Tennis Now US Open Preview

2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR When sport went silent last spring, the US Open site was a battle ground.

Indoor courts at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center— home of the US Open—were transformed into a temporary 350-bed hospital treating Coronavirus patients as New York City was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring.

This month, the US Open becomes a major testing ground.

The Flushing Meadows major begins on August 31st as arguably the most ambitious— and perilous—Grand Slam of the Open Era. It is the first Grand Slam tournament contested since the Coronavirus crisis shut down sport in March and the first major played without fans or print media on site.

Chris Oddo

Erik Gudris

Some stars—including Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic— will chase history in New York, while reigning Roland Garros champions Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty have opted out of New York due to safety concerns.

The Open was a hospital in the spring, it can serve as a remedy for the sport this summer.

Tennis is the ultimate physical distancing sport—let’s hope the US Open bubble provides safe protection for all players, coaches and staff on site.

PHOTOGRAPHY Mark Peterson

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Natalia Gwin

DESIGN Sherry Andersen

Enjoy our US Open Preview Issue.

CONTACT US

Richard Pagliaro EDITOR Tennis Now Magazine

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1 Baker Street, Suite #612 Mount Kisco, NY 10549 914.595.4211 2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

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2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu is “coo coo” for her toy poodle Coco.

Caroline Wozniacki and her beau Bruno strike the pose.

Both know how to work the camera.

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

Photo credit: Caroline Wozniacki Instagram

Venus Williams and her trusty, world-beating and adorable Havanese, Harold.

Photo credit: John Isner Twitter

Sascha Zverev is clearly in love with his pup Lovik, and who can blame him?

Andy Murray poses with border terriers – the famous Maggie May and the low-key Rusty.

Photo credit: Bianca Andrescu Instagram

Photo credit: Alexander Zverev Facebook

Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena cuddle with poodles Pierre and Tesla– quite a quartet.

Photo credit: Dave Kotinsky

Photo credit: Mark Harrison

Tennis

DOG PARK

John Isner and the aptly named Magill make quite a footballwatching pair.

Serena Williams may wear the pants in her marriage, but it’s Chip who usually calls the shots at dinner time.

Belgium’s Elise Mertens poses with a pair of collies—two of her four pups.

Photo credit: Milan Hutera

Photo credit: Kevin Anderson Twitter

Photo credit: Anna Kournokova Facebook

Photo credit: Elise Mertens Twitter

Photo credit: Dominic Thiem Twitter

A perfect pair: Svetlana Kuznetsova is dependent on her pit bull Dolce, and he’s dependent on her as well.

When Dominic Thiem has worn his coaches out, he turns to his black lab Hugo.

Anna Kournikova feels safe in the arms of her big dogs, Jack and Lucas.

CLICK TO WATCH Dog Days: Pros & Pets by Tennis Now Photo credit: Svetlana Kuznetsova Facebook

Photo credit: Serena Williams Facebook

Kevin Anderson and Lady Kady, his lovable rescue pup.

Dominika Cibulkova and her Yorkies Spajky and Woody are never far apart. Or not kissing.

2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

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IS 2021 FEDERER’S FINAL SEASON?

IS TENNIS BIASED AGAINST DJOKOVIC?

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Tennis Now TV host Grace Carter presents the news, issues, gossip and buzz around the sport. click on videos to watch

US OPEN REVERSES COURSE, REINSTATES WHEELCHAIR TOURNAMENT

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

ICONIC PLAYERS, ICONIC STREAKS: 10 TENNIS STREAKS FOR THE RECORD BOOKS

CRAZY QUICK. Nike Air Zoom GP Turbo.

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What They Learned During Quarantine The Coronavirus pandemic has introduced a lot of darkness into all of our lives, with worldwide suffering, economic depressions and political divisiveness. Closer to home the pandemic has wreaked havoc on the sport we love, causing the cancellation of a massive

“When the world shut

down in March, these players kept on searching for ways to improve themselves as players and people.”

By Chris Oddo

swath of the 2020 season as it continues to wreak havoc on the globe and threatens to do even more harm.

As far as difficult years go, 2020 will go down as the worst ever for many of us.

But it has not been without

Here’s what we learned: -Sands k e t t a M e i Bethan

its positive moments.

There are always valuable lessons to be learned in life, and that is why we reached out to the tennis community where some of the strongest, most positive forces that we know reside, to find out how they managed to stay positive during the pandemic.

“It’s a great time to reset. I’m talking about personally, career-wise, strategically, I think it’s just that we’re all kind of forced to halt the hustle in a way. I think it’s a great time to sort of evaluate your priorities. ” “At the end of all this there is going to be a lot of silver lining and I’m hoping that my energy and what I can put out there is encouraging people to look at it that way. There’s definitely facts we have to face but I think we can all come out of this stronger, clearer, more positive and refreshed in a way.”

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

tet u o M n i t n e Cor ic!)

(Make Mus France’s Corentin Moutet is truly leading a double life. The minute the tours called off the season in March he took to his flat in Paris and proceeded to perfect his musical chops. The result is some hard-hitting rap that is edgy, intense and catchy.

And the Moutet is tackling some tough subjects, like police violence and racial inequality.

“I feel so much better on court now that I was able to express myself in music, because I wanted to do it since a long time, so I feel so much better every day in life, because I had this feeling that I had something in me and I couldn’t express myself totally so I feel better on court. I think for me it’s a good balance, I love the music and it’s

a good balance for me, I have to do it. I need to do it, or else I won’t feel good mentally if I don’t do music. But I don’t want to, and I have to keep in mind of course that tennis is my job and my first passion, so no doubt that I will still give the same even more because I feel better now on court and in the practice - I will be more ready than ever.”

Quarantine is a royal pain in the you-know-what for everybody and especially tennis players who make their living travelling the globe, but for Poland’s up and coming Iga Swiatek, there was a silver lining in all of the madness. She got to stay home and concentrate on her studies as she finished up her schooling. It meant a lot to the young Pole, she’s a student of life and an engaged learner, and she believes in the importance of personal growth as a way to become better at her profession.

“Actually I think for me it’s not that hard compared to other players because I still have school and I have something to do. I have different goals in my life, not only regarding tennis, so right now I’m focusing on that. Yeah, I’m finishing

school actually next week and most of my time I’m just studying, that’s great because I’m not thinking about the whole situation and I’m not bored so. I think my situation is better because of that.”

Iga Swiatek

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e Alison RiskMental Game) (Work on Alison Riske spent a lot of time watching TV and finally spending some muchdeserved time with her husband at home, but she also continued to develop the part of the game that has made her the phenomenal player she is today: mental strength.

