Americans compiled a 5-2 record at the BB&T Atlanta Open on Tuesday, with Donald Young, Ryan Harrison, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, and Noah Rubin advancing to the second round.
Young won his rain-interrupted match against Ivo Karlovic 2-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(6). The Atlanta native struggled on Monday night when he got wiped off the court on the first set and was on serve at 5-5 in the second. A postponement proved to be just what Young needed–and exactly what Karlovic did not want to have. The 39-year-old Croat played his own part in Young’s comeback, with costly double-faults at 5-5 in the second-set tiebreaker and at 6-6 in the third-set ‘breaker. Karlovic also failed to convert a match point with Young serving at 5-6, 30-40 in the third.
“I came out (on Tuesday) pretty motivated and with a lot of energy,” the world No. 230 commented. “I was kind of dejected after I got broken (in third set). I tried to stay focused. Once we got to the ‘breaker, I think I’ve won the last three ‘breakers we played, so I was feeling pretty confident.”
Harrison also recovered from a set deficit, as he defeated James Duckworth 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-1. The eighth-seeded American and 2017 Atlanta runner-up also trailed 2-0 in the second-set tiebreaker, but he reeled off seven consecutive points and never looked back throughout the third.
Tiafoe joined Young and Harrison in the second round when he took care of Marius Copil 6-4, 6-4 later in the day. The 20-year-old fired nine aces, never faced a break point, and won 31 of 35 first-serve points while advancing in one hour and one minute.
“Wow, only four? That’s crazy,” Tiafoe responded when told he dropped only four points on his first serve. “I’m not gonna sit here and say I had any flaws today. I played well; hit forehand great, backhand solid. I played well from the back.
“I’m just trying to play like Nick Kyrgios every day,” he joked when Kyrgios walked by during his interview.
Next up for Tiafoe is Marcos Baghdatis, who beat Alex Bolt 6-4, 6-1.
“It’s going to be a good one,” Tiafoe said of Baghdatis. “I’ve never played him before. We’re great friends. He’s always been nice to me; always embraced me as young guy coming up. I got a ton of respect for him, and likewise [him for me].”
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