Oberon's Glade

Tag: Steve Darcis

  • US Open Qualifying Tournament 2014 #3

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    Above: Steve Darcis at the US Open Qualifiying Tournament 2014

    Thursday August 21st, 2014 – Another great match from Steve Darcis at the US Open Qualifying Tournament today as the Belgian player eliminated the popular American Michael Russell. Steve showed off his impressive style yet again, hopefully heading to the main draw after tomorrow’s final qualifying round.

    Michael Russell broke Steve’s serve early in the match but Steve broke right back. There were some great shots being exchanged, and Steve was coming to the net quite a bit, usually with good results. Despite some fine moments, Michael could not overcome Steve’s aggressive and technically sturdy momentum. 

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    Over on Court 6, Japan’s Hiroki Moriya (above) – who played in the 2012 US Open – bounced back from losing the first set to Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium and played two very strong sets to clinch a place in the qualifying finals. Hiroki pulled off one incredible shot as he and Ruben tangled at the net. An enthusiastic crowd of Japanese fans gave Hiroki vital support throughout the match.

    On Wednesday, as my horoscope accurately predicted, I was on an energy high. Today it seemed to have evaporated. The sun was baking the courts and I had a long space of time to wait til my next anticipated match. Between the heat and the crowds, I grew restless, walking from court to court.

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    I stopped to watch Gastao Elias (above) of Portugal play a set. Eventually the heat got to me and I decided reluctantly to leave. Checking in at the website later in the evening I found I missed several of my heroes chalking up wins: Tatsuma Ito, Di Wu, Yuichi Sugita, and Taro Daniel all advanced, with Rajeev Ram still playing.

    I’m planning to go to see the final qualifying matches on Friday, though rain is predicted. It’s a long trek from Inwood to Billie Jean’s place, so we’ll see what the morrow brings.

    It’s a bit odd that the heat defeated me today: I have been at the Open on far hotter days in past seasons. As someone who used to savour the heat and who spent many summers sunbathing devotedly, I’ve done a complete volte face since turning 64. Now I love the cold, the ice and the snow. Winter can’t get here fast enough.

  • US Open Qualifying Tournamement 2014 #1

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    Above: Belgium’s Steve Darcis

    Tuesday August 19th, 2014 – Steve Darcis played an immaculate first set at the US Open Qualifying Tournament today. The Belgian is one of my favorite tennis players; I first encountered him in 2007 when he played in the Qualifiers and secured a position in the main draw. He has been ranked as high as #44 (in 2008) but his successes have been counter-balanced by injuries that have kept it from attaining his rightful place in the tennis world. He has everything: serve, return-of-serve (really on today!), depth, variety of shots, great court coverage, and agility at the net.

    Throughout the first set today there was virtually nothing Spain’s Inigo Cervantes could do to keep the steam-rolling Darcis at bay. As the second set started, Cervantes seemed newly energized: his powerful serve began to work more impressively and there were some great rallies. And also some vocalism: both players loudly questioned line calls – Steve at one point rushing towards the chair umpire yelling “Jamais! Jamais! Jamais!” – and a bit later Cervantes smashed his racquet to the ground in frustration. Darcis had Cervantes at 5-4 and was serving for the match but he couldn’t close it out. They went on to a tie-breaker where Darcis finally prevailed.

    Earlier, Go Soeda – a great favorite of mine and ranked #2 among the qualifiers – played his usual gorgeous game. But Oscar Hernandez’s power and grit were too much for Go to handle. The opposite happened when Ireland’s Louk Sorenson, a powerful and almost brutal player, took the first set from Portugal’s Gastao Elias. Thereafter Elias seized the upper hand, grinding down Sorenson’s stubbornly sturdy game with craftiness and finesse and going on to victory.

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    Above: Gastao Elias

    Sorenson is a player who grunts emphatically every time he hits the ball. God help us if he and Azarenka ever team up for mixed doubles.

    Growing weary of the crowds, I decided to head home a bit earlier than I had originally planned.