“I think, honestly, as I have previously stated in interviews, the mental game is the most important aspect of everything that we’re doing in our sport,” she told Tennis Now. “For me to kind of have this time to dedicate really to just that, along with

obviously some physical things, but in my opinion mental is harder and you don’t always have the chance to work at it in a calm environment, so yes, I am speaking to people right now to help me with my mental game.”

er r e d e F r e g Ro (Unity) Roger Federer is the kind of guy who is good to go if you give him three months to hole up in Switzerland and tool around with his wife and kids. He likes to hike, to throw snowballs, eat pasta, or just Netflix and chill. He’s easy. But he’s also got his finger on the pulse of fashion - he released a new sneaker collab with On Running.

Dubbed “The Roger” the all-white shoe is a Stan Smith Adidas throwback. It’s simple, elegant and stylish, and it could be the next big thing.

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

nta o K a n n a h o J st) a c d o P a t (Star

Who’s that interviewing the twins from Harry Potter?

That would be Johanna Konta rookie podcast host.

“The Johanna Konta Podcast is a dose of relaxspiration (relaxation + inspiration) where you get to meet incredible people, hear amazing stories and

open the door to the world of professional tennis,” Konta says in her show notes. We can’t wait for the next episode.

nd o m y e R r u h Art urt!) o C y a l C a (Build Ready for the coolest quarantine story? “Arthur Reymond and his dad got tired of being holed up at home without tennis, so they built a clay-court!” That’s right, tennis, meet Field of Dreams. Reymond and his dad found an old court that belonged to a neighbor and asked if they could renovate it. Overgrown with roots and weeds, and had not been taken care of in seven or eight years. But the father and soon took care of business and – wow – just look at the finished product.

Click Here to See More... >>

ka n i r w a W Media n l a a i St c o S d n a (Cocktanilcse) Domina For those who prefer the less serious side of life there was Stan Wawrinka and Benoit Paire, who became Instagram mixologists and conducted mega happy hours when the world first shut down. It was a welcome relief for so many tennis fans. Sometimes there doesn’t have to be a message, it’s just enough that someone is sharing, and Wawrinka and Paire, they did so in style 2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

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Most tennis players are playing video games or bingeing Hulu, so you have to hand it to Alize Cornet. She’s actually written a book and working on a second one. Are we talking about the next Simone de Beauvoir? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.

“It’s all my own work. It’s a mixture of autobiography and travelogue,” said Cornet. “The idea now is for it to be published before Roland Garros in September.

“I’m writing another book which is not at

et Alizé Corn iting a Book, (Finish Wrking on Another) Start Wor

all in the same vein.

That’s stories ... an imagined world. I have no intention of publishing that one. It’s just for pleasure. It’s what I like doing and it helps me to pass the time.”

Coco Gaufform For (Use Platfction) Positive A

Sixteen-year-old Coco Gauff has burst into the public eye because she is an immensely talented tennis player. But the rising American wants to be much more than that and she has pledged on social media to use her growing platform for good.

“Am I next?” asked Coco in one of her first posts after George Floyd’s death. It was a powerful moment, and more would follow.

“You need to use your voice. No matter how big or small your platform is, you need to use your voice.

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

I saw a Dr (Martin Luther) King quote that said ‘the silence of the good people is worse than the brutality of the bad people’. So you need to not be silent, because if you are being silent you are choosing the side of the oppressor.”

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It’s been a long, painful five months since word of the cancellation of Indian Wells effectively put an end to the 2020 tennis season as we know it. And yet, our sport has a way of remaining vital, even in tumultuous times. Tennis managed to stay relevant as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the globe, and while fans couldn’t get their live tennis fix very often, if at all, there were a plethora of storylines to keep us engaged and point us in the direction of tennis’ resumption.

By Chris Oddo

Photo credit: Adria Tour 16

From Quarantine to Resumption: The Top10 Tennis Storylines of the Coronavirus Shutdown

2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

1 Merger Talk

One of the most interesting debates in tennis over the last few months has centered around a potential merger between the tours. Let’s be clear here: this isn’t the first time we’ve had percolating rumors about a WTA/ATP merger, and Roger Federer’s much-publicized tweet about the subject didn’t come out of the blue.

Incoming ATP CEO Andrea Gaudenzi pitched the idea before he was even hired and the Italian, upon taking over at the start of 2020, has continued to find ways to promote the concept.

Promoting the concept is far different from putting a plan into action, but the tours are talking more than ever and rumor has it that support is coming from both sides of the bargaining table. But Covid-19 and its devastating effect on the sport is sabotaging any tangible progress at the moment the tours are just trying to survive and put on a show for the remainder of 2020. Perhaps next year, when things return to some form of normalcy, we’ll revisit this topic and find out if there really is a way to make a merger beneficial for the sport and, most importantly, both tours as equal partners.

2 Adria Tour

The dust has settled from the carnage that the Adria Tour caused, and in reality Novak Djokovic is not the Dr. Evil of tennis. Yes, Djokovic’s idea to promote the sport across the Balkans fell flat and ended controversially, but when all is said and done and we reflect on things, we must realize that Djokovic and the others who hastily put this event on are no different from the countless others that are being caught off guard by this Covid-19 buzzsaw.

Many have taken it too lightly and paid the price, not just Djokovic and the Adria Tour. We’re not saying that Djokovic deserves a free pass or that

those who are upset about what happened on the Adria Tour are wrong to feel that way, we’re merely stating that Djokovic, like a lot of people in the last five months, from heads of state on down, made a mistake.

Yes, it was a big one. Yes, lives were put in danger.

Let’s just hope that all parties involved have learned their lesson and that they’ll act more responsibly moving forward. We’re all in this great big mess together and we’ve got to keep striving to move forward in the safest way possible.

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Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

3 Black Lives

4 Federer’s

Knee Surgery & the Setting Sun While we were all waiting for dates on the calendar for a tennis restart, the great Roger Federer went under the knife for the second time this year and called it a season. He’s only recently turned 39 and the big yellow sun continues to set on Federer’s career, so this was a scary moment for sure. How will he recover?

When will he play again? When will that final sunset mark the end of an era?

It’s better that we are pondering these questions than the alternative: Federer could have pulled the plug on his career and said “screw it.” But we knew Roger wouldn’t go out like that. As we write

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

Matter and the Rising Voice The protests that followed George Floyd’s death in late May were important for America and for the world at large. They were also important for the sport and for some of the personalities inside of tennis that until this moment had not fully found their voice.

