Top seed Querrey stays on course
DESPITE the rainy and windy weather this week, organisers of the XL Bermuda Open had their schedule right back on track yesterday.And although the breaks in play due to rain earlier this week saw many of the overseas stars forced to hang around and read and play cards, tournament manager Maribeth Anderson said the players have taken it in stride. “It is something they are used to,” she said. “The bad weather earlier this week has also not affected the way players have viewed Bermuda. One player yesterday told me that no matter how bad the weather was he absolutely loved it here.”
The top seed of the XL Open, 19-year-old Sam Querrey was on course to make the final after defeating Austria’s Daniel Koellerer yesterday 7-5, 6-4 on Centre Court at Coral Beach.
On Saturday starting at 12 noon the singles semi-finals will be played followed by the doubles semis while the Legends will kick off Sunday’s Finals Day.
The Legends — regulars Roy Emerson, Mikael Pernfors, and Ross Case — will be joined by Grand Slam winner Johan Kriek said the organisers yesterday.
Sunday’s play will start at 1 p.m. with the Legends and at 2 p.m. the singles final will be played followed by the doubles final.
Tournament director Alec Anderson yesterday confirmed that Kriek will be participating in the Legends exhibition match on Sunday.
Kriek’s greatest victories were Down Under when he won the Australian Open in 1981 and 1982 — both times defeating Steve Denton.Kriek was born in Pongola, South Africa but moved to Naples, Florida after turning pro in 1978. His Grand Slam record is most impressive. From 1978-1986, he reached the quarter-finals or better 11 times. In 1978 and 1979, he reached the quarter-finals at the US Open and then the following year, 1980, he played in the semi-finals. His Wimbledon successes also came in successive years, 1981 and 1982, reaching the quarter-finals both times.
Besides his two victories at the Australia Open, Kriek played in the quarters in 1983 and 1985 and reached the semis in 1984. He had similar showings in Grand Slam doubles, playing in the quarter-finals at the Australian four times. His final Grand Slam hurrah came in 1986, where he played in the semi-finals at Roland Garros.
In his career he won a total of 14 singles titles during which he posted wins over such players as Agassi, Chang, McEnroe, Noah, Cash, Edberg and Connors.
