August 30, 2009
Nick’s Picks is back for the US Open and we are in New York City for the entire tournament to provide live coverage! Once again, we’ve partnered with Tennis Week for even more coverage and you can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr!
Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Devin Britton (USA)
Federer is back on top of the rankings and is looking for his sixth consecutive US Open title. He is coming off of an impressive run in Cincinnati where he captured the title with wins over David Ferrer, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. He seems as confident as ever and I have to say that he is the favorite right now.
Britton is an 18-year old American who received a wild-card into the tournament. He spent many years training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, and then went to college at Ole Miss this year where he won the NCAA singles title as a freshman. He was the runner-up in the 2008 Junior US Open and it is great to see him out on the big stage.
Match-Up:
This is the first career meeting between Britton and Federer, and this is really the chance of a lifetime for the young American. He will be out on center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium with the American fans cheering him on. He got to be brave and just focus on his own game. He is a serve-and-volleyer and he will come in towards the net every chance he gets. Federer will definitely not overlook the youngster, and I do expect him to move on. I just believe that for Devin, this is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and have some fun!
Nick’s Pick – Federer in 3 sets
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
Djokovic reached the finals here in 2007 and is looking to get back to where he feels he belongs. He has won two titles in 2009 (Belgrade and Dubai), and just reached the finals in Cincinnati before falling to Federer in straight sets. He is definitely a threat to win this tournament, he just needs to remain positive and focused.
Ljubicic has fallen back to #50 in the rankings, but has been as high as #3 in the world. He has been to the third round of the US Open twice, but never past that point. He has had good results in the other Grand Slams, as he reached the quarters in Australian and the semis in Paris (both in 2006).
Match-Up:
Djokovic 3-1 against Ljubicic and has beaten him twice already this year. These matches are always interesting because you are pitting Serbia versus Croatia and both sets of fans are very passionate and aren’t the best of friends! Ljubicic has a big serve and isn’t afraid to come to the net. He is dangerous for Djokovic because if his serve gets rolling and he can get into a tiebreak he can always win a couple of sets. Djokovic is one of the best all-around players in the game. He has a great return of serve, solid groundstrokes from both sides, and isn’t afraid to attack. He can’t fall asleep in this match, otherwise Ljubicic will be right in it.
Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 4 sets
Rafael Nadal (USA) vs. Richard Gasquet (FRA)
Nadal is coming off a summer of injuries and has fallen back to #3 in the world. Everyone is going to have their eyes glued to this match to see if the injuries are still effecting him in any way. If his movement is hampered, that could be a big problem for Nadal as the tournament wears on.
Gasquet is coming off of a long layoff due to a drug-related suspension. He’s been to the fourth round here twice, but hasn’t done that since 2006. If Gasquet finds his rhythm he is extremely dangerous, it is just going to be a question of whether or not he is mentally and physically ready to play again.
Match-Up:
Nadal is 6-0 against Gasquet, and clearly has the upper-hand against the Frenchman. This is the first round match that everyone is going to be watching. Gasquet was picked at a young age to be one of the best players in the world, but has never lived up to the hype. The French had really high hopes for him, but maybe the pressure was just too much. He needs to put the past behind him and start again right now. He is a brilliant shot-maker, has a fantastic one-handed backhand, and moves well. He doesn’t like to play long points, and when you are playing someone with injuries you have to try and wear them down. This will help Nadal and should make things a little easier on him. We all want to see if Nadal can play the game as physically as he has done in the past. That is the question that we are all asking. I am going to pick Nadal, but I this is going to be a very interesting match for many reasons.
Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4 sets
Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) vs. Nicolas Massu (CHI)
Gonzalez reached the quarterfinals here back in 2002, but since then he hasn’t gotten past the fourth round. He has had a pretty good summer, reaching the semis at the French Open and Washington DC, but he had to retire in the first round at Cincinnati which is never a good sign.
Massu comes into the tournament ranked #89 in the world and has been to the fourth round here before. He’s mainly been playing Challenger events in 2009, but back in 2004 he won gold at the Athens Olympics in both the singles and doubles competitions!
Match-Up:
Gonzalez is 4-1 against Massu, but the two Chileans haven’t faced since 2007. Massu has excellent groundstrokes, moves exceptionally well, but the engine is starting to run out of steam. Gonzalez has a huge forehand, big-time serve, and loves to go for winners. He just needs to keep his nose to the ground and start grinding from the outset. He can’t let things bother him and must stay focused. If he does those things, he will find himself in the second round.