We speak of Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Frances Tiafoe, three players who stepped to the forefront of the movement and made eloquent, impassioned statements to the world about racial equality and longsimmering injustices. It was beautiful to see these black athletes, all quite young (especially Gauff, who is 16!) find the courage that came from their own personal yearning to speak out. Not long after protests began these three were turning up the volume and coming up with ways to express themselves.

Inside tennis there was a collective smile as it happened. Though times were extremely tense, it was nice to know what we’ve always suspected: That the sport is full of amazing, soulful people who really care about what happens in the world and possess the nerve to put plans to action and actually make a difference.

this article he’s probably hiking around some Swiss mountaintops and working with top-notch trainers, getting ready to shock the world once more in 2021. We can only hope.

5 Wimbledon

Cancels

Wimbledon, holder of tennis’ only pandemicproof insurance policy, closed its doors to the world for the first time since World War II. If that doesn’t give you an idea of the kind of deep doo doo the tennis world was in when the news broke, we can just tell you that cancelling Wimbledon is like cancelling life itself for many.

Making matters worse was the fact that the other two Slams became a part of a never ending stream of speculation about when, where and how they were going to be played. Roland Garros unilaterally staked out September and ticked everybody off. The US Open was on again and off again. Would it be played in Orlando? Indian Wells? In a plastic bubble?

All of it led us to one not-very-fun conclusion: Uncertainty reigns supreme in the Coronavirus era.

Osaka Sets a 6New Standard This was a bit of news that came and went rather quickly, but it has stuck with us. This year, Naomi Osaka became the highest-paid female in the history of women’s sport according to Forbes.

The Japanese megastar booked $37.4 million in prize money and endorsements in the previous 52 weeks, setting the all-time record. If that doesn’t tell you something about the power of women’s tennis and the allure of Naomi Osaka… And don’t believe for a second that the mind-bending money and lucrative endorsement portfolio is only about Osaka’s popularity in Japan. Yes, it plays a major

role, but Osaka just has that “it factor” and she is well-positioned as woman of color and a woman of personality, charm and TALENT to continue her reign.

In the midst of so many bleak storylines it was nice to have this one come across the wire. And it will be interesting to see where Osaka’s career goes in the future.

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7 UTS Puts the Gonzo Back in Tennis

Tennis with four 10-minute quarters, you say? A match where players are actually encouraged to freak out and throw their racquets every which way but loose? Yes and yes. That would be Patrick Mouratoglou’s Ultimate Tennis Showdown and the showdown went down over a six-week period in June and July to give the sport a little bit of levity in an otherwise very negative time.

8 Resumption: On Again, Off Again

Time and time again we mulled over the scenarios of tournaments that would be held with the pandemic still raging. Would tennis start in July, immediately after the already cancelled Wimbledon?

Maybe… Maybe not… No. How about August with the Citi Open?

Yes… Maybe… Maybe not… No. Finally, after so much hand-wringing and deliberation, we have our first events. The WTA started on August 3rd in Palermo and a positive Covid-19 test caused quite a stir on the first weekend. The ATP will hold off until Cincinnati and, thanks to all the lessons already learned, things should go smoothly if the strict bubble is enforced.

It took five months but here we are – finally a way to move forward…

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

So what are the final marks for UTS? Let’s just say the event has our attention. Not only did it introduce some interesting concepts, like the 10-minute quarters (think TENNIS BUZZER BEATERS!) and headset interviews four times a match from each player, it also landed some very talented fields. We got to see Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini and Alexander Zverev. Also we saw young stars like Felix-Auger Aliassime and Corentin Moutet. There was even an appearance by 13-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova (watch out for this talent) and 17-yearold Holger Rune (this kid’s gonna be good).

It was a fun event, a true spectacle, and we’re interested to see where Mouratoglou takes it from here. Purists will never like it, but that’s no surprise. Our advice is to grab some popcorn and give it a chance.

9 Player Relief Stirs Debate

One of the biggest discussions in tennis during the shutdown was player relief and rightfully so.

With so many players out of work, we started to realize that virtually any player outside of the Top 100 had been living hand to mouth, and without any income-earning opportunities on the horizon it became painfully obvious that not only did coronavirus have the power to shut down tournaments, it also had the power to end careers.

That’s why it was – pun intended – a relief to see the powers that be working together to find a solution for the lower-ranked players that were dealt the most severe blow as the pandemic lingered.

But Novak Djokovic’s decision to spearhead a fund that would funnel players from higherranked players was met with resistance, which later sparked controversy. Dominic Thiem became one of the biggest names opposing the notion of handing out his hard-earned prize money to lower-ranked players that he felt hadn’t earned it. He had a point – the Austrian felt that he’d rather give his money to whatever entity he chose. And in reality, while wellintentioned, many inside tennis pointed out that it was a sad sight to see that the sport had to turn to its own players to get the less fortunate paid.

Never a dull moment, and never a lack of controversy. And now, with no end of the pandemic in sight, we still wonder if tennis will learn its lesson and make income more equitable so that those funneled into smaller events and challengers can make a sturdier living in the future. The main takeaway here is that without significant and systemic changes to the system, the sport will always be vulnerable at the lower levels, both in terms of sustainability and corruption.

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Wrestling with a New Reality

That new way forward promises to be fraught with peril. Now that the US Open and the Western & Southern Open are scheduled for late August and early September at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. It’s incredibly good news but it will not be a simple procedure.

What have we learned from these last five months about holding live sports during a pandemic?

How can the tours effectively start travelling the globe again and stay Covid-free? Will the players have learned their lessons from the Adria Tour and others that made mistakes (including Major League Baseball and major European Football leagues) and respect the bubble?

It’s our only choice now: The sport has had five months to prepare for this moment and the new reality will dictate the terms. The tours and the Grand Slams need to read the tea leaves, err on the side of caution, and start the long road back to normal in the safest way possible.

Good luck, stay safe and enjoy the tennis!

2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

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Photo credit: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA

Photo credit: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

Photo credit: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA

2019 US OPEN CHAMPIONS

Photo credit: ESPN

0

No fans will be permitted at the 2020 US Open due to the coronavirus marking the first time in tournament and Grand Slam history a major is played without fans.

1

Number of men who have won US Open titles on three different surfaces. Jimmy Connors won Open titles on grass, clay and hard court.

2

Left-handed women Monica Seles (1991, 1992) and Angelique Kerber (2016) have won the US Open in the last 30 years.

