 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Sep 2005 |
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| 06 Sep 2005 - Flushing Meadows - Eleanor Preston | |
| Young Fights Back For A Grandstand Finish |
World junior No.1 Donald Young had to battle back from a set down in his first round match against Canada’s Philip Bester at the US Open on Tuesday to ensure that his debut on the Grandstand Court at Flushing Meadows was marked by success rather than failure.
Young beat Bester 36 61 63 to set up a second round clash with David Navarette of Venezuela and afterwards admitted the surroundings had contributed to the uncertain start he made. “I don’t know why I was nervous because I’ve practiced on that court before, I’ve hit on it and I’m never normally nervous in matches,” said Young. “It was actually really nice to be in a stadium like that and in the end it was a good experience to feel nerves like that and have to get myself out of trouble.”
Young, who is top seed in the juniors, said the turning point of the match came towards the end of the first set when, realising the danger, he took control of his emotions. “At around 24 down in the first set I had a couple of break-points and though I didn’t make them and I lost the set, I started to play much better from then on,” he said.
Young admitted he had been surprised by Bester’s level of play, especially as he went into the match with a winning record over the Canadian. “Normally we match up pretty well and I’ve beaten him the last few times we’ve played even though he hits the ball very hard, almost like they do in the pros,” said the American.
Young, 16, has been trying to make some headway in the men’s game this year and received a wildcard into the main draw but says it’s a relief to find himself back in the juniors, especially as he carries the self-assurance of knowing that he is already a junior grand slam champion after his victory at the Australian Open in January. “It feels very good to be back playing in the juniors because I feel a lot happier at this level,” he said, candidly. “I’ve played a lot of the juniors before and beaten them and I’m a junior grand slam champion – that gives me a lot of confidence.”
The teenager was besieged by autograph hunters after his match ended and he spent several minutes signing oversized tennis balls for kids only a little younger than him. As one of the most promising prospects in US tennis, Young is getting used to the attention, even if it still feels strange to find himself signing autographs at the US Open instead of queuing for them.
“When I first came to the US Open I really wanted Agassi and Sampras’ autographs and I remember getting Mary Pierce to sign one. I can’t recall who else signed but I still have the ball at home,” he said. “Sometimes I waited and got missed out so now I want to sign all of them because I know how it feels not to get your ball signed when you have been waiting around all day.”
There was more good news for American tennis when local players caused the day’s two big upsets in the girls’ competition. 17-year-old Elizabeth Plotkin, who was born in Russia but resides in San Francisco, knocked out the reigning Wimbledon champion Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
Plotkin beat the second seed 64 64 and now plays unseeded Russian Ekaterina Kosminskaya in for a place in the last eight. Jamie Hampton of Alabama beat fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 62 26 64.
In other results, Plotkin’s compatriot Alexa Glatch, seeded seventh, beat Valerie Tetreault of Canada 62 61.
In the boys’ competition, seeds Marin Cilic of Croatia, Leonardo Mayer of Argentina and American Alex Kuznetsov all progressed without trouble; though tenth seed Timothy Neilly, who beat Young in last year’s Orange Bowl final, lost 64 60 to Kei Nishikori of Japan.
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