Tag Archives: tennis

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: US Open Preview

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It’s the greatest time of year – the US Open is here!  We’ve been counting down all year and are so excited for the final slam of the year to kick off in NYC.   Here’s what you need to know about the tournament (fangirl style)

Where to Watch: ESPN and WatchESPN
Qualifying Tournament: August 22 – 26
Draw: August 26
Tournament: August 29 – September 11
Social Media: #USOpen @usopen

Arthur Ashe Kids Day is August 27th
The action kicks off with the annual Arthur Ashe Kids Day event this Saturday, August 27th!  AAKD is a day full of fun activities, great music, and of course, tennis!   Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams are scheduled to appear as is Novak Djokovic, who will be facing off against Ansel Elgort.  Enjoy games and see the pros practice up close on the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for free!  You can also catch up-and-coming performers like Citizen 4 and Tegan Marie on the Hess Festival Stage. Tickets to the stadium show are still available, and include performances by Flo Rida, Troye Sivan, Forever In Your Mind, Laura Marano & More!  Visit AAKD.com for a full schedule and more info on the event.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHxUvllg0rp/?taken-by=aakidsday

 

Community Day is September 8th
For the 2nd year in a row, the US Open is offering FREE admission to fans on Thursday, September 8th.  You’ll be able to access matches around the grounds and catch the men’s and women’s doubles semi-finals, along with the Champions Invitational.  There will also be a farewell party for Louis Armstrong Stadium from 5pm to 7pm.  James Blake and Gigi Fernandez will be playing against top junior players.  And best of all, you might even get a chance to play on the legendary court before it’s gone!  Click here for more info.

 

Support American Tennis
As anyone who has been to the US Open knows, there’s nothing like a close match featuring an American player.  The crowds can get very vocal in supporting their home players, which makes for an amazing atmosphere.  Last year’s match between Donald Young and Victor Troicki on Grandstand (RIP) is one of our favorite US Open memories – the match went to 5 thrilling sets, with Donald fully crediting the crowd for getting him through.  There are 4 American seeded players this year: Stevie Johnson, John Isner, Jack Sock & Sam Querrey.   So get your USA!  USA!  chants ready and make sure to root for #Merica!

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournament:
Western & Southern Open – Cincinatti, OH

Between all the withdrawls and negativity surrounding the games, we weren’t that excited about tennis at the Olympics before it started.  But man, did this week prove us wrong!  The tennis games at the Olympics turned into a compelling and emotional week, starting with that epic match between Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro which feels like ages ago.

Men’s Singles
Gold: Andy Murray (GBR)
Silver: Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)
Bronze: Kei Nishikori (JPN)
It was just SO. GOOD.  to see Del Potro and Rafael Nadal (who finished 4th) playing well again.  SO.  GOOD.

 

Men’s Doubles
Gold: Rafael Nadal & Marc Lopez (ESP)
Silver: Florin Mergia & Horia Tecau (ROU)
Bronze: Stevie Johnson & Jack Sock (USA)
Impressive that Nadal, the flag bearer for Spain, wasn’t sure if he would even be able to play in every event on site.  He ended up making it to the semis in singles and won the gold with good friend Marc Lopez in doubles.

 

Mixed Doubles
Gold: Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Jack Sock (USA)
Silver: Venus Williams & Rajev Ram (USA)
Bronze: Lucie Hradecka & Radek Stepanek (CZE)
How awesome was it to see two American teams on the podium for the medal ceremony?  Also Jack Sock now has a Gold Medal and Bronze medal along with Wimbledon and US Open Doubles/Mixed titles.

 

Women’s Doubles
Gold: Ekaterina Makarova & Elena Vesnina (RUS)
Silver: Martina Hingis & Timea Bacsinszky (SUI)
Bronze: Lucie Safarova & Andrea Hlavackova (CZE)

 

Women’s Singles
Gold: Monica Puig (PUR)
Silver: Angelique Kerber (GER)
Bronze: Petra Kvitova (CZE)
Puig made history, winning Puerto Rico’s first ever gold medal, in ANY sport.  Great for the country and great for the sport!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJFp0qKg9Gm/

 

US Open Wild Cards Announced
Get excited if you’re not already (or in case you haven’t been counting down since last September like us).  The US Open Qualifying Tournament starts in just ONE WEEK!  The USTA announced Wild Cards for the Main Draw & Qualifying Draw, including former champ Juan Martin del Potro.  Vamos!

