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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Men's US Open Wild Cards Announced

The main and qualifying wild cards were announced today on usta.com.

The main draw wild cards:

John Isner
Alun Jones (Australian trade)
Alex Kuznetsov
Jesse Levine
Mike McClune
Wayne Odesnik
Ryan Sweeting
Donald Young

Young, Sweeting, Kuznetsov and Odesnik all received wild cards in 2006.

The qualifying wild cards:
Stephen Bass
Matt Bruch
Lester Cook
Ryler DeHeart
Scoville Jenkins
Dusan Lojda (2006 Junior champion)
Bryan Koniecko
Nikita Kryvonos
Phillip Simmonds

Ryan Thacher, who earned a qualifying wild card for his runner-up finish in Kalamazoo on Sunday, must have declined it due to the family vacation he mentioned might conflict with the qualifying dates.

The only women's wild card that has been announced as of today is Jessica Moore, the Australian selection for the traded Australian Open wild card.

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

Any surprises other than Thacher for who was left off? Is Rhyne Williams still hurt? I would have thought that winning a Futures would have earned him at least a qualifying wild card.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is incredible. How can you turn down such a great oppurtunity? That just makes no sense to me. The US Open or a family vacation? Even if your eventual goal is not to be professinoal wouldn't you go for the experience?

Anonymous said...

That is a bit of a surprise that Thacher would turn that oppurtunity down. Thats taking the family thing and priority thing way too far to the point of being almost foolish.

Anonymous said...

He will be there next year as the 'Zoo champion so this will be a moot topic.

Anonymous said...

Rhyne Williams will have something to say about that.

Anonymous said...

Trombetta,Harrison,Buchanan,Boyajian, Williams and a few others will have a lot to say about that. These are all guys who have beaten him in the past or done just as well. The fact is to pass up the chance to play at the open in the Pro qualies is taking the family and school thing overboard. You hope that he or his family doesn't look back on it in a few years and regret it. Most people who pass on these chances do end up regretting it because you don't ever know if these chances will come again. Lots of things can happen. Hope this doesn't end up the case here.

Anonymous said...

To say that he will win it next year is a bit of a stretch. He will be 1 of about 10 guys with a chance to win it. Brennan Boyajian beat him last year and will be back. Rhyne Williams with his record will certainly have a chance. Ty Trombetta was a semifinalist this year and was not in his part of the draw but McClunes. Ryan Harrison was a quarterfinalist this year and had to play McClune and not Thacher. Chase Buchanan is coming off a bit of an injury problem and may be back to form for next year as well. Quite a few others who could come along in that time too. Thats a bold statement to say he will win it next year and more likely to be a missed opportunity this year. He even lost to Casey Watt at Intersectionals the week before the Zoo this year. Can't believe he or his family had him turn down the chance to play at the U.S. Open.

Anonymous said...

Rhyne Williams is still injured. Thus the reason he was not given a WC.

Anonymous said...

I guess we are all assuming that tennis is the most important thing in Ryan's life and that he wants to be a professional tennis player.?

Anonymous said...

USTA High Performance has never given Thatcher the wild cards that they have offered to their home schooled boys. Even last year alot of the guys who finished in the 16s much lower than his finalist position were given wild cards to the junior main draw while they only offered Ryan the junior qualies. It appears that if you are intent on attending college (e.g. Steve Forman, Thatcher) you will not be on the High Performance agenda of producing champions and you will not get their preferred treatment.

Anonymous said...

If tennis isn't that important then why play the Zoo or any other tournaments. Why would you travel at all. There is no logic at all in the statement that its not that important to him and that he doesnt want to be a professional or just stay in California and quit going to junior tournaments as well.

Anonymous said...

You guys are making a lot of assumptions. Collette, as far as I can tell, did not confirm the reason Thacher isn't playing the qualies. There could be several reasons.

Colette Lewis said...

I do not know for certain why Thacher is not using the automatic qualifying wild card that he earned with his runnerup finish in Kalamazoo. He did mention after the finals that he and his family had a vacation to Barcelona planned that might conflict with the qualifying dates.

Anonymous said...

anyone know when the WC for juniors will be announced? anyone know what was the injury for Buchanan as he played the zoo?

