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Sam Querrey

Kim Clijsters Beats Leylah Fernandez At Champions Series Mixed Team Event In Orlando

December 4, 2022 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

Leylah Fernandez and Jack Sock defeated Kim Clijsters and Sam Querrey 7-6(3) in the decisive mixed doubles match to clinch a 2-1 team victory and win the Bea for Kids Champions Challenge at The Heathrow Country Club in Orlando, Florida.

Fernandez, the world No. 40 and the 2021 U.S. Open women’s singles runner-up, overcame a 7-5 upset loss to Clijsters in the singles to re-bound and win her second mixed team title on the Champions Series circuit this year. In September, Fernandez paired with Bob Bryan to win the title at The Greenbrier in West Virginia in September.

Clijsters, the 39-year-old former world No. 1 and five years removed from her induction in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, opened the day’s play with her win over Fernandez, 19 years her junior. After Sock defeated former Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey 6-3 to tie the team score at 1-1, Fernandez returned to the court with Sock to beat Clijsters and Querrey 7-6 (3) to clinch the team victory.

“I’m just super happy to be sharing the court with Jack,” said Fernandez. “It’s always amazing to be beside him, and it’s always fun. He’s always funny. He always makes me laugh. So I think I just enjoyed myself playing with him, and I’m glad I was able to share the court also with Kim, who is legend in the game, and Sam. They’re amazing people and it was a great day overall.”

After playing with Clijsters during World TeamTennis matches over the last few years, Sock was confionted first-hand at the competitiveness of Clijsters, who event pegged the U.S. Davis Cupper with a hard volley at one point in the match.

“She’s like my second mom after we played World TeamTennis together, and so I thought we were like family, but clearly not,” joked Sock of Clijsters. “I have a welt right here on my leg. That’s going to feel good in the morning. But she is amazing and a legend of the game. It’s always fun to be around her.”

With the victory, Fernandez and Sock split the first prize of $50,000 while Querrey and Clijsters split the runner-up payout of 25,000.

For more information on Champions Series Tennis, go to www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

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 ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Kim Clijsters

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Champions Series Tennis, jack sock, Kim Clijsters, Leylah Fernandez, Sam Querrey

Bob Bryan, Leylah Fernandez Win Champions Series Mixed Team Event at The Greenbrier

September 25, 2022 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

Bob Bryan and Leylah Fernandez each won singles matches and paired for a mixed doubles victory to claim a 3-0 team victory over Sam Querrey and Ashley Harkleroad Saturday to win the Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Bryan, fresh off subbing for Mardy Fish as U.S. Davis Cup captain last week in Glasgow, Scotland, posted a 7-6 (3) win over Sam Querrey in the event’s opening one-set men’s singles match. Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open runner-up, then registered a 6-3 win over former star Ashley Harkleroad, a last-minute replacement for Danielle Collins, who was unable to play due to illness.

Bryan and Fermandez then defeated Querrey and Harkleroad 6-3 to close out the event.

Bryan and Querrey, former U.S. Davis Cup teammates, both did not lose serve in their set, but Bryan was able to nudge ahead in the tiebreaker. In his post-match on-court interview, Bryan credited a live arm, a high percentage of first serves and, jokingly, the support he received from some rowdy fans sitting courtside and coaching from a group of ladies in the stands for his win.

“It’s great to be playing singles,” said Bryan who won 16 majors doubles titles with twin brother Mike. “It’s great to be back here at The Greenbrier. It’s such a beautiful place. This is my third time here.”

Bryan actually ended his pro career at The Greenbrier in 2020, participating in the World Team Tennis season which was played entirely at the West Virginia resort during the COVID pandemic. While Bryan’s pro career ended at The Greenbrier, it marked a new beginning for Querrey, the 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist who ended his 16-year pro career at the 2022 U.S. Open.

“Sam just retired a couple weeks ago so hats off to him on a great career,” said Bryan. “We were Davis Cup teammates. I saw him win titles all over the world and I was always proud to be on the team with him.”

With the victory, Bryan and Fernandez split the first prize of $50,000 while Querrey and Harkleroad split the runner-up payout of 25,000.

For more information on Champions Series Tennis, go to www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

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 ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Bob Bryan, Leylah Fernandez, Ashley Harkleroad and Sam Querrey

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Ashley Harkleroad, Bob Bryan, Leylah Fernandez, Sam Querrey, The Greenbrier

Genie Bouchard Headlines Champions Series Tennis at The Greenbrier

July 31, 2022 by tennisbloggers Leave a Comment

Genie Bouchard, Jack Sock, Leylah Fernandez and Sam Querrey make up the four-player field at the 2022 Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic at Center Court at Creekside Stadium on September 24 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

A women’s singles match, men’s singles match and a mixed doubles match make up the action at this unique, intimate event, hosted by Champions Series Tennis.

