Among Wednesday’s highlights, Marcel Granollers (ESP) took his game to a new level, playing amazing attacking tennis against the formidable Cem Ilkel (TUR) to take the match 7-5 in the second set.
Christopher Eubanks (USA) delivered power and precision in lightening-fast serves and backhands to defeat number-three seed Peter Polansky (CAN).
JP Smith (AUS) took on number-eight seed Bjorn Fratangelo (USA) and mixed up his game with a variety of spin and attacking net play, and took the match 6-4 and 6-2 in the second and third set. Smith will now face Granollers.
In doubles, twins Hunter and Yates Johnson (USA), the USTA wildcard team for the event, surprised the number-two-seeded team of Sanchai Ratiwatana (THA) and Christopher Rungkat (INA). The Johnson brothers showed steely nerves and great attitude late in the third-set tiebreak to take the win 10-8. Final score 6-1 3-6 10-8.
Among the matches to watch on Thursday is a duel between Australians Alexei Popyrin and James Duckworth. Popyrin is an up-and-coming player who is very capable of becoming the next breakthrough player on tour. At 19 years of age, he packs a punch.
Men’s Singles Second Round
[1] M. Granollers (ESP) d [Q] C. Ilkel (TUR) 62 75
C. Eubanks (USA) d [3] P. Polansky (CAN) vs. (USA) 63 63
[6] N. Rubin (USA) d [WC] J Aragone (USA) 76(3) 64
J. Smith (AUS) d [8] B. Fratangelo (USA) 16 64 62
Men’s Doubles First Round
[1] M. Arevalo (ESL)/[1] R. Maytin (VEN) vs. B. Fratangelo (USA)/R. Galloway (USA) 63 60
[WC] H. Johnson (USA)/Y. Johnson (USA) d [2] S. Ratiwatana (THA)/[2] C. Rungkat (INA) 61 36 10-8
[WC] A. Goransson (SWE)/F. Lakat (FRA) vs. [3] P. Polansky (CAN)/J. Withrow (USA) 46 63 10-4
[4] M. Granollers (ESP)/[4] M. Vervoort (NED) vs. T. Matsui (JPN)/F. Nielsen (DEN) 46 63 10-4
[Q] H. Verdugo (MEX)/L. Saville (AUS) d R. Roelofse (RSA)/N. Rubin (USA) 63 60
A. Lawson (USA)/H. Reese (USA) d M. Reid (AUS)/J. Thompson (AUS) 64 64
G. Granollers (ESP)/P. Martinez (ESP) d [WC] C. Eubanks (USA)/M. Krueger (USA) 64 64
E. King (USA)/N. Pasha (USA) d R. Gonzales (PHI)/N. Lammons (USA) 64 26 10-4
