2016 FRENCH OPEN TENNIS – DREDDY TENNIS UPDATE: DUSTIN BROWN WORKS OVERTIME TO REACH THE SECOND ROUND

Written by: Staff on 24th May 2016

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

2016 FRENCH OPEN TENNIS - DREDDY TENNIS UPDATE: DUSTIN BROWN WORKS OVERTIME TO REACH THE SECOND ROUND

epa05325322 Dustin Brown of Germany celebrates after winning against Dudi Sela of Israel during their men's single first round match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 23 May 2016. EPA/Christophe Petit Tesson |

By Ricky Dimon

Prior to last week, Dustin Brown had never won a single match at the French Open; that includes two forays into the main draw and even a pair of first-round qualifying losses. From just about out of nowhere, however, the 31-year-old Brown is showing it’s never too late to turn things around.

Ranked just outside the direct-entry cut line at No. 116 in the world, Brown had to book his spot in the 128-man field the hard way. Putting his past Roland Garros failures behind him, he rolled to straight-set qualifying wins over Marcelo Arevalo, Calvin Hemery, and Daniel Brands. But those were merely appetizers to the main course. The Jamaican-turned-German now owns his first career main-draw win at the French Open and has doubled his career win total at the three slams outside of Wimbledon.

Again, Brown had to do it the hard way. His first-round contest against Dudi Sela began on Sunday, only to be delayed with the score in Brown’s favor at two sets to one and 2-1 in the fourth. The remainder of play was called off until Monday to the obvious chagrin of the fans, but not before they got a taste of what they had come to see. During the first set, Brown–whose shot-making fluctuates wildly from wonderfully entertaining to painfully brainless, often without warning–delivered a between-the-legs lob winner over a helpless Sela.

“I feel pretty confident in my tweener lob,” Brown commented, without an air of jest.

He appeared to feel confident in just about everything in his game aside from one his favorite shots–the serve–when the action resumed Monday afternoon on a jam-packed Court 14 that offered hopelessly long entry lines. Brown ended the fourth set by losing four straight service points, allowing his opponent to break and start the fifth on his own serve. The man who upset Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon second round last summer was broken twice more in the deciding set, as well.

But everything else was working: forehands, backhands, volleys, drop-shots–he did it all…except another tweener lob. Brown’s impressive arsenal of shots allowed him to break Sela three times in the fifth, including decisively at 4-4. With the match on his racket, Brown served it out in style for a 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4 victory that required more than four hours over the two days.

Dustin Brown of Germany in action against Dudi Sela of Israel during their men’s single first round match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 22 May 2016. EPA/Christophe Petit Tesson

“It was just up and down the whole time and obviously both of us felt the nerves a little bit in the fifth set. I’m very happy; it’s the first time that I’ve won a [five]-set match, also. Generally (it was) just a very good experience.

“Me and Dudi have been out there a long time (in our careers). I think a couple years ago losing that fifth set and the whole crowd and everything probably would have thrown me off, but I’m very happy that I kept it together.”

Up next for Brown on Wednesday is Jack Sock, who also won a rain-delayed five-setter. Sock’s showdown against Robin Haase had been suspended with score knotted at two sets apiece before the American regrouped to prevail 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-7(3), 6-2.

“He’s definitely a flashy player,” Sock said of Brown. “That’s a guy you do expect some crazy shots from; some trick shots. Definitely flair is in his game…. There’s a reason why he’s in the second round of a Grand Slam.”

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

Topics: 10sballs.com, 2016 French Open, Atp World Tour, Clay tennis, Dreddy tennis, Dustin Brown, French Open, RG16, Ricky Dimon, Roland Garros, Sports, Tennis News

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DreddyTennis says:

May 24, 2016 at 9:06 am

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May 24, 2016 at 9:12 am

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May 24, 2016 at 9:15 am

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May 24, 2016 at 9:17 am

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May 24, 2016 at 11:38 pm

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