The Official Teenage Tennis Talent Thread

[Joseph_K]

Had Alejandro Davidovich Fokina won the third game of his match against Jeremy Chardy yesterday at the Estoril Open in Portugal, the Spaniard might have ended up winning the encounter 6-0, 6-0. As it was, Chardy held serve from 15-40 in that game to make the score 1-2 before ADF won nine games in a row to lead 6-1, 5-0. The 19-year-old Spaniard had been playing very solidly, with impressive controlled aggression on his serve, forehand and backhand, and coped better than his opponent with the difficult, swirling wind.

The 32-year-old Chardy can rarely have played worse, but somehow managed to win two more games late, too late, in the match, as ADF probably tightened up slightly with victory so close at hand. In the sixth and seventh games of the second set ADF hardly won a point as Chardy narrowed the score from 0-5 to 2-5. However, as if he had something to prove, the Spaniard broke serve yet again in the next game for a 6-1, 6-2 victory, which took him into the quarter-finals of the main singles event at an ATP-level tournament for the first time.

 

[stringertom]

SebKor was beaten in straight sets by a vastly improving clay player Nagal, 3&6(0). No shame in competing closely with a clay GOAT.

 

[stringertom]

Great day for ADF, upsetting Professeur Gurufils from a set down to make his way into the ATP250 Estoril SFs.

Sinner has also advanced to the SFs of the Ostrava Challenger to face Canadian Steven Diez, who beat the WC Czech teen Tomas Machac.

 

[Joseph_K]

A wildcard for the in-form Alejandro Davidovich Fokina into the main draw of next week's Madrid tournament where he will take on Richard Gasquet in the first round. The winner of that match will play someone called Roger Federer.

In an all-Canadian encounter Felix Auger Aliassime will play his good friend Denis Shapovalov. The winner of that match will have the honour of playing Rafael Nadal.

Earlier today, in qualifying for the main singles draw in Madrid, Taylor Fritz beat the wildcard Nicola Kuhn, 6-4, 6-3.

 

[gogo]

Great day for ADF, upsetting Professeur Gurufils from a set down to make his way into the ATP250 Estoril SFs.

Sinner has also advanced to the SFs of the Ostrava Challenger to face Canadian Steven Diez, who beat the WC Czech teen Tomas Machac.

Sinner is into the final in Ostrava.
Can he take home the big czech and trophy?

 

[stringertom]

Sinner is into the final in Ostrava.
Can he take home the big czech and trophy?

As the famous Wall Street sinner Gordon Gekko said, “Greed is good!”

 

[stringertom]

What kind of logic is being ignored by Tiriac/Lopez to offer a WC into qualies for an unproven 17-year-old (juniors only play) named Jorge Plans and leave the hot flash 16-year-old (tomorrow) Carlos Alcaraz Garfia out of the picture???

Mannarino is killing him, 5-1 despite getting broken once himself.

5-2 now...Plans finally holds in his fourth service game.

 

[stringertom]

Plans have changed but not enough to take the first set, 4-6. On serve, 2-2 in the second.

 

[stringertom]

Plans have changed but not enough to take the first set, 4-6. On serve, 2-2 in the second.

My plans are to say a mea culpa...Plans took the second set and is up a break early in the third!

 

[Joseph_K]

Bad luck earlier today for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in his quarter-final against Pablo Cuevas in Estoril. The Spaniard played some excellent tennis to come back from 1-3 down in the first set and win five games in a row to take it 6-3. However, early in the second set ADF appeared to injure his upper abdomen or lower chest area and, although he received treatment for it, he was never the same afterwards.

Cuevas won the second set 6-2, and in the third recovered from a break down at 1-2, with ADF at that stage also appearing to be suffering from cramp in both legs. His exertions of the past week had clearly taken their toll on the 19-year-old Spaniard. The final score was 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

 

[stringertom]

Plans went astray late in the third set with Mannarino rallying for an edgy 7-5 victory. Great fight from Jorge to rally from an extremely rocky start to make this a compelling competition.

