Friends Clash and Wild Cards Fall on Day One
by Christopher Gerby
Ashley Harkleroad vs. Vera Douchevina
Women's Singles: First Round
Grandstand
The newly redesigned Grandstand (with shade-covered seats replacing
the old Rackets restaurant) was christened on Monday morning by
Georgia-born glamour girl Ashley Harkleroad. A right elbow injury
had limited Harkleroad's preparation for the Open and it was taped up
for this match. Fellow teenager Vera Douchevina, yet another promising
Russian, got off to a nervous start, dropping serve with a series of
unforced errors. Harkleroad, dressed conservatively in a dark blue
Nike dress, carried that advantage to 4-2. Douchevina had settled
down by now, however, and she rocketed a winning forehand return down
the line to break for 4-4.
Douchevina is a big server who appeared to be hitting with more power than Harkleroad in
many of the rallies, but scrappy "Pebbles" is the more consistent
player at this point in their careers. She reeled off eight points in a row to win the set 6-4.
Included in this stretch of dominance was USA Network's "Point of the
Day," in which Harkleroad ran down a Douchevina drop shot and answered
it with a winning dropper of her own.
A double fault by Douchevina gave Harkleroad a double break point chance at 1-1 in
the second set. Ashley then caught the baseline with a forehand.
Vera raised a finger to indicate the ball landed long, but no call was
forthcoming, and Harkleroad now had a 2-1 lead. She played fired-up
tennis the rest of the way, spurred on by a partisan crowd yelling
the likes of "put her away, Ash!" Douchevina didn't have much left
to offer after saving five break points in the set's fifth game.
Harkleroad smiled broadly as she jogged to the net after recording her
very first US Open singles victory 6-4, 6-2.
Barbara Schett vs. Janette Husarova
Women's Singles: First Round
Court 18
One of the day's more interesting backstories concerned the first round
meeting between qualifying week roommates Barbara Schett
and Janette Husarova. Both veterans are coached by colorful Raul
Ranzinger. (If you read our reports from Montreal last summer, you
may recall Ranzinger as the individual who infuriated Kim Clijsters
and Jelena Dokic by allegedly coaching Husarova throughout a doubles match.)
Rather than choose sides, Razinger found new temporary coaches to
work with the players for this one match. He was in attendance,
however, nervously puffing away on a cigarette and pacing around the
refurbished far end of Court 18.
Both players got off to a sloppy start, to say the least. Husarova
took a 2-0 lead, then handed the next two games to Schett, with
neither woman able to establish much of a rhythm. Four consecutive
service breaks followed, marked by unforced errors and some frustrated,
racket-bouncing behavior from Schett. A rare exchange of successful
service games took the score to 5-5. "Babsi" netted a forehand on
break point in Game 11, muttering to herself as she walked to her
chair. However, a few points later it was Husarova punching a forehand
volley long to drop serve and force a tiebreak...
- BS serving: Service winner for Schett -- 1-0 SCHETT
- JH: Nice cross-court Husarova forehand forces an error -- 1-1
- JH: Schett rips a forehand winner down the line -- 2-1 SCHETT
- BS: Husarova smacks an inside-out forehand wide -- 3-1 SCHETT
- BS: Schett puts in a first serve; Husarova's return is wide -- 4-1 SCHETT
- JH: Husarova hauls off on a big forehand winner -- 4-2 SCHETT
- JH: After a Husarova shot skims the tape, Schett nets a backhand -- 4-3 SCHETT
- BS: Another error off Husarova's forehand wing -- 5-3 SCHETT
- BS: Husarova is wide of the mark with a backhand -- 6-3 SCHETT
- JH: Husarova finds the net with a set-ending backhand -- 7-3 SCHETT
Momentum on her side, Schett confidently broke serve to open the second
set and served an ace en route to a 2-0 lead. Husarova also picked up the
level of her play, making for a competitive set. Janette finally got
the break back in the set's eighth game, then held easily for a 5-4
lead. Schett notched another ace in holding to 5-5. A pair of
untimely double faults in Game 11 burned Husarova, who dropped serve
at 15 to give Schett a winning lead. The Austrian squandered one
match point, but a service winner at 40-30 clinched a 7-6, 7-5 victory.
The good friends exchanged kisses on the cheek at the net and -- in
true Don King fashion -- Ranzinger left the court alongside the winner.
