Four quarters add up to one whole lot of excitement on this Day 10 of the 2008 US Open. On the men’s side, top-seed Rafael Nadal takes on American Mardy Fish, while great Scot Andy Murray goes head-to-head with the hottest player in men’s tennis, Juan Martin Del Potro. The women’s quarters feature Olympus US Open Series women’s champ Dinara Safina against Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, as well as the highly anticipated sisterly summit featuring Venus and Serena Williams.
Through the better part of their pre-tournament press conference and on ubiquitous TV ads airing throughout this event, Venus and Serena Williams have spent a lot of time extolling the virtues of making Oreos an important part of everyone’s lives. As a long-time Double Stuff man myself, I certainly can’t argue the merits of that message, nor can anyone argue that the sisters haven’t been the toughest cookies in the women’s draw. Venus, the No. 7 seed, and Serena, seeded No. 4, have played their way to this quarterfinal engagement without dropping a set. Venus has lost just 15 games in four rounds, one more than her younger sister. The luck of the draw puts this re-match of this year’s Wimbledon finalists on a Wednesday evening, but any time these two luminaries come together, you can expect the sort of brilliance normally associated with a prime-time Saturday night. Venus, winner of back-to-back titles here in 2000 and 2001, has taken seven Slam singles titles in her career. Serena, US Open champ in 1999 and 2002, owns eight. The sisters are even at 8-all in their career meetings, seven of those meetings coming in Grand Slam finals. Only once before have the two come together at an earlier stage in this tournament—that was a fourth-round meeting in 2005, won by Venus. This should be a good one, as to this point in the tournament, the Williams sisters have been the best ones. Both women have been near-perfect to this point, but I always feel that when these two come together, Venus is more capable of separating herself. After all, the cream isn’t always in the middle—sometimes it rises to the top. In three, Venus moves on to the semis.
Nadal, playing his first-ever Slam event as the top seed, has never before been past this point at the Open in five previous tries. Now, he figures as a very real favorite for a second-Sunday showing, coming here on the heels of a sizzling summer in which the 22-year-old Spaniard captured his fourth consecutive French title, his first Wimbledon crown, an Olympic gold medal and a first-place finish in the Olympus US Open Series. A win here would make Nadal only the fourth man in the Open Era to win three Slams in a row. The top seed owns the top record among the men on hardcourts this year, with a 40-7 record through round four. Fish is playing in just the second Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career; this is his best-ever US Open showing. He’s unseeded here, but he’s not without hard-court credentials, reaching the final of two cement events this year—at Indian Wells and New Haven. Fish was especially impressive in a straight-sets pounding of No. 32 seed Gail Monfils in round four, playing an aggressive style that saw him come to the net 69 times, winning 45 of those points. In that efficient two-hour tilt, Fish won 80 percent of his first-serve points, broke Monfils six times, and effectively shut down one of the most athletic players on the tour. He’ll likely employ that same style against Nadal, but Nadal is much more likely to be able to poke holes in Fish’s advances with his lethal, precise ground assault. It’s tough to pick against the American after his formidable fourth-round performance, but it’d be tougher to pick against Nadal in a match of this magnitude. Fish gets a set; Nadal gets the semis.
No. 6 seed Murray is playing here with his highest career Grand Slam seeding. The 21-year-old is making his fourth US Open appearance, and this is his best-ever Flushing run. Murray also reached the quarters at Wimbledon this year and has taken three tournament titles in 2008, including hard-court wins at Doha and Cincinnati. Five of his six career titles are hard-court crowns. The 2004 US Open junior boys’ champion has often been heralded as the game’s the next best thing, but in Del Potro, he’s facing the game’s hottest man, the only player in the history of men’s tennis to win his first four titles in four consecutive tournaments. The 19-year-old Argentine is riding a 23-match win streak into this quarterfinal and shows no signs of slowing his surge. This will be a fun one to watch, as two of the game’s coming talents come together. This one goes the distance, and in five, Del Potro goes on.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Matt Cronin's Day 10 Analysis
1-RAFAEL NADAL V. MARDY FISH
Fish was adamant in saying that his old-school attacking game can threaten Nadal, and maybe it can on a great day. But what cannot be dismissed is that Nadal is 4-0 lifetime against Fish and has never lost any of the 10 sets they've played, and two matches were played on grass and the other two on hardcourts.
So while a zoning Fish with a raucous crowd behind him can do damage, the world's top player won't be walking on court shaking in his shoes. He must have a good idea as to how to return Fish's serves proficiently enough, how to pass him when he's climbing all over the net, how to exploit the American's weaker forehand.
Nadal did not play very well in his four-set win over Sam Querrey, and Fish played great in throttling Gael Monfils. That's the major positive that Fish can take into this match -- that maybe he'll continue to kiss the corners, while Nadal will be content hugging the middle of the court.
This is a pretty simple call. Will Nadal's excellent returning, mind-boggling passing shots and tireless play from the backcourt be enough to hook the streaking Fish, or can Mardy serve and volley his way to the year's biggest upset? The answer is pretty clear: Nadal will lose his way for a set and a half, but Mardy is due to come back to earth and will fall in four hard-fought sets.
6-ANDY MURRAY V. JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO
There seems to be a mini-blood feud boiling here, as back in May at Rome, Andy Murray accused the 19-year-old Argentine of insulting his mother, Judy, during a heated match. "I haven't spoken to him since, so whether there is unfinished business or not, it's just another tennis match to me,” Murray said. “Whether I like Del Potro or not does not really make any difference. I wasn't great friends with him before. I don't need to be friends with him now.”
Murray said the incident doesn't bother him any more, but Del Potro's form just might. The tall and deceptively fast Argentine has won 23 straight matches and seems to have all the makings of a top-5 player to be. He owns a big serve and crushing forehand and is competing very well, despite having played a tremendous amount during the past two months.
But Murray is in better form, is a smart player and knows how to blunt big servers. He was near perfect in crushing Stan Wawrinka and realizes that this should by all rights be his breakout Slam. His first serve is to be feared when he's in the zone, his groundstrokes are thoughtful, and his return is world-class.
Del Porto will go straight at him and will be difficult to break, but the Argentine hasn't faced such an intelligent competitor yet. Del Potro is sure to be pumped and produce plenty of fireworks for a set and a half, but Murray will get into his head and come through in four sets.
6-DINARA SAFINA V. 16-FLAVIA PENNETTA
Going into their final-round clash in LA about six weeks ago, I tried to conceive of a way that Pennetta could take down Safina, and I could only think of one: if the Russian grew tired and erratic and the Italian played super steady and with force. That didn't occur, and Pennetta was clearly out-classed in the match.
Safina is a superior player when she's on, so much of the same scenario will occur here: will Safina, who said she nearly pulled out of her previous contest because she's fried after a long summer, give in to her tired legs and mind, or will she finally see the goal line in sight and unleash her incredibly impressive game?
