Wednesday’s Hold My HandWednesday’s Short Match
Although it lasted over two and a half hours, the match between Svetlana Kuznetsova and Yanina Wickmayer was a short one. In a rare occurrence on the WTA Tour, both players wore shorts!
Nikolay Davydenko is one of few players who have no troubles with the tricky Santoro
Some have suggested in the past that Nikolay Davydenko often plays many tournaments per season because he likes money. In the past two days, it has become clear that what he really craves are points. Ranking points, to be specific. He wants them, he needs them, and he won’t stop talking about them. He explained his participation in New Haven by his need for points, and suggested that many high-ranked players would make the trip to New Haven, if only the tournament gave out more points (and here we thought the magic numbers were in the appearance fee). The World No. 8 followed up by stating the obvious, “If you have no points, you have no ranking.”
Wednesday’s Why You Shouldn’t Drink Before Noon
“Championship Suite, we can hear you!” repeated an angry Fergus Murphy, Chair Umpire of the match between Davydenko and Fabrice Santoro. The VIP dining (and drinking) suite guests talked so loudly that they repeatedly disrupted play during the match.
Santoro cools down during a changeover
Wednesday’s The Match That Never Was
Fabrice Santoro will play doubles at the US Open with Frenchman Marc Gicquel, despite rumors that he would be partnering John McEnroe. Santoro told us numerous e-mails were exchanged but he eventually got rejected by McEnroe, the latter deciding his broadcast commitments would prevent him from playing in the tournament
Wednesday’s ‘A Simple Kind of Life’
When asked whether he has any plans for life after retirement, Fabrice Santoro confessed he does not. “I never had a normal life, so I don’t know what that is,” said the veteran.
Wednesday’s Million Dollar Man
Sam Querrey clinched the US Open Series today with his win over Bjorn Phau. Querrey is tied in points with Great Britain’s Andy Murray, but took the lead in a tiebreak, as he has won more matches in the US Open Series tournaments. Querrey admitted that his win is largely caused by the greater number of tournaments played than the second and third finishers, Murray and Juan Martín del Potro.
Sam Querrey will get prize money bonuses that increase with every round at the US Open
Wednesday’s Sixth Sense
Marion Bartoli was watching from the sidelines, along with her father Walter, almost from the beginning of the match between Seppi and Verdasco. With her match following theirs, she could be expected to leave as the first set ended, but Bartoli stayed to watch the second. Perhaps she felt the rain delays coming?
Wednesday’s Will It Last Till Saturday Night?
Some members of Fernando Verdasco’s team, led by his father José, were wearing hats today that bore “FeVer” on them. José Verdasco’s variant also had “Mr. V” embroidered on the side. Clever.
More photos from the 2009 Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament.
Photos: Mariya Konovalova
