USTA News
2011-08-14
It took two days, but Jack Sock is one win away from repeating as 18s singles champion.
Sock, the top seed from Lincoln, Neb., was leading Marcos Giron (4), Thousand Oaks, Calif., 7-6(5), 3-2, and serving at 40-30 when rain forced the semifinals match to be suspended.
The skies never cleared, and the match resumed at 9 a.m. Sunday, with Sock winning, 7-6(5), 6-3 on his second match point.
Sock will play Mitchell Frank, the second seed from Annandale, Va.
Frank advanced with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Mac Styslinger (9), Birmingham, Va., in a match that finished on Saturday.
“He’s obviously really tough,” Frank said of Styslinger. “The first set I got down 2-0. I was really tight in the beginning. I felt some nerves, obviously.
“I played some big matches recently, but this is Kalamazoo and I knew it. He came out strong, so to break back was important.”
Today’s final was scheduled to be the best-of-five set match, but was shortened to best-of-three because of Sock’s semifinal.
2011-08-14
Ronnie Schneider (2), Bloomington, Ind., will play Luca Corinteli (4), Alexandria, Va., in today’s 16s final for a wild card into the U.S. Open junior tournament.
Schneider defeated Nikko Madregallejo (6), Monrovia, Calif., 6-1, 6-2, on Saturday in a semifinals match that started outside, but finished indoors.
“Coming into (the match), I did not think the score would turn out the way it did,” Schneider said. “I played really, really well. He was a little off. I think he was a little tight.
“I definitely think he was tight to start the match. I was loose. I think I was ripping the ball well.”
Corinteli defeated JC Aragone (13), Yorba Linda, Calif., 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 (16s) in the other semi that also ended indoors.
“I wasn’t used to (playing indoors) and JC hits huge,” Corinteli said. “He’s the biggest hitter I’ve played so far in the tournament.
“It was good mentally to get through something this when you’re opponent is playing that well. “
2011-08-14
Top seeds Jack Sock and Jackson Withrow are headed to the U.S. Open main draw doubles after defeating Mitchell Frank, Annandale, Va., and Junior Ore (5), Gaithersburg, Md., 7-6(5), 6-3, on Saturday.
Stock, Lincoln, Neb., said that even though he turned pro in July and can keep any monetary winnings, “Bryan brothers, Monday night, Arthur Ashe under the lights,” would be his dream first match.
Sock and Withrow were playing together for the first time.
“I didn’t know until a couple weeks out I was playing this tournament,” Sock said. “When I was told I was needed to play, I was like, doubles, I don’t know if I’m gonna find anyone, find a top seed or something this late.
“I’ve known Jackson since I was little, both grew up in Nebraska, played each other couple times in juniors.”
The pairing obviously works, with Withrow making his first trip to New York City.
Scott was there last year after winning the 18s title in Kalamazoo.
Although he lost first-round main draw, he did win the U.S. Open boys title.
“It’s Jackson’s first time in New York,” Sock said. “For him to have an experience like that, and for me to play somebody like (the Bryan brothers), or even a top seed on a big court, would be awesome.
“We’ll have to be energized and be out there to try to do some damage and try to make a name for ourselves, which will be nice.”
Withrow said he’ll rely on Sock to show him the roped in the Big Apple.
“Really, it’s just a great opportunity to have,” Withrow said. “I’m really excited for New York. Jack’s already been, so I’ll be learning through him, that’s for sure. He’s the guy that’s gonna be the role play and role model for me.”
2011-08-14
Ronnie Schneider, Bloomington, Ind., and Yale Goldberg, Beachwood, Ohio, the top seeds, defeated Joseph Di Giulio, Newport Beach, Calif., and Gregory Garcia (5), Poway, Calif., 7-6(2), 6-1, 6-3 to win the 16s doubles title on Saturday.
The Kalamazoo title was their fifth in a row as a doubles team.
“He has an amazing feel,” Schneider said. “I’m good when we ever get into a ground stroke situation. We just play smart. We figure out the right time to do certain things.”
Goldberg added: “When things aren’t going well, we can help each other out. That’s really important for us.
“We talk well and we know each other’s games well. I think, that’s our biggest asset. We know each other so well and we know where we break down, when we break down, how to fix it.”
2011-08-14
Ronnie Schneider survived two rain delays and a feisty preformance from Luca Corinteli to win the boys 16s title Sunday afternoon.
Schneider (2), Bloomington, Ind., defeated Corinteli (4), Alexandria, Va., 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-2,
There were seven service breaks in the first set before Corinteli held service and won on his third set point.
In the second set, Corinteli was serving for the match twice, but Schneider forced the tiebreak. At the final point of the breaker, a Corinteli double fault, Corinteli slammed his racquet to the court, getting a point penalty.
“Starting the third set was just great,” Schneider said. “He got a point penalty to start off and that carried over well because I won the next three points to break him. From there, I felt really comfortable and just kept rolling.”
The third set featured the two rain delays.
The first, which lasted 34 minutes, came just after Schneider broke Corinteli for the 1-0 lead.
