Atlanta Day 5 recap: Veterans overshadow Harrison landmark

Rain–or lack thereof–finally allowed the BB&T Atlanta Open to put on a show, and it did just that. Wednesday action was wild from start to finish, and it began with 32-year-old Lleyton Hewitt scraping past American wild card Rhyne Williams 7-6(6), 6-4. Williams saved a set point at 3-5 in the opener then broke back for 5-5 before it was Hewitt’s turn to mount a comeback. The Aussie trailed 6-2 in the ensuing tiebreaker only to win six straight points and steal it 8-6. Williams steadied himself to hold his first four service games of the second set with ease, but Hewitt capitalized on the only break point of the set at 5-4 to clinch victory.

Joining Hewitt in the winner’s circle were James Blake and Michael Russell, who were contesting first-round matches compared to Hewitt’s second-rounder. Blake, 33, saved two break points at 5-5 in the third set before outlasting qualifier Tim Smyczek 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(4). Russell, 35, beat Fish 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in what was easily one of the best-ever matches in the four-year history of the Atlanta tournament. Playing just his fourth match of the season and his first since April, Fish could no almost no wrong on Wednesday night (after postponement midway through the second set on Tuesday), but Russell had all the answers. After Russell saved a break point at 4-4 in the final set, Fish screamed, “He’s never played like this in his life!” The No. 6 seed fought off two match points with clutch winners at 5-6, but Russell eventually broke for the win.

At the other end of the career spectrum, 19-year-old Christian Harrison played the first ATP-level main-draw match of his career and upset Alejandro Falla 6-1, 6-7(7), 6-2. The younger Harrison’s reward is a Thursday evening showdown with No. 1 seed John Isner.

Rhyne Williams