Anderson sweeps into Final from Richard Evans, Delray Beach

Written by: on 22nd February 2014
Tennis Australian Open 2014
Anderson sweeps into Final from Richard Evans, Delray Beach

epa04025990 Kevin Anderson of South Africa returns to Edouard Roger Vasselin of France during their third round match at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 17 January 2014. EPA/MADE NAGI  |

Kevin Anderson lives one and a half miles from the site of the Delray Beach Open and the 6 ft 8” South African could not have looked more at home as he swept into the final with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Steve Johnson.

 

Anderson, who played for the University of Illinois during his college days, had lost to Johnson, the 24-year-old ex-USC star, on the only other occasion they had met as pros in the New Zealand Open last month. But Johnson was never allowed to feel he had a chance of a repeat victory.

 

A slow start was the American’s undoing as Anderson came at him all guns blazing with massive serves; some good volleying and penetrating returns. Johnson seemed more in control of his game in the second set and was able to stay in contention for the first six games before Anderson forced the breakthrough.

 

“Maybe he was a little nervous in the beginning, this being his first ATP semi-final,” said Anderson who won this title in 2012. “But I did good on my serve, hitting my spots like I try to do in practice so I was very comfortable out there. I practice on this court when I’m at home, of course. It is quite bouncy and I like that.”

 

Despite this disappointment, Johnson has enjoyed a breakthrough week on the Florida coast, using his big top-spin forehand and usually solid game to oust No 2 seed Tommy Haas in the second round and the experienced No 6 seed from Spain, Feliciano Lopez, in the quarter-finals. Having started out in qualifying, the week can be chalked up as a success for the Californian. Johnson was ranked 142 on the ATP computer coming into this event but now has his sights set on the world’s top hundred – a goal that should be within his reach in the coming months. He should rise to around 118 on Monday.

Topics: , , , , , , , , , ,








10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA thumbnail

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife thumbnail

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos
ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS thumbnail

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.