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U.S. Open

Carlos Alcaraz Wins Historic, Late-Night Epic Over Jannik Sinner, Seeks More Tennis History

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By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher

He’s only 19 years old, but Carlos Alcaraz is already re-writing the tennis record books.

Early Thursday morning, Alcaraz closed out a 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-3 win over Jannik Sinner in the second-longest and latest finishing match in U.S. Open history, concluding at 2:50 am.

The five hour and 15 minute quarterfinal marathon was 11 minutes shorter than the longest-ever U.S. Open match, Stefan Edberg beating Michael Chang in 5:26 in the U.S. Open semifinals in 1992. The second-longest listed match in the U.S. Open’s record book is when Sargis Sargsian defeated Nicolas Massu in the 2004 second round in 5:09 by a 6-7, 6-4,3-6, 7-6, 6-4 scoreline. However, a Google search revealed that a 1993 third round match between Richard Krajicek and Todd Martin actually lasted one minute longer, Krajicek winning 6–7, 4–6, 7–6, 6–4, 6–4 in five hours, ten minutes.

Alcaraz is on the cusp of more history as he could become the youngest world No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings at the end of the tournament and, with a title on Sunday, would become the second youngest U.S. Open men’s singles champion, behind Pete Sampras, who won the 1990 U.S. Open less than a month after turning 19.

The 2:50 am finishing time between Alcaraz and Sinner knocks three matches out of U.S. Open record book as latest finishing matches ever in New York, as detailed below.

Sept. 2, 2014 – Kei Nishikori defeats Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (6), 7-5, 6-4 in four hours, 19 minutes in a fourth-round match at the U.S. Open that ends at 2:26 am, tying the tournament’s record for the latest finish. Nishikori and Raonic’s finish at the exact time as the 2012 match when Philipp Kohlschreiber defeated John Isner and the 1993 match when Mats Wilander defeated Mikael Pernfors. When asked by reporters if he was impressed by the late finish record, Raonic responds, “Not in the slightest bit.”

Sept. 3, 2012 – Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany registers a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over John Isner in the fourth round of the U.S. Open, concluding at 2:26 am on Labor Day morning. The match is the second of three U.S. Open matches to conclude at this exact time, the latest ever finish in U.S. Open history. In 1993, Mats Wilander defeats Mikael Pernfors in five sets in the first U.S. Open match to finish at 2:26 and two years later, Kei Nishikori outlasts Milos Raonic also in five sets, concluding at 2:26.

Sept. 4, 1993 – Mats Wilander finally defeats Mikael Pernfors 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 1-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 in a 4 hour, 1 minute match that concludes at 2:26 am – the latest ever conclusion of a U.S. Open match. In the post-match press conference, when asked if he had ever played this late in the evening, Wilander dead-pans, “Played what?” In amazing coincidences, the 2:26 am latest finish time is tied, exactly to the minute, two times in later years, in 2012 when Philipp Kohlschreiber beats John Isner 6-4, 3-6, 4-6,6-3, 6-4 and 2014 when Kei Nishikori beats Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4.

Alcaraz beat Marin Cilic in five sets in the fourth round earlier this week in another late-night marathon that ended at 2:23 am.

Against Sinner, Alcaraz saved a match point with Sinner serving for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set. However, he missed an easy, open-court forehand on a set point in the second set that would have given him a two-sets-to-love lead.

Rafael Nadal Seeks A New, Unique Slice of Tennis History at 2022 U.S. Open

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

Rafael Nadal can’t win the Grand Slam this year, but he can seize another unique slice of tennis history if the wins the 2022 U.S. Open.

In the Open Era of tennis (starting in 1968), only Rod Laver (1969), Margaret Court (1970) and Steffi Graf (1988) are the only players to sweep all four major singles titles in a single calendar year and thus finish the Grand Slam season undefeated. Rafael Nadal was halfway to joining this group by winning the Australian and French titles earlier this year. His Grand Slam quest, however, was stopped in the Wimbledon semifinals when he was forced to withdraw from his match with Nick Kyrgios due to a stomach injury.

However, since a withdrawal or “walk over” does not count as a “loss” on a won-loss record for a player, technically Nadal is still undefeated in major championships in 2022. And, if he wins the 2022 U.S. Open, he would become the third player in the Open Era of tennis to finish a Grand Slam season undefeated without winning the actual Grand Slam.

In 1974, Jimmy Connors won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open but was banned from the French Open because of his participation in World TeamTennis. He finished the Grand Slam season with a 20-0 record as the Australian Open only had a 64-player draw. He won the “Grass Court Slam” that year as some have said as all three of these majors were then played on grass, with the French Open on clay being the only non-grass court major.

In 1991, Monica Seles started the year by winning the Australian Open and then the French Open. However, as Wimbledon approached, mystery surrounded Seles and as withdrew from The Championships xxxx.

She emerged from her sabbatical at the event Mahwah, New Jersey of all places, then went on to win the U.S. Open.

On June 22, 1991, as documented in my “On This Day In Tennis History” book, the Seles Wimbledon withdrawal hit the newswires.

1991 – Monica Seles, the No. 1 player in the world seeking the third leg of a possible Grand Slam, mysteriously and controversially withdraws from Wimbledon in unusual circumstances. Officials of the All England Club receive a fax from Seles’ brother Zoltan that she had a “slight accident” that caused her enough injury to withdraw. The mysterious withdrawal and lack of communication between the Seles camp and the media cause for out-of-control speculation and frenzy as to the exact reasoning of her withdrawal. Writes Bill Dwyre in the Los Angeles Times, “No top-seeded player has said “thanks, but no thanks” to Wimbledon-especially one who has won the first two legs of the Grand Slam-and that goes back 67 years to when this event started seeding players. The presumption is that, in those 67 years, many a No. 1-seeded player dragged himself or herself onto Centre Court with all sorts of aches and pains-simply because it is Wimbledon.” Later in the summer, Seles reveals that her withdrawal was due to shin splits.

