RICKY DIMON REPORTS ON SMYCZEK’S LOSS TO NADAL ADDS TO AMERICAN HEARTBREAK DOWN UNDER IN THE HOT AUZZIE SUMMER FROM THE #AO15 TODAY

Written by: Staff on 22nd January 2015

RICKY DIMON REPORTS ON SMYCZEK'S LOSS TO NADAL ADDS TO AMERICAN HEARTBREAK DOWN UNDER IN THE HOT AUZZIE SUMMER FROM THE #AO15 TODAY

epa04572975 Tim Smyczek of the US in a break against Rafael Nadal of Spain during their second round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament runs from 19 January until 01 February 2015. EPA/Barbara Walton |

By recent standards, this is already a successful Australian Open for the American men. Two are through to the third round as of Thursday afternoon Australia time and both John Isner and Steve Johnson have advanced in convincing fashion.

But it could be oh so much better.

Three of the USA’s exits came in the form of five-setters, all of which saw the American man in question play from ahead. In the first round, Sam Querrey lost to Vasek Pospisil 6-4 in the fifth set and Denis Kudla succumbed to Feliciano Lopez 10-8 in the decider. In the second round, Tim Smyczek played the match of his life before going down to 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal 7-5 in the final stanza.

Querrey led Pospisil two sets to one and held with ease most of the way through the fourth and fifth only to get broken out of nowhere at 4-5 in each set. Had the 6’6” American won, he could not have faced a seeded opponent until Stan Wawrinka in the last 16. Kudla served for victory against Lopez and had three match points but could not seal the deal. He possibly could have gotten a retirement from Adrian Mannarino in the next round (Mannarino retired against Lopez on Thursday). Needless to say, these were huge opportunities that went by the wayside.

And then there was Smyczek, who did no wrong inside Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night.

For Smyczek, who had never experienced a moment or match quite like this one, it was about handling nerves in uncharted territory. Thankfully and perhaps unexpectedly given the situation, Nadal won this showdown late in the fifth set more than Smyczek lost it. Rarely is that the case for a player ranked outside the top 100 who had never previously performed on any of the four biggest courts in the world. Smyczek had never been on Rod Laver. Not once on Court Philippe Chatrier. Zero times on Center Court at the All-England Club. A stranger to Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Tim Smyczek of the USA returns the ball to Rafael Nadal of Spain during their second round match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2015. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Yet his level never noticeably dipped. Smyczek’s winner-to-error ratio was +5 in the third, the fourth, and the fifth.

“I started to believe that I really had a chance and could get it done,” said the qualifier, who led two sets to one. “But he turned it up to another gear. That’s why he’s been one of the best for years and years…. I mean, (I’m) very happy with the way I played. I think that’s the longest I’ve sustained a level like that. Throughout my career I’ve had flashes like that, but definitely one of the positives I’ll take (is) being able to sustain that.”

Even better was Smyczek’s sportsmanship. With Nadal attempting to close out the match at 6-5, 30-0, a fan screamed during a first serve that was hit well long. It was Smyczek–not the chair umpire–who gave Nadal another first serve.

Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Tim Smyczek of the US during their second round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament runs from 19 January until 01 February 2015. EPA/Filip Singer

“I thought it was the right thing to do,” Smyczek said in typically understated fashion.

As cruel fate would have it, he lost that point on a missed first serve return then reeled off three straight points to reach deuce. Would Smyczek have won the 0-30 point then broken Nadal with those three ensuing points to even the match at 6-6? It is likely, one would think, that Nadal would have played with a greater margin for error from 30-15 up instead of 40-0 and still managed to serve it out for victory. But we’ll never know. The only thing we know unequivocally is that Smyczek would have had better chance to break serve in the biggest game of his career had he not granted his opponent a first delivery.

“What he did in the last game…,” Nadal reflected in his on-court interview, “not a lot of people will do something like this at 6-5 in the fifth after four hours.”

In defeat, Smyczek unquestionably won. It’s something Americans have almost done a lot of this week, but alas, it has been more of a case of close but no cigar.

Rafael Nadal (L) of Spain congratulates Tim Smyczek (R) of the US after Nadal won their second round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2015. The Australian Open tennis tournament runs from 19 January until 01 February 2015. EPA/Barbara Walton

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: AO15, Atp, Australian Open, John Isner, Melbourne, Rafael Nadal, Ricky Dimon, Rod Laver Arena, Steve Johnson, Tennis, Tim Smyczek

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10sBalls_com says:

January 22, 2015 at 8:29 am

-@Dimonator REPORTS ON @timsmyczek’s LOSS TO @RafaelNadal ADDS TO AMERICAN HEARTBREAK DOWN UNDER IN THE #AO15… http://t.co/mBnWETYJKH #ATP
Dimonator says:

January 22, 2015 at 8:31 am

RT @10sBalls_com: -@Dimonator REPORTS ON @timsmyczek’s LOSS TO @RafaelNadal ADDS TO AMERICAN HEARTBREAK DOWN UNDER IN THE #AO15… http://t…
dusanVemic says:

January 22, 2015 at 9:09 am

RT @10sBalls_com: -@Dimonator REPORTS ON @timsmyczek’s LOSS TO @RafaelNadal ADDS TO AMERICAN HEARTBREAK DOWN UNDER IN THE #AO15… http://t…