Ratzlaff Competes in First US Open

Wichita native Casey Ratzlaff made his first run at the US Open this year.

Ratzlaff lost his first-round singles match against Joachim Gerard before competing alongside Gerard in doubles. Despite losses on the court, Ratzlaff is proud of the competitiveness he showed during his matches.

“I played really good tennis and I did what I wanted to do out there,” Ratzlaff said. “I put out a lot of effort, worked really hard, and represented myself well.”

Ratzlaff started playing tennis in 2011 when wheelchair tennis legend Nick Taylor pushed him to train professionally. Ratzlaff is currently ranked world No. 20 and received a wild card entry into the 2020 US Open.

“The experience itself was very enjoyable, but really unique,” Ratzlaff said. “With COVID-19 going on it was kind of a ghost town, but that was pretty cool because you could just go wherever you wanted. They gave all of us suites in Arthur Ashe to hang out in, so I got to watch all the matches going on.”

Another addition to the uniqueness of the year: Ratzlaff celebrated his 22nd birthday a few days before the competition. 

“The coaches that were there, and a couple of my teammates, put together a little plate of desserts and gave it to me to celebrate,” Ratzlaff said. “It was really nice of them.”

Moving forward, Ratzlaff isn’t sure how much competition the rest of the year holds. COVID-19 protocols and travel restrictions are still keeping these events few and far between, but he has his sights set on the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. 

“When I got word that I was going to play at the US Open, my team and I really ramped up my training. I was hitting many hours a day, doing double over-time to get ready. I think the focus will be the same as we get closer to the Paralympics next year,” Ratzlaff said. “Right now, I’m just focusing on the things that I learned at the Open, getting better at those things, and continuing to move forward.”

Despite the challenges of this year, Ratzlaff says that competing in the US Open was an incredible experience—one to check off his bucket list.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity and all the opportunities that have been given to me,” Ratzlaff said. “I think I’ve done everything in my power to maximize my potential up to this point, and I think I’ve done well.”