Tsonga Achieves Career First In Washington
Tsonga Achieves Career First In Washington
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in his 16th year as a professional tennis player, picked up his first win at the Citi Open on Monday. The 34-year-old Frenchman halted Canadian Brayden Schnur, finalist at the New York Open in February, 6-4, 7-6(2) to reach the second round.
Tsonga, who improved to 22-12 on the year, lost his only other match in Washington, D.C., in 2009. He will next meet second seed Karen Khachanov.
American Tommy Paul beat countryman Denis Kudla for the first time 6-0, 6-4 to set up a second-round showdown with top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. Paul and Kudla had never met at tour-level, but Kudla had won all four of their other meetings.
The 22-year-old Paul, who made the 2016 Washington quarter-finals, earned his first tour-level win of the season. He has never faced #NextGenATP Tsitsipas, No. 6 in the ATP Rankings.
American wild card Bjorn Fratangelo escaped past 2016 finalist Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 6-7(14), 7-6(5). The 26-year-old Fratangelo withstood 31 aces and saved all four break points. He will next meet third seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia.
In other action, Frenchman Adrian Mannarino will meet fourth seed Kevin Anderson after beating Belarusian Ilya Ivashka 7-6(3), 6-3, and Romanian Marius Copil fought past Danish qualifier Mikael Torpegaard 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 and will meet sixth seed Marin Cilic.
Newport finalist Alexander Bublik beat American Bradley Klahn 7-6(5), 6-3 to set up a meeting against 16th seed Frances Tiafoe of the U.S., and South African Lloyd Harris will face 13th seed Kyle Edmund after beating Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.