USTA News
Kudla & van Overbeek in Boys' 18s Semis
2010-08-13 Second seed Denis Kudla, Arlington, Va., will face ninth seed Bob van Overbeek, Boca Raton, Fla., in one of Saturday’s boys 18s semifinal matches. On Friday, Kudla defeated Raymond Sarmiento (8), Fontana, Calif., 6-2, 6-1, and van Overbeek beat Clay Thompson (31), Venice Beach, Calif., 6-2, 7-6(6). Sarmiento was down 3-1 in the second set when he called for a trainer. Kudla then won the next three games. “I was really surprised how that match went,” Kudla said. “We’ve been practicing with each other the last couple weeks. He’s been beating me, so I expected a lot tougher (match). The way I’ve been playing, the way he’s been playing, I mean, I thought he could have upset me.” Van Overbeek cruised through the first set. “In the first set, I think he was a little nervous, going for too much on some shots, maybe pressing” van Overbeek said. “(In the second), he started to calm down a little bit. He started to make more first serves. I got a little nervous. “It became more of a mental fight than a tennis match in the second set. I knew at any time he could start making the shots he was missing, and so I was trying to hold serve, hold serve. I actually got lucky.’ In the other 18s semifinal, determined on Thursday, Jordan Cox (1), Bradenton, Fla., will play Jack Sock (3), Lincoln, Neb.
Michigan Player in Quarterfinals
2010-08-11 For the first time since 1994, a Michigan player has made it to the quarterfinals of boys 16s. Tyler Gardiner, Novi, who is the 16th seed, defeated Howard Weiss (27), Great Neck, N.Y., 6-4, 6-2, on Wednesday to advance to today’s quarters. The last Michigan player to do that was Michael Russell, Bloomfield Hills, who was the second seed. Russell went on to beat top-seeded Kevin Kim, Fullerton, Calif., 6-1, 6-1. “That’s my birth year,” Gardiner laughed when told of his feat. The top three seeds in 18s all advanced in straight sets in Wednesday’s round of 16. The top half of the draw plays today while the bottom half plays on Friday. Jordan Cox (1) Bradenton, Fla., defeated Jackson Withrow (21), Omaha, Neb., 6-4, 6-2; Denis Kudla (2), Arlington, Va., beat unseeded Robert Stineman, Winnetka, Ill., 6-4, 6-1; and Jack Sock (3), Lincoln, Neb., beat Dennis Novikov (11), Boca Raton, Fla., 6-2, 7-5. Sock’s match was one that was interrupted by one of two rain delays. “I was up 5-2, 15-all on his serve when they called it,” he said. “I went across the street to the air-conditioned building and changed my clothes, sat down, talked to my brother and coach, and kinda relaxed. “Had an easy, breezy time over there.” All top five seeds in 16s advanced to the quarters. Top-seeded Shane Vinsant, Keller, Texas, defeated Richard Del Nunzio (9), Forest Hills, N.Y., 6-4, 6-1; Mitchell Krueger (2), Aledo, Texas, beat unseeded Brendan Aguilar, Las Vegas, 6-2, 6-3; Nolan Paige (3), Fairfield, Conn., defeated unseeded Zachary Mueck, West Chester, Ohio, 6-3, 6-2; Michael Redlicki (4), Hawthorn Woods, Ill., won over Andrew Korinek (15), Mansfield, Texas, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2,; and Gordon Watson (5), Naples, Fla., defeated Thai Kwiatkowski (10), Charlotte, N.C., 6-3, 6-1. After pulling out a three-setter, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1, over Luca Corinteli, Alexandria, Va., in the second round, Watson hasn’t lost a set in his last three matches.(Corinteli) is another USTA kid and he just came out in the (second) round just swinging and playing out of his mind,” Watson said. In the 18s doubles quarterfinals, Matthew Kandath and Sock (6) ousted top seeds Cox and Kudla, 3-6, 7-6(7), 1-0(7) — until the semifinals, doubles matches play a 10-point tiebreak instead of a third set. Two of the three other quarters also went to the third-set tiebreak. Evan King and Raymond Sarmiento (4) defeated Casey MacMaster and Nelson Vick (12), 6-2, 5-7, 1-(5) while Bjorn Fratangelo and Alexios Halebian (9) beat unseeded Brandon Fickey and Vikram Hundal, 3-6, 7-6(5), 1-0(8). Second seeds Sekou Coker Bangoura and Nathan Pasha defeated Emmett Egger and Dennis Novikov (8), 6-4,6-2.
