USTA News
Redlicki wins 16s Singles!
2010-08-15 Michael Redlicki is headed to the Junior U.S. Open after winning the boys 16s singles title Sunday. Redlicki, the fourth seed from Hawthorn Woods, Ill., defeated top seed Shane Vinsant, Keller, Texas, 7-5, 6-4. “We had a really good match,” Redlicki said. “It’s a dream come true; all the year’s hard work, my whole life’s hard work; my coach, the blood, sweat and tears that went into it. “It wasn’t about who was better or who has the better history. I mean, we’re both really good players. Today I just wanted it more. “That’s what it came down to — the desire, putting everything into action. I wanted it more and I got it.”
Sock wins Boys' 18s Singles!
2010-08-15 Jack Sock said he was prepared to go the full five sets in the boys 18s final Sunday, but he needed only three. Sock, the third seed from Lincoln, Neb., defeated Bob van Overbeek, the ninth seed from Boca Raton, Fla., 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. Along with the winner’s gold ball, Sock earned a wild card into the U.S. Open main draw, where he wouldn’t mind playing “Federer or Nadal or Murray,” he said. “How many chances do you get to play one of those guys or just play in the U.S. Open? Hopefully I’ll have more chances in the future, but this one would be fun just to play someone big to see where I am.” The high school senior streaked to a 4-0 first-set lead. “My game plan was to come out with a lot of energy, a lot of bouncing around, a lot ‘come ons’, a lot of positive energy,” Sock said. “He’s obviously been serving really well this tournament ... to get up two breaks that early, I can’t say I was expecting that, no, but I started out returning really well; my backhand return was on fire today.” In the second set, Sock was down 5-2, then reeled off the next five games for the set. “I thought the second set was pretty big and crucial,” Sock said. “I actually got broken, which wasn’t good, but that’s why I kept watching him against (Denis) Kudla (in the semifinal on Saturday). He got broken, at 5-3 serving. “He played a loose game there and I hit some good returns again, so I kinda tried to put pressure on at 5-3 and make him win the set from me. At that point, I broke and just had to hold; broke again at 5-all, which was another good game.” Van Overbeek, a sophomore at University of Florida, begins school next week, said, “I’m just looking forward to getting back to school, football season. “It’ll be a good season and I’m just looking forward to getting back to school and hopefully doing better than last year."
16s Final Set
2010-08-14 Sunday’s 16s singles final is set, with top-seeded Shane Vinsant, Keller, Texas, and Michael Redlicki (4), Hawthorn Woods, Ill., both advancing in straight sets on Saturday. Vinsant defeated Nolan Paige (3), Fairfield, Conn., 6-0, 6-4, and Redlicki beat Mitchell Krueger (2), Aledo, Texas, 7-6(6), 6-4. “That’s the least nervous I’ve been, probably,” Vinsant said. “I had good talks before with my coaches. I had a real good warmup, so it kinda came over in the match.” In the second set, Paige “didn't do anything special, but he changed his game a little bit and it took me a little bit to adjust to that,” Vinsant said. He started pressuring me more, not hitting big shots, but taking time away and coming to the net.” Redlicki has been one of the most confident players all tournament. “The winner of the match is always more prepared and executes his game plan more, not because of the red number (seeding) next to his name’s lower than the other guy,” said Redlicki, who mentioned at the beginning of the tournament that he thought he would be seeded 1, 2 or 3 after winning Clay Courts. “I feel that I played very good and I fought as hard as I possibly could and it paid off really good by earning me a spot in the finals.”
Top Half Semis Set
2010-08-13 The semifinal matchups for the top half of the draws have been set, with the bottom halves determined today. In 18s, top-seeded Jordan Cox, Bradenton, Fla., will face Jack Sock (3), Lincoln, Neb., and in 16s, top-seeded Shane Vinsant, Keller, Texas, will play Nolan Paige (3), Fairfield, Conn. Cox defeated Nelson Vick (29), Stillwater, Minn., 6-1, 6-2, on Thursday, and Sock beat Daniel Kosakowski (15), Downey Calif., 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-6(5), in a match that lasted 3 hours, 8 minutes. “He’s a darn good player,” Sock said. “This is the first time I’ve ever played him, but I’ve watched him play so I kinda knew what to expect, but not really. “... He can literally hit a winner from anywhere on the court. He can pull the trigger any time.” In the second tiebreak, “I was kinda thinking about (having won the first one) before the tiebreak started,” Sock said. “I was like, I’ve done this once today and let’s try to do it again.” Cox was surprised at how quickly his match ended. “We played two years ago in the 16s in the Round of 16 and we had a really big battler, actually, that match,” Cox said of Vick. “I was expecting a bit more of a grind out there. I guess I played very well, very aggressive, and maybe he was a little bit off, making a few more mistakes than he normally does.” In 16s, Vinsant defeated Anthony Delcore (6), Omaha, Neb., 6-4, 6-4 and Paige beat Tyler Gardiner (16), Novi, Mich., 6-3, 7-5. “The key was whoever was serving a high percentage of first serves and also controlling the rally,” Vinsant said. “Those are the two keys. I know those two things helped either one of us gain offense, whether it was making first serves or controlling the rally.” Gardiner said he could feel the match slipping away at the start of the second set, but “I hung in there,” he said. “I was down 0-2 and that was a big hole. “Then I went up 5-4 and thought I had a chance to make (the match) go three (sets).” Paige said he knows Vinsant is good. “I just gotta play well, go out there,” he said. “He hits a solid ball, I think, so I’ve just gotta go out there and play well, play loose. It’ll be fun playing him.”
