James Stout Wins U.S. Open Title
27 year-old James Stout, world rackets champion and world ranked #1 since 2008-9, captured the U.S. Open rackets singles title at the Racket and Tennis Club, New York last weekend with a series of formidable performances in which he did not drop a game, and in only one game conceded more than seven points. Stout previously won the title in 2008 and 2010.
In the round of sixteen, he defeated James Beaumont (WR 22 ) 2-0 (15/6, 15/6) in a controlled demonstration which left his older opponent gasping for breath early in the first game. James Bailey‘s surprise win over the higher-ranked Tim Cockcroft put him next in line to square off against Stout in the quarter-finals. Bailey (WR 47) too found the going tough as Stout comfortably got past him 3-0 (15/7, 15/4, 15/3).
In the semi-finals Stout took apart Jonathan Larken (WR 4) 3-0 (15/6,15/2, 15/1) in a match lasting only 33 minutes to set up a final match against his closest challenger, Alex Titchener-Barrett (WR 2). Titchener-Barrett had not dropped a game en route to the final, defeating Guy Smith-Bingham, former world champion Neil Smith, and fifth seed James Coyne. It was Titchener-Barrett whose form in 2009-2010 led to his challenge of Stout for the world title in 2010, a challenge which was ultimately unsuccessful.
The final, which began at 10 a.m., started with Stout making uncharacteristic errors, and Titchener-Barrett too making unforced errors. Stout recovered from 6/9 down, to lead 12-10. A long rally at this point, which Titchener-Barrett won, saw Stout move up the court and put his opponent under pressure volleying constantly, covering both sides of the court and sending him deep. Titchener–Barrett pulled back to even the score at 12-all, and from that score line Stout closed out the first game 15-12. The game had taken 28 minutes, almost as long as Stout’s semi-final match against Larken.
A perceptibly more relaxed Stout opened up the second game with a 6/0 lead. Leading 8-1, he hit the ball deep from the front of the court. Titchener-Barrett raced to the back of the court, some 60 feet, in what most spectators thought would be a futile attempt, only to make an almost impossible get. The rally continued with Stout putting his opponent under increasing pressure and eventually winning. Titchener-Barrett won another point at 1-9, and at 2-13, but Stout comfortably closed out the second game 15/3 in 16 minutes.
The third game, which lasted 15 minutes, was in some respects a repeat of the second. Stout built up a 9-1 lead, conceded a point at that stage and also when Titchener-Barrett served at 2-11. Although Titchener-Barrett’s fitness stood him in good stead and his retrieving and power hitting exceeded anything Stout’s earlier opponents could muster, ultimately it was Stout’s calm, measured , attacking play, superior footwork and racket skills which made the difference between the two players.
In the doubles event, Stout and his partner Mike Gooding, defeated second seeds and reigning U.S. Open doubles champions for the past three years, James Coyne and Will Hopton, 3-0 in the semi-final. There they met surprise finalists Neil Smith and his new partner Nick James, the number four seeds, who had defeated top seeds Alex Titchener-Barrett and Tim Cockcroft when the latter injured his foot during the fourth game of their match, and was forced to retire.
In the final, Smith and James took the first game 15/9 in 25 minutes, but during the next 35 minutes Stout and Gooding recorded two unbelievable 15-2 score lines to take a 2/1 lead. At this point Smith and James changed their tactics and neutralized Stout by focusing on his partner and hitting the ball shorter and straight to prevent it returning from the back wall to the centre of the court where Stout would have been able to dominate the rallies. Their tactics paid off. Smith and James won the fourth game 15/1 in 13 minutes, and took the last game 15-5 in 21 minutes. The match lasted almost an hour and forty minutes. All four players were treated to a standing ovation by the gallery at the close.
Stout’s emphatic victory in the U.S. Open Singles, and his similar victories this season in the British Invitational in November, the Western Open in January and the U. S. Pro Singles last month make it unlikely that there will be a worthy contender to challenge him for the World Championship this season.
From the article it sounds like you were on top form. Congrats James!