 

[stringertom]

It hasn’t been a good week for former Boy’s slam champions as ADF lost 1R Madrid and now both Tseng and Seyboth Wild have bowed out in 2R Challenger matches. Add to that a mixed result as Shapo was defeated on Sunday by his good friend Felix, who now has a chance to face Nadal in 2R Madrid.

 

[Joseph_K]

Earlier today in Aix-en-Provence Rudolf Molleker beat Matteo Martineau in three sets and next plays the no. 1 seed, Pablo Cuevas, for a place in the quarter-finals.

In Rome, Jannik Sinner beat Lorenzo Musetti to reach the final of the all-Italian pre-qualifying tournament where the winner will be awarded a wildcard into the main draw at next week's Italian Open. Sinner will play Andrea Basso in Thursday's final. Musetti and the other losing semi-finalist, Jacopo Berrettini (younger brother of Matteo), have been awarded wildcards into the main qualifying event for the Italian Open.

 

[EloQuent]

It hasn’t been a good week for former Boy’s slam champions as ADF lost 1R Madrid and now both Tseng and Seyboth Wild have bowed out in 2R Challenger matches. Add to that a mixed result as Shapo was defeated on Sunday by his good friend Felix, who now has a chance to face Nadal in 2R Madrid.

Shapo is 20 now!

 

[stringertom]

Shapo is 20 now!

I know but it was former junior slam champions I was recapping.

 

[stringertom]

Teens went 1-1 in the ATP M1K Rome qualies. Musetti was beaten 1&4 by Casper Ruud but Kecmanovic advance in three sets In an upset of #4 seed Hurkacz. Kevin plays Ruud for the MD slot.

Main draw matches on Sunday at Rome include WC Jannik Sinner vs The Package. Felix is the only other teen in the draw and faces #12 seed Borna Coric, scheduled probably on Monday.

 

[stringertom]

Belated reportage of the Shymkent Challenger on my part: in his last full week as a teen, Austrian southpaw Jurij Rodionov advanced to the single QFs but lost to Popko. However, he stuck around and was rewarded today with a winning result in the doubles with his partner the Finn Emil Ruusuvuori. Early birthday wishes (May 16)!

 

[stringertom]

Felix bows out 1R Rome M1K in three sets to Coric. Jannik must cool his heels for two days after his 1R upset of Steve Johnson on Sunday. He will play Tsitsipas on Wednesday.

Rudi Molleker won his 1R match at the Heilbronn Challenger, defeating his countryman Mats Moraing in three sets. Rudi is the defending champion but is not seeded and will face #2 seed Tennys Sandgren in 2R.

Both qualifier Nicola Kuhn and #5 seed Alexei Popyrin will play at the Lisbon Challenger on Tuesday. Kuhn plays 1R vs Steve Darcis. Popyrin’s 2R opponent is Norbert Gombos.

At the Samarkand (UZB) Challenger, Thiago Seyboth Wild and home WC Sergey Fomin (16) won their 1R matches. Seyboth Wild continues on Tuesday vs #6 seed Ignatik while Fomin rests and the other 16-year-old WC Uzbeki Olijam Nablev opens play on Court 1 vs Brazilian Joao Menezes.

 

[Red Rick]

Hope Tsits tanks.

Fognini-Sinner is the 3rd round Rome needs.

 

[stringertom]

Hoping for a very sinful Wednesday in Roma!

 

[stringertom]

At the Lisbon Challenger, Popyrin won today in three sets and rests Wednesday before a R16 match with Eliot Bencherit (FRA). Nicola Kuhn got bounced in straight sets by Darcis.

At the Samarkand Challenger, the WC Uzbeki Nablev and Seyboth Wild both exited the draw.

At the Heilbronn Challenger, Rudi Molleker continues his attempt to defend his title after defeating #2 seed Tennys Sandgren in straight sets. He will face fellow unseeded Asian Karatsev on Thursday in 3R play. The Austrian teen Jurij Rodionov’s 20th birthday on Thursday will not be on the singles court after being defeated by the mending German WC Daniel Altmaier. Molleker and Altmaier received a dubs WC and play 1R on Wednesday vs the veterans Istomin and Polansky.