She finished her 1991 Grand Slam season with a 21-0 record.

If you are interested in betting on the 2022 U.S. Open, you can do so with Cloudbet.

Rafael Nadal

 

Can Nick Kyrgios Win The U.S. Open?

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Did Kyrgios turn over a new leaf at Wimbledon?

If you’re a tennis fan then you will undoubtedly have an opinion on Nick Kyrgios. In fact, even if you’re not someone who keeps up-to-date with the goings-on in the tennis world, you will, in all likelihood, have also formed a judgment regarding the Australian given how colourful his character is. 

In short, Kyrgios is a man who is incredibly outspoken during his matches. Perhaps it was summed up best by a commentator who was recently calling the action during one of Kyrgios’ games and eventually remarked rather humorously after yet another outburst, that the 27-year-old could start an argument in a phone box. Yes, the world tennis news sites love it when Kyrgios play as he always provides unrivaled entertainment. 

The Wimbledon outcast who turned over a new leaf this summer 

It was this fiery nature that prevented Kyrgios from being spoken about as one of the favourites in the build-up to the iconic Wimbledon tournament in 2022. Indeed, many believed that the Australian would get knocked out before the tournament got anywhere near its conclusion. 

It soon became apparent, however, that the world was seeing a new side to the Australian as the player steadily began to tick off opponent after opponent in SW19. Of course, you can never be too sure with a player like Kyrgios when you take into account who can often let his emotions affects his game.

In this sense, you have to temper expectations even when the 27-year-old looks unbeatable given that he can lose his focus spectacularly. With that said, it did feel like the watching world witnessed a pivotal moment in Kyrgios’ career during the Round of 16 when he beat Brandon Nakashima in a five-set thriller. The incident came when Nakashima leveled up the match in the fourth set to make the match score 2-2. In times gone by, this would have typically been enough for Kyrgios to tank the game by giving up after his opponent managed to wrestle back the initiative. Indeed, when Kyrgios historically loses the momentum during a game at a crucial stage, we invariably see him lose his way.

This time, instead, Kyrgios put his head down and came flying out of the traps to win the final set by a commanding score of 6-2. Ultimately, it was a comprehensive beating in the fifth set and perhaps there’s even an argument to be made about Nakashima himself being unprepared for Kyrgios to put on such a mature display. Either way, those in attendance at Centre Court and the millions more watching from around the world did not anticipate the Australian to produce what he did by rising to the challenge and winning so calmly.

Encouragingly, we would see that same determination again during the final where Kyrgios’ Wimbledon dream would finally come to an end courtesy of seven-time champion Novak Djokovic. Yes, Kyrgios was ultimately outclassed by the Serb but crucially he did not give up. For years, it has felt like this resolve to win and engage in total competitive spirit has been the missing piece of Kyrgios’s game when so often, the outside noise would cause him to dramatically veer off course. With the Aussie seemingly getting a handle on this now, the next logical question is whether he can go one better and win a first Grand Slam? 

Could the Aussie win in the Big Apple? 

If we were to look ahead to the US Open and focus on what the best bookmaker sites in Australia are predicting for their fellow countryman in terms of success at Flushing Meadows, perhaps you would be left in two minds. At least, this page which has in-depth Australian bookmaker reviews, with a special focus on bet365, tends to promote bookies with odds that make Kyrgios a relative outsider for the US Open. In particular, bet365 have priced the Australian at 50/1 to go all the way in New York. In reality, it feels as if these odds have disregarded the change in attitude that we saw from Kyrgios and in the interest of being objective, perhaps one encouraging Wimbledon showing does not signal a new dawn for the talented Australian. 

At this stage, only time will tell if Kyrgios is able to maintain the level of maturity that saw him reach his maiden Grand Slam final, but it does feel as if the Australian is making an effort to address the problems that have been holding him back. Admittedly, the tennis world has waited a long time to see this revival happen but finally, the green shoots were evident on Wimbledon’s hallowed turf.

Nick Kyrgios

Taylor Fritz Is Oddsmaker’s Top American Choice To End U.S. Men’s Grand Slam Drought At 2022 U.S. Open

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Sportsbooks give Taylor Fritz best odds for an American to win the US Open in over a decade 

It’s the longest Grand Slam tournament drought in American tennis history. An American man has not won a major singles titles since Andy Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open. However, at the 2022 U.S. Open, Taylor Fritz has been given the best odds to break this unflattering streak for U.S. tennis.

Fritz, the world No. xx and fresh off a quarterfinal finish at Wimbledon, is given +2500 odds to win the title at the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center, placing him seventh on the early odds market, according to OddsChecker here: https://www.oddschecker.com/us/tennis/us-open-mens/2022-us-open/winner. According to OddsChecker, it is the best odds given to any American man to win a major title since Mardy Fish was given +2000 odds to win the 2011 US Open.  

Novak Djokovic, despite his unknown playing status due to his vaccination status, is listed as the favorite as of now at +150, with defending champion Daniil Medvedev the No. 2 favorite at +275. Rafael Nadal, whose status is also in doubt due to his stomach injury, is the the No. 3 favorite at +600, ahead of him. Carlos Alcaraz is the No. 4 favorite at +450 followed by Alexander Zverev, also in doubt with his ankle injury, at +1200 and Stefanos Tsitsipas, +1400.  

“It’s been nearly 20 years since an American has won a Grand Slam title,” said Oddschecker spokesman Kyle Newman. “It’s been more than a decade since an American has even reach a Grand Slam final. Sprtsbooks truly believe that Taylor Fritz has a chance to end American tennis’ longest title drought.”

