Kalamazoo Draws Posted; US Boys Upset by Korea at ITF World Tennis Competition in Czech Republic; Strode Feature
I thought there would be more comments on the Kalamazoo seeds, although I did get an anonymous one remarking on the lack of depth and quality in the field this year. Brent highlighted a couple of must-see first round 18s matches on Friday:
Mkrtchian vs Bader (lines 63, 64)
Ho vs Narayana (149, 150)
Fowler vs Polnet (181, 182)
Papac vs Seaborn (201, 202)
To those four I would add Smith vs. Johnson (103, 104) and Alford vs. Zhu (123, 124). The winner of the Fowler - Polnet match gets No. 31 seed Clay Thompson.
I think the 2nd eighth, with Mitchell Frank at the top, is the toughest one, although with Spencer Newman withdrawing today, it's a little less so.
For complete draws, see the ustaboys.com website, and feel free to make your picks for the winner on this post.
Some of the other age groups have posted their seeds for the nationals, others have not. The girls 16s, girls 14s and girls 12s are posted, with Kyle McPhillips, Gabrielle Smith and Sofia Kenin the top seeds respectively.
The girls 18s seeds are not yet out, but I haven't had an opportunity to comment on who is and who isn't playing in San Diego. Sloane Stephens (who suffered a tough loss to CoCo Vandeweghe today in the WTA Mercury Insurance Open final round of qualifying), Beatrice Capra, Nicole Gibbs and Shelby Rogers are girls with Top 500 WTA rankings who have entered. Kristie Ahn, defending champion Christina McHale and Vandeweghe are among those age-eligible to compete who did not enter.
In the first day of play at the ITF World Junior Tennis 14-and-under competition in the Czech Republic, both No. 2 seeds were upset. The girls No. 2 seed Russia was beaten by Australia 2-1, and the boys No. 2 seed USA lost to Korea 2-1. Noah Rubin won his singles match for the U.S., but Stefan Kozlov, in a rematch of the 2008 Eddie Herr 12s final, was again beaten by Hyeon Chung, and Rubin and Jordan Belga lost the doubles match that decided the tie. With the format a round robin, the U.S. is not eliminated, but their chances to move into the knockout round are greatly diminished by the loss.
The U.S. girls, the top seeds, breezed past Austria 3-0, with Brooke Austin and Gabrielle Andrews winning easily in singles. Andrews and Taylor Townsend won the doubles for the sweep.
For the complete results, see the ITF junior website.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch took note of Blake Strode's win at the US Open National Playoffs last month, and filed this feature story on the former Arkansas All-American, who has until February to decide whether he will enter Harvard Law.
17 comments:
From the Girls 18's website: "Seeds will be posted at the latest on Friday, July 31." It's the evening of August 2nd and the seeds have not yet been posted...
Compared to 'zoo where the draws are already up.
INCORRECT MATCH FOR BOTH COMMENTS AND YOU COLLETTE I BELIEVE IT GOES AS THE FOLLOWING
59 Fredericka, Michael
60 Wang, Johnny
61 Retta, Michael
62 Bye
63 Klosinski, Thomas
64 Bader, Russell
@correction:
Mkrtchian withdrew last night, with Klosinski taking his place in the draw.
Revised 18s predictions given the withdrawals of Mkrtchian and Newman...
Round of 256 (matches of interest)
Ho over Narayana
Fowler over Polnet
Papac over Seaborn
Round of 128
1 Cox over Cox
Golovin over Bruckmiller
17 Hovhannisyan over Isoh
McCall over Mei
10 Chappell over Lin
Zhang over Coxe
21 Withrow over Nguyen
Cotrone over Lane
7 Frank over Brasseaux
Guignon over Carter
Mengel over 27 MacMaster
Butz over Marcial
14 Johnson over Mudge
Vega over Martinez
29 Vick over Wang
Bader over Retta
3 Sock over Pfister
Rossi over Collins
20 Pecor over Shamshiri
Leslie over Kelleher
11 Novikov over Pecht
Kandath over Akers
23 Bazarnik over Christ
Joachim over Freuh
5 Bangoura over Mora
E.Johnson over Bazrganian
25 Giron over Adams
Kovrigin over Komisar
15 Kosakowski over Bloom
Koebker over Barnette
32 Pasha over Zhu
Guthrie over Patton
Spinosa over Lied
18 Egger over Steer
Steinroeder over Boyer
9 Van Overbeek over Nguyen
Hundal over Eswaran
Ho over 24 Song
Baylon over Kaufman
6 King over Buzzi
Tahir over Hamburg
28 Offerdahl over Gordon
Reichmann over Nelson
13 Ore over Koch
Crenshaw over B.Johnson
31 Thompson over Fowler
Lasprilla over Haworth
4 Fratangelo over Diaz
Ball over Simon
Scholnick over 19 McCoy
Papac over Kay
12 Webb over Cullimore
Westmoreland over Sidney
22 Austin over A.Smith
Silverman over Fitzgibbons
8 Sarmiento over Harrington
Petrone over Warden
Stineman over 26 Callahan
Spector over Goldblum
16 Halebian over Bernstein
Doehring over Cypers
30 Andrews over McCourt
Verzaal over Katz
2 Kudla over Martinez
Round of 128 Upsets
Mengel over 27 MacMaster
Ho over 24 Song
Scholnick over 19 McCoy
Stineman over 26 Callahan
Match of the Round
31 Thompson vs. Fowler narrowly edges out 7 Frank vs. Brasseaux, 32 Pasha vs. Zhu, 8 Sarmiento vs. Harrington, 16 Halebian vs. Bernstein or any of the upsets.
