USTA US Open Wild Card Playoffs

Written by: Staff on 20th August 2011

USTA US Open Wild Card Playoffs |

College Park, Md—Madison Keys tried not to think about her “match in progress” status before she went to bed Thursday night, but admitted it wasn’t easy.

“It’s hard not to think about it but you just have to put it out of your mind,” said Keys, who was down 4-3 to Ashley Weinhold on Thursday before the rains came down and pushed the USTA U.S. Open Wild Card Playoff back one day. “Usually you have the first game or two to get over the nerves but that 4-3 game is a big one.”

The 16-year-old No. 7 seeded player from Boca Raton , Fla. , Keys rallied to beat No. 2 Weinhold, 7-5, 6-2, on Friday to advance on at the event being played at the Junior Champions Tennis Training Center at College Park , Md.

“It’s awesome to get the invite to an event like this,” Keys added. “All eight of us are happy to be here but by the end of the tournament only one of us will be really happy.”

That’s because the winner of both the men’s and women’s events receive the final wild card into the main draw of the U.S. Open to be played Aug. 29-Sept. 11 in New York City .

Like Keys, top-seeded Julia Cohen found it tough to sleep after failing to win a game Thursday against Stanford sophomore Nicole Gibbs before the bad weather hit, 6-0, 1-0. Cohen said the rain couldn’t have come at a better time as she came back Friday to topple Gibbs, 0-6, 7-5, 6-3 to move into Saturday’s semifinals where she’ll next face No. 5 seeded Beatrice Capra of Ellicott City, Md.

“I didn’t sleep too good last night but just had to forget about it,” said Cohen, of Philadelphia , Pa. , the highest women’s seeded player in the draw and ranked No. 175 in the world. “My coach (Connor Taylor) told me not to think about it. You only have to win two sets. Tomorrow is a new day.”

In the other women’s matches, the defending champion at this event Capra (No. 5) beat Ahsha Rolle (No. 4), 6-1, 6-4 while Gail Brodsky (No. 3) downed Jessica Pegula (No. 6), 6-2, 3-6, 6-0.

Capra won two rounds in the main draw of the Open last year before falling to Maria Sharapova; all after winning this event. Capra did not receive a qualifying wild card into this year’s Open so she knows this weekend is her final shot to get back to the Big Show.

“It would be nice to get into the Open, but If I don’t win I start college in two days,” said Capra. “So it’s really a win-win for me just to be here.”

On the men’s side, University of Tennessee teammates and best friends Rhyne Williams (No. 5) and Tennys Sandgren (No. 4), battled it out with Williams winning, 6-4, 6-4. “We’ve hit every day for two straight years so every point has already been played over and over,” Williams said. “It just really stinks that we had to play each other and someone has to lose. But it feels great to move on.”

In the night matches, top-seeded Bobby Reynolds of Acworth , Ga. , the oldest player in the draw at age 29, beat Bradley Klahn, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-1. At the same time, former UCLA Bruin Daniel Kosakowski (No. 3) of Huntington Park , Calif. , def. Mitchell Frank (No. 6) of Annandale , Va. , 6-4, 6-1.

Friday’s Scores

Julia Cohen (1), Philadelphia , Pa. , def. Nicole Gibbs (8), Santa Monica , Calif. , 0-6, 7-5, 6-3

Beatrice Capra (5), Ellicott City , Md. , def. Ahsha Rolle (4), Miami Shores , Fla. , 6-1, 6-4

Madison Keys (7), Boca Raton , Fla. , def. Ashley Weinhold (2), Austin , Texas , 7-5, 6-2

Gail Brodsky (3), Brooklyn , N.Y. , def. Jessica Pegula (6), Boca Raton , Fla. , 6-2, 3-6, 6-0

Denis Kudla (2), Arlington , Va. , def. Bjorn Fratangelo (7), Pittsburgh , Pa. , 6-3, 6-4

Daniel Kosakowski (3), Huntington Park , Calif. , def. Mitchell Frank (6), Annandale , Va. , 6-4, 6-1

Rhyne Williams (5), Knoxville , Tenn. , def. Tennys Sandgren (4), Gallatin , Tenn. , 6-4, 6-4

Bobby Reynolds (1), Acworth , Ga. , def. Bradley Klahn (8), Poway , Calif. , 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-1

Saturday’s Schedule

Stadium Court, 4 p.m.

Julia Cohen (1), Philadelphia , Pa. , vs. Beatrice Capra (5), Ellicott City , Md.

Followed by

Denis Kudla (2), Arlington , Va. , vs. Daniel Kosakowski (3), Huntington Park , Calif.

Grandstand Court, 4 p.m.

Gail Brodsky (3), Brooklyn , N.Y. , vs. Madison Keys (7), Boca Raton , Fla. ,

Followed by

Bobby Reynolds (1), Acworth , Ga. , vs. Rhyne Williams (5), Knoxville , Tenn.

Sunday’s Finals Schedule

Sunday 11 am: Women’s final followed by men’s final

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