5

Record for most men’s singles titles in the Open Era shared by Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer.

Photo credit: USTA/US Open

US OPEN BY The NumberS

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6 12

Serena Williams has contested six US Open finals in the last nine years.

years ago, Roger Federer won his fifth straight US Open title he remains the last man to successfully defend the Open.

Photo credit: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA

6

Record for most women’s singles titles in the Open Era shared by Serena Williams and Chris Evert.

35 39

Photo credit: USTA/US Open

40

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

years since the women’s final was decided in a third-set tie break when Hana Mandlikova defeated Martina Navratilova, 7-6(3), 1-6, 7-6(2).

Longest men’s rally of the 2019 US Open was 39 shots in the Daniil Medvedev vs. Grigor Dimitrov semifinal. Medvedev won the point and the match.7-6(3), 1-6, 7-6(2).

Longest women’s really of the 2019 US Open was 40 shots in the Elina Svitolina vs. Whitney Osuigwe first-rounder.

Svitolina won the point and the match.

122 MPH

Fastest serve struck by a woman, Madison Keys, at the 2019 US Open.

142 MPH

Fastest serve struck by a man, Reilly Opelka, at the 2019 US Open.

Photo credit: USTA/US Open

2005

Was the first year the tournament adopted its US Open Blue courts.

3,708

Number of fans in attendance when Rod Laver beat Tony Roche in the 1969 final at Forest Hills to complete his second career Grand Slam and fourth in history. Rain postponed the match until Tuesday.

$6,000 Check the first US Open women’s champion, Virginia Wade, collected after beating Billie Jean King in the 1968 final at Forest Hills.

$825 Million

Fans attended the 2019 US Open—an all-time record.

credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

737,872

Amount ESPN is paying the USTA over 11 years for domestic US Open television rights.

$3.85 Million Champion’s check Bianca Andreescu and Rafael Nadal each earned for their 2019 championships.

2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

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Photo credit: USTA/US Open

Gabriela’s Glory

Gabriela Sabatini’s breakthrough US Open title victory still resonates 30 years later.

By Erik Gudris

T

he year was 1990. In women’s tennis, Steffi Graf still ruled the WTA tour. Monica Seles claimed her first major title at the French Open. Young American Jennifer Capriati was fast becoming a rising star. But there was still one player who had yet to enjoy success at the majors - Gabriela Sabatini.

When the US Open rolled around in the late summer of 1990, the Argentinian star was not exactly top of mind to win the last Grand Slam event of that year. That despite Sabatini being a constant fixture of women’s tennis by that point. At age 15, she burst onto the scene by becoming the youngest player ever to reach the French Open semifinals. Sabatini quickly rose to a career-high No. 3 in the world a few years later. That climb included winning the WTA Championships in 1988 and also the silver medal at the Seoul Olympics earlier that year.

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2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

Nicknamed “ The Pearl of the Pampas” by famed tennis writer Bud Collins, she became a fan favorite with her extreme topspin backspin backhand and steady baseline game. But the consensus was that she might finally find Grand Slam success on the red clay of Paris. That prediction lingered despite Sabatini’s record of having reaching the US Open final in 1988 and the semifinals the next year. Despite that, very few thought Sabatini would be a factor in the final rounds once main draw play got underway in Flushing Meadows.

She played an awfully good match. She played very well, Graf said to Tony Trabert during the trophy ceremony.

Navratilova and Seles lost early in the event, leaving the door open for a surprise player to reach the finals. Sabatini found herself facing Mary Joe Fernandez in the semifinals. That encounter, which saw Sabatini trail early, forced Sabatini to use serve and volley to eventually walk away with a hardearned 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win. After the match, Sabatini announced her new confidence by saying “I’ve worked very hard before coming here and I think I’ll be in good shape. I think (that) I’m ready to beat Steffi.”

She played an awfully good match.

She played very well, Graf said to Tony Trabert during the trophy ceremony.

Many hoped that Graf and Sabatini would become the next great tennis rivalry, but it never happened. Graf enjoyed a then 17-3 head to head record against Sabatini who she won the Wimbledon doubles title with back in 1988. But Graf herself was trying to navigate through an up and down year herself. After winning the Australian Open in January, Graf battled with injuries off and on in the season, and then she had to endure a falling out with her father Peter Graf over his alleged marital infidelities. Graf hoped adding another New York championship to her stellar resume would, in some part, salvage the year.

Two years earlier in 1998, Graf defeated Sabatini in the women’s final to not only win the US Open, but also clinch the elusive calendar year Grand Slam of winning all four majors. This time though, Sabatini decided that she would try and take control early in the match and not let go.

Graf struggled with errors in the first set while Sabatini played confident tennis from both the baseline and particularly up at net with Graf having difficulty passing the long-armed Argentinian.

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Photo credit: USTA/US Open

Sabatini soon closed out the set 6-2. Continuing her momentum, Sabatini went up a break in the second set and soon served for the match up 5-4. But Graf managed to break back for 5-5, and then hold for 6-5. Was Sabatini going to let her nemesis back in and possibly find a way for a comeback win? Not at all.

The second set entered a tiebreak and Sabatini never allowed Graf a chance as Sabatini raced through the tiebreak, winning six out of the seven last points, finishing the match with a forehand passing shot winner. The US Open was hers with a triumphant 6-2, 7-6(4) win.

I can’t believe I won this tournament. I’ve been dreaming a lot to win it. I can’t believe it came true today.

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Photo credit: WTA

When Sabatini raised her hands in victory, her expression was one of joy, relief, and satisfaction.

Especially considering just a few weeks before, very few would have predicted the result.

Photo credit: WTA

Sabatini’s career enjoyed a boost after her US Open victory. She reached the Wimbledon final the following year in 1991 and several more major semifinals. She would also go on to win the WTA finals a few years later in 1994.

Before retiring in 1996, Sabatini won 41 career titles (27 singles and 14 doubles), reached a career high No. 3 in the world, and still retains the Open Era record of having the most wins of No. 1 players, though never having reaching number one herself. Post tennis, Sabatini has kept very busy including launching and overseeing a very successful business in perfumes and cosmetics. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.

Sabatini’s desire to win, and her willingness to try a new approach to her game, is something every player, at every level, can learn from. That’s why Sabatini’s exciting, surprising, and satisfying run to the US Open title will be remembered as one of the all-time great accomplishments in tennis.

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Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

US Open Who’s

By Richard Pagliaro

Tennis treads a major tight rope at the 2020 US Open.

