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Battling Kuznetsov Brings Fight to US Open Juniors (9/04/05)
(www.itfjuniors.com)
Few watching American junior Alex Kuznetsov fighting his way to a 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Croatia’s Nicola Mektic in the first round of the US Open juniors on Sunday will have had any clue that the 18-year-old from Pennsylvania had already won a battle just by making it onto the court.
Kuznetsov was driving his friend Phillip Symmonds’ car back from a Futures event in Tampa, Florida when he took a corner too fast and smashed into a tree. He spent HOW long in hospital with a broken leg but thanks to three hours of rehabilitation a day, the teenager has recovered enough to play to his home grand slam.
“I’m so happy just to be out there competing at all,” said Kuznetsov, who had pins inserted in his leg after being diagnosed with a broken femur. “When I first had the accident the doctors told me I wasn’t going to be able to play for six months so it’s amazing just to be here considering how bad it was. I was fully conscious when I hit the tree. I didn't even feel any pain until I looked down at my leg. It was bent the wrong way."
Kuznetsov, who was born in the Ukraine, received a wildcard into the men’s doubles with fellow American Scott Oudsema and won a match but his main focus during the months of rehab was the junior tournament, where he is seeded five.
Kuznetsov’s best junior grand slam result is a run to the final of Roland Garros last year but he would dearly love to make his mark at Flushing Meadows and complete what would be a remarkable comeback story.
“When Scott and I walked out in the doubles I realised it was the first time in my life that I was playing completely without pressure and it’s the same in the juniors,” said Kuznetsov. “I’m just going out there to play and to have fun and get some matches. I’m playing very freely.”
Top Tennis Prospect Recovers, Plays at the U.S. Open (8/31/05)
By : Charles Bricker (www.sun-sentinel.com)
NEW YORK -- Oh yeah, the good-luck necklace. Alex Kuznetsov suddenly realized it was still at his home in Richboro, Pa.
"I forgot to give it back to Phil," he said, making a mental note to do something about that.
Kuznetsov, who at 18 is one of the strongest prospects among young American tennis players, was in a Tampa hospital in late May, shortly after smacking good buddy Phillip Simmonds' car into a tree and breaking his right leg.
"Phil came by and gave me his necklace," Kuznetsov said. "He said, 'Here, hopefully it will bring you luck.' ''
Maybe it did, but Kuznetsov was back on court Wednesday for the first time since May 23, teaming with Scott Oudsema to upset Tommy Haas and Alexander Waske in doubles largely because of his own demonic rehabilitation efforts and absolute fanaticism about getting back in the game.
The smile on his face after this match, as he sat in the locker room among the big boys of the ATP tour, was everything you could imagine.
"It's so great to be back," said Kuznetsov, who a year and a half ago was so full of promise that U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe picked him as a hitting partner for the quarterfinal tie against Sweden.
He's ranked only 413, but that's not unusually low for a player who is still an eligible junior, and, aside from men's doubles, Kuznetsov will also play the U.S. Open juniors that starts Monday.
The accident happened a day after he lost in the semifinals of a Futures tournament in Tampa. He and fellow junior Simmonds, who is from Atlanta, decided to play golf and Kuznetsov was driving alone, admittedly too fast, around the curving roads at Saddlebrook the sports training and gated residential community just outside Tampa.
"I lost control of the car," said Kuznetsov. Dumbest thing he ever did? "Well," he began. "It's right up there." Simmonds saw the accident and ran to get help. That night at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, doctors put a rod in Kuznetsov's right leg where he had broken his femur.
"I was fully conscious when I hit the tree," said Kuznetsov. "I didn't even feel any pain until I looked down at my leg. It was bent the wrong way."
Four days after the operation he was back in Richboro and, within two weeks, was at a rehabilitation clinic in Philadelphia, where he worked three hours a day, five days a week.
The phone calls and emails began arriving. "Keep your head up and I know you'll be back. Keep working hard in rehab," McEnroe told him.
One thing that helped enormously was therapist Josef Zarett, who, like Kuznetsov, was born in Ukraine. "He even knew my mom growing up," said Kuznetsov. "He was very committed to me and I was very committed to getting back fast enough to play the Open juniors."
When he arrived here last week, USTA director of men's tennis Rodney recommended he try to get a wild card into the men's doubles.
He and Oudsema weren't entertaining any thoughts of whisking through the draw. "We just went out there to have fun and see what happens," he said. "That's exactly how it was. We just came up with the goods."
