Article

  • Las Vegas Championship Preview: Kevin Anderson vs. Sam Querrey

    3/10/08 2:50 PM | Ricky Dimon
    - Power meets power in a surprising Tennis Channel Open final that features two youngsters in Sam Querrey and Kevin Anderson. It is the first ATP final for both players. How will they handle the pressure? If this week is any indication, they’ll handle it flawlessly.

    Up-and-coming Sam Querrey will do battle with little-known Kevin Anderson in the final of the Tennis Channel Open on Sunday afternoon. This is Querrey’s third full year on the pro tour and Anderson’s first, so it might come as a surprise to know that Querrey and Anderson, who had not won an ATP level match prior to this week, have actually played each other once before. Querrey prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at a Challenger event in Sacramento last October.

    If that match was tough for the American, this one should be even tougher judging by the way Anderson has played in Las Vegas. The 21-year-old South African, who left the University of Illinois in 2007 after his junior year, had played—and lost—just two ATP matches in his career prior to this event. But it has all come together over his last four matches. The 6’7’’ Anderson stunned two-time 2008 titlist Michael Llodra in the opening round and then dispatched fellow big-server John Isner 7-6(2), 7-5 to reach his first-ever ATP quarterfinal. There he routed Evgeny Korolev 6-2, 6-0 just one day after the Russian stunned top-seeded Fernando Gonzalez. On Saturday he took out in-form Robby Ginepri, who was in his third-straight semifinal, 7-6(4), 6-4.

    Querrey has been just as dominant this week, although unlike Anderson he at least has dropped one set. That came way back in the opening round, where he survived a huge test from Sebastien Grosjean in a two hours and four minute battle, coming through 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(8) after saving one match point at 7-8 in the third-set tiebreaker. His next two contests were far easier. Querrey erased Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-1 in just 58 minutes and then eased past Julien Benneteau 7-5, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. On Saturday he persevered through a tough first set that saw Guillermo Canas serve for the set at 5-4. Querrey, however, saved a set point in that return game and then cruised to a 7-5, 6-2 victory over the Argentine.

    The dream week will have to fall short of the ultimate goal for one of these competitors, but it’s hard to say which one. Querrey and Anderson have strikingly similar games. Querrey is just two inches shorter than Anderson at 6’5’’ and he owns one of the biggest serves in tennis, consistently firing more aces than almost anyone other player. Both finalists move very well around the court for big men and can work baseline points perfectly in an effort to set up lethal forehands. One would think Querrey has the edge due to his experience, but with the way 2008 has gone so far (Kei Nishikori, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Steve Darcis), it’s hard to envision anything other than an Anderson win.

Tell a friend »

Comments


Write comment

You have to be logged in to comment. If you do not have an account, click here to register. It only takes a minute and you'll be redirected back to this page.
Username:

Password:





Click Here