The Flushing Meadows major launches on August 31st as the first Grand Slam played in the Coronavirus climate and first major contested without fans or media.

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Who’s

OUT

the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States and ensure they can return to Europe for September’s clay-court schedule without risk of quarantine is the challenge the USTA faces.

Here’s a look at some of the top stars planning to play for the US Open’s $3 million champion’s check and some of the stars who have opted out of the Slam safety bubble.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Keeping the Coronavirus out of Corona Park while convincing superstar champions it’s safe to visit the city that was once the epicenter of

IN

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World No. 1 Novak Djokovic initially called the USTA safety protocol “extreme” and “unrealistic,” but the three-time US Open champion is on the entry list playing for his 18th Grand Slam crown.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Six-time US Open champion

Serena Williams plays

for history as she aims to match Margaret Court’s all-time record by winning her record-tying 24th Grand Slam crown. The 1999 US Open champion is also playing for a record seventh US Open title and bidding to win Flushing Meadows for a fourth different decade.

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Dancing along the baseline, Sofia Kenin surged to her first Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open. The American No. 1 has stayed active playing the exhibition event in Charleston and World TeamTennis in July and should be a top contender in her sixth US Open.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Dominic Thiem came within a set of winning his first major at the Australian Open before bowing to Djokovic in five sets. A threetime major finalist, Thiem should be pumped to improve on his 2019 US Open opening-round exit when he was weakened by a virus. While the two-time French Open finalist is most comfortable on clay, four of Thiem’s last six titles have come on hard courts.

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Daniil Medvedev turned

jeers to cheers in New York last year dueling Rafael Nadal for five gripping sets before falling in a four-hour, 49-minute US Open final. “Because of you guys, I fight like hell,” Medvedev told the New York crowd prompting the 23,000 fans in attendance to salute the Russian with a sustained roar for his sheer defiance and guts. Medvedev remains one of the world’s most dangerous hard-court players.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Naomi Osaka won her maiden

major beating her tennis idol Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final and backed it up topping Petra Kvitova in the 2019 Australian Open final. Since then, Osaka has failed to clear the third round in three of her last four majors, but her stinging serve and flat strikes play well in New York, which is a bit of a home court.

Osaka spent her younger years living on Long Island and visited the Open as a fan.

Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters returns to Flushing Meadows for the first time since her second retirement in 2012 on a wild card. The 37-yearold Belgian is a three-time US Open champion (2005, 2009-2010), spends time at her family’s summer home in New Jersey and famously threw out the first pitch at a New York Mets game.

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Andy Murray knows how to win in New York. The former world No. 1 is a former US Open boys champion, who won his first Grand Slam title at the 2012 US Open. The 33-yearold Murray, coming off multiple hip surgeries, will play the Open for the first time since 2018. Though Murray lacks match play so do most players given the sport’s shutdown due to the virus.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has just

one US Open match victory to his credit, but the Greek’s dynamic allcourt style should play well in New York. The sixth-ranked Tsitsipas has reached at least the fourth round of every other Slam, including his 2019 Australian Open semifinal appearance.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

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Reigning US Open champion

Rafael Nadal is skipping the

OUT Elina Svitolina reached

successive Slam semifinals at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2019, but stepped out of Flushing Meadows citing health risk.

“I understand and respect all the efforts they are putting to make it happen in a safe environment,” Svitolina said. “But I still don’t feel comfortable to travel to the U.S. without putting my team and myself at high risk.”

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Open out of Coronavirus concerns.

Instead, Nadal will focus all his energy on defending Roland Garros and equaling rival Roger Federer’s mark by winning his 20th Grand Slam championship.

“The situation is very complicated worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still don’t have control of it,” Nadal said.

An outspoken critic of tennis exhibitions during the Coronavirus crisis, Nick Kyrgios is skipping the Open due to health and safety concerns. “It hurts me at my core not to be out there, competing at one of the sport’s greatest arenas, Arthur Ashe Stadium, but I’m sitting out for the people, for my Aussies, for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have lost their lives,” Kyrgios said.

“For all of you, it’s my decision, like it or not, and those are my reasons.”

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Five-time US Open champion

Roger Federer is a fan favorite

in New York. This year: no fans and no Fed. Continuing recovery from his second arthroscopic surgery of the year, the 38-year-old Swiss is out for the season and will miss New York for just the second time since his 2000 debut.

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A 2016 US Open semifinalists,

Gaël Monfils made the

Flushing Meadows quarterfinals last year falling in five sets to Matteo Berrettini. Monfils joins long-time girlfriend Elina Svitolina in skipping the Open for safety reasons.

A lingering left knee injury knocked

Bianca Andreescu out of the Australian Open. Continuing rehab will keep her out of the US Open.

Andreescu joined Rafael Nadal in withdrawing marking the first time since 2003 neither defending US Open champion will be in the field.

Since defeating Serena Williams to win the 2019 US Open, Andreescu has been limited to six matches.

Stan Wawrinka knocked

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

off Novak Djokovic in a powerful performance to win the 2016 US Open, but Stan the Man will be MIA from New York this year.

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, like Nadal a

reigning Roland Garros champion, is also opting out of the Open because of the Coronavirus complications.

“It was a difficult decision but there are still significant risks involved due to COVID-19 and I don’t feel comfortable putting my team and I in that position,” Barty said.

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Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open

Former French Open champion

Jelena Ostapenko is on

the US Open entry list, but told the Latvian media she won’t go to New York. “America is not in my plans, it is is too dangerous at the moment and I do not want to risk my health or that of others,” Ostapenko said.

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Madrid champion Kiki Bertens bounced the mini-American swing off her schedule in favor of staying in Europe for Rome and Roland Garros.

The seventh-ranked Bertens said she was heeding the Dutch government’s warnings against traveling to the U.S. and was concerned she’d face a 14day quarantine if she made the trip.

The US Open is the only Slam where Bertens has yet to surpass the third round.

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Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Leave Your

Asterisks at the Door

and Bow Down if

Serena Williams Wins the US Open The American is preparing to turn a miserable year into something positive; watching her attempt it will be must-see TV.

By Chris Oddo

You can’t hide from who you are.

And the truth, well it can be ugly, but it can also set you free.

All of this has surely been considered by Serena Williams as she prepares to take the court in search of a goal that has eluded her for far too long.

Once again, all eyes will be on her. Once again, the pressure will mount.

