[SapELee]

Sounds like Rhyne is in his psycho mode. Maybe it was wise of them to turn off the sound. Denis failed to serve for the match @ 5-3.

Ricky Dimon ‏@RD_Tennistalk

Much f-bombs. Much many.

Ricky Dimon ‏@RD_Tennistalk

Williams' Cilic-hitch forehand is heating up.

[SapELee]

Rhyne wins the tiebreaker, third set here we come.

[SapELee]

Smyczek into the final w/ 62 62 victory, no surprise there.

[SapELee]

Tennis East Coast ‏@TennisEastCoast

Thank you, Rhyne. I finally understand why players carry so many racquets. So you can break them all.

[nole_no1]

Thanks for the updates. Nice win Smyczek Hopefully he'll take the WC

[SapELee]

Williams vs Smyczek final. Denis, he had his chance to serve out the match.

Erik Gudris ‏@ATNtennis

Williams climbs back from 3-5 down in 2nd to beat Kudla 5-7,7-6,6-1. Meets Smyczek in best of 5 finals. #Aussiewildcard

[SapELee]

Williams-Kudla part 1: http://livestre.am/4g8oV
Williams-Kudla part 2: http://livestre.am/4g8X2

Tennis East Coast ‏@TennisEastCoast

From peeved to pleased in 60 seconds: A stunning comeback for @RhyneWilliams. pic.twitter.com/XyOUmjiU

[SapELee]

Originally Posted by nole_no1

Thanks for the updates. Nice win Smyczek Hopefully he'll take the WC

Since the final is best of 5, Smyczek has a great chance b/c Williams usually gets tired quickly (and when he does, he will go into a drop-shot mode; got burned last time by Smyzcek's speed).

[SapELee]

http://tenngrand.com/2012/12/16/usta...s-day-2-recap/

USTA Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs Day 2 Recap
Posted on December 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

And then there were four…in the battle for the USTA’s main-draw wild card into the 2013 Australian Open. That number dwindled to two on Saturday in Atlanta, after a couple of very different matches….

Rhyne Williams d. Denis Kudla 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-1 – Williams stormed from behind to win a topsy-turvy match against Kudla. After 11 straight holds to open the proceedings, Kudla took control by breaking serve for the first set. It gave the No. 2 seed momentum that he held onto almost the entire way.

Williams donated another pressurized service game at 3-4 in the second, which seemed to all but seal his losing fate. Having not come close to breaking his opponent in the set, Williams won a return game out of absolutely nowhere to stay alive—almost going for broke like Novak Djokovic, while connecting on several huge forehands.

“It really started clicking at the right time,” Williams said of his forehand. “I was back against the wall; he was serving for the match. I hit a few really big forehands. Thankfully it came around.”

The forehand came around and never left, carrying Williams through a second-tiebreaker, into the second a set, and all the way to the finish line. But it was a backhand stab that proved to be the most important shot of the match—and the tournament. Facing break point at 1-1, Kudla hit a shot off the net cord that looked like a sure winner. Williams not only managed to track it down, but he flicked a winning cross-court pass that landed spot on the sideline.

After the point, an exhausted Williams bent over and proclaimed, “I need a beer.”

He did not get his adult beverage, but he ended up getting a hold to maintain the momentum. And he didn’t lose another game the rest of the way, as Williams continued to heat up as Kudla started to crumble in the aftermath of so many missed chances.

“He’s got a really tricky game,” Williams said of Kudla. “He hits the ball really low and flat. I like the ball up high so I can hit down on it. It took me a while to get used to the pace of his shot. Luckily I came up with some big forehands in the second-set tiebreaker and I kind of got on a roll after that.”

Tim Smyczek d. Tennys Sandgren 6-2, 6-2 – Another former Tennessee Volunteer was a much bigger underdog on Saturday and did not have nearly as much luck. A match that started when Williams and Kudla were wrapping up their first set ended more than 30 minutes earlier. Smyczek, the No. 1 seed, oldest, and most experienced player in the field made quick work of things. Sandgren said after that he did not play terrible tennis, adding that his opponent was simply too good.

[SapELee]

Keys 75 63 over Burdette, Maddy Men's final next

[SapELee]

Amanda Pruitt ‏@akpruitt

On his 4th break point, Rhyne converts & gets back in serve at 2-3 #aowc

Erik Gudris ‏@ATNtennis

Rhyne Williams will definitely give R. Harrison some competiton next year in terms of racquet tossing stats.

[SapELee]

I wanna watch

Ricky Dimon ‏@RD_Tennistalk

Tiebreaker. This is tennis of which the USTA should be proud.

Lisa Stone ‏@ParentingAces

Several lights just went out - oops!

Lisa Stone ‏@ParentingAces

First set breaker - some great tennis going on!

[SapELee]

Rhyne takes the first set breaker 7-6(4)

[SapELee]

Tim up 2-0 in the 2nd set

[SapELee]

Rhyne already tired

Tennis East Coast ‏@TennisEastCoast

Rhyne starting to look like he's running out of gas.