The thought here is that the Russian will, because after two days of rest and re-focus, she should be ready to let it all hang out. When she does, she serves and strokes the ball too firmly for Pennetta, who has done all she could this year to push herself to her limits but may have topped out in ability. She can certainly out-steady Safina if the Russian gets in a funk, is well conditioned and is a terrific fighter, but Dinara will convince herself that the only way to end her summer on a positive note is to go deeper here and win in straight sets. She has to crave a clash with a Williams sister in the semis, and she'll get one.
Fish was adamant in saying that his old-school attacking game can threaten Nadal, and maybe it can on a great day. But what cannot be dismissed is that Nadal is 4-0 lifetime against Fish and has never lost any of the 10 sets they've played, and two matches were played on grass and the other two on hardcourts.
So while a zoning Fish with a raucous crowd behind him can do damage, the world's top player won't be walking on court shaking in his shoes. He must have a good idea as to how to return Fish's serves proficiently enough, how to pass him when he's climbing all over the net, how to exploit the American's weaker forehand.
Nadal did not play very well in his four-set win over Sam Querrey, and Fish played great in throttling Gael Monfils. That's the major positive that Fish can take into this match -- that maybe he'll continue to kiss the corners, while Nadal will be content hugging the middle of the court.
This is a pretty simple call. Will Nadal's excellent returning, mind-boggling passing shots and tireless play from the backcourt be enough to hook the streaking Fish, or can Mardy serve and volley his way to the year's biggest upset? The answer is pretty clear: Nadal will lose his way for a set and a half, but Mardy is due to come back to earth and will fall in four hard-fought sets.
6-ANDY MURRAY V. JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO
There seems to be a mini-blood feud boiling here, as back in May at Rome, Andy Murray accused the 19-year-old Argentine of insulting his mother, Judy, during a heated match. "I haven't spoken to him since, so whether there is unfinished business or not, it's just another tennis match to me,” Murray said. “Whether I like Del Potro or not does not really make any difference. I wasn't great friends with him before. I don't need to be friends with him now.”
Murray said the incident doesn't bother him any more, but Del Potro's form just might. The tall and deceptively fast Argentine has won 23 straight matches and seems to have all the makings of a top-5 player to be. He owns a big serve and crushing forehand and is competing very well, despite having played a tremendous amount during the past two months.
But Murray is in better form, is a smart player and knows how to blunt big servers. He was near perfect in crushing Stan Wawrinka and realizes that this should by all rights be his breakout Slam. His first serve is to be feared when he's in the zone, his groundstrokes are thoughtful, and his return is world-class.
Del Porto will go straight at him and will be difficult to break, but the Argentine hasn't faced such an intelligent competitor yet. Del Potro is sure to be pumped and produce plenty of fireworks for a set and a half, but Murray will get into his head and come through in four sets.
6-DINARA SAFINA V. 16-FLAVIA PENNETTA
Going into their final-round clash in LA about six weeks ago, I tried to conceive of a way that Pennetta could take down Safina, and I could only think of one: if the Russian grew tired and erratic and the Italian played super steady and with force. That didn't occur, and Pennetta was clearly out-classed in the match.
Safina is a superior player when she's on, so much of the same scenario will occur here: will Safina, who said she nearly pulled out of her previous contest because she's fried after a long summer, give in to her tired legs and mind, or will she finally see the goal line in sight and unleash her incredibly impressive game?
The thought here is that the Russian will, because after two days of rest and re-focus, she should be ready to let it all hang out. When she does, she serves and strokes the ball too firmly for Pennetta, who has done all she could this year to push herself to her limits but may have topped out in ability. She can certainly out-steady Safina if the Russian gets in a funk, is well conditioned and is a terrific fighter, but Dinara will convince herself that the only way to end her summer on a positive note is to go deeper here and win in straight sets. She has to crave a clash with a Williams sister in the semis, and she'll get one.
It's All Relative - Tennis Family Trivia
Tennis is a forest full of family trees. The Williams sisters remain alive in the draw, so do the Bryan twins and Dinara Safina, the sister of the 2000 US Open men’s champion Marat Safin. Meanwhile, two McEnroes are doing television commentary. At this juncture, it seems appropriate to play tennis family trivia.
Q1: This Scottish player’s brother, Jamie, is the No.1-ranked doubles player in Great Britain.
A: Andy Murray. His older brother also teamed with Jelena Jankovic to win the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 2007.
Q2: Name three American twins who played doubles together in a final of a Grand Slam event.
A: Mike and Bob Bryan (achieved a career Grand Slam in 2006), Luke and Murphy Jensen (1993 French Open champions), and Tim and Tom Gullickson (1983 Wimbledon runners-up)
Q3: The father of these three siblings reached the third round of Wimbledon in 1953 and 1956 and built grass courts on his avocado farm in Zimbabwe so his children could play.
A: The late Don Black’s two sons Wayne (34), Byron (38) and daughter Cara (29) have all won doubles titles at Grand Slam events. In addition, Cara and Wayne won mixed doubles titles together at the 2002 French Open and 2004 Wimbledon. Cara is competing in mixed doubles at the US Open.
Q4: This Russian brother-sister combo’s mother also coached other young Russian players such as Elena Dementieva.
A: The mother of Marat Safin and Dinara Safina (Rauza Islanova) instilled the same work ethic in other champions such as 2008 Olympic gold medalist and US Open semifinalist Dementieva. Dementieva said, “She was very tough on us and forged our sports character.”
Q5: Nine-time US Open champion (and 2008 Champions Invitational Competitor) Martina Navratilova lost to all three of these Bulgarian sisters at some point in her 31-year professional career.
A: Manuela, Katerina, and Magdalena Maleeva
Q6: Sometimes, children break from the tennis lineage. This son and grandson of Danish Davis Cup players reportedly played in the French Open junior division before founding a heavy metal band that will go on a world tour later this month.
A: Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica.
For more information about some of tennis’ most prominent families, visit the US Open Gallery at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Admission to the exhibit, “Home Court: The Family Draw,” is free
Q1: This Scottish player’s brother, Jamie, is the No.1-ranked doubles player in Great Britain.
A: Andy Murray. His older brother also teamed with Jelena Jankovic to win the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 2007.
Q2: Name three American twins who played doubles together in a final of a Grand Slam event.
A: Mike and Bob Bryan (achieved a career Grand Slam in 2006), Luke and Murphy Jensen (1993 French Open champions), and Tim and Tom Gullickson (1983 Wimbledon runners-up)
Q3: The father of these three siblings reached the third round of Wimbledon in 1953 and 1956 and built grass courts on his avocado farm in Zimbabwe so his children could play.
A: The late Don Black’s two sons Wayne (34), Byron (38) and daughter Cara (29) have all won doubles titles at Grand Slam events. In addition, Cara and Wayne won mixed doubles titles together at the 2002 French Open and 2004 Wimbledon. Cara is competing in mixed doubles at the US Open.
Q4: This Russian brother-sister combo’s mother also coached other young Russian players such as Elena Dementieva.
