2013 US Open Artwork

I really enjoy taking photos at every tennis event I attend. While there are numerous photo editing packages in the market, I like using Picasa because it is so easy and offers so many options for enhancing images. Here are some images from the 2013 US Open.

Sergiy Stakhovsky

Maria Kirilenko

Feliciano Lopez

Ivan Dodig

Andreas Seppi

Jurgen Melzer from the 2013 Winston-Salem Open

Thomaz Bellucci from the 2012 US Open

Alexandr Dolgopolov from the 2012 Winston-Salem Open

UNC Wilmington Seahawk Invitational, November 1-2 - Wilmington, NC

I was in Wilmington, NC for the Halloween weekend to visit my family and while I was there I was able to catch two days of the UNC Wilmington Seahawk Invitational. It was a four team affair as UNCW was joined by Richmond, Tulane and Davidson. This was the first time my cousin had ever attended a college tennis match and he told me he really enjoyed seeing the action.

From the UNCW tennis site - The UNCW men’s tennis team went undefeated in singles on the final day of the Seahawk Invitational to close out the three-day event with a combined 30-3 record. The Seahawks finished with a 19-3 singles mark and unblemished 11-0 doubles scorecard in their fifth and final appearance of the fall season.

Not the best site for taking photos, with the fence in the way. Here, Tulane and Davidson players get ready for a match.

Tulane players watching the action.

The UNCW tennis teams have earned some recognition.

Setting up for a backhand.

What would a trip to the Carolina coast be without a visit to the beach. In fact I was at the beach every day of my visit. This is the Oceanic Pier on Wrightsville Beach.

View of Wrightsville Beach the morning of November 1.

Seashells by the seashore. Please say that ten times fast.

A colorful group of shells.

Rock Hill Rocks USTA Challenger, October 20 - Rock Hill, SC

A beautiful Sunday morning at the Rock Hill Tennis Center as the final of the $25K Rock Hill Rocks USTA Challenger is about to start.

The ball kids having some fun prior to the start of the match.

Tournament number one seed Mariana Duque-Marino from the country of Columbia and fifth seed Anna Tatishvili from the country of Georgia at the net for the coin flip.

Anna Tatishvili is set for the forehand return.

Mariana Duque-Marino won the first set 6-3.

Tatishvili keeps her eye on the ball.

Mariana Duque-Marino wins the title when she takes the second set 6-4.

Rock Hill Rocks USTA Challenger, October 19 - Rock Hill, SC

The USTA Southern section held a USTA Pro Circuit $25K Women's Challenger at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, SC the week of October 14. I received an e-mail from the Dilworth Tennis Association in Charlotte promoting the event, which was the first time I had heard of it. I later learned this was the fifth year of the event. This is really a nice event and the host staff should be recognized for the great work they did. This was semifinal Saturday.

The Rock Hill Tennis Center is a very nice facility.

Melanie Oudin of Atlanta was the headline name in the draw. Melanie was a 2009 U.S. Open quarter-finalist who claimed her first WTA title at the Wimbledon tune-up event in Birmingham, England, in 2012. Prior to the Rock Hill Rocks tournament, she won her first title of the year in September at the Party Rock Open, a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Las Vegas sponsored by musician Redfoo.

Mariana Duque-Marino from the country of Columbia in action vs. Melanie Oudin.

During a changeover.

Oudin chasing a ball down.

Mariana Duque-Marino survived a second set bagel to defeat Oudin 7-6, 0-6, 6-3.

In the second semifinal, Asia Muhammad of the U.S. was matched against Anna Tatishvili from the country of Georgia. Here, Muhammad is warming up.

Tatishvili in action.

Muhammad in action.

Anna Tatishvili advanced to the final with a 6-2, 6-3 win.

USTA/ITA Southeast Regional at Georgia Tech, October 11 - Atlanta, GA

Georgia Tech hosted the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional in October and while I was in Atlanta I was able to see the qualifying matches prior to the start of the main draw.

From the GT Tennis website - The University of Georgia's Nathan Pasha, the No. 2 seed in singles at the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional, breezed to the singles championship October 15 at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex at Georgia Tech. He defeated Sasha Gozun of South Florida, 6-2, 6-1. Pasha never lost a set in his six regional tournament matches, and his tightest contest was a 7-6, 6-4 win over North Florida's Norbert Nemscek in the round of 16. Georgia Tech freshman Carlos Benito advanced to the consolation finals of the regional, but lost in the finals match to top-16 seed Gordon Watson of Florida, 6-2, 6-1.

Pasha advanced to the USTA/ITA National Collegiate Indoor Championships in November at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.

The Ken Byers Tennis Complex.

Georgia State player in action during qualifying round.

University of Miami player warming up with his teammates.

Georgia Tech player prepares for his match.

Florida State had a number of players at the event.

Players waiting for the next series of matches to begin.

I stayed in the Atlanta Marriott Marquis over the weekend, just a few miles from Tech, and had this view of the city.

Another view of the southern part of the city. The Georgia Capitol Building has the gold dome.

With the Capitol Building on the left, the sun sets over the city after tennis during the day.

Winthrop Fall Tennis Shootout, October 5 - Rock Hill, SC

The Winthrop University Eagles hosted the Winthrop Fall Shootout at their outstanding Memorial Courts facility on October 5 and 6 in Rock Hill, SC. I was onsite for the October 5 matches. In addition to the host, the other competing schools were USC-Upstate, UT Chattanooga, Belmont College, and Wofford University.

From the Winthrop tennis website - The Winthrop tennis team captured four of the seven singles flights and two out of three doubles flights throughout the two-day event. The tournament was staged similar to a spring season dual match format.

Entrance to the tennis facility.

Nothing like palm trees to remind you you're in the south.

USC Upstate player in action vs. Chattanooga.

UT Chattanooga player sets up for a backhand.

The players did not always update the scores immediately, so at times it was hard to know where they were in their match.

USC Upstate player vs. Winthrop.

Chattanooga player cranks up a forehand.

The tennis facility has plenty of room for visitors and fans.