Dancevic eyes spot in U.S. Open qualifying field
GRANBY Frank Dancevic has good reason to savour his participation in the $100,000 National Bank Challenger tennis tournament.
The 33-year-old Dancevic has won the event three times — in 2003, 3006 and 2013 — and he opened his 2018 quest for a fourth title Tuesday night when he defeated lucky loser Takanyi Garanganga of Zimbabwe 6-4, 6-4 in a first-round match.
Earlier this year, Dancevic was named captain of Canada’s Davis Cup team and, while that has created some demands on his time, he has no plans to abandon his playing career.
“Juggling both jobs doesn’t give me a lot of time to relax but I’m in good shape and I’m having fun,” said the Niagara Falls native who currently lives in La Prairie.
Dancevic said changes in the schedule next year make it easier to continue playing. The draws in challenger events such as the one in Granby are being increased from 32 to 48 players and tournaments will be required to provide lodging, which cuts down on players’ expenses.
Dancevic’s win Tuesday boosted his ranking to No. 328 and he said a fourth title here would put him in line for a spot in the U.S. Open qualifying field.
“If I can get back into the top 200, that means you’re in the qualifying for the Grand Slam events and that’s a guaranteed $50,000, which covers your expenses for a year,” he said. Dancevic reached as high as No. 65 in the ATP rankings and has more than US$1.8 million in career earnings.
Dancevic is looking forward to his first experience as a Davis Cup captain on Canadian soil. After losing to Croatia on clay this year, Canada will play the Netherlands in a World Group relegation match in Toronto in September. The winner will be in the 16-nation World Group next year.
“I’ve talked to all our top players and they ’re excited about playing,” Dancevic said. “For Milos (Raonic) and Denis (Shapovalov), It’s a chance to play in their hometown.”
He’s also hoping that another Toronto product, doubles legend Daniel Nestor, will postpone his retirement for one last Davis Cup appearance.
Dancevic is one of four Canadian men to reach the second round, joining third-seeded Peter Polansky, seventh-seeded Filip Peliwo and Brayden Schnur.
Two other Canadians fell by the wayside Wednesday. Renta Tokuda of Japan defeated Toronto’s Pavel Krainik 6-3, 6-3, while Ugo Humbert of France defeated Laval’s Alexis Galarneau 6-4, 6-2.
Vancouver native Rebecca Marino continued her comeback campaign with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over seventh-seeded Maria Sanchez of the U.S. to reach the quarter-finals of the companion $60,000 ITF women’s Challenger.
“She put pressure on me in the beginning and was coming to net, but I didn’t think she could keep it up and I felt more comfortable as the match went on,” said the 27-year-old Marino, who is back on the Tour after a six-year hiatus. A former top-40 player, she suffered a setback this year when she experienced pain in her shoulder.
Marino, who won a Challenger in Winnipeg two weeks ago, faces a tough test Friday when she meets top-seeded Arina Rodionova of Australia in the quarter-finals.