Nick’s Pick – Gonzalez in 4 sets
oger Federer (SUI) vs. Devin Britton (USA)
Federer is back on top of the rankings and is looking for his sixth consecutive US Open title. He is coming off of an impressive run in Cincinnati where he captured the title with wins over David Ferrer, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. He seems as confident as ever and I have to say that he is the favorite right now.
Britton is an 18-year old American who received a wild-card into the tournament. He spent many years training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, and then went to college at Ole Miss this year where he won the NCAA singles title as a freshman. He was the runner-up in the 2008 Junior US Open and it is great to see him out on the big stage.
Match-Up:
This is the first career meeting between Britton and Federer, and this is really the chance of a lifetime for the young American. He will be out on center court at Arthur Ashe Stadium with the American fans cheering him on. He got to be brave and just focus on his own game. He is a serve-and-volleyer and he will come in towards the net every chance he gets. Federer will definitely not overlook the youngster, and I do expect him to move on. I just believe that for Devin, this is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and have some fun!
Nick’s Pick – Federer in 3 sets
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
Djokovic reached the finals here in 2007 and is looking to get back to where he feels he belongs. He has won two titles in 2009 (Belgrade and Dubai), and just reached the finals in Cincinnati before falling to Federer in straight sets. He is definitely a threat to win this tournament, he just needs to remain positive and focused.
Ljubicic has fallen back to #50 in the rankings, but has been as high as #3 in the world. He has been to the third round of the US Open twice, but never past that point. He has had good results in the other Grand Slams, as he reached the quarters in Australian and the semis in Paris (both in 2006).
Match-Up:
Djokovic 3-1 against Ljubicic and has beaten him twice already this year. These matches are always interesting because you are pitting Serbia versus Croatia and both sets of fans are very passionate and aren’t the best of friends! Ljubicic has a big serve and isn’t afraid to come to the net. He is dangerous for Djokovic because if his serve gets rolling and he can get into a tiebreak he can always win a couple of sets. Djokovic is one of the best all-around players in the game. He has a great return of serve, solid groundstrokes from both sides, and isn’t afraid to attack. He can’t fall asleep in this match, otherwise Ljubicic will be right in it.
Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 4 sets
Rafael Nadal (USA) vs. Richard Gasquet (FRA)
Nadal is coming off a summer of injuries and has fallen back to #3 in the world. Everyone is going to have their eyes glued to this match to see if the injuries are still effecting him in any way. If his movement is hampered, that could be a big problem for Nadal as the tournament wears on.
Gasquet is coming off of a long layoff due to a drug-related suspension. He’s been to the fourth round here twice, but hasn’t done that since 2006. If Gasquet finds his rhythm he is extremely dangerous, it is just going to be a question of whether or not he is mentally and physically ready to play again.
Match-Up:
Nadal is 6-0 against Gasquet, and clearly has the upper-hand against the Frenchman. This is the first round match that everyone is going to be watching. Gasquet was picked at a young age to be one of the best players in the world, but has never lived up to the hype. The French had really high hopes for him, but maybe the pressure was just too much. He needs to put the past behind him and start again right now. He is a brilliant shot-maker, has a fantastic one-handed backhand, and moves well. He doesn’t like to play long points, and when you are playing someone with injuries you have to try and wear them down. This will help Nadal and should make things a little easier on him. We all want to see if Nadal can play the game as physically as he has done in the past. That is the question that we are all asking. I am going to pick Nadal, but I this is going to be a very interesting match for many reasons.
Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4 sets
Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) vs. Nicolas Massu (CHI)
Gonzalez reached the quarterfinals here back in 2002, but since then he hasn’t gotten past the fourth round. He has had a pretty good summer, reaching the semis at the French Open and Washington DC, but he had to retire in the first round at Cincinnati which is never a good sign.
Massu comes into the tournament ranked #89 in the world and has been to the fourth round here before. He’s mainly been playing Challenger events in 2009, but back in 2004 he won gold at the Athens Olympics in both the singles and doubles competitions!
Match-Up:
Gonzalez is 4-1 against Massu, but the two Chileans haven’t faced since 2007. Massu has excellent groundstrokes, moves exceptionally well, but the engine is starting to run out of steam. Gonzalez has a huge forehand, big-time serve, and loves to go for winners. He just needs to keep his nose to the ground and start grinding from the outset. He can’t let things bother him and must stay focused. If he does those things, he will find himself in the second round.
