Day Two: Mixed Results for Four Americans

The US Open, Tuesday, September 1
By Chris Gerby
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Match #1: Lisa Raymond vs. Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo
Match #2: Anne-Gaelle Sidot vs. Olga Barabanschikova
Match #3: Alexia Dechaume-Balleret vs. Karin Miller
Match #4: Jan-Michael Gambill vs. Karsten Braasch
Match #5: Arnaud Di Pasquale vs. David Wheaton


Lisa Raymond vs. Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo

Women's Singles: 1st Round
Court 8

Lisa Raymond brought her all-court game and #18 ranking into this first round bout with Spain's quadruple-named Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo (not to be confused with Arantxa Sanchez Vicario...nor Lorenzo Lamas). Sanchez Lorenzo belongs to the growing group of players who hit two-handed forehands. I think Fabrice Santoro is the only pro who makes that style entertaining, but Sanchez Lorenzo is a striking young woman who competes well. After facing Martina Hingis and Monica Seles in her last two Grand Slam appearances, drawing Raymond in the first round had to be almost a relief.

Raymond got off to a strong start, choosing her spots to rush the net in breaking and holding for an early 2-0 lead. Sanchez Lorenzo impressively held at love with a forehand winner, but Raymond was solid again in Game 4. Sanchez Lorenzo was forced to do some great retrieving in the following game, pushed to deuce before holding for 3-2. Raymond hit her second double fault of the match in Game 6, but at least she was picking the right times to do it -- both doubles came at 40-15 scores. She won the next point to take the game, but, Sanchez Lorenzo answered with a love hold to trail 4-3.

Sanchez Lorenzo went on to earn a triple break point, but the tide turned when a smash struck by her was ruled out on a late call. Raymond took the next four points to hold for a 5-3 lead. The Pennsylvania native then finished the set with a flurry: smashing an overhead into the stands for 30-30, knocking off a backhand volley for 30-40, and taking the set 6 games to 3 by forcing a Sanchez Lorenzo error. Three deuces and some entertaining rallies later, Raymond added a hold to open the second set.

The lefty "got negative" in the following game, swiping at the court with her racquet as Raymond broke her for 2-0. An error-filled third game buried her deeper, but Sanchez Lorenzo perservered in a long fourth game to hold for 3-1. Her groundstrokes finally humming, Sanchez Lorenzo hit some nifty passing shots to set up a series of break points. Two went by the boards, but a two-handed forehand winner on the third closed out the first break of Raymond's serve. Not to be outdone, though, Lisa came right back with a solid game to break for 6-3, 4-2.

Maria had really saved her best tennis for the middle of the second set. A sparkling backhand pass down the line gave her a 0-40 edge and a nice look at a potential even-up break. She lost the next three points (the first when she was blinded by the sun on an overhead attempt), but she stood her ground and got the break with a surprising touch volley winner and a winning forehand return. The problem for her in this set was solidifying those breaks. She didn't even come close to doing it in Game 8, getting broken at love and falling to within one game of elimination.

After nearly two full sets of effective but unspectacular tennis, Lisa Raymond seized the moment and played a brilliant final game. After losing the first point, she ripped a topspin backhand pass for 15-15, drilled an ace for 30-15, rifled a forehand winner for 40-15 and closed out the 6-3, 6-3 victory with an authoritative smash. The ravioli-loving Spaniard had given a reasonably good account of herself, but she wasn't nearly consistent enough to take out Raymond, who advances to an intriguing second round match against fellow Top 20 resident Natasha Zvereva.


Anne-Gaelle Sidot vs. Olga Barabanschikova

Women's Singles: 1st Round
Court 9

On paper, you could hardly ask for a closer matchup than world's #58 Anne-Gaelle Sidot vs. 60th-ranked Olga Barabanschikova. Each is considered a star of the future, but their careers have stagnated a bit in '98. Barabanschikova at least managed to reach her first career WTA Tour final in August. Sidot, on the other hand, has been stuck in a rut. At the start of this match, she didn't show any signs of coming out of it. Sidot looked helpless in Barabanschikova's opening hold and threw in three double faults on her way to a 2-0 deficit.

A native of Belarus who's been calling London home, Barabanschikova added another love hold in dominant fashion with an ace and three service winners. Sidot got on the scoreboard at 3-1, but another love hold put Barabanschikova up 4 games to 1. Sidot sprayed balls in getting broken for 5-1, but showed surprising resolve in Game 7, hanging in for a grueling five deuces before finally surrendering the 6-1 set. Sidot was showing little outward emotion, but she was keeping the games close. The opening game of the second set also featured multiple deuces, the Frenchwoman saving a pair of break points before losing the third on a backhand into the net. Barabanschikova had a big smile on her face as she walked to her chair with a 6-1, 1-0 lead.

