Steve Johnson won his first main draw ATP match on Monday night defeating Atlanta’s Donald Young, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
“It’s kind of a new ball game out there for me and I knew Donald would give me everything he had,” said the 22-year-old two-time NCAA champion Johnson. “I had a few chances to break in the second set but wasn’t able to.”
Johnson’s match didn’t end till almost 11 p.m. with the start time pushed back following an hour and a half rain delay during the late afternoon match between Jack Sock and Alex Bogomolov Jr.
Sock, 19, completed a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over the No. 7 seeded Bogomolov Jr. and will next face his buddy and doubles partner, Johnson, in the second round. Bogomolov’s slump continued as he has now lost five straight matches and drops to a 9-21 on the season.
“It feels good to get a win,” said Sock, who won his third career ATP match. “To advance on and get to play a little longer into the week is great.”
Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller notched his 100th match win in singles action, firing 14 aces past Australian Marinko Matosevic for a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win. Muller, a former US Open quarterfinalist, improves to a 12-14 record this season and is slated to face two-time defending champion Mardy Fish in the second round.
Ahead of his first round match on Tuesday, Ryan Harrison participated in a live Google+ Chat and then met with members of the media. He said he has enjoyed the Atlantic Station venue. “It’s great. The hotel is great and the food is great,” he said. “I grew up playing on these hardcourts so I’m used to the surface. I’ve played in all kinds of different places playing in the minor leagues in Futures and Challenger event. You wouldn’t believe some of the places I’ve played.”
Earlier in the day, Harrison took part in a USTA and American Express ribbon-cutting ceremony event in Fulton County where 12 youth tennis courts were unveiled at the Burdett Tennis Center. “I think it helps get more kids involved in our sport,” he said. “Hopefully people will fall in love with our sport and we’ll get some more athletes and some better Grand Slam prospects out of it.”
On Monday, the tournament honored the United States Military with a video montage and on-court appearances by a military Color Guard, national anthem singer Lauren-Ashley Blake and a Wounded Warrior, Sgt. Black.
Monday’s Final Qualifying Scores
(1) Ruben Bemelmans, Belgium, def. (8) Ricardo Hocevar, Brazil, 6-2, 6-2
(2) Ricardas Berankis, Lithuania, def. (5) Rik De Voest, South Africa, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3
(7) Alex Kuznetsov, U.S., def. (4) Ricardo Mello, Brazil, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
(3) Sergei Bubka, Ukraine, def. (6) Tim Smyczek, U.S., 6-3, 6-4
Monday’s First-Round Singles Scores
Jack Sock (wc), U.S., def. (7) Alex Bogomolov Jr., Russia, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) def. Marinko Matosevic, Australia, 7-6 (5), 6-4
Kevin Anderson, South Africa, def. Paolo Lorenzi, Italy, 6-4, 6-3
Steve Johnson (wc), U.S., def. Donald Young, U.S., 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Igor Kunitsyn, Russia, def. (wc) Brian Baker, U.S. 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3
Nicolas Mahut, France, def. Paul Capedeville 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Monday’s First-Round Doubles Scores
Xavier Malisse-Belgium-Michael Russell, U.S., def. John Paul Fruttero, U.S.-Dmitry Tursunov, Russia, 1-6, 6-1, 10-3
(4) Jamie Delgado, Great Britain-Ken Skupski, Great Britain, def. Olivier Charroin, France-Adil Shamasdin, Canada, 2-6, 6-4, 11-9
Tuesday’s Order of Play
Stadium Court Starting at 4 p.m.
Go Soeda (8), Japan, vs. Xavier Malisse, Blegium
Not Before 7 p.m.
Ryan Harrison (6), U.S., vs. James Blake, U.S.
Followed by Rajeev Ram, U.S., vs. Ruben Bemelmans (q), Belgium
Grandstand Court Starting at 4 p.m.
Michael Russell, U.S. vs. Alex Kuznetsov (q), U.S.
Followed by
Alex Bogomolov, Russia-Gilles Muller, Luxembourg, vs. Steve Johnson, U.S.-Jack Sock (wc), U.S.
Followed by
Ricardas Berankas (q), Lithuanian, vs. Dmitry Tursonov, Russia
Court 3 Starting at 6 p.m.
Sergei Bubka (q), Ukraine, vs. Matthew Ebden, Australia