Any ideas?????

Headed out early this morning to Natalie's practice in Atlanta.  Her amazing coach Jason, wanted me to come up and review this summer of tennis as well as meet some of the new staff.  The addition of Joseph to our staff has been a good one.  After meeting and watching him in action, I can understand why Natalie has enjoyed being at the practice courts.  Jason and Joseph make a great team.  They know how to challenge Nat and push her to a complete workout.  Something not many have been able to accomplish.  We are sooooo thankful to have them in our lives.

Being there brought us back to the conversation of a coach on the road with Natalie.  Something that would help her to maintain her game and fitness while traveling.  In order for her to continue to improve her rankings and succeed on the WTA tour, a traveling coach is a must.  This would be an expense that our family budget could not afford, so if you have any ideas for funding...please let us know.  If you or anyone you know, would be willing to help financially...please contact us.

Natalie will be heading to Canada next week, Quebec City.  The event is a 235K tourney, held indoors.  Of course after spending four years indoors in college, Natalie is looking forward to this one.  We are hoping this will be her first appearance into a singles qualifying draw of a WTA, fingers crossed.  She is currently looking for a doubles partner for it, many still can't commit due to being in New York.  But with Nat's ranking, shouldn't be an issue.

This Labor Day weekend, we will celebrate our country and my mom's 89th birthday.  Our family loves her living under our roof and the opportunity to take care of her.  And of course she loves the craziness of our lives.  G-ma as she is now known, brings a certain unfiltered opinion to many conversations that everyone loves and respects.  Never a dull moment when G-ma is around.   Need to let the party planning begin.....gotta go.....Love and Blessings....Sherry!

No New York for us

Good Evening!

Wish I had better news, but I don't.   Natalie and Jackie will not appear in New York for doubles this week.

Hope everyone has a great evening and week...Love and Blessings....Sherry!

Updated US Open Doubles Wild Card List

Updated US Open Doubles Wild Card List.....

1. Mallory Burdette/Taylor Townsend
2. Jill Craybas/Coco Vandeweghe
3. Lauren Davis/Grace Min
4. Martina Hingis/Daniela Hantuchova
5. Allie Kiick/Sachia Vickery (San Diego Winners)
6. Melanie Oudin/Alison Riske
7. Shelby Rogers/Maria Sanchez
1A. Jacqueline Cako/Natalie Pluskota

As of Saturday, August 24 at 9:45 a.m.

***We basically need a team to withdraw before the draw is made to get in tourney.  Draw will be made at noon tomorrow....awesome....more waiting.   If Natalie and Jackie go to the tourney and "sign in", there would be three other teams that could "sign in" ahead of them.  Which would make them the forth on site alternates.  Definitely not worth the hassle and trouble, let alone the expense out of our pockets.

"The Fed" video

While in Cincy, I had the pleasure of watching "The Fed" practice.  He makes playing tennis look like taking a walk around the block.  What an amazing player!  As I expressed in an earlier blog, I saw him around his wife and twin lovelys.  He is an wonderful role model for your young male players to admire.  I was able to take some pics that day.....no....I refused to invade his private time with his family, only pics of him practicing.  Thought I would have a little fun with the pics and some music....this video is meant to make you admire, giggle and smile....hope it does!  Please enjoy!


http://youtu.be/joq1UW1B_Ws

Wild Card Update

Please don't text Natalie, she is busy and needs a break from all this nonsense....thank you!

There is one more wild card to award to a pair, must be done by noon tomorrow.....don't hold your breath....we sure won't!

Below is the dubs wild card list....please form your own opinion by looking at each of the player's doubles record on the WTA site. 

1.            Mallory Burdette/Taylor Townsend

2.            Jill Craybas/Coco Vandeweghe

3.            Lauren Davis/Grace Min

4.            Martina Hingis/Daniela Hantuchova

5.            Allie Kiick/Sachia Vickery (San Diego Winners)

6            Melanie Oudin/Alison Riske

As of Friday, August 23 at 2:30 p.m.

