Fish, Blake Get American Campaign Rolling

Written by: Staff on 27th August 2012

Fish, Blake Get American Campaign Rolling |

(Courtesy/ Original Link: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/08/35/US-Open-Monday-Fish-Blake-Win-Openers.aspx)

American Mardy Fish defeated Japan’s Go Soeda 7-6(3), 7-6(2), 6-3 in his first round match Monday at the US Open. After edging Soeda in two tie-breaks, Fish broke for a 2-0 lead in the third set and broke Soeda again in the final game to claim the two hour, 36-minute victory.

The 30-year-old Fish, who is making his 12th appearance in Flushing Meadows, put together a solid campaign during the summer hard-court swing, reaching the semi-finals in Washington and the quarter-finals at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati. He missed two months of the season with a heart problem and returned to action at Wimbledon, where he advanced to the fourth round.

Fish will take a 2-2 FedEx ATP Head2Head record into his next match against Russian Nikolay Davydenko, who moved through to the second round with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Argentine qualifier and Grand Slam debutant Guido Pella. Former World No. 3 Davydenko reached the US Open semi-finals in 2006 and ’07.

Earlier Monday, James Blake opened with a 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over Slovakian Lukas Lacko. The 32-year-old Blake, a two-time quarter-finalist, has lost in the first round just once in 12 appearances at the US Open – on his debut in 1999.

“I can’t believe that it’s been 12 years I have been playing here just about every year,” he said. “It still doesn’t feel normal. It’s still an incredible feeling to be here and to be doing what I dreamed of as an kid.”

Jack Sock, the 2011 mixed doubles champion with fellow American Melanie Oudin, held a 6-3, 6-2, 3-2 lead over No. 22 seed Florian Mayer when the German retired from their match. “I think today is definitely good for the confidence and good for the overall game and everything going into the next round,” said the 19 year old.

Topics: James Blake, Mardy Fish, US Open