 

[Joseph_K]

A comeback win earlier today for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first round of qualifying for this year's French Open. Facing 20-year-old Jay Clarke, the Spaniard was at one stage down 2-6, 5-6, with Clarke to serve for the match in the next game. However, the 19-year-old Spaniard managed to turn things around and eventually emerged the winner, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-1. He will play 25-year-old Joao Domingues of Portugal in the second round. Davidovich Fokina is seeded no. 17 in the qualifying draw where each player has to win three matches to make it to the main singles draw.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_French_Open_–_Men's_Singles_Qualifying

 

[stringertom]

A comeback win earlier today for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first round of qualifying for this year's French Open. Facing 20-year-old Jay Clarke, the Spaniard was at one stage down 2-6, 5-6, with Clarke to serve for the match in the next game. However, the 19-year-old Spaniard managed to turn things around and eventually emerged the winner, 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-1. He will play 25-year-old Joao Domingues of Portugal in the second round. Davidovich Fokina is seeded no. 17 in the qualifying draw where each player has to win three matches to make it to the main singles draw.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_French_Open_–_Men's_Singles_Qualifying

ADF went from a break up to match game down on Clarke’s serve. Scared the Fokin-a outta me...I had him in SDL.

Other teen action in the qualies:

French WC Antoine Cornut Chauvinc won a decisive 3rd set TB vs Kolar, 3-6 6-2 7-6(5). The teen protégé of Thomas Paire, Benoit’s older brother, will face Brazilian Thiago Monteiro in 2R.

Rudi Molleker spotted Tommy Robredo nearly two decades of experience but won 7-6(5) 6-3. Rudi will play countryman Matthias Bachinger in 2R.

 

[Joseph_K]

Two fighting wins earlier today in the second round of qualifying for this year’s French Open. One was from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who came back from 2-5 down in the second set against Joao Domingues to win 6-2, 7-5. The no. 8 seed, Yannick Maden, now stands between the Spaniard and his first appearance in the main draw of a major.

The other impressive win was by Rudolf Molleker who defeated his countryman and the no. 16 seed, Matthias Bachinger, 4-6 6-3, 6-4. If Molleker beats Santiago Giraldo in his next match he too will have made it to the main singles draw at Roland Garros for the first time.

 

[stringertom]

Two fighting wins earlier today in the second round of qualifying for this year’s French Open. One was from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who came back from 2-5 down in the second set against Joao Domingues to win 6-2, 7-5. The no. 8 seed, Yannick Maden, now stands between the Spaniard and his first appearance in the main draw of a major.

The other impressive win was by Rudolf Molleker who defeated his countryman and the no. 16 seed, Matthias Bachinger, 4-6 6-3, 6-4. If Molleker beats Santiago Giraldo in his next match he too will have made it to the main singles draw at Roland Garros for the first time.

Sadly, Cornut Chauvinc will not join to form a trio vying for main draw, losing to Monteiro 6-3 in the third.

 

[Joseph_K]

Another three-set win for Rudokf Molleker in Paris earlier today where the German beat the veteran Colombian Santiago Giraldo 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. This means that Molleker has now qualified for the main singles draw at a major for the first time.

There was no luck, however, for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who went down to another German, Yannick Maden, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

 

[stringertom]

Another three-set win for Rudokf Molleker in Paris earlier today where the German beat the veteran Colombian Santiago Giraldo 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. This means that Molleker has now qualified for the main singles draw at a major for the first time.

There was no luck, however, for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who went down to another German, Yannick Maden, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

Rudi is playing tough! He and all the other 15 qualifiers have highly unique odds to face The Nadal in either 1R or 2R at the very bottom of the draw. There are about 10 reasonably soft spots in the draw to hope for.

 

[OutOfBounds]

Another three-set win for Rudokf Molleker in Paris earlier today where the German beat the veteran Colombian Santiago Giraldo 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. This means that Molleker has now qualified for the main singles draw at a major for the first time.

No, this isn't the first time, he had done it at the Australian Open already!

 

[EloQuent]

No, this isn't the first time, he had done it at the Australian Open already!

In fact, he's undefeated in slam qualis iirc.

