American Ryan Harrison Opens BB&T Atlanta Open With Win
July 23, 2013 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
American Ryan Harrison was a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 winner over Australian Marinko Matosevic in opening round action at the 2013 BB&T Atlanta Open on Monday, the first tournament of the Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series. Harrison will go for his 50th tour-level win when he next faces fourth-seeded Dutchman Igor Sijsling. Harrison reached his first ATP World Tour semifinal at this event in 2011 where he lost to Mardy Fish.
During the Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series, players will earn bonus points based on their performances in the five North American hard-court tournaments leading up to the year’s final major. The top three finishers will have a chance to win bonus prize money at the US Open.
Also advancing was Rhyne Williams in a first-round match between two American wild cards, as he defeated Denis Kudla, 7-5, 6-4. Williams awaits the winner between the seventh-seeded Lleyton Hewitt and Edouard Roger-Vasselin. Americans Donald Young and Robby Ginepri both lost in the final round of qualifying, respectively, to fellow Americans Tim Smyczek and Kevin King.
In doubles, the number three seeds, Colin Fleming & Jonathan Marray defeated Evgeny Donskoy & Denis Istomin 6-3, 7-6(5). Top-seeded Ivan Dodig & Marcelo Melo are scheduled to play the wild card winners Ryan & Christian Harrison late Tuesday afternoon, while the second-seeded team of Merrick, N.Y.’s Scott Lipsky & Santiago Gonzalez are scheduled to meet the Australian duo of Lleyton Hewitt & Chris Guccione. Also in action Tuesday is American Mardy Fish who makes his return to the courts after an injury absence when he faces fellow American Michael Russell.
