julia Goerges (GER)
Jennifer Brady (USA) lost to Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)
(WC) Nicole Gibbs (USA) lost to Carina Witthoeft (GER)
(18) CoCo Vandeweghe (USA) lost to (Q) Jana Cepelova (SVK)

Men:

(13) Jack Sock (USA) vs. Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)
(18) John Isner (USA) vs. winner of (WC) Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) vs. Stephane Robert (FRA)
(22) Sam Querrey (USA) vs. Tommy Robredo (ESP)
(23) Steve Johnson (USA) vs. Nicolas Mahut (FRA)
Taylor Fritz (USA) d. Adam Pavlasek (CZE), next vs. (29) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
Donald Young (USA) d. Dustin Brown (GER), next vs. (11) Lucas Pouille (FRA)
(Q) Jared Donaldson (USA) d. Kyle Edmund (GBR), next vs. (28) Mischa Zverev (GER)
(Q) Ernesto Escobedo (USA) d. Daniel Evans (GBR), next vs. (25) Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
(Q) Frances Tiafoe (USA) d. Konstantin Kravchuk (RUS), next vs. (4) Roger Federer (SUI)
Ryan Harrison (USA) lost to Fabio Fognini (ITA)
(Q) Tim Smyczek (USA) lost to Guido Pella (ARG)
(WC) Michael Mmoh (USA) lost to Nicolas Mahut (FRA)

They Said It

“Are we 100 percent sure Fed is from Planet Earth?”
— John Isner tweeting about Roger Federer after the Indian Wells final

“I don’t think I’m a bad guy at all. Honestly, like, I’ve had a couple mix-ups in the court, but that’s in the heat of the battle. But that’s when you’re competing or you’re angry. Off the court, I don’t think I have done — I haven’t done anything against the law. I haven’t drink-drive, haven’t shot someone. I haven’t stolen. I’m not a bad person. In the scheme of things, you put it in perspective.”
— Australia’s Nick Kyrgios

“I have a lot of long-term concerns, FYI. That’s never stopped me. I will keep trucking. I would just like to be healthy just like the next human being…It’s frustrating either way, not to be 100 percent or to watch at home. Which one do you choose? I chose to be here. That was my choice.”
— Venus Williams after playing with a wrapped arm and thigh in Indian Wells where she lost in the quarterfinals