A: The mother of Marat Safin and Dinara Safina (Rauza Islanova) instilled the same work ethic in other champions such as 2008 Olympic gold medalist and US Open semifinalist Dementieva. Dementieva said, “She was very tough on us and forged our sports character.”
Q5: Nine-time US Open champion (and 2008 Champions Invitational Competitor) Martina Navratilova lost to all three of these Bulgarian sisters at some point in her 31-year professional career.
A: Manuela, Katerina, and Magdalena Maleeva
Q6: Sometimes, children break from the tennis lineage. This son and grandson of Danish Davis Cup players reportedly played in the French Open junior division before founding a heavy metal band that will go on a world tour later this month.
A: Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica.
For more information about some of tennis’ most prominent families, visit the US Open Gallery at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Admission to the exhibit, “Home Court: The Family Draw,” is free
Scout's Honor: US Open Court Attendant Overcomes the Odds
There was the fire that took her right leg and half her left foot as an infant. There was the abandonment and the subsequent horrific life in the orphanage in China. It included manual labor, beatings, near starvation and no education. She also never set foot outside the door of the orphanage for seven years.
That is the way Scout Bassett entered the world, as her parents left her on the doorstep of an orphanage in Nanjing, China, when she was under a year old with just a bib around her neck with a name, Zhu Fuzhi, and birthdate. There was no way to verify that her name was correct, and Zhu was a very common Chinese last name.
The orphanage was her home until an American family adopted her when she was seven years old and brought her to Harbor Springs, Mich.
Now 13 years later, at age 20, Bassett has overcome all the odds and is an accomplished athlete with international and national success in triathlons, all with a prosthesis that goes above her knee. She has also been a court attendant at the 2008 US Open and having a fantastic time.
Bassett, along with Kelly Bruno, a ballperson with a prosthesis, are two of the first physically challenged athletes to ever serve on the field of play at a major sporting event.
Bassett, a sophomore at UCLA, is an above-knee amputee, although she did not have her first amputation until she was eight years old and living in Michigan. In the orphanage, a leg was fashioned for her using scraps belonging in someone’s garage, including masking tape, leather straps and metal rods, so that she could walk.
When she was older and could get around, she was put to work washing floors, washing dishes and feeding babies during the day, with hardly any interaction with the other orphans.
“I had a very unusual childhood and at times horrific,” Bassett said. “I would sleep on the floor instead of my bed because it was so hot, and (the floor) was cooler. When they found us, they would beat us on the head. (As severe punishment) they would drown us in hot water in the bathtub until we couldn’t breathe, then they would pull our heads up. In their minds, they were making us physically and mentally tough.”
They were given just three bowls of rice to eat a day, and Bassett was so malnourished when her parents, Joe and Susi Bassett, adopted her at age seven. She weighed just 25 pounds with her ribs and bones sticking out. It is one reason for her small stature as an adult at four-feet, eight-inches.
She could not read or write. Forbidden to go outside, she had no idea what cars or trains were - not knowing what lay beyond the windows. When her blonde-haired blue-eyed mother and bald father first arrived to visit, they looked nothing like any people she had ever seen before. As awful as the orphanage was, starting a new life was just as scary.
“I didn’t know there was a better life. I was devastated when I left,” she recalls of being adopted. “It was the only thing I’d known. It (being adopted) was the best thing that ever happened, but it was sickening at the time. I wanted to go back so at least I knew something. It wasn’t until I learned to speak English that things turned around.”
Named after the little girl in her mom’s favorite book and movie, "To Kill A Mockingbird," Scout learned English very quickly – in about six weeks – thanks to her parents’ efforts to constantly talk to her and her brother, Carter, and sister, Palmer. Learning to read and write English fast also helped her catch up to her age group in school, after originally beginning in kindergarten as a seven-year-old but then skipping half of both second and third grade a few years later.
The Bassetts also adopted Carter and Palmer from China, all within 10 months. Carter and Scout came from the same orphanage, with Carter one of the few boys. He was born without some fingers and toes. Carter, now 17, runs cross country in high school, and Palmer, 15, is a dancer.
Her parents took her right away to a prosthetist in Petoskey, Mich., to get a better leg, where she was told her stump was too unusual to be able to make her a leg. After consulting with doctors in Ann Arbor, she finally had her first amputation less than a year later to remove a bone sticking out of the back of her stump, as well as reconstruction of her left foot, including removing her large toe that had been deformed in the fire. After a few months of healing, she was able to have a leg built.
But growing up in a small town of 1,600 people, it was not easy to be a child with a prosthesis. Bassett was always having to explain her leg and could hardly go anywhere without stares or calls from other children or calls of, "Mommy, look at her!"
“Growing up with a prosthetic leg, that might have been harder than being in the orphanage,” Bassett said. “Kids can be cruel. You are trying to fit into a world that is not catered to you. In our small town, (I thought), how am I ever going to find my place in this world, where people do not understand what it is like? I wanted to be normal, and I couldn’t.”
Bassett tried playing team sports through elementary school and junior high, including basketball, softball, soccer and volleyball. But coaches would never put her in the game.
After going to the prosthetist in Ann Arbor for five years, Bassett met one in Orlando, Fla., named Stan Patterson, when she was 13, who changed her life.
“He has brought me from walking to walking really well to doing sports and things I never thought possible,” Bassett said of Patterson.
It was Patterson who suggested Bassett might find more success in individual as opposed to team sports. In 2002, she was in Florida for a visit with Patterson and also went to the Track and Field World Championships for disabled people. She decided she wanted to try running the race, and Patterson made her a special leg for running.
From there, the rest is now history.
“I finished last,” Bassett recalls of the race. “(But) it did light a fire in me to be active on a different level. That’s when I started running. I learned how to bike about four years later and swim around the same time.”
Also in 2002, she met people from the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), which has given Bassett the means to be competitive, receiving her first grant from them about a year later to travel to competitions. She is now a spokesperson for CAF.
“Now I was in the company of amputees who were also athletes,” she said. “Seeing them do it, I knew it was possible.”
Bassett also realized the older she got, that many of the looks and comments she received as a child were not necessarily with ill-will but merely curiosity.
“Over time I got more comfortable, and I realized I had an opportunity to influence other people’s lives,” she added.
She just started competing in triathlons last year – and did not receive any coaching or lessons until last year. In fact, she only really learned how to properly swim in January 2007. Through CAF, she was able to get a trainer.
Bassett, whose family moved to Palm Desert, Calif., two years ago, had first watched the San Diego Triathlon Challenge, a half ironman competition, in 2003. For the next three years, she competed in the bike portion of it, riding the 56 miles as part of a tandem.
The Iron Bruin Triathlon at UCLA – ironically, before Bassett knew she would be going to school there – became her first full triathlon. She started at the sprint distances.
“It was a start, and just finishing was important,” she said. “I knew I could do it.”
It started at that one and just kept going – and the success kept coming. Triathlons were a great way to stay active after she graduated from high school in 2007, where she had played golf and tennis.
