While other players are claiming to still be adjusting to the switch to hard courts, Querrey say his World TeamTennis match in St. Louis last week was “a nice jump into the hard court season. It’s not just practice. You’re actually playing matches. It helped a lot.”

It took a run to the final for Querrey to steal back some of the spotlight from the Samurai, Querrey’s high school pals who have been cheering him on in costume all week. The gang stands in the bleachers behind the court throughout the match, shouting, “Stroke it, Sam!” and “Break! Break Break! (drum-drum-drum) Break!” on break points. They also launch their signature Samurai headbands and T-shirt into the stands on changeovers. “This is the first time I’ve seen a giant slingshot at a match,” quipped Brad Gilbert during ESPN’s broadcast of the semifinal. Note to the rest of the US Open Series tournaments: Bring in the Samurai. Mostly, the crowds love them. And this act won’t be so cute when the guys are 30.



Veteran's Day

The second semifinal showed that Robby Ginepri and his down-the-line backhand are back! It’s been four years since he was in a final, and the last one was here, when he won the title in 2005. Overall, this is the ninth time Ginepri has played Indy. With a semifinal win over his doubles partner, John Isner, the American veteran delighted the Indy crowd, which remembers its champions (that Ginepri’s face is on a giant banner on the side of Stadium Court helps rekindle the memory).

Isner was dangerous when he could hit a forehand from the middle of the court, but, otherwise, didn’t have a weapon to count on. Ginepri managed to return enough serves - and many of them very well - that Isner never had a chance in this match. He had a look on Ginepri’s serve at 4-4, love-30 in the first set, but threw in a couple of errors and let Ginepri gain the edge in that game. Ginepri also scrambled up and back to reach drop shots and the deep volleys that followed them, earning several points on hustle alone. Isner ventured toward the net only a few times, puzzled with his lack of serve-and-volley game. After the match, Isner admitted that he still has work to do on his stamina after a recent three-month layoff due to mono.


Ginepri says he is not back to the form of 2005, which took him to the semis of Cincinnati and the US Open following his title victory in Indianapolis. He says he’s playing well enough to make another run like that one, but still hasn’t peaked this week. “I’m missing too many balls from the middle of the court,” he says, crediting his serve for getting him past four opponents in the last five days.

The emcee made two amusing announcements during the Isner-Ginepri match. First, Indy fans voted Marcos Baghdatis the best-looking player in the draw. “I’m sure he would be thrilled,” the emcee deadpanned. Then, he plugged recipe cards from ATP players on sale in the retail tent: “Learn how to make Robby Ginepri’s chicken spectacular!”


The Accidental Finalists

Sam Querrey returned to the court to play a doubles semi with Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, facing off against Dmitry Tursunov and Ernests Gulbis. At first, the Russian and his partner didn’t look like they were there to win. When Tursunov returned serve, Gulbis stood by casually with his racquet at his side, nowhere close to a ready position, and, once, Tursunov called for a challenge after his serve landed on a water cooler somewhere behind the umpire’s chair. With Gulbis laughing, the umpire tried to cue up the electronic review, but the ball was “out of range of the cameras.” But in the second set, behind Gulbis’ big serve and some sharp volleying, the duo bounced back and leveled the match, 1-6, 6-2, then won the super-tiebreak.


Gulbis on Gulbis

After the match, the Latvian gladly took a few minutes to answer a few questions for TalkAboutTennis.com. He immediately indicted Tursunov’s double faults during the doubles match, then broke into a big grin and a fit of laughter. Getting serious, he said he arrived late the night before his first round singles match, which he lost, and that winning three doubles matches has given him some confidence. Gulbis is currently traveling primarily with a hitting partner and his father, while his fitness trainer, Pat Etcheberry, plans to join him at a few stops this summer, including Cincinnati. Mentor Niki Pilic is still coaching Gulbis at his academy in Germany on occasion, and they might meet up at some major events this year.


Gulbis is candid about his disappointing results this year, but he isn’t surprised. He knew he would lose some “feel for the ball” when he decided to devote more time to fitness this year. His main goal for the rest of this season is to keep his ranking high enough to get direct entry into the Australian Open and other events in 2010. “I don’t want to have to play qualifications,” he said. As for the Def Leppard concert that he attended this week, that was his dad’s idea. “I like classic rock, and I just asked my dad who to see. I didn’t really know them too much.”


The Volunteer Day

Scott Vanderburg used to be the moneybags at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships—as part of the finance committee, one of his duties was to wire a player’s winnings to his account. When Scott’s friend and committee supervisor took over the Players' Services committee, Scott switched jobs and became a player concierge. Now he mans the players’ lounge and the concierge desk, keeping the hangout area stocked with Powerade and Rice Krispies treats, and maintaining a binder full of concerts tickets and museum passes donated to the tournament.

Soft-spoken Vanderburg says the main rule is to not invade the players’ space, though he has a lot of interaction with players. “It’s totally different than seeing them on court,” says the former college player, noting that he’s learned that “we wouldn’t have stood a chance against these guys.”
Vanderburg arrives at the tournament site after a full day of work and stays until around 11:30 p.m. “There are some 2 a.m. nights,” he says. Concierges stay busy straightening the players’ locker room, finding credentials and box seats for players’ friends and coaches, researching flight times, and having players sign posters to give to VIP guests. It may seem like the hard-to-get job at the tournament, but two concierges in their early 20s said they just signed up online to volunteer and requested the Players' Services committee.


More photos from the 2009 Indianapolis Tennis Championships.
Photos: Megan Fernandez