Maja Matevzic vs. Corina Morariu
Women's Singles: First Round
Court 9
Leukemia survivor Corina Morariu returned to US Open play among much
fanfare last year, facing Serena Williams under the lights at Arthur
Ashe Stadium. The atmosphere was much more subdued this time around,
with a fairly small crowd on Court 9 watching Morariu face Slovenian
redhead Maja Matevzic. Even in the pre-match warmup, Morariu looked
out of sorts, repeatedly dumping shots in the net. Facing a lefty with
an awkward game, Morariu might be in for a long day.
It was actually Morariu who earned the match's first break, placing a
forehand winner in the corner for a 2-1 lead. At that very moment,
all 6 feet 5 inches of Justin Gimelstob came lumbering over and took a
seat in the stands next to me. A local fan favorite, Gimelstob happens
to be Corina's mixed doubles partner and her current boyfriend. Always
a bundle of nervous energy on the court, Justin's not much more calm
while watching the action. He muttered an expletive under his breath
when a Matevzic backhand dribbled off the net cord to even the score at
2-2.
Tom Gullikson, Robert Landsdorp, and Gimelstob's father Barry were
also in attendance, but it was Justin making the biggest impression.
He continued shouting words of encouragement as the set went on:
"Good shot, Corina... Way to work, C... There ya go, C!" Morariu was
being outplayed, though, and spraying errors off both wings.
Back-to-back errors from the Morariu backhand allowed Matevzic to
break for a 5-3 lead. Maja closed the door from there, knocking off
a forehand winner to wrap up a 6-3 win of the opening set.
Matevzic broke Morariu in the opening game of the second set, but donated
back-to-back double faults in Game 4 to help the American get back on
serve. Facing a break point in Game 5, Morariu threw in a double
fault of her own and unhappily dropped her racket. Matevzic scored
an absolutely gorgeous lob winner on her way to holding for 4-2.
After matching holds, Morariu was on the brink of elimination at 6-3,
5-3. Gimelstob was now out of his seat and on his feet, looking on from a
corner of the court. He watched Morariu play a very solid service
game to hold for 4-5.
Matevzic had done a nice job of alternating
between one-handed slices and two-handed drives with her backhand, but
a couple sliced errors did her in as Morariu broke back for 5-5. At
30-30 in the critical eleventh game, Corina pushed a backhand volley
long and bent over in agony. She made a wild forehand error on the
following point, handing Matevzic a 6-5 lead. Maja capitalized,
launching an ace down the T on match point for a nice 6-3, 7-5 win.
Matevzic would lose two days later to Meghann Shaughnessy, but she had
a better Open than Morariu, who played in all three events without
winning a set.
Maria Kirilenko vs. Theresa Logar
Women's Singles: First Round
Court 15
The only player competing in the US Open without a WTA Tour singles
ranking was fiery Theresa Logar, who earned a wild card by fighting
her way through the USTA's 18-and-under Super Nationals. Awaiting her
in the opening round was Maria Kirilenko, last year's champion in the
juniors event. Kirilenko still looks very young and frail, but three
consecutive wins in qualifying proved that she has what it takes to
hang with the big girls.
Kirilenko broke to open the match, but Logar immediately broke right back.
On serve at 2-2, a let had to be played when a ball fell out of
Logar's skirt, prompting a warning from the umpire that he'd "take a
point the next time." Logar went right about her business, though,
frequently slapping her thigh and holding at love for a 3-2 lead.
Two games later, however, Logar coughed up a pair of double faults,
mumbling "how can you do that?" as she gave the young Russian a 4-3
advantage. Undeterred, the stocky lefty broke back to 4-4.
Kirilenko took command of the baseline exchanges towards the end of
the opening set, winning the last two games to take it 6-4. That
seemed to take some of the wind out of Logar's sails and give Kirilenko
a fresh shot of confidence. "Masha" looked competent beyond her years
at the net and was absolutely killing Logar's short second serves.
Kirilenko would lose only one point on serve in the entire second
set, racking up a service winner on match point to complete a genuinely
impressive 6-4, 6-2 rout.
Andreas Vinciguerra vs. Robert Kendrick
Men's Singles: First Round
Court 4
With his matinee idol looks, perpetually seething demeanor, and
powerful serve, Robert Kendrick is very reminiscent of Jan-Michael
Gambill. He surely wanted to make a good impression in his main
draw US Open debut. All that was standing between him and a second
round match against Andre Agassi was the less-than-imposing figure of
Andreas Vinciguerra. An injury-prone member of the "New Balls Please"
brigade, Vinciguerra has always relied on speed and guile to beat
bigger, harder-hitting opponents. So far so good for Andreas on Monday
evening: he got out to a 7-6, 4-3 lead.