Earlier this year, Fritz won the singles title in Indian Wells, beating Nadal in the final in what may have been the most significant win by an American man in tennis in 15 years, as you can read here: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/20748

Taylor Fritz
Taylor Fritz

Serena Williams And How Women’s Tennis Legends Have Left The Stage

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

After Serena Williams was defeated in the first round of Wimbledon by Harmony Tan, many speculated that it may have been her final career match. In her post-match press conference, Williams was coy, guarded and genuinely unsure on what the future will hold for her, stating that she was only focused on playing at Wimbledon for the moment.

“Like I said coming into this, I’m just planning for right now, seeing how I feel, just to go from there,” she said.”

How a legendary player exits the sport is a personal choice. Some choose to just fade away while other prefer to give advance notice of their final run or final tournament to give fans a chance to say good-bye and for them to properly say thank you.

In lieu of Serena and her current situation, let’s look back at how the three closest modern-day women’s tennis legends handled their exit from the competitive stage.

CHRIS EVERT

In January of 1989, a 34-year-old Chris Evert told a gaggle of South Florida newspaper writers that it was likely her last year of pro tennis. When the New York Times and Los Angeles Times picked up on the story, Evert immediately threw some water on that announcement from the WTA event in Tokyo.

“When it’s time for me to retire, I will announce it officially,” Evert said at a press conference before the start of the tournament. “I have never made an official (retirement) statement. I would like to leave the door open for next year.”

Later in the year at Wimbledon, Evert was still wishy-washy of her status. While many speculated that it would be her final Wimbledon, Evert did not go as far to say it and kept a crack open in the door. She and then husband Andy Mill discussed – and side-stepped – the subject in this interview with Dick Enberg of NBC Sports following her semifinal loss to Steffi Graf and two days removed from her comeback win in the quarterfinals over Laura Golarsa here

However, prior to the U.S. Open later in the summer, Evert finally stated that the U.S. Open would be her final event. “Even though I hate dealing with this — I don’t even like to think about it — my mind is made up. The 1989 U.S. Open will be my final tournament,” Evert said to Sports Illustrated.

The highlights of her final U.S. Open were highlighted in these two entries from the “On This Day In Tennis History” book as excerpted below.

September 3, 1989 – Thirty-year-old Chris Evert defeats 15-year-old Monica Seles 6-0, 6-2 for her 101st and last U.S. Open singles victory. Evert commits only 17 unforced errors – compared to 34 from Seles – to advance into the U.S. Open quarterfinals for a 19th time in 19 U.S. Opens. Says Evert of her near flawless performance, “I don’t know where it came from.” Writes Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post. “In many ways this was a match of remembrance. Evert had played it countless times before, against all the Tracy Austins and Andrea Jaegers she has outlasted over her 19-year era. Seles was a pogo stick of a girl with harmful, two-fisted strokes like those of a younger Evert.  Ranked No. 12 in the world, she defeated the slowing, tiring fourth-seeded Evert in straight sets in April’s Virginia Slims of Houston, and was widely expected to do so again today. Instead Evert accomplished her 101st Open victory, a record for men and women.”

September 5, 1989 – The storied U.S. Open career of Chris Evert comes to an end as the six-time champion is defeated by Zina Garrison 7-6, 6-2 in Evert’s final U.S. Open match in the women’s quarterfinals. Says Evert, “I’m not disappointed that it’s my last match at the Open, I’m disappointed isolating the match and thinking how I played it, and, well, that’s one of the reasons I’m retiring.” Evert, a six-time U.S. Open champion, makes her debut at the U.S. Open in 1971 as a 16-year amateur, reaching the semifinals en route to winning a record 101 of 113 tournament matches. Says Garrison, “When I went over and sat down, I thought about what had just happened, that this is the last time we’ll see Chris here. She’s been so much to the game. She’s such a lady. To be the villain to have to take her out of this tournament, it’s good for me, but it wasn’t good for me. It might not be the way I want people to remember me, but at least I will be remembered.” Writes Robin Finn in the New York Times of Evert’s emotional and dramatic final moments on a U.S. Open court, “Evert calmly packed up her racquets on the Stadium Court for the last time, gave a smile and a rotating wave of farewell to her fans and put a steadying arm around the shoulders of Garrison, who couldn’t suppress a few confused tears.”

While many recognize Evert’s loss to Zina Garrison in the U.S. Open quarterfinals and her famous wave to the crowd as she exited the court at the U.S. Open for a final time as her official “adieu” to pro tennis, Evert did in fact play one more event. A month later, Evert fulfilled her commitment to her country by representing the United States in the Federation Cup (now the Billie Jean King Cup), where she helped the United States to the championship, as excerpted from “On This Day In Tennis History.” Even then she could not really wrap herself around the thought of not playing tournament tennis again.

October 9, 1989 – Chris Evert plays her final match as a professional, defeating Conchita Martinez 6-3, 6-2 to help the United States to a 3-0 victory over Spain in the final of the Federation Cup in Tokyo, Japan. “’If this is it, I think I’m going out on the highest note possible,” Evert says. “I came here thinking this is my last tournament scheduled for this year, and maybe forever, and what better note could there be to end it on, playing on a great team for my country.” Says Evert’s teammate and legendary rival Martina Navratilova, “’I think all of us really wanted to win it for Chris, but she won it for herself, too,. She won all her matches so she played a huge part in it. It was great to be on the team with her.”

MARTINA NAVRATILOVA

Early in 1994, Martina Navratilova, at age 37, announced that it would be her final year on the WTA Tour, at least in singles play. She told the Chicago Tribune in advance of playing the Virginia Slims of Chicago that the full implications of retirement “haven’t quite hit me yet.” This was showcased when she was upset by 18-year-old Maggie Maleeva in the quarterfinals of the tournament (an event she had won a record 12 times) and she failed to participate in a post-match on-court ceremony in her honor in her final year of competitive singles play.

