HOUSTON, April 11, 2019
Wednesday afternoon featured one of the shortest and one of the longest matches in the tournament’s history of the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston.
Play opened with 2008 champion Marcel Granollers of Spain needing just 47 minutes to defeat Australia’s Bernard Tomic 6-1, 6-2. This was the fourth shortest match in the tournament’s recorded history (since 1995) and shortest-ever second round match. The 32-year-old from Barcelona will next take on Norwegian young gun Casper Ruud, who knocked out No. 4 seed Reilly Opelka from the United States, rallying 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 50 minutes.
The day session ended with the fourth longest match as 22-year-old Christian Garin from Chile outlasted No. 2 seeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(7) in three hours and five minutes. Garin sent down nine aces, winning 70 per cent of his first service points and saved five match points to set a quarterfinal clash with qualifier Henri Laaksonen from Switzerland, who defeated US-American Ryan Harrison 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 46 minutes.
Wheeeeels @henri_laaksonen 👀#USClay pic.twitter.com/Q9IA7zwJ5L
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) 10. April 2019
In doubles, Santiago Gonzalez from Mexico and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan won their opening round match on Wednesday, then immediately advanced to the semi-finals by walkover. The all-US-American team of Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka withdrew due to an ankle injury.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Singles Second Round
Christian Garin (Chile) d. [2] Jeremy Chardy (France) 3-6 7-6(4) 7-6(7)
Casper Ruud (Norway) d. [4] Reilly Opelka (USA) 4-6 6-4 6-4
[Q] Henri Laaksonen (Switzerland) d. Ryan Harrison (USA) 6-4 7-5
Marcel Granollers (Spain) d. Bernard Tomic (Australia) 6-1 6-2
Doubles First Round
[1] Bob Bryan (USA) & Mike Bryan (USA) d. [WC] Robert Galloway (USA) & Nathaniel Lammons (USA) 6-3 6-7(5) 10-4
[4] Ken Skupski (GBR) & Neal Skupski (GBR) d. Bradley Klahn (USA) & Sam Querrey (USA) 6-3 2-6 11-9
Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (India) & Purav Raja (India) d. Nicholas Monroe (USA) & Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela (Mexico) 6-3 6-7(5) 10-8
Santiago Gonzalez (Mexico) & Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pakistan) d. Marcel Granollers (Spain) & Matt Reid (Australia) 6-1 7-5
Doubles Quarterfinal Round
Santiago Gonzalez (Mexico) & Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pakistan) d. Taylor Fritz (USA) & Reilly Opelka (USA) walkover (Fritz – ankle)
