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Kevin Anderson (SA)

27K views 124 replies 34 participants last post by  FedalCastro 
#1 · (Edited)
This guy from South Africa looks well on his way to making an impression in professional tennis. He is 21 years old (18/05/1986) and did well in the US college circuit earlier this year (2007). In the month of June he won a strong futures tournament and reached the final in another. Today he is in the final of Winnetka Challenger after coming through qualifying and probably has a good chance to win this event.

He is tall (1.95) and slim but I don't know much about how he plays. But his form profile and improvement looks very promising. Currently ranked 419 he will get into the 200's next week and should get into the top-200 this year, maybe even better.
 
#2 ·
Great player from Illinois College! Impressing!!! I think he has still one year on colleges left??? Or not?
 
#3 ·
Kevin has a huge game, he should definitely crack the top 100. He's got a screaming forehand, huge serve, but his movement and backhand are suspect. I think he might have been playing through an injury a few months ago. He's also taller than 1.95m by the way, he's 6'7" which is about 2m.
 
#4 ·
Another big result for him this week getting to the singles and doubles final in New Orleans both from qualifying!
 
#7 ·
Las Vegas Q: Kevin Anderson d. [1] Mischa Zverev 6-4 7-6(3)

Kevin! :banana:

He is the hitting partner of WTA Tour player Patty Schnyder, who is my favorite player. Naturally, I am drawn to him. :lol: Seems like he is making a name for himself on the ATP Tour now, hope he wins some matches in the main draw. Good luck Kevin!

By the way, the abbreviation for South Africa is RSA, not SA. :p
 
#8 ·
He is actually not Patty's hitting partner, but her hitting partner is from South Africa and his last name is Anderson. But I will continue to follow Kevin since I have come to like him while thinking he is someone he isn't. :lol:

Las Vegas 1R: [Q] Kevin Anderson def. [6] Michael Llodra 6-2 7-6(2)

Wow, Kevin! :banana:

Didn't expect that at all. Great result for him. John Isner in the second round.
 
#10 ·
Las Vegas 2R: [Q] Kevin Anderson d. John Isner 7-6(2) 7-5

:banana:

Huge week for him, and winning lots of tiebreakers too. :lol:

He plays Korolev in the next round, so I can't say good luck, but I hope the match is close at least.
 
#13 ·
:lol: Yeah, but I didn't expect him to do so well this week :eek:, especially after almost losing to Nick Lindahl in qualifying :tape:
 
#14 ·
A good chance for Kev to get into the DC tie in April now!
 
#22 ·
Anderson vs. Djokovic, hehe. I guess you want neither to lose. :p (Edit, lol constructed this post while yours was posted)

In all honesty though, I myself am a Djokovic fan, and if he does somehow miraculously lose to Anderson I wouldn't like it, even though I like the idea of a breakthrough South African, because of my nationality... Luckily for me there is only one result coming from this, just hope Anderson can put up a fight.
 
#21 ·
Miami 1R: [Q] Kevin Anderson d. Agustin Calleri 7-6(5) 3-6 7-6(4)

:worship: Monumental victory. Only a matter of time before he gets that ranking up into the Top 70 - 50 range, then we'll see if he has what it takes to enter the Top 50.

He has Djokovic in the second round, so I will have to root against him. Still a fantastic week for Kevin.
 
#24 ·
Kevin, you are doing SA proud. Wish we could watch this live. Sadly only televising from tomorrow. Hope you beat Nole, so we can watch on Sunday.
 
#25 ·
:eek: I think in a few weeks time Kevin has catapulted himself to being a force on the ATP! :worship:
 
#27 ·
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=30&art_id=nw20080401183122318C889042

Anderson enjoying new status

At 6 foot 7 inches, a tad over two metres, new South African tennis sensation Kevin Anderson knows what it is like to walk tall.

But suddenly after beating world number three Novak Djokovic, right now the hottest property in world tennis, in the current Masters tournament in Miami, the 21 year-old Johannesburg-born giant has been elevated to a position where he has his head in the clouds.

"Yes it's a stimulating and pleasing feeling to mingle with the greats of the game in the locker room and actually have them greet you when before they were only names that you worshipped from a distance," said Anderson in a conference call from the United states on Tuesday.

Ranked 122nd in the ATP world ratings before the Miami tournament started - largely as a result of recently finishing runner-up in the Las Vegas Open and becoming the first South African in two years to reach an ATP final - Kevin's father, Mike Anderson, who has been a major influence in his son's career, has calculated his burgeoning son will move up to approximately 110 next week.

Not bad for the new South African number one, who was ranked 550th in the world little more than five months ago.

Anderson believes he gained the stunning victory against Djokovic by raising the level of his game to new heights - which has given him confidence he could hold his own with the best in the world on the tennis court.

He lost his next game in Miami against 32nd Russian Igor Andreev by a whisker in a tense three-set battle and says his new-found status made it "a little difficult" to concentrate and repeat the level he had reached against Djokovic.

"But it was a good game," he says, "and part of a learning curve for me.

I've got no complaints with the way I played."

He believes his tennis has improved immeasurably under the guidance of Illinois University coach Brad Dancer, while Anderson spent three years on a scholarship.

"Areas I've looked at improving," added Anderson , "are playining closer to the baseline - instead of further back - and progressing more often to the net as a variation to what is basically a groundstroke game."

Because of his height, serving not unexpectedly is a forte of Anderson's play, but unlike many of those who are as tall and taller, he generally plays from the back of the court.

He is looking forward to next week's Davis Cup tie against Finland in Finland, with Anderson's meteoric emegence providing South Africa with fresh stimulus for what is expected to be a difficult tie - with the Finnish side including the 26th ranked Jarkko Nieminen.

And afterwards, he has mapped out a programme as busy as that of any player, including Challenger events as well as other clay court tournaments on the main ATP circuit - culminating in appearances in the three grand slam events of the year after the fairytale all began when he qualified for the Australian Open main draw in January.

"I'm still in a position where I might have to qualify for some of these tournaments," he says, "but I have no points to drop from last year and there is a good chance my ranking can improve further."

He left St Stithians School in Johannesburg, where he was also an above-average cricket and soccer player, to finish his matric via private studies so that he could concentrate on a tennis career.
 
#28 ·
Good luck in DC Kevin, an excellent opportunity for SA!
 
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