American Teen Saves 3 M.P. To Oust Groth In Delray Beach

American teenager Noah Rubin withstood 25 aces and saved three match points against Australian Sam Groth, prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(6) on Tuesday afternoon at the Delray Beach Open. He fought off two match points at 4-5 and another at 5-6 before clinching the two-hour, 16-minute victory on his third match point.

“This is definitely one of the Top 5 matches all time for me,” said the Long Island native. “I’m looking to carry this momentum and take it through the tournament.”

The 19 year old recorded his first tour-level win earlier this year at the Australian Open, when he defeated the 18th-ranked Benoit Paire, and afterwards climbed into the Top 250 of the Emirates ATP Rankings.

“Some people are able to get up there quicker than others,” said Rubin. “I think it’s more experience for the rest of us than anything. For the most part, we’re used to the tennis, but the experience of playing every point, day in day out, really solid all around, that’s something you don’t get as a junior or in college tennis. That’s something you need to find for yourself.”

Rubin will next face fifth-seeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who cruised into the second round with a 6-2, 6-1 win over another Australian, Matt Ebden.

Damir Dzumhur set a second-round clash with No. 4 seed Grigor Dimitrov after defeating Ricardas Berankis, 6-4, 6-2. German Benjamin Becker also advanced in early Tuesday action as he dismissed Radu Albot 6-4, 6-1.