Harrison, just 19, has already served as a member of the U.S. team, in Chile, as well as a practice partner (and entertainer). He also put in a memorable performance at last year?s U.S. Open, upsetting Ivan Ljubicic and then falling to Sergiy Stakhovsky in a narrow five-set defeat. Since then he has largely been mired in first rounds and this tournament is no exception; granted a wildcard to play on his self-proclaimed favorite surface, Harrison was narrowly defeated by Michael Berrer, 7-6 (7), 2-6, 7-5. And yet there was much to like about his performance. Definitely aware that Courier was in the house, Harrison could have retreated into his shell. But if the match was serving as a sort of audition for a place on the squad that will face Spain at home after Wimbledon, Harrison wasn?t shy about putting his wares on show. Unlike his compatriot Tim Smyczek, who I watched in qualifying, Harrison has the total toolkit at his disposal to do particularly well on grass; a serve with a crisp, quick snap to it, the confidence to come to the net and comfort dealing with and dealing out slice. More, there?s a certain flamboyance about his tennis, a death-or-glory quality to the way he flings himself at the net that?s begging to be showcased in a big upset on a Wimbledon show court. Sometimes his impetuosity leaves him vulnerable; at 7-8 down in the first set tiebreak, he charged in off an approach that wasn?t quite good enough and found the ball popped back right on his toes, a moment?s foolhardiness that cost him the first set.
It was a deflating moment, the equivalent of being tripped up just when you?re feeling on top of the world. Harrison started the second set at 0-30 down and flung, or at least dropped, his racquet?a combination of signs that suggested his reported brattiness was about to surface, or that his resistance was going to melt away. Instead he got down to work, holding serve and breaking in the very next game with some excellent returning. In a match of razor-thin margins, it was enough, and Harrison even earned a quiet word of praise from Courier; ?There you go,? the champion nodded after Harrison consistently and effectively went into Berrer?s one-handed backhand to finally break it down.
But Harrison is still only a teenager, and eventually it showed, especially against the ursine and more experienced Berrer. Neither player could obtain a decisive advantage in the third set, both holding with relative ease as small thickets of empty bottles and discarded bananas grew up around their chairs. Harrison earned two break points, the second at 4-4 with some fantastic retrieving?he very rarely looks surprised or caught off-balance?but couldn?t capitalize and when he had to serve to stay in the match at 5-6, the creaking tension took its toll. After two reckless errors, Harrison for the first time in the match retreated and played passively, leaving the court open for Berrer to dictate with aggressive play and snatch the match out from under his nose.
But despite the loss, there was something winning about Harrison. I think it was the fierceness he brought; whether grinning broadly and boyishly at his team after an outrageous winner or shouting at himself in disgust, he exuded a sense that there was nothing he would rather be doing than leaving it all out there on the tennis court.
It was distinctly lacking in the performance of his compatriot, Sam Querrey, later in the day on Centre. The defending champion here, Querrey?s recent results have been fairly dismal, and although he won his match 6-3, 6-4 against Kei Nishikori, it was a workmanlike rather than impressive performance. There?s something inherently lackadaisical about Querrey?s style?his baggy clothes and chill demeanor, spinning his racquet between points?which belies his competitive achievements and how hard he must, by definition, have worked to attain them, but it can?t be denied that his game is truly impressive on grass. He consistently snuffed out Nishikori?s attempts to get near his serve by banging down unstoppable kickers and sliders, went for the lines and attacked time and again behind a sliced approach shot, coming around the ball beautifully to cover the net with his 6?6? wingspan. Nishikori, a precocious young man who has suffered badly with injury, played by far the more attractive tennis, his short backswing and ability to redirect the ball dividing the court into intricate geometries, but he struggled to live with Querrey?s pace and the match never looked truly competitive.
It will be interesting to see how Querrey rises to the occasion as the tournament progresses, if he is up for the fight or not. If he is to recapture some of the spark that?s been missing in his game, Queen?s is a great place to start, with a title defense to light a fire underneath him and courts which perfectly suit his game. As for the decisions that Courier, also in attendance for Querrey?s match, will have to make ahead of Davis Cup, Queen?s could be an encouraging tournament for him, too. There?s an amazing record of American achievement on these courts, and with Harrison?s showing today, Querrey still in the hunt and Andy Roddick yet to play, there?s no reason to consign it to the past. It?s not American history ?ex-? here?not yet.
Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-features/~3/LYI31nLXY1k/
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