“We started this event in 2012, hoping to bring tennis back as a showcase sport at The Greenbrier, and we’ve had some of the top players to ever play the sport play on our courts,” said Dr. Jill Justice, President, The Greenbrier. “It’s extremely exciting to know we’ve kept this event going for a decade and continue to bring an entertaining product to tennis enthusiasts from around the area.”

The action begins with men’s singles at 2 p.m., pitting Sock against Querrey. The two have met only once before, with Sock coming out on top in Houston in 2015. That exciting men’s match will be followed by a women’s showcase, with Fernandez and Bouchard going head-to-head at approximately 3 p.m. The final match of the day, scheduled to begin around 4 p.m., is a mixed doubles match featuring Bouchard and Querrey teaming up against Fernandez and Sock.

Tickets can be purchased online by visiting Greenbrier.com/TennisClassic. Courtside seats are $100, Lower Level seats $75, Upper Level seats $35 and children 12-and-under are $10. VIP experiences — including opportunities to play with the pros, a player party and a backstage experience — are also available to enhance your visit to The Greenbrier Champions Tennis Classic. They can be purchased at www.championsseriestennis.com.

Sock is a 29-year-old American player, who has won four career ATP single titles and 15 doubles titles. He’s been ranked as high as No. 8 in the world in singles and No. 2 in doubles. He won Wimbledon doubles titles in 2014 and 2018 and a U.S. Open doubles title in 2018. He won a gold medal (mixed doubles) and bronze medal (doubles) at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Bouchard is a 28-year-old Canadian player, who has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the world in singles, becoming the first Canadian to reach the top 5. She reached the finals at Wimbledon in 2014 and has reached the semifinals at both the French Open and Australian Open.

Querrey is a 34-year-old American player who has won 10 career ATP singles titles and been ranked as high as No. 11 in the world. He reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2017 after knocking off No. 1 Andy Murray. He became the first American to reach a Grand Slam semifinal in 8 years.

Fernandez is a 19-year-old Canadian player currently ranked No. 20 in the world. The left-hander has won two career singles titles and reached the finals of the U.S. Open in 2021. She received the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award by the Canadian Press as its choice for top Canadian female athlete that same year.

Built in 2015, Center Court at Creekside Stadium takes advantage of its unique Creekside location, featuring expansive views of Howard’s Creek, the iconic Old White golf course and the picturesque mountains beyond, while offering as many as 2,600 spectators an engaging viewing experience.

About The Greenbrier

The Greenbrier is a distinct and spectacular luxury mountain resort situated in the Allegheny Mountains in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. It is best known as “America’s Resort” and is synonymous with world-class, authentic, southern hospitality. The Greenbrier experience began in 1778 and offers a luxurious respite to discerning guests from around the world. The grand scale architecture, Dorothy Draper décor, immaculate attention to detail and legendary gracious service set The Greenbrier apart from all others. Guests walk in the footsteps of presidents, celebrities and generations of families who regard The Greenbrier as a “one of one” destination. The 710 perfectly appointed Signature Resort Rooms, Classic and Historic Suites, Legacy Cottages and Estate Homes are situated on The Greenbrier’s breathtaking 11,000-acre playground. Play championship golf courses or experience more than 55 activities, including professional indoor and outdoor tennis, off-road driving and falconry. America’s only private casino features table games, slot machines and the FanDuel Sportsbook. The Greenbrier’s full-service, 40,000-square-foot world-renowned spa is widely recognized as one of the most luxurious mineral spas in the world, and the Retail Collection is comprised of more than 35 boutiques, shops and hand-crafted works of art. In addition to The Main Dining Room, The Greenbrier Restaurant Collection is comprised of 19 restaurants, cafés and lounges, featuring traditional, award–winning southern-inspired cuisine. The Greenbrier Clinic has been practicing diagnostic medicine since 1948. The Greenbrier Sporting Club and The Greenbrier Legacy Club offer the pinnacle of luxury real estate with exclusive home sites within distinctive neighborhoods across The Greenbrier estate. Follow The Greenbrier on Facebook at The Greenbrier, on Twitter at @the_greenbrier or on Instagram at the_greenbrier.