Boys' 16s Semis Set
2010-08-13 Saturday’s second semifinal in boys 16s is set, with second seed Mitchell Krueger, Aledo, Texas, taking on fourth seed Michael Redlicki, Hawthorn Woods, Ill., at 11 a.m. Krueger defeated M. Mackenzie McDonald (7), Piedmont, Calif., 6-3, 6-3, today, and Redlicki beat Gordon Watson (5), Naples, Fla., 6-4, 6-3. “I was hitting pretty clean the whole time,” Krueger said. “I felt this was my best match so far this tournament. He hit really well, too. There were some pretty solid rallies back and forth. It was a pretty aggressive match." “Whoever could stay longer in the rally and finish a little better ... It could have been a lot tougher than the score looks.” Redlicki said he knew Watson would be tough. “I knew we were gonna have a big fight,” Redlicki said. “We both had to prepare as best as we can to go really long, really intense, for as long as this match would take, because last time we showed each other we’re made of steel and that we don’t give up. We fight to the last point.” The “last time” was at Clay Courts last month when he defeated Watson 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The other 16s semifinal — top seed Shane Vinsant, Keller, Texas, vs. Nolan Paige (3), Fairfield, Conn. — was decided on Thursday.
Kudla & van Overbeek in Boys' 18s Semis
2010-08-13 Second seed Denis Kudla, Arlington, Va., will face ninth seed Bob van Overbeek, Boca Raton, Fla., in one of Saturday’s boys 18s semifinal matches. On Friday, Kudla defeated Raymond Sarmiento (8), Fontana, Calif., 6-2, 6-1, and van Overbeek beat Clay Thompson (31), Venice Beach, Calif., 6-2, 7-6(6). Sarmiento was down 3-1 in the second set when he called for a trainer. Kudla then won the next three games. “I was really surprised how that match went,” Kudla said. “We’ve been practicing with each other the last couple weeks. He’s been beating me, so I expected a lot tougher (match). The way I’ve been playing, the way he’s been playing, I mean, I thought he could have upset me.” Van Overbeek cruised through the first set. “In the first set, I think he was a little nervous, going for too much on some shots, maybe pressing” van Overbeek said. “(In the second), he started to calm down a little bit. He started to make more first serves. I got a little nervous. “It became more of a mental fight than a tennis match in the second set. I knew at any time he could start making the shots he was missing, and so I was trying to hold serve, hold serve. I actually got lucky.’ In the other 18s semifinal, determined on Thursday, Jordan Cox (1), Bradenton, Fla., will play Jack Sock (3), Lincoln, Neb.
Michigan Player in Quarterfinals
2010-08-11 For the first time since 1994, a Michigan player has made it to the quarterfinals of boys 16s. Tyler Gardiner, Novi, who is the 16th seed, defeated Howard Weiss (27), Great Neck, N.Y., 6-4, 6-2, on Wednesday to advance to today’s quarters. The last Michigan player to do that was Michael Russell, Bloomfield Hills, who was the second seed. Russell went on to beat top-seeded Kevin Kim, Fullerton, Calif., 6-1, 6-1. “That’s my birth year,” Gardiner laughed when told of his feat. The top three seeds in 18s all advanced in straight sets in Wednesday’s round of 16. The top half of the draw plays today while the bottom half plays on Friday. Jordan Cox (1) Bradenton, Fla., defeated Jackson Withrow (21), Omaha, Neb., 6-4, 6-2; Denis Kudla (2), Arlington, Va., beat unseeded Robert Stineman, Winnetka, Ill., 6-4, 6-1; and Jack Sock (3), Lincoln, Neb., beat Dennis Novikov (11), Boca Raton, Fla., 6-2, 7-5. Sock’s match was one that was interrupted by one of two rain delays. “I was up 5-2, 15-all on his serve when they called it,” he said. “I went across the street to the air-conditioned building and changed my clothes, sat down, talked to my brother and coach, and kinda relaxed. “Had an easy, breezy time over there.” All top five seeds in 16s advanced to the quarters. Top-seeded Shane Vinsant, Keller, Texas, defeated Richard Del Nunzio (9), Forest Hills, N.Y., 6-4, 6-1; Mitchell Krueger (2), Aledo, Texas, beat unseeded Brendan Aguilar, Las Vegas, 6-2, 6-3; Nolan Paige (3), Fairfield, Conn., defeated unseeded Zachary Mueck, West Chester, Ohio, 6-3, 6-2; Michael Redlicki (4), Hawthorn Woods, Ill., won over Andrew Korinek (15), Mansfield, Texas, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2,; and Gordon Watson (5), Naples, Fla., defeated Thai Kwiatkowski (10), Charlotte, N.C., 6-3, 6-1. After pulling out a three-setter, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1, over Luca Corinteli, Alexandria, Va., in the second round, Watson hasn’t lost a set in his last three matches.