Qualifiers Advance in Sunday Soaker @CincyTennis
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic
Mason, OH–It wasn’t easy, but the Western & Southern Open qualifiers are finally set. The rain was punishing at times today, arriving only after grounds crews on a series of courts had put the on the finishing drying touches. And then it happened again. And again. That put even more pressure on the twelve qualifiers who played twice today to cover for yesterday’s suspended matches. The local Fox meteorologist said almost two inches of rain fell in Mason. I believe it, because my car got stuck coming into the lot this morning. Thanks to the kind parking people for spending ten minutes hard labor pushing my station wagon out of a swamp.
During the non-rain delays today, tournament officials got the matches played.
On the men’s side, the first main draw singles first round match of 2016 had Borna Cornic outlasting Benoit Paire 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. On Court 4, Yuichi Sugita made it look easy as he advanced to the main draw by taking out big Kyle Edmund, 6-4, 6-3. That was a statement compared to Saturday, where he almost tried to hand Guido Pella the victory.
In women’s qualifying, Daria Gavrilova showed she belonged in the main draw with a convincing win over Naomi Osaka where Gavrilova saved all four of Osaka’s break point chances. Later, Genie Bouchard continued to coast on Center Court for the second time in two days. Viktorija Gloubic, who Bouchard beat, 6-4, 6-2, was her latest springboard and second workmanlike performance in a row, having dispatched Carina Witthoeft yesterday, 6-4, 6-1. Congratulations to the sole American to qualify, Ali Riske. Oh, America: 1 out of the 19 in Cincy qualifiers over the weekend, but who’s counting?
David Ferrer is first on Center Court tomorrow against Julian Benneateau. Tonight’s bumped match between Jared Donaldson and Nicolas Almagro opens up Stadium 3, while tomorrow’s evening session features Ana Ivanovic, Nick Kyrgios, Christina McHale, Gilles Simon and Grigor Dimitrov.
Tennis Atlantic 