McIntyre Tennis

U.S. Open Day 1 Recap

By Mike McIntyre

No major surprises on day one at the U.S. Open but a few of the top players did unexpectedly get pushed to the limit in the sweltering late August heat in New York.

Despite my mounting frustrations with ESPN's choice of featured matches during the day session it was nice to see the McEnroe brothers combination seeming more comfortable commentating together then they did a year ago.

In women's action, Kim Clijsters defeated a nervous Greta Arn, 6-0, 7-5. Why ESPN chose to stay with that sleeper of a first set is beyond me, but at least Arn showed up in the second by taking the early break and forcing Clijsters to actually play some tennis to close it out.

That was followed by birthday boy Andy Roddick's routine demolition of late-bloomer Stephane Robert of France by a score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.The 28 year old Roddick has bounced back nicely from a mild case of mono with recent wins over Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati.

The match I really would have liked to have watched in its entirety was the battle between Daniela Hantuchova the 24th seed and former world number one Dinara Safina. Despite the fact that Safina had defeated the leggy-blonde in their last four matches, including a week ago in New Haven, Hantuchova was the more poised player on this day. She marched to a straight set victory 6-3, 6-4.

Safina is still fighting her way back into form following a back injury that forced her to miss most of the 2010 season. She has struggled since her return and is currently ranked 59th in the world. While the match against Hantuchova was a great first rounder from a fans perspective, it was a shame that Safina could not have started off against a more manageable opponent.

It was a good win for Hantuchova meanwhile as she is a player who could have a decent run here in New York in a year where the women's title is very much up for grabs.

In terms of American women, both Melanie Oudin and Venus Williams were successful on day one. I really enjoyed watching the highlights of a confident Oudin rolling over Olga Savchuck 6-3, 6-0. Oudin rose to such premature fame a year ago with her quarter-final appearance and has been burdened with unrealistic expectations ever since.

Those expectations were clearly defined for me in a recent article by Matthew Cronin where he felt that Oudin's issues stemmed from, "her lack of maturity and her inability to toughen up in the face of expectations."

I realize journalists are not supposed to be on the bandwagon for up-and-coming players, but to offer such a harsh and negative assessment of the youngest player in the top one hundred seems like overkill to me.

Give this eighteen year old a chance to deal with her first year of full-time play on the WTA Tour and allow her the time to blossom into the great player she could certainly become.

A real test awaits Oudin in the second round where she will face 29th seeded Alona Bondarenko. 

Williams held on in her match after blowing an early first set lead to defeat Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-1. It was the third seed's first competition since Wimbledon as she seeks her first U.S. Open title since 2001. If Venus had more match play under her belt this summer I'd have considered her the true favorite to win in New York, but I just don't feel like she is confident enough right now to challenge some of the top players.

On the men's side there were a couple of dandy five set matches on day one. Contender Robin Soderling blew a two-sets-to-none lead against qualifier Andreas Haider-Maurer before regrouping to win 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4. The previously unknown Haider-Maurer brought a lethal serve with him and revealed the danger of playing a guy who had already endured three qualifying matches prior to the start of the main draw.

Exciting Frenchman Gael Monfils also had to overcome stiff competition in order to advance to the second round. He barely got by American Robby Kendrick by a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4. At 4-4, deuce, in the final set, Monfils had a controversial moment where he appeared to potentially make contact with the ball before it bounced just long of the baseline. Replays proved inconclusive but the chair umpire gave the key point to Monfils which for obvious reasons angered Kendrick. After the match Monfils admitted he was not sure whether he made contact with the ball or not before it bounced but that these things were a part of sports.

Roger Federer made his debut at night and easily dispatched of Argentina's Brian Dabul 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Federer's performance was highlighted by a beautiful between the legs shot that landed in for a clear winner against a stunned Dabul. The world number two player lifted a finger to salute the appreciative crowd and brought back memories from his similar shot a year ago against Novak Djokovic. Regardless of which of those two shots were more impressive, the fact that Federer can seemingly concoct these shots at will is really something else.

Stay tuned on day two as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova and number one seed Caroline Wozniacki all make their U.S. Open debuts.

If you're looking for potential upsets, I feel that fellow Serb, Victor Troicki could test Djokovic. Troicki is ranked inside the top-fifty and we all know how Djokovic feels about playing in the heat.

Please feel free to follow us on Twitter as well as the tournament progresses.

Sony Ericsson Round Two Update

By Mike McIntyre

The second round of play came to a conclusion at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Saturday and while the women's draw seems to be unfolding according to plan, the upsets continued on the men's side.

