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Forest Hills Seeking More Davis Cup, Pro Events After Successful South Africa – Venezuela Tie

September 23, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

Davis Cup was played last weekend at the historic Forest Hills Stadium at the West Side Tennis Club for the first time since 1959.

The club hopes it won’t be another 62 years before it happens again.

South Africa defeated Venezuela 4-0 in the Davis Cup by Rakuten Group II Playoff Series, highlighted by victories in singles and doubles by rising ATP star Lloyd Harris, fresh off reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open the previous week just three miles down the road also in Queens, New York. With the execution of this event under its belt, the long-time former home of the U.S. Open and U.S. Championships is in the market to host more Davis Cup matches or other big tennis events in the near future.

“We would love to host more Davis Cup matches or other big pro events at Forest Hills Stadium,” said Jason Weir-Smith. “The West Side Tennis Club has proven to be a suitable and enjoyable site for players and fans with an unparalleled tennis history in the United States. With New York, and specifically the borough of Queens, being one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the world, Forest Hills would be particularly attractive for national team events or tournaments with popular international tennis stars.”

The South Africa vs. Venezuela Davis Cup series was pulled together with just over one month of lead time. While Tennis South Africa, the host nation for the series, chose not to pay associated production and permitting fees to allow for the event to be ticketed for the general public, the club received almost a thousand email inquiries for tickets for the event. The event was attended by 200 enthusiastic invitation-only guests.

“People are nostalgic for tennis at Forest Hills and those who perhaps are too young to see pro tennis here have certainly seen videos and pictures that display the majesty, beauty and history of the club,” said Weir-Smith.

Following his opening singles victory over Venezuela, Harris, the South African No. 1 player, said competing on the Forest Hills Stadium court was “very special.”

“This is an incredible venue, so much history,” Harris said. “I learned so much about this venue and its history over the last few days. I’m obviously very, very honored to be playing and in a special place.”

“It’s a great honor for me to represent my country, especially at a place like this,” said South African No. 2 Philip Henning. “We love our sport, and this place is one of the places with the most history for tennis. I think a lot of big names played on this court.”

Said Venezuelan No. 1 player Ricardo Rodriguez following his singles loss to Henning, “As a player you always dream to be in the historic venues and the important sites and the most famous stadiums and arenas all over the world, and this is one of them. So, even though I lost, I still feel proud. I still feel lucky to be here.”

The West Side Tennis Club features 40 tennis courts on five surfaces, grass, red clay, Har-Tru courts, DecoTurf hard courts and synthetic grass. The 13,000-seat horseshoe-shaped Forest Hills Stadium was christened on August 11, 1923 with the Wightman Cup matches and hosted the finals of the U.S. Championships and U.S. Open from 1923 to 1977. The stadium last hosted Davis Cup in 1959 when Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser led Australia to the Davis Cup title with a 3-2 victory over the United States team led by Alex Olmedo, Butch Buchholz and Barry MacKay.

South African Davis Cup Team at Forest Hlls — South African Davis Cup Team at Forest Hills

Tommy Haas Continues Champions Series Tennis Dominance At The Greenbrier

September 14, 2021 by TennisGrandstand Leave a Comment

Tommy Haas defeated Andy Roddick 6-2 in the one-set championship match Monday to win the Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia for his 14^th career title on the Champions Series Tennis circuit.

Haas, 43, continued his dominant play on the North American tennis tour for champion tennis players over the age of 30, now winning 24 of his last 26 matches, including all six so far this year. He has won all but five of the Champions Series Tennis he has played in since he joined the Champions Series Tennis circuit in 2018 shortly after retiring from the ATP Tour.

In his post-match interview with commentator Brett Haber after the final, Haas was asked why his game has seemingly not dropped since he retired from the ATP Tour.

“I just like to play tennis overall,” said Haas, the 2000 Olympic silver medalist and former world No. 2. “It’s something I have been doing my whole life. I hope to continue for many, many years to come basically until the later stages of my life. I like coming out here and competing. That always makes me feel good. Playing against legends of the game, colleagues and friends, it’s as good as it gets.”

The Greenbrier Classic marked the conclusion to resort’s Salute to Heroes Weekend that commemorated the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States and benefitted the First Responders Children’s Foundation. The tennis tournament marked the return of pro tennis to The Greenbrier resort after the intimate Creekside Stadium successfully hosting the entire World TeamTennis season in 2020.

“Hopefully we will be back here next year, also for some more days to really enjoy this place,” said Haas of The Greenbrier. “It’s a special place here.”

