By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
It’s been a memorable U.S. Open for American Eliot Spizzirri.
The resident of Greenwich, Connecticut started his near hometown Grand Slam by warming up five-time U.S. Open champion Roger Federer in an intense three-hour practice session on Arthur Ashe Stadium just before the start of the qualifying tournament. He ended it just before the start of the Serena Williams vs. Bianca Andreescu women’s final by winning the junior boys’ doubles title.
Spizzirri and partner Tyler Zink of Bradenton, Florida, a freshman at the University of Georgia, defeated Andrew Paulson of the Czech Republic and Alexander Zgirovsky of Belarus 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the final.
Zink and Spizzirri were spurred on by a supportive crowd of several hundred fans on Court 6, the closest court to Arthur Ashe Stadium. Many of the fans were from just over the Whitestone Bridge in Greenwich, Spizzirri’s hometown, while others were seen wearing Georgia Bulldog shirts and barking for Zink, who is just starting his collegiate tennis career in Athens, Georgia.
The young American pair played with great chemistry and synchronicity, like good doubles teams do, anticipating each other’s moves with poaches, volleys and groundstrokes. Earlier this year they reached the second round at both the junior French and junior Wimbledon championships, were finalists at the grass-court event in Roehampton, England and won titles in Santa Croce, Italy and Cricuma, Brazil.
Zink will officially start his college career, perhaps in three weeks at the Southern Intercollegiates in Athens, the tournament created by legendary Georgia tennis coach Dan Magill. Spizzirri still has one more year of junior tennis before he decides where to go to college. He has made a dent in entry-level pro events, most notably reaching the quarterfinals at the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships in Vero Beach, Florida last April.
