ATL Day 4: Hewitt Topples ERV, Berankis Scruffs Past Zverev; Giraldo, Donskoy, Lu and Istomin Make Winning Starts
Lleyton Hewitt held his serve throughout and got two big breaks of serve at the end of the sets to defeat Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 6-4. Hewitt was rock solid from the baseline, while ERV came up with the goods multiple times, including killer drop shots, to keep notching games. Eventually, Roger-Vasselin broke under the pressure in the two big moments, including the last game where he saved multiple match points before succumbing to the veteran Aussie counterpuncher.
A much different story took place on Court 3 between Ricardas Berankis and Mischa Zverev. Berankis was atrocious to start, going down 0-4 to Zverev, and looking worse than he even has looked recently. Then, Zverev started to choke and Berankis worked his way back into the match, winning the first set eventually 7-6 in the tiebreak. In the 2nd, Zverev got back ahead, and this time Berankis didn’t push as hard, dropping it 2-6. In the 3rd set, there was an early break but it didn’t hold, and they ended up in a tiebreak after Zverev failed to serve the match out, in a match emblematic of his pro tennis career. Eventually, Berankis would win the breaker 10-8 with some clutch play, and was pleased with the result, but neither player was good at all.
Santiago Giraldo got off to a winning start, beating Jack Sock 7-5, 6-4. Santi played a clean match and got Sock somewhat rattled, as the American relied on his forehand but not much else as the Colombian was able to break down his game and take the close match.
Evgeny Donskoy beat Rajeev Ram 6-3, 6-4, Denis Istomin destroyed a likely tired Lukas Lacko 6-1, 6-3 in less than an hour, and Rendy Lu won 6-3, 7-5 with superior baseline play over the qualifier Kevin King. King got a break back in the 2nd set, but still got broken in the end to would advance the man from Taiwan into the 2nd round.
In doubles Dodig/Melo were routine over the Harrisons 6-3, 6-1, and Erlich/Ram beat Matosevic/Lu 4-6 6-3 10-4.
The match between Smyczek and Blake was postponed after a late rain shower slowed the night session to a stop, and Mardy Fish is up a set on Michael Russell in a suspended match, Fish was playing well in the first set.
—Steen Kirby