Main Draw Wildcards
Juan Martin del Potro
Francis Tiafoe
Rajeev Ram
Michael Mmoh
Ernesto Escobedo
Bjorn Frantangelo
Mackenzie McDonald

Qualifying Wildcards
Reilly Opelka
Vasil Kirkov
Mitchell Krueger
Sekou Bangoura
Tennys Sandgren
Ryan Shane
Thai-Son Kwiatkowski
Christian Harrison

The US Open Qualifying Tournament starts on Tuesday, August 23rd and is free and open to the public.  Get all the info at USOpen.org!

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: Olympics

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This Week’s Tournaments
Olympic Games – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Abierto Mexicano – Los Cabos, Mexico

Del Potro Upsets Novak Djokovic At The Olympics
Juan Martin del Potro, still making his comeback from another wrist surgery, defeated #1 Novak Djokovic in an emotional 1st round match at the Olympics.  By the end of the match, which Delpo won 7-6 (4), 7-6(2), he was crying, Djokovic was crying, WE WERE ALL CRYING.  Also, shout out to the Argentinian Men’s handball team for rescuing Delpo from an elevator before his match!


Nadal Makes His Olympic Comeback
Rafael Nadal finally got the chance to carry the flag for Spain in the Opening Ceremony, after being sidelined with injury in 2012.   Rafa is playing in the men’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles this year.  Vamos!


Nick Kyrgios Wins BB&T Open in Atlanta
After lots of drama with the Australian tennis federation as to whether or not he’d be able to play in the Olympics, Kyrgios decided to opt out of this year’s games.  Instead, Kyrgios made the most of his time by playing in the BB&T Open in Atlanta, defeating 3-time winner John Isner in the final.


Sam Querrey Goes GQ
He’s so trendy now.

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournament:
BB&T Atanta Open – Atlanta, GA

John Isner Seeking 4th Atlanta Title
Isner is not playing in the Olympics in Rio this year.  Instead, Isner is in Atlanta as he attempts to win the BB&T Atlanta Open for the 4th year in a row.  An American has won the tournament every year since it launched in 2010.  Besides Isner, past winners also include Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish.  You can still put your USA!  USA!  chants to good use in Atlanta this week.


Olympic Tennis Starts August 6th
While it seems the player entry list gets smaller every day, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Rafa Nadal are all scheduled to play in the Olympics in Rio.   Round 1 tennis action starts this Saturday, August 6th!   Be sure to check the ITF page for the most updated list.


World Team Tennis Action Underway
The WTT season started over the weekend.  Come out an support your local team!  The matches are a fun way to see some of your favorite pros up close in a more relaxed setting.  If you’re in NYC, you can catch the action at the historic Forest Hills Stadium in Queens! Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish will be playing against each other there on August 9th.  Check out the full schedule here!

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: ATP News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournament:
Rogers Cup – Toronto, ON Canada

Monfils Wins Citi Open in D.C.
Frenchman Gael Monfils won his biggest title to date, the 500 series Citi Open in Washington, D.C.!   Monfils had to battle the extreme heat (on-court temperatures exceeded 130 degrees) and the tough serving Ivo Karlovic in the final, saving 1 match point in the process.  We hope Monfils can carry his momentum throughout the Summer!


World Team Tennis Kicks Off This Weekend
WTT action starts this Sunday, with matches in New York, Springfield, and San Diego!  We can’t wait to see Mardy Fish and the Washington Kastles take on the New York Empire at the legendary Forest Hills Stadium in Queens!  Visit WTT.com for the full schedule & team rosters.

Rogers Cup Doubles Draw
If you haven’t taken a look at the Rogers Cup doubles draw, go check it out!  There are lots of fun and/or random teams pairing up this week, like Grigor Dimitrov and Stan Wawrinka; Nick Kyrgios and Jack Sock; and John Isner and Sascha Zverev.

