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Pogromem zakończył się pojedynek Kamila Majchrzaka z Tommym Paulem w ramach II rundy halowego turnieju ATP Challenger Tour na kortach twardych w Charlottesville. Polak przegrał z Amerykaninem w zaledwie 54 minuty.
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Tommy Paul (ATP 277) dostał się do głównej drabinki jako "szczęśliwy przegrany" z eliminacji, ale szybko się rozkręcił. W I rundzie mistrz juniorskiego Rolanda Garrosa 2015 oddał tylko trzy gemy swojemu rodakowi Noahowi Rubinowi. Z kolei w czwartek z łatwością poradził sobie z Kamilem Majchrzakiem (ATP 204).
Początek nie zapowiadał, że pojedynek potrwa zaledwie 54 minuty. Choć Amerykanin przełamał na 3:2, to już w szóstym gemie Polak miał swoje szanse. Nie wykorzystał jednak żadnego z pięciu break pointów i od tego momentu rosła przewaga na korcie tenisisty gospodarzy. Paul przełamał jeszcze na 5:2, a po zmianie stron pewnie zwieńczył seta przy premierowej okazji.

W drugiej partii Amerykanin nie dał już 22-latkowi z Piotrkowa Trybunalskiego żadnych szans. Pewnie radził sobie w wymianach, czym szybko złamał opór przeciwnika. Z czasem polski tenisista zdawał się być coraz bardziej sfrustrowany. Od stanu 0:1 przegrał sześć kolejnych gemów i cały pojedynek 2:6, 1:6. Dzięki zwycięstwu Paul powalczy o półfinał z Chorwatem Ivo Karloviciem.

REKLAMA

Mimo dotkliwej porażki Majchrzak wróci do grona 200 najlepszych tenisistów świata, z którego wypadł w poniedziałek. Za występ w II rundzie challengera w Charlottesville otrzyma siedem punktów. Teraz zaprezentuje się w zawodach tej rangi w Knoxville i Houston. Do obrony ma w tym roku jeszcze 25 punktów za turniej w Bratysławie, które zostaną mu odpisane 12 listopada. Jego miejsce w eliminacjach do wielkoszlemowego Australian Open 2019 jest w zasadzie niezagrożone.

Charlottesville Tennis Challenger, Charlottesville (USA)
ATP Challenger Tour, kort twardy w hali, pula nagród 75 tys. dolarów
czwartek, 1 listopada

II runda gry pojedynczej:

Tommy Paul (USA, LL) - Kamil Majchrzak (Polska) 6:2, 6:1

Victory never tasted so sweet for Tommy Paul. For more than three years, the #NextGenATP American has battled on the ATP Challenger Tour in search of his maiden moment. It has been a long journey, but, under the tutelage of coach Diego Moyano, all the work is paying off.

On Sunday, the 21-year-old became a Challenger champion for the first time. After losing in the final round of qualifying in Charlottesville, he did not drop a set in the main draw, culminating with a 6-2, 6-2 win over close friend Peter Polansky.

Paul, who lost in qualifying to Petros Chrysochos, entered the main draw a determined man. He dropped a combined six games in beating Noah Rubin and Kamil Majchrzak, followed by back-to-back upsets of third seed Ivo Karlovic and top seed Bradley Klahn. Revenge was sweet for the North Carolina native, who lost to Rubin in the 2015 final, having led by a set and a double break.

Just the second lucky loser champion of 2018, joining countryman Ulises Blanch (Perugia, Italy), Paul rises 55 spots to No. 222 in the ATP Rankings. He will look to continue his push towards a Top 200 return before the end of the season.



Tommy spoke to broadcaster Mike Cation following his victory in Charlottesville.

This is a big moment for you. You took a knee when you got to your chair. What did you say to yourself in that moment?
I was just thinking how tough my year has been. In the beginning of the year, I started well in Australia. I was playing well, but I didn't have the results that I wanted. I ended up getting injured for five or six months and the comeback from that was really slow. I'm just thinking about that. It's really nice to get the win here.

I hate bringing this up, but I'm sure in some way you were thinking about the 2015 final, being a set and two breaks up. I might make a big deal of it, but how much did you think about that this week?
With me, usually when something is done, it's in the past. But it would definitely get under my skin when people bring it up. [My coach] Diego [Moyano] loves bringing up my old matches to try and keep me going in practice. During the match I wasn't really thinking about it too much, because it's hard to feel much pressure as a lucky loser. I think I had a bit of an advantage there. I was just playing my game and not overthinking too much.

Having seen you for the past three-plus years, it was interesting to watch you play this week. You were completely locked in from the first ball of the main draw. It was all business.
That was the goal. It's something that everyone I know is telling me. I've been trying to buy into it. It was good. I definitely had a business-like attitude during the week and it was helpful for me physically too. If I'm playing long matches, my body doesn't hold up well. Having played through qualies, playing short matches in the main draw was important for me.

You were working with Scott Clark this week, the physio who has been working with Bjorn Fratangelo and Bradley Klahn. How much did that help, considering your knee tendinitis?
My knee has definitely been bothering me a lot. Through qualies, I didn't know how it would hold up. I know I'm going to play the rest of the tournaments this year, because I need to try to get into Australian Open qualies. Diego and I were talking and he said that Doc's here, so we should work with him the rest of the week. Right after I lost and saw I got the lucky loser, I spoke to him and we started working together. The knee didn't feel perfect, but it definitely helped a lot to get through all these matches.

