Opening Round Images from USTA Atlanta Women's Pro Circuit

Tuesday saw the opening round start at the Norman Wilkerson Memorial USTA Pro Circuit Event outside of Atlanta.  The temps started out hot early in the day and then cloud cover took hold, but humidity was still around 100%.

Players were commenting that this is most brutal weather they had ever played in.

Lauen Embree in actionNew Zealand's Diane HollandsBrook Bolender and Denise Muresan as a doubles teamUniversity of Florida player Alexandra CerconeAnnie MulhollandTop seed, Lauren DavisLauren Davis working on her serveThe tennis playing Ellison Sisters

For my interview with the Ellison Sisters check out The Daily Forehand 

http://www.thedailyforehand.com/2011/7/12/2272801/the-ellison-sisters-are-the-real-tennis-players-of-orange-county

The hot and humid temperatures are supposed to stick around all week.

Photos from USTA Women's Circuit Event in Atlanta

The heat is on in Atlanta and on the tennis courts of the Norman Wilkerson Memorial Tournament women's event held all this week outside of Atlanta at The Falls of Autrey Mill.

A lot of young players on hand and the action will be intense.

Here's a sample:

Caroline Price, the daughter of former NBA All-Star sharp-shooter Mark Price.

Caroline Price is heading to UNC this fallJunior player Peyton GollhoferMichaela KissellOne of the Ellison Sisters, Roxanne, who plays for San Diego St.Joanna MatherCC Sardinha of Oklahoma St.Skylar Kuykendall won a 3 hour + marathon todayPlay will continue all week with American player Lauren Davis as the top seed.

Lauren Davis will Play on a Big Stage in Australia

Lauren Davis hits a serve against CoCo Vandeweghe. Photo by: Rick Limpert

Ohio teenager Lauren Davis will get her first taste of Grand Slam tennis on Monday, and it will be on one of the biggest stages in tennis.  She also will match up with one of the biggest names in women's tennis and a favorite to win the 2011 Australian Open in 5th-seeded Sam Stosur.

Davis earned the USTA's Australian Open wildcard last month at a qualifying tournament in Atlanta.  While she is only ranked in the 400's, Davis is on quite a roll heading to Australia. She won 27 consecutive matches and 36 out of 37 including two Pro Circuit events, the Dunlop Junior Orange Bowl along with the Eddie Herr Junior Championships before her victory in Atlanta.

In Atlanta, Davis rolled through the competition including a 6-2, 6-2 upset over CoCo Vandeweghe in the finals.  Vandeweghe was ranked more than 300 spaces ahead of Davis, but Daivis looked to be the fitter and more prepared player that day.  At first glance, Davis appears to be one-trick pony baseliner.  But after watching her, she's much more.  While she does rely on her speed to motor around the court, she has a nice slice backhand, and when drawn into the net, she showed no fear and good anticipation by putting away volleys.  She also mixes up her serve well for a player 5'3", but this is an area of her game she can improve on.

It will be a different world for Davis on a showcourt against a player with a big game like Stosur, but if she sticks to what she does best and isn't intimidated by Stosur right off the bat, she should make Stousr work for this match. 

How will Davis fare?  Well, I don't think the USTA will think they wasted a wildcard here.  I see Davis starting a little slow, but I expect to see her keep fighting to the end with something like a 6-1, 7-5 result. It's a loss, but it should give Davis an idea of how she stacks up against the best in the world and what she will need to do, and work on to compete with them each week on tour.  Davis also turned pro this week in order to accept the $20,000 in prize money minimum the Australian Open offers.

As she plays more, Davis' ranking should head up quickly.  Reaching the top-200 by the summer shouldn't be out of the question.  She has a long way to go, but with her working hard and a great attitude, there is no limit for this young American who is really just breaking onto the big time tennis scene.

Davis, Harrison Claim Australian Open Spots

Although playing indoors in Atlanta, GA with temperatures outside windy and about 45 degrees may not seem like the ideal preparation for the blistering sun of the Australian Open, two young Americans had Georgia and Australia "on their mind" this weekend as they landed spots in the main draw at the 2011 Australian Open.

The United States Tennis Association gets one men's and one women's wildcard in the Austrailan Open in a wildcard exchange with Tennis Australia.

Lauren Davis, and amateur from Gates Mill, OH took the women's spot with a 6-2, 6-2 win over favored CoCo Vandeweghe.  Davis has been on quite a roll winning 27-straight matches in tournament competition, and she is hoping that roll continues in Australia.  "Depending on the draw, winning a round or two is realistic", said Davis.  Davis had only eight unforced errors in the match, while Vandeweghe struggled from the baseline.

Davis said the key for her was staying positive and not getting down on herself.  She was pleased with the way she handled Vandeweghe's serve.  Davis said she has never been to Australia, and when a reporter asked if she knew the Capital of Australia, she quickly answered "Sydney!"  Looks like she will learn a little more about our friends "down under", as well as tennis on her trip.

Ryan Harrison, one of the many bright young American men in the draw locked up the men's wildcard with a four-set victory over Jack Sock.  Harrison used his all-court game to defeat the Nebraska native 7-6, 6-2, 6-7, 6-4. 

For Harrison it will give him a chance to build on his U.S. Open success in another Grand Slam event.  Sock also has much to be proud of, he played well all weekend and his forehand was a weapon all weekend.  Harrison and Sock are both looking for major breakthroughs in 2011.  They are well on their way.

USTA Australian Open Wildcard Playoffs: Women's Day 2

CoCo Vandeweghe is one match away from gaining entrance to the main draw at the 2011 Australian Open.  Vandeweghe's power game proved too much for Beatrice Capra today at the USTA Australian Open Wildcard Playoffs held at the Racquet Club of the South outside of Atlanta, GA.

Vandeweghe ended Capra's hopes with a 6-1, 6-4 victory. 

Vandeweghe will have her hands full with a youngster who is on quite a roll.  Fresh off a victory at the Dunlop Orange Bowl, Lauren Davis of Gates Mill, OH defeated Krista Hardebeck 6-2, 6-1 to earn her spot in the finals.  Davis said coming off her first round win yesterday that her legs felt a bit tired.  She will need to be in top form to stand up to the powerful Vandeweghe on these fast indoor courts.

Lauren Davis