Mannarino Loses Point Battle But Wins Match In Newport

Sixth seed Adrian Mannarino won 122 points in his first-round match at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport on Tuesday. His opponent, Aussie wild card James Duckworth, won 124.

But in tennis, not all points are created equal, and it was the 28-year-old Frenchman who won the biggest points to move into the second round 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 7-6(4).

The two-hour and 35-minute match was about as close as they come. Both players lost their serve exactly four times. But in the two set tie-breaks that Mannarino won, he suffered exactly one less mini-break than Duckworth. The left-handed Mannarino also took full advantage of the two opportunities he had to serve out the tie-breaks.

He next will face Aussie Sam Groth, who hit 23 aces to beat Polish qualifier Michal Przysiezny 7-6(2), 6-4.

American wild card Stefan Kozlov earned his third ATP World Tour match win with a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over German veteran Benjamin Becker. The 17 year old next will face countryman Donald Young.

Canadian qualifier Frank Dancevic swept American Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-4. Dancevic’s reward for winning three consecutive matches, including qualifying? A second-round match-up with big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic, a two-time Newport finalist.

In a battle of Aussies, John-Patrick Smith got the better of Jordan Thompson 6-4, 6-4. In the second round, Smith will face 34-year-old Swiss Marco Chiudinelli, who prevailed against American qualifier Alex Kuznetsov 6-4, 7-6(6).

Brian Baker won the all-American battle against Austin Krajicek 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. “It’s just one of those matches where you just have to compete pretty hard and take advantage of some break points when you get them,” said Baker, who saved five of six break points and converted three.

The 31-year-old qualifier, who’s had 11 surgeries since 1999, will face fourth seed Marcos Baghdatis in the second round for the first time. Baghdatis, who made the quarter-finals on the grass in Halle and Nottingham, is making his Newport debut.

In doubles, Baker teamed up with Wimbledon doubles semi-finalist Rajeev Ram to sweep Young and South African Dean O’Brien 6-3, 7-5 in 62 minutes. Fourth seeds Purav Raja and Divij Sharan, both of India, advanced with a 2-6, 6-3 10-6 win against Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic and American John Paul Fruttero.

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