By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Sixteen-year-old Zach Svajda of San Diego joined the likes of Aaron Krickstein, Jimmy Arias and Michael Chang as American men to play in the main draw of the U.S. Open as a 15 or 16-year-old when he played what was a quintessential opening day U.S. Open drama.
Svajda, the winner of the USTA National Boy’s 18s Championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan, battled against a seasoned veteran in Paolo Lorenzi of Italy, 21 years his senior at the age of 37 and a “lucky loser” entrant into the event when 2017 U.S. Open finalist Kevin Anderson withdrew due to injury. Svajda displayed amazing guile and shot-making and took a two-sets-to-love lead, but at 3-3 in the third set, began to show signs of cramping which affected him for the rest of the four hour, 20-minute contest that was eventually won by Lorenzi 3-6, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
“I was just going to finish it out, even if I couldn’t stand or move,” said Svajda in his post-match press conference. “I would just underhand serve or something. I wouldn’t default.”
Svajda, a slightly built but growing 5-8, 140 pounds, was hitting serves in the 110 mph range at full tilt, but could only serve in the 75-90 mph range when he was affected with the cramps in his upper left and right quad muscles. However, his crafty play and defensive skills kept in the match, leaving him three points from victory a few times late in the fourth set.
As the match progressed into a fourth and fifth set, the New York crowds descended and surrounded Court No. 5 at the USTA National Tennis Center in a standing-room-only environment. Fans chanted his name “Svi-JA” and “Let’s Go Zach” and ESPN television gave the match attention during its broadcast. Former U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick watched the match on TV and texted USTA National Coach Dean Goldfine that he was impressed with the young Svajda. The New York Times smelled the significance of the match and reporter David Walstein wrote an excellent article on what may have been the best match of the first day of the tournament here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/27/sports/tennis/zachary-svajda-us-open.html
Playing in the U.S. Open as a young teenager as not a guarantee for future success. A history of young men to play at the U.S. Open can be found here: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/17141
U.S. Open fans will get another chance to see this talent in the event’s second week when the U.S .Open junior championships will be held.
(This article was originally posted on Tuesday, August 27, 2019)
Svajda’s post-match interview transcript can be found here:
Interviewer: Have you played anyone older than him in a match?
SVAJDA: I have not. No.
Interviewer: No.
SVAJDA: No. He’s very experienced. Yeah, a lot of experience. But no, first time.
Interviewer: Talk about just the experience out there and the atmosphere And then the crowd, and they were behind you, what was it like?
SVAJDA: Yeah that was amazing, the crowd was amazing. I loved it. They were with me every point, everything. It was a great atmosphere. For sure.
Interviewer: Talk a little bit about how your life has changed since we saw you in Vero Beach.
SVAJDA: Right.
Interviewer: You were playing in the quallies of a futures event. Won a couple rounds, played some more futures and so forth. Won Kalamazoo, just talk a little bit about how your life has changed a bit since we saw you in Vero Beach.
SVAJDA: Right, yeah. From Vero Beach, I won, got qualified, won a round. But, just going back in Orlando training also with my coach and everything, but I think the training blocks really helped me. Especially in Kalamazoo. Because seven matches, eight matches, so I think that was good for me, a lot of matches. But, I played well at Kalamazoo.
Interviewer: Talk a little bit about your decision, you turned professional. This is your first pro tournament?
SVAJDA: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Interviewer: Just talk a little about what went into that decision, I mean, obviously you went into Kalamazoo with 16 is a great achievement.
SVAJDA: That’s always been my goal, going pro but I mean the family, and the coaches and everything were for it, so I thought it was the right decision… to do.
Interviewer: I know you haven’t played a lot of tournaments, are you going to kind of stick to that pattern or do you expect to play
SVAJDA: I’ll probably do more, yeah, if they want me, I’ll do a lot of matches. Yeah, I’ll do the juniors here, and futures, challengers, go back. But, not too many juniors, maybe the Grand Slams, but that’s about it.
Interviewer: So, the Juniors and the Grand Slams?
SVAJDA: The Junior Grand Slams.
