[Michael Bluth]

Only a couple more withdrawals now stand between Ram and the main draw, if he gets in I think the list should be:

Britton
Levine
Evans
Sweeting
Kuznetsov or Dent.

[Heners]

Peter Luczak

[CooCooCachoo]

Originally Posted by Michael Bluth

Only a couple more withdrawals now stand between Ram and the main draw, if he gets in I think the list should be:

Britton
Levine
Evans
Sweeting
Kuznetsov or Dent.

What have Evans and Sweeting done this year to deserve it over Kuznetsov?

[duong]

Originally Posted by CooCooCachoo

What have Evans and Sweeting done this year to deserve it over Kuznetsov?

Since the beginning of the year, Evans got 347 points (number 102 in the Race, partly because he won a challenger in Noumea in january), Sweeting 244, Kuznetsov 204.

I guess they are not far from each other , not far in age too.

Kuznetsov may be more talented, but apart from that

I'm rather surprised about Britton who has done nothing on the mens's tour

Harrison would be better (he just qualified in Binghamton challenger and has been quite regular since he came back from injury), but I guess they're prisoners of an internal rule

[CooCooCachoo]

Originally Posted by duong

Since the beginning of the year, Evans got 347 points (number 102 in the Race, partly because he won a challenger in Noumea in january), Sweeting 244, Kuznetsov 204.

I guess they are not far from each other , not far in age too.

Kuznetsov may be more talented, but apart from that

I'm rather surprised about Britton who has done nothing on the mens's tour

Harrison would be better (he just qualified in Binghamton challenger and has been quite regular since he came back from injury), but I guess they're prisoners of an internal rule

Evans has had a very disappointing season after a good start though. He is very, very inconsistent and has had some WCs already. I think the USTA should sort of let him try on his own; he's been given sufficient help as it is. I like him, but he belongs in qualies this year.

Alex has had a horrible start to the year, but he has really turned it around quite well. Reached the final in Lexington and Savannah, won in Winnetka.

Ryan's progress hasn't been as rapid as I thought it would have been. Out of the three, I think he has the most potential, but that doesn't mean that much. But at the same time, I think he has a good record when he has been given WCs.

[Ozone]

NCAA champ Britton will definitely get one. I'd say Levine, Sweeting, Russel, Dent, and if Ram doesn't get a D.E. then Spadea/Young. Those are the other top contenders.

[Ozone]

Originally Posted by CooCooCachoo

What have Evans and Sweeting done this year to deserve it over Kuznetsov?

I don't think Evans will get one, unless they just look down the rankings list. But Sweeting has showed well in a few ATP events. Has Kuznetsov done that?? I don't think so. Just good challengers for Kuz.

[Chip_s_m]

Evans made the quarters of Newport beating a top 50 player (Becker) and Ginepri. Both those guys have won titles this year. He's won two challengers this year and made the final of another. His ranking is just as high as anyone else in contention (Levine and he have been trading spots recently). Yes, he is inconsistent from day-to-day, but he has steadily improved his ranking 45 spots since the start of the year (173 to 128). Fish, Blake, Ginepri, and any number of top 100 players are inconsistent from day-to-day, too. If he doesn't deserve a WC despite all of his successes then what does he need to do? If he had any more accomplishments he would've been ranked high enough to get in directly.

I would be shocked (and unhappy) if Russell gets one. He's a good guy and has been playing well lately, but he's just too old at this point. Ditto Dent but to a lesser extent, and he's not even ranked as high. Too many strong young candidates this year to give these guys WC's this year.

[Chip_s_m]

Interestingly, Dent has a WC into New Haven, suggesting that he's probably not planning to play USO qualies. Either he knows he's getting a WC or isn't going to play the open.

[SHB]

Chase Buchanan won Kalamazoo to clinch a wild card.

[SHB]

Originally Posted by Ozone

NCAA champ Britton will definitely get one. I'd say Levine, Sweeting, Russel, Dent, and if Ram doesn't get a D.E. then Spadea/Young. Those are the other top contenders.

