Frilling Takes Out Fifth Seed; McClune Sole U.S. Boy Advancing Monday

©Colette Lewis 2006
Flushing Meadows--

Kristy Frilling provided one of the few bright lights in what was a dark day for U.S. juniors at the Open Monday, when she defeated fifth seed Kristina Antoniychuk of the Ukraine 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the first round.

Partly cloudy skies couldn't dispell the gloom created by the combined record of the American juniors. Although the girls won three of nine matches they competed in, the boys could manage only one victory in eight tries.

Frilling, a qualifier, believes her two lengthy three-set qualifying matches helped her, as she was short of match play due to an injury.

"I didn't have a great Hard Courts after being off four months," said the 16-year-old from Sidney Ohio, who was nursing a bad back most of the summer. "It was good that I got in some matches in the qualifying."

A lefty who hits two-handed from both sides, Frilling cited her groundstrokes and serve as the keys to handling the Ukrainian, ranked seventh in the ITF's world junior rankings.

"I was hitting through the ball well today, and I got a lot of first serves in," said Frilling, who is ranked 164. "It was my biggest win in my career, the first time I've ever beaten anyone in the Top Ten."

Frilling was not the only qualifier to prove the value of match-toughness. Gail Brodsky, the 15-year-old from Brooklyn, also advanced to the second round with 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win over Bolivian Maria Fernanda Alvarez Teran. Mary Gambale of the U.S., the 15th seed, was eliminated by qualifier Katarina Tuchimaa of Finland 6-3, 6-4, while Austrian qualifier Melanie Klaffner defeated Mallory Burdette 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Americans Kim Couts, Lauren Embree, Christina McHale and Veronica Li also lost Monday.

Julia Cohen, the sixth seed, was the other American girl to advance, with a 7-6(4), 7-6(7) victory over Tereza Mrdeza of Croatia.

The only American boy to win on Labor Day was wild card Mike McClune, a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Ricardo Urzua of Chile. Brennan Boyajian, Nate Schnugg, Clint Bowles, Rhyne Williams, Jason Jung, Jamie Hunt and Jarmere Jenkins were sidelined Monday.

Five was the unlucky number for seeds, as Kei Nishikori of Japan, who held that position in the boys draw, also was upended. He lost to Italy's Daniel Lopez 6-3, 6-2. Artur Chernov (8) of Russia, Pedro Sousa (14) of Portugal and Jeevan Nedunchezlyan (15) of India were other seeded boys ousted on Monday.

The first round will be completed on Tuesday, with three U.S. boys and four U.S. girls still yet to take the court. Second round matches will also begin Tuesday.

Doubles started Monday, and the U.S. success was limited there as well. The only American team to advance was Jarmere Jenkins and Austin Krajicek, who won a third set tiebreak. Lena Litvak (with New Zealand's Sacha Jones) and Mateuz Kecki (with Lebanon's Bassam Beidas) were the only other U.S. players to win.

For full draws see usopen.org.

For photos of Monday's action visit ustaboys.com.

Buchanan Upsets Seventh Seed Luncanu; Girls No. 2 seed Wozniacki Defaulted

©Colette Lewis 2006
Flushing Meadows, NY--

Fifteen-year-old Chase Buchanan won his first Grand Slam match on the day Andre Agassi played his final one. Buchanan defeated No. 7 seed Petru-Alexandru Luncanu of Romanian 7-5, 2-6, 7-5.

"It was kind of cool, his career ending, mine sort of starting on the same day," said the wild card, playing his first Grade A ITF event under the lights on court 14.

Supported by a vocal group of friends from his home in suburban Columbus Ohio, Buchanan lifted his play late in the third set, while Luncanu played more tentatively. Luncanu's ill-timed double fault gave Buchanan an opening at 5-6, 15-30, and a blistering return gave him two match points. The first the 17-year old lefty saved with a deft drop volley, and Luncanu worked his way to the net on the second, but his volley found the net. The Columbus crew cheered wildly, and the large crowd that had gathered while waiting to enter Ashe Stadium for the delayed night session left buzzing about the mature play of the young American.

"I thought coming in here I could compete with anyone," Buchanan said. "I kept my head tonight, stayed real positive, and that's something that I had struggled with."


Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, the second seed and 2006 Wimbledon girls champion, had her U.S. Open end in abrupt fashion when she was defaulted for obscene language directed at a line judge during her match with Alexandra Panova of Russia. At 6-4, 1-2, Wozniacki was said to have verbally abused a line judge and after a lengthy delay that left spectators baffled, the tournament referee arrived and Panova was declared the winner.

Four of the seven U.S. girls advanced Sunday, with Chelsey Gullickson, Ashley Weinhold, Lauren Albanese and Madison Brengle taking straight set wins. Albanese took out 12th seed Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania 6-3, 6-1, while Brengle's win came at the expense of the U.S.'s Reka Zsilinszka. Melanie Oudin fell to 11th seed Tamira Paszek of Austria while Lena Litvak lost a hard-fought battle with Great Britain's Naomi Cavaday.

