Marcus Fugate.
Marcus Fugate, a player on the Futures tour, has gone Hollywood. Fugate is one of several players featured on the documentary film Unstrung. I read a review of the film and picked up three things, one of each is salacious, interesting and humorous.
The salacious bit is that Fugate is apparently the modern day Yannick Noah, the former player who was known to be a lady's man.
The interesting part is another player, Gregory Hirshman, is as absorbed in calculus as much as he is in tennis and has made his way to Stanford, a school that is known as much for its academics as it is for sports.
Then there is the story of Carling Bassett, a former player who was an heiress to a fortune, and who during her playing days was known as the quintessential spoilt, rich kid, tennis brat. (I got to see that side of her up close many years ago when I attempted to interview her at a tournament she was playing in.)
It turns out that Carling Bassett has a son, Holden Seguso, one of the players featured in the film. The gods of revenge have a sense of humor as the movie reveals that Carling Bassett's son is more a brat than she was.
Resources:
A Great Review of Unstrung
The ESPN Report on Unstrung
Unstrung, the Movie
Monday, May 26, 2008
Marcus Fugate goes Hollywood
Friday, May 23, 2008
Greg Jones Scouting Report
I got to see Greg Jones in Vero Beach, Florida. A week later, he won the Orange Park Futures. Jones is very tall and actually has trouble bending due to his height. He has a lot of fight and is competitive. He has a very deceptive backhand lob; he disguises it well.
He concentrates and has a court-presence, especially before his serve. He has a very powerful two-handed backhand. His drop shot needs a little work: he is shaky and telegraphs his drop shot and gives his opponent an opportunity to recover.
He is from Australia, so like Lleyton Hewitt, he gives an emphatic 'Come on!' after winning a big point.
Related:
Show me more Australian Players
Resources:
Next Futures in Loomis, California
Futures Players Cross The Border to Mexico
Monday, May 19, 2008
Jamie Baker suffers serious illness
Jamie Baker, a young man in the prime of his life and pursuing a career in professional tennis, has suffered a serious illness. Baker came down with ITP or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Patients with the bleeding disorder, also known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura, have an unusually low number of blood platelets and have difficulty with their blood clotting.
Baker won two Futures tennis tournament this year but, for now, his career is on hold.
Related:
Jamie Baker's Career-Threatening Injury
Jamie Baker: The Power of Words
Jamie Baker Spars with Roger Federer
Resources:
The Mayo Clinic on Jamie Baker's Illness
British Newspaper on Jamie Baker's Illness
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The Tennis Hacker's Mail Bag
"I ran into your website by mistake about two weeks ago, but have been really enjoying it!" read an e-mail from Josh.
"I love watching the 'minor leagues' as well and attend the event in Mobile every year."
*Join the conversation: send an e-mail to tennis.hacker(at)yahoo.com or drop a note in the comments below.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Futures hit Tampa
Marcus Fugate, 7th seed in Tampa.
The men's futures tour is now in Tampa, Florida. Jose Statham of New Zealand is the number one seed in the USTA Men's Futures at Harbour Island. Other rated players are Clinton Thompson, Matt Roberts, Daniel Garza, Justin O'Neal, Chris Lam, Marcus Fugate and Lance Vodicka.
In early upsets, Sekou Bangoura defeated number six Chris Lam 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 in this $10,000 professional event.
Matt Roberts, number 3 in Tampa.
Related:
Matt Roberts in Little Rock
Marcus Fugate in Little Rock
Brad Gilbert on Filip Krajinovic
Resources:
Tampa Results
Orange Park (Florida) Results
Futures Players move up to Bradenton Challenger
Thursday, May 8, 2008
La Familia Jose De Armas
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- The Jose De Armas family. His daughter Miranda attended her first match at the Grand Harbor Tennis Classic. His in-laws' last name is De Armas. I heard somewhere that in Venezuela the husband takes the name of the wife's family. Above, mother-in-law Nelly, wife Ana and daughter Miranda.
Jose De Armas made it to the final of the Vero Beach Futures.
In-laws including Martin De Armas. (Not pictured, in the bag, bottom-center of photo, is the family miniature dog.)
It is funny how a baby can disarm a powerful professional tennis player. After the match, De Armas was talking goo-goo baby-talk with his daughter Miranda. Also above, Nicolas Pareda.
Resources:
Show me photos of Orange Park (Florida) Futures
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Buchanan wins First Futures Championship
Chase Buchanan.
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Chase Buchanan survived a three-hour marathon match to defeat Jose De Armas 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (2) in the Grand Harbor Tennis Classic. At 16-years-old Buchanan from Columbus, Ohio, won his first Futures tournament.
De Armas -- a Venezuelan who won this clay court tournament in 2000 and 2004 -- apparently had Buchanan confused and befuddled in the first set. At 27, De Armas is more experienced than Buchanan, who still plays junior tournaments, and De Armas won a lot of points with his backhand volley and he was also able to hit a lot of balls by the charging Buchanan.
By starting out with a 4-2 lead, De Armas seemed to be wearing down Buchanan and creating doubt in the mind of the young player. De Armas won the first set 6-4.
Buchanan fought back in the second set and jumped to a 5-2 lead. But De Armas stormed back to tie at 5-5. Buchanan held De Armas back to win the second set 7-5 and force a third and deciding set.
In the third set, it began to look like the longer the match went the better the chances of the younger and fitter Buchanan. (In an interview yesterday, Buchanan talked about winning matches on his fitness.)
The third set featured long rallies and was tied at 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3. Buchanan pulled away at 5-3. The remainder of the match was competitive with great shot-making on both sides, but De Armas tied it up 5-5.
De Armas used a lot of top spin. The players forced a tie-breaker for the championship. By the tie-break Buchanan, the youngster, took charge and won his first championship.
Jose De Armas.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
De Armas Smothers Jones in Vero Beach
Jose De Armas.
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Jose De Armas beat Greg Jones 6-4, 6-2 in the Grand Harbor Tennis Classic. There were a lot of long rallies throughout this Futures match, but in the end the cool and controlled De Armas prevailed.
"I'm very happy with my game," said the Venezuelan De Armas. "This is my first final in a while...This week everything came together."
De Armas, a former champion in Vero Beach, had his wife, new daughter and in-laws at the match. "I train in Miami," he said. "Similar conditions, it helps. I like any slow surface."
He likes the clay at the Grand Harbor Tennis Club. He plays Chase Buchanan in the final.
Greg Jones.
The Chase to the Final
Banana and Gatorade, the essential tennis player diet. Chase Buchanan.
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Chase Buchanan beat back Luka Gregorc 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the finals of the Grand Harbor Tennis Classic.
After winning the first set, Buchanan was leading by as much as 5-2 in the second set on the clay courts of Grand Harbor Tennis Club. Gregorc, from Slovenia, made a push, closing to 5-4, but Buchanan finished him off 6-4.
"I'm playing pretty smart," said Buchanan who will face Jose De Armas in the final. "I try to put people in a position they don't like, I make a lot of balls and use my fitness."
Buchanan spoke with enthusiasm and confidence. "He's got a big game, if you let him dictate," Buchanan said about Gregorc. "You get on top of him, he doesn't like to move. Get on top or at least stay neutral."
Luka Gregorc.
Related:
DeArmas, Jones in Vero Beach
Little Rock Futures
Mobile Futures
Resources:
Vero Beach Results
Vero Beach Schedule
Vero Beach Newspaper Coverage
