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Dallas Open Gonzo 4: A Magnificent Sound

 

As I walked up to the 2023 version of the Dallas Open, I was curious about the improvements from the inaugural tournament the year before.  Immediately, I cashed in on a free hat from BMW, all it took was a 2 minute survey regarding electric cars.  Last year, I got a lame water bottle for similar feedback .  This hat had the DO logo, was adjustable, and seemed like something I would wear.  The Monday noon session would allow me plenty of time to browse around, experience the layout, and watch professional men's tennis at our very own ATP 250 event.

Much had changed: the hospitality area was on the south end, hawk eye was now installed on the grandstand court, and the local residents seemed a bit more cool with the outsider parking.  I checked in on the Uomosport Apparel folks, they had new seasonal colors, the company model was also selling the goods, and their man (uomo in Italian), Jenson Brooksby, was out with a wrist unjury.  I made my yearly purchase, a hat and wristbands, they thanked me for checking in, but I still couldn't pull the trigger on their shorts.  $150 is just too much money for shorts.  After watching Denis Shapovolov slap smooth backhands on the practice court and browsing the other merchant booths, I headed to the grandstand court to watch German Elmar Ejupovic play American Alex Rybakov, a former TCU player ranked #376 in the world, I was seated courtside.

From the start Elmar seemed motivated, but off track, reading from a notebook after every changeover, I wondered what was written on those pages.  Whatever it was, it didn't work, Rybakov turned up the heat late in the first set, then finished him off on the 2nd set, 7-5, 6-3.  The next match featured Brandon Holt, son of former Wimbledon champ and American sweetheart, Tracy Austin, and Canadian Gabriel Diallo, a 6'7" giant with a huge game, a huge serve, and a huge future.  However, Holt held strong, playing solid defensive tennis and waiting on his chances.  Diallo hit every ball as hard as he could, all out with a magnificent sound; he'll be tough to beat one day, but he couldn't handle Holt's mental game and the American won 7-6, 7-6.


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