Re: **The Big Fat John Thread** (Big brother coach)
Mary I love your "cool kids" avatar.
OK, I don't pay attention to the juniors as much as I should but I just noticed that another American doubles team also won the Wimbledon title: the boys' champions Kellen Damico and Nathaniel Schnugg. Why should anyone care about this? Because it was
Kellen Damico who just got
kicked out of John Roddick's Academy a while back. :lol: I think I may have to add this kid to my new Watch List.
Even better, they celebrated their win by doing a chest bump like the Bryan brothers! :lol:
American tennis isn't dead yet
American Boys Crowned Champions
Sunday, 9 July, 2006
As the clock struck two on the final day of the 2006 Championships the eyes of the world fell on Centre Court to witness two tennis greats battle it out for Wimbledon glory. However, the tennis world did not come to a complete standstill for such a momentous occasion and, as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal slugged it out, fans on No.1 Court witnessed Kellen Damico and Nathaniel Schnugg capture the boys’ doubles title.
The American tennis stars of the future were responsible for something of an upset, overcoming the Slovakians No.2 seeds Martin Klizan and Andrej Martin, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2.
Damico and Schnugg having been in sparkling form throughout the tournament. Most notably, in the first round they dispatched the top seeds, Alexandre Sidorenko and Thiemo De Bakker, who claimed the boys’ singles title yesterday.
As the match got underway, both sides were evenly matched. The Americans got the better of the baseline rallies but when approaching the net they lacked the extra edge to finish off the point. This presented their Slovakian adversaries with plenty of opportunities to execute an array of passing shots, to the delight of the crowd.
With two breaks apiece the opening set was decided by a nail-biting tie-break which Damico claimed for his team with a blistering backhand winner following a double fault and a wayward volley from Damico. Team America celebrated their first set triumph with a trademark Bryan bothers bounce.
Clearly inspired by the Bryans’ gentlemen’s doubles triumph on Saturday, Damico and Schnugg wasted little time in emulating their countrymen in claiming a doubles title of their own.
They raced through the second set thanks to a more clinical performance at the net, dispatching winner after winner as the second seeds became more hesitant, clinging to the baseline and letting the title slip from their grasp. With two breaks in the bank and a 4-0 lead the Americans could taste victory. Four games later the title was theirs. Tears of delight from both teenagers accompanied the realisation they were now Wimbledon champions.