The Greenbrier Classic also marked the Champions Series Tennis debut of 2006 Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, who was defeated by Roddick 6-2 in the semifinals. Haas beat James Blake 6-3 in the first semifinal of the afternoon. Haas collected the first prize paycheck of $25,000 to increase his 2021 prize money earnings to $75,000. Roddick earned $15,000 for his runner-up showing while Baghdatis and Blake pocketed $10,000 each. The matches will be televised on Fox Sports Net affiliates and Tennis Channel on tape delay in future weeks. All Champions Series events feature two one-set semifinal matches followed by a one-set championship match.

Earlier this year, Haas swept both titles at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California, losing only five games combined in both events while beating Blake and Bob Bryan both by 6-1 margins in each respective final.

In 2020, Haas won the season-long points title for a second straight season, winning four titles – two at the Sherwood Country Club and two titles in Orlando – and finished with a 10-2 series match record.

In 2019, Haas finished with a perfect 10-0 record to win the year-long points championship for the first time. He won titles in Newport Beach, Calif., Maui, Hawaii, New Haven, Connecticut, Los Angeles and Houston to become the first player in the 15-year history of the Champions Series to be an undefeated year-end points champion.

In 2018, Blake won his first Champions Series year-long points championship by winning titles in Winston-Salem, New Haven and Houston, while also finishing as runner-up in Los Angeles and Orlando.

In 2017, the year-long points championship was decided in the final match of the season when Andy Roddick defeated James Blake in the Los Angeles final at the Sherwood Country Club. Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion and world No. 1, won four Champions Series titles in all in 2017, winning in Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Lincoln, Neb., and Los Angeles. Blake, the former world No. 4 and former U.S. Davis Cup star, won series titles in Charleston, S.C., Winston-Salem, N.C. and in Lynchburg, Va.

In 2016, Mark Philippoussis won the Series points title with 1,600 points and tournament titles in Memphis, Tulsa, Newport, Winston-Salem and New Haven. Roddick finished in second place, also earning 1600 points but losing the head-to-head tiebreaker with Philippoussis 5-2, while winning titles in Charleston, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Orlando.

Champions Series Tennis began in 2005 and over the last 16 years has featured some of the greatest names in men’s tennis, including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Michael Chang among others. Courier won the first Champions Series Tennis event held in 2005 in Houston at the Westside Tennis Club.

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InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a Los Angeles based producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tournaments featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition, InsideOut produces many other successful events including “Legendary Night” exhibitions, The World Series of Beach Volleyball and numerous corporate outings. Since inception, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has raised over $5 million for charity. In 2014, InsideOut Sports + Entertainment merged with Horizon Media, the largest privately held media services agency in the world. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or InvescoSeries.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

ABOUT HORIZON MEDIA

Horizon Media, Inc. is the largest and fastest growing privately held media services agency in the world. The company was founded in 1989, is headquartered in New York and has offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Chicago. Horizon Media was chosen as 2011 Independent Media Agency of the Year by Mediapost, 2010 U.S. Media Agency of the Year by Adweek, Brandweek, and Mediaweek as well as by Ad Age and as one of the world’s ten most innovative marketing and advertising companies by Fast Company in 2011. In 2012, Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder, was honored by Advertising Age as Industry Executive of the Year. Most recently, in 2014, Bill Koenigsberg was named 4As Chair of the Board and is the first person from a media agency to hold this prestigious position in the 100 year history of the 4As, the marketing industry’s leading trade association. The company’s mission is “To create the most meaningful brand connections within the lives of people everywhere.” By delivering on this mission through a holistic approach to brand marketing, Horizon Media has become one of the largest and fastest-growing media agencies in the industry, with estimated billings of over $5.3 billion and over 1,200 employees. The company is also a founding member of Columbus Media International, a multi-national partnership of independent media agencies. For more information, please visit horizonmedia.com.

2021 U.S. Open Completes “Greatest Return”

September 13, 2021 by TennisGrandstand Leave a Comment

Following a 2020 US Open that was contested without spectators for the first time, the 2021 US Open welcomed back fans and all competitions for an event that lived up to its billing of the ‘Greatest Return,’ on the court and off.

