RICKY DIMON REPORTS FROM HOUSTON: IT’S TIPSY TIME, YOUNG AND JOHNSON ALSO IN ACTION ON TUESDAY

Written by: Staff on 6th April 2015

RICKY DIMON REPORTS FROM HOUSTON: IT'S TIPSY TIME, YOUNG AND JOHNSON ALSO IN ACTION ON TUESDAY

epa04666881 Donald Young of the US in action during his third round match against Rafael Nadal of Spain at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 17 March 2015. EPA/MIKE NELSON |

Houston: It’s Tipsy time, Young and Johnson also in action on Tuesday

By Ricky Dimon

Janko Tipsarevic is back–again. Whereas Tipsarevic played only doubles at the Miami Open, the Serb is suiting up for singles this week at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. His first match will come on Tuesday as part of an entertaining schedule that also includes an all-American showdown between Donald Young and Steve Johnson.

(WC) Janko Tipsarevic vs. (Q) Guilherme Clezar

Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic in action against Canadian player Vasek Pospisil during the Davis Cup World Group semi-final between Serbia and Canada in Belgrade, Serbia, 15 September 2013. EPA/SRDJAN SUKI

Tipsarevic will be playing his first singles match since a retirement on the indoor hard courts of Valencia in October 2013. The former world No. 8 underwent foot surgery last spring and finally returned last month in Miami, where he teamed up in doubles with fellow Serb Novak Djokovic. Tipsarevic looked rusty–understandably–but moved well and came up with the occasional great shot in a 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 loss to Jurgen Melzer and Robert Lindstedt.

Up first for Tipsarevic in Houston is Clezar, a 22-year-old Brazilian who has never won a match at the ATP level (0-7 lifetime). That does not mean he can be discounted. Clezar’s last seven events have come on clay and he reached the Santiago Challenger final last month. He has already come through Houston qualifying, as well, with wins over Sekou Bangoura, Facundo Bagnis, and Somdev Devvarman. The world No. 186 is match-tough right now and the surface is obviously in his favor.

Donald Young vs. Steve Johnson

Steve Johnson of the US serves to Filip Krajinovic of Serbia in their first round Memphis Open tennis match at the Racquet Club of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, 10 February 2015. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

If it had been played in February, Young vs. Johnson could have been a virtual playoff for the United States’ second Davis Cup singles spot. Now it is merely an intriguing first-round battle in Houston. Including Challengers, the head-to-head series stands at 1-1. Johnson earned his first-ever victory at the ATP level by beating Young 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at the 2012 BB&T Atlanta Open. Their next meeting, also on a hard court, came at the 2013 Aptos Challenger with Young prevailing 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(3).

It was Young who ended up getting the nod for Davis Cup thanks to an outstanding run earlier this season. The world No. 45 reached the Memphis semifinals and finished runner-up to Ivo Karlovic in Delray Beach. Young, who is 14-8 in 2015, ousted a red-hot Bernard Tomic at both events. Johnson has advanced out of the opening round in seven of eight tournaments this year, a streak that recently ended in Miami. Both men prefer hard courts, but clay may give a slight advantage to Young–who made it to the third round of the 2014 French Open before falling to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in five sets.

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

Topics: Atp, Donald Young jr, Houston, Janko Tipsarevic, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Steve Johnson, Tennis News, U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship

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10sBalls_com says:

April 6, 2015 at 7:12 pm

-@Dimonator REPORTS FROM #HOUSTON: IT’S TIPSY TIME, @Yimlife1313 AND @SJohnson_89 ALSO IN ACTION ON TUESDAY- http://t.co/kguLJmaMrQ #tennis