Of course there was rust, but there was also fresh legs. "I probably struggled most with returning 135 mph serves," he said.
He'll be seeded anywhere from three to five in the junior tournament, but if he can find a little more rhythm in his second-round doubles he might have a chance of doing very well in the junior tournament.
He was runner-up at the 2004 French Open juniors to Gael Monfils but has only reached the second round of the U.S. Open juniors in 2003 and 2004.
"I used to be about big shots and flashy shots. Now I'm learning how to break people down," he said. It wasn't frustrating, he said, watching tennis on TV during his three-month rehab.
"I watched the whole French and Wimbledon. It helped me, seeing how top players construct points," he said.
No more rehab and no more good luck charms. He's back on court with his own devices, a bit rough around the edges but anxious to satisfy the faith that has been placed in him by McEnroe and others.
Kuznetsov Battles Back at USTA Futures (01/12/05)
TAMPA USA F1 FUTURES- As Alex Kuznetsov fought for his tournament life Tuesday in the opening round of the USTA Pro Circuit Futures of Tampa Bay event, onlookers started to converge on Court 14 at Hillsborough Community College, sensing an upset.
They peered through the screens to catch a glimpse of one of tennis' most promising young players back himself into a hole. After losing the first set 6-1 to qualifier Tobias Clemens, the lowest-ranked player in the men's draw with a ranking of No. 1,463, Kuznetsov was talking to himself - frustrated by the rust that had developed in his first tournament since November.
Those who stayed saw why Kuznetsov is being heralded as one of the top young players in the country. The 17-year-old regrouped. He converted points at the most critical times, leaning on his powerful serve to win the second set. He survived two Clemens match points in the third set and overpowered the former UCLA men's player in a tiebreaker, winning the match 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-1).
The first match of Kuznetsov's first full pro season had a rocky beginning, but ended with a win.
``I told myself I had to just go for it,'' said Kuznetsov, who was the No. 1 junior in the U.S. and reached a No. 4 ranking internationally. ``I think I was playing a little tentatively because I hadn't played in a tournament since November. The competition here is tough. [Clemens] came out of qualifying. He's a confident guy who wants to improve his ranking just like me.''
After turning pro last February, Kuznetsov improved his world ranking 627 places, mainly by playing in USTA Pro Circuit Futures and Challenger events. He also advanced to the U-18 French Open finals, which raised his stock even higher. He entered this event with a world ranking of 434.
He's not your everyday No. 1 hopeful. He has his own Web site. He is outfitted by Nike. He spent last offseason training with Andy Roddick in Miami. In between tournaments, he served as a hitting partner for the U.S. Davis Cup team.
He's undoubtedly on the fast track. Roddick spoke highly of Kuznetsov last year, comparing him with Jim Courier in a interview before the Nasdaq 100 Open in Miami.
``Last year, I was just looking to get my ranking up,'' Kuznetsov said. ``This year I just want to play the most tournaments I can and work my way up and hopefully next year play in some qualifying for a grand slam.''
For now, he's toiling in pro tennis' minor leagues, the subject of onlookers who whisper about his promise.
But Kuznetsov is drawing some major-league practice partners. Last month, he moved to Tampa from his home in suburban Philadelphia to train at Saddlebrook. Some of his hitting partners include ATP Tour stalwarts Mardy Fish and James Blake. He's considering moving down for good.
``It helps so much practicing with them,'' he said. ``Playing juniors is so much different than the pros. You get so many free points in juniors. Here you have to fight for every ball. The guys are constantly on you.''
Kuznetsov Looks to the Future (09/07/04)
(www.usopen.org)
The US Open features more than just the pros on the show courts. There are dozens of up-and-coming juniors on the field courts, many of whom are not too far from transitioning to the big time.
One of those is Alex Kuznetsov. Born in Russia, the 17-year-old moved to the United States with his family about 14 years ago and is now an American citizen. Always an athlete, he explained why he was especially drawn to tennis, which he started playing at the age of six.
"I liked the one-on-one aspect," he said. "I'm a big fan of team sports, and I played basketball and soccer when I was younger. But tennis really got my attention because I'm very competitive, so I like that I have to only rely on myself."
He came into this year's US Open junior tournament seeded fourth. In second-round play today, he was a surprise upset, losing to unseeded Miles Kasiri of Great Britain, who won in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6. Although not his best outing, the match showcased the talents of Kuznetsov and was a glimpse into what should be a bright career. Kuznetsov has a big serve, something he tries to pattern after his favorite player, Marat Safin.