Among the highlights from the 2021 US Open:

On-the-Court
• Two new MAJOR singles champions were crowned in 25-year old Daniil Medvedev (RUS) and 18-year old Emma Raducanu (GBR). Raducanu defeated 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez (CAN) in the first all-teenage US Open women’s final since 1999 to become the youngest US Open women’s singles champion since Serena Williams that year. Medvedev defeated Novak Djokovic (SRB), who was bidding to win the first ‘Calendar Grand Slam’ since 1969.
• Led by Raducanu and Fernandez, teenagers took the US Open by storm, including 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who became the youngest man to reach the US Open quarterfinals in the Open Era. Further, 17-year-old American Robin Montgomery won the girls’ junior singles and doubles titles, the first American to accomplish that since Lindsay Davenport in 1992.
• Dylan Alcott (AUS) and Diede de Groot (NED) each completed the ‘Golden Slam’ in wheelchair tennis, having won their respective events – Alcott in quad singles and de Groot in women’s singles – in all four majors and the Tokyo Olympics. Meanwhile, the British wheelchair men’s doubles team of Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett became the first team to win the Calendar Grand Slam in wheelchair men’s doubles.
• Marking one of the most competitive tournaments in history, 36 five-set matches were played – the most ever at a US Open.

Attendance
• Total attendance for the 2021 US Open was 631,134 – 85 percent of 2019’s record-setting attendance of 737,919.

Digital and Social
• The US Open’s social media channels set a record with over 500 million total interactions and video views, while the US Open’s Instagram account surpassed 2 million followers.
• Nearly 9 million (8.9 million) unique devices visited USOpen.org and the US Open App over the two weeks, while total traffic to USOpen.org was up by 1 percent over 2019.
Food and Beverage
• 189,942 signature Honey Deuce drinks were sold throughout the two weeks of the main draw.

Celebrities
• The tournament opened and closed in star-studded fashion, beginning with the USTA Foundation’s Opening Night Gala, which raised a record $2 million amid the likes of Alec Baldwin, Vera Wang, Daymond John and Lindsey Vonn.
• Meanwhile, Sunday’s men’s final featured a celebrity lineup befitting a Gala event, featuring Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper, Kate Hudson, Lupita Nyong’o, Gayle King, Rosario Dawson, Spike Lee, Frank Ocean, Jon Hamm, James Corden, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Rami Malek, Claire Danes, Megan Rapinoe, Maria Sharapova, Diane von Furstenburg, Sharon Stone, John Krasinski, Rosario Dawson and Jamie Foxx, among many others.

Daniil Medvedev wins the US Open 2021

September 13, 2021 by TennisGrandstand Leave a Comment

Daniil Medvedev has won the US Open 2021. In two hours and 15 minutes Medvedev defeated ambitious Serb Novak Djokovic in straight sets: 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Medvedev is nine years younger than the 33 year old multiple Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.

First Grand Slam for Daniil Medvedev

With his win, Medvedev has finally won his first Grand Slam tournament. Medvedev reached the Australian Open finals earlier in 2021 but lost to Novak Djokovic. Two years ago Medvedev also reached the finals of the US Open but lost in a thrilling five set match versus Spaniard Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic, one match short of Calendar Slam

Novak Djokovic had great ambitions for 2021 and he doesn’t go home empty handed either. Djokovic won the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon. His goal however was to win the Golden Slam which consists of the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, US Open and Olympic Gold. Something that hasn’t been done since Steffi Graf won it in 1988. So his ambitions incredibly high. However, Djokovic lost to Zverev at the Olympics in Tokyo and now to Medvedev.

Djokovic had the chance to become only the sixth person to win that rare Calendar Slam. Don Budge (1938), Maureen Connolly (1953), Rod Laver (1962 and 1969), Margaret Court (1970) and Steffi Graf (1988) went before him. Unfortunately for Djokovic, Medvedev played the match of his life. Wheelchair tennis players Diede de Groot and Dylan Alcott managed to get their Golden Slam. For wheelchair players the Golden Slam consists of all the Grand Slam tournaments + paralympic Gold.

Medvedev’s explosive start at the US Open 2021 finale

Daniil Medvedev’s win was not unexpected if you looked at the start he has had. He immediately broke Djokovic’ serve and managed to take advantage of Djokovic sloppiness but also forced his opponent into defense.

Djokovic never managed to break Medvedev’s serve and thus after 37 minutes Medvedev took the first set.

Djokovic got visibly frustrated after failing to cash in on two breakpoints in the second set and failed to do so again two games later. Medvedev held his composure at those crucial moments and cashed in on one of the breakpoints and took the second set.

Djokovic fights to hold back his tears

Medvedev only lost one set to Botic van de Zandschulp at the US Open 2021 managed to keep his serve in the third act of the match but didn’t shy away to show Djokovic who is king of the hill at the moment on the ATP Tour.