About InsideOut Sports + Entertainment

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. 

Genie Bouchard
Genie Bouchard

Filed Under: Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Champions Series Tennis, Genie Bouchard, Greenbrier, jack sock, Leylah Fernandez, Sam Querrey

New Look Mixed Format Set For Champions Series Tennis

February 14, 2022 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

The 2022 Champions Series Tennis circuit will kick off Saturday, March 5 with a new look mixed format featuring men’s and women’s legends competing throughout the year for prize money and the season-long points championship.

Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, and Eugenie Bouchard, the 2014 Wimbledon runner-up, will join former world No. 11 Sam Querrey and 2000 Olympic silver medalist and former world No. 2 Tommy Haas in the year’s opening event Saturday, March 5 at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California. Querrey and Kenin will play as a team against Haas and Bouchard, each playing a set of singles and then pairing for a deciding mixed doubles match.

Each event will feature $75,000 in prize money with $50,000 going to the winning team and $25,000 to the runner-up. The winning team members will each be awarded 100 ranking points towards the season-long championship. Each player will also be awarded 100 ranking points for participating in the event and an additional 100 ranking points for each match victory.

“Through the years, the most frequent feedback we have received from our fans and sponsors is that they would love to see doubles and they also would love to see women play, so that led us to creating this new exciting format showcasing both,” said Jon Venison, Co-President of InsideOut Sports & Entertainment, the organization that founded and runs Champions Series Tennis.

Champions Series Tennis will also stage events in 2022 in Dallas, St. Louis, The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Orlando and other sites to be announced. Full player fields and event dates will be announced in the near future.

For the Sherwood Country Club event, the event will start with “Play with the Pros” fan experiences from 10am to 12pm, followed by a “Player Party Experience” and a “Backstage Experience.” Querrey and Haas will kick off match play at 2 pm, followed by Kenin and Bouchard and concluding with the mixed doubles match. 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.

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT 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 ChampionsSeriesTennis.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Eugenie Bouchard
Eugenie Bouchard

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Cham, Champions Series Tennis, Genie Bouchard, Sam Querrey, Sofia Kenin, Tommy Haas

Sam Querrey Makes Champions Series Tennis Debut And Immediately Wins Two Titles

December 6, 2021 by Randy Walker Leave a Comment

ORLANDO – Sam Querrey defeated Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 in the one-set final to win the Sunday edition of the Bea For Kids Champions Challenge presented by Raymond James at the Heathrow Country Club. The title marked the second title in two days on the North American tennis circuit for champion tennis players over the age of 30 for Querrey, the former world No. 11 who was making his circuit debut.

“It was just really one or two points,” said Querrey of what separated him from Baghdatis, the 2006 Australian Open finalist from Cyprus. “Not only the returns, but he hit a lot of good backhands, a lot of good forehands. He still moves well. And he is only a couple years removed from the tour, but if he really wanted to he probably still has the game to be back out there.”

On Saturday, Querrey beat Tommy Haas 6-4 in his debut Champions Series Tennis event, handing Haas his first defeat on the tour this year. For his two days of play in Orlando, Querrey earned two $25,000 first-prize paychecks. To reach the final on Sunday, Querrey defeated former world No. 1 doubles player Bob Bryan 7-6 (xx) while Baghdatis defeated James Blake 6-4 earlier in the day.

Following the final Sunday, Querrey told Brett Haber in his post-match on-court interview that he would like to continue to play Champions Series Tennis events in 2022, while also still competing on the ATP Tour.

“These last two days have been a blast,” said the 34-year-old Querrey, currently ranked No. 109 in the ATP rankings. “Not only playing here and meeting a lot of great people at the clinics but James and Bob Bryan are two of my friends that I’ve known forever. Marcos has always been one of the most well liked guys on tour, so it’s fun to come back and play with guys that I’ve truly been friends with for 15, 20 years.”

Baghdatis, who made his Champions Series Tennis debut in September at The Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia, earned $15,000 for his runner-up finish on Sunday. Both Blake and Bryan earned $10,000 each.

In addition winning the season-long Champions Series Tennis points title with three titles during the year, Haas earned $90,000 in total prize money for the year.

The matches will be televised on Fox Sports Net affiliates and Tennis Channel 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. Haas also won the title at The Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia defeating Andy Roddick in the 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.

ABOUT INSIDEOUT SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT

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.