For the last few years, he has been considered a rising star. In March of this year, he posted his best-ever pro results, making it as far as the semifinals of the men's 2004 Pensacola Futures. In the process, he upset two seeded players, including top seed Petr Kralert of the Czech Republic.
Earlier this year, Kuznetsov was the boys' French Open runner-up, losing to the top-ranked junior singles player, Gael Monfils of France.
The 2004 US Open is his last tournament as a junior player. Kuznetsov has decided to bypass college to compete directly on the USTA Pro Circuit. It was a decision he made in conjunction with his parents and coaches, based on both his proficiency and his success to this point.
"It was me seeing that I could play with these guys," he said.
Kuznetsov's goal is to someday be ranked No. 1 in the world. Time will tell.
Kuznetsov carves out clash with Monfils (06/04/04) |
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American Alex Kuznetsov will be the underdog for many observers when he goes up against French favourite Gael Monfils in the boys' final at Roland Garros but the Florida-based teenager shows no sign of a crisis of confidence.
" I don't want to brag but I was definitely looking to do very well here before the tournament, said Kuznetsov. "Even though I wasn't seeded that high I always saw myself as one of the main contenders for the title."
Kuznetsov's self-belief is well justified given his progress in Paris, and yesterday's 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over fellow Floridian Brendan Evans in the semi-finals.
It was another gutsy performance from the Ukraine-born American, who had to come from a set down against Evans.
"Brendan started like a train in the first set and I was a little bit nervous," admitted Kuzentsov. "In the second I told myself that I needed to make him beat me and not keep beating myself. It was tough and Brendan and I always get very pumped up when we play so it was always going to be close. When I got nervous I had to really calm down. Everybody gets nervous and the ones who deal with it best are the best players. I'm in the final and I'm there for a reason."
"Maybe it's the Russian in me, we know how to fight. My dad always tells me about when he was growing up and how tough he had things, and I always try to remember that."
Against Monfils Kuznetsov will need every ounce of focus, for Monfils has coped well with the pressure placed on his shoulders by an expectant public at his home grand slam. Friday saw him beat the Slovak Republic's Kamil Capkovic 6-2, 6-2 with another purposeful performance.
"There is a little bit of pressure here but I have coped better with it as the week went on. I just try to concentrate on my match," said the softly spoken Monfils.
"Matches like my win over Brendan are going to help me when it comes to the final against Monfils because I've had a lot of tough matches while he has kind of cruised a little bit," said Kuznetsov. "I think if I can stay with him then I know I have a chance."
In the girls' final, Romania's Madalina Gojnea continued her impressive run at Roland Garros to set up a final against top seeded Bulgarian Sesil Karatancheva. Gojnea beat Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 7-6, 0-6, 6-2.
Karatancheva who is based at Nick Bollettieri's Academy in Florida and boasts a WTA Tour ranking on the fringes of the Top 200, was too strong for Katarina Bondarenko, beating the Ukrainian 7-6, 6-1.
"I'm pretty excited, especially because it was such a tough match," said Gojnea. "I tried to take a bathroom break after I lost the second set but it was closed, so I just laughed and went back to the court. It kind of gave me time to relax and think about what I needed to do."
Like Monfils, Karatancheva will be the heavy favourite, but Gojnea agrees that sometimes underdogs can bite back when it comes to the tense environment of a junior Grand Slam final. "Usually I play better when I am up against a good, strong player," she said. "I know I have nothing to lose because I have already taken a big step this week towards becoming a professional."
| French Open Juniors (6/2/04)
www.itfjuniors.com
In the boys competition Ukraine-born American Alex Kuznetsov scored the upset of the day by knocking out French favourite Josselyn Ouanna, who was runner-up at the Australian Open boys tournament in January. Ouanna was hampered by a hamstring injury and Kuznetsov, who recently trained with the US senior Davis Cup squad, was poised to take full advantage, despite being 0-3 down in the opening set and a break down again in the third.
"I came out there nervous because I knew the guy was a great player," he said, but I also knew that if I could stay with him then I'd have the chance to take a set and maybe even more. I had to try because this is the French Open and it's my biggest match of the year. I just had to believe in myself. That was the main factor."
