Mexican Open (ATP)

Previous Mexican Open Coverage

Two Americans were left in the single’s draw going into Wednesday’s play at the Mexican Open, but neither survived long against seeded players. Donald Young took on #6 Gilles Simon and lost 6-4, 6-3 in a match where serve was held just 10 times in 19 games. Young was broke six times though to three for Simon so he came out the loser. Sam Querrey put up a real battle against #5 Kevin Anderson, there was only one break in the two sets played, but still lost 7-6 (2), 6-4.

That’s the end of singles play for the Americans in Acapulco. We’ll have more coverage of men’s singles very soon with the BNP Paribas Open starting on Monday.

In doubles action. Eric Butorac and South African Raven Klaasen didn’t even have to take the court as Jeremy Chardy and Gilles Simon retired due to a Chardy injury. The other American, Scott Lipsky, teamed up with Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico, took out #2 Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 6-4, 4-6, 10-5. This was a very even match with Lipsky/Gonzalez winning just three more overall points. In the next round Butorac/Klaasen take on Kevin Anderson/Matthew Ebden while Lipsky/Gonazlez take on the all Mexican-team of Cesar Ramirez/Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela.

Both are first time meetings and in both the team featuring the Americans would seem to be favored. If they do both advance they would meet in the semifinals on Friday.

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Schedule

• Approx. 6 PM – Scott Lipsky/Santiago Gonzalez (Mexico) vs. Cesar Ramirez/Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela
• Approx. 10 PM – #4 Eric Butorac/Raven Klaasen (South Africa) vs. Kevin Anderson/Matthew Ebden

Mexican Open (ATP)

Previous Mexican Open Coverage

The top American in the Mexican Open, #3 seed John Isner started his tournament on Monday vs.  Ivo Karlovic. To say he played poorly wouldn’t be accurate, he won 74% of his service points. The problem is, as can happen with Isner, that this game turned into a “I can’t break you but you can’t break me” deadlock. Both men were only broken once, in the first set, and Karlovic won an even higher 86% of his service points, with Isner only winning 11 points off him all night. On a side note managing to break once while only winning 11 points off your opponents serve in 12 service games is kind of amazing. Lots of 40-0 games I imagine…

Anyways this match went to tiebreakers in both of the first two sets and in those small sample sizes Karlovic was better, winning the match 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5). Isner has not had the greatest start to 2013 and it will be interesting to see how he does next month with the two big tournaments back in the US looming.

In other action on Tuesday Tim Smyczek looked out of his league against Gilles Simon as he lost 6-1, 6-2 and was broke four times in seven service games. Donald Young, who Smyczek had originally knocked out of the event in qualifying, will get his shot at Simon on Wednesday after beating Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-3. Young is 0-4 against Simon with their last meeting a 6-2, 7-5 win in Rome last year in the round of 64.

Wednesday means the return of Sam Querrey to action with a second round matchup with #5 Kevin Anderson. Querrey holds a 6-3 all-time edge in the matchup with the two splitting four matchups last season. Querrey won the last meeting, a 6-4, 6-4 decision in the quarterfinals in Washington D.C.

Things get underway in the doubles draw for two Americans on Tuesday as well. Eric Butorac is teamed up with South African Raven Klaasen and they’ll take on Jeremy Chardy and Gilles Simon in the first round. The teams have never met in doubles play. The other American in the draw is Scott Lipsky who is teamed up with Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico and is taking on #2 Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau. These teams have never met as well.

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Schedule

• 5 PM – Sam Querrey vs. #5 Kevin Anderson – Querrey leads 6-3 all-time
• 5 PM – Donald Young vs. #6 Gilles Simon – Simon leads 4-0 all-time
• Approx. 9 PM – Eric Butorac/Raven Klaasen (South Africa) vs. Jeremy Chardy/Gilles Simon – First ever meeting
• Approx. 1 AM Thursday – Scott Lipsky/Santiago Gonzalez (Mexico) vs. Jean-Julien Rojer/Horia Tecau – First ever meeting

Dubai Tennis Championships (ATP)

Previous Dubai Tennis Championships Coverage

As quickly as it started it was over. The only American to enter the Dubai Tennis Championships this week was Michael Russell. Russell got off to a really strong start against Radek Stepanek, taking the first set 7-5. Stepanek rebounded to a 6-3 win in set two before slamming the door 6-1 in the third set. The 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 win ended Russell’s stay and sent Stepanek into a second round matchup with Roger Federer.

We’ll have continuing coverage of the other ATP World Tour 500 event this week, the Mexican Open, as there are still six Americans left competing in Acapulco.

Mexican Open (ATP)

Previous Mexican Open Coverage

The first American to get the main draw started in Acapulco was Sam Querrey. Querrey took on Tigre Hank in the night cap of the first night. It was a competitive match with Hank taking the first set 7-6 (5) to put some pressure on Querrey. He responded just fine by pulling out the next two sets 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the next round. It wasn’t the strongest opponent for Querrey but playing Hank, a Mexican, in front of a pro-Hank crowd was definitely a challenge.

On Tuesday three more Americans will get underway. Donald Young didn’t think he’d be part of the main event after losing to Tim Smyczek in qualifying, but that changed when Jurgen Melzer had to withdraw. That left a lucky loser spot open into the main draw and it went to Young, making him the fourth American in the main draw. Young will be taking on Jarkko Nieminen on Tuesday for the right to face the winner of fellow American Tim Smyczek’s match with Gilles Simon. Both of the matchups are the first time the players have met. While the chance is small, since both Young and Smyczek would need to pull upsets, there is the slight chance that they could meet for the second time in a matter of days.

The other American to begin on Tuesday will be the #3 seed John Isner. Isner won’t have to face a top-25 player in the world in his quarter so the makings could be here for a nice run to the semifinals. He’ll start things off with a matchup with Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in the first round. The two have split their four previous matchups with Isner winning the latest, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) in the quarterfinals at Newport last year.

Schedule

• 5 PM – #3 John Isner vs. Ivo Karlovic – All-time series is 2-2
• Approx. 9 PM – Tim Smyczek vs. #6 Gilles Simon – First ever meeting
• Approx. 9 PM – Donald Young vs. Jarkko Nieminen – First ever meeting

Dubai Tennis Championships (ATP)

The only American in the field for the Dubai Tennis Championships will be Michael Russell. Russell will be an underdog in his opening match against the Czech, Radek Stepanek. The two have faced off twice in the past with Russell winning a match in Auckland in 2003 and Stepanek taking a 6-2, 6-0 decision in the round of 64 in Paris in 2010. If Russell can get past Stepanek he’d have to face the rejuvenated Swiss Roger Federer in the second round, no easy task.

Schedule

• Tuesday 2.25.14 – 5 AM ET – Michaell Russell vs. Radek Stepanek – All-time Series 1-1

Mexican Open (ATP)

Previous Mexican Open Coverage

Only one of five Americans who started qualifying, #5 Tim Smyczek, will be in the main draw at the Mexican Open. Smyczek was up 6-2, 3-0 on fellow American #1 Donald Young when Young retired.

#7 Wayne Odesnik was down 6-2, 2-0 to #3 Stephane Robert when he retired as well. Nicholas Meister went the distance vs. #2 Alejandro Falla but lost 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Continue reading Tim Smyczek Reaches Main Draw at Mexican Open, Three Americans Will Start First Round →