A day after second seeded Novak Djokovic went down in defeat, the third seed, Andy Murray followed suit. Murray was dropped in straight sets by American veteran Mardy Fish, 6-4, 6-4. Since reaching the Aussie Open finals in January, Murray has looked listless on court failing to advance past the quarter-finals of any event he has played. While I'm sure that this is just a blip on the screen for Murray, it has to be concerning for his camp as the hard court swing is coming to an end - a time where Murray usually shines. As we progress to the red clay of Europe it will only become harder for the Scot to find his rhythm.

The men's draw now opens up considerably and gives the Roger and Rafa show a great chance to re-assert itself on the stage in Miami. The greatest tennis rivalry of the 21st Century has yet to hit the court in 2010 and is due for another riveting installment. Federer won their last encounter, in May 2009, at the Masters event in Madrid while Nadal had won the five battles prior to that.

Federer's draw looks like smooth sailing for the world number one player, with little opposition expected from Florent Serra in the third round. Tomas Berdych and a potential rematch with Marcos Baghdatis (who defeated Roger in Indian Wells last week) are on the horizon. Federer should have shaken off all of the post-Aussie Open rust by that point.

For Rafa, a tough third round tussle with David Nalbandian is on deck which should be a real treat to watch. Nalbandian has historically done well against Nadal - a feat that few players on tour can boast. The Argentine owns a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over Rafa, all on hard courts. I give the edge to Nadal in this one due to the fact Nalbandian has only recently returned from a lengthy injury layoff. It should still make for great tennis, so catch it if you can.

American Andy Roddick has a favorable draw with the 18th seeded Tommy Robredo his highest ranked potential opponent between here and the semi-finals. Sweden's Robin Soderling also has a nice path now that Andy Murray has been taken out of the equation in his section.

As for the WTA Tour, number one seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova is defending her lead position in the draw and advanced to the fourth round with a victory over Agnes Szavay. I must admit that seeing Kuznetsova hold the top seed in a tournament of this depth is somewhat surprising. While she did win the French Open a year ago, her play in 2010 has been abysmal. A fourth round loss at the Aussie Open and first or second round losses in each of her other appearances does not bode well for her season. Of course now that I've said that look for Kuznetsova to make a real run in Miami. My Murray vs Djokovic final prediction has already blown up in my face.

One player I've got a great feeling about at this tournament and for her career in general is Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer. Since bursting onto the scene with her U.S. Open semi-final appearance in 2009 this kid has been on a real tear. She won her first tournament of 2010 and then had a strong run at the Aussie Open where she endured three tough qualifying matches and made it to the round of sixteen before bowing out in three tight sets against returning country-woman Justine Henin. She's had a bit of a tough go since then, but has a nice draw here to turn things around. At only twenty years old she represents a very bright future for women's tennis in Belgium - already brimming with talent due to the returns of Henin and Kim Clijsters.

Other notable results of late include Henin knocking off 5th seed Elena Dementieva while Vera Zvonareva schooled American youngster Melanie Oudin 6-1, 6-2. I sure hope that kid is taking this all in stride because in the long haul I think she's going to be a great player.

Hope you're all enjoying the tennis if you have television access or are lucky enough to be in Miami for this great tournament. Keep checking back for more updates.

Sony Ericsson Round One Update

By Mike McIntyre

The first round of women's action at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami was completed on Wednesday without any upsets to speak of. With the top thirty-two players receiving byes through to the second round, there really weren't many opportunities for upsets though I suppose.

Of the notable names in action, veterans Patty Schyder and Kimiko Date Krumm advanced in three sets respectively. In a match between two players on the comeback trail, Australia's Alicia Molik thrashed returning mother Ashley Harkleroad of the United States 6-1, 6-1. Justine Henin got by Jill Craybas 6-2, 6-2 to move on to an exciting second round match against fifth seeded Elena Dementieva. Up and coming American Melanie Oudin defeated Michaella Krajicek 6-2, 6-4.

Qualifiers fared decently as they managed a 5-6 record against higher ranked players who already had a guaranteed spot in the draw. There really are some advantages to having already played two pre-tournament matches as is evidenced by that statistic.

Some interesting second round matches on deck include Oudin against eleventh seeded Vera Zvonareva. Oudin has typically played well against high-ranked Russian's and could really use the confidence boost of defeating a top level player after a so-so start to 2010. Meanwhile, the Daniela Hantuchova versus Patty Schyder match has three sets written all over it.

Noticeably missing from action here in Miami are Serena Williams (knee), Dinara Safina (back) and Maria Sharapova (elbow) which has contributed to a somewhat sparse opening round.