Kuznetsov now faces his doubles partner Michael Zverev of Germany in the last eight after Zverev beat Tushar Liberhan of India 63 63. Kuznetsov's compatriot Brendan Evans became the second American through to the quarters with a 62 64 win over Austria's Martin Fischer. Evans faces Lukas Lacko of Slovakia. In the other last eight clashes, France's Gael Monfils plays Italy's Fabio Fognini and Spain's Pablo Andujar takes on Slovakian Kamil Capkovic.
Alex the Great (4/20/04)
By : Jennifer Wielgus (From : Bucks County Courier Times)
A breath of normalcy, however shallow, feels good. Alex Kuznetsov lounges in the pristine living room of his family's palatial home in Richboro, wearing baggy sweats and watching ESPN on the big-screen TV. And he's just a normal teen-ager.
He's going to get his driver's license on this sunny afternoon.
Of course, when the weekend comes, his rare week off ends. Kuznetsov will transform back into a tennis phenom, a 17-year-old with an agent, his own Web site and sponsorship deals from Adidas and Wilson.
Instead of tooling around Bucks County at the wheel of his mom's car, he'll be gazing out airplane windows. Instead of hanging around the old neighborhood, playing pickup basketball with childhood pals, he'll be riding with his professional coach between training sessions and tournaments in Florida. He'll be making a name for himself at big-time events in Europe.
He'll be gone, without his parents, for six weeks.
Kuznetsov knows all of this in the back of his mind. But let's keep it there for now, shall we?
"Even though tennis is my ambition, what I want to do with my life, it does sometimes get a little too much for me," says Kuznetsov, who currently sits at No. 730 in the ATP world singles rankings, which include all professional men. The Ukrainian-born right-hander ranks 17th internationally in junior tennis - third among U.S. players.
"Some players can't go two days without practicing because they'll be so out of sync," he says. "But I do need breaks and I do need something else that isn't tennis related in my life."
'A tremendous talent'
Kuznetsov kept his racket in storage throughout last week's visit. He wanted to relax, be normal - as difficult as that might be.
He returned to Pennsylvania after an exciting, 30-day road trip that ended in Delray Beach, Fla., where Kuznetsov served as a practice partner for the U.S. Davis Cup team.
"One of my greatest tennis experiences," he said of the high-profile assignment, an opportunity that illustrates just how good he is.
Barely a month after he turned pro, Kuznetsov received a special invitation from Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe. Come on down, McEnroe told him, and help our group prepare to play Sweden on April 9-11.
McEnroe met Kuznetsov at Wimbledon in 2003 and later called him "a tremendous talent" and "very, very hard worker" in a story in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
So Kuznetsov flew to Delray Beach from Mobile, Ala., where he'd been playing in a USTA Futures tournament. He went from a Ramada Inn to a posh, beachside Marriott. He found himself standing across the net from Andy Roddick, having dinner with the country's brightest tennis stars.
Kuznetsov already had trained with Roddick, the second-ranked player in the world, for a five-day stretch last December. He hit with Roddick at the Chris Evert Tennis Center in Boca Raton, then joined Roddick and his girlfriend, actress/singer Mandy Moore, for a few nights on the town.
"He's a solid, strong kid," Roddick said in March before competing in the Nasdaq 100 Open in Miami. "He's kind of out of the Jim Courier mold a little bit ... strong, good rackethead speed. I was pretty impressed with him."
Kuznetsov's decision to hire an agent and turn pro came after a stellar 2003. His most notable achievements included sweeping the singles and doubles titles at the boys' 18-and-under USTA Super National Spring Championships, as well as reaching the singles and doubles quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl International Championships and USTA International Winter Championships. He also was a doubles quarterfinalist in the junior division at Wimbledon.
It's clear that Kuznetsov's talents have put him on the map.
"He wouldn't be getting the opportunities he's getting right now from the USTA and Patrick McEnroe if they didn't think he was going to be great," says Jason Katzer, a Southampton native and former William Tennent tennis star who served as Kuznetsov's first coach. "It's not like they hand those invitations out just to be nice guys. They only invite you if you're a top American prospect - and most of those are 19 and graduating from college.
"Alex is only 17, so that's pretty remarkable."
The natural
Yuri Kuznetsov knew, very early in his son's life, that Alex was a remarkable athlete.
"He played every sport," says Yuri, a former physical education teacher and handball coach in his native Soviet Union. "He played tennis, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball. He could throw the ball very well."
