Google News
Everything is ready for the last 16 round at the Delray Beach Open following the seven first-round encounters competed on Friday. Experiencing eight surgeries between 2009-2018, Christian Harrison is currently ranked 789th, passing the qualifying round and winning his first ATP match since Newport 2018.
Christian toppled Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-4, 6-2 in 80 minutes, firing ten aces and losing serve once. The American grabbed half of the return points and scored four breaks from 13 opportunities, enough to sail into the second round.
Christian raced into a 5-1 lead in the opener and suffered a break at 5-2 while serving for it. Etcheverry fended off two set points behind the initial shot in game nine to reduce the deficit before the home player held at 15 for 6-4.
Like in the opener, Harrison forged a 5-1 advantage in set number two and held at love in game eight to race over the finish line. The 8th seed and a former champion Frances Tiafoe defeated a qualifier Donald Young 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 16 minutes for a strong start.
Frances served at 51%, and that didn't stop him from producing good numbers behind the initial shot, getting broken once and stealing almost half of the return points to grab four breaks and seal the deal in straight sets.
From 2-1 down in the first set, Tiafoe rattled off five of the next six games to take it 6-3, gathered momentum ahead of set number two and closed it with a late break at 5-4 to avoid eventual tie break.
Ivo Karlovic became the oldest player with an ATP win since Jimmy Connors in 1995.
Bjorn Fratangelo was too strong for a qualifier Kevin King, beating the fellow American 6-2, 6-2 after playing well on both serve and return.
Bjorn earned four breaks to control the scoreboard and stayed untroubled on serve for the first ATP win since Winston-Salem 2019. The Croatian veteran Ivo Karlovic toppled the 7th seed Pablo Andujar 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, becoming the oldest winner of the ATP match since Jimmy Connors in 1995!
Ivo couldn't stay in the top-100 in 2020 but he is ready to give his best in the new season, still capable of beating many players when his serve is on. Ivo landed 27 aces and got broken twice, providing an extra break to finish at the top and advance into the second round as one of the former Delray Beach champions.
Pablo saved two break points in the opener's sixth game and wasted his chances two games later to suffer a break and push Ivo in front. The Croat sealed the set with a volley winner at the net a few minutes later, hoping for more of the same in set number two.
They traded early breaks and it was Andujar who held nerves in the closing moments, delivering a late break to win the set 7-5 and force a decider. Karlovic saved an early break point and secured a break at 2-2 for a crucial advantage, sealing the deal with a hold at 15 in game ten for another age milestone. 