Ep. 55: Tales from the US Open | Scoville Jenkins shares lessons from playing Federer, Nadal and Roddick at the US Open

In this special episode of Best of Three, we sit down with 2004 Kalamazoo champion and former ATP pro Scoville Jenkins to relive one of the most electric stretches of his career — from dominating the U.S. junior scene to facing the game’s greatest players under the sport’s brightest lights.

Sco takes us inside his run at Kalamazoo, the pressure and prize of earning a US Open main draw wild card, and the whirlwind of drawing defending champion Andy Roddick in his first-ever ATP match — a prime-time debut on Arthur Ashe. He shares candid behind-the-scenes stories of that week, from never practicing on Ashe beforehand, to Roddick’s post-match critique, to the mentorship that followed in Austin and at Davis Cup.

The conversation doesn’t stop there. Sco recounts his 2005 five-set win over George Bastl and the challenge of facing a young Rafael Nadal fresh off a French Open title, and later, the surreal experience of sharing the court with Roger Federer at the US Open. Along the way, Torrey offers a coach’s perspective on preparing a teenager for the sport’s biggest moments, Alvin digs into the match-day details, and together they unpack the mindset, adjustments, and life-changing lessons that come with stepping onto the court against legends.

Whether you remember these matches in real time or are hearing Sco’s story for the first time, this episode is a front-row seat to the highs, lows, and invaluable lessons of chasing greatness on the ATP Tour.

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