Continuing to show off one of the more powerful serves in the women's game, Barabanschikova held for 2-0. Just as it looked like Sidot was about to go on a discouraged walkabout, she suddenly started hitting forehand winners all over the place. She rapidly put together a hold, break, and hold for a 3-2 lead in the set. Barabanschikova recorded her latest ace in holding at love, but Sidot had a problem-free seventh game to regain the second set lead, 4 games to 3.

On the changeover, Barabanschikova reached into her bag, pulled out a little walkman, and put on a pair of yellow headphones. Was she listening to pre-recorded coaching instructions? Not a chance -- Olga was grooving along with whatever music she had brought! It was a downright hilarious sight. I'd read about Barabanschikova doing this during changeovers back when she played in juniors competition, but this was the first time I'd seen it for myself. She picked quite a curious time to start, with the second set as tight as it was. Perhaps she uses the music to relax herself when things get tense.

It's hard to say whether the music had any effect. Barabanschikova got through a tough eighth game, fighting off a pair of break points. Early in the following game, Sidot hit a would-be ace which was called a fault by a linesman who immediately corrected himself. The chair umpire announced that the point would be replayed -- a decision which did not sit well with Sidot, who believed (quite reasonably) that Barabanschikova had no play on the ball. It was a pretty long argument on her part, quiet but insistent. She kept her focus, though, holding at 15 for a 5-4 lead.

Barabanschikova nearly picked up a time violation before the tenth game. Obliviously lost in her music again, Olga had no idea it was time to resume play until a ballboy tapped her on the shoulder! Barabanschikova quickly got behind 15-40, but dismissed the first break point and made some spectacular gets at 30-40, finally winning that point with a nearly miraculous forehand winner down the line. Momentum in hand, she drilled two consecutive service winners to onc

The breaker started routinely enough, Sidot leading 3-2 after the first five points went with serve. Both players had shots catch the baseline in the next rally, but a wide forehand by Barabanschikova put her down a mini-break at 4 points to 2. A pair of unforced errors by Sidot evened things at 4, but Anne forced an error and executed a swing forehand volley to go ahead 6-4. Facing double set point, Barabanschikova got an easy forehand to hit...and sent it wide. She sarcastically raised her arms and then took a different tact, throwing her racquet at her chair. Second set to Sidot, 7-6.

With Barabanschikova steadily losing velocity on her serves and Sidot appearing to have really found the rhythm on her forehand, things were looking bleak for the Belarussian, though she kept right on swaying to the tunes during every change of ends. A fast exchange of breaks got the set off to a 1-1 start. Getting a second wind, Barabanschikova held at love for 2-1. As if nerves, heat, and fatigue weren't enough to deal with, Anne and Olga had to keep the ball in play despite a few blood-curdling screams which came from an exasperated Anna Smashnova, playing one court over.

Sidot went back into an inconsistent funk, still moving well and intermittently hitting great shots, but making far too many errors in a break for 3-1. She had essentially given that game away, but Barabanschikova's vocal fans celebrated like Olga had done all the work. Always a sucker for attention, Barabanschikova grinned from ear to ear between games. Being broken for 3-2 wiped the smile off her face, but she stormed right back with a love break, taking the 4-2 lead with a clean forehand return winner.

The wild momentum shifts continued -- a love break for Sidot got her right back on track at 4-3 and she held a game point at 40-30. However, the carefree 18-year-old (just a few months younger than Sidot) picked off a lunging backhand volley for deuce. Anne-Gaelle tapped her forehead, indicating that she hadn't played a smart point. After a second deuce, Sidot hit a forehand just long and Barabanschikova did a little bunny hop after the call. Sidot was not amused, increasingly annoyed by the close calls which were going against her. "What are you doing up there?", she implored of the chair umpire.

The see-saw eighth game continued. Barabanschikova lost the break point with an error, and apparently broke a string in losing the next point. Sidot falied to take advantage, missing a backhand...then a forehand...then another forehand to hand Barabanschikova yet another break. A 5-3 lead in hand, Olga decided to appease her fans by closing this thing out. It all went by in a blur for Sidot: service winner, ace, service winner, ace. The big serves -- missing late in the second set -- clinched a love hold and a 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 win.

For the record, Sidot disagreed with the non-call on that last ace. She stood by the service line for a little while looking shocked and opted not to shake the umpire's hand. Barabanschikova was understandably in much better spirits. She shouted "happy birthday" to a friend on one side of the court and asked one at the other end, "will we go clubbing?" Assuming she can tear herself away from the New York night life, Olga Barabanschikova will bring her booming serve, winning smile, and yellow headphones to a second round encounter with reigning Wimbledon finalist Nathalie Tauziat.


