Story and Photo By: Howie Burnett
Olivier Rochus, last year’s losing finalist, squeaked past Aussie Matthew Ebden 7-6, 6-3 to advance to the semifinals of the Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championship.
Today on rain-slicked grass, nimble trumped power, and low, nasty slice overmatched topspin.
Rochus, 30, artfully applied his grass-court savvy against the 23 year old, using skidding sliced backhands to make his 6 foot 2 inch opponent stretch with his two-handed backhand.
Ken Rosewall would have been proud of that old school tactic used perfectly on the lawn here in Newport.
Rochus next meets the winner between American qualifier Michael Yani, who held on to beat 18-year-old wild card Denis Kudla 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 to reach his first ATP Tour semifinal.
Yani a perennial All American out of Duke University, got 62 percent of his first serves in during the final set and he hung tough through a three-game run from Kudla that put him ahead 5-4. Yani held to 5-all, broke to 6-5 and then held again to 7-5 to earn a spot in the semis.
Howie Burnett is a special contributor to Tennis Now. He is director of tennis at Island Country Club in Marco Island, Fl. and author of Net Notes: Common Sense Ideas to Lift Your Game.