Tuesday News at the Nats
2010-08-10 Two of the top five seeds in 18s were eliminated on Tuesday, but all five in 16s advanced to Wednesday’s Round of 16 in straight sets. Bjorn Fratangelo, Pittsburgh, Pa., who is seeded fourth in boys’ 18s, lost the first set, 6-0, then retired with an injury at 3-1 in the second, giving Clay Thompson (31), Venice Beach, Calif., the win. “I’ve been hearing that he’d been struggling with his back all tournament,” said Thompson. “He won Easter Bowl, Clay Courts; I don’t know how he plays so much tennis. “I was expecting him to be a little tired, for sure, but not really injured. I guess I was kinda fortunate because he’s such a great player. It’s too bad for it to end like that because I really wanted to play him again because last time we had a great match.” The other upset was Marcos Giron (25), Thousand Oaks, Calif., over fifth-seeded Sekou Coker Bangoura (5), Bradenton, Fla., 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5. In the other 18s matches, Jordan Cox (1), Bradenton, Fla., defeated Mousheg Hovhannisyan (17), North Hollywood, Calif., 6-2, 6-2, and Denis Kudla (2), Arlington, Va., beat local favorite, Greg Andrews (30), Richland, Mich., 7-6(1), 6-3. “I thought it was a pretty tough match,” said Kudla. “I felt like I was really relying on my fitness. I had to play every single point and every point was pretty long. I definitely tried to stay in there as long as I could. “That’s exactly what I did and I was fortunate to win.” Jack Sock (3), Lincoln, Neb., defeated unseeded Zachary Leslie, San Diego, 7-5, 6-1. In 16s, Shane Vinsant (1), Keller, Texas, defeated John Harrison Richmond (18), Pawleys Island, S.C., 6-2, 6-1; Mitchell Krueger (2), Aledo, Texas, beat Mac Styslinger (31), Birmingham, Ala., 6-2, 6-2; and Nolan Paige (3), Fairfield, Conn., won over Harrison Adams (19), New Braunfels, Texas, 7-5, 7-5. Michael Redlicki (4), Hawthorn Woods, Ill., defeated Nicholas Hu (30), Palo Alto, Calif., 6-4, 6-2. “After having a successful Clay Court, I was hoping to be a higher seed because I was No. 2 in the country afterwards,” said Redlicki. “But seeding doesn’t really matter. It matters on who comes out more prepared for a match. “I could have easily lost that match because the guy had the ability (to beat me) but I was just more ready, more focused.” Gordon Watson (5), Naples, Fla., defeated Eric Rubin (24), Lido Beach, N.Y., 6-4, 6-2.
2:00pm Rain Plan
2010-08-09 Times for this afternoon's matches are now available on this website (Match Times button).Main Draw 16s, Main Draw 18s and Boys' 16s Doubles are listed for play today.
18s Feed-In Matches have been rescheduled for Tuesday - check back later this evening for times and locations.
NEWS FLASH!
2010-08-09 Play has begun at both sites -16s Singles at Western Michigan University and 18s Singles at Stowe Stadium.16s Doubles will be rescheduled for Tuesday and 18s Feed-In Matches will be rescheduled for Tuesday - check back later this evening for times and locations.
Tuesday's Times Posted
2010-08-09 16s and 18s Feed-In match times for tomorrow (Tuesday) are now posted here on the web. (Match Times tab at top of Home page). Main draw 16s and 18s Singles will be posted by 8pm tonight.
Tuesday's Match Times Posted
2010-08-09 Match times for Tuesday's Feed-In matches and Main Draw matches are now posted on line.Boys' 16s Doubles play two rounds today at Western Michigan University.
Boys' 18s Doubles play one round today at Stowe Stadium.
Levine Defeats Lipman
2010-08-08 The upset of day so far belongs to Josh Levine, Syosset, N.Y., who defeated the boys 16s eighth seed, Maxx Lipman, Nashville,Tenn., 0-6, 6-3, 7-5. The unseeded Levine said he started out very nervous playing one of the top seeds on one of the stadium courts. After winning on Saturday, “I got the first-round nerves out of the way,” Levine said. “I came out here a little nervous (on Saturday), but playing a seed, nerves kicked in a little. “But then I got it together. The first round definitely helped me.” The 16s second seed, Mitchell Krueger, Aledo, Texas, took the first set, then fought off two set points when he was down 5-2. He won the final five games for a 6-4, 7-5 win over Gannon Daynes, Trabuco Canyon, Calif. The 16s top seed, Shane Vinsant, Kellet, Texas, defeated Joshua Cogan, Batavia, Ill., 6-1, 6-4.
16s Play Begins
2010-08-07 It's a beautiful morning in Kalamazoo ... with the temperature in the low 80s as well as low humidity it's perfect weather for the 16s play to begin. Check out the action via our Stowe Stadium Web Cam (tab above Top Photos).
Jordan Cox Survives Test
2010-08-07 Jordan Cox, Bradenton, Fla., survived a tough test, but the boys 18s top seed said that was a good way to start the tournament. Cox defeated Christopher Cox, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 6-4, 7-5, in a second-round match after a first-round bye. “It’s a good wake-up call,” Cox said of the close contest. “I’m glad I had that kind of match today. I felt like I was serving pretty well throughout the entire match, so I didn’t have much pressure on my serve. “I felt like I didn’t execute as well as I could have. I definitely think I have to improve this week.” Cox said he was surprised when he found out he was named the top seed. “I was guessing between myself, Jack Sock and Denis Kudla,” he said. Kudla is the second seed and Sock third. “I’ve been mainly playing on the professional tour, like the futures and occasional challenger,” Cox continued. “I’ve had some decent results in the futures, and that got my ATP ranking up pretty high.” Playing his fifth and final year at Kalamazoo, “The highlight is definitely my 16s title,” Cox said, “But I think just every year is a great experience. “The first year I came here, was unbelievable because you hear so many good things about the tournament, and when you get here, it definitely meets all your expectations.” Kudla teamed up with Cox for doubles and were named the top seeds. One perk of being No. 1 was playing against pros (although both Cox and Kudla turned pro more than a year ago) Jan-Michael Gambill and Scoville Jenkins in the opening night exhibition. “It was a lot of fun,” Cox said. “I think we were laughing a little bit too much out there at the beginning. “You can see how different the level is. They hit a lot harder. They blast serves.” In singles, Kudla defeated Axel Bouillia, San Diego, 6-0, 6-2.