Americans Find First Round Success in Memphis

The Memphis Open’s first-round continued on Tuesday and all five Americans who were in action advanced in Tennessee. The 2010 champion Sam Querrey picked up a nice victory over seventh-seeded Benjamin Becker of Germany, as Querrey came back from a set down to oust Becker 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 and push through into the second-round.

“Once I got up a break in the third set, I was able to relax a little bit. It just feels good to get a win here,” said Querrey, who picked up his first victory of 2015. “I always like playing here and the court feels great every time.”

In the second-round, the 41st-ranked Querrey will meet fellow American Jared Donaldson. The 18-year old-received a wild card entry into the tournament and capitalized, disposing of compatriot Stefan Kozlov 7-5, 6-0 on Monday evening.

“Winning that Challenger and his first-round here, he’s coming off a lot of confidence and doesn’t have much to lose,” Querrey said of Donaldson. “He already hits the ball big and comes out swinging, so I’m expecting him to take some chances and go all-out tomorrow.”

Sixth-seeded Steve Johnson cruised into the second-round, rolling past lucky loser Filip Krajinovic 6-3, 6-3. The American fired 15 aces and broke three times to pick up the straight-set victory.

He will meet Germany’s Dustin Brown in the second-round.

Ryan Harrison edged Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri 7-6(3), 7-6(1), to advance on Tuesday. The qualifier needed less than two hours to get past Jaziri and sets up a match with top-seeded Kei Nishikori, the two-time defending champion.

Another American qualifier, Austin Krajicek, outlasted Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-2, 6-7(3), 7-6(8). He will face last year’s runner up, fifth-seeded Ivo Karlovic, who took care of Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko 7-6(7), 6-3.

In an all-American second-round matchup, qualifier Denis Kudla will take on Donald Young. Kudla ousted Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-4, while Young beat eighth-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-6(9) on Monday night.

The highest-ranked American, John Isner, received a bye into the second-round. The third-seeded Isner will meet Croatia’s Ivan Dodig in the second-round.

Click here for all the scores and news from the Memphis Open.