Johnson’s Alive: Houston’s Defending Champ Survives

Steve Johnson was within two points of a disappointing defeat on Tuesday night. A year after winning the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Clay Court Championship in Houston, the American was on the verge of falling in the opening round.

But the 28-year-old overcame a 5/4 deficit in a second-set tie-break to defeat 2017 Houston semi-finalist Ernesto Escobedo 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-2 in two hours, 25 minutes as day turned to night. 

“He’s definitely a good frontrunner. He hits the ball very hard. He kind of takes the racquet out of your hands,” Johnson said. “Later stages of that tie-break in the second, I just needed to take it to him, make sure, win or lose, I did it on my terms, and I was able to finally get a break of serve in the third.”

Johnson is one of five former Houston champions in this year’s draw, and the right-hander is attempting to earn his third ATP World Tour title. 

Escobedo had the best week of his young career at the River Oaks Country Club last year, advancing to his maiden ATP World Tour semi-final. But the American would not make a quarter-final the rest of the season, and as he served at 5/5 in the second-set tie-break to earn a match point, the 21-year-old double-faulted wide down the ‘T’.

That slip was all Johnson needed, as the World No. 51 closed out the set and immediately broke in the decider. From there, the veteran started to find rhythm on his dangerous forehand wing, and the free-swinging Escobedo made more mistakes. Johnson next faces #NextGenATP American Frances Tiafoe for the first time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series.

“I served much better in the third set than I did in the first two sets, so I was able to get those first couple points in each service game,” Johnson said. “Then I was able to just get across that finish line.”

#NextGenATP American Taylor Fritz came even closer to defeat than Johnson, recovering from a 5-2 deficit in the third set and saving two match points to battle past compatriot Tim Smyczek 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-6(6) in two hours, 39 minutes. 

“It feels like I’m pretty clutch,” Fritz said. “Even though I probably shouldn’t have gotten that one out.”

Fritz, who advanced to the Round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open (l. to Coric) and holds a 14-3 record on the ATP Challenger Tour this year (won in Newport Beach), had Smyczek right where he wanted him after saving match point at 5-6 in the decider — heading to a third-set tie-break. While the World No. 124 had complete control of his second match point and was perhaps millimeters from triumphing — a forehand drop volley clipped the very top of the tape at 6/5 — Fritz was not to be denied. The 20-year-old is now 6-0 at all levels this season in final-set tie-breaks.  

He will face another American in No. 7 seed Ryan Harrison, who faced far fewer difficulties in ousting qualifier Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4, 6-3 in 76 minutes without facing a break point. 

Houston is a special place for Harrison, who in 2008 qualified at just 15 years old, and defeated Pablo Cuevas in the first round to become the youngest player to win an ATP World Tour match since Rafael Nadal at 2002 Mallorca. The right-hander made the quarter-finals in 2012 before losing to his current coach, Michael Russell.

The oldest player in the field, 2007 champion Ivo Karlovic, beat Japan’s Taro Daniel 7-6(5), 6-4 in one hour, 36 minutes.

“It is always nice here. I’ve always liked it. It’s a really nice club,” Karlovic said. “It was a really good match. It is actually my first win as a 39-year-old, so I’m happy about that.”

Did You Know?
Johnson has more than just a possible title defence to look forward to. The American is getting married on 21 April.