Roger Federer Ends 2016 Season Early
World #3 Roger Federer announced today that he will be ending his 2016 season early in order to fully recover from his knee surgery earlier this year.  He will miss the Olympics in Rio as well as the remainder of the season.  Roger promises fans that he will come back stronger next year and reflects on his injury-free career thus far.

https://twitter.com/ESPNTennis/status/757991741580513280

Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: ATP News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Citi Open – Washington, DC USA
Generali Open – Kitzbuhel, Austria
Konzum Croatia Open – Umag, Croatia
J. Safra Sarasin Swiss Open – Gstaad Switzerland

Davis Cup Semifinals Set
After a drama filled weekend, 4 teams advanced to the Davis Cup World Group semifinals:  France, Argentina, Croatia and Great Britian.  It was a shame for the home teams – all of the teams advancing were visitors.  Croatia rallied from 0-2 down to take the tie against the US in 5.  (We’re still not over it.)  The semifinals are set to take place in September, just after the US Open.  With #Merica out, we’ll be rooting for Team France.  ALLEZ!

It’s The Greatest Time Of Year
The American Summer hardcourt season officially starts this week, with the Citi Open in DC.   Lots of American players are in action, including top seed John Isner and #NextGen players Taylor Fritz and Francis Tiafoe.  Tune into Tennis Channel to watch all the action!  Also, heads up that the US Open starts in just 41 days!  Enjoy this A+ fangirl instagram of Grigor from the Citi Open.

Arthur Ashe Kids Day Lineup Announced
The US Open kicks off with the annual Arthur Ashe Kids Day event on August 27th.  This year’s performers included Flo Rida, Forever In Your Mind, Laura Marano and Troye Sivan.   Players Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic will be making appearances as well.  Click here for more info and to get your tickets now!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHxUvllg0rp/?taken-by=aakidsday

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Fritz
Taylor Fritz wed Racquel Pedraza on July 7th in his hometown of Rancho Santa Fe, California.  Fellow players in attendance included best man Reilly Opelka, groomsman Tommy Paul, Stevie Johnson and Mardy Fish.  Congrats Taylor & Racquel!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHxgQMhDJu0/?taken-by=taylor_fritz

 

Music, Tennis

Forever In Your Mind, Laura Marano, And More To Headline Arthur Ashe Kids Day 2016

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One of our favorite Summer events is the annual Arthur Ashe Kids Day, the kickoff to the US Open.  The event brings together our love of tennis and music, and is an all day celebration with games, entertainment and fun activities the whole family can enjoy!  The day celebrates the life and legacy of the great Arthur Ashe and is a fun way to start the biggest two weeks of tennis in NYC.

AAKD has a knack for booking future superstars – Shawn Mendes, Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, and Rihanna are just a handful of past performers!  This year’s lineup is no exception – you’ll want to catch these rising stars!   Check out the artists performing during the ticketed show in Arthur Ashe Stadium below.  Tennis pros also join in the fun, taking on challenges for charity and playing in a relaxed setting.  Tickets for the stadium show are on sale now!

arthur ashe kids day header

Performers: Arthur Ashe Stadium
Troye Sivan
Laura Marano
Joey Bragg
Jordan Fisher
Forever In Your Mind
Flo Rida
Zara Larsson

Tennis Players
Rafael Nadal
Novak Djokovic

Arthur Ashe Kids Day 2016
Saturday, August 27th
gates open at 9:30am
Arthur Ashe Stadium – Flushing, NY
Buy Tickets

Admission to the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is free and open to the public!  Activities on the grounds include tennis games, face painting, music on the Hess Festival Stage and the opportunity to watch the pros practice up close!

Performers: Hess Festival Stage
Jacob Sartorius
Sophie Beem
Citizen Four
Tegan Marie
Los 5

Be sure to follow Arthur Ashe Kids Day, US Open & Secret Fangirls for more updates!

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: Wimbledon

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Wimbledon 101
Where to watch:  ESPN and WatchESPN.com
Main draw play runs daily through the finals on Sunday, July 10th
Social Media: #Wimbledon @Wimbledon

Marcus Willis’ Dream Run
If you’ve been following Wimbledon coverage at all, no doubt you’ve heard about Marcus Willis.  The British tennis instructor, ranked 772 in the world, played his way through pre-qualifying AND qualifying, and won his 1st round main draw match.  Willis had been on the brink of quitting tennis earlier this year, and was once nicknamed “Cartman” for being so out of shape.  With the win, Willis has earned £50,000 in prize money and the right to face Roger Federer in the 2nd round on Centre Court.  Anything is possible!

