www.scta.usta.com SoSCTAuthern California Tennis Association news SEPTEMBER 2005 More Than The Names Stories By Mark Winters Whether it was Roland Garros, the 75th Rick Leach made were, there was more to the local tennis annual terre battue spring treat, or the 119 th headlines, playing his 20th story, in Paris and London, than the play of go at the All England Lawn Te n nis & Croquet consecutive Wimbledon, the big names. Justin Gimelstob, Angela WClub, Southern Californians were in the competing in the Gentle- Haynes, Marissa Irvin, Kevin Kim, Abigail action. Lindsay Davenport, a quarterfinalist in men’s Doubles and the Spears and Meilen Tu a l l h a d their Paris and a finalist in London, along with the 35 And Over Gentle- moments, leaving each one with not to be Bryans, (Bob and Mike), finalists at both men’s Invitation Doubles. forgotten memories. A summary of their events, were the major news makers. Rick Leach As grand as they all exploits follows. ........................................................... Growing Confidence t is understandable that Abigail Spears’ door. In Paris, Severine Beltrame of France favorite movies are “Braveheart” and slid to a 6-3, 6-1 win. “My opponent was “...Each of “Gladiator”. Making her way on the pro somebody I knew; I had already defeated I these matches tour since leaving UCLA in 2000, she has a her,” the winner said. “The conditions were need for a brave heart and gladiator spirit. really favorable to me.” was a learning These qualities, along with an aggressive In her first singles appearance at experience.” baseline game, solidified by Larry Willens’ Wimbledon, she dropped a tense, 6-0, 2-6, guidance, led to an “I’m here” tournament 6-2 struggle to grass court loving Anne result last fall. Kremer of Luxembourg, a former Stanford star. As a qualifier, she was a Quebec City An expressive Spears,ranked No. 150 a finalist.Before the year was finished, Spears year ago and No. 72 when Wimbledon was a semifinalist and won her first WTA began, said, “it was awesome. It’s so good to doubles title with Bethanie Mattek at play singles here. In the first set, I couldn’t get Vancouver. She completed 2004 ranked a ball past the service line because I was inside the top 10 0 (No. 92) for the first time playing my dream. On the first point, I in her career. couldn’t even breathe. In the second set, I Having qualified for the 2004 US Open, was better, but in the third I fell off again. I Photos: ©Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA she earned her first Grand Slam tournament never really hit out. I never loosened up. I felt singles wins reaching the third round at the I had an opportunity and I got a little tight. Slovenia. “I won my first match here with Australian Open. As a junior,she was the top This match, all I had to do was play my game. Nathan Healey,” she recalled. “In 2003, I ranked doubles player in both 1998 and ’99. I didn’t and it was three sets.” played with Jared Palmer. We won one, then When she made the transition to the pro Playing with Lisa McShea of Australia, lost to Mahesh Bhupathi/Paola Suarez. Each tour, she gained experience playing doubles Spears reached the third round. Teaming of these matches was a learning experience.” while her singles game was developing. with Brian MacPhie, she notched her third With Willens continuing to provide coun- At Roland Garros, as was the case in career Wimbledon mixed doubles win. The cil, Spears is looking ahead. “I still have to Australia, she was in the main draw, not duo then dropped a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 second work on my confidence,” she said. “I also because she was a doubles specialist, but round contest to Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia have to work on my serve. That is part of because her singles skills had opened the and Montenegro/Katarina Srebotnik of confidence. As it gets better so will I.” www.scta.usta.com None Other... here is no question that lucky loser, back is like.” Justin Gimelstob’s shot making He moved on. “I started (from No. 250) T was brilliant during his 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, exactly a year ago, a week before 7-6 second round victory at Wimbledon Wimbledon last year,” he said of his return over Nicolas Massu of Chile. But, as good to the court following foot surgery.” He as it was, his postmatch press conference continued, “I’ve had really bad problems was even better. with my back. Even