Alexia Dechaume-Balleret vs. Karin Miller

Women's Singles: 1st Round
Court 4

Odds are you've never heard of Karin Miller (no relation to Annie). Her career high ranking is just #100, attained earlier this summer. Her record at the Grand Slams was a green 0-1 heading into the 1998 U.S. Open. After a stint at Duke University, Miller has spent most of her pro career in low-profile challengers. She didn't even make the cut for this year's WTA Tour players guide. However, believe me when I tell you that she is a character the likes of which you won't often find

Miller stayed even with French veteran Alexia Dechaume-Balleret through the first eight games of their match, but things started to roll down hill for the short, stocky American. She dropped three games in a row to trail 6-4, 1-0. At least she was interested in learning what she was doing wrong. "Which way?", she asked the umpire after an out call near the corner. She later asked which foot she'd foot faulted with.

Trailing 15-30 in the set's second game, Miller ended a long rally with a backhand into the net and bellowed, "WHATEVERRRRRRR!!!" Miller then surrendered the break with a clumsy volley error, which she immediately followed by smiling wryly and leaning on the net like she was about to collapse. Miller took to tossing her racquet around in Game 3...which was a shame, because it was the most colorful I've seen this week: yellow grip, blue frame, and flourescent green strings. Down 40-0, Miller badly shanked a backhand and slapped her thigh. "Nice...good," she muttered on her way to the changeover.

Miller finally strung some professional looking points together in a love hold for 3-1, but lost the next point with a little blocked return into the net. "What kind of effort is that?", she loudly demanded of herself. She rallied from 40-0 to 40-30, but couldn't track down a Dechaume-Balleret winner on the third game point. Miller chucked her racquet again, now behind 6-4, 4-1. Karin came right back out and badly lost another point with a wide forehand. "Yep, really good," she observed. At 0-40, she hit a little bunted volley-type thing wide. That shot is not in the textbook, nor should it be. 6-4, 5-1.

Two points away from defeat at 30-0, Miller got off a clean forehand return winner, guiding it right down the line. That drew some enthusiastic cheers from her small group of friends up in one corner of the stands, but Karin let them know it was a lucky shot by covering her eyes with her hand and mimicking the stroke. Lucky or not, she won the next three points to score a surprise break for 5-2. Again two points from elimination at 0-30, Miller delivered a big backhand winner. She lost the next point on a forehand error, though, and angrily slammed the ball against a fence.

Dechaume-Balleret (whose silence and steady play had rendered her almost invisible next to Miller's one-woman variety show) squandered the first match point, but got the 6-4, 6-2 win when Miller botched one last backhand volley. "K-Dog" threw her racquet to her chair and decided to take an alternate route off the court, attempting to climb into the stands to join her friends. Her racquet bag caught on the fence as she was negotiating her way past it, but an official stepped in to assist. "Thanks, dude," she said to him as she headed off.


Jan-Michael Gambill vs. Karsten Braasch

Men's Singles: 1st Round
Stadium 3 ("The Old Grandstand")

Ask who the best hopes for the future of American men's tennis are and the first two names you're likely to hear are Justin Gimelstob and Jan-Michael Gambill. After watching Gimelstob cramp his way out of the tournament on Jan-Michael Gambill Monday, I was back on the same court checking out his compatriot. With his passing resemblance to a young Robert Redford, Gambill's looks have gotten as much attention as his tennis, but he's been good enough in '98 to score upsets over the likes of Andre Agassi. Another one who hits with two hands off both wings, he was in a dogfight here, leading just 6-3, 1-6, 2-1 against German qualifier Karsten Braasch.

Like Barabanschikova and Miller, Braasch is a breed apart. With his glasses and beard, he doesn't look like the average tennis player. He doesn't serve like it either. I can't even begin to describe that funky service motion. I think the best attempt I've read suggested that Braasch looks like he's "throwing a medicine ball over a high wall" as he serves. Meanwhile, in an age of health-conscious training regimens, Braasch's love of cigarettes makes him stand out. Oh, and he's the only male player with unofficial wins over the Williams sisters, having bested Serena and Venus in hastily organized one set "challenge matches" on an Australian Open practice court.

Gambill was already getting the matinee idol treatment, with a group of girls chanting "let's go Jan-Michael!" after nearly every changeover. Gambill earned a break point with a backhand winner, celebrated with an intense fist pump. When a Braasch forehand sailed long, the Washington native had a 3-1 lead. Braasch barked at himself in loud German after a couple errors in Game 5, won by Gambill with an ace. Trailing 4-1 in the third, Braasch had words with chair umpire Bruno Rebeuh. I don't even know that he was arguing anything -- I think Karsten just likes having someone to talk to while he's out on the court.

