Always good to see some uni people at the USO
Rafa beat Ryler DeHeart just now, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. DeHeart, who played for Illinois, played great. Really, he did. I saw him on Monday and it was so weird seeing him play for himself and not for the Illini. I didn't realise he'd be playing Rafa today though and it was awesome to see him come back in the second and third set and really give Rafa a tough time. The score may not show it but man, Ryler worked the world no. 1 out.
The match vs. Ryler didn't worry me so much at first but after learning that Ana Ivanovic (women's world no. 1) lost to a qualifier today, I hoped it wouldn't repeat in the men's draw, even though I'm a huge fan of Ryler. But DeHeart really showed a lot of (am about to make a very cheesy connection) heart out there. The best part was when they zoomed in on his box and you saw his fiancee and several former Illini players and former Illini head coach Craig Tiley. My heart swelled with memories of sitting around those guys at college tennis matches and being the odd one out ('cos I never talked to them). I always wondered if they thought I was some sort of passive stalker 'cos I stayed till the end of the matches and hung around Atkins Tennis Center like I lived there.
Ryler DeHeart has finally got some more fans that aren't synonymous with the U of I. Congrats to you Ryler, making it through four rounds of qualies, a five-set first round match and making Rafa sweat just a teensy bit in a night match at Arthur Ashe.
Just plain awesome.
The match vs. Ryler didn't worry me so much at first but after learning that Ana Ivanovic (women's world no. 1) lost to a qualifier today, I hoped it wouldn't repeat in the men's draw, even though I'm a huge fan of Ryler. But DeHeart really showed a lot of (am about to make a very cheesy connection) heart out there. The best part was when they zoomed in on his box and you saw his fiancee and several former Illini players and former Illini head coach Craig Tiley. My heart swelled with memories of sitting around those guys at college tennis matches and being the odd one out ('cos I never talked to them). I always wondered if they thought I was some sort of passive stalker 'cos I stayed till the end of the matches and hung around Atkins Tennis Center like I lived there.
Ryler DeHeart has finally got some more fans that aren't synonymous with the U of I. Congrats to you Ryler, making it through four rounds of qualies, a five-set first round match and making Rafa sweat just a teensy bit in a night match at Arthur Ashe.
Just plain awesome.