Young still restless about McEnroe's commentary
Leighton Ginn
The Desert Sun
April 13, 2006
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PALM SPRINGS - When Donald Young was watching the replay of Davis Cup matches on The Tennis Channel, he was having a good time until he heard Patrick McEnroe talking about him.
McEnroe, the captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team and commentator for ESPN, was critical of the 16-year-old Young, who has been getting wildcards into the main events of top-level ATP Tour events despite not winning a set, let alone a match.
"He said, 'This is terrible, why is he even in the tournament. I don't know why he's out here. He can't play out here. He can't do anything. I don't understand it. Whoever is managing him should be fired. ... He should only play juniors,'" said Young after he won his second-round match 6-3, 6-0 over Bozhidar Katsarov in the Easter Bowl on Wednesday at the Riviera Resort in Palm Springs.
Young, the 2004 champion, moves into the third round with a 1 p.m. match today against Jason McNaughton.
Young was the year-end No. 1 in the world and he achieved that status as a 16-year-old.
"It shocked me. I saw the pain in Donald's face," Young's mother and coach Illona said. "Here you are looking for future American talent and you're bashing the highest-ranked junior there is. I don't get it. It just didn't make sense.
"It took me so long to get him back to where he felt he was deserving enough so he would get back out there."
The Youngs also tried to get a hold of McEnroe to express their displeasure over his comments. Their communications have been second hand.
"(McEnroe) had said when he came up he got opportunities because of (his brother) John, but Don's not getting opportunities because of John," Illona Young said. "He's getting opportunities because of what he's done. He's won everything. What's left? Keep treading water and staying in the same place?"
The dilemma is, Young is dominating the juniors, but he's not strong enough yet to compete on the highest level of the professional tour. Yet Young is marketable as a teenage phenomenon who was able to win top-level junior events as a 14-year-old.
And being an African-American in a sport that is perceived to lack diversity, Young is looked on as the great American hope.
Young certainly has gained a lot of attention, beginning when he turned professional at 14, which is unusually young for boys.
Young is an obvious choice for many tournament directors to give a wild card into their tournament, even if he's not ready to compete at that level.
And Young sees nothing wrong with accepting the offers.
"I don't know any other junior who's No. 1 and would not accept a wild card if it was offered to him," Young said. "My dad would accept it. I know anyone would. I know any other junior would accept it if it was offered."
Young is not blind to the fact he's not ready to win at the top level yet. Young accepts the wild cards so he can learn what it's like to be a professional to prepare himself for when he is ready.
"I'm not going to go there and beat (world No. 1 Roger) Federer," Young said. "I'm not thinking that at all. I just wanted to try it out and see how it would be when I'm out of juniors, when I'm 19. I want to know the tournament, the places, the players, the atmosphere and get use to it."
One of McEnroe's criticisms is that Young continually getting beat would hurt his confidence.
On Wednesday, Young was easy to laugh at his career and he has kept his head on straight. Young is taking the whole experience as a chance to learn.
"We're not egotistical to think he's going to walk over these people who have experience, knowledge. They've proven it and shown it over and over again," Illona Young said. "It's a process. You don't just jump in there. We're not disrespectful of that in any way."
One misconception about Young is he hasn't played the lower-level pro tournaments, the challengers and, even lower, the futures. However, Young is playing those and going far into those tournaments, although he hasn't won a title yet.
"(Bud Collins) said, 'You're Mrs. Young? Why isn't he playing futures?'" Illona Young said. "I said 'He is. Why don't they say that in the media? Why do they say he hasn't won anything?' ... He said 'I'm glad to know that.'"
In the Futures tournaments, Young has reached one semifinal and two quarterfinals this year.
Young has a wild card to play in the U.S. Clay Court Championships this week in Houston, where Andy Roddick is the No. 1 seed and defending champion. However, Young is also taking advantage of his ability to continue to play junior tournaments, which he's doing this week at the Easter Bowl.
"It's nice to go from pros and getting beat, and then go to the juniors and beat someone like you got beat," Young said, laughing.
Last year, Young lost in the quarterfinals of the Easter Bowl to Michael Shabaz 6-2, 7-5. Young said the loss stung so much that he's been thinking about it frequently.
"I came here for the wrong reason. I came to hang out, have fun and talk to everyone. It wasn't to play tennis too much," Young said. "But he played well. He surprised me. I beat him every time last year. For him to come out and play that well surprised me."
