Defending champion and No. 1 seed Blake Strode continued to storm through the competition on Day 2 of the 2011 US Open National Playoffs, held at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., but there were plenty of upsets and surprises throughout the day on both the men’s and women’s sides.

 

After losing his serve in the opening game of his quarterfinal match against Tony Larson, Strode quickly broke right back and dominated for the rest of the match. Using a booming first serve to set up his forehand for winners, Strode broke Larson’s serve five times as he easily advanced into the semifinals with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

 

"The rallies were much longer today than in my first match yesterday," said Strode. "He was hitting the ball really well and came out swinging from the first point. I was just able to hang in the rallies and come out on top for the most part."

 

Strode has been in dominant form as of late, having dropped just four games in his two matches so far at the event. He also won his second USTA Pro Circuit singles title last week at a $10,000 event in Edwardsville, Ill., advancing through the draw without losing a set. Since winning the wild card into last year’s US Open Qualifying Tournament, he has climbed nearly 200 spots in the rankings to his current standing of No. 447.

 

"I think I’m doing almost everything better on the court than 12 months ago," said Strode. "My forehand has more speed on it and my backhand has improved quite a bit. I’m happy with how things have progressed."

 

On the women’s side, unseeded Robin Anderson continued her Cinderella run through the tournament after upsetting No. 1 seed Marie-Eve Pelletier in her first round match yesterday, putting on a clinic of counterpunching tennis as she dispatched Sylvia Kosakowski 6-3, 6-2.

 

"I’m just trying to view every opponent as equal out there and just play as well as I possibly can," said Anderson. "I’m not thinking too much further than what’s in front of me."

 

Anderson is pulling double duty this week, having also received a wild card into the qualifying draw of the New Haven Open. Earlier in the day, she pulled off the biggest upset of the day in dispatching No. 8 seed and world No. 83 Evgeniya Rodina 6-2, 4-2, ret. She will be playing her second round qualifying match in the New Haven Open and her semifinal match in the US Open National Playoffs tomorrow.

 

"It’s common to play two matches a day in junior tournaments, so it’s not that unusual for me," said Anderson. "I’m trying not to treat it like two separate tournaments, but rather just two opponents that will be in front of me tomorrow."

 

Anderson will play fellow American and No. 3 seed Macall Harkins in the semifinals tomorrow. The two played against each other in the finals of a playoff for a qualifying wild card into the Texas Tennis Open, a WTA event in Dallas, which Harkins won in three sets. Because she’s in the semifinals of the US Open National Playoffs, Harkins has been forced to give back the wild card in order to continue competing here.

 

The other semifinal will pit No. 2 seed Yasmin Schnack against Mashona Washington, who beat No. 4 seed Amanda McDowell in straight sets. Washington is the only player remaining to have ever competed in the US Open with 13 previous appearances dating back to 1994, the most recent coming in the women’s doubles event in 2009.

 

On the men’s side, Strode will play No. 4 seed Damon Gooch, while No. 2 seed David Martin will play Nathan Healey, an upset winner over No. 3 seed Chris Wettengel.

 

The semifinals are set for Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and the finals are scheduled for Sunday. The winner of the men’s and women’s singles events this week will receive a wild card into the US Open Qualifying Tournament, held from August 23-26 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

 

 

 

(2) Yasmin Schnack (Elk Grove, CA) d. Vasilisa Bardina (Denver, CO) 7-5, 6-4

(3) Macall Harkins (Palos Verdes Estates, CA) d. Megan Falcon (Baton Rouge, LA) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4

Mashona Washington (Houston, TX) d. (4) Amanda McDowell (Atlanta, GA) 6-4, 6-2

Robin Anderson (Matawan, NJ) d. Sylvia Kosakowski (Downey, CA) 6-3, 6-2

 

 

(1) Blake Strode (St. Louis, MO) d. Tony Larson (Brooklyn Park, MN) 6-1, 6-2

(2) David Martin (Key Biscayne, FL) d. Cecil Mamiit 7-6, 4-6, 3-3 (0-40) ret.

Nathan Healey (Wyomissing, PA) d. (3) Chris Wettengel (Las Vegas, NV) 6-3, 6-2

(4) Damon Gooch (Bethesda, MD) d. Oleg Dmitriev (Dania Beach, FL) 7-6, 6-4