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The New York Times
August 29, 2012
By JOHN MARTIN
NEW YORK — The match on Court 16 at the 2012 U.S. Open lasted exactly two hours, the last two hours of Alex Waske’s 12-year career on the international men’s tour.
Waske and Dick Norman of Belgium were eliminated by Frantisek Cermak of the Czech Republic and Michal Mertinak of Slovakia, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5).
Rooting for Waske from the sidelines were former San Diego State coach John Nelson of Honolulu and Larry Willens of San Diego, the two coaches who helped begin his college career in the United States in 1997 at the age of 23.
“They were there from the start and they should be there at the end,” Waske told a reporter at Wimbledon, where he reached the second round in doubles. Earlier, Waske lost a first-round doubles match at the French Open.
Competing in the United States Open allowed Waske to play a kind of victory lap.
“Right now!” Willens shouted from the sideline on Wednesday as Waske and Norman scored a service break to lead, 6-5, in the final set. But unforced errors foiled Waske and Norman in a tiebreaker.
Refusing to strike a somber note about the defeat, Nelson said: “He’s had an unbelievable career, starting as late as he did,” which came after military service and university study. “I know he’s disappointed today, but he came out, they went for it, they served for the match, things didn’t go their way, but he’s a winner.”
Waske arrived at San Diego State ranked 187th in Germany, a former junior player whose coaches told him he lacked promise.
Waske said German officials often advise players to seek realistic goals. “They don’t want you to shoot for a goal that’s not in reach,” he said. By contrast, Waske said, Nelson “mentioned becoming top hundred in the world, and that was worlds away for me.”
Nelson “was the first person ever believing in my tennis,” Waske said. “He saw big things in me. He was the first one calling me that morning when I first broke the top hundred.”
That was 2006, the year Waske and Andrei Pavel of Romania gained the doubles semifinals at the French Open, where they lost to top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States. In 2005, Waske and Jürgen Melzer of Austria gained the doubles semifinals at the Australian Open.
In eight Davis Cup matches representing Germany, Waske’s record is 8-1, all in doubles except for a 2006 singles victory over Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand.
In 2005, Waske defeated Rafael Nadal, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, on grass in the Wimbledon warm-up tournament in Halle, Germany.
In late 2007, Waske suffered an arm injury that forced him off the tour. He was given a protected ranking by the ATP while he sought care.
“I’ve had three elbow surgeries, and it’s killing me not to play,” Waske said in 2011, “but I need to pay my rent.”
To generate income, Waske opened a tennis academy and training center, now called Waske Tennis University, near the Frankfurt airport.
At Waske’s invitation, Willens, a longtime Aztec volunteer, worked at the academy. Among his students was Angelique Kerber. Waske praised Willens for his mastery of the game’s mental aspects.
Waske employed nine coaches and attracted 30 young players from around Europe as resident students. He also evaluated young European players seeking American college tennis scholarships.
In December, 2011, a German newspaper, Westdeutsche Zeitung, called it “the most successful academy” in Germany or Europe.
(Article adapted and abbreviated — The Editor)