Jack Sock Talks Nebraska Cornhusker Football

Tennis pro Jack Sock fielded questions from the media about his upcoming tennis schedule and he also talked Nebraska Cornhusker Football. 

The Nebraska native attended a game this year and out of the blue gives Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini a "vote of confidence."  I'm sure that is comforting to Pelini.

BTW - Jack was wearing a black Nebraska pullover and underneath, a Nebraska tee.

Hear Jack talk 'Husker football here:

Jack Sock in action in Atlanta

Pictures From 2011 USTA Australian Open Wildcard Playoffs: Day 2

Saturday’s Semifinal Scores

WOMEN

No. 5 Gail Brodsky ( Brooklyn , N.Y. ) def. No. 1 Coco Vandeweghe ( Newport Beach , Calif. ), 6-3, 3-6, 9-7

No. 6 Madison Keys ( Boca Raton , Fla. ) def. No. 2 Alison Riske ( McMurray , Pa. ), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1

MEN

No. 4 Robby Ginepri ( Kennesaw , Ga. ) def. No. 8 Rhyne Williams ( Knoxville , Tenn. ), 7-5, 6-2

No. 2 Jesse Levine ( Boca Raton , Fla. ) def. No. 3 Denis Kudla ( Arlington , Va. ), 7-5, 6-2

This sets up a couple good finals on Sunday.  While I'm surprised with the women's matchup of Keys and Brodsky, I'm not as shocked with the men's.

It's a good story in the men's final as Georgia native Robby Ginepri will be trying to win this important event on home soil and Jesse Levine, who was playing futures events a few months ago to move his ranking up play each other.  Both players are coming back from bad injuries and both appear to be playing well and are in great shape. 

They will be tested tomorrow as the finals are 3 of 5 sets.

My women's recap is here:

http://www.examiner.com/women-s-tennis-in-national/madison-keys-gail-brodsky-set-up-unlikely-final-wildcard-playoff

Here are some pictures from Saturday.

Madison Keys moves into the finalsAlison RiskeMadison Keys showed maturity beyone her years in her semiFriends, Alison Riske and Madison KeysGail Brodsky also advanced to the finalsJack Sock stopped by the media room to talk tennis and Nebraska footballThe finals begin Sunday at 1pm.

Robby Ginepri Talks About Tennis and His Bicycle Injury From 2010

Robby Ginepri talks everything tennis as he spoke to members of the media following his victory on Friday in the USTA Australian Open Wildcard Playoff.

He even sets the record straight on what really happened when he got injured riding his bike at Kennesaw Mountain in 2010.

Listen to Robby in this AudioBoo:

Did Mary Joe Fernandez Warn Me of Fed Cup Failure Back in December?

I don't know who, if anyone is getting the blame for the U.S. Fed Cup train wreck but at this point I really don't care.

Getting swept by a pedestrian German team and being sent to relegation play for the first time in the history of Fed Cup play is an embarassment for U.S. women's tennis, but this is where they deserve to be right now.

While the loss to Belgium earlier in 2011 was expected, the way this tie went down in Germany is troubling.

I think U.S. Fed Cup Captain and USTA apologist Mary Joe Fernandez saw this coming as far back as last year and while reviewing the tape of an interview I did with her back in December at the USTA Australian Open Wildcard Playoffs, she saw it coming.  Mary Joe's signed up as captain through 2012, so she has a chance to get us out of this mess.  If she doesn't, we need to go in another direction.  Any suggestions?

I asked Mary Joe what is lacking from the group of American women that are looking to break through and become top players? Here is her answer and some other interesting excerpts from the interview I did with her.

Mary Joe Fernandez: I think these girls lack confidence and a belief they need to have to make it to the top. That comes from hard work and beating the competition.

Rick Limpert: Have American players been too coddled and have they had it too easy in recent years.

Mary Joe Fernandez: I think that's been an issue. I've always said, attitude, how hard you work and how fit you get are under your control. I think we've just started instilling that in our players.

Rick Limpert: What's been the problem the last five years with the USTA developing players?

Mary Joe Fernandez: Well, the sport has become very global, when I started playing 60% of the top-100 were Americans. We played mostly in America, and there are more opportunities for girls here in the States now. I have a daughter and she loves soccer, and other sports do a good job at being there for kids. We've always had a champion on the men's and women's side and we got spoiled.

Rick Limpert:  Do you think the USTA sat on its hand for years waiting for the next great champion instead of being proactive and helping develop one or more than one?

Mary Joe Fernandez: I'm not sure, it's a combination of things.

Rick Limpert:  What about the Williams' Sisters?

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See the rest of this interview on The Daily Forehand...

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.