GroundsPass.net: Tennis . . . Outside the Lines™

2009 LA Women’s Tennis Champs IV

August 6th, 2009

Hey Tennis Friends!

The field is narrowing . . .

The final scores for the matches I mentioned are:

Agnieszka Radwanska d. Anna Chakvetadze 6-3, 6-2
I did cheer on Anna during her match, but it wasn’t enough. She seemed to be frustrated with her playing most of the time.

Flavia Pennetta d. Nadia Petrova 6-3, 6-3

Jie Zheng d. Dinara Safina 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
What a great match this was! Very close throughout, and quite the upset for the draw. Jie Zheng has lost to the number one, Safina, four times before.
She said it was, ” . . . amazing for me because I’ve never beat Safina before . . . every point I used 100% for moving.”

I’ll see you next time, with more tennis, . . . outside the lines!

– Marcus Tennis

2009 LA Women’s Tennis Champs III

August 5th, 2009

Hey Tennis Friends!

The stadium opened up for the day session, but there are still plenty of great matches to view from the front row of the outer courts, as well!

The final scores for the matches I mentioned are:

Anna Chakvetedze d. Alisa Kleybanova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
Yay! Anna Was down 3-0 at the beginning of the second set, so I was getting a little worried. Fortunately she was able to pull it all together.

Alona Bondarenko d. Lucie Safarova 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
This was an amazing battle with long points, and both players forcing each other to run from side to side, . . . a lot!

Maria Shrapova d. Victoria Azarenka 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2
There were a few crying babies that eventually got removed from the stadium. Maria was asked if she heard the baby . . . ,”My grandmother in Russia heard the baby!”

Tomorrow, Maria plays against Alona Bondarenko. When asked her assessment of that match, she said that she looks forward to it because she lost to her earlier this year, and, “Bottom line is, I just don’t like losing to the same person twice in a row.”

I’ll see you next time, with more tennis, . . . outside the lines!

– Marcus Tennis

2009 LA Women’s Tennis Champs II

August 4th, 2009

Hey Tennis Friends!

The weather is great out here, thanks to an early afternoon breeze!

Correction: There is no “Caroline Wozniak” in tennis. I had combined the names of Caroline Wozniacki, from Denmark, and the person whom Bethany was really playing, ALEKSANDRA Wozniak, from Canada.

Also, apparently the stadium is being used for day session, starting Wednesday.

The final scores for the matches I mentioned are:

Daniela Hantuchova d. Melanie Oudin 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-2

Aleksandra Wozniak d. Bethany Mattek-Sands 7-5, 7-5

Daniela Hantuchova / Ai Sugiyama d. Jill Craybas / Carly Gullickson 6-4, 6-1

Here’s a photo detailing Bethany Mattek-Sands’ “old school” socks:
Bethany Mattek-Sands and her funky socks.

I’ll see you next time, with more tennis, . . . outside the lines!

– Marcus Tennis

2009 LA Women’s Tennis Champs I

August 3rd, 2009

Hey Tennis Friends!

I know that sometimes the videos get a little long, but there is so much happening, that it’s hard to contain it all! You’re not going to believe who I got to talk to today . . .

The weather is going to be warm all week, but not unbearable. Plus, the evenings are cooooool.
Get yourself out here already, it is the best value in tennis! Where else are you gonna get front row seats to pro tennis, US Open Series, for less than $50 (and, that includes parking)?

The final scores for the matches I mentioned are:

Anna Chakvetadze d. Virginie Razzano 7-6 (5), 6-3
Yay! I picked her draw number, you know . . .

Chia-Jung Chuang / Zi Yan d. Sorana Cirstea / Caroline Wozniacki
1-6, 6-4, (10-5)

Maria Sharapova d. Jarmila Groth 6-0, 6-4
I asked Maria if she felt that the game had changed in the short period that she was gone from it. She said, “I see many yougner girls coming up, . . .
as a 22 year old, you almost find yourself on the “old wagon”.

I’ll see you next time, with more tennis, . . . outside the lines!

– Marcus Tennis

2009 LA Tennis Open VI

August 1st, 2009

Hey Tennis Friends!

It has been a week of terrific weather, and terrific tennis!

Sorry I couldn’t show any video of me emceeing the LA Women’s Tennis Championships main draw event. I was actually working during that time.

The final scores for the matches I mentioned are:

Carsten Ball d. Leonardo Mayer 7-5, 7-6(3)
Carsten is the first qualifier to reach the final at the LA Tennis Open in the Open Era.
He had some difficulty in the last couple of challenger tournaments, but of his success this week, he said, “I’ve pulled it togther mentally. A little confidence and self belief goes a long way.”
I asked him why he chose to commute home to Newport Beach (50 miles away, and much more time in traffic) every day this week. His response was, “To be traveling thirty weeks a year, and to spend a night at home is really good.”

Sam Querrey d. Tommy Haas 6-3, 7-5
Quote from Tommy, “That’s what happens when you don’t focus like you should when you play the big points.”
Sam has reached three ATP finals in a row. I asked him if he was afraid of Carsten, since he seems to be on a hot streak, and Sam said that he’s happy for him, because they are buddies.
He’s played Carsten ten times in the juniors, but hasn’t played against him since he beat him in the 2005 Easter Bowl junior tournament.

When asked who’s taller, Sam smiled and said, “I think I’ve got him by an inch.”

I’ll see you next time, with more tennis, . . . outside the lines!

– Marcus Tennis

GroundsPass.net

2009 LA Women’s Tennis Champs IV

2009 LA Women’s Tennis Champs III

2009 LA Women’s Tennis Champs II

2009 LA Women’s Tennis Champs I

2009 LA Tennis Open VI

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