Anonymous said...

I didn't say it was not important to him i said it may not be the most important. There are many juniors who travel but have no intent on turning pro...everybody that travels to a national tournament (including playing the zoo)has the same goals...to be a professional?

Anonymous said...

doesnt devarmann get a wc for winning the ncaas?

Anonymous said...

The US Open stopped giving an automatic wildcard to the NCAA winner a few years ago....maybe because not many Americans were winning the NCAAs. -AT

Anonymous said...

Ryan thacher obviously thought it was more important to go on a long time planned family vaction then go to the us open qualies where most likely would not do so well. I dont think he is worrying to much being as he is panning on going to college and if tennis doesnt play any role in his later life he will still be a very succesful person. All these people come on this site i dunno if its adults or kids but they critize all the junior players. I honestly done think thacher cares if it doesnt make sense to some people. I dont think any one on this site is allowed to say thats taking the family and prority thing way to far. Its his life let him make his own decisions along with the rest of these kids. They come onto this site and see all these negative commenets about everything and jsut brings then general confidence level down.

Anonymous said...

heard Evan King got a WC into the juniors. anyone know where the list is posted

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
heard Evan King got a WC into the juniors. anyone know where the list is posted."

The www.usta.com website has posted an "Accpetanc List" which lists Evan King as an alternate. Lot of other good players are listed as alternates such as Sangren, Kudla, Trombetta, Boyajian, Ryan Harrison, etc. Perhaps this is just a preliminary list.

Anonymous said...

People aren't being negative they just don't understand how you could pass up a chance that may never come along again. The family obviously has plenty of money to be taking vacations out of the country so why wouldn't you plan it or take it some other time. Because he is going to college doesn't guarantee success any more than playing the tour for years and only making it to the top 200 means you will be or are a failure . I read on here all the time about people saying kids should go to college because the chances of making it on the tour are so slim like a college degree will make them feel better about themselves or more successful. Thats for people who think successs is defined by how much money you make and not by whether or not you enjoy what you are doing. Being 200 or 300 in the world or a journeyman as many people on here call them will still allow you to get a very good paying job when you are through playing whether its with the U.S.T.A. or out of tennis all together.You dont know if these kids have family business' to go in to or what the situation is so quit acting like going to college is the only way to be a success in life. There are millions of people all over that are successful and never saw a day of college.

Anonymous said...

Ryan Thatcher is staying true to who he is. He obviously understands he has a long road ahead of him and is confident in his tennis ability. This is not a once in a lifetime opportunity! He is a true professional because he clearly sees where he wants to go and playing in one tournament is not going to be the deal-breaker. He has the next 15 years to play the US Open and if he is good enough, he will play when he graduates from college. No big deal. Not to mention, he already gets to practice with some phenomenal touring professionals and play sets with them. No biggie!

Anonymous said...

anon.

please define "SUCCESS"

You say:
"Being 200 or 300 in the world or a journeyman as many people on here call them will still allow you to get a very good paying job when you are through playing whether its with the U.S.T.A. or out of tennis all together."

What very good job can you get without a college degree, in tennis or out of tennis?

Liking what you do is extremely important, hopefully it is something you can make a living at.

I know people who make $200,000 per year and are very happy and I know people who make $5,000,000 per year and are not happy. Money doesn't make you smart,happy, or nice.

It only gives you choices in life, how secure you can make your family, what advantages you can give to your kids, where you live, what kind of car you drive,what kind of vacation you take,etc. and it allows you to spend your time the way you want to.

Once you have money - you see that it is not "an end all" - but it is pretty nice, if you realize, it is not that big a deal, UNTIL YOU NEED IT FOR SOMETHING YOU WANT.

Anonymous said...

Is Thacher going to be a senior in high school? Any idea where he is planning to go for college?

Anonymous said...

