TIAFOE NOTCHES FIRST ATP WIN; CORIC & KOKKINAKIS MOVE ON

Written by: Staff on 25th August 2015

TIAFOE NOTCHES FIRST ATP WIN; CORIC & KOKKINAKIS MOVE ON |

“It’s a beautiful night here in Winston-Salem! #dolgopolov #kokkinakis #WSOpen” – Photo by @winstonsalemopen via Instagram.

American young gun Frances Tiafoe made a significant statement on Monday at the Winston-Salem Open, storming back from 1-4 down in the third set to defeat James Duckworth 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(3).

The 17 year old notched his first match win on the ATP World Tour in his fifth attempt. He avenged a loss to Duckworth earlier this year in Nice, firing 20 aces and saving seven of nine break points.

“He was serving really well in the first set,” said Tiafoe. “He was bombing away and I was already focused on the second set. I came back and started competing really well, dictating and getting the crowd into it… There’s no reason to stop fighting. I’m a very good competitor. I just keep competing, keeping the points longer and keeping the balls deeper.

“I’m really happy about getting my first ATP win, but I’m more focused on getting my body ready for tomorrow. Just because I have one win doesn’t mean I stop now. I want to keep going.”

Read: Tiafoe Stars of Tomorrow

It was the third match win by a 17 year old this year on the ATP World Tour, along with Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev. Tiafoe has won four matches in just three days after battling through qualifying, capped by a three-set comeback win against countryman Ryan Harrison to book his spot in the main draw. The American will next face Thomaz Bellucci in the second round.

In other action, fellow teen Thanasi Kokkinakis needed three match points to see off an in-form Alexandr Dolgopolov 7-6(1), 7-6(5) after one hour and 43 minutes. The 19-year-old Aussie is coming off a second-round finish at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati (l. to Gasquet) and has now notched match wins in eight different tour-level tournaments this year.

“Thanasi Kokkinakis def Alexandr Dolgopolov 7-6, 7-6!
#thanasikokkinakis #kokkinakis #tennis #winstonsalemopen” – Photo by @arkanianp via Instagram.

Borna Coric – the youngest teen in the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings – battled past Santiago Giraldo 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in a match that ended after midnight in Winston-Salem. The 18-year-old Croat is the first to book his spot in the third round.

Meanwhile, Pablo Carreno Busta stopped wild card Tommy Haas 6-3, 6-4 and home hope Donald Young was denied 6-3, 6-3 in 75 minutes by Denis Istomin. Carreno Busta sets a second-round meeting with Joao Sousa and Istomin meets third seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Courtesy of the ATP – http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/winston-salem-2015-monday-tiafoe-kokkinakis-coric

Topics: Atp World Tour, Francis Tiafoe, Sports, Tennis, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Winston Salem Open

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10sBalls_com says:

August 25, 2015 at 9:06 am

-@FTiafoe NOTCHES FIRST #ATP WIN; @borna_coric & @TKokkinakis MOVE ON http://t.co/ZXUYiYVI0k #tennis #WinstonSalemOpen #WinstonSalem #WSOpen