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Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

There will be no fans in the seats and no packed pressers with probing questions. Make no mistake though, the world’s watchful eyes will be focused just as intently; that make-you-squirm pressure will be just as relentless on the six-time US Open champion. The tennis world, no doubt, will be collectively holding its breath and buckling in for the type of wild ride that only a transcendent figure like Queen Serena can offer.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve And away we go, tennis in the time of coronavirus.

No guard rails, no training wheels, no backing down.

As a global pandemic threatens to take down the world as we know it, there is Serena Williams: a 23time Grand Slam champion questing for 24.

Life as we know it has been transformed, but the race to match Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record will not wilt in the face of a virus.

The old normal never felt so good, right?

Those who speak of the US Open being an illegitimate tournament that will crown an

undeserving winner have probably never tried to win a Grand Slam tennis tournament during a deadly global pandemic.

Let’s be honest: any player with the courage to even show up for this year’s North American hardcourt swing, let alone capture a major title, deserves accolades—not an asterisk. That player deserves the trophy, the $3 million champion’s check, and the glory that comes with being the one that in some however minute way, helped lift legions of tennis fans out of their Groundhog Day reality and into the place where people can dream again.

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Williams has been a dream come true for the sport in so many ways. The woman whose tennis dreams were formed on the public park courts of Compton, California is connected to iconic American champions who sprouted from our public parks Don Budge, Maureen Connolly, Pancho Gonzales, Althea Gibson, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors and Chrissie Evert and aims

It’s that fire and that fight, that courage to stand up to anything and everything all at once, the gravity of her intensity that makes Serena special.

to make history at her home Slam staged in a public park.

More than the outcome Serena’s career is about the journey, rising up in the face of challenges, and delivering on a promise to never relent.

Serena’s commitment and staying power resonates with women and men of all shapes, sizes, creeds and colors.

Ultimately, those qualities will define Serena Williams and send shivers down the spine of those recognizing her true greatness, whether she wins or loses in New York this year.

And now, in the twilight of her career, here comes a chance for Serena to be bigger than tennis, to be bigger than sport, to be bigger even than the reputation that precedes her. In a time of struggle and strife, Williams has the chance to take the wheel and steer the ship through turbulence.

Twenty-one years after she won her first US Open title and six years since she last ruled Flushing Meadows, Serena is back for the major mark.

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Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Angry America sure could use a feel-good story this summer. If there was ever a time where the country needed to forget about itself and get lost in a dream, this is that time.

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US Open Trivia

Photo credit: Nike

1 Who won the 2004 US Open Boys’ championship?

A. Sam Querrey B. Gael Monfils C. Andy Murray D. Juan Martin del Potro

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Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame

is the only woman 2 Who to win the US Open on two different surfaces?

A. Margaret Court B. Billie Jean King C. Steffi Graf D. Chrissie Evert

17-year-old 3 ASerena Williams

defeated five Hall of Fame players in succession en route to her first US Open crown.

Name at least four of the five Hall of Famers Serena beat to win her maiden major?

two American men 4 Only have defeated Rafael Nadal

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

at the US Open. Name them.

A. Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick B. Andy Roddick and James Blake C. Andre Agassi and James Blake D. Andy Roddick and Sam Querrey

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Photo credit: Tennis Australia/Australian Open

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Photo credit: International Tennis Hall of Fame

5 Name the youngest US Open champion?

A. Bianca Andreescu B. Tracy Austin C. Serena Williams D. Svetlana Kuznetsova

the last man to sweep 6 Name US Open singles and doubles titles the same year?

A. John McEnroe B. Jimmy Connors C. Lleyton Hewitt D. Pete Sampras

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was the last time both 7 When the defending US Open men’s and women’s champions lost in the first round?

A. 1999 B. 2002 C. 2005 D. 2012

8

Name the only man to win the US Open on three different surfaces?

Photo credit: John McEnroe Tennis Academy

A. Rod Laver B. Jimmy Connors C. Arthur Ashe D. Stan Smith

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was the first 9 Who woman to win the

US Open Series and US Open championships the same year?

Photo credit: World TeamTennis

A. Venus Williams B. Serena Williams C. Maria Sharapova D. Kim Clijsters

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Name the last woman to sweep US Open singles and doubles championships the same year?

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

A. Martina Navratilova B. Venus Williams C. Serena Williams D. Martina Hingis

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s r e w s n A 1: C.

Andy Murray defeated Sergiy Stakhovsky, 6-4, 6-2, in 2004 US Open Boys’ final.

6: A. John McEnroe beat Bjorn Borg in the singles final and partnered Peter Fleming to the doubles title in 1981. Lleyton Hewitt partnered Max Mirnyi to the 2000 US Open doubles crown and beat Pete Sampras a year later to win the 2001 US Open singles crown.

7: C. In 2005 defending women’s

2: D. Chrissie Evert won four

straight US Open crowns, including 1975-1977 when the tournament was played on Har-Tru, commonly called American clay, at Forest Hills.

champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and defending men’s champion Andy Roddick both fell in the first round.

8: B. Jimmy Connors won US Open titles on grass, clay and hard court.

3: Serena defeated Kim Clijsters,

Conchita Martinez, Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport and world No. 1 Martina Hingis in the final to win the 1999 US Open.

4: B. Andy Roddick defeated Nadal in the 2004 US Open second round and James Blake beat Nadal in the 2005 third round.

5: B. Tracy Austin was age 16

years, 9 months when she defeated Martina Navratilova and Chrissie Evert in succession to win the 1979 US Open.

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9: D. Kim Clijsters topped

Mary Pierce in the 2005 US Open final becoming the first woman to win both the US Open Series and US Open titles and earning a then women’s sport record $2.2 million payday.

10: C. Serena Williams defeated

Martina Hingis in the 1999 US Open singles final and partnered sister Venus to victory over Chanda Rubin and Sandrine Testud in the 1999 doubles final.

TN Q&A Bethanie Mattek-Sands

Photo credit: World TeamTennis

Former world No. 1 doubles star talks comeback, dream doubles partner and reaction to USTA axing

By Richard Pagliaro US Open mixed doubles.

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Smash spirit bubbled within Bethanie MattekSands before she began the unique 2020 World TeamTennis season.

Happy hour comes every minute the 35-year-old Mattek-Sands steps on court.

We caught up with the former world No. 1 doubles standout for this interview where she discusses essential qualities for doubles partners, disappointment with the USTA decision to cancel the US Open mixed doubles event and her dream doubles partner.

Photo credit: World TeamTennis

Partnering former Wimbledon finalist Genie Bouchard, an energized Mattek-Sands helped the Chicago Smash light it up in the expansion franchise’s World TeamTennis debut season at the Greenbrier.