 

[stringertom]

Rudi drew Alexander Bublik with the winner to more likely play Thiem 2R.

Bublik leads the h2h 1-0, a qualies match on indoor HC last autumn in Moscow (2&2).

 

[stringertom]

Félix goes for his first ATP title tomorrow in the final of ATP250 Lyon vs Benoit Paire.

From there, Félix will be a seed at RG and lead the following crew of teens at the second slam of the year:

Félix (#25) vs Jason Thompson (AUS); top half of draw and in #8 JMDP’s section.

(Q) Rudi Molleker vs Alexander Bublik (KAZ); in top half in #4 seed Thiem’s section; winner more likely plays Thiem 2R.



WC Alexei Popyrin (AUS) vs Ugo Humbert (FRA); in bottom half in #7 seed Nishikori’s section

Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) vs Denis Kudla (USA); in bottom half in #2 seed Nadal’s section.

 

[Red Rick]

What can one Felix do against a Paire?

 

[stringertom]

What can one Felix do against a Paire?

Cats and pairekeets donut get along!

 

[Joseph_K]

The withdrawal through injury from this year's French Open of one teenager, Felix Auger Aliassime, opens the door for another teenager, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who instead will take on Jordan Thompson in first-round action early next week.

 

[Mark-Touch]

The withdrawal through injury from this year's French Open of one teenager, Felix Auger Aliassime, opens the door for another teenager, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who instead will take on Jordan Thompson in first-round action early next week.

Hopefully Felix will learn to get his priorities straight in the future.
Limping through a 250 final that leads to forfeiting a grand slam appearance is not smart.

 

[Red Rick]

Was he nursing injury ealier in Lyon and did he aggrrvate it by playing?

 

[The Green Mile]

Sucks for Felix, but I'm glad we get to see more of Davidovich Fokina...

 

[Mark-Touch]

Was he nursing injury ealier in Lyon and did he aggrrvate it by playing?

Yes he was already injured (groin) before the finals match.

 

[Red Rick]

Actually, maybe he already thought he couldnt play Bo5 so he preferred to limp through a Bo3 final

 

[Mark-Touch]

Actually, maybe he already thought he couldnt play Bo5 so he preferred to limp through a Bo3 final

Very possible.

 

[stringertom]

Teens go 2-2 after 1R action is complete. Molleker and Félix’s replacement ADF were knocked out while Alexei Popyrin and Miomir Kecmanovic advanced to 2R.

Popyrin rallied from one set down to win in four sets with a 12-10 TB in the third set the pivotal episode of the match with Frenchman Ugo Humbert.

Kec had a marathon 5-set win that started as though it would be an easy win over American Denis Kudla. The 6-0 6-7 5-7 6-3 6-4 win was anything but routine.

Popyrin will play #31 seed and Rio’19 champion Laslo Djere while Kec has also drawn a seed, #27 David Goffin. Both matches are scheduled for Wednesday.

 

[stringertom]

Both Kec and Popyrin were cut down in the 2R in straight sets.

On to the Boys competition where World #1 Lorenzo Musetti will attempt to take his second junior slam title of 2019.

US tennis fans can take heart that two of the top 6 seeds are Americans...#3 Brandon Nakashima and #6 (AO’19 finalist) Emilio Nava.

 

[Joseph_K]

Earlier today top seed Lorenzo Musetti won his first-round match in the boys' singles event at Roland Garros by defeating home hope Timo Legout 7-5, 6-0. Tomorrow Musetti is scheduled to play his second-round singles match against the Belgian Gauthier Onclin.

Another Italian, the no. 12 seed Giulio Zeppieri, also won his opening match in the boys' singles event on Sunday by beating Ilya Beloborodko of Ukraine 6-2, 6-2. On Monday Zeppieri will face the Canadian Taha Baadi in second-round action.

Also on Monday Musetti and Zeppieri are scheduled to play their first-round match in the boys' doubles, an event in which they are the no. 1 seeds. Their opponents will be the French pair Arthur Cazaux and Harold Mayot.

