DELRAY BEACH OPEN: DAY 4 MEDIA NOTES Thursday, February 18, 2016
Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center, Florida, USA | February 15 – 21, 2016 Draw: S-32, D-16 | Prize Money: $576,900 | Surface: Hard
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DEL POTRO BACK, ALL-AMERICAN DOUBLE AND RUBIN-CHARDY ON DAY 4
DAY 4 PREVIEW: There are four singles and two doubles matches slated for Thursday’s schedule at the Delray Beach Open, with two all-American showdowns on Stadium Court. No. 7 seed and last year’s finalist Donald Young and wild card Tim Smyczek meet for the first time on the ATP World Tour but are well acquainted from their exploits on the Challenger and Futures circuits, having first met in 2007. Young leads the Challenger/Futures/qualifying head-to-head 8-4 but Smyczek has come out on top in their previous two meetings and three of the last five, including their most recent encounter during qualifying at Acapulco in 2014, where Young retired with a left shoulder injury.
A month after claiming his first Tour-level match win at the Australian Open, American wild card Noah Rubin claimed his first win at an ATP World Tour event against Sam Groth in the first round, saving three match points. The 19-year-old, who reached the world’s top 250 for the first time in February, will now face No. 5 seed and 2009 semi-finalist Jeremy Chardy, who is bidding to reach the quarter-finals for the third successive time after returning to Delray Beach for the first time since 2010. Only one man has ever beaten Chardy here: Mardy Fish (in SF 2009, QF 2010).
In Thursday’s second all-American showdown, Austin Krajicek faces Sam Querrey, the 2008 semi- finalist (l. to champion Nishikori) who arrived at Delray Beach after reaching the final four at Memphis for a second straight year (l. to eventual champion Nishikori both times). With the winner facing either Smyczek or Young, an American is guaranteed to reach the semi-finals at Delray Beach for the 17th straight year. The last time the semi-finals did not include an American was in 1999 (Malisse vs Draper, Hewitt vs Grosjean).
Wild card Juan Martin del Potro claimed his first victory since January 2015 in the first round, beating Denis Kudla in his first match since two surgeries to his left wrist last season. The Argentine faces Australian left-hander John-Patrick Smith. The qualifier denied defending champion Ivo Karlovic his 300th match win to reach the second round for the first time at Delray Beach. Del Potro is unbeaten here (6-0), having won the title on his only other appearance at Delray Beach in 2010.
DAY 2 FEDEX ATP HEAD 2 HEADS – In Order of Play by Court
STADIUM COURT
[WC] Tim Smyczek (USA) vs [7] Donald Young (USA) First ATP Meeting Other meetings (Young Leads 8-4): 07 U.S.A. F6 (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Donald Young 6-1 6-4 08 Sacramento CH (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Donald Young 6-1 6-4 08 Calabas CH (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Donald Young 6-3 6-4 09 Carson CH (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Donald Young 6-3 6-0 09 Winnetka CH (U.S.A.) Hard QF Tim Smyczek 6-2 7-6(3) 10 Honolulu CH (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Donald Young 6-2 4-6 6-2 10 Carson CH (U.S.A.) Hard QF Donald Young 6-1 6-7(4) 6-2 10 Winnetka CH (U.S.A.) Hard SF Tim Smyczek 6-4 6-2 13 Napa CH (U.S.A.) Hard SF Donald Young 6-3 6-2 13 Sacramento CH (U.S.A.) Hard F Donald Young 7-5 6-3 13 Tiburon CH (U.S.A.) Hard QF Tim Smyczek 6-4 4-6 6-4 14 Acapulco Q (Mexico) Clay -- Tim Smyczek 6-2 3-0 ret Delray Beach Open Day 4 – Thursday, February 18, 2016 Page 2 of 4 www.ATPWorldTour.com
Smyczek FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: YTD W-L: 2-2 (2-2 on hard) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: December 30, 1987 Emirates ATP Ranking: 129 Delray Beach W-L (Best Result-Year): 3-4 (2R 2012,’15-16)
