There are so many firsts for you here, but more importantly for me, this is the first time in your career that you’ve had four straight-sets win. What does that say about your focus this week? Finally, I’m not having to squeak matches out like I have been. Like I said in Cary, I still wasn’t fully there mentally. I really buckled down this week after seeing my friend Darian King win the title in Tiburon, thinking I really could have won that. That got me locked in here and I was very business-like this week. This was a really good mental week for me. I dug in deep and took it to all my opponents. What does reaching the...
Some players discuss an injury layoff as a blessing in disguise, a chance to spend time at home with friends and family while working to become stronger than ever. #NextGen star Noah Rubin doesn’t quite have those same views. “It was a pain,” he laughed. “I hurt my ankle training in Florida, flew to Florida for the grass-court season thinking it would be okay and then it wasn’t. Two-and-a-half months later, I played a Challenger and couldn’t really move, so I had to take another few weeks off. I’ve played a couple of tournaments now, so this is basically my start back and trying to get my [Emirates] ATP Ranking up to where it was.” After a largely frustrating summer,...
Some players struggle to find real world success straight out of college, but that hasn’t been the case for reigning NCAA champion Mackenzie McDonald. Since turning pro in June after completing his junior year at UCLA, the 21-year-old American has found his footing on the ATP Challenger Tour and is now producing big results in his home state of California. McDonald reached the semi-finals last week at the $100,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Tiburon, matching his result there last year. At this week’s $100,000 Challenger in Stockton, McDonald ousted second seed and fellow American Tim Smyczek in the second round, an identical result to the win he produced at last year’s $100,000 Challenger in Sacramento. He’s quickly learned that...
After graduating from college this year, Sem Verbeek is now ready to graduate onto a pro tennis career. The 22 year old from the Netherlands took another step towards that at this week’s $100,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Stockton, California. Verbeek received a main draw wild card for his success as a player at Stockton-based University of the Pacific and fittingly drew reigning NCAA champion Mackenzie McDonald in the first round. Although he lost in straight sets on Tuesday, he said the match was an experience that will serve him well. “Coming home is always a great experience, especially getting to play at this level. There’s a lot to learn, but that’s what makes these matches exciting,” said Verbeek....