At the French Open, as the No. 4 seed, she lost in the first round for the first time in her career when she lost to Miriam Oremans of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-4. Navratilova’s final swing of her racquet on the day came against her courtside chair, as the two-time Roland Garros champion shattered her racquet frame before walking off the court. Said Navratilova of her racquet smash “I’ve never done it before and I hope I never will again, but at that point, I was too disappointed to care about anything.”

Navratilova, however, recaptured her magic on her favorite grass at Wimbledon, where she reached the singles final, only the fall just shy of winning a 10th singles title with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 loss to Conchita Martinez. Wrote John Roberts of The Independent “It was, the great champion assured us, the last shot she will make at the All England Club, certainly in singles matches, and it may transpire to be the last to be seen from her in any tournament.”

Following her emotional run to the Wimbledon final, where she famously plucked a few pieces of grass off of Centre Court as she walked off court, Navratilova told Robin Finn with the New York Times that she would surprisingly skip the U.S. Open, the Grand Slam of her adopted homeland.
“Citing a weariness of mind and body after an emotional six months of goodbyes on the tour, Navratilova said she preferred to skip the Open, never her most coveted stop, rather than submit to pressure from the establishment to compete in the year’s final Grand Slam event, which opens in 16 days,” wrote Finn.

“My 37-year-old body is telling me to play on indoor surfaces, and I think it’s time to listen,” Navratilova said to Finn.

In her second-to-last event at the Bank of the West Championships in Oakland (coincidentally where Venus Williams made her pro debut that same year), Navratilova, a fresh 38-year-old, lost the final to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) and said  “It’s nice to be able to play great tennis. I just wish I could finish it off. When I play tennis like this, I know I didn’t retire too late.”

Navratilova finished out the year and on November 14, as documented in the “On This Day In Tennis History” book, lost to Gabriela Sabatini 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the year-end Virginia Slims Championships. Navratilova has a banner retired at Madison Square Garden during the on-court post-match festivities. Said Navratilova, ”I got blown off the court tonight by someone who was playing in another zone. If I have to lose my last match to anyone, I’d want to lose it to Gabriela Sabatini because she’s a very, very nice human being besides being a hell of a tennis player.’

Six years later in 2000, however, Navratilova emerged from retirement to play full-time doubles on the WTA Tour. She won 12 more WTA doubles titles in her comeback and even made singles returns to the French Open and Wimbledon in 2004, ironically, losing to Gisela Dulko of Argentina both times, 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the French and 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the second round of Wimbledon. She also had a chance to compete at the Olympics in doubles in 2004, losing the quarterfinals with Lisa Raymond. In mixed doubles, she won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2003 with Leander Paes and finally bid adieu to tennis at the 2006 U.S. Open as she closed in our her 50th birthday, going out in style with a U.S. Open mixed doubles title with Bob Bryan.

STEFFI GRAF

Steffi Graf was struggling with knee, back and wrist injuries in 1997 and 1998, missing big chunks of both seasons. Entering the 1999 French Open at age 29, Graf had not won a major title since the 1996 U.S. Open and was not considered a serious contender for the title as the No. 6 seed. However, she defeated No. 2 seed Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals, No. 3 seed Monica Seles in the semifinals before upsetting No. 1 Martina Hingis in the final in a match that gained a chapter in the Steve Flink book “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time.” Following the win, Graf created speculation of pending retirement when she said she would not play in Paris again.

At Wimbledon weeks later, Graf again made the final where she lost to Davenport and after the final said she would not play Wimbledon again. “Basically, I won’t be back as a player at Wimbledon,” she said. “I don’t think I need to clarify anything. I will not commit on anything other than that. Right now I’m a little sad about everything, but in a way, I feel pretty fine with it.”

Wrote Robin Finn of the New York Times, “The 1-hour-16-minute match was unforgettable too for the bombshell Graf dropped shortly after she left Center Court without waving goodbye. Just as she had done in Paris last month after winning the French Open — her 22d Grand Slam championship — Graf announced that she was retiring from this event. Reluctant to make her intentions public beforehand for fear of seeing her title quest undermined by sentiment, Graf waited until she and Davenport were off the court, and out of earshot of royalty, before disclosing that her 14th Wimbledon would be her last.”

On August 3, at the WTA event in Carlsbad, California, Graf was forced to retire with a left thigh injury trailing Amy Frazier 6-4, 5-7, 1-2, deuce, in her first round match and her first match since the Wimbledon final. That was when Graf knew she wanted to throw in the towel and fully commit to her retirement, which she officially announced on August 13, as documented in the “On This Day In Tennis History Book” below.

August 13, 1999 – Saying there was “nothing left to accomplish,” thirty-year-old Steffi Graf announces her retirement from professional tennis in a press conference in Heidelberg, Germany. “I’m not having fun anymore,” says Graf, whose 17-year career includes 22 major singles titles, 107 tournament titles and a record 377 weeks as the No. 1 player in the world. “The weeks following Wimbledon weren’t easy for me,” she says. “I was pulled back and forth, but when I made my decision, I didn’t think about it one minute afterward.”

Is Marin Cilic Hall of Fame Worthy?

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

As a tennis historian and publisher, I always have my eye on if a player is worthy of induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

If a player wins two major singles titles, to me, they are pretty much an inductee. If a player wins one major, then an array of other factors come into play that would determine entry into this elite group of tennis players that are honored and revered in Newport, Rhode Island. The criteria for singles players and doubles players are certainly different and for a doubles player or specialist to be considered for induction, they would have to win many major doubles titles just for starters. For singles players, after winning at least one major, these criteria would be as follows:

  • Number of runner-up showings at majors
  • Number of doubles majors won
  • World No. 1 or highest career ranking
  • Number of singles titles and doubles titles
  • Davis Cup or Billie Jean King Cup (former Fed Cup) titles
  • Olympic medals
  • Longevity and consistency and popularity

So, with that in mind, let’s look at the case for Marin Cilic of Croatia.