The year then brought the USA Triathlon’s Physically Challenged National Championships, hosted by the New York City Triathlon, where she finished third in the above-knee category (based on where her amputation was), competing in Olympic distances (1,500 meter swim, 40 km bike, 10 km run). Then at the ITU World Championships in Germany, she won silver.
All in all, Bassett competed in 10 triathlons in 2007 and five so far in 2008. This year at nationals she placed second and won another silver at worlds, where she shaved two hours and 11 minutes off her time from last year. Next up for her is the Malibu Triathlon in California in just two weeks.
“It was crazy (all the success). I thought I wanted to do triathlons to be fit. I never thought I would do so many,” she said. “The success was completely unexpected. I became so passionate about it and had a thrill I never got in any other sport. The hardest thing I did was to prepare for a triathlon.”
Patterson designed Bassett a special leg for long-distance running and another one for biking. She does not use a leg at all when she is swimming.
“CAF gave me the resources and fostered the environment, but it’s been that constant, encouraging me to do things I didn’t think were possible,” she said. “(And) Stan has been like a dad in many ways.”
It was through John Korff, a USTA board member and owner of the New York City Triathlon, that she came to the US Open. He suggested Bassett and Bruno – who knew each other from competing in some of the same events - try out to be ballpersons for the 2008 US Open.
Bassett was a little hesitant at first, but the thought of creating more awareness of what disabled people can do and being an inspiration to other people convinced her. Both she and Bruno tried out, but just Bruno was selected. However, there were a few other options open to Bassett, who became a court attendant. She loves the game of tennis and still plays recreationally
The job is not glamorous, but she had a blast working in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Monday was her last day at the US Open, as she had to return to class at UCLA. Court attendants are responsible for getting the court ready to play (and putting away things at night), including setting up the chairs, towels and stocking the coolers with drinks for players.
During changeovers, they come to the net and make sure the coolers are filled with the drinks those particular players want and fulfill any special player requests.
“We are just there to make sure the players, the umpires – all their needs are met,” Bassett said. “I love it. It is electrifying to be out there.”
“It has been special, and the best part is the people I have met,” she added. “Everybody is so nice and welcoming. I’m going to remember the people (most). They made it so memorable.”
It has been difficult to keep up her training during the Open, but Bassett has tried to go to the gym in her hotel every morning and use the stationary bike, as well as work on strength training with the competition in Malibu approaching.
Bassett is also on the national team for triathlons for the first time this year and has done more big races this year than last. After Malibu, she still has a full schedule of competitions, including ones in Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles.
While she is still undeclared as to her major at UCLA, Bassett knows one thing about her future: She wants to help other people improve the quality of their lives, the way so many people helped her lead the life she loves so much now.
“I just have a passion for living my life. I want to help and empower as many people as I possibly can,” Bassett said. “It’s been an exciting and amazing year. I am the most blessed person. I’ve had the support of so many amazing people and reached heights I never thought I could reach. I can’t believe this is my life, it is so special.”
That is the way Scout Bassett entered the world, as her parents left her on the doorstep of an orphanage in Nanjing, China, when she was under a year old with just a bib around her neck with a name, Zhu Fuzhi, and birthdate. There was no way to verify that her name was correct, and Zhu was a very common Chinese last name.
The orphanage was her home until an American family adopted her when she was seven years old and brought her to Harbor Springs, Mich.
Now 13 years later, at age 20, Bassett has overcome all the odds and is an accomplished athlete with international and national success in triathlons, all with a prosthesis that goes above her knee. She has also been a court attendant at the 2008 US Open and having a fantastic time.
Bassett, along with Kelly Bruno, a ballperson with a prosthesis, are two of the first physically challenged athletes to ever serve on the field of play at a major sporting event.
Bassett, a sophomore at UCLA, is an above-knee amputee, although she did not have her first amputation until she was eight years old and living in Michigan. In the orphanage, a leg was fashioned for her using scraps belonging in someone’s garage, including masking tape, leather straps and metal rods, so that she could walk.
When she was older and could get around, she was put to work washing floors, washing dishes and feeding babies during the day, with hardly any interaction with the other orphans.
“I had a very unusual childhood and at times horrific,” Bassett said. “I would sleep on the floor instead of my bed because it was so hot, and (the floor) was cooler. When they found us, they would beat us on the head. (As severe punishment) they would drown us in hot water in the bathtub until we couldn’t breathe, then they would pull our heads up. In their minds, they were making us physically and mentally tough.”
They were given just three bowls of rice to eat a day, and Bassett was so malnourished when her parents, Joe and Susi Bassett, adopted her at age seven. She weighed just 25 pounds with her ribs and bones sticking out. It is one reason for her small stature as an adult at four-feet, eight-inches.
She could not read or write. Forbidden to go outside, she had no idea what cars or trains were - not knowing what lay beyond the windows. When her blonde-haired blue-eyed mother and bald father first arrived to visit, they looked nothing like any people she had ever seen before. As awful as the orphanage was, starting a new life was just as scary.
“I didn’t know there was a better life. I was devastated when I left,” she recalls of being adopted. “It was the only thing I’d known. It (being adopted) was the best thing that ever happened, but it was sickening at the time. I wanted to go back so at least I knew something. It wasn’t until I learned to speak English that things turned around.”
Named after the little girl in her mom’s favorite book and movie, "To Kill A Mockingbird," Scout learned English very quickly – in about six weeks – thanks to her parents’ efforts to constantly talk to her and her brother, Carter, and sister, Palmer. Learning to read and write English fast also helped her catch up to her age group in school, after originally beginning in kindergarten as a seven-year-old but then skipping half of both second and third grade a few years later.
The Bassetts also adopted Carter and Palmer from China, all within 10 months. Carter and Scout came from the same orphanage, with Carter one of the few boys. He was born without some fingers and toes. Carter, now 17, runs cross country in high school, and Palmer, 15, is a dancer.
Her parents took her right away to a prosthetist in Petoskey, Mich., to get a better leg, where she was told her stump was too unusual to be able to make her a leg. After consulting with doctors in Ann Arbor, she finally had her first amputation less than a year later to remove a bone sticking out of the back of her stump, as well as reconstruction of her left foot, including removing her large toe that had been deformed in the fire. After a few months of healing, she was able to have a leg built.
But growing up in a small town of 1,600 people, it was not easy to be a child with a prosthesis. Bassett was always having to explain her leg and could hardly go anywhere without stares or calls from other children or calls of, "Mommy, look at her!"
“Growing up with a prosthetic leg, that might have been harder than being in the orphanage,” Bassett said. “Kids can be cruel. You are trying to fit into a world that is not catered to you. In our small town, (I thought), how am I ever going to find my place in this world, where people do not understand what it is like? I wanted to be normal, and I couldn’t.”
Bassett tried playing team sports through elementary school and junior high, including basketball, softball, soccer and volleyball. But coaches would never put her in the game.
After going to the prosthetist in Ann Arbor for five years, Bassett met one in Orlando, Fla., named Stan Patterson, when she was 13, who changed her life.