With the loss of the second set, Djokovic resistance appeared broken because Medvedev hit 4-0 at warpspeed. At 5-2 , the Russian got his first Matchpoint of the match but failed to cash it in due to a double fault and lost his service game.

During the changeover Djokovic fought to hold back his tears but in the ninth game after a few beautiful rallies, Medvedev cashed in on his third matchpoint and won the US Open 2021 which is also his first Grand Slam tournament title.

Medvedev apologizes to Djoker fans for taking away his dream

Medvedev showed true sportsmanship after he took the US Open title by apologizing to the fans for getting in the way of Djokovic’ ambitions of winning the Calendar Slam.

“I want to say sorry for you, the fans, and Novak because we all know what he was going for today,” he said on court after winning the championship. “Today maybe you were a little bit more for Novak, but it’s completely understandable.”

But before the match he also commented on the absence of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“I don’t feel the change of the energy,” said Medvedev. “I don’t care if Roger or Rafa is here. I want to win the tournament. It’s going to be tougher if they were here, and of course it would be tougher if they would be 30 years old. But I just want to do my best, so I don’t care if they are here or not.”

Botic van de Zandschulp is the revelation of the US Open 2021

September 7, 2021 by TennisGrandstand Leave a Comment

Botic van de Zandschulp has become the tournament revelation of the US Open 2021. Van de Zandschulp defeated world number 14 Diego Schwartzman in the fourth round of the US Open 2021 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 5-7, 6-1 and thus continues his fairy tale run.

And noone is more surprised than van de Zandschulp is himself. If you had told him a month ago that he would reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam then he would have gladly said “I’ll take it!” while shaking your hand.

After he defeated Schwartzman, he said he got a little nervous but after three and a half hours he still managed to pull in the win that was needed to set up a clash with Daniil Medvedev.

Van de Zandschulp is happy with his overall performance at the US Open 2021 so far. His serve is working well and his rally’s are constant. But most of all , his mental game is great. Van de Zandschulp has managed to deal with lost matchpoints in that fourth set of the match versus Schwartzman. A line he hopes to continue in the upcoming match versus Daniil Medvedev.

Former dutch greats praise van de Zandschulp

Former dutch great Marcella Mesker praises van de Zandschulp’s advancements at the US Open 2021. Mesker finds his tennis phenomenal and praises his core qualities: ability to score, stamina, light footwork and all the power of a man his size.

Next to that Mesker observes that van de Zandschulp’s tennis instinct is what makes his game so great. Volleys at the net, lobs, stop volleys and dropshots. And then another forehand or an ace. His game is so complete, she said.

Coach Schapers praises but remains critical of his pupil

Michiel Schapers praises his pupil’s recent performances but remains critical of his game. There are a lot of areas where his protege can improve himself. For instance his first serve is one of the areas that could use some improvement. It needs a little more slice, coach Schapers said. When his first serve fails then van de Zandschulp loses his cool. Calming him down is tough sometimes for van de Zandschulp’s team. But he managed regain his composure versus Schwartzman. Which is impressive.

When asked where he got his game from Schapers said that the best move the 25 year old made was rejoining the KNLTB, the dutch Tennis Association. From there on out his game improved over the past two years since rejoining.

But Meskers is of the opinion that he managed to flip the switch when he was quarantined at the Australian Open 2021. He was in solitary confinement because he was on a coronaflight. She is of the opinion that van de Zandschulp had confidence booster at that time and thought to himself: I can do this, I can beat players from the top 10 and top 20.

The US Open means you made it big, financially

And that is exactly the case for van de Zandschulp. He reached the quarterfinals which means that he has won $425,000 USD so far. A great amount of money because with that money you can sit back and make a plan of action to see where to go after the US Open ends. Whereever that is.

On top of that, reaching the quarterfinals at the US Open also means that your marketability goes up and van de Zandschulp will probably get a few endorsements.

What does he think of all this? “I have to say I think before the tournament no one expected me to reach the quarterfinals,” he said. “I think they’re amazed and, hopefully, proud.”

Davis Cup At Forest Hills Now Closed To General Public

September 6, 2021 by TennisGrandstand Leave a Comment

The Return of Davis Cup to Forest Hills for the first time since 1959 will be a private affair.

The South Africa vs. Venezuela Davis Cup series, slated to be played at the historic West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills September 18-19, will now not be open to the general public.