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TN: You and Genie Bouchard have been a strong team for Chicago.

What makes a great teammate? What qualities do you look for and value in a partner? And what qualities do you try to bring to the table both with Genie and in general?

Bethanie Mattek-Sands: Doubles for

me is all about energy and chemistry. I’ve been lucky to play doubles with a lot of good friends of mine—players that I would call friends off the court.

Other than that, especially in this World TeamTennis format, it’s really about bringing energy. Because the momentum can shift point-by-point and you have fast points. You let eight points go by and all of a sudden you’re down two zero in a fivegame set.

Genie has brought the energy to every match we play. We’ve mixed up our tactics—we have her at net, we’re doing I formation—so we’re really mixing it up. It’s really a matter of working out the tactics that can make everyone play their best shots out there.

Photo credit: World TeamTennis

And it really comes down to figuring out what your strengths are. Where is Genie the strongest? Where am I the strongest?

What’s our strongest position?

That’s kind of my secret with whoever I play with—whether they’re a great volleyer or great baseliner—sometimes they serve stronger, others are better at returns. We just figure out where everyone’s best, what’s their strength and play to it.

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Photo credit: World TeamTennis

TN: Have you decided who you will partner at the US Open? Do you think there’s any chance the USTA will bring the mixed doubles back given they did bring back the wheelchair event after axing it?

Bethanie Mattek-Sands: Seriously, I was extremely bummed when they announced that they would not be holding the mixed competition this year.

Obviously, I won the last two years with Jamie [Murray]. I was really looking forward to it. Plus, you only play it four times a year and it’s such high entertainment value.

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In what other sport do you see men and women competing on an equal playing field? At the end of the day, look at the highlights and what it is as a competition.

You have a guy and a girl working together playing against another guy and another girl.

Personally, I think we should play mixed doubles more often. That’s why I love here in World TeamTennis it’s part of the event.

You’re seeing the best of the game. You’re seeing singles highlights, you’re seeing doubles highlights and you’re seeing mixed doubles highlights. So you’re getting the best of the tennis product in World TeamTennis. And it’s exactly what I think we should be offering more in our week-to-week events.

Photo credit: World TeamTennis

TN: Last question, your dream doubles partner. Who are you picking?

Bethanie Mattek-Sands: Yeah. I’m not gonna lie: it’s awesome to play with John Isner. Playing with that serve behind you all the time, John makes you look like a god at the net [laughs].

Who else in history? Growing up, my idol was Monica Seles. I don’t think she played a lot of doubles—I’m not sure I’ll have to look it up. But I feel I play pretty well with singles players ripping from the back.

I feel like I would have been like “Monica, you just rip the shit out of the ball” and You look at Martina Hingis, she came back I feel like we would have been a pretty and played phenomenal. I played against good team. I’m also biased because her a few times. And I would have loved to Monica Seles was one of the first professional players I got to meet when have played with her.

I was young. And Monica is one of the I think Martina is so smart on the court. reasons I pursued tennis so I feel like that Martina has such great court awareness, would probably be my pick, for sure. but she was playing with one of my best buddies, Sania Mirza, for pretty much the whole time she was back. And I was playing with Lucie [Safarova].

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10 Fast Fact to Know for

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10 Fast Facts to Know for Madrid & Rome

2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

The Mutua Madrid Open cancelled its 2020 edition due to safety concerns over spiking coronavirus cases. The tournament, originally scheduled for May 1-10th, was initially rescheduled to September 12-20th before its cancellation.

The 2021 Mutua Madrid Open is scheduled for April 30th-May 9th. Fans who purchased tickets for the 2020 tournament can retain those tickets and are guaranteed the same seats for the same session in 2021.

The Internazionali BNL d’Italia commonly called the Italian Open will be staged on the red clay of Rome’s historic Foro Italico September 14th-21st. Rafael Nadal and Karolina Pliskova are the reigning Rome champions.

Rafael Nadal has won a men’s record five Madrid titles (2005, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017). Petra Kvitova holds the Madrid women’s record with three titles (2011, 2015, 2018).

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The Caja Mágica (“Magic Box”) home of Madrid hosts three stadium clay courts with retractable roofs. Court Manolo Santana hosts 12,500 fans, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario stadium court can house 3,500 fans and Stadium 3 has a 2.500seat capacity.

Sixteen of the 18 Madrid men’s champions have been current or former world No. 1 players.

Only two men—David Nalbandian (2007) and Alexander Zverev (2018)—have won the title without rising to world No. 1.

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Two-time Madrid singles champion Serena Williams is the only woman in tournament history to raise both singles and doubles crowns. Serena partnered sister Venus Williams to win the 2010 Madrid doubles title.

In the 1979 Rome semifinals, 16-year-old Tracy Austin rallied from 1-4 down in the decisive set edging Chrissie Evert 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4) to snap Evert’s historic 125-match clay-court win streak.

Rafael Nadal has won a record nine titles at the Foro Italico.

The king of clay owns the record for longest finals in Rome history. In 2005, Nadal out-dueled Guillermo Coria 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 4–6, 7–6(6) in a fivehour, 14-minute epic. The next year, Nadal denied two championship points edging rival Roger Federer in five hours, six minutes.

Since 2000, five women have successfully defended Rome: Amélie Mauresmo (2004-2005), Jelena Jankovic (20072008), Maria Sharapova (2011-2012), Serena Williams (2013-2014) and Elina Svitolina (20172018).

The last man to sweep both Madrid and Rome in succession was Rafael Nadal in 2013. Nadal defeated Stan Wawrinka in the Madrid final before beating Roger Federer weeks later in the 2013 Rome final.

The last woman to win Madrid and Rome back-to-back was Serena Williams, who also achieved the feat in 2013. Serena stopped Maria Sharapova in the Madrid final before vanquishing Victoria Azarenka in the Rome final weeks later.

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From Ecuador, With Love

By Chris Oddo

The lasting legacy of Andrés Gómez’s 1990 title lives on in the sport and among the people of Ecuador.

One match does not make a career but in the case of Andrés Gómez, the 1990 Roland Garros final helped solidify his place in the tennis pantheon and as one of one of the best sportsmen in Ecuador’s history.

The true impact of Gómez’s title could be felt in Paris the very instant he cracked a last majestic forehand winner past Andre Agassi on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Ecuadorian, now 30 years old and in his own words in the “sunset” of his career, stretched his arms skyward and his smile stretched as wide as the tribunes of the fabled Court Philippe Chatrier.