“He has brought me from walking to walking really well to doing sports and things I never thought possible,” Bassett said of Patterson.
It was Patterson who suggested Bassett might find more success in individual as opposed to team sports. In 2002, she was in Florida for a visit with Patterson and also went to the Track and Field World Championships for disabled people. She decided she wanted to try running the race, and Patterson made her a special leg for running.
From there, the rest is now history.
“I finished last,” Bassett recalls of the race. “(But) it did light a fire in me to be active on a different level. That’s when I started running. I learned how to bike about four years later and swim around the same time.”
Also in 2002, she met people from the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), which has given Bassett the means to be competitive, receiving her first grant from them about a year later to travel to competitions. She is now a spokesperson for CAF.
“Now I was in the company of amputees who were also athletes,” she said. “Seeing them do it, I knew it was possible.”
Bassett also realized the older she got, that many of the looks and comments she received as a child were not necessarily with ill-will but merely curiosity.
“Over time I got more comfortable, and I realized I had an opportunity to influence other people’s lives,” she added.
She just started competing in triathlons last year – and did not receive any coaching or lessons until last year. In fact, she only really learned how to properly swim in January 2007. Through CAF, she was able to get a trainer.
Bassett, whose family moved to Palm Desert, Calif., two years ago, had first watched the San Diego Triathlon Challenge, a half ironman competition, in 2003. For the next three years, she competed in the bike portion of it, riding the 56 miles as part of a tandem.
The Iron Bruin Triathlon at UCLA – ironically, before Bassett knew she would be going to school there – became her first full triathlon. She started at the sprint distances.
“It was a start, and just finishing was important,” she said. “I knew I could do it.”
It started at that one and just kept going – and the success kept coming. Triathlons were a great way to stay active after she graduated from high school in 2007, where she had played golf and tennis.
The year then brought the USA Triathlon’s Physically Challenged National Championships, hosted by the New York City Triathlon, where she finished third in the above-knee category (based on where her amputation was), competing in Olympic distances (1,500 meter swim, 40 km bike, 10 km run). Then at the ITU World Championships in Germany, she won silver.
All in all, Bassett competed in 10 triathlons in 2007 and five so far in 2008. This year at nationals she placed second and won another silver at worlds, where she shaved two hours and 11 minutes off her time from last year. Next up for her is the Malibu Triathlon in California in just two weeks.
“It was crazy (all the success). I thought I wanted to do triathlons to be fit. I never thought I would do so many,” she said. “The success was completely unexpected. I became so passionate about it and had a thrill I never got in any other sport. The hardest thing I did was to prepare for a triathlon.”
Patterson designed Bassett a special leg for long-distance running and another one for biking. She does not use a leg at all when she is swimming.
“CAF gave me the resources and fostered the environment, but it’s been that constant, encouraging me to do things I didn’t think were possible,” she said. “(And) Stan has been like a dad in many ways.”
It was through John Korff, a USTA board member and owner of the New York City Triathlon, that she came to the US Open. He suggested Bassett and Bruno – who knew each other from competing in some of the same events - try out to be ballpersons for the 2008 US Open.
Bassett was a little hesitant at first, but the thought of creating more awareness of what disabled people can do and being an inspiration to other people convinced her. Both she and Bruno tried out, but just Bruno was selected. However, there were a few other options open to Bassett, who became a court attendant. She loves the game of tennis and still plays recreationally
The job is not glamorous, but she had a blast working in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Monday was her last day at the US Open, as she had to return to class at UCLA. Court attendants are responsible for getting the court ready to play (and putting away things at night), including setting up the chairs, towels and stocking the coolers with drinks for players.
During changeovers, they come to the net and make sure the coolers are filled with the drinks those particular players want and fulfill any special player requests.
“We are just there to make sure the players, the umpires – all their needs are met,” Bassett said. “I love it. It is electrifying to be out there.”
“It has been special, and the best part is the people I have met,” she added. “Everybody is so nice and welcoming. I’m going to remember the people (most). They made it so memorable.”
It has been difficult to keep up her training during the Open, but Bassett has tried to go to the gym in her hotel every morning and use the stationary bike, as well as work on strength training with the competition in Malibu approaching.
Bassett is also on the national team for triathlons for the first time this year and has done more big races this year than last. After Malibu, she still has a full schedule of competitions, including ones in Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles.
While she is still undeclared as to her major at UCLA, Bassett knows one thing about her future: She wants to help other people improve the quality of their lives, the way so many people helped her lead the life she loves so much now.
“I just have a passion for living my life. I want to help and empower as many people as I possibly can,” Bassett said. “It’s been an exciting and amazing year. I am the most blessed person. I’ve had the support of so many amazing people and reached heights I never thought I could reach. I can’t believe this is my life, it is so special.”
Fish Fired Up for Nadal
While No. 1-seed Rafael Nadal won his round-of-16 match with American Sam Querrey, he didn't look anything like the near-invincible player that has dominated men's tennis in 2008, winning the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics in Beijing and winning 41 of his last 42 matches heading into the match. He was back on his heels in rallies. He had to survive a tie-break in the third set after splitting the first two. At times Querrey semed so successful in attacking the Spaniard that it was hard to tell which player was the one the tennis world is currently fearing more than any other.
That Nadal looked beatable took some by surprise, particularly since Querrey, 20 years old, ranked No. 55 in the world, was playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time. He admitted to being nervous at the start of the match, and played like it, letting Nadal get a one-set to love jump before he settled into the match.
Enter 26-year-old American veteran Mardy Fish, scraggly-bearded and currently as intense in demeanor as Querrey is loose. While Querrey has the persona of an easy-going, well-adjusted kid, saying things like, “It’s not so bad, losing to the No. 1 player in the world,’’ Fish gives off a decidely edgy veteran vibe, and uses words like "desperate" to describe his level of desire here at the Open.
Certainly Nadal will be the favorite going into the match on Wednesday night under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium. But in Fish, Nadal faces a major challenge to what before the tournament felt like a near predestined showdown with Roger Federer in a third-straight Grand Slam final. Fish is another American with a big serve and forehand, yet one who is more experienced, hungrier and who brings an edge to a match with Nadal that the young Querrey didn't.
“I mean, I desperately want to play well and desperately wanted to do well here,” Fish admitted after his last match, laying all his intensity and desire out on the table.
Fish was once ranked as high as No. 17 in 2004, back when, like Querrey, he was still considered a young and up-and-coming American. But he fell all the way down to No. 341 in 2006, plagued by a left wrist injury. He climbed his way back at the end of that year, making it into the Top 50 in late 2006, and has stayed in the top 50 ever since. But the experience of spending a few years out of the pro tennis spotlight has filled him with a certain hunger, and added depth to his perspective.
Fish, good enough friends with Andy Roddick and James Blake to get text messages from both after most matches, had to watch for two years while those two Amereicans, not him, grabbed the headlines. “It was extremely tough, you know, we all push each other, and that was the toughest thing, watching them do so well and then not having a shot to kind of stay with them.”
