SARASOTA, April 10, 2016
Sunday was not the best day for US-American players hoping to qualify for the $100,000 White Sands Realty/Joey Gratton Foundation Sarasota Open.
Of the four singles matches involving US-Americans, all lost in straight sets.
One match drawing much local interest involved a 16-year old wild card entrant from Sarasota. Russell Benkaim, who came back to win a three-set match Saturday, wasn’t able to advance beyond the qualifying weekend. He lost in straight sets Sunday to Emilio Gomez from Ecuador 6-3, 6-1.
The qualifications’s top seed Axel Michon defeated Alexios Halbian 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 12 minutes. Second seed Marcelo Arevalo also advanced to the final stage, winning 6-2, 7-5 against US-American Adam El Mildway in one hour and 25 minutes.
The longest match of the day (2:51 h) featured a three-set marathon between Robin Stanek from the Czech Republic and Juan Manuel Benitez Chavarriaga. The Colombian dove twice to reach short balls, each time requiring a trainer afterwards. His effort paid off, prevailing in the end 7-5, 5-7, 6-1.
