Blake Plays Gulbis In Featured Atlanta Tennis Championships

Written by: Staff on 17th July 2011

Blake Plays Gulbis In Featured Atlanta Tennis Championships

Ernests Gulbis of Latvia returns the ball to Milos Raonic of Canada during his second round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tournament in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, 12 April 2011. EPA/CHRISTOPHE KARABA |

Monday kicks off the main draw at the Atlanta Tennis Championships.

While the final qualifying matches begin at 1:00 p.m., a unique media photo opportunity starts at the same time. From 1:00-1:30 p.m. American and 6’9″ John Isner will try to utilize his height to take former NBA/Atlanta Hawks player Tom Gugliotta as they shoot hoops in a game of pop-a-shot. They will then turn the tables and Gugliotta will play Isner in tennis.

The main draw matches start on Stadium Court at 4:00 p.m. and Atlanta resident Donald Young will battle fellow countrymen and veteran Michael Russell in the first match. In addition, on Court 1, Alex Bogomolov, Jr. will take on Gilles Muller.

They will be followed by Opening Ceremonies (not before 6:00 p.m.) with a special exhibition match featuring our host, actor and Atlanta resident Boris Kodjoe. Playing will be the talented Parks sisters – Alycia, 10, and Mikayla, 11 – originally from Atlanta.

The feature match of the evening will be between American and former top five star James Blake against Ernests Gulbis, and Ryan Sweeting of the USA will face former two-time NCAA champion Somdev Devvarman on Court 1, not before 7:00 p.m.

ATLANTA TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS – ATLANTA, USA

$ 531,000.00

JULY 16 – JULY 24, 2011

RESULTS – JULY 17, 2011

Mens

Qualifying Singles – Second Round

Qualifying – M Matosevic (AUS) d [WC] M Styslinger (USA) 75 60

Qualifying – M Ebden (AUS) d D Kosakowski (USA) 61 62

Qualifying – Y Sugita (JPN) d H Lewis (BAR) 61 64

Qualifying – T Smyczek (USA) d [WC] G Townes (USA) 64 62

Qualifying – P Simmonds (USA) d G Jones (AUS) 63 76(2)

Qualifying – R Ram (USA) d N Massu (CHI) 63 76(5)