Monday, July 10, 2000
Met notebook
No. 16 seed happy to still be playing
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Most of the players seeded in the Thomas E. Price Metropolitan Tennis Championship are former touring professionals who now teach at local clubs.
Robert Horne is one of the exceptions, and the 39-year-old resident of Hyde Park admitted to being shocked when learning of his No. 16 seed.
“I didn't play tennis in high school (Boston) or college (Arizona State),” Horne said Sunday after defeating Brian Nester (6-0, 7-5), a teaching professional at Four Seasons Tennis Club.
“It wasn't until I moved to California (San Diego) that I started playing. I then taught (academic) at Harvard for a year before I accepted a job the The Seven Hills School as director of financial operations.”
A member of the Cincinnati Tennis Club, Horne worked out the past month with Steve Palmer and Eric Matthews (No. 15 seed) in preparation for the tournament.
Horne conceded that winning the tournament has never been a dream of his.
“Craig (Boynton) and Dan (Kronauge) are in a different time zone,” Horne said. “This is an opportunity to see some good players and have some fun. I also don't want to lose my job by embarrassing the school.”
Horne plays No.7 seed Jason Pressel in the round of 16 on Tuesday.
YARRELL TOUGH: After defeating Matthews 7-6, 6-0 on Sunday, it became apparent that unseeded Isaac Yarrell will be a tough opponent the remainder of the tournament.
A junior at Florida A&M, Yarrell recently finished second in a Florida tournament and appeared to be in top playing condition, while retaining mental composure throughout the match.
“I'm serving well and hitting the ball solidly,” Yarrell said. “But the key is consistency.”
UGLY WORKS: Dan Kronauge, the No. 3 seed and a teaching professional at The Club at Harpers Point, defeated Mike Meier 6-2, 6-0, in an “ugly” display of tennis.
“I was on vacation 14 days in June and didn't start practicing until Monday a week ago,” Kronauge said. “I'm not physically fit enough to go through a tournament like this.”
Kronauge got off to a slow start against Meier, falling behind 1-0 before rallying for the 6-2 first-set victory. It was no contest in the second set with the flamboyant Kronauge dominating, despite heckling from the crowd.
“It takes two months of training to get ready for this tournament,” Kronauge said. “It comes down to physical fitness.”
Kronauge admitted that winning the doubles championship with partner Jeff Wolf is more important than singles. Last year, Kronauge teamed with Kelly Jones in the ATP qualifier.
A Met doubles championship could be the ticket for Kronauge and Wolf to a berth in the ATP qualifier in August.
CONDITIONING: Physical conditioning played a big part in No. 6 seeded Rey Puentes 6-4, 6-4 victory over 37-year-old Bruce Connors.
“I beat myself,” Connors said. “I had to play an attacking match to beat him, and I missed several critical volleys.”
Puentes, who may be in the best physical condition of the remaining 16 players as a result of playing four months in Australia, was satisfied with his performance.
“He (Connors) didn't break me and I played well,” Puentes said. “I tried to keep the ball deep because he kept coming in.”
Puentes next plays Chris Thatcher, the No. 11 seed from Madeira.
SCHEDULE: Action resumes today at 5:30 p.m. with two women's singles matches and four men's and three women's doubles matches.
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