The ecstasy of the moment! It was as if he could not quite fathom what he had done.

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“Yeah, it’s just surreal,” Gómez told Tennis Now in a recent phone interview. “It still is. It’s hard to describe.”

The shockwaves could also be felt in Gómez’s hometown of Guayaquil, Ecuador, and all over the country in fact, as Gómez would find when he arrived home in the brief window of time after Roland Garros and before Wimbledon.

The affable champion played tennis with the president of Ecuador and took part in a parade that blew his mind.

Gómez says he could look in both directions, as far as the eye could see, and still he could not see the end of the procession.

Ecuador had never had a Grand Slam champion before. Never a World Cup winner. The country is a champion of natural beauty, Home to the renowned Galapagos Islands, incredible forests and beautiful beaches, but until Gómez worked his magic in 1990 in Paris, it had never experienced this kind of notoriety as a sporting nation.

Gómez’s story is also a story of perseverance and a story of holding fast to family values and the things that really matter in life. It’s also a story of improbability. At 30 years of age, with a new coach, after so many tough losses at Roland Garros, who really thought that it would be the big man from Ecuador that would pull out the title in 1990?

Tennis Hall of Famer and historian Steve Flink told me that very few so-called experts believed that it was going to be Gómez’s year at Roland Garros in 1990. Most thought that 20-year-old Andre Agassi, the electrifying new kid on the block and the express bullet train headed to the future of our sport, would make his ascent to the clay-court throne.

And it hasn’t since.

“That was really the prevailing view, not that Agassi would kill him, but he would win that match comfortably enough, because he was destined to do these things, you know he had picked up his experience in 1988 and 1989 and this was going to be the moment when he won his first major.”

That is part of the reason that Gómez’s title will forever be considered remarkable, both for Ecuador and for South America, but it is not the only reason.

Hence the underdog vibe that Gómez carried on that fateful Sunday in Paris, and really throughout the whole fortnight. Nobody had him pegged as a champion. And yet, what many 2020 US OPEN PREVIEW

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didn’t know is that the Ecuadorian was playing with fierce pride and love in his heart. Married for four years to his wife Anna, he took great joy in their life together and in the recent birth of their

first son, Juan Andrés, who was two and a half in June of 1990.

He also was guided by the spirt of his father, whom he had lost at a young age and always kept close to his heart.

“I lost my father when I was 18 so he never had a chance to see me play professionally but he always was a big influence on me,” Gómez told Tennis Now. “When he passed away my family needed to do things to get back together, not only emotionally but financially.”

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His lifelong friend, compatriot and Davis Cup teammate Raul Viver says that a part of Andrés was always playing for his father.

“I think he always had that will, that will to succeed since a very early age, I think when Andrés’ father died when he was very young, he was only 18,” he told Tennis Now. “I think from that moment I could see that he was even more dedicated, his goal was to succeed in tennis, to make it as a pro, I think his father was always close to him with his tennis and I believe that when his father died Andrés matured a lot, maybe he was thinking of doing it for his father.”

There was (and still is) undoubtedly a soulful element to Gómez the person. The bloodlines run deep in his world, and in 1990 he played as if guided by an invisible hand.

Much has been made of the fact that Ivan Lendl, his longtime nemesis at Roland Garros, was not in the draw that year. The great Czech wanted to dedicate his time to winning Wimbledon and decided to skip Paris so that he could realize his lifelong dream.

But we must give full credit to Gómez for taking full advantage of the opportunity and turning Lendl’s

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quest for Wimbledon into his own passion play in Paris.

Losses to Lendl aside (there were four at Roland Garros including three in the quarter-finals in ’84, ’86 and ’87) we must take stock of the absolute tour de force that the Ecuadorian was when he was in his prime on the clay. A gifted athlete who improvised well at the net, his true calling card was his punishing forehand and unrelenting baseline game. He was one of the first guys to say “Screw long rallies, I can end points on my terms,” even on the slow red clay of Roland Garros.

He took pride in the fact that he was one of the ones ushering this new style of hyped-up aggression.

His nephew Nicolas Lapentti, a former World No. 6, told me that Gómez “Had the whole country hitting forehands with this very heavy western grip.”

“All the kids of my generation, we were hitting our forehands like he did,” he said.

Other pros and peers concur. The Ecuadorian could drop the hammer even in the days before larger racquet heads and spin-enhancing polyester strings.

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“He had a heavy forehand,” says Brad Gilbert. “Lot of spin for that time. Balls didn’t jump as much off the court as they do today, but I can only imagine him playing with poly strings now – his forehand would be… a lot of problems to deal with.”

Gomez had much more than the forehand, though. You don’t get 21 singles titles and 34 more on the doubles court without having a diverse arsenal and a high tennis IQ. The southpaw could hit spots with his serve, clean up at the net with great feel and change pace or defend with his knifing backhand slice.

In the spring of 1990 he had it all, except for a Roland Garros title.

That would change on June 10, 1990 as Gómez hit all the high notes in his four-set victory over Agassi. The American had chances in the fourth set as he desperately tried to stretch the old man to a fifth, but by that time Gómez was playing on another

planet. His dad in his heart. His wife in the stands behind his coach, the great Pato Rodriguez. The French crowd going wild – don’t they just adore their upsets?

This was a man that had been groomed for this moment all his life.

He had traveled to the United States and trained under the critical eye of the legendary Aussie Harry Hopman and then took his show on the road.

This was the moment to pay it all back.

Moments after that forehand sailed past Agassi, Gómez emerged from a tunnel with his baby Juan Andrés in his arms, to hug his wife and celebrate with his team. The baby he had not planned on, but the staff at Roland Garros was wise enough to intercept him and hand the kid over before he made it to his wife in the crowd.

It was yet another perfect moment in the perfect day for Gómez. The tennis was about is good as it could be. The celebration? Even better…

“When the match finished I just wanted to embrace them,” Gómez told Tennis Now. “My brother was there, some of my family members were there, and I just knew I needed to get a hug from my wife and that was the first thing that I reacted to. ‘I just want to get a hug. I just want to get a hug,’ because she went through hard years, very hard years.”

Thirty years later Gómez’s plans to return to Roland Garros to celebrate his anniversary have been thwarted by the pandemic…, but in his heart a piece of him will always be there.

And in Ecuador he’ll always be a hero.

The moment itself may have marked the beginning of the end for the Ecuadorian’s tennis career, but in terms of his life it meant so much more.

“With the years passing by it was probably a sunset for my ATP career but it became a sunrise for the rest of my life,” he says.

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