St. Patrick's Cathedral and last couple of days

Wednesday, Natalie made her way home but not without about an hour delay here in New York.  I however, headed to the streets to shop.  Didn't end up buying anything, but I did find my way to St. Patrick's Cathedral.  A beautiful creation of the Catholic Church, rich in history.  After a few prayers and calling on the luck of the Irish for our gal....I headed to the shuttle.

Spent most of the day watching matches on the big screen that is hanging on Ash Stadium, due to finding shade.  Once the matches I was waiting for went on, I headed to the sun.  Was able to watch Tennys, who ended up losing in the third, poor thing hit the "brick" wall.  He his a great ball striker and a great kid.    (young man)

Was able to watch Adriana Perez, who has a smile that is very contagious.  We have spent many hours with her at tourney throughout the year.  She started out very nervous, losing 1-6 in the first.  Then regrouped and won the second 6-4.  But unfortunately lost in the third 3-6.  We will see her back at the Open next year, great gal and player!

The last match I wanted to watch was Jan Abaza, wild card.  Jan is a very sweet young lady from the USA.  She worked hard over the last year to bring her game to the next level.  By doing so, she had a very successful spring, unfortunately her first U.S. Open appearance was tough.  She had to play a seeded player and started ok but then it went south.  Unfortunate indeed, I guess the St. Patrick's coin I bought her for luck didn't work.  No worries, when you have Jan's talent, luck is just a matter of time, she will be back.

Jumping on the shuttle, I found myself sitting next to Tennys, whose body was still suffering.  Enjoyed catching up on him and his family.  He and his brother Davey went to UT, was nice to get the update.  Tennys will be around the Grand Slams a very long time, talented!

A quick dinner and I was home by 8:30 p.m.....exhausted.  Got up in the morning at 6:30 and loaded the car before the streets got busy.  Great idea if I say so myself.  There is the update of the last couple of days.......Love and Blessings....Sherry!

31 minutes......and a video

Less then an hour till deadline for players to submit wild card requests for dubs.  Thought I would continue to catch you up on pics and videos from this summer.  Here is a video I made with the pics from the Bank West:

Please enjoy......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVRw_3P2HBI&feature=youtu.be

btw....31 minutes....not that I'm counting....   ;)   .....Love and Blessings ....Sherry!

Fingers crossed, prayers please, give that rabbit's foot an extra squeezzzzeeeeee!

My fingers are tapping on the table top....this waiting for the news about doubles is killing me.  And we are at the point that we don't even talk about it, because it doesn't make the wait any better.  I just pray and did pray to St. Patrick at the Cathedral yesterday.....that the committee awards on doubles merit and not politics.  Or as they say "business as usual".

We are lucky enough to have an amazing National Tennis facility.  Which by the way is only going to get better with the roof addition to Ash and other planned improvements.  Anyway.....below are some pictures I took of Natalie.  This was her first practice as a pro player at Flushing Meadows.  Hopefully, she will be back next week to practice prior to her first match.

Fingers crossed, prayers please, give that rabbit's foot an extra squeezeeeeeeeee!

I may be a weeeeee bit bias....buttttttt.....I'm thinking she looks pretty darn good with that logo behind her......what do you think?

Lady Liberty

Greetings from the city that welcomed my ancestors via Ellis Island, many years ago.  The immigrants in our family came to our wonderful USA legally.  They learned the language of our country, English.  And did not expect any hand outs, laws to be changed, Polish signs to be posted or any other privileges an American citizen is entitled.  They came and worked, learned English and paid taxes.  Eventually, earning their right to citizenship.  I could not be more proud of Busia and JaJa Nowakowski and Krolikowski.  They lived the dream and instilled the American Dream in us, through hard work.

We traveled to New York from Connecticut last evening.  Happy that John was with us so that we wouldn't have to GPS it.  Today, we will travel to Flushing Meadows, the home of the US Open.  The qualifying draw of singles begins tomorrow.  Natalie has not made it into the draw, we are trying to decide about being an on site alternate.  Then need to check into Mixed Doubles, have some questions bout that.

