Behind the Scenes of a Pro Tennis Tournament

ATLANTA Tommy Haas hen the elevator door opened, Sampras, his opponents have nicknamed Having been around the players morn- John Isner was leaning against Rajeev Ram, “Rampras.” There’s a side-by- ing, noon and night—both at the courts, and the back wall and he still looked side comparison on YouTube that’s striking. in the hotel—I’ve concluded the life of a ten- taller than me, and I’m 6’2”. n Many around the tournament weren’t nis pro isn’t glamerous. Keep in mind, only W“I was glad to see you beat James disappointed that one of the best Ameri- the top 50 are making some money. I’m not Blake last night, it looked like he was start- can players didn’t return this summer. Even saying working in a cubicle 9-5 is any better, ing to pass you each time you came to net,” though this player is a huge draw, he’s also but these athletes are living out of their suit- I began. “Naw, I had on my lucky shirt,” the a huge drag to be around. Apparently he cases, many times not sure where they’re boyish 6’10” rising star in American tennis nearly ruined the courtesy car he was given going next or whether they can afford it. It’s replied. last year and his demeanor was less than a lonely existence for many. Such was the week I had behind the charming. n It was strange to see Frenchman scenes at the Atlanta Tennis Champion- n I was disappointed to see a doubles Nicolas Mahut in the same dining room as ships this summer. I was fortunate to stay in coach brush off an inquisitive fan who simply John Isner. The two will be linked forever af- the same hotel as the players, and thanks asked his players’ names. There’s no need ter Isner’s 70-68 5th set win over Mahut in to my media pass, I saw quite a bit outside for that arrogance. last year’s Wimbledon match. the lines: n I saw another coach at breakfast each Mardy Fish was the highest ranked n Ryan Harrison looks like the college morning in the hotel who looked familiar. player in Atlanta, number 9 at press time. He kid you’d like your daughter to date. Turns out it was Peter McNamara, a Top Ten may be the most unassuming and low-key n Blake is said to have a hard time player from Austrailia who peaked in the early American to break in the Top Ten in years. having fun. His head is usually buried in his 1980’s. He’s now teaching a polite 20-year- He dropped 35 pounds and his career has smart phone. Texting is what pro athletes old from Bulgaria named Grigor Dimitrov. since taken off. He won the tournament for seem to do second best. n I witnessed one of the strangest in- the second year in a row, this time fending n Lleyton Hewitt, his wife and three cidents on-court in years: Tempermental off Isner’s two match points. kids looked like a typical suburban family upstart Donald Young was so frustrated at I guess Isner wasn’t wearing his lucky going out for a walk in the park as they left dropping the first set 6-0 to journeymanMi - shirt in the finals. the hotel one morning. chael Russell, that he punched his own rac- Ray Collins is a former TV n Another Australian, Matthew Ebden, quet strings as he walked back on the court. No one else may have known why Young newscaster and country club may be the nicest player you’ve never heard tennis pro. He now owns of. He and his partner, Alex Bogomolov Jr., then took an injury time-out or why his a Sarasota-based media won the doubles. knuckles were bleeding. The delay worked: company. Details at n There’s a player on the tour whose He won the next couple of games, but Rus- www.RayCollinsMedia.com. serve and forehand are so similar to Pete sell went on to win in straight sets. Lleyton Hewitt John Isner Ryan Harrison Mardy Fish 14 August 2011 Totally Tennis.

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