Day 3 At the Open

Written by: Staff on 26th August 2011

Day 3 At the Open

Sabine Lisicki of Germany reacts after a point against Samantha Stosur of Australia during the Bank of the West tennis at Stanford University in Stanford, California, USA 28 July 2011. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

THE DRAW ANNOUNCED: The waiting is over and the draws have been released. Some quick observations from the men’s side. Saturday morning’s post will take a closer look at the women.

U.S. VS. U.S. MEN’S MATCH TO WATCH I: Reigning NCAA champion Steve Johnson from USC takes on his recent doubles partner Alex Bogomolov Jr. in the first round.

U.S. VS. U.S. MEN’S MATCH TO WATCH II: Andy Roddick faces Houston’s Michael Russell, a tour vet who has a great shot to knock off the slumping former champ.

POTENTIAL SECOND-ROUND MATCH TO WATCH: If No. 21 seeded Roddick survives Russell and wild card Jack Sock win their first-round matches, both native Nebraskans will square off against each other in Round 2. Of course, that will be a tall order for two-time Kalamazoo champion Sock, who will take on veteran Marc Gicquel of France in the first.

Question: If Roddick-Sock does happen, will they close Wal-Mart in Lincoln for the day for all to watch?

WERTHEIM’S PICK: Esteemed Sports Illustrated writer Jon L. Wertheim is picking Serena over Sharapova in the women’s final with Williams topping Andrea Petkovic and Sharapova besting Sabine Lisicki in the semis. On the men’s side, he likes Novak Djokovic over Rafa Nadal with the former beating Roger Federer in his semi and the defending champ taking out Andy Murray in his final four match.

ARTHUR ASHE KIDS’ DAY UP IN THE AIR: US.Open.org was reporting late Thursday night that “Due to the Executive Order issued by Mayor Bloomberg Thursday afternoon regarding outdoor activities occurring in the City of New York this weekend, the USTA is conferring with city officials regarding plans for Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day.”

The event is scheduled for Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, with the Stadium Show scheduled for 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. There will be a status update released by 1 p.m. on Friday. Check back to USOpen.org for all the latest news

MOST IMPRESSIVE QUALIFYING WIN OF THE DAY: Finishing just before midnight New York time on Thursday, 19-year-old American Denis Kudla won his second straight third-set tiebreaker to advance to the final qualifying round over Russian Evgeny Donskoy, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

MOST IMPRESSIVE QUALIFYING WIN OF THE DAY II: Poway’s Bradley Klahn took out No. 14 seeded Matthew Ebden of Australia, 4-6, 6-7 (5), 6-3.

U.S. MEN WHO FAILED TO ADVANCE ON THURSDAY: Greg Ouellette, Ryhne Williams, Mitchell Frank and Strode. Besides Kudla and Klahn, only two Americans remain with Michael Yani and Rajeev Ram still to play second-round matches.

US WOMEN’S QUALIFYING UPDATE: American’s Jessica Pegula and Ashley Weinhold both fell in straight sets on Thursday with Pegula taking four games in each of her sets against No. 4 seeded Edina Gallovits-Hall of Romania and Weinhold dropping two tiebreakers to Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand.

The only two Americans left are 15-year-old Taylor Townsend and Chichi Scholl, whose matches were postponed and they’ll play on Friday.

US OPEN NATIONAL PLAYOFF WINNER FALLS: Blake Strode, who won the US Open National Playoff for the second straight year, fell in the second round of qualifying to France’s Jonathan Dasnieres De Veigy, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.

TWEET OF THE DAY: From @NeilHarmanTimes (The Times of London tennis writer): “Basically, this is how NOT to do a grand slam tournament draw. A mess.”

TWEET OF THE DAY II: From @USTA_TimCurry (USTA communications director): “To the experts who dislike how the @usopen draw is made, next yr don’t watch, wait an hour and get it online. treat it like sausage #donthate.”