this year, I’ve missed Having injured his back winning a second probably six weeks of tournaments with “It will probably be round qualifying match against Vladimir my back. I had my 13th cortisone injection my third time Vol tch kov of B elarus, he shouldn’t have been Wednesday. It’s worked so well, since it’s coming from on the court. Forced to play one game lucky No. 13. It was my third this year. against George Bastl of Switzerland in the Three in a year, maybe for three years. I’m oblivion back to last round of qualifying (at Roehampton well past that. We’re kind of going into the top 100...” which he said was “like this prairie field”) uncharted territory.” before retiring, the move made him eligible He continued saying, “you wouldn’t to get into the main draw as a lucky loser believe the places I’ve been to try to get my (which goes to the highest ranked loser in ranking back. I was playing a Challenger in the final round of qualifying). Pusan, Korea, then I flew to a Challenger in “This is the beginning of my 10th year on Sacramento. This is my third continent in the tour and I’ve never gotten the lucky four weeks. loser in my career,” he said. “A couple of Making his way back up the rankings is No. 3 seed earned a 7-6, 6-4, 7-5 third years ago, I lost 16 -14 in t h e fifth, in the last not the former UCLA All-American and round victory. round of qualies and was the first lucky loser NCAA doubles winner’s only concern. “He likes to play high-energy tennis,” not to get in. Last year,I was the first lucky Gimelstob, who has a house in Santa Hewitt said. “You’ve got to take your hat loser not to get in.” Monica Canyon “to be closer to my UCLA off to the guy who is throwing himself all As Gimelstobian as the commentary is, roots”, said of the university, “I love it. I around the place.” it gets better. In order to play, and subse- wish I was able to spend more time in col- Particularly when it results in injury. “I quently earn a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 victory over lege. (He left following his sophomore year think I have a minor tear or strain of my Adrian Garcia of Chile, he had to have a in 1996.) I’m actively still pursuing my col- pec or biceps tendon,” he reported.“I had cortisone injection in his back. “It will prob- lege degree. I believe 100% that I’ll get a tingles down my whole arm. I was actual- ably be my third time coming from oblivion college degree. I love UCLA. I spend a lot ly considering stopping play. Any other back to the top 100,”he said.“I’m not a of time there.” place, except maybe the US Open, I would martyr, I haven’t had it so bad. I only have Lleyton Hewitt of Australia was next have stopped. I was trying to squeeze all to look to my left to my good friend up. While Gimelstob’s almost sacrificial div- the blood out of the stone that there Corina Morariu to see what a real come- ing volleys extended numerous points, the possibly was.” ........................................................... Three And Tu “Ordinarily, people don’t do it...It’s a dog fight. eilen Tu set an Open Era record, to do it in the first three of the Big Four Everyone wants or so it seems, since the WTA only events of a year. Mhas figures back to 2001, qualifying “Ordinarily, people don’t do it,” she said that qualifying spot.” for Wimbledon. Doing so, she added a third of her three-for-three success. “It’s just too leg to her 2005 Grand Slam tournament play, hard. It’s a dog fight. Everyone wants that Photo: Getty Images having also qualified at the Australian Open qualifying spot.” you have the Europeans as qualifying oppo- and Roland Garros. Literally playing a tournament before a nents. But, they all grew up on it. They are In 2002, Iveta Benesova of the Czech tournament depletes one’s resources both all good on clay.” Republic trioed, qualifying at Roland Garros, physically and mentally.“I think that every Tu w a s t h e only American to survive Wimbledon and US Open. Antonella Serra American going to Roland Garros faces a dif- the 96 player qualifying and earn one of Zanetti of Italy put together an Australian ficult time,” she said. “If you take the Spanish the 12 main draw spots in Paris. As Open, Wimbledon and US Open triple the and the Argentines, along with the rest of impressive as this was, the fact she lost same year.Tu, however, is the only performer the South Americans out of the equation, only 15 games in three matches was even 2 www.scta.usta.com 30 unforced errors.