Kellen Damico, the no. 13 seed, was upset by qualifier Artem Smirnov of the Ukraine 1-6, 7-5, 6-4. Dennis Lajola fell behind early, but roared back against Andrej Martin of the Slovak Republic to win 7-6(0), 6-0. Four other U.S. boys were defeated on Sunday. Marcus Fugate was eliminated by Antonio Veic of Croatia 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-3, Austin Krajicek dropped a heartbreaker to Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia 7-6(7), 2-6, 7-6(9), qualifier Dylan Arnould fell to Matteo Trevisan of Italy 6-1, 6-0 and in the last junior match of the day, qualifier Mateusz Kecki was overtaken by 11th seed Pavel Chekhov 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-3.

Qualifier Yoann Re of Canada upset sixth seed Sanam Singh of India 6-1, 6-1 , while on the girls' side, 16th seed Teliana Pereira of Brazil was eliminated by Dilyara Saidkhodjaeva 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

For complete draws, visit usopen.org. For more photos, see ustaboys.com.

Goodbye Andre, and thanks for 21 years

Flushing NY--

Despite the sunny skies it was a gloomy day in Arthur Ashe stadium as Andre Agassi couldn't find the magic of his previous two matches there and fell to 2004 NCAA champion Benjamin Becker 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5.

As Marcos Baghdatis so eloquently put it on Thursday night, there aren't words to describe what he's meant to tennis. So here are two pictures, one from today and one from his appearance in Kalamazoo in 1985.

Photos of US Juniors on ustaboys.com

Please visit ustaboys.com for photos of American players in the US Open junior championships.

Insert Clever Rain Headline Here

©Colette Lewis 2006
Flushing Meadows NY--

Ernesto's remnants resulted in a LaGuardia landing that resembled the latest Cedar Point ride, but safely on the ground, we weren't about to complain. The hotel shuttle was prompt, we were recipients of two random acts of New York courtesy (given correct directions, clearing space so we could pass with our bags)and we were checked in and on our way to the BJKNTC by 5 p.m.

Unfortunately, the hotel shuttle, which was gratis from the airport but not to Corona Park (making me wistfully recall the free trams in Melbourne) dropped us a ten minute walk from the gate, and in the steady, windblown rain, with computer in tow, it was not a leisurely stroll.

Credential pickup was quick and painless this year; I got an M (media) from Tennis Magazine, Paul has a P (photographer) from
ustaboys.com where most of the photos he takes during the week will be displayed.

We had hardly gotten through the gate when Brennan Boyajian's mother Patty flagged us down, more appropriately dressed for the weather than we were with her bright yellow mackintosh. With the player meeting and draw release scheduled for 7 p.m., we had time to get a locker (no workstation at the moment--we're on a waiting list) and eat dinner at the media cafeteria. The food is good and inexpensive, a stark contrast to the prices the public pays at the concessions on the grounds. We ran into Marcia Frost, who had the results of the qualifying at the Sound Shore tennis club. We learned that four girls--Gail Brodsky, Kristy Frilling, Reka Zsilinszka and Julie Boserup--and four boys--Dylan Arnould, Drew Daniel, Mateusz Kecki and Jason Jung--qualified from the U.S.

Presiding over the player meeting was Paul Roetert, the Managing Director of High Performance for the USTA, and it was well-attended (the photo below was taken while players, parents and coaches were still filing in) and short. A few words from a trainer, the ITF media assistant and the referee, some introductions and then the draw, which held several surprises on the girls side.

The only Radwanska in the draw is younger sister Urszula, with Agnieszka a last minute scratch, as is Alexa Glatch. But Veronica Li, beaten by Brodsky today in qualifying, got in as a lucky loser, giving the U.S. 20 girls in the 64-player draw.

The boys side features a very intriguing first match for Donald Young, as Jaak Poldma of Estonia is a very dangerous player and proving it in Canada, where he reached the finals against Canadian Peter Polansky, who did earn a special exemption into the main draw. Polansky could face top seed Martin Klizan in the second round. There are 18 U.S. boys in the main draw and none play each other in the first round.

See usopen.org for the draws and Saturday's schedule, optimistically starting with 11 am matches.

We were completely soaked by the time we arrived back at the hotel, even with an umbrella, and it continues to rain, so it may be another late evening on Sunday.

Ernesto Looming; Expect Rerun of Agassi/Baghdatis on CBS Saturday

After staying up for the entire Agassi/Baghdatis epic last night, I'm a bit bleary today, but despite the 100% chance of rain in New York forecast for Saturday, I'm excited to be only hours away from experiencing more great tennis live.

I've heard that the junior qualifying has already been moved indoors to the Sound Shore tennis club, a very long bus ride from the BJKNTC. I remember it well from 2004, and was so grateful that the trek wasn't necessary last year, when the weather the second week was perfect. Provided our flight actually goes as scheduled, we'll just stay around the Media Center getting our bearings and hoping some night matches are played.

Marcia Frost has the results of Friday's qualifying at collegeandjuniortennis.com.(The Harrison Endara match is not yet finished).

Somehow I missed that Sam Querrey, Vania King, Alexa Glatch and Phillip Simmonds are writing diaries for usopen.org. I was watching USA Network's coverage most of today and therefore got to see a few games of Querrey's four-set loss to Gaston Gaudio. I was hoping for a win, of course, so that I might get a chance to see him play for the first time in a year, but Gaudio was too tough. Maybe next year.

Over at tennisrecruiting.net, Bob Greene caught up with Lauren Albanese, and he confirms, as I heard Tracy Austin say on TV, that she has turned pro.