ATP Houston: Sam Querrey, Janko Tipsarevic and Jordan Thompson reach R2
The two-time Houston finalist Sam Querrey is through to the second round after a convincing 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Bjorn Fratangelo in 66 minutes. Dominating with the first serve, the 8th seed played against only one break point, suffering a break but erasing that deficit with three good return games, performing better in the closing stages of both sets to march into the second round. The opening set brought eight easy holds, with Bjorn staying in touch until 3-4 when he sprayed a forehand error to give Sam the desired break. Serving for the set, the better-ranked opponent fired three winners to close it in less than 30 minutes, hoping for more of the same in the rest of the encounter.
Querrey broke at love in the third game of the second set with a forehand down the line winner and out of sudden he lost the lead after a weak backhand in game six, bringing Fratangelo back into contention. It wasn't to be for a former junior Roland Garros champion, though, losing serve in game seven and allowing Sam to cross the finish line with four winners at 5-4. Competing at the third ATP tournament of the season, the world no. 372 Janko Tipsarevic took down Tennys Sandgren 6-1, 7-6 in an hour and 32 minutes, struggling to find the first serve but saving two out of three break points to mount the pressure on the American.
Tennys had the upper hand in set number two when he led 5-2, unable to make the last push and secure the set as Janko made a great comeback to wrap the things up before the decider. Sandgren sent a backhand long in the second game to hand the break to the Serb who broke at love in game four after another poor backhand from the American to forge a 4-0 advantage. Serving for the set at 5-1, Janko saved a couple of break points and closed it with an ace, looking good to march over the finish line if he managed to keep that level. Tennys started to play better in set number two, reducing the number of errors and breaking Janko in game two to control the scoreboard, firing an ace in game seven for a hold at love and a 5-2 lead.
Returning at 3-5, Janko broke back in the very last moment thanks to a double fault from Sandgren, gathering the momentum and sealing the deal with a backhand winner at 6-4 in the tie break for a massive win on the comeback trail. A qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan defeated the Italian veteran Paolo Lorenzi 7-6, 6-4 in two hours, playing against only one break point in the entire match and creating nine chances on the return. Paolo repelled seven of those to stay in touch although that wasn't enough for at least a set against the world no. 241. The opening set lasted for more than 70 minutes and the Colombian took it 7-5 in the tie break, scoring a late break in set number two to cross the finish line and grab the second ATP win at the age of 22.
Another Colombian qualifier Santiago Giraldo defeated Bradley Klahn 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and a half, fending off all four break points and scoring one break in each set to move into the last 16 and clinch the first triumph at the ATP tournament since Roland Garros last year. The 7th seed Jordan Thompson halted a qualifier Pedja Krstin 7-5, 6-2, prevailing in a close opener and sailing through in the rest of the match for the 12th win of the season. The third qualifier who managed to advance on Tuesday is Henri Laaksonen, beating the 6th seed Mackenzie McDonald 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 34 minutes, losing serve once and converting three out of 13 chances for the second win in 2019.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2I9qn51
No comments