Sam Querrey
Sam Querrey

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Champions Series Tennis, Marcos Baghdatis, Orlando, Sam Querrey, Tommy Haas

The Curious Case of Sam Querrey

August 6, 2018 by tennisbloggers

by Bob Stockton

2017 seemed like it was going to be a transformative year in Sam Querrey’s career, marking the reinvention of an inconsistent outsider as a player with genuine designs on reaching a Grand Slam final. The American delivered career-best performances at three of the four Grand Slams. Admittedly, reaching the third round of the Australian Open for the fifth time but failing to progress further is nothing to write home about, but a first Slam semi-final at Wimbledon followed by a first quarter-final at the US Open made 2017 a very good year for Querrey.

Querrey has always had the potential to beat anyone when at his peak level. There are players in the top 20 who are more consistent but lack the ability to reach a higher plane on occasion, with the likes of Pablo Carreno Busta, David Goffin and Roberto Bautista Agut all distinguished players but the kind of performers who could feasibly play their best against the world number 1 and still lose. There are other players in the top 20 who have mercurial talent and can be unstoppable for sets and matches at a time, such as the maverick Fabio Fognini and the erratic Grigor Dimitrov.

Querrey fits into that category, with his form at Wimbledon an indictment of this. In 2016, Querrey stunned world number 1 Novak Djokovic in the third round, with the American considered a massive outsider but able to reach a new level. If that wasn’t enough, Querrey repeated this feat the following year by beating home favourite and world number 1 Andy Murray in the Wimbledon quarter-final. Admittedly, there were question marks over both Djokovic’s and Murray’s fitness, but often those players can use their intimidating aura to grind through and exploit opponents’ weakness. Querrey played like a man possessed, possessed by a better tennis player than usual.

There are two key elements to consider when analysing if a player can win a Grand Slam for the first time: can they beat the best, and do they have the resilience to deliver a good level for a fortnight? A look at the latest tennis odds with bet365 for the US Open sees Querrey priced at 80/1 to win the title, a price that reflects that his ability to beat the best is currently outweighed by question marks over his consistency. This is why John Isner is at a much shorter price of 40/1, with Querrey’s fellow big-serving American much more dependable.

For example, Isner is less likely to lose to a player ranked outside the top 300 when defending a title. This is what Querrey served up at Los Cabos, falling to rank outsider Egor Gerasimov in the round of sixteen in a tournament at which he arrived as reigning champion. Querrey has endured a tough 2018. After winning the first set at the French Open against Gilles Simon, Querrey promptly rolled over. He repeated this feat at Wimbledon against Gael Monfils, made all the more disappointing considering his form in London.

Querrey may have given the world one of the great tennis-related videos through his dancing skills, but he will be determined to discover if he can give the sport one of the great Grand Slam final performances. If he can bring his best to the US Open this year then he will strike fear into the tournament favourites. The signs don’t necessarily suggest that this is too likely at this stage, but that’s the thing with mercurial talents: there’s no telling when they’ll bring their best.

Sam Querrey
Sam Querrey

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: Sam Querrey, Tennis, US Open

Sam Querrey Shocks Novak Djokovic In Third-Round Wimbledon Upset

July 2, 2016 by tennisbloggers

by Kevin Craig

@KCraig_Tennis

Sam Querrey was able to fend off a roaring comeback effort from Novak Djokovic on Saturday at Wimbledon, pulling off a massive upset in the third round.

The American won the match, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(5), to reach his first fourth round at a major since 2010.

“It’s incredible, especially here at Wimbledon, the biggest tournament in the world. I’m so ecstatic right now, so happy,” said Querrey.

Querrey, the No. 41 player in the world, raced out to a two-set lead on Friday thanks to a top-notch performance and a bit of indifference from Djokovic, who had won 30 consecutive matches at the majors.

In the early goings, Querrey looked to be up to the task of playing the current holder of all four major titles as he used his serve and big ground strokes to dictate play. That style of play earned him the first set win in a tiebreak as he proved to the crowd, and more importantly himself, that he could win this match.

Querrey, who hit 31 aces in the match, carried that momentum over into the second set, going up an early break on Djokovic, who, at that point, looked like he had no interest in being on the court. In what seemed like just a few minutes, the American had taken the set 6-1 as his level of play never dropped, and found himself just one set away from the biggest win of his career.

It was at that point that the rain came and play had to be stopped for the day. This was not a new situation for the No. 1 player in the world though, as Djokovic found himself down two sets to Kevin Anderson in the fourth round of last year’s Wimbledon before coming back to win the match and eventually the title, so many believed he would be able to pull off a similar feat again.

