Hey Tennis Friends!
It’s semifinal day and the event is sold out! I hope that you were able to get your tickets . . .
Limited walk-up tickets are available for the finals on Sunday. There are also $25 grounds pass tickets that allows fans to watch all action on Grandstand and the Center Court action on the giant video walls in the food court.
Today’s web-only exclusive is bonus excerpts from the transcripts of the Q&A with Mardy Fish, Jelena Jankovic, and Andrea Petkovic at today’s post-match press conferences:
MARCUS TENNIS: When Andy’s on the other side grabbing his hamstring between points acting injured, but then plays fantastic side to side shots, how does that affect you?
MARDY FISH: “Not much. Look, it’s deep into a tournament, deep into the year. Everybody’s got something going on. It’s sort of a rope-a-dope type play, but it’s not the first time I played him.”
MARCUS TENNIS: When you come out and you see your opponent is so taped up on one leg, how does that change your game plan?
JELENA JANKOVIC: “I didn’t really, you know, think about that. I really didn’t let that affect me in any way. So far, if I didn’t see the tape around her leg, I would probably never notice that she has some problem because she was moving really well and she never showed any sign of, you know, maybe some pain or something like that.
I thought that she played well. I think overall it was a good match. I just focused on my tennis and what I can do to win the match.”
MARCUS TENNIS: When you have to get so taped up on your leg, as you said, you had plenty of tape on there, when you’re putting it on, is there any part of you thinking, What am I doing here? Maybe I ought to withdraw and rest up for the Open.
ANDREA PETKOVIC: “Actually, I thought about it. Once I knew it wasn’t the ACL I knew I was going to play. That was 100%, even when they did the taping and everything. The audience come and want to see two semifinals and they pay a lot money.
I talked to the doctor, and he said, Listen, with the tape it’s not going to get worse. I’m not the type of person to just withdraw and leave the audience out there. It kind of sucks.
You know, when you go I go to concerts and the band comes two hours late and plays for 45 minutes and then they leave, then I’m really, really pissed. I just tried to put myself in their position.
The moment that I knew I’m probably going to be fine for the US Open I knew I’m going to play. And I would rather die than retire, so the decision was quite easy for me.”
The final scores for the matches I featured are:
Andy Murray d. Mardy Fish 6-3, 7-6(8)
Mahesh Bhupathi / Leander Paes
d. Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 1-6, 7-6(2) [10-7]
Maria Sharapova d. Vera Zvonareva 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
For tickets and more information on the Western & Southern Open,
visit their web site here: cincytennis.com
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I’ll see you next time, with more tennis, . . . outside the lines!
– Marcus Tennis
Tags: 2011, Andrea Petkovic, Andy Murray, Big Butter Jesus, Bob & Mike Bryan, Bob Bryan, Bryan Brothers, Cincinnati, CincyTennis.com, Jelena Jankovic, Leander Paes, Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mahesh Bhupathi, Mardy Fish, Maria Sharapova, Mason, Midwest, Mike Bryan, Ohio, Skippy, Tennis, The Bryan Brothers, UDF, United Dairy Farmers, US Open Series, USTA, Vera Zvonareva, Western & Southern Financial Group
