LLEYTON HEWITT WINS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TENNIS, CILIC WRAPS UP AT 2:27 IN THE MORNING BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: on 5th August 2015
LLEYTON HEWITT WINS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TENNIS, CILIC WRAPS UP AT 2:27 IN THE MORNING BY RICKY DIMON  |

Before Lleyton Hewitt and Marin Cilic stole the show on Tuesday night (and Wednesday morning) at the Citi Open, Americans took center stage in the nation’s capital.

 

American men went 3-3 at the Citi Open on Tuesday, with Jack Sock and Sam Querrey booking spots in the third round. Steve Johnson won his opener and will play again on Wednesday. Donald Young, Denis Kudla, and Tim Smyczek all bowed out of the tournament.

 

Johnson marched into the second round with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over familiar fore Lukas Lacko. The two players faced each other in the Wimbledon first round, the Atlanta first round, and now again in Washington, D.C. And the result was the same, although this time it did not go the distance. Johnson, who prevailed in five sets at Wimbledon and in three at the BB&T Atlanta Open, was far too good for that to happen once more.

 

The 55th-ranked American pulled out all the stops, throwing in flawless drop-shots at opportune times to go along with massive serving. He fired 19 aces in 11 service games, won 30 of 33 first-serve points, and did not face a single break point.

 

Speaking of huge serves, Sam Groth and Thomaz Bellucci combined for 31 aces (Groth 19, Bellucci 12) in the Australian’s 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-3 win. It was all but over when Bellucci netted a drop-shot on a break point midway through the third set. As if one break was not enough (Groth lost only four points in his last four service games), the world No. 62 wrapped things up in style with another break at 5-3.

 

“There might be a rain delay but man, what a beautiful view! #CitiOpen #sunset #DC #tennis” – Photo by @citiopen via Instagram.

A rain delay interrupted an all-Aussie showdown between Hewitt and John-Patrick Smith, but it could not stop Hewitt from picking up a win in his final appearance in Washington, D.C. The 34-year-old needed one hour and 43 minutes to hold off the qualifier 6-3, 6-4, which he did by surviving a tough service game at 5-4 in the second that culminated with a lengthy rally on match point and a clinching volley by Hewitt.

 

“There were a few key points I was able to win at the right time,” Hewitt assessed. “It was obviously awkward for me playing some of the Australian guys. I would have hoped he drew someone else after qualifying. It was a good effort for him to qualify here. Obviously I’m happy to get through.”

 

Combined with the rain delay and an unexpected three-setter between Kei Nishikori and James Duckworth, play on Tuesday (or more like Wednesday morning) concluded after 2:00 a.m. First Duckworth pushed the No. 2 seed to a 6-7(8), 6-1, 6-4 result in a two-hour and 19-minute match. Nishikori started somewhat slow in his first hard-court test of the summer, but he was mostly in control once the second set began.

 

“I started good actually,” said Nishikori, “but in my 5-4 service game I kind of got tight and couldn’t make any first serves and he started playing well. But from the second set I started playing more solid–less unforced errors and more aggressive. It was first match after Wimbledon so it wasn’t easy, but I should be okay for the next one.”

 

As for the next match (yes, there was another one even though it was already past midnight), Cilic took the court with Hyeon Chung just before 1:00 a.m. Chung accounted himself extremely well, but the 2014 U.S. Open caught fire in the opening tiebreaker and did not let off the gas pedal in set two on his way to a 7-6(2), 6-3 victory in front of about 100 fans.

 

It ended at 2:27 a.m., one minute later than the latest finish in U.S. Open history.

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

 

10sBalls_com Editors Notes :

Even Rock Stars don’t perform at that hour. They finish at midnite at the latest. That’s just ridiculous in the sport of tennis to expect any athlete to perform well at that hour ! Fans and staffers and the whole thing is stupid. Night tennis fine. Middle of the night tennis. Stupid!

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