Round of 64
1 J.Cox over Golovin
17 Hovhannisyan over McCall
10 Chappell over Zhang
21 Withrow over Cotrone
7 Frank over Guignon
Butz over Mengel
14 Johnson over Vega
29 Vick over Bader
3 Sock over Rossi
Leslie over 20 Pecor
Kandath over 11 Novikov
23 Bazarnik over Joachim
5 Bangoura over E.Johnson
25 Giron over Kovrigin
15 Kosakowski over Koebker
32 Pasha over Guthrie
18 Egger over Spinosa
9 Van Overbeek over Steinroeder
Hundal over Ho
6 King over Baylon
28 Offerdahl over Tahir
13 Ore over Reichmann
31 Thompson over Crenshaw
4 Fratangelo over Lasprilla
Ball over Scholnick
12 Webb over Papac
22 Austin over Westmoreland
8 Sarmiento over Silverman
Stineman over Petrone
16 Halebian over Spector
30 Andrews over Doehring
2 Kudla over Verzaal
Match of the Round
Kandath vs. 11 Novikov narrowly edges out 17 Hovhannisyan vs. McCall and 7 Frank vs. Guignon
Round of 32
1 Cox over 17 Hovhannisyan
21 Withrow over 10 Chappell
7 Frank over Butz
29 Vick over 14 Johnson
3 Sock over Leslie
Kandath over 23 Bazarnik
5 Bangoura over 25 Giron
15 Kosakowski over 32 Pasha
9 Van Overbeek over 18 Egger
6 King over Hundal
13 Ore over Offerdahl
31 Thompson over 4 Fratangelo
12 Webb over Ball
8 Sarmiento over 22 Austin
16 Halebian over Stineman
2 Kudla over 30 Andrews
Match of the Round
31 Thompson vs. Fratangelo narrowly edges 1 Cox vs. 17 Hovhannisyan, 5 Bangoura vs. 25 Giron, 15 Kosawkowski vs. 32 Pasha, and 8 Sarmiento vs. 22 Austin
Round of 16
1 Cox over 21 Withrow
7 Frank over 29 Vick
3 Sock over Kandath
5 Bangoura over 15 Kosakowski
6 King over 9 Van Overbeek
31 Thompson over 13 Ore
8 Sarmiento over 12 Webb
2 Kudla over 16 Halebian
Match of the Round
6 King vs. 9 Van Overbeek in a close call over 5 Bangoura vs. 15 Kosakowski
Quarterfinals
1 Cox over 7 Frank
3 Sock over 5 Bangoura
6 King over 31 Thompson
8 Sarmiento over 2 Kudla
Match of the Round
8 Sarmiento vs. 2 Kudla barely over 3 Sock vs. 5 Bangoura and 1 Cox vs. 7 Frank
Semifinals
3 Sock over 1 Cox
6 King over 8 Sarmiento
Finals
6 King over 3 Sock
Has anyone ever lost in qualifying and been the #1 seed in the main draw in the same week? Ryler DeHeart just pulled it off in the Futures this week. Don't know that I've ever seen that before.
to brent
Seems a lot of work/time went into your predictions. Curious through...have you seen these juniors in action or is it based on extensive research on results past 4 months...
getreal, fair question. Would love to see more live but realistically, I only end up watching it live in Kalamazoo every year and then following results online otherwise. Thus, feel free to file under 'wild arse guess'. Ha!
to brent
Fair enough and impressive that you follow results of all these players online. do you look at college and pro results as well or just juniors? Mt take is the zoo is one of those tournaments a lot can happen which makes it hard to preduct . The only real favoirtes I had ... harrison or domijan..are not playing though.
