tt stern-enzi (recap of live coverage)

My first day at this year’s tournament involved sampling just a few matches (actually sets of matches) during the daytime session. There’s so much action, its hard to settle in for a full match.

The day kicked off with Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) versus American Mardy Fish, a real crowd favorite who has proven to be a bit of a late-bloomer. Over the course of the last couple of years, he has emerged from health issues with a newfound focus that has translated into solid top tier play. His opening set against Kohlschreiber found him in search of that sharpness we’ve come to expect. Broken in his second service game (down 2-1), he displays flashes of that recent brilliance, but Kohlschreiber has obviously read the scouting reports and is ready for that booming serve from Fish who holds, falls at love on Kohlschreiber service game. Fish switches things up with more aggressive serve and volley play, which works wonders when his serve is on. Kohlschreiber is fascinating to watch though because he powers each and every shot through the court with superb placement. Fish finds a way to break to even things up at 4-all, and holds serve in the next game, but in slips up in his next service game – ending up down love-30 and 15-40 – before Kohlschreiber takes command with the break and a service hold to capture the first set 7-5.

I retreated indoors briefly and during that time Kohlschreiber applies the heat, cruising to a win with a 6-2 second set.

The follow-up on Center Court featured Samantha Stosur (AUS) versus Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), a big-time power punching clash not usually seen in the first round. Kuznetsova sprayed the court with wild shots in the first set, falling 6-1, but found a groove in the second, trading body blows with Stosur throughout. Lacking in long rallies, this was all about Stosur’s compact swing, from either wing, which pushed Kuznetsova around, while the strong Russian delivered her own punishing shots deep into the corners and exhibited defensive prowess in the form of running squash shots that kept in several key points. The two stayed on serve until a late 6-5 break for Stosur that she followed up with an impressive hold (closing the match with a swinging volley at the net) for the 6-1, 7-5 win.

The march of the Americans continued on the two showcase courts. Sam Querrey faced off against Serbian Janko Tipsarevic on Center, while Sloane Stephens went head-to-head against qualifier Petra Martic (CRO). The edge for me, in terms of interest steered to Stephens who has had a solid year thus far at the Slams – the semis in Australia, the 4th round at the French Open, and the quarters at Wimbledon – and it seems like she’s settling into a phase where she plays to the level of the opponent, which can be dangerous. The first set here offered no real surprises (6-2), but all of a sudden, Stephens was in a dog fight after Martic claimed the second set 6-3. Stephens righted the ship in the third, yet this could be troubling if she doesn’t enter each match with the eye of the tiger, so to speak.

(In the end, Stephens closed the door in the third at 6-3, but if this tourney is supposed to be a tune up for players heading into the US Open and Stephens wants to continue this year’s results at the Slams, it is time to tighten things up.)