Nick’s Pick – Gonzalez in 4 sets
     
Nick’s Picks is back for the US Open and we are in New York City for the entire tournament to provide live coverage! Once again, we’ve partnered with Tennis Week for even more coverage and you can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr!
Sabine Lisicki (GER) vs. Aravane Rezai (FRA)
Lisicki comes into the tournament ranked #24 in the world and is coming off of a successful summer, having reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. She lives and trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and is one of the best young players on the women’s tour. A good showing in New York would help propel her into the top-20 for the first time in her career.
Rezai is a 22-year old Frenchwoman who comes into New York ranked #37 in the world. She reached the fourth round of the US Open back in 2006, but hasn’t been able to repeat those results since. Since reached the fourth round of the French Open back in June she has an 8-6 record and has been up-and-down.
Match-Up:
This is the first career meeting between Lisicki and Rezai and it promises to be an interesting match. Rezai has excellent groundstrokes, moves well, and understands what it takes to win. She hasn’t been playing her best as of late, but this is a new stage and a new day and I don’t think she will let that affect her. On the other side, Lisicki’s game is based on her booming serve and extremely aggressive groundstrokes. She takes the ball early and loves to force the action. She needs to remain patient throughout this match and play defensively when needed. She needs to keep her unforced errors down to a minimum, otherwise she will find herself in trouble.
Nick’s Pick – Lisicki in 3 sets
Maria Sharapova (USA) vs. Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL)
It’s great to have Maria back on the tour, as she brings a lot of attention to the sport. She comes in ranked #30 in the world and in her last two tournaments she has reached the semis and the finals. If she continues to play like this, she is definitely a threat in New York.
Pironkova is a 21-year old Bulgarian who is currently ranked #98 in the world. She has never been past the second round of any Grand Slam and has really struggled throughout 2009 posting an 11-19 record on the year.
Match-Up:
This is the second career meeting between Pironkova and Sharapova, with Sharapova winning the first. Everyone will be watching to see how Sharapova moves and plays in her first US Open since 2007. Her biggest asset is her competitiveness and that is what has propelled her back into the top 30. She ran out of steam against Dementieva in the finals of Toronto, but it was a good sign that she was able to beat players like Petrova, Zvonareva, and Aggie Radwanska. She has to pull her toss back and go for a more consistent first serve rather than trying to hit so many aces. If Sharapova can get her serve working a bit and her movement is there, she will be a force in this tournament. I look for her to get through this match, but I definitely am going to keep my eye on her.
Nick’s Pick – Sharapova in 2 sets
Serena Williams (USA) vs. Alexa Glatch (USA)
Serena is looking for her second straight US Open title and the fourth of her illustrious career. She comes in ranked #2 in the world, but has let it be known that she believes she is the real #1. After winning Wimbledon, Serena failed to capture a title in any of the three tournaments she played in, but this is the US Open and we know that she will be ready to go.
Glatch is one of the top up-and-coming American women and was given a wild card into the tournament. She is 19-years old and comes in ranked #103 in the world. There is a lot of promise surrounding her, so I am sure many viewers will be looking to see how she performs on the big stage.
Match-Up:
Serena is 1-0 against Glatch, with that win coming earlier this year in Miami. Serena has a tendency to get off to slow starts and she can’t let that happen this year. She has got to get down to business right away and show everyone that she is ready to dominate. This is a great opportunity for Glatch to showcase her talents. She has big groundstrokes and knows how to put the ball away when she has the chance. There is no better place to Glatch to shine than at the US Open! Serena cannot lag back six to eight feet behind the baseline like she has done lately because that is when she gets into trouble. She has to get inside the baseline, take the ball early, and catch her opponents off guard. I look for Serena to advance, but this should be a fun match to watch.
Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets
Kim Clijsters (BEL) vs. Viktoriya Kutuzova (UKR)
It is so great to have Kim back on the tour and competing again. She is one of the great personalities that we have seen in some time, and she brings a high level of excitement to the court every time she plays. She has played in two tournaments so far this year, reaching the quarters in Cincinnati and the round of 16 in Toronto.
Kutuzova is a 21-year old Ukrainian who comes into the tournament ranked #79 in the world. This is only her third appearance at the US Open and her first since 2006. She has never been past the second round of any Grand Slam in her career. She hasn’t played well as of late having not won a match since the last round of qualifying at Wimbledon.
