Sacramento Bee (Free subscription) | 11/10/2009
Saturday was a good day at the Natomas/USTA $50,000 Men's Professional Tennis Tournament to get home early and watch college football or do yard work. Otherwise, it was enough to make John McEnroe gag. The operative word here is "ugly." Three matches, all consecutive, were scheduled at the Natomas Racquet Club. The first ball was struck at 11:23 a.m., and fans were out of there by 2 p.m....
Sacramento Bee (Free subscription) | 10/10/2009
This just wasn't Robert Kendrick's week. The top seed's troubles began even before a ball was struck in the Natomas/USTA $50,000 Men's Professional Tennis Tournament at the Natomas Racquet Club. Kendrick woke up Monday morning with a sore back and withdrew from doubles. The Fresno native, ranked No. 82 in the world, then survived three-set matches against No. 282 Izak Van Der Merwe and No. 259 Lester...
Sacramento Bee (Free subscription) | 06/10/2009
At the beginning of this year, Jesse Witten's world ranking in professional tennis was so low, fans needed sonar to find him. He lost his primary sponsor. He was forced to drop from Challenger to Futures tournaments, comparable to being demoted from Triple A to Class A in baseball. He considered quitting. Less than nine months later, the 26-year-old Naples, Fla., resident lived the dream of every...
ZooTennis (Free subscription) | 26/09/2009
There was a surprise in the email box this morning, when USTA Florida announced that Bobby Curtis, longtime junior tennis coordinator in the state, is retiring. Although a specific date isn't given, it sounds as if the section's annual meeting in early December will serve as the retirement party. Bobby has been a friend of mine for quite a few years, and I've written about him several times, including...
Craig Hickman's Tennis Blog (Free subscription) | 09/09/2009
In the order they will be contested: Fernando Verdasco could probably beat Novak Djokovic , but he won't because he's too erratic. Djoke seems to be playing within himself and Todd Martin has him attacking the net at almost every opportunity. Then again, Jesse Witten took a set off Djoke, and was up a break in another, so why can't Verdasco win a few sets if not the match? I guess I've talked myself...
Fox News (Free subscription) | 06/09/2009
Check-out time finally came for Jesse Witten, though he'll leave New York feeling like something much better than a third-round loser. He spent two weeks at Flushing Meadows, the first working his way through U.S. Open qualifying and the second pulling off two upsets, then putting a scare into No. 4 Novak Djokovic before finally bowing out.
Reuters UK (Free subscription) | 06/09/2009
NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - A relieved Novak Djokovic said he hoped his bad match was out of the way after he battled past little-known American qualifier Jesse Witten in the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
Skysports.com (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
Fourth seed Novak Djokovic struggled past American qualifier Jesse Witten in the third round of the US Open.
Miami Herald (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
A jam-packed, sun-splashed crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium chanted, ``Jesse Witten! clap-clap-clap. Jesse Witten!'', cheering on the longest of the long shots, the 26-year-old college graduate from Naples, who was playing a lot better than his No. 276 ranking. He was giving No. 4 Novak Djokovic all he could handle.
New York Times (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
Roger Federer lost his first set, but came back to beat Lleyton Hewitt, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. Novak Djokovic needed three and half hours to defeat No. 276 Jesse Witten.
Reuters UK (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Seven months after he nearly gave up the game and two weeks after he was dropped by his clothing sponsor, American Jesse Witten gave the world's fourth-best player a huge scare at the U.S. Open on Saturday.
Examiner (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
No. 4 Novak Djokovic has ended American qualifier Jesse Witten's stay at the U.S. Open with a 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (2) 6-4 victory in the third round at Flushing Meadows.
Tennishead (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
Fourth seed Novak Djokovic survived a scare at the hands of American qualifier Jesse Witten as he reached the US Open fourth round.
Miami Herald (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
No. 4 Novak Djokovic has ended American qualifier Jesse Witten's stay at the U.S. Open with a 6-7 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (2) 6-4 victory in the third round at Flushing Meadows.
Reuters UK (Free subscription) | 05/09/2009
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A lacklustre Novak Djokovic survived an unlikely battle with American world number 276 Jesse Witten before clinching a 6-7 6-3 7-6 6-4 victory in the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
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