Tennis South Africa, the designated home nation for this Group II tie by the International Tennis Federation, has chosen to not pay production costs to stage a tie open to the public and thus the matches will only be open to no more than 200 people in the stadium by invitation only. Fees for permits and security and other logistics need to be paid in order for the matches to be open to the public. The West Side Tennis Club, which was proactively contacted by Tennis South Africa to ask if it could host the tie, has already invested $20,000 to have its Stadium Court resurfaced for the Davis Cup matches.

“We might be able to reverse this at the last minute if someone steps up financially,” said Jason Weir-Smith, tennis director at the West Side Tennis Club.

South Africa is expected to be led by Lloyd Harris, who has been one of the break-out stories of the 2021 U.S. Open with upsets of Olympic silver medalist Karen Khachanov and Wimbledon semifinalist and No. 7 seed Denis Shapovalov.

The South Africa vs. Venezuela best-of-five match series will be played the weekend after the conclusion of the U.S. Open on a hard court in the 98-year-old 13,000-seat historic horseshoe shaped stadium, which hosted the finals of the U.S. Championships and U.S. Open from 1923 to 1977. The stadium last hosted Davis Cup in 1959 when Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser led Australia to the Davis Cup title with a 3-2 victory over the United States team led by Alex Olmedo, Butch Buchholz and Barry MacKay. The tie will mark the first time that Davis Cup will be played in the New York City area since the 1981 USA vs. Czechoslovakia Davis Cup quarterfinal at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows featuring John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.

Davis Cup by Rakuten is the largest annual international team competition in world sport. One of the cornerstones of the tennis calendar, Davis Cup provides players with the chance to represent their country in an otherwise individual sport. Founded by Hall of Famer Dwight Davis in 1900, Davis Cup began as a challenge match between USA and British Isles, with that first event being held at the Longwood Cricket Club in Boston, Mass. Today, more than 120 nations compete in the annual event.

Novak Djokovic declared heavy favorite US Open 2021

August 30, 2021 by TennisGrandstand Leave a Comment

Novak Djokovic is declared heavy favorite US Open 2021

Novak Djokovic may have missed out on the Golden Slam when he lost at the Tokyo Olympics 2021 but he has not given up on his dream to win the final Grand Slam tournament 2021. And if he wins then he will have a the rare and thus very prestigious calendar Slam. Despite the withdraws from Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and more top players, there are still a lot of adversaries to go round. Despite that, you can still declare Djokovic a clear favorite.

In a press conference at the US Open 2021 Djokovic said he was inspired and incredibly motivated.

“I’m very inspired to play my best tennis here. I don’t want to say it’s now or never for me because I think I’m going to have more opportunities in my life to win Slams. I don’t know if I’m going to be having more opportunities to win Calendar Slams.”

“That’s why it’s a very unique opportunity. At the same time, I don’t need to put any additional pressure to what I already have, which is pretty big from my own self and from of course people around me.”

What do you think? Will Djokovic win the prestigious Calendar Slam? Let us know in the comments!

Vaccinated Sofia Kenin skips US Open 2021 due to corona infection

Sofia Kenin is forced to watch the US Open 2021 from the sidelines after being infected by the coronavirus. Luckily Kenin has been vaccinated so the symptoms won’t be so severe she tells.

“Fortunately I am vaccinated and thus my symptoms have been fairly mild,” Kenin wrote. “However I have continued to test positive and thus will not be able to compete at the U.S. Open next week.”

“I plan to spend the next several weeks getting healthy and preparing to play well this fall,” Kenin posted Wednesday. “Thank you all for supporting me.”

This year’s US Open will have 100% attendency again after 2020’s edition of the US Open was played behind closed doors due to the coronapandemic.

Naomi Osaka releases powerful statement ahead of US Open

It has been a tough year for Naomi Osaka. She has been dealing with mental health issues and issued a media blackout during that period. She took to Twitter to release a powerful statement ahead of the US Open of 2021. She indicated that she is her own architect of her own failing. Naomi Osaka ended her media boycott at the Cincinatti Open.

“I’ve been reflecting over the past year. So grateful for the people around me because the support I feel is completely unparalleled,” Osaka posted.

“Recently I‘ve been asking myself why do I feel the way I do, and I realise one of the reasons is because internally I think I’m never good enough.

“I‘ve never told myself that I’ve done a good job but I do know I constantly tell myself that I suck or I could do better.

“I know in the past some people have called me humble but if I really consider it I think I’m really self deprecating. Every time a new opportunity arises my first thought is, ‘Wow, why me?’