Match-Up:
These two met once before, at Wimbledon in 2006, with Clijsters winning in a walkover. Speaking of Clijsters, she is the real wild card in this tournament and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her playing well into the second week. How many people do you know that can slide on the hard court like she does? It’s like she is doing ballet out there and I am really excited to see her play again. She plays excellent defense, has fantastic groundstrokes, and understands what it takes to win. Clijsters has really played well since returning earlier this summer and I see her winning this match.
Nick’s Pick – K. Clijsters in 2 sets
     
August 28, 2009
As has been the case for most of 2009, the women’s field is once again wide open.
This draw seems top-heavy to me. On the top you have a very strong contingent of Russian women which includes: Dinara Safina, Alisa Kleybanova, Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova, Nadia Petrova, and Svetalana Kuznetsova. You’ve also got Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Sabine Lisicki, Caroline Wozniacki and Jie Zheng. This is an extremely tough half of the draw and whoever comes out is going to be battle-tested.
The top seed on the women’s side is Safina, and she is still looking for her first Grand Slam title. She has not been able to put together a strong showing in the final of a Grand Slam yet, and some people question whether or not she should be the top seed. She could face fellow Russian Kleybanova (a big hitter) in the third round and possibly Jankovic, Ivanovic, or Lisicki in the quarters.
The semis on the top half of the draw are tough to predict. You’ve got Dementieva (who I think has the best groundstrokes on tour), and two former champions here: Sharapova and Kuznetsova. Dementieva and Sharapova could meet in an epic third-round bout with the winner having to move on and face maybe Kuznetsova or even Wozniacki in the quarters. Should be interesting to follow.
On the bottom half of the draw the story revolves around two names: Williams and Clijsters. Both Serena and Venus find themselves in the bottom half with wild-card Kim Clijsters (2005 champion) also lurking. Serena, the defending champion, opens up with American Alexa Glatch, and could face Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round and possibly the uber-talented Vera Zvonareva in the quarters.
Venus and Clijsters could face in the fourth round, which would be one heck of a match. The winner of that match could be looking at Victoria Azarenka in the quarters, and beating her is never an easy task.
Don’t forget about the young Michelle Larcher de Brito. The 16-year old Portuguese sensation, who trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, opens up with Mathilde Johansson and is looking for her first career win at the US Open.
My prediction for the women’s draw has to start with Serena. Until someone knocks her off, I just can’t predict her to lose. She is so good when she is focused and fit and playing in New York always seems to bring out the best in her. Don’t be surprised if there are numerous upsets in the draw, because when the field is this wide open, who knows what will happen!!
To view Nick Bollettieri’s video interview and tennis tips please visit this $VIDEOLINK$
Tennis Week is teaming with legendary coach Nick Bollettieri to provide previews and in-depth analysis of the US Open. Nick Bollettieri, who is New York City for the Open, previews the men’s field today. Look for Nick’s Picks of the most exciting US Open matches on a round-by-round basis in the coming days.
It’s US Open time again and we are thrilled to be back in New York for the entire tournament. Be sure to stay with Nick’s Picks throughout the tournament for live coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam. We begin today with our breakdown of the men’s draw.
The big story about the men’s draw is the change at the top. For the first time in a long while, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal could have faced off before the final. Nadal has slipped to No. 3 in the rankings because of injuries and Federer and Andy Murray have taken over the top two spots. Alas, it was not to be, as Nadal was placed in Murray’s half of the draw and can still face Federer in the finals.
Speaking of Federer, he starts off with an interesting match against young American, Devin Britton. Britton spent many years training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and then as a freshman in college he won the NCAA singles championship this year at Ole Miss. Britton is a serve-and-volleyer and this will be a great experience for him.
Assuming Federer plays like he has, he should be able to move through the draw with not many issues. He could face Lleyton Hewitt in the third round and possibly James Blake in the fourth, but I don’t see either of those guys stopping FedEx. A potential Nikolay Davydenko quarter could be tricky, but the match we all want to see is a Federer vs. Andy Roddick semifinal. After a fantastic Wimbledon final, a rematch in the semis here would be must-see TV.
Roddick’s path could be tough though as he could run into some trouble in the fourth round against either Tommy Haas or Fernando Verdasco. He would also have to get by Novak Djokovic in the quarters, whom he lost to in last year’s quarterfinals. Since then though, Roddick has beaten Djokovic three consecutive times — all this year.
