 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 01 Jul 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 01 Jul 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 01 Jul 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 01 Jul 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 01 Jul 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 01 Jul 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 01 Jul 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 01 Jul 2005 |
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| 01 Jul 2005 - AELTC Wimbledon - Eleanor Preston | |
| Smyczek and Co Survive Rain to Reign at Wimbledon |
Rain delays can be testing for even the most experienced players and when the inclement English weather decided to play havoc with Thursday’s schedule it had the junior quarter-finalists on and off court quicker than the rain-proof covers.
Unseeded American Tim Smyczek admitted that being held up at 4-4 40-30 in the first set of his match against his friend and compatriot Jesse Levine had been a big test of his mental strength, but it was one which he passed with flying colours.
“It was very tough,” said Smyczek, who eventually beat Levine 6-4, 6-3 to earn a place in the semi-finals, “but I managed okay. As soon as I came off court I tried to get my head out of the match by warming down, reading a book, listening to some music and just trying to be quiet. The rain delay was so long I ended up eating two meals. As soon as I got the nod to go back out there I jogged around, worked up a sweat and got my head back into the match. It worked out okay in the end.”
He and Levine had prepared for Wimbledon together as part of a United States Tennis Association’s training camp at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne in Florida and have been practicing together since they arrived in the UK; another factor which Smyczek admitted made it a difficult match.
“I tried to block it out because that’s what people always tell you to do but it’s not always that easy,” he said. “Of course it’s easier when you know someone’s game but it’s also harder because he knows my game too. Jesse is a great guy and I’m sure we’ll still be friends.”
Smyczek plays Robin Haase of the Netherlands in the last four after Haase beat Roland Garros champion Marin Cilic 76 57 63 in the quarter-finals.
France’s Jeremy Chardy will take on second seeded American Donald Young in the other boys’ semi-final. Chardy was a surprisingly easy winner over Tim Neilly, beating the American Orange Bowl champion 61 62. Young eased past Roland Garros runner-up Antal Van Der Duim 63 62.
“I thought it would be a lot tougher than it was,” said Chardy, who says he spends most of the year playing on clay. “I began very well and I managed to be aggressive and I got better and better as the match went on. I never let him get into the match. I do play a lot on clay but I have a lot of fun on grass because I like to get free points on my serve and to get to the net whenever I can.”
Young said the key to his victory over Van Der Duim was keeping his patience through the delays.
“I used to get really upset by things like that but today I was okay,” said Young. “I guess you learn to deal with things like that. I’ve gotten a little better with every match on grass. I’m not really doing anything different with my game, just playing my normal game, but it seems to be working just fine.”
In the girls’ semi-finals, top seed Viktoria Azarenka will take on unseeded Austrian Tamira Paszek, while second seed Agnes Szavay will take unseeded Polish girl Agnieszka Radwanska.
Szavay, from Hungary, beat Russian Ekaterina Makarova 60 67 61 and Radwanska had to come through a similarly gruelling match to beat Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada 60 46 62.
Azarenka, from Belarus, beat fifth seed Dominika Cibulkova 64 61 while Paszek’s giant-killing form has been the revelation of the tournament thus far. She has now beaten three seeds in a row, the latest scalp being third-seeded American Jessica Kirkland, whom she beat 63 61 in the quarters.
“All matches are tough in a grand slam,” said Paszek, “but I’ve been getting better with each match. Today was difficult because of the weather. The only other time I’ve been rain delayed was when I was nine years old and I lost that match. I’m glad I dealt with it better today.”
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