While Cilic won only one major singles title to date (the 2014 U.S. Open, defeating Roger Federer in the semifinals and Kei Nishikori in the final), he has played in two other major finals, Wimbledon in 2017 and the Australian Open in 2018, losing to Federer both times.

He has reached at least the semifinals of all the majors with his “at least” semifinal finish at Roland Garros in 2022. Only ten men in the Open Era have reached all four major singles finals (Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray – all Hall of Famers)

Cilic has won 20 ATP singles titles (which is nine more than Hall of Famer Patrick Rafter won, and one fewer than a one Slam Hall of Famer Goran Ivanisevic won and two more than another one-Slam Hall of Famer Michael Stich.)

Cilic has helped Croatia win the Davis Cup in 2018.

At the Olympics, Cilic won a silver medal in doubles with Ivan Dodig at the 2020 Games.

So, with that resume so far, does Cilic deserve to be in the International Tennis Hall of Fame?

Perhaps the most famous, predominantly singles players, who have won only won major title who are in the Hall of Fame are…

Michael Chang (1 major, 3 major runner-ups, 34 titles, one Davis Cup, No. 2 career high)

Goran Ivanisevic (1 major, 3 major runner-ups, 22 titles, one Davis Cup, Olympic bronze, No. 2 career high)

Conchita Martinez (1 major, 2 major runner-ups, 33 titles (13 doubles) 5 Fed Cups, 3 Olympic medals, No. 2 career high ranking)

Yannick Noah (1 major, (1 doubles major) 0 major runner-ups, 23 titles, (16 doubles), No. 3 career high in singles, No. 1 in doubles)

Manuel Orantes (1 major, 1 major runner-up, 36 titles (22 doubles), No. 2 career high in singles

Andy Roddick (1 major, 4 major finals, 32 titles, 1 Davis Cup, No. 1 career high in singles

Michael Stich (1 major, 2 major runner-up, 18 titles, Olympic gold in doubles, 1 Davis Cup, No. 2 career high ranking

Marin Cilic
Marin Cilic

Ash Barty’s Exit Not Unlike Pete Sampras

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The sudden and somewhat surprising retirement of world No. 1 Ash Barty just weeks after winning the 2022 Australian Open brought up comparisons to Pete Sampras.

Like Sampras, Barty did a “walk off” ending to her career, announcing her retirement after winning her home slam at the Australian Open. Sampras, although not in the prime of his career like Barty, retired after winning his home Grand Slam tournament at the U.S. Open at age 31.

Steve Flink, the Hall of Fame journalist and author, wrote perhaps the definitive book on Sampras and his 14 major singles championships in his book “Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited” (for sale and download here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559947/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_2RC7QZSHJ6XAKR741XJ8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)

In the end of the book, after Sampras won his 14th and final major championship at the2002 U.S. Open, Flink writes about the Sampras mindset following his emotional victory that eventually led him to decide to retire from the sport. An excerpt can be read below

The way Ivan Lendl looked at it, Sampras fit into a familiar pattern among champions who look for that last window of opportunity, and find it. He said, “If you look at the history of our game, most No. 1’s get one opportunity somewhere down the road when they are not expecting to do that much anymore and they grab it. They know how to win. It is like riding a bike. That was Pete’s opportunity and he took it.”

(Michael) Chang virtually echoed Lendl in his assessment. He said, “The motivation for Pete at that last U.S. Open was very evident. He went through the draw and had his opening and opportunities and he knew. It was like, ‘This is my chance.’ And he took advantage of it. If the opportunity presented itself he would be there and take advantage of it as only Pete can.”

In an interview for this book, Rod Laver said, “Pete always had that championship nature. Winning that U.S. Open at the end was a great tribute to him. Most top players don’t stop that way, leaving the game on top. He did it. Pete was just a great champion who knew how to win under pressure.”

Annacone treasured the memory of Sampras’s triumph over Agassi as he spoke about it in 2018. He said, “I will never forget sitting courtside and watching the big screen with Andre and Pete standing in the hallway before their final. To this day I have never had a feeling like that in tennis. The hair on my arms and legs was totally standing and it was just total goosebumps. I thought the building was going to collapse when they flashed to those two guys in the hallway. This is where it had all started 12 years earlier with the same two guys in the final. I remember Pete saying the night before their ‘02 final, ‘This is awesome. This is exactly where I need to be. I get to play Andre.’ He totally embraced the rivalry.”

Making it all the more remarkable in retrospect is the fact that Sampras was indeed wrapping up his career right then and there. Beating Andre Agassi in the final of the U.S. Open was his last official tennis match. How could anyone leave the sport under more extraordinary circumstances? How many athletes could turn that kind of dream into reality?

Annacone said, “I couldn’t believe that he was able to win this match and then never play again. This is the most amazing thing to me of all, the most incredible thing in sports that I have ever seen.”

Sampras remembered the feeling afterward his singularly satisfying 2002 U.S. Open triumph. He said in 2019, “I had to figure out what was next with my tennis. I didn’t know what to feel. I flew home the night I won the Open and just enjoyed that. Two or three months later I was talking to Paul about what was next and getting ready for Australia, but I was not emotionally ready. So I felt I would see how I felt about playing Indian Wells or Miami in 2003. I was still hitting balls but just didn’t want to do the work it took for the reward at the end. It just seemed unbalanced to me. I didn’t feel like doing the practice or the gym work. Something just came out of me that I can’t really explain. The moment when I knew I was going to retire was when I was in Palm Desert watching Lleyton Hewitt play a first-round match at Wimbledon in 2003, thinking that was the last place I wanted to be. That was when I knew I was done.”

Annacone recalled it slightly differently. He said, “We literally went six months of hitting a couple of days and then not hitting, getting ready for a tournament he did not end up playing. We had so many great talks about life. And then in April, when we were getting ready for Wimbledon, I walked in the front door when I came by and he said, ‘I am done.’ I said, ‘Done with what?’ And he said, ‘I am not playing anymore. I am done.’ He explained that he had done everything he wanted to do. He said he realized why he played and that was to prove to himself what he could do. He said he didn’t need to prove anything anymore.”