On the bottom half of the draw, all the talk is about Murray and Nadal. Murray, last year’s runner-up, begins his quest for a first Grand Slam title with a tough opponent in Ernests Gulbis. He could also face a big-serving third round opponent as Ivo Karlovic and Taylor Dent both loom in that section of the draw.
Those guys aren’t the only big guys who can serve in the bottom half, as they are joined by Jo-Willy Tsonga, Tomas Berdych, Juan Martin Del Potro, Marin Cilic, and Stan Wawrinka. All of those guys are talented enough to beat anyone. You’ve also got a couple of sly Frenchmen in Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon in the draw; watch out for those guys as well!
The match everyone is going to be looking at early on is Nadal vs. Richard Gasquet. We all know that Nadal has been dealing with injuries, but Gasquet is playing in his first ATP Tour level match since April after missing most of 2009 because of a drug suspension. He comes in ranked No. 46 in the world, but has been as high as No. 7. This will be a very interesting match for both players.
Overall, I think the bottom half of the draw is a bit stronger than the top half just because of the quantity of men who are more than capable of taking down the top guys. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any one of those guys playing well into the second week.
To view Nick Bollettieri’s video interview and tennis tips please visit this $VIDEOLINK$
Roger Federer begins his quest for a sixth straight US Open title against American Devin Britton
It’s US Open time again and we are thrilled to be back in New York for the entire tournament. Be sure to stay with Nick’s Picks throughout the tournament for live coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam. We begin today with our breakdown of the draws.
Men’s Draw
The big story about the men’s draw is the change at the top. For the first time in a long while, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal could have faced before the finals. Nadal has slipped to #3 in the rankings because of injuries and Federer and Andy Murray have taken over the top two spots. Alas, it was not to be, as Nadal was placed in Murray’s half of the draw and can still face Federer in the finals.
Speaking of Federer, he starts off with an interesting match against young American, Devin Britton. Britton spent many years training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and then as a freshman in college he won the NCAA singles championship this year at Ole Miss. Britton is a serve-and-volleyer and this will be a great experience for him.
Assuming Federer plays like he has, he should be able to move through the draw with not many issues. He could face Lleyton Hewitt in the third round and possibly James Blake in the fourth, but I don’t see either of those guys stopping FedEx. A potential Nikolay Davydenko quarter could be tricky, but the match we all want to see is a Federer/Andy Roddick semifinal. After a fantastic Wimbledon final, a rematch in the semis here would be must-see TV.
Roddick’s path could be tough though as he could run into some trouble in the fourth round against either Tommy Haas or Fernando Verdasco. He would also have to get by Novak Djokovic in the quarters, whom he lost to in last year’s quarterfinals. Since then though, Roddick has beaten him three consecutive times (all this year).
On the bottom half of the draw, all the talk is about Murray and Nadal. Murray, last year’s runner-up, begins his quest for a first Grand Slam title with a tough opponent in Ernests Gulbis. He could also face a big-serving third round opponent as Ivo Karlovic and Taylor Dent both loom in that section of the draw.
Those guys aren’t the only big guys who can serve in the bottom half, as they are joined by Jo-Willy Tsonga, Tomas Berdych, Juan Martin Del Potro, Marin Cilic, and Stan Wawrinka. All of those guys are talented enough to beat anyone. You’ve also got a couple of sly Frenchmen in Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon in the draw; watch out for those guys as well!
The match everyone is going to be looking at early on is Nadal vs. Richard Gasquet. We all know that Nadal has been dealing with injuries, but Gasquet is playing in his first ATP Tour level match since April after missing most of 2009 because of a drug suspension. He comes in ranked #46 in the world, but has been as high as #7. This will be a very interesting match for both players.
Overall, I think the bottom half of the draw is a bit stronger than the top half just because of the quantity of men who are more than capable of taking down the top guys. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any one of those guys playing well into the second week.
Women’s Draw
As has been the case for most of 2009, the field is once again wide open. This draw seems top-heavy to me. On the top you have a very strong contingent of Russian women which includes: Dinara Safina, Alisa Kleybanova, Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova, Nadia Petrova, and Svetalana Kuznetsova. You’ve also got Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Sabine Lisicki, Caroline Wozniacki and Jie Zheng. This is an extremely tough half of the draw and whoever comes out is going to be battle-tested.