On the men's side, only the bottom half of the draw saw action on Wednesday and as with the women there were no shocking upsets to discuss.

Richard Gasquet losing to diminutive Oliver Rochus was surprising, while Mario Ancic losing to Jeremy Chardy reveals that the tall Croat still has a ways to go after returning from mono. One player who must have been happy to get the win was Argentine David Nalbandian who also recently returned to the tour.

Another nice sight was Taylor Dent defeating veteran qualifier Rainer Schuettler in straight sets. While I know that members of the media are supposed to stay unbiased, I really have a soft spot for the serve and volley style that Dent brings to the game. And how can you not root for a guy who thought his career was over due to a serious back injury?

A close first-round match saw another American, James Blake, narrowly defeat eighteen year old wildcard Filip Krajinovic from Serbia 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-4. Something tells me we should be keeping an eye on this kid in the future. 

Keep checking back at Pro Tennis Fan for further updates and analysis as the Sony Ericsson Open continues in Miami.

Around the Corner: Davis Cup and the Monterrey Open

By Mike McIntyre

A mixed bag of events are around the corner this week. To kick off the month of March, the men are involved in the first round of Davis Cup competition. The women meanwhile are in Mexico for the Monterrey Open. Both tour's are inching closer to the combined event in Indian Wells that begins in two weeks.

Davis Cup:

Here are the match-ups for the first round of the World Group starting March 5th.

Spain vs. Switzerland - Logrono, Spain;

No Nadal or Federer in this match-up unfortunately. Spain is the huge favorite as this will be played on clay and can rely on David Ferrer, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Tommy Robredo.

France vs. Germany - Toulon, France;

Without veterans Tommy Haas and Nicolas Kiefer, Germany will be in tough on hard courts against a French team that includes Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils.

Russia vs. India - Moscow, Russia;

Nikolay Davydenko and Mikhail Youzhny should own India in singles competition, but look for the Indian duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati to win the doubles match.

Sweden vs. Argentina - Stockholm, Sweden;

The indoor hard-court conditions should be ideal for Sweden's Robin Soderling who should win both of his singles matches. This will be a tough match-up for Argentina as David Nalbandian is once again on the injury list.

Croatia vs. Ecuador - Varazdin, Croatia;

Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic are going to make life very difficult for the Lapentti brothers on the hardcourts in Varazdin.

Serbia vs. United States - Belgrade, Serbia;

This should be a very interesting match-up, with Novak Djokovic leading the way for Serbia and the Bryan brothers countering for the United States. In the end it will come down to how Sam Querrey and John Isner can respond as the lead singles players for the U.S. on the red clay in Belgrade. Serbia has the definite edge considering the chosen surface.

Chile vs. Israel - Coquimbo, Chile;

On paper, the Chilean squad led by Fernando Gonzalez should be favored on clay against Israel, but in 2009 the Israeli's put on quite a show in Davis Cup play and made it all the way to the semi-finals. They cannot be counted out in this tie in Coquimbo. The doubles duo of Andy Ram and Jonathan Elrich are quite the force.

Belgium vs. Czech Republic - Bree, Belgium

Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek lead the way for the Czechs against veterans Olivier Rochus and Xavier Malisse. The Belgians will really have to rely on using the energy from the home-court advantage to have a hope against the higher-ranked Czech's.

Monterrey Open:

A year ago, Marion Bartoli won the innaugaural Monterrey Open against Li Na 6-4, 6-3.

This year, Jelena Jankovic leads the tournament as the top seed and perhaps this event offers her the opportunity to get her game back on track. Struggling mightily for the past year, the Serbian has great talent but a mental game that is as fragile as they come.

Other names to keep an eye on in Monterrey include Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, Aleks Wozniak from Canada and Melanie Oudin of the United States. All of these players could benefit from a strong run and without many of the tour's top players in attendance should be able to get some momentum ahead of Indian Wells.

Jelena Dokic leads the qualifying tournament as the top seed and will be looking to post her first substantial result of 2010. While Dokic had a fantastic start to 2009 by making the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, she has failed to repeat that success this year and is 1-3 in tournament play.

Melanie Oudin's Memphis Blog

By Mike McIntyre

Up and coming American tennis phenom Melanie Oudin lost in the quarterfinals of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships to qualifier Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 6-1, 6-3 on Thursday.

Check out the tournament blog she kept while in Memphis. It is a refreshing little glimpse into the life of a young woman who is obviously still learning the ropes of being on the WTA Tour full-time.

She reveals her inexperience with travelling, her admiration of Roger Federer and her excitement about the possibility of playing Justine Henin at some point in the future.