At the U.S. Open of 2003, an official retirement ceremony took place. Sampras had a lot of family there, including his parents. His wife and infant son, Christian, were out in the evening air on Arthur Ashe Stadium, sharing the celebration with him. No farewell could have been more fitting. Sampras had essentially announced himself to the tennis world at 19 when he became the youngest man ever to win the U.S. Open in the springtime of his career. Twelve years later, in the autumn of his career, with so many skeptics writing his professional obituary, when most of the tennis community at large was highly skeptical, he had closed the curtain with another triumph at the Open.

Reflecting on his sterling career now almost two decades after it ended, Sampras mused, “I could sit here now and look back on it and say, ‘Should I have tried a different and larger racket for the French Open? Sure. Do I wish I had communicated better about my health and that I didn’t have an ulcer for two years? Yes. I really do regret not communicating better with Paul Annacone and my team and whoever was close to me about what was going on.”

Having said that, Sampras believed, “There are always some regrets. Internalizing a lot of stuff contributed to my ulcer. I do remember one conversation with Paul Annacone in 1998 when I was trying to break the No. 1 record and I told him I was stressed out and struggling. My hair was falling out. I let my guard down, which was unusual. But I have very few regrets. I look more at the positives. I achieved some amazing things. I didn’t want to show any vulnerability. I didn’t worry about what people were thinking. Being self-willed and self-focused with the blinders on made me a great player. I kept things close to my vest.”

Following up on that theme, Sampras said, “You look at Roger and Rafa and Novak today and they are much more social and more outgoing than I was and maybe it is through social media and where we are in society. Maybe if I had been playing now I would have been more like these guys. It is just a different mentality. In my generation everyone was a little more separate and we all got along fine, but now Roger has Rafa’s text number and they all text each other and have Instagram. Knowing Roger a little bit, I guess he can be the life of the party in the locker room. I was more in the corner away from everyone and I loved it on the last weekend of Wimbledon when nobody was in the locker room. I am a lone wolf. I get energy being by myself. I like being alone. That is how I am wired and how I have always been and it was the way I liked it throughout my career.”

Speaking of how he viewed his illustrious career, what meant the most to Sampras was his longevity. “Being the best in the game for almost half of my career meant a lot to me,” he said. “I did it in a certain way that was humble and it was my style. I feel I was a talented player with a big game that made guys uncomfortable. I just tried to conduct myself the way I am, in a very understated way, keeping my emotions in check and being a good role model for kids on behavior. That was important to me and at the same time that is who I am. I let my racket do the talking and played big matches well and I felt that the bigger the match was, the better I am.”

He had established himself as arguably the best player in the history of the game with his unimaginable six years in a row at No. 1 and extraordinary 14-4 record in Grand Slam finals. He had gone out on a high note.

As Monica Seles said in summation, “It was a storybook ending to a great career. 329 Steve Flink Walking away is very hard for an athlete. You always ask yourself that question—when is it time to go? And for him that was as perfect an ending as you could write, winning the Open in his home country and [eventually] saying I am closing this chapter of my life.”

Ash Barty and Pete Sampras "Greatest Revisited"
Ash Barty and Pete Sampras “Greatest Revisited”

Could Tennis’ Recent Historic Run Cause Problems?

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This summer has certainly held plenty of exciting news within tennis, the end of the grand slam dream for Djokovic following the loss, and the closing end of an era as Roger Federer continues to discuss troubles with injury despite mixed news around the feeling after knee surgery – the big news however has been around Emma Raducanu and the historic run to with the US Open after securing a wildcard position in Wimbledon just months prior. Whilst she is certainly now a big hit, there may be a question around the future with how media coverage has been and the impact it has had on other athletes too.

Some are comparing it to another big star from women’s tennis in Naomi Osaka, having recently faced troubles with some organisers and citing mental health concerns as a reason for not attending some events, its clear that the pressure of the media within the sport is having a larger impact on some rather than others – Osaka had recently also confirmed her withdrawal from the Indian Wells event, perhaps going in as the favourite for some platforms like this BetMGM Sportsbook which has received great reviews, having also pulled out of recent events too. Having won the event back in 2018 but struggling since the French Open after a run of strong performances, it has shown just how big of an impact the media can have.

For now, Raducanu seems to be enjoying all of the attention that the big US Open win has brought with it, but sports media is well known to not always be the kindest and pressure is certainly building to put up repeat performances – now ranked at world #22 and having received a number of big sponsorship deals and other offers too, it certainly builds pressure for someone so young with such a huge victory so early on in the career. Whether or not that pressure will play a part in the success moving forward is yet to be seen, but it is also a positive that there are already experienced role models like Osaka close at hand to help guide through mental health issues early on, and to show that stepping back when needed is something that is not only becoming more acceptable, but also something that should be taken more as a priority.

It isn’t only in tennis that this is being seen, but sporting globally too, it’s still rare to see a young talent hit a huge performance so early now however, and this historic run could unveil problems within sports media and how reporting, and how a different approach may be needed to ensure younger athletes are protected to prevent issues further on in their career.

Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu

Emma Raducanu – Leylah Fernandez U.S. Open Final Gets Higher ESPN TV Rating Than Novak Djokovic – Daniil Medvedev

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The 2021 US Open in New York averaged 881,000 viewers in prime time, up 33% (from 662,000) over last year, and it was up 13% (from an average of 702,000 to 796,000) for the entire two weeks of telecasts.  Coverage totaled 153 hours across ESPN and ESPN2, an increase of 15% over the 133 that had been scheduled. 

This past weekend’s women’s and men’s championships – both featuring historic storylines – each enjoyed large increases over 2020.   

