Early trouble for American men seeking to end major drought in New York
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[August 31, 2022]
By Rory Carroll
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The upset-rich first round of the U.S. Open did
not spare American men looking to end their championship drought on
home soil as some of the nation's top prospects floundered in the
first round.
Hopes were especially high for 10th seed Taylor Fritz, who had a
breakthrough victory at Indian Wells in March and who seemed primed
to become the first American man to win a major since Andy Roddick
triumphed at Flushing Meadows back in 2003.
But on the eve of Roddick's 40th birthday, those dreams were dashed
by qualifier and countryman Brandon Holt.
Ranked 303 in the world, the son of former two-time U.S. Open
champion Tracy Austin stunned the Wimbledon quarter-finalist 6-7(3)
7-6(1) 6-3 6-4 in his first match in the main draw of a Grand Slam
tournament.
"I feel like an idiot for thinking that I could win this thing, win
the U.S. Open," a dejected Fritz said after the first round loss.
"I can't go out and play a match like that. It sucks. I feel awful."
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Touted Americans Mackenzie McDonald, Denis Kudla,
Steve Johnson, and Maxime Cressy were also all sent packing after
their first-round losses.
But while Fritz and those others fizzled, tour veteran John Isner
was solid, cracking 19 aces en route to a straight sets win over
Argentine Federico Delbonis.
Hard-hitters Jenson Brooksby also eased into the second round,
dropping just two games before Serbian Dusan Lajovic was forced to
retire from the match in the third set.
And rising star JJ Wolf was impressive, dispatching experienced
Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 6-4 6-4 to punch his ticket to
the second round.
Sebastian Korda and Tommy Paul both won their first-round matches
and will face off in an all-American battle in the second round, as
the dreams of the Stars and Stripes once again reigning supreme in
New York live on, at least for now.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in New York; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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