There was a surprise in the boys' singles event earlier on Sunday when the highly-rated Spanish hope and no. 13 seed, Carlos Alacaraz Garfia, lost in the first round to the unheralded American Toby Alex Kodat, 6-4, 6-4.

 

[Joseph_K]

The boys' singles event at the French Open has reached the third round (last 16) stage. Giulio Zeppieri won't feature in any of the eight singles matches scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday). He withdrew from his second-round match against the Canadian Taha Baadi when leading 4-2 in the third set. Zeppieri also subsequently withdrew from the boys' doubles event where he and Lorenzo Musetti were the top seeds.

Tomorrow Musetti faces the Hungarian Peter Makk for a place in the quarter-finals. Taha Baadi will take on the Japanese player Keisuke Saitoh, while the American Toby Alex Kodat faces the no. 4 seed, Adrian Andreev of Bulgaria.

 

[stringertom]

The boys' singles event at the French Open has reached the third round (last 16) stage. Giulio Zeppieri won't feature in any of the eight singles matches scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday). He withdrew from his second-round match against the Canadian Taha Baadi when leading 4-2 in the third set. Zeppieri also subsequently withdrew from the boys' doubles event where he and Lorenzo Musetti were the top seeds.

Tomorrow Musetti faces the Hungarian Peter Makk for a place in the quarter-finals. Taha Baadi will take on the Japanese player Keisuke Saitoh, while the American Toby Alex Kodat faces the no. 4 seed, Adrian Andreev of Bulgaria.

The entire draw is backed up by the rain without any 3R action commenced. I would expect they will try and get all eight matches completed. The US has two other players still alive, both seeded. #3 Brandon Nakashima takes on #15 Filip Jianu (ROM); #10 Martín Damm (yes, son of former Czech dubs specialist!) plays #5 Thiago Augustin Tirante (ARG).

The Italians are also represented by unseeded Flavio Cobolli playing #2 seed Jonas Forejtek (CZE).

The top 5 seeds have advanced to 3R.
I think I’m seeing double duty at least one day to get back on schedule if there’s any further rain, as is expected.

 

[stringertom]

Carnage in the boy’s draw! All top 5 seeds lost in 3R and at least QF has been completed. After the upset of #2 seed Jonas Forejtek, the unseeded Italian Flavio Cobolli was no match for another unseeded surprise, Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN), 1&2.

 

[gogo]

Making a note for myself to keep an eye on Holger Rune going forward.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1136649637912338434

 

[stringertom]

Making a note for myself to keep an eye on Holger Rune going forward.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1136649637912338434

Very young gun! Just turned 16 in late April. He is the highest seed remaining. This result overshadowed the twin American advance into the SFs with Damm and Kodat still potentially in line to repeat the all-American Paul/Fritz final four years ago. Damm takes on Rune and Kodat tackles Shintaro Mochizuki.

 

[G4P45]

Martin Damm Jr is 15 and reached the semis here

 

[Joseph_K]

Yes, the boys' singles semi-finals at this year's French Open will be between the American Martin Damm, the no. 10 seed and the Dane Holger Vitus Nødskov Rune, who is seeded no. 7. Martin Damm, jnr., is indeed only 15 years and 9 months old (b. September 30, 2003). The other semi-final will see another American, Toby Alex Kodat, take on the Japanese player Shintaro Mochizuki in an encounter between two unseeded players.

There have also been a lot of upsets in the boys' doubles event where only three seeded pairs, but none of the top four seeds, have reached the quarter-finals. In a match between two unseeded pairs the Americans Martin Damm and Toby Alex Kodat will play the Italian Flavio Cobolli and Stephan Stricker from Switzerland.

In the girls' singles semi-finals the no. 1 seed and runner-up in the girls' singles event at this year's Australian Open, Leylah Annie Fernandez, will play the no. 3 seed, Maria Camila Osorio Serrano of Colombia. Fernandez has dropped just five games in her last three matches and earlier today defeated Elsa Jacquemot of France 6-0, 6-0 in the quarter-finals. The other girls' singles semi-final is between the no. 5 seed, Qinwen Zheng of China, and the American Emma Navarro, who is seeded 8.