Women’s Championship:  Fernandez vs. Raducanu

  • Saturday’s women’s final between unheralded teenagers Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez – the first Major final, male or female, with two unseeded players in the Open Era (since 1968) – averaged 2.44 million viewers.  That represents an increase of 37% over last year (Victoria Azarenka vs. Naomi Osaka).
  • The match peaked at 3.4 million viewers at 6-6:15 p.m. ET, ESPN’s highest peak of the tournament.
  • It is the most-watched women’s final of the seven ESPN has televised since acquiring US Open exclusivity in 2015 that did not include Serena Williams (2018, 2019). 
  • Raducanu – the first man or woman to reach a Major final having come through qualifying – defeated Fernandez 6-4, 6-3.

 Men’s Championship:  Djokovic vs. Medvedev

  • The men’s final featured the first attempt by a man to win the Grand Slam – capturing all four Major crowns in one calendar year – since Rod Laver in 1969.  Top-seeded Novak Djokovic was also seeking sole ownership of the record for career Majors won by a man, currently a tie at 20 with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
  • His match against #2 Daniil Medvedev averaged 2.05 million viewers, up 37% from a year ago.  It peaked at 2.7 million viewers at 6:15-30 p.m. 
  • Medvedev won his first Major title in denying Djokovic his place in history with a straight sets win – 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Men’s Semifinals

The Men’s Semifinals – now split into an afternoon match (Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Daniil Medvedev) and one in prime time (Novak Djokovic vs. Alexander Zverev) – combined to average 1.3 million viewers.  That represents an increase of 46% over 2020.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andy Murray, Kevin Anderson and Alycia Parks Have Hallmark Efforts On U.S. Open’s Opening Day

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

Opening day at the 2021 U.S. Open not only celebrated the return of fans to the grounds of the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center after a one-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but featured three hallmark match efforts from Andy Murray and Stefanos Tsitsipas, Kevin Anderson and Alycia Parks.

The match of the day was Tstistipas defeating Andy Murray 2-6, 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in four hours, 49 minutes, which, according to my records, is tied for the eighth longest men’s match on record at the U.S. Open.The longest men’s singles match in U.S. Open history came in the 1992 U.S. Open semifinals when Stefan Edberg defeated Michael Chang 6–7, 7–5, 7–6, 5–7, 6–4 in five hours, 26 minutes

The 1993 third round match between Richard Krajicek and Todd Martin lasted five hours, ten minutes, Krajicek winning 6–7, 4–6, 7–6, 6–4, 6–4 in five hours, ten minutes.

The third-longest listed match is when Sargis Sargsian defeated Nicolas Massu in the 2004 second round in 5:09 by a 6-7, 6-4,3-6, 7-6, 6-4 scoreline.

.In 1992, Ivan Lendl defeated Boris Becker 6-7 (7-4), 6-2, 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, 6-4 in 5:01 in the fourth round.

In 2010, Kei Nishikori beat Marin Cilic in the first round in 4:59 by a score of 5-7, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-1.

The 1988 U.S. Open final lasted 4 hours 54 minutes when Mats Wilander defeated Ivan Lendl  6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7,6-4.

The 2012 U.S. Open final between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic also lasted 4 hours, 54 minutes, Murray winning 7-6, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 6-2.

Rafael Nadal beat Dominic Thiem 0-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5) in the 2018 quarterfinals.in four hours, 49 minutes.

In his first round win over Jiri Vesely, Kevin Anderson sealed the match in a fifth-set tiebreaker with his 49th ace, the third most in a match in U.S. Open history (since 1991). Anderson won the match 7-6(1), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4) in a four-hour, 22-minute epic. Only Ivo Karlovic, who hit a U.S. Open record 61 aces in 2016 against Rendy Lu, and John Isner, who hit 52 aces in 2020 against Steve Johnson) have hit more aces than Anderson did against Vesely, although Richard Krajicek also hit 49 aces also in a match in 1999 against Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

According to the U.S. Tennis Association, Alycia Parks of Atlanta tied Venus Williams’ US Open serve speed record, clocking a 129 mph serve in her first-round loss to Olga Danilovic. The 20-year-old made her Grand Slam main draw debut losing to Danilovic of Serbia, 6-3, 7-5. Williams hit her record-setting serve in her first-round match of the 2007 US Open. 

Tennis fans in New York hope to see Anderson’s serve if he commits to play for South Africa in its Davis Cup tie against Venezuela at the historic West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills, September 18-19 (Go to ForestHillsStadium.com for ticket info).

US Open Alycia Parks
Alycia Parks serves at the 2021 U.S. Open

Stan Smith Forest Hills Heritage Day Ceremony Highlights When The U.S. Open Was More Loosey Goosey

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

On the 50th anniversary of his triumph at the 1971 U.S. Open, Stan Smith was celebrated by the West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills at the club’s annual “Heritage Day” celebration where a banner in his honor was raised on the rafters of the club’s stadium, the site of Smith’s triumph. Smith and his son Ramsey Smith, who introduced his father at the ceremony, both told interesting tales and anecdotes, two in particular that showcased a more casual and “loosey goosey” U.S. Open.

Ramsey Smith, now the men’s tennis coach at Duke University, discussed circumstances around his birth during the 1978 U.S. Open where his parents were staying with Arthur and Jeanne Ashe and his mother Margie was three weeks away from her due date. Stan was preparing to play in the U.S. Open doubles quarterfinals with partner Bob Lutz as the fourth scheduled match on the Grandstand against John Alexander and Phil Dent. Appropriately on “Labor Day,”  Margie Smith, unexpectedly, went into labor.