Seeds Out on Day 1
While there were some dramatic wins, there weren’t too many upsets on day 1.  Of the seeded players: #20 seed Kevin Anderson, lost a tough 5 set match to Denis Istomin.  Gael Monfils, playing his first match since Rome, lost to countryman Jeremy Chardy.    Pierre-Hugues Herbert took out the #21 seed Phillip Kohlschreiber in 4 sets.  Pablo Cuevas lost in 5 sets to the Russian Andrey Kuznetsov.

State of the Union
American men went 3 for 6 on Monday, with Jack Sock, Sam Querrey and Stevie Johnson advancing to the 2nd round.  Taylor Fritz, the youngest player in the men’s draw, takes on Stan Wawrinka today while the top American John Isner faces Marcos Baghdatis.  Donald Young, Dennis Novikov, and Rajeev Ram are also in action.

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: ATP News Roundup

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This Week’s Tournaments:
Aegon Open – Nottingham, England
Wimbledon Qualifying – London, England

Lleyton Hewitt Receives Wimbledon Doubles Wildcard
We knew Lleyton couldn’t stay away from tennis for too long!  While he officially retired from singles at this year’s Australian Open, Lleyton has since suited up for Davis Cup doubles and he was just given a wildcard into Wimbledon.  Lleyton is teaming up with fellow Aussie Jordan Thompson in doubles.  Get your “c’mon!” cheers ready.

Dominic Thiem Hot Shots
Thiem has pretty much been a highlight reel lately.  Check out some of his hot shots from Halle.  We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, we are so on board #TeamThiem.

Herbert/Mahut Win Queen’s Club Title
The French duo picked up their 4th title of the season at the Wimbledon warm up.  We’re hoping to see them team up at both Davis Cup in July and the Olympics in August.  ALLEZ!

Andy Murray Wins Record 5th In London
Murray couldn’t have asked for better prep for Wimbledon.  With coach Ivan Lendl back on his team, Murray defeated Milos Raonic in a 3 set final.  He became the first man to win a 5th Queen’s Club Title.

Sascha Zverev Beats Roger Federer In Halle
Thiem isn’t the only young gun to have defeated Federer this season – 19-year-old Sascha Zverev took out Federer in 3 sets in the semi-finals in Halle.  We’re excited to see more from this #NextGen player this season!

Sports, Tennis

Tennis Tuesday: ATP News Roundup

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We’re just a week away from Wimbledon qualifying!  Which means we’ve arrived to the two 500 level grass court tournaments, in Halle and London.  The Queen’s Club draw is particularly STACKED.  Isner vs Del Potro, Kyrgios vs Raonic & Lopez vs Cilic are all 1st round matches.  But could we get a little sunshine?  Please?   We’re pretty sure we’ve had rain delays every single day for the last month.

This Week’s Tournaments:
Gerry Weber Open – Halle, Germany
Aegon Championships – London, England

Dominic Thiem Wins 4th Title of 2016
Thiem continues to impress in 2016, and took home his 4th title of the season in Stuttgart.  He defeated Roger Federer on the way to his first grass court title.  Thiem has now won a hard court, clay court and grass court title in 2016, making him only the 9th active player to do so in the same year.  With the win Thiem surpasses #1 ranked Novak Djokovic in match wins this year – Thiem has 45 while Djokovic has 44.


Nicolas Mahut Wins 3rd Ricoh Open Title
Mahut is currently the #1 ranked doubles player in the world (usually teaming up with Pierre-Hugues Herbert), and he just added another grass court singles trophy to his name.  This is the third time Mahut has won the title in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Keep Up With The  #NextGen
The ATP launched a dedicated #NextGen site, so you can keep up with all of your fave players!  Check it out here.   Taylor Fritz started a diary reflecting on his big year.  Fritz also had the chance to play with his dream doubles partner, Juan Martin del Potro in Stuttgart last week.

Thanasi Kokkinakis Delays Return To Tour
Kokkinakis was due to return this week, with a wildcard into the Aegon Championships in London, but he has pushed back his return to the tour.  He’s been out all of 2016 recovering from shoulder surgery, and will be out at least through Wimbledon.  We’re hoping he’ll be back in action for the US hard court swing this Summer!