But those days are behind him. Fish is currently on a roll that might be his most impressive as a pro. He reached the final of New Haven the week before the Open, his second final of the year after taking out Roger Federer to reach the final at Indian Wells in March. The American is playing in the quarters here after taking out No. 24-seed Paul-Henri Mathieu, No. 9 James Blake and No. 32 Gael Monfils.
Fish’s game rests on his ability to constantly attack his opponent. Even on the changeovers he’s reminding himself, over and over, to stay aggressive and attack. This was on display in his fourth-round win over Monfils, when he hit 49 winners and attacked the net 69 times, winning 45 of the points he came in on.
"I'm never going to beat someone like that from the baseline, I know that better than anyone,'' Fish said of playing Monfils, but he could have just as easily been speaking of his match-up with Nadal. "I'm going to try and keep the points as short as possible, and come to net.''
In looking forward to his match with Nadal, there’s an aggressive, almost confrontational approach from Fish that will be part of the change for the Spaniard after facing the younger Querrey. “[Nadal] wants to keep the points as long as possible and run the guys down, kind of body blow after body blow, but if he’s on the other side of the net I don’t intend to let him do that,’’ Fish said. “You know, I'm going to come in, not necessarily Kamikaze‑type tennis, but I'm going to try to keep the points as short as possible.”
Fish says confidence and maturity are the keys to his current success. But there seems something even more driving him to new heights here. Fish is getting married at the end of September, and perhaps a life change, and the fact that he’s 26, not old but no longer one of the young guns, that is making him realize that he needs to capitalize on his opportunities now.
“I always talk to Andy [Roddick], and he obviously just, I mean, by far loves this tournament more than anything else, and I said, ‘What is it?’” Fish reflected after the Monfils match. “And he said, It's the night matches. It's walking out there, and it's just electric. You can feel it. I said, ‘I've never played a night match, so I guess I wouldn't know.’ You know, playing the other night with James [Fish beat Blake in a night match in the third round], and you can feel it. Boy, you can really feel it. You walk out there, and it's ‑‑ it almost jumps up to your favorite tournament once you just play one of those matches.’’
Fish will have a lot of people rooting for him when he steps out on court against Nadal, who not only struggled with his game in the roundof-16 encounter with Querrey but afterward complained about the amount of hard-court tennis on tour. Fish is four inches shorter than Querrey, so the high bouncing topspin that still remained in Querrey's strike zone will be more difficult for Fish to handle. But Querrey did show Fish, and everyone else, just how vulnerable Nadal is here at the Open, where despite his success at the French and Wimbledon, Nadal has never gone farther than the quarterfinals.
In fact, Querrey even had some advice for his older countryman.
“[Fish] has got to be aggressive and take chances, he can’t go baseline to baseline with Rafa,’’ Querrey said, emphasizing that Fish will have to also serve well and attack the net. “I think you’ve got to really just emphasize going backhand, backhand, backhand. Once you get a short ball you can step up and let it rip.”
For Fish’s part, he feels Nadal doesn’t like playing against players who attack, and he says the courts at the Open are playing fast enough to help his serve and allow him to be effective with his approach shots and volleys. Certainly from Fish on Wednesday, there will be no lack of intensity in his quest to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal.
Perhaps he put his quest best, and most honestly, after the Monfils match.
“I've always wanted to do well here. I think obviously I'm not unbelievably ‑‑ well, maybe I am desperate. Yes. I was desperate to do well.''
That Nadal looked beatable took some by surprise, particularly since Querrey, 20 years old, ranked No. 55 in the world, was playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time. He admitted to being nervous at the start of the match, and played like it, letting Nadal get a one-set to love jump before he settled into the match.
Enter 26-year-old American veteran Mardy Fish, scraggly-bearded and currently as intense in demeanor as Querrey is loose. While Querrey has the persona of an easy-going, well-adjusted kid, saying things like, “It’s not so bad, losing to the No. 1 player in the world,’’ Fish gives off a decidely edgy veteran vibe, and uses words like "desperate" to describe his level of desire here at the Open.
Certainly Nadal will be the favorite going into the match on Wednesday night under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium. But in Fish, Nadal faces a major challenge to what before the tournament felt like a near predestined showdown with Roger Federer in a third-straight Grand Slam final. Fish is another American with a big serve and forehand, yet one who is more experienced, hungrier and who brings an edge to a match with Nadal that the young Querrey didn't.
“I mean, I desperately want to play well and desperately wanted to do well here,” Fish admitted after his last match, laying all his intensity and desire out on the table.
Fish was once ranked as high as No. 17 in 2004, back when, like Querrey, he was still considered a young and up-and-coming American. But he fell all the way down to No. 341 in 2006, plagued by a left wrist injury. He climbed his way back at the end of that year, making it into the Top 50 in late 2006, and has stayed in the top 50 ever since. But the experience of spending a few years out of the pro tennis spotlight has filled him with a certain hunger, and added depth to his perspective.
Fish, good enough friends with Andy Roddick and James Blake to get text messages from both after most matches, had to watch for two years while those two Amereicans, not him, grabbed the headlines. “It was extremely tough, you know, we all push each other, and that was the toughest thing, watching them do so well and then not having a shot to kind of stay with them.”
But those days are behind him. Fish is currently on a roll that might be his most impressive as a pro. He reached the final of New Haven the week before the Open, his second final of the year after taking out Roger Federer to reach the final at Indian Wells in March. The American is playing in the quarters here after taking out No. 24-seed Paul-Henri Mathieu, No. 9 James Blake and No. 32 Gael Monfils.
Fish’s game rests on his ability to constantly attack his opponent. Even on the changeovers he’s reminding himself, over and over, to stay aggressive and attack. This was on display in his fourth-round win over Monfils, when he hit 49 winners and attacked the net 69 times, winning 45 of the points he came in on.
"I'm never going to beat someone like that from the baseline, I know that better than anyone,'' Fish said of playing Monfils, but he could have just as easily been speaking of his match-up with Nadal. "I'm going to try and keep the points as short as possible, and come to net.''
In looking forward to his match with Nadal, there’s an aggressive, almost confrontational approach from Fish that will be part of the change for the Spaniard after facing the younger Querrey. “[Nadal] wants to keep the points as long as possible and run the guys down, kind of body blow after body blow, but if he’s on the other side of the net I don’t intend to let him do that,’’ Fish said. “You know, I'm going to come in, not necessarily Kamikaze‑type tennis, but I'm going to try to keep the points as short as possible.”
Fish says confidence and maturity are the keys to his current success. But there seems something even more driving him to new heights here. Fish is getting married at the end of September, and perhaps a life change, and the fact that he’s 26, not old but no longer one of the young guns, that is making him realize that he needs to capitalize on his opportunities now.