At the second, for 51 minutes, Schneider was leading 4-0.
“I didn’t mind the first one,” he said. “Second one, first of all, I was surprised by it. Second of all, I was up 4-0 and I was rolling and I’m like, ‘Oh, man, I just want to get this done. I hope these people (in the stands) don’t leave.
“But I’m glad they stuck around. It ended up being a little tight. He had a break point at 5-2 in the third, and then I just bore down and said I’m going after it, and went after those next two points aggressively.”
Schneider had four match points on Corinteli’s serve at 5-1, but he held for 5-2.
Schneider then won on the first match point of his own serve.
“That’s just how the game works some days,” Corinteli said. “I’m actually lucky I got out of the quarterfinals. I could have lost to Stephen Watson and been home already.
“But that’s just how the sport works. I had my chances. Stephen had his chances in the quarters, so at least I got to the finals.”
The final was Corinteli’s fourth three-setter in a row, but the first where he actually won the first set.
“Being big and heavy like I am, being 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, definitely I felt it, the wear and tear on my body as we started the third set,” Corinteli said. “With all the rain delays, stopping, getting sore, getting tight, then loosening up again is obviously tough.
“I think if I could have started the second set the way I ended the match, it could have turned out to be even better and maybe I could have had another chance to win. But that’s how it works. Some days it doesn’t work your way and sometimes it does.
“Hopefully, my next couple big tournaments I can keep having runs like this, winning as many matches, because now I have experience, at least, if I’m in this situation again.”
2011-08-14
Jack Sock needed just an hour to win his second consecutive boys 18s title with a 6-3, 6-0, win over Mitchell Frank Sunday afternoon.
With the win, Sock, the top seed from Lincoln, Neb., earned a wild card into the main draw of the U.S. Open later this month.
He and Jackson Withrow, Omaha, Neb., also won the doubles Saturday night, which gives them a wild card into main draw doubles at the Open.
Before he even made it to the final, Sock had to finish his semifinal match against Marcos Giron (4), Thousand Oaks, Calif., Sunday morning.
Sock was leading 7-6(5), 3-2 and serving at 40-30, when the match was stopped because of rain.
He needed just 20 minutes to finish the second set, winning, 6-3.
“It’s still a match situation, it’s still different than practice,” Sock said of his early morning “practice”. You’re going out having to finish the match, you’re not just going out there and kinda playing loose-hitting balls.
“It’s still a pretty stressful situation having to go out there and get that job done before you even make it to a match like (the final). I think with the unexpected weather and the crazy kind of stuff that happened this week, two-out-of three (in the finals) was probably the right thing to do.”
Frank was ready to go the full best-of-five.
“I felt like I’m in good shape,” he said.” I can go all day. I could go out and play another four sets right now. But he was definitely the better player today. I think he’ll do well at New York.
“With a player like him, you’ve gotta be focused the whole time and I kinda lost my focus. In the second, I just couldn’t find the court. He’s too good of a player. If you can’t find the court, he’s going to capitalize on it.”
Sock said he was prepared for a battle.
“When you play Mitchell, he’s gonna get a lot of balls back,” Sock said. “You’re gonna hit a lot of balls, you’re gonna be scrambling all over the court. Fortunately, things came on my side today.
“I was playing pretty well, I was hitting the ball deep and kinda penetrating the court. Mitchell had an awesome week and I’m sure I’ll be seeing him down the road many more times.”
Mitchell also received the Dr. Allen B. Stowe Sportsmanship Award for Boys’ 18.
2011-08-12
Connor Farren, the top seed in 16s, was upset in Friday’s quarterfinals by JC Aragone (13), Yorba Linda, Calif., 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
The key to the win for Aragone was “A lot of first-serve percentage,” he said. “I just had to focus on just breaking him because he has such good returns.
“It’s kinda hard to hold against him, so when I went up 3-0 (in the third), I really had a lot of confidence. I was kinda nervous at 5-3. I thought he was gonna break me.”
Aragone will play Luca Corinteli (4), Alexandria, Va., in Saturday’s semifinals.
Corinteli defeated Stephen Watson (32), Orlando, 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-2, on Friday.
“In the third set, I only got broken once,” Corinteli said, of a match where, at one point in the second set, service was broken eight times in a row.
“It was an unusual match, because I consider my serve one of my weapons, so to play a match like this where I’m not holding serve, it was kinda weird.
“I didn’t know how to handle it. I don’t think I’m the greatest returner in the world, and to keep breaking serve was weird. That’s all I can say.”
The other semifinal will feature Ronnie Schneider (2), Bloomington, Ind., against Nikko Madregallejo (6), Monrovia, Calif. Both won quarterfinals matches on Thursday.
2011-08-12
Top seed Jack Sock, Lincoln, Neb., had no trouble advancing to the 18s semifinals, defeating Alexios Halebian (8), Glendale, Calif., 6-1, 6-1.
Sock has lost just 12 games in five matches.
”I hadn’t played many points before this tournament and not many matches, either,” said Sock, who turned pro just before the Nationals. “I played a couple Challengers this summer, didn’t do that great. Didn’t play my best tennis.