Yuri moved to the United States with his wife, Julia, when Alex was 3, and the family became naturalized shortly thereafter. They spent a few years living with relatives in Northeast Philadelphia before relocating to a townhouse in Langhorne. Eventually, Julia made a good enough living as a computer analyst to purchase her dream house in Richboro.
Alex took up tennis at 6, but he didn't really like it. He was popular among his classmates and preferred basketball "because it's a team sport, and you get to have fun with all your friends."
But he was so naturally good at tennis - Katzer says he'd always pit Alex against older kids during lessons - and he had so much success in early competition that the sport slowly grew on him. By the time he turned 12, he was hooked.
"There's nothing like winning a tournament every weekend," says Kuznetsov, who has achieved high school junior standing through home schooling. "I could see myself improving every week, and my dad saw that and my coaches saw that. They were just pushing me and encouraging me. That's why I picked tennis over the other sports."
Alex quickly outgrew the Philadelphia tennis scene and branched out to regional, then national, then international tournaments. And his life changed. He'd been shooting to play college tennis, but soon he began aiming at the pros.
With all the travel, though, Alex missed a lot of school. Too much. Any more, said Alex's teachers in the Council Rock district, and you won't pass eighth grade. So Yuri and Julia made the difficult decision to pull their son out and pursue his tennis dream.
Goodbye, normalcy.
"We were thinking and thinking about it," says Yuri, who now makes a living coaching tennis at area clubs. He estimates spending up to ,000 each year on Alex's tennis career. "We said, 'If we don't give him a chance, in a couple of years will he say, Dad, you didn't give me a chance?' So we gave him a chance, and it looks like it probably was the right choice."
Alex agrees. His lifestyle differs greatly from his friends back home, and he spends so much time on the road, working hard toward this year's goal of becoming a Top 300 player. But he's still having fun.
He works just as hard at remaining a regular teen-ager.
"I live normally," he says. "I want to get my drivers license. I want to get my first car. I want to hang out with friends. Even when I'm in Florida training, we go to movies and do whatever normal kids do."
MORE ABOUT ALEX KUZNETSOV
Age: 17
Height/weight: 6-0 / 150
Birthplace: Kiev, Ukraine
Hometown: Richboro
Rankings: No. 730 in ATP world singles, No. 17 in ITF juniors (third among U.S. players).
Web site:http://www.alexkuznetsov.8m.com/
Recent achievements: Hitting partner for U.S. Davis Cup team (April 9-11). In 2003: singles and doubles champion at USTA Super National Spring Championships and Easter Bowl; singles title and doubles runner-up at North/Central American and Caribbean Closed ITF Junior Championships; singles and doubles quarterfinalist at Orange Bowl International Championships and USTA International Winter Championships; doubles quarterfinalist at Junior Championships, Wimbledon.
Teen Gets Two Big Breaks (3/30/04)
From http://www.sun-sentinel.com
He was 16 years old, still a bit jittery from being asked to work out the No. 1 player in the world for five days, but also up 6-0 in a little game of baseline tennis to 11.
Andy Roddick grinned at him from across the net and stuck in the needle. "Alex, what did you have for breakfast? Lucky Charms?"
That's all Ukrainian-born Alex Kuznetsov needed to completely relax. That and a choice seat at a Miami Heat game and several dinners out with Roddick, Roddick's girlfriend, Mandy Moore, and coach Brad Gilbert.
It was last December, when Roddick was getting ready for the 2004 season. Today, a month and a half past his 17th birthday, the young man from Richboro, Pa., is preparing himself for thrill ride No. 2 -- hitting partner to the U.S. Davis Cup team that plays Sweden April 9-11 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.
"This is going to be the most exciting thing I've ever done," Kuznetsov said Monday in a telephone interview from Mobile, Ala., where he's playing a USTA Futures tournament.
He was having dinner with his agent and coach two weeks ago when Patrick McEnroe buzzed him to ask him to come to Delray. "Yeah, I got a big rush. To hear Patrick say that ... " He never finished the sentence and he didn't have to.
Kuznetsov won't be on the program. He won't be announced when the matches start. Few outside his family and friends will know he has anything to do with the team.
But this is a dream opportunity for any junior and he got it because he's loaded with potential. "A tremendous talent," McEnroe called him. "He's a very, very hard worker. I hit with him a few times at Wimbledon last year, and I think this is going to be a great experience for him."
He's already had a great experience hitting with Roddick at the Chris Evert Tennis Center in Boca Raton. "Best five days of my life," Kuznetsov said.
