OPEN NOTES
Results / Page 59
Donald Young, the 16-year-old from Chicago, has the mantle of the next great young American hope, even if he can’t win a set during a tour match yet and got embarrassed in the first round here Monday.
But another African-American, 222nd-ranked, Scoville Jenkins, believes he’s the next one, too.
Coming off his thrilling, 41/2-hour, five-set victory in the first round on obscure Court 4, Jenkins, the 19-year-old product from Atlanta, will be on center stage tonight. Jenkins faces second-seeded Spanish sensation Rafael Nadal at Ashe Stadium.
Jenkins, who outlasted George Bastl, expects the support he got Monday, when Court 4 was filled to the brim with a couple of thousand sardine-packed spectators.
“I’m American,” Jenkins said. “It will be a great American crowd.”
Jenkins said he was not sore despite a match that lasted 55 games and three tiebreakers Monday.
Jenkins, the USTA boys’ 18-and-under champions, made his Open debut last fall on opening night, a wild card who got stuck with Andy Roddick in the first round.
“In a couple of years, I do expect to be a top 10 player,” Jenkins said. “That’s my goal.”
At 6-2, he’s inclined to rush the net tonight against Nadal.
“Use my strength come in and attack him try to get to net and take his timing away,” Jenkins said.
*
There’s been a slew of nagging injuries on the women’s tour this year, and seventh-seeded Justine Henin-Hardenne indicated the tennis season is too long to expect players to be at their best for the Open or the season-ending WTA championships in late November.
Henin-Herdenne’s countrywoman Kim Clijsters said she’ll retire in 2007 at age 24.
Henin-Hardenne beat Zuzana Ondraskova 6-3, 6-0.
*
Bothered by back spasms entering the event, 12th-seeded Brit Tim Henman was bounced out yesterday in the first round by Fernando Verdasco, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. . . . Novak Djokovic needed a 12-minute injury break late in the fifth set, laying on his back in excruciating pain before continuing the match and outlasting Gael Monfils 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 0-6, 7-5.