A lil update about doubles.  Natalie and Jackie have a really good CHANCE of getting a wild card.  We won't know until Saturday.  Trust me....we all will being singing it from the roof tops...you will be told!   LOL!

Must say the last two trips have been very informative and motivating.  Natalie does not want to have to depend on wild cards and politics to get into a tournament.  So more good motivation to get those rankings up.

The lil yellow ball is not bouncing much right now, for Da Darling is still sleeping.  Which is fine with me, she is exhausted.  Can't wait to see her get a much needed and deserving break.  Enough for now, may the bell of freedom continue to ring for us and our world....Love and Blessings.....Sherry!

Not in Open YET!

Please know that Nat and Jac aren't in the Open yet!  As describe in last blog entry they have a great chance for a wild card.  So if you have posted on Facebook or tweeted that they are in .... PLEASE remove post and or tweet correct info.  That is all thank you!

US Open doubles update

Thank goodness my day is getting better!  Below you will find the official acceptance list for doubles at the US Open.  A few things you need to know before viewing the list:

• 57 teams get direct acceptance by ranking
• A player's singles or doubles ranking can be considered for entry into doubles
• 7 wild cards will be given
• Hingis will automatically be given a wild card.  WTA rules dictate her receiving one because she is a past top 20 player.  Other rules apply....to much to get into here....just know she is getting one!
• Using the past as an indicator, would have one to believe that most of the American teams that are alternates will get a wild card.   Which means "our team"....Natalie and Jackie....would get one!
• One would hope that our team has proven via results worthy of a wild card.
• Fingers crossed and prayers please.....we are really close to getting into the US Open!  WOOT!

So without further hesitation here is the list:

http://assets.usta.com/assets/1/15/WD_Entry_16_Aug_Final.pdf

Ellos from the East!

Ellos from the East!  A beautiful sunny, dry, cool morning awaits us.  A wonderful change from the hot, humid very rainy south.  We finally arrived at our host home around 8:30 p.m.  After starting our day at 3:30 a.m. it didn't take long for us to find our beds and flop for the night.

We flew in to NY, which by the way was an amazing view of Lady Liberty, the new Freedom Tower and the entire skyline.   Hopped into our car and drove about two hours to New Haven.  Natalie checked into the tournament and with a much warmer welcome then last year....she was headed to the courts.  We found out after her practice that she did not make it into the qualifying draw, which wasn't much of a surprise.  We knew it was a long shot, worth going for.

A stop along the drive home at Molto Bene Italian Kitchen for a wonderful dinner.  And a cruise (walk) around their parking lot to admire the Car Show.  Brought our gas tanks to the empty stage.  We continued the drive to Kennedy and John's home for the night.  Always nice to see these wonderful folks and receive their awesome welcoming hugs.

Natalie is still sleeping as I type.  Today will be a practice day.  She will continue to look for a partner for doubles.  No one really knows Natalie here, therefore they are weary to take the chance to play with her.  That is the same thing that occurred at the ITF level, not unusual.  Now players at the ITF level are  seeking her out because they know her and her abilities.  The same thing will happen at the WTA level once players get to know Nat.  Until then we just cross our fingers that someone will take the chance on her.

We will find out by one o'clock tomorrow about doubles and then decide what our next move will be.  At some point, we will head to the US Open in New York.  Natalie and Jackie have a fair shot at getting a wild card for doubles.  They have proven themselves for over a year on the doubles court, if they don't ....it's nothing by politics.  Of course, we have no control over that, we can only work on her rankings so they become high enough that we NEVER  have to depend on wild cards.

Time to get ready for the day!  Make it a good one folks...Love and Blessings....Sherry

Current Happenings

Good Morning from a soggy Sharpsburg, Georgia.  I guess by the end of the week it will be a floating city.  For the record, we are tired of the rain and I haven't been here much and I'm still tired of it.  Today, Natalie will excited to go to practice with her coach.  Hopefully one day we will be able to afford for him to travel with her,  would make a huge difference once we can.  I pray bout this daily!

