Young Hangs Tough In Atlanta

Donald Young is through to the BB&T Atlanta Open second round but not before an almighty scare, saving two match points in a 22-point tie-break before denying Austin Krajicek 3-6, 7-6(10), 7-5. The No. 7 seed, playing in his home tournament, was forced to come back from the brink again in the deciding set, breaking as his fellow American lefty served for it at 5-3.

A ninth double fault from Krajicek surrendered that crucial break and it was the final momentum swing Young would need. He promptly brought up three break points, converting for 6-5 on his second opportunity, and served it out after two hours and 33 minutes.

“It was rough. I started off quite nervous. He was playing well,” Young said. “He was serving well, he was volleying, he played a little different than I expected. He was keeping the pressure on and making me come up with shots.”

Young, who lives just a few blocks from the BB&T Atlanta Open courts, did not panic when trailing in the second-set tie-break and in the third set. “I didn’t want to go out like that,” he said. “I didn’t want Monday to be my last day at the tournament and have to watch it from my window.”

Krajicek, the World No. 131 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, had won through qualifying for the second year in a row and looked on his way to inflicting Young’s sixth straight defeat in Atlanta. Fortunately for Young, his stay at his home event would be extended at least another round.

“It’s like a two-minute walk. It’s the best lodging to site all year for me, so I enjoy it,” he said. “I’m sleeping great – my bed, my pillows. It feels good.”

Next up for the 27 year old is countryman Tim Smyczek, a narrow winner over Brazilian lucky loser Thiago Monteiro. In the first meeting between Smyczek and Monteiro, the American fired 10 aces and capitalised on four of his nine break point chances to come from a set down 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-3. 

“I’m still trying to find my form a little bit,” Smyczek said. “I’m actually hitting the ball very well, so that’s exciting. It was good to get through this first hurdle here and give myself a chance to play even better the next round.” 

Second seed Nick Kyrgios will play his opener in Atlanta against fellow #NextGen star Jared Donaldson. The American reached the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Sam Groth, saving both break points he faced to beat the Aussie in 65 minutes. Donaldson levelled his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry with Groth at 1-1.

“I felt like I used the conditions to my advantage and played a really solid match,” Donaldson said, adding on his next clash against Kyrgios: “It will be definitely a challenging match but I feel I’m in a good position to give him a good match also.” 

Adrian Mannarino had a narrow 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) escape against German qualifier Mischa Zverev. The World No. 139 Zverev served for the match at 6-5 in the decider only to be broken by the Frenchman. Mannarino needed three match points in the tie-break to get the job done. He will next meet top seed and three-time defending champion John Isner.

In a battle of two young Americans playing for their first ATP World Tour victory, it was 6′ 11” wild card Reilly Opelka who edged past 20-year-old qualifier Christopher Eubanks in the last singles match of the day. The 19-year-old Opelka did not face a break point in the 7-6(9), 7-6(5) win and he will go on to play No. 3 seed Kevin Anderson.

“It was awesome tonight. It feels good, especially with some of the injuries I’ve had and setbacks,” Opelka said. “I’m happy I was able to get a win tonight, get that off my back and get ready to move on.”

In doubles, Marcelo Demoliner and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat Tobias Kamke and Dusan Lajovic 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals while Ukrainian pairing Alexandr Dolgopolov and Sergiy Stakhovsky took down Australians Nick Kyrgios and James Frawley 6-4, 6-0.

Three-time defending champion John Isner leads the field this week in Atlanta, with other seeds including #NextGen star Nick Kyrgios, Kevin Anderson and Alexandr Dolgopolov.

DAY 2 PREVIEW:

Austin Smith makes his ATP World Tour debut when he faces No. 8 seed Taylor Fritz, the youngest player in the Top 100. Fritz, 18, is at a career-high No. 60 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

No. 5 seed Fernando Verdasco and No. 6 seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain will make their Atlanta debuts against Dusan Lajovic and Horacio Zeballos respectively. Also on Stadium Court, American Bjorn Fratangelo meets Igor Sijsling of The Netherlands.