Kendrick played an inspired return game at 4-4 in the second, using a
stab volley winner and a big forehand to break at love. Kendrick
shouted "come on!" as she stalked to his chair, a game away from
evening the match. However, Kendrick quickly threw his lead away,
netting a forehand at 15-40 in Game 10. Absolutely furious with
himself, the young American bounced his racket and whipped his cap
against the back fence. He looked utterly discouraged as Vinciguerra
held at love for a 6-5 lead. To make matters worse, a quintet of
Swedish fans arrived during that changeover to support their man
Vinciguerra. Kendrick held at love, though, forcing a tiebreak...
- AV serving: Long rally ends with an errant Kendrick passing shot -- 1-0 VINCIGUERRA
- RK: Vinciguerra is wide with a defensive backhand -- 1-1
- RK: Another backhand error by Vinciguerra -- 2-1 KENDRICK
- AV: Vinciguerra dumps a forehand in the net -- 3-1 KENDRICK
- AV: Kendrick gets up for a mighty overhead smash -- 4-1 KENDRICK
- RK: Kendrick blasts an ace out wide -- 5-1 KENDRICK
- RK: Service winner takes Kendrick to set point -- 6-1 KENDRICK
- AV: Vinciguerra stays alive with an unreturnable serve -- 6-2 KENDRICK
- AV: Vinciguerra yanks a backhand wide -- 7-2 KENDRICK
Dead solid even at a set apiece, Vinciguerra departed for a bathroom
break. When play resumed, games went with serve at a breakneck
pace. There was nary a break point as Kendrick took a 4-3 lead.
He couldn't convert a pair of break chances in Game 8, but held easily
for a 5-4 lead. The pressure was really on Vinciguerra at 15-30 in
the next game, which is when Kendrick lofted an accurate lob over
his head. Andreas scrambled back, whirled around, and somehow hit a
picture perfect backhand pass down the line, handcuffing Kendrick.
Two points later, the set was tied again at 5 games apiece.
Loud fireworks from the nearby opening night ceremony on Arthur Ashe
Stadium temporarily disrupted play in Game 11, which saw Kendrick
rally from 0-40 to Deuce. Vinciguerra earned another break point
and Kendrick was called for a foot fault. Robert then missed his
second serve, surrendering a 6-5 lead to Vinciguerra. Kendrick was
still livid about the foot fault, yelling at the line judge and
dropping an audible "f bomb" on the way to his chair. The Swedish
fans erupted a few points later as Vinciguerra served out the third
set 7-5.
Determined to change his luck somehow, Kendrick changed his shirt AND
his hat following the third set, donning a camouflage cap for his
return to battle. The new look seemed to pan out as Kendrick broke
for a 3-1 lead in the fourth. Kendrick was serving bombs throughout
the set, overwhelming the southpaw Swede with pure pace. Vinciguerra
finally got a break point opportunity at 1-5, but Kendrick brushed it
aside and boomed in a service winner to close out a quick 6-1 win of
the frame. This one was going five.
A bad omen for Kendrick at the start of the fifth set: he forgot to
bring his hat with him after the changeover. He sent a ballgirl to
fetch it, but she retrieved the wrong one. Kendrick made her run
back over to pick up the sweat-drenched camo cap, which she gingerly
held between two fingers while wincing. There was plenty of crowd
support for Kendrick now, but Vinciguerra was suddenly on fire. He
held at 15 and broke at love, seemingly every shot off his racket
falling in for a clean winner.
Kendrick was a tired hombre, no longer executing his shots, and
the more experienced Vinciguerra was taking full advantage. Andreas
served an ace to hold at love for 4-1 in the fifth. Back-to-back
Kendrick double faults ended the following game, putting Vinciguerra
within sniffing distance of the second round. Robert mustered up
enough energy to throw his hat, while the Swedish fans cleverly
sang Vinciguerra's name to the tune of "Guantanamera". A sizzling
backhand pass on triple match point secured the 7-6, 6-7, 7-5, 1-6,
6-1 win for Andreas Vinciguerra. He thanked the vociferous Swedes
before leaving the court. Kendrick stayed behind for a long time,
understandably demoralized, with his head buried in a towel.
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Last updated 26 September 2015
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