• The 28-year-old is making his 5th main-draw appearance (7th overall) having reached 2R for the third time after beating Fritz 63 63 in 1R (also 2015 l. to Dolgopolov, 2012 l. to Tomic) • Opened season at Australian Open (l. 2R to Troicki) before reaching SF of Dallas Challenger (l. to Edmund) and 1R exit at Memphis (l. to Dzumhur) • In 2015, American finished in Top 150 for 4th straight season • Achieved career-high ranking of No. 68 on April 6 after winning 1R match at ATP Masters 1000 Miami (d. Menendez-Meceiras) • Went 25-9 on ATP Challenger Tour with titles at Dallas, USA (d. Ram) and Tiburon, USA (d. Kudla 76 in 3rd)
Young FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: QF: Memphis (l Berankis) YTD W-L: 3-3 (3-3 on hard) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: July 23, 1989 Emirates ATP Ranking: 58 Delray Beach W-L (Best Result-Year): 5-4 (F 2015)
The 26-year-old Atlanta resident, last year’s finalist (l. to Karlovic), avoided a fourth 1R exit (2008 l. to Delic, 2011 l. to Anderson, 2012 l. to Sweeting) by beating Mikhail Kukushkin 76(3) 30 ret. Opened season with 2R appearance at Auckland (l. to Bautista Agut) 1R exit at Australian Open (l. to Giraldo) before reaching QF at Memphis (l. to Berankis) In 2015, American improved year-end ranking for 3rd straight season, finishing at No. 48 Posted 1st 2 comebacks from 2 sets down of career en route to US Open 4R, matching best finish at a major from 2011 US Open (d. No. 11 Simon in 1R, d. No. 22 Troicki in 3R, l. to No. 5 Wawrinka) Earned a career-high 22 wins (previous-best 18 in 2014) Reached 2nd career singles final at Delray Beach (l. to Karlovic) and 1st career doubles final at Memphis w/Sitak (l. to Fyrstenberg/Gonzalez)
[WC] Noah Rubin (USA) vs [5] Jeremy Chardy (FRA) First Meeting
Rubin FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: YTD W-L: 2-1 (2-1 on hard) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: February 21, 1996 Emirates ATP Ranking: 245 Delray Beach W-L (Best Result-Year): 1-0 (2R 2016)
The 19-year-old marked his tournament debut with second ATP World Tour level match win of his career, beating Groth 64 46 76(6), saving three match points Broke Top 250 Emirates ATP Rankings for first time after reaching 2R on Australian Open debut (d. No. 18 Paire, l. to Herbert), his first tour-level win In 2015, claimed first Challenger title as a qualifier at Charlottesville (d. Paul) and made one ATP World Tour main draw appearance (Newport, l. 1R to Ito) Former junior Wimbledon champion (2014, d. Kozlov)
Delray Beach Open Day 4 – Thursday, February 18, 2016 Page 3 of 4 www.ATPWorldTour.com
Chardy FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: QF (2): Doha (l Marchenko), Sydney (l Muller) YTD W-L: 7-4 (7-4 on hard) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 1 Date of Birth: February 12, 1987 Emirates ATP Ranking: 30 Delray Beach W-L (Best Result-Year): 6-2 (SF 2009)
The 29-year-old returns for the third time after reaching SF on debut in 2009 (l. to Fish) and QF in 2010 (l. to Fish); booked 2R spot with 62 61 win over Ebden Opened season with QF appearances at Doha (l. to Marchenko) and Sydney (l. to Muller) before 2R appearances at Australian Open (l. to Kuznetsov) and Rotterdam (l. to Mahut) In 2015, Frenchman finished in Top 35 of Emirates ATP Rankings for 4th straight season Played in 1st career ATP Masters 1000 SF at Montréal after saving 9 MPs (2 vs. L. Mayer in 2R, 7 vs. Isner in QF). Lost to No. 1 Djokovic in SF Advanced to US Open 4R for 1st time with win over No. 7 Ferrer, snapping 12-match losing streak to Top 10 opponents (l. to No. 9 Cilic)
Austin Krajicek (USA) vs Sam Querrey (USA) First Meeting
Krajicek FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: YTD W-L: 3-4 (3-3 on hard) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: June 16, 1990 Emirates ATP Ranking: 103 Delray Beach W-L (Best Result-Year): 1-1 (2R 2016)