Born in Kiev, his parents moved to the United States when he was three and were naturalized three years after that, making Alex as American as McEnroe.
"Andy's agent told me I had to fly down on Christmas Day," Kuznetsov said. So he opened his presents in the morning and flew in the afternoon.
On Dec. 26, he and Roddick got on a hardcourt at Evert's. "I was standing on the baseline and I'll never forget the first forehand he hit me. It ate me up," he said.
"He started taking serves and I can tell you his warm-up serves start at about 130 mph. I was ducking out of the way. When I came up to the net, he tried to hit the ball as hard as he could at me. He likes to play around like that. I can't think of a moment during the five days that we weren't joking or having a great time."
As he prepared himself for the first practice session, he was telling himself just to not screw it up. "I was thinking just try to do your best. But Andy's such a great guy, he made it easy."
He sounded more excited to meet Moore than he was to be hitting with Roddick, but he kept his composure. "Mandy Moore!" he exclaimed. "I just tried to be quiet. I didn't want to be a loudmouth."
At 6 feet 1 and 163 pounds, Kuznetsov is a player with the potential to have a complete game. He's athletic, has good movement, reacts to the ball well and is roundly described by those who know him as a young man who won't come off the court unless you cuff him and throw him in the shower.
It's difficult to quantify what a young player can take away from a week with the Davis Cup team, but it's considerable. You're watching the way professionals work and comport themselves, how they play points and prepare themselves for matches.
If his visit to Roddick in December was the best five days of his life, this could be his best seven.
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By Cassandra M. Taylor
Alex Kuznetsov of Richboro, PA, is moving in the right direction towards a professional tennis career. He reached the semifinals of a Futures tournament in Pensacola, FL, in March, knocking off the top seed and picking up 6 ATP points for the tournament. He has just turned 17and His is now ranked #15 in the ITR Junor World Rankings. His career high in singles was #9. Alex's latest results can be found on his Web site, alexkuznetsov.8m.com. Kuznetsov was recently named as a hitting partner for the US Davis Cup team and has been hitting with Andy Roddick.
The hitting partner for Andy Roddick is in Mobile trying to make a name for himself.
Alex Kuznetsov is competing in the USTA Newton Cox Men's Professional Tennis Classic at the Mobile Tennis Center. The 17-year-old from Pennsylvania opened the tournament with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Poland's Michal Przysiezny on Tuesday. Kuznetsov returns to the court at 1 p.m. today with doubles partner Phillip Simmonds to face Brad Sherwood and John Valenti. His next singles match is on Thursday.
The tournament will continue every day through Sunday.
Kuznetsov, who was recently named hitting partner for the U.S. Davis Cup team, doesn't believe that is his greatest tennis accomplishment to date.
"Reaching the semifinals of the Futures tournament two weeks ago in Pensacola has been my greatest tennis accomplishment," he said. "It was my best showing and the best I've played my whole life."
After knocking off the No. 1 seed at the Pensacola tournament, he lost in the first round of the Futures tournament in Little Rock, Ark., last week.
Kuznetsov also beat Przysiezny during his run in Pensacola.
"I beat him 7-6, 6-4 in Pensacola; that was a little tougher than this match, but I think the second set here was rough for me," he said. "I really had to stay focused out there.
"When I realized I would be playing him again my coach and I went over the game plan, so I felt pretty confident. I felt I could tough it out with him, so even when I got down 3-1 and 4-1 I knew I was right there with him.
"The first set was exactly what I wanted to do, the second set I lost my focus a little bit and that's why it turned out 7-5."
Kuznetsov's talents have already been recognized by Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe. The two hit together at Wimbledon last year, which helped lead to the invitation for Kuznetsov to be a hitting partner for the United States' top players. Kuznetsov hopes to be at that level soon.
"When I started doing better internationally with the juniors, I liked the lifestyle of traveling and everything else that came along with it," he said. "It was at that time -- around the age of 15 -- I really wanted to be a professional tennis player and not a college player like some people. I love the traveling and improving my game."
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Top seed knocked off at Futures (3/20/04)
From http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com
Top seed Petr Kralert, the 184th-ranked singles player in the world, was upset by wild card Alex Kuznetsov 6-4, 6-4, in one of four quarterfinal singles matches Friday at the USTA Pensacola Futures Professional Men's Tennis Tournament at West Florida.