Unfortunately, Nat didn't make it into the draws in Cincy.  However, we were not surprised for we knew it was a very long shot but worth the trip.  We are happy to say that we learned so much during our trip.  Nat was able to practice and speak to many that are in the top 100 in the world.  Which of course is great motivation to continue on this long road of pro tennis.

On the way home, we were able to stop in Knoxville overnight.  Andrea always makes sure we have a  place to stay which is awesome.  Natalie was excited to spend time with Jessica, Zach, Karsen, Hagen, JP, Hunter, Jarred, Jenn, Caitlyn, Jesse.  Only one person missing was Jo....which I was hoping to see too!  Nat was able to practice at UT with some of the guys, she was excited to "catch up" with them.

Always the UT Ambassador, Nat was asked to speak to the new tennis recruits.  Which she always graciously agrees to take the time to do.  The team will have six freshman this year, following one graduation (Kata) and three transfers.  Under Jo and Cat's leadership, this team will have a positive attitude and will perform well.  Should be an exciting season!

Following the quick visit at the tennis center, we took a ride over to the indoor football facility.  The construction is nearly complete so it was fun to see what was done.  After a tour, we stopped by THE Donna Thomas' office.  It is always a pleasure to see her,  for she will always have a special spot in my heart for how she supported Natalie, me and our family through Nat's hip injury.  On some days a beacon of HOPE during the darkest of moments.  Hope she realizes what a great role model she is for all females young and old!  An amazing Lady Vol indeed!

After a great visit in Knoxville, we headed for home.  We will have a couple days at home before heading to New Haven on Thursday.  Another long shot worth taking, Natalie will sign in for the tourney in hopes of getting into the singles and doubles draws.  Being the final tourney prior to the US Open makes it a very tough one to get into, but worth a try.  Following New Haven our journeys will take us to New York for the Open.  So, prayers please.....fingers crossed that she gets into these next two tourneys.  But as they say.....if it is meant to be.....it will be!

So, until the lil yellow ball begins to bounce in New Haven.....Love and Blessings.....Sherry!

Cincinnati Update.....Fed is the man

We arrived in Cincinnati, Ohio yesterday.  Natalie's flight left Atlanta at 5:45 a.m.  Therefore, by one o'clock she was on a court ready to practice.  The folks at the venue are very welcoming, which is a nice change.  Never ceases to amaze me at how some of the venue folks treat players, they completely forget that the player is the reason we are all there and why they have a job.

Off my soapbox....for now.  Coming here we knew it was a very looooong shot, but worth the try.  Natalie signed in today, practiced and then waited for the qualifying draw to be released.  Unfortunately, Nat did not get in the draw.  If she can locate a doubles partner, they will sign in for doubles.  We will know by noon on Sunday if she makes it into the dubs draw.  If not, we will head home on Sunday.

While Nat practiced, I had a chance to watch Fed practice.  I have to say that I admire his skills on the court, like so many others.  But today, I really admired his parenting and hubby skills.  He and his wife are very loving indeed.  They all attended practice and Fed would stop to talk and spend time with each of them.  A wonderful example for our young male players.  I congratulate Fed on being a wonderful husband and daddy....ooo yea.....and great tennis player!

Tomorrow will be a practice and movie day.  Fingers and maybe toes crossed that she sneaks into the dubs draw.  Take care my friends....Love and Blessings....Sherry!

Bank West Video Highlights...match play

Here are some video highlights from the Bank West tourney.  Sorry, I didn't do a very good job of filming this time, guess the excitement got the best of me.  Hope you enjoy!


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV36SgD8OHY&feature=youtu.be

Catching You Up....

After 39 days for Natalie and five flights, 30 days for me and two flights and 2900 miles of driving we finally got home on Sunday.  Natalie and Jackie played the finals on Saturday evening.  Wasn't their best tennis, both being road beat and tired.  Nothing left in the tanks as they say.  But they gave it a go and came up a little short in the finals.  Losing to two good opponents.