The 25-year-old claimed his first main-draw win here against top seed Anderson 76(3) ret. (shoulder) after exiting in 1R as a qualifier on his tournament debut in 2012 (l. to eventual champion Anderson) Opened season with 2R appearances at Chennai (l. to Coric) and Australian Open (l. to No. 7 Nishikori) before 1R exits at Quito (l to Carballes Baena) and Memphis (l. to Millman) In 2015, American improved his year-end ranking for 4th straight season, finishing at No. 105 Achieved career-high No. 94 on October 26 after reaching Las Vegas, USA Challenger QF (l. to Novikov 76 in 3rd) Advanced to 1st 2 ATP World Tour QFs as a qualifier at Memphis (d. Karlovic, l. to No. 5 Nishikori in 3 sets) and Tokyo (d. Sousa, l. to No. 4 Wawrinka) Earned 1st Grand Slam win as WC at US Open (d. Giraldo, l. to Anderson) and 1st ATP Masters 1000 win as Q at Miami (d. Istomin, l. to Tomic)
Querrey FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: SF: Memphis (l Nishikori) YTD W-L: 4-3 (4-3 on hard) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 7 Date of Birth: October 7, 1987 Emirates ATP Ranking: 61 Delray Beach W-L (Best Result-Year): 9-7 (SF 2008)
The 28-year-old American, who reached SF in 2008 (l. to eventual winner Nishkori), reached 2R for fourth time with 1R win over De Bakker 46 63 64 on Tuesday Coming off SF run in Memphis (l. to champion Nishikori) after 2R appearance at Auckland (l. to Isner) and 1R exit at Australian Open (ret. vs Lajovic due to cramps) In 2015, American finished 9th straight season in Top 100 of Emirates ATP Rankings Reached finals on clay in Houston (d. No. 12 F. Lopez, l. to Sock 76 76) and grass in Nottingham (d. No. 13 Simon, l. to Istomin 76 76) Delray Beach Open Day 4 – Thursday, February 18, 2016 Page 4 of 4 www.ATPWorldTour.com
Lost 1R singles at 11 events, including Australian Open (l. to Pospisil in 5 sets), Roland Garros (l. to Coric) and US Open (l. to Mahut). Also lost 2R at 9 events, including Wimbledon (l. to No. 2 Federer) Only other tournament results were Memphis SF (d. Isner, l. to No. 5 Nishikori 76 in 3rd) and Washington 3R (l. to No. 8 Cilic 76 76)
[Q] John-Patrick Smith (AUS) vs [WC] Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) First Meeting
Smith FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: YTD W-L: 1-1 (1-1 on hard) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 0 Date of Birth: January 24, 1989 Emirates ATP Ranking: 135 Delray Beach W-L (Best Result-Year): 1-1 (2R 2016)
• The 27-year-old left-hander registered first win at Delray Beach, beating defending champion Karlovic 63 36 62 after falling in 1R last year (l. to Anderson) as a qualifier on his tournament debut • In only other tour event fell in 1R at Brisbane (l. to Kudla) • Fell in qualifying at Australian Open (l. to Millot in Q2) and Memphis (l. to Laaksonen in Q1) • In 2015, best result of year was first ATP World Tour SF at Newport (l. to eventual champ Ram) del Potro FastFacts: 2016 Highlights: YTD W-L: 1-0 (1-0 on hard) YTD Titles: 0 / Career Titles: 18 Date of Birth: September 23, 1988 Emirates ATP Ranking: 1041 Delray Beach W-L (Best Result-Year): 6-0 (Winner 2011)
The 27-year-old remains undefeated (6-0) at Delray Beach, beating Denis Kudla in 1R after winning the title on debut in 2011 (d. Tipsarevic). Win over Kudla was Argentine’s first victory since January 13, 2015 (d. Fognini, Sydney 2R) Playing first tournament following 11-month absence with left wrist injury, dating back to ATP Masters 1000 Miami 1R (l. to Pospisil) Underwent two wrist surgeries on January 20, 2015 and June 18, 2015 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, USA In 2015, Argentine finished outside Top 100 Emirates ATP Rankings for 3rd time in 6 years due to wrist injuries (right wrist required surgery in 2010) Only played 4 matches all season, reaching Sydney QF (d. Stakhovsky and Fognini, l. to Kukushkin) and falling in 1R at ATP Masters 1000 Miami (l. to Pospisil) Announced split with longtime coach Franco Davin on July 24 last year (not working with a coach)