STARNBERG, November 12, 2020

Three days of play at the Atlantic Tire Championships are complete and the bottom half of the singles draw has two US-Americans advancing to the quarterfinals. No. 2 seed Denis Kudla opened Wednesday’s second-round action at Cary Tennis Park with a 6-2, 6-1 win over 19-year-old wild card entry Garrett Johns from the United States. The World No. 124 from Virginia, a winner of six ATP Challenger titles, didn’t face a break point and converted five of his own six break-point chances to prevail after 61 minutes.

Kudla will next take on No. 7 seed Dmitry Popko. The 24-year-old from Kazakhstan battled past US-American Mitchell Kruger 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 after two hours and 30 minutes.

.@mitch_krueger forces 3rd set against #DmitryPopko #ATPChallenger #AtlanticTireChampionships #USTAProCircuit pic.twitter.com/9u3HfyIuZW

— Atlantic Tire Champ (@AtlanticTireCh) November 11, 2020

Chris Eubanks, Georgia Tech Alumnus, received a walkover into the quarterfinals. Fellow US-American Michael Mmoh had to withdraw from the match due to a shoulder injury. Up next for Eubanks will be No. 3 seed Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia. The World No. 133 outfoxed Tung-Lin Wu of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 6-3. Galan struck nine aces and won 77 per cent of his first-service points to secure victory in one hour and 19 minutes.

In doubles action, the Round of 16 was completed. Almost as a salute to Veteran’s Day, US-Americans William Blumberg and Brian Cernoch upset the No. 3 seeded Mexicans Hans Hach Verdugo and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela 6-4, 7-5.  Blumberg and Cernoch entered the tournament as wildcards. Compatriots Nathan Pasha and Martin Redlicki followed suit with their 7-6(2), 6-3 win over fellow US-Americans Mitchell Krueger and Jackson Withrow to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

On Thursday, local favourites Jack Sock and Brandon Nakashima look to join Kudla and Eubanks in the stage of the final eight of the singles draw.

Wednesday, November 11 – RESULTS

Singles – Second Round

(2) Denis Kudla (USA) def. (WC) Garrett Johns (USA) 6-2, 6-1

(3) Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) def. Tung-Lin Wu (TPE) 6-3, 6-3

Christopher Eubanks (USA) def. (6) Michael Mmoh Walkover

(7) Dmitry Popko (KAZ) def. Mitchell Krueger (USA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3,

First Round – Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) vs. Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1

Doubles – First round 

(1) Luke Bambridge (GBR) / Nathaniel Lammons (USA) def. Denis Kudla (USA) / Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (USA) 7-5, 5-7, 10-1

Hunter Reese (USA) / Sem Verbeek (NED) def. (2) Andre Goransson (SWE) / Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) 6-1, 6-4

(WC) William Blumber (USA) / Brian Cernoch (USA) def. (3) Hans Hach Verdugo (MEX) / Miguel Angel Reyes -Varela (MEX) 6-4, 7-5

Sadio Doumbia (FRA) / Fabien Reboul (FRA) def. (WC) Eduard Guell Bartrina (ESP) / Sean Sculley (USA) 6-4, 6-4

Nathan Pasha (USA) / Martin Redlicki (USA) vs. Mitchell Kruger (USA) / Jackson Withrow (USA) 7-6(2), 6-3