“I always talk to Andy [Roddick], and he obviously just, I mean, by far loves this tournament more than anything else, and I said, ‘What is it?’” Fish reflected after the Monfils match. “And he said, It's the night matches. It's walking out there, and it's just electric. You can feel it. I said, ‘I've never played a night match, so I guess I wouldn't know.’ You know, playing the other night with James [Fish beat Blake in a night match in the third round], and you can feel it. Boy, you can really feel it. You walk out there, and it's ‑‑ it almost jumps up to your favorite tournament once you just play one of those matches.’’
Fish will have a lot of people rooting for him when he steps out on court against Nadal, who not only struggled with his game in the roundof-16 encounter with Querrey but afterward complained about the amount of hard-court tennis on tour. Fish is four inches shorter than Querrey, so the high bouncing topspin that still remained in Querrey's strike zone will be more difficult for Fish to handle. But Querrey did show Fish, and everyone else, just how vulnerable Nadal is here at the Open, where despite his success at the French and Wimbledon, Nadal has never gone farther than the quarterfinals.
In fact, Querrey even had some advice for his older countryman.
“[Fish] has got to be aggressive and take chances, he can’t go baseline to baseline with Rafa,’’ Querrey said, emphasizing that Fish will have to also serve well and attack the net. “I think you’ve got to really just emphasize going backhand, backhand, backhand. Once you get a short ball you can step up and let it rip.”
For Fish’s part, he feels Nadal doesn’t like playing against players who attack, and he says the courts at the Open are playing fast enough to help his serve and allow him to be effective with his approach shots and volleys. Certainly from Fish on Wednesday, there will be no lack of intensity in his quest to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal.
Perhaps he put his quest best, and most honestly, after the Monfils match.
“I've always wanted to do well here. I think obviously I'm not unbelievably ‑‑ well, maybe I am desperate. Yes. I was desperate to do well.''
Murray – Del Potro: Bad Blood?
In a promotional bit before the start of the US Open, boxing promoter Don King staged a pugilistic-styled “Grapple in the Apple” weigh-in of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Perhaps those two mild-mannered players weren’t the best choice for the event.
Wednesday afternoon’s matchup of sixth-seeded Brit Andy Murray, 21, and the 19-year-old Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, who’s riding a 23-match win streak, comes against a backdrop of a supposed feud that has piqued interest in an already anticipated encounter.
Del Potro and Murray, 16 months apart, have known each other since junior days, but it was their May match in Rome earlier this year that has the two of them, and others privy to their playing history, talking.
In a testy match, Del Potro allegedly launched a ball at the feisty Murray’s head. At a changeover at 5-4 in the second set, the two engaged in sideline trash-talking that the umpire tried in vain to extinguish. The sit-down squabble began with Murray complaining about the attempted beaning, to which Del Potro retorted, somewhat elliptically: “You and your mother, the same always.”
That set Murray off, incensed that the Argentine would dare invoke his mum: “If you ever speak about my mum again!” The umpire pleaded with both players “to save it ‘til later.” “That is unacceptable!” cried Murray.
Del Potro sat stoically, staring straight ahead.
Murray was asked whether there was some unfinished business between the two in his press conference, after defeating Stanislas Wawrinka to advance to the match against the 6-foot-6 Del Potro.
“I haven't spoken to him since, so whether there is or not, for me it's another tennis match,” said Murray. “When you get on the court you've got to put your emotions aside and get the job done.
“Whether I like Del Potro or not really doesn't make any difference,” he continued. “When you get on the tennis court it's another match, and you've got to win.”
Murray won that first and only bout in a TKO; after splitting sets with the big Argentine, Del Potro was forced to retire with an injury in the third set.
For the curious, there’s charming youtube video evidence (complete with amusing Eurosport commentary seemingly encouraging fisticuffs) to stir the pot:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=muM-UQc_Tnk
Round 2 between these two combatants – technically the quarterfinals – is coming up Wednesday on Athur Ashe Stadium. Be there!
Perhaps those two mild-mannered players weren’t the best choice for the event.
Wednesday afternoon’s matchup of sixth-seeded Brit Andy Murray, 21, and the 19-year-old Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, who’s riding a 23-match win streak, comes against a backdrop of a supposed feud that has piqued interest in an already anticipated encounter.
Del Potro and Murray, 16 months apart, have known each other since junior days, but it was their May match in Rome earlier this year that has the two of them, and others privy to their playing history, talking.
In a testy match, Del Potro allegedly launched a ball at the feisty Murray’s head. At a changeover at 5-4 in the second set, the two engaged in sideline trash-talking that the umpire tried in vain to extinguish. The sit-down squabble began with Murray complaining about the attempted beaning, to which Del Potro retorted, somewhat elliptically: “You and your mother, the same always.”
That set Murray off, incensed that the Argentine would dare invoke his mum: “If you ever speak about my mum again!” The umpire pleaded with both players “to save it ‘til later.” “That is unacceptable!” cried Murray.
Del Potro sat stoically, staring straight ahead.
Murray was asked whether there was some unfinished business between the two in his press conference, after defeating Stanislas Wawrinka to advance to the match against the 6-foot-6 Del Potro.
“I haven't spoken to him since, so whether there is or not, for me it's another tennis match,” said Murray. “When you get on the court you've got to put your emotions aside and get the job done.
“Whether I like Del Potro or not really doesn't make any difference,” he continued. “When you get on the tennis court it's another match, and you've got to win.”
Murray won that first and only bout in a TKO; after splitting sets with the big Argentine, Del Potro was forced to retire with an injury in the third set.
For the curious, there’s charming youtube video evidence (complete with amusing Eurosport commentary seemingly encouraging fisticuffs) to stir the pot:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=muM-UQc_Tnk
Round 2 between these two combatants – technically the quarterfinals – is coming up Wednesday on Athur Ashe Stadium. Be there!
Oudin and Muhammad Friends Today, Foes Tomorrow
Grand Slam champions, Olympic gold medalists, and other established professionals lined Tuesday’s show court schedule at the US Open. The only exception to this was on Grandstand, where promising American junior Asia Muhammad opened play against Romana Tabakova of Slovakia. Muhammad, living in Las Vegas and working with Andre Agassi’s cadre of tennis minds, showed why she deserved this billing after her convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory.
Muhammad was tested early by Tabakova, a well-built 17 year old at 5’9”. The Slovak hit a number of accurate passing shots, but her most dependable weapon was her steady two-handed backhand. It needed to perform at peak levels to keep up with Muhammad’s very impressive forehand. Muhammad’s forehand motion and follow-through look advanced beyond her years, and they combined to generate great power on her shot. Though she still has some control issues, her forehand found its mark enough to take the first set 6-3. Muhammad was broken twice in the opening set, but she broke Tabakova three times, giving her the decisive edge. Her service speed helped – Muhammad ended the set with a 113 mph ace.
Across the grounds at Court 13 was Muhammad’s junior doubles partner, Melanie Oudin. The fellow American has played well at Flushing Meadows so far, which continued today after her 6-4, 6-1 win over Nastassya Burnett.