Braasch held serve for 4-2, but got animated again at the start of Game 7, yelling at himself in German so loudly it made compatriot Anke Huber's like-minded tirades seem reserved. He also did a herky-jerky little dance after one unforced error, prompting a fan sitting near me to ask, "What planet is this guy from?" Gambill held for 5-2 and the German hollaring resumed. Braasch played a nice game for 5-3, but Gambill was in a pretty good groove on serve. His second ace of the game (and sixth of the match) closed out a 6-3 third set.

Braasch rallied from 15-40 to hold in the fourth set's opening game, evening the total points tally to 74 each. Up break point in Game 2, Braasch hit a passing shot which clipped the tape and hopped right over Gambill's head. A hold followed, putting the qualifier ahead 3-0. Gambill held with another ace, though, and broke at 15 with a high backhand volley winner. Having quickly lost his break advantage, Braasch tried a shirt change. He chatted with fans in the middle of Game 6, intentionally cracking them up when not inadvertantly doing it with his self-chastising rants. Braasch missed a Karsten Braasch couple returns from 30-30 to tie the set at 3 games all.

Both players came up with the goods in their next two service games, getting to 5-5. Braasch may not be the player he was in his prime -- such as the afternoon in 1995 on which he nearly beat Pete Sampras at Wimbledon -- but he was hanging in well with the talented Gambill. The youngster got a break point in Game 11, but Braasch fought it off with a service winner. A second break chance followed shortly and this time the German was not so fortunate. A long rally ended on a Braasch error, putting him behind 6-5. Braasch hit a ball high into the sky -- high enough to draw "oohs" and "aahs" which even Karsten had to chuckle about.

Both players got a big ovation coming back from the changeover and Gambill went about securing his place in the next round. Two service winners and a forehand volley gave him a 40-0 edge. At 40-15, holding his second match point, Gambill rifled an ace out wide. In a match closer than some might have expected, Jan-Michael Gambill escaped with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. He inspired a feast of autograph-seeking hysteria, but the fans also made a point of saluting Braasch. "The Danger Man" walked off to a rousing round of applause and responded by waving and taking a bow.


Arnaud Di Pasquale vs. David Wheaton

Men's Singles: 1st Round
Court 10

Ghosts of U.S. Open past and future collided as the sun got low in Tuesday's sky. '97 boys singles champ Arnaud Di Pasquale -- now playing with the pros as a qualifier -- met fellow qualifier David Wheaton, whose 29 years have seen plenty of Grand Slam glory. Plagued by injuries in recent years, Wheaton was looking for a renaissance at his country's biggest tournament. He'd done his part in qualies, fighting off double match point in the second of two wins there.

Di Pasquale -- a French shot maker with curly, shoulder length hair -- was in complete command of this match when I arrived. The old magic apparently wasn't there for Wheaton, who trailed 6-4, 6-1, 1-0. Wheaton's right elbow was heavily taped -- not an encouraging sign -- but his vaunted serve-and-volley style worked well in a hold for 1-1. Di Pasquale held at love for 2-1. Wheaton pulled off a between-the-legs shot in Game 4. Di Pasquale volleyed it back and won the point, but the Minnesotan held for 2-2. Both players were doing just fine as long as they got their first serves in. Matching holds made it 3-3.

Down 30-15 in the seventh game, Wheaton hit a drop shot which looked good enough. However, Di Pasquale flew in and flipped it back for a winner. Wheaton looked over his shoulder at him with a "how did you do THAT?" look on his face and then lost the game on a service winner. Wheaton was pushed to deuce in the next game, but held again for 4-4. A couple Di Pasquale double faults then opened the door for the veteran at 30-30, but the next two points went to the youngster. Big and strong through he is, Wheaton just couldn't win enough of the baseline rallies.

At 15-15, Wheaton knifed a pair of volleys, but Di Pasquale stayed calm and whipped a backhand pass to get within two points of victory. Arnaud then streaked in after another drop shot, once again flipping back a winner for 15-40. Wheaton stayed his execution with a service winner, but at 30-40 threw in a heartbreaking double fault. A clearly dejected Wheaton looked to the sky and shook his head. To put it mildly, this was not the way he would have hoped for a 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 match to end.

After shaking hands with the winner and the umpire, Wheaton sat down and stayed in the chair for a long time, probably pondering what remains of his future in this sport. David's look-alike brother finally took to the court and gave his crestfallen sibling a pat on the back. A number of fans had stuck around all that time hoping for an autograph, so -- demonstrating what a genuine class act he is -- Wheaton finally turned around and patiently signed for each and every one of them.


 
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