2013 ATP Charlottesville Challenger (@CvilleTennis) Preview and Predictions
Steen Kirby, Tennis East Coast
The USTA Pro Circuit has three challengers remaining this year. Up next is the 75k indoor challenger in Charlottesville, Virginia. Tennis East Coast will provide some onsite coverage once again this year.
Charlottesville Men’s Pro Challenger
USTA Pro Circuit
Charlottesville, VA USA
October 28-November 3, 2013
Prize Money: $75,000
Top 8 seeds
1: Tim Smyczek
2: Somdev Devvarman
3: Michael Russell
4: Donald Young
5: Rajeev Ram
6: Alex Kuznetsov
7: Rhyne Williams
8: Steve Johnson
7 of the top 8 seeds are American and Devvarman played his college tennis at the University of Virginia right in Charlottesville.
First round matchups to watch
Filip Peliwo vs. Bjorn Fratangelo
A battle of promising youngsters from both sides of the border, the 19 year old Canadian Peliwo will take on the 20 year old American Fratangelo. Peliwo is ranked slightly higher than Fratangelo and he also recently started working with Milos Raonic’s former coach Galo Blanco. Fratangelo has had some success this year on clay, which is unusual for an American, and has done well at the futures level primarily.
Peliwo is probably more suited for hard courts, with good results there at both futures and challenger level. He even got an ATP win this year in Montreal. If in good form, I expect the Canadian former top junior to take this match.
Peter Polansky vs. (WC)Noah Rubin
Another cross border battle. The much more experienced Canadian Polansky, who comes off his first challenger title in Tiburon will face 17 year old New Yorker Noah Rubin, who was for a time a top 10 junior. He had a couple of nice results at the futures level and this match will be a big step up for him.
I expect Polansky to advance but Rubin will gain a lot from the experience.
Top Half
Tim Smyczek, who is at a career high ranking of 84, opens with Saketh Myneni while Chase Buchanan/Austin Krajicek wait on deck. Both of them are mainly futures level Americans. In the quarters, I expect Smyczek against Peliwo/Fratangelo or Jesse Levine/Steve Johnson, who also meet In round 1. Johnson is really struggling here at the end of the year, suffering 4 straight opening match losses in 3 challengers and the US Open. He has not performed up to expectations this year, but Levine hasn’t even played a match since the US Open.
World traveler Michael Russell returns from playing in Asia and Europe to face off with JP Smith, who has had some decent hard court results this year and seems to be on a slight rise.
Tennys Sandgren or a qualifier await in round 2 for the winner of that match, and in the quarters it will be one of them vs. Jarmere Jenkins/Mac Styslinger or Alex Kuznetsov/Theodoros Angelinos.
Jenkins and Styslinger are UVA teammates who play doubles together and are intricately familiar with each other’s games. They worked together to lead the Cavaliers to the NCAA title this year and will have a lot of fervent local support. The 22 year old Jenkins has enjoyed more pro success and he has a good shot at the quarters here, while Kuznetsov has lost 2 straight matches.
Bottom Half
Somdev Devvarman, a former UVA standout, also last played on the ATP Asian swing and returns to the US Challenger circuit in Charlottesville. Hard serving 26 year old Aussie Sam Groth will be his first opponent. Groth is inconsistent but can be dangerous when his serve is on. He’s close to a career high ranking in the 180s.
23 year old German Nils Langer is playing his first event in the US. He qualified in Stockholm last and opens with Denys Molchanov. The winner of that gets Devvarman/Groth.
The quarterfinalist from this section should face Rhyne Williams, given the former indoor standout only has to face a qualifier and Jose Hernandez/qualifier to reach the quarters. Williams has not played that great this fall, but the competition is lacking.
Donald Young has regained some great form on the challenger circuit and having won two titles in his last 3 challengers, his chances here are inflated with a qualifier in round 1 and Mitchell Frank/Rik De Voest waiting in round 2. Frank is a UVA guy as well and another quality representative of their strong men’s tennis program. Polansky/Rubin or Max Neuchrist/Rajeev Ram await in the quarters. Neuchrist is another European who has come to the US for this event while Ram splits his time between ATP and challengers.
Predictions
Semis:
Smyczek d. Jenkins
Polansky d. Williams
Final:
Smyczek d. Polansky
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