That looked to be the case early on Saturday as the match resumed and the 12-time major champion quickly found himself up 4-0 in the third set. Alas, the rain had come again and stopped play. After a brief break, the two came back on court and Querrey looked to have risen slightly closer to the level of play he had on Friday, getting a break back and forcing Djokovic to feel some pressure before he was able to force a fourth set.

“I was ready for that,” said Querrey of Djokovic’s quick start on Saturday. “You knew he was mentally tough and that he was going to come back.”

That strong close to the third set allowed Querrey to carry some momentum into the fourth, where he put on a fight for the ages. The 6’6” American was able to fight off 11 of 12 break points he faced throughout the set, thanks, in part, to the 15 aces that he hit in the fourth set alone.

That one break point that Querrey didn’t save, though came at 4-4 all, giving Djokovic an opportunity to serve to force a fifth set. The Serb played a few loose points in that game, though, giving Querrey a look at two break points to get back on serve. The American was able to convert on the second one before holding for a 6-5 lead, putting himself just one game away from the win.

“I played the break points really well. I was able to come up with a big serve when I needed it,” said Querrey.

He would have to wait for that opportunity to win, though, as rain began to fall again, forcing the players off the court. After another break, the players returned to a raucous crowd waiting to see if the world No. 1 would fall.

When play resumed, Djokovic held at love to force a tiebreak, bringing the match to peak levels of intensity. The Serb was able to earn an early mini-break advantage thanks to a couple glaring mistakes from Querrey, but the roles quickly reversed as Djokovic became the one making errors.

Querrey, after winning a point on Djokovic’s serve, found himself up 6-4 with two match points.

Djokovic saved the first before a long rally ensued at 6-5, which ended with a ball flying wide off the racquet of Djokovic, another error, giving Querrey the massive win and a spot in the round of 16.

“Taking it one round at a time,” said Querrey when asked how far he thought he could go in the tournament. “Just be happy with this and look forward to the next round.”

Querrey will take on Nicolas Mahut in the fourth round as both will look to reach their first quarterfinal at a major.

Sam Querrey
Sam Querrey

Filed Under: Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Novak Djokovic, Sam Querrey, Wimbledon

After Delray Beach Return, Juan Martin del Potro Faces Next Test In Indian Wells

March 2, 2016 by tennisbloggers

Kevin Craig

@KCraig_Tennis

 

Juan Martin del Potro made his return to tennis last month in Delray Beach, Florida after an 11-month absence due to recurring wrist problems. While he didn’t win the tournament, which nobody, not even himself, should have expected, he came out of the event with a very positive outlook and is eager to continue his progression towards playing full time on the ATP World Tour again.

In his post-match press conference after his loss to Sam Querrey in the semifinals of the ATP 250 event, del Potro was clearly disappointed, yet still exclaimed his satisfaction with the overall result he came up with this week. Beating a Top 30 player, a promising young American, and an inspired qualifier en route to the semifinals in Delray Beach were all impressive results for the Argentinian in his return event. While Denis Kudla and Jeremy Chardy didn’t play their best tennis in their matches against del Potro, it was still an impressive feat for him to knock out two Top 70 players in his first live match action since Miami in 2015.

In the loss to Querrey, the American was able to dominant his service games and crush the ball from anywhere on the court, forcing del Potro to move around and hit more backhands than he would have liked. The American only lost nine points on serve throughout the match and didn’t have to face a single break point, allowing him to relax on del Potro’s service games and apply pressure. The pressure built up at the latter stages of both sets, allowing Querrey to break at 5-5 in both sets, giving him the 7-5, 7-5 win. Querrey’s high level of play in the match can give del Potro some relief as it was arguably the best match that Querrey had played all week.

Despite the loss, Del Potro stated in his post-match press conference that he felt as if he had “won more than a tournament,” a sign that he is more than happy with where his game currently is. The 2009 US Open champion confirmed that he will be accepting a wild card to play in the masters level event in Indian Wells, and is well aware of what he needs to work on to improve his game before then.

The competition in Indian Wells surely will most likely be tougher than what del Potro came across in Delray Beach, and will possibly give a better test as to where he truly is with his game. While the entire tennis world is glad to have one of the best players in the world back on tour, no one is happier that del Potro is back on the court than del Potro himself, stating that he is “so glad to play tennis again.” After both his quarterfinal and semifinal matches, he expressed how tired he was, but his happiness could not be hidden behind his exhaustion.