The top-seed on the women’s side is Safina, and she is still looking for her first Grand Slam title. She has not been able to put together a strong showing in the finals of a Grand Slam yet, and some people question whether or not she should be the top seed. She could face fellow Russian Kleybanova (a big hitter) in the third round and possibly Jankovic, Ivanovic, or Lisicki in the quarters.
The semis on the top half of the draw are tough to predict. You’ve got Dementieva (who I think has the best groundstrokes on tour), and two former champions here: Sharapova and Kuznetsova. Dementieva and Sharapova could meet in an epic third-round bout with the winner having to move on and face maybe Kuznetsova or even Wozniacki in the quarters. Should be interesting to follow.
On the bottom half of the draw the story revolves around two names: Williams and Clijsters. Both Serena and Venus find themselves in the bottom half with wild-card Kim Clijsters (2005 champion) also lurking. Serena, the defending champion, opens up with American Alexa Glatch, and could face Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round and possibly the uber-talented Vera Zvonareva in the quarters.
Venus and Clijsters could face in the fourth round, which would be one heck of a match. The winner of that match could be looking at Victoria Azarenka in the quarters, and beating her is never an easy task.
Don’t forget about the young Michelle Larcher de Brito. The 16-year old Portuguese sensation, who trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, opens up with Mathilde Johansson and is looking for her first career win at the US Open.
My prediction for the women’s draw has to start with Serena. Until someone knocks her off, I just can’t predict her to lose. She is so good when she is focused and fit and playing in New York always seems to bring out the best in her. Don’t be surprised if there are numerous upsets in the draw, because when the field is this wide open, who knows what will happen!!
     
August 24, 2009
August 17, 2009
Matt Reid training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy
With visions of expanding his game and growing his talent, Matt Reid about five years ago moved out of his comfort level and home country of Australia to enroll in the residency program at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy.
Almost immediately upon arriving, Reid caught a glimpse of a young, fast and powerful Donald Young – now a 20-year-old ATP player ranked No. 176 worldwide.
“My coach and I just looked at each other like, ‘If everyone’s like him, we might as well pack our bags and go home,’” Reid, now 19 years old, said with a laugh. “The depth here is amazing. There are just so many good players from around the world.”
Reid, though, stuck it out. He played match after match and spent countless hours on the court. This year, the work ethic paid dividends in the form of an ITF win and second-place finish in the last month, as well as serving as a hitting partner for Australia’s Davis Cup team.
But before he got there, Reid has to fight his way through the ranks at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy.
“He was a little kid and smaller than most of the other kids his age,” Bollettieri remembers. “He had to fight his fanny off to win.”
Soon after arriving, Reid realized only playing – and winning – against his on-campus peers would raise his game. An Australian roommate helped him get through the initial stage.
“I always had my parents with me, but then I came here by myself, and it really toughened me up,” he said. “I stayed with Adam Kennedy, another Aussie guy, and he was like a brother to me. When I was younger and lost a match, I’d sulk around a bit. He basically told me I just had to let it go and move on.”
Reid quickly improved and moved up Academy ranks. He played for a year without losing a match in a group coached by Paul Forsyth, waiting for the call up to a more elite group with coach Red Ayme.
In the meantime, he got a chance to experience the Academy’s off-court positive attributes. He moved in with roommates from places like Mexico and Brazil who always wanted to go with him to an Outback Steakhouse and tried to trick him into eating spicy foods. He matured through living away from his parents. The competitive atmosphere drove him to keep improving.
Time passed, he eventually got the promotion to Ayme’s group and in late 2008 Reid started playing the pro circuit to earn ATP points. In less than a year, Reid has jumped from 1,110 in the ATP rankings to 586 currently.
Reid also earned a spot on the Australian Davis Cup practice team and spent a bulk of the spring hitting with professionals like Lleyton Hewitt, Carsten Ball and Chris Guccione. The experience ingrained in him a desire to one day play for his country.
“The team atmosphere and how patriotic they are was amazing,” Reid said. “They’d do anything for their country.”
Bollettieri, who has coached 10 No. 1 worldwide players, compares Reid to his countryman Hewitt. He sees the same fight in Reid as a 19-year-old that Reid showed as a small youngster years ago.
“You’ve got to watch out for him,” Bollettieri said. “He’s going to be a late bloomer. You have to beat him. He’s not going to give you the match.”
     
August 13, 2009
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