Interviewer: But what kind of tournaments do you think you’ll play the rest of the year?
SVAJDA: Challengers. Futures, maybe. HP’s, I don’t know.
Interviewer: I know you’ve been hitting with some of the top pros, talk about your relationship with John and some of the other top pros and what that experience has been like. What they say to you, give you advice.
SVAJDA: Yeah, John is great, I practiced with him last year in Dallas, so I go up there occasionally. We have the same in Orlando, and some of the pros there, and it’s great. They know what they’re saying. They said enjoy it and stuff, enjoy your time. Sure did all that.
Interviewer: Did you hit with Federer? At the-
SVAJDA: I did at Indian Wells. Yeah.
Interviewer: How was that?
SVAJDA: That was awesome. It was four days? Three or four days. But it was awesome. Great guy.
Interviewer: Were you nervous?
SVAJDA: I was pretty nervous in the beginning. Then after, I was just used to it I guess ’cause I practice with some of the pros. Yeah, the beginning I was nervous.
Interviewer: He must have liked hitting with you, right?
SVAJDA: Yeah.
Interviewer: Because he brought you back.
SVAJDA: Yeah. He was requesting me.
Interviewer: You were cramping during the match. How many times? And when did it start?
SVAJDA: It started in the beginning of the third set.
Interviewer: Okay.
SVAJDA; And it was just my legs a little bit, but then after a few games, a full body cramp. My back, feet, fingers, everything.
Interviewer: Did you ever suffer that cramping? Or it was first time in your life?
SVAJDA: That was my first time. First time.
Interviewer: But, how could you go on for two more sets if you had the cramping, the beginning of the third set, how could you go on for two hours?
SVAJDA: Right. It was tough. But, just trying to stand up. It was tough. It was off and on. That’s why I couldn’t really hit my serve. I would go for my serve and then my whole body would cramp up. So, I just had to spin it in, not use my legs or anything. So, it was tough.
Interviewer: Was there any thought of stopping? Or, you were going to finish it out?
SVAJDA: No, I was just going to finish it out. Even if I couldn’t stand or move. I would just underhand serve or something. I wouldn’t default.
Interviewer: And when you went to the fifth set you were thinking that even if you were cramping you still had chance to win?
SVAJDA: Yeah. I thought the whole match I had a chance to win, even though I was down. I thought I could come back. But, I just didn’t give up. It didn’t go my way. But, it’s fine. Just take it as learning. Definitely positives out there.
Interviewer: Your background is Czech, whether you speak Czech?
SVAJDA: I don’t. No.
Interviewer: Your father does?
SVAJDA: No. He does not. He’s adopted. So, it’s from his dad, or something. Or granddad. I don’t know.
Interviewer: Do you take a lot of confidence in that you’re 16 years old, there’s been a lot of great players who’ve played in this tournament, at age 16, 15, Jimmy Arias, Aaron Krickstein, Donald Young, etc, do you take a lot of confidence in that you’re now included in this group at this age?
SVAJDA: Yeah, yeah, I do. I do. Even losing the match, yeah I’ll definitely take it as confidence. I won’t get down on myself too much.
Interviewer: There’s a lot of people that are really almost desperate to see an American male player get to the top, and do you feel that? Do you feel the fans are really hoping…
SVAJDA: I’m starting to now, yeah. Yeah, I’m starting to now.
Interviewer: Out on the court with all those people cheering for you, you can feel it?
SVAJDA: Yeah, definitely, felt it.
Interviewer: How’d you feel when they were chanting your name?
SVAJDA: Oh, that was pretty cool. Yeah, I’ve never experienced any of that in my life. I loved it. It was awesome. Great atmosphere out there.
Interviewer: You gonna play the Juniors? Or you gonna-
SVAJDA: I’ll play the Juniors, yeah. I think that’s next week? Or something.
Interviewer: You going to be the favorite?
SVAJDA: I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t have a ranking or anything. So, I probably won’t be seeded. ‘Cause I don’t play any juniors. I play two ITF’s, so that was it. It will be fun.
