Donald Young is in the Winston-Salem Open

Written by: Staff on 20th July 2011

Donald Young is in the Winston-Salem Open

during the first round match xxxxx on Day One of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 20, 2011 in London, England. |

The Winston-Salem Open at Wake Forest University announces that Donald Young will compete in the inaugural tournament as a wild card player.

Young, who will turn 22 later this month, was once tabbed as America’s next great hope. He became the youngest player in history to end a year at No. 1 in the junior rankings, when he finished No. 1 in 2005 at 16 years and 5 months. That also made him the first African-American male to be ranked No. 1 in the world junior rankings.

He won the Australian Open junior boys singles at age 15 in 2004, and won the Wimbledon junior title in 2007.

Young is currently ranked No. 105 in the South African Airways ATP rankings, after reaching as high as No. 73 in April of 2008. But the promise is still there. He won a Challenger event in Tallahassee in April and then pulled a stunning upset at Indian Wells, beating Andy Murray in straight sets in the second round.

Young has one Winston-Salem connection. He was a practice partner for the U.S. Davis Cup squad that beat Spain at Joel Coliseum in 2007.

Young began playing tennis at age three with mother, Illona, and father, Donald, Sr., who are both tennis teaching professionals and continue to serve as his coaches. While acting as a ball boy at the age of 10, Young had the opportunity to play with tennis legend John McEnroe. McEnroe later said that Young “has hands like another lefty I know very well.” Young’s celebrity catapulted when he was the only sports figured included in Newsweek Magazine’s“Who’s Next?” feature in late 2004.

“Since Donald turned pro in 2004, he has been one of the rising stars of tennis. He’s a passionate player and is a tremendous addition to our playing field for the Winston-Salem Open,” said tournament director Bill Oakes. “John McEnroe recognized Donald’s potential very early in his career, and he has continued to be a very strong emerging player.”