Leighton Ginn
The Desert Sun
April 13, 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PALM SPRINGS - When Donald Young was watching the replay of Davis Cup matches on The Tennis Channel, he was having a good time until he heard Patrick McEnroe talking about him.
McEnroe, the captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team and commentator for ESPN, was critical of the 16-year-old Young, who has been getting wildcards into the main events of top-level ATP Tour events despite not winning a set, let alone a match.
"He said, 'This is terrible, why is he even in the tournament. I don't know why he's out here. He can't play out here. He can't do anything. I don't understand it. Whoever is managing him should be fired. ... He should only play juniors,'" said Young after he won his second-round match 6-3, 6-0 over Bozhidar Katsarov in the Easter Bowl on Wednesday at the Riviera Resort in Palm Springs.
Young, the 2004 champion, moves into the third round with a 1 p.m. match today against Jason McNaughton.
Young was the year-end No. 1 in the world and he achieved that status as a 16-year-old.
"It shocked me. I saw the pain in Donald's face," Young's mother and coach Illona said. "Here you are looking for future American talent and you're bashing the highest-ranked junior there is. I don't get it. It just didn't make sense.
"It took me so long to get him back to where he felt he was deserving enough so he would get back out there."
The Youngs also tried to get a hold of McEnroe to express their displeasure over his comments. Their communications have been second hand.
"(McEnroe) had said when he came up he got opportunities because of (his brother) John, but Don's not getting opportunities because of John," Illona Young said. "He's getting opportunities because of what he's done. He's won everything. What's left? Keep treading water and staying in the same place?"
The dilemma is, Young is dominating the juniors, but he's not strong enough yet to compete on the highest level of the professional tour. Yet Young is marketable as a teenage phenomenon who was able to win top-level junior events as a 14-year-old.
And being an African-American in a sport that is perceived to lack diversity, Young is looked on as the great American hope.
Young certainly has gained a lot of attention, beginning when he turned professional at 14, which is unusually young for boys.
Young is an obvious choice for many tournament directors to give a wild card into their tournament, even if he's not ready to compete at that level.
And Young sees nothing wrong with accepting the offers.
"I don't know any other junior who's No. 1 and would not accept a wild card if it was offered to him," Young said. "My dad would accept it. I know anyone would. I know any other junior would accept it if it was offered."
Young is not blind to the fact he's not ready to win at the top level yet. Young accepts the wild cards so he can learn what it's like to be a professional to prepare himself for when he is ready.
"I'm not going to go there and beat (world No. 1 Roger) Federer," Young said. "I'm not thinking that at all. I just wanted to try it out and see how it would be when I'm out of juniors, when I'm 19. I want to know the tournament, the places, the players, the atmosphere and get use to it."
One of McEnroe's criticisms is that Young continually getting beat would hurt his confidence.
On Wednesday, Young was easy to laugh at his career and he has kept his head on straight. Young is taking the whole experience as a chance to learn.
"We're not egotistical to think he's going to walk over these people who have experience, knowledge. They've proven it and shown it over and over again," Illona Young said. "It's a process. You don't just jump in there. We're not disrespectful of that in any way."
One misconception about Young is he hasn't played the lower-level pro tournaments, the challengers and, even lower, the futures. However, Young is playing those and going far into those tournaments, although he hasn't won a title yet.
"(Bud Collins) said, 'You're Mrs. Young? Why isn't he playing futures?'" Illona Young said. "I said 'He is. Why don't they say that in the media? Why do they say he hasn't won anything?' ... He said 'I'm glad to know that.'"
In the Futures tournaments, Young has reached one semifinal and two quarterfinals this year.
Young has a wild card to play in the U.S. Clay Court Championships this week in Houston, where Andy Roddick is the No. 1 seed and defending champion. However, Young is also taking advantage of his ability to continue to play junior tournaments, which he's doing this week at the Easter Bowl.
"It's nice to go from pros and getting beat, and then go to the juniors and beat someone like you got beat," Young said, laughing.
Last year, Young lost in the quarterfinals of the Easter Bowl to Michael Shabaz 6-2, 7-5. Young said the loss stung so much that he's been thinking about it frequently.
"I came here for the wrong reason. I came to hang out, have fun and talk to everyone. It wasn't to play tennis too much," Young said. "But he played well. He surprised me. I beat him every time last year. For him to come out and play that well surprised me."
Er, well, I lost my fragile ego along the way, but to assume this kid has a fragile ego is a big leap of faith. 