Kuznetsov, ranked 1,050th in the world, previously knocked out No. 8 Michal Przysiezny in the first round. He dominated Friday's match en route to his first semifinals appearance in a USTA Tournament.
His previous best finish was a quarterfinal appearance in the USA F28 Futures in October. The 17-year-old Kuznetsov is only appearing in his 12th tournament and today's match was only his 22nd USTA Pro Circuit match.
Kralert, meanwhile was playing in his 184th tournament and 488th match.
Kuznetsov advances to the semifinals where he will meet fifth seed Francisco Rodriguez today. Rodriguez eliminated third seed Rajeev Ram, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
The other singles semifinals feature two of the three ranked players remaining in the tournament. Second seed Andres Pedroso, who is ranked 323rd in the world, bested Gregg Hill 6-1, 7-5.
He will face seventh seed Bobby Reynolds, who needed three sets to defeat Ryan Haviland, 2-6, 6-0, 6-2.
The doubles finals were set with a semifinal match and a withdraw. The qualifying tandum of Cody Conley and Ryan Newport, who defeated the No. 1 team earlier, continued their impressive run with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Daniel Lustig and Przysiezny.
The other doubles match between Ram and Ryan Sachire, and Matt Behrmann and Troy Hahn did not occur because Behrmann and Hahn had to withdraw because of an injury to Behrmann.
Top American Juniors Train with Andy
by: Scot Hirschfield
1/9/2004 --
Last week, at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, top American juniors Brian Baker and Alex Kuznetsov had the opportunity to train with Andy while he prepared for his first few events of 2004. The three of them, along with touring pros Vincent Spadea and Sebastien Grosjean, worked out twice a day for the entire week following Christmas.
Brian Baker is from Nashville, Tennessee, is 18 years old, and recently turned pro after a stellar junior career. Brian won the 2002 Junior Orange Bowl, and at one point, was the #1 Junior in the world.
Alex Kuznetsov will only be turning 17 this February, and is already the 2nd ranked junior in the world. His family is from Russia, but Alex has lived in Richboro, Pennsylvania for much of his life. Alex recently reached the quarterfinals of both the International Winter Championships and the Orange Bowl.
For these young men, the opportunity to train with Andy for an entire week was simply an invaluable experience. According to Brian, it was nothing more than playing points, specifically service points, that was the best part of his week. He also told me that he was impressed with the laid-back atmosphere he encountered during the training sessions.
In addition, not only did they train on-court with Andy, but Andy showed his holiday spirit by taking Alex and Brian to the Miami Heat game, when they played the New York Knicks on December 27th.
I had to ask Brian who he thought knew more about sports, Andy or Brad, and his answer was classic. "I don't know, but they both think they know more than the other."
Look out for Brian and Alex over the next few years. They are both extremely talented and motivated young players.
Orange Bowl International
12/19/03 ( Source : www.juniortennis.com)
Marcos Baghdatis, the number one seed and junior in the world overcame Alex Kuznetsov, the #9 seed, in a three set thriller 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-1. At first Marcos toyed with his younger opponent, teasing him with his full arsenal of shots. He seemed to be enjoying playing showman to his friends in the crowd, who applauded every winning ball. Things turned around, however, when Alex started to get used to the flat paced ball and produced some of his own magic.
It developed into an emotional battle when the Cypriot faced two break points at 6-3, 2-1. He erased the first with a deft drop shot followed by a winning lob, and followed it with an ace, but there were five more deuces before Marcos would hold serve. He fell over on the court when he had to stretch wide at the first ad-in and he twisted his whole body and fell to the ground after the third deuce, returning the ball while laying flat out on the court. Next Marcos came into net and stood his ground as the American nailed a forehand right at him, which he calmly volleyed away for the winner. His friends went wild with delight as Marcos threw his arms in the air, showing surprise that he made the shot and finally held serve.
There were no more break opportunities and the match leveled when Alex won the second set tie breaker. However, the strain of playing at such a high level took its toll as they both showed signs of cramping in the left thigh. At 2-1 the match suspended for about ten minutes as the trainer worked, first on Alex and then on Marcos. "I tried not to think about it and just play my game," said Marcos, who appeared rejuvenated afterwards while Alex did not win another game.
"It's nice to beat a guy like Alex, because he is so professional and so serious," said the world champion, complimenting his opponent. "I think he will be a very good player one day."
Kuznetsov Making Waves on the Junior Circuit |
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