“I guess what I‘m trying to say is that I’m gonna try to celebrate myself and my accomplishments more, I think we all should.

“Your life is your own and you shouldn‘t value yourself on other people’s standards.

“I know I give my heart to everything I can and if that‘s not good enough for some then my apologies, but I can’t burden myself with those expectations anymore.

“Seeing everything that’s going on in the world I feel like if I wake up in the morning that’s a win. That’s how I’m coming.”

The 23-year-old Japanese star lit the flame in the Olympic cauldron at the Tokyo Games, but has played only two matches since Japan ahead of the Open.

“I know I haven’t played that many matches. I know that I haven’t even gotten to a quarter-final,” Osaka said.

“Actually I feel pretty happy with how I’m playing… I feel pretty confident with where I am right now. Of course I’m not declaring that I’ll do amazing here. I’m the one-match-at-a-time like person.

“Hopefully it will work out in the end.”

What do you make of Naomi’s powerful statement? Is it something that resonates with you? Let us know in the comments.

Patrick Mouratoglou gives explanation on why Serena Williams withdrew

Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou has given an explanation on why Serena Williams withdrew from the US Open 2021. In an interview Mouratoglou with CBS Sports stated that while Serena was very motivated mentally, her body just wasn’t ready to compete yet at the highest level.

“[Serena] got injured at Wimbledon and we knew we had a very tight schedule to put her back on track and be able to play this US Open,” Mouratoglou told CBS Sports. “We knew that any setback during this period would be a no-go. So, at the start, it went well. She started from not being able to walk to being able to be finally on a tennis court, without moving but playing tennis.”

“We did exams [MRI] and we realized that there was still a tear on the tendon that was not completely back to normal,” Mouratoglou told CBS Sports. “Even though we tried, with one week until the US Open, we realized finally that there was a big risk with playing. The risk of a much worse injury which was really there because if you play with a tear in the tendon and you go too far, the tendon can completely break and it’s something you don’t want to risk.”

And it is too bad because Serena Williams and her team did everything they could to compete at this year’s US Open:

“It’s sad because it’s only a question of maybe having two more weeks and she would’ve been fine but we didn’t have those two extra weeks. She’ll be completely fine [to play again] in two to three weeks but the risk was too big to take,” he said.

Meanwhile Serena took to Instagram to issue a statement on backing out of the US Open 2021.

“After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the US Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring,” Serena Williams wrote on Instagram. “New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favorite places to play — I’ll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone on from afar. Thank you for your continued support and love. I’ll see you soon.”

US Open 2021 reaches record height in prize money

The US Open had to play without a crowd in the 2020 edition due to the corona pandemic but the US Open organisation has more than made up for that. With a $57,5 million USD there is a lot to play for.

“Last year was a very difficult year for all of us, and the pandemic had a profound impact on the USTA’s financial health,” said Mike Dowse, USTA Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. “Yet we worked—and continue to work—extremely hard to ensure that tennis would continue to thrive for the long-term at every level, and that work led to more than 4 million new and returning players participating in tennis in 2020. Our support of tennis is very broad, and touches every level of the game. The US Open is an unparalleled showcase for all that is so wonderful about our sport, and the players are an integral part of that. We are proud to return our player compensation to pre-pandemic levels.”

Added to that Stacey Allaster said the following about the US Open series and investing at the very roots that has attracted more people to the sport of tennis during the corona 2020 pandemic and created a lot of momentum with a 22% increase of new players.

Stacey Allaster added to it that the US Open has invested a lot of money at the roots of the game. Tennis has gained a lot of momentum during the 2020 pandemic and saw a 22% increase in sales and participation and it is still growing.

“With the US Open’s greatest return—fans on-site and full draws across all competitions—we know that 2021 will be an historic year for this great tournament,” said Stacey Allaster, Chief Executive, Professional Tennis and US Open Tournament Director. “We determined our round-by-round prize money allocations by engaging in an open dialogue with the players and the management of both tours. We applaud their collective leadership in directing the 2021 US Open prize money to benefit the maximum number of players.”

Round-by-round individual prize money for the US Open is as follows:

Singles:
Winner: $2,500,000
Runner-Up: $1,250,000
Semifinalist: $675,000
Quarterfinalist: $425,000
Round of 16: $265,000
Round of 32: $180,000
Round of 64: $115,000
Round of 128: $75,000

Doubles (each team):
Winner: $660,000
Runner-Up: $330,000
Semifinalist: $164,000
Quarterfinalist: $93,000
Round of 16: $54,000
Round of 32: $34,000
Round of 64: $20,000

It’s A Wide Open U.S. Open

August 24, 2021 by TennisGrandstand Leave a Comment

As the 2021 tennis schedule prepares for the upcoming US Open, it is fair to say that the field has been blown open in terms of who will come out on top and with a litany of withdrawals, it could be one of the most interesting tournaments in quite a while. With this edition boasting a breaking record of prize money $57.5 M!

