Strode outlasts Mamitt to take US Open wild card
US Open play got started a little early this year with the introduction of the National Playoffs, a 16-man tournament with a top prize of a wild card draw into the Open’s qualifying tournament and a chance at taking on the world’s best at one of tennis’ biggest venues.
And for 23-year-old Blake Strode, who bowed out early from last year’s qualifier, his Open dreams are alive again.
Strode played his way through five sectional qualifying matches en route to top seed ranking in the inaugural playoff event, and four more once there before matching up with the number 2 ranked Cecil Mamiit in a final that went right down to the wire, with Strode emerging on top 2-6, 6-4 and 7-6(1).
The three-hour, three set final was a fitting end for two competitors who had run neck and neck throughout the tournament’s qualifying rounds. Going into Sunday’s final, Strode had dropped 34 games in eight matches while Mamiit a mere 27. At the start of the tournament, the ATP World Tour rankings had the two separated by 35 spots; by Sunday’s final, it was only nine.
Early on, it looked as though Mamiit would take the final handily, winning the first set with surprising ease, but Strode pushed back in the second, taking it on a single break to even the match.
The two were on serve through 4-4 in the third set until a Mamiit double fault gave Strode the edge to go up 5-4. Mamiit, on the verge of defeat then broke back to knot it up at 5 all before the two exchanged another set of breaks to force a tiebreaker. But Strode, no stranger to pressure – he already has one professional title on the USTA Pro Circuit – stepped up to end the gruelling set 7-6 and earn his ticket to the qualifiers.
“This was by far the toughest match I’ve had through this whole process, so I am happy to have pulled it off,” said Strode, holding the US Open National Playoff trophy by his side. “To win with that match, it feels great.”
Ranked 522, Strode got into Tennis through his local National Junior Tennis and Learning chapter in Ferguson, Montana. A two-time SEC Scholar-Athlete of the year, Strode was an All-American for the University of Arkansas before deferring his acceptance to Harvard Law School in 2009 to pursue a professional tennis career.
Adding a sweep through the first National Playoffs to an already impressive resume, Strode hopes to redeem himself at next month’s Open qualifiers and add another notch to his belt. He was knocked out of last year’s event in the first round by Alexandre Sidorenko, by a score of 6-3, 6-1.
Strode says he is anxious to be returning to the big stage and had nothing but praise for the newly minted National Playoffs system.
“I could not be happier with the whole US Open National Playoffs concept. Not just because I won, but this whole week has been really great. It is neat how this gave everyone and anyone a shot."
The National Playoffs operate as a series of tournaments; players over 14 years of age with no maximum age restriction and no regulation of experience or playing ability compete in 16 sectional qualifiers. The winners of each tournament go on to compete in the playoffs for a shot at a wild card draw into the US Open.
The opening round of qualifiers for the US Open kick off August 24 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
Strode Scores, Match-by-Match
Southwest Region (Sectional tournament):
defeated Pecor 6-0 6-0
defeated Thiesen 6-0 6-0
defeated Caldwell 6-1 6-0
defeated Adewumi 6-1 6-0
defeated B.Pecor 6-3 6-2
National Playoffs:
defeated Maleka 1-6 6-3 6-0
defeated Kryvonos 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4
defeated Sajous 6-3 6-0
defeated Mamiit 2-6 6-4 7-6(1)
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