CARY, September 14, 2016

Second round action at the $50,000 Atlantic Tire Championships, held at Cary Tennis Park, kicked off on Wednesday. In a repeat of the tournament’s 2015 semi-final match, top seed Dennis Novikov defeated Brydan Klein in a straight set victory, 6-4 6-4. Novikov served strong, winning 80 per cent of his first serve points. The defending champion and former UCLA player will next face the tournament’s number five seed, Canadian Peter Polansky, in the quarterfinals. Polansky advanced with a fast 59 minute 6-3, 6-3 win over Emilio Gomez.

The tournament’s evening match featured, the number two seed, Frances Tiafoe and 2016 USTA Boys’ 18s Champion, Michael Mmoh. Tiafoe dropped a close first set, but fought back to win the following two sets, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Tiafoe remains undefeated after three meetings with Mmoh. The 18-year-old battles another US-American in the quarterfinals, as Tennys Sandgren defeated Cameron Norrie 7-6, 6-3 in one hour and 21 minutes.

In doubles action the US-American team of Austin Krajicek and Stefan Kozlov head to the quarterfinal round with their win over Marcelo Arevalo and Emilio Gomez. Krajicek and Kozlov’s next opponents are third seeds, US-Americans Sekou Bangoura and Mitchell Krueger.