Bout an hour after the match was completed and Nat's quick shower we headed south to the boarder.  Making a quick stop at the duty free store and across we went to our homeland.  We have never been happier to be on American soil.  I guess the rudeness of the SOME of the Canadian crowd during the finals had something to do with the overwhelming feeling of being "home".

We arrived at the Seattle airport at about 2 a.m. and hung around till be began to board at 4:30 a.m.  With a quick stop and mad dash to a gate in Phoenix we were soon Atlanta bound.  Of course  by the time Nic picked us up at Hartsfield we were just a little slap happy stupid and hungry.  But soooo glad to be home.

Today, we have run errands and tried to catch up on home stuff.  For I leave in the morning via car for Cincy and Natalie flys up on Thursday.  She will "sign in", with hopes of getting in, a very long shot but worth the try.  She and Jackie have applied for a wild card, which we hope the will get.  If not,  Natalie will try to find a partner at the last minute.

Well, I have many pictures and videos to get posted on the blog.  Being without internet for two of the four weeks I was gone has really put my blogging behind.  Hopefully, I will get caught up soon....until then ..... Love and Blessings....Sherry!

Doubles Final tonight.....video link

Natalie and Jackie will play the double final at 7:45 p.m. Vancouver time.....10:45 p.m. Georgia.  They will be on center court, here is the link:


http://www.usta.com/Pro-Tennis/Pro-Circuit/usta_pro_circuit_live_streaming/

Results...Quarters and Semis......finals bound?

Due to the continence of rain the quarter finals were moved indoors.  Our team faced Broady/Webley-Smith (GBR).  Our team came out with a certain fire in their eyes.  And a determination that has been missing for some of the summer.  We took no prisoners, winning nine straight games before losing one in the second set.  In 43 minutes, both sets were over  (6-0, 6-1) and we were onto the semi final match.  The road to redemption continues.....

The semi final match was indoors as well.  Natalie and Jackie faced Stephanie Foritz Cacon (FRA) and Stephanie Dubois (CAN).  Of course the home town crowd was not in our favor, but the Red, White and Blue took control late in the first and won it 6-3.  We went up in the second 5-3, before allowing them to catch up making it five all.  We broke them, and Nat served us out with some bombs and we were out the door to the Finals.  Winning the second set 7-5.

Must say that Natalie and Jackie played amazing, like they played at their peaks last year.  It was awesome to see them playing to their full potential and blowing the opponents off the court.  Their serving, volley, mental toughness has never been greater.  So, congrats to them on many levels, but most of all stepping up their game to the level they belong!

Going to the Ship!  Yes...we are!  For the second year in a row, our team will be in the Finals at the Odlum Brown 100K VanOpen.  The road to redemption continues, as our team wants to go from finalist to Champions tomorrow.  We will play the team of Maryna Zanivska (UKR) and Sharon Finchman (CAN), they are the third seeded team.  Another hometown gal as an opponent, no worries....the Red, White and Blue will continue to stand strong.

The match will be tomorrow night as a feature match on center court.  Should be on the live feed and live scores.  Sorry, I can't do updates, don't have a cell phone here.

After the match, we will head straight to Seattle, via car so that we may catch our 5 a.m. flight on Sunday morning.  Won't tomorrow be exciting????    And a little crazy!  Until the ball begins to bounce on  center court....Love and Blessings....Sherry!      P.S.  If I were you, I would stay away from Natalie and me Sunday evening.....not gunna be pretty!    ahahahahahah

Portland/Beaverton Video.....finally!

 After three days of trying to download this video, it is finally done.  Technology is amazing when it works....stinks when it doesn't.   Thanks to all involved with the Beaverton tourney, it was great!  As promised....Portland/Beaverton Video:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RgqYmk2zcI&feature=youtu.be

Doubles cancelled due to rain

Natalie's doubles match was cancelled due to rain.  They will play at noon on Friday.  Not sure of court assignment, so don't not if there will be live video feed.  However, live scoring will be on tourney webpage.  Link can be found in previous blog.  Nite!