You can scratch Russell and Spadea off that list. I doubt they're considered for even a second.

[smucav]

http://www.playerdevelopment.usta.co...787&itype=7419

Main Draw: Chase Buchanan (Kalamazoo champion)
Qualifying: Ryan Lipman (Kalamazoo finalist)
Doubles: Daniel Nguyen/J.T. Sundling (Kalamazoo champions)

[duong]

Originally Posted by CooCooCachoo

Evans has had a very disappointing season after a good start though. He is very, very inconsistent and has had some WCs already. I think the USTA should sort of let him try on his own; he's been given sufficient help as it is. I like him, but he belongs in qualies this year.

As Chip_s_m said, Evans has much improved his best ranking this year (and he's very close to top-100 in the Race), I wonder why you say it's very disappointing

it's true he's been disappointing last two months, but before ...

Originally Posted by CooCooCachoo

Ryan's progress hasn't been as rapid as I thought it would have been. Out of the three, I think he has the most potential, but that doesn't mean that much. But at the same time, I think he has a good record when he has been given WCs.

From what I heard, Harrison has been injured since the end of last year until the middle of this year.

And he's won 52 ranking points since the beginning of the year whereas Britton (who is one year older) has won ... 0 (lost his 4 matches in the men's tour )

[Smoke944]

Originally Posted by duong

And he's won 52 ranking points since the beginning of the year whereas Britton (who is one year older) has won ... 0 (lost his 4 matches in the men's tour )

Ryan Sweeting, not Harrison

[Timbo]

Guccione has been given the TA wildcard. Bad luck for Ball.

US Open wildcards for Rogowska and Guccione

Wildcards into the main draw of the US Open were today awarded to Victorians Olivia Rogowska and Chris Guccione.

Eighteen-year-old Olivia Rogowska, a member of the AIS Pro Tour program, has rocketed up the rankings this year, this month reaching a career high of 169, after finishing 2008 ranked world No.491.

In May, Rogowska made the most of her wildcard into the maindraw of the French Open with a stunning 6-4 6-4 win over former world No.18, Maria Kirilenko, before losing in the second round to Kateryna Bondarenko in three sets.

Rogowska won two tough three-set matches at Wimbledon qualifying before falling in the final round.

Since January Rogowska has been working with AIS Pro Tour coach Chris Johnstone. After the US Open she will return to Australia to compete on the Pro Tour.

Optus Australian Davis Cup player Chris Guccione has been steadily working his way back towards the top 100, completing a clean sweep at the Comerica Bank Challenger tournament in California in July, winning his fourth career Challenger title.

Seeded No.7, Guccione registered wins over South African world No.106 Wayne Odesnik and Indian Somdev Devvarman on his march to the final, which he won 6-3 6-4 over fellow Australian Nick Lindahl.

In doubles he teamed with compatriot Carsten Ball to upset top seeds Sanchai and Sonchyat Ratiwatana 6-3 6-2 in the doubles final.

This week Guccione qualifed for the Cincinatti Masters, defeating No.5 seed Andrey Golubev (KAZ) and No.8 seed Robert Kendrick (USA). In the first round he meets world No.23 German Philipp Kohlschreiber. The pair has met just once before, with Kohlschrieber winning in Adelaide in 2006.

Optus Australian Davis Cup Captain, John Fitzgerald, and coach, Todd Woodbridge, will work with Guccione on his US Open preparation and during the tournament. “Gooch” will then head home to Melbourne for a training block with Woodbridge at Melbourne Park, with the pair then heading to events in Thailand and Japan.

As part of Woodbridge’s full time Davis Cup role, he will coach and mentor team members and work with them at selected major events and in training blocks during the year.

“Tennis Australia is delighted to award US Open wildcards to Olivia and Chris,” Tennis Australia’s Director of Tennis, Craig Tiley said today.

“Olivia has continued to improve this year, achieving some excellent results and successfully making the transition to the professional circuit.

“It has also been fantastic to see Chris back in form and winning important matches. We wish both Olivia and Chris all the very best in New York.”

The US Open takes place from August 31 to September 13 2009.