To get a lucky loser is great, but this was not a lucky draw for you. Between Noah Rubin, Bradley Klahn, Ivo Karlovic, Peter Polansky, that's not an easy draw. Yet you made it look easy and didn't drop a set. What was it in terms of the style of play that worked?
For me, I don't think I had a great service week. But I think the biggest thing was my return. I was returning really well. The only time in the tournament I did not return well was the first five of Ivo's service games. He wasn't missing first serves. Besides that, I felt I was returning really well. When that happens, it puts a lot of pressure on my opponents and helps me with those neutral groundstoke points. That was the biggest difference for me.

Against Klahn, you didn't give him many opportunities. Maybe you didn't have the biggest winner count. You kept him in positions that were uncomfortable. Is that the style you're looking for long term?
Exactly. For me, the biggest thing is the returns and not checking out mentally when I'm on the run. Just staying in there and making him hit another tough ball. As long as they're not comfortable, I'll take that any day of the week.

American #NextGenATP Winners In 2018

Player Challenger Title
Tommy Paul Charlottesville, USA
Taylor Fritz Newport Beach, USA

Reilly Opelka Bordeaux, France
Michael Mmoh Columbus, USA & Tiburon, USA
Ulises Blanch Perugia, Italy

It's obviously been a very long road for you. Two years ago, you played out this swing of tournaments looking lost. You didn't want to be out here. How sweet does this moment feel considering where you were?
I had some low points this year as well. I'll tell you that. This is the best part of winning, considering the matches you played earlier and the dark place you were in then. There were times I went home and didn't want to think about anything with tennis. It's good for me right now. I have two more weeks and then some R&R, which I won't mind at all.

Diego Moyano has been such a mainstay in your corner over the years. What has that relationship been like for you, considering you guys seem so opposite?
He's my rock. If I didn't have him, I think I'd go off the rails. He keeps me straight. Diego's the best. Nobody wants me to win more than him. It's great having him. This is his last week on the road this year, so when I lost in qualies and got the lucky loser, I said to him, 'No you're not going home yet. You don't get to go on vacation.' Every match it was the same. And now I just said to him, 'Ok, you can go home now.'

He's a father figure for you. What's it like off the court?
It's much more than just tennis. He lives a mile away from me and we have barbecues. I'm always over there. I'm really close with his family. He's just a really great guy for me and a father figure for sure.

So many of these young Americans, with Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, are playing well. Your win comes at the same time they are in Milan. Is that an extra motivation for you?
I mean, I definitely want to be there, but I didn't earn it. I have to deal with that. I missed my chance. Hopefully I'll play the big one [the Nitto ATP Finals], one day. I hope they do well over there. Obviously, I'm very jealous. I want to be there, but I'll take a title this week.

How do you celebrate tonight, considering you have to get to Knoxville?
I'm driving there! [laughs] But maybe I'll have a beer when I get there. Maybe a glass of wine, but we'll see. Definitely something when I get there. At the end of the year, I'm going to Europe to see my girlfriend. Will probably do a bit of celebrating over there.

Nerves of steel and unwavering perseverance. Tommy Paul demonstrated both of those traits and then some on Sunday at the Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open.

Paul was as clutch as they come in the final of the ATP Challenger Tour event, saving all 15 break points faced to upset second seed Tennys Sandgren 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 40 minutes. The 21-year-old American dug in his heels on the green clay, turning aside two break points in the first set and a whopping 13 more in the second.

The victory is extra special for Paul, who was competing in just his second tournament in his return from a quad tendon issue. Last year, he struggled with a knee ailment for a majority of the season, but capped his campaign with a maiden title on the indoor hard courts of Charlottesville. And on Sunday he once again made a triumphant comeback from an injury.

Paul ascends 46 spots to No. 158 in the ATP Rankings with the victory. After struggling for years to make his Challenger breakthrough, the American is finally putting it all together. In addition to his victory over Sandgren, he earned quality wins over Daniel Elahi Galan, a semi-finalist at last week's ATP Tour stop in Houston, and fifth seed Paolo Lorenzi.


Paul spoke to broadcaster Mike Cation following Sunday's triumph in Sarasota...

The big takeaway is 15 break points faced and 15 break points saved. How did you do it today?
The big points really went well for me today. It's funny because the last time we played in Savannah, it went to 7-6 in the third. We had a battle of a match. I was saving a ton of break points then too and I did better returning on the ad side. And today I think I saved only one of those break points on the deuce side. I was more comfortable returning on the ad side, but I wouldn't say I was too comfortable with all 15 break points [laughs].

Compare this title to your first in Charlottesville last year. I know that was such a relief for you, but what does this one feel like, considering you're coming back from injury?
This one feels good, I'm not going to lie. This one feels really good. Especially having the injury last year and coming back to win Charlottesville in October, but then getting injured again this year. I took a few months off again after Australia. It was really frustrating. But to come back again and win the title in my second tournament back is amazing.

I think I played at a pretty high level from the start. The first day I came out, I played Gastao Elias and had a great level the whole match. I wouldn't say it was too easy of a draw. I had Lorenzi next. It was just a great tournament and I had a lot of fun out there. This week means a lot to me.

What does this clay-court stretch mean to you? You had such a successful run a few years ago and missed it last year. And now you have this opportunity to really grow in the ATP Rankings.
It's funny because before Houston last week, my last clay-court match was in 2017. And I didn't play for nearly two years on the dirt. It's great to be back out here. I think it's all about how I prepare for each surface. It takes me more time to get comfortable on hard. I grew up on green clay and have been playing on clay my whole life.

You are in the lead for the USTA's French Open Wild Card Challenge. How much is that in your mind?
It's definitely in my mind, but I don't want to think about it too much. I'm going to Tallahassee to try to do well and keep the lead. I'm just taking it one match and one point at a time. We'll see.