STAN WAWRINKA SURVIVES IN ROTTERDAM & DONALD YOUNG JR. LEADS THE AMERICAN CHARGE IN MEMPHIS BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 12th February 2015

ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam

Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in action against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain during their second round match of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 12 February 2015. EPA/KOEN SUYK

epa04616781 Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in action against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain during their second round match of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 12 February 2015. EPA/KOEN SUYK |

“Mix zone media action after the match today! #yimlife #memphisopen#ontheroad#iphonerecorders#notwitter?splease” – Photo by Donald Young via Instagram

A high-quality battle in the second round of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament on Thursday saw Stan Wawrinka overcome familiar foe Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-2. Wawrinka fired eight aces without double-faulting as he advanced in two hours and 15 minutes.

It ended in somewhat bizarre fashion, with Wawrinka serving at 5-2 in the third set. On match point, the Swiss struck an apparent service winner that seemed to be either on the line or just long. Garcia-Lopez challenged, clearly expecting to be wrong as the two competitors met at the net to shake hands. Instead, the ball was shown to be way out.

Nonetheless, Wawrinka finished the job two points later.

Rotterdam’s fourth seed is joined in the quarterfinals by Andy Murray, a 6-3, 7-5 winner over Vasek Pospisil. Murray came back from a 5-3 deficit in the second set to prevail in one hour and 43 minutes.

“Obviously, the second set was a lot of momentum swings,” Murray said. “When he was serving for it he was in a great position. But we had a 30-shot rally on set point. It was a very physical rally, I was making him do more of the running and I think it took quite a lot out of him. My level was good. I found a little bit of extra intensity in the important moments and that was key.”

British Andy Murray in action against Vasek Pospisil of Canada during their second round match of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 12 February 2015. EPA/KOEN SUYK

In Memphis, a whopping five of the eight quarterfinalists are Americans: John Isner, Sam Querrey, Donald Young, Steve Johnson, and Austin Krajicek.

Young has been especially impressive as the only man still alive in both singles and doubles. Krajicek was also in the doubles event until Thursday afternoon, when he and Ryan Harrison lost to Treat Huey and Scott Lipsky 4-6, 6-4, 10-4.

Following a first-round upset of No. 8 seed Adrian Mannarino, Young ousted countryman Denis Kudla 7-5, 6-3 on Thursday. The 25-year-old Atlanta resident served at just 46 percent but he was broken only once and he got the best of Kudla’s serve three times.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Abn Amro World Tennis Tournament, Atp, Donald Young, Memphis Open, Rotterdam, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

February 12, 2015 at 6:17 pm

-@stanwawrinka SURVIVES IN #ROTTERDAM & @DonaldYoungUSA LEADS THE #AMERICAN CHARGE IN #MEMPHIS- http://t.co/1QIPHKSZjV #tennis #abnamrowtt
Dimonator says:

February 12, 2015 at 6:36 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: -@stanwawrinka SURVIVES IN #ROTTERDAM & @DonaldYoungUSA LEADS THE #AMERICAN CHARGE IN #MEMPHIS- http://t.co/1QIPHKSZjV #t…