Harrison has no reason to play. He's way above this level at this point in his career.
Don't know why Domijan is not playing. It's not like he is in the ATP 300.
Think the seeds should hold pretty true with Cox and Kudla playing for the crown. They've both been playing tougher competition.
getreal, I try to keep up with ITF, USTA, Future/Challenge, and college results online. Agree that it is very unpredictable which makes it fun.
avid, agree that Harrison would be a favorite...we could debate how heavy. Doesn't mean he still wouldn't have a boatload to play for and a boatload to gain. What tournament has he won while the favorite in the last 3 years? I hope the USTA doesn't reward him with a wild card into the Open. He had a clear path in front of him to gain one (playing Kzoo) and he punted.
Brent,
Harrison is, I believe, either the 2nd or 3rd youngest player in the ATP top 225 just turning 18 last month.
-Won the Austrailian Open WC tourney beating Levine #117 and Young #100 then lost in 3 tough sets to Tipsarevic #36
- 2 wins over Carsten Ball #128
- Beat Taylor Dent #77, Michael Yani #141, Carol Beck at Newport #89, another over Levine #117
- Przysiezny #87
These are all since Dec. Some pretty impressive results for our top Jr.
IMO, he doesn't need to play Zoo this year. Concentrate on trying toget more pts/experience before the Open.
To avid follower...
Thanks for the recent highlights on Harrison as have not bee following that closely but was surprised to hear that he is among 3 youngest in top 225, which is indeed a testiment to how tough the men's game has gotten. Who are the other two?
Getreal,
He may be the highest ranked at that age. Ricardas Berankis is one, he's 20 and sits at 133. There is another young player in the top 150, but can't remember who.
avid, you seem to be debating a different point than I am. You seem to be trying to prove to me that Harrison has had some very impressive results - totally agreed...or that he has a very bright future - totally agreed as well. I do agree that at some point, it doesn't make sense to play Kzoo - obvious examples like 18 year old Sampras, Chang, Krickstein, or Agassi. I just think he's a lot closer to the 'may or may not make it' category (certainly hope he does) than he is to the 'already made it' category. I'm also not going to argue that it is better for his professional development to play Kzoo versus losing first round in the Vancouver Challenger and then playing another one next week. I could make arguments on both sides of that. What I do believe strongly is that the delta between those is subtle enough, that it should be one of the no-brainer decisions of all time to play in your country's national championship and get a chance to bank an amazing memory, a legacy. If he ends up in the 'didn't make it' category on the pro tour (hope he doesn't), all he'll have left is the memories - and it would seem to me that winning your country's national championship and getting to play the main draw at the Open is going to seem a lot more valuable 30 years from now than a first round loss in the Vancouver challenger. Still wish him the best. My two cents.
To avid follower, there are different ways to spin his ranking. I agree that Harrison is playing at a higher level and can skip the Zoo. As you mention he is one of the higher ranked teens. However, the results are not exactly as you described. His best two tournaments this year have been on grass and his single biggest point win (2d round of Newport 45) included 25 points from beating Kudla.
On hardcourts and clay, Harrison has not won a main draw match since early March. His win over Przysienzy was a 1st set retirement & the win over Levine was also a Ret. with the match tied. Certainly, Harrison has some quality wins including blistering Beck (on grass). But he only has 3 main draw wins on hard/clay in 2010: Dent, somebody named Paukku & King-Turner.
The last time he won two (hard/clay) main draw matches in an event was last October. Coincidentally, that good challenger performance came right after a futures win and a 9 out of 10 streak in Futures. Take from that what you will. Winning begets confidence & in my opinion, sometimes these guys, Harrison included, need to play a level where they can see some success.
Some good pts on Harrison, by both. It could go either way.
Any thoughts on who has a chance to win Zoo in 18s? I'd say the top 3 seeds, Cox,Kudla & Sock seem pretty solid.
Devil's Advocate
That is very accurate assessment on Ryan's so far.
He barely beat Dennis Kudla at Newport and that was on Ryan's favorite surface, grass.
In addition, no one has received the opportunities that Ryan has had--13 wildcards. Sure a couple of them he would have been main draw because he forgot to enter and one other he was next in, but it's still a wildcard and not playing qualifying.
Still beleive Ryan should have played Kalamazoo. He is not a lock to win that event. He is still at a Future/lower Challenger level player, which is not good enough to skip the biggest National tournament of the year.
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