What good paying job can you get without a degree? Any privately owned business: a restaurant, a convenience store,tons of jobs all over the internet with marketing, the possibilities are endless. My point is people come on this website all the time acting like it is terrible for kids to chase their dreams of becoming a pro tennis player by not going to college. These kids know what they want to do in life and thats what they are doing just like the kids who go to college know what they want out of life and thats what they do. A lot of these kids know that if they dont make it on the tour then they still want to stay involved in the game by coaching or running a club or some sort of way. The funny thing is even if you become a teaching pro, a college coach, a U.S.T.A. coach, a Club Director or whatever you will still make a better living than 80% of the people in America yet people on here act like that is a failure and that because they didnt go to college and get a degree they short changed themselves in some way. How narrow minded to think that a degree is that important. It is that important if you want to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer or politician or whatever but many many things in life do not require a degree to be successful. More money just allows you more luxury items but nothing that you really need. If you make enough money to take care of your family and arent in credit card debt up to your rear end like so many of these people who try to pretend they are successful but have more bills than they can pay then whose to say thats not successful. A car is a means of transportation I dont care to drive a 60,000 dollar car. It serves the same purpose as a Volkswagon. It is all a matter of priorities and everybodies are different.

Anonymous said...

Thacher is a Senior. And his school choices,are
Stanford , Harvard , Duke and Virginia .
The ball is on his court !

Anonymous said...

anon.

as per your quote below:

"What good paying job can you get without a degree? Any privately owned business, a restaurant, a convenience store,tons of jobs all over the internet with marketing, the possibilities are endless."


The possibilities are endless for low paying jobs, ie. restaurant, convenience store, marketing jobs on the internet -- why would an employer hire you, when they can get a person with a college degree.

Yes, working at a gas station, 7-11, grocery store you could get a job and what are you going to do with $8.00 / hour.

No one is saying you should by a $60,000 car-- what I am saying is money gives you a choice of either driving a $60,000 car or a VW.

Follow your dream to be a pro tennis player but have a back-up plan.

And if you don't you might wind up saying - "do you want fries with that Big Mac.

You have a long way to go-- good luck

Anonymous said...

Hey, the junior WCs have already been handed as all the kids are talking about who got what. ALso the 91 team has been picked for world team in Italy as kids are talking about that as well. How soon does the USTA post lists after it informs players. SUrprised it has not been posted already.

Anonymous said...

They still haven't posted all of the wild cards for the International Hard Court Championships, which starts Monday. I don't know what's takng so long.

I'm really interested to see who gets the three spots on the Davis Cup team. There are so many choices. Obviously Williams will be selected if he chooses to play, but the other two spots could be any number of guys.

Anonymous said...

David,

Bo Seal is one of three heading to Italy. Dont know who the other two are.

Anonymous said...

Man in the Moon, How appropriate a name. You just don't get it. You are clearly one of those guys i was speaking of that is probably a member of the local country club that can't afford it but is putting on a show trying to keep up with the Jones in credit card debt up to your rear end and probably filed bankruptcy a time or 2 but you have a degree so that probably makes it o.k. to you.

Anonymous said...

Who are the most likely candidates for Italy in the 16's. 1)Rhyne Williams 2) Ryan Harrison 3) Chase Buchanan 4) Tenys Sandgren 5) Bo Seal 6)Devin Britton 7) Denis Kudla 8)Lawrence Formentera 9)Evan King 10)Frank Carleton. If you could get the 1st 3 guys to go that would be a heck of a team and take Britton to play doubles.

Anonymous said...

rumor has it that emmett egger got a wildcard into the Junior U.S. Open Qualies? he must be the only 93 to get one. can someone please send me a link of the people who got into the Junior U.S. Open Qualifiers?

Anonymous said...

Sundling went to qualies maybe he will go to italy. But the best team would be Rhyne, Chase, and devin for doubs.

Anonymous said...

If you look at Ryan Harrisons record Buchanan has nothing on him. He would be the best choice.

Anonymous said...

I would like to see Chase Buchanan win something before he gets another wildcard or selected for a team. Not quite sure what the fascination with him is. He hasn't exactly had a good year. Doesn't have an ATP ranking, isn't ranked in the top100 of the ITF and is ranked around 80th in the USTA.

Anonymous said...

