Tag: Tatsuma Ito

Round 2 @ The US Open Qualifiers ~ 2017

Author: Oberon

Thursday August 24th, 2017 – Less humidity but still scorching sun today at the US Open as the second round matches of the Qualifying Tournament were played. Lots of distractions – mainly from people gabbing courtside during play (‘straight’ men are by far the worst chatterboxes) – and unpleasant encounters with staff made me wonder why I continue to trek out there year after year. Well, I love tennis, that’s why.

Today my first match was between Vincent Millot and Tatsuma Ito. As on Tuesday, Ito began rather sluggishly but today he was unable to turn things around, and Millot won in straight sets.

I then went to have a look at a Women’s match: former world #2 Vera Zvonareva (above) was playing American Jamie Loeb. Zvonareva was trying for a comeback after a career beset by injuries and which included time off to have a baby. Today she looked to be in great shape and played with rugged determination and fine skill. Each player took a set – the scores were really close – and in the third, Zvonareva saved a couple of match points before Loeb was able to prevail. The crowd was overwhelmingly favoring the American; in fact I am not sure that many of them even knew who Zvonareva was, nor her history. It was great seeing her play again, and I hope she sticks with it.

The best time I had this week at the Open was watching the match between Go Soeda (above) and Marco Chiudinelli. I found a seat all by my lonesome high up in the gallery where a refreshing breeze periodically swept over me. Go was on fire and played the best tennis I have ever seen from him.

Go Soeda’s matches have been some of my happiest memories of past US Opens; win or lose, he always plays a beautiful game. He is among the players who, over the years, have made me see the excitement of the Qualifying matches and who have drawn me there annually, choosing the Qualies over the far more crowded and expensive main draw.

Today, Go allowed Marco Chuiudinelli very little room for error. The Swiss player could not get his foot in the door against his Japanese opponent’s good serving and well-placed shots. The match flew by and Go, cheered on by the crowd, was soon basking in his victory.

More photos of Go Soeda from today:

Above: Go signing autographs…

…and meeting his fans.

Nicolas Mahut (above), a mainstay on the international tennis stage since turning pro in 2000, was today facing up-and-comer Ramakumar Ramanathan of India. Like Leonardo Mayer, who played a great match here on Tuesday, Mahut has slipped down the rankings just far enough that he has to qualify this time around.

Mahut had vociferous support from the crowd and, although Ramamathan pulled off some impressive shots – and took the second set in a tie-breaker – the Frenchman held on for the win.

Mahut’s young son was courtside for the match and kept calling out “Allez, papa!”. It was charming, at least for the first one hundred times.

I was just heading towards the exit to catch the train when a beautiful breeze kicked up. I stopped randomly at the nearest court and watched a bit of the match between Frank Dancevic and Stephane Robert.

I recalled an incident from 2 or 3 years ago when Dancevic had an on-court meltdown over what he thought was a bad line-call. It happened again today – though as a less hysterical level – just during the few minutes I was watching. Chill, man. Everyone gets bad calls. Marco Chiudinelli thought he’d been deprived of a legitimate point during his match with Go Soeda earlier today and held up play as he unloaded on the chair umpire. What good did it do? Just keep playing and try to win, instead of whining.

My plan had been to stay on til the last matches of the day; I wanted to see Lukas Lacko and Duckhee Lee in action. But you’ve heard the phrase “twice-baked potato”…and that was how I was beginning to feel.

Heading home.

~ Oberon

August 24, 2017
US Open Qualifying Tournament 2015 – Day 1

Above: Renzo Olivo, of Argentina, serving in the sunshine

Tuesday August 25th, 2015 – Right up until the morning of, I was unsure if I’d be making my annual trek to the US Open qualifying tournament this year. Over the last two or three years, I have changed from being a “Summer person” to being a “Winter person”. I – who used to sunbathe avidly, and always loved hot, steamy weather – have done a complete volte face. I now find heat and humidity oppressive and really annoying.

