#NextGenATP Shapovalov, Trio Of Americans Qualify At US Open

Denis Shapovalov headlined a group of 16 players to qualify at the US Open on Friday, continuing his dominant run of form with a 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-3 victory over Jan Satral.

Shapovalov will make his US Open debut on the heels of an ATP Challenger Tour title in Gatineau and semi-final run at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal, where he became the youngest player to reach the last four of an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. The 18-year-old Canadian has now won 15 of his last 17 matches in total and will look to extend the run against fellow #NextGenATP Daniil Medvedev in the first round.

“I got fired up after I lost the first set,” Shapovalov told ATPWorldTour.com. “It really motivated me and it helped me with my confidence. I raised my level from there and was playing some good tennis in the second and third sets.

“It feels incredible. I dream to play in these big tournaments, so to be able to qualify for one of the Grand Slams is a really big privilege for me.”

A trio of Americans earned main draw berths on Friday. Veteran Tim Smyczek will make his fifth main draw appearance in six years at Flushing Meadows, defeating Peter Polansky 6-3, 6-4. Chicago native Evan King qualified for his first Grand Slam main draw at the age of 25, stunning Michael Mmoh 6-3, 6-3. King had earned his first ATP World Tour match win in Los Cabos earlier this month. University of Virginia standout JC Aragone turned in the Cinderella performance of the qualifying competition, claiming three three-set victories in his tour-level debut. He defeated Akira Santillan 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 on Friday.

All three Americans will be made to work in the first round of main draw play, with Smyczek opening against 17th seed Sam Querrey, King facing 12th seed Pablo Carreno Busta and Aragone battling 28th seed Kevin Anderson.

In other action, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe will make his first appearance in a Grand Slam since the 2013 Australian Open, continuing his impressive comeback to the tour. He ousted Alejandro Gonzalez 6-2, 6-4 in 74 minutes. The World No. 106 is on the brink of returning to the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time in five years. He opens against Nicolas Kicker of Argentina.

Stebe is coming off an ATP Challenger Tour crown in Vancouver on Sunday and is joined by another recent titlist, Binghamton champ Cameron Norrie, in qualifying for the last Grand Slam of the year. Norrie did not drop a set all week in booking his US Open debut, sealing it with a 6-1, 7-6(5) win over Go Soeda. Dmitry Tursunov awaits in the first round.

Nicolas Mahut will appear in his seventh consecutive US Open main draw and 12th overall, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-0. The 2015 doubles champion, with Pierre-Hugues Herbert, will battle Marton Fucsovics in the first round.

Other qualifiers include Maximilian Marterer, Radu Albot, Vaclav Safranek, Mikhail Kukushkin, Stefano Travaglia, Adrian Menendez-Maceiras, Vincent Millot, John-Patrick Smith and Darian King. King will be the first player from Barbados to compete in a Grand Slam. Fourth seed Alexander Zverev is his first round opponent.

Despite falling to Marterer, top seed Leonardo Mayer earned a spot in the main draw as a lucky loser. He opens against 26th seed Richard Gasquet.