With this being the fourth Grand Slam of the year, there is a sense that those involved will want to go out on a high and with Novak Djokovic previously scooping the other three top-tier events, there is a feeling that perhaps the stars have started to align.

Stars that may have provided the Serbian, with the greatest ever chance to win a Calendar Year Grand Slam and after scooping success at the Australian and French Open tournaments, which themselves go alongside victory at Wimbledon this summer, now the focus is on stateside success.

While the reason the stars have arguably aligned for Djokovic, is due to the absence of both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal from proceedings and with injury plaguing two of the game’s greats, it does seem as if the hottest ace of 2021 has been handed a huge advantage.

To the point where an open field in terms of tournament entrants, may end up being more a case of who will join the 34-year-old in the final and especially when you look at the pre-tournament bookmaker odds that are currently available.

For those who like to use their betting apps, they will see a large amount of confidence in Djokovic to win this year’s US Open and when you consider the non-appearance of his two biggest foes, then you can understand just why so many punters are backing Djokovic to win.

Because the last couple of weeks have very much been a good news, bad news scenario for this year’s US Open favourite and although he was deprived the opportunity to win a Golden Slam this year – due to defeat at the Tokyo Olympics, his spirits would have been lifted by news elsewhere.

News that although you should not take joy in the anguish of others, it would be hard for Djokovic to not at least offer a wry smile in private and with Roger Federer first announcing his inability to compete at Flushing Meadows, it may have meant a titanic tussle with Rafael Nadal in the final.

However, it does seem like fortune is not favouring the Spaniard either and with a nagging foot injury now becoming more than a pain, the Mallorca born star is no longer in a position to compete at such a prestigious event.

To the point where Nadal has had to call time on the rest of his 2021 schedule and some are even questioning whether the rigours of Grand Slam tennis are now going to be too much for 2022 and beyond.

When you consider just how big a war of attrition Grand Slam tennis actually is and combine that with the age of Nadal and his arch-rivals, there is a sense that the sport’s golden era may finally be coming to an end.

If only for the simple reason that the three men in question and you could even add Andy Murray into this bracket of fading forces cannot go on forever and at some point, the next generation will have to break through the glass ceiling which currently sits above.

Then again, that glass ceiling has not yet been penetrated once and for all and although the likes of Danii Medvedev and Alexander Zverev will consider themselves heir apparent to tennis’ throne, they cannot claim such a moniker yet.

If the tournament draw can go favourably for either of these two men, they may well be in a position to earn a place in the final and go toe to toe with a man who has swept all before him when it really matters.

Of course, when it comes to sport and redemption, it may be too quick to write off British star Andy Murray and although the bookmakers are not pushing him to the top of the odds list at present, this is someone who has won at Flushing Meadows previously. With all this taken into consideration, it will take something rather remarkable for the 34-year-old Scot to come out on top in September and it will take something remarkable to stop Novak Djokovic from winning this year’s US Open.

Miss Going To U.S. Open Qualies? Get Your Tennis Fix At Davis Cup at Forest Hills Sept. 18-19!

August 24, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The popular U.S. Open qualifying tournament may be closed to the public this year but New York tennis fans will have another opportunity to see big time tennis this year with Davis Cup being played the weekend after the conclusion of the U.S. Open at the historic West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills!

Tickets for the South Africa vs. Venezuela Davis Cup by Rakuten tie September 18-19 at the West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills are now for sale at www.ForestHillsStadium.com Daily tickets start at $25 with special VIP group hospitality packages also for sale. The matches mark the first time Davis Cup will be played at the iconic and historic former site of the U.S. Open since 1959.

The first day of play will feature two best-of-three-set singles matches starting at 11 am and the second day, also starting at 11 am, featuring the reverse two best-of-three-set singles matches and a best-of-three-set doubles match. The winner will remain in the Davis Cup Group II for the 2022 Davis Cup campaign, two levels below the Davis Cup World Group that determines the Davis Cup champion in the Davis Cup World Finals in Madrid.

