The U.S Open Series starts Monday and eight weeks of exciting hard court tennis lies ahead. The Tennis Review picks five faces to watch for the 2015 North American Summer Swing.
Grigor Dimitrov
With the recent split ups from coach Roger Rasheed and from girlfriend Maria Sharapova, Dimitrov may find being single and fancy free just the reboot he needs for his tennis singles career.
Critics accused both Rasheed and Sharapova of getting in the way of the young talent’s career. Rasheed was said to have focused too much on Dimitrov’s fitness and encouraged him to be too passive and defensive rather than on developing his all court skills and natural aggression.
Meanwhile, Sharapova was thought to have distracted the ATP star, who already received enough attention in his own right, and was now not only the ATP’s poster boy but was also caught up in the romance of the tennis world.
Dimitrov has himself said he believes this Summer will be the start of new things, and the recent sighting of him hitting with Ivan Lendl suggests he has been getting some great advice.
The U.S Open Series would be a great stage for Dimitrov to get his act together again. The world no.16 is the 2008 U.S Open boys champion and has had some success as a pro in the North American Summer, taking Nadal to three sets in the Cincinnati fourth round in ‘ 13 and was a semi-finalist at last year’s Canadian Open.
Thanasi Kokkinakis
Kokkinakis has been quiet since winning a Challenger mid-May on Clay, but expect him to make some noise this Summer –he has had his best results on hard courts and has shown himself to be quite the big match player, beating Gulbis at the Australian Open and reaching the last sixteen of Indian Wells after beating veterans Garcia Lopez and Monaco in three sets back to back.
The 18 year old qualified for the Canadian Open main draw last year, losing in the first round to Anderson, and he went as far as the U.S Open qualifying second round.
With his direct entry into the U.S Open main draw this year, we are sure to see a lot more of the world no.72 in New York, and with the right draw, Kokkinakis could make a few headlines.
Vasek Pospisil
Pospisil made the Washington final last season with his big serve and aggressive game, and after his run to the Wimbledon quarters this year it is easy to see him repeating that success n the U.S Open Series.
Pospisil will have plenty of support in his home tournament The Canadian Open and currently ranked 30 he would likely be seeded for the U.S Open where he will aim to better his career best second round finish in 2011.
Frances Tiafoe
17 year old American Tiafoe’s debut onto the ATP tour happened at last year’s Citi Open. His debut was greeted with much fanfare and for good reason – Tiafoe is the youngest ever winner of the Orange Bowl and is one of the most promising youngsters on the tour.
Since that first round defeat to Evan Donskoy, Tiafoe has played in the main draws of the U.S Open ’14 and Roland Garros ’15, turned pro and reached 284 on the ATP rankings.
While little is expected in this early stage of his career, American tennis fans will be keeping an eye on the progress of their current biggest prospect.
Jack Sock
Sock was the 2010 U.S Open junior champ and after five years on the pro tour, he seems to be finally fulfilling his junior promise, winning his first ATP title, on Clay in Houston, and earning a seeded position at this year’s Wimbledon for the first time.
Sock has had some success on American hard courts, his big serve and aggressive game paying off for him in the heat on the hard surfaces- he has been to the U.S Open third round twice and reached the quarters of the 2012 Atlanta Open.
If he can have a good run this U.S Open Series and guarantee seeding for the U.S Open, Sock’s big game, and the huge support behind him, would make him a dangerous opponent for a top seed and a face to watch this U.S Open Series.
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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