Qualifiers Set @TennisHalloFame; Jared Donaldson Delivers
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic
Donaldson
Rhode Island native Jared Donaldson sat above the player’s lounge on Monday playing cards and joking with his dad. Ivo Karlovic was up a set on Ilya Marchenko and it looked as though Karlovic would wrap up his match in two sets. Donaldson was quiet for a moment until it was official: Karlovic-Marchenko was going to a third set. The family chatted and went back to cards. Then, halfway through the third set, they disappeared so Donaldson could get ready to take Center Court in Newport to face Austin Krajicek.
Jared Donaldson Fan Club (members of RI Tennis Academy & Coach Mario Llano)
It was in the cards for Donaldson last night.
After losing the first set tiebreak, Donaldson dominated the rest of the match. Donaldson, the 18-year-old Lincoln, RI native, won with a first serve percentage of 40% and never faced a break point. He also won more points on Krajicek’s second serve than his opponent did and closed out the match 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2 with plenty of crowd momentum.
Best thing about Donaldson is he actually sounds like he’s from Rhode Island. This is the accent Jill Craybas, another Rhode Island professional, never had. Many in tennis hail from places they haven’t seen in years. Donaldson, though he moved out West to train, will likely never lose that accent.
Falla
While Donaldson stole the show, other players advanced quietly in the first round and qualifying finals.
Alejandro Falla looked particularly strong in his match against Adrian Menendez-MacEiras in straights. And a very spirited effort by Noah Rubin fell slightly short against Japan’s Tatsuma Ito. As the opening act on Center Court, Steve Johnson put on a clinic against journeyman Michael Berrer after losing the first set tiebreak. J.P. Smith mopped the floor with Bernard Tomic 6-3, 7-5. And Ivo Karlovic took out Marchenko in three.
Johnson
Top qualifying seed Matt Ebden and 4 seed Jan Henrych advanced to the main draw as expected, but 2 seed Brydan Klein and 3 seed Luke Saville were sent packing by Adrian Bossel and Ante Pavic respectively.
ORDER OF PLAY – TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015
CENTER start 11:00 am
[6] S. Querrey (USA) vs [Q] M. Ebden (AUS)
[PR] R. Stepanek (CZE) vs [4] J. Sock (USA)
[1] J. Isner (USA) vs R. Ram (USA)
[WC] T. Haas (GER) vs [5] A. Mannarino (FRA)
COURT 1 start 11:00 am
[8] T. Smyczek (USA) vs [Q] J. Hernych (CZE)
[Q] A. Bossel (SUI) vs D. Brown (GER)
E. Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs B. Kavcic (SLO)
[4] E. Butorac (USA) / C. Fleming (GBR) vs [WC] M. Chiudinelli (SUI) / F. Nielsen (DEN)
COURT 2 start 11:00 am
[Q] A. Pavic (CRO) vs M. Jaziri (TUN)
R. Harrison (USA) vs Y. Sugita (JPN)
F. Martin (FRA) / P. Raja (IND) vs M. Jaziri (TUN) / F. Moser (GER)
T. Ito (JPN) / L. Lacko (SVK) vs [WC] R. Harrison (USA) / M. Philippoussis (AUS)
COURT 3 start 11:00 am
N. Desein (BEL) vs L. Lacko (SVK)
W. Koolhof (NED) / M. Middelkoop (NED) vs [3] J. Marray (GBR) / A. Qureshi (PAK)
[1] R. Farah (COL) / S. Gonzalez (MEX) vs N. Monroe (USA) / M. Pavic (CRO)
Tennis Atlantic 