By Dylan Butler
Shadisha Robinson isn’t one to hide her emotions.
Despite just losing in the U.S. Open Junior girls’ doubles championship at the National Tennis Center Sunday, the South Ozone Park native didn’t hide her disdain for doubles.
“I’m happy I did well, but doubles, I don’t know, it’s not for me,” the 17-year-old said. “I get frustrated too fast.”
But that’s Shadisha, what you see is what you get.
Robinson, who also wears her emotions on her sleeves on the court, and teammate Tory Zawacki from Union, N.J. lost to second-seeded Elke Clijsters and Kirsten Flipkens from Belgium on a crowded Court 7, 6-1, 6-3.
The championship loss, the duo’s first experience in a Grand Slam final, marked the end of a remarkable week, which saw Robinson and Zawacki — a team that formed just for the Open — defeat some more experienced doubles teams along the way.
“I feel good that I got to the finals, but I don’t feel good about the match,” Robinson said. “We didn’t have anything going for us really today.”
The U.S. Open was a homecoming for Robinson, who has been in Boca Raton, Fla. for the past three years training at the Evert Tennis Academy, owned by tennis legend Chris Evert and her brother John.
During the Open Robinson stayed at home because “it’s seven minutes away,” she said.
Once at the National Tennis Center, Robinson, who is ranked No. 50 in the world and a career-high 26th in doubles by the International Tennis Federation, was at home on courts she’s played on since she was 9 years old.
“It’s a great experience to have the opportunity to be playing at home when your friends and family are watching,” she said. “It’s good support.”
Getting to the finals is something her mother, Dalina Robinson, could hardly comprehend.
“I’m overwhelmed,” she said. “The crowd … everything. This is a great experience for her.”
Robinson and Zawacki both entered the U.S. Open Junior singles draw, but Robinson fell in the second round, 6-1, 6-4 to No. 15 Tatiana Golovin from France, after beating India’s Sania Mirza in three sets, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 and Zawacki lost her opening round match to No. 10 Peng Shuai from China, 6-4, 6-2.
Robinson volleyed well in her matches and Zawacki’s serve was on. That combination proved to be dangerous in the doubles draw.
After a straight set opening round win, Robinson and Zawacki upset No. 5 Zsuzanna Babos and Chin-Wei Chan, 6-7 (7-3), 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals.
In the quarters Friday, the duo again dropped their first set, 6-4 to Kristina Grigorian and Victoriya Kutuzova. After tying the match by winning the second set, 6-2, Robinson and Zawacki fell behind in the third and final set, 4-2.
Robinson held her serve after being broken for the second time in the match earlier in the set, and then the duo broke back to tie the set at 4, with Robinson ending the longest rally of the match with a hard backhand winner at the net.
A pair of Robinson forehand winners finished the next two games and the duo were on their way to the semifinals where they defeated fellow Americans Cory Ann Avants and Shenay Perry, 6-4, 7-5.
But in the finals, against a more experienced doubles team in Clijsters and Flipkens, Robinson and Zawacki struggled for the first time all tournament.
“They’re both great from the baseline and at the net and who we played against this past week have either been good at net or at the baseline,” Zawacki said. “They had their strong points in every aspect and in their serves, too, they were hard to break.”
Added Robinson: “We didn’t play our game today. Nothing seemed to work and when we had chances to close out games we made stupid errors so I think we could’ve won if we concentrated more.”
After one more day in her South Ozone Park home, Robinson is off for Hilton Head, S.C. where she will join Zawacki at the Van Der Meer Academy.
“I think her return of serve is very good, off the ground she can hit the ball well,” said Dennis Van Der Meer. “She has a very good sense of, not just to volley, but when to poach. For somebody that age, she has an instinct when to go for the ball.”
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