The current top South African players are Kevin Anderson, the former U.S. Open and Wimbledon finalist, who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 5, top-50 player Lloyd Harris, who beat Rafael Nadal earlier this summer in Washington, D.C., and former Australian Open and Wimbledon doubles finalist Raven Klaasen. Venezuela is led by No. 585-ranked Ricardo Rodriguez, the all-time leading Davis Cup player for his country.

The best-of-five match series will be played the weekend after the conclusion of the U.S. Open on a hard court in the 98-year-old 13,000-seat historic horseshoe shaped stadium, which hosted the finals of the U.S. Championships and U.S. Open from 1923 to 1977. The stadium last hosted Davis Cup in 1959 when Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser led Australia to the Davis Cup title with a 3-2 victory over the United States team led by Alex Olmedo, Butch Buchholz and Barry MacKay. This South Africa vs. Venezuela tie will mark the first time that Davis Cup will be played in the New York City area since the 1981 USA vs. Czechoslovakia Davis Cup quarterfinal at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows featuring John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl.

Sponsorship opportunities are available by emailing Weir-Smith at Jason@thewestsidetennisclub.com.

Fans coming from out of town to attend this tie are encouraged to stay at the InterContinental New York Times Square, the official hotel for the South Africa vs. Venezuela tie. Located in the heart of Manhattan, InterContinental New York Times Square makes for an unforgettable retreat within New York City at the crossroads of the theater district, business and entertainment areas. Rooms can be booked here: https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/new-york/nychc/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-IC-_-US-_-NYCHC and fans can take advantage of a limited-edition menu of dishes and juices inspired by both Davis Cup teams.

Rising Stars and the New Big Names of Men’s Tennis

August 20, 2021 by TennisGrandstand Leave a Comment

At the beginning of 2021, many would expect this year to be the start of a new era, with some of the biggest names in tennis to meet new rivals in the form of younger tennis stars. The hegemony of the Serbian Novak Djokovic and the Spanish Rafael Nadal was expected to be challenged by the likes of Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas. However, this has only partially proven true.

New and Returning Protagonists

Djokovic finished 2020 as the leader of the world tennis rankings, even though he failed to reach the final of the ATP Finals, a tournament held in London that brought together the best players of the season. Eight months later, he has dominated all Grand Slams, winning the Australian Open for the third time in a row and Rolland Garros for the second time in his career, while putting an end to Nadal’s four-win strike, and a win at Wimbledon marking his third consecutive win since 2018.

At the age of 33, the Serbian currently holds 12,113 points in the ATP ranking. Djokovic’s advantage over surprising second-place Daniil Medvedev, 25, who surpassed Nadal in April and stands with 9,920 points, is quite comfortable. Medvedev himself has had an overall positive year, reaching the final of the Australian Open and the quarter-finals at Rolland Garros.

Nadal, who for the most of 2021 had been third, has now dropped another position, falling behind the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas who has a 500-point lead over him. Tsitsipas has also been playing some of his finest tennis, beating favourite Nadal in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and reaching the final at Rolland Garros.

It is also noteworthy to mention the big revelation of the Australian Open held in February – the 27-year-old Russian Aslan Karatsev. He became the first tennis player of the 21st century to win a spot in a Grand Slam through the qualifying process and managing to progress all the way through the semi-finals, where he faced Djokovic. As a result, Karatsev, who was 114th in the world ranking in February, is now 25th with 2,287.

Next, Djokovic will attempt to break the record for most men’s Grand Slam titles in the US Open. With tennis legend Federer out of the tournament, Djokovic is at 8/11 while Medvedev is at 9/2 to take home the last Grand Slam title of the year, according to the current tennis odds in the betting markets. Additionally, Alexander Zverev and Rafael Nadal are also considered strong title contenders.

Outside the Tennis Court

Much has changed in tennis in the last few years, but not everything. According to a survey published by Forbes magazine, the highest-paid tennis player in the world is neither Djokovic nor Nadal. The title belongs to the Swiss Roger Federer. According to the article, Federer pocketed US$ 106.3 million in the period from June 2019 to June 2020. The 39-year-old tennis player is also the highest-paid athlete in the world.

Djokovic comes in second place on the list, with a pay below half of Federer. The Serbian earned $44.6 million in the same period as Federer. Nadal places third, with $40 million. The first woman on the list is the Japanese Naomi Osaka, 2020 Olympics star, who is fourth overall, with $37.4 million.

With many promising names rising in tennis, the next few years are expected to be exciting for fans of the sport and for the sports itself, with many records ready to be broken.