ATP Washington 🇺🇸 Round of 64
Daniel Galan d Tommy Paul 6-4 6-3
The consistency of Galan proved too much for Tommy Paul, as the mentality of the Colombian combined with the flat play style the 25yo was too frustrating for the American. Galan winning 81% of his first serves, and converting 3/5 break point opportunities compared to just 0/1 for Paul. Galan winning in straight sets is a huge win, and if he can convert 60% of his break point opportunities it could prove a challenge against someone like Opelka, who is Galan's next opponent, who relies on huge top spin when he rallies when he does not smash the ball down the line for a winner.
Ricardas Berankis d Mitchell Krueger 7-6(4) 6-2
In a great match all round for Berankis, he deserved a straight sets win despite a difficult first set. The world no 86 won 88% of his first serves, which was the most for a player in Day 1! Further, he did not allow the American to break his serve, and broke twice in the second set to seal the match.
Andreas Seppi d Yasutaka Uchiyama 3-6 7-5 6-4
After a strong start from the Jap, it was the pre-match favourite in the Italian to bring back in 3 sets. Seppi not serving as well, but his consistency proving strong, slowly breaking down Uchiyama, converting 3/11 break points compared to just 2/4 for the Jap.
Jenson Brooksby d Kevin Anderson 7-6(4) 6-3
After losing to Anderson in the Newport Final in Newport 2 weeks ago in a tight two set match, Brooksby's hopes were bright now that it is on hard court, which favours Anderson less than grass does. Brooksby made the most of the American crowd, feeding off them in every opportunity possible! With a tight tiebreaker, it was good to see the 20yo not freeze up, but go for his shots. It was tough to see the 35yo come back from a set down, as the crowd pushed Brooskby to victory!
Marcos Giron d Ilya Marchenko 4-6 6-4 7-6(1)
After saving three match points, and being down almost all of the match, the American brings it back! With the help of the crowd, and the fact this is is not an unfamiliar position for Giron to be in. He loves a comeback, and with the help of the crowd, he clawed his way back against an equally tiring opponent.
Kei Nishikori d Sam Querrey 6-4 6-3
In a quality match from the Jap, it was a clean straight sets win, with 1 more break in each set to close it out. Querrey did as much as he could with his serve, but ultimately it was not enough, as Nishikori's ground strokes proved too much of an issue for the big American.
Ilya Ivashka d Egor Gerasimov 7-5 6-4
In a battle of the Belarusian's, it was the pre-match favourite Ivashka with the mentality to override Gerasimov. Gerasimov is overrated, and although he has a good serve for the hard court, so does Ivashka, and Ivashka just 1-ups his compatriot on the tennis court. It is likely to stay like this for the remainder of their careers.
Vasek Pospisil d Emilio Gomez 4-6 6-4 6-3
In a relatively even serving match, it was the Canadian to overcome the Ecuador player in a decent three set match. Pospisil just converting more of his chances 5/13 break point opportunities compared to 3/4 for Ecuadorian.
Jack Sock d Yoshihito Nishioka 6-7(3) 4-0 (WALKOVER)
After 6 breaks of serve in one and a half sets, Nishioka was not able to continue due to a leg/foot injury.
Brandon Nakashima d Alexei Popyrin 6-3 6-3
There were thoughts that Nakashima might be dropping out of this tournament after playing 11 matches in 2 weeks, but he had ammunition still in his arms. The American serving 4 more aces, and winning 80% of his first serves, with 100% break point conversions! (3/3)! Outstanding!
Tennys Sandgren d James Duckworth 6-3 2-6 6-2
Sandgren tends to have matches where he is in and out of his mentality, but he usually comes out with the win. This was exactly the case here, as the evenly ranked players fought it out in an entertaining match, with many momentum swings, featuring 6 breaks in the match!
Denis Kudla d Feliciano Lopez 6-3 6-7(5) 6-3
In a match which thought Kudla would wrap up in two, it was the Spaniard clinching to hold on to a set to make the scoreline more respectable. Kudla looking the more aggressive from the start, which is not hard to do against a player like Lopez, who relies on defence so much now in his ripe age of 39. Lopez relying on his serve, which did bring 17 aces, but not quite enough to go past the world no 103.
Emil Ruusivuori d Prajnesh Gunneswaran 2-6 6-1 6-1
After a slow start, which errors flying off his racquet, Ruusivuori picked up his game, and turned it around nicely. Although Gunneswaran converted 100% of break points (2/2), the man from Finland converted 5/13 himself to close the final two sets in style.
Steve Johnson d Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-3 7-6(0) This match was relatively even except for the second serve win %, 59% compared to 43%, including 6 double faults from Ramanathan. It was also a match to pounce on break point opportunities as they were rare, with Johnson claiming 2, and just the 1 for the Indian world no 204.
Elias Ymer d Jordan Thompson 3-6 7-5 6-3
In a very heated ending, which featured Thompson almost starting a fight with the Swede, it was the Swede coming back in a nice 3 set win. Thompson seemed to be having injury problems, but the real drama featured a dodgy double-bounce, in which the umpire wrongly did not call, leading to Thompson being on tilt for the remaining two points of the match.
Sebastian Korda (12) d Vasek Pospisil 6-4 7-5
Korda had a slow start, as Pospisil was hounding at the American's serve, but ultimately, with the help of the American crowd, he was propelled to victory. Stunningly, Pospisil won 88% on his first serve, but falling to 35% win on second serve, compared to 80% on first and 78% on second serves. Korda attacking Pospisil's second serve was crucial in this tight match.
Felix Auger-Aliassime (2) d Andreas Seppi 2-6 6-2 6-2
There was something in the air that felt like an upset was at hand here, so when I looked at the score in the first half hour of play, I was stunned! Seppi was even price to Felix after the first set, but the youngster stayed strong, as he is doing so more consistently, and slowly broke down the 37yo's game.
Ricardas Berankis d Miomir Kecmanovic (15)
Berankis continued his stunning form after his first round win, with another clinical straight sets win! Kecmanovic lost the game more than Berankis won the game with 10 double faults, leading to 19 break point opportunities for the Lithuanian! This allowed 3 more breaks than the 15th seed, in what was a disappointing display from the Serb.
Cameron Norrie (7) d Marcos Giron 6-4 6-3
After a first round match totalling 3h2m, Giron just could not handle the 7th seed consistency. Norrie's flat shots forces opponents to do more with the rally, but for Giron, it just led to more mistakes, with 10% less serving wins than the Brit, and half the break point opportunities, leading to a swift straight sets win for the 7th seed.
Mackenzie McDonald d Nick Kyrgios 6-4 6-4
We were not sure which Kyrgios was going to turn up today! Was it the Kyrgios who is quiet and self-destructive, or was it the fun Kyrgios who interacts with the crowd funnily and plays around. Against a quieter opponent in McDonald, it seemed Kyrgios was in a quieter and self-destructive mood, which could not see him win a set against the home crowd favourite on the court.
Jenson Brooksby d Frances Tiafoe (16) 7-6(4) 7-5
In the battle of the Americans, and possibly the most exciting match of the day, we saw up n comer 20yo Brooksby up against the fierce Frances Tiafoe (16). Brooksby looked threatening early, and it was the 20yo once again showing no fear in close tiebreaks, pushing Tiafoe to the brink! The second set was much of the same, but a few momentum swings. Ultimately, the audience pushed the youngstar over the line with an incredibly close match.