(Corinteli) is another USTA kid and he just came out in the (second) round just swinging and playing out of his mind,” Watson said. In the 18s doubles quarterfinals, Matthew Kandath and Sock (6) ousted top seeds Cox and Kudla, 3-6, 7-6(7), 1-0(7) — until the semifinals, doubles matches play a 10-point tiebreak instead of a third set. Two of the three other quarters also went to the third-set tiebreak. Evan King and Raymond Sarmiento (4) defeated Casey MacMaster and Nelson Vick (12), 6-2, 5-7, 1-(5) while Bjorn Fratangelo and Alexios Halebian (9) beat unseeded Brandon Fickey and Vikram Hundal, 3-6, 7-6(5), 1-0(8). Second seeds Sekou Coker Bangoura and Nathan Pasha defeated Emmett Egger and Dennis Novikov (8), 6-4,6-2.
Tuesday News at the Nats
2010-08-10 Two of the top five seeds in 18s were eliminated on Tuesday, but all five in 16s advanced to Wednesday’s Round of 16 in straight sets. Bjorn Fratangelo, Pittsburgh, Pa., who is seeded fourth in boys’ 18s, lost the first set, 6-0, then retired with an injury at 3-1 in the second, giving Clay Thompson (31), Venice Beach, Calif., the win. “I’ve been hearing that he’d been struggling with his back all tournament,” said Thompson. “He won Easter Bowl, Clay Courts; I don’t know how he plays so much tennis. “I was expecting him to be a little tired, for sure, but not really injured. I guess I was kinda fortunate because he’s such a great player. It’s too bad for it to end like that because I really wanted to play him again because last time we had a great match.” The other upset was Marcos Giron (25), Thousand Oaks, Calif., over fifth-seeded Sekou Coker Bangoura (5), Bradenton, Fla., 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5. In the other 18s matches, Jordan Cox (1), Bradenton, Fla., defeated Mousheg Hovhannisyan (17), North Hollywood, Calif., 6-2, 6-2, and Denis Kudla (2), Arlington, Va., beat local favorite, Greg Andrews (30), Richland, Mich., 7-6(1), 6-3. “I thought it was a pretty tough match,” said Kudla. “I felt like I was really relying on my fitness. I had to play every single point and every point was pretty long. I definitely tried to stay in there as long as I could. “That’s exactly what I did and I was fortunate to win.” Jack Sock (3), Lincoln, Neb., defeated unseeded Zachary Leslie, San Diego, 7-5, 6-1. In 16s, Shane Vinsant (1), Keller, Texas, defeated John Harrison Richmond (18), Pawleys Island, S.C., 6-2, 6-1; Mitchell Krueger (2), Aledo, Texas, beat Mac Styslinger (31), Birmingham, Ala., 6-2, 6-2; and Nolan Paige (3), Fairfield, Conn., won over Harrison Adams (19), New Braunfels, Texas, 7-5, 7-5. Michael Redlicki (4), Hawthorn Woods, Ill., defeated Nicholas Hu (30), Palo Alto, Calif., 6-4, 6-2. “After having a successful Clay Court, I was hoping to be a higher seed because I was No. 2 in the country afterwards,” said Redlicki. “But seeding doesn’t really matter. It matters on who comes out more prepared for a match. “I could have easily lost that match because the guy had the ability (to beat me) but I was just more ready, more focused.” Gordon Watson (5), Naples, Fla., defeated Eric Rubin (24), Lido Beach, N.Y., 6-4, 6-2.
2:00pm Rain Plan
2010-08-09 Times for this afternoon's matches are now available on this website (Match Times button).Main Draw 16s, Main Draw 18s and Boys' 16s Doubles are listed for play today.
18s Feed-In Matches have been rescheduled for Tuesday - check back later this evening for times and locations.
NEWS FLASH!
2010-08-09 Play has begun at both sites -16s Singles at Western Michigan University and 18s Singles at Stowe Stadium.16s Doubles will be rescheduled for Tuesday and 18s Feed-In Matches will be rescheduled for Tuesday - check back later this evening for times and locations.