TOP SEED DONALD YOUNG JR. KICKS OFF TALLAHASSEE TENNIS

Written by: Staff on 27th April 2014

TOP SEED DONALD YOUNG JR. KICKS OFF TALLAHASSEE TENNIS

epa04028090 Donald Young of the USA in action during his match against Kei Nishikori of Japan in round three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 18 January 2014. EPA/JOE CASTRO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Young Headlines Monday

7 Americans Chase Main Draw Spots

U.S. players begin final push for the Har-Tru USTA Pro Circuit French Open Wild Card

Tallahassee Tennis Challenger champion Donald Young headlines Monday’s play at the $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event, the final of three tournaments in the Har-Tru USTA Pro Circuit Wild Card Challenge, whose winner will earn a spot in the main draw of the French Open.

Seven Americans are searching for spots in the Challenger’s main draw on Monday, including 2011 French Open junior champion Bjorn Fratangelo and former University of Michigan standout Evan King.

Young faces up-and-coming Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis, 18, in what could be a thrilling first-round encounter. They play the second match after 6 pm on Stadium Court.

Four final-round qualifying matches are set to take place on Monday, three of them kicking off play at 10 a.m. 2012 tournament winner Tim Smyczek will kick off main draw play on Court 1 in the second match of the day.

Smyczek looks to right his ship after two first-round losses in the three-tournament Wild Card Challenge, in which the American player posting the highest point total from two of the events gains a wild card into the French Open.

A year ago, Alex Kuznetsov won the Challenge. This year, former UCLA player Daniel Kosakowski leads the race with 42 points, ahead of Kuznetsov, who is in second with 15 points.

“I’m just looking at it that I want to get better this week,” said Kuznetsov, the world No. 145. “There’s not a mentality that I need to do well this week. I just want to play my tennis.”

TALLAHASSEE TENNIS CHALLENGER – TALLAHASSEE, FL, USA

$50,000 — APRIL 26 – MAY 3, 2014

RESULTS – APRIL 28, 2014

Qualifying Singles – Second Round

Qualifying – [WC] A Rybakov (USA) d E Crepaldi (ITA) 76(4) 64

Qualifying – B Fratangelo (USA) d F Skugor (CRO) 62 76(4)

Qualifying – M Krueger (USA) d [WC] M Oljaca (USA) 64 62

Qualifying – E King (USA) d J Kelly-Houston (NZL) 62 62

Qualifying – E Quigley (USA) d B Lock (ZIM) 62 57 62

Qualifying – S Bangoura (USA) d M Santiago (USA) 63 62

Qualifying – R Agar (AUS) d S Bader (AUT) 61 75

Qualifying – N Kryvonos (USA) d A Carter (USA) 64 61

Qualifying Doubles – First Round

Qualifying – [1] P Lang (AUT) / G Melzer (AUT) d A Carter (USA) / M Santiago (USA) 64 64

Qualifying – [2] E Crepaldi (ITA) / N Kryvonos (USA) d [WC] T Whitehurst (USA) / T Whitehurst (USA) 62 61

More about the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger:

The Tallahassee Tennis Challenger is a $50,000 event on the USTA Pro Circuit, April 26-May 3 at the Forestmeadows Tennis Complex. Players such as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Mardy Fish, James Blake, John Isner and Ryan Harrison have appeared at the event, which benefits the D. Mark Vogter, M.D., Memorial Endowment for the Neuro-Intensive Care Unit at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

Tidbits about the USTA Pro Circuit:

The USTA launched its Pro Circuit 34 years ago to provide players with the opportunity to gain the professional ranking points needed to compete on the major pro tours. It has since grown to become the largest developmental tennis circuit in the world, consisting of approximately 90 tournaments and nearly $3 million in prize money. The expanded schedule gives American players more competitive opportunities in the United States, thus making it easier and more affordable to earn a pro ranking.

Editors note : the tidbits really irks us. It’s a bunch of words. It’s mumbo jumbo …. There’s nothing easy about earning a pro “point ” a pro ranking. ? ….Be serious. The whole system is broken. Cruel. Unfair. We applaud Tallahassee for the fortitude of putting on the event. We know how hard you’ve worked and jockeyed for 11 months. Your hardworking staff and volunteers. Thank you.

Topics: Donald Young, Tallahassee Tennis, Tennis, Usta

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April 27, 2014 at 3:36 pm

TOP SEED DONALD YOUNG JR. KICKS OFF TALLAHASSEE TENNIS – http://t.co/5fawKhGcV3 @DonaldYoungUSA #TallahasseeTennis #tennis #sports