The fascination stems from what he did before this year. He won the National Hard Court Championship in the 14s in 2004, he was runner-up at the Orange Bowl in the 14s, he won Les Petits As in 2005, he finished 4th at the Easter Bowl in the 16s in 2006, he won a G4 ITF event in 2006, he qualified for an won a Futures main draw match (against Rhyne Williams), he reached the round of 16 at Kalamazoo in the 18s, he beat highly ranked juniors Petru-Alexandru Luncanu at the U.S. Open and Jose-Roberto Velasco at the Orange Bowl, and he reached the QF of the GB1 event last October.

I don't know what's happened this year. He's hardly played for one. Perhaps he had/has an injury, as someone else mentioned. When he has played, his results haven't been very good, though there's no shame in reaching the third round of the Easter Bowl. Two of his five events were high level ITFs on clay, so maybe surface had something to do with that (Rhyne Williams also lost in the first round of those events). He got a bad draw in Kalamazoo, where he lost to Damico in the third round. He lost to Nevolo in the consolation bracket, which isn't a bad loss, but perhaps isn't quite what you'd expect from someone who is/was considered an elite player in his age group.

The USTA still has a very high opinion of him judging by Paul Roetert's comments to ESPN commentator Cliff Drysdale. Roetert, the Managing Director of the USTA's Player Development Program and Tournament Director of the U.S. Junior Open, told Drsydale in an e-mail that he believes that U.S. tennis in on the upswing, and listed Chase Buchanan as one of the players who is part of the upswing. Other mentioned: Donald Young, Ryan Sweeting, Jesse Levine, and Rhyne Williams. Alex Kuznetsov might have been mentioned as well. This occurred as Isner was making his run in Indy, so I think it was understood that Isner was part of that group as well (plus Querrey). I was struck by the fact that Buchanan was mentioned. Clearly the USTA (or at least Roetert) is high on him.

But I understand where you're coming from. His results this year do make you wonder what's going on with him. Is he hurt, is he undergoing a change in technique or approach, or has he simply failed to progress?

Anonymous said...

You mention that Buchanan lost to Nevolo in K'zoo and Harrison beat Nevolo at Clay Courts and at K'zoo. He also has a very good record against Rhyne Williams and is a year younger than both. Its kind of funny that Harrison is never mentioned as an up and coming prospect given his age and track record against these guys.

Anonymous said...

anon.

I must have hit a very raw nerve for you to react with such venom.

Clearly you can not make such assine judgements without fact. You know nothing about me and I did not make any specific comments about you.

I was commenting on your thoughts and writing -- I did not make a leap in judgement, as you have done.

Frankly the fact that I not only have a college degree, but also an MBA has nothing to do with my comments -

If you re read my comments -- you will note that most of them were postive.

I am sorry for your position in life and the bitterness that you are feeling or will feel in the future.

Anonymous said...

Buchanan won a lot when he was younger becuase he was so much bigger than most everyone else except Rhyne Williams and Devin Britton. He's a good player but to say he's part of the future of US tennis is a stretch at this point. Kids make different leaps at different times, who had heard of Foriemento (SP) a year ago, and others fall back or level off. I am not sure where Buchanan will fall but at least he is no longer the primadonna he used to be when the USTA was paying for him to travel with Martin 30 weeks out of the year. As for Ryan Thatcher, silly boy to not go for the experience not matter what his goals are. Barcelona will ALWAYS be there, but this may be his only chance EVER to play in the real U.S. Open.

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous....Ryan Harrison has great placement and grit but does not hit with much pace. In fact, I was surprised how little fire power he has but a beautiful player to watch. Perhaps that is why he is not memtioned as an up and commer.

Anonymous said...

Hey anon,

Man in the Moon is right.

First off ask any journeyman who is 200-300 in the world and he is starving not living the high life. Secondly, the USTA most likely does not hire the journeyman who failed to live up to their pro potential (you think they will hire Mike Russell after he comes off the tour). Yes, you can get plenty of jobs without a college degree, but you're limiting your options significantly to lower pay wages. There have been the 1 in a million stories of people climbing the corporate rank without college degrees, but these rare occurences can be counted on one hand and are the exceptions that prove the rule. Lastly, you have to be kidding to think that a teaching pro makes more than 80% of America. You think they want to work in the sun all day feeding balls till they're 60? Their pay is also very low (unless they are the owner or head director of a successful program) I'd put most at 50 grand a year after questioning a few of them.

