Christopher Eubanks and Ernesto Escobedo traded blows for three sets at New York Open qualifying today, with Eubanks down a break in the third before bringing it home for his first qualifying in two attempts at the New York Open. And the opponent who beat him last year? That’s right. Escobedo.
“7-5 in the 3rd,” Eubanks said after the win. “Exact same score, It feels pretty good, you get a little bit of revenge and let things turn around the opposite way. It’s pretty ironic, same exact round, same exact tournament, same exact score, in theory. It was pretty fortunate for me to go my way.”
It was pretty ironic that he knew the exact scoreline from last year. Well done.
“I think I just kind of stayed dialed in, every point,” he said of the comeback win. “When you get down like that, it’s pretty easy to just want to pack it in. Playing it point by point, hoping for the best, hoping for an opportunity. You put yourself in position to capitalize. I just tried to stay dialed in on my serve.“
All players love the surface they’re currently winning on, but Eubanks was emphatic, given the uniqueness of the black courts. “I like it. I like it,” he said. “Last year was my first time playing on the court and it took a little bit of getting used to and sometimes the court felt hollow. It was so slow. This year it’s a little quicker and it’s helping my serve.”
But my favorite response was the refreshing one about the draw.
“I’m not that superstitious about it,” Eubanks told press. “If the draw comes out, I’m anxious to see who some of my friends are playing, so it’s not that big a deal to me.”
Refreshing answers, and after all, it’s nice to have refreshments with a popcorn match.
—S. Fogleman
Tennis Atlantic 