Del Potro stated that he has “many positive things to take from” his experience in Delray Beach as he looks forward to continuing to take the next steps in his comeback.

Juan Martin del Potro
Juan Martin del Potro

Filed Under: Archives, Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Live Coverage Tagged With: Delray Beach, Indian Wells, Juan Martin del Potro, Sam Querrey

Sam Querrey Beats Rajeev Ram In Delray Beach Final

February 21, 2016 by tennisbloggers

by Kevin Craig

@KCraig_Tennis

 

In the first all-American final on the ATP tour since April of 2015, Sam Querrey defeated Rajeev Ram 6-4, 7-6 in the Delray Beach Open final. Playing in good conditions with a neutral crowd, Querrey proved to be the better player on the day, crushing his serve and simply playing at a more consistent level throughout the match.

The first set saw Ram jump out to a quick lead by breaking Querrey in the first game of the match. This was a surprise in itself as Querrey came from not facing a single break point in the semifinals against Juan Martin Del Potro, to being broken in the first game of the final. Querrey was not phased, though, as he managed to break right back in the next game to get back on serve. Aside from one game at 3-3 where Querrey was taken to deuce, the set was straightforward until Ram served at 4-5. After going up 40-15 in the game, Ram dropped four consecutive points as Querrey managed to break to win the set, 6-4.

The second set got off to a similar start as the first as Ram opened it up by breaking Querrey, this time at love. Ram was able to consolidate in his first service game of the set, but came across trouble serving at 2-1. Querrey managed to fight back from 40-30 to win three points in a row to get the break and level the set at 2-2. This time, both servers were able to see things through to the tiebreak with only a few hiccups along the way. Ram saved a break point at 2-3, while Querrey double faulted on consecutive points after going up 40-15 in his 5-5 service game. Both players were able to hold their nerve in those respective situations, though, sending the second set to a tiebreak.

Ram got off to a good start in the tiebreak, jumping out to a 3-0 lead and eventually holding a 5-2 lead. From there, Querrey managed to win three points in a row to get back on serve in the tiebreak, before saving a set point with an ace at 5-6. After the second change of ends with the score at 6-6, Querrey earned a match point and took advantage of it by hitting an impressive running forehand passing shot that just barely clipped the baseline to win the title.

Querrey and Ram both stated in their press conferences that they felt a little nervous throughout the match, mostly because of the fact they know each other so well. Querrey claimed that what got him through the match and to the title was simply the willingness to win, as he claimed that he had to resort to “ugly tennis” to get the win. Playing at a level below his best yet still managing to win a tournament gives Querrey loads of confidence as he heads into an important part of the season with the Indian Wells-Miami double coming up.

The title for Querrey is his eighth on the ATP World Tour, six of which have come on American soil, but his first since the summer of 2012. The win will cause Querrey’s ranking to jump to No. 43 in the world, the highest his ranking has been since September of 2015.

After a down season in 2015 in which Querrey lost in the first round of half the events he played in, he has been able to get off to a decent start this season, making the veteran American feel great about where his game is right now. The title in Delray Beach was preceded by a semifinal run in Memphis where he was only stopped by Kei Nishikori in a three-setter. Looking forward, Querrey has plenty of room for his ranking to improve in 2016 as he has very little to defend. Other than trying to defend two finals appearances, both of which will come before Wimbledon, he only has second round points to defend for the rest of the year, which Querrey is one bright side of “having a crappy year.”

For Ram, he is disappointed to have lost in the final, but making it that far was surely a pleasant surprise for him. Battling past Bernard Tomic in the first round, fighting back from a set and a break down in the quarterfinals against Benjamin Becker, and beating Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals will be enough for Ram to look back at this week as a huge positive, although he did state that “you never come into a tournament hoping to lose in the first round” when asked if he was pleased with his run this week.

Not only are the match results impressive for Ram, but he will also now jump to a new career high ranking of No. 60, blowing past his previous career high of No. 78. This run will give Ram the confidence needed to continue his success throughout the rest of the 2016 season as he will look to defend his title in Newport in the summer and attempt to finish in the Top 100 in back-to-back years for the first time in his career.

Ram stated that he feels as if he is currently playing the best tennis of his career and has high hopes for the rest of the 2016 season. His plan for the rest of the year is to see where he is ranked after Miami and schedule accordingly his events in Europe. He wants to be well rested for the grass court season and North American hard court swing in the summer, the time of the year in which he feels that he plays his best tennis.

