US Open 2012 Insider's Guide (Part 2)

Half-Volleys: Stories from the US Open qualifications (Part 2)

by bcomconfidential

Reprinted with permission by Jack Han
Check out Part 1 here

About the Author:
Jack Han is a business lecturer, entrepreneur, 4.5 level player and occasional tennis writer living in Montreal, Canada.


Background - how I met Jack Han:
I met Jack at the US Open and he shared some really great stories with me about Roger's Cup and his travels in the tour too. We were at Bolletteri's Hall of Fame induction night in NYC and enjoyed a few laughs as he belted out "Eye of the Tiger" like a champ at a Karaoke Bar in some Irish Pub in Manhattan. Good times =)


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MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD

Living in Flushing during the tournament is the best way to save on hotel costs, beat the midtown traffic and sample really authentic Chinese cuisine. Exhibit A: Nan Xiang Dumpling House. If you are a fan of soft delicate steamed dumplings filled with savory broth and fresh pork stuffing, or want to eat breakfast the way people do on the Mainland (fried dough crullers, salty tofu soup and scallion pancakes), this place is for you. If I were to move to New York, this place would be one of the main reasons.

TEAM LI NA

Caught up with the Team (Li Na, husband/hitting partner Jiang Shan, new coach Carlos Rodriguez and Alex, the German physio) practicing on Grandstand mid-morning. Generally an up-tempo groundstroke session, Li Na had just arrived in New York and was looking to get a good feel for the conditions at the Open. She spent most of the hour hitting hard down the middle, before starting to move Jiang Shan side to side until he was ragged. Leaning over the backboard, I made a comment to him that he seemed to be working harder than his wife. He flashed a smile and joked it was really HIS workout, not her’s.

(In case you are curious about Jiang Shan, who really is quite a character and a very insightful guy, check out the recap of the long conversation I had with him after the Roger’s Cup final about tennis, education and success:http://bcomconfidential.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/how-to-achieve-ground-breaking-success-athletic-and-otherwise-a-chat-with-li-nas-coach/)