Home Soil Proves Advantageous for Americans at Clay Court Championship in Houston
Action began Monday at the Fayez Sarofim & Company U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston, as 20-year-old American Jack Sock recorded the biggest upset of the day, defeating 2007 Houston champion and number eight seed, Ivo Karlovic, 6-1 6-4. Karlovic was broken four times in the 55-minute match. Sock awaits the winner of the match between Germany’s Benjamin Becker and qualifier Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo for his second round opponent.
Fellow American Sam Querrey served up 17 aces en route to his 6-4, 7-6(6) win over Alex Bogomolov Jr., evening up his head-to-head mark against Bogomolov at 2-2. Up next for Querrey is the winner of the Tuesday afternoon match between 2009 Houston champion Lleyton Hewitt and qualifier Peter Polansky.
"That’s the first time I’ve grinded through a tough win like that all year and it feels really good," said Querrey.
Americans Ryan Harrison and Robby Ginepri won in the final round of qualifiers on Monday, as Harrison will draw fellow American Donald Young in round one, while Ginepri will facer the fifth-seeded Feliciano Lopez.
The lone American to face defeat Monday was Rhyne Williams, defeated by Dustin Brown of Germany, 6-1, 6-2. Awaiting Brown in round two is the number one seed, American John Isner, defending U.S. Men's Clay Court Champ. It will mark the first ever matchup between Brown and Isner.