Anonymous said...

Man in the Moon, You are now further out there than i realized. You say that you didnt make a leap in judgement but then you're saying that without a degree you will be working at McDonalds making 8 dollars an hour. That sums up your arrogance and judgemental stupidity right there. i also have a degree but i just dont think college is for everyone and i dont think you will be stuck at McDonalds without that degree or M.B.A. Congratulations!!! You of all knowing M.B.A. superiority ought to know that with most jobs its who you know and are you a people person and do you have a good work ethic. While a lot of jobs require a degree a hell of a lot don't and they pay quite well if you're good at what you do. If you go back to your original post you asked what good paying jobs you could get without a degree and i answered that for you. You then came back with your arrogant sarcasm and snobbish attitude. i guarantee you you are one of those that sits around at the country club talking none stop trying to convince people of how smart you are and have probably bounced around a few jobs because you've worn out your welcome very quickly at most places you've been. You dont have to worry about the bitterness i feel because i get my enjoyment from laughing at people who can go through life and never be in touch with reality or normal people.

Anonymous said...

anon.

Every single and I mean every single assumpution you made about me is incorrect- bankrupt, bounce from job to job, in debt, etc., etc., etc.

It might be who you know that gets you the job for the first day. Then it is up to you to deliver.

Your comments about such worthwhile jobs that do not require any thinking as "restaurant, convenience store, marketing jobs on the internet" allow you "to laugh at people who can go through life and never be in touch with reality or normal people."

How much "enjoyment" as you say do you think you get from stacking shelves.

While you are laughing at me - I am vacationing in the South of France, living off the interest & dividends that I make on my investments.

Have a happy life and enjoy whatever meager lifestyle that you have earned for yourself.

Now let's get back to tennis.

Anonymous said...

Shame on both of you for talking such trash.

Anonymous said...

Man in the Moon, Your last couple of paragraphs summed up everything I thought about the type of person you are. Thank you for letting your true high society colors show. I could already tell in your writing before but now you have made it a bit more obvious. Enjoy your vacation as i am enjoying mine and i'm not in the south of France just to tell my friends i was.

Anonymous said...

Colette,
I expect to read about junior tennis and I am quickly losing interest in this website. While I appreciate your professionalism in your accurate reporting of the news in the junior world, I cannot believe you print this b.s. between man and the moon and others.

This is idol banter and by condoning such behavior by printing it, then your website becomes diluted, and no longer is the medium for tennis news, it becomes a chat room. In a short time then, your association with these bloggers will negatively affect you, your credibility, and then eventually your website...and for that I'm truly sorry.

Get rid of the bloggers (like it used to be) and get back to tennis.

Anonymous said...

If you don't want to read a blog, then don't read it.

Anonymous said...

Colette,
The fastest way to get rid of your readership is to get rid of the bloggers.

Anonymous said...

I happen to like man in the moon-he is a bit edgy but so what.

Anonymous said...

You guys act like 5 year old girls. Grow up. why do you come to this website to talk trash?

Anonymous said...

"You guys act like 5 year old girls. Grow up. why do you come to this website to talk trash?"

Nobody has a gun to your head - just don't read what you don't want to read.

Anonymous said...

Let's move on....please.

Anonymous said...

To anon, if you are losing interest in this website over a couple of people going back and forth then you dont have a sense of humor. It was actually quite funny to read. The only thing better would be to know who they actually were. It is still THE medium for tennis news and if there is no major tennis news its better than reading nothing.

Anonymous said...

By the way I think you spelled idol wrong. It should have been idle. I hope that doesn't make you not want to read this.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad that in this very slow week of American tennis (only Pilot Penn, no challengers or futures) that some bloggers on zootennis have a sense of humor.

I am truly sorry if I offended anyone by my responses to anonymous and the banter back and forth. It was kind of tongue and cheek - but is seems that not everyone got it.

I also find it amusing that certain anonymous bloggers want to know exactly who everyone is - YET THEY SIGN IN WITH ANONYMOUS.

Go figure- anyway my best to all the bloggers on zootennis -- and I mean everyone (including my buddy , who thinks that -- oh never mind)!!!