But the lure of watching tennis live overwhelmed my concerns for comfort and so, after having a ‘private car’ on the 7 train out to the tennis center, I tried to ignore the sun beating down and the trickles of sweat. Around 2:00 a lovely breeze kicked in, and if you sat high enough up in the stands, you could maintain reasonable comfort.

The day started badly as two of my favorites went down to defeat: Tatsuma Ito (above) was over-powered by the big-hitting Russian Aslan Karatsev…

…whilst Somdev Devvarman (above) fell in a three set battle to the Slovakian Norbert Gombos.

Wei had asked me to check out the tall young Chinese player Ze Zhang (above), who won his first-set in an exciting tie-breaker against France’s Tristan Lamasine. In the second set, Ze Zhang was serving for the match but somehow lost a bit of momentum; Lamasine stepped up his level and took the set. In the deciding third, Ze Zhang seemed to be hobbled by an injury to his serving arm; his big serve was compromised and often he would just tap the ball into play. The trainer was out and did what he could to alleviate the problem, but Lamasine took advantage of the situation, playing even harder and forcing a victory. The Chinese crowd were demoralized. But Ze Zhang has the goods; I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of him in the seasons to come.

Japanese-American Taro Daniel (above), who impressed me at last Summer’s tournament, played a beautiful, dominating first set against the Argentine Renzo Olivo; Taro’s serve has a lovely slice to it. Olivo made some headway in the second, but Taro kept his cool and swept to victory.

I so enjoyed watching Taro’s match from my perch up in the stands. It was everything I love about tennis.

Above: Taro Daniel after the match.

I would have loved to have stayed on to see the 19-year-old Swede Elias Ymer, and my longtime favorite Alejandro Falla, but I was already sunburnt, and so I grabbed a big bottle of water and headed for the train. Both Ymer and Falla won their matches today, so hopefully I can catch them in the next round.

August 26, 2015
US Open Qualifying Tournament 2015 – Day 1

Above: Renzo Olivo, of Argentina, serving in the sunshine

Tuesday August 25th, 2015 – Right up until the morning of, I was unsure if I’d be making my annual trek to the US Open qualifying tournament this year. Over the last two or three years, I have changed from being a “Summer person” to being a “Winter person”. I – who used to sunbathe avidly, and always loved hot, steamy weather – have done a complete volte face. I now find heat and humidity oppressive and really annoying.

But the lure of watching tennis live overwhelmed my concerns for comfort and so, after having a ‘private car’ on the 7 train out to the tennis center, I tried to ignore the sun beating down and the trickles of sweat. Around 2:00 a lovely breeze kicked in, and if you sat high enough up in the stands, you could maintain reasonable comfort.

The day started badly as two of my favorites went down to defeat: Tatsuma Ito (above) was over-powered by the big-hitting Russian Aslan Karatsev…

…whilst Somdev Devvarman (above) fell in a three set battle to the Slovakian Norbert Gombos.

Wei had asked me to check out the tall young Chinese player Ze Zhang (above), who won his first-set in an exciting tie-breaker against France’s Tristan Lamasine. In the second set, Ze Zhang was serving for the match but somehow lost a bit of momentum; Lamasine stepped up his level and took the set. In the deciding third, Ze Zhang seemed to be hobbled by an injury to his serving arm; his big serve was compromised and often he would just tap the ball into play. The trainer was out and did what he could to alleviate the problem, but Lamasine took advantage of the situation, playing even harder and forcing a victory. The Chinese crowd were demoralized. But Ze Zhang has the goods; I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of him in the seasons to come.

Japanese-American Taro Daniel (above), who impressed me at last Summer’s tournament, played a beautiful, dominating first set against the Argentine Renzo Olivo; Taro’s serve has a lovely slice to it. Olivo made some headway in the second, but Taro kept his cool and swept to victory.

I so enjoyed watching Taro’s match from my perch up in the stands. It was everything I love about tennis.

Above: Taro Daniel after the match.

I would have loved to have stayed on to see the 19-year-old Swede Elias Ymer, and my longtime favorite Alejandro Falla, but I was already sunburnt, and so I grabbed a big bottle of water and headed for the train. Both Ymer and Falla won their matches today, so hopefully I can catch them in the next round.

August 25, 2015