The U.S. Tennis Association decided to postpone Smith’s quarterfinal doubles match, with U.S. Open Tournament Director Bill Talbert appearing on court to inform fans of Smith’s situation. It’s hard to imagine this happening in the modern world of tennis. Famously, eight years later in 1986, John McEnroe and Peter Fleming were also scheduled to play a U.S. Open doubles match on Grandstand, but were stuck in traffic, were only minutes late for their start time, but were mercilessly defaulted. Smith and Lutz went on to defeat Alexander and Dent in a rescheduled match and went on to win the title defeating Marty Riessen and Sherwood Stewart in the final.

Smith also discussed his singles win at the 1971 U.S. Open and how the singles final was played on a third Wednesday due to constant rain and how another “loosey goosey” tournament decision caused for one of the most unusual circumstances in major tournament history that prevented the tournament from being extended into a third Thursday!

After Smith won the singles title defeating Jan Kodes 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (5-3) he then had to return to the court to play the doubles final with Erik van Dillen against John Newcombe and Roger Taylor.

Said Smith in his August 27 Heritage Day speech, “So after that match, I came back to the locker room. I took about 20 minutes, had a shower, met with the press…and then had a bite to eat. I then had to go out and play the doubles final. And so we were up two sets to one, and now it’s getting dark… No one wanted to stay for the third Thursday or the third week on the Thursday. So we got together and chatted about it while it’s getting darker and darker. And so it was Erik van Dillen and myself against John Newcombe and Roger Taylor. And we decided to come up with a plan. We’re going to play a nine point tie-breaker. Anybody that’s played a nine point tie-breaker know it is like Russian Roulette. Anything can happen. And we’re going to play a nine point tie-breaker instead of the fifth set for the title and split the prize money, which is about $400. It was significant to me but it wasn’t when you think about it. So we ended up playing a tie-breaker and, as you remember if you ever played a nine pointer, one team played two serves and the other team two serves. First team played two serves and the second team got to play three serves. But if you went by serves you’d be down 4-2, but you’ve got to serve three points, which is supposed to be an advantage, and we got ahead. We were at 3-all, van Dillen serving, and we lost the next two points. So, that was the title that got away. And it would have been nice to have five U.S. Open by this time.”

Another interesting story told by Smith was when he was entangled in dog-fight first-round match with Jaime Fillol at the 1974 U.S. Open at Forest Hills.

“I was dating this young girl, she’s now my wife, and we started dating and she was a tennis player so she knew how tough it was,” said Smith. “It was a hot day…and she realized that I was going into the fifth set. So I waved to her and I said, ‘You know, can you get some Gatorade?’ I had no Gatorade. So she literally runs down Queens Boulevard to a 7-Eleven, gets the Gatorade, hitchhikes back to the club, gets there when the fifth set started and I won the match because of her.”

It’s hard to imagine there not being some sort of Gatorade, Powerade or other drinks courtside in modern-day tennis. All of these stories certainly add to the charm of pro tennis in its developmental years.

Stan Smith
Stan Smith





Novak Djokovic, Gunning For The Grand Slam, Leads 2021 U.S. Open Entries (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal To Challenge Him In New York!)

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The U.S. Tennis Association announced that 20-time major singles champions Novak Djokovic (SRB), Rafael Nadal (ESP) and Roger Federer (SUI) will headline the men’s singles field for the 2021 US Open Tennis Championships, as their race for the men’s major singles title record and Djokovic’s pursuit of the first men’s ‘Calendar Grand Slam’ since 1969 take center stage.

No. 1 Djokovic, No. 3 Nadal and No. 9 Federer lead a US Open men’s singles field that features the Top 103 men in the world, including No. 6 and defending US Open champion Dominic Thiem (AUT), former US Open champions Stan Wawrinka (SUI) and Marin Cilic (CRO) and a Top-10 full of young challengers: No. 2 Daniil Medvedev (RUS), a 2019 US Open finalist; No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE), a 2021 French Open finalist; No. 5 Alexander Zverev (GER), a 2020 US Open finalist; No. 7 Andrey Rublev (RUS), second on the tour in wins this year; No. 8 Matteo Berrettini (ITA), a 2021 Wimbledon finalist; and No. 10 Denis Shapovalov (CAN), a 2021 Wimbledon semifinalist.

Djokovic, the singles champion at the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon this year, will come into New York with a chance to be the third man in history to win all four major singles titles in the same year, following Australian Rod Laver in 1969 and American Don Budge in 1938. Djokovic is also entered into the singles field at the Tokyo Olympics, meaning should he win the Gold Medal in singles there, he would have the chance to join Steffi Graf (1988) as the only players to ever complete the ‘Golden Grand Slam.’

The 2021 US Open will be played Monday, August 30 to Sunday, September 12 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y. The US Open Men’s Singles Championship is presented by Chase.

Lucas Pouille (FRA), a 2016 US Open quarterfinalist ranked No. 103, is the last man to receive direct entry, while 2012 US Open champion Andy Murray (GBR), ranked No. 104, is currently the first player on the alternate list. Only Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) used a protected ranking (No. 96) to enter. Sixteen more players will gain entry through the US Open Qualifying Tournament, which will be held August 24-27.

Thirty-five countries are represented in the men’s entry list, with 10 Americans qualifying for direct entry: No. 32 Reilly Opelka (Palm Coast, Fla.) No. 37 Taylor Fritz (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.), No. 39 John Isner (Greensboro, N.C./Dallas), No. 47 Sebastian Korda (Bradenton, Fla.), No. 53 Frances Tiafoe (Hyattsville, Md.), No. 54 Tommy Paul (Greenville, N.C.) No. 64 Marcos Giron (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), No. 70 Sam Querrey (Las Vegas), No. 82 Tennys Sandgren (Gallatin, Tenn.), No. 83 Steve Johnson (Orange, Calif.).

The July 19 edition of the ATP rankings was used to determine the US Open main draw entry list. Seeds will be determined and announced closer to the start of the event.

The 2021 US Open will mark the culmination of the US Open Series, the North American summer season of nine WTA and ATP Tour events that began last week in Newport, R.I.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic

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