At first glance, the 5’4” Oudin doesn’t look like a commanding presence on court. But once she sets up shop on the baseline, it’s easy to see why Oudin has become the No. 2 junior in the world. Oudin made Nastassya work extremely hard for every point, and although the Italian hit the ball hard, she wasn’t consistent enough to really trouble Oudin.
Both Muhammad and Oudin also competed in the women’s tournament, but each lost in the opening round in straight sets. But they’ve regained momentum in the junior draw, winning every set on their way to the third round. So who’s playing better at the moment? We’ll find out soon enough, when Muhammad and Oudin play against each other in the third round.
In other notable girls’ matches, American Gail Brodsky came back to defeat No. 15 Linda Berlinecke 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, No. 3 seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn advanced after beating Heather Watson 6-4, 6-4, and Madison Brengle (USA) beat Silvia Njiric in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3. In boys’ competition, No. 6 Guillaume Rufin beat Blaz Rola 6-1, 6-1, and American No. 13 Bradley Klahn won in three sets against Christopher Rungkat 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Muhammad was tested early by Tabakova, a well-built 17 year old at 5’9”. The Slovak hit a number of accurate passing shots, but her most dependable weapon was her steady two-handed backhand. It needed to perform at peak levels to keep up with Muhammad’s very impressive forehand. Muhammad’s forehand motion and follow-through look advanced beyond her years, and they combined to generate great power on her shot. Though she still has some control issues, her forehand found its mark enough to take the first set 6-3. Muhammad was broken twice in the opening set, but she broke Tabakova three times, giving her the decisive edge. Her service speed helped – Muhammad ended the set with a 113 mph ace.
Across the grounds at Court 13 was Muhammad’s junior doubles partner, Melanie Oudin. The fellow American has played well at Flushing Meadows so far, which continued today after her 6-4, 6-1 win over Nastassya Burnett.
At first glance, the 5’4” Oudin doesn’t look like a commanding presence on court. But once she sets up shop on the baseline, it’s easy to see why Oudin has become the No. 2 junior in the world. Oudin made Nastassya work extremely hard for every point, and although the Italian hit the ball hard, she wasn’t consistent enough to really trouble Oudin.
Both Muhammad and Oudin also competed in the women’s tournament, but each lost in the opening round in straight sets. But they’ve regained momentum in the junior draw, winning every set on their way to the third round. So who’s playing better at the moment? We’ll find out soon enough, when Muhammad and Oudin play against each other in the third round.
In other notable girls’ matches, American Gail Brodsky came back to defeat No. 15 Linda Berlinecke 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, No. 3 seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn advanced after beating Heather Watson 6-4, 6-4, and Madison Brengle (USA) beat Silvia Njiric in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3. In boys’ competition, No. 6 Guillaume Rufin beat Blaz Rola 6-1, 6-1, and American No. 13 Bradley Klahn won in three sets against Christopher Rungkat 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
City of New York Honors Former Mayor David Dinkins
The base of the pasarelle just outside the East Gate public entryway to the US Open now has a new name, "David Dinkins Circle," after the former mayor of New York City and current USTA Board Member who was instrumental in keeping the US Open tournament in New York.
"For me, this tournament brings so many things together that I love," Dinkins said. "I love this tournament, I love this sport and I love this city. I am deeply grateful that my name will forever be associated with this tournament. It's an honor."
Dinkins assisted the USTA’s relocation of the tournament in 1978 from the private club setting of Forest Hills to its current home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, now the world’s largest public tennis facility. He also helped to re-route air traffic from neighboring LaGuardia Airport during the tournament, and then helped to develop the contract that kept the US Open in New York City.
Michael Bloomberg, the current mayor of New York City, spoke of Dinkins's contributions to the tournament, acknowledging the former mayor as a major proponent for the tournament's continued existence in New York City.
"We can thank David Dinkins that the US Open will remain in Queens for many years to come," he said. "We continue to benefit from the partnership he established more than 15 years ago."
The Circle, commemorating the 1964 World’s Fair, serves as the gateway through which most of the 700,000 annual visitors pass to attend the US Open.
In attendance at the dedication were Dinkins; Bloomberg; New York Gov. David Paterson; Edward Koch, former mayor of New York City; Betsy Gotbaum, the New York City Public Advocate; and Jane Brown Grimes, USTA President and Chairman of the Board.
"For me, this tournament brings so many things together that I love," Dinkins said. "I love this tournament, I love this sport and I love this city. I am deeply grateful that my name will forever be associated with this tournament. It's an honor."
Dinkins assisted the USTA’s relocation of the tournament in 1978 from the private club setting of Forest Hills to its current home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, now the world’s largest public tennis facility. He also helped to re-route air traffic from neighboring LaGuardia Airport during the tournament, and then helped to develop the contract that kept the US Open in New York City.
Michael Bloomberg, the current mayor of New York City, spoke of Dinkins's contributions to the tournament, acknowledging the former mayor as a major proponent for the tournament's continued existence in New York City.
"We can thank David Dinkins that the US Open will remain in Queens for many years to come," he said. "We continue to benefit from the partnership he established more than 15 years ago."
The Circle, commemorating the 1964 World’s Fair, serves as the gateway through which most of the 700,000 annual visitors pass to attend the US Open.
In attendance at the dedication were Dinkins; Bloomberg; New York Gov. David Paterson; Edward Koch, former mayor of New York City; Betsy Gotbaum, the New York City Public Advocate; and Jane Brown Grimes, USTA President and Chairman of the Board.
US Open Posts Record Breaking Week
The USTA announced that the all-time attendance record of 423,420 was set for the first week of the 2008 US Open. The USTA is projecting that more than 720,000 fans will attend this year’s event, topping last year’s all-time attendance record of more than 715,000. Attendance at the US Open has surged by more than 180,000 since the opening of Arthur Ashe Stadium in 1997 vs. 10 years ago, and over 100,000 vs. five years ago.
In 2008, bigger and younger crowds are filling Arthur Ashe Stadium to 100% of capacity for the first time. Following a record Opening Day combined crowd of 59,154, each of the next six days’ daily attendance totals topped 60,000, also for the first time.
"We are thrilled with the record response to the US Open, particularly in light of the economic challenges facing the country today," said Arlen Kantarian, CEO, Professional Tennis, USTA. "The US Open has become a global sports and entertainment event that is attracting fans from around the world in record numbers."
With the record crowds, the US Open also is enjoying some of its strongest all-time concession and merchandise sales, including:
• Total concession sales are up 6% over last year’s record sales.
• The top three food and beverage sales days in history, with each day topping more than $1.5 million in gross sales.
• Three million-dollar merchandise sales days over the course of the first week.
Additionally, USOpen.org, the official website of the US Open, has set the all-time week one record for website visits with 13.67 million visits in the first week. Users coming to USOpen.org are staying longer than ever, with the average user spending 73 minutes on the site, an increase of 14% over 2007 usage. Downloads of all exclusive content, including video programming and SlamTracker has skyrocketed in 2008.
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