“For me, I think I’m a match player. I think I show up better and play a lot better in match situations. Practices, I go out, obviously, I try to work on things and I work hard, but that’s not where my best tennis is.
”I think I play my best tennis on match days. For me, it’s just kinda getting into the tournament, even if I take time off or I’m not “tournament-ready” as some people say, I still think I play pretty well in matches and I’ll always show up pretty well for matches.”
Sock will face Marcos Giron (4), Thousand Oaks, Calif, in Saturday’s semis.
Giron defeated Dennis Novikov (5), Boca Raton, Fla., 6-0, 7-6(5).
“In the second set, he started making a lot more first serves.,” Giron said. “I held my first game of the second, then his first service game, there were a lot of deuces. I had quite a few break points.
“Games like that are so important, just for the momentum. He ended up holding, then I got broken right back. I got it back, which was important. I’m happy with the way I played today.
“I think I’m playing well right now, I really feel like if I play my game and play well, I can make it all the way, but it’s gonna be tough.”
The other semifinal will feature Mac Styslinger (9), Birmingham, Ala., going against Mitchell Frank (2), Annandale, Va. Both won quarterfinals matches on Thursday.
2011-08-11
First year boys 18s player Mac Styslinger, Birmingham, Ala., used his success at the junior Australian Open in January as a springboard for a successful season so far.
He made it to the quarterfinals in Australia and, on Thursday, he advanced to the semifinals at Kalamazoo.
Styslinger (9), Birmingham, Ala., defeated Junior Ore (26), Gaithersburg, Md., 7-6(4), 6-4 and will play Mitchell Frank (2), Annandale, Va., in Saturday’s semifinals.
“I got that one break in the second set and that was it,” Styslinger said of his match with Ore. “I played a good tiebreaker and the one break in the second that was pretty much it. It was just a solid match.”
Styslinger and Frank have Friday off, although both will play in Friday’s doubles semifinals.
Styslinger and partner Emmett Egger, Issaquah, Wash., the eighth seeds, go against top seeds Jack Sock, Lincoln, Neb., and Jackson Withrow, Omaha, Neb.
Frank and Ore (5) play Nick Chappell, Indianapolis, Ind., and Marcus Giron (7), Thousand Oaks Calif., in Friday’s semis.
In Thursday’s singles, Frank defeated Hunter Callahan (23), Lower Gwynedd, Pa., 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
“I came out, started slow and he was playing really well,” Frank said of Callahan. “He came out really pumped up. I knew he was gonna come out pumped up. but I came out sluggish and he took it to me for the first hour and a half of the match.
“I’ve been in that situation a lot, so I didn’t panic. The thing was, first set, I had break points every single game on his serve. He played some great games to break me and I wasn’t playing so great. I knew I was gonna get my chances on his serve. It was just a matter of capitalizing.”
Frank figured Callahan, who was a redshirt freshman at Ohio State last season, had some inside information.
“I think he was talking to Ty Tucker, his coach at Ohio State,” Frank said. “I know Ty a bit and he’s a funny guy. I’m sure he knew exactly what to do against me.
“But at this point, it’s just about execution. I know how everyone’s gonna come out. I know everyone’s gonna play against me and they know how I’m gonna play against them, so there’s no secrets.”
2011-08-11
Ronnie Schneider (2), Bloomington, Ind., had a chance to scout Nikko Madregallejo (6), Monrovia, Calif., his semifinals opponent.
Schneider finished his quarterfinals match, defeating Roy Lederman (19), Golden Beach, Fla., 6-3, 6-4, while Madregallejo was starting his third set.
“I got off to such a good start,” Schneider said. “I got up 3-0 pretty quickly and I could tell he was a little bit frazzled. He usually doesn’t make that many unforced errors. But he was spraying some. I could tell he was a little bit tight.
“My forehand kinda left me a little bit there in the second set. Later on in the first set and beginning of the second set, I was kinda not feeling it, but once I told myself to get my feet moving, my forehand was good.”
Madregallejo defeated Noah Rubin (3), Rockville Centre, N.Y., 0-6, 6-1, 7-6(6) in Thursday’s quarters.
Madregallejo, who was down two match points in the third set, said: “I was like, might as well go for it and see what works, just leave it all out there.”
In the lopsided first two sets, “I think it was a momentum change,” Madregallejo said. “First set, he definitely had it. I was spraying balls all over the court.
“Second set, I was able to take initiative, really go for my shots and be relaxed. Third set was when the match really started between both of us.”
Schneider and Madregallejo also played each other in the quarterfinals of the Easter Bowl in April,, with Schneider winning the three-setter, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2.
In 16s doubles, Schneider and Yale Goldberg, Beachwood, Ohio, are the top seeds and will play in today’s semifinals against the unseeded duo of Conrad Harron, Chicago, and Samuel Shropshire, Philadelphia.
Madregallejo and Thai Kwiatkowski, Charlotte, N.C., were seeded third, but were upset in the fourth round by Haron and Shropshire.