After an event in which many people around the tennis world expected Kevin Anderson, Del Potro, and Dimitrov to have the best weeks, it is two Americans who come out on top and head into the rest of their seasons with confidence.

Sam Querrey
Sam Querrey

Filed Under: Archives, Blogs, Featured Columns, Latest News, Lead Story Tagged With: Delray Beach, rajeev ram, Sam Querrey

Monday Mayhem: Miami WTA Fourth-Round, ATP Third-Round Matches Previewed

March 25, 2013 by Chris Skelton

Serena Williams (Christopher Levy for Tennis Grandstand)

On a busy Monday in Miami, all of the women’s fourth-round matches unfold.  You can find a preview of all eight here in addition to a few of the remaining men’s third-round encounters.
Garbine Muguruza vs. Li Na:  Into the fourth round for the second straight Premier Mandatory tournament, the Spanish rising star continues to consolidate her position as a player to watch this year.  Indian Wells finalist Caroline Wozniacki became the latest player to learn about Muguruza’s ascendancy the hard way, thoroughly dismantled on Sunday.  A day later, the youngster trains her weapons on Li Na, who has produced consistently outstanding tennis in the few tournaments that she has played this year.  The Australian Open runner-up has lost only to Agnieszka Radwanska and Victoria Azarenka in 2013, although a knee injury sidelined her for several weeks after Melbourne.  When she returned this week, her ball-striking looked as clean if not as audacious as it had in January.  Never at her best in Miami, Li could turn a page now.
Serena Williams vs. Dominika Cibulkova:  Awaiting the winner of the previous match in the quarterfinals is the world No. 1, assuming that she can survive the test posed by the shortest woman in the top 30.  Cibulkova vanished from relevance after reaching the Sydney final, where Radwanska double-bageled her, but she pushed Serena’s predecessor in the spot to the brink in the same round here a year ago.  That match against Azarenka, for which she served twice, revealed how much her explosive forehand can threaten taller opponents with more effortless power.  Against a server like Serena, who struck 20 aces against her at Wimbledon in 2010, Cibulkova’s short wingspan may prevent her from creating pressure in return games and exploiting the erratic baseline play that Williams showed in the last round.
Grigor Dimitrov vs. Andy Murray:   The memory of what unfolded when he faced Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells may reverberate through Dimitrov’s mind if he takes a lead against Murray.  Serving for the first set that time, he conceded four double faults in a painful display of nerves.  Dimitrov also took Murray to a first-set tiebreak wen they met in the Brisbane final this year, only to lose the tiebreak decisively and fade thereafter.  Much more impressive than he looked at Indian Wells, Murray showed minimal mercy to another rising phenom in Bernard Tomic. His two-handed backhand should break down Dimitrov’s one-hander unless the Bulgarian enjoys an excellent serving day that allows him to dictate points with his forehand.
John Isner vs. Marin Cilic:  Among the stranger statistics of the ATP is Cilic’s undefeated record against Americans, which includes victories over playesr like Roddick and Querrey.  That perfection might continue against a giant exhausted from his epic victory over Ivan Dodig in the sweltering Miami heat.  Mired in a slump for the last several months, Isner will have gained confidence from winning the type of close match that he so often plays, but he generally does not recover well after winning them and does not have an impressive history in Miami.  The slow surface will blunt the serves of both men, a greater concern for Isner than the more balanced Cilic.
Maria Sharapova vs. Klara Zakopalova:  The only woman in the lower half of the women’s draw who has defeated Sharapova on a hard court, Zakopalova halted the other Russian Maria in the wake of the latter’s strong fortnight at Indian Wells.  That sole victory came a decade agao at the Australian Open, however, and the Czech subsided uneventfully when they met in Doha this February.  Sharapova struggled on serve when Zakopalova took her to a third set at Roland Garros last year, and she struggled on serve again on the windy afternoon of her previous match.  But she should break Zakopalova’s serve frequently with her rapier-like returns, keeping this counterpuncher on her heels from the outset.
Richard Gasquet vs. Mikhail Youzhny:  These two men have developed a reputation for suffering ignominious meltdowns, including an occasion here when Youzhny drew blood from his head by smashing his racket against it.  Another of those occasions featured the Frenchman surrendering a two-set lead to his fellow headcase at the Australian Open.  Well past his prime, the Russian still can uncork one-handed backhands scarcely less lovely than Gasquet’s signature shot.  Moreover, Youzhny has won four of their seven career meetings, surprising considering his opponent’s superior weapons.
Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Sloane Stephens:  The defending champion has suffered a lull in form since winning consecutive titles to start 2013, dominated by Li and Petra Kvitova before Kirilenko upset her at Indian Wells.  Radwanska dropped a set in the third round to Magdalena Rybarikova, a talented player but still a journeywoman, so she must raise her level against an Australian Open semifinalist.  That said, Stephens ate a bagel from Olga Govortsova in her first set of the tournament, and she had lost four of her previous five matches before that victory.  At Cincinnati last summer, she extended Radwanska to a third set despite lacking the firepower that normally troubles the Pole.  Something similar could happen here in a match filled with long rallies.
Milos Raonic vs. Sam Querrey:  Meeting for the fourth time since the start of 2012, these two giants play essentially the same styles in a matchup determined by execution on the day.  In that regard, one must give the edge to Raonic, who defeated Querrey comfortably at San Jose last month in avenging two losses to the American last year.  The slow outdoor courts of Miami favor the Canadian’s massive weapons and preference for short points much less than does the indoor arena in San Jose.  In rallying past former nemesis Lukasz Kubot, Querrey continued to look vulnerable in a year when few victories have come easily.  (Or, the more pessimistic might say, at all.)  This match should come down to first-serve percentage and focus, critical in a match that hinges upon a tiny handful of points and in which any mistake can prove fatal.
Ajla Tomljanovic vs. Kirsten Flipkens:  Recovered from a serious issue with blood clots last year, Flipkens reached the second week of the Australian Open and upset Kvitova yesterday in an oddly oscillating three-setter.  Some of her better results have come on grass, which showcases her biting slice and her fine hands at net.  Aligned opposite her is a Croat who clawed past Petkovic in a third-set tiebreak after upsetting Julia Goerges in the previous round.  Like Flipkens, Tomljanovic has struggled with sporadic injuries, and she has played only a handful of WTA tournaments in the last several months.  Transitioning overnight from the underdog to the favorite, the Belgian should fancy her chances to reach the most significant quarterfinal of her career.
Roberta Vinci vs. Alize Cornet:   In a section that imploded, either of these women plausibly could reach a semifinal and collect the valuable ranking points that come with it.  The main question regarding this match concerns whether Cornet can recover in time from a three-set victory that forced her to leave the court in a wheelchair.  On the other hand, Vinci needed plenty of energy to grind through a three-setter of her own against Suarez Navarro, testing the veteran’s stamina.  Her backhand slices could prove vital in testing the patience of an ever-edgy Cornet.
Sara Errani vs. Ana Ivanovic:  After the Serb had won their two previous meetings, the Italian turned the tables at Roland Garros last year in a match that Ivanovic controlled initially before letting it slip away.  The steadiness of Errani has allowed her to outlast streaky shot-makers like the former Roland Garros champion over the last year, but the latter displayed her best form in several months during her two victories here.  For her part, Errani has lost just five games in two matches, the fewest of any woman left in the draw.  If Ivanovic bursts to a fast start and sustains it, as she did against Kuznetsova, she could overwhelm this opponent before she settles.  If Errani can find her footing and extend the rallies, meanwhile, she could complicate the plot for a woman who prefers her matches straightforward.
Sorana Cirstea vs. Jelena Jankovic:  Until Jankovic won their most recent encounter in Dallas last summer, Cirstea had swept all of her meetings against an opponent consistently ranked higher than her, although each stretched into a final set and none came on an outdoor hard court.  The Romanian brunette managed to upset Kerber a round after barely eking out a victory over Silvia Soler-Espinosa, a pair of results that illustrates how wide her range of form extends.  Almost as impressive as the Kerber upset was Jankovic’s victory over Nadia Petrova, her seventh win in her last eight matches with the only loss coming in an airtight clash with Kuznetsova.  Both women thus should enter this match with confidence, and they eye a similar opportunity to Vinci and Cornet, the winner of whom would meet the winner of this match in the quarterfinals.

Filed Under: Chris Skelton, Latest News, Lead Story, Live Coverage Tagged With: Agnieszka Radwanska, Ajla Tomljanovic, Alize Cornet, Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray, ATP, Dominika Cibulkova, Garbine Muguruza, Grigor Dimitrov, Jelena Jankovic, John Isner, Klara Zakopalova, li na, Maria Sharapova, Marin Cilic, Masters 1000, miami tennis, Mikhail Youzhny, Milos Raonic, Richard Gasquet, Roberta Vinci, Sam Querrey, Sara Errani, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, sony open, Sorana Cirstea, WTA

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